Remembering the Heart of Jesus
Month 8: The Heart of Jesus · Family Worship
Today's Scripture
Read together: John 11:25-26 & Luke 19:10
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. 26 And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” — John 11:25-26
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” — Luke 19:10
Memory Verse
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.”— John 11:25 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Jeremiah 32-34
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 239 of 365 — Jeremiah buys a field as a sign that God will bring His people home.)The Heart of It
This whole month we have watched the heart of Jesus on full display, and what a heart it is. He stopped everything to gather little children into His arms. He let a weeping woman wash His feet, and He told her she was forgiven. He told a story about a shepherd who counted sheep until he found the one that was missing. He told another about a father who ran down the road to hug a son who had thrown his life away. He called a cheating tax man named Zacchaeus out of a tree and into a brand-new life. Over and over, Jesus moved toward the very people everyone else gave up on. That is the heart of our King. And today, standing at the grave of His friend Lazarus, He shows us the deepest reason He came.
When Martha was crying, Jesus did not just promise to fix one sad afternoon. He said, "I am the resurrection and the life." He was telling her, and us, that the same Jesus who welcomes children and seeks the lost also has power over death itself. "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (). And He saves so completely that even the grave cannot keep His people. He makes a promise to everyone who believes in Him. That means real, trusting, hold-on-with-your-whole-heart believing. He promises them life that never ends. That is why His heart matters so much. He is not only kind. He is mighty to rescue. As we finish this month, we remember Him not as a faraway teacher but as the living Savior. He knows your name. He wants you near. And He offers you life forever.
Around the Table
This month we learned that Jesus has the kindest heart of anyone, ever. He loves little kids, He finds lost sheep, and He is so strong that even being dead can't stop Him!
Let's do it: Put your hand on your heart and say, "Jesus loves me, and Jesus is strong!" Then give the person next to you a big hug like the father gave his son.
Think back over the month — the children, the forgiven woman, the lost sheep, the prodigal son, Zacchaeus. What is one thing Jesus' heart showed you that you never want to forget?
Let's talk: Jesus said He is "the resurrection and the life." How is that bigger than just being a nice teacher?
Jesus' kindness and His power are not two separate things. His tender heart is exactly what drives His mighty rescue. He seeks the lost, and He raises the dead.
Let's go deeper: Believing "in Him" is more than knowing facts about Jesus — it's trusting and clinging to Him. Where is your faith real and active right now, and where is it just information?
💬 Conversation Starter
If you made a "highlight reel" of everything we learned about Jesus this month, which story would be the very first clip — and why?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
When someone says the empty tomb is just a legend, remember that Jesus proved His claim before His own resurrection. He raised Lazarus publicly, in front of many witnesses. His enemies never denied a body had come out of that grave (). The One who says "I am the resurrection" backed His words with power people could see. And we always stand ready to give a reason for our hope ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
A month spent in the heart of Jesus can quietly re-aim a father's whole leadership. We are tempted to disciple from the head, with rules, facts, and behavior management. But Jesus discipled from the heart. He moved toward the small, the sinful, and the sorrowful with relentless tenderness. Your children will most readily believe Jesus has a welcoming heart if they keep meeting it in you. They see it in how you respond when they fail. They see it in how you stop what you're doing to listen. They see it in how quickly you run toward repentance instead of holding a grudge. And note where this month lands. It does not land at a moral lesson but at a tomb, where Jesus claims to be life itself. Christianity is not finally about being good. It is about being raised. Make sure the children hear that the heart of Jesus is aimed at resurrection. His kindness is the kindness of a Rescuer. And His mercy carries the power to give them life that outlasts the grave.
Draws on: Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly.
Let's Pray Together
"Lord Jesus, thank You for Your gentle, seeking, mighty heart. Thank You for welcoming us. Thank You for forgiving us and finding us. You are the resurrection and the life. Help our family believe in You and never let go of You. In Jesus' name, amen."
The same Jesus whose heart is so kind is strong enough to raise the dead. And He offers that life to me.