GETTING TO KNOW GOD: BIBLE BASICS Week 12: Love God and Love Others LEADER PREPARATION

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1 GETTING TO KNOW GOD: BIBLE BASICS Week 12: Love God and Love Others This includes: Leader Preparation Lesson Guide LEADER PREPARATION BIBLE BASIS God knows us so well. After all, he created us and watches over us. He knows what gets us into trouble. He also knows what is best for us. He gave us 10 simple rules to follow to keep us out of trouble. Later, Jesus summarized those 10 rules for us. He told us to love God first and then love others second. If we can help children understand this, we will give them the basis for right living. DISCOVERY POINT Love God and love others. BIBLE FOCUS Exodus 20:1-17 KEY VERSE Jesus replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind (Matthew 22:37). TEACHING PREP The short overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson. Supplies You ll Need: Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD, LIVE Children s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, balloons, trash bag, Bibles, construction paper, marker, crayons, scissors, pennies, paper, tape, and Lesson 12 Scripture References handout Before This Lesson Inflate one small balloon for every child, and place the balloons in a large trash bag. Print the Lesson 12 Scripture References handout, and cut the sections apart. You ll need one section per Bible Crew. Assemble Bible Exploration Kits (one per four kids): Bible, one Lesson 12 Scripture Reference section, scissors, crayons, white paper, and one piece of colored construction paper and one penny per child. Cut two large hearts out of red construction paper. Write God in the middle of one and others in the middle of the other. Hang them on opposite sides of the room where kids can reach them. Review Exodus 20:1-17. Cue "Into the Bible" (Track 1) on the Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD or (Quarter 1/Track 1) on the LIVE Children s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD. Huddle briefly with your volunteers beforehand. Answer any questions they have. Encourage them and pray.

2 PARENT We ve provided you with a Family Devotion handout to send the Bible learning and faith discovery home. When kids and parents have faith discussions regularly, kids faith multiplies. So we ve given you two options: Print the Family Devotion handout and make enough copies for each child to take one home. the Family Devotion to families before or after the actual lesson. Or why not do both? That way you ll double the opportunities for parents to actually get the handout.

3 GETTING TO KNOW GOD: BIBLE BASICS Week 12: Love God and Love Others LESSON GUIDE WELCOME! Supplies: Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD, LIVE Children s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, bag of balloons 1. Play Into the Bible (Track 1) from the Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD or (Quarter 1/Track 1) from the LIVE Children s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD as kids arrive. Into the Bible Makes me wanna jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Makes me wanna sing! Hallelujah! It s the greatest book. Come and take a look. Makes me wanna shout! Shout! Shout! Shout! Shout! So that everyone will see I m getting into the Bible And the Bible...is getting into me! We re discovering a brand-new world As we dig a little deeper (deeper), Finding out about who God is. Open it up and see it (see it)! There s nothin like God s Word, and I get So excited. It makes me wanna, Makes me, Makes me wanna jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Makes me wanna sing! Hallelujah! It s the greatest book. Come and take a look. Makes me wanna shout! Shout! Shout! Shout! Shout! So that everyone will see I m getting into the Bible And the Bible...is getting into me! Into the Bible by Jay Stocker Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted. 2. As kids arrive, give each one a balloon, and instruct him or her to join the others in the game. Don t give any rules, but be ready to intervene if things become rowdy. Encourage

