life of christ: volume 3 · 2020. 12. 10. · life of christ #13, page 5 jesus was letting the...

Life of Christ: Volume 3 Bible Lesson Teaching Notes

Author: Mrs. Gayle Stahlman

Copyrighted © 2020 and Published by

CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP OF EASTERN PA, INC. P.O. BOX 4375

HARRISBURG, PA 17111-0375 www.cefepa.net

APPLYING THE BIBLE LESSONTO TODAY’S CHILDREN

The BIBLE LESSON is a Bible story which includes the GOSPEL, a PERSONAL APPLICATION about sin,and an INVITATION for the unsaved child. It will also emphasize one MAIN TRUTH or teaching point witha PERSONAL APPLICATION and a CHALLENGE for the saved child.

THE UNSAVED CHILD - Three basic parts of the lesson for the unsaved child:

1. GOSPEL

The Gospel message should be woven throughout the Bible lesson. It should include these Bibletruths:

God loves you and me

Only sinless Son of God

Sin - You and I have sinned (Use Scripture verse)

Precious blood of Jesus paid for sin (Use Scripture verse)

Ever living - Risen Saviour

Let Christ in - Receive Him (Use Scripture verse)

2. PERSONAL APPLICATION FOR THE UNSAVED

The purpose of the personal application for the unsaved child (PAU) is to explain the sinissue. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE REMAINDER OF THE GOSPEL. It is not theinvitation. It should come as early as possible in the lesson so the Holy Spirit can begin toconvict the child of sin.

The personal application for the unsaved child explains the sin issue with the personal YOU,examples or illustrations of sin, and Bible verse.

3. INVITATION

The invitation usually comes at the end of the Bible lesson, but it could come earlier. It willinvite the child to receive Christ as Saviour. A Scripture verse should be used andexplained.

THE SAVED CHILD - Three basic parts of the lesson for the saved child:

1. MAIN TRUTH

The Main Truth is the teaching point for the Christian child which you want to stress severaltimes throughout the lesson. It will be a simple statement of Bible doctrine or Christiangrowth.

2. PERSONAL APPLICATION FOR THE SAVED

The purpose of the personal application for the saved child (PAS) is to explain the MainTruth. It will include the personal YOU, examples or illustrations, and a Bible verse.

As you think about examples or illustrations to explain the Main Truth, ask yourself thesequestions: When? Where? How? The Bible verse will answer the question Why?

For example:

WHO? Personal you “YOU” should be predominant wordrather than “we” or “us”

HOW? Apply by example Examples to explain Main Truth

WHY? Scripture A Bible verse which gives proof of theMain Truth

3. CHALLENGE

The challenge usually comes at the end of the Bible lesson. It should encourage the Christianchild to put into action the teaching of the Main Truth and personal application for the savedchild.

NOTE: We realize there are many methods of Bible lesson preparation and presentation,and that this method is not the only way to teach. However, we trust that as you study theselesson helps they will be beneficial in filling in some of the details of the lesson.

CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP OF EASTERN PA, INC. g P.O. BOX 4375 g HARRISBURG, PA 17111-0375

LIFE OF CHRIST – Lesson #13

“Jesus Loves and Uses Children” SCRIPTURE: Matthew 19:13, 14; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17; Matthew 14:13-

21; Mark 6:31-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-13 MEMORY VERSE: Mark 10:14

“Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.”

VISUALS: Flashcards: Life of Christ 3: 1-1 – 1-6 MAIN TRUTH: God can use you to help others. BASIC OUTLINE: I. INTRODUCTION

A. BEGINNING STATEMENTS B. TRANSITION

II. PROGRESSION OF EVENTS

A. FLASHCARD 1-1 B. FLASHCARD 1-2 C. FLASHCARD 1-3 D. FLASHCARD 1-4 E. FLASHCARD 1-5 F. FLASHCARD 1-6

III. CLIMAX IV. CONCLUSION

A. CLOSING STATEMENTS B. BRIDGE C. CHALLENGE D. INVITATION

TEXT: Life of Christ, Copyright © 2020 CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP OF EASTERN PA, INC. Author: Mrs. Gayle Stahlman

Life of Christ #13, Page 2 I. INTRODUCTION A. BEGINNING STATEMENTS

Are boys and girls important to God? Can children serve God like men and women do? Is anyone too young to do something special for the Lord Jesus?

B. TRANSITION

Let’s listen carefully to find out what Jesus Himself said about these questions. II. PROGRESSION OF EVENTS

Sometimes, as Jesus traveled the countryside teaching and preaching with His disciples, or close followers, they would talk about things they wanted to know from Jesus. They would ask questions of Jesus.

A. (FLASHCARD 1-1)

One day, two of the disciples, the brothers James and John, had their mother ask Jesus a question. She asked if her sons could sit next to Jesus in His kingdom. It seems they wanted to have the best seats, right next to the Lord Jesus. They wanted to be “most important.” That was selfish, wasn’t it? And when the other disciples heard it, they became angry and jealous.

IH Have children show you what the face of the disciples might have looked like. (angry) Even though these were special men called by God to be His special workers, the disciples were not perfect men. They were sinners.

S, PAU The disciples were not the only sinners. You and I do things that are wrong too. You have sinned, and so have I. Because we are born with a sinful nature, we choose to think, say, and do things that do not please God, and that is called sin. The Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) None of us are good like God is good. (Share three examples of sin.) None of us are perfect.

The disciples were not perfect. James and John were being selfish. The others were angry and jealous.

Life of Christ #13, Page 3

Do you think the Lord Jesus promised the best seats to James and John that day? No, He did not! Another time, the disciples came together and asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?” We might ask the question this way today: “Who is most important to God?” It troubled these disciples that they did not know who was most important.

IH Have children turn to someone sitting near them and ask, “Who is most important

to God?” (repeat this a few times)

So Jesus called a little child to him and said to them, “Verily I say unto you, except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4) When people gathered around Jesus, they often had questions for Him. On one particular day, Jesus was very busy answering the questions the crowd of people had. Sometimes, Jesus answered them from the Word of God, which at that time was the Old Testament Scriptures. Other times, He answered them with His own words, which eventually became part of our New Testament Scriptures in the Gospels. But every single time, Jesus was able to give perfect answers. Why? Because He was different than every other person who has ever lived.

O Jesus is the perfect Son of God, boys and girls. He is God’s Son. He never sinned. He is perfect, just like God the Father is perfect.

Jesus knows everything. He was always able to give perfect answers.

Suddenly, all the grown-up talk was interrupted by the giggling and laughing of children’s voices. The disciples looked, and they saw a group of children coming toward Jesus. They were skipping, running, and playing, just like children do today. They were happy children. Perhaps they were happy because they were where Jesus was.

IH Have children show what their face would look like if they were happily skipping and playing, and Jesus was there. Ask, “Do you think they would have a happy face or a sad face?”


B. (FLASHCARD 1-2) The disciples saw these children coming closer to Jesus. Surely, they are not coming to bother Jesus. Maybe the disciples even said to one another, “What are these parents doing? Are they bringing these children to Jesus? He is busy. He is tired and does not have time for them. They should know better. We must send them away.”

The children were not very important to the disciples of Jesus.

While some of the people Jesus had been talking with began to go away, the parents and others with young children moved in closer to see Jesus. The boys and girls probably ran toward Jesus. They wanted to be near Him.

The disciples were not happy. Thinking they were protecting Jesus from these little ones, they stepped in their path. “Stop! You must not bother the Teacher. He has had a long day, and He is tired.”

IH Have children turn to someone sitting near them, make a face that shows they are upset, and with a tone of disappointment say, “Jesus does not have time to be bothered with children.” The children and their parents must have been disappointed. Maybe they said, “I guess we didn’t understand. We thought Jesus would have time for the children.” Sadly, they turned to leave.

C. (FLASHCARD 1-3)

Quickly, the Lord Jesus stepped toward those that brought their children. First, He spoke to His disciples. “Let the children come to Me,” Jesus demanded. “Do not turn them away. Don’t you know the kingdom of God belongs to ones like these? Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as one of these little children shall not enter the kingdom.” In our Bibles, it says it this way: “. . .Suffer the little children to come unto Me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14; this is the memory verse. Show visual) (Note for the teacher: Oftentimes we hear this spoken gently, but the Lord Jesus did not speak it that way. The verb in Greek for “was much displeased” is very forceful and means “indignant.” This is according to Wycliffe Bible commentary and other similar sources.)


Jesus was letting the people in the crowd that day know that the reason He came to Earth was for all people.

P, E Jesus came from Heaven down to Earth so that anyone – young or old, man, woman, boy, or girl – could come to Jesus and receive Him as Saviour. Jesus came to die for our sins. He gave His precious blood to pay for sin – yours and mine. The Bible says, “The blood of Jesus Christ His (God’s) Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7b) Jesus died, but He did not stay dead. They put Jesus in a tomb, but after three days He came out alive! Jesus did this so that anyone, young or old, could receive Him as their Saviour.

Jesus wanted everyone to know about Him, and to know Him as their Saviour – even little children. This is why Jesus was displeased when the disciples were telling the children to go home. The disciples stood back. As they watched, they saw Jesus reach out toward the little children. He picked them up in His arms and held them. Perhaps some of the mothers with babies came close so that Jesus would touch them too. The Bible tells us Jesus put His hands on the children and blessed them.

IH Ask the children, “If you had been one of those children in the crowd that day, is there something you would have asked Jesus or something you would have wanted to tell Him or show Him?” Allow a few responses.

The disciples, as they watched Jesus interacting with the children, may have remembered that He often did things for children. They saw Him heal the nobleman’s sick boy. He brought a dead girl back to life. Maybe as they were thinking of these things, they remembered the day that a child did something very special to help the Lord Jesus. It was one day when the disciples had planned to spend time alone with the Son of God. They sailed across the lake to get away from all the crowds that followed after Him. But when they got to the other side, they found that the crowd of people was already there! Hundreds and hundreds . . . even thousands of people. What did the Lord Jesus do? Did He get angry that they had followed Him? No, He began to teach them. You see, God loved these people.

G Did you know that God also loves you? God and Jesus, His Son, love all people. They love you and me.


Jesus showed His love for the crowd that day. He was teaching them. The disciples were tired. They waited and waited for the day to end. Still, the Lord Jesus was teaching and doing miracles of healing.

D. (FLASHCARD 1-4) Finally, the disciples came to Jesus. They said to Him, “This is a deserted place. There is nothing here. It is getting late. Send the people home so they can get something to eat.”

The disciples must have been very surprised at what Jesus said next. “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” This was just like the Lord Jesus. He was always concerned for other people. He cared about the children. He cared about the hungry crowds.

Jesus was concerned for these thousands of people, and He told the disciples to feed them. The disciple named Philip thought about how much money it would take to buy enough bread to feed that huge crowd. “We can’t do it,” he said. “There is not enough money even for all of them to have just a little.” Then Andrew, another of the disciples, spoke up. “There is a young boy here today,” Andrew said. “He has a lunch of five barley loaves and two small fish.”

