I Won't Celebrate Bad Things!

Host

Welcome to the Train Station, Jr. Conductors! I hope that you are ready for another fun day with Conductor Carl and his friends.

Co-Host

Look at me, Jr. Conductors. What does it look like I’m ready to do?

Host

You’re right; it does look like he/she is ready for a party. Do you like to go to parties? What kind of parties have you been to?

Co-Host

Let’s see if you can use these clues to guess what they might be celebrating.

Host

You did a great job. I love to celebrate with my friends and family, but there are some things that we don’t want to celebrate, ever. Today we’ll discover how to think like God and celebrate good things. Let’s get ready and give us a big, “Choo-choo!”

Co-Host

Oh no! Who took Chef Bananas’ ice cream? (Pause) It was Roberta the Robber! Was that a wrong choice?

Host

It sure was. Do you think that Engineer Courtney should have eaten the ice cream with her? Nope, Engineer Courtney needs to follow the Big Point. Let’s stand and practice the Big Point again,

Host

I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!

Co-Host

Celebrating bad things means that you join in with people who make choices that don’t please God. Do you think Engineer Courtney celebrated wrong things when she joined Roberta the Robber and ate the ice cream?

Host

She did. Let’s see why that’s a big problem using a game. We need two friends to join us on stage. We’re going to have a race!

Co-host

One of you will race with (Host) and the other will race with me. This is a

three-legged race. That means we’ll race with one of each of our legs attached with these bands. We will have to race together the whole time. We’ll race from one side to the other.

Host

Oh my, look at what happened in the race. (Co-host) went in the wrong direction and made his/her partner lose the race. Our team won because we both ran to the finish line.

Co-Host

When we celebrate wrong things, we follow people who make wrong choices, and that takes us far away from the good things God wants to give us. In fact, it can get us into big trouble. We only want to follow people who follow God. Let’s see what Engineer Courtney does next.

Co-Host

I’m glad that Farmer Faith said, “No” to Roberta the Robber. She made a wise choice.

Host

I think it was helpful that she told Conductor Carl what happened. Engineer Courtney learned how much it hurt Chef Bananas to lose his special ice cream and why she should follow the Big Point,

Host

I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!

Co-Host

I like the verse that Conductor Carl shared from the Bible.

Co-Host

Amos 5:15 (NIrV) says, “Hate evil and love good.” I thought we weren’t supposed to hate anything.

Host

Well, God doesn’t want us to hate people. Jesus tells us to love others, even people who are mean to us. When the Bible says to hate evil, it means that we should push unwise thoughts, words, and actions away because they’re not good for us.

Co-Host

Jr. Conductors, what is this? (Allow for answers) It’s smelly trash. Hold your nose and say, “Gross!” What kinds of things do we put in the trash? (Allow for answers) I think this one is full of babies’ diapers.

Host

Would you give a smelly trash bag a big hug and snuggle with it?

Co-Host

Like this?

Host

Jr. Conductors, would that make him/her smell bad? It would. Let’s all say, “Yuck!” If someone wanted you to hug a trash bag, would you? No! You would push it away.

Co-Host

Do you think I should hug this or push it away? (Pause) Can you help me push? Hold your arms out and pretend to push.

Host

When you celebrate wrong things, like joining in on making fun of someone or laughing at bad words, it’s like hugging something gross that will not help you. That’s why the Bible tells us to hate evil and push it away.

Co-Host

But when it’s something good from God, we should love it. Let’s pretend to give something good a big hug. Worship is something good. Let’s stand and worship God now.

I’m glad that we don’t have to make wise choices all by ourselves. We have God’s help, and He’s given us lots of friends to help us, too. Let’s take a moment to pray for our friends here at the Train Station. Everyone, close your eyes and bow your heads. Let’s put our hand on the shoulder of someone nearby. Pray this prayer after me, “Dear Jesus, (Pause) help my friend (Pause) to follow You (Pause) and do wise things. Amen. (Pause)” I’m glad that we can help each other celebrate good things.

Co-Host

Roberta the Robber keeps making wrong choices! I’m glad that Engineer Courtney said, “No” to her and helped Chef Bananas.

Host

If someone tries to get you to join them in doing something that doesn’t please

God, you can say, “No,” too. Let’s all practice our Big Point again,

Host

I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!

Co-Host

Daniel didn’t celebrate with the king, either. He told the king exactly what God wrote on the wall.

Host

You can tell your family about God writing on the wall when you do the Big Do this week.

Host

Have a party at the end of the week to celebrate all of the ways your family obeyed God!

Co-Host

Let’s practice celebrating good things. We’re going to tell you different things that a kid might do. If it’s something that God would like, let’s celebrate by shouting, “Yay!” Practice doing that now.

Host

If it’s something that God wouldn’t like, then say, “No way!” Let’s practice doing that.

Host

I think you are ready to join in making wise choices. Let’s say our Big Point once more,

Host

I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things!

• Did our Big Point say I Will Celebrate Bad Things or I Won’t Celebrate Bad Things?

• Pretend to eat some ice cream. What flavor is your ice cream? How many scoops are on your ice cream cone? Who stole Chef Bananas’ ice cream? Roberta the Robber Who did she convince to eat the ice cream with her? Engineer Courtney

• Pretend to hug a squishy, soft stuffed animal. What would you do if someone handed you a smelly bag of trash? Would you hug it or push it away? The Big Verse, in Amos 5:15 (NIrV) says, “Hate evil and love (bad / good.)”

• What kinds of things do you find at a party? (List the items, such as eating a piece of cake, dancing in your seat, etc., and pretend to interact with them) In our Big Story, who threw a party to make fun of God? King Who told the king what God had written on the wall? Daniel Did Daniel join the party or tell the king he was wrong? Told the king he was wrong

• Let’s stand and tiptoe, like we’re sneaking. (Tiptoe) Who tried to come back and take more ice cream from Chef Bananas? Roberta the Robber Did Engineer Courtney help or say, “No?” She said, “No” What are some wrong choices we don’t want to agree with? Saying unkind words, disobeying our parents, hurting others What are some wise choices you can say, “Yes” to? Reading your Bible, coming to church, praying, worshipping God

• What did Conductor Carl tell us to do in the Big Do? Have a party to celebrate how you & your family obeyed God