December: Jesus Came to Save Us
December 7:
December 14:
December 21:
December 28:
Monday, December 1, 2014
Saturday, November 1, 2014
November 2014
November: Jesus Teaches Us Thankfulness
November 2:
November 9:
November 16:
November 23:
November 30:
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
October 2014
October: Jesus Shows Us Patience
October 5: "And I am convinced..." Romans 8:38-39
October 12: "Be still and know..." Psalm 46:10
October 19: "Fruits of the Spirit" Galatians 5:22
October 26: "The Lord is my Shepherd..." Psalm 23
October 5: "And I am convinced..." Romans 8:38-39
October 12: "Be still and know..." Psalm 46:10
October 19: "Fruits of the Spirit" Galatians 5:22
October 26: "The Lord is my Shepherd..." Psalm 23
Monday, September 1, 2014
September 2014
September: Jesus Is a Friend
September 7: Jesus is a Good Friend (John 21:15)
September 14: Jesus and John the Baptist (Luke 7:18-35)
September 21: Jesus' Mother and Brothers (Luke 8:19-21)
September 28: Testimonies About Jesus (John 5:31-47)
September 7: Jesus is a Good Friend (John 21:15)
September 14: Jesus and John the Baptist (Luke 7:18-35)
September 21: Jesus' Mother and Brothers (Luke 8:19-21)
September 28: Testimonies About Jesus (John 5:31-47)
Friday, August 1, 2014
August 2014
August: Jesus Taught Us with Stories
August 3: Rotten Fruit ( A Tree and Fruit parable Luke 6:43-45)
August 10: Sturdy as a Rock (The House on a Rock parable Matt 7:24-29)
August 17: What Kind of Farmer Are You? (The Farmer parable Luke 8:1-18)
August 24: Where the Seed Falls (Growing Seeds parable Matt 13:24-30)
August 31: A Tiny Difference (The Mustard Seed Mark 4:30-34)
Sunday, July 6, 2014
July 2014
I'm not sure where I went wrong, but I clearly did not put any work into my blog the last half of the year. Here are my lessons, and maybe eventually I can add what we did each week to them!
July: Even When... Jesus Loves Us!
July 6- Intro to VBS "Weird Animals": Jesus Loves Us!
July 13- VBS Presentation
July 20: Even when we're worried, Jesus Loves Us! (Jesus calms a storm Matt 8:23-27)
July 27: Even when we're guilty, Jesus Loves Us! (Jesus eats with sinners Matt 9:9-13)
July: Even When... Jesus Loves Us!
July 6- Intro to VBS "Weird Animals": Jesus Loves Us!
July 13- VBS Presentation
July 20: Even when we're worried, Jesus Loves Us! (Jesus calms a storm Matt 8:23-27)
July 27: Even when we're guilty, Jesus Loves Us! (Jesus eats with sinners Matt 9:9-13)
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Week 26: June 29
Our theme for June is "Jesus Heals"
Week 26- Jesus Heals at Bethsaida (John 5:1-15)
Week 26- Jesus Heals at Bethsaida (John 5:1-15)
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Week 25: June 22
Our theme for June is "Jesus Heals"
Week 25- Jesus Heals a Nobleman's Son (John 4:43-54)
Week 25- Jesus Heals a Nobleman's Son (John 4:43-54)
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Week 24: June 15
Our theme for June is "Jesus Heals"
Week 24- Jesus Heals a Crippled Hand (Luke 6:6-11)
Since this was also Father's Day, I wanted to find an activity that both taught the lesson and became a gift for dad. The story was pretty simple. I didn't divulge the "healing on Sabbath" moral, but simply that Jesus heals.
I started by giving each child a piece of scrap paper to crumple into a ball and hold in their dominate hand. We talked about how not everyone is able to use both hands due to various disabilities. We discussed how these people can do many things, but it's often more difficult than people who can use both of their hands. Each student had to hold the construction paper in his/her hand while drawing and coloring a picture of their dad. The drawings were hilarious! Most kids used their other hand, but some tried to hold the crayons in the hand while simultaneously holding a (somewhat large) piece of crumpled paper.
I told the kids there was a man in Jesus' time who had a disability in his hand. He couldn't do many of the things others were able to do, and it often took him longer to do small tasks. We talked about what a picture of his dad might've looked like.
One day Jesus was teaching in the synagogue when this man came in whose hand was shriveled. Everyone was curious to see what Jesus would do. Would Jesus heal the man?
Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand. (I then had the kids stretch out their hand holding the paper.) As the man obeyed Jesus' instruction, his hand was restored. What does it mean if something is "restored?" Yes, it's made to look like it should have. Did Jesus heal the man's hand? Go ahead and drop your paper. Move your fingers around. It sure feels good to be able to use your hand, doesn't it!? Jesus healed the man's hand and Jesus can heal us, too.
To go along with Father's Day, I found these hand-shaped sticky boards from Oriental Trading. We talked about how Jesus healed the man's hand, and how He, in fact, "hand"les a lot of problems so we don't have to worry! We talked about how blessed we are that He made Dads that "give us a hand" with things, as well. I had a first-grader who couldn't stop laughing after all of the hand-puns. It was hilarious! (And he looked quite "hand"some while doing it!) lol But anyway, we wrote a nice note to our dads on the backside "Thanks for giving me a helping hand. Happy Father's Day" and the kids were able to decorate the front with tissue paper squares. Some of the kids used their dad's favorite colors, others use different colors and shapes to represent dad's favorite things ("A" for Auburn, a cross in the middle "cause my dad loves Jesus," etc.)
Week 24- Jesus Heals a Crippled Hand (Luke 6:6-11)
Since this was also Father's Day, I wanted to find an activity that both taught the lesson and became a gift for dad. The story was pretty simple. I didn't divulge the "healing on Sabbath" moral, but simply that Jesus heals.
I started by giving each child a piece of scrap paper to crumple into a ball and hold in their dominate hand. We talked about how not everyone is able to use both hands due to various disabilities. We discussed how these people can do many things, but it's often more difficult than people who can use both of their hands. Each student had to hold the construction paper in his/her hand while drawing and coloring a picture of their dad. The drawings were hilarious! Most kids used their other hand, but some tried to hold the crayons in the hand while simultaneously holding a (somewhat large) piece of crumpled paper.
I told the kids there was a man in Jesus' time who had a disability in his hand. He couldn't do many of the things others were able to do, and it often took him longer to do small tasks. We talked about what a picture of his dad might've looked like.
One day Jesus was teaching in the synagogue when this man came in whose hand was shriveled. Everyone was curious to see what Jesus would do. Would Jesus heal the man?
Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand. (I then had the kids stretch out their hand holding the paper.) As the man obeyed Jesus' instruction, his hand was restored. What does it mean if something is "restored?" Yes, it's made to look like it should have. Did Jesus heal the man's hand? Go ahead and drop your paper. Move your fingers around. It sure feels good to be able to use your hand, doesn't it!? Jesus healed the man's hand and Jesus can heal us, too.
To go along with Father's Day, I found these hand-shaped sticky boards from Oriental Trading. We talked about how Jesus healed the man's hand, and how He, in fact, "hand"les a lot of problems so we don't have to worry! We talked about how blessed we are that He made Dads that "give us a hand" with things, as well. I had a first-grader who couldn't stop laughing after all of the hand-puns. It was hilarious! (And he looked quite "hand"some while doing it!) lol But anyway, we wrote a nice note to our dads on the backside "Thanks for giving me a helping hand. Happy Father's Day" and the kids were able to decorate the front with tissue paper squares. Some of the kids used their dad's favorite colors, others use different colors and shapes to represent dad's favorite things ("A" for Auburn, a cross in the middle "cause my dad loves Jesus," etc.)
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Week 23: June 8
Our theme for June is "Jesus Heals"
Week 23- Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)
This week we read about how Jesus healed a man who was paralyzed. We first talked about what it means to be paralyzed, and how sad it was that He couldn't visit Jesus.
When Jesus came to Capernaum, everyone wanted to see Him. People filled the house- every room- to the point where nobody could even get through the door. In fact, people stood outside of the doorway waiting to hear Jesus speak.
There was one man, though, that could not go visit Jesus. He was paralyzed, which means he was not able to move his body. He couldn't walk to Jesus. He couldn't push through the crowds. He knew that Jesus could heal him, but how? He wasn't able to get there on his own.
The man's friends had a great idea. They put the paralyzed man onto a special mat. They climbed onto the roof of the house that Jesus was standing in. They lowered the man through the roof into the room Jesus was in. Jesus looked at the ceiling, and saw the men slowly lowering down the paralyzed man. He was happy that they trusted Him. He knew they believed. And He healed the man. He said, "Pick up your mat and walk. You are healed!" And the man was able to walk! Jesus also forgave the man of his sins. Jesus can heal us from our sins, too.
We then went into a discussion about what it means to be forgiven by Jesus and how come it's important to ask Him to forgive us of our sins.
We then water-colored our own card stock "mats" to remind us that Jesus can heal our bodies, but can also heal our souls.
Week 23- Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)
This week we read about how Jesus healed a man who was paralyzed. We first talked about what it means to be paralyzed, and how sad it was that He couldn't visit Jesus.
When Jesus came to Capernaum, everyone wanted to see Him. People filled the house- every room- to the point where nobody could even get through the door. In fact, people stood outside of the doorway waiting to hear Jesus speak.
