Confidence. Teacher & Parent Connection. God s Word. God s Promise for Me God promises we can trust and be confident in Him.

Transcription

1 Confidence Bible Story Joshua Rescues Gibeon Joshua 10:1-15 Teacher & Parent Connection When we find that people have lied to us, we may react in shock, sadness or anger. We re not likely to calmly accept the abuse of our trust! But most of us would be even less likely to let the liars off the hook or help and protect them! Yet when Joshua and the Israelites had been deceived by the Gibeonites, that is just what they did. They did not want to get into trouble with God! They remembered the calamity brought on by Achan s disobedience and understood that God was serious about keeping promises. Even though their promise had been made under false pretenses, they didn t look for a loophole. They kept their commitment, because they knew God always keeps His promises. Because God s Word In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11 For Younger Children: In God I trust and am not afraid. God promises we can trust and be confident in Him. God had been so good to them, they wanted to honor God by honoring the promise Joshua had made to the Gibeonites. So they marched all night to aid the Gibeonites. As the Israelites responded in obedience instead of whining and foot-dragging, God gave them a great victory over the five kings who had come against Gibeon, even making the sun stand still so that they could finish the job! God wants us to be faithful, even under circumstances we could get out of, because it reflects His love. He has proven over and over again that He is the one we can trust and have confidence in. Ask God to help you as you guide your class to understand that they can have confidence and trust in God in all things and at all times! 2012 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers 199

2 Planning Page Choose which centers you will provide and the order in which children will participate in them (see pp for schedule tips and pp for guidelines in combining older and younger children). Also plan who will lead each center (for staffing tips see pp ). Use the reproducible planning sheet (p. 240) to record your plans. Bible Story Center Bible Story Joshua Rescues Gibeon Joshua 10:1-15 Backpack Discovery (Younger Child) Hold up colored papers and lead children to say words and do motions at appropriate times in the story Backpack Discovery (Older Child) Tell information or deliver messages from verses at the appropriate times in the story Art Center Younger Child Option Make paper-bag puppets and talk about trusting God Materials Bible, Lesson 12 Pattern Page (p. 210 or Summit Seekers CD-ROM), scissors, crayons or markers, glue, lunch-sized paper bags Older Child Option Make pictures frames and talk about God s promise that we can trust and have confidence in Him Materials Bibles, poster board, ruler, scissors, ribbon, stapler, glue, decorating materials Game Center Younger Child Option Play a game like Follow the Leader Materials Bible Older Child Option Play a passing game with a foil ball and talk about reasons we can trust and have confidence in God Materials Bibles, Summit Seekers CD-ROM and CD player, aluminum foil, one marble Coloring/Puzzle Center Younger Child Option Review the verse while completing the coloring page Materials Lesson 12 Coloring Page (p. 211) for each child, crayons Older Child Option Review the verse by completing the puzzle page Materials Lesson 12 Puzzle Page (p. 212) for each child, pencils Worship Center For the Younger and Older Child Participate in large-group activities to review Bible verse and to worship God together Materials Bibles, Summit Seekers CD-ROM and CD player, song charts (pp. 250, 256), index cards, markers, pencils Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers

3 Bonus Theme Ideas Bonus Theme Ideas can be used at any time during this session: as an additional activity center, to extend the session for a longer time, or for added theme excitement. Edible Pinecones To make each pinecone, children spread cream cheese onto a round cracker. Starting at the bottom, children layer almond slices or cereal flakes on top of the cream cheese. Add a small piece of a pretzel stick for a stem. Thinly slice celery to make pine needles to serve with edible pinecones. Post a note alerting parents to the use of food. Also, check registration forms for possible food allergies. Pebble Race Using rope or masking tape, designate a goal about 10 feet (3 m) away. Have players remove their shoes and socks. Divide group into equal teams. Each team forms a single line. Give the first player of each team a pebble to put between their toes. On the word go, have each player hobble to the goal and back without losing control of the pebble. If the pebble is dropped, player must pick it up with their toes and continue the race. Then player tags the next player in line and gives them the pebble. Game continues until all players on a team have had a turn or time is up. Group Mural Tape sheets of paper to wall or table. (You may want to tape newspaper on the wall around each paper to protect the wall from crayon marks.) In the corner of each paper, print a list of instructions for drawing a simple mountain scene. Each paper should have the same instructions. Make the instructions complex enough so that each team member will have at least one item to draw (see sketch). Divide group into teams of no more than four players. Give each team a box of crayons. To help beginning readers, read instruction list aloud with children. First player on each team races to paper, reads first instruction, draws item and checks off what they have drawn. First player then runs back to team, tags the second player who races to the paper, reads the second instruction and continues drawing picture. Allow time for each team to successfully complete its masterpiece Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers 201

