Missions Marathon Skit, Day Five

Skit:	Missions Marathon
Friday:	Joining the Missions Marathon
Missions Lesson:	Who can be a missionary?
Missions Examples:	[personal, from the group]
Bible Passages:

	[Earnest and Kristina are running a Missions Marathon, jogging in place with exaggerated “running” arm motions.]
Earnest:	Wow, this is great! Some of these people we've been talking to have decided to join the race for Jesus!
Kristina:	Yeah, it's really great to see them serving God in the church.
Earnest:	A couple of them were asking me if they can join in on this Missions Marathon, too, but I'm not sure what I should tell them. Can just anyone join in the Missions Marathon?
Kristina:	Well, you said they already joined the race for Jesus, right?
Earnest:	Yes, they're serving the Lord now in the church, but they want to do missions, too. How can they join up?
Kristina:	Remember how I pulled you out of the bleachers?
Earnest:	Oh, yeah. I was waiting to join the Missions Marathon, but I didn't know what I needed to do.
Kristina:	Right, so I told you to get out of the bleachers and start running the course, and you've been running all week.
Earnest:	Oh, I see. So once somebody is saved, once they have given their lives to Jesus, they can start running the Missions Marathon any time?
Kristina:	Yep, they just have to get on the course and start doing it.
Earnest:	[Point to audience.] So, what about these people sitting in the bleachers here, watching us? Can they join the Missions Marathon?
Kristina:	I hope they do!

Missions Marathon Skit, Day Four

Skit:	Missions Marathon
Thursday:	Running the Race in a Particular Place
Missions Lesson:	Where does a missionary go?
Missions Examples:	Zambo Solomon, Paul Rajan
Bible Passages:

	[Earnest and Kristina are running a Missions Marathon, jogging in place with exaggerated “running” arm motions.]
Earnest:	So how long is this Missions Marathon, anyway? We're still in Ohio, right? How long will it take us to get to another nation?
Kristina:	That could take a while. Ohio's a pretty big place, and then there are forty-nine other states in the US...
Earnest:	So, do you think we can finish telling everyone in the US about Jesus by this time next year?
Kristina:	I doubt it. I think we'd better stick with Ohio for now.
Earnest:	But, Jesus said to make disciples of all nations! How many nations are there?
Kristina:	I think there's more than a hundred.
Earnest:	More than hundred! I'll be an old man by the time we get to all of them, even if we only spend one year in each nation. I'll be running this marathon with a cane!
Kristina:	Well, of course you will. You don't want to stop just because you get a little bit older, do you?
Earnest:	I guess not.
Kristina:	You know, there are different marathons in different places, right?
Earnest:	Oh, yeah, my aunt Lucy once ran in the Boston Marathon.
Kristina:	Right, but we're not in Boston. We're running a marathon race for missions right here in Ohio.
Earnest:	Well, how can I run all those different marathon races at once?
Kristina:	I think it's okay to start with just running the one you're in now. Other people can run the race in other places.
Earnest:	Different people run the same race in different places?
Kristina:	Well, there are people in many different places. So God needs missionaries all over the world. We can be missionaries right here in Ohio, but Zambo Salamon is a missionary in Cameroon, and Pastor Jusleimar is a missionary in Brazil, and Paul Rajan is a missionary in India. Just like there are marathon races all over the world, missionaries are all over the world too.

Missions Marathon Skit, Day Three

Skit:	Missions Marathon
Wednesday:	Making Disciples
Missions Lesson:	What does a missionary do?
Missions Examples:	Philippi
Bible Passages:	Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 16, Philippians 2:19-30.

	[Earnest and Kristina are running a Missions Marathon, jogging in place with exaggerated “running” arm motions.]
Earnest:	I sure am glad we're running this missions marathon.
Kristina:	Yeah, it'll be so great to tell those people the good news.
Earnest:	If we tell them, do you think they'll run the race with us?
Kristina:	Right — and not just this Missions Marathon today, but hopefully they'll run the whole race for Christ — the whole Christian life.
Earnest:	Yeah, because I was running that race before, even before I started this missions marathon. This isn't the first time I've run, and it isn't the first thing I've ever done for Jesus.
Kristina:	In fact, we wouldn't be very good in this missions marathon if we hadn't been training, by reading reading our Bible and going to church and all the rest of the race that we run.
Earnest:	Right. So, what exactly do we have to tell them again?
Kristina:	We have to tell them what we learned in the Bible. You know, about how the bad things we do separate us from God, but he loved us and sent Jesus to die and pay the price for us, so we can go to heaven some day and live with God.
Earnest:	Oh, right, we're going and making disciples of these people, just like Jesus said, make disciples of all nations. Ohio's a nation, right?
Kristina:	Well, Ohio's part of a nation, so it counts.

