111 God Speaks to Elijah in a Whisper 1 Kings 19:9-18 During third and fourth grade, kids begin to understand the importance of friendship and having friends. Many of them have best friends, or at least a few close friends. They enjoy visiting one another and playing together at school or church. Many kids feel they must limit their friendships solely to other children their own age. They may feel that a close relationship with God is impossible because they cannot see him or talk to him face to face. It s important that kids understand they can develop a friendship with God just as Elijah and other great men and women of the Bible did. Remind kids that God talked to Elijah in a still, small voice, and can speak to them as well. LESSON WHAT CHILDREN DO SUPPLIES EASY PREP 1 Getting Started Phone Call (about 10 min.) Try to speak to each other through plastic cups. 1 plastic cup per child, one 3-foot piece of string for every 2 children, paper clips, sharpened pencils Make a phone ahead of time to show kids how to make them. Bible Point When we feel alone, God is with us. Key Verse So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). 2 Bible Exploration (continued) Wind, Earthquake, and Fire (about 20 min.) Form three groups and make props to tell the beginning of the Bible passage. Bible, electric fan, tape, paper, 2 pieces of poster board, 20+ craft sticks, fire-colored tissue paper, scissors, markers Teacher Pack: Wind, Earthquake, and Fire poster Set up three different stations. Set up the first station near an electrical outlet, and set out the electric fan and paper. Set up the second station with the poster board and craft sticks. For the third station, set out the tissue paper, scissors, and markers. Cut apart the 3 sections of the Wind, Earthquake, and Fire poster, and put the sections at the corresponding stations. Weaving Faith Into Life Kids will turn to God for comfort when they feel alone.
112 LESSON WHAT CHILDREN DO SUPPLIES EASY PREP 2 Bible Exploration (continued) Trust Your Fears to God (about 10 min.) Turn over their fears to God, and learn the Key Verse. Bible, sticky notes, pens, CD player, 1 copy per person of the lyrics page (at end of this lesson) Teacher Pack: In God s Hand poster, CD: So Do Not Fear (Isaiah 41:10) (track 20) 3 Weaving Faith Into Life Listening to God (about 10 min.) Pray silently, listening to God speak to their hearts. No Need to Fear (about 10 min.) Write ways they know God is there for them. Bible Truth Sleuth, markers Tear out the pages from each Bible Truth Sleuth student book. 4 Daily Challenges (about 5 min.) Choose a Daily Challenge to apply God s Word. Bible Truth Sleuth Lasting Impressions Weaving Faith at Home (about 2 min.) Talk about how to share what they learned with their families.
113 God Speaks to Elijah in a Whisper 1 Kings 19:9-18 BIBLe BACKGROUND FOR LEADERS Elijah Runs for His Life God Encourages Elijah Queen Jezebel had vowed to kill Elijah for showing up her idol Baal. After the events on Mount Carmel, Elijah may have been physically and emotionally exhausted. Rather than relishing another chance to prove God s power over Jezebel, he tired of the fight. Alone and probably in fear, Elijah ran for his life. Even though Elijah s faith was apparently weak at this point, God was faithful and brought food and drink to him in the desert. In fact, Elijah hadn t abandoned God; after eating and drinking, he began a 40-day journey to Horeb, the mountain of God. Elijah Prays to God Elijah s statement recorded in 1 Kings 19:10 reveals his feelings. He felt alone, abandoned by the Israelites, and was tired of running and hiding to protect his life. It seemed to him that he was the only one in all the world who truly followed God. Elijah shared his feelings with God, and God responded by promising to bless Elijah with his presence. God Comes to Elijah After giving Elijah instructions for his next move, God had some encouraging news to keep Elijah going 7,000 others in Israel hadn t worshipped Baal; Elijah wasn t alone in following God. So Elijah was assured not only that God was beside him when he felt alone, but also that thousands of others in Israel were faithful to God. He would never really be alone. The Jesus Connection When Jesus leads our lives, we are never alone. Even when we re discouraged or lonely, we can experience his presence and the support and encouragement of other Christians. Think about a time you felt abandoned by God or by people. How did you receive strength from God or from friends during this trial? Now think of someone you know who needs encouragement now. Pray for that person to sense God s presence and know that God is always there. You can write your prayer here. God s lesson to Elijah in all that happened on the mountain may have been in response to something we re not told. But by coming to Elijah in a gentle whisper, God showed Elijah that he wanted him to continue his mission of speaking to the Israelites for him. And Elijah was reminded that God was with him even when the prophet felt utterly alone. After demonstrating his presence, God continued to lead Elijah on his mission, knowing that Elijah would eventually understand the lesson of the events he d just experienced.
