REMEMBER VERSE God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

Transcription

1 date: Bible Passage: Judges 6 8 (Gideon) REMEMBER VERSE God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT) God Deserves the Glory Schedule Anticipate 5 10 minutes Celebrate & Respond Large Group minutes Respond & Bless Small Group minutes Environment: SERVING This lesson highlights the environment of SERVING by emphasizing how God used Gideon to humbly serve Him as His army commander during a battle in which God received all of the glory.. 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: My face became hot, and my throat tightened. I had no rebuttal when my close friend told me, I feel like you might be leading this Bible study as a way to gain popularity. Her words stung. As I walked away, tears welled up in my eyes. How could she mistake all of my creative preparation and fabulous desserts as performance? Wasn t I just serving God with my gifts of teaching and hospitality? Hadn t I been asked to lead this study because people considered me a spiritually equipped person? These questions prompted me to sit quietly with God and look into the motives of my heart. Graciously God revealed to me the patterns in my life that kept Him in the background while I stood front and center. That day God showed me I had become unable to keep my ego out of the picture while I served Him and His precious people. My insecurity and fear of being seen as inadequate or unlovable prompted me into high-performance mode. My reputation had become an idol, and it was time to return Him to center stage. But how could I change my focus from my own glory to giving all of the glory to God? I needed a humility adjustment. I returned to the same coffee shop to confess to my friend that a part of me really loved to get credit for doing something good for God. I invited this friend to co-lead and gave other people a chance to bring dessert. I changed the teaching format to allow people to experience God for themselves instead of me telling them how they were supposed to experience God. God still helps me discipline myself to wait and pray before agreeing to serve to allow Him to give me humility, willingness, and clear direction beforehand. God deserves all of the glory and all of the credit. To God be the glory for all of the good things He has done. Amy Palmerton TruStory Team 2

3 Equip God deserves the glory for everything. Sometimes, as His people, we forget this. The Israelites often forgot to give God the glory and instead gave glory to false idols. Because of this, God allowed them to suffer the consequences of their actions. He allowed them to be conquered by foreigners until they cried out to Him. During the time of the judges, God appointed a few men and women to deliver Israel from her enemies and bring her back into relationship with Him. Othniel, the first judge, was a God-fearing man who led Israel from sin to repentance and a season of rest (Judges 3:7 11). Following Othniel were the judges Ehud (Judges 3:12 30), Deborah (Judges 4 5), Gideon (Judges 6 8), Jephthah (Judges 11), and Samson (Judges 13 16). As spiritual leaders, the judges devolved steadily starting with righteous Othniel and ending with unrighteous Samson. Gideon has been called a bridge judge because he formed a bridge between the earlier, stronger judges and the later, weaker ones. As a judge, Gideon was both strong and weak. He showed great courage when breaking down the altar of Baal and following God into battle with only 300 men. But he also argued with an angel, asked God to prove His presence with him through signs, and doubted God s promise. Environment of SERVING This posture of the heart asks the question, What needs to be done? It allows the Holy Spirit to cultivate a sensitivity to others and focuses on a cause bigger than one individual life. It helps fulfill the mandate that as Christ-followers we re to view our lives as living sacrifices that we generously give away. The 10 environments give us ways to create a climate that puts God on display. Encourage your families to discover more about creating the environment of SERVING in their homes by checking out HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource and Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony. Though Gideon was flawed, God still used him to accomplish His purposes and bring glory to Himself. God used Gideon to lead 300 men (down from 32,000) in victory against an enemy s entire army to show He would win the battle for His people. God used Gideon a man both faithful and fearful to show that only He would gain the glory. 3

