1. God made the world and everything in it, including the first people, Adam and Eve.

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1 To the parent: Here is a list of basic truths that you will want your young child to eventually learn in order to understand God s story of salvation. Keep the list in a convenient place for reference and look for opportunities to talk about and review these truths with your child. 1. God made the world and everything in it, including the first people, Adam and Eve. 2. God made Adam and Eve perfect and holy, like him. They did not do bad things. 3. God gave Adam and Eve a beautiful garden home, where they could live with him. 4. God gave them this rule: Do not eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. God gave them the rule so that they could show God they loved him by obeying it. 5. The devil is a bad angel who hates God. The devil wants to spoil everything good. The devil knew that if Adam and Eve ate from the tree in the middle of the garden, they would sin and die. The devil wanted Adam and Eve to live with him, not God. 6. The devil came to the garden to trick Adam and Eve. The devil told Eve that if she ate from the tree in the middle of the garden, she would be wise like God. 7. Eve listened to the devil and ate some of the fruit. She gave some to Adam, and he ate it too. 8. This was the first time people did something God told them not to do. When people do something bad, we call it sin. This was a very sad day. Adam and Eve had sinned. The result of sin is death and living with the devil. 9. God doesn t want anyone to go away from him to live with the devil. God made a plan to save Adam and Eve and us too. God promised to send his Son, Jesus, to take our place. Jesus came to earth as a little baby. Jesus lived on earth for us and never sinned. This means that Jesus never did one bad thing not even one time. Then Jesus took the punishment for the sins of all people when he died on the cross. 10. Then something wonderful happened. Jesus did not stay dead. Jesus became alive again! 11. God teaches us about Jesus in his Word, the Bible. Through his Word the Holy Spirit leads us to believe in Jesus. People who believe that Jesus died to save them from sin and the devil will always live with Jesus here on earth and then forever in heaven when they die. 6 God s Special Message for Mary Copy Master 1 K New Testament Set 1 Week 1 Lesson A

2 God s Special Message for Mary Copy Master 2 K New Testament Set 1 Week 1 Lesson A 7

3 God Sends an Angel to Mary An angel told Mary the good news: Jesus, the Savior, will be born. Mary, you will be his mother. 8 God s Special Message for Mary Copy Master 3 K New Testament Set 1 Week 1 Lesson A

4 Illustrator (copy masters): Nan Pollard Illustrator (cover): Russ Flint These pages may be copied. Copyright 1997 by Northwestern Publishing House. Permission is granted to purchaser to photocopy the pages in this book for ministry purpose only not for resale. On Christ s Ascension I Now Build ; text tr. William M. Czamanske, copyright 1941 CPH. Used with permission. With the Lord Begin Your Task ; text tr. W. Gustave Polack, copyright 1941 CPH. Used with permission. Praise the Almighty; My Soul, Adore Him ; text tr. Alfred E. R. Brauer, copyright 1941 CPH. Used with permission. Love in Christ Is Strong and Living ; text/tune copyright 1980 CPH, setting copyright 1982 CPH. Used with permission. Printed with soy inks on recycled paper.

5 6 John the Baptist Is Born Copy Master 1 K New Testament Set 1 Week 1 Lesson B

6 John the Baptist Is Born Copy Master 2 K New Testament Set 1 Week 1 Lesson B 7

7 Jesus, be in my heart. Jesus, be in my heart. 8 John the Baptist Is Born Copy Master 3 K New Testament Set 1 Week 1 Lesson B

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10 B John the Baptist Is Born Luke 1:5-23,57-80 A man named Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were waiting for the Savior to come. They both loved God and believed his Word. Zechariah and Elizabeth were very old and had no children. They had often prayed that God would give them a child. One day Zechariah was doing his work, serving God in the temple. Suddenly, he saw an angel! The angel said, Don t be afraid, Zechariah, for the Lord has heard your prayer. Soon Elizabeth will have a son. You are to name him John. He will get the people ready for the coming of the Savior. But Zechariah did not believe the angel. He said, How can I be sure this will happen? My wife and I are very old. The angel answered, I am Gabriel. God sent me to bring you this good news I just told you. Because you did not believe what I said, you will not be able to talk until the baby is born. From then on Zechariah could not talk. He could only make signs with his hands. Time went by and Zechariah and Elizabeth did have a baby boy, just as the angel Gabriel had said. When the baby was eight days old, friends and relatives came to see the new baby and find out what he would be named. The friends and relatives thought, He will be named Zechariah, like his father. But Elizabeth said, No, his name is John. Then the people asked Zechariah what he thought the baby s name should be. He wrote these words on a writing tablet, His name is John. At that very moment 1

