GOSPEL PROJECT FOR KIDS APRIL PARENT OVERVIEW April 1st -- Jesus Crucifixion and Resurrection This week we pick up just a few days after the triumphal entry when the same crowd that chanted hosanna to Jesus now chanted crucify Him. Jesus was betrayed by Judas, arrested, condemned, and crucified. After He died, Jesus was placed in a tomb, but on the third day, He rose again conquering death and providing life to those who believe. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the center of the gospel. We deserve to die because of our sin, but Jesus died in our place. He was the blood sacrifice made once and for all for the forgiveness of sin. God was pleased with Jesus sacrifice and raised Jesus from the dead to reign as King over all creation. We are forgiven only through Jesus. (Acts 4:12) Help your children understand the gospel. Spend some time explaining our sin and our need for forgiveness that only comes through trusting in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. FAMILY STARTING POINTS
Babies and Toddlers Jesus is alive. Jesus is God s son. Jesus always obeyed God. God sent Jesus to earth because He loves us. Early Childhood Who saves us from our sin? Jesus saves us from our sin. Jesus died on the cross and is alive. K-3rd Who saves us from our sin? Only Jesus saves us from our sin. Jesus died on the cross to save people from their sin, and He is alive. April 8th -- Nehemiah Heard News of Jerusalem
This week and the next two weeks, we are studying the story of Nehemiah and Ezra. Nehemiah was a Jew living in Persia. He served as the king s cupbearer, a position of great trust; the cupbearer made sure no one poisoned the king s drink. Sometimes the cupbearer even tasted some of the drink himself to ensure it was safe. When the Persian Empire conquered the Babylonians, King Cyrus allowed God s people to return to Judah. Two or three million Jews had originally been deported, but only a remnant 50,000 people returned. They set up their homes and rebuilt God s temple in Jerusalem. Nehemiah s story takes place after Ezra led a second group of exiles back to Judah. Nehemiah received word about God s people who had returned to Judah. They were in trouble and living in shame; the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, and the city gates were burned. They lived in fear, unprotected from their enemies. Nehemiah sat down and wept. Nehemiah fasted and prayed for days. He remembered God s promise to His people. Their disobedience led to exile, but if they turned back to the Lord, their obedience would lead to blessing. God promised to restore their fortunes and give His people a home. (See Deut. 30:1 10.) The king noticed Nehemiah s sadness, and Nehemiah was afraid. No one was supposed to be sad in the presence of the king; it was an insult to his greatness. Nehemiah explained the plight of his city. The king granted him leave and gave him letters to ensure his safe passage. Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem. He encouraged the people to rebuild the walls and stood confidently against opposition. Nehemiah trusted that God would keep His promise to protect His people and give them a home. When we trust in Jesus, we believe God will keep His promise to give us His people a home. Jesus obeyed God perfectly. He died on the cross and rose again so we can have a home with Him forever. Help your kids understand that when we repent and trust in Jesus, we can trust His promise to prepare a place for us in His Father s house, where we will be with Him forever. (See John 14:3.) FAMILY STARTING POINTS Babies and Toddlers God keeps His promises. Nehemiah prayed for God to keep His people safe. God used Nehemiah to build the city walls. Jesus hears us when we pray. Early Childhood Does God keep His promises? Yes, God is always faithful. Nehemiah prayed that God would help His people. K-3rd Does God keep His promises? Yes, God is always faithful even when we are not. Nehemiah prayed that God would help His people rebuild Jerusalem s walls. April 15th -- Jerusalem s Walls Were Rebuilt
City walls and gates were very important in Bible times. Walls were built to be several feet thick. They protected a city from its enemies and provided a sense of safety and security. Gates were the center of city life, the meeting place for commercial and social transactions. Without these structures, the surviving remnant of God s people struggled and was vulnerable to attack. Nehemiah traveled from Persia to Jerusalem to lead the effort in rebuilding Jerusalem s walls. Nehemiah s leadership was effective. Nehemiah 3 describes all the people working together to rebuild the gates and walls. But it wasn t long before Nehemiah met opposition from local governors who planned to attack God s people. God s people armed themselves and kept working. They completed the wall in just 52 days. Note how their enemies reacted: All the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God (Neh. 6:16). Now God s people were protected from their enemies. Nehemiah led the people to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem to protect them from their enemies. Jesus came to protect us from our enemies. He died on the cross and rose from the dead to rescue people from sin and death.
