Week of 3.13.2022 | Day One
This week in The Gospel Project for Kids, we see God’s miracle of stopping a river so the Israelites could cross over into the promised land. Remember back to the first time we saw God part the water to let His people walk through. What has happened to the Israelites since then? The children of Israel often gave in to worry and bitterness. Their attitude revealed deeper heart issues: their belief that God had failed to take care of them and would fail in the future. It was in the 40 years of wandering in the desert that God showed them over and over that He was worthy of their trust. Yet they still did not trust Him.
Read Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 6:20-24. Moses implored the Israelites to remember what God had done and testify to their children of His faithfulness. God had brought them out of Egypt to keep His covenant with Abraham. He gave them instructions for their good.
Meditate on Moses’ proclamation: “We were slaves in Egypt, but God, by his grace, set us free.” This truth is particularly helpful for us when we face difficulties and periods of anxiety. We can have peace in the present by looking backward in gratitude and forward with hope. When we look back at our lives and the millions of ways God has provided and protected us, our hearts should be filled with gratitude. Based on God’s character as revealed in Scripture and in our lives, we can look forward with hope, knowing that God, who has preserved us, will continue to do so until He comes to bring us home.
Big Picture Question
What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s Word that tells us what is true about God and ourselves.
Christ Connection
God encouraged Joshua and promised to be with him as he led the Israelites into the promised land, where they would be victorious and find rest. We have victory over sin and rest for our souls in Jesus, who is with us always and leads us into the promised land of God’s kingdom.
Key Passage
“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.”
Psalm 119:105
Read
Joshua 3
Discuss
Why did Joshua command the people to follow the ark?
Explain to the kids that this is an act of obedience, to follow the presence of the Lord. The ark of the covenant symbolized the Lord’s presence with His people. They were going to follow where the Lord led them.
What does this miracle of stopping the Jordan river remind you of and what would it have reminded the Israelites of?
God parting the Red Sea for His people to cross over from slavery into freedom. The generation of Israelites who were seeing God stop the Jordan River would have been told the stories of the Red Sea and would have known what God had done for their parents’ generation. This would be a reminder of God’s power and faithfulness.
What other stories in the Bible can you think of that remind us God is powerful?
Lead kids to remember how God fulfilled His promises to Abraham, Jacob, and Moses. Encourage kids to consider stories of Jesus’ miracles in the New Testament. Encourage kids to also consider ways they have seen God’s power in their lives.
Can you think of a time you felt nervous about going somewhere new? How can thinking about God help you when you feel afraid?
Encourage kids that God sent the ark of God for the Israelites to follow, and He goes before us when we follow Him. When we follow Jesus, we can trust that His Word—like a light and a lamp on a path—will lead and guide us as we read it and do what it says.
Pray
Pray together as a family about what you read today. Thank God for His power and that He alone can do miracles like we read about in Joshua, and in our own hearts today.
Family Challenge
Talk about what God has done in the lives of your family. Is there anything you can set aside as a spiritual marker, to remember the faithfulness of God, like the Israelites did at the Jordan River? Consider the salvation of you or your children, baptism, an answered prayer, or a family member’s healing. Write it down and keep it in your Bible or in a special place so it won’t be forgotten.