Sabbath Activity Archive 

  J Sabbath Afternoon Activity Ideas J

1. Bible Scavenger Hunt- Have people or teams each take a list of objects and a bag and collect them.  When everyone returns each team can show and tell about what they found.  Categories may include 2 things Jesus told parables about, something connected with the Israelites, etc.

2. Bible Sword Drill- Call out books of the Bible or verses in the Bible and see who can find and read them first.  Small children may be included by having them say “Swords on guard” and call out the books of the Bible. This game can also be made more challenging by having one person start reading and having the others try to find it and begin reading along.

3. Bible Twenty Questions- One person picks a person in the Bible.  The others have to try to figure out who they picked by asking ONLY yes or no questions.  Have someone keep track of the number of questions.  Whoever guesses the correct person starts the next round.

4. Guess The Bible Verse- Choose a simple Bible verse (Proverbs work well) and using simple hand motions, have others guess what it is.  (Example:  For {hold up four fingers} God {point your index finger up to the sky} so {signify short word with your hands} loved {make a heart with your hands} the {signify short word with your hands} world {form a ball with your hand and show that it is big} etc.)

5. What’s in the Bag? - Have someone collect a bag full of items earlier.  Pull out one item at a time and see how many different Bible stories you can come up with for each object.

6. Diamond Trail – Cut some diamonds out of paper.  Using a Strong’s Concordance or just a Bible find Bible verses with a hint for some of the indoor or outdoor objects of the area you would like to use for play. Write the text down on the diamonds and on a master key.  On the master key also keep track of the object along with the text.  One person hides the diamonds in succession so that the clue text tells you where to find the next clue.  Don’t forget to save the first clue to help your group to find the second diamond.  (Example: Gen 2:16  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: would be the Bible text clue for tree or garden)

7. Bible Memory Verse Bee- Like the old fashioned spelling bee only everyone has to repeat a memory verse and the text until some people can’t think of any more. Variation: See if you can repeat verses that start with each letter of the alphabet..

8. Guess the hymn- Have someone play or whistle a hymn and have those who figure it out sing or whistle along.

9. Shaped Bible Stories- Use modeling clay or outdoor objects like sand and sticks and leaves, etc. to create Bible story scenes for people to guess.

10. Guess the Bible Picture- Using a whiteboard draw Bible objects, stories or verses for others to guess.

11. Commercial Bible and Nature Games and Felts – Bible Challenge, Bible Scramble, etc. 

Bible Scavenger Hunt

This is done like a normal scavenger hunt except it has a biblical theme. Each person participating in the hunt is given a list of items to hunt for. After everyone has found their items, everybody comes back together and tells about their items. Below is shown a list for a example. You can use this list or make one yourself.

To find:

Two items used to describe Jesus in the Bible

One item told about in a miracle of Jesus

Two items Jesus talked about in his parables

One item representing a biblical occupation

One item representing something in heaven (mentioned in the Bible)

One item from the story of an Old Testament prophet

One item representing something from the Children of Israel in the wilderness

One item from the story of one of the twelve disciples 

One item from the story of Paul and the early Christian Church 

 A Sabbath Welcome Song 

Mighty God, Victorious King

We come now seeking your blessing.

At set of sun a golden chain

Earth to heaven is linking.

Creator, God of the universe

Sabbath blessings we're seeking.

As we spend these hours with thee

We offer praise and thanksgiving.

 

Let thy love, perfect love

Bless and keep us forever.

May we be more like thee

In our every endeavor.

Holy Spirit, Eternal God

This we pray together

Let thy love, perfect love

Bless and keep us forever.

 Bible Sword Drill Variation#  1             Someone calls out a Bible verse. Example, Daniel 12:2. Prior to this no one may have their Bible open. They should hold their Bible in between thier hands ready to open it. When the Bible verse is called out, everyone opens their Bible and tries to reach the text first. Knowing the books of the Bible in order, certainly gives you an advantage.

    

Flagman

"Flagman" is an old game with a new and gentler name and it is a great way to learn Bible verses and Bible names and places.   Have one person choose a verse and place blank lines on the board for each letter of the word or phrase to be guessed.  Then have whoever is playing guess one letter at a time.  If the letter is in the mystery word or phrase, write it down in all the correct places.  Then let the guessers guess again.  If the letter is not in the mystery word or phrase, draw one part of the flagman for each misguessed letter, ending with the flag. When the flagman's flag is drawn, the game is over.  (Note: You may make the drawing of the flagman more simple or more complicated depending on the skill level of your group.)

