Ice Cream Scoop Kids Worship A Surprise at a Wedding

(Food related Bible Lesson 6 of 6)

Materials: Various sizes of plastic cups (enough for all present), water and grape juice, cake (wedding inscribed on it), mirror, material for drama, your own personal wedding utensils if available. Scripture Reading for preparation: John 2:1-11 Prayer: Pray the Lords Prayer. Provide a poster for the kids to read it as some may not know this prayer. It would be good to teach this prayer for them and explain what the verses mean throughout the prayer. Allow one of the children to lead in the prayer today. Offering contest: Cut out two large cones and use different colors for the dips of ice-cream. Add a dip of ice-cream for each $1.00 the kids give.

Have a contest between the boys and the girls. At the end of the theme, allow only the winners to burst a piata. However, give all the kids candy. Music: Use DVDs that your kids enjoy singing. Add the two songs below for some fun. For the first song, sing the first line and have the kids copy you with a response. You can sing any tune in tune or out of tune is not s big issue. The kids will copy whatever you do.

Tune: If Youre Happy and you Know It Jesus filled the water pots; I am so glad (clap, clap) Jesus filled the water pots; I am so glad (clap, clap) Jesus filled the water pots, and made the guests so glad Jesus filled the water pots; I am so glad (clap, clap)

The Miracle Barrel Josiah: I dont want to go to a new school! Mom: It will not be too bad. You will make some new friends. Josiah: I dont want to make new friends; I want my old friends! Mom: Josiah, dont make this any more difficult than it must be. Josiah: Why did we have to move to this new place? I hate it! Mom: You will be fine; a new place is difficult only for a while. Josiah: You dont have to make all new friends. Mom: Young man! I think that is enough. Go to your room until you can come out and help showing a better attitude. Josiah: I hate this place. Why do we have to move just because dad has taken a new church to pastor. It just is not fair!

Mom: (Loudly) Did you say something? Josiah: Nothing important.I am going to my room to unpack. Mom: (Bows head)) I know this will be difficult changes for him, but Lord, please help Josiah to adapt to these new changes. Help him to make some new friends. Josiah: Whats this? An empty barrel. I wonder what it means and where did it come from. Why was it left here? Mom: (Enters) It looks like you have done some unpacking. Lets get a sandwich to eat. I have some ham and cheese, and we can eat some of the cookies we made before we left. How about it? Josiah: Sure, sure. What is this barrel still doing here? Mom: There is a sad story behind that barrel. It has seemed to stay around here for every new pastor and family. It is a story of protection and faith! Josiah: Do you know the story? Mom: Here sit down while I fix lunch. Ill tell you what I know of it. Hearing bits and pieces may not get it just right, but here it is. Josiah: Im listening.. Mom: One night there was some bad weather. The Smith family had one little boy who was about a toddler age and like to roam around the land here. Josiah: And then what? Mom: On this certain night, he was found missing. A search party got together and combed the area searching for the child. They searched all night and could not find him. The weather was bad, and they had to give up the search until the next morning. Josiah: Was the little boy left out there all alone all night?

Mom: It was sad, and must have been terrible for the Smiths. They prayed all night long not being able to sleep hardly at all. Finally, the next morning when it was bright and the sun out they set search once again. Josiah: Did they find him? Mom: Over that hill come and I will show you it is a drop off that is very steep, enough to for someone to easily break an arm. Anyhow they noticed this barrel. It was moving slightly back and forth where it had dropped over the edge. Josiah: What was it? Mom: They climbed down the steep hill and to their great relief and joy found their small son inside the barrel fast asleep. Josiah: Wow! That is some story! Mom: God preformed a miracle in answer to their prayers, and kept their little boy safe from all harm. God kept him safe from any animals and a terrible fall that could have taken his life. Josiah: If God can do that for him, I think He can help me make some new friends. Mom: Thats the spirit to have. He helped at a wedding in Cana when they needed some wedding punch and there was not way to go a buy some that late. He will help you, too! Josiah: Id like to hear more about that wedding story sometime. Lets go eat. I am hungry for ham, cheese, and homemade cookies. Mom: Ok.sound good to me, too! (EXIT)

Kids Message A Wedding Miracle

Have you ever received an invitation to a wedding? Your invitation may have looked something like this one (Show a wedding invitation). How many of you have ever attended a wedding? (Ask to raise hands) I imagine you were excited waiting for all the bridesmaids, ushers, and groom to come down the isle especially the bride in her beautiful, long flowing bridal gown. Possibly, following the wedding, you went to a big reception. Normally, you would be served cake and punch (Show cake and glass of punch. If you have your own personal wedding glasses, wedding cake knife, ect - show these to the kids). One day, Jesus and his friends were invited to a wedding. They had to get all ready for this special occasion. If you go to a wedding, you may wear some special clothes, and make sure your hair looks really nice (Look in a mirror). You may even buy something new if you are a family member of the bride or groom. Jesus and His disciples arrived at the wedding. Following the ceremony, there was a large feast. At this feast in Cana, they may have been served something to eat and drink. After a while, Jesus Mother came up to Jesus and told Jesus some startling news. The drink was all gone. There was not enough to serve the remaining wedding guests. Jesus Mother was concerned and expressed this to Him. Jesus told Mary what to do and she them told the servants to fill all the large pots with water. Now each of these large pots would hold about 20-30 gallons of water. That was a lot of work to fill that much water in six pots. I do not know how long it took them, but the servants managed to fill all six pots with water. Then, they waited to see what Jesus wanted them to do next. They were used to following orders. Do you have a difficult time following orders? If you mom tells you to clean your room, do you complain or take hours to do it? When your teacher gives you homework for the 3rd time that week, do you complaining or lose it?

