Welcome VBS ‘15 Volunteers! From the depths of my heart, I say thank you. Thank you for saying yes to serving in VBS. Thank you for saying yes to telling Bible stories, making crafts, playing games, eating snacks, singing songs, and sharing Christ! Thank you for planting seeds and nurturing young lives. Thank you for making an eternal difference in the life of a child. This year’s curriculum is Backstage With The Bible. If that sounds familiar to you, it is because we used this curriculum in 2009. Why the repeat? First of all, the message in Backstage is greatly needed. This is a VBS where the Word of God takes center stage. Children will learn the books of the Bible, the Ten Commandments, how to be saved by grace through faith, how to share their faith with others, and so much more. The goal is to clearly present the gospel of Jesus Christ while having as much fun as possible! Secondly, Go Fish has made several improvements to the curriculum such as brand new music videos, remixed songs, updated and revised lessons, updated crafts and snacks, and have even added Bible-related take home sheets. The Kingdom Kids Staff is very excited about these updates, and we truly feel that God is leading us to use this curriculum again. I am excited to let you know about a FUN and EXCITING event happening the week of VBS. On Thursday, June 18 at 6:30pm, KidzBlitz will bring FX Live! to First Woodway for VBS Family Night. FX Live is a 1 hour and 20 minute crowd participation show. The men who lead the show inspire families to think like a team as they participate on stage and from their seats in a variety of games and challenges. Biblical truths and the Gospel message are clearly presented as they are woven through the various games. The kids – and parents – and VBS volunteers – are going to love Family Night. I am praying for you as you prepare to teach and lead. Thank you, again, for answering God’s call to be a part of Vacation Bible School 2015. You are appreciated. Blessings,
Barbra Smith Children’s Minister Don’t forget these important dates: June 7: VBS Meeting @ 4:30pm (the only meeting we will have – please make every effort to attend!!) June 10: VBS Workday (with childcare and lunch!) @ 9:00am June 14: Final VBS set up after morning Worship June 15-19: VBS from 9:00am – noon each day
BACKSTAGE WITH THE BIBLE VBS 2015 // Kinder Completed -‐ 6th Grade
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
10 Commandments: Are The Cross: Saved: By Grace You Good Enough? What Jesus Did For You Through Faith
FRIDAY
Go Fish! Share the Good News
TITLE
Superstar
TITLE VERSE
Psalm 139:14
Romans 3:23
BIBLE STORY
The Birth of Moses
The 10 Commandments
SCRIPTURE
Exodus 2:1-‐10
Exodus 20:1-‐17
Matthew 1:18-‐24; Matthew 27:27-‐31
Mark 10:17-‐25
Matthew 28:16-‐20
CRAFT
Concert Poster
Guitar Pick Necklaces
Paid in Full Penny Cross
Backstage Bandana
CD Fish
SNACK
GORP
10 Commandment Crackers
Pretzel & Cheese Cross
INDOOR BIBLE ACTIVITIES
Wardrobe Ready, Classroom Games
10 Commandment Boogie, Classroom Games
Bible Book Bop, Classroom Games
John 3:16
Ephesians 2:8
Jesus' Birth, Death, The Rich Young Ruler & Resurrection
Matthew 4:19
The Great Commission
Cookie Crumb Fishing Poles Pudding Cups Blinded by Money, Classroom Games
Go Fish!, Classroom Games
STAGE
KCA KCB KCC KCD
2A 2B 2C
1A 1B 1C 4A 4B
3A 3B
4C 4D
KCE KCF KCG
3C 3D
1D 1E
6th Grade
overflow
5A 5B 5C 5D
2D 2E overflow
SOUND BOOTH VBS 2015 Worship Seating KC - 6th Grade
Leading a Child to Christ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me,” – and He meant it, but talking to a child about becoming a Christian brings fear to the hearts of many. Will they understand what I’m trying to say? Will they understand what I’m talking about? If they make a decision, how will I know if it’s real? What if I say something wrong? While these concerns are valid, we need to trust the work of the Holy Spirit and remember that we don’t save anyone…HE does. Remember…there is only one way to heaven. There is not one way for adults and another way for children. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the only way to heaven and anyone who believes in Him will have eternal life (John 14:6; John 3:16).
Tips to remember when sharing Christ with children: 1. Share with children individually (as much as possible). Talking with a child one-on-one gives you insight into what he is thinking and feeling and shows him that the decision he is making is important enough for individual attention. 2. Use open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are ones that require more than a yes or a no answer, and they help a child open up his heart and mind to you. Possible open-ended questions are: a. Who is Jesus? b. What is sin? c. Why is sin a big deal? d. What did Jesus do for you? e. Why do you want to become a Christian? f. How can you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? 3. Allow time. Give the child enough time for thinking and responding. Avoid answering for him. If you need to, reword the question. 4. Avoid using symbolic language. Be conscious of word choice. If you are not sure a child understands a word you use, define it as you are talking. 5. Avoid giving more information that what is asked. When a child asks a question, answer it simply. See if the child has any more questions based on your answer and let the child guide the conversation. If a child gets bombarded with information that is beyond what he is asking, he will lose interest. 6. Use the Bible. Use a Bible when sharing with children. This shows them that the truths come straight from God’s Word. If a child has a Bible with him, use it and mark the verses to which you refer.
ABC’s of Salvation 1. ADMIT that you are a sinner a. We have all sinned and sin separated us from God. b. Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” c. Romans 3:10: “As it is written, “’none is righteous, no, not one.’” 2. BELIEVE that Jesus is God’s Son and that He died for you a. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” b. Acts 16:31: “And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” c. Hebrews 11:6b: “For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” 3. CALL on Jesus to save you a. Romans 10:13: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” b. Romans 10:9: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” c. 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Prayer – if the child is ready, he can pray a prayer to God: Dear God, I know I have sinned and my sin separates me from You. I am sorry for my sin. I believe Jesus died on the cross for me so my sin can be forgiven. I believe Jesus rose from the dead and is alive. God, please forgive me. I ask Jesus to come into my life and be my Savior and Lord. I will obey You and live for You the rest of my life. Thank You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen
2015 VBS Volunteer Guidelines Resource Website www.fbcwoodway.org/vbsresource We have an online resource for our volunteers where you can view Go Fish daily lesson videos (shown in opening praise), learn tips on craft & snack activities and get all the latest VBS updates. If you have tips or resources to post, please email us at
[email protected] and we’ll add them to the page.
Background Check All individuals serving in VBS need to have a current background check on file with the Children’s Ministry Office.
Eligible Ages * VBS is open to children in the community 4 years old through 6th grade completed (4 years old by September 1, 2015). * For church members only: if you have a child 3 years of age by September 1, 2015, they may also attend VBS. * Classes are provided for VBS workers’ children, birth to 3 years old.
Registration * Registration will be online. Please go to www.fbcwoodway.org/vbs to submit your child’s registration. * VBS workers need to register their children EARLY. * Pre-registration for VBS begins May 1 and concludes June 9 at 5:00 pm. Walk-in registrations will still be accepted during the week of VBS.
Opening Praise * Fours - Entering Kinder are dropped off in the classroom at 9:00 am. They will have their own praise service at 9:55 am in the worship center. * Kinder Completed - Sixth Grade will attend Opening Praise from 9:00 - 9:35 am in the worship center.
Rotations * Twos – Sixth Grade participate in a daily rotation schedule, which may include Missions, Music, Recreation, and Class Time. * Refer to your class’ specific rotation schedule.
Class Rolls/Attendance * You will be provided a class roll sheet Monday morning. * Students not on your roll must have a colored postcard to enter class. Please add these new children to your class roll. * Daily attendance sheets will be provided in your classroom attendance envelope. Please fill out and hang outside your class by 10:00 am each day.
Nametags * Volunteer nametags will be provided; please wear daily. * Children’s nametags will be provided to you; please ensure that all children wear their nametags.
Floor Coordinators Each floor will have a floor coordinator who will: * Collect attendance * Fulfill supply requests * Help you in any way, shape, or form – within reason!
Supplies * Snacks - a way to retell the Bible story in a fun and creative way. Your snack supplies will be delivered to your class each day by the kitchen crew. * Craft Kit - pre-planned crafts will be provided. * General supplies that you will need for the week will be in your room by June 7. * Room Decoration Kit - 15 decorating posters (three for each day’s theme), a few themed items, and decorative borders for the classroom bulletin board. * Lessons - please coordinate with your team to find and provide the needed lesson material supplies for stations, object lessons and Bible stories. Exception: the bleach and iodine for Day 3 will be provided. See your floor coordinator.
Decorations * * * *
The theme is Backstage with the Bible. No tape/staples on walls. Mavalus tape is provided for you to use on the walls. Please do not decorate in the halls, on windows, or on door windows. Painter’s tape may be used on floors.
Room Set-up * Wednesday, June 10 is our official VBS room preparation day (9 am to 2 pm) with childcare provided. A workers’ appreciation luncheon will be at 11:30 in the Fellowship Hall and pizza will be provided for the kids.
