Too Much

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

Too Much Bible: Too Much (Too Much of a Good Thing) • Proverbs 25:16 Bottom Line: Know when to stop. Memory Verse: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.” 2 Peter 1:3a (NIV) Life App: Self-control—Choosing to do what you should even when you don't want to Basic Truth: I need to make the wise choice.

Social: Setting the Tone for the Experience (9:00, 10:15, 11:30) 9:00 & 11:30 Early Arriver • A music player 10:15 Too Much of a Good Thing • “Too Much of a Good Thing” Activity Page; one for each kid • Colored pencils Bible: Communicating God’s Truth in Engaging Ways (9:15, 10:30, 11:45) • Bible Presentation in Large Group Groups: Creating a Safe Place to Connect (9:40, 10:55, 12:10) 9:00 & 11:30 Stoplight Scenarios • “Stoplight Scenarios” Activity Page; one for each small group • Red, green, and yellow disposable plates (any size); one of each color for each kid and the SGL 10:15 Slow As Molasses • Bibles • A jar of honey or molasses • Bowl Prayer (9:50, 11:05, 12:20) • No supplies needed Dismiss (10:00, 11:15, 12:30)

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

Too Much Bible: Too Much (Too Much of a Good Thing) • Proverbs 25:16 Bottom Line: Know when to stop. Memory Verse: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.” 2 Peter 1:3a (NIV) Life App: Self-control—Choosing to do what you should even when you don't want to Basic Truth: I need to make the wise choice.

Social: Providing Time for Fun Interaction (Small Groups, 15 minutes) Welcome kids and spend time engaging in conversation and catching up. Get ready to experience today’s Bible Truth. Before kids arrive, take a few moments to pray for them. Ask God to show each kid in which areas of their lives they need to know when to stop. Pray that kids would understand that too much of a good thing is actually a bad thing. Pray that they would know that God wants good things for us, and an unlimited supply of good things can actually be a really bad thing. 9:00 & 11:30 Early Arriver Idea What You Need: Music player What You Do: • Welcome kids as they arrive. • Ask the group a few questions: o Has anyone ever eaten too much candy/sweets/ice cream? o How did it feel? What were you thinking before, during, and after eating? • Play freeze dance: o Turn on the music and encourage kids to dance. o Explain that they can be as crazy or silly as they want as long as they don’t hurt anyone or leave the space. o Abruptly stop the music and tell the kids to freeze. Anyone moving is eliminated until the next round. o Play as many rounds as you’d like. • Afterwards, ask kids: o What did it feel like to stop dancing even though you were really into it? o Was it hard to control your body or your brain? What did it feel like to get stuck in an uncomfortable position during the freeze time?Lead your group to the Large Group area.

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

10:15 Too Much of a Good Thing What You Need: “Too Much of a Good Thing” Activity Pages, colored pencils What You Do: • Pass out an Activity Page to each kid. • Talk with kids about how the things in the left-hand column are good things, but what would happen if you had too much of them? • Encourage kids to draw a picture in the square on the right showing what would happen if you had too much of the thing on the left. What You Say: “Those are some pretty good drawings! You have definitely made me want to eat less candy, turn off the video games, not adopt too many pets, and stay out of the sun. Sheesh! [Transition] Today in Large Group, we are going to hear even more about why too much of a good thing is not always a good thing.” Lead your group to the Large Group area.

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

Too Much Bible: Communicating God’s Truth in Engaging Ways (Large Group, 25 minutes) GETTING READY 1. Opener/Closer What You Need: • • • • • • • •

Allergy Alert posted at the door Host Host’s phone Foam “snowballs” Large, clear plastic bin Index cards; one for each kid Markers; one for each kid Box of honey-flavored crackers

2. Bible Truth What You Need: • • • • •

Historyteller Bible Table Clear plastic bin labeled “YOUR LIFE” Prop box containing props representing fun things we might overdo, such as: o Junk food o Soda o Video games o Movies o Phones o Toys o Friends o Sports

3. Worship What You Need: • • •

“Go” “Everywhere I Go” “Oceans”

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

Too Much Bible: Too Much (Too Much of a Good Thing) • Proverbs 25:16 Bottom Line: Know when to stop. Memory Verse: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.” 2 Peter 1:3a (NIV) Life App: Self-control—Choosing to do what you should even when you don't want to Basic Truth: I need to make the wise choice.