IH Have the children count together, first the number of loaves (1-2-3-4-5), and then the number of fish (1-2). Even Andrew, who knew about the boy with the lunch, said, “What is this among so many people?” “Bring them to Me,” Jesus said. Did you notice that, boys and girls? Jesus said, “Bring them. . . .” I think Jesus wanted not only the lunch, but He wanted the little boy to come too. Perhaps Andrew wondered as he went back to get the boy whether he would be willing to let the Lord Jesus have his lunch. He was probably also wondering what Jesus could do with such a small amount of food when the crowd was so large. When Andrew came to the little boy, he may have said something like this: “The Teacher would like to have your lunch. Are you willing to give it to Him?” Andrew waited to see what the boy’s response would be.

Life of Christ #13, Page 7 E. (FLASHCARD 1-5)

Perhaps the boy looked first at Andrew, then at the Lord Jesus, then at his small lunch. The boy was probably hungry. Maybe his mother had packed the lunch for him earlier in the day so he would have something to eat. If he gave it all to Jesus, he would have no lunch for himself. Why did Jesus want his lunch? A lot of questions might have been going through his mind. But then, looking at the Lord Jesus again, he made up his mind. He would share his little lunch. Jesus could have it. He wanted to help!

MT If you have asked Jesus to be your Saviour from your sin, God can use you to help

others. (Show the Main Truth Card. Point to and explain the picture.) God can use you to help others if you are willing. I hope you will want to help others around you.

The little boy wanted to help. He said yes and took the lunch to the Lord Jesus.

F. (FLASHCARD 1-6)

As the Son of God took that little lunch into His hands, He first thanked God the Father. The Bible doesn’t tell us that Jesus thanked God only for the food. Don’t you think He probably thanked God for the little boy and his willingness to help, too? I think so. Jesus must have thanked God for this little boy and his lunch. He was very special to the Lord Jesus. Then Jesus turned to His disciples and told them, “Tell the people to sit down, in groups of about fifty.” As the crowd was divided into groups of fifty, they sat down on the grassy hillside. Being in groups made it easier to count them. The Bible tells us there were over five thousand men, and also women and children, on the hillside near that lake. That was a lot of people in one place! What happened next was the most amazing thing these people had ever seen. The Lord Jesus took the bread, five little loaves from that little boy’s lunch, broke them apart, and put them in a basket. As He did this, the bread continued to multiply in His hand! Then Jesus took the two small fish and did the same thing. As He placed the fish in the basket, there were more and more fish.


The little boy’s eyes must have grown wide with amazement! The disciples took basket after basket after basket of bread and fish to the people in the crowd. How wonderful it was to be part of this special miracle!

IH Give each child a couple of gummy fish and small crackers, asking them what they

think it would have been like to be part of that miracle. (Keep in mind that there could be children with food allergy issues.)

I am certain that little boy was glad he chose to give his lunch to Jesus to help other people.

MT, PAS If you have asked Jesus to be your Saviour from your sin, God can use you to help others. (Show the Main Truth Card.) God can use you to help others if you are willing. You have two hands, two feet, two eyes, two lips, and two ears you can use for God. 1You could use your two strong hands to help your parents do chores around the house, like doing the dishes, or outside, like picking up sticks in the yard. 2You could use your two feet to go visit someone who is sick – perhaps a neighbor or a relative who is in the hospital. They need your encouragement. 3You could use your two lips to invite a friend to come to [club, class] with you or to go with you to church so they can hear about the precious Lord Jesus. You are not too young for God to use you. The Bible says, “Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers. . . .” (1 Timothy 4:12) When you allow God to use you, you are a good example to other people. You are showing that God is making a difference in your life. You can be very happy that God uses you to help others. This little boy was happy too. Do you think this young boy had some of the food that day? The Bible tells us all the people were filled. Maybe the boy was close enough to Jesus to hear Him say to the disciples, “Gather up all the leftovers.” Leftovers? Yes! The disciples brought back 12 baskets of leftover bread and fish!

IH Have children count to 12 (for the leftover baskets of food).

After remembering this miracle, do you think the disciples thought children were unimportant to Jesus? I don’t think so.

III. CLIMAX

Jesus showed them how everyone is important to Him.

Life of Christ #13, Page 9 IV. CONCLUSION

A. CLOSING STATEMENTS The disciples may have been so excited about the miracle that they forgot about the boy. But we can be sure that Jesus never forgot about him. Not only did Jesus love the children and want them to come to Him, He also showed the disciples He could use the children too.

B. BRIDGE

God wants to use you. Are you willing? C. CHALLENGE MT If you have asked Jesus to be your Saviour from your sin, God can use you to help

others. (Show the Main Truth Card.) The Bible says, “Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers. . . .” (1 Timothy 4:12) When you allow God to use you, you are being a good example to others, just like the boy in our lesson. 1You could use your two strong hands to help your parents do chores. 2You could use your two feet to go visit someone who needs encouragement. 3You could use your two lips to invite a friend to come to [club, class] with you. You are not too young for God to use you. Would you be willing and ready right now to tell God that you want Him to use you to help others? I’ll be quiet for a few moments, and if you want to, you can talk to God quietly right where you’re sitting. Then I’ll finish our prayer. (Allow time for them to pray quietly, then close in prayer.)

D. INVITATION L If you have never received Jesus as your Saviour from sin, He wants you to come

to Him and be saved. God’s Word says, “But as many as received Him (if you ask Jesus to be your Saviour), to them (you) gave He power (God gives you the right or the privilege) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:12) Are you ready to admit to God that you have sinned and need a Saviour? Do you believe Jesus died on the cross in your place, and that He rose again the third day? If so, you can receive Him as your Saviour and He will take away your sin. Would you like to receive Jesus as your Saviour right now? Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes. If you are ready to receive Jesus as Saviour, please look up at me. (pause) Thank you. You may all look up now. (Tell the children when to come and where to go to receive counseling. Close in prayer.)


“Jesus Calms Our Storms” SCRIPTURE: Matthew 14:22-33; 8:23-27; Mark 6:45-52; 4:36-41; Luke 8:22-25;

John 6:15-21 MEMORY VERSE: Psalm 46:1

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” VISUALS: Flashcards: Life of Christ 3: 2-1 – 2-6 MAIN TRUTH: God will help you in times of trouble. BASIC OUTLINE: I. INTRODUCTION



A. FLASHCARD 2-1 B. FLASHCARD 2-2 C. FLASHCARD 2-3 D. FLASHCARD 2-2 (repeated) E. FLASHCARD 2-4 F. FLASHCARD 2-5 G. FLASHCARD 2-6





Have you ever been afraid? I mean you were really afraid because you were in a situation and you thought you were all alone. Did you know that there is Someone you can count on to help you when you are in trouble or afraid?

B. TRANSITION

In today’s lesson we are going to learn about how the one true God can help us when we are afraid or in trouble and don’t know what to do.


After feeding over the five thousand people, the crowd was excited. They wanted to be around Jesus. Some of them even said, “This is the Messiah. We will make Him our King.”

The disciples were excited too. After all, Jesus had just done this wonderful miracle

of feeding more than five thousand people with one little boy’s lunch. They may have wondered, Is this the time for the Lord Jesus to become King?

A. (FLASHCARD 2-1) The people and disciples did not yet understand that Jesus did not come to set up a kingdom on Earth at this time. Immediately, Jesus took charge and told the disciples what they should do. “Get into the boat,” He said to the disciples, “and go to the other side of the lake.” After the disciples left, Jesus sent the big crowd of people home. Even though they may have been disappointed to leave Jesus they still listened to what He said.

IH Have children show you what the faces of the people might have looked like. (disappointed) Perhaps you are like the crowd of people and something happened to disappoint you. Maybe you had some great plans to do something or go somewhere, and then everything changed. You might have felt like there was nothing you could do to change it.

Life of Christ #14, Page 3 MT The Lord Jesus understands your disappointments. He knows all about the things

that trouble you and He wants to help. If you have asked Jesus to be your Saviour from sin, God will help you in times of trouble. (Show the Main Truth Card. Point to and explain the picture.) You can talk to the Lord Jesus when you are disappointed or have troubles. He cares about these things.

Jesus cared about the crowd of people and the disciples too. He told the disciples

to get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake. He was going up the mountain to pray. Perhaps Jesus was going to pray for His disciples.

As the disciples got into the boat and began rowing away from the shore, they

must have talked about many things. They probably mentioned the thousands of people who came to see Jesus. Maybe they talked about how much Jesus loved people, even the children. They might have remembered how they sometimes became annoyed with the crowds around Jesus, but how He always made time for them.

Why did Jesus always have time for people? We know it was because He loved

them.

G God’s Word tells us that Jesus and God, His Father, love us too. Yes, God loves you very much. He knows all about you, and He loves you. He always has time for you.

IH Have children “sign” Jesus loves you a few times, each time pointing to a different

child on the word “you.” (On the word “Jesus,” touch middle finger of one hand to the opposite wrist; then touch middle finger of other hand to opposite wrist. On the word “loves,” cross arms over chest. On the word “you,” point to another person.)

Jesus always had time for people. He wanted to help everyone He could. The disciples must have talked about how much Jesus loved people. They probably were wondering why the Lord Jesus would not allow the people to make Him their King. They might have said to each other, “Jesus is the One God promised to send into the world. He is the Messiah, and the Messiah has every right to be King.” Boys and girls, you and I know that Jesus is more than just a King. He is also the Son of God. He is the perfect One.

O Do you realize that Jesus is the sinless perfect Son of God? He is and He does not make any mistakes.


Jesus did not make a mistake when He sent the crowds home and the disciples across the lake. The disciples continue to talk, and they continued to row their boat across the lake under the night sky.

B. (FLASHCARD 2-2)

The soft breeze on the lake became stronger. Suddenly it was a wind, whipping the water into waves up against the boat. Harder and harder the wind blew, and as it blew harder, the waves grew higher. The disciples started rowing with all their might.

IH Have children make the sound of howling winds, increasing from soft to loud, showing how the wind became stronger and stronger.

Perhaps one of the disciples cried out, “Why don’t we turn back? The wind is coming against us. We can ride it back to shore.” “We can’t do that,” others would have insisted. “The Lord told us to go to the other side. We must obey Him!” Jesus had told them to go to the other side of the lake. Some of these disciples were fisherman. They had been caught in storms before. They knew how to row the boat safely to shore. So, they rowed and rowed with all their might. Each one of them might have been thinking, I wish Jesus were here with us. He could help us. Perhaps they remembered another time Jesus had been with them in the boat when a storm came up. They did not have time to talk about that right now with the crashing waves and howling winds, but if they could have. . . . They would have remembered how, in the last storm, Jesus was sleeping in the boat. The disciples did not want to disturb Him that time because He was resting. But as the waves got higher and higher and began spilling into the boat, the experienced fishermen could not seem to handle the boat in the storm. There seemed to be no other way. The disciples cried out, “Lord, save us! We are perishing. The boat is sinking. We are going to drown in this great storm.”


