======================================================= Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, August 12, 2000 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date completed: August 1, 1997 Length: Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, A BROKEN PROMISE AND A LIE ======================================================= Memory Verse: "The righteous hate what is false." Proverbs 13:5, NIV Lesson Aim: Jesus will help me tell the truth and keep promises I make. GETTING THEIR ATTENTION TRUE OR FALSE [Materials needed: A silk flower or artificial arrangement that looks very real; a real or fake gem stone (whichever is easier to obtain); lock of hair; a dollar bill; a perfume derivative (one that is made to smell like the "real thing"except cheaper); true/false signs, one for each child; (made by gluing two 3 X 5 cards to a popsicle stick, one on each side of the stick. Write the word TRUE on one card and the word FALSE on the other)] [Directions: Display the above items on a table so all children can see them. Give each child a true/false sign. Explain to the children that things are not always as they appear to be. Many things that we think are the "real true thing" are actually false, or artificial. As you point to each item have the children guess which items are real and which are false, made to look like or mimic the real. 1. Silk flowers - Are these real or artificial? 2. Gem stone - Is this a real gem or a false one? Can we always tell just by looking? 3. Lock of hair - Is this lock of hair from someone's head or from a wig? 4. Dollar bill - Is this money real or counterfeit? 5. Perfume - Is this perfume the original scent or has it been created to mimic the original one? Sometimes it's okay to be artificial or false. For instance, these flowers have a special function that real flowers cannot do. There are other times when something false or dishonest is wrong. A person being false or dishonest with himself or others is wrong. In our Bible story today being false and dishonest got two people in very big trouble. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY.] GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE BAGS OF GOLD [Materials needed: 7 brown paper lunch bags per every 7 children (if you have 20 children you would need 21 bags etc.); twine or string (9" piece for each bag); 1 gem stone or large marble for every child] [Directions: On the outside of each of the 7 lunch bags write one word from the memory verse including the text in bold black lettering. Put 7 of the gem stones or large marbles in one of the bags. The other six bags fill with trash or newspaper to give them a filled out look. Tie all the bags at the neck using the twine. Do this same procedure for every 7 bags that you are using. Lay all groups of 7 bags at the front of the room on the floor in separate piles. Divide the large group into small groups with 7 children to a group. If there are less than 7 in a group, children may have several turns. Line the children up in vertical rows, relay style. Demonstrate how to find Proverbs 13:5 in your Bible. Provide the first child in each row with a Bible. When you give the signal, the first child in each row is to look up the text in Proverbs and show you. They then close the Bible and pass it to the child behind them and proceed to run to the front and grab a money bag. It does not matter which bag they grab. The second child may not go get a bag until they have shown you the text and the first child has returned with a bag. They then close the Bible, pass it down the line and go for their money bag. DO NOT TURN THIS INTO A TIMED COMPETITION. ANY TEAM MAY WIN IF EACH CHILD IN LINE FINDS THE TEXT AND BRINGS BACK A MONEY BAG. When all bags have been brought back to the team, they set them up in the correct order so the verse can be read. When everyone on the team can repeat the verse, they may open the bag with the gems or marbles in it. Each child takes a gem or marble to help them remember to tell the truth and not be artificial with themselves or others.] LETTER SEARCH [Materials needed: Write on/wipe off board or blackboard; Dry erase marker or chalk;] [Directions: Copy the following verses as written below onto the board. Call for volunteers to give you five consonants and two vowels for each verse. Fill in the blanks of the verse with the submitted consonants and vowels wherever they occur in the verse. Whenever the children guess a word in the verse any letters in that word may then be filled in in other words. See if the children can figure out the entire verse without using their Bibles. If not, they may look it up together. All texts have been prepared using the NIV version of the Bible. Follow up this exercise with the discussion questions. "____ __ _ ____ ____ _____ ____ ___ ____ _________ _______." Psa. 102:2 "________ ____ ______ _______ ___ _ _____ ______ _____ ____ _ ______." Prov. 12:19 "___ ____ _______ _____ ____ ___ __ ________ __ ___ ___ ___ ________." Prov. 12:22 1. Who is the father of lies? (The devil) 2. How does lying show a lack of trust in God? (We usually lie when we want to do things our own way, which shows we don't believe God will work things out for our good.) ACTING ON SCRIPTURE TRUST TOWER [Materials needed: 8 dominoes or other building type blocks for each child] [Directions: This activity needs to be done as a small group. (4-6 children in a group) Because it is an object lesson it requires adult interaction, so the game doesn't obscure the lesson point. Explain carefully step by step what each object represents. Ask for feed back and review the lesson point at the end.] "I'm going to give you each 8 blocks, and we're going to build a tower of trust. (Pass out the blocks) The foundation of any tower is the base where it begins. Four of our blocks will represent the foundation. (Have each child place a block standing up vertically) When we build a relationship with God or other people the foundation we use is trust. Let's think of four ways we can build trust. This first block might be keeping your word when you say you're going to do something. If you say, "Dad, I'll wash the car this afternoon for you." what should happen in order for dad to be able to trust you? You should do it. This second block might be not doing something you've been told not to do. (Have each child place a second block standing up vertically close to the first block) If mom says, "Do not get in the pool while I am gone." what should happen while mom is gone? You should stay out of the pool. The third block might be always letting mom or dad or the adult in charge of you know where you are and what you are doing. (Have each child place a third block standing up opposite from block #1) If your grandma thinks you are at someone's house, but you want to leave and go somewhere else, what should you do? Call and ask permission. The final block of our foundation may be admitting when you've done something wrong no matter what the punishment might be. (Have each child place the fourth block standing up opposite from block #2. The four blocks should now form a square.) If dad wants to know why you told a lie about your brother to your friend, what should you do? Admit that you did it and ask for forgiveness. (Have the children stand the remaining blocks up on the foundation, adding one to the top for a roof. Each tower should be dependent upon the four basic blocks holding it up.) If one of these foundation blocks is removed, what happens to the tower? (Experiment and try it) When you lie or break promises in a relationship with someone, it removes trust. Pretty soon the whole relationship has a problem because there's no trust between the people. (Repeat the experiment; then put the blocks away and review the point asking key questions such as: What is the basic foundation of all friendships or relationships? Trust. What kinds of things do we do to build trust? Keep our word, obey, show respect, admit faults. What happens when trust is broken through dishonesty or falsehood? The friendship or relationship suffers.) Jesus has shown us many times that He can be trusted. He is never dishonest or false. Only through His help can we be that true."