Jesus came to the place in the River Jordan where John was baptizing many people who had come out to see and hear him. Jesus asked John to baptize Him, because it was the right thing to do. One reason Jesus did this was an example to us.

Baptism does not wash our sins away, but rather is a sign that our sins have already been forgiven and forgotten by God because we have made the decision to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord. Baptism is a witness to others who observe it that we have decided to follow Jesus.

We’ll talk more about John the Baptist and about baptism this Sunday. Please plan to be with us this week, and bring along a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

We have only a single glimpse of Jesus between His birth and the beginning of His ministry at age 30. The Gospel of Luke tells us about one time when Jesus was twelve years old, the age when Jewish boys became bar mizpah (son of the law). That year Jesus and his parents, Mary and Joseph, traveled from Nazareth to Jerusalem to observe the Passover celebration.

After the Passover was over, Mary and Joseph started to walk back to Nazareth with the group they had come with. After a day’s travel, they realize that Jesus wasn’t with them! They hurried back to Jerusalem and, after searching for another whole day, finally found Jesus in the temple discussing with the scribes and priests.

Mary told Jesus that they had been worried about Him, but Jesus was surprised at this and told her “I must be about my Father’s business.” Even at age 12 He understood His special relationship to God and His ministry.

But Jesus obediently returned with Mary and Joseph, and continued to grow as He prepared to begin His ministry.

Join us this Sunday as we take a closer look at this interesting event…and don’t forget to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

At the end of this period, it was time for Jesus to turn His work over to His disciples and return to heaven. He gathered the disciples together and gave them what we know as the Great Commission. It applies just as much to us today as it did to the original disciples. We are to go into all the world, starting where we are, and tell others about Jesus…of His love for them, of His dying for their sins, and of His offer of forgiveness and eternal life—abundant life.

In the book of Acts, Luke tells of how the disciples saw Jesus rising into the heavens until the clouds hid Him from their sight. Two angels appeared and promised that Jesus would return to earth again, just as He left. In the meantime, His followers have been given a task…to tell all the world about Jesus.

Join us this Sunday as we take a closer look at Jesus’ ascension into heaven, and how we can confidently look forward to His re-appearing. Don’t forget to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

For some reason, the disciple Thomas was not present with them. When the other disciples excitedly told him that they had actually seen the risen Lord, Thomas did not believe them. He would not believe until he saw for himself.

The next Sunday Thomas was with the other disciples, again in the locked room. Sure enough, Jesus appeared again, with a special message for Thomas. Jesus told him he could put his fingers into the nail wounds in Jesus’ hands and into His spear-wounded side. The Bible doesn’t say whether Thomas actually did so or not…but in any case Thomas fell to his knees and cried out to Jesus “My Lord and my God!”.

Jesus pointed out that Thomas believed because he had seen, but that many who had not seen also believed and were blessed. That includes us, who were not alive when Jesus was on the earth, but believe in Him through our faith and the account in the Bible record.

Join us this Sunday as we continue to celebrate Jesus’ rising from the dead and living today! Bring a friend.

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

Two disciples, one named Cleopas, were travelling on the road to Emmaeus (close to Jerusalem) when they were met by an unknown stranger. He asked them what they were discussing, and they told him about Jesus’ death and the reports of His resurrection. The stranger began to explain to them what the Old Testament taught about the promised Messiah. When they reached their destination, the disciples finally recognized that the stranger was Jesus, as He was breaking bread with them.

They ran all the way back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples that Jesus was really alive, as they had seen Him for themselves!

Jesus remained on earth for some 40 days after He rose from the dead, and appeared to a great many disciples at various times (Paul tells of His appearance to over 500 people on one occasion). We can say with assurance, “Jesus is alive!”

Come be part of our class for this exciting study, and bring a friend along!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

This was the greeting and response used by the early Christians on Easter Sunday to celebrate and to encourage one another. It’s a good greeting for us today, as we celebrate the central event of all history. God became man in the form of Jesus so that He could live a life of perfect obedience to God and then freely give up His life in payment for our sins. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Join us this Sunday as we worship with Easter songs, celebrate with videos about the wondrous events of Easter, and have fun with some games to help us remember the facts about the resurrection. This would be an excellent Sunday to bring a friend to join us!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

This celebration was foretold by Old Testament prophets, who told of the Messiah coming in majesty and power, riding on a donkey. The people shouted “Hosannah to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

We will learn about praise—why and how we can praise Jesus today, much as the people of Jerusalem did on that first Palm Sunday. Jesus told the temple officials that if the people, including the children, did not praise Him, then the very stones would cry out in praise. Jesus deserves our worship and praise.

Come join in this great celebration with us! It would be a perfect Sunday to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

Jonah was sent by God to preach to the wicked city of Ninevah and warn them to turn away from their sin. Jonah actually seemed to want Ninevah to keep on sinning so that God would punish them, rather than repenting. After Jonah’s attempt to run away from God in the opposite direction from Ninevah being thrown into the sea and swallowed by a big fish, and praying in the belly of the fish for three days, he finally did go to Ninevah and preached God’s message. The end of the story finds Jonah upset that Ninevah actually listened to his message and repented, still arguing with God.

Come join us Sunday and bring a friend as we study this exciting story.

