Curriculum

The Light of the World

The Light of the World Go to Curriculum multi-week pack

Bible Background

What Kids Will Learn

God chose John the Baptist to spend his life sharing the news of the coming Messiah. He preached to crowds of people, inspiring them to repent, and set the stage for Jesus and His ministry.

Scripture Summary

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah throughout the second half of the book of Isaiah. Hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah included John the Baptist in the prophecy as a messenger for Jesus, preparing His way.

John the Baptist lived a unique life. He lived in isolation in the wilderness, dressed in camel’s hair, and ate locusts and wild honey. He chose this life to remove aspects of life that would distract him from God’s presence, to gain the attention of people when he spoke, to display a difference between his lifestyle and the luxurious lifestyle of religious leaders, and, finally, to fulfill Old Testament prophecy.

John the Baptist spent his life preaching a message of repentance and new life. He baptized new believers. Baptism was a sign that someone had turned from his or her sinful ways and desired a new life with Jesus Christ.

The most important aspect of John the Baptist’s calling was to tell others about the coming Messiah. While John the Baptist’s message was pure and life-changing, the true Savior was coming. Jesus, the Messiah, was the Son of God and the only one who could give the Holy Spirit.

Why Is This Important

Similar to John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus, we, too, are His witnesses. Instead of sharing who is to come, we have the joy and responsibility of sharing that Jesus has come and invites all into a relationship with Him.

Teacher Devotion

Scripture

Taste and See

“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8)

If others were to describe you, what would they say? Are you known for your crochet abilities, your furrowed brow, or your engaging and jovial stories for every topic?

When our boys were little, like so many families, our family juggled many demands. Our schedule was fragile. We fit the 267 tasks, meetings, and errands all in each 24-hour period.

I remember one afternoon I attempted to pose our young boys for a “quick” picture. Nothing was going right, and we needed to head out the door to our next commitment. The younger one- year-old was not cooperating and quite grumpy. Our older son, at a strapping five years old, quickly intervened, saying, “Oh sweetheart, we don’t have time for this!”

While I was slightly thankful that it was my sweet voice he mimicked ( rather than one with a familiar impatient tone), I was keenly aware that my son saw me as busy, frantic, and impatient. That’s what I witnessed to him, and he picked it up easily.

Even more importantly, I am to be a witness of Christ to my boys and those around me. When others describe me as busy and impatient, they’re not seeing Christ. They’re seeing someone who has overcommitted herself and is doggedly determined to be dependable.

What would it look like for me to be a true witness of Christ? Would my joy, especially as I’m able to take refuge in Him, be so intriguing that others would want a taste?

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for loving me and having such patience with me. As I navigate the ups and downs of life, please help me be a witness of You. Let me show others the true source of joy, of love, and of truth in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get the full Sunday school lesson plan

  • Bible Memory Verse
  • Interactive Bible Experience
  • Animated video with companion questions

Bible Memory Verse

You’ll Need: Flashlights - one per team, Yellow sticky notes, Markers

Get Ready: Write words or phrases from today’ Bible memory verse on the sticky notes (one set per team). Then hide the notes around the room.

“There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” John 1:6-8

  • Divide the class into teams. Give each team a flashlight.
  • Dim the lights in the room.
  • Explain that each team is to use a flashlight to try to find all the notes with today’s memory verse on them.
  • Once they find all the notes, explain that the first team to put the notes in order wins.
  • Then have kids practice saying the Bible memory verse several times.

SAY: Today we are going to learn more about John, who came to tell people about the truth of Jesus. John wasn’t the light, he came to tell about the light.

Interactive Bible Experience

You’ll Need: A Bible, Green construction paper, White and yellow chalk

  • Invite each child to turn in their Bibles to John 1:6-8, 19-28.
  • Give each child a piece of construction paper and a piece of chalk.
  • Explain that they are to listen closely as you read through today’s verses. Every time they hear the word light, they will draw a light on their paper. (Pause for a moment each time you read the word “light.”)
  • At the end, instruct kids to write, “Jesus is the light. John 1:6-8, 19-28” at the bottom of the page.

ASK:

  • Why do you think Jesus is called the one true Light?
  • What are some ways you can show you believe Jesus is the one true Light?
  • Who can you tell about the Light of the world this week?

SAY: John was sent from God, not to be the light but to testify about the one true Light: Jesus. Those of us who call ourselves Christians are also to tell others about Jesus, the Light of the world.

Snack

Candle Snacks

You’ll Need: Ice cream cones - one per child, Popcorn - one bag per child

SAY: Today we learned that Jesus is the one true Light and we are to be witnesses to the Light. As we make today’s “candle snack,” we’ll go around the table and each share one thing we love about Jesus.

  • Give each child an ice cream cone and their individual bag of popcorn.
  • Have kids pour the popcorn into the cone until it comes out over the top like a flame.
  • While the kids eat their snacks, invite them to share one thing they love about Jesus

Game

Follow the Light

You’ll Need: A bright light

  • Make a list of things kids can make as shadow puppets on the wall.
  • Ask for a volunteer. Secretly give that child something to act out.
  • Invite the volunteer to stand in front of the light and wall in a dark room.
  • The volunteer will make shadow puppets to try to give the others hints on what they are creating.
  • The first child who guesses correctly gets to go next.
  • Play as many rounds as you have time.

ASK:

  • What helped you figure out what the shadow puppet was?
  • What things about Jesus are like clues that He is the Light of the world?

SAY: Without light in this dark room, our volunteers could have never made their shapes on the wall. Light was needed in the darkness. Our world is dark and needs light. Jesus is the one true Light of the world. He brings light to the darkness.

Craft

Light Necklaces

You’ll Need: Colored plastic Christmas light bulbs - four per child, Yarn, Permanent markers, Hot glue gun (with close adult supervision)

To make the “light necklaces” have kids follow these steps:

  • Give each child four bulbs and a piece of yarn.
  • Instruct kids to write one of each of the following words on their light bulbs: “Jesus is the light.”
  • Next, assist kids in hot gluing their bulbs to the yarn.
  • Allow time for the necklaces to cool before kids put them on.

SAY: There is one true Light and His name is Jesus. He is the Light of the world and we are to tell others about Him. Wear your necklace home and use it to tell someone about Jesus.

Prayer

Light Prayers

You’ll Need: “The Light of the World” handout - one per child, Glow-in-the-dark glue, Markers

  • Give each child a “Light of the World” handout.
  • Have kids write their names on one of the candles.
  • Explain that today they are going to pray that God would give them the courage to share about Jesus with others.
  • Have kids write the name of someone they want to share Jesus with on the second candle.
  • Explain that Jesus brings light to their lives. Have them add glow- in-the-dark glue to the flame on their candle.
  • Explain that when they share about Jesus with others, they share Jesus’ light with that person, too. Have them fold the paper inward on the line so the glue on the one candle transfers some to the other candle.
  • Once glue has spread to both candles, have kids open the paper.
  • Test the glow-in-the-dark effect to show kids the light spreads when they share about Jesus.

PRAY: Dear God, we learned today that Jesus is the one true Light. Give us opportunities to share Jesus’ light with those we named today. In Jesus’ name, amen.