God Is Love, Part 2 BIG ROOM STORYTELLER. June 3-4, Bible Passage: Acts 11:19 30 (Church in Antioch)

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1 BIG ROOM STORYTELLER June 3-4, 2017 Bible Passage: Acts 11:19 30 (Church in Antioch) God Is Love, Part 2 REMEMBER VERSE I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a

2 Inspire Shares personal stories from fellow ministry leaders about how God has worked in their lives When my daughter, Chantel, was five years old, our family took a one-day trip to Mexico with our church. We spent the day with the families from the community, helping to bathe and clothe the children. After all the clothes had been given away and the water tanks had been shut down and put back on the trucks, my five year old noticed that one child had not been given a bath or clothes. Chantel became outraged right there in the middle of everyone. The idea that this child had gone without was completely unacceptable to her. She began much like a vigilante and almost disrespectfully fighting to see that justice was done for this girl. Someone tried to tell her that we were all out of clothes, but my daughter passionately responded, Then everyone needs to start donating something! I looked around in amazement to see several grown men and women following the prompting of a child. They were lugging out the heavy water tanks and bath products as well as scrounging to find clothes and still Chantel wasn t finished. She went to our car and took out her brand-new jacket and gave it to the little girl. The Holy Spirit was leading my daughter in her passionate fight, and she was simply responding to the love of God within her. During our trip home, nothing but cheerful conversation and remember whens came from the backseat. She never mentioned her coat as a personal loss. Instead, this day remains one of her favorite childhood memories. I ve often reflected on the way my daughter ensured a young girl in Mexico would be shown love and respect. She responded with the love of a God who knows no boundaries of culture, language, or circumstance His love simply overflows. Michelle Anthony Tru Team

3 GATHER:: 25 min. Children experience and learn more about God through memorizing Scripture, storytelling from The Big God Story, prayer, and discussion. Worship Children have an opportunity to praise & worship our Creator through song & movement. This can happen in a family service environment, or lead by the classroom or Big Room Leader. Opening Song: Big God Story Song of your choice (4-5 year olds only) Interactive song Instruments Song of your choice (4-5 year olds only) The Big God Story Acts 11:19 30 God Is Love Storytelling Technique: Call and Response SUPPLIES Optional: Storytelling video (see Resources) RELATE Put away the Remember Verse supplies, and welcome the children to the Storytelling space. Friends, God s love is so great that He sent His Son Jesus so we can spend forever with Him. Isn t that amazing? Right now, I want to share part of The Big God Story with you. But first, let s pray and ask God to be the one to teach us. Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds. God is love, and He sent Jesus to show the world how much He loves us. Hey, let s try something. Divide children into two groups. Invite first group to say, God is and have second group end with, love! Try this multiple times until children do it seamlessly. Wow, good work! That was pretty fun. I may need you to do that again later on. Whenever I point to you, be prepared to shout it out! After Jesus returned to heaven to be with His Father, His disciples were so full of God s love that they couldn t help but share it with others. Jesus message spread all over the world quickly. Soon there were new churches everywhere. Point to children and invite them to shout their respective phrases. The first Christians, living in Jerusalem, heard that the message of Jesus reached a city

4 called Antioch. They were curious to see what was happening there, so they sent a man named Barnabas to find out. When Barnabas arrived, he couldn t believe his eyes. God was doing such amazing things in the lives of the people in Antioch. Barnabas left to find his friend Paul. He was so excited about God s work that he wanted Paul to see it too! Together, Paul and Barnabas spent an entire year teaching the new church about God s love and Jesus life and message. The church grew to love God more and more. Many more people came to know God and His love. Point to children and encourage the call and response. One day, a prophet someone who has a special message from God told the church in Antioch that a famine was coming. What s a famine? Kids respond. Those are good answers. A famine is when there isn t enough food to go around. Sometimes, famines happen when there isn t enough rain, which means food can t grow. During a famine, many people don t have enough food and other things they need. When the church in Antioch heard this news, they had to do something. Open Bible to Acts 11:29. God s Word says, The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. Wow! The church in Antioch knew that God had given them so much; they wanted to respond by sharing God s love with those in need. Point to children and encourage the call and response. God is love. And when we experience God s love, we can t just keep it to ourselves. We must share it with others! God s love helps us see the needs of the world and spread His love. Invite children to shout, God is love! one last time. I wonder How did the people in Jerusalem feel when the church in Antioch helped them? I wonder Who has shown God s love to me? I wonder Whom does God want me to share His love with this week? RELATE Today in The Big God Story, we saw that God is love. We also heard about the church in Antioch and how God s love helped them to share His love with others. God s power was so amazing that many people came to know of His love! We want to know that love and power, too! Let s say our remember verse together: REMEMBER VERSE I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. REMEMBER VERSE DEFINITIONS Power: strength or ability His resurrection: when Jesus rose from the dead Philippians 3:10a REMEMBER VERSE MOTIONS I want: Both hands open, palms and fingers up, begin away from body and pull in. to know: Index finger points to temples. Christ: Index finger points up.

5 yes: Make fist with right hand and rock forward and back like knocking on door. to know: Index finger points to temples. the power: Make strong arms. of his resurrection: Hold left palm facing up; with right hand s index and middle finger, touch middle of left palm. Dismiss kids to classrooms