MORNINGSIDE KIDS
Morningside Kids 9/11/22 - David Fought Goliath
The name of the Lord is holy and set apart. For those who follow Christ, the name of God is one which ought to be held in high regard, above all other names.
In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath, the giant warrior of the Philistines, showed little regard for the God of the Israelites. He mocked not only the armies of Israel, but their God as well. Though Goliath had his own gods by whom he cursed David, he did not count the God of Israel to be of any value.
When Goliath mocked the name of the Lord by mocking David and the Israelites, the power of God was unleashed through the most unlikely of people. As the Philistines ran for their lives, they were reminded that there is more power in the youngest and weakest of God’s children than there is in the largest and strongest of the rest of the world.
The power of God is revealed in every instance in Scripture where the name of the Lord is used. When God-fearing prophets, priests, and ordinary people call on the name of the Lord God, we see time and again the power of God put on display.
When David encountered the giant, he said, “I come against you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel” (1 Sam. 17:45). David knew the power of God’s name. And once again, God proved to be unwilling to be mocked and unshakable in power.
The power of the name of God is seen most notably in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:9-11, “For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus guarded God’s name in that even though He was tempted in every way, He was without sin. Jesus demonstrated the power of God’s name through His death, burial, and resurrection. That power will never fail or be defeated, and that power is yours in Christ.
Morningside Kids 9/4/22 - God Chose David to be King
GOD CHOSE DAVID TO BE KING (I SAMUEL 16)
One of God’s good gifts to us is the way He uses the most unexpected people in the most unexpected ways. We’ve all probably seen this happen at times. A young man or woman that rises to prominence in his or her vocation, but no one saw it coming.
We see this in sports, in business, and other arenas. But in the kingdom of God, it’s not just something you might see occasionally; it’s standard.
Isaiah 55:9 says, “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
God has been in the business of bringing about surprising stories of unsung heroes since the beginning of time. In 1 Samuel 16, we find one more example of this. God chose to use David, a young boy with a shepherd staff and some musical ability, to lead Israel in a time of desperation.
Do you ever find yourself trying to hone the skills that God has used in others in hopes that He might use you too? Have you ever wished you were wired or gifted differently so you could do something specific for the Lord? Rest assured, God is not interested in only a specific set of gifts or a particular personality type. God desires to use you just the way He made you.
Find comfort in knowing that He didn’t mess up when He made you. He won’t waste a gift He has given you, and He wants you to grow in those ways so that at just the right time and in just the right way, your gifts can be used for His kingdom purposes.
Who would have thought that David’s ability to play the lyre would get him into Saul’s inner circle? God did. It was His plan all along. And it is His plan to use you in great ways too. He will not waste the gifts He’s given you. Be open and willing to serve Him for His glory and your joy.
VBS 2023 - Keepers of the Kingdom
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL - SUMMER 2023 - June 4-7, 6:00-8:00 pm
We are engaged in an epic battle for the hearts and minds of our youth. Every day, they’re bombarded with lies about who they are, who their Creator is, and where their salvation comes from. Thankfully, God has given his children armor to wear in this battle between truth and lies, light and darkness, good and evil.
This summer, knights will learn how to be a part of God’s kingdom through faith in his Son, Jesus, and to put on the armor of God with Keepers of the Kingdom: Standing Strong in Today’s Battle for Truth. Our Royal Majesty’s kingdom is under attack, and we must prepare for battle.
Day 1: The Two Kingdoms - We will discover there are just two kingdoms—the kingdom of light versus the kingdom of darkness. One is ruled by the good King, Creator God. The other is ruled by the enemy, Satan.
Day 2: The Belt - We must decide our side. Those who become citizens of God’s good kingdom need to wear the armor of God daily, starting with the belt of truth that helps us have an unshakable trust in God’s Word, along with helping us live as truthful people.
Day 3: The Breastplate and Shoes - The breastplate helps God’s children put on Christ’s righteousness and grow in right living. The shoes show us we can be at peace with God, which helps us stand firm in our Christian convictions and share Jesus with others.
