Jesus Is the Light of the World

May 31, 2015 Holy Pentecost John 7:37-52; 8:12 Preschool Edition JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

At that time, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink.” He wanted to talk to people who were thirsty, not for water, but for lessons in how to please God.

Jesus also promised that those who believe in Him would receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us stay on the path to heaven.

The important people who heard this knew what he meant. They said to one another, “Can he be the one we have been waiting for, our new king--the Messiah?”

A big argument began with people who believed Jesus was the messiah, and others who did not. Again Jesus spoke loudly, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Jesus said this because he knew that his lessons are for all the world. His lessons are like light on the path to God.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? 1. What was the first thing Jesus said? It begins, “If any one . . . “

2. Jesus wanted to teach lessons on how to please

______. (fill in the blank) Image courtesy of Iconographics (www.theologic.com) 3. Some people thought Jesus was the new king. They were waiting for a new king who would be like King David.

4. What did Jesus say at the end? It begins, “I am the . . .”

5. Jesus’ lessons are like light on a path. Where does the path go?

6. We hear Jesus’ lessons when the Gospel is read. We stand and listen carefully.

Let Us Attend! is published by the Antiochian Orthodox Department of Christian Education (www.antiochian.org). If you would like information on our present programs and future initiatives, contact Mrs. Carole Buleza at [email protected]. We gratefully acknowledge support from the Order of St. Ignatius which funds, in part, the work of the Department.

Visit www.antiochian.org/LetUsAttend for free downloads related to this Gospel story: mp3 audio, coloring sheet, script for readers’ theater, and handouts for preschool through Pre- high school. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AODCE.

B May 31, 2015 Holy Pentecost John 7:37-52; 8:12 Coloring Sheet

Icon courtesy of Iconographics (www.theologic.com) Let Us Attend! is published by the Antiochian Orthodox Department of Christian Education (www.antiochian.org). If you would like information on our present programs and future initiatives, contact Mrs. Carole Buleza at [email protected]. We gratefully acknowledge support from the Order of St. Ignatius which funds, in part, the work of the Department.

Visit www.antiochian.org/LetUsAttend for free downloads related to this Gospel story: mp3 audio, coloring sheet, script for readers’ theater, and handouts for preschool through high school. Pre- Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AODCE.

B May 31, 2015 Holy Pentecost John 7:37-52; 8:12 Grades K-2 Edition JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

On the last day of a special Jewish feast, our Lord Jesus Christ stood up and said, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will go out from whoever believes in Me.” He was talking about the Holy Spirit whom He was going to send to help His followers after He went back to Heaven. Some people who heard Jesus speak said, “He is really a prophet.” Some said, “He is the Christ!” Others said, “Will the Christ come from Galilee? Won’t the Christ be a descendant of King David and come from Bethlehem, where David was?” So the people did not agree with each other. Some even wanted to arrest Jesus, but no one did. The officers went back to the chief priest and Pharisees. They said to the officers, “Why didn’t you bring Jesus?” The officers said, “We never heard anyone talk like He does!” The Pharisees answered, “Has He led you astray, too? We who know the laws don’t believe in Him. This crowd doesn’t know the laws, so they do.” Nicodemus, one of them who had gone to Jesus before, asked, “Does our law judge a man without even learning what he does?” Icon courtesy of Iconographics (www.theologic.com) The other Pharisees told Nicodemus to search through the prophecies because the prophecies did not say that a prophet would come from Galilee. Then Jesus Himself spoke to them. He said, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK? 1. What was the first thing Jesus said? It begins, “If any one . . . “

2. He was talking about sending Someone to help His followers. Who was He talking about?

3. Some people thought Jesus was the new king. They were waiting for a new king who would be like King David.

4. What did Jesus say at the end? It begins, “I am the . . .”

5. Jesus’ lessons are like light on a path. Where does the path go?

6. We hear Jesus’ lessons when the Gospel is read. We stand and listen carefully.

B May 31, 2015 Holy Pentecost John 7:37-52; 8:12 Grades 3-5 Edition JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

On the last day of the feast Jesus lieved in him? But this crowd, who stood up and proclaimed, “If any one do not know the law, are accursed.” thirst, let him come to me and drink. Nicodemus, who had gone to him He who believes in me, as the scrip- before, and who was one of them, ture has said, ‘Out of his belly shall said to them, “Does our law judge a flow rivers of living water.’” Now this man without first giving him a hear- he said about the Spirit, which those ing and learning what he does?” who believed in him were to receive; They replied, “Are you from Galilee for as yet the Spirit had not been too? Search and you will see that no given, because Jesus was not yet prophet is to rise from Galilee.” glorified. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I When they heard these words, some am the light of the world; he who of the people said, “This is really the follows me will not walk in darkness, prophet.” Others said, “This is the but will have the light of life.” Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Image courtesy of freeimages.com scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. WHAT DO YOU THINK? The officers then went back to the 1. Who should come to Jesus? chief priest and Pharisees, who said 2. What does a thirsty person need to do in order to drink? to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No 3. What do the scriptures say will happen to a believer’s heart? man ever spoke like this man!” The 4. Who is the river of living water? Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the 5. When did the apostles receive the Holy Spirit? authorities or of the Pharisees be- 6. When did you receive the Holy Spirit?