Bible: Communicating God’s Truth in Engaging Ways (Large Group, 25 minutes) Engage kids’ hearts through a dynamic and interactive Bible Truth, worship, and prayer experience in a Large Group setting. CG: Theme Loop Video Host enters. CG: Countdown Video CG: Theme Video Opener HOST: “Hi, everyone! It’s the last week of January, which means I only have one more week to keep my New Year’s resolution. One more week of healthy eating and exercise. That’s how it works, right? (Pause for response.) Well, maybe not. I guess if I go backward on all my changes in February, that’s not exactly self-control. That’s what we’ve been talking about this month. Who remembers what selfcontrol is? CG: Life App Video “Self-control is choosing to do what you should even when you don't want to. CG: Theme TransBack Video “If you want to have self-control, you’ve got to update your operating system. You’ve got to update the way you react, yes, even after January is over! When life throws you a curveball, you’ve got to keep your cool and stay in control. “Speaking of curveballs, this month we’ve been using these snowballs to play some fun games. (Point to the foam ‘snowballs.’) I’ve got one more game for you today. “We’ve got this giant bin. (Point to the large, clear plastic bin.) Begin handing out the index cards and markers. “I want you to guess how many of these (hold up a snowball) it would take to fill this bin WITHOUT overflowing it. The person that gets the closest—without going over—wins! You’ve got 30 seconds to write down your guess. Be sure and write down your name so there’s no question who wins later.

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

Phone timer: 30 seconds SFX: “Jeopardy” theme music CG: Countdown Video “Time’s up! Pass in your markers, but hang on to your paper. (Collect the markers.) Now let’s test it out and see who got the closest guess! Count the snowballs as you place them in the bin. As you get close to the end, stop occasionally and ask the kids who’s still in the running with their guess. (When the first snowball overflows) “Okay! it looks like exactly [number] snowballs fit in this bin before it overflows. Who got closest to that number without going over? Help the kids figure out who won. “[Winning kid’s name], congratulations! You win a very special prize. (Hand her the box of honey crackers.) I know this seems totally random, but it’ll make sense in a few minutes. Oh, and you can eat them. Share them with your friends. I’ll give you a minute to pass them out. Enjoy!” Give the winner a chance to pass out the crackers. Let the kids get settled before you continue with the Bible Truth. SETTING UP THE BIBLE TRUTH HISTORYTELLER: “We’ve been talking about self-control all month. There’s a lot of wisdom about selfcontrol in the book of Proverbs. (Hold up Bible.) Who remembers who wrote most of this book in the Bible? (Pause to let them respond.) That’s right! King Solomon. “Solomon was pretty young when he became king, and get this—God told him he could ask for anything he wanted. Do you know what Solomon asked for? (Pause for response.) Wisdom. Solomon knew he would need to be wise if he was going to rule over a nation of people. Sure enough, God made Solomon one of the wisest people who ever lived! “A lot of Solomon’s wise thoughts were collected in the book of Proverbs, and we can read them today. One interesting thing is that Solomon used a lot of word pictures to share his wisdom. He took an important idea and described it like a picture so it would be easier for us to understand. “I’ve got a pretty fun one to share with you today. You might even be surprised this verse is in the Bible. Check it out. Open the Bible to Proverbs 25:16 (NIrV) and read. CG: Proverbs 25:16 Slide “If you find honey, eat just enough. If you eat too much of it, you will throw up. “Hmm, an interesting choice of words there, Solomon. But I think I know what he was talking about. I’ll give you a hint. It’s not just about honey.”

