No Gift Is Too Small!

Host Welcome to the Lab! Did you enjoy Thanksgiving break?

Co-Host Me! Me! Me!

Host You don’t go to school. You’re a grownup.

Co-Host That would explain why I haven’t had homework in twenty years. This is going to be a great week. I’m going Christmas shopping with Herman and Rusty.

Host Has anyone ever gone shopping the day after Thanksgiving? It’s pretty crazy out there. The stores hold massive sales and the people cram through the doors to snatch them up.

Co-Host It sounds like a blast. Last year I nearly got clobbered by a really angry eight-year-old.

Host You weren’t fighting over a (Popular toy) again, were you?

Co-Host I refuse to answer that question…yes.

Host Let’s get the day started out right. Everyone, stand up and find someone nearby. Ask that person to tell you one item on their Christmas list.

Co-Host Rusty and the Swede are really going after each other about that lunch bag.

Host It sounds like they could get a lot of money from the prince.

Co-Host Rusty told me that he wanted to go for a big present because he didn’t feel like he gave enough last year in the Toy Drive.

Host Both kids and adults sometimes feel like their gifts are too small to matter. Let’s choose a lab assistant to reveal our Big Point. It teaches us an important principle about giving.

(Host and Co-Host choose a kid to volunteer.)

Co-Host Press that button after we count down from three to reveal the Big Point.

Co-Host Repeat the Big Point after me, No Gift Is Too Small! Do you guys really believe that no gift is too small?

Host There is a catch to the Big Point. No gift that God asks you to give is too small. No gift given with a cheerful, faith-filled heart is too small.

Co-Host Let’s see if we can figure out some ways that different kinds of gifts could be used by God.

Host We’re going to show you some pictures of things people could give, and I want you to think of how God could use that gift.

Play the following slides and ask kids in the audience to explain how they think the gift onscreen could be part of God’s big plan.

Co-Host Some of those were pretty easy to figure out, but even the tougher ones made sense once you thought about it.

Host Thankfully we serve an all-powerful, all-wise God. He creates plans that will blow our minds. The good news is that we don’t have to understand how everything in the plan works. We just have to be willing to trust the plan-maker. I wonder if Rusty found the Swede yet.

Host The Swede is not a nice guy.

Co-Host Nope, but I’m more concerned that Rusty thinks he has nothing to give because he lost the lunch bag.

Host He just doesn’t seem willing to believe the Big Point is true.

Host No Gift Is Too Small! We didn’t make that up. It comes from the Bible. Let’s check out the Big Verse.

(Host and Co-Host choose a kid to volunteer.)

Co-Host I need our lab assistant to hit the button after we count down from three to reveal our Big Verse from the Bible.

Co-Host 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIrV), “God loves a cheerful giver.” Let’s play a little game where we see if you can resist laughing. I need to choose a few volunteers to come on stage and play the game.

Host You, the audience, are going to try to make these kids on stage laugh. Stand up. When I say go, make the funniest faces, weirdest noises, and nuttiest movements you can make. Let’s see who can keep a straight face.

(Play the game.)

Host Some of you are good at resisting the urge to laugh. Cheerfulness is more than just smiling or laughing. It’s an attitude that comes from your heart.

Co-Host Our attitudes are important to God. In fact, they are more important than the size of our gift.

Host Let’s have our assistant ask this question. Why do you think your attitude is more important to God than the size of your gift?

Co-Host That question really makes you think.

Host Our Big Point gives all of us hope that we can give meaningful gifts. It’s not the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart behind the gift. Let’s say the Big Point again,

Host No Gift Is Too Small! Now stand up, and let’s sing to God!

Let’s all bow our heads and close our eyes and take a moment to think about what you can give to God. You might give some money in our offering bucket, or bring a toy for a toy drive, or ask your parents if you could buy lunch for someone. You might think it’s small, but with God, no gift is too small. What’s important is that you give your best. If you have only a few pennies, but you give them with a cheerful heart, you’ll be amazed at what God can do with them. Let’s take a moment now to pray and ask God to show you what you can give this holiday season to help someone else. (Pray) I’ll pray for all of us.

Co-Host Rusty’s old toy was worth way more to the Prince than that signed lunch bag.

Host Now Rusty has more to give than he ever thought he would. The important thing is to listen to God and be willing to give your best.

Host No Gift Is Too Small! Take this peppermint stick, for instance. What if I shared this with this whole group?

Co-Host How much do you guys think you would get? A nibble, right?

Host That’s probably true. When you give your best to God, then you’re using your faith. (Place the peppermint stick in the bag)

Co-Host That’s a good point. You are trusting God to take your gift and make it into something that can help a lot of people.

Host Yep, and when God gets hold of a gift given in faith, then amazing things happen. (Pull the 8ft appearing candy cane out of the bag)

Co-Host Now that’s a candy cane! I’m glad that we can trust God to use any gift that we give. Remember our Big Point,

Co-Host No Gift Is Too Small! Let’s gather with our small groups and talk about what we learned.

1. Share a time when you gave a gift to someone.
2. Why did Jesus say that the widow’s two coins were a bigger gift than the bags of gold? Do you agree? Why?
3. How can you choose a cheerful attitude when you give?
4. What did Herman tell us to do in the Big Do? Give Something!

1. Our Big Point says No Gift Is Too ______! a. Small b. Large
2. Why was Rusty fighting over the toy? It was on sale and valuable to re-sell
3. How much did the widow give in the offering at the Temple? a. Bags of gold

b. Two coins 4. What happened when the Prince saw Rusty’s old toy? He wanted to buy it 5. Who did Jesus say gave more in the offering? a. Widow b. Rich people 6. Complete the Big Verse: 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIrV), “God loves a _______ giver.” a. Big b. Cheerful 7. Why did Jesus say that the widow’s gift was larger? She gave all she had 8. Is it possible for a kid to give a helpful gift to God? a. Yes b. No 9. If you have a smile on your face when you give, but inside you’re angry, is that giving cheerfully? Why? No; God wants us to give our best with a good attitude 10. What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? Give something