Family Worship (Feb 23)

Imagine planting a garden. If weeds grow and aren’t removed, they choke the healthy plants. The church is like a garden—God wants it to be peaceful (united in love) and pure (free from sin). Today’s story shows how the early church lived in peace but also how God removed sin to keep it pure.

Read Acts 4:32-5:11
The early church was “one in heart and mind.” They shared everything, helping each other joyfully (Acts 4:32-35). But Ananias and Sapphira lied about their offering, pretending to give more than they did. Peter confronted them, and they both fell dead. The whole church learned that God takes truth and purity seriously.

Discussion Questions

1. How did the early church show love and kindness like Jesus?
2. Why is it important to always tell the truth to God and others?
3. How does sin (like lying or being selfish) hurt our friendship with God and with people?
4. Why do we need Jesus to help us make good choices and love others?
5. What should we do when we mess up? How does Jesus forgive and help us?

Activity: The Garden of Peace and Purity

• Gather markers, poster board, construction paper, and other art supplies.
• Create a “Peace Garden” with beautiful flowers and colorful plants and label them as things that help our family grow in love (kindness, sharing, honesty, God’s grace, etc).
• Now, create “Weeds” out of construction paper, label them as things that hurt peace (lying, selfishness, arguing) and place them in your “Peace Garden.”
• Talk about how the weeds destroy the Peace and Purity of our family. Explain that we can’t remove sin on our own, but Jesus can. He died and rose again to forgive us and make our hearts pure. As a family, take the “Weeds” and tear them up or throw them away to show how Jesus removes our sin when we confess and trust in Him.

Prayer
Lord, help our family live in peace, love, and honesty. Show us any “weeds” in our hearts, and give us the strength to remove them. Thank You for Your grace and for making us more like Jesus. Amen.

Memory Work:

New City Catechism
8. What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below—you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet.

Romans 6:23 (ESV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.