April 1, 2018 DATE John 14:6; 18:1 20:18 Jesus Rises THE BIG GOD STORY Jesus Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life PONDER POINT I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. REMEMBER VERSE Galatians 2:20 Welcome and Worship (15 minutes) Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and engage kids in worship through singing and communion. The Big God Story (18 minutes) Creates space for children to hear God s word and prepare respond to the Holy Spirit in small groups Small Groups (20 minutes) Kids will build relationships with each other and their leaders, and respond to what they learned in the Big God Story as well as how to apply it to their lives Bless & Dismiss (4 minutes) Bless kids to send them out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others. The large group room will be divided into three sections. Please help kids find which section they should sit in according to their grade: 1st- 2nd, 3rd-4th & 5th-6th. Toward the end of small group time, A/V Tech will play the 2 minute warning sound followed by a song. During or immediately following the song please regroup in the large group meeting space (not before). 5th & 6th graders can go directly to Snack Shack after small group time, rather than regrouping in the large group space. Host Administrative To Do s: Make sure no group is too large Make sure each group has enough supplies Close curtains and divider wall for small groups at 9:00 and 10:15 (and re-open after 9:00) Cue the tech when to play the 2 minute warning with song. Call names for dismissal after blessing SCHEDULE Large Group Small Group 2 Min Warn. Regroup/ Dismiss 5th-6th 1st Service (9:00) 9:00 9:33 9:53 10:00 2nd Service (10:15) 10:15 10:48 11:08 11:15 3rd Service (11:30) 11:30 12:03 12:23 12:30 1
GOAL: Worship & welcome is all about engaging kids and helping them enter into worship, letting them know that class has begun preparing their minds for what they are going to hear. WELCOME (Host): Stage Lights On VIDEO LOOPS: Welcome Loop, 5 Min Countdown, Welcome Image We are so glad you are here today. Welcome the kids in your own words then lead into information about the Generous Project. When finished with Generous Project say the following to the kids: Let s all stand and hear God s word and sing our praise to Him OPENING WORSHIP SONG (Worship Leader): Turn out main overhead lights REMEMBER VERSE VIDEO WORSHIP VIDEO 1: Happy Day WORSHIP VIDEO 2: Shout (Direct kids to get with their groups and circle up with their small group leader before sitting down) SMALL GROUP CONNECT IMAGE CONNECT QUESTIONS (Host): 4 MINUTE COUNTDOWN VIDEO What is your favorite thing about Easter? What is one of your family s Easter traditions? What is your favorite color of Easter Egg? What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast on Easter? TIMELINE VIDEO (Storyteller) The Big God Story: Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along as you storytell. Children respond to what the Holy Spirit is teaching them as they reflect on the day s portion of The Big God Story. The Prayer of Release: This allows children and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet their hearts and minds. Before you pray, you might ask the kids to hold out their hands, palms up, in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy Spirit might have for them today. Then encourage the kids to quiet their voices, take a seat, and pray with you. 2
The Big God Story: Storyteller Script Happy Easter! Today is a very special day a day to celebrate. Who likes to celebrate? Invite responses. If you said yes, clap your hands and cheer as loudly as you can. Ready? Go! Invite kids to celebrate. Wow, you re great at celebrating! In today s part of The Big God Story, we ll hear about many reasons to celebrate. Let s start by asking God to teach us. Lead the children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds. God loves us and shows us the best way to live with Him! One of the biggest ways He did this was by sending His Son, Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. What does that mean? Invite responses. Good thinking. We re going to learn more about it today. Whenever you hear me say, Jesus is the way, I ll point to you. Then you ll jump up and say, The way! and do this motion. Demonstrate sticking both arms straight up in the air as if making a path to heaven. When I say, Jesus is the truth, you ll jump up and say, The truth! while doing this motion. With right hand, hold index finger against mouth as if shushing someone; then bring finger and arm down and forward so arm sticks straight out from body. And when I say, Jesus is the life, you ll jump up, say, The life, and do this. Make L shape with both hands, hold them at waist, then swoop them under and out as if making a C. What if I say, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life? What will you do? Prompt kids to jump up, repeat phrases, and do all three motions. Practice a couple more times. Great! Encourage kids to sit down as you get started. n the very beginning of time, God created the universe. Tech: Cue Nature image. He created the animals, plants, mountains, stars and, most valuable of all, people. The first