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Rejection at Nazareth Kinder Rejection at Nazareth

2nd Small Groups September 21, 2014

Younger Kids Leader Guide Unit 25, Session 4 © 2014 LifeWay

LEADER BIBLE STUDY Jesus was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. After John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, Jesus was tempted in the desert. Jesus traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover. Then, He headed north to Galilee. He went through the region of Samaria stopping at Jacob’s well to talk to a Samaritan woman.

Jesus began teaching in the synagogues. He went to the town of Nazareth. Nazareth was a small village in the hills between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. This was the place Jesus grew up.

On the Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue. He read aloud the words of the prophet Isaiah. (See Isa. 61:1-2.) Jesus sat down. Everyone’s eyes were on Him as He explained, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” What was Jesus saying? Jesus was saying, "It’s Me." The words Jesus read were coming true. Some of the people might have remembered Jesus from His youth. They asked, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

Jesus knew their thoughts; Jesus had performed miracles in Capernaum, and the people wanted Jesus to do miracles in His hometown too. Jesus reminded them of two Old Testament accounts. Many widows lived in Israel when the prophet Elijah was there, but God sent Elijah to help a widow in another country. And Elisha likely encountered Israelites who had leprosy, but he healed Naaman the Syrian.

Jesus wanted the people to understand that His miracles were an act of grace—a gift. No one deserves God’s grace, so God

may show grace to whomever He pleases. The people were angry. They drove Jesus away, intending to kill Him, but Jesus escaped through the crowd.

Jesus came to give sight to the blind and to set the captives free. He came preaching good news. Finally, the Messiah had come! Jesus is God’s plan to save sinners.




YOUNGER KIDS BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW Session Title: Rejection at Nazareth Bible Passage: Luke 4:16-30 Big Picture Question: What is the good news about Jesus? Jesus died for our sins. Key Passage: John 3:16-17 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus was revealed as the fulfillment of Scripture, the promised Savior.

Small Group Opening (8:45 – 9:05 / 10:20 – 10:45) Welcome time Activity page (5 minutes) Session starter (10 minutes)

Large Group Leader (9:05 – 9:35 / 10:45 – 11:15) Countdown (5 minutes) Worship (7 minutes) Welcome/Rules/Big Idea (5 minutes) Worship (7 minutes) Tell the Bible story (10 minutes)

Small Group Leader (9:35 – 10:10 / 11:15 – 11:45) Key passage activity (5 minutes) Bible story review & Bible skills (10 minutes) Activity choice (10 minutes) Journal and prayer (5 minutes)

Additional suggestions for specific groups are available at gospelproject.com/kids/additional-resources. For free online training on how to lead a group, visit

ministrygrid.com/web/thegospelproject.




THE BIBLE STORY Rejection at Nazareth

Luke 4:16-30

Jesus went to Nazareth. Nazareth was Jesus’ hometown; He grew up there. On the Sabbath day, Jesus went to the synagogue like He usually did.

The Sabbath day was a holy day of rest. On that day, the Jews gathered in the synagogue to worship God. The synagogue was a special building where Jews met together to pray, worship, and learn about the Scriptures.

Jesus stood up to read Scripture. He unrolled the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Then He read from the place where these words were written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me. He has chosen Me to tell good news to the poor. He has sent Me to tell the captives that they are free, to tell the blind that they can see, to free people who have been treated badly, and to announce that the Lord’s favor is on us.” Then Jesus rolled up the scroll. He gave it back to the attendant and sat down.

Everyone who was in the synagogue just stared at Jesus. They watched Him closely, and Jesus said, “Today as you listened to Me reading these words, they came true.”

The people said good things about Jesus, and they were amazed to hear Him say such wonderful things. But some of the people in Nazareth had known Jesus from His youth. They wondered how this was possible. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

Jesus was Joseph’s son, but He was far from ordinary. Even though Jesus’ earthly father was Joseph, His true Father is

God. Then Jesus said to them, “You will probably say this old proverb: ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ You’ve heard about the

miracles I performed in Capernaum, and you want me to do them here in My hometown too.” Jesus also said, “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.” Jesus reminded the people of the prophets Elijah and

Elisha. When there was a terrible famine in Israel, and no rain fell there for three and a half years, plenty of widows in the country needed help.

