March 30, 2014

NT 34 Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Reference: Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:43-44

Story Summary:
   After the last supper, Jesus and the disciples went to Gethsemane, a garden of olive trees. Jesus took three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, and went further into the garden. "Keep watch," Jesus said, before going off to pray.
   Jesus prayed to God the Father. "If it's possible, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Still, may your will be done." Jesus was asking God the Father if there was any way to avoid the sufferings of the cross.
   After praying, Jesus returned to the three disciples. He found them sleeping. He told them to watch and pray, so they could endure the upcoming temptation. Once again, Jesus left and prayed the same thing, asking God to remove the cup of suffering he was about to endure. Still, he ended his prayer telling the Father to do what he wanted, not what Jesus wanted.
   For a second time, he returned and found the disciples sleeping. He left and prayed the same prayer
a third time. As he prayed, his sweat was like drops of blood because he was so troubled. God saw Jesus' trouble and sent an angel to comfort him.

Big Idea and Motions: Jesus suffered to save us from our sins.
Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Suffered - pound one fist on top of another
Save - do the baseball “safe!” sign
Us - point to yourself with two thumbs
Sins - two thumbs down

Verse / Motions:  1 Peter 3:18, ESV - For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God...
Christ - form a cross with your forearms
Suffered - pound one fist on top of another
Once - hold up one finger
Sins - two thumbs down
Righteous - two thumbs up
Unrighteous - point to yourself with those two thumbs
Bring - reach out, grab something, and bring it to yourself
God - point up

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Where did Jesus go after the last supper? // The garden of Gethsemane
What three disciples did Jesus take with him? // Peter, James, and John
How did Jesus feel? // Sad and troubled
What did Jesus tell the disciples to do? // Keep watch
What did Jesus pray? // Take this cup of suffering, do what you want, not what I want
What was the “cup of suffering”? // The punishment for sins Jesus was about to endure
What were the disciples doing when Jesus returned? // Sleeping
How many times did Jesus pray his prayer? // Three
Because Jesus was so troubled, what happened to his body? // His sweat was like drops of blood
Who did God send to comfort Jesus? // An angel

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/DHlquj
Resources - http://goo.gl/ooth4z

March 23, 2014

OT 11 Sodom and Gomorrah

Reference: Genesis 18:16-33, 19:1-29

Story Summary:
     The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were very wicked. Because of this, God was going to punish and destroy their city. This concerned Abraham because his nephew, Lot, lived in the city of Sodom. “Will you destroy the city if 50 righteous people live there?” he asked God. God agreed that, if 50 righteous people were in the city, God would not destroy it. After asking God several times, each time with a lower number, God agreed that, if there were 10 righteous people in the city, God would not destroy it.
     When two of God's angels arrived in Sodom, the men there tried to hurt them. The angels warned Lot and his family to flee the city. Lot tried to persuade his sons-in-law to flee, but they laughed and figured they were only joking.
     The angels grabbed Lot and his family by the hand. They told him, "Run away and don't look back." After Lot and his family had left, God sent fiery sulfur raining down on the city, destroying everything. As they fled, Lot's wife looked back, against the angel's instruction. She was
turned into a pillar of salt.

Big Idea and Motions: Sin brings punishment, but God saves sinners.
Sin - two thumbs down
Punishment - smash the bottom of your fist into your palm
God - point up
Saves - do the baseball “safe” sign with your arms
Sinners - point to yourself with two thumbs

Verse / Motions: Romans 6:23, ESV - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Wages - pretend to swipe a credit card through a card reader machine
Sin - two thumbs down
Death - cross your arms over your chest and bow your head
Free gift - pretend to hand a present to someone else
God - point up
Eternal life - trace a ∞ in the air with your finger
Christ Jesus - form a cross with your forearms

