Children
will discover that they
are very important to Y’shua,
and special in His eyes
because they are YHWH's
children.
Activity
As kids arrive have crayons
or colored markers and blank
sheets of paper on the tables
before the class begins.
As the kids arrive, tell
them to think of someone
who is very special to them,
and then draw a picture
showing why they are so
special. When finished,
ask for volunteers to talk
about their drawings with
the rest of the class.
Teaching
One day, many people were
gathered around Y’shua,
asking him difficult questions.
Questions like who will
be the greatest in heaven,
when is it okay to get a
divorce, who can cast out
demons? Y’shua was very
busy giving YHWH's answers
to these difficult questions,
when suddenly, he stopped.
Something was happening
that Y’shua believed was
more important than these
questions. Let's find out
what it was. Our story continues
in the Book of Mark.
Read
Mark 10: 13-16 (repeated
below)
One
day some parents brought
their children to Y’shua
so he could touch them and
bless them, but the disciples
told them not to bother
him. But when Y’shua saw
what was happening, he was
very displeased with his
disciples. He said to them,
"Let the children come
to me. Don't stop them!
For the Kingdom of YHWH
belongs to such as these.
I assure you, anyone who
doesn't have their kind
of faith will never get
into the Kingdom of YHWH
." Then he took the
children into his arms and
placed his hands on their
heads and blessed them.
(NLT)
Discussion
Questions:
1. One of the verses we
read said Y’shua was displeased.
Why do you think He was
displeased?
(He didn't want the disciples
to stop the children from
coming to him, because they
were important)
2.
Does the Kingdom of YHWH
belong only to grown-ups?
(no, to children also)
3.
Do you think Y’shua felt
that spending time with
children was more important
than answering difficult
questions? (Y’shua stopped
what he was doing to welcome
the children)
4.
How would you feel if you
were one of those children
that Y’shua took in his
arms?
5.
Do you know that Y’shua
has his arms around you
right now?
Memory
Verse
"Let the children come
to me, Don't stop them!
For the kingdom of YHWH
belongs to such as these."
Mark 10:14 NLT
Snack
Start by praying to YHWH
and thanking Him for His
great love and for being
such a wonderful Heavenly
Father. Then serve the children
cream filled cupcakes or
sandwich cookies. Ask the
children, "What makes
these treats so special?
It is the creamy filling
inside, and we are special
too, because we have Y’shua
inside of us.
As
the children wait to be
picked up, mention the names
of several Bible characters,
or have the children choose
their favorite Bible character,
and have them tell what
makes them special. For
example: David was special
because he was able to kill
a big giant with YHWH's
help.
Singing
Teach the kids this version
of Y’shua loves me…
Y’shua
loves me this I know, for
the Torah tells me so.
Little
ones to him belong, they
are weak but He is strong.
Yes,
Y’shua loves me. Yes, Y’shua
loves me. Yes, Y’shua loves.
For the Torah tells me so.
Y’shua
loves me when I’m good,
when I do the things I should.
Y’shua loves me when I’m
bad, even though it makes
him sad.
Activity
This game is played similar
to the popular "musical
chair" game, but with
a different spin. Here there
are no winners or losers.
Place the chairs in a circle,
one less than the number
of children. Have the kids
march around the chairs
as you play some music.
Try singing “Y’shua loves
Me.” When you suddenly stop
the music, or shout out
the phrase "sit down!"
the children all grab a
chair and sit down. Give
the one who does not find
a chair a crown to wear
while taking a few moments
to tell the other children
why they believe Y’shua
loves them. This is for
building up their self-esteem,
in that they are not "losers"
because they did not get
a chair, but are special
because of Y’shua’s love.
When
finished, take back the
crown and give the child
a sticker a smiley face
sticker or a treat. They
can then sit out and watch
the others. Remove another
chair and continue play
until everyone has a chance
to wear the crown.
"And
he took the children in
his arms, put his hands
on them and blessed them."