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

GOOD BUT TEMPTING THINGS HISTORYTELLER: “There are a lot of things in life that are sweet or fun—things that you just LOVE. In fact, you love them SO much that you might be tempted to overdo them. “In Solomon’s day, people apparently felt that way about honey. That’s not really my thing, but I could probably eat quite a few of those! (Point to the kid with the cracker box.) “What are some of your favorite things? What are some things that you love so much that you’re tempted to overdo it? As kids say things that match your props, pull them out of the box and put them in the clear “YOUR LIFE” container. “These are all great things. In fact, I see some of my favorite things in here too!” WHY IT’S HARD TO STOP HISTORYTELLER: “But here’s the problem. Sometimes when it comes to these kinds of good things, it can be hard to stop. It can be hard to have self-control. It can be tough to stop eating ice cream after just one scoop. It can be tough to stop watching TV after just one episode. “Why do you think that is? (Hold up a couple of items from the bin.) Why is it hard to stop doing these things?” Look for answers like: you’re having fun; you want to get to the next level; you want to see the next show; you want to get better at your sport; you don’t want to be the only one that stops; etc. Be ready to suggest some of those answers if the kids don’t say them. WHEN YOU CAN’T STOP HISTORYTELLER: “You’re right. There are lots of reasons why it’s hard to stop. Mainly because you LIKE doing your favorite things! But what happens when you actually overdo it? You might end up with some consequences, right? That’s why Solomon said it’s so important to [Bottom Line] know when to stop. “Let’s look at a few of these examples. And let’s act out how we think we’d feel if we experienced that consequence. Note: Adjust these examples as needed, based on the props you chose. “What happens when you can’t put down your toys or your video game? Any ideas? You might not get your homework or your chores done, right? And that might lead to bad grades or getting in trouble with your parents. What kind of face would you make if you got back your report card with bad grades because you spent all your time playing video games? (Pause for response.) Ugh. I know! “What about when you sign up for too many sports or extracurricular activities? You want to do it all, but if you try, you might be too tired to do what you need to do in other areas, or you might miss out on hanging out with your friends. How would that make you feel? Show me how exhausted you might be.

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

(Pause for response.) “And what if you eat too much junk food or drink too much soda? What would happen then? Well, you’d probably feel sick. You’d probably have the same result as the guy with too much honey that Solomon talked about, right? Let’s see your best ‘I’m gonna throw up’ faces. (Pause for response.) “Wow. That was amazing—amazingly gross!” Come around in front of the table. WRAPPING UP THE BIBLE TRUTH HISTORYTELLER: “Thanks for your help with that. It was pretty fun, but in real life, it’s NOT fun when we lose trust with our parents, get bad grades, or hurt someone’s feelings. And it’s especially not fun when we throw up! Thankfully, there’s a way to prevent all those bad feelings. CG: Bottom Line Slide [Bottom Line] “Know when to stop. CG: Blank Bottom Line Slide “Use self-control! Don't learn this the hard way. Don’t wait for someone ELSE to tell you to stop, like your mom or dad or your teacher. Make the choice yourself. Decide that you want to stay in control by knowing when to stop. “Remember, you never have to do it alone.” CG: Memory Verse Slide “‘His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.’ 2 Peter 1:3a, NIV”. If you know you struggle with stopping something, ask God to help you. He gives us everything we need to live His way. [Basic Truth] We need to make the wise choice and [Bottom Line] know when to stop, and God can help us do that! “Let’s ask Him for help right now.” Pray HISTORYTELLER: “God, thank You for giving us all we need, including the self-control to [Bottom Line] know when to stop. Help us to remember what can happen if we overdo it—even with the good things in life. Please help us lean on You in those moments when we’re not sure we can stop. We love You, and we ask these things in Jesus’ name, amen.” “If you have an offering with you today, you can bring that on up now.” Historyteller exits as Host enters. Worship

