God is more important than anything else

God is more important than anything else Suspendisse feugiat mi sed lectus aoreet nec interdum By Trenz Pruca Year 2 Quarter 4 Lesson 3 1 n o s s ...
Author: Prosper Hensley
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God is more important than anything else

Suspendisse feugiat mi sed lectus aoreet nec interdum By Trenz Pruca

Year 2 Quarter 4 Lesson 3 1

n o s s e L w e i v r Ove

Power Point: God is more important than anything else Direction: You have to fight to keep your focus on Him Memory Verse: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” - Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT)

Idolatry   is  the  opposite  of  Chris1anity.   The  culture  of   this  world  is  centered   on   making   idols   and  gods  of   your   own  -­‐   celebri1es,  money,  and  power.  These  idols  steal  our  focus,  and  even  our   worship,  away   from   God.  Growing  up  with  the   added   influence  of   peer-­‐pressure  makes  it  hard  for  our   kids  to  keep  their   focus  on  God.  They  are  not   cool  or   worthy   of   respect  if  they  don’t   have  the  nicest  clothes  or  latest  computer  games  console.  No  wonder   they  struggle  to  make  God  the   most  important  thing  in  their  life.  Through  this  lesson,  they   need  to  realize  that   they   are  in  a  war,  and  they  must  fight  to   keep  their  focus  on  God  as  He  truly  is  more  important  than  anything  else. Bible  Lesson:  Martha  is  distracted  (Luke  10:38-­‐42) When  Jesus  came   to  visit   Mary   and   Martha  in   their   home,   Martha  was   drawn  away   from   spending   1me   with  Jesus   because  she  was  distracted   by   all  the  prepara1ons  that  had  to  be  made.   Instead  of  being  like  Martha,   we  must  be  like   Mary;  we  must  choose  what  is  beJer  and  fight  to  keep  our  focus  on  God.   Object  Lesson  1:  God  is  more  important  than  focusing  on  people Using   a  podium  we  will  show  that  God  needs   to  be  in  first  place  in  our   lives;   He  has  to  be   the  most   important   thing.   Unfortunately,  if  we  do  not  fight  to  keep   our  focus  on  him,   it   is  very  easy  to  take  God  away  from  first  place.  We  cannot   allow  people  to  influence  us  and  become  more  important  to  us  than  God  –  people  should  not  be  in  first  place,  only  God.       Object  Lesson  2:  God  is  more  important  than  focusing  on  things There  are  so   many  things  in  this  world  that  the  kids  put  before  God.  Using  flash  paper  we  will  show  how  none  of  these   things  last.  Only  God  is  eternal  and  everlas1ng  and  that  is  why  He  is  more  important  than  focusing  on  things.   Object  Lesson  3:  God  is  more  important  than  focusing  on  yourself Our   biggest   problem   and   toughest   baJle  is  figh1ng   to  focus  on   God  instead   of   being   lead   astray   by   our   own   selfish   desires.  We  will  use  a  mirror  to  show  different  instances  where  kids  focus  on  themselves  and  put  themselves  before  God. Teacher's  Responsibility This  lesson  is  as  relevant  to  you  as  it  is  to  the  children  you  are  teaching.  Search  your  life  and  ask  God  to  reveal  any  area   where  He  is  not   in  first   place.   If   there  is  anything   that   you   are  making  more  important   than  God,  you  are  commiPng   idolatry.  As  we  said  earlier,  idolatry  is  the  opposite  of  Chris1anity.  Before  you  teach  this  lesson,  make  sure  you  repent  of   any  idolatry  you  may  have  commiJed  and  put  God  back  in  His  righSul  place  on  the  throne  of  your  life. God  is  more  important  than: Sub  1:  Focusing  on  people Sub  2:  Focusing  on  things Sub  3:  Focusing  on  yourself

