NICODEMUS COMES 10 JESUS BIBLE BASIS. John 3:1-21 LESSON AIM

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2 NICODEMUS COMES 10 JESUS That the child will understand BIBLE BASIS John 3:1-21 LESSON AIM SCRIPTURE that Jesus wants the child to love Him. INSIGHT Nicodemus was an important man, a member of the Jewish ruling council and a pharisee. He obviously felt that he was taking a great personal risk to go to Jesus, and so he went at night. He was troubled by serious questions, and he knew that he needed to talk to Jesus to begin his search for the answers. In the discussion that ensued, Jesus explained to Nicodemus the necessity of having a true relationship with God. Nicodemus needed to understand that there was more to following God than having religious works and affiliations. As Jesus gently but finnly revealed the truth about Himself, God's lovefor mankind and the necessity of being born again, Nicodemus must have been moved. He asked Jesus probing questions; he wanted to know how he could enter the kingdom of God. Although we are not told how Nicodemus responded to this truth when he first heard it, we know that he became a follower of Jesus. In John 20:38-42 we find him boldly participating in the burial of Jesus after the crucifixion. His concern for his reputation and standing with the Jewish leaders had been replaced by a daring and bold love for his Lord. May our love for Jesus cause us to commit ourselves totally to Him as Nicodemus did. GREETING Use an empty valentine candy box or a red construction paper heart that has been cut on the fold so that you have a double heart. On the inside of the box or heart, tape a picture of Jesus or Jesus stickers. Conversation: "Good Morning, (child's name) Do you want to see who I love? Open the box (or heart), and you will see. Who is that? Jesus wants me to love Him. Jesus wants you to love Him, too. 1. Will You Love Me? Mural,, CENTER TIME po.per ),(} I ' ~ (6\0.""... 0) berg [ji~ 0 Jesus picture c f The purpose of this activity is tofamiliarize the child with the main points of the story and to communicate to.the child that Jesus wants the child to lovehim... Supplies: A long sheet of light blue butcher paper (divided into thirds); black butcher paper or construction paper for the middle section; a sun; a moon; three paperdoll people; one Nicodemus (a different color from the other paper dolls) two white Jesuses; a pocket for Nicodemus to stand in and a pocket for the heart; two red hearts; seven to ten smiley faces and a picture of Jesus. Everything is either glued or taped onto the background except Nicodemus and the smiley faces.

3 Note: Youmay draw all of the above in the appropriate spaces on your mural except Nicodemus and the smiley faces. If you draw them, you will need a pocket for Nicodemus in the first section. Introduce the child to Nicodemus as you give the Nicodemus paperdoll to him. Then cover the followingpoints: Section 1: "One day Nicodemus heard Jesus talk to a lot of people." (Guide the child in placing Nicodemus in Section 1.) Section 2: "Nicodemus wanted to talk to Jesus alone, so Nicodemus sneaked out at night and talked to Jesus. Where is the night picture? Let's put Nicodemus here" (place Nicodemus in pocket), "so he can talk to Jesus. Jesus wants Nicodemus to love Him. Let's put this heart right here" (place heart in a pocket between Nicodemus and Jesus). "Nicodemus loves Jesus" (Point to the appropriate figure). II Section 3: "Jesus wants you to love Him, too." (Write child's name across the top of a smiley face.) (Child's n~me) loves Jesus." (Guide the child in repeating after you as he points to appropriate object: (Child's name) loves Jesus.") 2. "I Can Read" Make some white construction paper circles 4" to 5" in diameter. Punch holes in the top of each circle and run yarn through the holes. Give each child at your table two small smiley face stickers (or smiley faces made out of construction paper that can be glued on), two stickers of Jesus and two small red heart stickers (or hearts made out of red construction paper that can be glued on). On one side of the circle, the child will On the other side (if there is time and interest), he can glue lizuu5j First demonstrate the order of the items in the center of your table as you say them out loud. ~ 1~f!.sV~7 (child's name) loves Jesus. "Everyone put your smiley face down" (put a dot of glue down where the child is to place the smiley face if you are using construction paper). Then place the heart and the Jesus sticker on a circle. If you have time, you can reverse the order of the stickers on the other side of the circle. Read through the stickers as you point each one out until the children see what you are doing. They will jjr(;bably repeat the sequence at home. 3. Who Want~ Your CQ Love? The purpose of this activity is to help the child think about the fact that his family wants his love and so does Jesus. Place seven hearts in a box on the table. On the back of each heart write Mommy, Daddy, Sister, Brother, Pet, Grandmother, Grandfather. Find pictures of a woman, a man, a boy, a girl, and older woman and an older man (if possible; if not, exclude the grandparents' hearts) and a pet (optional). Tape each one to poster board or butcher paper and tape a construction paper pouch below each picture. Tape a picture of Jesus at the top of the poster board (without a pouch below it). Conversation: "Pick a heart from the box: Your heart says, "Mommy." Does Mommy want you to love her? Do you ever hug and kiss Mommy? Let's find a Mommy and put your heart in the pouch below the Mommy. Did you ~ow that Jesus wants you to love Him, too?can you find a picture a Jesus?" Repeat with the other (same, look (child's (Child's. who name) name) name)!" Here (same (Put I have! he child's itis! name) behind your iley s activitytention faces. is ches up the to attract Have with the Conversation: offsmiley the the face smiley poster child's floor. inface. the face " Get board at- pouch, and thetaped remove then child's get to it the attention andwall child repeat atoplace by few the holding in- game. ere's FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER

4 M-... ~~-; G\s-\). FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER (cont'd.) Can you put (same child's name) in the pouch? (Point to pouch). " (Same child's name) loves Jesus" (as you point to each part). Repeat the activity even if all the child will do is place the smiley face in the pouch. Remember to repeat the sentence" (Child's name) loves Jesus." Place your Bible near you as you say, "The Bible says, 'Jesus wants (child's name) to love Him.''' 2. Bible in a Bucket The purpose of this activity is tofamiliarize the child with the Bible and to communicate at the same time that Jesus wants the child to love Him. Place a small table in the middle of the room. For younger children you may want to use a blanket or tablecloth (one which they have never seen that will attract them). Sit on the blanket and hold a bucket with a small children's Bible inside it. Also, lay a red construction paper heart in the center of the blanket. As the children come close, ask them to look inside the bucket. Conversation: "What's in my bucket? (Child's name) can you get my Bible for me? Thank you. The Bible says Jesus loves you! Now lay the Bible on the red heart." (Point to heart~) "The Bible says Jesus loves you." 3. Loving Baby Dolls This center was introduced in the lesson on Zaccheus. Children love to hold and love dolls. You may want to have a baby bottle handy. You can encourage the children to love the baby doll. Let them wrap a blanket around the doll. Then feed the doll. Conversation: "I love this baby. (Child's name), can you love the baby?" (Place the doll in the child's lap. Guide the child to sit down if he will.) " (Child's name) loves the baby. Do you know Jesus loves you?" 1. Supplies Needed Bible; mural and mural pieces from Center #1. STORY TIME 2. Preparation for Story Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing' 'Where is '" act out the monthly rhyme, recite the monthly Bible verse and begin story with prayer. "Thank you, Jesus for loving me. 1 want to love you, too. Amen." *BIBLE LEADER - Have one child come up and read (repeat after you while he is holding the open Bible), "God loves the world." 3. Outline for Story You may want to recreate the story on the mural from Center #1 or use the pieces (with tape on back) and the felt board as you recall the main points of the story. "This is Nicodemus." (Hold up picture of Nicodemus or your paper Nicodemus.) "Nicodemus went to hear Jesus talk." (Place Nicodemus on mural or feltboard to listen to Jesus.) "There were many people there." "Nicodemus wanted to see Jesus alone. Guess what Nicodemus did?" "Nicodemus sneaked out at night when it was dark." (Walk Nicodemus through the dark to Jesus.) "Now Nicodemus could talk to Jesus all alone. No one else was there. It was night time." "Jesus talked to Nicodemus. He wanted Nicodemus to love Him. He wanted Nicodemus to give Him his heart." (Place a heart between Nicodemus and Jesus.) Jesus wants you to love Him, too. We can't hug and kiss Jesus. But we can love Him by praying and learning all about Him from our Bible. This is the way we give Him our heart." (Place the red heart against your chest.) "The Bible says Jesus wants us to love Him. Jesus wants (child's name) to love Him." (Kneel before each child and repeat the sentence with each child.) End with prayer.

