Jesus Prays for His Disciples
Theme: Jesus prays for His disciples.
Scripture: John 17:6-19
Get Ready: Click here to get your complete supply list for this lesson.
The Children’s Sermon
You’ll Need:
● “Never Lost” handout - one per child
● Pencils - one per child
Do This:
SAY: (Hold up the “Never Lost” maze handout.) Have you ever worked one of these--a
maze? You begin where it says, "start" and try to find an open path in the maze
that will lead you all the way to the finish. There’s no crossing through any lines;
that would be too easy!
Try doing this one for yourselves. (Give each child a maze and a pencil. Allow kids to
start working. When kids come to dead ends, point out that mazes can be difficult
when one comes to a dead end, but they just need to back up and start again. After a
few minutes, finish a maze to help kids find their way to the end.)
Finding your way through life can sometimes be like finding your way through a
maze. Each day we have to make choices and we don’t always know which way to
go. Sometimes we even choose the wrong path, and we have to back up and start
over again.
ASK:
● Tell about a time you made a mistake or did something wrong?
● How did you back up and start over?
Jesus knew that life in this world is difficult. That’s why He prayed for His disciples
when it was time for Him to leave this world. He prayed to God, "While I was with
them, I protected them and kept them safe. No one was lost, but now I am coming
to You and I ask You to protect them and keep them safe."
We, too, have guides to help us make our way through the maze of life--the Bible
and prayer. Life may not be easy, but with God leading the way, we know that we
will never get lost.
PRAY: God, as we search for the path that will lead us safely through this world, we
place our trust in You and ask for Your guidance and protection. In Jesus' name,
amen.
Jesus Prays
You’ll Need:
● “Jesus Prays” video
● Something to play the video
Do This:
Show them the video.
ASK:
● What did you learn from Jesus’ prayer for His disciples?
● What does it mean to you that Jesus prayed for His followers?
● How can you pray for others like Jesus?
Out & in This World Snacks
You’ll Need:
● Vanilla yogurt
● Blue food coloring
● Green food coloring
● 2 large bowls
● Small plastic cups - one per child
● Spoons - one per child
Get Ready: Before class, use blue and green food coloring to dye the vanilla yogurt.
Leave blue and green yogurt in separate containers with their own spoons.
Do This:
Follow these steps to share the “Out and in This World Snack”:
● Give each child a cup and a spoon.
● Invite kids to mix the blue and green yogurt in their cups to make it appear to
resemble earth.
● Enjoy.
ASK:
● What are some hard things we have to deal with in the world?
● How can we pray for our friends when they face those hard things?
SAY: The reason for Jesus’ prayer we are learning about today is because He was
leaving the world. He was praying for His disciples that were staying in the world.
Prayer Box
You’ll Need:
● Jesus Prays for His Disciples How-to Video
● Small boxes - one per child
● Colorful paper
● Scissors
● Pens - one per child
● Markers
● Stickers
● White board or large sheet of paper
Get Ready: On the white board or large sheet of paper, write out some sample
one-sentence prayers kids can pray each day. (A prayer for mom and dad, for other
family members, for a friend, for a teacher, a prayer of gratitude, a prayer for help,
etc.). Cut at least 10 colorful paper slips for each child.
Do This:
To make the “Prayer Box,” have kids follow these steps:
● Give each child a box.
● Invite kids to decorate their boxes with stickers and markers. Have them write
“Prayer Box” on the top.
● Give each child 10 to 15 pieces of colorful paper.
● Invite them to write a one-sentence prayer on each piece of paper.
● When each paper has a prayer, instruct kids to place the paper in their boxes.
SAY: Today you have made a prayer box with short prayers you can pray each day.
Take this box home and take out a piece of paper each day and pray that prayer.
This box can be a great tool to help you form a habit of talking to God like Jesus
did.
Complete Supply List:
● “Never Lost” handout - one per child
● Pencils - one per child
● “Jesus Prays” video
● Something to play the video
● Vanilla yogurt
● Green and blue food coloring
● 2 large bowls
● Small plastic cups - one per child
● Spoons - one per child
● Small boxes - one per child
● Colorful paper
● Markers
● Stickers
● White board or large sheet of paper
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