Elisha Served as a Prophet (2 Kings 2)

Dear families,

Elisha’s incredible loyalty to the prophet Elijah is recorded in 2 Kings 2. He followed Elijah wherever he went. He committed to Elijah even when others told him that Elijah would soon die. And he stayed by his side to the very end.

Elisha saw something in Elijah that he himself wanted: his spirit. In fact, Elisha told Elijah that what he wanted from him most was “two shares of your spirit.” Why on earth would Elisha desire this? Was it because he wanted God’s Spirit to be accessible to him? Was it because he wanted the authority that Elijah carried? Was it because he knew the remainder of his life would be hard and he thought he could use some extra strength? We may not be certain of this; however, it is obvious that Elisha saw something in Elijah that he wanted.

Have you ever observed the gifts of the people around you and desired them for yourself? Maybe you’ve been amazed by someone’s ability to articulate the gospel with great clarity in a compelling way with thousands listening on and desired that gift. Perhaps you saw someone serving with great joy as they opened their home and pulled out every stop to make their guests feel loved and welcomed. Do you long for their gift of hospitality?

Though at times there is a selfish desire that drives our interest in someone else’s gifts, we see in 2 Kings 2 that Elijah lived a life worthy of emulation. This thought brings to mind Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 11, ‘Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.’

Are you living the type of life that others see and long to follow? Is your use of the gifts God has given you one that draws attention and causes questions or where this gifting comes from? Does your faithfulness to the Lord stir an interest on the part of others around you?

When we run faithfully after the Lord, there is no doubt going to be others who see and desire to know more. And as the opportunity arises, take hold of those opportunities to bring others along to see what it looks like to remain faithful to the Lord and ultimately to show them that He is both your motivation and the source of all that is good in you.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: The Holy Spirit helps us when we trust in Jesus.
• Younger Preschool: God gave Elisha the same spirit that was in Elijah. God gives the Holy Spirit to people who trust in Jesus so they can tell others about Him.
• Older Preschool: God gave Elisha the same spirit that was in Elijah so Elisha could do his work as a prophet. Years later, Jesus told His followers to wait for the Holy Spirit. God gives believers the Holy Spirit so they can share Jesus’ good news with the world.
• Kids: God gave Elisha the same spirit that was in Elijah so Elisha could carry out his mission as a prophet. Years later, Jesus told His followers to wait for the Holy Spirit. God gives believers the Holy Spirit so they can share the gospel with the world.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Younger Preschool: What is idolatry? Idolatry is loving something else more than God.
• Older Preschool: What is idolatry? Idolatry is loving something else more than God.
• Kids: What is idolatry? Idolatry is a sin of the heart in which we love and value something else above God.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Babies & Toddlers: Love the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 6:5
• Younger Preschool: Love the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 6:5
• Older Preschool: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5
• Kids: “Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5

** Next week: Elisha Performed Miracles (2 Kings 4–6)

Elijah Served as a Prophet (1 Kings 16–18)

Dear families,

Even a dim light is visible in the darkness. There’s no denying that the world today can be described as a dark place where sin is endorsed and idolized, mistreatment of others for any reason may be viewed as a necessary part of life, and some of the most egregious dismissals of God’s standards are championed in many pockets of culture and have taken root at younger and younger ages.

But darkness isn’t new. In fact, the Bible reminds us that darkness has been a reality since the fall of man. And though the darkness often seems the darkest in our current reality, history tends to repeat itself.

First Kings 16 is one of many places in the Bible where the depth of darkness in the world is painted vividly: leaders who sought their own satisfaction at the expense of others, people who sought power and were willing to kill to gain it, pleasure and fulfillment as justifiable reasons for any decision. These were only some of the markers of the culture of the day.

But, as God often does, He enabled and equipped a voice of light to pierce the darkness. Elijah, a prophet sent from God to speak truth, lived with boldness in the midst of a desperate and depraved generation.

In the past, God communicated through the prophets. He sent fire from heaven and multiplied flour and oil. Today, He commissions His people to proclaim His message in the midst of a dark world.

This is actually part of our purpose in the world: to make visible the power of God, to be a light in the darkness, to shine bright—breaking through the sickness of sin so prominently on display in our culture and offering the hope of a God who never sleeps or slumbers and always finds a way to make Himself known.

