Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope



Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope

Week 7: We Have Hope Because God Is Always With Us

This includes:

Leader Preparation

Lesson Guide

LEADER PREPARATION

BIBLE BASIS

Daniel openly displayed his devotion to God. Consequently, he found himself sitting in a den of hungry lions. But Daniel didn’t sit there alone. God was with him. Kids face their own “lions,” and they need to remember that Daniel’s God is their God, too. Encourage kids to count on God even when a situation looks too big to handle. Daniel knew he could hope and trust in God. Use this lesson to help kids gain that same assurance.

DISCOVERY POINT

We have hope because God is always with us.

BIBLE FOCUS

Daniel 6:1-23

KEY VERSE

“He rescues and saves his people” (Daniel 6:27).

TEACHING PREP

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

Supplies You’ll Need: Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) CD, LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, plastic foam cups, tissues, bowl, water, towels, “Hope Meter” handout, red and white ribbons, tape, paper plates, markers, and blindfold

Before This Lesson

• Print the “Hope Meter” handout onto heavy paper or card stock for each person. Cut slits along the top and bottom as indicated.

• Cut matching 12-inch lengths of 1-inch wide red and white ribbons for each child.

• Fill a deep bowl with water, and have towels ready for kids to use.

*Assemble Bible Exploration Kits (one per four kids): Bibles, one 8-ounce plastic foam cup, four paper plates, markers, four tissues, tape, four red ribbons, four white ribbons, and four copies of the “Hope Meter” handout.

• Review Daniel 6:1-23.

• Cue "Into the Bible" (Track 1) on the Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) CD or (Quarter 7/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.

Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope

Week 7: We Have Hope Because God Is Always With Us

LESSON GUIDE

WELCOME!

Supplies: Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) CD, LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player, assembled Bible Exploration Kits, prepared bowl of water, towels

1. Play “Into the Bible” (Track 1) from the Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) CD or (Quarter 7/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 discover that we have hope because God is always with us. When we face something difficult or scary, it’s easy to forget that God is there, too. When we feel alone or afraid, we need to stop and remember that God never lets us out of his sight. Let’s do an experiment that shows us what it’s like to have God around us, watching over us all the time.

Start the “3-D Countdown” (Quarter 7/Countdown Track 1) on the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, and turn the volume way up. Lead the kids in counting along.

Then place a bowl of water on a towel. Ask the kids to take out the tissues and cups from their Bible Exploration Kits. Have them stuff a tissue tightly into the bottom of the cup and turn the cup over to make sure the tissue doesn’t fall out. SAY: Hold the cup perfectly straight, and carefully submerge it into the bowl of water with the top edge down, then remove the cup and check to see if the tissue is still dry. You’ll be surprised at what you find.

3. ASK:

• What happened to the tissue that was different from what you might have expected?

• How is the cup protecting the tissue like or unlike how God protects you?

• When have you experienced God protecting you?

4. SAY: Like the tissue in the cup, God covers our whole life. God cares about everything in our world and is always with us. In our lesson today, we’ll hear how God protected a man named Daniel. Let’s dig into God’s Word and discover what happened.

LET’S EXPLORE!

Supplies: assembled Bible Exploration Kits, blindfold

1. SAY: We need God’s protection all the time, and he promises to be near his children no matter what. Let’s compare times it’s easy or hard to remember that God is with us. Have the kids each take out the red and white ribbon, tape, and a “Hope Meter” handout from their Bible Exploration Kits. Instruct them to tape one end of each ribbon together to make a long strip. Have them slip the non-taped end of the white ribbon through the slit at the top of the page from front to back. Slip the red end through the bottom. Demonstrate how the red line on the Hope Meter can move up and down by pulling the ribbons from either the top or the bottom.

2. SAY: When we know that God is with us, we have hope. When we feel alone and scared, it’s easy to forget that God is beside us. That’s when we begin to lose hope. Our hope can go up and down depending on how much we trust God to be with us. Illustrate by moving the ribbon up and down on the Hope Meter.

Think of a time it was hard for you to trust that God was with you. Adjust the ribbon on your Hope Meter, and share the story with your Bible Crew. Give the kids a few minutes to share.

Now think of time you knew God was with you and you experienced hope. Set your Hope Meter again, and share the story with your crew. Allow a few minutes for sharing. SAY: Those were great stories! We’ve all experienced times it was hard to have hope. Sharing how we trusted God in difficult situations encourages others to hope in God. Let’s open our Bibles to Daniel 6 and read about a man who knew that we have hope because God is always with us.

