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Session 3- FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - JOY

Download 'Super Fruit Series Session #3

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - JOY Joy/Happy There is a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is based upon “happenings,” if good things happen, you’re happy, but if bad things happen we are unhappy. Not so with joy, joy is a deep inner experience not determined by circumstance.

The joy of the Lord is our strength. You may be happy watching your Moringa grow? But joyful when you harvest it!
1. Fleeting happiness
2. Lasting joy

MATERIALS:
A tape measure, a clock, picture of African family, Bottle of bubbles: Fill a bottle with 1/3 cup of water, 1/3 cup of washing up liquid and 1 tablespoon glycerine. Happy/ sad faces stuck together. Photocopy the Bible Verse Card, crayons. Print Smiley faces cut out with parts of the Bible verse written on the back. . Pomegranate and Super Fruit handout one for each family. Activity booklets for each child.

AS KIDS ARRIVE PRIOR TO THE LESSON
Get 1 child to colour the Bible Card prior to the lesson.

2. TEAM GAMES: (10 minutes)
HAPPY PLACES: Have the children sit on the floor in a circle, put on some music or get someone to sing a happy song. Have the children pass around a large cardboard picture of a HAPPY FACE! When the song stops, the child holding the HAPPY FACE will be the child to sit out of the next time around, etc. Tell the children that are out and sitting on the side lines to put on a sad face until the game is over. Ask children if they enjoyed being HAPPY or SAD later today they will learn about Jesus’ LOVE

5. TEACHING

a. “Back Track” Review
Last week we learnt that we are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' this is the first and greatest commandment but to keep it we must first appreciate the immeasurable love God has for us

Last week we learnt:

• God’s immeasurable love. (What do we used to measure length, and height? (Hold up tape measure)
• What measures time? (Clock)
• Love in action. What have you done this week to demonstrate God’s love? (Allow the children to give testimonies)
• Words without love. (Remember the ‘music!’)
• Looking on the inside.(Remember the framed picture of an African family.)

b. Sword Play
Ready…Swords up… Romans 14:17… CHARGE!

c. Teach the Lesson (15 minutes)

DOWNLOAD Super Fruits Lesson #3 Visual Aids

Object lesson: Start the lesson by blowing bubbles, get the children to try and catch them. As their laughter rises explain to them that they are experiencing happiness.

There is just one problem with the happiness that comes from blowing bubbles -- it doesn't last! The minute you reach out and touch one of the bubbles, it will burst. Many times we chase the bubble, but it is always just out of reach and as soon as it touches the ground, the bubble bursts.

I think this is the way it is in the lives of many people today. A lot of people are chasing after happiness, but like the bubbles, happiness is always just out of reach. Or, just when we think we have it, our bubble may burst. What are some of the things that people are chasing in their search for happiness?

Money -- Many people think that money will bring them happiness, but it doesn't. Once you spend it, it is gone, and you still don't have happiness.

Entertainment -- Many people think that laughing and having a good time is the same thing as having joy but it isn't. Many people who are laughing on the outside are crying on the inside.

Popularity -- Some people think that being popular will bring them happiness. They will do anything or say anything to make other people like them, but popularity doesn't last. It is here today and gone tomorrow. There is no lasting joy in popularity.

Jesus knew that people often look for happiness in the wrong places. He even suggested that we might be happier if we were poor, hungry, crying, and disliked by others.
Why would Jesus suggest such a thing?
• When we are poor, it may be easier for us to trust in God to supply everything we need instead of depending on our own wealth.
• When we are hungry for God and his righteousness, we realize that only He can satisfy our hunger.
• When we are crying, we can trust in God to comfort us and ease our pain.
• When we think we have no friends, we have a friend in Jesus. Jesus is a friend who will never leave us.
If the Holy Spirit is within us, we can experience joy even in times of sorrow as we abide in Christ.
Do you want to find joy? Don't spend your time chasing bubbles. Look to your Heavenly Father. He is the source of true joy and happiness. The Bible tells us to be joyful in the God of our salvation!

In our lives here on earth, we will always have hardships, sorrow and tears. Because of sin, we will never be able to experience a life without some sadness. But when we repent from our sin and turn to Christ for our salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit allows us to produce the fruit of joy. We know that God is our joy and that we experience joy through His Word. James tells believers to consider it joy when they go through difficult times in their lives. How is it possible to have joy, to praise God, in difficult times? (Allow them time to think and offer explanations.)

Joy is very different from happiness. Happiness cannot be present when someone is sad. But joy can always be present, even in time as sadness, loss, persecution and difficulties we can praise God

In Proverbs 10:28a we read “The hope of the righteous brings joy.”
As Christians, we have something the rest of the world does not: the hope of eternal life with God. After we die, we know we will live forever with God. He will wipe away every tear from our eyes and there will be no more sorrow. This gives us joy! We know that the hard times we experience on earth will not last forever because of Christ. He is never far when we suffer, but right by our sides. Knowing this truth allows us to have joy even in the midst of sadness.

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD
Get the children to write down ways they can show love to particular people throughout the week. Spend time in prayer together, asking God to help each of you produce the fruit of love each day, particularly this week In the Gospel of John Jesus promised that His joy would remain in us, and our joy would be full. Let us pray and ask Him to give us His joy.

CLOSING PRAYER

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A DROP OF HOPE

GROW AND GO CURRICULUM

ENGLISH/YORUBA

ENGLISH

ENGLISH/EFIK

ENGLISH/SHONA

CHICHEWA

ENGLISH/NUER

SWAHILI

DUTCH

PORTUGUESE

FRENCH/LINGALA

FRENCH/HAITIAN