4 Bible Story Center for younger children Joshua 10:1-15 Introduction Watch what I do next. Sit on a chair. What did I do? Children respond. I did more than just sit on a chair. I TRUSTED that the chair would hold me up and not drop me! Another way to say we trust someone or something is to say we have CONFI- DENCE in that thing. I had confidence in this chair because it has held me up many times before. Today we re going to talk about reasons we can have confidence in God and trust in Him. Tell the Story Backpack Discovery On a sheet of green paper, print the word Hooray in large letters. On a sheet of red paper, print the word Boo in large letters. On a sheet of yellow paper, draw a simple outline of a sun. In a backpack, place the Daily Promise paper (printed from Summit Seek-ers CD-ROM), a Bible and the pa-pers you prepared. As you tell the story, hold up papers as indicated, leading children in doing appropriate motions. (Open Bible. Include children in actions when appropriate.) We ve heard a lot about how God helped His people when they got to the land He had promised them. (Hold up green paper and lead children to say, Hooray! ) But not everyone was happy about God s people winning battles in Jericho and Ai. And they weren t happy about the Gibeonites becoming friends with God s people. (Hold up red paper and lead children to say, Boo! ) One of these unhappy people was a king named Adoni-Zedek (ah-doh-nee-zee-dehk). He called four other kings together. Destroy Gibeon! the king bellowed. If they join up with God s people, they ll destroy US! He and the other kings planned an attack. They led all their soldiers to Gibeon. (Hold up red paper and lead children to say, Boo! ) The Gibeonites were surprised! As fast as they could, they sent a message to Joshua. Help us! the message said. You promised to be our friends. Now we need your help. Joshua gathered his army and they left to go to Gibeon. (Hold up green paper and lead children to say, Hooray! ) On their way, God told Joshua, Do not be afraid. God promised they would win the battle! (Hold up green paper and lead children to say, Hooray! ) When the attacking armies saw Joshua is army was fighting with Gibeon, they started to run away! (Hold up green paper and lead children to say, Hooray! ) As they ran, God sent hail to fall down. Hail is pieces of ice falling from the sky with rain, and it HURTS! But Joshua saw that the sun was about to set, so he asked God to keep the sun up until the battle was won. (Hold up yellow paper and lead children to hold hands up over head like suns. ) God did! God stopped the sun from going down. At suppertime the sun was high in the sky. At bedtime, the sun still hadn t gone down! God helped the Israelites win the fight. God kept His promise! And Joshua showed his trust and confidence in God by obeying Him and keeping his promise to the Gibeonites. The Bible says In God I trust and am not afraid. Remove Daily Promise paper from backpack and hold up. We don t have to be scared or worried, because we can trust God to help us. We trust God because we know that He always keeps His promises. Pray, Dear God, thank You for promising that we can always trust and have confidence in You. In Jesus name, amen Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers

5 Bible Story Center for older children Joshua 10:1-15 Introduction What picture would you draw to tell about the time your team won an important soccer game? When your little sister was born? When you went on a fun roller-coaster ride? Children respond. As you listen to our story today, think about what pictures the people of Israel might have used to tell about and remember the events of the story. Tell the Story Backpack Discovery On separate index cards print the following verses: Joshua 10:1, 4, 6, 8 and 12. (Optional: Print Lesson 12 Verse Cards from Pattern Pages folder on Summit Seekers CD-ROM.) In a backpack, place Bible, Map Poster from CD- ROM, the Daily Promise paper (printed from CD-ROM) and the cards you prepared. As you tell the Bible story, invite different volunteers to go to the front of the room to tell information or deliver the messages on their cards at the appropriate times. Different Plans God had given the Promised Land to the Israelites. But the people who lived there were not happy and they were afraid! The people of Gibeon were so afraid of the Israelites that they tricked the Israelites into making a peace treaty with them. What is a treaty? (A promise between people or countries to be at peace with each other.) Other people who lived in the Promised Land had plans different from the Gibeonites. One person with a plan was King Adoni-Zedek (ah-doh-nee- ZEE-dehk). Adoni-Zedek was the king of the city of Jerusalem. (Show locations of Gibeon and Jerusalem on Map Poster.) (Volunteer with Joshua 10:1 reads verse aloud.) Adoni-Zedek had heard about the Gibeonites peace treaty with the Israelites. The peace treaty meant that Joshua and the Israelites would help protect the Gibeonites if they were ever attacked. Now King Adoni-Zedek and all of his people were very upset! Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities. Gibeon was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. King Adoni-Zedek didn t understand that GOD was helping the Israelites and that they didn t need the help of the Gibeonites. Planned Attack King Adoni-Zedek called four other kings together. (Volunteer with Joshua 10:4 reads verse aloud.) Destroy Gibeon! Adoni-Zedek bellowed. Destroy them before they join forces with the Israelites and destroy US! He and the four other kings planned an attack. They called together all their soldiers and led them to Gibeon. The attack of the five armies caught the Gibeonites completely by surprise! They were outnumbered! How would you feel if you were one of the Gibeonites? They needed help, and they needed it fast! (Volunteer with Joshua 10:6 reads verse.) The Gibeonites sent a message to Joshua: Please don t abandon us! Come quickly and save us! Help us, because all the kings from the hill country have joined together against us. As soon as Joshua heard those words, he knew what he had to do. He had made a promise. And even though the Gibeonites had lied to the Israelites, Joshua wanted to keep his promise because he loved and obeyed God, and Joshua knew that God always keeps His promises. Joshua called for his army and they started off toward Gibeon Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers 203

6 As they marched, Joshua may have remembered making a treaty with the Gibeonites without asking God what to do. Joshua must have asked God if he was doing the right thing this time. (Volunteer with Joshua 10:8 reads verse aloud.) God told Joshua just what He d said many times before, Do not be afraid! God went on to say that none of the kings would be able to defeat Joshua. Surprise Rescue Encouraged by God s words, Joshua and his army marched through the night up steep, winding mountain roads. The men were loaded down with bows and arrows and spears and all the supplies they would need, but they didn t even stop to rest or sleep! How do you think the enemy armies felt when they woke up the next morning and saw Joshua s army? Instead of just the Gibeonites, they had to fight against Joshua and the entire Israelite army! God made the enemy armies totally confused. The armies began to run from Joshua and the Israelites. But God wasn t finished with them! Though it wasn t a rainy time of year, it not only rained that day, but also God sent big hailstones! Balls of solid ice fell on the enemy soldiers. The hail stopped many more of them than all the Israelites could have stopped! But Joshua knew that it was important to be sure ALL the enemies were beaten before they had a chance to reorganize and attack again. There was only one problem. The sun was going to go down soon. What do you think would happen if it got dark? The Israelites would not be able to see the enemy soldiers. And many of the enemy would escape. God had said they would win this battle. And Joshua wanted to finish the job NOW. (Volunteer with Joshua 10:12 reads verse aloud.) Joshua prayed, Let the sun stand still! Give us extra daylight until we win this fight. God stopped the sun from going down! It got to be suppertime, and the sun was still high in the sky. It got to be bedtime, and the sun still hadn t gone down! And so God helped the Israelites win the fight. God kept His promise! Joshua showed his trust and confidence in God by obeying Him and keeping his promise to the Gibeonites. In the same way, we can trust and have confidence in God, because God always keeps His promises to us! Listen to today s verse. Read or ask a child to read Psalm 56:11 aloud. Even though other people may let us down from time to time, this verse reminds us that God never will. Display Daily Promise paper. We can trust and have confidence in God, His love, His power and every promise He s made. How did Joshua show that he loved and had confidence in God? (He showed the Gibeonites they could trust him by keeping his promise to help them.) How did God help Joshua win the battle against the five kings and their armies? Why might it have been hard for Joshua to keep his promise to help the Gibeonites? (Helping the Gibeonites might endanger his own people. The Gibeonites had tricked him and it might not seem fair.) What are some ways we can show that we have confidence in God? (Like Joshua, we can keep the promises we make to others. Tell others about the good things God has done.) Just like He did with Joshua, God has proven that He is worthy of our trust. We know that God always keeps His promises. Because of His strength, power and love, God is worthy of our love, trust and confidence. Pray with children, thanking God that we can trust and be confident in Him Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers

7 Game Center for younger children Joshua 10:1-15 Collect Bible. Do 1. Children play a game like Follow the Leader. 2. Lead children through the activity area, pretending to go to different places and leading children to do appropriate motions. Let s swim in a lake! (Pretend to swim.) Let s paddle a kayak! (Pretend to paddle.) Let s hike on a trail! (Pretend to hike.) 3. As you do motions for each place, lead children to repeat, I can trust God when I am (swimming in a lake)! 4. Continue, using different places and motions, as time and interest allow. God s Word In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11 For Younger Children: In God I trust and am not afraid. God promises we can trust and be confident in Him. Sometimes we might feel worried or afraid when we go someplace or try doing something new. But no matter where we go or how we feel, we can trust that God loves us and cares for us. The Bible says, In God I trust and am not afraid. Pray briefly, Dear God, thank You for promising that we can trust and have confidence in You. In Jesus name, amen. Talk About We re having fun pretending that we are going to different places and doing different things. Cayden, where do you like to go? God loves you and cares for you at the (campground). For Older Children In pairs, children act out motions while other children guess what they are doing. After each motion is identified, talk about situations in those places when kids need to trust in God s help and brainstorm ways God shows He can be trusted in those situations Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers 205

8 Game Center for older children Joshua 10:1-15 Collect Bible, Summit Seekers CD-ROM and CD player, aluminum foil, one marble. Prepare Make several small balls from pieces of foil. Hide a marble in the center of one foil ball. Do 1. Lead children in a tossing game. Divide class into two groups. Groups line up facing each other, leaving about 3 feet (0.9 m) between the two lines. 2. Using the foil ball with the marble in it, children toss the ball down the lines in a zigzag pattern (see sketch). When the ball gets to the end of the line, the last child in that line runs to the front of the line and then tosses the ball to the child across from them. Practice a few rounds so that children get used to tossing and catching the ball in the correct pattern. 3. Play Trust in the Lord while children play game. Add the additional balls you prepared so that children are tossing three or four balls at the same time. After a few moments, stop the music. 4. Children unwrap the foil balls they are holding. Child holding the ball containing the marble answers one of the discussion questions in the Talk About section. 5. Rewrap foil balls and play additional rounds as time allows. Talk About What does it mean to trust or have confidence in someone? (It means you know they will do what they say. You believe they will keep their promises.) God s Word In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11 For Younger Children: In God I trust and am not afraid. God promises we can trust and be confident in Him. What are some things you know about God that tell you He is worthy to be trusted? (God loves us. God is all powerful. God knows everything. God keeps His promises.) Read Psalm 56:11 aloud. Why does the writer of this psalm say he will not be afraid? (He trusts God.) Why does the writer of this psalm ask, What can man do to me? What is another way to say what he means? (No matter what other people might do, trust in God.) Lead children in prayer, thanking God for promising that we can trust and have confidence in Him. For Younger Children Play game with a foam ball. Children sit on the floor in a large circle and roll the ball to each other across the circle. As they roll the ball, each child says, I can trust God! When you stop the music, child with the ball runs around the outside of the circle and then sits down again Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers

9 Art Center for younger children Joshua 10:1-15 Collect Bible, Lesson 12 Pattern Page (p. 210 or Summit Seekers CD-ROM), scissors, crayons or markers, glue, lunch-sized paper bags. Prepare Photocopy and cut apart pattern pages for children. (For youngest children, cut around the puppet faces.). Do 1. Children choose and color one puppet face. Child cuts out puppet face and an adult cuts at the line to create a lower portion of puppet face. 2. With adult help, children glue both portions onto paper bags so that the puppets appear to talk (sketch a). a. 3. When puppets are finished, children practice making their puppets say, In God I trust and am not afraid. Talk About The Bible says, In God I trust and am not afraid. Let s make puppets and talk about trusting God. Natalie, what is something you know about God? God loves you! God always cares for you. That s why no matter what happens, you don t have to be afraid. You can trust that God will take care of you. Pray briefly, Dear God, thank You for promising we can trust and have confidence in You. In Jesus name, amen. God s Word In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11 For Younger Children: In God I trust and am not afraid. God promises we can trust and be confident in Him. For Older Children Provide a variety of craft supplies (buttons, fake fur, yarn, pom-poms, small shells, popped corn, cotton balls, ribbon, etc.). Children create two puppets using craft supplies (sketch b). Children use puppets to act out situations in which kids can show they trust and have confidence in God and are not afraid. b Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers 207

