INTRODUCTION

FOREIGN VISITORS WORSHIP JESUS

Bible Point:

Anyone can worship and follow Jesus.

Key Verse:

“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:12-13).

Big Picture:

Grow in your desire to follow Jesus and to welcome others to do the same.

Foreign Visitors Worship Jesus

Matthew 2:1-12

Sometimes you might find yourself really liking people who are different from you—and other times you might not. That’s pretty normal at your age. But worship can help you see things in a bigger way. Worship isn’t just about singing songs or praying; it’s about remembering who God is and how much Jesus loves every single person. People come from all kinds of cultures, races, and backgrounds, but what brings us together is Jesus’ love for all of us. When you worship, you get to be part of that big, united family.

PLANTING THE SEED

When Jesus was born, God set a special star in the sky. That must have been one spectacular star! Magi from far away saw the star and followed it to the place where Jesus lived. Ever wonder what they thought when they arrived and saw a little boy with a very plain family? This was probably not what they had expected! Yet, they believed that this little one had been born a king. And they gave Jesus gifts and worshiped him. (Matthew 2:1-12)

• How did the Magi show determination to see Jesus?

• Is worship the result of seeking Jesus? Why or why not?

• How can you worship Jesus?

FAMILY FUN

Plan a family worship time together. Remember, God calls all kinds of people to worship Jesus. That means every member of your family can worship Jesus in some special way. You might even want to invite some friends or relatives to join you. Some activities you could include in your worship time are Bible reading, music, drama, sharing time, and any other creative way you can think of to praise God. After your worship time, plan together how your family can spread Jesus’ light and love to others.

READY, SET, GROW!

Choose a way you’ll start accepting others who are different, just as Jesus did, this week:

• WRITE down some of the ways you’ve treated people differently because they weren’t like you in some way. Then pray to God, asking him to help you deal with your actions and to show you any other ways you may be treating people differently without knowing it.

• MAKE friends with someone of a different nationality or background. Take time to listen and understand them. What can you learn about loving others from their friendship?

• LOOK at the way you worship and follow Jesus in your daily life. Spend time this week seeking Jesus and worshiping him in a real way.