Children's Ministry: week 23

June 5 Teaching Resources for Children and Adults.
(Leader help video at the end of this post).

Updated notes are in RED and BOLDED

Fighter Verse 23: Philippians 4:11-13

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹²I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³I can do all things through him who strengthens me

With the younger children, work on memorizing the bolded section:

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

And depending on their ability you could do the shorter

In whatever situation I am to be content

THROUGHOUT THE LESSON, WORK ON CREATING OPPURTINITIES TO SAY THE VERSE TOGETHER OR INDIVIDUALLY

BIG IDEA: Being content means trusting that God will give you what you need.

SIMPLE PHRASE: Be content. Be joyful. (for the younger kids there will always be a simple phrase)

1. Prayer

Prayer Focus based on Psalm 119:11

Thank God for His Word
Ask God to help us store/hide His Word in our hearts (remember/memorize).

2. Last Week’s Fighter Verse Review

Because we didn't have a Fighter Verse last week, you can talk with the class about Psalm 119:11 and what it means to store/hide God's Word in our hearts and it can help us fight sin (remembering what is true when we face temptation and who God is when we face challenges).

For younger kids: Talk about why people store up / save things like food, money or toilet paper. Think back to quarantine time, why did people buy more and store things?

3. Follow-up from last week’s study and action

With no Fighter Verse last week, you can ask the class to share any Bible verses they have memorized in the past. With the kids, give as many as possible the opportunity to share a verse.

4. Introduction Activites (Do one or more of these)

SAY THE VERSES TOGETHER!

GImme Heart vs. Happy Heart activities - https://www.pursuegod.org/wp-content/uploads/KCA-greed.pdf - pages 2, 5, and 6. Copies will be in your classroom

Coloring Page - packet

"No Pain, No Gain"

What does this saying mean?
Examples in your life.

For Kids (and maybe even adults if you want to have some fun)

Have a brief controlled exercise time. Push-ups, sit-ups, running in place. After the exercise time, remind the class that hard exercise should be tiring and sometimes a little painful because you are using muscles you haven't used that much or doing things you are not.

"Look in the Window"

Share some persecuted church or missionary stories - This activity is repeated next week so you can make it two parts or do a differenShare some persecuted Christian or missionary stories. Here are three suggestions and the reasons why I am suggesting them

There is a children’s book in the storage room the younger class could use.
There are several different resources on the Torchlighter page (see below

Richard Wurmbrand

There are several different resources on the Torchlighter page (see below)

Corrie Ten Boom

There is a children’s book in the storage room the younger class could use.
There are several different resources on the Torchlighter page (see below)

For Kids

I have some children's missionary books that would be good to share. I will put them in the storage area by the 5th-grade classroom.
https://torchlighters.org/kids/ is a great resource page specifically for older kids but the coloring pages can be used with younger kids. I am going to be sharing this page with the adults. It has videos, coloring pages, and activities for various missionaries.

5. What? (Observations – What are the facts? (from verse and immediate context)

Practice the verses with the class.

Share Background on Philippi from the Discussion Guide, www.preceptaustin.org, or other resources
Share Background based on the context of Philippians 1,2, 3 & 4

Paul is writing from prison to encourage the Philippians to find joy and contentment. (1:7)

Paul's suffering has advanced the gospel (1:12)
Paul tell them to "do all things without grumbling." (2:14)
In one verse Paul tells them to rejoice (4:4)

For Kids

Background on Paul and the book of Philippians.

The book of Philippians is a letter that Paul wrote from prison (in Rome or Ephesus) to a church in a city where he was put into prison. Let me explain.

Acts 16 (around 49 AD) is the story of the beginning of the church in Philippi. In this story, Paul is arrested, and God uses an earthquake to free him.

Later (around 62 AD) Paul writes a letter to the Philippians from prison. The purpose of this prison epistle/letter is to encourage the believers to live for God and God’s glory.

· With the older kids you can read or summarize Paul’s experiences in Philippians (Acts 16:12-40)

Here is a quick summary Lydia saved. Demon-possessed girl healed. Her owners mad. Paul and Silas arrested. God freed Paul and Silas from jail with an earthquake.

· With the younger kids, you can read from

The Biggest Story Bible Storybook (p. 476). There will be one of these Bibles in the 2/3 year old room and the 4/5 year old room

The Story Bible (p.455). This Bible is in the 4/5 year old.

Share Keywords

content (synonyms for younger kids - satisfied, cheerful, glad, unworried)
abound (synonym for younger kids - overflow)

For Kids

Talk about the following terms

learned - What are somethings you have learned? What does it mean to learn? Why do we learn?
whatever situation - What does this mean?
be content - What does this mean?

Make the we learn (v. 11) so we can do (v. 13) connection?

6. So What? (Interpretation – what is the meaning?) More questions in the discussion guide.

Revisit Introductory Activities- If there are any points to make from the introduction activities.

What to ask -

"No Pain, No Gain"

Why is exercise hard to do?

Why should we do it even if it is hard?

"Look in the Mirror"

What was hard in this person life?

Why was it hard?

How did this person respond to the hardships?

General

Why do you think contentment is hard to learn? (Simple answer to give and talk about: Because we want what we want when we want it. Other answers: the world keeps telling us we need stuff that we don't need, our hearts want more)

Verse-by-Verse

What does someone do to learn something? How could Paul have learned contentment? (learning facts, applying/believing truth, following people's examples)
What is necessary for true contentment (Jesus - who he is and what he has done)
How does someone learn how to be content? (learning and remembering Biblical truths, seeing the examples of others, going through your own difficulties whether big or small).

For Kids

If you were in prison or a difficult situation, would you be able to encourage others like Paul did? Why? or Why not?

7. Now What? (Application – What is God’s intended effect? - General

For Kids

Talk to your parents about what it means to be content/joyful in the Lord.
Count your blessings this week
Don't complain

8. Insight

What are some things you learned or were reminded of in today's lesson?

Share your own insights to get things moving.

9. Action Steps

Think of some specific things each child could do to live out the truths learned. You can think about activities for the Now What? question.

For kids

Do a blessing notebook this week (write or draw picture of God's blessings). You could even have the kids draw one in class and then commit to doing one each day. Next week they can share some of the things they wrote or drew. Have the child write or color the "I Am Content" page.
Think of a song to sing every time they are about to complain. Doesn't necessarily need to be about complaining. Should be about how AWESOME God is. Maybe one you do regularly in class.

10. Prayer

SAY THE VERSES TOGETHER!

Prayer focused on Philippians 4:11 - 13. Here is a sample prayer.

God, thank you for who you and what you have done for us. Help me learn what it means to be content and joyful because of Jesus and not because of what is happening in my life. Help me find my strength in you. Amen.

11. This Week