MORNINGSIDE KIDS
Morningside Kids 4/11/21
In New Testament times, Corinth was an important city in ancient Greece. About eighteen years after Jesus’ death on the cross, Paul preached the gospel to the Corinthians and established the church there. (See Acts 18.) He stayed in Corinth for at least 18 months.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote to help believers solve some problems within the church. In his second letter, written just a few weeks later, Paul wrote to encourage the church and to assure them that God loved them—even when they had troubles. Of all Paul’s letters in the New Testament, none reveals his heart as much as 2 Corinthians. In it, Paul showed his passion for Christ as he fiercely defended his ministry against false teachings.
Paul wrote of the dangers he faced as a disciple of Christ—stonings, beatings, imprisonment, hunger, and hardship. But he also wrote of the comfort and the strength to endure that Jesus gives to those who trust in Him. Nothing could keep Paul from sharing the good news of Jesus—a lesson for the believers at Corinth and for all believers everywhere.
As you talk about 2 Corinthians 11, emphasize that God gives us power to stand up for the gospel. Paul cared about the believers in Corinth, and he wanted them to be faithful to Jesus and remember the gospel. Paul may not have been an eloquent speaker like those who preached lies, but he refused to back down. Paul suffered and nearly died to share the gospel.
Second Corinthians teaches us that sharing Jesus with the world is not always easy. There will always be some who try to stop the good news from spreading. God calls believers to follow and obey Jesus no matter what. Like Paul, we guard the truth because God, the Father of the Lord Jesus, deserves to be praised.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 30, Session 4: Guarding the Truth
Bible Passage: 2 Corinthians 11
Story Point: God gives us power to stand up for the gospel.
Key Passage: Colossians 1:18
Big Picture Question: Why does the church exist? The church exists to glorify God by worshiping Him, showing His love, and telling others about Jesus.
Morningside Kids 4/4/21 - Easter! He is Risen!
The time between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning must have been dark hours for Jesus’ disciples. Fear, doubt, and confusion certainly overwhelmed their thoughts. Jesus, their Lord, was dead. He had been unjustly arrested, falsely accused, and severely beaten. Even worse, He had been killed in a horrible manner: by crucifixion.
The story doesn’t end there. Jesus’ body was laid in a tomb. The tomb was sealed and guards watched over it. The Jews remembered Jesus’ claim that He would rise from the dead (John 2:19-21), and they made sure no one could steal His body and insist He had risen. Imagine their surprise when Jesus did rise from the dead!
John and Peter saw the empty tomb. Jesus appeared to Mary. The disciples believed Jesus had risen from the dead. Even though the guards at the tomb were bribed to lie about what happened (they said the disciples stole Jesus’ body), the truth spread. The disciples wouldn’t have dedicated their lives and died for something they knew was a lie.
If Christ had remained dead, His death would have meant nothing more than yours or mine. Humanity would still be dead in sin. But God gives us victory over sin and death through His Son, Jesus. The resurrection gives us hope that we too will one day be raised and changed. (See Rom. 6:5; 8:11.)
Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 15:17 just how essential Jesus’ resurrection is to the gospel: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” The resurrection is proof that God was satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins and that God’s new covenant had begun.
Emphasize to your kids that Jesus is alive! Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but He didn’t stay dead. God was pleased with Jesus’ sacrifice and raised Jesus from the dead to reign as King over all creation. Jesus provides salvation from sin and the promise of eternal life. We believe this by faith. Today, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and reigns as King over all of creation. (Phil. 2:9-10)
Easter for Morningside Kids
MORNINGSIDE KIDS EASTER EVENTS
There are many activities happening on Easter Sunday! Please see our full Morningside Kids Easter Schedule below:
8:45 - Family Photos in the Coffee Nook (Portraits are available before and after our 10am service until 12:15pm)
9:30 - 1st-5th grade Children’s Choir practice (Check-in & meet in the Kids Wing)
10:00 - 1st-5th grade Children’s Choir sings in the Auditorium
Drop-off & Pick-up locations below:
Infants (to 12 mos): 104
Walkers & Runners (to 24 mos): 102
3 year olds: 101
K4-Grade 5: Kids Wing
10:10 - Easter Lesson and Crafts in the Kids Wing (K4-5th)
11:00 - Parents pick up your child/children right after the service for our Easter Egg Hunt (Nursery childcare through 5th grade classes will end at 11:00)
11:30 - Easter Egg Hunt begins across the street on school field (All weather reports look good for Sunday; however if there is inclement weather, the egg hunt will be located in the Kids Wing.)
