FOR PRESCHOOL AND YOUNG ELEMENTARY CHILDREN:
Begin by reading Matthew 6:25-34 to your child. Have your child listen for the different word pictures Jesus used in this teaching (birds, wildflowers).
In these verses, Jesus tells us not to be anxious, which is another way of saying, “Don’t worry.” Do you know what it means to worry?
Here’s a definition of worry for children: Worry is what happens when we focus on our problems and the things that scare us, instead of trusting God to take care of us.
What is something you worry about? Think about what Jesus said in Matthew 6. Does God want you to worry about things like having enough food to eat, having clothes to wear, or getting sick?
It is easy to worry about lots of things, especially these days when everything feels different. But Jesus says God does not want us to worry. Instead, he wants us to trust in him, and believe that he will take care of us.
Jesus gave us two pictures that help us understand: The birds we see in the sky don’t worry about finding food, God has made plenty of worms for them to eat. And the wildflowers that grow outside don’t worry about growing, they bloom every spring when God sends rain and sunshine. The birds and the flowers matter to God, because he made them!
In Genesis 1, we read that God made us, too, but he made us in an extra special way. Unlike the flowers and the birds, God made us in his own image. We are his most special creation, and he loves us so much that he sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. So if God will take care of things in nature, think about how much more he will take care of his special creation, people who he loves so much.
Read Matthew 6:33 again. What does God want us to do when we feel like worrying?
Instead of worrying about the things going on around us, God wants us to seek him and his kingdom. But what does that mean? It means he wants us to spend the time we would be worrying trusting in his love for us, learning more about him through the Bible, loving him, and doing what he commands.
Review these songs we sing in Sunday School and Catechism worship:
How can you glorify God? By loving him and doing what he commands. Why are you to glorify God? Because he made me and takes care of me.
Where is God? God is everywhere. Can you see God? No, I cannot see God, but he always sees me.
“My God Is So Big”
“All Creatures of Our God and King”
FOR OLDER ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN:
If your child used the listening guide to follow along with the sermon, take a few minutes to talk through his or her notes.
Read through Matthew 6:25-34 again as a family.
In these verses, Jesus tells us not to be anxious, which is another way of saying, “Don’t worry.” But this is a time in our lives when it is easy to get caught up in the worries of this world. What is one thing you have worried about this past week? Is that a new worry for you, or one you worry about often?
According to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6, why does God not want us to be anxious?
It is easy to worry about lots of things, especially these days when everything feels different. But Jesus says very clearly that God does not want us to feel anxious about things beyond our control, like what tomorrow holds. Instead, he wants us to trust in him, and believe that he will take care of us. The rest of this passage reminds us why his children do not need to worry.
What does the example of the birds teach you about God and his relationship with you? What about the example of the wildflowers?
With the imagery of the birds and the wildflowers, Jesus reminds us that if he meets the needs of these parts of his creation, he most certainly will take care of his children, those who are made in his own image (Gen. 1:26-27).
How can we be certain that God loves us and takes care of us, even when things don’t go how we want them to go?
In the sermon, Matt reminded us that Jesus spoke these words in the Sermon on the Mount knowing that the cross was coming. We trust God will take care of us and meet our needs because he has already done just that. When Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected, he made certain that one day all God’s children will live in a world free from sin, death, sadness, anxiety, and sickness. Our greatest need is to be free from sin and in relationship with God, and Jesus has already made that possible. Our hope in that future, like we have talked about so much these past few weeks, helps us trust him with today.
Instead of worrying, Jesus tells us to seek God’s kingdom. What does that mean, and what is one way you can do that if/when you start to feel anxious this week?
To seek God’s kingdom means to focus our thoughts on God, to spend time in his Word, to be grateful for God’s promises, to live obediently for him, to serve others, and so on.
As a family, take a few minutes to come up with specific ways you can help each other seek God’s kingdom this week.