bible passage: genesis 12; 15—16...

God Is a Covenant Keeper (Part 2)

ScheduleAnticipate

5–10 minutes

Celebrate & RespondLarge Group

35–55 minutes

Respond & BlessSmall Group

20–25 minutes

Bible Passage: Genesis 12; 15—16 (Abram)

REMEMBER VERSEBefore the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from

everlasting to everlasting you are God.Psalm 90:2

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© 2013 David C Cook. T ruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

Environment: STORYTELLINGIn this lesson we see the environment of STORYTELLING in how God kept His covenant with Abram and made salvation available to all people—including us—through Jesus.

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© 2013 David C Cook

Tori FunkhouserTruStory Team

InspireI stood in a white lace dress and heels that made my feet ache so badly that I leaned on my soon-to-be husband, whose hands and voice shook with emotion. Our friends and family watched while we took our vows to love and care for each other, come what may.

My husband and I had already made these vows to each other many times before our marriage, though not in the same words. Even so, something different happened while we stood in a church in front of our community that day. That day, the covenant was sealed, and something in my heart knew the difference.

Since then, our new marriage has been sweet and beautiful. But I can honestly say that our love does not compare to the love I have found in Christ. Through Christ’s death on the cross, God has given me a love found nowhere else. He has given me peace that fills me from the inside out. He has given my life meaning by allowing me to play a part in the most important story ever told—His story.

Because of the love I have found in Christ, “my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5). I am in awe of the fact that He entered into a covenant of love with me and keeps it forever.

N O T E S :

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EquipBefore God entered into a covenant with Abram, He told Abram to leave his home and all of his surroundings and go to a new place where God would lead him. So Abram left, not knowing where God would take him. But God’s call came with the promise to bless Abram immensely—to make him a great nation and to bless all of the people of the earth through him (Genesis 12:2–3).

Abram waited 25 long years for God to fulfill His promise. Still, Abram—whose name God would later change to Abraham—chose to believe that God would keep His promises, even when the promises seemed impossible. The Bible says “against all hope, Abraham in hope believed” (Romans 4:18). Paul goes on to say that Abram “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:20–21).

Abram believed God would keep His covenant; we have his testimony and the testimonies of many others. God keeps His promises.

Environment of STORYTELLINGThe power of The Big God Story impacts our lives by giving us an accurate and awe-inspiring perspective into how God has been moving throughout history. It further compels us to see how God is using every person’s life and is creating a unique story that deserves to be told for God’s glory.

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 STORYTELLING in their homes by checking out HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource and Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony.

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SupportAs you prepare for this lesson, spend time reading the passage on your own and let the Holy Spirit transform you with the same verses you will bring to the children. Let your teaching be infused with the passion and conviction that comes from an overflow of your own life. Listen for the specific “aha” moment God reveals to you as you prepare for the lesson, and integrate that truth into what you share with the kids.

This lesson is merely a tool. Use it as a guide, but make it personal. Think about times in your own life when you’ve seen God keep His promises, and share your stories with the students. Allow the kids, in turn, to share their own stories with you and their peers.

Pray that God will use you to bring the kids into a time of experiencing Him in the church setting. Also pray that parents and kids experience His realness at home. Pray that your kids will be transformed by their encounter with God—that they will know Him better and respond to Him with faith and obedience. If possible, find a time to pray with the parents for their role as spiritual leaders.

ADAM & EVE

SUSEJ

OUR FUTURE WITH JESUS

YOU & ME

NOAH

ABRAHAM

ISAACJACOB

MOSESJOSEPH

JOSHUA

SOLOMON

JOHN THE BAPTIST

CENTURIONNICODEMUSPETERLAZARUS

PAUL

JOSEPHMARY

DAVID

TIMELINE

400Y

EA

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OF

WA

I TING

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Navigating This LessonBelow you’ll find descriptions of terms you may encounter throughout the lessons.

Leader Tip: Suggestions for programming and classroom management.

Programming Note: Suggestions for modifying or adjusting programming to best fit your service schedule.

Partner Church Comments: Insightful comments, suggestions, and variations offered for activities and programming provided by our national network of children’s and family ministry leaders.

