Lesson 27 The Life of Jesus Ages 6-7 Unit 5: The King Who Teaches Parables Part One The Great Banquet KINGS AND KINGDOMS PART 1 THE WORSHIP Who God is: The King Who Teaches THE WORSHIP, THE WORD, & THE WAY THE WORD Bible Story: Luke 14:15-24 What He has done: Jesus taught about guests invited to a banquet. Key Verse: Luke 14:15 THE WAY Aim: To know Jesus invites everyone who will accept the invitation. Christ Connection: Isaiah 25:6-9 BIBLE MEMORY VERSE You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 (Grades 1-2) To The Teachers For your own encouragement this week, read Psalm 122. Please join us in praying this week s Teacher s Prayer: Thank you, Lord for Your parables. Fill the children with the joy of knowing how special each one of them is to You. Amen. PREPARE (Before arrival) [] Highlight Luke 14:15-24 and Isaiah 25:6-9 in your Bible. [] Read this Teacher s Guide. [] Each week, be sure to reserve adequate time to cover THE WORD, THE WAY, and The Golden Bowl. Then, as time allows, choose a Got Time? activity or create your own activity to illustrate the Bible Story, the Aim, or the Bible Memory Verse Song. PRESET [] Chairs in a semi-circle or rows, preset pencils, note cards, Bibles, Daily Way Lesson 27 [] Scripture Reading: Matthew 19:14 [] Bible Memory Verse Song: Yahweh Everyday: Love The Lord Your God [] Scripture references 1 & 2 hidden behind curtain, secret door, etc. [] THE WAY: Blank slips of paper, trash can, Invitations (available for download at www.childrensministrywarehouse.net) [] Treasure Treat: The Great Banquet Kingdom Parable Card [] Bonus Kingdom Parable Card: The Wise Builder [] Extra Kingdom Parables Books for new children [] Got Time?: Paper plates, party snacks, punch, napkins, cups, ribbon, large wood bead, glue, tape, markers, scissors, hole punch, paper, 27 paper plates, marker, Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse poster, colored paper [] Worship Leader Elements: Critter Kingdom Sketch or Storybook Lesson 27 Music Resources: The additional resources referred to in this lesson and supplemental materials are available at www.childrensministrywarehouse.net. Contents include the drama Sketches and Storybook chapters, Bible Memory Verse Songs, seasonal materials and so much more. To be a resource yourself, click on the Teacher s Blog tab to share your ideas with teachers worldwide. 1
1. THE WORSHIP (15 minutes) Worship Theme: The King Who Teaches Use arrival time to connect with the children, creating an environment where they feel welcome. Use the Meet & Greet question to spark anticipation for today s focus. Meet & Greet Question: What is your favorite party food? We worship Jesus as our Teacher. Jesus tells us stories to teach us about God s Kingdom. Today we celebrate that God invites us all to come join His Kingdom. We can come to God everyday! One day we will all celebrate together in heaven. Imagine what that will be like! Jesus gives everyone a way to get to heaven from wherever they are He is the Way to God the Father. Let s come to Him now with our offerings and songs. (Play Take My Life and Let It Be as background music while collecting offering.) Worship Elements: Scripture Reading: Matthew 19:14 Collect and lead prayer for an offering. Read Storybook or perform Sketch: Critter Kingdom, Lesson 27. Song Suggestions: Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse Song: Yahweh Everyday: Love The Lord Your God Select songs that focus on staying close with God, in His presence: I Have Decided To Follow Jesus God Is So Good You Are Good I Am The Way Give Thanks Praise The Lord O My Soul Bible Memory Verse Song Yahweh Everyday: Love The Lord Your God Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV) Verse You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself: the best commandments you ll find. Chorus Yahweh! I know I can go to Yahweh! She can, he can go to Yahweh! We know we can go to Yahweh everyday! Repea t Verse and Chorus faster. Repea t Verse and Chorus faster. Sheet music and recordings available at www.childrensministrywarehouse.net This is the children s opportunity to worship God with you. Designate a special corner or area for worship. As their role model for worship, lead by example, fully participating with the children as they worship. 2
