Preschool. April 19, :45am

Transcription

1 Preschool April 19, :45am

2 Leader BIBLE STUDY Use Week of: April 19, 2015 The Gospels record dozens of Jesus parables. A parable is a story Jesus told to help people understand the kingdom of God. Each parable taught a lesson and revealed secrets of God s kingdom for those who would understand. (See Matt. 13:10-13.) 2 The parable of the sower would have resonated with those listening because they would have been familiar with the practice of sowing or planting seed. But the parable had a deeper meaning. It contained a lesson about God s Word and the responses of those who hear it. In the parable, a sower s seeds fell in four different places. Some of the seeds fell along the path, where they were eaten by birds. Other seeds fell on rocky ground. Those seeds had no roots, so they withered in the sun. Other seeds fell among thorns, and they were choked out. Other seeds fell on good soil, and they produced a crop a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was planted. After Jesus told the parable, He explained it to His disciples. The soil represents people s hearts, and the seed is the word about God s kingdom. The person whose heart is like the hard soil hears the good news about God, but he does not understand it or he rejects it. The person whose heart is like the rocky soil is quick to receive the truth, but when life gets hard, he falls away. The person whose heart is like the thorny soil cares more about the things of the world than the good news about God, and the seed cannot grow. The person whose heart is like the good soil hears the good news about God and receives it. He bears fruit, more than what was planted. In the life of a believer, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) is evident. Jesus lesson still holds true today. People respond in various ways to the gospel, and not everyone who hears the gospel believes it. As you prepare to teach the parable of the sower, pray for the kids you lead. Pray that God will give them receptive hearts so that they will hear, understand, and receive the good news about Jesus. 142 Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 27 Session LifeWay 1

3 Preschool BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW Session Title: Parable of the Sower Bible Passage: Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15 Big Picture Question: What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? I can believe the truth about Jesus. Key Passage: Matthew 6:33 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus taught people that the kingdom of God had come and that salvation is available to all. U N I T 27 2 Small Group Opening Large Group Bible Study Small Group Activities Snack and Transition Jesus Preached LifeWay 2

4 The BIBLE STORY Parable of the Sower Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15 Jesus came to earth to do an important job to save people from their sins. God also wanted Jesus to teach people about God and His kingdom, so that is what Jesus did. Jesus traveled from town to town. In each place, Jesus told people the good news about God s kingdom, and crowds of people came to listen to Him teach. One day, Jesus was sitting by the sea. Lots of people came to hear Jesus, so He got into a boat and sat down to teach. The people stood on the shore to listen to Jesus. Jesus used parables, or stories, to teach the people. These stories helped people understand what is true about God s kingdom. On this particular day, Jesus told the people a story about a farmer working in a field. Jesus told this story to teach the people about sharing the good news about God with others. Jesus said, Think about this story. A farmer went out to plant seeds in the ground. He tossed the seeds back and forth. Some of the seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and ate up the seeds. Those seeds did not grow. Other seeds fell on rocky ground. The seeds sprouted quickly, but they did not have any roots because the soil was shallow. When the sun came out, the plants dried up. Other seeds fell among the thorns. The thorns grew and kept the seeds from growing. But some of the seeds fell on good ground. Those seeds grew up strong and healthy. These plants made grain, much more than what was planted! After Jesus told this story, His friends asked Him, Why do You use stories to teach the people? Jesus said, Not everyone will understand what is true about God s kingdom. I tell them stories because even though they look and hear, they do not see or understand. Jesus told His friends that God had given them a special ability to understand the truth about God. Then Jesus told His friends what the story about the seeds really meant. Jesus said, Some people hear what is true about God s 144 Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 27 Session LifeWay 3

5 kingdom, but they do not understand. God s enemy takes the truth away from them. Those people are like the seeds that fell on the path. Some people hear what is true about God s kingdom and they are happy to believe it. But when hard times come, they stop believing. Those people are like the seeds that fell on the rocky ground. Some people hear what is true about God s kingdom, but they worry about life on earth and they love money more than God. Those people are like the seeds that fell among the thorns. But some people hear what is true about God s kingdom, and they understand it. They believe the truth, and it changes them. Those people are like the seeds that fell on good ground. Christ Connection: Not everyone who hears about Jesus believes in Him. Some people don t understand Jesus or they think they are happy without Him. People who hear the gospel the good news about Jesus and believe in Him will be blessed. Jesus Preached LifeWay 4

