During the lesson, the information for you to know is written in regular type, and what we suggest speaking or reading aloud to children is in bold. All resources for this lesson, including the Teacher Guide, Student Page, Family Connection Card, and other resources can be downloaded in a ZIP file by clicking on the following link:
In some lessons you will find "resource articles." These are articles written by experts from around the world to help equip you for your work with children and adolescents. Share them with parents or guardians if you consider it appropriate.
Before class, draw a straight path on the ground with a stick or lay a path of stones on the ground. Use 2 lines to make the path so that it has width and length. Make the path as straight as possible.
Just as the Father has loved me, I have loved you. Now remain in my love.
John 15:9
Are you ever overwhelmed by the thought of Jesus’ love for you? Do you ever think about the fact that He died for you? It is important to know and understand that Jesus loves you. When you believe that Jesus gave His life for you, then you can remain in His love. Pause for a moment and worship Him for His amazing love.
Jesus gives His love freely to those who seek Him. There is something comforting about remaining in His love. It becomes an anchor for you no matter what is going on in your life. As you prepare to teach the children, recognize the mighty love Jesus has for each of them. Love them just as you know Jesus loves them.
Encourage families to use steps or arm lengths to measure the length or height of some common household items with their child. Explain that the children are learning that God’s love is too big to be measured.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
As you welcome the children to class, invite them to sit where they can see the path you made.
I made this path for our lesson today.
Point out the beginning and the end of the path.
Let’s measure it. Raise your hand if you want to help measure it.
Choose 1 child to come stand with you. Ask the child to walk the path as the class counts his or her steps out loud to see how long the path is. Keep track of the number of steps it takes to reach the end of the path. You will need this number in a moment.
Allow 1–2 children to answer. Then thank your volunteer and ask him to sit down with the other children.
This is a long path, but we can see that it has a beginning and an end. We can measure this path because it has a beginning and an end.
Let’s measure how wide this path is. Raise your hand if you want to measure it.
Choose 1 child to walk across the path as the class counts his or her steps out loud to see how wide the path is. Keep track of the number of steps it takes to walk the width of the path. You will need this number in a moment.
Allow 1–2 children to answer.
This path is not very wide. Unlike this path, Jesus’ love is very wide. In fact, Jesus’ love is so wide and so long that we cannot measure it.
Let’s read what the Bible says about Jesus’ love.
Read the verse directly from your Bible.
May you have power together with all the Lord’s holy people to understand Christ’s love. May you know how wide and long and high and deep it is.
Ephesians 3:18
Christ is another name for Jesus, God’s only Son. Jesus’ love never ends. It does not have a beginning or an end. You cannot measure Jesus’ love because, unlike our path or a road, it does not have a beginning or end. It has always been and always will be.
Pause to allow children to respond.
The sky is very high, and we cannot see where it ends. Jesus’ love is like that. His love for you is so wide, long, high, and deep that it never ends! When you look up at the sky that goes as far as you can see, you can think of the love Jesus has for you that cannot be measured. Jesus’ love never ends.
The last time we met, we learned that God sent His only Son, Jesus, to give His life for all of us. When we accept His gift, we can live forever with God. Jesus loves each of us so much that He was willing to die on the cross for us.
The love Jesus has for you and for me is so wide, long, high, and deep that nothing can ever separate us from it. Listen to what the Bible says about this love:
Who can separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or hard times or harm or hunger? Can nakedness or danger or war?… Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else
in all creation can separate us. Nothing at all can ever separate us from God’s love. That’s because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done.
Romans 8:35, 39
Jesus gave His life for us so that we could live forever with God. The Bible says that nothing can separate us from His love.
When you are in danger, when you are hungry, when you have nothing, when people are fighting all around you—the love of Jesus is with you. He loves you so much that He is with you through everything that happens in your life. You can remind yourself that He is always there, always loving you. The Bible does not promise that everything in your life will be easy, but it does promise that Jesus’ love will never leave you.
