Reference: Luke 10:25-37
Story Summary:
An authority on the law, a Bible expert, asked Jesus a question, "What must I do to receive eternal life?" Jesus asked him what God's Law said. The authority said, "To love God with all my heart and to love my neighbor as myself."
Jesus said, "If you do this, you will live." But the authority wanted to make himself look good, so he asked, "Who is my neighbor."
To answer the question, Jesus told a story. A traveller was beaten by robbers and left all alone. Two men, a priest and a Levite, passed by him without helping. But a third man, a Samaritan, stopped and did all he can to help the man.
After the story, Jesus asked, "Who was a neighbor to the traveller." The authority said, "The one who helped him." Jesus replied, "Go and do as he did."
With his story, Jesus taught us that everyone is our neighbor. When God tells us to love our neighbors, he is telling is to love everyone we meet.
Big Idea and Motions: Be a good neighbor to everyone.
Be - put one hand on your hip; wag the index finger of your other hand
Good - two thumbs up
Neighbor - pretend to put your arm around someone next to you
Everyone - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Verse / Motions: Matthew 7:12, ESV - So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them...
Whatever - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Wish - press your palms together and close your eyes
Others - gesture your arms out in front of you
Do to you - point to yourself with two thumbs
Do also - twirl your finger in circles
Them - point to others with both index fingers
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who asked Jesus a question in today’s story? // An Authority on the Law (a Bible Expert)
How did Jesus say the man could get eternal life? // Obey the two great commandments
What was the Authority on the Law’s second question? // Who is my neighbor?
How did Jesus answer the man’s second question? // He told a story
What happened to the traveller in Jesus’ story? // Robbers beat him up
Who did people think would probably be the good guys in Jesus’ story? // The priest and Levite
Who did people think would probably be the bad guy in Jesus’ story? // The Samaritan
Who didn’t help the man in Jesus’ story? // The Levite and the Priest
Who was a good neighbor in Jesus’ story? // The good Samaritan
How was Jesus a good neighbor to us? // He died for our sins and rose from the dead
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - https://goo.gl/McSCDZ
Resources - https://goo.gl/ODcNqA
May 29, 2016
May 22, 2016
NT 21 The Great Commandments
Reference: Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34
Story Summary:
A group of Pharisees asked Jesus this question: what is the most important commandment in the law?
We find God's Law in the first five books of the Bible. Many times, when people talked about the law, they were talking about the Ten Commandments. Other times, they were talking about all of the rules God gave his special people, the Israelites, including rules about what to wear and what not to eat.
Jesus said the most important commandments were: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. The reason these commandments are the most important is because, if we obey these two great commandments, we'll end up obeying all the others.
After hearing Jesus' answer, the Pharisees agreed with him. From then on, the Bible says, no one dared to ask Jesus any more "tricky" questions.
Big Idea and Motions: If we obey the two great commandments, we obey all commandments.
Obey - make an O above your head with your arms
Two - hold up two fingers
Great commandments - two thumbs up
Obey - same as above
All - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Verse / Motions: Mark 12:30-31, ESV - And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Love - hands over your heart (do this each time you say “love”)
Lord your God - point up on each word
Heart - thump your chest
Soul - move your hand in a circular motion an inch or so over your chest
Mind - tap your head
Strength - flex your muscles
Neighbor - mime putting an arm around a friend
Yourself - point to yourself with two thumbs
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who asked Jesus a question in today’s story? // The Pharisees
What question did they ask Jesus? // What is the most important commandment
What list of God’s rules did we talk about in the story? // The Ten Commandments
What did Jesus say is the most important commandment? // Love God with all your heart
What does the most important commandment mean? // To love God with 100% of your live, love him with everything
What did Jesus say is the second most important commandment? // Love your neighbor as yourself
What does the second most important commandment mean? // To love and treat others like you’d want to be loved and treated
Why are these commandments so important? // If you obey then, you’ll obey all the other ones, too
How did the Pharisees feel about Jesus’ answer? // They were so impressed, no one dared to ask another question
Who is the only person to obey both great commandments perfectly? // Jesus
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - https://goo.gl/e9NsSL
Resources - https://goo.gl/XgpfgZ
Story Summary:
A group of Pharisees asked Jesus this question: what is the most important commandment in the law?
