lesson snapshot - wave church...roger - an armor bearer roger is working in his workshop. the armor...

BOTTOM LINE: The Bible helps us to fight temptation.

OBJECTIVE: Kids will commit to reading the Bible every day this week.

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 4:1-13, The Temptation of Jesus

MEMORY VERSE: “So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing.” Ephesians 6:13 (NIrV)

SUMMARY: Whether it’s a sword or a bazooka, a soldier relies on his weapons to fight and win the battle. When we fill our minds and hearts with the Word of God – the sword of the Spirit – we can overcome any challenge or temptation.

SIMPLE PRAYER: Dear God,

Thank you for the Bible.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

LESSON SNAPSHOT

ARMOR OF GOD: SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

“So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing.” Ephesians 6:13 (NIrV)

LARGE GROUP: Choose four kids who think they know the verse. Line them up on stage. Have the kids recite the memory verse, with each kid saying one word, starting left to right. When you get to the kid on the right, go back to the kid on the far left. Keep going until they get through the whole verse.

SMALL GROUP: Have the kids collaborate on a musical version of the Bible verse. Can it be sung to a popular tune, or can you invent your own?

MEMORY VERSE


SKIT


THE SWORD

ITEMS NEEDED: Medieval costumesAll the pieces of armor for the Armor of God

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN: 2M

CHARACTERS: Sir Wayne - A KnightRoger - An armor bearer

Roger is working in his workshop. The Armor is broken up and set about the stage, as if in various stages of completion. Sir Wayne enters wearing the belt, the breastplate, helmet, and shoes. He carries his shield.

WAYNE: Greetings, Armor Bearer. I’m back!

ROGER: Welcome back, Sir Wayne! Glad to see you all suited up for battle.

WAYNE: I am indeed, Armor Bearer. I have my helmet, my breastplate, my belt, my shoes, and of course, my trusty shield.

ROGER: Yes, look at you. You look ready to take on an army of knights. Or vikings. Or armored bears.

WAYNE: Ya know, I think I could take down some armored bears. I mean look at this suit. Look at this shield. What more could a soldier possibly ask for?

ROGER: How about a sword?

WAYNE: YES!!!!!! FINALLY!!! YES, GIMME GIMME GIMME! I WANT A SWORD SO BAD!!!

ROGER: Ha ha ha, I thought you might be excited for this one.

SKIT


WAYNE: Oh boy, oh boy, OH BOY!!! I finally get a SWORD!!

Roger picks up the sword.

ROGER: Sir Wayne, I give you your sword.

WAYNE: Whoa, that’s a big, scary sword.

ROGER: It has to be. I know you soldiers face some pretty dangerous enemies out there. This sword is the weapon you need to face down almost any challenge.

WAYNE: Almost? I need a sword that will take down all challenges, not almost all.

ROGER: Fear not, Sir Wayne. The only reason I say “almost” is because there are some challenges that require a different kind of sword - the Word of God.

WAYNE: You mean the Bible?

ROGER: You catch on quick. The Bible is sharper than any sword, and it’s the perfect weapon to help you fight off temptation.

WAYNE: Cool. I guess I better get to reading my Bible. And practicing my sword moves.

ROGER: I guess you better. Life is full of battles, and with the sword of the spirit in your heart, you need never go into battle unarmed.

WAYNE: Thanks, Armor Bearer. I can always count on you.

SKIT


WAYNE: Oh boy, oh boy, OH BOY!!! I finally get a SWORD!!

Roger picks up the sword.

ROGER: Sir Wayne, I give you your sword.

WAYNE: Whoa, that’s a big, scary sword.

ROGER: It has to be. I know you soldiers face some pretty dangerous enemies out there. This sword is the weapon you need to face down almost any challenge.

WAYNE: Almost? I need a sword that will take down all challenges, not almost all.

ROGER: Fear not, Sir Wayne. The only reason I say “almost” is because there are some challenges that require a different kind of sword - the Word of God.

WAYNE: You mean the Bible?

ROGER: You catch on quick. The Bible is sharper than any sword, and it’s the perfect weapon to help you fight off temptation.

