That's Different
ELEMENTARY LESSONS:
MEMORY VERSE:
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22
Week 1: Jesus cares about our words.
Synopsis: At the beginning of the Bible, God speaks creation into existence with His words. At the end of the Bible, the sword by which Jesus vanquishes all evil, comes out of His mouth, representing His words. John even calls Jesus “The Word.”
Words are a big deal to God. He cares about what we say. At some point, we’ve all been devastated by what someone said to us or about us. James 3:1-12 describes the destructive potential of our words, and helps us to understand that we must be careful with them, if we are to follow Jesus.
Scripture: James 1:19-21, 3:1-12
Week 2: Jesus cares about our actions.
Synopsis: There’s an old joke that sitting in church doesn’t make you a Christian, any more than sitting in an oven makes you a cookie. But for many, being a Christian is about going to church each Sunday. James emphasizes the importance of actions. It’s not enough to say the right things or hear the right things. We truly follow Jesus when we obey His words, and live them out.
Scripture: James 1:22-27, 2:14-26, Matt 21:28-31
Week 3: Jesus can use hardships to our benefit.
Synopsis: James begins by telling us to look at life’s trials with “pure joy.” But honestly, this sounds crazy. Who is ever happy to go though hardships? But then James describes a process. Trials test our faith. Tests of faith produce perseverance. Perseverance leads to maturity. Trials cannot be met with “pure joy” in and of themselves. But when we see them as the starting point of something much bigger, then our perspective can change.
Scripture: James 1:1-16
Week 4: Jesus cares about how we treat people.
Synopsis: In chapter two, James forbids favoritism. He describes it in the context of showing favoritism toward the wealthy. But today, we show favoritism for a variety of reasons. Children often give preferential treatment based on things like physical appearance, popularity, athletic ability, intelligence, accomplishments, and talent. Jesus calls us to show love and acceptance to all people; not just those whom we are fond of for one reason or another.
Scripture: James 2:1-12
PRESCHOOL LESSONS:
Memory Verse: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” -James 1:22
Bible Story: I Can Love Jesus with My Whole Body (based on passages from the book of James)
Included Each Week: A craft, wiggle-tamer, table time activity, discussion questions, take-home page, and more.
Lesson 1:
Creative Teaching Method: Storytelling with Props
This Week’s Focus: I can love Jesus with my mouth.
Lesson 2:
Creative Teaching Method: Storytelling with Pictures
This Week’s Focus: I can love Jesus with my ears.
Lesson 3:
Creative Teaching Method: Storytelling with Interactive Roleplay
This Week’s Focus: I can love Jesus with my heart.
Lesson 4:
Creative Teaching Method: Storytelling with Questions Only
This Week’s Focus: I can love Jesus with my hands and feet.