Christ’s Love And Majesty in the New Testament
Lesson 1: Jesus is Our Friend
Forming a friendship with Christ
The Lesson: We learn that Jesus is our best friend who introduces us to God.
Biggie Verse: You can know that the things you have been taught are real and certain. Luke 1:4.
Based On: Luke 1:1-4; Job 16:19-21.
This is our introductory New Testament CLAMbake in more ways than one. First, we introduce ourselves to the kids, then the kids to CLAMbake. Most of all, we introduce Jesus as the best friend a person could ever have!
Opening Activity: Find the Word!
Find the Word is the same as the famous game called Hangman, but there is no noose or man to hang. On an easel's paper pad or a chalkboard draw ten lines to represent a ten-letter word, like this:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
At the bottom of the game it's good to add the letters of the alphabet to cross off as kids guess incorrectly. The solution is FRIENDSHIP.
When ready to play, have the kids form two or three teams. Members of a team can decide together what letter to choose each turn. We like teams because the kids always seem to have more fun when playing in teams.
Once the solution is found, say something like this: I'm about to read from a book in the Bible called the Gospel of Luke. It's actually a letter that Luke, one of the Lord's disciples, wrote to a friend of his named Theophilus. Funny name, but it has a cool meaning. Theophilus means "Friend of God." Let's read the opening part of Luke's letter to Theophilus his friend.
The Bible Story Part One: Luke writes about Jesus - Luke 1:1-4
"Many others have put pen to paper to tell of the things that have been done among us, and many details have been handed down to us by the very eyewitnesses who saw these things firsthand—servants of God’s word. I have carefully investigated all of it from the beginning on up, so it seems to me to be a good idea to write it all out in an organized way so that you, my friend Theophilus, can know that the things you have been taught are real and certain."
Questions to ask the kids:
It sounds like Theophilus wanted to know that the things he’d heard about Jesus were real and certain. Luke researched the details that had been handed down by who? Eyewitnesses of the things Jesus did and said.
How can we know Jesus is real and certain? Read the Bible, written by the eyewitnesses and people like Luke.
Activity: Friendship Chart.
Teacher: Give each student a sheet of paper on which to write and a pen or pencil. Have everyone do the following:
Find three other students, one at a time. Write down their answers to these questions:
1. What is your first name? (Sorry kids, no silly made-up names allowed!)
2. What is your favorite sport or hobby?
3. Do you have a pet? What kind?
4. What is your favorite movie, show or game?
Teacher: Have the kids share some of what they've learned about each other. Tie this into the story of Luke having a friendship with Theophilus, the Friend of God. Point out that the purpose of this lesson and any lesson we teach from the Bible is that we may understand that God is the greatest friend we could ever have.
Activity: Build a Bridge
Build a Bridge. Have the kids work together to build a bridge they can walk across. A bridge can consist of two chairs crossed with a bit of plywood, lumber or anything that will work. If practical in your situation, place these materials around the building for kids to go find. Once a workable bridge is built, have kids walk across it—for safety’s sake have an adult offer a hand to hold.
Explain, "Jesus is our bridge from us to God. We come to God by way of Jesus. That is why Jesus is truly our very best friend—He brings us to God and gives us life everlasting with God!”
The Bible Story Part Two: Job has a Friend in Heaven - Job 16:19-21.
Tell the kids: Centuries before Luke wrote his letter to his pal Theophilus, a man named Job was suffering unbearable physical pain and the devastating loss of his entire family. His so-called friends blamed Job for bringing these troubles on himself. They told him that God had rejected him. Listen to the beautiful answer Job gave to them:
“I have a witness now in heaven; I have one who will speak for me above. My go-between is my friend as I cry tears to God; on my behalf He pleads my case with God as a friend pleads for a friend.”
A Question to Ask:
Who do you think was that friend in heaven? Many Bible scholars think it was Jesus, centuries before coming to earth to be born as a baby. Jesus is truly our Friend in heaven!
Activity: 7-Dot Bingo
7-Dot Bingo is a super easy do-it-yourself Bible Bingo game. This is an activity that reviews today's two Bible stories. First, give each player a blank sheet of paper and have them all draw a 4x4 grid pattern like a regular Bingo card. The spaces are then numbered 1 to 16 with 1 starting at the top left box formed by the grid. After everyone has finished, each player then chooses seven random boxes in which to mark a dot. For example, a player might choose these boxes: 1, 3,6,7,9,13,16. Each of those numbered boxes have a dot. Unlike a regular game of Bingo, a winning bingo has nothing to do with getting four in a row, column or diagonal. The winner is the player that is the first to cross off all seven dotted numbers.
How to Play: There are sixteen questions below based on this lesson's Bible stories. You the teacher begin play by reading the first question. Since it is question number 1, all the players cross off the number 1 box on their pages. Discuss the answer. Some players might have dotted that box, others not. As you continue to ask and discuss the questions, sooner or later someone will have crossed off all seven dotted spaces. That player wins the game. Keep playing until all sixteen questions have been discussed.
The 7-Dot Bingo Questions
1. What was the name of the man that wrote the Gospel passage? Luke.
2. What was Luke's friend's name? Theophilus.
3. What does the name Theophilus mean? Friend of God.
4. Who handed down the details of the things Jesus did? The eyewitnesses.
5. Was Luke an eyewitness of the things Jesus did? No.
6. Luke called the eyewitnesses servants of what? God's Word.
7. What did Luke want his friend Theophilus to know? The things he had been taught are real and certain.
8. How can we know these things about Jesus are real and certain? Reading and believing the Bible.
9. Did Job Job live before, during or after Luke? Long before.
10. Job had two horrible things happen to him. Name one. Unbearable pain or the loss of his entire family.
11. Name the other. Unbearable pain or the loss of his entire family.
12. Job's friends said that God had done what to Job? Rejected him.
13. Job told his friends that he had a witness where? In heaven.
14. Job' friend in heaven was his 'go-between.' What do you think that means? Job's friend would communicate Job's needs to God.
15. Job was crying tears to whom? God.
16. Who do you think Job's friend in heaven was? Many believe it was Jesus.
Activity: Bible Wars
Simple to play. Two teams vie to look up Bible references as you call them out. First player to find a reference stands up and reads it aloud. The player’s team scores one point. To help any kids who haven’t yet developed Bible skills, you might try this rule: Do not allow the same player to answer twice in a row.
Today’s game features passages that focus on friendship. Remind the kids of this as they play. Play as time permits.
Luke 1:4
Exodus 33:11
Luke 5:20
Psalm 41:9
Job 16:21
Proverbs 22:11
James 4:4
Ecclesiastes 4:10
Job 29:4
John 15:13
Job 16:19-20
Psalm 119:63
Proverbs 18:24
James 2:23
Proverbs 17:9
Proverbs 17:17
Close in Prayer
Optional Idea: Since you are likely using a phone to view this lesson, why not shoot some photos or videos of the kids as the lesson progresses? Nice to show the parents and a great way to learn the names of the kids in your class.