This 12 week study will guide your students through The Ten Commandments, one commandment per week. You will also join the Moses and Israelites in their desert trek as they venture from Egypt to the Promised Land. Included as part of this study is some time devoted to basic Bible knowledge of Key Passages and the Books of the Bible.
Each week is divided into 5 sections:
· Opening
· Review Bible Books and Key Passages
· Teach the Bible Story including Bible knowledge/key passages
· The Weekly Challenge
· Closing
For the Opening and the Closing, you will select the songs you and your group are familiar with. During the Bible teaching, encourage the children to read directly out of the Bible. Too often, the Bible stories are told to children and details are missed. Our goal should be that the children get accostumed to reading out of the Bible for themselves. During this time, you will also teach what Jesus had to say about the commandment for the week. You will review the commandment, connect it to the Bible story and apply it to the children's lives today. During this time you will also explain the Family Activity Worksheet.
The Weekly Challenges are games or activities requiring little supplies that can be found at most major discount stores. Remember to connect the challenge to the week's study as described in the `Apply the Challenge' section.
Finally, this study is designed for use with teams. During the first week, you will be dividing your group into teams and assigning them a team color. The teams will compete against one another for `medals' they will iron on to their flags (flags will be completed during the first week). Each week includes a take home sheet with a family activity. Encourage your students to work on the family activity with their parents.
Following is a list of each week's information:
Week 1: Introduction to the Ten Commandments
· Story: Why the 10 Commandments - overview of Exodus 1-19
· Weekly Challenge: List the 10 Commandments
· Books of the Bible: Matthew through Romans
· Key Passage: The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
Week 2 : No other gods
· Commandment: "You shall have no others gods before me." Exodus 20:3
· Story: The Burning Bush - Exodus 3-4
· Weekly Challenge: Egg Hunt
· Books of the Bible: 1 Corinthians - Titus
· Key Passage: The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
Week 3 : No Idols
· Commandment: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image..." Exodus 20:4a
· Story: The Golden Calf - Exodus 32
· Weekly Challenge: Destroy the Idol
· Books of the Bible: Philemon - Revelation
· Key Passage: A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22
Week 4: Do Not Misuse God's Name
· Commandment: "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vai..." Exodus 20:7a
· Story: Show Me Your Glory - Exodus 32:12-23
· Weekly Challenge: Bubble Gum
· Books of the Bible: Genesis - Deuteronomy
· Key Passage: Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2:1-11
Week 5: Rest on the Sabbath Day
· Commandment: "Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy." Exodus 20:8
· Story: God Guides and Provides - Numbers 10:11-13; 11:1-35
· Weekly Challenge: Hole-y Buckets
· Books of the Bible: Joshua - 2 Chronicles
· Key Passage: A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
Week 6: Honor Your Parents
· Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother..." Exodus 20:12a
· Story: 12 Men Went to Spy on Canaan - Numbers 13
· Weekly Challenge: Building Houses
· Books of the Bible: Ezra - Song of Songs
· Key Passage: Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5-7
Week 7: Do Not Murder
· Commandment: "You shall not murder." Exodus 20:13
· Story: The People Rebel - Numbers 14
· Weekly Challenge: Water Balloons
· Books of the Bible: Isaiah - Daniel
· Key Passage: The Creation Story - Genesis 1
Week 8: Keep your Marriage Promises
· Commandment: "You shall not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14
· Story: Water From the Rock - Numbers 22:21-41
· Weekly Challenge: Repeat Hole-y Buckets
· Books of the Bible: Hosea - Micah
· Key Passage: Hall of Faith - Hebrews 11
Week 9: Do Not Steal
· Commandment: "You shall not steal." Exodus 20:15
· Story: Joshua is Chosen to succeed Moses - Numbers 27:12-23
· Weekly Challenge: Steal the flag
· Books of the Bible: Nahum - Malachi
· Key Passage: The Lord is My Shepherd - Psalm 23
Week 10: Do Not Lie
· Commandment: "You shall not give false testimony..." Exodus 20:16
· Story: Crossing the Jordon River - Joshua 3
· Weekly Challenge: Minefield
· Books of the Bible: All OT and NT Books
· Key Passage: Armor of God - Ephesians 6:10-18
Week 11: Do Not Covet
· Commandment: "You shall not covet..." Exodus 20:17a
· Story: Victory in Canaan - Joshua 3-4
· Weekly Challenge: Organized Mass Chaos
Week 12: Wrap up
This week, you will be providing the children with a broad view of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and how Joseph's family ended up in Egypt. As you prepare to teach, skim the following chapters to refresh your memory on some key points in the history of Israel:
· Genesis 12:1-9 - The Call of Abram
· Genesis 15:1-21 - God's Covenant with Abram
· Genesis 21:1-7 - The birth of Isaac
· Genesis 24 - Isaac and Rebekah
· Genesis 25 :19-34 -Jacob and Esau
· Genesis 37 - Joseph
· Genesis 39-41 - Joseph's rise to power
· Genesis 46-47 - Jacob's family moves to Egypt
While these stories may be very familiar to you, I encourage you to take the time to skim through and reread these accounts. As you read, ask God for a new or greater understanding of His word.
In your own words, explain to the children a brief history of Israel. Be sure to include the following facts:
· The nation of Israel began with one man who chose to obey God: Abraham.
· God called Abraham and asked him to leave his home and go to the land God would show him.
· In faith, Abraham obeyed; because of Abraham's faith, God promised to make him into a great nation.
· Abraham and Sarah had one son, Isaac. Isaac and Rebekah and twin sons, Esau and Jacob.
· Jacob had a bit of a rough start, but in one life changing evening, he wrestled with God.
· Jacob built an altar at Bethel and called the place El Bethel because that was where God revealed Himself to Jacob.
· There, God changed Jacob's name to Israel.
· Jacob had 12 sons which would later become the 12 tribes of Israel.
· God orchestrated events so that Jacob, his sons and their households would move to Egypt where they grew in population into the nation of Israel (called the Hebrews).
· While in Egypt, Pharaoh, threatened by their large numbers, enslaved the Hebrew people.
· The Hebrew people cried out to God for deliverance.
· God raised one man, Moses, who would lead His people out of Egypt.
· After some Godly coercion (the ten plagues), Pharaoh let God's people go but later changed his mind and pursued them. God delivered His people from the Egyptians.
· Thus a new nation was born with God as its leader. God gave the nation of Israel the Ten Commandments which provided the moral law the people were to live by and follow.
As you provide the overview of the nation of Israel, resist the urge to camp on any one topic for very long. It's okay to just offer highlights. We want to provide the children with some background information and some of these highlights may sound familiar to some of the children. The goal here is to give the children a `big picture' view; to provide them with the setting behind why God gave the Hebrew nation the Ten Commandments.
As this is the introductory week, we'll spend most of the challenge time organizing your team and designing the team flag.
Determine how many teams you will have. The suggested team size is 8-12 students per team. Gather the supplies needed for the weekly challenge activity.
· 1 piece of heavy weight muslin cloth approximately 2 ft. x 3 ft. per team
· Assorted colors of construction paper or felt pieces
· Iron-on transfer paper such as Heat & Bond or similar
· 1 dowel rod per team (will be used as a flag pole so recommended size is minimum ½ in)
· Colored bandanas (1 for every 2 children in the team colors you have preselected. There are many to choose from at Hobby Lobby stores or similar. They are also available for order online.) Cut the bandanas in half so that each child receives half that they wear each week to identify which team/house they belong to.
· 1 blank piece of paper per team
|
House of Reuben |
House of Simeon |
House of Benjamin |
|
House of Gad |
House of Judah |
House of Asher |
|
House of Issachar |
House of Zebulun |
House of Dan |
|
House of Ephraim |
House of Manasseh |
House of Naphtali |
Each team will be given a piece of muslin cloth for your flag. Using the colored construction paper, have the children the words or shapes they would like to see on their flag. Have them pin the construction cutouts on their flag. Instruct the teams they must include the team name somewhere on the flag: House of _____.
Completing the flag should be done at home by an adult team leader. Cut a piece of Heat & Bond (or similar) large enough to fit the construction paper cutouts (of like colors) and iron on to the appropriate color of felt. Using the children's construction paper cutouts as patterns, trace the shape of letter onto the paper side of the Heat & Bond. (Be sure to reverse the image so that after you've cut the image out and turn it right side with the fabric facing out, it will be correct.) Cut the shapes/letters along the lines you traced. Peel off the paper backing and position the image on the flag according to the children's requests. Iron the image in place following the instructions provided with the Heat & Bond product. (See sample flags at end of lessons)
Sew on (or apply using Heat & Bond) a colored bandana to the flag according the color the team chose earlier.
Be sure to leave enough space on the bottom to apply the medals won by the team each week.
Give each team a blank piece of paper. On your mark, the teams are to list the Ten Commandments in the correct order. The team that gets the most commandments in the correct order wins. If no team can write them in the correct order, the team that can list the most commandments in any order wins.
Some students/teams may have difficulty listing all Ten Commandments in their correct order. Encourage them by letting them know by the end of this study, this task will be much easier. Not only will they be able to list the commandments, they should be able to explain what they mean and how they are relevant to their lives. Inform the teams they will also be working on memorizing the books of the Bible and some Key Passages. Let them know their memory work at home will be important and necessary for the weekly challenges.
Cognitive: The children will learn that God is the one true God; "I AM WHO I AM" (Ex 3:14).Affective: The children will purpose to make worship only God.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans
The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
Have the children find the following books/passage in the Bible:
· Romans
· Luke
· Matthew
· The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)
Review last week's Bible story notes.
Read Exodus 3 and 4.
Assign the following passages/verses to be read by the children:
· Exodus 3:3-4
· Exodus 3:11-12
· Exodus 3:13
· Exodus 3:14
In your own words, tell the story of Moses' encounter with God. Be sure to include the following:
After an incident in Egypt, Moses had to flee. He fled to the desert where he spent the next 40 years of his life.
While shepherding some sheep, Moses noticed a bush burning but not being consumed by the fire.
He neared the bush to investigate.
Have a child read Exodus 3:3-4
God call Moses from within the bush (3:4) and Moses responded "Here I am. God told Moses to remove his sandals for the ground he stood on was holy ground.
God told Moses He had heard the cries of His people and He was sending Moses to Pharaoh to bring His people out of Egypt.
Have a child read Exodus 3:11-12
Moses had some questions of God before he agreed. The first was `who am I that I should go?'
God assured Moses He would go with him.
Have a child read Exodus 3:13
Moses had a second question for God. "Suppose they ask `what is His name'? What shall I tell them?"
Have a child read Exodus 3:14
God responded by giving Himself a name: "I AM WHO I AM"
Explain to children the following
Names are extremely significant in Scripture
They are intended to reveal something about the person whose name it is.
Ask: What do we learn from the name God gave Himself: "I AM WHO I AM?"
After pausing for answers, teach the children:
We learn at least 3 things from this name of God:
God is a person and because God is a person, we can have fellowship with Him.
God is self-existent. He has no origins and therefore answers to no one.
