Family Quest: The Hope – Deadly Disease, 1
“Therefore just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” – Romans 5:12
Question: “What is spiritual death?”
Answer: Death is separation. A physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. Spiritual death, which is of greater significance, is the separation of the soul from God. In Genesis 2:17, God tells Adam that in the day he eats of the forbidden fruit he will “surely die.” Adam does fall, but his physical death does not occur immediately; God must have had another type of death in mind—spiritual death. This separation from God is exactly what we see in Genesis 3:8. When Adam and Eve heard the voice of the Lord, they “hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God.” The fellowship had been broken. They were spiritually dead.
A man without Christ is spiritually dead. Paul describes it as “being alienated from the life of God” in Ephesians 4:18. (To be separated from life is the same as being dead.) The natural man, like Adam hiding in the garden, is isolated from God. When we are born again, the spiritual death is reversed. Before salvation, we are dead (spiritually), but Jesus gives us life. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,” (Ephesians 2:1 NKJV). “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins” (Colossians 2:13).
(via “What Is Spiritual Death?” GotQuestions.org)
BIG IDEA: Sin causes death, both spiritual and physical
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Genesis 3
Romans 5
Romans 6:23
SECTION VERSES:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31
LESSON VERSE:
“Therefore just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” – Romans 5:12
PRAYER:
Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s promise of His presence in your life always!
DISCUSSION STARTERS:
- What is sin?
- How do we sin?
- What happens because of sin?
- What does our sin deserve?
- Is sin attractive? (Heb. 1:24-26, Gen. 3:6)
LIVE IT OUT!
- Take a walk and find a place to enjoy God’s presence together in prayer and the Word. Thank God for making you spiritually alive in Jesus!
– – –
ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader. In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.
Family Quest: The Hope – The Choice
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” – Deuteronomy 30:19
For man was created to love God and to be loved by God. – The HOPE, Chapter 2
God’s love for us is proclaimed throughout the Old and New Testaments.
The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)
Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. (Psalm 25:6)
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. (1 John 4:16)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
In response to that love God calls us to in turn love Him above all else.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
Our love of God is demonstrated by our willing obedience to His purpose for our lives.
But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: (1 John 2:5)
In other words, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it, “the chief purpose for which man is made is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.” When we truly love God, we will truly glorify Him above all others. Let’s help the children this week truly grasp how long, high, deep, and wide is God’s love for us.
BIG IDEA: We were created to love and be loved by God.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Jeremiah 29:11
Psalm 139:13-17
Mark 12:30
Jeremiah 31:3
SECTION VERSES:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31
LESSON VERSE:
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” – Deuteronomy 30:19
PRAYER:
Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for all of God’s creation and how He has supplied our every need.
DISCUSSION STARTERS:
- What is God’s purpose for you?
- What was God’s purpose for the angels?
- Why did Lucifer reject God’s purpose?
- What was the end result?
LIVE IT OUT!
- Make a list of ways you can show God that you love him. Do the same for your parents, siblings, and friends. Purpose to love!
– – –
ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader. In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.
Family Quest: The Hope – Creation
“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” – Hebrews 11:3
According to His story, God spoke all of creation into existence. By His Word He made everything out of nothing… According to His story, God created the heavens, the earth, and every living thing in six days. – The HOPE, Chapter 1
After reading the preceding excerpt from The HOPE video, let’s consider a few of these concepts. First, because God is all powerful, not limited by anything, He can create however He chooses, even simply by speaking. This concept is clearly presented in the Bible:
“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)
“…by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed.” (2 Peter 3:5)
Secondly, God made everything that is out of nothing. Think about that. When we humans create, we must utilize or draw upon things that existed before us. When we “create” we are really “re-creating.” But God, who created from nothing, is creative in the ultimate sense:
“…God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” (Romans 4:17)
Third, God created the whole world in six days. We find this concept clearly presented in the Bible:
“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them…” (Exodus 20:11)
While students of the Bible have long debated the meaning of “six days,” the assertion that God made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them clearly contradicts the notion that the world is simply the result of a natural evolutionary process.
