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1. OPENING GAMES: (10 minutes)
Hide 15 leaf shapes before class begins, as the children come in get them hunting for the leaves. Once all 15 are found get them to write one word of the memory verse on each leaf then recite the verse. Romans 8:28.
Optional: Download Leaf Visual Aid |
2. TEAM GAMES: (10 minutes)
Divide the team into equal teams, get the children to line up behind
each other in two rows. Give the first in each team a pruned branch
about 8” long, they must run to the end of the room, turn
around and run back and hand the relay stick to next
child continue until all the children have run the race.
3. ACTIVE PRAISE CHORUS (10 minutes)
Optional: Download
the Dutch Praise and Worship music video
4. INTIMATE WORSHIP (10 minutes)
Prayer: Heavenly Father we know
that you are the great Gardener and in order to grow just like plants
we sometimes need to be pruned. So Father God shapes us and creates
us to be what You wants us to be. Sometimes that is a bit
uncomfortable, but You does it for our good in the
end. Thank you for loving us enough to want to prune us.
5. TEACHING
a. “Back Track” Review (5 minutes) Remember
last week we learnt your physical heart determines how and what
your body can or cannot do. Likewise with our Spiritual heart. Spiritually
we must guard our hearts, mouths, eyes and ears.
b. Sword Play
Ready…Swords up… Romeinen
8:28.… CHARGE!
28 Eén ding weten wij: voor wie Hem liefhebben laat God alles meewerken voor hun bestwil, want Hij heeft een plan met hen.(
Romeinen
8:28a)
Download
Bible Verse Visual Aid
Jumble the 15 leaf shapes about and get the children to put them in the correct order. Reciting the verse until the children have learnt it |
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Jumble up the 15 leaf shapes, from the opening game,
and get the children to put them in the correct order. Reciting
the verse until the children have learnt it
c. Teach the Lesson (15 minutes)
DOWNLOAD
Lesson #9 Dutch Visual Aids
God shapes us and mould us into what he wants us
to be. Like a potter forms a pot, a gardener shapes a plant, God
is the gardener shaping our lives. Sometimes it might mean that
God allows bad things to happen to us to teach us a lesson, or so
that we can help others who go through the same thing. Sometimes
He punishes us for disobedience to Him.
Sometimes it doesn't feel good when God is shaping
our lives but He does it for our good. Parents sometimes have to
punish their children for disobedience, sometimes they have to prevent
us from doing something we want to do to protect us, etc. They do
all these things because they love us. God prunes us because He
loves us!
(Bible Reading Johannes 15:1-15)
Object Lessons:
A. (The farmer wearing his hat come out with his pruning shears
and tools and explain exactly what a gardener does when they prune
their plants.) Pruning removes faded flowers. (Show a branch
with faded flowers. Take the shares and cut them off) This
allows the plant to use it's energy to produce more flowers. Pinching
allows you to direct the growth of the plant either up or sideways.
Sometimes a plant has dead leaves or branches. (Show a branch
with dead leaves. Take the shares and cut them off) By cutting
these off you help the plant to grow stronger and healthier.
This is what pruning is all about. That is why God
sometimes has to prune things out of our lives.
It's a little scary to prune a plant, because there is always the
fear that it will not grow back.
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Here is the Good News. As Jesus says, God is the master Gardener. He is constantly pruning us, taking way what is not good for us, and putting us in places where we can thrive.
'Ik ben de echte wijnstok en mijn Vader is de wijnbouwer'. (Johannes 15:1)
Download
Dutch Bible Verse Visual Aid |
Just as with a plant,
sometimes God's pruning of us can look wrong to us or make us feel
hurt or challenged. We may ask, God, why are you allowing this to
happen to me?
Remember: All things work together for the good
of those who love Him.
B. The first feeling of the vine after pruning is
a sense of relief, (hold up your vine plant) ahhhh “All my
dry leaves have been removed, all that dead wood that was breeding
disease and became a home for insects and bugs has gone!”
God does this for us after we give our lives to
Him, He removes our guilt of all the bad things we have done. He
cuts away the habits that bind us.
Pruning does not simply mean Spiritual surgery It
is not just the removal of what is dead. It can also mean cutting
away the good and the better so that we might enjoy the best. Jesus
knew that God often uses tragedy to cause people to look to God
for solutions to their problems. Jesus said, "Every branch
that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."
(John 15:2)
Jesus knew that persecution and difficulties are
a part of God’s plan to help us mature in all areas of life.
Jesus knew that hardship and difficult times often happens so that
we can see how the Lord turns our grief to joy. Pruning hurts but
it also helps. Remember All things work together for the good of
those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)
Discussion Questions
1. Who is the gardener? (God)
2. How does God shape our lives? (He prunes . away things that are
not good for us)
3. How does God uses tragedy? (To look to Him)
4. How do difficulties help us? (They mature us)
5. How do difficult times often help us? (We can see how the Lord
turns our grief to joy)
6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD: Refer to our
Encountering God Handbook for ideas for this important section of
the session. Experience the Holy Spirit Learning Centers creating
a Spiritual atmosphere.
Close with a time of worship. Let the children come forward. Ask
the Lord for greater endurance to withstand the tests, trials and
hardships that are a part of God’s plan for our lives. Ask
the Lord to help you see the silver lining behind every dark cloud
of adversity, to give you greater faith enabling you to see how
God can turn any grief into greater lasting joy. Ask the Lord to
give you greater insight into how the Lord uses everyone and everything
for His sovereign purposes.
CLOSING PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for pruning us so that we may
bear fruit. Thank you Lord for pruning away certain habits and thoughts
enabling us to be more fruitful. Amen.
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DUTCH TAKE HOME PAGE:
Give one ‘Take
Home Bible Verse’ to each child at the
end of the class.
These should be photocopied prior to the Session
and available to take home. |
NEXT WEEK
We will learn how Christians need to "grow" the fruit
of the spirit in their lives.
CLICK
to view Session #10.
SOWING SEEDS OF SUCCESS - MORINGA CURRICULUM
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