2025-06-15 Deliverer
Introduction
Someday we and our students will stand before King Jesus and hear Him say one of the following:
Matthew 25:34b—"Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Matthew 25:41—"Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."
Are you faithfully and diligently preparing your students for that day? What will determine whether they inherit the kingdom, or hell? We have no greater responsibility and privilege than to pass on the gospel to our students. It is the only means of salvation. If our students are to inherit the kingdom, they must embrace the gospel and trust in Jesus. Therefore, we must give the greatest care to present the true essence of the gospel—the whole gospel and not a watered-down, feel-good, warm and fuzzy, "made-just-for-children" gospel.
Because children are concrete thinkers, this lesson attempts to clearly, yet simply illustrate what Jesus' death on the cross accomplished for sinners who will put their trust in Him. On a larger level, and one that is more difficult to grasp, this lesson points to God's ultimate love for His glory in saving unrighteous people like us.
Pray that the Holy Spirit would be mightily at work leading and guiding, giving children a true understanding of redemption. Pray for godly grief that brings about sincere repentance. Finally, through the proclamation of the good news of the gospel, pray that God would be pleased to bring about true saving faith in the hearts of these young ones.
Before Service
Ensure parents take their child to the restroom before bringing them to the children's area and use the QR code to sign in their child before the service.
Praise and Worship (15 mins)
Parents: The parent and child scheduled for this week will lead us in singing on Sunday. Please take time to practice the songs together at home, helping your child feel confident and joyful as they prepare to lead.
Prayer and Offering (5 mins)
Parents: Please encourage your children to bring an offering to church. You may help your child prepare by setting aside a coin for them to bring on Sunday. This is a great opportunity to teach them about giving to God with a thankful heart and trusting Him to provide.
What is Offering?
Offering is when we give something to God to show our love and thankfulness. In church, we often give money as an offering, but we can also give our time, talents, and kindness to God and others.
Why Do We Make an Offering?
1️⃣ To Thank God – Everything we have comes from God! Giving back is a way to say, “Thank You, God!”
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7,
2️⃣ To Trust Others – Offerings help the church teach about Jesus, help people in need, and share God’s love.
"God loves a cheerful giver!" That means God is happy when we give with a joyful heart!
Prayer for Offering
Dear God, thank You for giving us everything we need. We want to give back to You with joyful hearts. Please use our offering to help others and share Your love. Help us to always trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Review Verse from Last Week
Isaiah 42:13 —"The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes."
Bible Story (10 min): Jesus Our Deliverer
Introduction (1 min)
(Walk in slowly, looking tired and bent over slightly as you wear the chain or carry the heavy bag.)
"Whoa… I need to sit down. This is so heavy! Do you see what I'm wearing? (Pause for responses.) Yeah—it's a chain. It might look kind of cool, but honestly… it's really uncomfortable. I thought I could carry it, but now it's pulling on my neck and shoulders, and I'm getting tired."
(Try to shift the weight or pretend to struggle with taking it off.)
"I've tried pulling it off, but I just can't do it. It's stuck. It's way too heavy for me to remove on my own. Do you think you could help me?"
(Pick a child or adult helper to come remove it.)
"Phew! Thank you so much. That was such a relief!"
(Pause, then switch to a teaching tone.)
"Did you know the Bible says sin is a lot like that heavy chain? It weighs us down. It makes our hearts feel tired and dirty inside. And just like I needed help to get this chain off, we need someone to help us with our sin—someone to save us."
(Lean in a little and smile gently.)
"Today we're going to hear about how God sent a Deliverer—someone who came to take our sin away so we don't have to carry it anymore. Are you ready to find out who that is?"
Story Telling (5 min)
(Props Needed: A cross (cardboard or drawn), bag labeled "My Sin" (trash bag filled with paper or labeled), hammer and large nail (prop), whip (rope or soft strap as a visual), "God's Wrath" and "Death" signs (print or write on paper), optional: treasure box or something labeled "God's Glory")
"Earlier we talked about how sin is like a heavy chain. Well, the Bible tells us why that chain is so serious."
