The ‘Rockin’ Humility’ Children’s Lesson on Philippians 2:1-11 is part of the Jailhouse Rock! Teaching series.
Main Idea: Paul shows us the importance of being like Jesus and putting others before ourselves.
Suggested Schedule: (90 mins)
- Welcome (5 mins)
- Game 1(5mins)
- Review Big Verse (5 mins)
- Set the Scene: Bible story/skit and review questions (10-15 mins)
- Object Lesson 1 talk (5mins)
- Game 2 (5 mins)
- Object Lesson 2 talk (5 mins)
- Game 3 (5 mins)
- Object Lesson 3 talk (10 mins)
- Get out of Jail Game (5 mins)
- Sense How You Feel – activity (10 – 25 mins)
- Seek God – prayer (5 mins)
Setting the Stage: This series will take us through a letter that Paul wrote to the Philippians while he was in prison. Instead of being sad and gloomy about his situation, Paul uses his time to be joyful and thankful. To create a jailhouse rock scene setting you could make your own “jail” props such as ball and chains, stocks or bars. Each week you could challenge the children to come up with a verse from Philippians that is set to music so you could also have musical instruments available.
Supplies:
- 4 large buckets
- Porridge
- Cups
- Tape
- Ladder
- Two pairs of socks (one new and one old)
- Two cookies (one whole and one with a bite taken out of it)
- Two pencils (one new and one broken/used)
- Mirror
- Embellishments
- Glass pens
- Small craft mirrors
- Printables: Philippians PDF scripture, Get out of Jail PDF, Koinonia Slide
- Coloring pens
- Playdough or clay
- Lego or construction toys
- Prayer tent materials – cushions, bibles, fairy lights, cross, candles etc
- Bowls, towels and warm water for foot washing
- All PowerPoint games with some way of showing them (i.e. laptop and screen)
SONG and BIBLE STORY VIDEO IDEAS available via our dedicated Pinterest Board.
GAME IDEAS:
GAME 1 – PORRIDGE! – 5 MINS
Description: Race (one-on-one) or relay game.
Supplies: Two large buckets of porridge, 2 empty buckets, cups
Details: Porridge. (regular/widescreen) Make up two large buckets of porridge and place these at one end of the room. Place the two empty buckets at the end where the children will begin. Each player must run to the end and fill their cup with porridge and then empty it into the bucket. If played as a race they continue to do this until the fastest player empties their porridge bucket. If playing as a team game and relay, the players take turns to run with their own cups. The winners of the relay are the ones with the most porridge in their bucket!
GAME 2 – DODGE THE GUARDS – 5 MINS
Description: Group Game.
Supplies: Tape, sticks (optional), a large space
Details: Dodge the Guards. (regular/widescreen) Using the tape make two parallel lines about a yard apart. One or two children stand between the lines and can’t go beyond the lines. If preferred they can be holding sticks. The other children try to run from one line to the other line without being touched by the children/sticks in the middle. If they are touched they join the children in the middle. The game continues until everyone has been caught. The leader calls out when the children should try to cross from side to side.
GAME 3 – PRISON BREAK – 10 MINS
Description: Race (one-on-one) or relay
Supplies: Two tunnels and cones
Details: Prison Break. (regular/widescreen) Children begin at one end of the room and must race through their tunnels to the end of the room where they weave around cones before heading back to the beginning. If playing as a relay the next player then begins. The fastest player/team is the winner.
BIG VERSE: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4.
SET THE SCENE: 10-15 MINS
Description: Bible story and questions
Supplies: Bible, volunteer
Details: Say: So before we start looking at the next part of Paul’s letter I want to play a game and need a volunteer. So I want us to have a conversation but we aren’t allowed to use the word “I” or ”me”. (ask the volunteer some questions and it shouldn’t take too long before they say I or me!). WOW it didn’t take long for us to say I! Well in our passage today Paul is going to be sharing with us how we should focus not on ourselves but on others.
Read Philippians 2:1-11
REVIEW QUESTIONS:
1.How does Paul want us to live? (v3 -5)
2.What did Jesus give up when he came to earth? What things might he have missed? (V7)
3.How did Jesus show humility – what things did he do that you would never expect God to do? (V8)
4.What “high place” do you think Jesus is in now? What is it like? (V9)
5.Who will bow to Jesus? What creatures is he in charge of? (V10-11)
SPOT THE SIMPLE MEANING:
1) STEP AWAY FROM PRIDE- 5 MINS
Description: Object Lesson 1
Supplies: Step ladder, “Pride” on a PDF, String
Details: Attach string to the PRIDE sheet so that it can be worn around the leaders neck, Place the ladder so that the children can see it (you will be climbing it so make sure it is safe!)
