Jesus Teaches Us How to Pray - Clover Sitesstorage.cloversites.com/communitybiblechurch4/documents... · 2012-06-18 · LOOK AT ME! The religious leaders of Jesus’ day got a lot

Jesus Teaches Us How to PrayMatthew 6:5-13

Tear off for easy planning.

CHOOSE YOUR OPTIONSEach option below is designed to last 10 minutes. The option used to tell the Bible story is designated with the Bible image. Always choose this option for your large-group time. Use the chart below to plan your large-group time in whatever order fits your needs. Check the options you want to use.

Large Group YOU’LL NEED Bible • TV or video projection unit (VPU) • DVD player • CD player

Choose Your Options Get Your Supplies Planning Notes

Welcome Connect With Groups

• Large-Group DVD

Praise & WorshipSing It Out

• Large-Group DVD

GameChange It Up

• Large-Group DVD• Colossal Crayon (provided in kit)

Interactive StoryTwo-Way Relay

• Large-Group DVD• Graffiti Ball (provided in kit) • Colossal Crayon (provided in kit)

ResponseSecret Place

• Large-Group DVD• paper • crayons or markers

SkitPraying Contest

• Large-Group DVD• photocopies of Praying Contest (p. 12)• sign that says “STOMP YOUR FEET”

Bibles • Bible Memory Makers® • “Living Inside Out Every Day!” handouts Small Group WHAT GROUPS WILL NEED

Teach the Key Verse anytime during large group.

Preschool Supplies Lower Elementary Supplies Upper Elementary Supplies

• timer• wet wipes

• wet wipes • wet wipes

Key Verse

The Point

Large-Group

Lesson

1

“Never stop praying.”—1 Thessalonians 5:17

We pray as Jesus prayed.

Living Inside Out 5Permission to photocopy this page from Group’s Living Inside Out®: The Art of Prayer granted for local church use.Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. groupslivinginsideout.com

Lead

er Ins

ight

sCopy this page, and distribute to your leaders.

Matthew 6:5-13

CLEAN OUT THOSE EARSWhen Jesus speaks, we listen. When he hammers something hard, we really listen. When he begins talking with the warning “Watch out!” then we know it’s time to sit up straight, clean out our ears, and really, really listen—Jesus is about to say something important. And that warning is exactly how Jesus began his challenging teaching about “showy faith” versus real faith in Matthew 6.

LOOK AT ME!The religious leaders of Jesus’ day got a lot of attention for their piety—and they loved it. They performed public acts of charity and vocal, street-corner prayers “to be admired by others” (Matthew 6:1). First, Jesus slammed this look-at-me attitude about charity (Matthew 6:1-4); then he zeroed in on prayer. Rather than seeking attention by praying, Jesus urged his followers to pray to God in private. Rather than get caught up in using fancy, impressive words or long-winded soliloquies, Jesus urged his followers to be simple, honest, and direct.

A QUESTION OF MOTIVEJesus wasn’t saying praying publicly was wrong; in fact, Scripture is full of examples of public prayers that honor God (such as Hannah’s public prayer in 1 Samuel 2, Jehoshaphat’s prayer for protection in war in 2 Chronicles 20, and Ezra’s public prayer of repentance on behalf of the people in Ezra 9-10). Jesus wasn’t saying that we can’t use repetition in prayer or worship either (see Psalm 136 as a great example of God-honoring repetition). Jesus’ focus here is on the motivation, not the form. Simply put, prayer isn’t about the public attention we can attract through praying—it’s to be entirely, 100 percent focused on God.

TRY IT MY WAYJesus provided a compelling example of how to pray. Jesus addressed God as Father, showing prayer to be intimate and close. He modeled how to recognize God’s holiness and sovereignty as we seek to align ourselves with God’s will. Jesus showed us that we can bring our needs to God and seek his help for our spiritual health. We can pray this same prayer Jesus prayed, and we can fashion our spontaneous prayers after the attitude and ideas Jesus modeled.

God has called you to minister to kids by leading them in prayer and providing an example of what prayer can be like. What an amazing opportunity! This week, as you minister to children, invite God to show you how your public prayer can naturally fl ow from your own vibrant, private prayer life. Regularly seek God in private moments. And as you pray publicly, be pure in your motives.

