Jesus Teaches Us How To Pray

7/11/2023

Copy of Jesus Teaches Us To Love by Jennifer Tolbert

This is the story of what Jesus taught his followers about prayer during the Sermon on the Mount. This story is based on a summary of Matthew 6:5-15. Jesus teaches us how to pray in a way that pleases God.

Memory Verse

"Do to others as you would have them do to you."
Luke 6:31

Songs

Books of the New Testament
This Little Light of Mine
Jesus Loves Me
Read Your Bible and Pray Every Day
Knock, Knock, Knock
Sanctuary
We Fall Down

Story

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

Open Class in Prayer

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Circle Prayer-Have a ball or a small item of some sort. As the children pass the item around the circle, ask them to share one good thing that happened in the past week. When the ball returns to you, say: "God wants each one of us to talk to him. God doesn't only want to talk to important people or only about important things. He wants to talk to all of his children about the things that matter to them too."

2. Head to Toe Prayer- (from MinistrySpark.com) To give kids a tangible way to talk with God, relate topics of prayer to different parts of their bodies. Have them point to their:

Toes: Pray they would always walk in God’s paths and follow Him. Confess ways they might have strayed from God’s path.
Knees: Confess when they haven’t knelt in prayer to God but have tried to do things on their own. Honor God with words they might use for a King as you are knelt down before Him.
Tummy: Thank God for all He provides for us, including our food!
Hands: Pray for the ways they could serve people, asking God to give them opportunities to serve neighbors and friends.
Ears: Pray they would hear God’s voice above all others, and that they would listen to the needs of people around them.
Mouth: Pray they would courageously speak God’s Word to those who need to hear it.
Eyes: Pray they would seek God, and that God would give them eyes to see other people who may need to know they are known and loved by God.
Head: Pray they would have the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) and always consider others, think pure thoughts, and not be anxious or afraid. Children can also confess ways they may have not had the mind of Christ.

3. Heavy Rocks-(Children's Ministry Deals.com)
Need: Box, Large Rocks or Stones-one for each child
Have a box marked "God's" and have rocks to give each child. As they hold the rock, ask them questions like, "Would you want to carry this around all day?" "Could you run and play baseball or basketball while holding this rock?" "Do you think you would want to eventually put it down?" SAY: God doesn't want us to carry our burdens around with us all day either! He knows they slow us down and keep us from being able to do the things we need or want to do. He wants us to give him our burdens. He is big enough to carry them all. Today, we are going to talk about a way to give him our burdens-through prayer.

Story: After Jesus was baptized and chose his disciples, he began his ministry. He began by helping people. He healed people who were sick. He set people who were possessed by demons free. He also started preaching to the people. He wanted them to know that all of God's promises were about to be fulfilled.

Jesus wanted everyone to know that God's kingdom, the kingdom of heaven was near and it was completely different than the kingdom of the world. One of the ways God's children are different is in the way that they love one another. Another way God's children are different from the world is in how they pray. Jesus taught the people how to pray in a way that would please God.

READ Matthew 6:5-15 or summarize the teaching about prayer from the Sermon on the Mount.
EMPHASIZE that: