Sample Lesson. connecting children with Christ and his church. A Christian Education curriculum for children aged 7 to 9 years

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1 connecting children with Christ and his church L O W E R P R I M A R Y A Christian Education curriculum for children aged 7 to 9 years C1 Sample Lesson CHRISTIAN EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS

2 Welcome to Connect This is a three-year Religious Education curriculum designed for use in Australian and New Zealand schools. It is Bible-based and offers twenty lessons each semester at Infants, Lower Primary and Upper Primary levels. The curriculum has as its foundation the belief that it is important to allow the Bible s own theological framework determine what is taught and how it is taught. It is therefore content-stuctured, teaching the major events, concepts and doctrines of the Bible. The intention of Connect is to introduce students to God and his saving purposes for the world through Jesus Christ, his Son. This curriculum is also student-related. It is designed to engage their minds and affections as well as develop the skills needed for students to explore the nature and content of the Christian faith. Educational approach Connect draws on recent research on the way students think and learn. Importance is placed on: teaching concepts in a way that is appropriate for the age and development stage of students; recognising that intuitive or tacit knowing means that students generally have more of a grasp of a concept than they can express in words; knowing requires more than an intellectual experience because it involves the emotions as well; relating all that is taught to their experience; and providing discussion and activities that encourage students to reprocess information and make it their own. Connect uses a range of teaching and learning strategies to engage the intellectual strengths and preferred learning styles of all students. Teachers are encouraged to try these to see which approaches best suit the needs of their classes. The overriding aim of this curriculum is to present the heart of God s message of salvation in a clear and attractive manner. For maximum effect this will require thinking beyond the immediate lesson to ways of linking interested students to church-run children s and youth activities, so they can experience Christian community and learn more about the Christian faith. Curriculum structure This is a three-year curriculum presented at three separate levels Infants (for students aged 6 and 7), Lower Primary (ages 8 and 9) and Upper Primary (ages 10 and 11). Accordingly students will only meet the particular Bible passage, upon which a lesson is built, twice during these years. The lesson content and learning outcomes are different at each level, achieving both reinforcement and learning at greater depth as the student progresses through school. Additional CEP curricula are available: Beginning with God is for the first year of school, By Design is for those making the transition from primary to secondary school and Encounter is for those in the first two years of secondary school. See the current CEP catalogue for details or contact CEP. Content Connect C1 takes up the story of God s plan of salvation by examining the ways in which Jesus revealed God s purposes. The lessons trace Jesus life and ministry from age 12 to his death, showing his fulfilment of Old Testament promises and his power to give new life and wholeness. The lessons conclude that Jesus is the way to God. The second group of lessons picks up the thread of Old Testament salvation history from Samuel through the three kings who ruled over the unified Israel. They show how God was fulfilling his promises to Abraham. There is a lesson on a contemporary Australian Christian. Connect C1 builds on the understanding of the previous semester. It also leads into the next (C2) where the theme of being part of God s kingdom is traced from the divided kingdom to the return from exile. The second group of lessons are based on Jesus teaching from the Sermon on the Mount. Special lessons As well as the Christmas and Easter lessons in the curriculum, a special assembly idea for these major Christian festivals is provided for those who may be asked to conduct a whole school or large group activity. Each semester contains a lesson dealing with a major issue that children face. This semester (C1) has a lesson on caring for God s world, which provides a biblical basis for environmental responsibility. Teachers are reminded to refer to the lessons on grief (B1) and celebrating a new family member (B2). 2

