Gold Heart

When I taught this lesson, I loved the "go follow Jesus" theme that I used for the green heart even more. The concepts flowed seamlessly.  We are following Jesus all the way to Heaven!  This is the last lesson in the Color Me Christian unit, and it sums up the glorious Gospel for our little ones.

Bible Truth: Gold - Some day I'll walk streets of gold.
Bible Story: I can life forever in Heaven because Jesus washed away my sin.
Bible Study: Romans 6:22-23; 1 Peter 1:3-5

teach

gold & shiny

Gather up a shiny gold gift bag or box for this lesson, as well as a picture of Heaven and a picture of Jesus, perhaps from a children's Bible.  You will also need a crown (see the craft below).  Keep the lesson visuals in a box or bag, out of sight from the kids, until you are ready to to reveal them in the lesson.

SAY: This last heart is gold because in Heaven there is going to be streets of gold!  I brought some shiny gold things with me today.  Would you like to see them?  Slowly pull out the golden items to show the kids. Look at how beautiful and shiny these are!  When you are riding in the car, what color are the streets? That's right, they are black.  The Bible says that in Heaven the streets are beautiful, shiny gold.  It's a golden city.  Wow!  Can you imagine that?  Heaven is going to be a beautiful place.  Hold up a picture of Heaven.  The best part about Heaven is that we are going to see Jesus there!  Hold up a picture of Jesus.  I can't wait to see Jesus!

Turn your attention to the colored heart visual, and point to the dark heart.  Can you go to heaven if your heart is dark with sin like this?  No, you cannot, but Jesus wants us to be in Heaven with Him forever, so what did He do?  Point to the red heart.  Jesus died on the cross for us so that His blood can wash away our sin.  Jesus gives us a clean heart!  Point to the white heart.  Can you go to Heaven if you heart looks like this?  Yes!  Thank You Jesus for giving us clean hearts!  Point to the green heart.  Now we are going to go follow Jesus all the way to Heaven.  Point to the gold heart.

When we get to Heaven, Jesus is going to give each of us a beautiful crown, and say, "Well done," because we loved Him and followed Him.  Take out the crown and put it on your head.  We're going to take our crowns off, lay them at the feet of Jesus, and say, "Thank You Jesus.  I'm only here in Heaven because You died on the cross for me and gave me a clean heart."  Take off the crown and set it on the floor.

Let's pray and say thank You to Jesus right now.  Bow your heads, close your eyes and repeat after me. Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross for me.  Please wash away all my sin, and give me a clean heart so that I can go to Heaven to live with You forever.  In Jesus name, amen!

lamb's book of life

As you see in the video, I covered a large sketch book with pieces of gold foam to introduce the children to the Lamb's Book of Life.  I first hold up the class list, and explain that this is a lit of all the kids that are here in our classroom right now.  Then I explain that Jesus has a special book called the Lamb's Book of Life.  It has a list with the names of all the people who belong in Heaven.  When you ask Jesus to forgive your sin, and you decide to follow Him, He writes your name in His book so that you can go to Heaven.  For added effect, ask the children if Jesus has washed away their sin so that they can go to Heaven.  Write each child's name in the little notebook, and let them each see their name.

read

"Jesus Is Coming Back!" is another book in the series by Debby Anderson that would be great to add to your library, and can be used for this lesson. 

sing

See My Dark Heart

craft

victory crown

For this craft you will need:

• paper crowns (I got my beautiful crowns for free at Burger King!)
• white card stock
• heart paper punch or scissors
• gold Sharpie or pen
• glue 
• sequins

A couple years ago I purchased this heart paper punch from Michael's, and I can honestly say that it was a very worthy investment!  It is such a time saver, and makes perfect hearts.  With a 50% off coupon, it's very reasonable.  Of course, folding and cutting with scissors gets the job done as well!

To prepare, punch or cut out enough white hearts for each of your students.

