Dear families,

Gilgal was a place the Israelites knew well. It was the first place their ancestors set foot in the promised land; the place where they built a memorial of 12 stones after crossing the Jordan with the ark of the covenant; a place that they looked back on and remembered the power, greatness, and provision of God. Gilgal wasn’t a place of convenience, but rather a place of significance.

Have you ever taken the time to revisit places of your past? Maybe you’ve driven past your childhood home and school, your first home, or the hospital where a family member was born. These nostalgic journeys can bring back all sorts of memories of heartbreak and victory, sadness and joy. Revisiting the past might flood your heart and mind with things you had long forgotten as well as things that can never be forgotten.

In the fast-paced world we live in today, we don’t go back often enough. For many, thinking about the past only slows down productivity. We rely on timeline photos as reminders but then quickly scroll to the news of the day and our plans for tomorrow. 

What if we regularly returned to the past? What if we frequented the memorials of God’s power, greatness, and provision? It may be that part of why we run so hard after the tyranny of the urgent is because we’ve lost sight of God’s faithfulness through the ages.

It may not be a nostalgic drive through your hometown or a trip to the mountaintop where you were first gripped by the greatness of God, but a stroll down memory lane recalling the work that God has done is so very good for the soul. 

The Israelites didn’t return to Gilgal because it was easy. They returned to Gilgal because amid their present circumstances, they needed to remember. And so do we. 

Reflect on the great things that God has done—the ways you’ve seen His power, greatness, and provision. And as you do, let it grow your gratitude and hopefulness. For, as James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God sent Jesus to be our King.

●      Younger Preschool: God chose Saul to be the king in Israel. With God’s help, Saul brought the Israelites together to win the battle. God sent His Son, Jesus, to be our King forever. Jesus came to rescue people from sin and death.

●      Older Preschool: God chose Saul to be the king in Israel. With God’s help, Saul brought the Israelites together to win the battle. God sent His Son, Jesus, to be our King forever. Jesus came to rescue people from sin and death.

●      Kids: God chose Saul to be the Israelites’ king. With God’s help, Saul brought the Israelites together to defeat their enemy. God sent His Son, Jesus, to be our King forever. Jesus brings together everyone who trusts in Him and gives us victory over sin and death.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: Why does sin separate us from God? Because God is holy.

●      Older Preschool: Why does sin separate us from God? Because God is holy.

●      Kids: Why does sin separate us from God? Because God is holy, sin has broken our relationship with God.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

·       Babies & Toddlers: My eyes have seen the Lord. Isaiah 6:5 

·       Younger Preschool: My eyes have seen the Lord. Isaiah 6:5

·       Older Preschool: I said: Woe is me ... because I am a man of unclean lips ... and ... my eyes have seen the ... LORD. Isaiah 6:5

·       Kids: Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Armies. Isaiah 6:5

Dear families,

It can happen to any of us: We look at our circumstances, forecast a coming trial or opportunity, and act accordingly—only to find out that the situation doesn’t play out quite like we expected.

This is precisely what happened in 1 Samuel 8–10. The people of Israel, while assessing their circumstances, discerned that Samuel’s days were numbered. They recognized that his sons, Joel and Abijah, had turned to dishonesty and against the ways of their father. So, they predicted that they would soon have no one to lead them and that something must be done.

The elders of Israel believed they knew what was best and demanded that Samuel appoint a new king who would lead them “the same as all the other nations” (1 Sam 8:5).

We can do the same. With the best of intentions, we can hastily seek what we believe is best without consideration of the Lord’s plans, desires, or wisdom. This may happen in search of a new job, in response to conflict, in making family decisions, or even in determining how to best minister to people in our church or community. 

How do we know that our decisions, desires, and actions align with what God wants? Be encouraged to do three things as you seek the Lord’s wisdom in these moments of decision: Pray, read God’s Word, and seek counsel.

When we pray, we humble ourselves before the Almighty God and submit our desires to Him. When we read God’s Word, we discover His desires, plans, and will in the most clearly revealed way so that we might walk in them. And when we seek counsel, we open ourselves to the community of believers to be shaped, formed, sharpened, and corrected.

Proverbs 3:5-6 remind us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.” 

Taking the time to pray, read the Bible, and seek the counsel of brothers and sisters in Christ is an act of refusal to rely on our own understanding, instead submitting ourselves to God’s authority and ensuring that we don’t get ahead of Him.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God sent His Son, Jesus, to be king over the world.

●      Younger Preschool: God gave the Israelites a king, but He had a plan to send His Son, Jesus, to be king over the whole world. Jesus would be the perfect King.

●      Older Preschool: The Israelites did not trust God. They wanted a king. God gave the Israelites a king, but He had a plan to send His Son, Jesus, to be king over the whole world. Jesus would be the perfect King. Jesus would bring peace and save people from sin.

●      Kids: God intended for a heavenly king to rule over Israel, but the Israelites did not trust God’s plan. They wanted a king like the nations around them. God had a better plan: to eventually send His Son, Jesus, to be the perfect King forever.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: Why does sin separate us from God? Because God is holy.

●      Older Preschool: Why does sin separate us from God? Because God is holy.

●      Kids: Why does sin separate us from God? Because God is holy, sin has broken our relationship with God.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

·       Babies & Toddlers: My eyes have seen the Lord. Isaiah 6:5 

·       Younger Preschool: My eyes have seen the Lord. Isaiah 6:5

·       Older Preschool: I said: Woe is me ... because I am a man of unclean lips ... and ... my eyes have seen the ... LORD. Isaiah 6:5

·       Kids: Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Armies. Isaiah 6:5

Dear families,

The story of Ruth is an incredible story. We see how gracious and good God is. We see the providential care God has for a woman who was not Jewish. She was from Moab—a descendant of Lot, not a child of Abraham. Yet, she became a recipient of God's promise to Abraham because salvation is a gift and is received by faith.

Ruth was married to a Hebrew man who died. She returned to Israel from Moab with her mother-in-law. Ruth was an outsider, a woman without a husband in a land that was not her own. Ruth was vulnerable, but what we see so beautifully in her story is that God protected her and provided for her. In the middle of a famine, God provided food to sustain Ruth. God did more than that; He ultimately provided a husband who redeemed her and saved her from destruction.

Ruth is a picture of what it looks like to trust God in the hard seasons of life. The story of Ruth is the story of you and me. We are outsiders who have no hope in a world cursed by sin. But God did not leave us that way. He provides for us, sustains us, and ultimately redeems us through Jesus.

Ruth brought nothing to her relationship with Boaz but her own need. Boaz saw Ruth, loved her, and redeemed her. From this loving act of redemption, it was from the family of their great-grandson that Jesus would come into the world and in His great love for people, redeem all who put their trust in Him alone.