3 Contents For the teacher What you will find in each lesson 4 Curriculum stance 6 Training and support 6 Five circles of learning 7 Connect icons 8 Lesson 1 The boy Jesus in the temple Luke 2: Lesson 2 The temptations Luke 4: Lesson 3 Jesus ministry fulfils God s promises Luke 4: Lesson 4 Jesus calls people to follow him Luke 5:1 11; John 1: Lesson 5 New life: Nicodemus John 3: Lesson 6 New life: the Samaritan woman John 4 43 Lesson 7 Power to heal John 5: Lesson 8 Power to meet needs John 6 57 Lesson 9 Power to die and rise again John 11; Lesson 10 Jesus is the only way John Lesson 11 Samuel 1 Samuel 1; 2:18,19; 3 77 Teaching songs 82 Lesson 12 Saul chosen as king 1 Samuel 8; 9:1,2,16 10:1,17 25; 15:10 83 Using backing tracks 88 Lesson 13 David chosen as king 1 Samuel 16: Lesson 14 David and Goliath 1 Samuel Lesson 15 Saul pursues David 1 Samuel 18:5 9; 19:1 16; Lesson 16 David becomes king 2 Samuel 5:1 6:5 113 Lesson 17 David honours God 2 Samuel 7:1 28; 1 Chronicles Lesson 18 Solomon 1 Kings 3:1 15; 4:20 5:6; 9:1 9; 10:1 13; Proverbs 131 Lesson 19 Thankful Israel: Psalms Psalm 8; 16; Lesson 20 Cat holiday ministry coordinator 145 Easter assembly 150 Special lesson The environment 153 Teaching ideas Help with classroom management 158 Helpful teaching techniques 160 Teaching memory verses 162 A guide to running assemblies 164 Is your class different? 166 The special needs of indigenous students 168 Understanding the student: the learning theory undergirding Connect 170 Using appropriate language in the RE class 172 When a student wants to make a response 173 Christian Education outcomes 174 3

4 What you will find in each lesson Lesson layout Each lesson has three parts: Way in, Bible focus and Connections. These will require approximately 20 minutes. (The shaded parts of the page are for teacher reference and do not form part of the lesson.) Teachers are encouraged to adapt the lesson to the learning needs of their students, since no two classes are ever the same. However, care should be taken not to distort the main points of the Bible s teaching. For those following the lesson exactly, the words the teacher will use are printed in bold, while instructions to the teacher are in normal type. Suggested student answers are placed in brackets. Icons are used to indicate flashcards, Activity books and many of the learning activities. For an explanation of the icons, see page 8. Preparation It is recommended that teachers allocate at least 30 minutes for preparation before each lesson. Preferably this should be well in advance to allow the Holy Spirit to make the Bible text relevant first in the life of the teacher. Inexperienced teachers may have to devote more time to lesson preparation. In Infants lessons that require cutting and pasting, it may help to do some of the cutting beforehand. Lesson background The notes assist the teacher to understand the main elements of the lesson, their place in the Bible and their historical background. These are usually the same across the three curriculum levels. Further information can be obtained from standard Bible dictionaries (see references, page 6). Timeline The timelines are designed to inform the teacher of the lesson s place within the broader framework of God s activity in world history, or in the life and ministry of Jesus. Lesson aim This presents the focus concept to be taught in each lesson. Lesson outcomes These are the list of knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes that the lesson seeks to teach. An outcome is an observable accomplishment. Most can be assessed through direct questioning or the unaided completion of the Activity book. Value and attitude changes often have to be discerned or inferred over time. Some of the outcomes are repeated in subsequent lessons, because not all students will achieve all outcomes at the same time or in the same way. Many of the outcomes will be assessed in the Connections stage of the lesson, so it is important to allow sufficient time for as many students as possible to respond to the open-ended questions. Additional time may also need to be factored in for slow workers to complete activities. Memory verse The Memory verse is included in the belief that the Bible has the power, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to change lives. In many cases there is a separate Memory verse for each lesson. The teacher may choose to teach fewer Memory verses to ensure that students learn them well. (For additional ideas for ways of teaching the Memory verse, see page 162.) You will need This section lists all the items needed for each lesson. It is designed to be a handy checklist. Teachers will find that the Student Activity book and CD form an integral part of the lessons. An optional Coloured Visual aid pack is also available. Key Bible words This section provides clear definitions of key Bible words for the teacher. If these particular words are used in the lesson, an age-appropriate version will generally be provided for the students. Teaching tips These give help with preparation and presentation. They advise about some of the pitfalls to avoid and they present creative ideas and information about successful teaching techniques. (For additional information about teaching techniques, see page 160. For help with classroom management, see page 158.) Danger zone Warnings of potential problems and no-go areas are posted in this section to assist the teacher to avoid situations that may damage the lesson s effectiveness. Teacher s prayer This helps the teacher focus on the One about whom we teach, the students and their needs, as well as the teaching task. 4

