Jesus Reminds Us Whose We Are

Jesus Reminds Us Whose We Are BIBLE PASSAGE John 21 (Jesus Reinstates Peter) REMEMBER VERSE Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 SCHEDULE Anticipate 5 10 minutes Celebrate & Respond Large Group 35 55 minutes Respond & Bless Small Group 20 25 minutes Environment: IDENTITY This environment highlights who we are in Christ. According to Ephesians 1, we have been chosen, adopted, redeemed, sealed, and given an inheritance in Christ all of which we did nothing to earn. This conviction allows children to stand firm 1

against the destructive counter identities the world will offer. Equipping Volunteers May 19/20 Of Jesus 12 apostles, Simon Peter was considered to be one of Jesus closest friends. Peter was passionate and zealous often overeager and outspoken. Peter was the first disciple to boldly declare Jesus was the Messiah (Matthew 16:12 16). When Jesus shared that one of His disciples would betray Him, Peter vowed he would never leave Jesus or deny Him (Matthew 26:35). Though Peter clearly had a passion for Jesus, there were times his passions were inconsistent and misdirected. Jesus rebuked Peter when he couldn t accept that Jesus would have to die (Matthew 16:22 23). And when Jesus was arrested, Peter, who d sworn his allegiance to Jesus just days prior, denied Him three times (Matthew 26:69 75). For someone with such a volatile personality, it s interesting that Jesus gave him a new name that means the rock. But Jesus knew what He was doing. Though Peter may not have seemed like the rock to those watching, Jesus had the authority to give Peter this identity and the power to transform him to live in this identity. In John 21, Jesus called Peter to shepherd His flock a role that required him to be faithful and constant, a role that required him to be led where he did not want to go, a role that seemed contrary to Simon Peter s nature. We see in Acts that Jesus did lead Peter into his transformed nature because Peter cared for the flock, preached to multitudes, and was even (believed to be) martyred in Rome in AD 64 or 65 crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die the same way as Jesus. Though Peter experienced many pitfalls and slipups throughout his life, Jesus transformed him into his given identity, the rock. 2

Anticipate// (Small Group) 5 10 min 1. Repeat Game SUPPLIES AND SET UP- none ENGAGE- Peter was one of Jesus disciples. This week s lesson focuses on the relationship between Peter and Jesus after Jesus died and rose again. The moment when Peter met Jesus on the beach was almost like a repeat moment for Peter because he d first met Jesus while he was fishing at the Sea of Galilee. That was the day Peter became one of Jesus disciples. Stand or sit in a circle. Designate a child to start the game, and have her perform one action, such as clapping her hands or signaling a thumbs-up. The person to her left then repeats her action and adds one of his own. Then, the person to the left of the second child repeats the two previous actions, in order, and adds one of her own. This continues around the circle until someone messes up. That person is then out, must scoot out of the circle and play resumes with the next child on the left. Play until everyone gets a turn or one child is left in the circle. Option 2 (for Older Kids): Have kids sit in a circle. Choose a category for the game, such as ice cream flavors or animals. Have the first child say an item in the category, such as mint chip. Then the next child should repeat the first child s item and add one of his own: for example, mint chip, rocky road, and so on. If a child cannot remember the sequence of items, she s out. Continue until one child remains. 2. Earning Rocks See if any children have earned any rocks for the Rock Wall today. Children who memorized last week's memory verse, children who brought their Bible, or those who brought a friend. Pass out the rocks and let the kids write on the rocks their name, or the verse they memorized. (kids add rocks to rock wall at beginning of next section). 3

