JULY 3, YEAR OLDS

Transcription

1 JULY 3, YEAR OLDS God Made a Covenant with David Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 7 Key Passage: Psalm 47:7 Main Point: Jesus is our King. BIBLE STORY God made David the king of Israel. One day, King David said to Nathan the prophet, I live in a nice palace, but God s ark is in a tent! Nathan said, Do what you like because God is with you. God gave Nathan a different message for David. God said, I did not ask you to build Me a house. You were a shepherd, but I made you a king over My people. When you die, your son will be king after you. He will build My temple. A son from your family will be King forever. David prayed, Who am I, God, that You are so good to me? There is no one like You, God! CIRCLE TIME (5 MINUTES) Provide small Bibles for toddlers. Read the key passage card. Open your Bible to 2 Samuel 7. Show the Bible story picture as you tell the story. Say the Gospel Gems or Main Point and pray for toddlers. MAKE BUBBLE WRAP ART Provide heavyweight paper. Write God keeps His promises on each toddler s paper. Pour washable paint on small paper plates. Provide squares of bubble paper for toddlers to dip in the paint and press on their paper. Set aside to dry. Say: God made a promise to David. God keeps His promises. God sent Jesus through David s family. JESUS IS OUR KING. KEEP PROMISES Ask toddlers to promise to perform an action (clap, touch their nose, smile). Help them keep their promise by doing it with them. Say: God kept His promise to David by sending Jesus. JESUS IS OUR KING forever. BUILD HOUSES Make houses with blocks or interlocking blocks. Talk about how people had worshiped in a tent, the tabernacle, but David wanted to build a temple for God. God said David s son would build it. Say: God sent Jesus through David s family. JESUS IS OUR KING. SING A SONG Sing to the tune of Ring Around the Rosie : Jesus is always with me; He will never leave me. Jesus is, Jesus is, JESUS IS OUR KING! Say: God made a promise to David. JESUS IS OUR KING forever. CARE FOR BABY DOLLS Provide baby dolls, toy bottles, and blankets for toddlers to play out family scenes. You may even set up toddlersize chairs for toddlers to play out driving a car. Say: David wanted to build a temple for God, but God said David s son would do it. God promised to make David s family kings. God sent Jesus through David s family. JESUS IS OUR KING forever. Babies and Toddlers Leader Guide Unit 10, Session 5

2 JULY 3, PRESCHOOL God made a covenant with david Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 7 Main Point: God said Jesus would be part of David s family. Key Passage: Psalm 47:7 Big Picture Question: Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever. Leader BIBLE STUDY Things were not looking up for David. Saul had tried multiple times to kill him, and he had to flee for his life, leaving behind his good friend Jonathan. But God had appointed David to be king, and God was faithful. Leading up to 2 Samuel 7, Jonathan was killed in battle against the Philistines. Saul fell on his own sword, and David became king of Israel. Then David moved the ark of God to Jerusalem. David settled into his palace, and God gave him peace from his enemies. When David looked around, something didn t seem right. He was living in a majestic palace while the ark of God was in a tent! David determined to build God a temple. That night, God gave the prophet, Nathan, a message for David. Have I ever asked you to build Me a house? God said. Since I brought the Israelites out of Egypt, I have dwelled in a tent. God reminded David that he used to be a shepherd, but God had made him a king! God promised to give the Israelites a place to stay so they wouldn t need to move around anymore. God promised to give them rest from their enemies so they could stop fighting. Though God denied David s desire to build God a house, God promised to make a house for David: a dynasty of his descendants and an everlasting kingdom. As you teach preschoolers about God s covenant to David, help them understand the significance of David s everlasting kingdom. God s promise to David was ultimately fulfilled by his most significant descendant, Jesus Christ: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:32-33). WELCOME TIME Greet preschoolers and follow your church s security procedures. Set an offering basket near the door to collect offering at an appropriate time.. Set out a few favorite theme-related toys, such as puzzles and blocks. Activity page Like Father, Like Son activity page, 1 per child pencils or crayons Guide preschoolers to draw a line connecting the father to his son. Say In our Bible story today, King David wanted to do something special for God. God told David his son would be the one to do something special for Him. Let s find out what was the special thing David wanted to do. Unit 10, Session 5

3 Play the quiet game Invite preschoolers to play the quiet game. Form two teams. Explain that each team will try to be as quiet as possible for as long as possible. If an adult leader hears a team member make a sound, the other team is declared the winner. Play multiple times as time allows. Say Ah, the quiet game is a very peaceful game. In our Bible story today, God gave His people a time of peace. David was the king of Israel, and there were no battles to be fought. Everyone was happy. Play a memory game Houses printable scissors Print two copies of the Houses printable. Cut out the cards. Arrange the cards in a grid. Place the cards faceup for younger preschoolers or facedown for older preschoolers. Invite preschoolers to take turns uncovering two cards at a time to find a match. Continue play until all the matches have been uncovered. Say Houses come in all different shapes and sizes. In today s Bible story, the ark of God was in the tabernacle, a tent. King David wanted to build a house, or temple, for God. Let s find out what God had to say about David building Him a temple. Transition to Bible study To gain the attention of all the preschoolers to move them to Bible study, flip off the lights, or clap a simple rhythm for the children to copy. Invite preschoolers to quietly tiptoe to Bible study. LARGE GROUP LEADER BIBLE STORY Tell the Bible story bookmark Bible Bible Story Picture Poster Place a bookmark at 2 Samuel in your Bible. Invite a preschooler to open it. Reverently display the open Bible. Say The Bible is the most special book in the entire world. God gives us His Word in the Bible. All God s words are true. Today s Bible story is from 2 Samuel. Tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided. Use the bolded version for younger preschoolers. God Made a Covenant with David 2 Samuel 7 God chose David to be king of Israel. Saul had been king, but now David was king. God gave His people a time of peace. One day, David was talking with Nathan the prophet. I live in a palace of nice wood, David pointed out. But the ark of God sits inside a tent! God is with you. Do what you want! Nathan said. But God did not want David to do whatever he wanted. That night, Unit 10, Session 5