5 Parts of the lesson Way in is an essential part of the lesson. It may revise concepts, link lessons to prior learning, set the scene and gain the students interest. Alternatives are offered in some lessons. Teachers may wish to devise their own alternative that suits the past experience or needs and interests of their students. Bible focus is the body of each lesson. The main ideas, the biblical content and learning concepts are dealt with in this section. Lessons seek to involve the students actively in their own learning. In many cases the Activity books are integrated into the learning during Bible focus. Connections draws everything together. It seeks to connect students with Christ and his church. Many of the questions and activities are designed to evaluate the students understanding and to allow them to process, internalise and give expression to what has been learned. Teachers may wish to incorporate some of the ideas suggested in the Activities section at this point in the lesson. Infants lessons are further reinforced with an end play where Joshua and Naomi comment on the lesson (see tracks 14 to 33 on the CEP Infants CD). Activities The suggestions are designed for incorporation into, or as extensions of, the lesson. They cover a range of learning styles that are indicated by an icon. (For further details of the underlying learning theory, see pages 7, 8 and 170. The icons are listed on page 8.) In most Primary lessons there are further Bible exploration activities that can be used with older students, capable workers or as suggestions for students to follow up between one lesson and the next. If they are to be used in the lesson, the teacher will need to provide the appropriate Bible text. When a greater degree of difficulty is involved, indication is given that the exploration is for more advanced students. Teacher reflections This section encourages the teacher to think back over the lesson. For next lesson Teachers are given a list of the items that need to be purchased or organised in advance of the following lesson. Visual aids Where required, blackline Visual aids for use in the presentation of the lesson are included immediately following the lesson. Purchase of the Teacher s manual carries with it the right to photocopy one enlargement of each Visual aid for use with the classes that teacher has. A further pack of coloured maps, timelines, pictures of historical artefacts and sites, and personalities and events is also available for use with lessons (see the current CEP catalogue). Student Activity book This is an integral part of every lesson. The activity book has engaging activities that are appropriate for the stage of development of the students. The Upper Primary has been expanded to include the Bible passages within the lesson and more activities. The words of songs and prayers, some collages, charts, diagrams, timelines and maps help the students see the relationship of different parts of their learning to life. Music and drama CD The CD included in the Teacher s manual contains new songs, backing tracks to accompany the students, drama scripts, sound effects and end plays (for Infants) for use with the lessons. A student version covering the songs learned each year is also available for use by teachers as awards and prizes or for purchase by students and their families to reinforce the learning. Bible version Nearly 90% of the users of Connect have indicated they use either the Contemporary English Version (CEV) or the Good News Bible (GNB) with Infants and Primary students. CEP has used the CEV in Connect because it considers the needs of both the reader and hearer. It is designed to be read clearly and understood by those not familiar with traditional biblical language. Teachers may wish to use other versions or, at times, paraphrases to bring out the details of some passages more vividly for the students. Multi-age classes Increasingly Religious Education teachers are faced with having to adapt lessons to suit composite classes of students drawn from more than one level of schooling. Some suggestions are made on page 166 for teaching lessons to a wider range of age and abilities. ESL and special needs classes Many school situations demand adaptation of curricula to meet the needs of students with English as their Second Language (ESL) or with special learning needs. Some general suggestions are made on page 166 for adapting lessons to suit. Teachers are encouraged to consult with the students regular teacher or with special support teachers to ensure 5

