Teaching John 4

John 4 for 3-5s

Theme: Jesus brings life to all who trust Him!

Intro:

Large sheet of paper in the middle of the table. Get them to stick on green grass. While you build the well talk to them about how they might draw water from it.

Bible story:

[You will need: Jenga blocks for the well, a toy man, woman and a small jug]

Oh, it’s hot. Really hot. It’s the middle of the day and everyone sensible has gone for a lie down indoors to keep out of the heat! Everyone except Jesus who was travelling through Samaria.

Now the Jews hated Samaritans. They were their enemies, and you would never sit around talking to a Samaritan! If there was anyone who wasn’t going to be friends with Jesus then it would be a Samaritan.

So Jesus sits down at the well because he was tired from his journey.

But what’s this? A woman is coming to the well. A Samaritan woman. There’s only one reason for her to come to the well in the middle of the day; so that no-one would see her. She must be a bad ‘un. I’d keep away from her, Jesus!

But Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’

She was amazed, ‘No Jew would ever speak to a Samaritan!’

But Jesus replied, ‘You don’t understand. I can give you living water!’

Living water! What’s that? Jesus explains that its water that will mean you can live with God forever.

In other words we need to believe Jesus and trust Him that we will be with Him forever. But the amazing thing is that Jesus was offering this living water to this lady, too. You see, Jesus’ offer of life forever is for all types of people, good people and bad people and tall people and short people. People who you don’t like as well as your friends.

Isn’t Jesus wonderful? We should trust Him to give us life forever.

Pray

Craft:

Modelling clay pots for collecting water

Paper with ‘Anyone can be friends with Jesus’ – stick on photos from magazines, etc.

Songs:

Jesus loves me

I belong to him

John 4 for 5-11s

Theme: Jesus brings life to all who trust Him!

Intros:

·           Who? – teams have to sort a pile of photos of people into those they’d have on their teams and those they wouldn’t

·           Boat race – teams have to drink a cup of water and place it on their heads as quickly as they can. The next person in line can only drink when the last person has finished.

·           Crackers! – contestants have to eat a cracker and whistle without having any water. Point of both games is living water.

Bible talk:

·        [Build a well out of chairs, rope and a bucket in the middle of the room]

·        Wonder who you really don’t like (don’t say!)

·        Jews hated Samaritans

·        Jesus travelling through Samaria rests at a well in the middle of the day

·        Woman comes up, Jesus asks for water. She’s amazed

·        Jesus offers her living water. You what?!

·        Read v13-14

·        She’d love this water. Wouldn’t you?

·        But Jesus knows all about her! V16-18. Yet still he offers her life forever!

·        Jesus’ living water is for anyone who trusts and believes in Him. It doesn’t matter how bad you are or where you come from, Jesus is for you.

·        And boy does she trust Him. She goes home and tells everyone all about Him!

Pray

Questions for table time:

Knowledge:

·        What did the Jews think of Samaritans?

·        Where was Jesus sitting in the story?

·        Tell me about the lady who came up to Him?

Understanding:

·        When Jesus offered her living water, what do you think He meant?

·        Who could have this living water, this life forever?

·        What did the lady do when she realised who Jesus was?

Application:

·        Have you come to Jesus to receive life forever?

·        Who do you think shouldn’t have Jesus’ offer?

·        Who will you tell about Jesus’ offer?