Not fair!
Children's Activity
Object:
Teachers or Parents: Young children especially have an acute
sense of what's fair and what is not fair. This story of God's
grace may not make sense to them, just as it doesn't make sense
to many adults. Grace just does not seem fair! The important
point here is that the children hear that God's grace is for
them. There is no tenure in the church that assures salvation.
*Learn the story about John Newton, the composer of "Amazing Grace."
*Learn and sing "Amazing Grace."
*Go to the kitchen and find several items weighing 16 oz. The can/jar will say "Net wt. 16 oz." or "Fl. wt. 16 oz." Next, go to the shop and find a package of screws, nails, and so forth that also weigh "16 oz." or "1 pound." Collect five or six different items that all weigh the same. Illustrate the point by noting how different the items are -- just as we people are all different, yet the items all weigh the same. Similarly, God's grace weighs us all the same. A pound of gold weighs the same as a pound of dirt.
*Give voice to the question the children may be thinking: "If we are all saved by God's grace, then why be a Christian all my life? Why not wait until I'm old and then follow Christ?" You can get at this question by asking the class what advantages there are in being a Christian all one's life. Answers might include: Knowing that we are loved by God ... Happiness ... Joy in knowing God ... Peace ...
*Explain GRACE as:
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense
Jesus has paid the price for our entrance into the kingdom of heaven. We get to go free. That makes us free to serve God with all our lives and all of our living. We serve, not because of the reward -- the pay -- but because of the joy in serving One who loves us unconditionally.
*Learn the story about John Newton, the composer of "Amazing Grace."
*Learn and sing "Amazing Grace."
*Go to the kitchen and find several items weighing 16 oz. The can/jar will say "Net wt. 16 oz." or "Fl. wt. 16 oz." Next, go to the shop and find a package of screws, nails, and so forth that also weigh "16 oz." or "1 pound." Collect five or six different items that all weigh the same. Illustrate the point by noting how different the items are -- just as we people are all different, yet the items all weigh the same. Similarly, God's grace weighs us all the same. A pound of gold weighs the same as a pound of dirt.
*Give voice to the question the children may be thinking: "If we are all saved by God's grace, then why be a Christian all my life? Why not wait until I'm old and then follow Christ?" You can get at this question by asking the class what advantages there are in being a Christian all one's life. Answers might include: Knowing that we are loved by God ... Happiness ... Joy in knowing God ... Peace ...
*Explain GRACE as:
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense
Jesus has paid the price for our entrance into the kingdom of heaven. We get to go free. That makes us free to serve God with all our lives and all of our living. We serve, not because of the reward -- the pay -- but because of the joy in serving One who loves us unconditionally.
