WOODLAND OAKS KIDS MINISTRY
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Joseph is Sold Into Slavery

12/26/2024

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Joseph Thrown In a Pit by Jennifer Tolbert
The covenant God made with Abraham has now passed to his grandson Jacob. Even though this inheritance was obtained by Jacob through deceptive ways, God continues to work his plan through his family. While Abraham was blessed with his one promised son, Isaac, his family tree continues to grow as his grandson Jacob is blessed with 12 sons. 

This lesson begins the hardships of Joseph, who is known for his faith in spite of trying circumstances. His prophetic dreams begin what becomes a riches to rags to riches again, all at the work of God's hand. The next generation of this family continues to reap the consequences of jealousy, sibling rivalry, and sin. However, God uses it all for his plan. 

Key Themes: 
  • Our sin can hurt others. 
  • Jealousy is a dangerous sin. 
  • God had a plan for Joseph. 

Memory Verse

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
​Psalm 46:1 NIV

Songs

Books of the Old Testament
Jacob Lived in Canaan
Sons of Jacob Song
Be Careful Little Eyes
The B.I.B.L.E.
He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands
​12 Tribes of Israel

Story

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

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Paper Cuts
Bring out a piece of paper. Show the child how perfect the paper is. As you begin to speak, fold the paper. (You will be creating a snowflake.) Explain how each cut you make might be seen as a bad thing, but as you unfold the paper and show the beautiful snowflake, point out that the seemingly bad cuts created something beautiful

2. Pin the Coat on Joseph
Supplies: Poster with an Outline of a Coat, Colorful Dot Stickers, Blindfold
Take turns blindfolding each child. Let them take turns trying to put a colorful sticker on Joseph's Coat. Discuss how hard it is to accomplish something when we cannot see. In our story, Joseph is thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery. At times, Joseph probably couldn't see what God was doing in his life. 

​3. Color Matching (Preschool) 
From Trueway Kids; Supplies: Clothing Items of various colors, color splats
Print out the color splats from Trueway and let the kids sort the clothing items with the color splat it matches. 

Story: ​Review the story of Abraham to Jacob so far. Jacob (later known as Israel) had a very large family! Just like his father's before him, Jacob had inherited a promise the God would bless the entire world through his family. However, his family also inherited the sins of jealousy which caused sibling rivalry and caused his children to sin. 

In this story, we see how dangerous jealousy is and how it can gain a foothold and lead us to sin. 

SHOW the power point Joseph Thrown In a Pit or read Genesis 37:12-36. 
EMPHASIZE that:
  • Favoritism and jealousy play a major part in Jacob's family.
  • Jealousy is a dangerous sin.  
  • God's plan will be accomplished in spite of people's failures/mistakes. 

Visual Aids

Video: Joseph is Sold Into Slavery by CartoonWorks
Video: Joseph the Slave by Teaching Kids the Bible
Video: Joseph by God's Story

Activities

Joseph in the Pit by 10 Minutes of Quality Time
Joseph and His Brothers Craft Idea
Joseph in the Pit Puppet
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Joseph's Dreams

12/26/2024

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Joseph's Dreams by Jennifer Tolbert
The covenant God made with Abraham has now passed to his grandson Jacob. Even though this inheritance was obtained by Jacob through deceptive ways, God continues to work his plan through his family. While Abraham was blessed with his one promised son, Isaac, his family tree continues to grow as his grandson Jacob is blessed with 12 sons. 

This lesson introduces the story of Joseph, who is known for his faith in spite of trying circumstances. His prophetic dreams begin what becomes a riches to rags to riches again, all at the work of God's hand. The next generation of this family continues to reap the consequences of jealousy, sibling rivalry, and sin. However, God uses it all for his plan. 

Key Themes: 
  • Our sin can hurt others. 
  • Jealousy is a dangerous sin. 
  • God had a plan for Joseph. 

Memory Verse

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
​Psalm 46:1 NIV

Songs

Books of the Old Testament
Jacob Lived in Canaan
Sons of Jacob Song
Be Careful Little Eyes
The B.I.B.L.E.
He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands
​12 Tribes of Israel

Story

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

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Building Each Other Up
Supplies: Gamecards, blocks or anything that can stack
Divide the class into two teams. Each team will take turns drawing a "build" card. If the card shows a scenario that "built someone up," the team can add a block. If it shows a scenario that tears down, they must remove a block. If they draw a "wreck it" card, they must start over. Discuss how powerful our words and actions are on our lives and the lives of people around us. 