114 GETTING STARTED Phone Call Supplies 1 plastic cup per child one 3-foot piece of string for every 2 children paper clips sharpened pencils Phone Call Easy Prep Make a phone ahead of time to show kids how to make them. Phone Call What You ll Do Welcome kids warmly as they arrive, and ask them how their week went. Have kids form pairs. Give each child a plastic cup. Say: You re going to use these plastic cups as telephones and try to talk to each other. One person will hold the bottom of the cup to his or her ear. The other person will speak into the cup to give a message to that partner. Give kids a couple of minutes to take turns speaking into and listening through the cups, and then have them set down the cups. n n What was it like to try to talk with each other using these cups as phones? What do you think would make it easier to hear the person speak? Say: Now let s try something else that may help us hear better. Have kids poke a hole in the bottom of their cups with a pencil. Give each child a paper clip. Then give each pair a 3-foot piece of string, which they ll thread through the hole in each cup to attach the two cups. Have kids tie a knot at each end of the string. Then have them attach the paper clip to the string on the inside of their cups. Say: Let s try to speak to each other again. Pull the string tight, but be careful not to pull the string out of your cups. Then have one person speak into a cup. The other person will listen by holding the other cup to his or her ear, listening on the open side of the cup. Have pairs switch roles and speak again. Talk With Kids n Why do you think it was easier to hear your partner the second time? n Why do we sometimes have difficulty hearing God when he speaks? n What can help make it easier for you to hear God speak to you? Say: The sound waves traveled over the string and made it easier to hear through the cups. We found it easier to hear through the phones because of the string connecting them together. We also find it easier to hear God when we re connected to him. When we can t hear what another person says, we can feel very alone.
115 In our Bible passage today, we ll hear about a time Elijah felt very alone and needed to hear God speak to him. We ll find out how God spoke to Elijah and learn that WHEN WE FEEL ALONE, GOD IS WITH US. 2 BIBLE EXPLORATION Wind, Earthquake, and Fire What You ll Do Have kids number off by threes, and send ones to Station 1, twos to Station 2, and threes to Station 3. At Station 1, kids will make rocks from the paper to build a mountain. They will use the fan to show the effects of wind on the rocks and mountain. At Station 2, kids will place the pieces of poster board next to each other on a table. Then they ll construct a simple building by stacking the craft sticks. After completing the building, they ll move the two pieces of poster board back and forth to create an earthquake, causing the building to fall down. At Station 3, kids will create flames from the tissue paper and act as the fire, holding up the flames they ve created and waving them in the air. Say: Each group will help tell the first part of today s Bible passage. You ll use the supplies at your station and follow the directions posted there. I ll be walking around to help you if you need it. When everyone has finished, we ll retell our Bible passage. Give kids five minutes to prepare and practice their part of the passage. When everyone has finished, have Groups 2 and 3 go to Station 1. Say: Just before what happened in today s Bible passage, Queen Jezebel had threatened to kill Elijah for challenging the prophets of Baal and proving that Baal was powerless. Elijah was afraid, and was hiding in a cave. Now let s take a look at what happens to him. Open your Bible to 1 Kings 19:9-12. Read the passage aloud, stopping at the wind for Group 1 to present its work, the earthquake for Group 2, and the fire for Group 3. Stop reading midway through verse 12, before you get to the part that says, And after the fire came a gentle whisper. After each group has presented its part of the passage, congratulate kids on a job well done, and have them sit in a circle. Wind, Earthquake, and Fire Supplies Bible electric fan tape paper 2 pieces of poster board 20+ craft sticks fire-colored tissue paper scissors markers Teacher Pack Wind, Earthquake, and Fire poster Wind, Earthquake, and Fire Easy Prep Set up three different stations. Set up the first station near an electrical outlet, and set out the electric fan and paper. Set up the second station with the poster board and craft sticks. For the third station, set out the tissue paper, scissors, and markers. Cut apart the 3 sections of the Wind, Earthquake, and Fire poster, and put the sections at the corresponding stations.