In class, write each child's name in gold ink on a heart.  Give them their clean heart from Jesus to glue onto the front of their crown.  Provide glue and sequins for decorating.  To keep the glue under control, my helpers and I apply a line of glue to the front of the crown, and then allow the children to add the sequins on their own.

  

A Home in Heaven: Home Ideas

This week's activities are designed to introduce your child to the hope and promise of heaven.  The reality of our heavenly hope was renewed in my own heart as I planned and prepared these lessons.  My prayer is that in the teachable moments you have with your children and students this week, that your heart is also encouraged and uplifted by the promise of our eternal home.

• Read the story of Jesus ascending into heaven. Pray together and thank Jesus for preparing a home for us where we can live with Him forever. 

• Jesus said that in His Father's house there are many mansions. Help your child construct their own mansion with recycled boxes and containers. Then let them paint and decorate it. 

• Sing, clap and dance along to "Soon and Very Soon"

• 'H' is for Heaven. Print the letters 'H' and 'h' in a large font. Show your child how to roll out long thin pieces of play dough and form an upper and a lower case 'H'. Then use the play dough to form things that begin with the letter 'H' such as a horse, hippo, hat, house, heart etc.

A Home in Heaven

Heaven is a very abstract concept for children to understand.  We don't even fully comprehend it as adults!  However, Jesus does give us some very clear and beautiful descriptions about our hope of eternity with Him.  In this lesson, I try to make heaven as tangible and real as possible.  I also emphasize to my little preschoolers that the best part about heaven is that we will finally be able to really see Jesus and be with Him forever!
 
Bible Truth: I have a forever home in Heaven.
Bible Story: Jesus went back to Heaven to prepare a home for us.
Bible Study: John 14:1-6; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; Revelation 21:22-27

 

teach

I like using our flannel graph set to visually show Jesus ascending up into heaven as I tell this story.  Then I use a gold gift bag that I call my "Heaven Bag" to describe the kind of home that the Bible says Jesus is preparing for us.  Below is a list of items that I have in the bag.  I pull each item out one by one, and talk about whether or not we will have and/or need it in heaven.  If it will be in heaven I keep it in the gold bag.  If not, I throw it into a trash bag, which I usually ask one of the children to hold for me.

 Items to represent what will be in heaven include:

• gold (coins or jewelry)
• crown
• jewels
• small musical instrument (worship)
• piece of fruit (we will have a feast in heaven)
• picture of Jesus (the best part about heaven is we will see Jesus!)

Items that will not be in heaven include:

• band-aids 
• medicine
• flashlight
• tissues (to wipe tears) 
• black heart (sin) 

   

sing

 

Heaven is a Happy Place - I have colored various pictures from coloring books to illustrate each verse of this song.  You could also hold up objects from the lesson above that correspond with each verse of this song.  Follow the link for the tune and lyrics. 
  

craft 

 

up in a cloud

This craft helps the children remember, and retell the story of Jesus' ascension.  You will need:

• these print outs (I suggest printing the first page on card stock for stability and ease of operation.)
• scissors
• tape
• yarn
• hole-punch
• cotton balls
• glue
• crayons

To prepare, cut out the large clouds, and pictures of Jesus for each child.  Punch a hole in the center top and bottom of the activity page, and thread a piece of yarn (approximately 20 inches long) through each hole.  Tie off the ends of the yarn in the back near to the top hole.  Tape Jesus to the piece of yarn.

In class, children can color their page and glue cotton balls the clouds.  Help them put glue on the opposite ends of the large cloud, and attach it to their pages in a way that allows for Jesus to easily be pulled up behind it.  Children pull the string in the back to move Jesus from standing on the ground with His disciples, to ascend up to heaven in a cloud.

'h' is for heaven

This is simple, low prep craft.  Print this activity sheet onto cloud stationery paper.  I purchased mine from Wal-Mart.  Give the children small cotton balls, or pull larger cotton balls apart, to glue onto the letter 'H'.

a beautiful home

Another simple craft is to provide children with craft jewels and sequins to decorate a picture like this. 

See this post for more activities to teach your child about Heaven at home this week!