(Mark 10: 16)
Activity
Teach the bible lesson with
these words and motions
Y’shua
said "come to me"
beckon
with both arms
The
children would run to Y’shua
two
fingers run across palm
The
people around Y’shua said
stop
hold
hand palm out "stop"
But
Y’shua said "come to
me"
beckon
with both arms
And
the children would run to
Y’shua
two
fingers run across palm
And
Y’shua would love them
arms
crossed on chest
Activity
Instead of playing "Simon
Says", play “Y’shua
says.” Use the same rules
as Simon Says, except nobody
is ever "out"
because Y’shua is forgiving!
Give the children a smiley
face sticker or a treat
for following directions.
Activity
(For each child, fold one
square piece of white paper
in half from top to bottom,
in half again from side
to side, in half diagonally
to form a triangle, and
in half diagonally again.
Each child will need a blunt-end
scissors.)
Ask
children to sit in a circle.
Show them how to make snowflakes,
by cutting small pieces
away from the outside edges.
You may need to help children
make their cuts. Then open
to reveal the snowflake.
Say:
Each
of us is special. There's
no one else like us anywhere
in the world. Even people
who look alike, such as
identical twins, are different
inside. We're like snowflakes.
Did you know that no two
snowflakes are alike? Let's
make some snowflakes and
check that out.
Give
children folded paper and
blunt-end scissors. Show
them how to cut the snowflakes.
Compare kids' snowflakes
to see if any are alike.
Put each child's name on
his or her snowflake.
Activity
(You'll
need a beach ball.)
Say:
Just
like the snowflakes, we're
all different. We all have
things that make us special.
What are some things that
make us special?
Talk
about things we can do such
as singing, playing, smiling,
laughing, praying or helping;
things that we are such
as children, daughters,
sons, cheerful, smart or
helpful; even physical characteristics
such as eye color, hair
color, freckles, strong
or graceful.
Go
around the circle and let
each person say one thing
that makes him or her special
.
Say:
Let's
play a game. I'll roll a
ball to someone. The person
who catches the ball must
say one thing that makes
him or her special. That
person rolls the ball to
someone else who does the
same. We'll continue until
everyone has a turn.
Be
ready to help kids out if
they can't think of anything.
Teaching
(You'll
need a Bible.)
Say:
YHWH
made us the way we are.
He made everything on the
earth. What are some of
YHWH's creations?
Let
kids respond with things
such as heaven, earth, animals,
sky, water, flowers, trees
and fish.
Read
or tell the story of Creation
from Genesis 1.
Say:
YHWH
made all of these things.
After he made each one,
he said it was good. And
after YHWH made people,
he looked at his creation
and said it was very good.
YHWH thinks we all are very
special, because he made
us to be like him.
Read
Genesis 1:31 from a children's
Bible, or read this version:
"YHWH looked at everything
he had made, and it was
very good."
Ask
kids to go around the room
shaking each other's hands
and say, "YHWH thinks
you're very good."
Activity
(You'll need a happy-face
sticker for each person.)
Say:
We
need to remind each other
that we're special. What
are some ways we can do
that?
Help
kids think of ways such
as hugging, kissing, saying
thank you, giving a gift,
doing something nice for
a person.
Divide
into pairs by saying: I'll
count to three. In those
three seconds you have to
grab the hand of someone
who's standing close by
you. But you can only hold
one other hand. Ready? One,
two, three. Got a partner?
Give
each child a happy-face
sticker. Have each child
put the sticker on his or
her partner's hand and say,
"Smile, you're special."
Activity
(You'll need a tape of lively
music and a tape player.)
Ask
children to stand in a circle,
facing inward. Play the
lively music. Have one child
walk around the outside
of the circle, gently patting
each child on the back as
he or she passes, until
the music stops. When the
music stops, have the child
hug the person he or she
is behind and say, "You're
special." Then have
those two children switch
places and continue the
game.
Let each person have a chance
to walk around the circle.
Snack
(You'll need fruit Roll-Up
snacks, sliced fruit such
as apples and pears, and
strips of cheese.)
As a snack serve "Hugs
From Y’shua."
Have
kids roll up fruit slices
and cheese strips in a fruit
Roll-Up snack. Tell kids
to pretend that Y’shua is
the fruit roll up and they
are the fruit and cheese.
Say:
Y’shua
wants to roll you up in
his love and give you a
great big hug.