Optional: Suggestions of ways you can adapt the activities and games to best fit your own church and group of kids.

Host: The Host offers the same spirit of hospitality, generosity, and inclusiveness to the kids that the host of a party would offer to the guests at her home or gathering.

Small Group Leader: The Small Group Leader shepherds the kids through questions about the portion of The Big God Story and biblical truths, engages them in community-building activities, helps them create a remembrance of their experience, and blesses them before they leave. Ideally, Small Group Leaders work week after week with the same group of kids, giving them the opportunity to develop lasting relationships with each child.

Worship Leader: The Worship Leader facilitates individual and corporate worship by listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit and inviting others into the worship experience.

Storyteller: After active involvement with the Scriptures and the lesson, the Storyteller recounts the Bible passage for the kids in an engaging way. He leads out of an overflow of his own life, telling personal stories as prompted and guiding the kids into a time of natural worship response.

AV Technician: This person facilitates the “behind-the-scenes” aspects of programming, including sound, lighting, slides, etc. The AV Technician makes sure things run smoothly and is willing to help with anything—including stepping into any of the other leader roles.

Programming NoteAlways feel free to adjust the lesson to fit your service schedule. If you run out of time, consider cutting an activity. To fill time, consider adding a game to CONNECT or adding more worship time to large group RESPOND.

If you need to end the lesson early, consider skipping to the BLESS section to send out the kids with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others.

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Lesson Overview

N O T E S :

Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List at tru.davidccook.com)

Anticipate//Small Group Check-In

5–10 min.

Encourages interaction among kids, leaders, and parents; engages the kids in curiosity and anticipation of the lesson; and creates an inviting atmosphere.

Grains of Sand• zip-top sandwich bags (1 per child)• sand (enough to fill each bag half full)• stopwatch or timer

Celebrate//Large Group

20–35 min.

Establishes community andtells stories both personaland biblical in a fun andengaging way.

Traditions• mementos for your church Traditions

(rocks, marbles, gumballs, etc.)• Remember Verse cards, slide, and animation

(see tru.davidccook.com)

Connect Question• Connect Question slide (see tru.davidccook.com)

Connect Activity: Color Match (for Younger and Older Kids)• Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com)

Connect Activity: Letter Match (for Older Kids)• Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com)

The Big God Story • Bibles (1 per child)• Timeline slide and animation (see tru.davidccook.com)• small suitcase• star stickers (10–20)• small baby item (pacifier, bottle, blanket, etc.) • medium-sized jar or clear container (with leak-

proof lid)• sand (enough to fill jar or container half full)• table• black butcher paper or poster board• tape• clear bowl (large enough to hold all of the sand you

placed in the jar)

*To make metric conversions, search the Internet for a metric conversion chart or calculator.

N O T E S :

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Lesson Overview

N O T E S :

Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List at tru.davidccook.com)

Respond//Large Group

15–20min.

Creates space for childrento respond to the Holy Spiritin worship and communityas a large group.

• shallow bins or baking pans (1 per 3–4 kids)• sand (from ANTICIPATE)• worship music (suggestion: “Remain,” TruWorship

Sincerely Yours)

Respond//Small Group

15–20min.

Discusses truth, reflectson the lesson, engages inrelationships, and createsa project or a piece of artindividually or together.

Reflect: God Is a Covenant Keeper• Bibles (1 per child)

Create: Colorful Sand on the Seashore• sand (1 cup per 2 children)• tempera paint powder (in various colors, see

discountschoolsupply.com)• spoons (1 per 2 children)• plastic bowls or cups (1 per 2 children, plus 1 for

every tempera paint powder color)• large jar or other clear container (big enough to

hold all the sand)• optional: funnel, baby food jars (1 per child)

Bless//Small Group

5 min. Sends the kids out with a sense of peace and blessing so they can be a blessing to their families and others.

• Bible• HomeFront Weekly (1 per child; tru.davidccook.com)• HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource

(1 per family; tru.davidccook.com or HomeFrontMag.com)

*To make metric conversions, search the Internet for a metric conversion chart or calculator.

