Hebrews: Angels
Hebrews 1:4 – Angels
Scripture reference: “having become so much better than the angels…”
Objectives:
1. Children should know that angels are the messengers of God.
2. Children should be able to name at least the 2 archangels, Michael and Gabriel.
3. Children should be able to remember some instances where angels have appeared in the Bible.
Possible Lesson Plan:
- Open with prayer. This book was written to the Hebrews. Who are the Hebrews? Where did they live? Find Israel on the map.
- Show a picture or icon of an angel (the Annunciation will do nicely). Do you know who this is? Tell the students that angels are the messengers of God. Do they know what a messenger does? Illustrate by whispering a message to one student and have him tell another student. The second student can tell the class the message. Who was the messenger? Repeat for each student.
- Need a snack this week? How about angel food cupcakes or sugar cookies shaped like angels? OR, with the children, make marshmallow angels, with a large marshmallow for head and another for the body, clove eyes, pretzel stick arms, yellow lifesaver halo, and either pretzels or chocolate bars for wings attached with a dab of any sort of icing.
- Who is Gabriel? To whom did he take what message? (He told Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus and Zachariah to name his son John.) Reread these in the Children’s Bible Readers. Show this in the icon of the Annunciation. Who is Michael? What is his role? (He is the leader of God’s army.) Reread the story of Balaam and his donkey in the Children’s Bible. Who is Raphael? Reread his story in the book of Tobit in the Old Testament. Review: Which archangel is usually pictured with a scroll? with a sword? with a fish?
- God gave each of us a guardian angel. He watches over us and protects us, even though we cannot see him. He is with us at all times. Sing the old spiritual, "All Night, All Day"
- During Liturgy we speak of certain types of angels: seraphim and cherubim. Can you think of any such times? (e.g. Cherubic Hymn, Megalynarion) Listen closely in church next week.
- Angels and people are alike in some ways, and different in others. Fill in the blanks below with “Angels”, “People”, or “Angels and people”:
______________were created by God. ___________never die.
______________have bodies. ___________have names.
______________have spirits. ___________think and do things.
8. Most angels are good, but some sinned and were cast out of heaven. The greatest of these was Lucifer, who thought he was equal to God. He is now known as Satan and the other fallen angels are called demons.
9. Make an Guardian Angel Doorknob hanger: Cut a piece of foam 10 inches by 3 inches, with a hole for doorknob. Print the name of the child and the words “Guardian Angel.” Punch 4 holes: use top two for gold chenille halo and lower two for white chenille arms. Use 7 feathers as illustrated for body and wings. Glue on white foam or felt circle for face; it can be left blank or use wiggle eyes and red sequin for mouth. Use yarn for hair if desired.
Alternate craft idea: No foam and feathers too messy for your space? Print the 3 most famous archangels on cardstock, cut out, color, and add popsicle stick to the back. Use the newly made puppets to retell their stories.
OK, a class full of boys? Feathers and cute little angels not going to make it. How about an Archangel Michael paper bag puppet. Take a standard lunch bag, brown or white, and turn it over so the bottom of the bag will be the head of the puppet. Cut a circle for the face and glue to the bottom of the bag. Glue a yellow circle behind the bag for the halo, and glue wings behind the bag as well. Turn the bag over and add helmet, shield, and sword from aluminum foil. This is so easy, you can just cut the pieces from construction paper, or size them for your bag and use the pattern pieces:
10. Close with prayer.