3rd & 4th grade guide sunday school...

Sunday School Edition

SCHEDULE

Connect5–10 minutes

Gather20–25 minutes

Respond15–20 minutes

Engage10–15 minutes

Bless5 minutes

© 2012 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All Rights Reserved.

L E S S O N

date:________________

3rd & 4th Grade Guide

God Keeps His Word

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REMEMBER VERSESpeak up for those who

cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the

poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Proverbs 31:8–9 (NLT)

Environment: RESPONSIBILITYIn this lesson, you will see the environment of RESPONSBILITY highlighted in how God entrusted Noah with building the ark and keeping his family safe.

Bible Passage: Genesis 6—9:17(Noah and the Flood)

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© 2012 David C. Cook

Sunday School Edition3rd & 4th Grade Guide

RaeLynn LottTruStory Team

InspireIt was near the end of my senior year of college. After spending nearly four years making friends, building relationships, learning more about myself, and learning more about God than I ever thought possible, it was time to leave—time to look for a job and live in the “real world.” And I was worried.

I had absolutely no clue about what I wanted to do and no clear direction on where God was leading me. I cried and wondered if God had forgotten me. But during this time, my mother reminded me about the truth of who God is and that He had a plan for my life. He had been faithful to me before and would not forget His promises to me in my moment of need. So I waited, prayed, and found reminders in Scripture that God was in control, that He would take care of me, and that He would keep His Word.

The week before I graduated, I found out about an amazing job opportunity that seemed designed just for me. I was overjoyed that God had revealed exactly where He wanted me to go. God reminded me that He keeps His Word and He does not forget His promise to take care of His people.

Today, when I struggle with similar anxieties, I remember how God has always proven Himself faithful. The God who took care of me then is the same God whom I serve today. My God does not forget His word.

N O T E S :

CONNECT | GATHER | RESPOND | ENGAGE | BLESS

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EquipGod keeps His word. However, when God told Noah He would soon destroy all life on the earth, it’s easy to imagine Noah hoping that, in this one case, God’s words wouldn’t come to pass! But they did, and God once again proved Himself true to His word.

Afterward, in the wake of that devastation, mankind would have been left with a holy fear of God and the consequences of sin. It’s possible that every time it rained, people thought the flood was starting all over again. But God made an agreement with mankind—a covenant (or contract) with the human race that formalized God’s promise that He would never again destroy all life with a flood.

Understanding this idea of “covenant” is crucial to fully grasping the outworking of the plan of God. It is through the establishment of covenants that God first entered into a relationship with mankind and revealed elements of His plan for dealing with sin.

Through the covenants, God revealed His divine intentions. He set out the parameters of His relationship with mankind. Because God’s holy nature requires punishment for sin, and mankind’s fallen nature ensures a continual fall into sin, mankind would always think there was an imminent danger of receiving the wrath of God. So, in His mercy, God established covenants with mankind—promising (through the covenant with Noah) that He would never again destroy the earth that same way. Then, through the “redemptive covenants,” God promised an ultimate way of salvation from sin.

Because of His covenant promise, people would know what to expect from God. This was the first clear revelation of God’s plan to humanity.


Environment of RESPONSIBILITYThis environment captures the ability to take ownership for one’s life, gifts, and resources before God. A child must be challenged to take responsibility for his or her brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as for those who are spiritually lost. Our hope is that the Holy Spirit will use this environment to allow each child to understand that God has entrusted His world to us.

The 10 Environments guide us in creating a climate that puts God on display. Encourage your families to discover more about creating the environment of RESPONSIBILITY in their homes by checking out HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource and Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony.

The Redemptive Covenants• Abrahamic covenant: Genesis 12; 13; 15; 17; 18; 22• Mosaic covenant: Leviticus 26• Davidic covenant: 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17• New covenant: Jeremiah 31:31–37; Ezekiel 36:16–28

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SupportThink of a time in your life when someone kept his word to you. Did a friend keep her word to keep quiet about sensitive information you told her? Did a coworker keep his word to speak up on your behalf during a difficult meeting with a boss? How about a husband or wife who kept his or her word to remain faithful to you? In each of these situations, think about how it made you feel to know these people kept their word.

