SERIES DESCRIPTION
All Aboard! Jesus loves everyone, and He wants everyone to come aboard and be His friend forever. When we look at the kind of friend Jesus was while He was on earth, we can see that Jesus truly does love everyone. Throughout the Bible, we find accounts of the times that Jesus loved those considered unworthy and wanted to be their friend—no matter what.
Curriculum:
Week One (February 2)
Bible Story Focus: Jesus loves everyone.
Woman at the Well • John 4:1-30
Memory Verse: “Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12, NIV
Key Question: Who does Jesus love?
Bottom Line: Jesus loves everyone.
Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever.
Story Focus: Jesus loves everyone. When we look at the kind of friend Jesus was while He was on earth, we can see that Jesus truly does love everyone. Remember the woman at the well? Not only had she made some bad choices, but on top of that she was a Samaritan. This should have been a big problem for Jesus since He was a Jew. But it wasn’t a problem. Jesus loved her and wanted to be her friend, no matter what.
Week Two (February 9)
Bible Story Focus: Jesus loves us even when we do something wrong.
Zacchaeus • Luke 19:1-10
Memory Verse: “Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12, NIV
Key Question: Who does Jesus love?
Bottom Line: Jesus loves everyone.
Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever.
Story Focus: Jesus loves us even when we do something wrong. Then there was Zacchaeus. Can’t you just see him struggling to get high enough in that tree to get a glimpse of Jesus. He never in a million years expected Jesus to talk to him, must less go to his house for a meal together! Being a not so honest tax collector had left Zacchaeus without many friends. But Jesus was different. Jesus loved Zacchaeus and wanted to be his friend, no matter what.
Week Three (February 16)
Bible Story Focus: Jesus is our friend even when no one else is.
The Unloved Woman • John 8:2-11
Memory Verse: “Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12, NIV
Key Question: Who does Jesus love?
Bottom Line: Jesus loves everyone.
Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever.
Story Focus: Jesus is our friend even when no one else is. What about the woman who was drug out and condemned in public by her accusers? We call her the unloved woman because that’s what she was. A woman who knew little of what true love really is. Yes, she had made bad choices. Yes, she was guilty. And this made people look down on her. But it wasn’t that way with Jesus. Jesus loved her and wanted to be her friend, no matter what.
Week Four (February 23)
Bible Story Focus: We can love like Jesus.
Love Others • John 15:12
Memory Verse: “Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12, NIV
Key Question: Who does Jesus love?
Bottom Line: Jesus loves everyone.
Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever.
Story Focus: We can love like Jesus. And then there’s all of us and the children and families we will lead this month. We are left with the question, how will I love others? Will I love like those who were bitter at Zacchaeus? The people who shunned the woman at the well? Those with rocks in hand ready to pass judgement? Or, will I choose to love like Jesus—the way Jesus loves us?