Slides.zip

Slides

Slides and Printables.zip

Slides and Printables

Program Videos.zip

Program Videos

03 sec Countdown

2 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Act 3

Herman and Rusty Act 1

H&R Big Do Slide

30 sec Countdown

6 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Title

Herman and Rusty Act 2

H&R BIG REVIEW Bumper

Big Story Video

H&R 5 Min Countdown with Rules

Sophia, Alex, and Ethel compete in a tournament to see who can be the most holy.

Large Group Full Program

Question of the Day: Which would be worse to find in a bucket you had to put your hand inside: a bucket full of “stuff” from the floor of a pig pen or all of the scraps from kids’ lunches at your school?



Countdown / Rules

The **Host** and **Co-Host** are wearing lab coats. Have the kids on stage, ready to play the game. Each kid should be blindfolded (or use a sleep mask). Have each one hold a sucker that contains a bug inside. These can be purchased online or at specialty candy stores.



**Host**

Welcome to the Lab! Let’s get today started with a game. On your mark, get set, go!







Let the kids start eating the lollipops for a few seconds.





**Co-Host**

They’re competing to see who can eat the sucker the fastest. There is a little surprise we haven’t told them about yet, but I will tell you. 





The slide reveals that there is a bug inside the sucker. Have some of the adult volunteers read it out loud and encourage the kids to “give it away.”



**Host**

Wait, you’re giving it away! Okay, let’s take off those blindfolds and reveal what is inside those suckers. Yep, you were eating a bug sucker.



**Co-Host**

Gross. Did they taste good on the outside? I guess it goes to show you that what’s on the outside isn’t the whole story.



**Host**

That’s true. In fact, today is all about how what’s on the inside is really important, way more important than what you find on the outside. It has a lot to do with becoming more like Jesus. Let’s see what's happening in the lab today, but first, tell someone nearby if you would ever eat a sucker with a bug inside.





Welcome

Worship

**Host** and **Co-Host** enter. This Engage uses items to show how the outside doesn’t change us. Examples given are a t-shirt that says, “Arm Wrestling Champion.” This could be written on a plain shirt or purchased online at Amazon. You can also substitute another item, such as a sports jersey, if you want an alternative example. 





**Co-Host**

What a strange competition.



**Host**

I know. What kind of contest could tell you who is the holiest? Do you think that finding a Bible verse fastest makes you a better Christian?



**Co-Host**

I don’t think so. What do you guys think?





**Host**

Let’s check out our Big Point to see what the Bible says about how we become holy. I need a volunteer to help us reveal it.









**Host** and **Co-Host** choose a kid to volunteer.

**Co-Host**

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





**Host**

Let’s all say it together, **Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy!**



**Co-Host**

Jesus is the One who makes it possible to become more like Jesus.



**Host**

Think about it like this example. I’m going to bring out a friend.







Bring out a kid wearing the “Arm Wrestling Champion” t-shirt. 





**Co-Host**

Can you guys read what his/her shirt says? (Pause) Arm wrestling champion. Wow! I had no idea you are that amazing at slamming another person’s wrist down onto the table. 



**Host**

Since you’re World Champion, you should have no problem taking down one of our leaders.



Bring out an adult volunteer. Choose your biggest, toughest looking volunteer or bring in another volunteer from the church. Position that person across the table from the kid volunteer.





**Co-Host**

(In an announcer’s voice) It’s time for the main event of the service! We have (Adult volunteer’s name) vs. the undisputed, undefeated Arm Wrestling Champion of the World, (Kid’s first name), the Destroyer, (Kid’s last name)!





**Host**

(To the adult volunteer) Good luck, you’re going to need it. (To the kid) Try not to break his arm, please?





Put the volunteers in position to arm wrestle but stop before letting them go.





**Co-Host**

Who do you think will win this match? (Pause) Wait, what? Why are you saying, (Adult volunteer)? Did you not read the t-shirt? It says, “World Arm Wrestling Champion.”





