YEA Lesson Library
Jesus Loves Me!
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches about children: the disciples preventing them from coming to Him, Jesus teaching about children, and Jesus blessing them.
Scriptures
Jeremiah 31:3
Matthew 19:14
Matthew 19:13-15
Mark 10:13-16
John 3:16
Romans 8:38-39
Ephesians 3:19
1 John 3:1; 4:18-19
Revelation 1:5
Words to Know
BLESSING - a gift or favor from God
CEREMONY - an act established by custom or authority
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Ephesians 3:19
Monday - Jeremiah 31:3
Tuesday - 1 John 3:1
Wednesday - John 3:16
Thursday - Revelation 1:5
Friday - Romans 8:38-39
Saturday - 1 John 4:18-19
YEAH — At-Home Activity
1. Self-Portrait. Read the lesson, tell the story from Matthew 19:13-15, or read the account from the Bible. Then give each student sheet of drawing paper that has been cut to 8 x 10. Have them draw a self portrait. Then either write the memory verse or “Jesus Love Me” across the bottom. Remember to date the drawing.
2. Making Music. Read the lesson, tell the story from Matthew 19:13-15, or read the account from the Bible. Give each child a different musical instrument: a triangle, a tambourine, a drum, a bell, a xylophone, etc. Sing the song: Jesus Loves Me. Add the musical instruments with some direction for appropriate playing. After some practice, arrange for the students to sing special music for church.
3. Buttons. Read the lesson, tell the story from Matthew 19:13-15, or read the account from the Bible. You can purchase some inexpensive buttons from Oriental Trading or Amazon. If possible, take a photo of each child and have it ready for completing this project during class. Trim the photo so that the memory verse can be written around the outside of the photo, but within the button. You will either have to do most of this assembly prior to class or have several helpers!
4. Ambassadors for Christ. Read the lesson, tell the story from Matthew 19:13-15, or read the account from the Bible. Discuss why the disciples thought the children should be prohibited from coming to Christ - likely because they felt Jesus was too important to be bothered by children. Discuss why some adults act so grumpy towards children: children are disrespectful, loud, disobedient, darting around suddenly, distracting during church, etc. Use this opportunity to talk about appropriate church behaviors that honor God. Children have a way of reaching people - I’ve seen a little girl at church going from one lap to the next, bringing a smile to each person’s face. Remind the students that their actions can encourage the church family or can cause people to want to avoid church. They can make a person’s day or can make them grumpy. They have an important job. Read Psalm 8:2 to the students.
5. Blessing of the Little Children (FOT). Read the lesson, tell the story from Matthew 19:13-15, or read the account from the Bible. Talk about the church tradition of blessing the little children at the Feast of Tabernacles. Ask the students about their experience participating in this. Emphasize the importance of God’s protection and blessing on each person. Help talk them through the whole experience in case some didn’t understand what happened and why or in case there are some who would likely participate in an upcoming Feast. Also discuss the fact that some parents bless their children each Friday evening to start the sabbath and that if their family doesn’t do that, they might want to consider it as part of making the sabbath holy. Then let the students draw either the blessing of little children ceremony from the feast or a weekly blessing in their own family. Let them choose their favorite art tool: pencil, colored pencils, markers, crayons - or a combination of the four. Title the picture “Blessing the children.”
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Describe what happened when some mothers
brought their children to Jesus.
2. State that they are important to Jesus.
3. Explain what happens at the “Blessing of the
Children” ceremony.
4. Recite their memory verse.
Topics & Themes
Blessing Children
Faith
God’s Kingdom
Jesus and Children
Jesus, His Ministry
Prayer
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students’ and Teacher’s books, atten- dance and memory verse charts, stars, dolls, crayons, butcher’s paper, songbook, CD, CD player
Preparation
It would be good to schedule this lesson for either the week before or after the “Blessing of the Children” ceremony. It provides an opportunity to explain this ceremony to your class. Church traditions should be introduced early to children in an easy-to-understand way. Most of the children in your class may have been blessed at one of the annual services. If not, they are still young enough to be a part of the next service. If you are in doubt about whether a child has been blessed, check with the parents and suggest that they be. The teacher should look for opportunities to relate to parents. You may learn things to pray about and ways to better meet the needs of your students.
Before class, cut enough pieces of butcher’s paper for each child in your class to have a piece approximately four feet long. This should be large enough to trace the body of the tallest child in your class.
You may want to call the parents of the girls in your class and ask them to let the girls bring their dolls to class to use for acting out this lesson.
Review Questions
Let the children act out the story. The boys could be the disciples who object to mothers bringing their children to Jesus. The girls could be the mothers with their babies (dolls to represent the children being blessed).
1. What did the disciples say when the mothers brought their children to Jesus?
2. Did Jesus send the children away?
3. What did Jesus do with the children?
4. Why did Jesus bless the children?
5. Why does Jesus want to bless you?
Teacher-Directed Activity
Have each child lie down on a piece of butcher’s paper. Trace around the child’s body. Have the children color their own outline. Tell them to make the hair the same color as their hair, their eyes the same color. Have them look at the color of their clothes and color their picture the same color. They can take their picture home and tell their mommies and daddies that Jesus loves the little children.
REACH Activity
Letter: C
Words: come, commands, color, catch
Sentence:
WHEN THE CHILDREN CAME TO JESUS, HE GAVE THEM A BLESSING. THE BLESSING WOULD PROTECT THEM FROM HARM. ASK HIM TO HELP YOU OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS.
Song
“Jesus Loves the Little Ones” is on page 42 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Dear Father, Thank you for giving me such a wonderful Friend like Jesus. Thank you that He loves me. Thank you that you hear my prayers. Help me do things to please you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Printable Pages
