Make sure you visit awana.org/xxxxxxxx and download the T&T Ultimate Adventure Presentation Slides.

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We have included the presentation slides as an additional teaching resource. Each slide deck includes a title slide, memory verse slide, lesson outline slide, and an additional customizable slide for you to use when you teach your students.

1 East Bode Road | Streamwood, IL 60107-6658 U.S.A. | (630) 213-2000 | awana.org © 2016 Awana® Clubs International. Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, (ESV®), copyright ©2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2011

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GOD IS CREATOR SECTION 1.1 Our powerful God created the world and everything in it in six days. God created all things for His own purposes. God’s purpose for us is to have a relationship with Him. LESSON OVERVIEW Our powerful and awesome Creator, God, created the whole world and everything in it from nothing, and He did it in just six days (Genesis 1:1-31). In the Bible, the word created means to “make from nothing” (Genesis 1:1). God spoke and the world came to be. He is the only one who could create the world. God deserves all of our praise because He is the Creator. To praise God is to thank Him for how great and powerful and awesome He is! When you look at Revelation 4:11, the second part of the verse says, and by Your will they existed and were created. This means that God chose what He wanted to create. He created everything for His own special reasons. God created people for a different reason than He created animals or anything else. We are the only ones that can have a relationship with God. Genesis 1:27 says that people are made in God’s image. To be made in God’s image means we are made to be like Him in many ways. In fact, people are the only ones in God’s creation that are made in His image. We can create like God can — although we can’t make things from nothing or by just speaking. Only God can do that! God is love, and we can love people too. God makes choices, and we also make choices. We can talk, think, and feel like God does. Humans are the only ones who can have a conversation with God. God created us to be like Him in many ways and to have a relationship with Him. But we sin. Because of our sin, which separates us from God, the only way to have a relationship with God is by trusting His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior (Romans 3:23, John 14:6).

REVELATION 4:11

“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.”

DEFINITIONS

WORTHY ­— deserving of praise, important, valuable GLORY ­— greatness, praise, and thanksgiving HONOR ­— respect CREATED ­— made something out of nothing WILL ­— choice

LESSON OBJECTIVES Pray that the Holy Spirit would work through this lesson so kids: • View and praise God as a powerful, artistic Creator who only has to speak and things are made. • Learn that in six days, God created the world and everything in it from nothing. • Realize that God made everything in for His own special reasons. • Discover that God created humans in His image and with the ability to have a relationship with Him. Only humans can have a relationship with God. • Understand that the Bible is the place where we find out about God and how to have a relationship with Him.

Your Objectives:

Sin is anything we think, say, or do that disobeys God. Sin also includes choosing not to do the good things God wants us to do.

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1.1 — GOD IS CREATOR

LARGE GROUP LESSON Time Considerations Consider modifying your Large Group lesson to best fit your allotted time frame. Here are some suggestions if you have: 15 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. 20 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. Consider an interactive Introduction Activity OR Main Lesson Activity from the Resource Bundle to support your teaching. 25 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. Consider adding in an Introduction Activity AND a Main Lesson Activity from the Resource Bundle along with Sum It Up to support your teaching. God Is Creator Activities with instructions available on the Resource Bundle: Introduction Activity Options: 1) Make Your Own Creation 2) Creation Painting Main Lesson Activity Options: 1) Creation Charades 2) Animal or Human?

YOUR PLAN What do you need to prepare ahead of time? Space considerations: Chairs –

Size of room –

Whiteboard –

Lesson considerations: Activities to include from Resource Bundle or other source –

Personal stories/short narratives to support lesson –

Audiovisual equipment –

Download PowerPoint® from Resource Bundle or create presentation –

Print handouts from Resource Bundle –

Props –

Volunteers for lesson –

6

1.1 — GOD IS CREATOR

INTRODUCTION What does it mean to be a creator? In the Start Here portion of the “God Is Creator” section in the T&T kid’s handbook, your T&T kids were asked to write or draw about a time that they made something. Open the lesson by giving the kids a chance to share what they wrote or drew about. Then ask them the questions below. What reason did you have for making your creation? Who got to decide what you did with your creation? [Leader note: Consider sharing an example of a time you created something.] God created the world. He created humans for a different reason than He created the animals or anything else. We are the only ones that can have a relationship with Him. How do you think God feels when we do what we want to do instead of what He made us to do? What problems might come if we don’t do what God made us to do?

REVELATION 4:11

“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.”