Missions Marathon Skit, Day Two

Skit:	Missions Marathon
Tuesday:	Let's Go!
Missions Lesson:	Why do we send missionaries?
Missions Examples:	The Macedonian Call
Bible Passages:	Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 16-17

	[The race has started. Earnest and Kristina are jogging in place (with exaggerated running arm motions).]
Earnest:	Okay, I'm wearing my running clothes, I have my number, I'm on the course, now let's see... why am I going, again?
Kristina:	You want to be a missions marathon runner, right?
Earnest:	Right!
Kristina:	Well, missionaries tell other people the good news about how Jesus came to Earth to save them from their sin. That's what you want to do, isn't it?
Earnest:	Yes! But aren't all Christians supposed to do that?
Kristina:	Yes, all Christians are supposed to be sharing their faith with others, but sometimes some of them sit around in the bleachers, instead of running the race.
Earnest:	Oh, I don't want to be like that. I want to do it. I want to get things done. I want to tell people about Jesus. I want to run this race!Jesus said, “go and make disciples of all nations”, and I want to obey.
Kristina:	That's the spirit! [Point.] Look, over there are some more people we could tell about how Jesus died for them.
Earnest:	Great! I wonder why somebody didn't already tell them? If we pick up the pace, we can be over there in a few minutes.
Kristina:	That's why we're going on this missions marathon: because there are people who have never heard how they can get to heaven.
Earnest:	Let's go tell them.

Missions Marathon Skit, Day One

Skit:	Missions Marathon
Monday:	Get in the Race
Missions Lesson:	What is a Missionary?
Missions Examples:	Paul in Athens
Bible Passages:	Acts 17

	[Setting is near the starting line for a marathon race. Kristina is dressed to run in the race, standing on the track. Earnest is also dressed to run, but he's sitting in the bleachers.]
Kristina:	Hey, Earnest, I thought you were in this marathon race today.
Earnest:	I am! This is really going to be fun. I'm really excited about it!
Kristina:	Well, then what are you doing in the bleachers?
Earnest:	What do you mean? Isn't the marathon here?
Kristina:	The marathon is a race, Earnest. It's down here on the race course. If you're going to run the race, you have to be on the course.
Earnest:	Well, look, all these other people are sitting here. Why can't I do the marathon sitting here too?
Kristina:	Earnest, those people aren't in the marathon. They're just watching. If you're going to be in the race, you have to run.
Earnest:	Oh. I see. So I guess I'd better come down out of the bleachers then, huh? [Join Kristina.] Say, what kind of race is this, anyway?
Kristina:	Didn't you read the sign? It's a missions marathon!
Earnest:	A missions marathon? What's missions?
Kristina:	Missions is how Christians tell other people the good news about how Jesus wants to save them from their sin.
Earnest:	Oh, right. That's what I want to do. That's why I came to the missions marathon. But why do we have to run?
Kristina:	Well, when we run a marathon race, we have to actually run. We can't just sit around in the bleachers. Just like that, missionaries have to share their faith with others, so they have to go where the people are, who need to hear about Jesus, and then, they have to actually tell them.
Earnest:	Yeah, that makes sense.
Kristina:	Right. They can't just sit around in church. So the missions marathon we're running this week is a way of reminding ourselves that if we're going to do missions, we can't just sit around. We have to get out and actually do something.

