Dear Parents,

Our KidLife Preschool and Elementary Class are currently studying through the entire Bible while focusing on the Gospel. As they learn the incredible stories of Scripture, they’ll be taught how Christ is connected to all of it.

We have a deep desire to come along side you, the parent, and help you disciple your children. We want to help you teach them about God’s Word. Every week, we will send home information about the lesson your child learned. We also plan to include the lesson in our church program and post a weekly summary here, on the Grace Life Blog.

Take the time each day to go over what they learn, memorize the Scripture verse with them, and continue to show them Jesus. The greatest responsibility we have as parents is to disciple are kids and to show them how to follow Jesus. For more information on the importance of Family Discipleship, here’s a quick Facebook Live video or you can listen to this sermon on Family Discipleship from Pastor Matt.

Want the weekly KidLife lesson recap and other blog post delivered right to your inbox? Be sure to signup to receive post from the Grace Life Blog.

Here is this week’s summary:

The Kingdom Divided

1 Kings 11-12

Story Point: God divided Israel into two kingdoms because Solomon sinned.

Big Picture Question: What does God know? God knows everything about the past, present, and future.

Christ Connection: King Solomon failed to lead God’s people perfectly. God’s people needed a better king, a perfect king! Through David’s family, God would send His own Son, Jesus Christ, to be a perfect King over God’s people forever. Jesus is greater than Solomon. Jesus brings His people together and leads them back to God.

Key Passage: Psalm 145:13

Dear Parents,

King Solomon loved God. He received wisdom from the Lord and was dedicated to building His temple. But early on, we see hints that Solomon’s heart was not completely devoted to God. He married foreign wives who turned Solomon’s heart away from God. (1 Kings 11:4)

Solomon gradually abandoned what he had believed. Israel had a history of turning away from God, and Solomon was no exception.

God was angry with Solomon. He had warned him twice not to turn to false gods. God planned to discipline Solomon by taking the kingdom away from his family. God was going to take the kingdom from Solomon’s son Rehoboam—every tribe except for one. God graciously left one tribe for Rehoboam, keeping the promise He made to David. (See 2 Sam. 7:16.)

God set apart Jeroboam, one of Solomon’s servants, to become leader over 10 tribes of Israel. Parts of the tribe of Benjamin followed Jeroboam, and some followed Rehoboam. When Solomon died, all of Israel gathered to make Rehoboam their new king. They asked Rehoboam to lighten the burden of service Solomon had given them, but Rehoboam refused. In fact, he promised to make their work even harder.

Israel rebelled against Rehoboam and made Jeroboam king. Only the tribe of Judah stayed with Rehoboam. So the kingdom was divided into two kingdoms—the Northern Kingdom was called Israel (ruled by Jeroboam) and the Southern Kingdom was called Judah (ruled by Rehoboam).

King Solomon failed to lead God’s people perfectly. God’s people needed a better king, a perfect king! Through David’s family, God would send His own Son, Jesus Christ, to be a perfect King over God’s people forever. Jesus is greater than Solomon. Jesus brings His people together and leads them back to God.

Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.

 

FAMILY STARTING POINTS

Babies and Toddlers

God knows everything.

King Solomon’s sin split the kingdom.

People from David’s family were kings of Judah.

Jesus was born into David and Solomon’s family.

Preschool

What does God know? God knows everything.

God divided Israel into two kingdoms.

Kids

What does God know? God knows everything about the past, present, and future.

God divided Israel into two kingdoms because Solomon sinned.

 

UNIT KEY PASSAGE

James 1:5

NEXT WEEK

“Elijah and the Widow” (1 Kings 17)