In Ephesians 6: 10-17, Paul tells the Ephesians that to be ready against Satan, we must put on the full armor of God. The fifth piece of armor is the helmet of salvation. When a solider went into battle the helmet protected his head. Think of all the important body connected to your head-your brain, your eyes, and your throat! These are very delicate and VERY important parts of your body.
Do you want to know one of the sneakiest tricks the devil plays on Christians? He tricks them into focusing on something other than God. He doesn't make them hate God, he just distracts them with money, possessions or other things they make more important than God! He traps their mind! The helmet of salvation represents the knowledge and assurance of our salvation. It protects our mind from the tricks of the devil. In many ways, it is like putting the mind of Christ into our own mind. When we set our minds on heaven, we can see this world for what it truly is...temporary. And if that is the case, we can face anything and Satan can't distract us from our purpose! We must protect our mind and focus from Satan. Today, we are going to remember a story in the Old Testament about Moses. The Israelites were trapped! They were slaves to Pharoah in the land of Egypt. God called Moses to free his people. It took 10 different tries and some crazy plagues for Pharoah to finally let the Israelites go. This is the story of the Passover-an important night where God gave the Israelites important directions they had to follow in order for the angel to Passover their home. If they followed those directions exactly, they could be confident their family would be spared. Key Themes: 1. God wants to have confidence in our salvation! 2. I need to use the helmet of salvation to protect my mind from the enemy and give me the mind of Christ. 3. It's not a secret code! Just like God gave the Israelites very specific directions in order to be saved, he has also give us the exact directions of what we need to do to be saved. Memory Verse
Ephesians 6:11 ESV
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Songs
1,2,3 The Devil's After Me
Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Helmets Supplies: try to find 3-5 different kinds of helmets: bicycle, football, hard hat, firemen, motorcycle, catcher's helmet, etc. (Note: You may need to ask around church and borrow some). Allow the kids to try on the different helmet. Point out the different features of each one? Why is it useful? How does it protect you from that activity? Transition into discussion why it's important to protect our brain? see more about this idea from KidMinMama 2. Brainiac Better for older kids Share some of the more interesting facts from this slideshow about brains. Let this lead into a discussion about the importance of your mind and why you should protect it. 3. Use Your Head Supplies: 2-4 Sand pails and small soft balls such as ping pong balls. Divide into teams and split the soft balls evenly between the groups. One team member must hold the bucket on top of their head while their teammates try to toss the soft balls into the bucket. First team to get all of their balls into the bucket is the winner. Story: Paul told the Ephesians to take the helmet of salvation into battle. I wonder why? How important is it to protect your head? Satan is not out to attack your head, as much as he wants to attack what is in your head! Your mind! The devil knows if he can control your mind, he can make your eyes see what he wants them to see, and your mouth say what he wants your mouth to say. He can make your feet go where he wants you to go! When he controls your mind, he has you completely! Satan would love to convince you that God doesn't love you and that he would never actually save you! But we know God does love us, so much that he made a special rescue plan to come and save us from Satan and the bondage of sin. He gave us clues about his plan when he rescued the children of Israel from the evil Pharoah with the blood of a lamb. SHOW the story of Moses or read Exodus 10-12 in the Bible. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual Aids
Video: God's Story: Armor of God
God is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
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In Ephesians 6: 10-17, Paul tells the Ephesians that to be ready against Satan, we must put on the full armor of God. The fourth piece of armor is the shield of faith. When soldiers went into battle, they carried a shield. The soldiers used the shield to defend themselves against the weapons of their enemy.
