THINK TOGETHER
Ask mom and dad if they have any “rewards” cards like from a grocery store, or restaurant. Or maybe they have a credit card that earns rewards.
READ TOGETHER
When you trust in Jesus and become a Christian you now have access to some of the greatest “rewards” in the universe. Not because you earned them, but simply because you “signed up” for them. Like when your mom and dad sign up for the rewards card at the grocery store, or drug store, or restaurant. Of course with these cards you have to spend money in order to get the rewards. But not with God’s rewards. He gives us all the rewards of Jesus simply by trusting in him. Listen to how Paul describes four of our rewards here in Romans 5.
Romans 5:1-5. 1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Reward #1: Peace with God. This is huge. God is never, ever going to be your enemy. He will always be your friend. In Jesus you have peace with God forever.
Reward #2: Standing in grace. No matter what we do, we are never outside of God’s grace. We are always God’s favorite person.
Reward #3: Hope of the glory of God. Hope is when you look forward to something that you KNOW will happen – being in Heaven with God.
Reward #4: Rejoicing in suffering. Suffering is not a reward. Rejoicing IN suffering is. As Christians we don’t rejoice FOR suffering (that would be weird and wrong), but we can rejoice our suffering because it makes us more like Jesus.
Because of Jesus we have all his same rewards.
With Jesus we can live each day in the peace, grace, and hope of Jesus.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Have your kids find a reward they earned. Remind your children that Jesus’ rewards are not earned but received by faith as a gift. Jesus earned them FOR US.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, you have shared all your rewards with me. Help me to trust in your peace and grace today. Amen.
TLICfamily 