DEFINITIONS

WORTHY ­— deserving of praise, important, valuable GLORY ­— greatness, praise, and thanksgiving HONOR ­— respect CREATED ­— made something out of nothing WILL ­— choice

Your Introduction Notes

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1.1 — GOD IS CREATOR

MAIN LESSON TEACHING OUTLINE Share these key concepts and the verses that accompany each point. Allow time for kids to ask questions or give responses to your teaching.

(Philippians 4:6). All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

1. Our powerful God created the world and everything in it in six days (Genesis 1:1-31). 2. God created us for a special purpose, and that purpose is to have a relationship with Him and to be like Him in many ways. He created us in His image. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27). 3. We have a relationship with Him when we trust Christ as Savior. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6). 4. Once we have a relationship with God, we get to know Him better by reading the Bible and praying. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

Your Teaching Outline Notes: •

•

•

•

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REVELATION 4:11

“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.” DEFINITIONS WORTHY ­— deserving of praise, important, valuable GLORY ­— greatness, praise, and thanksgiving HONOR ­— respect CREATED ­— made something out of nothing WILL ­— choice

1.1 — GOD IS CREATOR

LESSON APPLICATION

SUM IT UP

Now that your T&T kids know that God is the Creator and that He created people (that includes them!) to have a relationship with Him, it’s time to help them apply these truths to their lives. Ask them the following questions.

[Leader Note: Sum It Up should last about a minute. Consider incorporating a small, squishy ball during the discussion. Throw the ball to the first kid who raises his or her hand. Then have that child toss the ball to the next kid who raises a hand. Adding in physical activity will encourage more response from the kids.]

1. Why did God create us? He loves us and created us to have a relationship with Him. 2. How do we begin our relationship with God? By trusting Christ as our Savior. To trust Christ as Savior means you believe He died on the cross for your sins and came alive again. 3. What does it mean to be made in God’s image? How will that affect the way you think and act in your day-to-day life? It means that we are like Him in many ways. We can love others and make choices. 4. How do we get to know God after we have a relationship with Him? We get to know God by reading the Bible. God talks to us through the Bible. We talk to Him through prayer.

Ask kids to tell you one thing they remember from the lesson. After you’ve gotten responses, recap these key concepts once more: • Our powerful God created the world and everything in it in six days. • God created us for a special purpose, and that purpose is to have a relationship with Him and to be like Him in many ways. • We have a relationship with Him by trusting Christ as our Savior. • We get to know God better by reading the Bible and praying.

[Leader Note: Consider personalizing this by sharing what it means to you that God is the Creator and how this impacts your life.]

Lesson Application Notes

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1.1 — GOD IS CREATOR

T&T ANNOUNCEMENTS What important things do your T&T kids need to know before they leave?

CLOSING PRAYER Jot down prayer requests:

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GOD IS HOLY SECTION 1.2 God is holy, which means He is perfect, without sin, and always does what’s right. We are not holy like God because we are sinners. But through Christ, we become holy in God’s sight and God’s Holy Spirit helps us do what’s right. LESSON OVERVIEW We ALL sin many times each day, even when we don’t want to or mean to. Even when other people don’t see us sinning, we often sin secretly by what we think and do. Nobody else may see these sins, but God does. There is nothing we can do on our own to become sinless. We are born in sin because we all are related to the very first man, Adam, who was a sinner. God is different from us. He is holy, which means He is perfect and without sin. Who He is and what He does is always right. Revelation 4:8b says: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” The verse calls God holy three times, which is the Bible’s way of saying that God is super holy, and that nothing or no one else even comes CLOSE to being holy like He his. He has always been holy; He is holy now; He will always be holy in the future. God never changes! God tells us to be holy too. Of course, God knows we can’t be perfect like He is. We’re all sinners. So how can we be holy then? When we trust that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, all our sins are forgiven and God sees us like He sees His perfect, sinless Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also comes to live inside of us and helps keep us from sinning. If we want to know the right thing to do, we should think about what God is like and what He tells us to do in the Bible. That will help us make the right choices and be more like Him even though we can never be perfect, like God.

REVELATION 4:8b

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

DEFINITIONS

HOLY — perfect, without sin, and always right ALMIGHTY — strong and more powerful than anyone or

anything

LESSON OBJECTIVES After completing this lesson, kids should: • Understand that God is holy, which means He is perfect, without sin, and always right. • Realize that we are not holy like God, because we are sinful and born in sin. • Desire to look to God to know what is right. • Believe that once they trust Christ as Savior, they are holy in God’s sight. The Holy Spirit lives inside them and helps them to do what’s right and be more like Christ.

