YEA Lesson Library
A Lasting Love Story
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches about Jesus' suffering and death to pay for the sins of the world.
Scriptures
Jeremiah 31:3
Lamentations 3:22
Matthew 27:1-66
Mark 15:1-47
Luke 23:1-56
John 15:13
Romans 8:35-39
Ephesians 3:17-19
1 John 4:7-8
Words to Know
PREPARED - ready
COMPARE - be equal
BETRAYED - to help the enemy
The Lesson
Mrs. Tuttle said next week’s lesson was about love. All the boys made faces. Some said, “Yuck!” They didn’t want to hear that mushy stuff! “What do you love?” the teacher asked. “Bring a picture or something that reminds you of that person or thing.”
On the Sabbath, the children were ready. Mary had a picture of her family. Tommy cut out pictures of his favorite foods. Connie brought her favorite doll. Roger wore his soccer uniform. Josh brought his dog’s leash and chew toy. They couldn’t wait to tell about what they loved.
Everyone showed what they brought. Mrs. Tuttle showed her Bible. She said it had the greatest love story ever told. This story would last forever. Mrs. Tuttle read our memory verse. “The Lord. . . said, ‘I have loved you with a love that lasts forever.’”
God looked down at the world He made. He saw people fighting and killing each other. They took things that didn’t belong to them. They did things they shouldn’t do. God was sad. People needed to be punished for doing wrong. But, God loved the people. What should He do?
God had a plan. He would send someone to take the punishment. But who should He send? Only one person was good enough to take that punishment. Jesus, God’s Son was perfect!
That must have been a hard choice. God loved His only Son very much. Jesus never did bad things or thought bad thoughts. He made the world and everything in it. He had been with His Father forever. How could He punish Jesus for our sins?
God loved His people very much. He made Adam out of dust. He made Eve from one of Adam’s ribs. God put them in a perfect garden. He wanted the very best for His people. But they disobeyed Him. It’s always wrong to disobey God.
God sent Jesus to earth. Jesus taught us that we should love God and obey Him. Jesus did good things for people. He showed us how we should live. He picked 12 men to help Him. But, Jesus knew He would have to die.
The time had come. Judas betrayed Jesus. He sold Jesus to His enemies for 30 silver coins. He led soldiers to the garden where Jesus was praying. The soldiers arrested Jesus and beat Him. They made fun of Him. They put a crown of thorns on His head. Then, they nailed Him to a stake and left Him to die. What a terrible way to treat God’s Son!
Jesus looked at the men who had treated Him so badly. He didn’t curse them. He didn’t ask His Father to kill them. He didn’t even hate them. Instead, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” Jesus showed these men the most wonderful love in the world.
Mrs. Tuttle asked, “Mary, do you ever get mad at your parents?” Mary looked at her family picture. She thought of fights with her brother. She remembered getting mad when she had to wash dishes. Maybe she didn’t love them as much as she should.
“Tommy, what is left after you eat your ice cream?” asked Mrs. Tuttle. Tommy said there was nothing left. He ate it all. Mrs. Tuttle said food doesn’t last forever. But, God’s love does!
Mrs. Tuttle said God’s love was greater than everything. God loved a whole world. He gave His only Son for the whole world. Jesus loved us so much He was willing to die for us. His love for us will. . . NEVER END!
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you so much for loving the world. Thank you for loving me and sending Jesus to die so that I could be forgiven. Teach me to learn to love like you do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday: Ephesians 3:19
Monday: John 15:13
Tuesday: 1 John 4:7-8
Wednesday: Romans 8:35
Thursday: Romans 8:38-39
Friday: Lamentations 3:22
Saturday: Ephesians 3:17-18
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. State that God’s love lasts forever.
2. Identify who God loved – the whole world.
3. Tell how God showed His love.
4. Tell how Jesus showed His love.
5. Recite their memory verse.
Topics & Themes
Betray
Bible
Creator
Disciples
Forgiveness
God’s Judgment
God’s Love
God’s Plan
Jesus, Death of
Jesus, God the Son
Jesus, Savior
Jesus, Suffering of
Jesus - Without Sin
Judas
Loving God
Materials Needed
Bible, Students’ and Teacher’s books, CD or tape, music player, construction paper, tissue paper, glitter, foil, confetti, shaped hole punches, clear Contact paper, yarn, scissors, chalkboard and chalk or newsprint pad and marker pen, attendance and memory verse charts, stars or stickers
Preparation
The primary aged child, like most of us, has an enormous need to be loved by both their peers and by the adults in their life. Since these children are self-centered, they will often misbehave merely to gain the attention of the teacher.
