WELS Family Devotion

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260513fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: John 14:15-21 [Jesus said] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. John 14:18-19 Nobody an Orphan! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. “It’s the Hard-Knock Life.” That’s a song from the musical Annie. Annie is a little girl who lives in an orphanage. She sings that life is hard because she has “no folks to speak of”—no mom or dad to take care of her. An orphan is a child without parents to care for them. That can feel lonely, scary, and sad. Who tucks you in at night? Who helps when you’re sick? Who gives hugs when you’re hurting? Children need someone to love them and care for them. That’s why Jesus gave his disciples a very special promise. On the night before Jesus died, he told his disciples he was going away. He was going to suffer, die, rise again, and later return to his Father in heaven. Imagine how the disciples must have felt hearing that. They had walked with Jesus, listened to Jesus, and leaned on Jesus. Now it sounded like he was leaving. Life without Jesus probably felt scary. Maybe a little like being orphaned. But Jesus gave them this promise: “I will not leave you as orphans” (John 14:18). Jesus knew life in this world would still be hard. The devil is a roaring lion looking to devour us. A sin-broken world wants to bring us down. The enemy is even inside us—our sinful nature—looking for every opportunity to betray us. On our own we don’t stand a chance against any one of these enemies. But Jesus says you are not alone. You are not on your own. You are not forgotten. You are not an orphan. Jesus may not be standing next to us where we can see him, but he is still with us. He promises to be with his people always. And he sends the Holy Spirit to help us, comfort us, and keep us close to him. The Holy Spirit works through God’s Word. He works through Baptism. He works through Holy Communion. Through these gifts, Jesus is with you. He forgives you, comforts you, and reminds you that you belong to him. So when life feels lonely . . . when life feels scary . . . when you feel like no one understands . . . remember Jesus’ promise: “I will not leave you as orphans.” Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank you that you have not left us as orphans in this hard and scary world. Keep us close to you in this life as we look forward to the day we will see you in eternal life. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What is an orphan? Why might being an orphan feel scary or sad? What are some good gifts God gives children through parents? What are some ways parents care for their children? Questions for Elementary Age Children How do you think Jesus’ disciples felt when Jesus said he was going away? Why might they have felt afraid or alone? What are some promises from God that help when life feels scary? Questions for Middle School and Above Sometimes the guilt or shame of our own sins make us feel like God will abandon us. What does God want us to do with our guilt and shame? What promises does he make when we are feeling this way? (Hint: 1 John 1:8–2:2) A Christian teacher (his name was Bernard of Clairvaux) long ago said, “The Word is the kiss of God on the lips of the soul.” What do you think that means? How does God’s Word show his love and comfort in today’s devotion? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260511fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: 1 Peter 3:13-22 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. 1 Peter 3:15-18 Is “Good Suffering” a Good Thing? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. A long time ago, there was a brave Christian man named Polycarp (Polly-carp). His name may sound funny to us, but it means “full of fruit.” That was a great name for him because his life showed the fruit of faith—trusting Jesus, loving the truth, and staying strong. Polycarp learned about Jesus from the apostle John, one of Jesus’ disciples. Later, Polycarp became a church leader who helped people stay close to God’s true Word. He taught people about Jesus and stood up for what was true, even when it was hard. One day, Polycarp was arrested because he was a Christian. By then, he was an old man. The ruler told him, “If you say Caesar is lord instead of Jesus, I’ll let you go free.” But Polycarp would not do it. He would not pretend someone else was greater than Jesus. The ruler warned him again and again. He threatened him with wild animals and fire. But Polycarp answered with brave words Christians still remember today: “Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and he never did me any wrong. How can I speak against my King who saved me?” What made Polycarp so brave? It was Jesus. Polycarp knew that Jesus had suffered for him. Jesus suffered on the cross to take away his sins. Jesus died for him too. Jesus rose again for him. And Jesus had already made Polycarp his own in Baptism. That means Polycarp had hope. Hope is not just wishing something good might happen. Hope is trusting that Jesus keeps his promises. Because Jesus lives, Polycarp knew that even if he was killed for being a Christian, they could never take away his Savior. You may never face what Polycarp faced. No one may ever tell you to choose between Jesus and your life. But there may be times when someone laughs because you believe in Jesus. Someone may say church is dumb. Someone may make fun of what the Bible says. In those moments, it can feel hard to stand up for what you believe. But Jesus is still with you. The same Jesus who gave Polycarp courage gives you courage too. He has saved you. He has called you his own. He has washed you in Baptism. He gives you hope that lasts forever. So, when it is hard to follow Jesus, remember Polycarp. Remember what made him brave. Jesus was his King. Jesus was his Savior. And Jesus is yours too. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me and saving me. Thank you for dying on the cross and rising again for me. Thank you for making me your child in Baptism. When it is hard to follow you, make me brave. Help me trust you, love your truth, and gently tell others why Jesus is my hope. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Who was Polycarp? What made him brave? What is hope? How does Jesus give us hope? Questions for Elementary Age Children Today’s devotion said it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. Why is it worth it to do what is right, even when it’s hard? Have you ever had someone pick on you or make fun of you for being a Christian? How did that make you feel? How do the words we read today help you face that? Questions for Middle School and Above Think of catechism class. What do we mean when we talk about the humiliation and the exaltation of Christ? A confirmation tradition is that you confess your faith in front of a lot of people who are very supportive—family, friends, and fellow church members. What is one place—school, sports, friends, or online—where it can be hard to confess your faith? How can Jesus help you there? How will what you learned in catechism class and the encouragement of all those supportive people help you at that time? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260508fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: John 14:1-11 [Jesus said] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:1-6 The WAY: Only Jesus Is the Way Who Brings You Home. