32 - Peter's Denial
In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen
Lesson No. ( 32 )
References
Luke 22.
Notes for Servants
My Lord, you received disgrace and blasphemy, you have been contempt, insulted and slapped on your face. The stubborn people showed injustice to you. They did not know that you are the Saviour of the world. Through my sins, I still do the same things to you.
i They fabricated the case. They said that you deserve death. They shouted and cried demanding that you should be crucified. For my sake O Lord they crucified you, I am the bearer of the judgment of death by my own will. (From the annual Fraction's Prayer).
Objectives
General: Hold fast the name of Christ.
Specific: The children will be able to:
- tell anyone bravely that they are Christian.
- learn that if they deny Jesus, he also will deny them before God.
- believe that even when we are weak and sinners, he always forgives us if we come back to him.
Bible Verse
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy strength and with all thy mind.”
(Luke 10:27)
Teaching Aids
None.
Instruction
(1) Review last week's lesson.
(2) Who remembers the verse?
(3) Remind the children about the church occasions for the coming week.
(4) Teacher should prepare the appropriate questions to emphasize the objectives during the lesson.
Story Time
The dark night passed and in the early morning, a large crowd gathered before the house of Caiphas, the High Priest. The disciples ran away when Jesus was arrested. Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard of the house of the High Priest. He sat among the servants.
The court took its formal shape. The judges needed witnesses against Jesus. False witnesses were brought. Jesus listened to what they said without uttering a word. The witnesses contradicted one another. (Each one said words that did not agree with the others). The High Priest wanted to reach a resolution. He said to Jesus, "Have you no answer to give against the accusations made against you?" Jesus did not answer.
Again the High Priest spoke to Him. "Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?"
All the people were silent, waiting intently for the answer as it would be decisive. If He said, "I am not the Messiah," they would set Him free, but if He said, "I am the Messiah" they would kill Him. Jesus answered calmly, "Yes I am the Messiah, the Son of God." The crowd shouted, "He deserves to die!"
Meanwhile, Peter was watching to see how it would all come out. A fire had been lit in the centre of the courtyard and Peter joined those who were sitting round it to warm themselves on that very cold morning. Everyone was talking about Jesus. Peter became rather perplexed and nervous as he listened. The people were mocking his Master and he kept silent.
The servant should read the three stages of Peter’s denial from the Bible (Remember to mention that when the cock crowed, Peter remembered the words of the Lord - when the Lord had looked straight into Peter’s eyes).
At that moment,Jesus looked straight at Peter and did not utter a word, but he spoke to the heart of Peter, as if he were saying to him, "Whatever happens, Peter, be sure that I love you and I forgive you. You have only to confess that you are weak." The soldiers took Jesus violently outside, but Peter remained outside and wept bitterly.
Discussion
1 - Follow up the story by talking about it with the children.
2 - Continue the discussion while they do the activity.
Learning Activities
Activity Sheet.
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