Putting God First: My Life s1

Putting God First: My Life

Week 6: Do What God Wants You to Do

This includes:

Leader Preparation

Lesson Guide

LEADER PREPARATION

BIBLE BASIS

The golden rule isn’t complicated. One simple rule that sums up all the others. God has given us an easy way to know what to do when it comes to the way we treat others. He tells us to treat everyone the way we want to be treated. That’s not a hard rule to understand, but it isn’t always an easy one to follow. Challenge your kids with this lesson by encouraging them to be living, breathing, mirror images of God by putting others first.

DISCOVERY POINT

Do what God wants you to do.

BIBLE FOCUS

Matthew 7:12

KEY VERSE

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you” (Matthew 7:12).

TEACHING PREP

The short overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson.

Supplies You’ll Need: Putting God First: My Life (Year 1/Quarter 4) CD, LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, “Do What I Want” handout, “Mirror Image” handout, “Esther Bible Bio” handout, scissors, Bibles, foam plates, several rolls of aluminum foil, dry-erase markers, various instruction manuals, and paper towels

Before This Lesson

• Print the “Do What I Want” handout. Cut the handout into separate cards. You’ll need one set of cards for each Bible Crew.

• Print and cut apart the “Mirror Image” handout. You’ll need one copy for each group of four kids.

• Print the “Esther Bible Bio” handout. You’ll need one copy for each group of four kids.

• Assemble Bible Exploration Kits (one per four kids): one Bible, one set of “Do What I Want” cards prepared above, one “Mirror Image” handout, one “Esther Bible Bio” handout, one roll of inexpensive aluminum foil, one dry-erase marker, and a large foam plate and paper towel per child.

• Gather several books containing rules or directions, such as an owner’s manual, a cookbook, or directions to a board game.

• Review Matthew 7:12.

• Cue"Into the Bible"(Track 1) on Putting God First: My Life (Year 1/Quarter 4) CD or(Quarter 4/Track 1) on the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD.

• Huddle briefly with your volunteers beforehand. Answer any questions they have. Encourage them and pray.

PARENT EMAIL

We’ve provided you with a “Family Devotion” handout to send the Bible learning and faith discovery home. When kids and parents have faith discussions regularly, kids’ faith multiplies.

So we’ve given you two options:

· Print the “Family Devotion” handout and make enough copies for each child to take one home.

· Email the “Family Devotion” to families before or after the actual lesson.

Or why not do both? That way you’ll double the opportunities for parents to actually get the handout.

Putting God First: My Life

Week 6: Do What God Wants You to Do

LESSON GUIDE

WELCOME!

Supplies: Putting God First: My Life (Year 1/Quarter 4) CD, LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, assembled Bible Exploration Kits

1. Play “Into the Bible” (Track 1) from the Putting God First: My Life (Year 1/Quarter 4) CD or (Quarter 4/Track 1) from the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD, as kids arrive.

• “Into the Bible”

Makes me wanna jump!

Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!

Makes me wanna sing! Hallelujah!

It’s the greatest book.

Come and take a look.

Makes me wanna shout!

Shout! Shout! Shout! Shout!

So that everyone will see

I’m getting into the Bible

And the Bible...is getting into me!

We’re discovering a brand-new world

As we dig a little deeper (deeper),

Finding out about who God is.

Open it up and see it (see it)!

There’s nothin’ like

God’s Word, and I get

So excited.

It makes me wanna,

Makes me,

Makes me wanna jump!

Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!

Makes me wanna sing! Hallelujah!

It’s the greatest book.

Come and take a look.

Makes me wanna shout!

Shout! Shout! Shout! Shout!

So that everyone will see

I’m getting into the Bible

And the Bible...is getting into me!

2. When all the children have arrived, have them form Bible Crews. Ask crews to sit in separate circles, and give each crew a Bible Exploration Kit.

SAY: Have you ever been in a new situation and felt like the only one who didn’t know what to do? Maybe you were new at your school or it was your first time to visit a class at a new church.

ASK:

• How did you act or what did you do in your new situation?

SAY: Often, when we don’t know what to do, we follow those around us. Not a bad idea, as long as you follow someone who’s doing the right thing. Let’s play a game that requires you to get your Bible Crew to do something you want them to do. The hard part will be that the person giving the directions isn’t allowed to make a sound.

3. Have crews find the “Do What I Want” cards in their Exploration Kits, but ask kids not to read them yet. Explain that kids will take turns reading a card silently and then trying—without talking—to get the rest of the crew to do what’s on the card. (Whisper instructions to younger children who aren’t able to read what’s written on their cards.)

4. Let Bible Crews play for a few minutes.

ASK:

• What made this activity easy or hard?

• If you were one of the leaders, how did it feel when your Bible Crew understood what you wanted them to do and then did it?

• If God had a game called Do What I Want, what sort of things do you think he would want us to do?

5. SAY: God does have things he wants us to do. But, thankfully, he’s not silent about letting us know what those things are. Today, we’ll explore how you can do what God wants you to do.

LET’S EXPLORE!

Supplies: assembled Bible Exploration Kits

1. SAY: God’s Word helps you know how to do what God wants you to do. Every book in the Bible gives important information about how to live. Try this: Open your Bibles and let’s see how quickly you can find one verse—any verse—that tells something God wants you to think, say, or do. It shouldn’t take very long, so as soon as your crew finds one of God’s commands, stand up and say, “Got one!”

