Recipe for Happiness

Written by Carolyn Warvel

Bible Reference: Matthew 5:1-12 - The Beatitudes

Printable Bible Verse Cards -  Print out the cards and make copies.

Teaching Concept: The happiness the world offers doesn't last very long, but true happiness comes from God and obeying his words.

Early Arrivals Activity

1. Decorate Happy Face Cookies -  Before class make a batch of sugar cookies. Bring in icing to decorate the cookies, mini M&Ms for the eyes, and use black icing in a tube to make the smile.

2. Color "Recipe for Happiness" Picture - Before class print out the picture and make copies. Have your children color the pictures and talk about what the pictures represent. (Printing Problems?)

3. Make Cookie Men Refrigerator Magnets

What you will need: Cookie colored paper, card stock, tape, googly eyes or eye stickers and small magnets.

What to do:

1. Before class print out the cookie patterns onto card stock and cut them out. Print out the hands and feet pattern and the Bible Verse Patterns onto card stock and cut them out. (Printing Problems?)

2. In class have your children color the hands and feet patterns to match the cookie pattern and tape them to the back of the cookie pattern to make a cookie man.

3. Tape or glue the Bible verse card to the cookie man's hand.

4. Glue a magnet to the back of each cookie man so your children can stick them to their refrigerators at home.

4. Color pictures of the Beatitudes to be used during the lesson - Before class print out the eight different pictures and have your children color them. If you have more than eight children, make extras. You can use more than one picture during the lesson. (Printing Problems?)

Preparation: Print out the patterns from the early arrivers activities #4 above and use them during the lesson.

The Lesson

What makes you happy: a new bike, no school, Christmas, lots of friends, money?  All these things can make you happy, but, as you probably already know, that kind of happiness doesn't last very long. New bikes become old, no school makes you not so smart, gifts get old and boring, friends don’t always act like friends, and you can never have enough money.

So how can you really be happy?  The world teaches us its recipe for happiness.  Television and commercials tell us that fame, lots of money, friends, power, a cell phone, and lots of possessions will make us happy. But those things don't last. 

The Bible gives us a recipe for happiness, but it is nothing like the one the world gives us. The Bible’s recipe shows us how to be happy even when things don’t go our way, and when we don’t have friends, money, or power.

Jesus gives us the recipe for happiness in Matthew, Chapter 5.

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit - Humbleness

Let’s read Matthew 5:3, (Open your Bible and read the verse.) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Another meaning for blessed is “happy”.  Jesus tells us that those who are poor in spirit are happy. That doesn't sound like something that would make you happy, does it?  Most people think of being poor as something that is not good.  But what Jesus is saying is you will be happy when you realize that you are nothing without God. Being “poor in spirit” means to be humble.

Pride is the opposite of humbleness.  Pride can destroy happiness. Can you think of some examples of pride?

Examples –

• Thinking you are better than others, and treating others badly.
• Boasting about something you accomplished.
• Thinking you know everything, or are smarter than everyone else.
• Thinking you don’t need God
• Thinking that your way is the best and you don’t have to consider what God wants.

Mourning

The next ingredient for happiness is found in the next verse.  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Like “poor in spirit”, mourning doesn't seem like a very happy thing to do, but the rest of the verse says that those that mourn will be comforted.  When we realize what Jesus did for us, to give up his life that we might be forgiven of our sins, and when we are truly sorry for our sins and mourn, we will be forgiven of our sins and comforted in knowing that Jesus forgives us of our sins. 

Meekness

Jesus gives us the next ingredient for happiness in the next verse, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Meekness or gentleness and kindness comes from being humble and realizing our sinfulness. We develop compassion and understanding for others and treat them how we would like to be treated. When you treat others as important and show them gentleness and kindness, you will lift them up, and you in turn will be happy.

Righteousness

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. This means that we will be happy if we really want to do the right things and try with all our hearts to follow God's teachings.

