1.4. God Blesses. Bible Passage: Genesis 25:19 34; 27:1 41; 32:26 28 (Jacob Wrestles with God) Schedule

Transcription

1 date: Bible Passage: Genesis 25:19 34; 27:1 41; 32:26 28 (Jacob Wrestles with God) REMEMBER VERSE Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. Proverbs 31:8 9 (NLT) God Blesses Schedule Anticipate 5 10 minutes Celebrate & Respond Large Group minutes Respond & Bless Small Group minutes Environment: RESPONSIBILITY This lesson highlights the environment of RESPONSIBILITY by showing us how God inspired Jacob to take responsibility for his faith to seek the blessing of having a relationship with God and passing on this blessing to his children.. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

2 Inspire NOTES: Not long ago, I went through a time when I felt so alone, so broken, and so sad that the only thing I could think to do was rely on God. I spent most of my time with Him. I prayed more than I thought possible. God s Word was literally food for my soul. And His presence during that time was so real, so tangible, and so close. Often I think back on that time of suffering and wish to be back there. It sounds so crazy, but the closeness I experienced with God was truly a blessing. I ask God, How can I have You close to me like You were back then? Is it possible without the suffering? Maybe. Maybe not. It seems strange to pine after a time of suffering unless you ve experienced how sweet it is to be so close to God Almighty. It s strange until you realize that to be blessed isn t necessarily to have good things in your life or to have happiness but to experience the Spirit of God transforming your life. Tori Funkhouser TruStory Team 2

3 Equip A blessing in the Bible was often tied to a birthright. In ancient times, the birthright was a very sacred thing. It gave the eldest son the biggest portion of the inheritance and the position of the spiritual leader of the family. In Jacob s case, it gave him the right to carry the lineage of the Messiah, which had been passed down from his grandfather, Abraham, to his father, Isaac. Though it might seem strange that God would allow Jacob (the second-eldest son) to steal something as important as the birthright blessing of the first son, Scripture clearly says Esau despised his birthright by failing to appreciate its value (Genesis 25:34). In Genesis 25 we read how Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for some stew. (Today that might be like selling your wedding ring for a sandwich.) Even in the New Testament, Esau is viewed as someone who squandered God s blessings (Hebrews 12:16 17). But God didn t let Jacob off the hook either. For his whole life, Jacob sought to attain success in his own strength and cunning. He didn t seem to understand the true nature of what he had been blessed with until a man wrestled with him till daybreak at the ford of Jabbok (Genesis 32:24). There, this Man, whom Jacob recognized as God, wounded Jacob s hip and renamed him Israel, which means one who strives with God. He also blessed Jacob because Jacob refused to let go of Him until He did. At the encounter at Jabbok, God changed Jacob forever. God blessed him even as He broke him and changed him so he could be used for God s purposes as one of the patriarchs of the faith whose seed carried the line of the Messiah. With Whom Did Jacob Wrestle? Some versions of Scripture say Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord, other versions say he wrestled with a man of God, and some versions simply say he wrestled with God. However He was described, we know this was actually God. In fact, Jacob named the wrestling place Peniel, saying, It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared (Genesis 32:30). Environment of RESPONSIBILITY This environment captures the ability to take ownership for one s life, gifts, and resources before God. A child must be challenged to take responsibility for his or her brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those who are spiritually lost. Our hope is that the Holy Spirit will use this environment to allow each child to understand that God has entrusted His world to us. Encourage your families to discover more about creating the environment of RESPONSIBILITY in their homes by checking out HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource and Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony. Resources Quinn, Jon W The Expository Files. The Interactive Bible www. bible.ca/ef/expositorygenesis htm. Almoni, Pioni. Jewish Definition of Birthright. ehow.com. about_ _jewishdefinition-birthright. html#ixzz1kgfn474m. 3

4 Support As a follower of Christ, what does it mean to be blessed? We may say, You re so blessed to one another when things go well when someone has a new baby, gets a promotion, gets married, or seems to have everything together. It s wonderful when good things happen in the lives of our friends and community, and these good things are gifts from God. But they re not what make us blessed. Instead, we re blessed by God when we re living in His will through active obedience. ADAM & EVE NOAH ABRAHAM JACOB Here s what Jesus said about blessed people: God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3 10 NLT) Jesus point seems to be that those who are blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God. And, often, those who hunger and thirst for God are those who are enduring trials. Today, spend some time with God. If you have a faulty understanding of what it means to be blessed, ask Him to transform your heart. Ask Him to bless you with His presence in your life. Ask Him to give you a heart that hungers and thirsts for Him. TIMELINE JESUS TruStory Team YOU & ME OUR FUTURE WITH JESUS 4

