Remember that God made a covenant (or promise) with Abraham. Remember that
Sarah took matters into her own hands and gave Abraham a son through her servant Hagar. Now that Isaac, the son of promise was born, Sarah wanted Ishmael and Hagar to go. Perhaps Sarah didn't want Isaac to share the spotlight. Perhaps, Sarah didn't want to be reminded of her unfaithfulness. Perhaps, she just wanted to make life a little simpler. Unfortunately for Sarah, sin has consequences and sometimes those consequences last long after our repentance. Fortunately for Hagar, God saw her circumstances and was faithful to her and her son. Key Themes: 1. Faith is being sure of what we hope for, but do not see. 2. Sin has lasting consequences and can hurt others. 3. God has a plan. Memory Verse
Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. -Exodus 20:12
Songs
Books of the Old Testament
Be Careful Little Eyes Rock-a my Soul Abraham's Journey Father Abraham I'm Calling You, Abraham My God is So Big Peace Like a River Read Your Bible & Pray Every Day Righteousness, Peace, Joy in the Holy Ghost Three Wandering Jews Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Feeling Jealousy. Download a simple feelings chart. Talk to kids about what it's like to feel jealous. Do we usually make good decisions when we are jealous? Some people even relate jealousy to a monster, because it can cause us to make really bad decisions. Today, we are going to talk about a time when Sarah made a bad decision because she was jealous. Note: After you tell the story, allow kids to tell you how other people in the story were feeling such as Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael. 2. Target Practice: The Bible tells us that Ishmael grew up to be an archer. Begin class by asking kids review questions about Abraham up until this point. If a child gets a question right, allow them to toss a soft object (such as a ball) at a target. 3. Marble in Your Shoe Supplies: A marble for each child. SAY: This marble represents sin. (Have each child put the marble in their shoes and walk around the room.) SAY: Is it easy to walk around with a marble in your shoe? Can you go far? Can you go fast? That is what sin does, it hurts our walk with Jesus. It hurts us AND it can hurt others. If you always walked around with a marble in your shoe, it could really damage your feet! Today, we are going to learn about how one person's sin really hurt another person! Story: In the Bible, Abraham is known for his faithfulness. However, along the way he did make some mistakes. One of the mistakes he made was trying to build a family through his servant Hagar instead of waiting on God. This created a conflict within his family that cause jealousy, hurt and sadness for everyone in his home. Sin does this! It causes hurt and pain. However, we are never so powerful that we can mess up God's plans. God also sees injustice and does not forget the ones who are faithful to Him. God did not forget about Hagar and Ishmael when they were treated unfairly. SHOW the power point Hagar and Ishmael or read Genesis 21: 8-20. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsActivities
0 Comments
Remember that God made a covenant (or promise) with Abraham. We know that God always keeps his promises. However, Abraham and Sarah had to wait a very, very long time for this promise to come true. In fact, they waited so long, that they began to do things that showed they were beginning to doubt that this promise would ever really happen.
Sarah took matters into her own hands and gave Abraham a son through her servant Hagar. When God sent some visitors to remind Abraham and Sarah of the promise, she did something that also demonstrated she had began to doubt what God can do! Key Themes: 1. Faith is being sure of what we hope for, but do not see. 2. God's plan for a savior began with Abraham's family. 3. God wants us to have faith. Memory Verse
Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. -Exodus 20:12
Songs
Books of the Old Testament
Be Careful Little Eyes Rock-a my Soul Abraham's Journey Father Abraham I'm Calling You, Abraham My God is So Big Read Your Bible & Pray Every Day Three Wandering Jews Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Play Honey If You Love Me, Don't Smile (or Laugh!): In this game, the children sit in a circle. One person is "it." That person must pick one person in the circle. They will do silly or funny things to make them smile or laugh. If that person smiles or laughs, they trade places and are now "it." SAY: Today, we are going to learn about a time Sarah laughed! Why do people laugh? 2. Musical Statues-Allow everyone to hop or jump around during the music. When the music stops, everyone must freeze. Discuss the important of waiting for the right time. 3. Timing is Everything-(Better for older kids) Discuss the importance of timing in everything we do. List specific examples the kids could relate to such as in playing baseball, baking, etc. Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. However, it became apparent that as hard as people tried, they would always struggle with sin. God decides to create a new plan, through a new family. The beginning of this family would begin with a man of faith named Abram, and would later be called Abraham and his wife Sarai, now Sarah. One of the things we learn about God through this story is that God takes his time. He cannot be rushed. In that time of waiting, Sarah and Abraham learned what it meant to wait on God. SHOW the power point Sarah, the Woman Who Laughed or read Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsGod is...
Challenge the children to come up with "God is" statements based on this story such as God is faithful, God is powerful, etc.
Activities
This is the story of how God destroyed two cities that were immoral and godless. Remind the students of the story where Abraham gave Lot the first choice between two lands. Lot looked across the land and chose the one that was better for raising his livestock. However, choosing that land also meant living among very godless people. Unfortunately, his family felt the consequences of being influenced by the people who did not follow God.
