Theme: The Authority of Jesus

In the Gospels, people are frequently amazed by the authoritative words, actions, and love of Jesus. We’ll look at four accounts that display Jesus’ ultimate authority. We’ll learn that Jesus has ultimate power and control over everything, and see how He leveraged that authority in His days on earth.

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ELEMENTARY LESSONS OVERVIEW:

MEMORY VERSE:  

"The rulers of the Gentiles lord authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." Matthew 20:25-26

Lesson 1: Jesus’ words have authority.

Synopsis: People were amazed by Jesus because He spoke with authority, and incredible wisdom, unlike the religious leaders. Back then, rabbis typically based their teachings on the authority of others. To argue their points and positions, they would say things like, “Isaiah said… “According to Rabbi Jones…  “According to the Law of Moses… “Rabbi Smith said that…
It was shocking that Jesus used the words “But I say…” People were amazed at the fact that Jesus spoke on His own authority instead of depending upon the authority of others to gain credibility.
Scripture: Matt 7:28-29, Matt 5:21-48

Lesson 2: Jesus leveraged His authority to help others.

Synopsis: Jesus was amazed at the faith of the centurion, because this Roman soldier understood authority better than anyone in Israel did. The centurion understood that in the same way that he held the authority to order his subordinates to go places and do things, Jesus has authority over all things.
Scripture: Matthew 8:5-13

Lesson 3: Jesus cares about how we handle authority.

Synopsis: When His disciples jockeyed for position in Jesus’ kingdom, He reprimanded them for their view of authority. He described the way that worldly authority functions as leaders wield their power to their own advantage and then said, “Not so with you.”
We might think that this idea doesn’t apply to children and people who don’t hold positions of influence. But the truth is that we all hold some kind of authority, even if it’s only authority over what we do with our toys, our time, or our words. The point is that whatever we hold authority over is to be leveraged to the service of others, not to the promotion of our own interests. 
Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28

Lesson 4: Jesus used His authority to serve others.

Synopsis: You are probably aware of the significance of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. Foot washing was the job only for the lowliest of servants. Jesus humbled himself to serve His disciples, and to give them an example of how they were to serve others. But John’s gospel reveals that this foot washing happened in response to something. There was a very specific thought that prompted Jesus to perform this gesture. Just before He takes on the role of a servant, the Bible says, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so, he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing…” The foot washing was Jesus’ direct response to His own authority. Instead of wielding His authority to His own benefit, He leveraged it to serve others.

Scripture: John 13:2-17

PRESCHOOL LESSONS:

Memory Verse: “The rulers of the Gentiles lord authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Matthew 20:25-26 (abbrev)
Bible Story: Jesus Heals and Serves Like a Boss, Matthew 8:5-13; John 13:2-17
Included Each Week: A craft, wiggle-tamer, table time activity, discussion questions, take-home page, and more.

Lesson 1: 

Creative Teaching Method: Storytelling with Props
This Week’s Focus: Jesus uses his authority for good. 

 
Lesson 2:

Creative Teaching Method: Storytelling with Pictures
This Week’s Focus: Jesus wants us to serve like he did. 

 
Lesson 3: 

Creative Teaching Method: Storytelling with Interactive Roleplay
This Week’s Focus: Jesus’ authority is all-powerful. 

 
Lesson 4: 

Creative Teaching Method: Storytelling with Questions Only
This Week’s Focus: Jesus’ authority is over all people for all time.

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