God is self-sufficient. God has no needs. He did not need to create humans. He does not need us to do His work. When we begin to understand the self-sufficiency of God, we begin to realize our need for faith in Him alone. To trust in ourselves or in another is to say that we have found ourselves or other more trustworthy than God and that is foolishness.
Tell the children the following:
Moses had more questions for God and we'll cover those questions another time.
For now, as we focus on the first commandment, we need to understand why God should be the only god we worship.
He is all that ("I AM WHO I AM") and so much more!
What does Jesus say about this commandment?
When He is questioned about which is the greatest commandment, He responds "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)
Jesus associates Himself; equates Himself with God when He calls Himself "I AM" (John 8:58). Because Jesus is God, He too is a person, is self-existent, is self-sufficient. More importantly, He is worthy to be worshiped.
Pray
Praise God for who He is
Thank Him for sending Jesus so that we might be saved and so that we could know Him.
Pray God would reveal Himself to each child assuring them that He alone is God.
We learned a little about God today as we discussed the name He gave Himself. There are so many more attributes of God we can praise Him for. This week, as a family, think of other attributes (characteristics) of God and list them in the family activity sheet provided. Try to think of at least one per letter of the alphabet. Three have been done for you.
In this weeks challenge, we want to emphasize the fact that there is only one God and we are to worship no other gods but Jehovah God.
Gather the necessary supplies:
500 plastic eggs
1 gold coin
Colored paper or stickers (3 colors)
Books of the Bible cards (Matthew through Romans)
Key Passages Cards
Prepare the eggs for the challenge:
Assign a point value to each of the 3 colored papers/stickers.
Color 1 - 1 point
Color 2 - 2 points
Color 3 - 3 points
In 499 plastic eggs, place a colored paper/sticker. In 1 egg, place the single gold coin.
Put the eggs out on the lawn.
On your mark, have the children collect as many eggs as their team can collect. When all the eggs have been collected, have the team leaders tally the points for each team based on the assigned values.
The team that finds the single gold coin is the automatic first place winner regardless of the number of points they collected.
Give each team their books of the Bible cards (Matthew through Romans) and the Key Passage cards. On your mark again, have the teams put the books of the Bible (Matthew through Romans) in the correct order and match the key passage title to the reference.
When the team has placed the books of the Bible in the correct order and has matched the key passage cards, they are to wave their flag.
Explain to the children that we do not need to fill our lives with things (money, power, friends, video games, etc). We need God to fill our lives. If the team that found the gold coin had not collected any other points, they still would have won because they found the one thing of most value. God is the one True God and He alone is worthy of our worship.
The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
During Jesus' time on earth, the disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. Jesus did as they asked and offered this prayer, found in Matthew 6:9-13 as a model prayer.
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(For instructions on how to use this study, see Welcome to The Ten Commandments)
Bible Story: The Golden Calf – Exodus 32
Cognitive: The children will learn the Israelites did not wait for Moses and returned to their Egyptian ways by building a golden calf to worship.
Affective: The children will consider what ‘idols’ they have and purpose to remove them from their lives.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus
The Ten Commandments – Exodus 20
The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
Have the children find the following books/passage in the Bible:
2 Corinthians
Titus
John
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)
The Model Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
Review last week’s Bible story notes.
Read Exodus 32.
Read through the Bible story notes prior to teaching.
2. Teach
Assign the following passages/verses to be read by the children:
Exodus 32:1
Exodus 32:2-3
Exodus 32:7, 9-10
Exodus 32:21
Exodus 32:24
Exodus 32:31-32a
Review where we left off last time:
Last week, we learned how God called Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
Moses had some questions for God…one of them was ‘What if they ask who sent me?’
God provided a name for Himself. He said “I Am that I Am.”
We learned the name of God tells us at least three things about Him. He is a person, He is self existent and He is self sufficient.
And since then:
God sent Moses to Pharaoh to lead his people out of Egypt. Pharaoh refused at first, but God sent the ten plagues and eventually, Pharaoh let the Israelites leave Egypt.
Moses led them into the desert on their way to the Promised Land. They had been in the desert for three months when they came upon Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:1).
Moses went up on the mountain; a cloud (the glory of the Lord) covered the mountain and on the seventh day, God called Moses from within the cloud.
To the Israelites, the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.
Moses entered the cloud and stayed in the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
Have a child read Exodus 32:1
As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into more than a month, the people grew restless.
They asked Aaron to make a substitute god for them.
Have a child read Exodus 32:2-3
Surprisingly, Aaron agreed. He asked the people to gather all their gold.
NOTE: This was the gold they were supposed to use to build God’s tabernacle with. They used it to build an idol. (Exodus 3:21; Exodus 25:1-8)
When Aaron saw he had enough gold, he constructed a golden calf. When it was completed, he announced they would have a festival the next day. They offered burnt offerings, ate, drank, and worshiped in ways they should have not.
Why a calf? Calves, in that day, were common idols of the pagans. By worshiping a calf, they were rejecting God.
Have a child read Exodus 32:7
God was not happy!
Moses returned to the people to confront them about their sin.
Have a child read Exodus 32:21
Moses questioned Aaron: What did you do?
Aaron pleaded with Moses to not be angry with him. The people, he said, were prone to doing bad things. Aaron told Moses the people told him to make a substitute god for them to follow since Moses was gone and no one knew what had happened to you. They claimed they needed someone to lead them.
Aaron continued…
Have a child read Exodus 32:24
Aaron told Moses that he put the gold into the fire and ‘poof!’ out came a calf.
Remember, God was not happy with the people. God wanted to destroy them for worshiping the idol. Moses asked God to not destroy them.
Have a child read Exodus 32:31-32a
Moses asked God to forgive the people.
God did forgive them; but some died as a consequence for their sin.
Explain to children the following:
God wanted to destroy the people for worshiping the idol. This suggests He means it when He says do not worship idols.
Will God destroy us? Understand that this nation was brand new and needed to remain set apart. That was God’s intent from the beginning. This nation was to be different so that others might see the difference and come to believe in God because of it.
The important thing to know from this story is that we are not to create idols and worship them…not even idols of God.
Ask: What about if we create a statue that represents God? Is that okay?
No, it is not. Why not?
God said NO IDOLS, and no means no.
Idols diminish God’s glory –
Nothing created can ever accurately capture the Creator. To make something out of stuff (whatever the stuff is – even gold) lessons God. God is so far beyond all He created that we simply cannot create something that correctly represents God so we ought to not even try.
Idols can mislead the worshipper. Consider even the Bible. While we ought to take care of the Bible and treat it with the respect it deserves, we should not put the Bible above God, the one who wrote it. It can be easy for us to begin to worship the thing and forget to worship God.
We may not have statues that we worship, but we certainly have idols in our lives. Anything we use to fill a void in our lives that God should fill is an idol.
Like Moses prayed for the people, we should be praying for those that don’t know Him yet. We should invite them to join us so that they will know Him.
What does Jesus say about this commandment?
Jesus said, “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19)
When Jesus met the Samraitan woman at the well, He told her she didn’t have to worship in Jerusalem nor in Samaria, she was to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). God is spirit and His worshippers should worship as Jesus directed, in spirit and in truth. No idols!
Praise God for who He is
Thank Him for the gift of the Bible that from it we can learn more about God.
Ask God to show us those things that we are using to replace Him and for the strength to get rid of them.
This week, as a family, you are to make a list of those things that are most important to you. If God is not at the top of your list, pray and ask God to help you and your family make Him most important in your lives. Discuss as a family any potential things you might be using to fill voids in your life that only God should fill.
In this week’s challenge, we will practice destroying idols.
Collect the necessary supplies for this week’s challenge.
Supplies:
Water guns (1 per child)
Magic noodles (Hobby Lobby – Magic Nuudles biodegradable building blocks; $4.99)
These noodles look like the Styrofoam packing noodles but are made of cornstarch so they dissolve in water. A few days before the challenge, build an ‘idol’ of some sort with these noodles according to the instructions on the box and allow them to dry. One option is to build them in the form of a ziggurat, but any ‘idol’ will suffice.
Have each team form a circle and give a water gun to each team member (or have children bring their own water guns). Place the magic noodle ‘idol’ in the center of the team circle. On your mark, have the children begin shooting water at the ‘idol’. Allow them to continue to do so for a maximum of about 12 minutes. If a team completely destroys their ‘idol’, they are to raise their flag announcing the completion of their task. If the ‘idols’ have not been destroyed in the 12 minute timeframe, determine which team dissolved the majority of their ‘idol’ and declare a winning team.
Give each team their books of the bible cards – Matthew through Titus – and the Key Passages matching cards. On your mark, the teams are to arrange the books of the bible in the correct order and match the key passages cards. When the team is done, they are to raise their flags.
Explain to the children we do not usually make idols these days although some religions still have icons that they worship. That does not mean we do not have idols though, and we need to spend some time in prayer asking God to show us what ‘idols’ we may have. What are we putting before God? Anything that fills a void in our lives that God is intended (and wanting) to fill can be an idol. Encourage the children to participate in the weekly family activity.
Books of the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation
Key Passages:
The 10 Commandments – Exodus 20
The Model Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13
A Messianic Psalm – Psalm 22 (‘Messianic’ means about Jesus)
The Bible is the story of Jesus and even though Jesus is not introduced until the Gospels in the New Testament, there are prophecies about Jesus. Some of these are found in the book of Psalms. We call these psalms that speak of the coming Messiah (Jesus) Messianic psalms. Psalm 22 is one of the more popular psalms that speaks of the coming Messiah.
(For instructions on how to use this study, see Welcome to The Ten Commandments)
Cognitive: The children will learn of Moses' request to see God's glory.
Affective: The children will understand God's name is holy, powerful and glorious.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, Jude, Revelation
· The Ten Commandments - Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22
Have the children find the following books/passage in the Bible:
1. Philemon
2. Hebrews
3. Acts
4. 1 Thessalonians
5. The Model Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
6. A Messianic Psalm (Psalm 22)
Review last week's Bible story notes.
Read Exodus 33:12-23
Read through the Bible story notes prior to teaching.
Assign the following passages/verses to be read by the children:
· Exodus 33:12-13
· Exodus 33:14
· Exodus 33:15-16
· Exodus 33:17
· Exodus 33:18
· Exodus 33:19-20
· Exodus 33:21-23
Review where we left off last week:
· The people had sinned against God. They created an idol in the form of a golden calf and worshipped it.
· God was upset with the people but Moses prayed on their behalf and God did not destroy them. Some did, however, suffer the consequences of that sin.
· God told Moses He would not go with the people (Exodus 33:3) rather He would send an angel to lead them.
· Moses did not want an angel leading them; he wanted God to lead them.
Moses made three requests of God:
Have a child read Exodus 33:12-13.
· The first request was this: Moses wanted to know God. "Show me your , thatI may know You..." was Moses' request (Ex 33:13)
· What does this mean? To Know God?
· It could mean `awareness' of God; similar to knowing where something is located. I know where the elementary schools are.
· It could mean knowing something about God; I know who Michael Jordan is, but do I really know him? No. There is a difference.
· Then there is `knowledge by experience." I know about _____ (name a place you've been to) because we visited/lived there and experienced all that comes with visiting/living there.
· Yet these types of `knowing' are still less than the `know' that the Bible speaks of. Moses knew about God, He had experienced God, but he still wanted more.
· Moses wanted to know God such that his life would be changed.
Ask: What about you? Do you really know God? Is your life different because of your knowledge of God?
What was God's response to Moses' request? Have a child read Exodus 33:14.
· God told Moses His Presence would go with him.
Moses has a second request.
Have a child read Exodus 3:15-16
· Moses wanted God to lead them, not an angel. He told God "If your presence does not go with us, do not take us up from here." He was afraid people would think God abandoned His people and God would get a bad reputation.
· Moses was concerned for God's name.
And God's response?
Have a child read Exodus 33:17
· God would do as Moses requested and lead them Himself.
· All Moses had to do was ask.
Moses' third request?
Have a child read Exodus 33:18
· Moses asked to see God's glory.
· Moses was asking to see God face to face. What a bold request.
And God's response?
Have a child read Exodus 33:19-20
· God agreed to show Moses as much as He could without harming Moses.
· He told Moses He could not show Moses His face or Moses would die.
Have a child read Exodus 33:21-23
· God positioned Moses on a cleft in the rock and covered his face.
· He then allowed Moses to see His `back.'
Explain to children the following:
· We cannot fully comprehend what happened on that cleft that day.
· We do know that Moses experienced God in a way he had never experienced Him before.
Read Exodus 34:5-7
· The name of God sums up the character of God.
· Our God is slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness and so much more.
· This is why we need to revere His name and not use is flippantly when we text (OMG) or when we are upset at something.
Ask: How do we use God's name in vain these days? Will you commit to not do so?
What did Jesus have to say about this commandment?
· Jesus taught in Matthew 12:36 that we will all give an account for every worthless word we speak. We should be careful with the words we choose to use especially when using God's name.
· Jesus all taught in Matthew 6:9 as He was teaching the disciples how to pray, "Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored..." Jesus understood the significance of God's name. We should as well.
Praise God for who He is
Thank Him for language. It is through the words we find in Scripture that we know God.
Ask God to allow us to experience Him in ways we have never done so before.
Names are important in Scripture. The names of God help us gain a better understanding of who God is. This week, as a family, you will be looking up some different names of God. You can find many of them by searching the name on www.bible.org.
In this week's challenge, we will putting our mouths and jaws to good use.
Collect the necessary supplies for this week's challenge.
· Lots of bubble gum (at least 60 pieces per team)
· ¼ piece of foam board for each team
· Disposable gloves (optional)
On the foam board, write out aword (your choice) and divide the word into at least 50 sections (see illustration below).
Each letter in divided into 4 or 5 sections. Instruct the children to chew gum long enough to make it sticky and then stick the chewed piece of gum in each section of each letter. When the team has filled each of the sections, they are to raise their flag announcing they are done.
Give each team their books of the bible cards - Matthew through Revelation - and the Key Passages matching cards. On your mark, the teams are to arrange the books of the bible in the correct order and match the key passages cards. When the team is done, they are to raise their flags.
For many, all that chewing will cause discomfort in their jaws. Talking too much can also make our mouths hurt sometimes. We need to remember to use our words carefully, especially when using the name of God. We are to revere God and are to never misuse His name.
· Books of the Bible: All New Testament books and Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
· Key Passages:
· The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22 (`Messianic' means about Jesus)
· Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2:1-11
God has clearly told us what His expectations of us are, we are to be like Christ. One of Christ's most distinct attributes was His humility. He was God Himself and yet did not think twice about serving man. We too should aspire to be like Christ, humble and willing to serve others.
(For instructions on how to use this study, see Welcome to The Ten Commandments)
Cognitive: The children will learn how the Israelites complained to Moses and to God. They will learn God provided Quail for the Israelites to eat.
Affective: The children will understand God values rest and spiritual refreshment; He values time for people to worship Him.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
· The Ten Commandments - Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22
· Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2:1-11
Have the children find the following books/passage in the Bible:
· 2 Peter
· Exodus
· Colossians
· Numbers
· The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)
· Imitating Christ' Humility (Philippians 2:1-11)
Review last week's Bible story notes
Read Numbers 10:11-11:35
Read through the Bible story notes prior to teaching.
Assign the following passages/verses to be read by the children:
· Numbers 10:11-13
· Numbers 11:1-3
· Numbers 11:4-6
· Numbers 11:18-20
· Numbers 1:21-22
· Numbers 11:23
Review where we left off last week:
· After the idol incident, God told Moses He would not travel with them but would send an angel instead.
· Moses was not satisfied with having an angel guide them; He wanted God to guide them into the Promised Land.
· Moses made three requests of God:
· I want to know You
· Do not move us if You are not going to lead us
· Show me Your glory.
· God showed Moses as much as He could without harming him. In doing so, God proclaimed His name.
· The name of God sums up His character. His name should be revered, not misused.
It's time to leave Mount Sinai.
Have a child read Numbers 10:11-13
· It was the 20th day of the 2nd month of the 2nd year. The Israelites had already been in the desert for almost 1 year. (In Ex. 19:11, Scripture tells us they stopped there in the 3rd month. Numbers 10:11 tells us it's the 2nd month of the 2nd year. All that Moses recorded between Exodus 19:11 and Numbers 10:11 all occurred during this time.)
· The verses that follow provide details as to what order they marched from the desert to Sinai. God is an orderly God and He gave them specific instructions which they were to follow.
Have a child read Numbers 11:1-3
· The people were complaining about their hardship. This angered God.
Ask: Why do you think the people's complaining angered God? (allow time for several answers)
Say: We'll discuss this further in a little bit.
· Fire from the LORD burned among the people so they went to Moses and again, Moses prayed on behalf of the people. God heard Moses and the fire died down.
Have a child read Numbers 11:4-6
· The `mixed multitude' or `rabble' were the non-Israelites that left Egypt with God's people (Ex. 12:38). Perhaps they did not share God's faith and if that is the case, then any inconvenience would be reason for them to complain.
· The sad part is that the Israelites joined them in their complaining. Rather than remembering what God had delivered them from, they were listening to these `rabble' and quickly became dissatisfied with what God was providing...manna.
Stop and reflect. Are you dissatisfied with something God has provided? Why? Perhaps it is because there are those who don't share your faith who are complaining and you have joined them in their grumbling? Be careful you do not forget all God has done for you. Rather than complain about the `manna,' thank Him for it.
· Moses heard the people were complaining. He knew God was becoming more and more angry and this troubled Moses.
· Moses asked God: Why have you afflicted your servant? Did I do something to upset you? They are not my children? They want meat; where am I supposed to get them meat?
· He also told God that this burden (leading these complaining people) was too heavy for him and he'd rather God take him now than have to listen to and lead these complaining people.
Have a child read Numbers 11:18-20
· God told them He would provide meat.
· They were going to eat meat not only for one day, or two or five or even twenty. They were going to eat if for a whole month; until it was coming out of their noses; until they hated it.
· God was doing this because they were telling God they were better off in Egypt.
Ask: Earlier I asked why was God upset about the complaining? Consider this:
1. Meat was only eaten on special occasions. It wasn't like it is now where we have meat at just about every meal. Meat was a luxury and should not have expected it in the desert.
2. They were making their time in Egypt seem much better than it actually was. They were discontent with God and with Moses and were thinking they had been happy in Egypt. They had forgotten they had been slaves there.
3. By claiming they were happy in Egypt, they were in essence saying this whole deliverance from God had been a huge disappointment.
Were God's actions vindictive? Was God being mean?
· No, God was not being vindictive. He was disciplining His people.
· God was trying to teach them to trust Him and His provision. He knows what is best.
· Why? Because they were about to face more trials in the Promised Land. They had to learn to trust God completely.
Have a child read Numbers 11:21-22
· Moses did not know how God was going to provide meat for all the people (600,000 men on foot) for a full month.
· He knew they did not have enough flocks or herds to feed them all for a month.
· Moses was looking at what they had not at what God could do.
And God's response?
Have a child read Numbers 11:23
· God asked Moses: Is my arm too short?
· He reminded Moses who He was and pretty much said, `you just watch and see what I can do'.
God provided the meat; but not without consequences. Many died because they wanted something for themselves that God had not chosen for them.
Explain to children the following:
· We need to be careful what we complain to God about.
· We should ask ourselves: Do we really want something that God doesn't want for us?
· Are we willing to pay the price; suffer the consequences for that which we demand of God?
Review the commandment: Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
· This is something that God does want for us. He wants us to take a day to rest and reflect on Him. Doing so makes us different than those who do not know God.
· We don't observe Saturday as our holy day (as they did in Bible times). Christians observe Sunday in honor of Christ's resurrection.
· Whether we choose Saturday or Sunday as our day of rest, we should purpose to take at least one day and reflect on His goodness. Often we are tempted to pack in as much as we can because we don't have school or work on Sundays.
· When tempted, we should consider if we are perhaps taking something for ourselves that God does not want for us.
What does Jesus say about this commandment?
· Luke 13:10-17 records a time when Jesus healed on the Sabbath day and was rebuked by the religiuos leaders of the day. They accused Jesus of `working' on the Sabbath and were upset with Him about it.
· Jesus rebuked them by reminding them that healing is not `work.' The religious leaders were missing the point of resting on the Sabbath day. Jesus taught it was more important to have compassion on the woman than to get hung up on defining `work'
· In Mark 2:27 -28 reads: "Then he said to them, `The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. For this reason the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.'" Jesus was telling the his disciples it is okay to do good on the Sabbath.
Praise God for being the All Knowing (Omniscient) and All Powerful (Omnipotent).
Thank Him for all He has already provided for you.
Ask Him to help you remember to spend at lease one day per week resting and reflecting on Him.
Today, we discussed how the Israelites complained about not having meat. They wanted more than what God had graciously provided. We discussed how we should be careful not to complain to God about what we do not have rather we should thank God for what He has given us. God has given us so many blessings; He also wants and expects some things from us. This week's family activity focuses on helping us determine what God wants from us and looking at how richly He has blessed us.
This week's commandment reminds us to take a day to rest and reflect on Him. This week's challenge will emphasize the need for rest and spiritual refreshment. When we are not rested, we become ineffective (like buckets with holes in them). When we do not spend time refreshing ourselves spiritually, we become rested people with unrested minds.
Collect the necessary supplies
2 large buckets or storage containers per team
1 bucket per team with holes drilled in the bottom and sides of it (suggestion: sand toy type bucket)
Mark a fill line on one of the large buckets/storage containers per team. Place one bucket or storage container for each team at the designated starting point. Place the second large bucket or storage container (the ones marked with a fill line) approximately 15 feet away from the first. Place the hole-y buckets in the starting bucket/storage container.
On the leaders mark, the children will fill the hole-y bucket with water and place the bucket above their head as they run towards the second bucket. They are to dump whatever water is left into their second bucket. The team that fills their second bucket to the fill line first wins. If time permits, run the challenge a second or third time until time runs out.
