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God is Immutable

Bible PointGod never changes.

Bible Story David and Absalom2 Samuel 15:1-23; 18

Bible VerseGod does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17b (NLT)

OverviewGod is immutable, meaning He does not change. Although God changes relationships in time, His essence will never change. We can always rely on Him to love us and to keep His promises to us.

Lesson 8

Lesson 8

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Dr. BeakerSupplies:

Costume for Dr. Beaker �

Good day! All is going well in my laboratory this morning. I am hoping that this will not change. I am hoping that there will be no messes today. We have started the morning with no messes and I would like to finish the day with no messes. Right? No messes. No changes! Speaking of changing, did you know that God does not change. You can always count on Him because He stays the same. He will always love you. He will always be fair. He will always be powerful. Those things will never change with God. What did I just hear? Did you hear that? Oh, no. I believe I heard an accident in my lab! I must go and investigate. I think that things have changed in my lab. (Puts hand on head in frustration.) But remember, God never changes.

Dr. Beaker’s LabWhite Powder

Supplies:Ground-up white chalk �Powdered sugar �Two glasses of water �Two spoons �

Mix each of the powders in a glass of water. Before you mix the powder in each glass of water, have the kids guess if the water will change the powder or not. The chalk will not change. The chalk will not mix in. Some things change just like one of the white powders changed when it dissolved in the water. But the chalk did not change.

God will not change on you. He will always be the same.

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Goop Supplies:

Box of cornstarch �Water �Cookie sheet with sides �Bowl �Spoon �Small plastic toy �

**Warning: When you have completed this experiment, do NOT pour goop down the drain. Throw it in the trash. It will clog the drain pipes. Pour the whole box of cornstarch into the bowl. Slowly add ¼ cup of water at a time. Stir. Keep adding water until the mixture has the consistency of honey. Stirring will become difficult. You may need to use your hands. Ask a child to put his hand in and move it quickly. Is it possible? Pick up some of the goop in your spoon and pour it into the bowl. Does this look like a liquid? That means something that you can pour like water or juice? Pour some of the goop into the cookie sheet.

If it is a liquid, when you slap it with your hand, it should splatter all over the place. Do you think if I slap this with my hand, it will make a mess? Slap it. If you have done the experiment correctly, it will not splatter; it will act like a solid.

It did not make a mess at all. That is strange. If I hit a pan of water, would it splash? Yes, it would. Drop the small toy into the goop. Ask a child to get it out. It should be relatively hard to pull it out. The goop sometimes acts like a liquid. You can pour it. But it also acts like it is not a liquid because it does not splatter and it feels dry. You are not really sure what to expect out of the goop. It changes.

God is not like this. You can count on Him. He does not change.

Lesson 8

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Bible StoryDavid and Absalom2 Samuel 15:1-23 Supplies:

Crown � Do you remember that when David was young God told Samuel that David would one day be king? All during David’s life, God showed his love to him. He was always with him. He protected him. He guided him. And one day he made him king. But while David was king, someone wanted to change that. Someone else wanted to be king. (Place the crown on the child’s head.) We are going to pretend that you are David. You are the king. You are the king because God said that you would be the king. Can you give me your best kingly look? Wonderful! We will have you sit on a chair for your throne where you can rule over the country. But remember that God is in control. You will rely on God to lead you as you are king.

Who do you think wanted to be king? It was David’s son. His name was Absalom. Would someone like to pretend to be Absalom? (Have a child stand up beside the throne.) Do you think that Absalom could just take the crown off David’s head and be king? No, he had to get the people to follow him. But all the people were being lead by David. (Have the children stand in front of King David.) Absalom started talking to the people and getting them to be on his side. He made the people think they would be happier if they followed him. (Have the children one by one start moving toward Absalom’s side until half of them are standing in front of him.) After he had gathered many people around him, Absalom decided to go to Jerusalem and take the crown from his father King David. He took his followers and they went on a trip to Jerusalem. (Have Absalom walk around the room with his followers behind him as if they are traveling on a trip.) When King David heard that Absalom was coming, He took his followers and left the city. (Have King David get up and walk a different direction with his followers going behind him.) Absalom arrived in Jerusalem. (Have Absalom and his followers come to the throne.) King David was no longer there. So Absalom decided to leave the city and try to catch King David. (Have Absalom and his followers walk toward King David.)

