God’s Masterpiece
Key Verse:
[Eph 2:10 NLT] 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Additional Verses:
Ephesians 2:1-7
Materials Needed:
Small wooden cross (available at Dollar Tree or from a craft store)
Broken tiles or glass mosaic tiles purchased from a craft store
Craft glue
Caution: Broken tiles may have sharp edges. Use extreme caution if using this lesson with children, or purchase craft tiles with smooth edges.
Note: For this lesson I am showing you an easy way to make a small mosaic that gets the point across. You can make a larger version of this mosaic cross using a 1”x4” board, Mapei adhesive, broken tiles and grout (I found good instructions on Pinterest). I used this lesson at a Women’s Retreat. I had everyone participate by coming up and gluing on a couple of tiles and I asked them to contemplate which areas in their life God may be wanting to renew. I grouted it later and displayed it in our church lobby.
Preparation:
If using your own tiles, break them ahead of time. Wear safety goggles and gloves to protect yourself.
Complete a small section of the mosaic cross ahead of time to show during the lesson. At the conclusion of the lesson, invite people up to glue on some of the tiles.
Object Lesson:
The Bible says in [Eph 2:10 NLT] 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Why did He create us anew? Because we were broken. We were dead, because of our sins. We were all far from God because our sin kept us separate from God. It broke our relationship with Him. But God is so rich in mercy and He loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead.
The emphasis in Ephesians 2:10 is not on how beautiful we are, but on how creative God is. That He could take broken, sinful people and restore them back to a relationship with Himself.
We’re not a masterpiece because we’re so beautiful. We’re a masterpiece because God loved us so much that he put us back together.
He restored us so we could do the good things HE planned for us long ago. Notice, not the things that WE planned. You may be in a different place in your life than you expected, but God has a purpose for you right where you are.
There are other things besides our own sin that can break us too. We may come from broken families, homes, relationships. Broken dreams. You thought your life would go one way, but it turned out differently. You may have a broken heart. I have some broken tiles here. (Show the tiles) Look, they are just bits and pieces. They aren’t really good for anything. How can something broken be made into a beautiful masterpiece?
You may have seen a mosaic before. (Take out the cross and show it.) What’s a mosaic? It’s a piece of art, created by broken things. Broken pieces that have been put together to make something brand new. I started this earlier and it’s already starting to look pretty good. These tiles are going to be put together to make a beautiful piece of artwork.
God is such a creative artist that He took our sin, our brokenness, the smashed up bits, the garbage, our past and He restored us to Himself when Christ died for us. He can heal the hurt, the brokenness you face.
He wants to restore you, so you can bring glory and praise to Him.
He created us anew, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. Your past doesn’t disqualify you from serving God, it’s not your identity. It qualifies you. You can tell people, I was broken, but I’m not anymore. I was dead in my sin, but I’m not anymore.
You may have an area of brokenness in your life. Maybe it’s a sinful area of your life. Maybe someone else has hurt you. Maybe there’s an area in your life that needs transformation. Let’s yield ourselves over to God and allow Him to restore us and use us to do the good things He planned for us long ago. (Invite people to help finish the mosaic).
Pickled
Key Verse:
[Psa 119:15 NIV] I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
Additional Verses:
Psalms 1:1-3; Joshua 1:8
Materials Needed:
- 1 Jar of pickle “chips” (or enough for each person to have one pickle plus a few for you to use)
- 1 Cucumber sliced into rounds (or enough for each person to have one slice plus a few for you to use.
- Condiment cups to fit one pickle and one slice of cucumber (one per person)
- A slotted spoon that will fit in the jar
- Paper towels (to clean any mess)
Preparation:
Before class, remove some of the pickles from the jar, leaving some pickles behind as well as the pickle juice. You will use this jar to dip the cucumbers in. Pre-slice your cucumbers into rounds and dip them for a second into the pickle juice and take them out. Create a sample for each person to taste by placing one pickle slice and one cucumber slice that has been dipped into condiment cups. Lean the slices away from each other in the cups if possible so the cucumber doesn’t take on too much pickle flavor.
Object Lesson:
Do you guys like pickles? Who can tell me what a pickle tastes like? (Allow for answers: salty, sour, tangy). Now did you know that a pickle is just a slice of cucumber? If it’s just a slice of cucumber, where does all of that flavor come from? (Allow for answers). That’s right! It comes from the pickle juice which has some vinegar, spices. How do all of those flavors get inside of that cucumber? Well the cucumber slices have been in this pickle juice for a long time, so long that they have absorbed all of the flavor of this pickle juice and they have been transformed into a tasty pickle. That’s called marinating. The cucumbers have been marinating in this pickle juice so much that they have taken on its flavor.
