Memory Verse

Younger Kids

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

John 10:27

Older Kids

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

John 10:27-28

Day 1- John the Baptist

• Pray.
• Practice the memory verse.
• Read Matthew 3:1-6.
• Discuss
  • What was John’s job (see verse 3)?
  • Why were people coming to John?
• Read Matthew 3:13-17.
• Discuss
  • Why was John hesitant in wanting to baptize Jesus?
    • Explain that baptizing with water signified repentance (verse 11)-turning away from sin and choosing to follow God’s ways instead of your own ways.
    • He knew that Jesus was God’s son and had never sinned, therefore John, a sinner, did not think he needed to be baptizing his Savior.
    • Jesus was identifying with sinners when He was baptized; He was showing us what is the right thing for us to do when we make a choice to follow God and turn from our own way (repent). Jesus’ baptism gives us a picture of Christ’s death and resurrection.
  • Whose voice was heard after Jesus was baptized?
  • What did the voice say?
  • How did God feel about Jesus?
  • What is God speaking to your heart today?

Day 2- Three Disciples Heard God’s Voice

• Pray.
• Practice the memory verse.
• Ask, “If you could see anyone in the Bible right now, who would it be? Why?”
• Explain that three disciples got to see two pretty outstanding men one day on a mountain. They also got to see Jesus in a whole new way. If you have time, have them guess which disciples Jesus brought with him, and have them predict which Bible heroes they saw.
• Read Matthew 17:1-8.
• Have one of your kids retell what you just read in their own words. Or go around the table and have each child give one sentence about what happened (in order) until they have told the whole story. Have them use words like first, next, then, while, finally, lastly as they tell the story.
• Talk about it.
  • Who did Jesus bring up the mountain?
  • What does transfigured means. My NASB Study Bible notes that, “Christ underwent a dramatic change in appearance, so the disciples could behold Him in His glory.”
  • Who spoke to them from the cloud?
  • What did He say?
  • How do the words that God spoke to the disciples apply to us today?
  • The disciples fell facedown because they understood that they were in the presence of the Holy God of the whole universe. They recognized His authority. They understood that they must listen and revere Him.
  • What should our response to God’s instructions look like?

Day 3- A Voice from Heaven

• Pray.
• Practice the memory verse.
• Explain that Jesus and His disciples had just come to Jerusalem. Ask your kids if they remember about the triumphal entry (John 12:12-19). Many people had come to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, and Jesus knew that His death was very soon.
• Read John 12:27-30 (you could also read verses 31-32 and discuss how Jesus’ death defeated Satan).
• Discuss
  • Why was Jesus troubled?
  • What did He say was the reason He came to earth?
  • To Whom did He call on when He needed strength?
  • What did God say?
  • Talk about what glorify means. Look it up in the dictionary together. Maybe look up the Greek word for it. I usually try to explain the word glorify by saying it means to magnify or make it more clear or make it famous.
  • Why do you think that Jesus told His disciples that the voice was for their benefit and not for His? Remember, Jesus was in constant communication with God. Could it be that the disciples needed to hear God audibly in order to increase their faith in Him for what was coming? Remember, Jesus was about to be arrested, put on trial, and killed, and the disciples would be very scared. God knew they needed a clear, out loud voice to remind them that He was on His throne and in control.
  • God knows when you need to hear from Him. He knows when you need courage and a sure word from your Father.

Day 4-The Word Was God

• Pray.
• Practice the memory verse.
• Older kids
  • Read John 1:1-5. If they have a Bible and can follow along with you as you read, that would be best.
  • Have them pay close attention to the way the Word is capitalized.
  • Ask, “Why is the Word capitalized? What do we know about words/nouns that are capitalized? Who is the the Word?”
  • The Word is Jesus.
• Discuss with all of your kids that Jesus, AKA the Word, was fully God. He was always with God. So, when Jesus spoke, it was God speaking too.
• Ask them to remember back to the creation of the world in Genesis 1. If you want to spend today just on this part of our study, go for it!
• Ask, “How did God create things on the earth?”
• Look at how many times Genesis 1 says, “And God said.” God’s voice has power to bring all things into existence.
• Look at another example of how creation hears God’s voice and obeys.
• Read Mark 4:35-41.
• Discuss
  • What did Jesus say to the disciples?
  • What did Jesus say to the wind and waves?
  • What happened when Jesus spoke this command?
  • Talk about how the storm stilled because the Creator commanded it to.
  • Are we God’s creation?
  • Should we listen to our Creator’s voice?

Day 5-Your Story

• Pray.
• Have each child say the memory verse by themselves or take a video of your children reciting it.
• Tell your kids of a time or times when you clearly heard God’s speaking to you.
• Think:
  • Where were you?
  • What were you doing?
  • What did He say?
  • How did you respond?
  • Were there any Scriptures that He used to speak to you?
• This would also be a great time to tell your kids how you came to trust Jesus as your Savior and how you accepted Him as Lord.