Jesus’ t eachin g
Overview of the Material and Lesson Ideas
‘Christianity Unpacked’ is a complete toolkit for teaching the basic beliefs of the Christian faith. Jesus was often called
‘Rabbi,’ a term of respect meaning teacher – the purpose of this section is to explore some of Jesus’ teaching.
Below is an index of key material for use within this topic, please note that there is further material available on the
RE:quest and RE:start sites that you may also find helpful.
FILMS and MULTIMEDIA RESOURCES
Title
Introduction to Jesus
Jesus’ teaching – Sermon on
the Mount
Jesus’ teaching on worry
Aim
Content overview
To explore some of Jesus’
teaching with a focus on the
Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5: 3-12 The Beatitudes
Matthew 5: 21-26 Jesus’ teaching on murder and our
attitude to others
Matthew 5: 38-42 Jesus’ teaching on revenge and
reconciliation
Matthew 5: 43-48 Jesus’ teaching about true love and
loving your enemy
Luke 12:13-21 Jesus’ teaching about the important
things in life
To explore what Jesus taught
about worry
Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus compares our own needs to
those of the lilies of the field and the birds of the air – if
God cares for them how much more will he care for us?
Jesus’ teaching on prayer
To explore Jesus’ teaching on
prayer and in particular the
Lord’s prayer
Jesus’ teaching on giving
To explore what Jesus taught
about generosity and giving
Story time - Parable of the
waiting father (prodigal son)
To explore the Parable of the
Waiting Father and Jesus’
teaching on God’s love and
forgiveness
To explore the Parable of the
Lost Son and what it means to
receive true forgiveness
To explore the Parable of the
Good Samaritan and what it
means to love your neighbour as
yourself
Parable of the Lost Son
(waiting father)
Parable of the Good
Samaritan
Luke 11: 1-13 One day one of Jesus’ followers asked
him how they should pray. What followed has become
probably one of the most famous Christian prayers – the
Lord’s prayer.
Mark 12: 41-44 Jesus was in the temple sitting by the
offering box where he saw many rich people presenting
bags full of coins but then came a poor widow who
gave just a small offering. In contrast to the people
around him Jesus praised the widow for making such a
precious sacrament from her heart.
In this film the parable of the waiting father is retold in
a way that is especially suitable for younger pupils
This modern retelling of this famous parable is aimed at
older pupils and highlights the story from the viewpoint
of the son.
This animated version of the parable tells the story of
Lucy as she goes off to a Lady Gaga concert but sadly
on the way she gets attacked. In this parable it is a
homeless person that turns good Samaritan.
WORKSHEETS AND PRINTABLE RESOURCES
Tit le
Aim
Co nt e nt ov ervi ew
Forgiveness
To look in depth at the issue of
forgiveness
The Good Samaritan
To encourage discussion around the
content and meaning of the
parable.
The Good Samaritan Quiz
To ensure that the details and
teaching points of the parable are
fully understood.
The Prodigal Son Cartoon Strip
To recap on the main points of the
story
To understand the key teaching of
the parable whilst at the same
time relating the idea of
forgiveness to contemporary life.
To explore the idea of prayer as a
whole but at the same time
focusing on what Jesus taught on
the subject.
To explore the motivation behind
our giving.
This activity is most suitable for older pupils although the
activities could be adapted for younger children. It challenges
the pupils to consider what it means to forgive and to be
forgiven. It also encourages discussion on what actions are
easily forgiven and what ones are unforgivable.
The discussion sheet contains questions that are aimed to
help the pupils dig deeper and explore the important
teachings in the parable. The activity also helps the pupils to
gain a better understanding of the social and religious
context of the parable.
This quiz could be used both at the beginning and the end of
the lesson to gauge the progress in understanding that has
been made. Or alternatively it could be used as a fun group
activity to support the teaching and learning from the lesson.
The sheet is a basic level activity that checks that the pupils
have understood the key details of the parable.
Each of the six questions can be used in isolation or alongside
the other questions to help the pupils delve deeper into the
issues that are raised in this and other similar parables.
The Prodigal Son discussion
sheet
Talk about prayer
Talk about giving
These questions can be used as an extension sheer to your
wok on Jesus’ teaching on prayer. The last question focuses
particularly on the Lord’s prayer and an understanding of
each phrase.
These activities range from looking at the biblical principles
of giving, examining the life and generosity of Sir John Laing
and researching the work of a charity.