WAYNE: Cool. I guess I better get to reading my Bible. And practicing my sword moves.

ROGER: I guess you better. Life is full of battles, and with the sword of the spirit in your heart, you need never go into battle unarmed.

WAYNE: Thanks, Armor Bearer. I can always count on you.

ITEMS NEEDED: A video game controllerA book of video game cheat codes

How many of you go home after school and do battle using a controller like this one? This controller is your ticket to a world of challenges. Depending on the game, this controller gives you access to swords, arrows, guns, bombs, fireballs, and all sorts of firepower. It’s the weapon of choice for the afternoon gamer who wants to blast alien ships or just stomp on a few mushrooms.

Now, how many of you have seen a book like this? This is a cheat book. It’s filled with tips and codes that will help you skip your way through some of the toughest parts of video games. Yes, it’s cheating to use these codes, but if your video game were a real-life battle, I think we can all agree these codes give us an advantage we’d all take.

The Bible is our cheat code book for battles of the spirit. The more we read the Bible, the more God fills our heart with his Spirit. The more we know, the better prepared we are to fight and win any battle we face.

Don’t let your Bible sit on the shelf. Take it down and read it every day. It is the sword of the Spirit.

OBJECT LESSON OR KIDS SERMON


DUEL

ITEMS NEEDED: Two identical Bibles

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose two players for this game. Bring them on stage, and give them each a Bible. In this game, you will have the students race to see who can find a Bible verse the fastest. When they find it, they must raise their hand and then read the verse. Best 3 out of 5 wins the game.

Suggested verses to use: Hebrews 4:12Psalm 119:105Matthew 7:24James 1:22Isaiah 40:8

VARIATION: This can also be a group game if you have a large number of kids who bring Bibles to church. Hand out small individual prizes to each student who finds a verse.

WHAT’S THE POINT? The Bible is the sword of the Spirit.

LARGE GROUP GAME


DUEL

ITEMS NEEDED: Two identical Bibles

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose two players for this game. Bring them on stage, and give them each a Bible. In this game, you will have the students race to see who can find a Bible verse the fastest. When they find it, they must raise their hand and then read the verse. Best 3 out of 5 wins the game.

Suggested verses to use: Hebrews 4:12Psalm 119:105Matthew 7:24James 1:22Isaiah 40:8

VARIATION: This can also be a group game if you have a large number of kids who bring Bibles to church. Hand out small individual prizes to each student who finds a verse.

WHAT’S THE POINT? The Bible is the sword of the Spirit.

LARGE GROUP GAME


LARGE GROUP LESSON


BOTTOM LINE: The Bible helps us to fight temptation.

OBJECTIVE: Kids will commit to reading the Bible every day this week.

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 4:1-13, The Temptation of Jesus

INTRO:Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve assembled an impressive suit of armor. We started with the belt of truth and added the breastplate of righteousness. We had our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, and we put on the helmet of salvation. We even have the shield of faith to give us one more measure of defense against the spiritual attacks Paul warns us about.

This is all well and good, but there’s one thing missing from our soldier’s armor, isn’t there? You don’t send soldiers into battle with helmets, boots, body armor, and shields. You have to give a soldier something to fight with, and the armor of God includes a very powerful weapon.

Paul tells us we need the sword of the Spirit by our side. He says the sword of the Spirit is actually the Word of God, and that makes the Bibles we have in our homes and our church pews the weapon of choice for God’s people. Paul’s not the only Bible writer to describe the Bible as a sword either. In Hebrews 4:12, we read this:

READ HEBREWS 4:12

The Bible is a powerful book and a powerful weapon. The Bible has all the offensive firepower we need to do battle with the enemy. When you are tempted, when you feel peer pressure to make the wrong choice, when your faith is challenged, the Bible can arm you with the right words to say to answer that challenge.

The Bible was Jesus’ weapon of choice when he was tempted in the wilderness. Let’s take a look at how Jesus used the Bible to defeat his enemy.

READ LUKE 4:1-13

LARGE GROUP LESSON


MAIN POINT: Three times the devil tempted Jesus. Three times the devil appealed to the human side of Jesus to try and get him to do something wrong. He appealed to Jesus’ hunger. He appealed to his ego. He tried to persuade Jesus to turn against his father and follow him.