5 .,::(W).. J? :i~ t:::j (;\S -'1) FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER I *Children this age can hear the same story. Youwill only need a Jesus paperdoll and a Nicodemus paperdoll. Continue your story as follows: Place the Bible in front of the children. Try putting a large doll (one that will attract attention) and lay the Bible in doll's lap. Conversation: "What does our friend have in his lap? A Bible. Can you say Bible?" Use your chart from Center #1 under centers for children under 24 months old. Place a smiley face on the chart for each child. With each smiley face say: "Where is (child's name)? Here he is! Let's put (child's name) Uphere. (Child's name) loves Jesus. (Point to each figure as you say the words.)" Repeat this with each child present. If you have their attention, some children may want to place their own smiley faces on the board. You may want to end your story with a prayer and the song "Jesus Loves Me". MUSIC TIME Have two children come to the front. One can hold a picture of Jesus, and the other child can hold a red heart. let them lead the class in singing "Jesus is a Friend of Mine." Repeat this until several children have had a turn. You will want to applaud after each time. Another song that is fun to sing, because the children can sway back and forth while they sing is "Jesus Wants me to Give Him My Heart." Let two children lead the singing and again hold the heart and the picture of Jesus. CRAFT TIME 1. Before Sunday cut out hands, hearts and white strips. Glue the white strips onto the background. 2. Have the child glue the hands onto the background (see craft sample) and then glue the heart on top of the hands. Say, "Jesus wants (child's name) to love Him." \. d~~~j,-./- V:.J " -J',..j),...~..1 U~\ FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER Have the hands already glued onto the background. NafE TO PARENTS The following points might be included in your note to parents. 1. Advise them of the story and activities taught that day. 2. Encourage the mother to help the child understand the relationship between "giving Jesus his heart" and loving Jesus." Let the child pick our his favorite stuffed animal. The mother then needs to tell the child to love and hug his animal then to love and hug Mommy. She can then confirm his actions by telling him when he loves Mommy, he gives Mommy his heart. Jesus wants us to give Him our heart. The child obviously cannot understand this concept, but we can help by repeating "love" and "heart" together.

6 EXPANDED SESSION NICODEMUS COMES TO JESUS Supplement 1. Jesus Thlks Th Nicodemus BIBLE BASIS John 3:1-21 LESSON AIM The child will know that Jesus wants the child to love Him. CENTER TIME Supplies: Black construction paper, red heart stickers, chalk (white and light blue) and stars (stick on). Draw (with chalk) an outline of the moon, Jesus and Nicodemus on black construction paper. Let Nicodemus be blue and Jesus be white. The children can color in the outline. Point: Nicodemus came to talk to Jesus at night. Why? Jesus told Nicodemus why we should love Jesus. John 3: What is Love? The purpose of this activity is to cause the child to understand the definition of love and then to transfer that to Jesus wanting the child to love Him. Guide the children in placing red construction paper hearts onto pictures which show love:for children, families, Jesus and children, child for a pet, etc. Also, find some that do not show love..this game will attract more attention if you drape a sheet over a row of 7-9 chairs against a table or wall. Set the pictures up on top of the chair. Clap for the children when they get them right. Mix up the pictures. While you mix them up, have child close eyes. Find pictures of ways to love Jesus: reading Bible (or just using Bible), going to church, praying, etc. You will want to add these to your pictures and change your conversation to: "Now let's find pictures that show us how we can love Jesus." 3. Bible Book Marker Make a black book marker and glitter a red heart onto it or place heart stickers on the book marker. Be sure to have several Bibles on hand. Let the children practice placing the book marker into the Bible at John 3. Read some of the Bible Story with the children. STORY TIME 1. Supplies Needed Bibles; mural and mural pieces from center #1 (optional). 2. Preparation for Story Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing "Where is ", act out monthly Bible verse and begin the story with prayer. "Thank you, Jesus for loving me. I want to love you, too. Amen." *BIBLE LEADER - Have one child come up and read (repeat after you while he is holding the open Bible), "God loves the world."

7 3. Outline for Story *NafE - The order of the story will go as is in the Bible. When you read about Nicodemus' secret talk with Jesus, you may want to explain in more detail. Verses 3 and 4 talk about being born again. You may want to put your emphasis on this. "Jesus told Nicodemus he had to be born again." "Nicodemus did not understand. He thought Jesus meant be a baby again." "But Jesus meant Nicodemus needed to ask Jesus into his heart. Jesus wanted Nicodemus to love Him." "That's like being new again. When someone hasn't known Jesus, they sometimes aren't very happy." "When you ask Jesus into your heart, that means you want to be like Jesus. You want to love Him with all your heart." "Jesus wants you to love Him." You may want to ask them if they have any questions. (See curriculum) CRAFf TIME