One of greatest weapons Satan uses against is the weapon of lying. He lied to Eve in the garden. He even lied and tried to tempt Jesus in the desert! He tells us lies like, "You will never be good enough for God. You should just give up." OR "It's okay to do one or two little sins. It won't hurt you." He even tries to convince people that God isn't real! We can block the lies with our faith in God. When we believe what God says we can defend ourselves from the devil's lies. Today, we are going to remember a story in the Old Testament about David. While all the other men in Israel's army believed the lie that they were too small and powerless to defend themselves, David's faith gave him the courage to step up and fight a giant. He knew the battle belonged to God and trusted that God would take care of him-no matter what his brothers, fellow Israelites, or Goliath said! Key Themes: 1. God wants to have faith in him! 2. I need to use the shield of faith to guard myself from the devil's lies. 3. Faith protects the Christian life the same way a shield protects a soldier's body. Memory Verse
Ephesians 6:11 ESV
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Songs
1,2,3 The Devil's After Me
Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Dodgeball with Shields Supplies: soft dodge balls, toy shields Allow the kids to play a round of dodgeball. Then, give them something like a small shied as they play. Discuss if the shield was helpful. If yes, then why? 2. Mustard Seed Supplies: Mustard seeds Give each child a mustard seed. Let them hold it and look at how tiny it is. SAY: A mustard seed is a super, tiny seed. Jesus said that if we have as much faith as a mustard seed, we will have enough faith to move mountains. You see, our faith does not require us to be big. God is big enough, and if we believe God is who he says he is, and will do what he says he will do, we have all we need to face anything! David understood this! He was little guy but had the courage to face a giant! 3. Paper Shields Supplies: Large cardboard cut out shields or purchase from Oriental Trading, stencils, stickers, metallic circle stickers, markers, etc. Note: For kids to have enough time to make their shields look nice, this is a great way to begin class and then have them put them away and use them as your final activity as well. You may want to have a Bible verse or the words "Shield of Faith" printed for the kids to glue on if they are too young to write. Story: Paul told the Ephesians that the shield of faith would protect them from the flaming arrows of the enemy! While the other pieces of the armor were used for each individual part of the body, a shield protects you completely. The Roman shield that probably inspired Paul's writing was made of wood covered with metal, and was large enough to protect their entire body from the enemy. It was also strong enough that it could also be used like a weapon to hit an enemy if needed. David didn't use a physical shield when he went into battle against Goliath. He knew his protection came from the Lord. Like David, we need to grab our shields of faith and have the courage to take on the evil one! God promises he is right there next to us in battle--he will never leave us or forsake us! SHOW the story of David and Goliath or read 1 Samuel 17:1-58 in the Bible. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual Aids
The Story of David and Goliath by Minno (better for younger)
God is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
ActivitiesIn Ephesians 6: 10-17, Paul tells the Ephesians that to be ready against Satan, we must put on the full armor of God. The third piece of armor is the shoes of the gospel of peace. What do you do when you have good news? You want to tell anyone who will listen! The word gospel means good news. It is the best news ever! As a people who were once separated from God, Jesus's sacrifice makes a way for us to be with God again! As Christians, we have to be ready to take the gospel to anyone who needs to hear it! Paul was an excellent example of someone who was ready to go and spread the gospel! Today, we are going to remember a story in the Old Testament about Abraham. Jesus is actually the fulfillment of a promise made to Abraham. God also called Abraham to leave everything and travel to a new place. Abraham believed God and obeyed him. Abraham's faith is the basis of the gospel today! Key Themes: 1. God wants me to go and share the gospel (or good news!) 2. I need to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace. 3. When we share the gospel, we are winning souls for the kingdom of God. Memory VerseEphesians 6:11 ESV 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Songs1,2,3 The Devil's After Me Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley StoryBegin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Shoe Soup Have all the kids take off their shoes and place them in a pile on one side of the room. Have them all stand at the opposite side of the room. When you say go, the kids have to each choose one pair of shoes that does not belong to them, find the owner and put that person's shoes on their feet. First person to put on a pair of shoes and have their shoes on, wins! 2. Good News Let each child share some good news from the week! SAY: That is all very good news! Do you know what the best news anyone could ever hear? It is the news that Jesus Christ came and died for our sins so that we can go to heaven and live with God forever! That good news is also called the gospel! For older kids: Is that good news easy or hard to share? Why are we sometimes afraid to tell people about Jesus? 3. Walk the Line from kidminmama.com Activity instructions: Blue line taped on the floor, get 2 or 3 kids to walk the line in their own shoes. Then make them wear another pair of shoes (heels, shoes that are too big, and shoes that are too small). SAY: I want to do a little exercise with you this morning. I need a couple of volunteers to help me out. First, I want you all to walk down this blue line, staying on the line as best as possible. (after they complete the first walk, have them take off their shoes) Now, I want you to walk down the blue line wearing these shoes. (kids should have a hard time with this)... read more here Story: If you were a soldier in an army, would you want to be in a large army or a small army? Most people would want to be in a large army. As Christians, in our battle against Satan, we know there is power in numbers! The more people that know and love God, the better our world will be! Also, God wants every single person in heaven with him! It is up to us to help him share the good news of Jesus and heaven! To do that, we need to be ready to go! We have already talked about Paul and how he was willing to travel all over the world to share the good news. However, in the Old Testament, another man was willing to GO when God said to go! In fact, Abraham, a man of faith and obedience, is the family God would use for his special salvation plan! SHOW the story of Abraham's Promise or read Genesis 12:1-7, 15:1-6 in the Bible. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story. Activities
In Ephesians 6: 10-17, Paul tells the Ephesians that to be ready against Satan, we must put on the full armor of God. The second piece of armor is the breastplate of righteousness. Our heart is a very important part of our body to protect! As Christians, we must also protect our heart from the devil and the world around us. Paul knew that in order to protect ourselves from a corrupt world, we have to be righteous and stand for what it right!
