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The Brass Serpent Numbers 21:4-9Nov. 8, 2015 The kids will understand:The account of Moses, the Israelites’ sin, and the brass serpent. That God provided a way to heal His people when they looked at the brass snake in faith. That God wants us to look in faith to Jesus as our only way to be saved from sin and death. Craft Supplies:jumbo craft sticks craft stick thick white craft glue, tacky glue markersBeforehand, make a sample cross for the kids to use as a model. It’s a fairly simple cross that you’ve probably made at some time. Place a horizontal craft stick a little less than half way down the vertical jumbo craft stick. Then, use some thick white craft glue (tacky glue is best) to keep it in position. You’ll want to do this craft at the very beginning so the glue has time to dry somewhat. The kids will use their crosses during the Message. Provide one jumbo and one standard size craft stick to each kid. The kids will color and decorate their sticks using markers and anything else you’d like to supply them. Distribute the glue bottles so the kids can make a cross, similar to the sample one. Once they are done, set the crosses aside to dry.Discuss: Where have you seen a cross of some type?What do you think it represents? Does the cross mean anything to you? Why would someone ever want to lift a cross up in the air? Parker Woods SkitSupplies:rubber snakeleaveslong stickParker Woods is a character who will be carried through the quarter, so you’ll need the same actor playing him any time he appears (if you choose to open your lessons this way). The skits have an outdoors setting where Parker battles the elements while introducing and/or demonstrating the park element in some way. Parker should be dressed in outdoor gear to the hilt with plenty of camping supplies around him. He is well meaning and serious in wanting to “show the kids the ropes” about safe and enjoyable camping in the park, but he often runs into some kind of humorous difficulty. Place a rubber snake under a pile of leaves and then put a long stick on the ground near the leaves. Parker is checking under rocks and brush for his keys that he’s lost. He’s scared silly when he kicks some leaves and sees the rubber snake. Parker: Now, where are those keys? I sure don’t want to lose those or I can’t drive home tomorrow from the park! Oh, please God, help me find those keys that fell out of my backpack! (kicks the pile of leaves, screams, and jumps backwards) AHHHHHH, a snake! It could’ve bit me! (stands and shivers, heart pounding, and creeped out) That’s creepy … yuck! I wonder if it’s poisonous. (carefully takes a stick, pokes and probes at the snake, then realizes it’s rubber) (looks at the audience) Ohhhhhh yeah, I get it. Scare Parker to pieces and have a little fun. Thank you! I suppose you have my keys, too? (takes keys from a helper closeby) Yeah, I thought so! (talks to kids) Well kids, they did the old “gotcha” on Parker good this time! Let me tell you, though, messin’ with snakes is no game, especially here in Agape National Park! There are several species of snakes here. Some are poisonous and some are harmless! (picks up the rubber snake and dangles it for kids to see) My expert outdoorsman knowledge tells me that this one is harmless! (laughs) Yeah, it’s not easy to spook Parker in the Park! Remember, Parker’s tip for today—Don’t handle snakes unless you’re with an adult and you know for sure what kind of snake it is! Second tip for today (laughs and slaps his knee)—Don’t let your friends know where you hide your keys! This reminds me of a Bible story about some snakes … lots of ‘em! Come to think of it, that’s our Bible story for today! A bunch of poisonous snakes came out and bit the Israelites. God had a very unusual way to save them. You’ve got to hear this! Object Lesson Supplies: card stock large jar Gummi snakesmarker latex gloves (optional)Wear gloves to stay sanitary if you will use the snakes as a treat following the object lesson. Prior to class, place as many Gummi snakes as you can in the jar. Count the snakes as you fill the jar so you have an exact count. Write that number on a piece of cardstock in large numbers “_____ snakes!”Hold up the jar. I would guess that a lot of you have had these before, right? These are Gummi snakes candy. I’m going to give you a little problem to solve. I want you to guess how many snakes are in the jar I’m holding. You’ve got 15 seconds to make your guess. When time expires, the kids will share their guesses. Those were good guesses. Now, let’s do it again a little differently this time. You have 15 more