Bible Quests - Rock Bridge Community Church
Transcription
Bible Quests - Rock Bridge Community Church
Elementary Station Leader Manual Deep s t u e s Q e l Bib Group resources really work! This Group resource incorporates our R.E.A.L. approach to ministry. It reinforces a growing friendship with Jesus, encourages long-term learning, and results in life transformation, because it’s: Relational—Learner-to-learner interaction enhances learning and builds Christian friendships. Experiential—What learners experience through discussion and action sticks with them up to 9 times longer than what they simply hear or read. Applicable—The aim of Christian education is to equip learners to be both hearers and doers of God’s Word. Learner-based—Learners understand and retain more when the learning process takes into consideration how they learn best. Deep Bible Quests LEADER MANUAL Copyright © 2016 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this leader manual may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher, except where noted in the text and in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For a permission request form, go to group.com/permissions. Visit our websites: group.com J group.com/CaveQuest Our deepest thanks to the team who created this VBS: Laura Baldwin-Stout, Jody Brolsma, Stephen Caine, Ardeth Carlson, Becky Chaplin, Shelly Dillon, Jan Kershner, Laycie McClain, Michael Paustian, Kelsey Perry, Mike Porter, Joani Schultz, Patty Smith, Rodney Stewart, Sharon Stratmoen, Andy Towler, and Gabriele Woolever. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-4707-3377-3 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 18 17 16 Basic Things You Need to Know J Choose a room for your Deep Bible Quests. Since you’ll actually be experiencing the Bible stories, you don’t want to be right next to a room with a lot of noise. Ideally, your room should be large and off by itself a little, with an unused room and hallway nearby—because you won’t be sitting still or staying put during Deep Bible Quests! J Create a unique setting each day. One big difference between Cave Quest and other VBS programs is that kids become part of the Bible story—with their hearts, minds, and emotions. Part of that experience comes when you create a unique setting each day. But don’t worry—we’re The Easy VBS. So setup is…well…easy! At our field test, we used few decorating supplies. The ones we did use, we used over and over to create different settings. Who knew you could do so much with water fabric, sheets, and cardboard-box stones? It’s so important—and easy!—to create a new setting in the Deep Bible Quests room each day so kids can experience the Bible stories in fresh and exciting ways. It’s worth the minor setup time to hear “Awesome!” and “Wow!” when kids walk in! J Work with the VBS Director to collect necessary supplies. Almost all of the supplies we used are easy to find around the church, from church members, or from Group. (Okay, we did have the Flicker Lights and Water Fabric from past field tests. You may already have them from past summers with Group!) You may want to list supplies in your church bulletin and ask church members to donate or lend items such as large blue tarps, solidcolor sheets, black fabric, plastic greenery, cardboard boxes, and newspapers. In the supply lists, items shown with an asterisk are available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier. J Determine the number of Cave Crews you’ll have in each rotation. At Cave Quest VBS, kids join mixed-age Cave Crews—groups of up to five elementary-age kids and one adult or teenage leader. Plan on having one-quarter of the total number of Cave Crews in each of your rotations. For example, if your VBS has 20 Cave Crews, you’ll be working with 5 Crews (approximately 25 kids and 5 leaders) during each session. J Use an attention-getting signal. Attention-getting signals let kids know when it’s time to stop what they’re doing and look at you. You can use the Cave Clacker (available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier) or another signal of your choice. The first time kids come to your station, introduce and rehearse your attention-getting signal. Once kids are familiar with the signal, you will automatically regain their attention when you use it. Cave Clacker 1 J R epeat the daily Bible Point often. Every activity at Cave Quest VBS focuses on one simple, memorable daily Bible truth called the Bible Point. Repeating the Bible Point again and again will help children remember it and then apply it to their lives after VBS. Each time kids hear the day’s Bible Point, they’ll point up with both index fingers and shout, “Follow him!” J C all on kids’ Cave Crew roles. “Follow him!” Every day, kids within a Cave Crew choose one of five jobs: Materials Manager, Guide, Prayer Person, Schedule Supervisor, or Thank You-er! Kids love having a special job every day, especially when those jobs get called on. To ensure that everyone gets a turn during Cave Quest VBS, each Station Leader will call on the same role every day. Since kids can switch roles daily, you’ll give everyone a chance to participate in a special way. During Deep Bible Quests, you’ll call on the Schedule Supervisor. J G et Crew Leaders involved! Be sure Crew Leaders understand that you expect them to participate right along with the kids. Over the years, we’ve discovered that when Crew Leaders listen, get involved, and have fun… kids do too! So get everyone in on the fun! 2 DAY 1 Jesus gives us hope. Prophets foretell the light of the world. (John 1:1-34; Isaiah 9:2) As You Read, Keep in Mind… J Throughout the Bible, God sent prophets to foretell future events, especially in proclaiming the coming Messiah. These claims would be nothing unless they had actually come true. Imagine someone today trying to make a prediction that would come true over 700 years from now. How amazing that more than 700 years in advance, prophets like Isaiah foretold about Jesus as the light of the world! Jesus fulfilled all of these prophecies exactly. Only God can fulfill promises like that! J Think of John the Baptist’s role like a preview before the movie, announcing that Jesus was coming soon. John the Baptist knew that he himself was not the “feature film,” but rather “he was simply a witness to tell about the light” (John 1:8). Jesus is the true light of the world— the main event! J Hope is confident patience that God will carry out what he has promised. Although they struggled to have “confident patience,” God’s people definitely hoped that the promise of a Messiah would come true, and it did! We can have hope that God will fulfill his promises made in the Bible to us, just like he fulfilled his promises then. Why It Matters… Kids today can feel hopeless in the troubles they face and those they see around them in the news and other social media. They may not understand why a good friend has to move away, why pets get sick, or why loved ones die. Wars, pollution, and even natural disasters can make kids feel hopeless. No matter how dark life seems, Jesus is the source of light and hope for our world today! Jesus gives us hope that God loves us enough to give his greatest gift—and is still in control when the world seems to be in chaos. Shine God’s light to the kids at your VBS today with a bright smile and encouraging words of hope! Key Verse: “O Lord, you alone are my hope.” (Psalm 71:5) 3 DAY 1 Jesus gives us hope. At Cave Quest VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station’s activities for unforgettable Bible learning. See how your station reinforces today’s Bible Point. Sing & Play Rock Deep Bible Quests J Learn the Day 1 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Sal. J Sing Cave Quest VBS songs. J Meet Clark Cavern, a bumbling spelunker who’s learning to navigate caves. While hoping that the room lights come on, explore how God’s people waited and hoped for Jesus. Cavern Café KidVid™ Cinema Maze Mix Preschooler Emily shines Jesus’ light, giving hope—and her hair—to cancer patients. Imagination Station Cave Quest Closing Break open Geode Gems to examine crystals inside, and remember that Jesus gives us hope! J See who Spelunker Sports & Games 4 is starring in today’s Spotlight VBS. J Review the day. J Get the day’s Bible Quest Map to take home. J See small pieces of a “digital puzzle” to realize that we don’t always see God’s big picture right away. Pass the Splash Hopeful Hops Bright Light Tag Day 1 Supplies You’ll Need Every Day… Getting Ready J Creating today’s Bible setting is super easy. Hang colored sheets on the walls for variety and texture. Lean “stone" slabs against the walls to add dimension. Place plastic greenery in cardboard tubes as palm trees. (Placing them between the stone slabs and the wall keeps them secure and out of kids’ way.) Lay other greenery around the perimeter of the room. J Bookmark your Bible at John 1. Field Test finding “Stone” slabs are easy to create. Find large pieces of packing foam from church members or thrift stores, or ask at furniture or home improvement stores. We got our slabs of foam at a Habitat Re-store, and the pieces were all sizes and shapes. Some were already grayish-black, but if they are white, just paint with shades of gray, black, and brown, and you have instant rocks and walls. J If possible, discreetly cover the switch that turns on your room lights. You’ll start each session with the room lights off, but you’ll need access to the switch at the end of each session so you can turn the lights on. J Prepare a small baggie of dried beans for each Crew in your largest rotation. J Place J Hide a small blanket on the floor for each Crew. a glow star under each blanket. J Enlist the help of volunteers to fold the Bible Quest Maps in half and secure with the enclosed stickers. Paperclip together six Bible Quest Maps for each Crew. Welcome Cave Crews For each