11am Service 20 September 2020
Dear GCBC Parents:
This Sunday we will be looking at Romans 1:8-15 with Padraig. Paul writes about praying for the Roman church, and we get another glimpse of his calling and passion to share the Good News. Paul uses the word, “obligation,” in verse 14, which is a word our children probably won’t understand. We can explain it to them as a sense of duty or wanting to fulfil a promise (or commitment) made. Our culture today is not great at keeping promises. Why? What commitments are difficult to keep? Which ones are easy? Take time to talk with your children about this. Paul is a wonderful example of fulfilling his commitment to God, and we can be too!
God Bless,
Mandy
Sunday, 20th September Links:
Digging Deeper for Children (print the Digging Deeper worksheet or write out the following Scripture passage on your own piece of paper and follow the instructions below; then answer the questions listed after the verses)
- Underline “pray” and “prayer” every time you see it in the following passage
- Circle “Good News” where you see it written
- Put a square around the word “obligation” in verse 14
Romans 1:8-15 (NLT)
8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son. 10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. 13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilised world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.
- What does Paul thank God for when he prays for the church in Rome (v 8)? What does Paul pray for the Roman church (vv 9-10)?
- Why does Paul want to visit the church in Rome (vv 11-13, 15)?
- Paul uses the word “obligation” in verse 14. Obligation means a sense of duty or keeping a promise. Paul wants to keep his promise to God to share the Good News about Jesus. Promises can be hard to keep sometimes. Why? What promises are difficult to keep? Which ones are easy?
Family Links –
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- Ideas for teaching our children/teens about keeping promises – https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/reflecting-gods-faithfulness/
- A great article for parents on Paul’s obligation to share the Good News – https://www.seminary.edu/the-obligation-of-mission-to-all-people-romans-114-15/