HONESTY LESSON SNAPSHOT BOTTOM LINE: God wants us to always tell the truth, even when it hurts. OBJECTIVE: Kids will understand why we need to be honest at all times. KEY PASSAGE: 1 Kings 22:1-28. Micaiah prophesies against Ahab. MEMORY VERSE: “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” - Proverbs 24:26 (NIV) SUMMARY: It’s not always easy to tell the truth, especially when telling the truth means getting in trouble. But when we are honest about our failures, people will know we are trustworthy and that our faith is real. SIMPLE PRAYER: Dear God, Give us the courage to always speak the truth, even when it hurts, so we can be good witnesses for Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen HONESTY: THE HARD TRUTH HONESTY MEMORY VERSE “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” - Proverbs 24:26 (NIV, NIrV) LARGE GROUP: Split the main group in two. See which group can recite the memory verse from memo- ry the loudest. SMALL GROUP: Have the kids sit in a circle, then walk around them “Duck, Duck, Goose” style. Kids say the next word in the memory verse as you tap them on the head. (K-2nd) Have the kids practice saying their memory verse, then see who can say it backwards. (3rd-5th) HONESTY: THE HARD TRUTH HONESTY HONESTY MEMORY VERSE SKIT “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” - Proverbs 24:26 (NIV, NIrV) HE DONE IT LARGE GROUP: ITEMS NEEDED: Split the main group in two. See which group can recite the memory verse from memo- Couches, tables, furniture to look like a fancy house ry the loudest. CHARACTER BREAKDOWN: 3M, 1F, 3-6 extras SMALL GROUP: Have the kids sit in a circle, then walk around them “Duck, Duck, Goose” style. Kids CHARACTERS: says the next word in the memory verse as you tap them on the head. (K-2nd) Police Detective Pidgeon Mr. Bruce - a rich man Have the kids practice saying their memory verse, then see who can say it backwards. Mrs. Bruce - a rich lady (3rd-5th) Meadows - the butler Other household servants The Bruces, Meadows, and all the servants are sitting and standing on stage. Detective Pidgeon addresses them all in melodramatic fashion. PIDGEON: I suppose you’re wondering why you’re all here. I’ve called you here be- cause one of you is a murderer. On April 14, Mr. Benson Brown was shot right here in this drawing room while visiting stately Bruce Manor. Now, after a thorough investiga- tion, I will tell you how it was done - and by whom. MR. BRUCE: Well hurry along with it, detective. I’m due at the supper club in an hour. PIDGEON: Relax, Mr. Bruce. You will not miss your supper. When Mr. Brown ar rived on the 13th... MEADOWS: Okay, enough, all right. You got me. I confess, it was me. I, Meadows, the butler. I-- PIDGEON: Excuse me, Meadows, I was talking. HONESTY: THE HARD TRUTH HONESTY: THE HARD TRUTH SKIT MEADOWS: And I’m saving you the trouble. I confess. I shot Mr. Brown. Take me to jail. MRS. BRUCE: You, Meadows? MEADOWS: Yes, it was me. I never liked Mr. Brown. He snored, he chewed with his mouth open, he walked across the south lawn where the sign says “Do not walk on the grass.” He was a bad person, and when he beat me in pool that night, I got my gun, came in here and shot him. PIDGEON: On the 13th, when Mr. Brown arrived, he... MR. BRUCE: Oh please stop, Inspector. Meadows just confessed. I don’t know why he confessed, but he did. PIDGEON: But don’t you want to know how? MEADOWS: I told you, I got my gun and I shot him. Bang! Right where you’re standing. PIDGEON: What about the motive? MRS. BRUCE: He told us that too. He snored, he chewed with his mouth open, he walked across the south lawn. He was just a bad person. MR. BRUCE: He was my friend. Always was. But he did snore loudly. MEADOWS: There you go, case solved. Arrest me. PIDGEON: Arrest you? MR. BROWN: Yes, arrest him. He’s guilty. And he’s also fired. MEADOWS: I completely understand, sir. MR. BROWN: Good man. PIDGEON: Why would you do that? Why would you ruin my moment? I was going to reveal you! MEADOWS: And I saved you the trouble. Now everyone can get on with their night, and you can be the hero. PIDGEON: But why?? Why did you confess? HONESTY: THE HARD TRUTH SKIT SKIT MEADOWS: And I’m saving you the trouble. I confess. I shot Mr. Brown. Take me to jail. MEADOWS: Because I was always taught never