2

Lesson Intro Props

Actors Music PreparaLon

3  army  ouSits  (pants,  shirts,  hats  and  helmets),  camouflage  nePng,  2x4  plank,  3  crates,  big  plas1c   rock,  whiteboard  with  paper  on  it,  thick  black  marker,  2  rifles,  black,  green  and  brown  face   makeup,  2  green/black  backpack,  briefcase,  stop  watch Drill  Sergeant,  2  soldiers Something  intense Place  the  whiteboard  towards  the  back  of  the  stage  on  the  right  side,  place  plas1c  rocks  to  the   front  on  the  right  side  of  the  stage,  place  2x4  across  two  crates  covered  with  the  blankets  and   nePng  to  the  lea  side  of  the  stage  on  an  angle,  place  a  crate  down  the  middle  aisle,  place   briefcase  against  the  big  plas1c  rocks  (visible  to  the  audience)  

PresentaLon:   (Drill  sergeant   and  soldiers   enter  the   stage   as  if  they’re  talking  together   –  both   soldiers  sit  looking   at   the  

Drill  Sergeant  as  she  stands  by  the  whiteboard)

Drill  Sergeant:  Soldiers,  as  a  part  of  your  training,  I  have  set  up  an  obstacle  course  for  you  to  go  through.     (Drill  Sergeant  begins  to  draw  on  the  paper  the  obstacle  course  she  wants  them  to  do) Drill  Sergeant:  You   need  to   cross  the  beam,  run   down  the  stairs,  jump  over  the  obstacles  and   run  to  the  back.     Then   you  must  do  the   same  thing  on  the  way  back.    The  most   important   thing,  and  your  number   one  goal,  is  to  retrieve  the   briefcase.    (She  points  it)    Nothing  else  is  as  important  as  that,  am  I  making  myself  clear?       Soldiers:  Ma’am  yes  ma’am! Drill   Sergeant:  You  must   fight  to   stay  focused   on  this  task.    Don’t   let  anything  keep   you   from  your  goal.    I  am  giving   you  1  minute  to  complete  this  mission.    (She  picks  up  the  stop  watch)    StarLng  now! (Play   the   intense   music.  Soldiers  begin   with  the  obstacle  course.    Soldier   1  stops  at  the  top  of  the  stairs  and  takes  out  his   comb  and  begins  brushing  his  hair) Soldier  1:   Wait  a  minute,  wait   a  minute!  I  know  this  is  really   important  and  everything,  but  I   forgot  to  do  my   hair  this   morning.  Now,  let  me  just  focus  on  geZng  my  hair  done  (He  brushes  his  hair  a  few  Ames).     Soldier  2:  What  are  you  doing?    That’s  not  important  right  now!    Come  on,  we  have  to  go;  we’re  running  out  of  Lme! (Soldiers  carry  on  down  the  middle  aisle  –  Soldier  1  stops  again) Soldier  1:  Wait  a  minute,  wait  a  minute!   Look  at  my  boots!    They’re  all  dirty  and   scuffed  up.     I  need  to   clean  them   up   right  now  before  we  go  on.  (Bends  down  and  begins  to  clean  his  shoe). Soldier  2:   That’s  not  important  either!     Listen,  the   Drill  Sergeant  said  to  keep   focused.     The  most  important   thing  is  to   get  the  briefcase  and  complete  the  mission.  Stay  focused! Teacher:   Freeze!     Right  here  this  soldier  here  has  lost  focus   of  what  the  most  important   thing  is.     It’s  not  doing   his  hair   or   shinning  his  boots  or  anything  like  that.     All  of  those  things  seem  important  to  him  right   now,   but  they’re   not  the   most   important   thing,   are  they?     No,   the  Drill  Sergeant   said  that  the   most   important   thing  for   them   was  to   get  the   briefcase  and  complete  the  mission.    That’s  what  he  should  have  been  focused  on.

