K/1 st Grade Oct 15 Forgive Us Our Trespasses Bible Verse God is rich in mercy. He brought us to life with Christ while we were dead as a result of those things that we did wrong. (Ephesians 2:4-5) Teacher Enrichment This lesson is the seventh in the Teach Us to Pray series which emphasizes the practice of prayer using The Lord s Prayer. Each week will examine a stanza of The Lord s Prayer, what it tells us about God and how it directs our prayer life. Today s lesson explores Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. The first portion of this stanza references God s forgiveness of our trespasses, our sins. Ephesians 2 says of forgiveness, This is God s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. Through Jesus sacrifice on the cross, our sins are forgiven. When we pray and ask God for forgiveness, He extends that grace to us over and over again. The second portion of this stanza is the tricky part forgiving others. Forgiveness is hard, for adults and for children. He never said he was sorry, she doesn t deserve to be forgiven, I want to get even, I can t forget what they did, this is the third time they hurt me this way. All of these feelings are obstacles to forgiveness. However, if we expect God to forgive us for the wrong things we do that hurt Him, it is only right for us to forgive the wrong things that other people do that hurt us. In the book of Matthew, Jesus instructs us to forgive not just seven times, but seventy times seven times. We can pray and ask God for help overcoming our hurt and forgiving. In this lesson, children will learn that while God expects us to follow His rules, He will always forgive us when we make mistakes. In return, we are to follow God and Jesus example and forgive others. This lesson will teach the example of Jesus meeting and forgiving the tax collector Zacchaeus. Children will have an opportunity to reflect on personal situations in which they need forgiveness and also in which they can forgive. They will learn to use prayer to help them give and receive forgiveness.
Before Class Begins Place the Sign In sheet and a pen where parents can see it upon arrival. Place the Joy & Concern cards, Time & Talent cards and pens where students can see them upon arrival. Check that you have supplies for this lesson: Arrival Activity, Forgive Others coloring page 1 per child Laminated Forgiveness Hearts (Boy or Girl) 1 per child Forgiveness Heals Our Heart coloring page 1 per child Bandaids 2-3 per child Expo markers 1 per child Tissues 1 per child Place an arrival activity at each place on the table. Welcome SUPPLIES: Sign In sheet, Joy & Concern cards, Time & Talent cards, Attendance chart, stickers, pens, I Can Love Others Coloring Page, crayons Greet each child individually as they arrive. Introduce yourself by name. Help children find or add their name on the attendance chart. Provide each child with a sticker to place in today s column on the attendance chart. Encourage children to complete a Joy or Concern card if they have a particular joy or concern they would like to express. Collect completed Joy & Concern cards. Encourage children to complete a Time or Talent offering card if they gave their time to God or used their talents to serve God or others during the previous week. Children should keep their own completed Time and Talent cards. If children bring monetary offering, they should keep it with them. Direct children to color the Forgive Others Coloring Page. Encourage conversation among the children and with you! Get to know the children in your classroom by asking about their week including school, activities and families. Introduce new children to each other and encourage friendships.
