Story Idea: Food, Seeds and Fruit Object Lesson

Before the lesson, gather:

- Bottle of water

- Small basket of food

- A few seeds (eg. orange or other fruit seeds) and a little pot of dirt, possibly something to water it with

- A fruit (preferably the fruit from the plant your seeds would grow)

Recap:

- Ask the kids if they remember what we learnt last week (show them the water bottle)

- Prompt them to remember the story about Jesus talking to the lady at the well

- Remind them that we need to drink water because it helps us live and that Jesus said that knowing Him is so important that it's like water, because He saves us and gives eternal life

The lesson:

- Show the kids the food basket, ask them what it is and why we need it

- Help them understand that we need food, just like we need water - because it helps us live

- Explain that Jesus said that doing what God wants us to do is so important for us - it's like food!

- God tells us in the Bible that His work for us is to show and tell others about Jesus - so that they can know Him too!

- Jesus uses a story about some seeds and gathering crops (or food) which has grown and is ready to be picked to help His disciples understand how we tell others about Jesus

- He says that some people plant the seed, and other people come and gather the crops later

- He means that some people will be the first ones to tell others about Jesus - like planting a tiny seed in the ground (plant seed in pot of dirt)- it might not do anything to start with - but over time with some more care it grows and grows, until eventually - it's ready to make fruit!

- Other people come along and finish what the first people started - by picking the fruit! (Show them the fruit) - these people are like the ones who help people become a follower of Jesus - they might pray with them or bring them to church

- Jesus says that there is a big harvest ready - lots of fruit waiting to be picked! He means there are lots of people who are ready and who need to hear about Jesus!

Quiz Questions:

1. What does Jesus say is so important that it's like food?

Doing what God wants us to do

2. What does God want us to do?

Show and tell others about Jesus

3.Jesus says that telling people about Jesus is a bit like growing a plant - who is like the person that plants the seed?

The first person to tell somebody about Jesus

4. Who is like the person that picks the fruit?

The person who helps them become a follower of Jesus

5. Why is it so important for other people to know Jesus

So they can believe in Him and be saved too

6. How can we show and tell others about Jesus?

Tell them Bible stories, bring them to church, do the right thing so that others will see we love God, pray for them etc.

Game Idea: Harvest Relay

- Before the lesson, gather a few containers and a pile of some type of food which can be harvested or collected (eg. dried corn kernels, nuts or fruits etc.)

- On one side of the play space, line up bowls, each with the same number of food items in it, place an empty bowl in line with each at the other end of the room

- Split the group into teams and have them line up behind the empty bowl

- Kids should race to the bowl, relay style, grab an item and bring it back to the empty bowl - the first team to move all of their items wins!

- To make it more interesting, have them walk backwards, skip or hop

Remind the kids that Jesus said that showing and telling others about Jesus is like growing and gathering a crop - and it's soo important to do because we want everybody to know Jesus!

Craft Idea: Tree Collage

Remind the kids that telling people about Jesus is like growing food! Some people plant the seed, some water it and others harvest the fruit!