LEGO –
Kingdom Builders
Loving – Lego of anger and
Build up compassion
Encouraging – Lego of ego and
Build up others
Giving – Lego of selfishness
and Build up riches in heaven
Outreach – Lego of fear and
Build up confidence to evangelize
DAY 1: LOVING –David &
Mephibosheth (2 Sam 4)
The
world tells us to get even and get mad when people upset/mistreat us.
The
Bible tells us to treat others as we would like to be treated.
DAY 2: ENCOURAGING –
Barnabas was known as the great encourager - "Therefore encourage one
another and build one another up, just as you are doing" - 1 Thessalonians
5:11
The
world tells us to push others down so we feel better about ourselves.
The
Bible tells us that we should lift others up towards God.
DAY 3: GIVING – The Widow
and her Two Mites (Luke 21:1-4)
The
world tells us to do anything to get and keep lots of money and things.
The
Bible tells us to give to others and to God generously.
DAY 4: OUTREACH – The Woman
at the Well (John 4:1-42)
Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Matt 18:11) – and so should we!
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go
for us? And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8, NIV)
Mark 16:15-16 – “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature.”
The
world tells us to look out only for ourselves.
The
Bible tells us to look out for others, physically and spiritually.
DAY 1: LOVING – Lego of
anger and Build up compassion
David & Mephibosheth (2 Sam 4)
The
world tells us to get even and get mad when people upset/mistreat us.
The
Bible tells us to treat others as we would like to be treated.
Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and grandson of Israel’s King Saul. The
boy was only 5 years old when his father and grandfather were killed in battle
with the Philistines at Mt. Gilboa by the Jezreel Valley. Learning of the death
of his sons in battle, Saul took his own life.
It was customary that when a ruler was defeated that his family would be killed
as well so that there would be no lineage of that ruler left to reclaim the
throne. However Mephibosheth survives.
“Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years
old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked
him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled, his
name was Mephibosheth” (2
Samuel 4:4).
Mephibosheth had grown and had a son of his own
when King David inquired of his whereabouts. King David and Jonathan had been
very close friends and became as brothers. Because of their relationship and an
oath David made to Jonathan (1
Samuel 20:15-16, 42),
he wanted to honor it by finding & caring for Mephibosheth.
Now David said, “Is there still anyone
who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show
him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
2 And there
was a servant of the house of
Saul whose name was Ziba. So
when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”
He said, “At your service!”
3 Then the
king said, “Is there not still
someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the
kindness of God?”
And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.”
4 So the
king said to him, “Where is he?”
And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house
of Machir the son of Ammiel,
in Lo Debar.” (Translated, the name literally means “land of
nothing”.)
5 Then King
David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from
Lo Debar.
6 Now when Mephibosheth[b] the son of
Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and
prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?”
And he answered, “Here is your servant!”
7 So David
said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan
your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your
grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”
8 Then he
bowed himself, and said, “What is your
servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog
as I?”
9 And the
king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have
given to your master’s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You therefore, and your
sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the
harvest, that your
master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat
bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen
sons and twenty servants.
11 Then Ziba
said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his
servant, so will your servant do.”
“As for Mephibosheth,” said
the king, “he shall
eat at [c]my table
like one of the king’s sons.”12 Mephibosheth
had a young son whose name was Micha. And
all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants
of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in
Jerusalem, for he ate
continually at the king’s table. And he was lame
in both his feet.
It
made it even more awesome for David to provide this great care and service to
Mephibosheth because he knew that Mephibosheth didn’t deserve it, he could
never earn the gifts that David bestowed on him, and he could never do anything
to repay David for his kindness. This parallels with Christ’s death on the
cross for us, and is exactly what makes Jesus’s sacrifice for us so wonderful.
It is unmerited favor, being given something I don’t deserve, or G.R.A.C.E.,
God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. We can never do enough to earn heaven, and
only the blood of Christ can save us from the eternity that we deserve as
sinful, imperfect beings. God purchased US with the most expensive and precious
gift ever, the blood of the perfect lamb of God.
