Lesson 45 Judges through Esther Ages 6-7 Unit 9: The King Who Builds His Kingdom Ezra Teaches God s People KINGS AND KINGDOMS PART 2

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1 Lesson 45 Judges through Esther Ages 6-7 Unit 9: The King Who Builds His Kingdom Ezra Teaches God s People KINGS AND KINGDOMS PART 2 THE WORSHIP Who God is: The King Who Builds His Kingdom THE WORSHIP, THE WORD, & THE WAY THE WORD Bible Story: Ezra 7:6, 9-10, 25, 27; 9:6; 10:1 What He has done: God used King Artaxerxes and Ezra to spiritually rebuild His people. Key Verse: Ezra 7:10 THE WAY Aim: To confess and repent according to God s Word. Christ Connection: 1 Peter 2:4-5 BIBLE MEMORY VERSE With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:6a, 8 (Grades 1-2) To The Teachers For your own encouragement this week, read Psalm 119: Please join us in praying this week s Teacher s Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the way You draw us to You and teach us. Fill us with Your Spirit that we might teach the children. Amen. PREPARE (Before arrival) [] Highlight Ezra 7:6, 9-10, 25, 27; 9:6; 10:1 and 1 Peter 2:4-5 in your Bible. [] Read this Teacher s Guide. [] Each week, be sure to reserve adequate time to cover THE WORD, THE WAY, and The Golden Bowl. Then, as time allows, choose a Got Time? activity or create your own activity to illustrate the Bible Story, the Aim, or the Bible Memory Verse Song. PRESET [] Chairs in a semi-circle or rows, preset pencils, note cards, Bibles, Daily Way Lesson 45 [] Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:8-9 [] Bible Memory Verse Song: Do Justly [] Scripture references 1 & 2 hidden behind curtain, secret door, etc. [] Map showing Babylon (Modern day Iraq), Jerusalem, Mount Tabor in Israel [] THE WAY: Poster board or dry erase board and marker [] Bible Timeline: Ezra (Circa 500 B.C.) [] Treasure Treat: ASK ME ABOUT EZRA sticker [] Got Time?: Paper strips in two colors, salty food (chips or pretzels), drink, napkins, plates, cups, sturdy paper, fasteners (yarn, metal brads, or three ring notebook), hole punch, markers or crayons, glue, assorted craft items, magazines to cut, Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse poster, 47 toy blocks, labels (or strips of paper and tape) [] Worship Leader Elements: King City Chronicles Sketch or Storybook Lesson 45 Music Resources: The additional resources referred to in this lesson and supplemental materials are available at Contents include the drama Sketches and Storybook chapters, Bible Memory Verse Songs, seasonal materials and so much more. To be a resource yourself, click on the Teacher s Blog tab to share your ideas with teachers worldwide. 1

2 1. THE WORSHIP (15 minutes) Worship Theme: The King Who Builds His Kingdom Use arrival time to connect with the children, creating an environment where they feel welcome. Use the Meet & Greet question to spark anticipation for today s focus. Meet & Greet Question: Who is your favorite teacher? Note: Begin worship with a song of praise and offering collection, followed by the time of confession below. To help children focus, use candlelight or soft lighting and play soft music during reading and confession time. We worship the King who builds His Kingdom. Jesus knows that everyone in His Kingdom disobeys God or does wrong in His eyes. That s called sin. Listen to the promise we have when we confess or admit our sins to God. (Teacher reads 1 John 1:8-9.) Suppose we claim we are without sin. Then we are fooling ourselves. The truth is not in us. But God is faithful and fair. If we admit that we have sinned, He will forgive us our sins. He will forgive every wrong thing we have done. He will make us pure. Let s kneel and silently ask God to show our hearts any way that we have sinned this week. Admit your sins to God. Then, together, we will tell Him we are sorry and thank Him for forgiving us. Worship Elements: Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:8-9 Collect and lead prayer for an offering. Read Storybook or perform Sketch: King City Chronicles, Lesson 45. Song Suggestions: Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse Song: Do Justly Select songs that focus on God s forgiveness: Here I Am To Worship Shout To the Lord Kids Search Me O God Bible Memory Verse Song Do Justly Micah 6:6a, 8 (NIV) (Verse) With what shall I come before the Lord And bow myself before the High God? With what shall I come before the Lord? Man is asking, always asking. But He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? (Chorus) But to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with your God. To do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with your God. To do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with your God. To do justly to love mercy to walk humbly with your God. (Repeat Verse) (Repeat Chorus) With your God. Sheet music and recordings available at This is the children s opportunity to worship God with you. Designate a special corner or area for worship. As their role model for worship, lead by example, fully participating with the children as they worship. 2

