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2026-03-15 Jesus Proclaims His Good News to Sinners

Introduction

In this lesson, children will learndiscover that after Jesus returned from the wilderness, He began the mission God sent Him to do: proclaim good news to sinners. God first sent John the Baptist to prepare the way, and then Jesus Himself stood up in the synagogue and boldly announced that He was the promised Savior. Children will see that this good news is for everyone who is in need of rescue from sin, and that Jesus iswas the greatest teacher of all. He didn't use big, complicated words that only scholars could understand. Instead, He used simple stories called parables, along with everyday pictureseager and actions,willing to teachshare people about God. Through the Parable of the Sower, children will discover that not everyone responds to Jesus' teaching the same way. Jesus' true friends are those who listen, believe, and obey His words.it.

Main Ideas:

  • Teacher:Preparation: God sent John the Baptist to get people ready for Jesus.
  • Proclamation: Jesus revealscame to proclaim good news to sinners: He is the truth aboutSavior God throughpromised words,to pictures, and actions that everyone can understand.send.
  • Understanding:Mission: Jesus giveswas understandingsent by God to simplesave sinners,sinners notfrom justtheir smartsin orand importantbring people.
    • them
  • Response:back Jesus'to true friends (disciples) are those who respond in faith demonstrated through obedience.God.

Praise and Worship (15 mins)

Parents: The parent and child scheduled for this week will lead us in singing on Sunday. Please take time to practice the songs together at home, helping your child feel confident and joyful as they prepare to lead.

Prayer and Offering (5 mins)

Parents: Please encourage your children to bring an offering to church. You may help your child prepare by setting aside a coin for them to bring on Sunday. This is a great opportunity to teach them about giving to God with a thankful heart and trusting Him to provide.

What is Offering?

Offering is when we give something to God to show our love and thankfulness. In church, we often give money as an offering, but we can also give our time, talents, and kindness to God and others.

Why Do We Make an Offering?

To Thank God – Everything we have comes from God! Giving back is a way to say, “Thank You, God!”
To Trust God – When we give, we show that we trust God to take care of us.
To Help Others – Offerings help the church teach about Jesus, help people in need, and share God’s love.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7,
"God loves a cheerful giver!" That means God is happy when we give with a joyful heart!
Prayer for Offering
Dear God, thank You for giving us everything we need. We want to give back to You with joyful hearts. Please use our offering to help others and share Your love. Help us to always trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Review Verse from Last Week

Hebrews 2:18

"For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

Bible Story (10 min)

Introduction (2 min)

Props Needed:

  • A large envelope with "Special Announcement" written on the front
  • A piece of paper inside with an exciting message (e.g., "Everyone gets a special sticker/treat after the lesson!")
  • A scroll (a long piece of paper rolled around two paper towel tubes, with Luke 4:18-19 written on it)

 

(Teacher holds up the large envelope so everyone can see the words "Special Announcement" on the front.)

Teacher: "Look at what I brought today! Can anyone read what it says on this envelope? It says 'Special Announcement.' Does anyone know what an announcement is?"

(Let children respond.)

Teacher: "An announcement is when someone tells you something really important! There is some special news inside this envelope. Let me read it..."

(Open the envelope and pretend to read it silently. Make excited faces and exclamations.)

Teacher: "Wow! This is AMAZING news! Oh, this is so great! You would all really, really like this..."

(Pause dramatically and hug the paper to your chest.)

Teacher: "Hmm... but maybe I'll just keep this good news to myself. What if I don't share it with you?"

(Wait for the children to protest.)

Teacher: "You really want to hear it? Okay, because I care about you, I want to share it! Listen to this..."

(Read the announcement aloud with excitement.)

Teacher: "That was exciting news, right? We all love hearing good news! But today we are going to learn about someone who had the BEST and most important news of all. Even better than stickers or treats. Does anyone want to guess who I'm talking about?"

Story Telling: Jesus Announces the Good News (10 min)

Props / Visuals Suggested:

  • Large envelope with "Special Announcement"
  • Scroll with Luke 4:18-19
  • Shiny Heart cutout (from previous lessons)

 

Part 1: Getting Ready for the Big News (3 mins)

Teacher: "Before I read you my special announcement today, I told you something exciting was coming, right? That helped you get ready and pay attention. Well, God did something just like that! Before Jesus started telling everyone the good news, God sent a special helper to get people ready."

