Lesson 6: Jesus Eases John's Doubt

Welcome

            Thank kids for coming.

            Just for fun, have kids show their goofiest faces to everyone around them.

            Make announcements.

            Introduce new kids.

            Celebrate birthdays by having kids say “Happy birthday” in a funny voice.

            Collect the offering.

Introduce the Lesson

            Say: Today we’ll learn about a time Jesus helped John the Baptist remember that Jesus is the Messiah. Messiah might not be a word you know. It means Jesus rescues us!

Share

            Tell about a time you needed to be rescued.

            Have kids get in pairs and tell about a time they needed to be rescued. After a few minutes, invite a few kids to share their stories with the larger group.

            Say: Thanks for sharing those rescue stories! Jesus is the best rescuer. Jesus is the Messiah.

Summarize

            Open a Bible, and say: Today we’ll learn what Jesus did to help John the Baptist be sure Jesus is the Messiah. We’ll dig into the Bible to find out what it means that Jesus is the Messiah. God is always with us and ready to talk to us. One way God talks to us is through the Bible, his special book.

            Pray, thanking Jesus that he's the Messiah.

Tip 

Sing Songs to God

          Sing the three songs in any order.

Talk About Superheroes

            Ask: • Tell about your favorite superhero. Begin the discussion by telling kids who your favorite superhero is and why.

            Say: We’re going to make our own superheroes today. Superheroes are pretend, but in their stories, they rescue people! They can remind us of our real rescuer, Jesus! Jesus is the Messiah—a real-life superhero!

Make Superhero Pencil Toppers

            Assign each preschooler to an older child who’ll help the younger one with his or her craft. Have kids cut out the templates on their handouts. Then they can use the cape template to trace a cape onto felt, scrapbook paper, construction paper, or comic book pages. They’ll cut out the capes and decorate them to be superhero capes for their pencils.

            Kids can use Glue Dots to attach a cape and a mask to their pencils. They can make as many as five superhero pencils.

            Distribute paper, and have kids use their superheroes to write rescue messages. For example, kids could write “Jesus is the Messiah” or “Jesus, please rescue me!”

Talk About It

            Ask: • What kinds of special things can superheroes do that regular people can’t?

            • How is Jesus like a superhero?

            Say: Superheroes like Superman or Batman find people in need and rescue them. Jesus came to rescue everyone, because we all need a superhero! Jesus is the Messiah, so he rescues us like a superhero would—only better, because he’s real!

            Have kids take their pencils home as a reminder that Jesus is the Messiah—our real-life superhero.

Talk About Rescue

            Say: Today we’re going to learn that Jesus is the Messiah. Messiah is kind of an unusual word. It means “rescuer.” The Jewish people had been waiting a long time for the Messiah. They wanted the Messiah to come rescue them from people who were mean to them.

            Let’s think about rescue.

            Ask: • When you think of rescuers, what kind of people come to mind? Have kids share their ideas with the large group.

            Say: Let’s see what it feels like to need someone to rescue us.

            Have kids form pairs and find out which partner is older. Say: The older partner in each pair will sit on the floor, knees bent. Allow time. 

            Say: Now try to get up by yourself…but you can’t push off the floor with your hands, you can’t cross your feet, and you can’t get onto your knees. Allow time for kids to struggle, and then have their partners give them a hand to help them stand up. You may need to assist preschoolers yourself.

            Have partners trade places and try again.

            Ask: • How did you feel when you were trying to stand up?

            • Why did you need your partner to rescue you?

            Say: There were all kinds of things the Jewish people needed to be rescued from. They wanted to be rescued from a really horrible government that treated people badly. But most of all, they needed to be rescued so they could be close to God and know him as a friend. They needed a Messiah who would bring them close to God again. Let’s look at John the Baptist and see what he wanted to be rescued from.

Learn About Prison

            Say: John the Baptist was a follower of Jesus, and he was in prison. Give each child two pieces of black crepe paper. Have kids hold them in front of their faces to experience looking through prison bars as they have this discussion.