C. (FLASHCARD 2-3)

Immediately, the Lord Jesus had gotten up. He spoke to the wind and it became calm and quiet. “Be still!” He said to the waves. Right away, they stopped crashing against the boat. The wind and the waves became quiet at the command of Jesus. The disciples remembered what Jesus said to them. “Why are you so afraid? Why do you have only a little faith?” We might say it this way, “Why aren’t you trusting Me when you have trouble?” The disciples could not forget that day and how amazed they were that the wind and waves obeyed Him. In fact, they said to one another after that storm, “What kind of Man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” The disciples learned that day that it was sin for them to not believe that God was caring for them when they were in trouble or afraid. They knew they could and should trust God, but they did not.

S, PAU Boys and girls, when we know the right thing to do, but we refuse to do it, God

says it is sin. The Bible says it this way: “Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17) Sin is anything you think, say, or do that is against what God says is right. When we know to do the right thing and we refuse to do it, God calls it sin. (Share three examples of sin.) These things and so many others that we do are sin. You and I have sinned.

The disciples sinned by not believing God would care for them in the first storm. They learned their lesson when they cried out and Jesus saved them. But they could not cry out to Jesus in this storm. He was not there with them in the boat to help.

MT, PAS If you have asked Jesus to be your Saviour from sin, God will help you in times of trouble. (Show the Main Truth Card.) Our memory verse for today tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) You can talk to the Lord Jesus when you have troubles. Can you think of any times of trouble when you would need the help of the Lord Jesus? 1Perhaps when you get home from school, no one is at home. It can be scary to be all alone. Did you know that God is with you, even when you cannot see Him? 2Maybe you hear your parents arguing about how they are having trouble paying the bills. This might make you concerned that your family will have more and more trouble if they can’t pay. 3Maybe someone at school is being a bully and is always being mean to you. God knows all about these things. He cares and you can count on Him to help you in times of trouble.


The disciples must have thought about Jesus and how He had helped them before, but this time He was not there to help.

D. (FLASHCARD 2-2, repeated) Can you imagine what the disciples must have been saying to each other as they were trying to keep the boat from sinking in the storm? “Andrew, I can’t row any longer. Please take this oar for a while.” “Matthew, grab that bucket there and start bailing water.” “Philip, can you help on this side? My arms are sore.” “I’m exhausted. It has been such a long day, and now this.” The disciples had been rowing that boat all night. It was nearing morning now – about three hours past midnight (Teacher: The fourth watch is generally understood to be between the hours of 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.) The storm that had come up so suddenly did not give the disciples a moment to relax. They stared into the dark distance hoping to see the waves growing smaller. But staring across that dark lake, they saw something else. What was it?

IH Have children put their hand over their eyes as if looking into the distance, while repeating “What is it?”

E. (FLASHCARD 2-4)

Something was coming toward them. It looked white. The disciples might have grabbed one another, pointing into the darkness. Every eye was focused on the thing that was moving. Rising and falling with every wave, it came closer and closer. Just then someone whispered, “Is it a ghost?” Then word went from one disciple to the next, “A ghost!”

IH Have children put their hand over their eyes again as if looking into the distance,

while repeating “It’s a ghost!”


The disciples feared that moving object more than they feared the storm. Was it really a ghost? Were they going to drown in the rushing waves? Maybe they screamed with fear as this figure came toward them. Then a voice called out, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid!” They could hardly believe what they heard. “The Lord!” they exclaimed to one another. “It is the Lord!” Then they saw clearly. Jesus was coming toward them, walking on the water. Peter called out to Jesus. “Lord, if it is REALLY You, tell me to come to You on the water.” The Lord Jesus answered with just one word, “Come.”

F. (FLASHCARD 2-5)

Peter got out of the boat and started walking. The other disciples just held their breath. The wind was still blowing. The waves were still crashing against the boat. But there was Peter, and he was really walking on the water. God’s Word says, “. . . When he (Peter) saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid.” (Matthew 14:30) Peter suddenly began to sink.

G. (FLASHCARD 2-6)

“Lord, save me!” Peter cried out. IH Have children pretend to be Peter,

climbing out of the boat, walking toward Jesus, becoming frightened, and crying out, “Lord, save me!”

Peter wanted the Lord Jesus to save him from drowning. We need to ask Jesus to save us from more than that.

Life of Christ #14, Page 8 P, E The Bible tells us that Jesus came from Heaven into the world to save you and me

from sin. He made this possible when He died on the cross. Jesus gave His precious blood to pay for our sins. We read in the Bible, “In Whom (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood (only Jesus’ blood can do this), even the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:14) Yes, Jesus died to pay for sins, but He did not stay dead; He was raised from the dead and lives in Heaven today, and He can save you from your sins.

Jesus came to save us from our sins. Peter wanted to be saved from drowning, and the Lord Jesus was right there to help. Grabbing Peter’s hand in His, Jesus pulled him to safety. “You have so little faith, Peter. Why did you doubt?” Jesus asked. Peter and Jesus climbed into the boat and the storm was over. No more howling wind. No more big rushing waves. Everything was still and calm again.

III. CLIMAX

I’m sure the disciples realized this was one of the most exciting and wonderful things they would ever see.

IV. CONCLUSION

A. CLOSING STATEMENTS The Bible tells us that when the storm was over, those who were in the boat worshiped Jesus and said, “You are certainly the Son of God!”

IH Have children give a huge sigh and reverently say, “Certainly, You are the Son of

God!”

The disciples had seen many wonderful things. They had seen Him meet the need of food for all the hungry people. Now they had seen Jesus meet their need in a time of danger. Seeing His great and awesome power make the wind and waves become calm and peaceful showed that He really is King over all. Not only did He calm the storm, but Jesus calmed their hearts and brought great peace to their troubled minds. He helped them in their time of trouble.

B. BRIDGE

God wants to help you in times of trouble too.

Life of Christ #14, Page 9 C. CHALLENGE MT If you have asked Jesus to be your Saviour from sin, God will help you in times of

trouble. (Show the Main Truth Card.) The Bible tells us, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) You can talk to the Lord Jesus when you have troubles. You can trust Him to help you when 1you get home from school and no one else is there, or 2when you hear your parents arguing about how they are having trouble paying bills, or 3when someone at school is being a bully. God knows all about these things. He cares about you. You can pray and ask the Lord Jesus to help you. He always listens and He will help you in times of trouble.

D. INVITATION L If you have never received Jesus as your Saviour from sin, God wants you to know

He has a very special promise for you. We read it in His Word, the Bible, in the book of Acts, chapter 16, and verse 31. It says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. . . .” (Acts 16:31) Jesus wants to be your Saviour. Do you want Him to be your Saviour? If so, you must tell Him that you need Him because of your sin. You must admit to Jesus that you are a sinner. You must also tell Him you believe He died on the cross for you and rose again. If you believe this, and ask Jesus to be your Saviour, God promises to save you from your sin. Are you ready right now to tell the Lord Jesus you believe in Him and you want Him to be your Saviour? Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes and be very quiet. If you are ready to receive Jesus today, will you please raise your hand? Thank you. You may all look up now. (Tell the children when to come and where to go to receive counseling. Close in prayer.)


“The Authority Above All Others” SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:13-23; 17:1-8; Mark 8:27-33; 9:2-10; Luke 9:18-22; 28-

36 MEMORY VERSE: Matthew 17:5

“. . . This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.”

VISUALS: Flashcards: Life of Christ 3: 3-1 – 3-6 MAIN TRUTH: Jesus is above all others, and you should listen to Him. BASIC OUTLINE: I. INTRODUCTION








When you are at the corner and need to cross the street to get to the bus stop, can you just cross any time you want? Ben and Shawn were heading to the corner one day and needed to get to the other side to catch the bus. Ben looked and the crossing light was green, so he ran quickly across. Just as Shawn stepped out into the street, the walking sign turned yellow. The crossing guard stepped out and held her hand high to stop him. Ben waved to Shawn to hurry across. Who should Shawn listen to – his friend or the crossing guard? Who was in charge? Whose authority was higher? In this case, it was the crossing guard. Shawn waited and obeyed her when she said it was okay to cross the street.

B. TRANSITION

Today in our Bible lesson, we are going to learn about the One Who has the most authority, or power, and how He should be obeyed all the time. Let’s listen carefully.


You may remember from some of our other lessons that there were people who wanted Jesus to be their King. But the Lord Jesus knew something about these people.

A. (FLASHCARD 3-1)

They gathered around Jesus and they followed Him wherever He went, but they did not truly want Jesus to be in charge. They wanted Him to be their King, but they did not want Him to be above all in their lives. They were excited because of the miracles He had done. Jesus and His disciples decided to leave the region around the Sea of Galilee. They were not going to Jerusalem, but in the opposite direction toward a place called Mt. Hermon. It took two days to get to Mt. Hermon, but I imagine it did not seem like a long journey because there were so many beautiful things to see along the way. There were flowers to smell, fruit trees to eat from, bubbling mountain springs from which to take a drink, and the chirping of birds.

Life of Christ #15, Page 3 IH Have children walk in place as if traveling with the disciples. Point out the mountain

ahead. Take time to smell the flowers, choose a piece of fruit from the trees, and take a drink from the spring. Listen to the chirping birds. Did the disciples realize that everything they could see around them, and all the beautiful sounds, were created by the One walking with them? Jesus was not only their friend, but He was the Creator of the whole world. And Jesus loved His creation. He loved the disciples.

G Do you boys and girls realize how much Jesus, and God His Father, love you?

Yes, Jesus loves you very much.

The Lord Jesus loved His disciples too, and He talked with them as they walked this journey toward the mountain. While they walked, Jesus asked them a question, “Who do men (people) say that I am?” Jesus knew that people had been wondering Who He was since He was doing many miracles. They all had their own ideas about Who Jesus was. “Some say You are John the Baptist,” they answered. (Teacher: John that Baptist had been killed by the wicked King Herod. Afterward, when Herod heard about the Lord Jesus he wondered and said, “This is John the Baptist, risen from the dead.”) “Others say you are Elijah,” someone answered. “Or maybe Jeremiah or another of the prophets from long ago, come back to life again.” Then Jesus asked his disciples, “What about you? Who do you say that I am?” Peter spoke up quickly. “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

IH Acting as Peter, have one child stand up and confidently declare, “You are the Son

of the Living God!” (Do this several times, each time having a different child stand.)

Peter’s answer meant that Jesus was the One God had promised – the Messiah, God’s promised Saviour. That was the right answer. The Lord Jesus was greater than all those that others thought He might be. He was greater than John the Baptist and greater than any other prophet who had ever lived. Jesus is above all others.

