Dear Parent,

The goal of this week’s lesson is to show your child how critical, how vital, and how essential Jesus is in our lives and in our growth. 

 

Materials Needed: A flowering potted plant, seeds

 

Bible Scripture: John 15:5-8

I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is lake a branch that is thrown away and withers...If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

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Today’s Script:

Look at this potted plant.  Isn’t the flower pretty?

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Do you know how this plant started out?

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(Let your child answer.)

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It started out as a tiny seed like the one I have here.

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(Let your child hold the seed.)

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Can you believe this whole plant came from a seed just like that one? 

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Once the seed was in the soil, it started growing roots to get nourishment from the soil. 

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(Move the soil aside to show your child the roots of the potted plant.)

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Then, the seed started growing leaves in order to get sunlight and air.

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Do you see how green and big the leaves are now?

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All of that growth led towards its end goal of producing something good.  In this plant’s case, it produced a flower.

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This lovely plant makes me think of your life.  You started out as a tiny baby.  You started growing, and all of your growth leads towards your end goal of producing something good.  

You might be a doctor when you grow up.  You might be a teacher.  You might have one child or ten children, but, in the end, you will produce something good. 

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God wants us to be successful.  God wants us to produce good things in this life.  Jesus told us so in the bible.  Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit”, which means he will produce something good.

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Jesus also said, “apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is lake a branch that is thrown away and withers”.

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Looking at our plant, let’s take off one of the littlest branches. 

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Gosh, I can totally see what Jesus meant.  This branch cannot do anything now.  It can’t get water and nutrients from the soil because it is detached from the plant and its roots.  It can’t grow anymore.  It won’t sprout flowers.  It can do nothing. 

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This little branch trying to live apart from its plant is like us trying to live life without Jesus.  Without Jesus, we wouldn’t get the love that we need.  Without Jesus, we wouldn’t get the light that we need.  Without Jesus, we couldn’t grow anymore.  “We can do nothing”.

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But, Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit”.

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So, as you grow up, let’s always remember this plant.  Let’s always remember to remain with Jesus like the branch needs to remain with the plant.  With Jesus, we can grow, live our whole lives and produce something good.