4 god wants us to make peace - clover...

38Hands-On Bible MAX

BIBLE BASIS

This scuffl e between

David and Nabal takes

place in the midst of

an even greater ruckus

between King Saul and

David, God’s chosen king-

elect. David had been

on the run from Saul in

the wilderness for quite

some time, fi nding ways

to provide for himself and

his men. So he was likely

under a little pressure

when he began dealing

with Nabal. When David

arrived near Nabal’s

land, he sent a message

of peace and kindness,

simply asking for Nabal’s

kindness in return.

Instead, Nabal responded

with an insult. Under

stress, David took it

personally and was ready

to fi ght. They needed a

peacemaker. This game of

name-calling and fi ghting

is pretty familiar for your

kids. Use this session to

help them avert tragedy

by utilizing some of

Abigail’s peacemaking

skills.

Bible Focus: 1 Samuel 25:2-35

Discovery Point: God wants us to make peace.

Worship Response: Children will worship God by making peace with others in their lives.

Key Verse: “Search for peace, and work to maintain it” (Psalm 34:14b).

A Look at the SessionMix and match to meet your needs. For more ideas, see “For-Extra-Time Activities” on page 45.

Session Sequence

What Kids Will Do Supplies

Welcome!(up to

15 minutes)

Debate likes and dislikes, and make an effort to fi nd common ground.

Putting God First: Serving CD or DVD, CD player or TV/DVD player

Let’s Explore!(up to

20 minutes)

Explore the range of emotions in the Bible passage, and consider how to make peace.

Hands-On Bibles, paper, scissors, tape, craft sticks, markers, shaving cream, paper plates, paper towels

Let’s Praise!(up to

15 minutes)

Write down good qualities in their friends, and praise God for helping them fi nd ways to make peace.

Putting God First: Serving CD or DVD, CD player or TV/DVD player, colored paper, markers

Let’s Pray!(up to

10 minutes)

Thank Jesus for helping them make peace with God, and pray for courage to share that peace with friends.

Putting God First: Serving CD, masking tape, CD player

4 God Wants Us to Make Peace

Session 4 | God Wants Us to Make Peace

Before This Session

o Assemble Bible Exploration Kits (one per four kids): one Hands-On Bible, 10 pieces of paper, 10 craft sticks, scissors, washable markers, paper towels, tape.

o Fill a paper plate for each crew of four kids with a pile of shaving cream.

o Use masking tape to make a 10-foot line on the fl oor of your meeting area.

o Review the “Abigail” bio next to Deuteronomy 12 in the Hands-On Bible.

o CD/DVD Cue the Putting God First: Serving CD (1) or DVD (1).

o Huddle briefl y with volunteers before the session. Answer questions they have. Encourage them, and pray for the session, the volunteers, and the kids.

39

TEACHER TIPBible Exploration

Kits are an easy way

to give each group

supplies. The Jabber Mat

from Group Publishing

is a great tool that

can be used as a Bible

Exploration Kit and as a

space for a Bible Crew to

gather. Check it out at

group.com/jabbermat.


Welcome!

Supplies: CD player or TV/DVD player

1. Play CD/DVD “Into the Bible” (1) as kids arrive.

2. As kids arrive, have each person think of a pair of favorites, such as skateboarding and playing soccer, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers, PE and recess, and so on. Help everyone think of two, making sure kids don’t share their favorites with others.

3. When everyone has arrived, SAY: I’m so glad you’re here today! We’re going to talk about differences. Let’s start by seeing how you are all different. You each thought of a pair of favorites. You’ll need to remember those for this game.

Have kids take turns sharing with the large group the favorites they thought of. Each time someone shares, have everyone else decide which they like best and move to a specific side of the room to show their choices. For example, if someone said skateboarding and playing soccer, those who prefer skateboarding would move to one side, and those who prefer soccer would move to the other.

4. Play until everyone has shared. Then

ASK:

• Why did you disagree?

• What happens when people disagree?

SAY: Sometimes people don’t agree on certain things. When that happens, they need to find ways to make peace with each other, even if they don’t agree.

5. Have kids form Bible Crews of four kids each. Ask each crew to think of two more choices. This time, the choices should get everyone in the room to choose the same side. For example, some options could be cleaning elephant droppings or owning a Wii, eating boogers or a hot fudge sundae, or having a toe on your forehead or eyes in the back of your head.

Allow a couple of minutes for crews to brainstorm. Then have them share their ideas while everyone else moves to the appropriate side of the room. After each crew has shared,

DVDDVDCDCD

Session 4 | God Wants Us to Make Peace41

ASK:

• What does it mean to be a peacemaker?

• Why does God want us to make peace?

SAY: We don’t always agree on things. But GOD WANTS US TO MAKE PEACE. Let’s fi nd out how a young woman named Abigail once helped two grown men stop arguing.

Let’s Explore!