N O T E S :

http://HomeFrontMag.com

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Anticipate// 5–10 min.

An energizing time for parents and kids to start engaging with the material that will be presented in the lesson.

It is intentionally designed to spark curiosity and cultivate a sense of awe and wonder about God.

Encourage parents to participate in this time with their kids.

Small Group Leaders

SMALL GROuPS E C T I O N

Grains of SandIn Genesis 22:17, God promised Abraham—formerly Abram—that He would give him so many descendants that counting them would be like counting the grains of sand on the seashore. Today lead your kids in a fun and sandy activity that challenges them to count grains of sand—a virtually impossible task!

SUPPLIES• zip-top sandwich bags (1 per child)• sand (enough to fill each bag half full)• stopwatch or timer

SET UPFill the baggies about half full of sand and seal the tops.

ENGAGE(Welcome children as they arrive and ask them to take a seat at the table.) In today’s portion of The Big God Story we will hear about God’s covenant with Abram, whose name God later changed to Abraham. God promised to give him so many descendants (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so on) that counting them would be like trying to count the number of grains of sand on the seashore. Wow! Can any of you guess how many grains of sand you might find on all the beaches of the world? (Allow children to shout out their guesses.) That’s a lot of sand! Let’s see what it’s like to count grains of sand.

Give each child a bag of sand. Then give the kids 60 to 90 seconds to count as many grains of sand as they can. Be enthusiastic, creating a race-like atmosphere. When time is up, see how many grains each child was able to count.

Programming NoteThe activity option in ANTICIPATE is designed to take place during your check-in time. Your time frame may range from five to ten minutes, depending on your church’s facility and service-time setup. You can choose the option above or add an idea of your own.

This section is also created to be flexible according to your facility. If it works best to direct kids and their parents to individual small group rooms for this time, set up activities in each room. And if you check kids directly into your large group space, arrange your ANTICIPATE activities accordingly.

Encourage parents to join their children in the activity. This helps with transition, introduces parents to the lesson, and supports parents as the primary nurturers of their children’s faith.

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Celebrate//20–35 min. Host/Storyteller

LARGE GROuPS E C T I O N


Welcome and TraditionsAfter everyone gathers as a large group, open with Traditions. During Traditions, you’re helping the children work toward a common goal and giving them mementos to celebrate accomplishments such as memorizing the Remember Verse, inviting friends to church, or bringing their Bibles.

Mementos can be any object, but some examples include rocks, marbles, gumballs, and connecting blocks. Once the children receive their mementos, have them put the objects into a clear container or add them to a structure they’re building. If you have multiple services, use separate containers or building stations for each service. Once the kids fill their container or finish their structure, hold a celebration!

After Traditions, if you have time, choose one or two child volunteers to share praise reports, testimonies, or funny or intriguing events. Or sing familiar worship songs with corresponding motions.

ConnectConnect gives children time to laugh, play, and enjoy each other’s company. Engaging questions, energizing games, and creative activities encourage the members of your community to get to know one another.

Invite the children to ask each other the following question or one of your own. Encourage them to ask someone they may not know. After a minute or two, ask several children to tell the group their friends’ answers. (See the Connect Question slide at tru.davidccook.com.)

Kids get to be a part of the faith community of God’s family.

They participate in traditions and share them with newcomers, connect through fun and interaction, and experience The Big God Story through Storytelling.

REMEMBER VERSEThis week’s Remember Verse comes from the environment of STORYTELLING, which says “God has a big story, and I can be a part of it!” The environment changes every four weeks.

As the children arrive, open a Bible and read the verse together. You’ll find Remember Verse cards, slides, and animations at tru.davidccook.com.

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:2

Hoppin’ High Fives A Community Tradition

Have the children hop on one foot and give as many high fives as they can to other children before putting their other foot down for balance. Each time they give someone a high five, they should say, “High five, [child’s name]!”

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QuestionWhat do you call your parents’ parents? Share this with a friend.

Activity: Color Match (for Younger and Older Kids)SUPPLIES• Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com)

ENGAGEDo this simple activity to get kids connected with a friend for sharing their answers to the CONNECT question.