**Co-Host** interviews a couple of kids to ask why they don’t think the kid will win.





**Host**

So, you think that wearing a t-shirt that says you’re the champion doesn’t make you a champion? (To the kid) Do you think you could beat (Adult volunteer)? 



**Co-Host**

You are all exactly right! Just like wearing a championship t-shirt doesn’t make you a champion, outside stuff, like wearing a Christian t-shirt or listening to Christian music, doesn’t make you holy like Jesus. 



**Host**

It’s what Jesus does in the inside of us, how He changes us, that helps us to become holy like He is. What matters more in following Jesus is what goes on in your heart. Let’s see if the Lab can figure that out, and let’s hold off on the arm wrestling for now.





Engage 1

**Host** and **Co-Host** enter. This Engage uses the Color Bead Separation illusion. You may also find it listed as “Cocktail of Beads Illusion.” This can be purchased at [www.laflinmagincstore.com.](www.laflinmagincstore.com.){:target="null" undefined} Follow the directions to perform the illusion. 

**Host**

Their t-shirts and karaoke contests are not helping Ethel, Sophia, or Alex become more like Jesus.





**Co-Host**

Yep, those things are nice, but they’re just outside stuff. The real change happens on the inside. Let’s say our Big Point,

**Co-Host**

**Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy!**



**Host**

Herman shared a Big Verse that explains how Jesus helps us become holy. Let’s choose an assistant to reveal it.





**Host** and **Co-Host** choose a kid to volunteer.





**Co-Host**

After we count down from three, please read the verse. 





**Co-Host**

Colossians 1:22 (NIrV) says, “Christ’s death has made you holy in God’s sight.” When Jesus died on the cross for us and came back to life, He made it possible for us to become holy.





**Host**

In case you missed a few weeks ago, let’s review what we mean by holy. Holiness is being separated from bad things, evil, or sin so that you can be connected to God. It’s like these two cups of colored beads.





Show the cups of beads. The red beads are in one cup, and the white beads are in the other.





**Co-Host**

The problem is that we live in a world full of sin and evil. That means it touches every part of our lives. We’ve all made mistakes and sinned. We’ve all disobeyed God.





Mix the cup of white beads into the cup of red.





**Host**

Instead of being separated, set apart, and holy, we get all mixed up in the wrong things. We need help. We need someone to come and fix this mess. But not just anyone can do it.





**Co-Host**

Jesus is the only One. That’s because Jesus is God, but He also became a human. He lived a perfect life and chose to die on the cross in our place. Then He came back to life. Jesus won the victory over evil and sin.



**Host**

If we believe in Jesus and what He did for us, and if we commit to make Jesus the leader of our life, then His power can change us on the inside and make us holy.





Put the cups behind your back, separate the beads according to the directions, and present the cups to the audience. 







**Host**

Becoming set apart for Jesus is a change that comes from inviting Jesus to take charge of your life. It’s not a result of things we do on the outside. Let’s take a moment to stand and worship God.

Engage 2

Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes. We want to become more like Jesus. That’s the ultimate goal, but it doesn’t come by following rules or making changes to outside stuff. It comes from the power of the Holy Spirit working inside you. You have that power because of what Jesus did for you. You can become more and more like Jesus. There’s more good news. We have each other’s help, too. We can’t give our friends a new heart, but we can pray for them and encourage them. You might struggle with some bad attitudes or thoughts yourself. Maybe you’re having trouble controlling what you say or do. We have some adult volunteers up front who want to pray with you. We know that God can create in you a heart that is clean and pure, a heart that is becoming more like Jesus. Come to the front and find a volunteer to pray with.



Big Story

**Co-Host**

I can totally believe that Skip McDougall would lie and cheat during a holiness competition. At least our friends in the Lab learned that what matters is what Jesus does on the inside.



