60+ Real Life Bible Stories from Scripture

Bible Stories from Genesis

Creation: Use this lesson outline to teach elementary students about the Creation story found in Genesis 1—3. It’s the very beginning of the Big God Story!

Adam and Eve: Elementary kids discover that God created us to live in community with each other and with Him. Use this lesson to teach children about how God wants to be with us.

Cain and Abel: Use this grab-and-go lesson to teach elementary kids that God corrects us because He loves us. Kids will be encouraged to ask for forgiveness when they do wrong.

Noah’s Ark: Share the Noah’s Ark story and discover how one animal in particular can help us bring it to life for elementary kids. (Also check out Simple Noah’s Ark Crafts and Activities You Can Download for Free)

Tower of Babel: Teach elementary students about the Tower of Babel and how God is the only one worthy of our worship.

Balaam and the Donkey: Share the story of Balaam and discover how one animal in particular can help us bring it to life for elementary kids.

God’s Covenant with Abraham: Use this grab-and-go lesson to teach elementary kids that God keeps His promises!

Isaac and Rebekah: Help elementary kids discover the Biblical story of Isaac and Rebekah and how one animal in particular can help bring it to life.

Jacob Wrestles with God: Share this grab-and-go with elementary kids as they discover God’s faithfulness to us through the story of Jacob wrestling with God.

Joseph: Use this lesson to teach elementary students about forgiveness through the story of Joseph.

Joseph and God’s Faithfulness: Help elementary kids discover that in the end, God’s in control with this grab-and-go lesson.

Bible Stories from Exodus

Moses and the Burning Bush: Teach elementary kids that God will help them with difficult tasks using this grab-and-go lesson.

Plagues of Egypt: Use this grab-and-go lesson to teach elementary kids all about God’s power.

Parting of the Red Sea: While Moses might not know what to do next, God had a plan for Moses—and God has a plan for us too. Teach elementary kids about our faithful God who has plans for them!

Golden Calf: Inspire kids to worship only God with this grab-and-go lesson.

10 Commandments Activities Free to Download: Make the 10 Commandments relevant for kids with these surprising ideas.

Age-Appropriate Versions of the Ten Commandments for Kids: Age-appropriate version of the Ten Commandments, plus tips for teaching this tricky subject.

Bible Stories from Numbers

Israelites in the Desert: Look at the Biblical story of the Israelites in the desert and discover how one animal in particular can help us bring it to life for elementary kids.

66 Short Bible Verses Perfect for Kids to Memorize

Memorized verses are the rails the Spirit’s instructions run on. How much track have we laid? Download this guide on Short Bible Verses. With 1 verse from every book, kids will learn to hide God’s Word in their hearts!

Download your free guide

Free Guide

66 Short Bible Verses Perfect for Kids to Memorize

Memorized verses are the rails the Spirit’s instructions run on. How much track have we laid? Download this guide on Short Bible Verses. With 1 verse from every book, kids will learn to hide God’s Word in their hearts!

Download your free guide

Free Guide

66 Short Bible Verses Perfect for Kids to Memorize

Memorized verses are the rails the Spirit’s instructions run on. How much track have we laid? Download this guide on Short Bible Verses. With 1 verse from every book, kids will learn to hide God’s Word in their hearts!

Download your free guide

Free Guide

Lessons from Joshua

Walls of Jericho: Use this lesson to teach elementary students about God’s faithfulness through the story about the Walls of Jericho.

Bible Stories from Judges

Samson and Delilah: Use this lesson to teach preteen students about how God is strength and God gives them strength.

Bible Stories from Ruth

Ruth and Boaz (Elementary Lesson): Teach kids that God is our redeemer with this grab-and-go lesson!

From 1 Samuel

Jesse and David: This elementary lesson preview is pulled from the 5-lesson Christmas Series from Wonder Ink. It can be used in large group/small group and in classrooms.

David and Goliath: Use this lesson outline to teach the David and Goliath story for kids. They’ll see how God can help with even the biggest of problems.

Bible Stories from Jonah

Jonah and the Whale: This free grab-and-go lesson brings the story of Jonah to life. Help preschool and elementary children learn how God used an animal and Jonah to accomplish his purpose.

Jonah and the Whale: God forgives us and that’s good news! Use this grab-and-go lesson to teach elementary kids.

Lessons from Ezekiel

Ezekiel and the Dry Bones: This elementary lesson preview is pulled from the 5-lesson Easter Series from Wonder Ink.

Bible Stories from Daniel

Fire-y Furnace: Help preschool children know how much God loves and cares for them with this grab-and-go lesson.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den: Share the story of Daniel in the lions’ den and discover how to bring it to life for kids.

Bible Stories from Matthew

Jesus in the Temple: Help preschool children begin to identify God’s love in their lives.

Jesus’ Baptism: When we consider that the perfect Son of God asked a man to baptize Him, we should be humbled by His example. Use this grab-and-go lesson to help preschool kids know that they can obey and please God!

The Lord’s Prayer: Use this lesson outline to teach elementary students about the Lord’s Prayer and how Jesus used it as an example to point out the right and wrong ways to pray.

Jesus Calms the Storm: In this lesson, Jesus brings peace to a stormy sea and peace to His disciples. Teach elementary kids that when Jesus is in control of their lives, they have nothing to worry about or fear.

Parable of the Mustard Seed: This story is actually an illustration, but it’s a powerful one. Teach elementary kids that when God is there, big things come from small ones.

Jesus Feeds 5,000: Use this elementary lesson from Matthew 14 and John 6 to show how Jesus is compassionate. He invites us to be compassionate too!

Jesus Walks on Water: Use this elementary lesson from Matthew 14 to teach kids about strong faith.

The Temple Tax: Share the story of the temple tax and how one animal can help us bring it to life for kids.

More from Matthew

Parable of the Unforgiving Servant: Elementary kids discover that we can forgive others just like God forgives us in this grab-and-go lesson.

Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard: In this elementary lesson, kids learn that the kingdom of God isn’t just about rules or behavior or justice. It’s also about grace.

Palm Sunday: Palm Sunday can be big fun for the kids in your ministry with this free lesson!

Parable of the Sheep and the Goats: Use this lesson outline to teach elementary students about Jesus’s parable of the sheep and the goats found in the book of Matthew.

Parable of the Talents: Use this lesson outline to teach elementary students about Jesus’s parable of the talents found in the book of Matthew.

The Last Supper: Teach preschoolers and early elementary students about the disciples’ last supper with Jesus.

Good Friday: Teach preschoolers and early elementary students about Jesus’s death on the cross. It’s perfect to use when you teach on Good Friday.

The Great Commission: Show elementary students how Jesus commanded His disciples to go and make disciples in the Great Commission.

Bible Lessons from Mark

Miracles of Jesus: Jesus Heals a Woman and a Girl: You can use this grab-and-go lesson to teach elementary kids that Jesus is God and He knows everything!

Let the Children Come to Me: Teach preschool children that they can always come to Jesus because He loves them.

Easter Sunday: Use this lesson outline to teach preschoolers and early elementary students about Jesus’s resurrection. It’s perfect as an Easter Sunday School lesson. (Also check out 49 Brilliant Easter Games, Crafts, and Activities for Sunday School)

Bible Stories from Luke

The Birth of Jesus: Use this lesson to teach elementary children about Jesus’s birth.

Names of Jesus: Messiah: Use this lesson to teach kids about the meaning of one of the names of Jesus: Messiah.

Parable of the Sower: Use this lesson to teach elementary students the parable of the sower. It shows how Jesus wants us to grow!

Parable of the Good Samaritan: Teach elementary students about Jesus’s parable of the Good Samaritan found in the book of Luke.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep: Look at Jesus’s parable of the lost sheep and how to bring it to life for kids.

Parable of the Prodigal Son: Teach elementary students about Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son found in the book of Luke.

Parable of the Lost Coin: Use this grab-and-go lesson to teach kids about how Jesus came to seek and save lost people.

Peter Denies Jesus: Share the story of Peter’s betrayal and discover how one animal in particular can help us bring it to life for kids.

Lessons from John

Jesus Turns Water into Wine: Use this grab-and-go lesson to teach kids that we can ask for Jesus’ help with any situation. And that is a great thing!

Jesus’ Disciples: Children learn about the friends Jesus made with this grab-and-go elementary lesson.

Parable of the Good Shepherd: This elementary lesson helps kids discover just how deep Jesus’ love is for his followers—for us.

Jesus Raises Lazarus: Teach kids about how powerful Jesus is with this fun, elementary lesson!

Vine and Branches: This elementary lesson will help you teach kids about all the great things Jesus can do when we are in Him!

12 Awesome Bible Games for Kids of All Ages

Bible learning is serious business, but it doesn’t have to be boring. Choose from games for toddlers to preteens and help kids know that God loves them.

Download your free guide

Free Guide

12 Awesome Bible Games for Kids of All Ages

Bible learning is serious business, but it doesn’t have to be boring. Choose from games for toddlers to preteens and help kids know that God loves them.

Download your free guide

Free Guide

12 Awesome Bible Games for Kids of All Ages

Bible learning is serious business, but it doesn’t have to be boring. Choose from games for toddlers to preteens and help kids know that God loves them.

Download your free guide

Free Guide

Bible Stories from Acts

Pentecost: This grab-and-go lesson teaches elementary kids that God sent His Holy Spirit to help them.

Ananias and Sapphira: Teach kids about why God wants us to tell the truth and why it’s important.

Paul and Silas in Jail: It wasn’t Paul and Silas’ preaching that brought the jailer to Jesus; it was their actions . . . and actions speak louder than words. This elementary lesson will help you teach kids about how our actions mean a-whole-awful lot!

Paul’s Shipwreck: Teach the story of Paul shipwrecked on Malta and discover how one animal in particular can help us bring it to life for kids.

From Galatians

The Fruit of the Spirit: Teach kids about the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5.

Topical Lessons and Resources

The Need for A Rescuer: This elementary lesson helps kids and families lean into their need for our Rescuer God.

I Can Help Others: Use this lesson to teach kids that they can still help people during difficult times.

God Cares About My Grief and Loss: Use this lesson to teach kids that God cares about their grief and help them deal with loss.

God is Provider: Use this lesson to teach kids that God provides.

Taking a Family Prayer Walk: Check out these simple prayer stations families can use to help children trust God when they face worries of many kinds.

God Takes Our Worries: Use this lesson to teach kids that we can give our worries to God.

God Is Stronger Than My Fear: Let’s teach children that they can trust God with their fears—no matter how big or small those fears are.

52 FREE Bible Coloring Pages: From Creation to Revelation, these Bible coloring pages take you through the Scriptures in a year.

These kids deserve to know that Jesus is with them in the middle. He sees them exactly as they are and can meet them there. And they deserve our attention too.

Here are some free materials you can use with the preteens at your church!

Preteen Sunday School Lessons

The Action Bible Anytime Easter Lessons

Celebrate Easter with 4 preteen Sunday school lesson videos and all the resources you need for sharing with kids and families. Resources include Scripture and prayer prompts, lesson application ideas, and more.

Samson and Delilah Sunday School Lesson

Use this grab-and-go preteen lesson to teach preteens that God gives them strength. God is strength!

Despite Samson often displeasing the Lord, God gave strength to Samson to fight the Philistines and lead Israel as a judge for 20 years. The Spirit of the Lord was on Samson giving strength. The same Spirit of the Lord was on Jesus when He was ministering on earth.

Classroom or At-Home Devotions for Preteens

The Action Bible Anytime Devotions

Inside this download, you’ll find verses, practical questions, life application, and simple prayers. Watch the Bible come to life as preteens dive into these 8 topics.

• When You’re Lonely
• When Hope Is Hard to See
• For Impossible Times
• When You’re Anxious
• When You Feel Angry
• When You Get Tired of the Rules
• When You Feel Trapped
• When You Think About Others

Making an Impact in Your Children’s Ministry

Why Your Curriculum Matters and How to Choose the Right One
This guide was created to help you dive into some of the topics facing your ministries today and lead into why your curriculum matters and how to choose the right one depending on your needs.

Download Your Guide

Free Guide

How to Guard Yourself from Ministry Burnout

There are moments in every leader’s journey that defines whether they move forward or give up. Things happen, life gets hard, and opportunities come and go. Download this guide to be encouraged in your leadership walk with the Lord!

Download your ministry burnout guide

Free Guide

How to Guard Yourself from Ministry Burnout

There are moments in every leader’s journey that defines whether they move forward or give up. Things happen, life gets hard, and opportunities come and go. Download this guide to be encouraged in your leadership walk with the Lord!

Download your ministry burnout guide

Free Guide

Preteen Coloring Pages for Sunday School

The Action Bible Coloring Pages​

Inside this download, you’ll find 5 coloring pages, hero bios, Scripture verses, and questions for preteens to respond to during your Sunday school lessons.

• Rebekah
• David
• Jesus, as a child
• Zacchaeus
• Mary Magdalene

More Articles on Preteens

• How to Help Preteens Find Peace in Chaos
• One Solution for Keeping Preteens Captivated on Sundays
• How to Cultivate Strong Leaders in Your Preteen Ministry
• Preteen Bible Engagement for a Vibrant Faith

Elementary Sunday School Lessons: Old Testament

• How to Teach Kids the Creation Story
• Adam and Eve
• Cain and Abel
• Tower of Babel
• God’s Covenant with Abraham
• God’s Family: Jacob Wrestles with God

Joseph

• Story of Joseph
• Joseph and God’s Faithfulness

Moses, Joshua, and The Israelites

• Moses and the Burning Bush
• Plagues of Egypt
• Parting of the Red Sea
• Golden Calf
• Walls of Jericho

David

• The Jesus Family Tree: Jesse and David
• David and Goliath Story for Kids
• King David

More from the Old Testament

• Ruth and Boaz
• Jonah and the Whale

Elementary Sunday School Lessons: New Testament

• The Fruit of the Spirit for Kids
• Birth of John the Baptist
• Ananias and Sapphira
• Pentecost
• Saul’s Conversion
• Paul and Silas in Jail
• Stoning of Stephen
• God Takes Our Worries

Jesus With Us

• The Birth of Jesus
• Names of Jesus: Messiah
• The Lord’s Prayer for Kids
• The Great Commission
• Vine and Branches
• Jesus’ Disciples

Miracles of Jesus

• Jesus Turns Water into Wine
• Miracles of Jesus: Jesus Heals a Woman and a Girl
• Jesus Feeds 5,000
• Jesus Calms the Storm
• The Need for A Rescuer
• Jesus Walks on Water
• Jesus Raises Lazarus

Parables of Jesus

• Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
• Parable of the Talents
• Parable of the Good Samaritan
• Parable of the Prodigal Son
• The Parable of the Sower
• The Lost Coin
• Parable of the Good Shepherd
• The Wedding Feast
• Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
• Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
• The Persistent Widow
• Parable of the Rich Fool
• The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders
• Pearl of Great Price Parable
• Rich Young Man Parable
• Parable of the Mustard Seed

Easter Sunday School Lessons for Elementary Kids

• Hail to the King! Palm Sunday Lesson
• The Last Supper
• Jesus Dies: Good Friday Lesson
• Crucifixion of Jesus
• Jesus Is Alive! Easter Sunday Lesson
• Risen! Easter Series: Ezekiel and the Dry Bones (Preview)
• Jesus’ Resurrection

Amazing Animals

Meet 12 amazing animals with these grab-and-go lessons just for kids!

• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Noah’s Ark Story
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of Isaac and Rebekah
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of the Israelites in the Desert
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of Daniel in the Lions’ Den
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of Jonah
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of Balaam 
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of Jesus Calling His Disciples
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of the Temple Tax
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Parable of the Lost Sheep
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of the Triumphal Entry
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Bible When Peter Denies Jesus
• Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of Paul Shipwrecked

Old Testament Lessons for Preschoolers

The Ten Commandments for Kids: It Doesn’t Have to Be Awkward (Lesson)

Age-appropriate version of the Ten Commandments, plus tips for teaching this tricky subject.

Get the Lesson >>

Fire-y Furnace

Help children know how much God loves and cares for them with this grab-and-go preschool lesson.

Get the Lesson >>

Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of Jonah

This free grab-and-go lesson brings the story of Jonah to life. Help children learn how God used an animal and Jonah to accomplish his purpose.

Get the Lesson >>

Sunday School Lessons on Jesus’ Teachings

Jesus in the Temple

Help children begin to identify God’s love in their lives with this preschool grab-and-go Sunday school lesson.

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Let the Children Come to Me

This grab-and-go lesson teaches preschool children that they can always come to Jesus because He loves them.

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Jesus’ Baptism

Use this grab-and-go lesson to help kids know that they can obey and please God!

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The Sermon on the Mount for Preschoolers

Use this grab-and-go lesson from Matthew 6 to unpack Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount.

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Easter Lessons for Preschool Kids

Meet an Amazing Animal in the Story of the Triumphal Entry

Use this grab-and-go lesson to bring Jesus triumphal entry on Palm Sunday to life.

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Hail to the King! Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday can be big fun for the kids in your ministry with this free lesson!

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The Last Supper

These activities and games help the story of The Last Supper come alive!

Get the Lesson >>

Jesus Dies (Good Friday Lesson)

Share the good news that Jesus took our sins with Him to the cross.

Get the Lesson >>

Jesus Is Alive! Easter Sunday Lesson

Be prepared for the most highly attended church weekend with this Easter lesson.

Get the Lesson >>

Interested in David C Cook Curriculum? Find the right fit for your ministry with this 5-minute quiz!

LESSON AT A GLANCE: Ezekiel and the Dry Bones

WONDER TRUTH: God Has Good News for His People

SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 37

GOD’S BIG STORY: God shows Ezekiel a vision reassuring the prophet that God still had good news for His people—He would bring them back to Him and put His own Spirit of life in them.

WORD OF WONDER: He saved us. It wasn’t because of the good things we had done. It was because of his mercy. He saved us by washing away our sins. We were born again. The Holy Spirit gave us new life. —Titus 3:5 (NIrV)

CURIOSITY (15 MINS) | Large Group or Small Group

An object lesson, experiment, or activity that sparks curiosity, encourages exploration, and gets kids thinking about the wonder of God.

• Welcome Question: What good news have you heard lately?
• Curiosity Questions
• STEM Activity: News, Good News, Best News! 
• Declaring God’s Wonder

BELIEF (25-35 MINS) | Large Group

A deep and interactive dive into Scripture that guides kids into knowing God more deeply, exploring His big story in the lesson of Ezekiel and the Dry Bones, and marveling at His wonder.

• Prayer of Invitation
• God’s Big Story: Hear It, Watch It, Experience It!
• Connecting the Wonder Truth
• In Awe of God’s Wonder
• Word of Wonder: Titus 3:5

FAITH (15 MINS) | Small Group

An intentional conversation that helps kids see the wonder of God’s story and how it connects to their own, emboldening their faith and fostering a deeper understanding of their place in God’s kingdom.

• Word of Wonder Activity
• Discussion Questions for Younger and Older Kids: Ezekiel and the Dry Bones
• Small Group Prayer Time

IDENTITY (10 MINS) | Large Group or Small Group

An interactive worship response activity that creates space for God to remind kids of these core truths: I am known, I am loved, I am led, and my life can tell of God’s wonder.

• Responding in Worship: Dry Bones Directed Prayer 
• Blessing Your Kids

Wonder Ink

Faith begins with wonder

With ready-to-go lessons, Wonder Ink is a customizable digital curriculum and toolkit for creatively engaging kids and families in God’s Word—connecting the classroom on Sunday to their homes during the week.

Learn more

INVITATION FOR LEADERS

We invite you to pause, listen, and shift your gaze toward the Father … 

One of the great things about social media is witnessing others’ good news. Marriage proposals, pregnancy announcements, and gender reveals are so fun to watch. The joy in the moments is palpable through the screen, sometimes for people we don’t even know personally! 

Good news energizes and reminds us that there is still good happening in our broken world. 

Take a moment to read Ezekiel 37:1–14. In this passage, the prophet Ezekiel embodies the power of the Lord. Before God spoke to him, Ezekiel knew the power of the Lord was upon him, even though he was in a faraway, unknown place surrounded by dry, silent bones. When you walk in unfamiliar territory, God still has good news for you. He walks alongside you up every hill and mountain and through every valley. You never walk alone. 

Through you, He also brings bring good news of hope restored to others. God has good news for His people through His people. Your testimony of God’s good news can help others navigate their personal valleys. 

• Have you ever experienced good news amid a personal trial? 
• Where have you seen hope restored because of God’s good news? 
• Who needs to hear of God’s good news in your life? 

With God’s power, Ezekiel spoke life into the dry bones. But guess what? The same power lives inside you. You can speak life into situations that seem helpless. You can celebrate the good news of hope restored. 

DID YOU KNOW? FOUNDATION BUILDING BLOCKS: Ezekiel and the Dry Bones

WHO?

Ezekiel was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah. Because God’s people were in danger of judgment, Ezekiel was called to do unusual things like eating a scroll and lying on his side for over a year to get the people’s attention. 

WHAT?

Ezekiel had many visions related to God’s judgment and restoration. Ezekiel prophesied about God’s restoration after the exile. He proclaims that God would send His Spirit to make a way for Israel to actually follow God’s commands (Ezekiel 36:24–32). 

WHERE?

Ezekiel received the vision about the dry bones when he and the Israelites were exiled to Babylon. This prophecy came during the 70-year exile when the Israelites felt like all hope was gone. But through Ezekiel’s vision, God shares an image of new life! 

WHEN?

Babylon chipped away at the nation of Judah over a few years, but the final defeat of Jerusalem and exile to Babylon came in 586 BC. King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomon’s temple along with the city. The people were in exile for 70 years. 

CONNECTING TO GOD’S BIG STORY

The vision in Ezekiel 37 shares God’s plan to restore Israel but also points toward the death and bodily resurrection of Jesus. His victory will bring new life to those who trust in Him, and His Spirit brings His followers life and joy!

