Author: Elaine Briefman

Lesson Snapshot

BOTTOM LINE:

We should pray for those who hurt us to know the love of Jesus.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will be encouraged to pray for someone by name who has hurt their feelings or been unkind to them.

KEY PASSAGE:

Acts 7:54-60, The Stoning of Stephen

MEMORY VERSE:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

SUMMARY:

Jesus told his disciples that those who follow Him would have to suffer for it. When Stephen preached to the people about Jesus, they dragged him away and killed him by stoning him. Even as he was dying, Stephen did not hold anger against the men who were hurting him, but he kept his eyes firmly on Jesus.

Game

Object Lesson

ITEMS NEEDED:

Name tags

When you go to school on the first day, your teacher probably gave you a name tag. That was to help them learn your name. When you get to be adults, you’ll find that many times you are asked to put on name tags at parties or other special events so that people can learn your name as well. Not everyone needs a name tag, but

sometimes these can be helpful tools to making new friends and acquaintances when you’re around new people.

Today, as we end our Non-Avengers series, we’re asking you to put name tags on people who are hard to love, people you need to forgive, people who need our prayers. Just as Stephen prayed for the men who put him to death, we want to begin praying for the kids and even adults who make life hard on us. Let’s pray for forgiving hearts, so we can show them God’s love, and let’s pray that God uses us to show them the love of Jesus.

We’re not asking you to put actual name tags on people. We’re just asking you to put a name in your prayer. Let’s begin praying specifically for those difficult people, and let’s expect God to do wonders in their lives.

Video Dance Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZhwagxWzOc

Lesson Snapshot

BOTTOM LINE:

Only Jesus can forgive our sins.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will know that forgiveness of sins comes from God through Jesus.

KEY PASSAGE:

Luke 23:32-43, The Crucifixion

MEMORY VERSE:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

SUMMARY:

We received the perfect example of what forgiveness looks like when God sent his son Jesus to earth. The ultimate forgiveness – the forgiveness of sins – comes from the Father through Jesus. He took the punishment our sins deserved and died for you and for me. But, he rose again so that we could have eternal life and live with him forever. Because God has forgiven us so much, he wants us to forgive others who wrong us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY5tGJp47wc

Game

Let’s Learn A New Song

Craft

Give each child a black piece of construction paper. Have them dip their hands in white paint and make a handprint on the page. Paint a red circle in the middle of the palm. Below the hand, write, “Only Jesus Saves.”

Lesson Snapshot

BOTTOM LINE:

We can set an example for our friends in being kind to others.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will be challenged to set an example for their friends this week by not talking bad about others or joining in making fun of others.

KEY PASSAGE:

1 Samuel 25:4-33, David, Nabal and Abigail

MEMORY VERSE:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

SUMMARY:

Nabal had treated David and his men badly. David went out to get his revenge and kill Nabal. But Nabal’s wife, Abigail, pleaded with David to have compassion; reminding him that vengeance belongs to God, not men.

Object Lesson

ITEMS NEEDED:

None

For today’s object lesson, I did not bring anything from home. That’s because today, the object I want to talk about is your hand. I want all of you to put your hand up. Open your hands, and spread your fingers wide. Fold your pointer finger in. Good. Now stretch it out with the others. Now, who can fold in just their pinky finger, anyone? Can you fold your pinky in without also folding in your ring finger?

You can’t fold in your pinky without folding in your ring finger. Where one goes, the other follows. That’s a lot like how we are with our friends, isn’t it? When our friends watch a new show, we want to watch. When our friends are playing a new video game, we want to try.

Most of the time, there’s no problem going along with our friends, but when our friends make fun of other people, that’s when we need to stand strong. We need to set the example so instead of us folding to peer pressure, they will stand against it with us.

We all have the choice to fold up, or to set an example, and if we set the example, it will encourage our friends to do the right thing too. Let’s make the right choice. Let’s stand strong so our friends will stand with us against gossip, name calling, and bullying!

Game

Now Get Up Offa That Thing And Dance Cause You’ll Feel Better

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPvnZILn6EY

Lesson Snapshot

BOTTOM LINE:

We need to love people who are hard to love.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will be challenged to think of someone who is difficult to love and be encouraged to look for a way to be kind to them this week.

KEY PASSAGE:

1 Samuel 24:1-19, David Spares Saul’s Life

MEMORY VERSE:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

SUMMARY:

God chose David to be the new king himself. This made the current king, Saul, very angry. Saul tried to kill David. When David had the chance to get the jump on Saul, he chose compassion rather than anger.

Object Lesson

ITEMS NEEDED:

A pair of scissors

Avengers always have their weapons ready. Iron Man has his suit. Thor has his hammer. Captain Marvel has her fists ready to shoot lasers. David was armed and ready to fight as well when he was hiding in that cave. We don’t know whether he had a knife, a sword, or heck – a pair of scissors, but when he saw Saul come into the cave, he cut off a piece of the king’s robe – and felt very guilty about it.

It’s one thing to say we should love our enemies, but it’s another thing to actually do it. We can’t actually do it until we put away our weapons. We must put aside our anger by forgiving them for the things they have done to us. Only when we put down our weapons can we reach out an open hand and try to be friends with them.

I know it isn’t easy to love someone who is always mean, but you can’t shake someone’s hand when you have something in it. Let’s put away our weapons so we can befriend the people who probably need friends the most. Let’s choose love over anger.

Trivia

Lesson Snapshot

BOTTOM LINE:

We should choose forgiveness over revenge.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will discuss a time they were tempted to try to get even with someone and how they would handle the same situation in light of Joseph’s example.

KEY PASSAGE:

Genesis 45:1-15, Joseph Makes Himself Known

MEMORY VERSE:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

SUMMARY:

Joseph’s brothers had treated him cruelly, selling him into slavery. Joseph ended up in Egypt, where God was able to use him greatly. When Joseph was reunited with his brothers, he chose forgiveness rather than revenge.

Object Lesson

ITEMS NEEDED:

A colorful coat

Imagine being so jealous of your brother or sister over a coat, that you would sell them. Not the coat, but your own brother or sister. Have any of you ever been mad enough you’d try to sell your brother or sister?

A colorful coat, much prettier and brighter than this one, was the last straw for Joseph’s brothers. They sold him to some slave traders and figured they would never see them again. I can only imagine how Joseph felt seeing the men who had sold him into slavery bowing at his feet begging for food.

Joseph still felt the pain of that betrayal, but he chose forgiveness over revenge. He knew God had used his situation to save his family, and he rejected the temptation to strike back.

Joseph is a Non-Avenger who shows us we can resist the temptation for payback. Let’s repay evil with good. Let’s forgive instead of avenge.

Test Your Knowledge

Craft Activity

Have the kids make a super hero mask (to represent how Joseph’s identity was masked from his brothers). Tell the kids the mask is a reminder of how Joseph chose to forgive his brothers instead of getting payback.