Chasing after God s word MEMORY VERSE FOR UNIT 2 Be kind to each other. Forgive each other like God forgave you by sending Jesus. EPHESIANS 4:32 Turn to Page 62 for Memory Verse Center tips and suggestions. Fall Quarter, Week 6 The Stolen Blessing [ ] Your Children Will Learn: o Jacob lied to his father Esau was angry Truth for Your Children Today s Bible Passage: Genesis 27:1-12a,15-27a, 30-36a Isaac had become old. His eyes were so weak he couldn't see anymore. One day he called for his older son Esau. He said to him, "My son." "Here I am," he answered. Isaac said, "I'm an old man now. And I don't know when I'll die. Now then, get your weapons. Get your bow and arrows. Go out to the open country. Hunt some wild animals for me. Prepare for me the kind of tasty food I like. Bring it to me to eat. Then I'll give you my blessing before I die." Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. Esau left for the open country. He went to hunt for a wild animal and bring it back. Then Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I heard your father speaking to your brother Esau. He said, 'Bring me a wild animal. Prepare some tasty food for me to eat. Then I'll give you my blessing before I die. The Lord will be my witness. " Rebekah continued, "My son, listen carefully. Do what I tell you. Go out to the flock. Bring me two of the finest young goats. I will prepare tasty food for your father. I'll make it just the way he likes it. I want you to take it to your father to eat. Then he'll give you his blessing before he dies." Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, "My brother Esau's body is covered with hair. But my skin is smooth. [continued on page 62] Truth for You...A Meditation for Leaders As you read through the Bible passages for this unit, read the entire story of Jacob and Esau s relationship. How many similarities do you find to relationships with your own siblings? Their rivalry led to the stolen blessing and anger which they carried for many years. Seeing the two brothers reconcile so joyfully and completely is an encouraging example to those of us who continue to struggle with a family member. Jacob was ready to give up hundreds of heads of livestock to have his brother back. What would you be willing to give up? Pray for reconciliation and healing in your family. PAGE 61
[ Leaders: Pray ] Ten minutes before the children arrive, gather together to pray for your class time. Invite the Holy Spirit s presence and ask Him to fill you up. Truth for Your children Today s Bible Passage Genesis 27:1-12a,15-27a, 30-36a continued from page 61 What if my father touches me? He would know I was trying to trick him."...the clothes of her older son Esau were in her house. She took the best of them and put them on her younger son Jacob. She covered his hands with the skins of the goats. She also covered the smooth part of his neck with them. Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made. He went to his father and said, My father. Yes, my son, Isaac answered. Who is it? Jacob said to his father, I m your oldest son Esau. I ve done as you told me. Please sit up. Eat some of my wild meat. Then give me your blessing. Isaac asked his son, How did you find it so quickly, my son? The Lord your God gave me success, he replied. Then Isaac said to Jacob, Come near so I can touch you, my son. I want to know whether you really are my son Esau. Jacob went close to his father. Isaac touched him and said, The voice is the voice of Jacob. But the hands are the hands of Esau. Isaac didn t recognize him. His hands were covered with hair like those of his brother Esau. So Isaac blessed him. Are you really my son Esau? he asked. I am, Jacob said. Isaac said, My son, bring me some of your wild meat to eat. Then I ll give you my blessing. Jacob brought it to him. So Isaac ate. Jacob also brought some wine. And Isaac drank. Then Jacob s father Isaac said to him, Come here, my son. Kiss me. So Jacob went to him and kissed him. When Isaac smelled the clothes, he gave Jacob his blessing. When Isaac finished blessing him, Jacob left his father. Just then his brother Esau came in from hunting. He too prepared some tasty food. He brought it to his father. Then Esau said to him, "My father, sit up. Eat some of my wild meat. Then give me your blessing." His