JESUS
AIM: God shows us His character through Jesus
14.God is SAVIOUR(Y3 T2 U5)
Teaching Idea: God shows us He is our SAVIOUR by sending Jesus to die and take the
punishment for our sins so we may be forgiven.
Learning Tool: Bead with ‘SAVIOUR’ written on it for bracelet
Bible Verse: “For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that
everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life.” John 3:16
- To Punish or Not To Punish?
Unscripted drama:
Characters: Sulking child, Firm parent
Scene: Because of the child’s recent misdemeanour the parent has decided to
‘ground’ them for the rest of the week.
Conversation: Work out your own details including:
- Child’s protest that if parent really loved them they would not be grounded
- Parent’s reply that it is because of love and care that they are doing this
- Child’s final words, “Well, it’s a pretty queer way to show me love!”
We have probably all been involved in a conversation like this at some stage. It is the unloving parent who does not discipline their child. Parents show their love in all kinds of ways – one way is by making sure that their children grow up properly, knowing right from wrong.
- If Mum is tired and grumpy how could you show your love?
- Two friends are playing together – One has a BMX and is demonstrating his skills while the other watches enviously.
How could one of these friends show love to the other?
The way in which God has shown His love for us is by sending Jesus to die so that our sins could be forgiven.
Normally you would hole the flashcards as you tell the story, showing one at a time. This method may not work very well in this instance because you don’t have enough hands to hold the cards and a Bible (unless you want to stick the Bible excerpts below to the back of the appropriate flashcards). Note also, various cards need to be looked at again for the conclusion. You may like to blu-tack the flashcards to the wall (or the whiteboard at the front of the hall – could do devotion down that end for the night) before devotions, and point to each picture as you come to the appropriate section of the story.
Flashcard 1 (Last Supper)
The last time Jesus ate with His disciples before He died was when they ate the PASSOVER FEAST together. Remember that the Passover was to remind the people of the night when God saved them from slavery in Egypt. Now Jesus remembers that with His disciples. Only this time it’s different. Jesus takes some of the food and drink and tells His disciples that instead of it being a picture of what God did when He freed them from slavery, now it is to be a picture and a reminder of what He, Jesus, is going to do to save them and us from sin.
Flashcard 2 (Close-up of Jesus breaking bread)
Mark 14:22-24
“While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. “Take it,” he said, “this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and handed it to them; and they all drank from it. Jesus said, “This is my blood which is poured out for many, my blood which seals God’s covenant.”
Flashcard 3 (Jesus & Peter)
Jesus had known for a long time that He was going to die. Remember He had tried to tell His disciples and warn them that this would have to happen, and they did not want to know about it? One time Peter took Jesus aside and told Him to stop talking about dying, but Jesus was annoyed with him, and said that Peter was not talking God’s words at all – it was God’s plan that Jesus should die for our sin.
Flashcard 4 (Jesus praying)
Mark 14:32-36
“They came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him. Distress and anguish came over him, and he said to them, “The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me. Stay here and keep watch.” He went a little farther on, threw himself on the ground, and prayed that, if possible, he might not have to go through that time of suffering. “Father,” he prayed, “my Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.”
Flashcard 5 (Jesus in front of the Council)
Guards and soldiers from the Temple came and arrested Jesus not long after this. It happened just as He had said that it would. His disciples got frightened and ran away so that Jesus was left all alone. First He was taken to the High Priest’s house where all the Council accused Him of crimes which He had not committed, and then they sent Him to the Roman Governor because they wanted to kill Jesus and only He could sign the death warrant. All this time Jesus said nothing. He knew that it was God’s plan that He should die, and He showed His love for us by quietly allowing a bad court to accuse Him unjustly. The Governor tried to be fair, but all the people kept shouting out to kill Him. And even when he offered to let Him go free they still yelled out, “Nail Him to the cross! Kill Him! Crucify Him!”
