Lesson Seven Contents, Supplies, and Prep Confidence Seven
LEADER DEVOTIONAL “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” (Jeremiah 7:17 NIV)
Have you ever wondered who you’re really trusting with your life—God or yourself?
Do you believe that God can do anything—through you? That God can provide all you need? That he’s always present with you? That he’s good—to you?
Saying the words isn’t the same as believing them. One effective way to do a reality check is to reflect on your day. Take a few moments to quiet your mind. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you situations you encountered that day, and what your responding attitude, actions, or thoughts revealed about your trust in God.
If your attitudes and actions were congruent with your beliefs, congratulations! But as we’re imperfect humans, they don’t always line up. Thank God, he can change us inside and out so we really trust him. That’s why we can have confidence in him.
LESSON SEVEN CONTENTS, SUPPLIES, AND PREP CONFIDENCE SEVEN
WELCOME LOW ENERGY ACTIVITY SMALL GROUP LESSON • 1 Response Card per kid (download HERE) • 1 Award Certificate per kid (download HERE) PREP: Write out a special award for each kid. Best joke-teller, most cooperative, most enthusiastic, most frequent smiler, etc. • Pencils • Blank white paper (to make thank you notes) • Markers
CRAFT ACTIVITY • 1 glass 2” mirror per kid (purchase HERE) • 1 jumbo craft stick per kid (purchase HERE) • Self-sticking jewels (purchase HERE) • Foam stickers (purchase HERE) • Glitter pens (purchase HERE) • Craft glue (purchaseHERE ) • Poster board (purchase HERE) PREP: Cut poster board into 4” squares, one per kid • Permanent markers
HIGH ENERGY GAME • 1 strip of 10 tiny dot stickers per kid (purchase HERE)
SKIT • 1 solar-sensitive color-changing t-shirt (purchase HERE) • 1 cell phone or tablet
LARGE GROUP LESSON 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! SEVEN WELCOME LESSON 5 min
THE VERSE But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus gives me confidence the Holy Spirit lives in me so I can show his love to the world.
ICE BREAKER RULES SUPPLIES: We’ve only got THREE RULES. Not too • 1 roll of really cheap toilet paper bad! 1 Listen to your group leader. Kids pass around the roll of toilet paper with the 2 Be a good friend. instruction to take as much as each kid thinks he or she needs. 3 Have fun! If you follow these rules, you’ll have a great time No more directions should be given than that. and learn something new. After kids have taken whatever amount of toilet paper they think they might need, the game goes on...
For every sheet of toilet paper, the kid must share with OFFERING the kid next to them, one fact about him or herself (i.e. It’s so great to GIVE BACK TO GOD. I have a sister named Sue). Start with the kids with the When we give God back a small piece of fewest squares of toilet paper. what he’s given us, we show how much we trust him. Don’t let the ice breaker last longer than a couple minutes. Pray aloud that God would bless the offering and the church’s mission in the community and world. INTRO Turn to your neighbor and share... ANNOUNCEMENTS Add your announcements below: If you could be someone or something else, who or what
would you be?
Today we we’re going to discover what can give you more confidence than anything else.
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Welcome - Confidence LOW ENERGY ACTIVITY LESSON SEVEN 10 min
SNORT-OFF 1 Kids sit in a circle.
2 The leader begins the game by turning to the kid on his or her left and snorting his or her loudest snort, right in the kid’s face!
3 If the leader or the kid laughs or smiles, that person is out and must scoot back out of the circle.
4 If the kid does not laugh or smile, he or she turns to the kid on his or her left and snorts.
5 Snorts continue around the circle, with anyone who laughs or smiles being out.
6 The snort-off continues until there is only one snorter remaining—the winner!
Low Energy Activity - Confidence SMALL GROUP LESSON SEVEN 15 min
THE VERSE But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus gives me confidence the Holy Spirit lives in me so I can show his love to the world.
Introduce yourself and welcome each kid by name. Award a certificate to every member of your group— best joke-teller, most cooperative, most enthusiastic, Check up on previous prayer requests or events. most frequent smiler, etc. Write something special and make a big deal about each presentation.
Maybe even take a selfie with your group and their ACTIVITY certificates. Send it to the parents! SUPPLIES: Kids may use paper and markers to write or draw • 1 Response Card per kid (download HERE) thank you notes to the leaders, teachers, worship teams and staff who madeInside and Out possible. • Pencils
Give each kid a response card. Read through the Discussion: responses aloud and help kids complete the cards. If necessary, help the kids complete the card and check If you had everything the world says is the box that matches their response (leave the check important; you’re cute, smart, athletic. boxes blank, if you haven’t already done the large Would you be more valuable? Explain. group portion of the lesson). Collect all the completed Is what other people think about you response cards. important? Why or why not?
Discussion: What would you do if you really had confidence that God will help you? Can you choose how tall you are? Whether God loves you? Whether you will trust God? Explain. PRAY Pray that God will help kids find their confidence in ACTIVITY him, so they can show his love to the world. SUPPLIES: • 1 Award Certificate per kid (download HERE) • Blank white paper (to make thank you notes) • Markers
Small Group Lesson - Confidence CRAFT ACTIVITY LESSON SEVEN 15 min
THE VERSE But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus gives me confidence the Holy Spirit lives in me so I can show his love to the world.
GOD MADE ME MIRROR SUPPLIES: • 1 glass 2” mirror per kid (purchase HERE) • 1 jumbo craft stick per kid (purchase HERE) • Self-sticking jewels (purchase HERE) • Foam stickers (purchase HERE) • Glitter pens (purchase HERE) • Craft glue (purchase HERE) • 1 poster board (4” square) per kid (purchase HERE) DISCUSS DURING THE ACTIVITY: • Permanent markers • What does it mean that those who trust and have confidence in God is ‘blessed’? 1 Kids will create a mirror to see their reflection. • Does God’s love help you have 2 Each kid is given a piece of poster board and a confidence? Tell us what you think about mirror. that.
3 Glue the mirror onto the middle of the poster • Nothing you can do will ever make God board. love you more. Nothing you can do will ever make God love you less. You have 4 Decorate the poster board around the mirror. all of God’s love right now. Tell us how 5 Glue a large craft stick to the back of the frame to confident that makes you feel. be a handle. • When you look in a mirror you see your 6 Write “God made me!” on the handle of the reflection. When God looks at your life, mirror. he wants to see his reflection. How could God see his own reflection when he looks at your life?
Craft Activity -Confidence HIGH ENERGY GAME LESSON SEVEN 15 min
• Hands on hips is rock. TEN TINY DOTS • Arms above the head, elbows bent, hands SUPPLIES: curling forward is paper. • 1 strip of 10 tiny dot stickers per kid • Arms stretched forward, elbows crossed and (purchase HERE) palms up is scissors. 4 The winner is given a tiny dot sticker from the 1 Each kid is given a strip of ten tiny dot stickers and opponent and puts it on his or her own shirt. In sticks the dot stickers on the front of his or her case of a tie, no dots are exchanged. shirt. 5 Play 10 rounds. Before each round, all of the kids 2 As fast as they can, kids partner up in two lines in one of the lines moves to their right. The kid facing each other, a few feet apart. without a partner goes back to the end of the line.
3 The round begins. All of the kids chant together, 6 Any kid with more than 10 stickers wins. The “Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper winners are congratulated. Hail the Mighty beats rock!” As soon as the chant is completed, Champions! the pairs turn back-to-back.
4 As a leader shouts out, “Rock, paper, scissors, GO!” each kid turns around and makes a full-body motion:
High Energy Game - Confidence SKIT LESSON SEVEN 5 min
THE VERSE But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus gives me confidence the Holy Spirit lives in me so I can show his love to the world.
Rowdy: Yeah! Isn’t that cool?
WHERE THE LIGHT IS Reece: What happens when you come back inside? PROPS: Does the color stay, or does it fade away?
• 1 solar-sensitive color-changing t-shirt Rowdy: When you go inside, away from the sunlight, (purchase HERE) the color fades away. But, as long as you’re in the • 1 cell phone or tablet sunlight, you have a full-color picture.
(Reece and Rowdy ENTER from opposite sides of the Reece: Rowdy, that is phenomenal! Your shirt has stage. Rowdy is wearing a solar-sensitive t-shirt over photo-sensitive properties that allow it to change regular costume.) due to the science of light! Wow, that reminds me of what we’re learning here—about being changed Rowdy: Hey, everybody! How are you doing? from the inside out.
Reece: We’re great! How are you doing today? Rowdy: Say what?
