10 Little Words

Each week I visit each class in Hilliard's primary school and share some practical thoughts with the kids from the Bible. Last week I talked about the 10 most important words we ever learn.

IF IT IS TO BE IT IS UP TO ME

I played hang man with all four classes (I shared this on with the 6-7 class as well, later in the week). They were amazed that there could be 10 words all 2 letters long that actually meant something important! It was a great lesson. Lots of fun.

Here is an outline of what I said to the kids. Of course the presentation was very different for the Kindergarten than it was for the 7th grade class...

1. We played hangman with "The ten most important words you will ever learn - if you learn them!"

2. I told the story of Noah.
God talks to Noah, tells him to build a boat. Did God say how big? Yes. Did God say how wide? Yes. Did God say what kind of wood? Yes.
So Noah gets the plans from God, sits on his couch with the remote control in his hand, watches TV and every-so-often looks out the window to see how the Ark is developing. Right?
The kids all shout NO!!! Then I had them explain to me that Noah built it. With what help? His family. No one else? No.
Then I talked about him preaching about the coming flood. and building. and preaching. and building. and preaching. for 120 years. How many people helped? 7 (plus Noah). Then we did some maths (kids love maths in groups) - How many years total spent in man hours? 120X8... 960 years. That's a lot of work.

3. I talked about Jesus dying for us. It was a great plan. But, Jesus had to DO it.

4. I talked about how many things I can remember without writing a list - 3... God gave us 3 things to do. We call it the Great Commission. 1. Make Disciples. 2. Baptise them. 3. Teach them.
I challenged the kids, Can you remember those three things without writing them down? We repeated it. I erased it off the board. We repeated it again.

5. I talked about how building the boat relates to Salvation. God told Noah to build a boat. Who did it? Noah. God told Jesus his plan. Jesus had to do it. Is it OK to ask God for other plans? Sure, Jesus did - but then he said Not my will but yours be done.
There is also another, very strong, lesson in the story of Noah's Ark that really makes people think. The people who built the boat got on the boat. They had been building their faith in their hearts as they built the life-saving vessel with their hands. No one got on the boat that wasn't involved in building it. I believe the same will be true the second time God cleanses the world. Those who have spoken about the second coming but did nothing about it will not have the faith to stick with God when everything looks like "it is never going to rain!" But, thouse who have been building the Kingdom with their hands - discipling, baptising and teaching - will have the faith to trust God in the last days. The workers will be the only ones to get in the boat.

6. The challege - What were the three things God said had to be done before he would return? The kids shout it out. Make disciples! Baptise them! Teach them! Then I challenge them. Who has to do it? WE DO. What happens if we don't? It doesn't get done in our lives. If it does get done without us it is likely the boat will float without us. When it comes to the Great Commission - IF IT IS TO BE IT IS UP TO ME.

The kids and teachers loved it. I'll be using this one again!