Session 1 Joseph: Message to Pharaoh Genesis 41:1 43; 45:4 11 Something to Remember Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, Pharaoh s dreams are one and the same; God has revealed to Pharaoh what God is about to do. Genesis 41:25 Main Idea God gives Joseph the ability to interpret Pharaoh s dreams, saving the Egyptians and the Israelites from famine. Catechism Question Question 14. What did God do to help us? God chose the people of Israel to make a new beginning. They received God s covenant and prepared the way for Jesus to come as our Savior. Belonging to God: A First Catechism Background for Teachers Suggested Reading: Genesis 29:1 30:24; 37:1 30; 39:1 45:28 Welcome to a new year of We Believe and our theme for the year, God s Messengers. We will get to know biblical people who were chosen by God to be messengers. We will explore the content of their messages and the types of messages, such as dreams, letters, visions, and parables. Many of our sessions will feature episodes taken from longer stories. If a particular story is unfamiliar, or one that you haven t read in some time, you may benefit from reading the longer text early in the week. Look for these Scripture references listed as Suggested Reading in each session. In the Hebrew language, the word malak means messenger, especially in reference to an ambassador s service to a king or other leader. The messenger conveys communiqués from one king to another; the messenger is in many ways considered the voice of the king. The prophets of the Old Testament are characterized as messengers of God, pronouncing the judgment of God and proclaiming the promise of God s mercy. The English word angel is also used to translate malak (see Genesis 19:1), signifying that God s angels serve as messengers for God. God desires to communicate with human beings, to establish and maintain a covenantal 10 Joseph brings good news! relationship. As with any relationship, communication is crucial! The church school year begins with an episode from Joseph s story his interpretation of Pharaoh s dreams. Earlier, Joseph s brothers had referred to him as dreamer (37:19). They conspired against him because the content of his dreams made them angry. Sold into slavery in Egypt (39:1), Joseph was nevertheless blessed by God. After being falsely accused by Potiphar s wife, he was cast into prison. He interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh s cupbearer while in prison, and later, Joseph was called before Pharaoh to interpret Pharaoh s disturbing dreams. Once again, God blessed him, and Joseph became the second in command in Egypt. Joseph s dreams (37:5 11), his interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh s chief cupbearer and chief baker (40:5 19), and his reading of Pharaoh s dreams (41:1 7) demonstrate the qualities Joseph brings to his role as God s messenger. As a young man, Joseph was a favored son. After Joseph lost his homeland, his family, his job everything but his love for God he embraced the role of dream interpretation with humility and courage. Because of his humility, he was open to seeing the new reality that God presented in Pharaoh s dreams. Joseph speaks with courage the truth of the dreams, even at the risk of his life and freedom. As a result, Joseph is appointed to administer a famine-relief program for Egypt, and Joseph s family seeks relief from him. As Genesis ends and Exodus begins, Israel resides in Egypt; the stage is set for God s mighty act of liberation.
Session 1 Assemble Welcome q Attendance Chart Front (Resource 01) q Marker q Offering basket or envelope (optional ) Portrait of Me ( picture, self ) q A sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" white paper for each child q Markers or crayons I Have a Message! ( people, word ) No materials needed Bible Study Meet the Messenger (word, picture) q Bibles q Joseph (Color Pak 01) Pharaoh s Dreams (word, picture, number) q Joseph Interprets Pharaoh s Dreams (Color Pak Poster 01) q Prepared Seven Thin Cows (Resource 03) q Prepared Seven Ears of Corn (Resource 04) q Tape Claim Message Wall ( picture, word ) q Completed pictures from the Portrait of Me activity q Joseph (Color Pak 01) q Tape q Prepared area made from poster board, bulletin