July 28 - Combined Sunday School - Selflessness

This Week's Supported Workers are Steve and Sue Mayo.

The Children's Church Lessons are after the combined Sunday School resources.
For Kids' Lesson Notes, go HERE
For Adult class notes, go HERE

Definition:  To pursue selflessness means placing the well-being of others before your own needs and desires.

Basic Kid's Definition:  Thinking of yourself less.

Big Question to think about:  How does selflessness make itself known in the Gospel?

• as shown in Jesus Christ
• as necessary for each of us

Some verses to consider:

• Proverbs 18:1: 

An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and, against all sound judgment, starts quarrels.

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• Philippians 2:1 – 4.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

 

complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind. 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 

Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.

The contrasts in Philippians 2:1-4...

Selfish ambition or conceit (selfish) - - humility (selflessness) 

Not only your own interest - - the interests of others.

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• James 3:16

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Some questions to talk about as a family:

• What are some examples of selflessness in the Bible?
• What does selflessness look like at home?
• What does selflessness look like at church?
• How does selflessness impact others?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, Please help me to have a heart of selflessness.  I ask that you give me the strength to give in all circumstances so that I can glorify you.  I thank you and praise you for all you've done for me.  Amen

Some practical examples to consider

What does selflessness look like...

In my family?

In my church?  https://drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2017/10/how-are-you-planning-to-walk-into.html

Children's Church Lessons

Toddler

• Paul Followed Jesus
• God wants us to serve Him
• Acts 9:1-22
• Hebrews 9:14

PreK/ K

• God Sends His Missionaries
• God sends missionaries around the world
• Acts 13:1-3; 14:8-20
• Mark 16:15

1^st–5^th  CC

• Serving Others
• God wants us to follow Christ’s example by lovingly serving others
• Philippians 2:1-11
• Galatians 5:22, 23

July 21 - Combined Sunday School - Faithfulness

This week's supported workers are the Mayos.

The Children's Church Lessons are after the combined Sunday School resources.

Today's Resource page and coloring page. 

Definition: To pursue faithfulness means acting with INTEGRITY, keeping your word, and doing what is right before GOD, with FORTITUDE, and without COMPLAINT because you trust God to give you the ability to complete all things he has given you to do

Some verses to look at:

• 1 Corinthians 4:1—2
• Psalm 31:23—24
• Proverbs 28:20
• Revelation 2:10
• 1 Samuel 12:24
• Hebrews 11

 Suggested Parent/Child Activity: 

Read the Bible stories of people in Hebrews 11 and read or watch stories of faithful Christians throughout history.

• Torchlighters Videos: Official Page  |  Youtube
• Church History for Kids:  Banner of Truth Video  |  Some Books Available Reformation Heritage Bookstore
• Do Great Things for God:  Good Company Company Video |  Some Books Available Reformation Heritage Bookstore
• Christian Heroes:  Then and Now:  Amazon

Memory Verse:  1 Samuel 12:24

But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart;
Consider waht great things he has done for you.

Prayer: 

Thank God for who He is—Faithful God
Thank God for salvation—Saving Faith
Ask God for help in living for His Glory—Our Faithfulness

CHILDREN'S CHURCH LESSONS

Toddler

• Peter Wrote God’s Word
• God told people what to write in the Bible
• 1 Pt 1:1; 5:7; 2 Pt 1:1,21
• 1 Pet 5:7

PreK/ K

• God Helps His Missionaries
• God meets missionaries’ needs
• Acts 12:1-19
• Mark 16:20

1^st–5^th  CC

The Armor of God

• God provides all we need for victory over sin and Satan
• Eph 6:10-20
• Gal 5:22,23

July 14 - Combined Sunday School - Purity

This Week's Supported Workers of the Week are the Layers in Poland.
Check out this video about their ministry.

Click HERE for Sunday's combined Sunday School notes sheet and coloring page.

For a list of songs we sing, click HERE

Definition: 

To pursue moral purity means choosing to live by the highest moral principles in both speech and physical relations despite your own desires to do otherwise and despite any external pressures to compromise.

For Mike DIckinson's breakdown of this definition, go to drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2024/07/purity.html23.

Memory Verse: Psalm 119:9, 11

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.

