Leader Guide

Teaching

Tags:

  • Two different pieces of real or artificial fruit, such as an apple and orange
  • One tree branch about 2–3 feet long
  • Sermon on the Mount Grapevine Image or a live potted fruit plant
  • Whiteboard and marker or chalkboard and chalk
  • Eraser
  • Bibles or the Superbook Bible App

Discipleship Challenge materials:

Make one copy of the Grapevine Image in color or black and white. Write the SuperVerse on the board. John 15:5:

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”

NOTE: Do not erase the verse; it will be used in the SuperVerse activity.

Make copies of the Lighthouse Craft for children who missed Lesson 1. See Lesson 1 for details.

Free to Join! Discuss being connected to Jesus—the vine.

In the game we played, each player needed to stay joined to the rope, or the balloon “fruit” could not continue to be passed down the line. When we stay joined to Jesus, the Holy Spirit produces good fruit in us.

Let’s read the SuperVerse from the board together:

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Hold the apple (or another piece of fruit) against your arm or side. Let me see. If I understand the verse correctly, we will produce fruit like this, right? No!

Hold the orange (or another piece of fruit) against your arm or side. Okay, it isn’t an apple, maybe it’s an orange? No!

Well, now, I am confused! What kind of fruit will be produced in us? Spiritual fruit, the Fruit of the Spirit.

Ahhhhh, now I get it! Galatians 5:22–23 says:

22But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Jesus consistently displayed this fruit during His ministry on the earth. This fruit cannot be produced on our own. If we want to live like Christ, we must stay joined to Him—the true vine.

Hold up the branch. Do you think this branch can produce fruit or even leaves? Why or why not? No, it can’t because it is broken off of the tree. No, it is not connected or attached.

Here is what Jesus said about this in John 15:4:

“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me.”

This branch is severed or cut off from the tree. It cannot receive the food or nourishment that it needs to grow and produce fruit. Apart from the tree, it can do nothing.

Hold up the Grapevine Image and the branch. The branch in this picture is producing grapes or fruit. How is it different than this branch? It is connected to the main vine or trunk.

It is receiving nourishment from the main vine or trunk so it can grow and produce fruit. As long as the main trunk is alive and the branch stays connected, it will continue to grow and produce fruit.

It is the same with us. Jesus calls us branches. We must stay connected to Him to receive the proper food and nourishment to be spiritually healthy and to grow and produce spiritual fruit. Jesus said in John 15:8:

“When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father.”

To be Jesus’ disciple is to live like Christ. To fulfill our purpose in God, we must stay joined to Jesus. Apart from Him, we can do nothing!

What are some ways we can stay attached to the vine and close to Jesus? Prayer, worship, going to church, communion, listening to and obeying His Word, etc.

Jesus wants to know us in a deep and intimate way. He wants to be united—to be one with us as He is one with His Father, God. (See John 17:20–23.)

In John 15:16, Jesus said:

“You didn’t choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit.”

Isn’t that awesome? Each one of us has been chosen by Jesus to go and produce lasting fruit. Lasting fruit means fruit with purpose—spiritual fruit that is fresh and alive and continues to bring praise to God!

Now let’s move to our Discipleship Challenge, where we are building a house on a solid foundation to bring glory to God!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give any child who missed Lesson 1 a Lighthouse Craft. Show children the sample craft made in Lesson 1 and have them assemble the craft at home.

Use the model craft as you discuss the challenge.

Who can tell me what the challenge was about for the previous lesson? Jesus, my foundation to build on.

Who would like to try to say Matthew 7:24 from memory? Children respond.

“Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”

Why is it important to only build our lives on Jesus as our foundation? We base our lives on the truth. It is the only way for eternal life. We will grow strong spiritually. We will live like Him and become more like Him over time. Jesus never changes.

The second part of our challenge last time was to begin reading the book of John in the New Testament. Was anyone able to do that? What do you remember most from reading it?

For this lesson’s challenge. You will need to look up and try to memorize the verse on the main structure of your lighthouse. Will someone read it? Matthew 7:25 (NIV):

“The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

The second part of this challenge is to continue reading the book of John. Try to read a few verses or—if you’re up for it—a chapter each day! Think about the words Jesus says and how you can apply them to your life.

The next time we meet, I will ask for volunteers to say the memory verse and also if you would like to share something that Jesus said from your reading.

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