Embedded Files
The Story
The Story
Imagine you plant an apple tree seed in a sunny yard.
Imagine you plant an apple tree seed in a sunny yard.
You don't have to pay the ground to make the seed grow, and the seed didn't do any work to make itself exist—it is a completely free gift! You water it, and God gives it sunlight. But after a few years, what do you expect to see growing on its branches? Apples!
You don't have to pay the ground to make the seed grow, and the seed didn't do any work to make itself exist—it is a completely free gift! You water it, and God gives it sunlight. But after a few years, what do you expect to see growing on its branches? Apples!
If you come back five years later and the tree has zero leaves and zero apples, you would say, "This tree isn't alive at all!"
If you come back five years later and the tree has zero leaves and zero apples, you would say, "This tree isn't alive at all!"
┌─────────────────────────┐
┌─────────────────────────┐
│ GOD'S FREE GRACE │
│ GOD'S FREE GRACE │
│ (Sunlight & Water) │
│ (Sunlight & Water) │
└────────────┬────────────┘
└────────────┬────────────┘
│
│
▼
▼
┌─────────────────────────┐
┌─────────────────────────┐
│ LIVING FAITH │
│ LIVING FAITH │
│ (The Apple Tree) │
│ (The Apple Tree) │
└────────────┬────────────┘
└────────────┬────────────┘
│
│
▼
▼
┌─────────────────────────┐
┌─────────────────────────┐
│ GOOD WORKS │
│ GOOD WORKS │
│ (Love & Kindness) │
│ (Love & Kindness) │
└─────────────────────────┘
└─────────────────────────┘
That is how our faith in Jesus works:
That is how our faith in Jesus works:
The Gift (Grace First): We can never buy or earn our way into God's family. Jesus loves us first and gives us the gift of forgiveness completely free.
The Gift (Grace First): We can never buy or earn our way into God's family. Jesus loves us first and gives us the gift of forgiveness completely free.
The Tree (Faith): We accept this gift by believing in Him and trusting Him with all our hearts.
The Tree (Faith): We accept this gift by believing in Him and trusting Him with all our hearts.
The Fruit (Love & Good Works): When Jesus lives inside our hearts, His love naturally spills over! We show our living faith by helping others, sharing, being kind, and obeying God.
The Fruit (Love & Good Works): When Jesus lives inside our hearts, His love naturally spills over! We show our living faith by helping others, sharing, being kind, and obeying God.
Saying "I believe in Jesus" without ever showing love is like having a fake plastic tree—it has no real life inside. Real faith isn't just something we say with our mouths; it's a living faith that acts through love!
Saying "I believe in Jesus" without ever showing love is like having a fake plastic tree—it has no real life inside. Real faith isn't just something we say with our mouths; it's a living faith that acts through love!
💬 Talk About It
💬 Talk About It
Why do you think a living apple tree naturally grows fruit without needing to be forced?
Why do you think a living apple tree naturally grows fruit without needing to be forced?
What is one "fruit of love" (a good deed or kind word) you can grow today to show God's love to someone else?
What is one "fruit of love" (a good deed or kind word) you can grow today to show God's love to someone else?
📜 Memory Verse
📜 Memory Verse
"Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." — James 2:17
"Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." — James 2:17
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