GROWING CHILDREN IN FOLLOWING JESUS
Welcome!
Today’s lesson we are talking about choices, and the choice we are given to follow Jesus. Jesus doesn’t want to force us to follow him, he loves us and wants us to choose to love him.
Read the Bible story first and then watch the lesson video.
Bible Reading
Jesus started to leave, but a man ran to him and fell on his knees before Jesus. The man asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to get the life that never ends?”
Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commands: ‘You must not murder anyone. You must not be guilty of adultery. You must not steal. You must not tell lies about your neighbor in court. You must not cheat. Honor your father and mother.’”
The man said, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these commands since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked straight at the man and loved him. Jesus said, “There is still one more thing you need to do. Go and sell everything you have, and give the money to the poor. You will have a reward in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
He was very sad to hear Jesus say this, and he left. The man was sad because he was very rich.
Then Jesus looked at his followers and said, “How hard it will be for those who are rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
The followers were amazed at what Jesus said. But he said again, “My children, it is very hard to enter the kingdom of God! And it will be very hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. It would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle!”
The followers were even more amazed and said to each other, “Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked straight at them and said, “For people this is impossible. But for God all things are possible.”
Peter said to Jesus, “We left everything to follow you!”
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth. Everyone who has left his home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or fields for me and for the Good News will get a hundred times more than he left. Here in this world he will have more homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields. And with those things, he will also suffer for his belief. But in the age that is coming he will have life forever. Many who are first now will be last in the future. And those who are last now will be first in the future.”
Questions to ask
- What are the hard words?
- What did not make sense?
- What questions do I have?
Lesson
Discussion
After you have watched the lesson and completed the bible reading, discuss these questions together:
What was Jesus saying that should matter the most?
- Following Jesus should matter more than anything else in the world.
What difficult choices might you have to make if you follow Jesus?
- They might not be the popular choices your friends at school are making
Do you think its OK to have lots of money and stuff? Why?
Being rich and important is ok, as long as its not what really matters. Jesus wants us to have a rich and eternal life with him.
Prayer
Thank you Jesus that you love us and you have heard our prayers. We are so thankful that we have the Bible to read so we can see how you want us to live out lives everyday. I pray that you will help us to make you the most important thing in our lives, even when that can sometimes be difficult.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Resources
Memory Verse Romans 8:38
- Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from the love God has for us. Not death, not life, not angels, not ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, or anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Challenge
- What is one thing you could do this week
- Why not join our Bible Verse challenge! We are memorising Romans 8 this month. For more information read here.
- Ages 4-7 Romans 8:38
- Ages 8-11 Romans 8:37-38
- Ages 12-13
- Adults – teachers/helpers. All of Romans 8!
Sermon Notes
- Sermon notes page to follow along with
Activities