Room Clean-Up * You are encouraged to return supplies DAILY as you finish with them. Categorized bags will be provided on each floor for you to return your items. * Final room clean-up will be immediately following VBS dismissal on Friday. All supplies need to be returned to designated locations and any personal items need to be taken home that day, so cleaning & preparation can be made for church on Sunday.
Missions Emphasis & Offering This year’s missions offering will go to help establish child-friendly spaces for the Syrian refugee children. Did you know that more than half of the over 3 million refugees are under the age of 18? Our offering will be used by the Southern Baptists to help build a discovery center where children will learn practical skills in a playful environment. Twos-EK: Your class offering container will be in your classroom. Please collect money in the classroom. Floor Coordinators will pick up offering at the same time roll sheets are collected. KC-Sixth Grade: There will be one offering container per age level in the Worship Center. These will be passed around during Opening Praise and collected by selected helpers.
Presentation of the Gospel Our goal of VBS is to guide young hearts to a relationship with Jesus! The gospel will be presented Wednesday morning during Opening Praise and an invitation will be offered. Children who respond to the message will remain in the worship center for counseling. Should a child in your class respond, please have an adult teacher from your class remain with the child. Counselor Training will be held on June 7 at 6:00 pm.
Family Night - KidzBlitz! Thursday, June 18 at 6:30 pm. This is a free night of high-energy, fun music, and crowd participation! With lights, fog, a unique sound track, and loads of action, FX KidzBlitz comes to VBS Family Night. A shared family experience, FX Live is a fast-paced, high-octane event for the whole family. Families will experience Biblical truths communicated through special effects and illustrative interaction.
Refreshments for VBS Volunteers Refreshments for VBS staff will be provided daily in four locations—Rooms 1120 and 1205 in the Children’s Building; and Rooms 128 and 209 in the Education Building.
First Aid & Emergencies The First Aid Station and nurse will be located at the Atrium Welcome Center in the Children’s Building. For emergencies, please call a member of the ministry team (phone numbers are on your nametag), or report to the First Aid station.
Allergy Alerts All children specifying a significant allergy on their registration form will have a red Allergy Alert wristband waiting for them in their classroom. Please make sure that they wear them and that teachers are aware of the allergy. Please check at snack time that no child is allergic to that day’s snack. An alternative can be provided; please contact your floor coordinator.
Twos - EK Specific Guidelines Wristbands Each class will wear a class-specific wristband for easy identification purposes. Please have the wristbands on the children any time they leave your room!
Security Codes At drop-off, parents should provide any 4-digit number as a security code for their child. Their 4-digit number MUST be provided by the person picking them up before the child can be released.
Early Arrival for Workers’ Children Childcare will be available for workers’ preschool age children beginning at 8:30 am. * Babies - EK should be dropped off in their classroom.
Student Arrival
Students will be accepted to the classroom starting at 9:00 am each day.
Dismissal * Two teachers (at least one must be an adult) must remain with the class until all children have been picked up. * VBS workers’ kids will remain in their classroom. * ALL WORKERS: please pick up your kids by 12:30 pm at the LATEST.
KC - Sixth Grade Specific Guidelines Wristbands (KC Only) Each KC class will wear a class-specific wristband for easy identification purposes. Please have the wristbands on the children any time they leave your room!
Arrival Teachers should be in the Worship Center by 8:30 am ready to receive children starting at 8:45 am.
Dismissal (KC) * Two teachers (at least one must be an adult) must remain with the class until all children have been picked up. * VBS workers’ kids will remain in their classroom. * ALL WORKERS: please pick up your kids by 12:30 pm at the LATEST.
Dismissal (1st - 6th Grade) * Children will return as a class to the Worship Center at 11:45 am for Closing Praise. * Two teachers (at least one must be an adult) must remain with the class until all children have been picked up. * ALL WORKERS: please pick up your kids by 12:30 pm at the LATEST.
2s and 3s VBS Master Schedule 2015 Times
Younger 2's
Older 2's
Younger 3's
Older 3's
8:30 - 9:00
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
9:55 - 10:15
Music
Playtime
10:20 - 10:40
Playtime
Music
10:45 - 11:05
Music
Playtime
11:10 - 11:30
Playtime
Music
9:00 - 9:50
11:35 - 12:00 Locations: Early Drop Off - VBS workers' kids only - Classroom Music - Classroom Playtime - Indoor Playground Dismissal - Classroom
Updated: 5/12/15 10:26 AM
4s - KC VBS Master Schedule 2015
Times
Fours - A/B/C
Fours - D/E and EKA
EKB/EKC/EKD
EKE/EKF/EKG
KCA/KCB/KCC
KCD/KCE/KCF
EDO - Classroom
EDO - Classroom
EDO - classroom
EDO - classroom
EDO - WC
EDO - WC
Worship
Worship
9:15 - 9:30
Music
Recreation
9:35 - 9:50
Missions
Music
Recreation
9:55 - 10:15
Worship
Worship
Worship
10:20 - 10:35
Recreation
Missions
Music
Missions
8:30 - 9:00 9:00 - 9:10
Missions Worship Music
10:40 - 10:55
Recreation
11:00 - 11:15
Music
Missions
Recreation
11:20 - 11:35
Missions
Recreation
Music
11:40 - 11:55 12:00
Dismissal - Classroom
Dismissal - Classroom
Dismissal - Classroom Dismissal - Classroom Dismissal - Classroom
Locations: Early Drop Off - VBS workers' kids only - Classroom/Worship Center Worship - Worship Center Missions - A120 (Hallelujah House Room) Recreation - Gym Music - A128 (in gym) Closing Worship - Worship Center Dismissal - Classrooms
Updated: 5/12/15 10:26 AM
Dismissal - Classroom
1st - 6th Grade VBS Master Schedule 2015 Times
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
8:45 - 9:00
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
9:00 - 9:35
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Music
Missions
Missions
Music
Music
9:40 - 10:00 10:05 - 10:25
Music
10:30 - 10:50
Music
10:55 - 11:15
Missions
Missions
Missions Music
11:20 - 11:40
Missions
11:45 - 11:55
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
12:00
Dismissal
Dismissal
Dismissal
Dismissal
Dismissal
Dismissal
Locations: Early Drop-Off - Worship Center Worship - Worship Center Music - A200 (Youth Worship Room) Missions - Third Floor Center Section Dismissal - Worship Center
Updated: 5/12/15 10:26 AM
1109 Fours C 1111 Fours D 1113 Fours E 1115 Entering Kinder A
1110 Fours B
1107 Younger 2s
1112 Fours A
1105 Older 2s
1114 Older 3s
Teacher Snacks
1103 Younger 3s
1108 Floor Coordinator 1106 1 Year Olds
1104 Crawlers
1102 Babies
A-120 PS Missions (Fours – Kinder Completed)
A-128 PS Music (4s-KC)
127 Kinder Completed G
111
128 Teacher Snacks
110 Entering Kinder-B
114 Floor Coord.
131 Kinder Completed-F 132 Kinder Completed-E 133 Kinder Completed-D 134 Kinder Completed-C
116
119 117 Kinder Kinder Completed Completed B A
108 Entering Kinder-C 107 Entering Kinder-D 106 Entering Kinder-E 105 Entering Kinder-F
1206 The Alley 1209 2nd - A
1208 2nd - D
1211 2nd - B
1210 2nd - E
1213 2nd - C
1212 3rd - A
1215 3rd - B
1219 3rd - D
1204 The Word
1205 Teacher Snacks & Floor Coord.
1203 1st - D
1201 1st - C
1217 3rd - C
1207 1st - E
1202 1st - B
1200 1st - A
Mechanical
A203
A213
A200 1st – 6th Grade Music
219
220
216 Floor Coord.
207
4th - B
A210
205/206 6th Grade
210
214 5th - B
204 6 Grade
211
203 th 6 Grade
213 5th - A
Men
212 5th - D
Women Elevators
224/225 4th - A
A211
215 5th - C
222 4th - C 223
208
209 – Tchr Snacks 221 4th - D
Mechanical
Open to Foyer
Education Building – 2nd Floor
th
333
332
314 331
313
334
1st – 6th Grade Missions
338 341
343
311
308
339
316
309
340
329
312
307
342
315
310
337
336
330
Rooms 317-328
335
306 305 304 303 302
344
Education Building – 3rd Floor
301
1 Bible Study Decoration Ideas If possible, decorate the room like Egypt with pyramids, palm trees, sand, Nile River, etc.
Supplies Needed • Bible for leader with passages marked ahead of time • Bibles for everyone • Chalkboard, whiteboard, or easel to create list for visual learners
GOD MADE YOU IN HIS IMAGE
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” - PSALM 139:14 -
Getting Started What do you think of when you hear the word Superstar? Do you think of someone rich and famous? Is there someone that comes to mind? (Have children list some examples of people they think of.)
K-1 Teachers: Please also use the preschool Bible Study lessons and coloring sheets as additional resources for modifications to this study.