4 God talked to Nathan. God gave Nathan a message for David. This is what God wanted Nathan to say to David: David, are you going to build a house for Me to live in? Think about what I have done for My people. I brought them out of Egypt. I gave them leaders to guide them. The entire time I have been with them, My house has been a tent. Did I ever ask anyone to build a temple for Me? Remember, you used to be a shepherd, David. But I made you a king. I helped you win your battles, and My people now live in their own land. There is no more fighting. I promise you, David, that you and your descendants will be kings. When you die, one of your sons will be king. He will be a strong king. He will build a house for Me. I will love him, and I will never leave him. When your son dies, his son will be king. The king will always be someone in your family. Nathan told David everything God said. David went into the tent he had set up for the ark of God. God was right. God had never asked anyone to build Him a temple. Even though David wanted to build a temple for God, David chose to listen to God and obey Him instead. David sat down and prayed. Lord God, I do not deserve anything You have done for me, and You promise to do so much more! God, You are so great! There is no one like You! You chose the Israelites to be Your own people. You rescued them from slavery in Egypt. God, please keep Your promises to me and my family. I am sure You will keep Your promises because You always do. Christ Connection: God promised David that every king of Israel would come from David s family. God kept His promise. God sent His Son, Jesus, to be part of David s family. Jesus is our King. Jesus is alive, and He will be King over God s people forever. Talk about the Bible story Main Point Poster Say David wanted to build a temple for God, but God said David s son would build Him a temple instead. God made a wonderful promise to David. The king of Israel would always be someone from David s family, but best of all God said Jesus would be part of David s family. Point to the Bible story picture as you ask the following review questions: What did David want to do for God? (build a temple) To whom did God give a message for David? (Nathan) Whom did God say would build Him a temple? (David s son) What did God promise David? (The king would always be from his family.) Did David build a temple for God? (No, he obeyed God and did not.) Learn the big picture question Big Picture Question Poster Say God promised David that every king of Israel would come from David s family. God kept His promise. God sent His Son, Jesus, to be part of David s family. Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever. Jesus is alive, and He will be King over God s people forever. Practice the key passage Key Passage Poster Unit 10, Session 5

5 Open your Bible to Psalm 47:7. Read the key passage aloud several times. say God created the world, and He rules over it. Kings and kingdoms only exist because God allows them to. God is King of all the earth. APPLICATION ACTIVITIES Play out the big picture question Demonstrate the hand motions below for the preschoolers to perform as you repeat the big picture question and answer. Repeat, inviting the preschoolers to say the big picture question and answer with you as they do the motions. Who is [Hold both arms out at your sides, palms up.] our King? [Pretend to place a crown on your head using both hands.] Jesus [Touch the center of each palm with the middle finger of each hand, starting first with your right hand and then your left.] is our King [Repeat the crown sign.] forever. [Hold up your pointer fingers at shoulder height and make two wide circles.] Say God promised David that every king of Israel would come from David s family. God said Jesus would be part of David s family. God kept His promise. God sent His Son, Jesus, to be part of David s family. Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever! Jesus is alive, and He will be King over God s people forever. Herd sheep cotton balls basket Spread a bag full of cotton balls around the room. Place a basket in the middle of the floor. Explain to preschoolers that they will be shepherds, the cotton balls are their sheep, and the basket is the sheep pen. When you say, Go! preschoolers must herd the sheep into the pen by picking up a cotton ball and placing it in the basket. Preschoolers may only pick up one cotton ball sheep at a time to place in the basket. When all the sheep are in the pen, spread out the cotton balls and play again. Say Before David was a king, he was a shepherd. David did not become a king on his own. David did not win battles on his own, and David did not lead Israel on his own. God was the One who did all of those things through David. God did not need David to build a temple for Him, but God promised David that his son would build the temple. Every king of Israel would come from David s family. God said Jesus would be part of David s family. Jesus would be King over God s people forever. Look at picture books about families books about families Set out an assortment of picture books about families. Invite preschoolers to look at the books. As preschoolers flip through the books, ask them to tell you about their family. Be sensitive to family situations. Say David wanted to build a temple for God, but God said David s son would build Him a temple instead. God promised David that every king of Israel would come from David s family. God said Jesus would be part of David s family. God kept His promise. God sent His Son, Jesus, to be part of David s family. Jesus is our King. Jesus is alive, and He will be King over God s people forever. Unit 10, Session 5

