COMING OF THE MESSIAH
from Desoto Presbyterian Church, Dallas
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SUMMARY OF WORKSHOPS
OPENING ASSEMBLY: song suggestions
ART: stained glass window (paper)
COMPUTER: Print Artist (or other appropriate software, along with clip art software), the students will design a bookmark containing the verses they have selected
MUSIC: litany, object lesson and songs with sign language
TABERNACLE: construct a book to help us understand God’s plan
MOVIE: "Prophets In The Desert" from "In the Beginning: Stories



Notes from the Adult Bible Study
Isaiah said PREPARE
John said PREPARE
Jesus said PREPARE
In this rotation we will be looking at how Christ fulfilled God’s plan for the world. Advent is traditionally a study of the prophecies of the Old Testament regarding the Coming of the Messiah. The children have just finished a study of John the Baptist, who was a prophet asking the people to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus’ birth is the filling out, the making flesh of all God promised in His covenant. We must be clear about what prophecy is; Prophecy is truth telling. God’s truth was true long ago, is true today, and will be true tomorrow. Prophecy is a prophet speaking the Word of God to remind us of our faith or to get our attention. Isaiah was a prophet. John was a prophet. In Christ, God’s truth is revealed. Our needs, dreams, and expectations are filled for us with Jesus in our midst. The birth of Christ is our rebirth.

GOD PROMISES THE LIGHT
Isaiah 9:2-7 and Luke 2:1-14 and John 8:12

In Isaiah, the hope of the people is that God will give them enlightenment and understanding. God’s Promise to the people is that He will give His people Light.
We see the fulfillment of God’s promise in Jesus’ birth. Jesus’ life is our enlightenment and our understanding of God and His plan for mankind. At Jesus’ birth a star appears to light the darkness of the night. Then, in John, Jesus says of himself, “I am the light of the world…” Jesus tells the people that if they keep their eyes focused on Him, they will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life. In applying this to our present day, the same is true. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, He will be our light in the darkness of a sin-filled world. He can keep us on the right track of a godly life if we will just follow Him and His example.
Covenants are contracts. God gives us His son, the light of the world. God grants us enlightenment and understanding. Our part of this contract is to be His light in the world; to live lives filled with His light, and to tell others about the Light.
How are we, the body of Christ, to function as the light for the world? We set an example, hopefully a better example, for the world to see. For every follower of Jesus, there is someone who looks at him or her and tries to follow that person. We cannot claim to belong to Christ and then tell others not to follow us. When we take our first step in following Christ, we become a leader for someone who is watching us, and so on. For example, the angels told the shepherds about the birth of Jesus. Then the shepherds became the source of announcement of the birth after that – God’s message went from the angels then to the shepherds and was then passed on from person to person. So watch your example, you may not even realize that God is using you as a leader for others. If you stumble, then a whole line of people that you might not even be aware of might stumble. This does not mean that we will be perfect. We will stumble, and this is the importance of our public confession of our sins in our worship service—when we are vulnerable and our sins are exposed and we confess those sins, people see and learn from that.

