Bible Story Title: Jesus Asked Who People Thought He Was./ Jesús preguntó quién pensaba la gente que era.

Bible Story Reference: Matthew 16:13-20

Bonus Verse: You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. / Tú eres el Mesías, el Hijo de Dios vivo.

Bonus Verse Reference: Matthew 16:16

Spotlight Question: Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Messiah, the promised Son of God. / ¿Quién es Jesús? Jesús es el Mesías, el Hijo prometido de Dios.

Today’s Point: Jesus is God’s promised Son. / Jesús es el Hijo prometido de Dios.

SONG IN ESPANOL - Prometido Hijo De Dios

SONG IN ENGLISH - God's Promised Son

Bible Story Title: The Baptism of Jesus./ El bautismo de Jesús.

Bible Story Reference: Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:1-11; John 1:29-34

Bonus Verse: A voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.”/ Una voz vino del cielo: «Tú eres mi Hijo amado; en ti tengo complacencia».

Bonus Verse Reference: Mark 1:11

Spotlight Question: Was Jesus just an ordinary man? Jesus is the perfect Son of God who came to be the Savior of the world. / ¿Fue Jesús un hombre común y corriente? Jesús es el Hijo perfecto de Dios que vino para ser el Salvador del mundo.

Today’s Point: Jesus is God’s perfect Son. / Jesús es el Hijo perfecto de Dios.

SONG IN ESPANOL - Perfecto

SONG IN ENGLISH - Perfect

Bible Story Title: Jesus Performed Miracles. / Jesús realizó milagros.

Bible Story Reference: Matthew 15:29-39

Bonus Verse: Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” / Jesús se acercó y les dijo: «Toda autoridad me ha sido dada en el cielo y en la tierra».

Bonus Verse Reference:‍ ‍Matthew 28:18

Spotlight Question: Was Jesus just a teacher? Everything Jesus said and did showed that He is the powerful Son of God. / ¿Fue Jesús solo un maestro? Todo lo que dijo e hizo demostró que es el poderoso Hijo de Dios.

Today’s Point: Jesus is the powerful Son of God./ Jesús es el poderoso Hijo de Dios.

SONG IN ESPANOL - Brilla

SONG IN ENGLISH - Shine

Bible Story Title: Jesus Died & Rose to Life. / Jesús murió y resucitó.

Bible Story Reference: Mark 14:43–16:7

Bonus Verse: When the centurion … saw the way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” / Cuando el centurión… vio cómo exhalaba su último aliento, dijo: «¡Verdaderamente este hombre era Hijo de Dios!»

Bonus Verse Reference: Mark 15:39

Spotlight Question: Was Jesus just someone who lived a long time ago? Jesus lived, died, & rose to life again to be our Savior, now & forever. / ¿Fue Jesús simplemente alguien que vivió hace mucho tiempo? Jesús vivió, murió y resucitó para ser nuestro Salvador, ahora y para siempre.

Today’s Point: Jesus is the proven Son of God. Jesus is alive! / Jesús es el Hijo probado de Dios. ¡Jesús está vivo!

SONG IN ESPANOL - Brille Más

SONG IN ENGLISH - Bright

Bible Story Title: Peter Preached About Jesus. / Pedro predicó acerca de Jesús.

Bible Story Reference: Acts 2

Bonus Verse: Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.. / Arrepentíos y bautícese cada uno de vosotros en el nombre de Jesucristo para perdón de los pecados; y recibiréis el don del Espíritu Santo.

Bonus Verse Reference: Acts 2:38

Spotlight Question: Why do I need to respond to Jesus? Jesus is the only way to receive God’s forgiveness. / ¿Por qué necesito responder a Jesús? Jesús es el único camino para recibir el perdón de Dios.

Today’s Point: Jesus is God’s plan for forgiveness. / Jesús es el plan de Dios para el perdón.

SONG IN ESPANOL - Perdón En Ti

SONG IN ENGLISH - Forgiveness In You

Both paper lantern crafts serve as a tangible, interactive teaching tool, helping children visualize Jesus as the "Light of the World". By assembling & lighting the craft, learners physically engage with the theological concepts of overcoming darkness & divine guidance. 

