LESSON 3: SIMEON AND ANNA SEE JESUS

LESSON 3: SIMEON AND ANNA SEE JESUS Large Group Leader Guide Luke 2:21-40 Classroom: Brigade 09/21/2016 Teachers Dig In Dig In to the Bible Read: Luke 2:21-40 In This Passage: Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple to dedicate him when he was eight days old. While there, they encountered two people, Simeon and Anna, who d been waiting for God s promised Messiah. Immediately they recognized Jesus as this gift, the Messiah they d been waiting for. They praised God for the wonderful gift of Jesus. Bible Point: Jesus is God s gift. Summary Verse: He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel! (Luke 2:32) Dig Deeper You ll Be Teaching: Jesus is God s gift. Kids know better than anyone the eager anticipation of waiting for a gift. The days before Christmas or a birthday seem to crawl by as they hope for all the things they ve asked for. This story captures that anticipation, as Simeon and Anna have waited their whole lives for the promised gift of the Messiah. Help kids capture their excitement when God s gift finally arrived! Think About: What s the best gift you ve ever received? What made it so great? What makes Jesus an even greater gift? Dig In to Prayer Make a list of the kids in your class. Write a gift you d like God to give each child next to his or her name. Pray that your kids will experience the gifts Jesus brings. Quick Tip Asking kids questions to listen for before they read or hear Scripture will help them focus on understanding what they hear. They ll feel more prepared to give answers to that question afterward. 1 of 19

This Lesson at a Glance OPENING Kids share about a topic related to the lesson. Bible LOW-ENERGY GAME Kids try to catch ribbon pieces. curling ribbon Cut five pieces of ribbon about 4 inches each for each pair. CORE BIBLE DISCOVERY Kids discuss good gifts. Bible handful of candies that are the same color, such as red jelly beans plastic bowl Gift Cards handout (download here) Place the same-colored candies in a plastic bowl. Cut apart the cards on the Gift Cards handout. CRAFT Kids decorate a fold-and-tie gift box. God s Gift handout (1 per child) (download here) markers or crayons curling ribbon scissors hole punch (1 for every 5 kids) stickers (optional) Make a sample craft using the instructions below. OBJECT LESSON Kids predict how long it will take food coloring to pass through oil. 2 of 19

1 extra-large, clear jar for every 30 kids water vegetable oil food coloring 1 timer or clock with a second hand for every 30 kids Fill each jar about half full with water. Add enough vegetable oil to each jar so about an inch of oil settles at the top. HIGH-ENERGY GAME Kids try to move a long distance without touching the floor. masking tape snacks table On the floor, use masking tape to make two X s about 12 feet apart. Create one set of X s for every four children. Set snacks on a table. LIFE APPLICATION WRAP-UP Kids rub their fingers on sandpaper as they talk about waiting on a good gift. 2-inch sandpaper squares (1 per small group) Woodsies shapes or squares (found at most craft and hobby stores) (1 per small group) *Marked supplies are also used in Core Bible Discovery Let's keep kids safe! You can help by using supplies as instructed for only ages 3+, purchasing childsafe items, and being aware of allergy concerns. 3 of 19

OPENING Welcome [5 min] Bible Welcome Thank kids for coming. Just for fun, have kids link arms with a partner and swing each other in a circle. Make announcements. Introduce new kids. Celebrate birthdays by shouting Happy birthday! Collect the offering. Introduce the Lesson Say: Today we ll learn about a man named Simeon and a woman named Anna. They waited a long, long, long time for God s gift Jesus. Jesus is God s gift! When Simeon and Anna saw Jesus, they praised God. Share Say: Simeon and Anna knew that God had promised the gift of his Son, and they were ready to receive that gift. Let s think for a minute about gifts we ve received. Tell about a memorable gift you received. Have kids form pairs and share with their partners about gifts they received. Summarize Open a Bible, and say: Today we ll explore how Jesus is God s gift and what that means to us. We ll dig in to the Bible to find out. The Bible isn t an ordinary book; it s God s special book. The Bible is one way God talks to us. God is here right now, ready to talk to you. Pray, thanking God for the gift of his Son, Jesus. 4 of 19