Supplies: assembled Bible Exploration Kits (see page 39) | plates | shaving cream

1. Give each Bible Crew a Bible Exploration Kit, and have crews fi nd the Hands-On Bibles, paper, markers, scissors, tape, paper towels, and craft sticks in their kits. Help kids fi nd 1 Samuel 25:2-35, and SAY: When we argue or fi ght with others, we go through a lot of emotions and attitudes. As you read about an argument between two men, look for the different emotions. Every time a new emotion or attitude comes up, work together to create a mask that shows that emotion or attitude. For example, if someone is mean, you could make a mask with a scowl.

Have crew members take turns reading as the rest of the crew members make masks. As they work, help crews fi nd the different emotions and attitudes in the passage. Allow 10 minutes for crews to read and create.

2. When crews have fi nished, have each crew use the masks to summarize 1 Samuel 25:2-35. While one person shares, another crew member can hold up the corresponding emotion or attitude mask. Make sure each crew has a chance to share, and then

41

a mask that shows that emotion or attitude. For example, if someone is mean, you could make a mask with a

Have crew members take turns reading as the rest of the crew members make masks. As they work, help crews fi nd the different emotions and attitudes in the passage. Allow 10 minutes for

When crews have fi nished, have each crew use the masks to summarize 1 Samuel 25:2-35. While one person shares, another crew member can hold up the corresponding emotion or attitude mask. Make sure each crew has a attitude mask. Make sure each crew has a


ASK:

• What did Abigail do that you could do to make peace with someone?

3. SAY: GOD WANTS US TO MAKE PEACE. Abigail demonstrated some good peacemaking skills we can use in our own lives. Let’s practice some of those skills now.

Give each crew a plate of shaving cream. Explain that crew members will work together in their crews to come up with a modern situation where a peacemaker, like Abigail, is needed. Then the crew members will work together to draw the crew’s situation in the shaving cream.

Allow fi ve minutes for crews to discuss and draw. Then have them use the paper towels to wipe excess cream off their hands.

4. When crews have fi nished etching their situations into shaving cream, have them trade plates with another crew. Then SAY: There are lots of times when we need a peacemaker. GOD WANTS US TO MAKE PEACE in all of those situations. Have crews open their Hands-On Bibles to the Key Verse, Psalm 34:14b.

The person wearing the most white should read the verse aloud and then smooth over the shaving cream. Pause. When we make peace with others, that peace smoothes out any tough situation. Now talk about how we can make peace in the situation that was on your plate. Then decide on one way to make peace that you can draw together.

Allow three minutes for crews to discuss and draw. Then let them use paper towels to wipe excess shaving cream off their hands.

ASK:

• What would your life be like if you didn’t make peace?

• Why does God care whether or not we get along with people?

• How does our treatment of others show praise and honor to God?

SAY: GOD WANTS US TO MAKE PEACE—and maintain it, which means to keep things peaceful. When we obey him in this, we’re showing God we love him and appreciate his peace in our lives. Let’s praise God now.


Let’s Praise!

Supplies: colored paper | markers | CD player or TV/DVD player

1. Have kids form a circle. Give each child a piece of colored paper, and set out markers. SAY: God made each one of us different. We’re unique, and that’s the wonderful thing about God’s creation! But because we’re different, we’re not going to always agree and get along. That’s when we need to find ways to make peace with each other.

Explain that kids will write their names on their papers. They can be as creative as they want, but they only have about two minutes to write.

2. When kids finish writing, have them pass their papers to the person on their left. SAY: Now you have 30 seconds to write one great quality about the person whose name is on the paper—something that makes God happy and proud. Have kids continue passing and writing until the papers get all the way around the circle.

SAY: God is a wonderful creator who made each of us different and unique. When we’re in a situation where we need to make peace, we can remember others’ great qualities and praise God for our differences.

3. PlAY: CD/DVD

• “Live in Harmony” (Romans 12:16) (2)

• “Fairest Lord Jesus” (5)

• “Servant of All” (Mark 9:35b) (7)

Have kids take their papers home to remember good things others see in them.

DVDDVDCDCD


Let’s Pray!

Supplies: masking tape line (see page 39) | CD player

1. SAY: Jesus is the ultimate peacemaker. When our sin created a big problem between God and us, Jesus bridged the gap between us and God by dying for our sins on the cross.

Have kids line up at one end of the tape line. Ask them to imagine the tape is like a bridge over the gap that kept us away from God. As kids walk from one end to the other,

encourage them to pray quietly, thanking Jesus for the way he brought peace and made a way for us to be friends with God again.

Play the instrumental version of CD “Fairest lord Jesus” (13) as kids pray.

2. After everyone has crossed, SAY: One reason GOD WANTS US TO MAKE PEACE is to help our friends and family know God and follow him.

ASK:

• How can you offer peace this week to someone who doesn’t know God?

Have kids close the prayer time, asking God to help them bring peace to someone’s life this week.

