It's been a long winter but hints of spring are showing up all around us. While we are cautiously optimistic about having a "normal' summer, many of us are still struggling with the stress and challenges that COVID brought to our lives.
We begin our study of 1 Peter this Sunday and as you read his letter, you will notice two recurring themes: holiness and hardship. While our natural inclination is to run from hardship, Peter teaches that adversity is part of our lives and a tool that God uses to shape and train us. Peter, himself, faced persecution and imprisonment as a result of his faith, but in that suffering he saw the work of the Holy Spirit in his life.
Over the next few months, we will learn about hardship and holiness at ResKids through the lives of Christian men and women who lived before us. We will learn about Peter and his life, and then in April, we'll introduce the kids to brave men and women like St. Patrick, Elisabeth Elliot, Dietrech Bonhoeffer and others.
ResKids lesson for March 7:
Story
The Friend who Forgives by Dan Dewitt
Bible Memory Verse:
Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy, he has given us a new birth and a living hope. 1 Peter 1:3, NiRV
Bible Passages:
Discussion Questions:
For younger children
1. What job did Jesus tell Peter he would have?
2. What did Peter realize about who Jesus was?
3. What did Peter realize about himself after the rooster crowed?
For older children
1. What different experiences did Peter go through before he finally became the "fisher of men" Jesus had said he would be?
2. Who was Peter feeling confident about when he said he would never let Jesus down?
3. What did he have to realize about himself before he could become a "fisher of men"?
Lesson Video
Dan Dewitt reads The Friend Who Forgives
God's Story: Peter