MT If Jesus is your Saviour, you need to remember that Jesus is above all others, and

you should listen to Him. He is the One who must have first place in your life. He is the One you must listen to as the final authority. (Show Main Truth Card.) You should read your Bible so that you know what Jesus says to do. You need to obey Him above all others.

Life of Christ #15, Page 4 IH Each time you repeat the Main Truth, have the children point up on the word

“Jesus” and make a number one with their pointer finger on the words “above all others.” Have them cup their hand around their ear when you say the words “listen to Him.” Peter said that Jesus was the Messiah. This meant He was greater than anyone else here on the Earth. The Lord Jesus spoke to Peter. “My Father in Heaven gave you that answer,” Jesus said. “You could not have known that yourself.” Then Jesus gave the disciples what seemed like a strange command. He told them not to tell anyone Who He was. Why did He tell them this? Jesus knew that most people would not believe it anyway. Boys and girls, even today people don’t believe Who Jesus is.

O What about you? Do you realize that Jesus is the only sinless Son of God?

Whether people believe it or not, that is Who Jesus is. Jesus is God’s Son, and He is perfect just like His Father in Heaven is perfect.

Because Jesus knew most of the people would not believe this, He told the disciples to tell no one. After this, Jesus tried to explain to the disciples some of the things that were going to happen to Him very soon. “I am going to Jerusalem,” He said. “The leaders of the Jewish people will make Me suffer there. They will do terrible things to Me. Finally, I will be killed, but I will be raised to life on the third day.” The disciples could not believe what they heard Jesus say. They did not understand how these awful things could happen to the One Who was the Saviour. Peter was indignant. He took Jesus aside. “Lord,” Peter said. “These things shall never happen. They must not happen to You!” The Lord Jesus spoke sharply to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan.” He looked right at Peter as He said these words. What Jesus was saying to Peter we might say this way: “You are thinking man’s way, not God’s way.” You see, Peter was not thinking about Jesus as the Saviour from sin. He was thinking only about One Who would save the Jewish nation from its enemies. But Jesus came to save His people from their sins.

Life of Christ #15, Page 5 S, PAU Sin is anything we think, or say, or do that is against what God says is right. Sin is

not pleasing to God. (Share three examples of sin.) The Bible tells us, “. . . There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10) This means there is no one right, or perfect, like God. You and I have sinned. We have thought, or said, or done many wrong things. Because of our sins, we all need a Saviour.

Jesus came into the world to be the Saviour. He came to save sinners, but Peter was not thinking about a Saviour from sin when He took Jesus aside to talk to Him. Peter said that Jesus could not die at the hands of the Jewish leaders. It seems that Peter and the other disciples did not understand what Jesus meant when He said He would rise from the dead the third day. A little while after this, the disciples talked about this again, asking each other what Jesus meant about rising again. They did not understand. About a week after this, the Lord Jesus asked three of His disciples – Peter, James, and John – to go with Him into the mountain to pray.

IH Have children use their fingers to count and name the three disciples Jesus chose to go with Him. Jesus led the three of them up the slopes of Mt. Hermon. The Bible says it was a high mountain. Perhaps it was high enough that they could see some patches of snow as they climbed. (Ray Vander Laan writes this: “This high mountain range reaches more than 9,000 feet above sea level, is 28 miles in length, and is more than 10 miles wide. It is covered with snow more than eight months a year. Water melting from snow is the main source of water for the Jordan River. Jesus was at Caesarea Philippi, about seven miles west, immediately before His transfiguration. Many scholars believe the “high mountain” mentioned in the account of the transfiguration was Mount Hermon. Although the name is not mentioned in the Bible, this site seems far more likely than other possibilities miles away.” Retrieved from https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/mount-hermon)

B. (FLASHCARD 3-2)

The disciples must have been tired by the time they climbed up the mountain and they stopped to pray.

https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/mount-hermon


Perhaps at first, they all prayed together with the Lord Jesus leading them. It would be wonderful to hear the Lord Jesus pray, wouldn’t it? Maybe He prayed for the disciples. Did you know He prays for you? We know it is true because we read in the Book of Hebrews, chapter 7, and verse 25 that “He (Jesus) ever liveth to make intercession for us.” Intercession means to pray for someone else. Jesus is praying for those who have come to God through Him. After they were together for a while, it seems that the Lord Jesus moved away from the disciples to pray alone. While He was by Himself, the disciples fell asleep. It may have been nighttime by now. They were weary from the hike. While they were asleep, something wonderful was happening!

C. (FLASHCARD 3-3)

As the Lord Jesus prayed, He was changed. His face began to shine brightly. Even His clothes were glowing with a whiteness that was cleaner than any detergent or bleach could ever wash them. It was as if all the glory of the Son of God could not be kept inside. The Bible says His face shone like the sun and His clothes were as white as light. When Peter, James, and John awoke, they saw Jesus this way. But that wasn’t all they saw!

D. (FLASHCARD 3-4)

Two men were standing there with Jesus. They also appeared in great splendor and glory, for they had stepped right out of Heaven! It was Moses, who had died about 1,400 years before, and Elijah, the prophet of God who God had taken to Heaven without dying about 800 years before this. These two great men of the Old Testament were standing right there on that mountain talking to the Lord Jesus.

IH Ask the children, “What do you think Jesus and Moses and Elijah were talking

about?” Allow time for response.


The Bible says one of the things they talked about was the coming death of the Lord Jesus. This was very important to Moses and Elijah. When they lived on the Earth, they had worshiped God. They had to offer animal sacrifices for their sins. It was a reminder to them that God promised to one day send a Saviour. The animals could not take their sin away. Only Jesus can do that.

P, E Jesus can take our sins away because He died to pay for sins with His own

precious blood. His blood is the payment for your sin and mine. The Bible says, “. . . We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. . . .” (Ephesians 1:7) Jesus died to pay for your sins, but He did not stay dead. Jesus came alive again the third day, and He will never die again. This is why Jesus is the Only One Who can forgive our sins.

The animal sacrifices that Moses and Elijah made could never take away sin, so it must have been important for them to talk to Jesus about His coming death. The disciples were listening to Jesus and these men talk. They became afraid. They had never seen or heard anything like this before!

E. (FLASHCARD 3-5)

Peter could not keep silent. He called out to Jesus. “Lord, it is wonderful that we are here and have seen this. Shall we put up three tents? One for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah?” The Bible says that Peter said this because he didn’t know what else to say. Immediately, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice was heard. The voice that spoke was God, the Father. He said, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.” God was reminding Peter and the others that even though Moses and Elijah were great men of faith, the Lord Jesus was greater. They were not to give Moses and Elijah the same place as they gave the Son of God. Jesus was the authority above all others, and He was to have first place. He was the greatest. The disciples needed to listen to Him. We, too, need to listen to Jesus.

MT, PAS If Jesus is your Saviour, you need to remember that Jesus is above all others, and

you should listen to Him. IH Each time you repeat the Main Truth, have the children point up on the word

“Jesus” and make a number one with their pointer finger on the words “above all others.” Have them cup their hand around their ear when you say the words “listen to Him.”

Life of Christ #15, Page 8 You may have questions sometimes about who you should obey. There are times

when one person says to do one thing, but another person says to do something else. When you have a choice to make, be sure to listen to the person who has the highest authority – the one who is in charge. God’s Word says we are to obey rulers, obey leaders, and obey parents. It also tells us in the Bible, “. . . We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) (Show MT Card.) 1You should obey your parents when they tell you to do your chores at home, even if your friends say you are old enough to do what you want to do. 2You should follow the rules and ride your bicycle on the correct side of the road, or on the bike path, if that is the law. Others may tell you to do whatever you want, but laws are meant to be followed. 3You should refuse to lie and cheat and steal, even though your friends may do that, because God says it is sin, and you need to obey Him and not do those things. Remember, Jesus is above all others and you must learn to obey the authority in your life. This is what God was telling Peter, James, and John on the mountaintop that day. The disciples became so afraid when they heard God’s voice that they fell with their faces to the ground, and they didn’t move.

F. (FLASHCARD 3-6)

The Lord Jesus came over to the disciples and gently touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Don’t be afraid.” When the disciples looked around, only Jesus was left standing there.

IH Like the disciples, have the children hide their faces in their laps. Teacher gently

touches each one on shoulder, saying, “Get up. Don’t be afraid.”

The disciples must have remembered God’s voice that said, “Hear ye Him.” III. CLIMAX

Now they knew that no man on Earth, no matter how important he is, has more authority than Jesus, God’s Son. Jesus is above all.

IV. CONCLUSION

A. CLOSING STATEMENTS This was a wonderful moment that I’m sure these disciples would never forget! They had learned a very important lesson. They needed to listen to Jesus above all others.

Life of Christ #15, Page 9 B. BRIDGE

God wants you to listen to Jesus above all others. God wants you to know that Jesus says He is the only One Who can save you because it is true. He is!

C. INVITATION L Jesus wants to save you from your sin. He is waiting for you to put your complete

trust in Him. The Bible says in Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I (Jesus) stand at the door (the door of your heart; not the heart that pumps blood, but the real you that will never die), and knock: if any man (man, woman, boy, or girl) hear My voice (if you know you need Jesus to save you), and open the door (ask Jesus to be your Saviour and forgive your sin), I will come in. . . .” If you want Jesus to be your Saviour, then you need to tell Him you know you have sinned. You also need to tell Him you believe He died on the cross to pay for your sins and that He came alive again the third day. Then ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins. Right now, bow your heads and close your eyes. If you are ready to receive Jesus as your Saviour from sin today, please look up at me. (Acknowledge those who have looked up.) You may all look up now. (Tell the children when to come and where to go to receive counseling.)

D. CHALLENGE MT If Jesus is your Saviour already, you need to remember that Jesus is above all

others, and you should listen to Him. IH Each time you repeat the Main Truth, have the children point up on the word

“Jesus” and make a number one with their pointer finger on the words “above all others.” Have them cup their hand around their ear when you say the words “listen to Him.”

(Show the Main Truth Card.) The Bible says, “. . . We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) God’s Word tells us we are to obey those in authority over us. So, 1when your parents tell you to do your chores, or 2when the law says where you are to ride your bike, or 3when God says not to lie, cheat, or steal, you need to listen to the highest authority. Just because your friends say or do otherwise, this doesn’t make it right. Will you take some time right now and ask God to help you obey those in authority over you, and especially to obey God even when others try to get you to disobey? (Allow time for children to pray quietly. Teacher closes in prayer.)