Hand out the books of the Bible cards (NT and Genesis - Deuteronomy). The teams are to put the books of the Bible in the correct order, match the key passage with the correct scripture reference and locate that passage in the bible. When the team has completed the task, they are to raise their flag letting us know they are done.
A hole-y bucket is not the most effective way to transport water. When we do not do as God asks and take at least one day for rest and reflection, we become as ineffective as the hole-y buckets. God knows what is best for us just as He knew what was best for the Israelites in the desert. If we believe this, we will strive to do as He asks including resting on the Sabath day.
· Books of the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles
· Key Passages:
· The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22 (`Messianic' means about Jesus)
· Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2: 1-11
· A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
We often struggle to know what to say to people when they are leaving or moving away so we end up saying something like "Good Luck" or "God be with you." God has given us a blessing in Scripture that we can use when we are praying for people and wanting things to go well with them. This is often known as the "Priestly Blessing" or the "Aaronic Blessing" because God told Moses to have Aaron bless the people. Next time you do not know how to pray for someone or what to hope for them, try praying this blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26.
(For instructions on how to use this study, see Welcome to The Ten Commandments)
Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother..." (Exodus 20:12a NET)
Bible Story: 12 Men Went to Spy on Canaan (part 1) - Numbers 13
Cognitive: The children will learn about the Israelites' lack of faith in God which resulted in their spending the next 40 years in the desert.
Affective: The children will understand it is important to trust God even when things look impossible in our own eyes.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude Revelation
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles
· The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22
· Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2:1-11
· A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
Have the children find the following books/passage in the Bible:
1. Hebrews
2. Ruth
3. 1Thessalonians
4. 1 Kings
5. The Model Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
6. A Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24-26)
Review last weeks' Bible Study notes
Read Numbers 12-14 (Numbers 14 will be taught next week)
Read all the Bible story notes prior to teaching
Assign the following passages/verses to be read by the children:
· Numbers 13:1-2
· Deuteronomy 1:22-23
· Exodus 3:8
· Numbers 13:17-20
· Numbers 13:23
· Numbers 13:25
· Numbers 13:27-29
· Numbers 13:30
· Numbers 13:31-33
Review where we left off last week:
· The Israelites had been in the desert for almost a year.
· They had been complaining about not having meat so God sent them some quail.
· Moses wasn't sure how they were going to feed all these people some meat so he questioned God about it.
· God asked Moses "Is my arm too short?" He told Moses he would see whether of not what God says will come true.
· Of course, what God said did come true. The people had quail although, some died because of God's anger towards them.
And since then?
· Shortly after this, Moses' brother and sister (Aaron & Miriam) began talking about Moses because of his Cushite wife. They were jealous that God had spoke through Moses and not through them.
· God dealt with both of them (but we'll discuss this story at another time).
It's now been over a year since they left Egypt.
Have a child read Numbers 13:1-2
· God told Moses to go ahead and send out some men to explore.
· Before we assume this is God's idea, let's look at Deuteronomy 1:22-23.
Have a child read Deuteronomy 1:22-23
· They had reached their destination and were supposed to go in and take the land.
Ask: Whose idea was it to explore the land?
· It was the people's idea. Moses thought it was a good idea and we see in Numbers that God gave them permission to go and explore the land.
Now, what are they going to find? Let's look back at the beginning and see what God told Moses about where He was leading them.
Have a child read Exodus 3:8
· God was going to lead them into a good and spacious land.
· This was a land flowing with milk and honey.
· It was also the home of the Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
· So Moses knows that the land is not vacant. It is being lived in by some pagan people.
Let's continue.
Have a child read Numbers 13:17-20
· Moses asks the men to go explore Canaan. They were to
a) see what the land was like
b) see whether the people who live there are strong or weak
c) see if there were lots of people or just a few
d) see what the land was like; was it good or bad
e) see what kinds of towns they lived in
f) see if there are walls around the towns
g) see if the soil was fertile or poor
h) see if there were trees
g) bring back some fruit if they could
· Remember, they haven't had fruit in over a year. They've had manna and quail. Fruit would be absolutely wonderful right now.
· So the men did as Moses requested. They went into the land and started exploring. Here's what they found:
Have a child read Numbers 13:23
· They found fruit.
· They cut off a branch bearing one single cluster of grapes.
· It took two men to carry it.
· They also brought with them some pomegranates and figs.
Have a child read Numbers 13:25
· They spent 40 days exploring the land.
· Meanwhile, the rest of the people are sitting not far away.
The men returned and reported to the people. Have a child read Numbers 13:27-29; What did the people find?
· It did flow with milk and honey and they gave Moses the fruit sampling, BUT,
· They saw the people were powerful and the cities fortified and large.
· They saw that the Amalekits, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites and Canaanites lived in the land
Ask: Remember what God told them...was what God said correct? Yes. He told them they would find people groups there and they did.
Have a child read Numbers 13:30
· Caleb saw where this conversation was going so he stopped it.
· He urged the people to go and take the land God had promised them.
· He told them they could do it.
Have a child read Numbers 13:31-33
· But the other men said `no, we can't do this'
· And they spread among the people a bad report about the land they had explored.
· They said the land `devours' those living in it
· They also said they saw giant like people
Note the last sentence in this chapter: "and we seemed like grasshoppers both to ourselves and to them."
Explain to children the following:
· They were looking at the situation through their own eyes, not through God's eyes.
· So what are they to do?
o What they found was not a surprise to God. He told Moses from the very beginning what they would find. He also told Moses He was giving them the land.
o Rather than taking the land, they requested spies be sent. That probably wasn't part of God's original plan, but sometimes God lets us do what we want to teach us a lesson on dependence on Him.
o They have spent over a year in the desert now and have witnessed God provision for them over and over again.
· What are they to do?
We'll see next week in `12 men went to spy on Canaan, part 2'
Review the commandment: Honor your father and your mother.
The complete verse reads like this: "Honor your father and your mother that you may live a long time in the land the LORD your God is giving to you." (Exodus 12:12 NET)
· When God promises something, we can hang tight to it because He will not disappoint us.
· The Israelites should do the same, correct? They should hang on to the promise that God said He would give them the land.
· We should hang tight to the promise that when we honor our parents, God will bless us.
· We should honor our parents because it is the right thing to do.
What does Jesus say about this commandment?
· In Matthew 15:4-6, Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day for not honoring their aging parents.
· Honoring your parents is more than just obeying them. Children (young and old) should show their parents respect.
· Yet, Jesus also taught that God should come first. Matthew 10:37 teaches we should love God more than our parents.
Praise God for who He is, the ultimate Promise Keeper.
Thank God for His many promises including this one tied to the commandment to honor our parents.
Commit to honor God by honoring those He has given us to care for us, our parents.
· When we're young, we honor our parents by obeying them.
· The first part of the family activity is to obey our parents.
· In the space provided, we're to list some of our chores. As we obey this week, have mom or dad initial the box letting us know you were honoring them with your obedience.
· Do this for at least 4 days.
· When we get older, we honor our parents by thanking them and saying good things about them.
· In the space provided, complete the sentences.
In this week's challenge, the children will be building a `house' using only swim noodles and masking tape. The goal is to build a structure (4 walls and a roof) that all the team members will fit in. The children will get extra credit for creativity.
Gather the necessary supplies.
Supplies:
· 8 swim noodles and 1 roll of masking tape per team
· Set out 8 swim noodles and 1 roll of masking tape per team.
On your mark, have the teams build a `house' using the noodles provided. The goal is to build a structure that will stand on its own and that all the team members will fit in/under.
The team to complete the structure - build a free standing building large enough to `house' all of their team members - wills the challenge.
Hand out the key passages and books of the Bible cards (NT and Genesis - 2 Chronicles). The teams are to put the books of the Bible in the correct order, match the key passages with the correct scripture reference and locate the passages in the Bible. When the team has completed the task, they are to raise their flag letting you know they are done.
Explain to the children that building a stable home out of swim noodles may have seemed a little challenging. Building a stable home in the world is even more challenging. Our parents have a lot of responsibility. When we honor our parents by obeying them, it makes their God given tasks a little bit easier. The Israelites were left with a choice...obey God and take the land or obey men and not take the land. Obedience to God brings blessing. We know what the Israelites should do, but will they do it? You are faced with a choice...honor your parents just a God commanded or not. Again, obedience to God brings blessing. How will you choose?
Books of the Bible:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation,
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
Key Passages:
The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22 (`Messianic' means about Jesus)
Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2: 1-11
A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5-7
One of Jesus' most famous sermons is the one recorded in Matthew 5-7. It is called the Sermon on the Mount. In it, Jesus explained much about His expectations for us as believers. We should all be very familiar with the content found in this (as well as other) teaching of Christ.
(For instructions on how to use this study, see Welcome to The Ten Commandments)
NOTE: You will need to preorder some supplies for this week's family activity sheet. For more information, read the explanation of the Family Activity for the week.
Commandment: "You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13 NET)
Bible Story: 12 Men Went to Spy on Canaan (part 2) - Numbers 14
Cognitive: The children will learn about the Israelites' lack of faith in God which resulted in their spending the next 40 years in the desert.
Affective: The children will understand God is slow to anger BUT He will judge and one day, it will be too late.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude Revelation
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon
The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22
Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2:1-11
A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5-7
Have the children find the following books/passages in the Bible:
· Esther
· Revelation
· Psalms
· Matthew
· Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)
· The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)
Review last weeks' Bible study notes
Read Numbers 12-14
Read all the Bible story notes prior to teaching
Assign the following passages/verses to be read by the children:
a) Numbers 14:1-4
b) Numbers 14:7-9
c) Numbers 14:10
d) Numbers 14:20-23
e) Numbers 14:44-45
Review where we left off last week:
· Twelve men went to explore the land in Canaan.
· They returned after 40 days and reported it was all God said it would be.
· BUT, they also reported the people who live there were powerful and their cities were fortified
This is a warning for us... there should be no `buts' with God.
· They commented "we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes."
· How sad, for if they had seen thing through God's eyes, things would be very different.
Allow the teams to work together in a small group for this first part. Instruct the small groups to read Numbers 14:1-4. They will be asked to describe/list the response of the people. What were they doing? After a few moments, have them report to the large group.
· They raised their voices and wept.
· They grumbled.
· They said `if only we had died in Egypt.'
· They wanted to choose a leader and go back to Egypt.
Have a child read Numbers 14:7-9
· Moses and Aaron were not happy.
· Joshua and Caleb (the 2 that were good) urged them to not be afraid. The men believed God was with them and they could take the land.
What is the response of the people this time?
Have a child read Numbers 14:10
· The people wanted to stone the men! How very sad and disappointing.
· The people had this attitude before.
· They were, in essence, accusing God of making a mistake in delivering them from Egypt.
We do not have to imagine what God's response was to this.
Have a leader should read Numbers 14:11-12
· God was ready to strike them down again... just get rid of them all.
· BUT Moses, He cared too much about God.
· Moses was concerned that the Egyptians would hear about the Israelites death and think God was not powerful; that He could not save the people. Moses did not want other nations to think badly about God so he asked God not to destroy the people.
NOTE: Moses was concerned about God's name and reputation more than about the people. Remember this...it will be important next week.
