The Dig for Kids: Luke Vol. 2
Read The Dig for Kids: Luke Vol. 2 Online
Authors: Patrick Schwenk
Contents
Lesson 3: Little Is Big in God's Eyes
Lesson 5: Crying Over Jerusalem
Lesson 6: The Great or the Grateful?
Lesson 11: Generosity or Greed?
Lesson 23: Jesus Enters Jerusalem
Lesson 25: Give Yourself to God
The Dig Dig In Volume 2 • Luke 13 – 24 Patrick Schwenk |
© 2013 All rights reserved.
You may not copy or distribute this book without prior written permission from the author. All scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible unless otherwise noted.
A Word to Parents
Hello, and welcome to
The Dig
!
I am a pastor, husband, and parent. Currently, my wife and I have four children ten years old and younger. My wife and I clean up spills, refill drinks, do laundry, change diapers, cut the grass, serve in ministry, drop kids off, pick kids up, take out the trash, clean the house, do more laundry – you get the point!
Like you, my wife and I wear many hats. One of the greatest joys in my life is being a dad and having the pleasure to be a pastor to my kids. My daughter said to me recently, "Dad, I am glad you are a pastor." When I asked her why, she said, "Because you teach us the Bible."
The truth is, every parent should be (and can be) a pastor to his or her children.
The Dig
has been my personal desire and attempt to teach our children the Bible from an early age.
The Apostle Paul makes an interesting comment regarding Timothy's training as a child. In 2 Timothy 3:14-15, Paul says, "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom
you learned it and
how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings,
which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."
Paul suggests that Timothy was being taught the Bible from a very young age.
The Dig
is an effort to systematically help you as a parent study through books of the Bible so you can help your child. Out of the experience you create, biblical principles are learned and lived.
The goal, of course, is that our children will fall in love with Jesus as their Savior and grow up to follow Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. I trust that this will be a great resource for you and your family!
In Jesus,
Patrick Schwenk
About Discipleship
Before we get too far into
The Dig
, let's look at a few brief observations about teaching and training our children to be disciples of Jesus.
1. We must have the
RIGHT PICTURE
of who we want our children to be. Close your eyes for a moment and picture your son or daughter when they are 15, 25, or 35 years old. What do they look like? What do they care about? How do they pray? How do they worship? Whom do they love? As Christian parents, if the picture of our children is anything other than a disciple of Jesus, then we are aiming at the wrong target. The goal is to raise children who live, love, and serve like Jesus!
2. We must have the
RIGHT PRIORITIES
. The right picture helps us establish the right priorities. What is important to you as a parent? What do you push your children to get involved in? Why? What does success look like for you as a parent? What does success look like for your child? One of the great joys of being a parent is having the opportunity to raise children who love God. This doesn't happen by accident. It is by God's grace and our own effort to establish godly priorities.
3. We must have the
RIGHT PERSPECTIVE
. It is still God's grace that saves our children and not our best intentions or methods. With this said, keep in mind the following:
Information
: Children are often times growing up in American churches and homes less biblically literate than the previous generations. As parents, we need to be reminded of the tremendous responsibility we have to pass on the truth of God's Word.
Impression
: The goal is also to leave a positive spiritual impression on the hearts of our children. Our children won't have a pleasant memory if all they remember is Mom or Dad (tired and grouchy) drilling Bible verses into their heads! Taking your child through
The Dig
should be a memorable experience. Best lessons are taught within the context of loving and meaningful relationships.
Imitation
: Don't forget that our children listen to us and watch us. As a parent, we must be growing as a disciple of Jesus ourselves. We want to be able to say, as Paul did to the church in Corinth, "Follow me as I follow Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1).
About The Dig
Shortly, you will meet a character named Doc. Doc is an experienced Bible scholar and archaeologist who will be your
Dig
tour guide during each lesson. A typical
Dig
lesson follows the same pattern consisting of four main parts. Below is a short description of each of these four components.
1.
The Map
: Each lesson has a map. The map tells you and your child where you'll be going in each lesson. It is a short summary of the study ahead.
2.