*Note: this is a parent-supervised event.
For your families safety, exit the building at the East Wing center glass doors and follow signage & balloons (Thank you to our Gatewatchers for being an extra set of eyes when crossing!)
At the field entrance, Morningside bags will be given out for the egg hunt. (You can bring a basket if you like:-)
At the signal, kids will run around the fenced-in field gathering eggs in their bags
Following the egg hunt, we encourage families to cross together again at the marked area
The following Sunday, return your empty Easter eggs using your Morningside bag and we will enter your child’s name in a drawing for a special prize. (Make sure your name is on the bag! Drop off bins will be located outside the Kids Wing)
Morningside Kids 3/28/21 - Palm Sunday
TRIUMPHAL ENTRY - PALM SUNDAY
Leading into the last week of Jesus’ ministry before His death and resurrection, Jesus entered Jerusalem as the King of kings. Many of God’s people traveled to Jerusalem for Passover. Jesus and His disciples traveled to Jerusalem as well. Near Bethphage (BETH fayj) and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples ahead into a village.
Jesus told them, “You will find a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” Jesus would fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy: “Look, your King is coming to you ... humble and riding on a donkey” (Zech. 9:9).
Jesus made a spectacular entrance into the city. He rode a donkey, and people laid branches and their robes on the ground in front of Him. The people welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem believed He was the promised Messiah, but they expected Him to overthrow Roman oppression and set up an earthly throne. Jesus sent a different message.
The next day, Jesus entered the temple and turned over the tables of the money changers and those selling doves. Jesus referred to Isaiah 56:7, declaring that His kingship would not just be over the Jews but over all people. While Jesus was in the temple, He healed the blind and the lame. Jesus’ actions declared, “I am not just your King; I am also your God.” (See Isa. 35:4-6.)
Finally, the priests and the scribes heard the children in the temple worshiping Jesus as their King. “Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. Jesus replied, quoting Psalm 8:2. Jesus gladly received their praise because He was worthy of their praise. Jesus is the Son of God who came to overthrow sin and set up an eternal throne.
During Jesus’ triumphal entry, the people welcomed Him as King. Jesus was the Messiah spoken about by the prophet Zechariah: “Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). One day, Jesus will return to earth on a white horse as King over everything.
Help your kids connect the dots between God’s promises of a Messiah and Jesus’ coming. Help them understand why Jesus came: to save the world from sin!
Morningside Kids 3/21/21
Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians while he was imprisoned in Rome. At this point, Paul had not yet visited the church at Colossae. The church was established by Epaphras, who reported to Paul that the church was facing troubles with false teachers. Paul wanted to put an end to the false teaching and remind the believers of who Jesus really is. Key to this letter is Paul’s teaching about how the gospel affects how we live.
As you talk with your kids about Colossians 2–3, focus on some of the main points Paul makes. First, God changes us when we trust in Jesus. The Bible describes us apart from Jesus as “enemies of God” (Rom. 5:10) and “dead” in our sins (Eph. 2:1). Jesus rescued us from sin and death by dying on the cross and rising again. Jesus gives new life to people who trust in Him.
Second, following Jesus means living for Him. Jesus is our reason for living, and He gives us power to live in a way that honors Him. Jesus adopts us into His family and makes us new! We respond to the good news of the gospel by submitting to Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Finally, Jesus calls us to turn away from our sinful ways and live in a way that honors Him. Paul contrasts an earthly way of thinking with a godly way of thinking. The old, sinful way of living (the “old self”) is characterized by anger, wrath, hatred, lies, and filthy language. Paul wrote that living for Jesus means putting away the evil, selfish ways of the world and living like Jesus by loving God and loving others.
