Jesus, the best leader
key words
biblical reference
Luke 9: 1-16 and 10:1-20
lesson objective
To help the students understand that Jesus asked his followers to help him in his work and that he enabled them to carry it out. We must be willing to do what he asks of us and trust that he will help us accomplish that task.
memory verse
“While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I’m well pleased. Listen to him!’” (Matthew 17:5, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
Generally, children this age do not have the opportunity to participate in the work of the church. In many cases, our actions reinforce the idea that they are “the church of tomorrow,” instead of making them part of the church today.
This lesson will allow you to show children how Jesus wants to involve everyone in his work. This also includes the little ones. Take time to think about what activities your students can help you with during the session. Do not invite them to participate only in this session, but rather continue to provide opportunities to serve in all sessions. Help them understand that they can tell their friends about Jesus and that it is also helping God.
The only reason children often do not understand that concept is that we do not give them opportunities to serve. Let this be the week of change. Provide for this through service opportunities. Allow them to experience the joy that these occasions bring them and encourage them to make service their lifestyle.
biblical commentary
Read Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-20. The apostle Paul told us that God has put workers in the church. First apostles, then prophets, and thirdly teachers (1 Corinthians 12:27-28). Have you ever noticed that the teachers are up on the scale, along with the other two? And have you ever had the curiosity to know why these positions were established?
Apostles: the biblical Greek word from which this word comes means “sent.” So, apostles are literally “the ones sent.”
Prophets: the prophets of the Bible basically performed two tasks: hearing and transmitting God’s message to the people. Frequently, the word they received from God came before certain events occurred, so the message dealt with what would happen in the future. In other times, the prophets spoke the Word of God to the people. In either case, the prophets had to speak the truth to warn of the consequences of continued sin and to help the people stay on God’s path.
Teachers: the teachers assigned by God were life shapers. They were called to help people apply the truth of God to their lives. Among the first great Christian teachers was the Apostle Paul. His instructive letters still teach and form us as followers of Christ.
When Jesus sent the 12 disciples (Luke 9:1-6), he transformed his students (disciples) into apostles. He sent them to announce the Good News they had learned from him. When Jesus commissioned the 70 (Luke 10:1-20), he also transformed several of his followers into apostles. He sent them to work hard in a field spiritually prepared for the message. That field did not have workers. The 12 and the 70 had extremely active and effective ministries. However, Jesus told them that the most important thing, beyond any success, was that they could have the knowledge that they themselves belonged to God.
As Jesus prepared to ascend to heaven, he marked out the territory that his disciples would cover with the message: “In Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He commissioned them to expand their ministry beyond the center of their world, Jerusalem, to the most remote places on the planet.
They obeyed his mandate. The apostles scattered and spread the Word. The prophets spoke the truth. And the teachers formed lives. Throughout the centuries, faithful people have done what God called them to do. They told the story of the gospel, so that it persevered from the time of Jesus to our day. And now, we pass it on to our students, the next generation of God’s disciples.
It is a long historical chain. It has been and continues to be a beautiful story that changes lives. Those who were sent to tell it had busy lives, often full of dangers. But thanks to the fact that in each generation there have been so many faithful people to spread the message, you and I can rejoice that our “names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20b). Our students also deserve the same privilege. It is God’s desire that they know him personally; so our duty is to go and tell them.
introduce the lesson
We can help
Before the session: Ask your students to help you prepare the next session. Choose tasks they can do (distribute activity sheets, prepare the room, welcome their classmates, etc.). Write each task on a card. For more difficult tasks, write the same task on several cards. Place the cards with the written part face down on the table.
In the group: Invite children to look at the cards and choose a task to perform voluntarily. Encourage them while doing their jobs. If necessary, help them. Congratulate them for their effort. (It would be good to do this activity in each session.) Say: “You were very good helpers today. Jesus is happy when we help. In today’s Bible story, we are going to see how Jesus chose his helpers.
teach the lesson
“Go, preach and heal!”