Teacher: "This helper's name was John the Baptist. John went around telling everyone: 'Get ready! Something amazing is about to happen! Feel sorry for the wrong things you've done and turn away from them. God is about to do something wonderful!'"

Interaction (Age 4-6): "If I told you that someone very, very special was coming to visit our class next week, what would you do to get ready? Maybe clean up? Put on your best clothes? That's what John was helping people do, but with their hearts!"

Question (Age 7-10): "Why do you think God sent John first instead of just having Jesus show up and start talking? What does that tell us about how much God cares about people hearing the message?"

Teacher Key: "God wanted people to be ready to listen. He didn't want them to miss the best news ever! God is so kind that He prepared their hearts first."

 

Part 2: Jesus Stands Up (3 mins)

Teacher: "Remember last week we learned that Jesus came back from the desert where He said 'NO' to every temptation? After that, Jesus was ready. He was ready to start the most important job in the whole world."

Teacher: "One day, Jesus walked into the synagogue. That's the place where people went to learn about God and worship Him, kind of like our church! Everyone was sitting there, and then Jesus stood up. He asked for a scroll."

Interaction (Age 4-6): "A scroll is like a really, really long rolled-up piece of paper. Before books were invented, people wrote important things on scrolls."

(Hold up your scroll visual.)

Teacher: "Jesus unrolled the scroll and began to read. And what He read... changed everything."

(Slowly unroll your scroll and read with a clear, strong voice.)

Teacher: "Jesus read: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.'"

Teacher: "Then Jesus rolled up the scroll, handed it back, sat down, and said something incredible. He said: 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.'"

Question (Age 7-10): "What do you think Jesus meant by that? He was saying, 'I am the one this is talking about. I am the one God sent!'"

 

Part 3: What Was the Good News? (3 mins)

Teacher: "Now, those were some big words Jesus read from the scroll. Let me help you understand what they mean, because this is the best news in the whole world!"

Teacher: "'Good news to the poor': Who are the 'poor' people? Not just people without money. It means people who know they need help. People who know they are sinners and can't fix it on their own. That's all of us!"

Interaction (Age 4-6): "Have you ever needed help really badly? Like when you fell down and got hurt, and you needed Mom or Dad? We ALL need help with something even bigger than a scraped knee. We need help with our sin!"

Teacher: "'Liberty to the captives': A captive is someone who is trapped or locked up. Sin traps us! It's like being stuck in a cage. Jesus came to set us free!"

Teacher: "'Recovering of sight to the blind': Some people can't see the truth about God. Jesus came to open our eyes so we can see how wonderful God is!"

Teacher: "So what was Jesus' big announcement? It was this: 'I am the one God promised to send. I am here to save you!'"

Interaction (Age 4-8): "Let's all say it together like an announcement! Cup your hands around your mouth like a megaphone. Ready? 'Jesus came to save sinners!'"

(Have children repeat the announcement together.)

 

Part 4: Good News Worth Sharing (1 min)

Teacher: "Remember at the beginning when I almost kept the special announcement to myself? How did that make you feel?"

(Let children respond.)

Teacher: "You wouldn't have liked that at all! Good news is meant to be shared. And Jesus' good news is the BEST news. He didn't keep it a secret. He stood right up in front of everyone and announced it boldly."

Teacher: "And here's the amazing thing: this good news isn't just for the people who heard Jesus that day. It's for you and me too! Jesus came to save sinners, and that includes every single one of us who trusts in Him."

Wrap-up & Discussion (4 min)

 

(Gather children close for reflection.)

Discussion Questions:

Teacher: "We learned today that Jesus had the most important announcement ever. Let's think about it together."

Question: "What was Jesus' special announcement?" (He is the Savior God promised to send. He came to save sinners.)

Question: "Why is this good news for us?" (Because we are all sinners and we need someone to save us.)

Question (Age 7-10): "Not everyone who heard Jesus was happy about His announcement. Some people didn't believe Him. Why do you think some people didn't want to hear this good news?"

Teacher: "Jesus' good news is for everyone who knows they need help. If someone thinks they are already good enough on their own, they might not think they need Jesus. But the truth is, we ALL need Him."

