Hello. This Is Jesus – A Lesson Plan on Our Relationship with Jesus

About This Lesson Plan on Our Relationship with Jesus

If we had to introduce Jesus to somebody, would we be able to? How would we identify Him? This reflection asks us who we think Jesus is and challenges us to think about our relationship with Jesus.

Opening Game for Hello. This Is Jesus.

Start this lesson plan by playing Party Circle Icebreaker. (See the complete instructions.)

Follow up with a few questions:

• Who was the fastest server?
• Who dropped the most balls?
• Which worked better for your team – slow and steady or fast and furious?

It is fun to pretend you are a server and seeing who is the best. But there is no pretending in real life. We are all called to serve God.

Scripture Reading for Lesson Plan on Our Relationship with Jesus

Give the youth pencils and paper.

Imagine Jesus is standing next to you and you are introducing Jesus to a friend at school. Take a few minutes and write out an introduction of a paragraph or two. Describe Jesus and his relationship to you.

Have them spread out and give them plenty of time to do this.

Have any youth who are willing stand up and give their introduction of Jesus.

Then read this passage from the Gospel of Matthew:

Matthew 16:13-20 (Jesus asks about who people think he is) – the Gospel Reading for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Matthew 16:13-20

Discussion for the Hello. This Is Jesus. Lesson Plan

Peter did a really good job saying who Jesus is. Anyone talking to him would understand his relationship with Jesus and his confidence in it.

Now imagine your friend’s reaction to your introduction of Jesus.

• Would they be surprised?
• Would they be confused?
• Would they say, I knew that about you and Jesus?
• Would they want more information?

What does the Church tell us about who Jesus is?

Jesus is everything that God would like to tell us. The entire Old Testament prepares for the Incarnation of God’s Son. All of God’s promises find their fulfillment in Jesus. To be a Christian means to unite oneself ever more deeply with the life of Christ.

YouCat – The Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (18)

For more background information on this topic and further discussion points, see Who Is Jesus Christ?

God is infinite, and difficult for us to understand. In Jesus, God tells us who he is. That is why we want to know Jesus better. But to get to know somebody, you have to spend some time with them. This is especially important in our relationship with Jesus, because he wants us to understand how much God loves us.

Reflection Questions for the Lesson Plan on Our Relationship with Jesus

• What are your favorite ways to spend time with Jesus?
• How do these help you grow closer to Him?
• What are the most important things you would want somebody else to know about Jesus?

Challenge for the Hello. This Is Jesus. Lesson Plan

Your challenge for this week is to introduce Jesus to somebody, either by your words or actions.

Prayer for the Lesson Plan on Our Relationship with Jesus

Conclude by praying the Litany of the Names of Jesus.

Printable Copy

Litany of the Names of Jesus

A litany is a prayer which includes requests and repetition. Usually a leader says the first part of a line and everyone responds with the second part.

In this Litany of the Names of Jesus, we pray to Jesus using some of his many names.

Party Circle Icebreaker

For this game, two people introduce themselves three times, run to the opposite side of the circle and say nice to meet you three times, and then run back to the original spot. All of the handshaking or waving makes this a very silly game.

Who Is Jesus Christ?

According to our Creed, Jesus Christ is True God and True Man. He is a person in the Holy Trinity and cannot be fully understood outside of relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit.