Even when we fail, we should keep trying.

Praise Jesus! Jeremiah Complains About the Difficulty of His Task Lesson 6 Bible Point Even when we fail, we should keep trying. Bible Verse For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). Growing Closer to Jesus Students will n identify jobs God wants them to do, n discover how doing God s work can motivate them to keep trying, and n ask God to help them move past specific failures. Teacher Enrichment Bible Basis n Jeremiah complains about the difficulty of his task. Jeremiah 20:7-13 Jeremiah received his call to be a prophet at a young age, when he had no experience or confidence as a public speaker (Jeremiah 1:6). God told the fledgling prophet that his work would be difficult terrifying at times. But God added an important promise: Whatever happened, as long as Jeremiah remained faithful to his calling, God would make him strong for the task and ultimately deliver him from his enemies (1:8, 17-19). As Jeremiah watched the destruction and captivity of Judah looming ever closer, he began to lament it deeply. He felt personally crushed because he knew that despite his preaching his nation would soon be crushed by the Babylonians (8:22 9:1). Today s passage reflects a particularly low point in Jeremiah s ministry. A Temple official had heard Jeremiah preaching. Rather than heeding the warnings, he had Jeremiah beaten and incarcerated at the Temple. The apparent ineffectiveness of his message and the hardship he endured because of it led Jeremiah to want to quit speaking altogether (20:7-8). But God had placed the message in him in such a way that he literally could not hold it in (20:9). It was in this very dark hour that Jeremiah remembered the promises God had given him at his call to be a prophet. Although the battle was difficult, God was ultimately fighting his battles for him, a great warrior at his side (20:11). Other Scriptures used in this lesson are Jeremiah 20:1-2; 36:20-28, 32; and 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Prayer Read Matthew 28:20. Whenever the going gets tough in the Christian life, and in Christian service in particular, it is vital to remember the Lord s promises. Why do you think Jesus mentioned his promise to be with us until the end of the age? Do you ever feel frustrated or discouraged when teaching this age group? How might Jeremiah s prayer and Jesus promise help you in such times? Pray: Lord, so often I get discouraged when I don t see my teaching bring the results I think I should see. Help me to take courage in you, to rely on your strength to persevere, and to trust you for the outcome. 73

Lesson 6 Before the Lesson n Collect the necessary items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab Supplies listed on the chart. n Make photocopies of the Hands-On Fun at Home handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your children. n Pray for your students and for God s direction as you teach the lesson. This Lesson at a Glance Attention Grabber What Children Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies Going and Going and Going Make up and act out commercials for products that don t give up. Bible Exploration & Application Closing House of Cards Construct buildings and see them destroyed, read Jeremiah 20:1-2, 7-13; 36:20-28, 32, discuss not giving up, and learn the Bible verse. Power Popping Try to contain popping eyeballs, read Jeremiah 20:8-9, and discover that no one can hold down God s work. Running to Win Race by crawling backward, read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, and discuss what makes them go the wrong way in real life. A Tough Challenge Try an almost impossible task, and remember that God helped people in the Bible and will help them. Winning the Crown Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, and encourage one another not to give up. Bibles, index cards, transparent tape, paper clips, CD player Bibles, masking tape, paper, pencils Bibles, CD player Ballpoint pen, paper, CD player Bible 74

Welcome Jeremiah Complains About the Difficulty of His Task As kids arrive, ask them how they applied last week s lesson to their lives. Ask questions such as How did you stand up for God? and Did you notice others standing up for God? Tell kids that whenever you sound the giggle hammer, they are to stop talking and focus their attention on you. Explain that it s important to respond to this signal quickly so the class can do as many fun activities as possible. Attention Grabber n Going and Going and Going SUPPLIES: none Have kids form groups of four. Give each foursome a foam flower. Say: Most of you have probably seen the commercials with the bunny that keeps on going and going and going. These commercials show the toy bunny facing all sorts of situations but the bunny s batteries keep him going and going and going. In your group, take a few minutes to make up your own commercial using the slogan, It keeps going and going and going Use the foam flower as the battery, and find other props in the room that will make your commercial special. After four minutes let the groups perform their commercials for each other. Collect the foam flowers for use in future lessons. Ask: Why do you suppose that slogan is successful for the battery company? (People want a battery that keeps working no matter what; people like the funny ads; people are impressed that the batteries last so long.) If I described a person as someone who keeps going and going and going, what do you think that person would be like? (Tough; somebody who never gives up; someone with a lot of energy.) Say: God wants us to be the kind of people who keep going and going and going. Even when we fail, we should keep trying. Let s learn about a man who kept going even when things got tough. Repeating the Bible Point over and over will help the children remember it and apply it to their lives. Help children learn one point that will stay with them for days and even years to come. As you teach third- and fourth-graders, keep in mind these aspects of their spiritual development: They are able to accept that there are some things about God we don t understand. They are ready to relate individual Bible events to the scope of Bible history. They recognize the difference between right and wrong and are able to make deliberate choices about actions. 75

Lesson 6 Be prepared to help readers with difficult Bible names so kids won t be distracted or embarrassed during the story. Look for teachable moments! An activity that seems to be a flop may provide a wonderful opportunity for learning if you ask questions such as, Why didn t this work out? Be sensitive to your kids, and concern yourself more with their growth and faith development than getting through the stuff you have planned. Bible Exploration & Application n House of Cards SUPPLIES: Bibles, transparent tape, paper clips, index cards, CD player Have kids form pairs. Set out enough transparent tape and paper track 12 clips so pairs can share. Then give each pair a stack of index cards. Say: You have three minutes to construct the best possible building with these cards. Start now. After pairs work for several minutes, say: OK, now we re changing our construction zone into a destruction zone. Choose any paper building in the room, and destroy it. If kids protest, simply repeat the instructions. Make sure all the buildings get destroyed. Leave the ruins lying around the room while pairs discuss the following questions: What was it like to see your hard work destroyed? (Frustrating; it made me mad; I didn t mind, because I got to wreck someone else s building.) How would this experience have been different if others had destroyed something really important to you? (I would have been really upset; I would have been madder; I might have cried.) Say: Jeremiah was a prophet of God. God often told Jeremiah what to say to the people. It wasn t easy when Jeremiah had to tell people bad news that they didn t want to hear! Jeremiah was telling the people of Judah that they were being unfaithful to God and that God was going to punish them. Listen while I read to you what happened. Distribute Bibles, and read Jeremiah 20:1-2 aloud while kids follow along. Ask: How do you think Jeremiah felt after that? (In pain; miserable; sad; like being quiet.) Say: Let s find out how Jeremiah responded. We ll start with Jeremiah 20:7 and read through verse 13. I d like the boys to read the odd-numbered verses aloud and the girls to read the even ones aloud. When kids have finished, ask: How did Jeremiah react to the cruel treatment? (He felt bad, but still wanted to serve God; he was frustrated, but he loved God.) How was Jeremiah s reaction similar to yours when your building was destroyed? (I wanted to build another one, just like he wanted to keep talking about God; I was frustrated, too; I felt tricked, too.) Say: Jeremiah met a lot of people who didn t want to hear what God had to say. God told Jeremiah to write down all of the bad things that would happen to the people of Judah if they continued to sin. So Jeremiah wrote all of God s words on a long scroll and sent it to the king. Let s turn to Jeremiah 36:20 to see how the king reacted. I ll need two readers to read this story. Choose a boy to read Jeremiah 36:20-24, and a girl to read Jeremiah 36:25-28, 32. Have pairs discuss the following questions and take turns reporting their responses to the whole group. Ask: How was Jeremiah s experience with the scroll like your experience with your building? (He saw his work destroyed, too; he must have felt even more upset than I did.) 76

If you had been Jeremiah, how would you have reacted when God told you to start all over and write a new scroll? (I wouldn t have wanted to do all that work again; I would have figured it was no use the king could burn the new scroll, too; I would have done it because God wanted me to.) Why do you suppose God told Jeremiah not to give up? (God wanted people to hear his warning and stop doing what was wrong; God wanted Jeremiah to pay more attention to what God wanted than to what the king wanted; God had a plan, and he wanted to use Jeremiah in his plan.) Say: Think about the jobs God might have in mind for you that he wouldn t want you to give up on. When you ve thought of a job, pick up a few pieces of our destroyed buildings. As you drop the cards into the wastebasket, tell one way to follow God that you won t give up on. Kids answers may include praying for hungry people around the world even though they don t see any results, telling a friend about Jesus even though he or she doesn t seem to listen, or refusing to cheat even though they could get better grades. When all the cards have been cleaned up, say: Jeremiah gives us a good example of how even when we fail, we should keep trying. It s not always easy to keep trying when things get tough, but don t worry I have good news. Well, actually, God has good news. I ll show you what I mean. Have a volunteer read aloud Philippians 4:13: For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Have kids repeat the verse with you until they can say it alone. Ask: According to this verse, who gives us strength? (Jesus.) When is it hard for you to keep trying and you need Jesus strength? (At school; when people are mean to me; when I m upset.) How can this verse help the next time you face one of those times? (I can remember Jesus is with me; I ll know where to turn; I can ask Jesus for help.) Say: This verse is great because it reminds us that we never go through tough times alone. Jesus is always with us and always ready to help us. Let s learn a new song to help us remember this verse! Play I Can Do Everything Through Christ (Philippians 4:13) (track 12) on the CD. Then play it again, and have kids sing along. (Lyrics are at the back of this book.) Say: Thanks for that singing. Now let s get back to Jeremiah! Jeremiah Complains About the Difficulty of His Task HANDS-ON BIBLE Have kids open their Hands-On Bibles to the Object Lessons activity found on page 742. Have kids form pairs, and give each pair a sheet of paper and a pencil. Encourage partners to come up with as many ideas as possible about how they could use everyday objects to tell others about God. Encourage partners to list their ideas on the paper, and then invite every pair to share its ideas with the rest of the class. 77

