Dear Parent,

The goal of this week’s lesson is to begin to introduce the concept of eternal life to your children.  They know God, they know Jesus, and, with the right lesson, they can truly grasp God's love and His promises for our future. AMEN!  

 

Bible Scripture: John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 

Materials Needed: a blade of grass, a flower, a bug, a battery, a piece of bread, an apple, a cup of water, a light bulb, a piece of clothing, and a toy car

 

Today’s Script:

Do you know what the word “temporary” means?

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

Temporary means that something doesn’t last forever.  It’s just here for now.  I have some things on this table that are from around our house, and I want you to tell me if each thing is temporary or if it will last forever, which is another word for eternal.

 

Now, let’s be careful because some of these things are not toys, and I do not want you to get hurt.  

 

First, is this blade of grass temporary or eternal?  Here for now or here forever?

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

Yes.  It’s temporary.  I pulled it from the ground, and it will wilt very soon.  

 

What about this flower?

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

Flowers ARE temporary.  When it is done blooming, it will wither and die.

 

What about this bug?  It it temporary or eternal.  Here for now or here forever?

 

You said it! Even if we went outside right now to let this bug go, it would still be temporary because bugs don’t last forever.

 

Do you want to know the one thing that DOES last forever and IS eternal?  

 

God’s love for us!  And, one day when I am 99 years old and my body gives out, my spirit will last forever in heaven with God.  I know this because the bible tells me, “for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life...which is forever!

 

Let’s look at some of these other items.

 

Is this battery eternal?

 

No.  Eventually, it will run out of the energy it has stored up.

 

Is this piece of bread eternal?

 

Nope.  If we don’t eat it in a week or two, it will get moldy.

 

Is this apple eternal?

 

No.  If we don’t eat IT in a week or two, it will rot.

 

Is this cup of water eternal?

 

No.  If we don’t drink it, over time it will dry up all by itself.

 

Gosh, there just aren’t very many things in this life that are eternal!

 

Can you remember the one the we figured out that is eternal?

 

You said it! God’s love for us is eternal.  And one day when you are 99 years old and your body is ready to give out, your spirit will last forever in heaven with God.  We know this because the bible tells us, “for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life...which is forever!

 

Is there ANYTHING around this house that is eternal!

 

What about this light bulb?

 

No.  The light bulb will eventually stop giving off light.

 

Are our clothes eternal?

 

No.  As we wear them, they wear out and get holes in them.

 

Is a car eternal?

 

No. Once it goes a certain number of miles, it breaks down and can’t drive any farther.

 

Remind me.  What is eternal?

 

God’s love for us is eternal and our life with him in heaven is eternal...which is forever!

 

Is the Sun eternal?

 

No. It sets every night.  

 

Is the rain eternal?

 

No. It always stops raining eventually. God promises that it the bible too.

 

Are clouds eternal?

 

No. They blow away.

 

We really did find just the one, single thing that is eternal, didn’t we?

 

Praise God for His love and for giving us His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life!

 

(Play as long as your child is still interested.  Reiterate the lesson.  Have fun.  Godspeed.)