7 FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: FAITHFULNESSstorage.cloversites.com/pathwayassemblyofgod/documents/...The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
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The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22,23
FAITH FOCUSFaithfulness is refusing to quit and choosing to keep our commitments to God and others too.
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will be richly blessed.
truthverse
Jesus Is Faithful Matthew 26:36–67; 27:11–54
biblecase file
casesummary
Faithfulness: I will not quit.
faithfactHave you ever made a promise to someone that you didn’t
keep? Have you ever planned to do something with a friend, then changed your mind and gone somewhere else with someone else? Have you ever quit a sport because you didn’t like to practice? � ese are examples of times when we need more faithfulness.
Is God always faithful?God is a perfect example of faithfulness. 1 Corinthians 1:9 tells us that God is faithful. We can count on Him to be the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Everything we believe as Christians is based on God’s faithfulness. Because He has been faithful in everything He promised, we can be certain that He will be faithful in the things that haven’t happened yet—like getting to be in heaven with Him forever.
Does faithfulness need to grow in my life?Only God is perfectly faithful. Matthew 25:21 tells us that if we are faithful with a few things, God will put us in charge of more things. He will help our faithfulness to grow when we live out our Faith Fact: I will not quit. God wants us to be faithful and never quit trusting in Him.
What does the fruit of faithfulness look like?Faithfulness means God and others can count on us. God wants to count on us to worship and obey Him. Our parents and teachers want us to fi nish our homework and do our chores without quitting or complaining. We show faithfulness to others by keeping our promises. In our Bible Case File, Jesus showed us how to be faithful no matter what.
COMMISSIONER’S GREETING� is DVD segment provides a countdown to begin the session and a special greeting from the Commissioner.
Play “Countdown & Commissioner’s Greeting” from Faith Case DVD B.
The fruitThe fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22,23
of the Spirit
WELCOME
Introduce the session topic.
SAY Welcome, investigators! Today we’ll investigate another part of the fruit of the Spirit. It helps us keep our promises. It helps us fi nish boring or diffi cult jobs. It starts with the letter F and doesn’t rhyme with anything. Can you guess what it is? (Group response)
Lead the group in shouting the word faithfulness several times.
SAY I can’t wait to fi nd out more about this wonderful fruit, can you? (Group response) Let’s get started with Faith Case: Faithfulness.
FAITH CASE UPDATE 7.1
� e Commissioner explains faithfulness and gives Inspector Apple the assignment of faithfully escorting her grandmother around a fruit festival.
Play “Faith Case Update 7.1” from Faith Case DVD B.
faithfulnessA faithful man will be richly blessed.
Proverbs 28:20
Kids in your group may arrive hungry, so you may wish to provide a healthy snack as they arrive. This demonstrates God’s love for their physical needs and allows them to focus on learning instead of on their hunger.
TIP
If you have kids who are new to Faith Case, you may wish to play the Countdown and Commissioner’s Welcome segment instead of the Countdown and Commissioner’s Greeting.
GAMEKids will play a game of tug-of-war to illustrate that faithfulness never gives up.
SAY Well, you can always count on Inspector Apple to make a grand entrance. It looks as though he has his work cut out for him. I wonder if he’ll be able to stick it out. Do you think he might need some faithfulness to do his job? (Group response) I think he will too.
I just received instructions from the Commissioner for a game that will help us understand faithfulness a little better.
Open the Briefcase and pull out Case Folder 1.
Pull out E-mail 7.1 and read it.
Investigators, Today we’re solving Faith Case: Faithfulness. I’ve already briefed you on what faithfulness is. This game will help you understand why faithfulness is so important. I’ve sent the instructions to your Lead Investigator. Good hunting! Signed, The Commissioner.
SAY Well, you heard what the Commissioner said. Let’s be faithful and get started. I need six volunteers.
Invite six volunteers to the front of the room.
Group the volunteers into two teams of three people each.
Have the teams stand on either side of the tape or chair.
Give each team an end of a rope to hold.
SAY Our volunteers will play tug-of-war. Who knows how to play this game? (Group response) e object of the game is for each team to try to pull the other team to their side of the room.
On my signal, each team will pull on the rope as hard as they can. e team that pulls the other team past the center mark (point to the tape or chair), wins the game.
E-MAIL
7.1
continued
YOU WILL NEED GETTING READY
E-mail 7.1 from the Faith Case CD-ROM
Case Folder 1
Briefcase
Rope
Masking tape or chair
Print E-mail 7.1 from the Faith Case CD-ROM.
Place E-mail 7.1 in Case Folder 1.
Place Case Folder 1 in the Briefcase.
Tape a line down the center of the stage area or place a chair to mark the center.
ESS SAY Are you ready? (Group response) Let’s play!
Give the signal for the teams to start the game.
When one team is pulled across the center line, declare the other team the winner.
SAY In this game, each team was acting with faithfulness. � ey were working toward their goal without quitting. Faithfulness helps us keep on trying instead of quitting.
Let’s play our game again.
Whisper to one team not to try to win.
Play the game. The team that tries will win.
SAY One team was faithful and one wasn’t. Which team won? (� e faithful team.) When we quit, we’re not faithful. When we quit, we can’t win—in games or in life. Let’s think about some ways we can be faithful winners.
If you’re tired of practicing soccer drills, how can you be faithful? (By continuing to practice.) Refusing to quit is an important part of being faithful. � at sounds like our Faith Fact. Let’s say it together.
Say the Faith Fact in unison with the kids. (See sidebar.)
SAY If you promised to go swimming with a friend, but a new friend asks you to do something you like better, how can you be faithful? (You can keep your promise to your friend who asked you to go swimming.) Keeping your promises to friends is an important part of faithfulness. You will not quit keeping your word. Hmm, that’s the Faith Fact, isn’t it? Let’s say it again together.
Say the Faith Fact in unison with the kids. (See sidebar.)
SAY You know, a faithful person sounds like someone I’d like to have for a friend. Now, let’s see how Inspector Apple is doing with his faithfulness.
Inspector Apple tries to be faithful in escorting the Commissioner’s grandmother around the fruit festival, but he has a Spoiler-related mishap and leaves Grandma Etta alone.
Play “Faith Case Update 7.2” from Faith Case DVD B.
faithfulnessA faithful man will be richly blessed.
Proverbs 28:20
FAITH FACT FEATURE
Help kids learn and remember the Faith Fact for this session. Actions to reinforce the Faith Fact are on the DVD and on the next page as well.
I will not quit. Use up more energy by having kids march, jump, or turn in a circle as they say the Faith Fact. Add fun by seeing how quickly they can repeat it.
A relay activity will reinforce the verse and its life application.
SAY Our Truth Verse can help us remember why it is important to remain faithful. Let’s learn it together.
Lead the kids in saying the Truth Verse. (See sidebar.) The Truth Verse is also displayed on the DVD screen.
Repeat the verse several times so the kids are familiar with it.
SAY � e Commissioner has sent us another communication about today’s investigation. Let’s see what it says.
Open the Briefcase and pull out Case Folder 2.
Pull out E-mail 7.2 and read it.
Investigators, I’ve sent instructions for a game to test your faithfulness and to help you learn today’s Truth Verse. Your Lead Investigator will � ll in the details. If you all successfully complete the quest, you will be rewarded. Signed, The Commissioner.
SAY According to the Commissioner’s instructions, I should choose six volunteers for a race. (See Tip in sidebar.)
Choose six volunteers.
Group the volunteers into two teams of three.
Line up each team near one of the � rst Truth Verse Station Signs.
SAY Each side of the room will cheer for the team on your side of the room.
If necessary, identify the dividing line for the teams.
SAY When I say go, the fi rst player on each team will run to the fi rst sign, say the verse words on the sign, and do the actions on that sign. � en he will go to the next sign and say the words and do the actions there. He will keep doing this until he has faithfully said the words and done the
YOU WILL NEED GETTING READY
E-mail 7.2 from the Faith Case CD-ROM
Truth Verse Station Signs from the Faith CaseCD-ROM (one set per team)
Case Folder 2
Briefcase
Six prizes such as coins, small trinkets, or toys
Tape or mounting putty
Print E-mail 7.2 from the Faith Case CD-ROM
Print the Truth Verse Station Signs from the Faith Case CD-ROM.
Place E-mail 7.2 in Case Folder 2.
Place Case Folder 2 in the Briefcase.