In the Bible, in Psalms 119:15, someone prayed this to God “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.” That word meditate is kind of like the word marinate. Meditating means that we think about something over and over and we focus on it and we try to absorb its meaning. Kind of how these pickles have marinated in the pickle juice and absorbed the flavor. What the Bible is teaching us here is that we should read and think about God’s Word a lot and meditate on it and figure out what it means and we should consider God’s ways so that we can truly become more like Jesus.
Sometimes as Christians, we don’t spend enough time meditating on God’s Word. We might go to church once in a while, but then we skip a few weeks or maybe we intend to read the Bible every day but we only get up early enough once a week to do it. Then we wonder why we aren’t getting stronger in our faith and not being transformed.
That’s like taking these cucumbers and dipping them in the pickle juice and then taking them right out (drop a few cucumbers in the liquid and take them right out with the slotted spoon). Do you think these cucumbers are going to taste like pickles? Let’s see. (Hand out the samples). Wait for me, we will eat them together. Let’s eat the pickle first. (Eat the pickle). Wow! that has so much flavor, it’s so good. Now let’s try the cucumber that was only in the pickle juice for a second. (Eat the cucumber slice). Does it taste as flavorful as the first one we ate? No! Why not? (Allow for answers). That’s right, because they haven’t spent enough time in the pickle juice to absorb its flavor, they haven’t had the time to transform into a pickle. See, we need to spend a lot of time in God’s Word, reading it over and over and thinking about it so we can absorb it and understand its meaning and allow it to transform our lives.
More than a Mom
By Carey Thomas
SYNOPSIS:
Susan McPhearson is job hunting after being a stay-at-home Mom for many years. She submits a fantastic resume that highlights the many skills she’s acquired as a mother. It’s no surprise that she gets the job because her new boss has never met anyone with so many skills! This tongue-in-cheek sketch touts motherhood for what it really is – a very diverse job with an opportunity to shape the future.
CHARACTERS:
SUSAN – A middle-aged mother who is trying to get back into the workforce after being a stay-at-home mom for many years. She is sweet and motherly-like and a little corny.
MR. STUMP – A business executive with a Brooklyn accent. He speaks fast andis very boisterous.
SETTING:
An office with two chairs and a desk or a table.
PROPS:
- resume (thick stack of paper)
- a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crusts cut off
- napkins
- package of wet wipes
- two children’s toys or stuffed animals
- a fat red crayon
COSTUMES:
SUSAN: A dress/skirt or suit. (She looks nice, but not super professional), a big purse or diaper bag.
MR. STUMP: a business suit, or shirt and tie.
SCRIPT:
(SUSAN enters and crosses to the other side of the stage where there is a desk and two
chairs. MR. STUMP is sitting at the desk reading over SUSAN’s thick resume. SUSAN knocks on the imaginary door).
MR. STUMP: (gruffly) Come in.
SUSAN: (goes into the office, shyly) Hello. I’m SUSAN McPhearson.
MR. STUMP: Donald Stump. Nice to meet you, have a seat. (They both sit.) I’ve been reviewing your resume and I find it to be quite impressive and your experience so diverse. I thought it would be worth having you come down here for an interview. So I have a few questions for you.
SUSAN: (Cheesily) Oh ask away! (She makes a goofy gesture with her arm).
(MR. STUMP does not smile, but looks up from her resume and stares blankly at her because of her goofiness. SUSAN stops smiling and bites her lip).
MR STUMP: (looking over the resume) Well I see here that you haven’t had a job in about fifteen years. Is that right?
SUSAN: (tentatively) Well, yes that’s true. I’ve, uh, been…taking some time to reevaluate my goals, Sir.
MR. STUMP: I see. That is always a good thing to do! Well it looks as though you have quite a bit of experience as a personal assistant. Fifteen years, right?
SUSAN: (tentatively, shyly) Yes. I uh, did everything from answering the phone to shopping to choosing outfits for my um, boss to re-decorating rooms.
MR. STUMP: I see.
SUSAN: I also ran errands, managed schedules, made appointments and picked up groceries.
