Cross and Candle

The First Commandment  -  God's No

Prepare for this lesson by bringing something to the devotion that has great value to you (jewelry, a book, a picture).  It should be something that, should you have to pack a suitcase and take only those items on a 1-year trip, this item would be in the suitcase.

1.  Gather with your children at the kitchen table or a coffee table.

2.  Set up your cross and light your candle and say to the children:  The Bible says that Jesus is the Light of the world.

3.  Recite this litany with children echoing the words:

• Light takes away darkness.
• Jesus is the Light
• Because He takes away
• The darkness of sin.

4.  Ask your child to name something that's very important to him or her.  He might say Jesus or the Bible but help him to think in more material terms.

5.  Then ask him or her to explain why it has such value.  The child could even get the item, if that's practical, and have it with him during the devotion.

6.  Show the item you brought and explain why it's so important to you.  Everyone in the house could bring an item and you could make a collecvtion of precious things.

7.  Ask the children how (not if) the item might become more important than Jesus.  Answers might include--by spending more time with it or thinking about it too much.

8.  Tell the children the First Commandment:  You shall have no other gods.

9.  Explain that the things we show the most love for are the things that can become more important than Jesus.

10.  Ask how we could show that Jesus is the one we love the most.  Answers could include--by spending the most time with him or praying to him regularly or by making sure we worship hm 9r by showing love to other people.

11.  Everybody should write down or say one thing they will do tomorrow to show that they love Jesus more than anything else.

Sing together:  "Jesus Loves Me"

     Jesus loves me this I know; For the Bible tells me so;

     Little ones to Him belong; They are weak but He is strong.

     Yes, Jesus loves me.  Yes, Jesus loves me.

      Yes, Jesus loves me.  The Bible tells me so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeO_dS79xOk

Prayer:  Jesus, I know that you love me so much you died for me so that I could be with you in heaven someday.  Help me to love you first and most.  Amen.