LOW-ENERGY GAME Ribbon Drop [10 min] curling ribbon Cut five pieces of ribbon about 4 inches each for each pair. Drop and Catch Ribbon Say: Jesus is God s gift, sent to us just because God loves us! God didn t send Jesus because of anything wonderful or special we ve done. This game will help us explore that a little more. Have kids form pairs with someone from their small group and sit on the floor facing their partners. Have small-group leaders give one partner in each pair five pieces of ribbon. Direct kids with the ribbon pieces to drop their ribbons, one at a time, from about shoulder height. Have the other partner hold one hand about 6 inches below the partner s hand and try to catch the ribbon between thumb and forefinger. Let kids switch roles and repeat the game to see how many ribbons they can catch. Then repeat the game, letting kids cup both hands together to catch the ribbons. Talk About It In their small groups, have kids discuss the following questions. Ask: Explain whether it was easier to catch the ribbons the first time or the second time. Which time felt more like receiving a gift? Why? Say: In the first round of the game, you had to work hard to catch the ribbons. But in the second round, you just had to wait for your partner to drop the ribbons into your hands. Jesus is God s gift a gift God freely gives us because he loves us. Have each child hold a ribbon piece in his or her cupped hands as you pray, thanking God that each of us can receive the gift of his Son, Jesus. 5 of 19

CORE BIBLE DISCOVERY Simeon and Anna See Jesus (Luke 2:21-40) [20 min] Bible handful of candies that are the same color, such as red jelly beans plastic bowl Gift Cards handout (download here) Place the same-colored candies in a plastic bowl. Cut apart the cards on the Gift Cards handout. Discuss Good Gifts Say: I m glad we re here together discovering that Jesus is God s gift. I love to think about gifts, don t you? Ask: When is your favorite time of year to receive a gift? Call out your answer. How do people know what gifts you d like? Talk to a few people nearby. Give kids time to talk, and then ask a few kids to share their answers. Say: To give someone a great gift takes some planning. I ll show you what I mean. Give each small group a Gift Card. Have the person wearing the most blue in each group read the card aloud. Then have each group decide on the perfect gift to give the person described on the card. Allow a few minutes for groups to talk. Have each group read its card aloud and then announce the perfect gift it decided on. After each presentation, lead everyone in a quick round of applause. After all groups have presented, ask: How did you decide on the perfect gift for the person on your card? Raise your hand to answer. Take a few responses. Say: To give a perfect gift, you have to know something about the person receiving the gift. You have to know what they re like and just what they need. God made each one of us, and he knows exactly what we need. God knew we needed the gift of Jesus! Explain the Meaning of Messiah Open your Bible to Luke 2:21. Say: In today s Bible story, we ll meet two people who had been waiting for the gift of Jesus all their lives. They knew that God had promised to send a Messiah. Messiah means the chosen one of God, sent to rescue his people. 6 of 19

God s people had been waiting for a really long time for the Messiah to come. The people lived under a ruler who oppressed them and didn t believe in God. So they really were ready for the Messiah to come! Introduce Simeon and Anna Say: There was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. Something very cool happened to him the Holy Spirit told him that he wouldn t die until he saw the Messiah. Wow! What a promise! People had been waiting and waiting for so long for the Messiah to come. And Simeon was going to get to see him! It was time! Here s how it happened. One day the Holy Spirit led Simeon to the Temple. And guess who just happened to be there? Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus! But it wasn t a coincidence. It was God s timing! Well, when Simeon saw baby Jesus, he took him in his arms and praised God! He knew Jesus was the Messiah. And that s not all! There was an old woman named Anna who lived at the Temple. She came along just as Simeon was talking to Mary and Joseph. And when she saw Jesus, she started praising God, too! She knew Jesus was the Messiah! Holy Spirit Help Say: Let me give you some background. It was the Jewish religious law at the time that parents had to present their babies at the Temple. So there may have been lots of parents and babies at the Temple that day. Who knows how many babies might have been there? Think about this. Show kids the bowl of same-colored candies, and pass the bowl around for each person to see. Tell kids not to touch the candies they can only look. Let s say that most of these candies are cherry. But one of them is strawberry. Talk in your group about these questions. Ask willing kids to share their answers. Ask: How would you know which was the special strawberry candy? How did Simeon and Anna know Jesus was the Messiah, and not one of the other babies? Say: The Holy Spirit let both Simeon and Anna know that Jesus was the Messiah. And the Holy Spirit can help us know Jesus, too. Plus, we have the benefit of the Bible and other Christians who know Jesus. Jesus is God s gift exactly the gift God knew we needed, because Jesus is the only one who can make a way for us to live in heaven. Let s thank God. Close your time with a prayer, thanking God for giving us the gift of Jesus. 7 of 19