3 2. THE WORD (5 minutes) Ezra and God s People Confess and Repent Transition: As you move from worship to instruction, change rooms or locations within a room to help children mentally and physically prepare for the lesson. For additional transition ideas and games see Got Time? at the end of this lesson or go to and click on Lesson 45, >Write your name on your card and place it in the Golden Bowl. Before we read God s Word, let s go over our Class Covenant. A covenant is an agreement. Just as God made a covenant with His people, I ask each of you to make this covenant promise with me today. Listen as I read our Class Covenant. (Read Class Covenant.) I will keep my Class Covenant my my on my teacher, in control, s on God s Word; knowing God is my goal. (If a Bible Timeline is available, point out Solomon (Circa 970 B.C.), Josiah (Circa 640 B.C.) and Ezra (Circa 500 B.C.). For Bible Timeline Review information, see Got Time?.) Last time we learned about King Josiah. How old was he when he became king? (8 years old.) What did he read to the people? (The Book of the Law, or God s law.) When King Josiah died, God was still angry at His people for not obeying His law. He let them be captured by the Babylonians. (If map is available, point out Ancient Babylon, which is modern day Iraq, and Jerusalem, Israel.) The Babylonians destroyed Solomon s temple. Their Persian king, Artaxerxes (arta-zerk-sees), didn t believe in God, but knew enough to not want God to be angry with him. So, he sent Ezra to teach the people to obey God s laws and to appoint fair and right judges to uphold God s laws. If you brought your Bible, open it now and share with others. (Hand out spare Bibles.) Today s Scripture verse is behind the curtain. (Or secret door, secret window, etc. Child unveils Scripture #1: Ezra 7:6, 9-10, 25, 27; 9:6; 10:1.) Before we read, let s stand and ask God to open our eyes, ears, hearts and minds to His Word today. Who d like to pray that for us? (Child prays aloud.) Be seated. (Read Ezra 7: 6, 9-10.) The King wrote a letter to Ezra describing Ezra s job. (Read Ezra 7:25.) Let s read Ezra s words of praise about the King s letter. (Read Ezra 7:27.) When Ezra saw how the people had disobeyed God by marrying idol worshipers, he confessed their sins to God and he cried. (Read Ezra 9:6, 10:1.) The people also confessed their sin and made a plan to repent they turned to God and obeyed! Lift up God s Word: To create anticipation, conceal Scripture references for Bible Story and Christ Connection in a place of honor. Then unveil references for Find It First and Scripture reading. For more information, click on the Resources tab at 3

