Leader Guide
Teaching Time
- Bible or Superbook Bible App
- Two pennies
- Chair
- Table
- Container of silver coins from Lesson 2
- Optional: Bag of wrapped candies (check with parents before class. If you plan to allow children to have a piece of candy after the demonstration, make sure none of the children are allergic to it.)
Place the two pennies into the container of large coins.
Ask children questions to help them tell the Bible story. Give hints as needed.
· Jesus often came to the Temple to teach and to hear others teach God’s Word. (Luke 4:16, 20:1)
· What other things do people come to the Temple or church to do? Give offerings, sing, learn about God and Jesus, pray, worship, praise God.
· Place the chair in front of you. When Jesus taught in the Temple, was He standing up? What did He do? (If a hint is needed, choose a child to sit in the chair). He sat down.
· Where did Jesus sit? If a hint is needed, move the chair next to the coins on the table. He sat near the collection boxes or the offering.
· Hold up the container of coins. Who gave the most money? The rich or wealthy people.
· Hold up the two pennies. Who gave the two tiny coins? The poor widow.
· Stand up if you think Jesus was most happy with the rich people’s offerings. Children respond.
· Thank you, you may sit down. Hold up the two pennies.
· Stand up if you think Jesus was most pleased with the poor widow’s offering. Children respond.
· Did Jesus call the rich people and the widow to come over so He could talk to them about their offerings? No!
· You listened well! Who did Jesus talk to about the offerings? His disciples, His followers.
· Jesus gathered His disciples around Him and said, “This poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. They have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she has given everything she has.”
Option 1 uses the bag of wrapped candies; Option 2 uses the container of silver coins.
I want to show you something I think will help to understand why Jesus said the widow’s tiny offering was more than the others. Gather the children around the table and stand behind it.
OPTION 1: Using CANDY:
Pretend you have this bag of candy and it’s your favorite kind! Open the bag and pour it out in a pile.
A friend asks you for two pieces of the candy.
Pull out two pieces of candy. You give these two pieces to your friend.
Look at all the candy you still have! Can you even tell you gave two pieces away? Children respond.
Move the bag of candy out of sight. Let’s say these two pieces of candy are all you have and remember; it’s your favorite kind of candy!
A friend asks you to give the two pieces to him. Is it still easy to give the two pieces away, or is it harder now? Harder.
Why is it harder? Because it is all I have. I have none left for myself.
The rich people gave a lot of money but they kept more back for themselves.
The poor widow gave all she had, she had nothing more to give.
OPTION 2: Using SILVER COINS:
Pretend this container of coins is all yours! Open the container and pour it out in a pile.
A friend asks you for two coins.
Pull out two coins. You give these two coins to your friend.
Look at all the coins you still have! Can you even tell you gave two away? Children respond.
Move the bag out of sight. Let’s say these two coins are all you have. You don’t have any more money anywhere else.
A friend asks you to give them the two coins. Is it still easy to give the two coins away, or is it harder now? Harder.
Why is it harder? Because it is all I have. I have none left for myself.
The rich people gave a lot of money but they kept more back for themselves.
The poor widow gave all she had, she had nothing more to give.