Some verses to look at:

• Psalm 119: 9, 11
• Romans 8
• Philippians 4:8
• 1 Timothy 4:12
• 1 Timothy 5:1-2
• 1 Timothy 5:22 

The Desiring God article entitled "More Than Sexual Purity" contains an excellent challenge for Christian men.

Where would you look in the Bible to build a stronger, fuller vision for Christian men?

First Timothy 4:12 is a familiar, yet strangely overlooked, map for men.  The apostle Paul writes to his spiritual son, Timothy, a young man (not child) and elder in the church,

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

In your Christian living, do you consider how you speak and spend your life, what good you are to others, how passionate you are for God, and how you live a pure life?

The same article states that "worldliness - overt or subtle devotion to pop culture, sports, movies, shopping, social media, or whatever lures you must - can be as spiritually polluting as sexual temptation (James 1:27)."

A godly, pure life is not lived in our own strength.  It must be lived in dependence on the holiness of God the Father, the work of God the Son, and the power of God the Holy Spirit.

"The battleground of a Christian war is your heart...  This is a war for your soul.  And, like most wars, it is fought to be won or lost.  There is no peacekeeping treaty.  God is jealous for your heart, and he is not going to concede this territory to the devil (Jer. 31:33)."  Reju, Deepak.  Pornography: Fighting for Purity

Remember, Purity is a Heart Battle.

 

Don't Blame the Mud is the children's book I referred to.  Here is the link to the author reading this book, https://youtu.be/rym8mRLFF9w?si=fTxoOIcpK8696zLC

Daily Prayer:  

Dear Lord, help me live in the holiness that honors You. Help me not to fall into the traps of our sinful nature.  Help me not to make myself impure by dabbling in idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, uncontrolled anger, greed, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, or drunkenness.  These things bring pain to myself and others.  I desire to live with You, Lord, as my focus as I help my neighbors as much as possible.  Purity will show when I live with patience, kindness, and sincere love.  Then, I can testify to the power of the Holy Spirit that enables me to do any good deed.  Amen.  Adapted from crosswalk.com

July 7 - Combined Sunday School - Courage

This week's supported workers of the week are the Layers in Poland.

Children's Church Lesson information follows the Kids & Parents Sunday School Class Info.

Here is the information from this week's Mark of a Christian Lesson on COURAGE.

Detailed notes from the Adult Christian Education class are HERE
Take Home Sheet from the Kids/Parents time is HERE

Combined Parents and Kids Sunday School Class.

We began the class with some songs.  If you want to watch or listen to these or other songs we sing, click HERE

• Fruit of the Spirit 
• 1 Timothy  (VBS song)
• Jungle Jam (VBS song)

Explain July’s combined class

The definition of COURAGE from Time for the Talk

To pursue courage means choosing to do what is right despite the opposition of others or your own desires (often the more difficult enemy)

In our Look at the Bible time, we did two things.

First, a Word Search in Deuteronomy 31 and Joshua 1.  Families got together to see what verses contained one or both of these words (or a form of these words.
STRONG & COURAGE  

Then we talked about other examples of Courage in God's Word.

Old Testament examples of COURAGE

Examples while outside of  the Promised Land:  Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Esther

New Testament Examples of COURAGE

John the Baptist, Paul, Peter and John in Acts 5.

A Recent historical example of COURAGE

Martyn Lloyd Jones, The Doctor Who Became a Preacher. 

We then worked on this week's memory verse, Joshua 1:9, and sang Joshua 1:9 song. 

Suggested Parent/Child Activity:

Get a bottle, sand, very small rocks, and a little bigger rocks.

Which way fills the bottle up more?

1. Sand.  2.  Small rocks, 3.  Bigger rocks.
OR
1.  Bigger rocks.  2.  small rocks.  3.  Sand

Daily Prayer: 

Father God, give us wisdom to know what is right and the courage to reject that which is corrupt. May we hide Your Word in our hearts so that we may not sin against You. May we be like Joshua, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and do the right thing no matter what. Amen

Children's Church Information:

Toddler

• People Prayed for Peter
• God wants us to talk to Him in prayer
• Acts 12:1-6
• 1 Thess 5:17

PreK/ K

• God Directs His Missionaries
• God guides His missionaries
• Acts 8:4-8,12, 26-40
• Acts 8:26

1^st–5^th  CC

• Living by the Spirit
• The Holy Spirit gives us the power to live for God
• Gal 5:15-26; Eph 4:17-32
• Gal 5:22,23