In Jesus, we have power to live in a new, godly way. This way (the “new self”) is marked by compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love. Paul says believers should “put on” these things. As we grow in this new way of living, God is making us more like His Son.
Christ Connection: God changes us when we trust in Jesus. He adopts us into His family and makes us new! Jesus calls us to turn away from our sinful ways and live in a way that honors Him.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 30, Session 3: New Life in Jesus
Bible Passage: Colossians 2-3
Story Point: Jesus gives new life to people who trust in Him.
Key Passage: Colossians 1:18
Big Picture Question: Why does the church exist? The church exists to glorify God by worshiping Him, showing His love, and telling others about Jesus.
Kevin Chen Visits Kids on Mission!
During the month of March, we welcomed Pastor Kevin Chen to our Kids on Mission, Missions Night. Kevin shared his testimony of how he came to Christ through an in-home Bible study in China. He enjoyed the delicious American “cupcakes”, but even more he hungered to know God’s Word and Jesus, who came to rescue him from sin. By His grace, God opened his eyes to the truths of the Scripture and he confessed his sin and believed the Gospel.
Pastor Kevin taught the kids why reading and memorizing God’s Word at a young age is so important.
To know Jesus (John 3:16-17)
To fight sin (Psalm 119:11)
To glorify God (Psalm 86:12)
To fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19)
Pastor Kevin encouraged the kids to be thankful they can come to church with their parents. In China, the government is no longer allowing kids to attend church with their parents. The government is also continuting its plan to shut down churches under the name of “Covid”. Kevin’s father-in-law’s church was recently closed by the government with no guarantee of reopening again in the future. Please pray for the many believers in China who are experiencing this kind of persecution as well as other forms of persecution. Pray for the children in these families that they would come to Christ and stand strong in the Lord.
Morningside Kids 3/14/21
Saul was no stranger to religion. He grew up in a religious household. He was a devout Jew who was born in Tarsus (Phil. 3:5) and inherited his Roman citizenship from his father. So when people began talking about this man named Jesus and claiming that He was the promised
Messiah, Saul was defensive. Saul believed strongly in the Jewish faith of his ancestors. He violently persecuted God’s church and tried to destroy it. (Gal. 1:13-14) He dragged believers from their houses and put them in prison. He approved of the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Saul thought he was doing the right thing by defending Judaism, but God’s purposes could not be stopped. As Saulwas on his way to arrest believers in Damascus, the Lord stopped him in his tracks.
Jesus revealed Himself to Saul, and Saul was never the same. He was struck blind and led into Damascus, where a believer named Ananias placed his hands on Saul. Suddenly, Saul could see again. Saul was convinced that Jesus is Lord. Saul later described the experience as being like dying and receiving a new life. (Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:17)
God had a purpose and a plan for Saul. He had set Saul apart before Saul was even born. (Gal. 1:15) God said, “This man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites” (Acts 9:15). Jesus changed Saul’s life. As you share with your teach, clarify that conversion happens when a person recognizes his sin, repents, believes in Jesus, and confesses Jesus as Savior and Lord. Jesus changes a person’s heart, and as a result, his life is changed too.
Christ Connection: Jesus appeared to Paul and changed him inside and out. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15) Jesus called Paul, who was once an enemy to Christians, to spend the rest of his life telling people the gospel and leading them to trust in Jesus.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 30, Session 2: Paul Met Jesus
Bible Passage: Acts 8-9
Story Point: Jesus saved Paul and chose him to spread the gospel.
Key Passage: Colossians 1:18
Big Picture Question: Why does the church exist? The church exists to glorify God by worshiping Him, showing His love, and telling others about Jesus.
Morningside Kids 3/7/21
Unit 30: The early church’s rapid growth led to some disagreements and problems. The leaders of the church addressed these problems by reminding everyone that Jesus is their ultimate leader and that they share the common mission given by Him to take the gospel to the entire world.
