Bible Passage: Matthew 3:13 17; 4:1 17; Mark 1:9 15; Luke 3:21 23; 4:1 14; John 1:29 36 (Jesus Baptism and His Temptation in the Wilderness)

Transcription

1 date: Bible Passage: Matthew 3:13 17; 4:1 17; Mark 1:9 15; Luke 3:21 23; 4:1 14; John 1:29 36 (Jesus Baptism and His Temptation in the Wilderness) REMEMBER VERSE The Lord causes his miracles to be remembered. He is kind and tender. Psalm 111:4 (NIrV) God Is with Us SERVICE SCHEDULE Explore:: Welcome & Engage minutes Discover & Respond:: Large Group minutes Respond & Bless:: Small Group minutes ENVIRONMENT: STORYTELLING In this lesson we can see the environment of STORYTELLING highlighted in how God was with Jesus in His time of baptism and temptation, preparing Him for His ministry on earth which had been foretold since the beginning of The Big God Story.. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

2 Inspire NOTES: My parents bought tickets to the circus as a surprise for the family when I was seven years old. Music filled the parking lot with cheer and excitement. People streamed inside the colorful tent to find their seats in the bleachers. The crowd cheered and clapped as the clown car made its way around the circus ring. Kids laughed as they were hoisted onto their fathers shoulders to get a better view of the spectacle. Within moments, the flying trapeze artists were soaring and tumbling through the air. I was mesmerized. Their actions represented such freedom, strength, and trust. Recently, I listened to a report on public radio about the concept of creative collaboration in art. This particular story highlighted a flying trapeze team. As I listened, I was taken back to that evening at the circus. During the interview, something the catcher said caught my attention. When referring to the flyer he said, My job is to save him all of the time. I m there, always, for him. The flyer responded, I know he will catch me. That s it. They went on to refer to their time in the air as privileged time no one else is there, and they don t hear the crowd or become distracted by the rustling below. It s just the two of them present in the moment and the task that lies before them. The relationship of the flying trapeze team reminds me of my relationship with God. It is His job to save me, for He alone is Savior. Often I feel the part I play in His story is that of the flyer. My job is to fly with the strength and freedom He has given me. I can trust in Him because He is with me all of the time. Knowing this, I move ahead in faith doing what He has planned for me to do. This is privileged time, and God is with me. Cristi Thomas TruWonder Team 2

3 Equip God is with us, and has been since the very beginning. Throughout The Big God Story, God has been preparing His people for the redemption He offers through His Son, Jesus. God has shown Himself in the intentional orchestration of numbers within and throughout Scripture. An example of this is the repeated use of the number 40. This number tended to represent trial periods that led up to a season of renewal or change. Further Resources Remember Verse Motions Inspired by American Sign Language; demonstrated at and /browser.htm For instance, God sent a flood lasting 40 days and nights to wash away an increasingly sinful and corrupt world, beginning life anew. Likewise, God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. They then spent 40 years wandering in the desert before they were able to enter the Promised Land. When God was preparing to reveal the Ten Commandments, Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai. He then spent an additional 40 days on the mountain after Israel sinned by worshipping a golden calf. It comes as no surprise that this number appeared again as Jesus prepared for His ministry. After being baptized and anointed with the Holy Spirit, He was led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan for 40 days. The significance of this period would have been clear to the Israelites. They would recognize this as a defining moment leading up to a new season: a season of redemption. God is with us. The Tru team would like to thank the children s ministry of The Gathering in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for participating in the brainstorming and development of this lesson. Environment: STORYTELLING The power of The Big God Story impacts our lives by giving us an accurate and awe-inspiring perspective into how God has been moving throughout history. It is the story of redemption, salvation, and hope and tells how I have been grafted into it by grace. It further compels us to see how God is using every person s life and is creating a unique story that deserves to be told for God s glory. The 10 environments guide us in creating a climate that puts God on display. Encourage your families to discover more about creating the environment of STORYTELLING in their homes by checking out HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource and Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony. 3

4 Support God has equipped you with everything you need to play the part He has written for you. This is privileged time. The time you spend one-on-one with Him will prepare you to do all He has planned for you. There may be moments when it will be scary, frustrating, or simply exhausting. Be of great courage. God is with you. We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love (1 John 4:16). Take a few moments to be still before God. Read 1 John 4:16 quietly once. Stop and ask God to highlight a portion of this verse that He wants you to hear. Now, read the verse once again, out loud. What did you hear? How does this portion of Scripture speak to your heart and the part you re to play in The Big God Story? As you move forward, may you do so in faith knowing that He will save you, each and every time. The noise that surrounds you does not matter. It is His voice that will lead you. He has loved you forever and will love you still. The impossible thought, the transcending miracle, is that the awesome Creator God of the universe is my Father, whom I can trust completely as I do my best to lead. Richard Kriegbaum 4