Lesson intro - Page 1

Lesson Intro As  a  soldier  in  the  Army  of  God  you  have  to  be  focused  on  one  very  important   thing  too.     The  most  important  thing   for   you  is  to  love  God  and  to  put  Him  first   before  anything   else  in  your  life.    That’s  what  God  commands  and  expects  from   the  soldiers  in  His  army.    Look  at  what  today’s  memory  verse  says  in  MaJhew  22:37-­‐38: “You  must   love  the   LORD  your  God  with  all  your  heart,  all  your  soul,  and  all  your  mind.    This  is  the  first  and  greatest   commandment.”     God  is  more  important  than  anything  else.    You  might  have  a  lot  of  things  that  are  important  to  you,  and  that’s  ok,  but   they   should  never   be  more  important   to  you   than  God.     For   instance,   I  know   girls  who   will   miss   coming   to  Sunday   School  because  they   think  it’s  more  important  to  get   their  hair  or  nails  done  than  it  is  to  learn  about  God.     I  know  boys   who   will  stay   at   home   and  watch  cartoons   because   they   think  it’s  more   important   than  learning   God’s  Word   here  at   Sunday   School.     But  that’s  just  wrong.     As  important  as  those  things  are  to  you,  they  should  never  be  more  important  to   you  than  God.     But  that’s  where  the  fight  comes  in  because  it’s  a  fight  to  keep  your   focus  on  Him  when  all  these  other  things  seem  so   important  to  you.     God  is  more  important  than  anything  else.  He  is  more  important  than… 1.  Focusing  on  people 2.  Focusing  on  things 3.  Focusing  on  yourself

Lesson intro - Page 2

Bible Lesson Martha gets distracted Props Actors PreparaLon

Martha  ouSit,  Mary  ouSit,  Jesus  robe,  2  disciple  robes,  table,  several  plates,  several  goblet-­‐looking   cups,  duct  tape,  a  few  big  pillows/cushions,  apron,  wooden  spoon Martha,  Mary,  Jesus,  2  disciples Place  the  table  on  one  side  of  the  stage  with  the  plates  stacked  on  it  as  well  as  the  cups  (duct  tape   the  cups  to  the  table),  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  stage  place  the  pillows/cushions  on  the  floor  to   give  the  appearance  of  a  living  room.

PresentaLon:   Can  you   imagine  hearing   a  knock  at  your   door   and   when  you  go  to   answer   it   Jesus  is  standing  there,   wan1ng  to  come  in?     That  would  be  amazing.     I  don’t  know  about  you,  but  I  would  drop  everything  just  to  spend  1me   with  Him.    In  fact,   a  situa1on  like  that  actually  happened  to  a  woman  named  Martha.    One  day   Jesus  and  His  disciples   stopped  by  Martha’s  house  for  a  visit.    (Jesus  enters  stage  with  2  disciples  and  meets  Martha  and  Mary)     Jesus:  Martha!    Mary!    It’s  so  good  to  see  you  again. Martha:  Lord,  it  is  good  to  see  you,  too!    Please  come  in  and  make  yourself  comfortable.     Teacher:   (Everyone   walks  over   and   sits  to  one   side  of  the   stage  –  Jesus   looks   as   if  He’s  talking   to   them)  It  wasn’t   an   everyday  thing  that   Jesus  would   stop  by   their   house  for   dinner,  that   was  a  special  occasion.    I  can’t   imagine  anything   more  important  than  that.  The  Bible  says  that  Mary  sat  at  Jesus’  feet  taking  in  every  word  that  He  said.     But  what  about   Martha?    Where  was  she  while  everyone  was  spending  1me  with  Jesus?  The  Bible  says  that  she   was   distracted   by  all  the  prepara1ons  that  had  to  be  made.    (Martha  looks  around   concerned,   gets  up   and  crosses  to   the   other   side  of  the  stage  to   the  kitchen  area)    That  literally  means  that  she  was  drawn  away  from  spending  that   1me  with   Jesus  because  of  all  the  things  that  needed  to   be   done.    The  cooking  and  cleaning   were  more  important  to  her  than   taking  that  1me  out  to  spend  with  Jesus.    How  can  that  be?   Maybe  you’re  thinking  those  things  aren’t  that  important  and  they  really  aren’t  more  important  than  Jesus,  but  let  me   ask  you  -­‐   how  easy   is  it   for   you  to  get   distracted   and  drawn   away  by   things  that  aren’t  really   that   important   either?     Things  like   your   TV,   football  prac1ce,   karate  lessons  -­‐   they   become   more   important   to   you   than   God.     It’s  more   important   for   you  to   go  to   football  prac1ce  than  to  Sunday   School,   it’s  more  important   for  you  to  play  video  games   than  to  spend  1me  praying,  it’s  more   important  for  you  to  play  outside  than  it  is  to  read  your  Bible.    Now  those  things   can  be  important  to  you,  but  they  can’t  be  more  important  than  God.    Nothing  is  more  important  than  God.     As  you  can  see,  it’s  very  easy  to  get   distracted   by   all  kinds  of   things,  just  like  Martha  did.  And  it  actually   upset  Martha   that  Mary   wasn’t  helping  her  with  any  of  the  work,  so  she  went  to  Jesus  and  complained.  (Martha  looks  stressed-­‐out   and  worried  –  she  walks  over  to  Jesus  with  a  pot  and  spoon  in  hand) Martha:  Lord,  don’t  you  care  that  my  sister  has  lec  me  to  do  all  this  work  by  myself?    Tell  her  to  help  me! Jesus:  (Stands)  Martha,  Martha,  you   are  worried   and   upset  about  many  things   (points  to  kitchen),   but  only   one  thing   is  needed.  (Jesus  points  to  Mary)    Mary  has  chosen  what  is  beder,  and  it  will  not  be  taken  away  from  her. Teacher:  Jesus  is  saying  the  same  thing  to  you  –  choose  what  is  beJer.  It  is  beJer  to  be  in  the  house  of  God  than  out  on   the  street   hanging  out  with  your  friends.  It  is  beJer   to  talk  to   God  than  on   the  phone  with  your  friends.   God   is  more   important  than  anything  else.  Don’t  be  like  Martha  and  get  distracted,  be  like  Mary  –  fight  to  keep  your  focus  on  Him.    