116 Say: You would think that Elijah would find God in flashy or loud things such as wind, earthquakes, or fires. But that s not what happened. Let s find out just how God spoke to Elijah. Read 1 Kings 19:12-14, starting where you left off in verse 12. Say: Even though God could have spoken to Elijah through the wind, earthquake, or fire, he didn t. God chose to speak to Elijah in a gentle whisper. And God gave Elijah an assignment. He was to anoint two new kings. In addition, God told him to go anoint Elisha to help him. Elijah felt alone, but God was with him. Pick one of our stations to go to. Turn on the fan, shake the poster board, or wave the flames as you spend some time talking to God about the things in your life that might be drowning out his voice. When I clap my hands, everyone will stop the noise, sit where they are, and sit in the silence. Allow about a minute or two for kids to go to the stations, and then clap your hands and wait another minute for kids to listen in the silence. Talk With Kids n Of the four things in our passage today wind, earthquake, fire, and whisper which would you most associate with God s voice? Explain. n How do you relate to Elijah s experience? n What are some noisy things in your life that might distract you from hearing God s whispers? n How would you want God to talk to you? Say: We all feel alone sometimes that will be true our entire lives. The good thing is that WHEN WE FEEL ALONE, GOD IS WITH US. God loves us without having to shout at us. God spoke to Elijah in a whisper to let him know he was there. God tells us he s there by forgiving us and loving us. Let s whisper back to God, I love you, too. Trust Your Fears to God Supplies Bible sticky notes pens CD player 1 copy per person of the lyrics page (at end of this lesson) Teacher Pack In God s Hand poster CD: So Do Not Fear (Isaiah 41:10) (track 20) Have all the children close their eyes and repeat after you in a whisper, I love you, too. Trust Your Fears to God What You ll Do Place the In God s Hand poster on a table. Give each child a sticky note and a pen. Say: On your sticky note, write one thing you re most afraid of. For example, you might write the dark, spelling tests, or having no friends. No one will see what you write. When you ve finished writing, fold up the bottom part of your sticky note so that the words don t show, and place it in God s hand on our poster. Have kids stick their sticky notes on the poster. When everyone has finished, fold up the poster so that all the sticky notes are on the inside of God s hand.
117 Open your Bible to Isaiah 41:10, and read the verse aloud: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Let s say the Key Verse together. Have kids say the verse with you several times. Say: As a positive response to the good news in our Key Verse, let s sing a song that tells about God s mighty power! Pass out copies of the lyrics, and play So Do Not Fear (Isaiah 41:10) (track 20 on the CD). Have kids listen once, and then sing along. So do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. So do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you And help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. I will strengthen you And help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Repeat from the beginning.) So Do Not Fear (Isaiah 41:10) by John J. DiModica. 2003, 2007 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Talk With Kids n What does our Key Verse tell you about what happens when we choose courage over fear? n What can we do when we feel alone or scared? n How does God help us when we re afraid? Say: God says, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. We don t have to be afraid because just as your sticky notes are in God s hand on the poster, we re in God s real hands. And we know that WHEN WE FEEL ALONE, GOD IS WITH US, just as he was with Elijah.
