Love God With Everything

Host

Welcome to the Lab!

Host

What did you say?

Co-Host mumbles again.

Host

You have to open your mouth, so we can understand you.

Co-Host

I was trying to talk without using my tongue or lips. Are you sure it didn’t work? That’s the last time I listen to Herman’s monkey.

Host

Yeah, in order to talk, you need everything. Your lips, tongue, vocal cords, lungs, brain, etc. That’s what we’re going to discover today, but before we get started let’s play a game. We’ve chosen some contestants to try their hand at a seed spitting contest. We’ll let each contestant go and then measure to see who spit the farthest.

Co-Host

Did you know that Jesus talked about spitting in the Bible? Who knew?

Host

Today we’ will find out who and what caused Jesus to say that. Let’s get ready to visit the lab. But first, tell someone nearby what food you would spit out if you had to taste it.

Co-Host

Looks like Sophia got the same terrible advice from Mr. Marbles that I got.

Host

Do you think that it’s going to help Sophia to only give half effort?

Co-Host

Have you ever done an assignment at school, but you waited until the last minute and then had to rush through it? Let’s see if some of our adult volunteers have done that.

Host

Full effort is the way to go, especially when it comes to following Jesus. Our Big Point reminds us exactly what to do. I need a volunteer to help us reveal it.

Co-Host

After we count down from three, you get to read the Big Point.

Host

Let’s all say it together, Love God With Everything!

Co-Host

You can’t halfway follow Jesus or just kind of like Jesus. As followers of Jesus, God wants us to truly love Him with all of our thoughts, words, actions, and every bit of energy that we have.

Host

Let’s demonstrate how going halfway can create some problems. We have two teams of three kids who get to play soccer this morning, but there’s the catch. Every time I blow the whistle, the kids must stop using a part of their body. The Co-Host will shout out which part they can’t use.

Host

Those rules made the game so much harder than it would have been had they been able to use their whole bodies. And life is much harder if you try to be a half-hearted Christian.

Co-Host

You’ll never be able to do the awesome things God wants you to do if you only give half effort. Loving God with everything means giving your best to God.

Host

When you do that, God can use you in His big, awesome plan because you are willing to follow Him. Let’s hope Sophia and Rusty have given up on their idea.

Host

I think that Sophia and Rusty’s plan is going about as well as we expected it to go.

Co-Host

The more they give half effort, the more trouble they cause themselves. It’s what happens when we don’t follow our Big Point. Let’s say our Big Point,

Co-Host

Love God With Everything!

Host

Herman shared a Big Verse that explains how to follow this Big Point. Let’s choose an assistant to help us reveal it.

Co-Host

After we count down from three, and then read the verse.

Co-Host

Mark 12:30 (NIrV) says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love Him with all your mind and with all your strength.”

Host

When you become Jesus’ follower, you follow Him no matter where you are or who you’re with. We don’t just follow Him at church or just with our minds. We follow Jesus with everything we’ve got.

Co-Host

Let’s think about using lemonade. It’s a fairly simple drink. Can you tell me the ingredients?

Host

It’s simple. Water, lemon juice, and sugar are all you need. Let’s have an assistant help us make some lemonade. (Choose a child to help) If I hand you just a cup of sugar, is that lemonade?

Co-Host

No, that wouldn’t be refreshing on a hot day. What about water, is that lemonade? No! What if I combine the water and sugar? Will that make good lemonade?

Host

Sugar water isn’t the same. Would you enjoy drinking just lemon juice? (Squeeze lemon juice into a cup) Try that. Gross, right?

Co-Host

Good lemonade is a combo of everything. Let’s put it all together and stir.

Co-Host

How’s that? Much better, right?

Host

You might think that you can just follow Jesus part of the time, but that’s like drinking sour lemon juice. To be a follower of Jesus, He wants you to love Him with every part of your life and with your best effort. That makes a big difference. Let’s stand and take a moment to worship God.

Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes. One great way to pray is to use a Bible verse as a prayer. Let’s take our Big Verse and pray it to God. Repeat this prayer after me. “Dear Jesus, help me to love You with all my heart and with all my soul. Help me to love You with all my mind and with all my strength.” (Repeat 2x) That’s a great prayer to keep praying as you give your best to follow Jesus.

Co-Host

I think Rusty learned the value of using his eyes while walking.

Host

Yep, and I hope that church in Laodicea learned how important it is to give your full self when you follow Jesus. Can you believe Jesus said that He would vomit that up? That’s how important our Big Point is,

Host

Love God With Everything!

Co-Host

That’s a story you can share with your family when you do this week’s Big Do.

Host

As a family, talk about how you can show God’s love in every part of your day.

Co-Host

Let’s do that now. We’re going to bring up some pictures of places you might go and let’s think of some ways you can love God in that place.

Co-Host

No matter where you go, you can love Jesus with all your heart.

Host

Great things happen when you give God your best effort. Let’s gather up in our small groups and talk about what we learned today.

• Why do you think Jesus told the church in Laodicea that it was better to be cold or hot instead of lukewarm? He wanted them to do the right things instead of just what was comfortable. God can use those who give their best to Him.

• What would it look like for you to love and follow Jesus with all of your heart at school?

• Why does a follower of Jesus need to give their total effort? It shows that we are fully committed to following Jesus. It gives God the opportunity to use us in His big plan.

• What did Herman tell us to do with our families in the Big Do? Talk about how you can share God’s love in every part of your day

• Our Big Point says Love God With _____!

  • Everything

  • Something

• What did Mr. Marbles convince Sophia to do?

  • Give half effort

  • Give her best effort

• What was the name of the church Jesus spoke to in our Big Story?

  • Laodicea

  • Philippi

• What did Jesus say He would do if the church stayed lukewarm?

  • Ignore them

  • Spit them out

• It’s okay to be on God’s team and give half effort.

  • True

  • False

• Mark 12:30 (NIrV), “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your _____. Love Him with all your mind and with all your strength.”

  • Soul

  • Money

• What did Jesus tell the church He would do if they wanted to change?

  • Be with them

  • Never speak to them

• How could you love God with everything while hanging out with your friends this week?

• Loving God with everything means sometimes you will have to make a sacrifice.

  • True

  • False

• What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? Talk about how you can share God’s love in every part of your day