What You Need:
8.3/4" Chinette paper* plates or
deep-dish plastic plate, Plaster-of-Paris, metal paper clip, Prayer
Hand pattern (in the patterns section from the book, "The
Parables of Jesus"), colorful copy paper, Tacky glue. (Optional: small tiles or beads.)
* If you're using a paper plate, line the
bottom with a round piece of wax paper.
What You Do:
Before class copy the Prayer Hand pattern
onto colorful paper. Bend paper clip into a u-shape and insert it into
the side of the paper plate (this will be used to hang the prayer hand
when dry. You will need to cut the paper plate away from the clip once
it’s dry).
Mix plaster according to package directions.
When the plaster is the consistency of peanut butter, pour
approximately 16 ounces into the paper plate. Lightly tap plate on
table surface to release air bubbles. Allow the plaster to rest for
about 5-15 minutes until it’s able to mold a hand print, then test
it and see if it retains the print, if so, proceed. If not, tap plate
to smooth plaster out and try again a minute or two later. Don’t let
the plaster completely harden. Once the plaster is ready, place hand
into the center of the plate with fingers spread apart. Keep hand in
plaster until it retains the print (a few seconds). If you’re using
tiles or beads, press into plaster around the handprint. Allow plaster
to dry for several hours. Once plaster is dry, cut plate away from the
paper clip and turn upside down to remove the plaster handprint.
Glue
the Prayer Hand pattern with the Lord's Prayer and five key parts of prayer onto the
back of the plaster handprint. (From
the book, The Parables of Jesus Vol. I".)
Optional: Write name into the wet plaster,
press bits of small tile or beads into the wet plaster around the
outside edge of the handprint, or after the plaster dries, sponge
paint around the edge of the handprint.
Object Lesson:
Discussion: What are some things you’ve asked your parents to
give to you? (clothing, toys, food, playtime together, etc.) Do you
usually get what you ask for? Why or why not? Have you ever asked your
mom or dad for a sandwich and were given a rock instead? Or for
clothing to wear and given rags to put on? Why not? (Because they love
you and want the best for you.) Is getting what you want always the
best thing for you? Why or why not.
Today’s parable is about prayer. What is prayer? (talking to God)
Do we need to use fancy words to talk to God? Is there a special way
we are to pray? (allow for discussion)
One day Jesus was praying, and when he had finished, one of his
disciples wanted to know if there was a special way to pray. So he
asked Jesus to teach them to pray.
Jesus said to them, "When you pray, say: ‘Our Father who art in
Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory forever. Amen' " (Rephrased from Luke
11:2-4 and Matthew 6:9-13).
This prayer is known as "The Lord’s Prayer". It helps
us to know how to pray correctly. We will use our hand to remember the
five key parts of prayer:
1) Thumb: ADORATION - "Our Father who art in
Heaven, hallowed be thy name." We begin
praying by worshipping God. He is a Holy God that deserves our praise.
2) Pointer Finger: SUPPLICATION -
"Give us
this day our daily bread."
Tell God what your needs are. Are you needing comfort? Ask him to
comfort you. Are you lonely? Ask him to be your closest Friend. Is it
hard to obey God? Ask God to help you obey him. The Bible tells us to
make our requests known to God. (This could be food or clothing, or
even our physical, emotional, or spiritual needs.)
3) Middle Finger: CONFESSION -
"Forgive us
our debts."
Tell God that you have sinned against him. Admit what you’ve done
wrong. Ask him to forgive you and thank him that he does forgive you.
4) Ring Finger: INTERCESSION -
"As we have
forgiven our debtors. Lead US not into temptation but deliver US from
the evil one." (The entire Lord’s Prayer is a corporate
prayer of OUR, US and WE, whereby we pray for ourselves and others.)
When we pray for others, we are interceding for them. In other words,
we are asking God to help them. Do you know someone that is sick? Then
ask God to heal him or her. Do you know someone that doesn’t know
Jesus? Ask God to make himself known to that person.
5) Pinkie Finger: PRAISE - "For thine is the
kingdom and the power and the glory forever." End prayer by
thanking God for saving you and forgiving you of your sin. Thank him
for loving you and taking care of you. Give honor and respect to God.
After Jesus told his disciples how to pray he told them a story
about a friend in need. Read Luke 11:5-8 from a child-friendly Bible,
or use the Friend In Need skit (the rest of
this lesson may be found in "The Parables of Jesus". Click
here to learn more).
Copyright 2004
Sarah A. Keith - SundaySchoolNetwork.Com
For another craft
project on the Lord's Prayer, check out the Prayer Wheel on our
Curriculum page.
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