This is the story of how Nehemiah helped to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 

Key Concepts:
1. God always has a plan. 
2. We can trust that Jesus is God's son.  
​3. Inspired prophets foretold of God's coming Son, the Messiah, who would save mankind. 

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
    and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).

New Testament Books
J-E-S-U-S
If You Love Jesus
Oh, How I Love Jesus
Standing on the Promises

Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
 
Open Class in Prayer

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Define a promise. Discuss what a promise means and how important it is to keep promises. 

2. Review the timeline of the Old Testament. Remind the children of members of Jesus's family tree that you have studied so far. Try to help children connect that God is working out his plan through all of these people's lives. 

3. Start class with this object lesson. 
 
READ Scriptures which prophesied the coming of Jesus.

• The Messiah will come through the family of Abraham: Genesis 22:17-18
  • Matthew 1:1-17 (Joseph’s ancestry through Abraham) and
    Luke 3:23-38 (Mary’s ancestry through Abraham)
  • The Messiah will be a child of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:18
  • The child will be born in Bethlehem: Micah 5:2 and Matthew 2:1
  • Gabriel telling Mary she will have a baby. Luke 1:26-56
  • Gabriel telling Joseph that Mary would have a baby. Matthew 1:18-25

Video: God's Story

1. Who did God promise to send after Adam and Eve sinned? 
2. What does the word prophecy mean? 
3. What does the word Messiah mean? 
4. Can you name some of the people in Jesus's family tree? 
5. How many generations passed between Abraham and Jesus? 
​6. Why is it important to know who Jesus's ancestors are? 

Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story. 

The Family Tree of Jesus Poster by Oriental Trading

Jesus's Genealogy Wheel 

This is the story of how Nehemiah helped to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 

Key Concepts:
1. God always has a plan. 
2. God can use us in blessing others. 
​3. Continue to do what is right even if people try to stop us.

​"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."
​1 John 4:7

Old Testament Books
Let Us Be Faithful
My God is So Big
This Little Light of Mine
I'm in the Lord's Army
Building Up the Temple
Above All Else
Let Us Pray
You're the One

Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
 
Open Class in Prayer

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Play a version of “red light/green light. Tell the children that you will call out the name of a good activity (something that makes God happy). When you hold up the green light (a circle of green paper) they are to act out the good thing. When you hold up the red light (a circle of red paper) they are to “freeze” and stop doing the good thing until you hold the green light up again. “Good things” might include things like sweeping the floor to help mom, washing the dishes, picking flowers for someone, writing a note of encouragement on the computer, etc. After a few rounds talk about the fact that God likes us to do good things but sometimes people try to stop us. It’s like they are the red light. (Idea from Mission Bible Class) 

2. Use blocks or stackable items to build a wall. Break it down. Discuss the idea of rebuilding something that has been destroyed. 

3. Obstacle course. Build an obstacle course of everyday and classroom objects. Allow the kids to race through the obstacle course for time. Discuss how Nehemiah faced obstacles in trying to fulfill what God called him to. 
 
READ Nehemiah or tell the story of  Esther's Faithfulness. 
EMPHASIZE that:

• God is always at work even when we don't see Him.
• God knows the plans of the wicked and will judge them. 
• God uses ordinary people to do amazing things. 
• We need faith to speak out for God when He asks us. 

Nehemiah Printable by Trueway Kids

Nehemiah Printable

Nehemiah-Bible Project

Video: Nehemiah-What's in the Bible

1. Who was the cupbearer to the king? Nehemiah
2. What part of Jerusalem did Nehemiah rebuild? The city walls
3. Why did the neighbors make fun of the workers? To try to get them to stop working on the city walls.
4. What did Ezra stand on a platform and do from sunrise until noon? He read out loud from the Law of God

Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story of God.

Silver Goblet Craft by Trueway Kids
Help children learn about Nehemiah’s role as cup-bearing to the king with this easy to make craft.
Supplies: Paper or plastic cup, Thick card, Tape or glue, Aluminum foil,  Craft jewels or paper
​
What to do:

1. Trace around the top of a paper cup onto some thick card. Cut out the circle.
2. Tape or glue a small cardboard tube between the circle and paper cup.
3. Wrap everything in aluminum foil.
4. Decorate the cup with jewels or colored paper.

Bricks Memory Verse Craft by Trueway.com

This is the story of Ezra's return to Jerusalem. 

Key  Concepts: 
1. God calls us to repent. 
2. God can use us in blessing others. 
3. Be faithful to God. 

