theme: fulfilled and flourishing

Sunday 19th January 2025

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus moves on to teach the crowds about how he has not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil it. The ‘Law and the Prophets’ is how the Jewish people sometimes referred to the Scriptures, what we call the Old Testament. Jesus is the Messiah that the Law and the Prophets look forward to and he is the ultimate sacrifice for sins.

This is a tricky concept to grasp, so we’re going to explore a story where someone (the disciple Philip) realises that Jesus is exactly the Saviour that God’s people had been waiting for – he is the one that ‘Moses and the Prophets wrote about’ (John 1:45). Philip was so impressed by Jesus that he just had to tell his friend Nathanael all about him. How can we tell other people that Jesus is the one that they have been waiting for?

Sunday Kids Work Video

Storytelling

tHINGS YOU MAY NEED

  • Large sheets of paper

  • art materials

Questions & Thoughts

Share out some refreshments and enjoy eating and drinking together. Start to talk about the Bible story using these questions:

  • Which part of this story do you like best?

  • What is the most important thing about this story?

  • Why do you think Philip decided to follow Jesus?

  • Why do you think Nathanael decided to follow Jesus?

  • Jesus is God’s special Saviour, the one that the people of God were waiting for. What do you think about that?

  • If you met Jesus, what would you say to him?

Chat & create

You and your family get large sheets of paper and art materials and create pictures inspired by the story or what you have discovered. You could draw a scene from the story itself (eg Nathanael under the tree) or perhaps a picture of them meeting Jesus.

The important thing with this activity is not to ensure that you come away with a lovely picture. Rather it is the process that is key. While you’re creating, you’re also processing what you’ve discovered and thinking about what it all means. You might be talking with Jesus as you draw, or wondering what this story means when you link it up with other Bible stories you’ve explored.

At the end of this time, ask if anyone would like to share what they have drawn and why. Remind everyone that God might have different things to share with each of us, so if what they have drawn is different from other people, that’s OK!

Worship

These are the worship songs being played in our kids groups this morning, if you wish to listen to the same

Under 5s

  • Deep, Deep, Deep

  • Every Move I make

  • God Suit

Over 5s

  • This Little Light of Mine

  • The Stand

Encounter

Everyone should find a space in the room where they won’t be distracted. They can sit, lie down, or close their eyes to help them think, if they like. Imagine that Jesus is in the room. What would you like to say to him? Leave a gap for the family to think about this.

Then say: “What question would you like to ask Jesus?” Again, leave a gap for thought.

Say: “When he was on the mountain, teaching the huge crowd of people, he told them that he was the one that God had promised in the Old Testament – he is God’s special saviour. What do you want to say to Jesus now?”

After a few seconds, open your eyes and come back together again. Give your family the chance to share what they have been thinking about, if they would like to.

Growing in Faith

Today, we explored Matthew 5:17–20, about Jesus being the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. We also heard the story of Jesus calling Philip and Nathanael, where Philip tells his friend that he has met the one promised by the Law and the Prophets (John 1:43–51). We discovered that Jesus is the one that was promised by the Old Testament – God’s special Saviour.

For all CHilDREN

Your child(ren) have been thinking about what they would say to Jesus if they met him face to face, just as Philip and Nathanael did. You could carry on this by reenacting the story from John 1:43–51. You could act the story out or use play people. Ask the children what Philip and Nathanael might have been thinking, and what they would have done if they met Jesus.

  • You can find more activities to do with the Sermon on the Mount here: https://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/search/label/Sermon%20on%20the%20mount – remember to chat about the themes as well as doing the activity. These are great times of sharing and learning together!

  • Together as a family, think of something you can do that would tell other people about God’s special Saviour. Philip told his friend Nathanael that he had met the one promised by the Law and the Prophets. Who can you tell? Read Galatians 5:14 together and then think about how you can love others and tell them about Jesus. Plan who you would like to tell and how, then put it into action with all the family playing a part.

Other resources