Deep Sea Discovery Day 5: God Sends Me

Today at Deep Sea Discovery, we explored the story of Paul and Barnabas, and learned God Sends Me!

Bible Story

We learned that God sent Paul and Barnabas to share His story.

Service

Children created sidewalk art to share the news of Jesus.

Crafts

Children made items out of clay to remember VBS and God is with me.

Games and Snack

Snack was trail mix to remind us about Paul and Barnabas' travels. 

Deep Sea Discovery Day 4: God Loves Me!

Today at Deep Sea Discovery, we explored the story of Jesus making breakfast by the sea, and learned God Loves Me!

Bible Story

We learned that Jesus made breakfast by the sea for His friends because He loves them.

Service

Children created a special snack for their teachers to say thank you.

Crafts

Children made necklaces to help them remember a memory verse.

Games and Snack

Children ate fish shaped watermelon and used parachutes to catch fish.

Deep Sea Discovery Day 3: God Strengthens Me!

Today at Deep Sea Discovery, we explored the story of Peter and learned God strengthens me!

Bible Story

We learned that Jesus strengthened Peter to walk on water. Children walked on eggs to remember  Peter.

Science

Children explored what makes things float in water and experimented with different items to see if they could float.

Service

Children learned about how God wants us to encourage. Children made "Thanks for being a Lifesaver" cards to give to teachers, police officers, and other helpers in our community.

Games and Snack

Children made waves out of graham crackers and frosting. Children worked together in team work games to become stronger.

Deep Sea Discovery Day 2: God Hears Me!

Today at Deep Sea Discovery, we explored the story of Jonah and learned God hears me!

Bible Story

We learned that God heard Jonah from the belly of the whale, and answered his prayer.

Craft

Children made aquariums out of water bottles.

Service

Children learned about how God loves when we pray for others. Children used water bottles to create a special place to store their prayers.

Games and Snack

Children ate blue jello with swedish fish to remember the story of Jonah. Children played Whale and Minnows to avoid being eaten by the whale.

Deep Sea Discovery Day 1: God Knows Me!

Today at Deep Sea Discovery, we explored the story of Noah and learned God knows me!

Bible Story
We learned that God knew Noah and his heart, and entrusted him with a special tasks.

Craft

Younger children made rainbow fish to help them remember the story of Noah. Older children made necklaces to help them remember the verse of the day.

Service

Children learned about how God loves when we do the right thing and serve people. The children served Westwoods by picking up trash and cleaning windows.

Games and Snack

Children made boats out of apples and cheese to remember the story of Noah and played a game to help same the animals.

Week of July 24, 2016: Solomon Asked for Wisdom

Bible Passage: 1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12; 3:1-15

Big Picture Question: What did King Solomon ask from God? King Solomon asked God for wisdom to lead God’s people.

Key Passage: 1 Kings 8:61

Unit Christ Connection: Solomon’s grand earthly reign is a picture of the eternal reign of Christ. Solomon’s sin divided his kingdom, but Christ’s perfect Kingdom is forever.

After the death of their first son, Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon. Nathan, the prophet whom God had used to confront David concerning Uriah, gave Solomon a special name: Jedidiah, which means “Beloved of the Lord.” God chose Solomon to be king.

Early in Solomon’s life, God appeared to him in a dream. “What should I give you?” God asked. Solomon’s response set him apart from many other kings.

“Give Your servant an obedient heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

One might assume that a king would ask for power, to be victorious over his enemies. Perhaps he would ask for riches or to live a long life. Solomon asked for none of these. Instead, he asked God to make him wise. God was pleased with Solomon’s request, and He agreed to give Solomon a wise and understanding heart.

Solomon’s heart was surrendered to God. When we know and love Jesus, God gives us the same promise He gave to Solomon: “Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

Week of July 17. 2016: David Sinned and Was Restored

Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 11:1–12:14; Psalm 51

Big Picture Question: What should we do when we sin? We should repent and ask God to forgive us.