The believers in the early church faced intense persecution. After Stephen was killed, Jesus’ followers at the church in Jerusalem scattered; however, they did not stop talking about Jesus. They continued to share the good news. One man, Philip, took the gospel to Samaria. The crowds there listened and believed, and they had great joy.
In today’s Bible story, Philip was instructed by an angel of the Lord to go to a certain road in the desert. Philip obeyed. The Spirit led Philip to a chariot, where an Ethiopian official was reading the Scriptures from the prophet Isaiah. The Ethiopian man did not understand what he was reading, so Philip explained it to him.
The man was reading from the prophet Isaiah: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter ... In his humiliation justice was denied him ... For his life is taken from the earth” (Acts 8:32-33). The official wondered if Isaiah was speaking about himself or another person. Philip told the official that Isaiah’s words weren’t about Isaiah; they were about the Messiah—Jesus! The official believed in Jesus and was baptized.
Guide your kids to consider the role of the Holy Spirit in this interaction between Philip and the Ethiopian official. Who was responsible for Philip’s going to the desert? Who helped Philip explain the Scriptures? Who changed the heart of the official so he would believe?
The Ethiopian official knew what the Old Testament prophets said, but he did not understand that they spoke about Jesus. The Holy Spirit led Philip to help the official understand the good news about Jesus: Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead, just like the Old Testament prophets said.
After his interaction with the Ethiopian official, Philip continued sharing the gospel in all the towns on his way to the town of Caesarea. In our mission of making disciples, believers must be willing instruments to be used in the hands of the Lord. Philip didn’t go into the desert today with a strategy for converting another man; the Holy Spirit led Philip, and he obeyed. As believers, we can be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and willing to follow His lead. He will go with us.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 30, Session 1: Philip and the Ethiopian
Bible Passage: Acts 8
Story Point: The Holy Spirit led Philip to tell the Ethiopian man about Jesus.
Key Passage: Colossians 1:8 “Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.”
Big Picture Question: Why does the church exist? The church exists to glorify God by worshiping Him, showing His love, and telling others about Jesus.
Leading Your Child to Christ
The most important and foundational relationship in a child’s life is his or her relationship with the Lord. Although children will vary in their comprehension of the Lord and how they depend on Him due to their developmental levels, it is vital that we help orient these young hearts toward a right relationship with their Creator.
In 22 years of being a parent, I've spent lots of time reading discipleship books, discipling children, fielding our children's questions about God, salvation and sanctification, and praying that the Holy Spirit would lead them in paths of righteousness. It's still happening:-) Like the well-known idiom says, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." As parents, we can lead our children to the Gospel, but we can't make them believe it. Our example though imperfect, will likely far outweigh what we say. But this reality should not discourage us or cause us to neglect the command to teach our children diligently (Deut 6). There is great blessing in sharing the Gospel with our children over and over again because we are working with our triune God to accomplish His will.
Recently, I came across this short booklet entitled Leading Your Child to Christ by Marty Machowski. As I've talked with some Morningside parents about their child's salvation experience along with doubts and uncertainty of true repentance and belief, I found this booklet to be very helpful as a parent. In Morningside Kids two weeks ago, we focused on teaching The Good News to K4-5th graders. As a followup to our Good News lesson, I thought this booklet would be an encouraging resource to each family. Every family will receive a personal copy of the booklet. I pray that it will help you lead your child to Christ, address any doubts, and produce true repentance and belief in the Gospel by the Holy Spirit's working.
May the Lord by His grace begin and continue a good work in the hearts of many Morningside children! (Philippians 1:6)
Lara Cropsey, Children’s Ministry Director
Volume 11 - The Church United
Volume 11: The Church United helps kids discover how the missionary Paul took the gospel throughout the Roman Empire and the church grew. In the Great Commission, Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples of all nations. Early church leaders made disciples by sharing the gospel, baptizing new believers, and teaching them to obey Jesus. Our mission as Christians is to make disciples of all nations by the power of the Holy Spirit. By reading and studying the Bible, we can remember what is true and encourage others as they live by faith.
