ONE ANOTHER WEEK 6: SERVE ONE ANOTHER OCTOBER 22, 2017

At a Glance The Church Helps Acts 11:19-30

Main Idea: God wants people in the church to serve others. Memory Verse: “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” - Galatians 5:13, NIV Younger Children Option: Serve one another. Galatians 5:13, NIV

Teacher Devotional The Bible makes it clear that we are to serve one another. In American culture, people place a strong emphasis on being served, rather than serving others. But as Christians, our identity and self-worth are not found in being served and waited on by others. Our identity is found in Jesus. Since our identity is found in Christ, we have nothing to prove and that gives us the freedom to serve others as the Bible commands us to do.

It has been said, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” It’s human nature to often think of ourselves first, but the gospel calls us to a new way of living. The culture we live in promotes a mindset of entitlement and self-promotion that is anything but humble. In fact, the Bible’s command to serve others is counter-cultural in modern day society. One of the ways pride manifests itself in our society is an unwillingness to serve in menial tasks. However, the gospel calls for a different way of living. If we are living with the goal or intention of being served, we have missed the core of what it means to live as a Christ follower. Christ’s entire ministry destroys the notion that Christians are to be served. Like Jesus, we are to take on the role of a servant. Our service to others should not be contingent on their behavior, but should be motivated by our love for Christ.

What better example of how to serve others than the church at Antioch? When a prophet from Jerusalem named Agabus predicted a famine would occur, the church went into action. When the famine happened, the Antioch church collected funds to send to those in need in Jerusalem. Later on, the church also supported the ministry of Barnabas and Saul. The church is called to serve others.

Large Group

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Introduce the Story Option for Younger Kids: Study and Serve Supplies: Serving tray, towel, apple, socks, ruler, diaper, card, bandage, spatula, bag (that items will fit in) Prep: Place the items on the tray and cover them up. Option: If you don’t have the items, write or draw a picture of each item on an index card. Place cards on the serving tray.

● Remove the towel covering the items on the tray. Ask kids to study the items anddo their best to remember what is on the tray.

● Ask kids to turn away from you while you remove one item and place it in thebag, then direct kids to turn back around.

● Invite kids to guess which item you removed from the tray. Once the item isguessed, invite kids to help you think of ways to use that item to serve others.Repeat the activity until you’ve removed every item from the tray.

● Use the following guide if you need ideas for ways to serve with each item.○ Apple: provide food for hungry people○ Socks: provide clothes for people who need them○ Ruler: school supplies for kids○ Diaper: baby supplies for families○ Card: birthday card for someone○ Bandage: help someone who is sick○ Spatula: bake cookies for an elderly person

● Say: “These are great ways to serve others. In today’s lesson, you will learnmore about a church who wanted to serve others.”

Option for Older Kids: Silent Communication Supplies: None (except those for smaller groups, see below) Prep: None Option for Smaller Groups: Gather different color pieces of construction paper, a pen, and an index card. Assign each color of paper a numerical value, for example, blue: 1; red: 2; orange: 3; and so on. Write a number key on the index card. Choose a volunteer to hold the key, and place the pieces of paper in front of the group. Challenge the group to put the colored paper in order. Allow the volunteer to nod his or her head when a piece of color is placed in the correct position. For example, he or she would nod his or her head when the first piece of paper in the line was blue, since blue represents the number 1.

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● Randomly assign each child a number, but do not give the same number to anychildren.

● Challenge kids to put themselves in numerical order, from the lowest to thehighest number without speaking. Kids may clap their hands for the numbersthey have been assigned.

● Congratulate kids for completing the challenge, then assign different numbersand change up how kids may communicate using another nonverbal forms ofcommunication, such as stomping feet, turning around, or nodding heads.

● Say: “You worked together to achieve the goal I challenged you to reach. Intoday’s story, you’ll learn about people working together and how othersbenefitted from their cooperation.”

Introduce the Main Idea to kids: God wants people in the church to serve others. Ask kids to think about ways people in the church can serve others and you will discuss their ideas in a few minutes.

Tell the Bible Story Supplies: Teaching Picture 6, colored paper, marker, tape Prep: Write each of the following locations on a separate piece of paper: Antioch, Jerusalem, and Judea. Place each sign on a different wall in the room. Option: If you don’t want the kids moving around so much during this activity, encourage kids to point toward each location when it is mentioned instead of physically moving directions.

● Call attention to the posters around the room labeled Jerusalem, Judea, andAntioch.

● Guide kids to locate Acts 11 in their Bibles, and when they have, invite them toturn to face the sign labeled “Jerusalem.” Tell the story and guide kids to faceeach location as they hear it mentioned in the story.

The Antioch Church

The believers in Jerusalem were being mistreated because of their faith in Jesus. Many scattered to other parts of the world. They spoke about Jesus to the people around them, and many more people believed.

Some believers only shared about Jesus with the Jews. The believers in Antioch began telling the good news about Jesus to people who weren’t Jews. A large number of people believed.

