WONDERFAIR

God's Grand Finale

The wonderful and magnificent Wonderfair...the greatest show on earth!!!!

Welcome to the wonderfair where we will be discovering the marvellous and wondrous miracles of God!

God's Miraculous Protection--Daniel the lion tamer
God's Miraculous Strength--Samson the strongest man on earth
God's Miraculous Provision-- Elijah and the widows never ending oil and flour...magically appearing out of thin air.
God's Miraculous Healing Power--Elijah raises the widows son from the dead. Power unmatched by any other.
God's Grace--the greatest miracle of all-- the death and resurrection of Jesus
God's Grand Finale--the great disappearing act--Elijah taken to heaven

The Set

Set up the room like a circus. Make a big top out of crete paper on the ceiling. Hand balloons all over the room. Make a back drop of a ticket booth, animal train, circus acts, etc. Use your creativity to make the room as bright and lively as possible.

LESSON SIX - GOD'S GRAND FINALE

This week: We will discover Gods miraculous power over death and sin.

Goals

To teach the children that:

• God is wonderful and magnificent
• God will forgive our sins if we ask.
• God will give us eternal life.
• we must serve God with our whole hearts
• If we serve Jesus with our whole hearts he will take us to heaven some day
• Heaven is our reward for serving Jesus with our whole hearts.

Rules

It sometimes seems to get old to review the rules week after week, but it is very important to do it anyways. Find creative ways to review the rules...bring someone in to tell them in another language and allow the kids to "interpret" or make a rebus, etc.

1. No illegal movement: wild animals need to be caged but boys are girls need to behave...stay in your seat and keep your hands and feet to yourself.
2. No interference: clowns are crazy but boys and girls can have fun without misbehaving...don't interrupt like the clowns or cause a commotion.
3. Go for the touch down: Lets have fun praising the Lord as we discover some of the magnificent miracles of God.

Prayer

Remember to spend time in prayer this week for the children in our service. God is able to do great and powerful things when we seek his face. God has great things in store for us this week. Have you been faithful to seek his anointing and leading?

Characters Needed

Ring master, the magician, one clown, and puppets

Opening

Clown skit. They come running arguing trying to lug their suitcase with them..push, pull, work harder...you silly clown. You're doing it all wrong. The ring master can groan and say "Oh no here they come again." Can't you see that we are trying to start our service?

Clowns: Oh yeah we know and we wouldn't miss it for the world. We can't wait. We heard we are going to learn how to get ready to go to heaven. See we are packed and ready to go.

Ring master: oh brother! She has her suitcase packed with everything she might need...like her blankie for comfort, her coke because they might only have Pepsi in heaven, snacks and toys, and clean underwear (funny looking boxers).

Then she can tell them she is all packed and ready to go and show all the stuff she has. The ring master can explain that being ready doesn't mean being packed. Being ready means having your heart ready. She then runs out and disappears acting as if she know exactly what to do.

Ring master can then introduce the worlds greatest magician. All the way from Tinbucktwo, here is Ringo the magician. He will attempt to make this egg vanish before your very eyes. (Obtain a hard boiled egg with shell removed. Place a candle inside a milk jug. Place the egg on the opening of the jug. It will fit nicely and not fall through. Talk about the things people think will get them into heaven. Explain that none of those things will work. Nothing people can do can get them into heaven just like this egg can't get into this jug on its own. Then when ready light the candle and put the egg back on the opening. As the oxygen is consumed by the fire it will create a vacuum and the egg will magically be sucked into the jug. In order to get to heaven you must have Jesus in your life...just like the candle in the jug.

Ring master: There you have it ladies and gentlemen! You have seen with your very own eyes the great Ringo perform this great feat. You watched with your very own eyes as that egg disappeared. This was only a trick. Ringo can't really make things disappear, but some day Jesus is going to return to take us to heaven and we are going to disappear with him into heaven. This act reminds me of a story. Tell the story of Elijah being taken up to heaven. Use a piece of flash paper to represent Elijah. Tell the kids that someday Jesus is coming to take us to heaven.

Games

Circus Limbo

Play a limbo game where kids must bend over backwards to move under the pole. Each time the pole is lowered a notch making it more difficult. At the end of the game award all of the players a prize. Explain that the gift of eternal life that God gives us is just that. It is a gift that is not earned. All he asks is that we serve him. We deserve to die for our sins but he will give us eternal life instead just because he loves us. And because we love him we should do our best to serve him with our whole hearts.

Clown Skit

The clown comes running in with candy and begins to give it away. She acts sweet as can be to the point of being obnoxious. When asked what she is doing she says she is being really nice so she can get to heaven. The ring master can explain that it is great to be nice but that alone won't get you into heaven. The ring master can explain that she needs Jesus in her heart. She decides to ask Jesus in her heart and then she starts taking all of her candy back and being really mean. The ring master can ask her what she is doing again. This time she explains that now that she has asked Jesus into her heart she doesn't need to be nice anymore and wants her candy back. Now the ring master can explain that when you ask Jesus into your life that you need to serve him with your whole heart and obey him. If we really love God we will want to serve him and obey him.

Memory verse: He will guide me and then take me to glory. Psalm 73:24

Puppet Show

Bobo is crying hysterically behind stage.

Ringmaster: What in the world is all that racket. It sounds like someone crying. I wonder if that is Bobo. Why don't we call him and see what is up.

Bobo: (comes us sobbing) Oh boo hooo... Its just terrible!! Oh boo hoo hoooo

Ring master: What in the world is the matter with you Bobo? Are you sick?

Bobo: Oh no. Even worse...Oh boo hooo hooo.

Ring master: Well, what is it? Are you hurt?

Bobo: Oh no even worse... boohoohoo.

Ring master: What could be worse?

Bobo: I can't go to heaven. Boo hoo hoo.

Ring master: Of course you can Bobo.

Bobo: No I can't. I picked my nose and put my boogers on Bongos candy bar when she wasn't looking...I was so bad. And I peeked at my Christmas presents that you hid under your bed...and I pretended to be sick so I wouldn't have to pooper scooper after the elephants..and I tied the monkeys tail to the top of the tight wire...and I ran the clowns underwear up the flag pole...

Ring master: Well, I see you have definitely been busy! It sounds as if you haven't been listening to the voice of the Holy spirit. But, it is not too late to get ready for heaven. Now is a great time to take care of that.

Bobo: It is? You mean I can still ask Jesus to forgive me? Oh boy! (Bobo should pray for forgiveness)

Ring master: I am so glad you took care of that Bobo.

Bobo: Does this mean I am ready now?

Ring master: Yes it does. Now all you need to do is stay ready by serving Jesus with your whole heart.

Bobo: I am going to try my hardest. I want to be ready for heaven. Well I am going to go now.

Ring master: Good bye Bobo.

Copyright 1998, Sheryl Coats