February 4, 2018 Jesus Sees Faith DATE PONDER POINT For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love. Matthew 8:5 13 Faith of the Centurion THE BIG GOD STORY Ephesians 1:4 REMEMBER VERSE Welcome (6 minutes): Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and to worship in song. Worship & Connect (17 minutes): Establishes community and engages kids, drawing them in and preparing them to hear God s word. The Big God Story (15 minutes): Creates space for children to hear God s word. Small Groups (20 minutes): Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story. Remember Verse & Bless (3 minutes): Allows children to practice their memory verse and be sent out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others. 1
GOAL: Worship & welcome is all about engaging kids and helping them enter into worship, letting them know that class has begun preparing their minds for what they are going to hear. WELCOME - 3 minutes (Host) IMAGE: Welcome We are so glad you are here at Critter Land today. Personalize your welcome. Relate to what s happening such as holidays, school year, church camp, etc. Pique the curiosity about today s Ponder Point/Story, tell a joke, do something to draw in the attending of the kids and mention any announcements! RULES VIDEO: Sherriff Hawk with Kids Church Rules MAIL TIME - 3 minutes (Host) VIDEO: Mail Time Intro IMAGE: Remember Verse For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love. Ephesians 1:4 Motions: For He.. Chose us. In Him before The creation of the world.. To be holy And blameless. In His sight; In love.. ( both hands palms up above head) (Bring hands towards chest close palms) (point up with pointer fingers) (make a circle with pointer fingers starting together at the top separating going right and left, and meeting at the bottom of the circle) (scoop arms with hands open away from body twice, first at chest then at head) (palms open at waist like receiving something) ( open hands by each eye open and close like blinking with your hands go to arms cross and fist closed, sign language, for in love. 2
GOAL: Establishes community and engages kids, drawing them in and preparing them to hear God s word. Kids get to participate in various worship elements such as offering, scripture memorization and their curiosity is peaked as they discover what will be in the wardrobe of wonder. WORSHIP - 7 minutes (Worship Leader) If you brought offering, go put it in the squirrel feeder while we worship! VIDEO: (9:00 & 11:30) Jump Up VIDEO: (9:00 & 11:30) God of Love (10:15) Chosen Child of God (10:15) Jesus I will Follow (Direct kids to get with their groups and circle up with their small group leader before sitting down) SMALL GROUP CONNECT QUESTIONS - 5 minutes (Host) GENEROUS PROJECT INTRO VIDEO - Wayne tells kids about the generous project. 4 MINUTE COUNTDOWN VIDEO What s the most money you ve ever had? What do you think it means to be generous? What are some ways you can collect or give money towards the generous project? WARDROBE OF WONDER - 5 minutes (Host) What sit: 9:00 - Magnifying Glass 10:15 - Shield of Faith VIDEO: Wardrobe of Wonder Intro Choose 1 volunteer. Volunteer picks two hats from wardrobe one for himself, one for host. Tell other kids to put on their imaginary thinking caps. Volunteer peeks in the What s It box. Host gives 3 clues, kids get to vote on what they think it is. Then as host you say. If you think our clue is a If you think our clue is a If you think our clue is a, raise your hand., raise your hand., raise your hand. Let the child volunteer tell which answer is correct! ASK: 9:00 Have you ever seen a magnifying glass before? What does it do? When would you use one? Allow children to answer. Yes, when you re looking for something or when you want to get a really up close look at something. Magnifying glasses make things look bigger, don t they? So things you re looking at are easier to see. Look! We ve also found an envelope inside the Wardrobe of Wonder. I wonder what the envelope has to do with the Big God story? We are about to find out because do you know what time it is? ASK: 10:15 Have you ever seen a shield before? What does it mean a shield of Faith? When would you use one? Allow children to answer. Faith is believing in something you cannot see. Knowing God is Real requires faith.. Look! We ve also found an envelope inside the Wardrobe of Wonder. I wonder what the envelope has to do with the big God story? We are about to find out because do you know what time it is? 3
Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along as you storytell. Children respond to what the Holy Spirit is teaching them as they reflect on the day s portion of The Big God Story. The Prayer of Release allows children and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet their hearts and minds. Before you pray, you might ask the kids to hold out their hands, palms up, in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy Spirit might have for them today. Then encourage the kids to quiet their voices, take a seat, and pray with you. The Big God Story: What sit: Magnifying Glass Envelope from Wardrobe of Wonder STORYTELLING - 15 minutes (Storyteller) Video: The Big Story Intro I m so glad to share the next part of The Big God Story with you. Who here has ever been to the beach? What things can you find in the sand? Children answer; interact with responses. Good thoughts. Well, today in The Big God Story, Jesus saw something really special. Before we find out what it is, let s pray together. Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds. I think it s time to open our envelope from the wardrobe! Invite a child to look in Wardrobe of Wonder and open the envelope. What did you find? Read the card. Jesus sees faith. What does Jesus see? Children answer. Yes! Faith. What does it mean to have faith? Interact with responses. Faith is trusting in God and showing that with your actions. When you have faith, it means you believe that God does what He says. Let s get out our magnifying glasses because we re going to look for faith in this part of The Big God Story. Encourage children to hold up imaginary magnifying glasses. When you see someone who has faith, I want you to hold up your magnifying glass and say, Faith! Let s practice. Hold up magnifying glass to eye and say, Faith. That was great! Jesus taught many, many people in many, many towns. Some had faith in Jesus (children do action and say faith ), and some didn t believe at all. Jesus also healed many, many people from sickness. Jesus wanted the people to have faith in His Father God. Even though many, many people heard Jesus teach and saw Him heal and saw Him do miracles, Jesus couldn t find very 4
many people who had faith. One day an important officer in the Roman army came to Jesus asking Him for help. Tech: Cue Roman Officer image. He had a servant, a man who worked for him, who was special to him. This servant was very sick. Lord, the officer said, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and in a lot of pain. Jesus said to him, I will go and heal him. But the man told Jesus not to come to his house. The officer had faith in Jesus (pause for kids to do action and say faith ) and the power He had over the sickness. Great job! We found faith! The officer knew Jesus only needed to agree to heal the servant, and he would be healed. Wow! Did the Roman officer have faith? Children answer. Yes, he did. The officer knew deep inside what was true about Jesus. He put the things he believed, that Jesus was healer, into action. How did he put his faith into action? Children answer. That s right, he went to Jesus for help. The Lord was amazed by the faith of the Roman officer. He turned to the crowd of people who had gathered and said, This is faith. I ve not found anyone in Israel with this much faith. Jesus saw faith. Prompt kids to do action and say faith. Where did Jesus see faith? Children answer. The Roman officer had faith Jesus had the power to heal, and he acted on what he knew was true. Then Jesus told the man, Go! It will be done just as you had faith it would. Do you know what happened? At that very moment, the servant was healed! Jesus just spoke the words! Jesus didn t have to touch the man or even see him, and he was healed! What did Jesus want to see in people? Prompt children to do action and say faith. Yes, you re right. Faith! When we ask Jesus what He wants us to have, the answer is still the same. Faith! Jesus still wants to see faith in people today. He wants us to know what is true about Him and put our trust in Him each day. Can we do this all on our own? Children answer. No! Who do we need? God! We need Him to fill us up with His strength, power, and love. We can trust in God to give us everything we need to have faith. 5
GOAL: Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story. I SPY! SUPPLIES Beanbag or stuffed toy (small) Wonder Question Coloring Page Generous Project coin bank ENGAGE Jesus had been all over, but there was something He hadn t seen in many places. What was it? Children will answer. Faith, that s right. Faith is shown in how people act out their belief in Jesus, and He wants to see our faith. We re going to play a game of looking, called I Spy! To spy is another word for see. The person who is holding the beanbag is the speaker. The speaker will be looking for something and will then help her friends try to discover what it is she has spied. Here s how we play: the speaker will look around the room to see something. Then everyone will try and guess what it is she has spied. Once she has chosen an item she ll say, I spy with my little eye something that is and give a clue. Then we ll take turns guessing what it was she spied by raising our hands and asking questions. Once we ve guessed what the item is, the person who guessed correctly will receive the beanbag, and then and we ll start the game all over again. Lead the first round to model how the game is played. Be sure to vary descriptions of the item based upon the age group of the children. For children between four and five years of age, consider describing the item based on its shape, color, or number. For older children, you may add letters, numbers, and functions of the objects to your description. If time allows pass out Wonder Question coloring Sheet and allow kids to color while you ask the wonder questions. Conclude in prayer and pass out a Generous Project coin bank to each child. Encourage kids to give towards to the generous project by collecting money in this bank and bringing it back to church April 1 or April 8. I wonder How might God want me to show my faith this week? I wonder How did the Centurion s faith impact how Jesus helped him? I wonder...what other man from the Bible showed Faith? Abraham, Noah, David..etc. 6
