Our Mission
WELCOME TO WEEK 1
We are on a mission! Jesus gave the disciples a mission to GO! He is sending us on a mission as well. This week we will find out our mission. I hope you choose to accept!
BIBLE STORY
You and your child stand in front of each other. Have a third person stand between you and your child. Tell your child you want them to follow the moves that you make. As you make different moves, the person between you must make moves that are different from yours. Afterwards ask, was it hard to follow two peoples moves? To be a disciple of Jesus means to follow Him. When we act and speak as he did, we are being his disciples. Just as in the game, we can’t follow 2 people at the same time, if we choose to follow Jesus, He is the only one we should follow.
Read or listen to the Bible verse for this week: Matthew 28:16-20
How many disciples went to Galilee? (11 disciples)
Did all the disciples see and worship Jesus? (some still doubted)
Jesus said that he had all authority in heaven and on earth.
What did Jesus tell the disciples to go and do? (make disciples of all nations and baptize them, and teach them to obey his commands)
Jesus said the disciples should baptize in whose name? (in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit)
How long did Jesus say he would be with them? (to the very end of the age)
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
Action words tell us to do something. In the Bible text for today Jesus tells us to do 3 things. Look back at the text Matthew 28:16-20 and find what they are. (Go, teach, baptize). God has called all of us on this mission. To Go, teach, and baptize! We can do this within our own communities by helping those in need, give a helping hand, or give offerings that help people close by and far away. Our mission is to continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus, by seeing a need and doing our best to fill it.
Activity
Play this game of memory. Match Jesus’ directions to the disciples with its antonym (opposite). For example: Jesus said go preach, the opposite is be silent.
Materials: printed memory game
Alternative:
Play this GO! mission game. Use the question cards and game board to tell what you would do to be a disciple and then move around the board. First person to the end wins!
Materials: printed GO! mission game, game markers
Create:
Jesus told the disciples to preach to other nations. Let’s put ourselves in the disciples shoes today. Look at a map. Draw the outline of your state and the surrounding states. With a star, mark where you live. Decide where you will go in your neighboring state or states, and map your route with a red pen. On your map add any topography such as mountains, hills, rivers, lakes, or canyons. Be sure to plan your route around them. Add a few places to stop, share the gospel and also rest by marking it with a large X. Add a map key to reference your drawings and stopping places. Think about how long you think it would take to journey there and what types of transportation you would use. For a bonus activity: write a short story about your journey and the stops you made along the way. Tell about how you shared the gospel with the people you met along the way.
Materials: drawing paper, picture of a map, pencil, red pen
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Create a GO book. Color and cut out the word Go and glue to the first page of your booklet. On the following pages write the plan of salvation and a picture to match. Staple the pages together or hole punch and tie with ribbon. Color and decorate the book.
Materials: printed Go! Mission booklet, crayons or other coloring pencils
CRAFT 2
Coloring Page
Materials: Printed coloring page
FOLLOW-UP
I’m going to say a word and I want you to say a descriptive word you think of when you hear this word. For example if I say “ice” you might say “Cold”. There is no one right answer.
Water (wet)
Pillow (soft)
Rock (hard)
Feather (light)
Dad (strong)
Light (bright)
Mom (wonderful)
Crayons (colorful)
Feet (dirty, stinky etc)
Read or listen to Romans 10:14-15
In this bible verse it says that spreading God’s word to new believers starts with someone being sent and preaching God’s word to others. It says the feet that are sent are beautiful. Is that the word you would use to describe feet? It’s definitely not a word I tend to think of when describing feet. But God says the feet that move to share the good news of Jesus to others have beautiful feet. Sharing the good news with others is beautiful and it allows others to have a beautiful relationship with Jesus as well.
Practical Application at Home
How can we use our feet for Jesus? Sometimes we think we are too small for God to use us, to share His good news, but that is not true. God can use each one of us in different ways. Our size does not keep God from making our feet beautiful when we were willing to go and share his good news. We may not travel as far as the 11 disciples but we can still travel.
Travel across the cafeteria to sit with someone who doesn’t have a friend.
Travel across the field to help a teammate or opponent off the ground.
Travel to a kid who lives in your neighborhood to invite them to church
Travel to a classmate’s birthday party who may not have many friends who will attend.
Travel to the mailbox with a letter to a shut in neighbor or church member to tell them you are praying for them.
There are lots of ways God can use our feet in the places we currently live to bring others the Good News!
Additional Resources
Outings to Reinforce Lesson
Go to a park and spend time in worship and prayer. Ask God to show you ways to trust him and listen to his voice.