            Say: Some people go to prison because they broke the law. They need to be in prison so they don’t do it again. But that wasn’t the reason John was in prison. Another part of the Bible tells us that the king, King Herod, got mad at John because John tried to tell Herod he was doing something wrong.

            Ask: • What are your thoughts on what King Herod did to John?

            Say: John the Baptist was right—the king was doing something wrong. So John was in prison even though he didn’t deserve it. John the Baptist had walked around before Jesus started doing miracles, telling everyone that Jesus is the Messiah. But in today’s story, he wasn’t so sure anymore. He sent some people to Jesus with this question.

            Read Matthew 11:2-3.

            Ask: • What do you think Jesus could do to prove to John that he is the Messiah?

            • How can you tell if someone is a rescuer?

            Say: John probably wanted Jesus to rescue him! He was wondering if Jesus was the Messiah who could rescue him from prison. Have kids put their prison bars down.

Examine Proof of the Messiah

            Say: Even though John was in prison unfairly, Jesus hadn’t rescued him. He wasn’t free like we are now. No wonder he had questions. But Jesus didn’t prove he is the Messiah by going to rescue John. Instead, he rescued other people right in front of John’s friends. Jesus said, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard.” Then he gave examples. Let’s act those out. Have kids stand up.

            Say: Jesus is the Messiah because he made the blind see. Have kids close their eyes and try to take one small step forward. Ask kids to share why blindness might be something people want to be rescued from. Then have kids open their eyes.

            Say: Jesus is the Messiah because he made people who’d never walked before walk. Have kids return to their positions from the first game, sitting with their knees up and trying to stand. Ask kids to share why not being able to walk is something people might want to be rescued from. Then have kids use their hands to push off the floor and stand back up.

            Say: Jesus is the Messiah because he cured people with leprosy—a really bad skin disease. Have kids pretend to scratch their arms as they share why leprosy is something people might want to be rescued from. Then have kids stop scratching.

            Say: Jesus is the Messiah because he made the deaf hear. Have kids cover their ears tightly as you whisper a funny story from your week. Have kids uncover their ears, and ask them what they liked best about your story. Then have kids share why some people might want to be rescued from deafness.

            Say: Jesus is the Messiah because he even raised dead people to life! Have kids lie down on the ground as they talk about why death is something to be rescued from. Then have them jump back up.

            Say: Finally, Jesus is the Messiah because he was preaching good news to poor people. In Jesus’ days, poor people had to beg for money. Have kids walk around pretending to beg for money but stop when you say, “Jesus loves you!” Ask why being poor is something people might want to be rescued from. Then have kids sit back down.

Ask for Rescue

            Say: Jesus is the Messiah. He didn’t rescue John to prove this, but he rescued a lot of people from things that made their lives hard. Most of all, he rescued us from being far away from God!

            Maybe there’s something in your life you want to be rescued from. Sit back down with your knees bent, and talk to Jesus about how you want him to rescue you. Listen to what God tells you. When you’re done praying, put your hand up like you’re reaching out for a rescuer. Allow time for kids to pray. As kids put their hands up, pull them up to a standing position.

            Have kids place their two strips of black crepe paper in a cross shape to show how Jesus came to rescue them. Say: Jesus is your Messiah. He can rescue you when you need to be rescued.

Tip 

Discuss and Watch “Are You the One?”

          Say: Let’s play a game that’s on our video! The video is going to tell you something, and you’ll have to decide if you believe what it’s saying or if you doubt it. Then you’ll move from one side of the room to the other depending on what you think. The video will explain it—it’s fun and easy. Let’s give it a try!

          Play “Are You the One?”

          Ask: • Which question did you think was the trickiest, and why?

          • What about the last question—when John the Baptist wondered if Jesus is the Messiah or not? If you’ve ever wondered if that’s true or not, what has helped you make up your mind one way or the other?

          Listen to kids’ responses with care, as some may have lingering doubts about this. Today’s lesson and your conversation can help kids know the truth about Jesus.

          Say: Jesus assured John that he is the Messiah and told him he could know by the actions Jesus did and by the things he said. We have even more proof than John did because we have the whole Bible that helps us know who Jesus is and how we can be sure of who Jesus is. Jesus is the Messiah, and we don’t have to doubt that!