Jesus told the servants to take the filled water pots and pour some out and take it to the master of the banquet. This would have been the person who was in charge of the whole feast. The servants must have felt terrible to take the master water to drink. They would have felt he deserved so much better and felt he would be embarrassed to know that his guests were being served water to drink rather than something that was really good and tasty. Say: I have here a glass of water and glass of orange pop? (Have a child taste both to see which one is the best). Which would you rather have? I thought so! The guests would now have to drink plain, old, tasteless water. The servant poured a large glass for the master of the wedding and to their amazement, when it came out it was not water. Oh my goodness! What had happened? They began pouring more drink no water. They poured several glassed (no water). This is amazing! Every glass that they filled was not water. Hurriedly, one of the servants ran to take the glass of juice to the Master. When he drank it, he said, This is really good! Why on earth did you wait to serve this fine drink until last? We should have had this at the beginning of the wedding party! The servants did not know what to say in response to the Master. Jesus had preformed a miracle at the wedding. This was the very first miracle that Jesus ever did on this earth. Jesus is truly amazing! If we believe on Him, anything can happen. We must place our faith in Him, and He will not disappoint us if we are seeking His will in all that we pray for. Maybe, someone here today does not know Jesus in a personal way. You can know Him, and He will be your best friend. He loves you, and is preparing a place in heaven for all those who place their trust in Him. Give an invitation for the kids to say the salvation prayer. It is as simple as ABC. Admit you are a sinner; Believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and Confess those sins to Him. In faith, he will forgive every child that comes to him.

Bible Game - Fill in the Blanks Jesus and his disciples were invited to a __________________ in Cana. When Jesus arrived at the wedding his mother _________________________ came up to him and told him they had run out of wedding ___________________. Jesus told them ___________________ to fill the water pots with _________________. The servants ____________________ Jesus. Jesus told them to fill a cup full and take it to the __________________ of the wedding. When the servant poured the water into the cup it ______________ to the finest wedding punch. The Master of the House said, Why did you wait until later to serve the ______________ drink. Jesus had performed his first miracle that day at the wedding of ________________.

Answers to select from Cana, wedding, punch, Mary, water, Master, obeyed, changed, servants, best

Questions for Discussion 1. How would you feel to be excluded from a party when your friend was invited and you were not sent an invitation? What would you do? 2. Why do you think Mary told Jesus about the problem regarding the need of wedding punch at this wedding? 3. How can we trust Jesus in our own lives to answer our prayers? 4. How did you feel when the water turned to the best wedding punch ever? Were you surprised? 5. Do you think Jesus wants to do miracles today?

Memory Verse Lesson: His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you. (John 2:5). Teaching the memory verse write the verse on a

board and use a different color marker and underline the words that are written in bold. Say the memory verse all together. Say: Notice the word mother. A mother is one who looks after someone, and tends to our needs. Jesus was a grown man here, and still his mother was looking after him and telling him what needed done. Our mothers are like that. Even when you grow up, they may give you some advice as to what you need to do. Even when you are an adult, it is best to show respect and listen to them then do what you feel is best for your needs or what God wants you to do. Look at the word servant. A servant is one who serves someone. Jesus wants us to be servants to each other, and serve one another. When we help others in need, we are serving them. When we serve in a certain job in the church, we are serving others. Jesus mother was speaking to the servants those people who were serving at the wedding. If you look at this short word do it means to carry out a task. The servants were asked to perform a duty. They were to do whatever Jesus told them to do. We all must obey Jesus. Whatever He tells us to do, we need to obey. Do whatever Jesus tells you to do! Say the memory verse all together, again. Every time you say the words Mother Do and Servant ask the kids to quickly stand up, and them to sit back down.

Snack Suggestions: Wedding Party Punch (Pour any kind of clear soda pop in a cup and place in a dip of sherbet. Alternative: Can pineapple juice, Hawaiian punch, and lime pop with a dip of sherbet. Serve with a cupcake.

Ice Cream Facts: 1. In the U.S., all ice cream needs to have a minimum of 10% milk fat if it is to be labeled "ice cream". This includes custard based (French Style) ice creams. 2. The U.S. produces the most ice cream in the world.

3. There is actually an ice cream diet designed for weight loss. Resources for ice cream facts: http://www.ice-cream-freaks.com/facts-on-ice-cream.html Rev. Jeanne McIntosh June 22, 2011. All rights reserved.

WEDDING AT CANA

http://home.comcast.net/~sborders/coloringsaints/index_files/weddingcana.gif