4/18 Peter and Cornelius (Acts 10)
4/25 Barnabas in Antioch (Acts 11)
5/2 Jesus is Better (Hebrews 1-8)
5/9 The Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11)
5/16 Peter Escaped from Prison (Acts 12)
5/23 Paul’s First Journey (Acts 13-14)
5/30 The Church Divided (I Corinthians 1-6) 5th Sunday Service - Loving Others
6/6 Letters to Church Leaders (1-2 Timothy; Titus)
6/13 The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
6/20 Paul’s Second Journey (Acts 15-18)
6/27 No Other the Gospel (Galatians 1-3)
7/4 Paul Gave Hope (1-2 Thessalonians)
Morningside Kids 2/28/21
The early church was made up mostly of Jewish believers who had grown up believing they needed to fully obey God to be accepted. Grace was a new concept for them, and many struggled with understanding how grace and obedience fit together. Some made the mistake of thinking that once they had acceptance in Jesus, obedience didn’t matter after all.
This greatly concerned James—Jesus’ half-brother and a leader in the church at Jerusalem— so he wrote a letter to the Jewish Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire. James wanted these Christians to understand that grace and obedience do not work against each other; they work with each other.
James wrote, “Be doers of the word. If you hear the word but don’t do it, you fool yourselves. Anyone who is a hearer but not a doer is like someone who looks at himself in a mirror, goes away and forgets right away what he looked like.”
James wanted Christians to realize that true faith in Jesus—a faith that comes by grace—will always lead to action. True faith is an active faith. James gave an example: When we look into a mirror and see something is not right—our hair is out of place or food is stuck in our teeth—we don’t just walk away; we fix it. The gospel is like that mirror. It shows us what is true about ourselves, and when we see we are not living out our true identity, we should want to address it.
Help your kids understand that true faith in Jesus always leads to living differently. When we trustin Jesus, God changes our hearts so that we will want to live a life pleasing to Him. We aren’t accepted by God because of our obedience; we obey God out of gratitude because we are accepted by Him through Jesus.
Christ Connection: Jesus said, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word” (John 14:23). James reminded believers to be doers of the word. Jesus rescues us from sin and frees us to live a life that honors God. By doing what is good and right, people who trust Jesus can show that they really believe in Him.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 29, Session 4: Doers of the Word
Bible Passage: James 1-2
Story Point: James said that faith without works is useless.
Key Passage: Romans 12:5 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
Big Picture Question: What is the Church? The church is all Christians everywhere, who gather together in their communities to worship and serve God.
"Jesus is" Easter Banner
Over the last several weeks, 3rd-5th graders have been learning Bible truths about Jesus and memorizing verses related to those truths. To reinforce those truths and additional ones about Jesus, Morningside Kids made a “Jesus is” Easter banner with 24 unique characteristics of Jesus. Your child may have brought his or her banner home. Talking through these truths and reading the Scripture passages connected with them is a wonderful way to disciple your child leading up to Easter.
If you are interested in repeating this craft with a younger child, you can find the resource here. If you’re not crafty and need a tutorial, you can find help here.
Here are the 24 “Jesus is” truths for Easter:
Jesus is Fully God (Hebrews 1:8)
Jesus is Fully Man (Galatians 4:4-5)
Jesus is Holy (Luke 1:35)
Jesus is Eternal (Hebrews 13:8)
Jesus is the Son of God (I John 5:20)
Jesus is the Creator (Colossians 1:16-17)
Jesus is the Prophet (John 6:14)
Jesus is the Priest (Hebrews 9:27-28)
Jesus is the King (Revelation 19:16)
Jesus is the Judge (John 5:22)
Jesus is the Christ (Matthew 16:16)
Jesus is the Savior (I John 4:14)
Jesus is our Mediator (I Timothy 2:5-6a)
Jesus is the Light of the World (John 8:12)
Jesus is the Word (John 1:1-3)
Jesus is the Vine (John 15:5)
Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
Jesus is the Head of the Church (Colossians 1:18)
Jesus is Resurrected (Luke 24:39)
Jesus is Alive (Revelation 1:17b-18)
Jesus is in Heaven (I Peter 3:21b-22)
Jesus is Coming Soon (Revelation 22:12)
Jesus is Exalted (Philippians 2:9-11)
Morningside Kids 2/21/21
After Jesus returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles, the gospel began to spread. Those who heard the good news at Pentecost included visitors from Rome, and they were likely among the three thousand who believed. (See Acts 2:10,41.) When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans in AD 57, he had never been to Rome. But by that time, Roman believers were meeting in house churches.
