Cultivate Kids Curriculum Sprouts Date: Sunday 9/18/16Lesson: (NT- Week 2) Bible Passage: Matthew 3, Luke 1, 3, John 1

Big Idea: Jesus had to grow up and learn in his faith just as we have to grow

and learn in our own faith. Memory Verse:

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52

Bible Story:

Please read the following story to the class or pick one of the other story options below:

Today our story is about a man named John. There are thousands of people in this world with the name John. That's a lot of Johns. (You may want to ask the children if they know someone with the name John?) But God knew who John was before he was even born. He had a special job for John to do when he grew up to be a man.God wanted John to have special parents who could teach him to love him and serve him. God gave John to Elizabeth and Zacharias. Elizabeth and Zacharias had been praying for a child for a very long time. They thought that they were getting too old to have children, but God answered their prayers and gave them John.

They taught John about God and told him that he had a special job to do for God. John was different than most people of his time -- He lived out in the wilderness. (He probably felt closer to God there.) He dressed in clothes that were made from camel's hair and ate things that he found in the desert like locust (grasshoppers) and wild honey.

One day God's words came to John and John began to preach to the people what God had told him. He told them to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Does anyone know what the word "repent" means? (Give the children a chance to answer.) It means to stop doing wrong. John was telling the people to get ready - to make their heart right - because their Savior was coming soon. When the people heard him many of them felt sorry for doing wrong and wanted to show everyone that they were sorry. John would baptize the people in the Jordan River who repented to show others that they were

Cultivate Kids Curriculum Sprouts Date: Sunday 9/18/16Lesson: (NT- Week 2) Bible Passage: Matthew 3, Luke 1, 3, John 1

changing their ways. Soon people began to call him John the Baptist.  People from all over would come out to the wilderness and listen to John the Baptist. Some people thought he was their promised Savior, but John told them that he wasn't and that his job was to tell people about the Savior and get them ready to meet him.

You may have seen people at our church be baptized on the stage. Baptism shows that you accept God as your savior. When you go under the water and are brought back up you are showing that you want to follow God and begin a new life. John helped God’s followers grow in their faith by being baptized and accepting God in to their life. One day you may choose to be baptized also!

Pictures:You can use the following as pictures to follow along with the story or read right from the children’s bible:

The Beginners Bible pg. 303-305 Jesus Storybook Bible 200-203

Video: God’s Story: John the Baptist can be accessed at

https://vimeo.com/57088532

Activities

*The activities below will be prepped for you before Sunday and we will be given to you on Sunday morning* Craft:

Finger Paint Locust- I am a follower of Jesus1. Preparation: make sure to have green paint ready and baby

wipes so the children can quickly clean their finger.2. Paint one index finger green for each child. Have the child

place the painted finger on the center of the white paper. This is the body of the locust

3. Have the children draw legs and antennae around the finger print.

4. Glue googly eyes to the finger print.

Cultivate Kids Curriculum Sprouts Date: Sunday 9/18/16Lesson: (NT- Week 2) Bible Passage: Matthew 3, Luke 1, 3, John 1

Games: Pin the wings on the locust.

1. Preparation: Hang the locust image on one wall. Cut out locust wings, one for each child.

2. Blindfold the child and spin them around 3 times. Let the child place their wings on the locust.

3. Repeat until all children have placed wings.