5 Navigating This Lesson These are descriptions of the terms found throughout the lesson. Tip and Leader Tip: Suggestions for programming and classroom management. Programming Note: Suggestions for modifying or adjusting programming to best fit your service schedule. Partner Church Comments: Insightful comments, suggestions, and variations offered for activities and programming provided by our national network of children s and family ministry leaders. Optional: Suggestions of ways you can adapt the activities and games to best fit your own church and group of kids. Host: The Host offers the same spirit of hospitality, generosity, and inclusiveness to the kids that the host of a party would offer to the guests at her home or gathering. Small Group Leader: The Small Group Leader shepherds the kids through questions about the story and biblical truths, engages them in community-building activities, helps them create a remembrance of their experience, and blesses them before they leave. Ideally Small Group Leaders work week after week with the same group of kids, giving them the opportunity to develop lasting relationships with each child. Worship Leader: The Worship Leader facilitates individual and corporate worship by listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit and inviting others into the worship experience. Storyteller: After active involvement with the Scriptures and the lesson, the Storyteller recounts the Bible passage for the kids in an engaging way. He leads out of an overflow of his own life, telling personal stories as prompted and guiding the kids into a time of natural worship response. AV Technician: This person facilitates the behind-the-scenes aspects of programming, including music, lighting, drama, sound, PowerPoint, etc. The AV Technician makes sure things run smoothly and is willing to help with anything including stepping into any of the other leader roles. 5

6 NOTES: Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List under Resource Tab) Anticipate// Small Group Check-In 5 10 min. Encourages interaction among kids, leaders, and parents; engages the kids in curiosity and anticipation of the lesson; and creates an inviting atmosphere. Hunters and Tent-Dwellers Option 1: Tent old bedsheets, blankets, or canvas string or fishing line Option 2: Bows and Arrows small branches elastic straps or bungee cords (target.com, walmart.com) scissors modeling clay optional: feathers, leather strips, beads, glue Bow and Arrow Instructions (see Resource Folder) Celebrate// Large Group min. Establishes community and tells stories both personal and biblical in a fun and engaging way. Traditions mementos for your church Traditions (rocks, marbles, gum balls, etc.) Remember Verse cards, slide, and animation (see Resource Folder) Connect Question Connect Question slide (see Resource Folder) Optional Connect Activity: Wrestling Connect Activity slide (see Resource Folder) optional: rope The Big God Story Bible Timeline slide and animation (see Resource Folder) tent (see ANTICIPATE for supplies and directions) images: Abraham passing the blessing, Jacob wrestling (see Resource Folder) video clip: desert (see Resource Folder) props: stuffed animal (lamb, goat, etc.), something to serve as fur (wig, fake fur), bowl optional: costumes for actors 6

7 NOTES: Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List under Resource Tab) Respond// Large Group min. Creates space for children to respond to the Holy Spirit in worship and community as a large group. You re Blessed verse slides: Matthew 5:3 10 Worship Response Station: Blessing Wall (see How It Works under the Resource Tab) Respond// Small Group min. Discusses truth, reflects on the lesson, engages in relationships, and creates a project or a piece of art individually or together. Reflect: God Gives Blessings Bibles questions Create: Blessed To Be a Blessing Local Blessing cards (see Resource Folder) scissors, pens or pencils optional: Fundraising Ideas, treasure map (see Resource Folder) Bless// Small Group 5 min. Sends the kids out with a sense of peace and blessing so they can be a blessing to their families and others. Bible (for the blessing) HomeFront Weekly (1 per child; see Resource Folder) HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource 7