CRAFT Thank-You Gift Box [20 min] God s Gift handout (1 per child) (download here) markers or crayons curling ribbon scissors hole punch (1 for every 5 kids) stickers (optional) Make a sample craft using the instructions below. Talk About Gifts Say: Jesus is God s gift. In the Bible, God s people were waiting for a Savior who would lead them. But Jesus wasn t just a gift to them way back then. Jesus is God s gift to us today! Ask: What do you do when someone gives you a gift? How can you thank God for giving his Son, Jesus? Say: We can thank God through worship, through prayer, or even by showing his awesome love to others. Hold up your sample craft. Say: Let s make a cool craft that will give you a chance to thank God for Jesus the best gift of all. Cut and Decorate Give each person a God s Gift handout, and direct kids to cut out the shape on the solid lines. Small-group leaders can help younger kids. Kids can use a hole punch to make holes on the circles. Explain that the side with the dotted lines will be the inside of the box. Have kids each write a note on the inside, thanking God for Jesus. Ask kids to be as specific as possible, thanking God for ways Jesus has encouraged them, forgiven them, or made them feel God s love. Have kids turn the shape over and use markers or crayons to decorate the other side of the shape. Optionally, kids can also use stickers. Fold and Tie Show kids how to fold on the dotted lines so the thank-you note is on the inside of the box. Then let kids slip curling ribbon through the holes and tie it to pull the points of the box together. Kids or small-group leaders can use scissors to curl the curling 8 of 19

ribbon. Tell kids that they can keep their gift boxes where they ll see them every day as a reminder of the amazing gift God gave through Jesus. 9 of 19

OBJECT LESSON A Color Run [10 min] 1 extra-large, clear jar for every 30 kids water vegetable oil food coloring 1 timer or clock with a second hand for every 30 kids Fill each jar about half full with water. Add enough vegetable oil to each jar so about an inch of oil settles at the top. Make Predictions Say: God promised the gift of his Son, Jesus, but Simeon and Anna didn t know how long it would be before God gave that gift. Let s do something to help us think about what it was like to wait for God s gift. Gather about 30 kids around each jar of water and oil. (Kids should be about 3 feet away from the jar so they can see clearly.) Hold up the food coloring, and tell kids you re going to drop some food coloring into the jar. Say: When the food coloring makes it into the water, it s really neat to watch it spread out. But we ll have to wait for it to go through the oil first. Ask: How long do you think it ll take for the food coloring to make it through the oil? Tell kids they can guess any number of seconds, minutes, or even longer. Have kids each make a prediction, and have them tell their prediction to a friend sitting nearby. Drop It Put a drop of food coloring into the oil, and start the timer. (Use a separate timer for each group of 30 kids.) Have kids count aloud with the timer as they watch and wait. When the food coloring breaks through the oil, it will be obvious because it spreads into the water with streaks of color. Stop the timer as soon as it breaks through the oil, and allow time for kids to watch the color spread out. Share the actual time, and then ask: How close was your guess? Discuss Ask: What was it like to wait in this experiment? What were you thinking when the food coloring spread into the water? 10 of 19

Say: Maybe your guess was really close or maybe it was really off. Maybe it felt like the drop would never reach the water. Ask: How does that remind you of Simeon and Anna waiting for God s gift? Say: Anna and Simeon knew a savior was coming; so when Jesus arrived and their waiting was over, they knew Jesus was a gift. Jesus is God s gift to all of us. Have kids gather in small groups with a few kids who are nearby. Ask: Tell about something that was worth waiting for. After a few minutes, take a few responses. Say: We don t have to wait for God s gift. Jesus already came, and he s our gift that we can enjoy and celebrate today! 11 of 19

