Memory Verse:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Teaching Aids:
Bring ice cream bars in a cooler. Pick two kids at random as class helpers. Explain to them that you would like them to help with various tasks throughout the class and promise each of these two helpers an ice cream bar at the end of class.
Read and Discuss:
1) Discuss the context of this passage by explaining that the Pharisees believed that they deserved first place in God's kingdom because of their hard work in keeping God's law.
2) (vss 1-2) A denarius was a small coin and represented about one day's wages. The Pharisees would have seen themselves as those who worked all day (in this case a 12 hours day)
3) (vs 3) "standing idle in the marketplace" (ie, just "hanging out")
4) (vss 4-6) "and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you."'
What you think would be "right" to pay those who began work at the third hour? The sixth hour? The ninth hour? How about those who only worked one hour (ie, those hired at the 11th hour)? (ie, if the master of the house were paying them based on what they deserved, how much should they get?)
5) (vs 7) Why were the people in the marketplace not working? ("because no one hired us")
6) (vss 8-10) Name 2 things the master of the house did that made the "all day workers" mad (he paid the last workers first and he paid everyone the same)
Did the master of the house treat all the workers equally? (yes)
Did he give each worker what they deserved? (not really)
7) (vs 11-12) The hearts of the "all day" workers are exposed by what the master of the house does here; they didn't enjoy their work and they thought they were better than (not equal to) the others
8) (vs 13) Did he give keep his promise to the workers who worked all day?(yes)
9) (vs 14-15) Note that the "all day" workers get only what "belongs" to them, while the other workers get what "belongs" to the master of the house! What would you rather have?
The Main Point:
Why were the people who worked all day angry?
Why were the people who worked 1 hour glad?
Which worker do you think you are (1, 3, 6, 9 or 12 hour)?
Does this parable make you angry... or glad? (depends on which worker you see yourself as!!)
Some Definitions:
Justice - getting what you deserve
Grace - getting what you don't deserve
Look up and Read: Romans 4:4 ("Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.")
What did the "all day" workers want? (more than what they deserved; see vs 10)
What did they get? (justice...only what belonged to them)
Look up and Read: Romans 11:6 ("But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.")
What did all the others want? (what they didn't deserve)
What did they get? (grace... what belonged to the master of the house)
Look up and Read: Romans 3:23 ("for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,")
What do we want from God, justice or grace? How do we get it? (through faith)
Recite the Memory Verse:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
But there is One who is able to boast... there is One who worked perfectly in this life... isn't there... Who?
Give the ice cream bars to the helpers... Those who "worked" for them and ask them, "based on what we've learned, who should get them (everyone)?
Have the helpers give ice cream bars to everyone
The Gospel:
God spent His most precious "belonging" (vs 15) His only begotten Son, on us! Jesus, God's most precious "belonging" (vs 15), the only perfect "worker", worked in the heat of the day, for us... gave up the wages He rightfully earned, for us... spent Himself for us... so that we get so much more than we could ever deserve!
Gospel Consequences:
For Ourselves: Seeing ourselves as "all day in the hot sun" workers makes us grumpy! (vs 11) Realizing we are all 11th hour workers (and that we're all really getting much more than we deserve) makes us glad and grateful to work for God!
For Others: Realizing we are getting what we don't deserve and that we are all sharing in God's generosity (vs 15) makes us generous and keeps us from thinking we are better than others.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Jesus Bends Down to Raise Us Up (Mark 10:13-16)
Memory Verse:
"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6)
Teaching Aids:
1) Poster - Title: "Jesus Bends Down (Philippians 2:5-11) to Raise Us Up (Ephesians 2:6)"; Have kids color various pictures of Jesus surrounded by and lifting up children. Glue these pictures to the poster.
Read and Discuss:
1) Discuss the context of this passage by pointing out how today's passage fits in with two previous references in chapter 9 to Jesus raising up a child (ie, vs 27; vs 36) and a third reference to children in vs 42.
4) (vs 13a) "People were bringing little children..." The words and context tell us that these were babies (ie, they literally had nothing to offer)
5) (vs 13b) "but the disciples rebuked them". In Jesus' time children were considered the least important (ie, in last place) in all of society.
6) (vs 14) "... for the kingdom of God belongs such as these." (see also Chap. 9:35-37)
7) Why did Jesus use these lowly babies as an example of what one must be like to enter the kingdom of God?
The Main Point:
What did the children have to offer Jesus? (nothing)
Power? (no)
Money? (no)
Good Works? (no)
Look up and Read: (Mark 10:33-34) "saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise."
Look up and Read: (Mark 9:33-37) "And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."
Jesus knew what His mission was. He came down from the very highest place (ie, "first" place) to the very lowest place (ie, "last" place) to offer Himself as a free gift to those who have absolutely nothing to offer!
Why was Jesus so "indignant" with his disciples when they tried to turn away the little children?
He knew that only those who know they have nothing will come to the only One who can give them everything!
The Gospel:
Jesus gave up His high place (Phil. 2:5-11)... first place... to take the last place... to become low for us (ie, like a child) so that He could raise us up to the highest place on His Father's lap (Eph. 2:4-6)!!
Gospel Consequences:
For Ourselves: Knowing Jesus accepts us "with open arms" (vs 16) only when we come to Him with nothing, frees us from trying to impress Him.
For Others: Knowing we are accepted by the only One who matters frees us from seeking that acceptance from others (vs 13).
"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6)
Teaching Aids:
1) Poster - Title: "Jesus Bends Down (Philippians 2:5-11) to Raise Us Up (Ephesians 2:6)"; Have kids color various pictures of Jesus surrounded by and lifting up children. Glue these pictures to the poster.
Read and Discuss:
1) Discuss the context of this passage by pointing out how today's passage fits in with two previous references in chapter 9 to Jesus raising up a child (ie, vs 27; vs 36) and a third reference to children in vs 42.
4) (vs 13a) "People were bringing little children..." The words and context tell us that these were babies (ie, they literally had nothing to offer)
5) (vs 13b) "but the disciples rebuked them". In Jesus' time children were considered the least important (ie, in last place) in all of society.
6) (vs 14) "... for the kingdom of God belongs such as these." (see also Chap. 9:35-37)
7) Why did Jesus use these lowly babies as an example of what one must be like to enter the kingdom of God?
The Main Point:
What did the children have to offer Jesus? (nothing)
Power? (no)
Money? (no)
Good Works? (no)
Look up and Read: (Mark 10:33-34) "saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise."
Look up and Read: (Mark 9:33-37) "And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."
Jesus knew what His mission was. He came down from the very highest place (ie, "first" place) to the very lowest place (ie, "last" place) to offer Himself as a free gift to those who have absolutely nothing to offer!
Why was Jesus so "indignant" with his disciples when they tried to turn away the little children?
He knew that only those who know they have nothing will come to the only One who can give them everything!
The Gospel:
Jesus gave up His high place (Phil. 2:5-11)... first place... to take the last place... to become low for us (ie, like a child) so that He could raise us up to the highest place on His Father's lap (Eph. 2:4-6)!!
Gospel Consequences:
For Ourselves: Knowing Jesus accepts us "with open arms" (vs 16) only when we come to Him with nothing, frees us from trying to impress Him.
For Others: Knowing we are accepted by the only One who matters frees us from seeking that acceptance from others (vs 13).
Friday, April 8, 2011
The Great Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
Memory Verse:
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
Teaching Aids:
1) Poster - have kids color and put their names on pictures of kids. Glue these figures to the road, lying down on the poster which has these words written on it: The Greater Samaritan (and the community of "victims"). (John 15:12-14)
Read and Discuss:
1) The lawyer wants to trap Jesus (vs 25) but Jesus has other ideas... he sees the deeper need in the heart of the lawyer (v 29).