But Elijah did not help the widows in Israel. Instead, God sent Elijah to help a widow in another land. And when Elisha was a prophet, many people in Israel had leprosy. They wanted to be healed, but Elisha did not heal

them. Instead, he healed a man named Naaman (NAY muhn), and Naaman was from Syria—a country that did not get along with God’s people.

The people listening to Jesus in the synagogue were angry. They got up and forced Jesus out of town. They wanted to throw Him off a cliff, but Jesus walked right through the crowd and went on His way.

Christ Connection: Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote about God’s plan to send a

Messiah. He would bring good news and redeem people who were broken and hurting. Jesus read Isaiah’s words and told

everyone who was listening that He is the promised Messiah.




SMALL GROUP OPENING Session Title: Rejection at Nazareth Bible Passage: Luke 4:16-30 Big Picture Question: What is the good news about Jesus? Jesus died for our sins. Key Passage: John 3:16-17 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus was revealed as the fulfillment of Scripture, the promised Savior.

Welcome time Arriving Activity: Been there

Kids should take turns drawing pictures of Bible stories about Jesus. You may provide some stories as an example or allow the kids to find a story on the timeline map. Say • Today, we will learn a story about Jesus teaching in the town where He grew up.

Activity page (5 minutes)

Guide boys and girls to complete the activity page. Say • Not everyone believed Jesus when He told them that He is the promised Messiah. We’ll hear about some of those

people.

Session starter (10 minutes) Option 1: Rejected

Collect several pieces of paper, enough for each kid to have one. In small letters, write Rejected on half of the papers and Accepted on the other half. You may also choose to purchase a Rejected or Accepted rubber stamp in an office supply store. Wad each paper into a ball, making sure you can’t see the writing. Pile the paper wads in the middle of the room. Invite each kid to choose a paper wad and a partner. The kids must try to toss the paper wads to their partners at the same time.

Each duo should continue tossing the paper wads until you say “stop.” Then each kid should open the paper wad. If it says accepted, she plays again with a new partner. If it says rejected, she must sit out the next round. Wad up the papers again and mix them up. Those who received the accepted message may choose a new paper wad and partner and play again. Say • How did you feel when you opened up the paper to find out you had been rejected? We all feel rejected sometimes.

Even Jesus knows what rejection feels like. We’ll see one example in today’s Bible story.

Option 2: Parachute pop

paper markers Timeline Map (optional)

“Hidden Word” activity page, 1 per kid pencils

paper marker Rejected/Accepted rubber stamps and ink pad (optional)

flat bed sheet or parachute paper marker




Use paper and a flat bed sheet or a parachute to play a game. On the papers, write or print one review question from each of this unit’s previous Bible stories. Make paper wads out of the questions. The kids will hold the sides of the bed sheet or parachute. Toss all the paper balls into the center of the sheet. Kids may move the sheet up and down but should try to keep all the balls on the sheet. Stop after a minute and then open and read one of the balls that have fallen on the floor. Invite the kids to answer the question. Put all the balls back on the sheet and start again. Repeat until kids answer all three questions. Say • Today we will learn about the good news Jesus came to deliver.

Transition to large group




SMALL GROUP LEADER Session Title: Rejection at Nazareth Bible Passage: Luke 4:16-30 Big Picture Question: What is the good news about Jesus? Jesus died for our sins. Key Passage: John 3:16-17 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus was revealed as the fulfillment of Scripture, the promised Savior.

Key passage activity (5 minutes)

Make sure the key passage, John 3:16-17, is visible for each child, either as the printed poster or written on a dry erase board. Read the verse together. Say • The people who supposedly knew Jesus most refused to believe that God sent Jesus to save them. They could only see

Jesus as the boy who grew up in Nazareth. People today still refuse to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. We can trust that Jesus is God’s Son and that He came to save us from our sins.

Invite the kids to make scrolls by taping a straw to each end of a piece of paper. Encourage them to write the key passage on the scroll and then roll both sides inward. Choose volunteers to say the key passage. They may unroll their scrolls if they struggle.

