Scripture: I Kings 18:1-19:18
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn God is the only god we should worship.
- Students will learn that just like Baal, false gods like money, beauty and even power have no strength or value compared to God.
- Students will learn sometimes God shows himself to us in quiet ways like the whisper to Elijah.
- Students will learn about idols and the importance of keeping God first in their lives.
Guiding Question: How do idols keep us from focusing on God?
Materials: Large white construction paper, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, markers
Procedure: Review the story of Elijah and Mt. Carmel from the scriptures above. Emphasize the people’s dependence on idols and how the idols distracted them from the true God. Explain that idols are not just statues like the story. Idols can be anything that distracts us from God or becomes a priority in our life. Idols can be a multitude of things – a job, other people, TV, video games, sports, etc. Remind the students that there is nothing wrong with enjoying things like our jobs and TV but they should never come before God.
Give each students a sheet of paper and materials to write/draw with. Have the students write the first of the ten commandments at the top of a page. Then have the students draw an “idol” that many people today have. The students will then surround it with pictures of other idols people are tempted to put in front of God. Have the students share their papers and discuss ways to avoid putting other things before God.
Additional Questions: How does eliminating distractions in our life help us grow closer to God?
Supplemental Activity: Have the students pick one thing that they see as a possible distraction/idol in their life. Once they decide, have the students put together a plan for the upcoming week to remove the distraction or make it very minimal. (Example: not watching TV for a week or only 1 hour of TV a day) Have students share their plans with the class. The next week, students can share their successes, challenges, and how they were able to spend more time with God.