===================================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, December 11, 1999 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date: November 1, 1999 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, JESUS FINDS FAITH IN CANAAN ===================================================================== Lesson Aim: Jesus is happy to find people who believe in Him, no matter who they are or where they live. Memory Verse: "You have great faith! Your request is granted." Matt. 15:28, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - BLESSINGS AND CRUMBS Materials needed: Oreo cookies Napkins Poster board OR write-on/wipe-off board OR blackboard Medium to write with Ziploc bags WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENT DOES: Display the Oreo cookies. Ask the children to think of all the blessings they have received from Jesus. For each blessing they volunteer, remove a cookie from the bag. Record or have a volunteer record the answers on a board. After the children run dry on answers, give each one a napkin. Take one Oreo and break it into tiny pieces, giving each child a crumb on their napkin. As you do so, explain that we need to share the blessings we receive from Jesus. When they complain that their portion is too small, identify with their frustrations with a comment such as, "You know, that's not the way the disciples saw it in our story today. They felt Jesus's blessings and miracles of healing were not to be wasted on just anyone. Place a couple cookies in a bag for each child to take home, then proceed STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE BLESSINGS Materials needed: Croutons Toothpicks (2) bowls Bibles WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Place nine croutons in one of the empty bowls. Set it on one side of the room. Set a box of toothpicks beside the bowl. On the other side of the room place the other empty bowl. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Help the children locate the memory verse in their Bibles. Repeat it together several times. Explain to the children that the full bowl of croutons represent the crumbs of blessings the heathen woman desires Jesus to share with her. They are the eight words plus text contained in the memory verse. The empty bowl represents the woman. The children will be the disciples. In this exercise the disciples will be given a second chance to share the blessings with the woman. One child takes a toothpick, stabs it into a crouton, puts the other end of the toothpick in their mouth and carries the crouton to the empty bowl. As they tap the crouton into the bowl they say the first word of the memory verse. They then stand to the side and the second child repeats what he just did. However, when he reaches the empty bowl with his crouton, he must repeat the first word that was said and add the next word. If he cannot remember he may ask the child who has just completed his turn before him. Continue until all of the croutons have been brought to the empty bowl and the entire memory verse including text as been repeated. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - BALLOON BLESSINGS Materials needed: 4-5 balloons for each child Gift-wrap ribbon or string Permanent markers WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary unless you feel your students cannot blow up their own balloons. You might want to do some ahead of time. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Have each student blow up 4-5 balloons. Attach a string or ribbon to each balloon. With permanent marker have the children write the words, God's blessings Are For You! Talk with the children about whom they could share a balloon with this week. (Someone who feels they've been too bad to be forgiven; an elderly person who lives alone; a child who doesn't feel accepted at school; etc.) Challenge the children to look around and listen for people who don't feel they deserve attention or love. Teach them how to share the balloon and express the desire Jesus has for sharing what He has with everyone who will receive it. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - WORTHY OR UNWORTHY OF GOD'S BLESSINGS Materials needed: None WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Have the children think of people they come in contact with in their daily lives that they might look upon like the disciples looked at the Canaanite woman. These would be children or adults who they might shun or think unworthy of attention or love. (Some examples might be: a bully at school; a criminal in the local jail; an abusive parent; a stern, strict principal etc.) Have them portray that person so that the rest of the class can guess who it might be. They will need to use actions and words in order to make it clearer to the audience who they are representing. When the rest of the children guess who they are portraying talk about how that person would have been treated by the disciples. What might the children do if they were to treat the person the way Jesus would?