The Unmerciful Servant



August 13, 2017

Bible Story Focus: God made the water and sky and they are wonderful.

Water and Sky • Genesis 1:6-10, 14-19

Memory Verse: “You have done great and wonderful things.” 2 Samuel 7:23, NIRV

Key Question: Who made everything wonderful?

Bottom Line: God made everything wonderful.

Basic Truth: God made me.

SOCIAL: Providing Time for Fun Interaction

(Choose one or both activities)

1. Cloud Racing

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

2. Ice Cube Racing

Made to Play: An activity that encourages preschoolers to follow guidelines while having fun and learning new concepts

Story: Communicating God’s Truth in Engaging Ways

Engage kids’ hearts through a dynamic and interactive Bible story and prayer experience in a Large Group setting.

1. Bible Story

GROUPS: Creating a Safe Place to Connect

(Choose as many of these activities as you like)

1. Pass the Sun

Hear from God | Memory Verse Review

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

2. Act It Out

Live for God | Application Activity

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

3. Journal and Prayer

Pray to God | Prayer Activity

Made to Reflect: An activity that encourages personal application and prayer

August 13, 2017

Bible Story Focus: God made the water and sky and they are wonderful.

Water and Sky • Genesis 1:6-10, 14-19

Memory Verse: “You have done great and wonderful things.” 2 Samuel 7:23, NIRV

Key Question: Who made everything wonderful?

Bottom Line: God made everything wonderful.

Basic Truth: God made me.

Social: Providing Time for Fun Interaction (Small Groups, 15 minutes)

Activities that encourage preschoolers to enter the classroom and begin engaging with peers and Small Group Leaders by providing age appropriate and hands on fun while introducing new concepts they will hear in the day’s Bible story.

Prepare to offer one or more of the following activities as Your 3-, 4-, or 5-year-olds arrive. Let one or two teachers lead activities in different areas of the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door.

1. Cloud Racing

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

What You Need: Plastic spoons, cotton balls, and floor tape

What You Do:

Before the Activity: Using the tape, place a start and a finish line about 15 feet apart on the floor in the activity area.

During the Activity: Have the children stand in a single file line. Give a spoon to the first child in line. Place a cotton ball on the spoon and challenge the child to walk to the finish line while holding the spoon. Then ask the child to walk back to the start line. The child will then give the spoon and cotton ball to the next child in line. The second child will repeat the activity. If the cotton ball should fall as the child is walking, allow the child to pick it up, place it back on the spoon, and resume walking. Repeat until each child has had a turn.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “Let’s have a fun relay!”

During the Activity: (Line up the children.) “You will hold the spoon with the cotton ball and walk to this line (demonstrate) and then back to your friends. Be careful not to drop the cotton ball! When you are done, give the spoon and cotton ball to next person in line so they can have a turn. Are you ready?” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “WOW! Great job! The cotton balls look a lot like clouds! Today we are going to talk about who made the clouds. Are you ready to hear a TRUE story from the Bible?”

2. Ice Cube Racing

Made to Play: An activity that encourages preschoolers to follow guidelines while having fun and learning new concepts

What You Need: Ice cube trays, small pom-poms in different colors, water, gallon-sized zip-top bags, plastic tablecloths, a small cooler, towels, and a plastic bin

(NOTE: You will need to freeze the pom-poms in water in the ice cube trays BEFORE Sunday morning. Instructions are below!)

What You Do:

Before the Activity: Place one pom-pom in each spot of your ice cube tray, cover with water, and freeze. You will need enough ice cubes for each child to have one. When frozen, place the prepared ice cubes in the zip-top bags and then into the cooler. Cover the tables with the tablecloths.

During the Activity: Show the children the bag full of ice cubes and explain that you will have an ice cube race today! Pass out ice cubes to three children (leaving the rest in the cooler so they don’t melt) and have them line up on one end of the table. Instruct them to place their ice cubes on the table in a row side-by-side and when you say “go” to push them across the length of the table. Be prepared to catch them at the other end and place them in the empty plastic bin. Continue with three more children, letting them race in heats until each child has had a turn. If the cubes have not melted, you can repeat as long as time and interest allow.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “Have you ever seen an ice cube race? (Pause.) Well, we’re going to have one today! I have an ice cube with a colored pom-pom inside for each of you. I’ll choose three of you to race at a time. You’ll race by placing your ice cube on the table and then pushing it when I say “go!” Remember, just push it and then let it go to see which color wins!” (Select three children and allow them to select an ice cube from the cooler.)

During the Activity: “Okay, let’s race! Put your ice cubes on the table. (Pause.) On your mark, get set, GO!” (Repeat with children in heats of three until everyone has had a turn.)