(Hold up the bag labeled "My Sin.")
"See this bag? It's full of paper that says things like, 'I disobey,' 'I lie,' 'I'm selfish,' 'I get angry,' and more. We all have sin in our hearts. Can you think of something you've done that wasn't right?"
(Allow 1–2 quick responses.)
"Romans 3:23 says, 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.' That means everyone has sin—not just a little, but a lot. And the problem is… we can't fix it ourselves."
(Hold up the "God's Wrath" and "Death" visuals)
"Because God is holy and just, He must punish sin. That punishment is called God's wrath. And the Bible says the right punishment for sin is death."
(Pause for a second.)
"That sounds scary, doesn't it? But here's the good news…"
(Smile and speak warmly.)
"God didn't leave us in our sin. He sent Jesus—His perfect Son. Jesus never sinned. Not even once. Not in His thoughts, His words, or His actions."
(Hold up the empty bag or gesture that Jesus carried no sin.)
"Jesus was completely righteous. That's why He could take our sin."
(Begin acting out the following with props)
(Place the bag of sin at the foot of the cross.)
"1 Peter 2:24 says, 'He himself bore our sins in His body.' That means Jesus carried all this sin—all your sin and mine—and brought it to the cross."
(Pretend to hammer the bag to the cross. Be gentle with the props, just for effect.)
"God poured out His wrath—not on us, but on Jesus."
(Hold up the "God's Wrath" sign and tape it or pin it to the cross. Then gently hit the bag with the whip while turning your face away.)
"God punished His own Son. Not because Jesus did anything wrong… but because He loved us."
(Hold up the "Death" sign and add it to the cross.)
"Jesus died… and took the punishment that we deserved."
(Step back, voice softens)
"But that's not the end. After three days, Jesus came back to life! He defeated sin and death."
(Point to an empty garbage pail or clear space.)
"So now, for anyone who trusts in Jesus, the punishment is gone. The sin is gone. The garbage is gone. The chain is broken."
(Hold up the "Deliverer" visual or point to the word.)
"Jesus is our Deliverer. He came to save sinners like you and me. He didn't just take our sin away—He showed us how great God is. Now we can be clean, forgiven, and loved forever if we trust in Him."
(Smile and end with this question.)
"Will you trust Jesus to be your Deliverer?"
Wrap-up & Discussion (4 min)
(Props Needed: Your crumpled "My Sin" sheet from earlier, optional: Empty garbage pile or bag from the Story Telling time)
(Hold up your crumpled "My Sin" sheet if available.) "Do you remember this? This was my sin sheet. I had to color over every part because I've sinned too. Just like you."
(Look around the room gently.) "All of us have sinned. And when we put our crumpled sheets in the garbage, it showed us something important—our hearts without Jesus are like that too. Messy, broken, and needing help."
(Point to the now-empty or closed garbage bag.) "But remember what Jesus did? He took all that sin, and He nailed it to the cross. He was punished in our place. And now… it's gone. That's what it means to be delivered!"
Ask the following questions slowly, giving room for short responses:
1. What does sin do to our hearts and lives? (Expected answer: Makes us dirty, separates us from God, we deserve punishment, etc.)
2. What did Jesus do with our sin? (Expected answer: Took it to the cross, was punished for us, died, etc.)
3. Why is Jesus the only one who can save us? (Expected answer: He never sinned, He's God's Son, He took our place, etc.)
"Jesus is the only one who can deliver us from God's punishment. He didn't wait for us to be perfect—He came while we were still sinners."
(Hold your hands out like giving a gift.)
"He offers us a gift: forgiveness and life forever with God. But every gift has to be received. We have to trust Him. That means we believe He really did this for us, and we want to follow Him."
Close with this invitation:
"If you want Jesus to be your Deliverer, talk to Him. You can pray and ask Him to forgive you, thank Him for dying for you, and tell Him you trust Him with your heart."
(Pause gently.)
