As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. 2 Chronicles 34; 2 Kings 22 Josiah

Transcription

1 Jan. 27, 2019 God Is Righteous DATE PONDER POINT As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. 2 Chronicles 34; 2 Kings 22 Josiah THE BIG GOD STORY Psalm 55:16 REMEMBER VERSE Welcome & Rules (4 minutes): Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and to worship in song. Worship & Connect (12 minutes): Establishes community and engages kids, drawing them in and preparing them to hear God s word. The Big God Story Pt 1 (6 minutes): Creates space for children to hear God s word. Mail Time & Worship (7 minutes): Breaks up the Big God Story to keep kids engaged and teaches the importance of memorizing scripture. The Big God Story Pt 2 (6 minutes): Children continue to hear God s word. Small Groups (20 minutes): Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story. Remember Verse & Bless (3 minutes): Allows children to practice their memory verse and be sent out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others. (See page 8 for 10:15 schedule and rotations.) 1

2 GOAL: Worship & welcome is all about engaging kids and helping them enter into worship, letting them know that class has begun preparing their minds for what they are going to hear. Establishes community and engages kids, drawing them in and preparing them to hear God s word. WELCOME & RULES - 4 minutes (Host) IMAGE: Welcome We are so glad you are here at Critter Land today. Personalize your welcome. Relate to what s happening such as holidays, school year, church camp, etc. Pique the curiosity about today s Ponder Point/Story, tell a joke, do something to draw in the attending of the kids and mention any announcements! RULES VIDEO: Sheriff Hawk WORSHIP - 3 minutes (Worship Leader/Host) If you brought offering, go put it in the squirrel feeder while we worship! WORSHIP VIDEO: 1,2,3 (Direct kids to get with their groups and circle up with their small group leader before sitting down) SMALL GROUP CONNECT QUESTIONS - 4 minutes (Host) VIDEO: 4 minute countdown If you were a king what rule would you make? If you could outlaw one vegetable, what would it be? What 2 things do you like best about yourself? WARDROBE OF WONDER - 5 minutes (Host) What sit: 9:00 - Bible VIDEO: Wardrobe of Wonder Intro Choose 1 volunteer. Volunteer picks two hats from wardrobe one for himself, one for host. Tell other kids to put on their imaginary thinking caps. Volunteer peeks in the What s It box. Host gives 3 clues, kids get to vote on what they think it is. Then as host you say. If you think our clue is a, raise your hand. If you think our clue is a, raise your hand. If you think our clue is a, raise your hand. Let the child volunteer tell which answer is correct! ASK: 9:00 Friends, what did we just find in the Wardrobe of Wonder? Children will answer. The Bible, that s right. Tell me a couple of things we know about the Bible. Interact with children and their answers. Let s open up this Bible and take a look inside because it s time for Video: The Big Story Intro 2

3 Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along as you storytell. Children respond to what the Holy Spirit is teaching them as they reflect on the day s portion of The Big God Story. The Prayer of Release allows children and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet their hearts and minds. Before you pray, you might ask the kids to hold out their hands, palms up, in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy Spirit might have for them today. Then encourage the kids to quiet their voices, take a seat, and pray with you. The Big God Story: STORYTELLING - There is a Big God Story telling Video today Good Morning! So glad you are here today! Our Big God Story is about a young boy named Josiah who became king. Remember earlier when you were asked what rule you would make if you were king? Our story today is about a special young boy who became king when he was only 8 years old. Let s learn what King Josiah did. But first lets pray and ask God to quiet our bodies and help us listen to His word. (Lead them in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds.) Tech: Cue Storytelling Video Friends, today in The Big God Story we heard how the people had forgotten about God. Instead, they chose to worship pretend gods. When Josiah became king, he got rid of everything that didn t bring honor to God. The Lord God is righteous. That means He is always right and is worthy of our praise. King Josiah was glad to read God's Word. When he read God's Word, he learned what God wanted him to do. He also wanted the people to know how to live and to worship the One True God. The Bible says, "Teach me, O Lord." God teaches us and helps us learn how to obey Him. God teaches us to love others. Let s read what God has to teach us today in our mail. 3

4 MAIL TIME & WORSHIP - 7 minutes (Host/Worship Leader) VIDEO: Mail Time Intro IMAGE: Remember Verse As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Psalm 55:16 Remember Verse Motions As for me: I call to God: and the LORD saves me: Point both thumbs to self. Cup open hands around mouth as if calling out. Make an L with right hand, move L from left shoulder to right hip, then wrap both arms around self in a hug. Host: Way to say your verse! Now let s all keep standing and sing a song! WORSHIP VIDEO: God of Love DISMISS TO SMALL GROUPS (Host) 4

5 GOAL: Kids respond in small groups to what they heard in the Big God Story. LET S TALK STICKER PAGE SUPPLIES Let s talk page (one per child) Stickers, a set for each child Crayons ENGAGE In this part of The Big God Story, King Josiah saw that God s people had forgotten about Him. Josiah removed everything that didn t bring honor to God. He cleaned and repaired God s temple. He made sure all the people in the kingdom heard God s Word so they were able to learn how to worship and follow God again. God is righteous, and He alone is worthy of our worship. I m so glad we serve a righteous God who leads us into living right. Let s look at these pictures side by side, and see if we can find the differences in the picture. Work on your paper together as a class and talk about what is going on in the pictures. When finished, make sure kids have their names on their paper, flip over and pass out stickers. Work on the back side together. Ask the wonder questions while kids work on their paper. I wonder How did God feel when Josiah got rid of the pretend gods? I wonder What did God do when His people began to worship Him again? I wonder How can I show others I choose to worship and follow God? 5