Those people may be popular and well known to others, but the Bible says that riches and fame do not make someone a star to God. In fact Jesus said in Mark 10:23, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Chances are if someone is rich and famous, they love to hear other people’s praise and are focused on how they look to others. God made us to bring Him praise and wants our focus to be on our relationship with Him. Can you think of anyone bigger than God? No There is no one who is smarter, more powerful, or more well known than God! He made EVERYTHING and He created you in HIS image.
Small Group Bible Lesson Today we are going Backstage with the Bible to look at two groups of people. One group was the Egyptians who thought they had everything. The second group were called the Israelites. They were not rich or famous. They were actually slaves to the Egyptians. Even though they didn’t have possessions of their own, they were called God’s chosen people.
4
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
DAY 1 BIBLE STUDY • SUPERSTAR • PSALM 139:14
DAY 1 BIBLE STUDY • SUPERSTAR • PSALM 139:14
Let’s first talk about the Egyptians and what they had. When you think about Egypt, what do you think of? (Children will look around room and list pharaohs, pyramids, etc)
Moses, the man I talked about earlier who was very smart and was raised by the Egyptians, wrote the book of Exodus. He actually wrote the first five books of the Bible! Has everyone found Exodus 1:8?
Egyptians must have been very smart in math and science to build these pyramids. They must have had great teachers! The Bible says Moses, who was raised by the Egyptians, was “educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.” Acts 7:22 Do you think the Egyptians were rich or poor? They were rich. Egypt is located by the Nile River, which provides good soil for farming and raising cattle. They could also fish, grow fruits and vegetables, and hunt many animals that came to the river to drink. Papyrus plants grew there and they could use those to make paper, sandals, baskets, and even small boats. Now let’s take a look at their slaves, the group of people called the Israelites. They came to Egypt because they had a famine in their land and needed food to raise their families. Egypt had plenty for them so they became slaves to the Egyptians in return for food, and to live in the land. Let’s turn in our Bibles to Exodus 1:8 and read about them. Remember from The Bible Book Bop we sang earlier, that Exodus is the second book of the Bible.
At this time choose one volunteer to read Exodus 1:8-10 and another volunteer to read Exodus 1:11-14 after the first child finishes. If working with younger children, you will probably want to read the verse and have them follow along in their Bibles. Make sure to read directly from the Bible. Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” 8
So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly. 11
Even though the Israelites didn’t have any of the riches that the Egyptians had, the new king was still afraid of them. The number of Israelites kept growing bigger and bigger. The king, and other kings after him, made their lives miserable and worked the Israelites very hard for over 400 years! I want you to pretend that you lived back then. Would you rather be an Egyptian or an Israelite? (You can have some of the children share their answer and reasons why. Examples might include that the Egyptians had wealth, plenty of food, and a great education. The Israelites were slaves and treated very poorly.) I forgot to mention one more thing about each group. Since the Egyptians were rich, smart, and powerful, they didn’t think they needed God. It says in the Bible that although they knew God, they didn’t glorify Him or give thanks to Him. They worshipped other things such as animals, the river, and the sun. God punished them for their unbelief. However the Israelites believed in God and after 430 years of being treated poorly and having nothing, God freed them from being slaves. He rewarded their families for their faith and hope in Him. Money, land, and power could not save the Egyptians from God’s punishment. They had to hand over their silver, gold, and clothing to the Israelites. God also gave His chosen people a land of their own.
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
5
DAY 1 BIBLE STUDY • SUPERSTAR • PSALM 139:14
In the end, they came out with great possessions! Now I’ll ask my question again. Would you rather be an Egyptian or an Israelite? Did your answer change?
If
Even though it may seem like the rich and famous have everything now, they may not be obeying God. God created you to praise Him and bring Him glory. You probably won’t be popular doing it. But God will remember His people and reward us later in heaven. The rewards He has for us will be much greater than money or fame!
Transition to Purposeful Practice Suggestions for different learning styles For visual learners, it would be helpful to have a group leader or older child create a list on a chalkboard, whiteboard, or easel.
EGYPTIANS
ISRAELITES
Smart in math and science Great teachers, schools Rich Good soil for farming Plenty of food Plants to make paper, baskets, etc. Worshipped false gods (add this one later)
Slaves Had to work hard Lives made bitter Used by Egyptians Believed in God (add this one later)
Purposeful Practice
If time allows, have the children practice looking up the verses and take turns reading them. Leaders can assist the younger ones. Genesis 15:13 Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.” Psalm 145:3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. Psalm 145:10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. Isaiah 43:7 “…everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” Luke 12:7 “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered…”
In order to get the children to move, you may want to have them move to one side of the room if they choose Egyptian and the other side of the room if they choose Israelite. Give them the opportunity to change their mind later and see how many of them switch sides. End in prayer
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
6
(optional)
CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
A Tale of Two Pens Items Needed: • Ballpoint pens • Fancy pen How many pens do you have lying around your house? Your parents probably have a bunch in different places like the office, the kitchen, and the bedroom. Pens like these are cheap. You can buy lots of them for only a few dollars. Did you know that you could buy a pen - one pen - that costs over a hundred dollars? It's true! You can get pens in gold, silver, platinum, or other precious metals. What kind of people do you think buy fancy pens? People who spend lots of money on pens are people who want to be seen using a fancy pen. They want to feel important and special. Does having a fancy pen really make you important or special? No. A fancy pen might write better than a regular pen for a while but what happens to that fancy pen when you run out of ink? It's no longer good for anything, is it? It's a golden, glittering piece of nothing. Pens remind us that how we look on the outside doesn’t matter. It’s what’s inside that counts. If we know we are made in God’s image and we are important to Him, we can do great work for God! We are His superstar no matter what.
vs.
10
DAY 1 • PRESCHOOL • SUPERSTAR
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
Our theme for today was Superstar and your child learned that God created us all in His image. We also read from Exodus and compared the Egyptians and Israelites. Although the Egyptians had riches and many resources, they did not acknowledge God or live for Him. The Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians and, even though their lives were made difficult, they believed in God and obeyed Him. The children learned that following God may not be popular or easy, but God always remembers His people. He is worthy of our very best!
www.GoFishResources.com
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made… Psalm 139:14a
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Jeremiah 1:5, Luke 12:7, Isaiah 43:7
Our theme for today was Superstar and your child learned that God created us all in His image. We also read from Exodus and compared the Egyptians and Israelites. Although the Egyptians had riches and many resources, they did not acknowledge God or live for Him. The Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians and, even though their lives were made difficult, they believed in God and obeyed Him. The children learned that following God may not be popular or easy, but God always remembers His people. He is worthy of our very best!
www.GoFishResources.com
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made… Psalm 139:14a
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Jeremiah 1:5, Luke 12:7, Isaiah 43:7
Materials: • Pre-printed poster for each child • Markers/Crayons • Glue • Jewels • Yarn • Googly eyes
day one
Concert Poster
Today you learned that God made you in His image and that you are a superstar to Him! God delights in the praises of His people. He loves when we sing to Him, read and recite Bible verses, and talk to Him in prayer. Praising God draws us closer to Him. For our craft today you are going to design your very own concert poster. It will have a picture of you, the superstar, on it and our verse from today: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made... Psalm 139:14. You can hang this concert poster in your room and when you look at it, remember that God made you in His image and loves to hear your praises. When your friends come over and ask about your poster, tell them! Share with them how thankful you are to God for creating you in His image and like no one else! Give each child a poster and items with which to decorate his poster. Each child can draw his image and decorate.
grades KC-6: CRAFTS
Directions:
Ingredients: • Chocolate candies or chips • Dried fruit
day one
GORP
• Oat cereal • Oyster crackers • Snack size frosted wheat cereal Supplies needed: • Paper towels • Large bowl • Serving spoon for scooping the GORP Directions: Today we are going to make a snack called GORP, using some special ingredients. As you talk about each item, add it to the large bowl to make a chex mix. Some items will be things the Egyptians would have eaten. Remember they had smart teachers and were rich. They may have eaten expensive things like chocolate and dried fruit. The other items in our snack are what Moses’ family would have eaten. They were the ones the ruler wanted to hurt. They were the Israelites and they did not have any money. They worked hard for the ruler and Egyptians. Plain crackers, oat cereal, and wheat cereal remind us of the straw that the Israelites used to mix with mud to make bricks. Make sure to have the children clean their hands before starting the snack. The adult helpers can go around and give each child a scoop of the mix. Also be sure to check for any allergies before serving.
grades KC-6: SNACKS
• Baby wipes
Materials: • Bible
day one
In God’s Image
Directions: • Have kids form pairs, face their partners and decide who will be the Model and who will be the Mirror. • Have Models move about as the Mirrors imitate their actions.
Ask: • How was this activity similar to or different from looking in a real mirror? • What do you see when you look into a real mirror? • How do you feel about what you see when you look into a real mirror? Explain. Read Aloud: Genesis 1:27 and Psalm 139:13-16 • What does it mean to be created in the image of God? • How does being created in the image of God make each of us special? • What is one special quality God created in you that can’t be seen in a mirror?
grades KC-6: GAMES
• After several minutes, have kids switch positions so the Model is now the Mirror.
Materials: • Large sheet of butcher paper • Pencils
day one
Footloose Relay
Directions: • Have each child trace one foot (shoe on) on butcher paper.
