STORY AT A GLANCE

Supplies:

Holy MolyDVD

Holy MolyLeaflets

Connect Bibles Pencils

CLOSING PRAYER

Fewer kids?Bring napkins, a centerpiece, and a snack to enjoy together using your placemats. What do you think Jesus and Zacchaeus talked about at dinner?

More time?Add variety to the placemat design by coloring the black and white images and the base.

More kids?Divide into table groups. Help Zacchaeus plan a dinner menu for Jesus’ visit.

Dear God,Thank you for weaving us together with your love. Help us welcome others, so we can see them the way you see them.

Amen!

Less time?Weave one strip whle you are together, and ask kids to complete the weaving at home. Invite kids to use their placemats at meals this week.

ACTIVITY TIPS

Gra

de

s 3-4 Leader GuideZACCHAEuS

Grades 3-4. Zacchaeus Leader Guide. Holy Moly. wearesparkhouse.org. © 2013 sparkhouse. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only provided each copy carries this notice.

Jesus• Passes through the town of Jericho, where Zacchaeus

lives, on his way to Jerusalem for the Passover.

• Recently told the story of the camel and the eye of the needle after meeting a rich young man who could not give up his wealth (Lk 18:24-25).

• Forgives Zacchaeus as soon as he repents.

• Says his mission is to save “lost” people just like Zacchaeus (Lk 19:10).

• According to Luke, Jesus’ stay with Zacchaeus is the last event before he enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

People of Jericho• Gather together to see Jesus.

• Dislike Zacchaeus for cheating them and working with Rome.

• Shocked and offended that Jesus wants to stay with the tax collector.

Money• Judeans resent the

taxes the Romans take from them.

• Zacchaeus’s willingness to return the money is a sign that he is ready to follow Jesus.

Zacchaeus• High-ranking tax collector for Rome.

Tax collectors were considered sinners (Mt 9:10-13).

• Rich because he takes more money from people than is fair.

• Curious to see Jesus. Climbs a sycamore tree because he’s short.

• Repents of his wrongdoing as soon as Jesus recognizes him.

• Promises to give half his wealth to the poor and to pay back anyone he cheated 4 times what he took from them.

Sycamore Tree• Sycamore fig, not the American

sycamore tree.

• Grows in southern Africa and the Middle East.

• Up to 65 ft (20 m) tall, with wide, spreading branches good for climbing.

KEY VERSE When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”

Luke 19:5

Jesus is Zac’s guest today, no matter what the grumblers say.

Markers Scissors Glue Sticks

(10-15 min.)

(5-10 min.)

(20-30 min.)

CREATE

(5-10 min.)

DISCOVER

RELATE CONNECT Fold remaining page in half vertically. Carefully cut wavy blue lines. Don’t

cut through the edges.

3

Kids write or draw their responses to questions.

1

Get ReadyCreate a group of kids based on a random attribute (are wearing sneakers, glasses, or skirts; have curly hair; play piano or soccer; sit in the church balcony). Help kids identify what this group has in common. Create other groups with different attributes.

• How did you feel when you were part of a group?

• Did you have any control over being part of a group? Why?

• Did it seem fair?

Introduce the Characters• You’ll meet Zacchaeus, a tax collector, who takes

more money than he is supposed to.

• Because of this, Zacchaeus has no friends.

• You’ll see many people listening to Jesus preach.

• Zacchaeus hears Jesus and wants to know more.

• He figures out a way to see Jesus.

• You might be surprised how the crowd of people who seem to be listening to Jesus treat Zacchaeus.

Watch to see what Jesus does that

surprises the crwod.

If time permits, watch it again!

Play the Zacchaeus Video

Talk about the Zacchaeus Video• Why didn’t people like Zacchaeus?

• Do you think Zacchaeus climbed the tree to see Jesus or so Jesus could see him? Why?

• Why do you think Jesus told Zacchaeus he wanted to go to his house?

• I wonder what would have happened to Zaccheus if Jesus hadn’t interrupted the crowd.

• Why did Zacchaeus give the money bags back to the people?

• I wonder how people treated Zacchaeus after Jesus left.

Open the Connect BibleHelp kids find and mark Luke 19:5 on page 1196.

• At the end of this story Jesus says he came to seek the lost. In Luke 15, Jesus talked about the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Draw eyes or glasses by Luke 19:10 and 1 of the “lost” stories in Luke 15. Jesus brings new life to the lost.

Do the Luke 19:1-10 Connect Bible activity on page 1196.

• Did you find the rearranged word “call” in “Tax Collector”? The woman in the video tattled when she saw Zacchaeus in the tree. I wonder if tattling on him felt more important than listening to Jesus. Why do you think Jesus called out Zacchaeus? What’s the difference between being tattled on and being called out?

A WELCOME MAT: Kids weave a placemat to emphasize Jesus’ desire to eat dinner with Zacchaeus.

Choose 1 colored strip to weave over and under cut lines on place mat. Push snug to edge.

4

Cut apart rainbow-colored strips.

2

Choose 5 more strips to weave. Begin one strip over and the

next under.

5

Holy Moly!The Bible says the crowd grumbled.

• Why were people unhappy when Jesus ate with Zacchaeus?

• When do you hear grumbling?

• What would Jesus say about the things we grumble about today?

Holy Moly!Weaving mixes everything together.

• What happens to your responses about grumbling and feeling left out when woven in the placemat?

• Do you sometimes hide your feelings on the inside, where no one else can see them?

• How is Jesus’ teaching like something that is woven together? Glue ends of woven strips to

placemat base.

6