The Parent Weekly for April 23rd, God is Compassionate
What we learned today
Big Idea: God is compassionate
Feeding of the 5,000. Matthew 14v13–21; John 6v1–15. Jesus saw the needs of the people around him and fed them fish and loaves.
Where we're headed next time
Big Idea: God is near
Walking on Water. Matthew 14v22–36; John 6v16–21. Jesus came to his disciples during the night and helped Peter when he was sinking in water.
Did you know?
Share these facts to get the conversation started:
Scripture tells us that it wasn’t until the fourth watch of the night that Jesus met the men out on the water.
For sailors, the night is divided into four sections, or “watches.” The fourth watch is the one during the darkest hours of the night.
When Jesus came to the disciples, they had been on the sea for eight to twelve hours! Clearly, they were exhausted and afraid.
Peter walked out on the water to meet Jesus and then took his eyes off of Jesus because he was afraid. As Peter began to sink, he shouted, “Save me!” Jesus reached out and saved him.
Connect as a family
Find a closet or space just big enough for your family to gather in and read together Matthew 14v22–36. Consider turning off the lights and using a flashlight to read by. Invite older kids to the read the passage out loud. Marvel together at the fact that Jesus came to the disciples at night by walking on water. Discuss together Peter’s response. Talk about how even though we can’t see Jesus, we can know His presence because He is always with us!
After reading the Scripture passage, discuss these questions together:
How do you think the disciples felt in the middle of the storm?
What happened after Peter became afraid and took his eyes off of Jesus?
How does it feel to know God is always near you?
These questions can easily extend into the rest of the week. Look for opportunities to bring conversations about how God Is Near into your everyday life as a family.
Blessing
Blessings are often used in the Bible. A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide.
A blessing to pray over your child: (Child’s name), may you know that God is near you in hard times.