11 Zechariah could speak again. Right away he began to give thanks and praise to God. He said to baby John, When you are grown up, you will be a worker for the Lord. You will get the people ready for the coming of the Savior. You will show them they have sinned and tell them that Jesus has come to save them from their sins. John grew to be the kind of man God had planned. John preached to many people that Jesus the Savior had come. When the angel told Zechariah that Elizabeth would have a son, the angel said, He will be a joy and delight to you... for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. John was to be a very special child a child who, as the angel said, would make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Yes, what great joy the birth of their child brought to Zechariah and Elizabeth! As you review this lesson with your child, consider the following truths that make the birth of your child similar to John s birth. Your child is a blessing from God. Your child is great in the sight of the Lord not a prophet as John was but nevertheless great as one of God s own through Christ, brought to faith in Baptism. Your child was born to give glory to God. In today s lesson your child learned that God had a special plan for John as a worker for him. John s God-given purpose was to get people ready for the Lord. Your child learned that God also gives to each of his children the privilege of being his worker. As God s workers we all are to tell others about Jesus love and that Jesus is the Savior from sin. Join together in praying that God would keep you and your family strong in faith and that God would use you as his workers in sharing the message of his love and forgiveness. The following action rhyme is a reminder to be a worker for Jesus at all times. Try it with your child. My head, my heart, my hands, and feet, (point to each as you say them) All of me is ready today (sweep hands to toes and then point to self) To be a worker for Jesus (sign language for Jesus: middle finger of right hand to left palm; reverse; cross index fingers) In all I do, (hold hands outward) In all I think, (point from head to heart) In all I say. (point to lips) Family Activity Children enjoy seeing pictures and hearing stories from when they were babies. Get out pictures, birth announcements, and other mementos of your child s birth. Talk about the day your child was born and the day your child was baptized. Emphasize the fact that your child is a child loved by God and by you. Perhaps you could tape a baby picture and a present-day picture of your child on a red paper heart. Print I am a child of Jesus on the heart. Place it by your child s light switch or bed. Read the message to your child at bedtime. Help your child learn these words from the Bible: Matthew 1:21 [Jesus] will save his people from their sins. 2

12 NT Set1 Week 1 Theme OVERVIEW OF THE WEEK God prepared his people for the Savior s coming. Scripture Texts Lesson A: Luke 1:26-38 Lesson B: Luke 1:5-23,57-80 Lesson A God s Special Message for Mary Lesson B John the Baptist Is Born Why did God send his angel to Mary? What special plan did God have for John? God sent his angel to tell Mary that she would be the mother of the promised Savior. God planned that John would show people their sins and their need for the Savior. Summary and Application Luke 1:26-38 God sent his angel Gabriel to tell Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus, the Savior. Mary listened to God and was willing to do what God wanted. God sent Jesus for all people. God uses his Word, the Bible, to tell us the good news about Jesus. We want to prepare our hearts for Jesus coming. Summary and Application Luke 1:5-23,57-80 God sent his angel Gabriel to tell Zechariah that he and his wife would be blessed with a son, John. Because Zechariah doubted God s message, God made him unable to talk. When the baby was born, friends and relatives wanted to name him after his father. However, Zechariah wrote, His name is John. Immediately he was able to talk again! Then Zechariah praised God and spoke of God s special plan for John to be his worker who would prepare the people for the Savior. We too work for God as we tell others about their sins and their need for a Savior. John 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Matthew 1:21 [Jesus] will save his people from their sins. Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 9

13 Week 1 Lesson A God s Special Message for Mary Luke 1:26-38 LESSON OVERVIEW Goals It is our prayer that the child knows this spiritual truth: God sent his angel to tell Mary the good news: Jesus the Savior would be born; Mary would be his mother. develops this spiritual attitude: Wanting daily to listen to God and obey him. develops this spiritual habit: Thanking God for sending Jesus the Savior. John 3:16 Why did God send his angel to Mary? God sent his angel to tell Mary that she would be the mother of the promised Savior. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Preparation for Teaching Prayer for the Teacher Dear Jesus, please come into my heart through your Word and help me share the true meaning of Christmas with students and parents. Help us all celebrate your birthday with joy. Teach your lambs to share the good news of salvation at Christmastime and always. Amen. Read the lesson in Luke 1: Read pages 8-11 in Franzmann, Bible History Commentary, New Testament, Vol. 1. Read pages in Prange, Luke, The People s Bible series. Lesson Materials For Introduction, Option 1: timeline consisting of pictures of Old Testament believers who awaited the promised Savior. (Be sure to use people with whom your students are familiar. Examples: Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David) For Introduction, Option 2: telephone (real or toy) For Introduction, Option 3: baby doll wrapped in blankets and baby Jesus picture For Aim: Bible For Retelling the Story, Option 1: stick or paper roll puppets or flannel board pieces of Mary and Gabriel from Copy Master 2 ForApplying the Truth to Our Lives: broken toy or crayon Teaching the Lesson Introduction Choose one of the following options to introduce the lesson. Option 1 Show the Old Testament believers timeline you have prepared. Remind the children that God first 10 Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson A