2) What does justified mean? (show word puzzle "Not guilty by reason of Jesus"). Are we able to justify ourselves?
3) (vss 26-27) Review the 10 Commandments and show how this answer summarizes both tables.
4) When Jesus responds in vs 28 is he giving the lawyer good news? Can we really keep these? (only if we bring the law down... which is what the lawyer tries to do by asking, "Who is my neighbor?")
5) (vs 30) This road, from Jerusalem to Jericho was called the "road of blood" and was very dangerous, full of robbers.
6) Note how carefully the Samaritan cares for the victim. What specific things does he do to show his care? (vss 34-35)
7) Does he care for him like a stranger? Like a family member (a blood brother would not have made better provisions for care than the Samaritan cared for the stranger)? Like he (himself) would want to be cared for?
The Main Point:
Who are we most like in the story?
Priest and Levite? (oftentimes yes)
Samaritan? (usually not)
Victim? (certainly!)
Look up and read, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:12-14)
Who is the greater Samaritan?
The Gospel:
"According to the Bible, we are like that man, dying in the road. Spiritually, we are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:5). But when Jesus came into our dangerous world, he came down our road. And though we had been his enemies, he was moved with compassion by our plight (Romans 5:10). He came to us and saved us, not merely at the risk of his life, as in the case of the Samaritan, but at the cost of his life. On the cross he paid a debt we could never have paid ourselves. Jesus is the Great Samaritan to whom the Good Samaritan points." - from Generous Justice by Tim Keller
Now look at the poster... What is written under the Title "The Greater Samaritan"? (and the community of "victims").
What does that mean? (that we're all in the same boat!)
"Christ Himself is the merciful One; He restores fellowship and has given Himself for others. Through Him we again know ourselves one with others and learn to practice community. That community is the revelation of the true life with God." - from Promise and Deliverance vol. III by S.G. De Graaf
Gospel Consequences:
For Ourselves: Seeing that we are freely justified in Christ frees us from the need to justify ourselves (vs 29)
For Others: Recognizing our common condition with others empowers us to "Go and do likewise" (vs 37), motivated not by guilt, but by gratitude.
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
Teaching Aids:
1) Poster - have kids color and put their names on pictures of kids. Glue these figures to the road, lying down on the poster which has these words written on it: The Greater Samaritan (and the community of "victims"). (John 15:12-14)
Read and Discuss:
1) The lawyer wants to trap Jesus (vs 25) but Jesus has other ideas... he sees the deeper need in the heart of the lawyer (v 29).
2) What does justified mean? (show word puzzle "Not guilty by reason of Jesus"). Are we able to justify ourselves?
3) (vss 26-27) Review the 10 Commandments and show how this answer summarizes both tables.
4) When Jesus responds in vs 28 is he giving the lawyer good news? Can we really keep these? (only if we bring the law down... which is what the lawyer tries to do by asking, "Who is my neighbor?")
5) (vs 30) This road, from Jerusalem to Jericho was called the "road of blood" and was very dangerous, full of robbers.
6) Note how carefully the Samaritan cares for the victim. What specific things does he do to show his care? (vss 34-35)
7) Does he care for him like a stranger? Like a family member (a blood brother would not have made better provisions for care than the Samaritan cared for the stranger)? Like he (himself) would want to be cared for?
The Main Point:
Who are we most like in the story?
Priest and Levite? (oftentimes yes)
Samaritan? (usually not)
Victim? (certainly!)
Look up and read, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:12-14)
Who is the greater Samaritan?
The Gospel:
"According to the Bible, we are like that man, dying in the road. Spiritually, we are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:5). But when Jesus came into our dangerous world, he came down our road. And though we had been his enemies, he was moved with compassion by our plight (Romans 5:10). He came to us and saved us, not merely at the risk of his life, as in the case of the Samaritan, but at the cost of his life. On the cross he paid a debt we could never have paid ourselves. Jesus is the Great Samaritan to whom the Good Samaritan points." - from Generous Justice by Tim Keller
Now look at the poster... What is written under the Title "The Greater Samaritan"? (and the community of "victims").