rotation, you’ll greet Crews outside the Deep Bible Quests room. When all Crews have arrived, introduce yourself. J Hands-On Bible* J Cave Clacker* attention-getter J small blankets or throw J J J J J rugs (1 per Crew per rotation) paperclips and basket for Bible Quest Maps solid-colored bed sheets to hang on walls large slabs of foam painted to look like stone artificial greenery and cardboard tubes helper Day 1 Supplies J Day 1 Bible Quest J J J J J J Maps* (1 per participant and 1 for you) Flicker Lights* (1 per Crew per rotation) flashlights (1 per Crew per rotation) large candy bars (1 per Crew per rotation) small baggie of dried beans (1 per Crew per rotation) large glow stars (1 per Crew per rotation) chair *available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier Say: Welcome to Deep Bible Quests! I’m so glad you’re here! Every day at Deep Bible Quests, we’ll explore a different story from God’s Word, the Bible. Hold up your Bible, and open it at John 1. And every story in the Bible is totally true! But you won’t just hear a Bible story—you’ll experience it! We’ll go back in time and meet Bible characters to discover what their adventures were really like. So are you ready for our first Deep Bible Quest? Great! Let’s get going! Come on in. 5 Start to lead kids into the room, but then stop everyone just before entering. Pretend to hesitate, acting a little embarrassed. The blankets are an easy way for Crews to quickly know where to sit. And knee-to-knee Crew circles ensure that kids are sitting close enough together to hear each other during discussions. Having Crews automatically form these circles will make your sessions run much more smoothly. Wait a second. Hold on. I’m sorry. There’s something I need to tell you. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to mention it, but… (peek inside the room without letting kids in) it looks like I’m going to have to address something. There seems to be a slight problem here. Open the door and gesture inside. Um…it’s kind of dark in here. I don’t know what the problem is, but the lights aren’t working. I’m going to send my helper to find out what’s going on, but in the meantime we’re just going to have to deal with the dark. I hope we can get this problem fixed soon. So come on inside, but walk slowly. I’ll leave the door open for now—that should help. Find a blanket, and sit in a kneeto-knee circle on the blanket with your Crew. Lead Crews into the room, and help them each get situated in a circle on a blanket. Especially here on Day 1, explain why you want them in knee-to-knee circles. Circle up with your Crew so your knees are touching. You can kneel or sit cross-legged, whichever you’d like. When you sit in a tight Crew circle like that, you’ll be able to hear what everyone in your Crew says. Discuss Hope Say: Well, even though it’s dark, I’m still glad you’re here with me at Deep Bible Quests. Today we’re discovering that Jesus gives us hope. (Follow him!) Before we get into today’s Bible passage, I’m curious about something. Ask: What is something you’re hoping for right now in your life? Talk about that question in your Crew. Crew Leaders, you can answer first. Give Crews time to talk, and ask for a few report-backs. Okay, now what about this? Ask: hat’s something you once hoped for, but it didn’t work W out? A time when you didn’t get what you hoped for? Schedule Supervisors, you can answer first this time. Give Crews time to talk, and again ask for a few report-backs. Thanks for sharing your answers. I think we’ve all experienced a time when we hoped for something but didn’t get it. I hoped the lights would be on today, but that didn’t happen. You know, that actually reminds me of our Bible story. 6 Like I said, today we’re learning that Jesus gives us hope. (Follow him!) Jesus has always given hope to his people— even before he was born! I know that sounds impossible, but it’s true! Here’s what I mean. For a long, long time, God’s people had been hoping for the Messiah to come. In the Scriptures, God had said he would send a Messiah, a Savior—someone to help and save his people. And the people had been waiting and waiting. But so far, at the time of today’s story, the Messiah—Jesus— hadn’t come. But the people still hoped, because God had promised a Messiah and God keeps his promises. Have your helper come in and interrupt you, carrying the Flicker Lights. Oh, good, here’s my helper. Turn to helper. Did you find out what’s going on with the lights? Have your helper say, “They’re still working on it, but I brought these. Maybe they’ll help.” Take the Flicker Lights from your helper, and give one to each Crew. Well, these aren’t the lights I was hoping for. It’s still pretty dark in here. Oh well, we’ll just have to keep going. And that’s what God’s people had to do, too. They kept going on with their lives, hoping for the Messiah and living in darkness. Now I don’t mean to say that God’s people lived in physical darkness, like our room here. No, the sun still shone during the day. But they were living in a kind of spiritual darkness. They couldn’t really understand God or how much he loved them. They couldn’t get close to God because of their sins, so the religious leaders had all kinds of laws for the people to follow to try to make up for their sins. Kind of like this. Obey the Laws Have everyone stand. Place the Bible on a chair at one end of the room. Have Crews stand at the other end. Say: Let’s say this Bible represents God. Now let’s see if you can get closer to God by doing what I tell you to do. 7 When I count to 3, I want everyone to do 10 jumping jacks right where you are. Ready? 1…2…3! Pause as Crews do 10 jumping jacks. Then ask: Did you get any closer? Have kids call out answers. Hmm. Doesn’t look like it. Okay, how about this. I’ll count to 3, and you’ll run in place until I call time. 1…2…3! Pause briefly as Crews run in place; then call time and have them stop. Ask: Did you get any closer? Have kids call out answers. This just isn’t working! One more try. On the count of 3, touch your toes 10 times. Ready? 1…2…3! Pause briefly as Crews touch their toes 10 times. Ask: Did you get any closer? Have kids call out answers. That didn’t work either. Oh well, go ahead and sit back down on your Crew blanket. Pause as Crews sit. No matter how many laws God’s people tried to follow, they still couldn’t understand God or get close to him. They were living in spiritual darkness. Under Roman Rule Say: And to make matters worse, they were living under Roman rule. God’s people worked hard growing grains and other crops. They raised and took care of flocks of animals. And they worked hard at other trades and businesses. They hoped to be able to enjoy the benefits of all their hard work. Go around the room, and give each Crew a large candy bar, saying not to eat the bars—just place them in the middle of their Crew circles. But the Roman government had a different idea. Kind of like this. They took a bunch of the people’s grain. They took some of their animals. They made God’s people pay heavy taxes. A tax for this. A tax for that. After all the taxes and government rules, God’s people were left with very little. As you talk, go around and collect the big candy bars and give each Crew a baggie of dried beans. It was a dark time for God’s people. They were oppressed by the Romans, and they couldn’t get close to God no matter how many laws they followed. But they had hope. Listen to what the Bible says in Isaiah 9:2: “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.” Helper comes in carrying the flashlights. 8 Oh, good. Are they still trying to fix the problem and get us out of this darkness? I sure hope so! I don’t like being in the dark! Take the flashlights, and give one to each Crew. Collect the Flicker Lights. Well, this still isn’t the light I was hoping for, but at least it’s a little brighter in here. So, anyway, back to God’s people. Looking for the Light Say: Sometimes God would send a prophet to teach his people. And sometimes the people thought, “Maybe this person is the Messiah!” or “Maybe that person is the one!” It was like hunting for something in the dark. Kind of like this. Have everyone jump up. Explain that there's something hidden under each blanket, and each Crew will hunt for the hidden item. When your Crew has found it, sit back on your blanket. When each Crew has found a star and is back on their blanket, continue. Way to go! You each found a glow star! Shine your flashlight on your star, and let’s see if that gives us more light. Pause. Oh…well…I guess that helps a little bit, but it’s still not the light I was hoping for. And that’s what it was like for God’s people. Even when prophets came along, they weren’t the Messiah. They weren’t the light the people were hoping for. At the time of today’s Bible story, God had sent a man called John the Baptist to talk about the light that was coming. Just like we talked about, the people hoped John the Baptist was the Messiah. But listen to what the Bible says: “John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” Wow! The true light, the Messiah, was coming! It was finally time for people to see the Light of the world! Ask: o you know the name of the Messiah, the light of the D world? Pause. Yes! Jesus is the light of the world! 9 When your helper hears, “Yes! Jesus is the light of the world!” he or she will turn on the lights and rush into the room, shouting excitedly, “Look! It’s fixed! It’s fixed! We have light! Hooray! We have light!” The lights are working! No more darkness! Wow! That’s just what happened when Jesus came into the world! Listen to what the Bible says about Jesus: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” Jesus is the light of the world. He gives us hope, now and forever. He came so we could understand God’s love for us. That’s why I’m so glad you’re here at Cave Quest! All week long you’ll get to discover more and more about Jesus, the light of the world! Distribute Bible Quest Maps Say: Before you go, I want to show you something. Hold up a folded Day 1 Bible Quest Map without the sticker. Open it and show kids the side with words. As you leave Deep Bible Quests today, we’ll give the Schedule Supervisors one of these Bible Quest Maps for each person in your Crew. Schedule Supervisors, you’ll hand the Bible Quest Maps to your Crew Leader to put in the Crew bag until Cave Quest Closing. Then during Cave Quest Closing, Crew Leaders will be instructed how to hand out the Bible Quest Maps to take home. Not only can you read about today’s Bible story, but you’ll also find a clue about tomorrow’s Bible quest! You can’t open your Bible Quest Map during VBS—you have to wait until you get home, or at least in the car! Then you can open it and share what you learned today. And see if you can figure out what the clue means for tomorrow’s Deep Bible Quest! Before kids leave, give the Schedule Supervisors enough Bible Quest Maps for their Crew. Remind kids to look for the clue about tomorrow’s Bible story when they get home! Thank kids for coming, and say you hope to see them again tomorrow. When you hear your Director’s signal, dismiss Crews to their next destination. 10 DAY 2 Jesus gives us courage. Jesus and Peter walk on water. (Matthew 14:22-36) As You Read, Keep in Mind… J Jesus and Peter walked on the Sea of Galilee, which is actually a lake. Peter would have been familiar with this area…it was the same location where Jesus first called Peter and his brother Andrew to be his disciples (Matthew 4:18-20). The Sea of Galilee is also where Jesus forgave Peter after his denial (John 21:1-19). How significant that one lake could set the scene for Peter’s journey of faith and discipleship! J Peter often took the lead among the disciples, venturing out as their bold, ready-for-action spokesperson (Matthew 16:15-18, 17:4, John 6:67-69). His name means “rock,” and even though he sank like a stone when he stopped looking at Jesus, he was the only disciple courageous enough to ask Jesus for the chance to walk on water. J Because the Sea of Galilee is surrounded by steep hills, strong winds and storms commonly (and suddenly) emerge there. When fierce winds rush down from the nearby valleys to the center of the lake, a violent storm abruptly arises, like it did that night for Jesus and Peter. The only two men to ever walk on water in all of history weren’t walking on calm waters. Instead, Jesus gave Peter the courage to follow him out into the storm! Why It Matters… Peter courageously stepped out of the boat to walk with Jesus but quickly sank when he stopped looking to his friend and focused on the storm instead. Kids, too, are familiar with the fear that accompanies life’s “storms,” whether they’re the kind with thunder and lightning or more traumatic events such as divorce, death, and bullying. The children at your VBS need to know that in the midst of those hard times, Jesus is always right by their side to give them courage. And when children bravely step out in faith, Jesus will be there with open arms, ready to catch them. Today’s activities will encourage children to rely on Jesus for his strength and courage whenever they’re afraid. Key Verse: “Take courage. I am here!” (Matthew 14:27) 11 DAY 2 Jesus gives us courage. At Cave Quest VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station’s activities for unforgettable Bible learning. See how your station reinforces today’s Bible Point. Sing & Play Rock Deep Bible Quests J Learn the Day 2 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Mawtha. J Sing Cave Quest VBS songs. J Discuss God Sightings, and add a God Sight Light to the set. J Clark is afraid to go into the dark caves. How will he have enough courage? Weather stormy seas and courageously “walk on water” as Peter did. Cavern Café KidVid™ Cinema Waffley Good Bryan faced a frightening hurricane that could have shaken his faith, but he and his family held on to the courage Jesus gives. Imagination Station Cave Quest Closing Watch as water and powder create something strong, and discover that Jesus gives us strength and courage. J Watch for familiar faces Spelunker Sports & Games 12 in today’s Spotlight VBS. J Review the day. J Get the day’s Bible Quest Map to take home. J Try a courageous experiment. Brave Bouncing Save Your Socks! Tremble & Shake Tag Day 2 Day 2 Supplies J Day 2 Bible Quest Getting Ready J V isit group.com/vbsTools to download the “Storm Sounds” sound effects to a laptop or burn the sound effects to a CD. Using the sound effects is optional, but doing so really adds to the overall excitement of the story. J J S pread the J large blue tarp on the floor so it covers most of the room, and tape down edges to prevent tripping, if necessary. If the tarp is larger than your room, that’s okay. Just bunch the edges up against the walls like “waves.” J O n the tarp, arrange the cardboard into a simple boat shape. Hold the cardboard on end with the edges overlapped while a helper uses large binder clips to hold the pieces in place. Then lay down large brown sheets inside the cardboard to create the bottom of the boat. least an hour before your first rotation, place the plastic under-bed container about a foot or two in front of your boat with the blue shower-curtain liner beneath it. In the container, mix cornstarch and water until the consistency is such that when you place the flat of your hand on the mixture and press gently, it feels almost like a solid. But if you press down hard, it gives way and your hand sinks into a more liquid-like substance. Keep adding water and mixing—it takes a while. If possible, enlist the help of several volunteers to help you mix and get more water, if needed. The shower-curtain liner is optional; we used it to help make clean-up easier after mixing the cornstarch, so we wouldn’t have to wipe up cornstarch residue from the large blue tarp. J J J J J J J A t Field Test finding There’s no way around it— the cornstarch and water were hard to mix! Once the mixture reached a certain level of thickness, we gave up on the large spoons and just used our hands. Which, oddly enough, was kind of fun—did we mention this stuff is weird? J J J J J J Maps* (1 per participant) long lengths of flat cardboard to build boat (your boat needs to hold ¼ of your total Crews) large binder clips (to build boat) large blue tarp large brown sheets shallow plastic under-bed bin 3 beach towels large spoon(s) for stirring approximately 24 one-pound boxes of cornstarch several pitchers of water blue shower-curtain liner (optional) spray bottle filled with water, set to “mist” flashlight laptop, CD player, MP3 player, or other device to play sound effects (optional) rope lights (optional) Field Test finding We thought we had the correct consistency, but wanted to make sure. We asked one of our volunteer’s kids to quickly walk across the mixture and found it was sticky. So we kept adding cornstarch until she could walk across without residue sticking to her feet. We highly recommend testing the mixture with a volunteer before VBS begins. It’s worth the effort! 13 J E nlist the help of volunteers to fold the Bible Quest Maps in half and secure with the enclosed stickers. Paperclip together six Bible Quest Maps for each Crew. J P lace It’s a good idea to make a small amount of the cornstarch and water mixture in a bowl at home the night before, just to get a feel for the correct consistency. This is weird stuff! If you mix it a lot, it runs through your fingers like a thick liquid. But if you exert sudden pressure (squeeze it tightly or press down quickly with your palm), it acts like a solid. Officially, it’s a “non-Newtonian fluid.” (There, now you can sound “sciency!”) That’s why with the finished product you can “walk on water” by stepping across it quickly. But if you stop, you’ll sink. the beach towels at the far end of the cornstarch bin for kids to walk on as they head back around the boat. J S et up a laptop or CD player in a corner, and cue the “Storm Sounds” segment. Take off your shoes and socks, and roll up your pant legs. Make sure the lights are off inside your room so the setting is dim but not completely dark. You can leave the door open to allow some light in the room or place rope lights around the perimeter of the ceiling, if desired. Discuss Scary Times Greet Crews outside the closed door of your Deep Bible Quests room. When everyone has arrived, ask: o you notice anything different about me today? Kids D will answer that your pants are rolled up and you’re not wearing shoes. Say: That’s right! Today’s Bible story involves water, so I’m all ready! You’ll need to take off your shoes, too. Have kids remove their shoes, place them along the wall, and then sit in Crew circles in the hall. Today we’re learning that Jesus gives us courage. (Follow him!) In today’s Bible story, Jesus gave one of his friends the courage to do something amazing. I can’t wait to share this adventure with you! We’re going to experience today’s Bible story in three parts. First, we’re going to talk for a minute or two here outside the room. Then we’re going to go inside the room for a surprise. Then we’ll come back out for the last part, okay? So let’s get started! Since we’re talking about courage today, let me ask you something. Ask: hat does it mean to have courage? Raise W your hand if you think you know. Call on a few kids to answer. Thanks for those answers. For me, courage means being brave even when I’m scared. And I don’t know about you, but there are lots of things that scare me. Share something that personally scares you, but make it something that would be part of a child’s world, such as spiders or storms. 