Jesus Goes Up to Heaven

1. Story (based on Luke 24:44-53)

•  Last week we learnt about how Jesus appeared his disciples. What was the name of the disciple who wanted proof that Jesus was alive? (Thomas) And who did Jesus say was more blessed because they believed without seeing? (All of us)
• Over the next 40 days, Jesus met and talked with His disciples and explained many things to them.
• He explained to them about what all the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms were talking about — they were talking about Jesus. Everything that happened to Him — His life, His death and His resurrection — had already been planned by God from the beginning of time.

Jesus appears to His disciples

1. Story (based on Luke 24:36-53; John 20:24-29)

• Last week we learnt about how Jesus appeared to some of His disciples. How many? (2) What was the name of one of them? (Cleopas). Where were they walking to? (Emmaus)
• After the two disciples recognized Jesus, they quickly ran all the way back to Jerusalem to tell the others that they had seen Jesus.
• The other disciples were also excited … Jesus had appeared to Simon Peter. As they were talking, suddenly, guess who appeared before them? Jesus!
• The disciples were startled and afraid. They thought He was a ghost!

A Walk to Emmaus

1. Story (based on Luke 24:13-35)

• Last week, we heard of how Mary and Peter and John went to Jesus’ tomb and saw that it was empty!
• That same day, two other disciples — Cleopas and his friend — were walking to a village called Emmaus, about 7 miles from Jerusalem.
• How do you think they were feeling? Yes, they were feeling sad! They were feeling dejected. Disappointed. Defeated.
• Their friend Jesus had died. Their hopes and dreams for a superhero savior had been dashed. And now, they have heard that Jesus’ tomb was empty!
• As they walked and talked to each other, suddenly Jesus came by and walked together with them. But somehow, they were not able to recognize him.

The Empty Tomb

Lesson: The Empty Tomb

1. Story (based on Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-18)

• Good morning, boys and girls! (Good morning!) 
• Do you like mystery stories?
• Today we are going to hear about the most exciting mystery story every told. I call it, "The Case of the Empty Tomb." 
• This is a story about what happened after Jesus died on the cross.  Jesus died on a Friday.  It was a very sad day.  It was sad because Jesus’ friends didn’t know what was going to happen.  They didn’t understand why Jesus had to die.
• Late on that Friday afternoon, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross.  It was wrapped in long strips of cloth.  And it was buried in a rich man’s tomb.  A large stone was rolled over the entrance to the tomb, and soldiers were standing outside to make sure that nothing happened to Jesus’ body.  Jesus was dead.

Jesus and Barrabas

Lesson: Jesus exchanged His life for me to set me FREE!

  

1. Lesson (based on Luke 23:13-25; adapted from: He died for me)

• Last week, Jesus was on trial before the elders, Pilate and Herod.
• All of them could find nothing wrong with Jesus. He was blameless and sinless.

• Today we will look at a man named Barabbas. Let me describe Barabbas' room: hard bed; dark, dingy walls; window (draw bars). Where was Barabbas?
• That's right! He was in Jail! He deserved to be in jail. He was a thief and a murderer. The law at that time said that the punishment for murder was death. Did Barabbas deserve to die according to the law at that time? Yes, he did.

Jesus on Trial

1. Story (based on Luke 22:63-71; 23:1-25)
(Option: get kids to act out the trials etc. Can be impromptu or rehearsed.)

• Last week we learned that Jesus was arrested and brought to the High Priest’s house.  
• The Jewish religious leaders did not like Jesus.
• They felt threatened by Him because of His growing popularity — ever since Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, they have been trying to get rid of Him.
• They thought He was wrong to claim that He was the Son of God.  They called that blasphemy.
• So they put Him through several trials in an attempt to find him guilty of something so he could be punished with death.

Peter denies Jesus

1. Story (based on Luke 22:31-34; 54-62)

• Last week we learned that Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane. He obeyed the Father’s will and He gave Himself willingly to those who came to arrest Him.
• Simon Peter, his disciple, was with him.
• Earlier at the Passover meal, Jesus had prophesied that His disciples would desert him.
• But Peter boasted to Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” He thought he could do anything, and he was proud. He thought he was willing and able to go all the way for Jesus, even if it meant going to prison or to die for him … even if ALL the other disciples fell away, he would not. Peter was boasting in himself!
• Jesus told him, though, that “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny 3 times that you know me.”
• In fact, when Jesus was arrested, Peter was the one who swung his sword to cut off the High Priest’s servant’s ear. He thought he was being brave and strong. Peter was acting in his flesh.
• But when Jesus was led away to the house of the High Priest, Peter followed … at a distance. There was a fire in the middle of the courtyard, and people were sitting around it. Peter went close to the fire and sat down.
• A servant girl saw him there. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with Jesus.” But Peter denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him.”
• Later on, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” Peter replied. “Man, I am not!”
• About an hour later another person said, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”  Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
• Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 
• And he went outside and wept bitterly. Peter failed.

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Lesson: Jesus obeyed the Father's Will

1. Lesson (based on Luke 22:39-53)

• Last week we learned about Jesus celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples. Anyone remembers what Jesus did after the meal? (broke bread and gave the cup) What does the bread and cup signify for us? (broken body and shed blood of Jesus)
• After the dinner, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. His disciples followed Him.
• When they reached the garden, He told them to stay there and pray, while He went a short distance away by Himself.