It’s easy to grow weary when looking at our world, but take heart, for Christ has overcome the world and given us the ministry of making Him known. In the midst of the darkness, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to God.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: God showed His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus.
• Younger Preschool: We do not have to work hard to show God we love Him. Instead, God showed His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the world.
• Older Preschool: The one true God is not like false gods. We do not have to work hard to show God we love Him. Instead, God showed His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the world.
• Kids: The one true God is not like the false gods. We do not have to work hard to show God we love Him. Instead, He showed His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus. Jesus died to rescue us from sin, and He hears us when we cry out to Him.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Younger Preschool: What is idolatry? Idolatry is loving something else more than God.
• Older Preschool: What is idolatry? Idolatry is loving something else more than God.
• Kids: What is idolatry? Idolatry is a sin of the heart in which we love and value something else above God.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Babies & Toddlers: Love the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 6:5
• Younger Preschool: Love the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 6:5
• Older Preschool: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5
• Kids: “Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5

** Next week: Elisha Served as a Prophet (2 Kings 2)

Dear families,

The entire Bible is true, without error, authoritative, and clear; however, there are times—perhaps when trying to discern about a new job opportunity or other circumstances when there is seemingly more than one good option—when we may ask, “What does God want of me?”

The Bible contains some very clear directives about what we should and should not do. It is abundantly clear that we are to honor our father and mother and that we should avoid immorality. What happens when we go against God’s directions?

In 1 Kings 13, we see a prophet from Judah who had clear direction from God about what not to do, but King Jeroboam did not fully adhere to this instruction. The results were devastating.

The prophet expressed that he was, “Commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat food or drink water or go back the way you came.” On two occasions he explained that admonition to those inviting him to do otherwise.

But, in a moment of temptation, he dismissed that instruction at the deceptive advice of an old prophet. The prophet from Judah returned to where he came from, ate, and drank water with them—ultimately disregarding the clear instruction of the Lord. The prophet’s disobedience led to death by lion.

The intent of this encounter is not to scare us into obedience but to remind us of the seriousness of sin, the consequences of sin, and the grace of God under which we live in Christ.

So often we spend hours deliberating things God has not made crystal clear to us while simultaneously disregarding those things that He has made known to us through His Word. It may serve us well, as Jesus’ followers, to give ourselves fully to those things that God has made clear. When we become more aware of what God commands of us and as we grow in faithfulness to those things, it is likely that our discernment will grow as well. We ought to live as graciously obedient people seeking to know and obey God’s ways, with God’s help.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: Jesus brings us back to God.
• Younger Preschool: Sin separates us from God. Jesus came to bring us back to God. Jesus is the true King who gave His life so we can be forgiven.
• Older Preschool: Sin separates us from God. Jesus came to bring us back to God. Jesus is the true King who gave His life so we can be forgiven. His kingdom will last forever.
• Kids: Sin always leads us away from God. Jesus came to bring us back to God. Jesus is the true King who gave His life as a sacrifice so we can be forgiven of our sins. Jesus’ kingdom will last forever.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Preschool: What is idolatry? Idolatry is loving something else more than God.
• Kids: What is idolatry? Idolatry is a sin of the heart in which we love and value something else above God.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

Older Preschool: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5

Kids: “Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5

** Next week: Elijah Served as a Prophet (1 Kings 16–18)

Unit Description: 
Solomon’s idolatry had led to the kingdom splitting in two. Just as the people were divided against one another, so were they divided against God as they continued to try to worship the one true God along with false gods around them. God raised up prophets to speak on His behalf and warn the people to worship Him alone.

Preschool Big Picture Question:  What is idolatry? Idolatry is loving something else more than God.
Elementary Big Picture Question: What is idolatry? Idolatry is a sin of the heart in which we love and value loving something else more than God.

Key Passage: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:5

Schedule:
November 13: Jeroboam Disobeyed God 1 Kings 12-13
November 20: Elijah Served as a Prophet I Kings 16-18
November 27: Elisha Served as a Prophet 2 Kings 2
December 4: Elisha Performed Miracles 2 Kings 4-6
December 11: We Are to Worship God Alone Isaiah 44

God Is Good to Give Mercy (Luke 18)

Dear families,

In Luke 18, Jesus shared several parables and encounters to illustrate the richness and surprising nature of God’s mercy toward sinners. From the widow, to the tax collector, to the blind man, Jesus repeatedly proved Himself to be a merciful Savior who takes great joy in extending the hand of mercy to the most unlikely of people.

Throughout the Bible, we discover that God is merciful. We see it in His gracious act to preserve Noah and his family from the flood, in the kindness of God to provide a lamb so Abraham would not have to sacrifice his son Isaac, in Jesus’ kindness toward Peter even after his denial, and so much more. God is clearly merciful.

