When it comes to being lost, kids can understand this concept in different ways, even as a toddler. Kids will play hide and seek and giggle at the thought of being found. As a child grows, they learn what it means to be lost and the fear inside of them can sometimes grow. We have the unique opportunity as parents to walk with them in their walk with Jesus. We can introduce them to Jesus and what a real relationship with Him looks like. We can show them that Jesus loves us so much and encourages us to seek Him. God says in Jeremiah 29:13, “you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart”. One way to walk with kids in this adventure is to look at examples in Scripture where people were lost and then were found. After looking at these examples, how can you make it personal for you and your kids? 1. There are many stories of the lost being found in the Bible. Read through these stories together. (If you want to pick just one, choose the blind man or Paul.) a. The Blind Man (John 9) b. The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-‐32) c. Paul (Acts 26) 2. These stories are very different from one another, yet they hold something in common. They each present the story in three parts: 1-‐ Life before Christ, 2-‐ How he came to Christ, 3-‐His life after Christ. (*Note: the story of the Prodigal Son is a parable, so the father in the story is representative of Christ.) a. Depending on the age of your kids, you can ask them about these three components and see if they can identify when the change happened in the lives of each of these people. b. What did their lives look like after they encountered Jesus? 3. This is a great opportunity to talk with your child about your Jesus story? Kids of all ages love to hear stories. To know their mom and/or dad recognize their imperfections and their need for a Savior makes them listen all the more. Think about the three parts to your story: 1 – Life before Christ (you can share this and make it age appropriate J), 2 – How you came to Christ (what was the turning point for you?), 3 – How does your life look different now? (Are you sharing Jesus with your friends, falling in love with the Bible and His words, being bold in your walk?) 4. Wordless Book: The Wordless Book is a great tool to introduce your kids to Jesus. You can look on Pinterest to find various activities and crafts and lessons that you can do with your kids. Check out these colors and verses that help us understand that having Jesus as our Savior doesn’t just get us a ticket into Heaven…it changes our lives now and challenges us to grow and share Jesus with the world! After going over these verses and the meanings of each of the colors, this might be a time where you ask your child if they want Jesus to forgive them for their sins and completely change their world. You could pray with your child and commit as a family to be fully devoted followers! a. Gold (Heaven): John 14:2-‐3
JK 12.16.15
b. Black (Sin): Romans 3:23 c. Red (Jesus’ Blood): Hebrews 9:22b d. White (Clean and Forgiven): Psalm 51:7, Acts 16:31 e. Green (Grow): 2 Peter 3:18 5. Now, it’s time to GROW (green page in the Worldless Book)! Here are some ways you can encourage your kids to grow and understand some “next steps” in their faith. a. Communion: Check out this short video from “What’s in the Bible” series explaining communion to kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utpt5S_bHrs b. Baptism: We do “Believer’s Baptism” at Grace Church because we believe baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. If your child is 5th grade or above, and they have surrendered their life to Jesus, we encourage them to share that with the world! One way to be bold and share this change is through baptism. Interested in learning more? Contact Jalonna at
[email protected]. c. Serving: One way to grow together as a family is to serve. ServErie is one, fun way to get involved in what God is doing in our city. Check out future ServErie dates on our website. You can also volunteer your time at the Erie City Mission, in your child’s school, at a nursing home, or even through places like Second Harvest Food Bank. d. GraceKids: At Grace, we want to partner with you, as you are ultimately your child’s spiritual coach. Each week, your child goes home with “Parent Cue” sheets, which go over what we studied and experienced that Sunday. You can also check out orangeblogs.org to learn more about what we are studying. For some helpful parent resources, check out theparentcue.org.
JK 12.16.15
