Lesson for Sunday 13/2/2011
LOVE GOD. LOVE PEOPLE: WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT OF US?
Key learning point:
The 2 greatest priorities for Christians is to Love God and to Love People J
LESSON STRUCTURE
You guys can take some time to go through the daily devotions section and get some of them to share what they have learnt from the monday-sunday devotions before proceeding to the HOOK.
HOOK (15-20mins)
Get the kids to squat down in a circle and tell them to tip-toe while squatting down (i.e squat down with their heels not touching the ground). Tell them to close their eyes and CAREFULLY follow the instructions/rules of the game (take your time while doing this):
1) Do not cheat! (i.e. keep your eyes closed and heels off the ground)
2) When you are tapped once sing the song “Jesus loves me”
3) When you are tapped twice stand up but still keep your eyes closed
4) When you are tapped thrice you can do anything you want
5) When you are tapped on your head repeat the 4 other rules/instructions of the game (i.e. Rule 1 do not cheat, rule 2 – tapped once sing song, rule 3 tapped twice stand up, rule 4 tapped trice do anything…)
So after you have explained the rules (by this time their legs should be aching like crazy), go round and tap 2 of them once, one person twice and tap 3 persons trice (you can change the numbers according to how big the group is). Next just sit back and see what happens… they will probably forget the rules and its okay, just give them time to recall and guide them along…
The main idea is to see how the 3 persons will react when they are allowed to do anything they want (if they do not do anything maybe u can try to hint to them that they can tap the others to make them sing/carry out the other rules – since we did not specify who is SUPPOSED to do the tapping, they could in fact also tap themselves thrice if they realized it). Basically suggest that they could be nasty if they wanted to.
So in short, they can either choose to love their friends and tap all of them 3 times, or be real nasty and start tapping them once or on their heads while their legs are aching like crazyy.
After the game ask them these questions
1) Ask them how did they feel when they were tapped once/twice/on the head?
2) Ask those that were tapped thrice, what did they do? Why did they do what they did? (could either be freeing their friends or torturing their friends)
3) For those that were not tapped 3 times, what would you have done if you were the one that was tapped 3 times?
4) What do you think God expects of us a Christians?
Let them share their experiences etc. don’t need to criticize or anything… just let them share how they feel about the game etc..
BOOK (20 mins)
1) Tell them that let’s start by examining how other religions feel about what their god expects of them
Cover pts 1-6 on page 41 of the leaders guide.
Continue to cover point 7 that Christianity is the only world faith that is not about man getting closer to God, but about God getting closer to man. Because God loved you first, your heart’s desire should be to willingly do anything for Him – not because He demands it of you, but because you love Him.
(Point 7: God doesn’t expect a rigid adherence to a set of rules. He expects obedient love and loyalty.)
2) Let’s examine what Jesus has to say about what it means to be a Christian and follower of Christ. Read Mark 12:28-34
Carry on to cover points 8-9 on leaders’ guide 42 and 43 with the elaboration as provided in the eladers guide. (Shema is the central prayer in the Jewish prayer book – recited as a declaration of faith in the one true God)
*Just in case the kids ask about the part (2) of point 9, the part about God hand picking us before we were even born, you could perhaps suggest they could also see it that God chose/picked ALL of us and gave us all the freedom to choose whether to accept or reject His great love for us. However, the fact is that He knows us so intrinsically well (since he is our creator) that He knows who will eventually reject Him and who will choose to follow him. Moreover, it is also undeniable that it is God who first offered his love (that we do not deserve) to us by grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus in this way God choses us and not the other way round! We have no basis to say we can choose God!
3) Cover qn 2/3 of SO WHAT? Section and get them to share a little if possible
TOOK (10-15 mins)
1) Cover the “DO” points – What they should bring home with them. Get them to understand the implications of saying that they are a Christian and they love God – they should love people as well and to give this the priority! (i.e. Emphasize on point 2 of “DO”)
Close in prayer for each other J
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