Season: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain
Episode 14: “Be Wise!”
Today’s Bible Bite: Matthew 7:24-27

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6S3cRVLMFQ (Saddleback Kids – The Parable of the Two Builders)

“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.” (James 3:13, NLT)

At the end of Jesus’ sermon, he closed with a warning. Those who listened to His words and then obeyed would be wise: however, those who had heard, but then chose to ignore the things He had taught them would be foolish…and would suffer the consequences. He compared the wise and foolish to two builders. Those who took Jesus’ lessons to heart would be like a man who built his house on a rock. Rock isn’t the easiest place to build from, but those who make the effort to build a strong home on a strong foundation, don’t have to worry when a storm comes—their house will stand firm. Those who obey Jesus, even though it takes effort and can be quite difficult sometimes, also will handle the troubles of life better—the storms will come, but they will remain strong because they have Jesus helping them.

However, those who choose the easy way are like the one who built on the sand. Sure, the building may be easy and the location seems perfect—who doesn’t like a seaside location?—but when the rain begins to hit the beach, the sand shifts and the building will collapse. When we aren’t building our life on Jesus’ teachings and obeying the good things He taught, we will find ourselves collapsing too—because everything we build our life on will end up shifting and washing away. Jesus didn’t teach these things because He didn’t want us to enjoy life, but rather so that we could get the most enjoyment out of life possible—not just here on earth, but in heaven with Him forever, too!

Think about it...
• Jesus made it clear that it wasn’t good enough to just listen to His sermon. What did He say we should do about all the things He taught?
• Jesus said that people who obeyed what He taught were like a wise builder. How?
• He also said that people who chose to disobey were like foolish builders. How?
• It is important for us to always obey God. We will make mistakes sometimes, but God tells us that if we ask Him to, He will forgive us and help us to do better. What areas of obedience do you need God to help you with?
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Prayer: Thank you, God, that Jesus has provided us with instructions to live by. Help me to be wise and obey. Please show me when I’m being like the foolish builder and doing things my own way. Help me to be more like Jesus each and everyday!
~ Pastor Jane

Season: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain
Episode 13: “Actions Speak Louder Than Words”
Today’s Bible Bite: Matthew 7:15-20
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Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSTDLrcVDKI (Douglas Talks – Rooted in Christ)

“Just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” (Matthew 7:20, NLT)

Just because someone goes to church, or has a Bible, or even talks about God, does not mean that they are a Christian. The only way to truly be able to identify someone as being a follower of Jesus is to watch their actions—do they act in ways that are loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, gentle, good, faithful and self-controlled? When God’s Holy Spirit lives in a person, He helps them become like Jesus, who was all of these things and more! Our words are not enough, but must be backed up by action. God doesn’t just want us to talk about Him, He wants us to show everyone that we know Him by the way we behave.

Think about it...
• Being a Christian means that you literally follow Jesus. How do we do that?
• Jesus was loving and compassionate. How can I be loving and compassionate?
• Jesus always obeyed God. How can I obey God?
• Jesus knew that His life was to be spent serving others. How can we serve others and show generosity?
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Prayer: Thank you, God, that you tell us how to live in a way that pleases you. You don’t just want us trying to ‘fake’ our way to heaven…you want us to allow the Holy Spirit to change and do good things, just like Jesus did. Help us put our faith to action!
~ Pastor Jane

Season: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain
Episode 12: “A Choice to Be Made”
Today’s Bible Bite: Matthew 7:13-14

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFKK_sDfUqM (Sharefaith Kids – Matthew 7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gzf0kpzYa0 (TheBible Applied – Jesus Is…)

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6, NLT)

Life is like the first stage of a trip and, in this stage, we have to choose our destination for the remainder of our trip. Can you imagine planning a vacation, but not having any idea where you wanted to go? Or imagine having a destination, but not having directions to get there? Jesus told us that we have two destinations to choose from after this life. We can either go to heaven to be with Him or we can go to hell. Hell is an awful place and no one would choose to go there, but too many people end up there because they don’t make plans to go to heaven. If we go through life with no plan to get to heaven, we automatically will end up in hell because, in order to get to heaven, we need to get on the right path now.

So, how do we get on the path to heaven? You must first know Jesus—only those with a relationship with Him can go there. It’s His home and He wants all of His friends to be there. If we choose to travel the path to hell, we will never make it to heaven. This makes God sad, but He lets us make the choice. A relationship with Him is something we must choose now, so that we can arrive at heaven where we will live forever with God.