BIG IDEA: God created the universe and everything in it. And it was good.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Genesis chapters 1-2 (focus on 2:7), Colossians 1:16
SECTION VERSES:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31
LESSON VERSE:
“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” – Hebrews 11:3
PRAYER:
Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for all of God’s creation and how He has supplied our every need.
DISCUSSION STARTERS:
- What did God make everything From?
- Why did God create the world?
- Why did God create people?
- What was man’s purpose when God created them?
LIVE IT OUT!
- Take a walk in the woods together, paying special attention to all that God has created and how unique each thing is.
– – –
ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader. In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.
Family Quest: The Hope – Who is God?
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” – Romans 1:20
“Before there was anything, before time or space or physical matter, there was God…One who is far beyond our ability to fully comprehend or describe. Through His story, we find that God is Spirit without a beginning or an end. He is complete within Himself, lacking in nothing. He is all knowing and all wise. He is perfect in every way. He is not limited by anything.” – The HOPE, Chapter 1
The first week of our study presented evidence that the Bible is the most trustworthy reference point in all the world for understanding reality. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself, and it reveals truth about God in two ways. One way is by demonstration: recording God’s action and interaction with the world and humankind. Another way is by declaration: making direct statements or claims about the nature and character of God.
As you prepare to lead the children this week, consider the following Bible verses that support the excerpt from The HOPE quoted above.
Before There Was Anything, There Was God (Colossians 1:16-17)
God Is Beyond Our Ability to Fully Comprehend (Psalm 145:3, Romans 11:33)
God Is Spirit (John 4:24)
God Is Eternal – He Has No Beginning or End (Psalm 90:2, 1 Timothy 1:17)
God Is Complete within Himself, Lacking in Nothing (Acts 17:24-25)
God Is All Knowing and All Wise (Psalm 147:5, 1 Chron. 28:9, Isa. 40:28)
God is holy (perfect, other than) (1 Samuel 2:2)
BIG IDEA: God is.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO (START AT :46)
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Romans 1:20-21, Psalm 139
1 John 3:20, Isaiah 46:9-10
Psalm 147:4-5, 1 John 4:8
Acts 17:25, Revelation 1:4
Romans 11:33, Romans 16:27
SECTION VERSES:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31
LESSON VERSE:
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” – Romans 1:20
PRAYER:
Pray that God would give you a desire to read His Word and that his Spirit would help you understand.
DISCUSSION STARTERS:
- What did you learn in Quest this week?
- Who is God?
- What is he like?
LIVE IT OUT!
- Read some more of John’s gospel together.
- ]Write “God is…” on a piece of paper and make a list of His attributes together for the refrigerator.
– – –
ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader. In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.
Family Quest: Introduction to The Hope
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. -Psalm 119:105
It’s the Universal Question – Is there a purpose …for the world and for me? The HOPE video begins with these words…
“Throughout time people have considered the world in which we live; the complexity and beauty of nature, the mystery of life and death, the depth of human joy and pain …and they have wondered, ‘How did it all come to be? Is this world the result of chance…or design? Is there something, or someone, behind it all? And if there is such a being, then what is He like? Does He have a purpose for this world? Does He have a purpose for me in this world? Does He have a purpose for me beyond this world?”
Jeremiah 29:13 reads: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
This is the heart of Quest. Some of our kids may be asking questions about the existence of God, others may just be wanting to know Him more. In both cases He promises to be found when we search wholeheartedly for Him.
It begins with you and me. As we dive in to this study, be prepared to let God show you who He is, and to discover new things about God and yourself. Determine that you will “search for Him with your whole heart,” and then lead the children to do the same.
BIG IDEA: The Bible is God’s Word. We can trust it.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO
SECTION VERSES:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31
LESSON VERSE:
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” – Psalm 119:105
PRAYER:
Pray that God would give you a desire to read His Word and that His Spirit would help you understand.
DISCUSSION STARTERS:
What did you learn in Quest this week?
What is the Bible?
Why can we trust the Bible?
If people wrote the Bible, how did God write the Bible?
LIVE IT OUT!
Start a Bible reading plan together. It can be just a verse or two a day. The gospel of John is a great place to start!
– – –
ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader. In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.