Object Lesson 1 God is more important than focusing on people Props

1st,  2nd,  and  3rd  signs  for  crates,  3  crates,  duct  tape,  large  table,  2  thick  poster  signs  (folded  in  half  so   they  can  stand  on  their  own)  –  GOD,  PEOPLE

PreparaLon

Put  the  table  on  the  stage  and  create  a  podium  on  it  using  the  crates  and  the  signs.

PresentaLon:     There  are  so  many  things  in  your  life  that  seem   important  and  they’re  always  fighLng  for  first  place.  You   have  your  friends,  your  family,  and  school…but  if  I  ask  you  what  the  most   important  thing  to  you  is,  you  would  probably   say  God.  “God  is  definitely  the  most  important  thing  in  my  life”  (place  “God”  sign  on  top  of  1st  place).  If  I  was  able  to  take  a  look  into  your  life  and  see  who  was  really  in  first   place,  I  would  probably  find  that  God  isn’t   in  first   place,   but  people  are  (place   “People”  sign  over  the  “God”  sign).  A  lot  of   you  have  put  people  in  first  place  because  you   care  more  about  what  people  say   and  think  about   you  than  God.  A  lot  of  you  spend  more  1me  on  instant  messenger  or   on  MySpace  reading  the  messages  that  people  have  sent  you  than  you  do  reading  the  Bible.  You  let  them  distract  you.  A   lot  of  you  won’t  dare  puPng  songs  that  worship  God  on  your  iPod  because  you  don’t  want  people  to  make  fun  of  you.   You  let   people  take  first  place,  but  the  Bible  says  that   you  are  to  love  God  first   –  so  people  have  to  be  in   second   place   (put  “People”  sign  on  the  second  place  spot).  I  know  that  it  can  be  hard  –   you  want  to  spend  1me  with  your  friends,  but   you  know  you  should  take  some  1me  to  read  your  Bible.  The  Bible  says  when  you  come  near  to  God,  he  will  come  near   to  you  (James  4:8).  He  wants  to  be  close  to  you,   He  wants  to  take  care  of  you,  but  in  order  to  do  that  He  has  to  be  in  first   place.  So  no  maJer  what  you  go  through,  no  maJer  how  hard  you  have  to  fight  -­‐  keep  your  focus  on  God  because  God   is  more  important  than  focusing  on  people.  

