This is lesson continues our curriculum for preschoolers about knowing Jesus. Each lesson is based on a passage in the Gospel of Mark. You can read the series introduction for more explanation and links to the other lessons.
This particular lesson plan teaches about Jesus coming back to life. The resurrection of Christ is the most most important fact in the Christian faith and a precious truth to share with young children. We use GIDEON and his impossible battle to introduce the idea that Jesus was fighting a very hard battle too. Jesus was defeating sin and death.
Bible Passage: Mark 16:1-8, Ephesians 6:10-17
Bible Lesson Title: The Resurrection
Target Age Group: 4-5 years old (preschool & Kindergarten)
Target Time Frame: 40 minutes
Original Teaching Context: Preschool Sunday School
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Knowing Jesus through the Book of Mark: Lesson Thirty-One
Scripture: Mark 16:1-8, Ephesians 6:10-17
Exegetical Idea: Jesus rises from the dead.
Pedagogical Idea: Jesus conquers sin and death, allowing us to live eternally with Him after our lives on earth are over.
Cognitive Aim: Preschoolers will know Jesus has completely conquered sin and death.
Affective Aim: Preschoolers will feel strength through Christ’s power to conquer sin in their daily lives.
Behavioral Aim: Preschoolers will praise Jesus through song and prayer, and will memorize His Word.
Memory Verse: Mark 16:6, “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.” (NIV)
Lesson Overview
- Kindle Curiosity (10 minutes) Description: Tell story about Gideon. Supplies: Bible outfits, Bible.
- God Revealed (15 minutes) Description: Hear the Scripture passage. Supplies: Bible, any props you may want to act out the story.
- Personal Pursuit (10 minutes) Description: Make shields, worship God through song. Supplies: Poster board or cardboard cut into shape of shields, paint or markers, other items to decorate (glitter, stickers, whatever you have on hand!). See different ideas here http://www.ehow.com/how_8062533_make-armor-god-shield.html, make one for yourself as an example before class; song The Power of the Cross sung by Stuart Townend (link found in section below)
- Daily Knowing (7-10 minutes) Description: Memorize God’s Word, pray. Supplies: Notecards with memory verse written out for each parent.
**Before the children arrive, have the Bible outfits ready.
1. Kindle Curiosity (7-10 minutes)
ASK: Does anyone know what an army is?
SAY: (Story of Gideon, Judges 7) An army is a group of people who are trained and ready for war. I want to tell you a story about a man in the Bible named Gideon. During Gideon’s life, Israel’s enemies, a big army, had come and conquered them. They treated them very badly, even taking their food! Because of this, the people cried out to God. God heard them and called Gideon to lead His people into battle against them. Men came to Gideon to help him fight their enemies. In fact, 30,000 men came to be in his army! Everyone say, “Wow, that is a lot of men!”
BUT God told Gideon that this was way too many men. So, God sent all the men home except 300 soldiers. Can everyone say 300? (300!) God did this so that it there was no way the army could say they won the battle by themselves.
These 300 men (a very small army) had to fight against a huge enemy army. Without the Lord’s help, it would have been impossible! But God fought for them and defeated their enemy who was being mean to them! They had the victory. Everyone shout as loud as you can, “VICTORY!”
Just like the Israelites had an enemy that they could not defeat, we too have an enemy that is impossible for us to defeat: sin and death. Today though we are going to learn about how Jesus fought for us on the cross, defeating once and for all sin and death and winning the victory!
2. God Revealed (10 minutes)
SAY: Today our lesson is found in Mark chapter 16. This is the Bible. It is God’s Word. He wrote it, so we know everything in it is true. We are going to learn about the greatest victory that was ever won! Who do you think won this victory? (Jesus!) Let’s hear God’s Word and see what happens!
Scripture (say in your own words): When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” (SAY: The stone was very, very heavy! They would not be able to move it by themselves.)
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. (ASK: Does anyone know what alarmed means? Can you show me what you think their faces looked like when they were alarmed?)
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Act out the story together. You may want to use props.
3. Personal Pursuit (15 minutes)
SAY: Every day we are in a battle against sin and Satan. A lot of the time we forget to even fight! We let our sin defeat us and have the victory. We give in to lying, anger, unkindness, disobeying parents, and lots of other sins! But we do not have to live like this! Because Christ has already won the victory and defeated sin, we know that we can defeat sin through His power. He makes us strong (do muscle arms). Because He rose from the grave and defeated death, when we die, we are now able to live forever with Him!
SAY: Today we are going to make shields of faith. Jesus’s victory over sin and death protects us like a shield (cover yourself with your shield). But the war is not yet over on earth! We still have to fight with sin daily. You do not ever have to give-up, because we know one day Jesus will come back. And this time, He will defeat sin and Satan for good!
Pass out the materials. As the children are decorating their shields, read to them Ephesians 6:10-17 and talk about how we prepare to battle against sin and evil.
After this activity, lead the children to sing The Power of the Cross, sung by Stuart Townend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbfkW0rqpWw&feature=related
OPTIONAL: Play a game with your shields. Have balls of paper (or Styrofoam balls) labeled “death” and “sin’s power.” Divide the children into two groups. Have one group cover themselves with their shields while the other group throws the balls at them. Explain that when we believe in Jesus, He keeps us from the power of sin and death.
OPTIONAL: Armor of God coloring pages
4. Daily Knowing (10-15 minutes)
SAY: We learn in the Bible that God’s Word is sharper than any double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). God’s Word is what we use in battle against sin (Ephesians 6:17). We have to know our weapons in order to fight the battle. If Gideon’s army did not know how to use their swords, they couldn’t have won the victory. We have to know God’s Word, our sword, in order to win the daily battle against sin!
SAY: Today we are going to memorize Mark 16:6, “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.” Do you think we can make-up some hand motions to help us remember this verse?
Remind the parents how important it is for them to help their children review their verses all throughout the week. Encourage them to memorize the verse with their children. Provide each parent with a notecard that has Mark 16:6 written on it.