2. Megaphones
Supplies: Make simple megaphones from paper or bring one to class. Inexpensive plastic ones can be purchased online too. 
The things we say matter! To others and to God! Make the megaphones and talk about how the things we say speak volumes to others about what is in our hearts. We should be careful about the things we say. 

​3. Coat of Many Colors Race
Divide your class into teams of 3 or 4. Provide each team 3 rolls of streamers. One person on each team is "Joseph," the other team members must wrap him in a "coat" of many colors. First team to use all of the streamers wins! Discuss how Joseph probably first seemed like a blessing, but eventually brought him a lot of heartache! 

Story: ​Review the story of Abraham to Jacob so far. Jacob (later known as Israel) had a very large family! He had four wives. Do you remember who his first wife was? (Leah) But what wife was his favorite? (Rachel)

Since the beginning of time, we have seen where jealousy and sibling rivalry has caused pain and suffering in the families of God's people. Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, and now that same sin is being repeated among  Joseph's sons. 

In this story, we see how hurtful it is to show favoritism. We also learn that it is important to measure our words and make sure that they are building others up or tearing them down. 

SHOW the power point Joseph's Dreams or read Genesis 37:1-11. 
EMPHASIZE that:
  • Favoritism and jealousy play a major part in Jacob's family.
  • We should measure our words and use them wisely. 
  • God's plan will be accomplished in spite of people's failures/mistakes. 
:

Visual Aids

Video: Joseph and His Coat by Saddleback Kids
Video: The Story of Joseph and the Colorful Coat by Minno
Video: Joseph by God's Story
Video: Joseph, the Dreamer by My First Bible

Activities

Joseph's Coat Collage by Trueway Kids
Coat of Many Colors Mosaic by Crafting the Word of God
Joseph the Dreamer Activity Mat by MeriPeriCo on Etsy
Joseph's Chenille Stem Coat by Oriental Trading
Joseph's Magic Scratcher Ornament by Oriental Trading
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Jacob and Rachel

12/16/2024

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Jacob and Rachel by Jennifer Tolbert
God renewed the covenant he had made with Abraham with his grandson Jacob, even though this inheritance was obtained by Jacob through deceptive ways. Never the less, Jacob inherits this promise from God. 

This lesson focuses on the story of how Jacob, known as a deceiver, is deceived when he wants to marry. The next generation of this family begins with deception and the consequences of that sin fall on the next generation as well. 

Key Themes: 
  • Our sin can hurt others. 
  • We should repent when we do wrong. 
  • God included Jacob in his plan, even though Jacob had sinned. 

Memory Verse

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. -Proverbs 1:7

Songs

Books of the Old Testament
​Rock-a my Soul
Keep Your Tongue from Evil
Three Wandering Jews
Be Careful Little Eyes
Three Wandering Jews

Shake the Devil Off ​

Story

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

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Wedding Traditions
Consider brining a shawl to class. Tell the children that in Bible times, the bride usually wore a veil so the groom didn't see her face until after they had been married. This allowed Laban to play a trick on Jacob. 

2. Wedding Cakes
Supplies: Small cupcakes, sprinkles, and punch or juice
Check for allergies! Let kids make their own wedding cake and eat for a snack. SAY: One of the traditions we have at wedding is that we celebrate with cake and punch! Today, we are going to learn about Jacob's wedding and the big surprise he had at his wedding! 

​3. Two Truths and a Lie
In this game, a child say two things that are true and one that is a lie. The other kids have to guess which one is the lie. Let each child take turns trying to stump their classmates. Discuss lying and why it is considered a sin. Who gets hurt when we lie? 

4. What Comes Around, Goes Around
Have you ever heard the saying What Comes Around, Goes Around? Or what about Life is an echo, what you send out comes back. How about the saying what you sow, you shall reap? What do these sayings mean? 
​
Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. God promised Abraham that the redeemer would come from one of his descendants. The Bible tells us about all of the good and bad things that happened along the way. 

This is the story of Abraham's grandson, Jacob and how he started the next generation of this important family. This story shows us the consequences of and lying and how Jacob found himself on the other side of a lie. 
 