Think about it...
• There are two paths that we can take in life. Where does the broad path lead?
• The narrow path is the one that will take us to heaven. How do we get on that path?
• Jesus told us that He was the way to heaven. Why do we need Jesus to get to heaven?
• Hell is a real place that was not made for people. Why did God make hell?
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Prayer: Thank you, God, that you give us all the choice to live with you forever in heaven. The Bible tells us that heaven is an amazing place. Thank you, Jesus, that you made it possible for your friends to live with you. Help me to always be your good friend!
~ Pastor Jane

"Heroes of the Bible” – Solomon, King David’s son and successor, is well-known for his great wisdom, which we find in the book of Proverbs. He is also the king God chose to build His Temple. Solomon was also the wisest man who ever lived…yet his story contains some pretty big mistakes. Solomon was far from perfect, but his story reminds us of God’s good gifts and great patience for us.

Today’s Lesson - “Solomon – Wise, Yet Still Foolish”

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrEMxriExcM (Bible Pathways – Solomon the Temple Builder)

Today’s Hero – Solomon (1 Kings 1-11)

King David and his wife Bathsheba had a son named Solomon. Even though David had other wives, and other sons who were older than Solomon, he promised Bathsheba that her son would replace him as king someday. Solomon ruled Israel during its ‘golden age’—the country was strong and wealthy; Solomon is known for making some very good choices…and some very bad ones…and ultimately the kingdom ended up split in two because of him.

As a young king, God came to him and asked him what gift he might like. Solomon asked God to make him wise. This request pleased God. Not only did he make Solomon wise, but he also made him wealthy, kept him safe from his enemies and allowed him to grow to an old age. Solomon used his wisdom to make some very good decisions and as long as he obeyed God things went well.

David, Solomon’s father, had wanted to build God a Temple, but God had told him that it was his son, Solomon, who would do it. Solomon took seven years to build a Temple for God and when it was dedicated, God sent fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice to show that He was pleased.

But not every decision Solomon made pleased God. Solomon loved to collect things…including wives! Solomon would make alliances with other leaders by marrying their daughters. Solomon had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines—that’s 1,000 wives! And for each of his royal wives he built places of worship to their gods…and even worshipped with them. For being a wiseman, this was an incredibly foolish choice.

As a result, God refused to allow Solomon’s son to reign over the whole of Israel and the country was divided in two—Israel and Judah. In the years that followed, some of the kings of Judah were good like David had been, but most were not; but the kings of Israel were a bad bunch on the whole—they all ended up worshipping idols the way that Solomon had. Eventually, God would punish both Israel and Judah, but not before giving them many chances to make things right again. Unfortunately, for the most part, they did not. King Solomon had begun with lots of hope, but ended up a failure.

Engage:
• Solomon was not King David’s oldest son, who would normally become the next king. Why might David have made Solomon his successor?
• When God told Solomon He would give him one gift he asked for, he could have asked for anything. Why do you think he asked for wisdom?
• God was pleased with his request and gave him far more than just wisdom. What other gifts did God promise?
• Just because God gave Solomon wisdom, doesn’t mean he always used it. What unwise decisions did Solomon make during his life?
• God promises to give wisdom to anyone who asks Him to, but like Solomon we still have the choice to act wisely or not. What wise choices can you make today?

Theme verses:
James 1:5-6, NLT - “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”
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Prayer – Dear God, thank you that you love to give wisdom to anyone who asks you for it. Help us to always make wise decisions; help us not to get in the habit of making some poor choices like Solomon did. And when we do make foolish choices help us to recognize it and ask for your forgiveness.
~ Pastor Jane

Season: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain
Episode 11: “The Golden Rule”
Today’s Bible Bite: Matthew 7:12

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XKYw5ll3L8 (Douglas Talks – Golden Rule)

“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” (Luke 6:31, NLT)

God is serious about us treating others well—with kindness, respect and generosity—just like we want to be treated. God loves all people; He doesn’t have any favourites. God made the first people in His image—with the ability to choose, to love Him and to have a relationship with Him. That’s why He loves each one of us the same—which is more than we will ever be able to imagine. Because God loves and cares for each person, He expects us to love others the same way. This might mean standing up for someone who is being bullied. It might mean helping your elderly or sick neighbour with their yard work. It could be donating food to a foodbank, providing a place to sleep for someone who needs a home or just being a friend. There is no limit to the ways that we can show kindness, respect and generosity to others. And best of all, God loves when we love others and treat them the way we want others to treat us.