Day 4: The Shield and Helmet - The shield and helmet protect us from the enemy’s attacks - wrong thinking, discouragement, and deception. We will learn to discern!
Day 5: The Sword and Prayer - The sword of the Spirit if the Word of God, which helps us train our brains to know, memorize, love and obey God’s Word. And as we battle, we must pray!
Morningside Kids 8/28/22 - God is Good to Judge Sin
GOD IS GOOD TO JUDGE SIN (GENESIS 18)
There is something inside of each of us that longs for justice. When your family or community is impacted by an atrocity, there is an innate wiring to every person that desires to those responsible be punished. Where does this come from and what should we do with this?
Our desire for justice comes as a result of our being made in the image of God. We learn from Scripture that God formed each of us (Ps. 139:13) and created us in His image (Gen. 1:27). Being created in the image of God and by the hand of God leaves us with certain characteristics informed by our Creator.
So, what should we do? Should we respond to every act of sin with an act of justice? Should we point and scream when another image bearer demonstrates her sinful nature? Should we ignore evil acts and simply “let God take care of it”?
Genesis 18 speaks to some of this. As God began to unfold His plan to punish the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham stepped in. Abraham knew firsthand just how sinful these people were, how distorted their views of the world were, and how extreme their culture had turned as a result. Yet, he pleaded for God to show mercy.
It’s likely that there were people that Abraham knew and worried about. It’s clear that Abraham didn’t want those who followed God to be punished along with those who did not. But it seems there was something in Abraham that desired God to show mercy to other sinners because he knew his own great need for God’s mercy as well.
When we see that the ground is level at the foot of the cross, our desire for justice is often—at least in part—overcome by a desire for mercy. When we see ourselves in need of the same mercy as the offender we have in our sights, it may likely change how we think and pray.
Ultimately, God is the judge who discerns where there is mercy. Scripture reminds us, “What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (Rom. 9:14-15)
Morningside Kids 8/21/22 - Saul Sinned and Was Rejected
SAUL SINNED AND WAS REJECTED (I SAMUEL 13-15)
The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was the rhythm and practice of the people of God for many generations. It brought about reminders of the authority of God and the sin of the people. God used these sacrifices as temporary atonement for sin and a foreshadowing of the permanent sacrifice of Jesus that was to come.
Some Old Testament figures practiced these sacrifices with precision as prescribed by God. For others, the sacrifices were a good luck charm or “Get Out of Jail Free” card. In 1 Samuel 14–15, Saul built an altar and used sacrifice to try to earn back the favor of both God and Samuel.
Samuel’s response to these things cut Saul deeply. “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22).
The answer to Samuel’s rhetorical question is a resounding “No!” God does not desire sacrifice more than obedience; He desires obedient sacrifice. Though it was possible to sacrifice and disobey, it was never possible to obey and not sacrifice. God’s desire was for sacrifice to come from a broken and contrite heart that understood the weight of one’s sin and the need for forgiveness before a holy and righteous God. To practice sacrifice with any other motivation was to disobey.
Though we don’t live under the ceremonial law of the Old Testament, we do live under the authority of God. And though we don’t use the blood and meat of animals to try to satisfy God, we are certainly guilty of trying to please Him with religious practices.
For some Christians, there is a quiet hope that checking the boxes of daily disciplines will satisfy God’s wrath toward our sin. For some Christians, the applause of men drives the public display of their faith. In either instance, Christians are seeking to earn the favor of both God and man through their “sacrifice,” when God’s desire is for our whole-hearted obedience out of love for Him.
Consider today what areas you may be tempted to try and impress God or earn back His love. Confess those things and be reminded that what God wants is your love for Him above all else and your confidence that His sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to make you right before Him.
Back to School Splash
On Wednesday, August 10, we welcomed over 250 people to our Back to School Splash! Our volunteers gave away over 100 school boxes and 50 backpacks provided by Select Health. Kids enjoyed crafts, water wars, carnival games, popsicles and the giant water slide. We were thankful to be a part of helping families prepare for school on a cooler summer night!