Closing Thought & Prayer

 

Teacher: "God kept His promise. He said He would send someone to save His people, and He did! Jesus came and announced, 'I am the one God sent!' And Jesus didn't just talk about saving people. He actually did it. We'll keep learning about how in the weeks to come."

(Fold hands and bow heads.)

Prayer: "Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus with the best news in the world. Thank You that He didn't keep it a secret but shared it with everyone. Help us to believe this good news and to share it with others too. We love You, Jesus. Amen."

Memorizing Verse: Luke 4:18a

 

Luke 4:18a

"[Jesus said,] 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.'"

Bible Story (10 min)

Introduction (2 min)

Props Needed:

  • A small clay or plastic pot
  • A small bag of potting soil
  • A package of bean seeds
  • A few rocks
  • Sticks or twigs (to represent weeds/thorns)
  • A small artificial or real plant in a pot

 

(Keep all the items hidden in a bag or behind your back. Don't show them yet.)

Teacher: "I brought some special items to class today, and I'm going to teach you something. Are you ready? Listen carefully..."

Teacher: (speaking in a very fancy, complicated voice) "Today I am going to demonstrate how to deposit organic medium into an earthen receptacle in order to establish a botanical specimen."

(Pause and look at the children's confused faces.)

Teacher: "Did anyone understand what I just said?"

(Let children respond. They will likely say no!)

Teacher: "Those words were too big and confusing, weren't they? Let me try again. What if I show you what I'm talking about?"

(Pull out the pot, soil, and seeds.)

Teacher: "Now can you guess? I'm going to... put dirt in a pot and plant some seeds! That's much easier to understand, right?"

Interaction (Age 4-6): "If you were going to teach a little kid something, would you use really big, hard words, or small, simple words? Show me a thumbs up for simple words!"

Teacher: "Good teachers use words you can understand, things you can see, and actions you can watch. And guess what? Jesus is the BEST teacher of all. He didn't use big, fancy words that only really smart people could understand. He used simple stories and everyday things so that everyone, even children, could learn about God!"

Story Telling: The Parable of the Sower (10 min)

Props / Visuals Suggested:

  • Clay or plastic pot with soil
  • Bean seeds
  • Rocks
  • Sticks/twigs (weeds)
  • Small plant in a pot

 

Part 1: Jesus the Teacher (2 mins)

Teacher: "Last week we learned that Jesus stood up in the synagogue and made the biggest announcement ever. He told everyone: 'I am the one God sent to save you!' After that, Jesus didn't just sit back and wait. He started traveling from town to town, teaching people about God."

Teacher: "And here's something amazing about Jesus as a teacher: He is God, so He is the smartest person who has ever lived. He knows EVERYTHING. But did He use big, fancy, hard-to-understand words when He taught people?"

(Let children respond.)

Teacher: "No! Because Jesus didn't come to save only really smart people. Jesus came to save ALL sinners, including children! So He used simple stories called 'parables.' A parable is a pretend story that teaches us something true. Today we're going to hear one of Jesus' most famous parables."

 

Part 2: The Farmer and the Seeds (3 mins)

Teacher: "One day, a huge crowd of people came to see Jesus. They were all pushing in close, trying to hear Him. And Jesus told them this story..."

Teacher: "He said: 'A farmer went out to plant his seeds.' Everyone watching Jesus knew about farmers and seeds. They saw them every day! Jesus used something they already knew about to teach them something new."

(Hold up some seeds.)

Teacher: "The farmer scattered his seeds, and they fell in four different places. Let's find out what happened to each one."

Teacher: "First, some seeds fell on the hard path."

(Pack down some soil in the pot to make it hard, and drop a seed on top.)

Teacher: "The path was hard and packed down. The seeds just sat on top. And then... the birds came and gobbled them up! Those seeds never even had a chance to grow."

Interaction (Age 4-6): "Can everyone flap their arms like birds and say 'chomp chomp chomp'? Those birds ate up all the seeds on the path!"

Teacher: "Next, some seeds fell on rocky ground."

(Place rocks in the pot and drop a seed among them.)

Teacher: "There was a tiny bit of soil between the rocks, so the seed started to grow. But when the hot sun came out, the little plant dried up because its roots couldn't go deep enough. The rocks were in the way."

Teacher: "Then, some seeds fell among thorns and weeds."

(Stick the twigs into the soil and drop a seed nearby.)

