During the lesson, the information for you to know is written in regular type, and what we suggest speaking or reading aloud to children is in bold. All resources for this lesson, including the Teacher Guide and Student Page, can be downloaded in a ZIP file by clicking on the following link:
In some lessons you will find "resource articles." These are articles written by experts from around the world to help equip you for your work with children and adolescents. Share them with parents or guardians if you consider it appropriate.
Prepare the 3 bags prior to teaching the lesson. Write a “1” on the first bag. Place the stone in the bag with the number 1. Write a “2” on the second bag. Place the sticks in the bag with the number 2. Write a “3” on the last bag. Place the soft item in the bag with the number 3. If you are using mud, mix enough dirt and water for each student to have a small amount of very wet mud. Make sure the mud is thick enough to be seen when placed on the skin.
Unit Introduction: What does it mean to say that God is our Father? What kind of a Father is He? Here are some things we know about God the Father from the Bible: We know that God created all things, including people. We also know that God loves us. The Bible tells us that God loved us enough to send His Son to die on the cross for our sins. God desires a relationship with each of us. God the Father loves, provides for, protects, and listens to us. As you teach about God as our heavenly Father, be sure to make the message clear that God loves and cares for us more than we can understand.
I will be your Father. You will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord who rules over all.
2 Corinthians 6:18
God not only created us—He is also our Father! He wants us to be His children and a part of His family. When we believe that Jesus Christ came in order for our sins to be forgiven, God adopts us into His family. What love the Father has for us! We are all so special to Him that He desires a personal relationship with each of us. Know that our heavenly Father cares about our lives.
With the knowledge of His love, you can be bold to approach His throne of grace. You can talk to Him about your hopes, fears, and struggles because He knows your heart. As you go through this week, share everything with your heavenly Father. You are His child, and He wants to help you. May the Holy Spirit reassure you of the love God the Father has for you! May you help others discover this never-ending love!
Encourage families to talk to their children about how everyone in a family is needed. Are there people in the children’s lives who are not actually family members but who are so close they are like family? Discuss what role each person plays in a family.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Greet your children as they enter. Tell the students to form a big circle and sit down.
Welcome! I want you to think for a minute about what it means to love someone. How do you show someone your love? Do you do kind things for that person? Do you listen to that person? Do you expect that person to love you in return?
Allow 2–3 children to respond.
Today, we will learn about God the Father’s love. God’s love is perfect. God loves you like no one on earth could ever love you. God shows His love by being kind. He listens to you and wants what is best for you. God loves you when you obey and honor Him as well as when you do not—His love is unconditional. God is love!
Let’s play a game to help us understand God’s love.
Place the 3 labelled bags in the middle of the circle.
Let’s try to describe God’s love. I put 3 bags on the ground inside this circle. Each bag has something different inside. Raise your hand if you want to come and feel what is inside the first bag.
Choose a volunteer and have him feel inside the bag.
Choose 1 word to describe how the object feels. Do not guess what it is, just tell us how it feels using words to describe it such as bumpy, soft, or smooth.
Repeat this with the other 2 bags using different volunteers. After the volunteers have described the items in all 3 bags, show the children what is in each bag, 1 at a time. As you remove each item, pass it around the circle so each child can feel the object. After each item has gone around the circle, say the following:
Bag 1: This stone is smooth. God the Father loves you when your life is going well. He is with you in the smooth, good times.
Bag 2: This stick feels rough and bumpy. God the Father loves you when your life is rough or bumpy. He is with you in the difficult times.
Bag 3: This (name the soft item) feels soft and comforting. God the Father comforts you like a warm, soft blanket. He is with you when you need to be comforted.
The item in each bag feels different. Our heavenly Father shows His love for us in different ways. God shows His love for us in good times and bad times. We can talk to Him when our life is going well and when it is difficult. God’s love can always comfort us.
Ask the children to stay in the circle for the next activity.
Today, we will learn about God the Father. A father is a member of a family. A family is a group of people who are connected to one another. In a family, there can be grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Other people can be connected to your family too! You are all children in your family. God wants you to be part of His family so you can know Him as your Father.
God is different from fathers on earth. He created all things. Listen to what the Bible says about the kind of Father God is.
Read this verse directly from your Bible.
There is one God and Father of all. He is over everything. He is through everything. He is in everything.
Ephesians 4:6
God created all things! He is the One True God. He is a Father to everyone because He created them. He created you! As your Father, He also wants you to know His love!
Stand up and move with me! I will show you some motions to go with the Bible verse we just read. Do what I do.
Read each part of the verse, then do each motion. Do each motion with the children 3 times before moving on to the next motion.
There is 1 God and Father of all—Indicate a number “1” using 1 finger or hand and point toward the sky.
