Mary Anoints Jesus' Feet with Perfume

Game Workshop

Summary:

Children will play three games: A Gift Game (ways they can show Jesus their love), a Guess the Smell (used as your story opening), and a Voting Game (scenarios where the children decide if each scenario given  is offering "their best OR leftovers" to Jesus."

Bible Memory Verse:
“We love because God first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

Scripture Reference:

John 12:1-8

Lesson Objectives:

Children will learn …

• Why we give gifts
• What gift Mary gave Jesus
• How Jesus responded
• What gifts we can give Jesus
• God is love

Supplies List:

• 10 - 12 Small Gift items: examples: Perfume, razor, card game, pin, bookmark, candy, gloves, flashlight, lotion, etc.
• blank stickers/labels, one attached to each gift item above
• 3x5 cards and pencils
• Markers
• *Boxes with distinct scents in them.
• Blue Ribbon - a large ribbon outline copied onto blue cardstock or paper, one per student.

Leader Preparation:,

• Read the scripture ahead of time.
• Gather the materials.
• Go over the game.
• *In advance you will have prepared several boxes with holes punched in them or bags out of fabric that can “breathe” but not seen through. Each one will have a different distinct scent in it. Ideas might include: cloves, lemon, chocolate, garlic, lavender, moth balls. One must have perfume in it.)

Presentation

Opening - Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet kids warmly and introduce yourself. Tell them one thing about yourself that will make them say “wow!”.

Open with a prayer.

Dig  - Main Content and Reflection:

Game #1 - Gift Game:
There will be a tray with 10 - 12 small gift items such as: Perfume, razor, card game, pin, bookmark, candy, gloves, flashlight, lotion etc. Each item will have a number, like an order or item number on a sticker, attached to it in some way.

Also there will be 3 X 5 cards (one for each child) and pencils.

Give each child a 3 X 5 card. Have them make a list of their family members. Explain to them that they will pretend to shop for each family member and are to choose from the display of gifts what would
be appropriate for each member on their list. They are to write down the number of one gift beside the name of each family member, like they’re ordering.

Ask: How did you decide which gift to choose for each family member? What makes a gift special? (When it's given in love with thought from the heart.)

Ask: Why do we give each other gifts? (Because it makes us feel good to create a happy feeling in someone else.)

Say: We don’t think too often about giving gifts to Jesus, but in our Bible story today, Jesus is given a gift straight from someone's heart, and it gives Him a very happy feeling.

Tell the kids to draw a big heart on the back side of their card.

Ask for real ways they can give their love to Jesus. (Do things with and for Him because we want to, not because we're made to. Like praying, going to Sun. school, worship, being kind to someone, etc.)

Have them write some of these ideas onto their hearts. Make sure each child writes at least one thing. The idea they write down should be a REAL way they WILL show Jesus love this week. Then set the cards aside for them to take home later.

Game #2 – Guess the Smell

Say: In our Bible story today someone gave a special gift of love to Jesus. An item like that gift is in one of these boxes. Let's do a sniff test and discover what it was.

(In advance you will have prepared several boxes with holes punched in them or bags out of fabric that can “breathe” but not seen through. Each one will have a different distinct scent in it. Ideas might include: cloves, lemon, chocolate, garlic, lavender, moth balls. One must have perfume in it.)

Pass one box (or bag) around the circle. Have each of the kids take turns smelling it. Tell them not to say anything about what it smells like to them. Once they have all smelled it, ask what they think it is. Do this for each box/bag.

Ask which smell they think is the gift that a woman gave Jesus. (perfume)

This gift was not just any old thing the woman in the story could find. The perfume she gave Jesus was the best and showed how much she loved Jesus.

For the K/1st Graders: you will read the story “Mary’s Gift” to them from The Beginner’s Bible or another Bible story book.

For the 2nd/3rd and 4th/5th Graders: have them turn to the Bible story in John 12:1-8. Read the story out loud together with the boys reading odd and girls reading even verses, asking for a volunteer for each verse, or any other way you choose.