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."
​1 John 4:7

Old Testament Books
Building Up the Temple
My God is So Big
This Little Light of Mine
I'm in the Lord's Army
The Castle of My Heart

Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
 
Open Class in Prayer

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Before class wrap some yummy snacks in a colorful package. Bring a stopwatch or a timepiece with a second hand to class. Tell the children that you promise to let them open it in seventy seconds. As they wait, talk about the fact that God promised the Jews that they would have to wait seventy years before they were allowed to go back to their own land. “Do you think God kept his promise? Yes, God kept his promise! God always keeps his promises!” A countdown for the last ten seconds would make this activity even more fun. (Idea from Mission Bible Class). 

2. Show the kids a feelings chart. Discuss how they feel when they get good news and how they feel when they get bad news. Discuss the different feelings of:
-living in captivity
-finding you could go home again
​-making the long journey home
-finding the people had sinned when you arrived
-realizing you had sinned
-repenting of your sin
 
READ Ezra 7-10 or tell the story of  Ezra and the repentance of the people of Jerusalem. 
EMPHASIZE that:

• God is always at work even when we don't see Him.
• God calls us to repent when we sin. 
• God never gives up on us. 
  
• We need faith to speak out for God when He asks us. 
  

1. What was Ezra's job? 
2. What did the king allow Ezra to do? 
3. Who did Ezra take with him? 
4. When Ezra returned, he found the Jews living in Jerusalem were living in sin. What had the done?
5. How did the Jews feel when they realized they displeased God?
6. What did Ezra do to make things right?

Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story of God.

Skittles, Water, and Ezra Object Lesson
​Materials: dinner plate, 15-20 Skittles, warm water [I used hot tap water.]
Place the Skittles around the plate creating a large circle. Pour the warm water in the middle of the Skittles, enough so the liquid just about covers the candy. Watch what happens!

Comparing the Two Temples
​Find pictures of Solomon’s temple and the temple that was rebuilt. Compare the two.

Love One Another Card
Create a card to send or give to a friend or family member. Just like Ezra pointed the people back to God, we can also point others back to God and his love. 

This is the is the story of how God rescued his people through the faith of a young woman named Esther. 
Key Concepts: 
1. God always has a plan. 
2. God can use us in blessing others. 
3. Be faithful to God. 

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."
​1 John 4:7

Old Testament Books
Let Us Be Faithful
My God is So Big
This Little Light of Mine
I'm in the Lord's Army
Do Lord
Above All Else
Let Us Pray
You're the One

Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
 
Open Class in Prayer

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Timing: Have the children do activities while you time them. You can time them skipping, bunny hopping or standing on one leg. Discuss how God's timing is always perfect. 

2. Helpers-Write each child's name at the top of a blank paper and ask them to draw a picture of what they want to be when they grow up. As each child shares their answer, discuss how that person can help others. 

3. Photos-Show the kids photos that have been zoomed in to a very small part. See if they can guess what it is. Then show them the whole photo. Discuss how we can only see a small part of God's plan, but he can see the whole picture. With our part, we may not completely understand, but we can trust God. 
 
READ Esther 1-10 or tell the story of  Esther's Faithfulness. 
EMPHASIZE that:

• God is always at work even when we don't see Him.
• God knows the plans of the wicked and will judge them. 
• God uses ordinary people to do amazing things. 
• We need faith to speak out for God when He asks us. 

Story of Esther Video

Slapstick theatre Esther

Saddleback Kids Jr: Esther

Video: The Story of Esther

Trueway Kids Booklet

1. Who was the young Jewish girl who was chosen to be queen? Esther
2. Who was Esther’s cousin? Mordecai
3. What did Haman try to do to Mordecai? Hang him on the gallows
4. When Esther approached the king, what did he point at her? His sceptre
5. Who did Haman have to lead through the streets in honour? Mordecai
6. What finally happened to Haman? He was hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai

Connect the story back to God and his character. Explain how this story fits into God's overall story of God.

Crowns
Make and decorate crowns. Add a memory verse or qualities that made Esther special such as faithfulness, courage, and patience. 

Bake Hamantaschen
Recipe Here or use premade pie crust OR sugar cookie dough

Bible Class Theatre
​Provide costumes and assign parts. Allow the kids to re-enact the story they just heard. 

Scepter Sharing Time
Use a long wrapping paper tube to create a "scepter." Ask review/thought questions about the story. Make a rule that only the person holding the scepter or who you point the scepter to can share at a time. Use this as a time for the children to practice their listening skills.