Week 10 - Jesus is God

I will choose one player to be “Mr. Fox” or “Miss Fox.” All the other players are chickens. The chickens will try to run from one side of the gym to the other without being tagged by the fox.

The fox will stand in the middle of the gym facing away from the chickens, who will be touching the gym wall. I will call out, “What time is it Mr. Fox?” And the fox will give a time: “Four o’clock” or “Seven o’clock” or “Midnight.” Whatever time the fox calls, the chickens will move forward that number of steps. For example, if he calls “Four o’clock,” the chickens can take four steps. Once the fox calls out out “Midnight,” he may turn around and start tagging as many chickens as he like. All the chickens can then run as fast as they can to the other wall. If he tags them before they touch the wall, they become a fox and will join him in the middle of the gym.

We then play another round with all the foxes in the middle, and we continue to play rounds until there is only one chicken left. That chicken is the winner, and they get to be the fox to start the next round.

How many of you know (or are related to) someone who constantly asked the question “Why?” I’m going to show you some pictures of things, and I want you to tell me why they are important.

Visual 1 - A picture of water (why do plants, animals, and people need water?), a picture of a street (why should you look both ways before you cross a street?), a picture of a classroom (why do kids have to go to school?)

A big “Why?” Question in the Bible is “Why did God send His Son to become a human?” Over and over again Jesus told the people around Him that He had a special purpose. He told His mother Mary that He must be about His Father’s (God the Father’s) business. He told Nicodemus that He came from heaven to save the world. And He told his disciples that He would suffer many things, die, and rise again.

Visual 2 - Picture of the cross

The reason Jesus came from heaven to be born, grew up to be a man, and lived a perfect life—was to die for the sins of the world. Pilate, the Roman governor condemned Jesus to die (even though he knew Jesus did nothing wrong). The crowd cheered in anger as they called for Jesus to be crucified. The soldiers took Jesus away. They twisted thorns into a crown and put it on Jesus’ head. They stripped him and then made fun of Jesus. They bowed, pretending that Jesus was a king, and then they all laughed. Then, they beat Jesus. They made Jesus carry His cross beam down the street to the place he would die. All the while people laughed at Him.

Visual 3 - Matthew 27:43 “Let [God] deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God.”

They nailed his arms and His feet to the cross. Jesus hung there in pain. Jesus remembered the whole time—that all the pain He had, all the blood He shed, all the sorrow He felt—was done for sinners (even those who were hurting him now.) While Jesus hung on the cross, the sky grew dark for three hours. Jesus cried out to His Father in heaven,

Visual 4 - Matthew 27:46 - “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken [abandoned] me?”

What was the answer to Jesus’ big “why” question? That’s right. God the Father forsook Jesus because of all the sin that He was putting on Him. He was letting Jesus endure the punishment for everyone who ever sinned. Jesus was crying out in pain because His Father was punishing Him for the sins of the world. Then Jesus said, “It is finished!” That meant that Jesus was done paying for the sins of the world. Jesus’ death was the payment for the eternal death we deserve. Jesus was dead, and all the disciples were sad.

Visual 5 - Nicodemus & Joseph (picture from last week)

Nicodemus and Joseph took Jesus’ body and put it in a tomb. A big stone was rolled in front of the tomb. The soldiers sealed the tomb and stood guard so no one could steal the body of Jesus. Only three days later, early Sunday morning, Jesus did not stay dead.

Visual 6 - Picture of the Empty Tomb

God the Father gave Jesus a new, resurrected body. A bright angel came and rolled the stone away. The soldiers were so shocked they fell down and were knocked out. The angels sat around the tomb to tell the disciples that Jesus is alive! Mary Magdalene and the other lady disciples saw the angels and were amazed. The angels said, “Do not fear. Jesus has risen! Tell the disciples to go Galilee and see Him.” Jesus was walking around now alive!

Visual 7 - Jesus rose—He’s not dead—He is God just as He said!

They hurried back to the disciples, and Jesus met them on the way. Then Jesus appeared to the disciples, and they worshipped Him because they knew He was God. And only God could take our place as substitute, punished in our place, so that we wouldn’t have to be punished for our sin. Because Jesus died and rose again, you can have the promise that God can save you from sin and death!

The fact that Jesus is God is really important. That means everything He said was true, and that we need Him for us to be saved.

Visual 8 - John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.”

Group Activity: Get a bunch of slips of paper and some tape. Write the names of famous people(the kids would know) or animals on the papers. Place them on everyone's back. The person cannot read his or her own paper. They are to go around the room asking one question at a time about who they are until they guess who they are.

Group Discussion: Ask the kids the following questions:

• Where was Jesus before He was born at Christmastime? in heaven

• How long has Jesus been God? forever

• What does it mean that Jesus is God? He is all-powerful, Creator, without sin, and deserves worship

• How did Jesus prove that He was really God? He rose again from the dead

• Some people don't believe that Jesus is God. What do you think they say? Jesus was just a good person. Jesus was a teacher. Jesus didn't rise from the dead.

• Some people don't care if Jesus is God. How do they show it? They don't want to get saved. They say things that are against God. They want to sin, even though it makes God sad and angry.

• Can you think of any examples of something someone said or did that showed that they don't care that Jesus is God? Maybe someone cursed using Jesus name.

• Could someone read our verse for the day?

• What does this verse teach us about Jesus?

• Explain the parts of the verse that are hard to understand.

• How can this verse help me to obey Jesus...

  • when I'm in school?

  • when I'm at home?

  • when I'm playing?

  • when I'm at church?