5 NOTES: Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List at tru.davidccook.com) Explore:: Welcome & Engage min. Exploration stations create space intended to transition children to lead them from the external world into an environment where they can commune with God, just as they are with all that they are. Focus Station: Kersplash! (per table) drop cloth EXPLORE bin or sensory table assortment of the following: sponges, eyedroppers, measuring cups, cotton balls, corks water (Optional) Station 2: Wild, Wild Wilderness (per table) EXPLORE bin shredded paper small branches, leaves, and twigs toy people and animals small rocks small piece of blue fabric Chloe (puppet or person) Chloe s Rules videos or scripts (see tru.davidccook.com) preschool program theme song 2 upbeat worship songs (suggestions: The Big God Story, TruWorship Songs from the Playhouse and God, You re Big, TruWorship Your Love) optional: countdown video Mail Time intro clip and image (see tru.davidccook.com) Remember Verse image and cards (see tru.davidccook.com) Mail Time envelope art printed and attached to a large envelope (see tru.davidccook.com) Bibles (your personal and large children s) mailbox Wardrobe of Wonder intro clip and image (see tru.davidccook.com) Wardrobe of Wonder Wardrobe of Wonder sound effect (see tru.davidccook.com) optional: silly hats for prop/hat box 2 small stools or chairs What sit: Bucket of Water (see image at tru.davidccook.com) The Big God Story intro clip and image (see tru.davidccook.com) images: Baptism (see tru.davidccook.com) small container filled with items from optional EXPLORE station (see p. 11) Discover:: Large Group min. Facilitate interactive games, songs, and storytelling, allowing children to participate in discovering God s Word. 5

6 NOTES: Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List at tru.davidccook.com) Respond:: Large Group min. Create space for children to respond to the Holy Spirit in worship and community. title image (see tru.davidccook.com) or worshipful video loop worship song (suggestion: I Can Hear You, TruWorship Your Love) Respond:: Small Group min. Further process the story through discussion and interaction with others, and respond to God in worship through creative expression. Connect: Where the Wild Things Are (per small group) index cards marker optional: print or cut animal pictures from magazines MP3 or compact disc player lively music (suggestions: Animal or All Is Love, Karen O and the Kids Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack) Create: Me and You (per small group/table) paper crayons permanent marker Wonder Questions TruWonder Timeline and images: Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users (see tru.davidccook.com) Bless:: Small Group 5 min. Bless the children that they may experience God fully and be a blessing to others. Blessing/Remember Verse HomeFront Weekly HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource 6

7 Small Group Explore:: min. SECTION Host/Small Group Leaders Exploration stations create space intended for wonder to pique children s curiosity and allow them to engage in hands-on experiences as they begin their time in worship. Focus Station They really liked to play with the water in the Kersplash! activity. NOTES: The Beacon We set out bins of water and sand for the kids to explore. One class had six smaller bins of water with different objects they could add to see if they float or sink. Peninsula Covenant Station 1: Kersplash! Before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist baptized him in the Jordan River. Today kids will have the opportunity to explore the element of water and the physical effects of water on various objects. SUPPLIES (per table) drop cloth EXPLORE bin or sensory table assortment of the following: sponges, eyedroppers, measuring cups, cotton balls, corks water PREPARE AHEAD Gather materials and place in the EXPLORE bin or sensory table. SET UP Place the drop cloth under the table or sensory table. If you re using an EXPLORE bin for your water, place the bin in the center of the table. Place the items inside the sensory table or bin. Pour water into the container until it s filled halfway. ENGAGE Welcome children to the EXPLORE Station. Encourage kids to explore the items in the water. Ask open-ended questions as you engage the children. What do you see? How does it feel? Is it wet or dry? What happens when you place (insert name of the item here) in the water? What happens to the sponge when it fills with water? When you place the cork in the water, does it sink or float? Why do you think the cork floats? How do you use water? Where can you find water? Note If you would like details about how things run, view a sample lesson containing complete instructions for each section on the website for each lesson, or see Putting It Together for more explanation of any of the larger TruWonder components at tru.davidccook.com. 7

