Curriculum
Jesus Is the Way
Memory Verse:
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’” John 14:6
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
God’s way–the best way–is only through a relationship with Jesus. And everyone is invited into a relationship with Jesus.
Scripture Summary
Jesus and His disciples had finished the Last Supper, and He had just predicted Peter’s denial. Jesus was continuing to teach the disciples and pouring into them all that He wanted to share. Jesus knew His cru- cifixion was nearing, and He wanted to be sure to impart vital truths to His disciples, His friends, those who would carry on His ministry.
The Jewish people studied the Old Testament Scriptures and knew who God was by how He was described in the biblical prophecies. Jesus, as both fully God and fully human, was a tangible way for all people to experience God Himself. He was a way for them to know God, not just know about God.
Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” These three distinctive descriptions were intentional as the way is a trail to God the Father. The truth comes from Jesus fulfilling God’s promises. The life He gives is abundant–both now and forever.
Some might argue and say that Jesus being the only way is too narrow, too restrictive. Really, it’s wide open for anyone who accepts Him.
Jesus freely shared His power with the disciples. He offered to do whatever they asked in His name. It was important for the disciples to align their desires and requests to Jesus’ plan. If the disciples were sin- cerely following God and His will, their requests would be in line with God’s plan.
Why Is This Important
As Jesus is the only way we can come to God, He is the only consistent source of real truth and allows us to experience His love through- out our life. By accepting Him, we are accepting being reunited with God the Father.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
Experience Is the Best Teacher
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9b)
When I was in high school, our youth group took a day trip to the mountains to go skiing. I had been a few times and was an average ski- er. My boyfriend at the time (now my husband) had never been. Rather than spending intentional quality time on the flat bunny slope learning some basics, we jumped on the chair lift and headed up.
As the lift took us to the top of the slope, I proceeded to tell him everything he needed to know in order to ski. I covered snow plowing, balance, turning, and general form. We crested the top, and I was quite optimistic. Though, you might have guessed, he fell flat on his face as he got off the lift. There was no way he could have learned to ski just by listening to my description. He had to experience it.
Experiencing Jesus is the only way to God the Father. Any other way is only a counterfeit. Jesus was fully God and fully human. Because He was human, He understood our struggles. Because He was God, He was the only tangible way to know God, who up until that time had been invisible and perceived as distant. Jesus still is the only way today. We can continue to experience Him through prayer, listening, reading His Word, and serving with other Christians in community.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for providing a perfect and secure way to come to You. Please help me continue to embrace You and Your plan for my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6a (NIV)
Lead children in memorizing the Bible verse with these motions.
- Jesus answered (point up)
- I am the way (point forward)
- The truth (make a book with hands)
- And the life (put hands on heart)
- John 14:6
Lead the children several times through the motions. Encourage children to share their Bible memory verse with their families at home.
Interactive Bible Experience
Explain that three different people speak in today’s lesson. Children will do the following motions when they hear these words:
- When they hear Jesus speak, they stand up.
- When they hear Thomas speak, they stay seated and pretend to look through binoculars.
- When they hear Philip speak, they lie on their back and look up.
Practice the motions with the children. Then read the following from your open Bible.
Say: Today we are reading from John 14 about how Jesus is the only way to God.
(Invite children to stand.) Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, (Remind children to sit and pretend to look through binoculars.) “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, (Invite children to stand.) “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said, (Remind children to lay on their back and look up.) “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus answered: (Invite children to stand.) “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Say: Jesus had some serious directions for us. He said that He is the way, the truth, and the life. We can only come to God through Jesus.
Snack
Stoplight Treat
You’ll Need: 3 marshmallows per child, Red, green and yellow icing, Plates, Napkins
Have children follow these steps for the snack.
- Dip each marshmallow in a different color: red, yellow, and green.
- Line up the marshmallows like a stop light.
- Enjoy.
Game
Red Light, Green Light Game
You’ll Need: An open space to play
Start with everyone on a starting line. Have a volunteer stand opposite the children, facing away.
When you say “green light,” everyone will move to the finish line. When you say “red light,” everyone must stop immediately. The job of the volunteer is to count to three and turn around to try to catch the children moving. If they are moving, they must return to the starting line.
Start a new round when everyone makes it across the finish line. Say: You had to listen closely to the commands in this game. Ask:
- What were some of the commands?
- Was it easy or hard to listen closely?
Say: When Jesus was talking to His disciples, He was clear that He was the only way to God. We need to listen closely to His message today because we can only come to God through Jesus.
Craft
Stop Lights Craft
You’ll Need: “Stop Lights Craft How-To Video”, 3 small paper plates for each child, Crayons or markers, Scissors, Black poster board, Glue
Help children follow these steps to make their stop light.
- Write the following words on each plate and have children color the plate accordingly:
- WAY - red
- TRUTH - yellow
- LIFE - green
- Cut a large rectangle from the poster board.
- Glue the plates to the poster board to make a stoplight.
Review with children that Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.
Say: Just like following the rules of a stoplight when driving to stay safe, we need to listen closely to Jesus’ words to follow Him to God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Prayer
Stepping Stone Prayers
You’ll Need: 4 paper plates, Markers, Instrumental music, Something to play the music on
Get Ready:
Write one phrase on each plate:
- Praise God
- Say You Are Sorry
- Thank God
- Pray for Others & Yourself
Lay out the paths of four stones in different areas of the classroom. Children will follow the stepping stones, stopping to pray at each one.
Say: We can only come to God through Jesus. And today we are going to follow a special path as we pray.
Lead the class as a group through the prayer path.
Say: We will begin with praise prayers. That is where we praise God because He is holy, wise, powerful, etc.
Take children to the Praise God plate and stop to pray with them there.
Say: Let’s move to I’m sorry prayers where we will confess to God a sin and tell Him we are sorry.
Take children to the Say You Are Sorry plate and stop to pray with them there.
Say: Next is thank you prayers where we will thank God, by name, for several things He has given us like family, a church, food, etc.
Take children to the Thank God plate and stop to pray with them there.
Say: Last we will end where you will get to pray for yourself or other people. We will help you with the prayers as we move through the path.
Take children to the Pray for Others & Yourself plate and stop to pray with them there.
