OBJECTIVE:
This lesson will teach the kids to be imitators of Christ by studying His Word and seeking to think, speak, act, and live like Jesus.
Scripture Passage:
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children." - Ephesians 5:1
In the Word
This season, you've learned that even as young people, you can set an example for others of how to follow Christ with your words, actions, and attitude. We saw last week that when we trust in Jesus, He makes us new creations and gives us the strength to live for Him. But even with God's help, being an example for Him can be hard, and we don't always know what to do. But today we'll see that the Lord helps us in another way, by giving Himself as an example for us to follow.
Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be imitators of Christ. An imitator is someone who watches another person closely and does exactly what they do. Have you ever tried to act like your parents, or pretended to be a teacher, police officer, or professional basketball player? When you do that, you are being an imitator. So when our memory verse tells us to be imitators of Christ, it is telling us to look at Him, see how He speaks and acts, and follow His example.
But how do we imitate Christ when we can't see Him? He might not be walking around earth anymore, but there is somewhere we can go to see how He talks, acts, and even thinks: His Word. The Bible tells us all about Jesus. It shows us what He said and did, and it tells us what He loves and how He wants us to behave. When we study God's Word, we aren't just learning facts about Jesus, but we actually get to know Him better because He promises to meet us in His Word, and we form a personal relationship with Him.
As we learn more about Jesus and get to know Him better, we then should imitate Him by talking and acting the way that He did. In the temptations and choices we face every day, when we are not sure what the right thing to do is, we should ask ourselves:"What would Jesus do? How would He respond to this situation or treat this person?" The more we get to know Jesus, the better we will get at acting like Him. Of course, until Heaven we won't be perfect. We still make mistakes and sin. But as we continue to spend time with Him, we will grow in our faith and understanding of who He is and become more like Him.
Even though our season ends today, your walk with Jesus doesn't have to. He wants to continue to spend time with you and see you get to know Him better. So continue to read God's Word and seek Him, and you will become more like Jesus and be examples for Him!
Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be imitators of Christ. An imitator is someone who watches another person closely and does exactly what they do. Have you ever tried to act like your parents, or pretended to be a teacher, police officer, or professional basketball player? When you do that, you are being an imitator. So when our memory verse tells us to be imitators of Christ, it is telling us to look at Him, see how He speaks and acts, and follow His example.
But how do we imitate Christ when we can't see Him? He might not be walking around earth anymore, but there is somewhere we can go to see how He talks, acts, and even thinks: His Word. The Bible tells us all about Jesus. It shows us what He said and did, and it tells us what He loves and how He wants us to behave. When we study God's Word, we aren't just learning facts about Jesus, but we actually get to know Him better because He promises to meet us in His Word, and we form a personal relationship with Him.
As we learn more about Jesus and get to know Him better, we then should imitate Him by talking and acting the way that He did. In the temptations and choices we face every day, when we are not sure what the right thing to do is, we should ask ourselves:"What would Jesus do? How would He respond to this situation or treat this person?" The more we get to know Jesus, the better we will get at acting like Him. Of course, until Heaven we won't be perfect. We still make mistakes and sin. But as we continue to spend time with Him, we will grow in our faith and understanding of who He is and become more like Him.
Even though our season ends today, your walk with Jesus doesn't have to. He wants to continue to spend time with you and see you get to know Him better. So continue to read God's Word and seek Him, and you will become more like Jesus and be examples for Him!
On the Court
- Even though he was God, Jesus respected those in authority over Him. Respect and obey the coaches and refs.
- Follow in Jesus' example of humility. Don't be prideful or boast, but rather give glory to God.
- Jesus loved His enemies, and so you should certainly be able to love your opponents, who are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Off the Court
- Reading God's Word is the best way to get to know Jesus and learn how He would think, speak, or act in the different situations you face. Study the Bible with your family.
- Jesus forgave others when they were unkind to Him. Follow His example and forgive those who mistreat you.
- Look for those in need and help them, just as Jesus did.
The Game Plan
- Review last week's memory verse, 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Give a ticket to any player who can recite it.
- As this is the final week, there is no memory verse this week.
- As the season ends today, we want to encourage the kids to continue to be in God's Word and pray for their ongoing walk with the Lord.