Tip

• If you don’t have an available faucet with warm water, bring warm water in a coffee mug or thermos.

Attempt to Rescue the Icemen

            Gather mixed-age groups of four around each shallow pan.

            Say: Today we’re learning that Jesus is the Messiah. That means Jesus rescues us. He’s our hero because he saves us from the most dangerous things. I’ll show you what I mean.

            Put two ice cubes in each pan.

            Say: These men got stuck in the ice! How can we rescue them? Let kids come up with ideas without helping them. Have kids work in pairs to try their ideas.

            Kids may or may not come up with ideas that work to completely free the toy figures. If they don’t, then let them use the salt and/or warm water to work the figures free.

Talk About It

            Say: We rescued the men from the ice! Now they’re free.

            Ask: • Why did they need a rescuer?

            • Why do we need a rescuer?

            Say: Just as you rescued the men from the ice, Jesus rescues us and brings us closer to God. That’s because Jesus is the Messiah—our rescuer.

Look at the Evidence

            Say: For many years, the Jewish people waited for the Messiah. A prophet named Isaiah wrote about what the Messiah would be like. Here’s what Isaiah said.

            Read aloud Isaiah 61:1-3.

            Ask: • How would you describe the Messiah if these verses were all you knew?

            Say: When John the Baptist was in jail, he wanted evidence that Jesus is the Messiah.

            Based on Isaiah’s description, the Jewish people were waiting for a Messiah to rescue them from hard things. Let’s see what evidence Jesus gave John the Baptist to prove that Jesus is the Messiah.

            Read aloud Luke 7:22.

            Say: This might seem like pretty good evidence. But after Jesus went back to heaven, his disciples (or followers) did some of the same miracles. Let’s read about that.

            Form two mixed-age groups. Tell kids that their job is to find things in these Scriptures that match Jesus’ evidence that proves he is the Messiah.

            Assign a different passage to each group: Acts 8:6-7 or Acts 9:40-41. Then allow time for kids to read the verses and compare the evidence.

            Ask: • What did you discover about what Jesus’ disciples did? Make sure kids from both groups answer.

            • How do these miracles make you think differently about Jesus’ evidence for John?

            Say: If Jesus’ disciples did the same kinds of miracles Jesus gave as evidence that he was the Messiah, does that mean the disciples were the Messiah, too? Or was Jesus’ evidence not very good? Let’s dig into that.

Work Together

            Say: We’re going to try something to see the difference between Jesus’ miracles and the disciples’ miracles.

            Form mixed-age pairs, and have pairs sit back to back. Give the older partner a sheet of paper and a marker. Give the younger partner a picture, and don’t allow the drawing partner to see it. Have the partner with the picture describe the picture as the drawing partner draws it.

            After five minutes, have partners compare their pictures.

            Ask: • What was it like to try to re-create your partner’s picture?

            • What was it like to give directions to your partner?

            • How did you need each other to complete this project?

Dig Deeper

            Say: Let’s see what Jesus said about the disciples’ miracles—before they even did them! Then we’ll see how it connects to your drawings.

            Read aloud John 14:12.

            Ask: • How could the disciples do miracles?

            Say: Jesus said that the disciples would do greater things because of him. He knew they would use his power to do amazing miracles. But there’s something different about Jesus’ miracles. Let’s see about a time he healed a blind man.

            Read aloud John 9:32-33.

            Say: This blind man who was healed by Jesus made it very clear that no one had ever been healed of blindness. Jesus was the first one to do that. This proved that Jesus is the Messiah and that he works through his followers to continue to do the works of the Messiah.

            Ask: • How is Jesus working through his disciples like our drawing experience?

            Say: If you were the drawing partner, you couldn't have drawn the picture without your partner. You needed to know what to draw. Jesus’ followers knew how to do miracles because they had seen Jesus do it, and Jesus left them with his Messiah power. They needed his power just as you needed your partner. They weren’t the Messiah, because Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus used his own power to prove that he’s the Messiah.

