Teacher Script
Introduction
Hello children of God! Today is a beautiful day and we’re celebrating a fun season. Do you know what it is? (Fall/Autumn) That’s right! Fall is a time for many fun things like caramel apple spice lattes, colorful leaves, and of course, pumpkins! But there’s something else we see a lot of during this time of year – candy!
Candy and Trick-or-Treating
Stores are full of candy around Halloween and it can be a fun time to enjoy some treats. Do you ever go to trunk-or-treat events at church? Trunk-or-treating is where people decorate their car trunks and hand out candy to kids. It’s a lot of fun! Or maybe you go trick-or-treating in your neighborhood dressed up in costumes. You ring the doorbell and say “trick-or-treat” and hopefully get a bunch of delicious candy!
Free Candy?
All this candy seems free, but is it really? Someone has to pay for it at the store. The person giving you candy might have bought it themselves, or maybe they got it from someone else.
Grace is Like Free Candy
This reminds me of how grace works. We get something for free, but someone had to pay for it. We can celebrate that God has given us grace through his mercy. Because of sin, we deserve bad things to happen to us. But God, in his grace, offers us something better – eternal life with him!
Jesus Paid the Price
This free gift of grace comes at a price. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He paid for us to have eternal life.
Accepting God’s Grace
All we have to do is accept this gift of grace. We don’t have to earn it or work for it. We just believe in Jesus and ask for God’s forgiveness.
Conclusion
God’s grace is even better than free candy because it doesn’t cause cavities! Even though we mess up, God still loves us and offers us salvation. So, let’s thank God for his amazing gift of grace.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for your free gift of grace. Help us to trust in you and receive that gift. Thank you for the promise of eternal life. Thank you for your love, God. We love you in your son Jesus’ name. Amen.
Call to Action
Enjoy your free candy this Halloween, but remember that God’s free grace is an even sweeter gift! Have a wonderful week, go out and make new disciples for Jesus, and join us again next time!
Teacher Outline
Introduction (5 minutes)
- Greet students and introduce the lesson topic: God’s Grace.
- Briefly discuss fall and its associated fun activities (optional: show pictures).
- Highlight Halloween and its traditions, including candy (pictures are optional).
Candy and Trick-or-Treating (5 minutes)
- Discuss how candy is readily available during Halloween.
- Briefly explain trick-or-treating and trunk-or-treating at church (if applicable).
- Ask a question to engage students: “Is candy really free?”
Grace is Like Free Candy (5 minutes)
- Explain that although candy seems free, someone pays for it.
- Use this analogy to introduce God’s grace: a free gift, but someone paid the price.
- Briefly explain grace as God’s mercy despite our sin.
- Highlight that grace offers eternal life with God.
Jesus Paid the Price (5 minutes)
- Explain that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for our sins.
- Emphasize that Jesus’ death offers us the free gift of grace and eternal life.
Accepting God’s Grace (5 minutes)
- Explain that accepting God’s grace is simple: believe in Jesus and ask for forgiveness.
- Reiterate that we don’t earn or work for grace; it’s a gift to be received.
Conclusion (5 minutes)
- Compare God’s grace to candy: Grace is even better because it doesn’t cause spiritual cavities!
- Emphasize God’s love and offer of salvation despite our mistakes.
- Lead a prayer thanking God for grace and eternal life.
Call to Action (2 minutes)
- Briefly remind students that God’s grace is superior to candy.
- Encourage students to share the message of grace with others (“make new disciples for Jesus”).
- Generate excitement and invite them to attend the next lesson.
Note: This outline provides an estimated timeframe for each section. Adjust the timings based on your teaching pace and chosen activities.