Week Knowing God

Who Is Jesus?6.Lower Primary

The first in a series of four.

Aim:To get to know Jesus personally and to realize that He is God.

Scripture:Matthew 16:13-28

Memory verse:And Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God'.Matthew 16:16

Thought for the teacher: Knowing about someone and actually meeting that person are not the same thing. We want to encourage the children to go further than just know about Jesus. We want them to know Jesus, God’s Son, for themselves, and be able to say, as did Peter, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’

Our answer to the question ‘Who is Jesus’ is the most important response we will ever make. Emphasize that Jesus is more than a special person - He is God.

PrayerLord, give me a listening heart to discern Your call; a courageous heart to go where You lead; a believing heart that trusts in You always.

Amen.

Bible focus together, Peter really knew Jesus in a way we never can. Yet the revelation of who Jesus is goes far beyond a flesh and blood under-Who do you say I am?standing; it comes from God.An amazing question! Deceptively simple, it

would expose what the disciples had really The way of the crosslearned about their master. They had Despite the insight that Jesus was the Son of understood the commonly-held view being God, Peter and the other disciples were warned gossiped in the general population that this against making His identity public. Why was travelling teacher and healer must be one of that? Perhaps it was because they still had a the great prophets returned to life. But Peter long way to go in understanding what kind of dares to voice something far less predictable Messiah Jesus had come to be. Peter's identifying Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, protective responses to Jesus' talk of His the Son of God.imminent death on a cross, though understandable, show that He had no concept Stopping shortof the Messiah as the Suffering Servant. Peter The commonly-held view today is little different. more likely saw his Messiah as the triumphant True, some say He was mad, misguided, a liar military hero, sweeping aside the Roman or a fool, yet many will happily concede that overlords. His preconceived ideas were a real Jesus is a teacher of great insights, and some obstruction to his understanding. It would be a will agree that He had supernatural abilities to while before he would understand the coming heal the sick. But they stop short of the sacrifice of the Saviour Christ. He would need revelation that might be life-changing in its time to grasp the kind of self-denial (described implications. Where do you stand on identifying in Matthew 16:24,25) that such a God-Man Jesus? Is He simply a good man to you? Are would expect of him and all those who owned you willing to struggle with the claims on your His name. How far have you come in your life that will be made if you admit to Jesus understanding of the life that means death to being the Son of God, sent by God on a rescue self?mission for a lost people?

Because I live in Hong Kong, people often ask A letter full of certaintyme if I know Jackie Pullinger. Her identity as a If you want to know more about the true identity Christian evangelist and carer for those bound of Christ, the opening of Paul's letter to the in drug addiction has become inextricably Colossians is a thrilling place to visit. Paul's linked to that great city. For some years, I didn't huge and dramatic convictions about Christ know her. I had seen her photograph and read have progressed so much from Peter's hesitant her book, Chasing the Dragon, and many of my recognition. Jesus is truly God in the flesh, friends knew her. When I finally did meet her, equal with Him, supreme and complete. It is a she was not at all like the person I had breathtaking picture. Take some time to read it imagined! Knowing about someone and slowly and enjoy its certainty!actually meeting the person are not the same

Mare Allisonthing!

You might think that as Peter was right there with Jesus, and they were travelling and living

& Tell the children that today we are going to investigate some of the things that the disciples saw Jesus do. Show the picture of each story as you tell it (using Teacher’s resource pages), and encourage the children to think, what the disciples learnt about Jesus after each incident.

§Picture 1. (Jesus teaching the people from the boat).Matt 13:1-3. Think of some stories that Jesus told the people from the boat. He was a good teacher. He taught the people about God, and the kingdom of heaven.

§Picture 2. (Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law). Matt 8:14, 15. Jesus could heal people. He had

compassion on them.§ Picture 3. (Jesus calms the storm).

Mt 8:23-27. He is the creator God, all powerful

E Choose a mix of objects, some of which are very clear and others which give a more general view. For example: a teacher (book, ruler, flowers, ball, chalk) a gardener (overalls, spade, hat) a nurse, (apron, basin, medicine bottle, bandage etc.)

2Explain to the children that in your bag you have some objects which might belong to a particular person. Tell them if it is a named person or a general category, such as a nurse. You are going to work together to see if you can decide who that person is.2 Take out the first object, choosing one that gives a general

clue. Talk about what it is. Can anyone guess who the person is?2 Get another object out, saving the obvious ones until last.

Tell the children who the person is.

Discuss with the group if it was it easy to tell who the person was as first? Say that the more things you saw the easier it was to say who the person was. How did the children know who the person was? It is because we recognize people by the things they do.

Today we will look at how one man learnt who Jesus was. Peter recognized Jesus to be the Messiah by what he saw Jesus do. He knew who Jesus was by the things He did.

§Picture 4. (Jesus feeds the 5000). Mt 14 vs 13-21. Jesus cares for his people and feeds them. Does miracles.

The disciples had learnt a lot about Jesus. They had listened to Him tell people about God, they had spent time with Him, and seen Him perform amazing miracles. Then one day, Jesus asked them, 'Who do you think that I am?‘

Read or tell the story in Mt 16 vs 13-17. Have the children follow in their Bibles, or listen carefully, and tell you what people were saying about Jesus. What did Peter say about Jesus?

Have children repeat to you what people were saying who Jesus was, and then give Peter's conclusion and why?