Object Lesson 2 God is more important than focusing on things Props PreparaLon

3  pieces  of  flash  paper,  black  marker,  lighter Drawn  on  the  flash  paper  –  a  television,  a  sneaker,  a  car

PresentaLon:     There  are  so  many  people  in  this  world  who  live  to  get  as  much  money  and  as  many  things  as  they   can.   Some  of  you  have  seen  people  with  really   expensive  cars  (hold   up  flash  paper  with  a   car  drawn  on   it).  They   spend  so   much  1me  making  sure  their  car   looks  perfect  and  they  feel  so  important  because  they   have  lots  of  expensive  things.   But   the  Bible  says  that  one  day   all  those  things  will  fade  away,  rot,  get  stolen,  or  wear  out.  (Burn  flash  paper)   There  is   no  point  placing  so  much  importance  on  these  things  because  they  won’t  last.     Only  God  is  everlas1ng.  He  is  the  true   and  living  God  and  nothing  should  ever  be  more  important  than  Him.   Some  of  you  think  that  having  a  nice  pair  of  sneakers  is  really  important  (hold  up  flash  paper  with  a  sneaker  drawn  on   it),   but  God   says  don’t  love  the  world  or  the  things  of   this  world  because  those  things  pass  away;   (burn   flash   paper)   they  disappear.   Some  of  you  like  to  watch  a   lot   of   television  (hold  up   flash   paper  with   a   television   drawn   on  it).   There  are   so   many   people  who  spend  way  more  1me  watching  television  than  they   do  reading  their  Bible  or  praying  to  God.  Television  is   something   that   can  easily   become   more   important   than   God   if   you   focus   on  it   too   much.   Just   like  the  sneakers,   television  will  eventually  go  away  along  with  all  of  the  things  on  it  (burn  flash  paper). There  is  nothing  wrong   with  having  nice  things,  but  they  cannot   become  more  important   to  you  than   God.   When  all   the  things  of  this  world  get   lost  or   end  up  being  destroyed,  God  is  the  only  one  who  will  s1ll  be  around  –  He  is  the  only   one  that  really  maJers  in  the  end.  God  is  more  important  than  anything  else,  so  you  need  to  fight  to  keep  your  focus   on  Him.

Object Lesson 3 God is more important than focusing on yourself Props

Large  mirror,  dry  erase  markers,  white  board  eraser

PresentaLon:    We’ve  already   talked  about  how  God  is  more  important  than  people  and  things,  but  there  is  someone   else  that   we  all  focus  on  more  than  God.  Every   day  it  is  a  fight   to  keep   our  focus  on  God  more  than  this  person.   That   person  is  you  (bring  out  mirror).     When  you’re  with  your  friends  and  they   start  cursing   and  talking  badly,   a  lot   of  you  join  in   even   though  you  love  God   and   know   that   it   is   wrong.   In  that   moment,   you  are   focusing   on   yourself   –   you   are  making  your   reputa1on  more   important  than   God  (write  ‘reputaAon’  on  mirror).   Some  of  you  really  want  to  spend  1me  with  God  but  in  the  morning   you  don’t  get  up.  You  are  too  1red.  You  know  you  should  but  you  cannot   be  bothered.  You  focus  on  yourself  instead  of   God   (write   ‘lazy’   on   mirror).   Some1mes  people  give  you  compliments  about   your   great   singing   voice  or   your   great   basketball  skills.  Instead  of  focusing  on  God,  you  take  all  the  glory  for   yourself.   That  is  pride  –  it  means  you  are  focusing   on  yourself  (write  ‘pride’   on  mirror).  You  make  everything  about  you.  Instead  you  should  give  credit   to  God  for  the  gias   that  He  gave  you. If  you  are  living  for  God,   you  cannot  be  like  this.   God  is  more  important  than   focusing  on  yourself.  The  Bible  says  that   where  selfish   ambi1on   exists,   there   is  disorder   and   every   evil  thing   (James  3:16).   If   you  are  selfish,   you   focus   on   yourself,  you  make  yourself   the   most  important   thing.  But  that  will  bring  disorder  and  evil  into   your  life.  You  need  to   take   your   focus  off   of  yourself  (erase  the  words  on  the  mirror)  and  instead,  you   need   to  put  your  focus  back   on  God   (write  GOD   on  the   mirror).  I  know   it  is  hard;   it  is  a  constant  baJle  that  you  have  to  fight  –  but  God  is  more  important   than  anything  else  and  you  have  to  fight  to  keep  your  focus  on  Him.    