Morningside Kids 8/14/22 - God Made Saul King
GOD MADE SAUL KING (1 SAMUEL 11)
Gilgal was a place the Israelites knew well. It was the first place their ancestors set foot in the promised land; the place where they built a memorial of 12 stones after crossing the Jordan with the ark of the covenant; a place that they looked back on and remembered the power, greatness, and provision of God. Gilgal wasn’t a place of convenience, but rather a place of significance.
Have you ever taken the time to revisit places of your past? Maybe you’ve driven past your childhood home and school, your first home, or the hospital where a family member was born. These nostalgic journeys can bring back all sorts of memories of heartbreak and victory, sadness and joy. Revisiting the past might flood your heart and mind with things you had long forgotten as well as things that can never be forgotten.
In the fast-paced world we live in today, we don’t go back often enough. For many, thinking about the past only slows down productivity. We rely on timeline photos as reminders but then quickly scroll to the news of the day and our plans for tomorrow.
What if we regularly returned to the past? What if we frequented the memorials of God’s power, greatness, and provision? It may be that part of why we run so hard after the tyranny of the urgent is because we’ve lost sight of God’s faithfulness through the ages.
It may not be a nostalgic drive through your hometown or a trip to the mountaintop where you were first gripped by the greatness of God, but a stroll down memory lane recalling the work that God has done is so very good for the soul.
The Israelites didn’t return to Gilgal because it was easy. They returned to Gilgal because amid their present circumstances, they needed to remember. And so do we.
Reflect on the great things that God has done—the ways you’ve seen His power, greatness, and provision. And as you do, let it grow your gratitude and hopefulness. For, as James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Morningside Kids 8/7/22 - Israel Demanded a King
Israel Demanded a King (I Samuel 8-10)
It can happen to any of us: We look at our circumstances, forecast a coming trial or opportunity, and act accordingly—only to find out that the situation doesn’t play out quite like we expected.
This is precisely what happened in 1 Samuel 8–10. The people of Israel, while assessing their circumstances, discerned that Samuel’s days were numbered. They recognized that his sons, Joel and Abijah, had turned to dishonesty and against the ways of their father. So, they predicted that they would soon have no one to lead them and that something must be done.
The elders of Israel believed they knew what was best and demanded that Samuel appoint a new king who would lead them “the same as all the other nations” (1 Sam 8:5).
We can do the same. With the best of intentions, we can hastily seek what we believe is best without consideration of the Lord’s plans, desires, or wisdom. This may happen in search of a new job, in response to conflict, in making family decisions, or even in determining how to best minister to people in our church or community.
How do we know that our decisions, desires, and actions align with what God wants? Be encouraged to do three things as you seek the Lord’s wisdom in these moments of decision: Pray, read God’s Word, and seek counsel.
When we pray, we humble ourselves before the Almighty God and submit our desires to Him. When we read God’s Word, we discover His desires, plans, and will in the most clearly revealed way so that we might walk in them. And when we seek counsel, we open ourselves to the community of believers to be shaped, formed, sharpened, and corrected.
Proverbs 3:5-6 remind us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Taking the time to pray, read the Bible, and seek the counsel of brothers and sisters in Christ is an act of refusal to rely on our own understanding, instead submitting ourselves to God’s authority and ensuring that we don’t get ahead of Him.
Morningside Kids 7/24/22
GOD TAKES SIN SERIOUSLY (EPHESIANS 2)
What comes to mind when you think about sin? Consider your emotions—does the thought of sin make you sad? Angry? Indifferent? To fully understand the beauty of salvation and the power of grace, you must take sin seriously.
Consider what our sin says about God. Sin says God may be powerful, but not enough to deserve ultimate authority in our lives. Sin exploits God’s mercy and disrespects His patience. Sin says God is not worthy of our obedience. Sin isn’t just a mistake; it is serious. Why? Our sins are first and foremost against an infinitely holy God.
In Ephesians 2, Paul describes our state apart from Christ not merely as broken or flawed; he says we are dead in our sin. We are not simply wrong people who need to do better; rather, we are dead people who need to be made alive.
God confronts this bad news with a surprising response. Look at Ephesians 2:4-5: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses.”