Celebrate// (Large Group) 20 35 min 1. Welcome & Traditions ROCK WALL CELEBRATION- Open up Celebrate time by celebrating all of the rocks that the kids have earned this week! Let them add them to the rock wall and encourage everyone to keep working on their verses, remembering their Bible and bringing friends! WELCOME VISITORS- Use this time to also welcome any new visitors. Give them a big round of applause for coming! And have a nearby leader give each visitor a high five! CONNECT- To finish up welcome time, let kids engage in today s connect question! Show Connect Slide for kids to view. Encourage them to ask someone they might not know yet. After a minute or two, ask several kids to tell their friends answers to the group- Have you ever gone fishing? If so, what was the best catch you ve had? 2. Remember Verse Pass out Bibles to any kids who don t have one to use during today s lesson. Introduce kids to this week s Remember Verse. Open your Bibles and read it together. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 3. Prayer of Release Next, pray a Prayer of Release. This is a time for kids and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet their hearts and minds. Encourage kids to quiet their voices and take a seat. Then ask them to pray with you. 4. The Big God Story- Jesus Reminds Us Whose We Are SUPPLIES- Bible, tape, markers, cut out of a cross, fishing poles and objects to fish for, Peter s life images printed out, images on flash drive: Peter s life, Matthew 16:17-18. NN only- clothesline, clothespins (6) SET UP- Though this part of The Big God Story can be delivered verbatim, read it before the lesson, so you can personally interact with the material. Before teaching, point out that what they are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible, and encourage kids to do the same, to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. Encourage adult volunteers to keep an eye out for kids who need help finding the Scripture passage. You may even want to write the reference in large print on a whiteboard. Attach Peter s life images to a clothesline of sorts, adding an extra sheet of paper with a cross drawn on it to represent Jesus death in the order of life events. Campuses- use tape to tape the pictures to the wall. ENGAGE- For the Storyteller: To tell The Big God Story this week, you ll be using the clothesline which will look like a comic strip. Each section of the life map will represent an important event in Peter s life. You will hang up the pictures of Peter s life in order as you go through The Big God Story. Before you start this storytelling time, invite two kids up front and see who can fish for items the fastest! On your signal, have the kids fish for each of the items. Whoever gets all of the items first wins. Explain that today your kids will hear about a fisherman who d been called by Jesus to fish for men. Last week in The Big God Story, we talked about how Jesus died, rose from the dead, and then appeared to many people! Jesus spoke with His disciples, Mary, travelers on the road, and other people. This week, we re going to focus on what happened when Jesus spoke with one of His disciples a man named Peter. First, let s take a minute to remember who Peter was and what he did. We first met Peter a few weeks ago in The Big God Story, except his name then wasn t Peter. Who remembers what his name was? (Encourage kids to answer.) 4

That s right, when Jesus first met Peter, his name was Simon. What did Simon do for a living? (Encourage kids to answer.) Right! Simon was a fisherman, which would have been something he had learned to do from a very young age, probably from his father. Fishing was Simon s job, and it would have been a very important part of his life. (hang the image of Peter as a fisherman.) On the day Jesus first met Simon, Simon and his friends had been fishing all night and hadn t caught anything. Just when they were ready to give up, Jesus told them to try again, so Simon put his net back into the water. Simon caught so many fish that his net started to break and his boat began to sink! After that miraculous catch, Jesus told Simon to follow Him and catch men instead of fish (Luke 5:10). Jesus later gave Simon the name Peter, which means the rock (Matthew 16:17 18). No longer would he be known as Simon the fisherman, but as Peter, the follower of Jesus. (show the Peter s name change and Matthew 16:17 18 slide.) So, Peter left his life as a fisherman and followed Jesus. Peter became one of Jesus disciples and walked with Jesus during his three years of ministry. Peter was there when Jesus fed 5,000 people. Peter also saw Jesus heal many people and perform many miracles. (hang the image of Peter following Jesus). Later, when Jesus and His disciples shared in the Passover meal, Peter promised he would never deny Jesus. (To deny someone means to act as though you don t know that person.) Peter promised Jesus he would follow Him forever even if it meant he would have to die for what he believed (Matthew 26:35). Peter was very excited about following Jesus, but sometimes he missed the point, and, at times, Jesus had to correct him. As we learned a few weeks ago, Peter ended up doing the very thing he promised he never would do: he denied Jesus three times at His trial. (hang the image of Peter s denial.) Peter had promised he would never fail Jesus, but, soon after, he denied even knowing Jesus! When Peter realized what he had done, he felt very sad, and the Bible says he wept bitterly (Matthew 26:75). Days after Jesus resurrection, Peter was out fishing with the disciples on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus appeared on the beach. The Sea of Galilee was the very same place Peter had been fishing when Jesus first called him to be one of His disciples. This time, just like the first time, it was morning, and Peter and his friends had fished all night without catching anything. (hang the image of Peter not catching any fish.) And, just like last time, Jesus called to them from the shore and said, Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some [fish] (John 21:6). And, just like the last time, they threw their nets into the water and caught so many fish that they couldn t pull up the net (v. 6)! Now, this sounds familiar! It feels like a repeat of something that s already happened right? Didn t we already hear about how Peter put his net on the other side of the boat to catch a lot of fish? Yes! We heard about that many weeks ago! So, sort of like how we repeated our friends actions during Anticipate, Peter might have felt like putting his net on the other side of the boat was Jesus way of repeating an action He had done many years before. It might have been Jesus way of showing Peter that it was really Him the risen Lord who was standing on the beach! As soon as Peter realized that Jesus was the man standing on the beach, he jumped in the water and swam to the shore. Peter was so passionate and excited that he couldn t wait one more minute to see Jesus. (hang the image of Peter swimming to Jesus.) When Peter got to the shore, Jesus invited him and the disciples to have breakfast with Him. After they ate, Jesus began to have a serious conversation with Peter. (Remember, the last thing that Peter had done before Jesus died was deny Him three times, so you can imagine that this conversation might have been hard for Peter to hear!) Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these? Yes, Lord, he said, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my lambs. Again Jesus said, Simon son of John, do you truly love me? He answered, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Take care of my sheep. Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, Do you love me? He said, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my sheep (vv. 15 17). Jesus started the conversation by calling Peter by his old name, Simon. Why do you think Jesus did this? (Encourage kids to answer.) Jesus probably called Peter by his old name to remind Peter about who he used to be before he met Jesus. Then, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. It was probably very hard for Peter to hear Jesus ask him this, especially after Peter had denied Him. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Each time, Peter answered, Yes of course he loved Jesus. By the third time, Peter felt really sad that Jesus asked him this. Why do you think Jesus asked him three times? (Encourage kids to answer.) Jesus probably asked Peter this three times because Peter had denied Jesus three times, and this reminded Peter of what he had done. 5