Display each set of Truth Verse Stations Signs on a wall of your room. Arrange the signs in verse order.
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will be richly blessed.
truthverse
continued
For a larger group, choose twelve volunteers for two teams of six each.
For a small group, group the kids into two equal teams and let all of them participate in the race.
Inspector Apple gets in trouble for losing Grandma Etta, but then fi nds her and learns that she has proof of the Spoiler. He also discovers that faithfulness is the part of the fruit of the Spirit he’s investigating.
Play “Faith Case Update 7.3” from Faith Case DVD B.
faithfulnessA faithful man will be richly blessed.
Proverbs 28:20
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT SONGKids will sing a song that contains the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22,23 and all the Faith Facts.
Play “Fruit of the Spirit Song” from Faith Case DVD B.
The fruitThe fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22,23
of the Spirit
OPTIONAL: FAITH FACT REVIEW
If you have time, use the Fruit of the Spirit Cards and one of the ideas from the cards to help the kids review the � eme Verse and the matching Faith Facts.
Kids will see an example of sticking with a task until it is done.
SAY I need two volunteers. Who wants to help? (Allow responses.) Choose two volunteers to join you at the front of the room.
SAY I need to know how big our room is. I have a ruler to help us measure it and some paper to keep track of the measuring. Our volunteers will measure the room one foot at a time until they know just how wide the room is.
You can measure by starting at one wall and laying the ruler on the fl oor. � en turn the ruler end over end until you get to the other wall. Count the number of times you turn over the ruler. Use the paper and pencil to keep track of the number of turns. � at will give you the width of the room in feet. It’s not an easy job. You’ll need to keep at it in order to succeed.
Are you ready? (Let volunteers respond.) � en, let’s measure.
Let the volunteers measure the room one foot at a time.
Encourage the group to cheer them on or help with the counting.
When the volunteers � nish, announce the measurement.
Clap for the volunteers and let them be seated.
SAY Great job! � at took a lot of work. You couldn’t know how big the room is without measuring every foot. Our volunteers repeated the same action over and over until they were done. � ey worked hard and didn’t give up. � at’s a great example of faithfulness.
SAY Let’s think of some ways to show faithfulness. How can you be faithful with your homework? (Finish your work on time, do your homework before you play, do your best, etc.)
How can you be faithful at home? (Make your bed every morning, complete your chores faithfully, etc.)
How can you be faithful in sports or in playing an instrument? (Attend every team practice, show up for games, practice the instrument, etc.)
How can you be faithful in serving God? (Go to church each week, read your Bible every day, pray every day, etc.)
SAY We can be faithful in everyday life just by doing what we’re supposed to do. Jesus is the best example of being faithful no matter what.
YOU WILL NEED GETTING READY
Ruler or yardstick
Paper and pencil
None
If you need a last-minute substitute for a ruler, use 9-x-12 construction paper as a ruler.
Kids will hear the story of Jesus going to the cross.
SAY Today’s Bible story shows Jesus as a perfect example of faithfulness. He never gives up. He always keeps His promises. We can count on Him. Now, I need six volunteers to help with today’s story.
Invite six volunteers to come to the stage.
Give each volunteer a Bible Case Sign to hold. Volunteers should wait to reveal their sign to the group at your signal.
Line up the volunteers on the stage in the numerical order of their signs.
SAY I also need help from our audience. When I point to the crowd, I need you all to say our Faith Fact: “I will not quit.” Do you understand? (Group response) Let’s try it.
Point to the crowd. Help them say, “I will not quit.”
Practice a few times.
SAY Great! Let’s get started. Our story is about the most diffi cult thing Jesus ever had to do. Jesus is God’s Son. He came to earth to pay for the sins of all people. He did this so anyone who asks can have a relationship with God.
But it took a lot of faithfulness for Jesus to endure what He did to pay the price for our sins.
Have a volunteer display Sign 1: Prayed Alone.
SAY Our story starts in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus knew He was going to go through a lot of diffi cult things. He knew He would soon have to die for the sins of all people. So, He spent some time in prayer in the Garden.
Jesus’ friends slept while Jesus prayed alone. � e Bible says that Jesus had so much sorrow that as He prayed, His sweat turned to blood. But He didn’t give up. He lived by our Faith Fact.
