God s Unfolding Story

Transcription

1 New Testament Unit 5: Jesus Taught Important Truths Lesson 4: Jesus Taught About Giving God s Unfolding Story Bible Story: Jesus Taught About Giving (Mark 12:41-44) Bible Phrase: God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). Bible Truth: Jesus teaches me to give. 1. God created everything. 2. People disobeyed God. 3. God chose a special people. 4. God sent Jesus to help us. 5. Jesus began the Church. Suggested Schedule: Arrival Centers 25 minutes Clean-up Time 5 minutes Bible Story Time 15 minutes Craft Time 10 minutes Snack Time 10 minutes Game Time/Dismissal Hour B 6. Jesus is preparing heaven for us. Unfolding God s Story for Teachers Please read Mark 12: This is a story of contrasts. In only four verses Jesus taught a monumental lesson about giving. This passage documented one brief moment in the life of Jesus, but the Master s observations give us a life lesson about giving. This was Jesus last teaching in the temple complex before His death. Jesus was sitting in the area of the temple treasury watching the people give their contributions. He observed the rich as they deposited large amounts of money. More than likely, these deposits drew the attention of those present. Jesus also observed another person in the temple a widow, probably one of the poorest of the poor. She did not wear lavish clothes or draw attention to herself. Her two coins, worth less than a penny in today s American currency, barely made a sound as they rolled into the box. More than likely, no one noticed her except Jesus. Jesus saw the rich people and the poor widow. He saw their hearts, their intentions. He saw the difference. She gave what was essential to her life; they gave from their riches. One commentary states, They gave what they did not need. The widow gave out of her need. The greatest gift was what cost the most. Worldly scales would measure the greater gifts as the best, but spiritual scales measure the intent of the heart. Jesus does not look at the amount of our gifts. When as believers acknowledge that all we have is from the Lord, our hearts are more open to release and give cheerfully and sacrificially. There is also a release of our livelihood in trust to God. Giving money is not all we can give. We can give of our time, skills and possessions. Whatever our gifts, we must consider the motive and the intent of our hearts and the extent of our trust in God s provision of our need. Preschoolers can learn to give as they observe their parents and other significant people in their lives. We can provide them with opportunities to give, which also will benefit their understanding. As they mature and grow spiritually, they will begin to see the need to check their own hearts regarding the intention of their gifts. Lesson Plan Arrival Greet children at eye level and express how happy you are to see them. Be sure each child has a name tag and the security measures of your church are followed. Label all coats and personal belongings. Strongly encourage children who have brought items from home, such as toys and books, to place them on a shelf while they are working with other materials. Assure children their items will be safe and they can take them home at the end of the session. Help each child make a choice where he or she would like to begin his or her Center Time. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright SundaySchoolZone.com NT05 Lesson 4 Hour B Page 1

2 Block Center Build with Blocks Wooden blocks If available, add some different kinds of blocks such as Legos What to Do: Provide a small carpet if possible. Blocks are best located in a corner of the room away from the traffic flow. Link to the Bible Story: As children build, listen for opportunities to share the Bible Phrase or tell a part of the Bible story. Art Center Make a Class Mural Large sheet of white butcher paper Old magazines for cutting Crayons and washable markers, glue, scissors What to Do: Print the Bible Phrase at the top of the paper. Divide the paper into three sections under the Bible Phrase. Print one of the following words in each section: food, clothes and toys. Invite children to draw pictures of these items or cut pictures from magazines and glue in each section. Link to the Bible Story: As children work, read the Bible Phrase. Express the following: God wants us to be happy to give our money, clothes, food or toys to help those who do not have enough. Center Time Home Living Center Decorate a Giving Box (Optional) Doll bed and doll items such as doll bag, blanket, clothes, bottles and diapers; small rocking chair; sink and stove unit; small table and chairs; plastic dishes, child pots and pans; plastic food items Cardboard box, butcher paper or brown wrapping paper, washable markers, stickers Canned goods and staple food items donated from teachers and class (Refer to note sent home from previous week.) What to Do: Wrap the box ahead of class. Invite children to use the art materials to decorate the box. Children can place food items in the box. Link to the Bible Story: As children work at the activity, tell them that in our Bible story today, Jesus was teaching a lesson about giving our money to the church. Express that Jesus wants us not only to bring our money, but there are also other ways He wants us to give, such as giving food or clothes to those who don t have enough. Explain to children that the food items they brought will be given to people who are in need of food. Bible Learning Center Connect the Dots Copies of Activity Page: Connect the Dots (Reproducible) Washable markers, crayons What to Do: Ask children to use a marker or crayon to connect the dots to finish the picture. Link to the Bible Story: Tell children the picture is about today s Bible story. Share part of the Bible story by adding, Jesus watched people in the temple as they gave their money. He watched how the rich people made a loud noise when they dropped in their coins. He saw how a poor woman gave only two small coins but she gave all she had to the church. Jesus was most pleased with the gift the poor woman gave. Puzzle Center Work Puzzles Offer a variety of non-fantasy wooden or cardboard puzzles for children to work. What to Do: Encourage children to finish a puzzle before leaving the center. Give guidance rather than doing the puzzle for the child. Link to the Bible Story: As children work, look for opportunities in conversation to say the Bible Phrase or briefly tell the Bible story. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright SundaySchoolZone.com NT05 Lesson 4 Hour B Page 2

