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LESSON 16: HEAVENLY MISSION

“Jesus expressed His compassion and proved His authority with miracles. He was reported to have calmed storms and walked on the sea. On two occasions, He took just a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish and multiplied them to feed thousands of people. Jesus gave sight to the blind, caused the lame to walk, and healed people of horrible diseases. He cast demons out of people, and He even raised people from the dead. For thirty years, Jesus had lived in obscurity. But now, He was demonstrating His power over the physical and the spiritual world, over life and death.” – The HOPE, Chapter 9

In the Bible, there are four words (two Hebrew and two Greek) that are translated as the word “miracle.” In each case, these words describe an intervention by God in which the ordinary course of
nature is overruled, suspended, or modified.

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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.

LESSON 15: JESUS CALLING

Throughout the ages since Jesus walked the earth many non-believers have tried to dismiss Jesus by saying such things as, “He was a teacher,” or “He was a powerful prophet.” Their goal in
making these statements is usually to deny the central claim of Christianity, namely that Jesus is God. But we shouldn’t shy away from these statements because they are in fact true. Jesus was a great teacher. The greatest teacher ever. A typical pastor preaches for 40 minutes today, but Jesus’ most famous sermon on the mount takes only about 15 minutes from beginning to end and is so profound that books have been written just about these few verses. Jesus wasn’t just a lecturer either. He was a “walk along the way” teacher, a disciple maker.

“And walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And they immediately left the nets, and followed Him.”

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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.

LESSON 14: THE PROMISED ONE, PART 2

The practice of baptism as observed in this lesson had its roots in the washings that God instructed the Hebrew people to do for the purpose of purification (Leviticus 16:26, Leviticus 28, Leviticus 22:6, Numbers 19:7 and Numbers 19). Jesus, however, did not need to be purified. Perhaps this is why John, who knew Jesus from childhood, tried to prevent Jesus from being baptized and said to Him, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” (Matthew 3:14).

So if purification was unnecessary, what was the purpose of this baptism in the life of Jesus? Most theologians agree that at least three things were accomplished by this event: identification, anointing and confirmation. In regard to identification, many believe that Jesus, the One who came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17), was identifying with John’s call to
righteousness – to live according to the ways of God. Some, however, see yet another identification taking place in this event.

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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.

LESSON 13: THE PROMISED ONE, PART 1

The events associated with the birth of Jesus fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies given centuries before the events they described. Let’s take a look at some of these ancient proclamations.

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

In reference to the birth of Jesus, Matthew cited a specific prophecy from Isaiah made more than 700 years earlier.

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

Just as foretold, the virgin (Mary) indeed did conceive (Matthew 1:21) and bore a Son who is called Immanuel. This amazing event demonstrates God’s infinite knowledge and power. He is capable of foretelling the future with perfect precision, and He has the power to bring His prophecies to pass,even if t hat means a virgin would need to conceive and bear a Son.

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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.

LESSON 12: CALLED TO WALK WITH GOD

…by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. – Romans 3:20

God promised that if the Hebrew people obeyed the Law they would be blessed, but if they disobeyed the Law they would be punished. We also saw that God, knowing the Hebrew people would not be able to fully and consistently keep the Law, provided a way to cover their sin through the offering of sacrifices.

But there is yet another important aspect of the Law we must consider. Many people have the idea that the Law was given as a means for man to be right with God. But the Bible is clear (Romans
3:20) that no person can gain right standing (be justified) with God by keeping the Law. Think about it. If we could keep the Law perfectly (although we can’t), we would still be infected with the sin which was passed down to every person through Adam (see Lesson 18). Sin separates man from God. Even if you had never sinned, the sin in you would still separate you from God.

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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.

LESSON 11: PEOPLE OF THE PROMISE, PART 2

The Exodus would become the event that defined the people of Israel and their relationship with God. The Passover would become their most revered festival and continues in Jewish homes to this day. After watching the video this week and meditating on the scriptures we’ve listed, take some time to consider the parallels between Israel’s Exodus from slavery in Egypt and your own Exodus from slavery to sin. How did God show himself strong over the god’s that ruled your life before Christ? What path to salvation did He open that appeared to be closed. There are rich echoes of the first Exodus in our own. What obstacles did He overcome in your life?

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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.

LESSON 10: PEOPLE OF THE PROMISE

Many Bible students believe that Joseph’s life foreshadows God’s promised Deliverer, who we will soon study in upcoming chapters of The HOPE. In fact, the similarities between Joseph and the
promised Deliverer are truly amazing.

Consider that both Joseph and the promised Deliverer…

were sent by their fathers to their brothers – Joseph’s brothers hated him and sought to kill him, and the Deliverer’s own kinsmen rejected Him and sought to kill Him (see Genesis 37:13, John 7:3, Luke 20:47), had a robe that was taken from them (Genesis 37:23-24, John 19:24), spent time in Egypt (see Genesis 37:25-28, Matthew 2:14-15), were sold for the price of a slave (see Genesis 37:28, Matthew 26:15), were bound in chains (see Psalm 105:18, Genesis 39:20, Matthew 27:2), were tempted (see Genesis 39: 7-10, Matthew 4:1-11), were falsely accused (see Genesis 39:16-17, Matthew 26:59), were placed with two other prisoners, one of whom was saved and the other lost (see Genesis 40:2-22, Luke 23:32-43), began their ministries at the age of thirty (see Genesis 41:46, Luke 3:23), were exalted by God after a season of suffering (see Genesis 41:41-43, Philippians 2:9-11), forgave those who harmed them (see Genesis 45:1-15, Luke 23:34), were sent by God to save many (Genesis 45:7, Matthew 1:21, Mark 10:45), understood that God turned evil into good (see Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28), and brought reconciliation, one to his family, the other to the world (see Genesis 45:7-10; Romans 5:10).

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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.

LESSON 9: BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING

And Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide. Our God is a promise maker and a promise keeper. Most of us would like to think of ourselves as promise keepers, but the reality is that even the best of us cannot truly guarantee a promise. Too many variables are outside of our control. That is why we in the church have the tradition of tacking, “Lord willing,” onto the end our verbal commitments. But with YAHWEH it is an entirely different case. We have already learned that our God created all things from nothing, He is all powerful, all knowing, and unchangeable. When God makes a promise you can take it to the bank. Help the children this week to appreciate how deeply God can be trusted.

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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.

LESSON 8: PRELUDE TO THE PROMISE, PART 2

“And they said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”– Genesis 11:4

“Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.” – Genesis 11:9

“The number of Noah’s descendants increased greatly, but they remained as one people. They did not fill the earth as God commanded. Instead they built a city. Then they built a tower reaching to the heavens. God was not pleased. So God confused their language. Immediately there were at least 70 groups of people who could not speak with each other. Then God scattered these groups around the earth. And this was the beginning of the languages and nations of our world.” – The HOPE, Chapter 4

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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.

LESSON 7: PRELUDE TO THE PROMISE, PART 1

As we studied in the previous lesson, the sin that entered the world through Adam spread to every person that has ever lived. That includes Noah. So, if the people of Noah’s day were judged because of their sin, how is it that Noah (who had also been infected with sin) was spared?

In the last lesson we learned of God’s promise to send a Deliverer who would one day free man from Satan, sin, and death. Whether or not Noah understood the meaning of this promise, one thing
appears to be true of Noah: he honored God as God. From his actions, we know that Noah trusted God as his Deliverer. His trust was manifested in his obedience. It was Noah’s faith in God that set him apart (Hebrews 11:7) from others of his day.

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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.