Week #5
The Body Armor of God's Righteousness
Welcome to week #5 of Home-made JAM!
If you have missed any of the week's lessons, you can find them at www.splgrafton.org/fig
Start HERE
In the Bible, Paul talks about the spiritual battle we’re fighting against evil and tells us to put on the shoes of peace that comes from the good news about Jesus. Just as shoes help a soldier walk safely in a battle, the shoes of peace help us when we face bad and hard things.
Let's Sing!
This week we are focusing on two songs again. The first one, Stand Strong should be familiar to you. This song reminds us that no matter what happens to us in our life, God gives us the power to face it. The second song is a new one. Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace. We can have peace in this life because we have the all-powerful God on our side.
Take some time to learn these songs and sing them with your kids!
Talk about video - Peacekeepers
This week we’re learning that we fight evil with peace. As a family, take turns sharing about a time you kept peace in a tough situation.
Keeping peace can be hard! There are some people who need to try to keep peace in really tough situations every day! Let’s hear from one of them.
Watch “Peacekeepers.”
After watching this video, would you want to be a police officer? Why or why not? Officer Spencer said talking calmly with someone in person can help keep the peace. How could you try that tip this week?
You don’t have to be a police officer to keep the peace. In fact, we're all peacekeepers because we're all in God’s army, fighting against evil! But this battle isn’t fought with violence; we fight evil with peace.
Deeper Bible - Drop It!
Supplies
- Bible
- inflated balloons (1 for every 2 kids)
- painter’s tape
Easy Prep
- Place a line of tape down the center of the room.
Share About Fighting
Sometimes people do things that aren’t nice. We may want to be unkind back and fight with them. Share about a time you wanted to fight with someone.
Pass the Balloons
If we choose to fight back when someone starts a fight with us, the fight just keeps going back and forth. Let’s play a game to see what that’s like.
- Form two teams, and have the teams stand on opposite sides of the tape line.
- Give kids the balloons, and encourage them to bat the balloons back and forth over the line.
- After a few minutes, ask all the kids on one side of the tape line to sit down and put their hands in their laps while the other team continues to bat the balloons to them.
- Repeat the game, starting with both teams playing for several minutes. Then have the second team sit to experience what it’s like to stop.
Talk About It
After all the balloons have fallen to the floor, ask:
- What was it like to stop batting balloons in the game?
- What was it like to keep batting the balloons when none of them were coming back to you?
It can be hard to be the first to stop fighting, just like it was hard to keep from hitting the balloons when we were sitting. But when one side stopped playing, the balloons stopped going back and forth. Often when one person decides to stop fighting, the fight can end, too.
The Bible tells us all to be peaceful instead of fighting. Read Romans 12:18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone aloud. When we choose not to fight with our friends and families, we’re fighting God’s enemy instead!
Wrap it Up - Peace Prayers
Pray for Peace
God gives us the shoes of peace to protect us in battle. But you know, we can make peace with more than just our feet.
Read the following prayers, place a hand on the corresponding body parts.
- Mouth: God, let us fight evil with words of peace.
- Ears: God, let us show peace even by listening well to the other side.
- Hands: God, let us show peace in how we use our hands.
- Feet: God, help us know when to walk away in peace.
Resources
- Knight Handout - Use the same one EVERY week