3 Clean-up Time Encourage preschoolers to help at clean-up time. Assign specific tasks for preschoolers to do such as placing all the crayons in the basket, throwing away the trash, gathering all the glue sticks, etc. Guide children to the Bible Story Time area. Bible Story Time Bible Teaching Picture: Jesus Taught About Giving (Reproducible) God s Unfolding Story Cube (Reproducible/Cardstock) Optional: Two sacks or small boxes, handful of coins Introduction Show the God s Unfolding Story Cube. Point to each symbol and tell God s Unfolding Story. (Refer to page 1.) Encourage children to tell the story with you. Comment to boys and girls today s story is from God sent Jesus to help us. (Point to that symbol on the cube.) Express the following: Today in our Bible story, Jesus was teaching His helpers a lesson about giving money to the church. Listen to hear why Jesus was not pleased with people who gave a lot of money, but was pleased when one woman only gave two small coins. Bible Story Jesus Taught About Giving (Mark 12:41-44) One day, Jesus was outside the temple, teaching. He was sitting near a place called the temple treasury. This was where people put the money they were bringing to give to the church. There were containers in which the people to deposit their offerings. As Jesus was sitting and watching, many people came by to give their money. Some of the people were very rich. They wore expensive clothes and jewelry. They would loudly drop large handfuls of money into the boxes. Clang, clang, clang went the coins! (Drop a lot coins noisily into one of the boxes or sacks.) Everyone could hear the coins as they dropped into the boxes. Surely everyone paid attention to the people who put in lots of money. Then a woman came into the temple treasury. The woman s husband had died, and she had no income of her own. She was not a rich person. She did not have expensive clothes or jewelry. This woman was very poor. Probably no one watched as she placed her two small coins into the box. (Drop two coins into the other box.) Ping, ping went the two coins. Her coins did not make a loud sound. Other people may not have seen the woman, but Jesus saw her and said, This poor woman has put in more than anyone else. Jesus helpers probably wondered how the woman s two coins could be more than the handfuls the others gave. Jesus explained, The rich people only gave some of their money, but she gave all she had. The poor woman gave the best gift to God. Talk Time 1. Show the teaching picture for today s Bible story. Ask the following: Where is Jesus in this picture? What was the difference in the amount the rich gave and the amount the widow gave? Who did Jesus say gave the best gift? 2. Comment that it was easy for the rich to give; they had a lot. The poor woman gave everything she had. Read the Bible Phrase on the teaching picture. Say the phrase together. Express the following: Another word for cheerful could be happy. God wants us to be happy to give our money to the church. We give because God has given to us, and we give so other people can learn about God and Jesus. 3. Close the Bible Story Time by giving any interested preschooler an opportunity to pray. End the prayer asking God to help us to give cheerfully. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright SundaySchoolZone.com NT05 Lesson 4 Hour B Page 3

4 Craft Time Make an Offering Bank Large-sized paper plates (1 and one-half plates per child) Copies of Bible Phrase Strips Crayons or washable markers, hole punch, yarn, stapler or masking tape Natural world stickers or stickers about Jesus Optional: Handful of coins (Bring from home.) What to Do: Cut out the Bible Phrases. Cut paper plates in half for the number of children present. Invite children to color and decorate the backside of the half plate. Give each child a Bible Phrase to glue on their paper plate half or on the whole plate. Staple or tape together the half plate and whole plate to form a pocket. Hole punch at the top and tie a small piece of yarn for hanging. If available, give each child a few coins to place in their bank. Be sure to put each child s name on their banks. Link to Bible Story: Read the Bible Phrase. Talk about things your church does with the money people bring to church such as: providing activities to tell others about Jesus; helping people who need food and clothes; buying puzzles, blocks and art supplies for the preschool rooms; etc. Encourage children to hang their banks in a special place; each time they earn some money, they can place some of it in their banks for church. Snack Time Be sure to wash hands or use hand sanitizer. Say a thank-you prayer to God for the snack. When snack time has ended, encourage preschoolers to help with cleaning up. Game Time/Dismissal Coin Relay 2 paper cups or bowls 6 coins What to Do: Have the children form two lines. Place a bowl or cup about 5 or 6 feet from the front of each line. Give the first person in each line three coins. The object is to walk quickly to the bowl and try to drop all the coins into the bowl. After the attempt, the player gathers up the coins and returns the coins to the next player. The game continues until all players have had a turn. The object is to be the first line to finish. At the close of the game, say the Bible Phrase together, God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). Remind children that God wants us to give with happy hearts. Dismiss children as parents arrive. Be sure to follow the security procedures of your church. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright SundaySchoolZone.com NT05 Lesson 4 Hour B Page 4

5 Resources and Supplies Hour B New Testament Unit 5: Jesus Taught Important Truths Lesson 4: Jesus Taught About Giving Standard Art Supplies (Supplies that are generally in the room) Washable markers Crayons Child scissors Playdough and accessories Drawing paper Easel (optional) Glue/glue sticks Tempera paint, 4 colors Tape/masking tape Pencils/colored pencils Hole punch Teacher scissors Stapler/staples Permanent markers Watercolors Paintbrushes Yarn Standard Equipment (Equipment that is generally in the room) Small beanbag for Bible Story Time Assorted wooden/cardboard puzzles Set of wooden blocks Small cars and trucks Doll bed Baby doll (soft plastic) Stove/sink unit Play dishes/pots and pans Small table and chairs Small carpet for block area Play food items Storage shelf for blocks Tables and chairs for art, puzzles, and Bible Learning Center CD player/children s Worship CDs Reproducibles (Included with the lesson plan downloads) Activity Page: Connect the Dots (1 copy per child) Bible Phrase Strips (1 copy per class of 15) Teaching Picture: Jesus Taught About Giving (1 copy per class) God s Unfolding Story Cube (Cardstock) (1 copy per class) Parent Page (1 copy per child) Additional Bible Story Materials Small boxes or lunch-size paper sacks (2) Handful of coins (suggest teachers bring from home) Additional Game Time Materials Paper cups or bowls 6 coins (suggest teachers bring from home) Additional Art Materials Large sheet of white butcher paper Old magazines for cutting pictures of foods, clothes and toys Paper plates (8-inch) (1 ½ per child) Natural world stickers or stickers about Jesus Additional Home Living Materials Optional: Cardboard box White butcher paper or brown wrapping paper Non-fantasy stickers Canned goods and staple foods donated from teachers and class (Refer to note sent home the previous week.) Additional Block Materials Legos God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright SundaySchoolZone.com NT05 Lesson 4 Hour B

6 God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:7) Connect the Dots Instructions: One copy for every child. Ask boys and girls to use a marker or crayon to connect the dots to finish the picture. NT05 Lesson 4 Hour B Center Time: Art Center God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright SundaySchoolZone.com

7 Bible Phrase Strips Instructions: One copy per 8 children. Cut out the Bible Phrases. Use with the Offering Bank activity for Craft Time. NT05 Lesson 4 Hour B Craft Time God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright SundaySchoolZone.com

8 God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright SundaySchoolZone.com God s Unfolding Story Cube Instructions: Cut out on dotted lines, fold on solid lines. Glue or tape to form a cube.

9 Coloring Page Jesus Taught About Giving God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:7) NT05 Lesson 4 Optional God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright SundaySchoolZone.com