Curriculum
Counting the Cost
Memory Verse:
“And whoever who does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’” (Luke 14:27-30)
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
Any decision—including following Christ—has pros and cons. The rewards of a Christian life are great, but there are costs here on earth.
Scripture Summary
Much of Jesus’ ministry was spent eating with people, healing the sick, and teaching about God’s way. Crowds of people followed Him wherever He went—knowing that what He said and did was important to all. Jesus had just healed a man with dropsy (edema) on the Sabbath. He also taught against seeking one’s own honor and encouraging others to accept God’s invitation.
And God’s invitation comes with a cost. God’s best way for everyone is to put Him first. Period. The first commandment states, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). God should come first—before life itself or families.
In this week’s Scripture passage, the word “hate” is used. God doesn’t intend the translation to be taken literally. We’re not to hate our life and family. Rather, God is using this as a comparison; our love for God should so far outshine our love or desire for anything or anyone here on earth.
Jesus also warns that in order to be a disciple, one should carry his or her own cross. They need to own their own stuff. The concept of carrying a cross was familiar to those in the crowd. When a criminal in Rome was led to his or her crucifixion, the criminal would be forced to carry a cross as a symbol of submission and owning his or her own actions.
The Christian life has eternal rewards and the promise of God’s presence, provision, and abundant life here on earth. But it does come with costs as well. Just like a builder beginning construction on a building, God lets us know the costs up front. When people put God first, they could lose relationships or social status. But the rewards far outweigh any costs.
Why Is This Important
God gives us free will. We can make the choice to follow Him. That choice, however, comes with both benefits and costs. God’s way isn’t always easy, but it is the best way.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
I marvel at athletes. From Little League to professional sports, there is a cost associated with being a successful athlete. A runner can suffer shin splints or stress fractures. A ballerina may have to tape up her blistered feet. An elementary Little Leaguer often has to get up earlier than he wants to on a Saturday. A football player can be benched for weeks as he recovers from a concussion.
Attending early practice. Eating enough calories. Giving up free time. Learning plays. Getting benched after a mistake. Spending hours in the weight room. Recovering from sore muscles and aching joints. Traveling to games. And most athletes would say it’s all worth it.
Athletes focus on crossing the finish line, getting a new personal record, making the play, scoring the goal, and being part of a successful team.
The apostle Paul—author of 2 Timothy—experienced his fair share of hardships as he followed Christ. Throughout the book of Acts (chapters 20–28, especially), Paul’s ministry included him being kidnapped, ignored, beaten, arrested, threatened, bitten by a snake, accused and sued, forgotten, and killed. But his unwavering love for God outweighed these costs, and he has his eternal reward in heaven. God was with Paul each step of his life—through the good times and the hard times alike.
God is with you right now. Whether you’re on a mountaintop or suffering deeply (or both!), God loves you dearly and is with you.
What makes following Christ worth it for you today?
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for being with me always. Life is hard...so hard. I am grateful that I’m not alone in my suffering. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Bibles, “Cross Puzzle” handouts, Scissors
Get Ready: Cut the cross puzzles from the handouts, one for each small group.
“And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my dis- ciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’” (Luke 14:27-30)
Have kids learn the Bible memory verse using this activity:
SAY: Today we’re learning about the cost of following Jesus. Jesus said we must carry our cross.
- Have kids open their Bibles to Luke 14:27 and read aloud the verse.
- Divide the class into small groups of five or six, and give each group the puzzle pieces for one cross.
- Have kids work together in their groups to assemble their cross puzzles.
- Have them repeat the verse several times, taking away a puzzle piece each time until they can say the whole verse without help.
SAY: Following Jesus is the best thing we can do, but it comes at a cost. We must carry our crosses by making Jesus most important to us.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: Bibles, Poster board, Markers
Get Ready: Write “Following Jesus” at the top of the poster board. Draw large footprints or shoe prints in a path on the poster board. Make them large enough for kids to write in them. Make at least one footprint for each child in your class, plus three extra.
SAY: Today we’re learning to count the cost of following Jesus. Let’s consider some of the costs and if we’re willing to pay the costs to have life with Jesus.
Follow these steps to explore the Bible passage:
- Divide the class into three groups.
- Assign each group one of the following verses: Matthew 6:33; Luke 14:26; or 1 Samuel 15:22.
- Have groups look up their verses and discuss how they might word the cost of following Jesus in the context of their verse.
