Sunday Club: 3rd November 2019
(Lesson adaped from Sermon4kids)
Theme: Run the race -- even in the face of obstacles. (Proper 15 (20) Yr. C)
Object: A trophy or a medal
We asked “Have you ever run a race? Have you ever won a medal or a trophy for running a race?” It is a thrill to run a race and hear the voices of the people who are watching as they shout words of encouragement. It is an even greater thrill when you finish the race and win a medal or a trophy.
Several years ago when the Olympics were held in Barcelona, Spain, the world saw one of the greatest moments in Olympic history. Derek Redmond, a young man from Britain, had dreamed all his life of winning a gold medal in the 400 meter race. He had worked hard to get to the Olympics and his dream was within his reach. He was in the semi-finals and was running the race of his life. He could see the finish line just ahead as he rounded the final turn. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his leg and he fell to the track with a torn muscle in his right leg.
As the medical attendants ran toward him, Derek struggled to his feet. He started to hop toward the finish line on one foot in an attempt to finish the race. Suddenly, a large man came out of the stands, pushed aside a security guard and ran to Derek's side. It was Jim Redmond, Derek's father. "You don't have to do this," he told his son. "Yes, I do," said Derek. "Well, then," said his father, "we're going to finish this together."
And they did. They stayed in Derek's lane all the way to the end. At first, the crowd watched in silence. Then they rose to their feet and cheered — and wept.
Derek Redmond didn't win the gold medal, but he walked away with the incredible memory of a loving father who, when he saw his son in pain, left his seat in the stands to help him finish the race.
That is what our Bible lesson is about today. It teaches us that life is like a race that has been set before us. We may struggle and face many obstacles, but we have a great crowd of witnesses who are cheering us on. We have a Heavenly Father who loves us and will help us when the pain is too great. We have a Savior, who left his place in heaven and came to earth to show us how to run the race. If we will keep our eyes on him, how can we help but finish the race?
Prayer: Dear Father, sometimes life is difficult. Help us to keep our eyes on Jesus and to run the race that is before us. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
Activities:
HINDERED RACING: The children wrote on pieces of sticky back paper struggles that they have(same amount of pieces of paper for each one). Then have children ran in relay to the other side of the room, removed one piece of paper and placed it on a poster which was headed with “Give your struggles to Jesus”; and then ran back to team and continue to run until all of their "struggle pieces of paper" have been removed and left at the finish line. The idea wasn't to WIN the race but to remove their hindering struggles!
EYES ON JESUS: We gave the children pieces of card which had been in parts for them to form an eye, pupil, eye brows and lashes etc. After gluing the parts of the "eye" together, the children attached them to a poster which had ‘ON JESUS’ below the eyes.
STARING CONTEST: Jesus was written on a poster and the children had to see who could stare at the name JESUS for the longest time. If they blinked, they're were out (but could try again and if they over 1 minute, etc, children went to the poster and wrote their names if they were able to stare the full allotted time without taking their eyes off Jesus.