Lessons on Failure, Repentance and Redemption
People spend hours on the internet watching FAIL videos of people doing crazy things and putting themselves into terrible situations. In real life, we often FAIL. But when we REPENT – turn around and move towards God – we can find REDEMPTION. The Bible is filled with stories of epic FAILS that ended in amazing WINS.
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Faith Fails Children's Ministry Curriculum Lesson Overview:
Memory Verse:
“The Lord takes good care of all those who fall. He lifts up all those who feel helpless.” Psalm 145:14 (NIrV)
Lessons:
Abraham
Scripture: Genesis 12:10-20, Abram in Egypt, Genesis 20:1-13, Abraham and Abimelech
When Abraham traveled to Egypt, he lied and told the Pharaoh that his wife Sarah was actually his sister. Years later, Abraham repeated the same FAIL when he lied to Abimelech. Despite his repeated failure, God chose Abraham to be the father of the nation of Israel. Even though we may repeat the same mistake more than once, repentance and redemption are still available.
Objective: Kids will learn that just because we have some failures in our past, God can still forgive us and do great things with our life.
Sarah
Scripture: Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-6, Sarah laughs
When the angel said that Sarah would have a child, she laughed. FAIL. Then she lied about it. FAIL AGAIN. One year later, Sarah was the mother of Isaac. God turned her laughter of doubt into joyful laughter.
Objective: Kids will learn that God can turn our sorrow into joy.
Samson
Scripture: Judges 16:4-22, 27-30, Samson and Delilah
Samson was strong, but he didn’t always make the wisest decisions. He suffered a major FAIL when he shared the secret of his strength to a woman from the enemy nation. Despite his failure, Samson asked God to give him the strength to be used one last time before he died.
Objective: Kids will learn that God can redeem us even after many failures.
David
Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:1-13, Nathan Confronts David
David was the greatest king Israel ever had, but he was not without his FAIL moments. The biggest was when he had Uriah killed so that he could take his wife Bathsheba as his own. God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David and bring him to repentance.
Objective: Kids will learn that we need to be humble and listen when someone shows us a mistake we have made.
Jonah
Scripture: Jonah 1 & 2, Jonah Runs From God
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh; Jonah went in the other direction. FAIL. God sent a storm and a big fish to get Jonah's attention and bring him to repentance.
Objective: Kids will learn that repentance means to turn around and go the other way.
Jonah Again!
Scripture: Jonah 3 & 4, Jonah's Anger Toward God
After the experience with the fish, Jonah had learned his lesson and obeyed God by preaching to the people of Nineveh. The people of Nineveh took the message to heart and repented. This made Jonah very angry with God – SECOND FAIL – because he wanted to see God destroy Nineveh.
Objective: Kids will learn that God is loving and slow to anger, and that’s how God wants us to be towards other people.
Peter
Scripture: Mark 14:66-72, Peter Denies Jesus, John 21:15-19, Jesus Reinstates Peter
Peter was a friend of Jesus and one of his most trusted disciples. Surely he could not FAIL. But when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied that he ever knew Jesus. After Jesus rose from the dead, Peter learned that Jesus can forgive us, even when we have denied and disobeyed him.
Objective: Kids will learn that Jesus takes away our sin and restores us.
Paul
Scripture: Acts 9:1-21, Saul's Conversion
Saul was an enemy of God, seeking out Christians to imprison and kill. The ULTIMATE FAIL. But God had surprising plans for Saul. On the road to Damascus, Jesus appeared to Saul, giving him a new mission to share the good news, and a new life in Christ as Paul the Apostle.
Objective: Kids will learn that God has the power to transform even the hardest heart!
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