Here are some promises God has made to us:

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

This week, take some time to read these verses and respond to God through them. Ask yourself: How does my heart respond when I ponder the fact that God will keep these promises to me? How does it make me feel to know I serve a God who keeps His word? Praise Him for being a good and gracious God who desires to give His children good gifts—a heavenly Father who faithfully keeps His word.

TruStory Team

JESUS

OUR FUTURE WITH JESUS

YOU & ME

TIM

ELIN

E

NOAHADAM & EVE


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Lesson Overview

Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List under Resource Tab)

Connect// 5–10 min.

Kids will develop relationships with their leaders and one another through activities and conversation starters.

Animal Categories • Animal Categories sheet (see Resource Folder)• masking tape or string• optional: poster board, marker, tape

Gather// 20–25 min.

Kids will experience and learn more about God through communal and personal prayer, a creative telling of the day’s portion of The Big God Story, and an investigation into God’s Word.

Prayer • none

Storytelling• Bibles (1 per child) • Sea Shanty printout (see Resource Folder)

Investigate

• Discussion Questions

Remember Verse • Remember Verse strips (see Resource Folder)• envelopes• scissors

Respond// 15–20min.

Kids will worship collaboratively and individually through many different media while being mindful of the greater faith community. The “So what? Now what?” component.

Rainbow Strands• strips of fabric in the colors of the rainbow,

fabric markers

Engage// 10–15min.

Kids will engage with one another through various forms of play, including interactive games and activities, engaging projects, and experiments.

Creating Clouds• photos of clouds (see Resource Folder)• 2 liter plastic soda bottle • matches (for adult use only)• warm water• optional: shaving cream, wet rag

Bless// 5 min. Kids will get the opportunity to take new steps toward living out their part of The Big God Story as they’re blessed by their leader.

• Bible (for the blessing)• HomeFront Weekly (1 per child; see Resource Folder)


A Storytelling Video is available for this lesson. See page 8 for details.

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Connect// 5–10 min.

Connect encourages kids to develop relationships with their leaders and one another. Within a free-flowing setting that utilizes simple simple supplies and conversation starters, Connect gives kids and leaders the opportunity to get to know one another better.

When God decided to send a great flood over the whole earth, He kept Noah and his family safe by housing them in a big boat (or ark). He also remembered the animals He had made, saying to Noah in Genesis 6:19, “You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.” God loves everything He’s created! Today children will have the opportunity to interact with their leaders and one another as they talk about their favorite animals.

CONNECT QUESTION: Welcome and greet the children. Then open your time by asking them: If you could be any animal for the day, what would you be? Why?

Animal Categories SUPPLIES• Animal Categories sheet (see Resource Folder)• masking tape or string• optional: poster board, marker, tape

SET UPTape (or make with string) a line down the center of the room. Consider labeling the sides of the room with signs reading “Side A” and “Side B.” Print the Animal Categories sheet found in the Resource Folder.

RELATE Ask your kids to stand on the line in the center of the room. Then read out loud the “either/or” statements from the Animal Categories sheet, designating a side of the room for each statement. The kids should listen to the statements, choose the one they prefer, and walk to that side. For fun, children can debate their choices, sharing why they chose the side they did and perhaps trying to persuade others to change their answers and join the other side. After each question, have the kids line up on the center line again. Play until you’ve read each question on the list. Feel free to add questions of your own.

Developmentally Speaking Third and fourth graders are learning categories in life and nature and love to organize and classify information. At 9 and 10, kids are beginning to know more and more about their world, and they seek organization and boundaries.


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Gather//20–25 min.

PrayerGather your children into a circle. Encourage them to hold their hands in front of them, palms up, as a posture of receiving what God might speak to them today. Then designate a leader (or two) to open and close this time of prayer. Encourage the children to participate in this time of prayer if they’d like. Remind them praying simply means talking to and listening to God, and He always hears us when we pray.

As you pray, leave space between prayers for the children to take the opportunity to pray, in case some may feel apprehensive and need a little more time. Ask God to bless the day’s lesson as you spend time in His Word. Ask Him to speak to the hearts of His children, revealing to them the truth of today’s ponder point: “God Keeps His Word.”

