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Question of the Day: What is the heaviest thing you’ve ever seen your mom or dad lift?
Engage 1 Prep: Either the Host or Co-Host will attempt to lift the heavy weight on stage. If neither can lift a heavy weight, consider recruiting a volunteer who can. The weight could be a dumbbell, barbell, or large object. The prepared slide should show a picture of that person lifting a weight. If you are unable to create a slide for your system simply print out the pic to show your volunteer. The picture could be one the person already has taken or could be taken earlier in the week or even the day of the service.
Engage 2 suggests a genie costume, magic lamp, and "Arabian Nights” from the Aladdin Soundtrack.
Small Group Prep: Prior to the Small Group time, write these verses on different areas of the beach ball. Have a Bible or multiple Bibles available for the kids to use to look up the verses. There are more verses on the ball than you will have time for to ensure your group will have plenty of verses to discuss. You may need to give them a tutorial at the beginning, showing them how to find books and verses in the Bible. Prior to the small group, consider looking up each of these verses acquaint yourself with the context of each passage to aid the discussion.
LIVE Big Story Prep: (If you have a live story teller rather than using the Big Story video) The Big Story uses flash paper as an object lesson. It is important to follow all directions for safety as you perform this trick. Flash paper is a special paper that can be purchased online or from magic stores. It is designed to burn up instantly. Flash paper is usually shipped wet, so it may be necessary to set it out before service to allow the paper to dry.
The Host and Co-Host are wearing lab coats.
Host Welcome to the Lab! I’ve learned so much this month about what we can discover in the Bible.
Co-Host It’s the place we go to find the truth about God and ourselves.
Host Today we will hear another important reason why we want to read what is in God’s Word. To get started we’re going to play a little game that gets us up and moving.
Co-Host It’s like the game “Heads Up!” that you might have played on your parents’ phone. We’re going to choose two Connectors (adult volunteers) to come on stage.
Split the class into two teams, such as boys versus girls. Choose one Connector (adult volunteer) to represent each team.
Co-Host We’re going to put up different superheroes on the screens. These guys can’t see what’s there, but you can. Your job is to act out who the superhero is without using sounds. The first to guess wins points for their team.
Display each slide and have the kids stand up and act out the superhero. Be sure that the Connectors face away from the screen.
Host That was fun. I love superhero movies, but in the end, they’re just made-up stories. The story of God is so much better because it’s a true story about God, who can do bigger things than any superhero. Let’s see what's going on in the lab today.
Host and Co-Host enter.
Co-Host Have any of you seen the movie, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs?” It sounds interesting, but seeing the lab pelted by beach balls makes me think it’s a bad idea.
Host Yep, they’re going to need some serious help to fix this problem.
Co-Host Ethel and Sophia are trying to do it alone. Are some problems too big for you to figure out on your own? Who did you ask to help you?
Host There’s a great place to learn about an important person who can help us. We find where to look and who it is that can help us in our Big Point. I need a volunteer to help us reveal it.
Host and Co-Host choose a kid to volunteer.
Co-Host You will help us count down from three and then read the Big Point.
Host Let’s all say it together, The Bible Tells Me What God Can Do!
Co-Host Reading about God in the Bible gives us an understanding of the kinds of things that God can do. Do you think that God can do some really big things?
Host But how do you know for sure that He really can do that stuff? It would be good to have some evidence. That’s where the Bible comes in. The stories we read build confidence in us as we read about God doing these really incredible things. Let’s bring up a volunteer to help us.
Choose a small child. Either the Host or Co-Host will attempt to lift the heavy weight on stage. If neither can lift a heavy weight, consider recruiting a volunteer who can. The weight could be a dumbbell, barbell, or large object. The Engage 1 Slide should show a picture of that person lifting a weight. The picture could be one the person already has taken or could be taken earlier in the week or even the day of the service.
Co-Host We have pretty heavy weight up here. See if you can move it. (Have the child attempt) It’s pretty hard. What if I told you that (Either Host or the Co-Host) can move it, would you believe me?
Host Maybe you would, but how do you know? Look at this picture.
Play your prepared Engage 1 slide if possible, or a print of the pic you took previously and show your volunteer. Pass it around a bit as time allows.
Host What do you see? (Allow for an answer) The (Host/Co-Host) is lifting a heavy weight. So, if they did that before, do you believe that he/she could do it now? Let’s try it.
