Think of your favorite thing, something that is very special to you. Now, did you know that Jesus wants us to love Him more than that special thing, more than anything? And that Jesus is worth loving more than anything? In this week’s story, Mary shows her love for Jesus by pouring out an expensive bottle of perfume. How will you pour out your love for Him this week?
HIGHLIGHTS from the Weekend…
This weekend, talk to your child about how Jesus is worth loving more than anything else. Read Mark 14:3-9 together and talk about what happened in the story. While Jesus was having dinner at a friend’s house Mary came to see Him. She opened a very expensive bottle of perfume and poured it on His head and feet and then wiped His feet with her hair. The friends at the dinner were very upset because they thought she had wasted the perfume, but Jesus was pleased. He told the friends to leave her alone. Mary showed her love for Jesus by serving Him. She loved Jesus even more than her fancy perfume and was willing to give all she had to honor Him.
Teaching Truth:
- Jesus is worth loving more than anything else.
Memory Verse
"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:8
3 Activities that Help Us Learn This Week's Teaching Truth:
1. Serving Chain
At the dinner table this week, start a tradition of telling how each of you has helped someone this week. It can be big or small, such as holding the door open for someone or letting a friend have a turn with a toy first. Write down each act of service on a strip of colored construction paper. Curl the strips into circles and staple the ends together. Interlock the circles to create a chain that has the different ways you, as a family, have served other people.
2. Bottle of Perfume
Create a beautiful perfume bottle using a recycled jelly jar. Get creative and let your child decorate the jar with glitter, ribbons, paint, or even cut colored tissue paper into small squares, water down some glue and let your child paint the jar with glue and then attach tissue paper. Fill the jar with names of friends, family, neighbors and teachers. Each day let your child pull out a name from the jar that he can pray for that day. Brainstorm with your child ways to serve that person when normal daily activities resume. It could be making cookies, watering the plants or any way that your child can serve that person intentionally.
- What did Mary pour over Jesus?
- Why did Mary pour perfume on Jesus?
- Why were the disciples upset about Mary doing this?
- Was Jesus happy because of what Mary did?
3. Hide the Bottle
Using an old perfume bottle or the bottle created from a jelly jar, hide it somewhere in the room. Have your child find the bottle. When he finds the bottle, have him say a way to love God, such as fellowship with family and friends, singing worship songs, reading the Bible, praying, helping Mom or Dad with a chore, going to church, telling others about Jesus. Continue to hide the bottle and talking about how Jesus is worth loving more than anything else.
Pray
Father, just how Mary showed Jesus love, we pray that you would help us live our lives in the same way. We thank you for this story and for ultimately saving us through Jesus. Thank you for claiming us as your children and for never leaving us.