6 Review the Remember Verse: As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Psalm 55:16 Remember Verse Motions As for me: I call to God: and the LORD saves me: Point both thumbs to self. Cup open hands around mouth as if calling out. Make an L with right hand, move L from left shoulder to right hip, then wrap both arms around self in a hug. BLESSING Remember that God is righteous! What does that mean? Children answer. That s right! He alone is perfect and worthy to be followed by us. He loves to hear our worship and praise. Hold out your hands as I speak this blessing over you. Children, give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness. Children shake instruments. May you sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High (reference Psalm 7:17). Song VIDEO: In This Life 6

7 Host will welcome kids to Critter Land. Worship Leader will lead kids in a time of worship and allow kids to give offering. Song1: What Do you know? Owls Song2: Good, Good Father 10:30-10:43 10:45-10:58 11:00-11:15 Play (113) BGS (114) MW (115) Bunnies MW (116) Turtles MW (115) Frogs MW (116) Snails BGS (114) Squirrels Play (113) BGS (114) MW (115) Play (113) 11:15 Host will pray a blessing over the kids before parents pick up. If time allows worship leader will lead the closing song. Transition DVD/Video: MW (117) Play Station (Play) Kids will have time to play and enjoy each others company. Different play options will be provided. Big God Story (BGS) The storyteller will present the Bible lesson and point to ponder. Memory Work (MW) As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Psalm 55:16 Remember Verse Motions As for me: I call to God: and the LORD saves me: Point both thumbs to self. Cup open hands around mouth as if calling out. Make an L with right hand, move L from left shoulder to right hip, then wrap both arms around self in a hug. 1. Practice Memory Verse 2. Use Color Activity Sheet ( In 10:15 Bin) 3. Bathroom Break 7

8 Four years ago, my wife went to Mexico City for a month to perform with a well-known Latin artist. A week into her trip, I hopped on a plane to join her. On her first day off from the show, the bandleader wanted to take us on a tour of his city. The first stop was to view some spectacular pyramids. It was clear the entire band was proud of their heritage and eager to show off one of their national treasures. We were greeted by a Mayan descendant who was to be our tour guide for the day. Before ascending, we were told by the Mayan guide that we needed to offer up our worship to the gods: north, south, east, west, earth, wind, water, and fire. My wife and I froze. We were faced with a choice: We could fake it and be polite or stand before a righteous God and reserve our worship for Him alone. The decision in that moment was tough. Everyone around us took their stance and began worshipping the gods of the elements. But we stood silently and chose not to participate. Questions consumed us in the silence: How would we be seen by those around us? Would they think us ungrateful or rude? But someone greater than the guide standing before us was guiding us. The moment soon passed, and we ascended the great pyramid. We stood at the top, proud to serve a righteous God and grateful for His Holy Spirit who guides us in our most uncomfortable moments. Tommy Larson ROCKHARBOR Church Our God is righteous. Josiah and God s people in Judah were about to learn this lesson anew. In 640 b.c., the kingdom of Judah was nearing its end. God s people would soon reap their consequences of their idolatry and faithlessness with the 70-year Babylonian captivity starting in 605 b.c. (2 Kings 21:11 15). The northern kingdom had already been conquered in 722 b.c. by Assyria, but Babylon was on the rise. Under the command of Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon s armies would soon overthrow Assyria as the dominant world power and capture Judah. The house of God needed to be set aright before the devastating destruction of Jerusalem and captivity of the nation. If the Israelites were to survive in this foreign land, they would need a godly heritage as a foundation to sustain them. Josiah provided this badly needed housecleaning. Josiah s grandfather, Manasseh, was as wicked as his father, Hezekiah, was righteous, and had led Judah into the worst period of idolatry the nation had known. The reforms Josiah instituted brought God back into the daily experience of the people and prepared them for what was to come. There is no way to adequately describe how the destruction of their nation would have affected God s people. This was the most shocking, overwhelming, devastating experience imaginable. For the people of Israel, the faithfulness of God was their very foundation, and the promise they would always be a nation before God was the centerpiece of their existence (Jeremiah 31:35 37). To see all that disappear when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed their nation was certainly too much to bear. Having that spiritual foundation restored in preparation for the Babylonian captivity was precisely what they needed. God provided it through the faithfulness of Josiah. Living a life of radical faith in Christ takes us beyond the expected. We re pushed further than we have the ability to go in our own strength, wisdom, and knowledge. By His Spirit, we re strengthened 8

9 and given everything we need to trust and follow Him. Read Psalm 46. May you take confidence in knowing that no matter what circumstance you face, no matter how the structures of this world may crumble, our God is in control. He is the righteous One. The Lord Almighty is with us. (Psalm 46:11a). Lean into Him. He will supply all of your needs and equip you for everything He has put before you. 9