Reference: Luke 19:1-10
Story Summary:
When Jesus came to city of Jericho, a great crowd gathered to meet him. One of the people excited to see Jesus was a dirty, rotten, good-for-nothin' tax collector named Zacchaeus. But Zacchaeus was a short man. The only way he could see through the crowd was to climb up a sycamore tree.
Jesus saw Zacchaeus in the tree and said, "I'm coming to your house today." The crowd was amazed that Jesus was going to the house of a "sinner."
The Bible doesn't tell us what Jesus said to Zacchaeus at his house, but afterwards, Zacchaeus was a changed man. He gave half of his money to the poor and paid back the people he stole from four times the amount he took!
Why was Zacchaeus different? Because he repented of his sins and trusted in Jesus to save him. When he did this, God forgave all of his sins and made him a brand new person on the inside!
Big Idea and Motions: When Jesus saves us, he makes us into brand new people..
Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Saves - make the baseball “safe!” sign
Us - two thumbs pointing to yourself
Brand new - cover your face with both hands
People - uncover your face and thrust your hands into the air in celebration
Verse / Motions: 2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Anyone - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Christ - form a cross with your forearms.
Creation - pretend to hammer a nail
Old has passed away - pretend to pick up a box from the floor and toss it over your shoulder
New has come - two thumbs up, then point to yourself with those two thumbs
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who was the man from today’s story? // Zacchaeus
What job did Zacchaeus have? // Tax collector
Describe what Zacchaeus’ body was like. // Short
Who came to Zacchaeus’ city, the city of Jericho? // Jesus
When he couldn’t see over the crowd, what did Zacchaeus do? // Climb a tree
What did Jesus say to Zacchaeus? // I’m coming to your house today
After meeting with Jesus, what did Zacchaeus say he’d do? // Give ½ of his money to the poor, pay back 4 times what he stole
Why did Zacchaeus change into a new person? // When he repented and believed in Jesus, God made him a new person
What is today’s big idea? // When Jesus saves us, he makes us into brand new people..
What is today’s Bible verse? // 2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/pJl6Tq
Resources - http://goo.gl/H1iAxj
September 29, 2013
September 22, 2013
NT 22B The Lost Coin, Sheep, and Son
Reference: Luke 15:1-24
Story Summary:
The Pharisees wanted to know why Jesus spent time with "sinners." To answer this question, Jesus told them three stories.
In the first story, a shepherd with 100 sheep lost one of them. He left the 99 behind and rescued the lost sheep. When he found it, he celebrated.
In the second story, a woman lost one of her 10 coins. She swept and searched for it. When she found it, she gathered her friends around and celebrated with them.
In the third story, a father lost one of his sons. His youngest son took his inheritance early and ran away, only to blow the money away on wild living. But when his son came back, the father was thrilled to have his lost son back.
Just like the shepherd, the woman, and the father celebrated when their lost things were found, God and the angels celebrate when a lost sinner is saved. Jesus spent time with sinners because he came to save them from sin!
Big Idea and Motions: Jesus came to find and rescue lost sinners.
Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Find - pretend to look through binoculars
Rescue - pretend to reach down and help someone up
Sinners - two thumbs down
Verse / Motions: Luke 19:10, ESV - For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
For - hold up four fingers
Son - pretend to cradle a baby
Man - flex your muscles
Seek - pretend to look through binoculars
Save - make the baseball “safe!” sign
Lost - scratch your head and look confused
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What did the Pharisees and Bible teachers want to know about Jesus? (Why he spent time with sinners.)
How many stories did Jesus tell to explain why he spent time with sinners? (Three stories.)
How many sheep did the shepherd have and how many did he lose? (100 and 1.)
What did the woman lose? (One of her ten coins.)
How did she find her coin? (She put on a candle and swept her house.)
What evil thing did the younger son do to his father? (Asked for his inheritance before his dad died, spent it all)
How did the father feel when he saw his lost son come back? (So happy, he ran to him.)
In the story, who did the shepherd, the woman, and the father stand for? (God.)
What is today’s big idea? (Jesus came to find and rescue lost sinners.)
What is today’s Bible verse? (Luke 19:10, ESV - For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.)
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/DNOQte
Resources - http://goo.gl/TxKxvs
Story Summary:
The Pharisees wanted to know why Jesus spent time with "sinners." To answer this question, Jesus told them three stories.
In the first story, a shepherd with 100 sheep lost one of them. He left the 99 behind and rescued the lost sheep. When he found it, he celebrated.
