Luke

Preschool track

Overview of Luke

The Book of Luke teaches us about what Jesus did in the world. Jesus preached the good news, healed people's minds and bodies, and showed everyone he met God's big love. Luke shows us God's love for everyone in the world!

*Taken from Deep Blue Bible Storybook

Bible Readings

Mary Visits Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-66) Reading

The angel Gabriel had brought good new to Mary - she was going to have a baby boy! Her relative, Elizabeth, was also pregnant. Mary wanted to share the good news about her pregnancy with Elizabeth, so she hurried from her house to Elizabeth's house.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth! I have good news to share with you!" shouted Mary.

"Wow!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "Mary, as soon as I heard your greeting, my baby leaped for joy! You are very blessed. You are pregnant with God's Son!"

"With all of my heart, I praise God!" sang Mary.

*Taken from Deep Blue Bible Storybook

Jesus is Born (Luke 2:1-7) Reading

Mary and Joseph had traveled a long way from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The emperor wanted everyone to go to their hometowns to be counted.

Jospeh was from Bethlehem, so he and Mary had to go to Bethlehem. It had been a hard trip - Mary was going to have her baby very soon!

Bethlehem was very crowded and busy. There was no room for Mary and Joseph in the guestroom. That special night, baby Jesus was born. Mary wrapped him in cloth and laid him in a manger.

*Taken from Deep Blue Bible Storybook

Talk With The Teachers (Luke 2:389-52) Reading

When Jesus was growing up, his parents, Mary and Joseph, traveled to the city of Jerusalem every year to celebrate the holiday of Passover.

When Jesus was twelve years old, Mary and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem as usual.

When the holiday was over, Mary and Jospeh started traveling back home when they noticed that Jesus was not with them.

Mary and Joseph looked for Jesus among all their friends and family, but Mary and Jospeh could not find their son.

After three days of looking for Jesus, Mary and Joseph finally found him. Jesus was in the Temple talking to the church leaders. Jesus understood so much about God that the church leaders were amazed!

When Mary and Joseph found Jesus, Mary said to Jesus, "Son, why have you done this to us? We have been worried about you! We have been looking for you!"

Jesus did not understand what his mother was asking. Jesus asked Mary, "Didn't you know that I would be in the Temple, in the house of God, my Father?"

Mary and Joseph did not understand what Jesus meant, but Mary remembered everything Jesus had said, and she kept those memories in her heart.

Jesus returned to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph, and Jesus obeyed them. Jesus grew up and became wise. God was pleased with Jesus, and so were people!

*Taken from Deep Blue Bible Storybook

Jesus Chooses (Luke 4:1-13) Reading

After Jesus was baptized, he went into the wilderness for forty days of fasting. After forty days of not eating, Jesus was very hungry.

The tempter came to talk to Jesus.

"See these rocks on the ground," said the tempter. "Go ahead and turn those rocks into bread. Then you can eat. I know you're hungry."

But Jesus said to the tempter, "It is written in the Scriptures that people don't live only by bread."

The tempter decided to try a second time.

He took Jesus to the top of the mountain.

"Look at all the kingdoms of the world! If you will worship me instead of God, I will let you be king over the whole world."

But Jesus said to the tempter, "It is written in the Scriptures that we are to worship and serve God, no one else."

The Tempter decided to try a third time. He took Jesus to the top of the Temple of God.

"Go ahead and jump down from the Temple. You know you won't get hurt because you are God's Son."

But Jesus said to the tempter, "It is written in the Scriptures that we should not test God."

So the tempter gave up and left. Jesus was once again alone in the wilderness, thinking about God and what God wanted him to do.

*Taken from Deep Blue Storybook

Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) Reading

Jesus was walking through the town of Jericho. A tax collector named Zacchaeus was there in Jericho and wanted to see Jesus walk by. He was too short to see over the crown, so he ran ahead and climbed a tree.

When Jesus got to the tree Zacchaeus had climbed, Jesus looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down. I must stay at your home today."

Zacchaeus immediately climbed down the tree, happy to welcome Jesus to his home.

The crowd was very unhappy with Jesus for being a guest of a tax collector. They grumbled because tax collectors were known for being unfair.

Zacchaeus heard what the crown was saying. He looked at Jesus and made this promise, "Lord, I will give half of everything I own to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone, I will repay them four times what I have taken."

Jesus knew Zacchaeus meant what he said. Jesus said, "Zacchaeus, today you have been saved."

*Taken from Deep Blue Bible Storybook

I Wonder....

How big is the Temple?
How did Elizabeth knew that Mary was pregnant with God's Son?
Why Elizabeth's baby leap?
How do we know what is a good choice and bad choice?

Discussion Questions

Mary praised God with singing. How do you like to praise God?
This is Jesus' birth story. What is your birth story?
What do you think Jesus told the teachers at the Temple?
Have you ever been tempted to make a bad choice?

