Jesus Is Worthy

Bible Passage: John 12:1–11 (Mary Anoints Jesus)

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© 2015 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

REMEMBER VERSESearch me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.Psalm 139:23–24

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HomeFront Magazine: A Spiritual Parenting Resource This magazine gives families ideas for creating fun, spiritually forming times in their homes—setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives! As the new issue becomes available each month, you may choose to print it for families or encourage them to visit www.HomeFrontMag.com to subscribe to have the magazine sent directly to their inboxes. HomeFront is also available as an app for iPhone, iPad, or Android devices.

Tru Mission StatementTru helps kids and their families connect to God, find their place in His big story,

and respond to Him through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lesson Path: Seeing the Mission Statement in a Tru Lesson

Connecting leaders to God ... Inspire, Equip, and Support

Connects kids and their families to God … HomeFront WeeklyAnticipate

… His big story … Celebrate

… And invites them to respond to Him … Respond

… Through the power of the Holy Spirit. Bless

Navigating Lesson 3.4Below you will find additional information to enhance lesson sections as needed.

Anticipate Fragrance ActivitiesFeel free to bring in additional fragrant items for the children to experience, such as perfume or scented lotion.

CelebrateRespond Worship Rhythms

Consider filming the children’s percussion performances to share with parents or other age groups during the next REMEMBER & CELEBRATE.

Small Group Enhancement“Twenty Questions” activities are available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may find them in the Resource Files.

Bless

ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

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© 2015 David C Cook

ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Anticipate// 5–10 min.

Option 1: Playful Perfume (for Younger Kids)Mary used perfume in her fragrant act of worship. Today children will create unique “perfume” as they explore different fragrances.

SUPPLIES• scented items (examples: flowers, basil, mint, vanilla,

cinnamon sticks, lavender, leaves, cedar chips)• rocks (1 for every 1–2 children, medium-sized)• disposable plates (1 per child)• jars or clear containers (1 for every 2–3 children)• water (warm)• pitchers (1 for every 2–3 children)• craft sticks (1 per child)

SET UPFill the pitchers with warm water and set them out along with the rest of the supplies.

ENGAGEAs the children arrive, divide them into small groups of two or three. Invite them to use their sense of smell as they explore the materials. Encourage them to pull apart or crush (using a rock) the items on a plate. They’ll see how each item gives off a different scent. Encourage each group to create a unique perfume by combining various scented items in the clear containers. Then leaders can add warm water to the containers while the kids stir with the craft sticks and mix the scents together.

Option 2: Sensing Scents (for Older Kids)Lead the children through an activity in which they experience some beautiful scents, similar to how the people in the room with Mary experienced the beautiful scent of her perfume.

SUPPLIES• disposable cups and lids (1 per scent, at least 3)• dried, scented items (examples: cinnamon sticks,

rosemary, lavender, potpourri, oranges, apples, scented flower petals)

• paper (1 sheet per scented item)• pens

SET UPPut one scented item in each disposable cup and close the lid tightly. Have a sheet of paper and some pens next to each cup.

ENGAGEInvite the kids to use only their sense of smell as they try to guess the contents of each cup. Have each child record her guess before moving on to the next cup. Once each child has smelled each cup, gather everyone together and reveal what’s inside the cups.

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Celebrate//35–55 min.

LARGE GROuP

S E C T I O N

Welcome & Traditions//

• Take five minutes to open your CELEBRATE time by engaging in Welcome and Traditions.• Quarterly Tradition (optional): Beach Ball Toss: Invite kids to gather in the center of the room. Toss a beach

ball into the air and encourage kids to work together to keep it in the air. (For a large group, use several beach balls.) If the ball touches the floor, the leader will call out a color and toss the ball into the air again. Any child wearing that color must make his way to a wall, tag the wall, and return to the game.

Remember Verse//

• This week’s Remember Verse focuses on a character trait of God that’s highlighted in today’s portion of The Big God Story.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23–24

Connect// Invite the children to ask one another the following question or one of your own. Encourage them to ask someone they may not know. After a minute or two, ask several children to tell the group their friends’ answers. (For Connect Question and Connect Activity slides, see Resource Files.)

QuestionWhat is your most valuable possession?

Activity: CharadesInvite kids to pair up with people they don’t know very well. Have one child ask the other one the CONNECT Question, and have the other child silently act out how to use her possession while the other child tries to guess what it is. After three guesses, the child can reveal her answer.