What does that mean? (that we're all in the same boat!)
"Christ Himself is the merciful One; He restores fellowship and has given Himself for others. Through Him we again know ourselves one with others and learn to practice community. That community is the revelation of the true life with God." - from Promise and Deliverance vol. III by S.G. De Graaf
Gospel Consequences:
For Ourselves: Seeing that we are freely justified in Christ frees us from the need to justify ourselves (vs 29)
For Others: Recognizing our common condition with others empowers us to "Go and do likewise" (vs 37), motivated not by guilt, but by gratitude.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Jesus Offers a Samaritan Woman Free Water (John 4:5-42)
Memory Verse
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!" (Isaiah 55:1)
Teaching Aids
1) Poster - have kids draw or color two pictures; one showing Jesus talking with the woman at the well and the other showing Jesus on the cross. Glue these pictures to a poster (or banner) which has these words written on it: The Cost of "Free" Water.
2) A cooler containing bottles of ice-cold water.
Read and Discuss
1) In the previous chapter, Jesus had just spoken the most famous words in all of scripture. What did He say? (John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world... etc.")
2) What was the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans? Between men and women?
3) Why was the woman drawing water at, "the sixth hour" (ie, at noon, in the heat of the day) instead of at the customary time in the evening? (Because the other women of the village didn't want to associate with her).
4) Jesus (ie, God) experienced fatigue (vs 6) and thirst (vs 7) just like us! He experienced an even greater thirst on the cross (see John 19:28).
5) The woman rightly understands that Jesus is offering her free water (vs 15), even though she won't find out until later in the story what kind of water Jesus is really offering.
6) Jesus lovingly points out this woman's sin (vs 16-18). He's here to meet a need deeper than her physical thirst.
7) Why didn't Jesus come to the well when the "good" women were drawing water?
8) Are we more like the Samaritan woman (who needed Jesus) or the "good" women (who didn't)?
The Main Point
I brought you some ice-cold water today, and I'm going to give it to you for free. This water is free for you, but it wasn't free for me was it? I had to pay for it... Somebody always has to pay, don't they?
What did the woman come to the well with? (her sin)
What did she leave with? (eternal life)
How is that possible?
What about her sin?
Who paid for this "free water"?
We get the answer to this question from the other place in the bible that speaks of free water... Does anyone know about this story... Where God's people got free water... water from a rock?
Look up and read Exodus 17:1-6: "... and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink."
Who is this Rock that was struck so that these ungrateful people could drink?
Look up and read 1 Corinthians 10:1-4: "... and the Rock was Christ."
The Gospel
Jesus Christ, the only perfect person who ever lived... the only person who didn't deserve to "thirst" or to be "struck", went to the cross and made Himself thirsty... made Himself the Rock that was struck... for us... instead of us... so that we would never be thirsty again... so that we would never be struck... so that we could drink freely and be satisfied.
Handout the ice-cold water and drink.
For Ourselves: Radical "un" self consciousness (vss 28-29)
For Others: Abundant harvest (vss 35-42)
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!" (Isaiah 55:1)
Teaching Aids
1) Poster - have kids draw or color two pictures; one showing Jesus talking with the woman at the well and the other showing Jesus on the cross. Glue these pictures to a poster (or banner) which has these words written on it: The Cost of "Free" Water.
2) A cooler containing bottles of ice-cold water.
Read and Discuss
1) In the previous chapter, Jesus had just spoken the most famous words in all of scripture. What did He say? (John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world... etc.")
2) What was the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans? Between men and women?
3) Why was the woman drawing water at, "the sixth hour" (ie, at noon, in the heat of the day) instead of at the customary time in the evening? (Because the other women of the village didn't want to associate with her).
4) Jesus (ie, God) experienced fatigue (vs 6) and thirst (vs 7) just like us! He experienced an even greater thirst on the cross (see John 19:28).