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Did you know there used to be no GPS? GPS is what your phone or car uses to help you find your way when you’re lost. Before GPS, people used paper maps . . . and before that, they had to stop and ask, “Excuse me, how do I get there?” Sometimes dads especially didn’t like that part. They wanted to figure it out themselves—but eventually, they still had to ask for directions! On the night before Jesus died, he told his disciples something surprising: “I’m going away.” He meant he would soon die on the cross, rise from the dead, and go back to heaven. But he also told them something comforting: “I’m going to get a place ready for you in my Father’s house.” That means: Jesus was going to heaven to get it ready for them—and for us too. Then Jesus said: “You know the way to where I am going.” But Thomas was confused. He said: “Wait . . . we don’t even know where you’re going! How can we know the way?” That’s a great question. Truth is: You can’t find your own way to heaven. No map. No GPS. No human directions. So Jesus answered like this: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” What does that mean? It means Jesus is not just someone who shows the way—he IS the way. Other people say, “Do this and you can get to heaven.” But Jesus says, “I already did everything needed to get you there” He lived perfectly for you. He died for your sins. He rose from the dead. And because of Jesus, heaven is open to you. So when Jesus says: “No one comes to the Father except through me,” he is not trying to block people. He is saying, “I’m the only one who can bring you home safely.” Heaven is like your real home with God. And Jesus is the only way to get there. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for being the only way to the Father in heaven, for going there to prepare a place for us in his house, and for promising to come back and take us to be there with you forever. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Choose someone in your family and ask them for “directions” to heaven. Describe one thing you are looking forward to in heaven. Questions for Elementary Age Children In your own words explain what it means that Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life.” Since Jesus is the only way to heaven, how do we stay close to Jesus? Questions for Middle School and Above What does it mean that there is only one way to heaven (exclusive), but that everyone is invited to come to Jesus (inclusive)? Why, therefore, is it so important to tell everybody about Jesus? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260506fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: 1 Peter 2:4-10 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 1 Peter 2:4-6 The CORNERSTONE: Only Jesus Is the Foundation That Never Fails You. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Have you ever seen fans at a game wearing paper bags on their heads? It looks funny—but it’s actually kind of sad. They do that when their team is losing a lot. They feel embarrassed, so they try to hide! Maybe you’ve never worn a paper bag . . . but have you ever NOT worn your team shirt because your team was losing? Or maybe instead of talking about how your team is doing right now, you say, “Well, we used to be really good!” It might have felt like that for the apostle Peter and other believers who were suffering grief “in all kinds of trials.” It means they were going through hard and scary times. It didn’t look like they were on the winning team at all. But listen to what Peter had to say about his “suffering team.” He doesn’t say, “Remember the good old days with Jesus.” He doesn’t say, “Just wait—someday Jesus will return and things will be better.” Instead, he says, “Look at what your life is built on right now. On Jesus—the living Stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone.” So, what’s a cornerstone? When people built buildings a long time ago, they started with one very important stone. It was the FIRST stone they put down. Every other stone had to line up with it. If that stone was strong and straight, the whole building would be strong, straight, and safe. Peter says Jesus is that stone. But not just any stone, a living Stone! That means: Jesus died and then came back to life! He is alive right now. And he is our Savior. Some people rejected Jesus back then. And some people still reject him today. But Peter gives an amazing promise: “The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:6). What does that mean? It means you don’t have to be embarrassed or afraid. You don’t have to hide. Why? Because if your life is built on Jesus, you are on the winning team—no matter what! No paper bags needed. Not now. Not ever. Because Jesus—your cornerstone—never loses. Prayer: Living Stone, thank you for building us on you. Teach us to trust in you and serve you even when times look tough, knowing that in you we will never be put to shame. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What did you learn about a cornerstone in today’s devotion? Why was the cornerstone so important when people built buildings long ago? Questions for Elementary Age Children How is Jesus like the cornerstone of our lives? Peter says a person who trusts in Jesus will not be “put to shame.” What does that mean? What has Jesus done with the things that make us feel ashamed? Questions for Middle School and Above Where do you see people ignoring or rejecting Jesus today? Has that ever made it harder for you to follow Jesus? How does this lesson help you feel stronger and more encouraged? Peter calls Christians a “holy priesthood.” What do you think that means? What are some ways you can serve God and thank him in your everyday life? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260504fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Acts 4:8-12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 The NAME: Only Jesus Is the Name That Saves You. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What’s in a name? Is a name just a word? A man named William Shakespeare (he lived a long, long time ago and wrote stories and plays) once said something like this: “A rose would smell just as sweet even if it had a different name.” In other words, he was saying, “Names don’t really matter that much.” Hmm . . . do you think that’s true? Let’s try something—when someone says your name, what do you do? You turn your head, right? You listen! Your name matters because it means YOU. Maybe it’s short. Maybe it’s long. Maybe people even have a nickname for you. Maybe your name will never be famous that people will ask you for your autograph—to sign your name on something of theirs. Think about your name. But your name isn’t just random letters. Your name helps people know you and call you. The people who love you? They love hearing your name—because it reminds them of YOU. But there is one name that is more important than any other name ever. One name that is more powerful than every other name put together. That name is . . . Jesus. Why is the name Jesus so special? Because of what he did. Jesus saved the whole world. He died on the cross. He took away sin. He rose from the dead. Without his name, even life loses meaning. He won life forever—for you. The Bible tells us about a time when Peter talked about Jesus’ name. Some leaders asked him, “How did you heal that man?” Peter didn’t hide it. He didn’t whisper. He said it loud and clear: “Jesus did it!” And then he said something really important: “There is no other name under heaven . . . by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10,12). That means: Only Jesus can forgive sins. Only Jesus can open heaven. Only Jesus can make us God’s children. Best of all, God put his name on YOU. When did that happen? At your baptism. That’s when God said, “You belong to me.” So now when God hears your name . . . he smiles—because you are his. And when you hear the name Jesus . . . you can smile too—because he saved you! Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for living and dying and rising again for the salvation of the whole world. Thank you for sharing your saving name with us so that we are yours now and forever in heaven. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What do you like about your name? Do you have a nickname? Who calls you that? What does the name “Jesus” mean? (Look up or ask a family member to read Matthew 1:21). Why is Jesus’ name the best name ever? Questions for Elementary Age Children Which commandment talks about God’s name? (It’s the 2nd Commandment!) Can you try to say it? Even part of it? (For help, look in Luther’s Small Catechism.) Why do you think God wants us to use his name in a good way? (Like praying, thanking, and praising him?) Questions for Middle School and Above What’s the connection between someone’s name and their reputation? How does God’s reputation help us to use his name in a good way? When did God put his name on you? (Your baptism!) How does what happened that day still make a difference in your life now? (Look up Romans 6:1-14 for help!) Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260501fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: John 10:1-10 [Jesus said] “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:1-4 Too Many Voices! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Imagine you are in a grocery store, and you are looking for one thing, peanut butter. Your favorite kind! But you can’t find it anywhere. You walk up and down the aisles . . . bread . . . cereal . . . cookies . . . but no peanut butter. Finally, you decide to go up to the checkout to see if any of the workers can help you. As soon as you ask where the peanut butter is, everyone starts talking at once: “Try aisle 3!” “No, aisle 7!” “It’s by the jelly!” “I saw it by the snacks!” Now you don’t know who to listen to! It’s so hard to figure out what they’re saying because they’re all talking at once. Then you see the manager, finally someone who really knows the store. If you just listen to what she says, you know you’ll find the peanut butter. During our lives here on earth, there are lots of voices telling us where to find happiness and our salvation. They point us in all kinds of directions: We may be pointed in the direction of money, because if we have enough, money will keep you safe and happy. Or, We may be encouraged to be popular and liked, because that way we will never be alone. Or, We may be tempted to want to be famous, because famous people are remembered and never forgotten. But those voices are like all the other people in the store guessing where the peanut butter is. There is only one voice that can tell us the way to salvation. That voice is our Shepherd, Jesus. We hear his voice in the Word of God. He is the only true way to salvation, and when we know his voice, we will run away from every other voice trying to lead us astray. Jesus says, “Listen to me. Follow me. I know the way.” We trust that our Savior will guide us to a life lived to the fullest. He calls us each by name and leads us in the way we should go. So when lots of voices are shouting in your ears, listen to one voice—Jesus. He always knows the way. Prayer: Good Shepherd, sometimes it is hard for me to listen only to you. Other things in my life can sound really good! Help me to listen to your voice, because I know you want to lead me to eternal life with you. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Have you ever looked for something at the grocery store? What was it? Did you find it? Why is it important to listen to Jesus’ voice instead of other voices? Questions for Elementary Age Children What might happen if sheep don’t listen to their shepherd? In what way is Jesus like the grocery store manager in today’s devotion? Questions for Middle School and Above What are things kids might trust instead of Jesus? (Google search, friends) Do those really keep you safe forever? Why do things like money or popularity make it so hard to listen to Jesus? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260429fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: 1 Peter 2:19-25 If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:19-25 (selected verses) The Long Trip That’s Worth It! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Which sounds better to you: A super long 15-hour road trip with no snacks, no books, no movies, no stops, no friends . . . Or a 2-hour flight in first class with nice snacks and games, shows, and entertainment? Most people would probably pick the flight! But . . . what if the long car ride ended at a gorgeous resort with an amazing beach with soft sand, sunshine, and waves? And what if the short flight ended with you stuck in a dirty, smelly alley? More people may pick the road trip. Even though it would be long and difficult, you know that what is waiting at the end will be great. Christ lived a difficult life where people rejected and belittled him. People made fun of Jesus. They didn’t listen to him. They tried to trick him. They tried to mess him up at every turn. In the end, they beat him and killed him. But Christ endured all this for us: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross.” Why? Because he knew at the end of it all, he would see us in heaven. And that was worth it for him. We are called by Christ to follow his example. He tells us that we might suffer for doing good, because the world hasn’t changed too much since he was here. Sometimes people still make fun of Christians. Sometimes doing the right thing is hard. There are still some people who even hate Jesus and what he taught. They try to trap believers and mess them up at every turn. But through it all, Jesus is like a shepherd saying, “Come this way! Follow me!” Following Jesus can sometimes feel like that superlong 15-hour road trip with no snacks or fun. Sometimes the road feels long. Sometimes things are hard. But we know where Jesus is taking us. He’s leading us somewhere far better than a beach, he’s leading us to heaven. And heaven will be better than anything we can imagine! Prayer: Jesus, our Good Shepherd, you endured many difficult things during your life on earth just so that we could be in heaven with you. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Jesus sets a good example for us. Who is someone you look up to? Who shows you how to do the right thing? What is something fun coming up that you can’t wait for? (birthday, trip, holiday) Questions for Elementary Age Children What is one hard or sad thing that happened to Jesus? What is something hard that might happen when you follow Jesus? (Someone laughs. Doing the right thing is hard.) Questions for Middle School and Above Did Jesus suffer because he did something wrong—or because he did something right? Why? (The reading talks about receiving a beating for doing wrong and suffering for doing good and enduring it.) When people insulted and were mean to Jesus, he wasn’t mean back. Why is that so impressive? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260427fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Acts 2:42-47 (selected verses) The Best Neighborhood Ever In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Have you ever wished you lived in the perfect neighborhood? One where everyone is kind . . . everyone shares . . . and nobody argues? For as long as history has been recorded, people have lived in groups. God made us to be with other people—not all by ourselves! It is nice to have neighbors. When you have neighbors, you have people to talk to, spend time with, and get to know. You have someone to watch out for, and you hope they’ll watch out for you too. But . . . does that always happen? Sometimes neighbors don’t like each other. Our sinful nature gets the best of us and instead of being kind and helpful, we can make other people feel left out and disliked. Sometimes people don’t share. Sometimes they argue. Sometimes they say unkind things. As great as a neighborhood sounds, it isn’t always perfect because of the sinful people within. In our reading for today, we hear about a group of believers who live and work together—and it sounds wonderful! It says they “were together and had everything in common.” That means they shared meals in their home and worshiped together. They enjoyed time together. Wow! Wouldn’t that be a fun group to be a part of? What do they know that we don’t? How did they figure it out? Turns out, we can have what they had. We have all we need in the words of our Good Shepherd. When we listen to the words of Jesus Christ in God’s Word, we hear his teachings. Our Good Shepherd teaches us how to live in harmony, and he gives us something in common with all believers of all time. That “something in common” is Jesus! When we live and work and pray with other people who put God first, we can spread his Word to even more people. One day in heaven, we will live in a perfect community—one with no sadness or sin, where we will all glorify God without end. No fighting. No hurt feelings. No sin. Just joy . . . forever. Together! Prayer: Oh, Good Shepherd, today we read about believers who were committed to serving you with each other. Help us to serve you and give us a community of believers to support and work with us. We look forward to the day when we will be with all believers in the perfect community of heaven. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Do you know any of your neighbors? Name as many as you can. What is one way for you to be a good neighbor? Questions for Elementary Age Children Can you think of a time when people from your church helped someone? What did they do? Do you have any friends or neighbors that also believe in God? Who are they and what do you like doing together? Questions for Middle School and Above Even if no one near you goes to your church, how can you still help others for Jesus? The believers in this reading probably did not agree on everything. What does it mean that they “were together and had everything in common”? What did they share together? Believe together? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260424fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Luke 24:13-35 Now that same day [Easter Day], two of [Jesus’ disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. As they approached the village to which they were going . . . they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:13-35 (selected verses) Nervous and Forgotten In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Today was a very exciting day, it was Jeremiah’s birthday! He got home from school, ready to open presents and tell his mom all about his day. But when he opened the door, no one was there. He ran into the living room. Still empty. He checked the kitchen. Still empty. Jeremiah started to feel nervous and a little forgotten. He went to his room to put away his backpack. But when he opened the door, he heard a loud, “SURPRISE!” His mom, dad, sister, and even some of his friends were waiting for him with presents and a birthday cake! Jeremiah realized he hadn’t been forgotten at all—he had been in for a wonderful surprise. In our Bible story today, two men were walking with Jesus but didn’t realize it was him. They felt nervous and forgotten. They had watched the Savior they loved die, and they didn’t understand God’s plan yet. They had lost hope, just like Jeremiah thought he had been forgotten when he walked through his empty house. Then Jesus revealed the surprise! He was alive again. Imagine how happy and excited they must have felt! Most of all, they had hope again. The man they thought was gone forever was actually alive. Sometimes we feel hopeless too. We make mistakes and sin every day. The world around us is broken. But there is a hope that never fails—Jesus walks with us every day, just like he walked with the men on the road. He restores our hope and reminds us that he is alive, and he will never leave us. Prayer: My living Savior, in a sinful world, it can feel easy to lose hope. Today I heard how you walked with two men who felt the same way. Restore to me the hope and the joy that come from knowing that you died and rose again for me. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Have you ever felt like no one noticed you? What happened? Who is always with you and never forgets you? Questions for Elementary Age Children Jeremiah felt nervous and forgotten. Has that ever happened to you? How did you feel, and what made it better? What did Jesus do to show the two men he was alive? Questions for Middle School and Above Jesus walked with them without them realizing it. Why might he have done that instead of appearing to them right away? What’s the difference between hoping to make the team or get a good grade and hoping in Jesus? Why can we trust his hope will never fail? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260422fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: 1 Peter 1:17-21 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:17-19 An Expensive Purchase In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. A long time ago, in 1878, a wagon was carrying gold bars for a company. Thieves robbed it. The thieves stole all of the gold bars and hid them in a nearby cave so they could come back another time and retrieve them. However, before they could come back, another group of people found the gold hidden in the cave and buried it somewhere in the ground, because they recognized it as precious. That gold was worth a lot of money. The thieves probably thought they were rich! But they learned something important. Even gold doesn’t fix everything. Gold can be lost. It can be stolen. It can disappear. The thieves may have thought they had it all figured out—they had an immense amount of gold! But they learned the hard way that gold doesn’t mean their problems were gone. We might not use gold today, but many people know that money doesn’t stick around. It isn’t permanent. Money can be spent. Toys can break. Even very valuable things don’t last forever. Thank God that he didn’t purchase us with something that can be stolen or hidden. When we were sinful and far from God, God reached out and purchased us with the most valuable thing of all—“the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” He didn’t use something like gold or silver to buy his children back. He used something far more valuable. He used the blood of his perfect Son to redeem us forever! When we know that we have been bought by the blood of Christ, we can live our lives differently. Before we were bought, we did not have anything—worldly possessions can’t save us! But as children of God, we can live knowing we have a home that is waiting for us. We can live for God in eager expectation of our salvation. We belong to Jesus, and no one can take us away from him. Prayer: Dear God, help me to know that you bought me for a price. You love me more than I even know! I want to live for you every day until I am at home in heaven with you. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Does money last forever? What are some things that don’t last very long? God “purchased” us to be his children—how long will we belong to God? Questions for Elementary Age Children Did God use gold, silver, or money to buy us? What did he use instead? We were horrible sinners who didn’t want to be with God. Why did he want to buy us back then? Questions for Middle School and Above What is the most expensive thing you have ever bought? How does that compare to what God spent to buy us back? Was God’s price bigger or smaller? God had to buy us back. Who or what was he buying us back from? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260420fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Acts 2:14,32-41 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:14,32-41 (selected verses) A Big Mistake In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lucas was riding in the car with his dad when the car started to shake violently. Warning lights came on all over the dashboard. He looked at the flashing lights and felt worried. His dad quickly pulled over, reached into the glove compartment to check the car’s instruction book. Lucas heard his dad mutter something about how the car’s computer and the engine stopped talking to each other and that he could not drive it anywhere. Now Lucas was scared: “Are we stuck? How will we get home? What would they do without their car?” Lucas watched as his dad called his uncle who lived nearby to come and take a look. It felt like forever, but finally his uncle arrived and opened the hood. As soon as his uncle looked under the hood, he laughed. It was an easy and simple fix—a hose had loosened and become detached. With one small click, the car was as good as new. “Whew!” Lucas sighed with relief. What seemed like a huge problem turned out to be something small. The people in our reading today felt awful when Peter confronted them with what they had done. They had crucified the Son of God. They realized they had made a very big mistake. But Peter wasn’t finished—he continued to tell them that God had made “the Jesus, whom [they] crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” God had taken the horrible thing they had done and made it into something wonderful. Peter tells them of a promise that comes to them because of Jesus’ death. They will receive the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. Instead of only guilt, they received forgiveness. The best part of this reading for us, might be when we hear Peter say that this promise isn’t just for the people he is talking to. It’s for us too! It is for all believers of all time. Jesus’ crucifixion was a horrible and sinful event that God used for the good of his people. We have a true hope of forgiveness because of it. Because he lives, I know that I will live too in heaven with him one day. God turned the worst thing into the best news. Prayer: Heavenly Father, you used the death of your Son to give me life and forgiveness. I have a sure hope that I am a child of God and that I will be with you one day. Help me remember that you can bring good even from bad things. In Jesus’ name. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What is a mistake you made that someone helped you fix? Was it big or small? How did you feel afterward? Why did the people feel bad during our reading today? What had they done? Questions for Elementary Age Children What is something good that came from Jesus’ death (something bad)? Why is the story from the beginning of the devotion like the true story of Jesus’ death and resurrection? Questions for Middle School and Above What verse from the reading assures us that the promise of forgiveness is for everyone? Can you think of another “bad” thing that God could use for good? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260417fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: John 20:19-31 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:19,24-29 I’ll Believe It When I See It! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Have you said that lately? Maybe someone told you something amazing and you weren’t sure it was true. Other people don’t always tell the truth. Sadly, people say things that they don’t mean. Sometimes, people lie to us. You can’t believe everything people say. We learn to say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Here’s the problem: Sometimes, we say those words to God. God isn’t like us people. God doesn’t lie. God doesn’t change his mind. God always tells the truth. Yet we sometimes treat God like he’s just another person. We don’t believe him. We say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” That’s what Jesus’ disciple Thomas said after Jesus rose from the dead. It sounded too good to be true. Even though Jesus had told his disciples many times that he was going to rise from the dead, Thomas didn’t believe it. Even after his friends saw Jesus on Easter evening, Thomas still didn’t believe it. He said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands . . . I will not believe” (John 20:25). In other words, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” So, Jesus did a wonderful thing for Thomas: He let Thomas see him. That next Sunday night, Jesus appeared to his disciples again, and this time he made sure that Thomas was with them. He let Thomas see the nail marks in his hands. He showed Thomas that it was really him. He was really alive! Finally, Thomas believed and said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Thomas wasn’t doubting anymore—he believed! Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Blessed are those who don’t need to see to believe. That includes you! You can trust Jesus. When Jesus says something, it’s always true. Jesus promises that he is with us always. Is that true, even though we can’t see him? Yes! Jesus says that he has prepared special rooms for us in heaven. Is that true, even though we can’t see them? Yes! Jesus says that he has washed away all our sins. Is that true? Yes! Faith is believing in what we can’t see. We trust Jesus because he always keeps his promises. We don’t need to see it to believe it. We trust Jesus’ words! Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for gently taking away Thomas’ doubts about your resurrection. When we doubt too, use your Word to convince us that we don’t need to see it to believe it. Help us trust your promises every day. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What didn’t Thomas want to believe? What did Jesus do to take Thomas’ doubts away? Questions for Elementary Age Children Besides the examples in this devotion, what are two other promises God makes to us in the Bible that involve things we can’t see? (Jesus hears our prayers, heaven, angels, forgiveness, etc.) How can we know that those promises are true? Questions for Middle School and Above Reread Thomas’ confession: “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). What very important truth did Thomas confess about Jesus? Thomas is often known as “doubting Thomas” because of this one recorded moment. But based on this whole story, why isn’t that a very fair way to describe Thomas? What would be a better way to describe him? (Maybe: believing Thomas, trusting Thomas, or forgiven Thomas.) Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260415fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 A Living Hope In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hope. Do you know what that word means? When you know your birthday is coming up, you hope for some great presents. If it’s a rainy day, you hope the sun will come out. If your friends or parents have been really busy lately, you hope they’ll have time to play with you soon. Hope is looking forward to something good. Hope is believing that something good is going to come in the future. Sometimes, that’s hard. It’s hard to have hope. Instead, we feel hopeless. Do you know what that’s like? Feeling hopeless is when it seems like everything goes wrong, like nothing ever goes right, like your life is never going to be good or happy. It can feel like nothing will get better. Are you feeling hopeful or hopeless today? (You can answer in your head right now.) There were some Christians in the Bible who were tempted to feel hopeless. Life had been hard for them. The worst part was that people were mistreating them because they were Christians. They wondered if there was any hope at all. Was there? Yes! How? Listen, “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4). As hard as their lives were, those Christians had a “living hope,” a hope that kept on going and going and living and living no matter what. It didn’t run out. It didn’t disappear. Where did that hope come from? Jesus! The fact that Jesus rose from the dead meant that they could always have hope. Why? Because Jesus had given them something that could never perish, spoil, or fade. He had planned something really good for them that no one and nothing could ever take away. What was it? Heaven. Jesus’ resurrection gives us the living hope of heaven. Even when life is hard, you have a living hope: Jesus! Even when everyone seems against you, there is someone who is for you: Jesus! Even when this world makes you sad, you have something you can look forward to: Heaven with Jesus! No one can take that away from you. Easter gives us living hope in Jesus. Prayer: Dear Jesus, sometimes we feel hopeless. It can seem like everything is hard and bad and we don’t have anything to look forward to. That’s not true! Use the message of Easter to fill us with a living hope in you and your promise of heaven. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What is something that you hope for? What do you know about heaven? What do you think it will be like? Questions for Elementary Age Children What are two examples of things that can make kids feel hopeless? (bad day at school, fight with a friend, losing a game, feeling left out, etc.) Why does knowing that Jesus rose from the dead give you hope? Questions for Middle School and Above Explain in your own words what the word “hope” means. Can you give an example? What does it mean that the hope that comes from Jesus is a “living” hope? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260413fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Acts 2:14,22-32 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Acts 2:14,22-24 Confident in Christ In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. On the night before Jesus died, Jesus’ disciple Peter did a bad thing. A really sad thing. Do you remember what he did? After Jesus was arrested and brought to trial at the high priest’s house, Peter followed along. He wanted to see what happened to Jesus. But people recognized Peter. Three different people said, “You’re one of Jesus’ disciples, aren’t you?” Do you remember what Peter said? He was scared. So he cried out, “No!” Peter denied Jesus three times. Isn’t that awful? Actually, we’ve all done that, haven’t we? Maybe there have been times at school when your classmates have done or said something wrong, and you’ve been afraid to let them know that you believe in Jesus. Maybe you stayed quiet when you could have said something kind. Maybe there have been times at your house when you’ve chosen not to go to church or read a Bible story because you think you have something more important to do. Just like Peter, it’s easy to deny Jesus. It’s easy to be quiet about Jesus. It’s easy to shake and shiver in our faith in Jesus. But something changed Peter. Just 50 days later, on the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up in front of thousands of people and boldly proclaimed his faith in Jesus. He wasn’t scared anymore. Isn’t that surprising? In just 50 days, Peter went from denying Jesus before a few people to boldly proclaiming his faith in Jesus before thousands of people. What changed? Peter explained: “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.” Seeing God raise Jesus to life on Easter changed Peter’s heart and life. Jesus’ resurrection took Peter’s doubts away, and when he received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Peter was ready to stand up and let everyone know that Jesus is the Savior. Are you? You can be confident too. Seeing how Jesus was willing to die for you and was able to rise for you is meant to change your life. How can you be ashamed of your Savior who gave his life for you? How can you be afraid to follow your Savior who rose from the dead? You have a Savior who has even conquered death. He loves you! He is with you! He helps you be brave. Every day, you can be confident in Christ. Prayer: Dear Jesus, just like Peter when you were arrested, it’s easy for us to be ashamed of you and pretend we’re not followers of you. Forgive us! Instead, just like Peter on the day of Pentecost, use your resurrection and your Holy Spirit to make us confident in you. Help us be brave and talk about you. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What bad thing did Peter do on the night that Jesus was arrested? What good thing did Peter do on the day of Pentecost? (Was Peter talking to a few people or a lot of people?) Questions for Elementary Age Children How did Peter go from denying Jesus to proclaiming Jesus? What changed his heart? If you saw someone rise from the dead, how would that change your life? Questions for Middle School and Above Explain this statement: As you get older, it becomes easier to deny Jesus. Give three examples of situations in your life in which you can be confident in Christ. Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260410fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10 Do Not Be Afraid! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What are you afraid of? There are lots of things that can make us scared. Maybe you’re afraid of spiders, snakes, or bugs. Maybe the dark or a big thunderstorm scares you. Or maybe you don’t like being home alone. Everyone has something that makes them afraid! One of the scariest things for people is death. Kids might not think about it much, but adults do. Death can feel very, very scary. Some parents worry the most about losing their kids. Of all the scary things in the world, death seems the scariest. That’s why Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were so sad as they went to Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning. They remembered how horrible it was to see Jesus die on the cross. They were scared and worried as they carried spices to his tomb. But when they got there, something amazing happened. Jesus wasn’t in the tomb! Instead, they saw an angel. Do you remember what the angel said first? “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:5). That must have been surprising! How could they not be afraid? Jesus had died! Then the angel shared the best news ever: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:6). Can you imagine how happy the women must have been? They ran from the tomb, still a little afraid but filled with joy, when suddenly they saw someone. Who was it? Jesus! He said exactly what the angel had said, “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:10). Do you get the point? Do not be afraid! Not even of death. Jesus has power over death. That means death isn’t the end for everyone who believes in him. Just like Jesus rose from the dead, he will raise us too. For Christians, death is the day we get to be with Jesus forever in heaven. So do not be afraid! Prayer: Dear Jesus, there are a lot of scary things in life, including death. Thank you for rising from the dead and promising to raise everyone who believes in you. Help us not to be afraid, even of death. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What are some things that make you afraid? Why don’t you ever have to be afraid, even of death? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why do people sometimes think death is scarier than anything else? What hope does Jesus give us when we think about death? Questions for Middle School and Above Look up John 11:25-26. What promise does Jesus give about death? What could you say to your parents to help them not be afraid of death? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260408fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 I Saw It With My Own Eyes! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. “I saw it with my own eyes!” Have you ever said that to convince someone that you were telling the truth? It’s frustrating when people don’t believe us. Sometimes the best way to show someone the truth is to say, “I saw it with my own eyes! I know it’s true!” Did you know some people don’t believe that Jesus rose from the dead? They think that after Jesus died on the cross, he just stayed dead. They think it’s impossible for someone to come back to life. But God made sure we could be certain that Jesus really rose. Paul wrote in the Bible, “I saw it with my own eyes!” We can be sure Jesus rose from the dead because he appeared to many people to prove he was alive. First, Jesus appeared to Cephas—that’s another name for Peter. Then he appeared to his twelve disciples. Then he appeared to more than 500 people at the same time—wow! Then Jesus appeared to his brother James. And last of all, he appeared to Paul himself. Paul said, “I saw it with my own eyes!” Jesus wants you to be certain he is alive. It might sound impossible for someone to rise from the dead—but Jesus isn’t just anyone. Jesus is true God and true Man at the same time. With God’s power, Jesus can do anything—even rise from the dead! Jesus also wants you to know why his resurrection is so important. When he rose from the dead: He showed that all your sins are forgiven. He showed that there is life after death for everyone who believes in him. You will rise too and live with Jesus in heaven! He proved that God always keeps his promises. So don’t listen to people who say Jesus didn’t rise. He did! Paul says it best: “I saw it with my own eyes!” Prayer: Dear Jesus, it’s amazing to think you have the power to raise yourself from the dead. Help us never to doubt your resurrection, and one day raise our bodies too so that we can live with you in heaven. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What amazing thing did Jesus do on Easter morning? Why is it hard for some people to believe that Jesus rose from the dead? Questions for Elementary Age Children Who were some of the people Jesus appeared to after he rose from the dead? Why do you think Jesus appeared to so many people after he rose? Questions for Middle School and Above Why is Jesus’ resurrection so important to our faith as Christians? Many people like Peter and Paul were later killed for their faith in Jesus. How does that help prove they really did see Jesus alive? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260406fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’” Jonah 2:2-9 Saved by a Fish? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. God uses surprising things to save us. Have you noticed that? When a shepherd boy named David had to fight against a giant named Goliath, God used a stone and a sling to give David the victory. Not a sword. A stone and a sling! God uses surprising things to save us. Like a big fish. The prophet Jonah wasn’t facing a giant. He was facing a huge storm on a big sea. Jonah had been thrown from his ship and was sinking down, down, down into the waves. He was sure he was going to die, until God saved him. With what? A big fish! That fish swallowed Jonah, but he didn’t die. Jonah lived inside that big fish’s belly for three days and three nights. Jonah was saved by a fish! All of that led Jonah to say, “Salvation comes from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). Here’s the most surprising part: Do you know why Jonah was sailing across the sea in the first place? He was running away from God. Is that a good idea? No! God had told Jonah to do something he didn’t want to do. Instead of listening to God, Jonah ran away from God. That’s how Jonah got in trouble. He had sinned against God. He didn’t deserve to be saved. But God still sent that big fish to rescue Jonah. Why? Because God still loved him, even though he didn’t deserve it. God forgave Jonah, even though he didn’t deserve it. God used those three days and three nights in the belly of a fish to save Jonah’s life. Just like God used three days and three nights in something else to save you. Someone else spent three days and three nights in a dark place. Do you know who? Jesus did! After he died on the cross for our sins, Jesus was in the dark tomb for three days and three nights. Just like God used that big fish to save Jonah, God used Jesus’ death and resurrection to save us. God uses surprising things to save us, doesn’t he? Like a fish. Like a tomb. Thank you, Jesus! Prayer: Dear Jesus, just like Jonah spent three days in a fish, you spent three days in the tomb to save us. Help us to never run away from you, but when we do, please save us by your grace. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What surprising creature did God use to save Jonah’s life? How long did Jonah spend inside that creature? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why was Jonah running away from God? Give an example of how you have tried to run away from God in your life too. Questions for Middle School and Above Look up Matthew 12:40. How did Jesus compare himself with Jonah? In addition to Jonah’s fish and Jesus’ tomb, describe another surprising thing that God has used to save his people. Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260403fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: John 19:17-30 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30 A Death Like No Other In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. When people are very sick or close to dying, their bodies usually become very weak. They might not be able to talk much or think clearly. But Jesus’ death was different. Even while Jesus was suffering on the cross, he knew exactly what was happening. He spoke clearly. He even made sure his mother would be taken care of. The Bible tells us that Jesus knew God’s promises in the Scriptures were coming true right at that moment. At one point Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” That showed he was truly human and really suffering. But it also happened so that God’s promises in the Bible would be fulfilled. Nothing that happened on Good Friday was an accident. Then something very important happened. After Jesus received a drink, he said three powerful words: “It is finished.” What was finished? Jesus was finishing the job God sent him to do. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live. He never sinned—not even once. And on the cross he was paying for all the sins of the world. When he said, “It is finished,” it meant the work of saving us was complete. The Bible says Jesus then bowed his head and gave up his spirit. That means no one took Jesus’ life from him. Jesus chose to give his life for us. Jesus was not helpless. Even while he was suffering, he was still the powerful Son of God who loved us enough to save us. Why did Jesus do that? Because we could never save ourselves. Our sins separate us from God, and we cannot fix that problem by trying harder. So, Jesus did everything for us. He took our sins, paid the price for them, and finished the work of salvation completely. That means your sins are forgiven. You belong to Jesus. And because he finished the work, you never have to wonder if you are saved. Good Friday is a sad day because Jesus died. But it is also a wonderful day—because Jesus finished the work that saves us. Never before had dying been done with so much life, so much power, and so much love. Sin finished with Jesus—so it will never finish you. Prayer: Dear Jesus, on this day we confess that it was our sins that put you on the cross. We deserve nothing but punishment. Yet in your mercy, you endured hell in our place. We give thanks for the ultimate sacrifice you paid to buy us back and give us salvation. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What three words did Jesus say on the cross? What job was Jesus finishing when he said, “It is finished”? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why is it comforting to know Jesus did everything needed to save us? How was Jesus’ death different from how most people die? Questions for Middle School and Above When you feel guilty about something you did wrong, how can Jesus’ words “It is finished” help you remember you are forgiven? How does “It is finished” change the way we think about our works for God? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260401fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Exodus 24:1-11 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.” Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Exodus 24:7-8 God Wants to Be Close to You In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. A covenant is a very special promise. Today we’re going to hear about a promise God made because he wanted to be close to his people—and he wants to be close to you too. Long ago, God rescued his people, the Israelites, from slavery in Egypt. God did amazing things to help them. He sent plagues to make the Egyptians let them go. He opened the Red Sea so they could walk safely through it. Later, he even sent bread from heaven and birds for them to eat. God took care of them every day. But the people kept forgetting what God had done. They complained. They got scared. Sometimes they even doubted that God would help them. Even after all the miracles, they struggled to trust him. Still, God did something wonderful. He made a covenant—a special promise—with his people. God said, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” To show how serious this promise was, sacrifices were made and blood was used to seal the covenant. It may sound strange to us, but in the Bible, blood showed that a promise was very serious and important. God was showing how much he wanted his people to belong to him. God even invited some of the leaders of Israel to come close to him, see his glory, and eat and drink in his presence. Imagine that! The Holy God welcoming people to be near him. That shows how much God loves his people. But sadly, the people kept breaking their promises. They disobeyed God and worshiped other gods. The old covenant depended on people obeying perfectly—and no one can do that. That’s why Holy Thursday is such an important night. On Holy Thursday, Jesus gave us a new covenant—a new promise from God. At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and said, “This is my body.” Then he took the cup and said, “This is my blood.” Jesus knew we could never be perfect, so he came to be perfect for us. The blood of animals in the Old Testament could never truly take away sins. But Jesus’ blood can. When Jesus died on the cross, he paid for every sin—once and for all. Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, poured out for you.” Did you notice those words? “For you.” Jesus wants you to know his forgiveness is meant for you personally. In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus gives his body and blood with the bread and wine. It’s a wonderful gift where we can receive and be sure of his forgiveness. God wants us to know that he truly forgives us and brings us close to him. God still wants to be close to you today. Through Jesus, your sins are forgiven and you belong to him forever. Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for giving yourself for me. Thank you for your Holy Supper where I can taste and touch your forgiveness and grace. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children God helped his people, the Israelites, many times. Can you name two good things God does for you? What does Jesus give people in the Lord’s Supper? (A good opportunity to explain what we receive in the Lord’s Supper.) Questions for Elementary Age Children Why couldn’t the Old Covenant work if people had to obey perfectly? What makes Jesus’ New Covenant better? Questions for Middle School and Above What does the Exodus account teach us about the difference between God’s promises and human promises? Jesus says his body and blood are given “for you.” Why are those two words such comforting words when we feel guilty or sad about our sins? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260330fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:9-10 A King on a Donkey In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Have you ever watched a parade when an important person comes to town? Maybe people cheer, wave, and clap. Something like that happened when Jesus came to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday! Palm Sunday can feel a little confusing. During Lent we remember that Jesus suffered and died for our sins. That makes us feel sorry for our sins. But on Palm Sunday people were cheering and celebrating Jesus. They sang joyful songs and waved palm branches. Why would people celebrate if Jesus was going to die only a few days later? When Jesus came into Jerusalem, the crowd spread their coats on the road like a red carpet. They waved palm branches and shouted with joy. Those were things people did for a king! But many people thought Jesus came to be a powerful king who would beat their enemies and make their country strong again. They wanted help with their problems right away. They didn’t understand that Jesus came for something even more important. God had already told people what to do on that day. Through the prophet Zechariah he said, “Rejoice!” God wanted people to celebrate because his Son had come. That was wonderful news! Jesus is a righteous King. That means he is perfectly good and holy. We are not perfect—we sin. But that’s exactly why Jesus came. He came to save us from our sins. Now notice something surprising: Jesus did not ride a big war horse like a powerful king. He rode a donkey! That showed that Jesus came gently and humbly. He came to bring peace, not to fight a battle. There’s another interesting detail. Many donkeys have a dark stripe down their back and another across their shoulders, making the shape of a cross. It’s a quiet reminder of why Jesus came. Right in the middle of the Palm Sunday celebration, God reminds us that Jesus was on his way to the cross. Jesus went to the cross willingly. No one forced him. He did it because he loves you. He came to forgive your sins and give you eternal life. That’s why Palm Sunday is such a happy day. Our King came to save us! Let’s say the Palm Sunday words together: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for willingly going to the cross for me. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What did Jesus ride into Jerusalem on? Why is that surprising for a king? What did Jesus really come to do for us? Questions for Elementary Age Children Some people thought Jesus came to defeat their enemies and fix their problems right away. Why is what Jesus actually did even better? What is one way you can say “Hosanna” (praise Jesus) this week—at home, at school, or with a friend? Questions for Middle School and Above Sometimes we want Jesus to fix things immediately. What can we remember about Jesus when life doesn’t go the way we expect? Why is it important that Jesus entered Jerusalem as a righteous King who came to suffer rather than to rule with power? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.