The Big God Story//

SUPPLIES• Bibles (1 per leader and 1 per child)• Timeline slide and animation (see Resource Files)• treasured possession owned by the Storyteller• perfume bottle• disposable plates (8)• disposable cups (8)• slides: Jewish Dinner, Alabaster Jar, Nard (see Resource Files)

SET UPUse the cups and plates to set up eight “place settings” in a semicircle on the floor at the front of the stage. Place the pitcher and perfume bottle nearby. Hang the poster board so the kids can see it, or set it on the optional easel. Make sure the Storyteller has the treasured possession.

Worship Response//

SUPPLIES• Worship Station signs (see Resource Files)• slides: 1 Chronicles 16:9; 2 Chronicles 5:13;

Psalm 100:1–3 (see Resource Files)• construction paper (1 sheet per child)• markers or colored pencils

PREPARE AHEADPrint the Worship Station signs.

SET UPUse the signs to set up two worship stations in the room. At the “Make a Card” station, set out the construction paper and markers or colored pencils. At the “Make an Instrument” station, place the instrument supplies along with tape or glue and markers or colored pencils.

• pitcher (empty)• Dinner audio (see Resource Files)• poster board• tape• marker• optional: easel

• instrument-making supplies (examples: dried beans, disposable plates, cups, wood dowels cut into short pieces)

• tape or glue• worship music (suggestion: “Worship the Lord,”

TruWorship Radio the World)

Ponder Point: Jesus Is Worthy

Find more details for each section in the How It Works document in the Supporting Lesson Resources section of the My Lessons page at tru.davidccook.com.

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The Big God StoryBible Passage: John 12:1–11Storytelling Technique: Acting Out the Narrative, Props, Images, Audio

ENGAGEEarlier you talked about your most valuable possessions. Invite a few volunteers to share their responses to the CONNECT question. Bring out your own valuable possession and share what makes it special. Today we’re going to hear about a woman named Mary who used the most valuable thing she owned to worship Jesus. She loved and followed Him because she knew He is worthy of our worship, our love, and our devotion. Before we go any further, let’s pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help us hear Him today. Lead kids in Prayer of Release.

Mary had seen Jesus do some amazing miracles. She had even watched Jesus raise her brother Lazarus from the dead! Mary loved to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to everything He said (Luke 10:38-42). She knew Jesus well, and she knew He was worthy of her worship.

When Jesus arrived in Mary’s hometown, a dinner was given in His honor. Tech: Cue Jewish Dinner slide. A lot of people were there. Ask eight volunteers, six boys and two girls, to help you recreate the scene. Give five of the kids the following roles: Jesus, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and Judas. Have the remaining three act as disciples. Ask everyone to sit on the floor in a semicircle, facing the audience, with the dinner props in the middle. Then prompt the actors to wave as you introduce them. Gathered together were Jesus; Jesus’ disciples, including Judas; Lazarus; and Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha. Tech: Cue Dinner audio. Prompt actors to chat and eat. Prompt Martha to serve using pitcher.

As everyone sat around the table, Mary came up to Jesus with one of her most important possessions: a beautiful jar of very expensive perfume. Prompt Mary to hold perfume and kneel by Jesus. Tech: Cue Alabaster Jar slide. Have actors freeze in place. Let’s turn to John 12 and read what Mary did next. Read John 12:3 aloud. Nard was a very expensive type of perfume. It came from this flower. Tech: Cue Nard slide. In today’s money, it would cost thousands and thousands of dollars! Prompt Mary to pour perfume on Jesus’ feet.

Mary knew Jesus was worthy of her worship. That’s why she poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet. But the disciples didn’t like this (Mark 14:4–5). They thought it was wasteful. Prompt disciples to shake heads and mumble disagreement. Ask a volunteer to read v. 5. Prompt Judas to echo words in anger. Mary’s sincere, passionate worship made the disciples uncomfortable. But Jesus defended her. Read vv. 7–8, and after each phrase, prompt Jesus to repeat it.

Why do you think Jesus was talking about His burial here? Allow responses. Jesus knew that very soon, He would die on the cross and be buried in a tomb. In Jesus’ time, when someone died, the body would be wrapped in strips of fabric that had been soaked in perfume. The more expensive the perfume or oil was, the more important the person was. Of course, Mary didn’t know she was preparing Jesus to be buried. She simply knew that Jesus was worthy, so she wanted to bless Him with something very expensive and important to her.

