We Worship by Giving

TEXT: Mark 12:41-44

OBJECTIVE

The students will understand that one way we worship is by willingly giving to God. They will be able to list the various things we can give to God as a means of worship.

BIBLE LESSON OUTLINE

Introduction: Use the idea of the gift box (see In-Class Activities).

Progression of Events:

1. When we get saved we give ourselves to God.
2. We can give God our time.
3. We can give our money.
4. We can give a smile—a cheerful outlook.
5. We can give a testimony.
6. We can give an invitation.

Climax: We are blessed by God when we give willingly. Refer to memory verse.

Conclusion: Just as we show our love to others by giving things to them, one of the ways we worship God is by willingly giving to Him.

Response: Students will be able to list the various things we can give to God as a means of worship.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The right attitude for giving—and this can be applied to time, money, possessions, oneself—is early set forth in the Bible by God Himself, "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering" (Exodus 25:2).

Something given to man or God grudgingly or under duress, or given from some motive of self gain, is not thankworthy. God made plain to Moses that any offering to Him not given willingly and from the heart was not acceptable. God is not alone in loving a cheerful giver; we all do.

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

• Make greeting card in shape of child. Write on front, "I have decided to follow Jesus." Inside put stickers or draw: heart, hands and feet, child's name. Put in envelope addressed to Mom and/or Dad. (Teacher, have stamps ready and mail them for your class!)
• Cut two large circles from construction paper, one colored and one white, and make a protruding tab on the white circle (see Patterns). Cut out peek hole in the colored circle, and fasten the two circles together with a metal fastener, with the white circle underneath. (You may wish to assemble the project ahead of class time.) Paste pictures, stick stickers or have children draw pictures on white circle (or use pictures shown on Patterns) of things we should give to God. Turn with tab and see pictures through peek hole.
• Set up your class as if for a party, complete with hats, streamers, etc. Explain to your students that you wanted to do something really special for God to show Him how much you loved Him, so you planned this party. Show a big gift-wrapped box, and tell your students that you spent a lot of time thinking about something special you could give God. Let them help you open the box. In it have several objects symbolic of what we can give God: a clock, representing our time; a dollar bill, representing money; a smiling face, representing a cheerful disposition; an invitation to church or Sunday school, representing a witness for Christ; etc.
• Give your older primary students the opportunity to "follow" their offering, so they know exactly what happens to the money they give to Jesus. Explain how it is collected, goes to the church office and then to the bank. Then discuss or show pictures of the various ways this money may be used—pictures of outreach efforts of the church, etc.

QUESTIONS

1. What is a talent?
2. What is something I could give to the Lord?
3. When you put tithes and offerings into the box you should:
   a. wait until all your friends are looking
   b. tell everyone how much you gave
   c. give quietly and secretly
4. How old do you have to be before Jesus can use you?
5. Name some things you can do for Jesus.
6. Explain how the poor widow gave more than the rich people.
7. It's more important "how" we give than "what" we give to God. Explain.

PRE-SCHOOL SUGGESTIONS

• Bring objects of giving such as money, a clock to illustrate time, a mirror. Let the children put the money into the tithes box. Pass the mirror around and let each one look at it. Tell them they can give themselves to God.
• Trace each child's hand on a piece of paper. On each finger write one thing they can do for Jesus.
• Give each child some pennies, and walk with them to the "Jesus Box" (tithes box). Let each child give only the number they wish to give. Be sure to reinforce their action by telling them how happy God is when we give to Him.

REVIEW IDEAS

Needed: A pitcher of water, an empty glass, food coloring. First take the empty glass and put a couple of drops of food coloring into it. Then add the water—fill it to the top. This shows the students that even though we could only give a little, when God sees it, He blesses by pouring in His joy and love until our little becomes great.

Needed: A fancy box with a lid, a toy car, airplane, money and a red heart with a picture of Jesus in the middle of it. Pin the heart on your dress or suit at lesson time. Take the objects out of the box one at a time as you explain that boys and girls don't have what those objects represent. We can't give God something we don't have. But we can give Him our love. Point to the heart. Then we can give Him our service. Talk about the different things they can do for the Lord like telling others about Jesus, visiting a sick friend, praying for someone in need, or inviting their friends to Sunday school.

Give a puppet show portraying two children who say they love their mother. However, one goes about his own affairs, too busy to help whenever mother asks him to. The other willingly does whatever he can. At the end of the show, ask your students which one really loved his mother best. The point should be made that we can prove our love to God by doing whatever we can for Him.

SUPPORT MATERIAL

• My Church — coloring book, 8 each of 6 pictures, Christian Board of Publication
• Showing Our Love — Record and songs, 6 songs with resource sheet for each song. Full-color flannelgraph sheets to add interest. Gospel Publishing House
• A Robber or a Thief — Flannelgraph lesson. Child Evangelism Fellowship, Inc.
• Giving — Suede-graph, one of the Gospel-Graph series. Scripture Press Publications, Inc.