Sunday, December 22, 2013: Jesus Was Dedicated

Luke 2:21-40

Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project^® for Kids. Sunday’s Bible account takes place after the events of Christmas, when Mary and Joseph were enjoying the sleepless nights as parents of the newborn baby Jesus. (Remember those days?) Life was seemingly going back to normal.

Long ago, the Lord spoke to Moses: “Consecrate every firstborn male to Me, the firstborn from every womb among the Israelites, both man and domestic animal; it is Mine” (Exodus 13:2). Consecrate means “to dedicate to a sacred purpose.” God’s people were to set apart their firstborn as belonging to the Lord. The firstborn of sacrificial animals were sacrificed to God, and the firstborn of humans and donkeys were redeemed—a lamb was sacrificed instead. God’s law for the consecration of the firstborn had a purpose: to remind the people that the Lord brought them out of Egypt by the strength of His hand. (See Exodus 13:14-16.)

After a woman gave birth, she was considered “unclean,” and she would observe a period of purification, a reminder that we are all born in sin. Then she would bring to the priest a burnt offering and a sin offering. (See Leviticus 12:1-8.) This is what Mary did. When Mary’s days of purification were complete, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem, where they presented Him to the Lord and offered a sacrifice. Though Jesus was not born in sin, He identified with sinners even as a baby. This initial act introduced Jesus’ life of perfect obedience to the law.

While Mary and Joseph were at the temple, God graciously revealed to a man named Simeon and a woman named Anna that Jesus was the One—the promised Messiah they had been waiting for. Imagine their joy! Throughout the Old Testament, God promised the arrival of a king who would redeem God's people. When Jesus arrived, Simeon and Anna knew He was the promised Messiah. Today, we have faith that Jesus is God’s Son. We can trust Jesus for our salvation.

Sunday, December 15, 2013: Jesus Was Born

 Luke 2:1-20

This week in The Gospel Project^® for Kids, our journey takes us from Nazareth to Bethlehem. God had promised through the prophet Micah that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2) Mary and Joseph, however, lived in Nazareth. But God is in control of all things. Do you think it was just by chance that Caesar Augustus called for a census? Did it just so happen that Mary and Joseph traveled 80 miles to Bethlehem? God used a pagan emperor to bring about His plan.

Imagine the shepherds’ surprise when an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared. The Bible says that they were terrified! But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David” (Luke 2:10-11). The people of Israel made sacrifices daily to atone for their sin. Finally, a Savior had come who would be the perfect sacrifice for sin, once and for all. Jesus is also Messiah the Lord. The word Messiah means “anointed One,” especially a king. The angel told the shepherds they would find the baby King in a manger.

The birth of Jesus was good news! Jesus was not an ordinary baby. He was God’s Son, sent to earth from heaven in the most humble of circumstances, “not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Jesus came into the world to save people from their sins and to be their King.

Preschool Pajama Party, December 6

Sunday, December 1, 2013: Micah, Prophet to Judah

Micah 1 - 7

Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project^® for Kids. In this unit, preschoolers will be learning about prophets sent to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. In Sunday’s Bible account, the prophet Micah—whose name means “Who is like Yahweh?”—poses that very question: “Who is a God like You, removing iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of His inheritance?” (Micah 7:18)

Micah was from Moresheth, a city in the foothills of Judah. He testified to God’s character. God’s message to Micah came in the days when Jotham was king of Judah, through the time of King Ahaz, and up to the rule of King Hezekiah--hundreds of years before Jesus was born. God’s message was about the current state of affairs in Samaria and Jerusalem. Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and Jerusalem was the capital of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Both Israel and Judah were corrupt. A period of economic prosperity had given way to idolatry, theft, false prophecies, and a love of evil.

Micah addressed the sins of the people—specifically the mistreatment of the poor—and warned of the Lord’s coming judgment. One day, Micah said, God would send a Messiah, have compassion on Israel, and preserve a remnant by which He would keep His promise to Abraham. (See Micah 7:20; Genesis 22:15-18.) The prophet Micah gave God’s people a message of hope: a leader was coming who would free God's people. He would be a shepherd and a king. That righteous ruler, promised through Micah, is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sunday, November 24: Isaiah Preached About the Messiah

Isaiah 53

Sunday’s Bible account in The Gospel Project^® for Kids focuses on four servant songs in the Book of Isaiah. These songs describe the working out of God’s plan of redemption through the innocent substitute—the Messiah—who would suffer for the sake of sinners. Through the Messiah, God would bring sinners back to Himself.

The fourth and final Servant song is found in Isaiah 53. Isaiah provides an answer to the question, how can a just God justify the ungodly? How can He declare innocent those who are guilty? How can He love people like us? A just God cannot look the other way; that’s cheap grace. Sin against God is a big deal. God didn’t just forgive our sins, He dealt with them. The price? God’s own Son.

Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecies of a suffering servant. People assumed God had cursed Jesus for His own sins, but Jesus was without sin. Isaiah’s song says, “He was pierced because of our transgressions; crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him.”

God planned a very long time ago that Jesus would die on the cross for our sins. Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote that this would happen! Jesus was the servant who suffered so that those who trust in Him could be forgiven.

Sunday, November 17, 2013: Hezekiah, Judah's Faithful King

2 Kings 18 - 20

 

Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project^® for Kids. Sunday’s Bible account continues to look at Isaiah’s prophetic ministry, this time during the reign of King Hezekiah, the son of King Ahaz.

King Ahaz had not been a good king. Ahaz had not respected God’s law, or God’s prophets. Ahaz worshiped idols. King Hezekiah, however, “did what was right in the Lord’s sight just as his ancestor David had done.” (See 2 Chronicles 29.) The Lord was with Hezekiah, and Hezekiah prospered. Over time, Hezekiah’s wealth and success led to pride. How did Hezekiah react when God said everything in His house would be carried off to Babylon? “Who cares? I’ll be dead by then.”

Hezekiah was a faithful king who led the people of Judah to worship God as they were supposed to. But even good kings are sinners. Jesus is our faithful King who never sinned. One day He will return to make all things the way they are supposed to be. Jesus is our King forever.

Sunday, November 10, 2013: Isaiah Confronted Ahaz

Isaiah 7

Sunday’s Bible account in The Gospel Project^® for Kids follows Isaiah’s message to Ahaz, King of Judah. During King Ahaz’s reign, the king of Assyria was expanding his kingdom by taking over other nations. The Northern Kingdom of Israel and the king of Syria formed an alliance against Assyria and invited King Ahaz to join them. King Ahaz was in a difficult position. If he joined the alliance and they lost, the Assyrian king would destroy him. If he did not join and the alliance won, he was as good as dead.

King Ahaz said no and Israel and Syria attacked Jerusalem. Isaiah 7 opens with the armies of Israel and Syria approaching Jerusalem. King Ahaz was terrified. God sent Isaiah and his son, Shear-Jashub, to give Ahaz a message. God would be Ahaz’s ally. All God asked of Ahaz was for Ahaz to trust Him. God gave Ahaz a sign: “The virgin would conceive a son, and name him Immanuel.” God could do the impossible. What would Ahaz have to fear with God on his side?

Through the prophet Isaiah, God promised to send Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Jesus fulfilled this promise when He came to earth and was born of a virgin. Jesus is our Immanuel, God with us.