In Luke 18:6-8, we see that the question of God’s mercy is really no question at all. “Will not God grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them? I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The question is not, ‘Will God show justice and mercy?’ The question instead is, ‘Will God find faith?’

In Hebrews 11:1, we find this explanation of faith: “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” If God’s mercy is shown to people of faith, we must cling tightly to that which is unseen—namely to the work of God in the world. We must grasp that there is an invisible God who has made Himself visible through Jesus Christ. And we must not forget that it is by grace that we are saved, through faith.

The mercy of God, though undeserved, should not be surprising. People with faith in the invisible God, who works in ways that bring great delight to His people, can have great confidence that God will show mercy. And that mercy is ours to be enjoyed because of the finished work of Christ.

As you consider God’s wondrous acts of mercy, let it stir up faith. And as faith arises in your own heart, be reminded that you will receive mercy as well.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION
This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Toddlers: God will forgive our wrong choices because of Jesus.
• Preschool: Everyone has sinned and needs God’s mercy and forgiveness. We can ask God for forgiveness and because of Jesus, God will forgive our sin.
• Kids: The tax collector knew he needed God to forgive him, and he cried out to God. Everyone is a sinner who needs God’s mercy and forgiveness. Jesus took the punishment for our sin by dying on the cross. We can cry out to God like the tax collector and because of Jesus, God will have mercy on us.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER
This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.

KEY PASSAGE
This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Toddlers: The Lord is a kind and loving God. Exodus 34:6
• Preschool: The LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth. Exodus 34:6
• Kids: The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Exodus 34:6-7

** Next week: Jeroboam Disobeyed God (1 Kings 12–13)

Other Resources: @Home Family Worship Guides for Unit 12

Unit 12: Family Worship Guides

Solomon’s Sin Divided the Kingdom (1 Kings 10–12)

Dear families,

When you read the description of Solomon’s wealth in 1 Kings 10, it is hard not to have some sense of jealousy about the amount of money and power he had amassed. Solomon is described as having 25 tons of gold come into his possession every year as only a portion of his annual increase of wealth.

Solomon made everything imaginable out of gold and ivory. In fact, he had so much gold that silver lost its value in his kingdom because it was so accessible to the people. He was a man who had anything and everything that one could ever want.

Who wouldn’t want all that Solomon had? Solomon had anything a person could ever want in terms of both possessions and wisdom. But after his reign of 40 years came to an end, Solomon’s life ended too. He was buried alongside his ancestors and carried none of his riches with him.

Psalm 50:10 says, “Every animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.” The currency of the days of Asaph, writer of Psalm 50, was animals. And for God to describe Himself as the owner of the livestock roaming on the earth was for God to say that He owns it all. In the same way that the cattle on a thousand hills represents unimaginable wealth, we could never calculate the wealth and richness of God.

When we consider the desirable wealth of Solomon, we ought to be reminded of the unimaginable wealth of God. He is a good God who doesn’t gather for Himself and leave the leftovers to His children; rather, God gives to His children out of His abundance that we too might enjoy His wealth of grace and mercy both now and in eternity.

If you’re looking for wealth, look no further than the cross. The cross is where we find the evidence of God’s gracious hand providing for His children and where we look to find access to His generous heart for eternity.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: Jesus is a perfect King who brings people together.
• Younger Preschool: Solomon sinned, and Israel was divided into two kingdoms. God’s people needed a perfect king. God sent His Son, Jesus, to be King. Jesus is a perfect King who brings God’s people together.
• Older Preschool: Solomon sinned, and Israel was divided into two kingdoms. God’s people needed a perfect king. God would send His own Son, Jesus, to be King. Jesus is better than Solomon. Jesus is a perfect King who brings God’s people together.
• Kids: King Solomon’s sin led to the division of the kingdom. God’s people needed a better king. Through David’s family, God would send His own Son, Jesus, to be a perfect King over God’s people forever. Jesus is greater than Solomon. Jesus brings His people together and leads them back to God.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Younger Preschool: What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.
• Older Preschool: What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.
• Kids: What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Babies & Toddlers: The Lord is a kind and loving God. Exodus 34:6
• Younger Preschool: The Lord is a kind and loving God. Exodus 34:6
• Older Preschool: The LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth. Exodus 34:6
• Kids: The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Exodus 34:6-7

** Next week: God Is Good to Give Mercy (Luke 18)

Solomon Built the Temple (1 Kings 6-9)

Dear families,

Moments of distress or pain and moments of rebellion or wandering often function as God’s classroom for His children to learn to trust Him. These experiences force us to either lean in to God or to leave—to turn from God or to trust in God. These moments are not obstacles to our faith but opportunities that God provides to grow our faith like no other.