Teacher: "The seed started to grow, but the thorns and weeds grew up around it and squeezed it. The weeds stole all the water and sunlight, and the little plant couldn't survive."

Teacher: "But finally, some seeds fell on good soil."

(Place a seed in fresh, loose soil. Then bring out the healthy plant.)

Teacher: "This soil was soft and deep and rich. The seed grew roots, grew tall, and became a big, strong, healthy plant that produced lots and lots of fruit!"

 

Part 3: What Does It Mean? (3 mins)

Teacher: "Now, Jesus' disciples were a little confused. They asked Him: 'Jesus, what does a story about a farmer have to do with God?' And Jesus, because He is a patient and good teacher, explained it to them."

Teacher: "Jesus said: 'The seed is the Word of God.' That means the seed represents God's truth, the good news about Jesus!"

Teacher: "And the four types of ground? Those represent four types of people and how they respond when they hear about Jesus."

Teacher: "The hard path is like someone who hears about Jesus but says, 'I don't care. That's not true. I don't believe it.' The truth bounces right off them, like a seed sitting on hard ground."

Interaction (Age 4-6): "Show me what it looks like when you don't want to listen. Cover your ears and shake your head! That's what the hard path person does with God's Word."

Teacher: "The rocky ground is like someone who hears about Jesus and says, 'Oh cool!' at first. But when things get hard, like when friends make fun of them for believing in Jesus, they give up. Their faith doesn't have deep roots."

Teacher: "The thorny ground is like someone who hears about Jesus but gets distracted by other things. Maybe they think toys, games, or being popular is more important than Jesus. Those things are like weeds that choke out what really matters."

Question (Age 7-10): "Can you think of things that might be like 'weeds' in our lives, things that distract us from Jesus?"

Teacher: "And the good soil? That's someone who hears about Jesus, believes in their heart that it's true, and obeys Him. Their faith grows deep and strong, like a healthy plant!"

(Hold up the healthy plant.)

 

Part 4: Which Soil Are You? (2 mins)

Teacher: "Here's the big question Jesus wants us to think about: Which soil are you?"

Teacher: "Jesus said something very important. He said: 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.' 'Abide' means to stay close to, to listen, believe, and obey. And 'disciples' means friends. So Jesus is saying: 'If you listen to me, believe me, and obey me, you are really my friend.'"

Interaction (Age 4-8): "Let's say it together in simple words: 'If you listen, believe, and obey my teaching, you are really my friend.' Can you repeat that after me?"

(Have children repeat it.)

Teacher: "Jesus doesn't want us to just hear His words and forget them. He wants His words to grow deep in our hearts, like seeds in good soil. He wants us to be the good soil!"

Wrap-up & Discussion (4 min)

 

(Gather children close for reflection.)

Discussion Questions:

Teacher: "Let's think about what we learned today."

Question: "Why did Jesus use simple stories to teach people instead of big, complicated words?" (Because He wanted everyone to understand, not just really smart people. Jesus came to save ALL sinners.)

Question: "In the story of the Sower, what does the seed represent?" (God's Word, the truth about Jesus.)

Question: "What kind of soil does Jesus want us to be?" (The good soil! People who listen, believe, and obey.)

Question (Age 7-10): "Is it easy for sinners to obey Jesus? Why not? Who can help us want to obey?" (No, it's not easy because we are sinners. But God can help us through His Holy Spirit.)

Teacher: "Remember: you don't have to be super smart or know big words to understand Jesus. He wants to teach YOU. The question is: will you listen, believe, and obey? Will you be the good soil?"

Closing Thought & Prayer

 

Teacher: "Jesus is the best teacher who ever lived. He uses stories, pictures, and actions to help us know God. And He is so patient with us! Even when we don't understand right away, He keeps teaching us. What a wonderful Savior we have!"

(Fold hands and bow heads.)

Prayer: "Dear Jesus, thank You for being such a good and patient teacher. Thank You for using simple words and stories so that even children can understand Your truth. Help us to be like the good soil. Help us to listen to You, believe You, and obey You. Make our faith grow deep and strong. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Memorizing Verse: John 8:31b

 

John 8:31b

"[Jesus said,] 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,'"

Hand Gestures:

  • "IfThe youSpirit abide.of the Lord...": HugWave yourselfhands gently downward (stayinglike close,the abiding)Spirit coming down).
  • "...inis myupon word.me...": HoldPlace both hands openon likeyour aown bookshoulders (the Bible)Spirit resting on Jesus).
  • "...youbecause arehe truly.has anointed me...": GivePretend ato bigpour thumbssomething upon your head (truly,anointing forwith real!)oil).
  • "...myto disciples.proclaim good news...": PointCup to yourself and then to friendshands around youmouth like a megaphone.
  • "...to the poor.": Hold out open, empty hands (weshowing are His disciples/friends)need).