DIVE IN: Ezekiel and the Dry Bones

Get the FREE lesson here! Plus, see the full series overview with a glimpse inside the event guide.

Did you like this lesson from Wonder Ink? Check out another one here!

LESSON AT A GLANCE

IN GOD’S BIG STORY

God chooses Jesse’s son David as Israel’s king and reminds Israel that the Promised One—a branch from Jesse’s family tree—will one day arrive and change everything.

WONDER TRUTH

God Sees Beyond What We See

SCRIPTURE

1 Samuel 16; Isaiah 11

WORD OF WONDER

The Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And he will be called Immanuel. —Isaiah 7:14 (NIrV)

CURIOSITY (15 MINS) | Large Group or Small Group

An object lesson, experiment, or activity that sparks curiosity, encourages exploration, and gets kids thinking about the wonder of God.

• Welcome Question: Have you ever wished you could see into the future? What do you wish you could see and know?
• Curiosity Questions
• STEM Experiment: Make a Prediction
• Declaring God’s Wonder

BELIEF (25-35 MINS) | Large Group

A deep and interactive dive into Scripture that guides kids into knowing God more deeply, exploring His big story, and marveling at His wonder.

• Prayer of Invitation
• God’s Big Story: Hear It, Watch It, Experience It!
• Connecting the Wonder Truth
• In Awe of God’s Wonder
• Word of Wonder: Isaiah 7:14

FAITH (15 MINS) | Small Group

An intentional conversation that helps kids see the wonder of God’s story and how it connects to their own, emboldening their faith and fostering a deeper understanding of their place in God’s kingdom.

• Word of Wonder Activity
• Discussion Questions for Younger and Older Kids
• Small Group Prayer Time

IDENTITY (10 MINS) | Large Group or Small Group

An interactive worship response activity that creates space for God to remind kids of these core truths: I am known, I am loved, I am led, and my life can tell of God’s wonder.

• Responding in Worship: The Branch Grows
• Blessing Your Kids

INVITATION FOR LEADERS

What if we could see the image of God in people in the same way we can see freckles, dimples, or other family traits? Would it be easier for us to say, “That’s a child of God”? Would it help us treat people the way God wants us to treat them? 

Well, God doesn’t give us the ability to physically see His image in others. Instead, He asks us to trust His sight. Read 1 Samuel 16:7. God reminds us that while we are attracted to outward characteristics, God looks for traits of the heart. And God is constantly looking for hearts with traits like His. 

When God looked at David, Jesse’s youngest son, He saw the future king. Read Isaiah 11:1–2. Years later, when their enemies closed in and the future of David’s line appeared dire, God looked at Jesse’s family and saw the Branch sprouting from it—Jesus, the One who would change everything. 

God sees beyond what we see. So, next time we encounter a new person or a challenging situation, let’s ask Him to help us see beyond outward characteristics and circumstances. May God give us spiritual eyes to see people’s hearts and increase our faith to trust His will. 

Wonder Ink

Faith begins with wonder

With ready-to-go lessons, Wonder Ink is a customizable digital curriculum and toolkit for creatively engaging kids and families in God’s Word—connecting the classroom on Sunday to their homes during the week.

Learn more

DID YOU KNOW? FOUNDATION BUILDING BLOCKS

WHO?

The author of the Book of 1 Samuel is anonymous. It is part of the same work as 2 Samuel, and together these books tell the story of how God worked in the life of King David to raise him from the position of a lowly shepherd to the ruler of Israel. 

WHAT?

1 Samuel 16 tells of how God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint one of Jesse of Bethlehem’s sons to be Israel’s next king. Jesse and Samuel both thought God would pick one of the older sons, but God had His eyes set on David. 

WHERE?

The setting of the story is Bethlehem, a town fewer than 10 miles from Jerusalem. This is the city of King David’s birth, and in fulfillment of prophecy, this is also the city of Jesus’ birth (Micah 5:2). 

WHEN?

This story takes place after Saul had acted out of pride, disobeying God and failing his final test. God was displeased with Saul’s actions and promised that Saul would lose his kingdom. God then sent Samuel to find a new king to rule over Israel. 

WHY? CONNECTING TO GOD’S BIG STORY

Jesse’s son David was known as Israel’s greatest king and was the ruler to emulate. Yet even David failed, sinned, and disappointed. But the offspring of Jesse and David—King Jesus—eventually came to show us what the reign of God looks like in person!

DIVE IN

Get the full lesson and preview the Christmas series, here. This Christmas, get 5 lessons + a family event for your ministry. Check it out now! (If you already subscribe to Wonder Ink, this is included in your subscription.)

Want more free lessons for your ministry?

Check them out here!

LESSON AT A GLANCE

IN GOD’S BIG STORY
Jacob is left alone with his thoughts and doubts, and God sends an angel who wrestles him and gives him a new name.

WONDER TRUTH
God Is Faithful

SCRIPTURE
Genesis 32–33

WORD OF WONDER
“Before you created the whole world and the mountains were made, from the beginning to the end you are God.” Psalm 90:2 (NIrV)

CURIOSITY (15 MINS) | Large Group or Small Group

An object lesson, experiment, or activity that sparks curiosity, encourages exploration, and gets kids thinking about the wonder of God.

• Welcome Question: What is the first letter of your name? What is your favorite describing word that also begins with that letter?
• Curiosity Questions
• Multisensory Activity: The Notable Name Memory Game
• Declaring God’s Wonder

BELIEF (25-35 MINS) | Large Group

A deep and interactive dive into Scripture that guides kids into knowing God more deeply, exploring His big story, and marveling at His wonder.

• Prayer of Invitation
• God’s Big Story: Hear It, Watch It, Experience It!
• Connecting the Wonder Truth
• In Awe of God’s Wonder
• Word of Wonder: Psalm 90:2

FAITH (15 MINS) | Small Group

An intentional conversation that helps kids see the wonder of God’s story and how it connects to their own, emboldening their faith and fostering a deeper understanding of their place in God’s kingdom.

• Word of Wonder Activity
• Discussion Questions for Younger and Older Kids
• Small Group Prayer Time

IDENTITY (10 MINS) | Large Group or Small Group

An interactive worship response activity that creates space for God to remind kids of these core truths: I am known, I am loved, I am led, and my life can tell of God’s wonder.

• Responding in Worship: A Name from God
• Blessing Your Kids

Wonder Ink

What if Sunday morning was just the starting point? Wonder Ink is a customizable digital curriculum and toolkit for creatively engaging kids and families in God’s Word. Wonder Ink sparks curiosity and guides children on a journey of faith through the wonder of God.

Explore Wonder Ink

Wonder Ink

What if Sunday morning was just the starting point? Wonder Ink is a customizable digital curriculum and toolkit for creatively engaging kids and families in God’s Word. Wonder Ink sparks curiosity and guides children on a journey of faith through the wonder of God.

Explore Wonder Ink

Wonder Ink

What if Sunday morning was just the starting point? Wonder Ink is a customizable digital curriculum and toolkit for creatively engaging kids and families in God’s Word. Wonder Ink sparks curiosity and guides children on a journey of faith through the wonder of God.

Explore Wonder Ink

INVITATION FOR LEADERS

We invite you to pause, listen, and shift your gaze toward the Father …

One of my favorite moments before Jacob wrestles with God is in Genesis 32:7 when we discover Jacob was worried and afraid. I’m so grateful that, amid the pages of Scripture, we find real, human emotions.

I mean, how would you feel? You have stolen your brother’s birthright, masquerading in goat hair; you have run away and been hoodwinked by your now father-in-law; you know it’s time to come home and face the music, but look around you. Look what you have done!

Yet, following Jacob’s very honest look at how the next few days could go, he prays. After taking stock of the situation, Jacob does the only thing he knows to do in the face of his future: he talks to the Author. And amid reminding God of His promises, he asks God to save him from his brother. Jacob did all he could do to prepare for this encounter with Esau; now he is asking God to do what only He can do.

READ IT FOR YOURSELF

Read Genesis 32–33 for context, and then go back and read Genesis 32:22–32. What do you question in this event? If you could ask Jacob three questions about this experience, what would they be?

I am curious about the limp. Did it give him pain all his life or simply remind him of the thing he could never forget? But I don’t question Jacob winning the wrestling match. I think he won for so many reasons, but mostly because every good father lets his child win at wrestling at least once. God allowed it, and Jacob never forgot it.

So how did you get your limp? Where has He conceded so that you would continue to lean in and ask questions about who He is? What has His faithfulness looked like to you, as you look back at how far you’ve walked with Him by your side?

DID YOU KNOW? FOUNDATION BUILDING BLOCKS

WHO?

Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, and twin brother to Esau, deceived his brother and lived in hiding for many years. While Jacob was in hiding, he married and had a family.

WHAT?

Years earlier, Jacob tricked Esau and received their father’s blessing, so Jacob was afraid Esau might kill him. After Jacob prayed for God’s protection, an angel who looked like a man came and wrestled with him until morning.

WHERE?

Jacob had been in Haran living with his uncle. When the time came, he returned to Canaan and settled in Bethel, where he previously had seen God and built an altar because he knew God was there.

WHEN?

Twenty years after he fled to safety, Jacob left Haran with his family and all he had accumulated to head back to the place God had shown him. That 20 years allowed for reconciliation between him and Esau.

WHY?

Jacob was afraid of Esau and prayed for God’s deliverance. God sent an angel and blessed Jacob. Despite all his deceptions and lies, God still chose to protect Jacob and use his family to fulfill the promise He had made to Abraham.

DIVE IN

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If you like this lesson, check out our other free lessons, here!

Supplies

This was Stephen’s first sermon, and he had a tough audience. The very people who saw to it that Jesus was arrested and killed were in the crowd—and Stephen knew it.

This was the perfect time to try and avoid mentioning things that would arouse the anger of the men who wanted to harm Stephen. But that’s not what Stephen did. He told the truth—the whole truth—and paid the price for it as a flurry of rocks hurt and killed him.

Bad day? A painful one, certainly, but not a bad one.

Stephen understood that the angry men gnashing their teeth and threatening him weren’t his only audience. God was in the audience too, and God was pleased.

Did Jesus save Stephen? Not his body, but Jesus never promised to keep his followers from dying. Jesus saved Stephen’s soul—something only Jesus could do.

It’s true—Jesus saves us!

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoing’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week–except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Turn the Key

Explain that in a few moments you’ll ask one child to leave the room while the rest of the children circle up. (Small group? You can be the “circle” alone, if necessary!)

While the “outcast” child is out of earshot, you and the others will decide on one action that opens up your circle and lets the outcast in. It may be touching a nose, blinking twice, anything that the child can do. Don’t determine a secret password; it’s unlikely the outcast will ever guess that word.

Call the temporarily exiled child back into the room. Say: You have been shut out of the circle, but there is a way to get back in—if you can guess what it is. You will have help. You can ask five yes and no questions to help you determine what action gets you in the circle.

If a child guesses the way in, give him or her high fives. If the way in is not determined, choose a new “outcast” and play again. Play several rounds and then have your group discuss:

• How was this activity like or unlike real life?
• What actions get you admitted to the groups you want to join at school?

Say: If you want to enter into a friendship with God, there’s just one way: through Jesus. That’s something a man named Stephen said, and it created a problem for him. Today we’ll explore what happened to Stephen—and that even in difficult times, Jesus saves us!

GAME FOR A BAD DAY

Save Me!

Say: There are so many ways you can get in trouble and need help. Let’s act some out. I’ll call out a situation, and you act out how you’d look if you were in that situation. Ready?

Here are a dozen situations . . . feel free to add your own!

1. You jumped into the deep end of the pool, and I can’t swim.
2. You walked into the opposite sex’s restroom by mistake.
3. Your bike is about to crash into a wall.
4. You just found out there’s a test, and you’re not ready.
5. Your left foot is on fire.
6. You’re late—you decide to sneak into the house.
7. You just took a big drink of spoiled milk.
8. Someone dropped an ice cube down your back.
9. You fell asleep in class and woke up to find everyone looking at you.
10. You accidentally glued your thumbs together and have to pull them apart.
11. You’re walking and slip on the ice.
12. You have a heavy box to lift and wish you had some help.

Say: Great job! You’re all qualified to be movie stunt doubles! Get with a partner and find a place to sit as we discuss some important questions! Discuss:

• Would you rather be the person giving help . . . or getting it? Why?
• How do you feel when you have to ask someone for help?
• In what ways do you need Jesus’ help?

Say: We need more than Jesus’ help. We need Jesus to save us—something a man named Stephen discovered. Let’s dive into his story!

BAD DAY BIBLE STORY

To Stone or Not to Stone

Supplies

• Bible
• 1 fist-size stone

Hold up the stone. Say: Let’s think together: what could we do with this stone?

Take and affirm suggestions. When suggestions slow down, say: Or we could throw it at someone and hurt him. That would get a reaction!

Say: In New Testament times, stones were used lots of ways. Most of the time it was for building, but if someone blasphemed God or even spoke his name, it was considered disrespectful of God. That person was sometimes punished by having heavy stones thrown at him.

People threatened to punish Jesus with stones because Jesus said he was God’s Son. Today we’ll explore a time when people punished a Christian named Stephen with stones.

I’ll play the part of Stephen. You play the part of the crowd. Let’s find out what happens and if Jesus protects and saves Stephen.

You decide if I say anything untrue or if I disrespect God. If so, vote to hit me with a stone. I’ll place this stone over here (set it at least five feet from where you’ll be as you’re reading), and the first time I say something untrue or disrespectful of God, go stand next to it—but do not throw the stone. Ready?

Read aloud Acts 6:8-7:1, 51- 56.

Then say: OK, it’s almost time to vote. But first let’s discuss a few questions together. Discuss the following as a whole group or have kids discuss each with a partner.

• Has Stephen said anything untrue?
• Has Stephen disrespected God?
• Do you think it’s fair to stone Stephen?

Ask for a vote. If children want to let Stephen go, have them stand along the wall opposite the stone. If they want to punish and stone Stephen, have them go and stand beside the stone on the floor.

Say: So we can expect Jesus to save Stephen, right? Let’s see! Read aloud Acts 7:57-60. Ask:

• What happened in the story?
• Why didn’t Jesus save Stephen—or did he?

Listen to and affirm answers. Then say: Jesus saved Stephen, but not in the way we might have wanted. We think that not being in pain and not dying are the best things possible. But really, being with God in Heaven is the best thing. Loving and serving God is the best thing. Following Jesus is the best thing.

Jesus took great care of Stephen . . . Jesus just didn’t save his earthly life. He saved Stephen’s eternal soul—and Jesus can save us too!

CLOSING PRAYER

Save Me Prayer

Ask children to sit in a circle, facing outward so they can’t see each other. Say: In old cartoons when someone is drowning, he raises one index finger when he slips under the water the first time, two fingers the second time, and three fingers the third and last time. We’re going to do that too—as a prayer.

I’ll mention three things that many people need Jesus to save them from. If it’s something you need Jesus’ help with, raise one, then two, then three fingers. You won’t see each other, but God will see you. Please close your eyes.

Pray: Dear God, we need Jesus to save us. Some of us have done wrong things we need you to forgive through Jesus. If you’ve done something wrong and need to be forgiven, raise one finger. Silently tell God what you’ve done. (pause)

Some of us find it hard to follow you, Jesus. We forget to listen to you. We don’t pray, read the Bible, or grow in our friendship with you. If you ever forget to do what Jesus asks you to do, raise two fingers. Tell Jesus about how you need his help being faithful. (pause)

Some of us don’t tell others about you, Jesus. If you find it hard to tell friends about Jesus, raise three fingers. Tell Jesus why you find it difficult. (pause)

Please help us, Jesus. Save us from what gets between you and us. Amen.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Horseshoe Shoes

Supplies

• Masking tape
• Newspaper

Tape a sheet of newspaper to the floor and position children to stand at least 15 feet away. Ask children to remove their shoes.

Explain that this is a game like horseshoes: a tossed shoe completely on the paper is worth three points, one partially on is worth one point. It’s legal to knock another player’s shoe off the paper. Play several rounds. Then have children put their shoes back on.

Say: In some things—like the game of horseshoes—”almost” is close enough to earn points. But in truth telling, being absolutely truthful and not just close to the truth is important. Stephen did that and paid a price. How truthful are you willing to be about Jesus when you have the chance to tell others?

Option 2: You Too?

Supplies

• 1 sheet of paper and 1 pencil for every 2 kids

This activity works best with older kids.

Ask children to form pairs or trios. Give each pair a sheet of paper and a pencil. If you’re playing with young children, be sure to pair them with older kids who can write down answers!

Say: You’re about to play a game called You Too? In two minutes or less, I want you to discover ten things you have in common. And not {93} easy stuff like “We both have ears” or “We both think you’re handsome/ beautiful.” Find unusual things like “We both speak French” or “We both have 17 letters in our middle names.” Write down what you have in common as you go. Ready? Start now!

At the end of two minutes, ask groups to share some of their You Too? discoveries. After they’re finished, say: Here’s another thing you have in common: Jesus wants to save you both. That’s something everyone can have in common!

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: If being saved by Jesus is such a smart thing, why don’t all people want to have that happen?

See more lessons like this one, here!

13 Very Famous Friends and How Jesus Loved Them

Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing love of Jesus tucked into 13 stories of Jesus’s famous friends and how He loved them. They will begin to understand what it means to love one another as Jesus did.

Download your Bible lesson

Free Lesson

13 Very Famous Friends and How Jesus Loved Them

Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing love of Jesus tucked into 13 stories of Jesus’s famous friends and how He loved them. They will begin to understand what it means to love one another as Jesus did.

Download your bible lesson

Free Lesson

13 Very Famous Friends and How Jesus Loved Them

Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing love of Jesus tucked into 13 stories of Jesus’s famous friends and how He loved them. They will begin to understand what it means to love one another as Jesus did.

Download your bible lesson

Free Lesson

Supplies

The guy had it all. He was young, rich, and confident enough to ask Jesus a question. But even with all he had, he had nothing . . . because he didn’t put God first.

Having money wasn’t a sin in itself. The young man’s problem was in letting his money get between himself and following Jesus.

Letting anything get between us and following Jesus is a big mistake—one that can make it almost impossible for God to use us.

Is God first in your own life? Or is he coming in second behind your hobbies, your work or school . . . or your money (even just the desire for money)? As you experience this session with your kids, think about the importance God has in your life as well as in the lives of the kids.

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoin’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Don’t Fall!

Supplies

• Long rope or twine (enough to allow about 3 feet of rope per child—but don’t cut the rope)

Stretch out the length of rope on the floor in a straight line. Ask children to stand on the rope with both feet as they face you.

Say: Let’s pretend you’re tightrope walkers. The rope isn’t really on the floor. It’s stretched between two buildings . . . five floors up from the ground. And the guys with the nets forgot to come in today, so if you step off the rope, you’ll break every bone in your body!

Here’s what I need you to do: work together to line up from tallest to shortest, but . . . don’t step off the rope!

What to Do

Pause as kids work together to line up. Then say: Wait! I meant line up in ABC order by first name. If you’re named Aaron you’ll be on the left. Zebediah will be on the other end. Do that, please.

Pause as kids line up again. Then say: I’m sorry! This is so embarrassing! I meant line up by birthday, from January 1 to December 31.

Pause as kids line up one more time. Then drop this zinger: Uh-oh. I got one more thing wrong. The rope wasn’t really strung up from roof to roof. It’s on the floor, so it’s safe to step off and join me over here in a circle. After kids join you, discuss as a group:

• What made this game hard or easy?
• How did it feel to have other people in your way?

Say: I remember a time I needed to get somewhere and someone got in my way. It was . . . Briefly tell about a time this happened to you, perhaps when you were rushing to a class or appointment. Model the sort of story you want kids to share.

Then say: Your turn now. Find a partner and tell about a time someone was in your way when you needed to get somewhere. Tell what happened and how you felt.

Get Their Attention

After kids have had time to share with their partners, get their attention. Say: Thanks for sharing. When someone or something gets in our way, we usually don’t like it. I don’t want anything between me and the hospital if I have to get there. And when you have to go to the bathroom, it’s no fun to find a line of people waiting ahead of you! When we want to do something but someone or something is in our way, it can even be dangerous.

Today we’re going to dig into a time when a person learned there was something between him and where he needed to be. But first, let’s do some sculpting!

BIG MISTAKE GAME

Crown Me

Give each child a length of aluminum foil. Say: News flash! We’ve just discovered that you are all crown princes and princesses of the tiny nation of Limmilock. The royal crowns—which are covered with jewels—are being sent, but for now you’ll have to make your own. Take a few minutes and make the coolest crown you can with the precious silver I’ve just given you. Extra points for pointy tops and fake diamonds!

Allow several minutes for kids to craft crowns. Encourage them to wear their crowns while they circle up. Discuss:

• How would it change your life if you found out you were rich and famous?
• Lots of people want to be rich and famous. Why do you think that’s true?
• What do you think you’d have to give up if you were rich and famous?
• If you had to choose, would you rather be rich . . . or happy? Why?

Say: Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I have another news flash, by the way. Yes, as a royal person you’re totally rich now, but it seems that being rich is a problem for you. Ask:

• What problems might you have if you were rich?

Say: Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Put your crowns aside, and let’s find out why being rich was a problem for a guy who met Jesus.

NO MISTAKE BIBLE STORY

Price Tags

Supplies

• Index cards (2 per child)
• Pencils
• Bible

Ask kids to join you in forming a circle, seated on the floor. Give each child two index cards and a pencil.

Instruct kids to write on the front of one card how much all their stuff is worth. If they have a bike worth $100, figure that in. Plus their clothes are worth some money . . . and then there’s sports equipment or musical instruments. Tell them it’s not important they get an exact number; close is close enough.

When they’ve finished, continue. Say: Now on the back of that card, do the math to double that amount, because you probably forgot something (pause). Now double that amount again. Because you forgot something else, that’s why (pause). OK—now add $1 million to your number. (pause) Now go back to the front of the card, cross out what you first wrote, and write the new, bigger number there (pause).

