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Theme Easter: A Study of How Much Jesus Knows My Situations

Lesson

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Big Question Does Jesus Understand Me?

Scripture

Focus

John 18–20

Jesus KNOWS what it’s like to be treated unfairly

Scripture Memory Hebrews 4:14-16

Overview Section

Students will . . .

Supplies

Pre-Start

Pre-Start Activities (15 minutes before class begins)

build relationships and have fun!

Pre-Start Activities (pp. 8, 9), SuperStart! DVD (Intro Loop), SuperStart! CD, CD and DVD players, TV or projection equipment

Large Group

Get-Started Activity (5 minutes)

think about being treated unfairly.

SuperStart! DVD (Countdown), DVD player, TV or projection equipment

Teaching Time (15 minutes)

discover that Jesus knows what it’s like to be treated unfairly.

SuperStart! DVD (Sticky Situations Game Show Clips, Lesson 2), DVD player, TV or projection equipment, 3 special chairs, snacks and drinks, Bible

Worship (10 minutes)

praise Jesus for understanding what it’s like to be treated unfairly.

SuperStart! CD, CD player

Scripture Study (15 minutes)

study the Scripture to learn that Jesus understands what it’s like to be treated unfairly.

SuperStart! magazines, Bibles, pencils or pens

Scripture Memory Discovery (5 minutes)

learn Hebrews 4:14-16.

Bibles

Life Application (5 minutes)

share about last weeks’ challenge and discuss a challenge for this week.

snacks and drinks (optional: small treats)

Recap (5 minutes)

be encouraged that Jesus will help them when they’re treated unfairly.

none

Extra-Time Activities

further explore the lesson.

Unit 1 Extra-Time Activities (p. 12)

Small Group

Extra Time

Things to do ahead of time:

1. Set out the supplies for the Pre-Start Activities.

2. Collect supplies for the small groups. Put the supplies in sets, one for each small-group leader.

3. Make sure the DVD and CD players and projection equipment are cued and ready to go.

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Pre-Start

(15 minutes before class) Supplies Pre-Start Activities (pp. 8, 9), SuperStart! DVD (Intro Loop; Countdown; Sticky Situations Game Show Clips, Lesson 2), SuperStart! CD, DVD and CD players, TV or projection equipment, 3 special chairs, snacks and drinks for 6 students, Bible

Before Class Set up three special chairs in the front of your room.

Choose several of the Pre-Start Activities for students to do as they arrive.

You can play songs from the CD and show the DVD Intro Loop as students have fun and interact with the volunteers.

Large Group

(30 minutes) Get-Started Activity, Teaching Time, Worship Get-Started Activity (5 minutes) Play one of the Countdowns when you are ready to begin the Get-Started Activity. Have pairs of students talk about this question with each other: What’s the most unfair thing that’s happened to you in the last year?

Then ask for a few volunteers to share their responses with the whole group. Pick any three students (not necessarily the popular students) and give them the cushy chairs up front. Also give them some snacks and drinks. Tell the three students that they may get other special privileges during the course of the lesson. Let them eat the snacks while you proceed with the lesson.

ß What does it mean for things to be fair? (ever yone is treated

equally, you get rewarded for doing the right things, you get what you earn)

ß How do you know what’s fair? (ever yone agrees, the right things happen)

ß Are you being treated fairly right now? Why or why not? (no, I’m

not getting any snacks; yes, I always deserve to be treated like I’m special)

Teaching Time (15 minutes) Prepare students for the video by saying, We’ve been watching video clips of a fun game show called Sticky Situations. There are several cast members. Patrick is the director, Samantha is the game show assistant, and Eric is the host of the game show. Someone showed a blooper tape of Eric during the video shoot for the Sticky Situations Game Show and it really hurt Eric’s feelings. This clip shows what happens when Patrick introduces Eric at the beginning of the game show.

Show the video clip.

After the video clip, ask these questions and solicit one or two answers for each:

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ß How unfair was it to Eric that a blooper tape of him was shown to the game show audience? (it wasn’t ver y fair, worse things could happen)

ß How do you feel about the students who get to sit in these nice chairs today and have some snacks? (jealous, it’s not fair)

ß How do you feel when you’re treated unfairly? (mad, frustrated, jealous)

Lots of things happen in our lives that aren’t fair: friends get privileges that we don’t, others get the spot we want on the team, we can’t do things we think we should, our parents get divorced, or someone we love dies. God never promises us that life will be fair. Did you know that life wasn’t fair even for Jesus when He lived on Earth?

