Grades 1–3
Introductory Activity—Who is This?
Materials: strips of paper, pencils, paper bag
As each kid arrives, give her a strip of paper and pencil. Tell kids to draw something that they remembered about the previous year. Maybe it was a holiday or a family gathering or meeting a new friend. Anything at all! After kids have arrived and had some time to complete their drawing, gather everyone together and choose a few kids to share. Tell kids that they now have that memory documented so they don’t forget it! In today’s story, kids will learn about how Jesus fulfilled prophecies that had been documented hundreds of years ago! Say the Life Point together.
Live It Out
Game—Get Moving
Materials: Bibles, paper with Matthew 5:17 written on them (one per team)
Help kids use the Bibles to find Matthew 5:17. Read aloud the verse and tell the kids to repeat it with you. Create teams of three to four kids depending on your class size. Give each team a piece of paper with the verse written on it. Instruct teams to make up movements that go along with Matthew 5:17. The movements can be a group routine or individual hand motions. Teams can perform their movements while the rest of the group quotes the Bible verse along with them.
Craft–Draw Jesus Fulfilling the Prophecy
Materials: paper plates, green construction paper, coloring utensils, scissors, stick glue
Give each child a paper plate and tell them to draw a picture of Jesus. Kids can decorate the plate however they would like, but should leave room at the bottom of the plate. Using the green construction paper, show kids how to cut simple leaf shapes. Kids can draw a straight line down the green shapes, then create little slits going toward the middle to create mini palm leaves. Kids should then glue the palm leaves underneath Jesus to show how He fulfilled the prophecy in the Old Testament!
Grades 4–6
Introductory Activity—Who Am I?
Materials: index cards with names of Bible people
Line up kids across the room facing the backs of the ones in front. Give each child a card, but tell him not to look at it. The first kid in line should turn and face the one behind, holding his card on his forehead, with the name showing. The person behind gives him clues until he guesses the name. When the name is guessed, he moves to the end of the line, and the next person turns and shows the name on her card for the next person to give clues. When all the names are revealed, tell kids that there are lots of people in the Bible, but only one true Messiah and Savior. Today, they will learn about how He fulfilled prophecies from the Old Testament!
Live It Out
Game—Bible Verse Puzzle
Materials: 2 poster boards, marker, scissors (for adult use), Bibles
Write the Weekly Verse (Matthew 5:17) and the Unit Verse (1 John 4:14), each on one poster board. Print in large letters to fill up the poster. Cut each poster into at least 10 pieces and mix all the pieces together.
Help the kids find each verse in a Bible and say each one together. Place the mixed pieces of puzzles on the floor. Create two teams of kids. Assign each team a specific verse. Instruct them to work together as a team to find the individual pieces of their puzzle and put the puzzle together. Talk about how each verse reminds us that Jesus is the Savior and Messiah. Say the Life Point.
Craft—My Own Palm Leaves
Materials: green construction paper, glue sticks, pencils, wooden craft sticks
Kids should trace their hands on 3-4 pieces of green construction paper and cut them out. They can glue those cut-outs onto wooden craft sticks, fingers pointing out to look like palm branches. Encourage kids to write the Weekly Verse and the Life Point onto the branches (fingers).
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