8 NOTES: (Optional) Station 2: Wild, Wild Wilderness After Jesus was baptized, the Spirit of God led Him into the wilderness for 40 days. Today children will have the opportunity to explore various items to create their own imaginative wilderness. SUPPLIES (per table) EXPLORE bin shredded paper small branches, leaves, and twigs toy people and animals small rocks small piece of blue fabric PREPARE AHEAD Gather materials and place in an EXPLORE bin. Consider shredding paper from your office recycle bin to use as the wilderness floor. (It s both eco- and pocketbook-friendly.) SET UP Place all the items on the table. ENGAGE Invite children to join you at the EXPLORE Station. Encourage kids as they begin to examine and play with the items on the table. Ask open-ended questions to foster conversation as children are involved in imaginative play with the items. Who can tell me what a wilderness is? Allow children to answer. Let s build one together. Tell me about what you re building. Play alongside the children as you create your own wilderness. Talk about the pieces you re building as a way to engage kids in further conversation. Who lives in the wilderness? What does it look like? What kinds of things can you find in your wilderness? Would you want to live in a wilderness? Why or why not? 8

9 Discover:: min. Host/Worship Leader/Storyteller Large Group SECTION Children move into a large group setting and participate in discovering God s Word through storytelling, worship, and interactive experiences. NOTES: Ponder Point Chloe s Rules Host/Worship Leader God Is with Us SUPPLIES worship music (suggestions: The Big God Story, TruWorship Songs from the Playhouse and God, You re Big, TruWorship Your Love; see tru.davidccook.com for Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users; or itunes), and a countdown video (optional). Mail Time Host/Worship Leader REMEMBER VERSE This week, the Remember Verse is in the environment of STORYTELLING. The Lord causes his miracles to be remembered. He is kind and tender. Psalm 111:4 (NIrV) 9

10 Remember Verse Motions The Lord: Point both index fingers to the sky. causes: Hold both hands in fists at chest. While saying the word causes, push fists away from body and open hands. His miracles: Using forefinger, make a circle by side of forehead. to be remembered: Point both index fingers to temples. He is: Point both index fingers to the sky. kind: Both hands in the sign of a k and circle one another. and tender: Bring both hands to chest, covering heart. Wardrobe of Wonder Storyteller/Host/Worship Leader What sit: Bucket of Water Before beginning His ministry, Jesus was baptized in the water of the Jordan River. After His baptism, Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit, went into the desert for 40 days and nights. Jesus spent time fasting and praying in the wilderness as God prepared Him for His ministry that would follow. SUPPLIES What sit: Bucket of Water (see optional image to show or print at tru.davidccook.com) Kids love talking about water. It was a perfect What sit that led into the story with John the Baptist. International Church of Las Vegas ASK What do you think is in this bucket? Look in. Oh! I know what it is. Fill your hand with water and then let the water drip back into the bucket, creating a small splash. Encourage your volunteer to do the same. It s water! Hmmm I wonder why there s water in the wardrobe. Should I drink it? No, I don t think so. This isn t drinking water. Should I dump this on my head? No, no, no! Everything would get wet. I think it s time we find out why we have water in the wardrobe. Do you know what time it is? It s time for 10

11 THE BIG GOD STORY is written for a 3 1/2- to 6-yearold audience. It can be told in its entirety for an older audience, but it may need to be shortened if your group is on the younger side. NOTES: The Big God Story Matthew 3:13 17; 4:1 17; Mark 1:9 15; Luke 3:21 23; 4:1 14; John 1:29 36 Storyteller SUPPLIES images: Baptism (see tru.davidccook.com) small container filled with items from optional EXPLORE Station: shredded paper, twigs, leaves, small rocks, toy people and animals, small piece of blue fabric Welcome children and lead them in a Prayer of Release. The last time we looked into The Big God Story together, we heard about the very important job God gave a man named John. God told John to go and tell His people to get ready for the promised Savior, Jesus! John did just as God instructed him. He told the people God s big news. They needed to get ready to meet Jesus. What do you think John told the people to do so their hearts would be ready? (Encourage children to share thoughts; interact with responses.) Those are good ideas. John told the people all about God s forgiveness. Then he baptized the people who wanted to follow and obey God. When someone was baptized, John helped them go under the water and come back up. Wait a minute! Water! (Tech: Cue WARDROBE OF WONDER sound effect.) Water is our What sit today! When people were baptized in water, it was a way for them to show others that even though they made mistakes, they were now choosing to follow God. (Tech: Cue images Baptism.) Have you ever seen someone getting baptized? (Interact with kids and their responses.) One day, as John was baptizing people in the river, Jesus arrived. Jesus wanted John to baptize Him. John didn t understand why Jesus was asking to be baptized. Jesus had never sinned or made any mistakes. Because Jesus is God, He is holy and perfect. Jesus told John, Let it be this way for now. It is right for us to do this. It carries out God s holy plan. When John heard this, he agreed and baptized Jesus. This was one of the ways Jesus showed everyone He was obeying and following His Father, God. Jesus baptism was special, and different from anyone else s. The Bible says the heavens opened and God spoke. He said, This is My Son, whom I love; I am very happy with Him. God the Father was telling Jesus, in front of everyone, how much He loved His Son! How do you feel when your mom and dad tell you how much they love you? (Allow children to answer; interact with their responses.) Yes! It s so good to hear how much our moms and dads love us! After God told Jesus how much He loved Him, the Holy Spirit came down and stayed with Jesus. Can you imagine what 11

