When The Word Became a Person || John 1:10–14
Sunday, January 3, 2021 — Worship@Home resources for FirstPres Hayward
As our congregation has made the decision to move to a digital online format for our Sunday Family Gathering due to COVID-19, FirstPresKids is here to provide resources that can help you create your own at-home family worship experience or supplement the one that will be streamed on Sunday mornings, 10PST from FirstPres Hayward.
NOTE: You can also go to the FPK YouTube Channel to view most (not all) of these materials on this week’s FirstPresKids YouTube Playlist.
Scriptural Focus: when we talk about “The Word” people think first and often entirely of the written word, the Bible, but the The Word and God are more than and existed long before any written document. What is “The Word” (perhaps, we could say “the story of God” instead?) What does it mean for “The Word” to become “human” in the form of Jesus?
Lesson Objective: to understand God and Jesus’ grace (as opposed to legalism) — why God came to earth; to understand that the whole story of God matters — on and off the page, in the margins, in Jesus’ and our relationship with it
Parent/Caregiver Resources:
- “Overview: John Ch. 1–12” (video)
- “What does the Bible mean by in the beginning was the word?” (video)
- “What is Grace Based parenting (in 4 minutes)” (video) —just ignore the first part that gives a very narrow definition of what makes a family
- “Grace-Based Parenting vs. Fear-Based” (book excerpt)
- “Grace-Filled Parenting for the Legalist Child” (blog)
Opening or Closing Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for coming to earth, to live with humans, to become human in the form of Jesus. Thank you for giving us an example of how to live, to walk in the light, The Jesus Way — a way that will bring back goodness the way You want it, not the human way we define what is good and bad. Thank you for The Word, for the story of you, a beautiful story of unlimited, unconditional grace that gives us so many chances to get it right. Help us to continue to follow Jesus, to keep getting it right, to keep pursuing goodness and shalom (peace and wholeness) with one another and creation. Amen.
Scripture: John 1:10–14
Videos for Kids:
- John 1:1–14 (song)
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think it means that God, “The Word”, that the story of God included becoming human? Why didn’t God just stay God in heaven or nature or the stars or wherever God dwells?
- Sometimes people say that are “saved” by Jesus or that Jesus gave them “new life” — in the whole story of the Bible we see that there was 1) a way that people lived in harmony with God and nature (Adam and Eve) then 2) they turned away from God… again… and again… and again… then Jesus was born and lived his life caring for the sick and poor… what do you think that means about how/why we are saved and 3) what we are supposed to do next?
- If we truly feel and accept God’s unconditional love and grace and forgiveness, do you think we can better give love and grace and forgiveness? Tell about a time you felt or passed along God’s love grace and forgiveness?
- The Bible “ended” but how can we continue “The Word”, God’s story, Jesus’ story? How can we return to God’s original vision?
Play:
- Impossible Grace Challenge (to be set up by parents)
- Make a Table-Top Football, read Ephesians 3:17b–18 — see who can go “long,” “high,” “deep,” and “wide.” God’s love and grace are longer, higher, deeper and wider than anything we can imagine! There is nothing we can do to earn or lose God’s unconditional love and grace!
Create:
- How to Draw Baby Jesus — reminder of how God came into the world: a tiny human, Emmanuel, God With Us
Books:
- “Books About Grace for Kids”
- Quick pick: You Are Special by Max Lucado