Lesson 6 To make the eyeballs pop, have kids turn the eyeballs inside out, press the flat ends onto the smooth surface, and then let go. If kids have trouble getting the eyeballs to pop, try moistening the flat ends. You may want kids to practice popping the eyeballs before this activity. Bible Insight The popular theological belief during Jeremiah s time was that God protected Jerusalem simply because it held the chosen Temple and was home to the chosen people. Jeremiah, however, insisted that this protection was subject to how much the people were faithful to their covenant with God. n Power Popping SUPPLIES: Bibles, masking tape, paper, pencils Form trios. Set out masking tape. Give each trio a foam flower and a popping eyeball. Say: Imagine that these popping eyeballs are kernels of popcorn. Use the masking tape to mark an outline on the table that will be your popcorn pan. The area can be any shape, as long as it s no bigger than your hand. Once trios have marked an outline with masking tape, say: Now have one person in your trio hold the foam flower over the popcorn pan. He or she must hold the flower by one of its petals. Another member of your trio will set the eyeball in the pan and make it pop. The third member of your trio will be the scorekeeper. You ll earn a point each time the foam flower keeps the popping eyeball inside its pan. When I sound the giggle hammer, start popping! After a minute, sound the giggle hammer, and have kids stop popping the eyeballs. Reward the trio with the most points by giving them a standing ovation. If no one was able to keep the eyeball inside its pan, give a round of applause for everyone s effort. Collect the popping eyeballs and foam flowers for use in later lessons. Have each trio select a Reader to read the following Scripture, a Recorder to record the answers, and a Reporter to share the group s responses with the rest of the class. Give each Recorder paper and pencil. Say: Your popping eyeballs just couldn t be kept down! Let s take a look at Jeremiah 20:8-9 to see how Jeremiah couldn t be kept down, either. Have the readers read Jeremiah 20:8-9 aloud. Ask: What made it challenging to keep your popping eyeballs in the pan? (They popped higher and harder than I expected; the foam flower wasn t a strong enough lid.) How was Jeremiah s message like these popping eyeballs? (He couldn t keep it in; it forced its way out; he got tired of trying to hold it in.) Based on these verses, how do you think Jeremiah felt about his job of bringing God s message to the people? Explain. (He didn t always like it because people insulted him for it; he wished he could forget it; he decided it was better to tell the message than to try to keep it in.) What made Jeremiah keep trying? (He knew his job was worth doing; he knew God could help him get it done; Jeremiah knew God was more important than the people who gave him a hard time.) How do these verses encourage you to keep trying to do what s right? (I know that God will help me; I know that God wants me to do what s right; I know that doing what God wants is more important than anything else.) Say: Things around us may try to keep us down. But with God s help, we can be just like those popping eyeballs! Even when we fail, we should keep trying. Let s look at some things that might trip us up this week as we keep on trying to follow God. 78

