DATE OF USE DATE OF USE ________

Caring Jesus

BIBLE PASSAGEBIBLE PASSAGELuke 19:1-10

CHRIST FOCUSCHRIST FOCUSJesus set the example for how to treat others.

LIFE ACTIONLIFE ACTIONAsk your preschoolers to think of someone who is hard to like. Talk about ways to do one kind thing for that person.

LIFE VERSELIFE VERSE

Love others

as I have

loved you.

— J o h n 1 5 : 1 2

OPTIONAL WEEkLy OPTIONAL WEEkLy VERSEVERSE1 John 4:19

LOBLLOBLJesus

LIFE PoInt We should love others just as we love ourselves.

LEADER BIBLE StUDYBIBLE StUDYOne exciting way that cities and countries

celebrate big events is by having

parades. Colorful floats, marching bands,

limousines, clowns, and other elements

make parades fun. In ancient times,

when a famous person entered a city,

the residents lined the streets, similar to

watching a parade, to gawk and cheer.

Jesus was passing through the city

of Jericho, so the people crowded the

streets to see Him. A local tax collector

named Zacchaeus also wanted to get a

look. However, due to his short height,

he couldn’t see over the crowd, so he

climbed a tree to get a better view.

Jesus saw him sitting among the limbs.

Jesus told Zacchaeus that He wanted to

stay at his house. Perhaps Jesus saw in

Zacchaeus a genuine desire to find God.

Jesus’ request did not sit well

with Jericho’s citizens. They resented

Zacchaeus’s abuse and dishonesty in

collecting Roman taxes. They were

indignant that Jesus would associate with

a “sinner.” Regardless, Jesus boldly went

to see Zacchaeus.

Seeing how Jesus cared for him,

Zacchaeus was convicted of his sinful life.

He did what all sinners need to do—he

repented and promised to repay four-fold

everyone he had cheated. Jesus then paid

Zacchaeus a great compliment by saying

that salvation had come to Zacchaeus’s

house. (See Luke 19:9.)

How do you think Zacchaeus’s promise

indicated to Jesus that he had sincerely

repented? _____________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

What should be our response to God’s

grace as well? ___________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

CONNECT TO FAMILyCONNECT TO FAMILy

This week families using Bible Studies

for Life will learn about how they should

handle conflict. Kids will learn that

although Zacchaeus was an unlovable

tax collector in the eyes of society, Jesus

kindly befriended him. As adults and

students study, they will learn that they

can follow Jesus’ example when facing

difficult conflicts.

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26 U n i t 1, S e S S i o n 5© 2013 LifeWay

Decide when you plan to have group time; then select learning activities to use

before and/or after group time.

ChooseYour Own

sChedUle

MEMORY VERSE/PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS/INTO ACTIVITY

NotesNotes

BIBLEBIBLE StoRY

JESUS AnD ZAccHAEUS—Based on Luke 19:1-10

Jesus was coming! People were standing everywhere. everyone wanted to see Jesus,

including a man named Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. People did not like

Zacchaeus because he took more tax money than he should.

Zacchaeus really wanted to see Jesus. But he was too short to see over the crowd of

people. So Zacchaeus ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a tree. Now he would be

able to see Jesus.

Jesus came to the tree where Zacchaeus was sitting. Jesus stopped and looked up

at Zacchaeus. “Come down, Zacchaeus,” said Jesus. “I want to go to your house today!”

Zacchaeus quickly climbed down the tree. He was happy that Jesus was going to his

house. The other people wondered why Jesus wanted to visit the man they did not like.

As Zacchaeus and Jesus talked, Zacchaeus knew that he had done some wrong things. Zacchaeus told Jesus, “I will

help the poor people. If I have taken too much money from people, I will give them

back all of their money and more.”

What a happy day for Zacchaeus! He knew that Jesus loved him and God loved him, too.

GRoUPGRoUP tIME ►►Follow the rhythm of a song. Play “Let us Love One Another” (song). Invite the kids

to stand and then squat to the rhythm of the music.

►►tell the Bible story. Mention that a lot of people did not like Zacchaeus but Jesus helped Zacchaeus. Tell the kids to listen for how Jesus helped Zacchaeus. Open the

Bible to Luke 19 and tell the Bible story. Pray, thanking God for His word.

►►Review the Bible story. Show the Teaching Picture and ask questions to review the Bible story: Why did people not like Zacchaeus? Why did Zacchaeus climb a tree?

How did Jesus show love to Zacchaeus? With each answer, a child drops a penny into

the jar. Note that Zacchaeus paid back all of the extra money he had taken and more.

►►Learn the Life verse and Life Point. Point to the Life Verse in the Bible and read the verse from the Bible marker. Lead the kids to say the verse each time you drop a

penny into the jar. Note that Zacchaeus learned to love others as much as he loved

himself. Play “Sing a Song to God” (song).

►►wrap it up. Show the video “Love the unlovable: Life Action.” Read the book Like Jesus.

►Pack Items 14 and 23: “Bible Markers” and “Book: Like Jesus”

►Teaching Picture 5 ►Music and Print extras ►digital Video Bundle ►Pennies, jar

LIFE VERSELIFE VERSE

Love others as I have

loved you. John 15:12

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B i B l e S t u d i e S f o r l i f e 3s– p r e - K 27© 2013 LifeWay

NotesNotes

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

LEARnInGLEARnInG ActIvItIES

BUILD tREES AnD HoUSESBUILD tREES AnD HoUSES►►christ Focus: Jesus wants us to love others as He loves us.►►Bible Focus: Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus.

