YEA Lesson Library
A Happy Homecoming
About This Lesson
This final lesson in the life of Christ series summarizes Jesus’ life from birth to death and resurrection. It teaches the student that, because of Jesus’ life, we have hope of eternal life in God’s kingdom.
Scriptures
Psalm 110:1
Matthew 26:64
Mark 16:19
John 14:1-6
John 16:7
Acts 1:1-11
Acts 2:33
Acts 7:55-56
Romans 8:34
Colossians 3:1
Hebrews 1:3, 13
Hebrews 10:12-13
Words to Know
MARKET - a shop where things are bought and sold
HOMECOMING - celebrating someone coming home
HONOR - respect, special treatment
The Lesson
Every morning Mr. Oliver got out of bed very early. He dressed in his work clothes. He went to his boat before anyone else was awake.
Mr. Oliver was a fisherman. He took his boat into the deep water. He let down his nets and waited. After a time, he pulled up the nets. Sometimes there were fish in the nets. Sometimes there were not. Mr. Oliver moved his boat if the nets were empty. He fished and waited all day long.
Sometimes the wind blew and waves were rough. Some days were very cold. Water splashed in Mr. Oliver’s face. It froze on his beard. Sometimes his nets got tangled together. Mr. Oliver had to fix holes in his nets. Fishing was a very hard job.
Mr. Oliver looked forward to a special time every day. At sunset he headed his boat for shore. He unloaded his fish into big boxes. They would go to market. Mr. Oliver cleaned his boat and nets. Then he started home.
Mrs. Oliver was waiting in their nice warm home. She had a bowl of hot soup ready for supper. His favorite chair sat in front of the fireplace. Mrs. Oliver always welcomed her husband home. It was A Happy Homecoming!
Jesus left His beautiful home in heaven. He came to earth and was born in a stable. What a change that was!
Jesus grew up like other boys. Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple when He was 12 years old. He listened to the teachers and asked questions. He even answered their questions. Everyone was amazed!
Jesus was not a fisherman. But, He taught His disciples to fish for men. It was hard work. He and His disciples walked from place to place. They healed sick people. They even gave life to some who had died. This should have made people happy – but it didn’t.
Some people hated Jesus. They didn’t want Him teaching the people. Jesus’ enemies finally killed Him. They nailed Him to a stake and put Him in a tomb. They thought they had won. But, after three days and nights Jesus came out of the tomb. He was alive!
Jesus was getting ready to leave this world. He took His disciples up to the top of a mountain. He told them not to be afraid. All of a sudden, Jesus started rising. Up, up He went into the clouds. Jesus was going home to heaven.
God the Father was waiting for Jesus. That was a very Happy Homecoming! The Father had a special throne for Jesus – right next to His. It is a place of honor and power. Jesus is there today making a special place in His Kingdom for you and me. A place where there will be no war. A place where we will be safe and loved. We can live with Him forever. Won’t that be A Happy Homecoming?
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for making a place ready for Jesus and welcoming Him home. I am glad that He is making a place ready for me in His kingdom. Help me make my heart ready to welcome Jesus. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Psalm 110:1;
Monday - Hebrews 1:3, 13;
Tuesday - Acts 7:55-56;
Wednesday - Romans 8:34;
Thursday - Colossians 3:1;
Friday - John 16:7;
Saturday - Hebrews 10:12-13
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. State that Jesus’ home is with His Father in heaven.
2. Tell how Jesus went back to His heavenly home.
3. Name who was waiting to welcome Jesus to His heavenly home.
4. Recite their memory verse
Topics & Themes
Clouds
Disciples
Eternal life
Fish, Fishing
God’s Kingdom
Jesus, Ascension of
Jesus, Birth of
Jesus, Childhood of
Jesus, Crucifixion of
Jesus, His Miracles
Jesus, in Heaven
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students’ and Teacher’s books, nine-inch paper plates, colored tissue paper, glue, scissors, marker pens, green construction paper, flannel board or newsprint pad, magazine pictures and pencils, attendance and memory verse charts, stickers or stars, songbook, CD or tape, music player
Preparation
It is imperative that we understand the times in which we live so that we can most effectively meet the needs of kids today. Because of the reconfiguration of the family unit, children have a “profound sense of abandonment.” These children need to be reassured that God has a place for them in His kingdom. He loves them so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to make a way for them to spend eternity with Him. He will not reject them, but will welcome them.
They need to think of the church as a place where they can come and be accepted, loved and safe. A place that has been prepared for them. A place where they are welcome. As a teacher, part of your job is to help meet these needs.
Before you come to class, cut out magazine pictures of a house, toys, a family and a recliner or chair. You will also need to cut colored tissue paper into two inch squares for the flowers on the “Welcome” door hanger.
How to Teach This Lesson
Ask the children to imagine that they have been on a long trip away from home. They have been gone for a long time. Now they are on their way home. On a flannel board place a picture of a house, or draw a house on a sheet of newsprint.
Ask: When you think of home, what is the first thing you think of? Do you think of your house? Do you think of your favorite things? Do you think of your family? Place pictures of a family, children’s toys, pets, etc. on your flannel board. All of these things are what make a house a home. When you are surrounded by a family who loves you, you feel safe and secure. When you have your own “things” around you, you feel like you belong.
Jesus left this earth to return home to heaven. He was going home. His Father was there. It was a perfect place for a perfect Person. It was where Jesus belonged!
Ask: How do you feel when you come home and your dog runs up and licks you? Is he glad to see you? This is his way of saying, “Welcome home.” Even if you have had a bad day at school, having someone who is glad to see you can cheer you up.
God the Father was waiting to welcome His Son home. He gave Jesus a place of honor. Jesus is there now talking to His Father about you and me (Romans 8:34).
