‘I’m Not Ashamed’ Childrens Lesson on Joseph (Genesis 39:19-23)

BIG IDEA: I’M NOT ASHAMED OF JESUS

AIM: The ‘I’m Not Ashamed’ Childrens Lesson on Joseph (Genesis 39:19-23) is aimed at helping kids see they don’t need to be ashamed to say they follow Jesus. This is the third session in the ‘Pirates’ series and you can view the PDF of it here.

SONG IDEAS:

1. ‘I’m Not Ashamed’ by Hillsong Kids with lyrics
2. ‘We Won’t Be Quiet’
3. ‘Tell the World’ by Hillsong Kids

PANTO/SKIT:

At the beginning of the games play some storm sound effect, followed by a large crash. The pirate ship has been grounded on a desert island! You need to locate a map to find out where you are. One of the team captains notices a bottle sticking out of the sand. It has a message in it. You pull out the piece of paper, to see it says “HOOK’S DEN – KEEP OUT.” Oh no! You’ve landed on Hook’s island – you need to get out of there as quick as you can. Maybe Hook’s got some other messages hidden in the sand; he might even have a map!

Game #1: Mad Map Search

You will need: A large pile of sand in the centre of the stage. Twenty balloons are buried under or sticking out of the sand. Half the balloons have a photocopied picture of Hook in them and half have a piece of old map. Make the map pieces by staining paper with tea. Once dried, burn round the edges to give an ‘Olde Worlde’ effect.)

Choose two boys and two girls for each team. The players start at the side of the stage. When you say “Go!”, they run to the sand, search for a balloon and stamp on it to pop it. They then take the contents of the balloon to their team captains, who are waiting at the side of the stage. The players return and find the next balloon, repeating the process. The winners are the team to have found the most map pieces when the whistle goes.

PANTO/SKIT:

Here comes Gonzo the Gorilla! (to suitable music) His hands are tied together and he’s crying. Gonzo has been kidnapped by Captain Hook to make Gonzo stew. He’s broken free, but now he doesn’t know the way home. You look at the map and see that it has a large cross on marked “Gonzo’s House.” You’ll take him home, but first you need to stop him crying. The cabin boy/girl enters with a tray of peeled bananas.

Game #2: Banana Crush

You will need: Lots of peeled bananas, divided between four trays, four large clear plastic bowls, four bottles of cherryade, two empty lemonade bottles with the tops cut off, to make giant glasses, various straws and cocktail umbrellas.

Choose two players from each team. They each take one sock and shoe off and stand on the stage with their foot in a clear plastic bowl. The bowl is half full of Cherryade. When you say “Go!”, the bananas are passed through the teams from the back to the front. The team captains collect the bananas and place them in the player’s bowls. The players stamp up and down with their foot to create banana cocktail. When the whistle goes, pour a giant glass of cocktail from each bowl. The leader tastes each cocktail to determine the winner. You can make various jokes about finding verrucas and toe nail clipping in the drinks.

PANTO/SKIT: 

You turn round to find a puddle of yellow water under Gonzo’s feet. Oh no! Gonzo must be a baby and he’s not got his nappy on. Farting sound effects come on, while Gonzo grabs his bottom. You need to get a nappy on him quick! You’ve got a large sheet, but none of the team captains know how to make a nappy. You need some kids to show you.

Game #3: Natty Nappy

You will need: Two balloons, suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the stage, at a height that a child can easily reach. Each balloon has chocolate spread smeared on it. You’ll also need two large nappies, wet wipes, two tubs of talc and two bottles of baby lotion.

Pick four players for each team and line them up at either end of the stage. When you say Go, player one runs to their balloon and wipes the chocolate spread off using the wet wipes. They then run back and tag player two who covers the balloon in talc. They tag player three who covers the balloon in baby lotion. Player four then runs up to the balloon and attaches the nappy. The winners are the first team to finish.

PANTO/SKIT:

While the previous game is being played, a helper can tie a white sheet round Gonzo in a nappylike fashion. He then starts playing in the sand and offers the team captain a spade. He wants them to play too.

Game #4: Bury Your Friend

You will need: The pile of sand used in game one, some swimming goggles and a cotton scarf.

This is a timed game, so one team plays first then the other. Choose four players for each team. Before the game starts, make a deep parting in the sand. Get one player to lie in the gap, with the goggles on and the cotton scarf tied securely over their nose and mouth. When you say go the other three players have to bury them from the shoulders down in sand. Stop the timer when you consider they are sufficiently buried.

BIG VERSE: I am not ashamed of the Good News of Jesus. Romans 1 verse 16.

You can use the ‘Romans 1:16’ PowerPoint memory verse image.

 

SET the Scene:

Today’s memory verse says “I am not ashamed of the good news about Jesus” Now, that verse was written in the Bible by a guy called Paul, who had all sorts of bad things happen to him. He was beaten up, he was arrested and even put in prison for being a Christian, but after all that, he still wasn’t ashamed of Jesus. In fact Paul was proud of Jesus and proud of being a Christian, because he’d learnt that with God on your side, no one can beat you. And in today’s Bible Lesson, we’re going to see that that’s exactly what Joseph learnt too.