God shows us His desire to redeem all those who belong to Him by including Ruth in the lineage of Jesus. Remember that in Jesus, we have hope no matter how hopeless our situation looks. Jesus is more than just a friend. He is our kinsman-redeemer.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God sent Jesus to be our Redeemer.

●      Younger Preschool: Boaz was a family redeemer. He helped his family. Jesus is our Redeemer. Jesus helps us by saving us from our sin.

●      Older Preschool: Boaz was a family redeemer. He helped his close relatives. Boaz bought back what his relatives lost. Jesus is our Redeemer. He bought our salvation by dying on the cross for our sin.

●      Kids: Boaz was a family redeemer. He helped his close relatives who were in trouble. Boaz cared for Ruth and Naomi because their husbands had died. In a similar way, Jesus is our Redeemer. We need help because we sin. Jesus bought our salvation for us by taking our punishment when He died on the cross 

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is the punishment for sin? The punishment for sin is separation from God.

●      Older Preschool: What is the punishment for sin? The punishment for sin is death.

●      Kids: What is the fair payment for sin? The fair payment for sin is death.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God gives life forever. Romans 6:23

●      Younger Preschool: God gives life forever. Romans 6:23

●      Older Preschool: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

●      Kids: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Dear families,

When was the last time you prayed fervently to God? What did you need? Did He answer in a way you expected?

When Hannah wanted a baby, she cried out to God with great earnestness so much that the priest Eli thought she was drunk. Hannah had confidence that God heard her prayer. She understood that one of the evidences of the understanding and the belief that God hears and answers prayer is persistence in prayer.

Hannah prayed with a passion and bitterness of heart that looked to God at first and fixed her gaze upon the Lord only. She didn't even notice Eli watching her. She believed that God heard and God acted as a result of our small prayers. She prayed with passion because she believed God heard her.

But what if our prayers seem not to be heard? Hannah is a great example for us of what C. H. Spurgeon observed about prayer in his book Illustrations and Meditations: "Frequently the richest answers are not the speediest … A prayer may be all the longer on its voyage because it is bringing us a heavier freight of blessing. Delayed answers are not only trials of faith, but they give us an opportunity of honoring God by our steadfast confidence in Him under apparent repulses.”

Finally, Hannah's persistence in prayer showed that she understood she could not fix her situation but the all-powerful God who hears and acts could. The next year, Hannah came with a baby in her arms. A baby she named Samuel, which means “God heard.” Samuel’s life was a constant reminder to Hannah and all of Israel that God lives, hears, and acts.

As you prepare to serve kids through teaching, remember that even prayers that seem to be delayed are meant to strengthen our resolve to pray and to honor God with a confidence that can't be shaken. We serve a God who hears us, and because He hears us, no prayer is too small or too big that we can't bring Him.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Jesus showed the world what God is like.

●      Younger Preschool: Samuel told people what God is like and what He would do. Jesus, the Son of God, told people about God’s plan and showed the world what God is like.

●      Older Preschool: Samuel told people what God is like and what He would do. Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth as a human. He told people about God’s plan and showed the world what God is like.

●      Kids: Hannah trusted God and sent Samuel away from home to serve God with his whole life. God sent Jesus from heaven to earth to be our Savior. Just as Samuel used God’s words to tell people about God, Jesus—the Word who became flesh—perfectly shows us what God is like.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is the punishment for sin? The punishment for sin is separation from God.

●      Older Preschool: What is the punishment for sin? The punishment for sin is death.

●      Kids: What is the fair payment for sin? The fair payment for sin is death.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God gives life forever. Romans 6:23

●      Younger Preschool: God gives life forever. Romans 6:23

●      Older Preschool: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

●      Kids: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Dear families,

In the Book of Judges, we see a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, rescue, obedience, and then back to sin. The condition of man's heart when left to himself will "do what is right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). Our own hearts lead us to sinful behavior that leads to enslavement to sin. Judges reveals who we are apart from God's grace.

The Book of Judges also uncovers what God is like. He is rich in love and quick to restore those who turn to Him. He is gracious; every time the people of Israel repented and turned from their sins, He sent deliverance. He restored Israel from the edge of destruction. God also revealed Himself as able to save no matter how difficult or deep the captivity. In fact, we see God's mercy clearly when He sent the judge Samson when the people didn't even ask for deliverance. In these warrior-deliver stories, God showed that what His people really needed was a king— not just any king but a perfect king who would rule His people with perfect justice and mercy.

It is easy for us as modern readers to judge the people of Israel harshly. How could they turn away from a God who delivered them from their enemies over and over again? But how easy is it for us to be tempted away from love for God and love created things more than the Creator?

What gives us hope and comfort is that in a world where it feels like there is chaos all around us, we know that God in His mercy is a God who rescues. He didn't send a flawed warrior to deliver us from the effects of our sin temporarily. He sent His only Son to defeat sin and death and restore the relationship that sinners could never fix on their own.

Today as you prepare to teach, rest in the knowledge that God has gone before you. Prepare your heart to point kids to Jesus over and over as the true Deliverer and the true peace for which their hearts desperately long.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Jesus rescues us from sin and changes our hearts.

●      Younger Preschool: God sent His Son, Jesus, to save us from sin and change our hearts to want to obey Him.

●      Older Preschool: After God’s people sinned, the judges helped God’s people obey God again. But the judges could not change the people’s hearts and make them love God. God had a plan. He sent His Son, Jesus, to change His people’s hearts and save them from sin forever.

●      Kids: The judges saved the people from the consequences of their sin, but not the cause of it. God’s plan was to one day send a true Deliverer—Jesus, His own Son—to be the King of His people. Jesus saves people from sin forever.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is the punishment for sin? The punishment for sin is separation from God.

●      Older Preschool: What is the punishment for sin? The punishment for sin is death.

●      Kids: What is the fair payment for sin? The fair payment for sin is death.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God gives life forever. Romans 6:23

●      Younger Preschool: God gives life forever. Romans 6:23

●      Older Preschool: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

●      Kids: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Dear families,

Joshua was getting along in years, so he gathered the people at the place where God had made a promise to Abraham. (See Gen. 12:6-7.) Joshua wanted the people to remember and to live based on what they knew to be true about God: God can be trusted. He is good, and He is faithful.

Joshua issued a challenge: “Be very strong and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses.” Reading, studying, and obeying God’s Word is a mark of belief in God. Joshua reminded the people that they were successful over their enemies because of their obedience to God. Joshua also gave the Israelites a warning. Just as all the good things God promised had been fulfilled, so would all the bad things He promised if the Israelites disobeyed Him.

