LEADERS HUB
Year 1, Term 4, Week 2: Ideas for Junior Group
Week 2: Jesus is coming - John the Baptist prepares!
Lesson Objective:
God sent John the Baptist before Jesus to prepare the people and remind them to follow God.
Bible Passage:
Luke 1: 5-22, 57-66, Luke 3:3 (The birth of John the Baptist)
Memory Verse:
Luke 3:3 - So John went along the Jordan valley, telling the people, 'Turn back to God and be baptised! Then your sins will be forgiven.'
Story Idea: Act it Out!
You will need:
- Costumes from cupboard (angel, biblical man, biblical lady with grey wig and glasses to look old)
- Baby doll
Set up::
- Choose three kids to dress up - an angel, Zechariah and Elizabeth (old)
- Have the kids stand up the front and act as you tell the story
- Alternatively, act the story out with your helpers!
Prepare:
- Ask the kids if they remember last weeks lesson
- Prompt them to remember that Isaiah and Micah had a message - God was going to send a new King to save His people!
Tell it, covering the main points:
- A long time ago, there was an old man named Zechariah
- He had an old wife named Elizabeth!
- They didn't have any children, and now they were too old to have kids!
- God had a plan - He wanted everyone to know that Jesus could forgive their sin so that they could be friends with God again!
- So Zechariah was a priest
- One day, he went into the temple
- All of a sudden, an angel appeared!
- Zechariah was TERRIFIED!
- The angel said 'Don't be afraid!'
- 'Your wife is going to have a baby! His name will be John and He will help others to follow Jesus!
- 'Are you sure? I mean... I'm old! And my wife is old! Far too old to have a child!
- The angel said to him; 'Yes I'm sure! God sent me to tell you! These things will happen, but I know you don't believe me... so you won't be able to talk again until your child is born!
- So Zechariah went out of the temple, but he couldn't speak! He had to try and explain things with his hands!
- The angel was right! Elizabeth did have a baby, but it took almost a whole year! (Elizabeth picks up baby)
- Zechariah had to wait ALLLLL that time to speak again!
- It was a miracle! Elizabeth had a baby, even though she was old!
- Zechariah wrote on a tablet... 'His name is John'... so they named their baby John, just like the angel had said!
- All of a sudden, Zechariah could speak again!
- EVERYBODY knew that God was with baby John and had a special plan for him!
- John grew up and he LOVED JESUS - he told everybody that they should follow Jesus because He could forgive their sin so that they could be friends with God again!
Quiz Questions:
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1. What important message did the angel have for Zechariah? His wife was going to have a baby!
2. Why didn't Zechariah think his wife could have a baby? She was old
3. What strange thing happened to Zechariah after he talked to the angel? He couldn't speak
4. Did Elizabeth have a baby? Yes
5. What was the baby's name? John
6. What special message did God want John to tell everyone? Jesus could forgive their sins so they could be friends with God again
Craft Idea: Crown Christmas Decoration
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Before the lesson:
- Gather a pile of socks (old socks or cheap store bargains), wool, pom poms, googley eyes, scissors, PVA glue
- Cut lengths of wool 10-20 cm long
Have the kids:
- Glue wool on for hair (may be easier to tie into bunches and stick the bunch to the head)
- Glue on pom poms and googley eyes
Reinforce the lesson:
- Allow the puppets a chance to dry (play a game)
- Have the kids pick them up
- Remind the kids that John had an important message to tell people!
- Have the kids tell you what John's message was and then all repeat it together with their sock puppet Johns speaking!
'Jesus came to forgive sin... Because of Jesus, we can be friends with God!'
Game Idea: Potato and Spoon Race
- Give each child a 'SPECIAL' potato and a dessert spoon
- Have the kids line up at the start and attempt to carry their 'SPECIAL' potato to the other side of the room (younger kids may need help)
- The fastest across wins!
Explain to the kids that John had a SPECIAL message to carry to the people! Jesus could forgive them for their sins!