14 promised the Savior to Adam and Eve after they fell into sin. As you review the remaining pictures with your class, show them how generation after generation waited and prayed for the fulfillment of God s promise. Tell the children that when this story takes place, the time had almost come for God to fulfill his promise. Say to the class, God planned that the promised Savior would be his own Son. He planned to send Jesus, his Son, to earth as a newborn baby. Jesus would live and grow up like all children, but he would never sin. Then Jesus would die on the cross to take away the sins of all people. God planned all this because he loves us very much. In our story today, we are going to hear how God used an angel from heaven as part of his plan. We will learn why God sent his angel to Mary. Option 2 Show the children a telephone from the play area, or bring a real telephone to class. When the telephone rings in your home, you know that someone is calling to talk. Maybe the person has a message to tell. A message can be bad news someone may be hurt or may have been in an accident. A message can be good news you may be invited to a party, or someone may be coming for a visit. One day, a very long time ago, God had a very special message to tell a woman named Mary. God did not use a telephone. He sent an angel to talk to Mary. In our lesson today, we are going to learn why God sent his angel to Mary. Option 3 Show the class a baby doll wrapped in blankets. Talk about how exciting it is to wait for a baby to be born into a family. Let the children share their thoughts about families they know who have been blessed with babies or who are waiting for the birth of a child. God planned that his Son would come to earth as a baby. This baby would grow up to be the one who would die to forgive all sins. He would be the Savior, Jesus. People waited and waited and waited for this Savior to come. One of those people was a woman named Mary. God sent an angel to tell Mary some good news. We will learn why God sent his angel to Mary. Everyone is sitting quietly, ready to hear some good news from God s Word. Show the Bible. God had a special plan to send his Son, Jesus, as the Savior of the world. Now the right time had come for Jesus to be born. So God sent an angel to a woman named Mary. Listen carefully so that you will be able to answer the question, Why did God send his angel to Mary? Telling the Story Use the highlighted words in the Teacher Telling column as a guide to tell the Bible story. TEACHING CHART Teacher Telling Teacher Retelling Children Telling Long ago, when it was time for Jesus to be born, God sent his angel Gabriel to a young woman. The woman s name was Mary. Gabriel said to her, You have been chosen for something very special. The Lord is with you. Hold the angel high. Move the angel toward Mary. Continue to move the cutouts like puppets as Mary and the angel talk. God sent his angel Gabriel to someone. Tell who the person was. Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson A 11

15 Teacher Telling Teacher Retelling Children Telling Mary was surprised to see the angel. She felt afraid. What does the angel mean? thought Mary. I do not understand his message. But Gabriel said, Do not be afraid, Mary. God has a special plan for you. He is going to give you a baby boy. You will name him Jesus. Your baby will be the Son of God, the Savior God promised long ago. Jesus will be the king of God s people and will rule forever. How can I have a baby? Mary asked. I am not married. The angel answered, God will give you this child, his Son. God can do anything he wants to do. Mary believed God s words and said, I will do whatever God wants me to do. May everything you said come true. She was ready to be the mother of baby Jesus. Then the angel Gabriel left Mary. Have your face show a puzzled expression. Point upward and have Mary bow, but not toward the angel. Move Mary and nod your head yes. Tell how Mary felt when she saw the angel. Help me finish this sentence: Mary would name her baby (Jesus). Did Mary have a husband to be the father of this baby? Who would be the baby s father? I wonder how Jesus could become a little baby. Did Mary believe God s words? Whose mother was she ready to be? What did Mary say to show she would do what God wanted? Retelling the Story Choose one or more of the following options to retell the story. Option 1 Use the cutouts of Mary and Gabriel from Copy Master 2 made into stick or paper roll puppets or flannelgraphs and follow the cues in the Teacher Retelling column as you retell the story to the children. Variation 1: Have the children use the puppets of Mary and Gabriel to tell the story. Use the Children Telling column to assist them as needed. Variation 2: Encourage the children to use the puppets to retell the story without any assistance. Option 2 Retell the story, leaving out important words for the children to supply. Example: Long ago, when it was time for Jesus to be (born), God sent his angel (Gabriel) to a young woman. The woman s name was (Mary). Option 3 Children may roleplay the lesson in or out of costume as an additional way of telling the story. Developing the Truth After telling and/or retelling the story, lead the children to state the truth. I certainly would be surprised if God sent an angel to talk to me. How would you feel? At first Mary was surprised and afraid. But what did the angel tell her? (response) Then the angel told Mary the good news about God s special plan for her. Why did God send his angel to Mary? Expand on the answers from the children to say, God sent his angel to tell Mary that she would be the mother of the promised Savior. Repeat this several times and have the children echo or recite with you. 12 Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson A

