Dear families,
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. FAMILY TALKING POINTS CHRIST CONNECTION This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.
BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. ●Younger Preschool: Why does sin separate us from God? Because God is holy. KEY PASSAGE This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.
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Dear families,
God’s faithfulness is present throughout the Bible, but the theme is prominent in the Book of Exodus. God is consistent and unchanging. Even when the Israelites are faithless, God is faithful. The Israelites regularly celebrated God’s miraculous acts like the Passover and the parting of the Red Sea to remember that God keeps His promises. As you read and teach from the Old Testament, keep in mind this point on the horizon: God’s keeping His ultimate promise to send a Rescuer to deliver His people from sin. God spoke to His people through the prophets to remind them of His good plan. When would the promised One come? How would He come? Would God’s people recognize Him? The prophet Isaiah—who lived hundreds of years before Jesus was born—brought a message of hope to God’s people. Isaiah spoke specifically of the Messiah’s birth: “The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). He described the birth of a “Prince of Peace”—a Son of David who will reign forever. (Isa. 9:6-7) Isaiah said that He would be a King! (Isa. 11:1-5) Jesus fulfilled God’s promises spoken by the prophet Isaiah. He is the child who came into the world. He is the Wonderful Counselor who leads us with wisdom. He is the Mighty God who fights for and protects us. He is the Eternal Father who loves us. He is the Prince of Peace who brings us into a right relationship with God. Isaiah’s prophecies from God did not speak just to the people of his time; they also speak to us. Hundreds of years before it happened, Isaiah told of how Jesus would be born and how He would suffer and die to take away the sins of His people. We respond to God’s faithfulness with trust, remembering His past miraculous acts and looking forward to the day when King Jesus will come back and rule forever. Jesus is the promised Messiah. He makes all of God’s promises come true.
Dear Parents
People had been waiting a long time for Jesus. God hinted at His coming in the garden of Eden when He promised a seed to conquer the serpent. (Gen. 3:15) The prophets told of His coming hundreds of years before His birth. God was working out His plan to bring His people back to Himself. In the Bible, God sometimes used angels to communicate His message to people. Angels spoke to Abraham in Genesis 18. The Angel of the LORD spoke to Balaam in Numbers 22. Now Mary and Joseph, the earthly parents of Jesus, each received a special visit from an angel to announce the birth of God’s promised Messiah. The angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary surprised her. By His grace, God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus. The angel’s message revealed much about this promised child. First, He would be great in both being and nature. He would be the Son of the Most High. Jesus is the Son of God, and the Lord God promised to give Him the throne of His father David. These words fulfilled the prophecy given to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16. He would reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom would have no end. The good news that Jesus was coming into the world was good news because of why He was coming. An angel revealed Jesus’ purpose to Joseph in Matthew 1:21, “He will save his people from their sins.” The gospel is the good news of what God has done for us through Christ. The announcement of Jesus’ birth is not the beginning of the gospel; God had been planning for this moment since before the beginning of time. (See Eph. 1:3-10.) Help the preschoolers you teach understand that God’s plan has always been to save sinners and bring them back to Himself. Jesus, whose name means “Yahweh saves,” is the culmination of that plan.
Dear Families
When Adam and Eve introduced sin into the world, all of creation fell under a curse. (See Gen. 3:17-19.) We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.We’ve inherited the curse of death from Adam. (See Rom. 3:23; 5:12.) Throughout the Old Testament, the consequences of sin are obvious. God’s people were separated from Him; they did not enjoy the intimate relationship with their Creator for which He had created them. God’s people were affected by sickness and pain. Corruption spread quickly throughout the earth. The situation seemed hopeless, yet God did not leave His people without hope. It was into this hopelessness that God spoke. Hundreds of messages came through the prophets concerning a coming Messiah—One who would rescue people from their sins. But when would this Promised One come? How would He come? Would the people recognize Him? The prophets Isaiah and Micah—who both lived hundreds of years before Jesus was born—spoke specifically of the Messiah’s birth. Isaiah told King Ahaz what the Lord would do. “The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). He described the birth of a Prince of Peace—a Son of David who will reign forever. (Isa. 9:6-7) Isaiah said that He would be a King! (Isa. 11:1-5) The prophet Micah named the specific town—Bethlehem—in which Jesus would be born. (Mic. 5:2) As you teach preschoolers about the prophecies concerning Jesus’ birth, help them understand that everything God said about Jesus’ birth came true. Hundreds of years later, Jesus was born into the world. God’s plan to rescue people from sin was not a secret plan. God gave His people hope: A Savior is coming. Though death came through Adam, life comes through Christ. (1 Cor. 15:22) Through His death on the cross, Jesus finished the work for our salvation. In Him lies our hope of forgiveness and eternal life. Jesus reconciles to God those who trust in Him.
Dear families,
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.” Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities. FAMILY TALKING POINTS CHRIST CONNECTION This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.
BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. ●Younger Preschool: Why does sin separate us from God? Because God is holy. KEY PASSAGE This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.
** Next week: Saul Sinned and Was Rejected (1 Samuel 13–15) |
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August 2023
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