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“Jesus said, ‘Come, follow Me’ ” (Mark 1:17).“Jesus chose helpers” (Mark 3:14).

“Jesus had friends” (Luke 2:52).“Jesus said, ‘Love one another’ ” (John 15:17).

Provide opportunities for preschoolersto become more aware that Jesus loves all people.

Bible Teaching Aim:

Unit Bible Verses and Phrases:

This session is part of Unit 7: Jesus’ Special Friends

Other sessions in this unit include:Zacchaeus

Mary and MarthaMatthew’s Friends

S t o r y / S c r i p t u r e :“ J e s u s C h o s e

S p e c i a l H e l p e r s ”

(Luke 6:12-16; 9:1-6,10; Mark 3:13-19; 6:7-13)

Jesus’Helpers

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© Copyright 1971 Broadman Press. All rights reserved. Jim NoblePrinted in the United States of America

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Today’s Bible TruthJesus chose special men to help Him doHis work.

Before the SessionGather a Read-to-Me Bible, four strips ofcolored construction paper, and a yellowcrayon. See the “Work Together” activitiesfor the resources you will need to gather forthe activities you choose to use.

Duplicate the “Fun Page” making one foreach pupil.

Begin the SessionPlay a mirror game. Talk about how amirror gives the exact reverse picture of whatis in front of it. Say: “Pretend that I am amirror, and do whatever I do.” Do simpleactions such as put hands on head, claphands, shake hands, stand on one foot, jumpup and down, smile, shake head, pretend tocry, and make a silly face. If there is time, giveeach preschooler an opportunity to be the“mirror” for the group to imitate.

Show the Bible PictureIntroduce the Bible story by saying:“Wherever Jesus went, He helped people andtold them about God. One day, Jesus decidedthat He could help even more people if Hehad special helpers.”

Hold the Bible picture for everyone to see,and comment: “This picture shows Jesustalking with two of His special helpers.Listen carefully to the Bible story to find outhow many helpers Jesus had and what Hemight be telling these two helpers.”

Tell the Bible Story

Jesus went from town to town making sickpeople well and telling people about God.Many people needed help and to hear aboutGod. Jesus decided to choose some specialhelpers to go into the towns to help peopleand tell them about God.

One day, Jesus went up on a quiet hillside totalk to God. Jesus took the men who followedHim up the mountain. He chose twelve ofthem to be His special helpers. The twelvemen were: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John,and Matthew. He also chose Philip,Bartholomew, Thomas, Thaddaeus, JudasIscariot, and two other men named Simon andJames.

Jesus asked them to travel with Him. Hetaught them how to tell people about God.“I want you to make sick people well,” Jesussaid to his 12 new helpers. “I want you to tellpeople how much God loves them. We musttell people everywhere about God and Hislove.”

Jesus asked His 12 special helpers to travelin groups of two. “Do not take a walking stick,food, backpack, or money with you,” Jesus toldHis special helpers. “The people in the townswhere you are going will take care of you,” Hesaid. So they went on their way. The 12 mendid just as Jesus had told them to do.

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Review Bible Story and PrayAsk: “How many special helpers did Jesuschoose? What were the helpers supposed todo? Who were some of Jesus’ specialhelpers?” Show the Bible picture again andask, “When Jesus divided the helpers intogroups of two, what did He tell them?” Pray:“Thank You, God, for Jesus and His helpers.Help us find ways to tell people that Godloves them.”

Use the BibleInsert a paper strip in the Bible at eachverse. Also, highlight the words of each Bibleverse with a yellow crayon. Invite one childat a time to choose a Bible marker. Whisperthe verse to the preschooler and let himsay it to the group. Then repeat it aloud,omitting the last half of the verse for thechildren to complete.

After reading the verse Jesus said, “Loveone another,” ask, “How can we show love?”Talk about ways the children can show theirlove for people.

Work TogetherChoose two or three of the followingactivities to use with your pupils. Allow timefor the girls and boys to enjoy all of theactivities.

Draw Picture of HelpersGather crayons, lapboards (or chair seats),and “Fun Pages.” As a child finishes theactivity, invite her to turn her paper over anddraw pictures of people who help her (par-ents, teachers, police officers, and so on). Tellthe children that Jesus chose helpers, andthere are special people today who help usand tell us about Jesus.