MR. STUMP: Tell me what other things you’ve done.
SUSAN: Well I was a chauffeur for a number of years.
MR. STUMP: A chauffeur? Tell me about that.
SUSAN: Well I drove some very, uh, important people to the places they needed to go: sporting events, concerts, parties, the park.
MR. STUMP: The park?!
SUSAN: Uh, yes.
MR. STUMP: Ok. It says here that you have experience as a personal chef as well. That sounds very interesting. What is your specialty?
SUSAN: Mac N’ Cheese. (pause) But it’s a very gourmet-style of Mac N’Cheese.
MR.STUMP: Well that’s a real crowd-pleaser isn’t it?
SUSAN: Yes, and that’s why it’s my specialty. People of all ages like it. I also make a mean PB& J with the crusts cut off.
MR. STUMP: Really? That was my favorite when I was a kid. And, I still like it in fact.
SUSAN: Oh good, because I brought you one. You need to keep up your strength throughout the day. (She reaches into her purse and pulls out the sandwich and gives it to him).
MR. STUMP: (He begins to eat the sandwich). This is really good – just like my mom used to make.
SUSAN: (Leans over and wipes his mouth with a napkin). You, uh, had some jelly there.
MR. STUMP: (looks at her awkwardly). I’ll just put the sandwich aside for later.
Moving right along here. I also find it very interesting that you were a firefighter at one time.
SUSAN: Yes, uh, three times actually. I mostly dealt with small kitchen fires, but I did put out a bathroom fire once.
MR STUMP: What else have you done?
SUSAN: Well, I am a nurse too.
MR STUMP: You’re kidding! What kind of nurse are you? (He begins to tip his chair back, picking two of the chair legs off of the floor).
SUSAN: What kind? Um…a pediatric nurse! I specialize in scraped knees and head injuries from not keeping four on the floor. (She motions to him to put all four legs of the chair back on the ground. He puts the chair back on the floor).
MR. STUMP: And you were also a private tutor?
(SUSAN touches the desk with her finger and notices it is dusty. She pulls a pack of wet wipes from her purse and begins cleaning the desk as they talk. MR. STUMP looks at her oddly).
SUSAN: Yes, I still am.
MR. STUMP: What ages do you tutor for?
SUSAN: Whatever ages the kids happen to be when they need tutoring.
MR STUMP: (Impressed) I say! And what subjects?
SUSAN: All of them!
MR. STUMP: (still skimming over the résumé). Here it says that you are an experienced event planner. That skill would especially come in handy around here. What types of events have you planned?
SUSAN: All types really.
MR. STUMP: (prodding a little). Such as?
SUSAN: Ummm….Parties mainly. With lots of fun and food. And sometimes a clown or two. I’ve also done fundraisers…
MR. STUMP: Well I could use someone around here that can raise funds.
SUSAN: (interrupting him) and bake sales!
MR. STUMP: Bake sales?!
SUSAN: (clearing her throat) Yes, sir.
MR. STUMP: (impressed) It’s amazing to me that one person could have accomplished all of this. I mean, how did you have the time to pursue so many different occupations?
SUSAN: (looking straight at him). Well, it wasn’t easy to tell you the truth. Believe me, I had my days and my struggles. Sometimes I wondered why I was doing it and if I would ever get through it. Frankly, I felt like quitting sometimes.
MR. STUMP: Why did you do it?
SUSAN: To make a difference. (She leans forward a little and whispers to him) To invest in the future of this world.
MR. STUMP: Uh-huh. Well if you have anything at all it’s passion and determination and a strange list of prior professions, but I like you. When can you start?
SUSAN: (excited) Well, um tomorrow I take Noodles to the vet at 10:00 and Michael has a soccer game at 3:00. So, I can start the day after tomorrow.
MR. STUMP: Ok, then. I’ll just have you sign the contract and you can be on your way. (He puts a piece of paper in front of her and begins looking around his desk for a pen). I can’t seem to find a pen.
SUSAN: I think I’ve got one. (Susan reaches into her purse for a pen. She pulls out a couple toys and places them on the desk while she is digging. She pulls out a giant red crayon.) Is a crayon okay?
MR. STUMP: A crayon? (Hesitantly) Sure.
(SUSAN signs the contract).
MR. STUMP: We’ll see you the day after Noodles goes to the vet.