Rowdy: I’m great! I’m especially excited to show you Reece: The way your shirt reacts to the scientific my new t-shirt. Do you notice anything about it? properties God put in light reminds me of what we’ve learned about being changed from the inside Reece: (Walking around Rowdy, looking at t-shirt.) out. Hmm. It’s got a nice black and white design on it. Reece: (Scratching head) Sorry, Reece. I don’t get it. Rowdy: (laughs.) This LOOKS to you like a black and white design, right, Reece? Reece: Well, in 1 John chapter one the Bible says, “If we live in the light of God’s presence,” we can Reece: Yeah. Why did you say it that way? It’s a black stay away from sin and reflect God’s light to other and white design. Why did you say it LOOKS like a people. That’s kind of like how your shirt can keep black and white design? on being colorful if it stays in the light of the sun.
Rowdy: Well... Oh, this is the really good part... Rowdy: Oh. So... If I want to shine for God, I stay in When I go outside into the sunshine... This t-shirt his light by staying close to him. changes into a brightly-colored picture! Isn’t that cool? This black and white becomes full-color! (Thinks for a few seconds.)
Reece: What? That happens when you go out into And how do I do that, exactly? I can’t LIVE at the the sunlight? church.
Skit - Confidence Reece: Well, we don’t need to be here at church Reece: I understand. I feel that way about my to stay close to God. We can stay close to him favorite t-shirt. We’ve been having a great time by thinking about him, talking to him in prayer, together, haven’t we? worshiping him, or reading our own Bibles wherever we are. (Pulls out a cell phone or tablet.) Rowdy: Yeah! Right, kids? I’ve downloaded a Bible app so I can read my Bible (Get kids to respond.) anywhere, anytime. Reece: But, it’s not over yet! There’s still more to do Rowdy: Okay, smarty-Reece, an app like that today, so let’s get on with it! sounds like a grown-up thing. Is there something for the kids? Rowdy: Okay everybody! (EXITS shouting:) Bye!
Reece: YouVersion has devotions just for kids, and Reece: Here’s the word for today: it’s from Jeremiah even their own app, a kids’ app, called the Bible App 17:7. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, for Kids. It has colorful Bible stories kids can have whose confidence is in him.” Turn to your neighbor fun with. and say, “My confidence is in God!” (EXITS)
Rowdy: That’s really cool. But... Well... Couldn’t I For more information about YouVersion and the Bible App shine for God by never taking off this t-shirt? for Kids, go to HERE.
Reece: Eeww, Rowdy, that’s gross! Please! You surely KNOW that wearing a stinky t-shirt over and over is not going to help you shine for God!
Rowdy: (Sighs.) I know... I just LIKE this t-shirt and I don’t EVER want to stop wearing it.
Skit - Confidence LARGE GROUP LESSON SEVEN 20 min
THE VERSE But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus gives me confidence the Holy Spirit lives in me so I can show his love to the world.
PRESHOW VIDEO (watch HERE) are secure in God. If you follow Jesus and have I Am Who God Says I Am (LifeKids) confidence, you’ll know the Holy Spirit lives in you, and that you can make a difference by showing his Hi, kids! Welcome! My name’s ______, and I’m love to the world. excited to be your teacher today! Woo-hoo! The Bible tells us in JEREMIAH 17:7: In this series called INSIDE AND OUT “But blessed is the one whose trust we’ve been learning how Jesus can is in the Lord, whose confidence is in change us from the inside out so we him.” become more like him. Last time we heard that God wants to help us persevere. Have you Repeat verse and have kids repeat it with you. been trying to persevere and keep at any job even when it’s hard and takes a long time? Who knows what it means to be “blessed”?
Allow kids time to respond. Allow kids to respond.