14 Tell your Crew Leader something that scares you. You can keep it short; you don’t have to go into detail. In fact, think of one or two words that describe something you’re scared of. Maybe it’s spiders or storms or even math class! Pause as kids share. After a minute or two, sound the Cave Clacker. I was listening in, and I heard lots of scary stuff! Repeat a few of the answers you overheard. In today’s Bible story, Jesus gave a friend courage in a scary situation. In this story, some of Jesus’ friends took a boat ride at night. Are you up for a moonlight cruise? Pause. Okay, let’s set sail! Take a Moonlight Cruise Have Crews enter the darkened room and step into the back of the boat. Kids and Crew Leaders should scrunch together so everyone can sit inside the boat. Say: Jesus had been teaching and preaching near a big lake all day. At the end of the day, Jesus told his disciples to sail across the lake and he would catch up with them later. He wanted to stay behind so he could pray to God, his Father, by himself. So the disciples climbed into the boat, just like you did. Now, several of the disciples were fishermen, so they knew what jobs had to be done. I have jobs for you, too. Those of you around the edge of the boat can be the rowers. C’mon, let me see those muscles! Those of you in the middle need to hoist the sails. Pull hard on those ropes, and haul up the sails! Pause as kids pantomime the jobs you mentioned. The boat set sail, pulling farther and farther away from shore. At first it was a nice, moonlit night for a boat ride. The waves rocked the boat gently back and forth. Let me see you rock to the gentle waves. Pause. But then after a while, the clouds covered the stars and the wind picked up. Play the “Storm Sounds” audio segment loudly. The waves got a little bigger. Let me see those bigger waves rocking the boat. Pause. 15 Sail on Stormy Seas Say: Pretty soon the disciples were in the middle of an actual storm! Have your helper mist kids and leaders with a spray bottle for a minute. The waves got bigger and bigger. Let’s see the boat really rock! Pause. And the rain came down in sheets! The waves were crashing, and the boat almost tipped over. Keep rocking! Pause. The disciples were terrified! They thought they were going to drown. They screamed in terror. Let’s hear you scream! Pause. Just then the disciples saw something or someone in the distance coming toward them. Have your assistant shine the flashlight in a far corner of the room. They didn’t know what it was. They got even more scared— they thought it was a ghost! But a voice said to them, “Don’t be afraid.” It was Jesus! Jesus said, “Take courage. I am here!” Peter called out to Jesus, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” And Jesus said, “Yes, come.” Walk on Water Say: Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on top of the water toward Jesus. It was a miracle! I mean, if I stepped in water…I’d sink! But Peter stayed on top of the water! Amazing! Then Peter noticed the gigantic waves and felt the wind. Uh-oh. He lost his focus on Jesus. He got scared and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the storm stopped. Turn off the CD player. Ask: ow many of you would have had courage like H Peter and stepped out onto the water? Let’s see a show of hands! Let’s see how much courage you really have. Point to your container of cornstarch mixture. Don’t say what it is, even if kids ask. You’ll have a chance to actually walk across this liquid—walk right on top of it! If you walk quickly, you can actually walk on top of the water, just as Peter did! But when Peter got scared and took his focus away from Jesus, he sank. If you stop and don’t focus on stepping quickly, you’ll sink too. 16 Let kids step out of the boat and form a line leading to the front of the boat. One by one, hold each child’s hand and help him or her step quickly across the mixture. Kids will then walk on the beach towels and get back in line for a second turn. Let each child and Crew Leader have two turns, although they’ll want more! Focus on Jesus After everyone has two turns, have Crews return to the hallway to discuss these questions. Ask: hat emotions were you feeling as you waited for your W turn to “walk on water”? Why do you think Peter sank? ow can this story help you the next time you need H courage in a scary situation—maybe even the situation you mentioned before we went into the room? Say: We all need courage sometimes. This story can remind us that Jesus gives us courage. (Follow him!) The next time you need courage, remember that Jesus is right there with you! Have kids put their shoes back on. When you hear your Director’s signal, dismiss Crews to their next destination. As they leave, give Schedule Supervisors enough Bible Quest Maps for their Crew, and remind kids to look for the clue about tomorrow’s Bible story. Thank kids for coming, and say you hope to see them again tomorrow. Field Test finding No one was hesitant to try this activity. But if you have a cautious child or two, really encourage everyone to step across the mixture—it’s just too cool to miss! Field Test finding This was an enormous hit! Kids couldn’t believe they could actually walk across the top of the mixture. During their second turn, a few kids purposely slowed down to let their feet sink. We kept encouraging everyone to move quickly, but for those who sank, we just said, “See? You sank, like Peter!” Field Test finding Do not dispose of the cornstarch mixture by pouring it down your sink. We moved our bin to a storage room until Cave Quest was over. The mixture hardened slightly, with a bit of water separating out on top. We carried the bin outside, poured off the water, and placed the bin in a large trash bag. Then we threw that away in the dumpster. Easy solution, and better than worrying about plumbing problems! 17 DAY 3 Jesus gives us direction. Jesus sheds light on how to live. (Matthew 5–7) As You Read, Keep in Mind… J The Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus’ most well-known teachings. After seeing Jesus heal and hearing him teach, many people eagerly gathered to listen to Jesus! They were intrigued by the way Jesus “taught with real authority” (Matthew 7:29). He didn’t need to cite references or other scholars. Jesus spoke with certainty and confidence, covering practical issues that many people faced. J The Bible notes that Jesus sat down as he explained the meaning of the law. Sitting was actually the customary practice of preachers and teachers at the time. How cool would it be to sit down and learn at Jesus’ feet? J Jesus begins his sermon with a series of blessings we now call the Beatitudes. The promises he gave here may have seemed scandalous at the time. Jesus blessed the kind of people that society would have never expected—those who mourn, the poor, and the persecuted. Jesus’ words would have gone against the popular beliefs of the time and may still seem counterintuitive to our idea of happiness today. Why It Matters… Children may receive mixed ideas about what is right or wrong. Friends, parents, teachers, and even social media sources don’t always agree, and the resulting message can be confusing. Kids want to know which way to go in this dark, confusing world. In a post-modern culture that decides its own truth, Jesus provides us with the real truth and the most fulfilling way to live. He gives us direction so we can know what’s right. In the Sermon on the Mount (and throughout the Bible), Jesus sheds light on which direction we can take to follow him. In preparing for today’s activities, reflect on times that God has helped you make the right decision. Then remind the kids at your VBS of the many practical ways Jesus gives us direction—through reading the Bible, prayer, and talking with Christian adults they trust. You could be that person for a child today! Key Verse: “He will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:6) 18 DAY 3 Jesus gives us direction. At Cave Quest VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station’s activities for unforgettable Bible learning. See how your station reinforces today’s Bible Point. Sing & Play Rock Deep Bible Quests J Learn the Day 3 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Radar. J Sing Cave Quest VBS songs. J Share God Sightings, and bring up a God Sight Light. J Clark tries to “echolocate” like a bat, finding his way through the cave. Visit four fun stations to discover truths from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Cavern Café KidVid™ Cinema Fruit Compass When Isaac got lost in a store, he prayed for Jesus to help him. Jesus gave Isaac direction and wisdom when things were scary. Imagination Station Cave Quest Closing Make incredible designs with a Direction Doodler, and remember that Jesus gives us direction in life! J Who’s Spelunker Sports & Games in the spotlight today in Spotlight VBS? J Review the day. J Get the day’s Bible Quest Map to take home. J Give Clark “hot” and “cold” clues to find a treasure. Scipmylo (Backwards Olympics) Lemon Line Dash in the Dark 19 Day 3 Day 3 Supplies J Day 3 Bible Quest J J J J J J J J J J J Maps* (1 per participant) Flicker Light* basket to cover Flicker Light 2 trays small paper cups for food (2 per Crew) gluten-free unsalted snacks (such as crackers or rice cakes broken into bites) (1 cup per Crew) salted popcorn (1 cup per Crew) variety of bird feathers (available at hobby stores) variety of delicate plastic flowers cloth to cover the flowers and feathers copies of the “Lord’s Prayer” handout printed from the Cave Quest Clip Art & Resources CD (1 per participant) baskets of pens (1 per Crew per rotation) *available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier Get Ready J M ark your Bible to Matthew 5. J S et up four stations in different corners of your room. At the “Salt and Light” station, set out a Flicker Light and a basket to cover it. Also prepare a paper cup of glutenfree unsalted snacks for each Crew and a paper cup of salted popcorn for each Crew. Set each kind