5) The woman rightly understands that Jesus is offering her free water (vs 15), even though she won't find out until later in the story what kind of water Jesus is really offering.
6) Jesus lovingly points out this woman's sin (vs 16-18). He's here to meet a need deeper than her physical thirst.
7) Why didn't Jesus come to the well when the "good" women were drawing water?
8) Are we more like the Samaritan woman (who needed Jesus) or the "good" women (who didn't)?
The Main Point
I brought you some ice-cold water today, and I'm going to give it to you for free. This water is free for you, but it wasn't free for me was it? I had to pay for it... Somebody always has to pay, don't they?
What did the woman come to the well with? (her sin)
What did she leave with? (eternal life)
How is that possible?
What about her sin?
Who paid for this "free water"?
We get the answer to this question from the other place in the bible that speaks of free water... Does anyone know about this story... Where God's people got free water... water from a rock?
Look up and read Exodus 17:1-6: "... and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink."
Who is this Rock that was struck so that these ungrateful people could drink?
Look up and read 1 Corinthians 10:1-4: "... and the Rock was Christ."
The Gospel
Jesus Christ, the only perfect person who ever lived... the only person who didn't deserve to "thirst" or to be "struck", went to the cross and made Himself thirsty... made Himself the Rock that was struck... for us... instead of us... so that we would never be thirsty again... so that we would never be struck... so that we could drink freely and be satisfied.
Handout the ice-cold water and drink.
Gospel Consequences
For Ourselves: Radical "un" self consciousness (vss 28-29)
For Others: Abundant harvest (vss 35-42)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Gospel-Centered Children's Curriculum by Yancey C. Arrington
Simply put, gospel-centered curriculum is material which demonstrates how the entire Scripture ultimately highlights the beauty, worth, centrality and supremacy of God's saving action in Jesus' Person and Work. It reveals how Jesus is the ultimate end of every story, every book and every letter of Scripture. Gospel-centered curriculum takes seriously the approach Jesus took to the Bible when he demonstrated to his disciples in Luke 24:14, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” In Jesus' mind, the Bible was about him. Gospel-centered curriculum capitalizes on this idea by responsibly demonstrating how everything in the Scriptures points to Jesus, promises Jesus, parallels Jesus, prefigures Jesus, proclaims Jesus, etc. Hopefully, as the listener/ learner witnesses the glory of the gospel, his affections will be deeply and profoundly moved for Christ. Put another way, the individual's heart will grow for Jesus!
Unfortunately, this gospel-centered emphasis appears to be a rare commodity in children's curriculum which far too often devolves into mere moralism – Sesame Street with a little Jesus sprinkled on top. Every Sunday in churches all across America kids are given the impression by children's ministries that the main reason God gave the Bible is to teach them “how to” live – how to tell the truth, how to obey mommy and daddy, how to work hard and make good grades, how to develop the right friends – instead of it being the story of how God has come in Jesus to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves (i.e., the gospel).
... the children's lesson usually is a biblical story that has been ripped from its redemptive historical context. This isolated story is then boiled down into a morality tale – a biblical Aesop's Fables, if you will – where children are called to do the right things.
... Could it be that the things we often focus on in teaching children Bible stories are secondary truths, supporting details instead of the main idea? Could it be that instead of giving our kids the life-giving truth of Jesus each week, we have mistakenly given them moralism; something that never grows a heart for Christ but does quite the opposite. Are we giving kids the good news or just good advice?
... a gospel-centered Bible story will seek to demonstrate how it ties into the bigger story of Redemption in Jesus. This means the teacher seeks to go “up” from the smaller, individual Bible story into the “Big Story”. Discontent with giving another moral lesson for children, gospel-centered curriculum understands the Bible ultimately reveals one story – the story of redemption in Jesus. It seeks to help the learner understand how the specific Bible story contributes to God's plan of salvation through Christ. How does this story “move the ball down the field” for the gospel? Do we see any types or prefigures of Jesus in this story? Does this story set up a scenario that Christ fulfills to a greater degree? Etc. A question I like to ask myself before I preach would also help here: Why did Jesus have to die for today's message?