12 Note We re excited for The Big God Story this week. Children will be hearing about Jesus baptism and His time in the desert in the same context. Both of these events are key to the start of His ministry. This time of preparation marked the start of a new season a season of redemption. God had come and was preparing to redeem His people. Your time storytelling may be slightly longer but will be well worth it as children better understand that God was with Jesus in everything He did and He will be with them, too! NOTES: an amazing moment that would have been to hear God s voice and see the Holy Spirit come down to be with Jesus? God the Father was happy with Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit was with Him! That s amazing! Then the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. What do you think is in the wilderness? (Children answer. Use items from EXPLORE bin; set up wilderness based on children s answers. Interact with children and use wilderness pieces to storytell.) Do you think Jesus was scared? Have you ever been in a wilderness? (Children respond.) How did you feel? Are there wild animals in the wilderness? What kind of animals? What do those animals sound like? (Encourage kids to share their best animal sounds.) Imagine that you were in the wilderness without your friends or family. Imagine that it s just you and the animals. How would you feel? (Children answer.) Was Jesus alone? (Kids answer.) No way, He was never alone. God His Father was with Him. And, God even sent angels to care for Jesus while He was in the wilderness. The Bible says the wild animals didn t harm Him. Not one little bit. God the Father was with Him. Jesus was sent by His Father into the wilderness to spend time praying and fasting. What does it mean to fast? (Children answer.) When someone fasts, they choose to go without food for a certain amount of time. When the person who is fasting feels hungry, instead of eating food, the person can remember to pray. God sent His Son, Jesus, to the wilderness to fast and pray for 40 days. This was a special time for Jesus to get ready for all the things He would do in the next few years. Jesus is the promised Savior. God s people had been waiting for the promised Savior for a very long time. It was finally time for the world to meet Jesus. But first, Jesus needed to get ready for everything God had planned for Him. In this time of praying and fasting, God was preparing Jesus for His ministry! God was always with Jesus. When Jesus was baptized, when He was in the wilderness, in His traveling and teaching, and when He died on the cross, God was with Him! And when Jesus came to life again, God was with Him. Jesus made a way for us to be with God forever. And because of Jesus, God is with us. Friends, when is God with you? (Children answer.) What about when the wind is blowing really hard, lightning is flashing, and thunder is crashing? Is God with you? (Kids answer.) Yes. What about when you re having a birthday party, playing games, and eating yummy cake? Is God with you? (Kids answer.) Yes, He is with you. Is God with you when you have to be very brave? (Kids answer.) Yes! God is always with you. He has a very special part for you to play in The Big God Story, and He will be with you every step of the way. He has given you His Word, the Bible, so you can learn more about Him. He has also given you His Holy Spirit to comfort and guide you. Because of this, you can trust and know that God is with you always. 12

13 Respond:: min. Worship Leader Children have the opportunity to respond to God and to what they have heard and experienced through His Word. Special attention should be given to create space for the Holy Spirit to minister to each child. Large Group SECTION SUPPLIES worship song (suggestion: I Can Hear You, TruWorship Your Love; see tru.davidccook.com for Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users; or itunes) Worship-through-Response God loves us so much. He will never leave us. Not ever! He has a special part for each of us to play in The Big God Story! We can trust Him to be with us and give us everything we need to trust and follow Him. Lead the children in a time of response through music (song suggestion: I Can Hear You). NOTES: 13

