13 minute read
Lesson 2: Magi Search for the Messiah
This was a joy-filled party! And there were presents, too! Let’s read what the special visitors brought for Jesus.
Read aloud Matthew 2:11.
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Show the Bible Story poster. Have children identify baby Jesus, the wise men, and the gifts.
The wise men gave Jesus gifts they’d carried during the long journey. The gifts were very special, and the visitors were very important. But Jesus was even more special and important. He was God’s Son!
Just like the wise men traveled and brought gifts to celebrate Jesus, we
celebrate Jesus today. (Hooray, Jesus!) That’s what Christmas is all about. Jesus
is the King of all kings—greater than Herod or any other king who’s ever lived. Let’s celebrate. Do this with me.
We’re going on a search, (walk in place) looking high and low (peer high, peer low) For a little bitty baby; (cradle arms, rock back and forth) C’mon, we’re on the go! (two thumbs-up)
We’re looking for the King. (hands together and bow) See the gifts we bring? (display pretend gift) We’re following the star (point high above) No matter how far! (walk in place)
Magi Search for the Messiah Matthew 2:1-12
Now’s a great time for Apply-It Options. Choose one or more that fit your time frame to support today’s Bible discoveries before the closing Goodbye Circle.
Apply-It Options
Choose one—or all—of these activities to support kids’ learning after Bible Discovery.
Game
Supplies: soft star-shaped ornament Play a game like Follow the Leader. ● Choose a child to be the leader. He or she will hold the star and guide kids around the room, moving in different ways. Change leaders after a minute or so.
Just like the wise men followed the star to find baby Jesus, you followed a star, too. The wise men traveled far to find and celebrate Jesus. We celebrate
Jesus today! (Hooray, Jesus!)
Food-n-Friendship
Supplies: snack, napkins, hand cleanser, Music CD, media player
Give a napkin to a friend and say, “We celebrate Jesus.” (Hooray, Jesus!)
(Music CD track 3)
Eat snack together. When we pray, we talk
with Jesus. Who has something we can talk with Jesus about?
Pray together.
Clean up snack.
At Christmas, we celebrate
Jesus. (Hooray, Jesus!) People
had waited a long time for something to celebrate. Our tummies are filled with a yummy snack, and when Jesus was born, people were filled
with joy! Rub tummies as you say, “We celebrate Jesus.” (Hooray, Jesus!)
Coloring Creation
Supplies: “Magi Search for the Messiah” Coloring Creation pages (1 per child), crayons, foam shapes, child-safe scissors, glue sticks, Music CD, media player
We celebrate Jesus. (Hooray, Jesus!) The wise men traveled
a long way to find baby Jesus so they could worship him and bring him gifts.
Identify the parts of the picture children remember from the story. Color the picture. Help children glue foam shapes to the wise men’s hands. Play music as kids create.
Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to photocopy this page granted for local church use. group.com/SimplyLoved
Pre-K & K, Holiday Year 1, Christmas Week 2
Goodbye Circle
It’s almost time to say goodbye. Let’s sing our goodbye song as we join hands and make one big circle!
We celebrate Jesus. (Hooray, Jesus!) ●
We celebrate because Jesus is the best gift ever. Jump up and down a few times.
We celebrate because Jesus always loves us. Jump up and down a few times.
And we celebrate because Jesus wants to be our forever friend. Jump up and down a few times. We celebrate Jesus. (Hooray, Jesus!) us remember we celebrate Jesus. (Hooray, Jesus!) joy. Crew Guides give a sticker to each child and say, “[Child’s name], we celebrate Jesus!”
Supplies
• Music CD
“Goodbye, My
Friends”
“God So Loved the
World” (John 3:16) • media player • Olivia Bible Memory
Buddy stickers
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son.” John 3:16
● Show the Bible Memory Buddy poster, and remind kids that Olivia helps Invite Crew Guides to give each child an Olivia sticker in the following way. Have kids take turns standing in front of their Crew Guides and jumping for (1 per child)
C o p yri gh t © 2020 G roup Publishing , Inc . 001 USA 0420
Do Bible Memory Verse motions and move to the music.
Saying each child’s name in a loving way helps kids simply experience God’s love through you!
Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem on a Donkey
Bible Point We celebrate Jesus.
Purpose
Jesus came to rescue you and me—from sin and from living life without hope and purpose. We need Jesus every day of our lives, but sometimes our expectations for how he’ll come through for us are different from his big-picture plans. We have to trust him.
The Israelites certainly expected a different kind of king than Jesus showed them. They expected a powerful royal in a palace, and they got the all-powerful God…on a donkey. They expected a hero, and instead they got a servant who said, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).
