Lesson: 1 John 3:3 (Ages 6-8)

📖 1 John 3:3 – Ages 6-8

Explanation

This Bible verse is like a special treasure map that shows us how to be more like Jesus. When we believe in Jesus and hope in Him, it means we trust Him and believe He will always take care of us.

Imagine your heart is like a garden. When we have hope in Jesus, it's like planting beautiful flowers in our garden. Those flowers are love, kindness, and goodness. But sometimes, weed of bad things like selfishness, anger, or unkind words can grow in our garden.

So, this verse tells us that when we have hope in Jesus, we want our garden to be clean and full of lovely flowers. We want to be kind, loving, and good, just like Jesus is. It's like cleaning up our garden by saying sorry when we do wrong things, helping others, and being kind to everyone we meet.

When we follow Jesus and keep our hearts pure like His, we show others how wonderful and loving Jesus is. And that's a beautiful way to shine His light in the world!

Kid's Story

Once upon a time, there was a little squirrel named Sammy who loved to collect acorns. One day, Sammy heard a wise old owl talk about how Jesus helps us be pure and clean inside. Sammy didn't understand what that meant, so he decided to ask his friend, the rabbit.

The rabbit explained that being pure means having a heart full of love and kindness, just like Jesus. Sammy realized that sometimes he got jealous when other animals had more acorns than him, and he knew he needed to change that. So, Sammy started sharing his acorns with his friends and being kinder to everyone he met.

As Sammy learned to be more like Jesus, he felt happier and lighter inside. He understood that having hope in Jesus meant making choices that showed love and kindness to others, just as Jesus did.

Prayer Prompt

Dear God, thank you for giving us hope in You. Help us to remember that when we believe in You, we want to be pure and good, just like You. Amen.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think it means to have hope in Jesus?
2. How can we try to be pure like Jesus?
3. Can you think of a time when you felt hopeful because of Jesus?
4. Why is it important for us to try to be pure like Jesus?
5. How do you think having hope in Jesus can help us make good choices?

Life Application

This Bible verse is teaching us that when we have hope in Jesus, we should try to be pure and live in a way that pleases Him. For a child your age, this means trying to do what is right and good in your everyday life.

At home, you can show love and kindness to your family members, help with chores without being asked, and obey your parents. This is how you can purify yourself by being pure in your thoughts and actions.

In school, you can be respectful to your teachers and classmates, work hard in your studies, and be a good friend to others. Showing love and kindness to those around you is a way to reflect Jesus' purity in your life.

With friends, you can choose to be a good influence by being honest, kind, and encouraging. You can also pray for your friends and show them the love of Jesus through your actions.

Remember, when you have hope in Jesus and strive to be pure like Him, you are showing others His love and light in the world.

Craft or Activity

Let's make "Hope Necklace" to help children understand and remember the message of 1 John 3:3.

Materials needed:
- String or yarn
- Beads in different colors
- Letter beads spelling out "Hope"
- Scissors

Instructions:
1. Begin by discussing the verse with the children and explaining that having hope in Jesus helps us to become pure like Him.
2. Give each child a piece of string or yarn and help them string on the beads in any pattern they like.
3. Encourage them to add the letter beads to spell out the word "Hope" on their necklace.
4. Once they have finished stringing the beads, tie the ends of the string together to create a necklace.
5. Have the children wear their "Hope Necklace" as a reminder that having hope in Jesus helps us to purify ourselves just as He is pure.

This craft will serve as a tangible reminder for children of the message from 1 John 3:3 and allow them to carry this important lesson with them wherever they go.

Memory Verse or Rhyme

When we hope in Jesus, our hearts are made clean,
Purifying ourselves, like Him, is what this verse means!
So remember this truth, little one, and always keep in mind,
In Jesus we find hope, and in Him, purity we find!

Songs or Videos

One great Christian song for kids that relates to the message of 1 John 3:3 is "Purify My Heart" by Kids Praise Company. This song talks about asking God to purify our hearts and make us more like Him. Another wonderful song is "Create in Me a Clean Heart" by Don Moen, which is a beautiful prayer asking God to cleanse us and make us pure. Both of these songs encourage us to seek purity and holiness in our lives, just as Jesus is pure.

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