Point to the crowd for them to say, “I will not quit.”
Have a volunteer display Sign 2: Betrayed and Arrested.
SAY Jesus didn’t quit even though He knew He would be arrested that night. While Jesus prayed, one of His friends named Judas came into the Garden with soldiers. Judas
Jesus Is Faithful Matthew 26:36–67; 27:11–54
biblecase file
YOU WILL NEED GETTING READY
Copies of the Bible Case Signs from the Faith Case CD-ROM
Print the Bible Case Signs from the Faith Case CD-ROM.
Faithfulness: I will not quit.
faithfact
If you have a small group, choose three volunteers and give two signs to each volunteer.
ESS was one of Jesus’ twelve closest friends and he betrayed
Jesus. He brought the soldiers to the Garden to arrest Jesus.
SAY Many people might have given up right there. � ey might ask, “Why give my life for people who are just going to betray me?” But Jesus didn’t give up. Even though being betrayed by His friend hurt Him and made Him sad, He stayed faithful. He was basically saying . . .
Point to the crowd for them to say, “I will not quit.”
Have a volunteer display Sign 3: Put on Trial.
SAY Jesus was taken from the Garden and put on trial by the religious leaders. Several men accused Jesus of doing wrong, but no one found Him guilty of breaking any laws. Even though He was innocent, they didn’t let Him go.
SAY It was probably embarrassing and hurt Jesus’ feelings to hear the things people said. But do you think Jesus gave up? Do you think He quit? (Group response) No. Jesus loves us all too much. He continued to follow our Faith Fact.
Point to the crowd for them to say, “I will not quit.”
Have a volunteer display Sign 4: Beat Up.
SAY As if it wasn’t enough to put Jesus on trial, some people decided to hit Him and spit on Him.
SAY Jesus didn’t deserve any of this. He had done nothing but good things for people. He had healed the sick, preached God’s Word, and even raised the dead. At any moment He could have decided to quit and go back to heaven. He could have left without paying for our sins. He could have abandoned us, but He didn’t. He was saying . . .
Point to the crowd for them to say, “I will not quit.”
SAY After the people beat up Jesus, the religious leaders took Him to the governor, Pilate. Pilate had the authority to put Jesus to death.
Jesus stood silently while the religious leaders tried to get Him in trouble with Pilate. But as hard as they tried, the religious leaders could not prove that Jesus had done anything wrong.
Pilate didn’t want to kill Jesus. He knew Jesus was innocent. But then the crowd started to yell, “Crucify Him!” Pilate decided he wouldn’t defend Jesus anymore.
SAY Jesus didn’t try to defend himself. He didn’t try to change Pilate’s mind. Jesus knew that He had to die to pay for our
sins. He was willing to give up His life for us. Again, He was saying . . .
Point to the crowd for them to say, “I will not quit.”
Have a volunteer display Sign 5: Whipped, Mocked & Beaten.
SAY Pilate decided to let Jesus die. � en he gave Jesus to his soldiers. � e soldiers whipped Jesus with a horrible whip that tore skin from His back.
� e soldiers mocked Jesus. � ey dressed Him as a king with a crown of thorns. � en they made fun of Him and hit Him and even spit on Him. � ey were very cruel.
SAY At any time during this, Jesus could have said, “Enough!” He could have stopped everything. He is the Son of God. He could have done anything He wanted. But He didn’t. He didn’t give up.
Point to the crowd for them to say, “I will not quit.”
Have a volunteer display Sign 6: Nailed to a Cross to Die.
SAY Finally, Jesus was taken to the place where people were crucifi ed. � e soldiers nailed Him to a cross so He would die.
� e cross was one of the worst ways for a person to die. It took a long time and was very painful. Jesus had already been through so much. (Gesture to the signs.) He had endured everything and not given up. He had said . . .
Point to the crowd for them to say, “I will not quit.”
SAY Jesus was faithful until the very end. After hours of suffering, He died on that cross. When He died, He paid the price for our sins.
But Jesus didn’t stay dead. He rose again three days later. Now He lives in heaven.
Because of the price Jesus paid, our sins can be forgiven if we just ask Jesus to forgive them. Because Jesus was faithful, we can someday live in heaven with Him.
SAY Because Jesus was faithful, we can say . . .
Point to the crowd for them to say, “I will not quit.”