6 the Religious Education program meets the needs of these students. Video-based training kits are available for dealing with some special needs (see page 167 for details). Assembly-style RE Numbers of large group lessons are required these days that may involve combining classes from the one school grade or students from a number of grades. CEP has produced separate Infants and Primary Assembly packs for use in conjunction with this Teacher s manual (contact CEP sales on (02) for details of these). Those who develop their own assemblies from this manual will find some useful tips on page 164. Curriculum stance Theological This curriculum, designed for use in Religious Education classes in schools, is written from a Protestant standpoint that accords with the historic creeds of the church. The underlying theological assumption is that we humans are made in the image of God. Consequently, we first need to understand God as he reveals himself in the Bible, pre-eminently in the person of Jesus Christ, before we can understand ourselves. This curriculum intentionally differs from those that adopt a human frame of reference or that focus on themes derived from other school curricula. Some Religious Education teachers question why Connect places as much emphasis on the Old Testament as it does. This can be answered in the following way: God began to tell a story in the Old Testament. The plot begins with creation, is complicated by the fall and is carried forward by God s grace and mercy in calling a people to himself through whom he purposed to redeem the world. There are a number of important focal points in this story: Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the judges, Samuel, David, Solomon, some godly leaders including Josiah, Hezekiah, Ezra and Nehemiah, and some key prophets (Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah and others). The Old Testament audience eagerly anticipated the climax of this drama. In Jesus Christ this occurred. Jesus did not arrive unannounced. His coming was declared in advance, not only in explicit prophesies but by means of all the promises, events, characters and circumstances of the Old Testament. In all the events from creation to the return from exile, the plan of salvation was gradually unfolding in a single unified story. Everything pointed forward to Christ. To understand the person and work of Jesus, one needs to explore the key parts of the Old Testament. Jesus himself demonstrated this (Luke 24:13 35). St Augustine summed up the teaching of Ephesians 1:3 14 and 1 Peter 1:10 12 in this way: The New Testament is in the Old concealed; The Old Testament is in the New revealed. A more detailed understanding of this approach may be obtained by consulting: Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan: The unfolding revelation of God in the Bible, Inter Varsity Press, and Gospel and Kingdom, Paternoster Press. Much of the material in the Lesson background notes has been drawn from: New Bible Dictionary and New Bible Commentary, Inter Varsity Press, various editions Walter A. Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Baker Book House. Educational For a model of the dynamic of the Religious Education class that underlies this curriculum, see page 7. An understanding of faith development theory and the ways in which children and young people learn is set out on page 170. What is appropriate in Religious Education in schools, the owning and grounding of faith statements, and the place of evangelism in the RE class are set out under What is appropriate/inappropriate in the Religious Education class on pages 172 to 173. Some helpful references are: Francis Bridger, Children Finding Faith, Exploring a child s response to God, Scripture Union Jody Capehart, The Discipline Guide for Children s Ministry, Group Lesley Ramsay and Neville Hatton, Child Protection Essentials, Anglican Youthworks. Training and support Connect users are offered training and support for the optimal use of this curriculum. Regular training is provided in the Sydney and Wollongong regions. Elsewhere in Australia and New Zealand it is offered annually or by appointment telephone (02) For online support: 6

7 Five circles of learning CEP believes the five circles of learning model best represents what transpires in the Christian Religious Education lesson. This model underpins a number of our curricula. It is best explained in the following way: All that is, was or ever will be is encompassed by God s story of creation, redemption and consummation. All of human history, all human relations and all human endeavour are located within this story, even when they are pursued without reference to God. For ultimately every created thing is in his sustaining care and the outcome of all events is controlled by his will and brought about by his decrees. This is the largest and all-embracing of the five circles. Without the Bible s story humanity would not know what God is like, what his purposes are or what it is to be truly human. For in Jesus Christ we have the fullness of Godhead dwelling bodily (Colossians 2:9,10). He alone demonstrates what it means to be in the image of God as human beings (2 Corinthians 4:4). In his birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension, God