Our God is Faithful, 100% This story is based on the video Horton Hatches and Egg. It tells of keeping promises and responsibility, just like God does in the story of Anna and Simeon.
|
Activities + Resources
In the Potter’s Hand
Give Me Oil in My Lamp
Theme: Be prepared for Christ’s return.
Memory Verse: Brothers and sisters, you are loved by God. We know that he has chosen you. 1 Thessalonians 1:4
Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13
We always keep a flashlight in our house. We keep the flashlight so that if the lights go out, we will be able to find our way around in the dark. The flashlight is always kept in the same place so that we will know where to find it when we need it. Do you know what else we have to do? We have to check the batteries regularly to make sure they are still working and we have to make sure there are always extra batteries on hand. When the lights go out, this flashlight will be no help if the batteries are dead and there aren’t any fresh batteries to replace them.
In the time that Jesus lived, people didn’t have flashlights or batteries. Instead, they used oil lamps, and just as it is important for us to have a good supply of batteries for our flashlight, it was important for the people of Jesus’ day to have a good supply of oil on hand for their lamps.
One day, Jesus told a story using oil lamps to teach his disciples how important it was for them to be prepared for the day when he would return. In Jesus’ story, a wedding was about to take place. The bride had ten bridesmaids and they were waiting for the bridegroom to come and take them to his house where the wedding would take place. Weddings in those days were almost always at night and the bridesmaids would light their lamps and lead the bride to the house of the bridegroom. Jesus said that while they were waiting for the bridegroom, the bridesmaids became tired and fell asleep.
Suddenly, everyone was awakened by someone shouting. “Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!” The bridesmaids jumped up and began to prepare their lamps. Five of the bridesmaids had not brought any extra oil, so they didn’t have enough oil to light their lamps. The other five had very wisely brought extra oil, so they were well-prepared and lit their lamps. The foolish ones asked to borrow some oil, but the wise ones were afraid there was not enough for them, so they told them to go buy some more oil. While they were gone, the bridegroom came and the five who were ready went with him to the wedding feast. When the foolish ones bought more oil and went to the groom’s house, it was too late. The door had already been closed locked. Jesus told his followers, “So you must be ready, because you don’t know when I will return.”
In this story, the bridegroom is Jesus and you and I are the bridesmaids. Do you think we are the wise ones or the foolish ones? Well, Jesus told us that he was going to come again, and that if we were wise, we would be ready for his return. What can we do to make sure we are ready? We can read his Word, do what it says, and put our trust in him. If we will do that, we will be ready. We will have oil in our lamp and our light will be shining brightly to show others the way to him.
Heavenly Father, we want to be ready when Jesus comes again. Help us to trust in him and follow his teachings. Amen.
Activities + Resources
Theme: Do what you tell others to do.
Scripture: Matthew 23:1-12
Memory Verse: Brothers and sisters, you are loved by God. We know that he has chosen you. 1 Thessalonians 1:4
Lead kids through a couple rounds of Simon Says. In Simon Says, the leader tells kids things to do but they have to listen closely. If you say, “Simon says,” then kids do the motion. If you don’t say, “Simon Says,” kids don’t do the motion.
After a few rounds of Simon Says, say: You guys did a great job playing Simon Says. Let’s play it the opposite way. You still need to listen to me say, “Simon Says” before you do a motion. But, in this Opposite Simon Says, you will do the opposite of what I say. If I say, “Simon says, ‘don’t touch your head,’ you will do the opposite and touch your head.” Let’s try this.
Simon says, “don’t clap your hands.” (Kids should clap their hands because they’re doing the opposite thing.)
Say these things for kids to do the opposite:
Have kids sit down.
Practice what you preach. What does that mean? (Pause.) I think it means that if you tell someone to do something, you need to do it, too. Practice what you preach means don’t do the opposite thing that you say. Instead do what you say others should do.
In our Bible lesson today, Jesus had something to say about “practicing what you preach.” Jesus was talking about the teachers of the law and the Pharisees in the synagogue where people went to worship. Jesus said that everything that they did was done so that others would see them and think how great they were. But they didn’t do what they told other people to do. In fact, they did the opposite!
What did Jesus tell us to do about teachers like these? (Pause.)
You might think Jesus would say, “Don’t listen to them! You don’t have to do what they say.” But He didn’t. Jesus said, “Obey these teachers and do everything they say. But do not do what they do, because they do not practice what they preach.” When it comes to living the Christian life, we need to make sure we do what we say.
Here’s a little poem that would be good to remember.
You can know a lot of Scripture
And have the gift to teach,
But what is more important —
Is to practice what you preach!
Dear God, help us be people who do what we say so that others can see the love of Jesus in us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Activities + Resources
Theme: Love God and Others
Memory Verse: Brothers and sisters, you are loved by God. We know that he has chosen you. 1 Thessalonians 1:4
Scripture for today’s lesson: Matthew 22:34-46
I don’t know for sure, but I think there have probably been more songs written about love than about anything else in the world. Here’s a list of some of my favorites: “Love Makes the World Go Round,” “Love and Marriage,” and “When I Fall in Love.”
Oh, I almost forgot one of the best love songs ever written. I’m sure all of you know this song! If you know it, sing along with me. But I also have a challenge for you: Everytime you hear the word “love” on this song, make a heart shape out of your hands. (Demonstrate making a heart shape with your hands.)
Here it goes:
Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong;
They are weak but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
What a wonderful song about Jesus’ love for us. In today’s Bible lesson, Jesus teaches another very important lesson about love. I want you to help me again. Every time you hear the word “love,” make a heart shape with your hands.
People were always amazed at the teachings of Jesus. One day a crowd was gathered around Jesus when a man who was an expert in religious law tried to trap Jesus with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment?”
Jesus answered, “‘Love (pause) the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,’ this is the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love (pause) your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” In other words, Jesus was saying that if we could love (pause) God and love (pause) others, we would not have any trouble keeping the other 10 commandments.
Let’s ask God to help us to love (pause) as we ought.
Dear God, help us to love (pause) You with all of our heart and to love (pause) our neighbors as we love (pause) ourselves. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Activities + Resources