One Day by Aaron Shust

This week I'm missing my son who is at camp, so I thought I'd work on one of his favorite songs.  He loves the groovy beat to this song, but I love that it also has references to the Bible all throughout it.

One Day

by Aaron Shust

One day, I will leave this body
And I will get a perfect one

Philippians 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. 

That day I will see His glory 

Shinin' like the noonday sun

Speaking of Jesus in Revelation 1:16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.

Speaking of Jesus in Hebrew 1:3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 

One day, I'll take a walk with Jesus

He might explain the mysteries of life
Some say, I just can't believe it
But I know that one day

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

We'll gather at the Crystal Throne*

Revelation 4:6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.

All these years; we're finally home

Philippians 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

About Abraham in Hebrews 11:9-10 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

I can actually see His face

Revelation 22:4 they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.

And all I can do is say:

Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty
Who was and is and is to come

Revelation 4:8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come."

We lay our crowns before You 

Revelation 4:10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Every heart and soul; adore You

Revelation 5:13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."

Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The God of gods, Almighty One

Daniel 2:47 The king answered Daniel and said, "Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery."

 Revelation 19:6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, " Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

One day, death will be abolished
And sin will have it's mastery no more

2 Timothy 1:9-10 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

And I know, that we will be astonished
At all that our Creator has in store

Ephesians 3:11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

One day, we will meet our Savior
And He will give each one of us a stone
Engraved ,with our names upon it:
Known by God alone

Revelation 2:17 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.'

We'll gather at the Crystal Throne

All these years; we're finally home

I can actually see His face
I never thought I'd see the day
That we'd gather at the Crystal Throne
All these years; we're finally home
I can actually see His face
And all I can do is say

Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
We lay our crowns before You
Every heart and soul; adore You
The God of gods, Almighty One
King of Kings, God's only Son

Lords of Lords, salvation done.

Revelation 19:16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

 John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 19:30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Hebrews 9:12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

* The crystal is actually the ground in front of the throne, not the throne itself.

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Top Free Online Sunday School Resources

When I'm working on a Sunday School lesson or just something to teach my kids the Bible at home, I have a few free online resources that I've found helpful.  I have these bookmarked so that I can find them easily.  

Disclaimer:  While I like these websites, I can't vouch for every piece of material on them. As always, be discerning and evaluate each thing you plan to use to make sure that it is biblically accurate.

My Wonder Studio

One of the things I look for in online resources is great graphics.  This is mostly because I am not a great artist and can't draw pictures that kids will enjoy.  That is why I love My Wonder Studio.  Some of their excellent free printables include pictures for flannelgraph stories, coloring pages, 3D pictures, and "dissected" pictures to let the kids "Be The Artist".  They also have animated videos, songs,  and audio adventures.  The resources are navigated pretty easily by either searching or clicking on the archives on the right side (divided into age group), which takes you to an index of the tags for all of their posts.

Crafting the Word of God

This website is a collection of children's Bible crafts by Jesus Rolon, a children's ministry leader.  There are a ton of printables for crafts, coloring pages, and activity pages.  Crafts are easily found for your lesson because they are categorized (Old Testament, New Testament, VBS, holidays...).  The crafts do a great job of getting to the heart of the Bible story.  There is even a Spanish version of the website.  

Aunties Bible Lessons

Aunties Bible Lessons has great printables for Bible crafts.  Many of them have added interest (texture, moving parts, flaps, and more).  There is a search box in the right column of the website to help you find what you are looking for.   There is also an index for the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Amy's Free Ideas

Amy is a super talented crafter who is kind enough to share her awesome ideas for crafts.  She has an entire section for Sunday School and Bible clubs.  There are ideas for working on Bible verses, crafts, and game.  Some of her crafts are a little more complicated, but are awesome for older kids who need a little more of a challenge.

Sunday School Sources

Kim Dailey from Sunday School Sources has a lot of games, memorizing ideas, and songs, but my favorite resource is the set of Bible character trading cards which are great for learning about the people of the Bible and where they fit into the overall timeline.   There are also Books of the Bible card that would be great for memorizing the order of the books of the Bible.

Bible Fun For Kids & More

This website has a lot of printable resources such as file folder games, lapbooks, and Bible verse printables.  They especially have a lot of preschool and primary grade resources, but quite a bit of it could also be used with older children.  I like the file folder games that help kids learn the books of the Bible and the characters of the Bible.