16 Applying the Truth to Our Lives At Christmastime we celebrate the birth of Jesus, God s Son. Jesus did not stay a baby. When he grew up, he died on the cross to forgive the sins of all people. God sent Jesus to do this for us. God tells us in the Bible, God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (John 3:16). The baby born to Mary on the first Christmas is God s Son, Jesus. God loved the people on earth so much that he sent his Son to die to take away all sins. Say the memory treasure again. Have the children repeat it. God sent Jesus into the world at Christmastime. But it is not Christmas now, is it? When Christmas does come, what will people give you? (responses) You will love getting presents. But some of those presents might break. Show a broken toy or crayon. You might lose one of your toys. Some presents might be food or candy. You eat those things. They don t last. There is one gift that will always last. It is our best Christmas gift. This gift is with us all year long. This gift is someone who loves us and died on the cross to save us. Who is this best gift? (response) Yes, Jesus is our best gift. We thank God for sending Jesus into the world to be our Savior. You could review the memory treasure again. Closing the Lesson Option 1 We close our lesson by thanking God for sending Jesus to be our Savior. Dear God, thank you for loving us so much that you sent your Son, Jesus, on the first Christmas. We thank you for having Jesus live and die for us so that one day we can live in heaven with you. Amen. Option 2 We close our lesson today by singing a song that reminds us of the message the angel told Mary. Teach the children the following song to the tune of hymn 48, When Christmas Morn Is Dawning. An angel came to Mary To share God s plan of love: You ll have a baby Jesus, The Savior from above. You ll have a baby Jesus, The Savior from above. Option 3 The angel told Mary a special message from God. We close our Bible time by telling each other a special message from God s book. Have the children sit in a circle. Have the first child tell the words of the memory treasure to the second child. The second child tells the third child. Continue the process until all the children have shared this special message. Correlated Lesson Activities Choose one or more of the following activities to emphasize the truth of the lesson, to provide additional learning experiences in a different format, and to provide for the various learning styles and abilities of your students. 1. Lesson Puppets: Make copies of Copy Master 2. Have the children make stick or paper roll puppets of the angel Gabriel and Mary. Have the children practice retelling the story (see retelling options) while manipulating their puppets. The children can take the puppets home to tell the story to others. 2. Song: Teach the following song to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell. This song emphasizes that the angel brought the message and we can share it. The angel came to say, The angel came to say, The Savior Jesus will be born. Oh, what a happy day! It is my turn to say, It is my turn to say, The Savior Jesus has been born. His birthday s Christmas Day! 3. Finger Play: Here is God s angel; (hold up one hand) He comes to Mary. (fly angel hand to Mary hand) Mary is listening; (cup your hand around your ear) So happy is she. (use index fingers to pull mouth into smile) Jesus the Savior (sign language for Jesus: middle finger of right hand to left palm; reverse; cross index fingers) Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson A 13

17 Will be her baby. (pretend to rock baby) 4. Shape Angel: Print the aim at the top and the truth at the bottom of a piece of paper. Give each child a copy. Have each child glue a lacy paper doily to the background as angel s wings. (Note: Cutout tracings of children s hands also make good wings.) Have each child trace and cut out a large triangle and a circle for the angel s body and head. Have the children glue the triangle body and the circle head on top of the wings. The children could use crayons to add hair and/or facial features. (Note: You may choose to make a master of a triangle and circle so that the children simply cut out the pieces without having to do any tracing. Be sure the children position the triangle so that one point serves as the neck on which they glue the circle head.) 5. Gift Box: Make a cross with 4-inch squares for each child. Write GOD S vertically and Son horizontally as shown. You may wish to put a Jesus sticker on the O square. This activity provides a good opportunity to discuss with the children the giving of Christmas gifts why one gives and receives gifts and the greatest gift of all. 6. Angel Outline: Have each child complete the dotted outline of the angel from Copy Master 3. The children may add the angel s face, hands, and feet. You may add wings made from paper, foil, or doilies. Extending the Lesson Activities These activities provide ways to extend the lesson into other areas of the curriculum. Choose the activities that meet the needs of your students and your curriculum. 1. Christmas for a Day: Children love to talk about Christmas at any time of the year. Draw a large Christmas tree on paper and place it on a wall. Let the children draw or make decorations. Place a manger in a gift box under the tree. Open the box with the children and sing Away in a Manger. You could even enjoy a treat of red and green gelatin squares. 2. Christmas Chain: You will need the following materials: 3 4" x 6" paper strips (precut if necessary) and glue. Turn the cross over. On the bottom square, write GOD S GIFT. (This square becomes the lid of the box.) Fold the cross into a cube, as shown, with GOD S GIFT showing on the lid. When the gift box is opened, GOD S SON shows. Take one strip and glue the ends together to form a ring. Slip the next strip through the first ring. Glue to form another ring. Continue to form as many of the links of a chain as there is time. To tie this activity to the lesson, explain that the chain links are like Jesus and the people who believe in him. We are all linked together. We are a family called the holy Christian church. As we add more links, we think about those who still need to learn about and love Jesus. Variation 1: Another explanation to tie the activity to the lesson would be to say that we are getting ready for Jesus birthday, and we want to decorate our 14 Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson A

