Elementary Level, Block 9—Jesus
Week 83
Jesus—Pleasing His Heavenly Father
Point to Emphasize: As we grow, we can be those who please our parents.
Reference Reading: Matthew 3:17; 12:18; Mark 1:11
Memory Verse: …This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I have found My delight. (Matthew 3:17)
Story Sample
When I was your age, I would get a report card from school four times a year. My parents were always pleased to see that I was making progress and getting good grades in school, but the most important things my dad looked at were the citizenship marks. Citizenship was not about how well you read or how well you write. Citizenship was all about how you behaved. Did you obey the teacher? Did you talk when you should be quiet? Were you nice to others? In my school, you could get a U for unsatisfactory, an S for satisfactory, or an E for excellent. Citizenship was so important to my parents. My dad was always pleased when I got all E’s in citizenship for “Excellent” behavior. It pleased him to know I was behaving well in school. I was so glad inside that I pleased my parents and that I had not disappointed them with poor behavior. [Storyteller, speak as the third person if this was not your experience.]
Now, this morning we have a verse from Matthew. Matthew is the first book in the New Testament. It says in Matthew that the Heavenly Father has found delight in His Son, the Beloved. This tells us that He is so pleased with His Son Jesus! WOW!!! He even calls Him the Beloved! This is like getting an E on your citizenship report card every day! This is amazing! Each day as Jesus grew up, and was becoming a boy, a young person, and finally an adult, His Heavenly Father found delight in His Son! It probably also made Jesus happy to be called “the Beloved” and to know that His Father was delighted in who He was and how he behaved.
When Jesus obeyed His parents, it was like earning an E for His citizenship, his behavior among others. When He was kind to His brothers and sisters, completed His chores to help His family, read God’s Word or recited a verse or talked about God to those around Him, His Heavenly Father found delight in Him.
I wish I had heard this when I was your age. I’m afraid that I did things as I grew up that did not please my parents. I can even remember when my dad was very upset at me for behaving so badly. Maybe if I had heard this kind of story when I was your age, I would have thought more about how I was behaving at school, towards my mom or sister, or with my friends. I would have thought, “Would my dad be pleased if he heard me talk in this mean way to my sister? Would he be happy if I don’t obey my mom right now?”. Many times I think I may have been able to change my behavior, because I would have known my parents would not be happy with it.
That is why I am so GLAD that you are hearing this now! It can help you! Just think about Jesus and how He pleased His Heavenly Father every single day! That is so great! We can be those who please our parents, in how we behave every day!