Like
the hymn goes, they will know we are Christians by our love. We show our love
in various ways, but it starts by seeing every person as God sees people:
Children that He loves and wants to go to heaven to be with Him one day. Put on
your “God-goggles” to help you see a child of God in every situation and
encounter.
“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who
can do nothing for him.”—Malcolm S. Forbes
Jesus washed the disciples’ feet in Jn 13:3-17. He showed
his selfless love by taking on the role of a thankless servant job. We can and should show our love to our
children, our spouse, coworkers, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, and
even the tough people to love, like the angry commuter that cuts us off the
road or the person who runs over our toes with a grocery cart or the one who
commits a terrible crime/act against us or our family.
God extends his grace to all (Titus 2:14) and we are to
spread the Word to all.
****************************Kid’s
Class Lesson Ideas****************************
Day 1: Can it be tough to love EVERYBODY? Do you always
feel like hugging your brother/sister, or that kid that steals your pencils at
school, or that neighbor boy who calls you names? You may want to get angry,
call them names, sock them in the nose, tell them off, but Jesus set a good
example for us on how to deal with tough people. He didn’t want to hug the
people who hung him on the cross, who hit him and made fun of him and were just
out to get him all the time. But He did want them to change their ways, and He
loved their soul enough to still die on the cross for their sins. If Jesus
hadn’t loved them that much, He could’ve called 10,000 angels to set Him free
instead of allowing himself to die on the cross.
He tells us that a kind word can put out someone’s anger
like water on a fire, so think about your words and what you want to say before
you say it.
Prov 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word
stirs up anger.”
Not everyone is going to like you. You can be the juiciest, plumpest, ripest
peach in the entire state of Georgia, but there is always going to be someone
who doesn’t like peaches. You don’t have to be friends with everybody to show
them God’s love, and they don’t all have to like you. Not everyone liked Jesus
because they liked their money and their power more than they wanted to hear
Jesus’s message. Remember that the main goal is to get to heaven one day, and
to bring as many people with us as we can. We start that by inviting others to
church, by starting a talk about God, by attending church and learning more
about God all the time, and letting “this little Christian light of mine” to
shine all around the neighborhood and the WORLD.
If someone upsets you and you blow up at them in anger and
say mean words, you aren’t allowing God to shine through you. Try taking a deep
breath, counting to 10, walking away from them or the situation, or talking it
out with them. “Hey, I don’t like when I’m called names. I know you wouldn’t
like to be called names, either. Let’s decide to not do that anymore, ok?” You
can always get an adult involved if someone is being dangerous or scary.
Remember that you will never meet a person that God doesn’t
love. Next time that you see someone who is angering you or upsetting you or
acting silly, remember: God still loves that person. As much as God loves you,
He still loves that person too. And try to treat that person like Jesus would
treat that person.
DAY 2: ENCOURAGING – Lego
of ego and Build up others
Barnabas - "Therefore
encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." 1
Thessalonians 5:11
The
world tells us to push others down so we feel better about ourselves.
The
Bible tells us that we should lift others up towards God.
One kind deed lends to another. Barnabas encouraged others
to accept Paul into their ranks after he’d encountered God on the road to
Damascus and had converted (Acts 9).
Paul was a huge part of the New Testament, and without Barnabas’s
encouragement, perhaps Paul wouldn’t have been the one to help bring the Word
of God to Christians everywhere. What
would’ve become of Paul had Barnabas not encouraged others to accept him? Would
Paul have had such an effect on the New Testament as we know it today?
In 1 Cor. 9:6, Paul describes
Barnabas as a hard worker. Let’s be like Barnabas.
Give – Acts 4:37 - He gave his land, Gave his all
Forgive – Acts 8:1-3, 9:26 - Forgave Saul of his past sins
Be Humble – Acts 11:19-26 - Brought Paul in
Be Supportive – Acts 5:37 - Wanted to give Mark a second chance
Learning Activity
#1: Students
can role-play sharing the Gospel. Choose a volunteer who will be the one
sharing the Gospel. Have other volunteers choose a card with how they
will respond to the message. (Uninterested, distracted, mocks, listens
but isn’t ready to be saved, wants to be saved) Students can switch roles
and act out the different responses. The teacher guides the students by
encouraging the student sharing the Gospel with possible suggestions.