Jesus is the rescuer we didn’t even know we needed. Young children are often in this position—thinking one thing is best for them when something else is what they actually need. You can help them celebrate Jesus today by letting them know Jesus is trustworthy and wants what’s best for them.
We Celebrate Jesus
(Matthew 21:1-11)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son.” John 3:16
C o p y r igh t © 2020 G roup Publishing , Inc . 001 USA 0420
Prayer
Jesus, all of us—big and small—can get confused about what’s best for us. But you know, and you provide. We celebrate you today! In your name, amen.
Prep
Opening Options
Option Cards* Celebration Palms: tissue paper, craft sticks, Glue Dots, markers, child-safe scissors
Memory Eggs: plastic eggs, paper bag, markers Sing & Play
Music CD*
Music Video DVD*
Buddy Video DVD* Olivia Bible Memory Buddy poster* media player Bible (bookmark John 3:16) Bible Discovery & Goodbye Circle
“Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem on a Donkey” Bible Story poster* Music CD*
Olivia Bible Memory Buddy stickers* (1 per child) media player Bible (bookmark Matthew 21:2-3; 8-9) painter’s tape Apply-It Options
Game: construction paper, markers Food-n-Friendship: snack, napkins, hand cleanser, Music CD*, media player Coloring Creation: “Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem on a Donkey” Coloring Creation pages (1 per child), crayons, tissue paper, glue sticks, Music CD*, media player
Opening Options
Set up one—or both—of these intro activities to start your time together. Each activity connects kids to the Bible Point and to each other. Cut apart these Option Cards, and place one by each activity you choose. Crew Guides will follow the directions and build friendships with kids as they make discoveries together! table.
Celebration Palms
Supplies
• tissue paper, craft sticks, Glue Dots, markers, childsafe scissors
Cut tissue paper into strips. Use a couple of Glue Dots to attach several paper strips to a craft stick, then wave it like it’s a palm branch.
Tell about some neat leaves or plants
pictures. If they aren’t a match, close them and try
you’ve seen.
Today we’ll hear how people celebrated Jesus help them be friends with God, and he helps us, too! We celebrate Jesus.
Memory Eggs
Supplies
• plastic eggs, paper bag, markers
Tear a paper bag into pieces, and draw matching images on two different pieces. Draw palm branches, Jesus, crowns, pathways, and happy faces. Place the drawings in separate eggs, and mix them up on the
Open two eggs at a time to try to find matching
with some leaves called palms. Jesus came to
again until you find a match.
When have you had to try something a few times before getting it right?
The pictures you matched do tell a story—an important story from the Bible about why we celebrate Jesus. We’ll learn more about that today!
Opening
Now’s a great time for Opening Options. Choose one—or both—to introduce today’s Bible discoveries.
Help kids transition by cleaning up before sitting with their Connect Crews. A Connect Crew is a smaller group of kids with one Crew Guide.
Sing & Play
Welcome
Hi, friends! Are you ready to have some fun? If you’re ready, show me your
hand, and wave hello. Pause. Hello! Let’s sing our welcome song.
Let’s say hello to our Crew Guides. They’re our go-to friends who are here to have fun and learn along with us.
● Kids give their Crew Guides a high-ten instead of a high-five.
Bible Point
Are you ready to hear today’s Bible Point? It’s we celebrate Jesus. Every time you hear the words “We celebrate Jesus,” make fists and then pop your hands
open like fireworks and say, “Hooray, Jesus!” Let’s try that together. Repeat several times.
Repetition cements learning, so be sure to say today’s Bible Point A LOT. Have fun with it! Kids will love listening for it and responding with “Hooray, Jesus!”
We celebrate Jesus. (Hooray, Jesus!) Let’s cheer for Jesus. Watch, and do what
I do!
Celebrate! Celebrate! (jazz hands) We love Jesus—he’s so great! (hug self, then thumbs-up)
Celebrate! Celebrate! (jazz hands) We love Jesus—he’s so great! (hug self, then thumbs-up)
Supplies
• Bible • Music CD
“Hello, My Friends” • Music Video DVD
“Happy Day” music video
“Power in the
Blood” music video • Buddy Video DVD
Olivia Bible
Memory Buddy video (Week 3) • media player • Olivia Bible Memory
Buddy poster
Hooray, Jesus!
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son.”
(John 3:16)
Copyright © 2020 Group Publishing, Inc., Loveland, CO • group.com • Printed in the United States of America • 1210000316059 Wave your hands in the air. (wave) Celebrate Jesus everywhere! (point to others)
Celebrate! Celebrate! (jazz hands) We love Jesus—he’s so great! (hug self, then thumbs-up)
Today is called Palm Sunday. It’s special because we remember when Jesus rode into a town on a donkey. People were so happy and excited to see him. They loved Jesus and hoped he would help them. Let’s sing a happy song about how Jesus helps us!
