11/25/18 TruStory Remember & Celebrate God as Redeemer Inspire Shares personal stories from fellow ministry leaders about how God has worked in their lives Some tunes, once they get into your head, are nearly impossible to get out. If you think about the words amazing grace, does the tune pop into your head? There s great theology in that song. Just as children learn tunes to remember their ABCs, we can learn refrains to teach us and help us remember our God and His redeeming work for us. When we re sick or afraid or discouraged, lyrics and music help us recognize God s presence. We can switch our focus from what we re physically feeling to the character and person of our God who comforts and heals. In contrasting times of sickness or sadness with God s soothing ways, we can t help but celebrate His faithfulness and tender care for us. He has given so many beautiful songs to the faithful artists who seek Him. Songs of praise and truth remind our hearts that regardless of the circumstances we face, God is unchanging. We can remember Him, celebrate the truth of His nature, and praise Him still. Cristi Thomas Tru Team Equip Offers perspective and context to the lesson s Bible passage Feast of Unleavened Bread: A Feast Celebrating God as Redeemer The Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrates God s miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt and, ultimately, His deliverance of our bondage to sin. Beginning with the day after Passover, the Israelites were to take seven days to eat bread without yeast and to cease working on the first and seventh days. The unleavened bread represented their quick departure from Egypt, not having time for the yeast to make their bread rise. In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of yeast (or leaven) symbolically, as sin. Jesus broke unleavened bread with His disciples and said, This is My body. Jesus was without sin as His body was broken during His crucifixion. Support Provides reflection and assessment through encouragement, prayer, and time in God s Word God commanded the Israelites to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a remembrance for how He redeemed them. God delivered His people from slavery and chose them to be His very own people. Spend some time meditating on Isaiah 41:1 10 or 43:1 13. How does God, your Redeemer, encourage you through His Scripture today? Turn your thoughts to the great price God paid to deliver you from the slavery of sin and redeem you as His very own. Quiet your heart before God and reflect on Christ s saving work in your life. May the words from this hymn help you in your time of
reflection: Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wand ring from the face of God; He, to save my soul from danger, Interposed His precious blood. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; Prone to leave the God I love; Take my heart, oh, take and seal it With thy Spirit from above. Rescued thus from sin and anger, Purchased by the Savior s blood, May I walk on earth a stranger, As a son and heir of God. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Robert Robinson SMALL GROUP Children engage in fun, creative activities designed to pique their curiosity about the day s biblical feast or festival. Redemption Game God is our Redeemer. Invite the children to explore the idea of redemption through a game where they are captured and bought back. Paper Money cutouts (see Resources) Coins (1 per child, real or toys) Scissors PREPARE AHEAD Print two or three copies of the Paper Money cutouts and cut them out. As the children arrive, ask one of them to help you with today s game. Give her the Paper Money cutouts and ask her to stand to one side of the room or just outside the door. Tell her to be ready to join the group on your cue. When God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, they left so quickly that their bread didn t have time to rise. Leaven, or yeast, is something that makes bread dough rise so the bread will be fluffier. The Israelites celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a way of remembering and celebrating God as their Redeemer the One who bought them back and saved them. Let s think about what it means to redeem someone or something. Invite one of the kids to capture one of the leaders or kids. Explain that in order to get the leader back, the kids will have to buy him back. Hand out the coins, and encourage the kids to discuss how they re going to buy back the captured person. If they offer to use their coins to buy back the captured person, refuse their coins and tell them they don t have enough money. Before the kids begin to despair, assure them that a redeemer will come to buy the person back. Then ask the child with the Paper Money cutouts to appear and give you the money to buy back the captured person. The captured person will then be released. Explain that Jesus is the true Redeemer the only One with the power to pay for our debt of sin. We can t buy ourselves back, and we can t buy others back. Only Jesus can buy us back so we can enter into relationship with
God. LARGE GROUP Through a sequence of traditions and play, children are given the opportunity to pause and remember who God is. Traditions and Remember Verse Remember Verse 7 9 image (see Resources) Remember Verse 7 9 animation (see Resources) Remember Verse 10 12 image (see Resources) Remember Verse 10 12 animation (see Resources) Mementos for your church Traditions (rocks, marbles, gum balls, etc.) After everyone gathers as a large group, open with Traditions. During Traditions, you re helping the children work toward a common goal and giving them mementos to celebrate accomplishments such as memorizing the Remember Verse, inviting friends to church, or bringing their Bibles. Once children receive their mementos, have them put the objects in the designated container. Once kids fill the container, hold a celebration. If your kids fill a clear container or build a structure as part of a Tradition, give out simple foods (e.g., pretzels or animal crackers) if you eat together on Remember & Celebrate weekends. Save the more extensive party for when they complete their goal. Recall the Remember Verses from the previous weeks. Lessons 7 9: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5 6 Lessons 10 12: With a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever. Psalm 136:12 Questions about God, the Redeemer What does the word redeemer mean? How did God redeem His people in the Old Testament? How did God redeem His people through His Son Jesus? How has God been the Redeemer in your life? Remember and Play Images: ZONK! Questions, ZONK! Answers (see Resources) Note: See the How It Works document for more information. 1) True or False: When God led the Israelites into a new life in the wilderness, He let them starve and die of thirst. ANSWER: False. God gave them water, sent them manna from heaven, and provided quail.
2) What holiday did God set aside for His people to rest from their work and worship Him? a. Flag Day b. Christmas c. Passover d. Sabbath ANSWER: D 3) When God called Moses up to Mount Sinai, what did God give him? a. A high five b. The Ten Commandments c. A son d. A hamburger ANSWER: B 4) True or False: The Ten Commandments pointed to God as just one of many gods. ANSWER: False. The commandments pointed to God as the one true God. 5) In what building did God s Spirit dwell among His people in the wilderness? a. Apartment b. Condo c. Tabernacle d. Warehouse ANSWER: C 6) True or False: God didn t give the Israelites instructions about how to build His tabernacle. ANSWER: False. Through Moses, God gave the people very detailed instructions. 7) What did God tell Joshua his first priority should be? a. Running around the camp b. Singing songs each night c. Practicing his fighting skills d. Studying God s commandments ANSWER: D 8) God brought the Israelites into the Promised Land by: a. Building a bridge over the Jordan River b. Parting the waters of the river c. Having all the people cross the river d. B and C ANSWER: D. The people crossed the river safely on dry ground, and once they were on the other side, the waters went back to normal. 9) When Hannah prayed to God, what did she call Him? a. LORD Almighty b. God c. Heavenly Father d. Holy One ANSWER: A. Hannah called God LORD Almighty. In the original language of the Bible, this means that God goes ahead of us and fights for us. 10) True or False: Samuel was an old man when God called him. ANSWER: False. Samuel was a child.
SMALL GROUP Children receive a blessing from their leaders and sometimes one another. A blessing may be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. Bible Name tags or blank labels (1 per child) Markers Open a Bible and read Isaiah 43:1 3: This is what the LORD says Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Give each child a name tag and a marker and encourage her to write Redeemed or His on the name tag. Then invite the kids to put on their name tags. Close by blessing the entire group with these words: May you know the Lord as your Savior and Redeemer. May He protect you and watch over you this week.