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“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.” – Hebrews 11:7

PRELUDE TO THE PROMISE, PART 1 – NOAH As we studied in the previous lesson, the sin that entered the world through Adam spread to every person that has ever lived. That includes Noah. So, if the people of Noah’s day were judged because of their sin, how is it that Noah (who had also been infected with sin) was spared?

In the last lesson we learned of God’s promise to send a Deliverer who would one day free man from Satan, sin, and death. Whether or not Noah understood the meaning of this promise, one thing appears to be true of Noah: he honored God as God. From his actions, we know that Noah trusted God as his Deliverer. His trust was manifested in his obedience. It was Noah’s faith in God that set him apart (Hebrews 11:7) from others of his day.

Some interesting parallels to consider:

• God’s judgement passed over Noah because he was “in” the ark.
• God’s judgement passes over us when we are found “in” Christ.
• Noah built the ark because of his faith in God, but it was God who shut the door (Genesis 7:16)

So how do faith and works come together?  We are to obey and “work out” our salvation with fear and trembling, but it is God’s power that works in us both to desire to obey and to work (Phil. 2:12-13).

Consider this statement as you prepare this week:  True faith will be shown by actions, but actions don’t always point to true faith.  

BIG IDEA: Noah was saved because he believed and trusted God.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

MEDITATING ON THE WORD:

Genesis 6
1 Peter 3:20

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.” – Hebrews 11:7

PRAYER:

Pray that God would help you show your trust by obeying His word more every day.

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• What does it mean to trust?
  Why is it important to trust and obey?
  Why did Noah obey God?

LIVE IT OUT!

• Go rock climbing and talk about how you show trust in your ropes.  Try a trust fall with Dad or Mom.

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.” – Genesis 3:15

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” – Romans 16:20

As you prepare this week, consider how you can help the children to see that God began foreshadowing the coming Deliverer from the very start and that He is the main character throughout the Bible.

“And the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life; and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”    – Genesis 3:14–15

“And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”   – Genesis 3:21

“Therefore the Lord God sent him out from the Garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life.”   – Genesis 3:23–24

“So God made for them garments of animal skin. This was an acceptable covering. But it was only a partial remedy, for it did not take away the sin…and though they could not understand it at the time, it was a picture of the price God would ultimately pay to free humankind from sin. God sent Adam and Eve out from the garden, lest they eat from the tree of life and walk the earth forever, never knowing life as it was meant to be. As for Satan, God pronounced a judgment on him. And in that judgment we find God’s first promise, that one day, through a descendant of Eve, God would send a deliverer to defeat Satan forever.”
– The HOPE, Chapter 3

BIG IDEA: Only God can conquer sin and death

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

MEDITATING ON THE WORD:

Hebrews 10:1-10
Romans 8:3
2 Corinthians 5:21
Romans 6:23

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.” – Genesis 3:15
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” – Romans 16:20

PRAYER:

Pray a prayer of thanksgiving that God had a plan from the beginning to bring us back to Him.

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• What happened as a result of their sin?
• Is there anyone without sin?
• If sin is a disease, did God promise a cure? When? (Genesis 3:15)
• Can you fix your own sin?

LIVE IT OUT!

• Ask God to search your heart for any sin you haven’t asked forgiveness for and take advantage of His grace to forgive.

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

“Therefore just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” – Romans 5:12

Question: “What is spiritual death?”
Answer: Death is separation. A physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. Spiritual death, which is of greater significance, is the separation of the soul from God. In Genesis 2:17, God tells Adam that in the day he eats of the forbidden fruit he will “surely die.” Adam does fall, but his physical death does not occur immediately; God must have had another type of death in mind—spiritual death. This separation from God is exactly what we see in Genesis 3:8. When Adam and Eve heard the voice of the Lord, they “hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God.” The fellowship had been broken. They were spiritually dead.

A man without Christ is spiritually dead. Paul describes it as “being alienated from the life of God” in Ephesians 4:18. (To be separated from life is the same as being dead.) The natural man, like Adam hiding in the garden, is isolated from God. When we are born again, the spiritual death is reversed. Before salvation, we are dead (spiritually), but Jesus gives us life. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,” (Ephesians 2:1 NKJV). “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins” (Colossians 2:13).