• At start signal, the first person in line runs to the paper, finds his shoe outline, removes his shoe and leaves it on the outline and returns to the line hopping on one shoed foot. Repeat with all students in line until everyone has had a turn. Variation: • Play another round with each student tracing their hand this time. Relay by putting their initials in their handprint and skip back to the line. Read Aloud: Psalm 139:13-16 • How did God make you the same as others? Different from others? • If everyone in our class was created exactly alike, how might your parents find you after church?
grades KC-6: GAMES
• Line kids up across the room from the paper. (If you have more than 10, form 2 or more teams to race against each other.)
Materials: • One piece of paper for each child • Pencils
day one
Backward Autographs
Directions: • Give kids exactly three minutes (or more for a large group) to exchange autographs with as many others as they can. • At the end of time, the child who has collected the most signatures and can identify whose they are is the winner. Say: Even when we watch people write, we may have trouble knowing who wrote what. But God knows everything about us. Read Aloud: Psalm 33:14-15 • How does it feel knowing God knows all your secrets? • How does it feel knowing God knows all about you and loves you anyway?
grades KC-6: GAMES
• ONE RULE: Each child must write his or her name backward.
2 Bible Study Decoration Ideas If possible, decorate the room with a large mountain in the background. Add lightning and a large cloud to cover part of the mountain. You could also have a trumpet nearby for a visual as well.
Supplies Needed • Bible for leader with passages marked ahead of time • Bibles for everyone • One quiz sheet for each child (located on the CD-Rom) • One pencil for each child • Two stone tablets (can be made out of foam or cardboard) • Mirror
ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH?
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” - ROMANS 3:23 -
Getting Started What are some of the laws that we need to obey in our country? Speed limits, do not steal, do not cause harm to anyone What happens if you break one of those laws? A penalty needs to be paid- fine, jail time, community service, etc. What would a fair judge do for someone who breaks the law? Punish them for their wrongdoing Many people think of themselves as good people because they obey our country’s laws. Did you know that God has laws for us too? Have you ever broken God’s law? Do you know what the punishment is for breaking God’s law?
K-1 Teachers: Please also use the preschool Bible Study lessons and coloring sheets as additional resources for modifications to this study.
In the Bible, God’s laws are called the Ten Commandments. They can be found in the book of Exodus. The last time we were together we read from Exodus and talked briefly about a man named Moses. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments to share with everyone. We are going to go Backstage with the Bible to find out more, but before we do, let’s answer a few questions to see how “good” we are. At this time please handout one quiz and pencil to each child. The quiz can be found on the CD-Rom. Make sure you answer honestly! When you are done, please turn them over and lay them next to you. If you have younger ones, you will need to assist with reading the test. Allow only a few minutes for the children to answer the questions.
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GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
DAY 2 BIBLE STUDY • 10 COMMANDMENTS • ROMANS 3:23
DAY 2 BIBLE STUDY • 10 COMMANDMENTS • ROMANS 3:23
Small Group Bible Lesson What do you notice about our room today? (Allow children to share what they notice about the decorations.) The Lord called to Moses from Mount Sinai. God said that He was going to come to Moses in a thick cloud so that the Israelites could hear God speaking to Moses and the people would trust Him. Since God is a holy God, the people had to get ready for Him. God wanted them to wash their clothes and prepare for three days. Let’s open our Bibles to Exodus 19:16 and read what happened. At this time choose a volunteer to read Exodus 19:16-17. If working with younger children, you will probably want to read the verses and have them follow along in their Bibles. Make sure to read directly from the Bible. On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
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It said that everyone trembled. God is holy and powerful which is why the people were afraid! The Israelites knew they needed to respect God. They also needed to obey the laws He had given to Moses. Choose another volunteer to read Exodus 19:18-19 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
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Read Exodus 20:12 12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Let's continue reading together in Exodus 20 to hear the laws that God gave to Moses. If you have strong readers, feel free to choose volunteers to help you read as you write down the commandments.
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Read Exodus 20:1-3 And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me.” 1
God’s first law says that He wants to be number one in our lives over everything else.
God’s fifth law tells us to respect and obey our parents. Read Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.”
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God’s sixth law is to not murder. God wants us be careful of our thoughts, words, and actions towards other people.
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Read Exodus 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.”
God’s second law says that God deserves our best and we shouldn’t worship anything or anybody other than Him.
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Read Exodus 20:7 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” The third law says that God’s name is holy and should always be honored. It should never be used in a disrespectful way.
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Read Exodus 20:8 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”
The fourth law says how important it is to give one day each week to God.
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Read Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.”
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God gives the seventh commandment because He wants our thoughts to be pure. Read Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.”
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The eighth law says that we are not to steal anything from anyone, including God.
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Read Exodus 20:16 16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” The ninth commandment says to be honest in everything. That means do not gossip or spread rumors. Speaking carelessly about someone else might hurt their character or reputation.
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Read Exodus 20:17 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” The last and final commandment is to be content with what God has given you and not continually want what isn’t yours.
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
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DAY 2 BIBLE STUDY • 10 COMMANDMENTS • ROMANS 3:23
Remember the test we took at the beginning? You can turn it over now to look at your answers. If you circled ‘yes’ to any of those questions, you have broken God’s law. Do you know anyone who has kept all Ten Commandments? Jesus! He is the only one who has kept all of God’s laws. Besides Jesus, everyone has broken God’s law and has sinned. Sin is anything we say, think, or do that is not pleasing to God. At this time hold up the mirror. The reason God gives us His law is so we can use it like a mirror to see ourselves. We look into a mirror to see what we look like. You might have a dirty face but you may not even know about it until you look into the mirror! In the same way, we don’t know how bad our behavior is until we look into God’s ‘mirror,’ the Ten Commandments. They show us what we are doing wrong. One day we will see God and He will be our judge. He will judge us by whether we have obeyed His commandments. If God is a fair judge, what should He do? Punish us for sinning The bad news is that we all sin by breaking God’s laws and deserve to be punished. Our verse for today is Romans 3:23. It says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We fall short because we aren’t good enough on our own. God will punish those who have broken the Ten Commandments and those people will be sent to a place called hell. It is a terrible place of punishment but God doesn’t want anyone to go there. Even though we deserve to be punished, God loves us so much that He made a way for us to be forgiven and to be with Him forever. .
Remember, God thinks you are a superstar and even though you have broken His laws, He still loves you. Today we learned the bad news that we aren’t good enough on our own, but tomorrow we are going to learn the good news. You won’t If want to miss it!
Transition to Purposeful Practice
Purposeful Practice
If time allows, have the children practice looking up the verses and take turns reading them. Leaders can assist the younger ones. Deuteronomy 27:10 10 “Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.” Matthew 5:19 “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” 19
Mark 10:18 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.” John 14:15 15 “If you love me, keep my commands.” Romans 3:19-20 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. Galatians 2:16 16 “...know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ...”
End in prayer
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
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(optional)
CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
The Quarter Challenge Does anyone want to try winning a quarter? Choose a volunteer to try to win a quarter. This is really tricky with preschoolers and their limited fine motor skills, but they enjoy it a lot! Have the child fold his or her hands like they were praying. Help them lift only their ring fingers up so that their fingertips are pressed together. Slip a quarter between the tips of the child's ring fingers. All you have to do to win that quarter is open your fingers and let the quarter drop to the floor but whatever you do, don’t move your other fingers. (Make sure to assist them by holding their other fingers down) After the first child fails, let a few others try the same trick. This was really an unfair challenge, wasn’t it? When your other fingers are bent in, it's impossible to spread your ring fingers apart! I wanted to show you this challenge as a reminder of today's lesson. The Bible tells us that we are all sinners. We have all fallen short of God's glory, and just like none of us can perform this trick, no one can save themselves from their sins either. Go ahead and try the quarter trick at home. Try it with your family and your friends. When you do, remember what we learned today. We are all sinners, and we cannot save ourselves.
DAY 2 • PRESCHOOL • 10 COMMANDMENTS
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
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QUIZ how good are you? 1
Have I ever disobeyed my parents?
Yes
No
2
Have I ever wanted to hurt someone else’s feelings?
Yes
No
3 Have I ever told a lie?
Yes
No
4 Have I ever wanted what somebody else has?
Yes
No
QUIZ how good are you? 1
Have I ever disobeyed my parents?
Yes
No
2
Have I ever wanted to hurt someone else’s feelings?
