What Are We Studying This Sunday?

Jesus Healed a Blind Man (John 9)

Dear families,

The Christian phrase to “give one’s testimony” means that a believer shares how God led them to respond to the gospel in faith and repentance. The challenge for many believers, however, is that their testimony seems to lack the dramatic twists and turns that other evangelists may share. Thus, some Christians shy away from sharing their testimony because they deem it boring and ineffective.

Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. Every salvation—from a person raised in a Christian home and coming to know Jesus at a young age, to the person who accepts Jesus on their death bed after a life spent running from Him—is the story of the Savior dramatically reversing the very nature of one’s life.

Through this lens, one of the greatest tools we have in declaring the goodness of our God is our own testimony. Every testimony is a powerful example of God’s grace and mercy.

This week’s story shows the power of a testimony. Jesus heals a man who had been born blind. Because he was born blind, most of his community was convinced that his blindness was a result of sins committed by his parents or sins committed by himself. Jesus argued against that claim and explained that his blindness was an opportunity to see God glorified.

Not everyone in the community was excited for or convinced by the healing. The Pharisees in particular were suspicious of Jesus and looked for ways to trap Him. They began to ask hard questions of both the man and his parents. And amid that questioning, the healed man gave one of the best answers one can give when people question a believer’s faith: “I once was blind, but now I see.”

Isn’t that the story of all believers—we once were blind, but now we see? We once were lost, but now we are found. We once were far from God, but now we have been brought close. We once were God’s enemies, but now we are God’s family. We once were condemned, but now we are forgiven. We once were dead in our sins, but now we are alive in Christ.

This week, point kids to the transformative power of Jesus who enlightens hearts and calls the spiritually dead to life.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.


FAMILY TALKING POINTS
STORY POINT
This is the main point to emphasize from today’s Bible story.

• Preschool: Jesus healed a blind man.
• Kids: Jesus healed a blind man to glorify God.

CHRIST CONNECTION
This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

• Babies & Toddlers: When we trust Jesus, He forgives our sin and helps us know and love Him.
• Younger Preschool: Jesus gives us sight to know God. When we trust Jesus, He forgives our sin and opens our hearts to know and love Him. 
• Older Preschool: Jesus healed the man who was blind. This healing points to a deeper gift: Jesus helps us see and know God. When we trust Jesus, He forgives our sin and opens our hearts to follow Him.
• Kids: Jesus came to bring light into the darkness. He healed the blind man to show God’s power and to point to a greater truth: Jesus came to give spiritual sight. When we trust in Him, He forgives our sin and helps us see and know God.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER
This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

• Younger Preschool: What is justification? Justification is when God says that our sins are forgiven.
• Older Preschool: What is justification? Justification is when God says that our sins 
   are forgiven.
• Kids: What is justification? Justification is when God declares that we are forgiven of sin and are made righteous.

KEY PASSAGE
This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

• Babies & Toddlers: God made Jesus to be sin for us. 2 Corinthians 5:21
• Younger Preschool: God made the one who did not sin to be sin for us. 
   2 Corinthians 5:21
• Older Preschool: He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us. 
   2 Corinthians 5:21
• Kids: He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

** Next week: Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19)

Upcoming Dates and Events

November 7, Love Delray
November 14, Crossroads Thanksgiving
December 12, Delray Beach Holiday Parade
December 13, Crossroads Christmas Party
December 20, Kingdom Kids Christmas Party
December 24, Christmas Eve Service at Old School Square
December 27 and January 3, No Kingdom Kids

Kingdom Kids / Crossroads Team