Lesson Review

Last week we learnt about praying every day and we heard ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. We heard how Jesus taught His friends how to pray by praising Him, forgiving others who do wrong to you and me, and asking for our daily food.

Introduction

• When you need food to eat, who do you ask to help you? [Allow the children to answer]
• When you need to put on your shoes or tie your laces, who do you ask to help you? [Allow the children to answer]
• In today’s story, we are going to learn about how God answers us when we ask for His help and gives good gifts to those He loves.
• Sing “God is so good” (Mungu Yu Mwema). Add variations like: He loves me so, and God answers prayer.

Bible Story

• Our Bible story for today comes from the Bible (show the Bible). Listen to the story Jesus told his friends one day.

• A man went to visit his friend when everyone had slept and said, ‘Friend, give me three loaves of bread (show the picture of bread). I will pay you back later. An old friend has just arrived at my house to rest after a long journey and I don’t have any food in my house to serve him.’

• The friend said in his bed: ‘Don’t disturb me. It is late at night. The door is locked. You cannot be helped. My children are all sleeping; I can’t get up to give you anything.’

• Then Jesus said: “But let me tell you, even if the friend will not wake up. He is your friend. He WILL finally get up and get you whatever you need. If you keep knocking and asking, the other neighbours will start waking up, and even your will friend wake up.”

• The lesson Jesus wanted to teach is: (Act the 3 lessons)
  1. Ask and you will get.
  2. Seek and you will find.
  3. Knock and the door will open.

• Let us do this with actions together as we all say these words out loud:
  Put hands together like praying then put palms in front of you facing upwards: Ask and you will get.
  Hide something and help children to look for it and find: Seek and you will find.
  Send the children to go and knock and then ask one child to open: Knock and the door will open.

• Jesus went on to tell them a story. He asked them:
  If a little boy asks you for fish… (Show the picture of a fish)
  Will you give him a snake to eat? (Show the picture of a snake)
  If your little girl asks for an egg… (Show the picture of an egg)

• Will you give her a spider? (Show the picture of a spider)

• Jesus then told them: Not even a bad father can do that! God, who is our Father in Heaven who loves you so much, He will give you the best! (make the children do a thumbs up to show the BEST & lead them in saying THE BEST 3 times.)

• Do you know what God give you and me when you ask Him? [Let the children tell you what they think] Oh yes, God gives us all those nice things. You know what? God gives you and me His BEST – the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is GOD. He is not wind or force. NO. He is God. We have God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 3-in-1, but only 1 God.

• The Holy Spirit comes to guide you. He comes to live inside you. How? When you say sorry to God for all the bad things. Ask Jesus to come inside you. He comes to live inside you by the Holy Spirit who is GOD. He will help you when you are in trouble and cheers you up when you are sad.

• Jesus taught that you should ask for what you need and never give up. Remember the friend who came to ask for food when everyone was sleeping? Yes, he kept and knocking and knocking. You should also keep praying and never stop praying. Pray every day. (Repeat the days of the week with clapping)

• Our heavenly Father will answer you. Never stop praying for anything. And pray for people to love and to know Jesus. Never stop praying for God to give them when they ask, seek and knock. Never stop praying for God to help our leaders and our country. Never stop praying for the sick. Especially, for the many people who are sick because of COVID-19.

• God cares about your needs and other people. He listens to our prayers and answers prayers. Let us do the actions we learnt one more time:
  Put hands together like praying then put palms in front of you facing upwards: Ask and you will get. Hide something and help children to look for it and find: Seek and you will find.
  Send the children to go and knock and then ask one child to open: Knock and the door will open.

• God answers our prayers. Let us sing: a song to thank God for answering our prayers. [Sing “I thank You, thank You Jesus” (Asante Sana Yesu)]

Application

This week, pray every day and don’t stop praying. Ask, Seek and Knock like we have learnt.