LEADER DEVOTIONAL Working with imperfect people who offend, disappoint, or hurt one another can be tough. But God gives us perseverance to keep serving while he continually fills us with all we need.
Sometimes, though, we still feel burned out. Why? What can we do about it?
Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) In a life spent giving to others all the time, Jesus recharged by turning to his father. He frequently went away to pray, and attended synagogue each sabbath. He also had times with just his three closest friends.
Here are ways to “come to” him and receive rest:
• Make attending the adult service a priority.
• Create a playlist of favorite worship songs. Spend time each day in worship and listening prayer.
• Schedule time weekly to do something that refills you, i.e. a hot bath, a walk in the park, coffee with friends.
LESSON SIX CONTENTS, SUPPLIES, AND PREP PERSEVERANCE SIX
WELCOME • Energetic music
LOW ENERGY ACTIVITY SMALL GROUP LESSON • 1 Perseverance Game per 3–6 players: • 1 die (purchase HERE) • 1 game marker per kid (purchase HERE) • 1 game board (download HERE) • 1 set of game cards (download HERE)
CRAFT ACTIVITY • 1 star cut-out per kid (purchase HERE) • Self-sticking jewels (purchase HERE) • Foam stickers (purchase HERE) • Glitter pens (purchase HERE) • Markers
HIGH ENERGY GAME • 1 banana per group • 1 paper plate per group • 1 plastic knife per group • 1 paper lunch bag (Banana Surgery Kit), with the following: • 1 roll of clear tape • 1 roll of string • 5 toothpicks • 5 or 6 rubber bands
SKIT • 1 flashlight
LARGE GROUP LESSON • 10–12 paper wads for “bystanders” PREP: Preselect 3 or 4 kids to play the “bystanders”.
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! SIX WELCOME LESSON 5 min
THE VERSE You will need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me perseverance like his.
ICE BREAKER RULES SUPPLIES: We’ve only got THREE RULES. Not too • Energetic music bad! 1 Listen to your group leader. Kids go around and shake hands while music is 2 Be a good friend. playing. With multiple small groups in the same room, the small group leader starts and stops the kids 3 Have fun! without music. If you follow these rules, you’ll have a great time and learn something new. When the music stops, all the kids should be paired up.
The leader shouts out a question and has each pair of kids introduce themselves and answer the question. “Hello my name is ______and my favorite OFFERING ______is ______.” The question could be: It’s so great to GIVE BACK TO GOD. What is your favorite color? What is your favorite When we give God back a piece of what subject in school? What is your favorite TV show? he’s given us, we show how much we trust him. Repeat, finding new partners each time. 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 What is the hardest thing Add your announcements below: you’ve learned to do so far? How long did it take to learn? Today we discovered it’s important to keep on trying until you complete your task, no matter how hard it is. Who knows what it’s called when we keep trying without giving up? (Perseverance)
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Welcome - Perseverance LOW ENERGY ACTIVITY LESSON SIX 10 min
PASTOR’S PET PARROT 1 Kids form pairs.
2 One partner begins by saying, “The pastor’s pet parrot is a(n) ______pest!”
3 The other partner fills in the blank with any descriptive word beginning with the letter “a,” such as “awesome” or “ancient.”
4 The next pair repeat the sentence, changing the first pair’s word to a “b” word such as “brown” or “bumpy.”
5 Play until the kids have gone through the entire alphabet.
Low Energy Activity - Perseverance SMALL GROUP LESSON SIX 15 min
THE VERSE You will need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me perseverance like his.
Introduce yourself and welcome each kid by name. Discussion: Check up on previous prayer requests or events. To persevere means to stick with something even when you don’t feel like it. What are some things you have to do ACTIVITY on a regular basis, even when you don’t feel like it? SUPPLIES: • 1 Perseverance Game per 3–6 players: Since those things aren’t always fun, why should you do them? • 1 die (purchase HERE) • 1 game marker per kid (purchase HERE) What is something you need God’s help with so you can persevere? • 1 game board (download HERE) • 1 set of game cards (download HERE)
Set up the board game. The goal is to be the first PRAY player to persevere and go around the entire game Pray that God will help the kids persevere through the board. Players roll the die to determine how many challenges they face. spaces to move, then pick up a card and follow the instructions. Cards are discarded by placing them at the bottom of the pile. Begin with the youngest player; play moves to the left.
If you have time, play again.
Small Group Lesson - Perseverance CRAFT ACTIVITY LESSON SIX 15 min
THE VERSE You will need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me perseverance like his.
