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Series Note
Each Summer to the Max lesson incorporates a special venue into the service. Adding a venue allows the summer schedule to change while keeping the focus on Biblical truth. Venues can be done during the first 30 minutes of service or final 30 minutes of service. If you are also utilizing Summer to the Max Junior lessons, consider keeping one venue at the beginning and one at the end. That will keep costs down by allowing both groups to enjoy the same venue. Each lesson offers multiple venue options at different price points to accommodate your budget. Promoting the venues ahead of time will build excitement for Summer to the Max!
Venue Ideas:
Lesson 3 (Zootopia): Choose one of the following venue options or create your own.
Petting Zoo: Hire a local petting zoo or utilize members in your church to provide some animals for an outdoor experience.
Game Show: Host a game show with real prizes. Choose fun prizes to give away to the winners, even cash or gift cards. Create your own game show or use some of the game shows already created by Crowd Control Games. (www.crowdcontrolgames.com) These games add fun and professionalism to your game show experience.
Stuffed Animal Show and Tell: Allow kids to bring their own stuffed animals to show and tell their friends about. You could also provide stuffed animals for those who did not bring one or for everyone.
Host
Welcome to Summer To The Max at the Movies! This week is Zootopia week. Who loves movies with talking animals?
Co-host
That’s the scariest kind of movie you could imagine.
Host
How are talking animals scary?
Co-host
Because a talking lion could beat you in Monopoly and then eat you for dinner. It’s the worst possible scenario. It’s a lose-lose scenario: beaten, then eaten. Not how I want to go.
Host
Well, I don’t think that’s likely to happen. But, if you remember the movie, some animals became pretty scared of the predators wandering around the city. Let’s test our knowledge of animals.
Co-host
This game is called fact or fiction. We’ll bring up two contestants to play the game. Each will hold a sign with the letter “F” on it. If it’s fact, hold up the letter “F.” If the statement is fiction, hold up the letter… “F.” Hmm…I’m sensing a problem.
Host
Why don’t we have them run to this side of the stage if they think it’s fact or the opposite side of the stage if they think it’s fiction? You, as the audience, are welcome to help our contestants make the right choice.
Play the game.
Slides:
A group of lions is called a pack. Fiction (Pride)
The fastest land animal is a cheetah. Fact
A dodo bird lays the largest egg. Fiction (Ostrich)
A lobster has 8 legs. Fiction (10 legs)
Owls don’t have eyeballs. Fact
A blue whale’s heart weighs 400 pounds. Fact
A flamingo is pink when it hatches. Fiction (Gray)
Reindeer eyeballs turn blue in winter. Fact
An owl has three pairs of eyelids. Fact
The skin of a polar bear is white. Fiction (Black)
A walrus can eat 5,000 clams in one day. Fact
A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue. Fact
A chameleon’s tongue is as long as its body. Fact
All mammals can burp and vomit. Fiction (Rodents can’t)
Sharks kill nearly 100 people every year. Fiction (Less than 10)
Host
With some of those, I was taking a wild guess. It would have been helpful if someone taught me the facts before we started. We’re learning in our Big Point about the best teacher we could ever have. We need everyone to help us count down from three, and then we’ll read the Big Point.
Co-host
Let’s all say it together, I Can Learn From Jesus! We don’t have to guess the right answers. We can learn from Jesus. He teaches us the truth through the Bible, in prayer, and while we are here at church.
Host
By listening to Jesus and learning, you can make better, wiser choices. You can avoid big mistakes. Also, you can learn the truth about those things you used to think were facts that are actually fiction.
Co-host
It’s wise to listen and learn from God.
Movie Moment
There is a scene in the movie Zootopia where Judy and Nick visit the DMV to run a license plate. The worker—a sloth named Flash—moves and talks incredibly slowly, even while telling a joke. It’s a silly scene that shows Judy’s growing impatience and Nick’s love of messing with her. If your church has the proper licensing you may choose to show this clip. If you cannot show the clip, simply summarize the moment or describe it to the kids.