• How does it feel to be really, really rich?

It’s nice to have lots of money. It means you don’t have to depend on others to give you things. It means you can get the stuff you want without having to wait. It’s fun! But it also means you’re sort of like a rich guy who came to Jesus with a question. Listen to this . . .

Read aloud Luke 18:18-23.

Then discuss as a group:

• What would you say if I told you to give away all that money on your card? Why?
• What would you say if Jesus told you to do it? Why?
• Do you think Jesus means for all rich people to give away all their money? Why or why not?

Say: Jesus never said that all rich people have to give away everything they own. But that’s what he told this man to do . . . and the man wouldn’t do it. On your other card write: treasure in Heaven.

After they’ve done so, read again Luke 18:22 and ask:

• What do you think Jesus meant by “treasure” in Heaven?

Help kids conclude that heavenly treasures aren’t material things but things like real happiness, real safety, being forgiven, and living forever with Jesus in Heaven. Thank kids for sharing their answers.

Continue

Then continue: Now pick up your two cards.

• Which of those cards is worth the most: your big amount of money or treasure in Heaven?

After kids share their answers, continue. Say: Please tear up the card that’s worth the least. (pause) If you tore up the money card, I think you made a good choice. Pleasing God and being with him forever is something you can’t buy with money. It’s worth more than all the money in the world!

The rich young man loved money more than Jesus. He hung onto his money instead of trusting Jesus and following him—and that was a big mistake. You see, money is something that doesn’t last. Even if we have millions of dollars, when we die it goes away. We can’t take it with us. But eternal life in Heaven is something we can’t lose—it’s forever.

It’s hard to give up something we have now so God can bless us later. Even Jesus’ followers didn’t quite understand how that worked.

Read aloud Luke 18:24-30.

• What’s something you’ve given up—or you’ve seen someone else give up–to better follow Jesus? Maybe it was giving up doing something with your friends that seemed fun–but was wrong. Or maybe you’ve given up buying something for yourself so you could give the money to help someone.

Allow kids to think about this and share. Then say: God wants us to put him first—because that lasts forever. Don’t let money—or anything—get in the way of following Jesus!

CLOSING PRAYER

Betcha Can’t Prayer

Supplies

• $1 bills (1 per child—but you’ll get them back!)

Ask kids to stand against a wall, their heels tight against the wall. Place a $1 bill on the floor in front of each child. Ask the kids to lean down and pick up the $1 bills without bending their knees or moving their feet. They won’t be able to do it.

Have kids kneel, pick up the $1 bills, and remain kneeling while you say: It’s easy to get excited about money and what it can buy. That’s why money is dangerous; we can stay so excited about money that we start loving money more than Jesus. Then the money gets between us and God. It scoots God out of the way. Please hold the $1 bills you’ve picked up, and let’s pray while we’re still kneeling.

Pray: God, thank you for taking care of us. Help us to look to you for what we need and never trust money more than you. Help us always to put you first in our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Ask kids to stand and pass the $1 bills back to you. Say: Yes, you have to give the money back. I don’t want you to be tempted like that rich young man!

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Making Money

Supplies

• Paper
• Pencils
• Paper money from your wallet

Give kids each a sheet of paper and ask them to draw a $1 million bill on one side of the paper. Show them paper money from your wallet as a sample, but tell them they can make any changes they’d like to their bills. Give them two minutes or less to complete their bills.

When time is up, have kids trade their papers with someone else and then, on the back of those $1 million bills, write (or draw) how they’d spend the money.

Say: This time you’ll have just one minute. Write (or draw) clearly—someone else will read what you’ve written.

After a minute has passed, ask kids to trade bills back with the person who drew the front of the bill. Say: Quickly look at what your partners wrote and then say to each other: “Looking at your paper, I think you like ________.”

Get Their Attention

After kids talk together, draw their attention to you.

• Here’s a question for all of us: what did you find on your list that might show that your partner loves and follows Jesus?

After kids share, say: How we spend our money says a lot about what we think is important. That’s true for grown-ups, and that’s true for kids too. If you spend all your money on yourself, maybe your money is getting between you and Jesus.

Don’t feel bad if your list didn’t have “give money to the church” or “take care of hungry people” on it—lots of grown-ups wouldn’t write those things either. But let’s never make the same mistake as the rich young man: letting money become more important than Jesus. God wants us to put him first.

Collect your money and the pencils. Encourage kids to take their $1 million bills home and place them somewhere as a reminder that Jesus is more important than money.

Option 2: Perishable

Supplies

• Index cards (5 per child)
• Pencils
• Food item with a “best when used by” date on it

Hold up the food item and point out the “best when used by” date. Say: The food in this container is perishable. That means it will someday spoil and have to be thrown out. It’s not meant to last forever.

And neither are other things we have. Someday you’ll outgrow your favorite clothes. That giant TV you love to watch will someday quit working. The bike you saved and saved to buy will someday be a pile of rust.

What lasts forever are people—not things. God created us to last so that even when our bodies die, we can still be with him someday in Heaven. But our stuff? That’s all perishable; it won’t last forever.

Make Visual

Give each kid five index cards to make “perishable” tags and then place the tags on or leaning against perishable items in the room: chairs, tables, even walls.

Then take kids on a quick tour of the room. If time permits, the group can chat about how long some items might last. Then say: See? It’s all perishable. Even this building will one day be gone.

• How does it feel knowing that nothing is made to last forever?
• How does it feel to know that you were made to last forever? (Be sure kids understand that our bodies are perishable but that we’ll get new ones.)
• The rich young man had a lot of perishable stuff. He hung onto that instead of letting it go and hanging onto Jesus. What can you do now to help you not make that mistake when you’re a grown-up? (Steer the discussion toward the idea of being happy with few things rather than asking for more and more.)

After kids have answered, say: The rich young man made a big mistake—and we don’t know if he ever changed his mind and decided to put Jesus first. I hope so—and I hope with all my heart that you all decide to put Jesus first too.

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: The rich young man put money first. Money got in the way of his following Jesus. What other things might we let get in the way? What things might we start loving more than Jesus?

See more lessons like this one, here!

13 Very Famous Friends and How Jesus Loved Them

Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing love of Jesus tucked into 13 stories of Jesus’s famous friends and how He loved them. They will begin to understand what it means to love one another as Jesus did.

Download your Bible lesson

Free Lesson

13 Very Famous Friends and How Jesus Loved Them

Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing love of Jesus tucked into 13 stories of Jesus’s famous friends and how He loved them. They will begin to understand what it means to love one another as Jesus did.

Download your bible lesson

Free Lesson

13 Very Famous Friends and How Jesus Loved Them

Help kids discover the faith-building, life-changing love of Jesus tucked into 13 stories of Jesus’s famous friends and how He loved them. They will begin to understand what it means to love one another as Jesus did.

Download your bible lesson

Free Lesson

Supplies

For much of his ministry, Jesus was the biggest show in town. Thousands of people would come to hear him teach. They hoped to see him heal a man with leprosy or feed an entire crowd with just a few fish sandwiches.

It’s one thing to hear Jesus teach. It’s another to take his teaching to heart—and obey him.

That’s the heart of the story you’ll share with children today—that when we obey Jesus, we build our lives on something solid and unmovable, something steady, something that won’t shift or fall apart. Ever.

Help your kids discover that truth today: it’s wise to obey Jesus!

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoin’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Solid Foundation

Supplies

• 2 or more sofa cushions

Ask children to remove their shoes and socks. Place cushions on the floor. Say: You’re about to do something difficult: stand on these cushions. Trust me—it’s harder than it looks.

Form children into two teams and then have a child from Team One stand on the cushions—opposite a child on Team Two who is standing on the floor. Ask both children to do the following:

• Stand on both feet, arms outstretched to the side, eyes open.
• The same as step one, but on one foot only.
• The same as step two, but with eyes closed.
• The same as step three, but with arms at the child’s sides.

Children on the cushions will start wobbling at step three, so stand close so you can spot them. If you have lots of children (and lots of cushions), have more than one child stand on cushions at a time, but make sure you have adequate, responsible spotters.

After kids have finished, have teams switch locations so everyone can feel what it’s like to follow the instructions while standing on the cushions and the floor. Then discuss:

• How tempted were you to open your eyes? Did you open your eyes?
• Why couldn’t you stand firm?
• How would it have changed things if you’d been able to open your eyes?

Say: Your brain didn’t have the information you needed to keep your balance. That’s why you wanted to open your eyes.

When you don’t have a steady, solid foundation, it’s easy to fall over. When you don’t have the information you need to stay steady, it’s easy to tip in the wrong direction.

That’s true about your life too. Today we’ll dive into a story Jesus told about two builders who chose to place houses on two very different foundations!

COOL STORY GAME

Blow Hard

Supplies

• 1 popped kernel of popcorn per child
• Blankets (if needed)

Before children arrive, identify at least two different surfaces for the Blow Hard game. Look for varying amounts of friction such as a hardwood or tile floor and a carpeted floor. No way to leave your room? Use the floor you have and place several thick blankets on it to provide more friction.

Give each child a kernel of popped popcorn. Ask children to put their kernels in a line on the floor and about 8 feet from a wall. Have children propel their popcorn forward by blowing on it. The goal: to reach the wall first.

Give a three, two, one countdown, and then start the race. Step quickly to the wall to be the line judge for the big finish.

Repeat the race several times on different surfaces.

Applaud all efforts, collect the kernels, and say: Great job! Maybe you noticed that how hard you had to work depended on how smooth the surface was where you raced.

The foundation you pick makes a difference! That’s what two builders discovered in a story Jesus told. Let’s dive into it and see what happened to them.

COOL BIBLE STORY

Beach House Bonanza

Supplies

• Bible

Gather children in a circle and have them number off one, two, one, two around the circle. You’ll be the reader, so you won’t take a number.

Say: Congratulations! Each of you has just won a new beach house—one that you can have built any way you want! Turn to a partner and tell that person what you want to be a part of your new home. For instance, I want a full-size basketball court just off my bedroom (substitute any great big dream or wish).

Allow several moments to share. Then ask kids to report back how they’d create their new houses. Applaud their ideas.

Say: Here’s the thing: you, number one builders, will have your house built on a hill overlooking the beach. It has a nice view and is just a five-minute walk down to the water. The hill is solid rock, so it’s a sturdy foundation.

The number two builders will have your house built right on the beach. If you were any closer to the water, you could fish right off your porch. Your beach house is built on soft sand. So when the wind and waves are high, the sand under your house moves around.

Let’s see how that turns out for you as we consider a story Jesus told about two builders. One builder put a new house on rock—that’s you, number one builders. The other builder put his house on sand—that’s you, number two builders.

As I read, I’d like you all to make sound effects. Ready?

Read Aloud

Read aloud Matthew 7:24-27. Encourage kids to add sound effects at these points:

• verse 25: rain
• verse 25: floodwaters rushing in
• verse 25: winds howling
• verse 27: rain
• verse 27: floodwaters rising
• verse 27: winds howling

Say: Number one builders, how did your house do? Pause for answers. You’re rock solid because you’re built on rock—a firm foundation.

Number two builders, how did your house do? Encourage these kids to fall over onto the floor, like their house fell over.

Ask kids to form pairs and discuss:

• What made one builder foolish and the other wise?
• How can you tell if your life is built on rock or sand?
• What’s a storm—a tough thing—that’s happened to you? Did knowing Jesus help you stay strong? If so, how?

Say: When we listen to Jesus and follow his teaching, he helps us make good decisions. We build our lives on a solid foundation. It’s wise to obey Jesus!

CLOSING PRAYER

Firm Foundations Prayer

Ask children to start their prayer time on all fours—with both knees and hands on the floor. Explain that you’ll ask them to change positions three times as you pray together.

Pray: God, thank you for the firm foundation of your love and your Word. We want to be wise in where we build our lives—so we ask your help building our lives on you.

Ask children to raise one arm so they’re touching the floor with just one hand and both of their knees.

Pray: We pray for those who aren’t strong or sturdy in their faith. Sometimes it’s us, God. Help us to know and love you more.

Ask children to shift so they’re touching the floor with just one hand and one knee.

Pray: We pray for those times we forget to obey you, God. When that happens, we lose our firm foundation. Forgive us for those times.

Ask children to shift so they’re touching the floor with just one hand or knee. (Of course, they will probably topple over.)

Pray: We know that, when we don’t obey, we lose our firm foundation, God, and fall without you. Have kids kneel or stand in a steady position. Say: Thank you for loving us even then, and for giving us the chance to come back to you through love and obedience. Amen.

Ask children to sit on the floor and discuss:

• When was it easiest to pray: when you had a firm foundation or a shaky one? Why?

After your discussion, ask children to offer one-sentence prayers thanking God for being a solid rock they can count on.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Do As I Say, Not As I Do

This will take some practice on your part—but it’s worth the effort. In this version of Simon Says, you say one thing but do another. For instance, you may say “touch your knee” while you touch your elbow.

Tell children to obey what you say, not what you actually do. Then lead kids in a fast-paced game of Simon Says that involves various actions, such as: standing on one foot, touching various body parts, leaning in different directions, or jumping.

When you’ve finished, expect kids to be thoroughly confused. Discuss:

• What made it hard to obey in this game?
• How do you feel when someone says to do something that he or she doesn’t do? Why?

Say: Good news! Jesus asks us to obey him and to do what he wants. And he shows us how to be obedient. He did exactly what God wanted him to do. We can obey Jesus!

Option 2: Foundation Quiz

Supplies

• 1 cooking spoon

Place a cooking spoon on the floor and have children sit in a circle within range of leaning forward and picking up the spoon.

Explain that you’ll call out the name of a famous building or landmark. You want to know where the “foundation” for that building or landmark is—the city or the country where the landmark is found. Whoever knows the answer can grab the spoon and offer a guess. If it’s correct, go to the next item on your list! If not, replace the spoon and ask again.

Should you have at least two older and two younger children, pair them up to make the contest more equal.

Here are buildings or landmarks—and the answers!

• The Eiffel Tower (Paris, France)
• The Great Pyramids (Egypt)
• The London Bridge (Lake Havasu City, Arizona)
• Lincoln’s Tomb (Springfield, Illinois)
• Great Wall of China (China)
• The Taj Mahal (Agra, India)

Say: These buildings and landmarks have firm foundations—so they’ve lasted. Is your foundation as solid because it’s based on your friendship with God through Jesus?

We build a solid foundation for our lives when we love and obey Jesus. That’s a rock-solid foundation that lasts forever!

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: What rules at home do you find hardest to obey? Why? What do you think Jesus wants you to do about that?

Wonder Ink

What if Sunday morning was just the starting point? Wonder Ink is a customizable digital curriculum and toolkit for creatively engaging kids and families in God’s Word. Wonder Ink sparks curiosity and guides children on a journey of faith through the wonder of God.

Explore Wonder Ink

Supplies

This is a simple story—and a richer one when you have some background. In Jesus’ day, pearls were far more expensive than they are today. There were no pearl farms or cultured pearls; each pearl had to be found in nature and imported.

The Romans were especially fond of pearls, and a large, perfect pearl was considered a vast treasure. The Roman historian Suetonius reported that General Vitellius financed a Roman military campaign by selling just one of his mother’s pearl earrings!

So when Jesus painted the word picture of a merchant sorting among pearls and finding one that’s superior—a perfect pear—his audience understood the merchant’s excitement and perhaps the merchant’s willingness to give up everything to own the treasure.

Today you’ll help your children discover that meaning behind Jesus’ story, that there is something worth their time, devotion, possessions. That’s far more valuable than anything else.

Jesus is worth everything!

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoin’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Better and Better

Supplies

• Junk drawer stuff (such as old keys, buttons, batteries)

Empty out the junk drawer and invite children to each take an object they especially like. Tell children they’ll give the items back though!

Say: Look carefully at the item you chose. Think about how you might use it and why it’s worth more than the items you didn’t take. (pause)

After a few moments, say: In the next three minutes, trade your item for something even better. Maybe you’ve got a button—hugely helpful if one pops off your shirt as you’re about to give a report at school. But someone else has a battery, which you could use to power up a small transmitter to call the coast guard if your ship is about to sink. So see if you can trade your button for the battery. Try hard to make someone else trade. Go!

After three minutes, have kids sit in a circle. Ask anyone who made a trade to explain why what he or she got was better than what was traded. Identify the item that was most traded. Ask kids to tell what their friends said to make them trade.

Collect the items and return them to the drawer. Say: One thing that makes an item especially desirable and valuable is if the item is rare. Today we’ll explore a story Jesus told about an item that was so valuable that a man went home and sold everything he owned to come up with enough money to buy it!

COOL STORY GAME

Carry On

Supplies

• 10 rolls of toilet tissue

Time for a trip to the discount store! You’ll need at least ten rolls of toilet tissue for this game, but the rolls will be in usable shape after the game.

Place the rolls in two stacks of five rolls on one side of your room. Form your kids into two equal teams (join in if necessary to even up teams) and place one team by each stack of toilet tissue.

Say: Let’s say you’re shipwrecked on a deserted island—one that has lots of fresh water, plenty of food, tons of fish waiting to be caught, and a long, beautiful beach. It’s a perfect place to be stuck except for one detail: you have no toilet tissue.

So your goal is to carry five rolls to the far wall and back again—delivering it to the needy people there on Uncomfortable Island. To carry the rolls you must hold all five rolls across, touching only the rolls on the ends. Demonstrate how to hold and carry the rolls.

Say: This is a relay race and time is key. Looks like some of your friends on the island are hopping around hoping you show up soon!

After the race, discuss:

• What else would you miss if you were stuck on an island like I described?
• What’s the most expensive item you’ve ever bought with your own money? Why was the item worth the cost to you?
• If you could sell everything you own and buy just one thing—would you do it? What would the thing be and why?

Say: Let’s dig into a story that Jesus told about a man who gave all he had to own a pearl—one perfect pearl. Let’s find out what happened.

COOL BIBLE STORY

Pennies and Pearls

Supplies

• Bible
• 1 dull and 1 shiny penny for each child

Ask children to sit in a circle. Give each child a dull penny, but keep the shiny ones in your pocket. Say: In a few moments I’ll be telling you about a merchant who bought a pearl. Before I do, though, you need to become pearl merchants yourselves. You need to learn how to tell a regular pearl from a good pearl, and a good pearl from a great pearl. We’ll practice on the pennies I’ve given you.

Ask children to examine their pennies. Say: Five things make a great pearl. Look at your pennies to see how they stack up in each category.

Category 1 is SHAPE. In nature, very few pearls come out of an oyster round. They’re lopsided. The more round a pearl, the better. Look at your penny. Is it round? If so, you’ve got the start of a top-notch pearl!

Category 2 is SIZE. In pearls, the bigger, the better—if the pearl scores well in other categories. I’m assuming all your pennies are the same size, but check with your neighbor. If yours is larger than average, that’s a good thing!

Category 3 is COLOR. Pearls come in many colors, with pure white being the most valued. Look at your pennies. Is your penny shiny and bright, or dull? If it’s bright, your “pearl” is worth more. With pearls, the brighter, the better.

Category 4 is LUSTER. Oysters secrete calcium-carbonate crystals to cover specks of dirt or other irritants. That’s what makes a pearl. If there are lots of layers of crystals and they’re worn smooth, that’s luster. Does your penny reflect the light well? Is it smooth, or worn out and pitted?

Category 5 is called ORIENT. If you can look at a pearl and it almost seems to glow from the inside, it has “orient.” It’s a matter of light refracting from the various layers. Does your penny glow? I’m guessing not—but maybe it does.

Hold up your pennies. If they were pearls, they’d be worth different amounts because of the things I’ve mentioned. Now imagine you made your living buying and selling pearls. You’d get very good at telling one pearl from another and knowing which one was worth the most.

Jesus’ story is about a pearl merchant. He probably looked through handfuls of pearls, looking for those that would get the best price. And then, one day, he spotted this. Hold up a bright new penny. Say: He knew he had something special. Here’s what Jesus said he did.

Read aloud Matthew 13:45, 46. Then discuss:

• Why do you think the merchant was eager to get the perfect pearl?
• What do you think the pearl stands for in this story?
• Where do we fit into the story?

Say: We’re like the pearl merchant. We give our lives to a lot of things—but only one is perfect and that’s Jesus. We can give him our old, worn-out lives and he gives us new life. New life that lasts forever!

Ask children if they want to trade their dull, less-than-perfect pennies for the shiny ones you have. Trade, and let them keep the shiny ones.

Say: That’s what we can do with our lives: give them to Jesus and get shiny, new lives. Let’s give ourselves to Jesus because Jesus is worth everything!

CLOSING PRAYER

Personal Pearl Prayer

Ask children to stand in a circle, facing in, and join them. Say: Jesus is worth everything—no question about it. But Jesus said there was something else nearly as valuable as himself. Something so important that he was willing to go through death to save it. And that’s you.

You’re a pearl of great price too, and so are the people to your left and right. Look at them and think this: The King of the Universe came and died in their place on a cross so they can be his friends. That’s how important those people are and how precious they are to God. So let’s silently pray for each other now. I’ll start and finish—you silently fill in the middle of our prayer time.

Pray: Dear God, thank you for your love. And for loving us so deeply that you gave your Son to rescue us. That’s amazing, God, and we praise you for it.

Hear our prayers as we pray for the people standing on our right. (pause) And hear our prayers as we pray for the people standing on our left. (pause) You’re so good, God. We love you. Amen.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Pearl Pricing

Supplies

• Calculator
• 1 sheet of paper and 1 pencil per child

This activity is best suited for older kids who are good at multiplying very large numbers! You may wish to do this activity together using a calculator instead of old-fashioned multiplication.

Give each child a sheet of paper and a pencil. Say: The largest—and most expensive—pearl is the Pearl of Lao Tzu. (Good luck pronouncing that!) It weighs 14.1 pounds and is valued at nearly $60 million. Let’s round that off to 14 pounds at $60 million . . . or $4,285,714.29 per pound. We’ll round that off to $4,286,000 per pound—write that down. Help younger children write the amount.