Yes
No
3 Have I ever told a lie?
Yes
No
4 Have I ever wanted what somebody else has?
Yes
No
The Ten Commandments was our theme for today and your child learned that God’s laws are for all people and are to be obeyed. In reviewing His commands in Exodus 20 we discussed how we ALL sin by breaking God’s laws. Our sin is the barrier between God and us. However, God provided a way for us to be with Him through His Son, Jesus. We will learn about that tomorrow!
www.GoFishResources.com
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… Romans 3:23
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Mark 10:18, John 14:15, Romans 3:19-20 Galatians 2:16, James 4:17
The Ten Commandments was our theme for today and your child learned that God’s laws are for all people and are to be obeyed. In reviewing His commands in Exodus 20 we discussed how we ALL sin by breaking God’s laws. Our sin is the barrier between God and us. However, God provided a way for us to be with Him through His Son, Jesus. We will learn about that tomorrow!
www.GoFishResources.com
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… Romans 3:23
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Mark 10:18, John 14:15, Romans 3:19-20 Galatians 2:16, James 4:17
Materials: • Wooden beads • Black, red, and white guitar picks (1 of each color per child) • String or leather cording
day two
Guitar Pick Necklaces
Directions:
The first guitar pick is black and represents our sin. The second pick is red, which reminds us of the blood that Jesus shed to pay the penalty for our sins. The third pick is white, which represents the forgiveness that is available to all of us through God’s Son, Jesus. When we are forgiven, the stain of our sin is wiped away and we are made clean! Wooden beads will be placed in between each colored pick to remind us of the wooden cross and what Jesus did for us so that we can be forgiven and have eternal life. What a rockin’ way to remember and share with others what Jesus did for you! Give each child a piece of cording, two wooden beads, and three guitar picks (one of each color). The child will string the black pick, then a bead, the red pick, then a bead, and finally the white pick.
grades KC-6: CRAFTS
For our craft today we are going to make something we can wear to remind us of what Jesus did for us on the cross. You are going to design a necklace made out of colored guitar picks and wooden beads.
Ingredients: • Honey graham crackers • White frosting
day two
10 Commandment Crackers
• (10) 1-inch pieces of peel apart string licorice per child Supplies needed: • Baby wipes • Paper towels • Paper plates Directions: Today we are going to make a snack that will help us remember that God gave us the Ten Commandments. He gave us His commandments so that we could know what sin is. Remember, sin is what keeps us from being close to God. Give each child a cracker. Scoop frosting on to the paper plate. Using the spreader, kids can spread the frosting on their cracker. Place the string licorice onto the frosting in lines to represent the Ten Commandments. The children can review the commandments as they are eating their snack.
grades KC-6: SNACKS
• Wooden spreaders
Materials: • Masking tape • Coins
day two
Coin Toss Relay
Prep: Use masking tape to make two curvy paths on the ground or floor in your playing area, leaving room for students to line up behind the paths.
• Form two teams. Each team lines up behind one of the masking tape paths. • To start, the first person tosses the coin to see how they “walk” the path. When the coin lands heads up, they choose an easy way to remind them how good it is to obey God’s wise commands. If the coin lands tails up, they choose a harder way to remind them that disobeying God causes trouble. • The next person in line tosses the coin when the person in front of them reaches the end of the path. Ask: • What are some commands God wants us to obey? Ex: forgive others, obey parents • What is one way you can obey one of these commands? • What excuse might a kid your age give for not obeying God? Ex: too hard, no one else is doing it, etc.
grades KC-6: GAMES
Directions:
Materials: • None Directions:
day two
Simon Says
• Play Simon Says until one person remains. Ask: • What made it easier to focus on what Simon said to do? Ex: keeping your eyes on Simon Say: It was easier to follow Simon’s directions when you were looking at him. It is also easier to follow God’s directions (The 10 Commandments) when you stay focused on God. How can you stay focused on God? Read Aloud: John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me...”
grades KC-6: GAMES
• Was it hard to do the correct thing when everyone around you did the wrong thing?
Materials: • Green sheet of paper • Red sheet of paper
day two
Red Light/Green Light
Directions: • Have children line up against the wall on one side of room. • Select one person to be the traffic cop. • When the traffic cop holds up the red paper, everyone must freeze. If you don’t stop or an extra step is taken after the red sheet is held up, you are out. • Whoever reaches the traffic cop first wins and becomes the new traffic cop. • If everyone gets out before reaching the traffic cop, the traffic cop wins! Say: If you follow the rules carefully, you get to stay in the game. Just like following God and His rules for your life helps you to lead a happier life.
grades KC-6: GAMES
• When the traffic cop holds up the green paper, the children may walk forward.
3 Bible Study Decoration Ideas If possible, decorate one side of the room with a manger and Christmas tree and the other side of the room with a cross.
Supplies Needed • Bible for leader with passages marked ahead of time • Bibles for everyone • Ten Commandments for reference • Glass bowl or pitcher • 4 cups of tap water • 1/2 cup bleach in a container labeled with a cross • 1 oz of iodine (Tincture USP 2%- can be found in first aid section of any drugstore) • Signs that read: 1. Jesus was born to save us from our sins. 2. Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins. 3. Jesus rose from the dead to show He had power over death.
K-1 Teachers:
Please also use the preschool Bible Study lessons and coloring sheets as additional resources for modifications to this study.
WHAT JESUS DID FOR YOU
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - JOHN 3:16 -
Getting Started So far we’ve learned that God made us and that He loves us. We’ve also learned that all of us have sinned because we’ve broken the Ten Commandments. Let’s see if we can remember them. For each commandment a child remembers, put a drop of iodine in a large clear container of water. The water will get dirty. It may be helpful to have a copy of the Ten Commandments nearby for reference. Because of our sin, God sees us as dirty. God is perfect, and we can’t be with Him because we are dirty from our sin. This is where Jesus enters our story! Take a look around you. The manger on this side of the room reminds us of when Jesus was born. The cross on the other side of the room reminds us of how Jesus died. Let’s go Backstage with the Bible to learn more!
Small Group Bible Lesson The story of Jesus is found in the New Testament. Let’s open our Bibles to Matthew 1:18. Matthew is the first book of the New Testament.
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GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
DAY 3 BIBLE STUDY • THE CROSS • JOHN 3:16
DAY 3 BIBLE STUDY • THE CROSS • JOHN 3:16
At this time choose 3 volunteers to read Matthew 1:18-19, 20-21, 22-24. First child reads: 18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man, and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. Second child reads: But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
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Third child reads: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" which means, "God with us." 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
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The angel told Mary that Jesus would save His people. What do you think we need to be saved from? Our sins
This passage tells us that Jesus was God’s Son and He was born to save people from their sins. I am going to hang this sign by the Christmas tree and manger to remind us that Jesus was born to save us from our sins. At this time hang the sign that reads “Jesus was born to save us from our sins.” Let’s continue our Backstage Bible tour by learning more about how a little baby could save us from our sins! We’re going to stay in Matthew and go to chapter 27. This part of Jesus’ life happened about 30 years after He was born. He wasn’t a baby anymore, but a full-grown man. These verses may be hard to hear, but they help us understand what Jesus did for us. Let’s look at Matthew 27:27-31 and read it together. Choose two volunteers to read Matthew 27:27-29 and 29-31.
Crucify means that they nailed Jesus to a large wooden cross. He hung there until He died. Back in the time of Jesus, it was usually criminals who were punished this way. But Jesus wasn’t a criminal. In fact, the Bible tells us that He never sinned! Because He was sinless, He was able to take the punishment that we deserved for our sin. Years ago, Jesus died to pay the penalty for all the sins that we do today. I am going to hang this sign on the cross to remind us that Jesus died to pay for our sins. At this time hang the sign that reads “Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins.” We broke God’s law and He paid the penalty of death for us on the cross. They laid His body in a tomb and placed a large stone over the opening. Let’s turn to the next chapter in the book of Matthew to see what happened next.
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 27
They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. 30
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
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DAY 3 BIBLE STUDY • THE CROSS • JOHN 3:16
For the sake of time, the leader may want to read Matthew 28:1-8 and have the children follow along in their Bibles.
Because Jesus took our punishment when He was on the cross, we don’t have to be dirty with sin anymore.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Move to the pitcher of dirty water and If the bleach into the water. Stir pour until the water clears.
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When God sees us as clean, we can be with Him – now and forever in Heaven. Tomorrow we will tell you more about this great news and how you can have your sins forgiven!
Transition to Purposeful Practice
Purposeful Practice
If time allows, have the children practice looking up the verses and take turns reading them. Leaders can assist the younger ones. 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. I John 3:5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. I John 4: 9-10 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. I John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
Three days after they buried Jesus in the tomb, He rose from the dead proving that He was God and had power even over the penalty of death! At this time hang the sign that reads “Jesus rose from the dead to show He had power over death!” on the cross. Remove the previous sign symbolizing His resurrection over death! .
End in prayer
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
16
(optional)
CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
“Your Bill Has Already Been Paid” Supplies Needed: • An old checkbook from an inactive account Does your mom and dad have one of these? It’s called a checkbook. It’s kind of like money. Your mom and dad can write out a check to pay for their bills and the bank takes the money out of their account. You have to keep track of how many checks you write though! You can’t write out a check unless you have money in the bank. Do you think it costs a lot of money to live in a house? What are some of the things you have to pay for when you live in a house? For each item that a child lists off, rip out a check and drop it to the ground. They might need some examples to get them started. Some examples might include turning on the water, lights, air conditioning, fireplace, stove, and using the refrigerator, microwave, phone and computer, as well as having the garbage picked up and buying groceries. Nothing is free. Everything comes with a price and someone has to pay. We learned earlier that we all sin and break God’s laws. There’s a price to be paid but your mom and dad can’t write out a check for that. That’s the bad news. The good news is that they don’t have to. Jesus already paid the price. It cost much more than all of these things we have talked about. That’s how much He loves you!