s love and saving purposes for humanity are revealed. Who God is, what he does and his calling of us to be in a restored relationship with him are all found in the Bible s message. The Bible s story of salvation history is the authoritative story in the Christian Education class. The teacher, living under the Bible s authority and in community with other believers, brings to the lesson his or her own life story. Central to this is the saving act of God in Christ and the evidence of a transformed life. The teacher s personal application of the Bible s message, his or her Christian worldview and a life of discipleship will serve as a living model of a relationship of faith, trust and love with Jesus Christ at the centre. The teacher also brings some of the story of the Christian community of believers in all ages. This is the story of the great, as well as the unknown, men and women, girls and boys of faith across time and place. These will often provide the inspiration for students to live in trust and obedience to Jesus as Lord and Master. Each student brings his or her own life story. The successful Christian Education lesson is one that assists students to make connections between the Bible message about Jesus Christ and their own lives. The richness of this experience will depend on how deeply the teacher knows God and can explain in an appropriate way God s message of salvation, how effectively the student is engaged in learning, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Teachers are encouraged to reflect prayerfully on this model before and after meeting with students in each lesson. God's story All that God has done, is doing and will do Teacher's story The reality of this part of the Bible in the teacher's life Best learning happens here Stories of other Christians The reality of this part of the Bible in the lives of others, including contemporary and historical figures Story of this part of the Bible How this part fits into the total Bible message of redemption Good learning happens here Students stories The invitation to see connections between the Bible's message of salvation through Christ alone and their own lives 7

8 Connect icons Connect draws, among other things, on the educational research of Howard Gardner from Harvard University. Gardner reacted to the prevailing view that intelligence was a single, general-ability characteristic. He considered that this was too limiting. Instead he developed a theory that there are eight different and separate kinds of intelligence: word; music; maths and logic; body; space and vision; interpersonal; self; and nature. Individuals use different combinations of these to solve problems and learn. Most of us have two or three dominant ones that determine our preferred teaching and learning styles. It is important that the teacher understands his or her dominant intelligences and realises that not all students will readily respond to these. For this reason, Connect offers a range of supplementary learning activities with each lesson. An icon indicates the dominant intelligence and the types of learning it entails. They are as follows: Word: Those who are gifted in this way prefer to use language, to read, write, speak, debate, create poetry, do word puzzles, and express ideas in words. Music: These people are sensitive to pitch, timing, rhythm and timbre; they easily memorise songs and tunes, play instruments and create sound effects. Maths and logic: This dominant type displays problem-solving ability, the use of logical reasoning and argument, the preference for researching, experimenting, analysing, hypothesising, ordering and making patterns. Body: Those who are gifted in this way love playing sport, controlling movement, miming, acting, manipulating, making and fixing things. Space and vision: Such people enjoy creating artwork, drawing, painting, creating mental pictures, mapping, making diagrams, solving mazes, designing and drawing plans, and photography. Interpersonal: This type has a good grasp of human behaviour and motivation, is comfortable interacting socially, seeks cooperation, shows leadership in organising and managing others, is good at negotiation and mediation, and has an empathy and sensitivity to others.? Self: Such people are blessed with selfawareness, self-understanding, reflection and self-discipline, identifying their own strengths and weaknesses, and use their own experience to understand and explain. Nature: These are at home in the natural world with a love of the created order. They seek to relate their learning to that world. Additional icons In addition to these, Connect uses the following easily recognisable icons: Bible: Each lesson has at least one occasion where a verse or short passage is read from the Bible. The underlying belief is that God s Holy Spirit brings to awareness the message of the Scriptural text. Exposing students, even at an early age, to Bible reading is important because of its authoritative place in the lives of Christians. Bible exploration: This icon indicates activities that take the students further in their interaction with the biblical text in order to develop a more advanced understanding of God and his purposes. Student Activity book: This indicates at what point in the lesson students are required to work on the activity sheet for that lesson. CD: The CD icon is shown when a song, drama script, sound effect or, in the case of Infants, an end play should be played. Flashcard : The teacher is given a visual cue when to hold up a flashcard. 8