On your “Go,” have kids find one other person wearing the same color that they’re wearing. (The color can be anywhere visible on their clothing or accessories.) Once they find a color-matching partner, they can share their answers to the CONNECT Question with each other.

Activity: Letter Match (for Older Kids)SUPPLIES• Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com)

ENGAGEDo this simple activity to get kids connected with a friend for sharing their answers to the CONNECT question.

On your “Go,” have kids find one other person whose first, middle, or last name begins with the same letter as their first, middle, or last name. Once they find a partner, they can share their answers to the CONNECT Question with each other.

Prayer of ReleaseThe Prayer of Release allows children and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet their hearts and minds. Before you pray, you might ask the kids to hold out their hands, palms up, in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy Spirit might have for them today. Then encourage the kids to quiet their voices, take a seat, and pray with you.


Using SignalsFor a fun way to let your kids know a change will soon happen, use a signal. This helps create predictability and energy for the next experience.

Some signal ideas:

• Energetic music or audio clip• Video clip from a movie (replace the audio with energetic music)

Developmentally SpeakingElementary-aged children are naturally curious about their families and those who came before them. Some children who are adopted or living with foster families may be especially curious about their birth families. If you have foster children in your class, be particularly aware of them during this CONNECT time. Encourage them to answer the CONNECT question in any way they would like, by listing members of their foster families, their birth families, or even previous foster families they have been a part of.

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The Big God StoryDuring today’s portion of The Big God Story, the children will learn about God’s covenant with Abram. Though this part of The Big God Story can be delivered verbatim, read it before the lesson so you can personally interact with the material. Share stories from your life, and speak with your own style by varying your intonation and gestures.

Ponder Point: God Is a Covenant KeeperBible Passage: Genesis 12; 15—16 Storytelling Technique: Volunteers Pulling Out Objects

SUPPLIES• Bibles (1 per child)• Timeline slide and animation (see tru.davidccook.com)• small suitcase• star stickers (10–20)• small baby item (pacifier, bottle, blanket, etc.) • medium-sized jar or clear container (with leak-proof lid)• sand (enough to fill jar or container half full)• table• black butcher paper or poster board• tape• clear bowl (large enough to hold all of the sand you placed in the jar)

SET UPPour the sand into the jar and screw on the lid. Put the jar inside the suitcase along with the stickers and baby item. Tape the black butcher paper or poster board to the wall near the front of the Storytelling area. Also set up the table near the front and place the bowl on one end.

N O T E S :

Visual AidsMany TruStory lessons offer visual aids for The Big God Story. Please use these files in whichever format works best for your church, whether you use computer media, an overhead projector, or poster board.

Leader TipBefore sharing this part of The Big God Story, tell your kids they’re about to hear a true story that’s recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. Establish a consistent place to keep this Bible every week.

Invite the children to open their Bibles and follow along in Genesis 12 as you storytell. Encourage adult volunteers to keep an eye out for kids who might need help finding the passage, and allow enough time for each child to locate each passage. You may even want to project the reference on a screen or write it on the whiteboard.

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ENGAGE(As you enter the Storytelling area, carry the suitcase and walk as though you’re in a hurry. Look up at the children and act surprised to see them.) Oh, hello there! I was in such a hurry to get where I was going that I forgot you all were here! Have any of you ever taken a trip before? Where have you visited? (Allow responses.) Today we’re going to hear about a man who took a journey to a faraway place.

We’ve heard how God made Adam and Eve with His own hands, in His own image, and breathed life into them. He lived in perfect relationship with them in the garden … until they disobeyed Him. Their disobedience separated them from God, but He never stopped loving them. And He had a plan to be in perfect relationship with them again.

Years later, one of Noah’s (invite kids to say “great” along with you) great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandsons, a man named Abram, had an encounter with God. God told Abram to leave his home and journey to a faraway place. So Abram packed up his belongings and set off, even though he didn’t know where God would lead him. (Place the suitcase on the table.) I packed my suitcase with items to help us remember the amazing things God did in Abram’s life.

