LEADER DEVOTIONAL Compassion is wanting everyone to have enough. God wants this.
God didn’t intend some to get richer at the expense of the poor. Deuteronomy 15:7–9 says, “When you happen on someone who’s in trouble . . . don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him. . . . Look at him, open your purse. . . . Don’t listen to that selfish voice saying, ‘It’s almost the seventh year, the year of All-Debts-Are-Canceled,’ and turn aside and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch.” (Deuteronomy 15:7–9 MSG)
God gave the people a law called Jubilee—every seven years debts were canceled. But the law was not an excuse to withhold generosity. Verse 11 reads, “The way you handle matters like this triggers GOD, your God’s, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures.” Wow!
Ask God to show you your heart. Is it open or closed to those in trouble? God specializes in changing hearts. He wants to bless you with a heart that feels what he feels.
LESSON THREE CONTENTS, SUPPLIES, AND PREP COMPASSION THREE
WELCOME • 1 foam ball (purchase HERE)
LOW ENERGY ACTIVITY • Paper (to make paper airplanes)
SMALL GROUP LESSON • Imaginative Prayer Experience (download HERE)
CRAFT ACTIVITY • 1 pair of rainbow glasses per kid (purchase HERE) • Self-sticking jewels (purchase HERE) • Foam stickers (purchase HERE) • Glitter pens (purchase HERE) • Markers
HIGH ENERGY GAME • Energetic music or loud, silly sound effects • 1 “Jar of Dares” PREP: Write a variety of dares on strips of paper. Fold them up and place them in a jar.
SKIT • 1 horn (purchase HERE) • 1 small bag of ketchup (to use as fake blood) • 1 pair of pants (several sizes too big)
LARGE GROUP LESSON • 1 backpack containing the following: • 1 clown-sized glasses (purchase HERE) • 1 pair of large gloves • 1 pair adult-size shoes or flip-flops • 1 large hat PREP: Preselect a kid to put items on.
MINISTRY TIME WORSHIP CHALLENGE PAPER • 1 Challenge Paper per kid
Find this week’s unique items on our Amazon Shopping List. All items are available for Prime shipping! THREE WELCOME LESSON 5 min
THE VERSE As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me compassion like his.
ICE BREAKER RULES SUPPLIES: We’ve only got THREE RULES. Not too • 1 foam ball (purchase HERE) bad! 1 Listen to your group leader. Kids sit in a circle and gently toss the foam ball. 2 Be a good friend. The one who catches it tells a little about themselves 3 Have fun! by answering one of the following question: If you follow these rules, you’ll have a great time and learn something new. • “Have you ever shared your lunch with someone who forgot theirs? Tell us about it.”
• “Have you ever cleaned up a mess you didn’t make? When?” OFFERING It’s so great to GIVE BACK TO GOD. When we give God back a small piece of what he’s given us, we show how much INTRO we trust him. Turn to your neighbor and share... Pray aloud that God would bless the offering and the Do you remember times when church’s mission in the community and world. you fell and hurt yourself or felt very sad and someone comforted you? What did they do that comforted you? ANNOUNCEMENTS Add your announcements below: Today we’ll find out the meaning of the word compassion, and why God says to wear it!
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Welcome - Compassion LOW ENERGY ACTIVITY LESSON THREE 10 min
THE BEST GAME SUPPLIES: • Paper (to make paper airplanes)
1 Discover who is the best at various activities. For each contest, four to six kids are chosen to compete.
2 Here is a list of possible competitions: • The tallest thumb • The fastest crab walker • The highest jumper • The longest stare (without blinking or looking away) • The fastest alphabet song singer • The smallest shoe size • The farthest paper airplane thrower • The strongest thumb for thumb war • The longest hair • The most flexible toes
Low Energy Activity - Compassion SMALL GROUP LESSON THREE 15 min
THE VERSE As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me compassion like his.
Introduce yourself and welcome each kid by name. Discussion: Check up on previous prayer requests or events. How did you feel, as you imagined yourself to be sitting in darkness, in the ACTIVITY dirt as people passed you by? What kind of feelings did you have as you SUPPLIES: heard that Jesus was coming near? • 1 Imaginative Prayer Experience How did you feel as the crowd tried to tell (download HERE) you to be quiet and stop calling out for Jesus? Did it take courage to keep calling When you need something, how do you think out to him? Were you surprised when he Jesus feels about that? Allow responses. To have asked what you wanted? compassion on someone means to care about someone enough to want to help meet their What was it like to suddenly see again? needs. Would you say that Jesus has compassion How would you feel about Jesus after on us or not? that?
Allow responses. Jesus can give me compassion like his! How can you show compassion like Jesus Have you ever seen someone with a sign saying this week? they need food or other kinds of help? Where? What do you do when you see someone like that?
The Bible tells us about a man who had to make his living doing something like that. Jesus had PRAY compassion on him and helped him. We’re going Pray that God would give each kid a heart of to try to imagine what it would be like to be him. compassion for others—like the one Jesus has!
Go through the Imaginative Prayer Experience page How can you show compassion for your family? with your group. For people at church? For people at school?
Small Group Lesson - Compassion CRAFT ACTIVITY LESSON THREE 15 min
THE VERSE As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me compassion like his.
COMPASSION GLASSES SUPPLIES: • 1 pair of rainbow glasses per kid (purchase HERE) • Self-sticking jewels (purchase HERE) • Foam stickers (purchase HERE) • Glitter pens (purchase HERE) • Markers
1 Each kid is given a pair of rainbow glasses. DISCUSS DURING THE ACTIVITY: 2 Use the supplies available to decorate their • Why does God tell us to “put on glasses. Draw on them or stick on jewels or compassion”? stickers. • Who do you have a hard time seeing with 3 Kids should use these glasses to remind them to compassion? look at others with compassion. • How has God shown compassion to you this past week?
• What is a way you can show compassion to someone at school this week?
• What is one way you will show compassion to someone at home today?
• What is one way you will show compassion to someone here before you leave today?
Craft Activity -Compassion HIGH ENERGY GAME LESSON THREE 15 min
Ideas for tasks: QUICK OR DARE • Line up in order of age, oldest first. SUPPLIES: • Circle up in first name alphabet order. • Energetic music or loud, silly sound effects • Line up by height, shortest first. • 1 “Jar of Dares” (a variety of dares written on • Line up according birthdays, January 1 first. strips of paper, folded up, and placed in a jar) • Line up by how many brothers and sisters you have, fewest first. 1 Kids break into groups of at least four or five. • Form a beautiful circle based on the color of shirt. 2 For each round, the leader gives a task to Go from the lightest color to the darkest. complete. • Line up in alphabet order by last name (older kids only). 3 All groups must follow the instructions as exactly and as fast they can! For instance, if the leader • Line up by jumping ability, lowest first. says to hold hands in a circle with every other • Line up by foot size, smallest first. person facing in and every other person facing out, that’s what the groups have to do—fast! Ideas for dares:
4 As soon as a group completes the task, they sit • No talking for the next round—complete tasks in down to let the leader know they are done! complete silence. • Crab walk in a circle for one minute. 5 The goal is to not be the last group to finish the task, because the group that comes in last must • For the rest of the game, fall down and pretend complete a dare. to be lifeless every time someone walks into the room—just like toys from Toy Story. 6 A representative from the group selects a dare • Fold arms into chicken wings, flap them, and say, from the Jar of Dares. Discard used dares. “I’m a pretty little chicken.” • Jump on one leg for twenty seconds with both hands on your head. • Lick your elbow while singing the alphabet. • Play the next round as if you are underwater. • The entire next round, speak with your tongue sticking out. • Spin around ten times then try to walk in a straight line. • The group can’t start the next round until someone in the group is able to lick their nose with their tongue. • Sing a chorus of “Let it Go” from Frozen while pretending to be a T-Rex.
