If Heavenly Father were to say something to you right now, what do you think He would most want to tell you? Speaking to any one of us, He could justifiably list the many ways in which we need to improve. He could remind us of all the things we should be doing that we aren’t doing. And He could also mention all the things we are doing that we shouldn’t be! But, would Heavenly Father do that? Are those the things He would most want His children to know? Or, do you think there is something else He would want to say? As a parent speaking to you (His child), what could He say that would be more important, more true, and more natural than this: “I love you!”
This lesson focuses on the glorious truth of why Heavenly Father sent Jesus into the world - He loves us, and He sent His Son to save us!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” -John 3:16-17
LESSON BUNDLE DOWNLOADS:
➤ L E S S O N
Open the lesson with a song and a prayer.
🎶 K A R A O K E V I D E O : "He Sent His Son"
➤ P R E P A R A T I O N:
You will need a tape measure.
➤ I N T R O D U C T I O N
Briefly demonstrate how to use a tape measure if the children are not already familiar. Allow them to work together and choose several objects in the room to measure (a chair, a hand, their own height, a doorway, etc.) to see which object is the biggest!
After you have compared the measurements of several objects, invite the children to return to their seats and discuss the following questions:
1) Can you think of some other things outside of this room that are really big that would be fun to measure? (Discuss the children’s ideas. You could also suggest things such as a dinosaur, a skyscraper, an airplane, a bus, etc.)
2) Can you think of anything that is too big to measure? (Discuss the children’s ideas.)
Explain: In the scriptures, we learn about something that is so great that we can’t even measure it! Do you know what it is? It’s God’s love for us! We are His children, and Heavenly Father loves us so much that we can’t even measure how much He loves us! And that’s what we are going to talk about today!
🎥 V I D E O : " The Squirrel and the Acorn | Animated Scripture Lesson for Kids"
Say: “Now we are going to watch a video about a squirrel who got stuck in a mud pit! Let’s watch if the squirrel can get out!”
Discuss the following questions after watching the video:
1) How did the squirrel get stuck in the mud pit? (He was trying to reach a great big acorn, and he slipped and fell!)
2) Why didn’t the grasshopper or the other bugs want to help the squirrel? (It was the squirrel’s fault he fell in the mud pit, and they thought he deserved to stay there and that’s why they didn’t help him.)
3) When the bugs wouldn’t help the squirrel, how did you feel? (Discuss the children’s thoughts and feelings about the squirrel.)
4) How do you think Heavenly Father feels about us when we need help? (He loves us and wants to help us just like we wanted to help the squirrel!)
5) Why is Jesus like the owl? (Because Heavenly Father didn’t send Jesus to punish us and to get us all in trouble. He loves us! He sent his Jesus Christ to save us and rescue us! )
➤ S C R I P T U R E
Read the scripture verses below and discuss the questions that follow.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1) Why did Heavenly Father give His son for us? (Because He loves us! More than we can even measure!)
2) What does this verse teach us that we must do? (We must believe in Jesus Christ.)
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
1) What does “condemn” mean? (It means to give out a punishment to someone.)
2) Did Heavenly Father send His son to give out a punishment to us? (No.)
3) What did Heavenly Father send His Son to do? (To save us!)
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
1) Who is speaking in this verse? (Jesus is speaking.)
2) How much does Jesus love us? (He loves us as much as the Father loves Jesus!)
3) Does He teach us to give up? Or to continue? (To continue!)
4) If we know that Jesus and Heavenly Father loves us, how can that help us keep going? (Even if we make a mistake or get stuck, we don’t have to be stuck there forever and we are not alone! Heavenly Father sent Jesus Christ to rescue us!)
➤ C O L O R I N G P A G E
Pass out the coloring page, one to each child. Invite the children to color the coloring page of the squirrel and the Owl. Use this time to talk about Heavenly Father’s immeasurable love for us, and the power of Jesus Christ’s atonement to save us!
➤ T E S T I M O N Y
Bear testimony of the truths found in the scriptures.
