Main Point: Jesus, Mighty God, is powerful and fights for us.

Bible Verse: For to us a child is born,to us a son is given; and the govern-ment shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God... Isaiah 9:6

Bible Story: Paul and the Thorn; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

1

Something to think about before teaching:

Mighty means powerful and implies a strong man or warrior. When put together with God, the name can be looked upon as Warrior God. One commentator translates the name as “God the mighty man.”

We know that Jesus was both God and man at the same time. Because He is mighty, He is engaged aggressively in battle for us. He fights for us!

This power should never be misunderstood as working everything out the way we want it but rather fighting for our good. Not for a life that is easy but one that is challenging and rewarding. Truly, the Warrior God is aggressively engaged in the cause of transforming us into His image.

Kids will learn that Jesus is powerful and His power works within us as He changes us to be more and more like Him.

Investigating:The Bible Story Guess the Slimy CreatureSlime Time Lab Slime Bucket

Testing: The Slime LaboratoryCraftGamesBible Memory ActivityExpress YourselfSnackTrading Cards Family Lab Report

This Lesson contains:

Exploring: Slimy Facts Doc Green and Lily, the Apprentice Uncovering the NameDiscovering the Formula

Lesson three:mighty god

exploringslimy factsEach slide will state a fact about something slimy. Kids will guess if the “fact” is true or not. This can be done with everyone yelling the answer, voting, or dividing into teams. Remember that this activity is a fun way to start the lesson. It is purely optional. If you do not have powerpoint, the facts can eas-ily be read or printed on large posterboard.

Fact #1 PPWorms must stay wet so they can breathe.

Answer: True. The slime on their skin must not dry up as they get oxygen through the mucus covering them.

Fact #2 PPThe velvet worm squirts sticky slime onto its prey, paralyzing it.

Answer: True. After the victim is paralyzed, the velvet worm can eat it.

Fact #3 PPDried snail slime looks green in the sunlight.

Answer: False. It looks silvery.

Fact #4 PPA slime mold beetle is named for its slimy exterior.

Answer: False. It is not a slimy creature, however, eats nothing but living slime.

Fact #5 PPThe froghopper produces a froth (a glob of slimy bubbles) that surrounds it and provides pro-tection from predators.

Answer: True. When the froth turns back into liquid, it drips to the ground.

2

PP

3

Doc Green and Lily, the ApprenticeSupplies: Paper, tissue, green liquid (green colored water), clipboardPreparation: Create a mess in the lab area. Papers laying on the floor and scattered on the lab table. “Used” tissues scattered around. Spilled green liquids on the table. Doc Green is in the lab working frantically. He writes on his clipboard then examines the tissues that are scattered. He is overwhelmed with the work.

Lily: (Enters the lab.) Doc Green! What happened to the lab? It was so clean. And now it is so...so...(Picks up a tissue and wrinkles her nose)... NOT CLEAN.

Doc Green: I am trying to recreate the experiment that you destroyed.

Lily: Oh. (Pauses and looks around.) In this mess?

Doc Green: Yes.

Lily: Are you making progress?

Doc Green: No. No progress. My career is going to be ruined. My life is going to be ruined. My lab will be taken away from me. After this, no one will ever call me Doc Green again. I will be known as Green. Just Green! How could it have come to this?

Lily: (Looks startled by his outburst.) Maybe you just need some help. Let me see. (Grabs the clipboard from Doc and starts looking it over. Doc looks surprised then fumes as she takes control.) Hm. Well we need to first make a list. I will prioritize the steps that you have randomly marked here. We will then enter these into the computer and after the computer analyzes the date we will then proceed with the next step.

Doc Green: Stop! This is MY lab. This is MY experiment. And nobody asked you for help.

Lily: I am your apprentice. That means you hired me to help you.

Doc Green: I don’t need your help.

Lily: Everyone needs help from time to time.

Doc Green: I don’t.