Think about it...
• God wants us to treat others well. Why is this so important to God?
• Sometimes it can be hard to be nice to people, because they aren’t nice to us. Does God still expect us to treat them kindly?
• There are many ways to be kind. Can you think of someone who needs help? What could you do today and over the next days to treat them the way you would like to be treated if you were in their situation?
• God loves us, even when we aren’t being particularly loveable. How can we show God that we love Him too?
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Prayer: Thank you, God, that you love all people—even those we might have difficulty loving. Help us to find ways to be kind and treat others the way we want to be treated, not because they are kind to us, but because you want us to.
~ Pastor Jane

Season: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain
Episode 10: “God is a Good Father”
Today’s Bible Bite: Matthew 7:7-11

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6S6lPvAY4U (Calvary Chapel – “Good Good Father”)

“If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11, NLT)

Jesus wanted people to understand that God was a good Father. Sometimes, people think that God is always angry and just waiting to punish when we make mistakes. But Jesus said that wasn’t true at all. God loves us and likes to help us. Yes, He will discipline us when we need correction, but He also is ready to show us His love. When we need something, we shouldn’t hesitate to ask…and we should keep asking until our need is met. Sometimes God doesn’t always answer as quickly as we would like, or in the way we think is best…but God will always do what is better than we can even begin to think or imagine!

Think about it...
• Jesus told us that when we need something, we should ask God for it. Why do some people not ask God for His help?
• Some people think that God is an angry God. How would you describe God to one of your friends?
• We can always ask God to help us. What should we do if our prayers don’t seem to be answered?
• Sometimes we get impatient with God. Why does God sometimes take His time to answer our prayers?
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Prayer: Thank you, God, that you love us and you love it when we come to you…for help…to talk…or just to spend time with you. Help us to always remember that you love each one of us more than we can ever begin to understand and that we should never hesitate to come to you when we have a need.
~ Pastor Jane

"Heroes of the Bible” – Many people have not heard of today’s hero, Abigail, but she played a very important role in King David’s life. By using her good wisdom and keeping her cool, she prevented David from taking revenge and committing murder!
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Today’s Lesson - “Abigail – Keeping Her Cool”

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YgRbYrMZoI (Online Church: Kids – “God Helps Abigail Make Peace”)

Today’s Hero – Abigail (1 Samuel 25)

During the years that David lived on the run (trying to stay safe from the jealous King Saul), he and his men moved from place to place. No matter where they lived, David always expected his men to be respectful of the people who lived there; sometimes, they would even serve as protectors, making certain that everyone was safe. One of the people who had enjoyed David’s protection was a rich man named Nabal.

Nabal was a greedy, ill-tempered man who did not easily share. During the sheep-shearing time (when they would shave the wool off of the sheep), it was customary to celebrate and to extend hospitality to others by giving gifts of food. David asked some of his men to go to Nabal to ask him to share with them, but Nabal refused. Not only that, but he insulted David.

When the men reported Nabal’s answer to David, he was furious and decided right then and there to kill Nabal and all the men of his household. One of Nabal’s servants who had overheard Nabal’s nasty reply went to Abigail, Nabal’s wife, and told her what had happened. If someone didn’t do something quick, they would all be in big trouble!

Abigail didn’t hesitate. She gathered a bunch of food and rode out to meet David. She pleaded with him to reconsider his decision and asked him to forgive her wicked husband. She also praised David for his good judgement and warned him not to recklessly risk his reputation by taking vengeance. David listened to Abigail and realized that he should take her advice, accepted her gift, and promised not to hurt her husband. But that’s not all that happened…

When Abigail got home, her husband Nabal was throwing a big party and was very drunk, so she waited until morning to tell him what she had done. But when she told him the next day how she had helped David, and spared Nabal’s life, Nabal had a stroke and then died ten days later! When David heard that Abigail was now a widow, he sent word to her to ask her to become his wife. Abigail gladly accepted David’s proposal and became one of King David’s wives.

Engage:
• Nabal was a wicked and ill-tempered man; Abigail was a wise woman. Do you think it was easy for Abigail to be married to Nabal?
• David had protected Nabal’s men and herds and it was reasonable for him to ask Nabal for some food during sheep-shearing. Why do you think Nabal was so mean?
• When David heard Nabal’s response he wanted to take revenge. What was his plan?
• A servant warned Abigail and she immediately responded. How did she calm the situation?
• Nabal had a stroke and died after Abigail told him what she had done. How did God take care of Abigail when she became a widow?