Learning Activity
#2: A
possible writing activity for this lesson is for students to write out their journey
to finding Christ (and putting him on in baptism). How and when they put their
faith in Jesus? As they write out these facts about themselves they can
share it with others in the class, pointing out important points in their
lives, important decisions they made, and important people who helped to guide
them to that life-changing decision to come to Christ.
Acts 15:36-41 ---
Paul and Barnabas disagree, but continue to preach the gospel.
Do not allow silly arguments over
petty things to outweigh the entire goal of being a Christian. “But avoid
foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for
they are unprofitable and useless.” – Titus
3:9
Make sure you keep the main goal the main thing. Heb 12:2 says, “fixing our eyes on Jesus,
the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the
cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We cannot allow the fear of being ostracized, being told
“no”, or being thought of as “weird” to keep us from encouraging others and
spreading the Good News. Josh 1:9 tells us that God goes with us everywhere,
and not to be afraid.
****************************Kid’s
Class Lesson Ideas****************************
Day 2: One thing that we hear a lot about is bullying. Some
kids and some adults can just be mean. You may find this at school or at home.
Just because some people act like that doesn’t mean that it is a right and good
thing to do.
The Golden Rule says that we should treat people the way
that we would like to be treated, and that is very true. Did you know that the
Bible says that?
What is a bully?
What things does a bully do?
Was Jesus a bully? NO WAY! And neither should we be one!
Where can we show kindness? At school? At a friend’s house?
At the store? To a stranger we pass on the sidewalk? How about at home?
What does the word “encourage” mean? It means “to help”,
like to help something to grow. When you plant a flower, you help it grow by
watering it, by making sure it gets plenty of sunshine, and treating it with
love and kindness (no kicking or stomping on plants). When you get a kitten or
a puppy, you feed it, give it water, give it time to play and sleep, and plenty
of love and kindness. People grow like that, too. If we can help plants grow
with kindness, imagine what it could do for a fellow human.
Any of you like to play or watch sports? What do teams
normally wear? They wear uniforms, and as a Christian, we are on Team Jesus. We
wear the name of Christ on the front of our jersey uniform. Do our actions make
Christ proud to have us wearing his name around? Do we make people want to take
notice and say, “Hey, I see that there is something different about you. Can
you tell me what it is?” We can then tell them about the hope we have in Jesus.
DAY 3: GIVING – Lego of selfishness and Build up
riches in heaven
*The Widow and her Two Mites* (Luke 21:1-4)
The
world tells us to do anything to get and keep lots of money and things.
The
Bible tells us to give to others and to God generously.
Luke 21:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
“And He looked up and saw
the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in
two mites.[a] 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has
put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in
offerings [b]for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the
livelihood that she had.”
Although it can be difficult to give of
ourselves (either we lack the money, courage, or motivation) that is what God
asks of us. Jesus knows everything about us, down to the very number of hairs
on our head (Matt 10:30). He knows what He has blessed each of us with. He
knows what we are able to give of ourselves. If that is a million dollars each
week or a meek two mites, He knows. Take a good, honest look at what you have
and decide what you have to give to the One who gave His all for you by dying
on the cross for your sins.
2 Cor 9:6-7 says, “
But this I say: He who sows sparingly
will also reap sparingly, and he who sows[a]bountifully
will also reap [b]bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of [c]necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
God knows what we have. He knows that each of us
has a budget and bills to pay. He doesn’t ask for every cent you earn of your
paycheck. He just asks for our firstfruits. What do you purpose in your heart
to give each Lord’s Day?
Remember that we are just stewards of everything
the Lord has given us. It is easy to give away what isn’t yours, but it is much
more difficult when you think that it is all your hard-earned money
and yours
to keep, and why should you be open-palming your cash to somebody else? The
Lord’s church needs help to keep running physically. The electric bill isn’t
paid on the fumes of our prayers. The water bill isn’t payable with the steps
we walk around the building each week. We have been greatly blessed, especially
living in the U.S.A., and we can give generously to others.
