adoption

Abraham’s Children

~ hebidsthemcome ~ Leave a comment

Hello again! As we wrap up the book of Genesis, I decided to add this related (but not chronological) lesson. We did do the story of Ephraim and Manasseh yesterday but didn’t change it from LAST YEAR’S LESSON.

abrahamfaith

Today’s lesson is based on what I heard at church today and I thought it summed up Genesis so well it needed to be added here. This is from Romans 4. See also HERE.

So this month we read about God creating the heavens and the earth. We read about Adam, the first man, and Noah and Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. We read about how much God loved His creation….but the people did not always love God. A lot of people disobeyed and didn’t trust God.

But not everyone felt that way. Abraham DID trust God and God made a special promise to Abraham…that he would be the father of many many people. As many as the stars in the sky, as many as the sand on the beach. That’s a lot of people! And Abraham BELIEVED God. He had faith. And not only did he BELIEVE God, he OBEYED God too. When God told Abraham to move, he moved. When He told him to give back his son Isaac, he did. Abraham showed that he had faith in God. God loved Abraham and made a special promise to him…not because he was a great person, or because he always did the right thing…but because he TRUSTED God and when God told him to do something…he did it. He had faith.  (Rom 4:9-13)

Abraham did have children, and those children had children and we know Jacob had a LOT of children and those guys had a LOT LOT LOT of children…and all those people would become Israel. The people of Israel thought THEY were God’s special people because they came from Abraham. BUT…in the book of Romans, God tells us that ANYONE who BELIEVES and OBEYS God is a son of Abraham, a part of Abraham’s family. (Rom 4:16-17, 24-25)

If YOU love AND obey God, then YOU are one of Abraham’s children too. Abraham’s family did get pretty big…but that also includes all the people who choose God and love and obey Him.

When we love and obey God, we get adopted into God’s family. He adds us into the family. We don’t have to be born in Israel to be one of Abraham’s children…to be one of God’s children. We just need to trust God, love Him and obey Him. And some of the people IN Israel choose not to love and obey God…the Bible says they are NOT Abraham’s children. They are NOT God’s children. The real children of Abraham and the real children of God are those that have faith in Him. (Galatians 3:7)

So when we read the Bible, we aren’t just reading about THOSE people a long time ago…it’s about God’s story. His plan for ALL of us. God would send His son Jesus through Abraham’s family…but anyone and everyone who believes in God becomes His child and becomes part of Abraham’s family too. One of the stars in the sky.

We will start the next part of God’s story tomorrow, in the book of Exodus. And as we read through Exodus, let’s remember that WE are also God’s children…like the Israelites…their story is our story.

Thanks for joining us. Love to you all!

Children of God

~ hebidsthemcome ~ Leave a comment

Welcome back! We took a week off for vacation Bible school and illness (whomp whomp), but will be finishing our lessons from the New Testament about leading a Godly life this week, then in July we’re back to Genesis! (We go through the Bible every year–repetition is good but also the word of God is alive and new every time we read!)

Today’s lesson is from 1 John 3 (and Romans 8).

Do you have a mommy or daddy that loves you very much? Do you know what the Bible says? It says God wants to be our Father! In 1 John 3, John reminds us that God loves us SOOO much He calls us His children!

Let’s think about that for a minute. What does your dad (or mom) do to show you they love you? God isn’t like a boss just telling us what to do, and He isn’t some scary guy up in the sky. He is like a Father. Like a daddy. Which means He loves you! He protects you, He knows all your favorite things. He knows how you feel and He knows what you need. He even knows how many hairs are on your head! He knows how to take care of you and He would do ANYTHING for you…even die for you!

In Ephesians 1 and Romans 8 the Bible talks about God adopting us. Do you know what adoption is? Adoption is when someone who wasn’t born in your family, becomes a kid in your family forever. Your mom and dad usually have to sign a lot of papers and tell a judge that they promise to take care of them and love them forever no matter what (just like they love and care for you no matter what).

The Bible says that when we accept Jesus and ask Him in our hearts that we get adopted too! God writes our name down–we get “marked” with the Holy Spirit–and that makes us God’s children FOREVER. We are now His children…just like Jesus is God’s son…we become is kids too! And that means that we get to live in God’s house (heaven) and be with Him forever and share in all the wonderful things He has made! Not only will He love us and help us here, but when we will get to be with Him forever in a perfect place and share in His treasures forever.

**If your mom or dad haven’t been very good examples of loving you, you can be sure God is NOT like that. He is the perfect example of a loving, good Father. Sometimes that means He lets us go through hard things. And sometimes He has to teach us things…but He is always good…He always loves us and He will never give up on you.

 

For our craft today we drew pictures of our Father God and us together. (Again, child produced art helps them think about what THEY think God looks like. Besides all the good brain stuff and fine motor practice, it helps them take time to identify how they perceive God and their relationship with Him.)

 

THIS SONG is from Third Day called “Children of God.”

THIS SONG is from Matthew West entitled “Hello, my name is”

THIS SONG from Godrockband is admittedly quite cheesy…but also…I’m afraid to admit…quite catchy.

 

Thanks for joining us again. Love to you all!