4 Support God is the Creator, the heavenly Father, the Maker of all things. He deserves all the glory. He created us to bring Him glory. Yet we live in a self-centered world that tells us we need to make our own name great. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10 11) We can bring God glory in several ways. One way is how we serve others. God calls us all to be His servants and to use the things He s uniquely given us to serve others. Take a sheet of paper or a journal and spend some time before God, asking Him, God, what things have you uniquely blessed and gifted me with? As you listen to the Holy Spirit, write down some of those things. When you re finished, ask God another question: Lord, how would You have me use those things to bring You glory? Begin to pray that your life will become a living sacrifice to God and that everything you do will bring glory to Him. TruStory Team TIMELINE ADAM & EVE NOAH ABRAHAM JACOB JOSEPH MOSES JOSHUA EHUD DEBORAH GIDEON JESUS YOU & ME OUR FUTURE WITH JESUS 4

5 NOTES: Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List under Resource Tab) Anticipate// Small Group Check-In Celebrate// Large Group A Storytelling video is available for this lesson. See page 9 for details min min. Encourages interaction among kids, leaders, and parents; engages the kids in curiosity and anticipation of the lesson; and creates an inviting atmosphere. Establishes community and tells stories both personal and biblical in a fun and engaging way. Fleece and Troops Option 1: Laying Out a Fleece (for Younger Kids) poster board scissors cotton balls glue sticks Option 2: Trimming the Troops (for Younger and Older Kids) category cards (see Resource Folder) scissors Traditions mementos for your church Traditions (rocks, marbles, gum balls, etc.) Remember Verse cards, slide, and animation (see Resource Folder) Connect Connect Question slide (see Resource Folder) The Big God Story Bible Timeline slide and animation (see Resource Folder) slides: Rebellion, Repentance, Restoration, locust, mountain clefts, barley bread, still-life backgrounds (see Resource Folder) video: fire (see Resource Folder) optional props: farming tools (e.g., hoe, rake, shovel), small statue or toy figurine, towel (as mock wool fleece), bowl, crown, jar, trumpet, curtains/sheets (to open and close scenes) Respond// Large Group min. Creates space for children to respond to the Holy Spirit in worship and community as a large group. God Deserves the Glory Bibles slides: verses (see Resource Folder) song: Dance, TruWorship Radio the World 5

6 NOTES: Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List under 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 Deserves the Glory II Bibles questions Create: Battle Torches and Broken Jars Option 1: Paper Torches (for Younger Kids) paper lunch bags red, yellow, and orange construction paper scissors glue sticks Option 2: Torches in Jars (for Younger and Older Kids) small glass jars (baby food or mason jars) with labels removed (1 per child) colored tissue paper decoupage medium paintbrushes scissors verse sheet (see Resource Folder) optional: tea lights Option 3: Broken Jars (for Older Kids) small clay pot cloth towel (big enough to completely cover the pot) rubber mallet verse sheet (see Resource Folder) permanent markers caulk (walmart.com, homedepot.com) optional: tea light 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 6

7 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. 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 We gave the older kids the option to play Hangman using words such as Gideon, warrior, rebellion, restoration, repent, etc. Good Shepherd Church Fleece and Troops God called Gideon to lead the Israelites against the oppressive Midianites. He told Gideon He would be with His people the entire time and He would defeat their enemies. But several times Gideon asked God to reassure him. So he asked God for different signs to show He stayed with His people. Gideon asked God to fill a fleece with dew while leaving the ground around it completely dry. When God did that, Gideon asked Him to do it again, except this time he wanted God to leave the ground wet and the fleece dry. God also made Gideon reduce the number of troops he planned to bring into battle from 32,000 down to 300! God used both situations to display His power. SUPPLIES Option 1: Laying Out a Fleece (for Younger Kids) poster board scissors cotton balls glue sticks Option 2: Trimming the Troops (for Younger and Older Kids) category cards (see Resource Folder) scissors SET UP AND ENGAGE Option 1: Laying Out a Fleece (for Younger Kids) Cut the poster board into the shape of a fleece and set it on a table. Encourage the kids to pull apart the cotton balls and glue them onto the poster board to make their own giant fleece. Option 2: Trimming the Troops (for Younger and Older Kids) Print the category cards and cut them apart. To begin, have the entire group stand together. Then have a leader call out different categories. Each child must find others in the same category. For example, if the leader calls out, Boys and girls, then all the girls will form one group and all the boys will form another. Another option: Have the kids stand in one group and the leader call out an eye color, article of clothing, hair color, etc. The kids matching each description must sit down. 7

8 LARGE Group SECTION Celebrate//20 35 min. Host/Storyteller Kids get to be a part of the faith community of God s family. They participate in traditions and share them with newcomers, connect through fun and interaction, and experience The Big God Story through storytelling. Welcome and Traditions REMEMBER VERSE This week s Remember Verse comes from the environment of SERVING. The environment changes every four weeks. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT) Connect Question Where is your favorite hiding place and why? Note: If you choose, you can use the Trimming the Troops activity from ANTICIPATE during this time. 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. 8

9 The Big God Story Resource Tip A Storytelling Video is available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may access this resource on the My Lessons page > Extras > Storytelling Videos. Leader Tip Before sharing this part of The Big God Story, tell your kids that they re about to hear a true story that s recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to Judges 6 8 and invite kids to follow along in their own Bibles as you storytell. God Deserves the Glory SUPPLIES Bible Timeline slide and animation (see Resource Folder) slides: Rebellion, Repentance, Restoration, locust, mountain clefts, barley bread, still-life backgrounds (see Resource Folder) video: fire (see Resource Folder) optional props: farming tools (e.g., hoe, rake, shovel), small statue or toy figurine, towel (as mock wool fleece), bowl, crown, jar, trumpet, curtains/sheets (to open and close scenes) SET UP Today you ll utilize still-life scenes as you tell The Big God Story. Ahead of time, choose leaders and/or child volunteers to play Gideon, Purah, the angel, and two soldiers. Have them read through the storytelling section and talk about how they want to create each scene using the props. Prepare curtains to open and close on each scene. You might do this by having two volunteers hold one sheet between them, clipping two sheets to a clothesline, taping a sheet to a rolling closet bar, etc. Instead of constructing a background set for each scene, simply show each scene s background slide when prompted. ENGAGE Who knows what the word glory means? (Allow kids to answer.) Right: If someone has glory, that means he s famous or well-known for doing great things. So, to glorify someone means to give them praise or honor. Who deserves all of the glory for the great things in this world? (Allow kids to answer.) Right: God deserves the glory, because He created everything we see, because He loves us, and He made a way for us to be with Him forever! Today we ll hear about how God gave glory to Himself while also saving His people from a terrible situation. For the past few weeks we ve heard how God used people called judges to deliver His people. Who were two of the judges God used? (Allow kids to answer.) Good thinking Ehud and Deborah. Why did God s people need a deliverer? (Allow kids to answer.) Right, because they rebelled, which means they turned their backs 9