10 Art Center for older children Joshua 10:1-15 Collect Bibles, poster board, ruler, scissors, ribbon, stapler, glue, decorating materials (wrapping paper, newspaper, magazine, markers, fabric scraps, colored yarn or string, rick rack, sequins, feathers, straws, pompoms, buttons, doilies, glitter, etc.); Optional instant camera. Prepare Cut two 6-inch (15-cm) squares from poster board for each child. Cut a 3-inch (7.5-cm) square opening from the center of half the squares to make frames. Cut one 12-inch (30.5-cm) length of ribbon for each child. Do 1. Give each child one cut and one uncut posterboard square. Children staple the ends of ribbons onto the corners of uncut poster-board pieces. With the staples and ribbon ends facing in, children glue uncut poster-board piece on top of frame, leaving a section unglued so that pictures can be inserted later. 2. On the frame, children print In God I trust. Then, using the given materials, children decorate frames. Invite children to insert a picture of themselves in the frame when they get home. (Optional: Use an instant camera to take a picture of each child.) God s Word In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11 Talk About For Younger Children: In God I trust and am not afraid. God promises we can trust and be confident in Him. God promises we can trust and be confident in Him. Let s make frames to remind us that we can be confident in God and His love for us. When are times it would be good to remember that we can trust God? (When we have a tough job to do. When we re scared or feeling lonely.) Why can we be confident in God? (God always keeps His promises. God loves and cares for us. God always listens to our prayers.) Read Psalm 56:11 aloud. Why does the writer of the Psalm end the verse with a question? Rephrase the question as a sentence that has the same meaning. (Men can t do anything to me since God is on my side. I don t have to worry about what people say or do because God will always help me.) Lead children in prayer, thanking God that we can trust and be confident in Him. For Younger Children Before class, assemble frames for each child in your class. During class, children decorate frames Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers

11 Worship Center Joshua 10:1-15 Collect Bibles, Summit Seekers CD-ROM and CD player, song charts (pp. 250, 256), index cards, markers, pencils. Prepare Print the words of Psalm 56:11 on a large sheet of paper, drawing blank lines for each vowel (see sketch). n G d tr st nd fr d. m n t Wh t c n m n d t m? Ps lm 56:11 God s Word In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11 For Younger Children: In God I trust and am not afraid. God promises we can trust and be confident in Him. Team Game Ask group to stand up. Ask a question related to summer: Have you swum in a pool? Have you had ice cream? Have you gone on vacation? Have you gone to a baseball game? Have you eaten watermelon? If children can answer yes to the question, they remain standing. If the answer is no, they sit down. Continue asking questions until there are only a few children remaining. Ask the remaining children to tell their favorite summer activity. Bible Verse Game Children guess vowels to fill in the vowels and complete the words of Psalm 56:11. Write vowels as children guess them. When finished, lead children to read the verse aloud. Song You, or another leader, lead children in singing Trust in the Lord, adding motions and/or clapping if desired. Prayer How many words can you think of that describe God? Volunteers answer. All of these words remind us of why we can trust and have confidence in God in everything we do. Lead children in prayer, thanking God for His promise that we can trust and have confidence in Him. Song You, or another leader, lead children in singing It Is Written, adding motions and/or clapping if desired Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers 209

12 Pattern Page Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers

13 Coloring/Puzzle Center In God I trust and am not afraid. Psalm 56:11 When have you been afraid? Remember that God is with you all the time! 2012 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers 211

14 Coloring/Puzzle Center Water Words Help Carl s canoe to a safe ending by picking up each word of Psalm 56:11 in order. In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? What s a way you can show you trust God? Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Summit Seekers