• explain the directions for the Kids Activity Page. Help the kids as needed as they

complete the page.

• Invite the kids to build a town with trees. To make a tree, roll a sheet of paper into

a long tube; tape it along the side. Cut several slits halfway down on one end of

the roll; separate the slits to make branches. Place the uncut end of the roll into a

cardboard tube (the trunk). Tape each tree to a block for stability. The children can

build houses with the blocks. Talk about the Bible story as they work.

• Remark that Jesus told Zacchaeus about God’s love. (Blocks)

MAKE AnD coUnt GRAPESMAKE AnD coUnt GRAPES►►christ Focus: Jesus set the example for how to treat others.►►Bible Focus: Jesus ate a meal at Zacchaeus’s house.

• Lead the kids to roll small lumps of the play dough into grape shapes. Guide the

kids to make several grapes. As the kids work, play “God Loves All People” (song).

Pre-kindergartners may want to count the grapes.

• Suggest that the children distribute a serving of grapes to guests at a table. Talk

about Zacchaeus and how Jesus was a guest at his house. Show the Teaching

Picture and review the Bible story from your open Bible. (Dramatic Play)

ExAMInE StIcKSExAMInE StIcKS►►christ Focus: Jesus taught people how to treat others.►►Bible Focus: Zacchaeus sat in a tree so he could see Jesus.

• display the sticks on a piece of construction paper.

• encourage the children to examine the sticks with a magnifying glass.

• Lead the kids to compare how a stick looks when it is dry and when it is wet

(after dipping it in the tray). Ask the kids to use describing words to tell you about

the sticks. Ask the kids if they know where sticks come from. (trees) Note that

Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus.

• Tell the Bible story. Mention that Jesus helped Zacchaeus know that God loved

him. (Nature and Science)

►Kids Activity Page ►Assorted cardboard tubes, green construction paper, tape, scissors, wooden blocks

►Kids Activity Page ►Cotton swabs; tempera paint (yellow, green, brown, red); paper plates; paper; painting smocks

►Music and Print extras: “Allergy Alert”

►Assorted sticks, magnifying glass, piece of construction paper, small tray with water, paper towels

►Gather assorted sticks. Post the “Allergy Alert.”

►Teaching Picture 5 ►Music and Print extras: “Allergy Alert”

►Play dough, play dough tools

►Post the “Allergy Alert.”

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28 U n i t 1, S e S S i o n 5© 2013 LifeWay

LIFE PoInt We should love others just as we love ourselves.

STUDY THE BIBLE

NotesNotes

LEARnInGLEARnInG ActIvItIES

►Kids Activity Page ►Assorted cardboard tubes, green construction paper, tape, scissors, wooden blocks

►Kids Activity Page ►Cotton swabs; tempera paint (yellow, green, brown, red); paper plates; paper; painting smocks

►Music and Print extras: “Allergy Alert”

►Assorted sticks, magnifying glass, piece of construction paper, small tray with water, paper towels

►Gather assorted sticks. Post the “Allergy Alert.”

►Teaching Picture 5 ►Music and Print extras: “Allergy Alert”

►Play dough, play dough tools

►Post the “Allergy Alert.”

PAInt tREESPAInt tREES►►christ Focus: Jesus loved Zacchaeus.

Jesus wants us to love all people.

►►Bible Focus: Jesus saw Zacchaeus sitting in a tree.

• use a paper plate to make a paint

palette (a large dab of each tempera

paint color) for each child.

• Invite the kids to paint trees using the

cotton swabs and the paint. Tell the

Bible story as they paint. Read the Life

Verse from the Kids Activity Page. (Art)

coMPLEtE A GIAnt MAZEcoMPLEtE A GIAnt MAZE►►christ Focus: Jesus wants us to treat others with the same love He shows for us. ►►Bible Focus: Zacchaeus moved to a place where he could see Jesus.

• Lead the kids to use the maze figures to travel through a giant maze. As they travel

through the maze, use your Bible to tell the Bible story. Point to the Life Verse at

John 15:12 in your Bible. Talk about what the verse means. (Puzzles and Games)

BONus ACTIVITIes

MAKE A PUZZLEMAKE A PUZZLEInvite the kids to choose markers, crayons, or colored pencils to color the “Jesus and

Zacchaeus” Coloring Page (Music and Print extras). Tell the Bible story. When the kids

are finished, invite them to carefully cut their page into four pieces to make a puzzle.

Send home each child’s puzzle in a ziplock bag. Play “Jesus Is a Friend to All” (song).

MAKE FInGER PUPPEtSMAKE FInGER PUPPEtSLead each child to draw a stick person from today’s Bible story on an index card. Cut

two finger-sized holes in the bottom of each child’s card to make a finger puppet. Offer

to tell the Bible story as the kids use their puppets to play it out.

CLeAN uPPlay “I Can do the Right Thing” (song) as the kids clean the room. Play “Follow” (song)

as you lead the kids to group time.

LIFE VERSELIFE VERSE

Love others as I have

loved you. John 15:12

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►Pack Items 14, 22a-b: “Bible Markers,” “Giant Maze,” “Maze Figures”

B i B l e S t u d i e S f o r l i f e 3s– p r e - K 29© 2013 LifeWay