Rotation.org Writing Team

JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

PASSAGE

Bible Story: Luke 2:41-52

Key/Memory Verse: Luke 2:52

PURPOSE

Take photographs in a tableau setting, as a way of teaching the sequence of the story of Jesus as a boy in the Temple.

Objectives for Rotation

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.
  

Objectives for Photography Workshop

• Hear the story of Jesus as a young boy in the Temple.
  
• Explore the ways in which this story teaches us about Jesus being human.
  
• Discuss Jesus’ priority to learn in the house of God and relate our need to do likewise.
  
• Re-create five scenes from this story photographing the students appearing as Bible-times characters in these events.
  

PREPARATION

Read the Scripture for this lesson.

Read and reflect on the Bible Background provided for this lesson.

Gather the materials.

Materials List

• Bibles
  
• Bible storybook for younger children: The Read with Me Bible
  
• Cardboard or poster board
  
• Chalk or marker
  
• Chalkboard, newsprint, or whiteboard
  
• Costumes
  
• Craft sticks, 1 per participant
  
• Digital camera
  
• Pen
  
• Props: baskets, traveling “bags”, a sign that indicates “Nazareth” in one direction and “Jerusalem” in the other direction, pillows, scrolls, fruits, or other items for a merchant to sell
  
• Tripod (optional)
  

Advance Preparation Requirements

Find someone in your congregation that likes to take photographs. Invite him or her to do the photography for this workshop.

Arrange to display the photographs on your church web site or another photo sharing web site (for example: webshots.com).

Write the key Bible verse on the chalkboard, newsprint, or whiteboard

Label the craft sticks: Jesus, Joseph, Mary, Temple teacher – write 3x, Traveler – write 4x, Merchant, and Shopper.

Sort out the costumes, laying out a limited number – one for each student

Prepare a sign on cardboard or poster board that indicates “Nazareth” in one direction and “Jerusalem” in the other direction.

Decide where in the room to photograph each event. Place the appropriate props near each event:

1. Traveling from Jerusalem for the first time – baskets and traveling bags. Install the road sign.

2. Jesus in the Temple - scrolls, pillows.

3. Searching for Jesus – set up a merchant area: small table, baskets, and fruit for sale.

3. Finding Jesus in the Temple – same as Temple scene above.

5. Traveling home together – same as traveling scene above.

PRESENTATION

Open - Introduction

Greet your students warmly, welcoming them to the Photography Workshop. Introduce yourself and any other adults including the photographer.

Say: This is the photography workshop and that means that our photographer will be taking some pictures. The photos will be all of you acting out our Bible story. We are going to take pictures of important things that happened in our story so that we could make a sort of a scrapbook. The pictures won’t be printed today but you will have access to them on-line. Let’s start with prayer.

Ask for any prayer requests. Ask if anyone would like to lead the group in prayer. Be prepared to say a prayer yourself, working in prayer requests. A suggestion: “Dear God, Thank you for everyone that is here today. We are always searching for your presence in our lives. Yet we know that you are with us. Help us to find our way to you as we study our lesson. Amen.”

Say: Our Bible story is about when Jesus was a young boy.

Ask: What do we know about Jesus’ childhood?
Do you suppose that he helped with household chores?
Do you suppose that Jesus went to school?
Do you suppose that he had to learn how to read just like we do?

Say: Jesus had to grow up just like we do. Let’s read our story.

Dig - Main Content

Ask: Where in the Bible would we read about Jesus? (In the New Testament)
What are the names of the first four books of the New Testament?
What do we call those first four books? (The Gospels)

Say: The word Gospel means good news; Stories about how Jesus came to live, as God’s son among people, is good news!

Distribute Bibles. Have everyone find Luke in the Bible.

Say: We need to pay close attention to our story. We will want to be able to know how we should look in each photograph we take so that our photos can tell our story. Pay attention to how people are feeling in this story.

If this is a week early in the Rotation, read the scripture together (Luke 2:41-52). Towards the end of the Rotation, ask the students if they can tell you the story. Have them check their Bibles for accuracy.

Ask: How old is Jesus when this story takes place? (Refer to Luke 2:42 – he is 12)

How do you suppose Jesus became separated from his parents? (Accept all answers)
[To discuss this question refer to material in the Bible background.]
Would you say that Jesus was lost?

Say: Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, thought that Jesus was lost.

