I pray you and your little ones are well. Enjoy this week's video!
Follow the links below to see my original blog posts for this lesson, where you'll find songs and printouts for a couple crafts and a coloring sheet.
Showing posts with label repentance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label repentance. Show all posts
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Monday, March 2, 2015
Jesus Changed Zacchaeus' Heart: Home Ideas
Zacchaeus is a prime example of the power of Jesus to forgive us and change our hearts! He also shows us true repentance. After he met Jesus, he not only stopped stealing from people, he began giving his money away to help people in need! It is good for your child to see that Jesus welcomed Zacchaeus as a friend, even when he had a sinful heart, and then to see the love of Jesus that changed the very core of who he was.
Take some time throughout the week to teach God's Word to your child with these fun, no-prep activities, and practice some preschool skills along the way!
Take some time throughout the week to teach God's Word to your child with these fun, no-prep activities, and practice some preschool skills along the way!
- Read the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus in your child's Bible. Pray together and thank Jesus for the power that He has to change our hearts. Ask your child if there is anything for which they want Jesus to forgive them. If so, lead them in a prayer pf repentance.
- Use one of your child's dolls or stuffed animals as Zacchaeus. Place it up high on a shelf. Invite your child to pretend to be Jesus and reenact the story. Have a tea party or picnic with "Zacchaeus."
- Watch this animation of the story of Zacchaeus.
- Watch this song by the Donut Man called "Zaccheus".
- Here is the traditional song that you may already know, "Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man."
- Here are the lyrics to "The Repent Song" to sing with your child.
- Practice pre-writing skills. 'Z' is for Zacchaeus, who was a tax collector. Print the letter 'Z' in large font. With your supervision, show your child how to place coins over the letter you printed to create the letter 'Z' with coins. ( DO NOT leave your child unattended with coins.)
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Jesus Changed Zacchaeus' Heart
Zacchaeus is a real-life example of the power that Jesus has to change our hearts. The goal in this lesson is for the children to feel the darkness and ugliness of sin, and then experience the joy and miracle of forgiveness when Zacchaeus meets Jesus!
Bible Truth: Jesus has the power to forgives my sin.
Bible Story: Jesus changes Zacchaeus' heart.
Bible Study: Luke 19:1-10; I Corinthians 5:7
To tell the story of Zacchaeus "hands-on" style gather up these items:
Introduce Zacchaeus as a short man, who was a tax collector. His job was to collect money that people had to pay to the king. But Zacchaeus took more money from people than he was supposed to. If someone was supposed to pay one coin to the king, Zaccahaeus made them pay two coins, and he would keep one of the coins for himself. That is called stealing. Zacchaeus was rich and had lots of money, but nobody wanted to be his friend because he stole money from them. He had a dark sinful heart.
Go on to tell the rest of the story of Zacchaeus meeting Jesus, as you show pictures from the children's Bible or manipulate flannel graph characters.
At the conclusion of the story, talk about how amazing it is that Jesus changed Zacchaeus' heart! He used to be a man that stole people's money, but now he gives his money away to people! Jesus did a miracle! Only Jesus has the power to take a dirty, sinful heart and give us a new clean heart! Zacchaeus repented, he turned away from his sin, and followed Jesus!
Lead the class in a prayer, asking Jesus to forgive their sin, and change their hearts so they can follow Jesus like Zacchaeus. After you pray, collect the coins from the children. Tell them that they are giving the money back just like Zacchaeus did after he repented.
Here is a coloring sheet from Sermons 4 Kids of Jesus talking to Zacchaeus in the tree. Cut pieces of green paper, or green tissue paper into leaves for the children to glue onto the tree.
A good craft is one that helps children retell the story that they learned. This craft does exactly that! You will need:
Use clear tape to attach Zacchaeus to the yarn.
Move Zacchaeus up and down the tree to retell the story!
Find more ideas and for teaching your child at home about Zacchaeus and his encounter with Jesus, here!
Bible Truth: Jesus has the power to forgives my sin.
Bible Story: Jesus changes Zacchaeus' heart.
Bible Study: Luke 19:1-10; I Corinthians 5:7
teach
cha-ching!
To tell the story of Zacchaeus "hands-on" style gather up these items:
- children's picture Bible, or flannel graph scenery and characters
- a small bag or coin pouch
- loose change
- a cut-out of a black heart and a white heart
Introduce Zacchaeus as a short man, who was a tax collector. His job was to collect money that people had to pay to the king. But Zacchaeus took more money from people than he was supposed to. If someone was supposed to pay one coin to the king, Zaccahaeus made them pay two coins, and he would keep one of the coins for himself. That is called stealing. Zacchaeus was rich and had lots of money, but nobody wanted to be his friend because he stole money from them. He had a dark sinful heart.
 |
| Hold up the dark heart as you describe Zacchaeus' dark and sinful heart. |
Go on to tell the rest of the story of Zacchaeus meeting Jesus, as you show pictures from the children's Bible or manipulate flannel graph characters.
At the conclusion of the story, talk about how amazing it is that Jesus changed Zacchaeus' heart! He used to be a man that stole people's money, but now he gives his money away to people! Jesus did a miracle! Only Jesus has the power to take a dirty, sinful heart and give us a new clean heart! Zacchaeus repented, he turned away from his sin, and followed Jesus!
 |
| Hold up the white heart as you describe how Jesus changed Zacchaeus' heart. |
Lead the class in a prayer, asking Jesus to forgive their sin, and change their hearts so they can follow Jesus like Zacchaeus. After you pray, collect the coins from the children. Tell them that they are giving the money back just like Zacchaeus did after he repented.
sing
- Zacchaeus (was a wee little man) is a Sunday School classic, and the perfect song to reinforce the story they just heard. Be sure to do some actions with the song!
- The Repent Song is the same song we learned along with the story of John the Baptist, so it's great review and repetition. Follow the link for the lyrics and actions.
- The Bath Song is a great song about how Jesus washes away our sin with "super soap." The "call back" format makes it really easy to sing along!
craft
color & paste
Here is a coloring sheet from Sermons 4 Kids of Jesus talking to Zacchaeus in the tree. Cut pieces of green paper, or green tissue paper into leaves for the children to glue onto the tree.
zacchaeus meets Jesus
A good craft is one that helps children retell the story that they learned. This craft does exactly that! You will need:- this print out in (black & white) or (color)
- card stock
- scissors
- hole punch
- yarn
- green tissue paper
- glue
- clear tape
- crayons (optional)
To prepare, print the print out page onto card stock. Cut on the dotted line, and cut out Zacchaeus. Punch a hole at the top and bottom of the tree. Cut out approximately 1" x 1" squares of green tissue paper. Cut yarn into 16" lengths.
In class, provide glue for the children to attach the squares of tissue paper to the tree as leaves. Lace the yarn throught the holes and tie it behind the tree. If using the black and white version, provide crayons for the children to color Jesus and Zacchaeus.
 |
| Tip: Tie the yarn near the top of the page, and attach Zacchaeus to the bottom of the page. It is easier for the kids, if you let them glue on the leaves before you add the yarn. |
Use clear tape to attach Zacchaeus to the yarn.
 |
| Tip: Set the clear tape under the yarn, sticky side up, and then press Zacchaeus onto the tape. |
Move Zacchaeus up and down the tree to retell the story!
up and down the tree
For this craft you will need:
- this tree pattern
- this Zacchaeus pattern
- green construction paper
- jumbo craft sticks
- yarn
- scissors
- hole punch
- crayons
- glue
- tape
To prepare, cut out the top, leaf portion of the tree pattern, and use it to trace onto green construction paper. Cut out tree and Zacchaeus figures. Punch a hole near the top of the trees. Cut yarn into approximately 7" lengths.
In class, provide crayons for the children to color Zacchaeus, and the jumbo craft stick. Help them attach the tree to the craft stick with glue. Tape Zacchaeus to the yarn, thread the yarn through the hole in the tree, and tie the yarn off in the back to move Zacchaeus up and down the tree.
Find more ideas and for teaching your child at home about Zacchaeus and his encounter with Jesus, here!
Monday, January 12, 2015
Jesus Teaches Me to Repent and Obey: Home Ideas
Here are some simple ideas, on this blessed Monday morning, to do at home with your child for the week of January 11, 2015. Our lesson this weeks is from Matthew 3:1-17, Luke 3:1-22, and John 1:19-34.