Videos

Godly Play

Boy Jesus in the Temple

This video is 8:25 minutes long

Jesus Heals the Paralytic

This video is 15:02 minutes long

The Story of Zacchaeus

This video is 14:45 minutes long

Saddleback Kid's

This video is 2:37 minutes long

This video is 1:57 minutes long

Crossroad kids' Club

God's Story: Zacchaeus

This video is 3:11 minutes long

God's Story: Mary

This video is 4:15 minutes long

God's Story: Jesus

This video is 4:45 minutes long

God's Story: Jesus is Born

This video is 4:34 minutes long

Holy Moly

Jesus is Born

This video is 5:15 minutes long

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

This video is 6:16 minutes long

Mary and Martha

This video is 5:07 minutes long

Ten Outcasts

This video is 5:27 minutes long

Songs

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need by Mississippi College Singers

This song is 4:42 minutes long

JOY! JOY! JOY! JOY! Down in My Heart! by Good News Guys

This song is 2:30 minutes long

Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man by Wonder Kids

This song is 1:19 minutes long

I Wanna Do Right by Jana Alayra

This song is 2:43 minutes long

Tips for Adults

The author of Luke also wrote the Book of Acts. The author wanted to give an organized narrative account of what happened during Jesus' life and what happened with the first believers to the early Christian groups.

This book explains Jesus' mission in the world. Jesus said he came "to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoner and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed" (Luke 4:18).

*Taken from Deep Blue Bible Storybook

Elementary Track

Overview of Luke

Overview: Luke 1-9 by Bible Project

This video is 8:16 minutes long

Overview 10 - 24 by Bible Project

This video is 7:47 minutes long

Bible Readings

Jesus is Born (Luke 2:1-7) Reading

When do you know about the day you were born or when you were brought home? Who was there? How did you get your name?

After the angel Gabriel visited Mary to tell her the news about her baby, she and Jospeh got some more news. They heard that the Roman ruler, Caesar Augustus, wanted to count all the people in the Roman Empire; every man had to go to his hometown so that his family could be counted. Joseph's family was from Bethlehem. So Mary and Joseph left their home in Nazareth to go to Bethlehem. The trip was hard for a pregnant woman. Just imagine what it would be like for Mary to make that trip with Joseph!

While Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, they looked and looked for a place to stay. It wasn't easy! Many people had come to Bethlehem. Every guestroom was full. At last, they found space in a room where the animals stayed. The baby was born in that room.

Mary gently wrapped him in cloths and laid him in the manger, where the animals ate. This was the baby that the angel Gabriel had told her she would have.

*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell

When Jesus was Twelve (Luke 2:39-52) Reading

Have you ever wanted to do something all by yourself without any help from an adult? Have you ever been so interested in something that you wandered off by yourself? This happened to Jesus when he was twelve years old.

Jerusalem was crowded with people. They had come to celebrate the Passover festival. During Passover, Jewish people remembered that God freed them from slavery in Egypt many years ago.

Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were in Jerusalem, too. Jesus was twelve years old. They had walked with friends from their home in Nazareth. They traveled with other families so that they would be safe on the road to Jerusalem. Jesus and the other children were excited about their first trip for Passover.

When the festival was over, people from Nazareth began their long walk home. They walked in groups, just as they had come. At the end of the first day of walking, Mary and Joseph didn't see Jesus with his friends. They looked, but he was not with the group of travelers. They hurried back to Jerusalem to look for him.

The worried parents looked everywhere for three whole days. They searched the busy markets. They pushed through the crowded streets. Finally, they found Jesus in the temple, talking with the teachers.

Jesus was asking questions. The teachers were surprised at how well Jesus understood what they said. Jesus was also teaching them. The teachers were listening to all the wonderful things Jesus told them about God.

"Jesus," Mary said, "we've been looking all over for you! We were worried."

"Why were you looking for me?" Jesus asked. "Didn't you know I needed to be in God's house?"

Mary and Joseph didn't understand what Jesus meant. But they didn't question him.

The family left the temple and began the walk back to Nazareth. Mary remembered what had happened in Jerusalem, and she thought about that day over and over.

Jesus grew bigger and wiser. God and everyone who knew Jesus were pleased with him.

*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell

A Wild Test (Luke 4:1-12) Reading

It can be very tempting to eat something we aren't supposed to, especially when we are hungry! Sometimes being hungry makes us cranky and tired. Jesus is very hungry in this story.

After Jesus was baptized, he went into the desert wilderness. He went there to spend time with God. For forty days, Jesus walked among the rocks and sand. And Jesus didn't eat a single thing for forty days! He must have been very hungry.

Jesus was not alone. The one who tries to get people to do things they aren't supposed to do, the devil, was there. The devil said, "If you are so hungry, turn that stone next to you into a loaf of bread! You are God's child. Surely you can do that!"

Jesus answered, "Oh no, God's law says people can't live only on bread. We need God, too."

The devil tried again. "Let's go up this hill. I want to show you something."

At the top of the hill, the devil showed Jesus the world as far as they could see. "Jesus, I will give you all these places. They will be your. You will be rich and powerful, it you worship me."

Jesus answered, "No! God's law says we are to worship God only!"