HIGH-ENERGY GAME Bridging the Gap [10 min] masking tape snacks table On the floor, use masking tape to make two X s about 12 feet apart. Create one set of X s for every four children. Set snacks on a table. Get to the Other Side Have children form groups of four and stand by an X. Point to the snacks. Say: There s a snack for you over there. To get it, you have to step from one X to the other without touching the floor in between. Have children try to step (or jump) from one X to the other without touching the floor in between. Let each child try several times. Occasionally remind children that they have to step from one X to the other in order to get their snack. After each child has tried a few times, have small-group leaders make a masking-tape line between the two X s for children to walk on. Talk About It Have small group leaders distribute snacks and let kids eat as they discuss the following questions in their small groups. Ask: Explain whether you think you received a gift in this game. What s the difference between a gift and a reward? Why can we say that Jesus is God s gift? Say: You weren t able to make it to the other side and get a snack until someone helped you. In the same way, Jesus helps us. There s a gap between us and God because of sin the wrong things we do that separate us from God. God gave the gift of Jesus to help us cross that gap because we can never be good enough on our own. That s why we say Jesus is our Savior he saves us from being separated from God. Jesus really is God s gift! 12 of 19

LIFE APPLICATION WRAP-UP Waiting for the Gift [5 min] 2-inch sandpaper squares (1 per small group) Woodsies shapes or squares (found at most craft and hobby stores) (1 per small group) Rub the Sandpaper Give each child a sandpaper square to hold in one hand. Have them each rub one finger on it for about 30 seconds and talk about how it feels. Ask: What would happen if you rubbed one finger on this sandpaper for an hour? What are some ways that waiting for something for a long, long time feels bad or hurts? Say: Today we learned about Simeon and Anna, who had to wait a long, long time for God s gift, Jesus. Maybe they felt [say some of the words kids shared about what it s like to wait for a long time], but when they saw Jesus, it was worth it! They knew that Jesus is God s gift. Smooth Rough Surfaces Say: Simeon and Anna were thankful when they saw Jesus. They knew that Jesus was there to save them so they could be forgiven for all the wrong things they d ever do. Jesus is God s gift for us, too. Let s see why that s important. Give each group a Woodsie shape. Ask: Why do people use sandpaper? Say: Sandpaper is good for smoothing out rough surfaces it gets rid of the stuff you don t want there. Like that, Jesus wants to smooth out our rough spots. Let s smooth out these shapes as we silently pray. Lead kids in rubbing the sandpaper over the edges of the wood shapes as they silently thank Jesus for forgiving their wrongs or for helping them through rough spots in life. (Kids in groups will take turns by passing the wood shapes and sandpaper around the circle.) After a minute of silent prayer, close the prayer. Pray: God, thank you for Jesus! We re thankful he came to save us and to be our friend. He s the best gift ever. In Jesus name, amen. Thank the children for coming, and remind them that Jesus is God s gift. 13 of 19

The Life of Jesus, Lesson 3: Simeon and Anna See Jesus. Design and base content copyright Group Publishing, Inc. Licensed for use with 1-20 students. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use only. 14 of 19

LESSON 3: SIMEON AND ANNA SEE JESUS Small Group Leader Guide Luke 2:21-40 Classroom: Brigade 09/21/2016 Teachers Dig In Dig In to the Bible Read: Luke 2:21-40 In This Passage: Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple to dedicate him when he was eight days old. While there, they encountered two people, Simeon and Anna, who d been waiting for God s promised Messiah. Immediately they recognized Jesus as this gift, the Messiah they d been waiting for. They praised God for the wonderful gift of Jesus. Bible Point: Jesus is God s gift. Summary Verse: He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel! (Luke 2:32) Dig Deeper You ll Be Teaching: Jesus is God s gift. Kids know better than anyone the eager anticipation of waiting for a gift. The days before Christmas or a birthday seem to crawl by as they hope for all the things they ve asked for. This story captures that anticipation, as Simeon and Anna have waited their whole lives for the promised gift of the Messiah. Help kids capture their excitement when God s gift finally arrived! Think About: What s the best gift you ve ever received? What made it so great? What makes Jesus an even greater gift? Dig In to Prayer Make a list of the kids in your class. Write a gift you d like God to give each child next to his or her name. Pray that your kids will experience the gifts Jesus brings. Quick Tip Asking kids questions to listen for before they read or hear Scripture will help them focus on understanding what they hear. They ll feel more prepared to give answers to that question afterward. 15 of 19