4 kids to keep playing, even if they re confused or unsure of what to do. (WARNING: Choking Hazard Be sure to pick up pieces of any broken balloons and dispose of them immediately.) 3. After several minutes, collect the balloons, put them back in the bag, and start the Bible Countdown (Quarter 1/Countdown Track 2) on the LIVE Children s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD. Turn up the volume, and lead kids in cheering along. 4. SAY: I m so glad you came today! I d like to hear about the game you played! What were you thinking when you played this game? What would have made the game better? Say: Let s make up some rules and try the game again. I ll need four rules for our game. Ask four volunteers for rules, hand out the balloons, and start the game again. After several minutes, stop the game, collect the balloons, and What was the difference between the first game and the second one? When are rules helpful? SAY: It s important to have rules so we know what we re supposed to do. We re going to discover today that God gives us rules so we know how to love God and love others. LET S EXPLORE! Supplies: assembled Bible Exploration Kits, prepared hearts 1. Have kids form Bible Crews of four, and give each crew a Bible Exploration Kit. SAY: There are plenty of times when rules are helpful. Today we re going to look at some rules from the Bible. Find your Scripture reference in your kit. Then look it up in the Bible. Read it together, and then work together to make a symbol to express what your Scripture says. For example, if your Scripture says to love your pets, then you might make a heart with a dog in the middle. Use the white paper, crayons, and scissors in your Bible Exploration Kit. You ll have three minutes to do this. Walk around the room, and help crews if they need assistance. If you have fewer than 10 crews, you ll need to make signs for the remaining Scriptures or have crews who finish quickly make a second one. When kids have finished, ask each crew to show its symbol to the rest of the group and explain it. Collect the symbols. What are these Scriptures explaining? Why do you think God gave us these commandments? What do you think about when you listen to these commandments? 2. SAY: There are only 10 commandments, yet they say so much! Many years after God gave the Ten Commandments, God sent Jesus to help us understand them. One time, someone asked Jesus about the most important commandment. Let s see what he said. Ask kids to listen carefully as a volunteer reads aloud Matthew 22: According to Jesus, what s the most important commandment? What else does Jesus say? Have crews read Matthew 22:37 again together, and then say: In our Key Verse, Jesus said to love God and love others. Why do you think these are the two most important commandments?

5 3. SAY: If we look at the Ten Commandments, we can divide them into two groups. They tell us to love God and love others. Let s try something to see if this is true. On one wall, you ll see a heart with God written on it. On the other wall, you ll see a heart with others written on it. I m going to show you each of the commandment symbols that you made earlier. Your job will be to run to the heart that represents where that commandment fits. Everyone stand up and get ready! Pick the commandment papers randomly so the kids will have to run from one side of the room to the other. As you show them the symbol, tell the kids what commandment the symbol represents. The first four commandments tell us how to love God; the rest tell us how to love others. 4. When you have looked at all of the Ten Commandments, have kids return to their Bible Crews. SAY: Take the colored construction paper out of your Exploration Kit as well as the crayons, scissors, and pennies. Each of you will need one piece of paper, one penny, and one crayon that is a different color from your paper. Pause while kids find their supplies. Color your piece of paper completely using your crayon. Round the top of your paper with scissors to look like a stone tablet. Then use your penny to scratch the two important things the Ten Commandments teach us: Love God and love others. Give kids several minutes to create their commandments tablets. Have older kids help younger children with scratching the words. LET S PRAISE! Supplies: Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD or LIVE Children s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD, CD player or TV/DVD player 1. SAY: Your tablets are amazing. Your tablet will help you remember to love God and love others. How can you show God your love this week? How can you show others your love this week? SAY: One way we can show God how much we love him right now is to sing praises to him. I love singing praises to him. It also reminds me to love God and love others. Join me in praising God, who fills us with love. 2. Set up the Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD or the LIVE Children s Curriculum (Year 1) DVD. PLAY: Humble Yourselves (CD Track 4) (DVD Quarter 1/Track 4) Sometimes we think we know it all, We ve got it all together. But we don t know what s goin on, Who s holdin us together. Yeah, yeah. You gotta learn to listen to his voice Yeah, yeah. You gotta learn to put him first. In everything you do, you must Humble yourselves before the Lord, And he will lift you up in honor, in honor. Humble yourselves before the Lord, And he will lift you up in honor, in honor. And he will lift you up.