 Sabbath- A Gift from God

    Plan Suitable Reading and Conversation.--The Sabbath--oh!--make it the sweetest, the most blessed day of the week. . . .       Parents can and should give attention to their children, reading to them the most attractive portions of Bible history, educating them to reverence the Sabbath day, keeping it according to the commandment. This cannot be done if the parents feel no burden to interest their children. But they can make the Sabbath a delight if they will take the proper course. The children can be interested in good reading or in conversation about the salvation of their souls. But they will have to be educated and trained. The natural heart does not love to think of God, of heaven, or of heavenly things. There must be a continual pressing back of the current of worldliness and inclination to evil and a letting in of heavenly light.  {CG 532} 

Provide Special Treat for Mealtime.--We should not provide for the Sabbath a more liberal supply or a greater variety of food than for other days. Instead of this the food should be more simple, and less should be eaten, in order that the mind may be clear and vigorous to comprehend spiritual things. Overeating befogs the brain. The most precious words may be heard and not appreciated, because the mind is confused by an improper diet. By overeating on the Sabbath, many have done more than they think to dishonor God    While cooking upon the Sabbath should be avoided, it is not necessary to eat cold food. In cold weather let the food prepared the day before be heated. And let the meals, though simple, be palatable and attractive. Provide something that will be regarded as a treat, something the family do not have every day.  {CG 532} 

The Sabbath Opens With the Family at Worship.-- Before the setting of the sun, let the members of the  family assemble to read God's Word, to sing and pray. There is need of reform here, for many have been remiss. We need to confess to God and to one another. We should begin anew to make special arrangements that every member of the family may be prepared to honor the day which God has blessed and sanctified.  {CG 529.1} 

  Out-of-doors With the Children.--The parents may take their children outdoors to view God in nature. They can be pointed to the blooming flowers and the opening buds, the lofty trees and beautiful spires of grass, and taught that God made all these in six days and rested on the seventh day and hallowed it. Thus the parents may bind up their lessons of instruction to their children, so that when these children look upon the things of nature, they will call to mind the great Creator of them all. Their thoughts will be carried up to nature's God-- back to the creation of our world, when the foundation of the Sabbath was laid, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Such are the lessons to be impressed on the minds of our children.     We are not to teach our children that they must not be happy on the Sabbath, that it is wrong to walk out-of-doors. Oh, no. Christ led His disciples out by the lakeside on the Sabbath day and taught them. His sermons on the Sabbath were not always preached within enclosed walls.  {CG 533,534}

    A Day to Live the Life of Eden.--The value of the Sabbath as a means of education is beyond estimate. Whatever of ours God claims from us, He returns again, enriched, transfigured, with His own glory. . . .  The Sabbath and the family were alike instituted in Eden, and in God's purpose they are indissolubly linked together. On this day more than on any other, it is possible for us to live the life of Eden. It was God's plan for the members of the family to be associated in work and study, in worship and recreation, the father as priest of his household, and both father and mother as teachers and companions of their children. But the results of sin, having changed the conditions of life, to a great degree prevent this association. Often the father hardly sees the faces of his children throughout the week. He is almost wholly deprived of opportunity for companionship or instruction. But God's love has set a limit to the demands of toil. Over the Sabbath He places His merciful hand. In His own day He preserves for the family opportunity for communion with Him, with nature, and with one another.  {CG 535.3} 

     Make the Sabbath a Delight.--All who love God should do what they can to make the Sabbath a delight, holy and honorable. They cannot do this by seeking their own pleasure in sinful, forbidden amusements. Yet they can do much to exalt the Sabbath in their families and make it the most interesting day of the week. We should devote time to interesting our children. A change will have a happy influence upon them. We can walk out with them in the open air; we can sit with them in the groves and in the bright sunshine, and give their restless minds something to feed upon by conversing with them upon the works of God, and can inspire them with love and reverence by calling their attention to the beautiful objects in nature. 

    The Sabbath should be made so interesting to our families that its weekly return will be hailed with joy. In no better way can parents exalt and honor the Sabbath than by devising means to impart proper instruction to their families and interesting them in spiritual things, giving them correct views of the character of God and what He requires of us in order to perfect Christian characters and attain to eternal life. Parents, make the Sabbath a delight, that your children may look forward to it and have a welcome in their hearts for it.  {CG 536} 

 A Fitting Climax in Prayer and Song.--As the sun goes down, let the voice of prayer and the hymn of mark the close of the sacred hours, and invite God's presence through the cares of the week of labor.  Thus parents can make the Sabbath, as it should be, the most joyful day of the week. They can lead their children to regard it as a delight, the day of days, the holy of the Lord, honorable.  {CG 536,537.1}