8 SMALL Group SECTION Anticipate// 5 10 min. Small Group Leaders An energizing time for parents and kids to start engaging with the material that will be presented in the lesson. Hunters and Tent-Dwellers Genesis describes Esau as a skillful hunter, a man of the open country and Jacob as a quiet man, staying among the tents (Genesis 25:27). Though Jacob was the younger brother, God chose him to carry on the family line of His people. And through those people, the Redeemer Jesus came to earth. SUPPLIES Option 1: Tent old bedsheets, blankets, or canvas string or fishing line It is intentionally designed to spark curiosity and cultivate a sense of awe and wonder about God. Encourage parents to participate in this time with their kids. Partner Church Comments Kids loved making their bows and arrows! Such a fun project! Impact Christian Church We did the CELEBRATE wrestling instead during the ANTICIPATE time, which worked out really well, and added a coloring table for the littler ones who didn t want to wrestle. Peninsula Covenant Church Option 2: Bows and Arrows small branches elastic straps or bungee cords (target.com, walmart.com) scissors modeling clay optional: feathers, leather strips, beads, glue Bow and Arrow Instructions (see Resource Folder) SET UP Set out the supplies. Optional: Print the Bow and Arrow Instructions. ENGAGE With the characteristics of Jacob and Esau in mind, encourage the kids to set up a tent or create bows and arrows (see Bow and Arrow Instructions in Resource Folder). Option 1: Tent To set up the tent, stretch a section of string or fishing line from one wall to another and hang the bedsheet or canvas over it (or create a tent any other way you want using furniture, etc.). Option 2: Bows and Arrows Have kids create bows and arrows by following the directions in the Resource Folder, using the branches, elastic straps or bungee cords, and modeling clay (to form the arrows ). Partner Church Comments We changed ANTICIPATE to a craft called Jacob and Esau Soup. The kids made paper soup on paper plates and glued a plastic spoon to each one. They loved it! Kept them busy and allowed a lot of time for them to engage with their leaders and each other. Rock Church 8

9 LARGE Group SECTION Celebrate//20 35 min. Host/Storyteller Kids get to be a part of the faith community of God s family. Welcome and Traditions After everyone is gathered as a large group, open with Traditions. During Traditions, you are helping the kids work toward a common goal and giving them mementos to celebrate things like memorizing the Remember Verse, inviting a friend, or bringing their Bibles. They participate in traditions and share them with newcomers, connect through fun and interaction, and experience The Big God Story through storytelling. God in Our World A Group Tradition Hang a large piece of canvas in your large group room and write God in Our World at the top. Each week, encourage the kids to write or draw how they ve seen God in their world during the past week. REMEMBER VERSE The 10 Environments give us ways to create a climate that puts God on display. These environments come from Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony and are also highlighted in HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource. The environment changes every four weeks. This week s Remember Verse comes from the environment of RESPONSIBILITY. This is a good time to introduce kids to the Remember Verse. As they arrive, open a Bible and read it together. Remember Verse cards, slide, and animation can be found in the Resource Folder. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. Proverbs 31:8 9 (NLT) Mementos can be anything, such as rocks, marbles, gum balls, or connecting blocks. Once the kids have been awarded their mementos, direct them to put the mementos into a container or to add them to a building effort. Connect Connect is a time to laugh, play, and enjoy each other s company. Engaging questions, energizing games, and creative activities encourage the community to get to know each other. (See the Connect Question and Connect Activity slides in the Resource Folder.) Question Who would be the hardest person to arm wrestle and why? Optional Activity: Wrestling Call on a couple of volunteers to arm wrestle in front of the group, or stage a giant tugof-war between two halves of the group. 9

10 NOTES: The Big God Story Storyteller During The Big God Story, the kids will learn about how God gave a blessing to Jacob. Though this part of The Big God Story can be delivered verbatim, read it before the lesson so you can personally interact with the material. Share stories from your life, and speak with your own style by varying your intonation and gestures. Tip Before sharing about Jacob s blessing, point out to your kids that what they 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. Establish a consistent place to keep this Bible every week. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along in Genesis 27:1 41 and 32:26 28 as you storytell. Encourage adult volunteers to keep an eye out for kids who need help finding the Scripture passage, and allow enough time for each child to locate the passage. You may even want to project the reference on a screen or write it in large print on a poster board or whiteboard. Visual Aids You will find JPEGs of various visual aids in the Resource Folder for every lesson of TruStory. Please use these files in whichever format works best for your church, whether you use computer media, an overhead projector, or poster board. God Blesses SUPPLIES Bible Timeline slide and animation (see Resource Folder) tent (see ANTICIPATE for supplies and directions) images: Abraham passing the blessing, Jacob wrestling (see Resource Folder) video clip: desert (see Resource Folder) props: stuffed animal (lamb, goat, etc.), something to serve as fur (wig, fake fur), bowl optional: costumes for actors SET UP Ahead of time, ask four older kids or adult volunteers to act as Esau, Jacob, Rebekah, and Isaac and to read through their parts before storytelling. Have the child playing Esau bring the bow he made in ANTICIPATE as a prop (or make one ahead of time). Also ask someone with a loud, booming voice to read the dialogue belonging to God and the Man. Print out multiple copies of the storytelling section to use as scripts, and give them to your actors. Set up a tent by following the directions from ANTICIPATE. Cue the images and video. Place the props in the storytelling area. Optional: Dress the actors in Bible-appropriate costumes. 10