We’re finishing up our Inside and Out series by It’s not just another word for “happy.” It’s bigger talking about something you’ve probably heard than that! It means “to be made holy, or having about before. We’re going to explore the idea of God’s favor.” If you’re blessed, you’re loved, chosen, confidence. Maybe you talked about this in school. I forgiven, freed from sin, made right with God, and know I’ve seen LOTS of stories and books trying to promised an eternal life and home with Jesus. It’s help kids grow in confidence, but sometimes they’re a really good thing to have confidence and trust in about having confidence in other people or in God! ourselves. The problem with that advice is that we Today we’re going to dig down deep and discover people aren’t always perfect, and all of us WHY you can have confidence in God. WHY won’t sometimes let each other down. We can even let God ever let you down? The Bible gives us some BIG ourselves down! So, today I want to help you reasons. discover how you can find confidence in someone who can NEVER let you down, because he NEVER YOU ARE VALUABLE BECAUSE YOU ARE fails. Who am I talking about? Of course, I’m talking LOVED BY GOD. about God. We talked last time about how God The CONFIDENCE I’m talking about is wants to fill each of us to overflowing with his having certainty that because of love. His love for us is SO much bigger than we can Jesus: I can be sure of my relationship imagine. Think of the human person in your life with God, I can know I’m accepted by who loves you the most. Can you see that person in God, and I can trust that my identity and future your imagination? How do they show you that they
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Large Group Lesson - Confidence love you? What are some of the things that they do When we trust in Jesus as our leader and forever that help you feel loved? Think about that for a sec. friend, we become members of God’s Kingdom. As Now multiply that by about a hundred times—that’s we tell people about God’s Kingdom, or we pray for still only a drop of God’s big love for you! How big is people, we bring the Kingdom to them, so they can God’s love for you? Well... How big is the universe? experience it, too.
Being made in his image means you are extremely SPACED OUT VIDEO (watch HERE) valuable. When you see yourself as a valued creation (begin at 2:00 and stop at 4:34) of God, it helps you to have confidence in your real value no matter what anyone else may say about Just like the universe is bigger than we can you. comprehend, so is God’s love for you. Listen to what Paul says about God’s love in his letter to Being made in God’s image also means that you and the Romans. This is from ROMANS I have a mission—to show people around us what 8:38–39: “And I am convinced that God is like! The only way we could ever accomplish a nothing can ever separate us from mission SO BIG is with the help of the Holy Spirit. If God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels you’ve asked Jesus to be your LEADER and FOREVER nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our FRIEND, then he’s given you the Holy Spirit to live worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of inside you. The Holy Spirit helps change us from the hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in inside out to become more like Jesus, and gives us the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, the power to fulfill the mission God has given us. nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed Jesus said in JOHN 15:5, “Apart from in Christ Jesus our Lord.” me, you can do nothing.” But the Bible also says in PHILIPPIANS 4:13, “For I God’s love for you is like... The most powerful force can do everything through Christ who in the universe! You can have CONFIDENCE because gives me strength.” of it! You’re like a diamond. YOU ARE VALUABLE BECAUSE YOU ARE CREATED BY GOD. An UNCUT DIAMOND looks like a picture of just a rock, but believe it or not, this is The Bible tells about a prophet named what a diamond looks like when it’s first Ezekiel who had a vision of God’s glory. (Ezekiel dug up out of the ground. It’s called a 1:4-9, 22-28) Ezekiel saw someone who looked like “rough diamond.” a man of burning fire or glowing light. Ezekiel said a radiance around him like a rainbow when the sun But after a professional diamond comes out after the rain! Ezekiel was so awed by cutter cuts and polishes it, it becomes what he saw, he bowed down to the ground. God is SPARKLING and beautiful, like this. AWE-some. We’re like rough diamonds when we first come Did you know that God created you to be in his to Jesus and put our trust in him. Our hearts and image? To be made in God’s image is a big honor. It attitudes don’t look like much because of our sin means that the rest of creation is supposed to be habits. But the Holy Spirit begins working in us, able to see what God’s like when they look at you. inside and out, to change us so that the old, ugly Wow! sinful ways we used to think and act in get rubbed off, and we begin to love and obey God more and How are we able to show God’s image? Well, first, did more... All so we sparkle at our mission of reflecting you know we people were made to live forever? Sin God’s loving image to others. By shining brightly brought death into the world, but that’s one reason with God’s love, we can make a real difference in our why Jesus rose from the dead—to beat death so world. we could fulfill our destiny to live with God forever. We’re also able to love others. That’s important, Maybe you’ve never made the decision to put because God loves, too. your trust in Jesus, and let him be your leader and FOREVER FRIEND. You can do that today. Here’s how: And we can bring God’s Kingdom wherever we go.
