People Jesus Met

Introduction

This unit of work will look at different people or groups of people who encountered the teaching and ministry of Jesus. It will explore how their lives were changed and what the consequences were. The intended learning outcomes for the children are that they:

• might recognise that these stories are about Jesus affecting people’s lives
• might be able to recall aspects of the stories they hear about the people Jesus met
• might recognise that these stories are important to Christians
• might respond thoughtfully to questions about the stories

Preparation

The approach to these stories will involve retelling the story through sequencing, role-play or re-telling them orally. There should also be the opportunity to respond thoughtfully during discussion. The stories for this unit will be:

• Jesus meets the fishermen (Luke 5:v1-11)
• Jesus and the paralysed man (Mark 2:1-12)
• Jesus and Jarius’ daughter (Luke 8: 40-42 and 49-56)
• Jesus and blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10 v 46-52)
• Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19 v1-10)

Development

1. Tell the pupils each story separately, perhaps on consecutive days, and use a different activity to consolidate each story, with time for reflection and discussion (Use suggested teacher questions below)about how the people’s lives were changed.
2. Here are some possible ways to explore each story:

• sequence pictures to retell the story.
• role play the story.
• produce annotated pictures of key features
• produce a class frieze.
• create simple sounds or music, as the teacher re-tells the story.
• draw pictures and then annotate or talk about them, before and after meeting Jesus.
• produce a feelings graph of the story.
• use speech/thought bubbles to annotate pictures.

3. Here are some teacher questions that could be asked of each story to generate discussion:

• Which part of the story did you like best and why?
• Which part of the story did you think was most important or special?
• Was there any part of the story you did not like?
• What would you have done if you had been’?
• What would you think if something like this had happened to you?
• What did you think about Jesus at the beginning of the story?
• What did you think about Jesus after the person/people had met Jesus?
• In what way did he/she/they change?
• Why do you think they changed?

4. Suggested sequence for the lessons

• Recap on who Jesus was, reviewing existing knowledge of any stories or incidents from his life.
• Introduce the idea that Jesus met many people when on earth.
• Read one of the versions of the calling of the fisherman, using a picture that illustrates the story.
• For the story of the paralysed man through the roof, use four strips of card (4 by12 cms approx) attached with three split pins to illustrate the story. Arrange the four strips into a shape that represents the house; the man on a stretcher; the stairs to the roof; the roof with a hole; the man lowered; the man walking.
• For Jairus’ daughter use part of the video/DVD of The Miracle Maker, then discuss and respond to this story.
• For Zacchaeus, use a picture of the scene to which speech bubbles can be added to explore the crowd reactions. Discuss how you would respond if you saw someone changed by Jesus?
• Explore why these stories are important for Christians today.

Discuss the importance of all the stories and why Christians tell them.