... we should always attempt to put that exhortation within the frame of the gospel. For example, how does the gospel inform my seeking to be truthful? Well, for starters, people often lie because they want others to accept them. But, through the work of the cross, I should realize that I have been made acceptable to God. Thus, in continuing to trust the gospel, I can be freed from the desire to find acceptance in human approval. As a result, my desire to lie to others weakens. Therefore, gospel-centered curriculum isn't anti-moral exhortation, it is anti-moralism.
We cannot simply tell children (or adults for that matter) to simply stop worshipping whatever idol to which their heart is given. The idol is too powerful. To remove it we must replace it with something greater. We need the expulsive power of a new affection. The gospel, not mere moral exhortations, is that power
... When the gospel becomes secondary and treated like it's only the front door for the faith instead of being the room we live in, we are placing our children on the fast track for either being very religious (read: rule keeper) or rebellious (read: rule breaker). Both of those groups will be far from God.
(Read the full article at Gospel-Centered Children's Curriculum by Yancey Arrington)
Unfortunately, this gospel-centered emphasis appears to be a rare commodity in children's curriculum which far too often devolves into mere moralism – Sesame Street with a little Jesus sprinkled on top. Every Sunday in churches all across America kids are given the impression by children's ministries that the main reason God gave the Bible is to teach them “how to” live – how to tell the truth, how to obey mommy and daddy, how to work hard and make good grades, how to develop the right friends – instead of it being the story of how God has come in Jesus to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves (i.e., the gospel).
... the children's lesson usually is a biblical story that has been ripped from its redemptive historical context. This isolated story is then boiled down into a morality tale – a biblical Aesop's Fables, if you will – where children are called to do the right things.
... Could it be that the things we often focus on in teaching children Bible stories are secondary truths, supporting details instead of the main idea? Could it be that instead of giving our kids the life-giving truth of Jesus each week, we have mistakenly given them moralism; something that never grows a heart for Christ but does quite the opposite. Are we giving kids the good news or just good advice?
... a gospel-centered Bible story will seek to demonstrate how it ties into the bigger story of Redemption in Jesus. This means the teacher seeks to go “up” from the smaller, individual Bible story into the “Big Story”. Discontent with giving another moral lesson for children, gospel-centered curriculum understands the Bible ultimately reveals one story – the story of redemption in Jesus. It seeks to help the learner understand how the specific Bible story contributes to God's plan of salvation through Christ. How does this story “move the ball down the field” for the gospel? Do we see any types or prefigures of Jesus in this story? Does this story set up a scenario that Christ fulfills to a greater degree? Etc. A question I like to ask myself before I preach would also help here: Why did Jesus have to die for today's message?
... we should always attempt to put that exhortation within the frame of the gospel. For example, how does the gospel inform my seeking to be truthful? Well, for starters, people often lie because they want others to accept them. But, through the work of the cross, I should realize that I have been made acceptable to God. Thus, in continuing to trust the gospel, I can be freed from the desire to find acceptance in human approval. As a result, my desire to lie to others weakens. Therefore, gospel-centered curriculum isn't anti-moral exhortation, it is anti-moralism.
We cannot simply tell children (or adults for that matter) to simply stop worshipping whatever idol to which their heart is given. The idol is too powerful. To remove it we must replace it with something greater. We need the expulsive power of a new affection. The gospel, not mere moral exhortations, is that power
... When the gospel becomes secondary and treated like it's only the front door for the faith instead of being the room we live in, we are placing our children on the fast track for either being very religious (read: rule keeper) or rebellious (read: rule breaker). Both of those groups will be far from God.
(Read the full article at Gospel-Centered Children's Curriculum by Yancey Arrington)
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