DAY 3 • PRESCHOOL • THE CROSS
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
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Good news doesn’t make sense without the bad. Although we learned yesterday that we deserve to be separated from God due to our sin, our theme for today was The Cross. Your child read about Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus was born to be the perfect sacrifice and pay the penalty for our sins. Through Jesus’ death the barrier of sin is removed and God sees us as clean. If we choose to believe, we can be forgiven and have complete access to our Father in heaven.
www.GoFishResources.com
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Hebrews 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:21 1 John 3:5, I John 4:9-10, & 14
Good news doesn’t make sense without the bad. Although we learned yesterday that we deserve to be separated from God due to our sin, our theme for today was The Cross. Your child read about Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus was born to be the perfect sacrifice and pay the penalty for our sins. Through Jesus’ death the barrier of sin is removed and God sees us as clean. If we choose to believe, we can be forgiven and have complete access to our Father in heaven.
www.GoFishResources.com
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Hebrews 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:21 1 John 3:5, I John 4:9-10, & 14
Materials: • Wooden cross • Pennies (40 per child) • Hot glue gun • Verse label
day three
Paid in Full Penny Cross
Today the children learn that God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross. They will read about His death, burial, and resurrection. The lesson emphasizes that it is only through God’s mercy and grace that we can be forgiven. The penny cross will be a reminder to the children of what Jesus did for us, so that we may have eternal life. Put the verse sticker and child’s name on the back of the cross. Place glue on the cross and then place the coins on the glue.
grades KC-6: CRAFTS
Directions:
Ingredients: • Large pretzel rods (2 per child) • Canned squirt cheese
day three
Pretzel & Cheese Cross
Supplies needed: • Baby wipes • Paper Towels
The only way we can be forgiven is if the penalty for our sins is paid. God didn’t want us to have to pay that penalty so He sent His Son, Jesus to die in our place. That’s how much He loves us! Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we can be saved. Today our snack will remind us of that amazing gift and help us remember the cross. • Lay a pretzel rod on the paper towel • Break another pretzel rod in half • Squirt canned cheese in the middle of the broken pretzel rod • Place the broken rod with cheese onto the unbroken pretzel to make a cross
grades KC-6: SNACKS
Directions:
Materials: • Bible
day three
Jesus Loves You (Duck, Duck Goose)
Directions: • Play the familiar game of Duck, Duck Goose but instead have “it” say “Jesus loves, loves, loves you!”
• When the child says “you,” the child whose head is tapped jumps up and chases “it” back to the tagged child’s place. • If the tagged child catches “it,” the child who’s “it” must sit in the middle of the circle until someone replaces them. • Remind them to make sure everyone gets a turn because Jesus loves everyone in the circle. Read Aloud: 1 John 4:9-10 • How can we show others that we love them?
grades KC-6: GAMES
• Kids sit in a circle. “It” walks around the circle and pats each child’s head while saying only one word in the phrase.
Materials: • Whiteboard • Dry erase markers
day three
Un-Hang Man
Game Summary:
Phrases to Use: • Jesus died so that we might live. • Payment for our sin is death. • Jesus died in our place. Directions: • Draw two hang man gallows with a stick figure completely drawn and hanging. • Write out the alphabet. • Put the blanks on the board for the phrase, and let each team take turns guessing letters. • As a letter is guessed correctly a part of the stick figure is erased and the blanks are filled in. As a letter is guessed, erase the letter from the list to avoid repeats. • First team to completely erase their figure or guess the phrase wins! Read Aloud: John 3:16-17 Explain that the figure represents you and me. Each of us has sinned and disobeyed God, and we deserve to die for our sin. In fact, we are already “hanged” for our sin. We just haven’t died yet. Jesus erased our death sentence by dying in our place. Just like the phrase we filled in “Jesus died so that we might live!” Someone must die for your sin. Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” You just have to accept Him!
grades KC-6: GAMES
Two teams compete to un-hang their man by guessing letters in a phrase that reveals the meaning of the cross. The game illustrates that Jesus erases our death sentence by dying in our place. Best for upper elementary children.
Materials: • Foam ball or tennis ball Directions:
day three
Beat the Ball
• Students sit in a circle in the middle of the playing area. Larger groups form two circles. • Give the ball to one student. Student tosses the ball to any other student in the group. • As soon as student tosses the ball, they get up and begin running around the circle. • Students quickly pass the ball around the circle, trying to get it back to the student who caught it before the runner returns to their seat. • Student who gets beat (either the one who tossed the ball or the one who first caught the ball) names one thing Jesus did to show love while He was here on earth. • Repeat game as time allows. Ask: • What are some ways Jesus showed love to people? • What is one way to show love like Jesus did when you are at school? • What might happen if we show love in some of the ways Jesus showed love?
grades KC-6: GAMES
• Student who caught the ball, passes it to the student next to them.
4 Bible Study Decoration Ideas If possible decorate the room like a large Monopoly game, or have the game and pieces setting out for a visual.
Supplies Needed • Bible for leader with passages marked ahead of time • Bibles for everyone • Monopoly game pieces for visual aids
BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…” - EPHESIANS 2:8 -
Getting Started What do you see in our room today? Allow children to comment on Monopoly game.
K-1 Teachers: Please also use the preschool Bible Study lessons and coloring sheets as additional resources for modifications to this study.
If you have ever played Monopoly, you know that the goal is to own as many properties as you can. The one with the most land, hotels, and money wins. Everyone knows it’s just a game and when the game is over everything goes back in the box. It’s also like that with real life. When we die, nothing that we own goes with us. It stays here on Earth. The only thing that lasts is God’s Word and His people. That is why it is so important that we know what the Bible says and live for God and God alone. The man in our story today chose to love his things more than he loved Jesus. He thought he could do something on his own to get into heaven, but that's not how it works. Let’s go Backstage with the Bible to learn more.
Small Group Bible Lesson Our story today comes from Mark 10. Mark is the second book in the New Testament and we are going to read a story about a young rich man who wants to go to heaven when he dies.
18
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
DAY 4 BIBLE STUDY • SAVED • EPHESIANS 2:8
DAY 4 BIBLE STUDY • SAVED • EPHESIANS 2:8
What does it say that Jesus wanted the man to do? Sell everything he had and give it to the poor.
Let’s open our Bibles to Mark 10:17. At this time choose a volunteer to read Mark 10:17-19 and another volunteer to read Mark 10:20-22 after the first child finishes. If working with younger children, you will probably want to read the verse and have them follow along in their Bibles. Make sure to read directly from the Bible. As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 17
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 20
The rich man claimed that he had kept all of the commandments since he was a boy. We know that isn’t possible, but he was not intentionally lying. He was speaking sincerely and, like many people, he already thought he was a good person. In verse 21 it says that instead of Jesus becoming upset with him, Jesus looked at him and loved him.
Jesus knew that this man loved his things more than he loved Jesus. Let’s keep reading to see what else He says starting at verse 23. Choose a volunteer to read Mark 10:23-25. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
those who can’t afford to buy their own. Can doing these good things get you into heaven? No While those things make God happy, we can never do anything on our own to get into heaven. Let’s continue our story by reading verses 26 and 27. Choose one last volunteer to read Mark 10: 26-27.
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Why do you think it is so hard for the rich to go to heaven? Because it’s tempting to trust money instead of God. Do you remember the rich Egyptians we talked about earlier? They were used to having everything and getting it on their own. They didn’t think they needed God. Jesus isn’t saying that we can’t have nice things or be rich. However, these things can sometimes distract us from focusing on God. Everything belongs to God and we can’t bring any of our possessions, or things, to heaven. There are a lot of people who do really good things. For example, they go to church every Sunday, help feed those who don’t have enough to eat, and give clothes to
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” 26
Jesus told His disciples that it is impossible for us to be saved on our own, but it is possible with God. Have you heard of the word grace? Grace means that we don’t deserve it and there is nothing we can do to earn it. Even though every one of us has broken God’s law and we deserve to be punished, God shows grace to those who have faith and believe. Do we deserve to be saved? No That is why there is nothing that we can do ourselves to get into heaven. We don’t belong there, but God wants us there with Him. That is why He sent His Son Jesus to die for us. It is our only by His grace that we can be saved.