Today, we are going to remember a story in the Old Testament about Noah. The Bible tells us that Noah was the only person on the whole Earth that did what was right! His righteousness saved himself and his family from the flood. When we are righteous, it protects us from the consequences of sin too! Key Themes: 1. God wants me to know and do what is right. 2. I need to put on the breastplate of righteousness. 3. There are two kingdoms-God's and Satan's. We should choose to stand for God's kingdom. Memory Verse
Ephesians 6:11 ESV
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Songs
1,2,3 The Devil's After Me
Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Wrapped Sucker or Candy by CreativeBibleStudy.com Supplies Needed: Suckers or wrapped candy Hold up a sucker or piece of wrapped candy and ask what the purpose is of a sucker/candy. (to be enjoyed) What purpose does the wrapper on the sucker/candy have? (protect it so it can fulfill its purpose)...read more at creativebiblestudy.com 2. The Heart Attack Supplies: Heart Shaped Target, and Nerf Gun or Felt Heart and Velcro Ping Pong Balls Allow each child to take turns trying to hit the target. ASK: How important is your heart? Would you say it is one of the most important parts of your body? Why? SAY: Sometimes it feels like Satan is trying to get me right in the heart. Like when someone says something mean or discouraging to me. Or when something sad happens. Or when I am scared. Paul knew that in a battle with the devil, it is very important that we guard our hearts. That is why he told the Ephesians to put on the breastplate of righteousness. Story: Paul knew that soldiers wore breastplates of armor to protect their heart. If their heart became damaged in battle, they would definitely lose the battle with their enemy. It would be the first place and enemy would go for. Satan is always looking for that one chance to take us away from God. However, if we do what is RIGHT and follow God, we can fight with confidence of knowing that our righteousness protects us from anything the devil can throw at us! In the Old Testament, a man named Noah was also protected because of his righteousness. SHOW the story of Noah or read Genesis 6:9-9:17 in the Bible. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
Breastplate of Righteousness Coloring Page from Trueway Kids
Note: You can make a coloring page a little more exciting by allowing the kids to color using something other than traditional crayons. For example, water colors, metallic crayons, or dot markers are sometimes just enough of a different medium to get the kids excited. You could also supply these dot stickers (especially in metallic colors) to make it more a mixed media project.
In Ephesians 6: 10-17, Paul tells the Ephesians that to be ready against Satan, we must put on the full armor of God. The first piece of armor was the belt of truth. Lies are one of the main weapons of the devil. In fact, in John 8:44, Jesus said that Satan is the father of lies.
