Preschool. July 13, :15am

Transcription

1 Preschool July 13, :15am

2 Leader BIBLE STUDY Use Week of: July 13, 2014 Nebuchadnezzar built a tall gold statue and issued a new law: When you hear music, you are to fall down and worship the statue. The penalty for defying this law was severe. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire (Dan. 3:6). 2 So when the music played, all the people bowed down and worshiped the gold statue. Well, almost everyone. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and worship the statue. They loved and worshiped the one true God. Only He was worthy of their worship. The Book of says that the Chaldeans a group of astrologers and dream interpreters took this opportunity to go to the king and tell on Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. (Dan. 3:8,12) But not even the threat of death in a furnace of blazing fire could convince the three friends to renounce their loyalty to God. They boldly declared that God had the power to save them, and even if He chose not to, they would not worship the king s statue. Consider the possibilities. God could keep the friends from being thrown into the furnace. Or, once in the furnace, God could keep them from being harmed. And if they perished, God would receive them into heaven. Their trust in God enabled them to stand firm even as they were tied up and thrown into the fire. Then something miraculous happened. Nebuchadnezzar saw four men in the fire! They were walking around, unharmed! The Lord not only rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, He was with them. King Nebuchadnezzar praised God and issued a decree forbidding anyone to say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. On the cross, people mocked Jesus: He saved others; He cannot save Himself! (Mark 15:31). Jesus was not physically unable to save Himself. He chose to do His Father s will. His love for sinners kept Him there. Jesus did not save Himself so that He could save others. Preschool Worship Guide Unit 19 Session 2 1

3 Preschool WORSHIP OVERVIEW Session Title: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Bible Passage: 3 Big Picture Question: Who was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? God was with them in the fire. Key Passage: 6:27 Unit Christ Connection: Despite captivity, God used faithful people to continue His plan to provide salvation through Jesus Christ. U N I T 19 2 Opening Group Activities Large Group Worship Small Group Activities Large Group Closing 2

4 The BIBLE STORY Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 3 Nebuchadnezzar (neb yoo kad NEZ uhr) was the king of Babylon. He did not love God. He worshiped things that were not God. King Nebuchadnezzar made a statue out of gold. It was very tall like a tall building! The king put the statue where many people could see it. Then one of the king s officials gave a new rule to all the people. He said, When you hear the sound of music, you should fall to your knees and worship this gold statue. Anyone who does not obey this new rule will be thrown into a very hot fire! What a terrible punishment! When the music played, everyone in Babylon followed the new rule. They fell to their knees and worshiped the gold statue. Well, almost everyone followed the rule. Three men from Judah did not fall to their knees and worship the statue. They worshiped God, and they knew God did not want them to worship anyone or anything else. These men s names were Shadrach (SHAD rak), Meshach (MEE shak), and Abednego (uh BED-nih goh). Some of the people in Babylon did not like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They went to the king to tell on the three friends. You made a rule that says everyone has to bow down to the statue, they said, but these men do not obey you. The king was angry! Shadrach! Meshach! Abednego! Come here! the king said. So the three friends went to talk to the king. Is it true that you do not follow the rule I made? If you do not fall to your knees and worship the statue, I will throw you into a very hot fire! said the king. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said, King, we worship God. If He is real, then He can save us from the fire. But even if He does not save us, we will not worship the gold statue. Now the king was very mad! He told his workers to make the fire even hotter! The strong soldiers in the king s army tied up the three friends Preschool Worship Guide Unit 19 Session 2 3

5 and threw the men into the fire. The fire was so hot that the soldiers died when they got close! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the fire, all tied up. The king was watching. All of a sudden, he stood up and said, Didn t we throw three men into the fire? Yes, King, his helpers said. Look! the king shouted. I see four men walking around in the fire! They aren t hurt or tied up! The fourth man looks like an angel! The king got closer to the fire and said, Shadrach! Meshach! Abednego! Come here! The three friends came out of the fire. They were not burned. They had not even been hurt at all! God was with them and had saved them from the fire! The king praised God. He said, Your God sent an angel to save these men! They trusted in God, and He saved them! So the king made a new rule for all the people. He said, Anyone who says anything bad about God will be punished. Only God can save people from death! Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego important jobs in Babylon. Christ Connection: God saved s friends from a fire. Jesus came to save us in a different way. Jesus died so we wouldn t be punished for our sin. He was punished instead. If we know and love Jesus, Jesus saves us so we can be with God forever. 4