Ask for a volunteer or two to come to the front and read John 18:21-24.

Ask the volunteer(s) to name a few unfair things that happened to Jesus.

Jesus was arrested on false charges. He was struck and beaten even though He had done nothing wrong. He was put on trial and people lied about Him. He was made fun of. But Jesus didn’t do anything that deserved this kind of treatment. Now that’s unfair. He had spent His entire life teaching about God, healing people who were sick, and doing right things. All Jesus did was to love and help others and lead people to God. If anyone knows about being treated unfairly, it’s Jesus.

Have students stand and ask for three volunteers. Choose three students randomly, not the first ones who raise their hands or who are the most enthusiastic. Have these three students trade places with the three students in the special chairs up front. Give the three new students snacks and drinks and throw away any unfinished snacks and drinks of the first three students.

Bible Insight John If you18:19-24, have time 28-40 and would like to add more Several illegal,thoughts very unfair from. things happened to Jesus. He was arrested on false charges, witnesses did not testify against Him before He was questioned, and He was struck.

The Jews were hypocritical in their willingness to execute an innocent man, yet not willing to defile themselves by entering the palace.

Teacher Tip If you have time and would like to add more thoughts from Scripture, see these passages: Matthew 26:59-68; Mark 14:5365; Luke 23:1-16. You can also use thoughts from Hebrews 4:1416, the Scripture memory for the unit.

ß What was fair or unfair about what just happened? (it wasn’t fair

that I didn’t get picked, you didn’t tell us what was going to happen, some didn’t get to finish their snacks)

ß How did you just react to this unfair treatment? (I yelled at you. I complained to my friend. I cheered.)

We’ve been thinking about a big question, “Does Jesus understand me?” When you are treated unfairly, you can go to Jesus and talk with Him because He does understand you. He understands you because Jesus knows what IT’S LIKE TO BE TREATED UNFAIRLY. Jesus knew He was going to be treated unfairly and He prepared for what was coming by talking with God. Right before He was arrested, the Bible tells us that Jesus prayed. And, as unfair things happened to Him, Jesus didn’t get mad or yell or complain.

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ß How can you prepare to face unfair things that will happen to you? (pray for help, remember that Jesus was treated unfairly, remember that unfair things happen)

Jesus knows what it’s like to be treated unfairly. Jesus knows how you feel when you’re treated unfairly and He cares about you. It’s good to know that Jesus understands and cares so much about us!

Worship (10 minutes) Ask students to join you in praising Jesus for understanding what it’s like to be treated unfairly. Lead in two or three songs from the CD, especially “Paid In Full.”

Lead in prayer by saying two or three sentences thanking Jesus for understanding what it’s like to be treated unfairly.

Have students go to their small groups to go deeper into God’s Word and for relationship building.

Q&A with Eric If you have time, there are three fun review questions on the DVD for this lesson (Q&A with Eric, Lesson 2). You can pretend you’re doing your own Sticky Situations Game Show by choosing one boy and one girl to be the contestants, or have the boys compete against the girls. Pause the DVD player after each question so students can answer. You can use this fun video clip in lots of ways: at the end of the large-group time, at the end of the small-group time while you’re waiting for parents to arrive, just before the lesson Recap in the small-group time, or during the Pre-Start Activities. It’s one more fun way to help students remember the important concepts in the lesson.

Review Questions 1. Eric was treated unfairly when

a. they showed the blooper tape.

b. Patrick sent him to his dressing room.

c. his fans stopped cheering for him.

2. Jesus was treated unfairly when

a. He walked on water.

b. He was tried and punished for things He didn’t do.

c. He turned water into wine.

3. Jesus knows what it’s like to be treated unfairly because

a. He was treated the same way while He was on Earth.

b. you silly little kids complain about it all the time.

c. God tells Him about it.

