Small Group Leader s Guide Theme : Honesty Date: 18&19 October 2014 Character Focus: Honesty Lesson 1: I will tell the truth Definition of Honesty Honesty is accurately reporting the facts. The children will learn to demonstrate honesty through the 5 I will s namely:- 1. I will tell the truth. 2. I will encourage others to tell the truth. 3. I will admit it when I am wrong. 4. I will not exaggerate to make things seem different from what they are. 5. I will not cheat or steal. Memory Verse: The Lord hates those whose lips tell lies. But he is pleased with people who tell the truth. Proverbs 12:22 (NIRV) Bible Passage: Mark 14:53-65 Introduction We are going to teach the children on the foundational values on character Honesty. There will be 4 lessons on Honesty. Lesson Bible Story Character Action Point 1 Jesus I will tell the truth. Mark 14:53-65 2 Ananias and Sapphira I will encourage others to tell the truth. Acts 5:1-11 3 Abraham and Sarah Genesis 20:1-28 I will admit when I am wrong. I will not exaggerate to make things seem 4 Achan Joshua 7 different from what they are. I will not cheat or steal. Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 1
Connect/ Ice-breaker Secret Message (5 mins) Logistic Secret message worksheet (GKidz will provide) Give each child a copy of the secret message (Appendix A) and a pencil. Explain that one of Jesus Christ s teachings is in the secret message. Tell the children they can discover the secret message by finding the letter that goes with each symbol and writing it in the box underneath the symbol. Ask the children to fold their arms and smile when they know what the secret message is. When all the children have discovered the message, have them read the words of the secret message together with you: Tell the truth Leaders explain that telling the truth is part of being honest. When we tell the truth, we tell about things exactly as they happened. Story Time (35 mins) We Can Tell the Truth Leaders tell the following story in your own words. One day Ann-Marie went fishing with her grandpa. Ann-Marie had a good time and was especially happy when she caught a fish. When Ann-Marie got home, she went to see her friend Danny. He invited her inside and took her into the kitchen, where he showed her a fish that he had caught. Danny s fish was much bigger than the fish Ann-Marie had caught. Ann-Marie was happy for Danny, but she also felt disappointed. Compared to Danny s fish, her fish was very small. She didn t want Danny to know how bad she felt, so she told him that she went fishing with her grandpa and caught a fish so big that she and her grandpa had to use a net to help pull it in. Ann-Marie told Danny that her fish was much bigger than his. Questions: 1) What did Ann-Marie do that was wrong? (Ans: She told a lie) 2) What should Ann-Marie have done? (Ans: Tell the truth her fish is smaller than Danny s) 3) What does it mean to be honest and to tell the truth? (Ans: It means to tell the truth even if we don t want to.) Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 2
In today s Bible story, we will look at Jesus who always tells the truth. This story is found in Mark 14:53-65. Through His example we learn why it is good to be honest. TL please ensure that all the small groups are ready before playing the below video to all your P1-3 groups. Video http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=mm1nnn8u (8mins) (on the laptop) Review Questions: 1) What did the religious leader asked Jesus? (Ans: Are you the Messiah, the Son of God) 2) What did Jesus say? (Ans: Yes I am) 3) With this answer what happen to Jesus? (Ans: He was sentenced to death and to be brought before Pilate) 4) Did Jesus know that if He say that He is the Son of God His is going to face death? (Ans: Yes) 5) If you were Jesus, what would you do? (Get the children to respond if they are going to tell the truth.) 6) What can you learn from Jesus in this story? (Ans: To always tell the truth even when it is hard to do so or even when one s life is in danger.) Deeper Questions: 1) Do you think it is important to be honest and tell the truth? Why? (Ans: So that we can have a peace of mind) 2) How does it make you feel if people laugh at you or you will be punished if you tell the truth? (Answer can be fearful, scare) 3) When is the most difficult to be honest? (Answer can include when we know we are going to be punished or when we want to cover our mistakes.) 4) Leader please share a time when you were glad you told the truth even though it was hard for you to do so. And tell the children why you did it. Character Review (10 mins) Logistics: Laminated card of the 5 I wills (GKidz will provide) Leader says: Honesty means that we must accurately report the facts. We are going to learn five ways that we can be honest and these are the five I wills. (Leaders to show the children the laminated list of Honesty I wills and briefly go through them.) Today we are going to learn the first I will, which is I will tell the truth. What is the first I Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 3
will? (Get everyone to repeat the first I will.) Being honest is a constant action, not a onetime event. Trust is the reward for being honest. A person who consistently demonstrates honesty can be trusted by others. Just like the story of Jesus we saw earlier who told the truth even when it is hard to do so or even when his life was in danger. We must learn to be like Jesus and be truthful all the time. Activity (15 mins) Materials needed: Raffia string, one for each group (GKidz will provide) Purpose: For the children to understand that to be free from lies we must always tell the truth. 1) Get a volunteer to come to the front and hold up both hands. Loosely wrap a piece of raffia around the child s wrists and hold it securely. Explain that the raffia string is like a little lie. Ask the child to break free (hold the raffia loosely so that the child can break free.) 2) Now wrap the child s wrists a dozen time or so as you explain that one lie can lead to many more as we try to cover up our lies. When we lie, we often have to tell more lies to keep people from finding out that we lied. When we tell many lies, it is more difficult to free ourselves. Ask the child to break free now. If the child succeeds, you may want to try with even more layers of raffia. Explain that the more we lie, the harder it becomes to choose the right and tell the truth. 3) How can we break free from these lies? Use a pair of scissors to cut through the raffia and free the child s hands. Explain that to be free of lies, we must always tell the truth and be honest. If we have already told a lie, we must repent by telling the truth to the person we lied to. When we tell the truth, we can be happy. 4) End by praying for the children and allow those who told a lie to repent and ask God for forgiveness. Review Memory Verse (5 mins) Memory Verse: The Lord hates those whose lips tell lies. But he is pleased with people who tell the truth. Proverbs 12:22 (NIRV) We are going to learn a new memory verse related to Honesty. (Leader to explain the verse to the children and ask them to write the verse down in their journals) Application for the week 1) Note down every time you tell a lie this week. Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 4
2) Pray every morning during breakfast time that God will help you not to lie. Ask God to remind you when you are about to lie and to help you to tell the truth at all times. Parent s Toolkit (5 mins) Remind the children to do these at home with their parents. 1. Go through pages 29 to 30 of Booklet A Foundational Values, Character Development Parents Toolkit. 2. Go through Week 1 of the Star Action Chart and earn as many stars as you can. References 1. Kids of Integrity Bible Stories about honesty 2. Character First Education Series 1, Booklet 3 Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 5
Copyright 2014 by GKidz, FCBC Page 6