Leader BIBLE STUDY Use Week of: 1 Jesus death and resurrection should not have surprised the disciples. Sometimes Jesus spoke metaphorically about His death and resurrection. (See Matt. 12:39; Mark 14:58; John 2:19; 3:14-15.) Other times, Jesus plainly told the disciples that He would be betrayed, crucified, buried, and resurrected three days later. (Matt. 17:12; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22) In fact, Jesus had spoken so frequently of His death and resurrection, the chief priests and Pharisees asked Pilate to place guards at the tomb in case the disciples stole Jesus body. (See Matt. 27:62-66.) On resurrection morning, the angel at Jesus tomb asked the women, Why are you looking for the living among the dead? (Luke 24:5). Even when Peter and John ran to the empty tomb to see it for themselves, Peter was amazed but uncertain (Luke 24:12), while John believed (John 20:8). That same day, two disciples were walking to Emmaus, arguing about recent events. Jesus began walking next to them, but God prevented them from recognizing Him. (Luke 24:16) Jesus simply asked them what they were arguing about. They stopped walking. How could He not have heard about what happened over the last three days? The two disciples had hoped Jesus was the Redeemer of Israel. Their hopes were crushed because Jesus had died. Graciously, Jesus explained to them why the Messiah had to die, starting with Moses and the Prophets. Jesus showed them how the Scriptures point to Him. (Luke 24:27; cf. John 5:39) When they reached Emmaus, the disciples urged Him to stay and eat. As soon as Jesus blessed the bread and broke it, their eyes were opened and they knew they d seen Jesus. (Luke 24:31) Teach your kids the Bible is not a moralistic tale. The Bible is about Jesus. When Adam and Eve sinned, God began working out His plan to send Jesus to rescue people from sin. (Gen. 3:15) All of the Old Testament points forward to Jesus life, death, and resurrection the time when Jesus would bring God s promised salvation for sinners. Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide 2014 LifeWay Unit 33 Session 1 1
Preschool BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW Session Title: The Emmaus Disciples Bible Passage: Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35 Big Picture Question: What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to Key Passage: Matthew 28:19-20 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus prepared His disciples for a life of ministry. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us until He returns. U N I T 33 1 Small Group Opening (15 20 minutes) Large Group Bible Study (10 15 minutes) Small Group Activities (20 25 minutes) Snack and Transition (20 minutes) Additional suggestions for specific groups are available at gospelproject.com/kids/additional-resources. For free online training on how to lead a group, visit ministrygrid.com/web/thegospelproject. Jesus Prepared the Disciples 2014 LifeWay 2
The BIBLE STORY The Emmaus Disciples Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35 Three days had passed since Jesus was crucified. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had gone to Jesus tomb only to discover it empty. An angel of the Lord was at the tomb and told them Jesus was not there because He had been resurrected. The angel said Jesus was going ahead of the women into Galilee. That very same day, two of Jesus friends were on their way to a village called Emmaus. They were talking about everything that had happened over the last few days. As they were talking, Jesus Himself came along and began to walk with them. The men did not recognize Jesus even though they were His friends. Jesus asked them, What are you talking about? They stopped walking and looked sad. One of them answered Him, Are You the only person in Jerusalem who doesn t know what has happened these last few days? What happened? Jesus asked them. The friends told Jesus about Himself. They told Him how Jesus had said and done many powerful things. They told how the chief priests and leaders had crucified Him. The friends had hoped Jesus was the Messiah that God had promised to send long ago. Of course, Jesus already knew everything they were telling Him. They continued to tell Jesus how some women from their group had discovered His empty tomb that morning and how an angel had told the women Jesus was alive. Some others had gone to see the tomb for themselves and found it empty, just as the women said. Jesus said, Don t you believe what the prophets said? Didn t the Messiah have to suffer to be glorified? Then, starting with the words Moses and all the prophets wrote long ago, Jesus helped His friends understand what God s Word taught about Himself. They were almost to the village where Jesus s friends were going. Jesus seemed like He was going to keep walking, but they invited Him, Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide 2014 LifeWay Unit 33 Session 1 3