118 3 WEAVING FAITH INTO LIFE Listening to God What You ll Do Say: In our lives, we spend a lot of time doing things besides being quiet and listening for God to speak. When we pray, it s a good idea to spend some time quietly waiting for God to speak to us. We may not hear him speak aloud, but we can know in our hearts when God speaks to us and directs us. Say: Take a few minutes to pray quietly by yourselves. Let God know the things that scare you and make you feel alone. Then listen for a moment to see if you hear him talking to you about your prayer. Sometimes you can hear God just by thinking a thought that doesn t go away a thought that you wouldn t normally think on your own. Another way could be remembering a Bible verse you learned about the thing you are afraid of. After you ve finished praying quietly, thank God for always being with you. Ask God to show you what to do with your life. God gave Elijah clear directions about what he needed to do. God will do the same for you. Have kids pray quietly for two or three minutes. Allow enough silent time for kids to really listen. Talk With Kids n What are some things God said to you in prayer? n When have you heard God talk to you before? What was it like? n How can you recognize God s voice versus your own thoughts? n When we feel alone, how can we know God is with us? Say: Thanks for being open to praying to God and for sharing. Hearing God in prayer is one of the greatest gifts we can ever receive from God. You will probably have a few times in your life when God speaks to you loudly and with as much drama as wind, earthquakes, or fire. But most of the time, you ll probably experience what Elijah did, that WHEN WE FEEL ALONE, GOD IS WITH US, speaking in a gentle whisper.
119 No Need to Fear What You ll Do Have kids turn to the No Need to Fear activity on their Bible Truth Sleuth pages. Say: Think about some things you re afraid of. On your Bible Truth Sleuth page, you ll see a picture of God holding a cave like the one Elijah was hiding in. Inside that cave, write ways you know God is there for you when you re alone. For example, you could write I feel peace, or God gives me friends. Allow several minutes for kids to finish their pictures. Ask willing kids to share what they wrote in their cave. Talk With Kids n Tell about a time you felt very alone. n How have you sensed God s presence in difficult times? No Need to Fear Supplies Bible Truth Sleuth markers No Need to Fear Easy Prep Tear out the pages from each Bible Truth Sleuth student book. Say: You re going to take your Bible Truth Sleuth page home with you. Each day this week, write one way you know God is here for you. Maybe he ll help you face a fear one day. Maybe he ll show you a Bible verse that s just what you needed to read. Look for something new each day, and write it on the cave. Let God whisper to you as you write in your cave, just as he whispered to Elijah in the cave. Use your cave to help you remember that WHEN WE FEEL ALONE, GOD IS WITH US. God is with you. 4 LASTING IMPRESSIONS Daily Challenges What You ll Do Say: Let s think about how we can handle loneliness this week. Daily Challenges Supplies Bible Truth Sleuth Direct kids to find this week s Daily Challenges on their Bible Truth Sleuth pages and to choose one to do this week. They can choose one or more of these three options: n Find another verse in the Bible that can remind you of how God is always with you. n Each time you feel alone, write it down. Then look at that list and ask God to comfort you when you re alone. n Draw or paint a picture of how God has helped you when you were alone.
120 Make sure you choose a Daily Challenge as well, and tell the kids what you chose. Kids will be more inclined to follow through on their commitments when they see you doing the same. Talk With Kids n What s a practical way you re going to do your Daily Challenge? Share a time, a place, or other ideas. Say: This week, let s remember that WHEN WE FEEL ALONE, GOD IS WITH US. Let s follow through on our Daily Challenges as a way to give loneliness to God. God s as real to us as he was when he whispered to Elijah. Weaving Faith at Home Encourage kids to talk with their parents about the Daily Challenges they chose and what they learned about feeling alone. Kids can also do the activities on the HomeConnect section of their Bible Truth Sleuth pages with their families. Talk to your Director about e-mailing the FREE FamilyConnect to all your church s families. Available at group.com/digital. Take a couple of minutes to pray with your kids, thanking God that when we are alone, God is with us, holding us in his hand so that we don t have to be afraid of anything.
121 So Do Not Fear (Isaiah 41:10) So do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. So do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you And help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. I will strengthen you And help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Repeat from the beginning.) So Do Not Fear (Isaiah 41:10) by John J. DiModica. 2003, 2007 Group Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.! OK TO COPY FaithWeaver NOW group.com