SuperVerse

Read the SuperVerse on the board with the children.

“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

This verse is from Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down to teach the large crowds who gathered. He began to teach on many different important subjects that included loving your enemies. Jesus tells us to pray for those who persecute us. Can anyone tell us what persecute means? To treat someone cruelly or unfairly.

Sometimes people are persecuted because of their race or the color of their skin. Sometimes people are persecuted because they follow Jesus. It is not easy to love our enemies and pray for people who persecute us. We need the Holy Spirit’s help so that we can obey Jesus.

Have children divide into groups of three or four. Allow a couple of minutes for them to create motions to act out the verse. They may choose to have just one child say the verse as if preaching, while the others act it out. Have each group perform their version of the verse for the class.

Alternate activity: Have children form two lines perpendicular to the board, leaving several feet between the two lines.

Players face the one directly across from them. See illustration.

Hand the first player a ball on one end of the line.

That player shouts the first word of the SuperVerse and then passes the ball to the child directly across.

The second player catches the ball, shouts the second word and passes it to the third child.

Continue this way until the entire SuperVerse is completed.

If a ball hits the floor, play begins again at that point with the first word of the SuperVerse.

When the SuperVerse is completed, record the time on the board.

Play another round beginning with a player at a different end.

Challenge the children to beat the first time.

Younger children may not be able to memorize the entire SuperVerse. Be sure all children understand its meaning.