Ruth Sunday School Lesson
RuthΒ Sunday School Lesson For Kids:
BOTTOM LINE:
We should strive to be loyal to God and to others.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn the importance of loyalty.
KEY PASSAGE:
Ruth 1, Ruth And Naomi
MEMORY VERSE:
βFollow Godβs example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.βEphesians 5:1-2 (NIV)
SUMMARY:
Dogs are very loyal pets, faithful always. God wants us to have that same kind of loyalty to him and to those who love us.
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Teach us to be loyal Christians and friends.
In Jesusβname,
Amen
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MEMORY VERSE
βFollow Godβs example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.βEphesians 5:1-2(NIV)
βYou are the children that God dearly loves. So follow his example. Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.βEphesians 5:1-2 (NIrV)
LARGE GROUP:
Divide the room between girls and boys. Have the boys read the verse aloud, and then have the girls read it aloud. Who can read the loudest?
SMALL GROUP:
Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to todayβs story.
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SKIT
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A LITTLE LOYALTY
ITEMS NEEDED:
A table, a microphone, headphones
A dog puppet (optional)
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
1M/1F
CHARACTERS:
Derek- A radio host
Fifi- A dog
Derek sits at the desk, hosting his weekly radio show.
DEREK: Hey there, to all my hooved, pawed, and clawed friends. Itβs Doghouse Derek, the man who talks to pets, and youβre listening to WFUR - the radio station so high up on the frequency humans canβt hear it. Today weβre taking your calls to talk about those pesky owners. Got an owner who buys the cheap pet food? Got an owner going through relationship troubles? Then give us a call at 1-800-BOW-WOW-WOW and weβll find the answers for you. Letβs take a call. Hello, Cedar Rapids, youβre on the air.
FIFI: Hi, Derek, Iβm Fifi, and Iβm a dalmation/lab mix.
DEREK: All right, we have a canine on the air. Tell us, Fifi, whatβs up with your owner?
FIFI: Oh, I wish I knew, Derek. One minute, sheβs all happy, spending time with friends and reading the Bible. The next minute sheβs playing one of those violent video games, screaming and yelling at the computer.
DEREK: Oh my! I hope she hasnβt thrown that controller at you. That hurts!
FIFI: No, not yet. But sheβs back and forth all the time. Sheβs a good friend to this pal of hers one minute, and then sheβs on the phone gossiping about her. Sheβs all about going to church, but then she lies and skips to go shopping. And she used to be a really big fan of the Chicago Bears, but latelyβ¦well, the Bears havenβt been good, so sheβs started cheering for another team.
DEREK: Oh no!
FIFI: I wonβt say which one, but yeah, itβs getting bad, Derek.
DEREK: Fifi, it sounds like your owner has a problem with loyalty. She canβt decide if she wants to be loyal to God or not. She isnβt being loyal to her friends. And sheβs definitely being disloyal to her team.
FIFI: I hate to see her this way. What can I do?
DEREK: Iβll tell you what, Fifi. You just gotta be the best you that you can be.
FIFI: What does that mean?
DEREK: Youβre a dog, Fifi! No one is more loyal than dogs.
FIFI: Thatβs the truth!
DEREK: Your owner needs to see loyalty in action. Then maybe she will learn to get her act together and be loyal to the people who love and care for her. Does that help?
FIFI: Oh, that helps a lot! Iβm so happy, my tail is wagging!
DEREK: Dogs are the most loyal pets known to man. They love their owners and their ownersβfamilies. Dogs are always faithful. Thatβs an example every pet owner and non-pet owner can learn a lesson from. Thanks for the call, Fifi. And hey folks, weβll be right back after this word!
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OBJECT LESSON
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ITEMS NEEDED:
Dog treats
If one of the adult leaders has a dog, especially a puppy, ask if he/she is willing to bring the pet in to show how dogs respond to treats.
Dogs love treats. They will do anything for a treat, and by extension, they will do anything for the people who give them treats. Dogs learn through treats and positive reinforcement whom they can trust, and when dogs become bound to a family, they are the most loyal pets you can possibly have.
Humans arenβt nearly so loyal. We change loyalties at the drop of a hat sometimes. We are disloyal to our friends, to our families, and to God.
God wants us to be more like our dogs. He wants us to be loyal first to him, but also to the people who love us. He wants us to be loyal sons and daughters, as well as brothers and sisters. And he wants us to be loyal friends. In doing so, we can let the love of Jesus shine through us and onto the people we care about.
How loyal are you to the people who care about you most? Ask God to make you the loyal son, daughter, or friend he wants you to be, and pray that you can become a loyal believer in Jesus.
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LARGE GROUP GAME
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LASSO FOR LASSIE
ITEMS NEEDED:
A dog leash and collar
A stuffed dog toy
INSTRUCTIONS:
Set the dog toy on the ground. Choose one player for this game. The contestant has sixty seconds to βlassoβthe dog using a dog leash and collar. If he can hook and pull the dog to himself before time runs out, he wins!
VARIATION:
An alternate game would be to set up an orange cone and see how many dog collars the kids can ring around the cone.
WHATβS THE POINT?
Some dogs are so loyal they hardly need a leash. God wants us to be loyal to him and to others.
