Put Jesus at the Center

Jesus…said, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must say no to himself.  He must pick up his cross and follow me.”  Matthew 16:24 (NIRV)

Props: drawing board, markers

            Two helpers enter and helper 1 challenges helper 2 to a game of tic-tac-toe.  Helper 2 agrees and draws an “X” on the board.  Helper 1 asks where the grid is, and helper 2 says it isn’t necessary.  Helper 1 asks where the “X” is—whether in the middle, the corner, etc.  Helper 2 replies that the grid is wherever he wants it to be.  Helper 1 insists that a grid is the center of the game and it cannot be played without it.  Helper 2 disagrees and the game is off.

            This was just plain silly!  Everyone knows you can’t play tic-tac-toe without drawing a grid first (or at least drawing an “imaginary” grid).  The grid is the center of the game. 

            This reminds me of people who try to go through life without Jesus.  Everything else in their life gets scattered.  If you want things in life to make sense, put Jesus first!   Let Jesus be at the center of your life, and your goals, visions, desires, talents and relationships will fall into place.  You won’t get any farther in life without Jesus than you would in a tic-tac-toe game without the grid.  So put your life in order…Put Jesus first!

Purpose of the Safety Patrol

Jesus…said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35

Props: safety patrol belt and badge

Have a helper come forward and model the safety patrol belt and badge.  You may even want to have him/her model the actions you describe (flaunting authority vs. helping the other students). 

Many of you have seen the safety patrol in action at your school.  Does anyone know the reason for the safety patrol? (Allow for response).   The reason some kids are on safety patrol is to help protect the other students and keep them safe.  In order to do that, the kids on safety patrol are given some power.  They have the power to tell the other kids to get back in line or to slow down and stop running in the halls.  They also have the power to report any bad behavior to the teachers.  But there is a reason for their power.  They aren’t given power just to make them better than the other kids.  Their power is not given to them so that they can boss everyone else around, or so that they can tease the other kids and say, “Ha, ha, you have to listen to me!” 

            Some of you may be on the safety patrol.  Whether you are or aren’t, God has given or will give you a certain amount of power.  You may end up serving on the Junior Leadership team of KIDS Church.  Maybe you will be a leader on a sports team or in the student government of your middle school or high school.  God may have plans for you to grow up to be the president of a large company or the pastor of a church. 

He does have incredible plans for you, but there’s one thing you have to remember: when God gives you power, He wants you to use it to help people.  Power can help or hurt people.  Make up your mind that you are going to use your power to help others.  If you’re on the safety patrol, do your best and help make your school safer.  If you’re a leader on your sports team, people will look up to you.  Think of ways to bring your team together and make it the best team possible.  And one of the best ways to use your power is to be a leader and a positive example to your friends and family.     

Everyone has some power—some have lots, some just a little.  Use your power to help others.

Program Your Mind

…Whatever is noble…think about such things.     Philippians 4:8

Props: computer, CDs

            Today we’re talking about the things you think about.  The Bible says that it is very important to think about the right things.  Sometimes, though, it’s not always easy to understand why we need to think about the right things.  To help us understand that, let’s look at the computer. 

            When I type words into the computer and I press “print,” what is going to come out of the printer?  (Allow for response).  The same words that I put into the computer will come out of the printer.  The same thing happens when I install a computer program.  (Show CDs).  The computer program I put in will be the one I have to work with:  If I put in Power Point, Paint Shop is not going to appear.  I will get Power Point. 

The same goes for your mind.  What you put into your mind is what will come out.  If you continually allow bad language to go into your mind through movies, music or even the wrong friends, bad language will come out of your mouth.  If you play video or computer games where people are always beating each other up and tearing each other apart, it will cause you to think about beating other people up and may cause you to start acting that way.   

            So fill your mind with worth-while things.   For everything that you spend time filling your mind with, ask yourself, “Is this worth my time?  Is it going to help me or someone else?”  And keep filling your mind with worth-while things.

Privileged by God

Blessed are the pure in heart,
      for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 (NIV)

Props: Various school passes (e.g., “hall pass,” “runner,” “library pass,” etc.)

            Time to test your knowledge: Beatitudes is a word that means…(Allow the students to respond) blessings!  Who wants God’s blessings?  Let’s start off by learning more about what it means to be blessed by God. 

