3.5. Jesus Is Amazed by Great Faith. Bible Passage: Luke 7:1 10 (Centurion s Plea) Schedule

Transcription

1 date: Bible Passage: Luke 7:1 10 (Centurion s Plea) REMEMBER VERSE I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 Jesus Is Amazed by Great Faith Schedule Anticipate 5 10 minutes Celebrate & Respond Large Group minutes Respond & Bless Small Group minutes Environment: OUT OF COMFORT ZONE In this lesson we see the environment of OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE through God s transformation of our lives when we step out in faith.. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

2 Inspire NOTES: I once sat with some friends discussing the concept of faith. One friend said she knows elderly university scholars who continually bubble over with exuberance about the tiniest instances of God s work in their lives. My friend said she thought this was strange that intellectual people could also have childlike faith. I m discouraged by the lack of belief around me among Christians and inside myself. I am not only discouraged by finding those who don t want to believe, but also by finding those who want to believe, but can t find a way to do it! Faith requires us to believe God is real, He is good, He hears our prayers, and He will answer them. Faith is jumping all of the way in without the intellectual safety net of compromise. Faith requires a lifestyle of continually asking, seeking, and knocking fervently wanting a relationship with God. Faith is also the undying belief that God will answer, so that you will not stop seeking until He comes. I pray often that God would increase my faith and the faith of those around me that He will prove Himself so mightily to people that they will not stop seeking after the God they have experienced. Tori Funkhouser Tru Team 2

3 Equip Today s portion of The Big God Story looks at the faith of a Roman centurion a Gentile. Jesus offered salvation to everyone, as Paul wrote in Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Isaiah prophesied Jesus mission to the lost Jews in Isaiah 49:5 6: And now the Lord says he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength he says: It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. But now the emphasis became centrifugal (pushing outward). The early church was called to go out to the world to share His love. The Gentile mission was central to the book of Acts, the early church, and the church today. In fact, right before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told His disciples, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18 19a). God did not overlook the people He had originally chosen. He opened up the gift of His salvation to everyone through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. He remembered and loved everyone in the way that they most needed His attention and His love. Environment of OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE As children are challenged to step out of their comfort zones from an early age, they learn to experience a dependence on the Holy Spirit to equip and strengthen them beyond their natural abilities and desires. We believe this environment will cultivate a generation that, instead of seeking comfort, seeks a radical life of faith in Christ. The 10 Environments guide us in creating a climate that puts God on display. Encourage your families to discover more about creating the environment of OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE in their homes by checking out HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource and Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony. 3

4 400 YEARS OF WAITING Support Great faith is sometimes a hard thing to come by even in our own hearts but God would love to help us increase our faith if we desire it. During this lesson, the kids will experience a time of response in which they can pray for more faith. Kids will not only pray for their own faith, but pray for other kids who desire more faith. Imagine what it would look like to see a generation of kids filled with great faith. TIMELINE ADAM & EVE NOAH ABRAHAM ISAAC JACOB JOSEPH MOSES JOSHUA DAVID SOLOMON Before this lesson, pray God would increase your faith. Then pray the children will also experience great faith in God faith that will carry them through the storms of their adolescence and young adult life. Pray they would be deeply rooted in faith, even at this age, so as they grow older they will not stray. MARY JOSEPH JOHN THE BAPTIST JESUS CENTURION NICODEMUS PETER LAZARUS PAUL YOU & ME OUR FUTURE WITH JESUS 4