After the Activity: “Wow, ice cube racing is FUN! What were these pom-poms frozen in? (Pause.) Yes! Water. Isn’t it awesome that you can freeze water like that? Wow, water is super cool! We’ll hear all about water and who gave it to us in our Bible story today!”

Story: Communicating God’s Truth in Engaging Ways

Engage kids’ hearts through a dynamic and interactive Bible story and prayer experience in a Large Group setting.

Bible Story

What You Need: Bible; sun, moon, and star Mylar balloons; helium; ribbon; 3 balloon weights; and 3 boxes with the bottom cut out

(NOTE: You will use the boxes to cover the balloons onstage until you’re ready to lift the boxes off and reveal the balloons during the story. If you are unable to find sun or moon balloons, simply order solid gray or silver balloons for the moon and orange for the sun.)

STORYTELLER: “Hey, friends! Raise your hand if you’re happy to be at church today. (Pause.) Me too! This is my favorite day of the week. Did you bring your binoculars today? (Pause.) Remember, we’re going on a hunt for things that make us say . . . MARSHMALLOW!

“No! Just kidding! Okay, for real this time, we are going on a hunt for things that make us say ‘WOW!’ That’s the word! We’re looking for those WONDERful things that God has made. So, put your binoculars up, and let’s go! (Make binoculars with your hands.)

(Open your Bible to Genesis 1.) “You can read all about these WONDERful things God made in our Bible. And remember, everything we read in the Bible is TRUE! Did you know that in the beginning of the world, there was just God? (Pause.) Yep. The whole earth was water. God said, ‘Let’s separate the water. We’ll have some water down here (point to the floor) and then I’ll create the SKY!’

“Can you imagine being able to just speak and a SKY is made? Only God can do that! Then God put all the water in one place and called it ‘sea.’ And then dry ground appeared and he called it ‘land.’ And just like that, there was land, sky, and sea!

“But God wasn’t done! Then he said, ‘Let there be light in the sky.’ So, He created the . . . what’s the big light in the sky that keeps us warm?”

CHILDREN: “The sun!”

(Lift the box off to reveal the sun balloon.)

STORYTELLER: “Yes! God made the sun to be the light in the day and then He created the . . .

(Lift the box off to reveal the moon balloon.)

“. . . moon to be the light in the night! And He filled the sky with . . .

(Lift the box off to reveal the star balloon.)

“. . . stars! So many beautiful stars—more than we could ever count!

(Walk back over to stand next to the sun balloon.) “Did you know that the sun is actually a star? (Pause.) It’s true! And without the sun, we wouldn’t have light or heat, and we wouldn’t have seasons. Oh, let’s play a game to see if you can name the four seasons. Are you ready?

“Here’s the first one. It’s cold and sometimes it’s snowy. We like to drink hot chocolate and go sledding and we have to wear a warm coat. BRRR! What season is it?”

CHILDREN: “Winter!”

STORYTELLER: “Yes! Okay, next one. This season is warmer than winter, and it’s sometimes rainy. The flowers bloom, the trees become green again, and it’s also when some of you play T-ball. What season is it?”

CHILDREN: “Spring!”

STORYTELLER: “Yes! Spring! Okay, ready for another one? This is the warmest season, where you can go swimming and wear shorts and eat popsicles. It’s the season we’re in RIGHT now. What is it?”

CHILDREN: “Summer!”

STORYTELLER: “Boy, are you smart! Yes, summer! Okay, this one will be easy since it’s the last one. During this season, the leaves turn colors, it gets cooler outside, and we like to go to pumpkin patches. What season is it?”

CHILDREN: “Fall!”

STORYTELLER: “Yes! It’s fall! Great job, everyone. We wouldn’t have any of those seasons without the sun. And I don’t know about you, but all of that makes me want to say . . . say it with me . . . WOW!

“God created a wonderful world for us! It’s a world with land, sky, sea, and with day and night, and the sun, moon, and stars! WOW! God made everything wonderful—it’s true! Tell me: Who made everything wonderful?”

CHILDREN: [Bottom Line] “God made everything wonderful!”

STORYTELLER: “It’s true! He made wonderful water and an amazing sky. God made them perfectly WONDERful! Let’s pray.”

Prayer

STORYTELLER: “Dear God, thank You for the WONDERful world You’ve made for us to enjoy. Thank You for the warm sun and sky full of clouds during the day and the moon and more stars than we could ever count at night. We want to tell You that it’s awesome and so are You! We love You, God. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”

(Dismiss children and leaders to their groups.)

Groups: Creating a Safe Place to Connect (Small Groups, 25 minutes)

Create a safe place to connect through activities that are written to reach every learning style while reinforcing the bottom line that was introduced during the Bible Story and applying it to real life experiences. In addition, these activities provide preschoolers with an opportunity to build relationships with their Small Group Leader.

