This Month’s Biblical Theme Is: Jesus Knows Us
The message that God knows us is reinforced over and over again in the Bible. Jesus told a group of His followers not to worry because God knows what they need. Jesus knew the heart of the woman who anointed His feet with oil and loved her deeply despite her sin. Knowing Peter’s fear when they were walking on water together, Jesus rescued him. Jesus wanted His disciples to know Him and see Him as their Rescuer just like God wants us to know Him.
Monthly Memory Verse: Lord, you have searched me and known me! (Psalm 139:1)
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Do Not Worry (Matthew 6:25-34)
Brite Idea: Jesus knows us.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His followers about the kingdom of God and walking in His ways. As part of the sermon, He assured listeners that God knows what we need and He provides. If He provides for the birds and the flowers, He will take even better care of us. Jesus taught we should not worry about things such as food and clothes but rather focus on His kingdom.
God has always provided for His people. From Adam and Eve’s first day in the Garden of Eden, He provided food. When the Israelites left Egypt, God provided food, water, and everything they needed in the wilderness. But God also knew our greatest need was to be rescued from our sin. From the very beginning, He had a plan to send Jesus to live a perfect life and die on the cross. When Jesus rose again, He provided a way for us to live with Him in heaven forever, where we will never have to worry about anything again.
Continue the lesson at home:
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Jesus is Anointed (Luke 7:36–50)
Brite Idea: Jesus knows what we’ve done and loves us.
Simon, a Pharisee, invited Jesus to eat in his home. A woman came in weeping and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and her hair. She poured oil from an alabaster box on his feet. The Pharisee wondered why Jesus would allow the woman there since she was known as a sinner. Jesus told Simon a story of two men who owed different amounts of money and were both forgiven. Jesus said the man who was forgiven the larger amount would be the most grateful. The woman had been forgiven much, so she loved much. Jesus told the woman her sins were forgiven, confusing the others in the room.
Jesus knew the woman’s sins, but He loved her anyway. Ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden, our world has been broken by sin. We all say, do and think things that disobey God. Because God is holy and perfect, He cannot be near sin. Sin separates us from God. But because God loves us so much, He doesn’t want to be apart from us. Romans 5:8 says: God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus knows us and loves us!
Continue the lesson at home:
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Peter Walks on Water (Matthew 14:22–33)
Brite Idea: Jesus knows our fears.
Jesus was praying on a mountain and told His disciples to cross the sea. While in their boat, a frightening storm arose. Jesus walked on the water to their boat. Peter asked to walk on the water too. At first he walked, but when he saw the frightening wind and waves, he began to sink. He cried out to Jesus, who immediately rescued Him.
This was the first time we read that the disciples acknowledged that Jesus is God. Jesus was both fully human and fully God. There is one God, and He reveals Himself in three persons—God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. As God, Jesus is all-powerful. Jesus has power over nature and can perform miracles. Nothing and no one is greater than God. He has power over all things!
Continue the lesson at home:
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Peter’s Confession (Matthew 16:13–23)
Brite Idea: Jesus wants us to know Him.
Jesus asked His disciples who they believed He was. Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus praised Peter and said, "On this rock, I'll build my church." This meant Jesus was the promised Rescuer. He warned He'd suffer and die but rise again. Peter objected, not understanding Jesus' true mission: to save everyone from sin, not just become an earthly king. Jesus reassured the disciples that His suffering was part of God's plan for redemption.
Very few people understood who Jesus really was and what He came to do, even though God had promised since the beginning that the Messiah was coming. God loves people and wants each of us to have a relationship with Him. He loved us so much He sent His one and only Son to be our Rescuer. Each of us has to decide, like Peter did, that we believe He is the Christ—the Son of the living God.
Continue the lesson at home:
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The Child Discipleship Podcast is a conversation dedicated to anyone who wants to be an advocate for a child in need. Each week we are joined by leaders and experts from within the world of children’s ministry, as well as thought leaders and experts from outside the church. Each episode provides insights and potential solutions for your ministry and your family so we can help today’s kids form a lasting faith in Jesus. New episodes come out on every Thursday!
Teaching Kids about the Gospel:
The Gospel is the good news. God wants everyone to know this good news and not miss out on this invitation!
Here’s the Gospel in four words: God, Us, Jesus, Trust.
God
God is a loving God who is all-powerful and holy. He knows and sees everything and rules over everything. God created all people in His image, and we are valuable to Him.
Us
But we have sinned, and our sin separates us from God. What is sin? Sin is anything we think, say or do that disobeys God. The penalty for sin is death and separation from God forever.
Jesus
But because God loves us so much, He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus died in our place. But He did not stay dead—He rose again three days later. Because of Jesus, we no longer have to be separated from God, and we are offered the free gift of eternal life!
Trust
God gives salvation—rescuing us from our sin, to everyone who places their trust in Jesus as their Savior. What is trust? It means that we rely on what Jesus did. You cannot be saved from sin by doing good things but only through what Jesus did for you.