seconds to make another guess. After about 10 seconds, quietly lift the answer card high in the air for all to see. Act cool as if nothing is different. Okay, now who has the answer? Wow, that’s really good. How did you know? Ohhhh yeah, I lifted the answer high up in the air so everyone could see it. Did any of you miss it? It was all there for you to see. All you had to do was look up and trust me that I had the correct answer! (put the gloves on) Let’s count these snakes and see how many there are. (count and place the snakes on the plate) In today’s Bible account we’re going to learn about something else that was lifted up high in the air. Now … what should we do with these snakes? Option: hand the snakes out to the kids as a little treat. Bible Account Supplies:polerubber snakes—a bunchYou will need a storyteller to expressively read the story and someone who will act out different scenes as it is told.Storyteller:The Israelites continued their journey to Canaan, the Promised Land. Actor:(He walks on his journey … and keeps walking.)Storyteller:They had to go around the country of Edom. This was the long way, but the Edomites refused to let Israel travel across their land! This was the hottest time of the year and the sand burned their feet! Actor:(Character hops up and down, make noises, eeeew, that’s hot, ouchy!) Storyteller:The Israelites began to whisper …Actor:(makes whispering motions) Storyteller:… to one another and complain against Moses and God for taking them out of Egypt! They were thirsty. Actor:(tongue hanging out)Storyteller:They had no water and they were sick of eating the manna that God miraculously supplied for food! They told Moses they hated it! Actor:(point thumbs down)Storyteller:God was tired of their rebellion and complaints. He sent poisonous, fiery snakes into the Israelites’ camp. Actor:(walks over to a pile of rubber snakes. Storyteller:The snakes bit many of the people in the camp. The Israelites who were bitten died! Actor:(Act as if bitten by a snake. Stagger and struggle to the ground.)Storyteller:The people knew that God was punishing them for rebelling and complaining against God and Moses. The people ran to Moses, bowed down and said they were sorry! Actor:(kneels down in front of the storyteller )Storyteller:They told Moses to ask God to get rid of the snakes! Moses prayed for the people. God did not get rid of the snakes, but He told Moses to do something very strange. He told him to make a brass snake and put it on a pole. He told Moses to tell the people that whenever someone was bitten they could look at the snake on the pole and be healed. Moses did what God said. He placed the pole in the middle of the Israelite camp. Actor:(points to snake on the pole)Storyteller:Whenever someone was bitten by a poisonous snake … Actor:(Act like snake bites him and he begins to get a little wobbly.) Storyteller:… they simply looked at the snake on the pole and they were healed of the bite! Actor:(looks at pole, raises up straight, and dances away)The Israelites were busy thinking about themselves and failing to follow God. God punished them in a unique way, but also provided a way … just as unique … for them to be rescued. Game Supplies: several colors of copy paperpencils with erasers masking tapesnake page at end of lessonPrior to class make copies of the snake page at the end of the lesson. You will need 12 snakes for each team and the teams should each have a different color snake. Cut the snakes on the dotted lines, quartering the page. Then, make 12 RED snakes that will not be for any team. These are the poisonous snakes.Place a masking tape line across one end of the room. Put all the snakes (mixed up) on the floor midway between the starting line and the line on the other side of the room. They should not be on top of one another but very, very close together. There should also be a supply of pencils on the floor by the pile. No one wants a bunch of poisonous snakes slithering around, do they? The fiery red snakes on the floor are poisonous. Your job is to get the harmless snakes behind the masking tape line across the room but you have to stay away from the fiery red ones! They can bite! You will each have a rod (pencil – note the eraser end works the best to grip and move the snake) to help you move the snakes out of the pile by scooting them on the floor. Divide the class into teams and line the teams up behind the line. At the signal, the first player from each team runs to the snake pile, picks up a pencil and carefully removes one of their team’s snakes (depending on their team’s color) from the pile WITHOUT touching a red