5 th. Sunday. LARGE GROUP Jan29.30,

Transcription

1 ROAD MAP Bible Story: Paul advises Timothy 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Bottom Line: Learning what God says will help you keep doing what you should. WELCOME HOST: Good morning, guys. I feel so good and healthy. Even though it was crazy hard running this month, getting over all those hurdles and not giving up, I realized that to keep feeling good and staying healthy, I need to keep running and training for future races. I ve been doing research to find the best running shoes, the best running attire, reading advice from the most experienced runners, searching for the best pedometers and stopwatches, and trying some of the best energy drinks. But I m overwhelmed by all the things to know and do to be the fastest and best runner. All these companies, all these books claim that they re the best! Then I thought, well, you guys run all the time, right?! So I want to get your advice. I need three kids who wore running or tennis shoes today. Invite three kids on stage. Line them up and introduce them, telling their names and the kinds (or colors) of shoes they re wearing. (Hold up pedometer.) This is a pedometer. Pedometers measure how many steps you take. I m going to attach this pedometer to each of you. You re going to run in place for 20 seconds. I ll time you with my stopwatch. The pedometer will show us how many steps you took. The shoes on the feet of the runner with the most steps will be my choice in running shoes. Place pedometer on first kid. Cue kid when to start running in place while timing him on stopwatch. SFX: Play Black Eyed Peas while each kid runs in place. Sunday HOST: Stop! Let s see how many steps you took. Take pedometer off kid. Announce how many steps he took. Do the same with next two kids: attaching pedometer, timing them running in place for 20 seconds, and announcing the number of steps they took. And it looks like [insert kid s name] had the most steps with [insert brand name or color of shoe]! Give all these guys a hand while they return to their seats. My other quest is for the best energy drink. I need three Small Group Leaders who like to exercise and work out. Maybe you re even a runner yourself. Bring three Leaders on stage. Move table to front of stage, placing three different energy drinks on it. Give each Leader three cups. Introduce each Leader by name and have them tell their favorite form of exercise.

2 Small Group Leaders, you each have three cups one for each drink. I ll pour each of you a small sample of the first energy drink. You tell me on a scale of 1 to being the best thing you ve tasted since Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper came out how you rate the energy drink. Pour a little of the first drink in each of their cups. Get rating, 1 to 10, after they ve tasted the first drink. Do the same for the following drinks..add the ranking to see which drink scored the highest number of points. It looks like the winner for the energy drink is [insert name of energy drink]! Let s thank our Small Group Leaders for their help today. (Dismiss Leaders to seats.) Thanks for your help, you guys. I m going to go do some stretches and warm up before my next run. Host moves table up stage, and then exits. Storyteller enters. STORYTELLER: Although I m not sure how scientific all that was, it s great to see that [insert Host s name] is going to continue to run and exercise. Because [insert Host s name] has more races he wants to run, he knows he should keep doing what he should to stay in shape and stay healthy so he can run better. BIBLE STORY STORYTELLER: This month we ve been talking a lot about finishing a race. Can you remember who we talked about the last two weeks? (Get responses.) Paul! Was Paul talking about running an actual race? (Get responses.) No. Can anyone remember what Paul s race was? (Get responses.) To tell others about Jesus. As [insert name of Host] pointed out, each of the companies that produce these shoes, energy drinks, and books says they re the best. They all CLAIM that their product will help you be the best and fastest runner. As we run the race of life, how do we know the best way to live, the right attitude to have, how to make wise choices, and how to treat others? (Pause for responses.) Yep, we have access to THE ultimate guidebook for our challenges, problems, and decisions. (Hold up Bible.) The Bible. But how do we know that? How do we KNOW the Bible is the place to go for answers? THE BIBLE IS GOD-BREATHED STORYTELLER: One of the most important things you need to know about a book, any book, is who wrote it. Grab one of the books on running off the stage. Hold it so kids can see the author s name on the cover. Who wrote this book? (Point to author s name.) Do you know anything about this guy? No? So you re not sure if he s an expert runner or just some guy who wanted to write a book? Toss the book down and grab another book on running. Ask a kid to

3 read the author s name. What about the person who wrote this book? Think she s an expert on running? Do you think she knows EVERYTHING about running? That d be pretty hard, wouldn t it to know EVERYTHING there is to know about running? Grab a Bible and hold it up. What is this? (Pause for responses.) Yep, it s the Bible. Who wrote it? (Pause.) Ah, that was kind of a trick question. You see, the Bible is actually a collection of books in one cover. It s sort of a library of books. The books were written by different people at different times. BUT and this is what sets the Bible apart from any other books the Bible is God s Word. Open Bible to 2 Timothy 3:16a, NIV, and read it. All Scripture is God-breathed. Hop down off the stage and ask a volunteer kid to stand up. Whisper in his/her ear what to say. (Whisper in kid s ear, pausing for kid to repeat) God-breathed means (whisper and pause) that God told people (whisper and pause) what to write. Hop back onstage. Everything in the Bible all the verses, all the commandments, all the stories about people s lives, all the principles about how to live, everything we read about Jesus it all comes from God. You might have heard that the Bible is inspired. That means that although people wrote the words on paper, God TOLD the people WHAT to write. Because the Bible comes from God, who s the expert on EVERYTHING, it has God s authority, meaning it s true and we can trust what it says. IT S USEFUL STORYTELLER: Another important thing to know about a book, any book, is what it s used for. What is a math book used for? (Pause for responses.) Math, right? That s not a trick question! What s a phone book used for? (Pause.) Right, to find a phone number. What s a dictionary used for? (Pause.) To find out what a word means. So what s the Bible used for? (Pause.) Grab the box and jump off the stage with it. Ask a volunteer kid (an older reader, like a fifth grader) to reach in, pull out Card #1 and BEFORE they can read it, they must take a lap around the room, than read it, loudly and clearly. Encourage kids in the audience to cheer uncontrollably. KID 1: The Bible is useful for teaching. STORYTELLER: And what does the Bible teach us? (Pause for a few answers.) Good answers. The Bible teaches us all kinds of things about God, about Jesus, about ourselves, and about others. It teaches us what is true.

4 Ask another older volunteer kid to reach in the box and read Card #2. Repeat the running/cheering with them. Be prepared to help the kid pronounce rebuking. KID 2: The Bible is useful for rebuking. STORYTELLER: That means it helps us recognize the things we do that are wrong. What are some things people do that are wrong? (Pause for answers, like lying, disobeying parents, talking maliciously about others, etc.) Ask another older volunteer kid to reach in the box and read Card #3. KID 3: The Bible is useful for correcting. STORYTELLER: First, the Bible helps us SEE what we do that s wrong that s the rebuking part then it helps us DO something about it. It helps us know how to correct our mistakes, how to stop doing the wrong or sinful thing, and how to turn in the right direction. Ask another volunteer kid to reach in the box and read Card #4. KID 4: The Bible is useful for training in righteousness. STORYTELLER: The Bible helps us know how to live in right ways how God helps us become more like Jesus. So, the Bible comes from God, which means it s true and we can trust what it says, and it does at least four things: it teaches us, it helps us recognize our sin and mistakes, it helps us correct our mistakes, and it trains us to live in right ways. THE GOAL STORYTELLER: Now, why do you think God wants to teach us, to correct our mistakes, and to train us? What do you think His goal is for us? (Pause for responses, which will vary.) Good answers. He loves us and wants what s best for us. He also wants to prepare us for things that will happen in life, both the good things and the bad things. (Open Bible to 2 Timothy 3:17, NIV, and read it.) He uses the Bible to teach us, correct us, and train us so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. God uses everything that happens in our lives to prepare us equip us to do all the good things He s got planned for us to do. That s why it s so important to keep on learning from the Bible: so we can continue to make wise choices, to trust God no matter what, and to treat others the way we want to be treated. Learning what God says will help you keep doing what you should.

5 STORYTELLER: You guys did a good job finding verses that apply to the challenges and situations we face every day, day after day. Just like you were able to break through your finish line tape with the baton, God uses the Bible to help you break through your daily struggles. That s because learning what God says will help you keep doing what you should. So, when friends give you advice, and you re not sure if it s good advice, remember: learning what God says Say it with me. STORYTELLER: When TV shows, movies, or books show families that disrespect each other, remember: learning what God says STORYTELLER: When something bad happens even though you ve been trying to do the right thing, remember: learning what God says STORYTELLER: Let s pray. Dear God, thank You for giving us Your Word, the Bible, so that we can learn how You want us to live. Help us to keep learning by reading and memorizing Your Word so we can be prepared for the good things and the bad things that happen every day. Help us to understand what it means so that we can figure out how to apply its teachings when things are confusing. And most important of all, please use it to help us know You. We love You, God. Amen. WORSHIP 2 High Energy Songs Here DISMISS K/1 COMMUNION 1 Worship/Communion Song DISMISS 2-5