2. THE WORD (5 minutes) The Great Banquet Transition: As you move from worship to instruction, change rooms or locations within a room to help children mentally and physically prepare for the lesson. For additional transition ideas and games see Got Time? at the end of this lesson or go to www.childrensministrywarehouse.net and click on Lesson 27, 2008. >Write your name on your card and place it in the Golden Bowl. Before we read God s Word, let s go over our Class Covenant. A covenant is an agreement. Just as God made a covenant with His people, I ask each of you to make this covenant promise with me today. Listen as I read our Class Covenant. (Read Class Covenant.) Class Covenant I will keep my on my teacher, my in control, my s on God s Word; knowing God is my goal. Last time we learned the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Why were the workers who had worked for the longest time grumbling about their pay? (They thought they should be paid more than those who came late.) Did the workers get the pay that was promised? (Yes.) Was the landowner generous to the last workers? (Yes.) We learned that God is like the landowner. He is both fair and generous. Today we ll learn the parable of the great banquet. A banquet is a special dinner with many invited guests. If you brought your Bible, open it now and share with others. (Hand out spare Bibles.) Today s Scripture verse is behind the curtain. (Or secret door, secret window, etc. Child unveils Scripture #1: Luke 14:15-24.) Before we read, let s stand and ask God to open our eyes, ears, hearts and minds to His Word today. Who d like to pray that for us? (Child prays aloud.) Be seated. (Read Luke 14:15-24.) *Teacher Tip: While this lesson is not designed specifically as an invitation to salvation, be prepared to lead children who want to commit for the first time to follow Christ. You can privately lead the child to Christ through a simple prayer such as the ABC Prayer. This lesson lays the groundwork for opportunities to commit to follow Jesus offered in future lessons. A.B.C. Prayer of Salvation Dear Lord Jesus, I Admit that I m a sinner. I Believe You are the Lord who died to take my sins away. Please Come into my heart and I ll follow You forever. Amen Lift up God s Word: To create anticipation, conceal Scripture references for Bible Story and Christ Connection in a place of honor. Then unveil references for Find It First and Scripture reading. For more information, click on the Resources tab at www.childrensministrywarehouse.net. 3
3. THE WAY (13 minutes) We Are All Invited What did the first people that were invited to the banquet do? (They made excuses for why they could not come.) In Bible times, seeing a new field, trying some new oxen, or being newly married were not good excuses. What did the man do when the people he had invited made excuses? (He became angry and invited many more people.) The next group of people the host invited were people that might not usually be invited to a banquet. These guests were poor and unable to give a banquet to repay their host. Did they come when they were invited? (Yes.) In this parable, the man giving the banquet stands for God. The guests who come to the banquet stand for all who come to heaven. The ones who make excuses stand for those who won t come to heaven because they refuse to follow Jesus. Just like the man in the story, God invites everyone to come to Him, no matter who they are or what they have done. He invites us even though we can t repay Him. Just as the man invited everyone to come to his great banquet, God invites us to come to Him. Following Jesus is the only way we can do that. Jesus invites everyone to follow Him now by praying and doing things His way. Later we ll be with Him in heaven, where God has prepared a great banquet for all who follow Jesus. We are following Jesus whenever we pray, read the Bible, praise Him, or do things God s way. What are some excuses we give for not doing those things? (Too busy, tired, will do it later, activities, homework, plans with friends, etc.) CHRIST CONNECTION Connecting the Old Testament, the New Testament and Us The Bible says that one day there will be a great banquet in heaven. Everyone who believes in Jesus will be at that banquet. Check out what the Bible says about that heavenly banquet. Everyone place your Bible on your laps. (Choose a child to unveil Scripture #2: Isaiah 25:6-9.) Let s find this verse. Isaiah describes heaven as a mountain called Zion. Listen to what will happen at that banquet in heaven. (Read Isaiah 25:6-9.) Jesus is preparing a wonderful place in heaven for all who believe. In heaven, we will celebrate with Jesus. It will be better than the very best party you can imagine on earth! 4
