Lesson 4

Interstate 4 One Another

“Belonging Together”

 

 

The Point of the Lesson:

Each child will understand the importance of building lasting relationships. We need friends who can encourage and help us through good times and bad times. We need to be there for our friends, too!

 

 

The Power of God’s Word:

Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. Romans 12:5b NLT

 

 

The Prayer of Each Child:

Lord, I pray that you will help me find friends that I can trust – friends that will keep me faithful to You and that will encourage me. Please help me be a good friend to others. I pray that I can build relationships that will last a lifetime! This week, I will write down the name of one good Christian friend, and ask Jesus to give us a lasting friendship.

 

 

Prepare: (Before service)

One piece of paper for each child

Music

 

 

Preview: (5 minutes)

Welcome from MC:

There are times when we travel in which we may need help from others. If we are on the freeway and our car breaks down, we may need to place a sign on our car to ask for help.

 

Object Lesson:

It would be cool if we could carry a sign around with us every time we needed help or encouragement from others. Without a sign, the only way we can get help is by having good friends who know us.

 

Kid Connect Question:

Would you rather drive to the mountains or to the ocean with your friends?

 

 

Play: (5 minutes)

Help!

Give every child a piece of paper and have them crumple it  into a “snowball”. When the music starts, each team throws the balls at the other team. During the game, the children must stand at their seats and not move their feet. When the music stops, the MC counts the amount of paper balls on each side. The team with the least amount of paper balls wins the round. Play three rounds.

 

Transition for MC:

It feels good when you have others helping you accomplish something. If you were alone, you would have been overcome by “snowballs”. We are going to hear a story about a man who was healed by Jesus because he had friends who helped him.

 

 

Praise: (15 minutes)

This is a time of corporate worship through singing and music. Plug in your own worship session here.

 

 

Process: (15 minutes)

This process includes the ten minute teaching video, practice point, and memory verse.

 

Teaching Video:

Turn on DVD and play the teaching video here.

 

Lesson in a Word: Friendship

 

What Should I See?

Jesus returned to the city of Capernaum. When the people heard that He had come back to town, they all came to see Him. Soon, there was no room in the house where Jesus was speaking. Four specific men wanted Jesus to help their friend who was paralyzed and could not walk on his own. They cared about their friend so much that they carried him to the house where Jesus was speaking, cut a hole in the roof, and lowered their friend through the hole. They really wanted Jesus to heal their friend. Jesus was impressed by this act of friendship and faith. So, He said to the paralyzed man, “Get up and walk.” The man did exactly what Jesus told him to do! He walked right out of the house for everyone to see. The people were amazed and they praised God. (Source: Mark 2:1-12 NIV)

 

Memory Verse:

Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. Romans 12:5b NLT

 

 

What’s The Key?

The paralyzed man had great friends who cared about him. His friends cared so much that they carried him all the way to the house and lowered him down from a hole in the roof. Those are true friends! There are many ways we can help our friends at school, in our neighborhood, and in our church.

 

What’s That To Me?

It is important to have friends that are there for us when we need them. Here are good questions for all of us to think about: How good are the friendships we have? Can we trust our friends to do what is right? Can our friends trust us? These are the values we need to think about when we choose our friends.

 

How Should I Be?

Get involved in a small group! By joining a small group at church and getting involved with church activities, we can find Christian friends and build healthy relationships. It honors God to have healthy and long lasting relationships with other students who follow Jesus.

 

Practice Point:

Be a friend who shows great care,

And they will know that God is near.

 

 

TEAM TIMEOUT

This time is spent together in small groups using the student handouts.

 

Things To Do Here:

Question 1: Do you have a group of friends that will be there for you no matter                                  what?

 

Question 2: Are you involved in a small group or other activities at your church?

 

Question 3: Why is it important for you to have good friends around you?

 

Things To Do At Home:

Question 1: Write down one thing you can do for a good friend.

 

Question 2: Recite the Bible memory verse to a friend this week. To whom did                            you recite it?

 

Question 3: Write the name of at least one good friend that you can depend on                           and pray for.

 

 

Memory Madness

Each team participates in their group trying to recite the week’s verse with the hand motions. Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. Romans 12:5b NLT
(Kids regroup in main worship area)

 

Total Recall (Power Point Game)

Question 1: Where was Jesus speaking? (In a house)

 

Question 2: Was the house full or empty? (Full)

 

Question 3: How many good friends did the man have to help him? (Four)

 

Question 4: How did his friends get him into the house? (Through a hole in the                            roof)

 

Question 5: What did the man’s friends want Jesus to do for him? (Heal him so                      he could walk)

 

Question 6: Did the man need to be carried out of the house? (No)

 

Question 7: How did the man leave the house? (He walked)

 

Question 8: Where is this week’s Bible memory verse found? (Romans 12:5b)

 

 

Live It Testimony

Turn on DVD and play the Live It here.  This is an interview done on location with one child.

 

G3

Turn on DVD and play the G3 here. G3 stands for Get it-Got it-Good. This segment is based on asking three questions to a participant on camera. The kids are asked to vote on whether or not the person on camera will get the questions right.

 

Question 1: How did the paralyzed man get into the house? (He was lowered                                 through the roof by his friends)

 

Question 2: Why was the home so crowded? (Because Jesus was there)

 

Question 3: Who brought the man to the house? (His friends)