            All of you go to school and you know that one of the favorite things for most students is leaving the classroom, especially when no one else gets to go.  Sometimes the teacher may give you or someone in your class a pass like this one.  (Display “hall pass”).  It says “hall pass” and it means that whoever is carrying it has permission to be in the hall.  Probably the person who is carrying the hall pass is mature and grown-up enough for the teacher to trust.  She wouldn’t let just anyone out on their own.  This one can also be fun.  (Display “runner”).  It says “runner” and it means that the boy or girl carrying it is running errands for the teacher.  The teacher really has to be able to trust a runner.  He or she carries important information.  How many of you like to do that?  (Allow for response).  And one more type of pass that you may get is a library pass, like this one.  (Show pass).  It may mean that you finished your work early and you get to go spend some free reading time in the library.  You’ve worked hard and now the teacher is giving you a special privilege. 

            When God blesses you, He gives you special privileges.  You will be blessed if you keep a clean heart.  You will be blessed because God said you will see Him if you keep a clean heart.  Just like you may be privileged with a hall pass at school, God will give you a “pass” to be able to see Him.  Not everyone can see God, only those whose hearts are pure and clean.  It’s an incredible, wonderful privilege to see God.  And if your heart stays pure, you’ll be able to see Him yourself.

Price for the Power

I want to know Christ better. I want to know the power that raised him from the dead. I want to share in his sufferings. I want to become like him by sharing in his death. Philippians 3:10 (NIrV)

Props: Power company bill, large piece of cardboard labeled “God’s power” with attached “price tag” labeled “prayer, Bible study, sacrifice, giving, obedience”

Every morning when I get up, I turn on the lights.  Then I wash my face in the nice warm water that comes out of the sink.  I check the air conditioner to make sure the temperature is just right.  After I get dressed, I open the fridge and take out the milk that is nice and cold.  I have a bowl of cereal and I’m off for the day!

One day I checked the mail and there was a bill from FPL (Florida Power and Light). (Hold up power bill).  I thought, “That’s strange!  Are they really asking me to pay for electricity and the power that comes to my house?”  I thought it was ridiculous, so I didn’t pay the bill.  I just put it off to the side.  

Then I got a call one day from the power company.  The lady said, “Ma’am, you need to pay your electric bill right away.”  I said, “That’s crazy.  There’s already a power line connected to my house.  Why would I need to pay for it?”  So I didn’t pay the bill.

A few days later I woke up.  I turned on the switch and the light didn’t come on.  I went to wash my face and there was no hot water.  The air conditioner wasn’t working either.  And when I went to open the fridge, it was warm.  My milk was spoiled and I couldn’t eat breakfast! 

I guess I should have paid the bill.    

Jesus paid the price for your salvation through His sacrifice and death on the cross.  But if you want to have God’s power working in you, you have to be willing to share in Jesus’ suffering: you have to pay the price. 

God’s power is not like electricity: you don’t put money in an envelope and send it to heaven to get God’s power.  But there is a price to pay.  You have to be willing to obey God, to say “no” to yourself and “yes” to Him.  You have to make sacrifices, like spending less time with the TV/video games and more time in prayer and Bible study.  Sacrifices like not hanging around people who are bad influences on you.  You have to give of yourself, then give some more.

Remember, God’s power comes with a price.  (Read Philippians 3:10).

Praying for Rain (skit)

We walk by faith, not by sight.  2 Corinthians 5:7

           Teacher: As we learn about faith today, it is important to understand that faith is more than believing: faith means taking action. 

           Narrator: There is a story about a small town that went weeks without rain.  The weeks went on and became months.  There was still no rain.  The ground began to dry up.  The crops were dying.  The water sources were getting lower.  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.  Finally, someone suggested that the people of the town get together and pray, asking God to send rain.   

            (Man and woman enter.)

            Man: Good afternoon.

            Woman: Good afternoon.  Are you here to pray? 

            Man: Oh, yes.  And just look, here come others to join us.  It’s so good to be in a community where people believe in God.

            Woman: Yes, it is.  I do believe.  Do you believe?

            Man: Absolutely.  God is the creator of the universe.  He can do anything. 

            Woman: I believe He can make it rain. 

            (Pastor enters). 

            Pastor: Good afternoon.

            Man and Woman: Good afternoon, Pastor.

            Pastor: We have gathered here to pray for rain.  Do you believe God can send the rain?

            Man and Woman: We believe.

            (Girl enters wearing rain coat and holding umbrella).

            Woman: (to girl) Little girl, why are you wearing a raincoat and holding an umbrella?

            Girl: We are praying for rain, so I though I’d better come prepared. 

            Pastor: We may have believed, but this little girl has real faith. 

            (All exit). 