**Host**

Jesus taught the Jewish leaders that what matters most is what happens in our heart. That’s what shows who we truly are, and the good news, when you follow Jesus, is that He gives you a new heart that can follow Him. Let’s say our Big Point, 

**Host**

**Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy!**





**Co-Host**

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

**Host**

As a family, celebrate being more like Jesus. Whenever you catch someone making a wise choice, give them a high five, thumbs up, or a big smile.



**Co-Host**

Let’s practice, so we’re ready to do the Big Do this week. When we say go, one of our volunteers will rush through your section, giving a high-five to the first kid in each row. That kid will then give a high-five to the kid next to him or her, who will high-five the kid next to them, and so on until you reach the end of the row. Let’s see who can pass a high-five through their entire section first.





**Host**

Be ready to catch your family being more like Jesus. Let’s turn and connect with our Small Groups and talk about loving God.

Engage 3

Gather the kids into Small Groups and discuss the following. 





 - Why did Herman say that the competition in the Lab couldn’t declare who was the holiest person? **Because all of the things they were testing were just things on the outside. True holiness comes from the inside, what Jesus does in our hearts.**

 - Why were the Jewish leaders, the Pharisees, mad at Jesus’ disciples? **Jesus’ disciples weren’t following the extra rules the Pharisees had added to the Bible. The disciples weren’t washing their hands before eating.** What did Jesus say mattered? **The stuff that comes out of our hearts matters more than what we eat.**

 - Do the things that Jesus changes in our hearts affect what happens on the outside? **Yes, the change in our heart is shown by the things that we say and do. We become more like Jesus by considering, “What would Jesus do if He were me?”**

 - What did Herman tell us to do with our families in the Big Do? **When you catch someone making a choice like Jesus, give them a high five**









Small Group

Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question. 

 - Our Big Point says, Jesus Helps Me To Be ______!

    - **Holy**

    - Clean



 - What kind of contest was going on in the lab?

    - **Holiness contest**

    - Dance contest



 - What was the name of the Jewish leaders in the Big Story?

    - **Pharisees**

    - Priests



 - What did the Pharisees add to God’s word?

    - **Lots of extra rules**

    - New stories



 - Why were the leaders mad at Jesus’ disciples?

    - They forgot to worship God

    - **They didn’t wash their hands**





 - Colossians 1:22 (NIrV) says, “Christ’s _____ has made you holy in God’s sight.”

    - Music

    - **Death**



 - A good question to ask ourselves is, “What would Jesus do if He were me?”

    - **True**

    - False



 - Jesus said that what comes _____ us shows that we follow God.

    - Into

    - **Out of**



 - When we say “Yes” to Jesus, He gives us the power to live a holy life.

    - **True**

    - False



  - What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? 

**When you catch someone making a choice like Jesus, give them a high five**

Big Review

Large Group Abbreviated

The **Host** and **Co-Host** are wearing lab coats. 

**Host**

Welcome to the lab! Today is all about what’s on the inside and how it's way more important than what you find on the outside. It has a lot to do with becoming more like Jesus. Let’s see what's happening in the lab today, but first, tell someone nearby if you would ever eat a sucker with a bug inside.

**Host**

Let’s all say it together, **Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy!**

**Co-Host**

Jesus is the One who makes it possible to become more like Jesus. Think about that for a minute.

**Co-Host**

You are exactly right! Just wearing a Christian t-shirt or listening to Christian music, doesn’t make you holy like Jesus.

**Host**

It’s what Jesus does in the inside of us, how He changes us, that helps us to become holy like He is. What matters more in following Jesus is what goes on in your heart. Let’s see if the Lab can figure that out.

**Host**

In case you missed a few weeks ago, let’s review what we mean by holy. Holiness is being separated from bad things, evil, or sin so that you can be connected to God. 

**Host**

As a family, celebrate being more like Jesus. Whenever you catch someone making a wise choice, give them a high five, thumbs up, or a big smile.

**Co-Host**

Thumbs up to this Big Do!