High Fives

Supplies: none

Have kids say one peaceful thing to three people as they give them high fi ves.

CD CD Supplies: masking tape line (see page 39) | CD player

1. SAY: Jesus is the ultimate peacemaker. When our sin created a big problem between God and us, Jesus bridged the gap between us and God by dying for our sins on the cross.

Have kids line up at one end of the tape line. Ask them to imagine the tape is like a bridge over the gap that kept us away from God. As kids walk from one end to the other,

encourage them to pray quietly, thanking Jesus for the way he brought peace and made a way for us to be friends with God again.

Play the instrumental version of (13) as kids pray.

2. After everyone has crossed, SAY: WANTS US TO MAKE PEACE is to help our friends and family know God and follow him.

ASK:

• How can you offer peace this week to someone who doesn’t know God?

Have kids close the prayer time, asking God to help them bring peace to someone’s life this week.


For-Extra-Time Activities

THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE Supplies: CD player

Ask kids to read the intro page for any book of the Bible and create a motion for that book. For example, kids could make a motion for rain for Genesis or do a beauty pageant wave for Esther. Play CD “The Books of the Bible Song” (8), and have kids do all the motions they have learned.

CREATE A BIBLE DICTIONARYSupplies: paper | markers | dictionary

Ask kids to create one or more new pages, each with a new word, for the Bible Dictionary. Ask for ideas of new words from today’s session—peacemaker and confl ict are two suggestions. Have them write the word on a sheet of paper in fun letters, add a defi nition, list Scripture references, and make illustrations. Add each page to a three-ring binder, and watch the dictionary grow!

TUG-O’-WARSupplies: uncooked spaghetti noodles

Have pairs of kids play Tug of War with a brittle piece of uncooked pasta. The objective is to try to win the war without breaking the noodle. Then discuss how disagreements often lead to destruction unless we make peace with each other.

MATCH UPSupplies: cards from Memory, Go Fish, Old Maid, or another matching game | tape

Tape a playing card on each person’s back, making sure each card has a corresponding card and each child doesn’t know what card is on his or her back. Explain that without looking at their own cards, kids need to fi nd someone with a card that matches the card on their backs. Discuss how this game is like or unlike peacemaking.

HIDING IT IN YOUR HEARTSupplies: “Peacemaking Opportunities” handout (p. 46)

Give each crew a photocopy of “Peacemaking Opportunities” (p. 46), and have them read the Key Verse, Psalm 34:14b, together: “Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” Then have them choose

one of the scenarios and make up an impromptu skit revealing how they could put the Bible verse into action. Allow time for crews to share their skits with the class.

FOCUS

46Hands-On Bible MAX Permission to photocopy this handout from Group’s Hands-On Bible MAX™ granted for local church use.

Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 481, Loveland, CO 80539. group.com/BibleMAX

Peacemaking OpportunitiesExploration Handout 4

Directions: Work with your crew to make up a skit that shows how you can make peace in your scenario.

You’re playing basketball with some of your friends, and one wrongly accuses another of fouling.

1.

You gossiped about one of your friends to another friend. The first friend found out what you said and isn’t speaking to you anymore.

2.

Someone borrowed your MP3 player and returned it to you with a cracked screen.3.

Your best friend is hanging out with some kids who are encouraging your friend to do some pretty bad things.

4.


Permission to photocopy this handout from Group’s Hands-On Bible MAX™ granted for local church use. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 481, Loveland, CO 80539. group.com/BibleMAX

Family Devotion

Bible Focus: 1 Samuel 25:2-35

Discovery Point: God wants us to make peace.

Key Verse: “Search for peace, and work

to maintain it” (Psalm

34:14b).

When you finish cleaning

up the mess you made with

shaving cream, sit down

with some popcorn and

watch a peaceful movie

together. Try the movie

Cars. Watch for the scene

where a car reaches out to

a would-be opponent in

an unselfish, peace-loving

way. Pass the tissues!

FAMILY CHALLENGE

When is it most difficult for us to be peacemakers?

Why is peacemaking so important when the situation

isn’t our fault?

What’s one thing we can do in our family to be

peacemakers?

Peacemaker Prep Fighting won’t solve the problem. Nabal and David almost got into a huge fight, but Abigail stepped in just in time. Thank goodness!

Discover why David and Nabal were fighting and what Abigail did by reading 1 Samuel 25:2-35.

Now think of someone who hurt you or made

you mad.

Spread a handful of shaving cream in a thin layer on a waterproof surface—like a counter or a bathtub.

God Wants Us to Make Peace

Draw a picture of the problem, and then read

Colossians 3:13.3

4 Ask God to help smooth out the problem. Smooth away the picture of the fight, and write “Colossians 3:13.”

After each family member has drawn and smeared shaving

cream, discuss these questions:

T P!OS

4 god wants us to make peace - clover...

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