1

Something to think about before teaching:

When Paul gave thanks for God’s indescribable gift, Jesus, he was encouraging the Corinthian church to be generous. He was asking them for financial support for struggling Christians in Jerusalem who were facing financial hardship due to their faith. Because of God’s generosity in giving His “Indescrib-able Gift,” the believers should find being generous to others easy.

Kids can learn that God has given them something far greater than any other gift. Because of His generosity in giving them Jesus, they can make a choice to be generous to others as an expression of their gratitude and as followers who are having their hearts molded to be like His.

Junkyard warslesson One: indescribable gift

Main Point: Jesus, the Indescribable Gift, is a wonderful gift from God.

Bible Verse: Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

Bible Story: The Cheerful Giver, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

constructing: putting together what God says about the name-Bible Story -Junkyard Wars Story-Junkyard Wars Competition

testing: applying the name-Junkyard Lab-Craft-Game-Bible Memory-Express Yourself -Snack-Trading Cards -Family Time

Each Lesson contains:

discovering: finding out about the name-Guess the Junk-Alex and Amanda, the Junkyard Champions-Uncovering the Name-Discovering the Verse

2

discoveringguess the junkSupplies: egg cartonPreparation: Place the egg carton in the junk yard or a box.

Welcome to the Junkyard.

I am going to give you three clues about what our junk find of the day is. Let’s see if you can guess what it is. (Either show the box or indicate that the junk item is somewhere among the other junk items.)

Clue #1: This is used to protect something. Clue #2: Twelve things can be placed in this. Clue #3: Eggs are placed in this.

Answer: Egg carton

alex and Amanda, the junkyard championsSupplies: Empty egg carton, ribbon, exercise clothing (Alex), 8-10 cans of tuna

Preparation: Wrap the ribbon around the carton and tie at the top in a bow. Alex should wear exercise clothing.

Alex enters running in place. He transitions to jumping jacks.

Amanda: Alex, we need to make our game plan for the Junkyard Championship.

Alex: That is exactly what I’m doing, Amanda.

Amanda: No, you are exercising.

Alex: Right.

Amanda: Exercising is NOT going to help us win the championship.

PP

PP

3

Alex: (Keeps on exercising.) Yes it will.

Amanda: No, it won’t.

Amanda: That is of no help to us in winning this championship.

Alex: (Looks extremely annoyed. Stops.) Then exactly what do you think will help us win.

Amanda: This. (Pulls out the stack of tuna.)

Alex: Tuna! I don’t think so. (Shows his muscles.) It’s all in the muscles. What does tuna have to do with anything?

Amanda: Brain food.

Alex: What?

Amanda: It’s brain food. It helps you think better. (Tosses Alex a can.) You need to eat one can of tuna a day. Two would be better.

Alex: You need to do 100 jumping jacks a day. 200 would be better.

Amanda: I don’t think so. This is not a physical competition. This is a mental competition and we need to be thinking straight. So eat your tuna. (Amanda leaves the tuna in front of Alex and turns to go out the door.)

Alex: Oh wait, I almost forgot. (Hands Amanda the egg carton gift.) I got you a gift. You know, for your birthday.

Amanda: Well, thanks. I think. I mean an empty egg carton container?

Alex: No, silly. I just wrapped it in that. You see I’ve been throwing a lot of eggs. You know, they told us the first part of the competition would have to do with eggs. So I’ve been throwing tons of eggs. I’m getting really good at it too.

Amanda: I can only imagine.

Alex: Since I have a ton of egg cartons around the house, I put one to good use. I showed my mom what I got you and she said it was totally indescribable. Not sure what she meant by that.

Amanda: Indescribable. Meaning it cannot be described by words. It is either too wonderful or too horrible.

Alex: Ohhhhhh. (Looks worried.)

Amanda: Do I even want this gift?

Alex: Maybe not. (Takes it back.) Never mind.

Amanda: I’m guessing it’s not too wonderful.

Alex: Probably not. Sorry. Hey, how about I eat the tuna for you? That would make a great birthday gift, right?

Amanda: (Sighs.) Yeah, whatever.

uncovering the nameSupplies: wrapped gift, sign “Indescribable Gift”

Each week our name of Jesus is going to have a symbol to help us remember the meaning of the name. We will look at a picture that has part of the symbol up close. More of the symbol will be shown a little at a time. See if you can guess what the symbol is.

