Today’s lesson attempts to answer the question, “Why did God send Jesus?” in a way that preschoolers can understand. Throughout the Christmas season we do a good job of teaching how Jesus come but that isn’t nearly as important as why He came. In Luke 3:7-18 Luke warns the people that Jesus is coming and that they should get ready. Today your class will get ready for Jesus to come and learn that He came to wipe away their sins and give them a clean heart.
Lesson Title: Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?
Bible Reference: Luke 3:7-18
Target Age Group: Preschool
Learning Context: Children’s Church
Target Time Frame: 1 ½ hour
Learning Aim: Jesus came to Earth to save us from our sins.
Materials Needed:
- Various Cleaning Supplies: broom and dustpan, cleaning rags (make sure they are clean and don’t actually have cleaner on them), spray bottle of soapy water, duster, mop (without the water).
- Dry Erase Marker and Board
- Foam Hearts
- Washable Markers
- Masking or Painters Tape
- Construction Paper
- Aluminum Foil
- Q-Tips
You say the Italicized words. Non-italicized words are directions.
Opening Activity: Get Ready for Jesus to Come
Before Class: Gather an assortment of cleaning supplies that the kids can use to clean the room. Possible items would be a broom and dustpan, cleaning rags (make sure they are clean and don’t actually have cleaner on them), spray bottle of soapy water, duster, mop (without the water).
Say: Today we are going to learn about John the Baptist and how he prepared the world for Jesus. When someone is special is coming to your house you have to get everything ready for them. John wanted everyone to prepare their hearts for Jesus. Let’s use these cleaning supplies and pretend that we have to clean our room for a special guest!
Work together to clean the room. Spray a little bit of soapy water on the table and chairs and let the kids wipe it off, let them practice sweeping the floor or cleaning the windows. Make it fun, not work.
When the class is done and have lost interest say: Wow! You did a great job preparing our room for a special guest. Now, let’s rest for a while and learn about how John prepared the people for Jesus to come.
Bible Story: John Prepares the People for Jesus to Come
You say the Italicized words. Non-italicized words are to be spoken by the kids.
Last week we learned about how John the Baptist was born. He was Jesus’ cousin and he came to tell the people that Jesus would be coming soon. What do you know about John? Allow time for the kids to share. When John grew up he had a very interesting lift. The Bible teaches us that he lived in the desert and ate locust (a type of bug) and honey. He preached that Jesus was coming soon. His message in Luke 3:7-18 was this.
Draw a heart on the draw erase board. Each time you say a sin draw a mark on the heart. At the end of the story you will wipe the marks away to symbolize a clean heart.
John said that the people needed to get ready for Jesus to come because Jesus was their Savior. He is your Savior too. He told the people that their hearts were dirty. That means that they had sin in their lives and they needed to clean it up-just like before when you cleaned our room. What is sin? Allow for answers and explain that sin is when we do the wrong thing even though we know better. Our hearts are dirty with sin when we lie, hurt our friends, disobey our parents, etc. When we sin it leaves dirty marks on our heart just like the marks on this heart on the board.
But, John told the people, there is good news! Jesus is coming and He can make our hearts clean again. When Jesus comes into your life He wipes away the dirt (Wipe the marks off the heart on the board) and makes your heart clean again.
John had a very important job getting everyone ready for Jesus. Let’s pray and thank God for sending Jesus, then let’s play a few more games!
Pray together thanking God for sending Jesus to save us.
Clean Hearts Activity
Give each child a foam heart. Let them color it with washable markers. When they are done let them go to the sink and wash it with soapy warm water. The marker will be gone. Make sure that everyone cleans their heart off at least once. If the kids want to decorate them again to take home that is fine.
Say: What happened when you washed the heart off? Allow for responses. That’s right the marker disappeared! When Jesus washes our hearts he makes them clean and washes away the sin and makes it disappear just like on these foam hearts.
Game: Following God’s Path to Jesus
Before Class: Tape a path on the floor. The object of the game will be to walk from one side of the room to the other without stepping off of the tape path. When they get to the other side they should say, “Jesus is Coming!” If you don’t want to put tape on the floor use string.
Say: John had an important job to do: Go and tell everyone to get ready for Jesus to come. Today you took a path to get to the other side of the room. John’s path in life took him to the share the good news that Jesus was coming at last. God had a plan for John’s life and John followed the plan until Jesus came. God has a plan for your life also. He wants you to keep following the path towards Jesus. Jesus came to save all of God’s people and that includes you!
Craft: Jesus Came to Save You
Before the Lesson: Each child will get one piece of construction paper. Glue a piece of aluminum foil, shiny side up, to the construction paper. The kids will use a q-tip to draw on the aluminum foil. The picture will be in the impression. On the top of the page write, “Jesus Loves Me.”
Say: Jesus is a very good gift of God to us. He came to save you! He loves you and wants to be a part of your life. When God created the world, He knew that you would have sin in your heart and would need Jesus to make your heart clean. On your paper, draw a picture of yourself.
As the kids draw talk to them about how much they are loved and remind them that Jesus is a wonderful gift to us.
Closing
Use the following question to review the lesson. Then close in prayer.
- Who did John say was coming? Jesus
- What did John do? Tell everyone that Jesus was coming.
- Who sent Jesus to the Earth?
- Who can make a dirty heart clean? Jesus or God.
- Who did Jesus come to save? All of us.