Due to the COVID-19 mandatory ‘sheltering’, this message has been filmed from Pastor Michael’s living room. The video also includes a short time of worship, a time of communion, and a short children’s message and video. For the children’s message there are questions for your family to discuss, as well as activity pages to help your child(ren) better grasp the message. Below all of that are some questions for adult small groups about the main message from Pastor Michael. This can all be found by scrolling down to the bottom of this page.

If this message has ministered to you, please prayerfully consider financially partnering with us to help us continue to get these Bible teachings out. Learn how you can give by clicking HERE. Thank you so very much!

If you have teens, please click HERE for a 8 minute message from Conor just for them.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Family Discussion Questions for “Israel Taken Captive”

Choose a volunteer to read aloud 2 Kings 17:7,13-14.

Ask the following questions and Lead your family to discuss:

1. Why did God allow the Assyrians to capture Israel? Did God give up on His people? Help kids understand that Israel’s exile was God’s judgment on their sin, but God was not finished working among His people. God was still working out His plan to keep His covenant promises through the people of Judah.
(Option: Choose a kid to read Deut. 29:24-28.)
2. How is God good for disciplining His people? Guide kids to recognize that a good father does not let his children continue in disobedience. Discipline guides and trains a person in the right way to live. Point out that God’s discipline is proof of His love for us. God knows the best way to live and wants us to have life in Him
(Option: Choose a volunteer to read Prov. 3:12.)
3. How did God punish our sin? Lead kids to discuss that the right punishment for sin is death. Instead of punishing us, God sent His Son. Jesus took the punishment we deserve. He died on the cross for our sin and rose again so we can have forgiveness and life with God forever.
(Option: Choose a volunteer to read 1 Pet. 3:18.)

Finish by taking prayer requests and praying together as a family.

Below are this week’s children’s activity pages (unfortunately, you might have to screen shot them to print them):

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU DIG DEEPER FOR YOUR SMALL GROUP OR FAMILY DEVOTIONS:

Read Luke 14:28-35. Have you ever started something without properly thinking it through? Like the builder in Jesus’ story, have you ever not had enough money to finish a project? How does this relate to somebody following Jesus?

Talk about how you first began following Jesus. How did you come to that decision? Was it a friend who told you about Him? A relative? Did it happen at a service/altar call? How did you know you were ‘saved’?

Jesus seems to be pretty critical of some of His followers by comparing them to salt without flavor. What is His main point with these final two verses of the chapter? Do they summarize the entire chapter? If so, how?

Read Matthew 28:19-20. What is the difference between a “Christian” and a “Disciple”? Is there one?

Pastor Michael gave a few ways that communion is special to him. What does communion mean to you? Why is it important?