Explore the Bible: Kids - Kids Tool Kit with Worship Preview by LifeWay Kids

LARGE GROUP WORSHIP Session FOR THE LEADER

Jesus and Nicodemus John 1; 3 The Gospel of John is unique among the four gospels. John’s Gospel includes many unique details. John’s purpose for writing his Gospel was to provide evidence that Jesus Christ was indeed the Messiah, the one and only son of God. John actually begins his Gospel similarly to Matthew, Mark, and Luke with genealogical information, though John begins farther back than any of the others—in the very beginning. God existed in the beginning and John introduces Jesus’ oneness with God in the beginning and then becoming flesh. John identifies Jesus as the Word of God. After introducing Jesus as the Word become flesh, the Gospel of John continues as a series of stories that John recorded so he could show that Jesus was indeed who John claimed He was. The first major story John tells is of a visit to Jesus from one of the leaders of the Jews named Nicodemus. Being a ruler of the Jews meant that Nicodemus was not just a respected member of Jewish life, but he served on the Sanhedrin. This council was comprised of 71 members led by the High Priest. As a member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus would have been well versed in Jewish law and religious life. Nicodemus went to Jesus at night and recognized Jesus as being sent from God. Nicodemus understood that Jesus was a prophet, but he did not grasp yet that Jesus was the Son of God. Further, Nicodemus identified Jesus as a rabbi, or teacher, and put himself in the role of learner. Both of these admissions show that Nicodemus was truly seeking real answers to his questions. Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus led Nicodemus to question the details of eternal life. Jesus clarified for Nicodemus what it meant to be born again. Jesus told Nicodemus real eternal life comes through a relationship with God, which can be gained through trust in God’s plan to send His one and only Son to die for the sins of all people. God sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from our sin.

Session 1: Jesus and Nicodemus

SESSION 1

SESSION FOCUS BIBLE PASSAGE: John 1; 3 MEMORY VERSE: John 3:16 TEXT TRUTH: God sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from our sin. CHRIST IN CONTEXT: The Book of John reveals Jesus as the Word of God who became

flesh. Jesus used the personal name of God, I am, seven times in the Gospel to declare that He is God. John’s Gospel describes the eternal, all-knowing, ever-present, and allpowerful nature of Christ.

JESUS AND NICODEMUS John 1; 3

The Apostle John described Jesus as “the Word.” John used this term to describe that Jesus was one of the ways God shows us who He is. John wrote, “In the beginning was Jesus and Jesus was with God and Jesus was God. Everything was created through Him. Jesus also became human and came to earth to live with us.” Later, John described a time when a religious leader came to visit Jesus. Nicodemus came one night to visit Jesus. He told Jesus, “You are a teacher from God. No one could perform the miracles You do unless He was from God.” Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus was confused. How could someone be born a second time? Jesus explained people needed to be spiritually born. People needed to repent and be forgiven of their sin. Nicodemus was still confused. Jesus told Nicodemus some things that we understand better now because we know that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead. Jesus said, “Like Moses lifted up the bronze snake in the wilderness, the Son of Man (Jesus) will also be lifted up. For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

SESSION 1

WELCOME • Before the session, write day on one piece of construction paper and night on another. Tape the signs to opposite walls in your room. • Guide enters wearing sunglasses and carrying a flashlight. Walk around the room shining the flashlight. • Greet: “Hi, everyone! I think I’m ready for daytime or nighttime. The sunglasses will help me if the sun is bright. The flashlight will help me if it’s dark.” • Guide kids to stand in an open area in the room. Call attention to the two signs. • Continue: “I am going to call out a word. If it is something you see during the nighttime, go to the night sign. If I call something that you see in the daytime, go to the day sign. Some of the things I call may be seen during day or night; stand at either sign for those calls.” • Call words like moon, stars, sun, fireflies, mosquitoes, candles, clouds, torches, rainbow, and so on. • Say: “If you like daytime better, hold up your hand. If you prefer nighttime, hold up your hand. The Bible tells about an important man, who visited Jesus at nighttime.”

WORSHIP • Say: “Jesus came to earth to show what God is like and to rescue us from our sin problem. Jesus came to earth knowing that He would suffer and die. He loves you and me that much! Because of Jesus, we can be forgiven. Stand and praise Him for His great love.” • Sing “You Are Almighty God” and “Word of God.” • Pray and collect the offering.