Here’s my question: using pearl pricing, what are you worth? Multiply your weight in pounds by $4,286,000, and let’s see what you’re worth. You don’t have to share the total—but do take a look at that number! If you get stuck, I’ve got a calculator to use, and I’ll help.

After numbers are totaled, as a group discuss:

• What would you do with that much money?
• What can Jesus do for you that the Pearl of Lao Tzu can’t do?

Option 2: Price Tags

Supplies

• 1 sheet of paper and 1 pencil per child
• Watch with a second hand

Ask children to tear their paper into ten or twelve pieces. Say: In a few moments I’ll ask you to quickly put a price tag on everything in this room. Write down what you think the item is worth and place the tag on or near the item. Then move along to the next item, because you’ve got to go through all your price tags in just 72 seconds! If there’s already a price tag on an item, find something that hasn’t yet been priced. (If you have younger kids, consider pairing them with older kids as they price their items.)

Start the timer and set kids free. When 72 seconds have gone by, have kids sit down in a circle. Collect pencils and extra price tags. Walk around the room and announce some of the estimates, asking whoever wrote the amount to defend his or her estimate. Have fun with this!

Come back to the circle and say: I’m not sure what anything in this room is worth except for a very few items. And those I can price exactly.

Walk around the circle touching each child’s shoulder in turn and addressing the child by name, such as, “Frank, you are priceless.” Explain that priceless means they’re so valuable, there’s no number big enough to use for their price tags.

Say: How can I know you’re worth so much? Because Jesus is beyond price, and he chose to come to earth and die on the cross in your place. He finds you so valuable that he was willing to go through death for you. That’s how much you’re worth. That’s how much God loves you.

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: Jesus is worth everything. He’s a pearl beyond price. Great—but how does that change how you’ll live tomorrow?

Supplies

A crowd had formed around Jesus, people pushing and elbowing to get near enough to hear. And a voice cried out from the crowd: “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me!”

A practical request—but one easily settled by law and custom. Jesus saw something lurking beneath the request and that’s what he addressed: greed. More specifically, how concern about wealth on earth gets in the way of being rich in a relationship with God.

Keeping God first is more than just a set of rules. It’s more than doing the right thing at the right time. It’s doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason. And that reason is a deepening love for God.

Through today’s story you’ll help children discover what a rich fool should have discovered: it’s a good idea to keep God first!

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoin’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: First in Line

Have children face you, single file. Then ask them to line up again, but in alphabetical order of their first names. Have older kids help younger ones get in their correct places in line.

Applaud the effort, but tell children to move more quickly as they line up several more times. For each of the following rounds, ask kids to get lined up within 30 seconds.

Have children line up by height, exact age, alphabetical order of their middle names, distance to their homes from your meeting place, the number of buttons being worn, alphabetical order of their birthplace (city), or hair length.

Keep lineups moving quickly—it’s more fun!

After playing several rounds, say: Most people love being first in line—and it was fun in this game too. But when it comes to putting someone else first in your life, who gets that spot? Is it you . . . someone else . . . or God?

Today we’ll dive into a story Jesus told about a rich fool and see what he learned about putting God first.

COOL STORY GAME

How High Can You Go?

Supplies

• At least 5 paper or foam cups per child
• Watch with a second hand

Form children into even-numbered teams. (You may need to join a team to keep the numbers even.) Give each team the same number of cups and this challenge: stack cups to make the tallest tower possible. Explain and demonstrate the following rules:

• The first cup must be placed on the floor (or a table) right side up. The next cup is placed upside down over it. Continue this pattern to make a tall tower.
• Cups must be freestanding.
• Team members must take turns placing cups on the tower.
• Whichever tower is highest at the final signal wins—and I won’t announce how long you have to work in each of three rounds.

Say: A winning tower might be just one cup high, depending on when time is called. Or it might be ten cups high or more. And if your tower of eight cups is steady, maybe it’s not a good idea to get greedy and go for a tower of ten cups—even if you have time to keep building. It’s up to you. Ready? Go!

Vary the times of each round. Suggested: 25 seconds for the first round, 47 seconds for the second, and 30 seconds for the third round.

Collect the cups and gather children in a circle. Discuss as a group:

• What encouraged you to keep adding cups? to stop adding them?
• How did it feel when your tower fell?
• How was this activity like people always wanting more?
• In what way, if any, did greed play a part in this activity?

Say: Let’s meet a man Jesus described in a story. He was like many people we know—he wanted more and more. He had a lot of trust in his money, but he ran into a snag.

Wonder Ink

What if Sunday morning was just the starting point? Wonder Ink is a customizable digital curriculum and toolkit for creatively engaging kids and families in God’s Word. Wonder Ink sparks curiosity and guides children on a journey of faith through the wonder of God.

Explore Wonder Ink

COOL BIBLE STORY

Last Interview

Supplies

• Bible
• 1 hat
• 1 pencil

Gather children in a circle. Say: Good news! A newspaper reporter is coming any minute to interview you for an article. Word has gotten out about how you’re going to put up some new barns on your farm. Wait . . . you don’t know anything about this, do you?

Explain to kids that they’ll play the part of a successful farmer, and you’ll play the part of a newspaper reporter. They’ve got to become very familiar with the details, so read aloud Luke 12:16-19. Explain that any details they’re asked about will have to fit with the larger story—that they grow wheat and probably some other crops, and they’re building bigger barns. In other words, they’re rich! But other details? Those they can make up.

Pull on your reporter hat and pretend a pencil is a microphone. Then ask:

• How long have you been in farming?
• Why do you think your fields have such large harvests?
• How many people do you hire to work on your farm?
• What crops do you grow?
• How large will your new barns be? When will they be finished?
• Now that you’re rich, what will you do?
• Were you surprised about the announcement?

Your children won’t know quite how to respond to the last question. You may hear, “What announcement?”

Say: Oh, you thought I was from the business page of the paper. I’m not. I write the obituaries. I write about people who’ve just died. Or in your case, people who are about to die. I guess you didn’t hear the rest of Jesus’ story. Let’s hear it now!

Read aloud verses 20, 21.

Say: So, Mr. Rich Farmer, how would you answer these questions?

• What do you think your bigger barns will do for you now?
• What matters more: your riches or your friendship with God?
• Is it ever too late to put God first? Explain.

Pull off your hat. Thank your kids for playing the part of the rich farmer. Then say: Our farmer friend discovered—too late—that riches don’t take the place of loving and serving God. You can’t trust money to get to Heaven! For that you have to put God first!

CLOSING PRAYER

Give-to-God Prayer

Gather kids and ask: Is it OK to have stuff and to have money? Give children time to respond.

Say: Money isn’t good or bad. It is just . . . money. What matters most is the place money has in your life and what you do with the money you have.

Let’s thank God for the money he’s given to us and to our families. And let’s tell him that when it comes to money, we’ll put God first.

Ask children to pray with their palms open and up, as a symbol of their willingness to give all they have to God. Ask children to briefly pray aloud, mentioning one thing they have that they consider valuable—and offering it to God. Close the prayer time by doing the same yourself.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Instant Millionaire—10 Times Over!

Woo-hoo! Every child in your group has just received $10 million from an unknown donor. But there’s a catch: the money must be spent on themselves or others, or given away, in the next five minutes.

Give each child a sheet of paper and a pencil for taking notes. Then give them this challenge: How will you get rid of your $10 million? Be ready to report back in five minutes!

Ask children to report back to the larger group. Then ask:

• How many of you will need a bigger house to keep your stuff?
• How did you decide where to give money?
• If you could change your plan, how would you change it?

Say: How much is enough? How much is too much? The rich fool had too much—not because he had to build bigger barns, but because he quit putting God first. Instead, he put money first. Are you putting God first in your life—before anything or anyone else?

Option 2: Young and Old

Supplies

• 1 cooking spoon

Ask children to sit in a circle on the floor, all within range of leaning forward and picking up the spoon. Explain that you’re about to call out the name of an animal. Kids who know the correct name for the animal’s young will grab for the spoon. For example, if you say “cat,” the first person to grab for the spoon should say “kitten!” Whoever nabs the spoon first can offer a guess. If it’s correct—great! If not, you’ll replace the spoon and ask again. Adapt the game as necessary to give younger children an equal chance.

Here are pairings—the grown-up animal’s name followed by the name of the animal when young.

• Chicken (chick)
• Sea lion (pup)
• Alligator (hatchling)
• Deer (fawn)
• Kangaroo (joey)
• Frog (polliwog)
• Bat (pup)
• Goose (gosling)

Say: In nature the young come first—and then they turn into adults. It doesn’t work the other way. In the kingdom of God, we have to put God first or things don’t work either. It doesn’t work any other way. Let’s do what the rich man should have done: keep God first!

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: If you really put God first, what might change in your life?

Get more lessons like this one!

THE BASICS FOR LEADERS

Supplies

Jesus’ promise: that after three days in a grave, he’d rise to life again. If that’s not true, Jesus is just another teacher (if not a liar!) whose words end up on a poster or in a book. But if it is true? Then it changes . . . well, everything.

It changes how you live. Why you live. What you can expect after you quit living (at least here on earth) . . .

So what do you believe? Really believe? Did Jesus keep this awesome promise? You see, Jesus not only promised that he would rise from the dead; he promised that if you love and follow him, you’ll do the same thing. And if there was power for him to do it, there’s power for you too.

As you experience this session, you’re helping your kids explore the single most important truth in their Christian faith.

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoin’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Shadow Sketches

Supplies

• Paper
• Markers

Let children pair up. Give each child a sheet of paper and marker.

Say: Did you ever see an artist create a silhouette? They stand people sideways and then sketch just the outline of their heads. They sometimes frame the silhouettes in a cardboard frame, kind of like a cheap painting. We’re all about being cheap, so it’s silhouette time!

Explain that each child will draw a silhouette of his or her partner. The child in each pair whose birthday is larger (the 25th is larger than the 3rd) will pose first. Kids should keep everyone, including their partners, from seeing their work. When finished, kids will fold their sheets of paper and give them to you. Stress that this is to be a serious effort—no silly or mean pictures!

Allow up to two minutes for each silhouette. Then collect the sheets of paper and shuffle them. Then open them and display each. See whether the group can identify the subject of each sketch. Then say: Sometimes we have features that remind people of our parents or grandparents. For me it’s . . .

Briefly point out a feature of yours that is a family trait. Your hair color or height, for instance.

Say: Your turn now. Maybe you know a feature because people point it out. Maybe you don’t know your birth parents, and you’ll have to guess. Either way works.

• What do you think is a feature that shows up in others in your family?
• If you could choose one feature or trait from a parent or even a great-great-great grandparent and have it show up, what would it be? For instance, maybe your grandmother is a good artist or your uncle is very rich. Why would you choose that feature or trait?
• Some people say “like father, like son.” What do you think about that? Are people in families pretty much the same, or are they different?
• How are you like or different from your parents?

Say: Thanks for talking about your families. I know you better now—and I like that! Today we’re going to talk about another father and son and how they’re alike. But first, let’s play a game I call Don’t Fall into the Lava!

AWESOME PROMISE GAME

Don’t Fall into the Lava

Supplies

• Blanket (or large towel)
• Watch with a second hand
• Paper clips (and other options)

Select a blanket on which your kids can stand but will be crowded. If you have just a few kids, use a large towel. Before kids arrive, secretly do something to the blanket so one side is different from the other. For example, attach a couple of paper clips on the edge, sew on a colored thread, and add a small piece of tape. Add details that are small, but noticeable if you look.

Ask children to remove their shoes. Spread the blanket on the floor (“different” side down) and have kids stand on it. Explain that the kids are on an island. The floor around them is red-hot lava. Their challenge is to turn over the blanket and stand on the other side without anyone stepping off the blanket and into the lava in the process.

Time how long it takes. Allow them to try again to see if they can do it more quickly. Have them do it again while seated. Then gather everyone in a circle, sitting on or around the blanket. Discuss:

• What made this activity easy or hard?
• Which side of the blanket was safer for not falling into the lava?
• Without looking down at the blanket, describe the differences between the two sides.

After kids describe the differences they recall, have them investigate. Point out the paper clips, thread, tape, and any other details you planted and they missed.

Say: Even though there are some differences, you can tell that both sides of the blanket are the same blanket. Two sides, one blanket. It’s important to know that Jesus and God are one, sort of like two sides of the same blanket. Jesus told people that when they looked at him, they were looking at God (John 10:30; 14:7). That’s because when Jesus was on earth, he was God with skin on. But the people were like us with the blanket—they didn’t see all the details. We should remember that when we trust Jesus, we’re trusting God. And Jesus didn’t just say he was God; he proved it. Let’s find out more.

PROMISE KEPT BIBLE STORY

Flour Power

Supplies

• Flour (or white play sand, if kids have gluten allergies)
• 1/4 cup scoop
• Colored paper plates (1 per child)
• Large work table
• Newspapers or drop cloth (optional)
• Bible

(Note: If you’re concerned about the mess, spread newspapers or a drop cloth on the floor.) Give each child a plate at a large work table. Place 1/4 cup of flour on each plate. Demonstrate how kids can use a finger to trace a picture on the plate. As the flour moves, the color of the plate will be visible.

Ask children to listen to the Bible reading and to “sketch” on their plates the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion or the tomb where he was buried. Read aloud the sad parts of today’s Scripture: Luke 9:22 and Matthew 28:1.

After kids have sketched, have them carefully move around to examine each others’ art. Then, as a group, discuss:

• How do you think Jesus’ friends and family felt when he was nailed to a cross?
• If you’d been one of Jesus’ followers, how would you have felt to know he’d been buried in a tomb?
• How do you feel now when you think about all the pain Jesus must have felt?

Ask children to gently shake their own plates to erase their artwork.

Say: The good news is that, because Jesus is God, he rose from the dead! We don’t have to feel sad about what happened, because something wonderful came from it.

Read aloud Matthew 28:2-7 and ask kids to sketch how they feel knowing that Jesus is alive. When they finish, let them look at each others’ art again.

Say: Jesus promised to rise from the dead, and he did it. I’m glad! Let’s thank Jesus for who he is and for all he’s done.

CLOSING PRAYER

Blanket Prayer

Supplies

• Blanket

Ask kids to join you in holding the blanket by its edges. Be sure each child is holding part of the blanket, and that the blanket is held at waist height. Say: Let’s use this blanket to thank Jesus for what he’s done for us.

Encourage kids to offer sentence prayers, thanking Jesus for living for us. You begin.

Then have kids lower the blanket to just six inches from the floor. Say: While it’s here close to the ground, please join me in thanking Jesus for dying for us.

Encourage kids to offer sentence prayers. You begin.

When they’ve finished, ask them to raise the blanket to shoulder height. Encourage kids to offer sentence prayers, thanking Jesus for rising from the dead. You start.

When they’ve finished, raise the blanket high overhead. Encourage kids to thank Jesus for his awesome promise to come back someday. You begin. When they’ve finished, lower the blanket as you pray, In Jesus’ name, amen.

EXTRA TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Drum Beat

Ask kids to circle up and sit on the floor. Using your hands on the floor, establish the beat of “We will, we will rock you,” a refrain often heard in sports arenas and on classic rock stations.

You’ll be chanting “Jesus, Jesus is God.” Ask kids to call out words that describe Jesus at the appropriate time in the rhythm. For instance, after chanting “Jesus, Jesus is God,” someone might shout out “Strong!” or “Faithful!”

Practice the beat until it becomes almost automatic for your kids, and then see how long you can keep it going with descriptions of Jesus. Then discuss:

• If Jesus is all those things—if he’s God—why do you think he cares about people like us?
• What difference does knowing Jesus make in how you act?

Option 2: Obits

Supplies

• Newspaper obituaries

Briefly explain what an obituary is, and then read several from the newspaper. As a group, pray for the families of those who have died.

Say: When you love and follow Jesus, you have the promise that dying is just a bad day. The next thing you know, you’re with him—forever—in Heaven. Because Jesus is God and rose from the dead, through his power we’ll rise too. We don’t need to be afraid of dying. Let’s be thankful for the hope we have in Jesus!

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: Jesus promised that we’d rise from the dead too. Does the idea of rising from the dead make you happy, scared, or something else? Why?

Click here for more lessons like this one!

Jesus willingly died on the cross to provide the means of salvation.

TEACHER PREPARATION

We have all felt the sinking realization that we have sinned again. Sooner or later we sense the desperation of our condition as sinners. Isaiah’s prophecy concurs with our conclusion when he writes in Isaiah 53:6: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.” But Isaiah doesn’t stop there. He concludes the verse, “And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The ultimate consequence of every sin, separation from God and death, has been undone forever because Jesus paid for it all.

Before the world began, God knew and secured everything we need. But even knowing this incredible truth, hope still falters in our daily lives. Our difficulties, disappointments and failures seem to fly in the face of our hope in God. At these times, it is essential to remember that “he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). And though we may not understand what God is doing in our lives, we can know that He is working on our behalf with far more love and power than we can imagine! That’s the reason we can hope in Him—not in our own goodness—and His immeasurable ability to eventually work good out of every struggle we give into His care.

Preteens, too, struggle with personal sin and the sins of others. They have all experienced the sad outcome of sin against a parent, sibling or peer. This week as you prepare for your class, pray for each student by name. Thank God for the power of His Word to reveal Jesus and His great forgiveness and salvation to each student, through you and through the Bible passages you are presenting.

SMALL GROUP DISCOVERY

Option A: Substitution Tag

Supplies

• Masking tape
• Index cards
• Snack

Preparation

Use masking tape to create start and finish lines on either side of a large playing area. Place at least one card for each student in a stack at the finish line.

Procedure

1. Invite a volunteer to be “It.” “It” stands in the middle of the playing area. Other students stand behind the start line. Explain to students that once each person has an index card, they will be able to have a snack together. But there are some challenges! Unless students are holding an index card, they can be tagged by “It.” And each person may only pick up one card from the stack. If someone is tagged, he or she must remain frozen in place until being given an index card by another student. Any student who sacrifices his or her card freezes and takes the place of the person he or she freed.

2. At your signal, students begin walking to the finish line. As needed, remind students that someone who was given a card in order to become unfrozen may still pick up a card and give it to any frozen person.

3. After all students have a card, distribute snack and ask the questions below.

• Who made a sacrifice in this game? Why were you willing to sacrifice your index card? What did you hope to get out of it?
• What are some other times people might sacrifice something important in order for something good to happen? (Sacrifice free time to study for a test in order to get a good grade. Give up watching TV to go to baseball practice so that team will play well.)
• When are times you might give up something in order to help a friend?

4. Conclude the activity by saying,

• The story of the first Easter tells about the most important sacrifice in the world.

Option B: Krazy Kapers

Supplies

• Pens
• Lesson 2 Student Guide Pages

Procedure

1. Students form pairs. Give each pair a Student Guide and pens. 

2. One student in each pair asks the other student to tell words to fill in the blanks on one of the stories on pages 1 and 4 of the Student Guide. Student writes the words on the blank lines without letting his or her partner know the story. Then student reads aloud the story with the new words. Students switch roles to complete the other story.

3. After several minutes, ask the questions below. 

• Who had to sacrifice what in these stories?
• Which of these sacrifices has ever been made by you or someone you know?
• Which sacrifice, or thing to give up, would be the hardest? Why?
• When have you had to sacrifice, or give up, something? Was it hard or easy? What were the results of your sacrifice?

4. Conclude the activity by saying,

• “Sacrifice” is a word that is used in the Bible to describe what Jesus gave up for our benefit. Let’s find out what Jesus sacrificed and how that changed everything!

LARGE GROUP STUDY

Character Study Jesus, The Savior

Supplies

• Bibles
• A recording of Handel’s Messiah
• Sonic Edge #2 CD and player
• Extra Edge #2 DVD and player
• Philippians 2 Poster
• Lesson 2 Poster
• Lesson 2 Student Guide Pages

Lead students to read and discuss the Bible verses listed. Extend the discussion with the questions and comments provided, and refer to the posters as indicated.

Introduction

What are some words people think of when they think about Easter? An important word to think about at Eastertime is “sacrifice.” Let’s find out why.

Philippians 2:8-11

Philippians 2:8-11 describes God’s sacrifice that we celebrate at Easter. (Students read Philippians 2:8- 11 from Bibles or Philippians 2 Poster. Optional: Play “Every Tongue Confess” song from CD or DVD.)

• What words in this passage describe the sacrifice that was made? What did Jesus do? (Jesus humbled Himself and allowed Himself to die on the cross.)

What do you remember about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem? What were people hoping Jesus would do? Was everyone glad to see Him? Why or why not? Most people in the crowd had been very happy to see Jesus. Many of them wanted Jesus to take over the country and be an earthly king. But Jesus’ enemies were more afraid of Jesus than ever! They wanted to stop Jesus before He gained too much power!

Mark 14:10-11

What did Jesus’ enemies plan to do? Read Mark 14:10-11 to find out the plan. How did the plan work out? It was bad enough that Jesus was arrested, but what made His trial worse was the illegal way in which it was held and the false things that were said about Jesus. According to the law in those days, the trial should not even have been held at night.

Mark 14:55-59

Read Mark 14:55-59 to find out what lies were said about Jesus at this illegal trial. Jesus’ enemies thought He was saying He would destroy the Temple—their place of worship. But Jesus was really talking about Himself and the fact that He would let people destroy His body.

The law said that two or three people had to testify against someone in order to convict that person of a crime. But at first, none of the witnesses against Jesus could agree. Finally, though, two witnesses did come up with the same lie about Jesus. (See Matthew 26:60-61.)

Now the high priest and other religious leaders were ready to accuse Jesus. “You are under oath,” they said to Jesus, “so answer us truthfully; are You the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God?”

Jesus looked at them calmly. “Yes, I am who you say I am.”

“He has spoken evil against God!” shouted Jesus’ enemies triumphantly! “He deserves to die!” Then they spit at Jesus and hit Him and made fun of Him. Why do you think Jesus didn’t try to stop them?