Further, Joshua reminded the leaders of their nations’ history—from the birth of Isaac to Israel’s escape from Egypt. Over and over, God had demonstrated His power and goodness to the Israelites. Their ancestors had repeatedly turned from God to worship the false gods of other nations. Joshua said, “Choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship … As for me and my family, we will worship the LORD” (Josh. 24:15).

The Israelites had a choice: Continue to worship God or choose to serve other gods. In response to God’s faithfulness to His promises, the Israelites renewed their covenant to be faithful to the Lord.

As you share the story of Joshua’s legacy with kids, point them to a greater legacy found in Jesus Christ. Jesus gave a similar type of farewell speech at the Last Supper, exhorting His disciples to not only love God but love one another. After His resurrection, Jesus sent His disciples out to tell the nations about Him. Jesus calls all people who trust in Him to tell others about Him.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Jesus told the disciples to obey Him by telling others about Him.

●      Younger Preschool: Joshua told the Israelites to obey God. Jesus told the disciples to obey Him by telling others about Him.

●      Older Preschool: Before Joshua died, he left the Israelites with a task: obey God. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and left them with a task: obey Him by telling others about Him.

●      Kids: As Joshua prepared for his own death, he left behind a legacy of obedience to God. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, He appeared to the disciples and left them with a legacy: to obey Him by making disciples of all nations.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is a miracle? A miracle is something that shows God’s power.

●      Older Preschool: What is a miracle? A miracle is something God does that usually cannot be done.

●      Kids: What is a miracle? A miracle is something God does that usually cannot be done so that we can know He is all-powerful.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.  

●      Babies & Toddlers: God shows His strength to people. Psalm 77:14

●      Younger Preschool: God shows His strength to people. Psalm 77:14

●      Older Preschool: You are the God who works wonders; you revealed your strength among the peoples. Psalm 77:14

●      Kids: You are the God who works wonders; you revealed your strength among the peoples. Psalm 77:14

Dear families,

In today's story, we see that God fights for His people and gives them peace and rest. We live in a world filled with conflict and pain. We desperately want peace. The reality is that true peace doesn’t come from any amount of solitude or self-confidence; we need true peace that comes from being forgiven. Peace comes as we trust in the finished work of Jesus. His forgiveness, not our own effort, brings us lasting peace.

Read the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:12-14. In a world of conflict, Christ is our hope. In a world filled with division, He is our peace. This peace and hope Paul speaks of are available to us when we place our trust in Christ alone for our salvation. This is a continual, daily dying to self so that we may live in Christ.

What is so interesting about the section of Scripture your kids will be learning about today is that it shows us that we humans have not changed and God has not changed. Israel obeyed God at Jericho, and God fought for His people. They enjoyed good success.

Next, they went up against a smaller city and relied on their own strength rather than seeking God's strength. They disobeyed and took things devoted to God and fought a battle at Ai without consulting God and His plan. Their lives were filled with disunity. Sin is the reason our world is in disunity. The lie we believe is that sin is personal and doesn't affect anyone else. Sin is the rejection of God Himself and the placing of our trust in things He has made. The sin of one Israelite—Achan—affected him, his family, and the whole nation.

Joshua's response was right. He humbled himself, appealed to God's covenant-keeping power, and responded with obedience when God spoke to him.

When we sin, we must recognize the damage that it creates in our lives and in the world. Our response must not be to cover it up but to run to Christ because He is our hope, our life, and our peace.

Dwell on these words from theologian Charles Spurgeon: “My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. Hallelujah!”

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Jesus gives us victory over sin and death.

●      Younger Preschool: God saved the Israelites and gave them victory over their enemies. God saved sinners by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross. Jesus gives us victory over sin and death.

●      Older Preschool: Joshua’s name means “The LORD is salvation.” God fought for Joshua and the Israelites, saving them and giving them victory over their enemies. God saved sinners by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross. Jesus gives us victory over sin and death.

●      Kids: Joshua’s name means “The LORD is salvation.” God fought for Joshua and the Israelites, saving them and giving them victory over their enemies. Sinners can look to God for victory over sin and death. God brought us salvation by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross and rise again.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is a miracle? A miracle is something that shows God’s power.

●      Older Preschool: What is a miracle? A miracle is something God does that usually cannot be done.

●      Kids: What is a miracle? A miracle is something God does that usually cannot be done so that we can know He is all-powerful.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God shows His strength to people. Psalm 77:14

●      Younger Preschool: God shows His strength to people. Psalm 77:14

●      Older Preschool: You are the God who works wonders; you revealed your strength among the peoples. Psalm 77:14

●      Kids: You are the God who works wonders; you revealed your strength among the peoples. Psalm 77:14

** Next week:Joshua Challenged the People (Joshua 23–24)

Dear families,

In our Bible story today, we see not just mercy, but courageous mercy. Rahab by faith, courageously trusted God and hid the Hebrew spies. Mercy is not courageous until being merciful costs us something. Rahab's mercy was pushed to the testing point. She had compassion and, in doing so, risked her life. She showed mercy; as a result, she received mercy.

Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. Mercy was one of the marks of Jesus’ ministry. He modeled it for us on earth. There are countless examples of Jesus’ showing compassion and forgiveness to those who didn't deserve it.

Mercy always involves courage because you have the power—and often the right—to punish rather than forgive. In our world today, the act of forgiveness is often seen as a weakness. It's risky. Mercy that lacks courage will be sporadic in its application. We, like Pilate, will forgive until it costs us something. We will have compassion, but only from a distance. This is the beauty of Christ that we see in stories like Rahab.

The God we serve is lavish in His mercy and rich in His kindness. What Rahab experienced is a glimpse of God’s mercy we see in Christ. Jesus is the full expression of the mercy and kindness of God. Jesus isn't concerned from a distance; He took on human flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus didn't just act mercifully when it was convenient. He laid down his life so that we could be forgiven.

Rahab modeled for us what Jesus preached in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:7: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Let us today be extenders of mercy to others because of the tender mercy of God in Christ we have received because of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Everyone who trusts in Jesus becomes part of God’s family forever.

●      Younger Preschool: The Israelites kept Rahab and her family safe, and she joined God’s people. Everyone who trusts in Jesus is safe and becomes part of God’s family forever.

●      Older Preschool: By faith Rahab believed God would win the battle. The Israelites kept Rahab and her family safe, and she joined God’s people. Jesus has won against sin and death. Everyone who trusts in Jesus is safe and becomes part of God’s family forever.

●      Kids: By faith, Rahab believed God would win the battle. When the Israelites attacked Jericho, Rahab and her family received mercy and became part of God’s people. Jesus has won against sin and death. Everyone who trusts in Jesus receives mercy and becomes part of God’s family forever.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is a miracle? A miracle is something that shows God’s power.