God doesn’t want us to be tight-fisted with our
money or our time. We are all on borrowed time, and life is a coin that can
only be spent once. No one knows when our last day on Earth will be. No one
knows when the Lord will return. Choose what you do with your time wisely. You
show others your priorities by what you choose to spend your time doing.
Do you attend church regularly rather than
skipping for any silly reason? That shows your family and your children where
their priorities should be, too. Joshua 24:15 says, “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will
serve... But as for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord.”
Wow! What a powerful sentiment! Do you show this in your actions to your family
when you skip church for ball games or movie outings or just because you don’t
feel like going to church that day?
Psalm 122:1 says, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house
of the Lord.”
Do you visit with your church family, attending
functions and outings with them? Do you help care for them, visit them, send
them cards, make food for them, offer to help them in any way you can? That
shows others that you value your church family.
John
13:34-35, “A new
commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you,
you also are to love one another. By
this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another.”
Matt 18:20, “For where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name,
there am I among them.”
Heb
10:24-25, “And let
us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the
manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much
the more as you see the Day approaching.”
1 Pet 4:9,
“Be hospitable to one
another without grumbling.”
So what about those who don’t have
a job or don’t have any income? There are many different ways to give of
yourself to the church, not just with money. In all honesty, God would prefer
your heart than your money. You could give millions to His cause, but that
wouldn’t mean a thing if your heart isn’t in the right place.
Psalm 51:16-17 says, “For you will not delight in
sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God,
you will not despise.”
Remember the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
in Lk 18:9-14?
“To some who were confident of their own
righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax
collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that
I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax
collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to
heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before
God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble
themselves will be exalted.”
*** The Pharisee did everything right in theory. He gave of
his time and money and fasted like a Jew would have at that time. But where was
his heart???
There is so much to help out with
in the church. You can help out with Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes by
teaching/assisting a class or prepping food or clean up afterwards. You can
volunteer at the food bank. You can give to or organize a fundraiser/donation
to a charitable cause like the children’s home or a mission trip. You can help
bring in a dish at a funeral meal. You can help set up chairs for a ladies day.
You can invite someone over for a meal and/or Bible study. You can pray with
someone if they are having a rough day or just received some bad news. (I would
suggest praying right then and there with them, because how many times do we
say “I’ll pray for you” and we forget later?!) You can hold a door open for
someone else. You can give someone a ride to church. You can share your Bible
with a visitor.
The ways to give are numerous. It
doesn’t always have to be a big, over-the-top, in-your-face sort of giving. It
can be in a quiet, humble manner. No good deed is ever wasted, no matter the
amount of people (big or small) impacted by it, when it is for the good of the
Lord’s church. If we don’t show ourselves apart and different from the rest of
the world with our actions and deeds, then why would anyone take notice of us
and want to follow us into the Christ???
****************************Kid’s
Class Lesson Ideas****************************
Day 3: As a kid in the church, it is most important to learn
and to grow, but there are plenty of kind deeds to do along the way!
Have you ever seen how big people will smile when they
receive a hug or a card or a flower from a child? They love that kinda stuff!
You can hold a door open for someone or share your Bible with somebody. You can
try not giving your parents a hard time, like when getting ready for church,
and you can definitely try keeping your hands to yourself when you are on the
way to church or while sitting in service.
Even kids have an important role in the church. If the
church only had adults, then there would be no adults in the church in 20 years
when YOU will be an adult, and the Lord’s church would no longer be around! YOU
are important, and YOU are chosen by God to be His child. (You can ask your
parents this, but no matter how old you are, you will still be their child, and
that’s the same way with God. You will ALWAYS be God’s child, no matter your
age).
The gifts that come from the heart are always the best
gifts, and kids are the BEST gift-givers. In 1 Tim 4:12 it says, “Let no one
despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in
love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” That means that, no matter how young you
are, you are still a helpful worker for the Lord.