A lie is very dangerous. It can cause fear, harm and divide friends, families and churches. Today, we are going to remember a story in the Old Testament about a brother who lied. He caused heartache and pain for his entire family and faced some consequences too. Key Themes: 1. God wants me to know the truth and to only say things that are truthful. 2. I need to put on the belt of truth. 3. There are two kingdoms-God's and Satan's. We should choose to stand for God's kingdom. Memory Verse
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Songs
1,2,3 The Devil's After Me
Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Two Truth and a Lie Each person takes turns sharing two things that are true about themselves and one thing that is a lie. The group has to try to guess which of the things is a lie. SAY: How do you feel when someone really lies to you? Can you trust that person? 2. Trick or Truth Object Lessons Recreate some of these trick or truth object lessons to get the kids thinking about how they determine what is true. SAY: How do we decide what is true? How do we know what the Bible says is true? Story: When Paul visited Ephesus, Paul met people who were eager to learn more about following God. However, he was locked in prison in Rome and couldn't visit them so he wrote them a letter. He wanted to teach the Ephesians that God had equipped them with everything they needed to battle with Satan. First, they would need to put on the belt of truth. Paul knew that we were battling "the Father of Lies." In order to defeat a liar, you would need to arm yourself with truth! READ Ephesians 6:10-14a. SAY: Today, I want to remind you of a story in the Old Testament. Jacob was a man who was not truthful. Show the story of Jacob Deceives Esau or read Genesis 27. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
As Paul sat in prison in Rome, he had a strong desire to continue his ministry. He wrote letters to the churches continuing to help them grow in their knowledge of the Lord. He wanted to help the Ephesians understand the work of Satan, and the evil and darkness they would face. Like Jesus, Paul used something the people were familiar with to teach them--kingdom, wars, and soldiers.
Key Themes: 1. God's power is stronger than the devil's power. 2. When I put on the armor of God, I am equipped to face any trial that may come. 3. There are two kingdoms-God's and Satan's. We should choose to stand for God's kingdom. Memory Verse
Ephesians 6:11 ESV
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Songs
1,2,3 The Devil's After Me
Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. King Who (Older) Supplies: Crown, King Who Questions, Chair or Stool Choose a volunteer. Let them sit on the "throne" and wear the crown. Ask them various questions about kings and queens of the Bible. As long as they get them right, they stay on the throne. When they can't answer a question or get one wrong, the other kids are given the right to take their place as "king of the mountain." Play continues until all the questions have been asked. 2. Kingdom of Light vs. Kingdom of Darkness Supplies: candle, lighter OR flashlight, OR glow sticks Spend some time before class covering windows and making sure very little light is left in the room when you turn off the lights. Be sure to warn the children before turning off the lights. SAY: In the Bible, God's kingdom is described as a kingdom of light. Satan's kingdom is described as a kingdom of darkness. ASK: Why do you think the devil likes the dark so much? (Sample answers: No one can see the bad things you do, you are stuck and can't do good things very well, easy to get tripped, etc.) ASK: What are good things about light? (Make things grow, see where you're going, help others find their way, etc.) *Turn off the lights* SAY: Satan wants his kingdom of darkness to win. His kingdom is empty, and sad and sometimes even scary! (Light the candle/flashlight/glowsticks) But God has told us that his kingdom of light is going to win. God's kingdom is good and happy! There isn't even scary or sad things in God's kingdom! Jesus told us that we are the light and it is our job to shine. When we shine our light, we are fighting the darkness away. When we shine our light, we are battling against the kingdom of darkness. Sing This Little Light of Mine 3. Teach this Armor of God Song and sing it each week for the rest of the series. SHOW the story Two Kingdoms or read Ephesians 6:10-13. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
Paul's desire to share the gospel with anyone who would listen led him on a journey to preach and teach to many different people in many different places. Through his travels, he faced challenges and hardships from shipwrecks to snake bites. He faced people who welcomed him and those who adamantly opposed him.