This Lesson at a Glance TALK-ABOUT VIDEO Kids watch a video and discuss what it s like to wait for something good. Waiting for Cookies teaching video (watch or download here) DEEPER BIBLE Kids explore if Jesus came to knock down certain people. Bibles drinking straws (about 15 for every 5 kids) masking tape *Marked supplies are also used in Core Bible Discovery Let's keep kids safe! You can help by using supplies as instructed for only ages 3+, purchasing childsafe items, and being aware of allergy concerns. 16 of 19

TALK-ABOUT VIDEO Waiting for Cookies [10 min] Waiting for Cookies teaching video (watch or download here) Discuss and Watch "Waiting for Cookies" Say: In today s Bible account, we learned that Simeon and Anna had waited a long, long, long time for Jesus. They knew that Jesus would be God s gift to the world, and they kept waiting for Jesus. Waiting can be hard. Think about a time you had to wait patiently for something you really wanted. I ll go first. Share your own story of a time you had to wait a long time for something. Keep your example to about a minute to model the type of sharing you want kids to do. Then say: Now it s your turn. Find a partner, and talk about a time you had to wait a long time for something you really wanted. Ask: Was it worth the wait once you got that thing? Why or why not? Allow two minutes for kids to share with their partners, and then invite a few kids to share their answers with the whole group. Say: Let s watch a video about someone who has to wait a long time. Watch Waiting for Cookies. Ask: Why did the girl think it was worth the wait for those cookies? Say: When we pray, we often ask Jesus to do something that is important to us, like heal someone, or help us with a friendship, or help us with a test. Ask: What is something you have prayed about and are waiting for God to do in your own life? Share your thoughts with your partner. Allow about two minutes for sharing. Then invite children to silently pray for their partners for a minute, asking Jesus to help their friends as they wait for Jesus. Then say: When a friend prays for us, that is a gift to us. When Jesus helps us, it is a gift to us. Even greater than both of these is knowing that Jesus himself is a gift to us. It must have been hard for Simeon and Anna to wait for Jesus to come. The good news for us is that we don t have to wait for Jesus he s already here with us and we can talk to him anytime we want. What a wonderful gift! 17 of 19

DEEPER BIBLE Did Jesus Come to Make People Fall? [15 min] Bibles drinking straws (about 15 for every 5 kids) masking tape Play Tag Play a few quick rounds of Tag. Tell kids that if they re tagged, they must fall down and can t play anymore. Secretly tell It to only tag kids wearing red. In subsequent rounds, change the criteria (wearing blue, wearing green, etc.). Ask: How did it feel to be singled out as someone who would fall down? Read aloud Luke 2:34-35. Say: Simeon said Jesus would make some people rise and others fall. Did he come just to knock certain people down? Is Jesus really a gift for everyone? Let s dig in to that. Explore the Bible Have kids form groups of about four or five. Say: When Jesus was born, the religious leaders of the time were very focused on the rules of following God. As you read these verses, think of words that describe the attitude of the religious leaders. Have groups read Matthew 23:4-7. Ask: What were the Pharisees hearts like? Why might their attitude make it hard for them to accept the gift of Jesus? Say: Let s try an experiment to see if we can discover something about the religious leaders. Give each small group a handful of drinking straws, and have kids use the straws to build a tower. (Don t make tape available yet.) Continually knock down kids towers. Say: The religious leaders are an example of people who had their own way of doing things. They didn t want Jesus as a gift, because he showed them that their way wasn t God s way. Because they wouldn t accept God s gift of Jesus, they fell. A Stronger Heart Say: Your towers weren t very strong. They were a lot like the Pharisees hearts. Let s think of some words that would describe the heart of someone who loves Jesus. Have kids name a few examples. 18 of 19

Distribute masking tape, and have kids rebuild their straw towers, using tape to anchor them to the ground and hold all the straws together. Discuss Say: Your strong towers remind me of a verse about Jesus. This verse talks about something important that s used in construction even today. It s a cornerstone. A cornerstone gives a building a solid, firm foundation. Read Isaiah 28:16. Say: This verse says Jesus is a cornerstone, and if we believe in him, we won t be shaken. Jesus didn t want to make anyone fall. Jesus is God s gift for everyone. But we have to accept Jesus as a gift. When we have hearts to receive God s gift of Jesus, we can stand strong! The Life of Jesus, Lesson 3: Simeon and Anna See Jesus. Design and base content copyright Group Publishing, Inc. Licensed for use with 1-20 students. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use only. 19 of 19