9 Sample Lesson is the only way 10Jesus John 14 Jesus performed many miracles, which enabled his disciples to see that he was the Messiah (John 20:30,31). Not only had they witnessed Jesus perform miracles, they had sat under his teaching for some three years. The time for Jesus to be crucified was drawing close. Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples and told them that he would soon leave them (John 13:33). Jesus impressed upon them that there is only one way by which people could go to the Father: Without me, no-one can go to the Father (John 14:6). Philip wanted a special revelation of the Father. In reply to Philip, Jesus spoke of his unique relationship with his Father, God (John 14:9,10). Jesus said that to have seen him was to have seen the Father. The following verses from John 5 illustrate the point Jesus had made to Philip. Verse 17: Jesus works because the Father works. Verse 18: Jesus said that God is his Father, which makes him equal with God. Verses 19,20: Jesus does what the Father does. Verse 21: The Father gives life and so does Jesus. Verse 22: Jesus has been given the authority to judge everyone. Verse 23: Jesus is to be honoured as much as the Father. Jesus claim to be the way, the truth and the life! (John 14:6): The relationship of Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, to the Father and the life-giving Spirit is absolutely unique. Because of this, he alone is the way by which we can enjoy a relationship with the Father. Our salvation is in Jesus alone and his atoning work for us on the cross. Jesus also said that he is the truth. To have Jesus is to have the truth; there is no other truth because all God s promises are fulfilled in him (2 Corinthians 1:20). Jesus also said that he is the life. To have Christ is to have eternal life. Life is found in no other (Hebrews 1:2,3). Jesus continued to show the depth of his relationship with the Father. Jesus stated that I am one with the Father and the Father is one with me (John 14:10). The disciples had seen many miracles but Jesus wanted them to have faith in him because of his word (John 14:11). Soon Jesus would leave the disciples and he called them to show their love for him by obeying his commands (John 14:15). The promise of the Holy Spirit was given to all who love and trust Jesus. The disciples were convinced that Jesus is the only way to God and set about fulfilling the great commission (Matthew 28:18 20). Where this fits in Jesus ministry Birth and childhood Baptism and temptation Galilean ministry (Mark 1 5; John 1 5) Year of opposition in Galilee (John 6 10) Perea to Jerusalem (Luke 13 21) Death and resurrection Ascension

10 You will need A large sheet of paper and felt pen (optional) A CEV Bible marked at John 14:1,2,4 10a,25 27 Visual aid on page 76 Activity books Materials for Activities Jesus saves: CEP Lower Primary CD CD player Jesus and The disciples from the Coloured Visual aid pack Preparatory notes Make sure that you read the Bible passages given for each lesson as part of your preparation. Practise giving the lesson out loud at home. When reading sections of lessons or Bible passages, pay particular attention to expression. Glance up from the text frequently to maintain eye contact with the students. The more comfortable you are with the material, the better you will be able to incorporate student interest and questions. Teaching tips Continue to look for opportunities to praise the students. If you have noticed a student who struggles with behaviour or who is slow to join the class at the beginning of the lesson, try to give him or her a positive comment before the lesson begins. An example might be, It s great to see you, Sarah. I know you re going to enjoy our lesson today. Opportunity for involvement is often the key for these students. Make sure that you give equal attention to boys and girls. Boys often prefer more active lessons, so involve them in helping you hold up posters or writing on the board. Try to include all students in making responses. Use incorrect or misinformed responses as an opportunity for clarification and further reinforcement of what has been taught. In doing so, be careful not to hurt a student s sense of selfworth, because all are loved by God. Danger zone Always use language that is easily understood by the students. Avoid using words and phrases that are loaded with meaning for the Christian but mean little to others. As the students understanding grows you can help them develop their vocabulary. Remember