SUSAN: Ok. Thank you, sir. (She turns around as if to exit, then she turns back around, licks her finger, and wipes some “dirt” off Mr. Stump’s face, then pats his head, messing up his hair a little. She exits the office).
THE END
Click here to download the script.
The Best Mom
Key Verse
Proverbs 31:30
Additional Verses
1 Peter 3:4-5; James 1:11
Materials Needed
- Several different apples of different colors, shapes, sizes, the more different and interesting, the better.
Object Lesson
I brought a bunch of different apples with me today. (Hold up an apple)
This one is yellow and it’s really sweet. (Take a bite) It’s not super crunchy, though. (Hold up another apple) I really like this one here because it is green, which is my favorite color. (Take a bite) Wow, this one is really tart! (Grab another apple) This one has a funny shape to it and it has a little bruise over here. (Take a bite) You know, it still tastes good, though.
After tasting all of these apples, I have figured out that they are all a little different, but they are all good apples! These apples remind me a lot of moms. We all have moms and they are all very different from each other and that is okay. God hand-picked our moms just for us.
The Bible tells us that God “knit us together in our mother’s wombs.” He made us just for our moms and He made our moms for us. Now, when I was kid I would sometimes wish that my mom was more like my friend’s mom because she let her kids eat more snacks. My other friend’s mom would take us to a lot of fun places and buy us stuff. She would also let me go on vacation with them sometimes. I thought she was such a cool mom! But was she really a better mom than my mom? No way! My mom was the best mom for me.
She took care of me, came to all of my ball games, she took me to church, and she still helps me all the time today. You see there is more than one kind of good mom. Some moms talk really sweet, and some moms are a little more tough. Some moms have lots of money to spend and some moms don’t. Some moms are fat and some are thin, some are young and some are old. But they can all still be good moms. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
This verse shows us that one of the most important things to being a good mom is that she fears the Lord. Fearing the Lord means that she cares about her relationship with God. It means that she wants to please God and so she tries to follow His ways. That’s what makes a good mom.
Resurrection Rolls
Main Verse:
Matthew 28:6 NLT He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.
Additional Verses:
John 19:38-42
Materials Needed:
- Crescent roll dough (Enough for each person to have one roll)
- Melted butter
- Cinnamon sugar
- Marshmallows (enough for each person to have one)
- Small paper plates (one for each person)
- Bowls for butter & cinnamon sugar mix
- Oven
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper for easy clean up
- Hand wipes
- Table
Preparation:
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Have the kids wash their hands before you begin. If you don’t have access to a sink, provide hand wipes. Hand wipes will also be helpful after they have assembled their “tomb” as well as after they eat it, as hands will be sticky. Melt the butter on a stove or in a microwave ahead of time. Depending on the number of children, you may want to have a few bowls of butter and a few bowls of cinnamon sugar so everyone can work at the same time.
Object Lesson:
Happy Easter! What do we celebrate at Easter time? Do we celebrate the Easter Bunny? Is he the reason that we have Easter? No. We celebrate Easter because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. When Jesus died, His friends were very sad because they loved Him so much. They did not expect to see Him again. Some of Jesus’ followers wanted to honor Jesus so they took His body and prepared it to be buried. They took spices and perfume and they put it over His body and they wrapped Him up in fabric. Then they laid Him in a tomb that was made out of rock. But He didn’t stay dead for long! Does anyone know how long Jesus was dead for? That’s right he was dead for three days. But on Sunday morning, a miracle happened. Jesus’ friends went to the tomb and found that He was not there. He had risen from the dead.
We are going to make a sweet treat to remind us that Jesus is alive. (Give everyone a crescent roll on their plate.) This is a piece of dough that will represent the tomb where Jesus was buried. (Give everyone a marshmallow). We are going to pretend this marshmallow is Jesus’ body and we are going to get it ready to be buried. Let’s roll it in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar. This is like the spices that they put on Jesus’ body. Now let’s put his body in the tomb (help the children roll them up snugly into a ball. Press all of the seams tightly so they don’t explode too much).
Bake the rolls according to the package instructions.
(Hand out the baked rolls). Let’s break them open and see if Jesus is still in there. (Break one open). He is not here. He is risen.
Proud Peeps
Main Verse:
Matthew 21:5-5 (NLT) “Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey– riding on a donkey’s colt.’”
Proverbs 16:18-18 (NLT) Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
Additional Scriptures:
Philippians 2:3-8
Materials:
- Microwave Oven that can be set up in the room so everyone can see it.
