Can We Live Like Jesus? 5th Grade - 6th Grade

Sunday School Lesson Plan I

Jesus Calms the Storm (Matthew 8:23-27) Lesson Point: Jesus Prevented a Tragedy from Occurring

Life Application: We Can Help Prevent Malaria

Welcome Children   

Introduce New Children to Class Take Attendance Opening Prayer

Bible Story (5-10 minutes) Materials: Bibles Say: Good morning everyone! Today, we are going to hear a true story about Jesus. Please open your Bibles to Matthew 8:23. Do: Have a child volunteer to read Matthew 8:23-25. Ask: If you were a disciple, what sounds were you hearing? The sounds of a storm, like thunder, wind, rain, and waves. People were probably yelling at each other as they were trying to keep the boat from sinking. Ask: If you were a disciple, what would this situation feel like? Storms make us uneasy. We cannot control them. The waves were crashing up over the sides of the boat, so it probably seemed like the boat would sink. The Bible tells us they were scared, because they thought they would die. The disciples were in a panic. Do: Have a child volunteer to read Matthew 8:26-27. Say: Jesus prevented a tragedy. Jesus prevented the storm from sinking the boat and drowning his disciples. Ask: What did Jesus ask his disciples, after they woke him? “You of little faith, why are you afraid?” .

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Ask: Why do you think Jesus asked them this question? They should not have been afraid, because they knew Jesus was there. Say: The Bible tells us that even after Jesus had stopped a storm, the disciples did not understand how he could do this. They asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and waves obey him!” Jesus did something that seemed impossible. Jesus told a storm to quit and the storm listened. He prevented a tragedy. He prevented his friends from dying. Ask: Why was this possible for Jesus to do? Jesus is God‟s son. Jesus had faith that God would allow him to stop the storm.

Bible Activity (10 minutes) Materials: Glass Jar (single serving of cappuccino or a juice), Boiled Egg (pealed), Water, Measuring Cup, Microwave, Hot Pad Say: This story shows us that even things which seem impossible can happen. To help us remember that this is true, not just when we are reading the Bible, but in our lives, we are going to do a science experiment. Ask: Can the air inside this jar pull an egg into the jar? Allow children to respond. Say: It seems pretty impossible for the air in the jar to have enough force to pull this egg inside the jar. Do: Place the egg on the mouth of the jar. Ask: Will this egg even fit down the mouth of the jar? No! Say: If this egg will not even fit down into the mouth of the jar, it is not likely that it will be forced into the jar, but let‟s try the experiment anyway. Step 1: Have one child fill a measuring cup with 1/3 or 1/2 cup of water. Step 2: Have another child pour the water into the glass jar. Step 3: Place the jar in the microwave and cook unitl the water is boiling. Step 4: Take the egg and place it inside the mouth of the jar. Make sure there are no gaps between the egg and the mouth of the jar. Do this step very quickly. Step 5: Keep the jar in the microwave or carefully remove it with a hot pad. Have the children watch as the air pressure pulls the egg inside. Say: Some things in life do not seem possible. The disciples could not believe Jesus had the ability to stop a storm. Our unseen God, like the unseen air in this jar, can do things we do not think are possible. Ask: Is there anything impossible for God to do? Allow the children to respond. Say: The Bible tells us that there is nothing impossible for God in Luke 1:37! Ask: Why is it important for us to know that nothing is impossible for God? Allow the children to respond. Say: If we truly believe God can do anything, we will not be afraid to try to do good works in Jesus‟ name, even if they seem impossible to some people.