Read Luke 9:1-6 and 10:1-20. Many people knew about Jesus. People saw him when he came to their town. Many heard about the incredible miracles he performed. Jesus knew that many could know God if his disciples went and spoke to people. Then one day, Jesus called his disciples.
“I have an important job for you,” he told them. “I’m giving you permission and power to carry out this task. Go to the cities where I send you. Preach about the Kingdom of God, heal the sick, and cast out demons. Take nothing with you,” he added. “Do not take food, money or clothes. When you arrive in a town, people will offer you their houses to stay with them. Stay with them until you leave the city.”
Jesus knew that not all people would receive the disciples. “If they do not receive you, then shake the dust from your feet and leave,” he told them. The 12 obedient disciples went from city to city preaching and healing people. Then, the Master sent more people to do his work. He called 70, who were his followers, and he also sent them to preach and heal. “Go, I send you as lambs in the midst of wolves,” said Jesus to the 70” (Luke 10:3). “Do not carry anything. Just go, preach and heal. I will be with you.”
His followers went. They preached to the people about God. Every place where they went, many sick people were healed. “This is wonderful,” the disciples said. “Jesus has chosen us to do his work.” The disciples returned to Jesus. They were excited and grateful that he included them in his work. “Here is something more to be happy about” said the Lord. “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
After the Bible story, say: “We can also help Jesus do his work. We can go and talk to others about the love of God. Where are places that you can go and talk about Jesus to others? What can you tell others about Jesus? What are some ways that you can share God’s love with a person who is sick or hurt? We are Jesus’ helpers. We can trust that he will help us tell others about his love and power.”
connect the lesson
Mural: Preparing to travel
You will need: markers, pencils or color paints, picture or drawing of a suitcase, scissors and glue. On thin cardboard or construction paper, write: “What do we need for the trip?” Then, in the center, paste or draw a suitcase or travel bag. Ask the children what things are necessary to take on a three-day trip. Give them a blank sheet of paper or construction paper to draw and color all the items they think are necessary for the trip. At the end, ask them to tape or glue their drawings around the suitcase.
Ask: “Is each item really necessary for the trip? If we had made this trip in Jesus’ time, would he have told us to leave those things or could we take them?”
Give the children Student Activity Sheet #222-A and #222-B. Guide them to complete what is missing on Student Activity Sheet #222-B. They will need to cut out and use the pictures at the bottom of Student Activity Sheet #222-C to complete the missing information. Have the children paste or draw a picture of Jesus on the sheet. Then, helped by the dots for holes on the sides, have them puncture the holes and insert a piece of yarn, passing it from one hole to the other. Have the children take home the activities and share the lesson with family and friends.
practice the memory verse
Write the memory verse on the board. Teach the children the passage, word by word, and have them repeat it several times until they learn it. Then, start deleting a word and have them repeat the whole verse. Then erase another and so on until they say it by memory. Every time you delete a word, encourage them by making comments like: I’m not sure you can say it, it is very difficult, etc. (to challenge them). Celebrate when they say it well. In the end, when there is not anything written on the board, have them repeat it one more time with all their strength.
Sweet verses
You will need: Student Activity Sheet #214-C and #214-D, a (candy) jar, scissors, construction paper larger than the jar, and colored pencils or crayons. Throughout the year, you will find additional cut-out sections, such as the memory verse for each unit, in candy or candy forms with the verses written on each one. When a child has memorized the memory verse, allow him/ her to cut out the candy from that unit and stick it inside or around the jar. At the end of the year, they will be able to take the jar with “sweets” to their homes. That way they can repeat to their families the verses they learned.
wrap-up
Pray
Closing prayer: “Thank you, Lord, because we can work together in your work. Help us to trust that you will enable us to do it. We want to be excellent helpers! In your name, amen.”
Encourage
Say: “What a beautiful story we learned today! How good it is to know that Jesus wants us to help him! But, we have to put all our effort into doing his work as well as possible. Who is willing to do what Jesus asks?”
Invite
Motivate the students to attend the next session which will be begin a new unit. Challenge them to bring friends.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™