- Table
- Marshmallow Peeps (alternatively you can use a regular marshmallow and teach this lesson any time of year.)
- Plate
Preparation:
All microwaves vary, so practice ahead of time by microwaving a Peep to determine how long to leave it in. I recommend starting with 30 seconds.
Object Lesson:
Who can tell me what it means to be proud? (Allow for answers). Yeah, it means that someone is bragging about themselves. They might talk about how they are the best basketball player on the team or the best dancer in their class or brag that they are the smartest one in the class. They might say these things about themselves even if it isn’t 100% true. They sort of puff themselves up a bit to make themselves feel like they are better than everyone else.
What is the opposite of being proud? That’s right, it’s being humble. Jesus was the best example of a humble person. He didn’t act like He was better than everyone else. In fact, there was a prophecy about Jesus which said Matthew 21:5-5 (NLT) “Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey– riding on a donkey’s colt.’” Today on Palm Sunday, we celebrate when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people wanted Him to be their king. But they didn’t realize that Jesus wasn’t your average king.
Now, most kings were very proud. What kinds of things do kings usually have? (Allow for answers: jewels, money, throne, robe, castle, carriage, etc). They would be proud of all of their money and their fancy clothes and their carriages and big houses as well as their power. But Jesus didn’t have any of that. Do you think Jesus could have had all of that stuff if he wanted to? (Allow for answers). Absolutely! But He didn’t come to be an earthly king, he came to save us from our sins. The Bible says in Phillippians 2:5-8 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Even though Jesus was God, he gave up his privileges as God and became a human being. He took a humble position as a slave. He obeyed God by dying on the cross for our sins.
(Put the Peep on the plate and put it into the microwave). Let’s pretend this Peep is a proud person. (Turn the microwave on for 30 seconds). They brag and brag and make themselves sound better than everyone else. (Open the microwave to show the Peep that is all puffed up. The Peep will start to deflate). Uh-oh! What’s happening to this Peep? He’s going down. He was too proud and you know what happened, he fell down. The Bible tells us to watch out because pride comes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall. That means that when we are proud we are not following the example of Jesus and things can go wrong in our lives! There can be a consequence. If we are too proud, God might have to teach us a lesson so that we can learn to be humble. God wants us to care more about others than ourselves, the way that Jesus did.
Hollow Without Jesus
Key Verse:
Ephesians 3:19 (NLT) May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Additional Verses:
Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:19-20
Materials Needed:
A Hollow Chocolate Easter Bunny
Preparation:
Remove the chocolate bunny from the packaging.
Object Lesson:
We’re a lot like this Easter Bunny (Hold the hollow bunny and take a bite out of the ears or break them off). I’m sorry that I can’t share this with everybody. We’re hollow, empty. (Show that the inside is hollow). Going around day to day, waking up, working a job going through the motions, but we feel empty inside (e.g. going to school, sports, homework, etc. Use age-appropriate examples for your group).
We feel bound by addiction, our past, we’re held back. We feel like we look good on the outside, but on the inside we know that there’s something missing. We know that we are not experiencing all that God has for us. Empty.
So how do we get rid of that empty feeling? The Bible says in [Eph 3:19 NLT] 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
It’s understanding how much God loves us that fills us up. He loves us so much that we can never fully understand it. He loves us more than our parents, brothers, sisters or friends could ever love us. His love completes us and gives us power to live a full life.
Maybe you’ve been going around depressed, or with anxiety, anger or feelings of rejection. Jesus is saying that you don’t have to stay that way any longer. You don’t have to feel that emptiness or loneliness any longer because God wants you to know that He loves you. He sent Jesus to die on the cross for you and Jesus rose from the grave. He gave Jesus life and He wants to give that life to you. There’s nothing you can do to deserve it, it’s a free gift that He wants to give to you.
It’s not because you’re a nice person or a good-looking person or because you dressed up for Easter. That’s not why He wants to give you salvation. It’s because of His great love for you.
