Fire Drill!

So watch! You do not know what day or what hour the Son of Man is coming. Matthew 25:13 (NLV)

At some unannounced time during the lesson, hold a fire drill (a real drill complete with alarm, if possible).  Have the kids line up and exit through the fire escape.  Make sure this is not at a “convenient” time.  Upon returning to the room, continue with the following lesson:

Whenever you’re in a building (school, home, church, or any building), there is always the possibility of a fire.  You know that, but the important thing is to be prepared.  You should always know how to get out and how to act during such an emergency.  Today you did a great job.  We were all ready.  But could you imagine if it were a real fire and no one knew where to go or what to do?

            Jesus told us to watch and be ready, because we don’t know the day or the hour of His return.  He told us that he’d be coming back one day.  He will take with Him those who love and serve God, those who are ready.  But He’s not going to stand around and wait for people who aren’t living for God and doing what is right.  Now is the time to prepare.

            All of us teachers knew there’d be a fire drill today.  And we all know what to do if there is a real fire.  But can you imagine if we heard the alarm and ran out the fire escape, leaving all of you kids behind?  What if we pushed our way to the front of the line and didn’t care if any of you got out?  That would be terrible!

            As Christians, we all know Jesus is coming back and we know what we need to do to be ready.  But there are millions of people who have no idea.  We need to tell them!  We need to let them know that they should get their life ready by giving it to God, loving and serving Him.  When we run to Jesus, let’s not leave everyone else behind!  

            Remember: Jesus is coming back, so stay on track!

Enter through the Narrow Door (“City of Gold” Airlines Skit)

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13, 14

Props: narrow and wide gates or door frames, several pieces of luggage

Characters: airline attendant, traveler

The following is a skit to illustrate the importance of coming to God through the narrow door, without all of the baggage of life.  

 Airline attendant stands by the gates.

 Traveler: (enters carrying several heavy bags, approaches attendant) Excuse me, I’m here for the next flight out to the City of Gold.

Attendant: Do you have your ticket?

Traveler: Oh, yes.  (hands over ticket)

Attendant: Looks like your ready, just one final thing.

Traveler: What’s that?

Attendant: You can’t go through the gate with those bags.

Traveler:  What do you mean?

Attendant: In the City of Gold, the King won’t allow any extra bags.  Passengers only.  Don’t worry, though.  He gives everyone all they could ever hope for and then some.  So you really won’t need all of those things anyway.

Traveler:  But you don’t understand.  I have to take these bags.

Attendant:  If I might ask, what is so important that you can’t let go of?

Traveler:  Well, this bag right here has lots of broken toys and things in it.  The broken things remind me of who broke them and how much they hurt me. 

Attendant:  So you carry unforgiveness?

Traveler:  Not exactly, I mean I just carry the things around so I don’ t forget…Well… I guess you could say…Yeah, it’s unforgiveness.

Attendant: What’s in this bag?

Traveler:  These are all the things that make me cool.  CDs, videos, magazines…

Attendant:  Things you’re not supposed to have?

Traveler:  Uhhh…yeah.

Attendant:  And what about the backpack?

Traveler:  These are things that remind me of all my problems and things I have to worry about.

Attendant:  You know you can’t take that in either.  Wouldn’t you feel much better if you just let those bags go?  Your back must hurt.

Traveler:  I’ve been carrying them around so long I’m used to them.  Now there must be some way to get through without having to get rid of my things.

Attendant:  There is another gate, but it doesn’t lead to the same place.

Traveler:  Well, I’ll just have to take that gate.  (Moving through the gate)  I’ll see you there.

Attendant: I don’t think so. (exits)

Follow up:  Jesus said that if you want to get to Heaven, you have to take the narrow gate.  To get through a narrow gate, you can’t carry loads of “stuff” with you.  If you have bad things in your life (fighting, bad language, disobedience), you have to let them go.  You’ll never make it into Heaven with sin in your life.  You must be willing to take the narrow gate to find God and get rid of whatever you have to in order to see Him.  In the end it’s all worth it.

Don’t Miss the Bus!

So watch! You do not know what day or what hour the Son of Man is coming. Matthew 25:13 (NLV)

Scene: A boy and a girl are waiting at a bus stop.

Boy: Are you going to the big carnival today? 

Girl: I didn’t know there was a carnival.

Boy: You didn’t hear about it?!  It’s going to be great—rides, games, food and I even heard there’s going to be a big concert. 

