Overcoming Instincts

Over the past few weeks in the Kids Church (1st-6th grades), we've been talking about our Instincts.

More specifically, we've been talking about how to overcome our desire to give in to our sinful instincts.  In week one of our series, we talked about our desire to fit in.  We talked about the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  When the people shouted and praised him, the religious leaders told him to make them stop.  Jesus told them that if they stopped, then the rocks would cry out (Luke 19:36-39).  He could have hushed them and kept a lower profile, but he knew that their worship was pleasing to God.  We used this story to talk about God's desire for us to be peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9 KJV), not worrying what people think of us when we worship and live our lives for God.

In week two, we talked about our desire to let other people deal with problems.  The kids learned that being a Christ-follower means that we must care about justice (Psalm 11:7), and not just sit by when we see things happening around us that we know are wrong.  We talked about Jesus clearing the money changers out of the temple, because what they were doing was hurtful to others and displeasing to God (Matthew 21:12-17).  The kids learned that when they stand up for what's right, God always stands with them.

This past Sunday, we talked about our desire to take the easy way.  We talked about Jesus praying in the garden before he was arrested.  He knew what was going to happen, and he asked God to find another way.  However, he also submitted to God's will (Matthew 26:36-40).  The kids learned that living life for God is often the difficult option, because it goes against our sinful desires and instincts (Matthew 7:13).  The kids also learned that when we choose the difficult path of following God's will, He blesses us and helps us through it.  When we choose the easy way, we miss out on the great things God has planned for us, and we hurt our relationship with Him.