Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done



Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done

Week 5: Remember How God Provides

This includes:

Leader Preparation

Lesson Guide

LEADER PREPARATION

BIBLE BASIS

After all the destruction of the plagues, Pharaoh finally acknowledged God’s power and agreed to let the Israelites go free. In the middle of the night in a great hurry, the Israelites packed their things and left the slavery of Egypt. It was a time of celebration—a time to worship God and thank God for fulfilling his promise to free his people. Kids have reason to celebrate, too, and thank God for his work in their lives. Use this lesson to encourage kids to talk about and remember the ways God has provided for them.

DISCOVERY POINT

Remember how God provides.

BIBLE FOCUS

Exodus 12:31-42

KEY VERSE

“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

TEACHING PREP

The short overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson.

Supplies You’ll Need: Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD, LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, paper, pencils, Bibles, 5-foot-long butcher paper, marker, “God Provides” handout, marbles, 2 bowls, and 2 chairs

Before This Lesson

• Print the “God Provides” handout. You’ll need one copy for each child.

• Use a marker to divide the 5-foot butcher paper into five foot-long sections. (Just a simple line from the top to the bottom will do.) The goal is to have five frames, like the ones in a graphic storybook or comic strip.

• Put enough marbles for one quarter of the kids in your group in one of the bowls. Place that bowl on a chair at one end of your room. Place the other bowl, which is empty, on a chair at the opposite end of your room.

• Assemble Bible Exploration Kits (one per four kids): Bible, paper, pencils or pens, four copies of the “God Provides” handout.

• Review Exodus 12:31-42.

• Cue "Into the Bible" (Track 1) on the Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD or (Quarter 8/Track 1) on the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD.

• Huddle briefly with your volunteers beforehand. Answer any questions they have. Encourage them and pray.

PARENT EMAIL

We’ve provided you with a “Family Devotion” handout to send the Bible learning and faith discovery home. When kids and parents have faith discussions regularly, kids’ faith multiplies.

So we’ve given you two options:

• Print the “Family Devotion” handout and make enough copies for each child to take one home.

• Email the “Family Devotion” to families before or after the actual lesson.

Or why not do both? That way you’ll double the opportunities for parents to actually get the handout.

Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done

Week 5: Remember How God Provides

LESSON GUIDE

WELCOME!

Supplies: Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD, LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, assembled Bible Exploration Kits

1. Play “Into the Bible” (Track 1) from the Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD or (Quarter 8/Track 1) from the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD as kids arrive.

• “Into the Bible”

Makes me wanna jump!

Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!

Makes me wanna sing! Hallelujah!

It’s the greatest book.

Come and take a look.

Makes me wanna shout!

Shout! Shout! Shout! Shout!

So that everyone will see

I’m getting into the Bible

And the Bible...is getting into me!

We’re discovering a brand-new world

As we dig a little deeper (deeper),

Finding out about who God is.

Open it up and see it (see it)!

There’s nothin’ like

God’s Word, and I get

So excited.

It makes me wanna,

Makes me,

Makes me wanna jump!

Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!

Makes me wanna sing! Hallelujah!

It’s the greatest book.

Come and take a look.

Makes me wanna shout!

Shout! Shout! Shout! Shout!

So that everyone will see

I’m getting into the Bible

And the Bible...is getting into me!

“Into the Bible” by Jay Stocker. © 2006 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

2. Have kids form Bible Crews. SAY: Today we’ll explore what it means to remember how God provides. We’re going to hear about a time God provided for his people, the Israelites. The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for a long time, but finally the Egyptians agreed to let them go after God had sent several plagues on the land. The Israelites had to pack everything they wanted to take with them and leave Egypt for good in just a few short hours. Let’s do an activity to experience what that might have been like.

When I tell you to start, draw or write down everything you’d take with you if you had to leave your home forever. Here’s the hard part: I’m going to play our countdown while you work…and you have to finish by the time the countdown is over!

Ask kids to take out the paper and pencils from their Bible Exploration Kits. Give kids a minute to think about what they’ll take, and then start the “Sketch Countdown” (Quarter 8/Countdown Track 2) on the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD and turn the volume way up.

3. When the countdown is over,

ASK:

• Shout out some things you chose to bring with you. Why did you choose those things?

• What would you do if you forgot something really important?

• How could you trust God to take care of you—to provide for you—even if you couldn’t take everything you needed?

4. SAY: The Israelites had to pack in a huge hurry. They were bound to feel scared and worried…and to leave behind things they might’ve needed. But the thing is, God took care of them. God provided everything they needed. It’s the same for us. God will take care of us. We need to remember how God provides, and celebrate how he takes care of us. In our lesson today, we’ll hear more about how God provided for the Israelites, and how they still—to this day—celebrate the way God cared for them. Let’s dig into God’s Word and discover what happened.

LET’S EXPLORE!