●      Older Preschool: What is a miracle? A miracle is something God does that usually cannot be done.

●      Kids: What is a miracle? A miracle is something God does that usually cannot be done so that we can know He is all-powerful.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God shows His strength to people. Psalm 77:14

●      Younger Preschool: God shows His strength to people. Psalm 77:14

●      Older Preschool: You are the God who works wonders; you revealed your strength among the peoples. Psalm 77:14

●      Kids: You are the God who works wonders; you revealed your strength among the peoples. Psalm 77:14

** Next week:God Gave the People the Land (Joshua 7–11)

Dear families,

The children of Israel often gave in to worry and bitterness. Their attitude revealed deeper heart issues: their belief that God had failed to take care of them and would fail in the future. It was in the 40 years of wandering in the desert that God showed them over and over that He was worthy of their trust. Yet they still did not trust Him.

When God provided supernatural food for them to eat, they craved the food of Egypt. (Num. 11:4-6) When they first encountered the inhabitants of Canaan, they were filled with fear because they didn't trust that God would be with them. (Num. 13:33) God went out of His way to deliver His people, protect them, and provide for them. He showed He is all-powerful and trustworthy.

Read Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 6:20-24. Moses implored the Israelites to remember what God had done and testify to their children of His faithfulness. God had brought them out of Egypt to keep His covenant with Abraham. He gave them instructions for their good.

Meditate on Moses’ proclamation: “We were slaves in Egypt, but God, by his grace, set us free.” This truth is particularly helpful for us when we face difficulties and periods of anxiety. We can have peace in the present by looking backward in gratitude and forward with hope. When we look back at our lives and the millions of ways God has provided and protected us, our hearts should be filled with gratitude. Based on God's character as revealed in Scripture and in our lives, we can look forward with hope, knowing that God, who has preserved us, will continue to do so until He comes to bring us home.

As you get ready to teach, prepare your heart by reminding yourself of God’s faithfulness. Tell the kids in your group how God has shown Himself worthy of your trust. They too can put their hope in a God who never fails.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: We can remember what God has done through Jesus.

●      Younger Preschool: God was with His people as they went into the promised land. He showed His power so they would trust in Him. When Jesus came to earth, He showed His power so people would trust in Him.

●      Older Preschool: God was with Joshua and the Israelites as they went into the promised land. He showed His power to them so they would trust in Him. When Jesus came to earth, He showed His power so people would trust in Him and be saved from sin.

●      Kids: God went ahead of Joshua and the Israelites into the promised land. He showed His power to them so they would trust in Him. When Jesus came to earth, He showed His power so people would trust in Him and be saved from sin.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s words to us.

●      Older Preschool: What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s Word.

●      Kids: What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s Word that tells us what is true about God and ourselves.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God’s word shows my path. Psalm 119:105

●      Younger Preschool: God’s word shows my path. Psalm 119:105

●      Older Preschool: Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

●      Kids: Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

Dear families,

We often think that fear is the absence of courage, and to some degree, it is. However, true courage is not someone who is free of fear. Courage comes to us most often, and especially when we are young, from the presence of another. In C. S. Lewis' The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Lucy, the young heroine of Lewis' stories, was on a boat that went into the dark night of a cave where their worst fears were realized.

Going into the cave, they all were afraid. Inside the cave, their fears were realized. They were in the middle of the night and without hope, and Lucy (whose name means “light”) asked Aslan to send help.

Aslan (the Christ figure in Lewis' work) answered by sending his light into their darkness and his word to her heart. He said, "Courage, dear heart."

The gospel tells us that our greatest enemy, sin, and our greatest fear, death, has no hold on us—not because of courage that rises up from within us, but from courage that came from outside of us. Jesus came from outside of us and said to us through his life, death, and resurrection, "Courage, dear heart."

The promise of peace, true rest that Moses and now Joshua sought, was not conditional on what they saw in front of them. It was based on the character of God. The promise God gave to Joshua was the promise of His presence in the middle of the dark night. This promise is true for us and is experienced in the person and work of Christ.

As you prepare to teach, take a moment to allow the Person of God's Spirit to whisper to your heart what God's Word proclaims to be true, no matter how difficult your week or dark your night. You are loved, you are cared for, you are not alone. Christ is with you. Christ has gone before you; Christ is interceding for you.

Remember the words God gave Joshua: “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:9). What a promise. What a Savior.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Jesus leads us into the promised land of God’s kingdom.

●      Younger Preschool: Joshua led God’s people into the promised land. Jesus leads us into the promised land of God’s kingdom.

●      Older Preschool: God encouraged Joshua and promised to be with him. Joshua led God’s people into the promised land, where they would find rest. We have true rest in Jesus, who is with us always. Jesus leads us into the promised land of God’s kingdom.

●      Kids: God encouraged Joshua and promised to be with him as he led the Israelites into the promised land, where they would be victorious and find rest. We have victory over sin and rest for our souls in Jesus, who is with us always and leads us into the promised land of God’s kingdom.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s words to us.

●      Older Preschool: What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s Word.

●      Kids: What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s Word that tells us what is true about God and ourselves.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God’s word shows my path. Psalm 119:105

●      Younger Preschool: God’s word shows my path. Psalm 119:105

●      Older Preschool: Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

●      Kids: Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

** Next week:God Stopped the Jordan River (Joshua 3–4)

Dear families,

If there was one thing the Israelites were good at, it was grumbling. They weren’t just good; they were experts: “We have no food. We have no water. Why are we in the wilderness left to die? The land has big people in it.” And on and on and on. We have to wonder how Moses put up with it all.

In Numbers 21, we encounter another time when the people grumbled—once again about food and water. Each time they doubted God’s goodness and truthfulness, God had shown them mercy and grace. But on this day, He sent serpents into the Israelites’ camp to strike them for their unfaithfulness. Many people died.

We might not like to think of it, but this is what the Israelites deserved all along. Their sin earned them judgment and death. God was perfectly just and righteous to give His people what they deserved.

Yet, as we have seen so often in the Old Testament and will continue to see throughout the rest of Scripture, God extends grace and mercy along with judgment. When the people pleaded for Moses to intercede on their behalf, God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and lift it on a pole. Whoever looked upon it would be healed.

Notice two things. First, God’s response was not to remove judgment but to provide salvation through judgment. This is another theme we have seen throughout the Scriptures (e.g. Noah, the plagues).

Second, God’s instructions made little to no sense. Imagine you are an Israelite and were just bitten by a serpent. Although other serpents are all around still, you are to take your eyes off of that threat and turn them upward to look at a bronze serpent on a pole—an image of the very thing that has brought death to your door?

