Grow and Go Shona Light Series Session 2 introducing natural and Spiritual growth to schools in Zimbabwe

Contact Us

Grow and Go Training

Grow and Go curriculum

Grow and Go Light Series

English Child Evangelism

Countries Selected

Humanitarian Arm

More UCT Curriculum

home>>water series>> light series >> session 2>> session 3

Shona Grow and Go - Light Series Session #2

This week's destination: JESUS IS THE LIGHT

This week on our journey we learn that Jesus is the Word, the Creator and the Light to the world.

MATERIALS:
Creation Notebook, coloured creation posters from last week, paper glue, scissors, crayons, a large white card to make the Creation Collage. Print 'Team game instructions' X2 cut into strips and placed in two baskets. Bible Verse colouring page. A dark cloth/blanket, a Bible and a flash light, candles and matches. Candle bookmark.

AS KIDS ARRIVE PRIOR TO THE LESSON:

Welcome Teacher,Trainers and students. Get all the children to colour the Creation story colouring pages and visual aids until it is time to start.

DOWNLOAD English Visual Aids

DOWNLOAD Shona Visual Aids

DOWNLOAD Session #2 English Teaching (To be translated)

Encourage the children to pass around their Creation Notebook to enjoy someone else's Creation walk. These as well as the Creation Colouring pages and Bible verses from the last lesson will be used to make a Creation Collage to display on the wall the entire poster board could be filled with creation pictures let children work together on this project prior to the lesson.

1. OPENING GAME: (10 minutes)

Tell the children that you have hidden 5 letters around the room, challenge them to find all five and identify the hidden word. (L-I-G-H-T)

Optional: Download 'LIGHT' English Visual aids

(For children that speak English only)

2. TEAM GAMES: (10 minutes)
Split the group into two teams give each team a basket with the Team Game Instructions cut into strips. The student chosen to be the first 'Light' picks one of the strips from the basket and must run down to their team and give directions without speaking. Once the team has guessed the clue the student tags or touches someone else from the team and the team shouts out "Be the Light" they then runs up and gets a strip from the basket and becomes the 'Light' this continues until everyone in the team has been the "Light".

3. ENGLISH ACTIVE PRAISE CHORUS: (10 minutes)

Optional: Download 'Jump into the light' Active Praise Music video and lyrics.

4. ENGLISH INTIMATE WORSHIP:
(5 minutes)

Optional: Download ''Light of the world' Worship Music video.

Prayer: Jesus you told us that You are the light of the world. We believe that whoever follows you will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Thank you for shining in our lives. Amen

5. TEACHING:

a. Review:

Last week we learnt that God created the heaven and the earth.

Optional: Download '7 days of creation' Shona colouring flash cards.

This week we will learn that Jesus was there in the beginning, He was with God, and He (the Word) was God.Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the Light of all mankind. (John 1:1-4)

b. English Sword Play
Ready.Swords up. John 8:12b . CHARGE!

Jesus said "I am the light of the world."
(John 8:12b)

Optional: Download English Bible Verse Visual Aid.

Use the Bible Verse colouring page to assist with the teaching of the Bible verse.

Split the class into five groups:

One group says "Jesus said"

Second group say "I am "

Third group says "the light "

Fourth group say "of the world ."

The last group says "John 8:12b"

Say it standing up, say it sitting down, shout it, whisper it, etc. Once the verse is memorized, stand together with lighted candles and say the verse together.

b. Shona Sword Play
Ready...Swords up... Johani 8:12b ... CHARGE!

Jesus said "Ndini chiedza chenyika."
(Johani 8:12b)

Optional: Download Shona Bible Verse Visual Aid.

Use the Bible Verse colouring page to assist with the teaching of the Bible verse.

Split the class into five groups:

One group says "Jesu akati"

Second group say... "Ndini"

Third group says... "chiedza"

Fourth group say... "chenyika."

The last group says "JOHANI 8:12b"

Say it standing up, say it sitting down, shout it, whisper it, etc. Once the verse is memorized, stand together with lighted candles and say the verse together.

c. Teach the Lesson (15 minutes)
Introduction:

Optional: Download Session #2 English visual aids

Optional: Download Session #2 Shona visual aids

How many of you have ever tried to walk in the dark? Have you ever got up in the middle of the night and tried to walk to the toilet, for example?

