Romans 6:15-23

[This is part 2 of our series on Romans 5-8. The intervening sessions were written by others or were All Age services]

Romans 6:15-23 for 3-5s

Theme: Jesus’ friends do what he says

1. This is Ronny the Roman [introduce doll or picture or puppet]

Ronny the Roman has become a friend of Jesus’. He knew that Jesus had forgiven him from all the naughty things which he had done. He wasn’t one of Jesus’ friends, but he had started following Jesus and Jesus is now his friend.

But Ronny has a big question [card with question mark, or get Ronny whispering in your ear]. Ronny’s question is, ‘I really want to carry on doing naughty things. Can I carry on doing naughty things?’

So Ronny still wants to disobey his mummy when she says, ‘Don’t eat the sweets.’ Ronny still wants to hit people when they take his toys. Ronny still wants to ignore his daddy when he asks him to be quiet. These were all the things that Ronny used to do before he was Jesus’ friend.

But now that Ronny is Jesus’ friend when he disobeys his mummy that makes Jesus sad [everyone do a sad face]. When Ronny hits people for taking his toys, this makes Jesus sad. When Ronny ignores what his daddy asks him to do this makes Jesus sad. And because Jesus is Ronny’s friend he doesn’t want to make Jesus sad, he wants to make Jesus happy.

Ronny will still do things wrong but now that Jesus has forgiven him, now that Jesus is his friend, he wants to please Jesus by doing what Jesus wants.

[Get them to say together ‘Jesus’ friends do what he says’]

So now that we’re Jesus friends what do we have to stop doing to please Jesus [help them to think through this]? We want to be like Ronny. We want to do things to make Jesus happy, not sad, because he is our friend.

Craft ideas – 2 sided paper. Get them to draw themselves doing something naughty before the story and then the same picture obeying Jesus after the story.

                        2 sides – a happy and a sad face. First side: When I sin my friend Jesus is sad. Second side: When I obey my friend Jesus is happy.

Songs: Walk in the light, Little by little

Romans 6:15-23 for 5-11s

Theme: We belong to Jesus so we do what He wants, we don’t belong to sin anymore

Intro game: Slaves! Something introducing and explaining the theme of slavery. Then briefly explain slavery in Paul’s day; not as bad as some may think, essence you had a master and had to do what he said.

Talk:

Big Question for today: Now I’ve been forgiven can I do whatever I want?

Remember Paul is writing to the Romans. So let’s imagine a Roman Christian who Paul is writing to. Let’s call him Ronny [either dress one up or use a whispering puppet].

Let’s look at what Ronny used to be like. He used to be a slave. But Paul says he used to be a slave to sin [mark on him]. [Have v16-18 up on the screen] This meant that he couldn’t help but do what sin told him to. Sin was his master. So even when he wanted to do something good, he wanted to sin even more. Sin was his master and he wanted to please his master. Paul says that when sin is your master it leads to wickedness and then death. Slaves always get a wage; they get paid for working; they get what they deserve. So when Sin is your master you get what you deserve: death!

But look at what Paul says (v18): ‘You were made free from sin, and now you are slaves to goodness.’ Elsewhere in this section he says ‘You are slaves of God.’ So you no longer belong to sin, you belong to God. So you now live to please him. You have a new master.

Paul says that as slaves of God we no longer get what we deserve. Instead God gives us a gift, of eternal life. You see, Paul says our relationship to God is so much better than that of a slave and master, but he is still our master.

So what does this mean for Ronny? Well it means that he won’t just do what he wants, that’s living to please his old master, sin. Instead he lives to please his new master, God.

We’re just like Ronny

[Use examples from last week?]

Learn Memory verse together (6:23).

Table Time:

Draw round person on wallpaper and do the same on reverse. Mark with words from passage.

Questions:

·        When do you live as if sin was your master?

·        When do you find it hardest to live with God as your master?

·        Why do you find it hard then?

·        What can you do to live to please God more?