The good news of the gospel increases in its gravity as our awareness and hatred of sin increases. If sin seems like no big deal, the cross is not very impressive. When we have a right understanding of the seriousness of our sin, the gospel is good news—the revelation that we who are dead in our sin can have true life as a free gift in Christ.
Volume 4 - From Unity to Division
Volume 4: From Unity to Division
Sin has broken our relationship with our holy God; however, God’s grace freely offers redemption and renewal. In 1 Samuel and 1 Kings, King Saul, King David, and King Solomon experienced the division sin brings and the unity forgiveness offers.
Unit 10: King Saul: When God’s people wanted a king to be like the nations around them, God warned them but gave them what they wanted. King Saul seemed to be the ideal king, but he proved not to be the king the people needed. When Saul sinned against God, God judged him and promised to remove him as king.
Why does sin separate us from God? Because God is holy, sin has broken our relationship with God.
Key Passage: Isaiah 6:5
8/7 - Israel Demanded a King (1 Samuel 8-10)
8/14 - God Make Saul King (1 Samuel 11)
8/21 - Saul Sinned and Was Rejected (1 Samuel 13-15)
8/28 - God is Good to Judge Sin (Genesis 18)
Unit 11: King David: David was an unlikely choice to follow Saul as king, but David’s victory over Goliath revealed that God was with him. King David’s rule would be better than Saul’s, but it was still far from perfect as David committed a series of grievous sins. God, however, was gracious to forgive when David repented.
What is grace? Grace is when God gives us something good even when we do not deserve it.
Key Passage: Ephesians 1:7-8
9/4 - God Chose David to be King (1 Samuel 16)
9/11 - David Fought Goliath (1 Samuel 17)
9/18 - God Made a Covenant with David (2 Samuel 6-7)
9/25 - David Sinned and Was Forgiven (2 Samuel 11-12)
10/2 - God is Good to Give Grace (Psalm 51)
Unit 12: King Solomon: Although King Solomon was given exceeding wisdom by God, and he built the temple for the Lord, like Saul and David before him, his grievous sin proved that God’s people needed more than what any human king could provide. While Solomon’s sin should have resulted in the entire kingdom being taken away, God was merciful and allowed it to remain.
What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.
Key Passage: Exodus 34:6-7
10/9 - God Gave Solomon Wisdom (1 Kings 2-3)
10/16 - Solomon Built the Temple (1 Kings 6-9)
10/23 - Solomon’s Sin Divided the Kingdom (1 Kings 10-12)
10/30 - God is Good to Give Mercy (Luke 18)
Morningside Kids 7/17/22 - Eli's Sons Disobeyed God
ELI’S SON DISOBEYED GOD (1 SAMUEL 4-6)
The Israelites had been enemies of the Philistines for many years. One day, the Philistines defeated Israel in a battle. The leaders of Israel asked, “Why did God let us lose to the Philistines?”
The Israelites decided to battle again. This time, however, they would take the ark of the covenant with them. The ark of the covenant was a wooden box covered in gold that reminded them God was with them. Maybe the ark would help them win.
Eli’s sons, wicked men who did not respect God, took the ark of the covenant to the Israelites’ camp. When the army of Israelites saw the ark, they shouted with joy. Surely they would win the battle now! But when the Philistines came out to fight against the Israelites, the Philistines won again! They killed thousands of Israelites, including Eli’s sons, and they captured the ark of God.
One of the Israelites ran to tell Eli what had happened. When Eli heard the news, he fell backward in his chair, broke his neck, and died. The Philistines took the ark of the covenant to their temple where they worshiped a false god named Dagon (DAY gahn). They put the ark next to a statue of Dagon. The next morning, the Philistines found Dagon’s statue facedown in front of the ark. They set the statue back up. The next day, the statue was facedown again. This time, its head and hands were broken off.
God punished the Philistines living in the city where they kept the ark. The people got sick, and they wanted to get rid of the ark. But when the Philistines moved the ark to another city, everyone in that city got sick. So they moved the ark to a third city. Then everyone in that city got sick too.