Maybe you forgot to pick up some sharp object from the floor and you stepped on it in the dark. It can be very difficult and even painful to walk around when it's really dark.

Gather the children together under the blanket, turn it into a fun experience. "We'll see how many people we can get under this dark blanket. It's pretty dark under here, isn't it? I wanted to read a Bible verse to you, but now it's so dark I don't know if I can. But I think I have something that might help."

(Retrieve the flashlight out of your bag or pocket) This flashlight will really help; just the thing to push back the darkness. (Turn on the light.) That makes a big difference, doesn't it? I can see much better.

Read Isaiah 9:2 "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness; on them light has shined"

Let's push back the darkness and take the blanket off now. ( Remove blanket.) Can anyone answer this question; who is the "light of the world"? (Let children answer .) YES Jesus!

Jesus goes on to say "Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"

This is a life-changing verse if you see Jesus for who He is . It says that following Jesus is more than tagging along behind him. It means following Him for who He is. (God)

When you follow Jesus you have Him as the light of life. He said "I am the light" Whoever follows me . . . will have the light . . .You will have me,he says, as your light. If you follow me, you have me. I am yours, your Light, your direction "You will have the light of life."

What is the connection between light and life? John 1:4 gives the answer can someone read this verse: "In him was life, and the life was the light of men." The life Jesus has, and the life he shares with those who follow him, gives them light. The life gives the light. The life Jesus has, and the life he shares with those who follow him, gives them light.

The eyes of our hearts are opened, and divine light streams into our living spirits. And thus we have the light of life. The light that comes from new, spiritual, eye-opening life - the life that gives sight to the blind soul, eternal life giving eternal sight.

"The light of the world" what does this means?

1. The world has no other light than Him. If there is going to be a light for the world, it will be Jesus. It is Jesus or darkness. There is no third alternative. No other light.

2. It means that all the world, and everyone in it needs, Jesus as their light.

3. It means that the world was made for this light. This is not a foreign light. This is the light of the owner of the world. When this light comes, it not only makes sin plain and ugly, but it also makes everything good in the world shine with its full and true beauty.

4. It means that that one day this world will be filled with this light as the waters cover the sea, and all darkness, and all the works of darkness, and all the sons of darkness will be cast out. In that day, all will be light. Jesus, the radiance of the Father, will fill the world, and everything will be beautiful with the light of Christ.

Extracts taken from www.desiringgod.org

Jesus Is A Shining Light - When He walked upon this earth, Jesus was in the business of delivering men from darkness. He is still doing that today? If you have never been saved, you can come to Jesus today and He will bring you out of the darkness and the bondage in which you find yourself. He is still a Shining Light and a Saviour to all who will come to Him He said, "I am the light." He didn't say, "I am a light in Jerusalem." He said, "I am the light of the world." That includes us.

Light dispels darkness. And Jesus Christ is the light of truth that dispels the darkness of falsehood. Jesus is the light of wisdom that dispels the darkness of ignorance. Jesus is the light of holiness that dispels the darkness of impurity. Jesus is the light of joy that dispels the darkness of sorrow. Jesus Christ is the light of life that dispels the darkness of death. To say, "I am the light of the world," is to identify yourself as God.

Psalm 27:1. "The Lord is my light and my salvation" - The people that heard this teaching understood what Jesus was saying. He was claiming to be God. He was claiming to be the Messiah, the light. "I know the way out of darkness," Jesus says. "I know the way out of the darkness of ignorance, the darkness of sin. I know the way out of the darkness of sadness and sorrow, out of the darkness of death. Follow me, and I will lead you to life, eternal life."

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD:
Encourage the children to come forward holding a candle (either a lighted real candle or the candle bookmark) and Pray and thank God for sending His son Jesus to be the Light of the World.

CLOSING PRAYER:
Jesus, you are the Light of the world! Thank you for shining in our lives to show us the way we should go. Amen.

ENGLISH TAKE HOME BIBLE VERSE:

Print the Take Home Bible Verse candle bookmark one for each child.

Optional: DOWNLOAD Take Home Bible Verse English Visual Aids