“Confession of Sin and the Joy of Cleansing” SCRIPTURE: Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16; 17:11-19; Leviticus 13:1-46 MEMORY VERSE: Acts 4:12

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

VISUALS: Flashcards: Life of Christ 3: 4-1 – 4-6 MAIN TRUTH: You must confess your sins to be clean in God’s sight. BASIC OUTLINE: I. INTRODUCTION



A. FLASHCARD Extra Page B. FLASHCARD 4-1 C. FLASHCARD 4-2 D. FLASHCARD 4-3 E. FLASHCARD 4-4 F. FLASHCARD 4-5 G. FLASHCARD 4-6



TEXT: Life of Christ, Copyright © 2020 CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP OF EASTERN PA, INC.

Author: Mrs. Gayle Stahlman


Have you ever done the dishes, but you were in such a big hurry that you didn’t even use dish soap? Maybe you ran them under some water, thinking they would be clean enough. Then when mother checked them, she noticed some of supper remained on the plates and the glasses were greasy. The dishes looked clean at a quick glance, but they really were unclean. You cannot always see right away that things are not completely clean.

B. TRANSITION

In the time when Jesus walked on the Earth, and even years before He was here, there were two words that were very important to the Jewish people. They were clean and unclean. Let’s listen and find out why these words were so important to the Jews and what they meant.


God had given His people some laws that included the words clean and unclean. We can read these laws in the first part of the Bible, in the Old Testament.

God called some foods clean. Others He called unclean. It wasn’t because some

food had fallen on the ground and was dirty. God had given His people some rules about what they should and should not eat. It may have had something to do with the fact that some foods are better for our health than others.

God made a distinction between the clean and the unclean because He is holy,

and His people needed to be holy. Even today, God tells those of us who belong to Him that we should live holy lives. This means we should live a life that is clean from sin. There is only one way to be clean.

MT If Jesus is your Saviour, He has already saved you from your sin. That will never

change. But your sin can still affect your friendship with God. So, if Jesus is your Saviour, you must confess your sins to be clean in God’s sight. (Show Main Truth Card and point to picture.) Every time you sin, you need to confess (or tell) it to God and ask Him to remove that sin from your heart and make you clean.

IH Each time you repeat the Main Truth during the lesson, use motions with the

children. Fold hands as if praying when you say, “confess your sins to God” and move hands in a circular motion over heart when saying “to be clean in God’s sight.”


God wanted His people, the Jewish nation, to live clean lives too. They had to be careful about anything that was unclean. They even had to be careful not to touch anything that was unclean. Some things that were considered unclean were certain dead animals, the bodies of people who had died, and anything those dead bodies had touched. Even a person’s grave, where he was buried, was considered unclean. God said if anyone touched something that was unclean, then he was considered unclean for the rest of the day. He could not worship God with the other people until he was clean. I’m sure you can see just how awful it was to be unclean. Another thing that was named unclean by God was leprosy. Leprosy was a kind of disease that everyone feared and dreaded. Perhaps you have heard of leprosy in other parts of the world today. People have a disease that attacks their skin. White, scaly, scabs appear, followed by deformities. (The leprosy of Bible times was probably even worse than leprosy we hear about today.) Let’s think about what it might have been like to have leprosy in the days when Jesus was on the earth. People who had leprosy were called lepers.

A. (FLASHCARD Extra Page) This man who is coming home to his family looks discouraged. As his wife sees him approaching, she is probably wondering, What has happened? Why does my husband look so discouraged? Why is he coming home at this time of day? Even though she was trying to imagine why he looked so sad, she never expected the news he would share was going to be this bad. “I’m afraid I have terrible news for you, my dear. I’ve kept it a secret, hoping I was wrong. But now I must tell you what it is.” The man may have stepped back from his wife. Perhaps he pointed to a spot on his neck or leg or arm. “Look! Do you think it is. . . .?” He could barely say the words. “Oh, no! It can’t be true. Surely it cannot be leprosy!” “The only way to find out will be to see what the priest says. If he says it is leprosy, you know what will happen.”


Poor woman. Of course, she knew what would happen. It was so terrible that she wished she would not have known. The priest who led God’s people in worship at the Temple would look at the spot. He might know immediately that it was leprosy. He knew God’s laws about how to determine if it was. It could be that he would not know for certain. In this case, the man would have to be quarantined (live away from all other people) for seven days. Then he would be checked again. If the spot had not changed, he would be quarantined another seven days and checked again.

IH Have the children use their fingers and count to seven together. Pretend that it is

still not certain if it is leprosy. Count to seven one more time. If the man had to be quarantined, it meant he would be in isolation. He would be by himself, all alone. No visitors would be allowed to come because it was a contagious disease. If the spot cleared up after the next seven days, the priest would declare the man clean and he could go home. But if the spot was worse, the priest would call him unclean and he would have to be separated from his family and friends. “We will not tell anyone about this,” the man and his wife agreed, but the man knew he had to show himself to the priest.

B. (FLASHCARD 4-1)

It may have been the next day that he went to the priest. Perhaps on the way he was talking to himself under his breath, “I never thought this would happen to me. I wish I were dead. Having leprosy is the worst thing that could happen.” Boys and girls, there is something worse than leprosy. It is something that makes us unclean on the inside. Do you know what I’m talking about?

S, PAU If you said sin, you would be right. Sin makes us unclean on the inside. It separates

us from a holy God. Perhaps you have thought, Well, I’m not that bad. I live a pretty good life. There have been times I have thought I was pretty good too. But when we compare ourselves to God’s perfect holiness, our lives do not look clean at all. Compared to God, we see just how unclean and sinful we are. Sin is anything we think, say, or do that is not right in God’s sight. You have sinned, and so have I. The Bible says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses (the good things we try to do) are as filthy rags. . . .” (Isaiah 64:6) Our holy God cannot stand to look upon sin. It separates us from God. (Share three examples.)


As this man was going to show himself to the priest, perhaps he was thinking how he might have to be separated from his family. Also, he would never be permitted to go to the Temple to worship again. This was another rule for someone who was unclean. Let’s pretend we can follow the man into the Temple to see the priest. As the priest looks at the sore on the man’s body, the man is watching him closely. What will the priest say? The priest knows it is leprosy. “Unclean!” he cries out. “You are unclean!”

C. (FLASHCARD 4-2)

How sad this man must have been as he walked away. In his mind, he was thinking of all the things he had to do and all the things he could not do.

IH Have children make the face of how this man must have been feeling. (sadness) Perhaps the poor man was even wondering if God loved him. What do you think? Did God love this man? Of course, He did! He cared very much for this man. People may not care about him when they find out he has leprosy, but God cared.

G Are there times in your life when you feel like no one cares? Maybe you have thought no one loves you. Well, I want you to know that God always loves you. No matter what you go through in life, He will never stop loving you. Nothing can change God’s love for you. Nothing could change God’s love for this man either, but he may have been feeling unloved. This man would have to change his clothes and put on rags. He would have to have his hair uncombed and messy. He would have to have the lower part of his face and his upper lip covered. If he did all these things as required by the law, then everyone would know he was a leper. He would have to leave his family and go outside the city to live alone or with other lepers. And most shameful of all, when anyone came near, he would have to cry out, “Unclean! Unclean!” He could not go home to his wife or family. He could not go to market to buy and sell food or other things. He could no longer work and earn a living. And he could not go to the Temple to worship or celebrate special days with others any longer. What a sad time this was.

Life of Christ #16, Page 6 IH Have children shake their heads and say, “No!” in response to each of these

questions: Could this man live with his wife and children? Could he go to the market to buy food? Could he go to work every day? Could he worship with others at the Temple? Could he celebrate special days with others?

Leprosy ruined this man’s life in a big way. Leprosy made him unclean, and he could not be with other people. Can you imagine what his last hours at home must have been like for him and his family? How hard it would have been to say goodbye. His wife and children probably cried. Maybe his wife made a promise to bring him food when she could. Of course, she would have to leave it somewhere for him to pick up since she could not go near him. If she went near enough to give it to him, she would be considered unclean too. Even to touch the same things that he touched would not have been permitted. The Jewish laws about unclean things did not allow for carelessness. They had to be very careful not to do the things that would make them unclean. Today we, too, must be careful not to do things that will make us unclean.

MT, PAS If Jesus is your Saviour, He has already saved you from your sin. That will never

change. But your sin can still affect your friendship with God. So, if Jesus is your Saviour, you must confess your sins to be clean in God’s sight. (Show Main Truth Card and point to picture.) Christians need to confess their sins to God as soon as they realize they have done something wrong. You need to confess (or tell) the sin to God and ask Him to remove that sin from your heart and make you clean. 1If you tell a lie to your mom because you are afraid of getting in trouble for something that happened, you should confess to God that it was wrong to tell the lie. Then you go to your mom and tell her the truth. 2When you get angry and throw a punch at someone because you want to hurt them, you must tell God that it was wrong for you to do that. You should also apologize to the person you hurt. 3If you think mean thoughts about your teacher because she chose your friend over you to be the helper in the classroom for the day, you must remember that even mean thoughts are sin. You must tell God it was wrong to think those things and ask Him to forgive your sin. God says in His Word, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Every time you realize you have done something wrong, you need to confess it and ask God to forgive that sin. This is the only way to be clean in His sight. As a Christian, you cannot get away with sin. Sin is unholy and unclean. God may allow hard things to come in your life to correct you when you are unwilling to confess you sin. It is better to confess it right away. When your friends and family look at you, do they think of your life as being clean or unclean? You should be very careful to keep your life free from sin.

Life of Christ #16, Page 7 IH Each time you repeat the Main Truth during the lesson, use motions with the

children. Fold hands as if praying when you say, “confess your sins to God” and move hands in a circular motion over heart when saying “to be clean in God’s sight.” People in the Bible had to be very careful to keep their lives free from sin. They needed to obey God’s laws to be clean. It was probably hard for this man in our story to admit he was unclean, even though he knew it was true. When he saw someone coming near, he had to shout out that dreaded word, “Unclean!” People did not like lepers. Some people even threw stones at them to keep them away. Nobody would stop to talk to a leper. They wouldn’t even say a friendly, “Hello,” or “How are you?” People did not care. For the leper, it was as if he was a dead person. And to think, the rest of his life would be like this. How sad! It seemed there was no hope for this man. Maybe you have felt that way.

P, E When you realize that you are a sinner, you may feel like the leper. You may think there is no hope for you. But that is not true. Jesus made a way that you and I can be forgiven of all of our sin. Jesus died on the cross to pay for sin. He gave His precious blood for you and me so that we can be completely forgiven. The Bible says, “. . . The blood of Jesus Christ His Son (God’s Son) cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) Jesus did die to pay for sin, but Jesus did not stay dead. He came out of the tomb alive. Jesus is living today, and He will never die again. Isn’t it wonderful? Jesus died and came alive again so that we could be forgiven. Being a sinner is not a hopeless situation. We can be made clean.