Life Lesson Sandro the seeing-eye dog Props Sound  Effects

Brick Breaking  glass,  car  skidding  and  crashing  

Frame  1:  On  the  outside  Sandro  looked   like  any   normal  dog,  but  he  wasn’t.   A  normal  dog  would  run  around  the  park   catching  Frisbees,  playing  tug-­‐o-­‐war  or  chasing  cats,  but  Sandro  had  a  bigger  responsibility.   Frame  2:  Sandro  had  always  dreamt   of  being   a  seeing-­‐eye  dog   and   now  he  was  training  to  become  one.  Every   day   at   training  they   taught  him  how  to  protect  his  master,  follow  direc1ons,  and  not  be  distracted   by   other  things.  Above  all   they  taught  him  that  his  master  was  more  important  than  anything  else.   Frame  3:  The  day  had  finally   come!  Sandro  was  fully   trained  and  adopted  by   a  blind  man  named  Mr.  Jones.  It  was  their   first  day   together   and   Mr.   Jones  took   him  for   his  very   first  walk  out  on  the   streets  as  a  guide   dog.   Sandro  saw   many   other   dogs  playing  and  running  around,   but   there  was  one  group  of  dogs  that  really  caught  his  aJen1on.  This  gang  of   dogs  was  known  as  the  coolest  and  most  respected  gang  in  the  city,  their  name  was  The  Top  Dogz.   Frame  4:  The  leader   of  this  cool  gang  was  called  Pub  the  Pit-­‐bull.   Pub  struJed   over  to   Sandro  -­‐   the  new  dog  in  town.   “Whatup  Dawg?”  he  said.    Remembering  all  his  training,  Sandro  ignored  this  distrac1on   and   kept   walking.   Pub  called   aaer  him,  “Yo,   you  think  you  too  cool  to  roll  with  us?!”  When  Sandro  heard  this  he  mumbled  back,  “No,  I  just  need  to   stay   focused  on  my  master!”  “Ha!  That  sounds  like  fun...not!”   Pub  mocked,  “You’re  life  must  be  so  boring!  Listen  we  like   to  do  some  crazy  stuff;  if  you  ever   wanna  have  some  fun,  we  will  show  you  how   it’s  done!”  It  was  hard  to  ignore  what   Pub  was  saying  but  Sandro  shrugged  off  the  comments  and  kept   walking,  fighLng  to  keep  his  focus   on  his  master  as  he   knew  he  should.   Frame  5:  Later   that  night  Sandro  and  his  master  were  fast  asleep  when   all  of  a  sudden   Sandro  heard  a  tapping  at  the   window.  He  shot  up  to  see  Pub  staring  right  at  him.  Sandro  opened  the  window,  “What  are  you  doing  here?!  My  master   will  hear  you!”  “Well,  me  and  a  few  of  the  Dogz  are  going  to  go  rob  a  meat  joint.  I  thought  you’d  enjoy  some  steaks  like   the  rest  of  us  -­‐   like  real  dog.  Are  you  in   or   out?!”  Pub  replied.  Sandro  looked  back  to  see  if  his  master   was  s1ll  asleep.   Right  there  he  had  a  choice  –  he  knew  that  watching   his  master   was  more  important  than  going  with  Pub,  but  instead   he  decided  to  sneak  out  of  the  house  and  go  with  the  Top  Dogz. Frame  6:   They  ran  for  a  few  blocks  un1l  they  got  to  the  meat  joint,  one  of  the  dogs  grabbed  a  brick  from  the  sidewalk,   liaed   it  up  high  and  threw  it   through  the   window...   SMASH!  (Play   sound   of   breaking  glass)    Sandro  saw  the   biggest,   juiciest  pieces  of  steak  he  had  ever  seen  in  his  whole  life,  how  could  he  have  missed  out  on  all  of  these  things?  They   started  to  grab  as  much  meat  as  possible.  In  the  middle  of  it  all  Pub  looked  over  at   Sandro  and  smirked,   “ This  is  the  life   Sandro!  This  is  the  best  stuff  in  the  world!” Preaching  point:  God  is  more   important  than   focusing  on   things.  That’s  exactly   the  problem.  People  live  for  things.  If   you’re  living  for  shoes,  clothes,   and  money,  and  you  make  those  things  more  important  to   you   than   anything  else   –   then  you’re  wrong.     The  most  important  thing  in   your   whole  life  needs  to   be   God.   All  those  things  will  break,  they’ll   fade  away,  somebody  might  steal  them  -­‐  they’re  not  going  to  be  there.   But  God  is  there  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.   He  loves  you.  You  can’t  put  things  in  the  place  of  God.  But  that’s  what  Sandro  was  doing.   Frame  7:  The  next  day  it  was  like  nothing  had  ever  happened;  it  was  back  to  the  same  rou1ne  for  Sandro  -­‐  back  to   focusing  on  his  master  again.  Mr.  Jones  took  Sandro  out  for  a  walk  to  pick  up  the  usual  fresh  bread  and  milk  from  the   supermarket.  They  lea  the  supermarket  and  Sandro  sat  down  at  the  crosswalk  to  wait  for  the  light.  All  of  a  sudden  he   heard  a  familiar  voice  across  the  street.  He  looked  up  to  see  the  Top  Dogz  gathered  ahead,  wai1ng  behind  a  big  meat   truck.

