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| God hears. God answers. God has power. God provides. |
Ornament: altar1 Kings 18:1-46
Malachi 4:5-6
Matthew 17:1-13
Verse: 1 Kings 18:39b "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!"
Christmas Song: Angels from the Realms of Glory
Hymn: I Sing the Mighty Power of God
The Big Picture Story Bible: Another very sad day (187-197)
The Ology: Jesus Is Completely God (112-115)
The Gospel Story Bible: Elijah and the Prophets of Baal (126-127)
Like all the Biblical characters we have seen so far, Elijah had some rough moments, but he also had some great moments of faith. Elijah is mentioned many times in the Old and New Testaments as being a forerunner of Jesus. Today's story on the mountain is an exciting scene and points to Jesus.
God hears. God answers. God has power. God provides. When things are going well or when things are going terribly, God hears. God answers. God has power. God provides. When your house doesn't sell, when your child doesn't obey, when you lose the baby you so longed for, when you fight with your spouse, when politics in your country is a mess, when you lose your job: God hears. God answers. God has power. God provides. Maybe not in the ways we would choose, but He does - He always does.
God's people were in sin. They could not save themselves, so God sent Elijah to point them back to God's way and God's truth so they could have spiritual life. In today's story, Elijah prayed in faith, knowing that God would show His glory and power. God did show His power in a great way proving that He ALONE was the One, True, and Living God - He alone was the way, the truth, and the bringer of life. This is great power.
Many years later, God's people were still in sin. They could not save themselves, so God sent the Way, the Truth, and the Life. God sent Himself in human form. We see Jesus display great power through miracles. In one instance (which is quite parallel to our story of Elijah today), we read of Jesus praying to raise Lazarus from the dead in order to show God's power and glory. Jesus did bring Lazarus back from the dead showing the He alone was and is the One, True, and Living God. Jesus even clearly stated: "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), and "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Jesus wasn't just referring to bringing Lazarus physical life. No! He came to do much more. God demonstrated the greatest power of all by sending a Deliverer, Jesus, to bring us new spiritual life. By believing, we may have life in His name! God showed His provision and power through the death and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus. Truth came to us. Love came to us. Life came to us! And not at all how we might have expected. This is GRACE in all its fullness.
Every day, as I draw our Bible story to a close, I talk about how the story relates to Jesus and His death and resurrection. And every day, I tell the children what Jesus has done for us. Then, I ask each of them, "do you believe?" They are never too young to share truth with, and they are certainly not too young to ask if they believe that truth. I, then tell them that I believe. It is my prayer that each of my children would have no excuse for not believing in Jesus (that I would be faithful in declaring), and that they would never remember a day that they did not believe in the name of Jesus.
Tidings and Tidbits:
Hymn: I Sing the Mighty Power of God
The Big Picture Story Bible: Another very sad day (187-197)
The Ology: Jesus Is Completely God (112-115)
The Gospel Story Bible: Elijah and the Prophets of Baal (126-127)
Like all the Biblical characters we have seen so far, Elijah had some rough moments, but he also had some great moments of faith. Elijah is mentioned many times in the Old and New Testaments as being a forerunner of Jesus. Today's story on the mountain is an exciting scene and points to Jesus.
God hears. God answers. God has power. God provides. When things are going well or when things are going terribly, God hears. God answers. God has power. God provides. When your house doesn't sell, when your child doesn't obey, when you lose the baby you so longed for, when you fight with your spouse, when politics in your country is a mess, when you lose your job: God hears. God answers. God has power. God provides. Maybe not in the ways we would choose, but He does - He always does.
God's people were in sin. They could not save themselves, so God sent Elijah to point them back to God's way and God's truth so they could have spiritual life. In today's story, Elijah prayed in faith, knowing that God would show His glory and power. God did show His power in a great way proving that He ALONE was the One, True, and Living God - He alone was the way, the truth, and the bringer of life. This is great power.
Many years later, God's people were still in sin. They could not save themselves, so God sent the Way, the Truth, and the Life. God sent Himself in human form. We see Jesus display great power through miracles. In one instance (which is quite parallel to our story of Elijah today), we read of Jesus praying to raise Lazarus from the dead in order to show God's power and glory. Jesus did bring Lazarus back from the dead showing the He alone was and is the One, True, and Living God. Jesus even clearly stated: "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), and "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Jesus wasn't just referring to bringing Lazarus physical life. No! He came to do much more. God demonstrated the greatest power of all by sending a Deliverer, Jesus, to bring us new spiritual life. By believing, we may have life in His name! God showed His provision and power through the death and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus. Truth came to us. Love came to us. Life came to us! And not at all how we might have expected. This is GRACE in all its fullness.
Every day, as I draw our Bible story to a close, I talk about how the story relates to Jesus and His death and resurrection. And every day, I tell the children what Jesus has done for us. Then, I ask each of them, "do you believe?" They are never too young to share truth with, and they are certainly not too young to ask if they believe that truth. I, then tell them that I believe. It is my prayer that each of my children would have no excuse for not believing in Jesus (that I would be faithful in declaring), and that they would never remember a day that they did not believe in the name of Jesus.
Tidings and Tidbits:
- I love how the Big Picture Story Bible does a parallel to Jesus with the art and words in the story of Lazarus. Make sure you check that out (348-355)
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