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THIS WEEK:
From the Sermon: Why Jesus Came — John 3:16
Preacher: Pastor Rusten Harris
Scripture: John 3:16
MAIN POINTS: 1) The Love of God 2) Salvation from Perishing 3) The Gift of Eternal Life
As we continue in our Easter series studying the reasons why Jesus came, Pastor Rusten breaks down one of the most well-known verses in the bible: John 3:16. Whether this verse is well-known to you or brand new, God’s love for us is a wonder to behold and contemplate.
Family Discussion Questions:
1. What’s something that surprised or confused you about this Bible passage?
2. Discuss the biblical meaning of God’s love and identify ways in which our culture distorts and secularizes it.
3. What does it mean to be dead in your sin?
4. What does it mean to be a new creation in Christ?
5. How should the love of God change the way you approach different relationships?
Parent Tip:
· Read the sermon summary together as a family. Build this into your regular routine, perhaps reading together around the table during a meal.
· There are five questions, each with a different theme. You can choose one night a week to go over all five, do a couple of questions a few times a week, or discuss one question per day.
· Each question is meant to be a conversation starter model for your children on how to answer these questions by sharing your own personal insights.
· Even if your conversations don’t go as planned, don’t be discouraged. ALL time spent talking about and reading God’s word is valuable!
· The more consistent you are in having these discussions, the more fruitful they will be. As this becomes part of your weekly rhythm, your kids will anticipate the questions and listen more attentively at church.
Other Scriptures
- Ephesians 2:1, 3b, 8-9
- John 3:3-5, 14-15
- Romans 5:7-10; 8:3
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
- Colossians 3:3-4
- Galatians 2:20
Parent Tip:
Use these additional scriptures as daily reading. This is also a great way to help your children learn to locate passages in the Bible.
Attribute of God:
GRACIOUS: While we are utterly dead and filthy in our sin, God gives us the gift of eternal life through his Son, Jesus Christ - a gift we can never earn or deserve.
Parent Tip:
We focus on a new attribute of God each week to discuss as a family. Use this time to discuss who God is, answer questions the kids might have, and talk about what that week’s attribute means to each person in your family.
Prayer Focus:
REPENTANCE: Spend some time this week repenting of your lack of self-control.
Parent Tip:
Each week of the month has its own prayer theme: Church, Family, Community, and Repentance. Use these themes to show your children how to pray. It can be helpful to add this to an already existing routine, like at bedtime or when you’re in the car together.
THIS MONTH:
MONTHLY SONG:
His Mercy Is More
What love could remember, no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all-knowing, he counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, his mercy is more
Praise the Lord, his mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, his mercy is more
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What father so tender is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, his mercy is more
What riches of kindness he lavished on us
His blood was the payment his life was the cost
We stood neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, his mercy is more
Parent Tip:
Each month we highlight a different song for you to sing together. Singing is an integral part of worship! Singing as a family helps teach the kids how to worship at church, and as they learn more songs, they will be able to participate more on Sunday mornings. You can practice your songs in the car, at the dinner table, when you wake up, or at bedtime! You can also check out our playlist on Spotify and sing along with your favorite worship songs.
Memory Verse:
James 1:2-3 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
Parent Tip:
This is the same memory verse that the whole church is learning and it rotates monthly. Practice reciting it as a family each day at least once. Dinner time is a great opportunity to practice together.
New City Catechism:
Questions 36: What do we believe about the Holy Spirit?
Answer: That he is God, co-eternal with the Father and the Son.
