Introduction

This curriculum series is based on the Great Commission given by Jesus in Matthew. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19,20. This verse is essential for our Christian walk, we have a responsibility to share the Good News. Christ has asked us to go to others and teach them. This is the goal of "The Zoo" program but it will also be the goal of these lessons. We will be trying to equip the children to go home and to school and share the message. This is the final phase of our yearly cycle. All year we have been teaching and introducing the kids to Jesus and now it is our task to equip them to share Jesus with others. (All lessons will be quite simple and will still include an evangelistic message for those children who might have missed this over the course of the summer months.)

The theme will be taken from the 1996 summer movie called "Mission Impossible". It will be a spy, espionage, intrigue kind of theme. The characters will be mysterious and dressed appropriately. The music and lighting will help contribute to the effect. The Zoo Bus Puppet Stage was decorated to go with the theme. We chose to use this theme while the movie was still fairly fresh in people's minds. During this series we will go back to using videos since the TV & VCR are available.

Props

CD of the "Mission Impossible" theme music

Lesson 2 - What is our Message?

Now, you can undertake your mission. You can go out and begin to share the message of Jesus. In this lesson, the spy has already discovered how to use the code and this week we are going to begin to discover the content. This lesson will cover the basic message that we are trying to share.

Goals

• to reintroduce that Jesus loves us and he died for us.
• to emphasize that we need to share this with others
• to stress that the Bible is a tool that we can use to help us.

Opening

This program is the second in the Mission Possible series. It was designed for the Zoo Bus. It is our practise to use a video for the opening just to entertain the children as they enter. This reduces the amount of trouble that they get into while they are waiting for the program to begin.

Rules

The rules for the Zoo bus are very simple, they could be applied to any small space program. It would be quite easy to adapt them to an indoor program. Feel free to add any rules as situations arise as long as they don't conflict with the basic rules.

Prayer

This is our opportunity to intercede on behalf of the children. If they have any prayer requests this would be a good chance to do that. Let the children know how important prayer is.

Singing

Upbeat music is most effective. We have found over the past year that songs with easy actions and catchy tunes work best. This type of music seems to be what our kids enjoy. This may not be the case in every situation. Adapt the music to suit you kids. There are a variety of Christian children's artists that you might enjoy: "Veggie Tales", "Mary Rice Hopkins" and "The Donut Man."

Games

All of the games used in this program are designed to suit the small space in the Zoo bus and the theme.

Game 1 - Passport Taboo

Select two players. The first contestant must look at the word given. They must get their team to say this word without saying the words listed underneath as taboo. The second contestant must do the same. The object of the game is to have the team say as many words as possible in one minute.

Game 2 - Verse Game

This game was described in the previous lesson and the children enjoyed it so much that they wanted to play it again.

Memory Verse

The Mission Possible theme music comes on and the verse leader is outside of the puppet stage. The puppet dances up to the music and throws up pieces of the verse one at a time. It is a puzzle with invisible ink on it.

The children will be selected to uncover hidden letters and then put the verse together, Once it is assembled the children will memorize the verse.

"God loves us and sent Jesus to give his life to pay for our sins". 1 John 4:10

This is the very important message that we are trying to share. It is our mission to share this. Last week we learned how to look things up in the Bible so that we could find the message.

Our message is that God loves you. He loves you so much that he sent Jesus. Jesus died to pay for our sins. He died on the cross so that all of our mistakes could be erased.

Object Lesson

This is an amateur video. It was written to reinforce the lesson. This is the script.

The camera is focused on an object and slowly moves over to reveal the "SPY GUY". "Mission Possible" music is playing during this and we find the spy dancing to the music.

It is set in an old warehouse behind some boxes and crates.

Spy Guy: You're back. I don't know how you found me in this abandoned warehouse but that is ok. Today, I am on special assignment. I was told to wait here for a person to show up. The person's name is Backstreet Bernie. He roams around the streets in the city. He finds things out and reports them to Secret Agents so that we can keep on top of any criminal activity.

