Curriculum
Jesus Gives Us the Comforter
Memory Verse:
“I will send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you.” John 14:16
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
Jesus knew He would leave this earth when He died and rise again to heaven. But He loved the disciples too much (and us too much) to leave them alone, so He sent the Holy Spirit as our comforter to be with us all the time.
Scripture Summary
Nearing the end of Jesus’ ministry, He began to prepare the disciples for when He would die and rise again to heaven.
What Jesus was promising didn’t quite make sense to the disciples. Jesus was leaving them...but He was staying with them. How could this happen? God is made up of three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In this case, Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit as the counselor. He would come when Jesus, who was also God, was gone.
The Greek word for counselor combined two words: comfort and counsel. The Holy Spirit is a presence always with us, working in us, and wisely guiding us.
The Holy Spirit is described throughout John as being with us forever (14:16), teaching us (14:26), showing God’s righteousness and judgement (16:8), guiding us in truth (16:13), and bringing glory to Christ (16:14). In Acts, the Holy Spirit is active at Pentecost as He lives in all believers.
Why Is This Important
God created us and invites us into a relationship with Him. He didn’t create us to be alone. God made a way, and Jesus gave us the comforter in the Holy Spirit. We are never alone and never outside of God’s presence.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
Bobo the Bear
“Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’” (Hebrews 13:5)
As a teen, I enjoyed serving in the nursery at church. It was a joy for me to care for the babies and play with the toddlers each month. I remember one Sunday when parents brought a darling 2-year-old girl with beautiful curls in her hair and wearing a frilly pink dress.
The parents were understandably in a rush that morning. The service had just started. As they dropped off their daughter, they quickly mentioned to me, “Oh, and we forgot Bobo the Bear at home. She should be fine.”
She wasn’t fine.
This precious young girl was devastated and felt abandoned. Bobo the Bear brought her such comfort, and he wasn’t there. Nor were her parents who she loved. We tried everything: reading, playing games, talking with her, rocking in the chair, being silly, and holding her tightly. While it took nearly the entire service, we did get her to calm down. Though she was still unsure and unsteady.
God, the Holy Spirit, is always with us. He never takes a break. He’s never too busy with someone else. He never forgets. He is a constant comforter in our lives. Unlike Bobo the Bear, the Holy Spirit remains right by our side throughout our day.
We can count on the Holy Spirit to be with us while we celebrate, cry, troubleshoot, clean, work, play, connect, instruct, cook, and rest
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for the Holy Spirit. Thank You that He is a constant comforter in my life. Please help me be mindful of the Holy Spirit’s presence regardless of what I face today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Two old, clean comforters, Two adults or teen helpers
“I will send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you.” John 14:16
SAY: Today we’re going to practice our Bible memory verse in a creative way. (Hold up a comforter.) This is called a comforter. (Wrap it around your shoulders and act like it’s really comfy. Invite children to gather in a group hug, and lightly wrap the group in the comforter.) We put blankets like this on our bed and call them comforters because they can make us feel warm and cozy on the outside. Jesus said He’d send us a comforter, too. But that comforter isn’t a big blanket. That comforter is the Holy Spirit, or God with us all the time. The Holy Spirit helps us feel warm inside our hearts. He comforts us when we’re sad.
As we think about that, let’s use these comforters in a way that helps us remember to hold onto the comforter Jesus sent. Hold onto a comforter while a leader takes you to one side of the room and back. As they pull you, you’ll repeat today’s Bible memory verse after them.
Form two teams. Have children hold onto the team’s comforter. Have two adults or teen helpers lead children to one side of the room and back while children hold on and repeat the verse lines after the leader.
“I will send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you.” John 14:16
After this game, have children practice saying the entire Bible memory verse together.
THEN SAY: Now that was a silly game with old comforters, but it reminds us that the Holy Spirit is our comforter. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God to help us and be our comforter.
Interactive Bible Experience
Explain that as they hear about today’s lesson from John 14, children will be given a chance to stand up and freeze like a statue to represent something from that part of the lesson. The teachers will try to guess what each statue is.
SAY: Jesus was talking to His disciples one day and He had an important promise to share with them.
(Allow children to stand and freeze like a statue to be someone from this part of the lesson. After they are all frozen, the teachers try to guess who they are.)
