So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

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1 Kindness lesson 3 Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22 The fruit of the Spirit is kindness Kindness Going out of your way to make others happy. Episode 3 Favoritism Forbidden James 2:1 13 MEMORY VERSE So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12 KEY POINT When you are kind you won t play favorites with friends. Lesson 3 page 21

Let s Play & Create EARLY ARRIVAL (before service) Have some upbeat music playing. Welcome children warmly. Have some simple toys available to make the environment welcoming.

BEGIN CLASS (service time) Introduce yourself and your assistants. Before the discussion questions, PRAY that the Lord will bless your time together.

SUPPLIES for game Constuction paper, different colors (one per child) God Loves You stickers Snacks (such as animal crakers) Crayons PREP it : : : instructions 1 Draw a line down the center of each

2 Let s Play & Create EARLY ARRIVAL (before service) Have some upbeat music playing. Welcome children warmly. Have some simple toys available to make the environment welcoming. Teachers should take this time to engage in conversation with children as they sit to play with them. Ask them about their week, school, and home. Begin to establish relationships. BEGIN CLASS (service time) Introduce yourself and your assistants. Before the discussion questions, PRAY that the Lord will bless your time together. Have a set of supplies for yourself to demonstrate as you explain. SUPPLIES for game Constuction paper, different colors (one per child) God Loves You stickers Snacks (such as animal crakers) Crayons PREP it : : : instructions 1 Draw a line down the center of each piece of paper with a crayon or marker 2 Spread half of the different colored construction paper on the floor (save the rest to use as needed in the game) 3 Select 4 The one child to sit on a piece of each paper rest of the children should line up PLAY it : : : instructions 1 Ask the first child in line, What is your favorite color? (Let s say it s red.) Then tell him or her to find someone sitting on a sheet of red paper. 2 The child sitting on red will take the paper and return to his desk. Give him a snack, and a sticker to place on the line on his paper. lesson 3 Kindergarten 1 st grade page 22

CONNECTit 3 The 4 Ask child who chose the red paper will take his place on the floor, but give him a different color sheet to sit on. the next child in line, What is your least favorite color?

The child on the blue paper will return to his or her seat and the child from the line will take that place and be given a piece of paper to sit on.

3 CONNECTit 3 The 4 Ask child who chose the red paper will take his place on the floor, but give him a different color sheet to sit on. the next child in line, What is your least favorite color? (Let s say it s blue.) Then tell her to find someone sitting on a sheet of blue. The child on the blue paper will return to his or her seat and the child from the line will take that place and be given a piece of paper to sit on. 5 Continue 6 When alternating color choices, (favorite, then lease favorite) until everyone in the class has had the chance to sit on a color and receive a sticker and a snack. all the children have returned to their seats with their supplies, ask them to draw their favorite person on one side of the line on the paper and their least favorite person on the other side of the line. CONNECT it : : : SAY Sometimes we like one person more than any other person simply because we might have more fun with him or her. We should all have one side with our favorite person and the other side with our least favorite person. What does the sticker in the middle between the two people say? God loves you. God loves everyone the same and He want us to be kind to both of them the same way. If you aren t, then you are playing favorites and God doesn t like that very much. Let s watch Virtuality now and learn what the Bible says about favoritism. WATCH it : : : Go to large group to see the Virtuality DVD, Fruit of the Spirit Series DVD (VOLUME 5, EPISODE 3) lesson 3 Kindergarten 1 st grade page 23

4 Let s Talk Bible BIBLE STORY : : : Favoritism Forbidden James 2:1 13 BE PREPARED Read the Bible story and study the background information at home. Before you begin reading today s Bible story tell children the background information in your own words. BACKGROUND information : : : SAY IT in your own words The book of James was not written by James, the brother of John (one of the twelve disciples). It was written by James, Jesus half brother. They were half brothers because they shared the same mother (Mary) but not the same biological father. Jesus was adopted by Joseph because He did not have a physical father; His father was, of course, God. Joseph fathered James and Mary s other children. So James and Jesus were half brothers. Since we are talking about favoritism today, you might wonder what special favor Jesus earthly family might have had. Can you imagine being Jesus brother? Growing up together, playing together, studying, eating family meals, sharing happy times as well as sad times; no one would have been closer to Jesus than His family. Have you ever wondered if they had special privilege to get into heaven? Well, the answer is no. James, Mary, Joseph and the rest of the Jesus earthly family had to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior just like everyone else. There is no favoritism to get into heaven. Jesus did have favorite people in His circle of disciples, but that doesn t mean they were given special favor. Jesus ate and mingled with sinners as well as with those who tried to be righteous. Jesus treated everyone equally. This may have even surprised His family. Imagine that your own brother becomes a super famous rock star and you go to a concert to see him. After the show you want to go backstage, but there are just too many people. So you send your brother a message, expecting to be ushered in with special favor, but you re not. Something similar to this happened to Jesus family. One day they came to see Jesus after He had become so popular that crowds followed Him everywhere. Now Jesus mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you. He replied, My mother and brothers are those who hear God s word and put it into practice. (Luke 8:19 21) lesson 3 Kindergarten 1 st grade page 24