Lily: Look, Doc. I know I haven’t been the best apprentice in the world. I know that slime really isn’t my thing. But I am great at organizing. And from the way things look you could use a bit of organizing. If you let me organize, then you can focus on experimenting with all this slime.

Doc Green: I don’t know. Would you try to clean up my experiments?

Lily: No. I will learn the difference between the slimy mess that needs to be cleaned and the experiments that need to be left alone.

PP

4

Doc Green: There is no difference.

Lily: Oh. Well, then I won’t clean. Just organize.

Doc Green: I don’t know.

Lily: Everyone needs someone to fight for them. Everyone needs help. Let me fight for you. Let me help you finish this experiment.

Doc Green: (Sighs.) Ok, I know I need help.

Lily: GREAT! First, I was thinking that we might want to repaint this room a nice clean white. Then we should scrub the floor of all the slimy residue from years of slimy messy experiments. Then maybe a nice little lamp here or there.

Doc Green: LILY!

Lily: Oh, sorry. (Looks down at clipboard.) I’ll just help you organize this experiment.

Doc Green: Thank you.

(Lily and Doc start working together looking at the clipboard and pointing to things in the lab.)

Uncovering the NameSupplies: For optional display-sword, Mighty God sign

Preparation: If doing the display, print Mighty God sign. Fold it into a tent sign.

PP

PP As the slime disappears, let’s try to guess what

is under it. (Slime will automatically disappear)

(Have all the kids work together, divide into teams or choose two people to compete.)

What do you think a sword has to do with Jesus’ name, Mighty God? (Give the kids some opportunities to guess.)

Mighty means powerful. It gives us an idea of a warrior who is strong and will fight for us. This warrior fighting for us it not a soldier, but is God. He is more powerful than any human.

Jesus, Mighty God, is powerful and fights for us.

discover the formulaRead Isaiah 9:6 together:

PP For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God...

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

For to us (Point to self.)A child is born (Cradle a baby in arms.)To us (Point to self.)A son is given (Place a hand out and put it down to indicate a young child.)And the government shall be on his shoulder (Point with index fingers of both hands to the shoulders.)And his name (Point to sky.) Shall be Wonderful (Put fists out in front then open dramatically.)Counselor (Make circles with hands and place over the eyes.)Mighty (Flex arms to show muscles.)God (Point to sky.)

InvestigatingKey Bible Story Paul and the Thorn2 Corinthians 12:4-10

Supplies: None

I am going to make a statement. If this statement is something that you have done, stand. If you have not done it, stay seated.

1. Stepped on a nail. 2. Got a splinter in your finger. 3. Stepped on a Lego® with your bare feet. 4. Broke a glass and got a sliver of it under your skin.5. Had a thorn stuck in your skin. 5

Options: Display: Place the sword and the Mighty God sign in the display.

No Power Point: If you do not have access to power point, put the sword in a box and have the kids guess what might be in the box giving clues.

PP

PP

Did any of those things feel good? Not at all. Would any of you want one of those things to happen to you again?

Sometimes we can learn from these things happening to us. What might we learn from step-ping on a nail? (Be careful where we are walking, pick up nails after a project, wear shoes.)

What about stepping on a Lego®? (Pick up the Legos® when we are done with them.)

Those are things we can learn to help prevent it from happening. But what about learning something during the event?

For instance, if we have a splinter in our finger, we might learn how to be patient while our parent tries to get it out. If we get glass under our skin and have to go to the doctor, we might learn how to be brave when we are scared.

What if a thorn was stuck in you for the rest of your life? Usually a thorn is more irritating than painful. What might you learn if you had a thorn stuck in you? (Give kids a chance to answer.)

Paul was a follower of Jesus. He wrote many of the books in the New Testament. He spread the news about Jesus to many different places. He loved Jesus and was willing to risk everything for him. There were many times in Paul’s life when he had it rough. He was beaten and thrown in jail. He was shipwrecked. He was even bitten by a snake and survived.

Paul, also, had a thorn in his flesh. But it was not a real thorn like we talked about earlier. It was a symbolic thorn. That means there was something in his life that was irritating and both-ered him. This thing was so bothersome that he pleaded with Jesus three different times to take this away from him. To make it leave him.

What do you think the thorn was? (Give kids an opportunity to guess.) We do not know what it

6

was. Paul never tells us. Some people have tried to guess what it might have been but nobody knows.

A thorn in someone’s flesh might mean that they have difficulty speak-ing to people, that they cannot see well, that they have a disease, or it might even be a person in their life that annoys them.

Do you think that Jesus took the thorn away from Paul? He did not.

Do you think that Jesus had the pow-er to take the thorn away? Absolutely He did. Jesus is Mighty God and could have taken the thorn right away.

7

Jesus told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weak-ness.” Paul understood that even though Jesus was not taking away this bothersome thing, He was giving Paul the strength to endure it.

Paul said, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” That may sound confusing. But re-ally it means that when we realize that we are not powerful and that we need help, that is when we are the strongest. It is when we realize our need for Jesus, that we rely on His power instead of our own.

Sometimes the way Jesus fights for us as the warrior God is by not changing circum-stances that we do not like but rather making us stronger inside. Through His power in us, He makes us strong.

Let’s say our Bible verse today to help us remember the name of Jesus we are talking about:

PP For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God. . . Isaiah 9:6

Prayer PP Ask Jesus to help the kids rely on His power. Thank Him for being all powerful and for fighting for them. Ask Him to help them to be strong.

guess the slimy creature PP

Supplies: Powerpoint or picture of poison arrow frog

PP Can you guess what slimy creature is on the screen? (The slide will zoom out slowly until the kids will be able to see the creature.)

Does anyone know what this creature is called? It is the Posion Arrow Frog.

Poison arrow frogs live in South America. Slime, which oozes from the pores in the frog’s back, is an important part of life for the male poison arrow frog.

Most frogs live in ponds where tadpoles are left to take care of themselves. However, the poison arrow frog lives in tiny pools of water that collect at the center of plants in the rainforest. Tadpoles live in these little pools of water, however, when the tadpole outgrows the pool it must be moved. This is where the slime becomes important.

The male frog carries the tadpoles on his back to a larger pool. To protect them he oozes extra slime from his back which covers the tadpoles. This slime is also poisonous to other animals.

How would you like to be transported to school or church on your dad’s back in a pile of slime?

PP Let’s look at the Slime-O-Meter and decide just how slimy you think the poison arrow frog is. Our Slime-O-Meter has a scale of 1-10. When I say go you start cheering. When the meter reaches the number you think represents how slimy the creatures is, stop cheering. (Listen as the kids cheer and try to detect when the cheering starts to come down.) It sounds like the poison arrow frog is (announce the number) on the Slime-O-Meter.

The poison arrow frog has an amazing way of taking care of his young. He fights for them by covering them in slime which will protect them from their enemies. He then carries them to a place where they can thrive and grow. However, the tadpoles must depend on the frog in order to grow and get stronger. They rely on the frog’s power to carry them and to protect them.

Jesus is so much more powerful than a poison arrow frog. He is mighty and strong. He makes us stronger when we rely on Him. Sometimes that might mean that we feel like we are “covered in slime.’ But it is in those times when we are sad or hurting that He carries us and works in our lives to help us to be stronger and to grow closer to Him and more like Him.

Jesus, Mighty God, is powerful and fights for us.

slime time lab: Mustard Slime PP

Supplies: Mustard, baking soda, ammonia, clear plastic container, popsicle stick (or something to stir with)

Warning: Ammonia is toxic if ingested. Do not allow kids to inhale the fumes or to work with it.

In our Slime Time Lab today, we are going to make mustard slime. How many of you like mustard on your hot dog? You would never want to put this slime on your hot dog!

Fill the clear container halfway with mustard. Add 1 tsp of baking soda for each ½ cup of mustard used. Stir. More baking soda can be added until the mustard stops rising.

8

We have learned that Jesus, Mighty God, is powerful and fights for us.