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Small Group

(30 minutes) Scripture Study, Scripture Memory Discovery, Life Application, Recap Scripture Study (15 minutes) Hand out the SuperStart! magazines and pencils or pens and have students turn to pages 8 and 9. Have students read the letter to Patrick on page 8 and Patrick’s response. Then ask students to read the letter to Patrick on page 9.

ß What do you think about how Not Picked feels in the second letter?

(Not Picked is right—Jesus couldn’t understand the little stuff. Not Picked is wrong—Jesus understands the little and the big stuff.)

ß Should you expect some unfair things to happen to you? Why or

why not? (probably, because if it was unfair for Jesus it’ll be unfair for me; yes, just look around; life just isn’t fair)

Jesus doesn’t promise that life will be fair, but He promises that He will be with you and help you through it. What advice would you give to Not Picked? Take a minute and write what you think Patrick should say. Encourage a few students to read the responses they wrote.

Supplies SuperStart! magazines, pencils or pens, Bibles, snacks and drinks for all students (optional: small treats)

Teacher Tip Be sure to be sensitive to your students’ reading abilities. Ask for volunteers to read aloud or be sure to call on those whom you know like to read aloud.

Include reluctant readers by asking them to listen as you or others read Scripture aloud and let them answer questions.

Help students find John 18 in their Bibles and have volunteers read verses 19-24 and 28-40. Ask the following questions. Encourage all students to participate and be sure to give students time to think about the questions.

ß What was unfair about how Jesus was treated? (The soldiers beat Him and the people said to crucify Him instead of a criminal, even though Jesus hadn’t done anything wrong.)

ß What are some unfair things in your life? (my parents’ divorce, my teacher doesn’t like me, my friend got mad at me, I get blamed for lots of things)

ß How do you think the unfairness in your life compares to the unfair­

ness in Jesus’ life? (they’re way different because Jesus had it lots worse, they’re pretty equal because my parents aren’t fair to me at all)

ß What do you think Jesus wants you to do about the unfair things

in your life? (accept that unfair things will happen, talk to Him about them, not be mad or complain about them)

Have students pair up and lean on each other back-to-back. Ask them to take turns praying for the unfairness in their partner’s life and thanking Jesus that they can lean on Him because He will help them when they’re treated unfairly.

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Optional Activity Have students stand up with their eyes closed and say the verses (which is unfair). Then let them look at the verses for 30 seconds and try it again (still unfair). Then have students read the verses together. Encourage them to read the verses every day.

Reminder Last week, students were challenged to talk to Jesus and hold on to their faith when a friend turns on them. Celebrate with those who have a good report. Encourage, don’t embarrass, those who either forgot or who didn’t have a good experience.

Collect the SuperStart! magazines for use in the following weeks.

Scripture Memory Discovery (5 minutes) Our Scripture memory is Hebrews 4:14-16. Have students find Hebrews 4:14-16 in their Bibles and ask pairs of students to read aloud each verse.

ß What are some weaknesses you have? ß When are some times you may need help?

One time you’ll probably need help is when you feel like you’ve been treated unfairly. Remember that Jesus can help you and that JESUS KNOWS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE TREATED UNFAIRLY. Life Application (5 minutes) Ask students to share how their challenge from last week went. Get their ideas about what they can do this week in response to what they’ve learned about how JESUS KNOWS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE TREATED UNFAIRLY. Some suggestions might be to pray for help when treated unfairly, not be mad or complain when treated unfairly, write a note or e-mail of encouragement to someone who has been treated unfairly, or pray for someone who has been treated unfairly. Then let all of the students have some of the same snacks and drinks that the students enjoyed at the beginning of the lesson. You might also want to give students a small treat to take home to keep for a time when they feel like things are unfair. Then they should get out the treat and remember that Jesus will help them and that JESUS KNOWS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE TREATED UNFAIRLY. Recap (5 minutes) Today we’ve been talking about how Jesus knows what it’s like to be treated unfairly. Usually there’s not much we can do about being treated unfairly. I’ve sure learned that. Tell about a time when you were treated unfairly (especially a time when you were a preteen) and how Jesus helped you deal with the situation. I’m sure glad that Jesus understands me. He knows what it’s like to be treated unfairly and He helps me deal with it. He’ll help you too.

Extra Time As you have time, let students participate in one or more of the Extra-Time Activities on page 12.

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