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Word of what was happening in Antioch reached the church in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to help the church in Antioch. Barnabas was a good man who listened to God and had great faith. When Barnabas saw that many people had trusted in Jesus, he encouraged the people to stay strong and remain true to God.

Barnabas left Antioch to search for Saul (later called Paul). Once he found Saul, they went back to Antioch. Barnabas and Saul stayed with the church for a year and taught large groups of people. Antioch is the place where people were first called Christians.

Prophets also came to Antioch from Jerusalem. One of the prophets named Agabus told the Antioch Christians that a famine was coming to the whole Roman world. A famine meant that the crops would not grow and that many people would be without food.

The church in Antioch got together and decided to help the churches in Judea. Each person gave what he could. Barnabas and Saul brought aid to the elders in Judea.

—BASED ON Acts 11:19-30

● Display the teaching picture. Ask kids to share ways the church can meet theneeds of people in the community.

Apply the Bible Story Option for PreK and Younger Kids: Pass the Ball Supplies: Paper towel tubes, marble, small bouncy ball or table tennis ball, scissors Prep: Cut the tubes in half vertically to create “troughs.” Make enough troughs for each child to have a piece.

● Remind kids of today’s Main Point: God wants people in the church to serveothers.

● Guide kids to form a circle and give each child a trough to hold.● Ask: “How can working together be a way to serve others?”● Place a marble in a tube and encourage kids to keep the marble moving from

one child’s trough to another, working the ball around the circle.● Share that working together is one way to show love and serve others.● Discuss with kids different ways they can serve others. For older kids,

encourage them to share a way each time they pass the ball to one another.

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Option for Older Kids: Do the Math Supplies: Older Kids Activity Page, pencils

● Say: “One way churches meet the needs of others is through tithes and offerings.A tithe is 10 percent of the money that someone earns.”

● Distribute Activity Pages and pencils. Guide kids to complete “Get to Work” andhelp kids as needed with the math required.

● Invite kids to share ways the church can use money to help others.

Small Group Time (Dismiss to Groups)

Apply the Main Idea

Option for PreK and Younger Kids: Paper Plate Serve Supplies: Paper plates, large craft sticks, tape, markers, balloons (optional, rice) Prep: Inflate the balloons. (Optional: Put a small amount of rice in each balloon to weight them down a bit.) For PreK Kids: Write “Serve one another.” on each paper plate and attach a craft stick to it with tape to resemble a racquet.

● Provide each child with a paper plate and craft stick. Guide kids to write: “Serveone another in love,” on the paper plate. Then demonstrate how to attach thecraft stick to the back of the plate to create a paper plate racquet.

● Help kids locate Galatians 5:13 in their Bibles. Read the verse aloud and ask kidsto share what they think it means.

● Lead kids to form a circle and say the verse phrase, hitting a balloon each time aword is said. You can make this simple and only use one balloon to pass aroundthe circle or have several balloons. One option is for each child to have her ownballoon and keep it in the air while saying the verse phrase.

● Say: “Serving others is an important part of being a part of your church. Let’sremember to serve others and do so with love.”

Option for Younger and Older Kids: Serving from A to Z Supplies: Paper and pens Prep: Option: If possible, take the kids on a field trip around the church to complete their A to Z activity. Allow kids to look around for different things people give or ways money given to the church is used to serve others.

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● Ask: “What do you think the people of Judea did with the money sent to them from the church at Antioch?”

● Share that money given to the church is used in many ways, including helping with mission trips, giving food to people in need, paying the electric bill for the church, and gas for the church bus.

● Form teams or allow kids to work individually. Provide a piece of paper for each team or individual.

● Direct kids to write the letters A through Z on the paper, vertically going down the side of paper.

● Challenge each team to think of things that money given to the church helps pay for that begins with each letter in the alphabet. Work with kids to choose a letter, such as the letter “E” and write the word electricity.

● Guide kids to work on completing as many letters as they are able to do within the time allowed.

● Invite kids to compare their lists. ● Encourage kids to give to the church to continue to allow the church to do things

for other people. ● Pray, and thank God for all the ways the kids discovered that the church was

able to serve others. Review Option for PreK and Younger Kids Supplies:

● Lead kids to stand in a circle. Ask kids to listen to each statement you make and if it is true for each child individually, direct those kids to stand in the middle of the circle. Once kids are in the middle, ask them a review question and allow them to discuss each answer together. Review responses given by kids.

● Use the following statements: ○ I am wearing blue. ○ I have a sister. ○ I have a cat. ○ I love popcorn. ○ I was born in this state. ○ My favorite color is green. ○ I have never ridden in a train.

Review Questions

1. Why were the believers in Jerusalem being mistreated? (Because of their faith in Jesus)

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2. To whom did the believers in Jerusalem tell the good news about Jesus? (Peoplewho were not Jews)

3. Whom did the church in Jerusalem send to help the people in Antioch?(Barnabas)

4. Where were the believers first called Christians? (Antioch)5. What did Agabus tell the believers in Antioch? (A famine was coming to the

whole Roman world)6. How did the church in Antioch respond to the news about the famine? (Each

person gave what he could to help the people in Judea)

Option for Older Kids Supplies: “Antioch Story Cards”

● Guide kids to sit in a circle.● Display the “Antioch Story Cards” and work with kids to put them in the correct

order.● Review the story with the kids and emphasize the fact that the Antioch church

helped others when they needed it.

