Ruth

Hello Aletheia Parents and Guardians,

 

    This week's lesson is about Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. Only two books in the Old Testament bear the name of a woman: Ruth and Esther. Ruth’s story occurs at the time when judges ruled over Israel. God’s people were characterized by rebellion and immorality. At a time when the Israelites desperately needed a king to lead them back to God, Ruth’s story of faithfulness points us to Jesus Christ, a coming Redeemer who will make all wrong things right again. 

    Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, a woman from Bethlehem who settled in Moab with her husband and two sons to escape a famine. Naomi’s husband died, and her two sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. They lived in Moab for 10 years; then Naomi’s sons died. 

    Naomi heard that the Lord had provided food for His people during the famine, so she decided to go back to Judah. Naomi encouraged Orpah and Ruth to return to their families. Orpah returned home, but Ruth clung to Naomi. Ruth said, “Wherever you go, I will go … your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16). So Naomi and Ruth traveled back to Bethlehem together. Naomi permitted Ruth to gather fallen grain in a field. The owner of the field was Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband and a family redeemer. A family redeemer was someone who would help his close relatives if they were in trouble. Boaz noticed Ruth and told her she could safely gather grain in his field. At Naomi’s urging, Ruth sought to be redeemed by Boaz. Boaz bought back the land Naomi and Ruth had lost when their husbands died, and he married Ruth. They had a son named Obed, whose grandson would be King David. 

    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. God gave Ruth—a foreigner—a special place in the lineage of Jesus Christ. 

 

As you talk about this story with your kids, introduce them to Jesus, our Redeemer. He bought for us salvation, paying the price with His very own blood. 

 

Please feel free to forward this resource to anyone who may benefit from it. 

 

FAMILY STARTING POINTS

Babies and Toddlers

○ God helps us obey Him. 

○ God used Boaz to take care of Ruth and Naomi. 

○ God sent Jesus to earth through Ruth’s family. 

○ Jesus died on the cross and came back to life to redeem us. 

Preschool

○ What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus. ○ God provided for Ruth and Naomi. 

 

UNIT KEY PASSAGE 

1 John 1:9 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)



NEXT WEEK 

“Hannah and Samuel” (1 Samuel 1–3)

 

If you have already created a Ministry Grid/Life Way account, please click the link below to access this week's lesson:

 

https://curriculum.lifeway.com/#/easy-link/KNDJ/9141903b-f5ba-44b6-d3fc-afd4287eeb2e

 

If you don’t have a Ministry Grid/Life Way account you will need to create one

to access the FREE Digital Pass. This Digital Pass experience is a temporary resource to supplement Sunday School from home. There will be a video session with a downloadable activity page available weekly. To get the Digital Pass and access LifeWay Kids at Home, please follow the steps below:



Step 1: Go to my.lifeway.com/redeem

Step 2: Register if you are a new user or log in if you already have an account

Step 3: Enter this redemption code: VZMD4SSQ38

Step 4: Click "Access" (if prompted to sign in again, sign in)

Step 5: Once you have an account made, please click the link I posted above to access the lesson.

lessons from samson

Hello Aletheia Parents and Guardians,

 

    This week's lesson is about Samson. He was the last of the major judges of Israel. He was born to parents who dedicated him to the Lord as a Nazirite after the Angel of the Lord announced that Samson would be born to save the Israelites from the power of the Philistines. Samson grew up, and God blessed him with great strength. But when Samson requested to marry a Philistine woman, his parents were confused. Samson was supposed to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines. Why would he want to marry one of them? But God had a plan in all of this. (See Judg. 14:4.) 

    As Samson prepared for the wedding, he gave a riddle to the men with him about an event that occurred on his way to Timnah. (See Judg. 14:9-14.) Days passed, and the men convinced Samson’s wife to tell them the answer to the riddle. This action sparked a series of events that would eventually lead to the death of Samson. 

    When the men solved his riddle, Samson was so angry that he torched the fields of the Philistines. He used the jawbone of a donkey to kill 1,000 men, and he left his wife. The Philistine leaders determined to kill Samson. When Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, the leaders bribed her into telling them where Samson’s strength came from. 

    A man came and shaved the braids from Samson’s head. He lost his strength and became helpless. The Philistines gouged out his eyes and took him prisoner. They had him stand between the pillars of a pagan temple. In a final plea to God, Samson asked for his strength back. God gave him strength, and Samson knocked over the pillars, collapsing the temple. In his death, Samson killed more Philistines than he had killed in his life. (Judg. 16:30) 

    Though Samson disobeyed God, God used him to accomplish His purpose of delivering the Israelites from the Philistines. As you talk to your kids about this story this week, remind them that Samson’s sin led to his own death, but God used his death to save the Israelites from their enemies. Samson’s story reminds us of Jesus. Jesus never sinned, but God sent Him to die on the cross and rise again to rescue people from sin and give them eternal life. 