board, or blank wall space Sharing the Feast (body, people, number) q Materials listed on Dried Bean Soup Mix (Resource 05) q Prepared Soup Recipe Cards (Resource 06) Depart Remembering (word, people) q Catechism Question 14 (Color Pak Poster 06) You Are God s Messenger! ( people) q Copy of Messengers Mini-Poster (Resource 32) for each child (optional ) q Messengers (black and white) (Color Pak Poster 04) (optional ) q Markers, crayons, or colored pencils (optional ) Send Home items completed in the session q Portrait of Me q Copy of For the Home 01 (Director CD), or e-mail it home The Heart of the Lesson: The heart symbol shows you those parts of the session that carry you through the heart of the lesson. Choose other activities as you prefer. We Believe sessions are developed with the theory of Multiple Intelligences in mind. Activities in the lesson planning boxes above are labeled with the types of intelligences that they emphasize. See pages 8 and 9 to learn more about the theory of Multiple Intelligences. The Color Pak is sold separately from the Teacher s Book and includes color resources and color posters. The Color Pak items are integral to the sessions. Go to your Color Pak to find the Color Pak resources and posters listed above. The Director CD: Find MP3 Files, Song Lyrics, For the Home, and Teacher Helps on the Director CD. 11
Joseph: Message to Pharaoh Welcome Greet children and parents or caregivers as they arrive, orient them to any sign-in, attendance, or offering procedures you may have. Write each child s name on Attendance Chart Front (Resource 01) and have each child place a mark next to his or her name to record attendance. Genesis 41:1 43; 45:4 11 Assemble: God Calls Us Together Portrait of Me (picture, self ) This is the first session of an exciting new year. As you prepare to teach about people whom God has called to be messengers, you also help the children learn about one another. As children arrive, invite them to draw a picture of themselves doing something that they enjoy on a sheet of paper. Make a picture for yourself, as well! Be sure to include each child s name on his or her paper. As the children work, ask getting-to-know-you questions to help the children make connections with one another. Set the portraits aside until Claim. I Have a Message! (people, word ) Gather the children in a circle. Explain that they will be learning about many people whom God has called to be messengers. Before they meet today s messenger from the Bible, they need to meet one another. This is the children s opportunity to be messengers to the rest of the class as they learn one another s names. Follow the game directions listed below. 12 Teaching Tip Lead by example as the first messenger! Make sure that all children are included by working your way around the circle one by one, enthusiastically announcing each child s name. 1. Choose a messenger. 2. The messenger goes to one child in the circle and quietly asks the child s name. The child whispers his or her name to the messenger. The messenger announces to the circle, I have a message! This is (child s name). 3. The other children around the circle greet the child by saying, Welcome (child s name)! As each new name is announced by the messenger, add the name to the greetings: Welcome (child s name), and (child s name) (and so on). You may switch messengers so that each child who wishes to participate may have a turn. Bible Study: We Hear God s Word Meet the Messenger (word, picture) Invite the children to meet God s messenger, Joseph. The children may remember that Joseph wore a coat of many colors and was sold into slavery by his brothers. Today s Scripture passage comes after that story, when Joseph was a servant of the captain of the guard in Egypt. Summarize for the children the events of Genesis 41:1 13, highlighting that Pharaoh had two strange dreams that no one could understand. Joseph was called by the chief cupbearer to help Pharaoh understand what the dreams meant. Using Joseph (Color Pak 01), read aloud some of the things that Joseph was able to do, with God s help. Open your Bible to Genesis 41 and show where this story is found. Pray a prayer for illumination with the children as you prepare to read God s word.
