lesson18:lkt 4/13/10 4:12 pm page 169 jesus at the temple...

Jesus at the TempleBible StoryMatthew 2:19-23; Luke 2:41-52

Teacher ChallengeWhen they found Jesus amazing the religious leaders,Mary and Joseph realized that Jesus hadn’t consideredHimself lost—His Father was with Him. He was “athome”! Imagine how Mary and Joseph must have felttrying to raise Jesus! They knew God had called themto care for Him and protect Him. But at times, theymust have wondered, Are we teaching Him anything at all? Who is teaching whom?

� What is something you’ve been amazed to learn through a child?

� How has God used that understanding in your life?

Remember that God is with you! In whatever situation causing worry, you can choose to be “at home” in Him. Whenever you feel alone, remember that your Father is in control, ready to hold you. Share specific instances of God’s care in your life with your class. Thank God together for His loving ways!

Teacher’s Planning1. Choose which centers you

will provide and the order in which children will par-ticipate in them. For tips on schedule planning, see page 9.

2. Plan who will lead each cen-ter, making sure to have oneadult for approximately everysix children. For staffing tipsand ideas, see page 12.

© 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader’s Guide • 169

Lesson 18

God’s Word“Teach me your way, O Lord.” Psalm 86:11

God’s Word and MeGod loves me as I grow and He helps me learn about Him.

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Play to LearnActive Game Center: Musical Verse

CollectBible, Lesson 18 Musical Verse Papers 1-5 on Growing with God CD-ROM, Preschool Music #2CD and player, chairs.

PreparePlace chairs in a circle facing out, one for eachchild. Place Musical Verse Papers under randomchairs in the circle.

Do1. Children play a game like Musical Chairs. As you play “How Good It Is” (track 17 on CD), children

walk around the circle of chairs. When you stop the music, children sit in the nearest seat.

2. Ask one volunteer with a Musical Verse Paper under their chair to stand up and hand you theirpaper. Children repeat the verse after you as you say verse aloud. Child places paper back underchair. Play another round. Read a different verse each round.

Talk About� In today’s Bible story, Mary, Joseph and Jesus went

on a trip. In Bible times, people usually walked whenthey went on trips. Let’s play a game where we walkin a circle.

� Nathan, let’s read the verse on your paper. Thesewords come from the Bible. God gives us the Bible toteach us how to live. God wants us to (be kind to oneanother).

� The Bible says, “Teach me your way, O Lord.” “Lord”is another name for God. God helps us learn aboutHim. Pray briefly, Dear God, thank You for loving us.Help us learn about You.

For Younger ChildrenPlace a Musical Verse Paper under only one chair. The child who sits in the chair with the verse standsup and holds the verse for you to read aloud. Replace the paper with a different verse each round.

For Older ChildrenInstead of walking while music plays, children count as they move a specific number of chairs aroundthe circle. Everyone move four chairs to your right. Specify a number between one and five.

170 • © 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader’s Guide

Lesson 18



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Play to LearnArt Center: Our Church

CollectBible, Lesson 18 Our Church Circle Pattern fromGrowing with God CD-ROM, a large sheet of butcherpaper, markers, tape, scissors, glue sticks.

PrepareDraw a simple outline of a room or building onbutcher paper (see sketch). (Optional: If your churchbuilding or classroom has a recognizable feature, add that to the outline.) Print verseon top of butcher paper. Tape butcher paper to wall. Print several copies of Our Church Circle Patternand cut out several circles for each child.

Do1. Children name the people they come to church with. Give them the appropriate number of circles.

Children draw on circles the facial features for each person.

2. Children take turns gluing their circle faces in the building outline on butcher paper.

Talk About� In our Bible story today, Mary, Joseph and Jesus

walked to the Temple. The Temple was like a bigchurch. We come to church with our families. Let’sfill this church building with people!

� Taylor, what do we learn at church? That’s right, welearn about God! We learn that God loves us.

� Mason, who reads the Bible to you? Your dad is help-ing you learn about God. The Bible tells us about God.

