The Stomach

Approximate Grades: 3-5

Lesson Objective:
Know–Students will understand that they are all an important part of the body, just like
the stomach and the juices that help the stomach are all part of the bigger body of Christ.
Do–The student will discuss the stomach and will illustrate the big idea of this lesson.

Hook: The Stomach

Facts: Reference
1. Your Stomach Isn't The Only Part Digesting Food.
2. Stomach Acid Is Strong Enough To Burn Skin.
3. The Stomach Has Many Parts.
4. It Takes Hours For Food To Pass Through The Stomach.
5. You Can Survive Without A Stomach. Your digestive system can operate without the
stomach. Healthcare providers may recommend a total gastrectomy as a treatment for
patients with stomach cancer. In this operation, surgeons remove the entire stomach
before connecting the esophagus to the intestines. They may create a stomach substitute
by folding over some intestines to facilitate more effective digestion.
6. Your Stomach Is Very Muscular. There are three layers of muscles!
7. Anxiety Can Cause Stomach Issues. It may not be obvious, but your emotional state can
affect your stomach and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have shown that
stress and anxiety may cause irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal
reflux disease (GERD).

Questions:
So tell me, is the stomach the only part of the digestive system?
What is something else that was mentioned that helps the stomach process food?
How long does it take for food to go through the stomach?
What would happen if we didn’t have the stomach?
What would happen if we didn’t have the digestive system?
Think: we can breathe without the stomach, but we can’t breath without a heart and lungs. Does
that mean the stomach isn’t important?
Think: we can eat without the heart and lungs. Does that mean the heart and lungs aren’t
important? Why?
Our church is like the body. Just because the parts don’t all do the same thing doesn’t mean that
they don’t have a vital role. The different juices help the stomach digest the food. They don’t
complain because they aren't’ the stomach. They help each other do something great that they
couldn't have done by themselves.

Bible Verse: 2 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So
it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,[e] some are slaves, and
some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the
same Spirit.[f]

15
If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it
any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an
eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how
would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

18
But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How
strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body…
27
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:2-27
(NLT)

Closure: Have students draw a picture of the stomach, or be creative illustrating the lesson from
today, that we are all part of the body of Christ even though we are all different. Have them
caption it–”We are different but we work together.”