SHINING LIKE STARS SUPPLIES: • 1 star cut-out per kid (purchase HERE) • Self-sticking jewels (purchase HERE) • Foam stickers (purchase HERE) • Glitter pens (purchase HERE) • Markers
1 Each kid gets a star cut-out and access to self- sticking jewels, foam stickers, glitter pens and DISCUSS DURING THE ACTIVITY: markers. • Name someone you want to be like. In 2 Take a moment to ask God what good plans he what ways do you want to be like that has… something you don’t think you can do person? without him. (I.e. conquering a spelling test, loving your step-brother, praying for sick friends, • Is that person like Jesus? Explain. Will or becoming an astronomer.) imitating that person help you fulfill God’s good plans for your life? Explain. 3 Once an idea pops up, write it (or draw it) on the star. • Are the choices you make important? Why or why not? 4 Decorate the stars. • What choices can make it harder to 5 The leader(s) should let the kids know that it persevere in following God’s good plans takes perseverance to fulfill God’s good plans. for you? They should be patient and wait, learning everything they need to learn, practicing the • What choices will you make this week skills they need, and growing in their relationship to help you persevere in following God’s with God. When he finally gives them the good plans for you? opportunity, they shine for him!
Craft Activity -Perseverance HIGH ENERGY GAME LESSON SIX 15 min
3 After the group is finished, kids must sit on their THE BANANA hands to show they are done. 4 Once every group is finished, the big surprise is GAME revealed: It’s not just the Banana Game, it’s the SUPPLIES: Banana Surgery Game! The banana must be put back together. • 1 banana per group • 1 paper plate per group 5 Groups are given a Banana Surgery Kit and must reassemble the banana, including the peel, so that • 1 plastic knife per group it stays together. • 1 paper lunch bag (Banana Surgery Kit) per group with the following items: 6 Once the group is finished reassembling the banana, the kids sit on their hands to show they are • 1 roll of clear tape done. • 1 roll of string 7 A judge (leader) goes around to each group and • 5 toothpicks tests if the banana holds together by picking it up. • 5 or 6 rubber bands 8 If it doesn’t, that group must persevere—keep 1 Divide into groups of three or four. Each group gets trying—until the group is successful. a banana, a paper plate and a plastic knife. 9 The first team to have its banana hold together 2 Groups use the knife to divide the banana into four wins. or five pieces, about the same size. Do NOT eat the banana.
High Energy Game - Perseverance SKIT LESSON SIX 5 min
THE VERSE You will need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me perseverance like his.
Reece: I KNOW you’re here! I was checking to see if I QUIET VOICE could hear myself. Wow. You were loud. PROPS: Rowdy: I know. That’s why I’ve been practicing my • 1 flashlight whispering. My speech therapist said to whisper for at least an hour every day, but an hour is a L-O-N-G time, and EVERY DAY is the same as FOREVER! (Rowdy ENTERS shining the flashlight as he or she says “whispers”.) Reece: Do you know what perseverance means?
Rowdy: (Whispering:) Whisper. (Shouting:) SHOUT! Rowdy: Perseverance? That’s a big word! But it’s not (Whispering:) Whisper. as big as Klufpfluffulpluffelfleff
Reece: Rowdy, what are you doing? Reece: What? Kluffpfluffulpluffelfleff? What does that mean? Rowdy: (whispering:) I am whispering (shouting:) AND SHOUTING! Rowdy: Nothing. I made it up.
Reece: I can tell that, but why? Reece: Well, unlike your pretend word, perseverance actually means something. Rowdy: (whispering:) I’m practicing my quiet voice. Rowdy: Oh yeah? Well then, Reece, ol’ smarty, what Reece: Why? does it mean? Rowdy: (Shouting:) BECAUSE I WAS TOLD I CAN BE Reece: It means keeping at something for as long as TOO LOUD SOMETIMES. you need to—even though it’s hard—until the job is Reece: (Holds ears and stumbles backwards.) Whoa! done. What? ...Hello? Testing? Testing? Rowdy: Wow. I’m thinking perseverance must be a Rowdy: (Very quietly and sweetly:) Oh, I’m sorry. Did very BORING word. I do it again? Reece: No, Rowdy! It’s a great word! Because good Reece: (Pulls on ear to try to get it to work again.) things come from perseverance. Hello! Hello! Rowdy: Oh yeah? Like what? Rowdy: (Waves at Reece.) Hello, Reece. It’s me, Rowdy. I’m right here!