"Let's take a moment now to thank Jesus in our hearts. I'll say a short prayer, and if you agree with it, you can say 'Amen' at the end."
Short Closing Prayer:
"Dear Jesus, thank You for taking our sin to the cross. Thank You for loving us so much that You died in our place. Help us to trust You as our Deliverer and to follow You every day. Amen."
Memorizing Verse: 1 Timothy 1:15a
1 Timothy 1:15a
"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
"Now it's time to learn our memory verse! This verse tells us the good news we've been learning today. It's short, simple, and so powerful. Let's say it together first."
(Say it slowly, once without motions:)
"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." —1 Timothy 1:15a
"Let's break it down and add hand motions to help us remember."
Step-by-Step with Hand Motions:
✨ "Christ Jesus" (point up with both hands) "This reminds us Jesus is God's Son who came from heaven."
✨ "came into the world" (make a big circle with your arms like a globe) "Jesus left heaven and came into our world because He loves us."
✨ "to save" (cross your arms over your chest like a hug) "This shows how Jesus came to rescue and embrace sinners."
✨ "sinners" (point to yourself with both thumbs) "We are the sinners He came to save!"
"Let's put it all together with motions!"
(Lead the group slowly while saying each phrase with motions.)
✨ "Christ Jesus" (point up)
✨ "came into the world" (make globe)
✨ "to save" (hug motion)
✨ "sinners" (point to self)
Repeat it 2–3 times, getting faster or quieter each round to keep kids engaged.
"This verse is from 1 Timothy 1:15. It's trustworthy and true—you can believe it with all your heart! Let's remember it this week. When you feel bad or mess up, remember: Jesus came to save sinners—and that includes you and me!"
Craft & Game (10 mins)
Craft: "Jesus Took My Sin" Cross Craft (5 minutes)
Materials Needed (per child):
- A pre-cut paper cross shape (can be printed or cut from cardstock)
- A small red heart shape (construction paper or sticker)
- Glue stick
- Crayons or markers
- Optional: Stickers or gems for decoration
"Now that we've learned how Jesus is our Deliverer, let's make something to help us remember it."
(Hold up a sample craft.)
"This is a cross. Jesus went to the cross to take our sin. And this heart reminds us that He did it because He loves us. Even though we don't deserve it, Jesus gave us His forgiveness and love."
"Let's decorate our crosses. Write your name on the back, and on the front, you can write: 'Jesus is my Deliverer' or 'Christ Jesus came to save sinners' (1 Timothy 1:15a)."
"Then glue the red heart in the center of the cross. That's to show how Jesus gave His heart for you."
"While you decorate, think about how thankful we are that Jesus takes our sin and gives us His love."
(Walk around and encourage kids individually. Praise their creativity.)
Game: "Chain Breaker Relay" (5 minutes)
Materials Needed:
- 1 paper chain per team (3–5 links each, labeled with simple sins like lying, disobeying, selfishness)
- Tape to hold chains together
- Space for teams to run or walk in a straight line
Setup: Divide kids into teams of 3–5. Give each team a paper chain and line them up.
"Who remembers what sin is like? That's right—like a heavy chain!"
"Now we're going to play a game called Chain Breaker!"
"Here's how it works: Each team has a paper chain. One at a time, you'll run to the front, break one link off the chain, and then run back to tag the next person."
"When your team has broken all the links, everyone shouts together: 'Jesus is our Deliverer!' Ready?"
(Start the game. Keep energy high, cheer all teams on.)
"Great job, everyone! We can't break the chain of sin on our own, but Jesus can. That's why He's our Deliverer!"
Response Song
Closing Prayer & Snack Time (10 mins)
"Dear Jesus, thank You for being our Deliverer. You took the heavy weight of our sin so we don't have to carry it anymore. Help us to always remember Your love and to share this good news with others. Amen."
Now, let us thank You for the snack we’re about to enjoy.
We fold our hands.
We bow our heads.
We thank You, God,
for this daily bread.
Amen.