Joining God's Team

March 6, 2021

Bible Readings

Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.

Acts 2: 42-47

Memory Verse

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Someone might be able to beat up one of you, but not both of you. As the saying goes, ‘A rope made from three strands of cord is hard to break. (CEV)

written by Ron VandenBurg
illustrated by Chad Thompson

We see Casey participating in a Zoom meeting at the kitchen table. Casey has a bible open on the table. We see Mom in the background.
It’s Sunday school online, and we see Mrs.Hill and a bunch of kids on Zoom—maybe nine boxes of faces. We see Milo and Sofia. The faces we see are very diverse, including abilities and body types.
Casey is asking, “Mrs. Hill, my question is: What was Jesus like as a kid?”

We see a close-up of the panel. The bottom right corner has a computer tag “Sunday School Meeting”. Everyone is talking with hands up asking a panel full of questions:
“I wonder if other kids liked Jesus..”
“I wonder if that Christmas stable was stinky.”
“If Jesus was God, how could he die?”
The panel is full of questions and faces.

We now are in Mrs. Hill’s study. We see her with a pen and paper (she wrote down the questions) and an open Bible and looking at the screen, she says, “Great questions, my theologians. Let’s start with Luke 2:41-52!” Smiles on everyone on screen.

Print Comic

Have you ever been on a sports team? Did you know God has a team, too? God’s team is called the church. The church is not just a building; it's a community of believers. Like team members help each other to win a game, Christians work together as a team to help each other grow in their faith and show Jesus’ love to their neighbors!

The first church was formed by Jesus’ friends, who were called the apostles. God amazed everyone with the miracles and wonders he performed through the apostles. The Lord’s followers met together in their homes to learn about God and became family for one another. They shared with one another, and if anyone was in need, they worked together as a team to provide for them. They praised God, and God helped their church “team” become strong.

Like the people of the early church, we can follow God by helping our neighbors in need and coming together to praise him. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus told his disciples, “Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you.” He is with you and your family when you read the Bible together. He is with you and your friends when you talk about God. This week, talk with your family about how you can join with a community of believers to worship God.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for church communities that are here to help me learn about you. Thank you for being with my friends and family when we worship you. Please show me how to be a good team member in my church so more people can know you. Amen.

Related Resources

Activity

Church in Action Comic Book

Activity

Preparing for Easter: A Family Lenten Devotional

Liz and Friends

Circle of Friends

Kids In Action Episode

Snacks for Summer

Bible Story

Philip and the Ethiopian

Areo Keller-Donahue

As soon as Areo could pick up a popsicle stick, she was making puppets and putting on plays that shared her faith with her neighbors. Areo grew up with a strong interest in musical theatre and earned her BFA at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Areo was led to use artistic gifts to share the gospel with young ones, and she became involved in ministry. She has worked in children's ministry at Redeemer Upper West Side and North Way Christian Community and is currently developing a musical live-action series that celebrates faith and fun. Areo and her husband live in Pittsburgh, where they enjoy spending time with their families and adorable cat, Daisy.