Key Passage: Psalm 51:10

Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David’s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

The Ammonites were no strangers to the Israelites. They often fought over the region of Gilead, which stretched east of the Jordan River. David had tried showing kindness to the Ammonites, but they humiliated the Israelite ambassadors. Thus began a war between the Israelites and Ammonites. 

One evening, David looked from his rooftop and saw Bathsheba bathing. He inquired about her and found out that she was the wife of Uriah, one of David’s elite soldiers. Her married status alone made her off-limits to David, but he nevertheless called for her and slept with her.

David probably assumed his sin would go unnoticed, until Bathsheba told him she was pregnant with his child. With Uriah gone to war, it was obvious the baby was not his. But David had a plan. He called Uriah home from the battle and encouraged him to be with his wife. But Uriah refused. Uriah didn’t think it was fair for him to be with his wife while other men were at war.

He instructed the commander of the army to position Uriah in the most violent part of the battle so he would be killed. This time, David’s plan worked. Uriah was killed, and David took Bathsheba as his wife.

God knew David’s sin and sent Nathan the prophet to confront David. David realized he had sinned against God. God issued a punishment: David’s son died.

David’s confession is recorded in Psalm 51. David knew making sacrifices would not be enough to please God and pay for his sin. God wanted David’s heart to change so he would not want to sin again. Like David, we need more than a changed lifestyle to be made right with God; we need new hearts. Jesus died to satisfy God’s wrath against sin so that we could be made alive in Him.

*Note: In regards to Bathsheba, we tell children:

David sent his messengers to get Bathsheba, and she came to David’s house. Later, Bathsheba told David that she was going to have a baby; the baby would be David’s son.

Week of July 10, 2016: God Made a Covenant with David

Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 7
Big Picture Question: What did God promise David? God promised that David’s kingdom would last forever.
Key Passage: Psalm 51:10

Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David’s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

Things were not looking up for David. King Saul had tried multiple times to kill him, and he had to flee for his life, leaving behind his good friend, Saul’s son Jonathan. But God had appointed David to be king, and God was faithful to him. Jonathan was killed in battle against the Philistines. Saul fell on his own sword, and David became king of Israel. Then David moved the ark of God to Jerusalem.

David settled into his palace, and God gave him peace from his enemies. When David looked around, something didn’t seem right. He was living in a majestic palace while the ark of God was in a tent! David determined to build God a temple. That night, God gave the prophet, Nathan, a message for David. “Have I ever asked you to build Me a house?” God said. “Since I brought the Israelites out of Egypt, I have dwelled in a tent.”

God promised to give the Israelites a place to stay so they wouldn’t need to move around anymore. God promised to give them rest from their enemies so they could stop fighting. Though God denied David’s desire to build God a house, God promised to make a house for David: a dynasty of his descendants and an everlasting kingdom. Nathan told David what God said, and David was amazed.

God’s promise to David was ultimately fulfilled by his most significant descendant, Jesus Christ.

Week of July 3, 2016: David and Jonathan Became Friends

Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 18:1-12; 19:1-10; 20:1-42

Big Picture Question: Who is our friend? Jesus is the mighty friend of sinners.

Key Passage: Psalm 51:10

Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David’s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

Following David’s slaying of Goliath, the Philistine warrior, King Saul’s son Jonathan dedicated himself to David. He loved David as much as he loved himself. Jonathan’s gifts to David—the robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt—indicated that Jonathan recognized David as God’s choice for the next king, a position Jonathan could have rightly expected as Saul’s son.

King Saul was jealous. Saul unsuccessfully attempted to kill David. Saul instructed his servants and his son Jonathan to kill David. But Jonathan loved David, and “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed,” Saul told Jonathan. With this promise, David returned to serving King Saul.

David came to Jonathan in a desperate situation. “What have I done? What did I do wrong? How have I sinned against your father that he wants to take my life?” David asked.

Jonathan laid down his rights as king and interceded on his behalf. Jonathan’s life gives us a glimpse of Jesus, the mighty friend of sinners. Jesus left His position in heaven to come down to us. He gave up His life to save us, and intercedes for us before God.