Host
Let’s say the Big Point again together,
Host
I Can Learn From Jesus! The animals listened to the wrong people, and fear gripped the city.
Co-host
It’s a good thing they learned the truth otherwise Zootopia would have been ruined. If you want to learn the truth, it’s important to listen to the right people.
Host
Thankfully, we have the best teacher in Jesus. We can trust that what Jesus says is true. We trust that Jesus can help us clear our minds when we feel confused. He helps us knock out those untrue thoughts.
Co-host
Let’s see what the Bible says about learning. We need everyone to count down from three, and then we’ll read the verse.
Host
Proverbs 23:12 (NIrV), “Apply your heart to what you are taught. Listen carefully to words of knowledge.” Growing as Jesus’ followers and becoming useful and fruitful Christians starts with listening to what Jesus says and obeying His words
Co-host
We listen closely so that we don’t get confused and believe something that isn’t true. Paying attention matters. That’s what our next game is all about. We’ll choose new contestants for each round to come up and try to guess the animal by only listening to a sound.
Find and play the following sounds one at a time and allow kids to guess, then play the slide showing the correct animal. You can make the sound as obvious or as difficult as you choose for your group. Choose new kids for each round to allow more kids to participate.
Host
You had to listen carefully to know which animal was which. It would have been easy to get mixed up. The more you read the Bible, the easier it is to be sure you listen to the right voice. That’s because the Bible teaches us what Jesus’ words sound like. Knowing Jesus better helps you avoid listening to the wrong voices.
Co-host
There was a time when Peter, one of Jesus’ followers, believed some things about other people that were no longer true. God wanted to teach Peter a new way to live life. Let’s hear Peter’s story and see if he learned from Jesus.
Host
Peter thought that he wasn’t supposed to go and help people who were different, like Cornelius. Thankfully, Jesus taught Peter that those were exactly the people who needed to learn the truth that Jesus died for us. I’m glad Peter listened.
Let’s take a moment now to listen to Jesus. Without anyone talking or moving around, pause and listen to Jesus. You probably won’t hear Him speak out loud, but you may get an idea in your heart, or a verse will come to mind. That can be Jesus speaking. Let’s see what God says. (Pause) Who had a thought or verse from the Bible come to mind while you listened? That’s awesome. I encourage you to keep listening and learning from Jesus. I’ll take a moment to pray for you. (Pray)
Share info about the giving project you have chosen to support. Consider donating all summer offerings to a local ministry or global missionary.
Co-host
If you learn from Jesus, He will teach you how to be useful and fruitful in God’s big plan.
Host
That brings us to this week’s Big Do.
Host
Take a moment to read a story from the Bible with your family. After you read it, talk about what you learned from Jesus in the story.
Co-host
Don’t forget our Big Point,
Co-host
I Can Learn From Jesus!
Host
Let’s connect in our Small Groups and discuss today’s lesson.
Gather the kids into Small Groups and discuss the following.
Why did Jesus show Peter a picture of the animals? To show Peter that God wanted him to start helping people he had been avoiding.
Which people did Peter and his friends stay away from? Non-Jewish people
What happened when Peter told Cornelius and his family about Jesus? They received the Holy Spirit as Peter had.
What did Peter do when some people wanted to make it hard for non-Jewish people to join the church? He told them about his story and what he had learned from Jesus to teach them that God wanted all people in His church.
Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question.
The Big Point says, I Can ______ From Jesus!
What did God show Peter while sitting on the roof of a house?
Animals
People
What did God ask Peter to do to the animals?
Eat them
Pet them
What was God teaching Peter by showing him the animals?
To ignore more people
To help people Peter had ignored
What are some ways we can learn from Jesus?
Proverbs 23:12 (NIrV), “Apply your heart to what you are taught. Listen _______ to words of knowledge.”
Casually
Carefully
What was Cornelius’ job?
Roman soldier
Priest
What happened when Peter preached to Cornelius?
They received the Holy Spirit
They got angry
Why does the Bible help us learn how to listen to Jesus?
What is this week’s Big Do?
Series Note
Each Summer to the Max lesson incorporates a special venue into the service. Adding a venue allows the summer schedule to change while keeping the focus on Biblical truth. Venues can be done during the first 30 minutes of service or final 30 minutes of service. If you are also utilizing Summer to the Max Junior lessons, consider keeping one venue at the beginning and one at the end. That will keep costs down by allowing both groups to enjoy the same venue. Each lesson offers multiple venue options at different price points to accommodate your budget. Promoting the venues ahead of time will build excitement for Summer to the Max!
Venue Ideas:
Lesson 3 (Zootopia): Choose one of the following venue options or create your own.
Petting Zoo: Hire a local petting zoo or utilize members in your church to provide some animals for an outdoor experience.
Game Show: Host a game show with real prizes. Choose fun prizes to give away to the winners, even cash or gift cards. Create your own game show or use some of the game shows already created by Crowd Control Games. (www.crowdcontrolgames.com) These games add fun and professionalism to your game show experience.
Stuffed Animal Show and Tell: Allow kids to bring their own stuffed animals to show and tell their friends about. You could also provide stuffed animals for those who did not bring one or for everyone.
Host
Welcome to Summer To The Max at the Movies! This week is Zootopia week. Who loves movies with talking animals?
Co-host
That’s the scariest kind of movie you could imagine.
Host
How are talking animals scary?
Co-host
Because a talking lion could beat you in Monopoly and then eat you for dinner. It’s the worst possible scenario. It’s a lose-lose scenario: beaten, then eaten. Not how I want to go.
Host
Well, I don’t think that’s likely to happen. But, if you remember the movie, some animals became pretty scared of the predators wandering around the city. Let’s test our knowledge of animals.
Co-host
This game is called fact or fiction. We’ll bring up two contestants to play the game. Each will hold a sign with the letter “F” on it. If it’s fact, hold up the letter “F.” If the statement is fiction, hold up the letter… “F.” Hmm…I’m sensing a problem.
Host
Why don’t we have them run to this side of the stage if they think it’s fact or the opposite side of the stage if they think it’s fiction? You, as the audience, are welcome to help our contestants make the right choice.
Play the game.
Slides:
A group of lions is called a pack. Fiction (Pride)
The fastest land animal is a cheetah. Fact
A dodo bird lays the largest egg. Fiction (Ostrich)
A lobster has 8 legs. Fiction (10 legs)
Owls don’t have eyeballs. Fact
A blue whale’s heart weighs 400 pounds. Fact
A flamingo is pink when it hatches. Fiction (Gray)
Reindeer eyeballs turn blue in winter. Fact
An owl has three pairs of eyelids. Fact
The skin of a polar bear is white. Fiction (Black)
A walrus can eat 5,000 clams in one day. Fact
A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue. Fact
A chameleon’s tongue is as long as its body. Fact
All mammals can burp and vomit. Fiction (Rodents can’t)
Sharks kill nearly 100 people every year. Fiction (Less than 10)
Host
With some of those, I was taking a wild guess. It would have been helpful if someone taught me the facts before we started. We’re learning in our Big Point about the best teacher we could ever have. We need everyone to help us count down from three, and then we’ll read the Big Point.
Co-host
Let’s all say it together, I Can Learn From Jesus! We don’t have to guess the right answers. We can learn from Jesus. He teaches us the truth through the Bible, in prayer, and while we are here at church.
Host
By listening to Jesus and learning, you can make better, wiser choices. You can avoid big mistakes. Also, you can learn the truth about those things you used to think were facts that are actually fiction.
Co-host
It’s wise to listen and learn from God.
Movie Moment
There is a scene in the movie Zootopia where Judy and Nick visit the DMV to run a license plate. The worker—a sloth named Flash—moves and talks incredibly slowly, even while telling a joke. It’s a silly scene that shows Judy’s growing impatience and Nick’s love of messing with her. If your church has the proper licensing you may choose to show this clip. If you cannot show the clip, simply summarize the moment or describe it to the kids.