3. Help kids find Daniel 6:1-23. Introduce the story by explaining that King Darius trusted Daniel and put him in charge of many things in the kingdom. Have kids read Daniel 6:1-3 to find out what plans the king had for Daniel. Then SAY: The king was making plans to place Daniel over his entire kingdom. Set your Hope Meters to show how you think Daniel felt to be given such an important position.

ASK:

• Explain whether it would’ve been easy or difficult for Daniel to have hope in this situation.

• Explain how we usually feel when things are going well for us.

Invite the kids to take turns reading verses 4-9. Let the kids share answers to the following questions. After each answer, have them adjust their Hope Meters to show how they would feel if they were in a situation like Daniel’s.

ASK:

• If you were Daniel, what would it have been like when you heard about King Darius’ new law?

• Explain how easy or hard would it have been to kneel down and pray knowing that you would be in serious trouble.

SAY: Daniel knew what would happen if he dared to defy the king’s order and pray to God. Let’s read the next three verses and talk about what happened. Let the kids take turns reading Daniel 6:10-13, then ask them to set their meters to show how much hope they feel Daniel had in God.

ASK:

• Why do you think Daniel continued to pray?

• How did praying show that his hope was in God?

SAY: When Daniel prayed, he certainly must’ve asked God to be with him and protect him. Let’s read verses 14-16, then set your Hope Meters to show how much hope you think King Darius was feeling.

Have Bible Crews continue reading through verse 23 while adjusting their meters up or down after each verse according to the level of hope they think the characters are experiencing.

ASK:

• Why could Daniel have hope even when he was in a scary situation?

• When you feel your hope going down, what can you do this week to remember that God is always with you?

SAY: Hope is not only something we feel, it’s something we know. Even when we don’t feel very hopeful, we can still look ahead and know that God will be with us no matter what we face. Our hope doesn’t have to go up when things are easy and down when things are hard. It can be strong and secure in God. We have hope because God is always with us.

4. Have the kids each draw the face of a lion on a paper plate then scatter the lions around the room on the floor. Let kids take turns being blindfolded and listening as directions are given to help them walk through the room without stepping on any lions.

ASK:

• What was it like being blindfolded and waiting for directions to get around the lions?

• What was it like knowing someone was always there to help you and give you directions to keep you from stepping on the lions?

• How is that like or unlike how God is always with you to give you directions when you’re scared?

• What’s one thing you can do this week to show that you have hope because God is always with you even when you’re scared?

SAY: We will probably never come face to face with a den of hungry lions, but if we did, we have hope because God is always with us. God will always be with us when we follow him. Let’s raise our Hope Meters to the top and sing our praise to God for never leaving us alone.

LET’S PRAISE!

Supplies: Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) CD, LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD, CD player, TV/DVD player

1. SAY: The longer Daniel was in the lions’ den, the more he must’ve realized that God was indeed watching over him. Talk about what it may have been like inside the lions’ den—the sights, sounds, smells—and whether Daniel may’ve sung praises to God while the lions stared at him. SAY: As the lions prowled around, they may have let out a fierce roar or even snarled at Daniel. Or maybe God shut their eyes and they never even saw him. Do you think the lions fell asleep on an empty stomach? Let’s imagine we’re with Daniel in the den and the lions are roaring and growling around us as we sing our hope and praise to God. Invite two or three kids to make roaring lion sounds and prowl around the room during one of the songs.

2. Set up the Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) CD or the LIVE Children’s Curriculum (Year 2) DVD. PLAY:

• “We Can Trust Him” (Psalm 33:4) (CD Track 6) (DVD Quarter 7/Track 6)

If there’s one thing we can count on,

It’s that God will never let us down, and

We can trust everything he does.

He keeps his promises.

We know because

Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.

We can trust him.

We can trust him.

Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.

We can trust him.

We can trust him. Yeah!

If there’s one thing we can count on,

It’s that God will never let us down, and

We can trust everything he does.

He keeps his promises.

We know because

Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.

We can trust him.

We can trust him.

Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.

We can trust him.

We can trust him .

Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.

We can trust him.

We can trust him.

Yeah, the Word of the Lord holds true.

We can trust him.

We can trust him.

We can trust him.

We can trust him.

“We Can Trust Him” (Psalm 33:4) by Jay Stocker. © 2007, 2009 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

• “My Help Comes From the Lord” (Psalm 121:2) (CD Track 5) (DVD Quarter 7/Track 5)

Sometimes I feel afraid;

I need someone to help me find my way,

Someone who holds me up

And gives me strength

To get me through the day.

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

You are all I’ll ever need.

My help comes from the Lord;

I’m trusting in your name.

You are my God;

It will always be true,

My help comes from you.