Ask: Does your father have his own special chair? (Place a picture of a recliner on your flannel board.) When he comes home from a hard day at work, is there a special place where he can relax? Or, when your family goes to the table to eat, does everyone have their own place where they usually sit? It is nice to know that a place has been made ready for you. Most children have their own bedroom, even if they share it with a brother or sister. It is the place that has been made ready for them. Some of you may have posters on your wall. Some may even have your name on the door. This is your special place (2 Corinthians 5:1).
When Jesus went back to heaven there was a place made especially for Him. He has a special chair, a throne, that sits right next to His Father (Acts 2:30-36).
Jesus told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them and for all those who trust Him as their Savior (John 14:2-3).
Just imagine how wonderful it will be when we go to be with our Savior. Jesus will be waiting for us. We will have our own special place. God will be waiting to welcome us to our new home. It will be a happy homecoming!
Review Questions
1. What do you think of when you say the word “home”?
2. Where is Jesus’ home?
3. Who was waiting to welcome Him home?
4. Where did Jesus take His disciples before He went to His home?
5. What happened while Jesus was talking to the disciples?
6. Where does Jesus sit in heaven?
7. What is He doing there?
Teacher-Directed Activity
The children will be making a “Welcome” door hanger.
Cut out the inner circle of a nine-inch paper plate. With a colored marker pen, write the word “welcome” across the top of the wreath. Cut three or four leaves out of green construction paper and glue them to the lower portion of the wreath. Wrap the tissue paper squares, one at a time, around a pencil eraser to form flowers. Dip the end in glue and place the paper flowers by the leaves. Allow the children to add any additional decorations to their wreath if they wish.
The children can hang the “Welcome” sign in their rooms to remind them that they will be welcomed in God’s Kingdom.
REACH Activity
Special Materials: dowel rod or stick, 18-24 inch piece of string, magnetic strip, container, poster board, clear contact paper, hole punch, stapler
1. Using a dowel rod or stick, make a fishing pole. Tie/secure an 18 to 24 inch string or line to the pole. Attach a magnet to the end of the string. From construction paper or poster board, trace and cut 12 fish shapes. On each fish, write one of the following 12 words: Jesus is there today making a special place for you and me. Then attach a one inch piece of magnet tape to the back of the fish. Put the fish in a bucket or container. Let kids go fishing for the words. When all the fish have been caught, see if they can put the fish together to find a special message.
2. Using the tune to “Row, Row, Row, Your Boat,” have children write a song about the YEA lesson’s happy homecoming for Jesus and for us. They can sing it to their family and friends.
3. Help kids make a memory verse place mat using an 11 x 17 inch inch piece of poster board, markers/crayons, pictures (drawn or cut out from magazines), glue (optional), clear contact paper (optional). On the poster board write each of the memory verses in The Wonderful Words of Life lessons. Put the memory verse from lesson ten in the middle. Write the other nine around it. Decorate with drawings or pictures. Cover with contact paper, if desired. Option #1: Make a different place mat for each member of the family by including Daily Devotional verses, or wonderful words of life from the YEA lessons. Option #2: The poster board is two-sided. Have kids choose one of the ten lessons to illustrate and explain why they chose it for their place mat.
4. To be prepared to welcome Jesus in your heart and life you can learn and obey God’s Word. Have each child write an acrostic poem for his/her name explaining with each letter what he/she has learned in the YEA lessons in Wonderful Words of Life. They can look back at the Words to Know section of each lesson for help.
5. An ABC book uses each letter of the alphabet to give information about a topic. To make one you will need the following materials: 30 sheets of paper, two pieces of poster board (at least 8-1/2 x 11 inches), crayons/color pencils, single hole punch or stapler, pictures, drawings and/or stickers to decorate each page, ribbon/string/yarn are optional. Starting with the letter A, have kids write a word, sentence, or phrase about Jesus and the Wonderful Words of Life that begins with the letter A. (Alive again, for example) Decorate the page with a picture, drawing, or stickers. Continue with each letter of the alphabet, one on each page. When finished, there will be 26 pages. They should decide on a title for the book, add the title to, and decorate one piece of poster board. This will be the book cover. The other piece of poster board will be the back cover. With the four extra sheets of paper, they should include the following in their book: a title page, dedication page, author biography page, and a blank page after the letter Z page. Put all the pages together in the order given above. Single hole punch the pages and thread with yarn, string, or ribbon. Or, just staple the pages together. They can use their ABC book to teach someone about Jesus and the Wonderful Words of Life.
6. Kids should use this lesson to finish the timeline.
7. Have children draw a picture of their house.
8. Ask kids to list five things they like best about their home.
9. Ask: What would you miss most if you were away from home for three weeks? Why?
10. Plan it out. Ask: What would you do first if you’d been gone from home for a long time? What might a welcome home party look like? What would you eat? What would you wear? What games might you play?
11. The last 40 lessons have talked about Jesus’ life on this earth. Ask: What do you think Jesus missed when coming from heaven to this earth? Read John 17:5.
12. Help children make up a song about God’s Kingdom. Read John 14:1-4 and Isaiah 11:6-9 to help with ideas. Sing your words to the tune of “Old McDonald.”
13. Tell children to list five things that are wonderful about the place Jesus is preparing for us.
14. Use the Daily Devotional Scriptures to have a sword drill. Read the Scripture reference. Start the timer. When someone finds the verse in their Bible, stop the timer. Have them read the verse and talk about how it relates to the YEA lesson. See how quickly they find each of the Scriptures.
Song
“Behold, Behold” is on page 45 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead the children in prayer, thanking God for the place He has made ready for us and for Jesus.
Printable Pages