(This can be done by having the kids yell out answers, dividing into two teams with a captain or choosing two kids to play in front of everyone.)

The symbol is a gift.

Display: Place the symbol and sign in the display.

When you think about a gift, what do you think? What was the most favorite gift you ever received?

When we think about a gift we might think of something we can hold or touch like a bicycle or a

4

PP

5

puppy. Gifts can also be things that we cannot touch like a special day with a friend or a smile from someone when you are having a bad day.

What does it mean for something to be indescribable? Words cannot be used to explain some-thing that is indescribable. For instance, try to explain the color blue. That is hard to describe.

Jesus, the Indescribable Gift, is a wonderful gift from God. We cannot fully explain Him with our words because He is so wonderful and amazing. We can tell some things He has done like healing people and dying on the cross for us. We can tell what He is like such as loving, all knowing and powerful. However, no matter how hard we try, we can never fully describe Him.

discovering the verse

Read 2 Corinthians 9:15 together:

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

Let’s say the verse again with some motions to help us remember it.

Thanks (Place hands together with palms touching.)Be to God (Point to sky.)For his Indescribable (Point to mouth and shake head.)Gift (Hold out hands in front as if cradling a gift.)

PP

PP

ConstructingBible StoryThe Cheerful Giver, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Supplies: 20 small round candies, whiteboard or posterboard, marker

Today we are going to plant a candy field. How many of you would like to have your own field with plants that grew candy?

Let’s take three pieces of candy and place them in the field. Each piece of candy will grow a plant. We could plant the rest of the candy but I think I want to take it home and eat it. I want it for myself.

What would happen if I planted 20 pieces of candy instead of keeping it for myself? Again each piece of candy will grow a plant. So instead of 3 plants, I would have 20 plants. I would not have the candy to take home with me but I would have more plants.

The Bible tells us something about this. In 2 Corinthians 9, it tells us that “The one who plants only a little will gather only a little. And the one who plants a lot will gather a lot.”

When it talks about planting here it is not talking about actually putting seeds in a ground. In-stead, it is talking about giving to others. So if we give a little to others, then it will do some good. But if we give a lot to others, then it will do a lot of good. If we think about the candy, we can think about how much more candy we would have to give away if we shared the 20 pieces instead of only the 3.

The next part of the Scripture says, “You should each give what you have decided in your heart to give. You shouldn’t give if you don’t want to. You shouldn’t give because you are forced to. God loves a cheerful giver.”

Jesus does not want us to give while grumbling about it. He does not want us to give because someone told us to. He wants us to give because we love Him and others and want to.

PP

PP

How does God give to us? Is He grumpy when He gives? Is He stingy with His giving?

Let’s make a list of some of the wonderful gifts He gives to us: (Write on a board the things the kids think of. To start them off, write “Beautiful blue sky.”)

God shows us how to give to others. He will give us what we need to give to others. Giving to others does not necessarily mean food or toys. It might mean a smile. It could mean forgiving someone. It might mean praying for someone. All of these are ways we give to others. When we give what God has given us to others, we meet the needs of people.

For example, God has given us joy. When we see someone who is sad, we can stop and talk to them. Cheering them up is a way of meeting their need.

The best gift that God has given us is Jesus. Through Jesus we are forgiven for our sins. He has given us His presence- which means He is always with us.

Because God has given us so much, we can be generous with others. When we give to oth-ers we show our love for God. We show our gratitude for Him giving us an indescribable gift, Jesus. His gift is better than any other gift we will ever receive.

Jesus, the Indescribable Gift, is a wonderful gift from God.

PrayerPray popcorn prayers. Have kids stand up and thank God for a gift He has given them. At the end thank Him for Jesus, the Indescribable Gift.

junkyard wars storySupplies: 6 cartons of large eggs, plastic trash bags, disinfectant wipes

Preparation: Spread out the plastic trash bags on the floor. Arrange a pair of egg cartons next to each other. Do the same with the other cartons. Inspect each egg to make sure there are no breaks or cracks. Arrange the eggs all the same in the carton (either the pointy side up or the round side up).