Skit #5 for Following the Footsteps

Skit: Following the Footsteps, Day 5

	[Johnny enters carrying an oversized magnifying glass, following footprint tracks, and humming the theme song from Inspector Gadget (or any other popular cartoon detective show you like).]
Heather:	[Enters.] What are you doing, Johnny?
Johnny:	Oh, I'm following these footprints to find out where they go.
Heather:	Can I help?
Johnny:	Sure. Here, you hold the magnifying glass. [Hand it to her.]
[The two of them follow the footprints for a few steps.]
Heather:	Hey, wait a second. You told me that following the footsteps means changing our behavior to live the way God wants us to live, by following the good examples he gave us in the Bible.
Johnny:	Yes, that's right. [point] Umm, I think they lead over this way.
Heather:	So, like, we can follow the footsteps of Caleb and Joshua by trusting God and doing what he says. Or we can follow the footsteps of the Israelites in the desert by putting our faith in Jesus to forgive our sins, just like they trusted God that looking at the snake on the stick would save them from the snakebite venom.
Johnny:	Exactly. Or you could follow in the footsteps of Hannah by praying to God. Hand me the magnifying glass.
Heather:	Yeah. [Hand him the glass.] So why are you following the footsteps that are on the ground? I thought we were following the footsteps of people in the Bible.
Johnny:	We are.
Heather:	You're confusing me! What gives? Did Moses walk in this church?
Johnny:	[shrug] Not as far as I know.
Heather:	I thought all those people in the Bible lived across the ocean.
Johnny:	They did.
Heather:	So why are we following their footsteps, then?
Johnny:	We're following their footsteps because they set a good example that God wants us to follow. We love God, so we do our best for him, and the footsteps in the Bible show us how.
Heather:	[exasperated] But what about these footsteps? Whose footsteps are these?
Johnny:	What, you mean these footprints on the floor?
Heather:	Yeah, isn't that what we've been talking about?
Johnny:	Oh, I was just following these for fun. [Exit, humming Inspector Gadget again.]

Skit #4 for Following the Footsteps

Skit: Following the Footsteps, Day 4

Heather:	Man, this following in the footsteps is getting pretty hard. First I found out I don't just have to step in some footprints, and then I found out I don't even just have to do exactly what somebody else did. I actually have to think. It's too hard. I'm not sure if I want to do this anymore.
Johnny:	[Enters] Hey, Heather, are you ready to learn some more footsteps to follow?
Heather:	I'm not sure I want to. Following the footsteps can be hard. Can't I just do something easy? Can't you just follow the footsteps for me?
Johnny:	Well, I'm going to try to follow the footsteps too.
Heather:	Why bother? It's so hard.
Johnny:	Yeah, it's hard, but nothing worth doing is easy. God gave us the Bible so we could have good footsteps to follow. I think it's better to follow them as best we can, instead of just trying to guess. Remember how you said in the winter you walked in your dad's footprints, so you wouldn't get snow in your boots?
Heather:	Yeah. Walking in dad's steps was better than making my own path.
Johnny:	Well, it's like that. If we didn't have the Bible, we wouldn't even know what we're supposed to do. We'd have to make our own path, by guesswork. Following in the footsteps makes it easier to live for God. We can do better than we would if we didn't have any examples to follow.
Heather:	Oh. I guess so.
Johnny:	Come on, come to Bible school tonight, and we'll learn about some more footsteps.
Heather:	Okay. I do want to follow God. I guess I'd better find some more footsteps.
Johnny:	Yep.
Heather:	Okay, I'm ready now. Let's go!

Skit #3 for Following the Footsteps

Skit: Following the Footsteps, Day 3

Heather:	[Enter] Okay, I'm all set now. I'm going to follow in the footsteps... [walk slowly toward stage while speaking...] the footsteps of Ezra... I want to do the same things Ezra did... Ezra had a platform to stand on, and read the Bible. Now let me see... What can I do that's like that? I could say my memory verse from last night, but what about the platform? I know, I'll use the stage! Here I go! I'm going to follow in Ezra's footsteps.
[Heather gets up on the stage and starts saying the verse. Johnny interrupts about halfway through.]
Johnny:	[Enter] Hey, Heather, what are you doing up there?
Heather:	I'm following in Ezra's footsteps. See? I'm using this stage as a platform, and I'm saying my memory verse, which is from the Bible.
Johnny:	Well, learning your memory verse is a good way to follow in Ezra's footsteps, but why are you up on the stage?
Heather:	What, isn't it good enough? Isn't the stage like Ezra's platform?
Johnny:	What do you need a platform for?
Heather:	Well, Ezra used a platform. I'm following in his footsteps.
Johnny:	Ezra used a platform because otherwise all the people wouldn't have been able to hear, and they wouldn't have known what God's word said. They didn't all have their own copies of the Bible. These people [gesture toward audience] have their own copies of the Bible. So I don't think the platform is the most important thing about Ezra's footsteps.
Heather:	Well, then, how am I supposed to follow in the footsteps?
Johnny:	What did the people do once Ezra had read the Bible to them?
Heather:	Well, they did what it said... Oh, I get it. If I'm going to follow in the footsteps, I have to do what the person did. To follow in the footsteps of Ezra, I have to do what the Bible says.
Johnny:	Right.
Heather:	Okay, so how do I know what to do?
Johnny:	Keep coming to Bible school, and to church, and study your Bible at home. You'll learn all kinds of things that you can be doing. Then you can really follow in the footsteps.
Heather:	Wow! And I won't even need a platform!

