Nathanael Under the Fig Tree Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “Jesus knew him all along.”
One day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. There he found a man named Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And Philip did. To follow Jesus means to go with him and learn from him.
Philip was from the town of Bethsaida. Andrew and Peter came from that town too. They were already following Jesus.
There was a man named Nathanael. He came from a town called Cana. Philip found him. He said, “We have found him! Moses and the prophets wrote about him. It is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
Long before, Moses and the prophets wrote God’s words down. They wrote that God would send a Savior. And now Philip had found him!
But Nathanael said, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Nazareth was just a small town. Maybe Nathanael thought nothing good could come from such a small town.
Philip said, “Come and see.” Can you wave your hand and say it too? “Come and see!”
So Nathanael came. Jesus saw him coming. Jesus said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” An Israelite is someone from God’s people, Israel. Jesus meant: Here is an honest man. He does not trick anyone.
Nathanael asked, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Jesus knew him all along.
A fig tree has big green leaves, like a roof. Nathanael had been under a fig tree. Jesus was not there. But Jesus saw him, even before they met! Can you make a fig tree with your arms over your head?
Nathanael said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!” Rabbi means teacher. The King of Israel is the King of God’s people. Now Nathanael believed! Jesus knew him all along.
Jesus answered, “You will see greater things than these!” Greater things means even bigger, more wonderful things. Nathanael had seen one wonder. But many more were coming!
He said, “You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Ascending means going up. Descending means coming down. The Son of Man is a name Jesus used for himself.
Those words are like an old story. Long ago, a man named Jacob had a dream. He saw a stairway that reached up to heaven. The angels of God were going up and coming down on it. Can you make your fingers climb up and down, like angels on a stairway?
Now Jesus said something like that. The angels would go up and come down on the Son of Man. And the Son of Man is Jesus himself! Nathanael’s time with Jesus was just beginning. Jesus knew him all along.
Jesus is the Son of God. He sees each one of us, wherever we are. He sees us under a fig tree. He sees us snug in bed. Jesus knew him all along.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think Nathanael felt when Jesus said, “I saw you”?
- What would you like to show a friend, saying, “Come and see”?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw a line to who said it.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“When you were under the fig tree, I saw you” — John 1:48 (under the fig tree → hands over your head like leaves; I saw you → point to your eyes, then to a friend)
Dear Jesus, thank you that you see me and know me. Thank you that I can come to you. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God sees you and knows you
Memory verse: “Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."” — John 1:48 · WEB
The Bible story
A quiet man rests under a fig tree, wondering about God, when a new friend named Philip runs up with news that changes everything!
Talk about it
- Where was Nathanael when Jesus saw him? — Under a fig tree
- What part of the land did Nathanael live in? — Galilee
- Who came running to tell Nathanael the good news? — His friend Philip
- What did Philip say he had found? — The one from the old books
- Which little town did Jesus come from? — Nazareth
- How did Nathanael feel about a small town like Nazareth at first? — A little unsure
Where is Jesus in this story?
Jesus made Nathanael an amazing promise: “You will see heaven open, and the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man” (John 1:51). Long before, Jacob had dreamed of a stairway reaching heaven with angels on it (Genesis 28:12). Jesus was saying that he himself is that stairway, the place where heaven and earth meet, so you can come close to God through him.
What God wants to tell us
Long before Nathanael met Jesus, Jesus had already seen him sitting quietly under the fig tree. This shows us something so comforting: God sees every one of us, even in our quiet, hidden moments when no one else is watching. He knows your name, your thoughts, and everything about you, and he loves you completely. You never have to feel forgotten or alone, because the God who made the whole world is always near, watching over you with kindness and delight.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you that you see me and know me, even when I am all alone. Thank you that you know my name and love me so much. Help me to come and see Jesus and to follow him with a happy, trusting heart, just like Nathanael did. Amen.
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