Don’t be discouraged! You don’t have to wait till you are
older to be an example, to bring others to Christ, or do say/do good things for
God. Start NOW! Even if you don’t succeed the first time or second time in
inviting someone to church, practice makes perfect! You will be an expert in a
few years. Keep on keeping on!
DAY 4: OUTREACH – Lego of
fear and Build up confidence to evangelize
*The Woman at the Well*
For the Son of Man has come to
save that which was lost. (Matt 18:11) – and so should we! “Then I heard the
voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I
said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8, NIV)
The
world tells us to look out only for ourselves.
The
Bible tells us to look out for others, physically and spiritually.
We are ambassadors for Christ.
There is no such thing as an off-duty ambassador. We cannot set aside our
badges to go do what we want to do. We are the messengers. Equipped and
privileged, we have been given as a stewardship the ministry of reconciliation:
reconciling lost people to God through Jesus Christ. We carry the message of
reconciliation -- the word of God, the gospel -- because we are ambassadors for
Christ. We are the messengers of outreach.
Luke 19:10 - For the Son of Man came to seek and
to save the lost.”
In 1 Cor 11:1,
Paul says, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”
The Woman at the Well
– Jn 1:1-26
Now Jesus learned
that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples
than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.
3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
4 Now he had to go
through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot
of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and
Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about
noon.
7 When a Samaritan
woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His
disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan
woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask
me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered
her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you
would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman
said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get
this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the
well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks
the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will
become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said
to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep
coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come
back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right
when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands,
and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite
true.”
19 “Sir,” the woman
said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this
mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in
Jerusalem.”
21 “Woman,” Jesus
replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither
on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not
know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time
is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in
the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said,
“I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will
explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to
you—I am he.”
We cannot be Christians of convenience; We must be
Christians of conviction! We can’t pick and choose who we tell the Gospel
message to. We are called to go into all the world and preach the Word to
everybody.
2 Pet 3:9,
“The Lord is not slack
concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
Jn
3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
We are not to be the
judge of who gets to hear the Word and who doesn’t.
We should look at everyone the way God
does – as a child that He loves and wants to be saved so we can live with Him
in heaven one day – even the tax collectors, even the Pharisees and Sadducees,
even the persecutors of Christians… everyone!!!
We can’t allow the fear of putting ourselves out there to
keep us from spreading the good news to others.
Keep your eyes on the goal, and don’t allow anything to get
in the way of that, including peer pressure, fear of hearing “no” or of talking
to others.
Henry Ford
said, “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off
your goal.”
The Lord could’ve looked at this woman at the well as said
to himself, “Well, she’s a woman. She’s a Samaritan woman. She’s an UNMARRIED
Samaritan woman living unrighteously. She doesn’t deserve to hear what I have to say/offer.” But he didn’t. He didn’t allow society’s standards or any
preconceived notions to dissuade him from spreading the news. We need to have
that same attitude. Evangelize to ALL.
****************************Kid’s
Class Lesson Ideas****************************
Day 4: The biggest, coolest, greatest gift we have and that
we can be given is eternity in heaven. Why in the world wouldn’t we want to
share that with everybody?!?! That’s what Jesus did, and that’s what we should
do, too! Jesus traveled a long way and a long while teaching others so that
they could carry on spreading His Word after He’d returned to heaven. He left
us an instructions manual, and all we have to do it read it, study it, learn it,
and do it to please Him.
Patience, or waiting a super long time for stuff, can be a
tough thing to learn. Why do we have to wait for stuff? Why can’t we get
everything we want NOW NOW NOW? Why can’t we get a car and drive ourselves to
school when we’re 8? Well, it helps to have driver’s training, and a car, and
money for a car and gas and insurance, oh and also to be able to see over the
dashboard. There is good things about being each age and being in certain
places at certain times. Grown-ups cannot go back to elementary school and have
recess again, but kids can enjoy that now, can’t they!
God has big gifts waiting for us. And the best presents usually
require patience.
