SMALL GROUP TIME WORD UP! INTRODUCTION. God Rules: Be Strong

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1 God Rules: Be Strong INTRODUCTION Where do children go today for help in handling a difficult situation or in making an important decision? They might go to a friend, a teacher, or look on the internet. But can these sources be trusted to guide the children to the truth of God s Word? In today s Growth Narrative lesson you will teach the true source of wisdom God and His Word. In the Gospel Spotlight, have fun using the object lesson to present the Gospel clearly. Ask God for wisdom as you teach this lesson. He promises to give it to you! Concepts covered in this lesson include: Bible: There are 66 books in the Bible. All the books agree. Man: Relying on God I can always count on God for wisdom. Bible: Instruction for Life God s Word gives me direction. Demonstrations of the lessons and songs in this series are available at: cefonline.com/ freedemos/gnc SMALL GROUP TIME Wisdom (Optional prayer time) Brendan s best friend has started being mean to him and telling lies about him to others. He doesn t know what to do about it. He needs wisdom. Wisdom is knowing and making good and right decisions. Where do you think he can get wisdom and help for his situation? (Allow response.) Krista s parents are getting a divorce. She is struggling with concentrating in school and doing her homework. And her attitude has been terrible. She needs wisdom to handle things in the right way. Where do you think she can get wisdom and help for her situation? (Allow response.) Maybe you have something going on in your life right now that you need wisdom for. God cares about what you are going through and wants to give you wisdom to know how to handle it. You can talk to Him about whatever it is. Let s pray together. (Pray with children and ask God for His wisdom.) WORD UP! God gives wisdom! Do you ever have to make a hard decision and need someone to help you decide what to do? Who do you go to for help in making decisions? (Allow response.) You might ask your mom or dad or a teacher for help. When you don t know what to do, you need wisdom. Wisdom is using the things you know to make good and right decisions. There is someone who is the wisest and greatest of all who promises to give you wisdom when you ask. Do you know who that is? (Allow response.) God! Listen carefully today to see how you can get wisdom from God to make right decisions. When you hear a teacher say Word Up! we are going to shout together God gives wisdom! (Say with children.) Show the card and have the children repeat the statement: God gives wisdom! Tell them that anytime you call out Word Up! they are to shout the phrase back. Call it out during transition times, times when they are restless or just anytime! Preschool Word Up! You may want to consider changing the preschool Word Up! to God is wise! and focus on that throughout the lesson. If you want to add actions to the Word Up!, point up when you say God. When you say gives, put your hands out like you are giving a gift. Point to your head when you say wisdom. 1

2 Lesson 2 LESSON If desired, you may choose to have an adult or teen helper dress up as a king and dramatize the part of King Nebuchadnezzar throughout this lesson as he sleeps, worries, calls the wise men, gets angry and then talks with Daniel in the skit provided near the end of the lesson. If you have new children in your club, you may wish to take a few minutes to very briefly review who Daniel and his friends were and why they were in Babylon. Tell the children that whenever you say wise men they should tap their heads and say wise men after you. Have preschoolers list things in the sky (sun, moon, stars). Ask them who made those things. Explain that sometimes people look to those things to tell them what to do instead of asking God. It is always best to ask God to know what to do! Tell the Story True vv. 1-2 INTRODUCTION King Nebuchadnezzar lay wide awake in the darkness. He d had that dream again! What did this strange dream mean? He knew he probably wouldn t get any sleep until he found out. But who had the wisdom to show him what such a mysterious dream meant? PROGRESSION OF EVENTS Slide 1 When morning came, the king called his wise men to come. Daniel and his three friends were also considered wise men. They worked with the king and his officials, advising the king on important matters. But they were not with the group of advisors that gathered around the king that day. The advisors who were there worshiped the false gods of Babylon, whom they thought gave them power. They did not believe in the one true and living God. Do you believe in the true and living God? He is the all-powerful Creator of everything. He made the planets, placed them in space, and keeps them all in their proper orbits (places in space). He made the Earth and everything in it including you! He wants you to know and love Him. But you were born wanting your own way instead. God calls wanting your own way sin. The Bible says, (read Romans 3:10). There is no one who is like God, perfect in all He thinks, says, and does. Sin has consequences (what happens because of something you do). The biggest consequence for sin is to be separated from Him forever in a place of punishment. But God loves you and has made the way to save you from this terrible punishment. The Bible says, (read Romans 5:8). Jesus, God the Son, came to Earth and lived a perfect life. He allowed wicked men to nail Him to a cross, where He suffered, bled, and died for your sin. After dying and being buried, Jesus came alive again by God s power! He lives today in Heaven seated in a place of honor. You can believe in Jesus (trust completely in Him) and have a friendship with God that starts now and lasts forever. He is the only true and living God, and He wants you to believe in Him. The wise men in King Nebuchadnezzar s court did not believe in the one true and living God. They worshiped the false gods of Babylon and thought these gods gave them power. Ask children, Who is the only one who knows everything, including what people dream? Have them stand up and shout, God! As the wise men stood before the king, he told them he had a dream and was very troubled by it. The wise men asked the king to tell them his dream so they could tell him what it meant. But the king replied, (read Daniel 2:5b-6). The king was testing his wise men to see if they really could know and interpret dreams. Could they? If you think the wise men could tell the king what he dreamed, show me a thumbs up. If you don t think they could tell him the dream, show me a thumbs down. (Allow responses.) Keep listening to see if you are right. 2