There was one man, though, that could not go visit Jesus. He was paralyzed, which means he was not able to move his body. He couldn't walk to Jesus. He couldn't push through the crowds. He knew that Jesus could heal him, but how? He wasn't able to get there on his own.
The man's friends had a great idea. They put the paralyzed man onto a special mat. They climbed onto the roof of the house that Jesus was standing in. They lowered the man through the roof into the room Jesus was in. Jesus looked at the ceiling, and saw the men slowly lowering down the paralyzed man. He was happy that they trusted Him. He knew they believed. And He healed the man. He said, "Pick up your mat and walk. You are healed!" And the man was able to walk! Jesus also forgave the man of his sins. Jesus can heal us from our sins, too.
We then went into a discussion about what it means to be forgiven by Jesus and how come it's important to ask Him to forgive us of our sins.
We then water-colored our own card stock "mats" to remind us that Jesus can heal our bodies, but can also heal our souls.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Week 22: June 1
Our theme for June is "Jesus Heals"
Week 22- Jesus Heals with Living Water (John 4:1-42)
Today we began our unit called "Jesus Heals." We started off our discussion with what it means to be healed. The kids mostly talked about how they had a cut that was healed, or their grandma was sick but now is healed, and other physical hearings. Then, I guided the conversation to emotional healing... a child's feelings were hurt but now he feels better, or a kiddo was upset with her sister but isn't anymore. Last, I brought up spiritual healing. I read the kids the story (paraphrased but I didn't type it... sorry!) and I asked the kids what type of healing the woman needed. They were spot on answering "spiritual!"
This lesson is a little tricky to get because it involves a metaphor, but I gave each of my kids a small pail to help them remember. Not all answers were spot on (as you can expect) but It went something like this:
The lady at the well could give Jesus water.
Why did Jesus ask for water? (To drink. He was thirsty. He didn't know how to get it from the well by himself.)
Jesus really didn't need the woman to get him water. He wanted to talk to her. What did Jesus want to talk to the lady about? (Spiritual healing. How to use the well. He wanted to heal her. He wanted to be friendly because nobody liked the Samaritans.)
Yes, Jesus wanted to be friendly and talk to the lady. He wanted to heal her from her sins. Can we heal sins? (No. Of course not! That's Jesus' job!)
Only Jesus can heal our sins. Only Jesus can take away the pain we feel when we are hurting. Asking Jesus to be in our hearts is like drinking water when you are thirsty. You feel SO much better afterward.
Jesus said that He is the "Living Water." Does this mean Jesus is actually water that we can drink? (No. Jesus is in our hearts.)
You're right! Jesus was telling the lady that He is like water, because everyone needs it, and it makes you feel so much better!
After that, He said that if you have Living Water you will never thirst again. Does that mean we never have to drink water again? (No. It means that Jesus will be in our hearts forever. Jesus won't ever leave us. Jesus is with us always.)
That's pretty awesome, isn't it? Anytime we are in need of healing, we can ask Jesus to help us. Whether we fall on the playground and scrape our knees, a kid at school says something that hurts our feelings, or we alone because nobody will listen, Jesus is always there for us. Jesus is our Living Water!
My kiddos then made this adorable well that was only slightly difficult for a couple to put together (The rope wrapping around the brown sticker was tricky!) but they were so proud! They also got to "drink" their "living water" from the metal pails. (Yes, it was full of air, and yes, my kids have great imaginations!) It was so cute to watch; I should've taken pictures!
Week 22- Jesus Heals with Living Water (John 4:1-42)
Today we began our unit called "Jesus Heals." We started off our discussion with what it means to be healed. The kids mostly talked about how they had a cut that was healed, or their grandma was sick but now is healed, and other physical hearings. Then, I guided the conversation to emotional healing... a child's feelings were hurt but now he feels better, or a kiddo was upset with her sister but isn't anymore. Last, I brought up spiritual healing. I read the kids the story (paraphrased but I didn't type it... sorry!) and I asked the kids what type of healing the woman needed. They were spot on answering "spiritual!"
This lesson is a little tricky to get because it involves a metaphor, but I gave each of my kids a small pail to help them remember. Not all answers were spot on (as you can expect) but It went something like this:
The lady at the well could give Jesus water.
Why did Jesus ask for water? (To drink. He was thirsty. He didn't know how to get it from the well by himself.)
Jesus really didn't need the woman to get him water. He wanted to talk to her. What did Jesus want to talk to the lady about? (Spiritual healing. How to use the well. He wanted to heal her. He wanted to be friendly because nobody liked the Samaritans.)
Yes, Jesus wanted to be friendly and talk to the lady. He wanted to heal her from her sins. Can we heal sins? (No. Of course not! That's Jesus' job!)
Only Jesus can heal our sins. Only Jesus can take away the pain we feel when we are hurting. Asking Jesus to be in our hearts is like drinking water when you are thirsty. You feel SO much better afterward.
Jesus said that He is the "Living Water." Does this mean Jesus is actually water that we can drink? (No. Jesus is in our hearts.)
You're right! Jesus was telling the lady that He is like water, because everyone needs it, and it makes you feel so much better!
After that, He said that if you have Living Water you will never thirst again. Does that mean we never have to drink water again? (No. It means that Jesus will be in our hearts forever. Jesus won't ever leave us. Jesus is with us always.)
That's pretty awesome, isn't it? Anytime we are in need of healing, we can ask Jesus to help us. Whether we fall on the playground and scrape our knees, a kid at school says something that hurts our feelings, or we alone because nobody will listen, Jesus is always there for us. Jesus is our Living Water!
My kiddos then made this adorable well that was only slightly difficult for a couple to put together (The rope wrapping around the brown sticker was tricky!) but they were so proud! They also got to "drink" their "living water" from the metal pails. (Yes, it was full of air, and yes, my kids have great imaginations!) It was so cute to watch; I should've taken pictures!
Sunday, May 25, 2014
June Lessons
Our theme for June is "Jesus Heals"
Week 22- Jesus Heals with Living Water (John 4:1-42)
Week 23- Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)
Week 24- Jesus Heals a Crippled Hand (Luke 6:6-11)
Week 25- Jesus Heals a Nobleman's Son (John 4:43-54)
Week 26- Jesus Heals at Bethesda (John 5:1-15)
Week 22- Jesus Heals with Living Water (John 4:1-42)
Week 23- Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)
Week 24- Jesus Heals a Crippled Hand (Luke 6:6-11)
Week 25- Jesus Heals a Nobleman's Son (John 4:43-54)
Week 26- Jesus Heals at Bethesda (John 5:1-15)
Week 21: May 25
Our theme for May is "Jesus Teaches us to say 'Thanks!'"
Week 21-Thanks, Teachers!
Week 21-Thanks, Teachers!
Being the last week before school is out (yay!) and me being a teacher (yay!) I thought this would be a great week for the kids to make their teachers cards reminding them that God loves them and their students are very thankful to have them. One of the little ones doesn't attend school (yet) and he gave his card to me! Such a sweetheart.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Week 20: May 18
Our theme for May is "Jesus Teaches us to say 'Thanks!'"
Week 20- Thanks, Healer! (Luke 17:11-19)
Is it obvious my brain is fried, being a public school teacher by (week)day and Children's Programs Director by weekend? I totally missed pictures (again!) of this activity, but it was cute!
This week we talked about how there was once a man that was very sad because he had leprosy. We compared leprosy to chicken pox, and the kids were astounded that back in those times instead of going to a hospital for treatment the sick people were sent out to the edge of the villages and not allowed to be around their family anymore.
The kids were each given 2 small circles cut on manilla paper to glue onto a half-sheet of card stock. On one side, they chose very sad eye stickers and created a sad man with leprosy using crayons. We then finished the story, about how Jesus came to the rescue and healed the men, and only one came back and said "Thanks!" to Jesus for healing him. On the back of the card stock, we drew the man again, this time with happy eyes, and no spots! We talked about how sometimes God gives us good things, and we sometimes don't say thank you. The kids learned that God is pleased when we do remember to thank Him for the blessings we receive.
Week 20- Thanks, Healer! (Luke 17:11-19)
Is it obvious my brain is fried, being a public school teacher by (week)day and Children's Programs Director by weekend? I totally missed pictures (again!) of this activity, but it was cute!
This week we talked about how there was once a man that was very sad because he had leprosy. We compared leprosy to chicken pox, and the kids were astounded that back in those times instead of going to a hospital for treatment the sick people were sent out to the edge of the villages and not allowed to be around their family anymore.
The kids were each given 2 small circles cut on manilla paper to glue onto a half-sheet of card stock. On one side, they chose very sad eye stickers and created a sad man with leprosy using crayons. We then finished the story, about how Jesus came to the rescue and healed the men, and only one came back and said "Thanks!" to Jesus for healing him. On the back of the card stock, we drew the man again, this time with happy eyes, and no spots! We talked about how sometimes God gives us good things, and we sometimes don't say thank you. The kids learned that God is pleased when we do remember to thank Him for the blessings we receive.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Week 19: May 11
Our theme for May is "Jesus Teaches us to say 'Thanks!'"
Week 19- Thanks, Mom!