Woman: (with a flashlight) Goodness Sonny. You certainly gave me a fright. What are you doing here in the dark?

Spy: Oh well nothing really. What are you doing here?

Woman: Well, young man, I am looking for my cat. She always gets out and crawls into this warehouse. I am afraid that she will get lost. (cat runs by and meows) There she goes. See you later Sonny.

Spy: I thought this place was empty. I hope Bernie shows up soon. (There is a noise in the background) Is that you Bernie?

Bernie: (from off stage) Yeah.. it's me. Is that you spy guy?

Spy: The coast is clear, you can come out now.

Bernie: Ok

Spy: So you are Back Street Bernie. Nice to finally meet you. So what is the latest news?

Bernie: It has been a quiet week, nothing crazy. Although something really strange has been going around. People are talking about some sort of message. I don't know what it is but people are talking about some sort of message. People are really excited about it and they talk about it all the time. The trouble is I don't know what it is. It is written in some kind of code.

Spy: Very interesting. Let me see the evidence that you have collected.
(picks up a piece of paper)
Oh, this isn't a secret code. It is the address for some verse in the Bible. Let's look it up and see what is so important.
Let me see .... 1John 4:10
"God loves us and sent Jesus to give his life to pay for our sins."

Bernie: That doesn't sound so important.

Spy: It is important. It is the most important message you will hear in your whole life. It says that God loves you , not just a little bit but more that anything. He loved us enough to send Jesus. Jesus died so that we would be forgiven. Now all we have to do is say that we are sorry and really mean it and God forgets our sins. We all need Jesus. You can ask him to forgive you anytime and he will always be with you.

Bernie: Now that you explained I can tell that it is very important. Now I understand why people are sharing it. See you later Spy Guy!

Spy: What a message! I have to get back to my office to share it with the boss.

(Music starts, spy guy dances as he exits. Camera stops on a sign that says "to be continued".)

Story

This story was read while puppets acted it out. The reader will ask children to participate when indicated.

Secret Agent Orangeo had a new assignment. He had figured out the code and the boss was so pleased that he gave Agent Orangeo a new case. This time he had to use the code to find out the message. Once he figured out the message his next task was to figure out why it was so important.

This time all the Boss gave him was a stack of cards. Each one had numbers or letters on it but they were all mixed up.

(Ask for a volunteer to come up and sort out the verse. 1 John 4:10)

That was a great help. Now that Orangeo has the verse, he can look it up in the Bible.

(Ask another volunteer to look up the verse and read it out loud. "God loves us and sent Jesus to give His life to pay for our sins.")

Great! Now Orangeo has figured out the code and he knows what the verse says, he only has one job left. He has to find out why the verse is so important.

So Orangeo tried to figure out what to do. What do people do when they find something in the Bible that they don't understand? Orangeo asked his friend Garbonzo but he wasn't so sure. Together they decided to find someone to help them understand. That was when they decided to ask their friend Franklin.

Franklin lived next door and he read the Bible sometimes. Franklin was outside playing on his doorstep when Orangeo and Garbonzo arrived.

They asked Franklin if he had a Bible. He did, so he gave it to Orangeo. Orangeo opened it up to 1 John 4:10 and read it to Franklin. Franklin listened very carefully. "God loves us and sent Jesus to give His life to pay for our sins."

Then Franklin explained. He divided the verse up. The first part says God loves us. God knows each and everyone of us and He thinks that we are really special. He sent Jesus to give His life to pay for our sins. Maybe you have heard this before but it is one of the most important things that you will hear in your life. What Jesus did a long time ago he did for you. If you believe that, you will go to heaven.

Orangeo and Garbanzo had lots of questions for Franklin. He explained everything to them.

And so Secret Agent Orangeo had solved another case and went back to tell his Boss.

Leader's Conclusion

The message that we have been talking about is very important. You can decide to have Jesus forgive you for your sins at anytime. You can do it right here at "The Zoo". If you have any questions you can come talk to one of the leaders.

Dismissal

Quiet Seat Prizes and closing prayer.

Copyright 1997, Bread of Life Ministries