Have you ever been taken advantage of? Stolen from? Mistreated? Perhaps by a complete stranger? Perhaps by a close friend? Regardless of the offense or the offender, forgiveness honors God and allows us to live at peace with others. Our forgiveness is motivated by remembrance of the incredible, underserved forgiveness we have been given in Christ. So by trusting God and His amazing gift, we can ask for forgiveness, give it and be a peacemaker with others.
PEACE: An Untroubled Heart that Comes from Trusting God
MEMORY VERSE: “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27 (NLT)__
This Week’s Finish Line: Trusting God Allows Us To Be At Peace With Others
Onesimus was a servant of Philemon who ran away. The Bible doesn’t come right out and say it, but many scholars believe Onesimus stole something from his master, Philemon. Onesimus ended up in Rome, the biggest city in the Roman Empire at the time, and guess who he met? PAUL! Paul told Onesimus about Jesus’s love and forgiveness of sins, and Onesimus believed! Paul then sent Onesimus back to Philemon, asking Philemon to welcome Onesimus back… not as a slave, but rather as a “brother in the Lord.” While we don’t actually know how Philemon responded to Paul’s plea on behalf of Onesimus, we do know that Paul was acting as a peace-maker between these men. Paul’s hope was that their saving faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins would allow them to live at peace with one another, united as brothers in Christ.
Family Questions:
- Read Philemon. Who was not at peace with someone? What had happened?
- How did Paul act as a peacemaker? Why did Paul remind Philemon about Christ’s love?
- When is it hardest for you to be at peace with others? How might God give you peace in those situations?
- In what ways can you be like Paul and act as a peacemaker this week?
Bring it Home Conversations & Activities:
* Check out our vision for parents and how to use these activities each week.
Teacher: Remembering Christ
While at dinner this week read Romans 12:18 to your family. What does God command us in that verse? Ask your family if they are doing everything they can to live at peace with the people in their lives. Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive? Is there someone in your life that you need to ask for forgiveness from? What is stopping you? How can doing that help you to live in peace instead of living with a troubled heart? Explain to your family how remembering what Christ did for us on the cross, helps us to forgive and live in peace with others.
Friend: Keeping the Peace
Make time this week to play a game together as a family. You can vote as a family as to what game you want to play or just pick one. Any game will work! In your mind the goal of the game is not to find a winner or a loser but to keep peace while playing an entire game. At the beginning of the game tell your family that there is only one new rule: You can only say encouraging words to each other throughout the game. Negative words make you lose points. You can compliment someone on a smart move or a good strategy. Tell them that they need to trust you. Take note on how the game goes. At the end of the game ask your family how they think it went. Were they able to keep peace? If so, why? Explain to them that your goal in the game was for everyone to stay at peace.
Counselor: Trusting God
As you are putting your family to bed ask each of them if there was anything that happened in their day that robbed them of peace. Or if they were able to stay at peace throughout their whole day. Why or why not? Then discuss with them about what took their peace and show them how God is in control of that and how trusting Him will restore peace to their heart. Pray over them, asking God to show them just how trustworthy He is!
Coach: Memory Verse
As you are getting your family ready for the day review this months memory verse with them!
"I am leaving you with a gift- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." John 14:27 (NLT)
Remind them that God has given them the gift of peace and He is trustworthy! So do not be troubled or afraid!
Prayer
Thank God for the forgiveness He gave you even though you didn’t deserve it. Ask Him to help you forgive, ask for forgiveness, and be a peacemaker. Thank Him for the peace He gives when we trust Him.
Looking Ahead
Next week we will continue the month of March with the godly character trait, PEACE. We will learn that trusting God gives us peace is any circumstance.
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