Paul wrote his letter in part to explain the essentials of the Christian faith and what it means to live for Jesus. Paul’s words are helpful to Christians today. As you guide your kids through Romans 5–6, help them grasp the good news of the gospel. This is the message for which Jesus’ followers gave their lives. This good news changes everything.
First, help your kids understand the benefits of believing in Jesus. To appreciate the good news, kids need to understand the bad news: Apart from Jesus, we are dead in our sin—separated from God. We need to be rescued. God sent Jesus into the world to rescue sinners. When we trust in His death and resurrection, we are made right with God and are saved from sin and death.
Next, compare and contrast the first Adam with Jesus—”the second Adam.” Adam represented all people, but he sinned. Sin brought death into the world, and death spread to all people because all people sinned. Jesus came to bring us life. He obeyed God perfectly. All who trust in Him are forgiven and have eternal life.
Finally, introduce how believers deal with sin in view of God’s grace. Since our sin is forgiven, should we keep on sinning? Paul was emphatic that the answer is no. When we are in Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin. Sin will still be a struggle in our fallen world, but we have power through the Holy Spirit to resist sin and live a life that honors God.
Christ Connection: Because God created everything, He is in charge of everything. Everyone sins, or disobeys God. Our sin separates us from God. The good news of the gospel is that God sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment we deserve. Everyone who trusts in Jesus will be saved.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 29, Session 3: The Good News
Bible Passage: Romans 5-6
Story Point: God sent Jesus into the world to rescue sinners
Key Passage: Romans 12:5 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
Big Picture Question: What is the Church? The church is all Christians everywhere, who gather together in their communities to worship and serve God.
Morningside Kids 2/14/21
Stephen was one of the seven men chosen to serve as leaders in the early church at Jerusalem. (See Acts 6:1-7.) God blessed Stephen and gave him power to do wonders and miracles like some of the apostles.
Some of the Jews accused Stephen of blasphemy and dragged him to the Sanhedrin, a group of Jewish leaders who acted as a legal council. Stephen addressed the group. He drew from the Jewish history, which the leaders of the Sanhedrin would have known well. But Stephen taught from the Old Testament things the Jewish leaders had likely never realized.
As Stephen preached, he showed how the Old Testament pointed to a coming Savior and how that Savior was Jesus. Stephen pointed out that the Jews’ ancestors had rejected God’s prophets. And they were just like their fathers; they rejected the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. Not only did they reject Jesus, they killed Him!
The Jewish leaders rushed at Stephen. As he faced his enemies, Stephen looked into heaven and saw God’s glory. Jesus was standing at God’s right hand. The Jews forced Stephen out of the city, and they stoned him.
Remind your kids of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:22: “You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Following Jesus will include difficulty and suffering. Jesus gives words of both warning and comfort: “Don’t be afraid” (Matt.10:26).
Christ Connection: Stephen was killed because he was a Christian. Jesus told His followers that they would be persecuted—hated, hurt, or even killed—for loving Him. Jesus also said that those who suffer for Him would be blessed. We can face suffering in this life because Jesus suffered first. He died and then rose again, and He is waiting for us in heaven.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 29, Session 2: The Early Church, Stephen’s Sermon
Bible Passage: Acts 6-7
Story Point: Stephen preached about Jesus no matter what.
Key Passage: Romans 12:5 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
Big Picture Question: What is the Church? The church is all Christians everywhere, who gather together in their communities to worship and serve God.
God's Power: Moses
Thanks for joining us for the first quarter of online Good News Club for 2020-2021. Follow the links below for your videos and handouts.