Peter came to the correct conclusion about Christ after all he had seen Him do. We too can claim this promise about Christ, and allow it to change our lives.

Teach the memory verse: And Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God'.Matthew 16:16

Say this is something we, as Christians, truly believe about Jesus.

& Have ready a folding cross made from Resource 6A and 6B

As you unfold the cross, tell them again what Peter had found out about Jesus as he walked and talked with Him, listened to Him speak and tell them wonderful things about God.

1. He had done many miracles. (Ask the children to name some.)2. He controlled nature when He calmed the storm and walked on the water. Peter would never forget that, as Jesus told him to walk towards Him.3. Read Matthew 16:13-16 before unfolding the third flap. Ask the children who Peter said Jesus was. Then open the flap.4. Then tell them how surprised and puzzled Peter was when Jesus said He would soon be killed (open the fourth flap). Read verse 24 to them. Peter would soon understand better when Jesus rose as He said He would.

Help children make their own folding crosses.

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J Tell the class that when we remember the Bible stories

Jump into the Bible

Resource pages:þ 6A - Folding cross and memory verseþ 6B -

You will need:Jumpstart: O

Jump into the Bible: Teacher’s resource pictures,

Jump into Life: Paper,pen.Activity option: Banner, twigs for cross,

footprints, glue crayons. Memory verse: Letters scattered around room. Extra Time: Prepared visitors’ testimony.

Song suggestions:

Folding crossþ Teacher’s resource pictures

bjects to do with a particular person (e.g. a teacher, a nurse or a footballer or a named individual), a bag

Resource 6A/B or make own crosses and draw the pictures, crayons.

¯ You are the King of Glory¯ Jesus, name above all names¯ Read your Bible, pray every day¯ Stand up & shout it¯ Jesus loves me

Memory Verse:Matthew 16:16And Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God'.

Print separate letters C H R I S T on coloured card, written in black, and G O D on card written in red. Hide the letters around the room. Have children search to find the letters and then make up the two words. If there are too many children in the class it might be necessary to divide them into teams with letters on different coloured card and have it as a competition between the teams to complete the words first.

OR the letters could be cut out and put into a bag or hat, and 9 children come forward to draw a letter out of the hat, and then the rest of the class help them to stand in the correct place to forms the words.

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we have heard we know that Jesus is the Son of God. Encourage children to think about what they know about Jesus. Talk about Peter. He had learnt that Jesus was the Son of the living God, but there were still things that he did not understand or know about Jesus. Have children write or discuss something they do not know about Jesus.

Review by looking at what we know about Jesus, and have the children turn it into a prayer, thanking God that He sent Jesus to our world so that we can know Him. Then look at things we do not know, and encourage the children to pray asking God to help us to get to know Jesus better, and thanking Him that one day we will know Him perfectly, in heaven.

A prayer of praise.(Teacher to pray each sentence, and then the children respond together saying the memory verse in bold print. )

Jesus, we are glad that we can be Your friends and talk to You,‘You are the Christ the Son of the Living God.’We want to know more about You Jesus,‘You are the Christ the Son of the Living God.’And we want to love You and praise You always because,‘You are the Christ the Son of the Living God.’

Activity option: Make a banner, with the words ‘You are the Christ’ written on it. Make a cross with twigs and place, at the top of the banner. Draw round each child’s feet to make footprints leading to the cross.

Extra Time:J Talk about how Peter got to know Jesus. How did he

find out about Jesus? What surprised him about Jesus? Explain that people today are still getting to know Jesus and that you are going to hear from some of them.2 Introduce your visitors. It would be good to have a mix

of ages and of stages in the Christian life. They need to be prepared to explain briefly and simply, something they have recently found out about Jesus, how they found it out and how they felt.2 Listen to your visitors. Talk together about what they

have said. Let the children ask questions. Encourage your visitors to stay for the rest of your programme. 2 Encourage the children to ask the visitors questions. If

they find this difficult, prepare a couple of questions yourself to ask e.g. How did you come to know Jesus? What helps you to follow Him day by day?2 In closing, tell them that it was God's Holy Spirit who

showed Peter who Jesus was, and it is the Holy Spirit today who shows us who Jesus is.2 Ask if any of the children really want to follow Jesus. If

they respond, tell them how and pray with them.

Picture 1. Jesus speaks to the crowds.

Picture 2. Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law.

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Picture 3. Jesus speaks to the storm and it stops.

Picture 4. Jesus feeds the five thousand.

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To make the book.2. Colour the pictures.3. Cut out along the

solid lines4. Fold along the dotted

lines.5. Fold in top and

bottom flaps 6. Fold in side flaps.

Draw something you have learned about Jesus.

Dear Jesus, I want to learn all I can about You. You’re amazing! Amen

Peter thought about

the things Jesus had said

and done...

Peter walked with Jesus and His other disciples.

Jesus asked His disciples who people were sayingHe was?

Some people were saying that Jesus was Elijah or John the Baptist.

Then Jesus asked His disciples, ‘Who do you say I am?’

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Jesus

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Jesus

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Jesus

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To make the book.1. Fill in the coded

words.2. Colour the pictures.3. Cut out along the

solid lines4. Fold along the

dotted lines.

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Simon Peter answered,

Matthew 16:16

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Use the code below to fill in the things that Peter remembered

Jesus did.

Write a letter to Jesus thanking Him for something He has done for you.

Answers:6. Taught the people7. Healed Peter’s mother-in-law8. Calmed the waves10. Fed the five thousand