GAME: YES! I KNOW JESUS! Purpose: To understand how people taught people to be kind and caring to everyone.
caring to everyone. But was being quiet
are identified as Christians by their actions.
Supplies: None
When we follow Jesus and do what is right in His eyes, we become
more like Him. In the story, three different people noticed Peter was a
follower of Jesus. Today, what are some clues that might show us
someone is a follower of Jesus?
(The person prays, loves others, tells other about Jesus, serves and
cares for others, does what is right, reads the Bible, goes to church,
etc.) Let’s see if we can prove that a modern day “Peter” is making
choices like those of a follower of Jesus.
Directions: 1. Children sit in a large circle as if warming themselves at a
fire.
2. Choose a volunteer as “Peter” to sit in the center of the circle.
3. Remaining children take turns stating reasons why they suspect
“Peter” knows Jesus (reading a Bible, helping your little brother,
praying, turning in money you found, obeying your parents, going to
church, etc.) “I think you know Jesus, because I saw you ______.”
4. Each time, “Peter” responds by saying, “Yes! I know Jesus!”
RESPOND TO THE BIBLE MESSAGE ACTIVITY 1: Standing up
for Jesus (Teacher: Peer pressure is very powerful. Many children are
pressured into doing things they know are wrong because they want to
be accepted by the group. Being Christian is not always easy. Below are
two stories about peer pressure. Please write/tell you own stories,
stories about pressures that your children face in their lives.)
STORY 1: Jane sat down with a group of friends to play. One of the
girls started to make fun of the new girl in the group. Jane didn’t know
the new girl very well and didn’t feel right about saying or hearing bad
things about the new girl. In Sunday School, Jane had learned that Jesus
enough? Should she try to stop the other girls from saying bad things?
Would they make fun of her too?
STORY 2: Bill was shorter than anyone in the class. People were
always picking on him. It was not his fault that he did not grow as tall
as the other boys and girls. So, to make up for it, Bill learned to fight.
Whenever someone said something about his height, he would hit
them. Bill knew that he should not fight but he did not like it when
people made fun of him either. Now people were afraid of making fun
of him. What should Bill do?
In each story, discuss with the children the reason the children in the
stories acted the way they did. Ask the children what each of the
children in the story might feel about themselves. Remind the children
what Peter had thought about himself at first _______________ and
how he felt afterwards. Remind them that even when they make a
mistake, God loves them and forgives them
2. EXPLORE THE BIBLE MESSAGE
 SAY: Sometimes we do something bad and when our parents or
teachers ask us about it, we say that we did not do it. We deny it. Why?
We may be afraid of what will happen if we admitted being bad.
 SAY: In today’s story, we will hear how this happened to one of
Jesus’ very best friends, Peter.
 SAY: I would like you to help me tell this story. A rooster is an
important part in this story. Whenever Peter says something that is not
true, you crow like a rooster. Let us practice.
 Remember when Jesus had the last meal with his disciples and Peter
said that he will always follow Jesus, even if things become difficult.
Jesus said, “Before the rooster crows three times you will deny me.”
 TELL the story: BEFORE THE ROOSTER CROWS In our last
story, we heard that Jesus went to the garden to pray. We heard of how
the guards came to the garden to get Jesus. The Temple guards led
Jesus from the garden and took him to the high priest’s house.
All of the disciples were frightened, and they ran away, all that is,
except Peter. Peter followed close behind the crowd. He couldn’t
believe that this was happening. What was going on? Why had they
arrested Jesus?
The guards led Jesus inside the house but Peter stayed outside in the
courtyard. It was cold outside and Peter pulled his robe lose around
him. Someone had built a fire in the center of the courtyard. Peter sat
down near to it to warm himself.
Peter was thinking to himself. “What was going to happen to Jesus?
What was going to happen to the disciples? Were the soldiers going to
arrest them, too? What was going to happen to him?”
He was worried about himself. A servant girl came up to the fire. She
looked at Peter, who was sitting there so quietly. She bent down where
she could get a better look at his face. “You!” she said accusingly, “I
have seen you with that man they just brought in.
You are one of his friends!” Peter jumped up from the fire. Now, he
was truly afraid. What if she called the guards? What if they arrested
him, too? “Woman,” he insisted, “I do not know him!” (Children
crow.)
Peter moved away from the fire into the shadows of the porch. Soon
another servant girl spotted him. She called to the other people, “This
man is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth! I have seen them together!”
Peter’s heart beat wildly. “You are mistaken, woman!” Peter fairly
shouted his response. “I do not know this man you talk about!”
(Children crow.)
Peter looked around for a way to leave the courtyard, but a crowd had
begun to gather. “Surely you were with him,” said a man standing
nearby. “You speak with the same accent. You must come from the
same place he does. Surely you must know him.” “I do not know what
you are talking about. I do not know this man.” (Children crow.)
Before the words we even out of Peter’s mouth, there came a crowing
sound. It was the rooster crowing. Morning was almost there. The
sound shocked Peter. Through the window of the house, Peter could
see his friend Jesus. When the rooster crowed, Jesus looked out of the
window at his friend, Peter. All of a sudden Peter remembered what
Jesus had said that night at dinner, “Before the rooster crows tonight,
you will say three times that you do not even know me.” Peter pushed
through the crowd blindly and ran from the courtyard. When he was
outside the walls, he began to cry.
He had not been brave. He had been so afraid for himself that he had
not stood up for his friend and teacher.
 ASK: 1. Why did Peter follow the guards and Jesus? (He wanted to
see what would happen to Jesus.)
2. Who recognized Him? (Two servant girls and a man in the crowd
recognized Him.)
3. Why did Peter say that he did not know Jesus? (He was afraid that
they would hurt him like they were hurting Jesus.)
4. What reminded Peter of Jesus’ words, “you will deny me”? (The
rooster crowed. Refer to the symbol of the rooster.) 5. How did Peter
feel then? (He went out and cried.)