Role Play Different Scenes that Lead to Forgiveness
There are some great lessons on forgiveness this month. On different Sundays, you might want to role play different scenes that lead to forgiveness.

Learning to forgive in light of all that is going on in the world is important. Let’s help our pupils love more for every hate, forgive for every intended or unintended hurt or put down, and let the mind of the Christ be active in our lives.

Role Play:

JACOB
Esau and Jacob as young boys, men, grown men with children
Rebekah asking Jacob to deceive Isaac
Jacob deceiving Isaac
Esau’s reaction to Isaac and Jacob
Laban telling Rachel that she has to let Jacob marry Leah
Leah and Rachel talking to each other about the wedding [Did Rachel ever forgive Laban or Leah?]
Jacob talking to God about his fears of seeing Esau again
Jacob’s conversation with Esau when they meet for the first time in 21 years

JONAH
Jonah’s conversation with the men on the deck of the boat
Jonah’s prayer in the belly of the great fish
Jonah's and God’s conversation after getting out of the great fish

ZACCHAEUS
The conversation between Jesus and Zacchaeus

STEPHEN
Stephen talking to the crowds before and during the stoning

Create a Forgiving Tree For Your Class
In order to help SS pupils realize the importance of forgiveness, have them list on a leaf who they forgive, why, what they have learned, and the date.  See how many leaves they can add to the tree in a year’s time.

Joseph's Coat

Print/ Download Questions -- Joseph's Coat

Age:
Young children

This is a fun activity to complement the adventures and trials of Joseph. Before you begin this project, be sure you spend ample time reading and discussing the story of Joseph. As you talk about the story, emphasize and ask questions about the qualities that Joseph expressed; for example, the qualities of trust and forgiveness. Joseph expressed trust when he was put in the pit. He trusted God and knew that God was going to take care of him, no matter how deep and dark the pit seemed; and Joseph definitely expressed forgiveness and love towards his brothers, even after they tried to hurt him. This is a fun activity for children to learn to recognize how we reflect and express God's qualities.

Materials:

• A picture or cutout of a 6-8 inch biblical man. (This can be found in many
  Christian activity workbooks at Christian bookstores.)
• Colored glitter glue sticks or magic markers. (Colored glitter glue gives a wonderful texture and shimmer, but plain markers will work.)
• Construction paper

Preparations

1. Cut out a Joseph (biblical man) for each child.
2. Cut out a coat that will fit on top of Joseph.

Directions

1. Glue Joseph on a piece of colored construction paper and have the children color Joseph. (Put Joseph on the left hand side of the paper so there is room to write next to Joseph.)
2. Glue Joseph's coat on top of Joseph.
3. Decorate the coat by having the children draw stripes of 5 different colors on the coat. Each color will represent a quality Joseph expressed. As a group, decide what quality will be assigned to each color. For example, red might be for trust, blue might be for forgiveness, etc.
4. As the children are decorating their coats, ask each child to share how he/she expressed one of Joseph's qualities. (Maybe a child expressed forgiveness when a brother took one of his toys.) They may need a little help in this part, but it is important for the children to see that they express the same God-like qualities as Joseph did.
5. Next to Joseph, make a key to the colors and qualities. For example, put a red stripe and then write the word trust next to it.
   By the end, you will not only have a coat of many colors but you will also have a coat of wonderful God-like qualities that we all can wear.

Submitted by Sally S. Johnston Charlottesville, VA

Review the Stories of Joseph (Gen 37-50 ) and the Prodigal Son ( Luke 15:11-32) with the Theme of Forgiveness

• Name different characters in the Bible who needed forgiveness.
  • What did they do that they needed to be forgiven?
  • Think of Joseph’s brothers?
  • When is a prank an act of terrorism?
  • What about the Prodigal son?
    • Why did he want forgiveness?
  • Did Jesus’ disciples need to be forgiven?
• Name different characters in the Bible who were forgiving.
  • Did Joseph forgive Potiphar’s wife?
  • Did Joseph forgive the Butler for leaving him in prison?
  • Did Joseph forgive his brothers?
    • What did he say to them?
  • Did Jacob forgive his sons for what they did to Joseph and himself?
  • Why did the father forgive his son who took his inheritance and spent it all in a far off land?
  • Did the brother forgive his wayward brother? Why or why not?
  • Who else in the Bible was forgiving?
  • Do you know how to forgive?
    • Who have you forgiven?
    • Why?

Questions About the Importance of Forgiveness (Matt 18:21-22)

• Who asks Jesus how many times do we have to forgive someone?
• What was Jesus’ response? (70x7)
• So can we get upset and not forgive after 490 times? (No, because when two “7’s” are used together in the Bible, it means infinity. We have to forgive forever.)
• What is the parable that follows this demand? (Matt 18:23-35)
• Who was forgiven?
• Why didn’t he forgive?
• Do you sometimes get forgiven by your parents and forget to forgive your friends or siblings?