18 room. Students make sections individually, and then each student s section is linked to the others. This could occupy more than one session. Variation 2: Use the chain to count down to Jesus birthday. Make the number of links on the chain equal to the number of days to Christmas. Hang the chain in the room. Cut off one link at the end of each day, and say the following rhyme. If you do not have class each day, snip off the appropriate number of links and say the alternative words. Snip! A day is gone, you see; Ev ry day s Christmas For you and me! Alternative Snip! More days are gone, you see; Ev ry day s Christmas For you and me! 3. Bell Ornament: For each child, you will need one tongue depressor, one jingle bell, one pipe cleaner (cut in half), some Christmas stickers, and a sheet of red or green construction paper. (Note: You will need to drill a small hole in each end of the tongue depressor.) Help each child use one piece of pipe cleaner to form a loop on one end of the tongue depressor and another piece to attach the bell to the other end. Cut two identical bell shapes from the colored paper. Size the bells to fit between the two holes of the tongue depressor. (Note: You may wish to give the children precut bells.) Glue the two bell shapes back to back, sandwiching the tongue depressor between them. Add stickers to both sides of the bell. Allow to dry. The children may shake the bells as you sing Christmas songs or may hang the bells as decorations. 4. Dramatic Play: Use dress-up clothes, jewelry, purses, wallets, hats, ties, church envelopes, an Advent wreath, and song books to get ready for worship services for Advent and Jesus birthday. Children may pretend to bake and cook for the birthday dinner, clean the house, wrap the gifts, and enact other preparations for Christmas as well. 5. Puzzle: Create a puzzle by cutting the picture from an extra student leaflet into four to six pieces. The children can practice telling the story as they put the puzzle together. 6. Basic Bible Truths: Make copies of Copy Master 1 to send home to the parents of your students. The truths on this page will help parents teach God s plan of salvation to their children. Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson A 15

19 Week 1 Lesson B John the Baptist Is Born Luke 1:5-23,57-80 LESSON OVERVIEW Goals It is our prayer that the child knows this spiritual truth: God sent John to show people their sins and their need for the Savior. develops this spiritual attitude: Wanting to show love for Jesus by being his worker. develops this spiritual habit: Telling people that Jesus loves them and that he is their Savior from sin. What special plan did God have for John? God planned that John would show people their sins and their need for the Savior. Matthew 1:21 [Jesus] will save his people from their sins. Preparation for Teaching Prayer for the Teacher Dear heavenly Father, you sent John to teach people about their sins and their need for the Savior. Help me teach the children in my classroom the importance of the Savior in their lives. May their love for Jesus and their faith in the Savior grow so that they desire to be workers who teach others about their need for the Savior. Amen. Read the lesson in Luke 1:5-23, Read pages 4-7 and in Franzmann, Bible History Commentary, New Testament, Vol. 1. Read pages 8-10 and in Prange, Luke, The People s Bible series. Lesson Materials ForIntroduction, Option 1: cutouts of the angel and Mary or the lesson picture from Lesson 1A, picture of baby Jesus For Introduction, Option 2: picture of a pastor (See Copy Master 2.) For Aim: Bible For Retelling the Story, Options 1 and 2: flannel board pieces or puppets of Zechariah, Elizabeth, the angel, baby John, and adult John made from Copy Master 1 (Glue felt to the backs of the figures if you plan to use them on a flannel board.) For Retelling the Story, Option 3: tagboard or cardboard, Copy Master 1, glue For Applying the Truth to Our Lives: flannel board pieces or stick puppets of John as a baby and as an adult (See Retelling the Story, Option 1.), Bible, crucifixion picture, picture of pastor (See Copy Master 2.) Teaching the Lesson Introduction Choose one of the following options to introduce the lesson. 16 Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson B