11 The Big God Story NOTES: ENGAGE The dialogue for The Big God Story section comes from Genesis 27:1 41 and 32: Though it s been cut down for brevity, you can also read the dialogue directly from your Bible. Note: To shorten this storytelling time, feel free to simply summarize for the kids the parts of the narrative told by the dialogue. Storyteller: Today s part of The Big God Story is about two brothers who didn t get along very well: Jacob and Esau (have Jacob and Esau wave). Jacob and Esau were twins, but they were very different: Esau liked to hunt in the fields (have Esau stomp around with his bow), and Jacob liked to stay at home in the tents (have Jacob sit near the tent). Jacob and Esau were the sons of Isaac (have Isaac wave). Does anybody remember who Isaac was? (Encourage the kids to answer.) Yes, Isaac was the son of Abraham. Last week we heard about Abraham, the man to whom God gave an amazing promise, an everlasting promise called a covenant, which said Abraham would have more children than the number of stars in the sky. Abraham passed the covenant blessing he received from God to his son, Isaac (show image of Abraham passing on the blessing). When Isaac became a very old man, he needed to pass the covenant blessing to one of his sons too. To do this, he would simply speak the blessing out loud to his son. Partner Church Comments The kids liked acting out the parts, and we used several different Jacobs, Esaus, etc., for our larger service hour so more of them could participate. I printed 8½ x 11 pieces of cardstock with the names on them, hole-punched them, and tied some string on them so the kids could wear their characters names. Peninsula Covenant Church Back in Bible times, the family blessing was very important. The son who received the blessing got most of the inheritance. Inheritance refers to money and things passed down from parents. Also, the son who received the blessing became the spiritual leader of the family. The oldest son usually received the blessing. But in the Bible, we read that God had another plan for who would receive Isaac s blessing. While the twins were still in their mother s belly, God said to her, One [of the boys] will be stronger than the other, and the older [boy] will serve the younger [boy] (Genesis 25:23). As you ll see, this prophecy came true, but probably not in the way you might think! (Have Esau sit down near the tent and Rebekah hide behind a corner. Have Jacob and Esau up front.) This is how it happened. When Isaac was really old so old that he couldn t see anymore he called for his oldest son, Esau. (Even though Esau and Jacob were twins, Esau was the oldest because he d been born first.) Isaac: My son. Esau: Here I am. 11

12 The Big God Story NOTES: Isaac: I am now an old man Now then, get your weapons to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die. (Have Esau run away, brandishing his bow, while Rebekah continues to hide and listen.) Rebekah (to Jacob): Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies. Jacob: But my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I m a man with smooth skin Rebekah: My son Just do what I say. (Have Rebekah pretend to cook while Jacob retrieves the stuffed goat prop. When he returns, have Rebekah put the prop fur on Jacob s arms, then send Jacob to see Isaac.) Jacob: My father. Isaac: Yes, my son Who is it? Jacob: I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat so that you may give me your blessing. Isaac: Come near so I can know whether you really are my son Esau or not. (Have Jacob walk to Isaac, and have Isaac touch Jacob s hairy arm.) Isaac: Are you really my son Esau? Jacob: I am. Isaac: My son, bring me some of your [food] to eat, so that I may give you my blessing. (Have Jacob bring Isaac the food.) Isaac (holds out his hands to bless Jacob): May God give you of heaven s dew and of earth s richness May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed. (Have Jacob leave and Esau return with a bowl of food.) 12