After reading the story, discuss:
Do you know what leftovers are? The remains of what has already been picked over. What's left after everyone has taken what they want.

Would you rather have fresh pick or leftovers? We usually think about food first when we think about leftovers but I want you to think about leftovers in a different way.

Mary knew she wanted to give Jesus her best, not just leftovers.

Game #3 – Voting Game

ASK: Are the kids in the following scenarios giving their best or leftovers?

If you think they are giving their best, give a “thumbs up”. If you think Jesus is getting leftovers, give a “thumbs down”. So they aren’t influenced by each other you might want to have them close their eyes while “voting”.

1. The only time Susie prays is before she drops in bed at night. (Leftovers)
2. At night time Sam reads a Bible story with his parents before he chooses another book off his shelf. (best)
3. John only goes to church if there's nothing else going on he'd rather do. (Leftovers)
4. Whenever Sandy is given any money she always sets some aside to put in an offering envelope at church. (best)
5. Charlene never wants to miss her favorite TV program even if it means having to skip going to Sunday school or worship. (Leftovers)
6. Peter got up in time for the LIGHT even though he stayed up late for a sleepover.
7. Charles stayed up late watching t.v. and doesn’t wake up in time for church.
8. Carol meant to tell a friend she was sorry that her grandmother is sick, but she keeps forgetting.
9. Ginny helps her dad with chores instead of playing video games.
10. Bobby writes his grandfather a letter.
11. Millie skips choir practice so she get home and watch her favorite t.v. show.
12. Polly remembers to say her prayers 7 nights in a row.
13. Randy falls asleep during the sermon in church.
14. Kathy gives up recess to help a classmate with his math.
15. Oscar decides to pray about a hard decision he have to make.
16. In worship Kyle really talks to God during prayer time.
17. For one week Paul remembers to thank God for each new morning.
18. Cindy whispers to her friend about the basketball game all through the Sunday School lesson.
19. Mark tells his mother he will take out the trash, but puts it off ‘til later and then forgets.
20. Sandy offers to lead prayer at dinnertime for her family.
21. Mandy is careless with her Bible and looses it.
22. Emily goes to worship with her family after The LIGHT on Sundays.
23. Bobby decides to read his Bible a little bit every day.

Say: The Bible says in 1 John 4 that “God IS love”. I wonder what that means ...

God won’t and can’t do anything else but love us. Because God loves us, God wants us to love Him. And we CAN love God and love others because …. (lead them in this month’s Bible memory verse) “We love because God first loved us! 1 John 4:19.

It’s important for everyone, no matter how old or young you are, to give your BEST to Jesus, not leftovers. The very first commandment is “love God”. The second is “have no idols before God”. That means always put God first and don’t make anything more important than Jesus in your life!

Cheer for Jesus:
Say: Get in groups of 3-4 and come up with a cheer or song or slogan/chant putting Jesus first. They can use props in the prop box if they want to such as streamers, confetti, pom poms, scarves, etc.
Allow them a few minutes to come up with something.

After each group does their cheer, be sure to have the other kids applaud, but be sure to give God the glory, not the group that performed. Say things like: “Alright, God!” or “Jesus is #1!”

Closing:

When it comes to first place, Jesus gets the winner's blue ribbon for love. He loved us first. That's good news! That’s our Bible verse!

Pass out a “blue ribbon” to each child. This will be a large ribbon outline copied onto blue cardstock or paper. Give them clipboards, pencils and markers and have them create a blue ribbon for Jesus. Remind them that the Bible memory verse has the word FIRST in it!

Have kids take home their “blue ribbon for Jesus” and their heart card that shows what they can give to Jesus.

ALLOW 5-10 MINUTES at the end of class time for “shepherd” to do a wrap-up reflection and prayer.

Some ideas adapted with permission from NAD Children's Ministries and
St. Andrews Covenant Presbyterian Church

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