Host
Let’s say the Big Point again together,
Host
I Can Learn From Jesus! The animals listened to the wrong people, and fear gripped the city.
Co-host
It’s a good thing they learned the truth otherwise Zootopia would have been ruined. If you want to learn the truth, it’s important to listen to the right people.
Host
Thankfully, we have the best teacher in Jesus. We can trust that what Jesus says is true. We trust that Jesus can help us clear our minds when we feel confused. He helps us knock out those untrue thoughts.
Co-host
Let’s see what the Bible says about learning. We need everyone to count down from three, and then we’ll read the verse.
Host
Proverbs 23:12 (NIrV), “Apply your heart to what you are taught. Listen carefully to words of knowledge.” Growing as Jesus’ followers and becoming useful and fruitful Christians starts with listening to what Jesus says and obeying His words
Co-host
We listen closely so that we don’t get confused and believe something that isn’t true. Paying attention matters. That’s what our next game is all about. We’ll choose new contestants for each round to come up and try to guess the animal by only listening to a sound.
Find and play the following sounds one at a time and allow kids to guess, then play the slide showing the correct animal. You can make the sound as obvious or as difficult as you choose for your group. Choose new kids for each round to allow more kids to participate.
Host
You had to listen carefully to know which animal was which. It would have been easy to get mixed up. The more you read the Bible, the easier it is to be sure you listen to the right voice. That’s because the Bible teaches us what Jesus’ words sound like. Knowing Jesus better helps you avoid listening to the wrong voices.
Co-host
There was a time when Peter, one of Jesus’ followers, believed some things about other people that were no longer true. God wanted to teach Peter a new way to live life. Let’s hear Peter’s story and see if he learned from Jesus.
Host
Peter thought that he wasn’t supposed to go and help people who were different, like Cornelius. Thankfully, Jesus taught Peter that those were exactly the people who needed to learn the truth that Jesus died for us. I’m glad Peter listened.
Let’s take a moment now to listen to Jesus. Without anyone talking or moving around, pause and listen to Jesus. You probably won’t hear Him speak out loud, but you may get an idea in your heart, or a verse will come to mind. That can be Jesus speaking. Let’s see what God says. (Pause) Who had a thought or verse from the Bible come to mind while you listened? That’s awesome. I encourage you to keep listening and learning from Jesus. I’ll take a moment to pray for you. (Pray)
Share info about the giving project you have chosen to support. Consider donating all summer offerings to a local ministry or global missionary.
Co-host
If you learn from Jesus, He will teach you how to be useful and fruitful in God’s big plan.
Host
That brings us to this week’s Big Do.
Host
Take a moment to read a story from the Bible with your family. After you read it, talk about what you learned from Jesus in the story.
Co-host
Don’t forget our Big Point,
Co-host
I Can Learn From Jesus!
Host
Let’s connect in our Small Groups and discuss today’s lesson.
Gather the kids into Small Groups and discuss the following.
Why did Jesus show Peter a picture of the animals? To show Peter that God wanted him to start helping people he had been avoiding.
Which people did Peter and his friends stay away from? Non-Jewish people
What happened when Peter told Cornelius and his family about Jesus? They received the Holy Spirit as Peter had.
What did Peter do when some people wanted to make it hard for non-Jewish people to join the church? He told them about his story and what he had learned from Jesus to teach them that God wanted all people in His church.
Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question.
The Big Point says, I Can ______ From Jesus!
What did God show Peter while sitting on the roof of a house?
Animals
People
What did God ask Peter to do to the animals?
Eat them
Pet them
What was God teaching Peter by showing him the animals?
To ignore more people
To help people Peter had ignored
What are some ways we can learn from Jesus?
Proverbs 23:12 (NIrV), “Apply your heart to what you are taught. Listen _______ to words of knowledge.”
Casually
Carefully
What was Cornelius’ job?
Roman soldier
Priest
What happened when Peter preached to Cornelius?
They received the Holy Spirit
They got angry
Why does the Bible help us learn how to listen to Jesus?
What is this week’s Big Do?
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