StorytellingStorytelling Technique: Play Acting

SUPPLIES• Bibles (1 per child) • Sea Shanty printout (see Resource Folder)

PREPARE Print a copy of the Sea Shanty for yourself and each of your kids. Because the ark was a giant boat floating on a vast sea, today’s section of The Big God Story will be told in the form of a sea shanty, or a ballad sung by sailors and their captain. Today you will be the captain and your children will be the sailors!

RELATEGather your kids into a circle. Together read Genesis 6:5–9; 7:1–6, 17–23; 8:1–5, 13–21; 9:8–17. Perhaps go around the circle and have each child read a few verses, or designate a few readers to read certain passages. After reading these verses, give a copy of the sea shanty to each child. Tell the kids you’re all going to participate in a creative reading and response that describes what they just heard in the Bible. Sing or speak loudly and with gusto, and tell your kids to do the same when it’s their turn to participate!

LEADER:The Big God Story-line todayIs told in sailor-speak, ahoy!So grab a line or round the quayAnd shake the hand of girl or boy!

During Gather, kids will experience and learn more about God through communal and personal prayer, a creative storytelling of the day’s portion of The Big God Story, and an investigation into God’s Word, which may include word studies, Scripture cross-referencing, and a look into the context surrounding the passage.

In this section, your children will often act as detectives and investigators—working together to understand the mysteries and truths found in the Bible.


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KIDS AND LEADER:A hey, a ho! God’s Story told!Is Noah on the rolling sea …

LEADER:Since God first made the man and wifeThe woman, Eve—and Adam, aye,’Twas generations 10 of life’dBeen lived beneath the desert sky.

But even in that span of timeThe humans whom God loved so muchHad spent their lives in sin and crime—Destroyed themselves in wickedness.

KIDS AND LEADER:Ahoy, oh hey! What saddest day …When men and lasses turned away!

LEADER:Instead of waiting for the dayThe Savior (who’d been promised) came, They chose to turn and run awayToward wickedness and evil shame.

So God, the Loving and the Just,Looked down from heaven on His artWith pain and sadness that He mustDestroy those dearest to His heart.

KIDS AND LEADER:Oh hey, O hust! God is most justAnd He will see to what He must!

LEADER:“I’ll wipe mankind, whom I have made,From off the face of all the earthAnd every creature there displayed—All I’ve created, given birth.

N O T E S :


Resource Tip A Storytelling Video is available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may access this resource on the My Lessons page > Extras > Storytelling Videos.

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All those except one man who’s shownA righteous life and faith and spirit …Who’s worshipped me, though all alone—Though only I, His God, could hear it.”

KIDS AND LEADER:A man, olé! God saved that day!A man who, righteous, sought and prayed!

LEADER:“This man, named Noah, I will giveInstructions how to build an ark—A boat on which he will outliveThe flood that’s very soon to start.

I will command him also findThe animals and beasts I’ve made—A pair of each and every kindTo save when rain and floods give way.”

KIDS AND LEADER:Way-ay, a man! God gave him plansTo build an ark with his two hands!

LEADER:So Noah worked and toiled and spun,He built the ark upon dry land …He and his family plus his sons—They followed God’s specific plans.

Until rain pitter-pattered, poured— And lightning struck and thunder clapped And heavens burst with rain and stormThat covered every boot and strap.

KIDS AND LEADER:Drip drop, pit pat—the rain it spat!And poured, ahoy, upon the flat!

N O T E S :


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LEADER:For 40 days and 40 nightsThe rain poured over Noah’s head …It flooded every little hill and heightAnd every house and every bed.

Those living outside of the boatWere wiped out in the fallin’ rain.Yet those onboard the wooden floatWere safe above the rolling plain.

KIDS AND LEADER:Yeah, hey! We’re safe above the fray—Those whom the ark had tucked away.

LEADER:On fortieth night God sent a windThat blew across the face of earthAnd stopped the waters’ raining inAnd made the clouds to all disperse.

Though God had stopped the rainin’ pour Through wind that from His spirit came,The waters lingered on the shoreFor, aye, a full 300 days.

KIDS AND LEADER:Ahoy, way hey! A year of daysOnboard a boat! Oh, what a fray …

LEADER:The boat afloat upon that seaOf rain sent down from heaven’s doorCould not search out a place to be—Could not locate a sandy shore.

Until God brought them to a mountCalled Ararat where earth was dryAnd called them each to come, dismountAnd stretch their legs ’neath blue-est sky.

N O T E S :


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KIDS AND LEADER:Hoo-raw, hoo-rust! The creatures mustHave squawked when feet touched mountain dust!

LEADER:So Noah’s sons, his wife, and allThe birds, and lizards, and the sheepAnd other creatures in the hullStepped off the boat to walk and leap.

But Noah—first thing—worshipped GodUpon his knees with sacrifice.He thanked Him with a sense of aweFor saving all his family’s lives.

KIDS AND LEADER:Oh tee, oh tig! He must have jiggedAnd danced for God who saved his kids!

LEADER:Upon his worship God smiled down—Delighted with his servant’s praise.And there God made a solemn vow,A promise that has always stayed.

God promised never to destroyMankind with yet another rainOr wipe out every girl and boyBecause their sin had caused Him pain.

KIDS AND LEADER:Tu-lie-ay-lay, what did He say?He made a promise for—aye—always!

LEADER:To seal His promise with a signGod put a rainbow in the skyThen said these colors, this designWould be a symbol, by and by.

N O T E S :


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The rainbow would forever standFor how our Father kept His wordTo nevermore lift up His handAnd flood those wearing skin or fur.

KIDS AND LEADER:Oh tu-lee-lay, a rainbow, haw!Its promise is from God, hoo-raw!

LEADER:Today His promise stands fulfilledAnd evermore will always stand.God kept His word and always will,So we can trust His mighty hand.

God’s promised other things throughoutThe passing history of timeAnd every promise, have no doubt,He has fulfilled—or will in time.

KIDS AND LEADER:Ahoy, a hey! Let’s praise Him, forHe keeps His word, we can be sure!

After you’re finished with the call and response sea shanty, remind your children that God always keeps His word. This might be a good time for you to share a time God kept His word to you. Then allow kids to share times in their lives when God kept His word, or perhaps a current situation in which they need God’s faithfulness. After a time of sharing, close in prayer together.

N O T E S :


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InvestigateDiscussion Questions• Have you ever seen a flood or a really hard rain? What was it like?• What do you think people said to Noah while he built the ark?• How was Noah different from the other men and women in the world?• What do you think it would have been like to live in the ark with all those animals

for more than a year? • Why did God send the rainbow?• What promise did God make to Noah?• What can we be reminded of when we see a rainbow?• When was a time God kept His word in your life? (Leaders, please lead by telling

stories from your own lives.)• How is God’s covenant with Noah related to His promise to bring a Redeemer?

From His promise in the garden to bring a Redeemer to Jesus’ promise to return to earth one day, God has kept (and will keep) every promise He’s made. He has and will keep His word. In fact, because He’s kept His word before, we can know for sure He will keep His word in the future.

Have kids read Genesis 9:8–16—the place in Scripture where God gives Noah His everlasting promise to never again destroy the earth through a flood. Other writers in the Bible reference God’s covenant to Noah as an example of a time when God kept His word (optional: have the kids look up Isaiah 54:9–10). They do this to show those for whom they’re writing that God will keep His word in the future.

Help kids look up some of the promises of God in Scripture, such as Hebrews 13:5–6 and Isaiah 43:2.

• What are some promises God has given us?• How does it make you feel to know God keeps His word?• How will you live your life differently knowing our God is a God who keeps

His word?

N O T E S :

Developmentally Speaking Because third and fourth graders have the ability to understand complex systems, they can consult reference materials, understand figurative language, and paraphrase portions of a text. Help them explore more about the Bible and its history by giving them the opportunity to learn through a variety of materials.