It’s like a treasure map. God has given us a treasure map (the
Bible) with something amazing waiting for us (heaven) if we follow it, but
instead of following it, we get distracted. We find other things, not as nice
or as great things, on the way to our destination and lose focus. God keeps
gently putting us back on the path, because he knows that the little things we
find on the path aren’t nearly as great as what He has in store for us. He is
so excited for us to find his present (heaven). Just keep following God, and
He’ll lead you right to where you need to go!
Read the map.
Follow the map.
Find the treasure.
Enjoy the treasure.
******************************FINAL THOUGHTS****************************
On day 1 we learned about loving
others as Christ has loved us. It is great to love others, but you can’t say,
“I have to love people from afar, I’m not a people person, I can’t talk to
people, that’s not my forte.” (Sounds similar to Moses’s excuses when God told
him to go back to Egypt!) It’s great to open your mind to loving all (which is
in itself a far cry from what the world expects of human beings), but loving
them “from afar” isn’t enough. God called us to do more.
On day 2 we learned about
encouraging others. This can be done in numerous ways, like in speech, in
written form, in song, and more. It is awesome to decide to love others as we
learned on day 1. It is awesome to encourage others in numerous ways, but it still
isn’t enough. God called us to do more. (Talk the talk)
On day 3 we learned about giving.
Giving can be done with your time, energy, money… Jesus gave his all, and he
did it gladly, all so that we may have the opportunity to live with him in
heaven one day. It is awesome to decide to love others. It is awesome to
encourage others in numerous ways. It is awesome to give to others, but it
still isn’t enough. God called us to do more. (Walk the walk)
On day 4 we learn about outreach.
Jesus’s goal was to seek and save the lost, and we are called to do just
that. Mark 2:17, “…Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
We do not pick and choose who we share the gospel with, picking and choosing
who we think DESERVES to go to heaven. That’s not part of our job. We can sit
in a pretty church with a bunch of pretty people and sing pretty songs, but we
are falling short if we think our job is done after clocking out of worship
service Sunday morning. Being a Christian is a 24/7 job. We come to church for
a recharge, but we then enter the battlefield once we exit the parking lot! We
must have our armor on for our everyday lives. We must be like Christ, planting
the seeds in the hearts of others. (Get hearts and souls involved!)
It is awesome to decide to love
others.
It is awesome to encourage others
in numerous ways.
It is awesome to give to others,
but it still isn’t enough.
God called us to do more.
We must bring others into/back
into the fold of God.
We are the building blocks of the Lord’s Kingdom, and we are
called to build it up by following Christ’s example and spreading the Good News
that, although we are sad sinners who don’t deserve heaven, Jesus died for us
to have the chance to go. All we need to do is follow the steps of salvation.
Hear - Rom 10:17,
Believe - Heb 11:6/Jn 8:24,
Repent – Lk 13:3,
Confess – Matt 10:32,
Be Baptized – Mk 16:16/Acts 22:16,
Live Faithful – Rev 2:10
Good Bible Verses for Lego-Theme 2019
1 Pet. 2:4-5, “
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but
chosen by God and
precious to him—
5 you also, like living
stones, are being built into
a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to
God through Jesus Christ.”
1 Cor 3:10-11, “10 According to the grace of God
which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and
another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than
that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Eph 2:19-22, “19 Now, therefore, you are no longer
strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of
the household of God, 20 having been
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself
being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted
together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being
built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
1 Cor 3:16, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
Acts 17:24, "The
God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and
earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;”
1 Cor 6:19,
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
2 Cor 6:16,
“Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are
the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND
WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.”
Eph 3:17,
“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that
you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Heb 3:6,
“but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house--whose house we are, if
we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.”
Eph 2:19-22, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,
but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having
been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself
being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is
growing into a holy temple in the Lord,”
Possible
craft/décor ideas:
- Lego blocks
- Minecraft
- Log cabin blocks
- Tools
- Safety vests/hats
- Orange cones/Caution tape/yellow & black
stripes
- Machinery/gears/cogs
- Scaffolding
All kids could get a Styrofoam “brick” or block and they
decorate it, then they can put them up into a “wall” like they are building
blocks of the church. Can take pictures in front of and take their Styrofoam
brick home as a reminder.