5 What? Was that mean? Not at all; Jesus loved and honored His mother Mary. But Jesus used every opportunity to teach a lesson and this incident was no exception. Jesus was making a point to let everyone know that anyone who hears and follows His Word is His family. James was probably one of the brothers that had to wait outside for Jesus that day. We don t know how he reacted then, but we do know that after the resurrection James becomes a follower and also helps start the early churches. He even begins his letter by describing himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. (James 1:1) This lesson about favoritism is even more poignant knowing that it comes from Jesus own brother who did not receive special favors simply because of their special connection. Let s go to the Bible and listen to what James teaches us about showing favorites. PREP it : : : props and characters 1. Select a few children to act out portions of the story as you read it. If you don t have enough children, they can play multiple roles in the different sections of the story. These are the characters.» Rich person» Poor person» Host 2. If you are able, bring these props from home to enhance the story.» Nice dress-up clothes» Dress-up rags» Play food READ SCRIPTURE READ Bible Story : : : JAMES 2:1 13 My dear brothers, you are believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So never think that some people are more important than others. (Everyone, say, Everyone is important. ) Suppose someone comes into your church meeting wearing very nice clothes and a gold ring. (Rich-looking person, come in. Everyone, say, Ooh-ah! ) At the same time a poor man comes in wearing old, dirty clothes. (Poorlooking person come in. Everyone, say, Eww! ) lesson 3 Kindergarten 1 st grade page 25

6 You show special attention to the one wearing nice clothes. You say, Please, sit here in this good seat. (Host, lead the rich-looking person to a chair.) But you say to the poor man, Stand over there, or Sit on the floor by my feet! (Host, point the poor-looking person to the fl oor.) What are you doing? You are making some people more important than others. With evil thoughts you are deciding which person is better. (Host, say, Oops, my bad. ) Listen, my dear brothers! God chose the poor in the world to be rich with faith. He chose them to receive the kingdom God promised to people who love him. (Poor person, say, I love God, too. ) But you show no respect to the poor man. And you know that it is the rich who are always trying to control your lives. And they are the ones who take you to court. They are the ones who say bad things against Jesus, who owns you. (Rich person, say, I can do what I want because everyone likes my money. ) One law rules over all other laws. This royal law is found in the Scriptures: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. If you obey this law, then you are doing right. (Everyone, say, Everyone is important. ) But if you are treating one person as if he were more important than another, then you are sinning. That royal law proves that you are guilty of breaking God s law. (Host, say, I have sinned. ) A person might follow all of God s law. But if he fails to obey even one command, he is guilty of breaking all the commands in that law. (Host, say, I am guilty. ) God said, You must not be guilty of adultery. The same God also said, You must not murder anyone. So if you do not take part in adultery, but you murder someone, then you are guilty of breaking all of God s law. (Everyone, say You break any law, you are a sinner. ) You will be judged by the law that makes people free. You should remember this in everything you say and do. (Everyone, say, Treat everyone nice because everyone is important. ) lesson 3 Kindergarten 1 st grade page 26

7 Yes, you must show mercy to others, or God will not show mercy to you when he judges you. But the person who shows mercy can stand without fear when he is judged. (Everyone, say again, Treat everyone nice because everyone is important. ) CONNECTIT MEMORYVERSE CONNECT it : : : SAY This rule sounds easy enough, but do we really follow it? Usually we look at rich or famous people and think they are more important than the beggar on the street corner. And we usually treat our best friend better than that poor dirty stinky kid in our neighborhood or classroom. God says not to show favoritism. Not with anyone. God wants us to follow the golden rule, be kind to everyone, and treat them the way you would want to be treated. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12 How do you want to be treated? What if you find yourself alone and homeless, hungry with no money for food, cold with no warm clothes? Think about how you would want to be treated then. What if your family moves to a new city where you have no friends? You don t know anyone in your neighborhood or in school. Would you want other kids to be nice to you and be your new friends? Think about these things next time you come across someone less privileged than you. Treat them the way you would want them to treat you if you were them. PRAYER LET S PRAY : : : SAY Heavenly Father, Forgive us for any favoritism we have given anyone based on looks or any other reason. Thank You for loving and caring for each of us equally. Help us to be kind to everyone equally. Help us to treat them special, even if no one else does. Help us to see all people like You see them. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. lesson 3 Kindergarten 1 st grade page 27

8 Let s Review This Month s Verse KINDNESS THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS KINDNESS Going out of your way to make others happy. TODAY S LESSON Bible Story Favoritism Forbidden Location James 2:1 13 Memory Verse So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12 Key Point When you are kind you won t play favorites with friends. TIME FILLERS Ask if anyone would like to play the teacher and review today s lesson with the class. Play games to help children memorize today s Bible memory verse. TAKE HOME SHEETS VIRTUE Quest is the take-home sheet designed for children to do with their parents. The sheet contains information about today s lesson. The goal is to partner with parents to continue and to reiterate the lesson. Be sure to hand all parents a sheet as they pick up their children. lesson 3 page 28

Goodness lesson 1. Fruit of the Spirit. Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind. Episode 1. John 9:1 12

Goodness lesson 1. Fruit of the Spirit. Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind. Episode 1. John 9:1 12 Goodness lesson 1 Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22 The fruit of the Spirit is... GOODNESS Goodness Choosing to make yourself useful in a way that brings glory to God. Episode 1 Jesus Heals a Man Born