B31. The Way, the Truth and the Life John 14:1-6 Learning Objectives 1. The children will explore of some of the conversations between Jesus and His disciples. 2. The children will recognize that following Jesus is what we must to do in order to be close to God. Memory Verse: Getting Started I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. --John 14:6 (NIRV) Choose One Activity All Ages Road Sign Activity You will need to print out the road sign sheet (located at the end of this lesson plan) and make enough copies for each child to have one. Go through the signs and ask the children if they know what the signs mean or are telling us. (Save the One Way sign to be the last one.) Then review the memory verse. In today s lesson, Jesus tells us there is only one way to His Father, and it is through Jesus. Continue with the lesson. Grades K-2 The Trust Game See: http://children.cccm.com/curriculum/ NT Teacher Guide Page 7 The Way, the Truth and the Life Page 2 You will need blindfolds for this activity. Ask for some volunteers from your class to play the game. Explain that you want to blindfold them and one by one, when you say, go they will fall backwards into your waiting arms. They must keep their bodies and legs straight and fall straight back. You can vary the distance of their falls by catching them at different heights. Just make sure to catch them every time! Some students will have no problem trusting if the distance of their falls is close. Some that you catch at a greater fall-distance will bend their legs and bodies to catch their own fall. Explain to your class that real trust is a total abandonment of self-preservation. When we trust Jesus, we know that He ll catch us no matter how close we come to the ground. We can always trust Jesus to help us find the way to God. Jesus is the way! Continue with the lesson. Grades 3-5 Which Way is North? Before class, make four signs using construction paper or card stock. Label them: North, South, East and West. You will also need tape or something to use as an adhesive to attach the sign to the class walls. Ask for a volunteer to tell you which direction is north. When they identify north correctly, stick the north sign on that wall (or have a student stand holding up the sign in that direction. Then identify the other directions (south, east and west) in the same way. You will also need a compass in order to check that you are correct. Show the children which way is north using the compass. Remind the children that a compass is often used in the wilderness to help people know how to find their way to their destination. Then review the memory verse. Remind the children that in today s lesson, Jesus tells us there is only one way to His Father, and it is through Jesus. Continue with the lesson. Page1
Bible Lesson with Discussion Questions Message: Jesus is the way! Jesus Comforts His Disciples Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust in me also. 2 There are many rooms in my Father s house. If this were not true, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and do that, I will come back. And I will take you to be with me. Then you will also be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going. Jesus Is the Way to the Father 5 Thomas said to him, Lord, we don t know where you are going. So how can we know the way? 6 Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Discussion/Activity: You will need a white board, easel paper, or a large piece of poster board for this demonstration and discussion activity. Follow the directions below: 1. Draw a straight road on the black board. On the road write things that we will experience along this road such as: joy, love, kindness, patience, seeing God, peace, truth, hope. Next to each of these words draw roads that go off to the sides of the straight road. Explain to the children that these are the things you will find if you stay on the straight and narrow. God wants you to stay on the Straight and Narrow road, but you can decide to take another road. He has given you a free will. 2. For instance, you will find joy and happiness if you keep following God, but if you decide to take the opposite road you will find sadness and pain. 3. You can stay on the Straight and Narrow and find true love. If you decide to hate others and not forgive, you are taking the wrong road. 4. You can choose kindness or being mean and hurting others. 5. You can choose to be patient or expect too much of others. 6. You can choose to be self-seeking instead of seeking God. 7. You can choose peace or to fight. 8. He can choose the truth or choose to believe lies. 9. You can choose hope or just give up and go your own way. 10. Explain that everyone takes wrong turns sometimes, because none of us are perfect. Other Questions: 1. What should we do if we take the wrong road? (When we take the wrong path, we need to ask for forgiveness and turn around and go the right way.) 2. How can we become close to God? (Hint: See the memory verse.) 3. What things can we do each day to help us follow Jesus and therefore stay close to God? (Discuss together and make a list: pray, read the Bible, attend the divine services, etc.) Page2