Through it all, Paul recognized that Satan's greatest desire was to cause trouble and heartache for God and his people. Wars and battles were something that happened often--countries invading and conquering other countries. Paul called the battle against Satan spiritual warfare. Satan is trying everything he can to invade the hearts of God's people. We have to be strong and not let him find a way in. This is the story of some of the things that happened during Paul's time in Ephesus. You can read more about this in Acts 28: 1-31. Key Themes: 1. God's power is stronger than the devil's power. 2. When I put on the armor of God, I am equipped to face any trial that may come. 3. There are two kingdoms-God's and Satan's. We should choose to stand for God's kingdom. Memory Verse
Ephesians 6:11 ESV
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Songs
1,2,3 The Devil's After Me
Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Build Your Muscles Optional Supplies: Small Weights, example of a healthy food like an apple Kids love to show off their muscles. Ask each kid to show your their muscles. Be sure to make a big deal about how big and strong they are! : SAY: God gave us muscles. Muscles help us do hard work like lifting or carrying heavy things. If I wanted to build my muscles and make them bigger, what could I do? Exercise (demonstrate lifting the weight) is one way I could make my muscles bigger and stronger. I can also fill my body with healthy food that will make my body strong. (Show them examples of healthy food). Optional: Let each child have some of the healthy snack and take a turn "working" their muscles. SAY: Paul knew that in order to be strong against Satan, we need to be strong in God's power. He included that in his letter to the Ephesians. 2. The Fear Zone Game by Children's Ministry.com Supplies: Enough Tennis Balls for Half Your Class, Masking Tape, Large Sheet of Paper or Expo Board, Markers Have enough tennis balls so that each Roller will begin the game with one. Use two strips of masking tape to mark three playing areas. (Click here to see a map of the playing areas). Clear the playing area of any obstacles. Work with the children to create a list of things kids fear. Write these ideas on paper, then post this where kids can easily see it. Have children form two teams, the Rollers and the Defenders. Have the Rollers stand in section A and the Defenders stand in section B. SAY: We’ve talked about common fears. Now let’s play a game to see how well we’re able to stop those fears. The Rollers will call out a fear from our list, then roll a ball toward the Defenders. The balls must stay on the floor, but the Rollers can have as many balls in play at a time as they like. Defenders will stand behind their line and try to keep the balls from getting past them and into the Fear Zone. Balls can be stopped only with your hands, and they must be gently rolled back to the Rollers. If a ball gets into the Fear Zone, it has to stay there and can’t be returned to the game. Begin the game. Encourage kids to play quickly, rolling balls as soon as they are returned. After several minutes, have teams switch roles and play again. ASK: Ephesians 6:10 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” How can God’s power help us be strong enough to face our fears? SAY: Even though some of the fears got past these Defenders, nothing can get past God. No matter what the problem, we don’t have to be afraid because God is most powerful. Story: When Paul visited Ephesus, Paul met people who were eager to learn more about following God. However, he could not return and teach them more because he was in prison in Rome! Did Paul let this stop him? No! He used this time in prison to write letters to the churches. We are studying part of the letter he wrote to the church in Ephesus. This is the story of some of the trials that Paul faced after he left Ephesus. Perhaps, these experiences inspired him to encourage the Ephesians to "Be Strong in the Lord." SHOW the story Paul Arrives in Rome or read Acts 28:1-31 in the Bible. You may want to focus one or two parts of the story for time's sake. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
Activities
Science Experiment: God Gives Us His Strength Object Lesson
Supplies: Two Balloons (check for latex allergies!), Water, Lighter
Craft: Soft Made Strong Cross by Ministry to Children
Supplies: Cross or popsicle sticks, Yarn or string, markers or crayons, scissors, jewels, decorations, etc. Use flimsy materials on their own that become strong when assembled into the power of the cross. This study is focused on the Armor of God. We can find the description of the Armor of God in the book of Ephesians. Ephesians in found in the New Testament, and was originally a letter written by Paul to encourage his the church in Ephesus. Paul was a man who was zealous (or had a powerful energy) for God. Once Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus and called him to follow him, Paul put that same passion towards the cause of Christ. He was a missionary who traveled around teaching people about Jesus, baptizing them and helping them start churches. This is the story of some of the things that happened during Paul's time in Ephesus. You can read more about this in Acts 19: 1-41. Key Themes: 1. God's power is stronger than the devil's power. 2. When I put on the armor of God, I am equipped to face any trial that may come. 3. There are two kingdoms-God's and Satan's. We should choose to stand for God's kingdom. Memory Verse11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Songs1,2,3 The Devil's After Me Books of the New Testament Be Careful Little Eyes This Little Light of Mine There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart I'm in the Lord's Army My God is So Big I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Saint's Medley StoryBegin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Good News vs. Bad News Ask the kids if they have ever read a newspaper or watched the news. Say: I am going to read some headlines. I want you to give a thumbs up if that's good news and a thumbs down if it is bad news. Be sure the news stories are age appropriate. You can also make up silly made-up headlines such as: "Hershey's announces a new flavor of Hershey's kiss that will include chocolate mixed with spinach." OR "Local school district will now provide each student with a chrome book and a puppy for in class use." Be sure the kids know these headlines are