This Sunday, we will continue our focus on God's word and its importance in our lives. We will learn about Ezra, a priest, teaching the Book of the Law to God's people. The people understood the message God had for them and it made them sad because they realized just how disobedient they had been.

Ezra and Nehemiah did not want them to be discouraged but instead they wanted the people to be encouraged because they understood God's message. That was the first step!

In Nehemiah 8:10, it says the "joy of the Lord is your strength!" The people rejoiced and celebrated in this very truth. Even though they realized their sin, they also understood that they could find joy in the Lord and be strengthened by him each and every day.

Ezra was the priest that helped God's people recognize their sin, but Jesus is our ultimate High Priest that paid the price for our sin! Remind the kids that our ultimate joy can be found in Jesus...the one who saved us from our sin so that we could have a relationship with God.