What are some ways that He is powerful? (Allow the kids to name things.) What are some ways that He fights for us?(Again, allow the kids to share.) His power working in us makes us stronger. Just like the mustard started to rise when we added the

baking soda, we become stronger when we rely on Him and His power. Some-times He fights for us by changing our circumstances. And sometimes He fights for us by changing us. (Add a few drops of ammonia. The color of the slime will turn red.)

Let’s make a choice to rely on Mighty God to change either the circumstance or us knowing that He always will do what is best for us.

9

slime bucket: worms PP

Supplies: slime bucket (see introduction for ideas how to make this), spaghetti noodles, green kool-aid, pen, blindfold

Preparation: Boil the spaghetti. Place in a bucket. Prepare the kool-aid and pour over the noodles until the noodles are soggy but not swimming in it. Hide the pen in the slime bucket.

It is now time to find out who will be slimed in the slime bucket. One of you will be picked to put your hands and arms inside the bucket while blindfolded. You will need to find whatever is in the slime and bring it out for us all to see.

Messier but oh-so-fun option: Put a plastic rain coat with hood on the person. Have them stand in a baby pool and dump the slide on the head. Then have him/her hunt in the baby pool for the object.

Blindfold the volunteer and place his/her hands in the bucket. Have the kids cheer and encour-age them as they hunt for the pen.

What did you find in the slime? A pen used for writing. Each of us has a story that is being written. It is about our lives. We have a choice to make. Are we going to write our own story or are we going to allow Jesus, Mighty God, to write it.

If we write our own story, we will be relying on our own power and our own strength. Our story will be all about what we want. However, if we allow God to write the story, then our story will be one of His power and His strength working through us. It will be a story about how Jesus fought for us making us stronger and making us more like Him. What choice do you want to make?

Let’s make the choice to allow Jesus, Mighty God, to write our story. Remember that He is powerful and fights for us.

testingthe slime laboratory: mustard slimeSupplies: Mustard, baking soda, clear cups, spoonsPreparation: Fill clear cups ¼ full of mustard.

Let the kids experiment by spooning different amounts of baking soda into cups of mustard and watching the slime form. Kids will enjoy guessing how high the mustard will rise and then watching to see if their guess is correct. Be careful that overzealous kids do not dump whole boxes of baking soda in mustard.

Ask the kids to think of ways that Jesus makes their lives more powerful by working in them.

craft: paper swordSupplies: Newspaper, tape, empty cereal box, aluminum foil, scissors

Preparation: Cut ovals from the cereal box approximately 5 inches long and 4 inches wide. In the center, cut a hole large enough for the rolled up newspaper to fit through snuggly.

1. Take two sheets of newspaper and roll up on a diagonal to make a long tube. Tape.

2. Fold a third of the newspaper over to make a loop large enough for the hand to fit through. This is the handle. Tape to the tube.

3. Cover the oval with aluminum foil. Thread the oval onto the sword (the end without the handle).

10

Remind the kids that Jesus is the Mighty God and that He fights for them so they will become more like Him.

Game: cat, dog, ferretSupplies: None

This game is played similar to Rock, Pa-per, Scissors except the kids will strike a pose as the animal.

Pair up the kids. Say, “Dog, Cat, Ferret” and on the next beat the kids must pose as one of the three.

11

-The dog chases the cat. - The cat chases the ferret. - The ferret scares the dog.

Switch partners and play again.

For a “winner” have the winners keep playing one another until only one kid remains.

Discuss how in this game there was always one animal that was more “powerful” than another. With Jesus, there is no one more powerful than Him.

Bible Memory activity: keep it off the groundFor to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God... Isaiah 9:6

Supplies: Balloons

Preparation: Blow up the balloons and tie.

Warning: Balloons are a choking hazard.

Divide the kids into groups of 5-6. Give each group a blown up balloon. The group should stand in a circle and one person push the balloon into the air saying the first word to the verse. Another person hits the balloon but must say the next word to the Bible verse. Continue until the verse is completed or the balloon hits the ground. Start over if someone misses the verse or the balloon hits the ground.