THE WAY continued THAT S NO EXCUSE! PURPOSE: To recognize our excuses, and discover practical ways to set God as our priority. SUPPLIES: Invitations, pencils, blank slips of paper (1 of each per child) Option: Instead of writing excuses on blank cards, teacher fills a box with familiar items that represent excuses (such as actual toys, books, balls, cards, computers, electronic games, etc.) or children cut pictures of such items out of magazines. Each child chooses an object to discuss an excuse and a solution. (Display invitation.) This card stands for an invitation for each of you to come follow Jesus. We follow Him now by praying and doing things His way. Directions: 1. Deliver one invitation and one blank excuse card to each child. 2. Volunteer reads invitation aloud. 3. Children brainstorm excuses used to not follow Jesus everyday. (For example: television, electronic games, sports, bikes, schoolwork, phone calls, computer, chores, swimming, etc.) 4. On a blank excuse card, children write or draw an excuse they use for not following Jesus everyday. 5. Ask one child to explain his or her excuse. 6. All children brainstorm ways to overcome that excuse. (For example: The excuse of having a new game to play is overcome by thanking Jesus for the game and asking Him to help you play with an attitude that pleases God.) 7. The child crumbles the excuse and tosses it in to a trash can, symbolizing the child s choice to no longer use that excuse to not follow Jesus everyday. 8. Repeat until each child has had a turn and all excuses are crumbled and tossed into the trash can. God always provides a way for us to come to Him, so there is no good excuse. Following Jesus is our way to come to God. If you are already following Jesus, keep this invitation as a reminder to follow Him everyday or give it to a friend. If you have not yet decided to follow Jesus, keep it as a reminder that you are always invited to come to Him. (Invitations are available for download at www.childrensministrywarehouse.net, or create your own.) Invitation Directions: 1. Using ¼ of a standard size sheet of sturdy paper, print or write the following on the front: YOU ARE INVITED! 2. On the reverse side of the invitation, print or write the following: You are invited to the Banquet of the King! Come follow King Jesus now and get ready for the great banquet one day in Heaven! 5
THE WAY continued GOLDEN BOWL Revelation 5:8 The Golden Bowl cont ains names of classmates, a local church leader and a child in another nation. The Bible says that our prayers are like sweet smelling incense in the golden bowls at God s throne. So I m going to lift each one of you up to God s throne out loud as you pray for each person silently. Then we ll pray out loud the Lord s Prayer. (Matthew 6:9-13.) Let s pray. Lord God, we lift up to Your throne the name of each child here. We trust You to watch over us and our needs: the ones we say out loud and the ones hidden in our hearts. First, we lift up to You,, (read names in Golden Bowl). Now, we pray the prayer Your Son taught us. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. FINAL FIVE When only 5 minutes remain, begin this segment. TREASURE TREAT Today, your Treasure Treat is The Great Banquet Kingdom Parable Card. Place it in your Kingdom Parables Book at home and collect the Kingdom Parable Cards. Collect ten cards by joining here us each time. Plus, each time you complete a Daily Way, you ll receive a Bonus Kingdom Parable Card, too! DAILY WAY CHALLENGE Did anyone bring in their completed Daily Way from last time? (Distribute Bonus Kingdom Parable Card, The Wise Builder, to those who returned Daily Way; collect in basket.) Take home this week s Daily Way. (Distribute Lesson 27 Daily Way 5-day Bible study.) Complete this at home and let God speak to you through His own words in the Bible. Return it and place it in our class basket. When we fill the basket, we ll celebrate with a class surprise! OFFERING OF ART That s it for today. Thank you all for coming. Until your parent arrives, make an Offering of Art. For your offering, draw a picture of many people seated at a big table with your favorite foods. (The Offering of Art can be finished at home or given as an offering to the teacher for display.) BIBLE MEMORY VERSE SONG Play the Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse Song in the background as children wait for their parents. Encourage them to sing along. PRAYER REQUESTS How can I pray for you this week? (As students work on their Offering of Art, write individual requests in your teacher s prayer notebook.) 6