Drama Camp: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Last week, several Morningside kids got to participate in a drama camp we hosted for The Academy of Arts. The week ended with a fun production of The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.
“Adapted for stage from the well-known Aesop’s Fable and the story of the Prodigal son from the Book of Luke, this timeless children’s tale follows one mouse’s journey from the simple, happy cornfields of the country to the fast-paced opportunities of the town as he learns that things are not always as they seem.”
It was a privilege to host, and the kids had a great time. We took some pictures of the rehearsals, and if you’re interested you can watch it on Facebook Live.
If you're looking for a Christian drama camp that teaches skills and important life lessons, check out The Bird and The Bug being offered at the Academy of Arts this summer.
Kids on Mission - Alphabet Night
Last Wednesday night was Alphabet Night! Kids and volunteers arrived with words, letters and Bible verses on their clothes. And if kids forgot, there were plenty of sticky letters to go around thanks a wonderful volunteer who brought extra letters to share.
Our K4-2nd graders learned about Josiah, lover of God’s Word. After finding an old dusty scroll in God’s house, he realized as he read God’s commands written inside that the children of Israel had been disobeying God. With great sadness, Josiah tore his clothes to show how upset he was. Josiah sent out a message to call the children of Israel to the temple to hear God’s Word. As Josiah stood before the people to read God’s Word, he told the Israelites that he would love and obey God and commanded the people to do the same. As long as Josiah was king, the children of Israel obeyed God. However, after the death of Josiah, the Israelites turned away from God and began worshiping idols again. Even though the Israelites turned their backs on God, God did not abandon His people. God kept on loving them and would one day send a Savior, as he had promised many years before.
As a reminder of the lesson, K4-2nd graders made their own scroll with the week’s Bible verse written on the inside.
3rd-5th graders played “Protect the President” as a reminder that nothing or no one can destroy God. God sent Jesus who lived a perfect life, died a sinless death, and finally conquered death so that we might be saved from the punishment of our sins and live forever with Him in heaven one day. The older elementary kids then met in their small groups to write out, talk about and memorize I Corinthians 15:19-20 which tells us that Jesus conquered death.
Morningside Kids 2/7/21
Unit 29 Description: The church is God’s plan to bring praise and glory to Jesus. Through the church, the gospel goes beyond Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to the end of the earth.
Something amazing was happening among believers in the early church. Not only was the Holy Spirit changing people’s hearts to believe in Jesus, He was empowering them to live differently. We see the evidence of God’s grace among the believers in Acts 4:32-35. The believers shared everything they had. If one person had a need, someone else gladly gave what he had to meet that need. As a result, “there was not a needy person among them” (Acts 4:34).
Joseph (also known as Barnabas) was one of the disciples living in this way. He sold a field and gave the money to the apostles. But trouble arose when Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold some land. Perhaps they wanted to appear as generous as Barnabas without feeling the full cost of such generosity. They secretly kept back some of the money, and Ananias brought the rest to Peter.
When Peter confronted Ananias, he didn’t tell him he was wrong to only bring part of the money. In fact, Peter said Ananias could have been honest about how the money was divided. Ananias and Sapphira’s sin was in pretending to be generous when they were actually greedy. They had tried to deceive the apostles, but Peter pointed out that they were guilty of trying to deceive God.
Ananias dropped dead, and a few hours later his wife did too.As you teach this story to kids, avoid using Ananias and Sapphira as a warning to be generous or die.
As sinners, we struggle with the temptation of greed. Point your kids to Jesus, who forgives our greed and changes us through the Holy Spirit. Christ Connection: Ananias and Sapphira wanted to look generous, but they were greedy. The Holy Spirit changes our hearts to want to share with those in need because Jesus generously gave all He had so we can share in His riches and have forgiveness and eternal life.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 29, Session 1: The Early Church, Ananias and Sapphira
Bible Passage: Acts 4-5
Story Point: Ananias and Sapphira lied about their gift to the church.
Key Passage: Romans 12:5 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
Big Picture Question: What is the Church? The church is all Christians everywhere, who gather together in their communities to worship and serve God.
