Talk Together
Family conversations with God’s Word.
When Jesus lived on Earth, He called a group of 12 very normal men out of their ordinary lives to be His disciples. He taught them about God and His Word. He showed them what it looked like to serve those around Him. Before Jesus returned to heaven, He left the disciples with a special command. Let’s read it in the book of Matthew. This is the first book in the New Testament and it was written by one of Jesus’ disciples, Matthew. Can you help me find Matthew chapter 28, verses 18-20?
ESV
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus’ disciples did exactly as He asked, preaching and teaching throughout the world. Over many, many years, this message has been passed down until someone in my life and someone in yours obeyed that call and invited us to turn away from our sin and follow Jesus. And we can share the Gospel with others, just like someone shared it with us! As we continue telling others about God’s Big Story, more and more people will hear the good news that Jesus came to end the separation between us and God. And as more people become followers of Jesus, the family of God will continue to grow!
The family of God is a HUGE family, full of people from all over the world. Even though they may wear clothes that don’t look like yours, speak a language you don’t understand or even worship God differently than you, we are all one big family! Just like you have parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins, the family of God has many members! When we put our trust in Jesus, we become part of God’s family, gaining family members from all around the world.
When you live in the same home with a family, you love them, care for them and pray for them. We can do the same thing with our Christian brothers and sisters who live all over the world! We can pray for our Christian family who is suffering because of war, poverty and hunger. We can love those who are discouraged by encouraging them with cards and messages. We can care for the hurting by giving our time, skills or money. We can even celebrate with them when we hear how God is working in and through them!
One day, the family of God will worship together in heaven. We will finally see our brothers and sisters from all over the world, together and worshiping God. Let’s read about it in Revelation chapter 7, verses 9-12. Revelation is the very last book of the Bible.
ESV
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 7:9-12)
Parents: Interested in learning more about what God is doing all over the world? Go to awana.org/go (click on “Kids & Family” link) and awana.org/africaschoolsproject to share with your family powerful stories of God’s work throughout the world!