Three times Jesus struck back. He didn’t strike with a real sword, but the sword of the Spirit. Jesus had an answer for each temptation. He knew the scriptures well enough to refute the devil’s ploys. Jesus used the Bible to fight his enemy, and Jesus won.

The Bible is the ideal weapon to fight sin and temptation. It teaches us to choose God’s way and say no to sin. Paul tells us to take up the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, so we can fight and defeat our enemy.

DRIVE IT HOME:Having a sword is important if you’re heading into battle. Without that sword by your side, you really have nothing to fight with. But having the sword is only part of the preparation for war. If you want to defeat your enemy, what should you be doing before you ever leave for the battle-field?

You need to practice with it!

Every great swordsman - from the knights of old, to the ninjas of the Far East, to the fictitious Jedi of the Star Wars movies - they all have one thing in common: they practice. They spar with their fellow warriors. They do drills and exercises that help them sharpen their skills with their weapon. No soldier can win a battle if the first time they touch their sword is the moment they are attacked. We must prepare to fight if we want to win.

The Bible is our sword, and it’s a sword we must practice using. There’s no better practice than sitting down, opening the book, and reading. The more we read, the more we are filled with God’s wisdom and knowledge. That is how we prepare to use God’s Word.

God’s Word should be read every day. It should be studied alone and with friends. It should be memorized, which is why we do memory verses with all our lessons. The more we can fill our hearts and minds with these words, the better prepared we will be to face and defeat our enemies.

The Bible is the sword of the Spirit. Prepare yourself for battle by reading it every day!

LARGE GROUP LESSON


MAIN POINT: Three times the devil tempted Jesus. Three times the devil appealed to the human side of Jesus to try and get him to do something wrong. He appealed to Jesus’ hunger. He appealed to his ego. He tried to persuade Jesus to turn against his father and follow him.

Three times Jesus struck back. He didn’t strike with a real sword, but the sword of the Spirit. Jesus had an answer for each temptation. He knew the scriptures well enough to refute the devil’s ploys. Jesus used the Bible to fight his enemy, and Jesus won.

The Bible is the ideal weapon to fight sin and temptation. It teaches us to choose God’s way and say no to sin. Paul tells us to take up the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, so we can fight and defeat our enemy.

DRIVE IT HOME:Having a sword is important if you’re heading into battle. Without that sword by your side, you really have nothing to fight with. But having the sword is only part of the preparation for war. If you want to defeat your enemy, what should you be doing before you ever leave for the battle-field?

You need to practice with it!

Every great swordsman - from the knights of old, to the ninjas of the Far East, to the fictitious Jedi of the Star Wars movies - they all have one thing in common: they practice. They spar with their fellow warriors. They do drills and exercises that help them sharpen their skills with their weapon. No soldier can win a battle if the first time they touch their sword is the moment they are attacked. We must prepare to fight if we want to win.

The Bible is our sword, and it’s a sword we must practice using. There’s no better practice than sitting down, opening the book, and reading. The more we read, the more we are filled with God’s wisdom and knowledge. That is how we prepare to use God’s Word.

God’s Word should be read every day. It should be studied alone and with friends. It should be memorized, which is why we do memory verses with all our lessons. The more we can fill our hearts and minds with these words, the better prepared we will be to face and defeat our enemies.

The Bible is the sword of the Spirit. Prepare yourself for battle by reading it every day!

LARGE GROUP LESSON


CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER:Dear God,

Thank you for the Bible.


ICEBREAKER:If you had a lightsaber, what color would it be?

MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:Ephesians 6:13Have the kids each recite or read the verse in the voice of their favorite cartoon character.

SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY:Set a hula-hoop on the ground. Have each kid take a turn, stepping into the hula-hoop, and demonstrating their sweet sword play moves. They can pretend to be a knight, a ninja, a Jedi, or whatever they wish. It’s at your discretion if you give them an actual prop to use.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:Read Luke 4:1-13

Who tried to tempt Jesus?