10 The Big God Story Three Rs Hand Motions Rebellion: hold up your hand in a fist Repentance: hold up both hands, clasped together, pleading Restoration: clasp your hands together in a handshake (or shake someone else s hand) NOTES: on God (show Rebellion slide). God then allowed their enemies to conquer them because He knew that this painful experience would cause them to repent, or turn away from their sins (show Repentance slide). After the Israelites repented, God always restored them (show Restoration slide) by sending a judge to save them from their enemies. This cycle happened over and over again. For a while, the Israelites would obey and serve God, but then they would forget what God called them to do: worship Him only. And the cycle would start all over again. (Show the RRR cycle slide and act out each hand motion). Today s part of The Big God Story begins with this cycle. Let s take a look at God s Word: Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites (Judges 6:1). The Bible says the Midianites were like a plague of locusts (show slide of locust). Locusts are bugs that swoop in and eat all of the crops all at once. The Israelites were living in a beautiful land full of valleys and forests near the sea. They had many crops. Foreign tribes saw everything the Israelites had and came in and took everything they d been growing. To protect themselves, God s people made caves in the clefts of the mountains (show slide of mountain clefts). From there the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help (v. 6). (Show Repentance slide.) God heard their cries and raised up a man named Gideon to save them. God gave Gideon a few really cool signs to show him He was with him. The first sign happened while Gideon worked in a field. (Show Background 1 slide as you open the curtain on the still-life scene to reveal an angel sitting under an oak tree and Gideon holding a tool as if he s working in the field. Gideon and the angel shouldn t move until the Storyteller moves on to the next part of The Big God Story.) An angel of God came to Gideon and said, The Lord is with you, mighty warrior (v. 12). Gideon was probably shocked! He was only a farmer, but the angel was calling him a mighty warrior! Through the angel, God told Gideon that He was sending him to fight against the Midianites, and He would be with him (v. 16). To show Gideon that He really meant what He said, God sent down fire (show fire video) to burn up Gideon s offering of meat and bread. Through this, Gideon realized God was truly with him. (Close the curtain on the still-life scene.) Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, calling all of Israel to follow him (vv ). But before Gideon went to battle, he wanted another sign from God that He would be with him. (Show Background 2 slide as you open curtain to reveal Gideon laying down a fleece before God.) Gideon told God he would place a wool fleece on 10

11 The Big God Story Partner Church Comments We loved doing the still life scenes. We added dramatic music behind it, and the kids were mesmerized. We don t use actual curtains when we use this type of dramatic device. We tell the kids their eyelids are the curtains and give them the commands Open eyes and Close eyes. Mt. Paran North Church of God NOTES: the ground. Gideon said, If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel (Judges 6:37). (Do you know how the ground is sometimes wet in the morning? That s dew.) So Gideon laid out the fleece. (Close the curtain. Then open the curtain while showing Background 2 slide again to reveal Gideon wringing out the fleece into a bowl.) When Gideon got up the next day, the fleece was so wet that when he squeezed out the water, it filled a bowl! Then Gideon said to God, Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew. (Close the curtain.) And God did just what Gideon asked. The next morning, Gideon saw that the ground was wet but the fleece was dry! The next morning, Gideon was ready to fight along with the thousands of men in his army. But the Lord said to Gideon, You have too many men for me to deliver Midian (7:2). God wanted to show Gideon that He alone deserved the glory, not Gideon s large army. (Show Background 3 slide as you open the curtain to reveal Gideon s army standing ready to fight.) So Gideon got rid of some of the men in his army by saying, Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead. So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained (7:3). (Show Background 4 slide and close the curtain.) But the Lord told Gideon he still had too many men. So Gideon told the men to all go to the spring and drink water from it. God separated out the men by the way they drank the water. (Show Background 5 slide as you open the curtain to reveal two soldiers drinking water, one lapping the water like a dog and one bringing the water to his mouth in his hand.) In this way, God took the Israelite army from 10,000 men to 300 men. (Close curtain and remove the slide.) Wow! Three hundred against a huge army! Through this battle, God would definitely bring glory to Himself, because this small number of men could never defeat a huge army without God s help! God then gave another sign to Gideon a sign that God Himself would win the battle and receive all the glory. (Open the curtain to reveal Gideon and Purah listening to other men sharing a dream.) God sent Gideon and his servant, Purah, to the enemy camp to eavesdrop on them, or to listen to them talking. Gideon heard a man telling his friend a dream about a loaf of barley bread (show slide of barley bread) tumbling into the enemy camp and making the tents collapse. The man s friend said the dream meant God would let Gideon s army defeat the Midianites (7:9 14). (Close curtain.) (Open the curtain to reveal Gideon bowing and worshipping God.) When Gideon heard this, he worshipped God because he knew God would deliver Israel. That s how much it took to convince him! So Gideon ran back to the Israelite camp and said, Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands (v. 15). 11

