GOD=LOVE

Elementary (Y1)

WELCOME TO WEEK 1

Welcome to week 1! This week we will learn that God Loves everyone. God wants to be in relationship with us and we can be a part of his family.

John 3:1-21; 1 Corinthians 13

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

SONG OF THE WEEK

BIBLE STORY

This week we are learning about God’s love. Gather a pair of baby shoes and adult mens shoes. Just look at the baby shoes. When we love we think we love really big but compared to God’s love we love small like the size of this baby shoe. Now look at the adult mens shoe. Look at how small our love is compared to how big God’s love is. God’s love is big in comparison, like this large shoe. His love is big enough to love everyone at the same time.

Materials: baby shoe, Men’s shoe

Read or listen to the Bible verse for this week: John 3:1-21

Who came to see Jesus one night? (Nicodemus)
Who was Nicodemus? (A member of the Jewish ruling council- a pharisee)
Why did Nicodemus go see Jesus at night instead of the daytime? (He went in secret because He didn’t want anyone else to know that he, a pharisee was going to ask Jesus questions.)
What did Nicodemus want to know? (How could one be born again?)
Jesus said that you must be born of what? (The spirit)
Why must Jesus be lifted up? So that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY

Find several measuring tools you use around the house for measuring. For example: a tape measure, a scale, a stopwatch, a measuring cup. Can you use any of these things to measure God’s love? Read the following verses and decide which measuring tool you would use to measure the love described in each verse and how much of it you would need. For example Psalm 108:4; If I used a tape measure, it would need to stretch past the heavens.

Psalm 108:4 Joshua 1:9. Jeremiah 31:3. Ephesians 3:18-19. Psalm 136:2

There is no way to measure how high, how wide, or how deep God’s love is for us, its immeasurable! God loves us, he loves everyone!

ACTIVITY

On a large sheet of paper draw a heart in the middle and write ‘God’ inside the heart. Draw or cut out a smaller heart, glue it on the paper, and write your name on the heart. Think of as many other people in your life that you know, write their names on cut-out hearts, and glue them onto the paper (or draw the hearts). Discuss why you love the people you listed and if God loves them as well. Using one color marker, draw lines to connect you to each one of the people you wrote. Then use another marker to draw a line from God to you and then God to every person listed on your paper. You should have a line drawn to every person showing that God loves everyone that you love.

Materials: white construction paper, pen/pencils, cut out hearts (optional), markers/colored pencils

ALTERNATIVE:

Take 5 index cards. On the front side write one of the descriptive love words in 1 Corinthians 13 at the top of each card (patient, kind, protects, etc). Underneath the title word, write descriptive words to show what the title word means. On the back side write a list of things you can do to demonstrate that kind of love to someone you know. Place a checkmark by the activity you plan to do for a specific person this week.

Materials: 5 index cards, pen/pencil

CREATE:

Make a heart wreath with Love scriptures written on each heart. Cut out large hearts on white construction paper (or any solid color to be the background). Using different colored construction paper, cut out hearts about 1 Inch smaller than the white hearts. Write a different verse on each colored construction paper heart, then glue onto the white hearts. Connect the hearts together by glueing the edges of each white heart together to create a heart circle. Find the verses to use here.

Materials: white and color construction paper, scissors, glue, Love scriptures:

HEART WREATH

ARTS & CAFTS

CRAFT 1

Cut colorful or printed cardstock paper into 3x5 cards. Cut out the attached verses or write verses about love on a white sheet of paper. Glue the verses about love onto the colorful cardstock cards. Hole punch each cardstock and place on a loose leaf binder ring. Read through scriptures and try to memorize them throughout the week.

Materials: Cardstock, verses of love, loose leaf binder ring

CRAFT 2

Coloring Page

Materials: Printed coloring page

CRAFT 2

FOLLOW-UP

Showing others God’s love is a way to demonstrate to God that we love him. In Matthew 25:34-46 it says that when we feed the hungry, clothe others, or take care of the sick, it is as if we are doing these kind acts to Jesus. This week look for ways to show others you love them. Start with the people closest to you and then branch out. When you branch out to people outside of your family, work together as a family to demonstrate love to others.

On your own:

Give a hug
Write a nice note or draw a picture
Bring something needed without them asking, like a blanket, a glass of water, or slippers.
Clean something that you didn’t make dirty, without being asked.

As a family:

Send someone a card in the mail just to say you are thinking of them.
Make “Jesus loves you” cards and hand them out to friends at church or leave the notes to be found.
Make cookies or treats to pass out at an assisted Living facility for a grandparent who may not have family visitors.

Materials: Bible or Computer, Video Link

Practical Application at Home

God loves each one of us with a love that is bigger than our love. God’s love for us is bigger, stronger, and greater than the love we know how to give. When we choose to follow Jesus we can begin to love like him as well. Our love becomes greater, stronger and bigger because he is loving others through us. How can you share that love with others?