Posts Tagged ‘Bible lesson’

Abraham and Isaac in LEGO

Friday, October 2nd, 2015

Abraham-and-Isaac-LEGOWhen studying the patriarchs from Scripture, you can have your kids create a scene of Abraham and Isaac in LEGO. One of the most poignant scenes in Scripture is when Abraham is commanded by God to be willing to sacrifice his son. He loved his son so much because Isaac was a miracle baby. Sarah and Abraham were beyond childbearing years, being 90 and 100 years old, so the fact that God did a miracle to enable Sarah to conceive made the pregnancy even more intensely precious.

We are told in Hebrews 11:17-19 that Abraham knew that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead because he was certain that God had promised that from Isaac would come a nation as vast as the sand on the seashore. Because Abraham trusted God, he followed through on the command, and an angel held back his hand. God provided a ram in the thicket. Abraham had previously told his son that God would provide the sacrifice.

ram-in-the-thicket

Often we accidentally put relationships with people higher than our love for God. When this happens, we make that person an idol. This happened to me when my only daughter almost drowned at age 1. I was so close to rage at God that He would dare to take her away from me. In that moment I realized I loved my daughter more than God. I was shocked, but most parents have the same sin. God worked in my heart to build my love and trust for Him.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  – Matthew 10:37 ESV

abraham-and-isaac

The other beautiful blessing that Abraham received was to understand what it was like for God the Father to sacrifice His Son, Jesus Christ, to save people from their sins. The agony of God the Father was experienced by Abraham, and understanding God is always a deep, incredible blessing!

Colossians Activities for Kids

Monday, June 15th, 2015

put-on-Christ

Here are some fun Colossians activities you can do with your kids to internalize this book of the Bible. You will need card stock paper in various colors, string, a hole punch, scissors, and glue. You will also need a computer with a printer so that you can print out various words.

Are you ready?

Colossians Activity #1: Blindfold

Put a blindfold on a child and have him walk around in darkness. How did it feel? Ask: Did you bump into things? Were you disoriented? This is what happens when we walk in sin. It leads us astray and ends up hurting us. When you take off the blindfold, your eyes are full of light, and you can see where you are going. There is safety and peace when you walk in the light.

Colossians Activity #2: Deeds of the Flesh

Print out the deeds of the flesh, which include anger, malice, slander, abusive speech, and lying. Print them in bold letters from your computer, leaving plenty of space around each word so that you can cut them out and paste them to a piece of black card stock paper.

Punch two holes in the top of the paper, and tie string through each hole, making sure to leave enough space for a child’s head. The child can now wear the deeds of the flesh around his neck (see above illustration).

Now you can make another card stock sign of love. Cut out a heart from red card stock paper, and print out “love” from your computer. Glue the label to the heart. Hole punch two holes on the top of the heart, and the child can put off the deeds of the flesh and put on love.

love

You can also put on Christ after taking off the deeds of the flesh. Use your creativity to make a sign representing Christ. We used a yellow cross glued to black card stock paper. Once again, you will need to punch two holes and tie string to the holes so that the child can “put on Christ.”

Explain what it means to put on Christ. This means we are to yield to Christ and manifest the fruit of the Spirit in our lives rather than the deeds of the flesh.

Colossians Activity #3: Sing Hymns

We are to encourage each other with Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, so go ahead and obey the verse by taking out some hymn books and singing your favorite hymns.

Colossians Activity #4: Cancelled Debt

Print out a sheet of paper with the title “Debt.” You can show negative money numbers listed on the paper. With a pen, mark “Cancelled” over the debt. You could also print the word “Cancelled” on another sheet of paper and glue it over the debt. I outlined the word “Cancelled” with black marker.

debt-cancelled

Talk about how our debts (our sins against God) have been nailed to the cross and cancelled because of what Christ did for us. You could have kids mention specific sins, and write “Cancelled” in another colored marker over those sins to represent that the sins are now gone because they have been forgiven if we have repented of them.