Express yourselfSupplies: Copy of questions for each small group

1. The name Mighty God has two parts. Explain what each part of the name means. 2. What do you think of when you think of a warrior? Have you thought of Jesus as a warrior before?3. How does Jesus fight for you? 4. Does the fact that Jesus is powerful and fights for you mean that He will make everything work out the way you want it to work out? Why or why not?5. What are some “thorns” that might bother kids? Why do you think Jesus might not remove those “thorns” if kids asked them? Do you think that sometimes Jesus chooses to remove “thorns?”6. How can kids rely on Jesus’ power instead of their own? Can you think of some practical ways that you can do this each day?7. Think of a time when Jesus showed Himself as the Mighty God in your life.

Snack: pretzel swordsSupplies: Pretzel sticks, grapes

Preparation: Cut the grapes in half.

Place the one grape half on a pretzel stick with the rounded end going on the stick first. Slide the grape about 1/5 of the way up the stick.

Remind kids that the symbol for Mighty God is the sword. It symbolizes the fact that Jesus is powerful and will fight for us.

trading cardsSupplies: printed card for each child, markers or crayons (optional)

Name: Mighty God

Symbol: Sword (Jesus is the warrior God fighting for us.)

Verse: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder,and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God.. Isaiah 9:6

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.

12

13

Supply List

slimy facts: ☐Powerpoint or posterboard with facts printed on it

Doc Green and Lily: ☐Paper ☐Tissue ☐Green liquid (green colored water) ☐Clipboard

Uncovering the Name: ☐For optional display-sword ☐Mighty God sign

Key Bible Story: ☐None

guess the slimy creature: ☐Powerpoint or picture of poison arrow frog

slime time lab: ☐Mustard ☐Baking soda ☐Ammonia ☐Clear plastic container ☐Popsicle stick (or something to stir with)

slime bucket: ☐Slime bucket (see introduction for ideas how to make this) ☐Spaghetti noodles ☐Green kool-aid ☐Pen ☐Blindfold

The slime laboratory: ☐Mustard ☐Baking soda ☐Clear cups ☐Spoons

Craft: ☐Newspaper ☐Tape ☐Empty cereal box ☐Aluminum foil ☐Scissors

Game: ☐None

Bible activity: ☐Balloons

express yourself: ☐Copy of questions for each small group

Snack: ☐Pretzel sticks ☐Grapes

Trading cards: ☐printed card for each child ☐markers or crayons (optional)

family lab report 3

Bible Verse: For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall

be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God...

Isaiah 9:6

Bible Story:

Paul and the Thorn, 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

Main Point: Jesus, Mighty God, is powerful and fights for

us.

Family Debriefing: - Why is Jesus called Mighty God? (Think of both words in this name.)- Can you think of some ways Jesus has fought for your family?- Is there a “thorn” in your flesh that Jesus has not taken away but given you strength to endure? - Name some ways in which Jesus has been powerful in your family.

Family Imaginative Thinking:Think of statements to say to remind each other that Jesus if fighting for you. Write these down and post them around your home.

Family Activity:Place mustard in a cup. Pour in a teaspoon of baking soda. Stir. When God’s power is added to our lives our strength grows just like the mustard grew in the cup.

__________________

mighty godmighty god

Express yourself

1. The name Mighty God has two parts. Explain what each part of the name means.

2. What do you think of when you think of a warrior? Have you thought of Jesus as a warrior before?

3. How does Jesus fight for you?

4. Does the fact that Jesus is powerful and fights for you mean that He will make everything work out the way you want it to work out? Why or why not?

5. What are some “thorns” that might bother kids? Why do you think Jesus might not remove those “thorns” if kids asked them? Do you think that sometimes Jesus chooses to remove “thorns?”6. How can kids rely on Jesus’ power instead of their own? Can you think of some practical ways that you can do this each day?

7. Think of a time when Jesus showed Himself as the Mighty God in your life.