            Teacher: Faith is more than just believing in God.  Faith means taking action.  If you really believe what God says is true, you will live by it.  You will obey Him and His Word.  2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” Choose to walk by faith and put your faith to action.

Pray for Them

“But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Matthew 5:44

Props: unsweetened powdered drink and sugar jar labeled “prayer”

            Did you know that you can pray to God to change your enemies?  We don’t have any power to change anyone, but we serve a God who does have that power. 

            (Call forward a volunteer and have her to sample the unsweetened drink.   Ask her how it tastes.)  Our enemies can seem pretty sour sometimes.  Usually that’s because they have someone very important missing in their lives—God.  When you pray, God can come in and change them.  He brings in His love—and sweetness—to their lives.  (Add sugar).  That makes them seem a whole lot nicer to you.  (Have volunteer sample drink again.) 

             Prayer does make a difference.  So instead of just hoping your enemies will go away or get better, pray for them.  Pray that God’s love will fill their lives.    

Praise Unlocks the Door

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
       and his courts with praise;
       give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

Props: large, oversized key labeled “praise” and real (or imaginary) door

There are lots of Christians who want to pray, but don’t know how.  How many of you have ever wondered how to pray before?  (Allow for response).  Prayer is no big mystery; it’s simply talking with God and listening to Him—in other words, connecting with Him.  But there are some ways to go about praying that are better than others. 

            Imagine that God is on the other side of this door, seated on His throne in Heaven.  Many people just stand at the door and never go in to God.  They may be afraid or not know what to say.  Lots of people just don’t “feel” like praying, or they don’t think it will do any good.  So they never go to God.

            Then there is a different group of people.  These people just barge right in.  Their prayer time sounds something like this: “Dear God, give me a good day with lots of fun and please let my mom say I can have all my friends over and, oh, yeah, let me get good grades on all my tests and heal my big toe and make my brother share and…”  These people nearly knock the door down and then throw everything on God and run out! 

            But there is a better way to come to God!  Psalm 100:4 says “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”  That means that when you come near to God, the first thing you should do is give thanks to Him and praise Him.  Tell Him thanks for all the great things He has done for you and praise Him for all His wonderful works.  (Display key).  Your praise is like a key that unlocks the door to where God is.  You can go right up to His throne as you praise and thank Him.  Then you can ask Him for all the things you need.  Your praise and thanks will get you in to God.  So as you begin your prayer time each day, remember to start with thanks and praise to God.

Praise Every Day

I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
       I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 86:12

Props: reward stickers, pom-poms, trophy, certificate of award, etc.

            How many of you have ever thought, “I’d like to praise the Lord, but I don’t know how”?  Praise is not as hard as it sounds.  In fact, you do it almost every day.  You may not think of some things as praise, but they are.  For example, if you are at your school’s talent show and someone sings a great song, what do you do when they are finished?  (Lead the children in an applause).  That’s right, you clap.  And when you go to a sports game, like the one we saw on the video, what do you do when someone makes a great play?  (Pick up the pom-poms and begin to cheer).  You cheer.  When you are good at school, your teacher may give you a sticker like one of these.  (Have the helpers distribute stickers to the children).  People who do great things may earn trophies or certificates or awards of many kinds.  These are all ways to show praise.  There is nothing wrong with showing people praise, as long as you don’t worship those people.  But if we give people praise, then how much more should we praise God?  God is the One who created the heavens and the earth, the mountains and the oceans, the animals, the birds and all the people that we sometimes praise for their good works.

            Praising God is not hard at all; we have so much to praise Him for.  If you can cheer for people, you can cheer for God.  If you can clap for people, you can do the same for God.  You can say, “Good job, Lord,” when you look at His beautiful creation.  You can also tell Him how wonderful He is for working in your life.  All of these things—clapping, cheering, saying, “Good job”—are examples of praise.  God is awesome and deserves our best praise.  We worship God for Who He is and we praise Him for all He has done.   Start praising Him today!

Powered Up

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…Acts 1:8 (NIV)

Props: any object that functions, but is not as powerful as its counterpart (such as a manual can opener and an electric can opener)

• (Use manual object and demonstrate its functionality.) This object works just fine.  It gets the job done.  But it’s not as powerful as one that runs on electricity. 
• (Demonstrate the power of the electric-operated object).  This one does the same job, but it’s faster, easier and more powerful.
• You can be a Christian without being baptized in the Holy Spirit as Jesus told His followers that they would be. 
• When you are baptized in the Spirit, you can walk with God and work for Him in a more powerful way.
• [Give examples from your life or the life of someone you know]. 
• Be empowered by God’s Holy Spirit!

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