Help your kids see that God provided the way for us to be protected from our enemies, sin and death. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. When we repent and trust in Jesus, He frees us from sin and death. We still sin, but we are no longer slaves to sin. (See Rom. 6:17-18.) We may die a physical death as a result of sin, but we have eternal life. (See John 11:25-26; Rom. 6:23.) FAMILY STARTING POINTS Babies and Toddlers God keeps His promises. Nehemiah led the people to build the city walls God kept His people safe as they worked. Jesus always obeyed God. Early Childhood Does God keep His promises? Yes, God is always faithful. God led Nehemiah to rebuild the walls. K-3rd Does God keep His promises? Yes, God is always faithful even when we are not. God used Nehemiah to lead His people as they rebuilt Jerusalem s walls. April 22nd -- Ezra Read the Law
Ezra traveled to Jerusalem with a purpose. God s people had spent 70 years in exile, and they needed to be reminded how to live. As a scribe, Ezra was an expert on the law of Moses, and he had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10). Under Nehemiah s leadership, the people had rebuilt Jerusalem s walls. They gathered together at the Water Gate to hear the law of Moses. Men, women, and children anyone who could understand came to listen to the reading of God s Word. From early morning until midday, Ezra read from the book of the law of Moses. He stood on a high wooden platform where everyone could see and hear him. Ezra opened the book of the law, and everyone stood up. The Levites helped the listeners understand the words of the law. The people reacted strongly to hearing and understanding the law of Moses. Verse 9 says the people were weeping. The law revealed their sin. God's Word is powerful. When Ezra read God's Word, the people changed their ways and loved God more. The Bible says that Jesus is "the Word." Jesus is God who came to live with people on earth. Jesus has the power to change our hearts.
Help your kids recognize that we cannot meet God s requirements. We need a Savior. God sent Jesus to obey the law perfectly and die for our sins. We can trust in Him for salvation. FAMILY STARTING POINTS Babies and Toddlers God keeps His promises. Ezra read God s words to the people. The people heard God s words and loved God. Jesus spoke God s words. Early Childhood Does God keep His promises? Yes, God is always faithful. Ezra taught the people God s Word. K-3rd Does God keep His promises? Yes, God is always faithful even when we are not. Ezra read God s Word to teach the people how to obey God. April 29th -- Malachi the Prophet
This week was our final week in the Old Testament as we looked at the Book of Malachi. After many years living as prisoners in Babylon, God s people had returned to Judah. They had worked hard and overcome opposition to rebuild the temple and the walls around Jerusalem. Surely God would restore them finally! But nothing happened. As they waited, they faced drought and economic uncertainty. God s people probably didn t feel like God had blessed them at all. It is useless to serve God, they said. What have we gained by keeping His requirements? (Mal. 3:14). Did God still care? It wasn t long until they fell back into the same patterns of sin that led to their exile in the first place: idolatry, covetousness, hypocrisy, arrogance, and abuse of the poor. But God did still love His people. He had been working out His divine plan of redemption, and He never gave up on them. God sent a message to His people through the prophet Malachi. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets. He spoke to God s people approximately 100 years after the end of the Babylonian captivity. Malachi s message from God was a wake up call. God communicated through Malachi that the people s lack of blessing didn t mean that God didn t care. God exposed His people s sin and made clear that their actions merited a curse. God s people needed to repent
and turn back to God. But for you who fear My name, God said, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings (Mal. 4:2). Malachi was a messenger a prophet who told God's people to repent. Malachi also told about another messenger God would send. This messenger, John the Baptist, would call people to repent and get them ready for a final Messenger, Jesus Christ. Jesus would bring good news of salvation. Help your kids understand that 400 years of silence followed Malachi s prophecy; God did not communicate to His people. This period brings us to the New Testament, when the silence would be broken by the last prophet before Jesus, John the Baptist. His words about Jesus in John 1:29 offered hope to all who heard: Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! FAMILY STARTING POINTS Babies and Toddlers God keeps His promises. Malachi told people God s words. God promised to send a messenger before the Messiah. Jesus is God s Son, the Messiah. Early Childhood Does God keep His promises? Yes, God is always faithful. God told His people to repent. K-3rd Does God keep His promises? Yes, God is always faithful even when we are not. God told His people to repent and get ready for Jesus.