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Life Lesson Sandro the seeing-eye dog Frame  8:  Pub  looked   back  and   saw  Sandro,  “Yo   man!   Come  raid   this  meat   truck  with  us,  once  they  open   the  door  we   are  charging  in!”  Sandro  looked  up  at  his  master   and  back  to  Pub,  he  was  fighLng  with  what  to  put  his  focus  on.  “Come   on,”  Pub  said,  “I  can  see  it  in  your  eyes  –  you  love  the  steak!  You  want  the  steak!”   Pub  was  right.   Sandro  really  wanted   it.   Preaching  point:  God  is  more  important  than  anything  else;  fight  to  put  your  focus  on  Him.  Right  there  Sandro  was  in   the   middle  of  a  fight  –  what  was  he  going  to  focus   on?  You  will  go  through  that   fight  all  the  1me.   Will  you  put  your   focus  on   things  or  will  you  put  your  focus  on  God?  God  is  the  more  important  than  anything  else   so  you  need  to   fight   to  put  your  focus  on  Him.   Frame   9:  Sandro  took  one  last  look  at  his  master  and  then  back  at   the  meat  truck.  He  remembered  the  wonderful,  juicy   steak  he  had  had  last   night.   He  had  made  a  decision.  With  all  his  might  he  broke  free  of   the  leash  and  ran  for  the  truck   as  fast   as  he  could.   He  was  so  focused   on  gePng  to  the  meat   truck  that   he  didn’t   look  both  ways  before  crossing  the   street.  Just  before  he  was  about  to  get  to  the  other   side  of  the  street...  (play  car  screeching  and  crashing)  BANG!  Sandro   lay  flat  in  the  middle  of  the  road.  They  rushed  him  to  the  nearest  dog  hospital. Frame  10:  Sandro  survived  the  crash,   but  he  very   nearly   died.   He  woke  up  in  the  hospital  started  to  panic.  Everything   around  him  was  black.     The  impact  of  the  crash  was  so  severe  that  he  had  lost  his  sight  in  both  eyes.  It  was  a  tragic  day   for  Sandro  as  he  realized  that  he  could  no  longer  be  a  seeing-­‐eye  dog  like  he’d  always  dreamed  about.  Sandro  was  now   blind  himself.     Point  of  Decision If  Sandro  had  kept  his  focus  on   the  most   important   thing  then  that  would  have  never  happened.  You   have  a  chance   today  to  put  your  focus  back  on   what’s  important.  Maybe  some  of  you  know  that  there  are  things  in  your  life  that  have   become  more   important  to  you  than  God.  Right  now  I  want  you  to  think  of  one  thing  that  you  know  is  more  important   than   God.  Maybe  it’s  the  TV  that  you  spend  hours  watching,  maybe  it’s  a  sport  that  you  spend  all  of  your  1me  playing,   maybe  it’s  a  family  member   who  you  have  made  more  important  than  God.  On  the  count  of  three,  I  want   you  to  name   that  thing  –  whatever  it  is  for  you.  One,  two,  three.   Closing  Prayer Dear  God,  I’m  sorry  for   puPng  things  in  Your  place.  I’m  sorry  that  things  have  been  more  important  to  me  than  You.   Today  that  stops.   I  choose  to  fight   to  keep  my  focus  on  You   every  day.  Help  me,  because  it’s  not   easy,  but  I  want  to  live   for  You.  I  want  to  love  You  with  all  of  my  heart.  In  Jesus’  Name,  Amen.

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