SHOW the power point Jacob Is Deceived at his Wedding or read Genesis 29:1-30.
EMPHASIZE that:
  • Deception and lies play a major part in establishing Jacob's family and cause sorrows and hurts.
  • We should seek wisdom and never go our own way. 
  • God's plan will be accomplished in spite of people's failures/mistakes. 

Visual Aids

Video: Jacob Works for Laban by My First Bible Story
Video: Jacob and Rachel by Teaching Kids About the Bible

Activities

God Always Keeps His Promises Craft by Sermons4Kids
Jacob Meets Rachel Printable by 10 Minutes of Quality Time
Jacob, Rachel, and Leah Origami Puzzle by Jesus-Without-Language
Jacob, Rachel and Leah Spinner by Jesus Without Language
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Jacob's Dream

12/16/2024

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Jacob's Dream by Jennifer Tolbert
God was faithful to his plan to save the world through Abraham's family. Once Abraham died, God began to work through Isaac, Rebekah, and their double blessing-twin sons named Jacob and Esau. This lesson focuses on a reminder God sent to Jacob about his commitment to rescue the world through this family. 

This lesson illustrates that no one is so powerful that they can undo the works and plans of God. While Jacob's deceit did hurt his family and there were consequences for his sin, God renewed his commitment to make Jacob part of his plan. 

Key Themes: 
  • We can learn from bad things that happen to us. 
  • We should repent when we do wrong. 
  • God included Jacob in his plan, even though Jacob had sinned. 

Memory Verse

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. -Proverbs 1:7

Songs

Books of the Old Testament
Father Abraham
I'm Calling You, Abraham
Three Wandering Jews
I Will Call Upon the Lord
Hear O Israel
​1, 2, 3 Jesus Loves Me
​Castle of My Heart

Story

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

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Ladder Game
Make a ladder using tape on the ground. Let kids move up and down the ladder by answering review questions. 

2. Perfect Pillow
Supplies: Different Kinds of Pillows
Show different types of pillows. Be sure to include a rock as a pillow. Talk about which one would be the most comfortable. 

​3. Ladder Object Lesson
Supplies: 3 Step Ladder
Show the kids the ladder. Discuss what a ladder does (help you reach something that is higher). Perhaps demonstrate how a ladder can help you reach things that are beyond your reach. God's plans are higher than our plans. Jacob needed to reach a "higher" understanding of God and his plan. How did the ladder connect Jacob's earthy plan with God's heavenly plan? 


Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. God promised Abraham that the redeemer would come from one of his descendants. The Bible tells us about all of the good and bad things that happened along the way. 

This is the story of Abraham's grandson, Jacob. Remember that Jacob had tricked his family so he had to run for his life! His mother sent him back to her brother Laban. Along the way, Jacob had a special dream in which God reminded Jacob of the promise he made with Abraham and confirmed that he would be working with Jacob to make that plan come to be. 
 
SHOW the power point Jacob's Dream or read Genesis 28: 1-22. 
EMPHASIZE that:
  • God's blessings are valuable.
  • Jesus is our ladder that connects us to heaven. 
  • God's plan will be accomplished in spite of people's failures/mistakes. 

Visual Aids

Video: Jacob's Ladder by Trueway Kids
Video: Jacob's Dream by Fishnet Bible Stories
Video: God's People-Jacob by God's Story

Activities

Jacob's Ladder Craft by 10 Minutes of Quality Time
Jacob's Dream Printable Craft by Trueway Kids
Tissue Paper Angel Craft by Oriental Trading
3D Hanging Angel Ornament Craft
Color Your Own Angel Christmas Tree Toppers
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Jacob Deceives Isaac

12/16/2024

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Jacob Deceives Isaac by Jennifer Tolbert
God was faithful to his plan to save the world through Abraham's family. Once Abraham died, God began to work through Isaac, Rebekah, and their double blessing-twin sons named Jacob and Esau. This lesson focuses on the perfect plan God is building through very imperfect people. 

Esau and Jacob were the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau should have inherited the responsibilities and blessings that come with being the oldest son but he rashly sold his birthright to his younger brother for a pot of stew. Then, in an act of deception, Jacob tricks his father into giving him Esau's blessing as well. 