people, Adam and Eve, had a perfect relationship with God. Tech: Cue Adam and Eve image. They walked and talked with God in a beautiful garden. But, sadly, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Because of this, their relationship with God was broken, and sin came in to the world. Adam and Eve had to leave the garden and find a new place to live. God is good, and He made a promise that one day He would send a Savior. The Savior would be the way (prompt kids to jump up, repeat phrase, and do motion) for all people to be forgiven of their sins and the way (prompt kids) for them to be with God forever and ever. Many years passed. And as they passed, God continued to remind the people that He is good, faithful, and always remembers His promises. When the time came, the promised Messiah was born. Who is the Messiah? Invite responses. That s right. Jesus is the promised Messiah! Jesus is the way! Prompt kids to jump up, repeat, and do motion. When He grew up, Jesus gathered a group of people called disciples to follow Him and learn from Him. One day it would be their job to tell the world that Jesus is the way (prompt kids) to be with God forever and ever. As Jesus and the disciples traveled through Israel, Jesus showed people the truth about who He is. He performed many miracles; He healed people and forgave their sins. He showed people that He is God. Jesus is the truth. Many people didn t like the things Jesus was teaching. Invite kids to cross their arms across their chests unhappily. They heard Jesus say that He is God, and they didn t believe Him they didn t want to believe Him. But God is so good. He made sure to prepare the way for Jesus to come to earth. He sent prophets to tell the people all about the promised Messiah, and He made sure to show the people in many ways and through many miracles that He always keeps His promises. He did all of these things so that when the Messiah came, the people would be able to recognize Him. Did the people recognize that Jesus is the Messiah? Invite responses. Some did, but many 3
didn t. You see, the people wanted God to send someone who would destroy their enemies and make the nation of Israel powerful right away. They didn t want the kind of Messiah that Jesus was when they met Him. So they planned to kill Him. But this was all part of God s plan. Jesus is the way (prompt kids) and the truth (prompt kids)! One night, Jesus gathered His disciples for one last meal together. Crouch in front of kids and stretch out arms as if beckoning them closer. Jesus knew His time with them was coming to an end, and He wanted to prepare them. So as He ate with His disciples, Jesus told them exactly what would soon happen to Him: He would die on the cross and rise again in three days. Why? Invite responses. Good thinking. Jesus is the way (prompt kids) for us to be with God forever and ever. And He is the truth (prompt kids)! Jesus also told the apostles that He is the life. Prompt kids. What do you think He meant? Invite responses. Jesus is the promised Messiah, and He is God. He is in charge of life and stronger than death. Jesus is the life! Prompt kids. Later that night, Jesus went away to be alone and pray. Walk to edge of the room and kneel as if praying alone. Lower your voice and slow your speaking tempo. Jesus chose to spend time with His heavenly Father in His last hours on earth. The people who had turned against Him came to the garden (Tech: Cue Garden image) where Jesus was praying and had Him arrested. Invite kids to open Bibles and follow along as you read John 18:2 5. 2 Judas knew the place. He was going to hand Jesus over to his enemies. Jesus had often met in that place with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden. He was guiding a group of soldiers and some officials. The chief priests and the Pharisees had sent them. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. 4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. So he went out and asked them, Who do you want? 5 Jesus of Nazareth, they replied. I am he, Jesus said. Judas, who was going to hand Jesus over, was standing there with them. Several times Jesus was put on trial. Tech: Cue Trial image. He was sent before many different officials, and every single one declared Him innocent. But the crowd who had turned against Him kept shouting out for Him to be crucified one of the worst and most shameful deaths imaginable. Invite kids to follow along as you read John 19:4 6. 4 Once more Pilate came out. He said to the Jews gathered there, Look, I am bringing Jesus out to you. I want to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him. 5 Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Then Pilate said to them, Here is the man! 6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, Crucify him! Crucify him! But Pilate answered, You take him and crucify him. I myself find no basis for a charge against him. Tech: Cue Cross image. Can you imagine that? Jesus! The Messiah! The promised Savior! Sentenced to die in shame. Of course, Jesus is God. He could have taken over at any time and stopped this shameful death. But He chose not to. He chose to face death. He chose to be the sacrifice, for our sake. But why? Invite responses. Jesus knew this was God s plan from the beginning of The Big God Story. Because God loves us so very much, He wanted to be close to us and forgive us. The only way to do that was by sending His Son to earth to die for us. When Jesus died on the cross, He took all of our sins on Himself. He is the way (prompt kids) for us to have a right relationship with God the Father. Jesus was buried in a tomb. But here s the amazing thing: Three days after Jesus died, His friends went to the tomb, and His body wasn t there! Invite the children to follow along as you read John 20:11 18. 