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    • Optional Memory Verse: 

                International Children's Bible, New Century Version

    Today's Theme:

     

     

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    Today's Story:

    		The boy Jesus visits the temple.
    Luke 2
    "The thing you should seek is God's kingdom.  Then 
    all the other things you need will be given to you."
                    Luke 12:31
    God wants us to seek him like treasure.
    • Materials Needed:
    		Promised Land Mat
    Shoe box temple from previous lessons
    Priest figure
    Boy Fisher Price or similar type figure to represent Jesus as a boy
    The following figures from a childproof nativity set:
    		Mary and Joseph
    6 or 7 Fisher Price or similar type figures
    Blocks 
    wrapping paper 
    Wrap the following items before class to look like gifts or treasures:
    		Children's Bible
    Shoe box temple from previous lessons
    Treasure map or clues for 'Treasure Hunt' game (see Action Game below)

     

    • Action Game: Treasure Hunt
    		Prior to class wrap the following items up like a treasures:
    		the shoe box temple,
    a Children's Bible
    Hide the gifts somewhere in the room.
    Make a map or hide clues that the kids have to follow to find the treasures.
    		Option: hide them in 2 different places in the room.
    Tell the kids they are going on a treasure hunt and direct them to follow the map or the clues.
    After the kids find the "treasure", unwrap them and show them the Bible and the temple.
    Tell them that God wants us to seek Him  like treasure.

     

    • Closing Discussion

    • Close in Prayer  asking God to give us the desire to seek God the way Jesus did: 

    • Telling the Story:
    		Today we're learning that God wants us to seek Him like we would seek treasure.
    What did we find in our treasure hunt?
    		A Bible and the temple.
    How are the Bible and the temple like treasures?
    		They help us to find God. 
    Today we're learning about Jesus when he was a boy. 
    		Lay out the Promised Land mat.
    Jesus was seeking something in today's story. 
    I want you to listen carefully to find out what he was seeking and to find out where he went to look for it.
    Last week we learned that God told Joseph in a dream to move to this part of the of the Promised Land.
    They lived in a place called Nazareth.
    		Point out the area near the Sea of Galilee.
    Let's build a house for Mary and Joseph and Jesus right here.
    		Set up a few blocks next to the Sea of Galilee to represent their house.
    Place the Mary and Joseph figures in front of it.
    Joseph worked as a carpenter.  
    What does a carpenter do?
    		Discuss the kinds of things Joseph might have made.
    What kinds of things do you think Jesus might have done to help Joseph?
    		Discuss the kids ideas.  
    In today's story Jesus was 12 years old.  Let's pretend that this is Jesus.
    		Place a Fisher Price or similar type boy figure  with Mary and Joseph.
    Every year all of God's people traveled to the temple in the city of Jerusalem for a special holiday called Passover.
    		Place the temple next to the Dead Sea.
    Set the priest figure in front of it.
    When Jesus was 12 years old he and his family traveled to the temple to celebrate the Passover holiday.
    They traveled as a big group with all their aunts and uncles and cousins.
    Let's pretend these figures are Jesus' aunts, uncles and cousins.
    		Add the remaining Fisher Price type figures.
    Direct the children to walk Mary Joseph, Jesus, and the other figures to the temple.
    The Passover holiday lasted for many days. 
    After Passover was over Jesus wanted to learn all he could from the priests about God.
    So he went to see the priests and asked them questions.
    		Walk Jesus figure to the priest figure.
    The priests were amazed with Jesus' understanding and his wise answers.
    Mary, Joseph and all his relatives packed up and started home.  
    They did not know that Jesus was not with them. 
    Start walking the figures back toward Galilee.
    They walked all day.
    When night time came, Mary and Joseph set up camp to sleep for the night.  
    They thought Jesus had been traveling with his aunts and uncles and cousins so they went to look for Him.
    		Walk Mary and Joseph figures to the other figures. 
    But they could not find Jesus anywhere.
    So Mary and Joseph traveled all the way back Jerusalem, where the temple was and started hunting for Jesus there.
    		Walk Mary and Joseph figures back to the area near the Dead Sea.
    Mary and Joseph searched everywhere for 3 days.
    		Walk the figures around as if looking for Jesus.
    Finally they went to the temple.
    There was Jesus at the temple talking with the priests.  
    Mary said to Jesus, "Son, why did you do this to us.  Your father and I  were very worried about you. We have been looking for you."*
    Jesus was very surprised that his parents wouldn't have known to look for him at the temple.  
    He said to his parents,  "Why did you have to look for me? You should have known that I must be where my father's work is."* 
    But they didn't understand that Jesus was talking about God as His father.
    Then Jesus left with Mary and Joseph and they traveled all the way back to their home in Nazareth.
    		Let the kids take turns moving all the figures back to Nazareth. 
    Jesus obeyed Mary and Joseph.
    God was pleased with him and other people liked him.
    What was Jesus seeking in today's story?
    		He wanted to know all about God and His laws.
    Where did Jesus seek out God?
    		To the temple
    Who did Jesus talk to learn about God?
    		The priests.
    God was like a treasure to Jesus. 
    He wanted to learn everything He could about God.
    Going to the temple and talking to the priests was the best place to learn about God.
    How can we seek God like a treasure?
    		By praying that God will help us want to seek Him like Jesus did.
    By reading the Bible or asking someone to read the Bible to us.
    By going to church,
    By asking questions about God, like Jesus did.
    by helping us to want to read our Bibles, 
    to want to go to church, and 
    to ask questions to learn all we can about God.

     

    •  
    Optional Snack:  Foods that Jesus would have eaten
    		Let kids snack on the types of foods that Jesus probably ate as a child:
    		figs or dates,
    matzo crackers that they called unleavened bread,
    goat milk 

    Supplemental Bible Readings:
    (Suggested daily readings)

     

    • Materials Needed for Next Week:
    		Promised Land Mat
    Fisher Price or similar type man figure to represent John the Baptist
    Adult Jesus figure
    4 or 5 Fisher Price men and women figures,
    clear plastic bottle (1 or 2 qt or 1 or  2 liter)
    Assorted food colors 
    hand or dish towel,
    masking tape,
    rubber band
    wash basin 
    2 wash cloths or sponges
    clean rag
    container with dirt
    bowl in which to make mud
    Figures Needed for Upcoming Lessons:
    		Next week you will need an adult Christ figure.  Recommendation:  Make him all white.

     

    © 2000 Linda Lawler.  
    Permission granted to copy for personal use only.  Not for resale.

    Home Sower 30    Lesson 28     Home Sower 28    Lesson 29    

    Home Sower 29    Lesson 31    Home Sower 31    Lesson 32    

    Home Sower 32     Lesson 33    Home Sower 33    Lesson 34    

    Home Sower 34    Lesson 35    Home Sower 35     Lesson 36     

    Home Sower 36     Lesson 37    Home Sower 37    Lesson 38     

    Home Sower 38    Lesson 39    Home Sower 39    Lesson 40    

    Home Sower 40

    Hit Counter     

    Lessons 1-12    Lessons 13-27     Lessons 28-33    

    Lessons 34-40    Lessons 41-46    Lessons 47-52