We find God's Law in the first five books of the Bible. Many times, when people talked about the law, they were talking about the Ten Commandments. Other times, they were talking about all of the rules God gave his special people, the Israelites, including rules about what to wear and what not to eat.
Jesus said the most important commandments were: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. The reason these commandments are the most important is because, if we obey these two great commandments, we'll end up obeying all the others.
After hearing Jesus' answer, the Pharisees agreed with him. From then on, the Bible says, no one dared to ask Jesus any more "tricky" questions.
Big Idea and Motions: If we obey the two great commandments, we obey all commandments.
Obey - make an O above your head with your arms
Two - hold up two fingers
Great commandments - two thumbs up
Obey - same as above
All - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Verse / Motions: Mark 12:30-31, ESV - And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Love - hands over your heart (do this each time you say “love”)
Lord your God - point up on each word
Heart - thump your chest
Soul - move your hand in a circular motion an inch or so over your chest
Mind - tap your head
Strength - flex your muscles
Neighbor - mime putting an arm around a friend
Yourself - point to yourself with two thumbs
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who asked Jesus a question in today’s story? // The Pharisees
What question did they ask Jesus? // What is the most important commandment
What list of God’s rules did we talk about in the story? // The Ten Commandments
What did Jesus say is the most important commandment? // Love God with all your heart
What does the most important commandment mean? // To love God with 100% of your live, love him with everything
What did Jesus say is the second most important commandment? // Love your neighbor as yourself
What does the second most important commandment mean? // To love and treat others like you’d want to be loved and treated
Why are these commandments so important? // If you obey then, you’ll obey all the other ones, too
How did the Pharisees feel about Jesus’ answer? // They were so impressed, no one dared to ask another question
Who is the only person to obey both great commandments perfectly? // Jesus
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - https://goo.gl/e9NsSL
Resources - https://goo.gl/XgpfgZ
May 15, 2016
NT 20 Meet the Pharisees
Reference: Matthew 9:9-13, 12:9-14, Mark 7:1-8, Luke 18:9-14
Story Summary:
The Pharisees were a group of Bible teachers that lived during the life of Jesus. They were very concerned with obeying God's Law. To make sure they obeyed it, they even made extra rules that they and their followers had to obey.
Some of these extra rules included special handwashing, not helping and healing on the Sabbath day, not eating with sinners. The Pharisees hated Jesus because he didn't teach others to follow their extra rules. Even worse, Jesus did follow their extra rules. They were so angry with Jesus that they planned to kill Jesus.
The Pharisees had a big problem. They thought that their obedience to the law would save them. But we know from the Bible that no one can ever be good enough to save themselves, because everyone sins!
Jesus told the Pharisees that he didn't come to save people who thought they were good. He came to call sinners to believe in him and have their sins forgiven.
Big Idea and Motions: We can’t be good enough to save ourselves.
We - point to yourself with both thumbs
Can’t - wag your finger “No!” and put your other hand on your hip
Good - two thumbs up
Save - make the baseball “Safe!” sign
Ourselves - point to yourself with two thumbs again
Verse / Motions: Romans 6:23, ESV - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Wages - pretend to swipe a credit/debit card
Sin - two thumbs down
Death - cross your forearms over your chest and bow your head
Free gift - pretend to hold a box and give it away
Eternal life - trace an ∞ with your finger
Christ Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What group did we talk about in today’s story? // The Pharisees
What were the two big problems with the Pharisees? // Made extra rules, thought they could save themselves
Name one of the extra rules the Pharisees had.* // Washing hands, avoid sinners, no healing on the Sabbath
What did Jesus do for the man with a weak hand on the Sabbath? // Healed his hand
What did the Pharisees want to do to Jesus after he healed the man on the Sabbath? // Kill him
How did the Pharisee pray in our story? // He thanked God that he wasn’t a sinner like the tax collector
How did the Tax Collector pray in our story? // Said he was a sinner and asked God for mercy, to forgive him
Whose sins were forgiven by God, the tax collector or the Pharisee? Why? // The tax collector because he asked God to save him and the Pharisee didn’t
Who/what should we trust in to be saved: being good and obeying God, or Jesus, who died and rose again? // Jesus
* You can ask this question multiple times.
