Teach Intentionally..."Family Time…The purpose and the relationship", with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Time…The purpose and the relationship

Jesus wants to know you and be known by you! He wants a relationship with you. This month family time topic from the “Sky Ranch Family Devotional: Follow the Leader” is on “Jesus is Man“ and the weekly discussion is on “the purpose and the relationship.“ We are exploring why Jesus came to earth as a man.  What is Jesus’ purpose for being on earth? Jesus came to earth to be a Savior to you. If you believe Him, He came to establish a close and personal relationship with you. He wants to connect on a real level of trust with you. If He had arrived on earth in all His power, do you think people would have listened to Him in the same way? Or would they have just been fascinated with the display of power? Or would they have been intimidated?  God, the Father planned Jesus’ arrival on earth in a way that would allow Jesus to not be intimidating. Jesus wants you to have a relationship with Him and for you to listen to Him, so, He made Himself approachable. Galatians 4:9 tells us “that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God” and shows how Jesus bridged the gap for you.

As a Mom, the relationship with Jesus was difficult to explain to my kids. Jesus is very real, but it can be difficult to explain to young kids, how you can have a relationship with someone that you don’t see with earthly eyes but with spiritual eyes. The easiest way for me to explain Jesus to my kids was to talk about my relationship with Him. I shared my personal experience of going to Jesus with a problem and how He answered with solutions or comfort. In our family time, if I had a problem that I was struggling through and I thought it was appropriate to share with my kids based on their age. I would share basic information as a teachable moment. I would pray about it in our prayer time and then when I understood God’s direction in the solution, I would share the response as well. Over time, my kids did see that Jesus was responding, but it took being transparent and letting them know that I did not have all the answers and I needed to seek God for the solution.

This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God the best way to explain your relationship with Him to your kids. Your kids look to you as a role model of what a relationship with Jesus is supposed to look like. Ask God to help you reflect a right relationship with Him. It is okay if you don’t have it all figured out. The important part if for your kids to see you seeking God first in all that you do (Matthew 6:33). The experiences, that Jesus went through while on earth, gives you many normal human experiences (such as rejection, loss, hurt, ridicule, plus, happiness, celebration, and encouragement) and you can talk about the everyday experiences that Jesus had to help your kids relate to Him. Help them also see that because of those everyday experiences, you know that Jesus understands each of you and what you go through. Encourage your family to pray and seek Jesus’ help and advice for your challenges since He endured many things and can relate to all areas of life. 

Do you have questions or need prayer for your family? Email me at SkyMoms@skyranch.org.

I will be praying for you! 

Stacy

Stacy A. Davis

Sky Ranch Family Devotionals and

Teach Intentionally Author

This week we are in the  2^nd  Topic and  7^th  Family Time (or page  22) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Follow the Leader”…

Family Time 7:

Topic 2: Jesus is Man…the purpose and the relationship

Talk with God: Read…Scriptures and questions below.

Philippians 2:5-8   … Christ Jesus,  6  who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be  grasped,  7  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, [and] being made in the likeness of men.  8  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross

• In Phil. 2:7, Jesus takes the form of whom and is made how?

Matthew 20:28  …(Jesus is speaking) “just as  the  Son of Man  did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. "

• In Matt. 20:28, what does Jesus call Himself?
• In Matt. 20:28, why did Jesus come here?

Walk with God: Discuss… God takes the form of man and we are told He will be called “Immanuel” or “God with us.” But, why is He called Jesus?  In Matthew 1:21, Joseph is instructed by the angel of the Lord in a dream to name the baby “Jesus.” The name “Jesus” means “God our Savior.” What is God doing? Why do you think that God chose to appear to us in the form of a man? 

Prayer suggestion…  Pray for God’s help to believe that Jesus was really both God and Man.

Family Time 7: 

Leader Answers:

• A bond-servant and made in the likeness of men
• The Son of Man
• To serve and give His life as a ransom for many
• Discussion ideas:  There were several reasons for Christ’s coming such as God’s salvation plan for mankind.  Another reason is so that you can identify with Him.  You understand Him better, since He is human like you are. And it is easier for you to understand a relationship with Him. How does Jesus being human help you?

© 2012 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.