Your Objectives:

[Leader Note: If kids have trouble understanding who the Holy Spirit is, feel free to add in God is ONE God, but THREE persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each person is God, and each person has a different job to do. It is hard for us to understand this, but God is different from us.]

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1.2 — GOD IS HOLY

LARGE GROUP LESSON Time Considerations Consider modifying your Large Group lesson to best fit your allotted time frame. Here are some suggestions if you have: 15 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. 20 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. Consider an interactive Introduction Activity OR Main Lesson Activity from the Resource Bundle to support your teaching. 25 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. Consider adding in an Introduction Activity AND a Main Lesson Activity from the Resource Bundle along with Sum It Up to support your teaching. God Is Holy Activities with instructions available on the Resource Bundle: Introduction Activity Options: 1) Paper Object Lesson 2) Imitation Game Main Lesson Activity Options: 1) Revelation 4:8b Poster Activity 2) What Is Right? Matching Game 3) What Is Right? Skits

YOUR PLAN What do you need to prepare ahead of time? Space considerations: Chairs –

Size of room –

Whiteboard –

Lesson considerations: Activities to include from Resource Bundle or other source –

Personal stories/short narratives to support lesson –

Audiovisual equipment –

Download PowerPoint from Resource Bundle or create presentation –

Print handouts from Resource Bundle –

Props –

Volunteers for lesson –

12

1.2 — GOD IS HOLY

INTRODUCTION What does it mean to be a creator? In the Start Here portion of the “God Is Holy” section in the T&T kid’s handbook, your T&T kids were asked to write or draw about a time they had trouble making a right, or good, choice. Open the lesson by giving the kids a chance to share what they wrote or drew about. Then ask them the questions below. What makes a choice right/good or wrong/bad? A choice is good if we make it in obedience to God and those He tells us to obey, like parents. A choice is bad if it involves sin. Does God ever have trouble making right or wrong choices? No, God is holy which means He is perfect, without sin, and always doing what is right.

REVELATION 4:8B

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

DEFINITIONS

HOLY — perfect, without sin, and always right ALMIGHTY — strong and more powerful than anyone

or anything

[Leader note: Consider sharing an example of a time you had trouble as a child making the right or good choice in a situation.]

Your Introduction Notes

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1.2 — GOD IS HOLY

MAIN LESSON TEACHING OUTLINE Share these key concepts and the verses that accompany each point. Allow time for kids to ask questions or give responses to your teaching. 1. God is holy. It’s who He is! That means He is perfect, without sin and always right. Revelation 4:8b: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Psalm 145:17: The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His works. 2. We are humans that are sinful and born in sin, because we are all related to the first man, Adam, who was a sinner. We don’t always do what’s right, because we are not holy like God. Romans 3:10-12: As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 3. If we want to know what is right, we have to look at the Bible to know who God is and what He wants us to do. 2 Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 4. Once we trust Christ as Savior, we become holy in God’s sight. The Holy Spirit lives inside us and helps us to do

Your Teaching Outline Notes: •

•

•

•

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what’s right and be more like Christ. Romans 8:9-11: You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

REVELATION 4:8b

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

DEFINITIONS

HOLY — perfect, without sin, and always right ALMIGHTY — strong and more powerful than anyone

or anything

1.2 — GOD IS HOLY

LESSON APPLICATION

SUM IT UP

Now that your T&T kids know that God is Holy, it’s time to apply this truth to their lives. Ask them the following questions. 1. What does it mean that God is Holy? He is perfect, without sin, and always doing right.

[Leader Note: Sum It Up should last about a minute. Consider incorporating a small, squishy ball during the discussion. Throw the ball to the first kid who raises his or her hand. Then have that child toss the ball to the next kid who raises a hand. Adding in physical activity will encourage more response from the kids.]

2. God tells us to be holy, but we are sinners. How can we be holy? By trusting in Christ as our Savior.

Ask kids to tell you one thing they remember from the lesson. After you’ve gotten responses, recap these key concepts once more:

3. How does God see us after we accept Christ as our Savior? How will that affect the way you think and act in your day-to-day life? He sees us like He sees His sinless, perfect Son, Jesus Christ.

• God is holy. It’s who He is! That means He is perfect, without sin, and always right.

4. Who comes to help keep us from sinning? The Holy Spirit

• We are humans that are sinful and born in sin, because we are all related to the first man, Adam, who was a sinner. We don’t always do what’s right, because we are not holy like God. • If we want to know what is right, we have to look at the Bible to know who God is and what He wants us to do. • Once we trust Christ as Savior, we become holy in God’s sight. The Holy Spirit lives inside us and helps us to do what’s right and be more like Christ.