of snack on a separate tray for easy distribution. (And so they don’t get mixed up!) J A t the “Don’t Worry!” station, set out the plastic flowers and the bird feathers. Cover them with a cloth. J A t the “Lord’s Prayer” station, set out the “Lord’s Prayer” handouts and a basket of pens for each Crew. You’ll find the “Lord’s Prayer” handout on the Cave Quest Clip Art & Resources CD under “Program Resources.” J N o preparation is needed for the “Golden Rule” station. J P lace a small blanket on the floor for each Crew. J F old the Bible Quest Maps in half, and secure the top with a sticker. Paperclip six Bible Quest Maps together for each Crew. Welcome Cave Crews Welcome Crews outside your Deep Bible Quests room. When all Crews have arrived, ask kids what they’re enjoying so far at VBS. Invite them into the room to sit in a circle on a Crew blanket. Say: I’m so glad to see you! Today we’re discovering that Jesus gives us direction. (Follow him!) We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started. First, let me give you some background. Hold up your Bible, opened to Matthew 5. Today’s totally true Bible story comes from the book of Matthew, starting in chapter 5. It’s about a time when Jesus was teaching. Crowds of people gathered around Jesus, which pretty much happened every time he taught! Anyway, there were so many people that Jesus went up a little way on a mountainside to teach. Stretch up on your toes as if climbing backward away from a crowd. Jesus wanted to teach the people how to live in a way that pleased God. Good stuff to know! 20 What he taught that day is known as the Sermon on the Mount. Which makes sense, since Jesus was teaching on a mountainside, right? We don’t have time to learn all the direction Jesus gave that day. But we can experience some of it! I’ve set up several stations around the room. We’ll visit each one and see what direction we can discover. Are you ready? Lead Crews to each of the four stations you set up, ending with the “Lord’s Prayer” station. Salt and Light Lead Crews to the “Salt and Light” station, and have them sit down. Give each Crew a cup of the salt-free snack, and let everyone take one nibble from the cup. Then give each Crew a cup of salted popcorn, and let everyone taste a piece. Ask: hich tasted better? Why? Most kids will answer W that the popcorn tasted better. Say: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor?” Jesus wants us to be salty! Salt helps food taste better. And we can help make someone else’s life better. Ask: ow can you be salt this week? What can you do H to make someone’s life a little better? Talk about that in your Crew. Give kids a minute or two to talk, and then ask for a few report-backs. Just as salt makes food taste better, we can help make someone’s life better! Jesus wants us to be salt. But that’s not all. Jesus also said we should be light. Turn on the Flicker Light, and hold it up for everyone to see. Then set it down and place the basket over the light. Uh-oh! What just happened? Jesus said, “You are the light of the world…No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” 21 Jesus wants us to shine his light for everyone to see. Wow— salt and light. I’m so glad that Jesus gives us direction! (Follow him!) Let’s see what other direction Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount. The Golden Rule Lead Crews to the “Golden Rule” station. Crews can remain standing. Say: Another direction Jesus gave that day is called the Golden Rule. Have you ever heard of that? Let’s see what the Golden Rule is all about! Have the Crews form two large groups, facing each other. When I count to three, strike a silent pose that shows an angry attitude and mad face. Ready? 1…2…3! Pause as everyone strikes a pose. Okay, you can stop being mad. Now when I count to three, I want you to smile and pat someone else on the back. Ready? 1…2…3! Pause as everyone smiles and pats someone on the back. Ask: I ’m sure we’ve all been around both types of people—the angry, mad person and the smiling, friendly person. How does each kind of person make you feel? Get back with your Crew and talk about that. Give Crews a minute or two to talk, and then ask for a few report-backs. I love this direction from Jesus! He said, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.” He wants us to be the kind of people we want to be around! Let’s find out more direction from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount! Don’t Worry! Lead Crews to the “Don’t Worry!” station, and have them sit down. Pass around the plastic flowers, and let kids examine them for a minute or so. Say: Listen to what Jesus said that day on the mountainside: “Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.” Collect the flowers, and pass around the bird feathers for kids to examine for a few minutes. 22 Jesus said, “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” Jesus wants us to know how very important we are to him. He doesn’t want us to waste our time worrying. He loves us and will take care of us, just as he cares for the flowers and the birds. Ask: I s there anything you’re worried about today? Share in your Crew. Crew Leaders, you can answer first. Give kids a few minutes to talk. Every time you start to worry, think of the birds and flowers. Jesus loves you and is taking care of you! Now let’s head to our last Sermon on the Mount station. The Lord’s Prayer Lead Crews to the “Lord’s Prayer” station, and have them sit down. Say: Jesus taught us how to pray, and it’s so cool! This prayer covers absolutely everything! I’ll show you what I mean. Hold up a “Lord’s Prayer” handout for kids to see. There are five words on this handprint, and each word goes with part of the prayer. Listen. “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.” That’s PRAISE. “May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” That’s PURPOSE. “Give us today the food we need.” That’s PROVISION. “And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” That’s PARDON. “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” That’s PROTECTION. We’ll pass out these handprints and pens. On your handprint, write a quick prayer to God. You can use one of the “P’s” for ideas. Maybe you’ll praise God and tell him you love him. Or maybe you’ll ask for protection from a bully. Go ahead—it’s your prayer! Distribute handouts and pens. Give kids several minutes to write their prayers. Then have Crews circle up. Hold your paper prayer as I close by reading the Lord’s Prayer out loud. 23 “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” In Jesus’ name, amen. I’m so glad that Jesus gives us direction. (Follow him!) And I’m glad we got a chance to experience a little of what Jesus said during his Sermon on the Mount. Hold up a Bible Quest Map. Remember, your Bible Quest Map can remind you of what Jesus said, and then you can read the whole sermon in your Bible at home! And you’ll discover a clue about tomorrow’s Deep Bible Quest! When you hear your Director’s signal, dismiss Crews to their next destination. As kids leave, give Schedule Supervisors enough Bible Quest Maps for their Crew, and have them put them in the Crew bags until Cave Quest Closing. Thank kids for coming, and say you hope to see them again tomorrow! 24 DAY 4 Jesus gives us love. Jesus dies and comes back to life. (Luke 23:1–24:12) As You Read, Keep in Mind… J In his final moments on the cross, Jesus cried out, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” (Luke 23:46), which is from Psalm 31:5. During Jesus’ time, Jews used this verse as an evening prayer before they went to sleep. What beautiful words for Jesus as he voluntarily gave up his life, and what a beautiful prayer for us today to surrender each day to him! J Jesus was buried in a “new tomb carved out of rock” (Luke 23:53). This could have very likely been a cave! Extra measures were taken by the religious leaders to ensure that Jesus’ tomb was completely sealed shut. This darkest cave of death had no way out at all! They wanted to make sure nothing could get in…or out. J You might say that Jesus’ specialty is providing the way out when there is none! Besides Jesus, there are at least eight other individuals whose resurrections are recorded in the Bible—not including the many after Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:52-53). God’s power, not their own power, raised all eight of these people from the dead. These individuals were just temporarily restored to their earthly lives, and later they all died again. Jesus’ resurrection is unique! His resurrection came from his own power as God, and he is the only one who never died again! Why It Matters… In a world so broken from sin and its consequences, children may sometimes think that love is tied to their behaviors. When kids do wrong things, they may even feel like they are loved less. Or they may feel like they have to earn more love by following the rules and being good. But Jesus’ love is completely unconditional. He died and came back to life again to prove the full extent of his forgiving, healing love for us. We have his love simply because we exist, not because we deserve it. As you prepare for VBS today, say 1 John 3:16 with your name in place of “us.” Consider Jesus’ personal love for you and for the kids who come to your VBS. Look for ways to affirm God’s unconditional, unchanging love to the kids you encounter. Key Verse: “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.” (1 John 3:16) 25 DAY 4 Jesus gives us love. At Cave Quest VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station’s activities for unforgettable Bible learning. See how your station reinforces today’s Bible Point. Sing & Play Rock Deep Bible Quests J Learn the Day 4 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Olivia. J Sing Cave Quest VBS songs. J Tell about God Sightings, and bring up a God Sight Light. J Clark has to be