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Remember VerseEach week children will spend time memorizing a portion of Scripture together. Remember Verses are chosen according to the 10 Environments. The environment of RESPONSIBILITY says, “God has entrusted me with the things and people He created around me.”

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. Proverbs 31:8–9 (NLT)

Game: Verse in an EnvelopeSUPPLIES• Remember Verse strips (see Resource Folder) • envelopes • scissors

PREPAREPrint the Remember Verse strips, cut apart each word, and put the words in an envelope (one envelope for every group of three to four kids).

RELATEForm the kids into groups of about three or four, and give each group an envelope. Then read through the verse several times with the children. Once you think they have it, on your signal, let the groups race to see who can put together their verse the fastest. (If you have a smaller group, distribute the contents of just one envelope to your kids.)

N O T E S :


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Respond// 15–20 min.

God’s Promises in Living ColorSUPPLIES• strips of fabric in the colors of the rainbow, fabric markers

SET UP Set out the fabric strips and markers.

RELATE We serve a God who keeps His word. The Bible is full of God’s promises to us, telling us who He is and what He promises to do in our lives. We know God always does what He says He will do! Knowing this gives us the strength to carry out our responsibility to play our part in The Big God Story. (Ask the kids to sit quietly and listen as you read the following Scriptures. Optional: Play quiet worship music as you read.)

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

CREATEHand each child a piece of fabric. Encourage them to think of a word or short phrase that sums up their response to what they’ve heard (or a prayer of response to what they’ve heard) and allow them to write this word, phrase, or short prayer onto their strand. When the kids finish, have them braid, twist, or tie their pieces together to create a rainbow-colored memorial to remind them of the fact that God keeps His word.


During Respond, kids will have the opportunity to process what the Holy Spirit has been teaching them.

They will be encouraged to demonstrate their response to God in a time of hands-on worship, to express themselves individually through the use of many media, and to worship collaboratively with a mindset focused on the greater community.

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Creating CloudsSUPPLIES• photos of clouds (see Resource Folder)• 2 liter plastic soda bottle • matches (for adult use only)• warm water• optional: shaving cream, wet rag

SET UP Designate an adult to perform the science experiment. Set out the supplies (excluding the matches). Print the photos of clouds.

RELATE Fill the water bottle 2/3 full with warm water and screw on the cap. Allow water droplets to form inside. Then remove the cap and have the leader light a match and quickly drop the lit match into the bottle (so the bottle catches the smoke). Screw on the cap again. Finally, remove the cap for a third time, squeeze the bottle, and release it. A cloud will appear in the bottle!

Optional: Once you’ve created your cloud, allow your kids to create different types of clouds out of shaving cream. Squeeze a dollop of shaving cream onto a clean table. Encourage the kids to form their clouds into the shapes found on the cloud photos (found in the Resource Folder). Make sure to wipe off the tables with a wet rag when you’re finished!

The Engage section gives kids time to play, laugh, and explore together through interactive games and activities, engaging projects, experiments, and more.

Engage// 10–15 min.

N O T E S :


Resource Tip “Minute To Win It” activities are available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may access this resource on the My Lessons page > Extras > Small Group Enhancements.

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Bless// 5 min.

Before you bless the children in your group, pray about the blessing God would have you give to them.

Gather the children together and read the blessing from Psalm 105:7–8 (NCV) over each one of them individually: [Child’s name], God’s Word says in Psalm 105:7–8 that “He is the Lord our God. His laws are for all the world. He will keep his agreement forever; he will keep his promises always.”

Another option: Ask the children to stay seated in a circle as you walk around and bless each one of them. Touch each child on the head or shoulder and speak a blessing over her, saying, “[Child’s name], God always keeps His word.”

As followers of Christ, we’ve been blessed to be a blessing to others. This Bless time will allow children to take new steps toward living out their part of The Big God Story.

This time will lead kids to go out into the community and respond to what they’ve learned and received from God by sharing and giving away their knowledge and blessings to others.

HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week’s lesson! This PRETEACHING tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God’s Word together BEFORE children arrive at church.

HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource: Each month we highlight one of the 10 Environments. This resource gives families ideas for how to live in the environment while creating fun, spiritually forming times in their homes—setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives!


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