Family Worship

The Forgiving Prince    

The focus of this family time is to use five easy steps to teach our children that Joseph was betrayed and rejected by his brothers but, by God’s plan, Joseph later rescued them. Jesus was betrayed and rejected but, by God’s plan, rescued us. God is always in control.


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


MEMORY VERSE: 

Introduce the verse: Introduce the verse: “Abraham believed God’s promises and he loved God more than anything else. The verse about Abraham helps with this story too.” Announce the verse: “Remember the verse, Genesis 50:20—‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.’


‘You intended to (Point to forehead with both hands)

harm me, (Thumbs down)  

but God intended it (Point to the sky with pointer fingers)

for good.’ (Thumbs up)

Genesis 50:20


STEP 1. GATHER!

Play I Spy: Someone starts the game by choosing an object in the room.

  • The person only tells the color of the object and says: I spy something with my little eye and the color of it is "red"
  • The other players start guessing objects that are red until the right object is named.
  • Whoever guesses it correctly gets to choose the object for the next round.
  • With younger children, you might want to make it easier by giving hints such as "It’s sitting on the shelf."
  • After the game ask each family member what their favorite color and why?

STEP 2. WORSHIP!

Elementary:

Preschool:

  • 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!

The Forgiving Prince

Read aloud pages 76-83 “The Forgiving Prince” from The Jesus Storybook Bible or Watch:





STEP 4. DISCUSSION! 

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

  • Ask: “What bad things happened to Joseph in this story?” 
  • Get answers; e.g., his brothers sold him; he became a slave; he had to live in Egypt, far away from his home and his father; he was put in jail even though he had done nothing wrong; etc. 
  • Say: “But even though his brothers had made all these bad things happen, Joseph knew that God intended everything that happened to him—even the bad things—for good. God is always in control.”

Jesus in the Story

  • Ask: “Can you think of another really bad thing in the Bible that people made happen, but God intended it for good? Yes, the cross.” 
  • Say: “Even though people intended bad things to happen to Joseph and Jesus — and bad things did happen — God intended good things to happen — and good things did happen. God is always in control.” 
  • Say: “Joseph was left for dead by his brothers, but later Joseph rescued them—as God had planned. Jesus was killed by those he came to save, but his death provided a rescue for them—as God had planned.”

STEP 5. Pray!

  • Pray aloud, thanking God that even though people intend bad things, he intends things for good. Thank him that because of Jesus you and the children can be forgiven, even when you have intended bad things.