father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I'm your son," he answered. "I'm your oldest son. I'm Esau." Isaac was shaking all over. He said, "Then who was it that hunted a wild animal and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came. I gave him my blessing. And he will certainly be blessed!" Esau heard his father's words. Then he began crying loudly and bitterly. He said to his father, "Bless me! Bless me too, my father!" But Isaac said, "Your brother came and tricked me. He took your blessing." Esau said, Isn t Jacob just the right name for him? He has cheated me two times. First, he took my rights as the oldest son. And now he s taken my blessing! Greet the Children and Parents Greet each child by name as they arrive. Learn the names of their parents, too. 7Greet one another with a kiss of love. Romans 16:16 Give children visiting for the first time a small gift such as a special sticker or a colorful bookmark. Welcome the children to your classroom and introduce yourself to their parents. Creative Activity Centers........ 40 min. Choose two or three activities from the Table-Top Activity Guide. The Activity Guide on page 63 has everything you need to provide hands-on, creative activities that directly reinforce the lesson. Make open-ended play centers (such as blocks, housekeeping and imaginative dress-up) available as well. Memory Verse Center... 3-5 min. Practice the verse together every week during activity center time, small group 8 Be kind to time or before worship time. each other. Forgive Here is a tip: Sing the memory verse each other like God by using a familiar tune, such as, Are forgave you by You Sleeping? Are You Sleeping? or one that you make up. Practice by singing sending Jesus. the verse over and over. Ephesians 4:32 Clean Up and Prepare for Worship... 5 min. [ ] Time to Worship! (10 min.) o If you have a worship team to lead the children, gather everyone together to praise Jesus! o If you lead worship, learn one or two simple songs. Allow time for children to share praises and prayers. Dance, sing, worship! o Model worship for the children by being an active participant! J PAGE 62
Table-Top Activity Guide Week 6: The Stolen Blessing 1. Wild Animal Parade: Copy the pictures of the wild animals in the Pattern Pages. Cut them out loosely along the dotted lines. Color the animals with markers and crayons. Glue the animals to a strip of colorful construction paper. What s the Point?: Esau was an excellent hunter. His father really liked to eat the wild game that Esau brought home after his hunting trips. Say to the children: Jacob lied to his father; Esau was angry. Supplies: Wild animals from the Pattern Pages copied on white paper Markers and crayons Colorful construction paper Glue sticks 2. Animal Masks: Make an animal mask with cardstock, glue on yarn or bits of faux fur. Please see the Pattern Pages for complete directions. What s the Point?: Jacob pretended he was his brother Esau. He wore the goatskin on his hands and neck to make his father think he was Esau. Say to the children: Jacob lied to his father; Esau was angry. Supplies: Animal Mask from the Pattern Pages copied on cardstock Tape Black or brown yarn Pipe cleaners Markers and crayons Hole punch Note To Leaders: Please choose 2 or 3 table-top activities. Most of the activities can be adapted for any age. Have fun! Let the children do it! Don t forget to copy... the 3. Animal Activity Table: Set up a table with toy animals for the children to play with. Include various wild animals such as lions and bears, as well as farm animals such as goats. What s the Point?: Play together with the children and talk about Esau going off to hunt for wild animals. Talk about Jacob going outside to bring goats to his mother. Say to the children: Jacob lied to his father; Esau was angry. Supplies: toy animals 4. Blessing Bags: The children can make a blessing bag by decorating a paper bag. As the children are working, tell them that any time someone in their family experiences a blessing from God, they can write it down on a piece of paper and put it inside the blessing bag. On Thanksgiving Day, it will be fun to pour out the blessings and read each one out loud. Please see the Pattern Pages for complete directions. What s the Point?: We want to be blessed just like Esau and Jacob wanted to be blessed. God blesses us in so many ways every single day and it will be fun to keep track! This can be a very meaningful project for the entire family. Say to the children: Jacob lied to his father; Esau was angry. Supplies: Home page Paper lunch bags Blessing Bag poem from the Pattern Pages copied on white paper Markers Stickers PAGE 63
