Idolatry-Discerning: How do you make a good decision?
Saying the memory verse together at suppertime will imprint it on the hearts of your children forever.
You reap what you sow.
The lesson for this week is a hard one to learn. But it is one that we start learning as young children. Parents tell children that they will get dessert if they eat their supper. Teachers tell their students that they will get a good grade if they study. Adults learn that they will get a traffic ticket if they don’t stay within the speed limit. We will all feel better if we eat the right food and exercise. Oh, we may get away with things for a while, but eventually it catches up with us and we are reminded again that what we sow, we will reap.
When we sin, we need a savior. And, we all sin, all the time. So our need for a Savior is great. But God does not leave us without hope. This is one instance where we don’t reap what we sow. Instead Jesus takes the punishment while those who believe and trust in him are free from the consequences of sin, free from death. We don’t earn it, we don’t deserve it, but God takes away the consequence because of his great love for us. Love is what God sows and eternal life is what we reap.
JUST THE FACTS
How well did you listen to the story?
Q. What does Morrie ask Liz to do?
A. Work with him on an extra credit history project.
Q. What does Spike need?
A. A study partner for the big history test coming up.
Q. How could Liz help Lucille?
A. By helping her with her dog walking business.
Q. What project does Liz have to do at home?
A. Work in his garden and study for his history test.
Q. What does Liz do instead?
A. He is busy with plans for his birthday party “extravaganza.”
Q. How does Liz do on the history test?
A. He gets an F on the test.
This question is meant to help the children develop a biblical understanding of God, who He is and what He does. The "answer" is not meant for parents to read to their children. Rather its purpose is to assist parents in guiding the conversation to this biblical understanding. We encourage you to use an open Bible in this conversation, building biblical literacy and well as a biblical theology.
What is the one way that we don’t reap what we sow?
We are sinners. We sow sin and the consequence of sin is death. We need someone to save us from these consequences. Thankfully, in this instance God overrules this consequence. As it says in the notes, this is the one instance where we don’t reap what we sow. Instead Jesus takes the punishment, while those who believe and trust in him are free from the consequences of sin, free from death. We don’t earn it, we don’t deserve it, but God takes away the consequence because of his great love for us. Love is what God sows and eternal life is what we reap.