GOAL: Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story. Create: Shield of Faith SUPPLIES (per table/small group) Shield (one per kid) crayons stickers jewels sequins glue sticks Generous Project coin bank SET UP Give each child a shield and have them put their names on the back of their shield. Then set out all the supplies in the middle of the table where all the kids can reach them. ENGAGE Today we learned about a Roman officer called a centurion and his concern for his servant who was very sick. The centurion asked Jesus to come and heal his servant. He knew that if Jesus would just speak the words, the servant would get better. It was this strong belief that formed his faith. We all have faith. We all believe in things we do not see or understand. God is one of these things. Today we are making shields to remind us of how powerful and important faith is to us and to God. Allow kids to take their shields home. Conclude in prayer and pass out a Generous Project coin bank to each child (if they didn t already get one at the 9:00 service). Encourage kids to give towards to the generous project by collecting money in this bank and bringing it back to church April 1 or April 8. I wonder Why didn t Jesus have to go into the Centurion s house to help? I wonder What are some things I know are true about God? I wonder...what is one way I can show others my faith in God? 7
Review the Remember Verse: For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love. Ephesians 1:4 Motions: For He.. (both hands palms up above head) Chose us. (Bring hands towards chest close palms) In Him before The creation of the world.. (point up with pointer fingers) (make a circle with pointer fingers starting together at the top separating going right and left, and meeting at the bottom of the circle) (scoop arms with hands open away from body twice, first at then at head) (palms open at waist like receiving something) ( open hands by each eye open and close like blinking with hands go to arms cross and fist closed, sign language, for in love. To be holy chest And blameless. In His sight; In love.. your BLESSING As you to listen to today s blessing from the Bible, you can do the same motions I do. Read the following passage from Ephesians 3:16 17a and encourage the accompanying actions as prompted. I pray (fold hands together) that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you (strike muscle man pose) with power through his Spirit in your inner being (close palms and point to chest with thumbs), so that Christ may dwell in your hearts (place hand over heart) through faith. Invite kids to raise their hands as if they re receiving something and say this blessing: May you always know how much Jesus loves you. May you have faith that Jesus will do what He promises. VIDEO: In This Life 8
I was a senior in high school when I was presented with the opportunity to travel with a team to India. I knew in my heart that God wanted me to go. My family worried about the dangers and diseases that I would be exposed to, not to mention how I would raise the financial support for the trip. Calmly, I shared the conviction I held deep within me Jesus had given me complete confidence and faith. He would provide. There was no room for fear. Although it appeared to my family that the odds were against me, I continued to persevere in obedience. Then one day my mom was suddenly in support of my trip. God confirmed in her what He had confirmed in me. The financial support for the trip came in and before I knew it, I was ready to go. All the preparations seemed impossible but they weren t impossible for God. I chose to follow and obey knowing He would take care of me. As I look back, I see how my faith adventure to India was truly transformational. Not only was I able to see the incredible ways God was working in the lives of the Indian people, as an added bonus I was able to understand what Jesus desires most from my life faith. Rae Lynn Lott ROCKHARBOR Church When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. (Matthew 8:10) In the original Greek language, the word for amazed is thauma which means a wonderful thing, a marvel, or causes one to wonder exceedingly. Wonder provokes amazement, surprise, and respect. Why did the faith of a Gentile, a Roman centurion, cause the Lord to wonder exceedingly to be surprised? The Jewish community, the people who were supposed to know all about God and how He works, weren t demonstrating such faith. Yet a Roman soldier, a man without a strong heritage of faith, put his belief into action. Commentators believe that the Roman officer in Matthew 8 was highly respected by the people of Capernaum. The Bible says he had built a synagogue as a place of worship for the Jewish people, and he may have been regarded as a man with great character and a sense of duty. There were barriers within society that might have kept the officer from seeking Jesus he was a soldier, and Jesus was a man of peace; he was a Gentile, and Jesus was a Jew. But that didn t stop him from pursuing the Lord. His compassion for his servant and his belief in Jesus power to heal drove him to action. The centurion knew and understood chain of command, and must have believed that Jesus had authority over disease, just as he had authority over the soldiers he led. Because of the centurion s conviction and trust in Jesus power and ability, his servant was healed at that very moment. 9
God has called you to live a life of belief in action. He has placed you where you are for a specific reason. He is not distracted, or ruled, by any of the circumstances in your life or the lives of those around you. He has authority over all creation; all things on the earth, under the earth, the heavens, and in the heavenly realms are subject to Him. He has given you everything you need. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:18 23) May your life be a display of belief in action this week. 10