Day 4 - How Grace Works
I shall be a kind soul and type out all the questions in the book so that you don’t
have to lug the big brown book around on Sunday. Your welcome!
Heart of the lesson (in other words, this is pretty much what you should drum into
your kids' heads if they possess an incredibly short attention span/memory, just
like my kiddies): Grace is God's free gift of redemption. It causes us to repent
and to think again when we find ourselves in a bad way. It prompts us to return,
putting us back on a godlier path.
ENTER HERE:
Ask them what their definition of God's grace is or what comes to mind when
the 'grace of God' is mentioned.
The accepted definition would be of course, the unconditional love of God for us
expressed through the offering up of Jesus to serve the penalty of death for our
sins.
But PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do add in your own personal feelings to the
subject of his grace (textbook answers are true, but such a bore). When I think
of the grace of God, I think of steadfast love, compassion, mercy—a kind of
unconditional acceptance that is unlike human love.
Question 1 is optional (Why do you think some people can’t accept God’s free
gift of grace?).
Now on to the main course:
God has given us this beautifully wrapped gift of grace, that when opened,
breaks the shackles of sin that bind us. Ask them if they have ever twisted grace
to suit their own selfishness, to consciously choose to sin knowing God will
forgive and forget. DON’T FORGET TO SHARE TOO!
Link to question 2 (What does the bible say to those who use grace for their own
benefit?) after reading Romans 6:15-18.
Grace is the unconditional love of God for us, exactly as we are, apart from our
own efforts. This is the accepted definition of "grace," with the ending phrase
reassuring us that we have no worries about our present state of sinfulness.
Still, my soul tells me there is a caveat.
We must accept this grace in a special way known to God and us. This
acceptance must include, "How can I thank You?" For above all, we must return
His love. And the best way to do so is to live a life that glorifies him.
Therefore, simply defining grace as ‘God’s unmerited favour’ is incomplete for
scripture teaches us that there is more to grace. Read Titus 2:11-12.
Grace is defined in Scripture as something that teaches us how to live! Doesn’t
sound like the traditional definition of grace huh!
Ask question 4 (Have you every returned to a habitual sin or an old way of living?
What made you return? Describe your thoughts now after reading more about
God’s grace.)
Remind them that since Jesus came, we have a choice of whether to sin or
not. We are no longer slaves to sin and therefore the ‘sinful nature of humans’
no longer applies to us who follow Jesus. Read Romans 6:14 if your kids don’t
believe you!
APPLICATION!
After reading Ephesians 2:8-10, read Titus 2:11-12 again.
If possible, ask them to find a little corner for themselves and reflect on the
following:
-The one thing/object they really want right now (the ipad 2 etc.)
-The last sin they committed (lying, procrastination, sloth)
Ask them to spend the next few minutes talking to God.
YOU close in prayer. (Don’t forget to ask our Father to help them abstain from
worldly desires and temptations)
LOOK HERE IF YOU NEED HELP: Grace is something that cannot be earned.
You receive it the moment you believe. However, simply believing is not enough
blah blah blah…
HAVE FUN!
OH! And don’t forget to pray!
Done by Caitlyn!!!
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