CrossKids Devo | Ananias & Sapphira
Activity – Tell Me Thumbthing
Say: When people like a movie, they sometimes give it a thumbs-up. Demonstrate. Really like the movie? Two thumbs-up. If they dislike or really dislike the movie, they give it one or two thumbs-down. Demonstrate.
Please rate how this past week has gone for you. Was it a one or two thumbs-up week? A one or two thumbs-down week? Or maybe you'd give it one thumbs-up and one thumbs-down--it was a good and bad week.
Rate your week now.
After kids rate their weeks, give kids 30 seconds each to explain why they rated their weeks as they did. You'll go first, sharing a story that models the sort of brief, personal stories you hope kids will share too.
Children will express themselves more over time, and hearing their stories will help you adapt this session to make it even more relevant to your kids' lives. Bible Time – Ananias & Sapphira – Acts 5:1-10
OK, so what was the big deal? Ananias and Sapphira came into a little money. They gave some of it to the church and kept the rest. How is that different than what people do at church each week?
Their mistake wasn't in giving money to the church.
It wasn't in giving just part of their money to the church.
Their big mistake was in lying.
God wants us to tell the truth--and Ananias and Sapphira chose to lie . . . to God himself.
Does that mean that if you lie you'll fall down dead? No, people lie all the time and stay upright. But notice: God takes lying very, very seriously. That he'll forgive lying doesn't mean he doesn't hate it.
As you experience this session with your kids, ask yourself: How am I lying to others? to myself? to God?
What will you do about it?
Read: Acts 5:1-10
Then ask for volunteers to play the roles of Ananias, Sapphira, and Peter. Give Ananias the coins. If you have more than three children, have the rest play the role of church members.
Say: I'm going to read again the account in the Bible. Act out your parts as I describe what happened.
Read: Acts 5:1-10, pausing to let kids act out their roles, including Ananias handing over some of the coins when instructed to do so. Encourage Ananias and Sapphira to play up their death scenes to the max.
After you've finished reading, applaud your actors' efforts and, as a group, discuss:
Lies have consequences (consequences are things that happen because of what you did). Lies can hurt feelings, end friendships, and even break up families. The consequence for Ananias and Sapphira was death. Why do you think God gave such a big consequence for their lie?
What's a consequence you've seen come from a lie?
If someone tells a lie and there's no consequence--if nobody finds out--do you think he got away with it? Why or why not?
Say: Some people are really good liars, but they don't get away with their lies. God knows . . . and God wants us to always tell the truth!
Before You Pray:
Say: God is a God of truth. He hates lies, though he loves and is willing to forgive liars. Isn't it great that even when we do things that don't make God happy, he's still willing to love and forgive us?
Today I'd like us to say things that are true about God. For instance, it's true that God is loving. It's true that Jesus died for our sins.
What else is true about God?
Allow kids to contribute truths about God. When they've run out of things to say, continue.
Say: Now let me tell you some things that God says are true about everyone who follows Jesus. Say each item below and also read the verses, pausing to let the truth sink in.
You are God's child. (John 1:12)
You are Jesus' friend. (John 15:15)
You have a home in Heaven. (Philippians 3:20)
You've been specially designed by God. (Ephesians 2:10)
All of what we've just said--about God and about us--is true. Part of the reason we pray to God is because those things are true. Let's pray. Pray: Thank you, God, for your truth. Help us to believe the truth about you and about ourselves. In Jesus' name, amen.