For starters, God gave Abram an incredible promise called a covenant. A covenant is an extra special promise, and God always keeps His promises! This particular covenant was so important that it shaped God’s relationship with people forever. And this promise includes you and me! God promised that all peoples on earth would be blessed through Abram (Genesis 12:3).

How did God give Abram that promise? Let’s look in our Bibles. (Have kids turn to Genesis 15:5 and ask a volunteer to read the verse as the others follow along.) If you’ve been to the desert or the mountains, or any kind of wilderness, you’ve seen the night sky filled with stars. God promised that Abram would have lots and lots and lots of descendants. Descendants is a fancy word for children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren … you get the picture. Anyway, God told Abram that trying to count his descendants would be like trying to count the stars in the sky. Later, God compared counting his descendants like counting the sand on the seashore! (Choose two volunteers to open the suitcase and look for items that represent God’s promise to Abram. When the star stickers are found, invite that child to stick them to the black butcher paper and then return to his seat. Ask the other child to hand you the jar of sand. Open the jar and pour the sand into the bowl.)

This promise of descendants was only the beginning of God’s covenant with Abram. God also promised to give Abram and his descendants land to live in—the very land Abram was standing in. It would soon become known as the Promised Land.


N O T E S :

The Big God Story

Leader TipIn Genesis 17, God changes Abram’s name to “Abraham,” which means “father of many.” He also changed Sarai’s name to “Sarah.” Let your kids know that Abram and Sarai are also known as Abraham and Sarah in The Big God Story.

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But there was a problem: Abram and his wife, Sarai, had no children. Sarai thought she was too old to have kids. Let’s read Genesis 15:6 to find out how Abram responded to God’s words. (Read the verse aloud as the kids follow along.) Abram believed God. And because of his faith, God gave him the gift of salvation—the gift of relationship with the one, holy God of the whole universe. Wow!

Fifteen years later, when Abram was 99 years old, God returned to remind Abram of His promise to give him a child. This time, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of many nations.” A 99-year-old man was going to be a dad! (Invite another volunteer to look in the suitcase for an item to remind us that God gave Abraham a baby. Encourage her to hold up the baby item for everyone to see before returning it to the suitcase and sitting down.)

Let’s review. God made a covenant with Abram, promising that he would be the father of many nations and that all people would be blessed through him. And God kept that covenant.

Abram had many, many descendants, and one of them was Jesus, God’s Son, who blessed the whole world by providing the way for us to be saved from our sins! Because of Abram’s faith in God, he received salvation, and we can also receive salvation through faith: by believing that Jesus died for our sins. (Share a story about how you came to know that God wanted a relationship with you through salvation.)


N O T E S :

The Big God Story

Leader TipAs the Holy Spirit speaks to the hearts of your kids, some may express an interest in beginning a relationship with Jesus. Be sure to tell their parents about this so they can pray together as a family. Offer to pray with them if they’d like. Of course, if a child doesn’t come from a Christian family, answer any questions he or she might have, and follow the Spirit’s leading as the child makes a decision to trust in Jesus for salvation.

For help in talking with kids about salvation, refer to the resource titled Explaining God’s Salvation Plan to Kids, found alongside this week’s lesson resources at tru.davidccook.com. You may also give copies of this resource to your families.

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This time allows kids to worship through silence, prayer, singing, giving, sharing, thanksgiving, and other ways.

Make plans for your worship time, but prepare yourself and your team to hold them loosely if the Holy Spirit leads the group in a different direction.

Respond// 15–20 min. Host/Worship Leader

LARGE GROuPS E C T I O N

SUPPLIES• large, shallow plastic bins or roasting pans (1 per 3–4 kids)• sand (from ANTICIPATE)• tarps or plastic tablecloths• worship music (suggestion: “Remain,” TruWorship Sincerely Yours; available at

tru.davidccook.com for Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users; or iTunes)

SET UPPlace several tables around the room, and spread a tarp or plastic tablecloth on each one. At each table, place a bin or pan on the tarp or tablecloth, and fill each bin or pan about half full with sand.