5 NOTES: Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (For Quarterly Master Supply List, see Resource Files) Anticipate// Small Group Check-In Celebrate// Large Group Respond// Large Group Respond// Small Group Bless// Small Group 5 10 min min min min. Encourages interaction among kids, leaders, and parents; engages the kids in curiosity and anticipation of the lesson; and creates an inviting atmosphere. Establishes community and tells stories both personal and biblical in a fun and engaging way. Creates space for children to respond to the Holy Spirit in worship and community as a large group. Discusses truth, reflects on the lesson, engages in relationships, and creates a project or a piece of art individually or together. 5 min. Sends the kids out with a sense of peace and blessing so they can be a blessing to their families and others. OPTION 1: Great What? (for Younger and Older Kids) Great Things printable images (see Resource Files) OPTION 2: Greater (for Older Kids) Great Things printable images (see Resource Files) Traditions mementos for your church Traditions (rocks, marbles, gumballs, etc.) Remember Verse cards, slide, and animation (see Resource Files) Connect Question Connect Question slide (see Resource Files) Connect Activity Connect Activity slide (see Resource Files) optional: upbeat music The Big God Story Bibles (1 per child) Timeline slide and animation (see Resource Files) card stock (8½ x 11 ; 3 sheets) marker hole punch string (at least 6 ) scissors (1 pair) Trust and Obey cards (see Resource Files) scissors (1 pair) pens, colored pencils, or markers Worship Response Station: Prayer Wall worship music (suggestion: I Am Listening to You, TruWorship Sincerely Yours) Reflect: Jesus Is Amazed by Great Faith Bibles (1 per child) Create: My Life Collage paper or card stock (8½ x 11 ; 1 per child) age-appropriate magazines and newspapers (at least 10) glue sticks (1 for every 2 3 children) optional: hand wipes Bible HomeFront Weekly (1 per child; see Resource Files) HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource (1 per family; see Resource Files or 5

6 SMALL GROUP SECTION Anticipate// 5 10 min. Small Group Leaders An energizing time for parents and kids to start engaging with the material that will be presented in the lesson. It is intentionally designed to spark curiosity and cultivate a sense of awe and wonder about God. Encourage parents to participate in this time with their kids. Invite your children to participate in the following activities to get them thinking about the word great and what it means for Jesus to be amazed by great faith. Option 1: Great What? (for Younger and Older Kids) SUPPLIES Great Things printable images (see Resource Files) PREPARE AHEAD Print the Great Things images. ENGAGE Encourage the children to join you in a circle. Place the images facedown in front of you, and one at a time hold up each image and ask children to guess what s pictured. Let them know the name of each image contains the word great. Give clues, if needed. Once the kids correctly identify each image, discuss what makes that place, thing, or person great. Continue this way through all of the images. Things this big, beautiful, and rare just amaze me! Because God knows everything, very few things amaze Him. But today we ll hear how one man s great faith amazed Jesus. ANSWER KEY: 1. Great Lakes 2. Great Sand Dunes 3. Great Grandparents 4. Great Smoky Mountains 5. Great White Shark 6. Great Wall of China 7. Great Horned Owl 8. Great Dane 9. Great Barrier Reef Option 2: Greater (for Older Kids) SUPPLIES Great Things printable images (see Resource Files) 6

7 NOTES: PREPARE AHEAD Print the Great Things images. ENGAGE In today s portion of The Big God Story we ll hear how one man s great faith amazed Jesus. Let s look at some big, beautiful, and rare things that are called great and see if we can figure out what they are and what would make them even greater. One at a time hold up each image and ask children to guess what s pictured. Give clues, if needed. Once the kids correctly identify each images, discuss what would make these images even greater. For example, maybe the Great Lakes would be even greater if they had huge waves for surfing, or great-grandparents would be great-great-grandparents if you added another generation. Continue this way through all of the images. ANSWER KEY: 1. Great Lakes 2. Great Sand Dunes 3. Great Grandparents 4. Great Smoky Mountains 5. Great White Shark 6. Great Wall of China 7. Great Horned Owl 8. Great Dane 9. Great Barrier Reef 7

