Answering BIG QUESTIOns

Jesus tells his listeners not to store up treasure on earth or love money, which adds more worry to our lives. Instead, we don’t need to worry about anything! Just as God clothes the flowers and provides food for the birds, he’ll give us everything we need. We don’t need to worry, because God takes care of us. What are you worried about? Write your worries on a piece of paper. Then fold it in half...

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns about doing good things like giving just to be noticed by other people. Hypocrites call attention to their gifts, but Jesus wants us to give privately so that our hearts are about giving...not about looking impressive. Ask God to show you if there’s anything you need to do differently when it comes to giving. Is your heart coming from the wro...

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about how to treat our enemies. Even though most people think it’s okay to hate their enemies, Jesus says to love our enemies and pray for people who persecute us. He also says not to work for revenge but instead be generous. Help kids see that when someone makes them mad, they can show kindness and love....

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus takes the complexity out of making vows or promises. Often we add qualifiers to our promises, such as “I swear by heaven” or “I really mean it.” But Jesus makes promises much simpler: If you always do what you say, then yes or no is all you need to say. Ask God to show your kids his own faithfulness so they can model it as they learn to do what th...

Jesus says that the command not to murder goes beyond simply not killing; harboring anger and speaking in anger means we’re subject to judgment. Instead, we should settle matters with people quickly. Kids have a hard time managing their anger. Developmentally, this is a skill they need to learn and hone. Talk about ways to help your kids have the tools to calm their anger with God’s help, instead ...