Sometimes I feel afraid;

I need someone to help me find my way,

Someone who holds me up

And gives me strength

To get me through the day.

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

You are all I’ll ever need.

My help comes from the Lord;

I’m trusting in your name.

You are my God;

It will always be true,

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

You are all I’ll ever need.

My help comes from the Lord;

I’m trusting in your name.

You are my God;

It will always be true,

My help comes from you,

My help comes from you.

“My Help Comes From the Lord” (Psalm 121:2) by Jay Stocker. © 2011 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to use lyrics granted for local church use only. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

• “Use Your Whole Body” (Romans 6:13) (CD Track 3) (DVD Quarter 7/Track 3)

So use your whole body as an instrument

To do what is right for the glory of God.

Everybody’s got one, now whatcha gonna do with it?

Are you gonna use it for good, for the glory of God?

Come on, everybody, let’s do this right;

Clap your hands, and keep it tight.

Come on, everybody, let’s move your feet;

Stomp ‘em real hard, stomp ‘em right on beat.

Come on, everybody, let’s do both things;

Do it for the glory of our great King.

So use your whole body as an instrument;

To do what is right for the glory of God.

Everybody’s got one, now whatcha gonna do with it?

Are you gonna use it for good, for the glory of God?

O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-oh (echo)

O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-oh (echo)

Yea-h-h-h-h (echo)

Ah, ah, ah, ai-oh (echo)

Come on, everybody, let’s do this right;

Clap your hands, and keep it tight.

Come on, everybody, let’s move your feet;

Stomp ‘em real hard, stomp ‘em right on beat.

Come on, everybody, let’s do both things;

Do it for the glory of our great King.

So use your whole body as an instrument

To do what is right for the glory of God.

Everybody’s got one, now whatcha gonna do with it?

Are you gonna use it for good, for the glory of God?

Are you gonna use it for good, for the glory of God?

“Use Your Whole Body” (Romans 6:13) 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: We can only guess what the lions were like and how Daniel felt as the hours went by. But one thing we know for sure: Just like Daniel, we have hope because God is always with us.

LET’S PRAY!

Supplies: Hope Meters from Let’s Explore!, Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) CD, CD player

1. Bring out the Hope Meters from Let’s Explore! Let the kids share times they need God to be with them. Remind them that no situation is hopeless because God is always with those who choose to follow him.

2. SAY: Lower the line on your Hope Meters, and pray about a specific time you need to hope in God. It may be a situation at school, at home, or a time you feel alone or afraid. Give your concerns to God in prayer, and ask God to help you. Think of Daniel’s example, and remember God’s great love and power. I’ll play music quietly as we pray. When you hear the music fade out, raise the red line all the way to the top of your Hope Meter and quietly say “amen.” As children pray, play the instrumental version of “Use Your Whole Body” (Romans 6:13) (Track 11) from the Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) CD in the background.

3. Close by repeating the Key Verse together: “He rescues and saves his people” (Daniel 6:27).

HIGH FIVES

Supplies: none

SAY: As you leave, encourage a friend to have hope in God. Remind your friend that we have hope because God is always with us, then slap a high five to make the sound of lions snapping their teeth. God closed the mouths of hungry lions and proved that he can help us in any hard time.

FOR-EXTRA-TIME ACTIVITIES

Bean There, Done That

Supplies: bowl, three different types of dried beans, such as lima, navy, and black

Briefly review the Bible story. Have the kids each take a bean but keep it concealed. Explain that the large lima beans represent lions, the black beans King Darius, and the navy beans Daniel. Challenge them to find those of like bean. The “lions” will identify themselves by roaring, the “King Dariuses” will say, “Bow to me,” and the “Daniels” will repeatedly count to 3 then kneel to pray.

Hiding It in Your Heart

Supplies: none

Help the kids find the Key Verse, Daniel 6:27, and read it aloud. Ask a “Daniel” to stand at one end of the room with his back turned away from the others. Have the kids quietly prowl like lions as they move toward Daniel from the opposite side of the room. When Daniel senses that a “lion” is near, he must quickly turn and shout out, “He rescues and saves his people” before a lion touches him. The lions must immediately stop in their tracks and freeze. Repeat the game by letting others takes turns being Daniel. Challenge the kids to stop any fear in its tracks this week by remembering Daniel 6:27.

Create a Bible Dictionary

Supplies: paper, markers, dictionary, CD player, Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) 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—hope and lions’ den 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 Sticking With God: Knowing His Hope (Year 2/Quarter 7) CD while kids work. Add each page to a three-ring binder, and watch the dictionary grow!

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