3 God Rules: Be Strong Slide 2 The wise men were shocked at the king s request. Surely he didn t expect them to know his dream without him telling them! They begged the king to tell them the dream, but King Nebuchadnezzar was firm. He told the wise men that if they couldn t tell him the dream then they probably would be making up what it meant if he told them. The wise men desperately tried to reason with the king. (Read Daniel 2:11.) They knew it would take supernatural wisdom wisdom they didn t have to tell this dream and what it meant, and they didn t know if their gods would or could give them such wisdom. What is wisdom and where do you find wisdom when you need it? Wisdom is using the things you know to make good and right decisions. If you believe in Jesus as your Savior, you can go to God for wisdom. You need wisdom to decide who your closest friends should be, what activities you should do or not do, and how to handle problems and other situations. Where do you look for wisdom or help when you need to make an important decision? (Allow response.) Perhaps you ve heard someone say, Just believe in yourself. Some people try to make decisions based only on what they think, trusting in their wisdom alone. You might have friends who look for wisdom by watching what others do or who make decisions because they saw someone do it on TV or the internet. Maybe they make decisions based on a game that seems to tell the future or gives answers to questions. These are not true sources of wisdom. The Bible says, (read Proverbs 3:5-6). These verses remind us that we should trust in God for His wisdom. If you have believed in Jesus, you can learn to trust God to show you what the right thing to do is. There is only one true God who is all powerful and the source of all wisdom. He knows everything! Because God made the world, He knows how everything works best. He is the one you should ask for help and truth. If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, ask God for wisdom. God Is So Good vv. 1-2 If desired, substitute wise for good and end the song, He gives wisdom to me. Hold up your Bible and tell children that God loves us so much He gave us the Bible so we can know what He thinks about life and how He has planned it to work. Explain that you can trust God to always know what is best because He is wise. Slide 3 Say with me, God gives wisdom! (Say with children.) He will give you the wisdom you need to make right decisions; He is where you should go to find wisdom. Slide 4 King Nebuchadnezzar s wise men didn t know if their gods would or could give them the wisdom they needed to tell the king s dream and its meaning. They desperately tried to reason with the king. Furious at their excuses, the king ordered his guards to kill all of the wise men! The guards gathered the wise men to obey the king s order. They also went to get Daniel and his three friends. 3

4 Lesson 2 Slide 5 Arioch (AIR-ih-ock), captain of the guard, came for Daniel. Daniel asked what had caused the king to give such a harsh, sudden order. When Arioch explained about the dream, Daniel asked to speak with the king. Daniel asked the king to delay killing the wise men. He needed time to find out about the dream and its meaning. The king agreed. What would you have done if you were Daniel? (Allow response.) Daniel returned home and gathered his three friends and told them about the serious situation. Then they did the best thing they could do. They prayed to the one true and living God, asking for wisdom. Then they waited for God to answer. God Is So Good vv. 1-2 If desired, substitute wise for good and end the song, He gives wisdom to me. Emphasize that God is wise all the time and because He loves you He tells you what He wants you to know in the Bible. Visualized Bible Verse Booklet If you know Jesus as your Savior, ask God for wisdom and know that He will answer. When you need to make a decision or know how to handle a difficult situation, don t just look to yourself, TV shows, the internet, a game, or your friends for answers. James 1:5 reminds us where to go for wisdom. Let s all say it together. (Quote James 1:5 with children.) As God s child, you can freely ask Him for wisdom. God wants you to ask, A-S-K! Each letter can help you remember what to do. A ask God for wisdom. Maybe you are trying to decide what activities you should or should not do; ask God for wisdom in choosing. Ask God for wisdom when you don t know how to handle difficult situations in your life. Then S seek answers in God s Word and from His people. Read your Bible, looking for verses about friendship or help in trouble, and think about how the verses apply to your situation. God the Holy Spirit, through God s Word, can give you the direction you need. God promises to give you wisdom. Remember wisdom is using the things you know to make good and right decisions. You learn about God and His wisdom in the Bible. Another way God gives you wisdom is through His people. Talk to God s people others who know and love God. Your pastor, Sunday school teacher, Good News Club teacher, friends who believe in Jesus, or family members might be able to give you advice. Ask them what they would do in your situation. K keep believing God will answer, then do what you think God wants you to do. Trust God s wisdom. Slide 6 Say with me, God gives wisdom! (Say with children.) You can follow the same steps for any situation where you need wisdom. If you re trying to decide if something is right or wrong to do, A-S-K. Ask God for His wisdom. Daniel and his friends asked God for wisdom, then they waited to see what God would do. Slide 7 Teacher Note Be careful not to give the impression that dreams are always messages from God. While God can and has used dreams to deliver important messages, His primary method of speaking to people is through His Word. And God answered in a great way! Daniel dreamed the king s dream and understood its meaning! Daniel must have been very excited! He thanked God for answering his prayer. (Read Daniel 2:23.) Daniel had been strong in the Lord by praying and trusting God for wisdom, and God had answered! 4

5 God Rules: Be Strong Daniel found Arioch and shared the good news with him. He knew what the dream was and what it meant. The wise men wouldn t have to be killed! Slide 8 Arioch quickly took Daniel to the king and told him Daniel could explain his dream. Let s listen to the conversation between the king and Daniel: Daniel Interprets the King s Dream skit (Have two volunteers for the parts of Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar. You might want to have a purple robe for the one as king.) Daniel Interprets the King s Dream skit reproducible Costumes (optional) King Nebuchadnezzar: Is it true? Are you able to tell me the dream and what it means? Daniel: This mystery cannot be solved by your wise men. But there is a God in Heaven who reveals mysteries. He has revealed your dream. You have been wondering at night about the future of the kingdom. The dream God gave you is the answer to your questions. King Nebuchadnezzar: Tell me more! Daniel: God has not revealed this to me because I am wiser than any others. My wisdom comes from the one true God. Slide 9 (continued with skit) CLIMAX Narrator/Teacher: Then Daniel told the dream to the king. He described a huge statue made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay. (Point to different sections of the statue on the flashcard.) He also told about a large stone that hit the statue, shattering it. The stone grew to be a mountain, covering the whole Earth. The king s eyes must have opened wide in amazement as Daniel described the dream exactly! Daniel: The head of gold represents you, King. The God of Heaven has given you great power. But you will not rule forever. The other parts of the statue represent other kingdoms that will follow you. The stone represents God s kingdom that will overcome all other kingdoms. The meaning of this dream is true because God has revealed it. He knows what will happen in the future. King Nebuchadnezzar: Truly your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings! He is great and can reveal secrets! God had shown Daniel the dream and its meaning, and now even the king acknowledged Daniel s God! 5

6 Lesson 2 CONCLUSION The king stopped the death sentence and rewarded Daniel with many gifts. He also promoted Daniel to an even more important job. Daniel asked that his three friends also be promoted, and the king agreed. When Daniel and his friends were in trouble, they sought out the one who knows all things the one true God and He gave them His wisdom. CHALLENGE God Is So Good v. 1 If desired, substitute wise for good and end the song, He gives wisdom to me. Visualized Bible Verse Booklet If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, ask God for wisdom. He is ready and able to give you the wisdom you need for any decision or situation you face. God uses His Word and the Holy Spirit to help us know what is best, so when you need wisdom, don t be afraid to ASK. A-ask God for wisdom. S-seek answers in God s Word and from His people. K-keep believing God will answer, then do what you think He wants you to do. Remember what our verse says, (quote James 1:5 with children). God delights in giving wisdom to His children when they ask for it! Slide 10 Say with me, God gives wisdom! (Say with children.) Will you ask God for wisdom, trusting Him to answer you? This week write down some things you need wisdom in and choose one to pray for daily. God will give you wisdom too. Preschool Invitation When presenting the invitation to preschoolers, use John 3:36a and believe on terminology. Ask those who have questions about believing on Jesus to stay with you while the others move on to another activity. Caution, teacher! You have to be certain that the children are not led to believe that the words of a prayer or coming to speak with you saves them. They need to know they are saved only by putting their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. The invitation is the time during club when you invite or urge the children to put their faith in Christ and let them know you are willing to meet with them to answer questions and show them from the Bible what it means to believe in Jesus. INVITATION God gives wisdom to those who know Him as their Savior. If you don t know Jesus as your Savior, the wise thing for you to do is to believe in Him today! Jesus came to Earth to die on the cross for you, then He came alive again so your sin could be forgiven. The Bible says, (read John 3:16). This verse says whosoever. That means anyone, no matter where you are from, how old you are, or what you have done. If you believe (trust completely) in what the Lord Jesus did on the cross as the only way God can forgive your sin, you will not be separated from God forever (perish). You ll have everlasting life. Everlasting life is new life that starts now and lasts forever. You will be able to have a friendship with God that never ends. Would you like to believe in Jesus today? Please bow your head and close your eyes. If you would like to believe in Jesus as your Savior today, show me by raising your hand. (Acknowledge responses.) You may all open your eyes. If you raised your hand to show you want to believe in Jesus, meet me (designate time and location) so I can show you from God s Word more about how you can have everlasting life. 6