Make Encouragement CardsGather washable markers, light colorsconstruction paper (one sheet per child),

envelopes (one per child), stencils or rubberstamps, and ink pads. Children will need ahard surface (such as a lapboard, chair seat, orvinyl tile floor) on which to do their work.Encourage the preschoolers to decorate apiece of stationery and envelope to give to afriend or family member. While the childrenwork, comment: “When you give a friend orfamily member something, you are showingthat person that you love and care about him.Jesus said, ‘Love one another.’ ”

Follow the FootprintsGather a Bible, today’s picture, and footprintscut from carpet squares, vinyl, or coloredpaper. Arrange the footprints in a paththroughout the room. You may want to tapethem to the floor. At the end of the path, placethe Bible and the picture of Jesus. Draw achild’s attention to the footprints. Encourageher to follow them to see where they go. Whenshe reaches the end, show her the Bible andthe picture of Jesus. Say: “Look, the footprintsled us to the Bible and a picture. Who do youthink the person in this picture is?” Talk aboutthe picture. State: “The Bible tells us thatJesus had friends. He asked those friends tofollow Him and to help Him tell people aboutGod.” Show the child the picture on the leafletand tell the Bible story.

I Can Help CollageGather a Bible, pictures of children helping,cotton swabs, art paper (12 by 18 inches), andplastic table cover. Cover the table and arrangethe art materials on it. As a child showsinterest, ask what the children are doing tohelp. Then let him choose pictures to paste onthe paper. As the children work, open the Bibleto Mark 1:17 and say: “In the Bible we read,Jesus said, ‘Come, follow Me.’ When you helpsomeone, you are doing good like Jesus did.Thank You, God, that we can be helpers.”

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Look At SeashellsGather a variety of seashells and a bookabout seashells or sea animals. Place a largeshell or a collection of small shells on a pieceof dark blue paper. Ask if the child can findpictures of similar shells in the book. Hold aconch shell to the ear of each preschoolerand let her hear the sound of the air swirlinginside. As preschoolers listen, retell the Biblestory and remind them that some of Jesus’helpers lived and worked by the sea.

Sing TogetherTo signal that it is time to finish activitiesand form one group again, sing these words(tune “Did You Ever See a Lassie?”): “It’stime to stop working together, together. It’stime to stop working. It’s time to clean up.”Then guide the group to join you in singingone of the following songs.

Jesus Said, “Come Follow Me”(tune “London Bridge”)Jesus said, “Come follow Me*, follow Me,follow Me,”Jesus said, “Come follow Me, Be a helper.”Jesus said, “You are My friends, are Myfriends, are My friends,” Jesus said, “You are My friends, Love eachother.”(*Use a beckoning motion at the words,“follow Me.”)

Everyone Come and Follow Me(tune “Mulberry Bush”)Everyone come and follow me, follow me,follow me,Everyone come and follow me, On this happymorning.(Substitute these stanzas: “Everyone comeand hop around.” “Everyone come and standaround.” “Everyone come and sit around.”“Everyone quietly pray with me.”)

You Are My Friends(tune “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)Jesus said, “You are My friends, are My friends,are My friends,” Jesus said, “You are Myfriends, Come and follow Me.”

End the SessionLead the preschoolers to play one of thefollowing games.

Counting GamePlay a counting game by giving theseinstructions (pause after each one): “Take 1jump forward, 2 steps backward, and 3 hops inplace. Touch your toes 4 times. Clap yourhands 5 times. Tap your head 6 times. Bendsideways 7 times. Run 8 steps in place. Touchyour nose 9 times. Wave to a friend 10 times.”

Beanbag Bible Verse MatchGather shoe box lids or small boxes. Place adifferent color of construction paper in thebottom of each lid. Place a matching colorribbon or construction paper marker in theBible at the Bible verses for today. Toss abeanbag to a child and instruct her to throw itinto one of the “targets” (shoe box lids orsmall boxes). If she misses a target the firsttime, let her keep trying until she hits one.The beanbag does not have to be all the way inthe lid. Say with enthusiasm: “You hit thegreen target, Melissa. Would you like to find agreen Bible marker?” After a child has had aturn, instruct her to throw the beanbag to achild who has not yet had a turn.

Tips for TwosRather than stencils or rubber stamps, let twosuse nature-related stickers to decorate theirstationery.

© 2005 LifeWay Press®. Published in the United States of America. This les-son is adapted from content in Anytime Anywhere Bible Study forPreschool: The Bible Stories for Me © 1997 Convention Press, Permission isgranted to the original purchaser to download, store, print, and distributethis document for its intended use. Distribution by email or reproduction ofthis material by churches or individuals who did not purchase it is strictlyprohibited. Address request for additional permission in writing to LifewayPress®; One LifeWay Plaza; Nashville, TN 37234-0172. ISBN 0633098086

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FUN P

A

The B

ible, your child, and you: Today your child heard a Bible story about Jesus’ choosing 12

special helpers to help tell people about God’s love (Luke 6:12-16; 9:1-6). O

ne of the Bible verses today

was “Jesus said, ‘Love one another’ ”

(John 15:17). Guide your preschooler to find sim

ple ways every

day to show love to fam

ily mem

bers and other important people in her life.

Help !

Draw

a line fromeach helper to theperson w

ho needshis help.