High Energy Game - Compassion SKIT LESSON THREE 5 min
THE VERSE As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me compassion like his.
too! But I can’t remember where I left my belt! Oh, GOOD ENOUGH well. No big deal. It’s good enough, I can hold my pants up with one hand. PROPS: • 1 horn (purchase HERE) Reece: Seriously? • 1 small bag of ketchup (to use as fake blood) Rowdy: Really. I’m good at multi-tasking. Just • 1 pair of pants (several sizes too big) watch... I can sound the horn. (Sounds horn.) ...And hold up my pants... And jump on one foot ... (Starts hopping around while sounding horn and holding up (ENTER Reece and Rowdy. Rowdy is sounding a horn, pants, but soon falls over with a big crash and “ow!”.) and holding up his pants, which are several sizes too big. Hidden in a pocket is a small bag of ketchup, to Reece: Oh dear! (Helps Rowdy up.) Are you all right? use as fake blood.) Did you get hurt? You know, I really think this isn’t going to work. Rowdy, you need a belt. Rowdy: (Sounds horn.) I’m here! I’m here! I’m here to help you make your announcements super- Rowdy: (Comes up holding onto pants, holding index duper exciting! (Sounds horn.) Doesn’t that make finger out with ketchup “blood” on it.) Not at all. I’m everything sound more exciting? perfectly fine.
Reece: Sure... Thanks... I really appreciate it... Reece: Oh my! Look at yourself! You hurt your (Noticing that the Rowdy is having to hold his pants finger! It’s bleeding! Stay calm. We can help you. up:) Rowdy! What’s with your pants? What happened (Calling.) Somebody bring the First Aid Kit! to your belt? Rowdy: (Looks down at finger.) What? That little Rowdy: I don’t know. Maybe I lost it somewhere in scratch? Nah! (Calling off stage:) Don’t bother with my room... (Thinks.) Maybe I never had one! that First Aid Kit. (To Reece:) I don’t need a Band-Aid. Just let it drip. That’s good enough. Reece: You were wearing it at rehearsal yesterday. Reece: Seriously? You’re using one hand to hold Rowdy: Was I, Reece? Are you sure? your pants up, and one finger on the other hand Reece: Oh, yeah. If your pants had fallen off, I’d is gushing blood—and you think that’s “good remember that! enough?”
Rowdy: (Laughs.) Yeah, I guess I’d remember that, Rowdy: Sure. Don’t fuss over me, Reece. We’re here
Skit - Compassion for these kids. After all, I only need one hand to hold Rowdy: What? He cares about little stuff like this? up the pants, and I can still sound the horn with my teeth! You’ll see, we’ll make some excitement Reece: Of course! Don’t you know that God cares around here. Now, where’s that horn? (Looks around about people and he wants them to have what they for horn.) need? He doesn’t want you to have to hold your pants up with one hand, or go around with a finger Reece: Let’s just forget the horn, okay? Okay? Hey dripping blood, or walk around with a possible watch out, don’t trip over your pants! Rowdy, watch concussion that’s not attended to! That’s just out! Don’t step on... ridiculous!
(Rowdy trips on horn and hanging pants and falls Rowdy: It is? again with a big thud.) Reece: Yes! That’s why God’s put people in our lives Reece: (Helps Rowdy up.) Oh my goodness. Are you who can show his love to us by the way they help us okay? You poor dear. We’ve got to stop this now. and care for us, and pray for us. And when we care for others, and help them get what they need, we’re Rowdy: (Wobbling and slurring:) No problem... I’m showing God’s love to them, too. fine... (Looks around.) ...Where are you? (Focuses past Reece—obviously not looking at Reece.) ...Oh, there Rowdy: (Emotionally:) That’s the most beautiful you are! Hi, Reece! (Almost falls over, Reece catches thing I ever heard! (Sniffles and dabs at eyes.) I think I him or her.) do need to sit down now.
Reece: Look, I think you need to go put an ice pack Reece: Well, let’s go backstage and find someone on your head, and sit down while we observe you for who has a belt, a band-aid, and an icepack for you. a while. You’re not okay. Rowdy: (As he or she exits:) Awww, I feel so loved! (To Rowdy: What? Sit down? Nah! It’s just a little kids, still holding up pants:) Bye! headache... I’m feeling good enough! (EXIT Reece and Rowdy.) Reece: Would you please stop saying that? You’re hurt! And we care about you! And God cares about you!
