Zacchaeus

Movie Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

The Students will watch the video Treasures in Heaven and will discuss how we are called to show our love for Jesus by repenting and sharing treasures.

Scripture Reference:

Luke 19: 1-10

Memory Verse:

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10

Lesson Objectives for rotation
At the end of the rotation, the students will

• Be able to identify Luke as one of the four Gospels.
• Be able to locate and read the text.
• Know that Jesus came to save the lost.
• Begin to understand that Jesus loves us no matter what mistakes we have made.
• Begin to understand that our love for Jesus causes us to make changes in our lives .
• Repeat the memory verse.
• think about how they can act differently as a result of Jesus' love in their lives.

Teacher preparation in advance:

• Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study.
• Learn the memory verse.
• Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located. This will be our first month in the new church building. We will discuss the set-up process and the new morning schedule at the Bible Study.
• The bin with "normal" supplies is located in the Children's Ministry Office. Purchase or request additional supplies from Heather __.
• Read also Luke 18:15 - 19:44 for the full sequence of Scripture included in the video.
• Preview the video. Be familiar with the places where the video should be stopped for discussion. (Neil MacQueen's "Two Most Important SHOWING TIPS: 1.) Use the PAUSE button. It's your most powerful ‘video' teaching tool. 2.) Don't be afraid to view an important scene a second time. Kids (and adults) watch movies over and over all the time.")

Room set-up:
Students will sit in seats or on the floor facing the video/projection screen.

Supply List:

• Popcorn, lemonade or water and cups, wet wipes, vcr setup, Bibles, shiny treasure or star stickers.
• Video: Treasures in Heaven, Animated Stories from the New Testament, 1991, ISBN #1-56489-010-4. (Available through Nest Video: https://nestlearning.com/produ...vd?affiliateid=10057) About 25 minutes long.

Presentation

Opening - Welcome and Introductions:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the Shepherd to supply a temporary badge. Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.

We had an opening prayer during the Gathering Time, but you may open with prayer if you feel led to do so.

Explain the purpose of this workshop. Use kid friendly words to give a brief overview of what the children are going to learn and do.

Scripture/Bible Story:
Luke 19:1-10. Read the scripture. (Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses. While they are opening their Bibles, review the names of the first four books of the New Testament and that they are the Gospel — the Good News about Jesus. Ask for volunteers to read a paragraph at a time.)

"We will be looking at the story of Zacchaeus today by watching a video. This video includes the scripture we just read, and also refers to some other Bible stories with which you may be familiar. All of the stories you see are in the book of Luke. We don't know if Zacchaeus knew all these people that Jesus met on his way through Jericho to Jerusalem, but he might have. We also don't know if Zacchaeus had a wife and son as the movie shows, but he might have."

Dig - Main Content and Reflection:

Application:
Before beginning the video, make sure everyone knows what a Publican is. [See the Background Notes.]

Tell the children: While you're watching the video,

• notice how different people react when they hear that Jesus is coming.
• notice how alone and lonely Zacchaeus is.
• the video changes the story. The passage we read in the Bible says that Jesus stopped under the tree and spoke to Zacchaeus. Jesus knew Zacchaeus was there and Jesus just knew his name. The video shows it a little differently.

Pass out wipes, popcorn and drinks. Start the video. (Don't dim the lights too much as you will be stopping frequently for brief discussion.)

STOP the video after the Rich Young Man says, "You're a disgrace to our people."

• I wonder why the Rich Young Man said that to Zacchaeus?

STOP the video after Blind Bartimaeus says "He can change lives, Zacchaeus."

• I wonder why Blind Bartimaeus says this?
• Do you think he believes this? I wonder why he believes before he even meets Jesus?

Watch the video to the end.

"What does ‘repentance' mean? Did Zacchaeus repent?" [to experience sorrow for and to seek to change wrong behavior]

"Any additional questions or comments about the video?"

Pulling it all together (closing discussion): (these questions are adapted from Young Children and Worship)

• I wonder if it was hard for Zacchaeus to give back what didn't belong to him?
• I wonder how he felt when he gave half of his possessions to the poor?
• I wonder how the poor felt? (Remember, the video we saw shows one person's interpretation of the story and its affects.)
• I wonder if people were friends with Zacchaeus after he repented?
• I wonder how Zacchaeus felt when he was right with God and right with people?
• I wonder what Jesus meant when he said he came to find the lost?

Review the memory verse. Teach the children the verse using American Sign language (see attached instructions).

At 11:50 a.m. ask the Shepherds to pass out the journals and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a sticker or some memento to paste in their journal as a reminder of the story or activity. Perhaps sparkly, shiny treasure stickers if you can find them. Or shiny star stickers.

Shepherd Time:

• Do you think money was as important to Zacchaeus after he met Jesus? What is important to him now?
• What do you value? What is your treasure?
• How will you use your treasure? Write a few sentences or draw a picture showing how you can use your "treasure" for Jesus.

You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as crossword puzzles, word search, games. See the Teacher's Background Notes or http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/ and rotation.org for ideas.

At noon, ask the students to close their journals and sit quietly for prayer.

Closing:
Dear God, thank you for loving each one of us, no matter what we do. Help us to love and accept each other, and to reach out in love and understanding and generosity, no matter what. Amen.

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy up. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
Give everyone the parent take-home flyer the first week of the rotation; give it only to children who were absent and have not yet received it the other weeks of the rotation.

Additional Suggestions:
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children.

Resources

• American Sign Language Browser: http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
• MacQueen, Neil. "A Manual for the Video ~ A-V".
• Riekehof, Lottie. Talk to the Deaf. Springfield, Missouri: Gospel Publishing House, 1963.
• Stewart, Sonja M. and Jerome W. Berryman. Young Children and Worship. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989. (Reflection questions.)
• Life Application Study Bible notes, Tyndale House Publishers, 1986.
• Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Memory Verse Sign Language

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10

SON: combines the signs for MALE (right hand grabs brim of hat) and BABY (place right hand in crook of left arm as if rocking a baby)

MAN: combines signs for MALE (right hand grabs brim of hat) and FINE (thumb of right hand at chest, palm facing left, and move the hand slightly up and forward).

CAME: (COME) index fingers rotate around each other and move toward the body, palms toward self.

SEEK: The C handshape (with the palm facing left) is circled around the face as it moves from right to left.

SAVE: Cross the wrists as if the fists were bound and then pull them apart (palm forward, still fists) to show that a person has broken free from being tied up.

LOST: The right hand V handshape represents a person. Hold it at shoulder height and move it to the left palm (represents a person falling flat on his or her face (losing)).

You can see the signs at the American Sign Language Browser: http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm

This lesson was written by Amy Crane (amycrane@hotmail.com) for River Community Church
Prairieville, Louisiana.

Copyright 2003 Amy Crane. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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