rescued when he gets lost and falls into a rocky cavern. Watch a shadow play of Jesus on the cross, and celebrate when the Light of the world comes back to life! Cavern Café KidVid™ Cinema Veggie Hug Noa struggled to get along with his sister until digging into God’s Word showed him how to treat her with Jesus’ love. Imagination Station Cave Quest Closing Watch Flicker Fliers fly high but sometimes miss the target, and be reassured that Jesus gives us love and forgiveness even when we miss the mark. J Enjoy today’s Spelunker Sports & Games 26 Spotlight VBS. day. J Get the day’s Bible Quest Map to take home. J See how Jesus’ love restores our relationship with God. J Review the Cave Golf Kindness Sticks The Squeeze Shuffle Day 4 Getting Ready J C reate an area for a shadow play depicting Jesus’ crucifixion. Hang a large sheet of black cloth from the ceiling. If you have a large room, section off part of the room for your shadow play. Otherwise, hang the cloth in a nearby unused hallway or extra room. You’ll need enough space behind the cloth for the cross, a small spotlight, your helper playing Jesus, and another helper with the hammer and the piece of wood. J P osition the wooden cross behind the cloth, and experiment with the placement of the spotlight so the shadow of the cross shows on the black “screen” from the audience’s side. J P ractice the shadow play with your helpers. Have the Jesus helper stand in front of the cross with arms by his side. When you say, “That’s where they nailed him to a cross and left him to die,” the other helper will turn on the spotlight. Then on your cue, the helper will hammer on the wood three times—“Jesus” raises first one arm to the cross, then the other arm, and then moves his feet together at the base of the cross. Have the helpers practice a few times as you read from the “Jesus Is Crucified” section of this session. J P lace the lantern flashlights inside the dark plastic bin, facing up. Turn on the flashlights, and make sure they'll shine brightly when you open the lid in the darkened room. Add more flashlights, if necessary. Day 4 Supplies J Day 4 Bible Quest J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J Maps* (1 per participant) flashlight for you “crown of thorns” (vine wreath available at hobby stores) wooden cross with stand large sheet of black cloth small spotlight hammer small piece of wood battery-operated, flameless pillar candles (1 per Crew per rotation) dark plastic bin with lid to hold flashlights bright lantern flashlights to fit inside bin (we used about 6) piece of dark material to cover bin male helper to play Jesus extra helper rope lights (optional) Sing & Play Rock Music CD* CD player *available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier We enlisted the help of a handy person to build a 5-foot wooden cross with a stand. We painted it brown and now have a freestanding and sturdy cross for kids to safely interact with. Now we use it at almost every field test! 27 J J ust before your first rotation arrives, turn on the flashlights and close the lid of the bin. Cover the bin with a piece of dark material so no light escapes. Place the bin near where the cross shadow play will take place, on the side where Crews will sit. J I f you feel a little light is necessary, place rope lights at the base of two or three walls in the room. Don’t place rope lights in front of where the shadow play will take place. J P lace a small blanket on the floor for each Crew. J F old the Bible Quest Maps in half and secure each with a sticker. Use paper clips to bundle together six Bible Quest Maps for each Crew. Welcome Crews Meet Crews outside your Deep Bible Quests room, and have kids call out what they love about Cave Quest VBS! Say: I’m glad you’re having so much fun at Cave Quest VBS! I’m having fun, too! Today I’m so excited to share a very special Bible story with you, because it’s absolutely the most important story you’ll ever hear. In fact, it’s the most important story of all time! Invite Crews to come into the room and sit quietly on a blanket. All week here at Cave Quest VBS, we’ve been learning more and more about Jesus, the light of the world. Yesterday we learned how Jesus gives us direction. (Follow him!) Before that we learned how the disciples survived that storm on the lake. We discovered that Jesus gives us courage. (Follow him!) And we started Deep Bible Quests this week by learning that Jesus gives us hope. (Follow him!) We had five Crews in most rotations, so we used five story segments. That way each Crew could turn off a candle as part of the story. If you have fewer than five Crews, just combine segments to match the number of Crews you have. But make sure each Crew gets to turn off a candle. 28 Remember? God’s people had been waiting and hoping for the Messiah to come. And finally it was time! Jesus, the light of the world, had come! Here, I have something to remind you that Jesus is the light of the world. Give each Crew a flameless pillar candle, and have them turn it on and place it upright in the center of the Crew circle. Jesus Is Betrayed Say: One night, Jesus was eating a special dinner with some of his close friends. While they were at the table together, Jesus said, “One of you who has just eaten…with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago.” Ask: hat does it mean to betray someone? Does anyone W know what betray means? Have kids call out answers. That’s right. To betray someone means to turn your back on that person. Jesus knew he was going to be betrayed by one of his friends that night. But he loves us so much, he let it happen. Hop up for a second, and let me ask you something. Pause as everyone stands. You won’t have to answer out loud, but think honestly about your answer to this question. Ask: Have you ever betrayed someone? Have you ever turned your back on someone? I know I have. Maybe you hurt a friend by not playing with her at recess, or by ignoring him at lunch. If you’ve ever betrayed someone, cross your arms over your chest. Pause. It hurts when someone turns their back on us. It hurts when a friend betrays us. Pause slightly. Okay, you can sit with your Crew again. Pause. Jesus was willing to be betrayed because he loves us. Point to a Crew. I’d like this Crew to turn off its candle. Have that Crew turn off its candle. Jesus Is Deserted Say: That same night, after dinner, Jesus took a few friends to a garden. He wanted to pray to God, his Father. On the way to the garden, Jesus said, “Tonight all of you will desert me.” His friends said, “No, no, we would never do that!” While they were in the garden, Jesus and his friends heard noises. It sounded like footsteps, only louder. Pat your thighs louder and louder, and have kids follow your actions. The footsteps sounded like marching, getting closer and closer! Suddenly, a crowd of men carrying swords and clubs came into the garden. They grabbed Jesus and arrested him! But listen to what Jesus said: “Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” 29 Wow. Jesus could have stopped the arrest right then and there. But Jesus loves us so much that he let himself be arrested. And sure enough, when Jesus was arrested, all of his friends deserted him and ran away. Ask: ave you ever deserted someone? Turned away when H that person needed help? I have. Maybe your sister needed help with homework, but you didn’t feel like being bothered. Or maybe your friend was feeling sad, but you didn’t want to listen. If you’ve ever deserted someone, turn your back on your Crew right where you’re sitting. Just turn around and sit with your back to your Crew members. Pause as kids turn around and sit facing outward. It hurts to be deserted. But Jesus was willing to be deserted because he loves us. Point to a different Crew. Now I’d like this Crew Leader to turn off your Crew’s candle. Have that Crew Leader turn off the Crew’s candle then sit facing out again. Jesus Is Beaten Say: After he was arrested and taken away, Jesus was beaten and hurt. Listen to what the Bible says: “Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him.” Ask: ave you ever physically hurt anyone? Have you ever hit H or shoved or pinched someone? I know I have, especially when I was your age. If you’ve ever physically hurt someone, or even wanted to, stand up and clench your fists in the air like this. Hold up clenched fists for kids to see as they stand. Hurting someone physically is ugly and mean, isn’t it? You can put your fists down now and sit down with your Crew. Pause as kids sit. Jesus was willing to be hurt and beaten because he loves us. Point to a different Crew. I’d like this Crew to turn off its candle. Have that Crew turn off its candle. 30 Jesus Is Mocked Pick up the flashlight and vine wreath. Turn on the flashlight and hold it facing the ceiling. Raise the wreath slowly toward the ceiling with the flashlight shining just under it. It should make a large wreath shadow on the ceiling. Say: Some of the soldiers made a crown out of thorns and put it on Jesus’ head. The thorns dug into Jesus’ head and made him bleed. Then the soldiers mocked Jesus and made fun of him. They knelt before him, mocking and taunting him by saying, “Hail! King of the Jews!” Ask: ave you ever mocked or made fun of someone? I H have. If you’ve ever mocked or made fun of someone, bow your head and cover your face with your hands. Pause. It hurts to be mocked and made fun of. But Jesus was willing to be mocked because he loves us. Point to another Crew. I’d like this Crew to turn off its candle. Have that Crew turn off its candle. Jesus Is Crucified Say: When the soldiers got tired of mocking Jesus, they led him off to be crucified. Crucifixion was a terrible way to die. It meant being hung on a wooden cross in terrible pain. Crucifixion was how they killed criminals. But Jesus had never sinned. Not once! They led Jesus up to a lonely hillside called Golgotha, which means “place of the skull.” And that’s where they crucified him. That’s where they nailed him to a cross and left him to die. Your Jesus helper should be standing in front of the cross. The other helper will now turn on the spotlight behind the screen. Field Test finding There were audible gasps from kids and adults when they saw Jesus behind the cloth screen. This was such a surprising and impactful experience. Kids were beyond riveted! Jesus had never sinned. But he was willing to take the punishment for my sins. And your sins. It was our sins that nailed Jesus to that cross. Do this hammering motion with me. Demonstrate slowly hammering your fists, one on top of the other, three times. When you see me hold my hands like this (demonstrate fists ready to hammer), you’ll do the motion along with me. Hold your fists one on top of the other, poised to hammer. Jesus will raise one arm up to the crosspiece of the cross. When we betray or desert a friend, we nail Jesus to the cross. Slowly lead everyone in making three hammering motions. Simultaneously, your hidden volunteer will loudly hammer on the wood three times. 