ENGAGEGod promised Abram that he would have so many descendants that trying to count them would be like trying to count the stars in the sky. That’s hard to imagine! But our God can do anything; He could take an old man and an old woman without any children and give them many, many descendants. Among those descendants is God’s own Son, Jesus.

Here’s another amazing thing: God wants to include us in that number! Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we too can have a relationship with God and be adopted into His family. God kept His covenant promise to Abram, and we’re a part of that promise!

We’ve set up some bins of sand around the room. As we spend time worshipping our faithful God, feel free to go to a bin and run your hands through the sand. If you want, draw or write in the sand as you talk to God. As you pray or sing, let the feel of the sand in your fingers remind you of God’s promise and His love for you.

Start the worship music and allow the kids to respond to God as the Holy Spirit leads. Let them know they can also choose to remain in their seats and pray, stand, or sit and worship in another part of the room or visit a Worship Response Station.

N O T E S :

IT’S OKAY IF …Help children understand that God speaks to us in many ways—mostly through His Word, but also through prayer and other ways. Encourage the kids to ask God for the ability to hear His voice, but also give them the freedom to know that it’s okay if they don’t always experience Him in the ways other people do.

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N O T E S :

Worship Response StationsWorship Response Stations give children the opportunity to worship God both corporately and individually. Choose from the examples below or create your own Worship Response Stations, and make them fixed features in your large group space. Find photos and more detailed ideas for constructing these stations in the “How It Works” document at tru.davidccook.com. (If you’re just getting started with these stations, the Prayer Wall and Prayer Journal may be the easiest to build and introduce to your kids and families.)

World Prayer MapKids and their families place star stickers on a world map, marking places (countries, cities, etc.) they sense God calling them to pray for. They can spend time praying for the people, leaders, governments, etc., in those places and also commit to praying for them at home.

Prayer WallChildren and their families write prayers on sticky notes or small squares of colored paper and secure them to a corkboard, magnet board, whiteboard, or other memo board. Periodically you’ll need to remove the prayers and place them in a book or journal, which can be passed around to others for intercessory prayer.

Prayer JournalsChildren and their families express their thoughts and prayers by writing in a journal or notebook. You can make the notebooks available at the Prayer Wall or create a separate box or stand labeled Prayer Journals.

Giving BoxesChildren and their families give money offerings as an act of sacrificial worship. Giving Boxes introduce kids to the concept of tithing.

Encouragement CardsChildren and their families write notes of encouragement, love, or affirmation to their friends, family members, and others.

Note: Remember to display the Worship Response Stations on REMEMBER & CElEBRATE weekends.

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Reflect: God Is a Covenant KeeperAsk your group to take a seat on the floor or around the table. Share something God revealed to you during Storytelling or large group RESPOND. After you’ve modeled this for them, encourage the kids to share their own experiences and thoughts. Optional: Older kids can journal their responses before sharing them with the group. Then encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the suggested passages as you discuss the story together.

Questions for Younger Kids• What is a covenant?• Are you one of Abram’s descendants? (Galatians 3:29)• What does God’s promise to Abram mean to us? (Galatians 3:26–29;

Romans 8:14–16)• What interested you the most about this part of The Big God Story?• What does this part of The Big God Story show you about God?• What is something you learned about God today?• What is something you learned about how God feels about us?

Questions for Older Kids• Do you think it was hard for Abram to believe God’s promise? Why or why not?

(Genesis 16)• Have you ever had to wait a long time for a promise to be fulfilled? Are you

still waiting? • Who did God say would be some of Abram’s descendants? (Genesis 17:6)• What was something you heard today that made you want to know more?• What does today’s part of The Big God Story show you about God?• What is something you learned about God today?• What is something you learned about how God feels about us?

Create: Colorful Sand on the SeashoreSUPPLIES• sand (1 cup per 2 children)• tempera paint powder (various colors; discountschoolsupply.com)• spoons (1 per 2 children)• plastic bowls or cups (1 per 2 children, plus 1 for every tempera paint powder color)• large jar or other clear container (big enough to hold all the sand)• optional: funnel, baby food jars (1 per child)

SET UPPour one cup of sand into each bowl or cup. You will need one bowl or cup of sand for every two children. Put each color of tempera paint powder into a separate bowl.


