Rotation.Org Writing Team

JESUS AND PETER: DO YOU LOVE ME?

DRAMA WORKSHOP

PASSAGE

Bible Story

John 21:1-17

Background Scripture passages for teacher preparation include:

John 13:33, 36-38

John 18:15-18, 25-27

Key/Memory Verse

John 21:15-17

Objectives

Students will:

Locate the story of Peter’s denial and restoration in the Bible, learning that the story is in the New Testament Gospel of John.

Retell the story in their own words.

Contrast Jesus’ love for Peter, even after Peter denied knowing him. Jesus was giving Peter another chance.

Discover that we, too, do wrong things sometimes – but God forgives us and gives us second chances.

Explore Peter’s statement of faith – “Yes, I love you.”

Recognize that Statements of Faith are hollow words without Statements of Action.

Develop their own Statement of Faith and Action, pledging support to Jesus.

Connect Jesus’ breakfast with his disciples, and his questions to Peter with our own “breakfast with Jesus” – communion – and understand that sacrament as a pledge to Jesus that we will minister to others in Christ’s name.

PREPARATION

Read Scripture passages.

Read Bible Background.

Materials List

• Bibles
  
• Method for hanging sheet such as clothesline or string, clothespins, or puppet stage
  
• Sheet, large white or light color
  
• Spotlight
  

Advance Preparation Requirements

Hang sheet and position spotlight to shine on actors, then sheet.

Check out the following link to see what a shadow drama looks like:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d50629fa2c36769285d5

PRESENTATION

Open – Introduction

Ask the children to think of a time when they made a promise to someone, but failed to keep it. How did they feel? How do they think the other person felt? What did they do to try and make things right?

Dig - Main Content

Tell the children that today’s story focuses on Jesus and Peter. Tell them Peter had promised Jesus he would never deny knowing him – and then he did! The story you are about to read tells the other half of this story. Have the children listen for what Jesus had to say to Peter.

Read the story as found in John 21:1-17.

Ask the children what Jesus’ response was to Peter –

What did Jesus ask Peter?

What did Peter say in return?

How many times did Jesus ask Peter to “feed his sheep?”

Tell the children that just as Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus gave Peter three opportunities to tell Jesus that he loved him.

Tell the children that they are now going to act out the story in a shadow drama.

Show the children how to make the shadows with their bodies to act out the story. They should stand as close to the sheet as possible. When the spotlight shines on them, their body will make a shadow on the sheet that the rest of the class can see from the other side.

Have the children act out the parts of Jesus and Peter (and other disciples if needed) as you read the story again from the Bible.

Gather the children for a short discussion:

If you make a promise and then do nothing, have you kept your promise?

Peter said he loved Jesus and was willing to help others – what do you think he could do to keep his promise this time?

As followers of Jesus, we too have made a promise to help others. Our belief in Jesus is hollow without actions to back up what we believe in. What are some things you can do that show you are following Jesus?

After the children have come up with some ideas of living out their faith, have them act out their ideas in a shadow drama.

Reflect – Closure

Gather the children to say a prayer before dismissal. Pray over the promise the children have made to Jesus when they follow him and ask God to help the children live out their faith daily.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS

Adaptations - Younger Children

Younger children may need the story acted out for them – this is a great time to recruit your junior and senior high youth to help! If possible, find the story in a children’s Bible to read. Make sure to give age appropriate examples of what the children can do to show they love Jesus to get them talking. Examples may include listening to mom and dad, praying at bedtime, sharing toys, and so forth.

Adaptations - Older Children

Older children can write out their own faith statement, possibly using the creed your church is most familiar with as a template to follow. They can then act out their faith statement as a shadow drama, as well as their faith actions.

CONTRIBUTOR: Stephanie Smith