Story Time Introduction I Can Do That! EASY IDEAS FOR CREATIVE STORYTELLING: Genesis 27:1-12a, 15-27a, 30-36a 10 minutes (Age 3) 15 minutes (Ages 4 & 5) A Little Story Action As you tell the story, do some simple hand motions every time you say key words. Ask the children to copy your hand motions. Follow the prompts in the story for these words: Blessing: Raise arms Lie: Shake finger Isaac: Hands over eyes Cooking: Stirring motion Boys and girls, last week you learned about the story of the two twin brothers. Can you tell me their names? (Let the children answer.) That s right! Our story was about Esau and Jacob. Who was born first? (Let the children answer.) Esau was born first. Remember, Jacob tricked Esau. He tricked him into giving up something that was very important. All for a bowl of stew! Well, our story today is about Esau and Jacob, too. But many years have passed since Jacob tricked Esau with a bowl of stew. So the boys have become men and are much older, and their father is, too. Bible Story Storyteller: The lesson from the Bible starts here. See the I Can Do That sidebar on this page for storytelling ideas. JACOB LIED TO HIS FATHER ESAU WAS ANGRY In fact, their father, Isaac, was very, very old. (hand motion: Isaac) He was blind and could not see any longer. Isaac loved his two sons. But his favorite son was Esau. Esau was a lot like him. Esau was a big, strong, ferocious hunter. He loved the outdoors. Esau s brother, Jacob, was more quiet and loved the indoors. He was more like his mother, Rebekah. Jacob was Rebekah s favorite son. One day when Isaac was lying in bed, he called for Esau. He knew that he was dying. He wanted to eat one more meal of fresh meat, cooked just the way he liked it. So he asked Esau to go out and hunt. Isaac wanted to eat fresh meat so he could feel strong enough to pray a blessing (hand motion: blessing) for Esau. Well, Rebekah heard what her husband, Isaac, said to Esau. She wanted Jacob to get Isaac s blessing, not Esau! Jacob was her favorite son. So, Rebekah had a plan. She told Jacob to go out and get some fresh meat. She said she would cook it just the way Isaac liked it. (hand motion: cooking) Jacob would take the meat to Isaac, so he could eat his last meal before he died. And then Isaac would pray a blessing for Jacob, not his brother Esau. Well, Jacob wanted his father s blessing (hand motion: blessing) more than anything. But he knew that it would be impossible to fool his father. His brother Esau had hair all over his skin. But Jacob s skin was smooth and soft. His father Isaac would know for sure that he was not Esau. Jacob would have to trick his father and lie to him. Well, Rebekah knew what Jacob had to do. She fixed the meat for Isaac just the way he liked it best. (hand motion: cooking) Then she had Jacob put on Esau s clothes. Rebekah made gloves for Jacob out of hairy goatskins. PAGE 64
Story Time [cont.] And she made a fake beard out of hairy goatskins and put it on Jacob s face. Now Isaac would think that Jacob was Esau. (hand motion: lie) Rebekah gave Jacob the meat she had cooked. (hand motion: cooking) She told Jacob to take it to his dying father, Isaac. Rebecca wanted Isaac to pray a blessing for Jacob, not Esau. So, Jacob went into his father s tent. Since Isaac was blind, (hand motion: Isaac) he was unable to see. Isaac said, Who s there? Jacob said, I am your oldest son, Esau. I have done as you ve told me to do. Please, sit up and eat some of this delicious meat. Then pray a blessing (hand motion: blessing) for me. Jacob lied to his father. (hand motion: lie) Isaac smelled the delicious meat. His tummy started to growl. He was really hungry and ready to eat. He said, How did you get this meat so quickly? Jacob said, God helped me. Jacob lied to his father. (hand motion: lie) Then Isaac said to Jacob, Come close to me so I can touch you. (hand motion: Isaac) I want to know for sure that you are