In 1 Kings 8:22-53, King Solomon was praying at the dedication of the temple. God had fulfilled His promise to King David, and the people had a tangible reminder of God’s faithfulness and provision.

In Solomon’s prayer, we see several things that He believed about God. Among those, we learn that Solomon believed the only right response to feeling far from God is to turn the direction of our focus from ourselves to God as our only hope and to turn the direction of our lives from rebellion toward obedience to the Lord.

The temptation for believers when we feel far from God is not to move toward Him but rather to sit at a distance or move further away, in fear that what has caused our sense of distance prevents Him from wanting us near. But this is simply not true.

Solomon’s prayer reveals that God wants His people near. Even amid rebellion or trial, the Lord is the only way to turn.

When you hit moments of distress, pain, rebellion, or wandering, is your tendency to move away from God or remain at a distance? Or do you find yourself turning your focus away from yourself and toward Him? If there is any rebellious way in you, turn toward God’s gracious hand of forgiveness. “LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below, who keeps the gracious covenant with your servants who walk before you with all their heart” (1 Kings 8:23).

This is the God who wants you near when you wander and wants your heart when you are hurting. Do not doubt Him, for He longs for us to draw near to Him as He has drawn near to us through Christ. Because of the work of Jesus, who drew near to us by humbling Himself, taking on the form of a man and enduring death on a cross, we too can humbly draw near to God.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: When we trust in Jesus, He forgives us and is always with us.
• Younger Preschool: The temple was a place where God was with His people and people could worship God. When we trust in Jesus, He forgives us and is always with us, ready to help us.
• Older Preschool: The temple was a place where God met with His people. God wants to be with us. As part of His plan to save people from sin, God sent Jesus to earth to be with people.
• Kids: The temple was a place where God met with His people. The people could go there to make sacrifices and worship God. Today, when we trust in Jesus, He is with us wherever we go. We can look to Him for forgiveness and help.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Younger Preschool: What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.
• Older Preschool: What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.
• Kids: What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Babies & Toddlers: The Lord is a kind and loving God. Exodus 34:6
• Younger Preschool: The Lord is a kind and loving God. Exodus 34:6
• Older Preschool: The LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth. Exodus 34:6
• Kids: The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Exodus 34:6-7

** Next week: Solomon’s Sin Divided the Kingdom (1 Kings 10–12)

God Gave Solomon Wisdom (1 Kings 2–3)

Dear families,

What exactly do you pray for the next generation? When you ask God to move and work in the coming generations, what is it that you are asking Him to do? You may hope for them to be good and productive citizens. It may be that you hope to see them make good decisions, marry the right person, and raise a beautiful family. It may be that you hope they will become committed to the local church and even show evidence of their love for God in how they serve others.

In 1 Kings 2, we see an incredible example of how to pray for the next generation. Whether your own kids, your future kids, the kids you are investing in through your church, or others that you influence, consider David’s desire. David’s hope for his son demonstrates what we ought to hope and pray for the next generation.

The first four verses of 1 Kings 2 contain David’s dying words to his son Solomon. David knew his days were few, and he took the opportunity to call Solomon to what he knew would be best. Ultimately, David told Solomon to grow into a godly man who is faithful to the Lord in every way. Specifically, David called Solomon “to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees.”

When you think about the way you pray for the next generation, does it sound like this? Does it sound like the words of a dying father who knows his child’s only hope is to trust in God and follow Him faithfully? Or does it sound more like a hopeful fan who wants a good, moral societal participant that they will be associated with and maybe even reap the benefits of their success?

We ought to want what God wants for our own lives and the lives of the next generation that we are investing in. It shouldn’t matter if they are our biological kids, adoptive kids, foster kids, or church kids. Our hope should be that they would faithfully follow God as they grow into godly people who are faithful to the Lord in every way.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION
This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: Jesus is the wisest king of all. 
• Younger Preschool: Solomon was a wise king who wanted to follow God’s plan. God had a plan to send a wiser king—Jesus. Jesus trusted God and followed God’s plan.
• Older Preschool: Solomon was a wise king who wanted to follow God’s plan, but Solomon was not perfect. God had a plan to send a greater and wiser king—Jesus. Jesus trusted God and followed God’s plan by dying on the cross for our sin.
• Kids: Solomon was a wise king who wanted to do God’s plan. Solomon wasn’t perfect, but God had a plan to give His people a greater and wiser king—His Son, Jesus. Jesus completely trusted God. Jesus surrendered His own life to die on the cross for our sin.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER
This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Younger Preschool: What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.
• Older Preschool: What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.
• Kids: What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve.