Children s Worship SUPPLIES: Sign In sheet, Joy & Concern cards, Time & Talent cards Arrive at Ruth Hall at 9:20 or 11:05. Bring the Sign In sheet and completed Joy & Concern cards to Ruth Hall. Hand the Joy & Concern cards to the Children s Worship leader as you arrive. Have children bring their completed Time & Talent cards and any monetary offering. If additional children arrive while in Ruth Hall, have parents complete the Sign In sheet and remind parents that pickup is in Room 107. Encourage children to participate in Children s Worship and provide re-direction if necessary. Assist the Children s Worship leader as needed. This week, the Children s Worship leader will ask for your assistance during the lesson. At the appropriate time, a cup of vinegar and small container of baking soda will be provided to you. You will be asked to mix the baking soda into the vinegar and children will place their tarnished pennies in the mixture. The Children s Worship leader will provide all direction at the appropriate times. At the conclusion of Children s Worship, have children line up and return to Room 107. The Lesson SUPPLIES: Laminated Forgiveness Hearts (Boy & Girl), Expo markers, tissues, Forgiveness Heals Our Hearts coloring page, Band-Aids, crayons SAY: Today we learned about forgiveness. We learned how God forgives us when we do something wrong. God always forgives us when we are sorry for what we have done. Give each child a laminated forgiveness heart (there are girl and boy versions available), an Expo marker and a tissue. SAY: Each of you has a picture of your heart. It s nice and clean right now! When we do wrong things, the sin fills up our hearts. I want you to think of a wrong thing you have
done that you want God to forgive. Put a tally mark inside your heart for each wrong thing you have done. SAY: Maybe your parents asked you to do a chore, but you told them no. Maybe you started picking on your sister, and calling her names and hurt her feelings. Maybe you were mean to a friend at school. Maybe you told a lie. Give children a minute or two to make tally marks in their hearts. Put some tally marks on your own forgiveness heart so you can participate in the process. SAY: Our hearts are getting pretty crowded with all these tally marks. We all make mistakes and sin against God. I want God to forgive me for my sins. How about you? When we have sinned, we can pray and ask God to forgive us. Let s pray now. (Pray responsively with the children) Dear God, I am sorry for the sins I have written on my board. Please forgive me. Amen SAY: Use your tissue to wipe off your board. When we tell God we are sorry and ask for forgiveness, He removes the sin from our hearts. Wow! Look how clean our hearts are again! SAY: Today we also learned about forgiving others when they sin against us. God always forgives us and it is our job to forgive others too. ASK: Has anyone ever done anything wrong to you? If so, put a tally mark in your heart. Perhaps a brother, sister or friend has broken your favorite toy. Maybe someone said something mean to you. Maybe someone wouldn t share supplies or toys or electronics with you. Maybe a friend wouldn t play with you. For each wrong you can think of place a tally mark in your heart. Give children a minute or two to place tally marks in their hearts. Write something on your own white board so you can participate in the process. You may choose to ask a few children to share what their tally marks represent. SAY: Our hearts are getting pretty crowded with all those wrongs stored up in there. When we forgive people, God helps us erase the wrongs from our hearts. Sometimes it can be hard to forgive and to not be angry anymore. We can pray and ask God to help us forgive. Let s pray again.
(Pray responsively with the children) Dear God, I want to forgive the people who have done something wrong to me. Please help me forgive them. Amen SAY: Use your tissue to wipe off your board. When we forgive others it does not mean the sin was okay or that the person can do it again or even that they were sorry. But it does mean we remove the anger from our hearts. SAY: I want you to keep your forgiveness heart and use it when you need to ask for forgiveness or when you need to forgive someone else. SAY: I have a coloring sheet for you that says Forgiveness Heals Our Heart. You can color the hearts and I also have Band-Aids for you to put on the heart. It will remind you that your heart is healed when you ask God to forgive you or you forgive someone else. Give each child a Forgiveness Heals Our Heart coloring page and 2-3 Band-Aids. Important Teacher Note You may have a child in your class who mentions an abusive situation as being difficult to forgive. If this happens, note the child s name and after class, notify a member of the Children s Ministry staff (Anne Moriak, Suzanne Lyles, or Betsy Hudson) so we may follow up and provide any necessary help. Clarify that forgiving someone does not mean that the sin is acceptable or can continue unchecked, but do not try to resolve the situation with the child on your own. Closing Lead the children in a closing prayer. You may say your own prayer, ask one of the children to say a prayer or use the one below. God, Please forgive our sins. Help us forgive others. Amen
If time remains before parents arrive, encourage children to return to their Forgive Others coloring page if they did not complete it. Also encourage conversation between children and with you. This is another opportunity to build relationships with the children in your classroom!
Forgiveness Hearts