Jesus Calms the Storm

by Kimber Bailey Scott

LESSON:

Make sailor hats out of newspaper or wrapping paper.

     AHOY, boys & girls! Today our story is going to have us sailing in a boating adventure! So put on your life jackets (pretend), hold onto the side of the boat (pretend) and away we go!

     Hey, look over there! (point) Someone is standing inside a boat talking - who is it? It is Jesus! He must be teaching all about God. Now He and His friends are taking the boat out sailing. It looks like He is lying down to...to take a nap. He must have been talking for a long time because He is tired! Do you want to follow the boat Jesus is in? Okay, let's go!

     Uh Oh! Here comes a big wind. (blow) Oh no! The water and waves are moving all around us! (sway) Do you think Jesus is still taking a nap? Let's look. He is! His friends seem to be scared. The boat is filling up with water! They are running over to wake Jesus up. "JESUS WAKE UP! Don't you care if we drown?!"

     Jesus is standing up. He's speaking to the wind and water "QUIET! BE STILL!" (stop swaying)

     Everyone stopped! He's looking at His friends and says "Why were you afraid? Didn't you remember I was here with you?"

     WOW! Jesus was able to make the wind and the waves do what He wanted. That was amazing! There is something else that is important too. Jesus wanted His friends and us to know that whenever we are scared, we can trust Him to be with us. Even though we can not see Him, we can believe that He is there for us. Remember each day that Jesus is there for you.

ACTIVITY: 

Make thunderstorm sounds: bang on cookie sheets or pots and pans, blow for wind, clap for rain, pound on a table, etc.

Have a conch sea shell so they can hear the sounds of the waves.

SNACK:

Blue jello in clear cups for each kid. Use a toothpick to poke gummy or Swedish fish into each. Sprinkle blue colored sugar on top.

CRAFT:

Make a storm in a bottle with big waves: Fill plastic bottle 2/3 full of water. Add 1 t salt, 7 drops Dawn dish liquid & 2 drops blue food coloring. Shake. Add oil to top. Super glue cap on. Shake to form funnel like storm or move back and forth slowly to create waves like in the ocean.

EXPERIMENT:

Will it float or will it sink? - Fill a large clear bowl with water. Give each child something (rice, pasta, coins, bar of soap, cork, craft stick, leaves, bath toy, etc.) Ask them if it will float or sink? Let's see! One at a time have a child place their item in the bowl of water. Did it float or sink?

SING:
TUNE

With Jesus in my boat I can

Smile in the storm (repeat 3x)

With Jesus in my boat I can

Smile in the storm when I'm sailing home.

When I'm sailing home (clap 2x) (repeat 2x)

With Jesus in my boat I can

Smile in the storm when I'm sailing home.

YOU'LL NEED:

Newspaper

Cookie sheets or pots/pans

Conch sea shell (if available)

Blue Jello (clear gelatin & blue juice/sports drink instead of water works great!)

Clear plastic cups

toothpick

Gummy fish

Blue colored sugar

Spoons

Clear plastic sport drink bottles with labels torn off

Water

Salt

Dawn liquid dish soap

blue food coloring

Oil

Super Glue

Large clear bowl

water

Items like rice, pasta, coins, bar of soap, cork, craft stick, leaves, bath toy, etc.