* LESSON
* HANDOUT
* JESUS LOVES LITTLE CHILDREN PLAY
*LESSON: JESUS LOVES LITTLE CHILDREN:
Bible Memory Verse:
“…Let the little children come to me, and do now hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14
WHAT DID JESUS DO WHILE HE WAS ON EARTH? He lived in a family just like us. He had brothers and sisters and wonderful parents. He must have played with his brothers and sisters and friends. He went to school where he studied the Old Testament of the Bible. The only difference between Jesus and us was that He never sinned. His father was a carpenter. After his father died, he took over the carpentry business because He was the oldest son.
When He was thirty years old He knew God wanted Him to do a special ministry. That is when He was baptized by John the Baptist and fasted for 40 days and nights in the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil. After that He choose 12 disciples to help Him. They went with Him everywhere telling the Gospel or Good News. WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS? The good news is that by believing Jesus is the Son of God sent from heaven (and if we really believe we will obey Him), we can go to heaven. Not only that but we can have joy in our hearts right now. Jesus gives us power over the devil and over sin in our lives.
While Jesus on earth, He would also teach people about God. He would explain the Bible to them. Also, he healed people from blindness, deafness, sickness of many kinds. Everyone that came to Him believing that He could heal them was healed. His disciples did these things also, under His authority and the power He gave them.
We talked about Jesus choosing twelve disciples or helpers. These men were with Him wherever He went. He taught them many things. They helped Him. They knew how busy He was.
Once, some women wanted to bring their children to Jesus in order for Him to bless them (to ask God’s favor or protection for, to wish good to). When women brought little children to Jesus in order for Him to bless them, the disciples told the women not to bother Jesus. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them (try to stop them) for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14 Then he held the little children and blessed them. He said that people are supposed to trust Him little children if they want to enter heaven.
Another time His disciples asked Him, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my names welcomes me.” Matthew 18:3-5 Jesus was saying someone who knows that only God is great and doesn’t think he is more important than other people, is great in the kingdom of heaven. And when you are kind to little children, you are being kind to Jesus.
Then Jesus said, “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!” Matthew 18:6-7 Jesus was saying that if you cause a little child to sin, it would be better to have a millstone put around your neck and be thrown into the sea. There will be evil people who try to get others to sin and they will be severely punished.
Then Jesus said, “See to it that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of their Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:10-11 Jesus is saying that each little child has an angel that especially looks after him and if we harm a little child, his angel will defend him before God against us.
Then Jesus tells a parable. A parable is a story that has a special meaning.
"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on a hill and go to look for the lost one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine who did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” Matthew 18:12-14 Jesus told about a shepherd that had one hundred sheep. One of his sheep was lost. He left the others to look for that lost sheep. That is what Jesus will do if one of us is lost. He loves us so much that He will look and look for us until we are found. He loves us each so much. He wants each of us to be in heaven with Him.
That is why Jesus came to earth. He loves people and doesn’t want anyone to be lost and go to everlasting punishment. He came to earth to die a horrible death so if we believe in Him we can go to heaven to live with Him forever.
QUESTIONS:
1. Gospel means good news. What is the good news Jesus came to tell?
2. Why did the disciples want to stop the mothers with children from seeing Jesus?
3. Jesus blessed the children. What does it mean to bless?
4. What is a parable?
5. How many sheep did the man have in the parable or story Jesus told?
6. How many sheep got lost?
7. What is God not willing should happen to any children?
JESUS AND THE LITTLE CHILDREN
Bible Memory Verse:
“…Let the little children come to me…for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14
Word so choose from: STORY, HEAVEN, LOVES, SHEEP, NINE, ONE, SIN, CHILDREN, GOSPEL, ANGEL
1. __ __ __ __ __ __ means good news.
2. The disciples wanted to stop the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ from coming to Jesus.
3. Jesus __ __ __ __ __children.
4. Jesus said that each child has an __ __ __ __ __ watching him.
5. Jesus said it would be better to be thrown into the sea than to cause a child to __ __ __.
6. A parable is a __ __ __ __ __ that has more than one meaning.
7. In the parable Jesus told, the man had one hundred __ __ __ __ __.
8. Ninety __ __ __ __ sheep did not wander off.
9. __ __ __ sheep got lost.
10. Jesus wants everyone to go to __ __ __ __ __ __.
Bible Memory Verse:
“Let the little children come to me…for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14
CHARACTERS: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion
JOLLY & POLLY: (enter) Hi, kids!
JOLLY: Isn’t it nice to know Jesus thinks children are so special?
POLLY: I guess He would love to go to Kid’s Club if He were here.
JOLLY: He is here. That’s why we have Kid’s Club—to learn about Jesus and to praise Him.
POLLY: You’re right. Jesus is here! But wouldn’t it have been fun to hear Him say, “Let the little children come to me…for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14
LEO: (enter) Hi everyone! (wait for answers) If Jesus came to Kid’s Club (so we could see Him) would He play games with us? I wonder if he will play games with us in heaven.
JOLLY: “Every good and perfect gift…” comes from God. So if we are playing games fairly so that everyone feels good about themselves and is having fun and maybe learning, then Jesus is right here with us when we play games.
POLLY: I bet He loves playing games with us.
JOLLY: As for playing games with us in heaven—the Bible doesn’t say, but I wouldn’t be surprised if He did.
LEO: I wonder if babies or children that die grow up or grow up just like they would on earth or what? Or if we will recognize them as soon as we see them.
JOLLY: The Bible doesn’t tell us much about heaven, but the Apostle Paul did say in the Bible, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18 In other words whatever we suffer on earth is unimportant compared to all the joy we will have in heaven. It is so wonderful in heaven that we can’t even imagine it.
POLLY: I wish everyone would go to heaven.
LEO: You wouldn’t want people that are evil to go to heaven, would you, Polly?
POLLY: No, but I wish they would change and not be evil.
JOLLY: So does God. He doesn’t want “ anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:17 In other words, He wants everyone to except His free gift of having died for their sins. He wants them to love Him and stop sinning. That’s why He doesn’t come back right away to take us to heaven. He is patient, waiting for people to turn to Him.
LEO: Yes, and we can help Him to come back faster. Do you know how?
JOLLY & POLLY: How?
LEO: In the same letter in the Bible written by the Apostle Peter where he says God doesn’t want anyone to perish He also says that we “…ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming…” 2 Peter 3;11-12 See, we can speed Jesus’ coming by living holy and godly lives. I bet that will help people get to know Jesus when they see us acting like Jesus.
JOLLY: We need to “…shine like stars…” Philippians 2:15 so that people will know we are Christians.
POLLY: That reminds me of that song, “This Little Light of Mine.”
(Puppets sing and children can join in)
This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Let it shine till Jesus comes. I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine till Jesus comes. I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
JOLLY: Good-bye, Kids! Remember to let your light shine!
POLLY & LEO: Bye, Kids
(Puppets exit)