Lesson Application Notes

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1.2 — GOD IS HOLY

T&T ANNOUNCEMENTS What important things do your T&T kids need to know before they leave?

CLOSING PRAYER Jot down prayer requests:

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GOD IS JUST SECTION 1.3 God is perfectly just, which means He always gives people what they deserve. The Bible says those who sin deserve death and punishment in hell forever. But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take our punishment and give us life forever in heaven. LESSON OVERVIEW God is always just and fair to everyone, which means He will always give people what they deserve, no matter who we are. (Deuteronomy 32:4) He doesn’t pick favorites and He treats and loves us all the same! (Job 34:10-19, Romans 2:11) John 3:16 says: For God so loved the world … and that means ALL people in the world. If any person does something right or wrong, God will give him or her the reward or punishment he or she deserves. God may not reward or punish the person right away, but He will do it when He thinks the time is right.

DEUTERONOMY 32:4

The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He.

DEFINITIONS

THE ROCK — a name for God, because He is strong like a rock and

does not change JUSTICE — when people are treated fairly and get the reward or punishment they deserve FAITHFULNESS — keeping promises, able to be trusted INIQUITY — sin UPRIGHT — one who is perfect and always does right

LESSON OBJECTIVES Pray that the Holy Spirit would work through this lesson so kids: • Understand that God is just and will never treat them unfairly; God has no favorites! • Know that the Bible says those who are sinless deserve heaven and those who are sinners deserve hell.

In the Bible, God says that anyone who has never sinned deserves to go to heaven someday and live there with God forever (Romans 2:6-7). But there is a problem. Nobody deserves to go to heaven because nobody, but God’s Son, Jesus Christ, has ever lived without sinning! Only Jesus deserves to be in heaven with God.

• Know that all people deserve hell, since no person is sinless except Jesus.

Romans 6:23 says: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Wages are what we earn or deserve and death is being away from God forever in a terrible, fiery place called hell. Since God is just, He must give us the punishment of death that we deserve for our sin. It wouldn’t be just for Him to let us into heaven, because we didn’t earn it.

• Trust Jesus as Savior if they have not yet done so.

• Thank God for sending Jesus to take the punishment that we deserved for our sin. • Believe that those who trust Christ will go to heaven; those who do not trust Christ will go to hell.

Your Objectives:

Good news! God loved us so much that He sent His perfect, sinless Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to die on the cross and take the punishment for our sin. Then Jesus came alive again. When we trust that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and came alive again, we can have life forever in heaven.

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1.3 — GOD IS JUST

LARGE GROUP LESSON Time Considerations Consider modifying your Large Group lesson to best fit your allotted time frame. Here are some suggestions if you have: 15 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. 20 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. Consider an interactive Introduction Activity OR Main Lesson Activity from the Resource Bundle to support your teaching. 25 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. Consider adding in an Introduction Activity AND a Main Lesson Activity from the Resource Bundle along with Sum It Up to support your teaching. God Is Just Activities with instructions available on the Resource Bundle: Introduction Activity Options: 1) Candy Justice Simulation 2) A Short Story of Injustice Main Lesson Activity Options: 1) Draw a Picture of Justice 2) Push-Up Illustration

YOUR PLAN What do you need to prepare ahead of time? Space considerations: Chairs –

Size of room –

Whiteboard –

Lesson considerations: Activities to include from Resource Bundle or other source –

Personal stories/short narratives to support lesson –

Audiovisual equipment –

Download PowerPoint from Resource Bundle or create presentation –

Print handouts from Resource Bundle –

Props –

Volunteers for lesson –

18

1.3 — GOD IS JUST

INTRODUCTION In the Start Here portion of the “God Is Just” section of the T&T kid’s handbook, your T&T kids were asked to write or draw about something they think is unfair. Open the lesson by giving the kids a chance to share what they wrote or drew about. Then ask them the questions below.

DEUTERONOMY 32:4

The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He.

What makes something fair or unfair? Why do people sometimes treat us unfairly? Who is always just and fair to everyone? [Leader Note: Consider sharing an example of a time you felt something was unfair.]

