Teaching 1 Peter 4:12-5:14

[This is our final session on 1 Peter]

3-5s

Theme: Its great when people laugh at you for following Jesus, because it means we belong to Him!

Intro:

Things that belong to me: Show clip from Toy Story 1 where Woody shows he belongs to Andy because he has his name written on his foot.

What things belong to you? How do I know they belong to you? Eg Xs glasses fit them, Ys jumper has his name in it.

How do we know that we belong to Jesus? We don’t have a label on us saying we belong to Him!

Bible Teaching:

What book of the Bible are we looking at?

Well this week we are going to finish it!

Remember the people Peter was writing to, they were being laughed at for following Jesus [Bring out Kevin and Norman from last week]. Here is what Peter writes to Kevin and people like him:

Read 1 Peter 4:12-13, 16 and 19.

You see when Kevin suffers and has tough times because he loves Jesus, then it tells Kevin that he definitely belongs to Jesus. [Show label on Kevin where its written ‘Jesus’] He is suffering just as Jesus did.

And one day Kevin will go and be with Jesus forever where it is wonderful and glorious!

Let’s look at us. It may be that our friends aren’t laughing at us for following Jesus but as we get older there will be people who will. And when that time comes remember that it shows us that we belong to Jesus and so we will be with Him forever.

[Make labels for each child with ‘_____ belongs to Jesus’ on]

You see when people laugh at us for following Jesus we can know we are His. Its His way of showing that He’s beginning to sort out those who belong to him from those who don’t.

[Have a tray of Coco Pops and Rice Crispies] Who likes Coco Pops and who likes Rice Crispies? Me, too. But I don’t like them together. Can you sort them out?

That’s a little bit like what God is doing when people laugh at us for following Jesus. It shows everyone that they don’t belong to Jesus [start removing Rice Crispies to one side] and it shows everyone that we do belong to Jesus [remove the Coco Pops to the other side].

When people laugh at us for following Jesus we can be sure that we belong to Jesus and that one day we will be with Him forever in glory!

Activities

·        Make their own label, all glittery etc

·        Rice Crispies and Coco Pops picture

Songs

I belong to Him, Follow, follow, No more tears (all from A Very, Very Big God)

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5-11s

Theme: Its great when people laugh at you for following Jesus, because it means we belong to Him!

Intro

Things that belong to me: Show clip from Toy Story 1 where Woody shows he belongs to Andy because he has his name written on his foot.

What things belong to you? How do I know they belong to you? Eg Xs glasses fit them, Ys jumper has his name in it.

How do we know that we belong to Jesus? We don’t have a label on us saying we belong to Him!

Bible Teaching

Recap last weeks with big themes of 1 Peter, particularly suffering. Remind of Kevin and Norman.

How do we know Kevin belongs to Jesus and Norman doesn’t? [take answers]

That’s exactly what Peter is telling these Christians.

Read 1 Peter 4:12-16.

When we suffer because of Jesus, it’s like we’re wearing a little badge that shows we belong to Jesus and the people who are laughing at us don’t. We are suffering then, in the way Jesus did and one day we will be with Jesus in glory. That’s something to look forward to!

[Have a tray of Coco Pops and Rice Crispies] Who likes Rice Crispies and who likes Coco Pops? But not together! We need to separate them out.

When we suffer for following Jesus, its like what we’re doing here. God is sorting out, judging, those who are His from those who are not. Read v17-20.

Now, it may be that you’re not being laughed at for following Jesus, yet, although I know some of you are, but as you get older all of you will and it will be tough. So remember this:

So when we suffer for following Jesus, it’s a great sign that we belong to Him and that we will be with Him in glory forever.

Peter gives us a couple of tips on what to do when we’re being laughed at for following Jesus:

1)    Pray! Read 1 Peter 5:7. If this worries us, then we cast our cares on to Him, because He cares for us.

2)    Watch out! Read 1 Peter 5:8-9. The devil is like a lion, trying to attack us, trying to get us to stop trusting in Jesus. Don’t let him. Watch out!

Read 1 Peter 5:10-11

Boys and girls, Keep trusting Jesus, keep following Jesus, keep loving Him!

Pray for suffering church

Sum up all we’ve learnt this term from 1 Peter:

Eg quiz, big sheet with pictures to stick on.