Midweek / Classroom

It's great to have each of you here! It’s now time to break up into your Small Groups. Go ahead and turn to your Small Group Leaders now. (Split into groups) 



Small Group Leader,

Optional, play game music. Use these two minutes to introduce yourself to your kids and go over the rules. This will set the expectation and show the kids clear boundaries, setting your group up for success. The ball can be used as a tool to signify whose turn it is to respond.



Rule #1 – Sit in a circle and on your pockets,

Rule #2 – Only one person talks at a time. If you want to say something, raise your hand, and I will toss you the ball!

Rule #3 – If you need to use the restroom, raise your hand, and I will let you know if you can go.



It’s time for Lab Wars! Tonight we will discover how to become holy, and what better way to become hol-ey than with a donut eating contest! Each contestant will have 30 seconds to eat as many donut holes as they can. The kid who eats the most wins! Small Group Leaders, send up one kid who you think will represent your group well as he or she downs some donuts. 



Optional, play game music. Play the game.







**Leader**

I am so impressed! Those donuts disappeared like magic. Do you think that eating a bunch of donut holes, made those kids more holy? Of course not. Tonight we will find out how to truly become more holy. But first let’s check in with our friends at the Lab. 



Lab Wars

What a strange competition. Do you think that finding a Bible verse fast makes you a better Christian? Let’s check out our Big Point to see what the Bible says about how we become holy. I need a Small Group to help me reveal what it is. 

Let’s all say it together, **Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy!** It’s Jesus who helps us to be holy, not anything else. Let’s do an activity in our Small Groups and talk more about this. 







Small Group Leader,

Give an Activity Sheet to each kid. On it is a picture of a kid. Have them draw and add to the picture things that they think a Christian might wear or do. (Examples: A Bible, a cross necklace, a Jesus T-shirt, listening to Christian music, etc.) Guide them through this activity by asking the following questions:





 - What is something a Christian might read? Allow them to draw a Bible.

 - What is something a Christian might listen to? Discuss that they might listen to Christian music. 

 - What is something a Christian might wear? Allow the kids to draw a cross or a heart on the t-shirt and a cross necklace around the neck.  









**Leader**

Maybe you added to your picture a Bible, a cross necklace or a Jesus T-shirt. A Christian may enjoy those things, but do those things make someone holy, like Jesus? No! It’s what Jesus does in the inside of us, how He changes us, that helps us to become holy, like He is. Our Big Point is true, 

Their t-shirts and karaoke contests are not helping Ethel, Sophia, or Alex become more like Jesus. Yep, those things are nice, but they’re just outside stuff. The real change happens on the inside. Let’s say our Big Point, 

**Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy!**







Herman shared a Big Verse that explains how Jesus helps us become holy. I’d like a Small Group to help me reveal what it is. 

Choose a Small Group to help you count down from three. 

Colossians 1:22 (NIrV) says, “Christ’s death has made you holy in God’s sight.”  The problem is that we live in a world full of sin and evil. That means it touches every part of our lives. We’ve all made mistakes and sinned. We’ve all disobeyed God. But God wants us to be holy, which means being separated from bad things, evil, and sin so that we can be connected to God. Let’s turn to our Small Groups and do a fun experiment that illustrates how Jesus’ death helps us do that. 





Small Group Leader,



Each group has a jar, a bottle of disappearing ink, and a small bottle of seltzer water. Follow the steps below to complete the illustration. 





Our world has a problem, sin. We’ve all made mistakes and sinned. We’ve all disobeyed God. 

Allow several children to drip disappearing ink into the jar. 





But God wants us to be holy, separate from sin and bad things. How? 

Allow a couple kids to answer, then continue.





Jesus died on the cross. Because of that, we can be holy, just like Him. 

Allow a child to pour a little bit of seltzer water into the jar. As they do, the ink will disappear. 



You can do this several times to fill up the time and give more kids the opportunity to participate. Just have them put more ink in the jar and then add more seltzer water.