6 JULY 10, YEAR OLDS David Sinned and Was Restored Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 11:1 12:14; Psalm 51 Key Passage: Psalm 47:7 Main Point: Jesus is our King. BIBLE STORY King David s army was fighting, but he stayed home. One day, David saw a woman named Bathsheba. She was the wife of a soldier named Uriah. David sent for Bathsheba. Later Bathsheba was going to have a baby David s baby. David did not want anyone to find out his wrong choice. David sent Uriah to fight where it was dangerous, and Uriah died. David married Bathsheba. David thought no one knew what he did, but God knew. The prophet Nathan said to David, You hurt Uriah and took his wife. You did a wrong thing! David asked God to forgive him, and God forgave David. David wrote a song about God s forgiveness. ACTIVITIES CIRCLE TIME (5 MINUTES) Provide small Bibles for toddlers. Say the Bible is God s words. Read the key passage card and guide toddlers to say it. Open your Bible to 2 Samuel 11:1 12:14; Psalm 51. Show the Bible story picture as you tell the Bible story. Say the Gospel Gems or Main Point. Pray. HIDE YOUR FACE Cover your face with a blanket and ask toddlers to find you. Ask toddlers if you were able to hide from them. Say: David tried to hide his wrong choice, but we cannot hide from God. God forgives us through His Son, Jesus. JESUS IS OUR KING. USE PLAY DOUGH Provide play dough and play dough utensils for toddlers to use. Consider making a mistake when you are creating a play dough object, squish it up, and start again. Say: David thought he could hide his wrong choice, like when I squished up my play dough. But God knew what he did. David asked God to forgive him, and God forgave David. God forgives us through His Son, Jesus. JESUS IS OUR KING. MARCH IN THE ARMY Play music and invite toddlers to march with you as if they are in the army. Guide toddlers to pump their arms and pick up their feet as they march. Say: David s army was fighting, but David was not with them. David made a wrong choice, and David asked God to forgive him. God forgives us through His Son, Jesus. JESUS IS OUR KING. ROLL A BALL WITH A FRIEND Invite toddlers to sit with a friend and roll a ball. Talk about how the toddlers are sharing the ball. Say: David took what was not his. David made a wrong choice. God forgives us through His Son, Jesus. JESUS IS OUR KING. Babies and Toddlers Leader Guide Unit 10, Session 6

7 UNIT 10 Session 6 JULY 10, PRESCHOOL David Sinned and Was Restored Bible Passage: 2 Samuel 11:1 12:14; Psalm 51 Main Point: God forgave David. Key Passage: Psalm 47:7 Big Picture Question: Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever. Leader BIBLE STUDY The Ammonites were no strangers to the Israelites. They often fought over the region of Gilead, which stretched east of the Jordan River. David had tried showing kindness to the Ammonites, but they humiliated the Israelite ambassadors. (See 2 Sam. 10:1-5.) Thus began a war between the Israelites and Ammonites. This context sets the scene for the story of David s sin and restoration. One evening, David looked from his rooftop and saw Bathsheba bathing. He inquired about her and found out that she was the wife of Uriah, one of David s elite soldiers. Her married status alone made her off-limits to David, but he nevertheless called for her and slept with her. David probably assumed his sin would go unnoticed, until Bathsheba told him she was pregnant. With Uriah gone to war, it was obvious the baby was not her husband s. David had a plan. He called Uriah home from the battle and encouraged him to be with his wife. But Uriah refused. Uriah didn t think it was fair for him to be with his wife while other men were at war. Plan B: David instructed his army commander to position Uriah in the most violent part of the battle so he would be killed. This time, David s plan worked. Uriah was killed, and David took Bathsheba as his wife. God knew David s sin and sent Nathan the prophet to confront David. David s confession is recorded in Psalm 51. David knew making sacrifices would not be enough to please God and pay for his sin. God wanted David s heart to change so he would not want to sin again. Like David, we need more than a changed lifestyle to be made right with God; we need new hearts. Jesus died to satisfy God s wrath against sin so that we could be made alive in Him. WELCOME TIME Greet preschoolers and follow your church s security procedures. Set an offering basket near the door to collect offering at an appropriate time. Set out a few favorite theme-related toys, such as puzzles and blocks. Unit 10, Session 6

8 Activity page I m Sorry activity page, 1 per child pencils or crayons Invite preschoolers to draw a line from the scene where a child did something wrong to the scene where he or she showed, I m sorry. Say These children made a wrong choice, but later they showed they were sorry for what they had done. In today s Bible story, King David made a very wrong choice. King David told God he was sorry for doing the wrong thing and asked God to forgive him. Play Doggy, Doggy, Where s Your Bone? beanbag Invite preschoolers to sit on the floor in a circle. Choose a preschooler to be the doggy. The doggy will sit in the middle of the circle with a beanbag behind him. Instruct the doggy to close his eyes. Choose a preschooler to sneak up behind the doggy and take the beanbag, return to her seat, and hide the beanbag where the doggy cannot see it. Lead preschoolers in singing, Doggy, doggy, where s your bone? Somebody took it from your home. Then the doggy will open his eyes and guess who has the beanbag. He has three chances to guess correctly. Choose another doggy and play again. Say In today s Bible story, David took something that did not belong to him. David knew he had done the wrong thing. David did not want to get into trouble. He made a plan to cover up what he had done, but David did not remember that God knows everything. Let s discover what happened. Sing I m in the Lord s Army Sing the song I m in the Lord s Army. If you are unfamiliar with the tune or lyrics, look them up online before the session. Consider downloading an MP3 of the song to play during the session. Say One of King David s jobs as king of Israel was to lead the army. One spring, David sent the army out to fight. He put another man in charge of the army, but David stayed home. While David was at home, he made a wrong choice. Let s find out what happened. LARGE GROUP LEADER BIBLE STORY Introduce the Bible story Share with preschoolers about a time you had to say you were sorry. Invite preschoolers to tell you about a time they had to say they were sorry. say Feeling sorry and saying we are sorry are the right ways to respond when we do wrong things. David did a wrong thing in today s Bible story. Let s find out who David asked to forgive him. Tell the Bible story bookmark Bible Bible Story Picture Poster Unit 10, Session 6

9 Place a bookmark at 2 Samuel in your Bible. Invite a preschooler to open it. Reverently display the open Bible. Say The Bible is unlike any other book in the entire world. The Bible is the only book that has God s true words in it. Today s Bible story is from 2 Samuel. Tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided. Use the bolded version for younger preschoolers. David Sinned and Was Restored David was the king of Israel. One of his jobs was to lead the army. One spring, David sent the army out to fight. He put another man in charge of the army, but David stayed home. One evening, David was walking on the roof of his palace. He looked out and saw a beautiful woman named Bathsheba. Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah, one of the best men in David s army. David sent his messengers to get Bathsheba, and she came to David s house. David knew he had done the wrong thing. Bathsheba was married to Uriah. David should not take another man s wife. David did not want to get into trouble, so he made a plan. David told Uriah to come home from the battle. Go spend time with your wife, he said. You deserve it. But Uriah did not think it was fair for him to relax at home while the other men were at war. He slept on David s doorstep and would not go home to his wife. David s plan was not working, so he made up another plan. This time, he told the leader of the army to send Uriah into the hardest part of the battle. David hoped Uriah would be killed. So the leader of the army sent Uriah to the place where the fighting was most dangerous, and the enemy army killed Uriah. When Bathsheba heard that her husband was dead, she was very sad. David took Bathsheba into his house to be his wife. God knew what David did, and He was not happy with David. God sent Nathan the prophet to talk to David. Nathan told David a story. The story was about a man who took something that did not belong to him. The story made David angry, but Nathan said the story was about David. David had taken something that did not belong to him. Nathan told David that God was not happy with him, and David realized he had sinned against God. After Nathan spoke to David, David wrote a psalm. He told God he was sorry and asked God to forgive him, and God did. Talk about the Bible story Main Point Poster Say David did a very wrong thing. Many people were hurt because of David s wrong choice. David realized that the most important person he sinned against was God. David told God he was sorry, and God forgave David. Point to the Bible story picture as you ask the following review questions: Whose wife was Bathsheba? (Uriah s) Who told David a story about a man who took something that did not belong to him? (Nathan) Whom was Nathan s story really about? (David) What did David ask God to do? (forgive him) Did God forgive David? (God forgave David.) Learn the big picture question Big Picture Question Poster Say King David sinned. He asked God to forgive his sin, and God did. God gives us a King who never sinned. Who is our King? Jesus is our King forever. Jesus never sinned, but He faced the consequences for our sin when He died on the cross and came back to life. Because Jesus took the punishment for our sin, God forgives us when we ask Him. Unit 10, Session 6

10 Practice the key passage Open your Bible to Psalm 47:7. Read the key passage aloud several times. Key Passage Poster Say God is the one true King over all the earth. God gives power to earthly kings, but all earthly kings make mistakes. They sin and make wrong choices. God is the good and perfect King who rules forever. APPLICATION ACTIVITIES Play reverse hide-and-seek Play a variation of hide-and-seek. Choose one preschooler to be It. While the rest of the group counts to 10, It hides. When counting is complete, the whole group spreads out to look for It. If a preschooler finds It, he hides with her. As each preschooler finds It, the group hiding grows. Continue play until all the preschoolers are hiding. Choose another It and play again. Say David thought he could hide his sin from God. Every time David tried to hide what he had done, he ended up just sinning more and more. David told God he was sorry for his sin, and God forgave David. Still, many people were hurt because of David s sin. Sin always has consequences. When we sin, God forgives us because Jesus faced the consequences for our sins when He died on the cross. Play with blocks blocks Invite preschoolers to free play with blocks. As preschoolers play, comment on how well they share the blocks. If any preschooler takes a block another child is using, gently correct them. Say You all shared your blocks well. Taking a block someone else is using is a wrong choice. In our Bible story, David took something that did not belong to him Uriah s wife. What David did was a sin, and David sinned even more when he tried to cover it up. God used Nathan to show David he had sinned. Then David asked God forgive him, and God forgave David. Create scratch art index cards colorful markers black crayons craft sticks Provide an index card for each preschooler. Guide a preschooler to use colorful markers to color his index card completely. Then give each preschooler a black crayon and instruct children to completely color over their colorful artwork with black. Demonstrate how preschoolers can use a craft stick to scratch a drawing into the black and reveal the colors beneath. Say You thought you had covered up your artwork, but the colors were still there. You just had to scratch to reveal them. David tried to cover up his sin, but it was still there. God saw David s sin and used Nathan to show David. David told God he was sorry and asked God to forgive him. God forgave David. Make play dough hearts play dough heart-shaped cookie cutters play dough tools Provide an assortment of play dough for preschoolers to use. Offer preschoolers play dough tools and heart-shaped cookie Unit 10, Session 6

11 cutters. Invite a preschool to create a heart shape with her play dough. Say Ever since Adam and Eve sinned when they ate from the tree God told them not to eat from, all people have been born with sinful hearts. David s heart was sinful too. Even though David loved God, he still made wrong choices. David told God he was sorry, and God forgave David. We have sinful hearts too. We cannot obey God perfectly. We need new hearts that love God and want to obey Him. When we put our trust in Jesus, God forgives our sin and gives us new hearts. Unit 10, Session 6