4. GOT TIME? If time remains, choose from the connected activities below. LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES EVERYONE S INVITED GETTING STARTED ACTIVITY PURPOSE: Play a game to introduce the concept that Jesus invites everyone to life forever with God. SUPPLIES: One paper plate for each child PREPARE: Place a stack of paper plates in the center of the room. ASK> We are learning some of Jesus parables. Why did Jesus tell parables? (To teach lessons about God s Kingdom.) In our Bible Story, we will hear Jesus parable about the great banquet. A banquet is a fancy dinner party. Let s pretend we are having a banquet. Listen for your banquet invitation so you can hurry to your seat! DIRECTIONS: 1. Form two or more teams with an equal number of children on each team. 2. Have each team chose a team name. 3. Number the corners in the room 1, 2, 3 and 4. 4. Designate another part of the room as the great banquet hall. 5. Choose a helper to be the Banquet Host. The Banquet Host closes his or her eyes and counts to ten while all of the children run from corner to corner in any order. 6. When the banquet host gets to ten, he or she calls out a corner number by saying: Corner number [fill in number], you are invited to my banquet! 7. All of the children in that corner run to pick up a plate from the center of the room and sit in a circle in the great banquet hall. 8. The first goal is to be the first team seated in a circle with their plates after each round. 9. The second goal is to be the first team to have all players seated before the end of the game. 10. Continue playing until only four children remain standing. Invite those four children to join their respective team at the banquet. ASK> When you heard your invitation, what did you do? (Raced to sit in your team.) In Jesus story about the great banquet, many people were invited to the banquet. Some people decided they had better things to do than go to the banquet. They did not get to enjoy the banquet. Other people accepted the invitation and got to go to the great banquet. Let s find out what why Jesus told this parable. 7
GOT TIME? continued PARABLE WIND CHIMES: THE GREAT BANQUET APPLICATION PURPOSE: Create a wind chime strand to remember the parable of the great banquet. SUPPLIES: Ribbon, large wood bead, glue, tape, markers, scissors, hole punch, paper PREPARE: Cut one 20-inch and a 4-inch ribbon for each child. To maintain balance, punch today s ribbon hole directly opposite the strand attached on previous lesson, approximately one inch in from the edge. Create a sample craft to display. *Teacher Tip: Be sure to have extra paper plates prepared with 30-inch ribbon hangers as wind chime bases for children joining the group after the first week. To prepare extra plates for new children, punch two holes in the center of the plate, approximately two-inches apart. Thread the 30-inch ribbon through the two holes to create a hanger. ASK> Today we heard the story of the great banquet. What does the great banquet stand for in God s Kingdom? (Life forever in the Kingdom of God.) Who is the One who invites us to the Kingdom of God? (God.) Who is invited? (Everyone who will accept the invitation and follow Jesus.) Let s make an invitation for our Parable Wind Chimes to remind us that Jesus invites all of us to life forever with Him in His Kingdom. DIRECTIONS: 1. Thread the 20-inch ribbon up through the hole on the edge of the plate. 2. Tie a knot in the 20-inch ribbon on the top of the plate large enough to prevent the ribbon from pulling back through the plate. 3. Tie a bead to bottom of the 20-inch ribbon. 4. Cut a strip of paper and roll into a small scroll approximately 2-inches in length. 5. Tie a 4-inch ribbon around scroll and secure in place with glue. 6. Glue scroll lengthwise to center of the 20-inch ribbon. OPTIONAL: Before attaching any of the ribbons, decorate the paper plate wind chime base. Knot ribbon above plate around a large bead. Use a color that symbolizes royalty, such as purple, for the ribbon and beads. Substitute beads with any materials available: buttons, shells, small stones, small metal objects, etc. *Teacher Tip: Parable Wind Chimes is a craft that will be completed throughout Lessons 23-32 as the parables of Jesus are taught. Each week, a new strand representing the parable taught that week will be added to the paper plate base of the wind chimes. Photographs of the completed wind chime craft as well as individual wind chime strands are available at www.childrensministywarehouse.net. 8