Say: Who can tell me what the word pride means? (allow a response). Pride is focusing on me (point to self) and something that hurts the heart of God. Let’s imagine that I get the highest mark possible in a test at school. I begin to think that I am the smartest person in my class – that’s Pride (attach the PRIDE banner around your neck and stand on the first step of the ladder). Next thing my parents ask me and my brother to clean our rooms. I am the first to finish and think that I am the best in my family. (climb another step on the ladder). Then I remember how great I am a playing soccer – the best on the team (climb another step). Wow. Look at how tall I am. From here, I am above everybody else! I am so proud of myself! But, Paul says we shouldn’t think of ourselves first. (Climb down). We shouldn’t view every situation wondering if it will be good or bad for ME. Instead we should stay grounded and put others above ourselves (remove the pride banner)
2) PUT OTHERS FIRST – 5 MINS
Description: Object Lesson 2
Supplies: Two pairs of socks (one new and one old); two cookies (one whole and one with a bite taken out of it); two pencils (one new and one broken/ used)
Details: Place all the items in a bag so that they can’t be seen. Choose one child to help you.
Say: There are some items in this bag that I want to share with you. (take out the two pencils.) I really like pencils. Which pencil should I give you? I really like this one. It hasn’t been sharpened yet. This other pencil has been used and
sharpened. it even has something sticky on it.. Hmm…I think I’ll keep the nice pencil. You can have the one that’s already sharpened.. (Give the child the used pencil.) Don’t worry I also have some socks to share! (take out the pairs of socks) This pair is new and never has been worn. This pair is kind of grungy. (Smell the socks.) Well they are clean, but they look a bit grubby. You know what? Both pairs of socks will keep feet warm and that’s the point for wearing socks, so you can have this old pair and I’ll keep the soft new pair. (Give the child the old socks.) (Take out the whole cookie and one broken cookie) OH YES! I REALLY love cookies! I’ll share a cookie with you! Um…(Look at both cookies and then give the broken cookie to the child.) Here. You probably don’t like these cookies as much as I do. These are my faviourite so you can have the broken one. (allow the rest of the children to respond!) How come you are all so upset? What’s the big deal? I shared a pencil, socks and a cookie. Did the other person deserve to have the nicer items? YES! That is what Paul is saying isn’t he – we should value others above ourselves. But sometimes that can be hard can’t it – but Paul goes on to write about the importance of thinking the same as Jesus. He encourages us to look at Jesus and then try to mirror him.
3) REFLECT JESUS – 5 MINS
Description: Object Lesson 3
Supplies: Mirror
Details: Say: So I’ve got a mirror here (hold up the mirror). Did you know that mirrors have been around for hundreds of years! And they have one job and that is to reflect. They can reflect light, colors, and images. Can you imagine what it was like before they invented mirrors? How would you put make up on! Or clean the mess from your face! Mirrors are great because they show things as they really are! In fact there is a saying “a mirror never lies!“. God wants us to be like mirrors – except he doesn’t want us to reflect ourselves, he wants us to reflect Jesus. Paul tells us that Jesus put others before himself.
If we follow Jesus‘ example he will reflect himself through us. Can we be like that? It’s hard sometimes but the Holy Spirit is here to help us.
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES: GET OUT OF JAIL GAME – 5 MINS
Description: Team or individual game
Supplies: Get out of Jail Jpeg, bibles.
Details: Using the printout or slide (start at the ‘imprisoned’ end and move through the maze to get to the ‘free’ on the other side) to find the scripture! The correct route will take them through the passage “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others”. (Philippians 2:3- 4) If time, spend a few moments reading Philippians 2:1-11 and share with each other which is your favorite verse and why.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.Why is it important to put others first?
2.Is there anything that you have done this week that has been selfish?
3.What things can you do this week that put others first?
4.What can we do to share love with other others?
SENSE HOW YOU FEEL – 10 MINS EACH OR IN TANDEM/ROTATION
Encourage the children to think about the questions above as they do one of the activities:
Description: Craft.
Supplies: Mirrors, glass pens and embellishments.
Details: Decorate a mirror and with the pens write “Be an imitator of Christ in your friendships with others”
Description: Moulding activity.
Supplies: Playdough or clay.
Details: Mould someone who put you first before themselves.
Description: Building activity.
Supplies: Lego or construction toys.
Details: Build a scene of how you can put someone first this week.
Description: Sensory activity.
Supplies: Create a prayer tent space using cushions, lights, a cross and tent if you have one. Have some quiet music playing.
Details: Encourage the children to spend some time listening to God. Have some scriptures around to help focus them. Allow time to draw or write anything that they have heard.
Description: Activity Booklets.
Supplies: 5-7s and 8-11s booklets (included in download), markers.
Details: Fill in or color the 5-7s (PDF) and 8-11s (PDF) booklets.
SEEK GOD: 5 MINS
Description: Prayer/Encounter activity
Supplies: Soft worship music, (bowls, towels, warm water).
Details: Ask the children to stand. Play some quiet music in the background.
Today we have learnt how us importance of mirroring Jesus and putting others before ourselves. As the music plays let’s ask God to bring to mind the times this week when we have not put others first. Let’s say sorry to God and ask him to help us to put others first. If time in small groups spend time praying for one another. Or you could explain to the children that one of the ways Jesus put his friends first was by washing their feet – they could then do this in small groups.
ZOOM FRIENDLY LESSON:
PRISON ESCAPE (regular/widescreen)
