“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”

Jeremiah 17:7

TEACHER PREPARATION

Dear Teacher,

Oh no! This story has wine in it! Of course, the Bible includes many warnings about the misuse of wine, and your students need to understand the dangers of drinking. In Jesus’ day, however, running out of wine at a wedding would be a breach of hospitality that would disgrace the family! When Jesus encountered this embarrassing situation, He didn’t ignore it, because it wasn’t important enough. He showed compassion by meeting the need in a powerful way.

Sometimes we forget that we can ask for Jesus’ help with situations that are not life-and-death. And that is a great thing! When we are caught short, when all our plans go awry, we can tell Jesus our most embarrassing problems. We can obey Him, as fully confident as Mary was that He will have compassion on us and take action on our behalf!

Debbie Barber

Connecting You to Jesus

Jesus’ disciples were convinced of His deity by His first miracle, turning water into wine. He spoke and it was so. It was the same method God used to create the world! Turning water into wine was the first sign to prove Jesus is the Messiah. It was the first glimpse of His glory, the glory of the one and only Son of God.

Lesson Extras!

Supplies

GET THINKING

Take Part!

Supplies

  • Several beach balls

Students play one of the following games: (1) Lie on backs on the floor and use hands to hit a beach ball up in the air. Everyone works together to keep it from hitting the floor. (2) Stand in a circle and throw a beach ball to each other in a pattern (Nathan throws to Antonio, Antonio throws to Lili, etc.). When students have completed pattern a few times with one ball, add another ball into the game. Continue to throw additional balls in the same pattern, creating an effect like group juggling.

Connect

  • How did you need to trust others when playing the game? How would this game have been different if you didn’t trust your friends to do their part?
  • What are some other times you might have to trust other people in order to do things?
  • Today we’ll be talking about Someone we can trust even more than our friends!

GET GOD’S WORD

Wedding Party Rescue

Supplies

  • Bible for yourself and each student
  • Tablecloth
  • Flowers or other wedding decorations
  • Tablecloth
  • Cupcakes
  • Plates and forks
  • Wedding invitation
  • Empty jar
  • Box
  • Toothbrush

Help students find John 2 in their Bibles. Tell the following story summary in your own words, guiding students to find answers in their Bibles.

Beautiful Woman With Arms Crossed Against White Background
Image Credit: Morsa Images/DigitalVision/Getty

Story Starter

Think about your favorite thing to do at a party. Invite several volunteers to tell their favorite things. Let’s vote on these favorite things! Volunteers who responded take turns standing up and giving their answers again. Lead students to clap loudly for their favorite things. I love the fun things you all chose! Today our Bible story is about something unusual that happened at a party in the town of Cana. Let’s find out who was there and what happened.

Big Celebration!

When Jesus lived on Earth, a wedding was just about the biggest party any family would ever have! A Bible-times wedding was a big celebration that usually included feasting and games and dancing that lasted for days! The families of the bride and groom spent many months preparing for such a wedding, storing up special food and drink so that everyone—relatives, neighbors, friends and even friends of friends—would have plenty to eat and drink for as long as the wedding party lasted.

Students arrange cupcakes and plates and forks on table. It would be an insult to the wedding guests if the food or drink ran out. The family who had invited them would be VERY embarrassed. For years and years, people might tell about the wedding where they ran out of food or wine! (In Bible times, it was common for people to drink wine with their meals.)

Jesus, His mother, Mary, and His disciples had been invited to just this sort of wedding. Show wedding invitation. As they walked through the little village of Cana, the whole town must have been buzzing with excited preparations! Since houses did not have running water, huge stone water jars were filled and left outside the door. Bread was baked; floors were swept; special clothes were set out. Wine and special food that had been stored were brought in.

When the bride arrived at the groom’s house, the wedding party began. Such a party you never have seen—it was like a Christmas dinner, a huge birthday party and a week at grandma’s house with all the relatives all rolled into one!

Big Problem!

But after a while, something AWFUL happened. To find out what it was, read John 2:3. Perhaps more people came to the wedding than the families had planned. Whatever the reason, there was no more wine to serve to the wedding guests. Show empty jar. We don’t know how Mary found out about this problem, but we DO know that Mary knew JUST who to talk to when she needed help for an unexpected problem!

Mary went to Jesus and probably leaned over to speak very quietly. “They have no more wine,” she said. She knew how embarrassing this would be for the families, so she probably didn’t want anyone else to hear.

To find out what Jesus said, read John 2:4. Jesus told Mary that the time when He would begin to do miracles in public hadn’t started yet. But Mary was confident that Jesus could solve this big, unexpected problem!

Mary went right over to the servants who were standing together. Pointing to Jesus, she said, “Do whatever He tells you!” To find out how Jesus solved the problem, read John 2:6-7.

