LESSON SNAPSHOT BOTTOM LINE: We need to make time to spend alone with God. OBJECTIVE: Kids will learn the value of having alone time with God. KEY PASSAGE: Exodus 2:11-25. Moses goes into exile before he becomes leader of Israel. MEMORY VERSE: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) SUMMARY: Moses was one of the great heroes of the Bible, but before he could save Israel, God sent him on a 40-year journey into the wilderness. God wants us to take our daily journey s into the wilderness by spending time alone with him, getting to know him better. A SIMPLE PRAYER: Dear God, Thank you that the Bible is full of stories that help us to understand more about who you are and how you work. Like Moses, we need time alone with you. Please help us to spend alone time with you this week. In Jesus name, Amen WATER : I NEED A VACATION
MEMORY VERSE Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. In all your ways remember him. Then he will make your paths smooth and straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIrV) LARGE GROUP: Put the verse on the big screen and read it aloud with the kids. SMALL GROUP: Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to today s story about Moses. WATER : I NEED A VACATION
SKIT ALONE LAND ITEMS NEEDED: T-shirt, large cup, clown nose CHARACTER BREAKDOWN: 1M, 1F CHARACTERS: Kylie- A girl Jesse- A bored amusement park worker Kylie enters, walks to center stage. KYLIE: This summer I m taking a vacation. I m going to my favorite park in the whole world. No, it s not Disney World. No, it s not a water park. It s the most quiet, isolated, and alone place in the world. It s called - Alone Land! Sounds boring, right? I know, I thought it was boring at first. At Alone Land, you don t have people selling T-shirts and other souvenirs. Jesse enters with a T-shirt and large drink cup. JESSE: (monotone, like Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller) Hey, hey, welcome to Alone Land. Buy your Alone Land souvenir T-shirt, only $40. Get your souvenir drink cup, only $20. Free refills all day. Or buy as a bundle for only $59. Save a dollar. Only at Alone Land. KYLIE: You won t find any cool rides at Alone Land either. JESSE: Right this way, folks. Step up and ride the Contemplator, the least exciting ride in America. No waiting, ever. KYLIE: You won t see any musical shows, or dog shows, or high diving acts. WATER : I NEED A VACATION
SKIT JESSE: Ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention to the diving platform 100 feet above your head, where in just a moment, absolutely nothing will happen. You won t be amazed. KYLIE: And you won t see any colorful characters in costume. Jesse drops the shirt and cup. He puts on a clown nose. JESSE: Hey, hey, kids. It s me, Aloney the Clown. Who wants to take an over-priced digital photo in black and white that your parents will use to embarrass you in later life? KYLIE: I know what you re thinking. Alone Land sounds boring! I felt the same way the first time I went for a visit. I love rides, I love over-priced T-shirts and free refills, and I love... okay, I don t like clowns. JESSE: Souvenir photo? KYLIE: No thank you. Jesse sighs, grabs the shirt and cup, and leaves. KYLIE: But once I got to Alone Land, I found it to be the most wonderful place on Earth. You see, in Alone Land, I m not really alone. Jesus is with me. In Alone Land there s nothing to distract me from Jesus. It s just the two of us, and that makes Alone Land the best place on Earth. And here s the best part - Alone Land isn t some far away destination that will cost you a fortune. You can get to Alone Land today. Alone Land is where ever you can find a place to be alone with the Lord. You won t come back with a T-shirt or a souvenir photo, but you will come back with something better. WATER : I NEED A VACATION
OBJECT LESSON OR KIDS SERMON ITEM NEEDED: Headphones Years ago, when radio was young and the only way to buy music was on a wax record, there was only one way to listen to music or the radio - through speakers. Listening was a shared activity because anyone within earshot would hear the same thing you did, whether it was a scary story on the radio or the latest record by Elvis. Then along came headphones! With the invention of headphones, everything changed. Not only were the people around you spared from having to hear music they didn t like, but people could escape into their music. When the world got too crazy, you could put on your headphones, play your favorite music, and shut out the world around you. Getting alone with God is a lot like listening to music through headphones. Whether it s Beats by Dre or the ear buds that come with your ipod, that personal connection with your music helps you shut out the noise of the world around you and focus on the music. God wants us to take time every day to shut out the world and focus on Him. He wants time alone with us so we can learn from him, get to know him better, and see the world through God s eyes. It doesn t take 40 years in the wilderness to start to get to know God. A few minutes a day can help you create a habit - and a relationship - that will serve you all your life. This sum-mer, make a commitment to take time alone with God. You ll be amazed what a differ-ence God can make! WATER : I NEED A VACATION