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

CG: “Go” CG: “Everywhere I Go” CG: “Oceans” Closer HOST: (Look at the items in the bin.) “The truth is, we all have different favorite things. I’ve got my favorite things, too. And there’s nothing wrong with having things we like to do that are fun. There’s nothing wrong with watching TV or playing video games or eating candy. But you CAN have too much of a good thing. Remember what King Solomon said. Open the Bible to Proverbs 25:16 (NIrV) and read. CG: Proverbs 25:16 Slide “If you find honey, eat just enough. If you eat too much of it, you will throw up. “Just like I’ve got my own favorite things, that also means that I’ve got my own battles—my own things that are hard to stop. That could be different for each of us. All of us need to have self-control. All of us need God’s HELP to have self-control. CG: Bottom Line Slide “All of us need to [Bottom Line] know when to stop. “So when you find yourself with a huge stash of candy, enjoy it . . . but not all at once. When you’re playing that new video game, have a blast . . . for a while. Then go outside. It’s good to do things you enjoy, but it’s also good to know when you’ve had enough and you need to stop. “The next time you’re doing something you enjoy, stop and ask yourself some questions. Like, ‘How long have I been watching TV?’ Or, ‘How much cake have I eaten, exactly?’ Or, ‘How much money have I spent?’ “Don’t wait for a parent to make a rule for you. Try setting rules for yourself. Set a timer that will tell you when to stop watching cute cat videos. Set limits on how much candy you’re allowed to eat. You can even tell your parents if you feel like you’re doing too many activities or sports, and you want to slow down and spend more time with your friends and family. “This is such a good reminder for ALL of us to [Bottom Line] know when to stop. And hey, right now is a good time to stop Large Group, because we have lots of fun stuff ahead in Small Group. So let’s head that way!” Dismiss children to their Small Groups. CG: Small Group Slide CG: Full Video (If needed) CG: Video of Molasses pour

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

Too Much Bible: Too Much (Too Much of a Good Thing) • Proverbs 25:16 Bottom Line: Know when to stop. Memory Verse: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.” 2 Peter 1:3a (NIV) Life App: Self-control—Choosing to do what you should even when you don't want to Basic Truth: I need to make the wise choice.

Groups: Creating a Safe Place to Connect (10 minutes) Create a safe place to connect and learn how the Bible Truth applies to real life experiences, through interactive activities and discussion questions. 9:00 & 11:30 Stoplight Scenarios What You Need: Red, green, and yellow plates/papers; “Stoplight Scenarios” Activity Page What You Do: • Give each kid a red, yellow, and green plate. Keep one of each for yourself. • Use your own plates to guide kids to lay the green plate right in front of them, lay the yellow plate just beyond it, and lay the red plate just beyond the yellow. (This will make a stoplight effect.) • Point out that the plates look like a stoplight. • Ask kids to tell you what the three colors of a stoplight mean. Guide the conversation as needed. • Explain that you will be reading some scenarios where the person will eventually need to [Bottom Line] know when to stop. o At the beginning of the scenario, kids will hold up their green plates, because it’s okay for the person to keep going. o Part way through, they’ll hold up the yellow plates, because the person should slow down, think about what they’re doing, and get ready to stop. o Finally, they’ll hold up their red plates, because the person needs to STOP! o Explain that you will hold up your plates so they’ll know when to hold up theirs. • Read the scenarios and guide the kids as noted. • After the first scenario, if you have older, more mature kids, you might let them decide when to hold up the different plates. What You Say: “When we’re having a good time, it can be hard to [Bottom Line] know when to stop. But we need to have some self-control, because too much of even a good thing can turn out badly. Someone might get hurt or get sick or get angry. We know that God can give us self-control and the ability to [Bottom Line] know when to stop if we ask Him to help us and we choose to think about what we’re doing and how it might end up if we don’t stop.”

