Throwback - Week 4
From retro toys to fashion trends, we all love a good throwback. (Especially for grown-ups because it reminds us of being young again.) There are things that remind us of a moment in time, but other things feel timeless and like they’re always in style. In this four-week series, our families will travel through the decades and see that the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels are always trending. As we hear from Jesus, we’ll see it’s always good to be humble, we can always forgive, Jesus is always fair, and love always needs action.
BIG IDEA: Love always needs action.
BIBLE: Luke 16:19–31; 1 John 4:7–21
MEMORY VERSE
Elementary: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Toddler Twist: "Jesus stays the same." Hebrews 13:8
WATCH:
Preschool- teaching video
Elementary- teaching video
SONG: You Are Everything, and Jesus The Same
DISCIPLE:
Show a funny video of pets (like this one) to your family.
I know we focused on a lot of things from the 1970's. You might have recognized some of the things and found them to be puzzling.
But certain things will never go out of style, and one of them is how much we love our pets. For those of you who have a dog, cat, turtle, goldfish, or other kinds of pets, can you imagine if you told your pets you loved them every day but . . . you didn't feed them? Or play with them?
Like our love for pets, Jesus' teachings are always trending. Jesus taught us that love is more than talk. Love always needs action, and merely thinking about loving others isn't the same as loving them through action!
When are times we might find it difficult to love or show love?
What might be out-of-the-ordinary ways to express our love with action?
Pray: Jesus, thank you for always being the same. You love us so much and you showed us this by coming to earth and dying on the cross. Help us to show our love for you and for the people in our lives — not just with words, but with actions. Amen.
DISCUSS:
How differently did the rich man and Lazarus live? The rich man lived in luxury and wealth, and Lazarus lived at the rich man's gate begging for scraps.
Where did Lazarus go after he died? What about the rich man? Lazarus went to be by Abraham's side — a kind of paradise — and the rich man went to Hades — a place of torment.
What did the rich man ask Abraham? He asked for a drop of water and to send someone to warn his family.
Read 1 John 4:11–12. How can people see God through us? When we love as God loves, people will see God through us.
What is one thing we do to show we love God? We can love others through actions.
When might it be hard to show love to someone?
What are some neat things you can do to show someone you love them?