• RSS
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6 KJV

  • Sunday School Lessons

    Find Sunday School Lessons - Teach kids of all ages with these easy to follow bible stories and lessons.

  • Sunday School Coloring Pages

    Find Sunday School Coloring Pages - Print these FREE coloring pages to use with your lessons or as time fillers.

  • Sunday School Games

    Find Sunday School Games - Teach kids about the bible and help them learn their bible verses with these easy to follow bible games.

    Showing posts with label God's Love. Show all posts
    Showing posts with label God's Love. Show all posts

    Thursday, January 14, 2016

    I've learned a few things lately and one of those things is that 'acts of love' as Christians doesn't come as easily as I once thought. Right up front, I want to say that when we ask Jesus to be our savior, we don't magically start loving people the way God wants us too. It's true that for a little while when accept Jesus as our Lord and savior, we want to tell everyone about God and how that Jesus died for us and we want EVERYONE to know him like we do.

    Overtime though, the 'newness' wears off and the things of this world start weighing us back down. People begin to irritate us. We start getting annoyed by the way people act. So, instead of wanting to help those types of people, we steer ourselves toward those who are more willing to listen about Christ or those who show an interest in him (which isn't very often in today's world). We may even limit ourselves to those we see at church or the kids in our Sunday school classes. But, what about those we encounter daily?

    Showing God's love to others should come easily. So, why doesn't it?

    Showing God's Love to Others

    Today's lesson is on 'acts of love' or 'showing God's love to others' and how easy or hard it truly can be. Children (and adults) may have a hard time understanding the numerous different ways that we can show God's love to others, but hopefully by the end of this lesson, they will see how truly easy it can be.

    Ask for a show of hands to the following questions, but ask the kids to refrain from talking about the people they feel this way about.

    "How many of you have someone in your life that you don't like?"
    "How many of you have someone in your life that irritates you badly?"
    "What about a teacher or principal?"
    "What about a neighbor?"
    "Do you have someone who used to be your friend until something happened and now they are no longer your friend?"

    The bible tells us in Mark12:31 KJV ~ Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

    Jesus didn't say, "Try to love thy neighbor as thyself". He said, "Thou shalt!"

    That lets us know that as Christians, no matter what happens, we are to love our neighbours. So, exactly who are our neighbors? Well, if you look at the parable of The Good Samaritan, we find that everyone is our neighbor.

    Okay, so exactly how can we show God's love to others?

    We can show God's love to others by the acts of love we do. These small (or big) acts of love show others God's love through us. Jason Gray, a Christian music artist, has a song about this exact thing. Take a moment to watch it below, then show it to your kids in your Sunday schoool class. My kiddos learn better when they can visually see something rather than just me telling them.

    Whenever you get a chance to show your kids visually, I recommend you do so!

    Jason Gray's Acts of Love Video




    Now, as you can see in this video, even the smallest acts of love can help build the kingdom of God. I used the reference in the song about how God put a million million doors in this world for his love to walk through. I told each child that they were a door for God's love and that they needed to open that door to let His love out.

    Showing God's Love Activity

    I saw this activity somewhere and I'd link to it if I could find it, but I can't. It is a really good 'visual' example of how showing God's love to others helps his love to spread from one person to another. 

    Get a colored sheet of paper and scissors. Any sheet of paper will do, but if you are in front of a larger class, colored paper can be seen better. Now, have the kids count how many corners are on that piece of paper. Of course, there are four corners.

    Next, tell the kids you are going to cut off one corner of the piece of paper and that that corner will represent a piece of God's love. Once you have cut off the corner, have the kids count how many corners the paper has now. It has 5!! 

    So, even though you took some of God's love out, it grew more!!! 

    Now, cut another corner off and give that part of God's love away to someone. Count the corners again. There are now 6!!!

    You can continue this to the next couple of corners to make sure the children understand what you are doing.

    The more we give God's love away or 'show God's love' the more his love grows in others!! Sometimes, people may not want your kindness, but give it anyway! 

    Here is a reminder craft about God's love being inside of us and how we need to let his light shine:



    God lets each of us choose whether or not we will give his love to others or hold it in. God never makes us do anything. So, when the time comes and you have the choice to do an act of love, like in the video, do it! Don't hesitate because if you don't show an act of love, God's love won't grow through you. 

    Be the door that God's love can walk through!! Just like the song above!!!

    If you'd like another activity for your kids, here is a free crossword puzzle centered around The Good Samaritan. 


    Wednesday, January 29, 2014

    The love of God goes far beyond what we feel sitting in the church pew. God's love is all around us. It's in the wind that blows, the trees that grow, the flowers that bloom, the sun that warms us. God's love is endless and all we need to do is look around.


    When talking about God's love with your Sunday school class, be sure to talk about all the things God made because he loves us.

    Ask the kids to name some things God made.

    Wait for answers.

    If no one says, "God made me!", be sure to talk about it. Go through the kids in your class and say each of their names (example: God loves Landon. God loves Summer. God loves Avery.)

    You can then talk about God loves us so much that he sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins. He died so that one day we can go to heaven to live forever!

    The Love of God Sunday School Coloring Page


    You can use this as a plain coloring page or you can use it as a craft too. After the kids color the letters J-E-S-U-S, let them cut them out and glue them to construction paper. Have some confetti and tissue paper available for the kids to decorate the rest of the page.

    When the kids are done, they can give it to someone special especially if it is on Valentine's Day.


    Find more Sunday School Coloring Pages!
     
     

    Bonus Craft Ideas!!

     

    Great to give on Valentine's Day or hang in their bedroom!
     
     
    "Jesus Loves Me" Picture Frame Magnet Craft Kit (makes 12)


    Set of 6 JESUS Loves Me VELVET DIY Coloring POSTER 6" X 9", EACH with 6 Markers
     



     
     

    Note: Letters used in coloring page was designed by coloringbuddymike.
    Valentine's Day is right around the corner. With the thoughts of love in the air, why not teach your kids about the love of God and what it means to them?

    God's love is like no other love in the world.

    In fact, God's love is so great he sent his only begotten son to die on the cross for our sins so that we could one day go to heaven to live with him forever.

    Jesus loves us so much that he willingly died on the cross for our sins.

    What an amazing kind of love!

    And take a second to 'Like' this inspiring Facebook page

    Bonus Idea: Gift for your Class


    I also found these amazing little hearts you can hand out to your class and instead of throwing them away like they would paper Valentine cards, they can plant them. Give each child two or three of these little hears along with a small pot and a bit of potting soil in a baggie.

    When the kids get home, they can plant the hearts and watch them grow!!


    The Love of God Sunday School Activity


    Below are three different Sunday school activities. The first is for older kids, the second for elementary kids, and the bottom one is for small children.

    If you'd like, print off the top one for the adults in your church and let them work it out!

    Tip: Since you know the answer, you can always fill in the numbers before handing out the puzzles if you feel they are too hard.


    Adult and Teen Puzzle
    This one is pretty tough.
    If needed, the bible verse is listed at the top of the printout.
    John 15:13 KJV
    The puzzle is titled: Love of a Lifetime
    The answer is:
    Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.







    Elementary Puzzle
    The puzzle answer is:
    
    We love him, because he first loved us.
    1 John 4:19 KJV


    Young Children Puzzle
    There is a question at the top of the puzzle.
    It asks, "Who loves you?"
    The kids must figure out the puzzle to see who loves them.
    The answer:
    Jesus loves me!
    Kids can also color in the letters at the top.





    Get more FREE Sunday School Activities and Sunday School Games!!