While this story is all about action those actions are symbolised by two animals and because we can never have enough sheep crafts for bible stories (right!) this craft is a little sheep and goat that stand up. This would be a perfect pre-schooler craft as it really is super-duper simple!
The King separated the Sheep and the goats, not because they were sheep and goats but because some had truly served their fellow man (for the least of these), when the others hadn’t. This craft illustrates that separation. It deliberately blank so that the older children can write their own messages on the wall and floor.
The parable of the talents has so few moving pieces it is perfect to make a retelling the story craft from. This one uses lift flaps that you open as the story progresses to see how each servant used his talents.
The parable of the talents is very simple story for younger groups, we invest our ‘talent’ and it will grow or we bury it and it will remain the same. This craft is a really simple one for younger kids too, make a bag that contains your talent!
The main element in the parable of the 10 bridesmaids is not the bridesmaids but the oil for their lamps. This craft ties into that by letting the youngsters associate oil with revealing but as the lamps would have illuminated and revealed the world in the dark.
Those 10 bridesmaids lamps slowly ate through the oil until the light goes out, that’s what this craft shows quite clearly, a reminder to keep oil in our spiritual lamps. The verse is from the CSB translation.
Jesus openly criticised the Pharisees long threads upon their garments. These long threads are religious symbols but the Pharisees would make them super long, impractically so, to show their great piety. They joined a long list of criticisms that Jesus accused the religious leaders of. There is a lot of symbols and cultural references in Matthew 23 but this one is quite clear and carries a very simple message – God doesn’t look at the outside but at our actions.
The idea of the servant being the greatest is one that Jesus revisits in many passages, this little split pin craft looks at how not only the servant is the greatest but often the authority is also the least. It’s based on Matthew 23:11-12 where Jesus says “The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”