The Philistines were afraid. They didn’t want God to punish them anymore, so they decided to return the ark along with gifts of gold to show they were sorry for taking it. The Philistines hitched two cows to a cart and put the ark on the cart. The cows moved the ark down the road until the ark of God was back with the Israelites, where it belonged.
Eli’s sons disobeyed God and their father because they wanted to sin. Jesus obeyed His parents and said to God the Father, “Not my will, but thine be done.” Followers of Jesus don’t do whatever they feel like; they also say, “Not my will, but thine be done.”
Morningside Kids 7/10/22 - God Provided for Ruth
GOD PROVIDED FOR RUTH (RUTH)
The story of Ruth is an incredible story. We see how gracious and good God is. We see the providential care God has for a woman who was not Jewish. She was from Moab—a descendant of Lot, not a child of Abraham. Yet, she became a recipient of God's promise to Abraham because salvation is a gift and is received by faith.
Ruth was married to a Hebrew man who died. She returned to Israel from Moab with her mother-in-law. Ruth was an outsider, a woman without a husband in a land that was not her own. Ruth was vulnerable, but what we see so beautifully in her story is that God protected her and provided for her. In the middle of a famine, God provided food to sustain Ruth. God did more than that; He ultimately provided a husband who redeemed her and saved her from destruction.
Ruth is a picture of what it looks like to trust God in the hard seasons of life. The story of Ruth is the story of you and me. We are outsiders who have no hope in a world cursed by sin. But God did not leave us that way. He provides for us, sustains us, and ultimately redeems us through Jesus.
Ruth brought nothing to her relationship with Boaz but her own need. Boaz saw Ruth, loved her, and redeemed her. From this loving act of redemption, it was from the family of their great-grandson that Jesus would come into the world and in His great love for people, redeem all who put their trust in Him alone.
God shows us His desire to redeem all those who belong to Him by including Ruth in the lineage of Jesus. Remember that in Jesus, we have hope no matter how hopeless our situation looks. Jesus is more than just a friend. He is our kinsman-redeemer.
Morningside Kids 7/3/22 - God Provided for Hannah
GOD PROVIDED FOR HANNAH (1 SAMUEL 1-3)
When was the last time you prayed fervently to God? What did you need? Did He answer in a way you expected?
When Hannah wanted a baby, she cried out to God with great earnestness so much that the priest Eli thought she was drunk. Hannah had confidence that God heard her prayer. She understood that one of the evidences of the understanding and the belief that God hears and answers prayer is persistence in prayer.
Hannah prayed with a passion and bitterness of heart that looked to God at first and fixed her gaze upon the Lord only. She didn't even notice Eli watching her. She believed that God heard and God acted as a result of our small prayers. She prayed with passion because she believed God heard her.
But what if our prayers seem not to be heard? Hannah is a great example for us of what C. H. Spurgeon observed about prayer in his book Illustrations and Meditations: "Frequently the richest answers are not the speediest … A prayer may be all the longer on its voyage because it is bringing us a heavier freight of blessing. Delayed answers are not only trials of faith, but they give us an opportunity of honoring God by our steadfast confidence in Him under apparent repulses.”
Finally, Hannah's persistence in prayer showed that she understood she could not fix her situation but the all-powerful God who hears and acts could. The next year, Hannah came with a baby in her arms. A baby she named Samuel, which means “God heard.” Samuel’s life was a constant reminder to Hannah and all of Israel that God lives, hears, and acts.
As you prepare to serve kids through teaching, remember that even prayers that seem to be delayed are meant to strengthen our resolve to pray and to honor God with a confidence that can't be shaken. We serve a God who hears us, and because He hears us, no prayer is too small or too big that we can't bring Him.
Morningside Kids 6/26/22 - God Used Samson
GOD USED SAMSON (JUDGES 13-16)
Samson is one of those characters in the Bible you don't easily forget. He was strong, handsome, successful, and blind. He is what in literature is called an anti-type. He is a type of Christ in all the wrong ways. Samson was consecrated from an early age yet disobeyed his covenant promises and dishonored his parents. When tempted, he gave in rather than resisting.
Before Samson was physically blinded, he was blind to his weakness and to the source of his strength. Samson should have turned the nation's eyes from themselves and pointed them to God; instead, he lived for his own appetite by doing what is right in his own eyes. God used him despite his flaws and failures. The sad reality of Samson's life was that it wasn't until he was captured by his enemies who gouged out his physical eyes that he truly started to “see.”
Unlike Samson, Jesus came into the world not "to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28). Jesus not only obeyed His Father but obeyed in such a way that we have a model for what obedience to God looks like.
Jesus is more than a model; He is also our substitute who lived a perfect life and died in our place for our disobedience. He, like Samson, placed His hand on the twin pillars of sin and death and destroyed them. But unlike Samson, Jesus didn't stay dead. He lives, and He opens the eyes of those who are blind to see the beauty of God in the face of Christ.
This week, pray that God will open the eyes of kids you lead so that they would see Jesus as more beautiful than anything else. Pray that rather than running from Him and doing what is right in their own eyes, they will run to Jesus and find mercy in time of need. (Heb. 4:16)
Morningside Kids 6/19/22 - The People Kept Sinning
THE PEOPLE KEPT SINNING (JUDGES 2)
In the Book of Judges, we see a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, rescue, obedience, and then back to sin. The condition of man's heart when left to himself will "do what is right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). Our own hearts lead us to sinful behavior that leads to enslavement to sin. Judges reveals who we are apart from God's grace.
The Book of Judges also uncovers what God is like. He is rich in love and quick to restore those who turn to Him. He is gracious; every time the people of Israel repented and turned from their sins, He sent deliverance. He restored Israel from the edge of destruction. God also revealed Himself as able to save no matter how difficult or deep the captivity. In fact, we see God's mercy clearly when He sent the judge Samson when the people didn't even ask for deliverance. In these warrior-deliver stories, God showed that what His people really needed was a king— not just any king but a perfect king who would rule His people with perfect justice and mercy.
It is easy for us as modern readers to judge the people of Israel harshly. How could they turn away from a God who delivered them from their enemies over and over again? But how easy is it for us to be tempted away from love for God and love created things more than the Creator?
What gives us hope and comfort is that in a world where it feels like there is chaos all around us, we know that God in His mercy is a God who rescues. He didn't send a flawed warrior to deliver us from the effects of our sin temporarily. He sent His only Son to defeat sin and death and restore the relationship that sinners could never fix on their own.
Today as you prepare to teach, rest in the knowledge that God has gone before you. Prepare your heart to point kids to Jesus over and over as the true Deliverer and the true peace for which their hearts desperately long.
Morningside Kids 6/12/22 - God's Miracles Prove Who Is
GOD’S MIRACLES PROVE WHO IS - MARK 16
The Bible is a supernatural book filled with accounts of supernatural events. Dozens of miracles are recorded in the Bible. Each miracle points to a greater reality and reveals to us what God is like.
In the story of Israel’s crossing the Jordan, we see how God hears our cries and provides for us in miraculous ways. Throughout Israel’s history, we see miracles that reveal the kind of God we serve: a God who is close; a God who sees, hears, and acts.
In his book Miracles, C.S. Lewis said, "The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares the way for this, or results from this."
All of Scripture reveals the kind of God who comes close, who miraculously took on flesh and lived a perfect life among us. God the Son died in our place and rose from the dead. In His death, He conquered both sin and death. He came back to life and ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He lives to make intercession for us. (Heb. 7:25) We should be moved when we consider that not only do we have a God who hears us, but who sees us, lived among us, and lives to make intercession for us.
Through the miracle of Christ’s finished work, we can be forgiven and reconciled to God. We who were far off and without hope in this life have hope because of the miraculous birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
As you prepare to teach, pray and ask the God of miracles to move in the hearts of your kids as they hear the gospel proclaimed. Finally, say a prayer of thanksgiving to a miracle-working God who sees, hears, and acts for His glory and our good.