LIVING INSIDE OUT

Jesus Teaches Us How to Pray

Permission to photocopy this page from Group’s Living Inside Out®: The Art of Prayer granted for local church use.Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. groupslivinginsideout.comLiving Inside Out6

YOU’LL NEED

Allow 10 minutes

Easy Options:• Sing along with DVD

lyrics and motions.

• Sing along with the CD.

• Show media slides provided on the CD.

Leader Tip

COUNT DOWNPlay one of the countdowns. Have children get with their small groups, and get them excited to worship!

GREETHave small-group leaders greet kids in their groups—especially guests.

ANNOUNCEMake any announcements (including birthdays), and collect off erings.

Large-Group

Lesson

1

YOU’LL NEED

Allow 5 minutes

Praise & Worship

Welcome

TV or VPU • DVD player • Large-Group DVD

Jesus Teaches Us How to PrayMatthew 6:5-13

SING“Living Inside Out” (Song 1)

“Pray” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) (Song 2)

“Humble Yourselves” (James 4:10) (Song 3)

“His Great Love” (Romans 5:8) (Song 7)

PRAYThank God for showing us through Jesus how we can pray, hearing us when we pray, and helping us keep our focus on him.

MAKE THE CONNECTIONSay: God wants us to talk to him just as we’d talk to a friend. But he doesn’t want us to talk only about ourselves all the time or make a big show of our prayers. Jesus taught his friends how to pray and what to pray for. When we follow his example, we pray as Jesus prayed.

TV or VPU • DVD player • Large-Group DVD


Allow 10 minutes

YOU’LL NEED

Game

TV or VPU • DVD player • Large-Group DVD • Colossal Crayon (provided in kit)

Change It Up

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If you have a group larger than 50, break into several circles. You can use the Graffi ti Ball or another object, in addition to the Colossal Crayon, to pass around the circles.

Leader TipINTRODUCEHave kids sit in a circle. Hand the crayon to someone, and say: The Colossal Crayon needs to make it all the way around the circle. Think you can do it? Explain that when you say “go,” kids will start passing the crayon to their left as fast as they can, trying to get the crayon around the circle.

RULESSay: There are a few rules. All of you must turn around so your backs are to the center of the circle. Have kids do this, and then say: Also, you can only pass with your left hands. Oh! And you have to have your eyes closed. When I call out “Switch!” change the direction you’re passing the crayon in. Backs in, left hands only, eyes closed. Ready? Go!

PLAYStart the game, calling “Switch!” throughout at random intervals. Stop the game when the crayon has made it around the circle.

REPLAYStart the game again, and say: You can now pass the crayon facing the inside of the circle and with your eyes open. Go! Call “Switch!” throughout, and end the game after about 60 seconds.

DISCUSS IN GROUPS DVD Change It Up Questions

Cue screens as kids answer each of the following:

• What made this game easy or hard?

• How did changing the instructions the second time through make things easier?

• Tell about a time things changed to make something easier—or harder.

MAKE THE CONNECTIONSay: Sometimes, changing things is hard. In the game, though, changing the instructions made it easier, didn’t it? People in the Bible had a certain way of praying—but Jesus came and changed it. He taught them, and us, a new way to pray. Just as the game changed, Jesus changed the way people thought about prayer. We can know we have the right idea about prayer when we pray as Jesus prayed.

DISCUSS IN GROUPS DVD Change It Up Questions

Living Inside Out8 Permission to photocopy this page from Group’s Living Inside Out®: The Art of Prayer granted for local church use.Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. groupslivinginsideout.com

Allow 10 minutes

YOU’LL NEED

Two-Way Relay

Inte

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tive

Sto

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Interactive Story Bible • TV or VPU • DVD player • Large-Group DVD • Graffiti Ball (provided in kit) • Colossal Crayon (provided in kit)

INTRODUCEHave the kids form two single-fi le lines. Give the head of one line the Colossal Crayon, and the head of the other line the Graffi ti Ball. Say: Let’s see which team is faster, the Crayon Team or the Ball Team. Explain that the kids on each team will pass the ball or crayon to the people behind them, alternating between passing the object over their heads and under their legs with each pass. When the ball or crayon reaches the last person, teams will send it back through the line to the starting point.

