Lesson 2: Light of the world.
Passage: John 8:12 - Jesus teaches his followers that he is the light of the world, and that anyone who follows him will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
Big Idea: Jesus shows us the way.
For Teachers:
Lesson plan.
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Welcome — Activity Leader
Have the children sit in a circle on the circle time rug. Welcome them to class.
Warm Up Activity: Freeze Dance — Activity Leader
Preliminary Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Last week we started talking about how Jesus was a great teacher who shared many important lessons with his followers.
Does anyone remember the lesson of Jesus that we learned? (Jesus welcomed the little children)
How does it feel to know that Jesus welcomed children to come to him?
Today we’re going to be learning about another one of Jesus’ lessons. One time, when he was talking to the crowds, he said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Let’s watch our video to find out more about this lesson…
Video Lesson — Bible Story Leader
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Is anyone here scared of the dark? What is scary about it?
What do you think can happen if you try to walk around in the dark? Is it harder to know where you’re going?
What do you think Jesus means when he says that he is the light? How does that make you feel?
Do you think that learning about Jesus’ teachings can help us know what is right and wrong, and shine a light to show us what way to go?
Prayer — Bible Story Leader
“Dear God, thank you for the teaching of Jesus that we learned today about how Jesus is like a light in the darkness, how he shows us the way to live a good life through his words and actions, and how learning more about what Jesus taught can help us to know more about you, and how much you love and care for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Activity: Stained Glass Craft — Activity Leader
Use markers to add designs to pre-made frames.
If a child is not interested in the activity, allow them to move to free play.
Dismissal: Collect tags and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver.
-
Welcome — Activity Leader
Have the children sit in a circle on the circle time rug. Welcome them to class.
Warm Up Activity: Freeze Dance — Activity Leader
Preliminary Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Last week we started talking about how Jesus was a great teacher who shared many important lessons with his followers.
Does anyone remember the lesson of Jesus that we learned? (Jesus welcomed the little children)
How does it feel to know that Jesus welcomed children to come to him?
Today we’re going to be learning about another one of Jesus’ lessons. One time, when he was talking to the crowds, he said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Let’s watch our video to find out more about this lesson…
Video Lesson — Bible Story Leader
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Is anyone here scared of the dark? What is scary about it?
What do you think can happen if you try to walk around in the dark? Is it harder to know where you’re going?
What do you think Jesus means when he says that he is the light? How does that make you feel?
Do you think that learning about Jesus’ teachings can help us know what is right and wrong, and shine a light to show us what way to go?
Prayer — Bible Story Leader
“Dear God, thank you for the teaching of Jesus that we learned today about how Jesus is like a light in the darkness, how he shows us the way to live a good life through his words and actions, and how learning more about what Jesus taught can help us to know more about you, and how much you love and care for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Activity: Stained Glass Craft — Activity Leader
Use markers to add designs to pre-made frames.
Dismissal: Collect tags and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver.
-
Welcome — Activity Leader
Introduce yourself, welcome the kids to class.
Warm Up Activity: Treasure Hunt in the Dark — Activity Leader
Kids will do a treasure hunt using flashlights in the dark. They will each be given a flashlight and a clue to start with.
Preliminary Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Today we are continuing our new series on the teachings of Jesus.
Can anyone remember what the story was that we learned about last week? (Jesus welcomed the little children to come to him)
What did Jesus’ words and actions in that story teach us about what God thinks about little children and their place in God’s kingdom?
Today we’re going to be talking about another one of Jesus’ teachings. This time, when Jesus was speaking to the crowds of people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
Let’s watch today’s video to find out more about this teaching…
Video Lesson — Bible Story Leader
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Have you ever tried walking around in the dark before? Why do you think a lot of people are afraid of the dark?
What do you think are some things that darkness can represent in the Bible? And what can light represent?
When Jesus says that he is the light in the darkness, what do you think he means by that?
Have you ever had an experience where God brought light into your life in some way?
Prayer — Bible Story Leader
“Dear God, thank you for the teaching of Jesus that we learned today, about how Jesus is the light that shows us the way and brings hope and joy into our dark situations. Thank you that you loved and cared about us so much that you sent Jesus into the world to be that light for us. Please help us to keep on learning from Jesus’ words and actions, so that we can follow his example and become more and more Christ-like in our own lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Activity: Stained Glass Craft — 5 minutes
Kids will use markers to build and design their own stained glass frames.
Dismissal: Collect tags and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver.
For Parents:
Follow-up questions.
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What was the story you learned about in class today?
What kind of things does light help us with?
Why do you think Jesus said that he is like a light?
What are some ways that Jesus’ light shines through us?
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What was the story you learned about in class today?
What kind of things does light help us with?
Do you think Jesus is like a light because he does those things too? In what ways?
What are some things Jesus did and said that are good examples for us to follow?
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What was the story you learned about in class today?
Do you think that light and dark can be used as symbols in the Bible? What do they represent?
In what ways do you think Jesus’ teachings and life are like a light to us?
Can you think of any good lessons and examples that he gave us to follow?