GOD PROMISES HIS WORD WILL STAND FOREVER
Isaiah 40: 11; John 1: 6-8, 19-28

In the time of Isaiah the Israelites were just coming out of captivity and returning to a city in ruins. They were distraught and looking to God for consolation and provision. God tells us that the word of God will stand forever. The permanency of God is offered to comfort the people. God says the people will be fed, gathered, carried and gently led.
God requires of us that we proclaim Him, bear witness to Him, and show Him to others. This is our part of the covenant. Our reward? Emmanuel, God is with us. God is with us in the flesh through His son Jesus. In Jesus, God shows us Himself in a form we can understand.
This passage in John really lays out the theology of the New Testament. God is eternal. The Word was and is and will be. Jesus is not some mystical fulfillment of a prophet’s gaze into a crystal ball. Jesus existed before anything else. He has always been alive and is Himself God. He created everything; nothing exists that He did not make. God presents Himself to us. He gives us life and then gave us Himself in the flesh as Jesus, and Jesus’ life becomes the light of all people. We accept Jesus as Christ, as the Messiah and we become the children of God. We become God’s presence in the world of darkness and sin. We agree to show God to others, by telling His story, by testifying to His power and by living our lives in ways that demonstrate His presence, His light in the world.
Christmas is every day. We will teach our children that they have already received everything they need to live the life God wants them to. Christmas is the celebration of receiving the gift of Christ, and the expectation that we will actively be doing God’s work. We need to remember that the birth of Christ is our rebirth. We should feel empowered by Christmas. Christ was born in history, and Christ is reborn in our midst again and again. The old covenant leads into the new covenant, pulls all that was past into the present. The new covenant is Jesus. God was, is and will be. His truth was, is and will be. God is faithful enough to give us this gift. Are we faithful enough to accept it and carry it? Are we clinging so tightly to the gifts of God from the past that we can’t open our hands to receive the gifts that God has for us now?

Kids should know that:

-Jesus existed before anything else. He has always been alive and is Himself, God. He created everything; nothing exists that He did not make.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without Him not one thing came into being. (John 1: 1-4)

-God’s light is more powerful than any darkness or evil that exists.

What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:5)

-God became man to make known how we might live the life God created us for.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. (John 1: 6-9)

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me’”From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
(John 1: 14-18)

-Jesus acknowledged Himself to be God’s son, the light of the world.

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

-We can become children of God by accepting Jesus as the Son of God

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. (John 1: 10-13)

-When we accept Christ, we become God’s light in the world. By the way we live our lives, we show God’s presence, power, and truth to others.

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
(Matt. 5: 14-16)

OPENING:
There are two songs that will be used in the opening assembly. They are both found in “The Tune Book”, published by Songs and Creations Inc., P.O. Box 7, San Anselmo, CA 94960, 415-457-6610

"Jesus Is The Light"

Jesus is the light; He’s the light of the world. (Boom, boom, boom)
Jesus is the light; He’s the light of the world. (Boom, boom, boom)
Jesus is the light; He’s the light of the world.
And He’s ever shining in my soul.

Jesus is the light; He’s the light of the world. (Boom, boom, boom)
Jesus is the light; He’s the light of the world. (Boom, boom, boom)
Jesus is the light; He’s the light of the world.
And He’s ever shining in my soul.

Jesus is the light; He’s the light of the world. (Boom, boom, boom)
Jesus is the light; He’s the light of the world. (Boom, boom, boom)
Jesus is the light; He’s the light of the world.
And He’s ever shining in my soul.


"I Am The Light of the World"

CHORUS: “I am the light of the world!
You people come and follow me!”
If you follow and love,
You’ll learn the mystery
Of what you were meant to do and be.

VERSE 1:
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the shepherds have found their way home,
The work of Christmas is begun!

CHORUS:

VERSE 2:
To find the lost and lonely one,
To heal that broken soul with love
To feed the hungry children
With warmth and good food,
To feel the earth below the sky above!

CHORUS:

VERSE 3:
To free the prisoner from all chains
To make the powerful care,
To rebuild the nations
With strength of goodwill,
To see God’s children everywhere!

CHORUS:

VERSE 4:
To bring hope to every task you do.
To dance at a baby’s new birth,
To make music in an old person’s heart,
And sing to the colors of the earth!

CHORUS:

After singing one or both of the songs, have one of the children lead in reading the Bible verse, John 8:12.

Ask if any has memorized the verse. Any announcements?

Then close with prayer.

CREATION STATION

OBJECTIVES:

-Children will know that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan for
His people.
-Children will understand that God’s love is always there for them
and can shine through the dark times in their lives.
-Children will understand why it is important to let out own lives be
illuminated with God’s love.

PROCEDURE:

Open with prayer.
Welcome students to Creation Station.