6 Small Group OPENING Session Title: Parable of the Sower Bible Passage: Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15 Big Picture Question: What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? I can believe the truth about Jesus. Key Passage: Matthew 6:33 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus taught people that the kingdom of God had come and that salvation is available to all. We Are song Welcome and Session Starter Play the unit theme song in the background as you greet preschoolers and follow your church s security procedures. LOW PREP What Happens First? activity page, 1 per kid crayons small containers, 4 types of seeds, 4 hand wipes Allergy Alert Activity Page: What Happens First? Guide preschoolers to carefully look at the pictures of a plant s growth on the activity page. You may need to describe what each picture represents. Invite kids to number the pictures in the order in which they happen. Say Parables are short stories that talk about God and His kingdom. Today we are going to learn about a parable Jesus told about a man planting seeds. Sort seed Set out four small containers. Pile watermelon seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and corn kernels next to the containers. Guide the children to sort the seeds into the four separate containers. Supervise to ensure kids do not eat the seeds. Tell the children what kinds of seeds they are sorting. Talk about how the seeds look and feel the same or 146 Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 27 Session LifeWay 5

7 Note: Post an allergy alert. Prepare an alternate activity for kids with seed allergies. small containers (plastic eggs, corn kernels) tape pictures of a plant s life cycle different. Talk about what happens to seeds once they are planted in the ground. Say Today we re going to hear a Bible story about a farmer planting seeds in the ground. Jesus taught this story so people could learn about God s kingdom. Make seed shakers Assist the children in placing corn kernels in small containers to make musical seed shakers. Use tape to seal the containers. When kids finish, ask the children to close their eyes and listen to the different sounds that the seeds make. Invite them to describe the sounds they hear. You can ask them to guess which kind of seed is making the sound. Say Can you believe that this tiny seed [hold up a seed] grows into [name fruit/vegetable]? God sprouts a seed and grows it into a plant. God is amazing! Not every seed falls on good ground, though. Those seeds never turn into healthy plants. Jesus told a story about seeds to teach people something about God s kingdom. Let s listen carefully. Talk about farming crops Gather information about a plant s life cycle. Talk about how plants produce seeds that, if planted, will produce the same kind of plants. Pretend to scatter, or sow, seeds. Talk about how farmers in Bible times scattered seeds in a field to plant them. Say Jesus told a special story or parable about a man planting seeds. The story is really about God s kingdom. Transition to Bible study Jesus Preached LifeWay 6

8 Large Group BIBLE STUDY Session Title: Parable of the Sower Bible Passage: Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15 Big Picture Question: What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? I can believe the truth about Jesus. Key Passage: Matthew 6:33 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus taught people that the kingdom of God had come and that salvation is available to all. Large Group Bible Study Bible Key Passage Poster Seek Ye First song plant images cut from activity page Introduce the Bible story Read the key passage aloud several times. Remind kids that Jesus said these words in His Sermon on the Mount. Sing Seek Ye First. Say Jesus told His friends to look at the birds and plants to see how God takes care of us! We can trust God. In our Bible story today, Jesus talked about plants again, but this time He was telling a story about God s kingdom. Show the images of a plant s life cycle you cut from an extra activity page. Then do motions with the children to feel what it s like to be a seed: A seed starts out in the ground. [Crouch down.] Rain falls and the sun shines, and the seed opens up. [Spread out arms, staying low.] Slowly, the seed grows. [Slowly rise, moving arms like branches.] What does the seed turn into? A plant! [Jump up.] Say None of these things can happen unless a seed is planted in good soil. Today s Bible story is about different kinds of soil. Good soil is like a heart that loves God. 148 Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 27 Session LifeWay 7

9 Bible Story Picture Poster Tell the Bible story Open your Bible to Matthew 13 and tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided. Say In our Bible story today, Jesus used the example of a farmer planting seeds to teach people about God and His kingdom. The seed was the truth about Jesus: God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross and come back to life to save us from sin. Timeline Map Big Picture Question Poster Talk about the Bible story Refer to the timeline map as you review the Bible story. 1. What did Jesus teach people about as He traveled from town to town? (God s kingdom) 2. What is a parable? (a story that helps people understand what is true about God s kingdom) 3. What parable did Jesus tell about in our story today? (a farmer planting seed) 4. What types of soil did the seeds fall on? (a path, rocky soil, thorny soil, good soil) 5. Does everyone who hears the truth of God believe it? (No, some people don t understand it.) 6. What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? I can believe the truth about Jesus. Say Not everyone who hears about Jesus believes in Him. Some people don t understand Jesus, or they think they are happy without Him. People who hear the gospel the good news about Jesus and believe in Him will be blessed. Transition to small groups Invite kids to pretend to sow, or scatter, seeds as they return to small groups. Jesus Preached LifeWay 8

