Develop a Discipleship System
Each week during this series, an emoji (yellow-faced emotions) will be presented as the feeling or emotion of the scripture text that children and families can wonder and discuss every week. Display your own version of the emoji in creative ways. Cut a big poster-sized emoji each week or display the emoji on the screen in your worship space.
Genesis 17:3-7, NIRV
3Abram fell with his face to the ground. God said to him,4“This is my covenant with you. You will be the father of many nations. 5You will not be called Abram anymore. Your name will be Abraham, because I have made you a father of many nations. 6I will greatly increase the number of your children after you. Nations and kings will come from you. 7I will make my covenant with you last forever. It will be between me and you and your family after you for all time to come. I will be your God. And I will be the God of all your family after you.
Symbol: yellow smiling emoji with halo around its head.
Children’s Message
What’s your name? (Let a couple of children respond.) What’s your full name? (Let some children answer.) Last week, we talked about promises. God made a promise to Noah with a rainbow. This week, our Bible story tells us that God made a promise to Abram too! Abram and Sarai. (Make sure you enunciate, so the children don’t hear Abraham and Sarah.) Abram and Sarai would have a son, Isaac. They – and all of Isaac’s family after him – would be God’s people. God would bless them. They would know and love God and must live in God’s way. To remind them of this promise (or covenant), God gave both Abram and Sarai new names. God named them Abraham and Sarah. What would you think if God changed your name? (Let children respond.)
God blessed Abraham’s son Ishmael too! Remember, God said the promise would be between God and all of Abraham’s family. And it would last forever.
Today, people from many nations call themselves “children of Abraham.” Jews are his children because Isaac and Abraham were their family. Muslims are his children because Ishmael and Abraham were their family. Christians are children of Abraham because they share trust in God, and God adopts them into the family. What about you? Are you a child of Abraham too? (Let children respond.) You know what? We all share a name – a child of God. You, me, everybody!
Today’s emoji symbol is the face with a halo to remind each of us, and all of us, that we are a blessed child of God so that we can be a blessing to others.
Prayer: Loving and promising God, you have blessed so many people. Bless me too, so that I can bless others! Help me to be a part of your people. Help me to live a life the way you want me to live. Amen.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture verses are from the New International Reader's Version (NIRV), Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Colors
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