4 3. THE WAY (13 minutes) We Confess and Repent Why did King Artaxerxes send Ezra to Jerusalem? (To teach the people to obey God s laws.) God chose Ezra the one with the heart for teaching God s law. Ezra loved to study and teach God s laws. Ezra saw that the people had disobeyed God by marrying idol worshippers. He confessed their sin to God. To confess sins is to admit wrongdoings to God. Sin is disobeying God or doing wrong in His eyes. Who joined Ezra when he was crying and confessing? (A crowd of men, women and children joined.) They were so sorry for their sins that they cried, too. During our worship time today, we had a special time to confess our sins. God always forgives us when we confess our sins. We are not truly sorry for our sin unless we want to repent. To repent means to turn from disobeying and turn toward God to do things His way. After confessing, Ezra led the people to repent. Let s make a list of things children your age sometimes do that are wrong in God s eyes. (Write list of sins on a poster board or dry erase board.) Remember, God forgives anyone who confesses their sins. Now, let s brainstorm ways to repent from these sins. To repent, we must replace a wrong behavior with a right one. (One at a time, read each sin on the list and ask the following question.) What is the right choice we can turn to instead of continuing to make this wrong choice? (With each sin on the list, guide children in discovering a specific way to stop the wrongdoing and to turn toward doing it God s way. Be specific about what God s way would be in each situation.) CHRIST CONNECTION Connecting the Old Testament, the New Testament and Us Ezra helped build God s Kingdom by leading the people to confess and repent from their sins. That is much more important to God than building beautiful houses, temples, or tall buildings. More than 500 years after Ezra taught the people in Jerusalem, Peter taught the people what it means to build God s Kingdom. Let s check it out! Everyone place your Bible on your laps. (Choose a child to unveil Scripture #2: 1 Peter 2:4-5.) Let s find this verse. (Read 1 Peter 2:4-5.) 4

5 THE WAY continued GOLDEN BOWL Revelation 5:8 The Golden Bowl cont ains names of classmates, a local church leader and a child in another nation. The Bible says that our prayers are like sweet smelling incense in the golden bowls at God s throne. So I m going to lift each one of you up to God s throne out loud as you pray for each person silently. Then we ll pray out loud the Lord s Prayer. (Matthew 6:9-13.) Let s pray. Lord God, we lift up to Your throne the name of each child here. We trust You to watch over us and our needs: the ones we say out loud and the ones hidden in our hearts. First, we lift up to You,, (read names in Golden Bowl). Now, we pray the prayer Your Son taught us. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. FINAL FIVE When only 5 minutes remain, begin this segment. TREASURE TREAT Today, your Treasure Treat is an ASK ME ABOUT EZRA sticker. Most folks don t know very much about Ezra. Wear this sticker today and tell everyone that Ezra was a Bible teacher who taught God s law to His people. Ezra led them in confessing and repenting from their sins. DAILY WAY CHALLENGE Did anyone bring in their completed Daily Way from last time? (Praise or reward those who returned Daily Way; collect in basket.) Take home this week s Daily Way. (Distribute Lesson 45 Daily Way 5-day Bible study.) Complete this at home and let God speak to you through His own words in the Bible. Return it and place it in our class basket. When we fill the basket, we ll celebrate with a class surprise! OFFERING OF ART That s it for today. Thank you all for coming. Until your parent arrives, make an Offering of Art. For your offering, draw a picture of Ezra and the crowd praying and crying because they were sorry for their wrongdoings. (The Offering of Art can be finished at home or given as an offering to the teacher for display.) BIBLE MEMORY VERSE SONG Play the Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse Song in the background as children wait for their parents. Encourage them to sing along. PRAYER REQUESTS How can I pray for you this week? (As students work on their Offering of Art, write individual requests in your teacher s prayer notebook.) 5

6 4. GOT TIME? If time remains, choose from the connected activities below. LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES REVERSE YOUR WAY GETTING STARTED GAME PURPOSE: To introduce the concept of repentance to prepare children for the story of Ezra. SUPPLIES: Paper strips in two colors PREPARE: Determine a start line and an other side line (can be two opposite walls of a room.) SAY> Let s see which team can have the most players finish the race. However, there is a catch. If you hear a question that is true for you, turn around and return to the start line. DIRECTIONS: 1. Form two teams. 2. Assign one paper color to each team and hand out paper strips to identify team colors. 3. Children line up, shoulder-to-shoulder, at the start line. 4. Have all children take one giant step toward the other side line. 5. Say the following statements (or make up your own), one at a time. All children for whom a statement is true turn around and return to the start line. All other for whom a statement is false take one large step toward the other side line. I am wearing red socks. I have a puppy. I play soccer. I am wearing purple. My favorite color is orange. My favorite subject in school is math. 6. The game ends when all children are either at the start line or at the other side line. 7. SAY> Remember I said there is a catch to this game? The start line is actually the finish line! 8. The goal is to be the team with the most children at the start line. Each child at the start line counts for a team point. 9. Play again multiple times. After each round, add the points to the previous team totals. At the end of the game, the team with the highest score is the winner. Change the questions in each round. SAY> To help your team win the game, you had to turn around and go the opposite direction. When we sin, it s like we are walking away from God. When we are sorry for disobeying God, we need to repent. Repent means to turn from disobeying and turn toward God to do things His way. Ezra taught people how to repent. Let s learn some more about Ezra! *Teacher Tip: Be sure you do not refer to the other side line as the finish line. Play at least two rounds as some children may be frustrated by the results of the first game. They will be able to play the subsequent rounds with a full understanding of the game rules. 6

