Aim: to help children discover that Jesus is the light of the world.
Bible base: Isaiah 9:2–7, John 1:1–9, John 8:12
For: Key Stage 2
Equipment: a box of eggs (hard-boiled, if you’re the nervous type), blindfolds, cornflakes, dustpan and brush, a Bible, as many torches as you can collect, the song ‘Follow me’ (from the Bitesize Bible Songs, Scripture Union) and the means to play it.
Opening activity
Ask for two or three volunteers to do an egg-based obstacle course. Show them the eggs, then lay them on the floor in a random fashion. Say to the children that they have to get from one side of the room to the other without standing on any eggs. The children will probably tell you how easy that will be. Bring out the blindfolds and say that they won’t be able to see!
Encourage the volunteers to memorise where the eggs are. Put the blindfolds on the children and, while you’re making a big show of whether they can see and asking the rest of the children who they think will win, prime a fellow leader (or willing teacher) to collect up the eggs and spread cornflakes a short way in front of all the volunteers. Once you have finished your build-up, start the volunteers on their way. Make a show of the fact that they have just missed an egg and so on, until they stand on the cornflakes. Everyone should pretend that they have just stood on an egg!
After a few seconds, encourage the volunteers to take off their blindfolds and see what they have actually stood on, before sitting down. (Remember to clear up all the cornflakes!)
Bible engagement
Comment that the volunteers thought they were standing on eggs, but they actually weren’t. When you walk in darkness, it’s hard to see where you’re going and sometimes things can appear to be what they’re not.
At this time of year, people often focus on the dark side of things, and some things that people think are fun can often be quite scary, or the other way round. Ask the children if they like Halloween. Accept all answers, and be sensitive to those who like it very much and those who don’t like it at all. Chat for a moment about the fun things and not-so-fun things.
Explain that the idea of dark and light is often mentioned in the Bible. (Show your Bible to the children.) However, sometimes it’s not actual light and actual dark. Sometimes when the Bible talks about it, dark means not living God’s way or not knowing God, and light means Jesus.
Read out Isaiah 9:2–7. Explain that this was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born, but that Christians believe the passage is all about Jesus and that God sent Jesus so people can live in his way and know him better.
A man called John also talked about Jesus being the light. Give out all the torches and ask the children to listen carefully to what John said. When they hear the word ‘light’ they should turn their torches on and off. If possible, dim the lights in the room (but be aware of any children who might be afraid of the dark). Read out John 1:1–9. Explain that John doesn’t tell us a Christmas story, but tells us that Jesus is the light God is sending to help people see.
Song
Finally, read out what Jesus said about himself in John 8:12. Christians believe that if they follow Jesus, he will show them the best way to live. He will show them what God is like and they won’t stumble in darkness. If appropriate, play the song ‘Follow me’ (a memory verse song of John 8:12). Enjoy learning the song and singing it together.
Finish by saying that at this time of looking at the darkness of Halloween, Christians believe there is a light that is much more powerful than any darkness. Jesus is the light that keeps shining in the darkness; a light that the darkness can’t put out.