Almost Unschoolers

While Almost Unschoolers is mostly about homeschooling, there are quite a bit of Bible resources there.   I especially love that there are a lot of active Bible learning, like the game where they have to categorize the books of the Bible by jumping into the correct spot drawn onto a driveway (as in the diagram above).  In fact, I've used this game for lots of different Bible categories (like prophets, judges, kings, and priests...)

Bible Class Creations

There are lots of printable resources at Bible Class Creations.  They like to do shadow stories for telling the Bible stories and share the printables to do that.  There are lots of other crafts and ideas that are tagged by the Bible character or story as well.

Sermons 4 Kids

There are a ton of free Bible lesson worksheets available at Sermons 4 Kids.  If you are looking for a coloring page, word search, or multiple choice quiz, you will probably find one available on this website.  They are easily found on their Old Testament and New Testament indices or you can search the website at the very top of the page.  In addition, they have lots of craft and activity suggestions for each Bible lesson.  The best thing is that there are a ton of Bible stories available, so if you need it you will probably find it here.

Jesus Without Language

Jesus Without Language has loads of craft, game, and printable resources.  The cute little Bible characters remind me of Veggie Tales characters and are made by a missionary named Kate. I love that many of the crafts are movable, since that keeps kids interested in the craft even after they are done making it.  There are also little character cards that can be used in the lesson or as trading cards.

Okay...  I said ten, but here's a bonus:

Bible Today 4 Kids

Bible Today 4 Kids has seven units of Bible lessons, each with 7-13 lessons.  The lessons include activities, worksheets, and crafts.  The worksheets can be connect-the-dots, word searches, unscrambles, fill-in-the-blanks, codes, and more.

And don't forget to check out my 

Children's Bible Lesson Units:

Trust in You by Lauren Daigle

Trust in You 

by Lauren Daigle

Letting go of every single dream
I lay each one down at Your feet
Every moment of my wandering
Never changes what You see

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person�s heart, but it is the LORD�s purpose that prevails.

Revelation 4:10-11 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." 

I�ve tried to win this war I confess

My hands are weary I need Your rest

Mighty Warrior, King of the fight
No matter what I face, You�re by my side

Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

Deuteronomy 31:8 "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

Psalm 121:5 (CSB) The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side.

 When You don�t move the mountains I�m needing You to move

Matthew 17:20 And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

When You don�t part the waters I wish I could walk through

Isaiah 43:16 Thus says the LORD , Who makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

When You don�t give the answers as I cry out to You

Job 30:20 "I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You turn Your attention against me."

I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Truth is, You know what tomorrow brings
There�s not a day ahead You have not seen
So, in all things be my life and breath
I want what You want Lord and nothing less

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Jeremiah 29:11  'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'

Job 33:4 "The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life." 

When You don�t move the mountains I�m needing You to move

When You don�t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don�t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!


You are my strength and comfort

Romans 15:5 (BBE) Now may the God who gives comfort and strength in waiting make you of the same mind with one another in harmony with Christ Jesus:

You are my steady hand

Genesis 49:23-25 "The archers bitterly attacked him, And shot at him and harassed him; But his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel ), From the God of your father who helps you, And by the Almighty who blesses you With blessings of heaven above,Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

You are my firm foundation; the rock on which I stand

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.

Luke 6:47-48 "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it,because it had been well built."

Your ways are always higher

Isaiah 55:9  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Your plans are always good

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 

There�s not a place where I�ll go, You�ve not already stood

Psalm 139:8-10 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol,behold, You are there.  If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

When You don�t move the mountains I�m needing You to move
When You don�t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don�t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!


I will trust in You!
I will trust in You!
I will trust in You!

**  This page contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a commission if you buy these products by clicking on the links above.  However, this post is not sponsored and I really do love these products.  Click here for my affiliate disclosure.  Scripture And... is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Jonathan Park Audio Adventures Review

My Review of Jonathan Park Audio Adventures

I was introduced to Jonathan Park Audio Adventures when I won a giveaway of a set of books on a friend's blog.  I already knew that my friend and her family loved listening to Jonathan Park, but I had never heard of them before.  It was the perfect opportunity to see what my friend liked about the Jonathan Park.  We found the books to be exciting and good at explaining concepts from creation science.

