Lesson Review

Last week we learnt about praying every day and we heard ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. We heard how Jesus taught His disciples and us to pray by praising Him, forgiving those who do wrong to us and even asking for our daily needs.

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?
• 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 – from the book of Luke chapter 11. Jesus tells a story that we can learn from.

• Jesus said: “Imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said, ‘Friend, give me three loaves of bread and I will pay you back later. An old friend of mine who was travelling just stopped by my house to rest, and I don’t have any food in my house to serve him.’

• The friend then answers from his bed: ‘Don’t disturb me. It’s late at night. The door is locked; 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 said he won’t get up because he’s your friend, he’ll finally get up and get you whatever you need if you just keep knocking and asking, even until the neighbours start waking up.

• Jesus taught from this story that we should:

Ask and you’ll get;
Seek and you’ll find;
Knock and the door will open.

Let’s 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’ll get
Circle fingers around your eyes like binoculars then put palms in front of you again: Seek and you’ll find
Pretend to knock on a door then open it: Knock and the door will open.

• Jesus went on to ask: If you were a father and your little boy asks you for fish, would you scare him by giving him a snake to eat? If your little girl asks for an egg, would you trick her with a spider? Even a father who is bad wouldn’t think of doing such a mean thing to his own children. And God, who is our Father in Heaven who loves us so much gives us what is best for us when we ask. God gives us the Holy Spirit who guides us, helps us when we’re in trouble, and cheers us up when we’re sad.
• Jesus taught us from this story that we should ask God for what we need, and never give up. Just like the friend who kept knocking and knocking, we should also keep praying and never stop praying because our heavenly Father will answer us. Never stop praying for the people you love to know Jesus. Never stop praying for God to provide for you and those who don’t have. Never stop praying for God to help our leaders and our country. Never stop praying for God to heal the sick.
• God cares about our needs so He listens to our prayers and answers them. God answers our prayers. Let’s 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’ll get
Circle fingers around your eyes like binoculars then put palms in front of you again: Seek and you’ll find
Pretend to knock on a door then open it: Knock and the door will open.

• God answers our prayers.
• Let’s sing a song to thank God for answers our prayers. Sing “I thank You, thank You Jesus” (Asante sana Yesu)