snake. They can only touch the snakes with the eraser of the pencil. If a red snake is touched, the player must leave their pencil there, return to their team’s starting line and begin again. Each player will scoot their snake on the floor with the eraser until it crosses the masking tape. Once a snake is across the line, the player leaves the pencil there with the snake and returns to their team. (You do not want the kids to be running with the pencils.) Questions and Answers Who did the Israelites blame for being in the difficult circumstances? (God, Moses)What food were the Israelites tired of? (manna that God sent)What did God send into their camp because of their complaining and rebellion? (snakes)Were the snakes harmless? (No, they were poisonous. They bit people and they died.)What did the people do when the Israelites started dying from the snake bites? (They told Moses they were sorry and asked Moses to pray for them. They wanted Moses to ask God to take the snakes away.)Did God remove the snakes? (no)What did God tell Moses to do? (make a brass snake/serpent and put it on a pole)What were the people supposed to do when they were bit by the snakes?(look up at the snake on the pole)What happened when they looked up at the snake on the pole?(They would be healed of the bite.)True or False. God doesn’t mind when we complain about Him or His leaders. (False. God is very displeased when people complain and rebel!)Puppets Supplies:2 generic puppets 2 lunch bagsThese puppets are used in several lessons throughout the quarter. If you can, make or locate 2 small hats that look like ranger hats and 2 badges. (The 2 puppets are facing away from one another with their lunch bags. They don’t realize the other is there.)Ranger: (holding a lunch bag) Well, I’m ready to eat lunch.Trainee:(looking inside his bag, in low unrecognizable murmur) Oh no, not again, bologna! Ranger:What’s that trainee? Is something wrong? Trainee: (looks up and speaks more clearly, surprised to see ranger) Oh, uh … I didn’t know you were here. Ranger:Really? I always eat at this picnic shelter. Trainee:Oh yeah, I guess you do. I usually eat earlier in the day and don’t see you. Ranger:That’s true. Now what were you saying? I could hardly hear you! It sounded maybe like you were grumbling or complaining about something. Trainee:(feeling kind of embarrassed) Well, yeah, I was. This is the third day in a row my mom has packed me a bologna sandwich. I’m so tired of it. She knows my favorite sandwich is peanut butter and jelly! Bologna, bologna, bologna! I don’t know why I even let her pack my lunch anymore! Ranger:Now hold on right there, trainee. First of all, you need to be thankful that your mom offers to pack your lunch for you and that you have food to eat! Sometimes, we can’t always have our most favorite foods. God doesn’t want us to murmur and complain. In Philippians 2:14 it says to do all things WITHOUT grumbling and complaining! Trainee:(looks down) I feel really bad. You’re right. I should be thankful that I have something to eat and for my mom helping me. Ranger:Yes, it’s a lot like the story about the Israelites complaining to Moses about the manna that God provided for them to eat. Trainee:Can we stop talking now, ranger? Ranger:Why yes, we can. Why?Trainee:I’m ready to pray over my food. Suddenly, this sandwich looks … well, it looks really good to me! Ranger: (chuckles) Just pray already, so we can dig in. Message SuppliesPowerPoint slides crosses made at craft timesnake pattern at end of lessonred copy papermarker Prior to class, make 2 copies on RED paper of the snake page at the end of the lesson so that you now have 8 snakes. Write each of the following words on a different red snake.CovetStealLieDisobeySelfishPrideLanguageComplainPlace the snakes in a pile, words down, on the table. The kids will hold their crosses that they made at the beginning of the lesson in their lap. At different times, a slide will show up that is the cue for the kids to raise their crosses in the air and shout, “Look up to Jesus and live!” (show slide #2) Watch out for the snakes! The Israelites had to watch for poisonous snakes that would bite them. Did you know that we do too? Spiritual snakes, though! We have an enemy who wants to trick us and poison us. The snake’s name is Satan or the devil. In the Bible in Genesis 3:3 it says, “The snake (devil) was sneakier than any of the other wild animals that the Lord God had made.” The devil doesn’t just slither out where you can see him … so you can run or step on him easily. No! He’s sneaky and devious. He slithers around and hides under all kinds of disguises. In the Garden of Eden he tempted and tricked Eve into sinning against God! Genesis 3:13 says, “The Lord God then asked the woman, ‘What have you done?’ ‘The snake tricked me,’ she answered. ’And I ate some of that fruit.’”Satan tricks us, too, but we have help. God has a plan just like He had a plan with the snake on the pole when the Israelites were bitten! (show slide #3) Look up to Jesus and live!The kids will raise their crosses and shout, “Look up to Jesus and live!”What kinds of things does Satan, the snake, want to bite us with? Pull out one of the red paper snakes you’ve written on and turn the words around so the kids can see. Briefly name each sin or temptation and discuss it. When applicable, parallel it to the Israelite’s sin. Covet: to be obsessed with what others have—to want it so badly, you’re not happy with what you do have! Steal: to take what isn’t yoursLie: to tell what’s not trueDisobey: to refuse to do what authorities—parents, leaders or God—says Selfish: self-centered with resources (time, possessions) Pride: arrogance, self-righteous, can do it better than everyone—don’t need anyone else’s assistance or advice Language: cussing, swearing, hurtful, unkind words Complain: to be unthankful and ungrateful, blaming others These are just a few examples of what Satan wants to influence and use to trick us. But, we have help! The kids should raise their crosses and shout again, “Look up to Jesus and live!” When we’re tempted, we can look up to Jesus for courage, wisdom, and discernment to stay strong and win against the temptation. We can look up to Jesus for forgiveness when we do fall to temptation and sin. Jesus is always faithful to forgive us!The kids will raise their crosses and shout again, “Look up to Jesus and live!” (show slide #4) Lift up Jesus for others to see! Look up and read John 3:14, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,?that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”When Jesus spoke these words to His disciples He was prophesying or telling them the way He was going to die on the cross. He compared His crucifixion and being lifted up to hang on the cross as God’s plan of rescue for the Israelites when they were bitten by the snakes. By dying on the cross, Jesus can offer eternal life to all who look to Him in faith. Look up and read John 12:32, “And I, when I am lifted up?from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”There is another way to look at lifting Jesus up besides His crucifixion. The root meaning of the phrase “lift up” actually means to exalt. That word, “exalt”, means to give someone a high rank or great importance. That person is important and held in high priority. How do we show people that Jesus is important, that we should give Him priority, that He should be held in high regard? Is it just by getting in their faces and telling them that or preaching at them? Is it by telling them that we look to Jesus and they should to? We show them that we lift Jesus up and exalt Him by the choices we make, by our actions, and by our words. When people observe us, when they watch us, they see that we look to Jesus for help and direction … not to the world! We don’t look to what the TV says or what books other than the Bible say is truth. The people around us will be attracted to our way of life. When we do that, Jesus and the Holy Spirit will speak to our hearts. (show slide #5) Look up to Jesus and live! Activity Supplies:Tater Tale PowerPoint – “Spud Gets New Eyes”Show the Tater Tale PowerPoint slides called “Spud Gets New Eyes.” As each slide is shown, read what’s in the conversation balloon and give the kids time to enjoy what’s on the slide. Discuss: How is this Tater Tale like many kids and their everyday lives? Do you know someone who you could tell about Jesus?When you started believing in Jesus, did you see things differently, too? Explain.Why do you think the Tater changed mouths at the end? Game Supplies: pairs of over-the-calf tube socks pairs of regular socksFor each trio of players, you will need 2 pairs of over-the-calf tube socks and 8 pairs of regular socks. Beforehand, stuff 4 regular socks (balled up) into each tube sock. (You could also stuff the long socks with quilt batting or something else that’s soft.)Three players participate in this game at one time. You can have as many of these trios going at the same time depending on the amount of room you have. The game is challenging and needs to be really fast moving. Two players in each group will kneel on their knees facing each other with about 8’ between them. The third player will stand in between the other two players. Each of the kneeling players will need a sock snake.At the signal, the two players on their knees will roll the socks to each other (no throwing allowed). They need to do this quickly and keep the player in the middle hopping. The player in the middle tries to avoid being “bitten” by a snake (contacted) by jumping and stepping over the snakes as they roll by. The snakes get rolled back and forth as quickly as the players can roll them. Stop the time when the middle player is “bitten.” If you’d like, and you have enough stuffed socks, give each player on their knees 2 snakes each.Discuss: Besides being fun, what do you think the purpose of this game was? What did the socks represent? How do the snakes resemble what Satan does today? Is avoiding sin a challenge? How is the challenge of beating sin similar to what you did in the game? How does temptation come at you? What are you most tempted by? Is it always easy to see? Prayer Supplies:Biblesankle weights backpack booksBeforehand, fill a backpack with books. The kids will look up and read Hebrews 12:1b-2 (NIV), “… let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Put on the weights. Did you know that our walk—our life as a Christian—is compared to running a race? Would a runner wear this stuff if she wanted to win a race? No way! These weights are like sin that holds you down and causes you to lose focus and stop looking at Jesus. When you keep your eyes focused on Jesus (strip off the weights) you’ll want to get rid of the sin and garbage that holds you back from being like Jesus. Ahhhh, now that feels much better. I feel lighter and faster! In verse 2 it’s cool to know that Jesus starts the race with you and then runs beside you all the way to the finish line—heaven! The Israelites looked up at the brass servant that was lifted in the air. We look up to Jesus who was lifted up on the cross and carried the weight of our sin on Him. Pray over the kids as they bow their heads. Pray that they never grow tired of looking to Jesus and imitating how He lived. Pray that they not be distracted by things in this world that would try to steal their focus from being like Jesus. Encourage the kids to allow the Holy Spirit to show them anything that has blocked their clear view of Jesus. It could be sin or it could be good things that have gotten in the way. Have you lost your focus? Thank You, God, for allowing Your Son to be lifted up on the cross for our sake! Blessing May you always look to Jesus! EXTRA OPTIONSScripture Memorization Supplies:PowerPoint slide8 paint stir sticks 4 colors of craft paintshot glue gunIsaiah 40:31“Those who trust in the Lordwill find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”Isaiah 40:31, “Those who trustin the Lordwill find new strength.They will soar highon wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”The Israelites were hot, tired and thirsty. They no doubt had very little strength left and grew faint. They began to complain and God sent fiery snakes to bite them. Many people died from the snakebites. Moses prayed for the people after they repented of their complaining. God had Moses place a pole with a brass serpent for them to look at if they were bitten. The Israelites had to trust in the Lord and His plan to be healed. God was faithful and healed them when they looked at the serpent on the pole. When we look at Jesus, when He is lifted up, we will find new strength and soar! Beforehand, paint sets of 2 paint stir sticks with 4 different colors. When dry, hot glue the 2 sticks of the same colors together to make 4 crosses. In this game, you will have to watch closely—fix your eyes—on the cross that is lifted up! Divide the class into 4 teams, assigning each group a color of cross. You will need 2 people to help raise the 4 crosses. Display the slide. The helpers will hold up one cross at a time. When a cross is held up, the same color team as the cross will shout out the first phrase of the scripture (on the slide) and stop. Put the cross down. Hold up another cross and the team assigned that color will say the next section. If both people raise a cross at the same time, then both groups with those colors will say the next section together. Keep it moving with as little pause in between crosses being lifted as possible. Randomly raise the colored crosses until the verse has been completed. Do it as many times as you like. Discuss: Why did I lift the cross up? How can we lift the cross up? Why was Jesus lifted up on the cross?When we look at Jesus, how is that like when the Israelites looked at the snake on the pole? ................
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