Stay with us. The day is almost over. So He stayed with them. Inside, Jesus and His friends sat around the table to eat. Jesus took bread, thanked God for it, broke it into pieces, and gave it to them. Wait! They recognized who it was! It was Jesus! All of a sudden, Jesus disappeared right before their eyes! The friends said to each other, Didn t we feel warm inside when He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us? Jesus friends could not wait to tell the others the truth. Jesus is alive! They went straight back to Jerusalem. The two friends found the others who had followed Jesus. Then the friends told their story about what happened on the road to Emmaus and at dinner that night. Christ Connection: Jesus showed His friends that the Scriptures tell about Him! The whole Bible is about Jesus. The Bible tells us the story of what God did to save His people through Jesus, His Son. Want to dig a little deeper? Get More! Invite kids to check out today s devotional to discover more about how Jesus appeared to the disciples as a human being, not a ghost. Jesus showed the disciples His hands and His side, and they rejoiced! Order in bulk, subscribe quarterly, or purchase individually. For more information, check out www.lifeway.com/devotionals. Jesus Prepared the Disciples 2014 LifeWay 4
Small Group OPENING Session Title: The Emmaus Disciples Bible Passage: Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35 Big Picture Question: What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to Key Passage: Matthew 28:19-20 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus prepared His disciples for a life of ministry. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us until He returns. One Truth One Life song offering basket Allergy Alert favorite toys LOW PREP Maze to Emmaus activity page, 1 per kid pencils or crayons colorful masking or painter s tape Welcome and Session Starter (15 20 minutes) Play the unit theme song in the background as you greet preschoolers and follow your church s security procedures. Set an offering basket near the door to collect at an appropriate time. Post an allergy alert, if necessary. Set out a few favorite toys, such as puzzles and blocks. Activity Page: Maze to Emmaus Give each of the preschoolers a maze activity sheet. Help the children trace the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus with a crayon or follow along the road with their finger. Say That was a tough road to follow! You did so well! In today s Bible story, two men walked along the road to Emmaus, talking with Jesus after God made Him alive again. Jesus taught them a lot about the Bible when they were walking together. I m excited to hear what Jesus taught the men along the road! Follow tape paths Use three or more colors of tape to draw lines on the floor. Make one tape line curved, one straight, and one zigzagged. Allow the preschoolers to take turns walking along the lines as best they can. Demonstrate how to walk heel-to-toe with Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide 2014 LifeWay Unit 33 Session 1 5
your arms outstretched for balance. Say Great job walking along the lines! Can you imagine if our roads were as skinny as those lines? It would be very hard for us to walk along the roads. Today we are going to hear a Bible story about Jesus walking and talking with two of His friends along a road to a city called Emmaus. Bibles in various colors, sizes, and types, 6 to 8 Transition cue: Ring the bell, show the countdown video, flip the lights, or clap a simple rhythm for children to copy to gain attention. Compare Bibles Set out six to eight Bibles of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Spread out the Bibles so the children can see and touch them to compare and contrast. Ask questions to guide the comparison. For example: Which Bible is blue? Which Bible is the smallest? Which Bible is your favorite? Which Bible has pictures? Which Bible is the heaviest? Say All of these Bibles look different on the outside, but on the inside they are the same! People wrote down God s words in the Bible to teach us the truth about Jesus. Though these Bibles look different, they all tell us about Jesus. We are going to find out the answer to a big picture question in our Bible story today. The big picture question is, What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to Emmaus? Transition to Bible study Invite kids to move to the Bible study area by walking with a new friend. Invite kids to introduce themselves to their new friend by saying, My name is [child s name]. Invite pairs to walk to Bible study side by side. Jesus Prepared the Disciples 2014 LifeWay 6