Mark 15:2-5

Roman law said these leaders couldn’t actually kill anyone themselves. So after dawn, they took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. What did Pilate ask Jesus? Read Mark 15:2-4. How did Jesus answer? Read Mark 15:5.

Pilate was very puzzled by this quiet man before him. Obviously, these people were lying about Him, yet Jesus did nothing to defend Himself. He just stood quietly, calmly waiting.

“This man is innocent!” said Pilate. Pilate wanted to get out of killing Jesus. At this time of year, Pilate usually set free one prisoner. Perhaps Pilate hoped the crowd would agree to set Jesus free. He knew that the leaders had arrested Jesus out of jealousy.

Mark 15:11

Read Mark 15:11 to find out why Pilate’s plan didn’t work. The crowd demanded that Pilate set free a murderer named Barabbas. The crowd wanted Jesus to die! Pilate could have a riot on his hands if he didn’t do what they wanted. Pilate’s job was to keep peace in Jerusalem. He could not risk a riot. Pilate did what the people wanted him to do, even though he didn’t believe Jesus deserved to die.

Jesus was sentenced to die on a hill just outside of Jerusalem. The soldiers nailed Jesus’ hands and feet to a cross and set the cross upright. Hanging in that position would cause Jesus to gradually suffocate to death. Most of Jesus’ friends left Him to face this horrible death alone.

Voices from the crowd jeered at Jesus. “He was able to save other people, but He can’t even save Himself!” “Come off that cross if You are the Son of God.”

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t really know what they are doing.” Jesus was suffering and dying, yet He asked for forgiveness for the people who were hurting Him.

Isaiah 53:5-6

Many hundreds of years before, the prophet Isaiah poetically described this very day. Read Isaiah 53:5. How did Isaiah describe the way people would treat Jesus? Read Isaiah 53:6 to find why Jesus died on the cross. Jesus took the punishment for our sins—our transgressions, our iniquities—so that they wouldn’t keep us from being part of God’s family.

Jesus was the sacrifice for our sins. Many years before, during Old Testament times, God told His people that they would have to offer the sacrifice of a perfect lamb in order to receive forgiveness for their sins. Now Jesus was being killed as the perfect sacrifice for all time (see Hebrews 10:10). Why was Jesus the perfect sacrifice? Because Jesus is God’s Son and had never sinned, He was the only One who could take the punishment for all the people in the world.

After Jesus died, His friends placed His body in a tomb. This would be a very, very sad story if it ended this way. But Jesus didn’t stay dead. He came back to life! He rose from the dead! Jesus showed He was truly God’s Son and much more powerful than death and the people who had wanted Him to die.

Skit Option

Supplies

• Lesson Skit Pages

Let’s read a skit about how some people responded to the good news that Jesus is alive. Distribute Lesson Skit pages . Volunteers choose parts for the skit and read skit aloud. Why do you think Caiaphas chose not to believe in Jesus?

Conclusion

(Show Lesson 2 Poster.) Even though we feel sad that Jesus suffered, we are grateful that He chose to die on the cross. What does the Lesson 2 Poster show resulted from what happened on the Cross? Jesus loved us so much that He took the punishment for our sins so that nothing could ever keep us from God. Because of the Cross, we have hope!

The hope that Jesus gives is guaranteed to members of God’s family. (Invite interested students to talk individually with you about salvation. See “Leading a Student to Christ” on p. 105. Pray, thanking God for the hope we have in Jesus.)

SMALL GROUP APPLICATION

Talk with students about putting into practice the Bible truths discovered in this lesson. Use these discussion questions as you lead students to complete one of the activities on the following pages. Conclude the activity with the Life Application Challenge below.

• How does Philippians 2:8-11 describe Jesus and His actions? (He was humble and obedient, even to the point of dying on the cross.)
• Why might some people today not accept Jesus as their Savior?  (They might not trust God’s love for them. They might not believe that Jesus really is alive. People might be angry with God because of bad things that have happened. They may not feel worthy of God’s love.)
• What does it mean to say that Jesus is the Savior?  (He died on the cross to save us from the punishment for our sins. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can be forgiven and live as part of His family now and forever.)
• What are some Easter traditions that help people think about the fact that Jesus is our Savior?
• If you were to make up a tradition that would help you celebrate what Easter really means, what would it be?
• What are some ways we can praise Jesus for being our Savior?

Discussion Option: A New Song

Supplies

• Bibles
• Lesson 2 Comics

Procedure

1. Distribute comics. In the allegory, “The Chronicles of the Prince, Part 2,” the prince was killed, but the bard (a poet singer and storyteller) sang a song full of hope for the people who loved the prince. Students read the bard’s song in the last frame of the comic on page. Ask the questions below.

• What do you think “the prince will live and in his life, life to us give” means in the bard’s song?
• How might this song explain what Jesus did for us?
• What are some other ways you could explain to someone who didn’t know about Jesus why Jesus died on the Cross and then came back to life again?

2. Ask the discussion questions to extend the conversation about Jesus’ sacrificial death and about praising Jesus as our Savior.

Active Option: Treasure Hunt

Supplies

• Bibles
• Post-it Notes in two different colors
• Pencils

Procedure

1. Group students into two teams. Teams work together to write questions and answers about today’s lesson and/or Philippians 2:8- 11. Use the discussion questions as you talk with students about how Jesus’ sacrificial death provides the means for us to become members of God’s family. Using a different color of Post-it Note for each team, team members write questions and answers on separate Post-it Notes.

2. Teams take turns hiding questions and answers in the classroom, placing Post-it Notes under the tables and chairs, etc. Then each team hunts for the other team’s questions and answers, matching the questions with the right answers. Students discuss questions and answers as time permits.

Service Option: Help for the Young

Supplies

• Bibles
• Supplies for the service project you choose (see below)

Procedure

1. Today we will help some younger kids celebrate Easter and learn about Jesus’ love for them. Ask the questions below and the discussion questions.

• How did Jesus show love to us?
• What could you write to tell a younger child about Jesus that he or she would understand?  (“Jesus is alive!” “Jesus loves you!”)

2. Lead students to complete the service project you chose.

Service Projects

Easter Cards: Each student uses construction paper and markers to make one or more Easter cards for younger children, printing short sentences about Jesus. Students sign their names on the cards and place stickers in envelopes with the cards. Children give cards to a class of younger children or distribute to children as they leave church with their parents.

Easter Egg Hunt: If possible in your church setting, arrange with the teacher of a younger class to host an Easter egg hunt. Find out how many children are in the class, planning for visitors also. Students write simple messages about Jesus on small slips of paper. Students fill plastic Easter eggs with slips of paper, stickers and small wrapped snack items. Then students hide Easter eggs and invite the younger class to find them. Make sure that there are the same number of eggs for each child. Before the hunt begins, tell the younger children how many eggs each one may find and keep.

Click here for more lessons like this one!

Supplies

God promised that Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a baby—and what a baby! Their son would grow up to be part of the greatest story ever. He’d point straight at the Savior, letting everyone know that God had shown up in person.

But there was a problem: Elizabeth couldn’t have children. That is, without God’s power she couldn’t have children.

Zechariah and Elizabeth knew all about God. Zechariah was a priest, and Elizabeth came from a long line of priests. They’d grown up learning about God and had given their lives to serving God. They were rock solid, but somewhere along the line they’d missed an important lesson. It’s the lesson you’ll share with your kids today.

It doesn’t matter if God’s awesome promises seem impossible. God’s good at impossible. God does impossible with one hand tied behind his back! As you experience this session with your kids, celebrate with them the truth that God does for us what he promises—always.

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoin’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Call It Coin Toss

Supplies

• Wastebasket
• Coins (3 per child)

Place a wastebasket on the floor. Have kids form a circle, shoulder to shoulder, around it. Give each child three coins.

Ask: How many of you predict (that is, say ahead of time) that you can toss your three coins into the basket without a miss?

Have them predict, then toss, and then retrieve their coins. Re-form the circle, having kids turn so they’re facing away from the wastebasket. Then each person should take one step. Repeat the “predict, toss, and retrieve” process, having kids toss their coins over their shoulders. Do the activity again from two steps away, and then five. Kids’ ability to predict accurately will fade the farther they get from the wastebasket.

Gather coins and have kids sit together. Discuss:

• What happened to your predictions as we played the game? Why?
• What made it easy or hard to make predictions that were on target?

Say: We all make predictions about what we think will happen. And we also make promises about what we are sure will happen. Maybe you’ve promised a parent you’ll clean your room or turn in a homework assignment on time. We’re sure we’ll come through, but sometimes we don’t.

I’ll bet we’ve all made a promise that we didn’t keep. For me it was . . .

Briefly share a promise you made that you didn’t keep. You’ll model the sort of response you hope to hear from kids. Then say:

• Now it’s your turn. Tell about a promise you didn’t keep. What was the promise, and why didn’t you keep it?

After kids share, thank them and say: Today we’ll talk about an awesome promise that God made to a married couple. And the promise was hard to believe. But first, let’s see what sort of predictions and promises you have about yourself!

AWESOME PROMISE GAME

Wonder Words

Supplies

• Paper
• Markers

Give each child a sheet of paper and a marker. Say: Time to make some predictions and promises. Think about what you’ll be doing in a week. Write some words or draw pictures of what you think you’ll be doing in a week. Write or draw small—I’ll ask you to add more in a minute.

Assure kids that spelling isn’t important in this activity. Give them several minutes to write or draw.

Say: Now think about five years from now. How old will that make you? (pause to let kids do the math) Write or draw what you think you’ll be doing then.

Pause for several minutes as kids write or draw.

Then say: Now think about when you’ll be a grown-up. Write or draw what you think you’ll be doing then.

Pause for several minutes as kids write or draw.

Ask kids to take turns showing what they wrote or drew. If you have lots of kids, group them into pairs or trios and let them show their papers in those smaller groups. The goal is for everyone to have the chance to talk.

Then ask the whole group to gather in a circle and discuss:

• How sure are you that what you think you’ll be doing in a week will really happen? Why?
• How sure are you of your predictions for five years from now? for your grown-up years? Why?
• If I promised you that something on your sheet of paper would happen, how sure would you be that it would happen?

Say: I don’t know your future. I can’t know it. But God knows. And when God promises something will happen for you in the future, you can count on it. A couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth learned that God does for us what he promises. Let’s hear their story now.

PROMISE KEPT BIBLE STORY

2 Kids = 1 Actor

Supplies

• Bible

Ask for two volunteers of the same sex and approximately the same size. Have them stand in the front of the room, facing the rest of the kids, one behind the other. The child in the rear will extend his arms under the front person’s arms, and the front person will place his arms behind the other’s back.

As they act out the story you read, the front person will provide voices and facial expressions; the person in the back will provide hand movements.

Ask your “actor” to act out the actions of all the characters as you read aloud Luke 1:5-20, 57-64.

Lead the rest of the kids in applauding your volunteers’ efforts and then, as a group, discuss:

• God made Zechariah unable to speak. Do you think that was a fair punishment for doubting that God would keep a promise?
• If God punished you for doubting him, how much trouble would you be in? Why?
• When you hear “God does for us what he promises,” how do you feel?
• What’s a promise that you’re afraid God won’t keep?

Say: When Zechariah’s voice was returned, the first thing he did was praise God. Let’s use our voices to praise God through our prayers.

CLOSING PRAYER

Wonder Words Prayer

Supplies

• Bible
• Kids’ papers from the Wonder Words activity

Ask kids to stand and to pick up their Wonder Words papers. Place the Bible on a chair or stool.

Say: Some kids are scared of the future. They worry that a day will come when they don’t have any friends or their families won’t have any money. I don’t know what will come in my life or yours, but I do know this: God promises to be with us no matter what. I don’t have to be afraid of what’s coming–and you don’t have to be afraid either.

Pray: God, thank you for loving us. We trust you with our lives and our futures. We know you’ll do for us what you’ve promised.

Then say to the kids: If you’d like to trust your future to God, place your Wonder Words paper on the Bible. Then come back and we’ll thank God for being with us.

After those kids who want to place their papers on the Bible do so, invite them to pray out loud, thanking and praising God.

Close by praying: Thank you for always being true to your Word, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

EXTRA TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Heads or Tails

Supplies

• Coins (3 per child)

Give each child three coins. Form kids into trios. Ask children to, in their trios, each flip a coin at the same time (tossing the coins in the air and catching them will work for kids who can’t flip coins). After they flip coins they will compare their coins. If two of the coins are the same (heads or tails) and one coin is different, whoever has the different coin will take the other two pennies. In this game, being unusual actually pays!

Continue to play. The game in each trio ends when one child runs out of coins. Then the two kids with coins count how many coins they have, and the one with the most is crowned Trio Coin King (or Queen). After playing for a few minutes, collect the pennies and have kids discuss:

• When you started this game, did you expect to win? Why?
• How do you feel about starting things when you don’t know how they’ll turn out?
• If you could know for sure how one thing in your life is going to turn out, what would you choose to know about? Why did you choose that?

Say: Zechariah and Elizabeth didn’t know what their future would hold. Then they were given a promise by God. We can trust all of God’s promises. God always does for us what he promises to do.

Option 2: Blessings

Ask children to separate around the room and sit quietly on the floor. Say: I don’t know what’s coming in your future, but I know God has given you gifts and talents he’ll use as you move into your future.

Move from child to child. When you reach each child, take the child’s hand (or place your hand on his or her shoulder), look into the child’s eyes, and briefly bless the child. Using the child’s name, say something like: (Child’s name), God loves you very much and has given you the gift of a great sense of humor (or whatever attribute you wish to affirm). I know God will use you and your gift in the future if you give your future to him.

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: God always does what he promises to do. What promise of God do you wish he wouldn’t keep—if any?

Be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:18

TEACHER PREPARATION

Supplies

Dear Teacher,

I’ve been a widow. I can tell you about the furious helplessness and frustration that comes over you when your beloved dies. You don’t feel like there’s much justice in the world.

Jesus’ story to encourage His friends to pray and never give up is about a widow. In her culture, unless a family member took her in, begging was now her option. To add insult to injury, someone had taken advantage of her widow status (it happens!) to deprive her of justice. Under this triple burden, she decided she’d go to the judge whose decision could bring her justice—until either he acted or she died. She was NOT going to give up.

Jesus wanted His friends—including us—to know that God is eager to hear our prayers. He won’t put us off. He’ll set things right for us if we’ll pray. Don’t give up!

Lesson Extras!

Supplies

1. Students discover the order of books in the Bible by playing Book Collections. Use the first 17 books of the New Testament for this lesson.
2. Students talk about what Jesus taught as they complete “Prayer in the Surf!” puzzle.

GET THINKING

Flip Out!

Students practice penny flipping: each student lays a penny on the back of his or her hand, tosses it up, turns hand and catches penny. Challenge students who can flip one penny to add more pennies to the backs of their hands. Who can flip the most pennies?

Connect

• Some of you did this easily. It was harder for some of you. How did you get better at doing it?
• What do you think would have happened if you had tried it once and then gave up? Gave up after three times?
• What are some other things we do often or practice in order to get better at doing?
• Today we’ll be talking about one thing we all need to do. We need to do it every day—and not give up!

GET GOD’S WORD

The Persistent Widow

Supplies

• Bible for yourself and each student
• Scissors
• Gavel

Help students find Luke 18 in their Bibles. Tell the following story summary in your own words, guiding students to find answers in their Bibles.

Story Starter

Let’s have an arm circling contest. Volunteers stand, hold their arms at shoulder height and make small circles with their hands. Let’s see who can keep on doing this and not give up! This is harder than it looks. When volunteers act tired say, Don’t give up! When one stops, call time and thank volunteers. This was hard to keep on doing. Today in our Bible study, we’ll find out about someone who would not give up.

A Widow’s Life

Jesus was with His disciples and once again, He had a parable—a story with another, deeper meaning—to tell them. Read Luke 18:1 to find out why Jesus told this story.

This story is about a widow. A widow is a woman whose husband had died. Today, when a woman’s husband dies, she might live on his retirement money. She might get money from the government. She might find a job, if she was not already working. But in Jesus’ day, there were no retirement accounts. The government didn’t help people who needed housing or money. Besides that, women couldn’t get a good job to earn money.

So, imagine you’re a widow with no sons. Without a husband or a son earning a wage, you have no money. You could grow food in your garden—if you can work in your garden. But if you had a house and garden, there were taxes and payments to pay. No payments, no house—and no garden, either! In short, a widow was just about the most helpless person around. No money, no power, no one on her side, alone and without anyone who would defend her or help her. Widow reads Conversation Card #1.

The Unjust Judge

Now the other character in Jesus’ story is a judge. We might think judges are people who are wise and honest. But what if a judge is NOT wise and honest? What if he doesn’t care about justice? What if a judge cares only about himself and makes decisions only to help him and his friends? What if a judge doesn’t follow the laws or protect people who need help? THAT’s the kind of judge in Jesus’ story. Judge reads Conversation Card #2.

So that’s a little bit about who these two people are. Now, here’s the story:

In a certain town, there lived a judge. Like we said, this judge didn’t care about God. He didn’t care about people. He didn’t care about justice. In this same town, there lived a widow—alone and powerless.

Now, someone had cheated this widow. Maybe she was supposed to get money from her family. Maybe someone took her house and her land. We don’t know. But we do know that someone had been unjust to her. But this widow had one thing going for her. Over and over, she would come to the judge. Over and over and OVER again, she would stand in front of him. And over and OVER, she would say . . . Widow reads Conversation Card #3.

Whatever her enemy was doing, this is what the widow knew: with one bang of his gavel, the judge could give her relief from her enemy and could solve her problem!

But the judge just did NOT care about this widow’s problem. So for a while, he just ignored her and wouldn’t do anything. Judge reads Conversation Card #4.

Read Luke 18:4-5 to find out what he decided. Widow and Judge read Conversation Cards #5 and 6. Jesus said, “If even a judge who doesn’t care AT ALL about justice will do what’s right because someone KEEPS ON asking, how much more EASILY and QUICKLY will God give justice to the ones He loves, His chosen! When they cry out for justice, He will see that they get justice—and soon!”

Jesus wanted His friends to know that it is important to pray and not to give up. God loves us. He has the very BEST answer to whatever it is we are asking! He doesn’t get tired of us—He wants to hear from us! And He wants us to TRUST Him to the very end, no matter what. He is WORTHY of our trust. He ALWAYS does what He says He will do!

Wrap-Up

The judge didn’t care about the widow. He didn’t want to please God. But he still helped the widow. Why? Not because he was kind, but just because he wanted to get the widow to leave him alone! Remember the reason Jesus told this story? To tell us that when we pray, we should be like the widow—she did not give up.

Read Ephesians 6:18 aloud. Show gavel. When a judge bangs his or her gavel, it means a decision is made. When you see a gavel, remember that God is not like the judge in our story. He IS kind. He DOES care. He wants us to pray and not give up. He WILL hear us and help us! When we think nothing is happening, He is at work. He asks us to be faithful. That means to not give up, but to keep on praying!

GET TALKING

Supplies

Distribute Lesson 12 Kid Talk Cards. Students add symbols to complete the story on Side 1.

• Why did the judge help the widow? (She kept coming every day. She did not give up.)
• What did Jesus say about praying to God when it seems like nothing is happening? (Don’t give up. Be faithful. Trust God.)
• Point to photo of gavel. When you see a gavel, remember that God wants us to pray and not give up. He’s not like the judge. He IS kind. He DOES care. He WILL hear us and help us! When we think nothing is happening, He is at work.

Students look at Side 2 of Kid Talk Cards and read verse together. What does the word “alert” mean in this? (To pay attention.) Briefly tell about times God has answered your prayers. Now think about your own prayers. Students star answered prayers they have experienced or write their own examples of answered prayer.

• When are some times people might pray? (When they are in trouble. When they want something. When they are sad or mad or afraid.)
• When are times people might give up on praying? (When they think God is not listening. When they are tired. When they forget.)
• What did Jesus tell us about praying? (Keep on praying. God loves us. He will answer us. Don’t give up. Trust God to answer.)

Prayer

Invite volunteers to tell prayer requests as you write them on the whiteboard. Tell a way God has answered one of your prayers. Volunteers also tell ways God has answered their prayers. Thank God for these answers, and then pray with students about the needs and concerns they mention.

Art

Supplies

• Cardboard
• Rulers
• Scissors
• Card stock
• Fabric
• Markers
• Glue sticks

Ahead of time, cut cardboard into 5-inch (12.5- cm) squares, two for each student. Cut fabric into 6-inch (15-cm) squares, two for each student.

Students cut card stock sheet in half lengthwise and then tape them together to make one long sheet. Students accordion-fold sheet to make 6 sections about 3.5 inches (9 cm) wide each. Students cover one side of each cardboard section with glue and lay glued cardboard face down on center of a fabric square. Students then fold over and glue fabric to inside edges of cardboard for book covers. Students glue down ends of accordion folded card stock to cover inside ends, making an accordion book.

Connect

Your little book will be a fun place to write down God’s answers to your prayers. When you take this book home, use it to write or draw to help you remember how God answered. Remembering God’s answers helps us to pray and not give up!

Game

Supplies

• Post-it Notes
• Pencils or pens

Each student writes an answer to prayer on a Post-it Note. Any student who can’t think of an answer to prayer writes, “Don’t give up praying!”

Students place their Post-it Notes on their backs. At your signal, they begin trying to grab notes off others’ backs while not letting anyone take theirs. When a student’s note is taken, student surrenders other notes collected and moves to the side. Play continues until only one student has a note on back. Winner reads aloud several of the answers to prayer. All say, “Thank You, God!” Then redistribute notes and play other rounds as time permits.

Connect

We’ve heard amazing answers to prayer! When we remember how God has already answered us, it helps us to keep on praying and not give up!

Get Going

Direct students to look again at Side 2 of their Kid Talk Cards. As we listen to this song, think about a way God has answered one of your prayers—and thank Him! Play “My God Will Meet All Your Needs” (on Worship DVD or track 10 on Worship CD), inviting students to listen or sing along. Distribute Lesson 12 Family Fridge Fun papers as students leave.