This detail in the story is a foreshadowing of what God has called us to do in Christ. While our faith is far from blind, it always has an aspect of not making sense, at least to the world around us. But this is how we are saved too: by taking our eyes off of the sin in and around us, and looking upon Christ lifted up on the cross—He who became sin (2 Cor. 5:21). We too are saved through judgment, for our judgment has been placed on Christ.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: We look to Jesus to be saved from sin.

●      Younger Preschool: God sent snakes to punish the people. but anyone who was bitten could look at the snake on the pole and live. We can look to Jesus to be saved from our sin.

●      Older Preschool: God sent snakes to punish the people, but anyone who was bitten could look at the snake on the pole and live. We sin, too. We can look to Jesus and trust in Him to be saved from our sin.

●      Kids: God sent snakes to punish the people, but anyone who was bitten could look at the snake on the pole and live. We deserve to die because of our sin, but anyone who looks to Jesus on the cross and trusts in Him will live forever with God.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is God like? There is no one like God. He is perfect, good, and loving.

●      Older Preschool: What is God like? God is holy, good, and loving.

●      Kids: What is God like? God is holy, good, and loving.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: We praise God; He does wonderful things. — Exodus 15:11

●      Younger Preschool: We praise the one true God. He does wonderful things. — Exodus 15:11

●      Older Preschool: LORD, who is like you … glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?— Exodus 15:11

●      Kids: LORD, who is like you among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders? — Exodus 15:11

** Next week: No One Is Like God (1 Peter 1:13-25)

Dear families,

Many of us categorize sins, whether we intend to or not. There are the major sins—the really bad ones like murder that are clearly wrong. Thankfully, few of us are prone to commit these sins, so we are pretty safe from them.

Then there are the significant sins, like getting angry or lying. We know these are harmful, but we don’t see them on the same level as the major ones. These are the sins that trip us up. If it weren’t for these sins, we would be such good people. 

Then there are the little sins, like jaywalking or taking some paper clips from work. We know these are wrong, but they are so innocent and do so little harm that we tend to excuse them. In fact, we often live as if these sins are not really sins—they don’t feel wrong to us. 

Sound familiar? There’s a big problem with this though. While sins might have different consequences, the Bible teaches that all sins are serious because they are rebellion against a holy God. If all we ever did was jaywalk, God would be just to pour out His wrath on us.

If we approach Numbers 20 with a flawed categorization of sin, we will likely walk away from this passage confused. What did Moses do that was so wrong? All he did was hit a rock instead of speaking what God said, right? And for that, God would not allow Moses to enter the promised land. After all that Moses had been through, this was how his story would end?

But we must remember that all sin is rebellion against God and is therefore serious. Moses’ rebellion here is quite serious. Notice what Moses, with Aaron standing next to him, said just before striking the rock: “Must we bring water out of this rock for you?” Who was Moses crediting for the miracle that would transpire? Surely not God.

That water flowed from the rock even in Moses’ disobedience shows once more that God is a God of mercy and grace. But there is another way we see God’s mercy and grace in this account, only we need to turn to the Gospels to see it. God graciously allowed Moses to enter the land long after this generation had died off. At the Transfiguration (Matt. 17), Moses stood in the land—along with Elijah—and Jesus, the One who had come to provide living water to God’s people.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Jesus always obeyed God.

●      Younger Preschool: Moses disobeyed God, so he could not go into the promised land. God sent Jesus, who always obeyed God. When we trust in Jesus, He brings us into God’s kingdom forever.

●      Older Preschool: Moses disobeyed God and did not enter the promised land. We disobey God when we sin. But God sent Jesus, who always obeyed God. When we trust in Jesus, He brings us into God’s kingdom forever.

●      Kids: Moses disobeyed God and did not enter the promised land. We all have disobeyed God by sinning. But God gave us His Son, Jesus. Jesus always obeyed God. When we trust in Him, Jesus brings us into God’s kingdom forever.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is God like? There is no one like God. He is perfect, good, and loving.

●      Older Preschool: What is God like? God is holy, good, and loving.

●      Kids: What is God like? God is holy, good, and loving.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: We praise God; He does wonderful things. — Exodus 15:11

●      Younger Preschool: We praise the one true God. He does wonderful things. — Exodus 15:11

●      Older Preschool: LORD, who is like you … glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?— Exodus 15:11

●      Kids: LORD, who is like you among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders? — Exodus 15:11

** Next week: God Healed the People (Numbers 21)

Dear families,

If you’ve ever bought a house, you likely know that even the “most perfect” house really isn’t perfect. There seems to always be some compromise that must be made: location, yard size, location of a bathroom, school district, price, and so forth. The choice is then ours to make: do we live with the compromises we need to make, or do we pass on the house—no matter how perfect it is in other ways—and keep looking?

When the Israelites reached the border of the land of Abraham and their ancestors, they sent in twelve men to scout the territory. The report was glowing: The land was amazing—plenty of room and abundant crops. It was perfect in almost every way. There was a concern, and it was a big one: the people living there were scary-big.

Think back to that house you had fallen in love with. You were already imagining what it would be like to live in it. You were deciding where your furniture would go. It seemed too good to be true. But then, you discovered that imperfection, and your hopes and dreams came crashing down. Now magnify that many times over, and you can begin to relate with what the Israelites must have felt like in that moment. Now where would they go? What would they do?

The tragedy of this account is not found in what the people felt in that moment; rather, it is found in their failure to recognize that the land was indeed perfect in every way. There was no drawback or compromise. The people living there were inconsequential.

Why? Because this was the land of promise—of God’s promise. The same God who had promised this land to them and to their ancestors before them was the same God who had revealed His infinite power in rescuing them from the Egyptians. He was the same God who was with them at that moment. Did they believe the people were too big, or did they believe God was too small?

Joshua, Caleb, and Moses would try to plead with the people to trust in God, but the people refused. Instead of entering the land in faith, they turned from the land in fear. Not one of the adults of that generation, except Joshua and Caleb, would step foot into that land. Instead, they were forced to wander in the wilderness of judgment because of their rebellion against God. That is the tragedy of this account.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINT 

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God forgives our sin when we trust in Jesus.

●      Younger Preschool: The Israelites did not obey God because they did not trust Him. Jesus always trusted God. When we trust in Jesus, God forgives our sin.

●      Older Preschool: The Israelites did not obey God because they did not trust Him. Jesus always trusted God. He came into the world and was punished for our sin. When we trust in Jesus, God forgives our sin and gives us life with Him forever.

●      Kids: The Israelites did not trust God. They rebelled against Him. Jesus trusted God perfectly. He came into the world to take the punishment we deserve for our own rebellion against God. When we trust in Jesus, God forgives our sin and invites us into His kingdom forever.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is God like? There is no one like God. He is perfect, good, and loving.