Big Miracle!

Those big stone jars held a LOT of water! After the servants had filled them, Jesus said, “Now take some out of one of the jars and give it to the master of the banquet.” Every wedding banquet had a man who acted as the master. He made sure everything went smoothly, and no doubt he had been VERY worried about how to get more wine!

When the servants took the wine to him, they didn’t tell him where it had come from. Slowly, he tasted the wine. What did he tell the bridegroom? Read John 2:10 to find out.

This wine was FAR better than the first wine that had been served. Although that first wine had been the very best the family could buy, THIS wine was the best of the feast! Jesus had fixed the problem by turning ordinary water into the very best wine. It was a miracle. And the Bible tells us that when His disciples saw this miracle, they put their faith in Him! Distribute cupcakes for students to eat as you wrap up the story.

Wrap-Up

When Jesus turned water into wine, He did something that no one else could do. The people who saw what Jesus did began to believe in Him right then and there! Jesus still wants us to believe in Him, and He wants us to trust Him and ask for His help, especially when we have unexpected problems. We can always be confident that He will hear us. Listen to what the Bible says about people who are confident in, or who trust in, Jesus. Read Jeremiah 17:7 aloud. We know that because of Jesus’ love and power, He will give us the very best help there is!

Show toothbrush. A toothbrush is something that you use every day. It is not exciting at all! This week, when you are brushing your teeth each day, remember that you can trust Jesus every day, even when you are doing ordinary things like brushing your teeth or finishing your homework!

Bible in Life Curriculum Trial
Bible in Life curriculum trial

GET TALKING

Supplies

Distribute Lesson 6 Kid Talk Cards. Students complete the interview on Side 1 to review the Bible story.

  • Who asked Jesus to solve the problem at the wedding?
  • What do you think Mary knew about Jesus that gave her confidence that He would solve the problem?
  • What happened as a result of Jesus’ miracle? (The problem was solved. Jesus’ disciples put their faith in Him.)

Students look at Side 2 of Kid Talk Cards. Students fill in missing letters to complete a reminder to rely on Jesus’ help in everyday situations.

  • Point to photo of toothbrush. We all use toothbrushes every day. And we need to rely on Jesus every day, too! What reasons do we have for having confidence in Jesus’ help? (He is God’s Son. He has done many great things. He died for us and came back to life again.)
  • What are some situations in which you need to rely on Jesus’ help? In what ways might Jesus help you? (Help me know what to do. Give me other people to help me. Give me courage to do what is right. Answer my prayers. Help me make good choices.)
  • When might it be hard to remember to rely on Jesus’ help? (When it seems that everything is going well. When there are big problems and I feel worried.) What can you do to remind yourself to rely on Jesus?

Prayer

Encourage students to silently pray about a situation in which they need Jesus’ help. Invite students to tell prayer requests. Then pray with students about the needs and concerns they mentioned.

Art

Supplies

  • Scissors
  • Markers
  • Glue sticks
  • Hole punch
  • Large paper clips or lanyard hooks

Give each student a Zipper Pull Pattern page and a blank sheet of card stock. Add a reminder to rely on Jesus, and then decorate your pattern. Student cuts out patterns to decorate and then cuts matching circles from the blank areas of card stock. Student glues circles together to create a sturdier zipper pull. Student punches hole in pull and attaches a large paper clip or a lanyard hook to create a zipper pull.

Toddler girl smelling flowers In garden
Image Credit: Laura Olivas/Moment/Getty Images

Connect

Attach your zipper pull to your backpack or something else you will see often. I hope it will remind you every day that you can trust and rely on Jesus, no matter what is happening in your life!

Game

Supplies

  • Ten large plastic cups
  • Rock
  • Ball

Arrange 10 large plastic cups like bowling pins on one side of the room. Place a rock under one of the cups.

Students line up opposite cups and take turns rolling ball toward cups, attempting to knock them over. When the cup with the rock hidden under it is knocked over, student who rolled ball tells a situation in which a kid needs to rely on Jesus’ help. Another student tells a way Jesus might help a kid in that situation. Continue bowling game as time permits, changing the placement of the rock often.

Connect

I’m glad to know that we can rely on Jesus in any situation we face. He always loves and helps us, and we can talk to Him about anything!

Get Going

Supplies

Direct students to look again at Side 2 of their Kid Talk CardsAs we listen to this song, ask God to help you trust Jesus’ love and help every day this week. Remember that He wants you to trust Him in everything you do! Play “Trust Anytime” (on Worship DVD or track 15 on Worship CD), inviting students to listen or sing along. Distribute Lesson 6 Family Fridge Fun papers as students leave.