Let’s think about how Jesus loves us. The verses we just read say that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love. Christ loves us so much He stays with us. The last time we met, we discovered that sin separates us from God. Jesus was sent to earth to help us live forever with God. Let’s find out what this looks like.
Draw a circle about 2 meters across on the ground at 1 end of your teaching space.
Let’s pretend that the circle shows us where God is.
Allow 1–2 children to respond.
When we sin, we are away from God. Let’s move away from the circle I drew.
Lead the children to walk in 1 large group to the opposite end of your teaching space from the circle you drew.
Allow 1–2 children to respond.
Jesus brings us back! Jesus loves us so much that He came to earth to live with us. He loves us so much He paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross. Look at how far away we are from God. Only Jesus can bring us back to where God is!
Allow 2–3 children to respond. Their answers may vary.
A bridge allows you to cross a large gap, right? Do you suppose that Jesus can bridge the gap between us and God? He can and does create a bridge to help us get back to God! When you believe in Jesus, He helps you to get back to your Father in heaven. That is how much He loves you!
Draw a path with a stick or create a path of stones between where you are standing and the circle you drew.
Let’s pretend that this is the bridge Jesus created to help us get back to God. When we believe that Jesus died for our sins, He helps us to return to God the Father in heaven. Jesus is the bridge back to God the Father. Say that with me as we walk the bridge back to God. “Jesus is the bridge back to God the Father.”
As you say, “Jesus is the bridge back to God the Father,” lead the children down the path and back to the circle you drew.
When we believe that Jesus died to forgive our sins, we can come back to God. Jesus loves us! Even when you believe, you will have times when it is easy to feel Jesus’ love and times when it is not. When everything is going well, it may be easy to feel Jesus’ love for us. When good things are happening to us, we can feel joy and love.
However, when our lives are difficult and things seem dark all around us, we may not feel loved. It is during these times that it is especially important to remember what this Bible verse says:
Who can separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or hard times or harm or hunger? Can nakedness or danger or war?… Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else in all creation can separate us.
Romans 8:35, 39a
Even when we do not see or feel Jesus’ love for us, He still loves us! His love stays with us!
Wow! It is amazing to think that Jesus loves you so much that He is always with you everywhere you go and in everything you do. Let’s create a chant to remember how much Jesus loves you.
Divide the children into groups of 4 students. Read the verse below again to the children.
May you have power together with all the Lord’s holy people to understand Christ’s love. May you know how wide and long and high and deep it is.
Ephesians 3:18
Ask the children to create a chant to remind them that nothing can separate them from Jesus’ love. They should use 4 words: wide, long, high, and deep. Give the groups about 5 minutes to create their chants. They can clap a rhythm with the chants if they want. After 5 minutes, allow each group to share their chant with the class. Here is an example to share if they get stuck:
Jesus, Your love is wider than the ocean. It is longer than a road. It is higher than the clouds. It is deeper than a canyon.
Optional: If you are using Student Pages, allow 2 minutes for the children to draw their pictures. Give each child crayons to complete this activity. Then, allow 2 minutes for the children to talk with their partners about Jesus as a bridge back to God the Father.
Know that Jesus loves you so much that nothing can separate you from His love. He loves you more than you or I could ever truly understand. He gave His very life for you. Jesus is truly amazing! Our memory verse today tells us:
The Son is the exact likeness of God, who can’t be seen. The Son is first, and he is over all creation.
Colossians 1:15
With the children, repeat the motions with the verse 3 times. End class by saying this blessing, based on Romans 8:39, over the children.
Blessing: May you know that nothing can separate you from God’s love because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done. May you know that not even hard times can separate you from the love Jesus has for you.
Lead the children in singing this quarter’s song if possible.
Life on Life ©2020 David C Cook. Reproducible for home or classroom use only. All other uses require written permission from David C Cook [email protected]. All rights reserved.
