Advent Kids

Hello Parents, let's look at what our kids learned this last week and prepare our hearts for tomorrow.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read the passage aloud or invite a volunteer to read.

Like any big picture, stories often show us that something true is hidden inside the story. Jesus told a story about seeds and soil, but it had a much bigger meaning. This next big-picture story is about the truth of who Jesus is.

Jesus took three of his disciples up a mountain to pray in Luke 9:28–29. Whoa—Peter, John, and James saw Jesus' appearance change and his clothes became so bright, they were like lightning. Jesus was transforming into his true self.

Not only that, they saw even more in Luke 9:30–31. They saw Moses and Elijah, who had died centuries earlier, but here they were, talking to Jesus. Was this real or were they dreaming?

They knew they weren't dreaming in Luke 9:32–33. But then, just when they were looking at Moses and Elijah standing with Jesus, they disappeared.

Yet another truth about Jesus appeared in Luke 9:34–36. Jesus was revealing his hidden identity—his true identity—as the Son of God. His friends might have guessed that Jesus was more than an ordinary human, but this was the moment when they learned the truth once and for all. God helps us know what's true.

Let's pretend you are all part of a filmmaking crew. Everyone has a role to play. For example, I am your director. Some of you will be actors, and some of you will help provide sound effects. Everyone will work together to make today's movie awesome.

Our movie is based on the teachings of Jesus called parables. Jesus would use these stories to help explain things about God... think of them as ancient movies.

Let's start by reading our script in Matthew 13:1–9.
So, in this parable, a farmer threw some seeds on the ground.
**Seeds, jump up, then sit on the ground.
**Birds swooped in and gobbled up seed on the path. (Crew make bird noises. Caw! Caw!)
**The seeds that fell on the rocks grew a bit, but since the roots weren't that deep, when the sun came out, they withered and didn't grow anymore. (Crew, put your hands in the air like you are rays of sunlight, then fall to the ground withered).
**The seeds that fell among thorns grew okay for a little bit, but then the thorns strangled the plants. (Hold your throat like you're choking)
**But the seeds that fell on good soil grew healthy and strong. It produced a good crop! (Stand up tall with your hands all the way up.)

Let's see what he said in Matthew 13:18–23.
So, the seeds are like God's words, being sprinkled to every listener. All of us are like different soil. Sometimes, we can be like the path, where God's words don't really sink in. We don't really understand and we don't really try to, either. Sometimes, we are like the rocks, where we receive God's words with joy but we don't hold on to what we heard. No roots! So we forget the message very quickly.
Sometimes we are like the thorns, where God's words are covered up by the things that make us worry or fearful.

The best kind of soil we can be is the good soil, where we can receive God's words, understand them, and put them deep in our hearts so that our actions show that we believe and remember what we heard! Jesus came to earth to help people grow closer to God. Because Jesus explained this parable, more people were able to understand the truth. We can all try to be like the good soil and grow the way God wants us to!
End scene!

Praying for these kiddos!

INSTRUCTIONS: For this activity, crumple up a bunch of yellow and white paper to resemble popcorn and dump them in a large container in the middle of the room. Circle the teams around this "popcorn maker." Give each team of kids a paper grocery bag. One at a time, each player must come grab "one popcorn" to add to their team's "popcorn bag." The first team to fill up their bag wins.

SAY THIS: Jesus was the master storyteller. He just knew what stories to communicate the message of God's kingdom to everyone. I bet listening to Jesus speak was like settling in for a movie you couldn't wait to see! I love movies that make us laugh and movies that make us cry, but my favorite part of going to the movies is the snacks. Let's grab some real popcorn and watch a movie together today!

SAY THIS: Movies aren't just fun stories that entertain us, they also can teach us a little more about ourselves and how we relate to the world around us. This week, we heard Jesus tell a story about seeds that fall on different soils. Jesus helped his followers understand the truth about how to grow closer to God because God helps us know what's true.

**Ask the following questions.
1. What were the last movies you saw?
2. Thinking of those movies, what is something from the movie that is true?
3. What is something from the movie that is not true?

Movies are stories on a big screen for us to experience. Sometimes movies are pure fun, but they often teach us about ourselves or the world around us. Jesus used stories, also known as parables, to teach us incredible truths as well. Whether old stories from the Bible or movies from today, God helps us know what is true!