Jesus and the Woman at the Well

Passage

Familiarize yourself with the following:

John 4:1-43

Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Galilee from Judah. Most Jews would take the long way, to avoid Samaria because they did not like the Samaritan people, but Jesus wanted to go straight through this land. They stopped at a well on the outskirts of a little village. Jesus was hungry, so the disciples all went into the village to buy some food. While Jesus was waiting for them to return, a woman from the village came to get water. Jesus asked her for some water to drink. This request surprised the woman, because not only was she a woman (men and women did not speak very often in public), but she was also a Samaritan and Jesus was a Jew.  Jesus began to speak to the woman about living water. The woman wanted this living water of which Jesus spoke. Jesus told her to go back to the village and get her husband. When the woman admitted that she had no husband, Jesus commended her for her honesty, saying in fact that she was also currently living in sin with a man.  At this the woman realized that Jesus was a prophet and asked questions about the proper place to worship. She revealed that she knew the Messiah was coming and would explain these things to them. Jesus then told her that he was that man they were waiting for. At this the woman left Jesus and ran back to the village to tell everyone what had happened. They all came out to see the man she had told them about.
As the woman was leaving, the disciples came back with food. Jesus told them that he had food they did not know about, that his food was to do the will of God. As the villagers were coming out to see him, Jesus told his disciples to look up, for the fields are ready for harvest. Many people believed in Jesus that day because of the testimony of the woman. Jesus stayed with them for two more days. Many more believed in him during that time. After this, Jesus left for Galilee.

Object Lesson

Supplies Needed:
• A glass of water
Directions:
1. Before you share the story, hold up the glass of water. Ask the children:
a. What is this?
b. When do you like to drink water?
c. After you drink, are you ever thirsty again?
i. Why?
2. Explain to the children that science says we are thirsty again because water escapes our body in many ways and has to be replenished if we are to live. In this story Jesus defies logical science and says that he can give us water that will make us never thirst again!

Memory Verse

John 4:42
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

Jesus Connection

From the time of Adam and Eve, when God pronounce the curse over mankind, to the time of Noah, to the time when Jesus was born, people had been waiting for the arrival of their Messiah. The woman in this story revealed that people knew he was coming (vs.25). Jesus not only confirmed that they should be waiting, but also revealed to her that he was the one they had been waiting for. The long awaited Messiah had finally arrived!
God loves the whole world. We saw that in the story of Nicodemus. (John 3:16) While most Jews found it difficult to interact with Samaritans and with women, Jesus casts aside social barriers and accepts the Samaritan woman as she was; a sinner who needs the love of God. God extends this same love to us today. He still reaches past social barriers with the love of Christ. Jesus is ‘not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’ (2 Peter 3:9)

Songs

Deep and Wide

Deep and wide,
Deep and wide,
There’s a fountain flowing
Deep and wide.
Deep and wide,
Deep and wide,
There’s a fountain flowing
Deep and wide.

Wide and deep,
Wide and deep,
There’s a fountain flowing
Wide and deep.
Wide and deep,
Wide and deep,
There’s a fountain flowing
Wide and deep.

Games/Activities

River Tag:

Directions:
1. Explain that Jesus is the living water.
2. This is a game of tag. Choose one child to be it. All other children can run around the playing area as if they are swimming. (You may want to clear away any obstacles that can be tripped over or cause injury.)
3. If someone is tagged by the person who is it, they must sit down.
4. To get a sitting person back in the game, someone must swim in a circle around them.
5. The game is over when everyone has been tagged or when the teacher says stop.
6. Repeat this game as many times as you wish, giving a different child the chance to be it.

Drops of God’s Word

Supplies Needed:
• Rain drops templates
• Marker
• Bible verse
• Paper clips
• Magnet
• Plastic cup
• String
• Hole punch
Directions:
1. Prep this game before class. Print and cut out the rain drops templates (on blue paper if available). On one side of the raid drop write a word from the bible verse. On the reverse side write the number corresponding with that word’s location in the verse. Attach a paper clip to each rain drop.  Punch two holes in the top of the plastic cup. Tie a sting in the holes so that the cup can be raised and lowered like a bucket. Attach a magnet to the bottom of the cup.
2. In a contained area, scatter the rain drops. One at a time, have the children ‘scoop’ up the water drops. Encourage the children to work together to put the rain drops in order to reveal the bible verse for the day.

