Obey the Instructions
Items Needed: slip of paper with the name of a destination written on it (oak tree in backyard, dryer in laundry room, trunk of car, etc.)
Reward (yummy treat, small gift, whatever you like)
Hide a reward at a specific destination without the kids knowing it. Announce that there is a reward hidden for them but they must follow your instructions to get it. (All the kids can do this together or you can do it one at a time if you have a smaller family.) Verbally give clues (a little at a time – go ten steps and turn left; look until you find a yellow flower; go where there is something we use to cut the grass; etc.) or write them on slips of paper and give them at the appropriate time.
After the reward has been found and enjoyed, talk about it:
What might have happened if you had NOT followed the instructions? (We wouldn’t have found the reward; We would have wandered around; etc.)
Why are instructions important? (They help us find the way; They help us know how things work; They guide us; etc.)
Where are God’s instructions? (Bible)
Why is it good for us to obey God’s instructions? (So we can know the right way to live; So we can know how to get along with others; So we can know how to love God; etc.)
Read Psalm 19:9-11.
What do these verses tell us about God’s law/words? (They are true, fair, better than gold or honey, and there is a reward for keeping them)
God’s instructions are found in the Bible and there is a great reward when we follow them!
Searching for Truth
Write the letters of the word, Bible, on small pieces of paper and hide them around the room (while the kids are not looking). Invite them to find the letters and spell a word that will give us the truth.
The Bible is not filled with man’s ideas or opinions, but with God’s thoughts and truth.
Read 2 Timothy 3:16. Find four things the Bible does for us.
It is good for doctrine or teaching. Doctrine is a system of beliefs or teachings about a subject. God is the source of truth and the Bible gives us His truth about who God is, why we are here, the right way to live, and so many more things we need to know.
It is good for reproof. The word reprove means to show or expose. The Bible has the power to show us our sin and convince us that we are in the wrong.
It is good for correction. The Bible doesn’t just point out where we’re wrong and leave us there. It also tells us how to get right with God, with others, and with ourselves. It helps restore us to the proper path of God’s ways.
It instructs and trains us in righteousness. To instruct or train implies a process where you learn how to do the right thing. The Bible teaches us how to love God and love others. The Bible teaches us how to live the right way.
The Bible is completely reliable and can be trusted. Millions of people have read and believed it throughout history. The Bible is the most sold book of all time. Every time we open and read it, we can learn truth.
True or False?
Read the following statements and ask the children to say if they believe it to be true or false.
The biggest bird in the world is the ostrich (up to 9 ft. tall).
Honeybees have hair on their eyes.
A cheetah can reach a top speed approaching 70 mph.
The average cow produces 40 glasses of milk each day.
Elephants are the only animals that can’t jump.
All five statements are true. Were these statements true even if we didn’t know or believe it? Yes, these statements are absolutely true. The Bible is true whether people believe it or not. We want to believe and obey God’s Word as the absolute truth it is