Read Isaiah 9:6-7
John 1: 1-8
John 8:12
Matthew 5: 14-16

Review with the children God’s covenant, or promise that he will always be our God and always be with us.
Ask what we promise back to God. (To be God’s people and to live our lives in ways that shows His presence.)
Ask the children what God’s word is. Tell them that Jesus is God’s word. Jesus’ life shows us how to live; His life lights our path to show us how we should live.
Read John 8:12 again.
Tell the children that God uses light to help us understand His plan for us. Jesus came at a time of darkness to be the light, to show us how we should live and treat other people.

DISCUSSION:
-In what ways can we let God’s love in out hearts shine through?
-How can we be a light for someone else’s path?
-Discuss the beauty of light shining through colored glass. Ask if
anyone has been to a cathedral or a church with stained glass
window. Show the art example in from of the window.

PROJECT:

The simple window design is for the younger children. Tell the children that we will be making a stain glass window. Demonstrate each step.

1. Give out the black paper.

2. Fold the paper in half.

3. From the top of folded paper draw an arch to the edge of the
paper.

4. Draw on a 1⁄2 inch border and designs within the window.

5. Cut out the spaces inside the designs.

6. Open out flat.

7. Cut tissue paper shapes to fit into the design spaces.

8. Put a thin line of glue around the designs on the top half of the
black paper.

9. Glue down the tissue paper in the top spaces of the window.

10.Repeat for the bottom half of the window.

CLOSING:

Have the children say the Bible verse together. (Should be displayed on the board.)
Pray together.

Dear God,

We are so thankful that you sent Jesus to light our way and to show us how to live. We know that when we accept Christ, we become God’s lights in the world. Help us to live so that we may show God’s presence, power, and truth to others.

www.faithjourneys.org(Computer Workshop)

OBJECTIVE:
-Children will focus on understanding the role of Jesus’ birth was
for Jesus to serve as the Light of the World
-We, His followers, are also to serve as a light to the world.
-Children will memorize John 8:12.
-Children will reinforce these objective concepts through designing
and making bookmarks: one for themselves and one to share with
someone.

PROCEDURE:

1. Review with the students the concepts for this rotation (refer to
main handout) --spending more or less time on this step depending
on the age of the group, whether or not they have already learned
the concepts in previous workshops, etc.

2. The concepts are supported by the Bible passages for the
rotation. Allow each student to choose a passage for his/her
bookmark.
John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word . . .”
John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness . . .”
Isaiah 9:2 “The people walking in darkness have seen a
great light . . .”
Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born . . .”
John 1: 6-9 “The true light that gives light to every man . . .”
John 1: 14-18“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among
us . . .”
John 8:12 “Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world.’”
Matt. 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world . . .Let your
light shine before men.”

3. Using Print Artist (or other appropriate software, along with clip art software), the students will design a bookmark containing the verses they have selected. When complete, the bookmarks will be printed. (Note: to make them more permanent, use stiff paper in the printers and/or cover the bookmarks with clear contact paper.) If time allows, the students may also want to make a bookmark for a friend of family member, so sharing the light.

4. Talk briefly with the students about the importance of reading Scripture and memorizing important verses such as the ones they have printed on their bookmarks. You might point out that they can use the bookmarks for their Bibles, or keep them in textbooks as reminders during the week of Jesus, the light of the world, and their calling to carry His light to others.

STAGETREK

OBJECTIVE: Children will understand that just as light is an absolute essential to all living things, so the Light God sent to us in the form of His Son is absolutely essential to our living spirits. As children of God, we receive this Light and pass it on to others.

PROCEDURE:

Display a variety of lights, lanterns, lamps, candles, flashlights, etc. In the center of these, display one prominent white candle is. Elicit from the children comments about what they see what each object has in common, sayings they can think of that include mention of light (Seeing the light, a light bulb went on, light of my life, etc.) Tell children that the large candle at the center of the display represents THE most important light—the light that was turned on when God became one of us through Jesus, His Son (Sun?).