Skit #2 for Following the Footsteps

Skit: Following the Footsteps, Day 2

	[Heather enters]
Heather:	Alright, I'm all set to follow the footsteps, just as soon as I figure out where they go. Now let's see... yesterday we talked about Caleb and Joshua leaving footsteps. Now, where did they go again? Let me think...
Johnny:	[Enters] Hey, Heather, how's it going?
Heather:	Didn't Caleb and Joshua go into the promised land?
Johnny:	Well, yes...
Heather:	Okay, I'm all set. So, which way is that from here anyway? Is the promised land [pointing] this way?
Johnny:	Umm, why do you need to know?
Heather:	Because, I'm gonna follow the footsteps Caleb and Joshua left for us. I don't need to see their footprints, because we studied in last night's Bible lesson about where they went. I know they went to the promised land, so I figure their footsteps must lead there. So as soon as I figure out which way that is, I'll go follow...
Johnny:	I don't think you understood. We weren't talking about going to a place where they went. When we talked about following the footsteps of Caleb and Joshua, we were talking about emulating how they lived, and what they did.
Heather:	Well, how will that tell me which way to go? How am I supposed to get to wherever it is I'm supposed to be going, if I don't know which way they went? Can't we just program it into my GPS?
Johnny:	Heather, you're not listening. We don't need to go where they went. What we need to do is act the way they acted, the way God wants us to act. We're supposed to be learning to follow their example. That's why God gave it to us in the Bible, so we can learn how to act.
Heather:	So you mean I don't need my hiking boots and my GPS? Whew, that's a relief. I bet the promised land is a long way from here anyway. It would probably take me all day to walk there.
Johnny:	Actually, I think it's across the ocean, so you couldn't walk there from here anyhow.
Heather:	Across the ocean? That would really take me a long time! I'd miss Bible school for sure!
Johnny:	Oh, you don't want to miss Bible school tonight. We're going to learn about somebody else whose footsteps we can follow.
Heather:	Okay, I'm ready!

Skit #1 for Following the Foosteps

Skit: Following the Footsteps, Day 1

	[Heather enters, bent over and looking at the floor.]
Heather:	I can't find any footsteps here. [Look under a pew.] Boys and girls, did any of you see any footsteps? [Looks behind the piano, etc.] I came here to follow the footsteps, but I don't see any! What am I going to do? Oh, now what? Woe is me, ...
	[Johnny enters]
Johnny:	What are you doing, Heather?
Heather:	Well, I was going to follow the footsteps, but I can't find any!
Johnny:	You can't find any? But we're going to learn about them tonight!
Heather:	You mean, I have to learn how to find them? I thought this was going to be easy. Footsteps, you know, [point to ground] you see them, and then you [making exaggerated stepping motions] step in the same places.
Johnny:	I don't think that's what they mean by following the footsteps.
Heather:	Sure it is! When it snowed last winter, I followed in my dad's footsteps, so I wouldn't get any snow in my boots. It's like that.
Johnny:	Well, these footsteps that we're talking about at Bible school are from people who lived thousands of years ago.
Heather:	Thousands of years? Wouldn't the snow have melted by now? Wouldn't the footsteps be gone?
Johnny:	Well, yes, but it's a figure of speech. Their physical footprints are gone, but we can still follow in their footsteps by following their good example. Following in the footsteps means behaving like they behaved, doing the kinds of things they did.
Heather:	I don't get it. How can I follow footsteps I can't see?
Johnny:	Don't worry. Just wait until the Bible teacher comes, and we're going to learn all about the footsteps that we can follow.

