Dear Mom and Dad,

We applaud you for following Proverbs 22:6 by helping your child understand the Bible. Below, you will find some Teaching Tools to guide you in showing your child the truths of God’s Word and in helping your child apply them in his life.

Ages 3 to 6
Even if your children are older than six, we encourage you to lead them through this material before moving on to the content for their age group.

Ages 7 to 10

LEARN ABOUT THE MIRACLE

In this section, help your child understand why the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine was so important. It shows that Jesus can do anything, and that He always gives us what is best.

Teaching Tool #1:
Help your child understand why it was so important that the wine Jesus made was very special wine. Use the following illustration:

When you have a birthday party, you usually give your friends cake that tastes good. But what if you gave your friends only a bite of the good cake, and then you switched the good-tasting cake with some yucky tasting cake?

That's what many people did at weddings in Jesus' time. Instead of serving the best stuff they had, they cheated their friends by giving them just a little bit of good wine.

But Jesus saved the best wine for last. All the people at the wedding who waited got to taste the very best wine there. In the same way, when we wait on Jesus to give us what we need, we get the very best we could ever ask for!

Teaching Tool #2:
When your child wonders why Jesus told his mother, Mary, that it wasn't His time yet, explain that . . . Jesus always knows better than we do. Sometimes that means that we cannot understand what He is doing.

Mary wanted Jesus to solve the problem of not having any more wine, but she trusted Him even when she did not get the answer she was looking for.

Sometimes Jesus does not answer our prayers the way we think He will, but we always need to trust that His ways are best.

Teaching Tool #3:
Take a moment to explain that when Jesus called His mother "woman," it was considered a term of respect, similar to a child saying "ma'am" or "sir" when speaking to an adult. Help your child understand that even if he does not use special terms like "ma'am" and "sir," he is always to respect adults, especially his mother and father.

To respect someone means to be kind to him and to listen to what he says.

Use this as an opportunity to spend time with your child by making a "bravo" chart. Draw vertical columns with a heading over each one, and the days of the week down the side. Fill in the headings to be appropriate for your child. However, make sure at least one of them refers to respect. It can say something like "I obeyed my mom today," or "I did what my teacher asked me to do."

Then, have your child color and decorate the chart. As the week continues, use this as a tool to reward your child with stickers or stars under each column when he exhibits Christlike character and obeys His authority figures. You can also use this to discuss ways he can make better choices when he does not obey.

Teaching Tool #4:
When your child wonders why Jesus went with His mother, brother, and friends to Capernaum, explain that . . . Jesus loved His family and friends. By spending time with them, He showed that He loved them. Help your child think of ways that your family spends time with each other. Make a list of activities you enjoy doing together.

You may use this opportunity to talk to your child about being friends with not just playmates or schoolmates, but also with Jesus. If he is ready, lead your child through the salvation steps in "How to Be God's Friend."

Learning Concepts and Unfamiliar Words

    Your child learned a fundamental truth about God’s character (that He gives us the very best, He is powerful, and He wants us to obey Him and those in authority over us). Your child has also learned the meanings of the following words: authority, wedding, guests, servants, miracle, and sin.

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Dear Mom and Dad,

If you have children that are older (ages 7 to 10) and may enjoy learning more about this miracle, help them understand the following questions. You may want to help your child write his answers in a journal.

Journal: Sometimes we can be arrogant (or think we know what is best) when it comes to solving problems. We might pray about a problem, but not trust that Jesus' way to solve that problem is best. Have you ever tried to solve a problem only to realize you should have done it Jesus' way? What happened? Write about it in your journal.

Journal: When we wait for Jesus to tell us what to do or to give us what we need, He always gives us the very best–even if it doesn't seem like what is best to us. Has Jesus ever answered one of your prayers in a way that you did not expect?

Journal: Has one of your parents ever told you to do something you did not want to do because it was "for your best"? Write about it.

Journal: What are some ways you can respect your mother, father, or other authority figure? Make a list.

Journal: Copy the following Bible verse into your journal, and spend some time this week trying to remember it. It will help you obey even when you do not understand."

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Journal: Do you love Jesus? How can you spend more time with Him?

Learning Concepts and Unfamiliar Words

Not only has your child learned a fundamental truth about God’s character (that He gives us the very best, He is powerful, and He wants us to obey Him and those in authority over us), but he has also learned the importance of spending time with God in prayer and Bible study. Your child has also had a chance to apply biblical truths to his life and remember the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine through Scripture and song.

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