Use with the Invite ‘em Over and Block Party Activities.
Objective
Show your children that other followers of Jesus introduced their friends to him by getting them together with Jesus.
Scripture Focus
Read Matthew 9:9-13 with your child.
Focus
Matthew had many friends that were not Christians. They were not people that you would see come to church, and they were people that the religious leaders did not like. When Matthew decided to follow Jesus he invited his friends to a dinner party to meet Jesus. He used a party to introduce people his old friend to his new friend: Jesus Christ.
Discussion Questions
1. Did the religious people like that Jesus was eating with the sinners and tax collectors?
(No they questioned and mocked him.)
2. Do you think the people Matthew invited knew how to act around Jesus?
(Probably not. They probably did not know Jesus so they did not know what he taught.)
3. Jesus said the sick people need a doctor, not the well people. Did Jesus come to stay with good people or help bad people?
(The Bible says that he came to seek and save the lost.)
Activity
Set the table like you are going to have dinner. You can also do this in the living room floor with paper plates and cups. Designate one spot to be Jesus’ chair. Then talk with your children and brainstorm people that you could invite to meet Jesus. You may or may not know their names (the neighbor across the street, the pizza guy, etc.) When you have filled your spots, pray together for these people, and that God would show you how you can invite people to meet him.
Conclusion
We all have a responsibility to help people meet Jesus. Sometimes we do that by inviting people we know to meet Jesus or hear about him. Even though our friends or neighbors may not look or act like people that know Jesus, we need to remember that he would be really like to meet them.
Prayer
Pray with your child that God would help you invite people to meet him.