Lesson 33- Amends

“Happy are the merciful,” (Matthew 5:7) “Happy are the peace makers,” (Matthew 5:9)

Principle 6: “Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for the harm I have done to others, except when to do so would hare them or others.” (CR Participant Guide 3)

“Do to others as you would have them do to you,” (Luke 6:31)

Step 8: “We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to mak e amends to them all.” (CR Participant Guide 3)

Worship: Nothing is Impossible, Standing on HIS promises, Amazing Grace…Background Meditation Music: Speak Lord

Teaching Time: Play from CR CP DVD the Philemon Story. YouTube; The Story of Philemon. YouTube; Philemon Historical Background. Play CR Channel DEVO about AMENDS. Play for Older kids or adults, When Past Hurts still Hurt, forgiveness is a process.

Small Group/Journal time. Need pen/pencil, CP Journal page. Form groups. READ Small Group Guidelines. Questions: (1) what did you think about Philemon’s Story? (2) What would you have done if you were Philemon? (3) How has letting Jesus your life changed you? (4) What is Amends? (5) What is forgiveness? (6) How can you make ammends?

Centers:

“We can Fix it.” Need: Something that is broken. Questions: (1) How would you fix this item? (2) What tools would you need? (3) What experts if any would you need help from? (4) What else would you need to fix this item? (5) How can we fix broken relationships? (6) What kinds of things do you need to fix broken relationships? (7) How can you encourage your people that we came with to keep doing their best?
“Toppled Tower.” Need: small box, wooden block, and a sticky note. Sticky note is for the children to write someones name on it whom they need to forgive. Have the chidren put the sticky note on the block. Collect the blocks and make a tower with them. Teaching moment about building a wall with our hurts/habits/hang ups, if we don’t forgive it changes us and makes us hard and we begin to not live by the fruit of the spirit, and we block the healing and love that God wants to give us. READ Ephesians 4: 32, Acts 8: 21-23. To not forgive causes bitterness, poison in your hearts, that distroys us from the inside out. KNOCK OVER THE TOWER or WALL. Craft Idea: decorate the wood block with bible verses and symbols of peace. Encourage the children to give the block to their person that brought them tonight.
“Justice or Not?” Read the story from The Burnham and Highbridge Weekly News Somerset, England, Asked to make Amends, April 18, 2009. Questions: (1) Do you think this idea of Restorative Justice is a good idea or not? (2) What do you think about the victims woudl thinkg about Restorative Justice? (3) Do you think that Resorative Justice Program will keep the kids from committing futrue crimes? (4) Do you think that you would be more likely or less likely to forgive someone if they came to you and asked for amends and could pay you back for what they have taken?

PRAYER ACTIVITY: FORM a Circle. Ask and Follow: (1) If you have ever hurt someone’s feelings, turn around and face outword. (2) If you have ever gotten angry with someone, take a step away from the circle. (3) If you have eve taken or broken something that did not belong to you, take a step away from the circle. (4) If you have ever bhurt someone physically, CLOSE both your eyes. BIBLE says, “We have all sinned, sin separates us from each other and GOD, I have sinned, You have sinned, Everyone has sinned. (5) If you have ever treated someone with kindness, open your eyes. (6) If you have ever asked for forgiveness, turn around and face the circle. (7) If you have ever made amends by making something righe with someone you have hurt, take a step in to the circle. (8) If you have ever asked God to forgive you for something, take another step into the circle.

Lets now Pray: Heavenly Father, Forgive us so we can forgive others. Fill us with ideas and courage to encourage those around us to continue to work on their healing. For ourselves LORD help us to acknowledge our hurts inside, God help us to surrender the right to punish our offenders, God help us to pray for those that have offended us, and be open to reconciliation. WE pray for devine healing in ourselves and in our broken relationships. LORD fill me with your Peace that superseeds all. Release us from all strongholds in our lives. In Jesus Name. AMEN.

Closing: (1) Share Individual Blessings/Prayers, (2) Read/Repeat/Say Serenity Prayer. Play His Great Love.

References: