Aim to learn the main events of the story: four key words – prophet, preach, Messiah, salvation
Aim
* To learn the main events of the story
* To learn four key words – prophet, preach, Messiah, salvation
Materials
* Children’s Picture Bible – Colin Wilson
* Bible – Luke 1
* Visual aids – large picture of the story
* Worksheets
Lesson Outline
1. Introduction
2. The Story of John the Baptist
3. Questions
4. Worksheets
5. Review the aims
6. End with a Prayer
1) Introduction
Explain the meaning of the four key words
* prophet – a person chosen by God to teach people about God
* preach – to teach God’s word to people
* Messiah – the saviour who comes to build God’s kingdom on earth
* salvation – freedom from sin
2) The Story of John the Baptist
As the priest Zechariah burns incense in the temple in Jerusalem, an angel appears and tells him that his wife, Elizabeth will have a baby boy. He will be called John and will be a great prophet, who will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord and Messiah. Zechariah doesn’t believe the angel, because his wife is too old to have children. Because of his disbelief, he is made dumb. Later when Elizabeth gives birth to a baby boy, Zechariah is asked to name the child. When he writes the name John, his voice immediately returns.
3) Questions
* Who were Elizabeth and Zechariah? He was a priest and she his wife
* Why did Zechariah go to the temple? – to burn incense
* Who appeared to him in the temple? – the angel Gabriel
* What did the angel tell him? – Your wife will have a son, and you will call him John. He will be a great prophet of God, and he will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord, who is God’s
promised King
* Why didn’t he believe the angel? – His wife was too old to have children
* What happened to Zechariah? – He was struck dumb, because he didn’t believe the angel
* What happened when it was time to name the baby? – He wrote the name John and his voice immediately came back
4) Activities
Worksheets (two versions)
* An angel appears to Zechariah – Connect the dots and fill in the missing words.
The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah. He was very terrified. The angel told him that his wife
Elizabeth would have a son called John. He would prepare the people for the Messiah
* What did the Angel say to Zechariah? – decode the symbols
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son whom you will call John
* The Birth of John the Baptist – find 7 differences between the pictures, unscramble the words:
Salvation, Messiah, preach, prophet
Charades
Be like Zechariah and try to communicate without words. Do an action. Who can guess what you are trying to say. The teacher can also demonstrate and the children guess.
Examples:
Rub your tummy (I’m hungry).
Snoring – (I’m sleeping)
Read a story
Watch a movie
At the dentist
Clean a window
Take medicine
Play a video game
Show different emotions – sad, happy, angry, afraid, bored,
5) Review the aims
* To learn the main events of the story
* To learn 4 key words – prophet, preach, Messiah, salvation
6) End with a Prayer