10 Small Group ACTIVITIES Session Title: Parable of the Sower Bible Passage: Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15 Big Picture Question: What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? I can believe the truth about Jesus. Key Passage: Matthew 6:33 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus taught people that the kingdom of God had come and that salvation is available to all. Small Group Activities Talk about the big picture question and answer, Christ connection, or details from the Bible story in each activity to reinforce God s big story. LOW PREP Tip: In the first verse, hold your hands up and shrug your shoulders as you sing the big picture question. In the second verse, point your thumb toward yourself as you sing the big picture answer. Sing a big picture question song Sing the following to the tune of The More We Get Together : What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? What can you do when you hear the truth about Him? I can believe the truth about Jesus, about Jesus. I can believe the truth about Jesus, God s Son. Lead kids to perform the hand motions suggested in the margin. Choose volunteers to take turns leading group motions as the class sings the song. Repeat the song a few times so several kids can lead. Say What is the truth about Jesus? Jesus is God s Son, and He came to earth to save us because He loves us. 150 Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 27 Session LifeWay 9

11 masking tape gray, brown, and/or black construction paper twine green yarn seeds (watermelon, sunflower, pumpkin, and corn kernels) Allergy Alert hand wipes (for cleanup) Four soils obstacle course Create an obstacle course to review where the seeds fell in Jesus parable. Use masking tape to mark a path. Crumple up gray, brown, and/or black construction paper to represent rocky ground. Set out twine to represent thorny ground. Put down green yarn or ribbon to represent the good ground. Invite the children to walk along the path, step between the rocks, tiptoe across the twine, and hop onto the green yarn. As the children make their way through the obstacle course, remind them of what happened to the seed that fell onto each type of ground. Path: Birds came and ate the seed. Rocks: The seed sprouted but died. It had no roots. Thorns: The thorns choked the seed and it did not grow. Good: The seeds grew into strong and healthy plants; they made more grain than what was planted. Invite the kids to walk through the obstacle course again. This time, mention what Jesus said each soil represented. Say Not every seed that falls onto the ground will grow into a fruitful plant. In the same way, the Bible says not every person who hears the truth will believe it. What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? I can believe the truth about Jesus. Sequence and count seed Invite kids to sequence and count different types of seed. Guide them to sort the seed by size, type, or color. You may also show the preschoolers how to count by one-toone correspondence lining one corn kernel next to each watermelon seed so kids may determine which seed they have more of. Say Jesus said the Word of God is like seed. Not everyone Jesus Preached LifeWay 10

12 who hears God s words will grow into a person who loves God, but the people who hear the truth and believe in Jesus will be blessed. What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? I can believe the truth about Jesus. Four Soils hula hoops, 4 masking tape We Are song Four soils scatter Lay four hula hoops on the floor. Tape a picture of each type of soil in the center of each hula hoop. Encourage the children to walk slowly around the room while music plays. When the music stops, call out one of the four types of soil the seed fell on. Direct the children to walk swiftly to the hula hoop containing the correct picture and place one foot inside the hula hoop. Start the music again and call out a different type of soil. Repeat the game as time allows. Remind the children of what the different types of soil represented in the story. Say What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? I can believe the truth about Jesus. 152 Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 27 Session LifeWay 11

13 Snack and Transition PTake a bathroom break and wash hands. Choose volunteers to help set up for the snack. Remind children during snack time to say please and thank you. Thank God for the snack. Journal Page crayons Transition - Journal page When a child finishes his snack and throws away any trash, this would also be a great time to encourage him to draw on his journal page a picture of a healthy plant growing out of good soil. Lead the kids through a prayer time, asking God to work in their hearts so that when they are ready and understand, they can receive the good news about Jesus. Pray that the seeds of God s Word that they heard in class today will grow to produce in each child a heart that loves God. If parents are picking up their children at this time, tell them something that their child enjoyed doing or did well during the session. If new teachers are arriving, quietly share useful information about kids who are present. Jesus Preached LifeWay 12

14 Journal Page April 19, 2015 Jesus Preached Key Passage: Matthew 6:33 Session 1: The Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5 7 Session 2: Parable of the Sower Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15 Session 3: Three Parables Luke LifeWay OK TO PRINT

15 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 Unit 27 Key Passage Poster (ESV) 2014 LifeWay OK TO PRINT Jesus Preached

16 What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? Unit 27 Session 2 Big Picture Question 2014 LifeWay OK TO PRINT Jesus Preached

17 What can you do when you hear the truth about Jesus? I can believe the truth about Jesus. Unit 27 Session 2 Big Picture Question 2014 LifeWay OK TO PRINT Jesus Preached

18 Unit 27 Session 2 Parable of the Sower 2014 LifeWay OK TO PRINT Jesus Preached

19 What Happens First? Instructions: Jesus told a story about a man who sowed (or planted) seeds in a field. The pictures below show how a seed grows into a plant. Can you number the pictures in the correct order? Unit 27 Session 2 Preschool Activity Pages Jesus Preached

20 Parable of the Sower Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15

21 Four Soils Instructions: Print the soil pictures on heavyweight paper and cut them apart. Use as directed in the leader guide. UNIT 27 Session 2 Preschool Bible Study 2014 LifeWay OK TO PRINT Jesus Preached