that students will not always tell you if you use a word they do not understand. Other resources If your lessons are longer than the standard, you may find the following resources useful. Jesus is alive today track 12 of CEP s Promises, promises CD. The greatest treasure track 9 of Colin Buchanan s Live in the big tent CD. Jesus is the only way to God track 24 of Colin Buchanan s Follow the Saviour CD. Select something from your own resources. Teacher s prayer Thank God that he has prepared a place for us to be with him forever if we put our trust in Jesus. Thank God for the peace we can have in this present world knowing our eternity is certain with him. Ask that the students will know this peace from God. Lesson aim To help students understand that Jesus has prepared a place where we can have life with God forever Lesson outcomes Students will: understand that if we know Jesus, we know God because Jesus and God are one appreciate that God has given us the Holy Spirit so that we are not alone recognise that life forever with God comes by trusting that Jesus is the only way to God. Memory verse I am the way, the truth, and the life! Jesus answered. Without me, no-one can go to the Father. John 14:6 (CEV)

11 Way in suggest 5 minutes Who has been cycling through a park or just walking along the road when they have been swooped on by a magpie? (Allow time for a couple of students to share stories.) Why does the magpie swoop at people? (Accept responses. It is protecting its territory.) What is in the magpie s territory that makes it so protective? (Accept responses. The magpie has built a nest for its young.) The nest is an elaborate bowl shape that is carefully lined with wool, leaves, grass or bark. In fact, the birds will use anything to make and line their nest. The magpie is concerned with preparing a beautiful home for its family, which it will protect fiercely. In our lesson today, we re going to hear about the home Jesus has prepared for his family. Who is part of Jesus family? (Accept responses. Anyone who puts their trust in him.) Jesus protects this home fiercely, not in an aggressive way but by giving his life to open the way for us to get to this home. Nothing can destroy the home that Jesus has prepared for those who trust him. It is part of life forever with God. Bible focus suggest 10 minutes The disciples had been with Jesus for quite a while but they were having trouble understanding him clearly. It is like when a young child is walking with an adult who takes big steps. All the child s effort goes into keeping up with the adult and he or she doesn t have time to look around without tripping over. The disciples must have felt like they were running to keep up with Jesus. They weren t really able to take in what he was saying. It was all so new. Remember that Jesus often spoke in metaphors. Can you remember what a metaphor is? (Accept responses. It is when we say that something is something else to emphasise a point; for example, I m so hungry I could eat a horse.) What are some of the metaphors Jesus used? (Accept responses. As students give responses, write them on the board or a large sheet of paper. Ideas might include life-giving water; bread that gives eternal life; you must be born again.) Jesus used images from this physical world to explain the spiritual world. What is the physical world? (Accept responses. Life here in this world.) What is the spiritual world? (Accept responses. Life forever with God.) Jesus had been telling his disciples that he wouldn t be with them much longer. How do you think the disciples were feeling about this? (Accept responses.) Do you think they were thinking about this world or life forever with God? Put your hands on your shoulders if you think they were thinking about this world. Acknowledge hands. Put your hands on your ears if you think they were thinking about the spiritual world of life forever with God. Acknowledge hands. Jesus used the image of a house. He said that he was going to prepare a room for his disciples in his Father s house. Let s find out how Jesus and his disciples talked about this. Read John 14:4 8 from a CEV Bible. Thomas said, How can we know the way to where you are going? What did Jesus answer? ( I am the way, the truth and the life. ) Jesus then said, If you know me, you know the Father. What do you think this means? (Accept suggestions. Jesus comes from God because he is God s Son. Jesus and God are alike because they are one.) At this point in the conversation, Philip was like the small child tripping over, trying to keep up with the adult who is walking too fast. Philip said, All we need is for you to show us the Father. 10