to tell a lie. I should always tell the truth, even if telling the truth hurts me. MRS. BRUCE: You, Meadows? MR. BROWN: How admirable, Meadows. You have inspired me to make a confession MEADOWS: Yes, it was me. I never liked Mr. Brown. He snored, he chewed with his of my own. I stole the Meridian Diamond. mouth open, he walked across the south lawn where the sign says “Do not walk on the grass.” He was a bad person, and when he beat me in pool that night, I got my gun, PIDGEON: The Meridian Diamond? That vanished thirty years ago. came in here and shot him. MR. BROWN: I know. That’s when I stole it. I sold it on the black market, and that’s how PIDGEON: On the 13th, when Mr. Brown arrived, he... I made my fortune. MR. BRUCE: Oh please stop, Inspector. Meadows just confessed. I don’t know why he MRS. BROWN: Darling, is this true? confessed, but he did. MR. BROWN: Yes, I’m afraid so. PIDGEON: But don’t you want to know how? MRS. BROWN: In that case I better be honest too. I am not the daughter of Baron and MEADOWS: I told you, I got my gun and I shot him. Bang! Right where you’re standing. Baroness von Trapp, (suddenly has a Southern accent) but plain old Janie Lee Hicks from Waxahatchie, Texas, y’all. PIDGEON: What about the motive? MR. BROWN: Well isn’t that interesting? Of course you know that since you lied to me, MRS. BRUCE: He told us that too. He snored, he chewed with his mouth open, he you get nothing of my money. walked across the south lawn. He was just a bad person. MRS. BROWN: It’s okay, sugar booger, I’m just so happy not to have to hide my accent. MR. BRUCE: He was my friend. Always was. But he did snore loudly. PIDGEON: Okay, enough confessing! I’m here to arrest someone for murder. MEADOWS: There you go, case solved. Arrest me. MEADOWS: That’s me. PIDGEON: Arrest you? MR. BROWN: Better arrest me for that diamond too, old chap. I’m as guilty as he is. MR. BROWN: Yes, arrest him. He’s guilty. And he’s also fired. PIDGEON: Fine, come along, both of you. MEADOWS: I completely understand, sir. MRS. BROWN: Take me too, please! MR. BROWN: Good man. PIDGEON: What for? You didn’t do anything. PIDGEON: Why would you do that? Why would you ruin my moment? I was going to reveal you! MRS. BROWN: No, but I could use a lift to the bus station! MEADOWS: And I saved you the trouble. Now everyone can get on with their night, and All four leave together. The other servants look at each other. you can be the hero. SERVANT 1: I never liked those people anyway. PIDGEON: But why?? Why did you confess? All the servants shake their heads and leave. HONESTY: THE HARD TRUTH HONESTY: THE HARD TRUTH HONESTY OBJECT LESSON OR KIDS SERMON ITEMS NEEDED: A Monopoly board game How many of you know the game of Monopoly? Now be honest - how many of you know how to cheat at Monopoly? There’s something about the game of Monopoly that leads people to try and cheat. What are some of the things you’ve done - or caught others doing - to cheat? Let the kids share some examples. Have them act out or show how they perform some of these cheats using the game board and pieces. This demonstration wasn’t to teach you how to cheat at Monopoly. It’s to remind you that sometimes, we lie to protect ourselves. In Monopoly we don’t want to lose. We steal, we hide things, we conceal the truth in order to get ahead. We lie because we don’t want to lose. All of us have told lies to try and get out of trouble. Those little lies may work, but if you get caught, you end up in even bigger trouble than if you had just admitted the truth. God wants us to be truthful, even if it means getting in trouble. Honest people who ad- mit the truth will have to pay for their mistakes, but in the end they will also strengthen their witness for Jesus. Being honest isn’t always easy, but it shows others that Jesus is real in our hearts. It may cost you a little in the moment, but God can use our honesty to lead others to Christ. HONESTY: THE HARD TRUTH HONESTY HONESTY OBJECT LESSON OR KIDS SERMON LARGE GROUP GAME ITEMS NEEDED: WHOOPEE CUSHION A Monopoly board game ITEMS NEEDED: How many of you know the game of Monopoly? A couch A whoopee cushion Now be honest - how many of you know how to cheat at Monopoly? INSTRUCTIONS: There’s something about the game of Monopoly that leads people to try and cheat.