But in Bible times, a leper seemed to have no hope. It seemed he was unclean forever. It was a lonely life for the leper. It would be difficult for him to get news of what was happening in the city. The Bible tells us that one day a leper just like this did hear some news. It was news that gave him a little bit of hope. There was a Man in his country Who was traveling around teaching and doing miracles. Every day, the leper may have tried to find out more news about this Man. Where was He from? Who was He? They said He made a lame man walk! He had made blind people see! The leper may have wondered, Could He make a leper clean? I imagine he must have shouted to everyone who passed close enough to hear his questions about this Man. First, he would shout out, “Unclean! Unclean!” so the person would not come near. But then he must have asked, “Do you know anything about the Man Who does miracles?”


The more the leper heard, the more he may have thought, This Man could make me clean. I know He could. He believed that this Man they were talking about was very special.

O And He is! This Man they were talking about was no ordinary person. It was Jesus, God’s perfect Son. Jesus is perfect just like God, His Father, is perfect. He never sinned – not even one time!

Jesus was not only perfect. He could do miracles. Only God could have this kind of power. I bet the leper knew this Man was special!

One day, he found out just how special. Perhaps someone from his family brought food out to him. When the person got close enough, the leper heard these words: “The Man, Jesus, is in the city!”

IH Have the children cup their hands around their mouths and say, “The Man, Jesus, is in the city!”

Oh, I must get to him. But how? I am a leper. I do not dare go into the city. The man did not think about that for too long. He needed to see this Jesus. Perhaps he ran as fast as his legs would carry him. As he entered the city, he called out, “Unclean!”

D. (FLASHCARD 4-3)

Can you imagine? People were probablyscurrying in every direction to get out ofthis man’s way. But one Person did notmove out of the way. That One was the Lord Jesus Christ. The leper threw himselfdown at the feet of Jesus.

“Lord, if You will, You can make me clean!” he cried.

E. (FLASHCARD 4-4)

What did Jesus do?

The wonderful Lord Jesus reached outHis hand and touched the leper. He put His clean hand on the unclean man. “Iwill,” Jesus said. “Be clean.” And the Bible says, “The leprosy departed from him.”It was gone. All gone!


“Go, show yourself to the priest,” Jesus told the man. Can you imagine how this man felt as he went to see the priest? Do you think he walked, or did he run?

IH Have the children extend one arm. Using their pointer finger and middle finger,

have them “run” from their hand to their shoulder. Ask, “Where do you think the man went next?” Tell the children to “run” home to see the man’s family.

The priest would have looked the man over very carefully. When he saw no signs of leprosy, the priest would have pronounced him clean. He must have been filled with great joy to know that he could return home to his family. His life was new again. He was no longer hopeless. His life was filled with hope now because he had been made clean. Do you think this man was thankful to the Lord Jesus for making him clean? Of course, he was! But sometimes we get so excited about our own happiness that we forget to say thank you.

F. (FLASHCARD 4-5)

The Bible tells us about another time a group of lepers met the Lord Jesus. This time they did not come near. They just called out from a distance away. “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Jesus did not turn them away. He told them to go show themselves to the priest. They obeyed and started to walk to see the priest. As they went, they saw their leprosy was gone. They were cleansed! Perhaps it was because they were so excited to be clean that nine of the ten did not think to say, “Thank you.”

G. (FLASHCARD 4-6)

But one returned and praised God with a loud voice.

III. CLIMAX

This one fell at the feet of Jesus to say “Thank You” that he had been made clean.

Life of Christ #16, Page 10 IV. CONCLUSION

A. CLOSING STATEMENTS Was Jesus disappointed that the others had not returned to thank Him? “Were there not ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where are the nine? Is this the only one who returned to give thanks?” Yes, I’m sure Jesus must have been disappointed that the others had not thanked him. Let’s pretend for just a moment. If you have leprosy, what is the word the Bible would use to describe you? (UNCLEAN) What words could be used to describe how you would feel about being unclean? (sad, sick, hopeless, afraid, lonely, etc.) Imagine you were then made CLEAN from your leprosy. What words would describe how you felt then? (joyful, happy, peaceful, accepted, hopeful, thankful, etc.)

B. BRIDGE

I’m glad that we were just pretending, and no one here has this terrible disease. But I wonder if you realize you are unclean with sin if you have not accepted God’s way of forgiveness from that sin. It is terrible to be unclean from sin.

C. INVITATION L If you have never trusted Jesus as your Saviour to cleanse you from sin, you can

do it today – right here, right now. The Bible says, “. . . Whosoever (man, woman, boy, or girl) believeth (trusts) in Him (Jesus) shall receive remission (forgiveness) of sins.” (Acts 10:43) If you want Jesus to be your Saviour, then you need to tell Him you know you have sinned and are unclean. You also need to tell Him that you believe Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sins, and that He came alive again the third day. Would you like to ask Jesus to take away your sin and make you clean right now? Do you want Him to be your Saviour? Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes. As you think about this, if you would like to believe in Jesus as your Saviour from sin, raise your hand to show me. (Acknowledge those who have raised their hand.) You may all look up now. (Tell the children when to come and where to go to receive counseling.)


D. CHALLENGE MT Perhaps you have already been made clean by asking Jesus to be your Saviour

and forgive your sins. If Jesus is your Saviour, He has already saved you from your sin. That will never change. But your sin can still affect your friendship with God. So, if Jesus is your Saviour, you must confess your sins to be clean in God’s sight. (Show Main Truth Card and point to picture.) Christians need to confess their sins to God as soon as they realize they have done something wrong. You need to confess (or tell) the sin to God and ask Him to remove that sin from your heart and make you clean. 1If you tell a lie to your mom because you are afraid of getting in trouble or 2when you get angry and throw a punch at someone because you want to hurt them, or even 3if you just think mean thoughts about your teacher because she chose your friend over you to be the helper, you must tell God what you did and ask for forgiveness to be clean in His sight. God says in His Word, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Every time you realize you have done something wrong, you need to confess it and ask God to forgive the sin. Is there something right now that you are thinking of that you need to confess to God? You can leave today knowing you are clean in His sight. Will you right now quietly tell God about your sin and ask Him to forgive you? (Allow time for children to pray quietly. Then close in prayer.)

IH Each time you repeat the Main Truth during the lesson, use motions with the

children. Fold hands as if praying when you say, “confess your sins to God” and move hands in a circular motion over heart when saying “to be clean in God’s sight.”


“Follow Jesus First” SCRIPTURE: Matthew 19:16-26; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 18:18-27 MEMORY VERSE: Matthew 6:33

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

VISUALS: Flashcards: Life of Christ 3: 5-1 – 5-6 MAIN TRUTH: Jesus should have first place in your life. BASIC OUTLINE: I. INTRODUCTION








I want you to think for a moment. Just think. Don’t say anything out loud when I ask you the question. What is of great value to you? What would you put in first place – as most important – if you had to choose? Maybe you thought of a favorite video game. Perhaps it was a special vacation spot you like to go to. It may have even been someone you like very much. Some things are worth more to one person than another. Perhaps by the end of our lesson you will understand the best answer to the question.

MT If you have already trusted Jesus as your Saviour from sin, Jesus should have first

place in your life. (Show Main Truth Card and point to picture.) Obeying Jesus, spending time with Him every day by reading the Bible, and praying to Him to give thanks and ask Him for the things you need should be the most important activities for every person who has received Jesus as Saviour. If you have Jesus as your Saviour, I hope you are giving Him first place in your life.

B. TRANSITION

There is a man in the Bible who had an encounter with Jesus. He had a question for Jesus. Jesus made the man choose what was of greatest value and the most important to him. Did he put Jesus first? Let’s listen and see.


This story can be found in the Bible right after the little children came to Jesus. You might remember that the disciples were surprised and questioned why the boys and girls were so important to Jesus. They could not imagine that children were valuable, yet on another day, they did not seem to question when this young man came to Jesus with his question.

A. (FLASHCARD 5-1)

The young man came running up to Jesus. He seemed eager to see the Lord Jesus. Perhaps he had heard about Jesus. Or maybe he had been following Jesus and listening to His teachings. He seemed to know that Jesus was very important. He may not have known who Jesus was, but he knew there was something different about Him.

Life of Christ #17, Page 3 O Do you boys and girls know how Jesus was different? Do you know who Jesus is?

Jesus is God’s perfect Son. He is different because He never sinned. He is perfect just like God, His Father. This young man probably did not know that Jesus was God’s Son. He did seem to know, however, that Jesus was a very important Person because he came running to Jesus. How did the young man get Jesus’ attention?

IH Ask some questions about how the children think the man got Jesus’ attention: “Do you think the man shouted to Jesus?” “Do you think he might have snapped his fingers?” “Is it possible he jumped up and down?” “Would he have whistled to make Jesus turn to him?”

We don’t really know how the young man got Jesus’ attention, but Jesus stopped to see what he wanted. Jesus took time for the young man because He cared about him. Jesus knew the young man had a need, and He wanted to help. He loved this young man very much.

G God loves you too, and He wants to help you. If you have a need or a question,

you can be sure that Jesus cares and wants to help. He loves you very much.

B. (FLASHCARD 5-2)

Jesus may have turned to the young man. To those who saw him coming, he did not look like he needed anything. The Bible tells us the young man was rich, and his clothes were probably very nice. We also read in the Bible that he was a ruler . . . perhaps one of the leaders of the Jewish synagogue. A synagogue is the place of worship for the Jewish people. If he was a ruler in the synagogue, this would mean he was well-educated too. He would have had a lot of knowledge of many things, especially God’s Word.

C. (FLASHCARD 5-3)

The young man knelt in front of the Lord Jesus Christ.

IH Have children run in place and then kneel.


The disciples were watching all that was happening. They may have wondered why this young man would kneel before Jesus, but the Lord Jesus knew. He knows everything. He knew the young man’s heart. He knew the man’s heart had a feeling of emptiness. He knew the young man was not satisfied. He had money and fine clothes and a good education, but those things can never bring satisfaction. They don’t bring peace and joy and contentment to any heart. There is a need in the heart of every single person that only God can satisfy. The Lord Jesus knew this young man needed more than things to make him happy. God made us so that we can never truly be happy without a relationship with Him.

S, PAU There is something in our hearts that separates us from Jesus and a relationship

with Him. It is sin. Sin is anything we think, or say, or do that is against what God says is right. (Share three examples of sin, such as thinking you are better than someone in your class because you have nicer clothes . . . or saying a bad word when you get angry while playing sports at recess . . . or taking something from the teacher’s desk that does not belong to you.) You and I have sinned. The Bible tells us that we sin because we want our own way. Listen to this verse. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way. . . .” (Isaiah 53:6) Because of sin, we need God. Nothing and no one else can fill that empty place in our hearts. We cannot truly be happy without Him.

