Listen. Listen to the pre-recorded Children’s Message together. 

You can find it at pacificunionchurch.org/churchsmall

Review

Pastor Nate said that faithfulness is when we trust in two directions. 

What are the two directions? [Hint to parents: “up” and “forward”]

What does it mean to “trust up”?

[Hint to parents: We “trust up” when we trust God who we can’t see.]

What does it mean to “trust forward”?

[Hint to parents: God asks us to let go of what we have now, so that he can give us something better later. We “trust forward” when we believe that God’s promises are real.]

Let’s find out what God promises to give us later. 

We will discover this by learning Abraham’s story. 

Lesson

[Activity: Here’s something to help the kids get into the story. Build a tent with a sheet and some chairs and then get in the tent to tell this story.]

Introduction to Abraham: Abraham was a man who lived in a beautiful city called Ur. Ur was rich. Ur was safe. Ur is where Abraham’s whole family lived. But one day God came to him, asking him to let go so that later, he could give him something better. Let’s find out what that is.

Read Hebrews 11:8-10  together.

What did God ask Abraham to do? Was this easy or hard for Abraham? Why?

Did Abraham know where he was going? 

Why do you think Abraham listened to God and left?

What was Abraham’s life like after he left? Where did he and his family live? Was this easy or hard? Why?

What did God promise Abraham? What was Abraham looking for? [Hint: see verse 10]

So Abraham left his beautiful city of Ur to look for God’s city. Let’s find out if he found it.

Read Hebrews 11:13, 16 together.

Did Abraham find God’s city before he died? 

Where is God’s city?

Faith sometimes means that God will give us what he promised after our whole life.

This is what “trusting forward” or faithfulness looks like. We trust God for our whole life. 

How can God keep his promises to us, if he gives them to us after we die?

[Hint to parents: Think about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Think about the gift of eternal life.]

Respond. God makes the same promise to us that he made to Abraham.

How does that make you feel? 

Do you trust God to keep his promise to have us come and live in his forever city?

Abraham had to let go of Ur. What do you think God wants us to let go of?

What would change for us if we always trusted God?

Share. What is one simple thing you learned this week that you can share with someone else? Who will you share it with? Make a plan to share what you learned this week with this person.