Bible Memory Buddy & Verse
It’s time to talk to our friend Buzzly. Bee-lieve me, he has good things to show us today. Let’s call for Buzzly. Do what I do!
● ● Flap hands quickly like a bee. Make buzzing sounds.
Olivia Bible Memory Buddy video (Week 3)
We celebrate Jesus. (Hooray, Jesus!) Whoo, whoo! Whoo could our Bible Memory
Buddy be? It’s Olivia the barn owl.
● ● Show the Bible Memory Buddy poster. Have everyone extend their arms and wave them like wings.
Owls wave their wings to fly, and people waved palm branches to celebrate
Jesus. We celebrate Jesus. (Hooray, Jesus!)
Show the Bible. The Bible is God’s true story of love! Our Bible Memory
Verse comes from the Bible. Let’s say our Bible verse together. I’ll say a line, and then you repeat after me.
“For this is how God loved the world: (make a heart shape with hands) He gave his one and only Son.” (extend arm and hold up pointer finger) (John 3:16)
God gave us Jesus! He came to our world to die for us and show us God’s amazing love. Let’s sing another song about Jesus.
Bible Discovery
Hold up a Bible. Today we’ll hear how a crowd of people celebrated Jesus, and we’ll celebrate Jesus, too. (Hooray, Jesus!) Let’s begin by talking in our
Connect Crews about celebrations we’ve been to.
●
Get comfy and sit in knee-to-knee circles with Connect Crews. Tell about a celebration you’ve been to, like a birthday party or graduation. Invite Crew Guides to share first.
Crew Guides give thumbs-up when everyone has shared.
Our Bible story is about a celebration called Palm Sunday. Let’s experience the story of Palm Sunday now.
Jesus was with his friends, who were called disciples. They were traveling to the town of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was special because at certain times of the year, God’s people traveled there to celebrate God. Pretend to travel to Jerusalem with me.
● ● ● Pat legs for about 20 seconds. Get in a prayer position, kneeling with palms pressed together. Wave hands and shout, “Thank you, God!”
On Jesus’ way into Jerusalem, he had a special job for two of his friends. Let’s find out what it was.
Read aloud Matthew 21:2-3.
Jesus told them to get a donkey and a colt. In our Connect Crews, let’s pretend to be donkeys!
● Have Crew Guides tap two kids at a time on the shoulder and say, “Jesus needs you.” When tapped, kids crawl around the Crew circle, then return to their seats.
Jesus’ disciples did what he said, and when they brought the donkey and colt back to him, they put their coats over the colt and Jesus sat on it. Do what I do! Supplies
• Bible • “Jesus Rides Into
Jerusalem on a
Donkey” Bible Story poster • painter’s tape
We call helpers Crew Guides. If you lead a small class, you can be the Crew Guide. Simply gather kids in a cozy circle around you. If you have helpers, form smaller groups so each child can be known—and so kids can befriend your helpers, too!
Read the verses from the Bible. You’re showing kids that God’s Word is special. And don’t worry; we’ve kept the verses short for young attention spans.
You could have kids wave their Celebration Palms from the Opening Options activity.
Take off an imaginary coat and put it on a pretend colt. Pretend to sit on a colt and move up and down like you’re riding. When you say “Giddyup,” have everyone move up and down in place like they’re riding. When you say “Whoa,” have them stop. Alternate “giddyup” and “whoa” for about a minute.
Jesus rode on the colt into Jerusalem. There was a crowd there, ready to celebrate Jesus. Listen to what they did.
Read aloud Matthew 21:8-9.
Wow! The people really celebrated Jesus! They made a special pathway for Jesus using their coats and big leaves called palms. Let’s make a special pathway, too.
● ● Use painter’s tape to make a pathway. Have kids gather along the sides of the pathway.
We can celebrate Jesus, too. (Hooray, Jesus!) Let’s take turns pretending to be
Jesus’ disciples following behind him while the rest of our friends act like the crowd celebrating Jesus.
● ● Two kids on the end will walk down the pathway. Everyone on one side cheers “We celebrate Jesus!” and pretends to wave palms. Everyone on the other side responds with “Hooray, Jesus!” and pretends to wave palms. Continue by having two people at a time walk down the row and then return to the ends of the lines. Sit with Connect Crews again.
Show the Bible Story poster. The people celebrated Jesus by waving palms and shouting out praises to him. And we can celebrate Jesus, too! (Hooray, Jesus!)