20 Option 1 Begin the introduction with a review of Lesson 1A using the angel and Mary cutouts or the lesson picture. Ask students to tell whom they see. Tell me who sent the angel to Mary. (response) God sent the angel Gabriel to tell Mary some good news. Tell me what that good news was. (response) Cue with picture of baby Jesus. Yes, the message from the angel was the good news that it was time for baby Jesus to be born. In today s lesson we are going to hear about a time when the angel told about another child who would be born. His name would be John. We are going to hear what special plan God had for John. Option 2 I want you to think about all the people you see when you come to church for worship. Discuss possible people. One of the people you see has the special job of telling all of the others about Jesus, the Savior. Who is that one person? (response) Cue with a picture of a pastor. In our lesson today, we are going to hear about a man who worked in the temple, or church, a very long time ago. His name was Zechariah. The Bible tells us that while Zechariah was doing some work at the temple, God sent an angel to him. The angel had a message from God for Zechariah. The message was about another baby who would soon be born. He would be named John. We are going to hear what special plan God had for John. Option 3 Tell the children you have an action rhyme to share with them. Say the following rhyme, doing the motions as you recite it. Repeat it several times, encouraging the children to join in. My head, my heart, my hands, and feet, (point to each as you say them) All of me is ready today (sweep hands to toes and then point to self) To be a worker for Jesus (sign language for Jesus: middle finger of right hand to left palm; reverse; cross index fingers) In all I do, (hold hands outward) In all I think, (point from head to heart) In all I say. (point to lips) Spend some time explaining how people can be workers for Jesus as they participate in the work of the church. Tell them some of the things that need to be done at church (cleaning, preparing Communion ware, putting up Christmas decorations, shoveling the sidewalks, plowing the drives and parking lots). Tell the children that people show love for Jesus as they perform these many tasks. A very long time ago, just before it was time for Jesus to be born, God planned for another baby to be born. This baby would be named John and would grow up to be a special worker for Jesus. In our lesson today, we are going to hear what special plan God had for John. We are all sitting quietly, ready to hear more good news from God s book, the Bible. Show the Bible. When it was almost time for baby Jesus to be born, God planned for another baby to be born. In today s lesson we will learn about this other baby, who was named John. Listen very carefully so that you will be able to tell, What special plan did God have for John? Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson B 17

21 A man named Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were waiting for the Savior to come. They both loved God and believed his Word. Zechariah and Elizabeth were very old and had no children. They had often prayed that God would give them a child. Telling the Story Use the highlighted words in the Teacher Telling column as a guide to tell the Bible story. TEACHING CHART Teacher Telling Teacher Retelling Children Telling This was a priest named (Zechariah) who lived long ago. His wife was named (Elizabeth). They were waiting for the Savior (to be born). Sometimes they felt sad for they had no (child). Tell who these people are. (Show figures of Zechariah and Elizabeth) Tell what you know about Zechariah and Elizabeth. One day Zechariah was doing his work, serving God in the temple. Suddenly, he saw an angel! The angel said, Don t be afraid, Zechariah, for the Lord has heard your prayer. Soon Elizabeth will have a son. You are to name him John. He will get the people ready for the coming of the Savior. But Zechariah did not believe the angel. He said, How can I be sure this will happen? My wife and I are very old. The angel answered, I am Gabriel. God sent me to bring you this good news I just told you. Because you did not believe what I said, you will not be able to talk until the baby is born. From then on Zechariah could not talk. He could only make signs with his hands. Time went by and Zechariah and Elizabeth did have a baby boy, just as the angel Gabriel had said. When the baby was eight days old, friends and relatives came to see the new baby and find out what he would be named. The friends and relatives thought, He will be named Zechariah, like his father. But Elizabeth said, No, his name is John. Then the people asked Zechariah what he thought the baby s name should be. He wrote these words on a writing tablet, His name is John. At that very moment As Zechariah did his work in the temple, he was startled by (an angel) (show surprise). The angel told Zechariah that soon Elizabeth would have (a son). He would be named (John). Zechariah did not (believe). He could no longer (talk). After some time went by, Elizabeth did have a (baby boy). Friends and relatives thought the child should be named (Zechariah). Elizabeth said the baby would be named (John). Zechariah took a tablet and wrote, ( His name is John. ) Tell why Zechariah was so startled while doing his work (show surprise). What things did the angel tell Zechariah? Why did Zechariah not believe the angel? Tell what Zechariah could no longer do. After some time, what did God give Elizabeth and Zechariah? Tell what the friends and relatives thought the baby would be named. Tell what Elizabeth named her baby. Tell how Zechariah named the baby. 18 Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson B

22 Teacher Telling Teacher Retelling Children Telling Zechariah could speak again. Right away he began to give thanks and praise to God. He said to baby John, When you are grown up, you will be a worker for the Lord. You will get the people ready for the coming of the Savior. You will show them they have sinned and tell them that Jesus has come to save them from their sins. John grew to be the kind of man God had planned. John preached to many people that Jesus the Savior had come. Zechariah said John would be (a worker for Jesus). John would teach people about their (sin). He would tell them they needed (a Savior). He would tell them (Jesus had come to be their Savior). John grew up to be a worker just as (God) had planned. Tell what Zechariah was now able to do. What things did Zechariah tell baby John he would do someday? What did John do when he grew up, just as God had planned? Retelling the Story Choose one or more of the following options to retell the story. Option 1 Using flannel board characters or stick puppets made from Copy Master 1, follow the cues in the Teacher Retelling column, saying entire sentences to emphasize the main points of the lesson. Variation: Use the flannel board characters or stick puppets with the cues in the Teacher Retelling column. However, say only the beginning of the sentences and assist the children as needed in completing the sentences with the words in parentheses. Option 2 Guide the children to tell the story by using the Children Telling column. You or a student could use the flannel board to help cue the children, using the characters from Copy Master 1. Option 3 Make a writing tablet out of tagboard or cardboard. Print His name is John on one side. Color and cut out a set of lesson figures from Copy Master 1. Glue these figures to the reverse side of the cardboard writing tablet. (Note: You may wish to laminate it for better durability.) Have the children take turns using the tablet to retell the Bible account. Developing the Truth After telling and/or retelling the story, continue by saying, Zechariah and Elizabeth were very happy that God had given them a child. The angel s words came true. Zechariah and Elizabeth understood that John was a very special baby because he would grow up to be a very special man, a worker for Jesus. He would show people their sins and tell them they needed the Savior, Jesus. Tell me, What special plan did God have for John? Allow the children to answer, clarifying and expanding on their answers to say, God planned that John would show people their sins and their need for the Savior. You may want to repeat the truth and aim several times, having the children echo you or recite along with you. Applying the Truth to Our Lives John was a baby. Point to baby John puppet. He grew up to be a man. Show adult John puppet. Tell what John did when he grew up. (response) John showed people that they had sinned. He told them Jesus had come to be their Savior. You and I sin too. When we do not listen to our moms or dads, we sin. When we hurt someone on purpose or when we take something that is not ours, we sin. We sin every day. We need the Savior. I am going to read a passage from God s book, the Bible. It tells us that Jesus is our Savior. [Jesus] will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). What Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson B 19