It was the same for the young man. He did not know why he was so unhappy. But he was sure of this, that Jesus could tell him more. He asked the question, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”

IH Have children turn to the person sitting next to them, shrug their shoulders, and

ask, “What must I do to get eternal life?” That is an important question, isn’t it? Knowing where you will spend eternal life is worth more than anything in the world. The young man did not know how to get eternal life. He wanted to know so he came to Jesus. The Lord Jesus knew what the young man was thinking. Instead of answering right away, Jesus asked the man a question: “Why do you call Me good? There is only One Who is good, and that is God.” Jesus was saying the man should not call Him good unless he truly believed that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus then did give the man an answer to his question. He said, “If you want to have eternal life, you must keep the commandments.” Why did Jesus answer this way? Because he knew the man was thinking he could be saved by the things he did. But Jesus also knew the young man could never obey all the commandments all the time.


“Which commandments?” the young man asked Jesus. “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness (that means to lie). Honor thy father and thy mother. Love thy neighbor as thyself.” “All these I have kept since I was a young boy,” the man said. “What else do I need?” Do you think he had always obeyed all these commandments? No! He could not have. He was a sinner just like us. It would seem the young man should have answered something like, “I have broken most of these commandments many times. What do I need to do to be forgiven?” Instead, he was boastful and proud. He was not willing to admit that he was not putting God first in his life.

MT, PAS If you have already trusted Jesus as your Saviour from sin, Jesus should have first

place in your life. (Show Main Truth Card and point to picture.) Obeying Jesus, spending time with Him every day by reading the Bible, and praying to Him to give thanks and ask Him for the things you need should be the most important activities for every person who has received Jesus as Saviour. Our memory verse for today says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) 1What is more important to you? Is it going to church each week, or is it sleeping in? God says you should go to church to worship regularly. That shows you are putting Jesus first. 2What about the kind of friends you hang out with? Are they people who will help you put Jesus first, or are they telling you that being popular is the most important thing? 3How do you spend your time? Are you reading your Bible each day and talking to God in prayer? These are the things that show that you are giving Jesus first place in your life. You and I should want, more than anything else, to do the things that show Jesus has first place in our lives.

For the young man in our story, he was not putting Jesus first. His possessions and money were too important to him. He thought what he had and what he did could earn him eternal life. How sad! The Bible says the Lord Jesus looked at the man and loved him. Jesus wanted him to have eternal life. If the young man wanted to know how to get eternal life, Jesus was eager to tell him. Jesus said, “You need one thing. Go and sell everything you have. Give the money to the poor, then you will have treasure in Heaven. Do this, then come follow Me.”

IH Have the children motion with their hand, as if speaking to the young man, saying “Come, follow Me.”


Did the Lord Jesus mean that a person could get eternal life in Heaven if they gave away everything they had to the poor? No, because that, too, would be working to earn a place in Heaven.

D. (FLASHCARD 5-6)

Jesus was trying to get the young man to understand he needed to put Jesus first. There is nothing this man could do to have eternal life. There is nothing you can do to get eternal life. Jesus provided the only way to eternal life when He died on the cross.

P, E The Bible tells us that “. . . Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures

. . .” (1 Corinthians 15:3) Jesus gave His precious blood to pay for our sins when He died on the cross. Right after this verse, it says that Jesus rose again. This means He did not stay dead. Jesus came alive again from the dead, and He is living today. Yes, Jesus died and came alive again so that you and I can be completely forgiven of our sins and have eternal life.

Jesus was trying to help this young man understand how to have eternal life. I want to help you understand how you can have eternal life. Let’s think about what the Bible says.

IH Have the children repeat after you these truths, one at a time: “I must admit that I have sinned.” “I cannot be saved by being good.” “Jesus is the only way to eternal life.”

How was Jesus going to get the young ruler to see and understand his own sin. When Jesus said the young man must love his neighbor as himself, He waited to see what the man would do. If the young man loved others the way he loved himself, he would be willing to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor because Jesus asked him to. Would he do this? Would he tell Jesus, “I see what You mean, Good Teacher. I do not love others like I love myself. I have sinned.” The disciples were standing by watching. What would the young man do?

Life of Christ #17, Page 7 E. (FLASHCARD 5-4)

They saw the young man’s expression change. His face suddenly became very sad. He knew he did not want to do what Jesus said.

F. (FLASHCARD 5-5)

As he thought about his riches, he knew he did not want to give them all away. For this man, his money was more important to him than anything else in the world – even more than Jesus and eternal life.

III. CLIMAX

Because he chose his riches rather than Jesus, the man went away very sorrowful (sad).

IH Have the children show you the expression on the young man’s face as he made

the choice not to follow Jesus first. (sadness; disappointment) IV. CONCLUSION

A. CLOSING STATEMENTS The young ruler’s money was more important to him than anything else. More important than the Lord Jesus. More important than eternal life. More important than anything. Truly, he was a poor rich man. The Lord Jesus turned to His disciples and made a statement. “How difficult it is for those who are rich to get into the Kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.” The disciples wondered, “Who then can be saved?” Then Jesus answered them to help them understand. “With man it is impossible. But with God, all things are possible.” A rich man could be saved and have eternal life, but he would have to be just like the poor man (or woman or boy or girl). The only way to have eternal life for anyone is to put their trust in the Lord Jesus for forgiveness of sin rather than trusting in riches or works.


Are you like the young man who came to Jesus with the question? Perhaps you are wondering how you can have eternal life. Let me tell you what God says in His Word.

(FLASHCARD 5-6 - repeated)

C. INVITATION L No one who trusts in his or her own way

will be saved. No one who thinks they can buy eternal life will be saved. No one who is counting on their good works will be saved. You must depend only on God to save you. God says you must believe on Jesus as your Saviour. It says in Acts 16:31, “Believe (that means to trust or depend completely) on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. . . .” First, you must admit to God that you have sinned and that you need Jesus to save you. Then you must believe that Jesus paid for your sins when He died on the cross and rose again. Are you ready to tell Jesus right now that you want Him to save you from your sins? Let’s all bow our heads and close our eyes. If you are ready to believe in Jesus to save you from your sins, look up at me right now. (Acknowledge any child who looks up.) You may all look up now. (Tell the children when to come and where to go to receive counseling.)

D. CHALLENGE

MT If you have already trusted Jesus as your Saviour from sin, Jesus should have first

place in your life. (Show Main Truth Card and point to picture.) Obeying Jesus, spending time with Him every day by reading the Bible, and praying to Him to give thanks and ask Him for the things you need should be the most important activities for every person who has received Jesus as Saviour. Our memory verse for today says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) So, whether it is 1going to church each week rather than sleeping in, or 2choosing the right kind of friends who will help you follow Jesus, or 3taking time every day to read your Bible and spend time in prayer, you can give Jesus first place in your life. You and I should want, more than anything else, to do the things that show that Jesus has first place in our lives. Would you be willing to talk to Him about that right now and ask Him to help you choose Him first? (Allow time for children to pray quietly. Then close in prayer.)


“A New Life in Christ” SCRIPTURE: Luke 19:1-10 MEMORY VERSE: 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

VISUALS: Flashcards: Life of Christ 3: 6-1 – 6-6 MAIN TRUTH: Others should see that your life is changed. BASIC OUTLINE: I. INTRODUCTION








[Teacher: to keep it suspenseful for the children who may have some Bible knowledge, omit the name of Zacchaeus until you get to his conversation with Jesus.] “I wish I was taller so I could play basketball!” “If only I lived in a different part of town, maybe I would have more friends!” “I bet others would like me more if I was smarter. . .or richer. . .or more popular!” “Why can’t I be like (so and so)? She seems happy all the time!” These are things you may think or say because you wish you were different in some way.

B. TRANSITION

The man in our Bible lesson may not have been thinking about being different. After all, he had a lot of good things going for him. But he did need something changed. Perhaps you need the same change he needed. Listen carefully to see what happened.


This man lived in the beautiful city of Jericho. Perhaps he enjoyed the scenery of flowers and palm trees that lined the city street. He probably felt the gentle and warm breezes that often came.

Many people lived in Jericho. Some of the rich people may have had a second

home here.

IH Have the children pretend to be walking down the street. Mention the beautiful flowers, the tall trees, the gentle breeze, and the many people. Have them “ooh” and “ahh” about the things they see.

If you listened closely, you might hear loud, angry voices coming from one of the houses in Jericho. Let’s imagine a conversation that may have taken place. “I’m telling you, it can’t be that much,” a man shouted. “And I tell you it is!” another man says harshly. “When you live under Roman rule, you do what they say. Now pay your taxes. . .all of them!”


“I hate the Roman government,” the first man raises his voice even louder. “And I hate. . .you! There, take your money.” And then as he walked away, he turned and said angrily, “I wonder how much of it you’ll keep for yourself!”

A. (FLASHCARD 6-1)

The taxpayer left the house in a fit of rage. The tax collector followed after him and watched as he joined his friends outside. The tax collector knew they were talking about him. But it didn’t much matter. He went back in his house, sat down at his table, and began counting all the money he had collected. As he pushed some to the side, the man chuckled. “The Roman government will never see that part! That will be mine!” We can stop imagining now. This tax collector was a real person. We find his story in the Gospel of Luke. His story is a true story, just like the rest of the Bible. The man was Jewish, but he worked for the Roman government. He was also called a publican. Since the Jewish people did not like the Roman government that ruled over them, they also hated the tax collectors, or publicans, because these men worked for the government. Another reason the tax collectors were disliked is because often they were dishonest men. The tax collectors were not to charge the people more than the fair amount of their tax, but, just like in our imaginary conversation I shared earlier, they did. They kept the extra money all for themselves, and so they became rich. This tax collector was one of the rich ones, but he was also not happy. Sometimes he may have thought about the people he cheated. Perhaps he felt guilty. He knew it was wrong – it was sin – but did he stop doing it? No, he did not!

S, PAU There are times when you and I feel guilty and bothered by the things we do too. When you think, or say, or do anything that is against what God says is right, it is sin. God’s Word tells us that you and I have sinned. (Share three examples of sin, such as 1taking something that doesn’t belong to you, 2saying something mean to bully another person, or 3thinking an unkind thought toward your teacher or parent because they won’t do or give you what you want.) You know it is sin to do these things, but like the tax collector, you do not stop. The Bible says, “. . .He shall be holden (held) with the cords of his sins.” (Proverbs 5:22) It is as if sin has such a tight grip on you that it keeps making you do the wrong things. This should bother you. Sin is serious to God and it must be punished. Does it bother you when you do wrong?


It must have bothered this tax collector. He was rich, but he was not a very happy man. Perhaps another reason he was so unhappy was because he did not have friends. So many in Jericho hated him. They did not want to be around him because he was selfish and mean and greedy. The people knew he would never think to give anything to the poor or needy. He just wanted to take and take and take some more. “I work for my money,” he probably said. “Let them work for theirs.” When people saw this man in the streets, they probably ignored him. They may have even turned to go another direction. He may have heard their whispers to each other. “There’s that little cheat.” The word little may have made him think of something else that he may not have liked about himself. You see, this man was shorter than most men. Perhaps he wished he could change and make himself a little taller. This rich tax collector may have thought, Poor me! It seemed that no one loved him. But God loved him. The fact that he was rich made no difference to God. The fact that he was short made no difference to God. In fact, God had made him that way. Even being dishonest did not stop God from loving this man. God hated his sin, but he loved the man.