6 Small Group ACTIVITIES Session Title: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Bible Passage: 3 Big Picture Question: Who was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? God was with them in the fire. Key Passage: 6:27 Unit Christ Connection: Despite captivity, God used faithful people to continue His plan to provide salvation through Jesus Christ. Opening Group Activities Bible Story Figures paper plates, 1 per kid red, yellow, and orange tissue paper markers glue Make a tissue paper furnace Give each kid a paper plate and one set of Bible story figures. Kids may decorate the figures and glue them to the paper plate. Then demonstrate how to tear squares of tissue paper and glue the squares on one tip to the paper plate. Make the unglued paper stand up like flames around Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the fourth man. Say Nebuchadnezzar threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire, but they were not hurt. Also, someone else was with them in the fire. Who was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? God was with them in the fire. Transition to large group Preschool Worship Guide Unit 19 Session 2 7

7 Opening Group Activities Play Hot or Cold With only your eyes, choose an item in the room that kids must guess by moving in the direction of the item. When they are close, say warm, warmer, hot, hotter, hottest. If they move away from the item, say cold, colder, coldest. Invite the kid who guesses the item to choose next. Say Fire is hot! Who was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? God was with them in the fire. red, yellow, and orange construction paper markers Bible rhythm instruments, He Rescues and Delivers song Work flame-shaped puzzles Key passage printed on laminated red, yellow, and orange construction paper and cut flame shapes. Mix up the puzzles and invite kids to sort them by color and then assemble them together. Help kids read the reassembled puzzle. Open your Bible to Isaiah 43:2 and read it aloud. Say The prophet Isaiah wrote this verse many years before the king of Babylon put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abenego in the fire. Who was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? God was with them in the fire. Make music with instruments Invite kids to experiment with playing musical instruments as you play the key passage song. Or you may sing a familiar tune such as Jesus Loves Me. Say These songs remind us how great God is! We worship the one true God, who sent His Son, Jesus, to save us. Transition to large group closing 8

8 Large Group CLOSING Session Title: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Bible Passage: 3 Big Picture Question: Who was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? God was with them in the fire. Key Passage: 6:27 Unit Christ Connection: Despite captivity, God used faithful people to continue His plan to provide salvation through Jesus Christ. Large Group Closing Bible musical instruments Timeline Map Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster Key Passage Slide or Poster He Rescues and Delivers song Big Picture Question Slide or Poster Awesome Is the Lord Most High song Review Welcome the children to the large group area Say The people of Babylon were supposed to bow down to a statue whenever they heard music. When I play this instrument, come and sit beside me. Play the instrument and gather the kids to sit cross-legged in the large group area. Show the Bible story picture. Say Which king built a statue for the people to worship? (Nebuchadnezzar) What was the sign for the people to worship the statue? (any kind of music) Did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego worship the statue? (No!) Who was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? God was with them in the fire. Show the key passage and invite the kids to read it together. Sing the key passage song or the theme song together. Pray Pray, thanking God for protecting Shadrach, Meshach, and Preschool Worship Guide Unit 19 Session 2 9

9 Abednego from the fire. Thank God for sending Jesus to rescue people from sin. Jesus died on the cross and came back to life to save those who trust in Him. Missions story: Learning about other cultures Donny Barger, an International Mission Board missionary and trainer who helped start the jungle training camp, says the program better prepares missionaries to work among the nearly 230 groups of people throughout the Americas who have never heard about Jesus! While braving the jungle environment, the missionaries attended sessions on sharing the gospel with people who live in the jungle. They also studied some of the most common obstacles missionaries face in jungle cultures. Experienced missionaries gave tips on being a strong, godly family in places without other Christians. The group practiced learning difficult languages. Participants learned to tell simple Bible stories to people who can t read, and each family developed plans for telling their specific people group about Jesus. Say Nebuchadnezzar wanted the three friends to worship his statue, but they chose to worship only God. Let s pray for missionaries who go to difficult places to teach people how to worship the one true God instead of idols. Awesome Is the Lord Most High song Play We Won t Bow! Invite kids to march around the room. Remind kids that Nebuchadnezzar wanted people to stop and bow to his statue when they heard music. When you play the music, the kids will stop marching and shout, We won t bow! Continue playing as long as time allows. 10

10 He delivers and rescues; he who has saved from the power of the lions. 6:27 Unit 19 Key Passage Poster (ESV) OK TO PRINT

11 Who was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? God was with them in the fire. Unit 19 Session 2 Big Picture Question OK TO PRINT

12 Unit 19 Session 2 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego OK TO PRINT

13 Bible Story Figures Instructions: Make copies for each preschooler. For each preschooler, accordion fold on the fold lines and cut out the figure, so you will have four figures for each kid. Invite kids to decorate the figures, fold the bottom tabs up, and glue the tabs to the paper plates. fold here fold here fold here UNIT 19 Session 2 Bible Story Figures 2013 LifeWay Christian Resources. OK TO PRINT