Life is Like a Box of Chocolates
Key Verse
Romans 8:35, 37
Additional Verses
John 16:33; Hebrews 13:5
Materials Needed
- box of assorted chocolates
Preparation
Remove the cellophane from the box of chocolates
Do you guys like chocolate? I love chocolate and in fact I’m going to have some right now (start eating one of the chocolates). This box has a lot of different kinds of chocolates in it. I really like this one a lot because it has more chocolate on the inside. I’m going to try another one (take a bite of another one). This one has cream in the center and I don’t really like this one. Let me try another one (bite another one). This one has nuts in it and I like this kind. Ok, one more (try another.) This has coconut inside and I’m not a big fan of that one. People sometimes say that life is like a box of chocolates because sometimes good things happen to us and sometimes bad things happen to us. Just like this box of chocolates. It’s a big mixture of different candies and sometimes I get the one I want and sometimes I don’t.
In life, good things can happen to us like we win the game, or we get the teacher we wanted, we graduate with honors, we get the relationship we want (use age-appropriate examples). But sometimes we don’t get what we want: we get sick or we don’t make the team or a loved one dies or a pet dies.
When things are going well, we might feel like God is for us and He’s on our side but then when things go wrong, we might wonder if God has abandoned us. But listen to what the Bible tells us in Romans 8:35 & 37 (NLT) 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? … 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
So having trouble doesn’t mean God doesn’t love us. Going through rough times doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love us or that He’s left us. He promises to never leave us or abandon us.
In fact, Jesus promises us that in this life we will have trouble. In John 16:33 (NLT) Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
God sometimes allows us to have troubles, so we can learn to trust Him more. He uses our all experiences good and bad to help our faith to grow. With God we can overcome any challenge we face.
No matter what comes your way in life, good or bad, nothing can ever separate you from God’s love.
Conversations With God
Key Verse
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Additional Verses
Romans 5:8; Philippians 4:6
Materials Needed
- Bag of Conversation Hearts
- Individual-size boxes or bags of conversation hearts to give out as a takeaway (Optional)
Preparation
Open the bag a little so you can get some candy out.
Object Lesson
So we have a holiday coming up soon. Does anyone know what it is? That’s right, it’s Valentine’s Day! Valentine’s Day is a fun holiday because we get to tell our friends and family how much we care about them. We can write out Valentines with special messages or we can give people candy. You guys don’t like candy, do you? I love Valentine candy and one of my favorite Valentine candies are CONVERSATION HEARTS.
In fact, I brought some with me today (hold up the bag of conversation hearts). These are really fun to give to friends or someone that we love to let them know how much we care about them. And some of the things they say are so silly. I’m going to take some of these out and read what they say (Start taking some out and reading the ones you think are silly).
Examples: UR Cute, DM Me (Direct Message Me), Rock Star, Kiss Me, GOAT (Greatest of All Time)
Did you know that God wants to have a continual conversation with you? God loves you so much that He even sent Jesus to die for you. God wants to have a friendship with you and he wants you to talk to him like you would to a friend. (Romans 5:8)
The Bible says we should pray without stopping (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which means we can have a conversation with God all day.
So what can we have a conversation with God about? Anything! You can talk to God about something you’re afraid of. Maybe you’re having a problem with a friend or a family member, and you can talk to God about that. Maybe you know someone who is sick and needs God’s help, you can ask Him to help that person. (Include any other examples that may be relevant to your group).
The Bible tells us not to worry about anything, but to pray about everything, tell God what you need and thank Him for all he has done (Philippians 4:6). So we can also thank God and praise him throughout the day as part of our conversation with Him. If you were making a bag of conversation hearts for God, what would you write on them to thank Him and praise Him? (Give some answers to get started and then allow the class to give some):
Examples: Luv U, UR Good, U Help Me, U Rock, Thank U, U Care
Now in a conversation, there’s always more than one person talking, right? So we can talk to God, but He also wants to talk to us. How does God talk to us? (Allow the kids to answer if they want). Sometimes if we are quiet and listen to God, He will speak to our hearts and give us guidance by His Holy Spirit.
One of the biggest ways God talks to us is through the Bible. By reading the Bible we can hear God’s instructions for us and we can learn about how much He loves us.
So this Valentine’s Day, if you are snacking on some conversation hearts, let it remind you to have a continual conversation with God as you go about your day. Talk to God and listen to what He is saying to you.
Distractions
Key Verse
Matthew 7:13-14
Additional Verses
Proverbs 16:25; John 14:6; John 10:9
Materials Needed
- a rope or beam
- cutout of Jesus
- several items to represent things that might distract us from God: video game controller, books/magazines, music, cell phone, toys, friends, etc.