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - https://goo.gl/LVNK66
Resources - https://goo.gl/aDyi35
Story Summary:
The Pharisees were a group of Bible teachers that lived during the life of Jesus. They were very concerned with obeying God's Law. To make sure they obeyed it, they even made extra rules that they and their followers had to obey.
Some of these extra rules included special handwashing, not helping and healing on the Sabbath day, not eating with sinners. The Pharisees hated Jesus because he didn't teach others to follow their extra rules. Even worse, Jesus did follow their extra rules. They were so angry with Jesus that they planned to kill Jesus.
The Pharisees had a big problem. They thought that their obedience to the law would save them. But we know from the Bible that no one can ever be good enough to save themselves, because everyone sins!
Jesus told the Pharisees that he didn't come to save people who thought they were good. He came to call sinners to believe in him and have their sins forgiven.
Big Idea and Motions: We can’t be good enough to save ourselves.
We - point to yourself with both thumbs
Can’t - wag your finger “No!” and put your other hand on your hip
Good - two thumbs up
Save - make the baseball “Safe!” sign
Ourselves - point to yourself with two thumbs again
Verse / Motions: Romans 6:23, ESV - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Wages - pretend to swipe a credit/debit card
Sin - two thumbs down
Death - cross your forearms over your chest and bow your head
Free gift - pretend to hold a box and give it away
Eternal life - trace an ∞ with your finger
Christ Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What group did we talk about in today’s story? // The Pharisees
What were the two big problems with the Pharisees? // Made extra rules, thought they could save themselves
Name one of the extra rules the Pharisees had.* // Washing hands, avoid sinners, no healing on the Sabbath
What did Jesus do for the man with a weak hand on the Sabbath? // Healed his hand
What did the Pharisees want to do to Jesus after he healed the man on the Sabbath? // Kill him
How did the Pharisee pray in our story? // He thanked God that he wasn’t a sinner like the tax collector
How did the Tax Collector pray in our story? // Said he was a sinner and asked God for mercy, to forgive him
Whose sins were forgiven by God, the tax collector or the Pharisee? Why? // The tax collector because he asked God to save him and the Pharisee didn’t
Who/what should we trust in to be saved: being good and obeying God, or Jesus, who died and rose again? // Jesus
* You can ask this question multiple times.
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - https://goo.gl/LVNK66
Resources - https://goo.gl/aDyi35
May 8, 2016
OT 77 Esther
Reference: Esther 1-8
Story Summary:
Xerxes, King of Persia, ruled over God's people, the Jews. He became angry with his wife and got rid of her. Esther became his new queen. King Xerxes didn't know Esther was a Jew.
Esther's uncle, Mordecai, was sitting outside the king's palace. He overheard two guards planning to kill the king. Mordecai told Esther, who told the king. The guards were taken away and it was written in the king's records that Mordecai helped save King Xerxes.
Later, King Xerxes honored a man named Haman. He told everyone to bow before Haman, but Mordecai didn't bow. Haman was so angry, he wanted to kill Mordecai and his people, the Jews. King Xerxes gave him permission to do it.
Mordecai told Esther to go to King Xerxes to ask him to save the Jews from Haman. Esther invited the King and Haman to a dinner, where she planned to talk to the King.
When Xerxes couldn't sleep , he had his royal records read to him. When he heard that Mordecai wasn't honored for saving him, he made Haman lead a parade to honor him. At a dinner, Esther told Xerxes she was a Jew and
that Haman wanted the Jews destroyed. King Xerxes punished Haman and had Mordecai send letters stopping Haman's plan to destroy the Jews.
Big Idea and Motions: God is always with us.
God - point up
Always - gesture your arms in a wide circle
With us - hug yourself
Verse / Motions: Matthew 28:20b, ESV - And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Behold - cup your hands around your mouth and say “Behold!” dramatically
I am - point
With you - hug yourself
Always - draw repeated circles in the air with your finger
End - point far away from you with both index fingers
Of the age - trace an ∞ in the air with your finger
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who was the king of Persia? // King Xerxes.