In the second story, a woman lost one of her 10 coins. She swept and searched for it. When she found it, she gathered her friends around and celebrated with them.
In the third story, a father lost one of his sons. His youngest son took his inheritance early and ran away, only to blow the money away on wild living. But when his son came back, the father was thrilled to have his lost son back.
Just like the shepherd, the woman, and the father celebrated when their lost things were found, God and the angels celebrate when a lost sinner is saved. Jesus spent time with sinners because he came to save them from sin!
Big Idea and Motions: Jesus came to find and rescue lost sinners.
Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Find - pretend to look through binoculars
Rescue - pretend to reach down and help someone up
Sinners - two thumbs down
Verse / Motions: Luke 19:10, ESV - For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
For - hold up four fingers
Son - pretend to cradle a baby
Man - flex your muscles
Seek - pretend to look through binoculars
Save - make the baseball “safe!” sign
Lost - scratch your head and look confused
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What did the Pharisees and Bible teachers want to know about Jesus? (Why he spent time with sinners.)
How many stories did Jesus tell to explain why he spent time with sinners? (Three stories.)
How many sheep did the shepherd have and how many did he lose? (100 and 1.)
What did the woman lose? (One of her ten coins.)
How did she find her coin? (She put on a candle and swept her house.)
What evil thing did the younger son do to his father? (Asked for his inheritance before his dad died, spent it all)
How did the father feel when he saw his lost son come back? (So happy, he ran to him.)
In the story, who did the shepherd, the woman, and the father stand for? (God.)
What is today’s big idea? (Jesus came to find and rescue lost sinners.)
What is today’s Bible verse? (Luke 19:10, ESV - For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.)
Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/DNOQte
Resources - http://goo.gl/TxKxvs
September 15, 2013
NT 22 The Good Samaritan
Reference: Luke 10:25-37
Big Idea and Motions: Be a good neighbor to everyone.
Be - put one hand on your hip; wag the index finger of your other hand
Good - two thumbs up
Neighbor - pretend to put your arm around someone next to you
Everyone - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Verse / Motions: Matthew 7:12, ESV - So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them...
Whatever - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Wish - press your palms together and close your eyes
Others - gesture your arms out in front of you
Do - hold a palm up; pound the bottom of your other fist into your palm
You - point to yourself with two thumbs
Do - same as above
Them - point to others with both index fingers
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who asked Jesus a question in today’s story? // An Authority on the Law (a Bible Expert)
How did Jesus say the man could get eternal life? // Obey the two great commandments
What was the Authority on the Law’s second question? // Who is my neighbor?
How did Jesus answer the man’s second question? // He told a story
What happened to the traveller in Jesus’ story? // Robbers beat him up
Who didn’t help the man in Jesus’ story? // The Levite and the Priest
Who was a good neighbor in Jesus’ story? // The good Samaritan
How can we receive eternal life, by obeying the commandments as best as we can or by trusting in Jesus? // Trusting in Jesus
What is today’s big idea? // Be a good neighbor to everyone
What is today’s Bible verse? // Matthew 7:12, ESV - So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them...
Google Docs Links:
Lesson
Resources
Big Idea and Motions: Be a good neighbor to everyone.
Be - put one hand on your hip; wag the index finger of your other hand
Good - two thumbs up
Neighbor - pretend to put your arm around someone next to you
Everyone - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Verse / Motions: Matthew 7:12, ESV - So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them...
Whatever - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Wish - press your palms together and close your eyes
Others - gesture your arms out in front of you
Do - hold a palm up; pound the bottom of your other fist into your palm
You - point to yourself with two thumbs
Do - same as above
Them - point to others with both index fingers
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who asked Jesus a question in today’s story? // An Authority on the Law (a Bible Expert)
How did Jesus say the man could get eternal life? // Obey the two great commandments
What was the Authority on the Law’s second question? // Who is my neighbor?
How did Jesus answer the man’s second question? // He told a story
What happened to the traveller in Jesus’ story? // Robbers beat him up
Who didn’t help the man in Jesus’ story? // The Levite and the Priest
Who was a good neighbor in Jesus’ story? // The good Samaritan
How can we receive eternal life, by obeying the commandments as best as we can or by trusting in Jesus? // Trusting in Jesus
What is today’s big idea? // Be a good neighbor to everyone
What is today’s Bible verse? // Matthew 7:12, ESV - So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them...
