DISCOVER (20 - 25 Minutes) [Guided Conversation] One of the best things about following Jesus is the promise He makes to never leave us. Jesus is a person of integrity. Today, instead of listening to a story, we are going to read Jesus' promises from the Bible. Let's begin by reviewing how the Bible is put together. [Provide each child a Bible.] Please hold your Bible between your two hands. [Demonstrate as you speak.] How many books are there in the Bible? [Allow children to respond. Answer: 66.] There are two parts to the Bible. Tap your left hand on the Bible. This part of the Bible is the Old Testament. [Allow learners to repeat, "Old Testament."] It has 39 books in it. [Allow learners to repeat "39."] Tap your right hand on the Bible. This part of the Bible is the New Testament. [Allow learners to repeat, "New Testament."] It has 27 books in it. [Allow learners to repeat "27."] The names of the first five books in the Old Testament are [Hold up your left hand, begin with thumb, and move to fore-finger through little finger, as you say . . . ] Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The names of the first five books of the New Testament are [Hold up your right hand, beginning with thumb, and move to fore-finger through little finger, as you say . . . ] Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts. The promise we are going to read is in the New Testament, in the Book of Matthew, chapter 28, verse 20. First find the Book of Matthew. [Guide children to finding the New Testament, and then the first book, Matthew.] Then look for the big number, that is the chapter. Turn the pages until you find the big number 28. Then look for the verse; that is the little number. You are looking for verse 20. Please read this verse together: Matthew 28:20: "I am with you always." Good! Now I'm giving each of you the Activity Pages, "Jesus and Me Every Day." Let's begin them together. Who would like to read the first sentence? [Work with your children, allowing different ones to read as you progress through Activity Page 1. When you reach the "circle the pictures that show where God will be with you" pictures, page 2, encourage children to describe what the pictures tell them.] What picture did you circle? God will be with you when you _________. [Answer: play.] God will be with you when you _________. [Answer: sleep.] God will be with you when you_________. [Possible answers: read with your father, uncle, brother, grandfather, etc.] God will be with you when you are_________. [Possible answers: doing homework, working at school, etc.] Next please, "Circle the correct word in the box." You can check to see if you have the correct answer to the Hebrews 13:5 puzzle by looking at the Bible verse printed on Activity Page 4. Next you have a crossword puzzle to complete. Use the three words printed next to the puzzle. Let me know if any of you need help completing the crossword puzzle. Now that you have completed the puzzle, turn to the next page. Who will volunteer to read the Bible verse, Philippians 2:13? "God is at work within you, helping you want to obey Him and then helping you do what He wants you to do." This verse says that God wants us to obey Him, but it doesn't say what it means to be obedient. The next activity will help you discover some of the things God wants you to think and do. Who would like to read the directions? "Draw a picture here of something you think God wants you to do." If you need some ideas, you may read the Bible verses listed: Psalm 119:11; Matthew 7;7, Ephesians 4:32. [Allow children 5-10 minutes to complete their drawings.] I would like two or three of you to show/tell us about the pictures you drew. Who would like to read the next direction? [Allow a student to read: "Circle the words in these Bible verses that tell you something about God."] Who would like to read the Bible verses, while the rest of us circle the words that tell something about God? What words did you circle? [Answers: God is good. God is greater that all gods. God is love. God is compassion] The next section is a "code game." The game will help you begin to memorize 1 John 5:11 and 12. Look at the code with me. There is a letter next to each number. Now look at the Bible verse. Where words are left out, there are blank spaces with numbers printed below. Look at the number, then find the letter in the code next to the number. Print that letter in the blank space. When you have filled in all the blank spaces you will be able to read the verse. Begin to work. Let me know if you need some help. [Allow children 5-10 minutes to finish. Younger children will need more help and more time.] Read the verse with me: "This is what God told us: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life. But the person who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11, 12). The next part of the game will help us understand the meaning of the term "eternal life." Who will read the first sentence? "What does this verse say that God has given you?" The answer is found in the verse. [Answer: eternal life.] Who would like to read the next sentence? [Allow learners to read.] "What is eternal life?" [Allow children to interact and try to answer the question before they read the answer. The answer is printed upside down under the blank line. Answer: Life with God now and forever.] Who would like to read the next sentence? [Learner reads.] "Where do you find this life?" [The answer is in the verse: in the Son (Jesus).] Who would like to read the last question? [Learner reads.] "Do you have the Son (Jesus)?" [Answer: John 1:12. You have the Son (Jesus) if you have asked Jesus to live in you.] When we are sure God loves us, we will want to treat people as He does. To help us know how God treats people and ways He shows us to live, we need to read and memorize Bible verses. Turn to the back page, "Bible verses to read and memorize." Choose a verse you wish to memorize. [If time allows, have the children begin to memorize in class.] Please take these Activity Pages home with you and memorize some or all of these verses. When you memorize a verse(s) you may repeat them to me and I will [check, initial, put a sticker] in the box next to the verse you completed. [As time allows, you may choose one or more of the following additional activities.]

Bible verses found in the Discipleship Game "Jesus In Me": John 1:12 "All people who receive Jesus and believe in Him become children of God." Matthew 28:20 "I am with you always." Colossians 1:14 "The Son paid for our sins, and in Him we have forgiveness." Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you." Galatians 3:26 "You are a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:13 "God is at work within you, helping you want to obey Him and then helping you do what He wants you to do." Psalm 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Matthew 7:7 "Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you." Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ." Psalm 135:3 "Praise God, for God is good." Psalm 135:5 "God is great, our God is greater than all gods." 1 John 4:8 "God is love." 1 John 5:11, 12 "This is what God told us: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. But the person who does not have the Son of God does not have life."                 THEME THOUGHTS When people are sure of God's love, they have hope! Knowing what is right and what is wrong gives security and a standard from which people can think, discuss and act. When we are sure God loves us, we will want to treat people as He does. We become people of compassion. When people are sure of God's love, they have a sense of belonging. God is a person of compassion forgiveness integrity When people are sure of God's love, they have hope, a sense of belonging, a sense of competence and a sense of worth.

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