Hook! (10-15 mins)
another short guessing game!
basically, the one described in the book should be enough..
just in case the kids cannot remember what is said, pls bring along a marker(:
the point of the game? to be able to tell which is the lie and the truth! (discerning the truth)
i know some of you have feedbacked that you don't play the hook cuz girls don't like to sabotage each other..(which is a lame excuse by the way)
so instead of thinking evil thoughts all the time, you can play the game on a reward based system..
i.e. the person who can discern the truth most (hence, the winner) will receive a prize! you can get something simple, like a pack of m&ms(:
else, you can go find another game which you think your group would appreciate(:
as long as the moral of the story is how do we discern the truth?
After the game,
ask them these few questions:
1. Who told the most unbelievable lie?
2. Who managed to trick the most people? and why was he/she so successful?
3. What gave most people away?
4. Did it have anything to do with you knowing them well?
[if you feel like doing what was written in the book - the drama bit at the top of page 51, go ahead]
Book! (30-35 mins)
Read Matthew 4 : 1 - 11
1) What happened in the passage?
basically, (in geek terms) Satan tried to challenge Jesus in Jesus' homeground (Jesus home, Satan away) and got pwned instead.
2) Why did Jesus go into the wilderness??!
aside from the fact that it was the holy spirit that led him, more importantly, Jesus needed time away from everyone else to focus on God (and his mission).
food for thought - do we find it easier to concentrate on something when we are alone? (alone can also mean without the computer / internet access)
on the note of staying focused - Jesus also fasted.
fasting and dieting are not equilivant. To fast is to afflict the soul through abstaining from fulfiling the needs and wants of the flesh.
if your kids are interested, or confused, you can go through certain "case-studies" with them, otherwise, move on..
[note: fasting is not the main point of the lesson, so don't spend too much time on it!]
Moses fasted for 40 days and nights, twice, back-to-back, when he went to get the 10 commandments.
King David fasted for a week, hoping that God would spare his love child with bathsheba.
The Ninevites fasted after Jonah prophecied that God would bring down judgement upon them.
Saul, who later became Paul, did not eat or drink anything for 3 days after a visit by Jesus along the way to Damascus.
In fact, Jesus warned his disciples against fasting to make themselves look good in front of others! (matt 6 : 16-18)
3) How did Jesus beat Satan at his own game? (aside from the fact that Jesus is imba)
#1: Jesus knew the Bible well too!
He understood the importance of the Bible, and He had prepared Himself for the desert challenge before it arrived.
also, Jesus did not just tell Satan to get lost - He used words from the Bible!
the Bible commands authority. it is our sword! (:
#2: Jesus didn't just memorise the Bible. He UNDERSTOOD them.
Jesus knew that the enemies of God know the Bible and distort it for their own ends.
In the passage, Satan cleverly takes a statement from Psalms and trys to trick Jesus.
too bad, satan. Jesus is ahead of you..
Jesus knew the whole story, and took another point.
Has it ever occured to us that Satan will deliberately manipulate the truth to distract us?
In fact, there are times where Christians misinterpret the Bible.
How can we be sure that someone is using the Bible accurately?
#1 Know your Bible =.=
#2 Know the context each time you read a passage
#3 ask yourself - does the interpretation glorify God and point people towards Him, or is used selfishly to control or to avoid God?
Took! (10-15 mins)
Why do we need to know the bible well?
because its the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth!
and also because its our sword..better sharpen it so we can ward off the enemy!
So what can we do?
#1 make reading the Bible a habit (not routine! we read the bible because we want to and not that we are used to it)
reading the bible is not a natural thing. we have to do it deliberately.
like atheletes who train to win competetions, we have to do likewise to finish the race well!
#2 Do bible study with other Christians (i.e. PCM)
why must we do with other christians, why not alone?
because of many reasons - we can ask questions, help others, and learn from others!
in fact, we practise fellowship! along with accountability, etc.
#3 Memorize the Scripture!
We need God's truth in our life!
just like how we arm ourselves with formulas and knowledge before going into an exam, we have to arm ourselves with God's word before going into the battlefield each day!
Challenge your kids to read the bible more often!
Not having enough time to do so is a silly excuse..
Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Close in prayer!
Do remember your kids through the week. pray for them each day, because we are not the only ones eyeing their souls ><
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