23 did Jesus do to save us? (response) Cue with the crucifixion picture. Yes, he died on the cross to pay the punishment for all of our sins. Say the passage for and then with the children. John told people about Jesus, the Savior. He worked for God by telling others the good news of Jesus. Who has the special job in our church to preach about Jesus, the Savior? (response) Cue with picture of pastor. Teachers also work for God by telling children about the Savior. Maybe God will help you decide to become a pastor or teacher someday. That would be wonderful! But it will be a long time until you become a grown-up worker for God. What can you do right now? (response) Children can be workers for Jesus. You can sing and pray. You can share the Bible stories with others who do not know about Jesus. You can tell others about the love of Jesus, the Savior, and invite them to church and church school. God can work through the words you speak to help others learn about the Savior. (Note: If your students will be participating in a Christmas service, you can explain that this is also being a worker for Jesus. Make this an exciting event for them to be able to share the good news of the Savior with all the people in church!) Closing the Lesson Option 1 God planned that John would show people that they were sinners who needed a Savior. John was a worker for Jesus, just as God had planned. God also wants us to be his workers, telling others about the Savior. Let s close our lesson today with a prayer that God will guide us to be workers for him. Dear heavenly Father, we have learned how you guided the life of John so that he grew to be a worker for Jesus, just as you had planned. Please make our hearts ready to be workers for you. Help us tell others about Jesus, our Savior from sin. Amen. Option 2 Let s close our lesson today by doing the action rhyme we learned, remembering that God wants us to be workers for him each day in all we do. If you did not teach this rhyme during the introduction, do so now. My head, my heart, my hands, and feet, (point to each as you say them) All of me is ready today (sweep hands to toes and then point to self) To be a worker for Jesus (sign language for Jesus: middle finger of right hand to left palm; reverse; cross index fingers) In all I do, (hold hands outward) In all I think, (point from head to heart) In all I say. (point to lips) Option 3 Have the children suggest ways in which they can be workers for God. Write their suggestions on the board. Then use those suggestions to make a litany. Read a suggestion; then have the children join in the response I can work for God. You may wish to have the children practice their response together before using the litany. The following is a short example: Teacher: By dusting church benches, Children: I can work for God. T: By bringing my friend to Sunday school, C: I can work for God. Consider having the children sing the response. The sentence I can work for God can be sung to the tune of the Amen on page 16 of Christian Worship or to the tune of Lord, have mercy on page 27. You might also have the children take turns reading their own suggestions while you and the rest of the class join in the response. Correlated Lesson Activities Choose one or more of the following activities to emphasize the truth of the lesson, to provide additional learning experiences in a different format, and to provide for the various learning styles and abilities of your students. 1. Puppets: Provide each child with copies of the angel, Zechariah, Elizabeth, baby John, and adult John from Copy Master 1. The children can color and cut out the pictures to make puppets to use as they tell the story to others. 20 Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson B