Unprepared Fishermen V

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen V

	[Bob and Sally are sitting by the lake, fishing.]
Bob:	Hey, I think I've got another one!
Sally:	Are you going to reel it in this time?
	[Bob pulls up on his line and starts to reel in the fish.]
Bob:	Yeah, yeah, here it comes. Hey, he's a big one!
	[Pause]
Bob:	So, now what?
Sally:	What do you mean, now what?
Bob:	've got the fish on my hook, right here, what do I do now?
Sally:	Take it off the hook, and put it in the bucket with the other fish we caught.
Bob:	Oh, yeah.
	[Bob puts the fish in the bucket.]

Unprepared Fishermen IV

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen IV

	[Bob and Sally are sitting by the lake, fishing.]
Bob:	Hey, I think I've finally got one! I think that bait does work!
	[Bob just sits there, watching the fish on the end of the line, in the water, for a minute.]
Sally:	Aren't you going to reel it in?
Bob:	Oh, I think the fish got away. Hey, where's the bait? I had bait on that hook.
Sally:	I think the fish took your bait and left. You didn't reel it in. Next time, when a fish bites on your hook, try pulling up on your line and reeling it in.

Unprepared Fishermen III

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen III

	[Bob and Sally are sitting by the lake, fishing.]
Sally:	Oh, I think I've got another one. This rod is working out great!
	[She pulls up her line, removes a fish from the end, and places it in her fish bucket. Bob appears envious.]
Bob:	Another? How many is that for you? I still haven't caught a thing!
Sally:	Oh, I think that's fourteen now. You haven't caught any? What are you using for bait?
Bob:	Bait? I'm using this nice rod and reel, and this line, with a hook on the end. What do I need bait for?
Sally:	If you were a fish, would you just bite on a hook, for no reason, just so you could be caught?
Bob:	I don't know. I've haven't been a fish lately. I guess I never thought about it.
Sally:	Why don't you try putting some of this bait [gestures to bait bucket] on your hook, and then see if the fish are biting.
	[Bob adds a worm to his hook and drops it in...]
Bob:	Hey, I think I've finally got one! I think that bait does work!

Unprepared Fishermen II

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen II

	[Bob and Sally walk in. Bob is carrying the same fishing rod he had yesterday, and a tackle box. (Inside the tackle box is a small retractable fishing rod, not revealed, but no lures or bait.) Sally has a bucket of bait.]
Sally:	I'm so excited, I'm finally ready to fish! I have my fishing license, and bait, and I finally got you to the lake where there are fish! This is my favorite spot. It's nice and shady, and there are usually lots of fish.
	[Bob starts preparing his rod. Sally grabs something out of the bait bucket and dunks it in the water, with her hand.]
Bob:	Sally, what are you doing?
Sally:	Isn't it obvious? I'm fishing!
Bob:	Where's your fishing rod?
Sally:	A fishing rod? What do I need that for? I have bait!
Bob:	So how are you planning to real in the fish when they start biting?
	[Sally suddenly looks alarmed and jerks her hand away from the water.]
Sally:	Biting! Fish bite? Doesn't that hurt?
Bob:	Well, you're not supposed to put your fingers in the water for the fish to bite. You're supposed to use a fishing rod, with a line, and a hook. You dip the line in the water, and you hold onto the rod, like this [demonstrates]. When the fish bites the hook on the end of the line, you reel it in.
Sally:	Oh. I don't have a rod!
Bob:	Wait, I think I have a spare rod in my tackle box.
	[Bob rummages around in the box for a moment , pulls out the retractable rod, extends it, and hands it to Sally.]
Sally:	Oh, great! Thanks!

