Years ago I had a Childrens’ Sermon as part of our Sunday Evening service. Occasionally I would do “sermon in a sack.” A child was given a bag in which to bring an item for the following week. Then I would have to make an object lesson spontaneously from whatever was in the sack. This forced some quick thinking and creativity. I think the most difficult was a toy of a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.”
The picture above shows a creative solution to a problem, I would like to hear some of your creative solutions. Click on the “leave a comment” link below and share your ideas.
I am holding a back of bark mulch (the chipped wood that is spread around garden plants) and asking you to come up with a Biblical lesson based upon that product.
Idea for lesson on wood chip mulch
ReplyDeleteHopefully you will have some people in your small group who have a green thumb or at least enjoy working outdoors in the flower bed, grarden or some sort of landscaping.
To draw out the class the question you could ask is what mulch is used for.
Bare patches in the soil will soon have something growing on them and more than likely it will be weeds. Mulching keeps weeds down mainly by blocking out light they need to germinate. If a weed does poke through the mulch - it can be pulled out much easier when it is rooted in a two or four inch layer of mulch.
Spiritual coorelation:
How do we "mulch" our hearts?
Read Luke 8:4-15
Narrow in on the seed that fell among the thorns and how they grew up with the plant and choked the plants
Ask your small group if they ever experienced this in their flower bed or garden if they haven't been out to weed in several days? Ask how the weeds are able to choke out the plants. (their root system is extensive but only surface deep and they grow much faster than the plant and rob it of it's nutrients)
In Luke 8:14 tells us that the weeds or thorns are the worries of this life and also the riches and pleasures of this world.
In Luke 8:11 the seed is referred to as the word of God which we would receive through bible teaching, preaching, and personal study.
Personal application:
How do each of you struggle in this area?
What weeds can you identify, past or present, that have grown in your heart?
Are they worries about what other people think of you? So you strive to keep up with the latest and greatest of what your neighbors have?
Are they worries as to what the future holds for you and your family financially?
Are they worries about your health, various family members salvations, the future of your job, what you will do after you graduate from school, how your kids will turn out etc....etc?
How well do you do managing your time with work, family and ministry? Do you find yourself spending far more time with things that will increase your wealth? Do you spend so much time at work that you have little time for anything else?
Do you spend your money mostly on things that will bring you or your family entertainment or pleasure and then have nothing left to tithe or support any ministry?
Do you love pleasure so much that you are unwilling to make personal sacrifices in order to serve God or be obedient in some area that will bring you personal suffering?
Does your worry show you any idols in your life - or things you are elevating to a higher level of importance over God?
How does where you spend your money or your time show you what is a priority in your life? Is it God or other things?
There are many scriptures you can take your group to that show what God says in His word about worry, various idolatry and also about money.
To me personally, the mulch is the word of God - specifically the promises and commands of God. The bible tells us that the heart is the welspring of life and that we are to guard it. The word of God is like a protective covering over our heart and in the same way the mulch acts as a filter for the soil the word of God acts as a filter over our heart as well.
In the same way the mulch acts as a covering over the soil to prevent weeds and thorns from growing - God's word and specifically His promises and commands act as a covering over our hearts keeping us from the weeds of worry, the weeds of raising up idols in our heart and the thorns of chasing after monetary gain at the expense of all else.
Another thing mulch does well in the natural for plants is it helps retain moisture for the soil.
In the same way the Holy Spirit is like mulch in that HE keeps our hearts soft to God's word and His will.
Wood mulch works best for going around shrubs and trees. The spiritual application here is RICH!
Galatians 5:16-26 speaks about what life in the Spirit is like verses continuing to live for the flesh.
Galatians 5:19-21 speaks about what the acts of the sinful nature are - these can be looked at as a tree producing bad fruit.
Galatians 5:22-23 speak about the fruit of the Spirit - good fruit produced by a healthy tree. One that is getting all the nutrients it needs from the soil.
For a great object lesson - find someone in your neighborhood that could use help with the yard or garden and take your small group over there and do a service project with mulch.
Jesus usually taught while "out and about". His ministry was extremely practical and met real needs.
How neat would it be if your small group got out in the real world doing real ministry for others and you formulated a lesson to go hand in hand with that?
~Vicki
PS on lesson
ReplyDeleteWhatever "worries" small group identified as weeds growing in their hearts.....follow up with helping them find specific promises in God's word that they can stand upon when tempted to worry in those areas.
Also, there are verses that speak of how God desires to daily bear our burdens - and how He wants to take our cares upon Himself.
Another scripture that you can take them to is the one where Jesus says that those who are weary can come and take His yoke upon them and learn from Him.
How can Jesus help them bear their burdens and worries?
Pray with and for them in these specific areas they have identified.
Do the same with the area of money and idols.
Remember to follow up with them in upcoming weeks and encourage them to share praise reports of how GOd is working to bring change and growth in their lives in these specific areas.
~ Vicki
Further thoughts on Luke 8:4-15
ReplyDeleteThis parable (specifically 8:7 and 8:14) is a wonderful opportunity to lead your small group in understanding what it really means to make Jesus Lord of your life.
If you look at Luke 8:14 it states that the seed that grew where there were the weeds and thorns of worry, living for pleasure and chasing after riches in this world failed to mature.
Many Christians are under the false impression that if they prayed a prayer asking Jesus to come into their lives and be there Lord and Savior then that is all they have to do. That is a VERY important step - but it is only the first step in making Jesus Lord of one's life.
Is Jesus Lord of your finances? Do you spend your money where He would have it be spent? Are you being the best steward you can be with what He has given you financially?
Is Jesus Lord of your free time? Are you so busy with pleasure seeking activities that you have little time for ministry or prayer or growing in biblical knowledge?
Is Jesus Lord of your emotions? Do you bring your worries and concerns to God or do you try to manage them on your own?
Making Jesus Lord of your life means HE is in the driver's seat in the area of finances, family, free time, future, friendships, etc..
If you don't really know what God's word says to you in regard to these various areas of life (if you haven't yet applied the "mulch" of God's word to your heart)....chances are Jesus is not currently reigning as Lord over them.
As a small group you can explore in depth whichever specific area your group seems to struggle with most.....worry, pleasure seeking or chasing after riches in this world.....or you can focus on all of them.
Worry -
Would you agree that this is a sin we tend to tolerate (or excuse) in our lives more than others such as drunkenness or promiscuity? Is this sin more acceptable to God or one He would choose to overlook? Why or why not?
Why is worry harmful?
What can it do to us physically?
What can it do to us relationally?
What can it do to us spiritually?
Faith is trusing in God and His word.
we are saved by faith (eph 2:8-9)
the believer is exhorted to walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7)
without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6)
whatever we do apart from faith is sin (Rom 14:23)
Can a person worry and still be walking in faith? Is worry mixed with faith pleasing to God?
What is the difference between careful planning in regard to the future and worry?
Matthew 6:31-33
Philippians 4:4-9
What can we do when worry threatens to consume our thoughts and our lives?
Whenever worry enters our minds we can stop and pray. Actively and purposefully turn that area of our life over to God - in prayer - even if we have to do it 1,000 times a day.
Ask God to replace our worry with His peace. God's peace is different from the peace the world gives (John 14:27)
True peace isn't found in positive thinking or in good conflict free circumstances. It is found in knowing (believing) God is in control in all circumstances of our lives (see Romans 8:28-39)
Ask your group members to share about areas where they are prone to worry in their lives and pray together for each other.
Worry, like any other sin is impossible to overcome in our own power - but with God, nothing is impossible.
~Vicki