Turn off the room lights, light the large candle and have the children take part in the following choral reading.

LEADER: We light this candle today because...
CHILDREN: Jesus is the light of the world.
LEADER: The darkness of evil and ignorance are gone because....
CHILDREN: Jesus is the light of the world.
LEADER: Because Jesus has come and shown us how God expects us to live...
CHILDREN: We are the light of the world.
ALL: Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matt. 5: 14-16)

At this time, Lorinda Alexander will teach the song, “This Little Light of Mine” with Sign Language motions. First lines of verses are:
1.This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.
2. Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m going to let it shine.
3. Don’t let Satan blow it out. I’m going to let it shine.
4. Let it shine ‘til Jesus comes. I’m going to let it shine. Available on tape: “Sunday school Songs”
If time remains, use one or more of the following options.

1. Sing “Rise and Shine “ with motions (either teacher or child
generated. (Music available on tape and for piano from On The Road
With Jesus VBS Curriculum.)
2. Make up body movements (dance?) to song, “Thy Word” after learning
it. (Music available on tape and for piano as well as chord
instruments from LIFE Curriculum.)
3. Add motions and chime bells to “Give Me Oil In My Lamp”
(Piano and chord accompaniment available. Chime bells would be
great on chorus.)
4. Sing “Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam” with hand motions made by the
leader or children. (Available on tape: “Sunday School Songs”
CLOSING:

Repeat the opening litany, then pray.

Prayer: Dear God of Light, thank you for revealing yourself through Jesus by sending Him to live with us. Help us to keep that light shining brightly by letting it shine out of our eyes, mouths, and every pore of our bodies. Help us to pass it on to our friends, neighbors, fellow students, and even strangers we meet. In the name of the One who lights our way always. Amen.

TABERNACLE

OBJECTIVE:
-Children will know that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan for
His people.
-Children will understand Jesus is God, Himself, in the flesh
illuminating or showing His people how to live.
-We become the children of God by accepting Jesus as God’s son, and
receiving Him, welcoming Him into our lives.
-The way we live our lives tells others about God.

PROCEDURE:
Welcome children to the tabernacle.

Tell the children that we have spent months studying God’s covenant. Ask them to define covenant.
A covenant is a promise.
Ask the children to write the definition of covenant in their journals.
Ask the children if they remember what the covenant God made with Noah was. (To never destroy the entire Earth with a flood again.) Ask them if God has kept His part of the covenant.
Ask the children if they can tell you what God’s covenant with Abraham was. (To be God to Abraham and to his descendants forever.) Tell the children that God’s covenant promises His presence always. Our part of these covenants is to be God’s people and to live our lives in ways that show God’s presence.
Put the hands symbol up on the board. Tell the children this represents God’s covenant between Him and us. His part is to be our God, to always be with us. Our part is to tell others about God not only by what we say, but also by what we do.
Ask the children what God wanted John to do. (God wanted John to tell others to ask forgiveness, repent, and to live the kind of lives that would prepare them to be with God. John told people that God was coming.)
Tell the children that in this rotation we will try to understand what Jesus’ coming means. Remind them that at Christmas we celebrate Jesus coming into the world as a little baby. Ask them if they think that the people who heard John thought that they were preparing for a baby.

Define prophecy:
Prophecy is speaking the truth.
Ask the children to write the definition of prophecy in their journals. Ask the children to identify some of the messengers God has sent to speak His truth. (Answers may vary. Examples: John the Baptist, angels, choirs, preachers, friends, Sunday school teachers, parents.) Tell the children that a man in the Old Testament named Isaiah was considered an important prophet. Older children might be interested to know that some people believe that Isaiah was actually more than one person. Isaiah told people about God’s truth. Place the trumpet icon on the board. Tell the children that the trumpet is a symbol of telling God’s truth.

Ask the children what God’s word is. (Answers may vary. Examples: Bible, Sermons, etc.) Tell the children that Jesus is God’s word. Read John 1:1-Tell them that Jesus is how God tells us what we should do to live our lives.