7

PP

PP

Have you ever thought about who invented the egg carton? For a long time people carried eggs in baskets. One day in British Columbia, Canada, there was a newspaper editor named Joseph Coyle who saw an argument over eggs. A farmer had delivered eggs to a hotel op-erator. The farmer was blamed by the hotel operator for bringing broken eggs. Joseph Coyle decided to do something about this problem.

He designed a container made out of paper that would protect the eggs when they were trans-ported from the farm to the town. This was 1911, over 100 years ago. He made these cartons by hand until 1919 when he invented a machine to make them.

Coyle could have ignored the problem. Instead, he used the talent that God had given him to come up with a solution. This new invention would save farmers money as the eggs would be delivered whole. This would also save the town people frustration over receiving broken eggs.

When we are willing to take a risk and give something of ourselves we meet needs that people have. We are being generous with the gifts that God has given us whether it is our posses-sions, money, time or talents.

We are going to play a game with these eggs. I need three volunteers who will not mind get-ting their feet gooey. We are going to see if these volunteers can walk on eggs. Let’s see if these kids can walk on eggs without breaking them. Do you think they can do it?

Have the kids take off their shoes and socks. Help each child step up onto the carton of eggs. The foot needs to be as flat as possible so the child’s weight is distributed evenly. Once the foot is on the eggs, place the other foot on the second carton of eggs. The egg carton will creak, however, if done properly the eggs will not break.

Allow each volunteer to try standing on the eggs. If the eggs break, wipe off the feet with the disinfect-ant wipes. Make sure the kids cheer for each volunteer.

Too often we are afraid to be generous. We act like we are walking on eggs worried that they will break. Why do you think we are afraid to be generous? (Give the kids some time to think about this and answer. Possible answers: Afraid to do without something, afraid to talk to someone, afraid someone will not like something we give or do)

God has been generous with us. We can take the risk to be generous knowing that God will give us what

8

PP

PP

we need to be generous with others. Maybe we need to ask Him for an unselfish attitude. May-be we need to ask Him for courage. Or maybe we need to ask Him for a loving heart. Whatever we need to be generous, He will give. He already has given us the best gift anyone could give.

Let’s say our Bible verse together:Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

junkyard wars competitionSupplies: masking tape, popsicle or craft sticks, paper towels, drinking straws, eggs, protection for floor (garbage bags, plastic)

Divide the kids into small groups. Give each group the following: 1. 3 feet masking tape2. 3 paper towels3. 10 popsicle sticks4. 10 drinking straws5. Egg

Today our Junkyard Challenge is to protect an egg. This egg will be dropped from above my head (show arm extended above head). It is your job to build a device that will protect the egg when it falls. You will have ____ minutes to build the device. You may only use the materi-als that your group has been given. You may break or tear any materials but you may not use scissors, glue or anything that was not given to you to use. When the time limit is up, take each egg container and drop from above the head. Open up the containers to see whether the egg was protected.

When someone gives us a precious gift, we want to protect it like we did the egg. For instance, if we are given a brand new bike, we would not want to leave it outside in the rain or throw it in the driveway. To treat it that way would show that we are ungrateful for the gift.

Jesus, the Indescribable Gift, is a wonderful gift from God. We want to treat Him with the re-spect and love that He deserves. What are some ways that we show that we are grateful for the gift that God has given us? (Give the kids time to share.)

PP

9

testingjunkyard labSupplies: Pringles chips, egg cartons, masking tape, paper towels, paper clips, drinking straws, scissorsPreparation: Cut the egg cartons into sections with 4 cups.

Place a chip in the egg carton and drop it. What happens? Make a protective layer around the chip and place in the egg carton. Throw the carton against the wall. Have fun experimenting with different ways to keep the chip safe.

Review ways we should treat our Indescribable Gift, Jesus, with gratitude, love and kindness.

craft: indescribable gift posterSupplies: markers, large white paper, ribbon, glue, scissors

Cut a gift box shape out of the white paper. Glue the ribbon on the paper to decorate. Write “Jesus: The Indescribable Gift” on the box. Write other words to describe Jesus all over the box. Examples: loving, friend, Savior

Games: generosity tagSupplies: Rubber chicken (or any other object)

One person is it. Another person holds the rubber chicken. Everyone runs around trying not to be tagged by it. Whoever has the rubber chicken cannot be tagged. Be generous with the chicken and throw it to others about to be tagged. If tagged, that person is it.