Session 1 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, we thank you for sending messengers that help us understand you better. As we learn more about your messenger Joseph, help us to listen for your messages, and to praise you for your gifts to us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. Pharaoh s Dreams (word, picture, number) Show the children Joseph Interprets Pharaoh s Dreams (Color Pak Poster 01) as you tell the story of Genesis 41:15 36 using the following talking points. Read verses 15 18. Have the children help you count the seven fat cows on the poster. Read verse 19. Give each child one of the prepared thin cows. Read verses 20 21. Have the children count along with you and cover each of the fat cows on the poster with one of the thin cows. Read verse 22. Have the children help you count the seven full ears of corn on the poster. Read verse 23. Give each child one of the prepared withered ears of corn. Read verse 23. Have the children count along with you as you cover each of the full ears of corn on the poster with one of the withered ears of corn. Read verses 25 36. Teaching Tip If you use Joseph Interprets Pharaoh s Dreams (Color Pak Poster 01) to help tell the story, consider using removable tape, or covering the front of the poster and the cutouts with clear self-adhesive shelf paper or laminating them so that you or the children can use the pieces to retell the story later. Engage the children in conversation about how Joseph revealed God s message to Pharaoh using the following questions. How were Pharaoh s dreams alike? (Seven cows, seven ears of corn; the smaller cows and corn ate the larger cows and corn.) How do you think Pharaoh s advisers felt when they did not know what Pharaoh s dreams meant? How do you think Joseph felt when he knew what the dreams meant? What did Joseph say these dreams meant? (Seven years of good fortune, followed by seven years of famine.) How did Joseph know what these dreams meant? (Emphasize that God gave Joseph the skills to interpret Pharaoh s dreams. See verses 16, 25, and 28.) Claim: We Respond to God s Word Message Wall (picture, word) Prepare an area in the room to be used as a Message Wall. This can be a blank section of the wall, a bulletin board, or a large sheet of poster board. Gather the children around the Message Wall 13
Joseph: Message to Pharaoh Genesis 41:1 43; 45:4 11 with their Portrait of Me pictures from Assemble. Tell the children that they will use this wall to celebrate God s messengers and the amazing things they do. Invite the children to celebrate God s messenger Joseph by reading Joseph (Color Pak 01) together, and then responding Thank you, God! as you tape the page onto the Message Wall. Invite each of the children to share their Portrait of Me pictures of what they like to do. Remind the children that these activities are also gifts from God. After each child shares, invite the class to respond Thank you, God! as you tape the pages onto the Message Wall. Save the Message Wall to be displayed and added to in upcoming sessions. Teaching Tip How is your congregation involved in hunger ministry? This session presents an excellent opportunity to share in this ministry with the children. Invite a member of the congregation to come and tell you more, or see if there is another project involving hunger relief that the children could do. Sharing the Feast (body, people, number) In today s story, Joseph shares God s message that there will be seven years of great plenty, followed by seven years of famine. There may be people in your community who may not have enough to eat, or who could use a little gift as a reminder that God is with them. As God s messengers, the children can help people by sharing with others. The children will join you in creating jars of dried bean soup mix, using the instructions on Dried Bean Soup Mix (Resource 05) and Soup Recipe Cards (Resource 06). Check with your pastor or another church leader to find out where the soup mixes can be used. Make sure to share with the children how the soup mixes will be used by others. After you finish this project, invite the children to join you in a prayer, thanking God for being with them in times of plenty and in times of famine, and asking God s blessing over these soup mixes so that they will be messages of God s love to the people who use them. Depart: God Sends Us into the World Remembering (word, people) During Depart, the children gather to end your time together and to remember what was learned today. Invite the children to recall one thing that they learned or enjoyed in the session. Tell the children that there are many ways to remember. One way is through learning questions from Belonging to God: A First Catechism. A catechism is a series of questions and answers about faith and belief, and it is part of our message that we share with one another as Christians. Using Catechism Question 14 (Color Pak Poster 06), have the children read along with you. Tell them that they will learn more about this question and answer in the coming sessions. 14
Session 1 You Are God s Messenger! (people) Gather the children in a circle, and have them hold a hand of the person on each side of them. Look to the child who is on your right and say, (Child s name), you are God s messenger! Have the child respond to you, Thanks be to God! The child on your right then exchanges the sending with the child who is on his or her right. Continue around the circle until all children have exchanged the sending. Conclude by saying to the class, We are all God s messengers! and encourage the children to respond, Thanks be to God! Evaluate God s Messenger! Use this optional activity to help the children keep track of the different messengers that are studied this quarter. Photocopy Messengers Mini-Poster (Resource 32) for each child or use Messengers (black and white) (Color Pak Poster 04) for the whole class. Provide markers, crayons, or colored pencils. Each session, help the children find and color the messenger that was discussed in the session. Think about the children in your class today. What did they enjoy the most? Are they getting to know one another? Are you getting to know them? As you get to know your class, you will be better able to choose lesson options that best suit them or challenge them! You may want to take a few moments to write a sentence or two about each child to help you remember each one. Reflect on the Message Wall created in Claim and say a prayer, naming each child and asking for God s blessing throughout the year. Future Save the Message Wall from Claim to be displayed and added to in future sessions. In Session 2, the focus will be on teamwork. During the week, think about pairs of things that work together, such as a pencil and paper, or activities that require two or more people to be successful. Send Home Portrait of Me (unless you are displaying them) Copy of For the Home 01 (Director CD), if not e-mailed home 15