Merciful

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Being merciful means to show kindness to everyone and to forgive those who do things that may hurt you. It is realizing that everyone makes mistakes. When you are kind and forgiving to others, others will be kind and forgiving to you.

Pure in Heart

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. "How do you have a pure heat? The first thing you have to do is realize that you are sinful and be sorry for the bad things you have done. Then you must ask God for forgiveness and ask him to help you not to sin. He will forgive you and make your heart pure.

Peacemakers

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." Peacemakers are people who do everything they can to help people not fight. They don't talk bad about anyone or gossip. They look at the good in people and try to get others to see the good.

Persecution

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." Persecution is suffering for what you believe in. It is doing what you believe in even though you know people may make fun of you or not like you anymore. It is sticking up for the kid that always gets picked on, even when you might get picked on for doing it.

The Bible tells us to rejoice and be glad when you are persecuted, because you will receive a great reward in heaven. When you are being persecuted you know that you are doing something right and you can be happy about that because God is very pleased with you.

Prayer

Father, help us to want to follow your recipe for happiness and not the worlds. Help us to know what is important and what will only make us happy for a short time. Thank you for your help and for the hope we find in you. Amen.

More Crafts

1. Wooden Spoon Craft

What you will need: Wooden spoons, paper, yarn or fake fur for hair, googly eyes, pompoms for nose, and glue.

What to do:

1. Before class print out the clothes and hat patterns onto card stock (Outfit pattern and Hat Pattern) and cut them out. (Instead of using the Bible verse cards that are on the hat pattern use the Bible Verse Card Patterns from the cookie man craft.)

2. In class have your children color the patterns and then glue them to the spoon.

3. Glue on hair, googly eyes, and a pompom nose.

4. To finish cut a slit just above the thumb and place the card in the slit so it looks like the chef is holding the card. Glue the card to the hand.

2. Decorate a Potholder

What you will need: Potholders and permanent makers or fabric paint. You can buy cotton potholders from Oriental Trading Company, Type in 48/2148 in the search box at the top of the page to find this item.

What to do:

1. Have your children write the memory verse on one side of the potholder and decorate the rest of it with permanent markers both back and front.

3. Make Chef's Hats - Go to FamilyFun.com for directions on how to make a paper chef's hat.

4. Decorate a Chef's Hat - S&S Worldwide sells Color-Me Chef Hat Craft Kits - including permanent markers, crayons and foam shapes - 12 for $15.49.

Activities

1. Bible Verse Review Concentration Game - Before class print out the cookie men cards and cut them apart. In class place the cards face down on the table. Have your children take turns turning over two cards at a time trying to find matches. If you children are too small to read, read the words on the cards as they turn them over. This will help them to remember the verses and what they mean.

If a child finds a match, have him read the words on the card and give an example of what is written on the card.

Color Patterns - Card Pattern 1, Card Pattern 2, and Card Pattern 3

Black and White Patterns -Card Pattern 1, Card Pattern 2, and Card Pattern 3

2. Cookie Game

1. Before class print out the Cookie Patterns and Cookie Jar Patterns onto card stock and cut them out.

2. Write one word of the verse on each cookie.

3. Prepare the Cookie Jar. Fold the Cookie Jar Pattern in half and tape along the side and bottom edge.

4. Hide the cookies in the room.

5. After the lesson write the Bible verse on the board and go over the verse. Then have your children go and find one cookie each. Tell them to go back and sit down when they have found one cookie. When all the cookies have been found go over the verse again, one word at a time. Ask the child with the cookie with the word you are looking at to bring his cookie up and place it in the cookie jar; or have him tape it to the wall.

You can also make a set for each child to take home and practice his or her Bible verse during the week. Use only the first half of the verse for younger children.

"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:" Psalm 146:5

3. Make sugar cookies

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teas. baking soda
2 teas. baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teas. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.

3. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Comments

We would love to hear your comments about this lesson. If you taught this lesson, we would love to hear how it went, if you changed anything, added anything, what age you taught and was it appropriate.  Any comments that would help others teach this lesson are welcome.