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What did God plan to do to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Why? // Destroy them because of their great sin
Why did this make Abraham worry? // His nephew, Lot, lived in the city of Sodom
What did Abraham ask God to do? // Not destroy the city if 10 righteous, godly people lived there
What did Lot do for the angels when they came to Sodom? // Gave them a meal
What did the people of Sodom want to do to the angels? // Hurt the angels
What did Lot’s sons-in-law do when Lot told them to leave because the city was going to be destroyed? // They laughed and thought he was joking.
Who grabbed Lot and his family by the hand and led them out of the city? // The angel
What did the angel tell them to do? // Run and not look back
What did God to to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? // Sent fiery sulfur on them and destroyed everything
What happened to Lot’s wife when she stopped and looked back? // Turned into a pillar of salt

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/IhGnwr
Resources - http://goo.gl/qq5kgx

March 16, 2014

NT 33 The Last Supper and the Lord’s Supper

Reference: Matthew 26:17-29

Story Summary:
   The night before Jesus died on the cross, he shared a meal with his disciples. We call it the "Last Supper" because it was the last meal Jesus ate before he died. At that meal, Jesus and his disciples shared bread and wine.
   When Jesus gave them the bread to eat, Jesus said, "This is my body, which is given for you." When he gave them the wine to drink, he said, "This is my blood of the new covenant. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many." Jesus told the disciples to eat a meal in this special way regularly as a way to remember him.
   And Jesus' disciples did just that. They came together and ate a meal they called the "Lord's Supper". At this meal, they ate bread. When they ate the bread, they remembered that Jesus gave his body for their sins when he suffered and died on the cross. When they drank the wine, they remembered that Jesus bled when he died on the cross for their sins.
   When the disciples started new churches, they taught the people to eat the Lord's Supper, too. The believers in the churches ate bread and drank wine to remember Jesus' body and blood.

Big Idea and Motions: At the Lord’s Supper, we eat bread and drink wine to remember Jesus’ death.
Lord’s -  point up
Supper - pretend to scoop food in your mouth with a spoon
Eat bread - pretend to bite a sandwich
Drink wine - pretend to drink from a glass
Remember - tap your brain
Jesus’ death - form a cross with your forearms

Verse / Motions: 1 Corinthians 11:26, ESV - For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Often - trace circles in the air with your finger
Eat this bread - pretend to eat a sandwich
Drink the cup - pretend to drink from a cup
Proclaim - cup your hands around your mouth
Death - cross your arms across your chest and bow your head
Comes - do a “come here” gesture with your arm

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
l meal did God tell the Israelites to eat? // The Passover
What were the Israelites supposed to remember when they ate the Passover? // When God rescued them from being slaves in Egypt
What do we call the meal Jesus had with his disciples? // The Last Supper
Why do we call it the “last supper?” // It was Jesus’ last meal before his death
What did Jesus give the disciples to eat at the last supper? // Bread and wine.
What did Jesus say when he gave them bread to eat? // This is my body.
What did Jesus say when he gave them wine to drink? // This is my blood.
Why did Jesus want them to eat bread and drink wine together? // To remember his death.
Why is it important to remember Jesus’ death? // He died to save us from our sins
What do we call the meal where the church eats bread and drinks wine to remember Jesus’ death? // The Lord’s Supper

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/36NLkS
Resources - http://goo.gl/ZQOL6p

March 9, 2014

OT 10 Three Visitors and Isaac's Birth

Reference: Genesis 17:1-16, Genesis 18:1-13, Genesis 21:1-7

Story Summary:
    God appeared to Abram and gave him a new name, Abraham, which means "father of many." He reminded Abraham of his promise to him: "You will be the father of many nations." He also gave Abraham's wife a new name: Sarah, which means "princess."
     Later, God and two of his angels appeared to Abraham. Abraham ran to his wife, Sarah. The two of them quickly prepared a meal for their guests. God told Abraham that, in one year, he'd return and Sarah would have a child. When Sarah heard this, she laughed. "Can someone as old as me have a baby?" she thought. After all, Abraham and Sarah were 99 and 89 years old and had no children of their own.
     God heard Sarah's laugh. "Why did you laugh?" he asked. Sarah knew she was in trouble, so she lied and said she didn't. God said, "Is anything too hard for me? I will return to you next year. Sarah will have a son."
     And that's exactly what happened. A year later, Sarah gave birth to her firstborn son. They named him Isaac, which means "laughter."