Find more lessons like this one!

8 At-Home Lessons for Families

Based on lessons from Tru Ministry, Tru at Home gives families the resources to connect, investigate Scripture together, worship together, bless one another, and have activity time—all while discovering the attributes of God.

Download your lessons

Free Lesson

8 At-Home Lessons for Families

Based on lessons from Tru Ministry, Tru at Home gives families the resources to connect, investigate Scripture together, worship together, bless one another, and have activity time—all while discovering the attributes of God.

Download your lesson

Free Lesson

8 At-Home Lessons for Families

Based on lessons from Tru Ministry, Tru at Home gives families the resources to connect, investigate Scripture together, worship together, bless one another, and have activity time—all while discovering the attributes of God.

Download your lesson

Free Lessons

Supplies

Uh-oh.

Saul is heading to town to track down and arrest people who believe in Jesus. He’s got his posse, his orders from the high priest, his firm belief he’s doing the right thing. After all, Christians are claiming that the Messiah has already come, and Paul just doesn’t buy it.

Until that Messiah shows up—in a light so bright it knocks Saul to the ground.

Saul hears Jesus’ voice, and in one heart-wrenching moment his life is changed. Not only has he been wrong about the Messiah, he’s been wrong about hunting Christians. The thing he thought was right was totally wrong. Plus, dusting himself off, Saul realizes he’s blind.

Tough day, but one that set the stage for a wonderful day later in the week. That’s when Jesus sent a believer to visit Saul, to help Saul see again and so Saul could be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Saul became a Christ follower. A missionary. A maverick who pushed to carry the message of Jesus to non-Jews. The man who once was an enemy of Jesus became a passionate, focused follower—and a great example of the truth you’ll explore today: God can use us all!

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoing’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: One of a Kind

Supplies

• 1 sheet of paper and 1 pencil per 2 children

Ask children to form pairs. (If you have young children, consider pairing them with older kids for this activity.) Distribute a sheet of paper and pencil to each pair.

Explain: I’ll give you a category, and I want you to think of five things that fit in it. Write down or draw your answers. If you have something on your list that no other pair has, you get a point for that answer. If any other pair has that item on its list, you don’t get a point. Your goal: be creative and score some points!

If you have just a few children, ask for only three items per category, and let each child work on his or her own. It’s important you have at least three teams for scoring purposes. Jump in as a team, if necessary.

Here are categories to get you started—feel free to add your own!

• Favorite fast food
• Vegetables
• Pets at the pet store
• Ways to save money
• Brands of soda pop
• Makes of cars
• Sports in the Olympics
• Ways to encourage others
• Holidays
• Zoo animals

Total up the points and then declare everyone a winner. Say: None of us came up with exactly the same list for each category. We’re all different, but we all came up with good answers that helped our teams. That’s how it is in life: we’re different, but God uses all of us!

GAME FOR A BAD DAY

Snack Invasion

Before this activity, it may be a good idea to ask permission or clue in the adult group before having kids go on their snack invasion. Tell adults not to act as if they had prior warning of this unusual—and fun—invasion!

Gather kids and remind them that somewhere in the building are a bunch of adults having a small group experience and that where there are adults sitting around, there are . . . snacks! Together you’re going to find out what those snacks are, where they are, and retrieve a sample.

For this mission you’ll need volunteers to fill the following roles and make your snack invasion successful. If you have a lot of children, assign more than one child to each role. If you have very few children, assign one child per role and take one yourself, if necessary.

• Advance Scout—who’ll crawl across the floor to avoid being seen and retrieves a snack sample (not all of them, just a sample).
• Distracter—who’ll provide a distraction if the Advance Scout is spotted. This person will walk up to the adult group and draw attention away from the Scout by saying, “I think my belly button is broken.”
• Cover Crew—who’ll stay just out of sight, saying things like, “My favorite Bible verse is . . .” and “Let’s look that verse up.” This crew makes the adults think your session is still under way.

Say: To pull this off and get a snack sample, we’ve got to work together. Everyone has a part to play. Ready?

Do a bit of quick planning and launch your snack invasion. (If you want to ensure success, tip off the adult small group leader you’ll be coming.)

When children have their samples and are all back in their designated area, discuss:

• Why was it important we all did our part?
• What’s another place in life where it’s important that we all cooperate and work together?
• God can use all of us, but do you think he does? Are there people he can’t use? Why?

Say: Today we’ll explore the story of how God used someone you’d never expect could be used by God. Someone who was actually an enemy of Jesus and the church!

BAD DAY BIBLE STORY

Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign

Supplies

• Bible
• 1 sheet of paper and 1 pencil per child
• Tape

Before kids arrive, write the words fair and unfair on two sheets of paper, one word per paper. Tape the papers to opposite sides of the room.

Gather kids in the center of the room and point out the signs. Then say: Think about the meanest kid you know in school—someone who’s an honest-to-goodness bully.

This kid is mean to other kids, says hurtful things, maybe even cheats at games or tells lies about others.

Now imagine that the principal gives the bully the very best job in school!

By the way: what is the best job in the school? Raising the flag? Cleaning the restrooms? What do you think?

Allow children to respond and then say: Yeah—that’s it! That’s the job! Does it seem fair that a bully gets that great job? Pick one of the signs as your answer and hop over there.

After kids hop to their choice of signs, encourage them to share their thoughts and explain their reasons for answering as they did.

Then say: It seems wrong for a bully to have the chance to be the biggest help, doesn’t it?

Today we’ll meet a guy who lived in Jesus’ time who was meaner than the meanest bully! This guy hated God’s people and spent his time chasing, hurting, arresting, and even killing those who loved and followed Jesus! And yet God chose to use him in an amazing way!

Let’s read what the Bible says about this guy and how he met Jesus one day. As we read, you’ll have more chances to make choices—so hop back to the center of the room.

Read aloud Acts 9:1, 2. Briefly discuss what Saul was doing to be mean and hateful to God’s people. Then ask: **Was Saul treating God’s people fairly or unfairly? You choose. Hop to the sign that shows your answer! **

Ask kids to briefly explain their answers. Then say: Seems to me that Saul treated Jesus’ followers and God’s people with unfair hatred. Everyone back to the center of the room.

Now listen to what happened next—and be ready to make another choice!

Read aloud Acts 9:3-8.

Then say: Do you think it was fair or unfair of Saul to treat Jesus so badly? You choose. Hop to the sign that shows your answer.

When kids have chosen, ask children to briefly explain their decision and then to return to the center of the room.

Say: Saul treated Jesus and his followers in unfair, wicked ways—and yet Jesus came to Saul and spoke to him.

Read aloud Acts 9:19b-22 and then say: God told Saul to change his heart and life—and Saul began to serve and obey God. Do you think it was fair or unfair for God to give Saul a second chance and give Saul an important job to do? You choose and hop to the sign that shows your answer.

Ask children to briefly explain their answers again. Then say: Saul was a mean, hateful guy—a bully—until Jesus appeared to him and God chose Saul to serve him. Fair or unfair, God used Saul in amazing ways. And if God can use a bully like Saul in great ways, just think how God can use you!

CLOSING PRAYER

Cross-Eyed Prayer

Supplies

• 2 sheets of paper and a section of newspaper for each child
• Thick black markers

Before kids arrive, draw a cross on a sheet of paper. (Be sure you use very thick, black markers for this activity!) Make the cross about 4 inches high and 3 inches across. You’ll use this sample to show kids during the activity so they know about how large to draw their own crosses.

Give each child two sheets of paper and a section of newspaper. The newspaper is to place on the floor as a work surface—you don’t want any marker to stain the floor!

Ask children to place one sheet of paper on the newspaper and place the extra sheet of paper on their laps. Then have kids use markers to each draw a cross on the sheet of paper sitting on the newspaper. Encourage children to make the vertical and horizontal lines of the cross thick and solid.

Say: In a few moments I’ll ask you to hold your cross picture about a foot in front of your face and stare at it. Then, as quickly as you can, you’ll switch that sheet of paper with the blank one on your lap. You’ll hold the blank sheet of paper the same distance from your nose. Let’s practice once.

Once children have practiced, say: Now hold your cross about a foot in front of your face and stare at it for 30 seconds. I’ll tell you when to switch papers.

When 30 seconds have passed, tell children to quickly make the switch with their clean sheets of paper and stare at them instead. They should continue to see the cross as an afterimage. Ask children what they see.

Have children put down their papers. Say: Keeping our eyes on the cross—on Jesus—is what Saul did. He met Jesus in a life-changing encounter, and from that day forward he never took his eyes off Jesus, never forgot what happened on the cross.

Let’s ask God to keep us mindful of what he’s done for us, and ask him to use us in any way he wants. Ask your children to join you in prayer.

Pray: God, help us keep our focus on Jesus and to always remember that he can use each of us. We want to be used by you, Jesus. Show us how. Amen.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Instant Talent Show

Yup—God can use us all . . . starting now.

Encourage children to give God their talents by holding an impromptu talent show where children can juggle, dance, sing, tell jokes, impersonate people (maybe you?), or whatever else they enjoy doing.

Encourage, but don’t force, everyone to participate. Then discuss:

• How might God use your talent–or another one—in the next week?
• Why is letting God use your abilities a good idea?

Option 2: Newspaper Huddle

Supplies

• 1 sheet of newspaper

Place a sheet of newspaper on the floor.

Say: Who can God use? All of us! Let’s celebrate how we all fit in God’s plans, by all standing on this sheet of paper. How can we stand so we all fit?

After kids sort out a way to fit, fold the sheet in half and invite them to do the same thing again. (Hint: one easy way to put lots of people on a sheet is for them to stand on one foot, lean back, and balance each other by holding on to one another.)

After you’ve gotten the paper as small as possible and still fit, ask children to sit. Say: We’re all different—and so are our feet! Yet there was a place for all of us on the paper. Ask:

• How is that like fitting into our church and church family?
• Where do you fit in serving Jesus?

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: If you could pick how God would use you, what would you ask him to help you do—and become?

Supplies

Jesus spent a lot of time explaining a very basic truth to his audiences. The kingdom of God isn’t just about rules or about behavior or about justice. It’s also about grace.

Jesus told this story to help his audience grab hold of a basic truth: God is generous, and his gifts of salvation and eternal life are available to anyone who believes in him and trusts him—whether that belief comes at the beginning of a long life or just moments before someone dies.

Something about that arrangement doesn’t seem fair to us. We want a bonus for spending a lifetime serving God. And in believing this, we miss the same three points that the people who heard Jesus’ story (or parable) missed:

1. God gives us a wonderful gift, just as he promised.
2. It’s up to God if he decides to be generous with others.
3. Having a lifetime serving God is a bonus!

You’ll help your kids discover these truths today as you share the story of the workers in the vineyard.

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoin’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Puppy-Sitting Fluffy

Supplies

• 1 sheet of paper and 1 pencil per child

Form children into pairs and hand each child a sheet of paper and a pencil. Ask children to decide who in each pair will be the Day Person and who will be the Night Person.

Say: Let’s say I’ll be out of town and need someone to care for my puppy. I’ll be gone 24 hours, and I’ll pay someone to care for little Fluffy. Before you decide if you want the job, let’s list all of the things you need to do to care for a puppy during the day and night. The Day Person in each pair will list what it takes to care for Fluffy during the day, and the Night Person will list what it takes to care for Fluffy during the night.

As kids make suggestions, have them write the tasks on their papers. Be specific, making sure all tasks happen during the day. Explain that Fluffy sleeps from 8:00 pm to 8:00 am and doesn’t have “accidents,” so there’s really nothing to do at night.

When the lists are complete, have kids read them aloud. Then say: I’ll pay $100 for Fluffy’s care, but I want to hire a team of two people—one to handle the day and the other to handle the night. I’ll pay your team $100. What’s a fair way for you to split the money? Splitting the money right down the middle, with $50 each, isn’t fair because the Day Person is doing all the work. How would you split it? Give pairs time to talk, and then ask them to share with the larger group their split solutions. Ask:

• How did you decide what was fair?
• How would each Day Person feel if the Night Person got paid the same amount?

Say: Today we’re diving into a story Jesus told that’s much like what we just did. People were hired to work, but not all of them were happy with how they were paid.

The people listening to Jesus’ story discovered what we’ll discover: life’s not fair, but God is always loving!

COOL STORY GAME

Fair Teams

Supplies

• Masking tape

Place a masking tape line on the floor to separate the playing area into two sections. Tell kids to form two teams for Piggyback Races. Have each team stand on one side of the line.

When kids are in place, say: We’re not really going to have Piggyback Races, but I’m curious. How did you choose your teams? Was it because of size, height, weight, or age? Did this make fair teams? Why or why not?

Encourage kids to tell how they chose up their teams, and if this made them fair. Then say: People say life should be fair. Let’s see how well that works. We’ll form teams for a few pretend games and see if we can make the teams exactly, absolutely, completely fair.

When I call out a type of game, you’ll have 60 seconds to choose teams, one team on each side of the line. Make the teams fair and be able to explain why after each round. Ready?

Pick fair teams for a . . .

• Kitty-petting contest
• Relay race
• Dance contest
• Spelling bee
• Juggling contest
• Staring contest
• Handwriting contest
• Skipping contest

After each round, ask how kids decided what would make teams fair. Is it age? numbers? experience? strength? Push for specifics.

Say: Hard to make teams fair, huh? We’re all different and all good at different things. But God knows us all, and He knows what we need. And though life isn’t always fair, God loves us all! Jesus told a parable (or story) about a vineyard where grapes are grown, and about a boss who seemed unfair to his workers. Let’s explore that story now!

COOL BIBLE STORY

Fair or Not?

Supplies

• Bible
• 1 small sack or basket
• Treats or favors (1 per child)

Before children arrive, place small treats or favors in a sack or basket. Consider using small erasers, new pencils, or individually wrapped candies.

Invite children to form three groups. Remember, one child can be a group if necessary. Have groups sit on the floor. Hold the treat sack or basket. Explain that you have treats to share. But to receive them, groups need to do some work. Ask the first group to stand up and sit down 15 times—quickly—to get their treats. Have everyone count along out loud.

When the first group has completed the task, announce that the second group has to do the same thing—6 times—to earn a prize. Have everyone count aloud. Say: We have one last group. How many stand-up-sit-downs should they do? 35? 47? How about . . . 1?

When the last group has accomplished its task, give everyone one treat from the sack. Then have kids sit in place and discuss:

• Was it fair that some of you worked harder and still got the same reward? Explain.
• Are rewards always fair? Why or why not?

Say: Jesus told a story about a vineyard where grapes are grown, and about a boss and his workers. Let’s read the story aloud. As you listen, see whether you think the boss’s payment to the workers was fair or unfair, loving or unkind.

Read aloud Matthew 20:1-12. Invite older kids to take turns reading aloud if they’d like. When you finish reading the passage, ask:

• Do you think the boss was fair or unfair? Explain.
• In what ways can something or someone seem unfair, but still be kind and loving?

Read aloud Matthew 20:13-15. Then ask:

• Would you rather someone in charge be fair or loving? Explain.
• Would you rather God be absolutely fair or loving? Explain.

Say: God is fair . . . and loving. And it’s a good thing for us that he’s loving, because if he gave us what we deserve, we’d all be in trouble. Romans 3:23 says that we’ve all sinned and disappointed God. If you have older kids, read aloud Romans 6:23 to remind them of God’s loving grace through Jesus.

Say: Good news, though: God sent Jesus to save us! Read aloud Romans 5:8. Then say: Life isn’t always fair, but God is always loving. And for that we can be deeply thankful!

CLOSING PRAYER

Thumbnail Prayer

Supplies

• 1 cup or basket
• 10 coins per child (you’ll get them back)

Raid your piggy bank. You’ll give each child at least ten coins. Be clear you’d like the coins back.

Explain to children that in a few moments they’ll stack coins on their thumbs. Say: Hold your hand in a fist like this (demonstrate) with your thumbnail up. Stack as many coins on your thumbs as you can. How many you can stack depends on how flat your thumbnail is, how steady your hand is, and how big your thumb is. You may be a one-coin stacker or a ten-coin stacker. It all depends. Let’s give it a try.

Once children have finished stacking coins, say: Hey—it’s not fair if someone has a flatter thumb than you—or a bigger thumb! Life’s not fair!

Ask children to very slowly open their hands while keeping their coin stacks standing on their thumbs. It’s hard—some stacks will tumble!

Say: It’s not fair that some of us have steadier hands than others. Life’s not fair! Collect all but one coin from each child. Say: Life’s not fair, but no matter how God made your thumb, he loves you. He loves us all—whether we’re one-coin or ten-coin stackers! Ask children to each hold their coins in their palms with palms up and open.

Pray and thank God for loving us no matter what. Thank him that he hasn’t made us all the same. Thank God that he treats us with love and grace, not just punishing us for doing what he says is wrong. Invite kids to take turns thanking God for his love.

When children have finished praying, ask them to drop their coins in the cup or basket as a sign of thanking God for his love.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Stand Up, Sit Down

Seat kids on the floor. Say: Life’s not fair. Some of us are good at one thing and not another. But we’re all good at something—God has given us each at least one talent or gift we can use to help others and to praise God.

I’ll call out a list of things we may be good at or enjoy doing even if we’re not yet all-stars. If something I mention describes you, jump up—then quickly sit down.

Read this list and add items you know will touch on what your kids enjoy doing. Read quickly with just a brief pause between items: reader, writer, runner, singer, actor, dancer, scientist, mountain climber, room cleaner, math whiz, hiker, biker, kite flyer, painter, ice-cream eater, and—ta-dah!—list reader.

Say: Good job! What’s something else you enjoy doing? After kids make suggestions, say: Life’s not fair. We aren’t all good at the same things. But isn’t it great that God made us all different? And that he loves us?

Option 2: Rules, Rules, Rules

Supplies

• 1 sheet of paper and 1 pencil per child

Ask children to write or draw (or simply discuss) what they feel is the right punishment for each of the broken house rules listed below. Then have kids share their answers.

• Trashing the house and refusing to clean up
• Saying, “Yuk! I won’t eat this slop!” when dinner is served
• Blaming someone else for something you did
• Not doing schoolwork and lying about it later

Say: Wow—sounds like punishments are different in different homes. Is that fair?

Parents don’t always respond the same way to situations. But something they pretty much have in common is that they love us enough to discipline us and help us behave properly. They may not always be fair, but they always love us!

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: Describe a time at school that something didn’t seem fair. How did you feel? Describe a time something wasn’t fair—but you came out ahead. How did you feel then?

Check out more lessons here!

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”

Jeremiah 17:7

TEACHER PREPARATION

Dear Teacher,

Oh no! This story has wine in it! Of course, the Bible includes many warnings about the misuse of wine, and your students need to understand the dangers of drinking. In Jesus’ day, however, running out of wine at a wedding would be a breach of hospitality that would disgrace the family! When Jesus encountered this embarrassing situation, He didn’t ignore it, because it wasn’t important enough. He showed compassion by meeting the need in a powerful way.

Sometimes we forget that we can ask for Jesus’ help with situations that are not life-and-death. And that is a great thing! When we are caught short, when all our plans go awry, we can tell Jesus our most embarrassing problems. We can obey Him, as fully confident as Mary was that He will have compassion on us and take action on our behalf!

Debbie Barber

Connecting You to Jesus

Jesus’ disciples were convinced of His deity by His first miracle, turning water into wine. He spoke and it was so. It was the same method God used to create the world! Turning water into wine was the first sign to prove Jesus is the Messiah. It was the first glimpse of His glory, the glory of the one and only Son of God.

Lesson Extras!

Supplies

GET THINKING

Take Part!

Supplies

• Several beach balls

Students play one of the following games: (1) Lie on backs on the floor and use hands to hit a beach ball up in the air. Everyone works together to keep it from hitting the floor. (2) Stand in a circle and throw a beach ball to each other in a pattern (Nathan throws to Antonio, Antonio throws to Lili, etc.). When students have completed pattern a few times with one ball, add another ball into the game. Continue to throw additional balls in the same pattern, creating an effect like group juggling.

Connect

• How did you need to trust others when playing the game? How would this game have been different if you didn’t trust your friends to do their part?
• What are some other times you might have to trust other people in order to do things?
• Today we’ll be talking about Someone we can trust even more than our friends!

GET GOD’S WORD

Wedding Party Rescue

Supplies

• Bible for yourself and each student
• Tablecloth
• Flowers or other wedding decorations
• Tablecloth
• Cupcakes
• Plates and forks
• Wedding invitation
• Empty jar
• Box
• Toothbrush

Help students find John 2 in their Bibles. Tell the following story summary in your own words, guiding students to find answers in their Bibles.

Story Starter

Think about your favorite thing to do at a party. Invite several volunteers to tell their favorite things. Let’s vote on these favorite things! Volunteers who responded take turns standing up and giving their answers again. Lead students to clap loudly for their favorite things. I love the fun things you all chose! Today our Bible story is about something unusual that happened at a party in the town of Cana. Let’s find out who was there and what happened.

Big Celebration!

When Jesus lived on Earth, a wedding was just about the biggest party any family would ever have! A Bible-times wedding was a big celebration that usually included feasting and games and dancing that lasted for days! The families of the bride and groom spent many months preparing for such a wedding, storing up special food and drink so that everyone—relatives, neighbors, friends and even friends of friends—would have plenty to eat and drink for as long as the wedding party lasted.

Students arrange cupcakes and plates and forks on table. It would be an insult to the wedding guests if the food or drink ran out. The family who had invited them would be VERY embarrassed. For years and years, people might tell about the wedding where they ran out of food or wine! (In Bible times, it was common for people to drink wine with their meals.)

Jesus, His mother, Mary, and His disciples had been invited to just this sort of wedding. Show wedding invitation. As they walked through the little village of Cana, the whole town must have been buzzing with excited preparations! Since houses did not have running water, huge stone water jars were filled and left outside the door. Bread was baked; floors were swept; special clothes were set out. Wine and special food that had been stored were brought in.