31 Jesus will raise his other arm up to the crosspiece of the cross. When we hit or hurt someone, we nail Jesus to the cross. Slowly lead everyone in making three hammering motions. Simultaneously, your hidden volunteer will again loudly hammer on the wood three times. Jesus will bring both feet together at the base of the cross. When we mock or make fun of someone, we nail Jesus to the cross. Slowly lead everyone in making three hammering motions. Simultaneously, your hidden volunteer will loudly hammer on the wood three times. Jesus hung on that cross for hours. In agonizing pain. Then, at about noon, Jesus finally died. The helper behind the cloth will turn off the spotlight. The room will be dark. It was over. Pause. It was the end. Pause. The Light of the world was dead. Pause a bit longer as everyone sits in the darkness. Field Test finding Our Jesus helper was amazing! When kids made the hammering motions and the helper hammered on the wood, he actually flinched on the cross. Kids were literally awestruck. So incredibly memorable! After Jesus died, his friends took his body and placed it in a dark tomb. Then the friends went home. What else could they do? The Light was gone. Jesus was dead. There was no hope. Pause and have everyone sit in the dark for a bit. It will be uncomfortable. I want you to just sit quietly here in the dark for a little while. Think about what Jesus went through. All of the pain he felt. Think of how he could have stopped it, but he didn’t. He knew he had to die. For you. And for me. Pause. Jesus Comes Back to Life Say: Three long days later, Jesus’ friends went to the tomb to prepare his body for burial. It was just about sunrise. Speed up your voice, acting excited. When they got there, they saw something amazing! Something incredible! The huge stone that had been placed at the entrance had been rolled away. They looked inside (open the bin to let the light of the flashlights shine upward) and saw two angels in bright, dazzling robes! The angels said, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen!” Jesus’ love for us is more powerful than sin and more powerful than death. Jesus was willing to die on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. And when he came back to life he defeated death! When we believe in Jesus, all of the wrong things we do are forgiven and we can be with him forever in heaven. I’m so thankful for Jesus and his love! 32 Crew Leaders, take each child’s hand in turn, look the child in the eyes, and say the child’s name. Then say, “Jesus died for you!” When you’ve gone around your Crew circle, I’ll close with a prayer. Have Crew Leaders affirm each child by name. When Crews Leaders have finished, offer a prayer. Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross so our sins can be forgiven. Thank you for defeating death by coming back to life. Thank you for making a way for us to live with you in heaven. Thank you for loving us so much. In your name we pray, amen. KID QUOTE One of our Crew Leaders came from Texas for the field test. A little girl in her Crew said, “God brought you all the way from Texas to tell me that!” Say: If you have questions about what it means to believe in Jesus or if you’d like to know more, please talk to your Crew Leader or to me. We want everyone to believe in Jesus! Before you go, let’s thank Jesus for his love by singing out our praise! Loudly play and sing “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” (track 2) from the Sing & Play Rock Music CD. As kids leave, give Schedule Supervisors the Bible Quest Maps for their Crew. Say you hope everyone will come back for your last day of Deep Bible Quests! 33 DAY 5 Jesus gives us his power. Jesus ascends and empowers his followers. (Acts 1:1-11) As You Read, Keep in Mind… J There are two important reasons for Jesus’ ascension. First, the event marked the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry; second, it marked the beginning of the Holy Spirit’s ministry through each one of us. In a sense, Jesus allows us—his followers—to continue what he started! J As Jesus went up into heaven, “he was taken up into a cloud” (Acts 1:9). This cloud is meant to symbolize the shekinah, which is the Hebrew word for “the dwelling of God.” Throughout the Bible, God revealed his invisible presence in a visible way—like the pillar of cloud that led the Israelites by day and the cloud around the mountain at Jesus’ transfiguration. The cloud at Jesus’ ascension is a reminder that God is always with us! J After Jesus’ ascension, one of the first tasks his disciples carried out was finding a replacement for Judas. The man chosen had to be an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry from the time of his baptism by John to his ascension. Matthias, whose name means “gift of God,” was selected to serve alongside the other eleven. God provided this gift of another disciple to share his power in spreading his love! Why It Matters… Power is a big thing for kids—they emulate super heroes who have amazing power, read about fictional kids who receive supernatural powers, and even play games based on characters with special powers. While they may not have those superhero abilities, they do have God’s power, and his is the strongest of all! As he promised in his last words before ascending to heaven, Jesus has given all of his followers—even kids—the awesome power to share his love! We have the same power that brought Jesus back to life right inside of us! At VBS today, draw on God’s power to make sure every child knows about the life-changing love of Jesus! Key Verse: “Our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) 34 DAY 5 Jesus gives us his power. At Cave Quest VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station’s activities for unforgettable Bible learning. See how your station reinforces today’s Bible Point. Sing & Play Rock Deep Bible Quests J Learn the Day 5 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Ray. J Sing Cave Quest VBS songs. J Discuss God Sightings, and add a God Sight Light to the set. J Clark has passed his test… but now he needs to lead a cave expedition. Will he have the power for such a big job? Explore how the Holy Spirit works in our lives, and experience passing the power! Cavern Café KidVid™ Cinema Peachy Power-Up Riley tells about how Jesus gave her the power to accomplish a big—seemingly impossible—goal of starting a school in Africa. Imagination Station Cave Quest Closing Discover the source of the Mighty Light’s power, and remember that Jesus gives us his power! J Watch the Spelunker Sports & Games adorable preschoolers in today’s Spotlight VBS. J Review the day. J Get the day’s Bible Quest Map to take home. J Discover that you don’t have to be big or strong to connect to Jesus’ power. Use Your Noodle Power Play Operation Sponge Home 35 Day 5 Day 5 Supplies J D ay 5 Bible Quest J J J J J J J J J J Maps* (1 per participant) P ower Tube* large plastic bowl of ice p itcher of water d iffuser or vaporizer s mall table c loth to cover ice, pitcher, and diffuser large sheet of newsprint m arker S ing & Play Rock Music CD* C D player Get Ready J Partially fill a pitcher with water. J Fill a plastic bowl with ice and keep it in the freezer until right before your first Crews arrive. J Fill the reservoir of a diffuser or vaporizer with water. Make sure whichever you use gives off a visible stream of vapor. Plug in the diffuser, and set it to “off.” J Right before Crews arrive, place the bowl of ice, pitcher of water, and diffuser on a small table at one side of your room. Cover the items with a cloth. J On a large sheet of newsprint, write “H,” “E,” “L,” and “P” vertically. Draw a heart, an ear, legs, and stick figures next to each letter respectively. Hang the poster on the wall. J Place a small blanket on the floor for each Crew. J Fold the Bible Quest Maps in half and secure each with a sticker. Paperclip six Bible Quest Maps together for each Crew. J Grab a few volunteers and practice with the Power Tube. Welcome Crews Greet Crews outside your room, and say: Wow, we’ve been learning great things this week about Jesus, the light of the world. Today we’re discovering that Jesus gives us his power. (Follow him!) Let’s get started! Invite everyone to come inside and sit in Crew circles on a blanket. Now, let’s see. Where did we end yesterday at Deep Bible Quests? Have kids call out answers. Yes! Yesterday we learned that Jesus died and came back to life. He died so our sins can be forgiven, and he came back to life to defeat death. And he did all of that because he loves us! Today we’ll discover what happened after Jesus came back to life. Jesus Ascends Say: After Jesus came back to life, he stayed on earth for 40 days. How cool is that? And during those 40 days, he appeared to his followers numerous times. During one of those times, Jesus was eating with his friends. And he told them something kind of strange. Well, actually, 36 really kind of strange. He told his friends not to leave the city of Jerusalem until God sent them the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then he said the Holy Spirit would help them tell people all over the world—to the ends of the earth—about Jesus! But listen to this. It’s so amazing. Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” That’s just what we’re learning today. Jesus gives us his power. (Follow him!) Point up. Right after Jesus said that an incredible thing happened! Jesus rose into the air and disappeared. Right up into the clouds! While they were looking up, two angels appeared and said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” That’s so incredible! But I’m wondering—and I bet the people back then were wondering too—just what is the Holy Spirit? Talk About God’s Power Say: Like we already said, Jesus gives us his power. (Follow him!) When we believe in Jesus, we receive his power through the Holy Spirit. Ask: I ’m wondering—where do you need God’s power in your life? For me, well, I’m usually afraid to try new things. So I need God’s power to help me try new things even when I might be nervous. What about you? Tell your Crew where you need God’s power in your life. Field Test finding Kids are so honest! Lots said they needed help apologizing, getting along with a sibling, not saying bad words, and obeying their parents. Give Crews a few minutes to talk, and then ask for a few report-backs from kids. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The Holy Spirit is so powerful and so cool. But a little hard to understand. What exactly is the Holy Spirit? Well, I can’t tell you exactly what the Holy Spirit is, because we can’t understand everything about God while we’re here on earth. That will have to wait until we get to heaven. But I can tell you some of what I’ve learned so far. First of all, the Holy Spirit is another form of God, just like Jesus is a form of God. Kind of hard to understand, right? Let me show you something that may help explain the three forms of God a little more. Remove the cloth covering the ice, pitcher of water, and diffuser. Hold up the bowl of ice, and walk around the room, showing Crews and letting kids touch the ice. 37 Ask: What is this? Let kids call out answers. Right, it’s ice! It’s water that’s been frozen. It’s cold and solid, but it’s still water. Then hold up the pitcher of water, and walk around the room. Dip your hand in the pitcher and sprinkle each Crew with a little water as you ask: And what is this? Let kids call out answers. Right again! It’s water! But this time it’s in the liquid form that we all like to drink. There’s nothing like a nice drink of water on a hot summer day, right? Then turn on the diffuser and let kids see the steam. Ask: Now what is this? Let kids call out answers. You’re so smart. And you’re so right! It’s steam. It’s water in vapor form. But it’s still water. Point to the table. So we have ice. We have liquid. And we have vapor. But all three are water, just in different forms. It’s kind of the same with God, only way more cool. You have God the Father—that’s God in heaven. KID QUOTE “I’ve never heard about the Holy Spirit. We always sang about ‘God in three persons.’ Now I understand it!” You have God the Son—that’s Jesus, who came to earth to show us God’s love. And like we learned today, he went back to heaven by rising into the clouds. And then you have the Holy Spirit—God in spirit form. Remember way back to Day 1 of Deep Bible Quests? We learned that God promised to send the Messiah. And then he sent Jesus. Well, like we heard today, God also promised to send his people a gift, a helper. And he sent the Holy Spirit! How the Holy Spirit Works Say: Listen, I want you to understand something. I know I said it before, but really, we can’t understand everything about God here on earth. So I don’t want you to feel bad because you wonder if you have the Holy Spirit, or if you’ve ever heard the Holy Spirit, or whether you understand the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is mysterious. And personally, I think that’s cool! When you believe in Jesus, you get his amazing, mysterious, powerful Holy Spirit to be with you and to help you. Before he died and came back to life, Jesus told his friends about the Holy Spirit. Listen to what Jesus says in the book of John, chapter 14: “I will ask the Father, and he will give 38 you another Advocate [that means helper] who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth….He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” Wow! The Holy Spirit will help us and never leave us. He’ll teach us and remind us of what Jesus said. But how does he do that? Have you ever had someone try to get you to do something? And you just had a feeling that you shouldn’t do it? So you don’t. That might be the Holy Spirit prompting you to make the right decision. Or have you ever had the feeling that you should apologize to someone for something you said or did, even though that person didn’t ask you to? That might be the Holy Spirit nudging you to do the right thing. Give a Crew Leader a hug. Or sometimes a friend might just hug me, even though they didn’t know I was feeling down. That might be the Holy Spirit prompting that person to encourage me. There are so many ways the Holy Spirit’s power can help us! And it could be different for each person. Sometimes I hear a voice in my head telling me what to do or not do. Sometimes I just get a feeling in my heart. Sometimes the Holy Spirit uses another person to encourage or teach me. Here’s a way to remember ways the Holy Spirit works. Power Poster Point to the “HELP” poster you hung on the wall. Say: Since the Holy Spirit is our helper, let’s use the word “HELP” to think about him. “H” stands for heart. Have kids place hands over their heart. The Holy Spirit might give us a feeling in our heart to do—or not do—something. “E” stands for ears. Have kids cup their hands near their ears as if they’re trying to hear better. The Holy Spirit might give us words in our head, as if God’s speaking to us. “L” means lips. Have kids cup their hands around their mouths. The Holy Spirit might help us remember the words that Jesus spoke in the Bible. “P” means people. Have kids point to someone else. The Holy Spirit might use other people to help or teach us. After all, someone probably brought you here to Cave Quest VBS today, right? And God put your amazing Crew Leader in your life this week! 39 Field Test finding We weren’t sure kids would have the experience to answer this question. Were we ever wrong! We heard so many amazing examples of the Holy Spirit working in kids’ lives. Thank you, God! KID QUOTE “The Holy Spirit helped me obey. He helped me not jump on the new couch. Even when I really wanted to!” The Holy Spirit uses all of these ways to help me and give me his power. But I’m curious. Ask: hen and how have you noticed the Holy Spirit’s power W in your life? Talk in your Crew about that. Give Crews a few minutes to talk, and then ask for a few report-backs from kids. Pass the Power Say: Before he went back to heaven, Jesus said that the power from the Holy Spirit will help us tell others about him. Until Jesus comes back, it’s important that we tell other people about Jesus so they can believe, too. Because when they believe in Jesus, they can use the power of the Holy Spirit to tell more and more and more people. It’s like passing the power! Let me show you what I mean. Have everyone stand in one big circle. Hold up the Power Tube. I have something here that demonstrates how the power of the Holy Spirit can help us tell others about Jesus. Watch what happens when we’re connected to the power! Hold one end of the Power Tube with your right hand, and have the person on your right hold the other end with their left hand. Then have everyone in the circle join hands with you and the person to your right, and watch what happens! The Power Tube will give an amazing light show! Wow! Look at this power! How amazing! After a few moments of kids’ amazement, let go of the hand of the person on your left. The circuit will be broken, and the Power Tube will stop working. Ask: Uh-oh! What just happened? Let kids call out answers. Field Test finding Kids LOVED the Power Tube! They were so wowed by the experience that they could have stayed in that power circle all day! If someone drops hands, the circuit is broken and the Power Tube won’t light up. That’s like what happens when we’re not connected to Jesus, our power source! We need to stay connected! I’ve loved getting to know you this week! And I’ve loved learning more about Jesus, the light of the world. Let’s close our week in prayer. Pray: Jesus, thank you for giving us hope, courage, and direction. Thank you for loving us so much. And thank you for giving us your power. Please be with each person in this room as we leave VBS and go out in the world. Thank you for always being with us. We love you. In your name, amen. Play “He Is the Light” (track 1) as kids leave. Remember to give Schedule Supervisors the Bible Quest Maps for their Crews. 40 s t e s u Q e Deep Bibl DAY 2 While hoping that the room lights come on, explore how God’s people waited and hoped for Jesus. Weather stormy seas and courageously “walk on water” as Peter did. Qu e DAY 3 Visit four fun stations to discover truths from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. DAY 4 DAY 5 Watch a shadow play of Jesus on the cross, and celebrate when the Light of the world comes back to life! Explore how the Holy Spirit works in our lives, and experience passing the power! st i o n s ? 978-1-4707-3377-3 Follow Group VBS on: VBS Programming Printed in the U.S.A. DAY 1 The Easy VBS® group.com/vbs