Tell teams that on the return journey, they will have something more to do. Say: Crayon Team, whenever the crayon is passed over someone’s head on the way back, your job is to shout as loud as you can, “Crayons rule!” Ball Team, your job as the ball returns is to be as quiet as possible and to whisper, “Go, ball, go” the entire time. Ready? Go!

PLAYRead aloud Matthew 6:5-6; then play the game one time. Have the Ball and Crayon Teams switch their objects and roles. Then read aloud Matthew 6:7-8. Play again, reminding teams that on the object’s return trip, the Crayon Team will shout, “Crayons rule!” when they pass their object, and the Ball Team will say, “Go, ball, go” quietly as they pass theirs.

DISCUSS IN GROUPS DVD Two-Way Relay Questions


• What was it like to show off or to see others show off ?

• How can people show off when they pray?

• Why do you think Jesus cares about how we pray?

MAKE THE CONNECTIONSay: Jesus talked about two ways to pray: You can pray showing off with loud, boastful words—like the team that shouted “Crayons rule!”—or you can pray quietly with few words—like the team that passed the ball. Then Jesus showed people how to pray. Take time to read Matthew 6: 9-13 and pray with the kids. Say: The best example we have for prayer is seeing what Jesus did. When we don’t know what to say or how to pray, we pray as Jesus prayed.

DISCUSS IN GROUPS DVD Two-Way Relay Questions


Allow 10 minutes

YOU’LL NEED


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Response

TV or VPU • DVD player • Large-Group DVD • paper • crayons or markers

Secret PlaceINTRODUCESay: We pray as Jesus prayed. Jesus wants us to focus on God and not draw attention to ourselves. Think of a place where you can pray to God in private. It could be in a room in your house, leaning against your favorite tree in the backyard, or on the path you take when you walk home from school.

DRAWHand out paper and crayons or markers to each child. Explain that kids will draw a picture of their special places. Say: While you’re drawing, think about how you feel when you’re in that place, talking to God. Allow about fi ve minutes for kids to draw their pictures.

SHAREWhen they’re fi nished drawing, have kids choose a partner and exchange pictures. Say: Tell your partner a little bit about your prayer place and what makes it special to you.

REFLECTAllow prayer time for kids to move around the room, spread out from one another, and pray. Play quiet worship music in the background, and encourage kids to pray for about fi ve minutes.

DISCUSS IN GROUPS DVD Secret Place Questions


• What is praying in secret like for you?

• Why do you pray to God?

MAKE THE CONNECTIONSay: Jesus often went to be alone to talk to God. He needed to get away from all the distractions of the world to focus on God. Because we want to be like him, we pray as Jesus prayed. Remember your special place this week, and plan to talk to God there!

DISCUSS IN GROUPS DVD Secret Place Questions

When they’re fi nished drawing, have kids choose a partner and exchange Tell your partner a little bit about your prayer place and

one another, and pray. Play quiet worship music in the background, and

Allow 10 minutes

YOU’LL NEED


Bible • TV or VPU • DVD player • Large-Group DVD • photocopies of Praying Contest (p. 12) • sign that says “STOMP YOUR FEET”

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Skit

Praying Contest

Fun conversations for families on the go!

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GET STARTEDSay: Not everyone prays the same way—diff erent people have diff erent prayers. There are, however, some right things to do when we pray and some things to avoid when we pray. Take a look.

ACTHave your volunteers present the skit Praying Contest.

DISCUSS IN GROUPS DVD Praying Contest Questions


• How are the ways each kid prayed like or unlike the way you pray?

• What did you learn about praying from the diff erent prayers you saw?

• What will you pray about this week?

MAKE THE CONNECTIONSay: The way we pray matters to God. If our prayers are about all the great things we’ve done and all about ourselves, then our focus is on us—and not on God. The best way to pray is to follow the best example of prayer in the whole Bible. We pray as Jesus prayed.

