April 1st - What We Learned

No foolin', here's what your Reign Forest child (ages 2-5) learned on Sunday, April 1st:  ANYONE can praise Jesus, because He wants to everyone's Friend forever! (Matthew 21:1-16)  The children waved palm branches and cheered loudly for Jesus, acting out the scene as He rode into Jerusalem on His donkey.

We also began learning a new Bible verse for the month of April - "A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17.

To help your child remember this lesson at home, go outside and have a praise parade with your child. Grab a small leaf or branch from a tree or bush, and do like the people did when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey. They waved their branches in the air and shouted “Hosanna!” Cheer for Jesus as you march around your yard. Shout out, “Hosanna! Yay Jesus!”

Your Land of Promise child (kindergarten through fifth grade) learned that when bad things happen in life, it is important to remember God's promises (John 14:1-14, 18-19, 27-29).  The children reviewed Jesus' miracles from the disciples point of view.  They watched as Jesus did the impossible: feeding 5,000 people with very little food, healing a blind man, raising Lazarus from the dead.  So when they saw Jesus die on the cross, they needed to remember His promises that He would come back to life, that God could make something good come out of this something bad just like they had seen Him do over and over in the past.

Our new Bible verse for the month of April is "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33b, NIV

To help your child digest this lesson into their life, have a discussion at your dinner table this week.  Ask them what things they can remember that seemed very bad at the time, but God made something good come out of it.  Then share a few times like that that you can remember.  Help your child see, this is not just something their teachers at church are saying, it is something that you and they have proof of in real life.  It is truth!