After Peter responded, Jesus told him to feed His lambs and take care of His sheep. Who takes care of sheep? That s right. Shepherds take care of the sheep. Jesus had an important mission for Peter s life: to be a shepherd to God s people. When Peter met Jesus, his life completely changed. Jesus called Peter away from his old life, gave him a new identity, and placed him on the path to a new way of life. Although Peter messed up, Jesus still loved Peter and reminded him not only who he was but whom he now belonged to. Jesus reminded Peter that he belonged to Him and that only one thing mattered: Jesus loved him. (hang the slide of Peter s calling to be a shepherd.) Sometimes we re a lot like Peter. We try to find our value in life through the things we do. We might not be fishermen, but we re soccer players, violinists, dancers, etc. The thing is, God wants us to know that these things don t describe who we are. What describes us is who we belong to, not what we do with our time. What matters is that God loves us and wants us to live as His own children. God loves us so much, exactly as we are, and nothing in the world can separate us from His love. As God s children, the Bible says we re blessed with every spiritual blessing; through Jesus, we re made clean and pure before His eyes (Ephesians 1). Belonging to God means we have hope and a purpose in this world. (Use this opportunity to share a life experience when you discovered you belonged to God.) 6

Respond// (Large Group) 15 20 min. 1. Worship Response Stations Spend 5-10 minutes in Worship Response Stations, letting children respond to the lesson they just heard in their own way. Assist younger children and guide when necessary. 2. Jesus Reminds Us Who We Are SUPPLIES- verse slides, washable paint and brush, hand wipes, half pieces of construction paper, markers SET UP- At the top of the construction paper halves, have each child write Who I Am in Jesus. For younger kids, write this on a whiteboard for them to copy. Set up a few hand painting stations around the room. ENGAGE- Jesus had big plans for Peter and an important role for him to play in The Big God Story. Peter needed to be reminded of who he was and who he belonged to before he could become the shepherd Jesus wanted him to be. Like Peter, it s easy for us to lose our way and forget who Christ made us to be. The world offers us many identities that get in the way of who Christ says we are, and it s important for us to remember and stand firm in the identity we re given through Jesus. (Share an example from your own life when the world offered you an identity contrary to your identity in Christ.) Here is who God says we are in Christ (show the following verses for older kids and read aloud to younger kids): To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 He who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17 You have been given fullness in Christ. Colossians 2:10 It is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us. 2 Corinthians 1:21 22 He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 We are God s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 Today we re going to respond to God by declaring the truth of our identity in Him and praising Him for having the power and authority to give us that identity. Around the room you ll find handpainting stations (with a leader at each). Spend a few minutes talking with God, asking Him to remind you of who He says you are. When you re ready, come to the front of the room and draw or write words on the poster to represent who you are in Christ. You might write I am loved or I belong to God. Or, you might write something that stuck out to you from the Bible verses we read. (Model this act of worship for the kids. Remind the kids to remain quiet and worshipful as their friends respond to God.) 3. Worship Through Music Finish large group Celebrate with a time of singing music. 1. Found 2. Not Ashamed 3. Jump Then exit Large Group to spend time applying the things from today in a small group setting. 7