When the bride arrived at the groom’s house, the wedding party began. Such a party you never have seen—it was like a Christmas dinner, a huge birthday party and a week at grandma’s house with all the relatives all rolled into one!

Big Problem!

But after a while, something AWFUL happened. To find out what it was, read John 2:3. Perhaps more people came to the wedding than the families had planned. Whatever the reason, there was no more wine to serve to the wedding guests. Show empty jar. We don’t know how Mary found out about this problem, but we DO know that Mary knew JUST who to talk to when she needed help for an unexpected problem!

Mary went to Jesus and probably leaned over to speak very quietly. “They have no more wine,” she said. She knew how embarrassing this would be for the families, so she probably didn’t want anyone else to hear.

To find out what Jesus said, read John 2:4. Jesus told Mary that the time when He would begin to do miracles in public hadn’t started yet. But Mary was confident that Jesus could solve this big, unexpected problem!

Mary went right over to the servants who were standing together. Pointing to Jesus, she said, “Do whatever He tells you!” To find out how Jesus solved the problem, read John 2:6-7.

Big Miracle!

Those big stone jars held a LOT of water! After the servants had filled them, Jesus said, “Now take some out of one of the jars and give it to the master of the banquet.” Every wedding banquet had a man who acted as the master. He made sure everything went smoothly, and no doubt he had been VERY worried about how to get more wine!

When the servants took the wine to him, they didn’t tell him where it had come from. Slowly, he tasted the wine. What did he tell the bridegroom? Read John 2:10 to find out.

This wine was FAR better than the first wine that had been served. Although that first wine had been the very best the family could buy, THIS wine was the best of the feast! Jesus had fixed the problem by turning ordinary water into the very best wine. It was a miracle. And the Bible tells us that when His disciples saw this miracle, they put their faith in Him! Distribute cupcakes for students to eat as you wrap up the story.

Wrap-Up

When Jesus turned water into wine, He did something that no one else could do. The people who saw what Jesus did began to believe in Him right then and there! Jesus still wants us to believe in Him, and He wants us to trust Him and ask for His help, especially when we have unexpected problems. We can always be confident that He will hear us. Listen to what the Bible says about people who are confident in, or who trust in, Jesus. Read Jeremiah 17:7 aloud. We know that because of Jesus’ love and power, He will give us the very best help there is!

Show toothbrush. A toothbrush is something that you use every day. It is not exciting at all! This week, when you are brushing your teeth each day, remember that you can trust Jesus every day, even when you are doing ordinary things like brushing your teeth or finishing your homework!

GET TALKING

Supplies

Distribute Lesson 6 Kid Talk Cards. Students complete the interview on Side 1 to review the Bible story.

• Who asked Jesus to solve the problem at the wedding?
• What do you think Mary knew about Jesus that gave her confidence that He would solve the problem?
• What happened as a result of Jesus’ miracle? (The problem was solved. Jesus’ disciples put their faith in Him.)

Students look at Side 2 of Kid Talk Cards. Students fill in missing letters to complete a reminder to rely on Jesus’ help in everyday situations.

• Point to photo of toothbrush. We all use toothbrushes every day. And we need to rely on Jesus every day, too! What reasons do we have for having confidence in Jesus’ help? (He is God’s Son. He has done many great things. He died for us and came back to life again.)
• What are some situations in which you need to rely on Jesus’ help? In what ways might Jesus help you? (Help me know what to do. Give me other people to help me. Give me courage to do what is right. Answer my prayers. Help me make good choices.)
• When might it be hard to remember to rely on Jesus’ help? (When it seems that everything is going well. When there are big problems and I feel worried.) What can you do to remind yourself to rely on Jesus?

Prayer

Encourage students to silently pray about a situation in which they need Jesus’ help. Invite students to tell prayer requests. Then pray with students about the needs and concerns they mentioned.

Art

Supplies

• Scissors
• Markers
• Glue sticks
• Hole punch
• Large paper clips or lanyard hooks

Give each student a Zipper Pull Pattern page and a blank sheet of card stock. Add a reminder to rely on Jesus, and then decorate your pattern. Student cuts out patterns to decorate and then cuts matching circles from the blank areas of card stock. Student glues circles together to create a sturdier zipper pull. Student punches hole in pull and attaches a large paper clip or a lanyard hook to create a zipper pull.

Connect

Attach your zipper pull to your backpack or something else you will see often. I hope it will remind you every day that you can trust and rely on Jesus, no matter what is happening in your life!

Game

Supplies

• Ten large plastic cups
• Rock
• Ball

Arrange 10 large plastic cups like bowling pins on one side of the room. Place a rock under one of the cups.

Students line up opposite cups and take turns rolling ball toward cups, attempting to knock them over. When the cup with the rock hidden under it is knocked over, student who rolled ball tells a situation in which a kid needs to rely on Jesus’ help. Another student tells a way Jesus might help a kid in that situation. Continue bowling game as time permits, changing the placement of the rock often.

Connect

I’m glad to know that we can rely on Jesus in any situation we face. He always loves and helps us, and we can talk to Him about anything!

Get Going

Supplies

Direct students to look again at Side 2 of their Kid Talk Cards. As we listen to this song, ask God to help you trust Jesus’ love and help every day this week. Remember that He wants you to trust Him in everything you do! Play “Trust Anytime” (on Worship DVD or track 15 on Worship CD), inviting students to listen or sing along. Distribute Lesson 6 Family Fridge Fun papers as students leave.

Supplies

No one knows if the jailer who locked Paul and Silas in stocks enjoyed his job, but we do know he took it seriously. Good thing too, because he worked for the Romans—and they took prisoners very seriously.

So seriously, in fact, that Roman law held that jailers shown to be careless and who let prisoners escape, were killed.

Imagine, then, how the Philippian jailer felt when he awoke to an earthquake that sent walls tumbling and broke open his prisoners’ stocks.

A bad day for the jailer? A horrible day!

He drew a sword, prepared to take his own life before the Romans could reach him. And drawing back the blade, he heard Paul’s announcement from the rubble: no prisoner had escaped. The prisoners had time to run away, but they hadn’t done so.

What had been the jailer’s worst (and possibly last) day of his life took a sudden turn. He not only kept his job, but the actions of Paul and Silas convinced him that the Jesus they followed was worth a careful look.

It wasn’t Paul and Silas’ preaching that brought the jailer to Jesus; it was their actions . . . and actions speak louder than words.

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoing’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Move Fast!

Supplies

• $1 bill per 2 children (you’ll get the bills back!)

Ask children to pick partners. Give the partner who has the longest hair in each pair a $1 bill—and mention you’ll want it back!

Explain that the person with the bill will hold it as shown in the diagram. The other partner in each pair will hold his or her thumb and index finger 4 inches apart (several inches below the bill) and attempt to catch the $1 bill when it’s dropped. It takes quick, catlike reflexes—or a bit of luck!

After several tries to catch the bill, reverse roles so each partner can both drop and catch (maybe!) the bill.

Collect the bills and then discuss:

• Which role did you prefer: dropper or catcher?
• What helped you catch the bill—if you did?
• If you could stretch time and have all of it you wanted for any activity that’s usually rushed, what activity would you pick? Why?

Say: Sometimes it helps accomplish a goal if we move fast, sometimes more slowly. Today we’ll consider a situation where there was time to do something you’d expect people to do—but nobody moved. Curious? Let’s find out more!

GAME FOR A BAD DAY

Human Locker Room

Say: Anybody can build a human pyramid—you just pile people on top of each other. We’re going to do something far more challenging: we’ll build other kinds of structures using just our bodies!

If you have very few children in your group, that’s fine—just modify your list. Most of the suggestions provided work well for two or more people. Give children just 30 seconds to “build” each structure you mention. Be encouraging and applaud creativity. Suggest that children work together to build some of the following using their bodies. Be sure to build a jail first.

• a jail
• a tepee
• the Leaning Tower of Pisa
• the Eiffel Tower
• a shower stall
• the Statue of Liberty
• a locker room

When kids have finished building their structures, applaud their efforts. Then ask them to discuss these questions:

• If you could move your room to any famous building and live there, what building would it be—and why?
• Of the buildings we built, which do you think would hold up best in an earthquake? Why?

Say: Our Bible story involves a building we constructed: a jail. It didn’t hold up well in an earthquake; the walls fell. But that let the apostle Paul and his friend, Silas, make a big impression on a jailer. Let’s see how!

BAD DAY BIBLE STORY

Sock Puppet Theater

Supplies

• Bible
• 1 pair of adult-size tube socks for each child (clean, various colors, will be returned)

Teach

Good news: even if you have just a few children at your meeting, you can still assign every part in this play. Each child can play two parts by putting a sock on each hand!

Ask children to sit in a circle. Cast these parts: Paul, Silas, prisoners, jailer, and the jailer’s family. Make extra kids prisoners or the jailer’s family.

Say: Actions speak louder than words—and God desires us to have active faith. Let’s test that by doing this puppet show with no words other than the narration. Your puppet can’t talk, but it can move. Communicate the actions I describe by using movement. For a stage we’ll use our imaginations. Ready?

Read aloud Acts 16:25-33. Pause after each verse and whenever there’s movement described. When finished, encourage the actors to take a bow. Collect the socks and then ask:

• How did Paul’s and Silas’s actions affect the other prisoners?
• Why did Paul’s and Silas’s actions have such an impact on the jailer?
• How do your actions affect people around you? How would you like your actions to affect others?
• Can both your words and actions tell others about Jesus as Paul’s and Silas’s did? How so?

Say: Paul could have told the jailer about how Jesus could save him— and, in fact, Paul later did just that. But when Paul showed the jailer what it felt like to be saved, that made a huge impact. Paul’s actions spoke loudly—and then the jailer could hear Paul’s words. God desires our faith to be active—not just expressed by words alone. Actions do speak louder than words!

CLOSING PRAYER

Earthquake Prayer

Say: Paul and Silas were locked in a jail, and God set them free— through an earthquake. Usually earthquakes are thought of as natural disasters. Nothing good happens in them, no good comes out of them. But God works through nature in powerful ways. Let’s thank God for working through his creation to do his will. Even in the middle of an earthquake, hurricane, or tornado, God can bring about good things.

Think of a natural disaster that scares you, and hold your hands in a shape that reminds you of it. For instance, if you’re scared of hurricanes, you might make a giant O—the shape of a hurricane. Ready? Then close your eyes, please, and let’s pray.

Pray: God, you see our hands. You see our hearts. You know how much damage an earthquake can cause, but you still used one to help Paul and Silas . . . and the jailer who came to you.

When scary things happen in nature or troubles happen in our lives, help us put our faith into action by trusting your power to help and love us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Two Lies and a Truth

Tell children to think of three facts about their lives that others may not know, such as a middle name or a secret talent or someone famous they may have met.

The catch: two facts will be true. The third will be a lie.

Ask children to form pairs and tell their partners the three facts. The goal is for each child to correctly identify which of the “facts” are true and which one is false.

Ask partners to report how they did and what they learned about each other.

Say: The jailer who heard Paul’s voice after the earthquake in Philippi thought he was hearing a lie. The prisoners hadn’t escaped? How could that be? But he discovered that Paul was telling the truth!

And not only did Paul tell the truth—he acted on it too. Paul knew that God wants us to put our faith into action and not just words. It’s good to remember that actions often speak louder than words!

Option 2: Show Me, Don’t Tell Me

Actions better speak louder than words, because there aren’t any words used in this activity!

Ask children to communicate messages through actions only—no writing or speaking any words. If desired, form two groups and take turns acting out the following and having the other team try to guess what’s being communicated.

You can add your own messages, but here are six to get you started:

• Fire! Come with me to safety!
• Don’t drink the water.
• I’ve got ants in my pants!
• I’m riding a camel.
• I’ve got $10 million and it’s all in quarters.
• I want a glass of iced tea.

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: What action speaks loudest to you if someone is saying, “I want to be your friend”? What actions speak loudest in telling your friend about Jesus?

Grab more fun lessons like this one in this post!

Supplies

Many Christians wish they had specific instructions from God. “If he’d just tell me what to do, I’d do it,” they say. “I’m willing to follow, but I just don’t know which direction to go.”

No problem for Jonah. He knew exactly where to go: Nineveh. God even told Jonah what to say when he got there.

Jonah’s problem was that he didn’t want to go, so he ran away in the opposite direction, believing that hiding from God would take care of the problem.

Um . . . no. Jonah was willfully disobedient—and God didn’t let him get away with it.

Jonah’s story is familiar to most children who’ve been in Sunday school. Jonah meets big fish, big fish eats him, Jonah decides if he gets out of fish alive he’ll do what God says, fish throws up, and out comes a very stinky Jonah. What gets missed is Jonah’s repentance . . . and God’s forgiveness. But without those, Jonah would have ended up fish food.

Today you’ll discover an important lesson: God forgives us.

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoing’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Head and Shoulders. Knees and Toes

Supplies

• 4 hardcover books (that won’t be damaged if they fall)

Announce that you’ve decided to bring back an activity that helped their great-grandparents have perfect posture.

Demonstrate with a volunteer how to stand with two books balanced on one’s head. Help the volunteer walk without dropping the books. Then form kids into two teams for a relay race.

Ask the first person in each team to walk to a specific spot and then back again without the books falling. If (when!) books fall, children can simply pick them up, balance them, and keep moving forward.

Encourage kids to cheer one another on. When the relay is finished, collect the books and ask children to be seated on the floor to discuss:

• What made it so hard to keep the books from falling?
• After this experience, how would you rate your usual posture?
• You had to keep perfect posture to keep the books in place. What do you do in life absolutely perfectly?

Say: Most of us don’t have perfect posture—or perfect anything else! That’s why we need God’s forgiveness. And so did Jonah! We’ll find out why today.

GAME FOR A BAD DAY

Perfect Relay

Supplies

• 2 bendable wire coat hangers
• 2 inflated balloons (plus an extra)
• A watch with a second hand

Before children arrive, inflate two balloons and tie them off. Place the balloons out of sight.

Announce that since the book relay went so well, you’ll try another relay (mix up the two teams)—but this time with wire clothes hangers and balloons. Help children bend their hangers for the job of carrying the balloons.

Explain that the goal of the game is for each relay member to carry a balloon on a hanger to the far wall of the room and back. The catch: if the balloon hits the floor, the entire team starts over. Teams must run this relay perfectly. (Fewer than six kids? Work together as a single team!)

Run the first heat of the relay for two minutes (keep track on your watch) and see if any team has completed the course. If so, run it again to see if teams can improve their times.

Keep Going

When the game is over, collect the hangers and balloons. Discuss:

• How did the need to run this relay perfectly affect how fun the game was?
• What in your life do you have to do perfectly? What happens if you don’t do it perfectly?

Say: We know that being perfect or doing everything in a perfect way is impossible, isn’t it? Let’s discover how a guy named Jonah learned that since we’re not perfect, we need a special gift from God—we need God’s gift of forgiveness!

BAD DAY BIBLE STORY

Jonah Scoot

Supplies

• Bible

Ask children to sit close together on the floor, in the center of the room.

Say: Jonah’s story is here in the Bible. As I read, I’ll point out different places in the room that represent places Jonah went. When I point to one of those spots, please scoot over to that place.

With flair, read aloud Jonah 1:1-2:10. Point to the indicated spots when you read these verses:

Chapter 1:
verse 3: Left side of the room (Joppa)
verse 3: Center of room (getting on ship)
verse 4: Rock back and forth where seated
verse 5: Right side of the room and keep rocking (below deck)
verse 11: Rock back and forth harder
verse 13: Rock back and forth even harder!
verse 14: Scoot to center of room (going up above deck)
verse 15: Spin in place (tossed into sea)
verse 15: Stop rocking
verse 17: Scoot back to the left of the room (the fish is swimming)

Chapter 2:
verse 10: Throw yourself forward as if you got urped out of the fish’s belly!

Finish by saying: And then, when the Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh again, that’s what Jonah did—so scoot over to the center of the room! 

Keep Going

When kids are in place, ask:

• In what ways did God seem angry or demanding?
• In what ways was God forgiving?
• When is a time you knew the right thing to do, but you chose to do the wrong thing? What happened?

Say: God got Jonah’s attention in a yucky way, but he gave Jonah a second chance to make the right choice: the choice to obey God. Jonah still had to suffer the consequences of his bad choice . . . three days inside a fish—ugh! But in the end, Jonah was forgiven and got to do the right thing.

When we disobey, we are punished too. But if we ask God to forgive us, he will. God forgives us and that’s good news!

Ask children to select partners and discuss in pairs:

• How hard or easy was it for Jonah to ask God’s forgiveness? Why?
• How hard or easy is it for you to ask God to forgive you? Why?

CLOSING PRAYER

Boat Float Prayers

Supplies

• Dishpan half filled with water
• plastic bowl or container
• Silverware (several pieces for each child)

Teach

Fill a dishpan half full of water. Float a plastic bowl or container in the pan. Give each child several pieces of silverware that will easily sink when children place all of their silverware in or on the container.

Practice this once so you have the right combination of container and silverware—you don’t want the boat to continue floating!

Say: Jonah thought climbing on a boat heading away from God would keep God from seeing him. Jonah was wrong.

Our lives are like this little boat. We sail along under our own power and then do something wrong. We sin.

Place a piece of silverware on the “boat.”

Say: Think of things you’ve done lately that were wrong, that would disappoint God. It might be a lie you told or a mean word you spoke. If there’s anything like that in your life, silently tell God about it. For each of those things, place a piece of silverware on this boat. I’ll need more than one piece of silverware—I’ll bet you do too.

Continue until the boat sinks. Then reach under the water, empty out the silverware, and float the boat again.

Say: Here’s good news: when we tell God what we’ve done wrong and ask him to forgive us—he does. First John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Let’s pray out loud and thank God for his forgiveness. When children are finished, close your prayer time.

Collect the silverware and dishpan and set them aside.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Salt Solution

Supplies

• A pinch of salt per child
• Dishpan half filled with water

Place the dishpan in the center of the room. Have children form a circle around it, and place a pinch of salt in each child’s hand.

Ask children to think of something they’ve done that has disappointed God—a sin. Explain that sins are actions and attitudes that don’t obey or glorify God. Pause to let children think.

Then ask children to silently ask God to forgive them for what they’ve done wrong.

One at a time, invite children to toss their pinches of salt into the dishpan. With your hand, gently stir the water as you read aloud Psalm 103:9-14. Invite children to look at the water—where the salt will have dissolved in the water.

Point out that’s how God forgives: thoroughly. Once and for all. The punishment of a sin may remain, but the sin itself will be forgiven.

Option 2: Spitting Contest

Supplies

• 1 bag of salted sunflower seeds
• 1 sheet of paper

Say: The big fish spit Jonah up, so let’s follow his example! Line children against a wall so they’re spitting sunflower seeds in the same direction. Even better: go outside if weather and location permit. You’ll give children seeds to spit in two events:

Distance: Just what it sounds like. Who can spit a seed the farthest?

Accuracy: Place a sheet of paper about 10 feet from the spitting line.

See who can come closest to landing a seed on the paper. Have a great time, but remember to clean up!

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: God asks us to forgive others the same way that he forgives us. What’s something you would find very difficult to forgive?

For more fun lessons like this one, check out this post!

Supplies

How many times do we need to forgive someone? How many times? Seventy times seven—that was Jesus’ reply.

That wasn’t a literal answer. We know that 490 times isn’t the cutoff point for grace. Jesus was making the point that forgiveness needs to be available until it’s no longer sought or needed.

But there’s another message in this story: forgiveness is a two-way street. Yes, we receive it from God through Jesus. But we’re also expected to be just as forgiving to others.

In this session you’ll help kids discover that the forgiveness they receive from God isn’t just for them. God wants to empower us to be equally forgiving, to pass along what we’ve received. With his help, we can forgive others!

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoin’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Story Sacks

Supplies

• Paper lunch sacks
• Markers
• Yarn
• Glitter
• Glue
• Felt (optional)

Kids will use these puppets later, so be sure everyone makes one. Before the activity, you may wish to make a puppet as a sample. Also refer to the illustration.

Ask kids to sit in a circle on the floor, and join them. Give each child a sack. Provide markers.

Say: Today we’ll dive into a story Jesus told about a man who got into big trouble. He owed lots of money! You’re going to play a part in the story, so you each need to create a sack puppet that looks like you.

If children aren’t sure where to start, show them the illustration or your sample, if you made one. (If you’re feeling especially crafty and have extra time, provide the optional supplies so kids can make more elaborate puppets.) Tell children they should keep their work hidden for now. They have just five minutes to create their masterpieces. Give a two- and one-minute countdown.

Once children have finished, collect the puppets and place them behind you, as you remain seated with the children on the floor.

Say: Now let’s see how much these puppets look like their creators. I’ll show one puppet at a time. See if you can guess who it is.

After the guessing is finished, say: Great job! Set the puppets aside.

Say: Today we’ll talk about forgiveness—about being forgiven by God and about forgiving others who do things to us. They’re connected! God forgives us—so let’s forgive others.

COOL STORY GAME

Gone and Forgotten

Supplies

• Bible
• Dish towel
• Watch with a second hand
• Baking pan
• Variety of 30 or more objects from the junk drawer (buttons, nuts, bolts, nails, coins, beads)

Teach

Place the 30 objects in the pan, and cover them with the dish towel.

Gather children around the pan. Remove the towel and tell kids to look at the items in the pan and memorize them-—in 30 seconds.

Then pick up the pan and turn your back on the kids. Remove one item— without letting them see it—and hide it in a pocket or somewhere else.

Rearrange the remaining items. Turn back to the children, and let them guess which item you removed. No hints!

Play several rounds. Then reveal and replace the missing items. Ask:

• What made it easy or difficult to remember all the items?
• When have you forgotten something you needed to remember? What happened as a result?
• What’s something you think you’d like to forget?