Key Themes: 
  • Lying is a sin. 
  • We should treat others the way we want to be treated. 
  • Sin has consequences. 

Memory Verse

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 9:10

Songs

Books of the Old Testament
​Rock-a my Soul
Keep Your Tongue from Evil
Three Wandering Jews
Be Careful Little Eyes
Three Wandering Jews

Shake the Devil Off 

Story

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

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Family Feud
Play a game of family feud using Bible questions. You can make up your own or use this free download from Gathered Again. SAY: Today, we are going to talk about a real family feud! If applicable, remind the children about Jacob tricking Esau into giving up his birthright. 
​
2. Pillowcase Puzzles
Supplies: pillowcase, various small items
Put a small item in a pillowcase. Let a child try to guess what the item is by simply feeling it. Rotate the items out and let the kids each take a turn trying to guess. SAY: It sure is hard to know what something is when you can't see it! Today we are going to talk about how Isaac, who was now old and had lost his sight, was tricked by his son Jacob. 

​3. Bible Headbands
Supplies: Post It Notes or Notecards with Well Know Bible Names
Use a marker to write words on each notecard a name of a well known Bible character. Have a child stick the card on their forehead. The other kids need to give the child clues as to what the name on their card is without saying the name. The child with the card tries to guess who is on their card. Discuss the idea of knowing something without being able to see. 
​
Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. God promised Abraham that the redeemer would come from one of his descendants. The Bible tells us about all of the good and bad things that happened along the way. 

This is the story of Abraham's grandsons, Jacob and Esau. This story shows us the consequences of jealousy and lying. 
 
SHOW the power point Jacob Deceives Isaac or read Genesis 27:1-28:5.
EMPHASIZE that:
  • God's blessings are valuable.
  • We should not trick (deceive/lie) to our parents.
  • God's plan will be accomplished in spite of people's failures/mistakes. 

Visual Aids

Video: Jacob and Esau by Saddleback Kids
Video: Jacob and Esau by God's Story
Video: Jacob Steals the Blessing by My First Bible

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

Jacob and Esau Fortune Teller Craft
Jacob's Hairy Arms Craft from Crafting the Word of God
Jacob Deceives Isaac Printable from 10 Minutes of Quality Time
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Jacob and Esau

12/12/2024

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Jacob and Esau by Jennifer Tolbert
God was faithful to his plan to save the world through Abraham's family. Once Abraham died, God began to work through Isaac, Rebekah, and their double blessing-twin son's named Jacob and Esau. This lesson focuses on the family tree that God is building through very imperfect people. 

Esau and Jacob were the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau should have inherited the responsibilities and blessings that come with being the oldest son but he rashly sold his birthright to his younger brother for a pot of stew.

Key Themes: 
  • God forgives us. 
  • We should treat others the way we want to be treated. 
  • God can restore relationships. 

Memory Verse

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

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
Be Careful Little Eyes
​Shake The Devil Off

Story

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

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Make Lentil/Vegetable Stew
Many kids may not know what a lentil is and nothing gets their attention quite like food! Make a simple version of a soup for the kids to enjoy while you tell them the story. There is a recipe from Trueway Kids. 
​

2. Things That Belong in My Heart
Supplies: A Bucket with a heart on it, Trash can, Notecards
write words that describe good and bad qualities on them. You can use the fruit of the spirit and Ephesians 4 to inspire you. Sort the words between a what goes into a heart and what we should "put or throw away." What words describe Jacob’s heart when he tricked his brother?

​3. Hungry, Hungry Esau
Supplies: Plastic ball pit balls, optional: laundry basket, skateboard Or bucket that can hold balls
Use a marker to write words on each ball of items that have different monetary value. For example, you may write: car, computer, ipad, basketball, skateboard, bike, video games, hamburger, candy bar, piece of gum, etc. Think of things that would be relatable to the kids in your age group. 

Option 1: Bucket: Let each child have a turn choosing a ball from the bucket

Option 2: Scatter the balls in an area of the room. Let each child have a turn riding the skateboard on their tummy and quickly gathering some balls with a small bucket. 

Allow the kids to share what item was written on their ball. Ask someone with a high value item if they would want to trade with someone a low value item. Why not? Discuss what makes something valuable. How do you treat something that is valuable?
​
Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. God promised Abraham that the redeemer would come from one of his descendants. The Bible tells us about all of the good and bad things that happened along the way. 