Untrue, and to be silly! : SAY: Sometimes the SAME new story will be good news to some, and bad news for others. For example, if you were allergic to dogs, giving everyone a dog at your school would be bad news! When Paul told the people of Ephesus about Jesus, it was good news for some! But for those who practiced evil and didn't want to repent it was bad news! 2. Orange Your Glad You Have God's Armor Supplies: Clementine Oranges (some peeled; some with peels on), Bowls or containers of water Demonstrate how a peeled orange will sink but an orange with the peel still on will float. In life, if we have God's protection, he will not let us sink! In today's story, Paul was protected by God's power and he was able to face lots of angry people who were against him and against teaching about the true God. Paul knew he had God's protection and he was not afraid. (See this demonstration of the experiment.) Story: When Paul visited Ephesus, Paul met people who were eager to learn more about following God. However, he also faced others who made lots of money selling false God's or people who believed in sorcery and worshipped evil spirits. To some, the gospel was good news. To others, it meant that they wouldn't be able to sell as many of their idols and they were angry! This is the story of how God protected Paul in Ephesus. SHOW the story Paul in Ephesus or read Acts 19:1-41 in the Bible. You may want to focus one or two parts of the story for time's sake. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsVideo: The Apologetics of Paul in Ephesus by Apologetics Press (better for older) Video: Paul's Missionary Journeys by Bible Project (better for older) Video: Where is Ancient Ephesus by Drive Thru History with David Stotts (better for older) God is...Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story. ActivitiesKnocking Down Idols Review Game Supplies: Small toy bowling set, foil, review questions Wrap each bowling pin in silver to create "idols." Divide the kids into teams. When they answer a review question correctly, let them "bowl" down idols for points. The team with the highest amount of points wins. Armor of God Ring Cards from Oriental Trading Tell the kids: Paul would later teach the Ephesians about how to face evil forces. He called it the armor of God. We will be learning about each piece of armor. Salt Dough Map Make a salt dough map of Paul's Third Missionary Journey. You can find directions on this blog. This would be an activity that could stretch across several classes and could be used over the span of the unit. Rooted in Christ Craft Ideas from SundaySchoolWorks.com
Paul had seen first hand the dark forces the Ephesians faced. In his letter to the Ephesians, he said that he prayed that they would be "rooted in loved" and have the strength to face all the powers of evil. Read Ephesians 3:14-21. Discuss the importance of roots to a plant. Then, you can make a painted roots picture OR a planted in Jesus pail.
Biblical faith if more than just belief; it is also what we DO with that faith. God's story is filled with people of faith who DO the things God calls them to do. Noah demonstrated his faith by building an ark. Abraham demonstrated his faith by moving to a new home. Men and women of faith fought giants, faced lions, moved to foreign lands and fought foreign armies.
The heroes of the early church are also known for what they did to demonstrate their faith in God. Silas and Paul faced persecution when they shared the gospel. Dorcas demonstrated her faith by caring for the orphans and the poor. Timothy was mentored by Paul to be a great evangelist. James helped to grow the local church through his leadership. One of the things many of these followers of God had in common is they had a relationship with God. They prayed, or talked to God regularly, about what they needed from God. Paul recorded many of his prayers in his letters to his friends and churches. Key Themes: 1. We demonstrate our faith by what we do! 2. Prayer connects us to God through Jesus. 3. Prayer allows to partner with God and access his power to do hard things. Memory Verse
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have-not heard?” Romans 10:13, 14
Songs
Books of the New Testament
Apostles Song Be Still and Know Do Lord Father God Let Us Pray Lord I Lift Your Name on High Lord My Desire Read Your Bible and Pray Every Day Wanna Be We Fall Down You're the One Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Prayer Requests Make a sign or write Prayer Requests on the board. Tell the children that today we are going to discuss prayer. Ask them to share prayer requests they have for our prayer time at the end of class. Be prepared to pray for grandmas, grandpas, puppies, kittens and fish! If possible, leave it up and check in on the progress week to week. Put star or sticker next to prayer requests that God answers! 2. Homemade Stethoscope You will need: electrical tape, a Bible, One plastic funnel and 1 ft of plastic or rubber tubing for each homemade stethoscope. SAY: Listen! Can you hear your heart beating? Let’s try to hear our hearts beat after we do 20 jumping jacks. Ready? Go! Afterward, ask,
Give each pair a funnel and 1 foot of tubing. Show kids how to fit the tubing over the funnel’s spout. If the tubing doesn’t fit tightly on the funnel’s spout, secure it with tape. Partners can listen to each other’s hearts by having one child put the funnel over his heart while the other partner listens through the end of the tubing. After every child has had a chance to listen, say: Your heart pumps blood 24 hours a day. There are valves in your heart that keep the blood moving through your body. These valves open and close as the heart pumps the blood. That’s what makes the sound of your heartbeat. Just like this helps us hear our heart beat, prayer allows God to hear our heart in a special way too. Prayer connects our heart to God's heart and when we do that it gives us power! (Idea adapted from childrensministry.com) 3. Prayer Stations Set up different stations up inside your classroom or in a hallway. You can set up stations like: Praise, Healing, Worries, etc. Let the kids write post-its for each station and then take a moment to make that prayer request to God. I love how kidminmama did it! Story
Story: Paul was an amazing evangelist for Jesus and the spread of the gospel. He mentored young Christians. He ministered to growing churches. He faced many trials during this time. One of the things we know Paul did was pray.
Paul THANKED GOD for his fellow Christians. Romans 1:8-10; Ephesians 1:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 Paul ASKED for wisdom and knowledge. Ephesians 1:17; Colossians 1: 9 Paul ASKED for peace and unity. Romans 15: 5-6; 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Paul PRAYED for his fellow Christians to grow. Ephesians 1:18-19; Ephesians 3:16-19; Philippians 1:9-11 Paul PRAISED God in his prayers. 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 9:13 Paul ASKED God for more opportunities to spread the gospel. 1 Thessalonians 3:9-10 In his letter to the Philippians, Paul begins his letter with prayer. This letter would have been read when the Philippian church gathered. Let's pretend that we are Philippians at church, listening to someone read the letter Paul wrote to us. PLAY the video of The Book of Philippians Chapter 1 or read Philippians 1 in the Bible. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story. Ideas: God is...listening, our father, always with you, etc.
Activities
Prayer Journal
Find inexpensive journals at the dollar store and provide stickers to decorate the outside. Let them make their own prayer journals. You can also use a craft kit like this one from Oriental Trading.
Biblical faith if more than just belief; it is also what we DO with that faith. God's story is filled with people of faith who DO the things God calls them to do. Noah demonstrated his faith by building an ark. Abraham demonstrated his faith by moving to a new home. Men and women of faith fought giants, faced lions, moved to foreign lands and fought foreign armies. The heroes of the early church are also known for what they did to demonstrate their faith in God. In this story, Silas and Paul face persecution when they share the gospel. Dorcas demonstrated her faith by caring for others the same way Jesus did.
Timothy was a young follower who was mentored by Paul. Paul wrote two letters to him that are in our Bible known as 1 and 2 Timothy. Key Themes: 1. We demonstrate our faith by what we do! 2. Faith gives us courage to live for Jesus. 3. People will know we are Christians by how we serve others. Memory Verse
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have-not heard?” Romans 10:13, 14
Songs
Books of the New Testament
Apostles Song Every Move I Make I Am a C Jesus Loves the Little Children Jumping Up and Down Roll The Gospel Chariot Said I Wasn't Sing and Be Happy Stand Up and Shout It This Little Light of Mine Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Simon Says Play a simple round or two of Simon Says. ASK the kids what it means to follow an example. Whose example can we follow? Are there people that set a good example? 2. Useful Items Bring a few items to class that have useful and specific jobs. Good items might be a hammer, a wash rag, hand broom and dust pan, trash bag, laundry basket, etc. As you show each item ask, "how is this item useful?" and "what can I do with this?" Now, show them the Bible. Ask, "how is this useful?" Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. This is part of another letter, or epistle, that we are going to learn about today. Story: The book of Acts is filled with lots of people who followed Jesus, built the church and spread the Gospel. There were lots of men like Peter, Paul and Silas, who travelled and shared the story of Jesus far and wide. As they traveled and taught, they found younger men who loved Jesus. They taught them and mentored them so that they could continue this work. One of these young men was Timothy. Paul was a mentor to Timothy. A mentor is a special friend that is older than you and helps you learn and grow. READ the story of Paul's Last Days (older) OR Timothy Loves God (younger) or read select passages from the book of Timothy. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story.
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May 2024
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