12 JULY 17, YEAR OLDS Solomon Asked for Wisdom Bible Passage: 1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12; 3:1-15 Key Passage: Proverbs 2:6 Main Point: God knows everything. BIBLE STORY King David had many sons, but God chose Solomon to be king after David. David told Solomon, Love God and obey Him. God will keep His promise to our family. David died, and Solomon became king. One night when Solomon dreamed, God said, Solomon, ask for anything you want, and I will give it to you. Solomon said, God, please give me wisdom so I can lead Your people. Help me know what is right and wrong. God was happy with Solomon s choice. God made Solomon very wise. God also gave Solomon what he did not ask for: money, power, and peace. God was with Solomon like He had been with David. ACTIVITIES CIRCLE TIME (5 MINUTES) Provide small Bibles for toddlers. Say the Bible is God s words. Read the key passage card. Open your Bible to 1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12; 3:1-15. Show the Bible story picture as you tell the Bible story. Say: King Solomon asked God to make him wise. God gave Solomon wisdom to lead God s people. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING! Jesus is wise because He is God s Son. [Pray.] PAINT TO MUSIC Provide heavyweight paper, painting smocks, paintbrushes, cups of water, and watercolor paint. Help toddlers paint as you play a favorite CD. Say: God gave Solomon wisdom to lead God s people. Wisdom comes from loving and obeying God. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING! PRETEND TO SLEEP Invite toddlers to close their eyes and pretend to sleep. When you count to three, invite them to wake up. Say: God spoke to Solomon when he was asleep. King Solomon asked God for wisdom. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING. GUESS WHICH CUP Place two cups on a table. Place a ball under a cup. Invite toddlers to guess where the ball is. Play again, switching the cups around. Say: Did you know where the ball was? GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING! King Solomon asked God to make him wise. SING A SONG Sing Head and Shoulders slowly as you perform the hand motions. Invite toddlers to do the motions with you, but if they cannot, they will enjoy watching you! Repeat as time allows. Say: God made you. He gave you a brain to think and make choices. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING. King Solomon asked God to make him wise. Jesus is wise because He is God s Son. Babies and Toddlers Leader Guide Unit 11, Session 1

13 UNIT 11 Session 1 JULY 17, PRESCHOOL Solomon Asked for Wisdom Bible Passage: 1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12; 3:1-15 Main Point: Solomon asked God for wisdom. Key Passage: Proverbs 2:6 Big Picture Question: Where does wisdom come from? Wisdom comes from God. Leader BIBLE STUDY David s sin with Bathsheba yielded difficult consequences, but God showed David and Bathsheba that He still loved them. After the death of their first son, Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon. Nathan, the prophet whom God had used to confront David concerning his sin, gave Solomon a second name: Jedidiah, which means Beloved of the Lord. God chose Solomon to be king. (See 2 Sam. 12:24-25; 1 Chron. 22:9-13.) Early in Solomon s life, God appeared to him in a dream. What should I give you? God asked. Solomon s response set him apart from many other kings. His God-honoring qualities were apparent. First, Solomon humbly acknowledged his lack of experience in leading God s people. Then he said, Give Your servant an obedient heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours? (1 Kings 3:9). If you were a king or queen and God offered to give you anything you asked for, what request would you make? Ask the preschoolers you teach what they would ask for if they could receive anything their hearts desired. One might assume that a king would ask for power or for victory over his enemies. Perhaps he would ask for riches or to live a long life. Solomon asked for none of these. Instead, he asked God to make him wise. God was pleased with Solomon s request, and He agreed to give Solomon a wise and understanding heart. Solomon s heart was surrendered to God. God created people to do His will. Jesus was greater than Solomon. (See Matt. 12:42.) He completely trusted God with His life. Jesus surrendered His own life to die on the cross for our sins so that God could bring us back to Himself. WELCOME TIME Greet preschoolers and follow your church s security procedures. Set an offering basket near the door to collect offering at an appropriate time. Set out a few favorite theme-related toys, such as puzzles and blocks. Activity page What Would You Like? activity page, 1 per child pencils or crayons Unit 11, Session 1

14 Invite preschoolers to look at the pictures and circle the item on the page they would most like to have. Say God told King Solomon that he could ask for anything he wanted and God would give it to him. Can you guess what he wished for? Here s a hint. It isn t something you see on this page. Listen to our Bible story to find out what Solomon asked for. Play Go to sleep / wake up! Play this version of Red Light, Green Light. Invite preschoolers to line up shoulder to shoulder along a wall. When you call out, Wake up! preschoolers should walk toward the opposite wall. When you call out, Go to sleep! preschoolers must stop where they are. If a preschooler moves after you say, Go to sleep! that child must return to where she started. The first child to reach the opposite wall is the winner Say In today s Bible story, God spoke to Solomon while he was sleeping. Let s find out what God said to Solomon. Where does it come from? Where Does It Come From? printable basket Print and cut apart the Where Does It Come From? printable. Place the cards in a basket. Invite preschoolers to come up one at a time and draw a card. Guide the preschooler to hold the card up for the group to see. Ask the group, Where does it come from? Bag of groceries (grocery store) Stack of books (library, bookstore, printer) Glass of water (faucet) Ice cream cone (ice cream shop or truck) Crayons (school box, store, factory) Toy truck (toy box, store, factory) Baby doll (toy box, store, factory) Bicycle (garage, sports store, factory) Say I can t show you a picture of this last item because it isn t something you can see. Wisdom. Where does wisdom come from? Can you buy it in a store? Is it made in a factory? No. Wisdom comes from God. We will learn about wisdom for the next few weeks. Transition to Bible study To gain the attention of all the preschoolers to move them to Bible study, flip off the lights, or clap a simple rhythm for the children to copy. Invite preschoolers to walk regally like kings and queens to Bible study. LARGE GROUP LEADER BIBLE STORY Introduce the Bible story Say If you could have anything in the world, what would you ask for? [Allow time for responses.] God asked Solomon that question in today s Bible story. Let s find out what Solomon asked for. Tell the Bible story bookmark Bible Bible Story Picture Poster Unit 11, Session 1

15 Place a bookmark at 1 Kings in your Bible. Invite a preschooler to open it. Reverently display the open Bible. Say The Bible is a true book. God gives us His words in the Bible. No book is as important as the Bible. Today s Bible story is found in 1 Kings. Tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided. Use the bolded version for younger preschoolers. Solomon Asked for Wisdom 1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12; 3:1-15 David was an old man. He had been the king of Israel for a long time. Now his son Solomon was going to be the king. Before David died, he gave Solomon some special instructions. David said, Be strong and brave, Solomon. Obey God, and you will be a good king. God will keep His promise to us. Every king of Israel will come from our family. David told Solomon to make wise choices, and he told him how to treat his enemies. Then David died, and Solomon was the king of Israel. One night, God talked to Solomon in a dream. God said, Solomon, ask for anything you want, and I will give it to you. Now, a king might have asked to live a long life or to be very rich. Solomon could have asked God to take away all his enemies. But Solomon did not ask to be rich or to live a long time. He asked for something even better. Solomon said, God, I am young, and I do not know very much about being a king. Please make me wise. Help me obey You. Help me know what is right and wrong. Help me be a good leader. God said to Solomon, I am happy you have asked for wisdom. I am going to make you more wise and understanding than anyone who has ever lived. No one in the future will ever be as wise as you, Solomon. Then God said, Because you asked for wisdom, I will also give you what you did not ask for: long life, riches, and honor. You will be greater than any other king while you are alive. Solomon woke up. God had spoken to him in a dream! Solomon thanked God and praised Him. Christ Connection: Solomon was a wise king who wanted to follow God s plan. God had a plan to send a greater and wiser king Jesus. Jesus trusted God and followed God s plan by dying on the cross for our sin. Talk about the Bible story Main Point Poster Say God was pleased that Solomon asked God for wisdom. Solomon wanted to be a good king and lead God s people well. God gave Solomon even more than what he asked for. Point to the Bible story picture as you ask the following review questions: Who became king of Israel after David? (Solomon) What did God promise David s family? (Every king of Israel would come from David s family.) What did God tell Solomon? (Ask for anything and I will give it to you.) What did Solomon ask God for? (wisdom) Why did Solomon ask for wisdom? (so he would be a good king) What did God give Solomon? (wisdom, long life, riches, and honor) Learn the big picture question Big Picture Question Poster Say Listen to our big picture question and answer. Where does wisdom come from? Wisdom comes from God. Only God can make people truly wise. God made Solomon a wise king. Solomon wanted to follow God s plan. God had a plan Unit 11, Session 1

16 to send a greater and wiser King Jesus. Jesus trusted God and followed God s plan by dying on the cross for our sin. Practice the key passage Key Passage Poster Open your Bible to Proverbs 2:6. Read the key passage aloud several times. say True wisdom is something only God can give because He is the only One who is truly wise. Wisdom is loving God and obeying His Word. When we trust in Jesus, God changes our heart to love Him and gives us His Word so we know what pleases Him. APPLICATION ACTIVITIES Play Hot Potato beanbag Play a game of Hot Potato to help preschoolers learn the big picture question and answer. Form a circle. Play music. As the music plays, preschoolers should pass a beanbag around the circle. When the music stops, the preschooler with the beanbag asks the big picture question, Where does wisdom come from? Then the rest of the group calls out the answer, Wisdom comes from God. Play again as time allows. Say Where does wisdom come from? Wisdom comes from God. Solomon wanted to follow God s plan. Solomon asked God for wisdom, and God made Solomon wise. God had a plan to send a greater and wiser king Jesus. Jesus trusted God and followed God s plan by dying on the cross for our sin. Play with play dough play dough play dough tools Set out play dough and play dough tools for preschoolers to use. Guide preschoolers to use play dough to create things Solomon could have asked God for instead of wisdom. Say Solomon could have asked God for anything, but Solomon asked God for wisdom. Solomon wanted to follow God s plan. He knew he needed wisdom to obey God and be a good king. Solomon was a good king, but he was not a perfect king. God had a plan to send a greater and wiser king Jesus. Jesus trusted God and followed God s plan by dying on the cross for our sin. Counting counting items paper Write the numbers 1 through 5 on separate sheets of paper and draw a corresponding number of squares below the number. Consider using higher numbers (1 12) for older preschoolers. Lay the numbered papers on a table. Invite preschoolers to take turns counting out the number of items that corresponds to the number on a sheet of paper. Preschoolers may place the items in the squares on the sheet of paper. Say Solomon needed help from God. He was in charge of more people than he could even count! Solomon asked God for wisdom. Solomon was a wise king who wanted to follow God s plan. God had a plan to send a greater and wiser king Jesus. Jesus trusted God and followed God s plan by dying on the cross for our sin. Unit 11, Session 1