� The Bible says, “Teach me your way, O Lord.” “Lord”is another name for God. We come to church tolearn about God. Pray briefly, Dear God, thank Youfor the Bible. Thank You that we can learn aboutYou at church.

For Younger ChildrenDraw a small room or building outline on sheets of construction paper, one for each child. Each childglues circle faces onto his or her own sheet of construction paper.

For Older ChildrenChildren complete additional circle faces representing other people at church they know—SundaySchool teachers, pastors, extended family members, friends. Help children label faces as desired.


Lesson 18





Lesson 18Play to LearnConstruction Center: Block Temple

CollectBible, blocks, several cardboard paper towel tubes,a sheet of poster board, toy people.

Do1. Children build a big building with blocks. Chil-

dren use paper towel rolls as columns and placethe poster board on top as a roof.

2. Children use toy people to show Mary, Joseph and Jesus walking to the Temple, Mary and Josephwalking away from the Temple, searching for Jesus, and then finding Jesus in the Temple.

Talk About� Our Bible story today tells about the

time that Mary and Joseph and Jesuswent to a place like a church to pray to God. It was a big building in the city of Jerusalem. The building was called the Temple. Let’s build a big buildingwith blocks.

� On their way home from the Temple,Mary and Joseph couldn’t find Jesus.They looked for Him everywhere! Finallythey went back to the Temple and foundJesus there. Mary and Joseph cared forJesus as He grew bigger and stronger.

� The Bible says, “Teach me your way, O Lord.” God gives us the Bible. He also gives uspeople who teach us what the Bible says. We can thank God for teaching us His ways.Pray, Dear God, thank You for our parents and Sunday School teachers who teach uswhat the Bible says. Thank You for loving us.

For Younger ChildrenChildren simply play with blocks and toy people as you talk about the Bible story. Build a block Templeas you talk.

For Older ChildrenChildren stack chin-high block pillars in front of their buildings.




Play to LearnDramatic Play Center: Story Time

CollectBible, one or more Bible storybooks, dolls.

DoChildren read Bible storybooks to dolls. (Optional:Children pretend to get dolls ready for bed andthen read a Bible storybook as a bedtime story.)

Talk About� The Bible says, “Teach me your way, O

Lord.” “Lord” is another name for God.

� Stephanie, who tells you stories from theBible? We can thank God for your grandma.

� Thomas, what story are you reading yourbaby? You are teaching your baby how Godloved us and sent Jesus as a baby!

� Pray briefly, Dear God, thank You for theBible that tells us about You. And thank You for moms and dads and teachers whoread the Bible to us.

For Younger ChildrenChildren pretend to go to bed while teacher reads books.

For Older ChildrenChildren pretend to be Sunday School teachers and tell Bible stories to dolls or to each other.


Lesson 18




Listen to LearnMatthew 2:19-23; Luke 2:41-52

CollectBible, Bible Story 31 pictures from God’s Story forMe Poster Pack #2, Preschool Music #2 DVD or CDand player.

Greet Each OtherTo help children welcome each other, lead childrenin doing the motions and saying these words:

Where are the boys? Where are theboys? (Shade eyes with one hand and lookaround the circle.)

Here they are. Here they are. (Point to the boys.)

We are glad to see you. (Circle hands around eyes like glasses.)

We are glad to see you.

Hello to you! Hello to you! (Wave to each of the boys.)

Repeat poem, greeting the girls.

Tell the StoryOpen your Bible to Matthew 2. Tell the story using the pictured motions (keywords in bold) or showBible Story 31 pictures.

Ask children to tell their ages. Every year you grow taller and stronger! Let’s hear what hap-pened when Jesus was growing up.

Mary, Joseph and Jesus were living in Egypt. One night, God told Joseph, “It is safeto take Mary and Jesus home now.” They packed their things and walked to their owntown of Nazareth. Joseph was a carpenter. Carpenters use tools and nails to makechairs, tables and other things from wood. As Jesus grew, He probably learned touse a hammer. He probably cut wood with a saw. Jesus helped Joseph make thingsout of wood.