 

Please forward this to any family that could benefit from this resource. 


FAMILY STARTING POINTS

Babies and Toddlers

○ God helps us obey Him. 

○ God made Samson strong to help God’s people. 

○ Samson made wrong choices, but nothing could stop God’s plan. 

○ God sent Jesus to be our Judge. 

Preschool

○ What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus. ○ God made Samson strong. 

 

UNIT KEY PASSAGE  

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)

 

NEXT WEEK

“Ruth and Boaz” (Ruth)

 

If you have already created a Ministry Grid/Life Way account, please click the link below to access this week's lesson:

 

https://curriculum.lifeway.com/#/easy-link/KNDJ/db6ddb6d-22f1-41e2-ee2f-dcedca4ea324

 

If you don’t have a Ministry Grid/Life Way account you will need to create one to access the FREE Digital Pass. This Digital Pass experience is a temporary resource to supplement Sunday School from home. There will be a video session with a downloadable activity page available weekly. To get the Digital Pass and access LifeWay Kids at Home, please follow the steps below:



Step 1: Go to my.lifeway.com/redeem

Step 2: Register if you are a new user or log in if you already have an account

Step 3: Enter this redemption code: VZMD4SSQ38

Step 4: Click "Access" (if prompted to sign in again, sign in)

Step 5: Once you have an account made, please click the link I posted above to access the lesson.

Resurrection Lesson

Hello Parents & Guardians,

    This week's lesson is particularly special. As we celebrate Easter Sunday, we are reminded how Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are essential to the Christian faith. If we teach Jesus as a respected teacher and miracle-worker who claimed to be the Messiah and who was crucified on the cross—but who was not resurrected—then we are teaching the Jesus of Judaism. If we teach Jesus as a wise teacher and prophet who ascended into heaven—but who was not crucified—then we are teaching the Jesus of Islam.

 

Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth was to save us from our sins. (Matt. 1:21) Jesus came to die to show God’s love to us (Rom. 5:7-8) so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Jesus came to die so that we would be forgiven. (Eph. 1:7) Jesus came to die to bring us to God. (1 Pet. 3:18)

 

Jesus died on the cross to satisfy the wrath of God toward sin. His resurrection proved that God was satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice. If Jesus had died but not been raised up, He would have been like military leaders who died without a throne. (Acts 5:33-37) But Jesus conquered death, just as He said He would. (John 2:19-21) If there was no resurrection, Paul says, our faith would be worthless. We would be dead in our sins. (1 Cor. 15:17)

 

But Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope for our resurrection. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will raise our bodies to life. (Rom. 8:11)

 

Jesus’ death and resurrection is the center of the gospel. In Adam, we were spiritually dead in sin, but Jesus died to pay for our sins. Jesus is alive! God gives new life to everyone who trusts in Jesus. As you share with your kids, emphasize the gospel: the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done. We do not worship a dead Savior. Jesus is alive! There is hope for sinners. Jesus’ resurrection gives believers the promise of new life. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). 

 

FAMILY STARTING POINTS

Babies and Toddlers

    • Jesus brings forgiveness and life with God forever.
    • Jesus obeyed God’s plan.
    • God sent Jesus to rescue us.
    • Jesus died on the cross and is alive.
    • People who trust in Jesus will be alive with Him forever!

Preschool

    • Jesus gives us life with God forever.
    • Why did Jesus become human? Jesus became human to rescue sinners.

UNIT KEY PASSAGE

    • John 3:30

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. (NLT)

 

NEXT WEEK

    • Samson: Judges 13-16

If you have already created a Ministry Grid/Life Way account, please click the link below to access this week's lesson:

 

https://curriculum.lifeway.com/#/easy-link/KNDJ/6363fe6a-d1f1-41d0-f519-08d4e19f1e66

 

If you don’t have a Ministry Grid/Life Way account you will need to create one to access the FREE Digital Pass. This Digital Pass experience is a temporary resource to supplement Sunday School from home. There will be a video session with a downloadable activity page available weekly. To get the Digital Pass and access LifeWay Kids at Home, please follow the steps below:



Step 1: Go to my.lifeway.com/redeem

Step 2: Register if you are a new user or log in if you already have an account

Step 3: Enter this redemption code: VZMD4SSQ38

Step 4: Click "Access" (if prompted to sign in again, sign in)

Step 5: Once you have an account made, please click the link I posted above to access the lesson.


May God's Spirit lead you in your teaching of your child/children!

Ms. Natalie