Skit - Perseverance Reece: Well, like when the day finally comes that Reece: Good things DO come from perseverance. your speech therapist can tell you that you no longer have the tendency to be too loud because you have Rowdy: (Loud whisper:) Yeah, I’ll start on that right developed the discipline to speak quietly. Won’t that after lunch. (EXITS Shouting:) BYE! be a good thing? Reece: It sounds like Rowdy is still working on Rowdy: Oh, yeah, that does sound great. (Sighs.) Do discipline and perseverance. Turn to your neighbor you think that day will ever really come? and say, “God wants me to persevere so I can receive the promise!” Reece: Of course it will... IF you persevere and keep on with your whispering for an hour every day! (Kids respond as Reece EXITS.)
Rowdy: (Loud whisper:) OK. I’ll do it.
Skit - Perseverance LARGE GROUP LESSON SIX 20 min
THE VERSE You will need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me perseverance like his.
SUPPLIES: more like him. Last time we heard that God wants • 10–12 paper wads for “bystanders”—preselect to fill us with his love. In 1 Corinthians 13:7 the Bible kids to play the “bystanders” says, “[love] always protects, always hopes, always perseveres.” So, this week, we’re going to hear why it’s important to Jesus that we learn to persevere, so PRESHOW VIDEO (watch HERE) we’re like him. Macaskill Imaginate (start at 0:35 and end at 4:23 to shorten it) Can anyone think of a way Jesus has persevered?
Hi, kids! Welcome! My name’s ______, and I’m Let kids give their own answers. excited to be your teacher today! Wasn’t that a cool video? That guy was awesome! How many of you can Great answers! I’m so glad he persevered for us, do bike tricks like his? Do you think they were easy aren’t you? for him to learn, or do you think they were hard? A kid defined PERSEVERANCE like this: (Allow kids to respond.) From watching the video, “to keep going and going and doing it looks like they’re all easy for him now, doesn’t it? and doing until you are finished, no But it just so happens that I have a video of what matter how hard it is.” That’s a great they call the “outtakes.” Those are the scenes they definition. So, there’s good news and bad news filmed that didn’t make the final video, and they about growing in perseverance. The good news is, show that doing those tricks was a lot harder than it Jesus will help you. The bad news is without looks. Want to see it? Here you go... challenges, you can’t grow in perseverance! If it surprises you to hear that Jesus would purposely let OUTTAKES VIDEO (watch HERE) you face some hard things, listen to one of my favorite Bible verses.
Wow! Did he get those amazing tricks right the first It’s what Jesus said. It’s from JOHN time? No! He had to do some of them over and over 16:33: “I have told you all these things again- even though it looked pretty painful! Do you so that you can have peace because know what it’s called when you keep on trying and of me. In this world you will have you don’t give up no matter how hard it is? It’s called trouble. But be encouraged! I have won the battle perseverance. That’s what we’re going to be learning over the world.” about today. So, the bad news is this: we can all count on going In this series called INSIDE AND OUT through some trouble and hard times. The good we’re learning how Jesus can change news is that Jesus has won the battle. That means us from the inside out so we become he has the power to help us persevere—keep going
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Large Group Lesson - Perseverance and going and doing and doing until we’re finished— We’re each in a race called “LIFE.” The Bible says even in those hard times. living our lives as Jesus-followers is like running in a LONG race. That’s THE POINT today: Jesus can give me perseverance like his! Choose a kid to come up front and run in place.
Let’s look at some pictures of Sometimes the race is fun. People are cheering you perseverance: on and encouraging you to keep running.
GARDENERS are people who must Have the rest of the kids cheer/encourage. persevere if they want to have great flowers or lots of veggies at the end Sometimes the race is hard. You’re tired, so it’s hard of the growing season. Are there any to keep running. Maybe those are the times you gardeners in the room? Do any of you have vegetable don’t feel like talking to God, reading your Bible, or gardens at your house? I have some questions about going to church. God starts to feel far away. That’s gardening. Who can tell me... when you’re “running slowly.”
Get kids answers to the following questions: Have your runner go slow!
1 When a gardener is tending his/her garden, what Along the race, you may have to face hard things. do you see him/her doing? Have preselected volunteers throw paper wads and 2 What does a gardener do when they find a weed? “boo” the runner.
3 Have you ever pulled weeds in a garden? Was it Enemies want to discourage and distract you. hard or easy? Did you keep working, even when They may even try to get you to quit. It takes you found it hard to pull the weeds? PERSEVERANCE to keep running to the end.