11 But Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she cried, she bent over to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels dressed in white. They were seated where Jesus body had been. One of them was where Jesus head had been laid. The other sat where his feet had been 4
placed. 13 They asked her, Woman, why are you crying? They have taken my Lord away, she said. I don t know where they have put him. 14 Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn t realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for? She thought he was the gardener. So she said, Sir, did you carry him away? Tell me where you put him. Then I will go and get him. 16 Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned toward him. Then she cried out in the Aramaic language, 17 Rabboni! Rabboni means Teacher. Jesus said, Do not hold on to me. I have not yet ascended to the Father. Instead, go to those who believe in me. Tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news. She said, I have seen the Lord! And she told them that he had said these things to her Jesus rose! He defeated death and sin! Just as He said He would. Jesus is the truth! Prompt kids. That s what we celebrate on Easter: Jesus resurrection. Jesus is alive! He is life! After His resurrection, He appeared to many people, including His disciples. And when Jesus rose from the dead, He gave the gift of eternal life to everyone who believes in Him. He is the life. Prompt kids. Because Jesus is the creator of life, He can give the gift of eternal life life forever and ever with Him. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life! Prompt kids. We have so many reasons to praise Jesus especially on Easter. Jesus is alive! He is the way, the truth, and the life! Prompt kids. Let s celebrate again. This time, you can stand, cheer, jump up and down, and give someone a high five. Give the children a few seconds to celebrate again. God had a plan all along to make things right. He is good and He is faithful. Jesus is our promised Savior. Let s shout it out together: Jesus is (prompt kids) the way, the truth, and the life! Share a personal story from a time in your life when you realized that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Tell the kids we are going to close the Big God Story by worshipping him. Ask the kids to wait until they are asked to come forward to take communion. WORSHIP VIDEO 3: Beautiful Name After a time of worshipping have kids come and take communion if they have been baptized, and bring their offering. Fade out song slowly at Worship Leader s prompting. (As the song comes to a close Worship Leader tells groups to head to their small group space. Say something like, Let s continue responding to what God is teaching us as we dismiss to our small groups. Please follow your small group leader at this time. ) IMAGE: It s time for small groups Turn main overhead lights on Dismiss for small groups refer to map for small group locations ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the end of small groups... Tech cue: 2 minute warning with exit song, using ceiling speakers, at the host s prompting Turn speakers back to wall speakers for blessing, closing song and dismissal. 5
GOAL: Kids build relationships with each other and their leader as they respond to what they heard in the Big God Story. Lost and Found SUPPLIES Easter eggs (1 per child) Stopwatch or timer (teacher s cell phone) Basket or bowl Northside cup as an Easter Gift (one per each child) ENGAGE Place the eggs in a basket or bowl in the middle of your table. Friends, we just heard that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day! That s amazing. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is alive! Because of Jesus, we can be forgiven and spend forever with Him in heaven. That s a wonderful gift! It s also a reason to celebrate! So we are going to play a game and have an Easter Egg Hunt! Here is how this is going to work: I am going to divide you into two teams. Explain that the two teams will compete to see who can find hidden eggs the fastest. Invite the first team to hide all of the eggs around the room, while the second team closes their eyes. When they are finished, invite the second team to see how quickly they can find all of the eggs. Time the children using the stopwatch. Then, allow the second team to hide the eggs while the first team seeks. See who is faster at finding all the eggs. When finished playing the game gather all the kids back together and make sure each kid gets an egg. Allow them to open their egg and have their treat, while you discuss the following questions. Make sure you allow enough time to pass out the Northside cups to each child as an Easter Gift to the kids from Northside. Why do we celebrate Jesus rising from the grave? Romans 6:4 What does it mean that Jesus is the way? John 14:6 What does it mean that Jesus is the truth? John 8:32 What does it mean that Jesus is the life? Romans 6:23 Why did Jesus choose to die for us? Romans 5:8 How does this part of The Big God Story make you feel? Sad? Joyful? Thankful? BLESSING Close your small group time reading a final scripture and blessing your kids using the Blessing Card from your supply bin in your cart. 6