Craft & Game (10 mins)

Game: "LookingSpecial forAnnouncement Good Soil" Treasure HuntRelay"

ChildrenThis huntgame forreinforces hiddenthat seedgood cardsnews andis identifymeant whichto typebe ofshared, soilnot eachkept one represents.secret.

⏰ Time: 5 minutes

👧 Age Group: 4-8 years

🧩 Lesson Connection: ReinforcesJust as Jesus proclaimed the fourgood typesnews of soil and helpsboldly, children identifypractice sharing the "good soil"news response.with each other.

🪜 Setup & Materials Needed:

  • 4Construction smallpaper plasticrolled cupsinto withmegaphone potting soil inside
  • 4 seed cardscones (each showing one typeper ofchild, soil:or path,a rocky, thorny, good), tapedfew to craft sticks and inserted into the cups
  • Hide the cups around the classroom before the gameshare)

🎲 How to Play:

Step 1: TellDivide thechildren children:into "I'vetwo hiddengroups. fourGive seedeach cups around the room. Each one showsgroup a differentpaper type of soil from our story. Your job is to find them!"megaphone.

Step 2: WhenGroup a1 childuses findstheir a cup, they bring itmegaphones to the front andproclaim the groupfirst identifiespart whichof soilthe itverse: represents."The Spirit of the Lord is upon me..."

Step 3: Ask:Group "Is2 thisresponds onewith the second part: "...because he has anointed me to proclaim good soil?"news If yes, everyone saysto the memory verse together!poor."

Step 4: HaveSwitch childrengroups closeand theirrepeat!

eyes,

Step hide5: Ask for volunteers to come up and proclaim the cupswhole again,verse andby repeat.themselves using the megaphone.

Craft: SeedMemory andVerse Soil PictureScroll

Children createmake atheir pictureown showing the four types of soilscroll to take home.home, just like the one Jesus read from.

Materials: PaperScroll dividedhandout intowith 4Luke sections4:18a (labeled:printed Path,on Rocks,it, Thorns,brown Goodwrapping Soil), real seedspaper or grainpaper grocery bag (e.g.,cut oats,to wheat)size), glue, markers2 wooden dowels (or straws or crayons.chopsticks), ribbon.

The Activity:

  • SectionStep 1 (Path):1: ColorHave children color and decorate the groundverse brown/grey and draw a bird eating the seed. Glue a few seeds on top.handout.
  • SectionStep 22: Glue the handout onto the brown paper (Rocks): Draw rockscrinkle and flatten the brown paper first to give it a smallparchment wilted plant. Glue seeds among drawn rocks.look).
  • SectionStep 3 (Thorns):3: Draw thorny weeds and a small choked plant. Glue seedsthe amongshort ends of the weeds.paper to the two dowels/straws.
  • SectionStep 4 (Good Soil):4: DrawRoll richthe brownpaper soilfrom andeach end toward the center to form a big,scroll.
    • healthy
  • Step plant5: Tie with fruit.ribbon Glueto seedskeep init the soil. Write the memory verse below: "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples." (John 8:31b)closed.
  • Take Home: Children can showunroll their familyscroll at home and practice reading the fourverse soils and explain what each one means, teachingto their parentsfamily, just like Jesus did in the parable!synagogue!

Response Song

Closing Prayer & Snack Time (10 mins)

"Dear Jesus, thank You for teachingbeing usbrave throughand storiesstanding weup canto understand.announce the best news ever. Thank You for beingnot patient with us when we don't getkeeping it righta away.secret. Help us to beshare likeYour good news with the goodpeople soil,around to let Your words grow deep in our hearts.us. We love You! Amen."

Now, let us thank You for the snack we’re about to enjoy.
We fold our hands.
We bow our heads.
We thank You, God,
for this daily bread.
Amen.

Free Time & Children Pickup (15 mins)

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