DEFINITIONS

THE ROCK — a name for God, because He is strong like a rock and

does not change JUSTICE — when people are treated fairly and get the reward or punishment they deserve FAITHFULNESS — keeping promises, able to be trusted INIQUITY — sin UPRIGHT — one who is perfect and always does right

Your Introduction Notes

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1.3 — GOD IS JUST

MAIN LESSON TEACHING OUTLINE Share these key concepts and the verses that accompany each point. Allow time for kids to ask questions or give responses to your teaching. 1. God is just, which means He will always give people what they deserve. Deuteronomy 32:4: The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He. 2. The Bible says those who are sinless deserve heaven and those who are sinners deserve hell. All people deserve hell, since no person is sinless except Jesus. Matthew 19:16-26, Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 3. God sent Jesus to take the punishment that we deserved for our sin. Romans 5:8: But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 4. Those who do not trust Christ will go to hell; those who trust Christ will live in heaven forever! (Matthew 25:31-46)

Your Teaching Outline Notes: •

•

•

•

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DEUTERONOMY 32:4

The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He.

DEFINITIONS

THE ROCK — a name for God, because He is strong like a rock and

does not change JUSTICE — when people are treated fairly and get the reward or punishment they deserve FAITHFULNESS — keeping promises, able to be trusted INIQUITY — sin UPRIGHT — one who is perfect and always does right

1.3 — GOD IS JUST

LESSON APPLICATION

SUM IT UP

Now that your T&T kids know that God is Just, it’s time to apply this truth to their lives. Ask them the following questions. 1. What does it mean that God is just? He is sinless, perfect, and right all of the time.

[Leader Note: Sum It Up should last about a minute. Consider incorporating a small, squishy ball during the discussion. Throw the ball to the first kid who raises his or her hand. Then, have that child toss the ball to the next kid who raises a hand. Adding in physical activity will encourage more response from the kids.]

2. What do we deserve for our sin? Death and punishment in hell forever.

• God is just, which means He will always give people what they deserve.

3. What does God give us instead after we accept Christ as our Savior? How will that affect the way you think and act in your dayto-day life? Life forever in heaven with Him.

• The Bible says those who are sinless deserve heaven and those who are sinners deserve hell. All people deserve hell, since no person is sinless except Jesus. • God sent Jesus to take the punishment that we deserved for our sin. • Those who do not trust Christ will go to hell; those who trust Christ will live in heaven forever!

Lesson Application Notes

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1.3 — GOD IS JUST

T&T ANNOUNCEMENTS What important things do your T&T kids need to know before they leave?

CLOSING PRAYER Jot down prayer requests:

22

GOD IS LOVE SECTION 1.4 God is our perfect example of love because He is love. His love is perfect and amazing, because He sent His Son to die for us and take our punishment, even though we are sinners and enemies of God. LESSON OVERVIEW Loving another person means doing what’s best for them, even if it sometimes means that we don’t get the best for ourselves. It is much easier to love the people we know and like and who love us too. It is much harder to love people we don’t know or people who are bad or mean. God’s love is much stronger and better than ours! He loves us and always does what’s best for us. And He loves people even though they are bad and mean and don’t know Him or deserve His love at all. God created everything, and He created us to have a relationship with Him. He created us so He could love us and we could love Him! Even though we sin and deserve death, God still wants a relationship with us. But because God is holy and just, our sin keeps us from having a relationship with Him. A sinless person had to die to take the punishment we deserve. God showed us grace by sending His sinless Son, Jesus Christ, to die and take the punishment for our sins. There is no greater way that God could have shown His love than to send His Son to die for us. By trusting that Christ took the punishment for our sins, we can have a relationship with God (Ephesians 2:4-5). We might die for someone who loves us or someone we think is good, but God sent Jesus to die for sinners, the people who are His enemies. When Jesus was preparing to die, the people He was dying for spit on Him, whipped Him, and made fun of Him. They were His enemies. The Bible says that we too are sinners and enemies of God until we accept Jesus as our Savior (Romans 5:10, Colossians 1:21). Still, God loved us anyway and did what was best for us, even though it hurt His Son so much. His love is so amazing!

EPHESIANS 2:4-5

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.

DEFINITIONS

MERCY — kindness to someone who deserves punishment TRESPASSES — sins GRACE — giving someone something good that he or she

doesn’t deserve

LESSON OBJECTIVES Pray that the Holy Spirit would work through this lesson so kids: • Understand that loving another person means doing what’s best for them, even if it means that we don’t get the best for ourselves. • Realize that it is hard for us to love people who are mean to us. • Remember that God created us for a love relationship with Him, but our sin, until we trust Christ, keeps us from that relationship. • Know that because God is just, someone must pay the punishment for our sin, which is death. • Accept that because God loved us, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take our punishment. • Be amazed by God’s love: He is the perfect example of love, and He loved us and did what was best for us, even though we were sinners and didn’t deserve His love at all! • Believe and receive God’s great love for us.