When pleading with God, Moses used God's own words:
He reminded God of what He told Moses in Ex 34:6 that God is slow to angr and abounding in love.
Moses asked God to forgive the people.
In verse 20, God agreed He would forgive them, BUT, there were consequences.
Have a child read Numbers 14:20-23
· God determined that everyone over the age of 20 who grumbled would not enter the Promised Land.
· They would wander the desert for 40 years...one year for every day the men explored Canaan
· The ten that spread the bad reports died (v.37)
· Only Joshua and Caleb would enter the Promised Land (v38)
The people heard all this and recognized they messed up. They want to go ahead and battle (Numbers 14:40). Moses told them not to because God was not with them and they will not succeed!
BUT, have a child read Numbers 14:44-45
· They went anyway and were defeated badly.
· They acknowledged their sin, but didn't take to heart the seriousness of God's judgment.
· It was simply too late.
What can we learn from this:
· The land was all God said it would be BUT the people were afraid and didn't want to take the land.
· God forgave them BUT the adults were going to die in the desert and would not enter the Promised Land
· God is slow to anger and abounding in love BUT He will judge and one day, it will be too late.
Review the commandment: You shall not murder. Some Bible translations use `kill' but `murder' is a more appropriate translation. Does this include war? What about this...what God wanted the Israelites to do? What exactly does this commandment mean?
· Murder is the unlawful killing of another human being - usually (but not always) premeditated.
Why should we not murder?
· God created human beings in His own Image.
· He values the life He created and we should too.
What does Jesus teach about this commandment?
· Jesus warns us against hate (Matt 5:21) because He understands hate can lead to more violent behavior like murder
· We need to guard against anger that turns into hate.
· Jesus goes a step further and suggests when we are wronged, we should `turn the other cheek' (Matthew 5:39). God's justice is always far better than our own.
Praise Him for who He is, the Creator of heaven and earth and the giver of all life.
Thank God for the life He's given you.
Ask Him to help you love as He does and to value life as He does.
Because God value the lives He has created, this week we are going to work at helping to sustain life. Rather than taking a life, we are going to give so that a life might be saved.
Watch the Rice Bowls video: www.ricebowls.org/video (or choose another charity focused on sustaining or extending life).
Explain to the children that at the end of the night, you will be handing out rice bowls (which you will need to preorder) for them to collect funds over the next month. As they fill their bowls, they are to return them to you. At the end of your Rice Bowl campaign, total the money and send it to the Rice Bowl organization.
You may choose another charity organization committed to sustaining or extending life if you prefer. Included with this lesson will be two versions of the family activity sheet. One will have the Rice Bowl announcement; the other will have a blank space where you can announce your charity of choice.
In this week's challenge, students will attempt to keep water balloon `grenades' from exploding.
Gather as many water balloons as you can. The more you have the longer you can play. The recommendation is to gather approximately ten per child participating.
Fill the balloons with water and divide them evenly among the teams. Mark out a space for each team that spans 10 feet.
The team leader (adult) will stand at one point and the children will stand approximately 10 feet away. On your whistle blow, the leader will toss water balloons to his/her team. The team that catches the most water balloons (unpopped) in the allotted time wins the challenge. The teams will then move indoors to complete the books of the bible part of the challenge.
Hand out the key passages and books of the Bible cards (NT and Genesis - Song of Solomon). The teams are to put the books of the Bible in the correct order, match the key passages with the correct scripture reference and locate the passages in the Bible. When the team has completed the task, they are to raise their flag letting you know they are done.
Just as we worked at keeping the water balloon `bombs' from `exploding', we want to control our temper and our emotions so that we do not explode and react in anger or hatred. The Israelites were so angry at Joshua and Caleb that they wanted to stone the men simply because these two wanted to trust God at His word and proceed into the Promised Land. We are all created by God and therefore, like God, we should value all life.
Books of the Bible:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation,
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges,Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
Key Passages:
· The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22 (`Messianic' means about Jesus)
· Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2: 1-11
· A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
· Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5-7
· The Creation Story - Genesis 1
We believe in the beginning God created the earth and everything on it including mankind. The world will try to teach us that mankind evolved from a lower form of mammal into what we are today, but that is contrary to what the Bible teaches. Our belief in God's creation of the heavens and the earth as well as His creation of man is fundamental to our faith. Purpose to accept what Scripture teaches in faith and in spite of opposition and hold tight to your beliefs. God will honor your commitment to Him and His word.
(For instructions on how to use this study, see Welcome to The Ten Commandments)
Commandment: "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14 NET)
Bible Story: Water from the Rock - Numbers 20:1-13
Cognitive: The children will learn of the circumstances surrounding Moses' actions that displeased God and kept him from entering the Promised Land.
Affective: The children will understand when representing God needs to be done with the honor and respect due Him.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude Revelation
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
· The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22
· Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2:1-11
· A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
· Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5-7
· The Creation Account - Genesis 1
Have the children find the following books/passages in the Bible:
· Lamentations
· 1 Peter
· Acts
· Numbers
· The Creation Account (Genesis 1)
· Imitating Christ's Humility (Philippians 2:1-11)
Review last week's Bible study notes
Skim Numbers 15-19
Read Numbers 20
Read all the Bible story notes prior to teaching
Assign the following passages/verses to be read by the children:
· Numbers 20:1-5
· Numbers 20:6-11
· Numbers 20:12-13
Review where we left off last week
· The Israelites refused to take the Promised Land.
· God determined because of this, they would wander the desert for 40 years.
· The Israelites realized they were wrong not to trust God and decided to fight the Amalekites anyway.
· Moses warned them not to but they did not listen. They fought and lost terribly.
So what happened after the loss to the Amalekites (Numbers 14) until this point?
· God gave instructions to the young people of the group; they were to present offerings when they arrived at the Promised Land (Numbers 15).
· Later, Korah and other leaders along with 250 men rose up against Moses (Numbers 16).
· God judged the men for their rebellion.
· The land opened up and swallowed Korah, his family and their belongings.
· Fire from heaven killed the other 250 men.
· God appointed Aaron as Priest (Numbers 17).
· God provided instructions on the priest's wardrobe and duties (Genesis 19).
· The Israelites wandered the desert for 37 years just as God said they would.
Select one child to act as Narrator for the impromptu dramas and divide the remaining children/teams into 2 groups. Assign Numbers 20:1-5 to one group and Numbers 20:6-11 to the other. The groups are to read the assigned passages and develop a short skit that they will share with the entire group. Allow them about 5-7 minutes to prepare.
After allotted time, bring the children back together and begin the performances. Provide the Narrator with the following script:
Narrator -
"Welcome to our desert drama! In the first month, the entire Israelite community arrived at the desert of Zin and stayed at Kadesh. This was the first month of their 40th year in the desert.
Now, there was no water for the community to drink so the people, YES, AGAIN, gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron.
Watch as our first group dramatizes what happened".
Allow the first group to present their skit.
Narrator -
"Tsk, tsk...will they ever learn not to complain?
Moses and Aaron left the people and went to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. There, they fell face down and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
Watch as our second group continues our desert drama"
Allow the second group to present their skit.
Narrator -
"Once again, God was faithful in spite of all the complaining of the people. God gave the people the water they needed.
Alas, our story does not end here...
Listen closely as we see how God handled Moses and Aaron."
Thank all the performers and allow them to all take their seats. Ask the children the following questions:
What were God's instructions to Moses? He was to speak to the rock (Numbers 20:8)
What were Moses' actions? He struck the rock (Numbers 20:11)
Read Numbers 20:12
· God told Moses because he did not trust in Him enough to honor Him as holy in the sight of the people, Moses would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land.
Ask the children the following question:
What did Moses do that was so bad? Consider his past... he had done other things that displeased God but those things did not keep him out of the Promised Land. What made this different? (allow for answers)
Explain the following to the children:
· If we recall the very first complaint from the Israelites was also about water in Exodus 17:6.
· Now, close to the end, we see another complaint about water. The two almost act as bookends to the desert saga.
· The first time (Exodus 17), Moses did exactly as God told him to do
· This time, he did not. Moses struck the rock rather than speaking to it as God instructed.
So why is this something that will keep Moses and Aaron out of the Promised Land?
· God was not angry at the people. God wanted to show them His compassion and His provision for their needs.
· Moses was angry. He tired of all the people had put him through.
· When he responded to the people in anger, he made it appear as if God was angry.
· Moses misrepresented God.
· God was not pleased.
Explain: Remember, Moses was always concerned with God's reputation. Moses wanted to be sure the Egyptians and the Canaanites did not think God was something that He was not; weak nor powerless. Yet it was Moses, who did not honor God and who misrepresented Him to the people. Moses violated all he stood for over the last 40 years.
This did not change Moses' love for God nor did it change God's love for Moses. This action of Moses and Aaron, however, would result in discipline from God.
God takes this very seriously. When we, as Christians, represent God, we need to make sure we are honoring Him and giving Him the respect He deserves. We need to be sure we are representing God well.
Because of Moses' actions, neither he nor Aaron would enter the Promised Land.
Review the commandment:
· You shall not commit adultery. While the children are too young (and not married) to worry about breaking this commandment, they need to understand that we need to be faithful with any promise we make. If we are faithful with the small promises, we will be more successful at being faithful when we are adults.
· God is the best example of One who is faithful and keeps His promises. We should work at following His example and keep our word.
What does Jesus teach about this commandment?
· Jesus taught that it is the condition of the heart that leads to adultery. If we focus on what we do not have then other things will seem more appealing to us. If a husband or wife only notices what their spouse is not doing for them, they will quickly find someone who seems to do what their spouse does not. This will almost certainly lead to adultery.
· Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8 "...whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things." Rather than focusing on what we don't have, we should focus on those things that are good and true and praiseworthy.
· Praise God for always being faithful to us even when sometimes we are not faithful to Him.
· Thank Him for His many, many blessing to us.
· Ask Him to help us keep all the promises we make; the little ones as well as the big ones like marriage.
· Ask Him to help us represent Him well so that others will see Him in us and want to know Him.
This week we'll be looking at the different promises of God. Fill in the crossword puzzle with the promises mentioned in the passages listed. Some letters have been inserted to help guide you.
This week we will be repeating the Hole-y Buckets Challenge. We do this for two reasons. First, you've been at this for eight weeks now and some children may begin to lose interest. Children love to get wet and knowing they will do so may draw them in for a few more weeks.
Second, not keeping our promises makes us as useless as buckets with holes in them. This will be discussed further in the "Apply the Challenge" section.
Collect the necessary supplies
2 large buckets or storage containers per team
1 bucket per team with holes drilled in the bottom and sides of it (suggestion: sand toy type bucket)
Mark a fill line on one of the large buckets/storage containers per team. Place one bucket or storage container for each team at the designated starting point. Place the second large bucket or storage container (the ones marked with a fill line) approximately 15 feet away from the first. Place the hole-y buckets in the starting bucket/storage container.
On the leaders mark, the children will fill the hole-y bucket with water and place the bucket above their head as they run towards the second bucket. They are to dump whatever water is left into their second bucket. The team that fills their second bucket to the fill line first wins. If time permits, run the challenge a second or third time until time runs out.