Being Mother's Day, we often have an influx of kids. I bought some candy and these cute berry buckets for the kids to make for their moms to say "thanks!" for all they do. I didn't get any pictures, but here's the OT image:
The kids loved making them (easy for busy days!) and I heard a lot of positive feedback from parents, as well! It was a berry cute craft!
Week 19- Thanks, Mom!
Being Mother's Day, we often have an influx of kids. I bought some candy and these cute berry buckets for the kids to make for their moms to say "thanks!" for all they do. I didn't get any pictures, but here's the OT image:
The kids loved making them (easy for busy days!) and I heard a lot of positive feedback from parents, as well! It was a berry cute craft!
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Week 18: May 4
Our theme for May is "Jesus Teaches us to say 'Thanks!'"
Week 18- GUEST TEACHER (Prodigal Son says "Thanks, Dad!") (Luke 15:11-32)
This week we had a visitor come downstairs, Mr. Ben, to share with the kids the story of the Prodigal Son. To fit our theme of "Thanks" this month, Mr. Ben talked to the kids about how thankful the Son was that he had a Dad he could come home to, and how thankful we are that we have our Heavenly Father to call on in our time of need.
Week 18- GUEST TEACHER (Prodigal Son says "Thanks, Dad!") (Luke 15:11-32)
This week we had a visitor come downstairs, Mr. Ben, to share with the kids the story of the Prodigal Son. To fit our theme of "Thanks" this month, Mr. Ben talked to the kids about how thankful the Son was that he had a Dad he could come home to, and how thankful we are that we have our Heavenly Father to call on in our time of need.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
May Lessons
Our theme for May is "Jesus Teaches us to say 'Thanks!'"
Week 18- GUEST TEACHER (Prodigal Son says "Thanks, Dad!")
Week 19- Thanks, Mom!
Week 20- Thanks, Healer!
Week 21-Thanks, Teachers!
The first week of May was a spare day (a day I leave aside for extra lessons, bad weather, or, in this case, for visitors who want to share) and Mr. Ben came to talk to the kids. The next week is Mother's Day, and the last week is Memorial Day/End of School and I like to thank our teachers who have worked with the kiddos all year.
Week 18- GUEST TEACHER (Prodigal Son says "Thanks, Dad!")
Week 19- Thanks, Mom!
Week 20- Thanks, Healer!
Week 21-Thanks, Teachers!
The first week of May was a spare day (a day I leave aside for extra lessons, bad weather, or, in this case, for visitors who want to share) and Mr. Ben came to talk to the kids. The next week is Mother's Day, and the last week is Memorial Day/End of School and I like to thank our teachers who have worked with the kiddos all year.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Week 17: April 27
Our theme for April is "The Easter Story"
Week 17- Peter's Easter Story (Luke 22:31-38, 54-62, and 24:13-43)
I didn't get any pictures of this day, as the weather was beautiful so we went outside to play. I did read the kids the story Peter's First Easter by Walter Wangerin, Jr. to talk about Peter and Jesus' friendship and how we are all kind of like Peter in a way. We talked about things we had done that Jesus wouldn't have been happy with, and how He forgives us, just like He forgave Peter. The kids all promised to "feed Jesus' sheep" at the end. Made my heart smile. :-)
Week 17- Peter's Easter Story (Luke 22:31-38, 54-62, and 24:13-43)
I didn't get any pictures of this day, as the weather was beautiful so we went outside to play. I did read the kids the story Peter's First Easter by Walter Wangerin, Jr. to talk about Peter and Jesus' friendship and how we are all kind of like Peter in a way. We talked about things we had done that Jesus wouldn't have been happy with, and how He forgives us, just like He forgave Peter. The kids all promised to "feed Jesus' sheep" at the end. Made my heart smile. :-)
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Week 16: April 20
Our theme for April is "The Easter Story"
Week 16- Up From the Grave He Arose!
Our church is always PACKED on Easter Sunday (whose isn't!?) so I like something simple that kids can do that doesn't need a lot of help. We have many kids for the first time on Easter, so I want to be able to spend the time talking with them, not helping them cut/glue/fight with pieces that don't align.
I found a really cute cross craft on sale at orientaltrading.com (They don't appear to have them anymore) and I *ahem* accidentally bought 14 packs instead of 4 soooooo we'll definitely be doing this craft again in the future (like... future 5 years hahaha) Glad I did, now that I know they're sold out!
The kids absolutely loved placing the foam stickers WHEREVER they wanted on the cross (makes me wonder how stressed these kids are in class about following directions if they would get so excited about a flower) but anyway, we topped them off with the verse sticker just as parents were heading down the stairs. It was a beautiful day!
Week 16- Up From the Grave He Arose!
Our church is always PACKED on Easter Sunday (whose isn't!?) so I like something simple that kids can do that doesn't need a lot of help. We have many kids for the first time on Easter, so I want to be able to spend the time talking with them, not helping them cut/glue/fight with pieces that don't align.
I found a really cute cross craft on sale at orientaltrading.com (They don't appear to have them anymore) and I *ahem* accidentally bought 14 packs instead of 4 soooooo we'll definitely be doing this craft again in the future (like... future 5 years hahaha) Glad I did, now that I know they're sold out!
The kids absolutely loved placing the foam stickers WHEREVER they wanted on the cross (makes me wonder how stressed these kids are in class about following directions if they would get so excited about a flower) but anyway, we topped them off with the verse sticker just as parents were heading down the stairs. It was a beautiful day!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Week 15: April 13
Our theme for April is "The Easter Story"
Week 15- Palm Sunday (Mark 11:1-11)
For the week before Easter, since we usually have a crowd of kids, I like to talk about Jesus and how important it was that He came to earth to live with us as a human. I have a book called Little Colt's Palm Sunday by Michelle Medlock Adams that I like to read as we begin talking about Jesus coming into Jerusalem on that very special day.
This year I found this cute banner from Oriental Trading for my kiddos to make. If I make same in the future, I'll attach the purple to the blue first (that was tricky for many of them to do on their own!) but overall it was a great craft for a large number of kids.
Week 15- Palm Sunday (Mark 11:1-11)
For the week before Easter, since we usually have a crowd of kids, I like to talk about Jesus and how important it was that He came to earth to live with us as a human. I have a book called Little Colt's Palm Sunday by Michelle Medlock Adams that I like to read as we begin talking about Jesus coming into Jerusalem on that very special day.
This year I found this cute banner from Oriental Trading for my kiddos to make. If I make same in the future, I'll attach the purple to the blue first (that was tricky for many of them to do on their own!) but overall it was a great craft for a large number of kids.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Week 14: April 6
Our theme for April is "The Easter Story"
Week 14- Judas Betrays Jesus (Luke 22:1-6, 47-53)
Think of a time you have been in a fight or argument with a friend. Why were you mad? Were you able to forgive each other? Was there a reason to be angry did you feel silly afterward for getting so upset?
The other day there was a student who was crying and saying mean things about his best friends because as they were lining up to go to lunch, his friend got in front of him. Even though the friend shouldn't have passed, is that something worth crying over? A few minutes afterward the two boys were laughing and getting along and the entire fit was forgotten. That's how most of our disagreements go... after a little bit of time, we understand what happened and what we need to do to get past it.
I'm going to share with you a really sad story today. Jesus had many friends. His favorite friends were his apostles. We usually call them "the twelve disciples." Jesus taught His friends many things, like how to love each other, and how to make good choices. He knew that none of HIs friends were perfect- just like we make mistakes today, His friends made them back then!- but He still loved His disciples very much. Unfortunately, one of His disciples made a very bad choice. Let's read and then decide if Jesus will forgive him.
In the Book of Luke, Chapter 22, we learn about Jesus' disciple, Judas. "Now the Passover was approaching, and the priests were looking for away to get rid of Jesus." They wanted to get rid of Him because they knew that if too many people followed Jesus they would stop listening to them. They liked having the power of telling people what to do. So anyway, "Satan entered Judas, one of the Twelve." Uh-oh. Here it goes! "Judas went to the chief priests and talked to them on how he might betray Jesus." He was willing to tell them how to capture Jesus! "The priests were delighted and agreed to give him money. Judas agreed and waited for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was watching."
What bad choice did Judas make? (He agreed to betray, or go against, his friend Jesus)
Why did the priests want to kill Jesus? (They were afraid they would lose power if Jesus had too many followers)
Do you think Judas will do it?
Do you think Jesus will forgive Him?
Let's skip down to verse 47, where Judas finally gets his chance. The priests had agreed to pay him 30 pieces of silver if He would identify Jesus so He could be arrested and killed. The priests knew that the people would be upset if they arrested Jesus in the middle of the day, so Judas found the perfect time, when Jesus was almost alone at night, praying in a garden. Two of His disciples were with Him, but they had fallen asleep. As Jesus went over to wake them, "a crowd came up. Judas, one of the Twelve Disciples, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him." That sounds kind of gross, but in some cultures, kissing friends on the cheek is a way of saying 'hello!' "But before He could, Jesus said, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" Jesus knew what Judas was doing. Jesus knew that one of His very best friends, who had been a follower for 3 years, was about to turn Him over to the government. Jesus knew that He was going to die this way. So Jesus looked at the crowd- the priests, the temple guards, and even the elders who had come for him, and He said, in verse 52, "Am I leading a rebellion? You have brought swords and clubs!" Jesus was sad that He was being treated this way. He said, "Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me then. But now, in the dark, you choose to do evil."
Wow! How mean!
How did Jesus feel when He saw that Judas was turning Him in? (He was upset, His feelings were probably hurt)
How do you think Jesus knew that this was going to happen? (He had said that it would happen, He is God so He knows everything, He knew that His time on earth was coming to an end, etc.)
Think about the times someone has hurt your feelings. Maybe they've said something mean about you, or left you out of a game they were playing. Although it hurt your feelings and made you feel really upset, it's not as bad as Judas! Judas was willing to turn Jesus over to die just for 30 pieces of silver.
That Judas seems awful, doesn't he? But Judas was human, and that's the sad part. Every single time we sin, when we choose to do something bad even when we know that we shouldn't, we are betraying Jesus. We are saying, "Yes, Jesus, I know that you're the Son of God, but the things in this world are more important than You."
When we sin, we usually feel bad. If you regret what you did, you can ask God to forgive you for your sins. Do you think Judas felt bad for what he did to Jesus? Let's skip over to Matthew 27, which tells the rest of Judas' story.
Verse 1, "Early the next morning, the priests made their plans to have Jesus executed. So they tied him up and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned to die, he was seized with remorse." This meant that he felt super guilty and really really really really really bad about what he had done. Have you ever had that feeling? Wishing you could take back something that you've done?
Judas visited the priests again and gave the 30 pieces of silver back to them. 'I have sinned.' he said. 'for I have betrayed innocent blood.'" Betraying innocent blood means that He got Jesus in trouble even though Jesus didn't do anything wrong. Jesus was innocent because He was not simply trying to take power away from the Jews. He was not going to overthrow the government and take over as King. That's what Pilate, the governor, thought might happen, but he was wrong. And Judas knew it. Judas knew that Jesus came to this world to save the people from sin and darkness, so that we could live forever with Him in heaven. And Judas felt really bad for lying. Jesus was going to die and he felt like it was his fault.
But the priests didn't care. "'What's that to us?' they replied, 'That's your responsibility.' So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself."
Judas ended up killing himself because he felt so bad for turning Jesus over to the government to be crucified. But he had it all wrong. When we do something to betray our love of Jesus, do we have to die? Absolutely not! When we sin, we confess our sin to Jesus and ask Him to forgive us. If in our hearts we are truly sorry, then He will!
To help remind you that we all fall short (but blessed are we that Jesus can lift us back up!) we are going to make money pouches today. Each student will get a bag and several coins, and you can decorate your bag with fabric markers.
My sample:
Week 14- Judas Betrays Jesus (Luke 22:1-6, 47-53)
Think of a time you have been in a fight or argument with a friend. Why were you mad? Were you able to forgive each other? Was there a reason to be angry did you feel silly afterward for getting so upset?
The other day there was a student who was crying and saying mean things about his best friends because as they were lining up to go to lunch, his friend got in front of him. Even though the friend shouldn't have passed, is that something worth crying over? A few minutes afterward the two boys were laughing and getting along and the entire fit was forgotten. That's how most of our disagreements go... after a little bit of time, we understand what happened and what we need to do to get past it.
I'm going to share with you a really sad story today. Jesus had many friends. His favorite friends were his apostles. We usually call them "the twelve disciples." Jesus taught His friends many things, like how to love each other, and how to make good choices. He knew that none of HIs friends were perfect- just like we make mistakes today, His friends made them back then!- but He still loved His disciples very much. Unfortunately, one of His disciples made a very bad choice. Let's read and then decide if Jesus will forgive him.
In the Book of Luke, Chapter 22, we learn about Jesus' disciple, Judas. "Now the Passover was approaching, and the priests were looking for away to get rid of Jesus." They wanted to get rid of Him because they knew that if too many people followed Jesus they would stop listening to them. They liked having the power of telling people what to do. So anyway, "Satan entered Judas, one of the Twelve." Uh-oh. Here it goes! "Judas went to the chief priests and talked to them on how he might betray Jesus." He was willing to tell them how to capture Jesus! "The priests were delighted and agreed to give him money. Judas agreed and waited for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was watching."
What bad choice did Judas make? (He agreed to betray, or go against, his friend Jesus)
Why did the priests want to kill Jesus? (They were afraid they would lose power if Jesus had too many followers)
Do you think Judas will do it?
Do you think Jesus will forgive Him?
Let's skip down to verse 47, where Judas finally gets his chance. The priests had agreed to pay him 30 pieces of silver if He would identify Jesus so He could be arrested and killed. The priests knew that the people would be upset if they arrested Jesus in the middle of the day, so Judas found the perfect time, when Jesus was almost alone at night, praying in a garden. Two of His disciples were with Him, but they had fallen asleep. As Jesus went over to wake them, "a crowd came up. Judas, one of the Twelve Disciples, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him." That sounds kind of gross, but in some cultures, kissing friends on the cheek is a way of saying 'hello!' "But before He could, Jesus said, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" Jesus knew what Judas was doing. Jesus knew that one of His very best friends, who had been a follower for 3 years, was about to turn Him over to the government. Jesus knew that He was going to die this way. So Jesus looked at the crowd- the priests, the temple guards, and even the elders who had come for him, and He said, in verse 52, "Am I leading a rebellion? You have brought swords and clubs!" Jesus was sad that He was being treated this way. He said, "Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me then. But now, in the dark, you choose to do evil."
Wow! How mean!
How did Jesus feel when He saw that Judas was turning Him in? (He was upset, His feelings were probably hurt)
How do you think Jesus knew that this was going to happen? (He had said that it would happen, He is God so He knows everything, He knew that His time on earth was coming to an end, etc.)
Think about the times someone has hurt your feelings. Maybe they've said something mean about you, or left you out of a game they were playing. Although it hurt your feelings and made you feel really upset, it's not as bad as Judas! Judas was willing to turn Jesus over to die just for 30 pieces of silver.
That Judas seems awful, doesn't he? But Judas was human, and that's the sad part. Every single time we sin, when we choose to do something bad even when we know that we shouldn't, we are betraying Jesus. We are saying, "Yes, Jesus, I know that you're the Son of God, but the things in this world are more important than You."
When we sin, we usually feel bad. If you regret what you did, you can ask God to forgive you for your sins. Do you think Judas felt bad for what he did to Jesus? Let's skip over to Matthew 27, which tells the rest of Judas' story.
Verse 1, "Early the next morning, the priests made their plans to have Jesus executed. So they tied him up and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned to die, he was seized with remorse." This meant that he felt super guilty and really really really really really bad about what he had done. Have you ever had that feeling? Wishing you could take back something that you've done?
Judas visited the priests again and gave the 30 pieces of silver back to them. 'I have sinned.' he said. 'for I have betrayed innocent blood.'" Betraying innocent blood means that He got Jesus in trouble even though Jesus didn't do anything wrong. Jesus was innocent because He was not simply trying to take power away from the Jews. He was not going to overthrow the government and take over as King. That's what Pilate, the governor, thought might happen, but he was wrong. And Judas knew it. Judas knew that Jesus came to this world to save the people from sin and darkness, so that we could live forever with Him in heaven. And Judas felt really bad for lying. Jesus was going to die and he felt like it was his fault.
But the priests didn't care. "'What's that to us?' they replied, 'That's your responsibility.' So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself."
Judas ended up killing himself because he felt so bad for turning Jesus over to the government to be crucified. But he had it all wrong. When we do something to betray our love of Jesus, do we have to die? Absolutely not! When we sin, we confess our sin to Jesus and ask Him to forgive us. If in our hearts we are truly sorry, then He will!
To help remind you that we all fall short (but blessed are we that Jesus can lift us back up!) we are going to make money pouches today. Each student will get a bag and several coins, and you can decorate your bag with fabric markers.
My sample:
April Lessons
Our theme for April is "The Easter Story"
Week 14- Judas Betrays Jesus (Luke 22:1-6)
Week 15- Palm Sunday (Mark 11:1-11)
Week 16- Up From the Grave He Arose!
Week 17- Peter's Easter Story (Luke 22:31-38, 54-62, and 24:13-43)
Every year I like to vary what "extras" of the Easter story I tell. We have an Easter Event at church the day before when the entire story is told, but some years I add about Judas, some years I focus more on the disciples' reactions afterward, and most years I tell about Peter, because I think every one of us can relate to him. This year I'm choosing to talk about Palm Sunday instead of the Last Supper. My denomination (Church of the Brethren) only takes communion on the Thursday before Easter each year, but we'll be discussing that at our Easter event so I decided to pass it this year in my plans. I wish I could fit so much more in... there are 100 ways to tell the Greatest Story Ever Told!
Week 14- Judas Betrays Jesus (Luke 22:1-6)
Week 15- Palm Sunday (Mark 11:1-11)
Week 16- Up From the Grave He Arose!
Week 17- Peter's Easter Story (Luke 22:31-38, 54-62, and 24:13-43)
Every year I like to vary what "extras" of the Easter story I tell. We have an Easter Event at church the day before when the entire story is told, but some years I add about Judas, some years I focus more on the disciples' reactions afterward, and most years I tell about Peter, because I think every one of us can relate to him. This year I'm choosing to talk about Palm Sunday instead of the Last Supper. My denomination (Church of the Brethren) only takes communion on the Thursday before Easter each year, but we'll be discussing that at our Easter event so I decided to pass it this year in my plans. I wish I could fit so much more in... there are 100 ways to tell the Greatest Story Ever Told!
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Walk With Jesus Easter Celebration
We will be having a very special Easter Celebration on Saturday, April 19 from 11:00-1:30. There will be a walk-through featuring 5 places important to the Easter story, as well as snacks, egg-dying, and an Easter Egg Hunt. Kids and adults of all ages are welcome to attend!
We need:
Lots of volunteers
candy
plastic eggs
snack foods
drinks
boiled eggs
See you then!
We need:
Lots of volunteers
candy
plastic eggs
snack foods
drinks
boiled eggs
See you then!
Week 13: March 30
Our theme for March is "Jesus Shows Us What to Do"
Week 13- Ask, Seek, Knock (Matt 7:7-12)
This week's lesson is a tough one that many adults struggle with.
I'll start out with a lame knock knock joke. Something like...
Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Stan
Stan who?
Stan' back. I'm gonna sneeze!
Knock knock jokes are funny. But what do people usually do when someone knocks on their door? Yes, they open up to see who it is. When you go to a friend's house and you knock on their door, what does your friend do? Yes, she opens the door. Today's story is a lesson Jesus taught. Jesus liked to use stories to get people's attention. In this lesson, He used a door as His first illustration.
In the book of Matthew, chapter 7, He says in verse 7, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
If you ask your mom a question, she'll answer you. If you search for your missing sock, you'll find it. If you knock on a friend's door, your friend will open the door for you. Jesus used these things we already know to teach us how we should act.
If we ask Jesus a question, He'll answer us. If we are unsure of something and search the Bible on what we should do, we'll find the answer. And if we knock on the door to talk to God, He will open it for us. God loves us so very much He wants what's best for us. Sometimes we might not get what we pray for, but that's okay. God knows what's best! The next part of the lesson is for you to fill out.
(I'll hand the kiddos the sheet I made for our activity. They'll use a pencil/crayons to write/draw their responses.)
Listen carefully as I read verses 9 through 11. Then we'll go through and fill out the chart together.
"Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will you give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!"
So in Jesus' story, if your son asks for bread, what does He suggest the mean thing to do would be? (To give him a stone). Write or draw a stone in the 'mean' box. What would be a nice thing to give your son if he asked for bread? (Bread). Write or draw a piece of bread in the 'nice' box.
If you son asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? That would be really mean! Draw or write 'snake' in the mean box. What would you give your son if he asked for a fish?
Now let's think of something someone might ask us for. On my sheet, I'm going to say 'a pencil,' because kids ask me for sharp pencils all the time. If you asked me for a pencil, should I give you a pair of scissors? No way! I'm going to draw a pair of scissors in the 'mean' box because that would be very unhelpful to you. If you need a pencil, what should I give you? Yes, a pencil! I'm going to draw a pencil in the 'nice' box because I know that you need a pencil and I should give you one. Go ahead and think of something someone might ask you for. What would be something mean to give them, and what would the nice thing be?
Now in the next box think of something you need that you might ask someone for. On my sheet, I'm going to say 'candy for Easter eggs' because I need a lot of candy for our Easter Egg Hunt in a few weeks. If I ask your parents for candy and they gave me a dishcloth, would that be nice? No! That would be mean. You do not want to open your Easter eggs and find dishcloths intend of candy! I am going to draw a bag of candy in the 'nice' box because if I ask for candy for our Egg Hunt, the nice thing to do would be to donate candy. Now it's your turn to write or draw something you have asked someone for that you needed.
In the last section, let's think about God. We pray to Him all the time. Now remember He doesn't always answer our prayers the way we think that He should, but let's think about what He said earlier, in verses 7-8. They said, "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds, and the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
Instead of asking God for something in particular, like, a new cat, let's think of those verses. What if we ask God to help us get through a bad day at school. Would He help us? What about, we ask God to forgive us of our sins. Will He forgive us? What if we ask Jesus into our hearts, will He join us? Choose one of those questions- Ask, Seek, or Knock, and tell how someone 'mean' would respond and how God will respond.
Week 13- Ask, Seek, Knock (Matt 7:7-12)
This week's lesson is a tough one that many adults struggle with.
I'll start out with a lame knock knock joke. Something like...
Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Stan
Stan who?
Stan' back. I'm gonna sneeze!
Knock knock jokes are funny. But what do people usually do when someone knocks on their door? Yes, they open up to see who it is. When you go to a friend's house and you knock on their door, what does your friend do? Yes, she opens the door. Today's story is a lesson Jesus taught. Jesus liked to use stories to get people's attention. In this lesson, He used a door as His first illustration.
In the book of Matthew, chapter 7, He says in verse 7, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
If you ask your mom a question, she'll answer you. If you search for your missing sock, you'll find it. If you knock on a friend's door, your friend will open the door for you. Jesus used these things we already know to teach us how we should act.
If we ask Jesus a question, He'll answer us. If we are unsure of something and search the Bible on what we should do, we'll find the answer. And if we knock on the door to talk to God, He will open it for us. God loves us so very much He wants what's best for us. Sometimes we might not get what we pray for, but that's okay. God knows what's best! The next part of the lesson is for you to fill out.
(I'll hand the kiddos the sheet I made for our activity. They'll use a pencil/crayons to write/draw their responses.)
"Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will you give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!"
So in Jesus' story, if your son asks for bread, what does He suggest the mean thing to do would be? (To give him a stone). Write or draw a stone in the 'mean' box. What would be a nice thing to give your son if he asked for bread? (Bread). Write or draw a piece of bread in the 'nice' box.
If you son asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? That would be really mean! Draw or write 'snake' in the mean box. What would you give your son if he asked for a fish?
Now let's think of something someone might ask us for. On my sheet, I'm going to say 'a pencil,' because kids ask me for sharp pencils all the time. If you asked me for a pencil, should I give you a pair of scissors? No way! I'm going to draw a pair of scissors in the 'mean' box because that would be very unhelpful to you. If you need a pencil, what should I give you? Yes, a pencil! I'm going to draw a pencil in the 'nice' box because I know that you need a pencil and I should give you one. Go ahead and think of something someone might ask you for. What would be something mean to give them, and what would the nice thing be?
Now in the next box think of something you need that you might ask someone for. On my sheet, I'm going to say 'candy for Easter eggs' because I need a lot of candy for our Easter Egg Hunt in a few weeks. If I ask your parents for candy and they gave me a dishcloth, would that be nice? No! That would be mean. You do not want to open your Easter eggs and find dishcloths intend of candy! I am going to draw a bag of candy in the 'nice' box because if I ask for candy for our Egg Hunt, the nice thing to do would be to donate candy. Now it's your turn to write or draw something you have asked someone for that you needed.
In the last section, let's think about God. We pray to Him all the time. Now remember He doesn't always answer our prayers the way we think that He should, but let's think about what He said earlier, in verses 7-8. They said, "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds, and the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
Instead of asking God for something in particular, like, a new cat, let's think of those verses. What if we ask God to help us get through a bad day at school. Would He help us? What about, we ask God to forgive us of our sins. Will He forgive us? What if we ask Jesus into our hearts, will He join us? Choose one of those questions- Ask, Seek, or Knock, and tell how someone 'mean' would respond and how God will respond.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Week 12: March 23
Our theme for March is "Jesus Shows Us What to Do"
Week 12- No Worries About Tomorrow (Matt 6:25-34)
Out lesson this week is a powerful reminder that we don't have to worry about tomorrow, for God is already there. As the first signs of spring begin making their way into our neighborhood, I know that baby birds will be chirping their morning wake up calls soon.
I'll give the kids brown paper to cut into small pieces to look like tiny branches while I read.
Verse 25 starts us out: "Don't worry about your life, what you'll eat or drink, or what you're going to wear. Look at the birds of the air. They do not farm and store food up, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than birds. Worrying will not make your life longer.
And why do you worry about clothes? Flowers do not work hard on choosing their outfits. If God clothes the flowers, which only last a short time, won't he clothe you much more? You have little faith if you worry. Do not worry about things in this world, for the pagans run after these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need food and clothing, but if you first seek God, then He will give you food and clothing. So do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Week 12- No Worries About Tomorrow (Matt 6:25-34)
Out lesson this week is a powerful reminder that we don't have to worry about tomorrow, for God is already there. As the first signs of spring begin making their way into our neighborhood, I know that baby birds will be chirping their morning wake up calls soon.
I'll give the kids brown paper to cut into small pieces to look like tiny branches while I read.
Verse 25 starts us out: "Don't worry about your life, what you'll eat or drink, or what you're going to wear. Look at the birds of the air. They do not farm and store food up, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than birds. Worrying will not make your life longer.
And why do you worry about clothes? Flowers do not work hard on choosing their outfits. If God clothes the flowers, which only last a short time, won't he clothe you much more? You have little faith if you worry. Do not worry about things in this world, for the pagans run after these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need food and clothing, but if you first seek God, then He will give you food and clothing. So do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
To make a gentle bird's nest reminder, give each kiddo a paper plate to cut in half, then we'll pass the staplers around to staple the rim (front pieces facing each other). Leave the top of the nest open. Write each students' name on the back of the paper plate.
