Hello Parents! Welcome to week 2 of our learning at home. We know this is all new and different, but we hope that you are having fun with it. Here’s a little bit of background for you before you begin this week’s lesson....

Imagine being at your job and having a man you’d never met approach you, and tell you to quit your job and follow him. Would you do it? Would you leave your family for an unknown amount of time if someone bid you to “come”? That was the decision placed before Jesus’ disciples—twelve men from different backgrounds and vocations. Amazingly, all of them dropped what they were doing to follow Jesus.

What they witnessed during their three years with him was extraordinary. Jesus was a rabbi who not only had the ability to teach Scripture with authority, but also to heal the sick, forgive sins, and even raise people from the dead. Jesus challenged their assumptions of who the Messiah would be. Instead of power-hungry, he was humble. Instead of demanding respect, he was the ultimate servant. Instead of flaunting his deity, he was completely obedient to his Father.

Using parables and memorable sayings, Jesus taught his disciples and others about the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom would right everything that was wrong with the world: sickness, disease, pain, sadness, and even death. Jesus had been given authority to right all wrongs, beginning with the biggest one—our sin. He would ultimately give his life as a ransom for many, freeing people from the bondage of sin.

Read the account of Jesus calling his disciples in Matthew 4:18-22. Think about a time when you had to give up something to follow Christ and consider sharing it later with your child.