Large Group BIBLE STUDY Session Title: The Emmaus Disciples Bible Passage: Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35 Big Picture Question: What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to Key Passage: Matthew 28:19-20 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus prepared His disciples for a life of ministry. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us until He returns. Large Group Bible Study (10 15 minutes) Bible Timeline Map Key Passage Poster Go, Go, Go song Tip: Check out ASL tutorials online if you d like to create hand signs to help your kids remember the key passage or feel free to make your own. Introduce the Bible story Once the children are seated, ask: How did you get to church today? Did you walk, drive in a car, or ride a bus? Then ask: How do you get to day care each day? How do get from the bedroom to the kitchen? Pose these questions so the preschoolers recognize many different ways to travel. Point to the timeline map, reminding kids that these stories happened after Jesus died on the cross and God made Him alive again. Point to today s Bible story picture. Say Our Bible story today is about two men who were walking home when Jesus suddenly walked with them. Jesus showed the two men some very important things about Himself. In our key passage, Jesus tells us to tell others what we know about Him. Everyone needs to hear how Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead to forgive people for sin. Open your Bible to Matthew 28:19-20 and hold it open so kids can see the words. Read the key passage from the key passage poster, inviting kids to repeat the verse after you. Explain that a disciple is someone who loves Jesus and obeys Him by telling others about Him. Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide 2014 LifeWay Unit 33 Session 1 7
The Emmaus Disciples video Bible Story Picture Poster Watch or tell the Bible story Say The Bible is the most special book in the whole world because it is God s very own words. God gave us the Bible so that we could know Jesus and know about Jesus. In our story today, Jesus taught His friends about the Bible. Open your Bible to Luke 24 and tell the story in your own words using the script provided, or show the Bible story video The Emmaus Disciples. Say Did you hear the answer to our big picture question? What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to Emmaus? Jesus taught that the Bible is about Him all of it! Big Picture Question Poster Tip: Do activities one of these ways: as a group, all at the same time in small groups that rotate through each activity set up as centers, allowing preschoolers to browse and choose Talk about the Bible story Ask the following review questions: 1. How many days had gone by since Jesus was crucified? (three) 2. Where were Jesus friends going? (Emmaus) 3. Who came to walk with them on the road to Emmaus? (Jesus) 4. Did Jesus friends recognize Jesus when He walked with them? (no) 5. When did Jesus friends recognize that He was Jesus? (when He broke the bread) 6. What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to Emmaus? Jesus taught that the Bible is about Him. Say Jesus showed His friends that the Scriptures tell about Him! The whole Bible is about Jesus. The Bible tells us the story of what God did to save His people through Jesus, His Son. Transition to small groups Jesus Prepared the Disciples 2014 LifeWay 8
Small Group ACTIVITIES Session Title: The Emmaus Disciples Bible Passage: Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35 Big Picture Question: What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to Key Passage: Matthew 28:19-20 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus prepared His disciples for a life of ministry. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us until He returns. Tip: Set up activities that work well for your kids and your budget. LOW PREP One Truth One Life song (optional) green construction paper squares red construction paper squares craft sticks glue or tape markers index cards (optional) Small Group Activities (20 25 minutes) Remember to include the big picture question and answer in conversation. Preschoolers learn best by repetition. Walk to the music Play the unit theme song or other favorite music for the preschoolers as they walk around the room. When the music stops, everyone will pause and say, The Bible is about Jesus! Return to playing music and repeat the game as time allows. Invite kids in subsequent rounds to skip, hop, dance, or wiggle to the music as they walk. Say In the Bible story, two men walked along the road just like you were walking around the room. Jesus walked with them and taught them something very important about the Bible. What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to Emmaus? Jesus taught that the Bible is about Him. Yes or no Write YES on the green construction paper squares and NO on the red construction paper squares. If your preschoolers would like to practice printing the words, write them on a few index cards for kids to use as a guide. Help each child Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide 2014 LifeWay Unit 33 Session 1 9
make a yes and no stick by gluing or taping a piece of green construction paper onto a craft stick and a piece of red construction paper onto the opposite side. Ask several yes or no questions about the Bible. Instruct the kids to hold up either the green YES or red NO to answer the questions. Suggested questions: Does the Bible tell us Jesus was born in Bethlehem? (yes) Does the Bible tell us Jesus liked to watch TV? (no) Does the Bible tell us Jesus healed sick people? (yes) Does the Bible tell us Jesus is God s Son? (yes) Does the Bible tell us Jesus had freckles? (no) Say Everything that the Bible says is true. Everything that the Bible says is important for us to know. We read the Bible to know the truth about Jesus. The Bible tells us the story of what God did to save His people through Jesus, His Son. What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to strips of heavyweight paper, 1 per kid tempera paint paper plates markers hand wipes (for cleanup) Footprint bookmarks Before the session begins, cut 2¾-inch-by-8½-inch strips of heavyweight paper to make bookmarks. Pour tempera paint onto a few paper plates. Dip the side of your fist into tempera paint and demonstrate how to make a small footprint with the side of your fist. Make the toes for your foot by dipping your fingertip into the paint and pressing it onto the bookmark above the sole made by your fist. Assist the kids as they make their own footprints. When the children finish, write Road to Emmaus on the bottom of each bookmark and set them in a safe place to dry. Say Jesus friends were walking down the road together, maybe making footprints! As they walked, Jesus taught them. What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to Jesus Prepared the Disciples 2014 LifeWay 10
modeling clay or play dough utensils beanbag Bake bread with modeling clay Provide the preschoolers with white modeling clay or play dough, rolling pins, cookie cutters, and a baking sheet. Encourage the children to pretend to make bread with the modeling clay and baking accessories. Say What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to When did Jesus friends realize they were talking to Jesus? That s right! They didn t know the man was Jesus until they were sitting down to eat bread together! When Jesus broke the bread, He reminded them of Jesus last supper before He died. Jesus had died on the cross three days before, so when His friends realized the man was Jesus they were so happy! They wanted to tell everyone that Jesus is alive! Toss the beanbag Invite the preschoolers to sit in a large circle. Toss a beanbag or a ball to a child and ask him to tell you one thing he learned from the Bible story today. Continue tossing the beanbag to kids until everyone has answered. If you have time, invite kids to share what their favorite Bible story is as they toss the beanbag in the next round. Say Great job remembering what we talked about today! What did Jesus teach His friends on the road to The Bible is full of stories that tell us about Jesus. In fact, the whole Bible is about Jesus! The Bible tells us the story of what God did to save His people through Jesus, His Son. We can continue to read the Bible to learn about Jesus so that we can know Him better and love Him more. Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide 2014 LifeWay Unit 33 Session 1 11
countdown video (optional) Allergy Alert snack food paper cups an napkins Snack and Transition (20 minutes) Play the countdown video while kids help clean the room. Take a restroom break and invite kids to wash their hands. Serve the snack. Remind the preschoolers to wait to eat so that you can pray together. Remind the kids to say please and thank you. Thank God for the snack. Consider serving a snack of pita bread or small rolls. Remind the children that Jesus talked to His friends on the road to Emmaus about the Bible, but His friends did not recognize Him until they sat down to eat bread together. Journal Page Bible Story Coloring Page books and puzzles crayons Transition When a child finishes her snack and throws away any trash, she may select a book or puzzle to examine, play quietly with play dough or a favorite toy, or color the Bible story coloring page. Offer the journal page and invite kids to draw a picture of their favorite Bible stories. The Bible stories may be ones they ve learned recently, or they may be stories that their parents or other family members told them at home. Talk about how all the Bible tells us the story of what God did to save His people through Jesus, His Son. Pray over the kids. Say Dear God, thank You for Your words to us in the Bible. Thank You, God, for giving us such a special book to teach us about Your plan to send Your Son, Jesus, to rescue us from sin. Thank You for telling us that Jesus never did anything wrong, but He died on the cross and came back to life so that we can be forgiven for all the wrong things we do. We love You, and we love Jesus! Help us to love the Bible, too. In Jesus name, amen! If parents are picking up kids at this time, tell them something their child enjoyed doing. If new leaders are arriving, quietly share useful information about kids who are present. Jesus Prepared the Disciples 2014 LifeWay 12