City Kids Parent Take-Home
1 Samuel 1, 3
Big truth: God’s people should obey and share God’s Word, the Bible.
Christ connection: Jesus is the Word – God’s best message to the world.
Faith Response: Children who are eager to know God more through the Bible.
Memory verse: Proverbs 14:12, 27
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
Dinner-table questions
- Samuel’s name means “heard of God.” What was special about Samuel’s birth? What was God’s plan for Samuel?
Hannah couldn’t have a baby, but God answered her prayers. God used Samuel as a judge and prophet to lead and speak to his sinful people. - God told Samuel some difficult things about Eli and Eli’s sons: they were bad leaders who had dishonoured God, so they would be punished. Why was it good that God spoke to Samuel? (See ch 3:1, 20)
God is just: He deals with sin. After years of silence, God speaks! He hadn’t left his people. He was giving them a new leader to speak God’s words to them. - What does it mean for Jesus to be the Word of God?
Jesus is God’s best message to the world! He shows exactly what God is like, and our sin, and His rescue. Jesus is good news! Jesus is proof that God has dealt with our sin and made us right. Jesus is proof that God loves us and is near to us. It’s through Jesus that we can know God. - God still speaks to us today through the Bible; that’s how we can know Him better. What are some ways that our family can hear God’s Word?
Reading the Bible together. Remembering verses. Listening in church. Singing songs about Jesus.
Family activity: Who is Calling?
Choose one person to be Samuel. He/She should close their eyes. Silently choose someone else to say “Samuel”, trying to disguise their voice. Samuel should wake up and point to the person he thinks called out “Samuel”. If Samuel guesses correctly, the person who called becomes the new Samuel.
Thankfully, we don’t have to guess what God has said. God sent Jesus, and has given us the Bible.
You might discuss with your children that not everyone believes the Bible, but why we know it’s God’s true word. (Check out ‘How do we know that Christianity is really true?’ in the library)
Link love
The Biggest Story podcast: Spotify / Apple
This week’s Bible story video: