Jesus calms the storm
key words
biblical reference
Matthew 8:23-27
lesson objective
To help the children recognize that Jesus, the Son of God, will be with them when they are afraid.
memory verse
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
The Sea of Galilee is a fresh water lake that measures 26 km. long by 14 km. wide. It is located in the Jordan Valley, 200 meters below sea level. It is surrounded by hills and slopes. When the wind blows, the hills form a kind of funnel that reaches the water, and the wind is unleashed with all its force. This sea is famous for its sudden and unforeseen storms that may even surprise highly experienced fishermen.
Most of Jesus’s earthly ministry was in the vicinity of that lake. Some of his disciples, like Simon Peter, were experienced fishermen and knew well the danger of being in that place during an intense storm. That knowledge heightened their fears; so they could not understand how Jesus could sleep in this situation.
And at a time when the disciples’ fear and despair increased, when they were surrounded by the great waves; Jesus commanded the storm to stop. The fierce wind, the waves and the rain quieted at the command of the Son of God. This miracle clearly revealed who Jesus was. Only God, the Creator, has control over nature.
It is not hard to imagine the amazement that the disciples must have felt when observing the power of Jesus. Maybe it is the same for us. Do we marvel at the absolute majesty of our Lord? How do we react to the demonstrations of God’s power? The reality is that we should always have a reverential fear of his holy presence.
Just as we experience the power of God in our lives, we must help our children understand the magnitude of our God’s power.
Fear, real or imagined, is present in the lives of preschool children. They go through a process called “magical thinking,” in which they believe that everything is reality, including things like ghosts that someone may have told them might hide under the bed or in the closet. For that reason, they must know the amazing power of God. He is more powerful than lightning and thunder; more powerful than the fury of a storm or the darkness of the night that may terrify them. But the best thing is that the Lord is always with them, no matter what the situation may be.
Identify the fears your children are going through: How do they handle those fears? Do they hide, cry, seek their parents? Do they use any object that gives them security?
As children participate in the class, talk to them about their fears, and let them know that God’s care and protection always accompany them. Lead them in prayer, and you will notice the change in them when they begin to entrust to God all their fears. It is during this age that children must reaffirm their understanding that Jesus will be their eternal companion.
In this lesson, help preschoolers recognize that Jesus is real and present at all times. When they understand this idea, they will come to him in times of fear. Your children will be encouraged to know that there are times when you also feel fear and ask God to remove those feelings.
introduce the lesson
The boat shaken by the waves
You will need a large basin or container with water, a toy boat and spoons.
Let the children use the spoons to shake the water and shake the boat with the waves. As they do, ask them: “Have you ever been on a boat?” (Let them respond). Say: “Today I will tell you about a day when Jesus and his disciples were in a boat and there was a great storm.” Ask: “What do you think happened?” (Allow time for them to respond).
Children of this age are very fond of playing with water. Let them take turns to shake it, and supervise them so that it does not spill too much. If necessary, cover the floor with a plastic sheet.
teach the lesson
A stormy sea
You will need a blanket, brooms, newspapers, and masking tape. Invite the children to participate again as actors. They like it and it helps them reinforce their knowledge. Prepare a row of chairs and tape the sheets of newspaper around them, simulating the walls of the boat. Some children will be the disciples. They will have the brooms in their hands to use as oars, while one more will represent Jesus, who sleeps and is covered with the blanket. The other children can make the sounds of the wind as it grows.
As you relate the story, the children should act it out. When finished, tell them: “The disciples were afraid during the storm, but we know that Jesus can do what no one else is able to do, because he is the Son of God. Jesus’ disciples learned that they could trust him to help them when they were afraid. We too can trust Jesus Christ in moments of fear and anguish.”
connect the lesson
Find the boats
In advance, get toy boats, or make some paper ones; have one for each child. Arrive in the classroom before the children and hide them. At the time you do this activity, tell them: I want everyone to find a boat and bring it to me. When you give it to me, I will tell you something very special.
When the children bring the ships, whisper in their ears: “Jesus is with you at all times, even when you are afraid.”
Let your children take the boats home as a reminder of the Bible story.
Calming the storm
Give the children Student Activity Sheet #7-A, and provide them scissors, glue, and pencils. Give them time to trace the Word of Faith (miracle), and write their name on the sheet. You may need to help them make the vertical cuts through the dotted lines, as shown on the child sheet. Allow the children to cut the strip from the bottom, and insert it through the back into the cuts of the activity sheet. This way you can slide the strip of drawings and review the Bible story. Have them draw his eyes open on Jesus’ face. Divide the class into pairs and encourage them to use their activity sheet to tell the story to each other.
Hand out Student Activity Sheet #7-B for the children to give to their parents or guardians.
practice the memory verse
Use the hand motions to review the Bible memory verse. Ask for a volunteer who wants to lead the group in reviewing it together. "Cast all your worries (touch your forehead with your hand) on him (point upward with your finger), because he cares (cross your arms over your chest to indicate love) for you (point to yourself)" (1 Peter 5:7).
wrap-up
PrayPrayer time for special requests
Prayer is fundamental in the life of every Christian. It is a discipline that we must encourage in children from the time that they begin to speak. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to teach your children to direct their prayers to God. Invite the children to tell others their prayer requests, and teach them to intercede for their parents, friends, teachers, and neighbors.
Invite the children to tell others their prayer requests, and teach them to intercede for their parents, friends, teachers, and neighbors.
Encourage
If possible, share a simple lunch or snack with your children and thank God for it.
Invite
Invite the children to the next session, and remind them that they can trust God in times of fear.
* 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.™