LEADERS HUB
Year 1, Term 2, Week 6: Ideas for Junior Group
Week 6: Obeying God - Because he Forgave
Lesson Objective:
Jesus loved Zacchaeus even though he cheated many people out of money. God also loves us even though we have done wrong things (he showed us when Jesus died for us). Zacchaeus responds by trying to obey God and love others- so should we.
Bible Passage:
Luke 19: 1-10
Memory Verse:
Luke 19:10- The Son of Man came to look for and to save people who are lost.
Story Idea: Object Lesson and Tell it!
Object lesson:
- Before the lesson, print a picture of Jesus and place it in cardboard box and put the box on a stand above the kids head height, so that they can't see in, place a chair next to the stand
- Tell the kids that there is something REALLY SPECIAL in the box and ask what they think it is
- Ask if they can see (no) and why not (they are not tall enough)
- Invite one child to stand on the chair, look in the box and tell everyone else what the picture is (Jesus!)
- Tell the kids that today's story is about someone who knew that Jesus was special but had trouble seeing him!
Tell the story, covering the following main points:
- Zacchaeus was a very short man!
- Lots of people didn't like Zacchaeus because he was a tax collector
- Zacchaeus probably had a lot of money and would take money unfairly from people
- Zaccheaus was in Jericho, and he knew Jesus was coming
- There were so many crowds of people who wanted to see Jesus
- Zacchaeus was too short and couldn't see over the crowds
- He KNEW Jesus was special, and he wanted to see Jesus!
- Zacchaeus climbed up a tree - way up high - so that he could see Jesus!
- Jesus saw Zacchaeus and asked him to come down - Jesus was going to go to his house!
- The people were all amazed and a little bit upset - Jesus was going to eat with a sinner - somebody who stole money!
- Jesus loved Zacchaeus, even though he had done the wrong thing, and Zacchaeus decided to change his ways - he was going to start helping the poor and taking back all of the money he had stolen!
- Jesus reminded everyone that he came to love and save people who had done the wrong thing - just like Zacchaeus and just like us, because we've all done the wrong thing!
- Jesus is VERY SPECIAL - He's worth climbing a tree to see and He's worth following because He loves us!
Quiz Questions:
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1. Why couldn't Zacchaeus see Jesus? He was too short
2. Did Zacchaeus think Jesus was special? Yes
3. Why didn't the people think Jesus should go to his house? He was a sinner - he'd stolen money
4. Have we all done the wrong thing sometimes? Yes
5. Does Jesus love us, even though we have done the wrong thing? Yes
6. When we follow Jesus, can He help us love others like He helped Zacchaeus to love and help the poor? Yes
Game Idea: Limbo
- Hold a broomstick or rope horizontally to make a limbo bar
- Play some music, have the kids line up and limbo walk underneath
- Once they're through they can walk around and join the end of the line
- Drop the bar lower with each round - anyone who touches it is out
- The last player left wins
Remind the kids that Zacchaeus was short and he'd done the wrong thing, but he knew that Jesus was special and worth seeing, so he climbed the tree! Jesus is special, and He loves us all, even though we've done the wrong thing!
Craft Idea: Zacchaeus in a Tree
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Before the lesson:
- Download and print the tree template and the Zacchaeus template
- Cut the tree sheets in half so each child has a tree and cut out one Zacchaeus per child
- Gather glue, tissue paper and colouring pencils
Have the kids:
- Colour in their tree trunk and Zacchaeus
- Crumple pieces of tissue paper and stick them on as leaves
- Stick their Zacchaeus up in the tree
- Fast finishers can colour in the background too!
Activity Idea: Sing 'Follow Me'
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Play the following youtube video and have the kids do the actions along with you:
Jesus said 'Come follow Me!' Mark 1 Verse 17
Point to sky Pull arm towards you (come motion) Open hands like reading book
With my heart, and what I say I will follow Jesus everyday!
Use hands to make heart shape Pull palms away from mouth March on spot
Over here.... Over there.... I will follow Jesus everywhere!
Walk left Walk right March on spot
Remind the kids that Jesus loves us all just as we are, even though we've done the wrong thing! We can decide to follow Jesus just like Zacchaeus did - we can love others and be kind, just like Zacchaeus decided to!