Every year many people traveled to worship God at the Temple in Jerusalem. WhenJesus was 12 years old, His family traveled to the Temple, too. Many families walkedtogether to go to the Temple.

Mary, Joseph and Jesus could see the beautiful Temple. They were glad! Many peo-ple prayed and sang glad songs to God at the Temple. They listened to God’s Word.They ate special meals and talked to their friends.

Then the visit was over. Many people were walking home with Jesus’ family.Joseph and Mary thought Jesus was walking with their friends. But Jesus wasn’t!Jesus was still in Jerusalem!

When everyone stopped for the night, Joseph and Mary looked for Jesus. They couldn’tfind Him! Joseph and Mary began to worry. They asked everyone, “Where’s Jesus?” Noone knew where Jesus was. Mary and Joseph hurried back to Jerusalem. They askedeveryone they saw if they had seen Jesus!


Lesson 18




Mary and Joseph went to the big Temple. There was Jesus! He was talking with the Bible teachers! Hewasn’t afraid. He knew God loved Him. Joseph and Mary were glad to find Jesus! They took Jesus backhome. They took care of Him. Jesus grew and learned, just as God had planned.

Talk About the StoryWhere did Mary and Joseph find Jesus in Jerusalem? (In the Temple.) Jesus was growing up.He went to the Temple to talk with the teachers about God. We can learn about God as wegrow, too. What are some ways we can learn about God? (Listen to Bible stories. Sing songsabout God.) God will help us learn about Him as we grow. God loves us!

Sing to GodLet’s sing a song about Jesus’ love. Lead childrenin singing “Jesus Loves Me” (on DVD or track 7 onCD). Jesus was just a little baby when He wasborn, but He didn’t stay a baby. Every day, Hegrew bigger and bigger—just like you do! Godloves you as you grow and He will help you learnabout Him.

Hear and Say God’s WordHolding your Bible open to Psalm 86:11, say verse aloud. I’m glad God loves me and helps me tolearn about Him. Listening to and saying the words in the Bible is one way to learn aboutGod. Lead children in repeating the Bible verse several times.

Pray to GodPray the following prayer, inserting the names of children into the prayer: Dear God, thank You for loving Nina and Ian. Repeat as needed, naming each child in your class. If you have a large class,pray, Thank You for loving all the boys and all the girls in our class. End the prayer by saying,Help us all to learn about You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Praise to GodChildren line up and follow the first child in the line, walking in a circle or around the classroom. Sayverse aloud, replacing the word “me” with the name of the line leader. Teach Mandy your way, O Lord.After his or her name is said, that child moves to the end of the line and the next child becomes the lineleader. Repeat verse until every child has had a chance to be the line leader. (If you have a large class, saythe names of the first three or four children in line for each round of the game.)


Lesson 18

Option: Invite a musician from yourchurch to play “Jesus Loves Me” on a guitar, flute, trumpet, etc.


Talk to LearnBible Story Activity Pages CenterCollectA copy of Activity 31 from The Big Book of Bible Story Activity Pages #2 for yourself and each child, crayons or markers, scissors, tape.

DoLead children to complete pages following the instruc-tions. Use the conversation suggestions as childrencomplete their pages and retell the story.

Preschool Puzzle CenterCollectCopies of Bible Story Puzzle 18, Bible VersePuzzle 18 and/or Challenge Puzzle 18 fromThe Big Book of Preschool Puzzles #2 for eachchild; pencils, crayons or markers.

DoChildren complete the puzzles and color pages.Use the conversation suggestions on the pages.

Read-Aloud Story CenterCollectA copy of Story Picture 18 from The Big Book of Read-Aloud Stories #2 for yourself and each child, crayonsor markers.

DoRead the story and distribute pictures. Use the conversation suggestions as children complete their pages.


Lesson 18

• Who did God give to care for Jesus as He grew? • Who did God give to care for you as you grow?

Name _________________

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“Teach me your way oh Lord.” Psalm 86:11

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lesson18:lkt 4/13/10 4:12 pm page 169 jesus at the temple...

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