Jesus celebrates the Passover Meal

1. Lesson (based on Luke 22:7-23, 1 Cor 11: 24-25)

Props needed: bread and cup (we will take communion together as a class)

• Jesus had been preparing for His death since He came into Jerusalem on a donkey.
• Then came the time for the Passover Feast.
• A major annual Jewish celebration
• To remember the time God delivered the Israelites from Egypt
• God told the Israelites to prepare the Passover meal — lamb and unleavened bread — and to spread the blood of the lamb on their door posts so that the angel of death will pass over them.

A. Initiation of the New Covenant

• Jesus told His disciples to go make preparations for the Passover meal.
• As they were eating at the table, Jesus did 2 things:
•  Took the BREAD and broke it, giving it to His disciples
•  He said:  “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
• Took the CUP, gave to His disciples
•  Saying: “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
• Jesus was foretelling His disciples that He was going to die; and when He died, He was cutting the New Covenant with God. 
• Man could not keep the Old Covenant with God, so Jesus had to come to fulfill the Old on our behalf and start the New.

The Widow's Gift

Lesson: Jesus gave us His all

1. Story

• Talk about Jesus and the Widow’s offering, based on Luke 21:1-4 (you can choose to act it out)
• Jesus sees the heart
• Jesus saw the gifts people were bringing into the temple. Some brought in huge bags. But others, like this woman, only had two small copper coins.
• Even though the value of the money was insignificant, but that was all the widow had, and she gave it.
• To Jesus, that two small coins given from the heart was worth more than the huge amounts put in by the rich people.
• So whatever gift you want to give to God, give it cheerfully, from the heart — even though the amount may be small.

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

Lesson: Jesus is our King of Salvation and Righteousness

1. Story:

• Tell the story of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry based on Luke 19:28-40 and Mark 11.

2. Lesson:

• Jesus had been preparing his disciples for His death. He knew that after He got to Jerusalem, He would be arrested and crucified.
• Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was a time of celebration because it was part of God’s plan of salvation, and righetousness.

Jesus meets Zacchaeus

 

1. Story:

• Tell the story of Zacchaeus meeting Jesus (based on Luke 19:1-10)

2. Lesson

a. INTRO:

• Last week, we heard how Jesus met and healed someone on the road to Jericho. Who can remember who it was? Bartimaeus the blind beggar.
• Today, we will learn about how Jesus met another person in Jericho. He wasn’t blind. He wasn’t poor. In fact, he was very rich. But he wasn’t well liked and he was short. His name was Zacchaeus, and he was a chief tax collector.

Mary & Martha

Lesson: Jesus calls us to rest in Him

1. Story:

• Tell story based on Luke 10:38-42.
• When Jesus visited his two friends, Martha and Mary, they must have been so excited to have Jesus in their house.

Jesus calls the fishermen to be His disciples

Lesson: Jesus calls us to follow Him 

1.    Story:

• Tell the story of Jesus calling the fishermen to be His disciples from Luke 5:1-11.

Jesus at a synagogue in Nazareth

Lesson: Jesus ushers in God's favour

1. Game: Set the Captives Free
We played a game that involved people in prison and blindfolded, and others trying to get past the guards to tag them free. But it took a bit longer than expected. So would suggest a simpler game, like Blind Man's Buff.


2. Story:

• Tell the story of Jesus speaking at the synagogue in Nazareth based on Luke 4:16-30.

Jesus tempted in the wilderness

Lesson: Jesus Victorious in Temptation 

1.    Story:

Tell the story of Jesus' temptation based on Luke 4:1-13.

• Last week, what did we learn about Jesus? (He was baptised by John)
• After being baptised, Jesus was filled with Holy Spirit and was led to the desert.
• He prayed in the desert and didn’t eat anything for 40 days.
• There, the devil decided to tempt Him. The devil wanted Jesus to trust His own strength and abilities rather than trust God.

Jesus and John the Baptist

Lesson: Jesus is God's Beloved Son

1. Story:

Tell the story of Jesus and John the Baptist based on Luke 3:1-22.

Boy Jesus at the Temple

Lesson: My Father's House

1. Game: Search for the Missing Number

Hand out a number to each child in your group on a card. The numbers should be in consecutive order. Before class, hide the No. 1 card somewhere in the classroom that would be fairly easy for the class to find. Have the class work together to put the numbers in order on the floor. When it is discovered that the number one is missing, have the class search for the missing card. When the card has been found, everybody sits back down quietly.

2. Story: 
Tell the story of Jesus in the temple based on Luke 2:41-52.

Simeon and Anna meet Baby Jesus

Lesson: My eyes have seen your salvation
This story actually takes place before the 3 Magi's visit, but due to the Christmas period, we tell it after.

1. Story: 
Tell the story of Jesus being presented at the temple based on Luke 2:21-40.

The Magi's Gifts

Lesson: Jesus' Divinity, Holiness and Death

This is a good lesson to use for Christmas or to start off a series on Jesus' life and ministry.
1. Story: 
Tell the story of the 3 Magi (wise men) based on Matthew 2:1-12.
You can use simple props like crowns or boxes in Christmas wrappers.
You can have a picture card of each box to depict the Magi's gifts or something to symbolise the gift (e.g. a gold ring/coin, incense sticks, and a small perfume bottle)

2. Lesson:

• The 3 Gifts: Gold, Incense, Myrrh
• These are unusual gifts to give a baby. But these gifts foretold what the baby will do when He grows up.