Children's session

Read Bible notes on Matthew 5.1-12

The Beatitudes are an important part of Jesus’ teaching to his followers. Initially they may seem challenging but there is much to encourage, with the promise that God is with us and brings good things in hard times.
Can you think of times when you have been in any of those situations mentioned in the passage? How did it feel? Did you feel or experience growth either during or after the experience? 
This session helps children understand that at times life can be difficult, but God will be with us and offer good things. We often think that for things to grow they need light, but growth can take place in darkness. The same is true for our lives. We can often change and grow during difficult or dark times.
It will be important for children to understand that they can be honest and talk about difficult times with people they know and trust, in a safe environment.

Underground goodness  W

You will need: potato, carrot, mushroom, stick of rhubarb (if available); four dark towels, tea towels or similar, blindfolds/scarves.

• Place the items under separate dark-coloured towels or cloths. Each child puts on a blindfold and reaches under the cloth to guess what food it is. When all children have had a go, remove the cloths to reveal what was there.
• Explain that each one needs the darkness to grow, just as we can grow in dark times.

Read the story and pause at the  to share these points with the children (see Stop and share below). Then use the activity to explore the passage together. (10 mins)

Click on the image to view a PDF.

 Stop and share

• Sometimes we might be sad or need help. God promises he will be with us. Being humble includes not showing off about things.
• Being merciful and pure in heart includes being kind and not doing things that are wrong. Peacemakers are people who try and help others when they fall out.
• People can say unkind things about Christians. God understands when we are upset.
• Prophets were given a message from God to tell the people, but they were treated badly sometimes too.

Blessing balls   E

• Help the children to understand the word ‘blessed’. Explain that it can be about understanding that God is with us and cares about us. Some of these blessings seem hard, but God is with us and will give us good things in difficult times.
• Invite the children to sit with their hands curled into a ball. Each time they hear the word ’blessed’, they reach both hands out forwards with fingers spread out wide. Give a moment at the end of each 'blessed' so they can curl their hands back into a ball.

Joy jars E S

Create a bank of positive memories, photos or verses

You will need: empty jam jars, coloured tissue paper, glue, coloured pens, small pieces of paper.

• Make ‘joy jars’ by gluing tissue paper to the outside of a jar and decorating it. Invite the children to write or draw things that give them joy in difficult times, e.g. things they have enjoyed, memories, verses. Add these to the jar. They could also add photos when they take their jar home.
• The children can take out their memories and look at them when things are difficult.

Sing

'Up Times, Down Times' - FREE! download(s) from Same Boat Music.

Find more suggestions on the Hymns, songs & music page.

Talk together and talk to God

Use these questions to discuss the Bible passage and then bring your thoughts together by praying to God.

Talk together

• Can you think of a time recently when you were kind and tried to help others?
• Have there been times when you have needed God’s help because things were difficult?
• How could you support your friends if they had a disagreement?

Talk to God: It’s good to share  E S

Bring difficult things to God in prayer

You will need: coloured paper with a speech bubble drawn on for each child, pens.

• Encourage the children to reflect on the things they find difficult and then write them in the bubble. They can then fold their paper in half so that no one can see them.
• Invite the children to spend some time in quiet prayer or reflection. The leader should pray in general for the things written and unknown. The children can take their paper home and continue to talk with God and people they trust about difficult times. 

Activity sheet

Scratch art  S

Make a symbol of good things coming out of darkness 

You will need: A5 scratch art cards, or make your own ahead of time, toothpicks or similar.

• Invite the children to write their name on their scratch art card. The beautiful colours will shine through the dark. Talk about God’s promise to give good things in difficult times. 

• Put out two glasses of clean water, for all to see. Put some teaspoons of soil into one, explaining that this is how things can be messed up when we live in our own way or do things that are not good, when we are not pure in heart. The clean glass stands for a life lived as God wants us to: being kind, helping others, being gentle, not showing off. Ask the children to think about the things that might be the mud in their water. Ask: What one thing would you like to work on, to live your life as God wants us to?

Go with God 24/7

Encourage the children to put their faith into action

People find different things difficult in life. Reflect on what those are for you and invite God to bring hope and good in those times.
E S

Before you finish, give out the ROOTS at home resource to encourage faith at home.