Dear Parent,

The goal of this week’s lesson is to show your child how Jesus builds us up.  He makes us bigger than we would otherwise be.  In Him, we grow individually and also collectively in fellowship.  May your child see how “small” we feel when we are alone and how “larger than life” we feel in the glory of God’s love and in unison with other believers.

 

Materials Needed: Clay (enough to make 12 small balls)

 

Scripture Reference: John 17:20-24

My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.  Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 

 

Today's Script:

 

Have you ever thought about what life would be like if we didn’t know Jesus? 

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

Isn’t that a sad thought?  There was a time in my life that I didn’t know Jesus, and, in those times, I felt very small and lonely.

 

Let’s make a small ball out of clay to represent how I felt.

 

(Make a small ball of clay together.)

 

Let’s make a small ball out of clay to represent how you might feel if you didn’t know Jesus.

 

Let’s make a small ball out of clay to represent how some other people in our church and community might feel if they didn’t know Jesus.

 

(Make at least 12 small balls of clay and giving each of them names of people you and your child know.)

 

Wow.  It’s kind of sad to see how small and alone everyone feels, right?

 

Well, luckily, we DO know Jesus!  And, Jesus knows us!  He even prayed for us 2,000 years ago!  Can you believe that He prayed for you and for me?  Do you want to know what He prayed to God?

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

Jesus said, “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me”.

 

This means that Jesus gave us the love that God had given Him!   And, doesn’t it feel good to have God’s love and Jesus'  love in us?

 

So, let’s make our balls of clay bigger because we feel bigger and better with God's love and Jesus’ love.

 

(Make all 12 balls of clay bigger.)

 

Good job!  In the prayer, do you know what unity means?

 

When Jesus said, “May they be brought to complete unity", he that, as believers in Jesus, we all come together as a church and in goodness with one another to feel even more of God's love and Jesus’ love!

 

Do you know what that means for us and our little balls of clay?  We need to unite them together as one giant ball of clay!  One giant community of people who believe in Jesus and feel His love.

 

(Put all of the clay together.)

 

Praise God!  Can we pray together?  

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

Dear God, thank you for the glory and love that you give each of us everyday to make us feel big and strong.  And, thank you for the people in our lives who believe in You with us.  Help us to do great things as we come together in your name.  AMEN!

 

That was fun!  Would you like to do it again?

 

(Play again together.  This time add even more names of fellow Christians and/or church members.  Repeat the steps.  If you do not know that many Christians, take this opportunity to pray about finding more friends in Christ and let the clay balls represent friends you promise to seek out in His name.)