WELCOME TO WEEK 3

Have you ever had a challenge you didn’t think you could complete but tried anyway? We’ve all had challenges in our lives, some are small and some are so big they seem impossible to get through. Jesus understands our challenges and faced his own challenges while he was on earth. Although he knew dying on the cross would be hard, he said yes to God’s plan of salvation for us. 

John 12:20-33;  Hebrews 5:7-9

BIBLE STORY

Sometimes it is hard to choose between two things like if you should have chocolate ice cream or vanilla. Then we have to make hard choices that may feel like neither choice is what we really want, but we have to choose. Play this game of Would You Rather.

Would you rather…

-eat pizza with mushrooms or pizza with anchovies

-run for 10 miles without stopping or pickup trash by a creek

-watch movies all day or eat pizza all day

-have 2 scoops of ice cream with mustard or 2 scoops of your favorite ice cream with ketchup

-eat eggs for breakfast everyday for a month or not eat eggs at all for a month

-sleep on the couch or sleep on the floor

-wash the dishes for a week or clean the floors for a month

-sit in the front of the classroom or sit in the back of the classroom

-get caught in a rainstorm or trapped inside your house during a snowstorm

-catch 10 worms by hand or pet a snake

Was it always easy to choose between the two choices? Sometimes it is hard to make a decision when both choices seem hard. God’s plan was for Jesus to be our sacrifice and Jesus had to choose to complete that plan. He knew it would be hard and yet He chose to do it anyway, because He loves us. This week we will see that Jesus knew it would be difficult to  lose his life on earth but He said yes to God’s plan anyway.

Read or listen to John 12:20-33

What hour did Jesus say had come? (For the son of Man to be glorified)

What analogy did Jesus use to compare what would happen to his life? (The kernel of wheat must die and then it will produce many seeds)

What happens to those who love their life here? (They will lose it later)

What happens to those who hate their life here on earth? (They will keep it for eternal life)

Why did Jesus say his soul is troubled? (He knew he was going to give up his life for the sins of the world)
What did Jesus glorify instead? (Father, glorify your name)

What was the response? (A voice from heaven said,  I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again)

What kind of death did Jesus describe would happen to him? (He would be lifted up from the earth and draw all people to him)

BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY

Jesus made a choice to go through with the plan of salvation He and God put into place before the sin of Adam and Eve. As the time to die on the cross drew nearer Jesus knew how difficult it would be to complete it. But Jesus loved us more than his dread of the cross. He wanted to save us more than avoid the difficulty of the cross. What great love he has for us!

Activity

What Jesus needed to do was not easy and he knew it would be very hard, but He still agreed to complete God’s plan. There are things that God asks of us that are easy and some things may be hard. What we think is easy someone else may think is hard, but God is calling us to answer yes regardless. Listen to these scenarios and tell if they are easy things or hard things to complete.

Materials: Easy or hard scenarios

Alternate

Complete the following activity sheet.

Materials: Printed Activity sheet

Independent activity:

Jesus said that the kernel of wheat must die and then it will produce many seeds. Create a simple experiment with lettuce to grow more lettuce. Cut off the tops of the lettuce and place the lettuce hearts in a shallow bowl of water. Be sure the water is not covering the lettuce but just on the bottom. Change the water each day and place in the sun to see results within the week.

Materials: Head of romaine lettuce, bowl, water

ARTS & CAFTS

CRAFT 1

Create painted flowers in a flowerpot. Print the following vase outline, draw on the stems, then finger-paint the petals. Finally, write the names of family members Jesus loves and died for on each leaf.

Alternate options: use a cotton ball dipped into the paint to stamp on the petals. Cut out the vase and paste to a larger sheet of construction paper, then paint on stem and petals.  

Materials: Printed vase, paint in various colors, crayons, optional: cotton balls large sheet of construction paper.

Craft 2

Coloring page

Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons

FOLLOW-UP

Read or listen to Hebrews 5:7-9

How did Jesus feel about the death that was to come?

What was he pleading to God about?

How did the verse describe the way he prayed?

If Jesus was praying with reverent submission, was he demanding his own way?

We can know that Jesus trusted God’s plan even though he may have been dreading the death that was to come. He obeyed even through the suffering. Jesus said yes even though it would be very difficult. We can know that Jesus understands us when we face difficult situations because he faced them as well. We can also trust God’s plan and say yes to God’s plan even when it’s difficult.

Practical Application at Home

There are many things in our life that are difficult to do, but we should not give up on them. Think of the following things that might be hard, say what you think might make it challenging and then tell if you would persevere or give up.

-Learn to play the piano

-Learning how to read

-Becoming an astronaut

-Sewing a dress or outfit

-Finishing a science project for the science fair

-Cleaning your room when its a disaster

-Going to college

-Learning to fly a kite

-Offering help to the new kid at school

-Asking someone who is hurt if they are ok

-Not being picked first in class

This week try to do something that might be a little difficult. Use a lima bean or small seed and plant it in a cup with dirt or a small ziplock bag. Water your seed and place it near water to care for it. See if you can get your plant to grow. Jesus knew that God had a plan for him, even though it was difficult to complete. He went through with it because he knew it was what was best for us. He said yes to God’s plan because He knew God’s will was best. You have a plan for your seed to help it grow and become a new plant. The seed by itself can not do anything on its own, but your plan to nourish and take care of it will make it grow. 

Materials: plastic cup or plastic bag, soil, small bean like a lima bean.

Additional Resources

Outings to Reinforce Lesson

Donate to a local food shelter or toy drive this Christmas season. As a family, volunteer together or pick out toys you think another child your age might enjoy.