Morningside Kids 1/31/21
Like his first letter, Peter’s second letter was written to believers in the early church who had experienced persecution and suffering. At this time, Peter was in a Roman prison. He was aware that his death was imminent. (See 2 Pet. 1:13-15.) Besides the outside threats to their faith, these believers were also confronted with false teachers within the church who tried to lead them away from the true gospel.
Paul warned against false teachers. In the opening chapter of his letter, Paul’s exhortation to live like Jesus gives believers a measure for making sure they are following the truth. The best defense against false teachers is a dedication to a knowledge of the truth. As you prepare to teach from 2 Peter 1, consider these two questions: How do we live like Jesus? Why do we live like Jesus?
First, God’s people live like Jesus through the power of Jesus (2 Pet. 1:3-4) and through personal application (2 Pet. 1:5-7). Not only is the Christian life marked by faith in Christ, it is characterized by goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. These come from knowing Jesus, who calls us to Himself.
Second, God’s people live like Jesus to confirm their calling. (2 Pet. 1:8-11) If we claim to have faith but do not live like Jesus, we have forgotten what Jesus has done for us. Because God has credited to us Jesus’ righteousness, we strive to live in loving obedience to Him to show those around us that Jesus has truly changed our lives.
Soon after writing this letter, Peter was killed in Rome as Jesus had predicted. (John 21:18-19)
Christ Connection: Help your kids grasp that Jesus lived a perfect life and died the death we deserve for our sin. When we trust in Jesus, God forgives our sins and changes our hearts. Jesus calls and empowers His followers to live like Him.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 28, Session 4: Living Like Jesus
Bible Passage: 2 Peter 1
Story Point: Peter instructed believers to live like Jesus.
Key Passage: 2 Peter 1:3 "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."
Big Picture Question: How does the Holy Spirit help Christians? The Holy Spirit comforts us, shows us our sin, and guides us as we live for God’s glory.
Morningside Kids 1/24/21
Peter’s story of faith began when Jesus said, “Follow Me.” (Matt. 4:18) Peter and his brother Andrew—two fishermen from Galilee—left their nets and followed Jesus. As one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, Peter witnessed firsthand Jesus’ miracles and teachings.
Peter believed that Jesus is the Messiah (Matt. 16:16), and he was understandably upset when Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him (Matt. 26:34-35). Peter fell asleep as Jesus prayed in the garden, and he drew his sword to defend Jesus when He was arrested. (Matt. 26:40; John18:10) Peter denied Jesus three times, but after the resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter and the other disciples. Then Jesus restored Peter to ministry at the sea of Galilee. (John 21:15-19)
The first 12 chapters in the Book of Acts record the Holy Spirit’s work through Peter after Pentecost. God revealed to Peter that the gospel is for everyone—Jews and Gentiles. Peter was arrested and imprisoned for sharing the gospel, but an angel of the Lord rescued him. (Acts 12:1-8)
Peter wrote his first letter sometime between AD 62 and 64 to believers who had experienced persecution and suffering. He encouraged them and reminded them how to live holy lives as followers of Christ, looking forward to an eternal reward in their true home—heaven.
Peter’s letter was written nearly two thousand years ago to believers who were not far removed from Jesus’ life on earth. We still wait eagerly for Jesus’ return, but God calls us to faithfulness in hard times—using our time on earth to better know and love Him, and to tell others about Him. As believers, we are all called to live a life of love and to glorify God by what we do and say, even in the midst of trials and troubles.
Christ Connection: The Bible says Christians will suffer for following Jesus. Peter encouraged believers who faced persecution for their faith. Through suffering, God can make us more like His Son. Jesus gives us hope and true life so we can live joyfully for Him, even in hard times.
Volume 10: The Mission Begins
Unit 28, Session 3: Faithful in Hard Times
Bible Passage: I Peter 1-2
Story Point: Peter encouraged believers who faced persecution.
Key Passage: 2 Peter 1:3 "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."
Big Picture Question: How does the Holy Spirit help Christians? The Holy Spirit comforts us, shows us our sin, and guides us as we live for God’s glory.