LARGE GROUP GAME SAIL AWAY ITEMS NEEDED: A large tub of water Plastic toy boats (non-powered) - preferably sail boats INSTRUCTIONS: Choose as many contestants for this game as you have boats. (Only use as many boats as you have room for in the water tub.) Have each contestant put his/her boat in the water, lining them up on one side of the tub. On your signal, the contestants must blow their boat across the water to the other side. First boat to touch the other side wins. VARIATION: You can use wind up boats or RC powered boats as an alternative to just blowing sail boats across the water. WATER : I NEED A VACATION
LARGE GROUP LESSON BOTTOM LINE: We need to make time to spend alone with God. OBJECTIVE: Kids will learn the value of having alone time with God. KEY PASSAGE: Exodus 2:11-25. Moses goes into exile before he becomes leader of Israel. INTRO How many of you are taking a vacation this year? Summer seems to get shorter and shorter every year, but no matter how short it gets, people still manage to make the best of it. We all like to get away. We all take trips and find places to relax, whether it s at the water park or just by the pool. This summer, we re going to tag along on a road trip that takes place in the Bible. But this trip went as far away from a water park as you could get. This trip took place in the wilderness. Before we can start our road trip, we need to meet the man who led it. His name was Moses. He was an Israelite born in a time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Pharaoh had ordered all the baby boys born to Israelite families to be killed, but a little quick thinking and a little intervention from the Lord spared Moses. He was raised in the palace of Pharaoh, the adopted son of Pharaoh s daughter! Moses knew he was a Jew, and as he grew older, he wanted to do something to help his people. It s a desire God put in his heart, and in the end, Moses would become a great hero. But long before Moses helped the Israelites find their freedom, Moses had to take a vacation a forty-year vacation, isolated from his palace and his people! READ Exodus 2:11-15 Moses hated seeing his people be oppressed. He struck back at the slave driver because he wanted to help the Israelites. WATER : I NEED A VACATION
LARGE GROUP LESSON His intentions were good, but his heart was not right with God. Before Moses could become the man who would save his people, he had to get right with God. To get right with God, he had to get alone. READ Exodus 2:16-25 MAIN POINT For forty years, Moses tended sheep for his father in law. That s quite a change from liv-ing in the royal palace of Egypt! But here s the thing about tending sheep. It s quiet. It s peaceful. There s not much else to do but watch sheep and talk to God. Moses talked to God for forty years, and when the time was right, he came back from his vacation rejuvenated, ready to lead. God didn t give any of us an endless stream of energy, did he? Even our bodies need a daily vacation so we can rest up and be ready for the next day. Spiritually, we need a vacation too. We need to make time to get alone with the Lord. The more time we give to God, the more we get to know God. We will see the world through God s eyes and, like Moses, we will be rested and ready to do God s will. DRIVE IT HOME Spending time alone with God can be a challenge at first. You need to find a quiet place where you won t be disturbed. You need to pick a good time of day when your mind is fresh and you aren t too tired. You might even want to let your family know, At this time of day, I ll be having quiet time with God so they won t bother you either. When you set your daily time with God, have a plan. Choose a book of the Bible to read a chapter at a time, or read a devotional. Bring a notebook so you can write down things that you learn - or things you may want to ask questions about. Begin and end your time with prayer. Start by asking God to open your heart and speak to you, and then finish by praying for yourself and for the needs of others. Once you establish a habit of time with God, you will find you can t make it through the day without it. The more we know God, the more time we want to spend with him. It doesn t take 40 years in the wilderness to get to know Him. Just a few minutes a day, with no distractions, can make all the difference. Moses time alone with God didn t end after the wilderness. All throughout Exodus, Moses went into his tent to spend time with God on a daily basis. We can prepare ourselves to do God s work by making a similar plan and sticking to it. It s a daily vacation you can take that will make a difference in your life and with everyone you encounter. WATER : I NEED A VACATION