Crafts

3D Well

Supplies Needed:
• Well templates
• Scissors
• Colors
• Glue
• Tape
Directions:
1. Give each child a well template page to color.
2. Cut out the template along the solid lines.
3. Fold along the dotted lines, gluing/taping the tabs in place.

Coloring Page

The Wise Men

Passage

Familiarize yourself with the following:

Matthew 2

One day, about two years after Jesus was born, King Herod was sitting on his throne when several wise men from faraway places came to him.  They wise men asked King Herod, “Where is the one who is to be born ‘King of the Jews’?  We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” This was very upsetting to King Herod.  King Herod was a very proud man.  He thought he was the best king.  He wanted to be the only king.  So he asked his priest where the bible said the Messiah (or Savior) was to be born.  They told him, Bethlehem.  Next King Herod asked the wise men when the star first appeared that they were following.  They told him two years ago.  King Herod was making a plan to kill the baby so that he would not become king.  Then King Herod sent the wise men on their way and told them to come back when they found the baby.
When the wise men found Jesus, they bowed down and worshipped him.  They also gave him some very expensive gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh. God was looking after Jesus.  In a dream, God warned the wise men not to go back to King Herod.  So, when the wise men left, they went home in another direction.
When Herod realized he had been tricked by the wise men, he gave orders to have all baby boys two years old and younger killed. God warned Joseph in a dream to escape to Egypt. After Herod died, God told Joseph in another dream that it was safe to return to Israel with Mary and Jesus.

Object Lesson

Gifts for a King

Supplies Needed:
• Something gold colored
• Something that smells sweet like incense (potpourri spray)
• A spice (cinnamon or nutmeg)
Directions:
1. As you are telling the story of the wise men, pull out the appropriate representation of the wise men’s gifts.
2. Explain that gold is what Mary and Joseph would have used like money. It would have helped them with their daily living expenses. It is something they needed to live.
3. Explain that frankincense is like sweet smelling incense. It is something that Mary and Joseph would have used to worship God. It was a spiritual gift.
4. Explain that myrrh is like a spice. It was very expensive and smelled very nice. It was often used to prepare a body for burial. While this gift was symbolic, it was also very practical. It was something people wanted to have. Mary and Joseph most likely sold this expensive perfume and used the money to travel to Egypt and escape Kind Herod.

Memory Verse

Matthew 2:6
"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.”

Jesus Connection

The wise men sought out the Messiah and they found him. Deuteronomy 4:29 says that if you “seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all of your heart.” Jesus wants to be found by us. If we are seeking him with all of our heart, then he will reveal himself to us, just as he did for the wise men by placing a star in the sky to guide them.

Songs

We Three Kings of Orient Are

We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star.

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light

Games/Activities

Pin the Wise Men to the City (This is a twist on the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey”.)  

Supplies Needed:
• A poster board size paper with a bible time city landscape on it. (This can be hand drawn or made with cut out.  Just be sure it is bigger than A-4!
• A small picture of Mary, Joseph and Jesus
• Small pictures of wise men; enough for each kid to have one
• Tape or sticky tack
• Blindfolds
Directions:
1. Hang your picture on the wall.  Stick the Mary, Joseph and Jesus picture on one of the houses.  This is where Jesus’ family lives, and the wise men must find them.
2. Give each kid a wise man cut out with tape or stick tack on the back.
3. One at a time, blind fold each kid, spin them in a few circles, and then have them walk toward the city and place their wise man on it. The kid whose wise man is the closest to Jesus’ family wins.
4. This game can be repeated as many times as you like by simply moving Jesus’ family to a new house in the city.

Crafts

Star Craft Christmas Ornament

Supplies needed:
• Print out of the Christmas Craft Star Ornament template for each child
• Scissors
• Glue
• Cotton swabs for the glue
• Decorations (crayons, markers, glitter, sequins, jewels, ribbon….)
Directions:
1. Print out the template on to very stiff paper.
2. Cut out both stars.
3. Decorate both sides of both stars.  Make sure to keep the dotted line visible.
4. Cut along the dotted line of each star.
5. Slide the two star shapes together along the dotted line cut.

Offering Box

Supplies Needed:
• One small shoe box
• Wrapping paper
• Scissors
• Tape
• Glue
• Decoration items
Directions
1. Wrap a small shoe box in wrapping paper. Make sure you wrap the box and the lid separately so that the box still opens.
2. Cut a hole in the top of the box.
3. Decorate the box however you wish!
4. Place the box in a visible place in the classroom.
5. Remind the children that the wise men gave gifts to Jesus, and we can also give to Jesus. Encourage the children to bring their offering gifts to church and put them in this box. Tell the children how this money can be used for Jesus.

Coloring Page

Jesus' Dedication

Passage

Familiarize yourself with the following:

Luke 2:22-40

Shortly after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took him to the temple to have him dedicated to God. This was the custom in Israel according to the law of Moses. While in the temple, a man named Simeon came up to the young family. Simeon had been promised by God that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah with his own eyes. When Simeon saw Jesus, he held him and praised God in a loud voice and prophesied over Jesus that he would change the world. As he was finishing his prophecy, a woman named Anna approached. She was a prophetess, and lived in the temple worshiping God. Anna also prophesied over Jesus to all who were near and listening and looking forward to the redemption of Israel. After this, Mary and Joseph did everything that was required by the law for them to do, and returned to their home in Nazareth of Galilee.  Jesus grew and became strong, and God was with him.

Object Lesson

Supplies Needed:
• Photos of several well-known people (famous, celebrities, church members, etc.)
o A baby photo of each person
o An adult photo of each person
Directions:
1. Display the baby photos of the well-known people. See if they can match up the pictures of the baby photos with the correct pictures of the adult photos.
2. Ask the children if they think the parents of these well-known people had any idea that they would grow up to be special or famous? Did the well-known people have any idea how their life would turn out?
3. Explain to the children that the story today will show us how God has a special plan for everyone’s life.

Memory Verse

Luke 2:30-32
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.

Jesus Connection

From the beginning of the Bible, we see that God had a special plan for Jesus. All Jews anxiously awaited the arrival of the Messiah, because they knew that he would bring salvation to Israel. Even though the arrival of Jesus did not happen when the Jews thought that it would, there were people still waiting, ready for him to come. Through the prophets, Simeon and Anna, God announced that he still had great plans for Jesus. Just has God had plans for Jesus, he also has plans for us. The prophet Jeremiah told us of these plans when he said, “’I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Songs

Take My Life and Let It Be

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to thee
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Games/Activities

Praising Jesus

Supplies Needed:
• Baby doll
• A list of Jesus’ special qualities (love, kindness, generosity, honesty…)
• A list of ways we can serve God (help the poor, make a present of a friend, bring food to a neighbor…)
Directions:
1. Have the children sit in a circle. Show them the doll and explain to them that for this activity, the baby doll will be Jesus.
2. Pass the baby doll around so that everyone can hold him just as Simeon did. When it is your turn to hold Jesus, say something special about him.
3. Start this activity with you holding the doll and giving the children an example. (When I think of Jesus, I think of someone who loved people.) Then pass the doll to the next person.
4. After the doll has been passed around the circle once, tell the children that you are going to pass the doll again, but this time they should say what they can do to serve God, just as Anna and Simeon did.
5. Once again, start this round with you giving an example. (I can serve God by making a meal for my neighbor.) The pass the doll to the next person.
6. If your children need extra help coming up with ideas, share the lists that you prepared before class.

Crafts

Hand and Footprint Dove

Supplies Needed:
• White paper
• Pencils
• Scissors
• Stick glue
• Grey or black paper
Directions:
1. Trace one of your hands and one of your feet on white paper. Cut them out.
2. Glue the hand to the foot so that the fingers are sticking out like feathers.
3. Using a pencil, draw a dot on the heel of the foot for the eye.
4. Using a pencil, draw a beak on white paper. Color it in with the pencil. Cut it out.
5. Glue the beak to the heel.
6. Glue the entire bird to a piece of black or gray paper.

Coloring Page