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Mission Introduction (10-15 minutes) Materials: World Map, 10 Sticky Notes, Picture of a Bed Net Ask: What impossible thing did Jesus do in our story today? He prevented the storm from killing his friends. Ask: Do you think we can live like Jesus and prevent bad things from happening? Allow children to respond. Say: Let‟s talk about something that is happening right now, which is a terrible tragedy. Malaria is a disease that makes people very sick, especially children under the age of five. This disease kills many, many people, even though it is completely preventable and treatable. Ask: How many people do you think die from this disease? Allow children to respond. Say: About 1 million people die from malaria each year. Ask: Where do you think most people who die from malaria live? Show me your answer by putting a sticky note on a country where you think malaria is a big problem. Allow up to 10 children to put a sticky note on the map. Do: After the children are finished putting their sticky notes on the map, move 9 of the sticky notes to Africa. Say: Ninety percent of people who die from malaria live in sub-Saharan Africa. Ask: How do you think a person gets malaria? Allow children to respond. Say: Mosquitoes carry malaria, so when a mosquito bites you, the mosquito can send malaria into your body. People in Africa worry about being bitten by mosquitoes. They worry about getting malaria. Like the disciples in our story today, they probably worry about dying. Ask: Do you think we can live like Jesus and help prevent a tragedy? Do you think we can help prevent people in Africa from dying from this disease? Allow children to respond. Ask: Do you think we can live like Jesus and help eliminate this disease as a source of suffering and death in Africa? Allow children to respond. Say: That may seem impossible, but guess what? We can! Say: People in Africa who sleep under a bed net don‟t have to worry so much about malaria, and we can help them get bed nets!! Say: A bed net looks like this. Show picture of a bed net.

Mission Activity (10 minutes) Materials: Squares of Netted Fabric (enough for each child) Say: The bed net protects people from mosquitoes. When a mosquito lands on the net, the mosquito dies, because there is insecticide on the net. Once the mosquito dies, it cannot bite or infect a person. That means the people who sleep under the net are protected from getting malaria! Ask: Would you like to play a game using the bed net? Allow children to respond.

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Do: Pick at least 2 children to be „mosquitoes‟ and 1 or 2 children to be UMCOR workers who deliver bed nets. Send the UMCOR workers to the side of the room with the netted fabric squares. (This can game also works well outside.) Say: The children who are mosquitoes can tag you, if you do not have a „bed net‟. When a mosquito tags you, you are frozen. If one of the UMCOR workers gets you a „bed net‟, you can tag a mosquito. When a mosquito is tagged, the mosquito is frozen. The UMCOR workers can only take one bed net at a time. We will play until all the mosquitoes are frozen. There are no safety zones in this game and you cannot be unfrozen. The only way you are safe is if you have a „bed net‟. Ask: Does everyone understand how to play? Allow children to respond. Say: On your mark…Get set…Go! Allow children to play at least one round of the game. If there is time, allow the children to take turns being the mosquitoes and UMCOR workers. Ask: What did you need to be successful in this game? A bed net Ask: When you had the bed net, you could protect yourself from what? Mosquitoes! Ask: Once the mosquitoes were frozen, how many people were protected? Everyone was protected! Say: People in Africa need bed nets for this very reason. Sleeping under the bed net kills mosquitoes, so the people who sleep under the nets are protected from being bitten. However, increasing the number of people who sleep under the nets helps the entire village, because the mosquito population decreases!

Closing (5 minutes) Materials: Miniature M&Ms Canister (empty), Small Squares of Netted Fabric Ask: How much do you think it costs to send a bed net? Allow children to answer. Say: It costs $10, and about $10 worth of quarters will fit in this container. Pass out canisters. To help you remember why you are getting quarters, let‟s put a piece of a bed net inside. Pass out the fabric and let the children put it in their canisters. Say: If you fill this canister with quarters and bring it back to church, you will have bought a bed net for a friend in Africa! That will prevent a friend in Africa from dying. Say: Today, we learned that Jesus helped prevent his friends from dying during a storm. Ask: Can we live like Jesus and prevent a tragedy from happening? Allow children to respond Ask: Is it possible that we, as part of the body of Christ, have the potential to eliminate malaria as a source of death and suffering in Africa? Allow children to respond. Say: Nothing is impossible for God to do and through God our church will help eliminate the suffering associated with malaria. One way we can do this is by living like Jesus and sending bed nets to prevent a tragedy. We can help prevent malaria from killing more people by sending bed nets to Africa. Pray: Lord, help us to be bold enough to believe that nothing is impossible for you to do. Help us to remember that as your servants we can do all things through Jesus Christ. Help us to live like Jesus, preventing tragedies and preventing deaths. Amen. 4

Children under a Bed Net in Africa

Photo taken by Michael DuBose

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