In the Relationship Restart series, we are breaking some bad habits and building some new ones to love to people closest to me as Jesus has loved me.
Use this guide to lead your family. In each guide, you will find a parenting affirmation to help you focus on God's call on you as a parent/guardian. Then, you will find a Scripture passage from the New International Reader's Version of the Bible. When you are done reading, there are discussion questions to help your family talk about what you read. Feel free to add to or skip questions as time allows. At some point during the week, it would be extra special to plan to do the optional Family Activity.
Parenting Affirmation: God sees and appreciates the work I do as a parent. (Genesis 16:13, Proverbs 15:3)
Read Matthew 15:3-9.
3 Jesus replied, “And why don’t you obey God’s command? You would rather follow your own teachings! 4 God said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) He also said, ‘Anyone who asks for bad things to happen to their father or mother must be put to death.’ (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9) 5 But suppose people have something that might be used to help their parents. You allow them to say it is instead ‘a gift set apart for God.’ 6 So they do not need to honor their father or mother with their gift. You make the word of God useless in order to follow your own teachings. 7 You pretenders! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. He said, 8 “ ‘These people honor me by what they say. But their hearts are far away from me. 9 Their worship doesn’t mean anything to me. They teach nothing but human rules.’ ” (Isaiah 29:13) Matthew 15:3-9
Discussion Questions:
Family Activity: Hug it out. With respect to each other and the things you have shared, find a time that you can give each other a meaningful hug. Maybe some of the things that came out today are hard to deal with right now, don’t force a hug. Ask the person who shared those things for a peace talk so that you can begin to honor each other better. Through the peace talk find one thing you can both agree on to work on. If you need help making your way through this situation, small group leaders or campus leaders would be happy to partner with you to help you both work through the situation.
Use this guide to lead your family. In each guide, you will find a parenting affirmation to help you focus on God's call on you as a parent/guardian. Then, you will find a Scripture passage from the New International Reader's Version of the Bible. When you are done reading, there are discussion questions to help your family talk about what you read. Feel free to add to or skip questions as time allows. At some point during the week, it would be extra special to plan to do the optional Family Activity.
Parenting Affirmation: God sees and appreciates the work I do as a parent. (Genesis 16:13, Proverbs 15:3)
Read Matthew 15:3-9.
3 Jesus replied, “And why don’t you obey God’s command? You would rather follow your own teachings! 4 God said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) He also said, ‘Anyone who asks for bad things to happen to their father or mother must be put to death.’ (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9) 5 But suppose people have something that might be used to help their parents. You allow them to say it is instead ‘a gift set apart for God.’ 6 So they do not need to honor their father or mother with their gift. You make the word of God useless in order to follow your own teachings. 7 You pretenders! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. He said, 8 “ ‘These people honor me by what they say. But their hearts are far away from me. 9 Their worship doesn’t mean anything to me. They teach nothing but human rules.’ ” (Isaiah 29:13) Matthew 15:3-9
Discussion Questions:
- Sometimes it is hard to honor our parents. What do you think honoring them looks like?
- When is it hard to do those things?
- How can we help each other work to honor each other better?
- Where do we need to ask for forgiveness and give forgiveness?
- How can I pray for you to do better in this area?
Family Activity: Hug it out. With respect to each other and the things you have shared, find a time that you can give each other a meaningful hug. Maybe some of the things that came out today are hard to deal with right now, don’t force a hug. Ask the person who shared those things for a peace talk so that you can begin to honor each other better. Through the peace talk find one thing you can both agree on to work on. If you need help making your way through this situation, small group leaders or campus leaders would be happy to partner with you to help you both work through the situation.
Posted in Family Time