17 UNIT 11 Session 2 JULY 24, PRESCHOOL Wisdom for God s People Bible Passage: Proverbs 1:1-7; 3:1-12; 4:10-19 Main Point: Wisdom is loving God and obeying His Word. Key Passage: Proverbs 2:6 Big Picture Question: Where does wisdom come from? Wisdom comes from God. Leader BIBLE STUDY Look both ways before crossing the street. Don t touch the stove; it s hot. Stay in your seat. Young children need to hear these instructions because left to their own devices, most would run into traffic, burn their hands on stove tops, and meander around the dining room. As young children discover the world and begin to understand how it works, they are prone to making foolish decisions. So it is with sinners. On our own, we would trust in ourselves and lean on our own understanding. (See Prov. 3:5) We would turn toward evil, rather than away from it. (See Prov. 3:7) We would despise the Lord s discipline. (See Prov. 3:11.) Our lives would end in destruction. But in His great mercy, God has given to us in His Word the Book of Proverbs. When Solomon became king, God told Solomon he could ask for anything. Solomon asked for wisdom. Wisdom is the knowledge and understanding of what is right, true, honest, and fair. Solomon wrote down many wise sayings in the Book of Proverbs. God empowered Solomon to lead God s people well, and other kings and queens traveled from far away to learn from him. The proverbs teach us that there are two ways to live: a wise way and a foolish way. God made the world and He knows how it works best. He made people and knows the best way for them to live and have joy. Our sin makes us foolish, but wisdom comes from God. Solomon was a wise leader, but more than 900 years later, God provided someone greater than Solomon His Son, Jesus. (See Matt. 12:42.) As you teach, help preschoolers understand that the gospel the good news of what Jesus has done for sinners seems foolish to those who are lost and dying. But it is God s power to us who are being saved (1 Cor. 1:18). WELCOME TIME Greet preschoolers and follow your church s security procedures. Set an offering basket near the door to collect offering at an appropriate time. Set out a few favorite theme-related toys, such as puzzles and blocks. Unit 11, Session 2

18 Activity page Invite preschoolers to look at the pictures and circle those where children are making wise choices. Wise or Foolish? activity page, 1 per child pencils or crayons Say Last time we talked about how Solomon asked God to give him wisdom, and God did. Today we are learning what it means to be wise. Wisdom helps us know how to make right choices and live in a way that honors God and makes Him happy. Practice handwriting assortment of writing utensils paper Provide an assortment of writing utensils for preschoolers to practice handwriting. This is a good time to pull out scented markers, gel pens, primary pencils and so forth. For younger preschoolers, use a pencil to write one or two large, widely spaced letters on a paper for a preschooler to trace. Say People write things down for many different reasons. We write things down to help us remember. Sometimes we write things down to tell other people what we are thinking. In our Bible story today, Solomon wrote down many wise sayings. We read the wise words Solomon wrote in the Bible. Solomon s words can help us live wisely. Which would you choose? Choose Wisely printable scissors Print and cut out the Choose Wisely Pictures. Explain to preschoolers that you are going to make a statement and hold up two choices. Invite preschoolers to tell you which is the wise choice. You want to eat a snack. (fruit or candy) It is cold outside. (coat or shorts) It is raining outside. (umbrella or backpack) You want to play basketball. (basketball or soccer ball) You are eating chicken noodle soup. (fork or spoon) You want to paint a picture. (paintbrush or rake) Say Good job deciding which is the wise choice! Today, we are going to hear some wise words from the Bible. Transition to Bible study To gain the attention of all the preschoolers to move them to Bible study, flip off the lights, or clap a simple rhythm for the children to copy. Lead preschoolers in saying the key passage as they move to Bible study. LARGE GROUP LEADER BIBLE STORY Introduce the Bible story Bible Read aloud Proverbs 1:7; 3:5-6; or 4: Take time to explain the meaning of the passage in a way preschoolers can understand. Use the Bible story script for guidance. say King Solomon wrote those words. God made King Solomon wise, and King Solomon wrote down his wise words. Unit 11, Session 2

19 Today we are going to hear some of the wise things Solomon wrote in the Bible. Tell the Bible story bookmark Bible Bible Story Picture Poster Place a bookmark at Proverbs in your Bible. Invite a preschooler to open it. Reverently display the open Bible. Say The Bible contains God s words to us, and God s words are true. The Bible book we are learning from today is Proverbs. Let s listen carefully to what it says. Tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided. Use the bolded version for younger preschoolers. Wisdom for God s People Proverbs 1:1-7; 3:1-12; 4:10-19 When King David died, his son Solomon became king. God said, Ask for anything you want. Solomon asked God to make him wise, so God did. God gave Solomon wisdom. Solomon s wisdom helped him know how to make right choices and live in a way that made God happy. Kings and queens from far away heard how wise Solomon was, and they visited Solomon to learn from him. Solomon wrote down many wise sayings. These sayings are the Book of Proverbs. They can help people live wisely. These are some of the words Solomon wrote. Proverbs are good for teaching you wisdom and how to know what is right, honest, and fair. Everyone can have wisdom young people and old people! If you really want to be wise, the first thing to do is fear God. Fearing God means to respect Him and be amazed at Him. Only foolish people ignore wisdom and instruction. Listen to the things I am teaching you. They will help you live a long life, and you will be successful. Love people and look for the truth. You will find favor with God and with man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not trust in what you know yourself. Think about God in everything you do, and He will guide you to do the right thing. Do not pretend that you know everything. Run to God, and run away from evil. Then you will be healthy and strong. Honor God with everything you have, and give Him the first and the best of what you have. He will provide more than you need. When God disciplines you, do not hate what He is doing. God trains you because He loves you, like a father trains his son. This advice will help you become wise. Stay away from people who do evil things. Do not act like they do. Evil people make trouble and hurt others. They make bad decisions. A wise person is like the morning sun, and a foolish person is like darkness. They cannot see where they are going, and they fall down. Christ Connection: God gives us wisdom. He made everything and knows how it works best. Everyone sins and makes foolish choices, but God sent His Son to save us. Jesus makes us wise and holy, and He frees us from sin. (1 Cor. 1:24,30) Talk about the Bible story Main Point Poster Say God gave Solomon wisdom, and Solomon shared that wisdom with people. We can learn what wisdom is from the Book of Proverbs. Wisdom is loving God and obeying His Word. Point to the Bible story picture as you ask the following review questions: What does it mean to fear God? (to respect Him and be amazed at Him) Should we trust in what we know or in the Lord? (the Lord) Unit 11, Session 2