Bible story review (10 minutes)

Encourage the kids to find Luke 4 in their Bibles. Help them as needed. Say • Is the Book of Luke in the Old Testament or New Testament? (New Testament) In which division of the Bible is the

Book of Luke found? (Gospels) Luke was a doctor who lived in Bible times and wrote down what he found out about Jesus.

Use the timeline pack to show kids where today’s Bible story falls. Reviews the Bible stories provided using the bolded text, or summarize the story in your own words. Then read the questions below and the two possible answers. The kids must choose which answer to keep and which to reject. Repeat the possible answers, asking the kids to yell “Reject it!” after the incorrect answer.

Which place did Jesus visit, Bethlehem or Nazareth? (Nazareth, Luke 4:16) What did Jesus read in the synagogue, a book or a scroll? (scroll, Luke 4:17) What did the scroll say Jesus would preach good news or a list of rules? (good news, Luke 4:18) Who did the people think Jesus was God’s Son or Joseph’s son? (Joseph’s son, Luke 4:22) Who was one of the prophets God talked about, Elisha or Jeremiah? (Elisha, Luke 4:27) What did the people want to throw Jesus from, the synagogue or a cliff? (cliff, Luke 4:29)

Key Passage Slide or Poster dry erase board and markers (optional) paper tape straws, 2 per kid

Bibles, 1 per kid Small Group Visual Pack Big Picture Question Slide or Poster




Say • The people of Nazareth wanted to see Jesus perform miracles, but they didn’t want to believe He was God’s Son. Their

lack of faith didn’t stop Jesus. He did many miracles elsewhere and gave His life so we could be forgiven and live

forever with God in heaven. That’s the good news about Jesus! Show the big picture question slide or poster. Say • What is the good news about Jesus? Jesus died for our sins.

Activity choice (10 minutes) Option 1: Share the news

Take a few minutes to teach kids how to share the gospel. Use the gospel plan poster as a guide. Once you’ve explained how

to share the gospel, invite the kids to pair up and tell their partners what they learned. Gently guide as needed. Say • You’ve just shared the good news with a friend. Take time this week to share the good news with someone who doesn’t

come to church with you. What is the good news about Jesus? Jesus died for our sins.

Option 2: Neighbor invite

Encourage the kids to make an invitation to come to church to give to a neighbor. Allow the kids to decorate a piece of construction paper with markers and stickers. Demonstrate how to fold the card and add a special invitation in the middle. Consider printing labels with your church’s information to place on the cards. Make sure you remind the kids that they should

never go to a stranger’s house without a parent. Say • Jesus wanted to share the good news with those who were once His neighbors. What is the good news about Jesus?

Jesus died for our sins. Deliver these invitations to your neighbors so they can hear the good news too.

Journal and prayer (5 minutes)

Before you journal, ask for prayer requests from your kids. Pray, thanking God for the Good news. Pray for each child by name, asking God to help him or her understand what it means to have living water.

Lord Jesus, we want to thank you for coming and speaking the truth of God’s word. Jesus it makes us sad that some people did not believe the life changing words you spoke. Holy Spirit of God, we pray that you would be softening peoples’ heart so that they may believe Jesus’ words and have a forever friendship with Him. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Distribute each child’s journal and the journal page provided with this session. Instruct the kids to draw a picture of a scroll. Writers can write the big picture question and answer on the scroll. Say • Who wants to answer the big picture question one more time? What is the good news about Jesus? Jesus died for our

Gospel Plan Poster

construction paper markers stickers labels (optional) Avery Labels

journals Journal Page, 1 per kid markers or crayons Bible Story Coloring Page




sins. Make sure each child puts this week’s sheet in the journal, and then collect them. Keep the journals in the classroom so they will be available every week or as often as you wish to use them.

If time remains, take prayer requests or allow kids to complete the coloring page provided with this session. Pray, thanking God for our hometowns. Pray for each child by name, asking God to help the kids see the truth about Jesus and to give them courage to share the good news with their neighbors.

rejection at nazareth - northwest bible · rejection at nazareth rejection at nazareth

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