1 Thessalonians 2:13

Wednesday:	1st Thessalonians 2:13
Bible Lesson:	Josiah and the Book: We should study God's word and apply it to our lives.
Memory Verse:	When you received the word of God... you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 1st Thessalonians 2:13

Introduction: Rationale

Hold up a posterboard with the verse written on it, and have the children read it as a group.

Someone tell me why we should memorize this verse? (Accept answers from the children. Example: because it's from the Bible.) This verse is from the New Testament, and was written by the Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Thessalonika. Paul is talking about how the Bible is God's word, and how it is important for our lives.

Explanation: 1^st Thessalonians 2:13

What does it mean to receive something? (That means somebody gives it to you, so then you have it.) So what is the word of God, that you received? (It's the Bible.) So the Christians at Thessalonica had the Bible, just like we do. What does the verse say next? It says they accepted it. That means they knew it was true. How did they know that? Because, like the next part of the verse says, the Bible is not the word of men — it wasn't just made up by people. The Bible is God's word. The Thessalonians knew that Paul was writing what God wanted him to write, so they accepted the Bible as God's word.

What does it mean for God's word to be at work in someone? (It means it changes the way they think and act.) Should we let just anything, or just anyone, change the way we think and act? No. But this is God's word, and God knows how we need to think and act. So if we believe in God, then his word needs to be at work in our lives — it needs to change us, to make us more like Jesus, more like God wants us to be.

Of course, the Bible can only change us, if we actually read and study the Bible. That's why we learn memory verses at Bible School, and that's also one reason we come to church.

Game: Arrange into Order

Read the big card together several times, then turn it around.

Divide the children into groups of three or four (all from the same team in each group), and give each group a baggie containing all the words in the verse on separate pieces of paper. Have the children arrange the words into the proper order, to make the verse. Some groups may need a little help. Have each group stand up and read their verse through together when they think they have it in order. If it's not right, tell them which words are in the wrong place, and let them keep trying. Award points for their team to the first groups that finish. When all the groups have finished, have all the children say the verse together without looking.

Announcement: Verse Points

Tomorrow, when you come to Bible School, if you can say your memory verse without looking, you can earn points for your team's score. Each person who can say the verse can earn 200 points. So, if you want to help your team win more points, go home and practice your verse a few times. Don't forget the reference! On your way out the door tonight, you will be given a slip of paper with your verse on it. Don't lose it, because if you learn your verse, your team gets 200 more points!

You can say your verse for points tomorrow when you check in at the registration table.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.