The Cornerstone
WELCOME TO WEEK 2
Have you ever seen a leaning tower? Have you ever seen a bridge where one end is sinking into the ground? Have you seen a house floating in the air? How we build the base, or foundation of buildings can determine how long it will last and how straight it will stand. We could build on any material, but it might not stay standing very long. God wants us to build our foundation on Him and He is love. This week we will see how much God loves us and has a plan for each of us with love as the cornerstone.
BIBLE STORY
Draw and cut out a heart from red construction paper for each participant. Listen to the following descriptions of love and determine if it describes love or something else. If it describes love, hold up your heart. If it does not describe love, keep your heart down.
-giving up your sear for someone else
-eating the last piece of pizza
-helping someone pick up the books they dropped
-sharing the last popsicle with a neighborhood friend
-hiding your toys before your friends come over
-teasing the kid at school who looks different from you
-listening to a friend’s problem rather than going to play
-helping your parents with housework
-saving a piece of candy to share with your sibling when you get home
Some of these were examples of love and some were not. Sometimes we may feel selfish about the things we have or feel selfish with our time. Love can be a sacrifice but it is also giving someone else something that they may need the most even though its inconvenient for us. That’s really tough to do sometimes. We do not love others perfectly but Jesus does. He demonstrates what love is and what love really looks like. God’s plans for us are centered around his love for us. That means everything He does is based upon His great love for us.
Materials: a heart cut out of construction paper
Read or listen to the Bible verse for this week John 3:14-21
Who did Jesus compare himself to being treated as? (As the snake was lifted up in the wilderness)
Who did God love? (The world)
What did God do for the world? (Gave his one and only son to die)
Who can be saved? (Anyone who believes)
What was Jesus sent to the word to do? (Not condemn it, but save it)
Where do people who like evil want to be? (In the dark)
Where do people who like the truth go? (Into the light)
Why do people stay in the dark? (So their evil deeds will not be exposed)
Why do people come into the light? (So it can be seen that what they’ve done was in the sight of God)
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
God loved us so much he gave his son to die for our sins so we could live in relationship with Him forever. God does not measure how much he loves us on how good we are or how many great things we do. God has already delivered us through Jesus, we just need to accept the gift! If God is willing to give up his beloved Son, we can trust that He wants what is best for us in all areas of our lives. God’s plan for us is based on how much He loves us.
Activity
Practice drawing the following animals or objects by giving step by step instruction to your child on how to draw the object. Tell them what they will be drawing first, then skip the first step of the instructions. Discuss the outcome of their drawing. Repeat with a different animal if desired. Why didn’t our pictures turn out the way we thought they would? What was missing? We forgot to do one of the steps and it was the very first step. When we skipped the first step it really ruined the outcome of our picture. The foundation of our picture was very important, it causes all the other strokes to make sense. Jesus’ love is the foundation for everything He does for us, it causes everything to make sense.
Materials: pencil, drawing paper, device to view or print step by step drawing of animals
Alternate
Listen to this read-aloud story of the parable of the two builders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cZOHeFUQVo
Materials: device for listening to read-aloud story
Independent activity:
Create a floating raft out of craft sticks that is able to carry things in the water. Using craft sticks, design a raft and then test what objects of various weights are able to float on top. Determine if you can change the foundation of your raft to help it hold heavier objects. Decorate the top of your raft with words that describe God’s love.
Materials: craft sticks, glue, markers
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Use a paper plate or a circle of white construction paper to create a globe. Paint the circle blue and then paste small torn pieces of green construction paper to create sections of land. Cut out a heart shape from red construction paper. On the heart write “For God so loved the world”. Glue the heart to the center of the globe.
Materials: Printed sheet, scissors, glue, crayons, large sheet of construction paper.
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
FOLLOW-UP
What are some things that you love?
How do you treat the things you love?
What are some things God has called us to love and care for?
How do you treat those things God has called you to love?
How can we make love the foundation of everything we do?
How would you define love?
Are there kids at school or church who do not treat you with love?
Who is someone you think doesn’t deserve to be treated with love?
How could you still show them love, even when you don’t think they deserve it?
Practical Application at Home
Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God’s plans for us are not last minute, He has not forgotten you but has a plan for you. Not just any plan, but one that uses the good works you have been given. Some versions of this verse say that you are God’s Masterpiece. What a wonderful thought. We are not thrown together carelessly, but we were created with a purpose in mind. We were created exactly the way God wanted us to be and He considers us some of his best work!
Think about how God has designed you. We each have things we are naturally good at doing or things we are really drawn to do. We are each unique and bring something different that God has given us to do. His plan for us is based on love, therefore the things we do with our gifts and talents should also be based on love. Make a list of the things you feel God has blessed you with, then describe how you can use that now or in the future with love as the foundation of these plans.
Additional Resources
Outings to Reinforce Lesson
Donate to a local food shelter or toy drive this Christmas season. As a family, volunteer together or pick out toys you think another child your age might enjoy.