10

bible memory: picture verseThanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)

Supplies: index cards, marker, gift boxes and wrapping paper or gift bags

Preparation: Write the words to the bible verse on each index card, one word to a card. Wrap one in-dex card in the smallest container. Place it in a larger container along with another index card. Contin-ue until all the cards have been wrapped resulting in one large gift. Make a large gift for every 8 kids.

Divide the kids into teams of eight. For smaller groups, divide into smaller teams and have each member go twice or do the activity as one group as a whole.

The kids line up for a relay. They run from one side of the room to the other where the large gifts are placed. They must unwrap the outer layer and bring the card back. The next team member does the same. Play continues until all the cards are brought back and put in order.

express yourselfSupplies: Copy of questions for each small group

1. What is the best gift you have ever received from a family member?

2. What are some gifts that God has given us in Creation?

3. What are some personal gifts that God has given you (talents)?

4. What is the best gift God has given us? Why is He the best gift?

5. Why is Jesus the Indescribable Gift?

6. What are some ways that you can be generous with the gifts that God has given you?

11

snackSupplies: Rice Krispie squares, red licorice rope or fruit roll ups

Note: Buy prepared Rice Krispie squares or make them using the recipe on the cereal box.

Give each child a square and the red licorice or fruit roll up. Have them wrap the square to look like a gift by tying the “ribbon” around it and tying a bow at the top.

Review what Jesus’ name, Indescribable Gift, means.

Trading CardsSupplies: printed card for each child, markers or crayons (optional)

Name: Indescribable GiftSymbol: Wrapped Gift

Verse: Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

Give each child the card. If using the coloring cards, use markers or crayons to decorate them. Go over the verse together and review the symbol.

13

Supply List

guess the junk: ☐Egg carton

alex and Amanda: ☐Empty egg carton ☐Ribbon ☐Exercise clothing (Alex) ☐8-10 cans of tuna

uncovering the name: ☐Wrapped gift ☐Sign “Indescribable Gift”

bible story: ☐20 small round candies ☐Whiteboard or posterboard ☐Marker

junk wars story: ☐6 cartons of large eggs ☐Plastic trash bags ☐Disinfectant wipes

junk wars competition: ☐Masking tape ☐Popsicle or craft sticks ☐Paper towels ☐Drinking straws ☐Eggs ☐Protection for floor (garbage bags, plastic)

Junkyard lab: ☐Pringles chips ☐Egg cartons ☐Masking tape ☐Paper towels ☐Paper clips ☐Drinking straws ☐Scissors

craft: ☐Markers ☐Large white paper ☐Ribbon ☐Glue ☐Scissors

game: ☐Rubber chicken (or any other object)

bible memory: ☐Index cards ☐Marker ☐Gift boxes and wrapping paper or gift bags

express yourself: ☐Copy of questions for each small group

snack: ☐Rice Krispie squares ☐Red licorice rope or fruit roll ups

trading cards: ☐Printed card for each child ☐Markers or crayons (optional)

Junkyard wars

family discussion:1. Why is Jesus the Indescribable Gift? 2. Since God gave us such a wonderful gift, how can we be generous with the way we give to others?3. How would you describe a cheerful giver?

family imaginative thinking:Think of a gift your family can give to someone. It might be a gift of time, talents or money. Brain-storm ways to give to others. Pick one way and make it happen this week.

family game:Go on a scavenger hunt in God’s gift of creation. Take an egg carton. Try to fill the carton with 12 different things found.

Main Point: Jesus, the Indescribable Gift, is a wonderful gift from God.

Bible Verse: Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthi-ans 9:15 (NIV)

Bible Story: The Cheerful Giver, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

express yourself

1. What is the best gift you have ever received from a family mem-ber?

2. What are some gifts that God has given us in Creation?

3. What are some personal gifts that God has given you (talents)?

4. What is the best gift God has given us? Why is He the best gift?

5. Why is Jesus the Indescribable Gift?

6. What are some ways that you can be generous with the gifts that God has given you?

indescribable gift

indescribable gift

indescribable gift

indescribable gift