14 Respond:: min. Small Group Leaders Children have an opportunity to reflect (within the faith community) on what they have heard, and to respond to God individually or corporately. This time is focused on the wonder of God and the foundational Truth of His Word. They had fun pretending to be animals. I got images off the Internet and printed them out instead of writing the name of the animal, since most of the kids can t read. The Beacon The kids loved the Connect activity, and the Wild Things music was a fun background to their animal sounds. Good Shepherd Church We printed out wild animal pictures and had one kid act out what he saw while the other kids guessed. River West Church Small Group SECTION Connect: Where the Wild Things Are SUPPLIES (per small group) index cards marker optional: print or cut animal pictures from magazines MP3 or compact disc player lively music (suggestions: Animal or All Is Love, Karen O and the Kids Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack) PREPARE AHEAD Clearly print the name of an animal on the front of each index card. As an alternative, print or cut animal pictures from magazines and glue them to each index card. SET UP Place the music in a location accessible to the leader. ENGAGE Welcome the children and invite them to join you in a circle on the floor. Today in The Big God Story, Jesus was baptized and then the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness. Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days. The Bible tells us there were wild animals in the wilderness with Jesus. But they didn t harm Jesus, not one little bit. What kind of animals do you think were in the wilderness with Him? Children will give suggestions. Those are some great ideas! As kids mention various types of animals, hold up the cards with the names (or pictures) of the animals they mention for them to see. Create a new card for any new animals. Ask: What sound does each animal make? How does each animal move? Then mix up the cards and place them in a stack in the center of the circle. Now we re going to pretend to be the wild animals of the wilderness. Let s all stand in a circle. I ll draw a card and read the name of the animal. When the music starts, we ll all move in a circle just like we think the animal on our card would move around the circle. Whenever the music is playing, you have to move around the circle making wild animal noises, walking a wild animal walk, and dancing a wild animal dance. Let s have some fun! 14

15 Create was one of the best we had so many kids drawing pictures of themselves and God doing their favorite things together. Parents were excited to hear what their child had drawn (was a great family conversation starter). Small Group Enhancements Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users can find a quarterly TruWonder Timeline and images of people corresponding to each week s lesson at tru.davidccook.com. As you place the weekly people squares on the timeline, invite children to help you storytell. The provided questions will prompt further conversation about what children have been experiencing. They ll enjoy watching as the timeline fills from week to week and their knowledge of The Big God Story grows. Good Shepherd Church We made mirrors for the kids to color to get them started drawing a picture with them and God. Elmbrook Church We gave the kids paper plates and glue and had them add cornmeal to make a desert/wilderness scene. They then added a die-cut of Jesus praying and an angel to remind them that God is with them. Peninsula Covenant Church Create: Me and You SUPPLIES (per table/small group) paper crayons permanent marker SET UP Place paper and crayons in the center of the table. ENGAGE Invite children to join you at the table. Talk with the children about the Ponder Point for the day: God is with us. In The Big God Story today, who was with Jesus in the wilderness? Children answer. God, His Father! That s right! Because of Jesus, we get to be with God forever and ever. God loves you, and He will always be with you. If you had a picture of you and God together, what would it look like? What would God look like? Well, today in CREATE, you ll get to draw a picture of you and God together. As children are creating their pictures, listen to the conversations that are surrounding their process and drawings. Write down and save the quotable quotes. Wonder Questions Today in The Big God Story, John baptized Jesus. God the Father told Jesus, and the people who had gathered at the river, of His great love for His Son. As soon as God finished speaking, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days. God was with Jesus the entire time. Because of Jesus, God is always with us, too! I wonder What did the people think when they heard God s voice from heaven? I wonder How did Jesus feel when He was in the wilderness? I wonder What was Jesus thinking about while He was in the wilderness? I wonder Since God is always with me, why can t I see Him? I wonder What will my part in The Big God Story be? 15

16 Bless:: 5 min. Small Group Leaders A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement and guidance. A blessing can be offered in order to ask God s Spirit to overflow from the child s life in such a way that blesses others, while it can also be prayed over a child for the purpose of declaring God s protection, joy, or wisdom. NOTES: Small Group SECTION Children, may you always know that the Lord, who rules over everything and everyone, is with you. You never have to be afraid. He is with you. He is your God. He will make you strong and help you. His powerful right hand will take good care of you. He will always do what is right. (reference Isaiah 41:10 and Psalm 46:11 NIrV) The Lord causes his miracles to be remembered. He is kind and tender. Psalm 111:4 (NIrV) HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God s Word together before children arrive at church. HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource Every four weeks we highlight one of the 10 environments. For each new environment, parents should receive HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource. This resource gives families ideas for how to create fun, spiritually forming times in their home setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives! 16