7 GOT TIME? continued SALTY TEARS SNACK SNACK PURPOSE: Children will eat a snack while personally connecting to the story. SUPPLIES: Salty food (chips or pretzels), drinks, napkins, plates, cups ASK> Have you ever been so sorry for disobeying God or your parents that you cried? (Respond.) SAY> Ezra taught the people about God s laws. Ezra cried because was so sorry that the people had disobeyed God. Disobeying God or doing wrong in His eyes is called sin. The people were so sorry for their sins that they cried, too. Then, they confessed their sins. That means they admitted their sins to God. Let s eat a salty snack to help us remember the salty tears the people cried. Ezra was a good teacher to teach the people how to love God by confessing their sins and obeying Him. ASK> I want to know, who is your favorite teacher? DIRECTIONS: 1. Pass out snack. 2. Child prays to thank God for the snack. 3. Ask the Meet & Greet Question: Who is your favorite teacher? 7

8 GOT TIME? continued FAVORITE PROVERBS BOOK: SCRIPTURE APPLICATION CRAFT PURPOSE: For each child, make a book throughout Unit 9 containing a collection of proverbs related to the lesson topic for that week. SUPPLIES: Sturdy paper, fasteners (yarn, metal brads, or three ring notebook), hole punch, markers or crayons, glue, assorted craft items, magazines to cut PREPARE: Print or write each of the following proverbs on a separate sheet of paper. Create a set of verses for each child. Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart. Proverbs 4:4 He taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live. Proverbs 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Proverbs 19:27 Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. Proverbs 6:23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life. ASK> Ezra studied God s laws. Then, he went to Jerusalem to teach the people about God s laws. Where do we find God s laws today? (In the Bible.) What did the people do after Ezra taught them about God s laws? (They confessed and repented their sins.) SAY> When you listen to and learn God s Word, you will know how to obey Him. You will know when you do wrong and need to confess and repent. Let s add five proverbs about knowing God s Word to our Favorite Proverbs Book. DIRECTIONS: 1. If needed, create a title page: write Favorite Proverbs in large letters. 2. SAY> Ezra taught God s Word. Decorate your proverb pages with a picture of your favorite teacher. You can color or cut out a picture of a gift you would like to give your teacher. (Provide assorted craft supplies as well as magazines for children to cut pictures of their teacher gifts.) 3. Distribute the proverb pages to children as they finish decorating their title pages. 4. Place the proverb pages together in a neat stack with the title page on top. Make sure the page edges are even and punch three holes down the left side of the stack. 5. Fasten the book together. (For example: tie, or weave, yarn through the holes, use a metal brad in each hole and spread the prongs to secure, or provide each child with a three-ring binder notebook.) 6. As you work, read and discuss the proverbs you are adding to your book. *Teacher Tip: This craft is designed as continuous craft throughout Unit 9 with children bringing their books and adding new proverbs each week; however, each lesson s book can be created individually. 8