Flashcard 6 (Jesus mocked & beaten)
Mark 15:16-20
“The soldiers took Jesus inside to the courtyard of the governor’s palace and called together the rest of the company. They put a purple robe on Jesus, made a crown out of thorny branches, and put it on his head. Then they began to salute him: “Long live the King of the Jews!” They beat him over the head with a stick, spat on him, fell on their knees, and bowed down to him. When they had finished making fun of him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.”
Flashcard 7 (Jesus on Cross)
Mark 15:29-32
“People passing by shook their heads and hurled insults at Jesus: “Aha! You were going to tear down the Temple and build it back up in three days! Now come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the Law made fun of Jesus, saying to one another, “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! Let us see the Messiah, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him!” And the two who were crucified with Jesus insulted him also.”
People insulted Jesus while He was hanging on the cross and dying for our sins.
Flashcard 8 (Three crosses on hill)
Mark 15:33, 34 & 37-39
“At noon the whole country was covered with darkness, which lasted for three hours. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?”
With a loud cry Jesus died. The curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The army officer who was standing there in front of the cross saw how Jesus had died. “This man was really the Son of God!” he said.”
This sounds like the end of the story – it was so awful that Jesus felt God had left Him while He took the punishment for our sins. And it was so awful that God blotted out the sun in the middle of the day so that people could not see what was happening. The Roman soldier had noticed all these things, how different Jesus had been – how forgiving to the people who had killed Him. He knew that Jesus was no ordinary man – “This man really was the Son of God!” he decided. And because that is true – Jesus is the Son of God! – instead of it being the end of the story – this is really only the beginning. Jesus did not stay dead, but He came alive again only three days later – but that’s another story!
Review the story by using the overhead transparency, which has a covering page to accompany it. Follow instructions for how to fold it up in order to reveal one segment at a time. As you review the story focus on How the Lord Jesus showed His love for us.
Draw attention to Flashcard 2 (Close-up of Jesus Breaking Bread)
- What did the Lord Jesus do with the bread? (He broke it)
- What did the Lord Jesus say that the bread was a picture of? (His body)
- How does this show the Lord Jesus’ love for us?
(He was prepared to let His body be broken to take our punishment)
** Fold Down Square 1 – Transparency **
Draw attention to Flashcard 1 (Last Supper)
- How does any wine get into a cup? (Someone has to pour it)
- What is the wine a picture of? (Jesus’ blood)
- How does this show the Lord Jesus’ love for us? (He was prepared to let His blood be poured out so that we can have our sins forgiven)
** Fold Across Square 2 – Transparency **
Draw attention to Flashcard 4 (Jesus Praying)
- What was making the Lord Jesus so sad?
(He knew that He was going to die and that it would be horrible)
- What would have made Him feel better?
(If God had changed His mind so that the Lord Jesus didn’t have to die)
- What did the Lord Jesus choose to do which showed His love for us? (He chose to go ahead and die because He knew that that was what God wanted and we needed)
** Fold Across Square 3 – Transparency **
Remove bottom half of cover sheet
Draw attention to Flashcard 6 (Jesus mocked & beaten)
- What did the Lord Jesus put up with because He loves us?
(Being mocked, spat on and beaten)
** Fold Square 4 into centre – Transparency **
Draw attention to Flashcard 7 (Jesus on Cross)
- What did the Lord Jesus not do which showed His love for us?
(He did not come down off the cross although He could have when the people taunted Him about it)
** Fold Square 5 into centre – Transparency **
** Remove cover sheet entirely – Transparency **
Draw attention to the centre square of the transparency and complete the verse,
“God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Thank God for His great love, and for the Lord Jesus who was prepared to die for us so that our sins can be forgiven.
Offer to talk with any child who would like to be sure of this. Make this low-key but specific. Plan a time so that a child can easily take you up on your offer. Can use counselling page “How to become God’s friend”. Read with child, but don’t send it home without careful explanation first. Children may respond to this in various ways. One child may be feeling guilty about one particular thing that they have done wrong, and so want forgiveness. Another child may be ready to follow the Lord with their whole lives. Ask questions. Do not assume that every child who takes up such an offer is at the same stage. Accept the level of response that they are able to make and want to make for the moment. If a child is ready to accept the Lord, plan immediate follow-up and nurture. |