(via “What Is Spiritual Death?” GotQuestions.org)

BIG IDEA: Sin causes death, both spiritual and physical

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

MEDITATING ON THE WORD:

Genesis 3
Romans 5
Romans 6:23

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“Therefore just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” – Romans 5:12

PRAYER:

Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s promise of His presence in your life always!

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• What is sin?
• How do we sin?
• What happens because of sin?
• What does our sin deserve?
• Is sin attractive? (Heb. 1:24-26, Gen. 3:6)

LIVE IT OUT!

• Take a walk and find a place to enjoy God’s presence together in prayer and the Word. Thank God for making you spiritually alive in Jesus!

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” – Deuteronomy 30:19

For man was created to love God and to be loved by God. – The HOPE, Chapter 2

God’s love for us is proclaimed throughout the Old and New Testaments. 

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)

Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. (Psalm 25:6)
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. (1 John 4:16)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

In response to that love God calls us to in turn love Him above all else.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)

Our love of God is demonstrated by our willing obedience to His purpose for our lives.

But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: (1 John 2:5)

In other words, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it, “the chief purpose for which man is made is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.”  When we truly love God, we will truly glorify Him above all others. Let’s help the children this week truly grasp how long, high, deep, and wide is God’s love for us.

BIG IDEA: We were created to love and be loved by God.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

MEDITATING ON THE WORD:

Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Jeremiah 29:11
Psalm 139:13-17
Mark 12:30
Jeremiah 31:3

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” – Deuteronomy 30:19

PRAYER:

Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for all of God’s creation and how He has supplied our every need.

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• What is God’s purpose for you?
• What was God’s purpose for the angels?
• Why did Lucifer reject God’s purpose?
• What was the end result?

LIVE IT OUT!

• Make a list of ways you can show God that you love him.  Do the same for your parents, siblings, and friends. Purpose to love!

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” – Hebrews 11:3

According to His story, God spoke all of creation into existence. By His Word He made everything out of nothing… According to His story, God created the heavens, the earth, and every living thing in six days.  – The HOPE, Chapter 1

After reading the preceding excerpt from The HOPE video, let’s consider a few of these concepts. First, because God is all powerful, not limited by anything, He can create however He chooses, even simply by speaking. This concept is clearly presented in the Bible:

“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)

“…by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed.” (2 Peter 3:5)

Secondly, God made everything that is out of nothing. Think about that. When we humans create, we must utilize or draw upon things that existed before us. When we “create” we are really “re-creating.” But God, who created from nothing, is creative in the ultimate sense:

“…God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” (Romans 4:17)

Third, God created the whole world in six days. We find this concept clearly presented in the Bible:

“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them…” (Exodus 20:11)

While students of the Bible have long debated the meaning of “six days,” the assertion that God made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them clearly contradicts the notion that the world is simply the result of a natural evolutionary process.

BIG IDEA: God created the universe and everything in it. And it was good.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

MEDITATING ON THE WORD:

Genesis chapters 1-2 (focus on 2:7), Colossians 1:16

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” – Hebrews 11:3

PRAYER:

Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for all of God’s creation and how He has supplied our every need.

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• What did God make everything From?
• Why did God create the world?
• Why did God create people?
• What was man’s purpose when God created them?

LIVE IT OUT!

• Take a walk in the woods together, paying special attention to all that God has created and how unique each thing is.

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”  – Romans 1:20

“Before there was anything, before time or space or physical matter, there was God…One who is far beyond our ability to fully comprehend or describe. Through His story, we find that God is Spirit without a beginning or an end. He is complete within Himself, lacking in nothing. He is all knowing and all wise. He is perfect in every way. He is not limited by anything.” – The HOPE, Chapter 1

The first week of our study presented evidence that the Bible is the most trustworthy reference point in all the world for understanding reality. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself, and it reveals truth about God in two ways. One way is by demonstration: recording God’s action and interaction with the world and humankind. Another way is by declaration: making direct statements or claims about the nature and character of God.
As you prepare to lead the children this week, consider the following Bible verses that support the excerpt from The HOPE quoted above.

