2 Timothy 4:7-8

Friday:	2nd Timothy 4:7-8
Bible Lesson:	The Finish Line: Heaven (John on Patmos)
Memory Verse:	I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day... 2nd Timothy 4:7-8

Introduction: Subtitle

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

This verse comes from 2 Timothy, a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, who was a pastor. He's talking about the prize we can win for finishing the race, following Jesus with our lives.

Explanation: 2^nd Timothy 4:7-8

What does Paul mean when he says that he has fought the good fight? What is the good fight? (The Christian life.) Paul has lived for Jesus. He says he has finished the race – Paul is old, near the end of his life, and he has done the things God wanted him to do with his life. Many people have come to know Jesus because of Paul's ministry. He also says he has kept the faith: what does that mean? Even when times got tough, Paul never let go of what he believed and knew to be true about Jesus.

What is a crown of righteousness? (A reward people receive for being righteous.) What does it mean to be righteous? You do what is right – all the time. Jesus was righteous, and if we follow Jesus, we will do what is right, for the right reasons: because it's what God tells us to do. Can we be righteous on our own? (No.) We need God's help to be righteous. If we follow Jesus – if we run the race – God will give us his crown of righteousness.

When will the Lord give us the crown of righteousness if we earn it? (On that day.) What day is Paul talking about? (When Jesus takes us to be with him, and gives us rewards.) The crown of righteousness is stored up for us in heaven until then.

Game: Manly & Ladylike Voices

Divide the children into two groups by their teams (red and blue). Have a competition to see which team can say the verse in the deepest, strongest, loudest, manliest voices. Go back and forth between the teams, having them work on the deepness of their voices, then the strength of their voices, then the loudness, and finally the manliness of the voices. Then put all four together. Award points to the team that tries hardest and does best.

Then have another contest to see which team can say the verse in the highest, softest, most quiet, most ladylike voices. Go back and forth between the two teams, having them concentrate on first the highest pitch of their voices, then on the softest quality, then on whispering most quietly, then on the ladylike quality of their voices. Then put all four together. Award points to the team that tries hardest and does best.

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.