Unit 19, Session 2: John Was Born
Gospel Project for Kids
Sunday 3/8/20

Dear Parents,

Some of the last words of the Lord recorded in the Old Testament are found in Malachi 4—“Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah … he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers” (vv. 5-6). The Book of Malachi was written more than 400 years before Jesus was born. For centuries, God’s people did not hear from Him. They were back in their homeland but were subject to other ruling nations. Eventually, the Romans took over.

The Roman emperor installed Herod as a leader over Judea and surrounding regions such as Samaria and Galilee. To gain the people’s favor, King Herod replaced Zerubbabel’s temple in Jerusalem with a beautiful marble temple constructed by 10,000 workers. This was the temple in which Zechariah, a priest from the family of Abijah, served the Lord. This was the temple in which God, through the angel Gabriel, broke His silence after so many years.

Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were both “righteous in God’s sight” (Luke 1:6), living by faith in God’s promise to send a Messiah. Like Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18, they were getting along in years and did not have any children. Elizabeth’s barrenness was a point of disgrace for her among the community (Luke 1:25) and God graciously answered this couple’s prayers.

An angel appeared to Zechariah in the temple sanctuary and delivered good news: “Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son.” Echoing Malachi’s prophecy, the angel declared this son would “turn the hearts of fathers to their children” (Luke 1:17)

For his doubting, Zechariah was rendered mute until the promise came to pass. When Zechariah believed God’s word, he praised God. John was born to prepare the way for Jesus. John would point people to Jesus, and they would praise God for keeping His promise to send the Savior.

Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.

FAMILY STARTING POINTS

• Babies and Toddlers
  • We can praise God for sending Jesus.
  • There is no one like Jesus..
  • An angel told Zechariah that Elizabeth would have a baby.
  • John was born to get people ready for Jesus.
  • Zechariah praised God for His plan to rescue people.
• Preschool
  • John was born to get people ready for Jesus.
  • Is Jesus God or a human? Jesus is both fully God and fully human.
• Kids
  • John was born to prepare the way for Jesus.
  • Is Jesus God or a human? As the Son of God, Jesus is both fully God and fully human.

UNIT KEY PASSAGE

John 1:1-2 (Preschool: John 1:1)


NEXT WEEK

“Jesus Was Born” (Luke 2)


*RAs and  GAs will go to "The Lord's Wranglers" at the Ellis County Cowboy Church THIS SATURDAY, March 14th.  More info will  be posted in our GroupMe chat!

Unit 19, Session 1: From Adam to Jesus
Gospel Project for Kids
​Sunday 3/1/20
 
Dear Parents,
 
The prophecies concerning Jesus’ birth are numerous, and many of them refer to Jesus’ lineage. Old Testament prophecies tell of the promised Messiah being born from the seed of a woman (Gen. 3:15); from the seed of Abraham (Gen. 22:18), Isaac (Gen. 21:12), and Jacob (Num. 24:17); from the tribe of Judah (Micah 5:2); from the line of Jesse (Isa. 11:1); and from the house of David (Jer. 23:5). The prophecies said He would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14) and would be the Son of God (1 Chron. 17:13-14; Ps. 2:7). Jesus fulfilled all of these prophecies.

In Bible times, Jews took great care to record family genealogies accurately. The family a person belonged to was directly linked to property rights. Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38 both chronicle the genealogy of Jesus. The account in Matthew presents Jesus as the king of the Jews—the legal heir to the throne of David. The account in Luke was written to Greek Christians and focuses on Jesus’ descent from Adam.

Jesus was born as a baby in Bethlehem. He had earthly parents—Mary and Joseph—but His true Father is God. Jesus is fully God and fully man.

As fully God, “the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ” (Col. 2:9). As fully man, Jesus has a human body, human mind, and human emotions. (See Luke 2:7,52; Matt. 26:38.) He is our sinless representative (2 Cor. 5:21), sympathetic high priest (Heb. 4:15), and substitute sacrifice (1 John 4:10).

Use this Bible story to review Jesus’ ancestors and their stories in the Old Testament. Help your kids recognize that God had been working out His plan to send Jesus over hundreds of years—through Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Rahab, Ruth, David, and others. God sent His Son to earth to save people from their sins.

Jesus came to earth as a human. Jesus had earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, but His true Father is God. Through Jesus, God kept His promises to Abraham and David. Jesus saves people from their sins and adopts them into God’s family.
 
Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.
 
FAMILY STARTING POINTS
●     Babies and Toddlers
Jesus rescues us and makes us part of God’s family.
There is no one like Jesus.
God promised to send Jesus to earth.
Jesus is God’s Son, and Jesus is a man.
God sent Jesus like He promised.
●     Preschool
Jesus had a family.
Is Jesus God or a human? Jesus is both fully God and fully human.
Kids
Jesus’ family line proved He is the Messiah.
Is Jesus God or a human? As the Son of God, Jesus is both fully God and fully human.
 
UNIT KEY PASSAGE
●     John 1:1-2 (Preschool: John 1:1)
 
NEXT WEEK
●     “John Was Born” (Luke 1)

Royal Ambassadors, Girls in Action, Mission Friends: MARCH

BIBLE FOCUS 
This month, children will learn that Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him. Read Matthew 9:9–13 with your family. Ask: Why do you think Matthew stopped what he was doing and immediately followed Jesus?

MINISTRY FOCUS
Mike Palmer is the pastor of Lemhi River Cowboy Church in a small community of fewer than 200 people in Idaho. Many of the people who live there are ranchers. Mike says cowboy church is for people who might be afraid to attend a traditional church. It’s a place for them to belong.

EXTRAS
This month, our RAs and GAs are visiting the Cowboy Church in Waxahachie and attending their monthly event called, "The Lord's Wranglers!" The event is on March 14th.