Then glue the brown "branches" onto the front of the paper plates to look like a nest using white glue.
Next I'll let the kids pick out 3 pom-poms to be the birds, and they can glue them onto popsicle sticks. We'll add a small triangle of paper for the beaks and two wiggly eyes.
This will take some time to dry, so we'll set the crafts aside on a table to collect next week. I'll let them color this verse sheet I created using Scrappin Doodles clipart during the remainder of the lesson.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
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Saturday, March 15, 2014
Birthday Night in the Teen Class!
A couple of weeks ago our Wednesday Night teen class held a birthday party for everyone! (There is an unusual amount of March birthdays in the group, apparently, so majority ruled in the scheduling, I think.)
Anyway, the group organized what everyone was to bring, and (un?)surprisingly, everyone remembered! There was pizza, chips/dip, drinks, brownies, birthday cake, ice cream, donuts, candles, balloons, tablecloths, plates and plastic-ware... and even presents! Each teen received a pretty cool shirt with our church name on the back.
Our Wednesday Night youth group is open for kids in High School/college from 6-7:30 every Wednesday night.
Anyway, the group organized what everyone was to bring, and (un?)surprisingly, everyone remembered! There was pizza, chips/dip, drinks, brownies, birthday cake, ice cream, donuts, candles, balloons, tablecloths, plates and plastic-ware... and even presents! Each teen received a pretty cool shirt with our church name on the back.
Our Wednesday Night youth group is open for kids in High School/college from 6-7:30 every Wednesday night.
Week 11: March 16
Our theme for March is "Jesus Shows Us What to Do"
Week 11- Loving Everyone (Matt 5:43-48)
Although our congregation is Church of the Brethren I always tell about Saint Patrick, since it's such a popular holiday (especially for young children who love special days and pinching!) I almost always attach him with a lesson on the Trinity (legend goes he used the three leaves on a shamrock to tell about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being "one-in-three") but this year I had inspiration from Matthew 5:43-48 and decided that Pat's story really fits nicely right here, too. So here goes...
I'll start off by letting the kids color a shamrock green, and we'll discuss the holiday and what people think about when they hear "Saint Patrick." Most younger kids use words like "leprechaun" and "gold," and the older ones say "Catholic" and "Irish." Sometimes even "snakes" is added to the list! I'll then have them write people they love on the leaves of their shamrock.
1. Tomorrow is Saint Patrick's Day. What's that? (A holiday where we wear green)
2. Who was Saint Patrick? Why are we talking about him 1,500 years after he died?
3. When you hear "Saint Patrick" what do you think about?
4. What are you coloring now? (Yes, it's a shamrock)
5. What does a shamrock have to do with Saint Patrick?
Saint Patrick was an amazing person. Even though he lived a long time ago, he was able to share the message of Christ with people who hated him! Crazy, isn't it? Let's read our scripture and see what Saint Patrick did to get a holiday.
Our lesson today is in the book of Matthew, in chapter 5. Remember a couple weeks ago we talked about the Sermon on the Mount (All the people who are blessed?) And last week we learned the Lord's Prayer? Well, this lesson by Jesus takes place at the same time. He said all of these things in one day. Listen carefully.
Verse 43 starts us off. "You have heard the law that says 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy," But I say, "Love your enemies!" Pray for those who are mean to you."
Wow, God wants us to be kind, love, and pray for everyone, even people who are mean to us! Jesus said if we do that then we will be acting like true children of God. He said that God sends sunlight on both evil people and good ones, and He sends rain on both, too. This means that God allows good things to happen to good people, and bad people. God allows bad things to happen to good people, and bad people too. If we only love people that love us, then we are selfish. We are acting like everyone else in the world, instead of acting like Children of God. Jesus said, "If you are only nice to your friends, how are you a Christian? Even pagans do that!" He wants us to try our best to love everyone.
Look at your shamrock. Raise your hand if you put your family on there. How about your friends? Did anyone put that girl in your class that you don't like? How about that boy that's mean to you on the bus? Should his name be on your shamrock? Jesus wants us to love everyone, even those who are mean to us. Otherwise, we're like pagans. *The term 'pagan' can get complicated quickly, so I'm definitely smushing ideas and stereotyping to make it explainable to children!
1. What is a pagan? (Someone who doesn't follow regular rules, they were selfish, and didn't care about anything but making themselves happy. Some of them practiced sorcery, which is like them thinking they could do magic. They definitely didn't care about people they didn't like)
2. Verse 47 says that we should be nice to everyone, even people who are mean. Otherwise we are like pagans. What does that mean? (If we are only nice to people we like, then we are selfish and we don't care about their feelings. We cannot share God's love with them if we hate them!)
A few hundred years after Jesus taught this lesson to His friends, there was a boy who lived in Great Britain named Patrick. He was raised by two Christian parents, but was kidnapped by pagans when he was a young teenager. They took him to Ireland and he was a slave for about 6 years before he was able to escape. He told his friends and family that while he was a slave he prayed to God all the time- about 100 times a day! He knew that God was always with him, even when he was away from his family and surrounded by people who hated him.
When he was about 20, he was able to escape and ran away. He got a ride on a ship back to Britain. His family was SO happy to finally have him home! But Patrick thought about the people who had kidnapped him. He thought about the people who hated him. He thought about the people who ordered him around while he was a slave. Instead of hating them, like people usually do, he chose to love them instead. In fact, he decided that he needed to share God's love with them! He became a priest and travelled back to Ireland. He spent the rest of his life talking to people about Jesus and sharing God's love with them! He helped start new churches all around Ireland so the pagans could learn about Jesus. Then they weren't pagans anymore. They became Christians! Patrick spent the rest of his life loving his [former] enemies.
That's a pretty awesome tale. If I had been kidnapped and taken away as a slave it would be REALLY hard for me to love them. And going back to that strange country to be around people who hated God? No thanks! But Patrick listened to Jesus' teachings and knew that he had to be nice to EVERYONE, not just the people back home that loved him. People were so impressed by him, the Catholic church eventually began calling him "Saint Patrick."
Today we're going to make Saint Patrick paper bag puppets. (The directions are very easy to follow- most kids can look at an example or directions and create their own.) These from Oriental Trading are reasonably priced (on sale) and all pieces are self-adhesive, so kiddos only need to remove the backing from each piece.
Week 11- Loving Everyone (Matt 5:43-48)
Although our congregation is Church of the Brethren I always tell about Saint Patrick, since it's such a popular holiday (especially for young children who love special days and pinching!) I almost always attach him with a lesson on the Trinity (legend goes he used the three leaves on a shamrock to tell about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being "one-in-three") but this year I had inspiration from Matthew 5:43-48 and decided that Pat's story really fits nicely right here, too. So here goes...
I'll start off by letting the kids color a shamrock green, and we'll discuss the holiday and what people think about when they hear "Saint Patrick." Most younger kids use words like "leprechaun" and "gold," and the older ones say "Catholic" and "Irish." Sometimes even "snakes" is added to the list! I'll then have them write people they love on the leaves of their shamrock.
1. Tomorrow is Saint Patrick's Day. What's that? (A holiday where we wear green)
2. Who was Saint Patrick? Why are we talking about him 1,500 years after he died?
3. When you hear "Saint Patrick" what do you think about?
4. What are you coloring now? (Yes, it's a shamrock)
5. What does a shamrock have to do with Saint Patrick?
Saint Patrick was an amazing person. Even though he lived a long time ago, he was able to share the message of Christ with people who hated him! Crazy, isn't it? Let's read our scripture and see what Saint Patrick did to get a holiday.
Our lesson today is in the book of Matthew, in chapter 5. Remember a couple weeks ago we talked about the Sermon on the Mount (All the people who are blessed?) And last week we learned the Lord's Prayer? Well, this lesson by Jesus takes place at the same time. He said all of these things in one day. Listen carefully.
Verse 43 starts us off. "You have heard the law that says 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy," But I say, "Love your enemies!" Pray for those who are mean to you."
Wow, God wants us to be kind, love, and pray for everyone, even people who are mean to us! Jesus said if we do that then we will be acting like true children of God. He said that God sends sunlight on both evil people and good ones, and He sends rain on both, too. This means that God allows good things to happen to good people, and bad people. God allows bad things to happen to good people, and bad people too. If we only love people that love us, then we are selfish. We are acting like everyone else in the world, instead of acting like Children of God. Jesus said, "If you are only nice to your friends, how are you a Christian? Even pagans do that!" He wants us to try our best to love everyone.
Look at your shamrock. Raise your hand if you put your family on there. How about your friends? Did anyone put that girl in your class that you don't like? How about that boy that's mean to you on the bus? Should his name be on your shamrock? Jesus wants us to love everyone, even those who are mean to us. Otherwise, we're like pagans. *The term 'pagan' can get complicated quickly, so I'm definitely smushing ideas and stereotyping to make it explainable to children!
1. What is a pagan? (Someone who doesn't follow regular rules, they were selfish, and didn't care about anything but making themselves happy. Some of them practiced sorcery, which is like them thinking they could do magic. They definitely didn't care about people they didn't like)
2. Verse 47 says that we should be nice to everyone, even people who are mean. Otherwise we are like pagans. What does that mean? (If we are only nice to people we like, then we are selfish and we don't care about their feelings. We cannot share God's love with them if we hate them!)