●      Older Preschool: What is God like? God is holy, good, and loving.

●      Kids: What is God like? God is holy, good, and loving.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: We praise God; He does wonderful things. — Exodus 15:11

●      Younger Preschool: We praise the one true God. He does wonderful things. — Exodus 15:11

●      Older Preschool: LORD, who is like you … glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?— Exodus 15:11

●      Kids: LORD, who is like you among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders? — Exodus 15:11

Dear families,

One of the key themes of the Bible is God’s desire to live with the people He created. We see this first in God's creating the garden of Eden, placing Adam and Eve into this paradise, and then presumably coming down regularly to be with them.

But when Adam and Eve rebelled against Creator God, one consequence of their sin was expulsion from the garden. No longer would God live with them as He had before.

Generations later, God instructed His people to do something curious: build a tent. Why? This tent, the tabernacle, would not be a place for treasures or food; no animals or people would live in it. This would be God’s tent, where He would dwell among His people, pointing back to Eden.

Whenever the Israelites traveled, they broke down this tent and carried it with them. Then, when they arrived at their destination, they set up the tent once more—strategically and meaningfully placed in the center of the camp. God was not just with His people, He was at the center of His people. That was the place He deserved.

Note one feature of the tabernacle that would later give way to the permanent temple built in Jerusalem: the veil, or curtain. The innermost chamber of the tabernacle was called the holy of holies, or most holy place. This is where God’s presence would be manifested above the ark of the covenant and mercy seat. This sacred area was separated from the next outer chamber—the holy place—by a heavy curtain.

We later learn in Leviticus that only the high priest could enter into the holy of holies once a year—on the Day of Atonement. This curtain, then, was a picture of the ongoing separation between humanity and God because of sin. God wanted to dwell with people, but sin was preventing that from happening in full.

When Jesus came and paid the sin penalty for people, that curtain tore from top to bottom, symbolizing that entry into the holy of holies had been made through Jesus. But sin continues to corrupt the world, which is why one day Jesus will return, put an end to sin and death, and renew creation.

This is how the story of Scripture ends in Revelation—with Christ establishing His kingdom in a new heavens and earth and dwelling with His people forever. What God intended from the beginning will mark the beginning of eternity.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God sent Jesus to be with people.

●      Younger Preschool: God’s people built a tabernacle where they could worship God together. God wants to be with us. God sent Jesus to earth to be with people.

●      Older Preschool: God told His people to build a tabernacle where He would meet with them. God wants to be with us. As part of His plan to save people from sin, God sent Jesus to earth to be with people.

●      Kids: God told the Israelites to build a tabernacle where He would dwell with them. God wants to be with His people. As part of His plan to save sinners, God sent Jesus to dwell on earth with people.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

●      Younger Preschool: What is worship? Worship is singing, praying, and listening to God.

●      Older Preschool: What is worship? Worship is celebrating the greatness of God.

●      Kids: What is worship? Worship is celebrating the greatness of God.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Let’s worship God. — Psalm 95:6

●      Younger Preschool: Let’s worship God. — Psalm 95:6

●      Older Preschool: Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the LORD our Maker. — Psalm 95:6 

●      Kids: Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the LORD our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care. — Psalm 95:6-7

** Next week: The People Didn’t Go Into the Land (Numbers 13–14)

Dear families,

After all God had done for the Israelites, the story of the Israelites’ worshiping a golden calf may seem surprising. How could God’s people turn so quickly from God, who delivered them from slavery and provided for them, even after they explicitly agreed to do everything He had commanded? (See Ex. 24:3.) When we think about the reasons why Israel fell into idolatry, we recognize that we are vulnerable to the same follies.

First, we fail to obey God’s Word. The Israelites disobeyed the second of the Ten Commandments: “Do not make an idol for yourself.” This might sound like an easy commandment to keep; you aren’t crafting little statues to worship, right? Idolatry is dangerous because it’s rooted in the heart. Our idols don’t always look like golden calves. Idols are anything or anyone our sinful hearts look to, seeking what only God provides—such as true joy, meaning, or hope.

Second, we distrust God’s purposes. The Israelites stopped trusting in God, who showed Himself to be powerful and good. They wanted their false god to save them. They thought God’s plan wasn’t working, so they made a plan of their own. Are you ever tempted to do the same? When we forget who God is and think too highly of ourselves or others, we put a person in the place of God.

Third, we forget God’s grace. Aaron gave credit to the man-made idol for bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. We might convince ourselves that our success comes from the work of our own hands or the favor of other people. When we forget that every good gift comes from God, we fall into idolatry.

Finally, we fail to use our gifts to the glory of God. Don’t miss that the Israelites used the plunder from Egypt—God’s provision to them—to make the calf.  We too can often use the gifts God has given us for our own satisfaction and to draw attention to ourselves, rather than to the One who gave them to us.

God was angry with the Israelites. He is a jealous God who will not give His glory to another. (See Isa. 42:8.) Yet we see how Moses stepped in between God and the people to intercede on their behalf. As those who have Jesus Christ as our Mediator, we trust in His power to overcome our idolatries and empower us for His mission.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God forgives people through Jesus.

●      Younger Preschool: Moses talked to God for the people. When we sin, Jesus talks to God for us.

●      Older Preschool: Moses talked to God for the people. When we sin, Jesus talks to God for us. Jesus never sinned. God forgives those who trust in Jesus.

●      Kids: Moses acted as the people’s mediator, standing for them before God. Moses could not do anything to make up for their sin, but we have a better Mediator—Jesus. Jesus paid for our sin on the cross and stands for us before God. When we trust in Jesus, our sins are forgiven.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is worship? Worship is singing, praying, and listening to God.

●      Older Preschool: What is worship? Worship is celebrating the greatness of God.

●      Kids: What is worship? Worship is celebrating the greatness of God.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Let’s worship God. — Psalm 95:6

●      Younger Preschool: Let’s worship God. — Psalm 95:6

●      Older Preschool: Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the LORD our Maker. — Psalm 95:6 

●      Kids: Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the LORD our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care. — Psalm 95:6-7

** Next week: The People Built the Tabernacle (Exodus 35–40)

Dear families,

As the rescued people of Israel traveled toward the promised land, God met with Moses at Mount Sinai and made a covenant with the Israelites. We refer to this covenant as the Mosaic covenant. God promised five things in this covenant: 1) Israel will be God’s own possession; 2) Israel will be God’s kingdom of priests; 3) Israel will be a holy nation; 4) God will defend Israel from her enemies; and 5) God will be gracious, merciful, and forgiving to Israel.