?????? IDEA FOR AUDITORIUM ??????
“Silly Sam” is told numerous times by “Bob the Builder” to
read the instructions (the Bible) for how to build a church, but he doesn’t
want to read God’s manual.
(“Ain’t nobody got time for that, Bob!” – so says Silly
Sam.)
“Silly Sam” and “Bob the Builder” have discussions all week
about the church.
1. Silly Sam wants to build a church, but uses (wet) sand
(sand castles) instead of bricks – the wise man built his house upon the rock –
Jesus is the rock and the Chief Cornerstone!!!! We must have a firm foundation
to build on!
2. Silly Sam tries to build a church, but uses bricks this
time. Bob tells him that that’s a good idea for any building, but Christians
make up the church, and Jesus is the head. The building is no use if it doesn’t
have people inside!
3. Silly Sam tries to build a church, but uses some of the
youth group kids to build a church wall. :P
Bob the Builder tells him that the actual physical church
building isn’t made up physically of Christians (that’s just crazy!). The
church is the people! (Back in the early church they didn’t have a church
building to meet at, so they met at people’s houses instead.) The building
doesn’t matter as much as the hearts of the people in God’s church. Jesus is the
head of the church, and we are His followers, no matter what kind of building
we have to worship in. Sam says, “Hey, this seems complicated. You got an
instruction manual or something?” Bob gives Sam a Bible to use as an
instruction manual.
4. Silly Sam sees the preacher and the song leader and the
teachers and says, “But I’m just a little kid, so can I be as much help as a
grown-up?”
Can all of us be helpers of Jesus? YES!!! The same as our body has all
different parts and are all important, we are the body of Christ and we all
have different functions and are ALL NECESSARY! People are as different as
snowflakes are from each other. Lego pieces are all different and all have
their own uses. Put them together and you have some amazing contraptions! God
can use all of us to further His kingdom.
Important
Thoughts:
God’s home is in heaven, all else is just temporary. Let’s
work to join Him there one day! Give God 100% of ourselves. Don’t just give Him
one room in your house, even if it’s the best room. Let Him into your ENTIRE
house!
God is not contained or containable.
He is not limited or restricted. Eph 3:20
He does not dwell in things made by human hands. Acts 7:48
But HE made US. He lives in us as we allow His light to
shine through us. 2 Cor 6:16
Only WE can make a worthy church. Eph 2:19-22
WE are the building blocks of the church. 1 Pet 2:4-5
We have a job to do (sowing the seed), so LET’S DO IT
TOGETHER! Mk 16:15-16
We are chosen by the Most High God. 1 Pet 2:9
We are important to the Creator of
the world and to His plan.
We are loved by our amazing Heavenly Father.
Jn 3:16
We are bricks that work together in God’s plan to make/build
His amazing church!
There is power in numbers. Singularly, one brick doesn’t
build anything and isn’t all that impressive, but TOGETHER we are formidable
and strong and can accomplish so much. TOGETHER we make up the church, and we,
as sowers of the seed, will bring others into the fold of God, and build up the
church even further so that we may one day hear, “… ‘Well done, good and
faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler
over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Matt 25:21
LEGOs are simple building blocks in a variety of shapes and
colors, but with a little creativity and imagination they can be put together
in unlimited combinations to create masterpieces. They are a great metaphor for
each of us in the body of Christ as we perform different tasks and support each
other for the glory of the Lord. And if we follow God’s instruction we can be
used to create and do incredible things.
Questions to Think About:
• What spiritual
lessons can we learn from LEGOS?
• What could
happen if you don’t follow the instructions?
• How is this
like the choices we have in life?
• Were you
created with a purpose?
• Are there
instructions for us to follow in life? As a Christian?
• What are some
of the world’s instructions? What about from the Bible?
• How is a
Lego set like the body of Christ?
• How is the
Bible like an instruction manual?
• How is
Christ a model for us to follow?
• How can we learn where we belong in
the church and the role we each should fill?