Jes us’ Te ac hi ng – Medi um Ter m P la n
Aim
Key Questions
Activities
Resources
1. To introduce the
Sermon on the
Mount and the
main teaching
contained within.
1. What are the
main points of
Jesus’ teaching?
1. Working in groups; imagine that you are setting up a new
school or youth club. You have been given the task of laying out
the principles or teachings that the school /club will run on. What
would the top 10 be? E.g. Happy are those who do not drop litter
and make the place a mess. Happy are those who work together,
sharing what they have and helping others.
1. Bible
How do Jesus’
teaching
compare to the
view of the
world?
Explain that over the coming weeks you will be looking at the
principle teachings of Jesus that became the foundations for the
kingdom (way of living) he established.
Watch the film ‘Jesus’ teaching…’ Ask the class to identify the
areas that they see as the main teaching. Was there anything that
they struggled to understand? Was there any teaching that they
had included in their manifesto?
Discuss what the world considers makes us happy. Read Matthew
5:3-12. In the Beatitudes Jesus teaches about the situations and
attitudes that lead to a person being truly blessed (this is
something far deeper than superficial happiness). Look at the
meaning of each one – how does this fit in with the world’s view?
Film – ‘Jesus’
teaching – the Sermon
on the Mount.’
2. To explore Jesus’
teaching on worry
and to learn how it
can relate to our
circumstances?
2. Can you live
without worry?
Does God really
provide for our
needs?
2. If appropriate you could listen to a happy song – e.g. ‘Don’t
worry be happy,’ ‘Happy.’ How does the music make you feel? In
this lesson you will be looking at quite the opposite feeling –
worry.
Recap on the principles that in the first week you decided were
important ones to live by. Was not worrying one of them? Why or
why not?
Discuss what worry is? - Allowing your mind to dwell overly on
difficulty or troubles.
‘I am worried sick about…’
Brainstorm what people worry about – new phones, fashions, the
latest trainers, being popular…
Or more serious issues – health, clothes, food, friends, family…
Address the question: does anything good come out of worrying?
What direct results of worrying have the pupils witnessed first
hand? Is there a difference between caring and worrying? What
are the negative impacts of worrying? – Anxiety, lack of appetite,
lack of sleep, pressure on relationships, poor health and worrying
may cause a person to turn to illegal or harmful ways of trying to
alleviate the situation – gambling, theft, smoking, drinking, drugs.
Why do you think Jesus taught that we shouldn’t worry? Can God
take care of the situations that concern us? Does God always take
our problems away? Read Psalm 23 – in this Psalm David writes
2. Film – Jesus’
teaching on worrying
Bibles or copies of
Psalm 23 – The Lord is
my Shepherd
RE:quest for research
about all the troubles he will go through – he will even be close
to death. Yet through all of this he does not worry because he
knows that God will be with him. God does not always take the
problems and issues away but he promises to be with us.
How can faith help people at times of worry?
Look at the lives of people like Ernest Gordon
http://request.org.uk/people-places/2014/10/08/captain-ernestgordon/, George Muller, http://request.org.uk/peopleplaces/significant-people/2013/07/26/george-muller/ and Amy
Carmichael http://request.org.uk/peopleplaces/2013/07/26/amy-carmichael/ . How do their lives echo
what is said in the Psalm and how do their lives reflect that it is
better to follow Jesus’ teaching on not worrying?
What lessons can we learn from their lives? Emphasise that the
opposite of worry is faith.
Produce a creative piece – poem, art work, song etc. entitled ‘No
worry’ demonstrating the positives of not worrying.
3. To explore Jesus’
teaching on prayer
and in particular
the Lord’s prayer.
3. What is so
important
about prayer?
What did Jesus
teach about
prayer?
3. Pose the question, ‘How do you keep a good friendship?’
Hopefully someone will highlight the importance of talking and
listening. Christians believe that this is the same with God – in
order for our relationship with God to stay strong we must take
time to talk and listen to Him – this is prayer.
The disciples had seen the importance that Jesus placed on prayer
– many times in the gospel it says that Jesus went away on his
3. Film – Jesus’
teaching on prayer
Sheet – Talk about
Prayer
There are a lot more
resources on RE:quest
for the topic of prayer
own to pray and they also saw the power of prayer, Jesus’
miracles were always accompanied by prayer. This meant that the
disciples also wanted to learn to pray – to follow Jesus’ example.