Unlike His covenant with Abraham, God’s covenant with Israel was conditional: “Carefully follow every command I am giving you” (Deut. 8:1). “Be careful that you don’t forget the LORD your God by failing to keep his commands” (Deut. 8:11). “If you ever forget the LORD your God … you will certainly perish.” (Deut. 8:19). Isn’t it interesting how remembering God and obeying Him are so closely linked? You spend the most time thinking about that which you most care about. What occupies the most space in your mind? If we aren’t thinking about God, we aren’t loving Him. And if we aren’t loving Him, we aren’t obeying Him.

We can group the Ten Commandments into two categories: The first four deal with a person’s relationship with God (love God), and the last six deal with a person’s relationship with others (love others). These laws encompassed every part of the Israelites’ lives and showed what righteous living looks like.

Some people think of the Ten Commandments as a burden, but God’s rules are good and are meant to help us. The Bible is clear that we are all sinful and fall short of God’s standard for holiness. Why should we seek to obey God? Consider Jesus’ words: “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15).

Read the Ten Commandments with Jesus in mind. Our obedience cannot earn us God’s favor, and our disobedience does not separate us from Him. God is pleased with us because He looks at Jesus, who never sinned.

Because of Christ, we have a right relationship with God. He gives us power through the Holy Spirit to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” and to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37,39).

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God’s rules are best.

●      Younger Preschool: God’s rules are good, but people cannot obey them perfectly. Only Jesus obeyed God perfectly. We can trust Him to forgive our sin.

●      Older Preschool: God gave us rules to show that He is holy. Sin keeps us away from God, but Jesus came to bring us back to Him. Jesus never sinned. We can trust Him to forgive our sin.

●      Kids: God’s law shows us what He requires. Our sin separates us from a holy God, but Jesus came to bring us back to God. When we trust in Jesus, He takes away our sin and gives us His perfect righteousness.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is worship? Worship is singing, praying, and listening to God.

●      Older Preschool: What is worship? Worship is celebrating the greatness of God.

●      Kids: What is worship? Worship is celebrating the greatness of God.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Let’s worship God. — Psalm 95:6

●      Younger Preschool: Let’s worship God. — Psalm 95:6

●      Older Preschool: Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the LORD our Maker. — Psalm 95:6 

●      Kids: Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the LORD our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care. — Psalm 95:6-7

** Next week: The People Worshiped a Golden Calf (Exodus 32–34)

Dear families,

The Israelites had personally experienced God’s faithfulness as He directed them out of Egypt, fought for them as He parted the Red Sea, and then delivered them into the wilderness with the promise of a land of their own. What happened next is retold as a cautionary tale in both the Psalms and Book of Hebrews. 

The Israelites tasted freedom for the first time in 400 years, but their stomachs still rumbled. Maybe the Israelites had expected to go straight to Canaan. Instead, they were in a dry wilderness without water or food. They began to think of Egypt in a warmer light. Maybe slavery hadn’t been that bad.

Isn’t that the lie that causes us to doubt God’s goodness? God saves us from slavery to sin; is following Jesus worth it? We know the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” But when life is hard and sanctification is trying, we—like the Israelites—sometimes stop trusting God. We grumble and complain.

God, the faithful keeper of promises, did not bring His people out of Egypt to let them die in the wilderness, nor does He abandon His children today. God sent His own Son, who gave up His life to free us from sin. He promises us a new home with Him forever.

If you had been among the Israelites, how do you think you would have responded? Can you think of a time your own circumstances had you questioning God’s goodness? Let the truth of Psalm 95:7 comfort you: “For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care.”

Israel’s history is given to us in the Bible because it reflects the Christian experience. We are to learn from it. (See 1 Cor. 10:1-11.) God cares for His people. He is faithful and keeps His promises. Our journey toward our new home of eternity will be challenging and trying, but we can rely on God—trusting His leading and provision.

The Lord is worthy of our trust and worship. The Israelites needed this reminder, and so do we. Trust Him and obey Him because His way is better than any plan you can conceive. He is a providing shepherd who will lead us.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Jesus gives people life forever.

●      Younger Preschool: God gave His people food and water. Later, God gave the world His Son, Jesus. Jesus gives people life forever.

●      Older Preschool: When God’s people were hungry and thirsty, God gave them food and water. Later, God sent His Son, Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). Bread and water give people life for a little while, but Jesus gives people life forever.

●      Kids: God provided water and manna for His people’s physical hunger. Later, He provided His Son, Jesus, for our spiritual hunger. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). The Israelites needed bread to live for a little while, but whoever has Jesus will live forever.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: What is worship? Worship is singing, praying, and listening to God.

●      Older Preschool: What is worship? Worship is celebrating the greatness of God.

●      Kids: What is worship? Worship is celebrating the greatness of God.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Let’s worship God. — Psalm 95:6

●      Younger Preschool: Let’s worship God. — Psalm 95:6

●      Older Preschool: Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the LORD our Maker. — Psalm 95:6 

●      Kids: Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the LORD our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care. — Psalm 95:6-7

** Next week: God Gave the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19–20)

Dear families,

God’s people were finally free. After 430 years of slavery in Egypt, the Israelites—now numbering 600,000 men plus their families—were on their way out with Moses as their leader. God had promised to give them a new land: “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:17).

What did sudden freedom feel like? Did the Israelites feel strong and courageous? Did they feel nervous and vulnerable? Regardless of their thoughts and emotions, one thing was certain: God was with them.

We see in the story of Exodus 13–15 that God directed His people, fought for His people, and ultimately delivered His people.

First, God directed His people. We see this clearly in God’s choice of the route for the Israelites. God knew if the Israelites took the road into the land of the Philistines, they would face war and decide to go back to Egypt. So God led them toward the Red Sea. He knew Pharaoh would pursue them.

Would Pharaoh stop God’s plans? No. On the contrary, the threat of Pharaoh and his army would bring God glory and cause the Egyptians to know that the God of the Israelites is the Lord.

The Egyptians pursued the Israelites, and God fought for His people. Imagine the Israelites’ fear in seeing their oppressors approaching. They were terrified! First, they cried out to God for help. Then they turned to Moses with accusations. Had Moses brought them there to die? Moses was confident: “Don’t be afraid. … The LORD will fight for you” (Ex. 14:13-14).

And He did. God parted the waves of the Red Sea for the Israelites to walk through. When the Egyptians followed, God threw them into confusion and let the waters crash back over them.

God delivered His people. The Israelites saw God’s power and did what Pharaoh and the Egyptians refused to do: They feared the Lord. Exodus 15 records their song to God, reflecting on His power and faithful love for His people.

In an even greater display of His power and faithful love, God provided His Son, Jesus. Jesus is greater than Moses.

Through faith in Jesus, God delivers us from sin and death.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Jesus is better than Moses because He saves people from sin.