Ask: How were Mary and Joseph feeling as they looked for Jesus? (Probably panicked)
Where did they find Jesus? (In the Temple)

Say: A Temple is what we would think of as a place of worship. It was the gathering place for all people who wanted to worship God. It was also a place of learning. People gathered at the Temple to learn about God from the teachers and from each other.

Ask: What did Jesus say when Mary and Joseph found him in the Temple? (Refer to Luke 2:49)
How did Jesus feel about their search for him? (He didn’t understand why they didn’t know where to find him; he thought he was where he was supposed to be)

Say: Jesus felt that it was important that he be at his “father’s house.”

Ask: What did Jesus mean by “my father’s house?”

Say: Jesus was referring to God as his father. This is giving us a hint about who Jesus feels that he is, and what his life’s work is to be. His father’s house was the Temple. Jesus didn’t understand why his earthly parents had worried about him. He figured that they would look for him in the Temple, because that is the place where he felt that he belonged.

Ask: Is there a place where you feel that you belong? (Allow a few answers)
How do you feel about being at church – do you feel that you “belong” here?
Why do you come to church?

Say: Those are all good reasons. Here’s an idea that maybe you hadn’t realized – we come to church because we need to be able to be a part of a group of people who share our same experiences. We would call that “experiencing community.” These other people here at church can help us to find God in our lives.

Say: Now let’s see if we can re-create this story and take a picture of each scene.

Create the tableau.

Notes about the process:

Start off by picking characters: if necessary, take out or add craft sticks to the written supply so that you have a number equal to the number of students. Take the craft sticks in your hand with the written part hidden in your palm. Have students each draw a stick. If a character is not needed in a scene then that student can watch. Yes, a few characters get to be in lots of shots; it’s the way the craft sticks were drawn.

As photos are staged remind the students to be creative and to think about the emotions in the story – be sure to show those emotions on their faces and with their body expressions.

Spend no more than three to four minutes on each picture.

Leave time for Closing.

Say: We will be taking photographs of each scene we re-create from this story – we are going to be Bible-times characters in these events. So let’s start by putting on costumes.

Have them quickly choose costumes. Give them a two-minute time limit.

Say: Now we will take our photos. Each group will create a scene and then “freeze” so the scene can be photographed.

As each scene is created. Ask the students what happened in this part of the story. Get them to re-tell the story. (Do them in the order listed.) Remind them of the emotions of the characters in the story.

1. Leaving Jerusalem for the 1st time –
Characters: Mary, Joseph, and Travelers. Have everyone in this photo as extra travelers.
Give everyone baskets and traveling bags.
Hint: Have Mary & Joseph not traveling together but at opposite ends of the group.

2. Jesus in the Temple:
Characters: Jesus and Temple teachers.
Give the Temple teachers scrolls to hold. Have everyone sit on pillows.
Hint: People stood up when reading words of the Bible but sat down when speaking their own words. The teachers in the Temple were amazed at Jesus’ questions and responses.

3. Searching for Jesus:
Characters: Mary, Joseph, Shopper, and Merchant.
Give the Shopper a basket.
Hint: Have Mary or Joseph be asking the merchant if they’ve seen Jesus.

4. Finding Jesus in the Temple:
Characters: Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and Temple teachers.
Hint: Have Mary and Joseph look relieved but scolding.

5. Traveling home together:
Characters: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Give everyone baskets and traveling bags.
Hint: Mary was pondering all these events in her heart.

Reflect - Closure

Say: It was Jesus’ priority to be at the Temple – to be at God’s house – to learn about God.

Ask: What about for you - is it your priority to be at church – to learn about God?
Do any of you drive yourselves to church? (No!)
What happens if your parents don’t want to come to church one week? What could you say to them?

Say: It would be an interesting discussion to continue in your family.

Refer to the easel.

Say: Let’s read our key Bible verse together.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.” Luke 2:52

Ask: What does this verse say?

Say: It says what you are all trying to do as well, to grow up – to grow taller and wiser – and be thought of favorably from other people and from God. When we spend time at church we are surrounded by people who can help us grow in our relationship with God. We are blessed by both God and people.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS

Adaptations - Younger Children

For younger students read the story on pages 280-285 in the Read with Me Bible. Show the pictures as you read.

SOURCES

Read with Me Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1993.

CONTRIBUTOR: Carol Hulbert