n Running to Win SUPPLIES: Bibles, CD player Before class, cue the CD to Racing Music (track 13). track 13 Have kids form two teams and line up at one end of the room. Place the flying flipper at the opposite end of the room. Say: When I give the signal with the giggle hammer, the first person on each team will crawl to the flying flipper. Whoever gets there first and puts the flipper on his or her head scores one point for the team. Then they ll both take tiny steps back and tag the next person in their lines. Then the second person on each team will race, and so on. To make this a little more challenging, you ll have to crawl backward. Use the giggle hammer to signal the start of the races. Encourage kids to crawl backward quickly, and have teams cheer on their teammates. Play Racing Music on the CD to set a fun mood. When everyone has had a chance to race, collect the flying flipper and CD for use later in the lesson. Instruct the team with the fewest points to applaud the other team. Distribute Bibles, and have each team form a circle. Instruct kids to number off within their groups and to remember their numbers. Explain that you ll give kids a few seconds to discuss your questions. Then you ll call out a number. Students with that number will share their group s responses. Ask: What was it like to race by crawling backward? (Hard; I went the wrong way; it slowed me down.) Say: The author of 1 Corinthians tells about a race that s sort of like the one we just did! Choose a volunteer in your group to read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 aloud while the rest of you follow along. When kids have finished reading, continue asking questions and calling out numbers so kids can answer. Ask: How do these verses describe our race? (Only one person could win each time; the flipper was like a crown.) How is living like running a race? (Sometimes I get tired; I can t give up; we ve got to be in shape to survive.) What are some goals God wants you to reach for? (Becoming more like Jesus; obeying my parents; loving others.) How can these verses encourage you to run to win as you follow God in your life? (I know I have a goal; God promises me a prize.) Crawling made it harder to finish this race. What could make it hard to follow and obey God in everyday life? (If my parents ask me to do a certain chore, I might not feel like obeying because I hate that job; sometimes I plan to pray at night, but I fall asleep instead.) Say: Take turns within your circle to say a simple prayer for the person on your left. In one sentence, pray that God will keep that person from going the wrong way this week. When everyone has prayed, say: It s easy to go the wrong way in life. But even when we fail, we should keep trying. Let s encourage each other to do that this week. Jeremiah Complains About the Difficulty of His Task 79

Lesson 6 n A Tough Challenge SUPPLIES: ballpoint pen, paper, CD player You ll need a ballpoint pen, the jumbo glitter popper track 11 hopper, and a sheet of paper. Say: I ve got a challenge for you. Take this ballpoint pen, press the point through the hole in the jumbo glitter popper hopper, and write or draw something on the sheet of paper. Have everyone give it a try. It s nearly impossible to draw anything other than a scribble. Ask: What made this task so hard? (It was hard to press the pen through the hole; I couldn t control it; the hole was too small.) Why should we keep on trying when things get hard? (Because it s good for us; because it helps us learn to be tough; it helps us succeed.) How do you feel when you manage to stick to a hard task? (Frustrated; powerful; happy.) Say: Think of all the Bible stories you know. Ask: Which people in those Bible stories had to keep going when things seemed really hard? (David when he faced Goliath; Noah during the flood; Job when he lost everything; Jesus on the cross.) What can you learn from these examples? (That God takes care of his people; that God will help in tough situations; that God will help us be tough.) Say: The Bible is full of stories about people who faced tough situations. But without exception, all the people who served and followed God could count on him to help them when they faced tough times. We can learn from these people. We can learn that even when we fail, we should keep trying. Let s sing The Books of the Bible Song with the CD to remind us of all the people God has helped in the past. It can remind us that God will help us, too! Lead kids in singing The Books of the Bible Song (track 11) with the CD. (Lyrics are at the back of this book.) Put away the Learning Lab items for use in later lessons. 80

Closing n Winning the Crown SUPPLIES: Bible Have kids form a line at one end of the room. Place the flying flipper at the other end of the room. Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 aloud, and then say: Now we ll get a little practice running to win a crown. When I say, Run to win! the first person in line will run to the flying flipper, put it on his or her head so it s like a crown, and say, I m running to win. Then that person will take the crown off, run back, tag the next person, and say, Run to win! Continue until everyone has had a chance to run to the crown. Ready? Run to win! When everyone has been encouraged to run to win, say: Even when we fail, we should keep trying. That s what makes us real winners! Retrieve the flying flipper for use in later lessons. Jeremiah Complains About the Difficulty of His Task Growing closer to Jesus extends beyond the classroom. Photocopy the Hands-On Fun at Home handout (at the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home with your kids. Encourage kids and parents to use the handout to spark meaningful discussion on this week s topic. 81

LESSON 6 Even when we fail, we should keep trying. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). Create a magnet that will help you remember to stick to the toughest tasks. Cut off a square of magnetic tape (available at most craft or fabric stores), and glue a stack of self-adhesive notes on it. When the glue dries thoroughly, put your magnet on the refrigerator. Use the notes to encourage others to stick with it! Cut this coupon and give it to your mom or dad. Ask your mom or dad to fill out the coupon and give it to you when you stick with a difficult task. Date Way to stick with it! Read Matthew 15:21-28. Why wouldn t the woman in this story give up? What does not giving up have to do with faith? Read Mark 2:1-12. Can you think of a time when a friend refused to give up on you? Who needs your help? What obstacles must you overcome to help that person? Read Luke 11:5-12. How do you feel when your prayers aren t answered right away? What are some things you shouldn t give up praying about? I m proud of you for! Love, 82 Permission to photocopy this handout from Group s Hands-On Bible Curriculum Grades 3 & 4 granted for local church use. Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com