●      Younger Preschool: God set His people free from the Egyptians. God sets us free from sin through His Son, Jesus.

●      Older Preschool: Moses led God’s people out of Egypt, and God made the way to freedom across the Red Sea. Moses was a great leader, but the Bible says Jesus is greater. God gives us freedom from sin through His Son, Jesus.

●      Kids: Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, and God provided a way for them to escape through the Red Sea. The Bible says that Jesus is greater than Moses. (Hebrews 3:3) People who trust in Jesus escape the penalty of sin and have eternal life.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: Does God keep His promises? Yes, God always keeps His promises.

●      Older Preschool: Does God keep His promises? Yes, God always keeps His promises.

●      Kids: Does God keep His promises? Yes, God always keeps His promises because He is faithful.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God keeps His promises. — Numbers 23:19

●      Younger Preschool: God keeps His promises. — Numbers 23:19

●      Older Preschool: God is not a man, that he might lie … Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill? — Numbers 23:19 

●      Kids: God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill? — Numbers 23:19

** Next week: God Keeps His Promises (Isaiah 9)

Dear families,

God’s heart is for His people. When the Israelites cried out to the Lord, He heard them and had a plan to rescue them from their suffering.

That’s why God called Moses back to Egypt. Though Moses had been raised among the royal household in Egypt, his heart was for his own people too. God chose Moses to deliver the enslaved Israelites after a series of plagues

God’s purpose in sending the plagues was not only to get His people out of Egypt; the plagues would put God’s power on display and stand as acts of judgment against the Egyptians. (See Ex. 7:4-5.) The plagues made life in Egypt uncomfortable. In some instances, the people suffered terribly.

The plagues did convince some of Pharaoh’s officials to take God’s word seriously, but other Egyptians—including Pharaoh—refused to humble themselves. It was the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn, that finally got Pharaoh to send the Israelites out of his land.

The heart of the gospel is found in the story of the Passover. The Israelite people were sinful; they deserved death just as much as the Egyptians did, but God graciously provided a way out to keep the promises He made to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 and to Abraham in Genesis 12 and 15.

At the Passover, the Israelites killed a lamb instead. By marking their doorposts with the blood of a lamb, the Israelites were spared from the judgment and death they deserved.

God kept His promise to rescue His people from the power of the Egyptians. Each year, the Israelites remembered this miraculous event by observing the Passover festival.

Jesus never sinned, but He was crucified for our sins. We too are deserving of death, but the blood of Jesus—the Lamb of God—covers all who trust in Him and sets us free from sin and death. 

God is faithful to keep His promises. He calls us to remember that Jesus has freed us from slavery to sin so we are free to live for His glory.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away sin.

●      Younger Preschool: God kept the Israelites safe. Everyone who trusts in Jesus is kept safe from the punishment for sin.

●      Older Preschool: God kept the Israelites safe from punishment when they put the blood of a lamb over their doors. Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus was punished for sin when He died on the cross, and everyone who trusts in Jesus is kept safe from the punishment for sin.

●      Kids: By His grace, God spared the Israelites from judgment by requiring the blood of a lamb. Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. His death was the ultimate sacrifice, and those who trust in Jesus are under His saving blood and will be passed over in the final judgment.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: Does God keep His promises? Yes, God always keeps His promises.

●      Older Preschool: Does God keep His promises? Yes, God always keeps His promises.

●      Kids: Does God keep His promises? Yes, God always keeps His promises because He is faithful.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God keeps His promises. — Numbers 23:19

●      Younger Preschool: God keeps His promises. — Numbers 23:19

●      Older Preschool: God is not a man, that he might lie … Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill? — Numbers 23:19 

●      Kids: God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill? — Numbers 23:19

** Next week: God Parted the Red Sea (Exodus 13–15)

Dear families,

Moses’ life was in danger from the moment he was born. He was an Israelite—a descendant of Israel (Jacob)—living in Egypt after Jacob’s family had moved there, seeking food during a famine.

Four hundred years later, this family had grown and multiplied. Moses’ parents, Amran and Jochebed, likely lived in fear of the pharaoh who ruled Egypt and took drastic measures to oppress the Israelites. Could God’s promises for His people stand against such opposition?

Jochebed hid her baby boy as long as she could—about three months—before she put him in a basket among the reeds of the river. She couldn’t have known that Pharaoh’s daughter would find him and want to raise him as her own, or that the princess would let Jochebed care for him until he was old enough to be raised as an Egyptian prince. She couldn’t have known that her son would grow up to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt. But God knew. All along, God had a plan for Moses and His people.

God appeared to Moses years later. Moses was a shepherd then, having grown up in Egypt’s royal household only to flee as a murderer to Midian. There, Moses started a family and worked as a shepherd, perhaps never imagining he would see Egypt again.

But one night, God drew a curious Moses to Himself and spoke through a burning bush. You see, God remembered the promise He made to Eve in Genesis 3. He remembered His covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12, which He repeated to Isaac and Jacob. So many years had passed, but God remembered His promises.

Moses was inadequate for the task of rescuing the Israelites, but God promised His power and presence. So in the early chapters of Exodus, we see Moses return to Egypt to confront Pharaoh—acting as a mediator between the Israelites and their burdensome king.

As you consider Moses’ calling, look forward to an even greater calling and rescue—the call of Jesus to come to earth to save God’s people from their sin. Jesus is greater than Moses. Moses delivered God’s people from physical captivity; Jesus delivers God’s people from captivity to sin and death.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God sent Jesus to rescue people.

●      Younger Preschool: God chose Moses to save God’s people from the king of Egypt. God planned and sent Jesus to earth to save people from sin.

●      Older Preschool: God saved Moses’ life so Moses could grow up and save God’s people from the Egyptian pharaoh. God planned for His Son, Jesus, to save people in an even better way. God sent Jesus to earth, and Jesus gave up His life to save us from our sin.

●      Kids: God saved Moses’ life and called him to rescue God’s people from slavery. The calling of Moses points to a greater calling and rescue—the call of Jesus to come to earth to save God’s people. Jesus gave up His life to save us from slavery to sin.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Younger Preschool: Does God keep His promises? Yes, God always keeps His promises.

●      Older Preschool: Does God keep His promises? Yes, God always keeps His promises.

●      Kids: Does God keep His promises? Yes, God always keeps His promises because He is faithful.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

●      Babies & Toddlers: God keeps His promises. — Numbers 23:19

●      Younger Preschool: God keeps His promises. — Numbers 23:19

●      Older Preschool: God is not a man, that he might lie … Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill? — Numbers 23:19 

●      Kids: God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill? — Numbers 23:19

** Next week: God Delivered His People (Exodus 5–12)