24 2. Slate: Cover a board with a thin layer of clay. Use a craft stick or toothpick to carve JOHN into the clay. Show the children how to do this and how to pat the clay smooth again for someone else to use. Talk about what happened when Zechariah wrote John s name. 3. Song/Rhyme: The following may be used as a song or rhyme. Sing the words to the tune of Are You Sleeping? Little children Work for Jesus As you play Every day. Listen to God s Word. Tell about the Lord. Work for him. Work for him. 4. Christmas Service: Work on songs or recitations that your children will present during the Christmas Service, if applicable. Emphasize that they are being workers for Jesus by their participation. 5. Pocket Bible: Make copies of the pictures on Copy Master 3. The children may color the pieces and cut them out. You may wish to cut out the baby Jesus. Fold the pieces on the dotted lines. Cut slits on the heart. Insert tabs of the Jesus piece into the slits and tape them to the back of the heart. Then glue the heart to the Bible as shown. Dry. Fold the Bible to close it. Reverse the fold for the manger so that when the Bible is opened, the baby will pop up. Remind the children they will want to have Jesus and his Word in their hearts all year long. Extending the Lesson Activities These activities provide ways to extend the lesson into other areas of the curriculum. Choose the activities that meet the needs of your students and your curriculum. 1. Communication: Discuss God s communication: Long ago an angel sometimes came to tell God s news; today God uses the Bible. Cue with angel cutout and Bible. One time God sent an angel to a woman named Mary. Cue with cutout or lesson picture of Mary. He had good news to tell her. What was the good news? (response) Cue with a baby Jesus picture. When God wants to tell us something today, tell what he uses. (response) Cue by showing the Bible. Read John 3:16. God speaks to us in the Bible. Every word in the Bible is God s Word. You may review passages your class has already learned. Then talk about how we can use other types of communication to tell people about Jesus TV, phone, letters, newspapers, magazines, computers. 2. Christmas Ornament/Decoration: If this lesson is being taught in the fall and Christmas is months away, you could still make the following decoration and save it to display at Christmastime. The children will have fun looking back at their drawings! Instructions: Cut a paper Christmas tree about 12 inches tall. Cut a red paper heart to place at the center of the tree. Before gluing the heart to the tree, place a sticker of Jesus on one half of the heart and have the children draw their faces on the other half. Print Jesus Loves child s name. on the heart. Glue the heart to the tree. Draw decorations on the tree. Add a star sticker to the top. 3. Action Song: Sing the following words to the tune of A-Hunting We Will Go. As you sing the song, form a circle and pantomime the helping tasks or sing as you actually do the tasks. Oh, I can work for God. Oh, I can work for God. Sharing news of Jesus Christ, Oh, I can work for God. I put away the toys. I put away the toys. I can work for Jesus Christ, I put away the toys. Add other tasks, for example, picking up the scraps, washing tables, and decorating the tree. End with the following: To others I will say, To others I will say: Jesus came to die for us; He took our sins away. 4. Worship Then and Now: In the learning center, place pictures, a model, or a drawing of the temple (see a study Bible) and, if available, picture(s) of the sanctuary of your church. If you don t have pictures for the learning center, you could take the children to church and show them the altar, pulpit, lectern, and such. Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson B 21

25 5. Sand Angels: Use a pointed stick or pencil to trace a cardboard template of an angel, or use cookie cutters to make angel shapes in smooth, wet sand. 6. Social Studies/Post Office: Help students understand how the mail can be used to tell people about Jesus. Have students get old Christmas cards with Christian themes ready to mail. Set up a mailbox. Have someone pick up the mail and take it to a pretend post office. Practice sorting. Use numbers and symbols on the cards for students who cannot read. Students can make their own mailboxes from paper bags or shoe boxes with their names, symbols, or numbers on them. Have students deliver the cards. This is a good time to discuss how Christian cards reflect the real message of Christmas. Show samples and discuss how cards can be used at Christmas to tell about Jesus. Put out all kinds of cards, including Santa and other secular cards. Ask students to sort out the ones that tell about Jesus. Ask students to watch the mail for cards and see which ones have a picture that helps tell the Bible lessons about Jesus birthday. You could ask each child to bring a card from home that tells about Jesus birth. 7. Counting: Make a set of ornaments or chain links to represent the number of days until Christmas. Remove one each day and count what remains. 8. Christmas Cards and Invitations: Show a card or an invitation and talk about how it is used to tell special news to someone. Talk about how we can invite people to hear the special news about Jesus. (Possibilities are Advent or regular worship, children or family Christmas services, classroom party, or dramatization of the Christmas story.) We can send Christmas cards to shut-ins, adopted grandparents, people in the hospital, and friends such as the pastor, secretary, crossing guard, room helper, baby-sitter, and extended family members. 9. Helping-Hand Print Christmas Gift for Parents: (Note: You may want volunteers to help with this project or start early and do a few each day.) Handprints of the children can be made in different ways: (1) You can roll white paint on their hands and have the children press them on red paper. (2) Plaster of paris and gold paint can be used for a relief print. Press clay into a round tin. Press the child s hand into the clay. Mix plaster of paris according to the directions and pour into the mold. Before it is completely hardened, insert a paper clip or pop-top tab. When completely dry, remove the form from the mold and spray gold. Attach a copy of the following poem to the back. The poem can be shared with students before this project begins and when it is time to take the print home. This little handprint is for you Not one to wash away. It will remind us that I ve grown In Jesus love each day. I ve learned that helping others Shows love for Jesus too. My hands and heart are ready; Just teach me what to do. 22 Grades PreK-K New Testament Week 1 Lesson B