Curriculum
Be Careful Who You Follow
Memory Verse:
“Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you.’” Mark 13:5
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
Before Jesus returns, there will be people who claim to be Him. But Jesus warns us to beware of deceivers and follow only Jesus.
Scripture Summary
Years before Jesus was born, Herod the Great made some changes and wanted to renovate the temple that was built more than 500 years pri- or. Unfortunately, Herod did this for the Jews themselves—not as a way to worship God. Jesus prophesied that “not one stone here will be left” (v. 2) and, in fact, the Romans destroyed the temple in A.D. 70.
After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, He promised to return as He ascended into heaven. The end times include a number of events, including Jesus’ return to save those who have been faithful to Him. And there will be many more signs of the coming end times— wars, earthquakes, and famines.
Possibly the worst of all these signs is a number of people will at- tempt to deceive the followers of Christ. They’ll be sneaky, speaking almost-truths that sound believable. Satan will use these deceivers to distract, discourage, and derail us.
So Jesus warns the disciples and His followers to beware of such deceivers. Each will claim to be the returning Christ, and he will have a following of people hanging on his every word. But he will be wrong and lead only to destruction.
We don’t know when exactly Jesus will return. Otherwise, we might become lazy in our everyday lives. Those who follow Christ should not let their guards down, and listen to the only One who saves.
Why Is This Important
We can trust that Jesus will return. We can also trust His words of warning to watch out for false teachers and those who will attempt to deceive us.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
“When I remember You upon my bed, and meditate on You in the watches of the night; for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.” (Psalm 63:6-8)
There’s an estimated $70 billion of counterfeit bills in circulation today. But how do you spot a counterfeit bill? The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing ensures that each bill has a watermark, special ink, and often a security thread for larger bills. The U.S. Secret Service leads the charge against counterfeit money and has done so since its inception in 1865, following the Civil War.
Those inspecting bills spend a great deal of time learning everything there is to know about a legitimate bill—its size, shape, the weight of paper, and the feel of the printing. Knowing the real thing inside and out alerts you to anything other than the original.
In Mark 13, Jesus warns His disciples of false leaders and those who will attempt to deceive followers of Christ. Satan will stop at nothing to distract us and get us to listen to lies. Rather than researching and investigating each false leader out there, we must spend time with Christ and get to know the real deal.
In today’s busy and chaotic world, it can be hard to set aside time to spend with Jesus. But there is rich fruit that comes from spending time with the Savior. Think of ways you can spend time with Jesus today and get to know Him even better. It might look like:
- Taking a walk along a nature trail, quietly listening for His voice
- Setting the alarm clock 20 minutes earlier to grab coffee and His Word
- Listening to praise music while on a break at work
- Making (and keeping!) an all-day appointment of solitude with Jesus
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus, the only real Savior. Please help me spend intentional time getting to know Him—what He thinks, how He might respond in circumstances. I know in this space, You will transform my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child, Sticky notes, Markers
Get Ready: Write a phrase from today’s memory verse on each sticky note. Make a set for each team.
“Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am He,” and will deceive many.’” Mark 13:5-6
Lead kids in these steps to learn today’s Bible memory verse:
- Form several teams.
- Invite kids to open their Bibles to Mark 13:5-6.
- Invite each team to spend time studying the memory verse, and then ask all teams to close their Bibles.
- Place a sticky note on the bottom of each child’s shoes.
- Challenge each team to read their sticky notes and put them in the right order by sitting with their legs straight and feet out. They can do this by sitting on the floor. Kids may have to cross their feet over others’ feet to get the words in the correct order.
- The first team to get the memory verse in the right order wins.
SAY: Great work getting your feet in order. Your feet are what lead you to follow someone, but not everyone is worth following. Jesus warned us to watch out for false leaders who would deceive us.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child
- Invite kids to open their Bibles to Mark 13:1-8.
- Read the story aloud to the class, and invite kids to share their impressions of what Jesus and His followers said.
ASK:
- What is one way you can change the way you live to follow Jesus better?
- Next, explain to the kids that God’s Word is our perfect guide in life.
- Call out different verses for them to look up and read aloud.
- Make sure the kids know it is not a race to find the verse, but rather practice using God’s Word. Encourage kids to use the table of contents and to help others when they find the passage.
- Scriptures for kids to look up:
- John 8:12
- Matthew 16:24
- 1 John 2:3-4
- Psalm 119:105
- John 10:27
- Invite kids to share their thoughts on the verses after each is read.
Snack
Sandal Snacks
You’ll Need: Paper plates - one per child, Napkins - one per child, Spoon, Sour worms - four per child, Long sandwich cookies - two per child, Marshmallow cream - one jar
Follow these steps for the “Sandal Snacks”:
- Give each child a paper plate, a napkin, two sandwich cookies, four sour gummy worms, and a small scoop of marshmallow cream.
- Instruct kids to dip their worms in marshmallow cream, and then secure them on the cookies to look like arched sandal straps.
- The two worms on each cookie should meet in an acute angle approximately one centimeter from the top of the cookie and be secured on the outer edges toward the bottom of the cookie.
- Enjoy.
ASK:
- Is there a time you followed someone who wasn’t doing the right thing? Explain how that made you feel.
- What are a few ways you can tell the difference between Jesus and someone pretending to be Him?
SAY: Jesus warned His followers to watch out for false teachers. These teachers may sound like they are doing the right thing, but they are not. That’s why it’s important we look to the Bible to know how to follow Jesus.
Game
Pass the Painting Challenge
You’ll Need: Butcher paper, Paint, Paint brushes - one per team, Tape
Get Ready: Hang two large pieces of butcher paper on the wall, and place a container of paint and a paintbrush next to each one.
To play the “Pass the Painting Challenge,” have kids follow these steps:
- Form two teams, and invite each team to sit in front of their butcher paper canvas.
- Explain that the teams are going to create a painting by listening to what you call out and painting those things.
- Players will step up to the butcher paper one at a time.
- Instruct the rest of the kids to chatter and make noise as you call out something to paint.
- The teacher can only call out the item three times and give the painter two minutes to paint before the child must pass the paintbrush to the next painter.
- List of things kids are to paint:
- Mountain
- Grass
- Flowers
- Sunshine
- Clouds
- At the end, let kids discuss which painting is best.
ASK:
- What was it like trying to paint with all the noise distractions?
- What did you do to focus on the instructions you needed to hear?
- How can you focus on Jesus’ instructions when other people try to give you different instructions?
SAY: There were many voices trying to get your attention during that game. You want to be sure to focus on the voice that matters most: Jesus. To make sure we are not following the words of false teachers, we can make time to be in God’s Word.
Craft
Scripture Flashcards
You’ll Need: “Scripture Flashcard” handout - one per child, Cardstock - one per child, Markers, Hole punch, Metal binder rings - one per child, Scissors - one per child, Bibles - one per child, Pens - one per child
Get Ready: Print a handout for each child on cardstock.
Have kids follow these steps to make the “Scripture Flashcards” craft:
- Give each child a “Scripture Flashcard” handout.
- Have kids use their Bibles to write the verses on each card.
- Instruct kids to cut the cards apart and then color them.
- Next, have kids use a hole punch at the top left corner to make an opening for the metal ring. Thread the metal ring through the hole.
- Encourage kids to hang these cards on their backpacks as a reminder to read God’s Word.
PRAY: Jesus said you will hear many false voices in this world. Stay true to God and His Word. Put these flashcards somewhere so you can refer back to them when you need direction or encouragement.
Prayer
Circle Prayers
- Invite children to stand in a circle.
- Instruct kids to turn to their right and march in a circle.
- As they march, ask them to silently pray for God to help them follow Him.
- Next, invite kids to turn the other direction and march the other way.
- While they are marching the other direction, invite them to pray for God to help them follow the right way when they are going the wrong direction.
- One more time, ask them to turn the other direction and march while you close in prayer.
PRAY: Dear God, we are so thankful for Your warning in the Bible to look out for false teachers. We need Your help to be wise and only follow You! Please help us follow Jesus’ ways every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