Give the crews a minute to work together to find a passage. Then have crews share their findings.

2. SAY: Wherever you go there are opportunities to do what God wants you to do. Let’s read about someone who did what God wanted even when she was so afraid that she could barely stand up. Have kids find the “Esther Bible Bio” handout in their Bible Exploration Kits and take turns reading it. Then ask them to talk about the following questions in their groups:

ASK:

• What is one word you’d use to describe how Esther felt about what God wanted her to do?

• What might have happened if Esther had refused to do what God wanted her to do?

• When is it hard for us to do what God wants?

SAY: Thousands of years ago Esther did what God wanted her to do. She did for others what she’d want them to do for her.

3. SAY: When you look in the mirror you’ll see the image of someone God wants to use today—you! All you have to do to get ready for the job is do what God wants you to do right now.

Have kids take the foam plates and aluminum foil out of their Bible Exploration Kits. Show kids how to make a mirror by covering the plate with the foil. Tell them to put the shiniest side up and smooth out the wrinkles. Although the clarity will not be as good as a real mirror, kids will be able to see silhouettes of themselves.

SAY: Esther was willing to do what God wanted her to do, and God used her in a big way. How about you? When you look at yourself in a mirror, you’ll see the reflection of a person who can live for God. Look in your mirrors right now and say to yourself, “You can do what God wants you to do.”

4. SAY: Let’s look in our Bibles to find out how you can do what God wants you to do in your relationship with others. Help kids find the Key Verse, Matthew 7:12, and explain that this is often called the golden rule.

ASK:

• Why do you think this verse is called the golden rule?

SAY: The words here are so valuable—even more valuable than gold. They make it clear what God wants us to do in our lives. Have kids use the dry-erase markers in their kits to each write one word on their mirrors that summarizes the passage. When they’ve finished, have them share their words with their crews.

ASK:

• How do you like to be treated by others?

• Why is this verse so important to God that he’d call it the essence, or real meaning, of all that’s taught?

• How can you mirror this verse when you’re with others?

5. SAY: An easy way to remember how to do what God wants you to do is to reflect what God says in his Word. Let’s try something to see what that means.

Invite the Bible Crews to take the “Mirror Image” handout out of their Bible Exploration Kits and follow the directions on the handout.

ASK:

• How well did you mirror your friend’s movements?

• How well do you treat others the way you want to be treated?

SAY: Do what God wants you to do. Putting others first is one way you put God first. And that’s exactly what God wants you to do.

LET’S PRAISE!

Supplies: Putting God First: My Life (Year 1/Quarter 4) CD or LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD, CD player or TV/DVD player, gathered instruction manuals

1. Hold up the books, including the Bible, and ask the children what each has in common.

SAY: Each of these books gives us a way to do something the way it’s meant to be done. Following directions or using a recipe is a lot like following God’s Word and doing what God wants us to do. Worshipping with others who love God is one important way we do what God wants us to do and put God first. Let’s do that together right now.

2. Set up the Putting God First: My Life (Year 1/Quarter 4) CD or the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD. PLAY:

• “Wherever You Go” (Joshua 1:9) (CD Track 2) (DVD Quarter 4/Track 2)
Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified;
Do not be discouraged,
For the Lord your God will be with you
Wherever you go.
Wherever you go.
(Repeat twice.)
Wherever you go.
Wherever you go.
Wherever you go.

“Wherever You Go” (Joshua 1:9) by Jay Stocker. © 2006, 2008 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

• “For the Glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31) (CD Track 7) (DVD Quarter 4/Track 7)
(Chorus)

So whether you eat or drink,

Or whatever you do,

Do it all

For the glory of God.

Hey!!

Whether you eat or drink,

Or whatever you do,

Do it all

For the glory, the glory of God,

For the glory of God!

Spoke/sung: For the glory, for the glory of God.

For the glory, for the glory of God.

(Verse 1)

You could be a scientist;

You could be a soccer player.

It doesn’t matter, as long as

You do it all for the glory of God!

(Sing chorus.)

(Verse 2)

You could be a brother or sister;

You could be a best friend, too.

It doesn’t matter, as long as

You do it all for the glory of God!

(Sing chorus.)

Spoke/sung: For the glory, for the glory of God.

For the glory, for the glory of God.

“For the Glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31) by Jay Stocker. © 2005 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

• “All That I Am” (Psalm 103:1) (CD Track 3) (DVD Quarter 4/Track 3)
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
With my whole heart I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
With my whole heart I will praise his holy name.
Yeah.
With my hands (echo)
I will serve you. (echo)
With my feet (echo)
I will go. (echo)
With my voice (echo)
I will sing (echo)
Of your love (echo)
That rescued me.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
With my whole heart I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
With my whole heart I will praise his holy name.
Yeah.
With my hands (echo)
I will serve you. (echo)
With my feet (echo)
I will go. (echo)
With my voice (echo)
I will sing (echo)
Of your love (echo)
That rescued me.
Yeah.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
With my whole heart I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
With my whole heart I will praise his holy name.
Yeah, I will praise his holy name.
Oh, I will praise his holy name.

“All That I Am” (Psalm 103:1) by Jeffrey B. Scott and Ami Sandstrom Shroyer. © 2007, 2010 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

LET’S PRAY!

Supplies: assembled Bible Exploration Kits, mirrors created in Let’s Explore!, Putting God First: My Life (Year 1/Quarter 4) CD, CD player