6 (Repeat from the beginning.) Humble yourselves before the Lord, And he will lift you up in honor, in honor. Humble yourselves before the Lord, And he will lift you up in honor, in honor. And he will lift you up. Humble Yourselves (James 4:10) by Jay Stocker Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted. You Are My Friends (CD Track 6) (DVD Quarter 1/Track 6) Tell everyone what an awesome God I am. Friends are friends when it s daytime or it s night, And God is a friend who will be there all the time. We can talk to him, and he will listen. God will always be right by your side Cause he says, Tell everyone what an awesome God I am. Trust me and love me: You ll always be my friends. Friends are friends when it s daytime or it s night, And God is a friend who will be there all the time. We can talk to him, and he will listen. God will always be right by your side Cause he says, Tell everyone what an awesome God I am. Trust me and love me: You ll always be my friends. Tell everyone what an awesome God I am. Trust me and love me: I ll always be your friend. You Are My Friends (John 15:14) by Jay Stocker Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted. He Cares For You (1 Peter 5:7) (CD Track 2) (DVD Quarter 1/Track 2) What are you worried about now? Trying to figure it out now- God knows right where you are now. You know it s all in his hands now.

7 You know he cares for you; He always cares for you. You know he ll see you through; He ll always see you through. (Chorus) Cast all your anxiety On him Because he cares for you. He cares for you. Cast all your anxiety On him Because he cares for you. He cares for you. Jesus cares for you. (Repeat from beginning.) What are you worried about now? Trying to figure it out now- God knows right where you are now. You know it s all in his hands now. He Cares for You (1 Peter 5:7) by Jay Stocker Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted. LET S PRAY! Supplies: tablets from Let s Explore!, Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD, CD player 1. SAY: Let s take some time to quietly talk with God about what we ve learned today. Take your tablet, and hold it in your hands so you can see the words. I m going to play some music while you talk with God about what it means to love God and love others. You may need to ask him more about what it means to love him and love others. Maybe you need to ask forgiveness for not loving someone. Maybe you just want to tell God how much you love him. In any case, we re going to spend some time talking with God, not to each other. I ll know you ve finished when you lay your tablet on the floor. You ll know when everyone else has finished when I turn off the music. 2. Play Prayer Time Sound Effects 2 (Track 18) from the Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD for one or two minutes while kids pray. HIGH FIVES Supplies: Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD, CD player, balloons 1. SAY: There are Ten Commandments and two rules that summarize them: Love God and love others. Give all your friends in this room high tens, and tell them that this week you will love God and love others.

8 2. Play You Are the Messiah (Track 5) from the Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD while children are giving their high tens. As children leave, give each a balloon as you repeat the Discovery Point. FOR-EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITIES I Will follow Supplies: commandment symbols from Let s Explore! Have kids form 10 groups. Give each group one of the commandment symbols they made during Let s Explore! Ask each group to think of a time that following this commandment is difficult and then act out both the difficult time and how to follow the commandment. Be sure to allow each group time to present its skit for the rest of the kids. Hand-y Commandments Supplies: construction paper and colored pencils Have kids trace outlines of both hands on construction paper and then turn to Exodus 20:1-17. Ask kids to write a different commandment on each of the traced fingers. Talk with the kids about how they live out each of the commandments. Hiding It in Your Heart Supplies: newsprint, marker Write the words for the Key Verse, Matthew 22:37, on a piece of newsprint. Ask kids to help you decide on motions that will explain the verse. Add one motion at a time, repeating the verse and doing the new motion. Create a Bible Dictionary Supplies: paper, markers, dictionary, CD player, Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD Ask kids to create one or more pages, each with a new word, for a Bible dictionary. Have kids suggest words from today s lesson commandment and love are two suggestions. Have them write each word on a sheet of paper in fun letters, add a definition, list Scripture references, and make illustrations. Play The Books of the Bible Song (Track 8), from the Getting to Know God: Bible Basics (Year 1/Quarter 1) CD while kids work. Add each page to a three-ring binder, and watch the dictionary grow!