Then, Vision Forum (the original maker of the Jonathan Park Audio Adventures) closed down and was having a clearance sale on the CDs, so I was thrilled to be able to buy the entire set at a much reduced price.  However, it was sad that it seemed that Jonathan Park was ending just as I discovered it.  Thankfully, Jonathan Park was bought out and the series continues.  

My family listened to all of the Jonathan Park series and found them to be intriguing, striking, and thought-provoking.  My son loved the drama and excitement.  He already loved watching PBS's Wild Kratts and the Creation Proclaims videos so he already loved anything about science.  My husband and I loved the discussion of creation science ideas (some of which were new and some of which were not new).  It was refreshing to hear science without all of the evolution assumptions being scattered throughout it.  

We own all ten volumes of the older CD sets (the ones put out by Vision Forum before Jonathan Park was bought out) as well as the zoo and aquarium guides (which are perfect to listen to on the drive to the zoo or aquarium).  Each of the older CD volumes contains twelve episodes that are each approximately 26 minutes long.  Jonathan Park Goes to the Zoo and Jonathan Park Goes to the Aquarium each discuss 100 animals (4 CDs with 25 animals each).   You can still find some of the older CD sets for sale from merchants online like Answers in Genesis.  

Since Jonathan Park was bought and restructured, the episodes have also been repackaged.  The new CDs can be purchased individually as albums and contain 3 episodes.   You can also buy a series pack that contains 4 albums.  

Jonathan Park is also available from iTunes.  They sell the new albums as well as individual episodes.  If you aren't sure if you will like Jonathan Park, trying out one episode is a great way to sample them (and get hooked too).

The reasons we LOVE Jonathan Park:

• Their plots are spell-binding and keep you coming back for more.
• It teaches creation science in a way that makes it so interesting that you forget that you are learning.
• It is great to listen to in the car for everyday travels or for long road trips.  In our experience, kids don't get car sick as easily when listening to radio dramas as they do watching movies because they can look forward at the horizon while listening.
• Audio adventures or radio dramas are great at catching your attention while still leaving the visual to your imagination.  They are supposed to stimulate your brain more than videos or audiobooks.
• It shows that it is OK to question the assumptions made by evolutionary science.
• It believes in the literal interpretation of the Bible.

What Jonathan Park is NOT:

• An in-depth study about creation science. -- If you want to study creation science more in depth where sources are listed, this is not what you are looking for.  However, it will give you ideas of things to research and get you and your kids interested in researching those ideas.
• A curriculum. --  While it is an excellent tool to draw you into studying creation science and it does teach you ideas, it does not have the content to replace a full science curriculum.  It could be used to introduce certain topics, but it can not stand on its own as a curriculum
• A thorough defense of creation science. --  While there are other sources that explain and defend the tenets of creation science, this is not the resource for that.  It is great to expose you to creation science ideas and have a fun time while you learn these concepts.  If you are looking for a great defense of creation science, try something like Answers in Genesis'  The NEW Answers Book 1.  There are plenty of other resources at Answers in Genesis Bookstore.  

Conclusion:

We love Jonathan Park and hope that you try some episodes.  My guess is that you and your family will be hooked like so many other people.


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Thy Mercy, My God

Recently, I was reading through some songs in my hymnbook (my beautiful Hymns for the Little Flock published in 1881 with just words and no music) when a hymn struck me as familiar.

Thy mercy, O God, is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart. and the boast of my tongue;
'Tis free grace alone, from the first to the last,
That wins my affections, and binds my soul fast.

It was just one verse and I read it over and over trying to place it when I realized that I had heard it sung by Caedmon's Call.  Wait... what?!?!  Caedmon's Call sang this old hymn.  When I later looked into the hymn I found it was first published by John Stocker in 1776 in England.  Yes... the year the Declaration of Independence was signed.  John Stocker was a friend of A.M. Toplady who wrote Rock of Ages.  Sandra McCracken, founding contributor to Indelible Grace (a "re-tuned hymn" movement), rewrote the music to this more-than-200-year-old hymn in 2001.  Caedmon's Call (and many others) also sang Sandra McCracken's song.