Recommended for 6 or more kids.

Play a Version of Tag

            Choose one child to be the Prisoner. Have him or her stand in the hula hoop.

            Choose 2 or 3 kids to be Guards.

            Have the rest of the kids be Rescuers and scatter throughout the room.

            Have the Rescuers try to get past the Guards without being tagged and free the Prisoner by touching the Prisoner’s hand.

            Have the Guards try to keep the Prisoner from being freed while trying to tag the Rescuers at the same time.

            Rescuers who’ve been tagged must become Prisoners until another Rescuer frees them.

            After about two minutes, have each Guard switch places with one of the Rescuers and continue the game. Give as many kids as possible the opportunity to be a Guard.

            Play for as long as time allows.

Talk About It

            Say: In the game, some of you were trapped in the middle and waited to be rescued.

            Ask: • How did it feel to be trapped in the middle?

            • How did it feel to be rescued?

            • How can this game remind you that Jesus is the Messiah who rescues us?

            Say: In this game you were trapped in a pretend way. Jesus is the Messiah, which means that he can rescue us and bring us close to God—and that’s for real!

Recommended for 6 or more kids.

Play a Version of Wink Murder

            Gather children and have them sit in a circle on the floor.

            Say: When John the Baptist was in prison, he sent his disciples to find out if Jesus really is the Messiah—the one who would rescue people. Let’s play a game to think about what it was like for John to have to figure out who the Messiah is.

            Have children close their eyes.

            Walk around the outside of the circle and tap one child on the shoulder once and one child on the shoulder twice. The child whose shoulder you tapped once is the Rescuer. The child whose shoulder you tapped twice is John.

            Have John stand in the middle of the circle.

            Say: One of you is the Rescuer, but we don’t know who it is. When the game starts, the Rescuer will wink at different people. If you’re the person the Rescuer winks at, silently count to five and then jump up and shout, “Jesus is the Messiah!” John has three guesses to decide who the Rescuer is. If the Rescuer winks at you, you can continue to play. But don’t tell who the Rescuer is.

            If John hasn’t identified the Rescuer after three guesses, reveal who that person is.

            Play several rounds, choosing a new Rescuer and John each time.

Talk About It

            Ask: • How did you figure out who the Rescuer was in the game?

            Say: John the Baptist thought he knew that Jesus had come to rescue people. But when Jesus hadn’t rescued John from prison, John wasn’t so sure anymore and he got discouraged.

            Tell kids about a time you were discouraged because something didn’t happen the way you thought it would.

            Ask: • Tell about a time you were discouraged because something didn’t happen the way you thought it would. Invite kids to share their answers in pairs, and after a couple of minutes have a few kids share their stories with the larger group.

            Say: We know from the Bible that Jesus is the Messiah. He may not always rescue us in the way we expect. But we can be sure that he will rescue us because he loves us.

Eat Mindfully

            Say: Jesus is the Messiah—a rescuer. We might say he’s a “Life Saver.”

            Give each child an individually wrapped Life Savers candy, but tell kids not to eat it yet. (For preschoolers, Life Savers are a choking hazard. Instead, distribute bags of Cheerios or Froot Loops.)

            Say: Let’s reflect on Jesus, our Life Saver. Have the children close their eyes. Feel the package on your snack. Jesus was God, packaged in a human body so that he could rescue us. As you listen to the noises the package makes and feel the texture of the package, thank Jesus for coming to earth to rescue you. Allow time.

            Say: Open your snack, and look at the shape. Reflect on how it looks like a tiny life-saving flotation device. Talk to Jesus about a specific way you want him to throw you a life saver and rescue you. Allow time.

            Say: Now put the snack in your mouth. As you enjoy the flavor, think about what you might enjoy in heaven someday because Jesus rescued you. Thank Jesus for those things. Allow time.

            Close in prayer, thanking Jesus for coming to earth to be the Messiah. As children leave, let them know that you're glad they came to church today. Ask them to come back in future weeks.

           Distribute a copy of the “Dig In @ Home” handout to kids as they leave, or email it to parents during the week.