LEADERS HUB
Year 1, Term 4, Week 7: Ideas for senior Group
Week 7: Responding to Jesus - He came to save us!
Lesson Objective:
Jesus came to Earth to save us - God makes us part of His family when we put our faith in Jesus.
Bible Passage:
John 3:1-18 (Jesus & Nicodemus)
Memory Verse:
John 3:16 - God loved the people of this world so much that he gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die.
Story Idea: Tell it in the dark!
Before the lesson:
- Set up a section of the room to tell the story in the dark (Nicodemus went to Jesus at NIGHT)
- You could create a large cubby using sheets/tarps/cushions or just choose a corner of the room to sit in together
- Block out any major light sources so the room can be made dark
- Gather a lantern or battery operated candles to provide some light (ask Kathryn if needed)
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Recap:
- Ask the kids about last weeks story and prompt them to remember:
- Jesus was born, the shepherds went to visit Him and praised Him as the SAVIOUR!
Introduce:
- Jesus didn't stay a baby!
- Jesus grew up - He walked around, He taught and He did miracles!
- He attracted a LOT of attention!
Tell it - covering the main points:
- Nicodemus was a Pharisee - a leader of the Jewish people - a VERY religious man!
- He knew the Bible laws VERY well
- Lots of Pharisees didn't like Jesus, because He acted and taught like He had authority...
- Nicodemus had SEEN Jesus do miracles and so he knew that there was something special about Jesus - and he wanted to know more
- One night, Nicodemus went to see Jesus (maybe that was the best time for Him, maybe He wanted to talk to Jesus when the crowds weren't there, or maybe he didn't want his Pharisee friends to know he was talking to Jesus... but He went at night!)
*Turn off lights and use candles - bring kids to sit in prepared spot*
- Nicodemus knew that there was something special about Jesus
- Jesus started to teach him... 'If you want to be part of God's Kingdom... you must be born from above'
- Nicodemus was CONFUSED - How can you be born again? A second time!
- Jesus explains...
- Parents give birth to their kids - and they are part of a human family.... But God's spirit can make us part of God's family - like a child of God!
- But Nicodemus is STILL confused
- Jesus explains more...
- God LOVES people
- God loves people SO MUCH that He sent Jesus to die for our sin...
- So whoever has faith... whoever trusts that Jesus died for them... WILL be part of God's family and live forever with Him
- No matter how hard we try to do ALL the right things, we can never earn our way into Heaven... Instead we get a FREE TICKET, just by having FAITH in Jesus and trusting what He did on the cross.
Have the kids read John 3:16-17
Quiz Questions:
1. What type of person was Nicodemus?
A pharisee
2. What is a pharisee?
A religious leader
3.When did Nicodemus talk to Jesus
At night
4. How could he tell there was something special about Jesus?
He was doing miracles - God was with Him!
5. Can we be part of God's kingdom and go to Heaven by doing the right thing?
No
6. Why not?
All of us have done the wrong thing sometimes!
7. Who is it that can make us part of God's family?
God
8. Our sin would ruin our relationship with God - what did He do to fix that?
Send Jesus to die
9. What does it mean to have faith in Jesus?
To trust that He died to fix our sins and know that allows us to have a relationship with Him
10. What does all of this show us about God?
He LOVES us, He wants us to be part of His family and Kingdom, He always had a plan to save us from sin etc.
11. What does that mean for us?
We are loved by God, we can be His children, we can have a relationship with God, we can pray to Him, we can follow Him etc.
Game Idea: Where we put our faith! (Noodle Knock)
Before the lesson:
- Cut a pool noodle into pieces of various sizes (1 or 2 inches up to 6 inches) and write point values on - smaller pieces = more points
- You'll need one set of noodle pieces and one table per team, marker cones and things for the kids to throw (eg. tennis balls, beanbags from cupboard etc.) each with the word 'FAITH' written on
- Set up the tables on their sides at one side of the room, facing the other side
- Balance each teams noodle pieces on the side of their table with a marker a few metres away
To Play
- Have kids form teams and line up at the markers
- Ask them to knock down the noodles without moving from the marker (they may try to blow - it should be impossible)
- After futile attempts, hand the players a bean bag and let them throw to try and knock down markers
- Team members take turns throwing the bean bag, and scoring points for every noodle knocked
- The team with the most points wins!
Discuss:
- Could you knock a noodle by yourself without the beanbag? (No)
- How about with the beanbag? (Yes)
- What do you have to do correctly to hit a noodle? (Throw it in the right direction!)
Explain:
- We can't be part of God's kingdom with just our own efforts...
- It is only when we have faith (like having a beanbag) that we can be part of His Kingdom...
- WHERE we put our faith matters! - Jesus is the only one who can fix our sin - if we put our faith in anyone or anything else, it's like we're throwing our beanbag in the wrong direction! It won't help! Our faith needs to be in Him!
Craft Idea: Pencil Tin
Before the lesson:
- Cut rectangles from decorative/wrapping paper (10.2 x 25 cm)
- Collect, wash and remove labels from tin cans
- Gather things to decorate (punch cutouts, ribbon, glitter, coloured paper, pencils, scissors, glue etc.)
Have the kids:
- Decorate a coloured rectangle, writing the words 'For God so loved...' somewhere on it
- Glue it around a tin can to make a pencil tin
Remind the kids of the truth- God loves us, Jesus died for us, and when we have faith in Him - He makes us part of His family... A pencil tin is a good reminder of JUST HOW God loves us!