Do you remember last week how Potiphar’s wife made up lies about Joseph and he ended up being sent to prison? Well, you need to know that in those days prisons were terrible places. They were filthy, with rats and cockroaches everywhere and the prisoners were made to work from first thing in the morning to last thing at night. In a place like that, Joseph could easily have felt like God had left him. But He hadn’t. The Bible says that God was with Joseph and he helped him in every little thing that he did. If the prisoners had to clean the floor, God gave Joseph the strength to make his twice as shiny as everyone else’s. If the prisoners had to build a wall, God helped Joseph to finish his first. And God made sure that the prison governor noticed just how well Joseph was doing.

Before long the governor started to give Joseph more important jobs, and God helped him with those too, until in the end the governor put Joseph in charge of the whole prison.

God had helped Joseph, when no one else could. Do you think Joseph was ashamed to have God as his friend? I don’t think so. God had used his power to help Joseph. I bet Joseph was proud to be on God’s side. And we’re learning today that, just like Joseph, we can have God on our side. God is stronger and more powerful than anyone else in this world, so don’t be ashamed of Him, don’t be ashamed of Jesus, stand up and be proud to have him on your side.

 

SPOT the Simple Meaning:

1) OBJECT LESSON: PROUD TO BE ON GOD’S SIDE

You can adapt this object lesson, using the latest trend in your area – scooters, electronic pets, your team’s new football strip etc. Come on stage demonstrating the latest trend.

Kids do you remember the first time you saw one of these motorised scooters? I do. I was out visiting in Tunstall Street, when Kemi came zooming round the corner and everybody was watching. She was first person on the whole estate to get a motorised scooter. Now I want to ask you a question. Do you think Kemi was ashamed to have something so brilliant? Do you think she kept it in the house where no one could see and tried to hide it behind her back if she was out on the street? Of course she didn’t. She was proud to be the first to own one. And pretty soon everyone was copying Kemi and getting a scooter too.

Now sometimes we can feel a bit ashamed of Jesus can’t we? It’s hard if you’re the first in your family or on your street to believe in Jesus. But you know when you become a Christian, it’s not something bad or shameful, just like Kemi with her scooter, you’ve got something brilliant. You’ve just got it a bit before everyone else. Having Jesus as your friend is great, so don’t try and hide it. Stand up and be proud. And when other people see you, pretty soon some of them will want to copy you and follow Jesus too. Let’s be the sort of Christians who’ll stand up and say “I am not ashamed of the good news about Jesus.”

 

2) OBJECT LESSON: PROUD OF MY DAD

Obviously adapt the details in the first paragraph of this object lesson for your situation. You may want to show a photo of the dad in question on the OHP screen and also get a photo of David and Brooklyn Beckham you can use.

Kids, when I was little, I was sometimes really embarrassed by my dad. He had this great big beard and bushy, messy hair and the clothes he wore were shameful. I mean just look at that photo. But worst of all was the car he drove. It wasn’t really a car, more of a van. The oldest van you’ve ever seen and when we went on holiday, he’d pile canoes and chairs and bikes on top. Kids my dad was a bit of a meff and you know sometimes, I was ashamed to be seen with him.

Now I want to show you a picture of someone who has a much cooler dad than me. It’s Brooklyn Beckham (show picture.) His Dad is the captain of the England football team. He’s one of the richest, most skilful players in the country. I want to ask you a question. Do you think when Brooklyn’s out in the street with his dad, he’s ashamed of him, the way I was ashamed of my dad? Of course he’s not. He’s proud to be seen with his Dad. His Dad is skilful and cool.

Well, I want to tell you today that if you’re a Christian, then you’ve got a Dad in heaven who is even more skilful, even richer, even more powerful than David Beckham. Beckham might be in charge of the England football team, but God is in charge of the whole world. When you decide to live for him, he sees you as his son or daughter, God becomes your Dad. So next time someone asks you if you go to church, or if you believe in God, don’t get embarrassed and feel ashamed. Stand up and say “YES I DO! GOD’S GREAT AND HE’S ON MY SIDE!” God is amazingly strong and totally powerful. He’s your dad in heaven and he’s worth being proud of.

 

3) OBJECT LESSON: MAKE A CHOICE

You will need: Scarves and hats of two famous opposing teams such as Liverpool and Everton, or Arsenal and Tottenham. [Or other teams from your State/Country]

Do you know what, kids, I am so proud to be a child of God, but some kids I know just don’t seem to be able to make up their minds. One day they want to live for God, stand up and be proud of Jesus and then the next, they want to be just like all their mates. It’s a bit like somebody trying to follow

Liverpool and Everton (insert your own teams here!) at the same time. It just doesn’t work. Imagine if there was someone in your street, who on a Monday, supported Liverpool (Shout in terrace style: Liverpool! Liverpool! Liverpool! Put on Liverpool hat and scarf) but then on Tuesday went down to Goodison Park and supported Everton. (Everton! Everton! Everton! Change scarves and hats) Then when Liverpool won, they supported them (Michael Owen! Change scarves and hats) but then if Everton won they changed their mind again (Rooney! Rooney! Rooney! Change scarves and hats again) What a divvie they would look! Everyone knows you can’t support Liverpool and Everton at the same time. You’re either proud of Liverpool and ashamed of Everton or proud of Everton and ashamed of Liverpool. You can’t keep changing your mind. Kids we need to decide who we support. It’s no good being on Jesus’ side on a Saturday, when you’re at church, then going to school and acting all ashamed if Jesus gets mentioned. Jesus isn’t ashamed of you; he thinks you’re fantastic, so don’t be ashamed of him. Let’s decide today that no matter who asks us, we’re going to stand up and be proud to be a friend of Jesus.