Pool or Lake

Outdoor Adventure‍

Pool or swim

Location Info‍

A pool or lake

Biblical Truth‍

Focus on Jesus

Theme‍

Faith

Verse‍

“‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter answered him, ‘command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” Matthew 14:28–29

Talking Points‍

Splash into some summer fun this week by heading to the pool! Cool off from the heat by swimming. Experiment with the water by seeing how weight is different under the surface than it is above. Have the kids pick up different things to see how much stronger they are under water. If you’re in a private pool, have them create a wave party by splashing the water all around to make it seem like they are in a storm. Use inflatable floats to ride the waves they make. After experiencing a mini storm in the pool, ask them if they can think of any Bible story where the sea was strong and stormy.

While there are many stories about water in the Bible, the focus of today’s lesson is the story of Peter walking on the water out to Jesus. See if any of your kids want to try walking on water—there might be some funny attempts to run on it. Point out how it was miraculous to be able to walk on water—yet because Peter had his eyes on Jesus, the impossible was made possible! But when Peter started looking at the stormy water around him, he started to fall.

In our life, things go wrong when we look at our circumstances more than Jesus. We look to Jesus by trusting that everything in the Bible is true. We look to Jesus by following the commands He has given us, and we look to Jesus by prayer and listening to His voice. Encourage your kids that even in uncertain and scary times, we can look to Jesus and be kept safe.

Discussion Question(s):

1. How could Peter walk on water? (Jesus made the impossible, possible!)
2. How do we keep our eyes on Jesus? (We trust the Bible, follow His commands, and listen to Him through prayer.)
3. Why do we look to Jesus? (He is our Savior, the one who has saved us from sin.)

Song/Video

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

Missions Tie-In‍

Life is full of ups and downs—just like the waves we made in the pool. Sometimes our lives are calm, but sometimes it’s sad or stressful. In our Bible verse today, Jesus invited Peter to walk on the water during the storm. When Peter started walking toward Jesus on the water, he was successful because he had faith, but as soon as he began worrying about the conditions of the world around him, he felt fear and began to sink. Jesus was trying to teach Peter that no matter what is going on in the world around us, if we keep our eyes on Jesus and have faith, we won’t have fear, and we won’t sink. Do you know someone who is going through a difficult time? Maybe they need a reminder that Jesus is with them, even when things are hard. Who can you encourage this week?

Tips‍

If you don’t have access to a pool, consider playing in a sprinkler, setting up a slip n slide, or going to a lake.