Your Objectives:

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1.4 — GOD IS LOVE

LARGE GROUP LESSON Time Considerations Consider modifying your Large Group lesson to best fit your allotted time frame. Here are some suggestions if you have: 15 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. 20 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. Consider an interactive Introduction Activity OR Main Lesson Activity from the Resource Bundle to support your teaching. 25 Minutes: Focus on the opening prayer, Introduction, Main Lesson Teaching Outline, Application, and closing prayer. Consider adding in an Introduction Activity AND a Main Lesson Activity from the Resource Bundle along with Sum It Up to support your teaching. God Is Love Activities with instructions available on the Resource Bundle: Introduction Activity Options: 1) Who Do You Love? Hearts 2) Vote For Who Is the Most Loving Main Lesson Activity Options: 1) Word Unscramble 2) Word Posters

YOUR PLAN What do you need to prepare ahead of time? Space considerations: Chairs –

Size of room –

Whiteboard –

Lesson considerations: Activities to include from Resource Bundle or other source –

Personal stories/short narratives to support lesson –

Audiovisual equipment –

Download PowerPoint from Resource Bundle or create presentation –

Print handouts from Resource Bundle –

Props –

Volunteers for lesson –

24

1.4 — GOD IS LOVE

INTRODUCTION In the T&T kid’s handbook “God Is Love” Start Here section, your T&T kids were asked to write or draw a way that they can show love to people. Open the lesson by giving the kids a chance to share what they wrote or drew about. Then ask them the questions below. Why do you love the people you love?

EPHESIANS 2:4-5

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.

How do you show your love to these people? Where does love come from? God!

DEFINITIONS

How did God show His love for us? By sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

MERCY — kindness to someone who deserves punishment TRESPASSES — sins GRACE — giving someone something good that he or she

[Leader note: Consider sharing a way that you show love to people.]

doesn’t deserve

Your Introduction Notes

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1.4 — GOD IS LOVE

MAIN LESSON TEACHING OUTLINE Share these key concepts and the verses that accompany each point. Allow time for kids to ask questions or give responses to your teaching. 1. Loving another person means doing what’s best for them, even if it means that we don’t get the best for ourselves. Ephesians 2:4-5: But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. 2. God created us for a love relationship with Him, but our sin keeps us from that relationship. Because God is just, someone must take the punishment for our sin, which is death. Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 3. But because God loved us, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take our punishment. 1 John 4:9-10: In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Your Teaching Outline Notes: •

•

•

•

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4. God’s love is much stronger and more amazing than our love. He loved us and did what was best for us, even though we were sinners and didn’t deserve His love at all! (Ephesians 2:4-5)

EPHESIANS 2:4-5

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.

DEFINITIONS

MERCY — kindness to someone who deserves punishment TRESPASSES — sins GRACE — giving someone something good that he or she

doesn’t deserve

1.4 — GOD IS LOVE

LESSON APPLICATION

SUM IT UP

Now that your T&T kids know that God is love, it’s time to apply this truth to their lives. Ask them the following questions.

[Leader note: Sum It Up should last about a minute. Consider incorporating a small, squishy ball during the discussion. Throw the ball to the first kid who raises his or her hand. Then, have that child toss the ball to the next kid who raises a hand. Adding in physical activity will encourage more response from the kids.]

1. What does it mean that God is Love? He loves us and always does what is best for us. He loves us no matter what. His love is much stronger and better than ours. He loved us even we were His enemies. Love is who He is and His love never changes. He is our model for what love truly is. 2. We deserve death because of our sin, but what did God do for us instead? Sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross as the punishment for our sins 3. How will that affect the way you think and act in your day-to-day life? Answers will vary.

• Loving another person means doing what’s best for them, even if it means that we don’t get the best for ourselves. • Remember that God created us for a love relationship with Him, but our sin keeps us from that relationship. Because God is just, someone must may the punishment for our sin, which is death. • But because God loved us, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take our punishment. • God’s love is much stronger and more amazing than our love. He loved us and did what was best for us, even though we were sinners and didn’t deserve His love at all!

Lesson Application Notes

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1.4 — GOD IS LOVE

T&T ANNOUNCEMENTS What important things do your T&T kids need to know before they leave?

CLOSING PRAYER Jot down prayer requests:

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