Salvation Stations:  A Journey of Faith

St. John Lutheran Church

Video Station

Story: Martin Luther

Station Summary

The students will watch and discuss the DVD: The Martin Luther Story (The Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith).

Preparation

1. Review Bible Background notes.
2. Pray for the children and for your teaching of the lesson.
3. Materials List:
   • DVD player and TV (or projector)
   • DVD: Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith: The Martin Luther Story
4. Advance Preparation:
   • Refer to schedule and decide how you will make adjustments for thedifferent ages.
   • Preview the video before teaching so that you are familiar with it.
   • Since class time is limited, make sure your equipment works and have the DVD set up before class starts (see lesson for where to start the DVD).

Introduction

1. Introduce yourself to the students.
2. Briefly explain what you will be doing today and what you want them to learn.
3. Open with a prayer.
   

Presentation

Introduction & Bible Story:

 [We will be skipping the first 1½ minutes.  At the menu, choose scenes and then select the first scene--this will bypass the intro.  It will start with the title.  Have this set up before class starts.]

 Say: Our church is called St. John LUTHERAN Church. The word Lutheran comes from the name of a man called Martin Luther. He lived 500 years ago!  We will be watching a video about the life of Martin Luther.

Watch & Discuss:

• Say: At the beginning of the video, I want you to pay attention to what the people seem to think about God and what Luther thinks about God.
• Play the DVD.
• Pause the DVD at 6:57 (the screen goes dark after Luther says that Christ alone saves us.
• Ask: In the first scene, when people were dying from the plague, what did the people think about God? (it was judgment for their sins)  What did Luther talk about with the other monk?  (trying to please God but can't)  What did Luther realize after studying his Bible? (he is made right through what Jesus did, not by what he does; Christ alone saves us)
• Say:  I want to explain a few things coming up next. The church at the time talked about purgatory--a place you went to after death--where you suffered until you were good enough to go to heaven.  THAT IS NOT IN THE BIBLE--IT IS NOT TRUE. The church started selling indulgences--pieces of paper that you paid for and would let you out of purgatory early. Luther did NOT agree with this either, because it was not in the Bible.
• Resume the video.
• Pause the DVD at 1500 (the screen goes dark after Luther talks about what Jesus did on the cross.)
• Ask:  Is it because of these indulgences that you go to heaven? (no)  Is it because of the pope or the pastors that you go to heaven? (no)  Is it because you are a nice person that you go to heaven? (no)  Why do we go to heaven? ( because Jesus died on the cross for us)
• Say:  In this next part, look for several times when people say that God has a plan.
• Resume the video.
• Stop the video at 33:42 (when the credits start).
• Ask:  When did you hear people talking about God's plan?

Reflect/Closure:

Luther learned that we have salvation/go to heaven because of the faith that we have in Jesus. This faith is a gift--we cannot do anything to earn it. Our memory verse talks about that. Let's say it several times:

 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves,

it is the gift of God.--Ephesians 2:8

 Closing Prayer

Guide Information

1.  How the guide might help (this might be changed by the teacher): 
   • Dim the lights when asked before the video starts. Help keep the noise down during the video