Citizenship in Heaven

10/9/2024

Citizenship in Heaven by Jennifer Tolbert

Have you ever felt left out? Or maybe like you didn't belong? Maybe it was when you went to a new school or traveled to a far away place where they speak a different language. It's not a very happy feeling is it? Paul wrote a letter to the Philippians because they felt out of place in their own country! They believed something different. They acted differently than the other people in Philippi. They didn't feel like they fit in anymore at all! But, that was a good thing!

Paul used the idea of citizenship (or belonging to a certain country) to illustrate that their home was no longer in this world! They had citizenship in a new place-heaven! So, they should feel like out of place because their heart knew they belonged somewhere else now--heaven!
Key Themes:
1. God created us so that we could someday live with Him forever!
2. Heaven is our goal!
3. God has a special plan to overcome sin so that we can be with him again!

Memory Verse

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Songs

Books of the New Testament
There is a Flag that Flies in the Castle of My Heart
Heaven is a Wonderful Place
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
My Father's House
Oh You Can't Get to Heaven
Saint's Medley
This World is Not My Home

Story

Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time

Open Class in Prayer

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Types of Homes
SAY: People live in different kinds of homes all over the world. Let's talk about the different kinds of houses people live in. You can show this video about different kinds of homes. People all over the world live differently. Would you feel out of place if you tried to live in an igloo? It would be different than what you were used to and you might feel a little out of place. The Philippian people were starting to feel out of place in their own country.

2. Walk & Stop
Play a game where the kids walk in a story or across the room. When you say walk, the students begin walking around the room. When you say stop, they must freeze in place. The last person to freeze is out. Do this for a couple of rounds, and then switch the meaning, now “Walk” means to stop, and “Stop” means to walk. The student is out when they fail to follow the proper direction. The last student remaining wins. If you are limited on space you can also do "sit" and "stand" or "stop" and "hop."

Story: Do you know what an alien is? It is a not a green martian that travels in a space ship! When someone whose citizenship is one country goes to live in another country, they are called aliens. Many times, if you are an alien in a different country, you have to learn new customs, a new language and eat new kinds of food and drinks! The alien will probably feel out of place for a little while.

Once we realize we belong (or are citizens) in heaven, we begin to feel out of place here on Earth! As Christians, we behave a different way, talk a special way, and even sometimes eat and drink different foods than people living on Earth! When we see how different we are, we might start to feel like we don't belong here anymore! The truth is, we don't!

We are like aliens! The entire story of the Bible is map leading us to one special place-heaven. That is where we belong!

SHOW the story of Citizenship in Heaven or read Philippians 3:12-20.
EMPHASIZE that: