B TRINITY Sunday 7th June 2009

READING
John 3:1-17
3Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

STORY OUTLINE
Nicodemus visited Jesus at night to find out about his teaching. He realised the Jesus came from God and he wanted to find out more.
Nicodemus was able to ask questions and talk with Jesus and his disciples. How can we find out more today? Luckily Jesus’ friends wrote about Jesus and his wonderful teaching in the Bible. So we can find out more about God the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
In the first part of the Bible we can read about God’s great work creating the earth. God has done many wonderful things all through history. Then the New Testament books Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; tell us about the life of Jesus. We also read more about the Holy Spirit. Last week we heard how the Holy Spirit came to the disciples and guided them. You can read more about that in the Bible.
So if we want to find out more about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit we don’t have to sneak out in the middle of the night – we can read all about God in the Bible.

PRAYER
We haven’t mentioned prayer on the sheet before. When we pray, each child has the opportunity to say something if they would like. Today we will finish with: Thank you Father for sending your Son and the Holy Spirit to us. Amen

SONG
We will listen to a CD by Colin Buchanan.

CRAFT
Today we are making a “Books of the Bible Bookmark”. We will print the list on cardboard and the children can decorate their bookmark before we laminate the card for them.

Old Testament: Books 1 to 39
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

New Testament: Books 40 to 66
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation