WELCOME TO WEEK 4

We can not predict our future. We do not know what lies ahead of us in the weeks, months or years, but Jesus does. We might face challenges in the near future but Jesus will be with us through the challenges. We can trust that Jesus understands our difficult times because Jesus also faced challenges when he was here on earth. This week we will see what challenges Jesus faced and how he handled them.

Mark 8:31-38 Psalm 22:23-31

BIBLE STORY

I have some challenges I want to see if you can complete! It is a test of your strength, but don’t hurt yourself trying to complete the challenge. Let’s see how many of these challenges you can do.

-Pick up 5 pillows and hold them over your head

-pick up 5 large books and hold them over your head

-lift the couch off the floor

-Give your sibling a piggy back ride

-give your parent or grown-up a piggy back ride

-lift 5 pound weights over your head

-lift 10 pound weights over your head

-carry an empty backpack across the room

-carry a backpack filled with books across the room

Some of these activities were easy to do and some were hard and some may have been impossible to do! We all have challenges in our lives that we face and although it might seem as though we have to face the challenges alone, we are not alone. Jesus understands the challenges we are going through because He faced challenges in his life too. He knew that He came to earth to die for our sins, but it was not easy knowing He would leave his family and friends. 

Being a follower of Jesus does not mean we will never face challenges, in fact we will face challenges because there will be people who do not agree with how we believe. But when we stand up for Jesus and the gospel, and are not ashamed of what we believe, Jesus will be with us through the difficulties. He will reward us! This week we will see how Jesus faced challenges and told the disciples they would have challenges too.

Read or listen to the Bible verse for this week: Mark 8:31-38 

What was Jesus beginning to tell the disciples about the future? (That he would suffer, be rejected by the elders die and be raised from the dead after 3 days)

What did Peter say when he heard Jesus talking this way? (He took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him)

What was Jesus’ response to Peter’s rebuke? (He rebuked Peter and said Get behind me Satan)

What did Jesus say his followers must do? (Deny himself, take up their cross and follow him)

How can your life be saved? (By losing your life for Jesus and the gospel)

BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY

Jesus knew a difficult time in his life was going to happen and he would feel sad and miss the people on earth that he loved. We all have difficult times in our lives that we might ask Jesus to help us with. Our difficult situations may not change and we may not be able to avoid the hurt and pain in life, but we can have comfort that Jesus understands our pain and He wants to be with us during those times as well. 

Activity

We don’t know our futures. We can give a guess as to what we think might happen or what we would like to have happen, but we don’t really know what the future holds for us. Jesus knew what the future held for him even though it was not happy news. He knew he would die, because that’s what he came to this earth to do for you and me. Fold a piece of construction paper vertically into thirds, unfold and then fold it horizontally in half. You should have 6 squares, 3 on top and 3 on bottom.

Write the following phrase in each box and then draw a picture or write the answer to each phrase inside that square.

In the future my house will look like…

In the future I will have this car…

In the future I will do this for a job…

In the future I will visit…

In the future I will eat…

In the future I will spend time…

Materials: Construction paper, writing utensil

Alternate

Cut out the strips of paper and take turns completing the challenge on the strip. Encourage your child to do even the activities that may be challenging or too difficult for them. Encourage them to try the activity and help them after they have tried to do it independently. Some of those challenges were really difficult and we may have even needed help completing them but we were able to try it. Jesus understands that we will have challenges in our lives, but he will be with us through those difficult times.

Materials: Printed activities cut into strips, scissors

Create activity:

Create a Yarn maze for you and your family to complete. Use yarn and masking tape (or other easy to remove adhesive), to create a zigzag maze for someone to try to get across. Use a narrow hallway or create a space using chairs. Create your challenging maze to look like laser beams that the person has to avoid. See who can make it across, under, or through the maze without touching any of the strings.

Materials: Yarn, masking tap or other easy to remove adhesive, hallway or a 2 rows of chairs lined across from each other

ARTS & CAFTS

CRAFT 1

Make a cross bookmark. Draw a picture of a cross on a sheet of construction paper. Write your challenge or challenges on the cross, then color your cross. Hole punch the top of the bookmark and add a small string. 

Materials: construction paper, scissors, crayons/markers, hole punch, yarn

Craft 2

Coloring page

Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons

FOLLOW-UP

Read Psalm 22:23-31

This Psalms offers encouragement to those who are going through difficult times or challenges. Jesus understands our challenges and understands that we all have difficult times. In this Scripture passage, find a phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Try to memorize this verse this week to use when you are feeling discouraged or facing difficult times.

How can we take up our cross?

How are the difficulties here on earth temporary?

How can some of our challenges help us grow in our relationship with Jesus?

How does knowing some of our challenges will have a greater benefit later on, help us cope with the challenges right now?

Practical Application at Home

We each face challenges in life and the challenges we face can be different. As a family, discuss at least one challenge you have had this week, month, or year. Notice that you don’t all have the same challenges even within the same family. God is with us through our challenges and will help us through these difficult times. He has given us strength but He also wants us to help others who may be going through a similar challenge that we have gone through. This week pray for ways to see other’s challenges, and opportunities to help them through their challenge. God has given us comfort so we can pass that comfort to someone else. When we do this, we are showing others God’s love.

As a family, work together to support and encourage someone else this week. Look for a family project you can do together to encourage and uplift another family. We are all facing difficult times right now, and we can encourage each other by showing them we care.

Possible family projects:

-make a meal together that you can share with another family

-Make a “Thinking of You” card that you can send to a family friend

-make a personalized DIY game to give as a gift. Look here for more ideas

-make a personalized pillow decorated with their family name by using fabric paint. Or make a no-sew pillow. Look here for instructions. 

-make a bird feeder to share with a neighbor or friend

-Decorate clay pots and then plant herbs in the pots to give away as gifts

Additional Resources

Outings to Reinforce Lesson

Donate to a local food shelter or toy drive this Christmas season. As a family, volunteer together or pick out toys you think another child your age might enjoy.