- Read the story of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus in your child's Bible Story book.
- Use waterproof dolls or figurines in the bathtub to act out the story of the baptism of Jesus with your child.
- Sing "The Repent Song" together throughout the week.
- When correcting or disciplining your child, remind them that the Bible says disobedience is sin. Pray with them to repent and follow Jesus. Discuss how they should behave if they are following Jesus.
- We used a stop sign and a green light in class to illustrate the concept of what it means to repent. Draw a large octagon (the shape of a stop sign) on a piece of paper. Give your child popsicle sticks to lay on top of the shape you drew, and help them count the number of sides. Continue drawing, creating shapes with popsicle sticks, and counting the number of sides.
Friday, January 9, 2015
John the Baptist: Repentance and Baptism
John the Baptist is a fascinating Bible character. We find a very interesting description of him living in the wilderness, wearing camel's hair and a leather belt, consuming a diet of locusts and wild honey. This story calls for some great visual, tactile and tasty experiences; otherwise known as hands-on, interactive learning!
This is also the first time that Jesus is introduced in scripture as an adult. In this first encounter with Him, we witness His submission and obedience to His Heavenly Father, inciting the Father to display and declare His Son's identity, as well as His approval of Him. As you teach this lesson, hold Jesus up as the standard for obedience, and encourage the children to be obedient, just like Jesus.
Bible Truth: Jesus teaches me to repent and obey.
Bible Story: John the Baptist preached, "Repent and get ready for Jesus to come!" Jesus obeyed His Father and asked John to baptize Him.
Bible Study: Matthew 3:1-17, Luke 3:1-22, John 1:19-34
When describing John the Baptist's clothing and diet, I give each child a few drops of honey on a spoon to taste. (Be sure none of your students are allergic to honey, and do not give honey to infants under one year of age.) We pass on taste-testing locusts, but I do have a plastic toy grasshopper that I bring in to show. If you, or someone you know is ambitious enough, you could catch a live one in a jar for your class to see.
Baptism is another key part of this story. I explain baptism as people leaving their sin, and showing Jesus that they want to follow Him. I like to do a mini baptism that usually turns out really neat. I gave each child a plastic doll house figure from one of our play sets, and fill a small clear tote about half way with water. I call each child forward, they repeat after me, "I want to follow Jesus", and then submerse their figurine into the water. In my experience the mood usually turns a little bit somber, like the kids start to understand that this is a very important decision for someone to make. It also makes this lesson much more personal to them!
John the Baptist was a different kind of person, but he preached a very important message. He told people that they needed to repent and get ready for Jesus to come. Repent is an important Bible word that needs to be defined for children. I tell my students that to repent means to stop sinning, turn around, and follow Jesus. Sing "The Repent Song" with simple actions to teach and reinforce this concept.
A fun game to play to accompany this lesson is a modified version of "Red Light, Green Light". For this game you will need a black heart (either cut out or drawn on piece of paper), and a picture of Jesus. Have the children line up along a wall, or behind a line, a determined distance opposite from you. Instruct the children to begin running towards you when you hold up the picture of Jesus, and stop when you hold up the black heart, representing sin. To add another twist (no pun intended), the children could stop, and turn their backs to you when you hold up the black heart, and then turn around and run towards you when you say, "Jesus!" and hold up His picture. With younger children, I eliminate the competitive aspect of this game, and just celebrate when they make it to Jesus by singing the "The Repent Song." They will want to play this game over and over again!
Here is one nice and simple coloring page of the baptism of Jesus. Perhaps your children could use watercolors to paint the picture, to reinforce the idea of water baptism.
This craft gives children a bit of a tactile experience with John the Baptist's clothing. Children also engage pre-literacy skills as they recognize and interpret symbols for STOP, GO and TURN AROUND, to define the Bible word, REPENT. You will need:
I designed this craft to specifically go with the "The Repent Song" I mentioned earlier in this post. For this craft you will need:
To prepare, print and cut out enough arrows for each child. (I printed mine on card stock that I had on hand to make them more sturdy. I also punched a hole with a hole punch, but if you are not using card stock, that will not be necessary.)