INTRODUCE THE SESSION • Say: “There are four Gospel books in the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The writer of the Gospel of John was the disciple, John. John and his brother, James, had a fishing business with their dad, Zebedee. They left the business to follow Jesus. John witnessed the amazing miracles and teachings of Jesus. John wrote the Book of John to proclaim that Jesus was the Son of God, the Savior of the world.” • Option: Show the Explore the Bible on Location video.

PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS • Call attention to the “Books of the Bible” slide. Invite kids to stand and recite the books of the New Testament.

TOOLS

• Welcome: construction paper, permanent marker, tape, sunglasses, flashlight • Worship: music videos, offering basket • Introduce the Session: option: Explore the Bible on Location video • Practice Bible Skills: New Testament “Bible Books Cards” (print item). small paper bag, permanent marker, Bibles, slide: “Book of the Bible” • Dig Deeper: facial tissue, slide: “Text Truth: Session 1” • Review: slide: “John 3:16,” small white paper plates, scissors, markers, hole punchers, red yarn, red tissue paper, clear tape • Put It Into Action: marker board, dry erase markers, slide: “Nicodemus Sculpture” • Missions: U.S. map • Closing: music videos

WELCOME

• Make two signs. On one piece of construction paper, write the word day. On the other piece, write night. Tape one sign on a wall in an open area. Tape the other sign in another area of the room.

PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS: • Before the session, print and cut the New Testament “Bible Books Cards.” Write New Testament on the bag. Put the cards in the bag.

Session 1: Jesus and Nicodemus

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BIBLE SKILLS SPOTLIGHT

• Becomes familiar with the contents of specific books. • Begins to know some of the books of the Bible in order and pronounces names of some Bible books. • Locates all books of the Bible by using the contents page or with teacher guidance.

• Say: “The Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Gospels division tell about the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Acts tells about the coming of the Holy Spirit and the establishment of the early church. Other books in the New Testament are letters men wrote to teach about Jesus and the way to live God’s way. Revelation proclaims that someday Jesus will return!” • Form groups of three, matching pre-readers with readers. • Continue: “I’m going to pull a card out of the bag. Locate the book I call and stand up. Be prepared to give the names of the books that come before and after the book.”

DIG DEEPER • Use the groups that were formed for the Bible Skills activity. • Say: “Locate the first three words in the Bible.” (Select a volunteer to read the words.) “Great job! Now locate John 1:1.” (Select another volunteer to read the verse.) “In the beginning. Both Genesis and John tell what it was like in the beginning before anything was created. John tells that Jesus was at creation. Jesus has always existed.” • Open the Bible and read John 1:1-18. • Comment: “In these verses, we read about a man called John the Baptist. He is a different John than John the disciple, the writer of the Gospel John. John the Baptist told the people to turn from their sins and get ready for the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist preached in the area around the Jordan River. Many people went to hear John preach. One day something spectacular happened.” • Read John 1:29-34. • Continue: “When John saw Jesus, John immediately knew who He was—the Messiah. When John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, God spoke from heaven and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. In the days that followed, Jesus chose His disciples and began His preaching and teaching ministry. News about Jesus spread.” • Read John 3:1-18. • Explain: “Jesus was in Jerusalem to observe the Passover, a special Jewish holiday. Most of the religious leaders disliked Jesus and were skeptical of Him. Nicodemus was a religious leader who believed that Jesus had been sent by God. Nicodemus wanted to know more about Jesus. One night he went to visit Jesus. He listened while Jesus answered his questions, but Nicodemus didn’t understand what Jesus meant.” • Select two helpers. Invite the helpers to stand facing each other. Lay the facial tissue on one helper’s hand. Tell her to put her other hand on top of the tissue. Challenge the other helper to blow the tissue out of her hand. Ask why it can’t be done. (Because the tissue is being held between both hands, it won’t move.) Tell the helper to remove her top hand and lay the tissue on one hand. Tell the other kid to blow hard. The tissue will

