A drama on water
Children's Activity
Object:
Parents and Teachers: The disciples thought they saw a ghost!
This is the story about Jesus walking on the water to the
disciples' boat.
Tell this story to your students. Explain to them that Jesus wanted to be alone to pray. That he sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee. He said that he would join them later. The disciples set sail. In the early morning hours, when they were asleep and during a storm, the disciples awoke and saw what they thought was a ghost walking across the water! (Ask the students how they might feel in this situation.) They were terrified. The "ghost" was Jesus. Peter decided to get into the water and walk toward Jesus. He took a few steps, but his faith failed and he sank into the water, only to be saved when Jesus' grabbed him.
Have your students act out this drama. You need someone to be Jesus, another Peter, and the others will be the other disciples. Give the others names of other disciples, or let them chose which disciple they wish to be. Specific scenes could be:
(1) Jesus telling the disciples that he wants to pray alone,
(2) the disciples entering the boat, going to sleep and awaking during a storm,
(3) the disciples seeing a "ghost" walking toward them, but Jesus assures them that it is he, not a ghost,
(4) Peter deciding to step out into the sea,
(5) Peter sinking, and
(6) Jesus reaching to save Peter.
Once the drama is complete, do it again by switching roles. Explain that this is a story about faith. Like Peter, we all have bad experiences. Jesus entered the world to save us if we follow him.
Tell this story to your students. Explain to them that Jesus wanted to be alone to pray. That he sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee. He said that he would join them later. The disciples set sail. In the early morning hours, when they were asleep and during a storm, the disciples awoke and saw what they thought was a ghost walking across the water! (Ask the students how they might feel in this situation.) They were terrified. The "ghost" was Jesus. Peter decided to get into the water and walk toward Jesus. He took a few steps, but his faith failed and he sank into the water, only to be saved when Jesus' grabbed him.
Have your students act out this drama. You need someone to be Jesus, another Peter, and the others will be the other disciples. Give the others names of other disciples, or let them chose which disciple they wish to be. Specific scenes could be:
(1) Jesus telling the disciples that he wants to pray alone,
(2) the disciples entering the boat, going to sleep and awaking during a storm,
(3) the disciples seeing a "ghost" walking toward them, but Jesus assures them that it is he, not a ghost,
(4) Peter deciding to step out into the sea,
(5) Peter sinking, and
(6) Jesus reaching to save Peter.
Once the drama is complete, do it again by switching roles. Explain that this is a story about faith. Like Peter, we all have bad experiences. Jesus entered the world to save us if we follow him.
