July Preview | Preschool - 2nd Grade | Start the Party
Philippians 4:4
Choose joy! This may be a commonly used phrase you’ve heard, but what does it actually mean? Joy is more than being excited about the good things that happen to us. Joy is an attitude—a decision to trust God no matter what is going on in our lives. From the very beginning, God had a plan for the world. As we dive into the Bible, we’ll discover God’s plan for us and how God has been at work through it all. When we see and celebrate what God is doing, we can find true joy!
July 21 | Preschool - 2nd Grade | Start the Party
July 21, 2024 • Romans 12:15
Story Focus: I can help my friends have joy. Paul wrote a letter to Jesus’ friends, and He told them how they could love like Jesus and help their friends have joy. We can love like Jesus and help our friends have joy when we sit with our friends while they are sad or when we are excited with our friends when they are excited. We can love like Jesus because Jesus loves us and Jesus gives us joy.
July 28 | Preschool - 2nd Grade | Start the Party
July 28, 2024 • Revelation 22:1–5, John 14:3, Revelation 21
Story Focus: I can have joy forever because Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Jesus is God’s Son and Jesus wants to be our friend forever. And when Jesus is our friend forever, we can have JOY forever. Heaven will be a party that never ends, and Jesus is getting heaven ready for all of His friends. No more boo-boos, no more sickness, no more sadness. We will have joy all of the time because we will be with our friend Jesus, and Jesus gives us joy!
July Preview | 3rd - 5th Grade | Start the Party
Philippians 4:4
Choose joy! This may be a commonly used phrase you’ve heard, but what does it actually mean? Joy is more than being excited about the good things that happen to us. Joy is an attitude—a decision to trust God no matter what is going on in our lives. From the very beginning, God had a plan for the world. As we dive into the Bible, we’ll discover God’s plan for us and how God has been at work through it all. When we see and celebrate what God is doing, we can find true joy!
July 21 | 3rd - 5th Grade | Start the Party
July 21, 2024 • Romans 12:15
For week 3, we head to Romans 12:15. Paul wrote to the church in Rome about what true love looked like. Part of sharing the love of Jesus means showing empathy and being sad with others who were sad or joyful with others who were joyful. When we do that, we can help others to see not only our love, but the love of Jesus too. Bottom Line: You can help others find joy. Can you think of a time when you went through something difficult, but someone was there for you during that? What about when you received the best news ever? During the ups and downs, knowing someone was there for you helped to make that situation so much better. The same is true the other way around. We have a chance to be there for others and help them experience joy too.
July 28 | 3rd - 5th Grade | Start the Party
July 28, 2024 • Revelation 21, Revelation 22:1–5
We wrap up the month with the biggest celebration ever in Revelation 21, 22:1-5. John received visions from God about all the things that would one day come, some of which was easier to understand than others. However, John did write that one day there will be no more pain and sadness, and that God will live with us forever. Bottom Line: Celebrate what God will do. When you look at life through current situations, it may be harder to find joy and celebrate, especially if you don’t see a way out. Whenever we focus on the things that God has already done for us however, it can help us remember all that God can do and will do in our lives. Now that’s something to celebrate!
August Preview | Dive Deep
James 1:5
Sometimes it’s easy to know what the wise choice would be. Let’s say you’re choosing between having expired milk with your cereal or eating some fruit and a sandwich. You probably aren’t reaching for the milk! What about choosing to stay up all night when you have a road trip the next day, or getting some sleep because you’re driving first? Every decision you make starts out with a choice. As we “dive deep” into the Bible this month, we’ll discover that God is always there to help us make wise choices. God has given us people who can help us make those wise choices too.
August 4 | Preschool - 2nd Grade | Dive Deep
August 4, 2024 • Luke 2:41–52
We start the month in Luke 2:41-52. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus had just traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast and were headed home. Except . . .Jesus was no longer with them. Instead, He was at the temple, listening and asking questions. Jesus knew how important it was to gain wisdom. When we ask God for wisdom, we will find it too. Bottom Line: Wisdom is worth searching for. Think back to when you were a kid, playing pretend as you went off in search of hidden treasures. Remember the joy and excitement you got as you dug deeper and deeper into the clues—and maybe even the earth? Searching for wisdom, in a way, is like finding that hidden treasure. When we find God’s wisdom, its riches are infinitely more valuable.
August 4 | 3rd - 5th Grade | Dive Deep
August 4, 2024 • Luke 2:41–52
We start the month in Luke 2:41-52. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus had just traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast and were headed home. Except . . .Jesus was no longer with them. Instead, He was at the temple, listening and asking questions. Jesus knew how important it was to gain wisdom. When we ask God for wisdom, we will find it too. Bottom Line: Wisdom is worth searching for. Think back to when you were a kid, playing pretend as you went off in search of hidden treasures. Remember the joy and excitement you got as you dug deeper and deeper into the clues—and maybe even the earth? Searching for wisdom, in a way, is like finding that hidden treasure. When we find God’s wisdom, its riches are infinitely more valuable.