A time to engage in relationship, reflect on the lesson with spiritual conversation, and/or create a meaningful project or piece of art.

Respond// 15–20 min. Small Group Leaders


N O T E S :

Resource Tip“Science Experiments” activities are available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may access this resource at tru.davidccook.com.

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N O T E S : ENGAGEGod promised to give Abram, whose name God later changed to Abraham (optional: point to The Big God Story timeline), so many descendants that counting them would be like trying to count the grains of sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17). And by trusting and obeying Jesus, we’re counted in that number! Today we’re going to respond to God as we think about the amazing truth that we’re a part of God’s family.

Have children find partners. Give each pair a bowl or cup of sand and have them decide together what color sand they would like to make. (They can choose from the different tempera paint powder colors.) Once they’ve decided, each pair can measure one spoonful of colored paint powder, add it carefully to their sand, and stir. Their sand should turn the color of the paint powder. If needed, they can add a little more powder until they achieve the desired color. As the children work, encourage them to talk about the following questions:

• How does this sand remind you of God’s promises?• How does God invite us into His story?

Once every pair has successfully colored their sand, set the large jar or container on a table where everyone can see it. Then call out colors one at a time. Pairs with that color sand can come forward and, one at a time, carefully pour their sand into the jar. (If you have a funnel, make it available for kids to use when pouring.) The result should be a colorful layered sand look. Then invite the children to share their thoughts on the two questions they discussed earlier.

Display the sand jar in your room until after the REMEMBER & CELEBRATE weekend. Encourage kids to think about God’s covenant promise to Abram and our role in His story every time they see the sand.

Optional: For older kids, allow each one to put some sand into a baby food jar and take it home to remind him during the week that God keeps His covenant.

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Bless// 5 min. Small Group Leaders


A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement or guidance.

Blessings can be offered in order to ask God’s Spirit to overflow from the child’s life to bless others or prayed over a child for the purpose of declaring God’s protection, joy, or wisdom.

Leader TipEvery lesson ends with a blessing. This is a time for parents and leaders to speak truth over children’s lives. The idea of the blessing is to transition the child from being blessed to being a blessing to others.

The blessing can be done in many ways, but the more intentional you are about it, the more powerful it will be. Depending on whether parents are able to join this time, you may want them to put their hands on their child’s head or kneel and look him in the eye as they bless him. Leaders, be sure to model how you envision the blessing working in your church so your volunteers and parents become comfortable with it.

As kids are blessed, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely share with others the joy and love they have received from God.

Encourage the children to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. This posture is meant to symbolize a willingness of heart to respond to God’s Holy Spirit and receive what God has for them. Invite them to remain in this posture as you bless them. Encourage parents to come early in order to read the blessing over their child.

Before blessing your children, give them an opportunity to bless each other with words of truth. Have kids remain with their partners from the CREATE activity. Encourage them to each take a turn blessing the other person with a simple truth about how God feels about each of them. For example, they might say, “[Partner’s name], God loves you so much” or “[Partner’s name], God invites you to be a part of His story.”

Finally, open your Bible as you read this blessing, based on Psalm 121:8, over the kids:

Friends, God loves you and invites you to be a part of His story. May you know His love and remember that He is watching over you—your coming and your going—now and forevermore.

Programming NoteDepending on the structure of your end-of-service pick-up time, you might give this formal blessing at the end of small group, or you might move it to the end of large group RESPOND. If parents typically arrive to pick up their children at about the same time, involve them in the blessing. However, if parents tend to pick up their kids at staggered intervals, you might have each Small Group Leader bless her group before transitioning into the small group room.

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N O T E S :


HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource: This magazine gives families ideas for creating fun, spiritually forming times in their homes—setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives! As the new issues become available each month, you may choose to print them for families or encourage them to visit HomeFrontMag.com to subscribe to have the magazine sent directly to their inbox. HomeFront is also available as an app for your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

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.

http://HomeFrontMag.com

bible passage: genesis 12; 15—16...

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