12 The Big God Story NOTES: (Show Background 6 slide and open the curtain to reveal Gideon s army with their torch-filled jars.) Gideon gave each of the 300 men a trumpet and a jar with a torch inside and led them to the edge of the Midianite camp. Gideon told the men, Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout (Judges 7:17 18). All 300 men did as Gideon said and then smashed the jars containing the torches! This terrified the Midianites, who ran away from their camp. Gideon and his men began to go after those running away. They also captured two Midianite leaders. Even though Gideon s army only had 300 men, God miraculously delivered the Israelites from their enemies! (Close curtain.) (Show Background 7 slide and open the curtain to reveal Gideon being offered the crown to wear to rule Israel.) After this, Gideon gained such respect from Israel that they asked him to be their new ruler. But Gideon said, I will not rule over you The Lord will rule over you (8:23). Gideon knew God was the One who had rescued them. He was the One who deserved all of the glory. Though Gideon gave God the glory in this situation, he later became prideful and fell into sin. Gideon forgot who God is and that He deserves all the glory. So the cycle of the judges began again (show Rebellion, Repentance, and Restoration slides again). God s people rebelled and fell into sin, then repented when they realized their need for a deliverer. Just like the Israelites continued to rebel against God, we rebel against God too. We don t give Him the glory when He does great things in our lives. Or we forget the amazing things He s done for us and turn away from Him. Still, because God is gracious and wants to receive glory in our lives, He always returns to rescue and restore us when we cry out to Him. (Tell a kid-friendly story of a time when God delivered you from something a pattern of sin or behavior.) Praise God that He s given His Son, Jesus, who gets all of the glory for how He delivered us from our sins and set us free! 12

13 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. Partner Church Comments We had been doing the Dance song at our Family Fusion nights, so it was a huge hit when we did it this week! Freedom House Loved the Scripture reading for large group. We did it as responsive reading, with the kids speaking any parts that referred to giving God glory. Mt. Paran North Church of God God Deserves the Glory SUPPLIES Bibles slides: verses (see Resource Folder) song: Dance, TruWorship Radio the World (available under the Extras Tab for Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users; or itunes) SET UP Cue the verse slides and song. Make sure each child has a Bible. ENGAGE The strength of the Israelite army didn t win the battle. God won the battle, and He deserved all the glory. Many times we forget that God deserves all the glory in our lives. Even Gideon forgot; he later fell away from worshipping God. Just like Gideon, we also sometimes forget how God has worked in our lives and how He s called us to serve and honor Him. Today we re going to read some Scriptures about God s glory. You can read the words on the screen or use your Bibles to look up the verses. During this time, think about how God deserves all of our honor, praise, and glory because He is the Creator, the One who loves us, and the One who gave His Son to die for us. Read the verses out loud as you show each slide. Give kids time to look up the verses in their Bibles if they want. Also give them space to meditate on each one. Afterward, play the song and encourage the kids to praise God through singing and dancing. Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. (Psalm 72:18 19) Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. (Psalm 29:1 4) For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31) You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. (Revelation 4:11) 13

14 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. Reflect: God Deserves the Glory II God gave Gideon many signs to show He was in control and would win the battle for the Israelites. When it came time to fight the Midianites, God proved to His people that He was in control by reducing the size of their army from 32,000 men to only 300! There was no way they could take any credit for victory because God was the One who worked through His people, and He deserved the glory. (Leaders: Encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the suggested passages.) Questions for Younger Kids What did the angel of the Lord tell Gideon? (Judges 6:8 12) What signs did Gideon ask for from God? (Judges 6:36 39) Why did Gideon have a hard time believing God was with Him? (Judges 6:13) Why did God make Gideon s army smaller? (Judges 7:2) If you had been in Gideon s army, would you have been afraid? What is something you re afraid of? God called Gideon to serve Him, and He wants you to serve Him too. How is God calling you to serve Him in your life? Questions for Older Kids What cycle did the Israelites repeat? Why do you think Israel continued to forget God? Why were the Israelites afraid of the Midianites? (Judges 6:3 5) What did the angel of the Lord tell Gideon? (Judges 6:11 12) Why do you think Gideon wanted so many signs from God? (Judges 6:17 18, 36 40) Have you ever asked God for a sign? Why? Why did Gideon have a hard time believing God was with Him? (Judges 6:13) Why did God make Gideon s army smaller? (Judges 7:2) If you had been in Gideon s army, would you have been afraid? Why do you think God deserves all the glory? What did having a smaller army prove to Gideon and to the Israelites? (Judges 7:2) God called Gideon to serve Him, and He wants you to serve Him too. How is God calling you to serve Him in your life? 14

