Thursday, May 15, 2014

The Gospel Project Family Devotions-Week of May 11-May 17, 2014

Volume 7 Adult/Kids Connections (SPR 2014) 

Unit 21, Session 4: Zechariah, Prophet to Judah 
Zechariah 1–14 

Christ Connection: God was going to help His people and give them a different kind of king. Jesus is the King who came and rode humbly on a donkey, just as Zechariah said. Because Zechariah's prophecy came true in Jesus, we can have hope and forgiveness of sins when we trust in Jesus. 

Adult Connection Point: 
Jesus is the true manna, the miracle provision of food from heaven. Because we need life, we go to Him in faith. Because we delight in Him, we continue to believe in Him. We return to this food again and again. We work at believing, knowing that God’s will is for us to be sustained and satisfied by Jesus—the Bread of life. 

Left to ourselves, we are hopeless. If the weight of salvation were upon our shoulders, then no one would be saved. It is indeed impossible with man. But Jesus answered with some of the most comforting words in the Scriptures: “What is impossible with men is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). The reason our plight is so utterly hopeless outside of the Father’s initiative to draw us to Christ is because of our passion for self-preservation. 

We don’t want to die. We don’t want to give up the things we believe give us life. Even when the Israelites were given the provision of the manna in the wilderness, they grumbled and longed for the days when they ate pots full of meat, leeks, and garlic. They forgot those hearty meals came at the price of slavery. Our problem, like theirs, is that even when we have been delivered from the things that once ruled over us and 
enslaved us, we can still wish we were back in chains. 

Family Devotion: 
Materials: paper, pencil, timer 

Gather your family and instruct them on how to play a game of “Shout it Out!” Allow them one minute to shout and guess 10 things associated with a king. Use the list of 10 things below or create your own. Start the timer and go! 

Things associated with a king: crown, palace, queen, servants, scepter, throne, army, 
banquet, horses, robe 

Recall the Bible story. Ask, “What did God command His people to do at the beginning of the Bible story?” God was angry with His people. The Israelites parents, grandparents and great grandparents had not listened to God. God sent prophet after prophet, but they still kept sinning. God told this generation of people to “Return to Me, and I will return to you.” 

Challenge your kids to recall some of the visions God gave to Zechariah about the future 
of Israel. 

Read Zechariah 9:9 from the Bible. Ask, “What were some words God used to describe this new king to Zechariah?” Remind your kids of God’s promise to bring a special king. 

This king would bring peace to everyone. He would arrive riding a donkey. One day everyone will worship Him. Only Jesus fits this role and position of King! 

Pray, thanking God for sending Jesus so you can have hope and forgiveness of sins through Him. 

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