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.
Exodus 20:12, NIRV
12“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Symbol: Yellow emoji head with three hearts around it to suggest “love.”
Children’s Message
Today’s scripture passage is from what we refer to as the Ten Commandments. These are the rules that God sent to God’s people to follow. The first four teach us how to love and honor God. But God wants us to love and honor others as well. The rest of the Ten Commandments teach us the best ways to do that. Treating one another with kindness, respect, and love helps us to live together in the way that honors God.
When you were a small child, did you think that your mom and dad, or grandparents knew everything? (Let children respond.) Maybe you still feel that way. I know I am a grown adult with children of my own, and I still believe that my mom and dad know everything! Maybe as you have gotten older, you have discovered that even your parents make mistakes. Whether they have made mistakes or not, God wants you to honor and respect your parents. That is what the fifth commandment tells us.
What does it mean to “honor” your father and mother? (Let children respond.) Often, it will mean that you should obey them. Always, it means that you should listen to what they say. Honor means that you should always learn from them how to be the best Christian you can be. It means that you should help them when you can. It may even mean that you can honor your mother and father by teaching and showing them what you know!
Today’s emoji symbol reminds us that with honor comes love. The hearts around the emoji remind us that we need to obey the fifth commandment and honor our fathers and mothers and grandparents. This is the only commandment with a promise. That promise is that God will continue to guide us and speak to us. When God guides us, God tells us that we will live a long time in the land God offers us.
Prayer: God, thank you for the gift of life, our parents, and our grandparents. Help us to honor and love them our whole life long. 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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