Respond// (Small Group) 15 20 min. 1. Reflect: Jesus Reminds Us Whose We Are When we meet Jesus, we re completely changed. We become God s children belonging to Him and finding our identity in Him. Many times the world offers us other identities, but God wants us to know who we are in Him so we can live as His children! (Leaders: Encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the suggested passages.) Questions for Younger Kids Why did Jesus change Peter s name? (Matthew 16:17 18) How do you think Peter felt when he saw Jesus after He died and rose again? (John 21:7) Why did Jesus ask Peter three times if he loved Him? (John 18:15 17, 25 27; 21:15 17) What plans did Jesus have for Peter? (John 21:15 17) How does it feel to know that you belong to God? Questions for Older Kids If you were to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? Why did Jesus change Peter s name? (Matthew 16:17 18) How do you think Peter felt when he saw Jesus after He died and rose again? Why did Jesus ask Peter three times if he loved Him? (John 18:15 17, 25 27; 21:15 17) What plans did Jesus have for Peter s life and purpose? (John 21:15 17) How did Jesus treat Peter after he denied Him? (John 21:12 14) How does it feel to know that you belong to God? What does God say in His Word about who you are? (Ephesians 1:4 14; Matthew 5:13 16; 2 Corinthians 5:17 21) 2. Create: Life Maps SUPPLIES- life maps, life illustrations (for younger kids), markers SETUP- Pass out the life maps. Create your own life map as an example for the kids (brainstorm some important events in your life good ones and hard ones). For younger kids, use the life illustrations. ENGAGE- During today s Big God Story we used a life map to walk through the important events in Peter s life. Through the life map we saw how Jesus used all of those events to remind Peter who he was in Christ and who he belonged to. What are some of the most important events in your life? Brainstorm with the kids. As you brainstorm, show them the life map you made as an example of the types of things that might be considered important events. During the lesson today, we also heard about how Jesus changed Simon s name to Peter, which means the rock. Peter s personality was excitable and passionate and not always in a good way. But Jesus changed his name because He knew Peter belonged to Him, and he saw who Peter could be through Him. What name would God give you? Maybe He would give the name patient to a girl who is often impatient, or maybe He would give the name bold and courageous to a boy who feels timid and afraid. After you ve talked through these things, instruct the kids to fill in each box on the life map with words or pictures of all the important events in their lives. As they go through each box, have them imagine Jesus in each major life event what He was doing and how He might have been working in their lives at that time. In one of the boxes, have the kids draw what kind of life they feel God is calling them to live in the future. In the last box, have them draw themselves and write the name God might give to them the name they feel God would use to point out their identity as His child. For younger kids, hand out the life illustrations. Let them know that these illustrations probably represent things they ve done in their own lives. If the kids have trouble thinking of their own stories, they can refer to the illustrations for ideas on what to draw. Bless// (Small Group) 5 min. 8

1. Blessing Encourage the kids to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. This posture is meant to symbolize a willingness of heart to respond to God s Holy Spirit and receive what God has for them. Open up a Bible and read Ephesians 2:10: We are God s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. May each of you know that God created you for a special purpose. May God reveal to you that the life He prepared for you in advance is a beautiful calling. May you always remember who you are and who you belong to. 2. HomeFront HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God s Word together before children arrive at church. 9