In case you haven't noticed, I love "refurbished" old hymns.  Not that I don't like original versions of old hymns, but sometimes new music breathes new life into old words.  If those old words are based on the truth of the Bible, the result can be very powerful.

Here is Sandra McCracken's version of this hymn:

Thy Mercy, My God Is the Theme of My Song

Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart. and the boast of my tongue;
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast.

Psalm 59:16  But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here;
Sin would reduce me to utter despair;
But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive,
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

Psalm 109:21 WYC And thou, Lord God, do with me for thy name; for thy mercy is sweet. Deliver thou me,

Psalm 30:3  O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Whene�er I mistake, Thy kind mercy begins
To melt me, and then I can mourn for my sins;
And, led by Thy Spirit to Jesus�s blood,
My sorrows are dired and my strength is renew�d

Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground,
And weep to the praise of the mercy I�ve found.

Psalm 106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Thy mercy is endless, most tender and free;
No sinner need doubt, since �tis given to me;
No merit will buy it, nor sin stop its course;
Good works are the fruits of its freeness and force.

Psalm 57:10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.

1 Timothy 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Romans 9:15 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

The doors of Thy mercy are open all day
To the poor and the needy who knock by the way;
But those that bring cash in the mouth of their sack;
The rich and the proud, shall be empty sent back.

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Dear Father, Thy merciful word I my all;
Thy promise supports me when ready to fall;
When enemies crowd, to cause doubt and despair,
I conquer them all by the spirit of prayer.

Psalm 31:7  I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

Lamentations 3:22-23  It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Thy mercy, in Jesus, exempts me from hell;
Of Thy mercy I�ll sing, of Thy mercy I�ll tell;
�Twas Jesus, my Friend, when He hung on the tree,
That open�d the channel of mercy for me.

Psalm 86:13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

1 Peter 1:3 NAS  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own,
And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son;
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.

Ephesians 1:13-14 NAS In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

All Bible verses for this hymn are quoted in KJV unless otherwise noted.


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Jesus said "I am..." - Lesson 6 - The True Vine

Lesson 6:  The True Vine

Introduction: Get connected activity
Have a student attempt to turn on an electrical device that is not plugged in.  Try plugging it into something besides an electrical outlet (have another student hold the plug, put it under a pillow, attach it to a chair...).  Ask the students why the device won't turn on. (It's not connected to the power source - not plugged in to the right thing)

Have several branches from a plant in some vases.  Some can be freshly cut.  Some a little older.  Others should be wilting.  If possible, also have a potted plant.  Ask the students why the branches are dying. (They aren't connected to the plant)

Discussion:  Read John 15:1-11.  Ask the following questions.

• Who is the vine? (Jesus)
• Who is the vinedresser (the caretaker)? (God the Father)
• Who are the branches? (Jesus' followers)
• What is the fruit? (the good things that they do)
• Why do some branches bear more fruit than others?  (they are connected better to the vine)
• How do Christians prove they are followers of Jesus?  (doing things like He would)
• How are Christians able to do those things?  (by staying connected to Jesus and His Word, the Bible)
• Why did Jesus tell his disciples these things?  (to bring them joy)

Craft: Soda Bottle painting from AlphaMom.com

      Materials:

• soda bottles (enough for one for each student if possible)
• pink paint (or other flower color)
• brown or green paint
• paint brushes
• paper
• markers or crayons

      Instructions:

• Using a paint brush, paint a vine with some branches coming off of it.
• Dip the bottom of the bottle in the flower color paint and stamp it beside the vine to make the flowers.
• Add the Bible verse (John 15:5 - "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing"

Game:  Vine tag (like chain tag)

• Have one person start out as "it".  Define the boundaries for the kids.
• When "it" tags someone, they must hold hands and form a chain/vine.
• They continue to be "it" and chase others.  Only the people on the ends (with a free hand) can tag someone.  
• Anyone tagged joins the vine until everyone is part of the vine.

Game:  Link tag or elbow tag

• Define the boundaries for the kids.  Have everyone grab a partner and link elbows with them.  
• Chose one pair and a partnerless child (if you have an odd-numbered group) to be unlinked.  Assign one to be "it".
• Whoever is "it" chases those who are unlinked.  The unlinked person can join a pair of linked kids and is now safe, but the person on the other end of the link must then become unlinked and can be tagged.
• After you have played for a while and everyone seems tired, discuss how it was better to be linked then unlinked.  Compare that with abiding in Christ.