Google Docs Links:
Lesson
Resources
September 8, 2013
NT 21 The Great Commandments
Reference: Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34
Story Summary:
A group of Pharisees asked Jesus this question: what is the most important commandment in the law?
We find God's Law in the first five books of the Bible. Many times, when people talked about the law, they were talking about the Ten Commandments. Other times, they were talking about all of the rules God gave his special people, the Israelites, including rules about what to wear and what not to eat.
Jesus said the most important commandments were: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. The reason these commandments are the most important is because, if we obey these two great commandments, we'll end up obeying all the others.
After hearing Jesus' answer, the Pharisees agreed with him. From then on, the Bible says, no one dared to ask Jesus any more "tricky" questions.
Big Idea and Motions: If we obey the two great commandments, we obey all other commandments.
Obey - make an O above your head with your arms
Two - hold up two fingers
Great - two thumbs up
Commandments - put one hand on a hip, wag your other finger like you’re instructing someone
Obey - same as above
All - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Commandments - same as above
Verse / Motions: Mark 12:30-31, ESV - And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Love - hands over your heart (do this each time you say “love”)
Lord your God - point up on each word
All - gesture your arms in a wide circle (do this every time you say “all”)
Heart - thump your chest
Soul - move your hand in a circular motion an inch or so over your chest
Mind - tap your head
Strength - flex your muscles
Neighbor - mime putting an arm around a friend
Yourself - point to yourself with two thumbs
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who asked Jesus a question in today’s story? // The Pharisees
What question did they ask Jesus? // What is the most important commandment
What list of God’s rules did we talk about in the story? // The Ten Commandments
What did Jesus say is the most important commandment? // Love God with all your heart
What did Jesus say is the second most important commandment? // Love your neighbor as yourself
Why are these commandments so important? // If you obey then, you’ll obey all the other ones, too
How did the Pharisees feel about Jesus’ answer? // They were so impressed, no one dared to ask another question
Who is the only person to obey both great commandments perfectly? // Jesus
What is today’s big idea? // If we obey the two great commandments, we obey all other commandments.
What is today’s Bible verse? // Mark 12:30-31, ESV - And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Google Docs Links:
Lesson
Resources
Story Summary:
A group of Pharisees asked Jesus this question: what is the most important commandment in the law?
We find God's Law in the first five books of the Bible. Many times, when people talked about the law, they were talking about the Ten Commandments. Other times, they were talking about all of the rules God gave his special people, the Israelites, including rules about what to wear and what not to eat.
Jesus said the most important commandments were: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. The reason these commandments are the most important is because, if we obey these two great commandments, we'll end up obeying all the others.
After hearing Jesus' answer, the Pharisees agreed with him. From then on, the Bible says, no one dared to ask Jesus any more "tricky" questions.
Big Idea and Motions: If we obey the two great commandments, we obey all other commandments.
Obey - make an O above your head with your arms
Two - hold up two fingers
Great - two thumbs up
Commandments - put one hand on a hip, wag your other finger like you’re instructing someone
Obey - same as above
All - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Commandments - same as above
Verse / Motions: Mark 12:30-31, ESV - And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Love - hands over your heart (do this each time you say “love”)
Lord your God - point up on each word
All - gesture your arms in a wide circle (do this every time you say “all”)
Heart - thump your chest
Soul - move your hand in a circular motion an inch or so over your chest
Mind - tap your head
Strength - flex your muscles
Neighbor - mime putting an arm around a friend
Yourself - point to yourself with two thumbs
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who asked Jesus a question in today’s story? // The Pharisees
What question did they ask Jesus? // What is the most important commandment
What list of God’s rules did we talk about in the story? // The Ten Commandments
What did Jesus say is the most important commandment? // Love God with all your heart
What did Jesus say is the second most important commandment? // Love your neighbor as yourself
Why are these commandments so important? // If you obey then, you’ll obey all the other ones, too
How did the Pharisees feel about Jesus’ answer? // They were so impressed, no one dared to ask another question
Who is the only person to obey both great commandments perfectly? // Jesus
What is today’s big idea? // If we obey the two great commandments, we obey all other commandments.
What is today’s Bible verse? // Mark 12:30-31, ESV - And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Google Docs Links:
Lesson
Resources
September 1, 2013
NT 20 The Pharisees
Reference: Matthew 9:9-13, 12:9-14, Mark 7:1-8, Luke 18:9-14
Story Summary:
The Pharisees were a group of Bible teachers that lived during the life of Jesus. They were very concerned with obeying God's Law. To make sure they obeyed it, they even made extra rules that they and their follows had to obey.
Some of these extra rules included special handwashing, not helping and healing on the Sabbath day, not eating with sinners. The Pharisees hated Jesus because he didn't teach others to follow their extra rules. Even worse, Jesus did follow their extra rules. They were so angry with Jesus that they planned to kill Jesus.
The Pharisees had a big problem. They thought that their obedience to the law would save them. But we know from the Bible that no one can ever be good enough to save themslves, because everyone sins!
Jesus told the Pharisees that he didn't come to save people who thought they were good. He came to call sinners to believe in him and have their sins forgiven.
Big Idea and Motions: We can’t be good enough to save ourselves.
We - point to yourself with both thumbs
Can’t - wag your finger “No!” and put your other hand on your hip
Good - two thumbs up
Save - make the baseball “Safe!” sign
Ourselves - point to yourself with two thumbs again
Verse and 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/debit card
Sin - two thumbs down
Death - cross your forearms over your chest and bow your head
Free gift - pretend to hold a box and give it away
God - point up
Eternal life - trace an ∞ with your finger
Christ Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What group did we talk about in today’s story? // The Pharisees
What were the two big problems with the Pharisees? // They made extra rules and thought they could save themselves
Name some of the extra rules the Pharisees had. // Washing hands, not hanging out with sinners, no healing on the Sabbath
What did Jesus do for the man with a weak hand on the Sabbath? // Healed his hand
What did the Pharisees want to do to Jesus after he healed the man on the Sabbath? // Kill him
How were the Pharisees and the tax collector’s prayers different? // The Pharisee prayed about how good he was, the tax collector said he was a sinner and asked God to have mercy/forgive him
Whose sins were forgiven by God, the tax collector or the Pharisee? Why? // The tax collector because he asked God to save him and the Pharisee didn’t
Who/what should we trust in to be saved: being good and obeying God, or Jesus, who died and rose again? // Jesus
What is today’s big idea? // We can’t be good enough to save ourselves
What is today’s Bible verse? // 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.
Google Docs Links:
Lesson
Resources
Story Summary:
The Pharisees were a group of Bible teachers that lived during the life of Jesus. They were very concerned with obeying God's Law. To make sure they obeyed it, they even made extra rules that they and their follows had to obey.
Some of these extra rules included special handwashing, not helping and healing on the Sabbath day, not eating with sinners. The Pharisees hated Jesus because he didn't teach others to follow their extra rules. Even worse, Jesus did follow their extra rules. They were so angry with Jesus that they planned to kill Jesus.
The Pharisees had a big problem. They thought that their obedience to the law would save them. But we know from the Bible that no one can ever be good enough to save themslves, because everyone sins!
Jesus told the Pharisees that he didn't come to save people who thought they were good. He came to call sinners to believe in him and have their sins forgiven.
Big Idea and Motions: We can’t be good enough to save ourselves.
We - point to yourself with both thumbs
Can’t - wag your finger “No!” and put your other hand on your hip
Good - two thumbs up
Save - make the baseball “Safe!” sign
Ourselves - point to yourself with two thumbs again
Verse and 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/debit card
Sin - two thumbs down
Death - cross your forearms over your chest and bow your head
Free gift - pretend to hold a box and give it away
God - point up
Eternal life - trace an ∞ with your finger
Christ Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What group did we talk about in today’s story? // The Pharisees
What were the two big problems with the Pharisees? // They made extra rules and thought they could save themselves
Name some of the extra rules the Pharisees had. // Washing hands, not hanging out with sinners, no healing on the Sabbath
What did Jesus do for the man with a weak hand on the Sabbath? // Healed his hand
What did the Pharisees want to do to Jesus after he healed the man on the Sabbath? // Kill him
How were the Pharisees and the tax collector’s prayers different? // The Pharisee prayed about how good he was, the tax collector said he was a sinner and asked God to have mercy/forgive him
Whose sins were forgiven by God, the tax collector or the Pharisee? Why? // The tax collector because he asked God to save him and the Pharisee didn’t
Who/what should we trust in to be saved: being good and obeying God, or Jesus, who died and rose again? // Jesus
What is today’s big idea? // We can’t be good enough to save ourselves
What is today’s Bible verse? // 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.
Google Docs Links:
Lesson
Resources
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