Scripture: Luke 19:1-10
Memory Verse: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NRSV)
Concepts:
· Jesus came to save the lost.
· God loves and forgives us no matter what mistakes we have made.
· When we are sorry, we want to make up for the things we have done wrong.
· Jesus asks to live in our hearts.
· When we choose to follow Jesus, God changes our whole life.
Objectives:
1. Children will view the video “Treasures in Heaven.”
2. Children will learn the memory verse in a weaving activity.
Procedure:
Welcome and Introductions:
1. Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your nametag. Make sure the children are wearing nametags. If not, ask the shepherd to supply a temporary badge. Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.
2. Explain the purpose of this workshop it to learn about the story of Zacchaeus who was lost to God until he found Jesus.
Bible Story:
1. Are you lost? No, of course not. You are right here where you are supposed to be. After Church, you will go home with you family. That is not being lost is it? Yet Jesus came to save the lost. But who are the lost? What did Jesus mean?
Today we are going to watch a video about Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was lost until he found Jesus. Watch the video and look for ways that you think Zacchaeus was lost to the ways of Jesus.
2. Start the video. It’s about 25 minutes long if cued to just after the credits.
3. Distribute the popcorn with help from the Shepherds or volunteer children. (Popcorn should already be made.)
Discussion:
1. How was Zacchaeus lost? (he took advantage of people, he loved money more that anything. He didn’t know Jesus)
2. How would you describe Zacchaeus before he met Jesus? (greedy, mean, selfish, rich, he had no friends)
3. What made Zacchaeus want to see Jesus? (the Holy Spirit in his heart made him want to know Jesus, he realized his money meant nothing without love and mercy)
4. What happened to Zacchaeus when he met with Jesus? (he changed his ways, he paid back what he took from others).
5. How do we change when Jesus lives in our hearts? (we are kind to others, we don’t cheat, we come to church)
6. Read the memory verse. What does it mean to have a crooked or a straight path? (a crooked path wanders away from Jesus from time to time. A straight path follows Jesus consistently)
7. What did Zacchaeus do to straighten his path? (he paid back his debts, he dedicated his life to Jesus, he stopped his greedy ways)
8. What do we do that makes our path crooked? (lie, fight with siblings, be mean)
9. How do we straighten our path? (we keep Jesus in our heart and in our actions)
Reflection Time:
1. This activity replaces journal time. Hand out the 2 sheets of weaving paper. Tell the kids they will weave the 2 papers together to display the memory verse.
2. Older kids: Hand out scissors. Cut along dotted lines extending the cuts out to the right side on the “Trust” page and to the bottom of the other page. Cut also, on the solid black line.
3. Younger kids: these cuts should already be made.
4. The sheet that begins with the word “Trust” should be on top, the sheet with the words “in Lord all heart,” should be underneath.
5. When the sheets are woven together, put a piece of tape at the bottom right corner to hold the weaving in place. Ask the children to share their weaving project with their parents.
6. Say the memory verse together.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, when we trust you and follow your ways, our path to you is straight, but sometimes we mess up and lose our way – we sometimes are mean and selfish, we don’t do as we are asked. However, we know we can always come to you for forgiveness no matter what we do. You call our name and ask us to “make haste” because you want to come into our hearts. Open our hearts to letting you live in us every day. Amen.
Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help clean up popcorn as they wait for their parents to arrive. Turn out the lights and lock the doors to Holywood.
Teacher preparation in advance:
1. Read the scripture passages and attend the Faith Quest Workshop Leaders Bible Study.
2. Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located. The bin with supplies is in the closet.
3. Preview the video and have it cued to the correct starting place.
4. Prepare the sheets for weaving. Before you photocopy, extend the dotted lines, through the right margin to the edge of the paper on the right side of the “Trust” page and to the bottom on the other page. Extend the solid line on each page to both edges so that this margin will be cut entirely off. Photocopy each sheet on a separate color. Have the sheets precut for the younger kids. Older kids can do their own cutting. Practice weaving the sheets together. You will need to think of ways to simplify this for the younger kids.
5. PRACTICE OPERATING THE POPCORN MACHINE. If this is your first time in Holywood, visit the current workshop leader for instructions before your rotation begins. Be sure you have plenty of popcorn popped BEFORE the children arrive. You will need to have your attention on the children at that point. Ask the shepherds or child volunteers to help distribute it to children who are sitting quietly.
References
Treasures in Heaven, Nest Family Entertainment Videos. (A Nest Family Entertainment Series, 6100 Colwell Blvd., Irving, TX 75039)
Supplies
· 2 weaving sheets per child, precut for younger children
· scissors for the older grades
· tape
· video