SERMON ON THE MOUNT: WORRY

We’re learning about the Sermon on the Mount. It’s Jesus’ most famous sermon! It’s called the Sermon on the Mount because Jesus stood up on a hill—or mountain—to preach. Today we’re learning that Jesus preached about how God takes care of us. 

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SUNDAY SCHOOL WORSHIP

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Jesus said that God takes care of us, so we don’t need to worry.
           
What are some things you worry about?

           Let’s watch a video about a girl who was a little worried about starting at a new school.

Tell about a time you felt like Shiloh. 
           How did you see that God took care of Shiloh?
           How have you seen God take care of you when you were worried?
           
​God takes care of us, just like he took care of Shiloh. Shiloh was worried about starting at a new school, but she made friends right away! Abby and Owen helped her fit in and get used to her new school. When you’re worried, remember how God takes care of us.

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BIBLE LESSON

Here's what you will need:

• cotton balls, Legos, or another small item you have a lot of (20 per person)
• paper
• pens

Today we’re learning that God takes care of us. But sometimes we get greedy. We want to take care of ourselves by collecting as much money and stuff as possible. Let’s try that with a game. Take a small item you have a lot of—Legos, coins, cotton balls…whatever you have—and scatter it all over the room.
Now imagine the items you scattered are really awesome prizes.
          
• What do you wish the items were?
           
From now on, that’s what the prizes are! Get as many as you can. You can even take other people’s, but try not to let anyone steal yours. You want to have as many as possible when I call time!
            Allow time for kids to collect the prizes. Even after all the prizes have been collected from the floor, allow more time for children to hoard or try to steal prizes. Then announce the game is over so they can’t try to take any more.
           • What feelings did you have as you tried to collect and guard your treasure?
            • What did you do to make sure no one took yours? to get more for yourself?
           
In this game, your focus was on getting as much as possible. But it sounds like that added more and more stress to your life! You had to focus on taking as much as you could and worry about your treasures being taken away. Listen to what Jesus said about that.

           Matthew 6:19-21 -- Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

           This game is over, and no one gets to keep their treasure.
         
           How are things different now compared to when you first walked into the room? What difference did all your hoarding make?
            
This game was just for fun, and you knew it. Even then, some of you were pretty protective of your prizes! But when it comes to being greedy about money, that’s not just a game people play. When people are too focused on storing up treasures on earth, it consumes their minds. And in the end, all their treasures are gone.
           But we don’t need to worry about hoarding treasures and money, because God takes care of us. 

Have you ever tried to hoard food like you hoarded the prizes? Talk about that. 
Let’s hear what Jesus said about worrying about getting enough food to eat.

Matthew 6:25-27 -- That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

What are some of your favorite foods God provides for you?
           God takes care of us. We may not get everything we want, but we will get what we need. And food isn’t the only thing we need. Let’s find out what else Jesus said we don’t need to worry about.

Matthew 6:28-32
And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

How did you decide what to wear today?
           We need clothes. And God takes care of us by providing clothes! Jesus said we can trust God to provide clothes because he dresses the flowers so well.

    What does God provide for plants?

        What does God provide for humans?

           After looking at how God created and cares for flowers, how does that help you trust him for your needs?
            God takes care of us. We can look at flowers as a reminder that if God makes them blossom and grow, he’ll take care of us, too.

It’s easy to be overcome with our worries when we’re focused on taking care of ourselves. But God takes care of us. We don’t need to worry about making sure we have enough for ourselves, because that’s God’s job. God’s job is to provide for you and take care of you. Your job is this:

            Matthew 6:33 
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

           So let’s give our worries to God.
            Have each person list or draw things they’re worried about now or that they often worry about. Family members won’t let anyone else see their lists. Then have them crumple their papers and throw them away as you read Matthew 6:34
So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

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PRAYER

God, thank you that you take care of us. Help us not let worries or greed control us. Help us trust you to take care of us, and help us seek your kingdom and live righteously. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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COLOURING PAGES

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Thanks for joining us for online Sunday School! See you next week!