Be a Shining Example!

Halloween is relatively new in Australia, but with commercial interests aggressively pushing it, it’s becoming bigger and bigger every year. Some Christians say, ‘Where’s the harm?’  The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 5:11, ‘Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.’  In Deuteronomy 18:9-14 God warns His people to have nothing to do with sorcery, witchcraft and spells.  These things are detestable to Him.

The origins of Halloween practices found in the lesson are from Vision180 magazine’s WORD4TODAY. You can get your free introductory copy of Vision180 magazine from https://vision180.org.au/– 1800 00 777 0

Churches are giving kids in their neighbourhoods an alternative to Halloween, with attractive programs focused on ‘light’.  

You Tube Song Suggestions:

• Jump Into the Light (Jana Alayra) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVGORBCdh5A
• Everything Changed (Big Big Worship)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b6CczbzRyY
• Let Your Light Shine (Hillsong Kids)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDV_3FYwYdo
• This Little Light of Mine (Listener Kids)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKkbIZtqhyQ

Bible Lesson:  A Shining Example!

Bible References:

Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:15-16; Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Philippians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 6:14-17

Visuals:

1. Storm
2. Torch turned on and/or a lit match
3. A child sad and hurt
4. Christian helping the child
5. Kids praising God
6. Kids doing good
7. Gigantic ‘X’ or ‘NO’ (no need to show bad stuff!)
8. Darkness (no need to advertise bad stuff!)
9. A picture of something beautiful you know your kids will love
10. Jesus and bright light

 

Words:

 1.

Have you ever had a blackout at your house?

Sometimes during a storm a branch might hit a power line,

or lightning might hit a transformer, and your house is plunged into darkness.

You need to find the candles and matches or a torch but

no one can see.

Everyone fumbles around until light is found.

2.

As soon as the match is struck or the torch is switched on

the light dispels (chases away) the darkness.

It might only be a small light but suddenly you can see.

Phew!  Now Mum can find the kids and calm them down.

Dad can check the fuse box, and look on his mobile phone for news.

Everyone can gather in the kitchen for a snack

or camp in the lounge room to play a game.

That small light made it possible for everyone to feel safe

and protected, and for good things to happen.

3.

In the Bible Jesus tells us we are the light of the world.

The world is in terrible darkness.

It is evil and gloomy, and people do not know the

difference between right and wrong.

People are sad and hurt and fumbling around.

4.

Then a Christian comes along.

Someone who has received light from Jesus and now gives light.

A light that shines for people to see.

A light so wonderful people are attracted to it.

They give their lives to Jesus and they are safe and

protected, and good things can happen.

Once they have received light, they become light givers, too.

That’s how the light of Jesus changes even the

deepest, darkest of places.

5.

How do you shine for the world to see?

By doing good.

But not so you can get a pat on the back.

Not so you can have everyone think you’re the best.

But so people will praise God.

He’s the one who gets all the glory when you shine.

6.

Can you think of some ways you can do good?

(Discuss)

7.

Jesus said, ‘You don’t light a lamp and hide it under a basket.’

You are not living just to suit yourself.

Remember you are living to shine and not to hide your light.

So you are going to have to make choices about how you live your life.

There are some things that will take the shine off you.

Anything to do with witchcraft is one of them.

Sorcery is another.

So is casting spells.

And contacting the dead through mediums and séances.

God finds these things detestable!

(Hateful, despicable, vile, revolting and loathsome.

You get the idea!)

And if you were to do those things it’s so confusing for people

who are searching for light.

8.

Halloween is Coming

Everything about it is to do with darkness.

• Celebrating a night when spirits roam free and visit the living
• It’s at night because evil spirits prefer darkness
• The pumpkin represents a skull and was used to scare spirits away
• People were scared of being terrorised by spirits so they dressed up to disguise themselves as one of them to go unnoticed (emphasis is mine)
• Food was offered to spirits so they’d stay away
• Trick or treat began when ‘soul cakes’ were taken door to door by children and who would sing for the dead

9.

This is what the Holy Spirit told the Apostle Paul to write down and

you can read it in your Bible:  2 Corinthians 6:14-17 (ERV)

You are not the same as those who don’t believe.

So don’t join yourselves to them.

Good and evil don’t belong together.

Light and darkness cannot share the same room.

How can there be any unity between Christ and the devil?

What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

God’s temple cannot have anything to do with idols (pagan worship),

and we are the temple of the living God.

As God said,

‘I will live with them and walk with them;

I will be their God, and they will be my people.’

So come away from those people and separate

yourselves from them, says the Lord.

Don’t touch anything that is not clean,

and I will accept you.’

10.

Remember, you are light, so you must live like it.

People will watch you.

They will see the good works that you do and

one day they will receive Jesus into their life

and become light givers, too!