Big Idea and Motions: Nothing is too hard for God.

  • Nothing - wave your arms back and forth and shake your head
  • Too hard - pound the bottom of your fist into your palm as you say each word
  • God - point up


Verse / Motions: Jeremiah 32:27, ESV - Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

  • Behold - cup your hands around your mouth
  • I am - point to yourself with two thumbs
  • Lord - point up
  • Flesh - squeeze the skin on your arm or cheek
  • Anything - wave your arms back and forth
  • Too hard - pretend to lift a heavy weight above your head
  • Me - point to yourself with two thumbs


Questions to Ask Throughout the Week

  • What new name did God give to Abram? // Abraham
  • What does Abraham mean? // Father of many.
  • What new name did God give to Sarai? // Sarah
  • Who came to visit Abraham? // The Lord God and two angels
  • What did Abraham and Sarah do for God and the two angels? // Made them food
  • What did God say would happen? // Sarah would have a child
  • What did Sarah do when she heard that? // She laughed
  • When did God say Sarah would have a child? // In one year
  • How old were Abraham and Sarah when the baby was born? // 100 and 90.
  • What did they name the baby? // Isaac
  • What does the name Isaac mean? // Laughter
  • What does the word “omnipotent” mean? // All powerful
  • What is today’s big idea? // Nothing is too hard for God.
  • What is today’s Bible verse? // Jeremiah 32:27, ESV - Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?


Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/mTggI5
Resources - http://goo.gl/oBxlBY

March 2, 2014

OT 09 Abram and Lot Separate

Reference: Genesis 13

Story Summary:
     God had made many great promises to Abram. As he travelled, Abram moved around with his wife, Sarai, and his nephew, Lot. God kept one promise right away: he gave Abram a great blessing. Abram and his nephew, Lot, had tons of livestock and plenty of silver and gold.
     But then a problem came. The land became too small for Abram and Lot’s animals. Their workers were arguing in the fields because of this. Abram decided to split the group up. He let Lot pick a land to go and live. Abram went the other way.
     After Abram moved, God spoke of his promises again to Abram. He told Abram he’d give him all the land that he could see. And, God said, his children would be so many, they couldn’t be counted, like the dust of the earth.

Big Idea and Motions: God always keeps his promises.

  • God  - Point up
  • Always - Gesture your arms out in a wide circle
  • Keeps - Fold your hands together out in front of you
  • His promises - Hold up your right hand, with your index/middle fingers crossed


Verse / Motions: Psalm 100:5, ESV - For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

  • Lord - point up
  • Good - two thumbs up
  • Steadfast love - tap your chest three times (one on each syllable)
  • Forever - draw a ∞ in the air with your finger
  • Faithfulness - hold left fist stomach-level, tap temple with right index finger, then right fist on top of left fist*
  • All generations - gesture your arms out in a wide circle

* This is the ASL sign for “Faithful”.

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week

  • Who travelled with Abram? // His wife, Sarai, his nephew, Lot
  • What promise did we see God keep right away to Abram? // God blessed him with good things
  • What blessing did God give Abram? // Silver and gold, livestock
  • What was Lot blessed with? // Lots of livestock
  • What problem did Abram and Lot have? // Not enough land for animals, workers were arguing
  • What was Abram’s solution? // To split up
  • Lot picked the Jordan River Valley. What was it like? // Great, like the garden of Eden
  • When God spoke to Abram, what did he say about the land? // He’d give it all to Abram
  • When God spoke to Abram, what did he say about his kids? // They’ll be as many as the dust
  • What does the word “faithful” mean? // God always keeps his promises.


Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/uc6bpq
Resources - http://goo.gl/IjUkm5