Curriculum
Jesus is Rejected in Nazareth
Memory Verse:
“Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.’” Mark 6:4
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
Not everyone embraced Jesus and listened to His teachings. As He and His disciples ministered in Nazareth, His friends and family questioned, doubted, and rejected Jesus.
Scripture Summary
Jesus grew up in Nazareth with Mary as His mother and Joseph as His earthly father figure. Joseph was a carpenter, and it was customary that children learn their father’s trade. Jesus became a skilled carpenter, working alongside Joseph.
As Jesus began His ministry, He and His disciples returned to Nazareth to preach and to serve. But the townspeople only saw Jesus as a carpenter. They rejected Him and His authority because they could only see him as an equal peer—not the Son of God.
This was yet another Old Testament prophecy that was fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry. In Psalm 118, David writes about Jesus: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
Jesus referred to Himself as the cornerstone and quotes Psalm 118 in Mark 12.
Jesus said that a prophet is not honored in his hometown. Though, that doesn’t discredit the work and mission of the prophet. Let alone the work of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Jesus accomplished a little work in Nazareth. He chose not to perform many miracles because of the people’s lack of faith and belief in Him.
As Jesus and His disciples continued traveling, He sent them out in pairs. While it might have been more efficient to spread the disciples individually, it was much more effective for them to go in pairs. Jesus didn’t want them ministering in isolation.
Jesus instructed the disciples to take nothing with them and to trust God to provide everything they needed. Devout Jews shook the dirt from their sandals when leaving a Gentile territory. This symbolized that the Jews wanted to separate themselves from the Gentiles. When the disciples shook the dirt from their sandals when leaving a Jewish area, the act became a much stronger statement of separation from those who rejected Jesus.
Why Is This Important
Jesus was rejected throughout His ministry, especially in His hometown. We have the choice whether to accept or reject Jesus as our Lord, Savior, and friend.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
“Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:4-5)
Rejection is inevitable. We try to protect our children from it. If we’re honest, we try to protect ourselves from it as well. We can rely on our achievements, possessions, or image in order to fit in or to attempt a status devoid of rejection. Despite our efforts, we all face rejection. And rejection hurts—to the core.
Think back and consider a rejection you faced as a child. It might have been on the playground, with a dear friend, or at home.
Ponder a more recent event of rejection. This could have happened at church, in the workplace, or within a family relationship.
Take a few minutes and answer these questions.
How were your instances of rejection, as a child and as an adult, similar?
What had you learned from the first rejection that affected your reaction to the second rejection?
In both cases, how did you overcome the rejection you experienced?
Prayer
Regardless of our circumstances, what we’ve done, or what we’ve neglected, Jesus has chosen us. Let that sink in. Jesus doesn’t sigh and roll His eyes while He allows us to follow Him. No, He seeks us out intentionally.
And this gets me every time. Jesus wanted to choose us and adopt us into His family. In fact, “it gave Him great pleasure.” Bask in the thought that you brought Jesus incredible joy just by joining His family.
While our friends and family may reject us, Jesus always accepts us.
Dear God, thank You for choosing me. Please help me remember that I’m chosen and accepted by You...even when I experience rejection. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: “Jesus Is Rejected” handout, Scissors
Get Ready:
Cut apart the handout and hide each piece. Make more than one on a different color of paper if you have a large group.
“Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.’” Mark 6:4
Lead kids in these steps:
Have kids work together to find the pieces of the handout.
Once they have all the pieces, they’ll put them together.
Have them read aloud the verse.
You can flip over parts of the handout to help them practice without the whole verse.
SAY: What Jesus said in this Bible verse is often true. It can be hard to believe someone you grew up with has become extraordinary. But Jesus was worthy of belief and worship because He is God!
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child
SAY: Today we’re learning about a time Jesus went to His hometown and began teaching in the Synagogue. We’re reading this in the book of Mark, chapter 6. But Mark is just one of four books that tell about Jesus; the other three tell about the same things that happened but from a different point of view. In the book of Luke, it gets more detailed about what Jesus was teaching. Today, you’ll work in groups to look into that.
Divide the class into five groups, and follow these steps:
- Give each group about 2X4 feet of butcher paper and some markers.
- In their groups, have them read Luke 4:16-21.
- Assign each of the five groups one of the following parts to verses 18 and 19:
Group 1: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
Group 2: He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
Group 3: That the blind will see,
Group 4: That the oppressed will be set free,
Group 5: And that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.