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LARGE GROUP LESSON
BOTTOM LINE:
We should strive to be loyal to God and to others.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn the importance of loyalty.
KEY PASSAGE:
Ruth 1, Ruth And Naomi
INTRO:
Ever wonder whatβs going on inside the mind of your pet? Science tells us that animals arenβt as sophisticated in their thinking as we humans are, but anyone who has owned a pet can tell you thereβs something going on in their little heads.
Of all the animals we call pets, dogs are probably the easiest to read. If a dog is not sleeping, a dog is thinking of one thing. Food. Food, food, food. Dogs are always searching the house for food. They search under the table where we eat. They search the edge of the couch where Mom and Dad snack. They surf the counters in the kitchen when no one is around. They sniff around the edges of your bed - because we all KNOW thatβs where some of you sneak and hide snacks, right?
Dogs love food, but thereβs one thing dog seem to love more than food, and thatβs to belong. Dogs are pack animals. They like being part of a group, and when you have a dog in the house, your family becomes the dogβs pack.
Dogs are fiercely loyal to their families. They are loyal to their masters, the ones who give them food, shelter, and cuddles. Dogs are loyal to anyone who is important to their masters. People who have dogs and then have children are often amazed just how much their dogs love and care for their babies!
Dogs follow their loved ones everywhere, even when theyβre not on a leash. They want to be beside you or at your feet at all times. Their love is pure, and it is never ending. Dogs are fiercely loyal.
Todayβs Bible story is a story about loyalty. Itβs about a young woman who chose loyalty to a woman from another country and another culture. She left her whole world behind to be loyal to a woman who had loved her like a daughter.
READ RUTH 1
MAIN POINT:
Ruth was from Moab. Naomi was from Israel. Ruth married Naomiβs son, but when both Ruthβs and Naomiβs husbands died, Naomi urged Ruth to go home. She told her to go back to her family and her people, where she could start over and have a happy life instead of the life of a widow.
Ruth chose to stay loyal to Naomi. She left her old life behind and chose to worship Naomiβs God and be loyal to her adopted mother. Naomiβs loyalty is an example and a challenge for all of us. God wants us to be loyal to him and loyal to those who love us.
DRIVE IT HOME:
Loyalty is a very strong trait in dogs, but not so much in people. People are known for turning on one another. Friends who seemed inseparable become enemies after only one fight. Friends become divided when one gets an opportunity and the other does not. Even family members turn on one another at times!
People are disloyal to God as well. They come to church, they sing worship songs, they give in the offering, and they read the Bible with their friends. But when they leave church, they leave Jesus behind. They lie, cheat, and steal. They do things that Christians should not do.
We all need to take a lesson from our dogs. Dogs donβt turn on people because they have a fight. Dogs are quick to forgive. Dogs know that no matter what, family is family. They never waiver, and they are loyal to the end.
We hear stories all the time about the loyalty of dogs, and we marvel at the love an animal can have for a human. If dogs can love that powerfully, how much more should we be able to love?
We also need to take our loyalty to God seriously. We need to love him with all our hearts, and by loving him, we need to love our neighbors, our classmates, our family and friends. God wants us to be especially loyal to those close to us. Like Ruth, we should cling to our families and be there for them, no matter what.
Dogs are the most loyal pets a boy or girl could ask for. Letβs learn a lesson from our dogs, and letβs learn to be as loyal to those who care for us as our dogs are to us!
CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Teach us to be loyal Christians and friends.
In Jesusβname,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)
ICEBREAKER:
If you have a dog, whatβs his or her name? If you donβt have a dog, what would you name one?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:
Ephesians 5:1-2
Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to todayβs story.
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY:
Have the kids act out the story from Ruth 1 as you re-read it to them.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Where was Ruth from?
Where was Naomi from?
Why did Naomi tell Ruth to go home to Moab?
What choice did Ruth make?
How can we be more loyal to God and our families?
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Forgive us for the times we let you down. Teach us to be loyal to you.
In Jesusβname,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3RD-5TH)
ICEBREAKER:
If you have a dog, whatβs his or her name? If you donβt have a dog, what would you name one?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:
Ephesians 5:1-2
Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to todayβs story.
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY:
Have the kids create and act out a skit based on todayβs story.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Read Ruth 1
Where was Ruth from?
Why did Naomi tell Ruth to go home to Moab?
Why did Ruth choose to stay with Naomi?
Why do you think people are so bad at staying loyal to others and God?
This week, how can you be more loyal to God and your family?
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Forgive us for the times we let you down. Teach us to be loyal to you.
In Jesusβname,
Amen
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For your convenience, you can also download the entire PDF version of thisΒ Ruth Children's Ministry LessonΒ (just click the link).Β
Here's a video from Saddleback kids that you might find helpful to go along with your Sunday School Lesson on Ruth.
Take a look at the links below for other ideas for teaching a RuthΒ Sunday School Lesson:
God Is Faithful (Story of Ruth and Naomi) Sunday School Lesson
Ruth and Naomi Bible Lesson Plan - DLTK-Bible
Sunday School Curriculum- Ruth and Naomi - DLTK-Bible
Ruth and Naomi β Mission Bible Class
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