READ the Scripture: Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:35-46; and John 12:12-19

TALK about the Scripture: Jesus came into Jerusalem with cheers and celebration! The people had heard the great miracles of Jesus, and they believed in His power. The people displayed their worship of Jesus by waving palm branches and laying them out on the path as Jesus rode into the city on a donkey.

The people shouted "Hosanna!" Do you know what that word means? It means “Save now!” The people were shouting hosanna because they believed Jesus was coming to be their king and to rule over them with goodness and mercy. They were probably expecting Him to be an actual king—like one who leads armies and sits on a throne—but Jesus is more than that. He is the King of kings. He is the King who came to save all who believe in Him from sin.

John 3:16 says, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” This was the true reason why Jesus came—to bring salvation and eternal life for anyone who believes in Him. Jesus is the King who has come to save!

Christ Connection: Jesus is the Messiah spoken about by the prophet Zechariah: “Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). One day, Jesus will return to earth on a white horse as King over everything.

WATCH the Bible Story Video: People Welcomed Jesus as King

LEARN the Scripture: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him." - Deuteronomy 18:15

PRAY as a Family: Jesus, You are the King who has come to save! Help us to follow You and obey You as King. We wait with excitement for the day when You will return to rule over everything forever and ever! Amen.

APPLY what you've learned: Learn the big picture question and answer and practice asking and answering randomly throughout the week together.

Q: How is Jesus the perfect Prophet?

A: Jesus perfectly reveals God the Father and fulfills what the prophets spoke.

READ the Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22, 34-46

TALK about the Scripture: When you go to church next Sunday, you’ll probably read a Bible verse or sing a song that uses the word Lord. Have you ever wondered what that word means? The word lord describes someone having power, authority, or influence over others; like a master or ruler.

In Psalm 110, King David used the word Lord to talk about the Messiah. The prophets said the Messiah would be called Son of David, which meant he would be born into the family line of David. David believed the promise that the Messiah would be his descendant, but he also knew this future King would have power, authority, and influence over him.

Jesus fulfilled the words of the prophets by being born into the family of David, but He fulfilled the words of David by also being much more! He is the Son of God, the Savior who died and rose again, and the King who has authority over everyone and everything! Philippians 2:10-11 says, “…at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Christ Connection: When the religious leaders questioned Jesus, He answered with wisdom and power. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. He is the Word of God, who came to show us exactly what God is like.

WATCH the Bible Story Video: Leaders Wanted to Trick Jesus

LEARN the Scripture: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him." - Deuteronomy 18:15

PRAY as a Family: Lord Jesus, You have authority in heaven and on earth! We praise You because You are the Son of God. We look forward to the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that You are Lord! Amen.

APPLY what you've learned: Learn the big picture question and answer and practice asking and answering randomly throughout the week together.

Q: How is Jesus the perfect Prophet?

A: Jesus perfectly reveals God the Father and fulfills what the prophets spoke.

READ the Scripture: Matthew 23:1-36

TALK about the Scripture: Have you ever heard the phrase “putting lipstick on a pig”? It might sound like a rough job for a farmer, but it’s actually a way of describing the useless things people do to make something look better than it really is. No amount of lipstick can make a dirty pig look pretty, and no amount of good deeds can make up for a heart that loves itself more than Jesus.

The religious leaders said they loved God, but they failed to love others. They wanted people to praise them for how well they obeyed the laws, but they didn't obey what Jesus said was the greatest commandment. Jesus said that anyone who followed these religious leaders was being lead further from God, not closer.

Those who trust in Jesus receive a new heart with new desires. They desire to obey God for the right reasons: to honor Him and to share Him with others. Their love for God is shown through the ways they love others.

Christ Connection: Jesus said that the greatest commandments are to love God and love others. (Matt. 22:37-39) The religious leaders loved themselves most of all. When we trust in Jesus, He makes us right with God and changes our hearts so we can love and obey Him.

WATCH the Bible Story Video: Jesus Warned about not Loving

LEARN the Scripture: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him." - Deuteronomy 18:15

PRAY as a Family: God, help us to show our love for You by loving the people You have placed in our lives. Remind us of Your amazing love that was shown to us through Jesus. We want that love to overflow from our hearts so that we can love others as You love them. Amen.