my son Esau. Jacob moved in close to his father, Isaac. Isaac reached out to touch him. Isaac said, Your voice sounds like Jacob. But your hands are the hands of Esau. Isaac thought Jacob was Esau. Jacob tricked his father Isaac into believing that he was Esau. Jacob lied to his father. (hand motion: lie) Isaac said, (hand motion: Isaac) Are you really my son Esau? Jacob said, I am. So Jacob took the meat to his father and Isaac ate it. Then Jacob gave his father a drink, and Isaac drank it. Isaac said, Come here my son and give me a kiss. Jacob went over to his father, bent down, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Isaac smelled the clothes that Jacob was wearing. They smelled like Esau. Isaac really believed it was Esau, so he prayed a blessing. (hand motion: blessing) Isaac prayed for God s blessing and riches for his son, Esau. When Isaac finished praying his blessing, Jacob left. Jacob lied to his father. (hand motion: lie) He took Esau s blessing from him. Soon after Isaac finished praying a blessing for Jacob, Esau came in from hunting. He cooked (hand motion: cooking) the meat and brought it to his father, Isaac. He had no idea what Jacob had done. Esau said, Father, sit up and eat. Then you can pray God s blessing (hand motion: blessing) for me. Isaac said, (hand motion: Isaac) Who are you? Esau said, I am your son, Esau. Isaac started to shake all over! Isaac said, Who brought me the delicious meat that I already ate? I prayed God s blessing for him. And he will be very blessed! (hand motion: blessing) Esau was angry. He began crying very hard. He cried out to his father, Pray a blessing for me too father! Isaac said, Your brother Jacob tricked me. He lied to me. (hand motion: lie) He took your blessing. Great Big Holy Bible The text and pictures in the Great Big Holy Bible follow your Bible lesson closely. You may choose to use it during the Bible lesson segment of your class, or use it at the end to reinforce your dramatic storytelling. Wrap o It Up! Storyteller: If you are teaching 3 s, simply repeat the points to them one more time. If you are teaching 4 s and 5 s, repeat the points AND use these questions to help the children relate the story to their own lives. oo Today we learned that: o Jacob lied to his father. (Why did Jacob lie to his father? What did he do?) o Esau was angry. (Who was Esau angry at? Have you ever been angry with your brother or sister?) Esau was angry. He was angry with his brother Jacob for taking his blessing. Esau said, My brother Jacob has tricked me two times. He sold me stew. He gets everything you should be giving me when you die. And now he took my blessing (hand motion: blessing) from you. Jacob lied to his father. (hand motion: lie) He pretended that he was Esau. Esau was angry. He was angry for a very long time. Go to Wrap It Up! in the sidebar. PAGE 65
Snack Time...10 min. Small Groups...5-10 min. GAMES TRUE OR NOT TRUE In this game the children will decide what statements are true or not true. If the statement is true, then the children will do the action for it. If the statement is not true, then the children will freeze. o Say to the children: In our story, we learned that Jacob lied to his father. He said things that were not true. In our game today, you will have to decide which things are true or not true. For example, if I say, rabbits hop, then you will hop like rabbits. If I say, cows hop, you will freeze. Because cows don t hop! Let s all stand up and play the game! o Rabbits hop (children hop like rabbits) and cows hop (children freeze) o Birds fly (children flap their arms) and dogs fly (children freeze) o Fish swim (children move arms as if swimming) and birds swim (children freeze) o Kangaroos jump (children jump up and down) and snakes jump (children freeze) How to Make it Happen: Divide the children into small groups. 1. Say: Today we learned that Jacob lied to his father and that Esau was angry. 2. Ask: What does it mean to lie to someone? Has anyone ever lied to you? How did you feel? How did Esau feel? 3. Pray: Dear God, please help me to always tell the truth to everyone. Amen. JACOB LIED TO HIS FATHER ESAU WAS ANGRY The Purpose of Small Groups: TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CHILDREN TO RECAP THE LESSON OR POINTS TO REVIEW THE MEMORY VERSE TOGETHER Time To Go! Dismiss the children to parents or guardians only! Keep our children safe! Please Remember! Photocopy The Home Page before church. Hand it to the parents when they pick up their children. Home the page...see page 67 o Continue playing as long as the children are interested. PAGE 66
