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Reply to "DRAMA, PUPPET, STORYTELLING Lessons & Ideas for Isaiah foretells the Messiah"

Jesus' Birth Through the Eyes of Isaiah

Video–Newsroom Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activity:

Children will be conducting and taping interviews with biblical characters about Isaiah's prophecy.

Scripture Reference:

Isaiah 9:6-7

Workshop Objective(s):

  • The learners will explore the role of the prophet, how people responded to a prophet, and what they expected from a prophet.
  • They will also relate the promised Messiah to the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

Leader Preparation:

  • Read the Bible passages.
  • Read over the background material (check out the Writing Team's Isaiah Bible Background, open to everyone).
  • Prerecord the interview with Isaiah (see questions to ask below).
  • Before class have above interview cued ready to play on TV.
  • See that popcorn is made to be distributed during watching of videos.

Materials List:

  • Your prerecorded Video of an interview with Isaiah
  • Something to represent a microphone
  • Create a sign for your TV station with the initials of your church, such as "WBCPC" as we did for Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
  • Masking Tape to hang sign
  • Video camera and TV for playback; see tips for recording dramas and equipment to use here
  • Bibles
  • Clothes or props for costumes such as: a staff or stick, a beard, a towel (this could be used to cover both the shepherd's head and Mary's head depending upon which characters are chosen)

LESSON

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Remember that you are interacting with a different group of students each week—some may not know you. Wear your nametag and make sure that the children are wearing theirs if there are visitors.

Your introductory conversation might touch on your students' nicknames and what they tell about that person. You might also talk about how many different "titles" they have: sister, brother, third grader, American citizen, member of _____Church. Which "title" tells something different about him or her to someone they meet for the first time?

Dig- Content and Reflection

1. Open by reading the Bible verses. Hand a Bible to each person or make one available to share.

Younger class: Point out the passage in the Old Testament, the book of Isaiah, and read the verses to them (Isaiah 9:6-7.) The passage is short enough to have them echo the phrases after you. You might even draw a symbol for each name to help the younger ones keep them straight.

Older classes: Find the passage in the Bible (Isaiah 9:6-7) and read it together. With older students share some information about Isaiah. Isaiah probably came from a wealthy family in Jerusalem, in the Southern kingdom of Judah. His name means "Yahweh (God) is salvation." He served King Uzziah. Because of the poetic nature of his writing, we assume that he was well educated. In chapter 6 Isaiah tells us of his dramatic call to be a prophet.

2. With the class work out a definition of what a prophet is. Some suggestions: A prophet speaks for God. A prophet understands God's will so clearly that God uses the prophet to bring a message to God's people.

3. Show the video of the prophet Isaiah you have previously recorded.

4. Now the children will be conducting and taping interviews with different people about Isaiah's prophecy. Review some possible "time-traveling guests" and some questions you might ask them. Try to have your students create their own questions for the interview. Depending upon the size of your class, you may use the same interviewer or have a new interviewer for each guest. Some possible jobs for children who don't enjoy the spotlight might include: a videographer, a cue card holder, and a director. (I would suggest the teacher be the director, but you never know what talents your class may have.)

Here are some suggestions of people to interview and questions to ask them. Your time and the interest level of the students will determine how many to do. Be sure to save enough time to view your interviews.

Prophet Isaiah (prerecord)

  • Who are you?
  • What do you do?
  • How did you become a prophet?
  • How do you know what to say?
  • How do the people respond to you when you tell them what the Lord will do?
  • What sign will the Lord give to us?
  • What does the name "Immanuel" mean for us?

A worshiper in the Temple who heard Isaiah prophesy

  • How did you feel when you heard Isaiah?
  • Isaiah's name means "Yahweh is salvation." What does that tell you about Isaiah?
  • What is "salvation" anyway?
  • What did you think about the idea of God sending a child for the people?

A scribe copying Isaiah's words

  • How do you feel when you copy Isaiah's words for future generations to read?
  • Why should God's son have all "authority"? What would that mean?
  • How does the name "Wonderful Counselor" help you understand God's promises?
  • What do you imagine will happen when these words are fulfilled?

Shepherd in Bethlehem

  • How did you learn what Isaiah said would happen?
  • When did you think God would do these things?
  • How does the name "Mighty God" help you understand God's promises?
  • You saw some of God's other messengers, the angels. Did you connect them with Isaiah's prophecy?

Joseph of Nazareth

  • Were you aware of God's promise, recorded in the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, to send a child, God's own son, to the people?
  • When the angel told you about Mary's child Jesus, did you remember Isaiah's prophecy?
  • How does the name "Everlasting Father" help you understand God's promises?

Mary, Mother of Jesus

  • When you learned that you would have God's own Son, did you remember the prophecy?
  • How did you feel to know that the prophecy would come true in your own family?
  • How does the name "Prince of Peace" help you understand God's promises?

Disciple

  • You have been with Jesus through his entire ministry. How did you know that Jesus was the Messiah promised by the prophets?
  • When you read in Isaiah that there will be "endless peace" in the kingdom of David and you see all the trouble in Israel, how do you feel about the prophesy?

First Century Christian

  • You have joined this persecuted group of followers of Jesus. Why is it important to you that Jewish prophets foretold his coming?
  • When you hear in the prophesy that Jesus' kingdom will be of justice and righteousness, how do you feel about the injustice and unrighteousness that you see around you?


Closing:

Watch the videos you made. Let the children comment on them and discuss them. Ask your students how seeing Jesus' birth through Isaiah's eyes helps them understand who Jesus is.

Journal Time:
Help the shepherd pass out the journals. Ask them to do write about the following:  Tell about a time in your life when a promise was kept.

Prayer:
Ask each student to name one thing that they are thankful for this week and close with being thankful for God's prophets, both ancient and modern, or use the following:
Faithful God, we thank you for all the things we have just named that are important to us. We also thank you for your prophets of long ago and of today who remind us who you are and who we are to be as your covenant people. Amen.

Dismissal:
Have the children help you tidy up the workshop space, helping you put up the equipment used for videotaping and cleaning up the popcorn mess. Dismiss them with instructions about where they are to go.


Adjustments for younger children:
Younger class: If the interviewing seems a little advanced, then tape individual students explaining who Jesus is using one of the names from Isaiah, and how that name helps us know Jesus.




A lesson written by member JanMarshall.
Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian, Brentwood, TN

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted and edited this post for clarity and readability.

Last edited by Amy Crane
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