Topic:

Worship

Aim

To help pupils understand the biblical view of God, that he is someone who deserves to be worshipped.

Things you’ll need

• Some water in a bowl
• A measuring jug
• Several objects which can be easily measured with the ‘span’ of the hand
• Some modelling clay
• A blanket
• A globe
• A lively worship song with a strong rhythm and means to play it (optional)

Bible Base

Isaiah 40:12; 48:13

Psalm 47:1,2

Content

1 Invite some children to come and help you with the following tasks (give a running commentary on what they are doing).

• Find out how much water can be held in cupped hands by scooping up water from the bowl, then emptying it into the measuring jug.
• Measure some objects using the width (span) of your hands.
• Use your hands to create something simple from modelling clay.
• Spread the blanket out flat on a table or the floor, using only your right hand.

2 Talk to the children about:

– the quantity of water the volunteer could hold;

– how many hand widths across the objects were that were measured.

3 Tell the children that the Bible asks these questions (Isaiah 40:12, Youth Bible):

Who has measured the oceans in the palm of his hand?

Who has used his hand to measure the sky?

Show the globe and talk about the amount of water in the oceans. Talk about the size of the sky.

4 Show the children the object your volunteer made from clay and talk about spreading out the blanket. Ask the children who they think says these words from the Bible (Isaiah 48:13, Youth Bible):

‘I made the earth with my own hands.

With my right hand I spread out the skies’.

5 Ask the children to think about the crowds at a sports event or concert. What to the spectators do when an athlete or performer does well? (Answer: clap/cheer applaud.) Ask the children why people do this. Tell the children that in the Bible we hear about people clapping God. Psalm 47:1,2 (Youth Bible) says:

Clap your hands, all you people.

Shout to God with joy.

The Lord Most High is wonderful.

He is the great King over all the earth!

Application

A Christian viewpoint

Christians believe that God is worth getting excited about! When they think about how great he is, they want to do something to show that. Explain that this is where the word ‘worship’ comes from – ‘worth-ship’. Sometimes worship means being quiet and still and thinking about God, but Christians also believe that God is worth shouting, singing and clapping to.

For everyone

Whether or not we are Christians, all of us can take time to consider who we think deserves our worship.

Response

Remind the children about what they have heard from the Bible about God. Ask them to think about those things in silence for a few moments. You may like to give the children the opportunity to sing, or clap along to, an appropriate song of praise to God.

 

 

 

Topic

Worship

Aim

To help pupils understand that God is worth knowing.

Things you’ll need

• Music of introductions to several songs of a currently popular music group.
• 6 pens
• 6 pieces of paper
• 6 small prizes
• A dictionary
• Some quiet music

Bible Base

Psalm 95:1-7

Exodus 20:3,4

Content

1 Ask for six volunteers who think they know the music of… (name of currently popular group) very well. Tell them that they are going to hear the introductions to some of the group’s songs. They must write down the titles in the order they hear them. Play the tape. Give prizes to the volunteers who got all the song titles correct.

2 Comment that no matter what you might think about…(name of group) their music is known all over the world! They’ve had lots of Number 1’s. Some of their songs have gone straight to the top of the charts.

3 Ask if any of the children can name the members of the group.

4 Ask children to put up their hands if they think the group has been a good influence on or role model for young people. Ask for some examples. Then ask the children to put their hands up if they think the group hasn’t been a good example. Again ask why.

5 Comment that for lots of children and young people, this group has been a big influence in their lives. Ask the children how many of them have the group’s records, CDs, tapes, clothes etc. Point out that not everyone here agrees that…(name of group) are the best. Everyone has to make up their own minds!

6 Talk about how making up your mind about things isn’t always easy. What might their friends think if they chose to be different and like another group? Sometimes being different is difficult. Ask the children for some examples of this.

7 Sometimes people go too far in following a particular group or celebrity. They might almost begin to worship… (name of group or other famous personality).

8 Ask if anyone can tell you the meaning of the word ‘worship’. Read the definition from the dictionary. Comment that the word can be to do with God, or someone or something else. But it’s always about giving special worth or value to that person or thing.

9 Explain that the Bible teaches that there is only one person who should be worshipped and that is God himself (Exodus 20:3,4). Christians believe that he is the God who made the world and everything in it, including…(name of the group).

10 Read Psalm 95:1-7 (from the Good News Bible). The writer of these words believed that God was the boss, and only he was worth worshipping.

Application

A Christian viewpoint

Christians believe that they should love God with everything they’ve got. But that’s not always easy to do. The verses from the Bible you’ve just read tell us that God cares for us. What could you do for God today to show you care about him?

For everyone

Remind the children that earlier you said that making up your own mind about things isn’t always easy. Choosing who and what you should or shouldn’t worship isn’t easy either. Sometimes it’s a very private thing. You have to try to make up your own mind, and make sure that what or who you make Number 1 in your life is worth it.

Response

Play some quiet music. Whilst they are listening to it ask the children to:

• remember that real worship is something that you have to decide about for yourself;
• think about who or what is Number 1 in your life;
• think about how you could do your best for God today;
• be silent for a few moments.