Learn the Memory Verse

Memory Verse: “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” - Galatians 5:13, NIV

Younger Children Option: Serve one another. Galatians 5:13, NIV

Option for PreK Supplies: Paper plate “racquets” made in Apply the Main Idea, balloons, permanent marker Prep: Write each of the following words on a separate balloon: serve, one, another. Option: Number the balloons in the order they appear in the verse: serve (1), one (2), another (3).

● Review today’s memory verse with kids.● Display the balloons and review the words found on each balloon.● Invite kids to help keep the balloons in the air and say the word on each balloon

each time they hit one.● Gather balloons and ask kids to put them in order and say the verse together.

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Option for All Kids Supplies: Paper plates, marker Prep: Write the words to Galatians 5:13 on paper plates, one word per plate. Scramble the plates together. Also write the words to Galatians 5:13 on the board for reference.

● Invite kids to locate Galatians 5:13 in their Bibles. Invite a volunteer to read theverse around.

● Toss the paper plates around the room. Ask kids to pick the plates up in theorder of the verse, working together.

● Gather kids around a table or seating beside one another on the floor. Mix up theplates and put them in front of them, as if they were on the table holding food.

● Challenge kids to work together, without moving from their seats, to stack theplates in the correct order.

● Talk with kids about the meaning of the word humbly. Invite them to share theirideas and discuss ways to serve one another humbly.

Pray ● Gather kids together in a circle and invite them to hold hands.● Explain that working together as a church body allows people to serve others.● Pray, asking that God would allow each child to serve Him.

Activity/Take Home Sheets ● If you haven’t already used the Activity pages, use the remaining group time to

complete the activity sheets or review your answers for this week’s lesson(“06_ActivityPage_Younger” and “06_ActivityPage_Older”). If you run out of time,send the sheets home for kids to review during the week.

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© 2014 LifeWay

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IMAG

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Lots of Love

L O V E W T

L E R S L S

O E V O L E

V G V V E V

E E V O L O

U J E V O L

What does Galatians 5:14 tell us to do?

Find and circle the word LOVE seven times.

Color in each heart after you find each word.

© 2014 LifeWay

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IMAG

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$

$

$

$

$

$

Total $

Tithe $

Think of a job that involves the items below

and write it under each picture.

Predict how much you might earn doing that job.

Then calculate how much your tithe could be.

(A tithe is 1/10, or 10 percent.)

© 2014 LifeWay

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The believers in Jerusalem were being mistreated because of their faith in Jesus.

Many believers scattered to other parts of the world.

As they traveled, they shared the good news of Jesus with others and many more people believed.

Some believers shared about Jesus only with the Jews.

The believers in Antioch began telling the good news about Jesus to people who were not Jews. Many people believed.

The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to help the church in Antioch.

Barnabas was encouraged by what he saw and told the people to stay strong and remain true to God.

Barnabas found Saul and took him to Antioch. They stayed with the Antioch church for a year and taught the people.

The believers were first called “Christians” in Antioch.

A prophet named Agabus told the Antioch Christians that a famine was coming to the whole Roman world.

The Antioch church collected an offering to help the churches in Judea.

Barnabas and Saul brought the aid to the churches in Judea.

© 2014 LifeWay

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family devotionals Week #6: Serve One Another

ACTIVITY:

FOCUS:

STEP IT UP:(if you are able to make

more time in your week)

GO DEEPER:(have older kids or are

just ready for more?)

Gather index cards and markers or colorful pens

Read Galatians 5:13. What does it mean to serve? What does humble mean? To make it a bit more active have them do some research. They can “Google” the words, ask “Alexa”, or dig out an old dictionary. Pick out, as a family, the description you like best.

Memorize Galatians 5:13. Have each family member who is able to write, write the verse on an index card. Then each family member should pick a “high traffic” spot to display the card they made. Try on the fridge, on the bathroom mirror, in the car or by your bed so family members can work on it as they go about their day. (For younger family members have them work on the part of the verse, “Serve one another humbly.”)

God wants people in the church to serve others.

Put your service into action. Have one family member take notes as other family members suggest ways you could serve one another. Or really step it up to serve a neighbor. IDEAS: Help Mom with the dishes. Help Dad make dinner. Help my sister make

her bed. Help my brother walk the dog. Weed our neighbor, Mrs. Smith’s garden.

(Maybe you have items on your Random Acts of Kindness list from Week #1 you

didn’t get to do. Now is your time to love others through service.)

Read Acts 11:19-30 and Galatians 5:13 again. In our culture of North Jersey it can be difficult to think about serving others. Talk about as a family why you think this is the case.

What does it mean to serve humbly? (not expecting anything back)Why would God ask us to “humbly serve”?We have so many freedoms in this country. How can we enjoy what we have been blessed with but still serve and help others?

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