KEY PASSAGE
This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Babies & Toddlers: The Lord is a kind and loving God. Exodus 34:6
• Younger Preschool: The Lord is a kind and loving God. Exodus 34:6
• Older Preschool: The LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth. Exodus 34:6
• Kids: The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Exodus 34:6-7

** Next week: Solomon Built the Temple (1 Kings 6–9)

 Unit Description: 
Although King Solomon was given exceeding wisdom by God and he built the temple for the Lord, like Saul and David before him, his grievous sin proved that God’s people needed more than what any human king could provide. While Solomon’s sin should have resulted in the entire kingdom being taken away, God was merciful and allowed it to remain. 

Weekly Lessons
October 16: God Gave Solomon Wisdom (1 Kings 2–3) 
October 23: Solomon Built the Temple (1 Kings 6–9)
October 30: Solomon’s Sin Divided the Kingdom (1 Kings 10–12) 
November 6: God Is Good to Give Mercy (Luke 18)

Big Picture Question
What is mercy? Mercy is when God does not give us the punishment that we deserve. 

Key Passage Memory Verse
Elementary: The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7
Preschool: The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, Exodus 34:6
Key Passage Phrase: The Lord is a kind and loving God.

Preschool Key Passage Song:

GOD IS GOOD TO GIVE GRACE (PSALM 51)

Dear families,

One of the most glorious ways God shows us His grace is through salvation. Though there are many common graces that apply to everyone—life, breath, relationships, and more; salvation is a gift of God’s grace experienced by only some.

In Psalm 51, David recalled the holiness of God, repenting of his sin and ultimately seeking to enjoy the nearness of His gracious God once again. Amid this confession, David asked God for many things, one of which was to restore to him the joy of salvation.

Why, in the middle of this moment of confession and repentance, did David ask God to bring back the joy of salvation? If you’ve ever felt the true weight of your sin, you know that these moments can bring the temptation to lose all joy. Sin can take you to a place that brings misery and heartache more than a sense of nearness and happiness.

In David’s lowest moment, he knew what he needed was not just forgiveness for a sin, but a reminder that through faith in the Lord, he had total forgiveness.

David had come to know the depth of his own sin. He understood the implications of the thoughts and actions derived from his wicked heart. And as he discerned these things, he couldn’t help but realize that he needed God’s full forgiveness. And so David asked the Lord to take him back to the elementary principles of God’s salvation.

In moments of failure, it is good for us to return to the cross. It is good for us to return to the salvation that God has given us. When we do, we can recall the fullness of God’s forgiveness through the sacrifice of Christ—the shed blood of our Savior who has provided what we need for every moment.

Would you pray today for God to restore the joy of His salvation to you? Ask God to help you remember with gladness the blood of Jesus shed to pay for your sin. Jesus takes our sin and completely frees us to live for Him. God is good to give grace, and He is worthy of all praise.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: God forgives everyone who trusts in Jesus.
• Younger Preschool: David asked God to forgive his sin and God forgave him. We can tell God about our sin and ask Him to forgive us. Jesus died and rose again to take away our sin.
• Older Preschool: David was sorry for his sin and asked God to change his heart. We can tell God about our sin and ask Him to forgive us. Jesus died and rose again to take away our sin and change our hearts so we can live with God forever.
• Kids: David confessed his sin and asked God to change his heart so that he would not want to sin again. When we realize our sin, we can confess to God and ask for His forgiveness. Jesus covers our guilt and changes our hearts so we can have life with Him forever.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Younger Preschool: What is grace? Grace is when God gives us something good even when we do not deserve it.
• Older Preschool: What is grace? Grace is when God gives us something good even when we do not deserve it.
• Kids: What is grace? Grace is when God gives us something good even when we do not deserve it.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

• Babies & Toddlers: God forgives our wrong choices. Ephesians 1:7
• Younger Preschool: God forgives our wrong choices. Ephesians 1:7
• Older Preschool: In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. Ephesians 1:7
• Kids: In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:7-8

** Next week: God Gave Solomon Wisdom (1 Kings 2–3)