A few hundred years after Jesus taught this lesson to His friends, there was a boy who lived in Great Britain named Patrick. He was raised by two Christian parents, but was kidnapped by pagans when he was a young teenager. They took him to Ireland and he was a slave for about 6 years before he was able to escape. He told his friends and family that while he was a slave he prayed to God all the time- about 100 times a day! He knew that God was always with him, even when he was away from his family and surrounded by people who hated him.
When he was about 20, he was able to escape and ran away. He got a ride on a ship back to Britain. His family was SO happy to finally have him home! But Patrick thought about the people who had kidnapped him. He thought about the people who hated him. He thought about the people who ordered him around while he was a slave. Instead of hating them, like people usually do, he chose to love them instead. In fact, he decided that he needed to share God's love with them! He became a priest and travelled back to Ireland. He spent the rest of his life talking to people about Jesus and sharing God's love with them! He helped start new churches all around Ireland so the pagans could learn about Jesus. Then they weren't pagans anymore. They became Christians! Patrick spent the rest of his life loving his [former] enemies.
That's a pretty awesome tale. If I had been kidnapped and taken away as a slave it would be REALLY hard for me to love them. And going back to that strange country to be around people who hated God? No thanks! But Patrick listened to Jesus' teachings and knew that he had to be nice to EVERYONE, not just the people back home that loved him. People were so impressed by him, the Catholic church eventually began calling him "Saint Patrick."
Today we're going to make Saint Patrick paper bag puppets. (The directions are very easy to follow- most kids can look at an example or directions and create their own.) These from Oriental Trading are reasonably priced (on sale) and all pieces are self-adhesive, so kiddos only need to remove the backing from each piece.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Week 10: March 9
Our theme for March is "Jesus Shows Us What to Do"
Week 10- The Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:5-15)
This week we'll be making placemats so that the kids can take home a copy of the Lord's Prayer and remember it throughout the week as they sit down for breakfast/dinner.
I'm going to start out by giving each student a copy of the Lord's Prayer that I made using an adorable frame from Scrappin Doodles and an adorable font created by the amazing Khrys Bosland. It looks like this, with two prayers on a single sheet of paper:
As they color the frame around their prayer (and the older ones can cut around the outside edge as they wish) I'm going to talk them through the first part (verses 5-8)... something like this:
Jesus is continuing his Sermon on the Mount this week, as He explains what we can do as Christians to be a good example for others. He told people about being nice to others, following the laws we have, and even giving to the needy. Then He went on to tell about prayer.
Raise your hand if you pray at least once a week. Keep it up if you pray every day.
When do you pray? (Before meals, at bedtime, etc.)
Raise your hand if you think you're pretty good at praying. Keep it up if you would be willing to pray for our snack today or one day. How about upstairs? Keep your hand up if you would be comfortable praying in front of the whole church.
Some people get really nervous when they pray. I don't mind praying in front of kids, but even I get a little worried when I am asked to pray in front of grownups. Grownups can be scary sometimes! But we shouldn't ever be nervous. After all, we are praying to God, not grownups! It's great to be comfortable praying in front of people, but it's even more important that we can pray when we are alone with Jesus.
In Matthew, chapter 6, Jesus told His friends that when we pray, we should pray in private. This is because some people think that they are really good at praying and want to show off their skills in front of other people. Do we pray to show off? No, we pray to talk to our Father! So Jesus suggests that we pray when we can say whatever we want to Him and not have to worry about other people.
The next thing He said was to not babble. Babbling means they repeat the words over and over again instead of saying what we want.
Jesus wanted us to become better at praying, so He gave us a suggestion. Starting in verse 9, Jesus tells us exactly how to pray. Although our English words are a little different from the Hebrew He spoke, the translation in meaning is key. That's what we're going to talk about today. How to pray, and how to know what we're saying.
At this point in the lesson, I'll have all of the kids stop coloring and I'll collect the crayons. I don't want them to be interrupted or sidetracked while we're doing this next part.
Try to take a couple of minutes and read The Lord's Prayer to yourself. Think about any words that you might consider to be extra-important. If there are words you don't know, think about those, too. We'll go over it together in just a minute.
Alright. Let's look at the first part. "Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name." That's us saying "Dear God in Heaven, your are holy." God is our Father, and "art" is an old-fashioned word for "is." The part that says "Hallowed be Thy name," that's another word for "holy." So the prayer starts out by us addressing who the prayer is to: God in Heaven, who is holy.
Read the next part to yourself as I read it out loud. "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven." We are asking God to do His will and not our own. We don't want to be selfish, do we? "Thy" is an old-fashioned word for "your." We're saying, "Your will be done, not ours."
In the long part that comes next, it says, "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." We are asking for God to give us what we need (not want), and to forgive us for our sins. The last part means we are also asking God to help us forgive people who have sinned against us, or, those who have done mean things to us. That's kind of hard sometimes, isn't it? But if we want God to forgive us, then we need to forgive others.
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;" That means we are asking God to keep us away from sin. We definitely need that, don't we?
And the last part adds, "For Thine is the Kingdom, And the Power, And the Glory, forever. Amen." We are once again saying that God is everything we need, forever. And then we close our prayer with respect by saying "Amen."
That's pretty powerful, isn't it? If we were to put the prayer into modern words, it might say something like this:
Dear God in Heaven, you are holy! Everything will be just as you say it will, both on earth and in Heaven. Please give us what we need, and forgive us of our sins. Help us forgive others, too. Keep us away from things that are bad, and keep us near things that are good. For You are everything we need, forever. Amen.
After this I will have the kids repeat each verse as I go through the prayer so they will all get the chance to pray to themselves. I'll then give them each a gluestick and piece of card stock so they can attach their prayer to the placemat. I'll give the crayons back out if they want to decorate the outside of their card stock, and will provide stickers as desired. I'll then call the kids up by tables to bring their placemats up for me to laminate.
My laminator is a personal-use one I got for Christmas a few years ago. (Don't hate... I make a lot of workstation activities for my classroom!) It's like this:
Anyway, this will make them a bit more sturdy than if we had just used contact paper, and I hope by it looking somewhat professional they'll be encouraged to keep it out so they can learn the prayer!
Week 10- The Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:5-15)
This week we'll be making placemats so that the kids can take home a copy of the Lord's Prayer and remember it throughout the week as they sit down for breakfast/dinner.
I'm going to start out by giving each student a copy of the Lord's Prayer that I made using an adorable frame from Scrappin Doodles and an adorable font created by the amazing Khrys Bosland. It looks like this, with two prayers on a single sheet of paper:
Jesus is continuing his Sermon on the Mount this week, as He explains what we can do as Christians to be a good example for others. He told people about being nice to others, following the laws we have, and even giving to the needy. Then He went on to tell about prayer.
Raise your hand if you pray at least once a week. Keep it up if you pray every day.
When do you pray? (Before meals, at bedtime, etc.)
Raise your hand if you think you're pretty good at praying. Keep it up if you would be willing to pray for our snack today or one day. How about upstairs? Keep your hand up if you would be comfortable praying in front of the whole church.
Some people get really nervous when they pray. I don't mind praying in front of kids, but even I get a little worried when I am asked to pray in front of grownups. Grownups can be scary sometimes! But we shouldn't ever be nervous. After all, we are praying to God, not grownups! It's great to be comfortable praying in front of people, but it's even more important that we can pray when we are alone with Jesus.
In Matthew, chapter 6, Jesus told His friends that when we pray, we should pray in private. This is because some people think that they are really good at praying and want to show off their skills in front of other people. Do we pray to show off? No, we pray to talk to our Father! So Jesus suggests that we pray when we can say whatever we want to Him and not have to worry about other people.
The next thing He said was to not babble. Babbling means they repeat the words over and over again instead of saying what we want.
Jesus wanted us to become better at praying, so He gave us a suggestion. Starting in verse 9, Jesus tells us exactly how to pray. Although our English words are a little different from the Hebrew He spoke, the translation in meaning is key. That's what we're going to talk about today. How to pray, and how to know what we're saying.
At this point in the lesson, I'll have all of the kids stop coloring and I'll collect the crayons. I don't want them to be interrupted or sidetracked while we're doing this next part.
Try to take a couple of minutes and read The Lord's Prayer to yourself. Think about any words that you might consider to be extra-important. If there are words you don't know, think about those, too. We'll go over it together in just a minute.
Alright. Let's look at the first part. "Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name." That's us saying "Dear God in Heaven, your are holy." God is our Father, and "art" is an old-fashioned word for "is." The part that says "Hallowed be Thy name," that's another word for "holy." So the prayer starts out by us addressing who the prayer is to: God in Heaven, who is holy.
Read the next part to yourself as I read it out loud. "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven." We are asking God to do His will and not our own. We don't want to be selfish, do we? "Thy" is an old-fashioned word for "your." We're saying, "Your will be done, not ours."
In the long part that comes next, it says, "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." We are asking for God to give us what we need (not want), and to forgive us for our sins. The last part means we are also asking God to help us forgive people who have sinned against us, or, those who have done mean things to us. That's kind of hard sometimes, isn't it? But if we want God to forgive us, then we need to forgive others.
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;" That means we are asking God to keep us away from sin. We definitely need that, don't we?
