Teaching 1 Peter 4:1-11

[This is our second last session on 1 Peter]

3-5s

Theme: Copy Jesus by loving one another as we wait for Him to come back

Intro:

Copy me – tell the children that one leader is a follower of Jesus and one isn’t. They are to copy the follower and ignore the other leader. Do some basic repetitive actions such as patting your head, jumping up and down, etc. The other leader tries to put them off.

Bible story:

[There are no obvious story elements in the passage this week, so we will base it around application]

Who can remember who wrote the letter we’re looking at this term? Peter

This is Kevin the Christian [bring out figure/picture or puppet] and he is in the same class at school as Norman the Non-Christian [bring out another figure/picture or puppet]. Now Norman has been laughing at Kevin because he’s a follower of Jesus.

There are all sorts of things that Norman does because doesn’t know Jesus and the forgiveness Jesus brings. So Norman doesn’t do what the teacher asks him to do, he shouts back at his mum, he makes lots of other things more important than God like football and watching TV.

This was just like the people in Peter’s day who didn’t follow Jesus. But Peter says to the Christians, ‘Don’t worry, one day people like Norman will have to stand before God. And God will say to them, “Why have you lived like this?” And it will be horrible on that day for them!’ Read v4-5 (NCV)

Now Norman keeps trying to get Kevin to do what he’s doing. But Peter says, ‘No, don’t be like that. Instead copy Jesus!’

Jesus is the person we’re to copy. Read 4v1 (NCV). Peter says that because you’re suffering, because you’re being laughed at for following Jesus, that shows you that you’re a Christian, you’ve been forgiven, and so sin isn’t your boss anymore. Jesus is. So live like Him.

So how should Kevin copy Jesus. [Have an outline of a body] Well, Peter tells us how. Let’s listen:

Read v7 – How should we copy Jesus?  We should be in control of what we do and pray [Stick on a picture of hands praying] Does this describe you?

Read v8 – How should we copy Jesus? Love. [Stick on a heart]. That’s a sort of love that doesn’t blame other people when they’ve done something wrong against you and so make the situation worse.

Read v9 – How should we copy Jesus? Open your homes [Stick on a picture of a house]. So we should look after people by having them round for meals and to play.

Read v10 – How should we copy Jesus? Serving [Stick a picture of a waiter on the outline] That means we make what other people need more important than what we need. [Give some good examples] How good are you at that?

Read v11 – How should we copy Jesus? Speaking about Jesus and using your abilities for others. [Stick on a picture of a tongue] So we are to encourage each other by reminding them of Jesus, talking about Jesus. And if we have a special ability, we’re to use that to help other people. [Give examples from your own life].

If we do this then people will see how brilliant Jesus is!

Pray

Activity

·        Stick on the pictures from the story onto a smaller outline

Songs

Follow follow, Stick with Jesus, No more tears (All from A Very, very Big God)

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5-11s

Theme: Copy Jesus by loving one another as we wait for Him to come back

Intro:

Follow on – have them in a line. The person at the front starts doing an action, the others need to copy. If they don’t, they’re out.

Mirror – Put them in pairs facing each other. One is the mirror and needs to copy what the other is doing.

Bible Teaching:

Recap – what have we been looking at? What can you tell me about the letter?

Remember, we’re aliens and strangers. We don’t belong here, we belong to Jesus.

Introduce Kevin the Christian and Norman the Non-Christian (Hang labels around their necks). They are in the same class at school, but Norman has been laughing at Kevin for being a Christian. Have any of you had that?

Norman lives differently because he doesn’t know Jesus and the forgiveness Jesus brings. What sort of things might Norman do? What sorts of things have you seen you’re non-Christian friends doing? [Take sensible suggestions and add a few]

Norman laughs at Kevin for not doing these things too. But here’s what Peter has to say to Kevin to encourage him:

Read v4-5. Norman is going to meet God one day and God will ask Norman why he’s lived the way he has.

And do you know what, because everyone will have to do that, we tell them about Jesus in the hope that they might know Jesus’ forgiveness too, because it’s not going to be very nice for Norman on that day, if he carries on as he is!

So what should Kevin do?

Read v1-2. He should copy Jesus. He’s part of Jesus’ kingdom, the fact that he’s being laughed at for being a Christian shows him that. This means that sin isn’t his boss anymore, but Jesus is. So give up the old sinful ways.

How do we copy Jesus? [At this point Norman can sit down]

Read v7. How do we copy Jesus? Control yourselves and pray. Attach picture of hands praying to Kevin. How good are you at doing this?

Read v8. How should we copy Jesus? Love. Stick a heart on Kevin. It’s a love that doesn’t make things worse if someone has sinned against us, it’s a love that forgives. How good are you at doing this?

Read v9. How are we to copy Jesus? Hospitality. Stick on a picture of a house. How good are you at doing this?

Read v10. How are we to copy Jesus? Serving. Stick on a picture of a waiter. How good are you at doing this?

Read v11. How are we to copy Jesus? Speaking. Stick on a picture of a tongue. How good are you at encouraging each other to follow Jesus?

Pray for specific things from above.

Sticking pictures from above on a body or funsheet

Pray for the suffering church (use Release Advent Calendar)

Spares – shadows: have a torch and shine at one child. All the other children need to stay in the shadow as it moves. Purpose – copying Jesus.