Family Worship

The Man Who Didn't Have Any Friends

The focus of this family time is to use five easy steps to teach our family about Jesus’ love for Zacchaeus. We also learned that Jesus’ love changes us. Zacchaeus wanted to stop sinning because of Jesus’ love for him


Learn the Memory Verse together and say it throughout the week to help your family remember and apply what they have learned.


MEMORY VERSE:  

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8–9


STEP 1. GATHER!

Use this exercise to begin Family Worship Night and have fun!


Play Never Have I Ever

During a round, get one player to say ten statements starting with “never have I ever”

  • had a pet dog
  • been overseas
  • eaten a happy meal
  • etc. 

Each player must hold their hands up with fingers out to start.


As the player says each statement, the kids must put a finger down if they have actually done that action. Whichever player(s) have the most fingers still out at the end of the round wins!


STEP 2. WORSHIP!

Preschool:



Elementary:



  • Sing and have fun while worshiping then pray. Take a moment here to thank God for your family and your time together!! 


STEP 3. BIBLE!

Read Pages 264-271 in the Jesus Storybook Bible

Watch:


STEP 4. DISCUSSION! 

Use these questions and points to have a conversation with your children about the Bible story. 


Have your family decide together how Zacchaeus would answer these questions. 
  • What was your job, Zacchaeus?
  • 
Why do you have no friends?

  • What did people do when they saw you coming?
  • 
Why was a huge crowd gathered?

  • Why couldn’t you see over the crowd?

  • What did you do so you could see Jesus?

  • When Jesus saw you in the tree, what did he say to you?

  • How did you feel when Jesus said he wanted to go to your house?

  • How did the people feel when Jesus said he wanted to go to your house? 
  • Did Jesus know what you were like and what you had done?
  • 
Did Jesus love you?

  • What did you tell Jesus you were going to do?

  • Why did you want to stop stealing?

Say: “Zacchaeus, now had a friend for the first time—Jesus. Jesus loved him when no one else did. He now knew what God’s love is like. His wonderful, Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love is a gift and, like all gifts, it is free.” 

 “Jesus knows all about us—all about our sin, but he loves us anyway. And because we know this, we will want to stop sinning — just like Zacchaeus.”


STEP 5. Pray!

  • Pray aloud, thanking God that his love is a gift and asking that this great love would change us, just like it did Zacchaeus. 
  • Ask the children to thank God that even though he knows all about our sin, he loves us with a wonderful, Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.