Family Quest: Parent Introduction
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:16-17
Dear Quest Parents,
Welcome to a new year at Quest! This year our “Big Idea” is the biggest of them all. God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, and our eternal Father, so desires us to know Him that He purposed that a book be written and assembled in order to reveal Himself, his plans, his mighty acts, and his will to us. Understanding this Book, how it was written, how it is organized, and what it says about God, about us, and about God’s ultimate plan for redeeming His people through his Son, Jesus Christ, is of utmost importance for our students on their Quest.
Would you depart for a trip without knowing your destination, without consulting a map, without using a GPS, or without taking someone along who knows the way? Would you ignore signs that read “Wrong Way – Do not enter – Danger!” Only a very unwise person would. We need to help teach the children that this Christian life is a journey with an eternal destination and that along the way there are dangers, detours, and temptations to navigate. To make the most of this Quest we must know well our map, the Bible. The curriculum we are about to begin is based on the film The Hope, and each week we will watch a short portion of the film that we will use as the starting point for our teaching that day.
Each Sunday afternoon you will receive an email from us with a parent devotional and some discussion starters. If you’d like to watch the segment of the film we used that day you can access that at, www.thehopeproject.com.
You are your child’s first and most important spiritual leader. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.
Blessings,
Mike Meyers & the RBC Children’s Ministry Team
TRAIL GUIDE: The Great Promise
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Unit 3, Section 4, Lesson 4: The Great Promise Came Before the Great Commandment
“And never forget, I even I, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Son of the Most High, endowed with all glory, power, and authority, yes I, Jesus am always present with you to bless, to empower, to guide, to comfort, and to enable. You will never have to face a day without me.” Isn’t this what Jesus was telling the group of disciples He had just commissioned to change the world? This was no afterthought. Our Savior knew the impossibility of the task He was giving and He was assuring us that He is leading the charge into battle and the victory is His.
In God’s usual way, The Great Claim (Matthew 28:18) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) are followed by the Great Promise (Matthew 28:20). Take a few minutes today to meditate on the Great Promise of God throughout scripture. This promise extends to you and me and is the reason we can take up, with confidence, the cause handed down to us.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” – 1 Corinthians 3:6-7
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” – Isaiah 41:10
“So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” – Zechariah 4:6
“For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” – Deuteronomy 20:4
But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you.” – Exodus 3:11-12
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
This is a truth our children must understand and hold deeply as early in life as possible.
YOU’VE GOT A FOREVER FRIEND IN THE HIGHEST PLACE – JESUS THE KING! “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem. You will be my witnesses in all Judea and Samaria. And you will be my witnesses from one end of the earth to the other.” – Acts 1:8
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Acts 5:17-32
Deuteronomy 31:6
TRAIL GUIDE: Takes One to Make One
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Unit 3, Section 4, Lesson 2: It Takes One to Make One
Before Jesus called us to make disciples, He called us to become His disciples. He says in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” If I think back on my best teachers, I find a few commonalities. For one, they didn’t live in the theoretical world. They either had or were living what they taught. Practical, real world experience is critical. Otherwise we wouldn’t have the expression, “well at least that’s how it works in theory.”The other thing that set apart these exceptional teachers was their passion for the subject they taught. It was a passion born of their own commitment to pursuing knowledge and understanding of their area of expertise. And it didn’t end. For them it was a life-long quest.
How do these common characteristics of excellent teachers relate to making disciples? If we are not passionately committed to our relationship with Jesus Christ, if we are not daily taking up His yoke and learning from Him, then we will never be worthy disciple-makers. If we are not living out the commands of Christ in our own lives, our call to others to believe and follow our Lord will ring hollow. Even the youngest students can quickly see through the charade if you are simply teaching theory that has never been applied or stories about God without the passion that comes from a relationship with the King of kings.
So let us each be a disciple first and always, then let us also be gentle and humble in heart so that others might follow us as we follow Jesus.
