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 should we tell others about Jesus?

So they can believe in Him and have a relationship with Him 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.

7. Can God help us do this?

Yes

8. How can we ask God to help us share His love with others?

Pray

Game Idea: Harvest Hunt

- Before the lesson, hide a series of food items that could be harvested around the room and have the kids search for them, then bring them back and out them in a harvest pile

- To make it more interesting, give items point values by sticking a piece of masking tape with a number on the item - smaller or harder to find things are worth more points!

After all the items have been found discuss:

- Did it take the same amount of effort to find all of the food pieces or did some require more time? (Some took more time)

- Is it faster to find all of the food when just one person is looking or when lots of people are helping? (Lots of people)

Explain to the kids that different people learn about and decide to follow Jesus differently. Some people hear the good news about Jesus just once and decide to follow Him and others take longer... but we should never give up praying for people, sharing God's love with them and telling them about Him because we want them to know Jesus like we do! God wants all of His people to help show and tell others about Him so that many people will hear the good news!

Craft Idea: Tree Collage

Before the lesson:

- Download and print the Growing Tree template - one per child

- Gather pencils, glue sticks, tissue paper - green (torn into pieces) and blue (cut into short strips) from cupboard

- Bring some seeds (pumpkin, sunflower or similar)

- Use a hole punch or scissors to cut out a heap of circles out of red paper (from cupboard)

Have the kids:

- Colour in their watering can, pot and tree trunk

- Collage the green tissue paper to make the tree leaves

- Stick red circles to the tree for apples

- Glue strips of blue paper to the end of the watering can to make water

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!

Activity Idea: Seed Planting

- Before the lesson, use pencils to poke drainage holes in the bottom of paper cups

- Download and print the seed verse template on coloured paper and cut out the boxes

- Allow the kids to decorate their cups using, pencils, paint or collage, then glue on the verse

- Help the kids fill the cups with potting mix or seed raising mix

- Provide some seeds for them to plant in their cup (eg. dwarf bean, lettuce, mustard greens or something else that readily grows - plant a couple in each cup so that at least one will sprout)

- Have the kids take their cups home and place them in the sun, watering them every few days to help them sprout