Lesson:
SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 13, MARK 4
STORY POINT: Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like.
CHRIST CONNECTION: Jesus is the King who came to bring God’s kingdom. Because Jesus died and rose again, we can be part of His kingdom forever when we trust in Him
KEY PASSAGE: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. - Isaiah 40:8
BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Is the Bible true? Yes, the Bible is true.
TEACHING STYLE: Play, community building, interactive learning through Bible story telling, activities and song, help build a safe and fun environment for our Early Childhood kids to learn about God's love and His Word. Active learning connects individual stories to the broader "Big Picture" of God's redemptive story. As our littles have gotten older, the stories become longer, their interaction with the Gospel goes deeper, questions are asked and answered, vocabulary grows and Gospel seeds continue to be sown in their hearts.
STORY POINT: Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like.
CHRIST CONNECTION: Jesus is the King who came to bring God’s kingdom. Because Jesus died and rose again, we can be part of His kingdom forever when we trust in Him
KEY PASSAGE: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. - Isaiah 40:8
BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Is the Bible true? Yes, the Bible is true.
TEACHING STYLE: Play, community building, interactive learning through Bible story telling, activities and song, help build a safe and fun environment for our Early Childhood kids to learn about God's love and His Word. Active learning connects individual stories to the broader "Big Picture" of God's redemptive story. As our littles have gotten older, the stories become longer, their interaction with the Gospel goes deeper, questions are asked and answered, vocabulary grows and Gospel seeds continue to be sown in their hearts.
EARLY CHILDHOOD VERSE
Directions:
1st - Invite a child to open your Bible to the verse. Read the verse aloud. (Is. 40:8)
2nd – Bring out the Bible Card and have a child open them and then read what is inside.
Say:
The Bible teaches us that God’s Word will remain. It isn’t like the grass or like flowers growing in a field that eventually wither and die. God’s Word, the Bible, will always remain.
1st - Invite a child to open your Bible to the verse. Read the verse aloud. (Is. 40:8)
2nd – Bring out the Bible Card and have a child open them and then read what is inside.
Say:
The Bible teaches us that God’s Word will remain. It isn’t like the grass or like flowers growing in a field that eventually wither and die. God’s Word, the Bible, will always remain.
BIG PICTURE QUESTION
Directions:
Each week we are going to repeat the Big Picture Question and Answer. The questions remain the same for 4/5 weeks. It is really important that when it is your turn to serve, you do this activity. Through consistent repetition this is one part of how we are helping our littles learn more about God, Jesus and the Bible!
Read the Big Picture Cards just like you would the Bible Story Cards (make it sound really exciting!)
Each week we are going to repeat the Big Picture Question and Answer. The questions remain the same for 4/5 weeks. It is really important that when it is your turn to serve, you do this activity. Through consistent repetition this is one part of how we are helping our littles learn more about God, Jesus and the Bible!
Read the Big Picture Cards just like you would the Bible Story Cards (make it sound really exciting!)
PEARL CRAFT
Directions:
Have the kids first glue on the story point to the inside of the shell, then color the inside. They will attach one side of the velcro sticker to inside of the shell and the other side of the velcro sticker to the ping pong ball “pearl”. This way they will be able to put the pearl in the shell and take it out.
Say:
Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like. In Jesus’ story we listened to today, a man sold all he owned to have enough money to buy one single pearl because he realized the pearl was more valuable than anything he already had. Jesus meant the kingdom of God is like a valuable pearl—it is worth more than anything else.
Have the kids first glue on the story point to the inside of the shell, then color the inside. They will attach one side of the velcro sticker to inside of the shell and the other side of the velcro sticker to the ping pong ball “pearl”. This way they will be able to put the pearl in the shell and take it out.
Say:
Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like. In Jesus’ story we listened to today, a man sold all he owned to have enough money to buy one single pearl because he realized the pearl was more valuable than anything he already had. Jesus meant the kingdom of God is like a valuable pearl—it is worth more than anything else.
DIGGING FOR TREASURE
Directions:
Have the kids dig for treasure in the lentils. Depending on how many kids there are, you can have them dig at the same time or take turns. The treasure boxes are a bit hard to open, but you can pop them open once they find them and have the kids put the treasure they find inside them. (there are gems and pearls to find along with treasure boxes)
Say:
Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like. In Jesus’ story we listened to today, Jesus said “God’s kingdom is like treasure hidden in a field. A man sold everything he had to buy the field.” Jesus meant the kingdom of God is so special like a treasure! It is worth more than anything else.
Have the kids dig for treasure in the lentils. Depending on how many kids there are, you can have them dig at the same time or take turns. The treasure boxes are a bit hard to open, but you can pop them open once they find them and have the kids put the treasure they find inside them. (there are gems and pearls to find along with treasure boxes)
Say:
Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like. In Jesus’ story we listened to today, Jesus said “God’s kingdom is like treasure hidden in a field. A man sold everything he had to buy the field.” Jesus meant the kingdom of God is so special like a treasure! It is worth more than anything else.
HIDDEN TREASURE SORT
Directions:
Have the kids unwrap the foil off the “treasure” and sort them in the cupcake tins by color. (Throw foil from around gems in trash after.)
Say:
Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like. In Jesus’ story we listened to today, Jesus said “God’s kingdom is like treasure hidden in a field. A man sold everything he had to buy the field.” Jesus meant the kingdom of God is so special like a treasure! It is worth more than anything else.
Have the kids unwrap the foil off the “treasure” and sort them in the cupcake tins by color. (Throw foil from around gems in trash after.)
Say:
Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like. In Jesus’ story we listened to today, Jesus said “God’s kingdom is like treasure hidden in a field. A man sold everything he had to buy the field.” Jesus meant the kingdom of God is so special like a treasure! It is worth more than anything else.
FIND THE PEARL
Directions:
Find the pearl under one of the cups game. Place the pearl under one of the cups then switch the cups around and have a child pick which cup it is under. Keep playing, the kids may want to try switching the cups around too. This works best on a hard surface like the table or the laminate floor.
Say:
Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like. In Jesus’ story we listened to today, Jesus said “God’s kingdom is like treasure hidden in a field. A man sold everything he had to buy the field.” Jesus meant the kingdom of God is so special like a treasure! It is worth more than anything else.
Find the pearl under one of the cups game. Place the pearl under one of the cups then switch the cups around and have a child pick which cup it is under. Keep playing, the kids may want to try switching the cups around too. This works best on a hard surface like the table or the laminate floor.
Say:
Jesus told stories to teach what God’s kingdom is like. In Jesus’ story we listened to today, Jesus said “God’s kingdom is like treasure hidden in a field. A man sold everything he had to buy the field.” Jesus meant the kingdom of God is so special like a treasure! It is worth more than anything else.