Unit 29 Session 4
The Good News
Family Bible Time Connections
Read all or parts of James 1-2 from your Bible.
Talk About Scripture
How many food pairs can you think of? There is ham and cheese, cake and ice cream, spaghetti and meatballs, and of course chocolate and peanut butter! These different foods complement each other to form perfect pairs.
When James wrote to some Jewish believers, he wanted to tell them about the most perfect pair: faith and obedience. Some of the Jewish believers were confused and were acting as if Jesus had freed them to do anything they wanted. But James said faith in Jesus would naturally lead them to obey His commandments, not disobey them.
Living in a way that obeys God’s commands shows true faith in Him.
The Bible makes it clear that there is no amount of good deeds that can save us from our sin. Salvation comes only through believing in who Jesus is and what He has done for us. But when we realize how much Jesus loves us, His love should overflow into what we say and what we do. Obedience is not the way to earn God’s love for us, but it is a way to show our love for Him. This is why faith and obedience are a perfect pair!
Jesus said, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word” (John 14:23). James reminded believers to be doers of the word. Jesus rescues us from sin and frees us to live a life that honors God. By doing what is good and right, people who trust Jesus can show that they really believe in Him.
Memorize the Scripture
“We who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.” - Romans 12:5
Prayer Time Ideas
Thank God for the Bible. Why should we read and obey God’s Word? How does obeying God show our faith in Him?
Thank God for your parents, teachers, and other authority figures. How do these people help us to do the right things? How does obeying these leaders honor God and reflect His love?
Actively Apply the Scripture
For Fun
Choose a Scripture to memorize as a family. Practice reciting the verse each night until the entire family has it memorized. Remind kids that the Bible is a gift to us. It helps us to know God, shows our need for Jesus, and guides us in following Him.
To Serve
Donate Bibles or funds to purchase Bibles to a local ministry. Consider partnering with other families to provide a large quantity of Bibles for the ministry to make as big of an impact as possible.