Ministry to the Children:

Maybe you are a Christian and you’re feeling bad right now.  You have seen a movie or read a book about witchcraft.  You have dressed up to be a witch or fortune teller.  Maybe you’ve looked at your horoscope.  You might have seen something on an electronic device you should not have seen.  It might not even have been your fault.  You’re feeling uncomfortable because the Holy Spirit is convicting you.   That means the Holy Spirit who lives inside you is talking to you and saying, ‘Ask God to forgive you…He will!’  This happened to believers in the New Testament, too!  They took all their evil stuff (which was worth a lot of money) and burned it all.  (Acts 19:17-20)  Now, let’s ask for God’s forgiveness.   He will forgive you right now and you never have to feel condemned or worry about it again!  (1 John 1:9) (Altar call)

Maybe you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.  You’re living in darkness.  When you let Jesus, the Light of the world, into your life you are rescued from the darkness and placed in His kingdom of light.  (Colossians 1:12)  You can shine today!  (Altar call)

Memory Verse:

Matthew 5:16a

‘In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works…’

You will need:

• A torch for every Leader (ask them to bring one from home)
• A handout for every Leader with Morse Code for every letter of the alphabet on it so the Memory Verse can be deciphered
• A glow stick per child
• The Bonnie character will need the words of the Memory Verse prepared in Morse Code
• Use paper or a white board to write up the decoded words of the Memory Verse

Note:   I did this with our Kid’s Church and the Primary School boys in particular thought it was genius!   It really is worth the effort and if you laminate the Morse Code handouts, you’ll have a handy resource that lasts. 

Character:       Bonnie Blewitt Apprentice Electrician

(Bonnie made her first appearance in the Bible Lesson, ‘Plugged In’ https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Plugged-In.pdf)

Bonnie:            Hi kids!

My name is Bonnie Blewitt.

Currently, I’m an apprentice electrician.

I made a teensy tiny mistake with the electrical circuits.

I should never have cut the red wire!

So the lights are going out in a sec.

But here you go.

I had some glow sticks in the back of the Ute.

(Hand out a glow stick to every child)

Everyone right now?

Are you glowing?

(Dim the house lights)

I know, I know.

It’s time for your Memory Verse.

But don’t you worry.

I’ve got a torch.

And I thought I could teach you the verse using Morse Code.

Find a Leader to help you.

Let’s go!

After the Memory Verse has been decoded…

Bonnie:            Wow!

Let’s say the verse a few times.

Lights  on. 

Bonnie:            Yay!

Looks like my boss got the lights working again.

Phew!

I better go and learn how he did it.

See ya!

Game 1:

Traffic Lights

(Bonnie might like to help out with the games!)

The Leader calls out the instructions and pretends to direct traffic. Children follow the instructions.  There’s a choice of three instructions, all relating to the colour of traffic lights – either ‘red’, ‘green’ or ‘amber’.

If ‘red’ is called then everyone must stand very still and silent.  If ‘green’ is called then everyone moves around quite fast.  If ‘amber’ is called then everyone moves around in slow motion.

You can add other commands, too!

• Roundabout – turn around once
• Speedbump – jump and carry on
• Carpool – travel in groups of 2 or more
• Low bridge – everyone stoop down low
• Reverse parking – go backwards
• Rain – use arms as windscreen wipers

 

Game 2:

Red Light, Green Light

One person is chosen to be ‘It’ (the traffic light) and he stands 5 or so metres from the other children with his back to them. The other children stand in a line facing ‘It’.

When ‘It’ calls ‘Green Light,’ the other children move towards him until he spins around, calling ‘Red Light.’ When they hear the red light command the children must freeze on the spot. Any child seen moving must return to the starting line. The children must remain frozen until the next ‘Green Light’ command is given.  Play continues until someone reaches and tags ‘It’. The tagger becomes the new ‘It’ and the game begins again.

Craft 1:

Cardboard Candle

You will need:

• Cardboard tube per child
• Paint or felt pens
• Paddlepop sticks
• Yellow cardboard ‘flames’ (pre-cut)
• Gold glitter (optional)
• Glue
• Stickers (optional)

What to do:

• Decorate the cardboard tube with paint or felt pens (you may like to pre-wrap the cardboard tube in white paper so the decorations are vibrant)
• Glue the paddlepop stick to the inside of the cardboard tube
• Sprinkle gold glitter onto the yellow cardboard flame
• Glue the glittered flame to the top of the paddlepop stick

Craft 2:

Tea Light Votive

You will need:

• Small to medium jar per child
• Tissue paper in vibrant colours (torn or cut up into small to medium pieces)
• Decoupage glue
• Brushes
• LED battery operated tea light per child
• Small carry bag

What to do:

• Brush a generous amount of decoupage glue to the outside of the jar
• Add one piece of paper at a time working from the bottom up
• Glue over the top of the paper
• Keep going until the whole jar is covered
• Allow to dry
• Place a battery operated tea light inside the jar
• When it’s time to go home, place the Tea Light Votive inside the carry bag, so children can transport it home safely!

Have a wonderful and blessed Light Night!

Bonus Short Story

The Mystery of the Captain in the Lighthouse https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Bonus-Chapter-Mystery-of-the-Captain-in-the-Lighthouse.pdf

Bonus Lesson

Lighthouse! https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lighthouse.pdf