Preparation
Two volunteers (student or another teacher) Lay the rope or beam on the floor. It may be placed in a straight line or it may be zigzagged. Along the rope, place the props that will serve as distractions from God. At the end of the rope, place the figure of Jesus. Alternatively, you could use a treasure chest or crown or something to signify the prize (eternal life) that we receive for following Jesus. Find quality products on anipots.com
Object Lesson
The Bible tells us in Matthew 7:13-14 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway (or path) to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road (path) is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”
Following Jesus is the best way to live, but it is not always easy. Did you know that we have an enemy called the devil and he wants to try to get us off of the narrow path by distracting us.
He does not want us to follow Jesus, so he will do anything he can to stop us. My friend, (fill in volunteer’s name here), believes in Jesus and he is on that narrow path that leads to Heaven. (Have the volunteer begin walking the rope).
He is doing really great following Jesus and he’s trying to honor God. Uh oh, our friend is supposed to be getting ready to go to church but he saw his video games and Cozino games sitting there. (Volunteer picks up the controller and starts pretending to play). Oh no, his mom is calling him to get ready for church and he won’t stop playing his video games. He’s gotten really distracted.
Let’s help him get back on the path. (Coach the class to tell him “Get back on the path”).
Ok, our friend realized that he was getting to distracted by his video games. He’s back on the path again and he’s doing good. (The volunteer now picks up a book or magazine). Our friend was doing great, but now he’s reading something and it’s a book that his parents told him not to read because he was too young for it. He’s probably going to have scary dreams now and he’s disobeying his parents.
Let’s help him get back on the path (Coach the class to tell him “Get back on the path”).
Alright he’s on that narrow path and he’s following Jesus but now he’s going for his cell phone. (Volunteer begins texting). Now he is spending so much time texting and playing games that he doesn’t have time to read his Bible or do his chores.
Get him back on track! (Coach the class to tell him “Get back on the path”).
Ok he’s gotten back on the path. But now, he starts hanging out with one of the big bullies at school. (Second volunteer is the bully and he invites him to try cigarettes after school). It sounds like our friend needs to get away from this bully. He’s spending too much time with him and he’s not a good influence on him.
Let’s help him get on the path (Coach the class to tell him “Get back on the path”). (Volunteer gets back on the path and makes it to Jesus at the end.)
Our friend made it Jesus! Let’s give him a round of applause. (Have the volunteers sit down). So our enemy the devil uses lots of things to distract us from God. He tries to get us off of the narrow path. Now, it’s ok to play video games sometimes and to use our cell phones, but when we do something that makes us disobey God or we do something so much that we don’t have time for him any more, then it’s a distraction and we need to refocus our attention on God.
Follow the Path
Key Verse
Matthew 7:13-14
Additional Verses
Proverbs 16:25; John 14:6; John 10:9
Materials Needed
- Map
- Photo of trail blazes
Object Lesson
What are some important things to take with you on a hike? (allow for answers).
Yes, those are all important things! But I think the most important thing to take is a map. Why is a map important (allow for answers)?
A map helps you to know where you are going and more importantly how you will get back to your bus or car, right? Have you ever been in the woods and then suddenly it seems like the trail disappears? Maybe the woods get really thick and the grass and bushes are really tall and the path in front of you isn’t as clean anymore. What then?
Well, there is another thing that is very useful to help you stay on the trail. Does anyone know what it is? (allow answers).
It’s called a trail blaze and it looks like this (show photo).
Trail blazes are painted marks on trees or rocks that lead you down the correct trail. If you follow the blazes you will always be on the trail and not in the middle of the woods somewhere. The blazes will often show you if the trail turns right or left. And if you were lost in the woods, you could follow the blazes until you came to a road and could get help.
The Bible tells us about a very important path that we should stay on. It’s the path that leads to Heaven. Let’s read Matthew 7:13-14 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway (or path) to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road (path) is difficult, and only a few ever find it. This verse tells us that we should choose the path that leads to Heaven.
That means following Jesus at all times. It also says that the path to Hell is a wide path because there are a lot of people going down that path. They are choosing not to follow Jesus. They might be choosing to follow other gods or maybe they’ve just decided not to believe. But they are going the wrong way.
When you think about all of the people around you, are they mostly following Jesus or not following Jesus? (allow for answers).
Following Jesus is not always the easy way and that’s why this verse says the narrow road is “difficult.” Sometimes it’s hard to follow Jesus when all of our friends don’t want to. But by loving them and telling them about Jesus we can lead them down the right path too.
D5 Creation