Define word: Jesus is the Word.

Explain that the Word is God’s revelation to his people. Jesus is God’s revelation to his people. Ask the kids to write the definition, Jesus is the word, in their journal.

Read John 1: 5-9. Tell the children that God uses light to help us understand His plan for us.
Read John 8:12. Tell them that Jesus came into the world to help us understand God’s plan for us.
Read John 1: 10-13 and Matt 5:14. Tell the children that we become God’s children when we accept that Jesus was His son. Tell them that once we accept Christ we become God’s lights in the world. Have the children brainstorm ways to be God’s light in the world. Ask them ways that we can show God’s love, strength, truth and presence.

Tell them that we are going to construct a book to help us understand God’s plan.

See sample book.
Kids will choose Bible verses that support the statement on each page and paste them in.
Read each statement and the Bible verses. Or have the kids read the Bible verses and decide which statement that verse supports.
Then they will either draw a picture or choose one to paste in.
They should make a cover from the construction paper that says God calls __________ and put their name in the title.

Finish by asking the kids to choose Jesus. Tell them that God has already called them into being and into His presence here today. Ask them to make a promise to be God’s light in the world. Pass out the contracts and have the children sign them.

CLOSING:
Close with prayer.

Dear God,
You have promised to be our God and to be with us at all times. We sometimes turn our backs on you and pretend that you cannot see what we say and do just like the people of Isaiah’s time. You sent Jesus to show us that you are real and that we can live lives that shine with your love and goodness. Thank you for sending Jesus to be the light of the world. Help us to be your light in our schools, families and our community. AMEN

YOUNGER CHILDRENS LESSON PLAN:

Read the Bible verses. Tell the children that God sent baby Jesus to show us what God was like. Tell the children that Jesus said he was the light of the world because Jesus helps us understand God’s special plan for His people.

Read the story, "Bethlehem’s Brightest Star" by ARCH Books.
Ask the children to identify which of the things in the story are the same as the things we find in the Bible.

Read Isaiah 9: 2, 6; John 8:12 and Matthew 5:14 to the children

Ask them to come up with ways that they can be like the star in the story and help in God’s plan for everyone to understand that we should love God and each other.

Have the children color stars and write their names in the center.

Have the children chant “I can shine for Jesus.”

Ask the children to sing “This little light of mine.” Or the opening song or “Jesus is the light.” They will have gone to the Stage Trek workshop where they sang these songs last week.

Close with prayer.
Dear God,
You have promised to be our God and to be with us at all times. We sometimes turn our backs on you and pretend that you cannot see what we say and do just like the people of Isaiah’s time. You sent Jesus to show us that you are real and that we can live lives that shine with your love and goodness. Thank you for sending Jesus to be the light of the world. Help us to be your light in our schools, families and our community. AMEN

Bible Verses
-Jesus existed before anything else. He has always been alive and is Himself, God. He created everything; nothing exists that He did not make.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him and without Him not one thing came into being. (John 1: 1-4)

-God’s light is more powerful than any darkness or evil that exists.

What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:5)

-God became man to make known how we might live the life God created us for.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. (John 1: 6-9)

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me’”
From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
(John 1: 14-18)

-Jesus acknowledged Himself to be God’s son, the light of the world.

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

-We can become children of God by accepting Jesus as the Son of God

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. (John 1: 10-13)

-When we accept Christ, we become God’s lights in the world. By the way we live our lives, we show God’s presence, power, and truth to others.

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matt. 5: 14-16)



Exchange Volunteer added summary of workshops and edited topic title for clarity.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Amy Crane,

Continuation of lesson from Desoto Presbyterian
------------------------------------------------
FAITHQUEST THEATER
OBJECTIVE:
Children will understand that God’s light is more powerful than any darkness or evil that exists. They are the light-bearers in this world today and must be the ones to carry the torch to others.

