Theme:
Today the children will learn that the Bible is an amazing book that we need to read and know!
Action Point:
Today’s action point is, "I will read the Bible". Encourage the children to read the Bible. Start up a Bible reading contest or assign scriptures to be read every week in preparation for the next lesson. Be creative and do your best to get your children in the Word of God!
Welcome:
Welcome your children and let them know you are glad that they have come. Some like to start things with high energy and excitement and others prefer a lower key beginning. Whatever your preference, be sure that the children feel welcome.
Visitors:
Acknowledge any new children. Have a visitor packet for visiting children filled with information on your church’s children’s ministry and some fun things as well.
Recognition:
Recognize any children who are having a birthday during the week. Have something special to give them or use them in a special way during the service.
Offering:
Encourage children to give.
Introduction Game:
Bible Hide and Seek
Hide some Bibles around your children’s ministry area or cut up the verse below into puzzle pieces and hide the pieces. Choose a few children to look for the Bibles or puzzle pieces. For an extended play time have the children who found the Bibles or Puzzle pieces hide them and have another group of children try to find them.
After the game hold the found Bibles or puzzle pieces and say: "Today you children went on a search for the Word of God. But, did you know that some people never look for their Bible much less open it up and read it. God wants us to know His Word. The Bible is an amazing book with a story we need to know!"
Listen to what the Bible says in Matthew 7:7-8
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
What are we supposed to ask for? What are we supposed to be looking for? Whose door are we supposed to knock on? The Bible gives us the answers to these questions. But when we don’t read the Bible the answers to these questions stay hidden. The Bible is a lot like the wardrobe in the book, "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe", by C.S. Lewis.
Briefly paraphrase the book, "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe".
Audio/Visual:
Using a video or an audio version of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe", play chapter 1. I used PowerPoint with screen shots from the movie while playing the audio version of the book. End the segment right before Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus. Say: Do you want to know who Lucy met? You have to come back next week to find out!
Hands On:
Hand out some fur pieces and pinecones for kids to touch and rub on their face. Say: The real adventure for Lucy began when she entered the wardrobe and made her way through the fur coats until she was standing in the woods. The real adventure for you begins when you get into the Word of God. The Bible has a story of an amazing discovery made by a boy who became a king when he was eight years old.
Bible Lesson: 2Kings 22:1-13
Objects needed: Scroll, Baby Powder
Preparation: Cut a paper bag and roll it up to resemble a scroll. Sprinkle the scroll with the baby powder so it looks dusty and a cloud of dust will appear as the scroll is opened.
Paraphrase the following scriptures:
2KI 22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
2KI 22:3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He said: 4 "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. 5 Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the LORD-- 6 the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. 7 But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are acting faithfully."
2KI 22:8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." (Hold up the dusty scroll and unroll it ¡V blow the dust off) He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. 9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: "Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple." 10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
2KI 22:11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 13 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us."
Object Lesson:
Make a sign that says, "Keep Out!".
(Hold up sign) People put up signs that say, "Keep Out" when they do not want anyone to come on their property. God does not want you to "Keep Out" of the Bible. The Bible is not meant to just sit on a shelf and be forgotten. We find a wonderful world when we open the Bible and read it, a world God wants us to know about.
Object Lesson:
An antique
Explain what makes something an antique (old and valuable). Even though this is an antique, someday it will become so old and fragile that it will loose its value. The Bible, however, is the oldest thing around, it is even older than this antique but it will never rust or loose its value. The Bible, which is the Word of God, was around at the very beginning of the world and God’s Word will last forever.
Object Lesson:
An old sheet and a Bible
(Have the Bible covered by the sheet before hand)
God does not want His plan for you to be hidden. He wants it to be uncovered. He wants you to get into the plan he has for you. Lucy uncovered the Wardrobe and Josiah discovered the Law of God. When you get into the Bible you will discover what God has for you.
Bible fact or Fiction:
Kids come up and pull out a slip of paper from a box to read. They must decide if what they have read is fact or fiction.
* The Bible was written by about 40 men over a period of about 1600 years. (Fact)
* Nobody is able to read the whole Bible (Fiction)
* Today the Bible is the largest seller of all books published. (Fact)
* The Bible is divided up into two divisions, The Old Testament and the New Testament. (Fact)
* Moses wrote the entire Bible. (fiction)
* The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct. (Fact)
Guest:
Have someone from the Gideons come and explain to the children what they do and the importance of the Word of God.
Silly Song:
Lead the kids in a silly song , "Read Your Bible, Pray Every Day"
Explain to the boys and girls your Bible reading challenge. (See Action Point)
Prayer/Alter Time:
God has a plan for your life and he wants you to know it! God’s plan for you can be found in the Bible. We need to open the Word of God and read it.
Craft:
Snowflakes with scripture verse