This is the story of Abraham's grandsons, Jacob and Esau and something that happened when they grew up.
 
SHOW the power point Esau Sells His Birthright to Jacob or read Genesis 25: 19-34.
EMPHASIZE that:
  • God's blessings are valuable.
  • We should not trick our siblings. 
  • God's plan will be accomplished in spite of people's failures/mistakes. 

Visual Aids

Video: Jacob and Esau from Saddleback Kids
Video: Jacob and Esau by God's Story
Video: The Story of Jacob and Esau by My First Bible
Video: Jacob and Esau by Teaching Kids About Jesus

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

Paper Plate Beard from Trueway Kids
Jacob and Esau Story Spinner
Dry Soup Jars
Let kids take turns measuring and creating dry soup jars. Encourage the kids to share the soup jar with their family or a friend. Talk about the value of generosity. Don't forget to add a tag with the directions! 
Jacob and Esau Printable Bread and Soup Craft
Shooting Straight
Supplies: toy bow and arrow set, printable target or stacks of cups
Tape the target up in your classroom or set up a pyramid of cups.
Each child will take a turn shooting the arrow at the target. The suction may not stick but see what ring they hit. If you're playing with cups, see how many they are able to knock over. Ask a review question about today's story. Whichever ring on the target they hit or cups they hit is the number of points their team earns for a correct answer! 
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A Wife for Isaac

12/12/2024

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A Wife for Isaac by Jennifer Tolbert
God promised to bless the entire world through the family of Abraham. The child of promise, Isaac, was finally born and has now grown into a young man. Abraham knew it was time to build the next generation of this important family. 

However, he recognized the importance of choosing a wife that worshipped the true and living God. He did not want the influence of a wife from the neighboring Canaanites who did not worship God. 

In this story, we see a positive example of setting priorities and asking God's guidance to influence big and important decisions. Rebekah honored God by going with the servant when she realized that God had a hand in choosing her as Isaac's wife. Isaac honored Abraham and God by choosing a wife from among the followers of 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. 
3. It is important to associate with fellow believers. 
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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
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

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

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. All About Camels: God used the sign of watering camels to show the servant who Isaac's wife should be. Use one of these videos to introduce the kids to facts about camels. 
Camel Facts for Kids by Fun Learning
​
Where Do Camels Store Water by T-Series Kids Hut
Camels for Kids by Learn Bright
​

2. Watering Camels by Teach One Reach One
Supplies: jugs of water, stuffed or cardboard camels
The sign of watering the camels was not just a specific sign to indicate to the servant who God wanted to be a wife for Isaac. It also revealed a servant heart found in Rebekah. But watering camels isn't like watering a puppy dog or even a cow. These animals require a lot of water. This activity will show the kids how much work Rebekah was willing to do for a total stranger! 

​3. Tricks vs. Treats: Make 3 identical boxes wrapped in gift wrap. In one box, put a bag candy the kids can share or a small toy. In the other 2 boxes, put an uncooked potato. In this box, only one box has a treat. We have to pick which box that is! How will we make that decision? Discuss how we make difficult decisions, especially when we don't always know how things will turn out. Discuss the importance of seeking advice, praying and asking God for help. For best effect and happy students, let the children share the treat inside the best box. 
​
Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. God promised Abraham that the redeemer would come from one of his descendants. Sarah and Abraham now have Isaac, their special son promised by God. However, Sarah has died and Abraham knows his time is coming when he will die as well. He wants to find a wife for Isaac to continue building this important family tree. As a man of faith, Abraham knows God must be included in such an important decision. 
 
SHOW the power point A Wife for Isaac or read Genesis 24. 
EMPHASIZE that:
  • It is important to choose friends from people who follow God.
  • We should include God in big decisions. 
  • We should serve others like Rebekah served Abraham's servant. 

