VERSES: Luke 24:50-53; John 20:24-31; 21-1-25
MEMORY VERSE: John 20:28 "...My Lord and My God."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Haggai. Write "Haggai" on small slips of paper, so the students may memorize another Old testament books at home.
PRAYER: Thank God for His Word which we can read and know that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for our sins.
SPECIAL SONG: No, Not One (see June 2014 - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #6 on this blog. Click on orange circle to hear tune.)
VISUAL AID: Large Activity (see below)
LESSON POINTS:
- After Jesus had risen from the grave, we remember that He appeared to His disciples on that evening of the first day of the week. While they were gathered together, He stood in the middle of them and showed them His hands and his side, proving that it was really Jesus who had risen from the grave. His disciples believed that it was Him, but there was one disciple who was missing and that was Thomas. The other disciples had told him that they had seen the Lord, but Thomas did not believe them. He said that unless he saw the nail prints in His hands, put his finger in the nail prints, and put his hand into Jesus' side, he would not believe.
- Eight days later, Jesus' disciples were again gathered together and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus appeared in the middle of them, and said, "Peace, be to you." Then He turned to Thomas and said, "Reach with your finger and look at my hands. Put your hand here in my side. Don't be without faith, but believe." Thomas believed and said, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus talked to Thomas and said to him, "Thomas, you have believed in Me because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who have not seen Me, and yet believe."
- Jesus performed many other miracles in front of His disciples which were not written down (John 20:30, 31), but the reason that all of those things were written down, were to persuade people to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and, that if they believe in Him and obey His Will, they might have eternal life.
- Another time, Jesus appeared at the Sea of Tiberias where Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, and two other disciples were together. Peter told them that he was going fishing. The others said that they would go with him, so they immediately got inside a ship. They fished all night, but caught nothing. In the morning, the disciples saw someone standing on the shore. They didn't know it was Jesus! Jesus called to them, "Have you caught anything?" They said that they hadn't. Jesus then told them to cast or throw their net on the right side of the ship and they would find fish. They threw their net down on the right side of the ship and there were so many fish that they were not able to pull the net up! John instantly said to Peter that the person on the shore was Jesus. He threw his fisherman's coat to Peter and threw himself into the sea. Because they were not far from the shore, the other disciples came in a little ship, dragging the net with fishes. When they got to the shore, they saw a fire of coals and fish and bread were cooking on it. Jesus told them to bring the fish that they had caught. Peter drew the net up to land and it was full of fish! 153 fish, but the net was not broken! Jesus told them to come and eat. No one asked Jesus who He was because they all knew it was Jesus who gave them fish and bread. This was the third time that Jesus appeared to His disciples after He had risen from the dead.
- After they had eaten, Jesus said to Peter, "Do you love Me more than these?" Peter replied, "Yes, Lord. You know I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." Jesus again said to Peter, "Do you love Me?" Peter again replied, "Yes, Lord. You know I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep." For the third time, Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" Peter was grieved and saddened that Jesus had asked three times if he loved Him. Peter said, "Lord, You know all things. You know I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep." Later, Peter would be the one who would be the first gospel preacher in Acts 2. Peter would be teaching the people or what Jesus had said "feeding the sheep."
- Soon after, Jesus led the disciples out as far as Bethany, lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. The disciples worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and happiness! What did Jesus' disciples do after that? They were continually in the temple, teaching the people and praising and blessing God.
- There is a phrase, "doubting Thomas"; this is where that phrase comes from.
- In the book of John, John refers many times to "the disciple whom Jesus loved," but never reveals his name. John tells us at the very end of his book who this disciple is. Read John 21:24 for the answer! It was himself--John, the one who wrote the book.
Materials needed: 6" x 18" light green construction paper, scraps of dark green and tan paper,crayons, scissors, tape.
- Hand out green paper.
- Fold green paper in half.
- Fold paper in half again. There should be four panels.
- Fold last panel in opposite direction on fold line. This will form a box later.
- Unfold paper.
- Trace lines.
- On one side, number the first three panels, #1, #2, #3.
- In PANEL #1: write, "Peter, do you love Me?" in red. Below those words, write, "Yes, Lord. You know I love You." in blue. Below those words, write, "Feed My lambs." in purple.
- In PANEL #2: write, "Peter, do you love Me?" in red. Below those words, write, "Yes, Lord. You know I love You." in blue. Below those words, write, "Feed My sheep" in purple.
- In PANEL #3: write, "Peter, do you love Me?" in red. Below those words, write, "Lord, you know all things. You know I love You." in blue. Below those words, write, "Feed My sheep" in purple.
- In last panel, draw a large square and cut it out. This is the window. Above the window, write, "What did that mean?" Below the window, write "Peter would be teaching the people or feeding the sheep." Write "feeding the sheep" in purple.
- TURN PAPER OVER, making sure that the words can be read on the other side.
- In the first panel with the window, nothing should be written.
- In the second panel next to the window, write "John 21:15-17."
- In the third panel, draw many, many small circles. These are the faces of people on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
- In the fourth panel, write "Acts 2-First Gospel Preacher."
- Hand out scraps of paper.
- Cut a green triangle out of the green paper. This is Peter's body.
- Cut out two shorter green triangles. These are Peter's arms.
- Cut out a tan circle. This is the back of Peter's head.
- Cut out two tiny tan circles. These are Peter's hands.
- Glue Peter's body to the bottom of the green paper, covering some of the faces of the people.
- Glue Peter's arms to his body.
- Glue Peter's head to his body.
- Glue Peter's hands to the end of his arms.
- Color the back of Peter's head with hair.
- Fold paper on lines again with Peter inside the box.
- Tape the two open sides together.
- Students should read their "box before leaving class.
