A New Commandment

You’ll Need: Bibles, Chairs, Music

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Have kids learn the Bible memory verse with this version of Musical Chairs:

• Have kids open their Bibles to John 13:34-35.
• Read aloud the verse.
• Have kids repeat it a few times.
• Set up the chairs in a circle facing outward.
• Play music, and have kids walk around the chairs.
• Stop the music; kids must find a seat in the circle.
• The child left without a chair will tell a part of the Bible memory verse, whatever part he or she can remember.
• Have everyone say the verse together once again.
• Do not remove a chair. Just start the music again and repeat the same process until one child can say the entire verse.

ASK:

• How does Jesus’ love change us?
• What’s one way you can show love this week?

SAY: Jesus showed love by taking care of others, by saying kind words, by being honest, and by serving others. We can love others in these ways, too.

You’ll Need: Bibles, “Love Like Jesus” handouts, Crayons, Scissors

Get Ready: Before class, print copies of the handout, one for each child.

SAY: Today we’re learning that when we love others like Jesus loved us, it shows them we’re Jesus’ friends. Here’s what the Bible says. (Read aloud John 13:31-35.) Let’s think about what it looks like to love like Jesus.

Lead children through these steps:

• Give each child a “Love Like Jesus” handout.
• Have kids color it in.
• Have kids cut the paper into at least six puzzle pieces.

ASK:

• What’s a way Jesus showed love? (Have kids flip over their puzzle pieces and draw an example on the back of each puzzle piece. They don’t need to fill all of them, however, because the next question will allow them to fill the rest.)
• Tell about someone you can show love to in that way. (Have kids fill in any remaining puzzle pieces with additional examples that could resemble ways Jesus loved but that are perhaps more relevant to today.)

SAY: Jesus is so great at loving us—He’s better at loving than anyone we know! That’s why all of us can learn how to love from Him.

Sandwiches Filled With Love

You’ll Need: Plates, Plastic knives, Bread slices, Jelly, Honey, Peanut butter or almond butter, Heart-shaped cookie cutter

Follow these steps for the snack:

• Have kids clean their hands.
• Remind kids they’re learning to love as Jesus loved.
• Give each child two slices of bread.
• Encourage children to make sandwiches filled with love by adding yummy ingredients.
• Ask them to share some ways Jesus loved others. If they don’t mention it, remind the children how Jesus was generous with all He had.
• Explain to kids that they’re going to love by being generous with others in their class.
• Encourage the children to use the cookie cutter to cut out a heart shape from their sandwiches.
• Have children trade hearts with someone else, but they can keep the outsides of the hearts if they want.
• Enjoy!

SAY: Jesus was generous and gave His best to others. We can love like that, too.

Pass the Love

Get Ready: Ahead of time, think of some love messages based on Jesus and God’s love for us. For example: “God sent His Son, Jesus,” “Jesus died on the cross,” or “Jesus cared for the needy.”

SAY: Today we’re learning to love others like Jesus loves us. Let’s play a game to help us think about that.

Follow these steps to play the game:

• Have kids sit in a circle.
• Explain that you’ll whisper a message of Jesus’ love to one child, and he or she will pass that message to the person on their left by whis- pering it. The last child to hear the message will report back what they heard.
• Start with a different child each time.
• Allow the children to think of love messages to pass on if you have time.

ASK:

• What do you think it means to have Jesus’ love in your heart?
• How can you get that message of love out to the people in your life?

SAY: Jesus told us to love others, but He knows we must first have His love in our hearts. When we believe in Jesus, He puts His love in our hearts. Once we have His love in our hearts, we can get that message out to everyone we know by showing them love, too.

Loventines

You’ll Need: Colorful construction paper, Stickers, Markers, Scissors, Glue, Glitter, Large envelopes

To make the craft, have kids follow these steps:

• Set out the supplies. Give each child a large envelope, and have kids write their names in large letters on the front of the envelope.
• Hang the envelopes on a bulletin board.
• Remind kids of the Bible passage.
• Encourage children to make “loventines” using the craft supplies to write simple messages of love to at least three other children in the class. They can put their loventines in their classmates’ envelopes when they’ve finished.
• Make sure every child gets a few messages. (Draw names, if necessary.)
• Allow time for kids to read their messages.
• Leave up the envelopes and continue this practice for the month, if possible.

SAY: Jesus wants us to love others, and He wants us to see His love in others by how they treat us, too. That’s why He said to love like He does.

Prayers for One Another

You’ll Need: Name envelopes holding the loventines

Lead kids to pray in this way:

• Invite kids to share what they learned today.
• Ask the children to practice what they learned by pulling out each loventine one by one and praying for the person who gave it to them.
• Close in prayer.

PRAY: Dear God, Thank you for Jesus and how He shows us how to love others. Please help us to love like He loves us. In Jesus’ name, amen.