SESSION 1

float to the floor. Ask why the tissue moved the second time. Tell the two helpers to repeat the action. Instruct the other kids to look closely to see the movement of the air particles that caused the reaction. No one will see anything. • Comment: “Sometimes we can see why something happens like both hands holding the tissue. Other times, we see the reaction without being able to see what caused it. We cannot see the wind, but we see what it does. Jesus used that example to explain to Nicodemus that it’s important to have faith. If Jesus says it, we can believe it.” • Read John 3:31-36. • Continue: “People continued to ask John the Baptist about Jesus. John shared faithfully and truthfully about Jesus. He told the people that Jesus was from God. He challenged the people to believe in Jesus because He was the Messiah, who had come to earth to rescue them from their sin.” • Show “Text Truth: Session 1” slide. • Comment: “This is the message of John the Baptist. It is our message, too.”

REVIEW

• Show the “John 3:16” slide. • Ask: “Who was Jesus talking to when He said these words?” (Nicodemus) “Yes, Jesus told Nicodemus about God’s great love. Jesus explained to Nicodemus God’s plan to send Jesus into the world to rescue people from their sin problem. No man could do what Jesus did. Jesus loves like God loves. Because of His great love, He willingly gave His life for everyone— including Nicodemus and you and me.” • Give each kid a paper plate and markers. • Guide the kids to use the markers to completely cover the front of the paper plate. Draw a large heart on the center of the plate. Provide scissors to cut out the heart and discard it. Turn the paper plate to the uncolored side. Lay the strips of tissue paper across the plate, covering the heart cut-out. Tape the tissue paper in place. Use a hole puncher and the strip of yarn to make a hanger for the sun catcher. • Suggest to the kids that they write the memory verse, reference, or something else about God’s love on their sun catchers.

PUT IT INTO ACTION • Show the “Nicodemus Sculpture” slide. • Say: “Nicodemus is mentioned only in the Gospel of John. John wrote about Nicodemus’s nighttime visit with Jesus. He also wrote that Nicodemus was present when Jesus died on the cross. The love of Jesus transformed the life of Nicodemus and also the life of John, the writer

• To prepare for the session, cut a 9-inch strip of yarn for and several 5-inch strips of tissue paper for each child.

PUT IT INTO ACTION

• Before the session draw a large heart on the marker board. For a large group, draw a large heart on several pieces of poster board and display around the room.

Session 1: Jesus and Nicodemus

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of this Gospel. Jesus loves unconditionally. That means Jesus loves no matter what. Nothing can change His love. No person or power can take His love away from us.” • Provide dry erase markers at each board and invite the kids to write their name inside the heart. • Continue: “God sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from our sin. To receive Jesus as Savior, you must repent of your sins and ask forgiveness. Believe that Jesus died for you and that He is alive! Believe everything the Bible says about Him. Trust Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.”

MISSIONS • Locate Clarkston, Georgia, on the map of the United States. • Say: “Thousands of refugees are living in Clarkston, Georgia. A refugee is someone who is forced to leave their home country because of war or persecution. Some refugees have to leave because of natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes. Many of the refugees coming to the United States have not heard about Jesus and they do not believe in God. Lorna Bius is a missionary in Clarkston who shares the love of Jesus with refugees every day. She says that she is so thankful for the love of Jesus in her life and that she wants to tell others about Him. Lorna shares with her neighbors and serves them, too. She answers their questions and talks to them about her faith. Even when she goes to community events or to the store to go shopping, she talks to people about Jesus. One day, Lorna was at one of her favorite restaurants. The owner sat with her while she ate. They talked. The next time Lorna was there, she and a friend were the first customers of the day. The owner talked to them while she set out chairs and opened the window blinds. Suddenly the owner went to the table where Lorna and her friend were sitting. The owner reached out her hands and asked Lorna to pray for her. What a joy it was for Lorna to pray! We can pray for Lorna and for her refugee neighbors to hear about Jesus and His unconditional love. We can follow Lorna’s example by welcoming our neighbors, praying for them, and sharing the good news of Jesus with them.”

CLOSING • Put on the sunglasses and turn the flashlight off and on. • Say: “Daytime or nighttime is the right time for Jesus. Hang your sun catcher in your home to remind you of the unconditional love of Jesus. Tell others about Jesus and His love for everyone.” • Stand and sing “Yahweh Is Good.” • Pray.

Preview four sessions at lifeway.com/explorethebible