Before There Was Anything, There Was God (Colossians 1:16-17)
God Is Beyond Our Ability to Fully Comprehend  (Psalm 145:3, Romans 11:33)
God Is Spirit (John 4:24)
God Is Eternal – He Has No Beginning or End (Psalm 90:2, 1 Timothy 1:17)
God Is Complete within Himself, Lacking in Nothing (Acts 17:24-25)
God Is All Knowing and All Wise (Psalm 147:5, 1 Chron. 28:9, Isa. 40:28)
God is holy (perfect, other than) (1 Samuel 2:2)

BIG IDEA: God is.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO (START AT :46)

MEDITATING ON THE WORD:

Romans 1:20-21, Psalm 139
1 John 3:20, Isaiah 46:9-10
Psalm 147:4-5, 1 John 4:8
Acts 17:25, Revelation 1:4
Romans 11:33, Romans 16:27

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from     what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”  – Romans 1:20

PRAYER:

Pray that God would give you a desire to read His Word and that his Spirit would help you understand.

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• What did you learn in Quest this week?
• Who is God?
• What is he like?

LIVE IT OUT!

• Read some more of John’s gospel together.
• ]Write “God is…” on a piece of paper and make a list of His attributes together for the refrigerator.

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. -Psalm 119:105

It’s the Universal Question – Is there a purpose …for the world and for me? The HOPE video begins with these words…

“Throughout time people have considered the world in which we live; the complexity and beauty of  nature, the mystery of life and death, the depth of human joy and pain …and they have wondered, ‘How did it all come to be? Is this world the result of chance…or design? Is there something, or someone, behind it all? And if there is such a being, then what is He like? Does He have a  purpose for this world? Does He have a purpose for me in this world? Does He have a purpose for me beyond this world?”

Jeremiah 29:13 reads: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
This is the heart of Quest. Some of our kids may be asking questions about the existence of God, others may just be wanting to know Him more. In both cases He promises to be found when we search wholeheartedly for Him.

It begins with you and me.  As we dive in to this study, be prepared to let God show you who He is, and to discover new things about God and yourself. Determine that you will “search for Him with your whole heart,” and then lead the children to do the same.

BIG IDEA: The Bible is God’s Word. We can trust it.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  – Psalm 119:105

PRAYER:

Pray that God would give you a desire to read His Word and that His Spirit would help you understand.

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

What did you learn in Quest this week?
What is the Bible?
Why can we trust the Bible?
If people wrote the Bible, how did God write the Bible?

LIVE IT OUT!

Start a Bible reading plan together.  It can be just a verse or two a day.  The gospel of John is a great place to start!

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:16-17

Dear Quest Parents,

Welcome to a new year at Quest! This year our “Big Idea” is the biggest of them all. God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, and our eternal Father, so desires us to know Him that He purposed that a book be written and assembled in order to reveal Himself, his plans, his mighty acts, and his will to us. Understanding this Book, how it was written, how it is organized, and what it says about God, about us, and about God’s ultimate plan for redeeming His people through his Son, Jesus Christ, is of utmost importance for our students on their Quest.

Would you depart for a trip without knowing your destination, without consulting a map, without using a GPS, or without taking someone along who knows the way? Would you ignore signs that read “Wrong Way – Do not enter – Danger!” Only a very unwise person would. We need to help teach the children that this Christian life is a journey with an eternal destination and that along the way there are dangers, detours, and temptations to navigate. To make the most of this Quest we must know well our map, the Bible. The curriculum we are about to begin is based on the film The Hope, and each week we will watch a short portion of the film that we will use as the starting point for our teaching that day.

Each Sunday afternoon you will receive an email from us with a parent devotional and some discussion starters. If you’d like to watch the segment of the film we used that day you can access that at, www.thehopeproject.com.

You are your child’s first and most important spiritual leader. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

Blessings,

Mike Meyers & the RBC Children’s Ministry Team