If you want to offer an absorbing and challenging way for children to explore the story of Zacchaeus, then look no further. This is a great way to help them think about Zacchaeus’s determination to see Jesus because it will take some determination to complete the task!
You will need: uncooked spaghetti noodles, mini marshmallows, a plastic Easter egg, slips of paper, pencils.
Challenge the children to build a “tree” with the spaghetti noodles and marshmallows that will support and hold a plastic Easter egg (real eggs are too heavy for what they are likely to build).
Talk about:
• How easy was it to build the tree?
• What difficulties did you encounter?
• What difficulties do you think Zacchaeus encountered in the story?
• What lengths would you go to see one of your heroes?
• What lengths do others go to in order to be Christians? (Be prepared to talk to your children about the persecuted church in age-appropriate ways.)
• When do you sometimes have to be determined?
• Do you ever have to use your determination in order to live as a Christian and to get to know Jesus better?
Pray:
Pray that you and your group will have the determination to get to know Jesus better, even when it’s hard. Draw or write prayers on a slip of paper and put them inside the plastic egg. Put the egg back on top of the “tree” and give your prayers to God.
This post first appeared at Flame: Creative Children’s Ministry.