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
19
DAY 4 BIBLE STUDY • SAVED • EPHESIANS 2:8
Do you remember how we talked earlier this week about our country’s laws? Why do we need laws? To keep us safe, protect us, etc. Just like the laws in our country are meant to save us from harm, God’s laws are also meant to protect us. God knows how horrible sin is and that it can keep you from spending forever with Him in heaven. He doesn’t give us rules or laws to make us miserable or have less fun. God gives us His commands to guide us, protect us, and give us a glimpse of His holy character. We have been learning that no one can keep all of God’s commandments. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t try. When we make mistakes and break God’s laws, we need to apologize and ask for forgiveness. When we ask Jesus to forgive us, the Bible says He remembers our sins no more. Jeremiah 31:34 The Bible also says that as far as the east is from the west, He has removed our sin and He will have compassion on us. He will throw our sins into the depths of the sea. Psalm 103:12, Micah 7:19
Not only do we need to be sorry and ask for forgiveness, we need to make an effort not to sin again. If we disobey God, we are not showing Him we are thankful for what Jesus did for us. We know what makes God unhappy and we need to do our best to follow His laws. What we’ve been talking about today is so important that the Go Fish Guys wanted to be a part of our Backstage Bible Study as well. Everyone listen closely because they want to ask you a very important question! At this time play the video of the Go Fish Guys giving the gospel presentation asking the children to consider whether or not they are saved.
Transition to Purposeful Practice
Purposeful Practice
If time allows, have the children practice looking up the verses and take turns reading them. Leaders can assist the younger ones. John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God... John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Romans 3:23,24 …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 5:20b …But where sin increased, grace increased all the more… Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Ephesians 2: 8,9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.
Do you know what repent means? Repent means to turn away from your sin and turn to God. .
End in prayer
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
20
(optional)
CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
Supplies Needed: • Cheap plastic toys from the kid’s meals at fast food restaurants Have you ever ordered a kid’s meal at a fast food restaurant and gotten a free toy with it? Share the different toys you have brought and ask what other toys the children have gotten in their meals. These toys can be hit or miss. Sometimes you get a boring toy that you just want to throw away. Other times it’s a toy that’s super awesome from a movie you loved! Do you think these toys are really free? No Who do you think paid for the toy? Whoever bought your meal Moms, dads, and grandparents pay for those toys. Sure they come "free" with the meal, but the meal wasn't free. Someone had to pay the price for that meal and, because they did, you received a free toy. We have already learned that Jesus paid the price for our sins. Because Jesus paid that price, we can receive a free gift far more valuable than plastic toys. We can receive forgiveness for our sins! If you went to a restaurant right now, you probably wouldn’t have enough money to buy your own meal. That’s where mom and dad step in and pay the price. We could never do enough on our own to pay the price that it costs to live with God in heaven forever, but Jesus stepped in and paid the price. The only thing that we need to do is accept His gift. If you've never received it, Jesus is inviting you to accept His gift today. It is the greatest gift ever given!
DAY 4 • PRESCHOOL • SAVED
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
35
Our theme for today was how to be Saved by grace through faith. Your child read about the rich young ruler in Mark 10 and his questions to Jesus about eternal life. Although the man thought he was a good person, Jesus pointed out that he loved his personal possessions more than God. We learned that there is nothing we can do on our own through riches or deeds to earn our place in Heaven. It is only by God’s grace that He forgives those who believe.
www.GoFishResources.com
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…” Ephesians 2:8
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Hebrews 13:5, Romans 3:23-24, Ephesians 2:8-9 Acts 4:12, Romans 5:20, Romans 10:10 John 1:12, John 14:6
Our theme for today was how to be Saved by grace through faith. Your child read about the rich young ruler in Mark 10 and his questions to Jesus about eternal life. Although the man thought he was a good person, Jesus pointed out that he loved his personal possessions more than God. We learned that there is nothing we can do on our own through riches or deeds to earn our place in Heaven. It is only by God’s grace that He forgives those who believe.
www.GoFishResources.com
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…” Ephesians 2:8
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Hebrews 13:5, Romans 3:23-24, Ephesians 2:8-9 Acts 4:12, Romans 5:20, Romans 10:10 John 1:12, John 14:6
• White bandanas • Self adhesive gems • Fabric markers • Sharpies • Tacky glue • Butcher Paper Directions: Today we learned about the rich young man and how he asked Jesus what he needed to do to be saved. The rich man went away sad because he realized that he loved his money more than he loved God. Can anyone tell me what grace means? Grace means we get something that we do not deserve and there’s nothing we can do to earn it. Our verse for today is found in Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” There is nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven; it is a gift from God. When you become a Christian you become a child of God. Cover the tables with butcher paper. Give each child a bandana and set the decorative items out. Let kids decorate their bandana. Encourage them to include verses they have learned this week.
day four
Materials:
grades KC-6: CRAFTS
Backstage Bandana
Ingredients: • Vanilla pudding cups • Vanilla wafer cookies, crushed into large crumbs
day four
Cookie Crumb Pudding Cups
• Sliced bananas Supplies needed: • Baby wipes • Paper Towels • Spoons Directions: Today our snack reminds us of the rich young man who tried to store up his treasures on Earth. You will have the chance to fill up your cup with cookies or banana slices, which both represent treasures. Think of the bananas as things that have eternal value, or things that have worth even in heaven. (Reading God’s Word, sharing the Good News with others, etc.) Think of the cookies as things that we can only use while here on Earth (money, toys, video games, etc.). I’m guessing many of you would rather store up cookies than bananas, but which one is better for you? Jesus asked the rich man to give up what he wanted. Jesus knew those things were more important to the man than his love for God. We might want a lot of cookies, or treasures, but we know they aren’t going to bring us lasting joy. We’ll eventually want more and more of those things. Jesus reminds us in this story that only He can bring us joy that lasts forever in Him. Hand out the pudding cups, a few vanilla wafers and several slices of banana. Enjoy!
grades KC-6: SNACKS
• Knife
Materials: • Bible • Masking tape
day four
Try, Try Again
Prep:
Ask: Do any of you think you can walk along this line without stepping off? Directions: • As a child comes forward, say: Before you try to make it across, you need to spin around. • Provide spotters for this activity to keep line walkers safe. • Carefully spin the first volunteer ten times and have them start at one end of the line and walk across to the other end. • After everyone has had a turn, have kids sit in a circle. Ask: • What did you think when I first asked if you could walk the line? • How did your thoughts change after you saw what you had to do? Read Aloud: Ephesians 2:8-9 Sometimes we think we can “do” things to earn God’s forgiveness. But the more we try the more we fail. Our sins are forgiven only because of Jesus, not because of what we do.
grades KC-6: GAMES
Place a 10-foot strip of masking tape on the floor in the center of your room or playing area.
Materials: • Index card for each child • Marker
day four
Who’s Forgiven?
Prep: On one card, print the word “forgiven.” Hide all cards around the classroom.
• At your signal, each child finds one of the hidden cards. • Children with blank cards are debtors (people who owe money) and must do ten jumping jacks to pay their debts. • The child with the word “forgiven” on their card does not have to do jumping jacks. • Repeat game as time permits, each time choosing a different way in which debts are to be paid (do ten sit ups, hop across the room, toe touches). Ask: • How do you feel when someone tells you that you have done something wrong? • How do you feel when someone says you are forgiven for what you did? • Why does God’s forgiveness of our sins make us want to forgive others? • When would it be hard for someone your age to forgive someone? • Who helps us forgive?
grades KC-6: GAMES
Directions:
5 Bible Study Decoration Ideas If possible decorate the room by covering the walls with the front pages of different newspapers.
Supplies Needed • Bible for leader with passages marked ahead of time • Bibles for everyone • Markers • Chart paper • Large chart with two columns labeled “Good News” and “Bad News” and room for notes
SHARE THE GOOD NEWS
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” - MATTHEW 4:19 -
Getting Started You are going to want to start this day with a personal story about news that you have received that was so good you had to tell as many people as you knew. (Examples might include the birth of a baby, winning an award, etc.) You can also give the children an opportunity to share their own examples.
K-1 Teachers:
When we learn something important, we want to share it with others! We’ve learned many important things this week – some of it was bad news, and some of it was good news. Let’s review!
Please also use the preschool Bible Study lessons and coloring sheets as additional resources for modifications to this study.
Bring attention to the two columned chart with the following statements on them. The Good News: God created us and He loves us!
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The Bad News: Each one of us has broken God’s laws – the Ten Commandments. We deserve to be punished for our sins. Our sin separates us from God. The Good News: God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross. Jesus was perfect. He never sinned. When He died on the cross, He took the punishment for our sins and three days later He rose again from the dead. More Good News: When we repent of our sins and trust in Jesus, our sins are forgiven. When we die, we can go to heaven to be with Jesus forever!
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GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
DAY 5 BIBLE STUDY • GO FISH! • MATTHEW 4:19
DAY 5 BIBLE STUDY • GO FISH! • MATTHEW 4:19
Small Group Bible Lesson The Good News is important and we should tell others about it. Do you know why? Because Jesus told us to! No one is too young to Go Fish. Let’s go Backstage with the Bible and hear what Jesus says about fishing for men. Try to find Matthew 28 on your own in your Bible. We are going to read the last five verses of this chapter, starting with verse 16. It takes place after Jesus rose from the dead, and before He returned to heaven. At this time choose a volunteer to read Matthew 28:16-20. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 16
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 18
What three things did Jesus tell His disciples to do? Encourage the children to look back at the verses in their Bibles and come up with the following answers. As they are responding, write out each one on chart paper as the items are suggested.