What “J” word describes the Israelites in today’s story? // Jews.
What Jew did King Xerxes make queen of Persia? // Esther.
Who was Esther’s adoptive father? // Mordecai.
How did Mordecai save King Xerxes? // He heard about two guards who wanted to kill the king.
Why was Haman mad at Mordecai? // Mordecai didn’t bow before him.
What did Haman decide to do? // Destroy all the Jews.
Why was it brave for Esther to go to the king? // If you went without him asking, you could die
How did Xerxes honor Mordecai? // Wore the king’s robe, rode on the king’s horse, had a parade led by Haman
Did King Xerxes listen to Esther’s request to not destroy her people? // Yes.
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - https://goo.gl/CZDpDi
Resources - https://goo.gl/zOuyBn
Story Summary:
Xerxes, King of Persia, ruled over God's people, the Jews. He became angry with his wife and got rid of her. Esther became his new queen. King Xerxes didn't know Esther was a Jew.
Esther's uncle, Mordecai, was sitting outside the king's palace. He overheard two guards planning to kill the king. Mordecai told Esther, who told the king. The guards were taken away and it was written in the king's records that Mordecai helped save King Xerxes.
Later, King Xerxes honored a man named Haman. He told everyone to bow before Haman, but Mordecai didn't bow. Haman was so angry, he wanted to kill Mordecai and his people, the Jews. King Xerxes gave him permission to do it.
Mordecai told Esther to go to King Xerxes to ask him to save the Jews from Haman. Esther invited the King and Haman to a dinner, where she planned to talk to the King.
When Xerxes couldn't sleep , he had his royal records read to him. When he heard that Mordecai wasn't honored for saving him, he made Haman lead a parade to honor him. At a dinner, Esther told Xerxes she was a Jew and
that Haman wanted the Jews destroyed. King Xerxes punished Haman and had Mordecai send letters stopping Haman's plan to destroy the Jews.
Big Idea and Motions: God is always with us.
God - point up
Always - gesture your arms in a wide circle
With us - hug yourself
Verse / Motions: Matthew 28:20b, ESV - And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Behold - cup your hands around your mouth and say “Behold!” dramatically
I am - point
With you - hug yourself
Always - draw repeated circles in the air with your finger
End - point far away from you with both index fingers
Of the age - trace an ∞ in the air with your finger
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who was the king of Persia? // King Xerxes.
What “J” word describes the Israelites in today’s story? // Jews.
What Jew did King Xerxes make queen of Persia? // Esther.
Who was Esther’s adoptive father? // Mordecai.
How did Mordecai save King Xerxes? // He heard about two guards who wanted to kill the king.
Why was Haman mad at Mordecai? // Mordecai didn’t bow before him.
What did Haman decide to do? // Destroy all the Jews.
Why was it brave for Esther to go to the king? // If you went without him asking, you could die
How did Xerxes honor Mordecai? // Wore the king’s robe, rode on the king’s horse, had a parade led by Haman
Did King Xerxes listen to Esther’s request to not destroy her people? // Yes.
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - https://goo.gl/CZDpDi
Resources - https://goo.gl/zOuyBn
May 1, 2016
OT 76 Nehemiah Builds the Wall
Reference: Nehemiah 1-6
Story Summary:
Nehemiah was the wine taster for King Artaxerxes. He was saddened that the walls of Jerusalem, the city of God's people were broken down. He asked God for help.
When the king saw he was sad, he asked Nehemiah why and he told him about the walls of Jerusalem. The king decided to let Nehemiah return and rebuild the walls, as long as he came back when he was finished.
Nehemiah arrived and quickly got the people to help him start rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. But two men of the land, Tobiah and Sanballat, didn't want the Jews to rebuild the walls of the city. They mocked Nehemiah, his workers, and their broken down wall, but the workers kept building.