		









**Leader**

Sin is a big problem. Instead of being separated, set apart, and holy, sin gets people all mixed up in the wrong things. There’s only one Person who could fix that mess, Jesus. He lived a perfect life, chose to die on the cross in our place, and then Jesus came back to life. He won the victory over evil and sin! Because of that, we can be holy just like Him. Our Big Point is such good news, 

**Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy!** Jesus explained this very thing to some people in the Bible who were called Pharisees. Let’s listen and find out what happened.



We want to become more like Jesus. That’s the ultimate goal, but it doesn’t come by following rules or making changes to outside stuff. It comes from the power of the Holy Spirit working inside you. And that can happen when you say, “Yes” to following Jesus. If you have never said, “Yes, I want Jesus to forgive me, be my best friend, and I will follow Him for the rest of my life,” then today is your day! I’d like everyone to close your eyes and bow your heads, so no one is distracted. If you have already said, “Yes” to Jesus, you believe that He is alive, and you are His friend and follower, give me a thumbs up. That’s awesome. You can put your hands down. If you’ve never said, “Yes” to Jesus before, and you want to say, “Yes” to Him right now, ask Him to forgive you, and tell Him you want to live your life differently, raise your hand. We’re going to pray all together. Those of you who are already friends and followers of Jesus can join in, too. Repeat after me, and let’s pray... 





Dear God, I know everyone needs a Savior,  and I know I can’t save myself.  Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins and God raised You from the dead.









Right now, I say You are my Lord, my Savior,  and the One who forgives me. Thank You, Jesus, that You are my Best Friend and Leader of my life, because I’ve said, “Yes” to You. Amen.



 

Big Story Slides - MLJ Elem L3 Big Story Slide 1.jpg

If you prayed that prayer for the very first time today, make sure you tell your Small Group Leader. Right now, you get to turn to your Small Group and talk more about the decision you just made! 



Small Group Leader,

The goal in this segment is to create a place where kids can openly share and to bring accountability as they become more like Jesus. Do this by truly listening, responding with love, and showing them what it looks like to be a friend and follower of Jesus.





 - Did you ever think that becoming more like Jesus meant acting perfectly? What do you believe is true now? **That becoming more like Jesus is about saying, “Yes” to Jesus and letting Him change you on the inside.**



 - Who said “Yes” to Jesus today for the very first time? (Celebrate with them! Have everyone give them a high-five, etc.) 



 - What happens when we say, “Yes” to Jesus? **We become a new creation, which means Jesus changes us on the inside. Jesus forgives us of all we’ve done wrong.**



 - When you say, "Yes" to Jesus, what do you say, "Yes" to? **We say “Yes” to making Him the leader of our life. We say, "Yes" to getting to know Him. We say, “Yes” to following Him.**



Pray over your group.







**Leader**

Being set apart for Jesus is a change that comes from inviting Jesus to take charge of your life. It’s not a result of things we do on the outside. I hope you always remember our Big Point,  

**Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy!** Let’s see if our friends in the Lab learn to believe that our Big Point is true.

I can totally believe that Skip McDougall would lie and cheat during a holiness competition. At least our friends in the Lab learned that what matters is what Jesus does on the inside. Jesus taught the Jewish leaders that what matters most is what happens in your heart. Who you follow determines who you will become, and the good news, when you follow Jesus, is that He gives you a new heart that can follow Him. Let’s say our Big Point again,

**Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy!** That’s a story you can share with your family when you do this week’s Big Do. 

As a family, celebrate being more like Jesus. Whenever you catch someone making a wise choice, give that person a high five, thumbs up, or a big smile. 

Small Group Leader,

Use this time to hand out any positive reinforcement tools (i.e. Candy, stickers, prize coupons, etc.) Tell your group how much you enjoyed spending time with them this week. Finally, end your time together with a prayer and maybe a group cheer.

Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy

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Large Group Full Program Instructions

Jesus Helps Me To Be Holy Instructions