Week 1: Jesus’ Power Calms Our Fears Scripture: Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35-41) Supplies: bowl of water, towel, transparent tape, table 1 Intro Hi friends! (Introduce yourself.) Today we’re going to talk about Jesus’ power! A lot of people are fearful about Coronavirus right now, but Jesus’ power calms our fears. Let’s start with a song about Jesus’ power! Pause this video, click the link below and follow along from home! 4 Music Video My God Is Powerful (Provide this link in a comment or description under your video.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1MDCwirYoQ 2 Family Discussion Thanks for singing with me! Now, let’s talk more about fears. What scares you right now? (Give your own example first.) How about you? Pause the video and talk about that with your family. Being scared isn’t new…it happened in the Bible, too! Let’s see how Jesus’ power calmed fears of some people who were very scared! 7 Bible Story To learn this story, you’ll need a bowl of water and a towel. Pause the video while you get those items. If you want to follow along, this Bible story is in Mark 4:35-41. (Explain these points of the Bible story in your own words, demonstrating how to interact with the water in the bowl as you teach.) Jesus and his friends were on a boat (set hand on water as boat) A storm started! (splash and swirl the water) Jesus was sleeping through the storm (keep splashing) Jesus’ friends woke him up and asked for help (keep splashing) Jesus woke up and said, “Silence! Be still!” (take your hand out of the bowl and wait for the water to calm) Jesus’ power calms our fears. (Read the following questions one at a time, instructing families to pause to discuss after each one.) • What happened to the water in our bowl? How is that like feeling afraid? • Imagine you were in the boat during the storm. What would scare you? • What does this event show you about Jesus’ power over your fears? 5 Science Fun (Note: This may not work with off-brand tape. Use Scotch brand.) Wow! Jesus’ power calmed the fears of his friends—and calmed the storm! When our fears feel like a swirling storm inside of us, we can turn to Jesus. Jesus’ power calms our fears. When people are afraid, sometimes they blame God and push him away. I’ll show you what that’s like. If you want to do it too, sit at your table with some Scotch tape. (Explain what you’re doing as you follow these steps. Put two strips of tape down on the table side by side, pressing them down but leaving one end loose to peel up. Lift them up and hold them near each other, sticky side out and hanging down from your hands. The tape will repel each other.) • Pause the video to talk about this question: Why would people push God away when they’re scared? (Explain what you’re doing as you follow these steps: Put the tape back down on the table, but this time, put one piece on top of the other. Peel them off and hold them as before. This time, the tape will attract the other piece because you reversed the static charge.) • Now pause the video to talk with your family about this: How can we get closer to Jesus when we’re afraid about Coronavirus? In our Bible story, Jesus’ friends didn’t push him away. They went to Jesus with their fears, and he helped them! We can do the same thing because Jesus’ power calms our fears. 5 Closing/prayer Let’s close by drawing closer to Jesus and talking with him! Think of someone who helps you when you’re scared…maybe someone in your family! When I pause in my prayer, call out their name! God, we thank you for ______________. We’re thankful that when we feel scared, they help us by ________ (pause for a while). In Jesus’ name, amen. Every week, we’re going to draw a picture to add to a thankful journal. You can use a notebook or just staple a bunch of paper together to make a book. Being thankful takes our eyes off of what we’re scared of and helps us see Jesus’ power instead. It’s one way Jesus’ power calms our fears. This week, draw the person you just thanked God for. Or draw Jesus! Put today’s date on your picture so you can look back at your journal later. Pause the video while you do that. Thanks for joining us! We want to see you next week, and we also want you to spend the week looking for God Sightings. God Sightings include things God is doing or providing for you or people around the world. Look for God’s goodness, something or someone he has made, or something beautiful. My God Sighting today is… (share example.) When you find a God Sighting, feel free to draw it in your journal! I can’t wait for you to share your God Sightings next week! See you then, and remember: Jesus’ power calms our fears.