“A disciple is someone who confesses Christ as Lord and Savior, believing that God has raised Him from the dead and declaring that belief publicly through baptism.” -
John MacArthur
Disciple – maqhteu/w (koine Greek) Transliterated – matheteuo
1. to be a disciple of one
a. to follow his precepts and instructions
2. to make a disciple
a. to teach, instruct
THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS OUR TEACHER. “He will teach you all things and bring all things to your memory.” – John 14:26
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
2 Tim 2:15 | Matt 11:28-29
Matt 8:21-22 | Matt 16:24
John 15:14-16 | Matt 23:27
Acts 23:3 | Mark 1:17 | Mark 8:34
TRAIL GUIDE: Appraisal is the Key
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Unit 3, Section 4, Lesson 1: The Antiques Roadshow – Appraisal is the Key
Have you ever watched the Antiques Roadshow? I’ll admit I have paused, on a few occasions, to see what the fuss is all about. Personally I don’t get it. Paying lots of money for other peoples’ old stuff? What foolishness. Or is it? I look at these items and I see them and make a judgment… junk. However, someone skilled in appraising antiques looks at the same items and makes a very different judgment. I think there is a lesson for us here.
Scripture tells us that the things of God, God’s Word, are foolishness to the “natural man” or the unbeliever. Does this mean that they can’t understand the words? Does it look like Greek to them? I’ve heard complete heathens articulate the gospel message very clearly, so that cannot be what God meant. So what is it? The difference is in the appraisal (1 Corinthians 2:14-16). When the unregenerate man, the natural man, looks upon the truths in God’s Word he sees rubbish. He sees foolishness. So how do those who belong to Christ look at the same words and see truth, life, and eternal worth? Who is the expert we have in our corner? Who do we have with us at the road show that allows us to make the right judgment on the worth and truth of God’s Word? Who is the witness that testifies to the truth of what we are reading? The Holy Spirit of God. For the Word of God was given by the Spirit of God. And who knows the Spirit of God better than God Himself?
So we should be encouraged, and encourage the children, to carefully study the Scriptures, to meditate on them, and to humbly appropriate the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit that we might properly value and apply what God has spoken to us in His Word. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” – John 16:13
“… the testimony of the Spirit is more excellent than all reason. For God alone is a fit witness to Himself in His Word, so also the Word will not find acceptance in men’s hearts before it is sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit. The same Spirit, therefore, who has spoken through the mouths of the prophets must penetrate into our hearts to persuade us that they faithfully proclaim what has been divinely commanded… By this power we are drawn and inflamed, knowingly and willingly, to obey Him, yet also more vitally and more effectively than by mere human willing or knowing.” – John Calvin
THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS OUR TEACHER. “He will teach you all things and bring all things to your memory.” – John 14:26
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
John 14:23 | Acts 5:17-32
John 14:17 | 1 Cor. 2:13-16
John 15:15 | John 16:13
Kids Camp 2015 Recap
Jesus is calling us to move beyond the beach and into the waves, to a place of adventure, purpose, and true joy! “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – Jesus (John 10:10b)
Kids Camp 2015, “Surf’s Up,” has come and gone. This year’s camp was a huge success with roughly 400 children and volunteers in attendance over the five days. The children of the church were challenged in their faith and their walk with Jesus, while many children from the surrounding community got to hear the gospel message presented through music, drama, and Bible teaching, perhaps for the first time. We were blessed with the positive feedback that came in from parents and children alike. Here is a little sampling:
“The kids were coming home from an afternoon summer camp and they practically ran to the car each day in order to not be late to RBC!”
“My heart leapt when my son, who never wants to lead prayer at home, asked if he could pray after coming home from Kids Camp.”
“Our son came home after the second day of camp and asked us to pray with him to receive Jesus’ gift of salvation and eternal life.”
To go along with our theme, “Surf’s Up,” the children were encouraged to bring an offering toward Christian Surfers International (www.christiansurfers.com) and enthusiastically responded. Those funds will be going toward a children’s outreach in Panama this summer through Christian Surfers. These are the moments that make the long hours and hard work of volunteers and staff alike more than worth it.
We are so very thankful for all that God did in and through Kids Camp 2015, “Surf’s Up,” and are already looking forward to next summer! We are also so thankful to the volunteers without whom Kids Camp would be quite impossible. Thank you for answering the call to raise up a generation that knows Christ and makes Him known.