Offer as many of the following activities as your time, facilities, resources, and leadership allow. You may want to lead one activity at a time. Or offer two activities at once and allow half the kids to participate in each. Then switch groups and repeat the activities.

1. Pass the Sun

Hear from God | Memory Verse Review

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

What You Need: A yellow beach ball or beanbag

What You Do:

During the Activity: Hold up your beach ball or beanbag and explain to the children that it looks like the sun. Gather the children in a circle in an open area of the room. Encourage them to pass the ball/beanbag as you repeat this month’s memory verse together.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “Our memory verse this month says: You have done great and wonderful things, 2 Samuel 7:23. Let’s pass the sun as we say our verse together!” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “WOW! God does make wonderful things, like water and sky! Who made everything wonderful? [Bottom Line] God made everything wonderful!”

2. Act It Out

Live for God | Application Activity

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

What You Need: No supplies needed

What You Do:

Before the Activity: Ask the children to stand in front of you.

During the Activity: Invite the children to act out the elements of today’s Bible story with the movements below. Repeat as desired.

Sun: pretend to put on sunglasses

Moon: hold arms above head in a circle

Stars: move fingers in and out in a twinkling fashion

Sea: move body back and forth in a wave

Winter: hug self tightly and say, “Brrr!”

Spring: pretend to smell flowers

Summer: make swimming motions with arms

Fall: move hands and fingers down like falling leaves

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “God made wonderful things! He made the sea and the sky! He made the sun, moon, and stars! He made the seasons!”

During the Activity: “Everyone watch me and we can act out the things that God made!” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “Nice job! It is so much fun to learn about the things that God made, like the water and sky! WOW! God made wonderful things! Who made everything wonderful? [Bottom Line] God made everything wonderful.”

3. Journal and Prayer

Pray to God | Prayer Activity

Made to Reflect: An activity that encourages personal application and prayer

What You Need: “Memory Verse Card” paper clipped in your Bible at 2 Samuel 7:23, journal, fun-shaped pen, bottle of water, and a small paper cup for each child

SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): “I need my WONDERFUL small group to come sit with me. How are all of my WONDERFUL friends doing? I’m happy to see wonderful [child’s name] and happy to see wonderful [child’s name] and . . . (repeat with each child’s name as you tap their heads). Your WONDERFUL faces just make me happy! And who made your WONDERFUL faces? (Pause.) God did! That’s right! God made you! Who made you?”

CHILDREN and SGL: [Basic Truth] “God made me!”

SGL: “God made something else WONDERFUL that we learned about in our Bible story today. What did God make in our Bible story today? (Pause for response as you hold up the water bottle.) Yes! God made the sky and water and they are WONDERFUL! I have a cup for each of you. I’m going to pour a little water for you to drink. Mmm, mmm, water is good to drink! I’m so glad God made it! Tell God thank you for making water after you drink it.

(Give the children time to drink their water and encourage them to say, “Thank You, God, for making water!”)

“Give me your cup when you finish drinking your water and then we can practice saying our new Bible verse. (Open the Bible to the verse.) It says right here in the Bible: You have done great and wonderful things, 2 Samuel 7:23. Stand up with me and let’s say the verse and do the motions. Just say what I say and do what I do!”

(Lay Bible down.)

CHILDREN and SGL: “You have done (point both hands up) great (left arm jazz hand) and wonderful (right arm up jazz hand) things (clap), 2 Samuel 7:23 (hold hands open like a book).” (Repeat several times.)

SGL: “That was so good! High fives for everyone! (Give a high five to each child.) It’s time to sit down. One, two, three, come sit with me! We’re going to write in our journal and pray.

(Hold journal and fun-shaped pen.)

“Today we’re going to make a list of some of our favorite kinds of water OR favorite kinds of sky. Maybe you like ocean water, or drinking water, or frozen water, which is SNOW! Maybe you like a sunny sky, or lots of fluffy clouds in the sky, or a gray-about-to-rain kind of sky. Whatever your favorite water or sky is, when I say your name, tell me what it is and I’ll write it in our journal. When we pray we can use our list to thank God for making so many great and WONDERFUL things!

(Write each child’s name and what they say beside their name. Remember to print the words they say so the children can recognize their names and the letters.)

“This is a WONDERFUL list, because it has so many WONDERFUL things on it! Let’s close our eyes and put our hands together so we can pray. Would anyone like to pray before I pray?”

(Give each child who wants to pray the opportunity to do so.)

Prayer

SGL: “Dear God, thank You for making the sky and water. They are both great and WONDERFUL things! My friends (name each child) and I want to thank you for making (read the list the children made). Help each child here today grow up to think about how WONDERFUL You are every time they look at the world around them. We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

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