Visual Aids

Video: A Wife for Isaac by My First Bible
Video: Isaac and Rebekah by Teaching Kids About Jesus
Video: Isaac Marries Rebekah by Fishnet Bible Stories
Video: The Search for Isaac's Wife Part 1 by Bible Buddies
Video: Eliezer found the wife for Isaac Pt. 2 by Bible Buddies
Video: Rebekah goes home with Eliezar Part 3 by Bible Buddies

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

Pinch Pots
Supplies: Air Dry Clay
​Rebekah used a clay pot to carry the water for the camels. Use air dry clay to make smaller pots to remind us to "carry water" for others. 
A Wife for Isaac Pop Up Picture by Busy Art
Camel Pencil Holder by Trueway Kids
Game: Water Relay Games
Kids love water play. If it's appropriate, have various water relay games you can play to illustrate the idea of carrying water. 
Water Bottle Craft from Oriental Trading
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Abraham Is Tested

12/10/2024

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Abraham is Tested by Jennifer Tolbert
After years of waiting, Isaac, the child of promise had finally arrived! Abraham and Sarah must have been so happy! But God decided to test Abraham. He test him to see if he would be willing to give up his son if God asked him to do so. 

While Abraham had a few missteps in the past, he had walked with God long enough that he knew he could trust God. He made the journey, built the altar and was about to sacrifice his son when God proved to Abraham, once again, that He can be trusted. In that act of obedience, Abraham taught us what "living by faith, not by sight" truly  means. 
​
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. Build an Altar: Use blocks or boxes to build an altar with the kids. Discuss altars and what they were used for in Bible times. 

2. Trust Taste Test: Ask for volunteers to be blindfolded. Tell them to open their mouth because you are going to give them something to eat. “Do you trust me? What if I am giving you a yucky worm or a rotten apple to eat?” Continue in this train of thought for a little while and then put something VERY tasty in their mouth (lolly-pop, biscuit, etc.) Discuss what it felt like to trust someone when you did not know what they were going to do. “Abraham trusted God even when he did not understand what God was going to do.” Idea from Mission Bible Class

​3. Blindfold Obstacle Course: Have one child blindfolded while another child leads them through a small obstacle course made of chairs, tables, cones, etc. Discuss how hard it is walk when you cannot see. How much trust did you have to place in your friend? Is it always easy to trust what you cannot see? 
​
Story: We have been talking about how God tried to redeem the world from sin. God promised Abraham that the redeemer would come from one of his descendants. The only problem was that Abraham didn't have descendants. Abraham and Sarah waited and waited. Finally, Baby Isaac was born! God tested Abraham by making him wait for the promised child and he decided to test Abraham again. 
 
SHOW the power point Abraham and Isaac or read Genesis 21:1-7; 22: 1-19. 
EMPHASIZE that:
  • We should always obey God.
  • We should trust God. 
  • Faith involves both trust and action

Visual Aids

Video: Abraham's Son, Isaac by My First Bible
Video: Sacrificing Isaac by Saddleback Kids
Video: Abraham and Sarah by God's Story
Video: The Story of Abraham and Isaac by WonderKids

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

Abraham Sacrifices Isaac Craft from Etsy
Abraham's Altar Craft from A Sketch of Faith
Abraham and Isaac Crafts from Non Toy Gifts
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Hagar & Ishmael Sent Away

12/10/2024

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Hagar and Ishmael sent Away by Jennifer Tolbert
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:
  • We should always obey God.
  • Sin has consequences. 
  • God will never leave us or forget us. 

Visual Aids

Video: The Story of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar by WonderKids
Video: Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away by Joyful Bundle
Video: Hagar and Ishmael by Fishnet Bible Stories

Activities

Water Jug Printable by Jesus-Without-Language
God Always Loves Us Scroll by Oriental Trading
Story Spinner by PopsPrint
Hagar and Ishmael Reading Roadmap
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Birth of Isaac

12/9/2024

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Copy of Sodom and Gomorrah by Jennifer Tolbert
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:
  • We should always obey God.
  • Patience-We need to wait on God. 
  • Faith involves both trust and action

Visual Aids

Video: The Story of Abraham by Minno
Video: Isaac is born by Trueway Kids
Video: Sarah Laughs by Saddleback Kids
Video: Abraham and Sarah by God's Story
Video: God's Promise to Abraham by Saddleback Kids

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

Isaac is Born Printable from Trueway Kids
Baby Isaac Craft from Mission for Sri Lanka
Isaac is Born Craft from Let Their Light Shine Blog
Abraham and Isaac Diorama, Spinner and Paper Hat
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