Jesus blessed Mary for her worship because He knew it came from a heart that knew Him and was sincerely devoted to Him. Invite everyone to turn to Mark 14:9. Ask a volunteer to read this aloud, pausing after each phrase so Jesus can repeat it. And this is true, because we’re still talking about her act of worship today! Thank and dismiss actors. In fact, the three times we see Mary in Scripture, she’s at Jesus’ feet each time. She loved to worship her Lord.

Jesus was Mary’s teacher, friend, and Lord. Jesus had even raised Mary’s brother from the dead! He was worthy of all of her worship, and Mary chose to worship Him freely. She wasn’t ashamed to openly show her love and devotion. Jesus is God’s

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Son, and He deserves all our worship. Write “Jesus” at the top of the poster board. What other things do we know about Jesus? Encourage kids to answer. Write answers on poster board. We know He came to earth to die for our sins and rise again to make the way for us to be in relationship with Him. Jesus gave His life for us—He alone is worthy!

As we look at who Jesus is and what He has done for us, our hearts burst in praise for Him. When we truly know God and consider His goodness in our lives, we can worship Him with all we are and with all we have. We’re going to go out of our way to praise Him for what He’s done for us and how good He is. He is worthy. Share a personal story of a time you passionately worshipped Jesus, even though it may have felt uncomfortable.

Worship ResponseENGAGEWe just spent some time hearing a part of The Big God Story. From this part of the story, what do you know about God? Encourage kids to pause for a moment and share any of their thoughts and responses.

Let’s look at some Scripture verses that talk about how God is worthy of worship. Tech: Cue 1 Chronicles 16:9; 2 Chronicles 5:13; Psalm 100:1–3 slides. Read the verses aloud, or ask volunteers to take turns reading them. Is there a verse that stood out to you? Spend a few minutes in silence talking to God about it. You might thank Him for being worthy of worship or tell Him that you love Him.

Tech: Cue music. After the children have spent some time in silence, invite them to respond to what God is saying to them by visiting one of the worship response stations. Remind children that this is not a time to talk with the people around them, but rather a continued time of worship and praise as they get to respond to what God is teaching them.

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400 YEARS OF WAITING

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© 2015 David C Cook

ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Respond// 15–20 min.

Reflect: Jesus Is WorthyWorship is our response to knowing God. Because Mary knew Jesus as her Lord, she worshipped Him with everything she had. She poured out her most expensive possession as worship for Him—and she did it in front of everyone, not caring who was watching. She knew Jesus was worthy of her worship, and He blessed her for it. Encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the suggested passages.

Questions for Younger Kids• What did Mary do to worship Jesus? John 12:3• Why were the people at the dinner uncomfortable with

Mary’s worship? John 12:4-6• What is another kind of worship that you’ve heard about in

The Big God Story? Exodus 15:1a; 2 Samuel 6:14• What are some reasons Jesus is worthy of our worship?• What is one way you like to worship God?

Questions for Older Kids• What had Jesus done for Mary’s family? John 11:1–42• What did Mary do to worship Jesus? John 12:3• Why were the disciples at the dinner uncomfortable with

Mary’s worship? Mark 14:4–5; John 12:4–6 • What did Jesus tell the disciples? John 11:7–8• How did Mary’s worship relate to what would happen

soon afterward? Mark 14:8• How is worship a response to knowing God?• What is another kind of worship that you’ve heard about in

The Big God Story? Exodus 15:1a; 2 Samuel 6:14• Why is Jesus worthy of our worship?

Engage: Worship RhythmsENGAGEWhen we spend time with Jesus, we see that He is worthy of worship. Earlier, when we heard The Big God Story, we wrote some things that we know to be true about Jesus. Let’s use those words of worship as we create fun rhythms.

Divide kids into groups of four or five. Have each child choose one word that describes who they know Jesus to be (healer, loving, comforter, giver, etc.). Invite each group to work together to create a rhythm that integrates those words. The kids can stomp, clap, slap their legs, and more. They can decide if they want to say their words in unison or one at a time while they all perform the rhythm.

End your time by having each group perform its rhythm in front of everyone.

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© 2015 David C Cook

ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Open a Bible and read Psalm 95:6:

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

Invite the children to kneel, as Mary did, in a posture of worship. Then encourage them to close their eyes and create a picture in their minds for what they hear as you read Revelation 5:11–13:

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

Finally, speak the following blessing over the kids:

May you know the Lord, the One worthy of your worship. May your heart overflow with praise to Him. May you worship the Lord with all that you are and with all that you have.

Bless// 5 min.

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Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week’s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God’s Word together before children arrive at church.

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