Just as a lantern needs a flame or light to function, the craft represents how a person "shines" when they carry the teachings of Jesus (the Light) within them. It moves the verse from a flat text to a living symbol. By physically lighting the lantern in a dim room, children experience a literal shift from darkness to light. This reinforces the theological concept that Christ provides clarity & direction in a "dark" or confusing world. The lantern is inherently something meant to be seen by others. This mirrors the biblical call for believers to be a "light on a hill," signifying their role in sharing their faith & being a positive influence on those around them. The lantern is meant to be seen, representing a child’s role in sharing their faith & positive influence with others.

The significance of this craft, often called a Flashlight Bag or Magic Flashlight, lies in its use as a visual metaphor for revelation, identity, & the presence of the Holy Spirit during the Baptism of Jesus. By "magically" revealing hidden images, the activity illustrates several theological concepts for children.

Divine Revelation: The act of moving the "flashlight" to see the drawing represents how Jesus’ baptism was an epiphany—a divine unveiling. Just as the light reveals what was already there but hidden in darkness, the baptism publicly revealed Jesus' true identity as the Son of God & the Messiah.

The Trinity Revealed: The craft illustrates the moment of Jesus’ baptism where all three parts of the Trinity are present. The flashlight represents the light of God, the image reveals Jesus as the Son, & the illumination shows the Holy Spirit descending, illustrating a "three-in-one" concept.

Presence of the Holy Spirit: The craft visually mimics the "opening of the heavens" described in the Gospels. It serves as a reminder of the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, a moment of light & clarity that marked the beginning of Jesus' public ministry.

Jesus as the Light: It reinforces the concept of Jesus being the "Light of the World." The flashlight beam represents how His presence brings truth & salvation into a world often described as "dark" due to sin.

To help children visualize the story from Matthew 14:13–21, this craft is commonly called the Jesus Feeds the 5,000 Paper Plate Craft or the Loaves and Fishes Basket Craft. It involves cutting paper plates & then attaching them to create a basket, which is then filled with paper cutouts of fish and bread to represent the biblical miracle.

Young children often struggle with abstract concepts. Physically "filling" a basket with loaves & fish helps them grasp the specific details & scale of the miracle. The act of placing the items into the basket mirrors the biblical action of the disciples distributing the food, reinforcing the theme of divine provision & the idea that God can multiply small gifts to meet great needs.  Plus, by physically creating the basket & filling it, children mimic the disciples' actions, encouraging them to participate in sharing resources.

It reinforces that Jesus gave thanks before the miracle, teaching that gratitude precedes blessings. It highlights that Jesus is the "bread of life" who meets both physical & spiritual needs.

Most commonly called the Paper Plate Empty Tomb or Resurrection Scene Craft. It uses a halved, colored paper plate to create a 3D pocket, with a door/movable paper "stone" & a cutout Jesus to illustrate the resurrection. This craft serves as a powerful pedagogical & spiritual tool to help children grasp the core message of Easter: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

By physically interacting with the craft, children move from passive listeners to active participants in the biblical narrative. It acts as a visual sermon, where kids physically transition from the darkness of Good Friday to the joy of Easter Sunday by moving the "stone" to reveal an empty center. The "empty" space created inside the paper plate pocket is a concrete visual of the most significant event in Christianity—that Jesus conquered death & is alive.

Seeing the empty tomb helps children internalize the idea of "hope" & "new life". It transforms an abstract theological concept into a tangible reminder that God keeps His promises. Educators use the craft to discuss how God can "roll away" obstacles in our own lives, such as fear, sin, or sadness, through the same power that raised Jesus.

The act of placing a cutout of Jesus represents the dawn of hope, forgiveness, & eternal life. It emphasizes that Jesus did not stay in the grave, teaching that the grave is not the final destination for believers.

You will not be able to improve without God’s wisdom & help.

It doesn’t matter how good your teaching methods are if you are not accurately teaching the Word of God.

Find out what they like to do in school. Ask them how they like to learn.

Try this:

• Get on the child’s level & maintain direct eye contact. This may mean you need to get on your knees, squat down or sit in a chair.

• Listen attentively (in the same way you would like to be listened to).

• Talk about things you have in common (freckles, dark hair, taste in food, number of siblings).

• Ask the child for his or her opinion on a topic.

• Compliment the child’s actions & choices & not just how the child looks or dresses.

• Say the child’s name often.

Avoid this:

• Do not rush the child but listen patiently.

• Do not make everything a lesson or lecture. Just enjoy getting to know the child better.

• Do not force conversation when a child is not in the mood to talk.

You will learn new things & find out which methods you would like to use, & which methods would not. Even the most experienced teacher can be energized by observing someone else teach.