13 The Big God Story NOTES: Esau: My father, sit up and eat so that you may give me your blessing. Isaac: Who are you? Esau: I am your son your firstborn, Esau. Isaac (shaking): Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him and indeed he will be blessed! Esau (getting really angry): Bless me me too, my father! Isaac: Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing. Esau (angrily stomps offstage): I will kill my brother Jacob. Rebekah (to Jacob): Your brother Esau is [thinking] of killing you flee at once When your brother is no longer angry with you I ll send word for you to come back. (Jacob nods, then goes back to Isaac.) Isaac: Go at once May God Almighty bless you May He give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land God gave to Abraham. (Have everyone except Jacob exit the stage.) Storyteller: As you can see, Jacob did receive the blessing just as God had planned. But Jacob didn t do it in a very good way! Jacob stole the blessing, probably because he wanted power and money. But Jacob s blessing was much bigger than just money and power. Don t worry God will make sure Jacob understands how importance the blessing is. (Show desert video clip, and have Jacob walk in place for a little while, then lie down as if sleeping.) So Jacob traveled all alone through the desert to a place called Haran. For a long time he still didn t quite get how important the blessing was the blessing God was offering him. Jacob would come to understand this much, much later after he had worked in a place called Haran for many years, gotten married, had a bunch of kids, and grown much older. Then he heard from God again. Booming voice (God): Go back to the land of your fathers and I will be with you. (Have Jacob pretend to pack.) 13

14 The Big God Story NOTES: So Jacob packed up all of his stuff, got all his animals together, prepared his whole family to leave, and headed out to the desert. The only problem was that Rebekah hadn t told Jacob that Esau didn t want to kill him anymore. So Jacob was scared. He divided up everyone traveling with him and sent them ahead in groups so if one group got attacked, at least the others would be safe. Then Jacob prayed. (Have Jacob get on his knees.) Jacob: O God I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown [me] Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau [because] you have said, I will surely make your descendants like the sand of the sea. Storyteller: That night, near the river Jabbok, Jacob spent the night all by himself. He probably felt completely helpless because Esau might attack and kill everything and everyone he loved. There, a Man, whom Jacob recognized as God, wrestled with him all night (show illustration of Jacob wrestling with God). At the end of the night, the Man touched Jacob s hip, hurting it. Man: Let me go, for it is daybreak. Jacob: I will not let you go unless you bless me. Man: What is your name? Jacob: Jacob. Man: Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome. Storyteller: The Man blessed Jacob. Then Jacob came out of the wrestling match with a wounded hip, a new name, and a final blessing. Jacob probably felt relieved and overjoyed by this final blessing and experience with God. The next morning, when Esau came out to meet Jacob, God kept Jacob safe. When the two brothers saw each other, Esau ran to Jacob and hugged him. (Have Esau and Jacob hug, then have Jacob pretend to limp off.) Storyteller: Before the night when Jacob wrestled with God, Jacob was sneaky and got angry really easily. He didn t seem to understand the blessing God had given him. But on the night he wrestled with God, Jacob finally understood the blessing. 14

15 The Big God Story NOTES: He finally took responsibility for his faith by begging God to bless him. God did. And because of that, Jacob, with the new name of Israel, from that day forward walked with a limp that reminded him of that amazing night. When Jacob took responsibility for his own faith by praying and begging God for the blessing, he finally realized what God s blessing truly meant a relationship with the God of the universe, who had the power to change him inside and out. Just like God wanted Jacob to take responsibility for his own faith, God wants us to do this too. God wants us to really want the blessings He offers us. We might think God s blessings are all about good things right now more money, more friends, better grades but God s blessings are much bigger than that. God s blessings last forever. And they re all about having more of Him in our lives so He can change us into people who reflect His glory. (Share about a time when God blessed you in a surprising way.) 15

16 LARGE Group SECTION Respond// min. Host/Worship Leader This is a time for kids to worship through silence, prayer, singing, giving, sharing, thanksgiving, and many other ways. Make plans for your worship time but prepare yourself and your team to hold them loosely if the Holy Spirit leads the group in a different direction. You re Blessed SUPPLIES verse slides: Matthew 5:3 10 Worship Response Station: Blessing Wall (see How It Works under the Resource Tab) SET UP Cue the verse slides. ENGAGE Today we talked a lot about blessings. Jacob received the covenant blessing from his father and God Himself. When Jacob got older, he wrestled with God and received another blessing! When we as leaders and parents bless you, we read Scripture over you or pray over you. When we do this, we re declaring good things over you. We want the Holy Spirit to use us to bless you so you can also be a blessing to others. This kind of blessing is different from the kinds of blessings Jacob received from Isaac and God. Right now we re going to talk some more about what it means to be blessed. What do you think it means to be blessed? (Encourage kids to answer.) Jesus said something about this in the Bible. In Matthew 5:3 10, He talked about what it means to be blessed (show verse slides). IT S OKAY IF Help kids understand that God speaks to us in many ways mostly through His Word, but also through prayer and other ways. Encourage them to ask God for the ability to hear His voice, but also give them the freedom to know that it s okay if they do not always experience Him in the ways other people do. Jesus doesn t say you re blessed if you re happy and everything s going well. He often says you re blessed if things aren t going well, because then you re open to see and experience God. He also says that people are blessed when they really want to know God because God is the best blessing of all, and when we really want to know Him, He will reveal Himself to us. As followers of Jesus, we re blessed all of the time because we know God! God wants us to be people who seek Him, because He is our reward. He is our blessing. Give the kids time to pause and respond to God through prayer or by visiting the Blessing Wall. Afterward, encourage them to say, You re blessed to everyone they see. 16

17 SMALL Group SECTION Respond// min. Small Group Leaders A time to engage in relationship, reflect on the lesson with spiritual conversation, and/or create a meaningful project or piece of art. Resource Tip Minute To Win It activities are available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may access this resource on the My Lessons page > Extras > Small Group Enhancements. NOTES: Reflect: God Gives Blessings Out of all the blessings Jacob received during his life, the one that meant the most was the one he received when he wrestled with God near the river. When Jacob received this blessing, he also received a new name and a wounded hip as a reminder of the experience. (Leaders: Encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the suggested passages.) Questions for Younger Kids What promise did God give to Abraham? Why was this promise important? (Genesis 12:1 3) How did Jacob receive the blessing from Isaac? (Genesis 27:24 28) (Consider having the kids act this out.) What happened when Jacob spent the night alone in the desert? (Genesis 32:24 30) Whom did Jacob wrestle with? How do we know this? (Genesis 32:28 32) How did God bless Jacob? (Genesis 35:10 13) How does God bless you? How has God blessed your lives, both in good times and in hard times? (Tell a story about how God has blessed your life, both in good times and in hard times.) Many Scriptures throughout the Bible mention Jacob in glowing terms, even though he started as a far-from-perfect guy. Read Psalm 47:1 4 and discuss with the kids why they think Scripture mentions Jacob so often. Do they think this is part of the blessing God promised him? Why or why not? Questions for Older Kids What promise did God give to Abraham? Why was this promise important? (Genesis 12:1 3) How was the promise God gave to Abraham related to Jacob? (Genesis 35:10 13) What did God prophesy to Jacob and Esau s mother, Rebekah? (Genesis 25:21 23) What was the meaning of the blessing in this ancient culture? How did Jacob receive the blessing from Isaac? (Genesis 27:11 28) (Consider having the kids act this out.) What happened when Jacob spent the night alone in the desert? (Genesis 32:24 30) Whom did Jacob wrestle with? How do we know this? (Genesis 32:28 32) How did Jacob take responsibility for his faith when he wrestled with God? 17