Hand out the books of the Bible cards (NT and Genesis - Daniel). The teams are to put the books of the Bible in the correct order, match the key passage with the correct scripture reference and locate that passage in the bible. When the team has completed the task, they are to raise their flag letting us know they are done.
A hole-y bucket is not the most effective way to transport water. Not keeping our promises makes us as useful as a bucket with holes in it. If we promise something to someone and then do not follow through, they learn not to trust us with the things we say and do. Moses spent 40 years in the desert protecting God's name and one error done in anger kept him from entering the Promised Land. When we do not keep our promises, our friends and family will still love us, God will still love us, but it may cost us something. Remember, if we are faithful with little things, we prove ourselves faith with big things.
Books of the Bible:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation,
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah
Key Passages:
· The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22 (`Messianic' means about Jesus)
· Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2: 1-11
· A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
· Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5-7
· The Creation Story - Genesis 1
· Hall of Faith - Hebrews 11
Hebrews 11 provides us with a list of great men and women of the Bible who remained faithful to God because of their faith in God. When we struggle to remain faithful, we can go to Hebrews 11 and read about the challenges these men faced and how they overcame them. We can learn how we can persevere through whatever challenges we face in our marriages (when we marry) and in life now so that we can be faithful to our friends, our family and to God.
Narrator -
"Welcome to our desert drama! In the first month, the entire Israelite community arrived at the desert of Zin and stayed at Kadesh. This was the first month of their 40th year in the desert.
Now, there was no water for the community to drink so the people, YES, AGAIN, gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron.
Watch as our first group dramatizes what happened".
Allow the first group to present their skit.
Narrator -
"Tsk, tsk...will they ever learn not to complain?
Moses and Aaron left the people and went to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. There, they fell face down and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
Watch as our second group continues our desert drama"
Allow the second group to present their skit.
Narrator -
"Once again, God was faithful in spite of all the complaining of the people. God gave the people the water they needed.
Alas, our story does not end here...
Listen closely as we see how God handled Moses and Aaron."
(For instructions on how to use this study, see Welcome to The Ten Commandments)
Commandment: “You shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:15 NET)
Bible Story: Joshua is chosen to succeed Moses – Numbers 27:12-23
Cognitive: The children will learn of Moses’ death.
Affective: The children will understand God prepares us for the tasks He would have us accomplish in our lifetime.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude Revelation
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah
Key passage(s) to know this week:
o The 10 Commandments – Exodus 20
o The Model Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13
o A Messianic Psalm – Psalm 22
o Imitating Christ’s Humility – Philippians 2:1-11
o A Priestly Blessing – Numbers 6:24-26
o Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5-7
o The Creation Account – Genesis 1
o Hall of Faith – Hebrews 11
Share the following situations with the children guiding them to identify the key passages:
Situation 1: You are in science class and your teacher begins discussing the beginning of the world. He/she tells you there was a ‘big bang’ and that is how life started. Your friend asks you if this is true. How do you respond? Where do you show your friend how life on earth began? (The Creation Story – Genesis 1)
Situation 2: You hear in Sunday School about the many people who had faith in God. You are having trouble with faith because you cannot see God and He seems not be talking to you in a way you can understand. Where in the bible would you go to learn about faith and can find a list of people who demonstrated such faith? (Hall of Faith – Hebrews 11)
Situation 3: We are all familiar with the WWJD phrase: What would Jesus Do? You also want to know WDJS: What did Jesus say? You hear Jesus preached to a crowd while He was alive on earth many times. Where would you find the sermon He gave while on a mountainside? (Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5-7)
Find the following books of the Bible:
o Romans
o Hosea
o Revelation
o Ruth
o Philippians
o Numbers
Review last week’s Bible story notes
Read Numbers 27:12-23
Read all of this week’s Bible story notes
The following passages/verses will be read by the children:
o Numbers 27:12-14
o Numbers 27:15-17
o Numbers 27:18-21
o Numbers 27:22-23
The following passages will be read by the leader:
o Deuteronomy 34:1-4
o Deuteronomy 34:5-8
o Deuteronomy 34:9-12
Review where we left off last time:
o The people had already been in the desert for 39 years.
o They were again complaining about the lack of water.
o Frustrated Moses went to God and asked about water.
o God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would flow.
o In his anger and frustration, Moses hit the rock (instead of speaking to it) and the water flowed.
o God was unhappy with Moses because Moses misrepresented God.
o Moses did not honor God in that situation.
o God told Moses he and Aaron would not enter the promised land.
What has happened since that incident?
o The people journeyed towards Moab.
o The Moabites had heard all God was doing for the Israelites and were afraid.
o Balak, King of Moab, summoned Balaam and asked Balaam to curse the Israelites.
o Balaam tried to curse the Israelites but God did not permit him to curse the Israelites.
o Instead, Balaam blessed the Israelites.
o The people were nearing the end of their time in the desert so Moses ordered another census to be taken.
o This brings us to Numbers 27.
Read Numbers 27:12-14
o Miriam and Aaron had already died and God told Moses his time had come.
o God reminded Moses why he is not leading the people into the Promised Land.
Ask the children the following question:
Why is God not allowing Moses to enter the Promised Land? (see verse 14)
Read Numbers 27:15-18
o Moses accepted he would not enter the Promised Land and asked God to appoint a leader to follow him.
o He did not want the people to be like sheep without a shepherd. (compare to Matthew 9:36)
Read Numbers 27:18-21
o God chose Joshua.
o Joshua had been in preparation for this responsibility for some time prior to his calling.
o Joshua had been Moses’ assistant for years.
o Joshua was one of the twelve who went on the exploration of Canaan.
o Joshua was also one of the two who thought the Israelites should take the land just as God had told them to thirty-eight years prior.
o God had prepared Joshua for this task and it was time for Joshua to step up and assume the role God had prepared him for.
Read Numbers 27:22-23
o Moses did just as God told him to.
o Joshua was taken before Eleazar and the whole assembly and was commissioned as the next leader.
Ask the children to turn to Deuteronomy 34 (the last chapter in Deuteronomy)
o Explain to the children in the book of Deuteronomy Moses recounted all they had experienced while in the desert.
o When he is done recounting, God called him back up into the mountain.
Read Deut 34:1-7
o God showed Moses the land His people would inherit.
o God reminded Moses of the promise He made to give them this land.
o Then, Moses died on the mountain.
o Moses was 120 years old, but note what Scriptures says: His eyes were not weak and his strength was not gone.
o The Israelites grieved Moses’ death for 30 days.
Ask the children: Why does God tell us that Moses’ eyes were not weak and that his strength was not gone?
o Moses did not die simply because he was old.
o Moses’ task was done so God took him to be with Him.
Read Deut 34:9-12
o God has wonderful things to say about Moses
o What might God say about you?
What do we learn from this?
o God prepared Joshua for the job. God has prepared you and will continue to prepare you for the job/task He has for you.
o When things are rough (like living in the desert for 40 years) know that God knows all about it and that He will use all you experience to prepare you for what He wants you to do.
o God does not waste experiences on us…He will use them.
o Joshua is different than Moses and his leadership will be different than Moses’.
o This is okay for we are all different people.
o This does not mean Joshua was better or worse of a leader than Moses, just different.
Review the commandment: You shall not steal.
We’ve been taught not to steal from a very early age.
Ask: What might we be saying about God and about our faith in God when we steal? (Allow for answers)
o When we steal, it is as if are telling God that what He has for us is not enough.
o We are telling Him that we need more.
o We need to trust that God will give us what we need when we need it and we need to guard against trying to take things for ourselves.
What does Jesus say about the commandment?
o Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-26 that He does not want us to worry about things such as what we will eat or drink or what we will wear.
o Jesus reminded us how God takes care of the birds and that we are more valuable to Him than the birds.
o We should trust God and all He provides for us because God knows exactly what we need.
Thank God for His perfect provision.
Thank God for preparing us to do the tasks He asks us to do.
Ask God to help us be content with His provision so that we might not be tempted to steal from others.
God tells us not to steal. Instead of taking what is not ours, this week we are going to give from what is ours to those who may not have all they need.
For the next two weeks, we will be collecting food items to give to our neighborhood food pantry. Check with your local food pantry for a list of more commonly used/needed items.
In this week’s challenge, we will play a game that involves ‘stealing.’
Gather the necessary supplies:
1 bandana per student
Cones to mark a playing area
Have the children put a bandana in their side pocket leaving enough of it out so that it can be easily grabbed by another (at least 6 inches). At the blow of the whistle, the children will attempt to pull out one another’s bandanas. If a child’s bandana is pulled out, the child will sit at the spot where his/her bandana was pulled out. While sitting, the child(ren) can still pull bandanas of those still in the game.
If time allows, play the game several time.
We are told not to steal by God. When we steal, we take for ourselves something that God has not given us and in doing so, tell God that what He’s given us is not enough. What happened when we ‘stole’ the bandana from one of players? (the player was taken out of the game and had to sit) There are consequences to our stealing both for us and for those we steal from.
Most importantly, however, when we obey His command to not steal, we honor Him. We should always strive to honor God in all we say and do.
· Books of the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation,
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
· Key Passages:
o The 10 Commandments – Exodus 20
o The Model Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13
o A Messianic Psalm – Psalm 22 (‘Messianic’ means about Jesus)
o Imitating Christ’s Humility – Philippians 2: 1-11
o A Priestly Blessing – Numbers 6:24-26
o Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5-7
o The Creation Story – Genesis 1
o Hall of Faith – Hebrews 22
o The Lord is my Shepherd – Psalm 23
There will be times in our lives when things are difficult and we need some assurance that God will always be with us. David had difficult times in his life and it was during one of those difficult times that he wrote what we now call Psalm 23. He wrote that God was his Shepherd and that God would always care for Him. When we have difficulties, we can turn to Psalm 23 and read David’s words for comfort.
(For instructions on how to use this study, see Welcome to The Ten Commandments)
Commandment: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16 NET)
Bible Story: Crossing the Jordon - Joshua 3
Cognitive: The children will learn of the faith the Israelites had in crossing the Jordon into the Promised Land.
Affective: The children will understand that often, following God involves stepping out in faith.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude Revelation
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
· The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22
· Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2:1-11
· A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
· Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5-7
· The Creation Account - Genesis 1
· Hall of Faith - Hebrews 11
· The Lord is my Shepherd - Psalm 23
Situation 1: You are reading the New Testament in your bible and come across Jesus' statement: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" That reminds you of the Psalm that speaks of Christ's crucifixion. Where do you find this Messianic Psalm? (Psalm 22)
Situation 2: You are in science class and your teacher begins discussing the beginning of the world. He/she tells you about a `big bang' and that is how life started. Your friend asks you if this is true. How do you respond? Where do you show your friend how life on earth began? (Genesis 1)
Situation 3: We are all familiar with the WWJD phrase: What would Jesus Do? You also want to know WDJS: What did Jesus say? You hear Jesus preached to a crowd while He was alive on earth many times. Where would you find the sermon He gave while on a mountainside? (Matthew 5-7)
Find the following books of the Bible:
1. Galatians
2. Habakkuk
3. Jude
4. Song of Solomon
5. Lamentations
6. Matthew
· Review last week's Bible study notes
· Read Joshua 3
· Read all of this week's Bible study notes
The following passages/verses will be read by the children:
· Joshua 3:5-6
· Joshua 3: 7-8
· Joshua 3:14-16a
· Joshua 3:17
The following passages will be read or paraphrased by the leader:
· Joshua 3:9-13
Review where we left off last time:
· Last week, we closed with Moses' death and Joshua taking over for Moses.