G And boys and girls, God loves you just the way you are. He does not care if you

are short or tall. It makes no difference if you are rich or poor, or whether you are fat or thin. He loves you. He even knows all about your sin. Still, God loves you!

IH Ask the following questions looking for a “No” answer from the children for each

one: “Does being short make God love you less?” “Does being rich make God love you less?” “Does being fat make God love you less?” “Does being a sinner make God love you less? Then ask this, looking for a Yes” answer from the children: “Does God love everyone, no matter what they look like or what they do?

Yes, God loves everyone. God loved this man, even when many others hated him. Perhaps this man wondered if he could ever change. Could he be a different kind of person?


There was another tax collector in the Bible that was changed. Matthew, one of Jesus’ disciples had been a tax collector too. Since Matthew did the same kind of work as this man, perhaps they knew each other. If that was true, this man would have known how Matthew’s life was changed. He would have seen it with his own eyes.

MT If Jesus is your Saviour, others should see that your life is changed. (Show Main

Truth Card and point to picture.) When you receive Jesus as your Saviour, you need to do and say the right things so that others know you are part of God’s family. There should be a difference in your life that others can see.

Matthew was changed. He no longer cheated and stole because he belonged to God’s family. Jesus had made him a new person. This tax collector may have been thinking about Matthew’s changed life. He may have wondered about the One Who made the change. One spring day, he had his chance to find out about Him.

B. (FLASHCARD 6-2)

People filled the main street going through Jericho. Many of the people came from other places. They were heading to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Probably people who lived in Jericho came out of their homes to greet the family members and friends who were passing through their city. There were people everywhere. One of the people in that crowd heading to Jerusalem was Jesus. But the tax collector could not see Jesus. He was too short, and the crowd was too large.

IH Pretending to be this tax collector, have children stand on their tiptoes and shield

their eyes, trying to see in the distance.

It seems no one made room for the man to get through to see Jesus. No one said, “Here, stand in front of me so you can see.” There may have even been talking and laughing as the short man tried to make his way through the crowd. Everyone may have been giving friendly greeting to everyone else. . .except to the despised tax collector. Even though he was in a crowd of people, he was very much alone. Surely, no one expected that he would want to see Jesus. The man must have been very sad.

Life of Christ #18, Page 6 IH Have the children make a sad expression, thinking about how this man felt.

There were many in the crowd who were there to see Jesus. They had heard about His teaching and the miracles He had done. They wanted to know what Jesus would say to them. They wondered if He would do any miracles in Jericho. Is that the only reason they wanted to see Jesus? Did they even know Who He was?

O You and I know Who Jesus is. He is more than just a good teacher and worker of miracles. Jesus is God’s Son. He is perfect just like God, His Father. We know this about Jesus. Many people in the crowd in Jericho that day did not know Who Jesus was. They were just curious to see what He would say and what He would do. Perhaps the tax collector was the most curious. He had to see Jesus.

C. (FLASHCARD 6-3)

Everyone seemed to be looking in one direction. They were looking down the road in the direction from which Jesus was coming. The man looked in the other direction. If he could just get ahead of the crowd of people, he might have his chance to see the Lord Jesus. There he saw it! A tree just ahead. That sycamore tree. If he could only get to it, he could climb up in it. He didn’t even care if anyone saw him climb that tree. From there, he would be able to see Jesus coming.

IH Have children run in place and then pretend to climb up in the tree. Once he was settled on the branch, the little tax collector realized it was a good place to be. From here, he could see the crowd coming closer and closer. And Jesus was somewhere in that crowd! Soon he saw Him! It was not hard to recognize which One was the Son of God. He was the leader. He was the One everyone was listening to as He spoke. His disciples followed closely behind Him.

D. (FLASHCARD 6-4)

The man may have noticed the worried look on the disciples’ faces. They may have looked troubled, but why?


I imagine it was because they were afraid of going to Jerusalem. Jesus had told them that, when they got to Jerusalem this time, He would die. He told them He would be killed. He also told them He would rise again in three days.

P, E We know that is exactly what happened. Shortly after they got to Jerusalem, Jesus

died on the cross and gave His precious blood for your sins and mine. In the book of Romans, we read this: “But God commendeth (showed) His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) God showed just how much He loved us by sending Jesus to die for us. Jesus died, but He did not stay dead. He came out of the grave alive on the third day. Today, He is living in Heaven. We know this is how it happened because we read it in the Bible.

Jesus told His disciples what was going to happen in Jerusalem, but they did not understand. They didn’t seem to understand that He told them He would come alive again. All they could think about was Him dying. No wonder they probably looked troubled and afraid! But Jesus was not troubled. His face was peaceful. He was calm as He walked through Jericho talking to the people. And as He walked, suddenly He looked up in that sycamore tree.

E. (FLASHCARD 6-5)

Jesus called up to him, “Zacchaeus. (That was this little tax collector’s name.) Come down quickly from that tree. I must stay at your house today.”

IH Have the children look up and say, “Zacchaeus, come down. I must stay at your

house today.” Oh, the joy that must have filled Zacchaeus’ heart! This Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, wanted Zacchaeus to come down out of that tree so that He could go to his house. Jesus, unlike all the others, wanted to spend time with the tax collector – the despised tax collector. Zacchaeus did hurry and come down from the tree. The Bible tells us that Zacchaeus received the Lord with joy. Just then, Jesus heard some murmuring in the crowd. Zacchaeus heard it too. “He is going to stay with a man who is a sinner,” they whispered, looking first at Jesus and then at the tax collector.

Life of Christ #18, Page 8 F. (FLASHCARD 6-6)

Zacchaeus spoke up in a hurry. “Look, Lord! I am going to give half of everything I own to the poor. Not only that. If I have cheated anyone out of anything, I will pay him back four times as much as I took!” Those who heard him must have wondered if they heard correctly. Did greedy, mean Zacchaeus just say he was going to give, not take? Was this really the same man who had cheated them repeatedly now saying he would give to the poor? Promising to pay back what he took, and then some? Yes, it was true! If Zacchaeus had taken a dollar more than he should have, he was going to pay back four times that, or four dollars.

IH Have the children pretend to be Zacchaeus. Count together four dollars back to someone from whom he stole one dollar.

In such a short time, Zacchaeus had become a new person. He was a changed man. Others could see that he was changed.

MT, PAS If Jesus is your Saviour, others should see that your life is changed. (Show Main

Truth Card and point to picture.) When you receive Jesus as your Saviour, your life needs to look different from those who are not saved. Your friends and family should be able to look at your actions and hear the things you say and know without a doubt that your life is changed. 1When your classmates at school are picking on someone and saying mean things, you can show there has been a change in your life by saying something kind and telling the others not to be mean to that person. 2Perhaps before you asked Jesus to be your Saviour, you watched things on TV that were not appropriate. Maybe you watched shows that made fun of Jesus. You can show your life is changed by turning the TV off when those programs come on. 3If you want to show your family your life has changed, you should spend time in God’s Word. You can do your Quiet Time and pray to God for His help. Our memory verse says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) The things you do and the things you say become new when you have Jesus as your Saviour. Other people should be able to look at you and see that your life is changed.


Zacchaeus’ life was certainly changed. The things he did showed that. He even did more than what was required by one of their laws for cheating someone. This one law said the person had to give back the money he stole by cheating plus twenty percent. That meant if someone cheated you out of a dollar, you would get a dollar plus twenty cents in return. There was another law that said a robber had to pay back four times the amount stolen. This is what Zacchaeus promised to do. He was genuinely sorry he had stolen from people. He knew his dishonesty was sin. He admitted that, and he wanted to make it right. You may think that you are not so bad – that you’ve never stolen that much money like Zacchaeus. It is easy for us to think we are not so bad. Sometimes, we might say, “Oh, it was just a little lie.” Other times, we might say, “I wasn’t really cheating on the test. I just happened to see his answer when he moved his hand.” Zacchaeus did not make any excuses. He admitted his sin. He told Jesus he had robbed people of their money, and he was willing to give back more than he had taken. Before this day when he met Jesus, Zacchaeus would never have thought anything about taking from others. He had become a new person. That very day, the Lord Jesus went to the home of Zacchaeus. The Bible doesn’t tell us how long He stayed there. He probably had a meal with Zacchaeus. They probably talked for hours. Zacchaeus may have had many questions for the Lord Jesus. Perhaps Jesus and His disciples even spent the night before continuing their journey to Jerusalem the next day. One of the things Jesus said to Zacchaeus is recorded in the Bible. Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house, for the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”

III. CLIMAX

Zacchaeus had been a sad, lonely man who was lost in sin. Jesus came to his town and his life was changed forever.

IV. CONCLUSION

A. CLOSING STATEMENTS Zacchaeus had been far from God. But now everything had changed. Jesus knew Zacchaeus was lost. He knew where Zacchaeus lived. It seems that Jesus made His way into Jericho that day looking for this lost tax collector. He found him up in a tree! From now on, things would be different for Zacchaeus. His life was changed.


Are you lost today? Jesus does not want you to be lost. He is looking for you today, wanting to save you and change your life forever.

C. INVITATION L Today if you are ready, you can receive Jesus as your Saviour from sin. You can

become one of His children. Jesus has the power to save you. The Bible tells us this. It says, “But as many as received Him (if you invited Jesus to be your Saviour), to them (to you) gave He power (the right or privilege) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:12) Are you willing to admit your sin to God today? Will you tell Jesus you want Him to save you? Do you believe Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for your sins? Do you believe He rose again the third day? If you believe these things, you can receive Jesus as your Saviour from sin right now. God wants more than anything to save you and make you one of His children. Are you ready to ask Jesus to be your Saviour today? Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes. Let’s think only about Jesus. If you want Jesus to be your Saviour from sin, will you come right now and stand beside me. I want to show you from God’s Word how you can become His child today. (You or your helper should take them to a quiet place to receive counseling while the other finishes club.)

A. CHALLENGE

MT If Jesus is your Saviour, others should see that your life is changed. (Show Main

Truth Card and point to picture.) Our memory verse today says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) When you receive Jesus as your Saviour, your life needs to look different from those who are not saved. Your friends and family should be able to look at your actions and hear the things you say and know that your life is changed. You can show that by 1saying something kind and telling others not to be mean to someone at school, by 2turning the TV off when shows that are inappropriate come on, or by 3doing your Quiet Time and praying to God for His help. The things you do and the things you say should show others that your life is changed – that you have Jesus as your Saviour. Let’s take a moment to pray right now and ask God to help us do the things that will show others that Jesus has changed us. (Allow time for children to pray quietly. Then close in prayer.)

life of christ: volume 3 · 2020. 12. 10. · life of christ #13, page 5 jesus was letting the...

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