Grace Church Children’s Ministry Programming Cloud of Witnesses Unit Overview Fall 2014 – Fall 2015

John :: Unit Overview John was a fisherman by trade, and many believe that he was the “other disciple” named as a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:35-42). After meeting Jesus, John immediately left his father, the fishing business, and the ministry of John the Baptist to follow Jesus as a disciple. Early in his life, John seemed prone to anger (Luke 9:51-56) and pride (Mark 10:32-45, Luke 9:49-50). By the time the early church was established, John had been powerfully changed by the very personal love Jesus had shown to him and came to see himself very differently. The man who was once known as one of the “Sons of Thunder” became soft and tender to the things of the Lord. John called himself “the one whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23).

As we journey through this unit, we will challenge the kids to think about what love really is. On Easter Sunday, we will look at the love God demonstrated for us and, consequently, how we should respond to that love. Ultimately, we want to use the testimony of John’s life to show the kids that God desires to take our sin and exchange it with a vibrant, growing, on-going love relationship with Him.

Love Defined

love (a�ga�pe)

• Unconditional, self-sacrificing, undeserved love (the kind of love God has for us) • Love based on the character of the one giving love, not that of the one being loved • Love that can’t be taken away – no matter what we do

The Bible reveals God’s “agape” love for us. This kind of love has nothing to do with our own behavior or our nature, but has everything to do with God’s character. God is agape love (1 John 4:8). He demonstrated His love for us through the sacrifice of His Son. In the same way, our love for others and for God requires selflessness and sacrifice. It calls us to speak truthfully to one another, to lay down our lives for each other, and to set aside our own desires so that we might serve one another.

Throughout the Gospel of John — more so than in the Synoptic Gospels — the deep love of the Father is revealed. John also wrote three epistles (1st, 2nd, & 3rd John) challenging the brothers and sisters to put away sin and falsehood in order to love God and to love one another. In this unit, we want the kids to see the beautiful and life-changing love that God has for us individually — even though we don’t deserve it. Additionally, we want them to see that they have the opportunity of loving God and others as they themselves have been loved.

Key Verse “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” –1 John 4:16

Love in the Lives of Other Saints In this unit we see saints that exhibited a great love for God and others. Mother Theresa will be highlighted in Week 3 as a modern day example of someone who became the servant of all just as Christ commanded (Mark 9:35). Mary at Bethany was a follower of Jesus, and she desired to show her love for Jesus through a beautiful and personal gift that not only blessed Jesus but also prepared Him for His burial. Jonathan, the son of King Saul had a deep bond of love and friendship for David. This love endured through family rivalries and dangerous situations, and it ministered to both men during separation and trials.

Grace Church Children’s Ministry Programming Cloud of Witnesses Unit Overview Fall 2014 – Fall 2015 Love in the Lives of Other Saints Mother Theresa

Mother Theresa is highlighted in Week 3 of this unit. (See the Creative Elements to see how to incorporate her in your program.) Mother Teresa felt a calling to aid "the unwanted, the unloved, (and) the uncared for.” She took to the slums and spent most of her life caring for the sick, the destitute, and the dying. She opened schools, health clinics, a leper colony, an orphanage, a nursing home, and a home to care for those with HIV/AIDS. She wasn’t afraid to

love until it hurt, because she believed that this was how Jesus loved. She took advantage of every opportunity she was given to love those that no one else seemed to love. “If we could only remember that God loves us, and (that we) have an opportunity to love others

as He loves us, not in big things, but in small things with great love. “

Mary at Bethany Shortly before the Passover, Mary (the sister of Martha) anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive ointment. The picture of Mary wiping Jesus’ feet with her tears and her hair reveals the intimacy of this moment. Mary was moved to this act of worship by a soulful love of Jesus. She was not ashamed of her love for Him, and she freely came to Him to express this love in a beautiful way. Jesus desires this same intimacy for our own relationship with Him. Mary at Bethany is highlighted in Week 5 as an example of one who demonstrated her love for Christ as a response to His love for her. (See John 12:1-8, Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9.)