CLICK HERE FOR STOKED TV’S DAILY SURF REPORT VIDEOS! Fresh from Kids Camp 2015, Surfjan Stevens and Keanu Reefs bring news, weather, beach conditions and more on Stoked TV’s Daily Surf Report!
about kids camp
RBC Kids Camp is a week-long day camp open to all children entering the 1st grade through the 6th grade* and takes place the last week of June. Through quality Bible teaching, art, drama, music, and a ton of awesome games, Kids Camp (formerly VBS) is a unique opportunity for children to begin or grow in their relationship with Jesus and to learn to share their hope and joy with others. Check out www.restonbible.org/kidscamp for more info.
*There is a Kids Camp program for nursery, pre-K, and rising kindergarteners which is open to children of Kids Camp volunteer staff only.
Kids Camp 2015: Daily Surf Report
Fresh from Kids Camp 2015, Surfjan Stevens and Keanu Reefs bring news, weather, beach conditions and more on Stoked TV’s Daily Surf Report!
TRAIL GUIDE: The Extra Mile
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Unit 2, Section 3, Lesson 3: Love Your Enemies by Going the Extra Mile
Several years ago I ran in the annual Army 10-Miler in DC. I signed up for 10 miles and I trained for 10 miles. What happened instead was a race diversion. Because of a bomb scare, I (along with 20,000 other runners) ended up going 11.5 miles. When asked to run 10 miles, we ran 11.5 instead. Okay, but that’s not exactly what Jesus was talking about in His most famous sermon (Matthew 5). So what was He getting at? Love your enemies, do good to those who persecute you, if someone forces you to go a mile, go with him two miles. Say what? This is crazy talk, Jesus. That’s just not feasible. He clearly hasn’t kept up with the latest personal assertiveness seminars. Get ahead by standing up for yourself. That’s the American way.
We started out this section looking at how we can love our neighbors in the family, and in the church. Most recently, as we discussed our neighbor in the world, we first looked at the sinner and then the defenseless. So far, so good. All these folks we could look upon with either affection or at least compassion. But God couldn’t leave things that simple. Jesus, as He repeatedly does throughout His ministry, has to push the idea to its divine extreme. Not only does He say it – “love your enemies and do good to those who persecute you…” – but He lives it out. Or maybe “dies it out” is more appropriate (Romans 5:7-10). Jesus, in taking love to its divine extreme, makes it all the more clear that, in our unregenerate, fallen state, we simply cannot love like God loves. Only through the empowering of the Holy Spirit can we truly embrace this brand of extreme love. Read the following definition of love, and meditate on it in light of the cross.
“Agape, or divine love, is eternal and totally independent of the object of its favor. Agape is an affection which stands in spite of any element of attractiveness, desirability, or even value. It also can be hated by the object of its affection, without damaging its intensity or character.”
“So we are not quick to demand justice unmingled with mercy… When we live this way, we magnify the glory of God’s mercy and the all-satisfying Treasure that He is to our souls. We show that because of His supreme value to us, we do not need the feeling of personal vengeance in order to be content.” – John Piper
BE EXTREME – LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. JESUS DID! “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Matt 5:38-48 | Rom 5:7-10
Rom 12:20 | Col 3:13
TRAIL GUIDE: Matters of the Law
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Unit 2, Section 3, Lesson 2: The Weightier Matters of the Law
“You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” – Jesus the Christ
Think back to your days on the school yard. What was the law of the jungle? The weak kid, the overweight kid, the kid dressed poorly, the different kid, was ignored (at best) and in many cases the object of abuse. If you’re like me, you might be feeling some shame right now as you think back on those times. Good. Now let’s help our children be “other than” when it comes to their treatment of the defenseless and needy.
What is one sign of a life surrendered to Christ? That we more and more reflect His love for mercy and justice in our every day lives. This is something so real to the children we minister to. They don’t need to stretch their imaginations to picture this. They live it. And for a child it’s more out in the open and obvious. We adults have learned to mask it.
Every child of God should be a minister of mercy and justice. This should be reflected in the friends we keep, the way we spend God’s money, the way we spend the hours God has blessed us with, and the way we use the spiritual gifts and talents that we have been given.