12 What had Jesus just finished saying to his disciples? (Accept responses. That he comes from God. That he and God are one.) Jesus didn t become frustrated or impatient that the disciples didn t understand what he was saying. He repeated what he had already said. Let s read from the Bible to find out what he said. Read John 14:9,10a from a CEV Bible. When you don t understand something, is it better to risk looking a bit silly and keep asking questions or keep quiet and pretend you understand? Put your hands on your head if you think it is good to keep asking questions. Acknowledge hands. Put your hands on your back if you think it is better to keep quiet. Acknowledge hands. Jesus disciples kept asking questions. God knew it was hard for them to understand, just like God knows it can be hard for us. God knows us and understands us really well. He understands that we can get stuck just thinking about this world and that we can forget to think about life with him forever. So he sent Jesus to do one job. Display the Visual aid on page 76 and read John 3:16 with the students. What was this job? (Accept responses. To make it possible for us to have life forever with God.) God also sent someone to be with us when Jesus had gone back to be with him. Read John 14:25,26 from a CEV Bible. What is the job of the Holy Spirit? (Accept responses. The Holy Spirit will be with us and teach us to remember God and his promises and to trust Jesus.) Even when we don t understand everything and we still have questions, Jesus reminds us to trust that he has done his job. He is the only way to God and he has made the way open for us. Because of Jesus life we can have life with God forever. God knows we find it hard to understand so he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us. When we have the Holy Spirit with us, Jesus promises us peace. Read John 14:27 from a CEV Bible. Connections suggest 5 minutes What does peace mean to you? (Accept responses, emphasising that because the Holy Spirit is with us when we trust Jesus, we should not be afraid of anything.) Read John 14:1,2 from a CEV Bible. Jesus has promised that he will prepare a place for us with God. What does he ask of us? (Accept responses. To have faith in him.) This is peace to think past this physical world and all its troubles and know that Jesus has organised life for us with God, forever. Can we do anything to get ourselves this life? Does it help if we are kind to others or if we go to church? (Accept responses.) What is the only way to have life forever with God? (Accept responses. Through trusting Jesus Christ.) Distribute the Activity books, direct the students to page 12 and ask them to complete the activities. Discuss the question about why students think heaven will be perfect before they attempt to write an answer. The words in the find-a-word are: peace, fair, Jesus, new, heaven, happiness, forever, perfect. Concluding prayer Thank you, God, that you have prepared a place for us where we can be with you forever. Please help us to trust Jesus as the only way to you. Thank you that you have left your Holy Spirit with us, to remind us of your promises and give us your peace. Amen. Activities Singing Jesus saves (track 6): CEP Lower Primary CD. Supplementary songs are also included in Other resources at the start of the lesson.

13 Posters Invite the students to make posters using road signs to reflect the idea that Jesus is the only way to God; for example: U Turn back to God; There is only One Way to God, through Jesus. The students should use the actual road sign in their slogan.? Peace Ask the students to think about where they find peace in this world, then draw or write about this place. Next, ask them what interrupts this peace and spoils this place. Ask them to draw or write about their thoughts. At the end of this activity, remind the students that spiritual peace is the certainty that through Jesus, we can have life with God forever. Treasure maps Each student could design a map with specific directions to follow to reach some treasure. You may like to provide some stickers for the students to hide as treasure. The students could then swap maps with a partner to see if they can follow the directions to find the treasure. Waiting for heaven God knows that it can be tough living in this physical world while we wait for life with him forever. In the Bible this physical world can sometimes be described as a battle. Read Ephesians 6:14 17 to the students from a CEV Bible. Ask the students to describe in their own words what each of the following represent: belt; armour; shoes; shield; helmet; sword. How does God say we can be ready for life forever with him? (Accept responses. By being faithful to him.) Read 2 Peter 3:11 13 to the students. What does God promise us if we stay faithful to him? (Accept responses. A new heaven and a new earth where justice will rule.) Daily devotions Jesus is the only way: Acts 16:22 34 Philippians 3:7 10a 1 Corinthians 1:26 31 Ephesians 2:4 10 Romans 8: Teacher reflections Are the students clear about the work of the Holy Spirit? Can the students discuss the differences between the physical world and the spiritual world? For next lesson You will need to prepare some questions on a sheet of paper and a card with the words of Hannah s promise (see Preparatory notes).

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