January TFF Lesson

January 2, 2021

Supplies needed for lesson: Bible, Cross, piece of paper and pencil

What is this book is called? (show your child the Bible). This book is called the Bible. Who gave us this book? God. Yes, God gave us this book and there are stories about God’s Son Jesus in it. We are careful with the Bible when we hold it because it is a VERY special book because it is a gift from God! (Let your child hold the Bible.) There are also stories about other people besides Jesus, songs, and poems in the Bible. The Bible tells us stories about real people like Jesus, Mary (Jesus’ mommy), Joseph (Jesus’ earthly daddy), Moses, and John the Baptist who baptized Jesus. These stories help us get to know God and Jesus.

The Bible gives us directions on how to follow Jesus. Do you know what directions are? (Ask your child to raise his/her hands, cover his/her heart, etc. and explain this is following directions.) We read the Bible so that we know how to follow Jesus. People who follow Jesus are called Christians. (Ask your child to repeat the word Christian). A long time ago, Christians had a “secret hand shake” with other Christians—One Christian drew ½ of a fish in the sand. If the other person was a Christian, they would draw the 2^nd half of the fish in the sand (draw 1 arc and then draw a 2^nd arc completing the fish in a sand-filled container or on a piece of paper). Therefore, even today the FISH is a symbol of a Christian. (Let your child draw a fish in the sand/on the paper).

A cross (show a cross) also symbolizes a Christian, and many times you will see people wear them around their necks to show they are a Christian.

Another symbol of a Christian is a sheep. There is a place in the Bible called Psalms where God is called our “Shepherd” and it refers to us, His followers as His “sheep.” A shepherd watches over his sheep. The sheep follow in a group and follow their leader, the shepherd, just like we follow God. The shepherd takes care of the sheep by feeding them and directing them where to go, just like God takes care of us! God gives us directions too through the Bible and we follow him.

Ask your child: How do you follow Jesus? Do you share your toys? Do you pray to God? Do you listen to your parents? Do you give hugs to your brother or sister? Do you help people who are hurt?

Craft Week 1: Make a fish (out of a paper plate): Take a paper plate and cut a wedge out of it for a mouth. Staple it to the back end of the fish as the tail. Draw an eye and add scales by gluing on squares of construction paper or tissue paper. Talk about how the fish is a symbol of being a Christian. Supplies Needed: paper plate, scissors, pencil, stapler, construction/tissue paper, glue