Theme verses:
1 Samuel 25:33, NLT - “Thank God for your good sense! Bless you, Abigail, for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands.”
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Prayer – Dear God, thank you for Abigail’s example. She used good judgement, trusted you and was able to avert trouble. She didn’t panic and was able to keep her cool. Help me to follow her example when I face troubles too.
~ Pastor Jane

Season: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain
Episode 9: “Be Careful Not to Point Fingers”
Today’s Bible Bite: Matthew 7:1-5

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VmlkG8O6ag (LifeKids – The Log and the Speck)

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37, NLT)
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Jesus warned us about only seeing the faults in others and ignoring our own. It’s okay to want to help someone when we see that they’re having trouble, but too often we look down on people who do things we think are ‘bad.’ But God tells us that there isn’t anyone who is good. We all do things that are bad, so we should never look down on someone for their mistakes...or think of ourselves as better, because we all make mistakes. Some people think that Jesus meant we should never judge something as good or bad, but that’s isn’t what He said at all. He didn’t mean we shouldn’t try to help others when we see them making mistakes. We should, but we first need to make certain that we aren’t guilty of stuff we haven’t dealt with or have been trying to ignore.

Think about it...
• People make mistakes and bad choices. Why shouldn’t we look down on others when they do?
• We are never to condemn others or think we’re better than them. When someone is having trouble with a problem, what should we do instead?
• Sometimes we don’t see the things we do as bad, even when they are. How can we be sure not to let any ‘logs’ get in our ‘eyes?’
• God is the judge because only He is perfect. Why shouldn’t we judge others as ‘bad?’

Prayer: Thank you, God, that even though we make mistakes, you still love us…all of us! No one is more special than another and no one is worse than another…we all make bad choices. Jesus is the only one who lived a perfect life. Help me not to judge someone as ‘bad,’ but always be ready to help and to remember that I need help sometimes too.
~ Pastor Jane

Season: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain
Episode 8: “Put Money in Its Place”
Today’s Bible Bite: Matthew 6:19-44

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG1LjFO99dA (Saddleback Kids – Don’t Worry)

“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:21, NLT)

Money is a part of life—we need it to buy things like food and clothing and it helps us to afford things we want like toys and vacations. But the Bible warns us not to rely on money to take care of us. The only thing we can count on with 100% certainty is God and when it comes to money, He tells us not to allow it to take up too much of our attention. God wants His children to be generous, sharing what we have with others; He wants us to remember to take care of others who are less fortunate than us, which means spending our money to help others, not hoarding it and keeping it all for ourselves. God knows that when we put too much trust in having money, we can become obsessed with getting more or worried when we don’t think we have enough. Jesus promised that when we, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, God will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33). So, instead of trying to have lots of money, we should focus on living for God, and as we do we will be ‘storing up treasure in heaven’—now that’s a secure account!

Think about it...
• Money is not bad, but paying too much attention to it can be. What can happen when we focus too much on money?
• God tells us to share what we have with others, which includes our money. Why is it sometimes hard to share?
• No matter how much money we have during this life, no one takes any of it to heaven. What kind of treasure are we supposed to be collecting?
• Jesus warned His followers that money can keep us from being able to serve God. How can that happen?
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Prayer: Thank you, God, that it doesn’t matter how much money we have...whether we have a lot or a little, you tell us to share with others. Our focus in life should be on serving you, not only filling bank accounts full of money, having an awesome RRSP or having lots of stuff. When we are living for you, you have promised to take care of us.
~ Pastor Jane

Season: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain
Episode 7: “Forgive!”
Today’s Bible Bite: Matthew 6:14-15

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtBjdIO4AnI (Veggie Tales – “God Wants Me to Forgive Them”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG_WLYUN_Hw (Douglas Talks – “Forgiveness”)

“Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” (Matthew 6:12, NLT)

God wants to forgive us. When we recognize that we’ve made a mistake and tell God that we’re sorry—really sorry—He forgives us, just like that, because of what Jesus has done for us! But there is one catch—God also wants us to forgive others. If we refuse to forgive others, every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we are literally asking God not to forgive us…Jesus told us that we should pray to be forgiven in the same way we forgive! When we refuse to forgive someone who has hurt us, we forget what it cost God to be able to forgive us—the death of Jesus. God gives His free gift of forgiveness to us and expects us to share that gift, just as we are to share His love, His mercy and His good news with everyone. God’s gifts aren’t to be selfishly hoarded; they are to gratefully shared with everyone.

Think about it...
• All of us make mistakes, but God will always forgive us when we’re sorry and ask Him to. Why will He?
• Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin. Who can receive God’s forgiveness?
• We can’t ever be good enough to go to heaven; we can only go there when we accept what Jesus has done for us. Why is it selfish not to tell others?
• Because we have experienced God’s free gift of forgiveness, we need to forgive others when they hurt us. What does Jesus warn us will happen if we refuse to?
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Prayer: Thank you, God, for allowing us to be forgiven and to become your children. Please help me follow your example and forgive others in the same way you forgave me. Help me to remember that it is not my job to judge others—that’s yours!
~ Pastor Jane