Giving from a distance doesn’t cut it. It’s not the way Jesus worked and it’s not the way His body, the church should work either. We are called to personally stand up for the defenseless, care for the needy, the orphan, the widow, the oppressed. This starts in our family, moves into our family the church, and then to the world around us. Through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, this should be the hallmark of our lives. If it is not then God says we can keep the rest (Amos 5:23-24).
“The key to evaluating any individual church or nation in terms of its use of material possessions (personally, collectively or institutionally) is how well it takes care of the poor and powerless in its midst, that is, its cultural equivalents to the fatherless, widow and alien…People always take priority over prosperity.” - Craig Blomberg
IMITATE GOD – DEFEND THE DEFENSELESS AND THOSE IN NEED. “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
James 1:27 | Amos 5:15
Ps 82:3 | Zechariah 7:9
Matt 23:23 | Ex 22:21-22
Lev 19:34
TRAIL GUIDE: House Calls
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Unit 2, Section 3, Lesson 1: Doctors Who Make House Calls
What if Jesus had stayed in the temple courts or the synagogue teaching? What if He never ventured out into the community, never called old Zach down from the tree, never ate with tax collectors and sinners, never touched the sick and hurting?
Why don’t doctors make house calls these days? I’m not sure, but wouldn’t it be interesting if suddenly people stopped going to a doctors office or hospital when they were ill? What if they thought that was the last place to go to be healed? How long would it take for the docs to begin making house calls again? Not long I suspect. Is the church today, the body of Christ the great Physician, staying in the hospital building waiting for the sick to show up? Or, worse yet, are we staying in the hospital talking about the remedy but secretly hoping that the sick stay away?
I think Jesus was less like a physician as we know it today and more like a field medic or a country doctor of days past. He went out looking for the lost sheep. Let’s help give our children a heart for the lost and pray that the Lord would use them to make Christ known in the world!
“Jesus is providing an acted parable, an illustration of what He has come to do! Jesus has come to bring sinners into fellowship with God, and these dinner scenes are but little pictures of this bigger picture.” – Pastor Fred G. Zaspel
JESUS LOVED THE UNLOVEABLE LIKE US – SO SHOULD WE. “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
Matt 9:10-12 | Luke 5:29-32 | Luke 7:36-50 | Luke 15:1-7 | Ps 25:8 | Ps 25:8 | Ps 68:18 | Ps 51:13 | 1 Tim 1:15
TRAIL GUIDE: Encourage and Share
The “Trail Guide” devotional is used by our adult leaders of grade school groups in Quest as a way to prepare their hearts and minds for the topics we will be covering with the children on the weekend. We have made them available here to help our parents of grade-schoolers engage with their children around the topics we are discussing and also for anyone else that might be blessed by following along.
EXTREME MAKEOVER, Unit 2, Section 2, Lesson 3: Encourage & Share
The Bible mentions “one another” or “each other” some fifty times to give the body of believers instruction on how to live together. Contrary to what many of us have always thought, these passages are not directed at how we relate to the world but rather how we should relate with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Just like God gave the nation of Israel the law in order to make them stand out as “other than” in the world, He has given the church the “one anothers” as a means to bring Himself glory in the world through us.
Today we’ll look at two of these: encourage one another and share with one another. The word for encourage used here means “to come along side” and was often used by Greek writers when speaking of military reinforcements. What a wonderful picture for the Christian life! As fellow soldiers (Philippians 2:25), we are commanded to be available to reinforce, come alongside, encourage our comrades in arms. And what does a military unit on the front lines need along with reinforcements? Supplies. Sharing in the home that starts with toys, food, or valued time with mom or dad becomes sharing, or supplying the needs of (Acts 4:34-35) your fellow soldiers. Whether it be money, time, talents, skills, or other assets… bring it to the battle and share it with one another.
“One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement… It is easy to laugh at men’s ideals; it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.” - William Barclay
“Here is my command. Love each other, just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than the one who gives his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” – John 15:12-14
MEDITATING ON THE WORD:
1 Thess 5:11-14 | Acts 20:2
Romans 12:8