The devil tried a third time. They went to the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus stood on the very top of the temple. The devil said, "Since you are God's child, go ahead and jump from here. The scriptures say that God will send angels to protect you. You won't even stub your toe!"

Jesus answered, "How can you be so foolish? Don't you know that God's law says that we are not to test God? Enough!"

Jesus wasn't interested in anything the devil had to offer, so the devil decided to leave him alone. Jesus left the desert wilderness. He went to Galilee, where he taught about God in the synagogues. People praised him.

*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell

Friends Who Help (Luke 5:17-26) Reading

Have you ever had a friend who needed help? What did you do? This story is about four friends who wanted to help their friend who could not walk.

The room was full. No space, not for even one more person. People crowded around Jesus from Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem listened carefully.

Up the road came four friends carrying a man on a cot. Their friend could not walk. They knew Jesus could heal him, but they couldn't get into the house. What could they do?

"I have an idea," said one friend. "Let's go up to the roof. They lowered him down in from of Jesus.

Jesus looked up. He saw how much the four friends loved the man on the cot. He told the man who could not walk, "Friend, you are forgiven."

His fellow Jews looked at one another. "Who is this person who thinks that he can forgive other people? Only God can forgive."

Jesus knew why they were saying thing this. He said to them, "What is your problem? Is it easier to say, 'You are forgiven' or say, 'Stand up and walk?' Pay attention so that you can understand that God has given me the power to heal and forgive sins."

Jesus said to the man who could not walk, "Stand up. Pick up your cot, and walk home."

Immediately, the man stood up. He picked up his cot and walked out of the house. As he left, he praised God.

The people in the crowded room were amazed by what they had seen.They praised God, too. Many said, "We have seen many incredible things today."

*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell

The Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1-4) Reading

When do you pray to God? What do you say? Jesus' disciples wanted to know how to pray.

Jesus often went off by himself to pray to God. One day, when he returned from praying, one of the disciples said, "John the baptizer taught his disciples to pray. Why don't you teach us to pray as you do?"

Jesus said to them, "When you pray, pray like this:
Our God your name is forever holy.
May your plan for your world - to be a place of healing and freedom for everyone - be our work on earth just as it
is in heaven.
Give us what we need for today.
When we do something that is wrong, forgive us. And help us remember to do that for others.
Don't ever let us do some that is wrong. Amen."

*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell

Jesus Heals a Woman on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17) Reading

The Sabbath is a day of rest for the Jewish people. In the time of Jesus, there were many customs about honoring the Sabbath as a day of rest. Rules about both what one could do and what one could not do to honor the Sabbath. In this story, Jesus raised a question about healing on the Sabbath.

Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. A woman was there in the crowd. She could not stand up straight because her back was so bent over. She had been like this for eighteen years. Jesus saw her and said, "Woman, you are free." Then he put his hands on her, and slowly, very slowly she was able to stand up straight. Finally she was able to see faces, not feet. She saw Jesus. "I am healed," she said. "Hurrah, God!"

The leader of the synagogue was not pleased. He rushed over to Jesus. "You should not have healed her on the Sabbath. Today is the day we rest." He was angry that Jesus had broken this Sabbath rule. He wanted the crowd gathered in the synagogue to hear him and agree with him. "You can work six days a week, bit no one should do any work on the Sabbath. And that includes healing!"

But Jesus said, "Do you feed your animals on the Sabbath? Do you take them to get clean water to drink? Animals need food and water every day. This woman has been walking bent over for eighteen years, She needed to be healed."

After Jesus spoke, the leader and the crowd felt terrible. They knew Jesus was right. The crowd was happy because Jesus was doing many wonderful things for people.

*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell

I Wonder....

how Mary felt when she placed Jesus in the manger?
what is the Sabbath?
what is a synagogue?
why there was a big crowd?
if there are more names for the devil?
if there is another name for the teachers?
if there are any other story about Jesus when he was a child?
how Mary felt when she saw the angel Gabriel?

Discussion Questions

If Mary's baby was born in the room where the animals stayed, what sounds do you think he heard?
What animals do you think were in the room where Jesus was born?
Mary and Joseph had trouble finding a place to stay. Have you heard about or known people who had no home? What can you do to help these people?
Why do you think Jesus stayed in the Temple?
How do you think Mary and Joseph looked when they found Jesus?
What questions would you have asked the teachers in the temple?
Why do you think the devil wanted Jesus to listen and do these things?
If you were to paint a scene from this story, which part would you choose?
Have you ever wanted to do something you weren't supposed to do? What did you do? What helps you make good choices?
When do you hear people pray a prayer almost like this?
What does it mean to you to pray these words?
What other prayers do you say?
What rules do you have in your school or in your family? Why do you think you have these rules?
What do you think the woman was able to see when she was bent over? Try drawing that picture. What do you think she was able to see after Jesus healed her? Draw that picture.
Helping someone, listening to someone, inviting a child who is all alone at lunch or on the playground to sit or play with you - these are all acts of healing. What healing act can you do?