August 11 | Preschool - 2nd Grade | Dive Deep
August 11, 2024 • Matthew 7:1–5
In week 2, we head to Matthew 7:1-5, which is part of one of Jesus’ most famous recorded messages, the Sermon on the Mount. Throughout this sermon, Jesus touched on many important lessons. One of these truths was that we shouldn’t judge other people. When we judge others without first looking at ourselves, we miss out on the work God is doing in us to shape us and help us grow.
Bottom Line: When you see yourself clearly, you can make the wise choice. It’s easy to see something that others have done to wrong you. But when we wrong someone else? That’s not always easy to see. It’s important that we take the time to examine ourselves so we can love others the way God wants us to . . . and so we can continue growing in wisdom.
August 11 | 3rd - 5th Grade | Dive Deep
August 11, 2024 • Matthew 7:1–5
In week 2, we head to Matthew 7:1-5, which is part of one of Jesus’ most famous recorded messages, the Sermon on the Mount. Throughout this sermon, Jesus touched on many important lessons. One of these truths was that we shouldn’t judge other people. When we judge others without first looking at ourselves, we miss out on the work God is doing in us to shape us and help us grow.
Bottom Line: When you see yourself clearly, you can make the wise choice. It’s easy to see something that others have done to wrong you. But when we wrong someone else? That’s not always easy to see. It’s important that we take the time to examine ourselves so we can love others the way God wants us to . . . and so we can continue growing in wisdom.
August 18 | Preschool - 2nd Grade | Dive Deep
August 18, 2024 • 2 Chronicles 10
For week 3, we head to 2 Chronicles 10. King Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, was now king, and the people came to ask him to lighten their workload. However, when presented with the opportunity to gain the people’s trust, King Rehoboam sought out wise counsel . . . and unwise counsel. Unfortunately, Rehoboam chose to listen to his unwise friends, which led to catastrophic consequences for him and for God’s people. Bottom Line: Hang out with wise people. There’s a famous saying: “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” The people we allow into our lives have the power to influence us, both positively and negatively. That doesn’t mean we should cast people off and ignore them, but it does mean that we need to be aware of who we let speak into our lives and our situation. If we spend time with wise people, then we know it’ll be worth it in the end.
August 18 | 3rd - 5th Grade | Dive Deep
August 18, 2024 • 2 Chronicles 10
For week 3, we head to 2 Chronicles 10. King Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, was now king, and the people came to ask him to lighten their workload. However, when presented with the opportunity to gain the people’s trust, King Rehoboam sought out wise counsel . . . and unwise counsel. Unfortunately, Rehoboam chose to listen to his unwise friends, which led to catastrophic consequences for him and for God’s people. Bottom Line: Hang out with wise people. There’s a famous saying: “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” The people we allow into our lives have the power to influence us, both positively and negatively. That doesn’t mean we should cast people off and ignore them, but it does mean that we need to be aware of who we let speak into our lives and our situation. If we spend time with wise people, then we know it’ll be worth it in the end.
August 25 | Preschool - 2nd Grade | Dive Deep
August 25, 2024 • Romans 12:2
We wrap up the month in Romans 12:2. Paul was writing a letter to the Romans in which he encouraged them to “let [their] way of thinking be completely changed.” Paul wanted to remind the believers that God could continually change the way they thought, which would allow them to focus on God’s plan. When we spend time talking to God, learning from Scripture, and listening to others who follow God, we’ll be able to figure out what God wants to do in our lives.
Bottom Line: Never stop growing in wisdom. Wisdom isn’t something that we find one time and then we’re done. It’s a continuous learning process that we’ll encounter for the rest of our lives. As we gain knowledge, we should want to gain God’s wisdom too. It’s not enough just to know something. We have to do something with what we know in order for it to make a difference.
August 25 | 3rd - 5th | Dive Deep
August 25, 2024 • Romans 12:2
We wrap up the month in Romans 12:2. Paul was writing a letter to the Romans in which he encouraged them to “let [their] way of thinking be completely changed.” Paul wanted to remind the believers that God could continually change the way they thought, which would allow them to focus on God’s plan. When we spend time talking to God, learning from Scripture, and listening to others who follow God, we’ll be able to figure out what God wants to do in our lives.
Bottom Line: Never stop growing in wisdom. Wisdom isn’t something that we find one time and then we’re done. It’s a continuous learning process that we’ll encounter for the rest of our lives. As we gain knowledge, we should want to gain God’s wisdom too. It’s not enough just to know something. We have to do something with what we know in order for it to make a difference.