· We learned that God had prepared Joshua to take over for Moses.
· After Moses' death, God spoke to Joshua and told Joshua He would give him everything He had promised to Moses.
· God also told Joshua to be strong and courageous; to be careful to obey the law and not turn from it; that He (God) would be with Joshua wherever Joshua went
·
Since then...
· Joshua sent two spies into Jericho to explore what they were about to face.
· While in Jericho they met a woman named Rahab.
· Rahab had already heard about God and about the Israelite. She believed God would be with the Israelites (Joshua 2:9).
· The King of Jericho found out that the spies were there and asked for them.
· Rahab hid the men from the king and the king's men.
· Rahab asked the men to not kill her and her family when the Israelites conquered Jericho.
· The men told her they would not kill her or anyone in her home.
· This brings us to Joshua 3.
Have a child read Joshua 3:5-6
· Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves
· Consecrate means: "dedicate to a sacred purpose" or in other words, to get ready or to make holy
· God was going to do something miraculous and Joshua wanted to be sure the people were ready to witness what God was going to do.
· The priests were given instructions to pass the Ark of the Covenant in front of the people and the people were given instructions to follow the Ark.
· Obedience to God is a form of worship
Have a child read Joshua 3:7-8
· God gave Joshua and the people instructions: The priests are to take the ark of the covenant and when they reach the edge of the Jordan River, they are to step out into the water
Have a leader read Joshua 3:9-13
· The ark represents the presence of God
· The ark will go first... symbolically meaning God will go ahead of the people
· God is promising to stop the water as soon as the priests step out into the river
Ask the children: Do you know of another time when God parted a sea/river? (The parting of the Red Sea with Moses)
Ask the children: What might this say about Joshua? (This helps to confirm Joshua as the leader for just as God parted the Red Sea for Moses, He is parting the Jordan River for Joshua)
Say to the children: This sounds easy enough...step into the water and the river will part. Let's read a little bit more and see if it really was as easy as it sounds.
Have a child read Joshua 3:14-16a
· Verse 15 tells us the river was at flood stage.
· That means that this was not a shallow river with still waters rather had rushing water at the time.
· They were crossing the Jordon River at one of its widest and deepest points.
Ask the children: Now that we know this, do you think it was easy to be the first person to step into the water? (Probably not)
Ask the children: Yet, what was the priests out front (those that needed to step in the river first) able to see first hand? (They were able to see God's miracle; they saw God stop the water; they saw God in a way they probably had not seen before or at least had not see in about 40 years)
Did the men step out? (Yes)
Did God keep His word? Have a child read Joshua 3:17
· Absolutely, God kept His word.
· The priests stood on dry ground while all the people crossed the Jordon River.
What can we learn from this?
· God is a God of His word. If He says He will do something, He will.
· Sometimes, following God requires we take that first step.
· That first step can be a little frightening, but we need to remember God's words to Joshua: Be strong and courageous and do not fear for He (God) will be with him and He will be with you.
· Taking that first step in faith allows us to see God in ways we may have never seen Him before.
· Taking that first step in faith allows us to know God better.
Review the commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Sometimes, people interpret this commandment as we should not lie. We should be people of our word. If God had not kept His word before, if He had lied to the Israelites while they were in the desert, would it have been easier or harder for them to trust Him this time when their lives were at stake (they would have drowned if God had not stopped the water)?
Because God does not lie, the Israelites could trust Him. Because God does not lie, WE can trust Him. We honor God and bring glory to Him when we act as He does. We honor God when we are people who do not lie.
· Praise God for who He is.
· Thank Him for always keeping His word so that we can trust Him.
· Ask Him to help you tell the truth even when it seems easier to be dishonest.
· Ask Him to help you be more like Him.
How well do you think you can spot something false? This week's family activity sheet will challenge your knowledge of the Bible. For this week's family activity, you will look at some everyday phrases you may have heard. Write a B next to the ones you believe are indeed from the Bible. For those that are found in Scripture, see if you can identify the book the phrase is from. (Hint: You can go to www.bible.org and search the Bible for help. Type the phrase in the search field and click `bible.')
Minefield
Gather the supplies necessary for this week's challenge. Mark out a rectangular playing area and randomly set down the `mines' (the assorted items you gathered).
Cones to mark out a playing area
Assorted items such as balls, blocks, pillows, bean bags, etc.
Blindfold
Each team will select one person to be blindfolded. The blindfolded person will need to move from one end of the playing are to the other without stepping on a `mine'. The remaining team members will guide the blindfolded person across the playing area by suggesting directions (i.e. take two steps to the left, step to the right, etc.) The team members may yell out false directions to the blindfolded member of the opposing teams to try and get them to set off a `mine.'
If a blindfolded player sets off a `mine' (steps on one of the items), he/she is out of the game and another team member is blindfolded and begins his/her trek across the minefield.
Play the game for a specified period of time (15 minutes). The team that can cross the most number of players successfully, wins.
It was easier to follow the instructions of those who you could trust to guide you correctly. You were probably hesitant to trust those who you thought might be giving you false instructions.
If you are a person people can trust to tell the truth, then when you tell others about Jesus and about how He has changed your life, they will believe you.
If you are one that lies more often than tells the truth, will people you share Christ with be willing to believe you?
Remember, we honor God when we are most like Him. God cannot lie. We should seek to honor Him by always telling the truth.
Books of the Bible: All OT and NT
Key Passages:
The 10 Commandments - Exodus 20
The Model Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
A Messianic Psalm - Psalm 22 (`Messianic' means about Jesus)
Imitating Christ's Humility - Philippians 2: 1-11
A Priestly Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5-7
The Creation Story - Genesis 1
Hall of Faith - Hebrews 22
The Lord is my Shepherd - Psalm 23
The Armor of God - Ephesians 6:10-18
God understands life can sometimes be challenging. He does not expect us to go at it alone; in fact, He wants us to be dependent on Him every day. Today's key passage lists some of the items God has given us to help us in life. We know them as the Armor of God. We should work at understanding all God has given us and how to use what He's given us. Take a few moments this week and read about this special Armor of God.
(For instructions on how to use this study, see Welcome to The Ten Commandments)
Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house…” (Exodus 20:17a NET)
Bible Story: Victory in Canaan – Joshua 5:13-6:27
Goals-
Cognitive: The children will learn how Joshua followed God’s instructions and obtained victory in battle.
Affective: The children will understand with we are to follow God’s instructions for He knows best.
Books to know this week:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude Revelation
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Key passage(s) to know this week:
· The 10 Commandments – Exodus 20
· The Model Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13
· A Messianic Psalm – Psalm 22
· Imitating Christ’s Humility – Philippians 2:1-11
· A Priestly Blessing – Numbers 6:24-26
· Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5-7
· The Creation Account – Genesis 1
· Hall of Faith – Hebrews 11
· The Lord is my Shepherd – Psalm 23
· Armor of God – Ephesians 6:10-18
1. Begin with opening prayer
2. Sing songs: (songs of choice)
Encourage the students to look up these passages in their bibles:
Situation 1: Your friend is having a hard time. Things just don’t seem to be going his/her way. You want to offer him/her some encouragement and your parents tell you to go to the book of Psalms. Often, things didn’t go David’s way so he would write out his feelings. Which psalm might look up to encourage your friend and to let your friend know that God cares for His own? (Psalm 23)
Situation 2: You hear from the preacher that we are in a Spiritual battle; the forces of evil versus God. He mentions the different spiritual armor we have access to, things like the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. Where do you find the full list of the armor of God? (Ephesians 6:10-18)
Situation 3: You know as Christians, we are to be like Christ. One of Christ’s most prominent attributes was His humility while He was on earth; He was the perfect Servant Leader. Where in Scripture do we read specifically of Christ’s humility…what our minds should be like? (Philippians 2:1-1)
Find the following books of the Bible:
1. 1 Corinthians 4. Hosea
2. Mark 5. Obadiah
3. Colossians 6. Joshua
Review last week’s Bible study notes
Read Joshua 5-6
Read all of this week’s Bible study notes
Assign the following passages/verses to be read by the children:
· Joshua 5:13-15
· Joshua 6:1-5
· Joshua 6:15-17
· Joshua 6:20-21
· Joshua 6:27
The following passage will be read by the leader:
· f) Joshua 6:8-14
· Last week, we left off with the priests’ crossing over the Jordan River.
· The river was at flood level so the Israelites had to exercise some faith
· God held the water back so they could cross on dry land just as He had done with Moses and the Red Sea
· The Israelites were now ready to begin their conquest of the Promised Land
· Word spread to the different kings of what God did for the Israelites
· The Bible tells us the different king’s hearts melted in fear and that they no longer had the courage to face Joshua and the Israelites.
· God told Joshua to have the people get themselves ready
· On the 14th day of the month, the people celebrated Passover; the day after, the manna stopped.
· Joshua was near Jericho; perhaps he was thinking through potential battle plans? Perhaps he was praying asking God for direction and protection?
· When Joshua looked up, he saw a man with a drawn sword.
· It was only natural for him to ask if the man was a friend or foe.
· The man answered ‘Neither’ (interestingly enough) and told Joshua he was the commander of the LORD’s army.
· Joshua fell face down in reverence and waited for a message from God
· The man asked Joshua to remove his sandals for he was standing on holy ground
Who else was asked to remove his sandals for he was standing on holy ground? (Moses at the burning bush)
This reinforces God choice of Joshua to fill Moses’ role as leader of the people.
Joshua was now ready to receive instructions. Have a child read Joshua 6:1-5.
· God has already given them victory over Jericho, that was the first thing the man told Joshua.
· He then told Joshua how they were to secure that victory.
· They were to march around the city once per day for 6 days and seven times on the seventh day with the priests carrying the ark and 7 priests blowing trumpets in front of the ark
· On the seventh day the people were to give a loud shout and the walls would collapse (recall how the spies Moses and Joshua sent in reported that the cities were fortified with large walls of protection).
(Have the children rise at this point. Choose 7 to act as priests with trumpets and 4 to act as priests carrying the ark of the covenant. Designate a space we will call ‘Jericho’ that the entire group will march around. If you have access to horns or can make some horns, do so. If not, consider finding a horn sound effect and use that. It is important we take the time to do this; we want the children to gain an understanding of what the people might have felt…some must have wondered how marching around a city would bring them victory.)
As the children begin their march around ‘Jericho’, have a leader read Joshua 6:8-14. Pause for a moment after the first march then continue with the remaining marches. March as many times as time permits. Ask the children to pause before the seventh day set of seven marches. They are to pause again before marching around seven times.
· Joshua provided his leadership with the instructions given to him from God.