Girl: Where is it?

Boy: Downtown at East Park.  

Girl:  Oh, yeah.  My mom told me about it.  She said I could go if I wanted to.  But I don’t have any money.

Boy: But everything is free!  The bus is coming soon, are you going? 

Girl: I can’t even buy a bus ticket.

Boy: If you’re going to the carnival, the ticket is free.  But you have to go to the counter and pick it up. 

Girl: That’s great!  Sounds like it’s going to be a lot of fun.  

Boy: You better go get your ticket.

Girl: Yeah, I’ll get it before the bus comes.  So tell me what kind of rides there are. 

Boy: I’ll tell you all about it later.  The bus is coming around the corner any minute.  You better go get your ticket. 

Girl: I’ve got plenty of time.  Do you know if they’re going to have cotton candy there?  I love cotton candy. 

Boy: Would you stop wasting time?  Go get your ticket!  It’s free…just go pick it up. 

Girl: Yeah, yeah, yeah…

(Sound effects: bus approaching, stopping). 

Boy: I told you.  Why didn’t you just get your ticket? 

Girl: Wait!  Hold the bus!  I’m going to get my ticket now…

Boy: Sorry…the bus won’t wait.  (Boards bus and leaves). 

Girl exits, crying. 

 

Teacher follow-up: Jesus told us that one day He’d return to take us back to the Father.  We will go with Him to Heaven one day if we are ready.  He already paid the price for us to go to Heaven: He died to take the punishment for our sins.  His death on the cross made it possible for us to receive forgiveness for all the bad things we’ve done and go to Heaven forever.  But we must accept His love and forgiveness, turn from our sins and choose to live for God.  He made it possible, but it’s still our choice.  The boy in the skit chose to take his ticket and get on the bus.  The girl thought she had plenty of time.  She wasn’t ready.  She missed the bus and the carnival.  One day Jesus will return.  If we are living for Him, we’ll be ready.  If not, it will be too late.  Now is the time to make the decision to follow Him.  Remember: Jesus is coming back, so stay on track.

Can’t Go There

Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:15

Props: various signs depicting requirements for entry into different places (e.g., “Members Only,” “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service,” “No Children,” etc.); “No Liars” sign

Have you ever not been allowed to go somewhere? Maybe you were too young, too old, or not tall enough. All kinds of places don’t let people in for different reasons. (Display signs as you speak). Some places, like certain clubs, don’t allow non-members in. Many stores don’t let people in unless they’re wearing shoes. Some offices and businesses don’t let children in. Maybe you haven’t thought about it, but there is also a list of people who can and can’t go into heaven.
The list of people who can get into heaven is very long. It includes everyone who has asked God to forgive their sins and has let Jesus be in control of their life. It is everyone who has lived for God and has obeyed Him. You can make sure that your name is on the list of people allowed into Heaven by turning your life over to God.
God also has a list of people that He won’t let into Heaven. That list includes everyone who does not live for Him. But God makes it very plain in the Bible that no liars will get into Heaven. (Display “No Liars” sign). He takes lying so seriously that He made it a part of the list of people that can’t get into Heaven.
I don’t want to do anything that would keep me out of Heaven, and I know that you don’t want to either. You have to make up your mind to live for God and to live a life of honesty– being truthful in everything you say and do.

Better than you could imagine!

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21: 22-27

Prop: photo album

A few years ago, I went to Disney World (or tell about somewhere else you’ve been). When I came home, I wanted to tell my best friend all about my trip. I described everything, told every detail about every ride and even showed her pictures. But she didn’t seem as excited as I was. I didn’t understand why she wasn’t as thrilled as I was. She said she was sure it was great, but she just didn’t feel the same as me.

A few months later, she went on an exciting trip. She told me all about it and showed me pictures. It sounded great, but I didn’t feel her excitement because I just had not been there and had not seen the same things she had. Looking at pictures just wasn’t the same.

That’s what it’s like for us and heaven. We have a picture of what Heaven looks like in the Bible. God told us a little bit about what heaven will be like. But because we haven’t been there and seen it with our own eyes, and because we haven’t felt the glory ourselves, it’s hard to understand just how incredible, wonderful, marvelous and spectacular it really is. In fact, we’ll never know how great it is until we get there. You’ll learn a lot about heaven today, but most importantly, make up your mind that you’re going to do what it takes to get there.