NT-07

"John the Baptist”

Materials Needed

Sheets of construction paper (one of each: black, red, white, green, gold/yellow),   Poster putty/tape

Setup
None.

Description

1. Explain the following. Hold up the corresponding colored construction paper sheet as you explain each part of the wordless book:
    We know by now that our big idea today is "Tell the good news about Jesus." But what exactly is the good news about Jesus? Well, lots of people have asked that question before and someone came up with an easy way to remember the answer. And that person created a book with no words and no pictures.
    How can a book with no words and no pictures tell anyone about the good news of Jesus? Because this book has colors, and the colors help us remember what we need to know about Jesus. So, let's get started.
    The first color in this book is black. Black stands for two words: sin and death. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that "all have sinned." To sin means to disobey God's rules. The Bible also says in Romans 6:23 that the "wages (penalty) for sin is death." And not just death as in dying, but death as in being kept away from God's goodness forever. We use the color black because black represents death. We also use black because it is like we've gotten ourselves terribly dirty from our sins. We are covered in deep, dark sin. So, the first color in our book is black, which stands for sin and death.
    The second color in this book is red. Red stands for two words, too: Jesus died. Since everybody's sinned and the punishment for sin is death, everyone deserves to die and be kept apart from God forever. But God's Son, Jesus didn't want that to happen. So, Jesus paid the penalty for the times we disobeyed God, even though he never sinned. He died in our place. So, black stands for sin and death, and red stands for Jesus died.
    The third color is white, which stands for three words: white as snow. After Jesus died, he didn't stay dead, like you or I would. God raised him up from the dead three days later. And because Jesus died to pay the punishment for our sins and rose from the dead, God will forgive us our sins if we believe in Jesus. And when God forgives us our sins, it's like we've never, ever sinned at all. That's the really good news about Jesus! In Isaiah 1:18 in the Bible, God says that it's like our sins were washed away. We were dirty from sin, but now we're "white as snow." If we believe in Jesus, we've been completely forgiven! So, black stands for sin and death, red stands for Jesus died, and white stands for white as snow.
    The fourth color is green, which stands for grow like Jesus. When we believe in Jesus and our sins our forgiven, God doesn't want us to just stand there and twiddle our thumbs all day long! He wants us to grow into better people. He wants us to act more and more like Jesus. And the best way we can do that is by reading God's message to us, the Bible, talking to God by praying, and meeting together with other people who believe in him at church. We use the color green because that is the color of growing things. So, black stands for sin and death, red stands for Jesus died, white stands for white as snow, and green stands for grow like Jesus.
    The last color is gold, which stands for streets of gold. You see, even though knowing our sins are forgiven is really good news, it isn't the only good news. God has promised that those who believe in Jesus will spend forever with him after they die. In the book of Revelation, the Bible tells us a bit about that perfect place. It says that there will be no more dying and no more crying. And it also talks about how beautiful everything will be. One of the things it says is that the streets will be made of pure gold. The streets of gold remind us of how we'll spend forever in a perfect place with God.
    So, black stands for sin and death, red stands for Jesus died, white stands for white as snow, green stands for grow like Jesus, and gold stands for streets of gold. And that's the good news of Jesus. We all sinned and have to pay a penalty for disobeying God, which is death, forever apart from God. Jesus died to pay our penalty for us and rose from the dead. If we believe in Jesus, God will forgive us our sins and wash them white as snow. After we believe in Jesus, we follow God so that we can grow like Jesus. And one day, after we die, we'll spend forever with God in a perfect place where the streets are made of gold.

2. If time allows, play the Wordless Book game:
    Using the poster putty, attach each of the five sheets to the wall in a different part of the room. Have the children stand together in the center of the room. Inform the children that you will call out one of the meanings of the colors (Ex. Grow like Jesus) and they need to run to and touch that color sheet with one hand (Ex. the green sheet).
    The last child to touch that color is out. Have him/her stand in the middle while the other children left in the game remain with their hand on the sheet of paper. Have him/her call out another meaning (Ex. Jesus died) and have the remaining children run to touch that color sheet with one hand (Ex. the red sheet). The last child to touch the sheet is out and will call out next.
    Repeat until only one child remains.