Jonathan Jonathan had a deep love for his friend David, so much so that 1 Samuel 18:1 tells us that their souls were “knit together” and that Jonathan loved David “as his own soul.” Jonathan’s love was selfless and rooted in God’s will. Although Jonathan was the son of King Saul, he made a covenant with the house of David (1 Samuel 20:16). Jonathan’s selfless love was a great example of what John meant when he wrote, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16). For this

reason, Jonathan is highlighted in Week 6 of this unit as someone who demonstrated very loyal love to David.

Grace Church Children’s Ministry Programming Cloud of Witnesses Weekly Programming Fall 2014 – Fall 2015 John :: March 15th :: Week 1 — “The One Whom Jesus Loved” Background for Today’s Lesson John grew up as a fisherman and later became a disciple of John the Baptist. Eventually, John left everything to be a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 4:22). Though John was sometimes angry and selfish, Jesus chose him to be part of His “inner circle,” allowing John to witness powerful moments that only a few disciples saw. (See the “Other Scriptures” for examples.) John played an important role in the early church (Acts 3, Galatians 2:9) and his writings reveal the great love that Christ has for us. John experienced persecution and was exiled to the island of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation and eventually died. Today’s Lesson For today’s lesson, we want to introduce the kids to John and clearly define love. To begin, we will briefly introduce John by seeing him as a fisherman, disciple, and a part of the “inner circle” moments with Jesus. We will then shift the focus and introduce love, specifically agape love. God is love and the love that he shows us —agape love — is unconditional and undeserved. Nothing can separate us from the love that God has for us. His love is an experiential love: He demonstrates it to us and He also wants to receive it from us. Love is the common theme of John’s life and teachings. It is at the very core of following Christ. Jesus said that all of the law and prophets can be summed up in how we love God and others (Matthew 22:37-40). Programming Notes Today’s lesson introduces John and defines God’s agape love. The next five weeks will be spent unpacking love and how Christ demonstrated His love to John (and also to us!) in more detail. We want to first establish some context for who John is then focus on what love is, especially God’s special love. (Other Witnesses: None this week.) For the younger kids, we want to focus on the promise of Romans 8:38-39. God is love and nothing can separate us from his love. We can enjoy God’s love without fear because nothing can come between us. His love is great because it is agape love — unconditional, deep and never-ending. Key Concept: God has a deep and undying love for us. For the believer in Christ, God’s love is what defines our relationship with him and is to be the driving force behind all that that we say and do. Scripture

o Matthew 4:21-22 – John is called to be a disciple of Jesus o 1 John 4:16-18 – God is love, whoever abides in love abides in God; there is no fear in love o Romans 8:38-39 – Nothing can separate us from God’s love o John 13:3; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20 – John refers to himself as “the one whom Jesus loved”

Other Scriptures

o Mark 5:37, 9:2, 13:3 – Mark recounts some of the events that John experienced as part of the group of three that were a type of “inner circle” among Jesus’ disciples

o Matthew 26:37 – Jesus’ inner circle brought closer in the Garden of Gethsemane o Ephesians 3:17-19 – Christ’s love is deep, surpasses knowledge o 1 Corinthians 13 – Love is patient, kind, not self-seeking; it is greater than faith and hope o Colossians 3:14 – Above all, put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony o Ephesians 5:1-2 – Be imitators of God: walk in love