Ton and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

God consistently honored Daniel’s choices and his faithfulness, and used Daniel to reveal Himself to a great nation.

Join us Sunday for some great fun learning about Daniel. Don’t forget…invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

We will also talk about how we can use the talents, gifts, and opportunities God has given us to help other people. Join us as we learn about one of the most interesting people in the Old Testament!

And, of course, invite a friend to come with you.

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

King Ahab, one of the worst kings of Israel, and his wicked wife Jezebel, had led the Israelites to worship the false Gods Ba’al and Asheroth. God had told Elijah that He would cause a drought for three years (since Ba’al was supposedly the god of rain and harvest). At the end of the three years, Elijah challenged Ahab to a showdown between the 450 prophets of Ba’al and Elijah, the single prophet of the One True God.

We will see how the prophets of Ba’al tried all day to get Ba’al to answer their prayers, with no response. Then it was Elijah’s turn—and he dramatically showed by God’s immediate response that Yahweh was truely the God of Israel.

You’ll want to be with us for this session…and bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

David came to be known as a “man after God’s own heart.” Not that he didn’t sin—he committed worse sins than Saul had done. But David was quick to repent and ask God for forgiveness, which made all the difference. David still had to face the consequences of his sin, but God continued to bless David. In fact, God promised David that the kingdom of Israel would have a king from David’s line…forever. This promise was ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus, born from David’s line, who will rule forever.

David used the talents and abilities that God had given him to serve God and to serve his nation. This Sunday, We will talk about how we can use the talents God has given us to serve Him in a similar way today.

This would be a perfect week to invite a friend to come with you to Sunday School!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0        Add a comment:

Saul started well with popular approval (he was tall!) and victory in battles with the Philistines. However, he turned out to be pretty casual about obeying God, taking Samuel’s office on himself and not following God’s command to destroy everything after battling the Amalekites. Samuel told Saul that God had rejected him from being king, and that the office would go to another family.

Since this is Valentine’s week, we will have a Valentine theme in this week’s class. Join us for snacks, fun, and games. This is an especially good week to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0

Comments are closed for this story.

His mother, Hannah, dedicated Samuel to the Lord, and he grew up in the tabernacle as an assistant to High Priest Eli. From the time God called Samuel by name at night, giving him a message for Eli, God continued to speak to Samuel with messages for the people of Israel. Two important messages led Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king of Israel and later David as the second king.

Join us this Sunday as we learn about this important person in Israel’s history. It would be a great week to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0

Comments are closed for this story.

Samson was really a crude fellow who disobeyed God over and over again. He did fight against the Philistines, but finally was betrayed by his Philistine wife, Delilah, and lost his strength when the Philistines cut off his hair.

But Samson learned from his disobedience and asked God for forgiveness. Although he had been blinded and put in prison, his hair grew out again and he was able to deal a harsh blow to the Philistines by destroying their temple to their god Dagon, killing himself and 3000 Philistines as the temple collapsed.

Although we usually will have to suffer the consequences of our disobedience, God is always willing to forgive us when we repent and turn to Him, and to use us in His service.

Join us this Sunday as we finish our study of the book of Judges…a great week to bring a friend.

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0

Comments are closed for this story.

This Sunday we will learn about how Gideon followed God’s strange battle strategy to defeat the Midianite army with only 300 men. We can always trust God when we follow His commands.

Join us and bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0

Comments are closed for this story.

Over and over again, God punished the Israelites by removing His protection and allowing another nation to enslave them. Eventually the people repented and cried out to God, and He raised up a leader called a “judge” to lead Israel back to freedom. They followed God for a while, but every time turned back to worshiping other gods.

Depending on how you count them, there were some twelve judges whose stories are told in the book of Judges. We will study three of them.

The first judge we will learn about is Deborah, the only woman judge and perhaps the best of the judges. Her story is interesting and exciting, and we will study it this coming Sunday. Join us as we learn how Deborah joined Barak, the military leader, to win freedom from the Canaanite king Jabin.

This would be a great week to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0

Comments are closed for this story.

We learn about the crossing of the flooded Jordan River, which showed the new generation of Israelites that God has vast power and affirmed the leadership of Joshua. This Sunday we will learn about the first conquest in Canaan, the walled city of Jericho. Again God will show His power, based on the obedience of Joshua and the Israelites to His instructions. After marching around the city in silence each day for six days, the Israelites marched seven times around the city on the seventh day, finally breaking their silence with a great shout as the walls of the city fell down. The city was easily taken, according to God’s plan.

We will look to Joshua and the Israelites as an example of how we should obey God’s commands today, and how we can expect His blessing when we do. Join us for fun, fellowship, and learning as we study this exciting story.

Don’f forget to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
Comments: 0

Comments are closed for this story.

Top
SS2006
SS2007
SS2008
SS2009
SS2010
SS2011

• Jesus Was Baptized
• Boyhood of Jesus
• Jesus Returns to Heaven
• Thomas Believes Jesus
• On the Road to Emmaeus
• Resurrection Sunday
• Palm Sunday
• The Prophet Jonah
• The Prophet Daniel
• The Prophet Elisha

• 2012 (18)
• 2011 (45)
• 2010 (42)
• 2009 (51)
• 2008 (45)
• 2007 (41)
• 2006 (24)