Application to Real Life Follow Jesus Activity See: www.kidssundayschool.com Grade School Activities Follow Jesus You will need an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper and an envelope for each child. You will also need pencils or markers. Give each child a piece of paper (light colored construction paper will also work) and a pencil or marker. The children will first fold the paper into thirds, then unfold it, then on each section write one of the following statements: I will follow Jesus at School by I will follow Jesus at Home by I will follow Jesus at Church by Have several volunteers look up the following verses and comment about each: - John 13:34 (Follow Jesus by loving one another) - John 15:10 (Follow Jesus by being obedient) - Philippians 2:5 (Follow Jesus by having a good attitude) - Colossians 3:15 (Follow Jesus by not arguing or fighting) Then have the children complete each statement on their paper by writing down ways they can follow Jesus in each specific area as suggested by the verses. Then refold the paper, place it in an envelope and have the children write their name on the envelope. Instruct them to take the envelope home with them and give it to their parents. Have them ask their parents to give them the envelope Monday morning before they go to school, so the child can open it and be reminded how they can follow Jesus at school. Next, they can have their parents give it to them again when they get home, to act as a reminder for following Jesus at home, and finally on Sunday morning before they go to church to act as a reminder for following Jesus at church. If time permits, the children can decorate the letters as well. Memory Work Fun 5 minutes 1. Recite the memory verse. 2. Practice finding the memory verse and/or Bible text in their Bible! (Old or New?) 3. Practice saying the Books of the Bible in order. Focus on the New Testament. See how far you can go! Page3
Activity Ideas Choose One All Ages Narrow Path See: www.kidssundayschool.com Grade School Activities Narrow Path You will need either masking tape or two long ropes for this activity. Start by making two parallel lines with masking tape, or two long ropes about 2 feet apart. Create a path that is about eight feet long. Explain to the kids that they must get in line, and everyone must walk the length of the path without touching the lines. If they touch the lines, they are out. Of course, they will run through with no problem. Then move one of the lines closer to the other by a few inches and have the kids walk through again. Still they will have little difficulty. Repeat several more times moving the lines closer and closer until they are only about six inches apart. Now the kids will need to pay close attention and proceed very carefully so they will not touch one of the lines. Please see the above website for further instructions and a discussion guide. Grades K-2 Finish the Race See: www.kidssundayschool.com Grade School Crafts Finish the Race You will need recycled (empty) paper towel tubes (one for each child), stickers, markers, construction paper, glue or tape, scissors and streamers or yarn for this activity. The children will create batons to help them remember to follow Jesus each day. Please see the above website for detailed instructions. Grades 3-5 Follow Jesus See: www.kidssundayschool.com Grade School Activities Follow Jesus You will need a sheet of paper and envelope for each child, along with pencils or markers for this activity. You will also need Bibles for the children to be able to look up verses related to following Jesus. Please see the above website for detailed instructions. Journal Optional Grades K-2 Draw a picture of you following Jesus on the path. Do you think it is easy or hard to follow Jesus? Why? Write about it. Grades 3-5 Do you think it is difficult or easy to follow Jesus? Why? Write about it. What things distract you in your life from staying on the narrow path of following Jesus? (What things distract you from reading your Bible, or attending a divine service, or praying?) Write about it. Page4
Homework Ideas - Read at home with a grownup the lesson about The True Vine (John 15:1-11). - Learn the memory verse: I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. --John 15:5 (NLT) - Work on memorizing commandment #. - Complete the True Vine coloring and activity sheet as your parents read you the Sunday School Lesson. Return your coloring page for a sticker. - What grows on a vine? Make a list or try to bring in a picture collage of things that grow on a vine. Bring your list or collage to class to share. Other Resources http://children.cccm.com/curriculum/ NT Support Curriculum Page 7 The Way, the Truth and the Life Page5
Road Signs for Intro Activity Page6
Coloring Page Name: The True Vine I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. --John 15:5 (NLT) Page7
Take Home Page: B31. The Way, the Truth and the Life Today I learned Today your child learned that Jesus is the way. The children explored some of the conversations that took place between Jesus and His disciples. They also talked about how following Jesus is what we must to do in order to be close to God. Help me learn my memory verse I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. --John 14:6 (NIRV) Ask me 1. What kinds of things did Jesus and His disciples talk about in today s lesson? 2. What things do you think we can do each day that would help us follow Jesus? 3. If we follow Jesus, will we become closer to God? Why or why not? Live Your Faith Talk with your child about following Jesus. Make list of specific things you can do each day in your home that would demonstrate that you are following Jesus. (Ideas may include: being loving towards each other, being obedient to parents, having a good attitude when we help out around the house, not arguing or fighting with each other, etc.) Pray together and encourage each other throughout the week to work on each of the items on your list, so that you call help each other to follow Jesus. Page8