BIBLE LESSONS FOR KIDS – THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES

Here is a FREE Bible lesson for kids on the vine and the branches, based on John 15:1-5.

It includes a fun game to help drive home the point.

Enjoy!

-Nick Diliberto, Ministry to Youth

Looking for kid’s ministry curriculum?

ONE YEAR CHILDREN’S MINISTRY CURRICULUM, VOL 1 – Save 72% on one year of children’s ministry curriculum for 1st-5th grade helping kids fall in love with Jesus and discover what it means to follow him!

BIBLE LESSON FOR KIDS – THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES

Bible:  John 15:1-5

Bottom Line:  If we want to live a life pleasing to God and serve Him effectively, we need to stay connected to Jesus, following Him closely.

OPENING GAME

SUPPLIES

• Two marbles, preferably a solid colored purple or green one to resemble a grape
• Floor space

GAME PREP

Clear the center of the room, so players have enough room to form two circles.

Divide kids into two groups and have them sit in circles on the floor.

Give a marble to one student from each team.

GAME PLAY

Say:  These marbles are grapes, and we are going to take our grapes on a little journey through the grapevine.

You are the branches of our grapevine.

Since a vine is connected, you are going to have to hold hands.

Everybody—except for the person holding the marble—grab the hand of the person next to you.

You are one end of the vine.

The player to your left is the other end.

Just hold hands with the person on your right and hold your “grape” above your head with your free hand.

When I say, “Go,” use your free hand to put the “grape” into the clasped hands of the teammates to the right.

Your teammate will pass the “grape” to the next teammate without letting go of your hand or the next player’s hand.

Keep the “grape” moving from person to person until it reaches the other end of the vine.

If anyone lets go of a teammate’s hand, the “grape” has to come back to you, and you start all over.

The first team to get the “grape” to the other end of the “grapevine” is the winner.

TEACH

Say:  Staying connected while passing your “grape” wasn’t exactly easy, but you did it.

Keeping a good connection is important.

We work hard to stay connected to our friends, right?

We spend time with them.

We do the same thing with our families.

It is important to stay connected to the people you have relationships with, so those relationships stay strong and healthy.

Our most important relationship should be our relationship with God.

Jesus gave a parable in the Book of John that illustrates the importance and the benefits of staying connected to God.

Read John 15:1-5.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine neither can you, unless you abide in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches.  Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus describes Himself as the vine, us as the branches, and God as the vinedresser.

You’ve probably seen a grapevine or at least a picture of one, so I’m sure you know what a vine looks like.

It is long and winding, and it has branches full of sweet, delicious grapes.

But, do you know what a vinedresser is?

The vinedresser is the person who takes care of the grapevine.

I guess you could say he’s like the grapevine’s farmer.

Farmers are a little different, though.

They plant their crops every spring and harvest in the fall, only to start over again the next year.

Vinedressers take care of the same vines year after year.

Vinedressers have a relationship with their vine and its branches.

We see some of the things the vinedresser does for his vine in the passage we just read.

Any branch that doesn’t bear fruit has to be cut away, or it will affect the rest of the vine.

Did you know that the Bible says we will know others by their fruit?

If you are a believer, there will be some fruit in your life—some things you do that prove you belong to God.

If there is no fruit, then there was probably no relationship in the first place.

The vinedresser doesn’t just cut away the dead branches.

He also prunes the ones that are bearing fruit so that they will bear even more fruit.

God has to prune us sometimes, too.

There are things in our lives that need to go so we can be better Christians.

God wants the best for us, so He reveals those things to us and removes them.

Just as the branches can’t grow fruit unless they are connected to the vine, we can’t do anything useful unless we are following closely after Jesus.

He is the key to our relationship with God.

End Lesson

Looking for kid’s ministry curriculum?

ONE YEAR CHILDREN’S MINISTRY CURRICULUM, VOL 1 – Save 72% on one year of children’s ministry curriculum for 1st-5th grade helping kids fall in love with Jesus and discover what it means to follow him!