Dear Parent,

The goal of this week’s lesson is to show your children how large their Christian family truly is.  What a blessing to have the family within your own household!   And, what a multitude of blessings to have a church family to whom you belong (If you don’t belong to a church yet, try a few out and find one that makes you feel "at home")! AND, what infinite blessings lie beyond the four walls of your church, where there is an entire network of believers praying and serving the Lord! When the time comes for your children to be off to kindergarten, off to high school, off to college, or off on their own, may they know how many people care for them, pray for them, and will be there to support them.  AMEN.

 

Bible Scripture: Matthew 12: 46-50

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him.   Someone told Him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”  He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”  Pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

 

Materials Needed: Crayons and one piece of paper

 

Today's Script:

 

Are you ready to do some coloring today?

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

Let’s get started.  First, we are going to draw a picture of our family.

 

(Together, draw a picture of the family members who live in your household.)  

 

Wow!  This turned out so great!  Let’s identify who we drew.  

 

(Point to each family member in the picture as you continue with the script). 

 

We have <insert name>, who is your <insert relation to your child>.  We have <insert name>, who is your <insert relation to your child>. We have <insert name>, who is your <insert relation to your child>.

 

(Continue listing names and relations until everyone in your household has been idenitfied.)

 

Next, on the same piece of paper, let’s draw in some friends from church.  Who would you like to put in our picture?

 

(Together, think of five people from your church and add them to the drawing together.)

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Wonderful.  I love it.  Jesus would love this picture too.  Do you know what He would say about the five people we added from church?

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

Jesus would say that they are your family members too!  In the bible, Jesus said, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

 

So, that means that <insert name of church friend drawn> is also your <insert “brother”, “sister”, “mother”, or “father”>, and <insert name of church friend drawn> is also your <insert “brother”, “sister”, “mother”, or “father...

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(Continue until all names and "Jesus' relations" have been identified.)

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Now, let's draw some family friends, who might not go to our church, but who know and love Jesus as much as we do.

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(Together, think of five more people to add to the drawing together.)

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Great job! Do you know what Jesus would say about the five MORE people we added to our picture?

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

That's right! Jesus would say that they are your family members too because, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

 

So, that means that <insert name of friend drawn> is also your <insert “brother”, “sister”, “mother”, or “father”>.  

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(Continue until all names and Jesus' relations have been identified.)

 

We ALL believe in Jesus together.  We ALL work to serve God together.  We ALL are a family of believers...TOGETHER!

 

Let’s draw some more of our friends from church.

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Let's draw some more of our family friends.

 

I don’t know about you, but I feel so special.  Not only has God blessed us with each other and our little family, God has blessed us with our church family.  And, God has blessed us with a huge family of believers.  I have so many sisters, brothers, mothers.

 

Whenever we leave our home, we can walk around feeling so loved and so supported because of the big family God gave us.  Now, let’s think of some more church “family” members that we can add to this family photo!

 

(Keep drawing until you can not fit any more people into the drawing.  Reiterate the lesson.  Have fun and Godspeed!)