So when asked by the disciples how they should pray Jesus taught
them what we now know as the Lord’s prayer.
Take time to explore the structure and meaning of the Lord’s
prayer and other prayers (e.g. the Prayer of St Francis or some of
the Celtic Prayers).
The Lo rd's Pra yer
Our Father, in heaven,
Holy is your Name.
Your Kingdom come.
Your will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
(The first part of the prayer focuses on God, his attributes and His
Kingdom. Think - What would the earth be like if it was like
heaven – no sin, upset, dying, pain or suffering).
Give us this day our daily bread.
(It is important to remember that Christians believe that God cares
for the physical as well as the spiritual).
And forgive us our sins,
As we forgive them that sin against us.
(At the very heart of the Christian gospel is the concept of
forgiveness – the need for God to forgive us and for us to forgive
others – this is the only way that we can truly live in peace. Think
– what does it mean to truly forgive. Are there things that are
easy to forgive or that we would find impossible to forgive? Think
about the world political situation – where is forgiveness needed
there?)
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
(What are the temptations that face us today? What evil do we
need to be kept safe from? What are the problems with giving into
temptation)
For yours is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
Forever and ever. Amen
(The prayer ends how it began with the focus back onto God)
The pupils could attempt to write their own prayers in
contemporary language and covering contemporary issues that
are real and relevant to them. Or they could illustrate the Lord’s
prayer in order to show clearly what each part if the prayer is
referring to.
4. To explore the
concept of
forgiveness and
reconciliation in
Christian belief
4. Why is
forgiveness so
important for
Christians?
4. Refer back to the work on the Lord’s Prayer – forgiveness is at
the heart of the Christian faith. Think about times when someone
has forgiven you – how did that make you feel. Using the sheets
and films explore the meaning of this famous parable of the
Prodigal Son / Waiting Father.
It is important to remember that how the father acted went
against the cultural norm of the time. In asking for his share of
the wealth the younger son was basically saying that he wanted
his father dead. In cases like this it would have been more normal
for the father to disown his son rather than to wait for him and
run to him, accepting back into the family as a son and not a
servant.
4. Film – Story Time the
Story of the Waiting
Father
Film – The Prodigal Son
Sheets – Forgiveness
The Prodigal Son
Cartoon Strip
The Prodigal Son
discussion sheet
You may want to hot seat the characters – have the class think
about questions they would like to ask the characters in the story.
They could write a daily blog from both the son and the father
giving their thoughts on what was happening. Or they could write
the story from the older son’s perspective.
Remember it is important to emphasise that Jesus told this story
to demonstrate the relationship we can have with God, our
heavenly father.
5. To explore Jesus’
teaching on being a
good neighbour
5. How should
we treat
others?
5. Begin by reading the Parable of the Good Samaritan – you may
need to explain the significance of the characters and the
relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans. We often
forget today that Jesus was a very controversial teacher of the
time and to use this illustration would have been both shocking
5. Bible
Film – Parable of the
Good Samaritan
Sheets - The Good
and also insulting to many people. What was important to Jesus
was not being socially acceptable but showing that all people are
welcomed in God’s Kingdom. The parable also teaches how we
should behave towards others – regardless of social, cultural or
ethical background.
Samaritan
The Good Samaritan
Quiz
Samaritan’s Purse
pages on RE:quest
Think about if Jesus was teaching this parable today in your
community what groups and characters may he have used?
Rewrite the parable making it relevant for your situation.
Extension work - you could take this opportunity to explore the
work of Samaritan’s Purse – an organisation that has followed
Jesus’ teaching.
6. To explore the
importance Jesus
gave to generous
giving
6. What did
Jesus teach
about giving?
Why is it
important to
give?
6. Discuss – ‘Is it better to give than to receive?’
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan the person who was seen as
the good neighbour was the one who gave of his time as well as
his money and possessions to help another. In his teaching on
giving Jesus emphasises that the woman who gave all she had
was more worthy of praise than those who had a lot but give only
a small percentage of it away.
Why is it important for us to give away some of what we have?
What things do we have that we could give to others in need?
Extension – you may want to take this opportunity to look at the
work of a charity – especially one working with the poor. How
could your class raise money to help the their work? What could
they give (time, talents, money) to help others?
6. Film – Jesus teaching
on giving
Sheet – Talk about
giving
Pages about Charities
on RE:quest (e.g.
Samaritan’s purse,
Glasgow City Mission,
Traidcraft…)