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SUNDAY MORNINGS

January 27, 2018, Week 4 Grade: 1-2

10:15 Slow As Molasses What You Need: Bibles, Video of Molases jar being poured (on presentation computer) What You Do: • Select an older kid to look up 2 Peter 1:3a and read it out loud, leading the other kids to repeat it so they’re ready to recite it as they move. • Challenge the group to do jumping jacks and say the memory verse continuously while the molasses is being poured out on the video. • They need to start when the jar is tipped over and stop when the jar is (relatively) empty. • Most of the kids will be ready to accept the challenge! • It will take quite some time for the honey to flow out of the jar. Encourage kids to keep going! • Let kids sit down while you talk. What You Say: “Exercise, honey, and memory verses are all great things! What went wrong here? (Allow for discussion.) Sometimes we jump into a project or an activity and get so caught up trying to get it done that we don’t [Bottom Line] know when to stop. We wear ourselves out and stop enjoying what we’re doing because it’s just too much for us to keep going. “That’s why I’m glad this verse reminds us it’s God’s power in us that gives us what we need. When we’ve overdone something or overcommitted somewhere, we can stop and know that God will take care of us. We don’t have to go far and beyond our healthy boundaries. God will help you engage your self-control and [Bottom Line] know when to stop.” All Service Times

Pray and Dismiss (10 minutes) What You Need: No supplies needed What You Do: • Gather kids for prayer. • Give kids of the STOP steps: o Stop what you’re doing. o Take a deep breath. o Observe what’s going on around you. o Pray to God for help. • Ask kids to think of a situation they might encounter this week when they’ll need to STOP. • Lead the group in a sentence prayer. • Each kid will say “This week, when I [insert situation], I can [Bottom Line] know when to stop with God’s help.” • Close in prayer together. What You Say: “Dear God, thank You that You will help us when we ask for self-control. Please show us when we are getting out of control, and give us wisdom to [Bottom Line] know when to stop. Amen.”

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(Green plate) Jermaine is at home with his babysitter on a Friday night. His parents told her he could have some ice cream during the movie they were going to watch. The thing is, they didn’t tell her HOW MUCH ice cream he could have. Jermaine LOVES ice cream, so he piled his bowl high with ice cream. The babysitter asked if that was too much, but he told her he could handle it. They turned on the movie, and Jermaine started to eat. And he ate. And he ate. He got about halfway through the bowl and started to feel funny (yellow plate) . He wasn’t sure he could make it all the way through the bowl. But he liked a good challenge, so he kept going. When there was one scoop left, he thought about whether he could eat the whole thing. It made his stomach churn just thinking about it (red plate). He figured it was time to stop. Sure, he would be wasting a little bit of ice cream, but at least he wouldn’t get sick. (Green plate) Kassady LOVES playing the go-kart video game. She can play by herself, but she likes it better when other people play. But since she plays it SO much, sometimes she has to play by herself. One afternoon, she was playing by herself, and she almost beat the high score, which her dad had set. So now she knew she could do it, and she was determined to beat that score. She played for an hour straight, and her hand started to cramp (yellow plate) . But during the last round, she had come TWO POINTS away from beating her dad’s score. She played a few more times, and the screen went blurry for a second. She realized it wasn’t the TV that was the problem, but her eyes. They were having trouble focusing (red plate). She hadn’t yet beaten that score, but she knew it was time to stop. (Green plate) Alistair and his four-year-old brother, Graham, are playing T-ball in the backyard. One of them will hit while the other fields the ball, and then after awhile they’ll switch. Sometimes they’ll just toss the ball back and forth. They’re having a great time, but then Graham starts complaining that his arm hurts a little bit (yellow plate) . Graham whines ALL the time, so Alistair ignores him and pushes him to keep playing. They play for another ten minutes when Graham tries to throw the ball to Alistair, but it only makes it halfway, when he had been able to throw it the whole way (red plate). Alistair gets worried about Graham. He’s little, after all, and Alistair can tell he’s about to get mad and storm off. He decides they probably should stop now before Graham really does get hurt or angry.

What to Do: Print one for each small group.

Stoplight Scenarios January 2019, Week 4, Small Group K-1 ©2018 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved.