========================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, September 25, 1999 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date: June 25, 1999 Abstract: Activities to use as a supplement to help teach the lesson, JESUS FORGIVES SINS ========================================================== Lesson Aim: Only Jesus can forgive my sins Memory Verse: "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Mark 2:7, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - CONSTRUCTING A HOUSE Materials needed: Lego's (Enough square and rectangular pieces to construct a small house; if you don't own any most children in the class will be happy to loan you some) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Give each child a small pile of Lego's. Work together as a group to use all the Lego's to construct Peter's house. There is no special way that the house must look. Encourage creativity and acceptance of other's ideas. The only criteria is that the house must have a roof. While you are working talk about the fact that in today's story Jesus visited Peter's house in Capernaum several times. When the house is finished, remove several Lego bricks from the roof to create a hole. Explain to the children that this is the way his house looked by the end of today's story. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - BIBLE STORY ILLUSTRATORS Materials needed: Hard flat surface for each child to put their drawing paper on Artist's drawing paper (a couple sheets per child) Pencils with erasers (one for each child) Artist's Chalk Tissues Smocks OR aprons OR old shirts WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Explain to the children that they are going to be story illustrators. In order to be story illustrators they must be able to do two things at once, listen carefully, imagining the story in their minds then drawing what they see. They are only going to illustrate the second part of the story where it begins......."There was a man in Capernaum who was paralyzed. Instruct them to just listen to the part about Peter's mother-in-law. Read or narrate the story very slowly pausing at intervals creating a quiet space for thought. The initial illustrations are done in pencil. When the drawings are finished, the children use the chalk to enhance it. Instruct them on how to use the chalk lightly and sparingly, rubbing the colors with a tissue to create a soft blended look. Share the illustrations with one another. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE WHEEL-OF-FORTUNE Materials needed: Blackboard OR write-on/wipe-off board OR newsprint pad Writing medium to use with whatever writing surface you choose Bibles WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Make twenty-eight lines on the board to represent all the letters included in the memory verse. Leave a noticeable space between the words of the verse. Print the text at the end. Print the alphabet in its entirety across the top or bottom of the board. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Have the children take turns guessing letters from the alphabet to fill in the blanks so they can discover what the memory verse is. Each child in turn guesses a letter. If the letter is contained in the verse, the child may write it in everywhere it occurs. If the letter is not contained in the verse, it is crossed off of the alphabet list, so it is not guessed again. Whenever a child feels they know what the verse says, they may come and whisper it in your ear. If they are right, they cease guessing. When everyone knows what the memory verse is, the game is over. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - FORGIVENESS BOX Materials needed: Small jewelry-size boxes (one for each child) Several different type of design-contact paper or rolls of decorative border Scissors Half dollar Small strips of paper 3 X 5 card (one for each child) Pencils WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) In the bottom of each jewelry box use the half dollar to draw a circle. Cut out the circles so there is a hole left in the bottom of each box. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: 1. Give each child a jewelry box with a bottom and top. 2. Have them pick a contact paper or border paper design and cut it to fit the top of the box. 3. Have them pull the backing off and cover their box top. 4. Using the scissors (or the teacher may use a razor blade) cut a slit in the top of the box big enough for a small slip of paper folded up to fit through. 5. Give each child a 3 X 5 card. Have them sit their box on top the 3 X 5 card. 6. Give each child 2-3 small slips of paper and a pencil. Have them write down a sin on each one that they would like forgiveness for. 7. Roll the slips of paper up very small and stick them through the slit at the top of their forgiveness box. 8. Talk about what happens when we ask Jesus for forgiveness. Have each child pick up their 3 X 5 card and hold their box over a trash can. Remove the card. Place the card back under the box and sit it back on the table. Have each child check inside their box. (Hopefully the "sins" will have dropped into the trash.) 9. Encourage the children to take their forgiveness boxes home and use them with their families.