7. What did you have to do or what did your sponsor do for you before you received the gift of the Holy Spirit?

B May 31, 2015 Holy Pentecost John 7:37-52; 8:12 Readers’ Theatre JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Characters: Narrator, Jesus, People (three Pharisees: Why did you not bring him? groups), Pharisees, Officers, Nicode- Narrator: The officers answered, mus Officers: No man ever spoke like this man! Narrator: At that last day of the feast, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, Narrator: The Pharisees answered them, Jesus: If any one thirst, let him come to Pharisees: Are you led astray, you also? Have me and drink. He who believes in any of the authorities or of the me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out Pharisees believed in him? But this of his belly shall flow rivers of living crowd, who do not know the law, water.’ are accursed. Narrator: Now this he said about the Spirit, Narrator: Nicodemus, who had gone to him which those who believed in him before, and who was one of them, were to receive; for as yet the Spirit said to them, had not been given, because Jesus Nicodemus: Does our law judge a man without was not yet glorified. first giving him a hearing and learn- When they heard these words, ing what he does? some of the people said, Narrator: They replied, People: This is really the prophet. Pharisees: Are you from Galilee too? Search Narrator: Others said, and you will see that no prophet is People: This is the Christ. to rise from Galilee. Narrator: But some said, Narrator: Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, People: Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Jesus: I am the light of the world; he who Has not the scripture said that the follows me will not walk in dark- Christ is descended from David, and ness, but will have the light of life. comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was? Narrator: So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then went back to the chief priest and Pharisees, who said to them,

Image courtesy of freeimages.com

B May 31, 2015 Holy Pentecost John 7:37-52; 8:12 Middle School Edition JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

At that time of the feast WHAT DO YOU THINK? Jesus stood up and pro- 1. What does a person claimed, “If any one thirst, need to do in order let him come to me and to receiver the Holy drink. He who believes in Spirit according to me, as the scripture has this gospel? said, ‘Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living wa- 2. What do we cele- ter.’” Now this he said brate on Pentecost? about the Spirit, which 3. Why do you think those who believed in him we read this gospel were to receive; for as yet on Pentecost? the Spirit had not been 4. What did the apos- given, because Jesus was Image courtesy of freeimages.com tles need to believe not yet glorified. The officers then went first giving him a hearing before they re- back to the chief priest and learning what he When they heard these ceived the Holy and Pharisees, who said to does?” They replied, “Are words, some of the people Spirit? them, “Why did you not you from Galilee too? said, “This is really the bring him?” The officers Search and you will see 5. What does a new prophet.” Others said, answered, “No man ever that no prophet is to rise member of our “This is the Christ.” But spoke like this man!” The from Galilee.” church have to do some said, “Is the Christ to Pharisees answered them, before he or she is come from Galilee? Has Again Jesus spoke to “Are you led astray, you baptized, is chris- not the scripture said that them, saying, “I am the also? Have any of the au- mated and receives the Christ is descended light of the world; he who thorities or of the Phari- the gift of the Holy from David, and comes follows me will not walk in sees believed in him? But Spirit? from Bethlehem, the vil- darkness, but will have the this crowd, who do not lage where David was?” So light of life.” 6. What do you think know the law, are ac- there was a division it means to have cursed.” Nicodemus, who among the people over the gift of the Holy had gone to him before, him. Some of them Spirit? and who was one of them, wanted to arrest him, but said to them, “Does our no one laid hands on him. law judge a man without

B May 31, 2015 Holy Pentecost John 7:37-52; 8:12 High School Edition JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

At that time of the feast Jesus stood up WHAT DO YOU THINK? and proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him 1. What does Jesus tell come to me and drink. He who believes in us to do if we are me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his thirsty? belly shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, which 2. If we believe in him what do we get to those who believed in him were to re- do? ceive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 3. What will happen to Image courtesy of freeimages.com a believer’s heart? When they heard these words, some of hearing and learning what he does?” They the people said, “This is really the 4. Who is living water? replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” 5. What kind of thirst is and you will see that no prophet is to rise But some said, “Is the Christ to come Jesus talking about from Galilee.” from Galilee? Has not the scripture said in this gospel? that the Christ is descended from David, Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am 6. What does it mean to and comes from Bethlehem, the village the light of the world; he who follows me drink of the holy where David was?” So there was a divi- will not walk in darkness, but will have the spirit? sion among the people over him. Some of light of life.” them wanted to arrest him, but no one 7. How does this satisfy our thirst? laid hands on him.

The officers then went back to the chief priest and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a