15 NOTES: Create: Battle Torches and Broken Jars SUPPLIES Option 1: Paper Torches (for Younger Kids) paper lunch bags red, yellow, and orange construction paper scissors glue sticks Option 2: Torches in Jars (for Younger and Older Kids) small glass jars (baby food or mason jars) with labels removed (1 per child) colored tissue paper decoupage medium paintbrushes scissors verses sheet (see Resource Folder) optional: tea lights Option 3: Broken Jars (for Older Kids) small clay pot cloth towel (big enough to completely cover the pot) rubber mallet verses sheet (see Resource Folder) permanent markers caulk (walmart.com, homedepot.com) optional: tea light SET UP Option 1: Paper Torches (for Younger Kids) Cut the construction paper into flame shapes. Set out the rest of the supplies. Option 2: Torches in Jars (for Younger and Older Kids) Print several copies of the verses sheet. (Optional: Cut apart the verses.) Set out the supplies. Option 3: Broken Jars (for Older Kids) Print a copy of the verses sheet. Set out the supplies. ENGAGE Option 1: Paper Torches (for Younger Kids) During today s part of The Big God Story we heard how Gideon and his soldiers brought torches with them as they went to fight the enemy. Let s make our own torches to remind us of how God fights for us and brings glory to Himself. 15

16 NOTES: Help the kids glue the flames inside the lunch bags (so the flames stick out of the top). Then help the kids twist the bottom of each bag into the handle of a torch. Option 2: Torches in Jars (for Younger and Older Kids) When God told Gideon to attack the enemies of Midian, He didn t tell them to use swords or weapons. Instead, the men took trumpets and torches inside jars. It wasn t the typical way to fight a battle, but God still gave His people the victory. Today we re going to make our own torches in jars. On our jars we ll put Scripture verses to remind us that God deserves all the glory. Have the kids lightly paint the outsides of their jars with the decoupage medium. Then have them rip up the tissue paper into pieces and spread those pieces over the jars. Encourage the kids to get creative and use many different colors. Then have them cut out a Scripture verse from the verses sheet (or choose a verse if you cut apart the strips earlier) and glue it on top of the tissue paper pieces. Finally, have the kids paint a final layer of decoupage medium over the entire jar and let it dry for about 10 minutes. Optional: Give the kids tea lights to put inside the jars. Encourage them to light the candles at home with an adult s supervision. Option 3: Broken Jars (for Older Kids) When Gideon and his men attacked the Midianites, they blew their trumpets and smashed their jars with the torches inside. This startled the Midianites and sent them flying! Let s have some fun carefully smashing a type of jar as we think about how God overpowered the enemy in an unusual way. Completely wrap a small clay pot in a towel and break it with a rubber mallet. (Note: Supervise this experience closely. Only do this activity if you have plenty of adults around. If you have a very large group, break several pots ahead of time. Be sure to throw away any pieces with sharp edges.) Encourage the kids to take pieces of the pot and on them write words that remind them how God deserves the glory. Have them review the verses sheet for some ideas. Afterward, help them reassemble the pot by piecing it together with caulk. Optional: When they re done, place a tea light inside. 16

17 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. 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. As you bless your kids, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely share the joy and love they have received from God. Encourage the kids to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. Then open a Bible and read Revelation 4:11: You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. May the Holy Spirit help you give God the glory He deserves through your thoughts, words, and actions. May God reveal Himself to you so you will desire to fall to your knees and worship 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! 17