Skit - Compassion LARGE GROUP LESSON THREE 20 min
THE VERSE As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me compassion like his.
SUPPLIES: Today, we’re going to hear about another way • 1 backpack containing the following (preselect a Jesus can help us become more like him by having kid to put on items): compassion. And we have a new Bible verse about compassion. It’s from COLOSSIANS 3:12 and it says, • 1 clown-sized glasses (purchase HERE) “As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, • 1 pair of large gloves clothe yourselves with compassion.” • 1 pair of adult-size shoes or flip-flops Have kids repeat. • 1 large hat The people from JellyTelly interviewed some kids about compassion. Let’s see if they had good ideas PRESHOW VIDEO (watch HERE) about what it is. OK Go - Upside Down & Inside Out (Stop the video when they release the balls.) JELLYTELLY VIDEO (watch HERE) Hey everyone, how are you doing? I’m ______, and I get to be your teacher today. This series you’re in is called Inside and Out. You’ve been learning how They knew a lot about compassion, didn’t they? Jesus can change us from the inside out. Help me How many of you knew all that, too? So where does say your series verse from ROMANS compassion come from? Anybody know? Lots of you 12:2. “Fix your attention on God. You’ll do! Well, I think it comes right from the heart of God. be changed from the inside out.” Let’s Is that what you thought? Yeah, I knew you did. God just take a moment now to focus our has loads of compassion, doesn’t he? attention on God. The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah lived in a very Stop and have a quiet moment of listening and prayer. sad time, when his people didn’t obey God’s laws anymore. Instead, they tried to copy the nations As we grow closer and closer in loving friendship around them and worship idols. It broke his heart, with God, his character—what’s in his heart—rubs but he got a peek at a little ray of hope, and wrote off on us, so we can show the world what HE’s like by these words in Lamentations 3:22: “We are still the way WE live! alive because the LORD’s [compassion] never ends.” Aren’t we glad God has compassion on us? That Last time we learned that Jesus can make me bold means that his love and mercy are way bigger than for him. Have you been any bolder for Jesus since our sin, and he promises that when we confess our then? sin, he forgives us.
Allow responses. Jesus took compassion farther. He said compassion
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Large Group Lesson - Compassion isn’t just something God has—every one of his The shoes show that kindness takes us to where followers could have it, too! That means, if you and I others need us. say we’re followers of Jesus, we can have hearts full of compassion, like his. Sometimes, that’s easy, isn’t It must include HUMILITY. it? Like, when we see little lost puppies or kittens. Put on HAT. They’re so cute and cuddly, we want to help them! But what about when your older brother, who just Just like my friend is under this hat, we put our shoved you out of the way, trips and knocks out his concerns under others’ concerns. In humility, we front tooth? Do you want to help him? Or do you don’t put ourselves first. secretly feel like he got what he deserved? It includes GENTLENESS. Let’s look at the DEFINITION OF COMPASSION. Compassion is caring Put on GLASSES. enough to take appropriate helpful action. If you have compassion, when They say someone wearing glasses doesn’t get in you see your brother suffering, you’re motivated fights. A gentle person would never pick a fight, to try to help him feel better. The person with or be rough with someone. They would always be compassion will do something to help someone who careful with people. is sad and crying, and try their best to comfort them. Or we could say to have compassion, we need to SEE Remember our Bible friend, Paul? We’ve heard how the needs of others. Compassion is helping to carry God changed him from the inside out, and gave him the burdens of others. a new mission—to tell everyone everywhere that It includes PATIENCE. they could have new life in Jesus. As he traveled from place to place sharing the good news about Put on BACKPACK. Jesus, He went through a lot of hard things, and I’m sure this gave him even more compassion for others Patience is being willing to wait without giving up, going through hard times. Paul taught that God gives even after school when you’re already tired from his kids a new ability to show true carrying your heavy backpack. compassion, kind of like your grandma gives you NEW CLOTHES to wear on God’s shown so much mercy to us, we’re Christmas or Easter. overflowing with mercy to show to others! Because his Spirit lives in us, his compassion will In fact, in COLOSSIANS 3:12 Paul wrote be filling our hearts for poor people, about putting on the compassion God OLD PEOPLE, lost people, lonely gives as if it were a beautiful new set people, people who don’t know the of clothes: “As God’s chosen people, way to go, hungry people, children holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with without families, SICK PEOPLE, people compassion.” I have a volunteer who is going to who need clothes, PEOPLE WITHOUT help me give you a picture of this idea of “clothing” HOMES, and PEOPLE WHO ARE ourselves with compassion. HURTING.