SAY: Jesus was explaining the one that was coming, the Holy Spirit, who could not be experienced by those who don’t believe, nor would He be accepted by the world.
(Allow children to stand and freeze like a statue to be someone from this part of the lesson. After they are all frozen, the teachers try to guess who they are.)
SAY: The Holy Spirit would be our helper and comforter so those who follow Jesus will not be alone.
(Allow children to stand and freeze like a statue to be someone from this part of the lesson. After they are all frozen, the teachers try to guess who they are.)
ASK:
- What comforts you when you’re sad?
- What helps you when you’re alone?
Say: Jesus didn’t want us to be sad and alone. So He sent the Holy Spirit to stay with us. The Holy Spirit comforts us and helps us.
- What’s amazing about the gift Jesus promised His followers?
SAY: The Holy Spirit is a gift to those who believe in Jesus. The Holy
Spirit lives inside each person who loves Him and is a helper and a great comforter.
Snack
Promised Gift Treat
You’ll Need: “Promised Gift Treat How-to Video”, Cereal bars - one per child, Icing in baggies - one per child, Scissors, Napkins
Help children follow these steps to make a “Promised Gift Treat.”
- Cut the corner of the baggie so you can pipe icing out of it.
- Use the icing to make a ribbon crossing the bar treat to look like a present.
- Use icing to make a bow at the top.
- Enjoy.
SAY: In today’s Bible lesson, we learned that Jesus had a promised gift for His followers. This wasn’t like any other gift; this gift was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would live in His followers and guide them, counsel them, and comfort them.
That’s an amazing gift for sure!
Game
Secure Hide and Seek
You’ll Need: A large indoor or outdoor playing area
Explain to the children they will be playing a game of “Hide and Seek” with a twist.
Play the game as follows:
- Instruct all children to hide, except the seeker which will be an adult teacher.
- When the seeker/teacher finds someone, they will take them to a “secure” place.
- The game will continue until everyone is found and taken to the “secure” location.
Play several rounds as time allows.
AFTERWARD, ASK:
- What was the goal of this game?
- How did it feel when you were taken to the secure place?
SAY: In today’s Bible lesson we learn that as Jesus was going back to His Father, He promised a helper that would be with us forever. This helper is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, and those that follow Jesus are secure in Him forever.
Craft
Comforter Craft
You’ll Need: Two old, solid-color sheets, Something to protect the floor from markers (such as a plastic tarp), Markers, Stapler Cotton stuffing or newspaper
Get Ready: Spread one sheet on the floor on top of the protective floor covering. Write “The Holy Spirit Is Our Comfort” in open letters for the children to color in on the sheet.
Arrange children around the edge of the sheet, giving each his or her own section. Help children follow these steps to make their “Comforter Craft.”
- Color in the words on the sheet.
- Lay the designed sheet on top of the other one, wrong sides together.
- Staple three sides together.
- Stuff between the sheets with cotton filler or crumbled newspaper to create a big, fluffy comforter. Once filled, staple the fourth side together.
- Keep this special comforter in your classroom.
ASK:
- Do any of you have a favorite blanket or comforter at home? If so, why is it your favorite?
SAY: Just like a favorite blanket makes us feel safe, secure, and comforted, the Holy Spirit is a promised gift from Jesus who makes us feel safe, secure, and comforted too. All believers in Jesus have the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our comforter.
Prayer
Comfort Prayers
You’ll Need: Several big blankets, Several pillows
Lay out several big, cozy blankets for the children to sit on the floor. Invite them to get cozy and comfortable.
SAY: Raise your hand if you are ever sad. ( pause) Make an angry face if you ever get mad. ( pause) Cover your face if you ever get scared. ( pause)
That’s right! We all feel those ways sometimes. Jesus loved us so much that He wanted to leave us the Holy Spirit to comfort us and be with us! Think for a minute about how you may need comfort in your life.
Allow children to share ways they need comfort.
SAY: Today we will pray for the times we need comfort.
Close this time in prayer and then close in the special prayer below.
PRAY: Dear God, we are in need of great comfort. Life can be so hard sometimes. Thank You that when we put our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, You give us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for the Holy Spirit’s comfort. In Jesus’ name, amen.