Kids will be given an opportunity to respond to a salvation message.
SAY Have you ever made a promise and kept it? Have you made plans with a friend and had a good time even though another friend asked you to go somewhere else? Have you practiced for a sport even though you didn’t really want to? � ose were times you were faithful.
But sometimes we don’t keep our promises. Or maybe we break our plans with a friend to do something that seems like more fun. Or maybe we quit a sport or another hobby because we really didn’t like practicing.
Sometimes we even want to quit growing in the fruit of the Spirit. We get so angry that we want to quit being self-controlled and patient. Or maybe we get tired of being kind and loving and we want to quit trying to act like Jesus wants us to act.
SAY Faithfulness is just what our Faith Fact says. It is not quitting—even when it’s hard to keep trying. � at’s when we need to be like Jesus and keep on being faithful. But just like Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit to help us.
Faithfulness comes from the Holy Spirit. Is there anyone here who wants to quit and needs the help of the Holy Spirit to stay faithful? If so, come to the front, fi nd a place to pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to stay faithful and not quit.
Give the kids a few minutes to pray. Then lead in prayer.
Dear Jesus, thank You for being faithful to me even when it was hard for You. Sometimes I want to quit. I’m sorry for the times I did quit instead of being faithful. Holy Spirit, I need Your help to not quit. When I make a promise, help me to keep it. If I say I will do something, help me be faithful to do it. I want to be faithful just like You. Thank You for giving me the strength to never quit.
Allow kids to return to their seat as they � nish praying. When most are back to their seat, continue.
SAY We need to stay faithful even when it is diffi cult. But anytime you feel like you want to quit, remember to pray because the Holy Spirit can help you. Say our Faith Fact with me one more time. (See sidebar.) Faithfulness: I will not quit.
faithfact
At every Response Time, begin by giving kids an opportunity to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.See “How to Lead a Child to Christ” from page 203.
CHALLENGE QUESTIONSOptional: Got more than 10 minutes left? Help kids review what they have learned.
SAY I’m so proud of all you investigators! You didn’t give up during our investigation. You were faithful to the end. But do you remember everything we talked about? Let’s fi nd out. I’ll ask some review questions. Call out the answer you think is right. Ready? Let’s review!
Who is a perfect example of faithfulness?
SAY (Group response) Jesus is a perfect example of faithfulness. He is always faithful. We can trust in Him.
How was Jesus faithful when He was arrested, hurt, and killed?
SAY (Allow responses) Jesus didn’t fi ght back. He was faithful during all the horrible things He had to endure. He was faithful so that we could be saved and live with Him in heaven.
According to our Faith Fact, what should we never do?
SAY (Group response) We should never quit. We should folow Jesus’ example of faithfulness.
According to our Truth Verse, what happens to a faithful man?
SAY (Group response) A faithful person is richly blessed. God promises to bless us when we remain faithful to Him and others.
Who helps us to be faithful?
SAY (Group response) � e Holy Spirit partners with us to help us develop faithfulness and all the other parts of the fruit of the Spirit.
Sometimes being faithful is very diffi cult, but with the Holy Spirit’s help, we can be faithful no matter what. He gives us the strength we need to live for Him.
SAY Great job, investigators! Give yourselves a hand.
Have the kids clap for themselves.
Faithfulness: I will not quit.
faithfact
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will be richly blessed.
SAY Faithfulness isn’t always easy. I’m so glad the Holy Spirit partners with us to help us be faithful all the time. He helps us live out our Faith Fact. Let’s say that together.
Lead the kids in saying the Faith Fact. (See sidebar.)
SAY I’m also glad God promises to bless us for our faithfulness. � at’s what our Truth Verse tells us. Let’s say our Truth Verse together one more time before we go.
Lead the kids in saying the Truth Verse. (See sidebar.)
SAY With God on our side, we can be faithful to Him and to others. He will even reward us for our faithfulness. Good work, investigators! See you all next time!
Hand out copies of the Case Summary page.
Have more time left? Try one of the Fruit of the Spirit Cards activities.
YOU WILL NEED GETTING READY
Copies of the Case Summary from the Faith Case CD-ROM
Make copies of the Case Summary (one per kid) from the Faith Case CD-ROM.
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will be richly blessed.