- Each group will discuss what their part is communicating to ensure they understand the meaning.
- Walk around and help kids with this part.
- Each group will find a way to show what their part of the verse says with two to three motions or dance moves.
- They will practice saying their part of the verses and doing the motions at the same time.
- Once all groups are ready, have everyone sit in a circle in their groups; order them in the circle according to the flow of the verses.
- Have each group one-by-one say their part of the verse and do their motions until all groups have gone.
- Repeat several times until the whole thing flows together.
- If time allows, invite kids to try to learn the whole thing with all the motions.
- Point out that Jesus was reading the Bible when He read these words, and then He said He was the one the verses were talking about.
ASK:
What is surprising or interesting about what happened in the Bible verses we read today?
What is something new you learned about Jesus from these verses?
SAY: Jesus was basically saying He is God’s Son, the special one they had heard God would send to save them. That would’ve been very surprising for some people to hear!
ASK:
What might you think or say if your brother, sister, or friend told you they were the most special person in the world?
Why do you think it might’ve been hard for people to believe Jesus was that special?
SAY: Jesus proved that He was God’s special one when He died on the cross and came back to life. That’s why people like Jesus’ own brother and mother knew Jesus is who He said He is!
Snack
Edible Home
You’ll Need: “Jesus Is Rejected in Nazareth How-To Video”, Paper plates - one per child, Grissini bread sticks - three per child, Round orange slices - one per child, Blueberries - six per child, Cucumber slices - two per child, Cheese slices - ¼ slice per child, Raisins - six per child
Give each child a paper plate and the supplies. Have children follow these steps to make the “Edible Home” snack:
- Break each bread stick in half to make a house shape with a roof.
- Use an orange slice for the sun.
- Use the cucumber slices for windows on the house.
- Use the cheese slice for the door.
- Make a “smoke” trail with the blueberries.
- Create a raisin pathway from the front door.
Enjoy.
SAY: Even though some of the townspeople didn’t see it, Jesus was special. He healed people and did many miracles, and He is God. Whether or not they believed it, Jesus is and was God’s special Son!
Game
Musical Chairs
You’ll Need: Chairs, Music
To play “Musical Chairs,” follow these steps:
- Put the chairs in a circle, facing outward. There should be one less chair than there are kids.
- Play music and have kids walk around the circle.
- Randomly stop the music, and kids will rush to find a chair to sit in.
- The child who does not find a chair is out.
- Remove a chair and repeat until one child is the winner.
- Play again as time allows.
ASK:
How did it feel to be left out in the game?
How was being left out like Jesus’ experience when He went back to His hometown?
SAY: When Jesus saw that many people did not believe He was their savior, the Bible says “He was amazed at their unbelief.” But He kept on teaching and healing because He knew God had given Him an important job. If we are rejected when we share about Jesus, we can remember Jesus went through the same thing.
Craft
Welcome Place Mat
You’ll Need: 11” x 17” white construction paper, Contact paper, “Welcome” stencils (many are available on Etsy)
Follow these steps to make the “Welcome Place Mat”:
- Give each child a piece of construction paper.
- Explain to kids that they’re going to make “Welcome Place Mats” to use at home at their dinner tables.
- Show kids a stencil, and explain that they’ll all get a turn to use it on their place mats. Explain that while they wait for their turn, they’ll decorate the outer areas of their place mats.
- Have kids write, “Whoever welcomes me doesn’t welcome me but the one who sent me.” -Mark 9:37.
- Help kids place Contact paper over their drawings to seal off their placemats.
SAY: The townspeople where Jesus grew up may not have welcomed Him, but we can welcome Jesus because we know about how things turned out. We know Jesus died and then came back to life on Easter, and we can celebrate Jesus as Lord. Take home your placemats and keep them as a reminder of that fact.
Prayer
Prayer for Our Hometown
You’ll Need: A map of your hometown (can be printed from the Internet)
- Gather the children in a circle.
- Place the map in the center of the circle.
- Explain that Jesus calls us to tell others about Him, and we can have courage like He did even if some people might not believe us.
- Invite children to look over the map and consider who they might want to share about Jesus with.
- Lead kids in a prayer for these people to have open minds and hearts.
PRAY: Dear God, we know You want everyone to know about Your Son, Jesus. Help us to be good messengers. In Jesus’ name, amen.