GOAL: Bless kids to send them out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others. CLOSING REMARKS/ANNOUNCEMENTS (Host): Wall Speakers On TRANSITION ACTIVITIES (HOST): Play Regrouping Video Announce the expectations verbally as kids regroup in the large group room Have a seat on the floor Stay seated until your name is called or you see your parents Meet up with your parents and exit the middle door. Play Fun Video: Cow, Chicken, Pig Video (Kids will stand up and pick and animal by doing the hand/face motion on the screen, then if the animal they picked is chosen they sit down and are out). Transition Activity: Game of Would you rather? (supplies provided: deck of Would you rather? cards) Choose a card from the deck and read it out loud. Instruct kids that if they would rather choose the first choice put up a number one with fingers and hold it up in the air. If the kid would choose the second choice put up 2 fingers. After each question, look around the room and estimate which one had the most and wins. Then move on to the next question, reminding kids of dismissal expectations as needed. DISMISSAL (STORYTELLER): Call names of kids as parent come to pick up and welcome kids who are being dropped off. Encourage parents to enter the room and encourage kids and parents to exit out the middle door (103) 7
From my seat in the back of the van, I watched as dozens of orphaned children circled us anxiously. I had been to this township in South Africa two years in a row, but I still felt fear bubble up within me. I stayed back as my team exited the van, excitedly running out to greet the kids. God, I prayed, please point out one kid who needs me. Then one small child came toddling over. At that very moment, God s Holy Spirit gave me an overwhelming sense of motherly love for her. She was filthy and wheezed from an illness. Still, I wanted to hug her and hold her hand as we walked. I wanted her to know she was loved. God has every right to distance Himself from us, but He doesn t. He came close to us and chose to go to extreme lengths, even to death on a cross, to demonstrate how passionately He loves us. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Erika Abdelatif ROCKHARBOR Church The Old Testament records hundreds of prophecies about the coming Messiah. Many striking examples of these prophecies are found in the book of Isaiah, particularly in the four servant songs, which the prophet wrote 700 years before Jesus birth. In Isaiah 53, the prophet describes a Savior who would take upon the iniquity of us all (v. 6) would be a man of suffering, and familiar with pain (v. 3), and someone with no beauty or majesty to attract us to him (v. 2). Also prophesied in these servant songs, none of Jesus disciples or followers would defend Him in His trial: By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? (v. 8). Isaiah even prophesied specifics about Jesus death. He used terms such as pierced and crushed (v. 5) and described the Messiah as disfigured beyond that of any human being marred beyond human likeness (52:14). We often depict Jesus body on the cross looking relatively unaltered, but the Romans were brutal in their crucifixion process. The verse says that after the beatings and torture that Christ experienced, it would have been difficult to recognize Him as human. Jesus death fulfilled many more of these specific prophecies, including that He would be buried with the rich in his death (v. 9). Joseph of Arimathea, a rich disciple of Jesus, begged Pilate for Jesus body and buried Him in a tomb reserved for the wealthy. But Jesus death also fulfilled prophecies that foretold the glorious purpose in it. Isaiah prophesied that, on the cross, Jesus would [bear] the sin of many (v. 12). Then, after He had suffered, God would see the light of life and be satisfied as His Son [justified] many (v. 11). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus proved that He is the way to the Father, the truth of God s love, and the source of life. The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. Psalm 116:5 Spend some time meditating on the mystery and truth that God s gracious plan was to send His Son, Jesus, to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin and to show, through that sacrifice, that He is the One with the power to give eternal life to those who believe. Ask Him to reveal to you how His plan, His Scripture, and all of the truths about God written in Scripture can be seen through the light of Christ s sacrifice on the cross. Pray God will fill you with awe as you consider the incredible sacrifice of His Son. 8