Songs:  Sing John 15:5 to help the kids remember the Bible verse.

Closing:  Show the kids a dead branch.  Ask them how the branch got to be that way.  (it fell off the tree)  Ask them if they want to be like the branch.  (no)  Ask them how they can avoid being like the branch spiritually.  (spend time with Jesus by praying and reading the Bible)

Unit wrap-up craft: "I am..." Spin Wheel from Crafting The Word of God

Do you have anything to add?  I'd love to hear how you have taught about the True Vine or any ideas for crafts, games, or songs in the comments below.

Here are links to all the lessons in my Jesus Said "I am..." Bible Lessons Unit:

Lesson 1 - The Bread of Life 
Lesson 2 - The Light of the World
Lesson 3 - The Door and the Good Shepherd
Lesson 4 - The Resurrection and the Life
Lesson 5 - The Way, The Truth, and The Life
Lesson 6 - The True Vine

Jesus Said "I am..." - Lesson 5 - The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Lesson 5: The Way, the Truth, and the Life

Introduction: Name all the things we have learned that Jesus is (the bread of life, the light of the world, the door, the good shepherd, the resurrection and the life)

Read John 14:1-6.  Ask the following questions:

• What was Jesus describing? (heaven)
• What was Thomas worried about?  (not knowing the way)
• How did Jesus say they would find their way? (through Him)
• Is there any other way? (no)

Activity:  Treasure Map
Create a treasure map for the students to find a hidden snack in your classroom.  Have them follow the map to the treasure (the snack).  In our Bible verse, what is the treasure? (heaven)  What is the map? (Jesus)


Worksheet:  "I am the Way" Maze from sermons4kids.com


Discussion: The Truth

• Who is the truth? (Jesus)
• Is there more than one truth? (no)
• Does Jesus ever lie? (no)
• Is Jesus ever not true to who He is? (no)
• Our world likes to say that everyone's experience is their truth.  Everyone's experience is important, but only Jesus is the truth.
• Can we trust anything besides Jesus?  Is anything else truth?  Can we trust our own feelings?  Read Jeremiah 17:9. (we can't trust anything else)

Craft: "I am the Way" Map Craft from the Come and See blog
Cut up an old map and have the students glue them onto construction paper and write John 14:6 on it.

Discussion:  The Life

• How is Jesus "The Life"? (He lives forever and we can live forever too if we believe in Him)
• What kind of life does He give us? (eternal, spiritual)
• What stories have we talked about that go with Jesus being The Life? (Lazarus, Jesus' resurrection)
• If Jesus is life, what does it mean to be separated from Him? (spiritual death)
• How do we have eternal life too? (believe in Jesus - John 11:25)
• When does eternal life begin? (the moment we believe - John 3:16)
• What does it mean that we have eternal life when we are saved?  (We will live forever and never be separated from Jesus)

Game:  The Way, The Truth, and The Life Mixer
Give each child a sticker that says either "The Way", "The Truth", or "The Life".  Have them sit in chairs in a circle with one person in the center.  The person in the center says either "The Way", "The Truth", or "The Life" and the people with that sticker have to find a new seat.  Meanwhile, the person in the center tries to steal a seat.  The person left without a seat is the new person in the center who gets to choose a new group to switch seats.  After a while, you can have the students remove or cover their stickers so the person in the center doesn't know who is in which group.

Song:  Try a song for John 14:6.  Here are a few.

Possible Craft:  One Way Door Knob Hanger
I don't know where I found this printable door knob hanger, but I imagine that it would be easy to duplicate.  My son has had hanging on his door knob for more than six months and still likes it.

I hope you enjoyed another lesson about the times when Jesus said "I am the...".  Did you have any other ideas of activities, songs, crafts, of snacks that you could use to teach John 14:6?

Here are links to all the lessons in my Jesus Said "I am..." Bible Lessons Unit:

Lesson 1 - The Bread of Life 
Lesson 2 - The Light of the World
Lesson 3 - The Door and the Good Shepherd
Lesson 4 - The Resurrection and the Life
Lesson 5 - The Way, The Truth, and The Life
Lesson 6 - The True Vine

Click here for all of my Bible Lessons Unit: