Rotation.org Writing Team

JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

CINEMA/VIDEO WORKSHOP

Passage

Bible Story: Luke 2:41-52
Key/Memory Verse: Luke 2:52

PURPOSE

Goals and Objectives

After completing this Rotation, participants will be able to:

• Locate the story in the Bible;
  
• Identify the book of Luke as a New Testament Gospel;
  
• Tell the story of Jesus in the temple as a young boy;
  
• Explore the ways this story shows us that Jesus is human as well as divine;
  
• Identify Jesus' priority to learn in the house of God and relate our need to do likewise;
  
• Realize that participation in a community of faith helps us to learn our identity as a child of God;
  
• Compare Mary and Joseph's search for Jesus to our own search for God's presence in our lives.
  

PREPARATION

Read Bible Background

Materials

• Bibles
  
• DVD or video of "Finding Nemo" and/or "Home Alone"
  
• DVD or Video player
  
• Popcorn (optional)
  

Advance Preparation

Preview videos; familiarize yourself with the equipment you will be using in the workshop. Several clips will be used, so be sure you know how to use the Search/Skip function.

Presentation

Open -- Introduction

Open with prayer. Distribute popcorn, if desired.

Say: I heard a story about a boy who went shopping with his mom. He did not like to go shopping! It was SO boring! One day, he got tired of waiting, so he crawled under a rack of clothes. He wasn't going to be there long, but guess what! He fell asleep! When his mom realized he wasn't there, she was so scared! She called the manager, and they searched the whole store. When he was found, she said, "I was so worried about you!"

Dig – Main Content

Our story today is about a time when Jesus was lost - or so his parents thought. Let's read the story, which is found in Luke 2:41-52.

Ask:

What was Jesus doing? (Studying in the Temple with the elders)

How did Joseph and Mary not know he wasn't with them? (They traveled in separate groups; each thought he was with the other)

What did they do when they realized he wasn't there? (Returned to Jerusalem)

Say: In the film "Finding Nemo" he gets caught by a diver. Cue clip: DVD Chapter 6 - "Nemo Lost". Stop clip at "Hi, I'm Dory".

Ask: How did Nemo get caught? How is his father feeling? Do you think Joseph and Mary might have felt the same way?

Cue up Chapter 14 - "Jellyfish". Stop at "the clownfish is the winner."

Ask: Going through the jellyfish was very dangerous. What dangers might Joseph and Mary have experienced on the way back to Jerusalem?

Cue up Chapter 29 - "Reunion". Stop at "time for school."

Ask: What do you think their reunion was like? Were they happy? Worried? Angry? If you were separated from your parents, what would your reunion be like?

Reflect -- Closure

Clean up; say memory verse together; close in prayer

Adaptations -- Older children

May use clips from "Home Alone". Suggested clips would be: (1) On the airplane, when Mom discovers Kevin is missing; (2) her efforts to get home, (3) when she comes home and finds him safe.

(I only have Home Alone in VHS, so I don't have the exact time into the film for cueing. I would recommend using a DVD if this film is used.)

CONTRIBUTOR: Julie Burton