LARGE GROUP LESSON CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER Dear God, Thank you that the Bible is full of stories that help us to understand more about who you are and how you work. Like Moses, we need time alone with you. Please help us to spend alone time with you this week. In Jesus name, Amen WATER : I NEED A VACATION
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND) ICEBREAKER Where are you going on vacation this year? MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY Proverbs 3:5-6 Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to today s story about Moses. SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY Break the kids in two groups. Have each create a commercial for taking a vacation with God. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Read Exodus 2:11-25 Who was Moses? Why did Moses attack the slave driver? Why did Moses have to flee Egypt? How many years did Moses spend in exile? Why is it important for us to spend time with God? A SIMPLE PRAYER Dear God, Thank you for giving us your word to teach us how to live. Please help us to remember to have quiet time with you to pray and read the Bible this week. In Jesus name, Amen WATER : I NEED A VACATION
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3-5TH) ICEBREAKER Where are you going on vacation this year? MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY Proverbs 3:5-6 Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to today s story about Moses. SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY Break the kids in two groups. Have each create a commercial for taking a vacation with God. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Read Exodus 2:11-25 What reaction do you think Moses expected after killing the slave driver? Why did Moses have to flee from Egypt? Why did God need to get Moses alone in the wilderness? How did time alone with God benefit Moses? How can we make time to be alone with God on a daily basis? A SIMPLE PRAYER Dear God, Thank you for giving us your word to teach us how to live. Please help us to remember to have quiet time with you to pray and read the Bible this week. In Jesus name, Amen WATER : I NEED A VACATION
POWERPOINT REVIEW GAME Moses was a Jew but was raised in the palace of Pharaoh. TRUE God s will for Moses was to set his people free by killing the slave drivers. FALSE The best way to get to know God is to tend sheep for forty years. FALSE We can have a vacation with God every day in our homes. TRUE A few minutes a day with God won t make much difference in our lives. FALSE WATER : I NEED A VACATION
5 Simple Ways You Can Make This Lesson Stick With Your Kids THIS WEEK S LESSON: I NEED A VACATION IN THE CAR: On the drive home, ask your child what he learned about this week s lesson: Today we talked about taking a daily vacation with God, spending time alone with God. Moses had to spend 40 years alone with God before he could become the leader of Israel. Thankfully, by spending a few minutes a day with God, we can prepare ourselves for the work he has planned for us. HANGING OUT: Make this week s lesson real: Do you have a quiet time routine? Share your routine with the kids. Where do you go? What do you do in that time? Where and how often do you pray? AT DINNER: Here are some great discussion starters: - Do you think Moses needed 40 years to prepare to be God s chosen leader for Israel? - Why is it important to have daily time alone with God? - How can we help each other to make time to be with the Lord every day? AT BEDTIME: Quiz your child on this week s memory verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) PARENT TIME: If you don t have a quiet time routine, let this be a challenge for you as well. Commit yourself to reading the Bible and spending time in prayer every day. Hold each other accountable as a family for sticking to that routine. It will make a difference in your life and in your whole family! WATER : I NEED A VACATION
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) CUT ON DASHED LINE
WORD SCRAMBLE Unscramble each of the following words in the blanks below. TREAW KPRA VEWA LPOO MWIIMNGS AICHR Now, using the letters in the boxes above, unscramble the word that goes in the blanks below. Before Moses could save Israel, he needed a 40-year.
Answer Key Water Park Wave Pool Swimming Chair Vacation