Supplies: assembled Bible Exploration Kits, 5-foot strip of butcher paper, empty bowl, bowl with marbles, 2 chairs

1. SAY: Sometimes when things are hard and scary, we start worrying and forget that God takes care of us. But God has promised to care for us and provide for us, even in the worst of times. Let’s read in the Bible to hear how God provided for the Israelites every single step of the way.

2. Spread out the butcher paper on a hard surface. (Tile would work great, or you can put cardboard under the paper.) Explain that each square on the paper is like a frame in a comic strip or a graphic storybook. Starting with the first “frame” of the story, either read aloud yourself or have a child read aloud Exodus 12:31-33. Then encourage kids to draw the scene with Pharaoh, Moses, and Aaron in the first frame on the butcher paper. If you have a large group, you may want to consider having each Bible Crew do a single frame or providing several pieces of butcher paper so that each Bible Crew can make its own “graphic novel” of the Bible story. After kids have drawn in the frame,

ASK:

• How did God provide for his people in this frame or scene?

Encourage kids to come up with a single sentence answer and write it as a caption under the frame. Continue in the same way through the rest of the Bible story. Have kids fill in each frame of the story according to the following breaks:

• Exodus 12:34-36

• Exodus 12:37-39

• Exodus 12:40-42

When kids have finished the frame for Exodus 12:40-42, you should still have one empty frame. Leave this frame empty for now.

3. ASK:

• Why do you or don’t you think the Israelites had trouble trusting God to care for them during each frame?

• Get with a partner and talk about a time you needed to trust God to provide for you.

4. SAY: To this very day, the Jewish people celebrate the events from this Bible passage. They call this celebration Passover. They celebrate in order to remember how God provides. As they celebrate, they thank God for the way he provided for them and how he continues to provide for them every day. Let’s complete our graphic novel by drawing a picture of the Israelites celebrating and thanking God for the way he provides. Allow time.

SAY: We also continue to celebrate Passover but in a different way. Jesus died during the Passover celebration, and he rose from the dead on the Sunday after Passover! Jesus died on Passover to show us one more way that God provides for us—God provides forgiveness and eternal life to us through his Son, Jesus!

5. Have everyone take a copy of the “God Provides” handout from the Bible Exploration Kits. Encourage kids to spend some time creating their own graphic novel to illustrate a time when God provided for them. When they have finished drawing, have kids get together with a partner and explain their graphic novels to each other.

6. Play the following game to help kids see how God provided for the Israelites as they were leaving Egypt. Divide kids into two crews: the “Israelites” and the “Egyptians.” Have the “Egyptians” gather near the bowl with the marbles, and have the “Israelites” gather at the empty bowl. Have the “Egyptians” divide into two groups according to some subtle differentiator: for example, all those with socks in one group and all those without socks in another group. Make sure the two groups are similar in size.

Tell one group of “Egyptians” to each take one jewel (a marble). These “Egyptians” should then try to pass the jewel to an “Egyptian” who doesn’t have one. Then the “Egyptians” who receive a marble should try to sneak the “jewel” to the safe hiding place—the empty bowl on the other side of the room. A teacher or older child should guard that bowl. The trick is, though, the “Israelites” will be trying to capture the “jewels.” And all they have to do is ask for them.

Tell the “Israelites” they should simply wander the room and grab an “Egyptian,” whom they’ll take to “headquarters” (a chair along the wall, where a teacher or older child will be sitting). Once at headquarters, the “Israelite” should ask the “Egyptian” for the “jewel.” If that “Egyptian” has a jewel, the “Egyptian” has to give it up and place it in the Israelites’ bowl. The trick for the “Israelites” is to find “Egyptians” who have marbles. If they pick someone without a marble, they’ll waste time. And the “Egyptians” can trick the “Israelites” and pretend to carry jewels or pass off jewels even if they don’t have one. Play for three minutes to help kids experience how the Israelites felt as they hurried to leave Egypt. If you have time, switch places.

7. ASK:

• What was it like to be the Egyptians and have to give up your jewels?

• What was it like to be an Israelite and receive the jewels?

• How did God provide for the Israelites through the Egyptians?

• What is one thing you can do this week to remember how God provides and celebrate how he’s taken care of you?

SAY: We may never have to leave our homes forever like the Israelites did, but each one of us will face difficult and scary times. During those times, it’s important to remember how God provides, and to trust that God will take care of you.

LET’S PRAISE!

Supplies: Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD, LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player

1. SAY: It must have been an incredibly joyous time as the Israelites left Egypt. They were finally free! They were no longer slaves! The Israelites were probably singing and dancing and hugging each other as they laughed and marched their way out of Egypt. Let’s imagine we’re with the Israelites as they leave Egypt. Have kids get in a line and march two-by-two around your room. If possible, march outside as well. Encourage kids to sing and wave their arms and hug one another as they march. Remind them it’s a time of true celebration!