Allow the Host/Co-Host to lift the weight.
Co-Host By seeing what he/she did in the past, you could get an idea of what he/she can do now. By reading what God has done in the Bible, we learn about the kinds of things that God can do now for us.
Host That gives us confidence to trust God. Let’s see if Sophia and Ethel can stop those beach balls.
Host enters.
Host Things do not seem to be getting any better in the lab.
A beach ball flies in and hits the Host.
Host We need an answer fast, or else we may be in for some trouble. I think they need our Big Point,
Host The Bible Tells Me What God Can Do!
Play "Arabian Nights".Co-Host enters singing. The Co-Host is wearing a Genie costume from Aladdin and carrying a genie’s lamp. If you don’t have a costume, you can create one out of other costumes around your church.
Co-Host What do you think of my costume? I’ll give you three wishes. What do you wish for?
Host I wish you wouldn’t sing any more.
Co-Host That’s a terrible first wish. What would you guys wish for if you found the lamp from Aladdin?
Host Here are some potential wishes. Hold up one arm or two arms to show which wish you would prefer.
Poll the kids.
Co-Host Ethel and Sophia might wish that the beach balls would stop pelting them. Even though genies aren’t real, some people think God is like a genie.
Host When we pray, we aren’t giving God our wish list. We want to pray for things that match what God wants to do in His big plan. Where do we find what God wants? (Pause) Right, in the Bible.
Co-Host Look at what the Bible says in the Big Verse.
Host and Co-Host choose a kid.
Host When we finish counting down from three, we need you to read the verse.
Co-Host Ephesians 3:20 (NIrV) says, “God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine.”
Host God is able to help you in ways that are bigger and better than you could even wish for. God’s big plan is always better than our plans.
Co-Host We have a good, kind, and powerful God who wants to help us. God wants you to ask for help in ways that match what He has already promised in the Bible. You can pray with confidence, and God can do amazing things.
Host That’s something we’ll discover in our Big Story, but first let’s stand and worship God.
Play soft instrumental music.
I don’t know what kind of challenges you might be facing. The problems could seem like they’re too big, like no one could help you. Or they might seem too small, like no one would really care about them. Here’s the good news. God loves us, and He wants to help us, with anything and everything. If God says it, He can do it. We have some Connectors (adult volunteers) down front who would love to pray with you and believe that God will do great things in this new school year. Let’s come and pray because God can do what He says He can do!
Host and Co-Host enter.
Co-Host I’m glad those beach balls stopped raining in Herman’s lab.
Host Yeah, Ethel and Sophia just needed to remember that God can help them with any problem, big or small. Elijah was confident enough in God’s power to stand up to that evil king, Ahab. God came through in a big way. Remember,
Co-Host Talk about some of the things God has done in the Bible, and then talk about things God is doing in your life right now.
Host I have an idea. We have some left over beach balls from Ethel and Sophia’s failed experiment. On these beach balls we’ve written verses from the Bible that have to do with what God has done.
Co-Host Let’s gather in our small groups and play a game where we toss the beach ball back and forth in your group. Wherever your pinkie touches, find that verse in the Bible and read something that God has done.
Split the class in their small groups early to allow them extra time to do the activity.
Gather the kids into small groups. Prior to the Small Group time, write these verses on different areas of the beach ball. Have a Bible or multiple Bibles available for the kids to use to look up the verses. There are more verses on the ball than you will have time for to ensure your group will have plenty of verses to discuss. You may need to give them a tutorial at the beginning, showing them how to find books and verses in the Bible. Prior to the small group, consider looking up each of these verses acquaint yourself with the context of each passage to aid the discussion.
Play optional game music.
Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question.
Our Big Point says The Bible Tells Me What _____ Can Do!
God
Kings
What rained down in the lab today?
Meatballs
Beach Balls
God can do things that seem impossible.
True
False
Ahab was a good king who followed God.
True
False
What was the name of the prophet who challenged King Ahab’s priests?
Elijah
Baal
Ephesians 3:20 (NIrV), “God is able to do far _____ than we could ever ask for or imagine.”
More
Less
How did Elijah show that he was confident that God could do powerful things?
What did God send from the sky to prove He is the only true God.
Fire
Water
Why do you think it’s okay to pray for big or small problems?
What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? Talk about some of the things God has done in the Bible, and then talk about things God is doing in your life right now.
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