GOT TIME? continued THE GREAT PARTY FOOD SNACK PURPOSE: Children will eat a snack to help them remember that Jesus invites everyone to life forever in the Kingdom of God. SUPPLIES: Party snack (cake or cupcakes), punch, napkins, plates, cups ASK> Have you ever been invited to a party? How did you feel? (Happy, excited.) Jesus invites all of us to life forever in the Kingdom of God. When we accept His invitation to follow Him, we will one day get to live with Him in Heaven. What do you think Heaven will be like? (Children respond.) DIRECTIONS: 1. Pass out snack and juice. 2. Child prays to thank God for the snack. 3. Ask the Meet & Greet Question: What is your favorite party food? BONUS PARABLE: THE READY SERVANT DISCUSSION Purpose: To introduce and discuss another parable Jesus taught His followers. Supplies: A Bible open to Luke 12:35-40 SAY> Today s bonus parable is the story of The Ready Servant. (Volunteer or teacher reads Luke 12:35-40.) ASK> The Son of Man is another name for Jesus. Just as the master will return to his servant, Jesus has promised to come back for us. The Bible says that one day Jesus will come back, riding though the clouds to take us home to heaven! Does anyone know when Jesus will come back? (No. It will be at an unexpected time.) SAY> Just as the servants are to be ready for their master s return, we are to be ready for Jesus return. To be ready for Jesus, we must believe in Him and follow Him everyday. We can do that by loving God and loving our neighbors. We can help others be ready too, by inviting them to follow Him. GOT TIME? continued 9
BIBLE MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITIES Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 THE WAVE PURPOSE: To help children memorize the Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse. DIRECTIONS: 1. Assign one phrase from Matthew 22:37-39 to each child or group. 2. As helper directs, each child/group quickly stands, says assigned phrase while raising both hands up to the sky and then down to thighs and sits down. 3. Repeat three times, faster each time. COLOR DECODE OBJECT: Children unscramble and learn the words to the Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse. SUPPLIES: Colored paper, scissors, and the Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse poster PREPARE: Cut each sheet of colored paper into four equal-size cards. Divide the Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse into four phrases. Write one phrase on each set of four cards of one color. Create one set of a different color for every four children. Mix up all of the sets. Display the Bible Memory Verse poster. DIRECTIONS: 1. Say the Bible Memory Verse together. 2. Distribute the cards in random order. 3. Each child searches for the other three children with matching color cards. 4. Once together, the children put their cards in the correct order of the Bible Memory Verse and sit down. (They can use the Bible Memory Verse poster as a reference.) 5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 to play again. ASK> How should we love God? (With all our heart, soul and mind.) How should we love our neighbors? (As ourselves.) Jesus told parables to teach us how to live together in God s Kingdom. The parables teach us how to love God and each other. GOT TIME? continued THE GREAT VERSE BANQUET 10
OBJECT: Children will put the words of the Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse in order. SUPPLIES: 27 paper plates, marker, Unit 5 Bible Memory Verse poster PREPARE: Write one Bible Memory Verse word on each plate. Mix up plates and place on a table or floor as if setting a table. Turn over the plates to hide words. Display the Bible Memory Verse poster. DIRECTIONS: Children work together to put the words of the Bible Memory Verse in order. ASK> God invites us all to live forever with Him in the Kingdom of God. When we accept His invitation, we are showing how much we love Him. Think about what our Bible Memory Verse says. How do we love Him? (With all our heart, soul and mind.) When we love God, who do we also want to show love to? (Our neighbors which is all people.) BIBLE TIMELINE REVIEW NOTE: The Bible Timeline Review activities will resume in Kings & Kingdoms Lesson 34 when we complete our semester study of the life of Jesus and the summer study of Kingdom Parables. *Teacher Tip: For Lessons 1-33, the previous week s lesson will always be reviewed briefly in the Teacher s Guide. If students want to keep visual track of the Bible Stories, preprint the title to each lesson on a paper cut-out of a footprint. The children can follow in Jesus footsteps as they review past weeks in the study of His life and teachings. 11