Leader Guide
Matching Game
- Bibles or the Superbook Bible App
- Matching Cards
- Matching Cards Poster
- Poster board
- Ruler
- Marker
- Pencil
- Cardstock
- Tape
- Scissors
Print the poster file out on 3 11x17 sheets of paper and tape together, using a poster board backer if needed.
Print the card file out double sided, the numbers should be upside down compared to the text when printed. Cut out the cards along the dotted lines.
Starting at the bottom row of the poster align a random card to the dotted lines and tape the top of the card to the poster—this will serve as a hinge.
The cards are randomly numbered, feel free to place cards randomly on the poster or numeric, the text is random underneath.
OR
Make a copy on cardstock of the Matching Card Pattern.
Cut out the 18 individual cards.
Mix up the cards in a pile and then place one number from 1–18 on the back of each card.
Use a pencil to write “Jesus” in large letters to cover most of the poster board, leaving the suggested borders around the edges.
Use marker to trace the pencil letters.
Tape the cards in numerical order on the poster board to cover up the word “Jesus.”
Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “I want more of Jesus and less of me.”
As we become more like Jesus and less like our old, sinful nature, the more people can see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. For instance, we will show more of God’s love and be slow to anger. We will show more patience and less impatience.
We are going to play a matching game together as a group to reveal something at the end of our game. There are nine different words that are not godly characteristics. They are sinful—the opposite of the Fruit of the Spirit that we have been learning as part of our Discipleship Challenge. Each word has two cards which you will try to match. Once they are matched, we will remove them from the board.
Children each take two guesses, one card at a time, by saying the numbers on the cards they choose. Flip over each card as it is guessed to show the children, and read it aloud to help any nonreaders. If the cards do not match, return both to the board, number side out. As each match is revealed, remove the cards from the poster and ask what Fruit of the Spirit is the opposite of that word. See chart below for reference. As more cards are removed, the children will begin to see more and more of Jesus until His name is completely visible!
Reference chart for discussion:
Love—anger
Joy—jealousy
Peace—fear
Patience—impatience
Kindness—unkindness
Goodness—wickedness
Faithfulness—unfaithfulness
Gentleness—rudeness
Self-control—carelessness
Conclusion: Good job, everyone. As we took away each of the bad characteristics, more of Jesus was revealed. That is the same in each of our lives—the less of us, the more that Jesus will be revealed to others in our words and actions!