When Tobiah, Sanballat, and others threatened to hurt them, the people were ready to quit. But Nehemiah told them to remember that God was with them. They worked night and day, with half of the people building the wall and the others standing guard. They carried supplies in one hand and a sword in the other.
God kept Nehemiah safe from Tobiah and Sanballat's repeated tricks and threats. And after 52 days, Nehemiah and the workers finished the wall.
Big Idea and Motions: Don’t fear your enemies. The Lord is powerful.
Fear - put your hands on your cheeks and look scared
Enemies - raise your fists
Lord - point up
Powerful - flex your muscles
Verse and Motions: Psalm 23:4, ESV - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Walk - walk your feet in place
Valley - form a “V” with your hands by placing the bottom of both palms together
Shadow of death - cross your arms in an “X” over your chest and bow your head
Fear no evil - stand boldly, like a brave superhero
You - point up
With me - hug yourself
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What was Nehemiah’s job? // Wine taster for the king
Why was Nehemiah sad? // The walls of Jerusalem were broken down
Did King Artaxerxes let Nehemiah leave to rebuild the wall? // Yes
Who were the two guys who tried to stop Nehemiah? // Tobiah and Sanballat
What kinds of things did Tobiah and Sanballat do? // Make fun, lie, say they were going to hurt them
When the workers were ready to quit, who reminded them that God was with them? // Nehemiah
How did Nehemiah have the workers protect themselves? // Gave swords to guards, some worked with one hand and had a sword in the other
Why did Tobiah and Sanballat tell Nehemiah in a letter to meet them in a far away place? // To hurt him
How long did it take for the people to finish the wall? // 52 days
Who does Psalm 23 tell us God is like? // A good shepherd who protects his sheep.
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - https://goo.gl/IzMQqb
Resources - https://goo.gl/ixQd7D
Story Summary:
Nehemiah was the wine taster for King Artaxerxes. He was saddened that the walls of Jerusalem, the city of God's people were broken down. He asked God for help.
When the king saw he was sad, he asked Nehemiah why and he told him about the walls of Jerusalem. The king decided to let Nehemiah return and rebuild the walls, as long as he came back when he was finished.
Nehemiah arrived and quickly got the people to help him start rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. But two men of the land, Tobiah and Sanballat, didn't want the Jews to rebuild the walls of the city. They mocked Nehemiah, his workers, and their broken down wall, but the workers kept building.
When Tobiah, Sanballat, and others threatened to hurt them, the people were ready to quit. But Nehemiah told them to remember that God was with them. They worked night and day, with half of the people building the wall and the others standing guard. They carried supplies in one hand and a sword in the other.
God kept Nehemiah safe from Tobiah and Sanballat's repeated tricks and threats. And after 52 days, Nehemiah and the workers finished the wall.
Big Idea and Motions: Don’t fear your enemies. The Lord is powerful.
Fear - put your hands on your cheeks and look scared
Enemies - raise your fists
Lord - point up
Powerful - flex your muscles
Verse and Motions: Psalm 23:4, ESV - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Walk - walk your feet in place
Valley - form a “V” with your hands by placing the bottom of both palms together
Shadow of death - cross your arms in an “X” over your chest and bow your head
Fear no evil - stand boldly, like a brave superhero
You - point up
With me - hug yourself
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What was Nehemiah’s job? // Wine taster for the king
Why was Nehemiah sad? // The walls of Jerusalem were broken down
Did King Artaxerxes let Nehemiah leave to rebuild the wall? // Yes
Who were the two guys who tried to stop Nehemiah? // Tobiah and Sanballat
What kinds of things did Tobiah and Sanballat do? // Make fun, lie, say they were going to hurt them
When the workers were ready to quit, who reminded them that God was with them? // Nehemiah
How did Nehemiah have the workers protect themselves? // Gave swords to guards, some worked with one hand and had a sword in the other
Why did Tobiah and Sanballat tell Nehemiah in a letter to meet them in a far away place? // To hurt him
How long did it take for the people to finish the wall? // 52 days
Who does Psalm 23 tell us God is like? // A good shepherd who protects his sheep.
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - https://goo.gl/IzMQqb
Resources - https://goo.gl/ixQd7D
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