PRESCHOOL/KINDER Date:__________________
This resource is designed to allow your family to have time in God’s Word BEFORE your children attend church. Because God’s plan is for parents to be the primary spiritual nurturers of their children’s faith, we want YOU to be the one to introduce this part of The Big God Story to them. HomeFront Magazine: A Spiritual Parenting Resource is a monthly magazine that gives your family ideas for creating fun, spiritually forming times in your home—setting aside sacred space in the midst of your active, everyday lives. Visit www.HomeFrontMag.com to subscribe to the print edition or to have a digital copy sent directly to your inbox.
GOD IS LOVE Parables of the Lost Sheep, Coin, and Son Luke 15 Jesus told three stories about things that were lost— the lost sheep, the lost coin, and a lost son. In each of these stories, a party was thrown when the lost was found. Jesus used these stories to help us understand God’s great love for us.
JUST FOR FUN Play a game of hide and seek with your children. Have the children hide and then count to 10 before you begin your search. Once you find your children, rejoice and say, “You were lost and now you’re found!” Tell your children that Jesus shared about three different things that were lost and then found. Then, read Luke 15. What happened after each lost thing was found? That’s right, the people rejoiced and celebrated! Pray together, thanking God that He loves us and we belong to Him.
REMEMBER VERSE For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 57:10
© 2016 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
Spring Lesson 12
DID YOU KNOW? • People who don’t know Jesus are sometimes referred to as “lost.” • The parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son relate to God’s great love for us and His joy when we are found in Him. • Through these stories God also reminds us that, like the Pharisees, we need to examine our own heart for the lost.
DEVELOPMENT It’s important that your child is regularly exposed to church and matters of faith. Though he may not seem to have a full understanding of spiritual concepts, these early years will form the foundation for his faith as he grows.
TEACHABLE MOMENTS After reading the Scripture passage, discuss the following together: • How does it feel to know how much God loves you? • Do you know someone who might not know that God loves them? • How can we help other people remember that God loves them?
BLESSING A blessing can be a spoken prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement and guidance over your child. For more information about blessing your child, see the Blessing section in HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource @ HomeFrontMag.com. A blessing to pray over your child: (Child’s name), may the love of God fill up your heart. May you share that love with everyone you see this week.