Memorizing Scripture Week 2

Opening Act: Soaking Up Jesus

Each table has two sponges, a plate and a cup of water.  Talk about the qualities of a hard, dry sponge. Have various volunteers read verses on being hard-hearted. (Matt 13:14-15, Eph 4:18 and Gen 6:5) Put the sponge scrubber side up and poor a little bit of water on it…most of the time it runs off.

How can we soften our hearts? (Scripture, Service, Prayer…)

Turn the sponge over to the soft side and poor water on – now what? Keep pouring water and what eventually happens? (It spreads out onto the plate because the sponge is so full.)  Now put the dry sponge on top of the wet sponge and what happens? How can we be like the wet sponge? DRIP JESUS on people!!

Memorizing Discussion: - Some more why’s

Each table has a card with a verse to look up and share as a group.

Ps 119:11, Josh 1:8, Deut 11:18, Col 3:16, Prov 6:21-22, Ps 37:30-31, Luke 8:15 and Ps 119:105

Have people share at their tables what scriptures they worked on memorizing.

Ask anyone to share a different technique they used.

Memory Stations

Have Memorizy Stations set up around the room for people to go to.

Scripture Hopscotch – toss bean bag and jump to square, saying the words from a Bible verse as you jump.

Pie Tins and clothes pins - each clothes pin is numbered and goes with a word. Roll dice to see which word to take off and recite the verse with that verse covered up.

Have a pile of legos and labels. Pick first verse to work on as family and put a word each lego.

Notecards –write first letter of each word from a verse and decorate for mirrors.

Pray It – Adults take their verse and write it into a prayer.

Memorizing Scripture Week 1

Opening Act: Swords!

Take out the sword and show everyone. Does anyone know what this is? It is a sword! Do you know what swords are used for? Fighting! In Ephesians 6:11 we are told to put on God’s armor and most of the armor listed is for our protection. But there is only one piece of armor that is used for fighting back. Do you know what is? The Sword of the Spirit!  (Swords purchased at Oriental Trading.)

Swords are sharp and they are used for cutting and the Bible says in Hebrews 4:12 that God’s Word is sharper than the sharpest knife! That means that it is powerful!  In our game today we are going to CUT THROUGH the lies and see the Truth.

Invite the kids to come up with the swords that you are handing out. They need to pick a cereal box and read the sticky note aloud. They are to decide if it’s the TRUTH or a LIE and then knock the box over. Under the box will be a card with a scripture to take back to their table to discover the scriptural truth of their TRUTH or LIE.  For example – It’s ok to get even when someone hurts you. Romans 12:21

Group Discussion: Why Memorize Scripture?

Brainstorm together why memorizing is important:

                Help you see God in your daily life – protect or inspire

                Empower you when you don’t have access to a Bible

From Tramp for The Lord – convo between Corrie and a fellow victim of the war,

“Once I was a concert pianist and many of my pupils are now outstanding musicians. I had a beautiful home in Dresden that was destroyed by the bombs. I had to flee and was not able to take one thing with me.” Oh, no, you are wrong,” I said. “You took with you your most prized possession.” “And what is that?” she asked shocked. “Your music. For that which is in your heart can never be taken from you.” Then I told her of what I had learned in Ravensbruck…and that God's love still stands when all else has fallen. “In the concentration camp they took all we had, even made us stand naked for hours at a time without rest, but they could not take Jesus from my heart. Ask Jesus to come into your life. He will give you riches no man can take away from you.”

                Comfort for others

                Keep perspective on world tragedies and injustices

   

Group Activities: How to Memorize

Hand out scripture cards.

Watch Dawn Davis Helping Preschoolers Memorize Bible Verses training clip (if few families with preschoolers only watch 1:34-2:40 for the Chant Method. (Have coloring sheets for kids during this along with note sheets for adults.) Practice Chant and action as a group.  Have each table pick a verse and come up with actions – share!

Break-Out Activity – Families colored verse cards/Adults Pronounce it

Tables with Children: break apart a verse by putting one or two words on a different color of the rainbow. Families work on memorizing verse by taking away one color/word at a time.

Tables without Children can work through the Pronounce It worksheet.