8 LARGE GROUP SECTION Celebrate//20 35 min. Host/Storyteller Kids get to be a part of the faith community of God s family. They participate in traditions and share them with newcomers, connect through fun and interaction, and experience The Big God Story through Storytelling. Passin Party A Group Tradition Have the children pass an invisible ball from person to person across the room, adding their own personal style to the way they pass the ball. Each time the ball is passed, try to make sure someone new gets a chance to catch it. Play upbeat music, and encourage the children to get creative and have fun! Welcome and Traditions REMEMBER VERSE This week s Remember Verse comes from the environment of OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE, which says, God transforms me when I step out in faith. The environment changes every four weeks. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 Connect Question If you were a soldier in the army, would you rather march through the jungle or crawl through the desert? Why? Activity: March or Crawl SUPPLIES Connect Activity slide (see Resource Files) optional: upbeat music ENGAGE Invite children to move around the room acting out their answer to the CONNECT Question. If kids would prefer to march through the jungle, invite them to march around the room. If they would prefer to crawl through the desert, have them crawl around the room. Every time someone crawling comes near someone marching, both children must immediately salute each other and ask, Why are you marching (or crawling) like that? Once both children answer the question, they can salute again and continue crawling or marching. Optional: While kids interact, play upbeat music. 8

9 NOTES: The Big God Story Leader Tip Before sharing this part of The Big God Story, tell your kids they re about to hear a true story that s recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to Luke 7, and invite children to follow along in their own Bibles as you storytell. Ponder Point: Jesus Is Amazed by Great Faith Bible Passage: Luke 7:1 10 Storytelling Technique: Actors Pantomiming the Narrative SUPPLIES Bibles (1 per child) Timeline Slide and Animation (see Resource Files) card stock (8½ x 11 ; 3 sheets) marker hole punch string (at least 6 ) scissors (1 pair) PREPARE AHEAD Ask three children to play the roles of the centurion, the Jewish leaders, and Jesus. Let them know they ll be silently acting out portions of the narrative as you tell it. Use the card stock and string to create three nametag signs for the actors to wear. Write Centurion, Jewish Leaders, and Jesus on the card stock, punch holes in the top corners of each, and thread a foot or two of string through the holes for each sign. Set the signs aside for now. ENGAGE (Briefly share about a time you saw the military do something impressive, or talk about a person you know who serves in the military.) In the time of Jesus, Israel was occupied by Rome. The Roman Empire controlled much of the world and put soldiers in each area to keep the peace. These soldiers were led by military men called centurions. As we heard last week, Jesus traveled around teaching, casting out demons, and healing people. In His travels, Jesus came to a town called Capernaum. Capernaum was an important town to the Roman Empire and an important town to the Israelites because they had a synagogue there. What s a synagogue? (Encourage responses.) A synagogue is a building where Jews would go to learn about the Scriptures. 9

10 The Big God Story NOTES: The synagogue at Capernaum was newer. While it was being built, a Roman centurion helped finish the project. (Ask the volunteer playing the Centurion to come onstage, and give him the sign to wear. Have him act out the Bible passage as you storytell.) Even though the centurion wasn t a Jew, he feared God and helped God s people. Let s turn in our Bibles to Luke 7. (Give kids time to find the passage.) In verse 2, we see that the centurion had a servant who was sick and about to die. The centurion had heard about Jesus and how He healed people. (Ask the volunteer playing Jesus to come onstage, and give him the sign to wear. Have him act out the Bible passage as you storytell.) So, when Jesus came to Capernaum, the centurion went out of his comfort zone and asked some of the Jewish leaders to speak to Jesus for him. (Ask the volunteer representing the Jewish leaders to come onstage, and give him the sign to wear. Have him act out the Bible passage as you storytell.) (Encourage children to go to verse 4.) The Jewish leaders came to Jesus and pleaded earnestly with him to heal the centurion s servant. The leaders said, This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue (vv. 4 5). So Jesus went with the Jewish leaders. As they neared the centurion s house, the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus, Lord, don t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof But say the word, and my servant will be healed (vv. 6 7). The centurion understood that, in that culture, a Jew would be considered unclean for a short period of time after going into a Gentile s house. So the centurion showed great faith and said that Jesus could heal his servant from far away. (Step forward, pausing the volunteers acting.) You see, the centurion led many soldiers in the Roman army, and whenever he ordered soldiers to do something, they would do it. He believed Jesus could order sickness and disease to go away, and it would! (Allow volunteers to resume acting.) (Invite kids to follow along in Luke 7:9.) The Bible says, When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel (v. 9). (Thank the volunteers and ask them to return to their seats.) This was a big deal! Jesus was amazed by this man s faith. There are only two times when the Bible says that Jesus was amazed, and both times it was by someone s faith. What is faith? (Encourage responses.) The Bible says, in Hebrews 11:1 (invite kids to look up Hebrews 11:1), Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance 10

