BIG IDEA: GOD GIVES INCREDIBLE ETERNAL LIFE
AIM: The aim of the ‘Incredible Life’ childrens lesson is to help children to see that the life God gives us is incredible and eternal and they can choose to partake in it.
SONG IDEAS:
- ‘Life with Jesus’ by Hillsong Kids
- ‘My Life Belongs to You’ by Shout Praises Kids
- ‘Better than Life’ by Seeds Family Worship
GAME IDEAS:
1. Find the Villain. (regular/widescreen) Print off lots of superhero images (from Google) and put them up all around your room. Print off one villain and hide it somewhere in the room. The children must run around until they find the villain. The child that finds the villain wins.
2. Super Senses. (regular/widescreen) Children are blindfolded and must test some food to see if they can guess what it is. The child that guesses the most foods correctly is the winner. Application: The feeding of the 5000 was all about food and so was this game! It must have been super fun to feed so many people – just as it was fun to play this game!
3. Flash. (regular/widescreen) A literal race where children must run to one side of the room and back again the fastest. This is simply a test of who is the fastest! You could also play this in a relay style to test which team is the fastest. To make it harder you could have members from the opposing team throwing ball pit balls at them, or squirting water pistols at them – or both!
BIG VERSE: “FOR GREAT IS THE LORD AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED.” PSALM 96:4A (NLT)
Big Verse images: (regular/widescreen)
ICE BREAKER: If you could live any life, whose would you choose to live?
SET the Scene:
Read John 6:1-14. Click here to see the Feeding the 5000 videos.
You could also use the Incredible Life Skit.
SPOT the Simple Meaning:
1) OBJECT LESSON – GOD’S EVERLASTING LIFE IS INCREDIBLE
Supplies: You will need a set of magic relighting candles.
Say: Wow! The story of Jesus feeding the 5000 is pretty incredible, right? Jesus was able to make so much food from just 5 loaves and 2 fish. I wonder what it was like when he made all the food multiply. If you saw that happen what would your face be like? [Get children to show you their shocked faces]
The fish and the loaves went on and on and on! The Bible says that there was 12 basketfuls left! WOW! Isn’t that incredible?! You know, the disciples that brought the food to Jesus were amazed with what he could do with it!
That’s exactly what happens when we bring our lives to Jesus too. When we say to Jesus that we want Him to be in charge of our lives. When we ask Him to be our King. [Light the candle as you talk] He comes and brings light into our lives – He makes life incredible! He gives us more and more and more life!
Jesus tells us that He is “the way, the truth and the life!” He is everything we need! So when we come to know Him and make Him the Lord of our lives He gives us abundant life – that’s the best kind of life – and life that goes on and on and on – life that never stops! Eternal life!
Jesus says “I give you life and life to the full!”
It doesn’t mean we will never go through anything difficult. We will still die, and we will still go through sad and difficult times. [Blow out the candle and watch it relight.] But it does mean that when we die, we will live forever in Heaven with Jesus when we ask Him to be our Lord! Not only that, but He can give us amazing life here on earth so that when we go through tough times He is with us – we are not alone – and we can know we will be okay because God works all things for the good of those who love Him. He will never leave us.
REVIEW QUESTIONS:
- How many sons did the father in the story have? (two)
- Which son went away from his father in the story? (youngest)
- What did he ask for before he went? (money/inheritance)
- What did he spend the money on? (parties)
- What did he do when he had no money left? (remembered his father/went home)
- What did his dad do for him when he saw him? (ran to him/threw a party/ring and robe)
- Who is the Father in the story like? (God)
- What is the bible verse for the week? “FOR GREAT IS THE LORD AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED.” PSALM 96:4A (NLT)
SEARCH the Scriptures:
STAR RELAY. (regular/widescreen) You will need the star verses printable for this activity. Collect the stars with everlasting life Bible verses on as you run around the room. Read the verses out at the end and chat to the children as you discuss what the verses mean.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- What does eternal life mean? Do you believe in it? Why/why not?
- Where does it come from?
- Would you like to live forever? Why/why not?
- What does life to the full mean?
- What kind of life do you want to live?
- What kind of life did Jesus live?
- Would you like to live the kind of life Jesus lived? Why/why not?
- What do you think life is all about?
SENSE How You Feel:
Imagine you were sat in the field waiting to be fed.
How does it feel to see Jesus multiplying the bread?
Encourage the children to think about their answer to this question as they do one or more of the activities below.
- Create the Superhero Cuffs. Print the superhero cuff printable, superhero cuff 1 printable, and the superhero cuff 2 printable. Color them and stick them together to create superhero cuffs.
- Superhero Cupcakes. You will need: cupcakes, the Cupcake toppers printable and icing. Children can decorate cupcakes with their favorite superhero color icing. Add the ‘God Gives Incredible Eternal Life’ tags by using a wooden pick and sticking it together with glue.
- Color and fill in the Incredible Life activity booklet. There are two booklets for different age groups; 5-7s, and 8-11s.
- Feeding the 5000 Craft. You will need the Basket Printable printables of both sides of the basket, and the loaves and fish printable. Color the items. Cut out the items and glue around the inside edges of the basket. Then stick them together. Cut around the loaves and fish and put them inside the basket.
- Check out the Pinterest board on the Feeding the 5000 for more ideas.
SEEK God:
Say: Do you want to have God’s incredible eternal life? The Bible says that when we make Jesus the Lord of our lives – the King of our lives – that we are given life forevermore! Not just that, but God promises that He will be with us during our life on earth and He will give us the strength to live a life that is pleasing to Him- a life of adventure and purpose!
Take a balloon and show it to the children.
This balloon is a great balloon, but unless it is filled it is no use. [Blow the balloon up] God wants to fill us with His life so that we can live life to the max! Hand each child a balloon and say:
Do you want to be filled with God and have life to the full. If you do, blow up your balloon now as I pray this prayer. You can pray this prayer with me.
Prayer:
God, I want to live for You. I want my life to be full of You. Will you come into my life and be my Lord – my King. Please help me to live a life that pleases You. Please give me life and life to the full- life forever with You! Amen.
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Click here for the ‘Incredible Life’ PowerPoint background image
Click here for the ‘Incredible Life’ widescreen image
Click here for the ‘Incredible Life’ PowerPoint image