K3-K4 Bible Time
K3-K4 BIBLE LESSONS 2022
June 5 - God is Creator - Creation of Man
June 12 - God is Creator - God Made Me
June 19 - God’s Word is Truth - Adam & Eve
June 26 - God is Emmanuel - Jesus’ Birth
July 3 - God Wants Me to Be His - GOSPEL
July 10 - God Wants Me to Live with Him - Jesus’ Ascension
July 17 - God is the One True God - Elijah Reminds the Israelites to Worship Only God
July 24 - God is the One True God- Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego
July 31 - Jesus is the Only Way to Heaven - I Am the Way, the Truth, & the Life
August 7 - Jesus Helps Me Live for Him - I Am the Vine
August 14 - God is Trustworthy - David Trusts God (David & Goliath)
August 21 - God is in Charge - Esther
August 28 - Worship the One True God - Widow’s Mite
Morningside Kids 6/5/22 - Joshua Challenged the People
JOSHUA CHALLENGED THE PEOPLE (JOSHUA 23-24)
Joshua was getting along in years, so he gathered the people at the place where God had made a promise to Abraham. (See Gen. 12:6-7.) Joshua wanted the people to remember and to live based on what they knew to be true about God: God can be trusted. He is good, and He is faithful.
Joshua issued a challenge: “Be very strong and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses.” Reading, studying, and obeying God’s Word is a mark of belief in God. Joshua reminded the people that they were successful over their enemies because of their obedience to God. Joshua also gave the Israelites a warning. Just as all the good things God promised had been fulfilled, so would all the bad things He promised if the Israelites disobeyed Him.
Further, Joshua reminded the leaders of their nations’ history—from the birth of Isaac to Israel’s escape from Egypt. Over and over, God had demonstrated His power and goodness to the Israelites. Their ancestors had repeatedly turned from God to worship the false gods of other nations. Joshua said, “Choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship … As for me and my family, we will worship the LORD” (Josh. 24:15).
The Israelites had a choice: Continue to worship God or choose to serve other gods. In response to God’s faithfulness to His promises, the Israelites renewed their covenant to be faithful to the Lord.
As you share the story of Joshua’s legacy with kids, point them to a greater legacy found in Jesus Christ. Jesus gave a similar type of farewell speech at the Last Supper, exhorting His disciples to not only love God but love one another. After His resurrection, Jesus sent His disciples out to tell the nations about Him. Jesus calls all people who trust in Him to tell others about Him.
Morningside Kids 5/29/22 - God Gave the People the Land
GOD GAVE THE PEOPLE THE LAND (JOSHUA 7-11)
In today's story, we see that God fights for His people and gives them peace and rest. We live in a world filled with conflict and pain. We desperately want peace. The reality is that true peace doesn’t come from any amount of solitude or self-confidence; we need true peace that comes from being forgiven. Peace comes as we trust in the finished work of Jesus. His forgiveness, not our own effort, brings us lasting peace.
Read the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:12-14. In a world of conflict, Christ is our hope. In a world filled with division, He is our peace. This peace and hope Paul speaks of are available to us when we place our trust in Christ alone for our salvation. This is a continual, daily dying to self so that we may live in Christ.
What is so interesting about the section of Scripture your kids will be learning about today is that it shows us that we humans have not changed and God has not changed. Israel obeyed God at Jericho, and God fought for His people. They enjoyed good success.
Next, they went up against a smaller city and relied on their own strength rather than seeking God's strength. They disobeyed and took things devoted to God and fought a battle at Ai without consulting God and His plan. Their lives were filled with disunity. Sin is the reason our world is in disunity. The lie we believe is that sin is personal and doesn't affect anyone else. Sin is the rejection of God Himself and the placing of our trust in things He has made. The sin of one Israelite—Achan—affected him, his family, and the whole nation.
Joshua's response was right. He humbled himself, appealed to God's covenant-keeping power, and responded with obedience when God spoke to him.
When we sin, we must recognize the damage that it creates in our lives and in the world. Our response must not be to cover it up but to run to Christ because He is our hope, our life, and our peace.
Dwell on these words from theologian Charles Spurgeon: “My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. Hallelujah!”
