Scripture Passage: Matthew 21

Reminder: Don’t forget to post kids’ sermon drawings and a photo of your family worshiping from home to social media with #10000Homes.

1. Jesus is a Humble King (Clue: A Donkey)
Humility is a powerful and important quality that Jesus had, and one that the Lord says is important in the hearts of Christ followers. Scripture tells us to humble ourselves.

• Why didn’t Jesus ride in on the finest stallion? He is the Son of God! He could have chosen anything. 

• What are some ways that you can show humility this week? Pray, and ask the Lord to show you ways that you think of yourself more than others. Confess that to Him, and He will always forgive you! Ask Him for help to be more like Jesus. 

2. Jesus is a Saving King (Clue: A Crowd)
The Creator of the universe sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to save you. He loved you so much that He wanted to pay the price of your sin, so that you could live and have eternal life with Him. He even died to save the people who hated Him. What a friend we have in our Savior, Jesus, right?

• What does the word Hosanna mean? If you don’t remember, look it up as a family. 

• What are some sinful things you struggled with this past week that make you glad you have a Savior? Confess that to your family and the Lord, and don’t go back to it. Don’t hold on to any shame from it, because there is no condemnation (disapproval) in Christ Jesus! 

3. Jesus is a Conquering King (Clue: A Mountain)
Jesus is coming again! He’s coming to make all things new. He’s coming to wipe out evil, suffering, poverty, and disease. He’s coming to take His children home to be with Him. He’s coming to make happen a glorious reunion with Saints who’ve gone before. He’s coming to mend the broken hearts. Praise the Lord!

• What are some words that you can use to describe the Lord and remind you of who He is when you are feeling nervous or scared? Scripture is a great place to look for words that describe God’s goodness and remind you that He has got this! 

• Romans 8 tells us that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, according to His plan. James 1 tells us that if we persevere in trials, we will be blessed. When you have gone through something tough in the past, what were some good things that came out of it? Remember, when our hope is in our Conqueror, Jesus, the battle has already been won.

Prayer Time
Take a moment and pray as a family, acknowledging Jesus as your Humble King, your Saving King, and your Conquering King. Ask Him to remind you of who He is, so that you don’t feel nervous or scared when you are going through a difficult time or feel unsure. Most of all, remember that Jesus is King, and God is in control!

Scripture Passage: 2 Kings 4:1-7

The Bible tells the story of a woman who was dealing with both the grief of loss and the fear of the future because of her financial situation. We all are familiar with the same anxieties she experienced. Here are four questions to ask ourselves in a money crisis.

1. What do I need?
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray for our daily needs. We should take stock of the things we actually need and also who we need. Look at what we need, what God has already provided, and remember how He has provided for us in the past.

2. What do I have?
God often begins to provide for us using what we already have. We can look at what we have and ask for insight about how to recover in ways we hadn’t thought of yet.

3. What can I do?
We can both trust God and also take action. During down times we can take action by changing our consumption and acting on opportunities that are given to us. We can also demonstrate faith by giving.

4. Who do I trust?
The essence of trusting God is a heart issue. We need to be honest about our heart.

DISCUSSION
• What are some things you thought you needed that you’ve had to do without over the past few weeks?

• In what ways has God already provided for you?

• What are some ways you’ve had to put your faith in God in financial situations in the past? How have you seen Him provide?

• What are new ways you are having to trust God in this challenging season?

PRAY ABOUT IT
• Thank God for His provision, even when it feels different than it has before.

• Praise God for being trustworthy.

• Ask God to provide for you in new ways and to help you have faith in Him.

Scripture Passage: Acts 4:23-31 (kids, don’t forget to post your drawings at #10000Homes)

What makes us a church? Not our activity but rather our connection to Jesus. Here are three marks of an unstoppable church.

1. Awareness of the Power of God
God is sovereign over all. The disciples prayed over any and everything. They prayed to say, “You brought us through every other time. You’ll bring us through this time! You can do anything, Lord.”

• When and what do you pray about? Bring everything to God!

• Do you think of Satan as unstoppable and evil as inevitable? Remember that God has no equal! He is not in panic mode right now!

2. Anticipation of the Work of God
God rarely works the same way twice, but He works!

• What kinds of prayers do you ask of God: specific, submissive, audacious? 

• Are you open to the different ways God will answer your prayers? Why or why not?

• Who can you share your prayer requests with?

3. Authenticity Among the People of God
Our current physical separation does not mean we have to be spiritually separated. We need to pray together and connect in biblical community now more than ever!

Please pause for a few minutes and allow the Lord to speak to you.

• Acknowledge, first, the power of God. 

• Ask the Lord to move among us – anticipating the work of God. 

• Pray for one another – ask the Lord to open up a renewed sense of deep fellowship among the people of God. 

Remember: A praying church is an unstoppable church!

Scripture Passage: Matthew 14:22-33

Retell the story or act out the story with different family members taking a role, i.e. Peter, Disciples, Jesus, someone responsible for sound effects

• What was the problem that the disciples had?

• Where was Jesus when they had the problem?

• What did Jesus do?

• What did Peter do?

• What happened when Peter took his eyes off Jesus?

• Why did he take his eyes off Jesus?

• What did Jesus do?

• What did the disciples realize when Jesus brought Peter into the boat?

Practical Application

• When have you been afraid?

• What or who helped you not be afraid?

• What can we learn from “storms?”

• What can we learn about God in “storms?”

A Current Event

• Talk about our present storm (COVID-19)

• What do we know about it?

• How does it make you feel?

• What can we do?

• From our Bible story and past experiences, how can we apply what we have learned to our present challenge?

• Where is Jesus in our present circumstances?

Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:7 and 18: 21-35

Forgiveness isn’t a suggestion God gives us. It’s an obligation for believers. So how do we forgive and why?

In the Parable of the Unfaithful Servant, we see forgiveness practiced. The servant that owed much was forgiven but then didn’t forgive someone else of a much smaller debt. How do we practice extraordinary forgiveness?

1. My Opportunity to Receive Mercy | The man forgiven of the immense debt is an example of the sin debt we can’t possibly pay on our own. God forgives us when there is no way for us to pay.

2. My Opportunity to Offer Mercy | If we don’t forgive others much smaller debts, our salvation isn’t at risk, but we are putting ourselves in a prison of bitterness and pain.

God tells us to forgive others, but how do we do it?

Identify | We must identify in what way we perceive we were wronged and what we feel we are owed. Write it down and be honest with yourself.

Love | We must look past the fault and see the other person’s need. We are undeserving of God’s forgiveness, but He sees our need and loves us anyway.

Surrender | We must release the debt we deserve.

Forgive | Forgiveness is passing along the owed payment to God.

There are no shortcuts to quality. Forgiveness is hard work, but God asks it of us and He will give us the strength to succeed.

Discussion Questions: 

• How have you been wronged and whom do you need to forgive? What steps can you take today? 

• Who has forgiven you when you didn’t deserve it? 

• How can you seek to forgive someone that hasn’t asked for forgiveness? 

• Discuss times you may have unintentionally hurt someone. Have you asked for forgiveness?