God shows his love through grandparents
key words
biblical reference
2 Timothy 1:3-5; 3:14-15
lesson objective
To help the children understand that God also can show his love through grandparents.
memory verse
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
The Scriptures tell us very little about Timothy’s childhood. However, 2 Timothy 1:3-5 and 3:14-15 mentions that his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, formed him spiritually since he was a child. This teaching influenced his relationship with God as well as his ministry.
As time passed, Timothy became a helper who was greatly loved by Paul. Paul praised the faith of Timothy’s mother and grandmother, and exhorted him not to forget the truths of the Scriptures he learned in his childhood.
1 John 4:11 says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (NIV). The love and influence that family members exert on children can prepare them for their relationship with God throughout their lives. Think of a member of your family who supported you in your spiritual growth. During your time of prayer, thank God for those who were of great influence in your life.
Plan ahead for ways to enable your class members to interact this week with the elderly within the congregation. Encourage these elders to write messages to the children in your class. Children will experience the love of older people in the church, and will be able to relate these acts of love to God.
Your children need to discover ways in which they can relate to adults. Help them write their own messages. Talk about how God wants everyone to love and care for each other.
introduce the lesson
The grandparents necklace
You will need cereal hoops, scissors, and 60 cm. of coarse thread for each child and several visiting elderly adults. (You can substitute the cereal for any material you have on hand to make hoops that will allow you to carry out the activity.)
Invite several older siblings to visit your class. While the children arrive, tell them to come to the table and start making necklaces with the cereal hoops. Let the adults and older classmates help the younger children. Encourage everyone (children and adults) to tell stories about their families while making the necklaces. Say: Grandparents are special people. They can tell us how much God loves us. Ask: Is there anything you enjoy doing with your grandparents? (Let the children tell their answers to others while they work.)
teach the lesson
Use this activity to review the Bible story.
A special visit
Ahead of time, invite several grandparents or adults to visit your class during Bible story time. Introduce them to the children and let them tell you about some of their experiences. Then relate the Bible story.
If possible, prepare a few pictures in advance to illustrate for your class. For the first one, have a picture of the Apostle Paul writing a letter; for the second, a young man who represents Timothy; and for the third, two women representing Eunice and Lois.
Gather your children to hear the story, and show them the first picture.
Ask them: Do you know who this man is? (Allow time for them to respond).
Begin with the story: This man who is writing a letter is Paul, a disciple (a follower) of Jesus who loved Jesus and preached his Word. He had a dear friend who was like his son, who was named Timothy. The letter he writes is for him (show the picture of Timothy).
As Paul wrote this letter to his good friend, he remembered how he, even as a child, loved God. And he thanked God for Timothy.
Paul also remembered Eunice, Timothy’s mother, and Timothy’s grandmother, Lois. They had taught him from childhood to trust in God.
Show the third picture and say: Paul wrote to Timothy. Do you remember how much your mother and grandmother loved God? They shared the love of God to you as you grew from a child to a man.
Paul wanted to encourage his friend, and wrote: “Timothy, you must follow the teachings that you learned as a child. It is good that you have learned the Scriptures. Everything you know will help you grow in your faith in Jesus Christ. “
Now let the children pick a picture and repeat the story related to it. Say that Paul was grateful for the mother and grandmother of his friend, Timothy. Ask the children how they think Timothy’s mother and grandmother taught him of God’s love while he was a child. Remind them that God shows us his love through parents and grandparents.
connect the lesson
Timothy and his grandmother
You will need Student Activity Sheet #10-A, #10-B and #10-Cplus pencils, scissors, and glue.
Give each of your children their activity sheets, and help them cut out the figure of Timothy in SAS #10-C, and have them glue it to the side of his grandmother, Lois in SAS 10-A.
Let them trace the Word of Faith (God) in SAS #10-A, and tell children how Timothy’s grandmother would show him God’s love. Encourage children to express how they think Timothy’s grandmother helped him to know and love God.
Remind the children take home their activity sheets so they can share the lesson with their families and friends.
practice the memory verse
Line up the children in a row and, as they march through the room, repeat the Memory verse: "Love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12).
wrap-up
Pray
Review the lesson and the activities of the day. If any of the visitors remained, invite them to join you in praying together. Have the children share their prayer requests, and encourage them to pray for their families. Then, lead them to pray this prayer together: “Thank you, God, for your love that you show us through our grandparents. We love you and we love them. Amen.”
Encourage
Sing a song of praise, and encourage the children to give thanks to God for the grandparents and for the older brothers and sisters of the church. Encourage children to treat older adults with love and respect.
Invite
Invite them to return for the next session.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™