Key Themes: 1. Faith is being sure of what we hope for, but do not see. 2. Bad company corrupts good morals. 3. Sin has consequences, but shows mercy to those who are faithful to Him. Memory Verse
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 Songs
Books of the Old Testament
Be Careful Little Eyes Rock-a my Soul Abraham's Journey Father Abraham I'm Calling You, Abraham Three Wandering Jews Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Salt Experiments Choose from one of these simple salt science experiments. SAY: Salt is an important compound to our world! We use it to make our food taste good! We use it to create chemical reactions, like the one to make ice cream. Today, we are going to learn about someone who disobeyed God! And when she did, she was turned to a pillar of salt! 2. Fireball -Use a red balloon or red ball to be the fire ball. Let kids take turns batting it around the circle. Don't let the fireball touch the ground! For older kids, you can use it as a warm up game. When you say stop, whoever is holding the ball answers a question like, "How do you make important decisions" or "What is sin?" 3. Fishing Line or Yarn: Unwind a fishing line or thin string and let the children “tangle” it all up. When it seems to be a hopeless mess, then ask them to untangle it. Ask them how long it would take to untangle the string before it could be used for fishing. Discuss the option of just buying a new string. Read more about this idea is from MissionBibleClass.org. Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. However, it became apparent that as hard as people tried, they would always struggle with sin. Unfortunately, there would always be consequences for sin. Sodom and Gomorrah is another example of how God chose to deal with a wicked group of people. However, God did not allow the innocent to be punished with the wicked and he rescued Lot and his family. However, as she was being rescued, Lot's wife disobeyed and faced her own consequence. SHOW the power point Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed or read Genesis 19:1-29. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsActivities
Rescue Game: Divide the children into groups of three–two will be “angels” (complete with halos), and one will be Lot. Lot sits on a blanket, and the angels pull across the room to safety. Play a few times so everyone gets a chance to be a puller and a rider.
This is the story of Hagar and Ishmael. God had promised Abram that he would make him the father of many nations. However, Abram was well into his eighties and had become the father of one child, much less many. He and Sarah decided to take matters into their own hands and create a family through their servant woman, Hagar.
In this story, we see the consequences of trying to do things in our own might, instead of trusting in God. In the end, Abram does have his first son, however it is not the child God had promised. There are lasting consequences to this moment of doubting God. Key Themes: 1. Faith is being sure of what we hope for, but do not see. 2. God's answers to prayer are yes, no and wait. We must have faith during the "wait." 3. There are consequences for disobeying God. Memory Verse
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 Songs
Books of the Old Testament
Rock-a my Soul Abraham's Journey Father Abraham I'm Calling You, Abraham Three Wandering Jews Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Waterbag & Pencil Object Lesson Use thissimple "magic trick" from Bedtime Devo Mama to illustrate faith and trust. You will need a plastic ziploc bag, very sharp pencil and some water. Discuss the idea of faith and trust and believing God when you can't see how his plan will work out. 2. Cups of Water Object Lesson: Demonstrate this object lesson from Kids Ministry Tools to illustrate how faith and action go hand in hand. We may say we have faith, but we demonstrate our faith by what we do. You will need 3 cups and a some water. 3. Simon Says: Play a simple game of Simon Says. Discuss the idea of obeying through actions. Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. However, it became apparent that as hard as people tried, they would always struggle with sin. God decides to create a new plan, through a new family. The beginning of this family would begin with a man of faith named Abram, and would later be called Abraham. God made Abram a promise that he would build a large family through him. When Abram was in his 80's, he and his wife decided to make their own plan for building this family instead of waiting on God. SHOW the power point Hagar and Ishmael or read Genesis 16. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual AidsActivities
This is the story of how God made a covenant (or promise) with Abraham. We recently learned that God cleansed the world from sin using a great flood. But, he promised he would never do that again. He had a new plan to cleanse the world from sin. God chose one man, Abram. His family would be the beginning of a new nation that would be called God’s people.
First, God asked Abram to leave his home and his relatives and begin travelling. Abram took his wife, Sarai, and his nephew, Lot and left his home and began to travel and live in tents. The Lord also told Abram that his name would be great and that the whole world would be blessed through this new nation. Abram believed God and had living faith. In this story, we see that Abram is faithful to God and his fellow man. In the end, God shows Abram the stars and promises that his that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the heaven. Key Themes: 1. Faith is being sure of what we hope for, but do not see. 2. God's plan for a savior began with Abraham's family. 3. God wants us to have faith. Memory Verse
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 Songs
Books of the Old Testament
Rock-a my Soul Abraham's Journey FatherAbraham I'm Calling You, Abraham Three Wandering Jews Story
Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time
Open Class in Prayer Introducing the Story Ideas 1. Stars in a Jar: Use tin foil and a jar to create "stars in a jar" or purchase a planetarium projector. Turn off the lights and do some star gazing. Talk about how many stars are the sky. Can you count them? SAY: Today, we are going to learn about how God used stars to show Abram how big his family would one day be. 2. Star Pinata: Hold up the star. Ask the kids if they think the star has something good or bad in it? What do they think is inside? How do they know this? Ask the kids to think about how Abraham didn’t know exactly what God’s promise meant. But he knew God and that God gave good things tohis children. Sometimes we have to be patient to see what good things God has planned for us. Then do a big countdown and pour the good things out and let kids choose a treat. If your brave, bring a rope and a foam bat and let the kids hit the pinata. 3. What is a star? Show a video about stars. Here is one you could use. God used stars as an example of how He would fulfill a promise to Abram. Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. However, it became apparent that as hard as people tried, they would always struggle with sin. God decides to create a new plan, through a new family. The beginning of this family would begin with a man of faith named Abram, and would later be called Abraham. SHOW the power point God Promises Abram or read Genesis 11:27-15:6. EMPHASIZE that:
Visual Aids
The Story of Abraham by Minno Video
God's Promise to Abraham by Saddleback Kids (Video) Abraham and Sarah by God's Story Video God is...
Challenge the children to come up with "God is" statements based on this story such as God is faithful, God is powerful, etc.
Activities |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
February 2025
Categories |