20 Should we give God the first and best of what we have or what is leftover? (the first and best) Why does God discipline us? (because He loves us) How should we behave toward people who do evil things? (stay away) Learn the big picture question Big Picture Question Poster Say Do you remember the answer to our big picture question? Where does wisdom come from? Wisdom comes from God. We all make foolish choices. We sin. Our sin deserves punishment, but God sent Jesus to save us and free us from sin. Jesus makes us wise and holy when we trust in Him. Practice the key passage Open your Bible to Proverbs 2:6. Read the key passage aloud several times. say We can learn many things, but knowing many things doesn t make us wise. Wisdom is not something we learn. Wisdom is a gift from God. We can ask God to make us wise and He will. APPLICATION ACTIVITIES Pass the Bible Invite preschoolers to sit in a circle. Play music while preschoolers pass a Bible around the circle. When the music stops, the preschooler holding the Bible must say the main point, Wisdom is loving God and obeying His Word. Continue play until every preschooler has said the main point at least once. Say The Bible is the most important book there is. The Bible has God s words in it. In the Bible, we learn what wisdom is. Wisdom is loving God and obeying His Word. God made everything, and He knows how life works best. Everyone sins and makes foolish choices, but God sent His Son to save us. Jesus makes us wise and holy. Play musical chairs Play a game of musical chairs to help preschoolers learn the big picture question and answer. Form a circle of chairs using one less chair than the number of children in your group. Play music. As the music plays, preschoolers should walk around the chairs. When the music stops, all the preschoolers should find a chair. The child without a chair asks the big picture question, Where does wisdom come from? Then the rest of the group calls out the answer, Wisdom comes from God. Play again as time allows. Say Where does wisdom come from? Wisdom comes from God. Wisdom is loving God and obeying His Word. God gives us wisdom. He made everything and knows how it works best. Everyone sins and makes foolish choices, but God sent His Son to save us. Jesus makes us wise and holy, and He frees us from sin. Walk a path construction paper scissors tape bag Make a long, winding path by taping different colored sheets of construction paper on the floor. Cut a 1-inch square from Unit 11, Session 2

21 each color of construction paper you used to make the path. Place the squares in a bag. Invite preschoolers to draw a square from the bag and walk to the next occurrence of that color on the path. Say The Book of Proverbs tells us that God will lead us along the right path when we trust in Him and think about Him in everything we do. God gives us wisdom. Wisdom is loving God and obeying His Word. When we put our trust in Jesus, He makes us wise and holy. Unit 11, Session 2

22 JULY 24, YEAR OLDS Wisdom for God s People Bible Passage: Proverbs 1:1-7; 3:1-12; 4:10-19 Key Passage: Proverbs 2:6 Main Point: God knows everything. BIBLE STORY God made King Solomon very wise. People came from all over to learn from Solomon. Solomon wrote down many wise sayings called proverbs. Solomon wrote that wisdom comes from loving and obeying God. When people do not listen to God s wisdom, they make foolish choices. Solomon wrote that people should trust and obey God. Solomon wrote that it is very important to make wise friends. Foolish friends will only help you make wrong choices. Solomon also wrote that when we make wrong choices, God punishes us just like a daddy punishes the son he loves. We read about God s wisdom in the Bible. ACTIVITIES CIRCLE TIME (5 MINUTES) Provide small Bibles for toddlers. Say the Bible is God s words. Read the key passage card. Open your Bible to Proverbs 1:1-7; 3:1-12; 4: Show the Bible story picture as you tell the Bible story. Say: God made Solomon very wise. Solomon wrote that wisdom comes from loving God. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING. Jesus is wise because He is God s Son. [Pray.] PASS AROUND A BIBLE Play a favorite CD as toddlers sit in a circle and pass around a hand-sized Bible. Occasionally stop the music and say, The Bible is God s words! Say: Solomon wrote wise words in the Bible. Solomon wrote that wisdom comes from loving God. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING! FOLLOW THE PATH Tape colorful sheets of construction paper to the floor in a winding pattern. Invite toddlers to walk on the colorful path with you. Say: You are walking on a path. The Bible says that God will lead us when we listen to His words. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING. PRACTICE WRITING Tape a large sheet of dark construction paper to the floor. Provide sidewalk chalk for toddlers to draw or write words. Keep wipes handy for cleanup. Say: God made Solomon very wise. Solomon wrote wise sayings in the Bible. Solomon wrote that wisdom comes from loving God. Jesus is wise because He is God s Son. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING! GUESS THE ANIMAL SOUNDS Make animal sounds and invite toddlers to tell you what animal makes that sound. Talk about listening to God s words in the Bible. Say: Solomon wrote that wisdom comes from loving God. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING. Babies and Toddlers Leader Guide Unit 11, Session 2