· He told the people not to give a war cry until they were told to.
· Early the next morning, they began their march… early! Not in the middle of the day!
· They marched once and returned to camp…they did this for six days
Ask the children: “What are your thoughts about this plan of God’s?”
(allow for honest responses; it’s a good one because it’s God’s plan, don’t quite understand it; seems silly; seems easy; whatever they might think)
Remind the group God has already told Joshua they would be victorious; all they had to do is follow God’s instructions. Some, maybe many, did not understand the plan, but they needed to follow God’s instructions anyway. They needed to trust God would work the details out.
Have a child read Joshua 6:15-17
· On the 7th day, they got up at daybreak…again, early!
· They marched around seven times just as God had told them to do.
· The 7th time, Joshua commanded the people to shout for the LORD.
Have a child read Joshua 6:20-21
· The trumpets sounded, the people shouted and the walls collapsed (just as God said they would).
· The people went in and destroyed everything just as God told them to do.
Have a child read Joshua 6:27
· The LORD was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout the land
·
What can we learn from this?
· God is a God of His word. If He says He will do something, He will.
· Following God means we need to show up for the battle. God had already given Joshua victory over Jericho but Joshua and his army still needed to show up and fight.
· Our enemy may not be another nation as it was for Joshua, but we still have enemies. Our enemy can be those sinful habits we have that we need victory over.
· What battle has God already given you victory over? Are you showing up for the fight or are you sitting back waiting for God to destroy the enemy for you (whatever that enemy might be)?
· God promises victory over our enemy of sinful habits…but we need to show up for the fight
Review the commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. Covet means ‘to desire what belongs to other exceeding normal limits.’ It means wanting something so bad that is all you think about.
Why might God command this? Again, just like with stealing, when we covet, not just want something, but covet, we are telling God what He has given us is not enough.
Consider what God did for Joshua, He caused the walls of Jericho to fall down without any human effort. If God wants you to have something, don’t you think it is within His ability to give it to you? Of course it is so if He is withholding something, you have to believe it if for good reason because God loves you and knows what is best for you. Trust Him to provide for you just as He provided for Joshua and the people.
When you do want something, it’s okay to ask…pray to God, call upon Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. If He believes what you want is good for you, He will be more than willing to provide. Remember, though, that He may say no or He may say ‘not now’ which seems like a no to us. Regardless, trust Him for your needs and wants and obey His command to not covet.
What does Jesus say about this commandment?
· Jesus told us not to worry about things such as food and drink and clothing. (Matthew 6:31-33)
· He also told us that the measure of our lives is not in the things that we have. (Luke 12:15)
· Jesus wants us to put Him first and He will care for our needs (and even some of our wants).
· Worship God as the Omnipotent (all powerful) God that He is.
· Thank Him for all He has already provided for you.
· Ask Him to help you be content with what He gives you.
· Ask Him to help you trust Him because He knows what is best for you.
This week, you will prepare for next week’s closing activities. You will be given the opportunity to sign up to participate in the following events:
· Place the books of the Old Testament in order
· Place the books of the New Testament in order
· Place the 10 Commandments in order
· Match the Key Passages with their Scripture references and find them in Scripture
· Place the Desert Trek cards in chronological order
· Place all the books of the Bible in their correct order
Or you may participate in two take home events. These need to be done at home and brought with you (already completed) when you return next week.
· Illustrate one of the 10 Commandments
· Illustrate one of the Desert Trek events
You will be given a review sheet of all we have studied to help you prepare for next week’s events.
Organized Mass Chaos
Gather the supplies necessary to execute the challenge.
Supplies:
· 3 tables set up around the perimeter of the playing area
· Two hula hoops per team to be placed in the center of the playing area
· Jump ropes (as many as you can find)
· The key passage cards (in additional resources)
· The books of the bible cards (in additional resources)
· 12 bibles
· Playing cards (see below)
Copy the playing cards and cut them out. You need approximately 10 cards per child however, more is better. Have them ready before class time. These cards are based on three teams (red, blue, green). If you have different colored teams or more than three teams, you will need to manipulate the cards a bit.
Before class, mark out a playing area outdoors using cones or other markers. Set out three tables equal distance apart from each other. On one table, set out the books of the bible cards from each of the teams. On the second table set out the key passages cards and the bibles. On the third table set out the playing cards and a bucket for each team. Place the playing cards in each bucket. Have one person keeping score for each team (ideally, the team leader). Set the hula hoops and the jump ropes in the center of the playing area.
Designate a specific amount of time you will play (i.e. 15 minutes). On the whistle blow, each team member will draw a card from their team bucket and follow its instructions. Instruct the children if they are asked to do something by another child, they must stop and do as they are asked. When they have completed the task, they are to take the card to their team leader and continue with the next card. At the conclusion of your designated time, blow the whistle. The team with the most completed tasks wins.
If time permits, move indoors and allow the children to review for next week. The teams are to put the books of the bible in order and match the key passages with the appropriate Scripture reference.
We can glean some spiritual truths from this challenge. To the outside observer, it may have looked like everyone was just being crazy; it may have looked like chaos. But those of us who understood what we were doing know that we were all actually following the instructions we were given.
To the people of Jericho, watching the Israelites march around the city may have seemed weird or silly, but Joshua and the people knew they were just following instruction, God’s instructions. Their obedience brought them victory.
When God gives us instructions, we should simply obey them. When we obey God’s instructions, we show God that we do trust Him and trust He knows best.
1. Award this week’s medals based on the week’s challenge.
2. Hand out the review sheet
3. Closing prayer.
4. Closing song – song of choice
Playing Cards (Copy the next two pages multiple times and cut the cards out. Provide equal number of cards per team with a minimum of 1 page per child understanding more is better.
Find 2 people, pretend to be in a boat and sing ‘Row, row your boat’ 2 times. Take your next card from the red team. |
Hop on 1 foot while singing the ‘ABC’ song Take your next card from the red team. |
Run around the hula hoops 3 times Take your next card from the red team. |
Ask 1 person to say the Pledge of Allegiance with you. Take your next card from the red team. |
Jump rope while counting to 15 Take your next card from the red team. |
Match up 2 Key Passages and find them in a Bible. Take your next card from the red team. |
Put the books of the New Testament in their correct order. Take your next card from the red team. |
Grab a hula hoop and hula hoop while counting to 25. Take your next card from the red team. |
Find 3 others and play 1 round of leap frog. Take your next card from the red team. |
Find 2 others and do the chicken dance. Take your next card from the red team. |
Do 3 Cartwheels (as best as you can) Take your next card from the red team. |
Go to a leader and tell them 3 of the Ten Commandments Take your next card from the red team. |
Find 2 people, pretend to be in a boat and sing ‘Row, row your boat’ 2 times. Take your next card from the green team. |
Hop on 1 foot while singing the ‘ABC’ song Take your next card from the green team. |
Run around the hula hoops 3 times Take your next card from the green team. |
Ask 1 person to say the Pledge of Allegiance with you. Take your next card from the green team. |
Jump rope while counting to 15. Take your next card from the green team. |
Match up 2 Key Passages and find them in a Bible. Take your next card from the green team. |
Find 2 people, pretend to be in a boat and sing ‘Row, row your boat’ 2 times. Take your next card from the blue team. |
Hop on 1 foot while singing the ‘ABC’ song Take your next card from the blue team. |
Run around the hula hoops 3 times Take your next card from the blue team. |
Ask 1 person to say the Pledge of Allegiance with you. Take your next card from the blue team. |
Jump rope while counting to 15. Take your next card from the blue team. |
Match up 2 Key Passages and find them in a Bible. Take your next card from the blue team. |
Put the books of the New Testament in their correct order. Take your next card from the blue team. |
Grab a hula hoop and hula hoop while counting to 25. Take your next card from the blue team. |
Find 3 others and play 1 round of leap frog. Take your next card from the blue team. |
Find 2 others and do the chicken dance. Take your next card from the blue team. |
Do 3 Cartwheels (as best as you can) Take your next card from the blue team. |
Go to a leader and tell them 3 of the Ten Commandments Take your next card from the blue team. |
Put the books of the New Testament in their correct order. Take your next card from the green team. |
Grab a hula hoop and hula hoop while counting to 25. Take your next card from the green team. |
Find 3 others and play 1 round of leap frog. Take your next card from the green team. |
Find 2 others and do the chicken dance. Take your next card from the green team. |
Do 3 Cartwheels (as best as you can) Take your next card from the green team. |
Go to a leader and tell them 3 of the Ten Commandments Take your next card from the green team. |
1. Begin with opening prayer
2. Sing songs: (songs of choice)
Set out the event signup sheets and give the children time to decide which events they want to participate in while they enjoy the party. Limit the number of events per child if necessary.
Provide some snacks and drinks and allow the children to fellowship with one another for a few minutes. You may want to consider inviting parents to this event so they may celebrate the children’s successes.
· Event 1: Place the books of the Old Testament in order
· Event 2: Place the books of the New Testament in order
· Event 3: Place the 10 Commandments in order
· Event 4: Match the Key Passages with their Scripture reference and find them in Scripture (set out enough bibles)
· Event 5: Place the Desert Trek cards in Chronological order
· Event 6: Place all the books of the bible in their correct order
· Event 7: Take home event option 1 – Illustration of one of the commandments
· Event 8: Take home event option 2 – Illustration of one of the Desert Trek events
During our Desert Trek we learned much about who God is. Here are just some of the things we learned:
1. God is Holy and gave Himself a name “I am that I am” and from that name, “I Am” we learn God is a person and that He is self-sufficient.
2. God is above any and all things we can make to represent Him. It is best, therefore, not to even try to make an idol of Him nor should we worship anything else but Him.
3. Names are important in Scripture, especially names of God. The names of God help us gain a better understanding of who He is. We should not use His name in vain.
4. God does not like complaining. He gives us what He wants us to have. He has also set aside a day for us to rest and meditate on Him because He knows we need rest.
5. When we honor our parents, we honor God for God gave us our parents.
6. Human life is important to God for we are created in His image. We should preserve life, not take it.
7. God is the ultimate promise keeper. If we are going to be like God, we too should keep our promises. Keeping our promises when we are young helps us keep promises when we are adults such as our marriage promise to our husband/wife one day.
8. God provides all we need (like He provided manna and even someone to replace Moses after Moses died). When we steal we tell God what He has provided is not enough and that we need more. This saddens God.
9. Truth is very important to God. Jesus even said, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life.” We should always be honest; there is never a good excuse to lie.
10. God wants to be all we want and need. We should not covet what others have for we are not measured by what we own.
We also learned we can honor God by obeying His commands and His instructions.
God asked the Israelites to be different than others who did not know Him. We should be different as well. If we are going to call ourselves Christians, we should behave like Christians so that others will be drawn to God because of what we say and do. It is our responsibility to go out and share God with others.
· Worship God for all that He is (see above).
· Thank Him for the gift of His word that by it we learn more about Him.
· Thank Him for providing all we need, including Jesus as our Savior.
· Ask Him to help you represent Him well.
1. Award those that competed in each event.
2. Award first through third place in each event.
3. Closing prayer.
4. Closing song – song of choice