SPLINK for the Week of March 4th

1. Surprise Guest

Kids started a new series about the miracles of Jesus. Long before Jesus came to earth, God promised to send One who would deliver them from sin; He them many clues so they would recognize Him.

Invite a special guest (family, friend or neighbor) to drop by your house at a specific time in the evening. Tell the kids at breakfast about the special guest, but don't reveal his or her identity.  Give them clues about the person throughout the day, starting with general clues and ending with more specific ones. (It's a person. It's a man. He has two eyes. He wears glasses. He is tall. He has gray hair. He is kind. He will play a game with you; choose your clues to fit the person.)

When the person arrives, ask:
Did the clues help you figure out our guest's identity? Why or why not? (They helped us to recognize him when we saw him)

How did God give clues to the people BEFORE He sent Jesus to the earth? (The prophets gave many facts or clues
about Jesus–where He would be born, who would be His mother, what He would do when He grew up, etc.)

Read Isaiah 61:1-2 to find some clues about Jesus written hundreds of years before His birth. He did all those things and even more!

God wanted the people to recognize Jesus when He came to earth, but many did not. He gives us reasons to believe in Jesus. Faith is believing in Jesus even though we have not seen Him. We may not have seen Jesus, but people who were eyewitnesses wrote their experiences in the Bible so we could know what He is like and what He did. Yes, we still have to have faith, but it is a faith built on facts and truth.

Optional: Ask your guest to bring a special treat or play a game with the kids so it will be a happy event.

2. More Than A Man

Items needed: poster board

Crayons, stickers, jewels, or any other materials to decorate the crown

Students learned that Jesus was not just a man, but He was also God–the One who is to be worshiped.

Make a crown and hang it on a chair at the dining room table as a reminder that Jesus is more than just a man–He is God. Only God can do the miracles Jesus did while on earth.

Ask:

What would it have been like to actually live on the earth when Jesus did?

What question would you have wanted to ask Him?

What would you have liked to ask Him to do?

Even though we can't see Jesus with our eyes, we can read in the Bible about all He did while He was on earth. We can have faith and believe it and then worship Him as the One True God.

3. Prayer Jar

Items needed: small box or jar with lid

Slips of paper and pencil

Kids also learned about the nobleman's faith when he asked Jesus to heal his son who was dying. (John 4:46-54)

How did this man show faith? (He believed that Jesus could heal his son, he asked Jesus to heal his son, and he obeyed when Jesus told him to go home because his son had been healed)

Faith is believing even before you see it. God can do what He says He will do. When Jesus came to earth, He did miracles. Jesus had power to heal people who were sick, blind, and crippled. He has the power to help us.

We show our faith when we pray to God.  We believe He can help us, so we ask Him.

Make a prayer jar. When you hear or think of a special need, write it on a slip of paper and put it in the jar. Pray for the requests each night after dinner (or at breakfast).  Ask God to answer the requests as He thinks best.