B I B L E M A X

FAMILY TIME: UNIT 2: HOW TO LIVE PART 1

Note to Childrens Leaders:
This Family material can be used as a supplement at home in conjunction with the BibleMAX How to Live Part 1 Unit, a childrens
curriculum from Max7. If you are teaching the How to Live Unit, it would be great to make this document available to the parents.
Note to Parents:
If your children are doing the How to Live BibleMAX Unit at church, the topics and Bible passages for each week are listed here for
your information and follow-up. This Family Time also works well as a stand-alone resource for families who want devotional ideas.

Week 1: Salt & Light Matthew 5: 13-16 Let everyone see Jesus in you, to bring out the best in others.
Week 2: Love your enemies Matthew 5:43-48 Love your enemies. God will give you strength and wisdom through prayer.
Week 3: Give Secretly Matthew 6:1-4 Give to please God, not to try to impress others.
Week 4: How to Pray Matthew 6:5-15 Talk to God because youre in relationship, not to try to impress others.
Week 5: Store Treasure in Heaven Matthew 6:19-21 Live life focused on eternity.

1. SALT AND LIGHT

Explore the Bible passage MORE IDEAS
Choose one of the 7 Ways to explore a Bible Passage from 7 Ways for Cooking have fun in the kitchen with the
Families. Suggestion: Way 1 - With an object. Have some salty popcorn children experimenting with salt.
or nuts to share as you read verse 13. Then, use a candle, a bowl and a Research a teen could find out about the
tall stand for verses 14 to 16. qualities of salt as a preserver and how it
What does it mean to lose your saltiness? loses its saltiness.
What does verse 16 mean for you? Craft make vs 16 as a poster to put on the
Does that mean we need to be show-offs when we do good things, so wall
everyone notices our bright light? Be a Light help a needy neighbour
Does our lifestyle stand out, like a light on a hill? cleaning, gardening, child-minding, visiting,
Are we noticeable in living out our Christian convictions, or are we just sharing a meal.
like every other family in the area? Why? Why not? Stargazing choose a cloudless night, or go
What can each person do to change? What if some family members are for a night walk with flashlights/torches.
not ready or sure enough of their faith to make changes?
Being Together as a family
Choose from 7 Ways to Be Together, from 7 Ways for Families. Suggestion: Way 6 Meal Times. Have a meal by
candlelight or in the dark this week and chat about the importance of light in our lives. This could lead into a time of thanks
to God. Experiment with food and salt; eg leave salt out of a recipe and see if anyone notices. Chat about how you can each
be salt and light at school or work. Share stories of people you know who are living as salt and light to others.
Pray together
Choose from 7 ways to Pray Together, from 7 Ways for Families. Suggestion: Way 4 Popcorn Prayer. This could be a prayer
of confession where people briefly say sorry for times they have not been salt and light.

2. LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

Chat about the Bible passage
Read the passage Matthew 5:43-48 together. Ask: who are our enemies? MORE IDEAS
Make a list of groups of people in your society who would be considered Research find out why tax collectors
enemies people disliked: criminals, politicians, bullies, gossips; or were not liked by the Jews.
discriminated against: people with a disability, homeless, poor. Smile make an effort to smile at
Work out some ways your family, church or community could show Gods everyone this week and be more
love to any of these groups of people. cheerful. See what a difference it makes.
Serving our enemies Tell a story there is a powerful story in
Choose from 7 Ways to Serve as a Family from 7 Ways for Families. this weeks BibleMAX lesson, about a
Suggestion: Way 1 Visits. Take the family to a home for elderly people Liberian woman who showed remarkable
regularly, help feed the homeless, help at a school for children with a love to her enemy.
disability or an orphanage, assist at a local charity, etc.

FAMILY TIME | Unit 2 How to Live Part 1 |

 B I B L E M A X
Personal Challenge
Each family member thinks of the person they find hardest to get along with a relative, someone at school, someone in the
workplace. Commit to praying for them every day this week. As you
pray, stop and listen to God. What is God telling you about this MORE IDEAS
person? Money Game young children can make their
Search your own heart. Who have you discriminated against? Who own money by making rubbings from coins. Use
have you excluded, ignored, said cruel words to, or gossiped about? this toy money to encourage imaginative play.
Ask forgiveness from Jesus. Introduce play ideas e.g. earning money,
spending money on necessities, giving money
3. GIVE SECRETLY away to needy people.
Explore the Bible passage
Look at Matthew 5:13. What would someone look like who has lost their saltiness? Would they look like the people
described in Matthew 6:1-2?
Chat about 6:3-4. Discuss how much is a good amount of money to give according to each persons means. Are there other
ways to give? Our time, our talents? Come up with a list of ways you can give secretly.
Giving Money
Parents, plan a family meeting to discuss financial giving. Ask God to guide you. Look at your budget. Discuss how much of
your funds God is calling you to give and where you want your giving to go. Commit your decision to the Lord. Parents can
ask their older children if they would like to have a private chat about what they can give and who to.
Serve Secretly
Choose from 7 Ways to Serve your Family, from 7 Ways for Families. MORE IDEAS
Suggestion: Way 1 RAK. Each family member chooses someone to Controversial Discussion - teens and adults
serve secretly with random acts of kindness. The emphasis is on might like to discuss verse 8, if God knows what
being secretive. we need before we ask, what is the point of
praying?
4. HOW TO PRAY Practical Prayer for young children an easy way
Explore the Bible passage for young children to remember what to pray
Using Matthew 6: 5-8, choose No. 3 Devotion from 7 Ways to chat about is to hold a teaspoon in their hand, think
together from 7 Ways for Families. Ask someone to prepare it. This of the abbreviation, TSP, and then say to God...
could be done during a Family evening, or at a meal time. Thank you, Sorry, Please.
Creative Communication Write a psalm write a prayer and put it to
Using some of the ideas from the week 4 BibleMAX lesson in How to music. Choose a tune you know and like or make
Live, explore different ways to communicate in pairs: up your own. Its like writing a poem.
back to back;
sitting knee to knee;
standing close facing each other, then
increase your distance by taking steps back throughout the conversation;
side on while walking together, or in the car together.
Experiment with interesting ways to have a conversation. Use technology, passing messages, writing letters, etc.
Chat about which were the best ways to have a conversation. Chat about prayer being a conversation with God.
Whats the best way to have a conversation with God? Look at verse 6.
7 ways to pray one for each day
Experiment with different ways to pray this week. Try a different way each day at the meal table or at bedtime, with each
child. Ideas can be found in 7 Ways to Pray, from 7 Ways for Families.

5. STORE TREASURE IN HEAVEN MORE IDEAS

Have a treasure hunt for the younger children.
Whats important to me?
Make the treasure something that lasts, not
Have a Devotion time together. Everyone shows the others something
something to eat, like messages, get a hug from
that they treasure and says why its important to them. Have a chat
Mummy.
about what you would take if you had to leave your home quickly -
fire, flood, unrest, etc. Read out Matthew 6:19-21. Ask: What treasure never leaves you no matter what happens to your
possessions?
Give away your treasure
Organise some ways that you can clear out some of the treasure you have that you dont need any more toys, clothes,
books, kitchen items, etc. Give it away to others in need a second hand shop, or sell and give the money to charity.
Challenge the family to go without or live more simply for a week, e.g. TV, phone, computer, eat less food, sleep on the floor,
or wash from a bucket.

FAMILY TIME | Unit 2 How to Live Part 1 |