He is over everything. He is through everything—Stretch your arms up above your head and release them out to your sides.
He is in everything—Hold your right hand with your palm down out in front of you. Hold your left hand near your chest with your palm facing the ground. Pass your left hand under your right hand.
God sees everything. God is with you through everything that happens in your life! God knows everything, including what you feel and think! Your heavenly Father knows your heart. God loves you and wants to help you. God gives each of you a chance to know and follow Him. When you choose to follow Him, you become part of His family!
See what amazing love the Father has given us! Because of it, we are called children of God.
1 John 3:1a
Look around this circle. God’s love for you never stops. God’s love goes on and on, just like this circle keeps going around and does not have a beginning or an end. God’s love for you does not end either. He has loved you since the moment you were created and He will continue to love you forever! Let’s thank Him for His amazing love!
Repeat after me. “God, thank You for loving me! (Pause) You created me and you are my Father!” (Pause)
God is the Father of everything that He created. He created you and He loves you greatly! Sometimes you may feel as if God is far away, but when you call out to Him, God is right here with you. When you believe that God sent His Son, Jesus, to forgive your sins, you become part of God’s family. God is your Father and He loves you deeply.
Just as people show love in different ways, God also shows His love in different ways. People do not always know how to love others well, but your heavenly Father knows you. He knows how you feel on the inside and His love is always with you. Think about the activity you did when you first came to class.
A stone, a stick, and a soft item were used.
God loves you when things are going smoothly. He loves you when life is bumpy, rough, and difficult. God shows His love by comforting you.
Motion toward each of the children around the circle as you read the next sentences.
Remember, God’s love for you never ends. God created you and wants you to be part of His family. When we believe in Jesus, we become connected to God’s family. Now we will walk in a circle as we say “God, thank You for loving me! (Pause) You created me and you are my Father!” (Pause)
Walk in 1 complete circle as you hold hands and repeat the chant 2 times with the children.
Optional: If you are using Student Pages, allow the children 2 minutes to draw circles and trace the words of the Bible verse. Read the Bible verse aloud to the children as they trace it.
Form groups of 3 children and ask them to sit together. Demonstrate how to make a puppet on your hand as you read the following instructions to the children. Your hand should look like the one shown below.
Everyone make a fist with the hand you do not usually use to grab things. Tuck your thumb inside your fist. Turn your hand so that you can see your thumb. Paint small circles on each side of the knuckle on your index finger. These will be eyes for a puppet person. The side of your hand will look a bit like a face. You can make your puppet talk by moving your thumb slightly or by wiggling your fingers that hold your thumb.
I will give you 2 situations to act out with your groups using your puppets!
Allow 5 minutes for the groups to act out each situation. Encourage them to include all their group members in each situation.
Situation 1: You just had a wonderful week! You saw your aunt who came to visit and brought a sweet with her. You know God loves you when your life is going well. What does this look like?
Situation 2: You just had a very difficult week! Your mother went to another village to help your aunt, who is very sick. You will stay home and help your siblings. Your job is to cook while your mother is gone, and you do not like to cook! You know that God loves you, even when your life is difficult. What does this look like?
Good job! I enjoyed watching you use your puppets to act out both situations.
In a moment, you will raise your hand when I call out the number of the situation you thought was easier to act out. You may only raise your hand for 1 situation, so think about which was easier to act out. Now, raise your hand if you think the first situation was easier. Raise your hand if you think the second situation was easier to act out.
Allow 1–3 children to answer each of the following questions.
It can be difficult to feel God’s love for you when you are going through a rough or bumpy time. It is important to know that God is with you and loves you, even when life is difficult. God can show His love for you in different ways. Remember, it is during the difficult times that God is like the soft material we found in the bag, comforting you and keeping you safe. We will talk more about how your heavenly Father protects you in a later lesson.
The memory verse this week tells us that God is the Father of everything and everyone.
There is one God and Father of all. He is over everything. He is through everything. He is in everything.
Ephesians 4:6
Say each sentence of this verse as a rhythm or sing it as a song. Feel free to change the motions to ones that you prefer. If you do this, please note the changes so you can refer to them for future lessons.
There is 1 God and Father of all—Indicate a number “1” using 1 finger or hand and point toward the sky.
He is over everything. He is through everything—Stretch your arms up above your head and release them out to your sides.
He is in everything—Hold your right hand with your palm down out in front of you. Hold your left hand near your chest with your palm facing the ground. Pass your left hand under your right hand.
Repeat the actions with the children 3 times. End class by saying this blessing, based on Ephesians 4:6 and 1 John 3:1a, over the children.
Blessing: May you be surrounded with a feeling of love from your Father in heaven. May you know Him as the Father over all creation.
Share the worship song for this quarter with your children if possible.
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