The effective teacher has learned how to let the students know when they do or say the right thing. Through verbal or nonverbal acceptance of students, she establishes a comfortable classroom atmosphere. She makes the students feel at ease and gives them the impression that she is “on their side.”
Today’s lesson emphasizes the key word, love.
Before you come to class, cut enough heart shapes out of red construction paper for each child to have one.
How to Teach This Lesson
The story about Mrs. Tuttle in the student’s book points out some real differences between the different types of love. She showed her students that loving a doll or food could not compare with the way that God loves us. God’s love is a supernatural, agape, love. It is a love that sacrifices for the benefit of the loved object. This kind of love is one of the fruits of the Spirit of God dwelling in you. Jesus demonstrated this agape love when He gave His life as a ransom for us. Ask: How did God show us that He love us? Write on your newsprint pad or chalkboard: He gave His Son. Then ask: How did Jesus show that He loved us? Write: He gave His life.
Point out to the children that true love is not selfish (1 Corinthians 13:4-5), but is kind. God provides us with everything we need, like food, clothes, shelter, a family to take care of us, etc. Ask: If you love your sister, and she wants to borrow your bike, what would you do? If your best friend lost his lunch money and didn’t have anything to eat, what would you do?
God’s love is all inclusive. Jesus came to die for the sins of the whole world, not just a few of His favorites. It doesn’t matter whether a person is rich or poor, whether his skin is black, yellow, brown or white. In John 3:16 we see that God loved the whole world, and that anyone (whosoever) who puts his trust in Jesus can have everlasting life. “For there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11). Write: “Jesus died for the world” on your newsprint or chalkboard.
Ask: How could you show love to a new kid at school whose skin may be a different color than yours? Allow the children to think of some ways, like inviting him to sit with you at lunch, or asking him to join in your game at recess.
When Mrs. Tuttle talked about the food Tommy loved, she asked what was left after he ate it? Tommy replied, “It was all gone.” It only lasted for a little while. But the kind of love that God has for us, and the kind of love that Jesus showed were everlasting. It is like this circle – it has no beginning and no end. It just keeps going on forever. God’s love for us does not end when we do something we shouldn’t. Jesus’ love didn’t end when the soldiers beat Him or crucified Him. True love forgives. Write: “Love forgives” on your newsprint or chalkboard.
Ask: What would you do if your friend had a birthday party and didn’t invite you? Would you get mad and not speak to her? Would you tell her she was no longer your friend? Do you really love that person? Will you forgive her?
We all need someone to love us with this special kind of love. A love that lasts forever. A love that includes all kinds of people. A love that is giving and kind. God wants us to learn to love the way He and Jesus love. Write: “Love lasts forever” on your newsprint or chalkboard.
Review Questions
1. When God looked down and saw that people were doing all kinds of things they shouldn’t do, how did He feel?
2. Who was the only person good enough to take the punishment for the whole world?
3. When Jesus was beaten, made fun of and finally crucified, did He get angry? What did He do?
4. Tell three things that describe true love.
5. Who needs this kind of love? (Have the children write their name on one of the hearts and tape it to the newsprint pad or chalkboard, signifying that they need this kind of love from God, and that they will try to love others like God loves.)
Teacher-Directed Activity
The children will be making “I Love You” suncatchers.
Seat the children around a table and provide colored construction paper, tissue paper, foil, confetti, glitter and shaped hole punches. Allow the children to tear or cut small pieces of construction paper, tissue paper and foil. Some of the children can take turns cutting shapes from the construction paper with the hole punches.
Spread a sheet of Contact paper on the table with the sticky side up (large enough for each child to have a six inch square). Allow each child to select one of the above items, and sprinkle them in a thin layer on the Contact paper. Place another sheet of Contact paper atop the first sheet, sticky side down, and gently press together. Cut the decorated sheet into six-inch squares and give one to each child. Have them trace around their own hand, or around a heart shaped pattern, and cut it out. Punch a hole in the top of the shape and thread a length of ribbon or yarn through the hole.
They can give the suncatcher to someone they love to be hung in a window.