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Large Group Lesson - Confidence ABC VIDEO (watch HERE) All of heaven celebrates when people make that choice, because it’s the biggest, best decision a person can EVER make! All of you who’ve ever If you’re ready to make that decision, you can pray chosen to trust in Jesus can be confident that God with me now. loves and values you. He’s even given you the Holy Spirit to help you reflect his image to the world! Lead kids in a simple prayer, something like this... Don’t forget what the Bible tells us in Dear Jesus, I believe that you’re God’s Son. I admit JEREMIAH 17:7. “But blessed is the I’ve sinned—wanted my own way instead of God’s one who trusts in the LORD, whose way sometimes. I believe you died on the cross confidence is in him.” to take the punishment I deserved. Thank you for coming alive again so I could live forever with God Have kids repeat with you. someday, too. I choose to trust you and let you be the Leader of my life. I want to live your way from This is THE POINT: Jesus gives me now on. Please help me do that. Thank you for confidence the Holy Spirit lives in me making me your child, and part of your Kingdom. In so I can show his love to the world. your name, amen.
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Large Group Lesson - Confidence MINISTRY TIME LESSON SEVEN 5 min
THE VERSE But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus gives me confidence the Holy Spirit lives in me so I can show his love to the world.
Ask kids to sit or stand quietly. Pray, asking the Holy Speak a blessing over the kids’ identities. Spirit to guide you. Because of Jesus, here is what God says about PRAY: God, may the truth of Romans 8:38–39 (the you: verse below) sink deep into each child’s spirit and saturate their heart! No longer would they worry You are CREATED in his image, you were CHOSEN that you have turned your back on them, or that before the world began, you BELONG to God’s they haven’t earned your approval or kindness. own family, and you are CALLED to make a difference in the world! Have the kids listen to the following verses and touch their hand to their chest each time you say “me” or Pray and invite the Holy Spirit to come and seal these “my”. things in kids’ hearts, replacing any lies they’ve believed about themselves and healing any wounded “And I am convinced that nothing can ever places in their hearts. separate [me] from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither Remind the kids that everyone can pray for people in [my] fears for today nor [my] worries about our church. Ask volunteers and other kids to gather tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can around the kids who have responded. They can ask separate [me] from God’s love. No power in the kids what they want prayer for, and pray for them sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing as the Holy Spirit leads them. Kids can even pray for in all creation will ever be able to separate [me] volunteers! from the love of God that is revealed in Christ For more directions on how to pray with kids, see the Jesus [my] Lord.” Five-Step Prayer Model for Kids.
Ministry Time - Confidence WORSHIP LESSON SEVEN 10 min
THE VERSE But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus gives me confidence the Holy Spirit lives in me so I can show his love to the world.
SONG #1 LIVE IT OUT (watch HERE, purchase HERE) Amber Sky Records Colette Taylor, Reggie Joiner © 2008 FamilyWise Music (Admin. by Amber Sky Records) CCLI: 5324446 SONG #2 GOD IS FOR US (watch HERE, purchase HERE) Amber Sky Records Casey Darnell, Clarissa Gibson, Mark Gibson, Michael Walker © 2011 Adielela Songs (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.); Ava Truth Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.); Music At North Point (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.); Songs At North Point (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.; Sweet Wort (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) CCLI: 6397410 SONG #3 DANCE (watch HERE, purchase HERE) Planetshakers Joth Hunt © 2012 Planetshakers Ministries Int. Inc. (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook])) CCLI: 6621423
Worship - Confidence CHALLENGE PAPER LESSON SEVEN
A measuring chart measures how tall a person is. Make a God’s Measuring Chart!
1 Take a piece of paper and draw lines along the short side, one inch apart.
2 Cut out 1 large heart and 6 small hearts out of another sheet of paper.
3 Write “God’s Measuring Chart” on the large heart.
4 Write one of these Bible verse references on each Recite this week’s point: small heart: Jesus gives me confidence the Holy • Romans 3:21–22 Spirit lives in me so I can show his love to • Romans 3:28 the world. • Romans 4:5 Recite this week’s Bible verse: • Romans 5:1–2 But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. • Romans 5:11 Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV) • Romans 8:15–16
5 Glue the big heart on the side of the measuring Kid’s name: chart and the small hearts near the inch lines from top to bottom.
6 Read the Bible verses to see how Jesus helps us “measure up”. A good version for kids is NIRV. Kid’s grade:
7 This chart is a very short measuring chart! Why do you think that is?
Parent signature:
8 Is it ever possible to earn God’s love?