4 What kind of reward does a gardener get for Have your runner pretend to cross the finish line. persevering? Encourage all the kids to cheer for the runner. Have the runner return to his or her seat. Just as a gardener keeps on working to have a garden of good things, free from weeds, God wants As we follow Jesus through our lives, there’ll be us to persevere in following him and good times when we have lots of friends at church, choosing good things in our lives. Our and God is answering our prayers. Yay! Bible verse for today is HEBREWS 10:36. And there will be times we face difficult, “Persevere so that when you have discouraging challenges. Maybe our friends leave, it done the will of God, you will receive what he has doesn’t feel like God hears our prayers anymore, or promised.” kids at school tease us. What has God promised to us if we persevere in This “race”—following Jesus—seems easy when it’s following him? That we’ll be changed from the inside going well, but what do we do when it’s hard, and out so we reflect his image to the world—FOREVER! we’re tempted to quit? Instead of turning away from Okay, here’s another picture of perseverance: God, turn TO him for help! He’s given us his Holy Spirit, his Word, and other friends who follow him— The world’s greatest ELITE ATHLETES all of this to help us in the hard times so we don’t train very hard, because they’re focused have to rely on our own puny strength. on being the best in their sport. The Bible compares following Jesus to God WANTS to help us. It’s kind of like this true story. running a race. Olympic runners practice and work During the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, one of out every day to get ready for their races. In a long the fastest runners was a young man named Derek race, runners must persevere to get across the finish Redmond. He was expected to win a gold medal, but line. as he was coming around a turn, something terrible happened that made winning impossible. Take a look.
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Large Group Lesson - Perseverance DEREK REDMOND VIDEO (watch HERE) Don’t forget HEBREWS 10:36. “Persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive Derek Redmond didn’t win a medal, but he will what he has promised.” What has God remember forever how his loving father left his seat promised us? That we’ll be changed from the inside up in the stands to come down and help him finish out so we reflect his image to the world—FOREVER! the race. Here’s THE POINT: Jesus can give me What Derek’s father did for him is a picture of what perseverance like his. God did for us. Jesus left his place in heaven and came to earth to give us strength to keep following Close in prayer. him. If we focus on him, we’re sure to finish! And in God’s Kingdom, finishing with Jesus is the only way to win!
= Show slide for this point. (Download HERE.) Large Group Lesson - Perseverance MINISTRY TIME LESSON SIX 5 min
THE VERSE You will need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me perseverance like his.
Ask kids to sit or stand quietly. Pray, asking the Holy Is someone angry and unforgiving, even though Spirit to guide you. you keep trying to make things right with them? It could be a sibling, or someone who used to be Perseverance is hard and totally against our a friend. human nature. We need the divine help of the Holy Spirit to be able to persevere! Kids will have their own stories of perseverance struggles. Help kids to turn and pray for one another, What are areas in which you are struggling to and invite the power of the Holy Spirit to give them persevere? strength to persevere!
Maybe it’s an area of character? Remind the kids that everyone can pray for people in our church. Ask volunteers and other kids to gather Is it a struggle to do the right thing—the thing around the kids who have responded. They can ask Jesus wants you to do—when friends or others kids what they want prayer for, and pray for them don’t agree? as the Holy Spirit leads them. Kids can even pray for Maybe it’s something at school? volunteers!
It’s hard to keep studying and trying to improve For more directions on how to pray with kids, see the when you feel discouraged. Five-Step Prayer Model for Kids.
Maybe it’s in a relationship?
Ministry Time - Perseverance WORSHIP LESSON SIX 10 min
THE VERSE You will need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
THE POINT Jesus can give me perseverance like his.
SONG #1 EVEN WHEN (watch HERE, purchase HERE) Michael Gleason Michael Gleason © 2004 Gleasongs (Admin. by Pressure Point Productions, Inc.) CCLI: 4639211 SONG #2 NO ONE GREATER (watch HERE, purchase HERE) Amber Sky Records Chrystina L. Fincher © 2011 Amber Sky Records CCLI: 6128847 SONG #3 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
Worship - Perseverance CHALLENGE PAPER LESSON SIX
Perseverance—does it show?
1 You fall off your bike learning a trick and get back on to try again.
2 You keep smiling at the new girl even though she keeps on acting grouchy.
3 You’re cleaning your messy room, but stop when Recite this week’s point: you find your missing birthday $10. Jesus can give me perseverance like his.
Recite this week’s Bible verse: You will need to persevere so that when 4 You share with your brother all day—until he calls you have done the will of God, you will you a brat. Then you’re done! receive what He has promised. Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
5 You invite a friend to church and he says, “no.” Kid’s name: You invite him again several weeks later anyway.
6 To get the newest toy, you promise to do extra Kid’s grade: chores until you earn the money to buy it. After two weeks, you whine for Mom to buy it for you instead.
Parent signature:
7 Piano lessons are hard! You have to practice every day. But you keep at it and feel proud of yourself at your recital.
8 After a learning unit about food, you try to make healthier choices. You even choose to have frozen yogurt on your birthday instead of ice cream!