What temptations did he offer Jesus?

How did Jesus respond to his temptations?

What is the sword of the Spirit?

Can all of you take some time each day this week to read the Bible with your Mom or Dad?

SIMPLE PRAYER:Dear God,

Help us to learn your Word and place it in our hearts.


SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)


ICEBREAKER:If you had a lightsaber, what color would it be?

MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:Ephesians 6:13Have the kids each recite or read the verse in the voice of their favorite cartoon character.

SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY:Set a hula-hoop on the ground. Have each kid take a turn, stepping into the hula-hoop, and demonstrating their sweet sword play moves. They can pretend to be a knight, a ninja, a Jedi, or whatever they wish. It’s at your discretion if you give them an actual prop to use.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:Read Luke 4:1-13

Why did Satan try to tempt Jesus?

How did Jesus respond to his temptations?

What makes the Bible the sword of the Spirit?

How can we get to know the Word of God better?

Can all of you take some time each day this week to read the Bible?

SIMPLE PRAYER:Dear God,

Help us to learn your Word and place it in our hearts.


SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3-5TH)


TRUE OR FALSE

The sword of the Spirit is the Bible. TRUE

Jesus was tempted three times in the wilderness. TRUE

Jesus defeated Satan with a real sword. FALSE

Jesus defeated Satan with Bible verses. TRUE

We don’t need to study the Bible to use it well against temptation. FALSE

POWERPOINT REVIEW GAME


5 Simple Ways You Can Make This Lesson Stick With your Kids

Armor of God Lesson 6

THIS WEEK’S LESSON: SWORD OF THE SPIRIT


IN THE CAR:Ask your child what they learned about this week on the drive home:Whether it’s a sword or a bazooka, a soldier relies on his weapons to fight and win the battle. When we fill our minds and hearts with the Word of God – the sword of the Spirit – we can overcome any challenge or temptation. Luke 4:1-13, The Temptation of Jesus

HANGING OUT:Make this week’s lesson real:If your kids have sports practice, music practice, or even math practice for homework this week, talk to them about why such practice is important to getting better. Ask them how they can better know the Word of God, given what they know about practice. AT DINNER:Here are some great discussion starters:- What is the sword of the Spirit? - How did Jesus use the Bible like a sword to avoid temptation? - How can we use the Bible to defeat sin?

AT BEDTIME:Quiz your child on this week’s memory verse: “So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing.” Ephesians 6:13 (NIrV) PARENT TIME:What you need to know:Help your kids to get into reading the Bible this week. Read to them, or help them set a time when they can read quietly and pray for themselves. Take some time to do the same yourself during that time if possible. Pray that all of you will gain a stronger knowledge of the Bible through these special times.

CUT O

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ASH

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“So put on all of God’s arm

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ill be able to stand up to anything. And after

you have done everything you can, you will still be

standing.” - Ephesians 6:13 (NIrV

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At the end of this series, students will have made not only a set of armor, but assembled their armor on a “soldier.”

For week six, create a template for the sword that the kids will cut out for their soldier. Have the kids trace and cut out their sword and write “spirit” on them. Let them color and decorate the sword as they see fit.

Save the armor and the soldiers together with each child’s name. They will add to this each week. Go ahead and pre-cut soldiers and other armor pieces for kids who may miss this week or succeeding weeks so everyone can assemble a full armor of God.

CRAFT ACTIVITY


At the end of this series, students will have made not only a set of armor, but assembled their armor on a “soldier.”

For week six, create a template for the sword that the kids will cut out for their soldier. Have the kids trace and cut out their sword and write “spirit” on them. Let them color and decorate the sword as they see it. You can also use the included template.

Save the soldiers together with each child’s name. They will add to this each week. Go ahead and pre-cut soldiers and other armor pieces for kids who may miss this week or succeeding weeks so everyone can assemble the full armor of God.

CRAFT ACTIVITY


SALVATION

SPIRIT

RIGHTEOUSNESS

FAITH

PRA

YER

PEA

CE

TRUTH

ARMOR OF GOD

lesson snapshot - wave church...roger - an armor bearer roger is working in his workshop. the armor...

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