1. Go and make disciples. 2. Baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 3. Teach them to obey His commands. This part of the Bible is called The Great Commission. Before Jesus left Earth and went back to heaven, He wanted to make sure His disciples knew what to do. He wanted everyone to hear the Good News. He wanted as many people as possible to know Him, to have their sins forgiven, and to obey His commands. The instructions that Jesus gave His disciples are for us too. He wants us to tell others the Good News. He wants us to tell our friends and our family so that they too can have their sins forgiven and be saved by grace through faith. Think of someone who doesn’t know Jesus. Think of the people at your school, in your neighborhood, on your sports teams, or even in your own family.
The craft you made (or will make) today is a tool to help you share the Good News of Jesus with others. It uses the five themes from our lessons to help you remember how to share the Gospel. Demonstrate using the Go Fish tract from today’s craft station, then allow time for the children to practice in pairs. The tract is available on the Back Stage with the Bible CD-Rom. Great work everyone! Your practice here today, along with Jesus’ promise to be with you always, will help you be ready to share the Good News with others. Let’s pray together. Thank you Jesus, for the great news you have given us. Thank you for loving us so much and for making a way for our sins to be forgiven. Help us to find opportunities to tell others the Good News. Please give us courage to share with the people we were thinking about earlier. Thank you for your promise to be with us always. Amen!
It’s not always easy to tell others about Jesus. We might be scared that we won’t say the right thing. Jesus promises that He will be with us and help us! One verse that might encourage you to be bold in sharing the Gospel is found in the book of Romans. I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes… Romans 1:16a
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
23
DAY 5 BIBLE STUDY • GO FISH! • MATTHEW 4:19
(optional)
Purposeful Practice
If time allows, have the children practice looking up the verses and take turns reading them. Leaders can assist the younger ones.
OUR WEEK IN REVIEW DAY 1
God loves you because He made you. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made… Psalm 139:14
DAY 2
The problem is that we have all broken God’s laws which means we have sinned. God hates sin because it is what separates us from Him. …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… Romans 3:23
DAY 3
God provided a way to remove our sin so that we could be close to Him. He sent His Son Jesus to Earth to take the punishment that we deserved for our sin. He died on the cross and three days later rose from the dead, proving that He is God and that He has power over the penalty of death. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
DAY 4
If we want to be saved we need to have faith and believe in Jesus, tell Him we are sorry for our sins, and ask for forgiveness. We need to live for God everyday out of gratitude for what He did for us on the cross. That’s what it means to be a Christian! For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith… Ephesians 2:8
DAY 5
Jesus told His disciples, who were fishermen, to stop fishing for fish and start fishing for people. What He meant was that He wanted them to tell others the Good News of the Gospel! We are supposed to do the same. We’ve all sinned and we need a Savior. We need to ‘Go Fish’ by telling others this great news! “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19
End in prayer
Print or e-mail additional copies of all Manuals and other Print Materials. Look for PDF files on the Backstage CD-Rom.
CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
Share the Good News! Supplies Needed: • A movie case of one of your favorite movies Begin this lesson by sharing the movie you brought. Tell the children when you saw it, why you fell in love with it, and why they should see it too! When was the last time you saw a movie that you loved so much, you had to tell everyone? Give the children a few minutes to share. It sounds to me like all of you have had a time when you shared something exciting with your friends. When we see a good movie, hear a good song, or just get good news, we all want to run out and share it with someone. That's what Jesus is asking us to do today. In our time together we have learned that we are all sinners. We are separated from God by our sin, but God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay for our sins on the cross. Because Jesus died and rose again, we can have our sins forgiven. That's not just good news, it's great news! Now it's your turn. Jesus told His disciples before He left for heaven that they should go and share the Good News with the world. We have news that is better than any movie you'll ever see. Don't keep it to yourself! Tell a friend. Tell a neighbor. Tell someone that Jesus loves them! Close with prayer. Dear God, Thank You for the opportunity we've had to learn about Your Son this week. Give us the courage and the words to share Your Good News with others. Amen.
S W E N D GOO
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DAY 5 • PRESCHOOL • GO FISH!
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
Today we talked about what it means to Go Fish! Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 28 to tell others about Him. Now that we know about God’s great love and what Jesus did for us, how can we not talk about it? Jesus promises to be with us always and to help us as we share the Good News to our family and friends.
www.GoFishResources.com
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EXTRA!! EXTRA
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
‘Come follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ Matthew 4:19
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Romans 1:16, Matthew 28:16-20
Today we talked about what it means to Go Fish! Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 28 to tell others about Him. Now that we know about God’s great love and what Jesus did for us, how can we not talk about it? Jesus promises to be with us always and to help us as we share the Good News to our family and friends.
www.GoFishResources.com
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! A R T X E EXTRA!
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
FAMILY FOCUS
‘Come follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ Matthew 4:19
We encourage you to look up these passages with your children! Romans 1:16, Matthew 28:16-20
Materials: • CD • White Cardstock
day five
CD Fish
• Googly Eyes • Markers • Gems • Glitter • Tape • Scissors Directions: In Matthew 4:19 Jesus says, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus meant that He wanted His disciples to tell people about Him. When you see your fish it will remind you to tell others about Jesus and His love. • On white cardstock, use markers to draw fish fins, eyes, and lips. Some tips to try: use half circles and triangles for fins and hearts for lips. Color both sides of each part with vibrant colors and designs. • Cut out the pieces with scissors. • Tape or glue fins on the CD. • Glue a googly eye on the side of the CD. • Use your imagination to ‘design’ your fish body with markers, gems, glitter, etc!
grades KC-6: CRAFTS
• Glue
Ingredients: • Pretzel rods (2 per child) • Gummy worms (2 per child)
day five
Fishing Poles
• Twizzler pull & peel rope (2 per child) • Goldfish crackers Supplies needed: • Baby wipes
Directions: Today our snack will remind us that God wants us to ‘Go Fish!’ He wants us to fish for people by sharing with them the Good News of the Gospel. The Gospel has the power to save and Jesus commands everyone who believes in Him to tell others! Give each child a paper towel with pretzel rods, twizzler rope, gummy worms and goldfish on it. Tell them that they are going to make a fishing pole to remind them of the story. To make the fishing pole, wrap one end of the twizzler around the pretzel rod and the other end around the gummy worm. They can then pretend to fish and eat the goldfish. When they have finished the goldfish, they can eat the fishing pole.
grades KC-6: SNACKS
• Paper Towels
Materials: • Small index cards • Marker
day five
Secret Pass
Directions:
• Students stand in a circle (shoulder to shoulder if possible) to play a game similar to Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button? • Choose one person to be “it” who stands in the middle of the circle with eyes closed. • Give one of the index cards to student in circle. “It” opens their eyes. • At your signal, students pass card around the circle behind their backs, trying to keep “it” from seeing who has the card. • “It” tries to identify who has the card. After “it” guesses or after two tries, student holding the card reads aloud the announcement about Jesus. • Repeat process with new volunteers/new index cards as time allows. Read Aloud: Matthew 3:16-17 • God spoke from heaven to tell everyone that Jesus is His Son. What are some ways people make announcements today? • What did Jesus do as God’s Son? • How can we help people today learn that Jesus is God’s Son?
grades KC-6: GAMES
• Ask: What are some true sentences about Jesus? (Jesus is God’s Son, Jesus died and rose again, Jesus came to earth and was born a baby, Jesus healed the sick, Jesus calmed the sea) List sentences on separate small index cards.
Materials: • Yarn
day five
Big Fish, Little Fish
Directions:
• Choose two children to be fishermen and say: Jesus had many friends who were fishermen. They caught lots of fish and then they sold the fish in the market for people to eat. Let’s play a game about fish. When I call out, “Big fish, little fish, swim, swim, swim!” everyone will run from the fishermen. • If a fisherman tags you, go stand inside one of the fish nets. When the nets get too crowded, I’ll call out “Big fish, little fish, swim away free!” Then you can all escape and play again. • Play for several minutes, changing fishermen often. Read Aloud: Matthew 4:18-20 • What do you think it means to fish for men? • What does it mean to follow Jesus? • Why does He want us to follow Him?
grades KC-6: GAMES
• Use the yarn to form two circular fish nets on the floor on opposite sides of the room or play area.
Materials: • Marbles or other small objects
day five
Secret Pass-Off
Directions: • Choose at least one volunteer to become a watcher. One watcher for every 6-7 students will be needed.
• Watcher opens eyes. All students put hands behind their backs and begin walking around the room, passing objects to each other while keeping their hands behind their backs. • At the same time, watchers try to detect who is holding objects. To increase the challenge, all students should pretend to pass objects. • Call time after 30 seconds or so. Watchers name students they think are holding objects. If their guesses are correct, students holding objects give them to the watchers. If their guesses are incorrect, begin a new round of play. • After second round, choose new watchers whether or not all objects have been collected. Play as many rounds as time allows. Read Aloud: Acts 3:1-16 • Was it easier to be a watcher or a secret giver? • Why does Jesus tell us it is important to give to each other? • Besides money, what else does Jesus help us give to others?
grades KC-6: GAMES
• Watchers will close their eyes while you quietly give marbles or other small objects to no more than half of remaining students.