FILM NOTES:
With a goodly helping of “artistic license,” the makers of Prophets in the Desert make effective connections between the messages of the prophets of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ. Students who view the film should understand that not all the events they see are from the Bible but are based on historical events and important ideas from the Bible.

CONCEPTS:
As often as the people forgot God’s covenant, the prophets were there to remind them, to reason with them, and to plead with them to avoid future disaster that would surely come if they did not change follow God’s plan.
One of the most important prophets was Isaiah. Isaiah brought God’s message to people who were having great political difficulties. Isaiah reminded the people to have faith in God, to remember the covenant relationship they had been promised, and to walk in God’s ways. He told the people that even though they seemed to be stumbling along in the darkness now, God would provide a great light to show them the way. Jesus is this light.
As often happens with God’s people, many of them didn’t pay any attention to the message Isaiah brought them. Later (about 800 years later) John the Baptist again brought the people a message about the one who was coming to bring “TRUE LIGHT” to everyone. John was talking about Jesus. Jesus told people he was THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. When we celebrate Christ’s birth, we use symbols of light like stars and candles to remind us of how Jesus illuminates God’s plan for mankind.

PREPARTIONS:

IN ADVANCE:
Display the attached signs of “THINGS TO WATCH FOR” on the workshop walls.
Preview video.
Make sure you know where to stop video and lead discussion.
Review operation of popcorn popper.

ON SUNDAY:
-Fill pitcher with cold water from water fountain. This keeps kids
from leaving theater for drinks during discussion or viewing of the
video.
-Preheat popcorn kettle and turn on warming light. Fill silver
canister with popcorn and measuring cup with oil. These are the
correct measurements. Salt can be added to oil or added to popcorn
after it is popped.
-For younger kids 1 batch of popcorn has been sufficient. Serve in
cups.
-For older kids 2 batches of popcorn have been necessary. Serve
popcorn in bowls.
-Popcorn is not actually made until after the video begins.

PROCEDURE:

Welcome students and introduce or review the Coming of the Messiah Rotation’s theme that Jesus came to be the light of the world.

Discuss the ideas from the "concepts" section with the students, varying the length and complexity according to their age and interest. Share the history that is reviewed in the TRAVARCA discussion guide with older students.

Read and discuss the following scripture verses than mention the LIGHT symbolism; Isaiah 9:2, 6; John 1: 1-18; John 8:12.

Call student’s attention to posted “Things to Watch For.” Read the lists through with students, helping them to remember to focus on these things as they view the film.

Show the video “Prophets In The Desert.”

Discuss the insights gained from things they watched for and any other ideas they got while viewing.

Ask the students to discuss ways that they can show God’s light to others and future generations.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: An activity from the video discussion guide is included that deals with the transmission of God’s word by hand copying the history of His people on scrolls. Use the Bible verse John 8:12 if you elect to do this activity.

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

CLOSING:
Close with prayer:
Dear God,
Your eternal light will never go out. We ask Your help in showing us how we can lead other to the warmth and comfort of your love. Amen

Kids should sweep up spilled popcorn and place cups and bowls in the trash bin. Leader should empty tray and wipe out kettle with paper towel.

MATERIALS:
-Video: "Prophets In The Desert" from "In the Beginning: Stories
from the Bible" series Video / Nippon Television Network/RAI TV (1992)
-Shepherds should have journals for the students to reflect in or use
to answer questions.
-Pencils, pens, or markers

THINGS TO WATCH FOR!
-What messengers of God appear in this film?
-What message are these messengers bringing?
-Think about the way the world was before Jesus came.
In what ways is our world today the same or different?
-Look for the ways people show they are forgetting about God.
What is the meaning of all those broken statues the Roman soldiers
pass?
-How do we know what Isaiah told the people 800 years before Christ’s
birth?
-Look for the symbolism of light: the flicker that has been carried
on since creation: the sometimes strong, sometimes faint hint of
light that appears in many scenes of this film. How many can you
name?
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CreativeCarol is the volunteer post-er of this lesson and not the author.