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BOTTOM LINE:
Stop your whining, trust God, and enjoy the ride!
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn to stop grumbling and enjoy life.
KEY PASSAGE:
Exodus 16:1-16. The Israelites grumble against Moses.
MEMORY VERSE:
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human
masters. Colossians 3:23
SUMMARY:
The most common phrase uttered on a road trip (after I need the potty!) is Are we
there yet? How many good times are spoiled by grumbling and complaining? Instead
of whining all the time, we need to learn to trust God and enjoy the ride.
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Teach us to be grateful at all times and not to grumble. Help us to enjoy the blessings
you give us every day.
In Jesus name,
Amen
MEMORY VERSE
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human
masters. Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Work at everything you do with all your heart. Work as if you were working for the Lord,
not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 (NIrV)
LARGE GROUP:
Put the verse on the big screen and read it aloud with the kids.
SMALL GROUP:
Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words.
Then ask them how this verse is connected to todays story.
SKIT
ARE WE THERE YET?
ITEMS NEEDED:
6 chairs
Steering wheel (optional)
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN: 3M/3F
CHARACTERS:
Moses
Sarah, George, Sharon, Brian, and Julia- Ungrateful brats
Six chairs are arranged on stage facing the audience in three rows of two like a minivan. Moses is in the drivers seat. Sharons in the front passenger seat. Julia and Brian
are in the middle, and Sarah and George are in the back.
SARAH: Are we there yet?
MOSES: No.
SARAH: Are we there yet?
MOSES: No.
SARAH: Are we there yet?
MOSES: No.
BRIAN: I need to go potty.
MOSES: We just stopped for a potty.
SKIT
BRIAN: Well I need to stop again!
GEORGE: Im hungry!
JULIA: Can you turn the radio on?
MOSES: No.
JULIA: Why not?
MOSES: Because were in the middle of the wilderness! Theres no radio out
here.
SARAH: Are we there yet?
MOSES: No!
GEORGE: I need a drink!
SHARON: Do you even know where we are?
MOSES: Sort of.
SHARON: What do you mean, sort of?
MOSES: Were going to the Promised Land.
SHARON: How far is it?
MOSES: I dont know.
SHARON: How long til we get there?
MOSES: I dont know!
BRIAN: I need to go potty!
MOSES: Well stop for a potty in a little while.
JULIA: Can you put in some Van Halen? I love Van Halen.
MOSES: I dont have any Van Halen.
SKIT
JULIA: What about Bon Jovi?
MOSES: I dont have Bon Jovi.
JULIA: Well what music do you have?
MOSES: I dont have any music!
JULIA: (groans) This is so boring!
SHARON: So you have no idea where this land is?
MOSES: No.
SHARON: Then how will we get there?
MOSES: God will show us.
SHARON: You know who else could show us? On-Star! You press that button, and a
nice On-Star rep will tell us where we ARE!!
SARAH: Are we there YET??
MOSES: No!!
BRIAN: I need to go potty!
MOSES: I dont need On-Star, okay?
SHARON: Do you have a map?
MOSES: Do you see that pillar of cloud out there? Gods in that cloud, and thats how I
know where to go.
GEORGE: Does the pillar of cloud know where we can find a McDonalds?
MOSES: There are no McDonalds out here!
GEORGE: But Im starving!
MOSES: God will provide our food!
GEORGE: He better have fries with it!
SKIT
SARAH: Are we there yet?
MOSES: NO!!
BRIAN: I need to go potty - NOW!!
SHARON: So what happens when it gets dark? Hmm? You cant see a pillar of cloud at
night.
MOSES: Then God will give us a pillar of fire.
SHARON: Oh that sounds safe. Tailgating a pillar of fire as we blaze down the Interstate?
JULIA: AC/DC wrote a song about that. Do you have any AC/DC?
MOSES: NO!!
JULIA: I want some music!!
GEORGE: If I dont get anything to eat, Im going to die!!
SARAH: Are we there YET???
MOSES: NO!!!!
BRIAN: I NEED TO GO POTTY!!!
Moses slams on the brakes. Sound effect of squealing brakes. Everyone dips forward
and then back.
BRIAN: Never mind, just went.
MOSES: All right, Ive had about enough of this. I took you people out of slavery and
bondage! Im taking you to the land God promised our ancestor Abraham, a land of milk
and honey! And what have I heard ever since we left? I wanna eat! I wanna go potty! I
wanna hear the radio! Are we there yet?
SHARON: On-Star.
MOSES: God has promised to give us a home, food, security, and yes, there will be toilets and radio! But if you all dont stop whining and crying and complaining, so help me I
will turn this van around and take you all straight back to Egypt!
SKIT
ALL EXCEPT MOSES: GOOD!!!!
End.
The Israelites were a truly ungrateful lot, and even after they were fed with manna they
still complained. Sometimes, tho, we sound just as bad. Mom and Dad go to all the
trouble to plan a fun family get away, and all we do on the way is complain about being
hot, being hungry, or not getting to listen to our music. And its not just with Mom and
Dad on road trips, where we complain. We complain in school, we complain at home,
and we complain to God.
This is not what God wants for his followers. God wants us to be people who embrace
the journey, who dont mind a little delayed gratification. He wants us to trust him, and
he has given us plenty of reasons to do so!
DRIVE IT HOME
First of all, we can trust God and let go of our worries because he loves us enough to
meet our needs. When the Israelites complained about the food situation, God didnt
just tell them to suck it up until the next exit. He sent them all the food they would need.
God isnt going to neglect us any more than he did Israel. He wont always answer in
the way we expect, but he never fails to give us what we need.
The second reason we have to trust God and not complain is the Bible itself. In the Bible we find story after story that prove Gods faithfulness. God promised Abraham a son
in his old age and delivered. God stuck by Joseph in prison and eventually led him to
the throne of Egypt, where he saved his family from famine. God heard the cries of his
captive people and sent Moses to set them free.
The children of Israel had these stories too, but they seemed to ignore them. Instead of
trusting the God of Abraham and Joseph who had already delivered them from slavery,
they cried and complained for the few creature comforts they missed in Egypt.
We need to remember these stories of faithfulness, especially the one about Jesus
coming to die for our sins. When we remember these moments, we are reminded of
Gods goodness. We may not see what God is doing, but the stories of Gods faithfulness can carry us through those times until his perfect plan is revealed.
Finally, we need to trust God and not complain so we can enjoy the journey. God
doesnt want us to only live for the best of times. We can have joy every day - even in
those long car rides.
5 Simple Ways You Can Make This Lesson Stick With Your Kids
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for
the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for
the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for
the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for
the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
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