11 The Big God Story NOTES: about what we do not see. Faith is trusting that God is powerful enough and loves us enough to fulfill His Word, and faith is obeying God no matter what. Faith is trust and obedience. (Invite kids to say, Faith is trust and obedience along with you.) The centurion had such great faith that it amazed Jesus. The Bible says that when his friends returned to the house, they found the servant had been healed (Luke 7:10). Even though the centurion wasn t a Jew, Jesus recognized his trust and obedience. When Jesus came to earth and died for our sins, He made the way for everyone in the world, not just Jews, to be in God s family. Romans 10:13 says, Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Even though most of us aren t Jews, and even though we re not living in a time when we can see Jesus here on earth, we can show great faith by trusting that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins and by obeying His Word. Jesus is amazed by great faith. He is amazed when His children trust and obey Him even when they can t see what will happen. (Tell a story of a time you had to step out in faith and believe God would do something you couldn t see beforehand.) Leader Tip As the Holy Spirit speaks to the hearts of your kids, some may express an interest in beginning a relationship with Jesus. Be sure to tell their parents about this so they can pray together as a family. Offer to pray with them if they d like. Of course, if a child doesn t come from a Christian family, answer any questions he might have, and follow the Spirit s leading as the child makes a decision to trust in Jesus for salvation. For help in talking with kids about salvation, refer to the resource titled Explaining God s Salvation Plan to Kids, found in this week s Resource Files. You may also give copies of this resource to your families. 11

12 LARGE GROUP SECTION Respond// min. Host/Worship Leader This time allows kids to worship through silence, prayer, singing, giving, sharing, thanksgiving, and other ways. Make plans for your worship time, but prepare yourself and your team to hold them loosely if the Holy Spirit leads the group in a different direction. SUPPLIES Trust and Obey cards (see Resource Files) scissors (1 pair) pens, colored pencils, or markers Worship Response Station: Prayer Wall worship music (suggestion: I Am Listening to You, TruWorship Sincerely Yours; Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users see Resource Files; others see itunes or SET UP Print the Trust and Obey cards, cut them apart, and place them at the front of the room along with the pens, colored pencils, or markers. Make sure you have one of each card available for each child. ENGAGE It might seem like such a simple thing to have faith, but as we have seen in The Big God Story and in our own lives, having faith takes us out of our comfort zone. It causes us to have to trust God for what we cannot see and obey Him even when we may not feel like it. It requires us to rely on the Holy Spirit to strengthen us beyond our natural abilities and desires. Today we re going to take some time to ask God to increase our faith. Do you have an area in your life that you want to trust God with? Is there something you need to stop doing, out of obedience to God? Are there ways God has challenged you through His Word to step out of your comfort zone and obey Him? When we trust and obey God in faith, that s called following Him. Leader Tip For information about how to build a Prayer Wall, see the How It Works document found in the Resource Files. Spend a minute talking to God about how He can help you have great faith in Him. Maybe you want Him to lead you into relationship with Him for the first time. Maybe you want Him to help you believe that He will listen to your prayers and bring your loved ones to Him. Start the music. Invite children to talk silently with God, and when they re ready, come forward and take a Trust or Obey card. On the Trust card, invite kids to write or draw their thoughts or prayers about things they want to entrust to God. On the Obey card, invite kids to write or draw their thoughts or prayers about things they feel God is calling them to do in order to obey Him radically. Encourage kids to ask God to increase their faith and strengthen them with the Holy Spirit beyond their natural abilities and desires. Encourage the children to attach their cards to the Prayer Wall or take them home to remind them of their encounter with God today. 12

13 SMALL GROUP SECTION Respond// min. Small Group Leaders A time to engage in relationship, reflect on the lesson with spiritual conversation, and/or create a meaningful project or piece of art. Reflect: Jesus Is Amazed by Great Faith The centurion was a Roman soldier who believed Jesus could heal his servant with only a word. He had great faith, and Jesus was amazed by it. Jesus was so amazed that He even turned to the crowd that was with Him and told them about this man s great faith. (Encourage children to look up the following passages in their Bibles.) Questions for Younger Kids What is faith? (Hebrews 11:1) What did the centurion want Jesus to do? (Luke 7:2 3) What did the centurion know Jesus could do? (Luke 7:7) When have you seen someone have great faith in God? Do any of you want to receive prayer to have more faith? NOTES: Spend time praying for the kids who responded that they would like to receive prayer for more faith. Then pray for the entire group, that, instead of seeking comfort, they would seek a radical life of faith. Questions for Older Kids What is faith? (Hebrews 11:1) Why did the centurion have faith in Jesus? (Luke 7:8) How did Jesus respond to the centurion s request to heal his servant? (Luke 7:6, 9 10) Why do you think Jesus was amazed by the centurion s faith? (Luke 7:9) Why do you think having faith can be hard? (1 Corinthians 2:5) How can you receive greater faith? (Luke 17:5) Do any of you want to receive prayer to have greater faith? Spend time praying for the kids who responded that they would like to receive prayer for more faith. Then pray for the entire group, that, instead of seeking comfort, they would seek a radical life of faith. Create: My Life Collage SUPPLIES paper or card stock (8½ x 11 ; 1 sheet per child) age-appropriate magazines and newspapers (at least 10) glue sticks (1 for every 2 3 children) optional: hand wipes 13

14 Resource Tip Picnic Games activities are available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may find this among the Resource Files. NOTES: ENGAGE Invite the children to takes sheets of paper or card stock and use the supplies to create collages reflecting their daily lives. After they ve had some time to work, encourage the kids to think about what they know about God and share their ideas with the group. Just like we read in Hebrews 11:1, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see. This includes our relationship with God. He is there when we can t see Him. How do you think God is in your daily life? What do you think that looks like? When we trust and obey God in our daily lives, it s called following God! And, as we follow Him, our faith grows. Now encourage kids to add words to their collages reflecting how their relationship with God affects their everyday lives. Invite them to pray about following God and learning to trust and obey Him in every situation. Though it may be hard to step out in faith and follow God out of our comfort zone, God is calling us to have great faith in Him every day of our lives, and He will strengthen us with His Holy Spirit to trust and obey. 14

15 SMALL GROUP SECTION Bless// 5 min. Small Group Leaders A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement or guidance. Blessings can be offered in order to ask God s Spirit to overflow from the child s life to bless others or prayed over a child for the purpose of declaring God s protection, joy, or wisdom. As kids are blessed, tell them they have the opportunity to be a blessing to others. Encourage them to give freely to others the joy and love they have received from God. Encourage kids to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. This posture is meant to symbolize a willingness of heart to respond to God s Holy Spirit and receive what God has for them. Invite them to remain in this posture as you bless them. Encourage parents to come early to read the blessing over their child. Open Bible and read 1 Peter 1:3, 8: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. Invite kids to cover their eyes and smile as you bless them. May you increase in faith, so that you can know Him more and more. May you be filled with inexpressible and glorious joy as you trust and obey the one you cannot now see Jesus Christ the One you will someday see face to face. May Jesus be amazed by your great faith. HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God s Word together before children arrive at church. HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource: This magazine gives families ideas for creating fun, spiritually forming times in their homes setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives! As the new issue becomes available each month, you may choose to print it for families or encourage them to visit to subscribe to have the magazine sent directly to their inbox. HomeFront is also available as an app for your iphone, ipad, or Android device. 15