DISCUSS IN GROUPS DVD Praying Contest Questions

Permission to photocopy this page from Group’s Living Inside Out®: The Art of Prayer granted for local church use.Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. groupslivinginsideout.com

YOU’LL NEED

Living Inside Out12

Large-Group

Lesson

Permission to photocopy this page from Group’s Living Inside Out®: The Art of Prayer granted for local church use.Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. groupslivinginsideout.com

It’s easy for small-group leaders or teen volunteers to perform this skit for your kids, but children enjoy the spotlight, too! Whoever you choose as your cast, meet with them beforehand to practice and review the motions suggested in parentheses.

THE SCENE Three kids hanging out

THE SIMPLE SETUPNone

THE CAST• Claire

• Emma

• William

THE PROPS• Bible

• sign that says “STOMP YOUR FEET”

Praying Contest

This skit involves three kids who are talking about the best way to pray.

1Leader TipTHE SKIT


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EMMA(Loudly) Oh, I don’t think so. I can pray soooo much better than you, William!

WILLIAMWhatever. God answers my prayers all the time. Seriously, you two, nobody

prays better than me.

CLAIRE(Hesitantly) Well, I don’t know, guys. I don’t think it’s really about who says

“better” prayers…

WILLIAM(Interrupting) Hey! I have a great idea! Let’s have a prayer contest!

EMMAYes! (Pauses.) Wait. Who’ll be the judge?

Well…maybe God will tell us who wins—you know, by sending some thunder after the best one.

EMMAThat would be awesome! OK, let’s try it.

CLAIREI really don’t think we should…

WILLIAM(Interrupting) I’ll go first. Kneel down and close your eyes.

William and Emma kneel and close their eyes tightly. Claire slowly kneels down, looks around as if she wants to leave, and then reluctantly closes her eyes.

WILLIAM(In a bad British accent) Our highly esteemed awesome great high Lord in the highest heavens, you are worthy of most exalted royalty on golden thrones of majesty with honor to thy name’s sake. Now I do therefore

believe that thou shouldst know how much I have done for thee lately. I have given my tithes and offerings as thou hast commanded and I assisted

ACTION! The scene opens with three kids in the middle of an argument. Claire is holding a Bible.


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an elderly matron as she crossed the street. This prayer I pray as thy great and humble servant. (Singing ) Aa-aa-aa-men.

Boo-yah!

All open their eyes. William looks around as if expecting thunder. Nothing happens.

EMMAOK, my turn. (To audience) Hey, you in the back, can you hear me? (Pauses as

kids in the audience respond.) Great! Now listen up!

(Closes her eyes and speaks very loudly.) Hey, God! If you would just give me what I want, I’ll love you forever. Thanks! ’Bye!

(To the others) Works every time! (Looks around.) Hey, where’s the thunder? I mean, seriously, was that not the best prayer ever?

WILLIAMReally? That’s your prayer? My 3-year-old sister says better prayers than

that …and she can’t even say “Lord” right. She says it like “Low-ud.” (Laughs uproariously.) OK, Claire, your turn.

Claire opens her Bible.

EMMAHey! No fair using the Bible! That’s cheating! You have to make up your own

prayer or it doesn’t count!

CLAIREI figured I’d look at how a pro does it. This is what Jesus prayed in Matthew.

(Moves off to the side a little.)

“Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today

the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the

evil one.” Amen.

The large-group leader holds up the “STOMP YOUR FEET” sign so the audience can see it. When the kids start stomping their feet, the actors are startled and look around as if they don’t know where the sound is coming from. The large-group leader then turns the sign around and motions for audience to stop stomping.

WILLIAMUmmm…uh…well…I guess Claire won. How did you do that, Claire?


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EMMAYeah! Tell us!

CLAIREWell, I just prayed the way Jesus told us to. (Opens her Bible.) See, it’s right

here in Matthew 6.

Claire shows the others the verses as they all exit.

Documents

Jesus Teaches Us How to Pray - Clover Sitesstorage.cloversites.com/communitybiblechurch4/documents... · 2012-06-18 · LOOK AT ME! The religious leaders of Jesus’ day got a lot