APPLY what you've learned: Learn the big picture question and answer and practice asking and answering randomly throughout the week together.

Q: How is Jesus the perfect Prophet?

A: Jesus perfectly reveals God the Father and fulfills what the prophets spoke.

READ the Scripture: Matthew 25:14-46

TALK about the Scripture: In this Scripture passage, we see that each servant was given an amount of money by their master and also the command to use the money wisely. While two of the servants put what they had been given to good use, one of the servants did the opposite. Rather than follow the master’s instructions, the servant decided to do nothing with the money he had been given.

Jesus gave his life to love and serve the world. Those who believe in Jesus can show their love for Him by giving their life to serve him. Some ways we do this are by feeding those who are hungry, clothing those in need, and helping those who are sick. When we serve others in these ways, we are serving the Lord.

While we wait for Jesus’ return, we can work to serve Him and tell others about Him. We’ve received so many blessings through Jesus Christ. Like the servants were commanded to use the money they had been given wisely, Christ-followers are commanded to use the talents and blessings we have been given to serve God and others. This is how we worship the One who has loved and served us!

Christ Connection: Every believer, as a servant of Christ, has the task of serving God with his or her life. We eagerly wait for the day we can share in the joy of our Master. Heaven is the joy of knowing, worshiping, and enjoying Jesus forever.

WATCH the Bible Story Video: Jesus Warned about not Acting

LEARN the Scripture: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him." - Deuteronomy 18:15

PRAY as a Family: We love You, God! You have shown us the greatest love by sending Jesus to serve us through the dying on the cross. Because He loved and served us, help us to love and serve others until Jesus returns. Amen.

APPLY what you've learned: Learn the big picture question and answer and practice asking and answering randomly throughout the week together.

Q: How is Jesus the perfect Prophet?

A: Jesus perfectly reveals God the Father and fulfills what the prophets spoke.

READ the Scripture: Deuteronomy 18:15-22

TALK about the Scripture: When someone has a message for you, there must be a messenger. There needs to be someone who delivers that information to you. Otherwise, the message still exists but you have no way of knowing about it!

Jesus came as the perfect Prophet—the One who would deliver God’s message that the war with sin is over. Jesus told people that He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus relayed the most important message of all. He told people that eternal life was a free gift for everyone who believes in Him.

Jesus’ message of victory was special because not only was He the messenger, He was also the One who won the battle for us! His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave have defeated Satan and broken the curse of sin. Everyone who trusts in Jesus shares in His victory over sin.

Christ Connection: Jesus is the perfect and final prophet God promised to send. Jesus is the Word who became a man. He came into the world not only to tell people God’s message but to bring people to God through His death and resurrection.

WATCH the Bible Story Video: Jesus is our Perfect Prophet

LEARN the Scripture: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him." - Deuteronomy 18:15

PRAY as a Family: God, we praise You because You are faithful to keep Your promises. You promised to send a Rescuer to save people from sin, and that promise is fulfilled in Jesus. He is the perfect Prophet who delivers the best news of eternal life through faith in Him! Amen.

APPLY what you've learned: Learn the big picture question and answer and practice asking and answering randomly throughout the week together.

Q: How is Jesus the perfect Prophet?

A: Jesus perfectly reveals God the Father and fulfills what the prophets spoke.

What is Forgiveness?
Forgiveness is letting go of the anger about one’s wrongs or sins, wiping the slate clean, or showing mercy toward another.

What is Repentance?
Repentance is taking responsibility and asking for forgiveness for sin, sincere remorse for wrongdoing, or changing behavior for the better.

Be SWEET when solving conflict:

S - Share how you feel using “I feel….when… statements

W - Wait for the other to share using active listening skills

E - Engage in win-win brainstorming by thinking of solutions where both win, or where there is a fair compromise

E - Elect a solution by choosing the best solution for everyone

T - Turn a new page by apologizing, forgiving, and moving on

Books to Read

How to be a Friend (A Guide to Making Friends and Keeping Them) by Laurie Krasny Brown & Marc Brown

Are You Still Mad? by Ellen Wiess

Talk and Work it Out by Cheri J. Meiners

Colossians 3:13 ESV
“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Matthew 6:14 ESV
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Matthew 3:8 ESV
“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV
“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”