9 GOT TIME? continued BIBLE MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITIES Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse: With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with you r God. Micah 6:6a, 8 BUILD THE WALL VERSE PURPOSE: Children learn the Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse. SUPPLIES: Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse poster, 47 toy blocks, labels (paper strips and tape), marker or printer PREPARE: Print or write one word from the Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse on individual labels or strips of paper. Stick one word on each block. Mix up the blocks. Display the Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse poster. DIRECTIONS: 1. Say the Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse together several times. 2. Stack the blocks in a pile. 3. The children work together to stack the blocks in the correct order. 4. Read the Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse together from the blocks. KINGDOM BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS PURPOSE: Children learn the meaning of the Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse. SUPPLIES: Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse poster PREPARE: Display the Unit 9 Bible Memory Verse poster. ASK> What do you think a king s kingdom should look like? (Children respond.) God wants us to help Him build His Kingdom. God s Kingdom is different. It isn t made up of huge castles and walls that we need to build. God s Kingdom is filled with people who love and worship Him. SAY> You can help God build His Kingdom by helping Him fill it full of people. Each time we meet together, we learn more about how we can help build God s Kingdom by living our lives the way God wants us to live. When other people see how we are living for God, they might want to praise God and be a part of His Kingdom, too. ASK> Our Bible Memory Verse tells us three things we should do to help God build His Kingdom. What are those three things? (Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God.) What does it mean to act justly? (Be fair to everyone, don t have favorites or leave other people out.) What does it mean to love mercy? (Love to help other people in need.) How can you love mercy? (Children brainstorm examples.) What does it mean to walk humbly? (Don t brag or make yourself look better than other people.) 9

10 GOT TIME? continued BIBLE TIMELINE REVIEW PURPOSE: To review the recent Bible Stories studied to see the continuing story of God and His people. SUPPLIES: Bible Timeline (Many children s Bible Timelines are available for purchase. To create your own, see the Teacher Tip below.) PREPARE: Hang the Bible Timeline on a wall or other visible location. DIRECTIONS: Point the Bible Timeline. Ask the corresponding questions below. Solomon (Circa 970 B.C.) King Solomon was the son of King David. He asked God for wisdom. What did King Solomon become famous for? (His wisdom and riches and for the temple and palace he built.) What did the Queen of Sheba do after King Solomon answered all her questions? (She praised God.) Josiah (Circa 640 B.C.) How old was Josiah when he became king? (8 years old.) During temple repairs, his priest found and read the Book of the Law to King Josiah. What did King Josiah do when he learned he had been disobeying God without knowing it? (Josiah tore his robes, read the Book of the Law to the people, promised to obey, and cleared the land of the false idols.) Ezra (500 B.C.) Why did King Artaxerxes send Ezra to Jerusalem? (To teach the people to obey God s laws. Ezra loved to study and teach God s laws.) What did Ezra do when he saw the people were disobeying God? (He confessed their sins to God.) Who joined Ezra when he was crying and confessing? (A crowd of men, women and children joined and cried.) After confessing, what did Ezra lead the people to do? (Repent: stop disobeying and turn toward God to do things His way.) *Teacher Tip: How to create Bible Timeline 1. Print lesson title or person s name with historical date (whenever available) on an index card. Before each lesson, add that new card to the timeline. 2. For a more colorful timeline, substitute index cards with pictures portraying key events, themes, or elements of each story, such as the pictures used in unveiling the weekly scripture in THE WORD segment of the lesson. 3. Dates can be included or omitted. Dates listed are approximations of the year of a major event in that person s life, or year of birth. 4. Attach card to wall or clothesline in the following order: Creation > Adam and Eve > Cain and Abel > Noah (Circa 2350.B.C.) > Babel > Abram and Lot (Circa 2100 B.C.)> Hagar and Ishmael > Abraham and Isaac (Circa 2050 B.C.) > Isaac and Rebekah > Jacob and Esau (Circa 1900 B.C.) > Joseph (Circa 1850 B.C.) > Moses (Circa 1500 B.C.) > Joshua (Circa 1450 B.C.) > Deborah (Circa 1350 B.C.) Deborah (Circa 1350 B.C.) > Gideon (Circa 1250 B.C.) > Samson (Circa 1150 B.C) > Ruth > Samuel (Circa 1100 B.C.) > Saul (Circa 1050 B.C.) > David (Circa 1020 B.C.) > Solomon (Circa 970 B.C.) > Josiah (Circa 640 B.C.) > Ezra (Circa 500 B.C.) 10