REACH Activity
Special Materials: Bible dictionary, concordance, stapler, decorative jewels, stickers, ribbon, post-it notes
1. Ask: If you were in Mrs. Tuttle’s Sabbath School class, what special object would you bring to class? Why is the object so special to you? Tell kids to ask their family members what object they would have brought and why it is so special to them.
2. Have kids write down five things they love. Ask which they love most and why.
3. Ask: What is the difference between loving a person and loving a food or a thing?
4. There are different meanings for the word “love.” Ask children to check a Bible dictionary for definitions of love. Ask: What kind of love does God have for us?
5. God is love. He showed us how much He loved us when He sent Jesus to us. Tell students to search the following Scriptures for verses that will tell them what Jesus taught about love: John 15:9-13 and Matthew 22:37-40. (Hint: Use a concordance.)
6. In Matthew 22:37 Jesus said we should love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. Ask: Can you think of ways to love God with all of your heart? Soul? Mind? Tell children to share their thoughts with their family.
7. Ask: How can we show God how much we love Him and His Son Jesus Christ? When we obey His commandments and love one another, we show our love for God and Jesus Christ. Have kids look closely at the Ten Commandments and find which ones show our love to God and which ones show our love for one another.
8. Ask: Have you loved your neighbor as yourself today? Tell students to think of some ways they can show a neighbor that they love him or her. (Make a card, bookmark, book cover, cookies, etc.)
9. Have kids cut out a dozen hearts from construction paper to get started and then tell them to do the following:
*Day One: Write how your mom and dad show they love you on the front side of three hearts. On the back, write how you show that you love them.
*Day Two: Write how your family shows they love you on the front side of three hearts. On the back, write how you show love to them.
*Day Three: Write how your friends and neighbors show they love you on the front side of three hearts. Write how you show you love them on the back.
*Day Four: Write how God shows He loves you on the front side of three hearts. On the back, write how you show God you love Him.
*Day Five: Staple the hearts into a “shower of love” by stapling the top of one heart to the bottom of another heart. Once you have a line about four hearts long, start stapling hearts to one side of the first line. When finished, you will have a sheet of hearts stapled together.
Then tape it to the outside of the shower curtain in your bathroom.
10. A crown of thorns was placed on Jesus’ head. Ask: Have you ever been pricked by a thorn? Can you describe a thorn? Jesus is the King of kings, our Savior, and our Brother. He did not deserve that crown of thorns. Using gold paper, decorative jewels, and glue, have kids make a crown truly fit for our King and Savior.
11. Forgiveness: Jesus asked God the Father to forgive the men who beat Him and put Him on the stake. Through His suffering, Jesus gave us a lesson about forgiving those who hurt our feelings by their words or actions. Ask: When was the last time you had to forgive someone?
12. Have students fill in these blanks: For ___________ so _______________ the world that
He gave ___________ one and only ___________. . . ( John 3:16). Ask: What words did you use to fill in the blanks? Let them make a bookmark with those words on one side and the words, “and He loves me!” on the other side, and decorate it with stickers and ribbon.
13. Help kids put together a skit or play based on the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37.
14. There are some great songs about God’s love for us and how we should love others. Plan for children to sing a different song (from Kids Classics Collection) about God’s love every day this week: “Jesus Loves Me” is on page 6; “This is My Commandment” is on page 4; “His Banner Over Me is Love”is on page 36; “Oh, How I Love Jesus” is on page 66; “Jesus Loves the Little Children” is on page 56 and “Jesus Loves the Little Ones” is on page 42.
15. Children should add this lesson to the timeline.
16. Sing: “Wonderful Words of Life” on page 43 of the CEM Hymnal. Tell children to write the third verse in their Bible notebook with their other wonderful words.
17. Ask: How long is forever? Then tell kids to think of something they really like to do. God loves you longer than that. Think of someplace that takes hours to get to. God loves you longer than that. Ask them to write a definition, based on time, telling how long God will love them—but don’t use the word forever.
18. Tell kids to write, “God loves you!” on a post-it note and put it in their bedroom where they’ll see it when they wake up each morning. It should also be the last thing they see each night before they go to sleep.
Song
“Jesus Loves Even Me” is on page 8 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Ask one of the children to lead in prayer, thanking God for loving, giving and forgiving them.
Printable Pages