Unprepared Fishermen I

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen I

	[Fisherman Bob is sitting beside a small portable swimming pool with a rod and reel, dangling his line into the water, whistling tunelessly. Sally, walking by, carrying a bucket of bait (but no rod or reel), stops to talk to Bob.]
Sally:	Hey, Bob, are you getting ready to go fishing?
Bob:	Getting ready? What are you talking about? I've been fishing here in this pool for three and a half hours.
Sally:	That's a pretty small pool. Say, isn't that a swimming pool?
Bob:	Yeah, why?
Sally:	I don't think there are any fish in that pool. Looks like just water to me.
Bob:	What's that got to do with anything? I've got my rod and reel right here, see, and my fishing line, and...
Sally:	But Bob, there are no fish in that pool. Don't you want to catch fish?
Bob:	Of course I want to catch fish! I wouldn't be fishing if I didn't want to catch any fish.
Sally:	Bob, if you want to catch fish, you have to go where there are fish. Like a lake, or a river, or the ocean...
Bob:	But I like this pool. And I've got everything I need right here. I've got my rod and reel, my fishing line, and I've got my fishing license right here in my wallet.
Sally:	A fishing license? What's that?
Bob:	You can't fish without a license! It's illegal.
Sally:	Wait, I was headed to the lake to do some fishing, but I've never had a license!
Bob:	Well, if you're going to fish, you should get a fishing license first.
Sally:	Okay, I'll tell you what. If you take me to get a license, I'll take you to the lake, and then we can really catch some fish!
	[Bob stands up and they leave together.]

The Fish and the Coin

Monday:	The Fish and the Coin
Story Passage:	Matthew 17:24-27
Other Passages:	Matthew 12:1-8, Matthew 22:15-22, John 5:18
Objective:	Jesus is God
Memory Verse:	Matthew 16:16, Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Visuals:	Available

Introductory Drama: Peter remembers spending time with Jesus.

Peter:	Hi, my name is Peter. How many of you have ever heard of a man named Jesus? Well, I was one of Jesus' followers. I remember one time, when the temple tax collectors asked about Jesus' paying the temple tax...
Jesus:	What do you think, Peter? Whom do kings collect taxes from, their own sons, or others?
Peter:	I said, From others.
Jesus:	Then the sons are exempt.
Peter:	Then he told me to go catch a fish, open its mouth, and find a coin to pay the tax for both of us, so that we wouldn't offend the tax collectors.

Discussion: Who is taxed?

Thank you, Peter. Why didn't Jesus have to pay the temple tax? (Because he was God's son.) What does it mean that Jesus was God's son? (It means he was equal with God.)

Story: Lord of the Sabbath

[This can optionally be told from Peter's perspective.]

One time, Jesus and his disciples were walking through a grainfield. His disciples were hungry and began to pick and eat some of the grain. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus, Look! Your disciples are picking grain. They're working on the Sabbath. (The Pharisees had a big set of rules about things they thought were too much work to do on the Sabbath, and picking grain was one of them.) But Jesus said, Haven't you read in the law that the priests in the temple work on the Sabbath, but are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here... For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Main Point: Lordship

What does it mean to be Lord of something? What does it mean for Jesus to be Lord of the Sabbath? (It means he is in charge of it.) Who could be in charge of that? Who could be greater than the temple? (Only God.)

What did Jesus tell Peter to do about the tax? (Caught a fish, opened its mouth, took out a coin, and payed it.) Have any of you ever been fishing? Did you ever find a coin in the mouth of a fish? If you catch a fish, do you usually expect to find a coin? How could Jesus know there would be a coin? (He is God.)

What did Peter use the coin for? (To pay the temple tax.) Why did Jesus pay the temple tax? (So he wouldn't offend the temple tax guys.)

Closing Drama: Title

Jesus:	Who do men say that I am?
Disciple(s):	Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah...
Jesus:	What about you? Who do you say that I am?
Peter:	You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jesus:	You didn't hear that from men, but from God.

Invitation: Lordship

Invite any children who want to acknowledge Jesus as God and as Lord of their lives to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

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

Good Soldier (Interactive Version)

Monday:	Good Soldier
Story Passages:	Jeremiah 1:7-10, Jeremiah 38
Other Passages:	2nd Timothy 2:3-4, 2nd Chronicles 36:11-20, 2nd Kings 24:18 – 25:26, Matthew 28:18-20, 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 10:5-13, 2nd Corinthians 5:1
Objective:	Children should learn that they should endure the world's contempt when living their faith and when sharing their faith.
Memory Verse:	Romans 1:16, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Visuals:	Available

Introduction: Good News

How many of you know where you're going when you die? Where are you going? (Accept answers.) Okay, if you're going to heaven, how many of you know how to get to go to heaven? Good, that's good news. How many know someone who might not be able to go to heaven when they die? Who do you know? Should we go tell these people? Why don't we tell them sometimes? (Accept answers.) There's a man in the Bible named Jeremiah, and there were some reasons why he might not want to tell people what God said he should tell them – but he did anyway.

I'm going to tell the story, and while I'm telling it, I'm going to choose some of you to act it out. Don't raise your hands yet. I'll pick you out as we go.

Story: Jeremiah

God called Jeremiah to be a prophet. What's a prophet? Someone who tells the people what God says to tell them. Sometimes God told a prophet what was going to happen, and the prophet would tell the people, and then later it would happen. Other times, God told a prophet what he wanted people to do, and the prophet had to tell the people. They didn't always want to hear it. God told Jeremiah that he had been made special, from before he was born, to tell the people what God wanted them to hear. [Pick a Jeremiah, have him stand in front of the group, and tell him, "Jeremiah, you are special. You will tell the people God's message."] Jeremiah didn't know what to say, but God told him, "I will put my words in your mouth." [Tell Jeremiah that.] God told Jeremiah not to be afraid of the people, and tell them everything God said, and God would protect him. [Tell Jeremiah that stuff.]

One time, when the people had been worshipping idols (false gods), Jeremiah had to tell them that they'd been faithless to God, and should return to worshiping him only [Pick out two or three kids to be the people, and have them stand in front of the group. Have Jeremiah face the people. Have him tell them, "You've been faithless to God. You should worship only God."]. Do you think they liked hearing that? Would you like being called faithless? [Ask the people if they like being called faithless.]

Another time, he had to tell the people of Judah and Jerusalem that because they had disobeyed God, God was going to bring disaster on them, and they couldn't stop it. [Pick out kids to be people of Judah and Jerusalem. Have them stand in front of the group, and have Jeremiah face them and say, "God is going to bring disaster on you, and you can't stop it!"] Do you think they were happy to hear this message? No, and they blamed Jeremiah and plotted against him. [Give the people of Judah and Jerusalem lines to say, e.g., "It's all his fault", "We have to stop him", etc.] But God kept his word to Jeremiah and always protected him.

God's protection didn't always mean that nothing would happen to Jeremiah. Sometimes things weren't so pleasant. One time, when the city of Jerusalem was about to be taken by the cruel king of Babylon, Jeremiah had to tell the people that they could not save the city. [Pick out a Nebuchadezzar and a couple of Babylonian soldiers. Have them stand facing the Judah and Jerusalem people, a little ways off. Have Jeremiah tell the people, "You can't save the city."] He told them that God said they should go surrender to the king of Babylon, so they could live, because if they stayed to defend the city they would die. [Have Jeremiah say, "God says, surrender to the king of Babylon, or you'll die!"] But the people didn't want to hear it, and some of them blamed Jeremiah. They put him in a dark room that was dug out of the ground to hold water – a cistern [show visual] – and the only way out was through a hole in the ceiling. [Open the baptistry door. Pick out two of the Jerusalem people, and assist them in escourting Jeremiah around the steps and into the baptistry. Have Jermiah stay there and the others come back to the group. Tell the kids to pretend that the "cistern" is down in the ground, and muddy.] This pit didn't have water in it right now, but it was still muddy, and Jeremiah sank into the mud when they put him down there. He didn't have any food or water, and it was dark.

Do you think God rescued him? He did, but it took a while. Ebed-Melech, an official in the royal palace of Judea, felt bad for Jeremiah. [Pick an Ebed-Melech. Have him stand in front of the group and say, "I feel bad for Jeremiah."] He was worried that Jeremiah would starve to death. [Have Ebed-Melech call down to Jeremiah and ask if he's getting hungry down there.] Ebed-Melech got permission from the king of Judea. [Pick a king Zedekiah. Have him stand in front of the group. Have Ebed-Melech ask King Zedekiah for permission to take Jeremiah out of the cistern. Have Zedekiah say "Ok".]

Ebed-Melech took thirty men. [Pick everyone who is left to go with Ebed-Melech]. They lowered ropes down to Jeremiah, and some rags to put under his arms to pad the ropes, and they pulled him out. [Have Jeremiah come out.] We don't know how long he was down there, but God protected him.