2. Set up the Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD or the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD. PLAY:

• You Gave (John 14:19) (CD Track 4) (DVD Quarter 8/Track 4)

Lord, I want to be

Pleasing to you

In everything I do.

And I want to love you more,

More than yesterday,

More than words can say.

‘Cause you gave your life;

You lived and died for me, for me.

You paid the price;

You sacrificed for me, for me.

Now the least that I can do

Is live my life for you.

Lord, I want to be

Pleasing to you

In everything I do.

And I want to love you more,

More than yesterday,

More than words can say.

‘Cause you gave your life;

You lived and died for me, for me.

You paid the price;

You sacrificed for me, for me.

Now the least that I can do

Is live my life for you.

“You Gave” (John 14:19b) by Jay Stocker. © 2006 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

• Love Is (1 Corinthians 13:4-5) (CD Track 3) (DVD Quarter 8/Track 3)

Love is patient,

Love is kind,

It does not envy,

It does not boast,

It is not proud.

It is not rude,

It’s not self-seeking,

Not easily angered,

It keeps no record of wrongs. (No!)

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

Love is, love is…

Love is, love is…

(Repeat from the beginning.)

Love is, love is…

Love is, love is…

“Love Is” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5) by Carol Smith. © 2003 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

• All Authority (Romans 13:1) (CD Track 2) (DVD Quarter 8/Track 2)

Everyone must submit to governing authorities.

For all authority comes from God.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities.

For all authority comes from God.

God has placed people in authority for his reasons.

When we respect those in authority,

We are brave,

We are strong,

And we are honoring God.

(Repeat from the beginning.)

All authority,

All authority comes from God.

All authority,

All authority comes from God.

All authority,

All authority comes from God.

All authority,

All authority comes from God.

“All Authority” (Romans 13:1) by Jay Stocker. © 2011 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

SAY: What a great journey! The Israelites remembered to praise God and thank him for the way he provides. We also need to remember how God provides and celebrate that!

LET’S PRAY!

Supplies: Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD, CD player

1. Have kids take another look at their own graphic novels. SAY: It’s important to remember how God provides, because it will help us trust God to care for us again in the future. Take some time now to pray and thank God for the way he provided for you each step of the way in your graphic novel. As you pray, you may want to point to each frame of the graphic novel and thank God specifically for the ways he took care of you in that frame. When you come to the last frame, ask God to help you continue to trust him to provide for you in the future. Then quietly say, “Amen.”

2. As children pray, play the instrumental version of “Love Is” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5) (Track 11) from the Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD in the background.

HIGH FIVES

Supplies: none

SAY: As you leave, encourage one person in your Bible Crew to trust God this week. Remind him or her to remember how God provides, and then slap a walking high five (a high five as you’re walking) to show how the Israelites celebrated the way God took care of them during their march out of Egypt.

FOR-EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITIES

Please, Please, Please

Supplies: marbles

Briefly review how the Egyptians gave up all their gold and jewels to the Israelites. Then play a version of Mother, May I, called Please, Please, Please. Give all the kids but one a marble and have them sit in a circle. They are the “Egyptians.” The one without the marble should be in the center. That person is the “Israelite.” The “Israelite” should then approach the “Egyptians” one at a time and ask, “Please, please, please, can I have your jewel?” The “Israelite” can do whatever it takes (without touching) to make the “Egyptian” with the jewel laugh. Once the “Egyptian” laughs, he or she has to give up the jewel and trade places with the “Israelite” in the middle. If the “Egyptian” doesn’t laugh, the empty-handed “Israelite” should approach another “Egyptian” in the circle.

Hiding It in Your Heart

Supplies: saltines and another snack item like cookies and milk or cake

Help kids find the Key Verse, 2 Corinthians 9:8 and read it aloud. Pass out saltine crackers to everyone. Let kids eat the saltines and discuss how this is an OK snack—it’s food, it will fill you up, you can taste it. Let kids react to the idea of saltines as their snack. Then pass out something much, much yummier and more extravagant than you’d normally have. Maybe a birthday cake or cookies and milk. Talk about how God doesn’t just give us the bare minimum; God gives generously so we have more than enough, even enough to have left over to give others. Before you eat the extravagant snack, have everyone shout out the Key Verse, 2 Corinthians 9:8, together, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

Create a Bible Dictionary

Supplies: paper, markers, dictionary, CD player, Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD

Ask kids to create one or more pages, each with a new word, for a Bible dictionary. Have kids suggest words from today’s lesson—provide and Passover are two suggestions. Have them write each word on a sheet of paper in fun letters, add a definition, list Scripture references, and make illustrations. Play “The Books of the Bible Song” (Track 8), from the Putting God First: Remembering What God Has Done (Year 2/Quarter 8) CD while kids work. Add each page to a three-ring binder, and watch the dictionary grow!

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