- Once they’ve come to a conclusion, they’ll write a phrase or sentence to explain it in one of the footprints or shoe prints on the poster board.
- When all groups have finished, a representative from each group will read the verse to the whole class and another representative will explain how they determined the cost.
- In case kids need help, here are some examples of costs kids might come up with based on the verses:
- For Matthew 6:33: making time to get to know Jesus by reading His Word, praying, and spending time with Him.
- For Luke 14:26: making Him more important than anyone or anything. We make our friendship with Him most important.
- For 1 Samuel 15:22: obeying Him and doing what He says is right and good—even if our friends or family aren’t.
- As a whole class, invite kids to share other costs they think they might pay for following Jesus.
ASK:
- What do you think about the costs of following Jesus?
- Why would you want to follow Jesus even though there are costs? (After kids have answered, allow a moment for them to consider a cost they would be willing to pay so they can follow Jesus. In their own time, have kids write the cost they chose inside one of the footprints or shoe prints on the poster.)
SAY: When we take up our crosses, we might give up things we want because we know spending time with Jesus is more important. We might also choose to do the right thing, even if it makes us different from our friends. Following Jesus has costs, but it’s also worth it!
Snack
Cross Cake
You’ll Need: Paper plates, Napkins, Plastic knives, Rectangular cake, Cake decorations, Plastic gloves, Extra-large platter
Follow these steps for the snack:
- Have kids clean their hands.
SAY: Today we’re learning to take up our crosses. That means we make Jesus most important in our lives, even if that means we must make sacrifices. Let’s make a cross-shaped cake to remind us that there’s a cost to following Jesus.
- Lead kids in working together to cut the cake into squares and moving the pieces onto the separate platter to form the shape of a cross.
- Allow time for kids to decorate the cake.
- Pray over the snack, and then give a piece to each child.
- Enjoy!
SAY: Jesus said we must carry our crosses. That means we must make Him most important. Following Jesus is wonderful, but there are costs.
Game
Choice Action
You’ll Need: Art supplies, 100-piece puzzles, Inflated balloons, Whistle
Get Ready: Set up three game stations: one with the art supplies, one with the puzzles, and one with the balloons.
SAY: Jesus told His friends, the disciples, to pick up and carry their crosses. Let’s do something to help us think about that.
Follow these steps for the game activity:
- Present the activities at the game stations:
- Art supplies: Make the most creative robot using the art supplies.
- Puzzles: Build a whole puzzle.
- Balloons: Don’t let the balloons touch the floor.
- Explain that when you blow the whistle, kids can choose the activity they want to do. Explain that when you blow the whistle again, they’ll have another chance to choose their activity. They may stay at the same station or move to a different station.
- Play as time allows. Blow the whistle every few minutes.
ASK:
- Explain whether it was worth it to give up one activity for another.
- How was that like or unlike what you must do in carrying your cross when you choose to follow Jesus?
SAY: Following Jesus is the best choice we could ever make. It means we can be forever friends with Him. And it means we’ll have His power and love with us always. But it also means we might have to give up other things so we can make Him most important. That’s what it means to carry our crosses.
Craft
Carry the Cross
You’ll Need: Cardboard, Glue, Yarn, Scissors, Hole punch, Craft supplies
To make the craft, have kids follow these steps:
- Remind kids they’re learning that when they follow Jesus, He says to “Carry your cross.”
- Have kids cut crosses from the cardboard. They’ll hole punch the top.
- Have them decorate the crosses using the supplies.
- They’ll thread yarn through the hole to make the cross into a necklace.
SAY: Following Jesus isn’t easy. It means we must make Him most important over everything and everyone else. But it’s worth it! Wear your crosses as a reminder to carry your cross.
Prayer
Names on the Cross Prayer
You’ll Need: Bible, Whiteboard or chalkboard, Dry-erase markers or chalk
Get Ready: Draw a large cross on the whiteboard or chalkboard.
Lead kids to pray in this way:
- Read aloud Luke 14:27-30, and have kids repeat it after you.
PRAY: Jesus, help us to know how much You want us to follow You. Give us the courage to make that choice and to carry our cross.
- Invite kids to write their name on the cross if they want to follow Jesus.
- Close in prayer.
PRAY: Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus. Following Him is the most wonderful choice we could ever make. We ask that You’d give us the strength to carry our crosses as we do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
