Materials
* 7 brown paper lunch bags per every group of 7 (or less) children
(Note: If you have 20 children you would need 21 bags etc.) You can vary the number of bags if you want larger or smaller groups.
* twine or string (20cm piece for each bag)
* 1 large marble for every child (alternatively use another treat for each child)
* Memory Verse
* Bible for each group

Preparation
1. On the outside of each of the 7 lunch bags write one/seventh of the words from the memory verse.
2. Put 1 of the large marbles in each of the bags and fill them the rest of the way up with paper to give them a filled out look.
3. Tie all the bags at the neck using the twine. To make it easier to identify each group, use a different colored twine/ yarn for each set.

Do this same procedure for every 7 bags that you are using. Lay all groups of 7 bags at the front of the room on the floor in separate piles.

Activity
1. Divide into small groups with 7 children to a group. If there are less than 7 in a group, children may have additional turns to get all seven bags.
2. Line the children up in vertical rows, relay style.
3. Demonstrate how to find the Memory verse in your Bible.
4. Provide the first child in each row with a Bible. When you give the signal, the first child in each row is to look up the text of the memory verse and read it.
5. After finished reading it, they then CLOSE THE BIBLE and pass it to the child behind them and proceed to run to the front and grab a bag. It does not matter which bag they grab.
6. The second child may not go get a bag until they have read the text of the memory verse and the first child has returned with a bag. They then close the Bible, pass it down the line and go for their bag.
7. When all bags have been brought back to the team, they must set them up in the correct order WITHOUT USING THE BIBLE so the verse can be read.
8. When everyone on the team can repeat the verse, they may open the bags with the treasure.

Application
God’s Word is a treasure that we can hide in our hearts. Have each child takes a marble home to help them remember that everyone in the early church studied God’s word together.

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Preparation
Use the words of your memory verse to create a hangman style puzzle. Draw a line for each letter, separating words in the phrase by spaces. Include punctuation.

Activity
Invite students to take turns selecting letters that might fit in the phrase. If a letter is correctly chosen, write it into every blank where it belongs. If the letter chosen does not appear in the phrase, write the letter out to the side and add one item to the hangman (i.e. Draw the head, body, arms, hands, legs, feet, eyes, nose, mouth, as per normal hangman) A person may only attempt to identify the phrase after he/she has correctly guessed a letter. If the phrase is guessed incorrectly, that person automatically loses.
Example
VERSE: “Abba Father” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet, not what I will, but what you will.” [Mark 14:36] (Replace the hyphen in the example with spaces)

“_ _ _ _ – _ _ _ _ _ _”-_ _-_ _ _ _,-“_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-
_ _-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _.-_ _ _ _-_ _ _ _-_ _ _-
_ _ _ _-_ _.-_ _ _,-_ _ _-_ _ _ _-_-_ _ _ _,- _ _ _-
_ _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _ _.”

Variations
1. Instead of using the entire verse, use short key phrases from your scripture passage and have several puzzles.
2. Divide the class into two teams and play a version of “wheel of fortune” to guess the phrases. Make a spinner from a paper plate.
3. Instead of using a hangman, use a man on a cross”hangman=man hanging on the cross”, use the normal parts of the hangman, but add the two beams of the cross.

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…