And the last part adds, "For Thine is the Kingdom, And the Power, And the Glory, forever. Amen." We are once again saying that God is everything we need, forever. And then we close our prayer with respect by saying "Amen."
That's pretty powerful, isn't it? If we were to put the prayer into modern words, it might say something like this:
Dear God in Heaven, you are holy! Everything will be just as you say it will, both on earth and in Heaven. Please give us what we need, and forgive us of our sins. Help us forgive others, too. Keep us away from things that are bad, and keep us near things that are good. For You are everything we need, forever. Amen.
After this I will have the kids repeat each verse as I go through the prayer so they will all get the chance to pray to themselves. I'll then give them each a gluestick and piece of card stock so they can attach their prayer to the placemat. I'll give the crayons back out if they want to decorate the outside of their card stock, and will provide stickers as desired. I'll then call the kids up by tables to bring their placemats up for me to laminate.
My laminator is a personal-use one I got for Christmas a few years ago. (Don't hate... I make a lot of workstation activities for my classroom!) It's like this:
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Week 9: March 2
Our theme for March is "Jesus Shows Us What to Do"
Week 9- Changing our Attitudes with the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-12)
Last week we talked about temptation. Remember when Jesus went out into the wilderness for 40 days and the Devil tried to make him turn stones into bread, and jump off a temple, and even worship him instead of God? Jesus sure knew how to make him go away, didn't He? Jesus said, "Get out of here, Satan! You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him."
This month we're going to talk about how to serve Christ. Many people today are just like people back in Jesus' time. We want to be good followers, but we don't know what to do. Each week this month we are going to talk about what Jesus showed us about serving Him. Some things might surprise you!
This lesson is often called "The Sermon on the Mount." The things Jesus lists are known as "the beatitudes." Jesus noticed that a crowd was gathering around Him. He was getting to be pretty popular. His disciples gathered close, and He began to teach. Jesus wanted His friends to know how to be blessed by God.
What does blessed mean? (It can mean holy, or appreciated by God)
As a Christian, do you want to be blessed? (Yes! We want God to look on us with favor. We want Him to be proud of us.)
Jesus listed 8 things that Christians can do that makes God very happy. Some of them are harder than others. Let's go through each of them and write them down using our own words.
I will have out a big sheet of poster board or chart paper hanging on the wall to fill out as we go through the verses.
Verse 3 starts us off. "God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs." This verse means that when we know that we can't do everything by ourselves, that we need Jesus, not a big-screen tv, to make us satisfied, we are making God happy. He wants us to need him, just like a little puppy needs it's mom.
On the chart paper I'll write 1. We realize our need for God.
Verse 4 gives us the second blessing. "God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Do you take comfort in knowing Jesus is always with you? If you do, then you will be blessed!
2. We know that God is ALWAYS with us.
This next verse says, "God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth." What does it mean to be humble? (Lowering yourself before others, being modest) If we are humble, then we take care of others before we take care of ourselves. We aren't selfish and we don't think we deserve the best always, we want to give the best to our friends and family!
3. We put others needs' before our own.
"God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied." Justice is a fancy word for keeping things fair. When you see someone not being treated fairly, what should you do about it? If your dad is cutting a cake into pieces for you and your brothers, should the pieces be equal? If we want things to be just, then we need to make sure we keep things fair.
4. We try to keep things fair.
So far, how does it look? Do you think God will bless you for how you treat others and respond to the things that happen in this world?
The next verse says "God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Wow, that kind of sounds like "You get what you give," but only in a good way! If we are merciful, which means we are compassionate and loving- we forgive others when we have the right to punish them- then we will be given the same treatment. How many of us can do this?
5. Forgive others.
We've got three more to go. It's getting tough, isn't it? Verse 8 says, "God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God." How can we keep a pure heart? (Keeping our minds focused on Godly things, trying to be nice, keeping our hearts 'clean' {like our lesson a couple of weeks ago talked about!})
6. Keep a pure heart.
"God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God." How can we be peaceful? What can you do at school to work for peace? How about at home?
7. Work for peace.
And the last thing on the list Jesus talks about a little bit, because it's hard to understand. He said, "God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heave is theirs." What does "persecuted for doing right" mean? Well, He continues in verses 11 and 12 to say, "God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you, and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in Heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way."
For number 8, let's write:
8. Be happy when working for God.
There are a lot of people in this world that don't like Christians. There are a lot of people in America that think that life should be about having fun and doing whatever makes us happy, even if it's not good for us or for others. By keeping up with God's commandments, we might sometimes feel left out (girls' outfits are a BIG subject that can be discussed here) or feel like we don't fit in, but Jesus is telling us that it's a good thing! We should be happy that we don't stand with the rest of the world. If something is wrong, then we know it's wrong. We need to build others up and encourage our friends, not be mean and try to make ourselves look important. Anytime we feel like our friends aren't being nice, or we feel left out, we should be happy. Weird, huh? But it's more important that we are happy with God than happy with our friends. After all, eventually the things in this world won't be around anymore, but if you're a good Christian, then you will live forever with God in Heaven. That makes me happy!
For our craft today, I have a simple cross craft from Oriental Trading for the kids to color. It has one of the Beatitude verses on it. It's listed as a Valentine craft, but really it's not. It says, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God! Matthew 5:8"
Week 9- Changing our Attitudes with the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-12)
Last week we talked about temptation. Remember when Jesus went out into the wilderness for 40 days and the Devil tried to make him turn stones into bread, and jump off a temple, and even worship him instead of God? Jesus sure knew how to make him go away, didn't He? Jesus said, "Get out of here, Satan! You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him."
This month we're going to talk about how to serve Christ. Many people today are just like people back in Jesus' time. We want to be good followers, but we don't know what to do. Each week this month we are going to talk about what Jesus showed us about serving Him. Some things might surprise you!
This lesson is often called "The Sermon on the Mount." The things Jesus lists are known as "the beatitudes." Jesus noticed that a crowd was gathering around Him. He was getting to be pretty popular. His disciples gathered close, and He began to teach. Jesus wanted His friends to know how to be blessed by God.
What does blessed mean? (It can mean holy, or appreciated by God)
As a Christian, do you want to be blessed? (Yes! We want God to look on us with favor. We want Him to be proud of us.)
Jesus listed 8 things that Christians can do that makes God very happy. Some of them are harder than others. Let's go through each of them and write them down using our own words.
I will have out a big sheet of poster board or chart paper hanging on the wall to fill out as we go through the verses.
Verse 3 starts us off. "God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs." This verse means that when we know that we can't do everything by ourselves, that we need Jesus, not a big-screen tv, to make us satisfied, we are making God happy. He wants us to need him, just like a little puppy needs it's mom.
On the chart paper I'll write 1. We realize our need for God.
Verse 4 gives us the second blessing. "God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Do you take comfort in knowing Jesus is always with you? If you do, then you will be blessed!
2. We know that God is ALWAYS with us.
This next verse says, "God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth." What does it mean to be humble? (Lowering yourself before others, being modest) If we are humble, then we take care of others before we take care of ourselves. We aren't selfish and we don't think we deserve the best always, we want to give the best to our friends and family!
3. We put others needs' before our own.
"God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied." Justice is a fancy word for keeping things fair. When you see someone not being treated fairly, what should you do about it? If your dad is cutting a cake into pieces for you and your brothers, should the pieces be equal? If we want things to be just, then we need to make sure we keep things fair.
4. We try to keep things fair.
So far, how does it look? Do you think God will bless you for how you treat others and respond to the things that happen in this world?
The next verse says "God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Wow, that kind of sounds like "You get what you give," but only in a good way! If we are merciful, which means we are compassionate and loving- we forgive others when we have the right to punish them- then we will be given the same treatment. How many of us can do this?
5. Forgive others.
We've got three more to go. It's getting tough, isn't it? Verse 8 says, "God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God." How can we keep a pure heart? (Keeping our minds focused on Godly things, trying to be nice, keeping our hearts 'clean' {like our lesson a couple of weeks ago talked about!})
6. Keep a pure heart.
"God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God." How can we be peaceful? What can you do at school to work for peace? How about at home?
7. Work for peace.
And the last thing on the list Jesus talks about a little bit, because it's hard to understand. He said, "God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heave is theirs." What does "persecuted for doing right" mean? Well, He continues in verses 11 and 12 to say, "God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you, and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in Heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way."
For number 8, let's write:
8. Be happy when working for God.
There are a lot of people in this world that don't like Christians. There are a lot of people in America that think that life should be about having fun and doing whatever makes us happy, even if it's not good for us or for others. By keeping up with God's commandments, we might sometimes feel left out (girls' outfits are a BIG subject that can be discussed here) or feel like we don't fit in, but Jesus is telling us that it's a good thing! We should be happy that we don't stand with the rest of the world. If something is wrong, then we know it's wrong. We need to build others up and encourage our friends, not be mean and try to make ourselves look important. Anytime we feel like our friends aren't being nice, or we feel left out, we should be happy. Weird, huh? But it's more important that we are happy with God than happy with our friends. After all, eventually the things in this world won't be around anymore, but if you're a good Christian, then you will live forever with God in Heaven. That makes me happy!
For our craft today, I have a simple cross craft from Oriental Trading for the kids to color. It has one of the Beatitude verses on it. It's listed as a Valentine craft, but really it's not. It says, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God! Matthew 5:8"
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