The Dig
: The Dig is the main passage you will be studying. Following each passage will be several questions designed to help conversation and understanding. They are meant to be a guide. You can use them or tweak them to help you talk with your children.
3.
The Treasure
: The Treasure is the big idea of the lesson. In a short statement, it is what you want your child to remember from the passage you studied.
4.
The Display
: When an archaeologist finds a treasure, they will clean it up and put in on display for everyone to see. This is the basic idea of the Display. It is the application of the Treasure you have found. This is a great opportunity to discuss with your child how he or she can live out the truth of God's Word for everyone to see.
The Oasis
is a chance to review what your child has learned so far. Make it your own and make it fun. A quiz and coloring activity are provided, and you can provide the prize! You'll also notice there are key verses in each section. Memorizing God's Word is a great way to hide God's Word in the heart of your child and also to reinforce what your son or daughter is learning.
Enjoy the adventure!
Introduction to Luke
Greetings!
Welcome back! Most likely you have already completed Volume 1 and are now ready for the next adventure through Volume 2. As you know, I'm Doc! I've been studying the Bible, history, and archaeology for a long time. I love to learn about God's Word and teach others, too. I am very excited you are joining me on this Bible adventure through the second part of the Gospel of Luke. Since you most likely know some things about Luke, the following is for your review.
Who is the author
?
With God's help, Luke wrote one of the books in the New Testament that we call the Gospel of Luke. Most Bible experts believe that Luke, who was a doctor and follower of Jesus, wrote this book to make sure all the facts were right about who Jesus is and what Jesus did.
Would you be mad if someone was telling other people things about you that were not true? I would be very upset! Luke wanted to make sure this didn't happen to Jesus. He wrote the Gospel of Luke so that everyone would know what was really true about Jesus.
Take a minute and see if you can find the book of Luke in your Bible. Did you find it? The first four books in the New Testament are called the gospels. They tell us about who Jesus is and what He did. The third gospel is Luke and it is the book you'll be studying again very shortly. Soon, you will be a Bible expert, too!
What is the date?
Do you know when you were born? I was born in 1975. Wow, I know that is long time ago! Well, Luke wrote this book around the year 60 A.D. Now that is a really long time ago! God wanted to make sure we would never forget what He has done, so He helped people write the Bible.
Are you ready for an adventure through the rest of the Gospel of Luke? I am! Let's pray and get ready to check out our first
map
, go on a
dig
, find our
treasure
, and put God's Word on
display
!
Let's dig,
Doc
Lesson 1: Turn Around
Key Verse:
Luke 13:29
And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.
The Map:
Hiking in Israel can be dangerous. If you aren't careful, going down the wrong path can lead you to the edge of a cliff instead of to the top of a mountain. If you are heading in the wrong direction, you better turn around and head in the right direction! We're going to look at a passage where Jesus warns people to turn, or repent, from the direction they are going and follow Him. Don't forget to start memorizing your key verse. It is Luke 13:29.
The Dig:
Luke 13:1-9
What does Jesus say we need to do if we are sinning?
What does it mean to repent?
What does Jesus say about the fig tree? Does it have any fruit on it?
The Treasure:
Turn from sin and turn to Jesus! Because God loves us and knows what is best for us, He wants us to listen and obey Him. Sometimes we need to turn, or repent, from our sins and turn back to loving and obeying Jesus.
The Display:
Jesus teaches us that if we are living for God we will be like a fig tree that is growing good fruit. What kind of "fruit" does Jesus want us to have in our lives? Take a moment and read Galatians 5:22-23.
Lesson 2: Help, I'm Hurting
Key Verse:
Luke 13:29
And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.
The Map:
Have you ever helped someone who was hurting? I remember being in Tel Aviv almost twenty years ago when a man was left stranded on the side of the road because he had run out of gas. People kept driving by him without stopping to help this man who had run out of gas. In this lesson, we'll learn how Jesus helped a woman by healing her while others stood around not wanting to help.
The Dig:
Luke 13:10-17
On what day was Jesus teaching in the synagogue? Do you remember what the Sabbath is?
What was wrong with the woman who was there?