In class, help your preschoolers affix the red and green stickers in the appropriate places. Instruct them to color the heart black, and to color Jesus. Now turn and point the arrow as you sing the song!
This is also the first time that Jesus is introduced in scripture as an adult. In this first encounter with Him, we witness His submission and obedience to His Heavenly Father, inciting the Father to display and declare His Son's identity, as well as His approval of Him. As you teach this lesson, hold Jesus up as the standard for obedience, and encourage the children to be obedient, just like Jesus.
Bible Truth: Jesus teaches me to repent and obey.
Bible Story: John the Baptist preached, "Repent and get ready for Jesus to come!" Jesus obeyed His Father and asked John to baptize Him.
Bible Study: Matthew 3:1-17, Luke 3:1-22, John 1:19-34
teach
In addition to reading this story from a children's Bible, or using flannel graphs to tell the story, here are some hands-on activities for the children to experience this story.
show & taste
When describing John the Baptist's clothing and diet, I give each child a few drops of honey on a spoon to taste. (Be sure none of your students are allergic to honey, and do not give honey to infants under one year of age.) We pass on taste-testing locusts, but I do have a plastic toy grasshopper that I bring in to show. If you, or someone you know is ambitious enough, you could catch a live one in a jar for your class to see.
dramatic play
Baptism is another key part of this story. I explain baptism as people leaving their sin, and showing Jesus that they want to follow Him. I like to do a mini baptism that usually turns out really neat. I gave each child a plastic doll house figure from one of our play sets, and fill a small clear tote about half way with water. I call each child forward, they repeat after me, "I want to follow Jesus", and then submerse their figurine into the water. In my experience the mood usually turns a little bit somber, like the kids start to understand that this is a very important decision for someone to make. It also makes this lesson much more personal to them!
sing
John the Baptist was a different kind of person, but he preached a very important message. He told people that they needed to repent and get ready for Jesus to come. Repent is an important Bible word that needs to be defined for children. I tell my students that to repent means to stop sinning, turn around, and follow Jesus. Sing "The Repent Song" with simple actions to teach and reinforce this concept.
play
A fun game to play to accompany this lesson is a modified version of "Red Light, Green Light". For this game you will need a black heart (either cut out or drawn on piece of paper), and a picture of Jesus. Have the children line up along a wall, or behind a line, a determined distance opposite from you. Instruct the children to begin running towards you when you hold up the picture of Jesus, and stop when you hold up the black heart, representing sin. To add another twist (no pun intended), the children could stop, and turn their backs to you when you hold up the black heart, and then turn around and run towards you when you say, "Jesus!" and hold up His picture. With younger children, I eliminate the competitive aspect of this game, and just celebrate when they make it to Jesus by singing the "The Repent Song." They will want to play this game over and over again!
craft
baptism of Jesus coloring page
Here is one nice and simple coloring page of the baptism of Jesus. Perhaps your children could use watercolors to paint the picture, to reinforce the idea of water baptism.
john the baptist preaching activity page
This craft gives children a bit of a tactile experience with John the Baptist's clothing. Children also engage pre-literacy skills as they recognize and interpret symbols for STOP, GO and TURN AROUND, to define the Bible word, REPENT. You will need:
- this coloring sheet (print two copies)
- scissors
- brown felt
- a Sharpie pen
- fabric scissors
- leather type lacing
- glue
- crayons
In class, help the children glue the felt tunic and lacing onto their coloring sheet. Instruct them to color the "STOP" sign red, and the "GO" light green, and encourage them to color the rest of the coloring page.
repent: red light, green light activity page
I designed this craft to specifically go with the "The Repent Song" I mentioned earlier in this post. For this craft you will need:
- this activity page
- this sheet of arrow templates
- card stock (optional)
- hole punch (optional)
- brads
- red and green color-coding stickers
- crayons
To prepare, print and cut out enough arrows for each child. (I printed mine on card stock that I had on hand to make them more sturdy. I also punched a hole with a hole punch, but if you are not using card stock, that will not be necessary.)
In class, help your preschoolers affix the red and green stickers in the appropriate places. Instruct them to color the heart black, and to color Jesus. Now turn and point the arrow as you sing the song!
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