Say: Our memories can play tricks on us. Things we want to remember, we sometimes forget. Things we’d rather forget, we sometimes remember. But here’s something that’s true: everybody forgets things . . . including God. That’s right: God sometimes forgets things.

Read aloud Hebrews 10:17.

Continue: Once God forgives us for something, he chooses not to recall it, not to not bring it up again. And here’s where things get hard: God wants us to forgive people in just the same way.

Read aloud Luke 11:1-4a.

Say: Notice the “forgive us as we forgive others” line. That means us. We are to forgive others as we want Jesus to forgive us. God forgives us—let’s forgive others!

COOL BIBLE STORY

The Not-So-Smart Servant

Supplies

• Bible
• Sack puppets from Opening Activity—Option 2

Assign the following roles to individual kids: king, king’s servant, the servant’s wife and children, and a second servant. (If you have more kids than roles, let them be extra children in the first servant’s family.)

Say: As I read aloud the story Jesus told, use your puppets to act out what happened to your characters. Feel free to move about. If your puppet is supposed to be afraid, shake in fear. If you’re supposed to attack another character, gently go after that puppet. Your puppet has to do the acting—you’re just along for the ride. And though there’s no talking, please whimper, snort, or provide other sound effects as you wish.

Read aloud Matthew 18:21-35, pausing often for the puppets to act out their roles.

When you’re done, have puppets take a bow. Collect them to send home later. Ask children to each sit facing a partner and discuss:

• What’s the lesson about forgiveness that Jesus is trying to teach?
• If Jesus is serious about that message, what does that mean to me?

After kids finish talking, have them circle up with you. Ask what kids think the moral of the story is. Are they on target? Congratulate the children. Are they off target? Gently redirect your children.

Say: Forgiveness is a two-way thing. Yes, God will forgive us if we ask. But we’re expected to be just as forgiving. In that way we begin to show other people what God is like. God is forgiving–let’s be forgiving too!

CLOSING PRAYER

Confession Is Good for the Soul

Read 1 John 1:8, 9 aloud. Say: God forgives, but he wants something from us when he forgives: he wants us to agree with him that what we did is wrong. That’s called “confession.” It’s agreeing with God that the wrong thing we did is wrong.

We’re going to confess to God and trust him to keep his word about forgiving us. We won’t confess out loud here—though it’s OK to do that sometimes. For now, please confess in your head and heart. I’ll lead us.

Ask children to bow their heads and close their eyes. Tell them that they can add their own silent prayers in the pauses.

Pray: Dear God, we trust that you keep your promises. We trust that if we confess, you will be faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Please hear us as we tell you about thoughts we have that don’t honor you. This includes our thoughts about people (pause) and our thoughts about the lives you’ve given us. (pause) It also includes our thoughts about you and how important we make you in our lives. (pause)

Forgive us for things we’ve done and for things that nobody knows about except us—and you. (pause)

Forgive things we’ve said, including angry words (pause) and unfair words. (pause) Forgive us for words that have harmed others (pause) and words that don’t honor you. (pause)

We confess that all these things are sin. They don’t please you, and we want to please you. They don’t show you love, and we want to love you. Help us be as forgiving of others. Bring to mind one person we need to forgive. (pause)

Thank you for your forgiveness. Amen.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: You’ve Got Mail

Supplies

• 1 sheet of paper and 1 pencil per child

Ask kids to sit on the floor. Give each child a sheet of paper and pencil.

Say: We all have at least one person we could ask forgiveness from. Who is your person? Is that person someone at home or at school? Think about it for a moment and pick a person . . . and a reason you need to ask for forgiveness.

Pause for a few moments so children have time to think.

Say: Now you get the chance to apologize—at least to practice apologizing. In the next few minutes write a note asking the person to forgive you. And be specific—mention what you did or said that needs to be forgiven.

If you’d rather draw your apology, make a “Please Forgive Me” card. Draw a frown on the cover and a smile on the inside or decorate your card in another way.

Help young children write: “I’m sorry . . . please forgive me” on the insides of their cards.

Explain that kids don’t have to give their notes and cards to the people they’ve wronged. This is just practice. But suggest that if children want to act but don’t want to deliver notes and cards, they can simply talk to the people they’ve wronged and ask for their forgiveness.

Allow time to write or draw. Then have children find partners and discuss:

• What’s hard about asking for forgiveness?
• What would be a good thing about asking for forgiveness?
• How does forgiving someone bring us closer to God?

Option 2: Got It, Give It

Supplies

• Watch with a second hand
• 1 shoe

Ask children to sit in a circle. Invite a child to provide one shoe, or use yours. Choose a child who counts well to be the Lap Master, and hand that child the shoe. That child’s job is to keep track of the number of times a shoe makes it around the circle by calling out the lap number as the shoe passes him or her. One time around? One lap. Twice around? Two laps.

The game’s goal is to make as many laps as possible in 60 seconds. Tell kids there are three rules:

1. No throwing! The shoe must be passed.
2. If the shoe is dropped, the Lap Master subtracts one lap from the total and everyone must say, “It’s forgiven.”
3. If someone makes a poor pass—the shoe is fumbled or falls in a player’s lap—the person receiving the shoe says, “It’s forgiven.” No lost lap!

Play three rounds, trying to increase the number of laps each time. At any time you can call “reverse” and send the shoe in the opposite direction.

After playing, discuss as a group:

• How was this game like real life when someone needs forgiveness?
• In what ways does forgiving others make life—or our game—more pleasant?

Say: When we ask God’s forgiveness, he forgives us. He knows that forgiving us helps us be healthier, happier, and closer to him. And we can forgive others as God forgives us!

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: If God was only as forgiving of you as you are of others, how forgiven would you feel? Why? What can you do to change that?

For more fun lessons like this one check out this post!

Supplies

Two miles.

That’s how far Jesus had to walk to reach his friend Lazarus, who was dying in Bethany. But Jesus put off the trip for four days, and rather than come heal Lazarus, Jesus let his friend die.

Picture Lazarus lingering in bed, knowing that if Jesus would just come, he’d be healed. Lazarus waited, day after painful day, until at last he could hold on no longer. He died—literally died—as in dead-and-buried died.

We don’t know much about Lazarus beyond that he was the brother of Mary and Martha and a friend of Jesus. And that following his death, Lazarus walked out of his tomb once Jesus called him back to life.

Was the day Lazarus died a bad day? It must have felt that way to Lazarus and to his sisters. But four days later, that pain behind them, Lazarus became the reason many Jews came to believe in Jesus.

Lazarus became a living testimony to the truth that Jesus is powerful. And we can do the same!

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoing’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: Everybody Up!

Supplies

• Straight-backed chairs

Have children form pairs. Ask the person in each pair whose first name starts with the letter earliest in the alphabet to sit in a chair. (Help younger kids with this.)

Say: On the count of three, I’d like you to stand up. Ready? One . . .two . . . three. Children will have an easy time rising from the chair. If you have a child who’s physically unable to rise from a chair, ask that child to be your helper and give the countdowns.

After they stand, say: With your partner describe a time you think it’d be hard to stand up. Maybe it would be on a roller coaster or when there’s a bully saying he’ll beat you up.

After several minutes for discussion, say: You’re about to discover another time you can’t stand up. It’s when your partner has one finger on your forehead.

Ask the same child in each pair who was just seated to sit in the chair again, this time with arms folded across chest and legs stretched straight out with heels on the floor. The other child in each pair will place a finger firmly against the seated partner’s forehead.

Again give a one . . . two . . . three countdown. The seated partner won’t be able to rise from the seat! Have pairs change places so everyone can take a turn in each role.

Ask partners to discuss:

• How did it feel to be helpless to rise again?
• How is that like or unlike what it’s like to die and be buried?

Say: You’d think that once you’re dead and buried, that’s it. You’re down and staying down. But for Lazarus, because of Jesus’ power, death wasn’t the end of the story. Lazarus rose again! Let’s explore what happened.

GAME FOR A BAD DAY

Bowling Basket Softball Toss

Ask children to join you in sitting in a circle. Tell children you hold an imaginary ball—a basketball. Dribble the ball several times to help kids visualize it.

Say: When someone tosses the ball to you, you’ll change something about it before tossing it along to the next person. For instance, I could make the basketball much larger. Pretend to stretch the ball until it’s huge. Or I could change the weight. Shrink the ball, poke three “holes” in it and say: Now it’s a heavy bowling ball!

Change the ball however you like, but you have to change it somehow before tossing it along, and you can only hold it for seven seconds. Let’s see how long we can keep this going!

Toss the imaginary ball to someone in the circle. Encourage creativity. When you’ve finished, take the ball, shrink it to a marble, and toss it into a pocket. As a group discuss:

• How would this ability make a cool superpower? In what ways could you use it to help and serve others?
• Would you consider someone with a shape-shifting ability powerful? Why or why not?

Say: Today we’ll talk about someone who’s really powerful. And who proved it in a way that people have talked about for a long time!

BAD DAY BIBLE STORY

Point of View

Supplies

• Bible
• Roll of paper towels
• Facial tissues
• Pencils

Assign these roles to your children: Lazarus, Jesus, disciples, Martha. If you have just a few children, assign a role to yourself. If necessary, don’t assign the Martha role.

Give each child in the role of Lazarus enough paper towels to wrap them around his or her arm (two or three sheets). Give children in the Jesus role a facial tissue to hold, because Jesus is sad and give disciples pencils to hold as knives–they’re afraid of being attacked. (Caution kids not to stab anyone with the pencils!)

Hand children in the role of Martha three paper towels each to drape over their heads as scarves.

After children are ready, say: I’m going to share an incredible event found in the Bible. As I read, think about how your character experiences the event. What does your character feel? think? discover? Use your items to help express yourselves.

Read aloud John 11:1-16, 38-44. When you’ve finished, ask children to discuss the following questions from their characters’ points of view:

• How did your character feel? Why?
• What did your character think of Jesus? Why?
• What did your character learn from this experience? How might this experience change your character’s life?

Say: Can anything be more powerful than raising from death? And can anyone be more powerful than Jesus? Lazarus and his sisters learned in an amazing way how powerful Jesus is, and Jesus teaches us about his power in amazing ways too!

CLOSING PRAYER

Body Prayer

Ask children to lie down on the floor, on their backs. Dim the lights.

Say: I’m going to lead us in prayer by suggesting things we can pray about. With each suggestion, I’ll ask you to take a different posture.

Lying on backs: Please lie on your backs. (pause) The Bible says that without Jesus we’re dead in our sins. Consider how you’d feel if you didn’t have Jesus in your life. Silently tell God about that. After a few moments, continue.

Kneeling: Please kneel. (pause) When meeting a king, people sometimes kneel in respect. Tell Jesus why you respect him—why he’s worthy and powerful to be called a king. After a few moments, continue.

Standing: Now please stand. (pause) Jesus said that people who love him aren’t just servants—they’re friends. Thank Jesus for his friendship and love. After a few moments, continue.

Standing with arms raised: Now please raise your arms. (pause) Jesus is powerful! Praise Jesus for all he is and all he’s done! After a few moments, close with everyone saying “amen.”

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Headstones

Supplies

• Paper
• Pencils
• Tape

Before kids arrive, make a paper headstone for Lazarus. Use the words “Lazarus—Friend of Jesus, beloved brother to Mary and Martha.”

Give each child a sheet of paper and a pencil. Ask children to think of a famous person who has died, and to write or draw a tombstone for that person. Explain that tombstones usually include the person’s name and a line or two about what made the person loved or famous. (Invite older kids to help non-writers spell the words for their tombstones.)

After several minutes have kids tape to the wall the headstones they’ve written and drawn. At the same time, tape up the headstone you wrote earlier. Ask children to explain why they picked the person they picked, and to introduce the person on their headstone.

When everyone has had a turn to share their projects and introduce their people, point to Lazarus’s headstone. Say: Here’s why Lazarus is so special. Tear down the headstone. He didn’t stay dead! Jesus raised him, and he walked out of his grave. That’s something none of the other people you’ve named here did!

Option 2: Paper Fold

Supplies

• Various kinds of paper (including newspaper, cardboard, envelope, gift wrap, $1 bill)

Let each child select a piece of paper. Say: Seems simple enough to fold a piece of paper. I’ll bet you’re not powerful enough to fold your paper in half eight times. Give it a try!

After kids attempt to fold their papers in half eight times, ask:

• Why do you think you couldn’t do this simple task?
• How powerful do you think you are compared to Jesus? Explain.

Say: One way Jesus shows his power is through miracles. I’m sure he could even fold paper eight times! But the way I most like how he shows his power is this: he loves us!

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: What could Jesus do that would convince you beyond any doubt that he’s alive and powerfully working in your world?

Check out more fun lessons like this one in this post!

Supplies

Jesus was a dinner guest at the house of an important leader when he noticed that some of the guests were pushing to sit in the more honored seats, the ones closer to the host.

Jesus said a few words about humility, and then he told this story.

At that time, like now, it was important to know how many people were coming to a dinner party. That determined how much food was prepared. In this story, people accept the invitation and then, for a variety of reasons, don’t show up—even though they get a reminder. This was not only rude, but an actual insult.

The host invites people who don’t normally get invitations to banquets: people who are poor, crippled, lame, and blind. They’ll never be able to return the invitation, but the food is ready . . . the table set . . . so they’re invited in.

Jesus’ point is that even people who don’t “qualify” get invitations to be with him. They just have to agree to come.

Those people, by the way, include us. We’re invited to God’s party!

Help your kids discover they’re invited today, and encourage them to say “Yes!” to Jesus’ invitation!

OPENING ACTIVITY

Option 1: Howzitgoin’

Supplies

• Pencils
• Prepared poster

Before kids arrive, draw a line on a poster. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.

Say: If this past week was so awful you wish you’d slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great week you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel about this past week—except exactly on the 5. That’s because there’s no such thing as a week that’s exactly half good and half bad!

After kids have signed in, give them 30 seconds each to explain why they placed their initials where they did. Be sure to include your own initials and explain your placement on the line. Kids will begin to express themselves more over time—and hearing their stories will help you adapt this lesson to make it relevant to your kids’ lives.

Option 2: You’re Invited

Supplies

• 1 sheet of paper per child
• Markers

Invite children to tell you about parties they’ve attended and enjoyed. Have kids describe any costumes, decorations, or party favors. Describe any party games. Ask what made those parties so much fun.

Say: Those sound like fun parties—but they aren’t the best party ever. What would your best-ever party be like? Would you hold it at your house or on a yacht bobbing around in the ocean? Would you serve pizza or lobster? What would you and your guests do at your perfect party?

Using paper and markers, create an invitation to the best party you can imagine. Write what guests would do at the party, how the guests should come dressed. List the food you’ll serve. If you’ll have a limo pick up guests, say so. Since money is no problem, be as bold as you can be! Go for it!

You’ll have five minutes to create your invitation, and then we’ll share what we wrote with others. Ready? Start inviting!

After five minutes, ask children to describe their parties to the larger group. Then as a group discuss:

• How would you feel if a friend agreed to come to your party—and then didn’t show?
• What would you say to your friend?

Say: Today we’ll dig into a story Jesus told about people not showing up at a very special party. The food was ready, the invitations were accepted—but people didn’t show up for that special party. What would the host do?

COOL STORY GAME

Party Pooper

Place a length of masking tape on the floor in the center of the room. Have all the children stand on the tape, single file, facing you. (Make sure the tape line is only about as long as the line of kids.)

Say: When people are planning parties there’s always someone who says, “Nah—not me” to every activity suggestion. For instance, you might all say, “Let’s go skydiving for Josh’s birthday party. And I’d say, “Nah—not me.”

Explain that in this game you’ll suggest an activity. If a child would do it, he or she should step forward (in front of the line). If not, step backward behind the line. Either answer is OK—but if there’s just one child behind the line, that person will be appointed the Designated Self-Confident Party Pooper. (Tell kids that it’s an honor!) The Party Pooper may give everyone high fives before returning to the line.

Keep Going

After you name each activity and kids have stepped forward or backward, have them return to the masking tape line for the next activity choice. Move fast! Here are suggested activities to name. Add more, if desired:

• Go skydiving after one lesson
• Go snorkeling in a pool
• Snorkel in shark-infested seas
• Pop balloons by sitting on them
• Ride on a roller coaster
• Ride a roller coaster minus seat belts
• Go on a horse ride
• Camp
• Swim in a pool
• Go swimming in a lake
• Dress up as superheroes
• Dress up as chickens
• Eat cake
• Eat chocolate
• Go eat worms
• Eat chocolate-covered worms
• Plant a garden for yourself
• Plant a garden to feed families

Have children sit on the floor in a circle. Say: At one time or another, we’re all party poopers. But imagine throwing a party and everyone is a party pooper—so much so that they don’t even show up!

Let’s see what happened when a man throwing a wedding party had that happen to him.

COOL BIBLE STORY

Party Prep On a Dime

Supplies

• Bible
• Masking tape
• Lots of newspapers

Teach

Before children arrive, create a rectangle on the floor using masking tape. Make it the size of a generous dining room table. Place the newspapers outside the rectangle.

Tell children they have just eight minutes to get ready for a party—a formal party with four guests—and they have only the newspapers to create both place settings and decorations. They’ll place what they create on the masking tape table you’ve outlined on the floor.

Making place mats will be easy. Tearing out plates and platters—that will be tougher. Utensils will be a major challenge. And decorations and centerpieces? Good luck.

Spend a few quick moments brainstorming together who will do what, and then get busy—time is short!

After the eight frantic minutes, gather kids where they can admire their handiwork. Compliment them—they deserve it! Say: Bad news: our four guests will be a little late. We sent out invitations, and they responded that they’d come on time—promised they’d come. We even reminded them earlier about coming.

Keep Going

By late I mean: our guests aren’t coming. At all. Ever. They all found something more important to do. Ask:

• How would you feel—after preparing a party and a feast–if your guests simply chose not to come?

Say: Have a seat around our table here, and as you enjoy an imaginary feast, I’ll share with you a story Jesus shared with an audience.

Read aloud Luke 14:16-24. Then discuss as a group:

• How do you think the master felt about the people he’d invited?
• What do you think of the master’s solution to finding guests?
• Where do you think we fit into the story?

Say: When it comes to joining the kingdom of God, we’re definitely latecomers. The Jews were God’s chosen people, but after many of them refused to walk faithfully with God and with Jesus, non-Jews were invited too. Most of us aren’t Jewish, so we’re like those poor people who got to come to the feast too. Good news for us!

But here’s the truth: Jesus died for everyone—Jews and non-Jews alike. We’re invited to God’s party. All we have to do is say “yes” and go!

CLOSING PRAYER

Responding to God’s Invitation

Ask children to stand in a circle, facing out. Tell them to close their eyes and keep their eyes closed until you say the “amen.”

Say: It’s great that we’ve been invited to God’s party, to come to him through his Son, Jesus. The party is our friendship with God, and it goes forever. It starts here, but one day we’ll be with God in Heaven forever. The party never ends! But if we don’t accept the invitation, it doesn’t matter much. So we’re now going to have a chance to say “yes.”

As I pray, please pray along with me. Talk to God about how you feel. At one point I’ll invite you to turn around and face into the circle as a way of saying “yes” to God. Keep your eyes closed so you can’t see how anyone else answers. What matters is whether you say “yes” to God–whether you accept his invitation to his party.

Keep Going

Pray: Dear God, you’re good. Every day, every moment, you’re loving. We know you invite us to be your friends because you love us.

Let’s pause and thank God for his love. How has God shown love to you? Pray out loud or silently. I’ll continue in a few moments. (pause) Inviting us to be with you is a forever thing, God. You’ll be our friend now—and forever in Heaven. Thank you for inviting us to be with you. (pause) God, thank you for your invitation. You know us by name. You invite us by name.

If you’d like to say “yes” to being God’s friend, turn around in the circle. Keep your eyes closed. (pause)

Dear God, thank you for your invitation. We trust you and we say “yes,” knowing that we can trust you forever. Amen.

EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITY

Option 1: Party Feet

Ask kids to line up against one wall. The goal: reach the opposite wall first. But—here’s the catch—the only way to take a step forward is to first call out a type of party or a theme for a party. A second rule: you can’t use a theme or type of party that’s been called out by anyone else.

Ask children to take steps in rotation, one at a time, and allow just five seconds between answers. If a child can’t think of a theme, that child loses a turn or you can help with an answer (great chance to show grace!).

Some unlikely-to-be-called party types and themes to pull out in a pinch: bachelorette, bachelor, luau, 99th birthday, coffee, Italian cuisine, gymnastics, Navy, World Day of Prayer, Australia Day (Australia), the Queen’s Birthday (UK), Boxing Day, National Unity Day (Italy), Fisherman’s Day (Marshall Islands), King Harald V’s Birthday (Norway), Confederation Day.

When you’ve finished playing, read aloud John 3:16,17. Then ask:

• What would you say to a Live Forever with God party?
• What would you give for an invitation to that party?

Option 2: My New Favorite Dessert!

Supplies

• 1 sheet of paper and 1 pencil per child

Hold onto this list of ways to prepare or serve food: baked, boiled, braised, broiled, grilled, fried, frozen, poached, steamed, toasted, and raw.

Ask one or more children to write a list of at least ten ice cream flavors–the weirder, the better. Vanilla and chocolate will get a mention, but so should mangled mango or ketchup tofu.

Give another child or two the task of creating a list of at least ten specific objects. For instance: hockey pucks, diapers, computer keyboards.

When lists are finished, suggest that somewhere in your combined lists is your new favorite dessert. You and the children will call out what’s on your lists, rotating between your food prep list, the flavors list, and the objects list (in that order). For instance: “toasted mangled mango hockey pucks!” See what wacky combinations emerge, and then mix and match to get a group “favorite.” But decide together that you’ll never try it!

Say: Don’t try serving these goodies at your next party if you want people to come. But when God throws a party, its good stuff–forever. That’s a party I want to attend!

Option 3: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Gather kids in a circle. Ask: What do you think it will cost you to say “yes” to Jesus? Is it worth the price? Explain.

For more fun lessons like this one, check out this post!