[Have all the actors go sit down.]

Jeremiah went on telling people what God had him say. Even though it wasn't fun to be in the pit, Jeremiah knew he had to obey God, and the people needed to hear the message, even if it wasn't a fun message.

Application: Telling Others

We need to obey God too, and God tells us to tell others about Jesus. Now I know that you know people who need to know that Jesus died for their sins, and that he was buried and raised to life three days later, and that he will forgive their sins if they believe, so that they can live forever in heaven with him. So should we be telling them? (Yes, we should.) What if they might not want to hear? What if other people don't want us to tell them? What if people make it hard for us? What if someone teases you? Should you still tell people about Jesus then? (Yes.) What if someone might not be your friend any more? Don't stop telling people that Jesus loves them and that he died for their sins.

Invitation: Commitment

Invite any children who are serious about sharing the good news with their friends to stand and acknowledge that they will do that. Invite anyone who want to accept Jesus to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

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

Saul and the Spoils Skit

Wednesday:	Stolen Sheep: Saul and the Spoils
Story Passage:	1st Samuel 15:1-23
Other Passages:	1st Samuel 9:15-19, 10:1, 10:24, 15:26-28, 15:35-16:1, James 1:22, Exodus 17:8-16
Objective:	Children should learn that they should obey God's instruction.
Memory Verse:	1st Samuel 15:22 To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

Actors

Samuel, Saul, Agag, bleating sheep

[Samuel and Saul at palace]

Samuel

This is what God wants me to tell you. I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel. They attacked my people when they were leaving Egypt. So, go attack the Amalekites and completely destroy them and all their stuff. Don't leave anything. Kill all their animals and destroy all their stuff.

Saul

Okay, I'll get my army ready.

[Samuel and Saul exit the stage]

[enter bleating sheep and Saul and Agag]

[Agag stands quietly by sheep and looks like a defeated king]

Bleating sheep

[quietly] baaa, baa baa [Continue bleating in the background.]

[enter Samuel]

Saul

I did what God wanted done.

Samuel

What's this bleeting of sheep in my ears?

Saul

The soldiers brought them. They kept the best sheep and cattle to offer as a sacrafice to God. But, we completely destroyed everything else.

Samuel

Stop! Let me tell you what the Lord told me last night.

Saul

Tell me

Samuel

God made you king, and sent you on a mission to destroy the wicked Amalakites and wipe them out. Why didn't you obey God? Why did you keep the sheep and cattle and do evil in God's eyes? You disobeyed!

Saul

But I did obey God, I went on the mission and brought back their king, Agag. It was the soldiers who took the sheep and cattle.

Samuel

Do you think God would rather have you sin and offer a sacrifice or have you obey him in the first place? Since you disobeyed God, he has rejected you as king, you will be replaced.

Saul

[on knees] I have sinned. I didn't follow God's directions. I was afraid of my soldiers and gave into them. Forgive my sin let me worship the Lord.

Samuel

No, it's too late you rejected God, and he has already rejected you as king over Israel.

[Samuel turn to leave Saul grab hem of garment and tear a piece off.]

Samuel

The Lord has torn Israel from you today, and given it to a better man.

[exit Samuel and Saul]

[exit sheep and Agag]

Transition: God's Reasons

Did you enjoy the skit? Who can tell me what the skit was about? [accept answers] This was not a made up skit. It is a story from the Bible found in I Samuel, part of the Old Testament. Saul was the first king of Israel. So, he was a pretty important man. Why was God upset with Saul? Why was God replacing him with a different king? [accept answers] [Saul didn't obey God. He knew he did not get rid of all the sheep and cattle and things and he knew that the king God wanted killed was still alive. It wasn't up to Saul to decide what to do. If God wanted the king dead, that was Saul's job, but he didn't do it. He chose to disobey.] On Monday we learned that we all have sinned. Just like Saul we choose to disobey sometimes too. Instead of disobeying, which is sin, we need to choose to obey. God left us the choice and sometimes it's hard to obey. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are telling him that we want to obey him and follow him. I hope all of you have made this decision and that you try your best.

Invitation: Obedience

Invite any children who want to obey God to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

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