Grace Church Children’s Ministry Programming Cloud of Witnesses Weekly Programming Fall 2014 – Fall 2015 John :: March 22nd :: Week 2 — John Requests a Place of Honor Background for Today’s Lesson John and his brother James earned the nickname “Sons of Thunder” after asking for wrath to come on a Samaritan Village that rejected Jesus (Luke 9:51-56). In the direct context of today’s lesson, Jesus was nearing the end of His life. In response to a young man who inquired about how to be a disciple, Jesus told His disciples that they would be rewarded for what they had given up to follow Him and that they would “sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). Today’s Lesson Just after Jesus prophesied that He would be mocked, flogged, and crucified, John and his brother James, accompanied by their mother, approached Jesus to request that they be given places of honor in the kingdom of heaven. Rather than grant or deny this request, Jesus informed the disciples that this was not His request to grant; it was the Father’s. The Father would give it to those “who have been prepared” (Mark 10:40). James and John’s request stirred up indignation in the other disciples, bringing disunity into the group during this critical time leading up to the crucifixion. In response, Jesus taught them the simple, yet profound, truth that the greatest in His Kingdom was the bondservant and slave of all (Mark 10:43-45). Programming Notes Today’s lesson reveals a level of pride in John’s heart. We want the kids to see that John — the same man that came to the profound conclusions about love that we looked at last week — began as a man who struggled with anger and pride throughout his journey as a disciple. Learning love is a process. Jesus’ response to the brothers’ request was meant to show all of the disciples that they had a wrong view of greatness. Jesus used John’s mistake to teach them that greatness in Jesus’ eyes does not depend on status or position. Although John learned to love Jesus deeply, he was also an imperfect man. (Other Witnesses: None this week.) For the younger kids, focus on the way John learned to love others by walking with Jesus. John was not a perfect man. Just like each of us, he needed to learn throughout his life what it means to truly love. When we follow Jesus, He teaches us how to be like Him. Consider John 13:34 as a focal point for this week’s program. Key Concept: Love is something we learn. (Jesus is the greatest example of this, both in teaching and in living.) Scripture

o John 13:34 – Jesus said: “Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." o Mark 10:35-37 – John and James request to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus o Mark 10:42-44 – Jesus tells the disciples that the greatest among them is the servant o Mark 10:45 – Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve o Mark 10:41 – The other ten disciples become angry with James and John

Other Scriptures

o Matt 20:20-28 – Matthew’s account of the request of James and John o Luke 9:49-50 – John tries to stop a man from casting out demons in the name of Christ o Luke 9:51-56 – John and James want to call down fire on a Samaritan Village

Grace Church Children’s Ministry Programming Cloud of Witnesses Weekly Programming Fall 2014 – Fall 2015 John :: March 29th :: Week 3 — Jesus’ Love For Us is Real Background for Today’s Lesson About a week had passed since James and John requested a place of honor in the Kingdom. This was the week leading up to the crucifixion, and Jesus chose to spend that last week teaching His disciples. He spoke privately to Peter, James, John, and Andrew about the signs of the end of the age (Mark 13:3). At this point in the story, Judas had betrayed Jesus and the disciples had gathered for the Passover meal. Today’s Lesson Today’s lesson covers the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. This story is only recorded in the book of John, which shows the deep impact that it must have had on John personally. John begins by establishing that Jesus “having loved His own, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1). Jesus let His love for the disciples overflow into this precious act of service. After washing their feet, Jesus told His disciples to follow in His example by washing one another’s feet. Directly after this, John — who for the first time refers to himself here as “the one whom Jesus loved” — is seen reclining “in the bosom of Jesus” (John 13:23). John understood Jesus’ love for him, and that he truly was the disciple who was loved by Jesus; and John in turn sought to be intimately connected with Jesus in this very personal way. Programming Notes The focus of today’s lesson has two parts. The first is that love is directly related to service. Washing the disciples’ feet was not only a humble demonstration of love, but it allowed Jesus to show His love to each disciple (including Judas) individually. Secondly, it is important to emphasize to the kids that Jesus’ love for us is real. John responded to it by physically leaning into Jesus, and we can have that same closeness with Jesus even now. This week, we will also look at the life of Mother Teresa as a modern day example of someone who modeled Jesus’ command to wash others’ feet (John 13:14). (Other Witnesses: Mother Theresa) For the younger kids, we want to highlight John’s closeness with Jesus. John had an understanding that he was loved by Jesus, and this drew him to a special closeness with Him. It was so deep that John referred to himself as “the one whom Jesus loved” on several occasions in the book of John. Jesus shows His love for us in the way that He serves us, and He calls each of us to serve others in the same way. Key Concept: Jesus’ love for us is personal and real. Scripture

o John 13:1 – Jesus loved His disciples to the end o John 13:2-15 – Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, we should do likewise o John 13:21-26 – John reclines at the table, sitting close to Jesus o John 13:3; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20 – John refers to himself as “the one whom Jesus loved”

Other Scriptures

o John 13:34-35 – Love one another; the disciples will be known by their love for one another o John 15:12 – We are called to love one another as Jesus has loved us o Mark 9:35,10:42-44 – If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all

Grace Church Children’s Ministry Programming Cloud of Witnesses Weekly Programming Fall 2014 – Fall 2015 John :: April 5th :: Week 4 — Easter: God’s Love Demonstrated Background for Today’s Lesson At this point, the disciples had been with Jesus for three years, and he had taught them many things that they did not yet understand. He taught them much as He washed their feet and shared the Passover meal with them, but He got to a point where He told them everything that they could handle (John 16:12). The time had come for Him to stop telling them the mysteries of who He was, why He came, and how He loved them, and to start showing them. Today’s Lesson During today’s lesson, we will focus on the love that Christ demonstrated through His death on the cross and the victory that He achieved in rising from the dead. We’ll start by looking at several passages which show us that Christ’s death on the cross was proof of God’s love for us.

We will then look at the resurrection through John’s eyes. We will discuss the account of John and Peter running to the tomb, John experiencing Christ with the other disciples, and John recognizing Christ on the shore while fishing.

Programming Notes It may be helpful to view the teaching time as two separate teaches that are linked by Christ. The first section being that the love of God is most tangibly demonstrated in Christ’s sacrifice and that the reason we can know and experience true, agape-type love is because it was demonstrated for us. A life-sacrificing love is the greatest love there is (John 15:13). The second section (describing the resurrection) becomes very powerful because, while others may sacrifice their lives, Christ was the only one who had the power to live again and continue to love those for whom He sacrificed. (Other Witnesses: None this week.)

For the younger kids, John 3:16 will be the driving point of the program. God’s love for us is so big that He gave us His Son so that we may receive eternal life. God’s love for us is truly demonstrated at the cross and through the resurrection.

Key Concept: God’s love for us is demonstrated in Christ’s sacrifice and further shown in His resurrection.

Scripture o John 3:16 – God loved the world so much that He gave his Son o Romans 5:8 – God demonstrates His love in Christ’s death o 1 John 3:16 – We know love because Christ laid down his life for us o John 15:13 – Love (Jesus) lays down its life for its friends o John 20:1-9 – Peter and John run to find an empty tomb o John 21:7,10-14 – John recognizes Jesus; love lives and serves!

Other Scriptures o John 10:17-18 – “I lay my life down that I may take it up again” o Romans 5:9-10 – “If… we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we