Invite up your preselected volunteer to come up and What if you and I looked up from our own be your “mannequin”. lives long enough to notice what people around us are feeling? Because that’s the Compassion is seen in our ACTIONS. first step toward having compassion!
Have volunteer put on GLOVES. That makes me think of some kids whose soccer team made it to the Junior World Challenge in Gloves remind us to use our hands to do things for Japan. When their team beat the Japanese team, others. they were celebrating their big win when they Compassion must include KINDNESS. looked up long enough to notice how the kids on the Japanese team were feeling. Take a look. Put on SHOES.
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Large Group Lesson - Compassion COMPASSION IN VICTORY VIDEO (watch HERE)
Here’s THE POINT for today: Jesus can give me compassion like his. You and I can see the people in the world who really need help, because his Holy Spirit in us sees them.
Now that Jesus is changing us from the inside out, it’s like we’re putting on new clothes—let’s ask God to clothe us with compassion.
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Large Group Lesson - Compassion MINISTRY TIME LESSON THREE 5 min
THE VERSE As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me compassion like his.
Ask kids to sit or stand quietly. Pray, asking the Holy Who wants a heart like that? Spirit to guide you. Pray that kids receive God’s heart. Is it easy to have compassion on your friends, but harder to show compassion to your family Remind the kids that everyone can pray for people in sometimes? Are there certain people you have a our church. Ask volunteers and other kids to gather hard time showing compassion to? Is it hard for around the kids who have responded. They can ask you to see when someone needs your help? kids what they want prayer for, and pray for them as the Holy Spirit leads them. Kids can even pray for God has given us the powerful help of the Holy volunteers! Spirit so we can have his heart for all people. How would you like to have a heart like God’s? You’d For more directions on how to pray with kids, see the know what God really cares about! The things Five-Step Prayer Model for Kids. that make him smile would make you smile, and the things that make him sad would make you sad, too—so you’ll want to pray about them and try to change them.
Ministry Time - Compassion WORSHIP LESSON THREE 10 min
THE VERSE As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me compassion like his.
SONG #1 DANCE (watch HERE, purchase HERE) Planetshakers Joth Hunt © 2012 Planetshakers Ministries Int. Inc. (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook])) CCLI: 6621423 SONG #2 NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE (watch HERE, purchase HERE) Planetshakers Joth Hunt © 2008 Integrity Worship Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook])); Planetshakers Ministries Int. Inc. (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook])) CCLI: 5199808 SONG #3 NO ONE GREATER (watch HERE, purchase HERE) Amber Sky Records Chrystina L. Fincher © 2011 Amber Sky Records CCLI: 6128847
Worship - Compassion CHALLENGE PAPER LESSON THREE
Unscramble the words. For clues, look at the Bible verse to the right.
1 C E L H O T
2 D V O L E Recite this week’s point: Jesus can give me compassion like his.
Recite this week’s Bible verse: As God’s chosen people, holy and 3 Y H L O dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
Kid’s name:
4 E P L E O P
Kid’s grade:
BONUS: Show compassion to someone in need! Parent signature: What did you do? Write below:
Answers: Answers: 1. Clothe; 2. Loved; 3. Holy; 4. People; 4. Holy; 3. Loved; 2. Clothe; 1.