the Home page Memory Verse for Unit 2 Be kind to each other. Forgive each other like God forgave you by sending Jesus. Ephesians 4:32 Fall Quarter, Week 6 The Stolen Blessing Your Children Will Learn: o Jacob lied to his father o Esau was angry MONDAY Read & Do Read Genesis 27:1-12a,15-27a, 30-36a. Ask you child: What does it mean to lie to somebody? Who did Jacob lie to? Why did he lie? TUESDAY Out & About Enjoy a nice fall day outside and hunt for red, yellow, orange, and green leaves. Say to your child: In the Bible story, we learned that Esau liked to be to be outside. He liked to go hunting. We are outside hunting for leaves. WEDNESDAY Art Use the leaves you found on your hunting expedition, and create a beautiful fall tree with your child. On a piece of poster board, draw a tree trunk and branches. Color in the tree trunk and branches with markers or crayons. Cut or tear the leaves and glue them on to the branches any way you choose. While you are working, practice the memory verse together. THURSDAY Snack It s getting cooler, and soup season is almost here! Let your child help prepare a simple vegetable soup. They can help wash vegetables in a pan of water, help add the ingredients, and watch it all get transformed into soup. Talk about the Bible story and how Jacob liked to help his mother cook. FRIDAY Pray & Praise Isaac prayed a blessing over his two sons. That was a custom in those days. You can pray a blessing over your child, too. Praise God for your family. SATURDAY Just for Parents... As you read through the Bible passages for this month, read the entire story of Jacob and Esau s relationship. How many similarities do you find to relationships with your own siblings? Their rivalry led to the stolen blessing and anger which they carried for many years. Seeing the two brothers reconcile so joyfully and completely is an encouraging example to those of us who continue to struggle with a family member. Jacob was ready to give up hundreds of heads of livestock to have his brother back. What would you be willing to give up? Pray for reconciliation and healing in your family. CHASING AFTER GOD S WORD PAGE 67
[ ] 6 PATTERN oweek PAGE Activity #1 Wild Animal Parade BEFORE CLASS: Copy the pictures of the wild animals on white paper and cut them out along the dotted lines. Cut out at least one set per child. Cut colorful construction paper into 3 strips. DURING CLASS: The children can color the animals with markers and crayons. The children can glue the animals along a strip of construction paper. If they have a lot of animals, tape another strip of construction paper to the first to make it longer. Cut animals out along the dotted outlines PAGE 68
[ ] 6 P ATTERN oweek PAGE Activity #2 Animal Masks BEFORE CLASS: Copy the sections of the animal mask on cardstock and cut them out. Make one set per child. Cut yarn into 2 pieces. Punch holes in the section of the animal mask with the black dots. Cut out the eye holes. DURING CLASS: The children can color the sections of the animal mask with markers and crayons. Assist the children in folding back the tabs on the nose and taping it onto the section with the eyes. The children can glue pieces of yarn on the mask so it looks like fur or whiskers. The children can glue the ears on the mask. Push the ends of a pipe cleaner through the two punched holes. Bend the ends back to make a band to hold the mask on their face. MASK Fold back the tabs and tape it on the mask EARS Fold the nose along the gray line before taping it to the mask. NOSE PAGE 69
[ ] 6 P ATTERN oweek PAGE Activity #4 Blessing Bags BEFORE CLASS: Copy the Blessing Bag poem on white paper and cut out one per child. DURING CLASS: The children can color designs all over their bag with markers and decorate it with stickers. The children can glue the Blessing Bag poem on the bag for their family to see. Cut along the bold outline Blessing Bag poem: Copy on white paper. Cut out along the bold outline. Glue on the front of the paper bag. PAGE 70