This morning in Children at IBC, we learned about the start of a significant period of time for the history of Israel. The time when Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians. The Israelites continued to disobey God over and over again, ignoring the message of the prophets - the ones we have talked about over the past several weeks. And God, like a parent reluctant to punish his children, could let their disobedience go on no longer without punishment. So the Assyrians, upset by the Northern Kingdom's last King, Hoshea (not Hosea, he's a different guy), captured the people of Israel and destroyed the Northern Kingdom. You can read about it in 2 Kings 17. Our great hope is that even though we disobey God, Jesus took on the punishment for our sins, bringing us back into God's presence instead of away into exile. This week, think about how great a span there is between what our disobedience deserves and the great mercy of God.
Here are some questions to extend the conversation this week:
Elementary
- Have you ever disobeyed and been nervous until the consequence was received?
- What do you think is an appropriate consequence for disobedience? Do you the Israelites deserved such the consequence they received? Or do you think they got off easy?
- Do we deserve Jesus taking the punishment for our sins?
Preschool
- When you disobey you parents, what should happen? Should they give you a consequence? Should they forgive you?
- Does God always give us the consequences that we deserve?