If you enjoyed these Colossians Activities for Kids, you will love the huge Bible section inside the Unit Study Treasure Vault!

Pentecost Activities for Kids

Friday, November 14th, 2014

pentecost-activities-for-kidsWhen I taught my kids about Pentecost, here are some of the activities that we did:

  • We read the story from Acts 2.
  • We drew pictures of Pentecost.
  • We talked about being filled with the Spirit.
  • We compared the Spirit to the wind.
  • We made a fire headband to represent the tongues of fire.
  • We watched a video about Pentecost.

First of all, we read the story of Pentecost from Acts, chapter 2. Pentecost was 50 days after Passover, which was when Jesus was crucified. Jesus appeared to the disciples for 40 days; then He went up into heaven. He told them to wait in Jerusalem for Holy Spirit to come.

pentecost-drawing

When the day of Pentecost came, a noise like a violent wind came rushing into the house where the believers were congregated. Over each person’s head appeared something that looked like a tongue of fire. The believers felt a rushing of the Holy Spirit as He descended upon them. And they began speaking in other languages that were understood by the people outside.

As a result, Peter stood up and gave a sermon that caused 3,000 people to be saved!

Pentecost Drawings

pentecost

My children drew a wind, and tongues of fire landing on each believer.

pentecost-wind

The people experienced joy as they were filled with the Spirit.

pentecost-fire

How are the Holy Spirit and a wind similar?

Jesus compares the Spirit of God to a wind:

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (ESV)

How are the Holy Spirit and a wind similar?

  • It’s invisible.
  • You see what it does (its effects).
  • It goes where it wants to go.
  • It has power that is somewhat uncontrollable.
  • You hear the sound of it.
  • It moves.
  • It causes a reaction.
  • Sometimes it’s gentle, sometimes it’s strong.
  • Refreshing; you can enjoy it.
  • You don’t walk against it but with it.

We talked about how to be controlled by the Spirit of God, and how to pursue holiness.

pentecost-activities-for-childrenPentecost Headband

We made a headband with a strip of orange card stock paper stapled together. For the flame, we cut out flame shapes out of red, yellow, and orange card stock paper, We attached it together with staples.

Video about Pentecost

Here is a video clip about Pentecost, so you can picture it better.

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If you enjoyed these Pentecost activities for kids, you will love the huge Bible section of the Unit Study Treasure Vault!

The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus

Thursday, November 13th, 2014

crucifixion-and-resurrectionMy children drew the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, and we did many hands-on activities to understand this powerful event. First we read about the crucifixion and resurrection. You can find the story in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. A great time to study the resurrection of Christ is the week preceding Easter. You can start by re-enacting Palm Sunday by waving branches in the air and shouting “Hosannah!” to the Lord.

By the time Jesus was eating His last supper, His disciples were told that one of them would betray Him. Judas ran out of the room, accepted 30 pieces of silver in exchange for handing Him over to the authorities to be crucified, and then went and hung himself.

crucifixion-of-Jesus-drawingMeanwhile Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, interrupting His deep hours of prayer where He was crying out for the cup to be passed from Him. But He wanted the Father’s will, even if it meant suffering and death.

Crown of Thorns

The soldiers placed a purple robe on Him and a crown of thorns, and they mocked Him. Here is a painful craft, which will help you to understand how painful thorns can be:

crown-of-thorns

The Cross

Jesus was sentenced to die on a cross, even though Pilate had washed his hands of it and said he found no fault with Him. To understand the story of the crucifixion, we went to a living re-enactment of the life of Christ, culminating in His crucifixion and resurrection:

cross-mosaic

You can make a beautiful cross mosaic to commemorate the fact that Jesus died to take away our sin:

crucifixion-resurrection

The Resurrection

But Jesus did not stay in the grave. On the third day, He rose again, claiming victory over death. Here are two fun activities to do with children to show the resurrection:

resurrection-garden

Sign up below for a free Bible crafts e-book!

If you enjoyed these crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus activities, you will love the huge Bible section inside the Unit Study Treasure Vault.