are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

Grace Church Children’s Ministry Programming Cloud of Witnesses Weekly Programming Fall 2014 – Fall 2015 John :: April 12th :: Week 5 — Love God? Keep His Commands. Background for Today’s Lesson Last week we looked at Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection. His love was demonstrated through His death and His holiness was shown when death could not hold Him. Christ had never sinned and thus could not stay dead (Acts 2:22-24). As we consider the love Jesus showed through His death and resurrection, it should be our natural response to love Him back. Today’s Lesson This week we’ll look at what our response to God should be in light of His love for us. Those of us who have experienced forgiveness and have been changed by God’s love should not merely sit back and enjoy this gift. Forgiveness is freely given, and we can do nothing to earn it. But once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we must also submit to Him as Lord. Scripture is clear that one important way that we are called to express our love to God is by keeping His commandments. Jesus wants to be both Savior AND Lord of our life. Programming Notes Scripture is clear that those who love God keep His commandments. In fact, multiple times, John makes it very clear that a person’s obedience or disobedience is really the litmus test of whether or not someone has been changed by God. Love of the world (participation in sin) and loving God (obedience to His commands) are incompatible (1 John 2:15-16). We prove our love for God by honoring His wishes just like any other relationship in our lives. It may be helpful to provide some tangible examples of how this can be seen in relationships in our lives. What if a husband does the opposite of his wife’s wishes; does he love her? How about children and parents? This should help to ground this idea for the kids. (Other Witnesses: Mary at Bethany) For the younger kids, we want to emphasize that we respond to God’s love by loving Him back. Loving Him back leads us to obey His commands. After having spent four weeks focusing on God’s love, we will now challenge the kids to respond to His love by obeying what He commands. Key Concept: We demonstrate and prove our love for God by keeping His commandments. Scripture

o John 14:15, 21-24 – “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.” o 1 John 2:3-6 – Whoever keeps his word, in him the love of God is perfected o 1 John 5:3-5 – Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world o John 15:9-11 – Abide in my love by keeping my commandments o 2 John 1:6 – This is love: that we walk according to His commandments

Other Scriptures

o Matthew 22:36-40 – The greatest commandments are defined o 1 John 2:15-16 – Don’t love the world; if you do, the love of the Father is not in you

Grace Church Children’s Ministry Programming Cloud of Witnesses Weekly Programming Fall 2014 – Fall 2015 John :: April 19th :: Week 6 — Love God? Love His People. Background for Today’s Lesson Two weeks ago we saw Christ crucified and resurrected. Last week we taught that God’s love for us is great and that the only appropriate response is to love Him back. Christ gave us a very simple way to prove our love for Him: Keeping His commands. While this is simple, it’s not easy. If we have not experienced the love of the Father, it is impossible to keep His commands. Today’s Lesson This week we will look at another way we prove our love for God: By loving one another (other Christians). Those who have experienced the love of God find it natural to love those who have also been born of God (1 John 5:1). Here we have another litmus test (1 John 3:15-18). Scripture is clear that it’s simply not possible to hate a brother or sister in Christ and have the love of God in us (1 John 4:20). We are encouraged here to love others in action and in truth (1 John 3:18). Paul goes so far as to say that the whole law can be summed up in the statement, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). Programming Notes The concept of loving one another is easy to conceptualize, but the question we need to answer for the kids is: “What does ‘loving one another’ look like?” Christ clearly taught about this when He washed the disciples feet (John 13) and then encouraged them to do the same for one another. John also told us that we are to “lay our lives down for the brothers” (1 John 3:16). This is perhaps the best way to show our love for one another. While it’s unlikely that we’ll be asked to die for another believer, we have all been called to serve others and to lay down our lives (give up our preferences) for one another. (Other Witnesses: Jonathan) For the younger kids, we want to teach them that the reason we can love others is because God has loved us; we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). What a great way to end the unit; focusing on the love that God had for us first. When we are filled with His love, we can then love others. Key Concept: We show that we know and love God by loving His people. Scripture

o 1 John 4:19-21 – We love because He loved us; whoever loves God must love his brother o 1 John 3:16-18 – He laid down His life and we should lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters o John 13:12-17 – Christ washes the disciples feet and tells them to follow in His footsteps o 1 John 5:1-2 – Everyone who loves the Father loves those who have been born of Him o Galatians 5:13-14 – The whole law is summed up in this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” o 1 Peter 1:22 – Love one another out of a pure heart o 1 Peter 4:10 – We are called to use our gifts to serve one another

Other Scriptures

o Ephesians 1:15-16 – Paul gives glory to God for the love the Ephesians have for the saints o Philemon 1:7 – Paul rejoices because, through Philemon, “the hearts of the saints have been refreshed” o Hebrews 6:10-11 – God does not overlook the love you have shown in serving one another