18 NOTES: How did God bless Jacob? (Genesis 35:10 13) How does God bless you? Read through Romans 9:6 10, Psalm 46:1 11, and Psalm 47:1 4 and discuss with the kids why they think Scripture mentions Jacob so often. Do they think this is part of the blessing God promised him? Why or why not? Partner Church Comments We had the kids get into groups of two and act out their outreach ideas. For example, one girl and her sister acted out being a friend to the new girl at school. We played it like a game of Charades, and the other kids took turns guessing the way to bless others. It was lots of fun! The Gathering Create: Blessed to Be a Blessing SUPPLIES Local Blessing cards (see Resource Folder) scissors, pens or pencils optional: Fundraising Ideas, treasure map (see Resource Folder) SET UP Print and cut apart the Local Blessing cards (one card per child) and set out the pens or pencils. Optional: Print the Fundraising Ideas and gather the necessary supplies. ENGAGE God blessed Jacob and made him one of the founders of our faith. Even though Jacob didn t understand this blessing for most of his life, God still transformed him. God still blessed him because he took responsibility for his own faith and begged God to truly bless him. When God did, He changed Jacob s name, and his body, forever. Just like Jacob was blessed to experience the almighty God, we re also blessed to be in a relationship with Him. God Himself is the blessing. It s our responsibility to ask Him to bless us. And once God does bless us, it s our responsibility to share that blessing with others. We re blessed to be a blessing. Brainstorm some ideas with the kids about how God can use them to bless others. Ask them: What are some ways God can use us to bless the people around us in this room? How about at home? At school? Sometimes it s harder to bless certain people maybe people with whom we don t always get along. Jacob and Esau fought a lot growing up. I bet it was kind of a big deal for them to hug instead of fight when Jacob came home. How can God use us to bless our siblings or friends? Hand a Local Blessing card to each child, and encourage the kids to write down some of their favorite blessing ideas. (You might suggest a few ideas to get them started: doing a sibling s chore at home, washing the dishes without being asked, taking a meal to a neighbor, etc.) The kids can carry the 18

19 Partner Church Comments Loved the Remember Verse game options. Kids (boys) love activity! Mt. Paran North Church of God NOTES: cards with them all week as a reminder that God blesses us so we can bless others even those people, such as our siblings, whom it might be hard to bless! Once the kids have spent some time exploring what it means to be a blessing to others, share with them the Remember Verse: Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice (Proverbs 31:8 9 NLT). Ask the kids: How can God use you to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves in your communities? If you re interested in carrying out the Fundraising Ideas, work on those during this time. Or, to get this Scripture verse buried deep in your kids hearts, play one or more of the Remember Verse games below. When you re finished, encourage the kids to get into groups and create their own Remember Verse games. Wrong Word (for Younger and Older Kids) Write out the verse where everyone can see it (e.g., a whiteboard). Write incorrect words between the correct words. To make it harder for older kids, write more incorrect words and more words that would make sense in the verse, such as God or hope. For younger kids, write silly incorrect words, such as spaghetti or wallaby. Have the kids take turns trying to erase the incorrect words. Play until they can read the whole verse together without getting confused. Hide-and-Seek Verse (for Younger and Older Kids) Print out the verse, cut apart the words, and hide the words around the room. Have the kids say the verse a few times together, and then have them hunt for the words in the room. When they think they ve found all the words, have them try to put the verse together. For older kids, break the kids into teams. Have one team hide the words (in reasonable hiding places), while the members of the other team keep their eyes closed. When the first team finishes hiding the words, time how long it takes the second team to hunt down the words and put them together to correctly form the complete verse. When they re done, switch the roles. See which team can find and put together the verse the fastest. Verse Relay (for Older Kids) Print out two copies of the verse and cut apart the words. Keep the words from each copy in one pile, and place the piles in separate hats, boxes, etc. Have the kids say the verse a few times together, and then separate the kids into two teams, giving each team a pile of verse words. On your signal, have the kids race to put together the verse by arranging the words in the correct order. 19

20 SMALL Group SECTION Bless// 5 min. Small Group Leaders A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement or guidance. Leader Tip The blessing can be done in many ways, but the more intentional you are about it, the more powerful it will be. Depending on whether parents are able to join in at this time, you may want them to put their hands on their child s head or kneel and look him in the eye as they bless him. Leaders, be sure to model how you envision the blessing working in your church so your volunteers and parents become comfortable with it. As kids are blessed, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely share with others the joy and love they have received from God. A blessing can be offered in order to ask God s Spirit to overflow from the child s life to bless others or prayed over a child for the purpose of declaring God s protection, joy, or wisdom. Encourage the kids to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. This posture is meant to symbolize a willingness of heart to respond to God s Holy Spirit and receive what God has for them. Invite them to remain in this posture as you bless them. Encourage parents to come early in order to read the blessing over their child. Open a Bible and read Psalm 24:1 6: The earth is the Lord s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah. May God give you a pure heart that desires to seek Him for the rest of your life. May you know the blessings that God gives blessings that will fill you with peace and joy that come only from Him. HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God s Word together before children arrive at church. HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource: Every four weeks we highlight one of the 10 environments. For each new environment, parents should receive HomeFront. This resource gives families ideas for how to create fun, spiritually forming times in their homes setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives! 20