Teaching 1 Thessalonians 1

3-5s

Theme: Paul says thank you that they are real Christians, not pretend

Aim: That they know whether they are real or pretend Christians

Intro:

Have some real objects and some pretend objects. They have to separate into each. How do we know this is pretend and this is real?

[Introduce Terry the Thessalonian] How did Terry know that he was a real friend of Jesus and not just a pretend friend?

Teaching:

Do you remember last week? Paul spoke to the people in Thessalonica 3 times and then had to leave. Some people became friends of Jesus, but they hadn't heard very much.

So how did they know they were real and not pretend friends of Jesus?

Paul writes them a letter to tell them that he is sure that they are real friends of Jesus and not pretend friends! He tells them three things. Hands, ears and eyes. Here is what he writes:

Read v3 - Paul says that being Jesus' friends has changed them. Its made them love and help people more and more. [Give Terry some hands] If we are friends of Jesus then we will love and help people more and more.

Here is the second thing Paul says: they had listened carefully to what Paul had said and really believed it. [put a pair of ears on Terry]. Do you love listening to Bible stories and really believe them? Then you are definitely a friend of Jesus!

Here is the third thing Paul says: everybody all around had seen how they had changed (read v8-9). [put on a pair of glasses] Can everyone see how much you love Jesus?

[At this point stick a picture on our old letter from last week and recap. The picture could either be a real apple and a pretend apple, or hands, ears and eyes.]

Pray - 'Thank you that we really are your friends, Jesus. Help us to love others, listen to you, and show others we love you. Amen'

Craft:

• Have a colour in Terry - stick on hands, ears and eyes
• Real and pretend sticking - they have to stick the right ones in the right boxes

Songs:

God gave me two eyes and God knows (from J is for Jesus)

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5-11s

Theme: Paul says thank you that they are real Christians, not pretend

Aim: That they know whether they are real or pretend Christians

Intro:

Real or fake - bring in some branded goods and some supermarket copies. They have to guess which is which.

Teaching:

Recap from last week about Paul and Thessalonians.

This week Paul wants to help them to be really sure that they are friends of Jesus. He gives them three ways in which they can really know.

[Have one up as Terry the Thessalonian and introduce]

Read v2-3. Here is the first way they could know they were real and not pretend friends of Jesus: their love for Jesus and faith in Him meant they worked hard for him. [diagram 'Love & Faith -> work' and stick 'work' on Terry] Their hope in Jesus meant they kept being strong and trusting Him. [diagram 'Hope -> Strong' and stick 'strong' on Terry]. What was going on inside them, their love, faith and hope, showed on the outside in their love for each and how they kept going. Is the same true of you? We can know we're really friends of Jesus if we keep loving each other and keep going!

Here's the second thing:

Read v4-5. They really listened to Paul and it made a difference in their lives. [Stick some big ears on Terry]. Do you love to listen to the Bible? Do you love to read it? Or would you rather be off doing something else?

Here's the third thing:

Read v6-10. Everybody could see that Terry and the other Thessalonians had changed! They had begun starting to copy Paul and Silas and live in a way the pleased God. They had given up worshipping statues and had started putting Jesus first. Everybody could see that. [put some glasses on Terry]. Can people see that you are a friend of Jesus? Do people at school know, and can they see the difference that makes in your life? If so, then you are definitely a friend of Jesus!

Pray

Table time: [in younger groups stick three pictures onto Terry the Thessalonian]

Knowledge

• What three things did Paul tell the Thessalonians?
• What had Paul seen and heard about them?

Understanding

• Why was Paul telling the Thessalonians these things?
• How did Paul know they were 'real' friends of Jesus?

Application

• Are you ever unsure whether you really are a friend of Jesus?
• What has Paul said today that has been helpful?

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