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You will never believe what happened. Absalom was riding on a horse and rode under a low tree and his head got caught in a tree. He could not move. He could not chase after King David. (Use your discretion at this point if the children ask what happened to Absalom. Simply saying “He died” may be sufficient.) King David was still king. That did not change. It did not change just because his son wanted it to. God had decided that David would be king and that would not change. God’s love for King David also never changed. God’s love for you never changes. We can trust God. He will always love us.

PrayerThank Jesus for never changing and for always loving us. Thank Him for the fact that we can always depend on Him.

Lab TimeSensory Box

Supplies:Two shoe boxes �Fist-sized rock �Fist-sized Play-Doh® �

Preparation: Cut a hole in the end of each shoe box large enough for a child to put his hand through. Place the rock in one box and the Play-Doh® in the other box.

Have the children take turns putting their hands in each box.

Which one contained something that would not change when you felt it? What do you think it was? Which one contained something that changed when you felt it? What do you think it was?

After all the children have had an opportunity to feel the items, open the lids and show the contents.

Do you think God is more like a rock or more like Play-Doh®? He is more like a rock. He does not change.

Lesson 8

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Individual Goop

Supplies:Zipper baggies �Goop recipe from lab demonstration �

Have the children make the goop. Remind them that the goop changes depending on what you do with it. Ask them if God is like that, does He change on us? Place the goop into Zipper bags to take home to play with later.

Circle TimeHave the children sit in a circle. Go around the circle and have the children name something that changes. For instance they could say “The weather changes.” Or “Sometimes my friends change and they are not nice to me.” Then, have them name something about God that will not change. For instance, “God will always love me.”

Snack

Quicksand Pudding

Supplies:Small plastic cups �Prepared vanilla pudding �Graham crackers �Zipper baggies �Spoons �

Spoon the vanilla pudding into each cup about ¾ full. Give each child a graham cracker and a zipper bag. Have the children place the crackers into their bags and then crush them until they have the appearance of sand. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs onto the pudding.

This pudding looks like quicksand. Have you ever heard of quicksand? It looks like regular sand that you can walk on. However, if you try to walk on it, you will start sinking in it. It changes on you!

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CraftMirror Image Picture Supplies:

White paper �Popsicle stick �Paint �Newspaper to protect work space �

Cover the work space with the newspaper. Fold the sheet of paper in half. Open the paper and lay it flat on the work space. Use the stick to dribble paint along the fold on one side of the paper only. Fold the paper in half and smooth it with your hands. Open the paper. Let it dry. Each side of the paper is the same. It reminds us of God, who is always the same. We can always depend on Him because He will always do what He says. He will always loves us. That will never change. He will always be just. He is always faithful. All the things we have learned about Him will never change.

He is our friend. But He is not like a friend that might like us one day but not the next. He will always love us.

GameShadows

Supplies:Lamp or projector �

Position the lamp or projector to shine on an empty wall or other large empty space. Give the kids time to play around making shadows. Encourage them to try to make their shadows change by moving them in different directions. Explain to the children that the shadows that they made shifted, or moved. Discuss how God is not like shifting shadows. God remains the same.

Lesson 8

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Activity PageCopy the “King David’s Crown” activity page for each child. Have them draw jewels on the crown and color it.

Creative PlayTo Be King

Supplies:None �

Take turns pretending to be King David. Sit on the throne and wear the crown. Go on a “trip” around the room with the children all following. Continue until all the children have played the part of the king.

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Lesson 8

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TogetherTime

Bible PassageKing David and Absalom

2 Samuel 15:1-23;18

Bible PointGod

never changes.

Bible Verse:God does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17b (NLT)

Discussion

Discuss how each family member has �changed.

Discuss what things you need to �change to be more like Jesus.

Why do you think that God does not �need to change? (He is already per-fect.)

Family Fun

Get out baby albums. Look at pictures of each family member and talk about how

each one has changed.

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Teaching NeedsDr. Beaker:Costume for Dr. Beaker

Dr. Beaker’s Lab:White powder:Ground-up white chalk Powdered sugar Two glasses of water Two spoonsGoop:Box of cornstarch Water Cookie sheet with sides Bowl Spoon Small plastic toy

Bible Story:Crown (from lesson 2)

Lab Time:Sensory box:Two shoe boxes Fist-sized rock Fist-sized Play-Doh® Goop:Zipper baggies Goop recipe from lab demonstration

Circle Time:None

Snack Time:Small plastic cups Prepared vanilla pudding Graham crackers Zipper baggiesSpoons

Craft:White paper Popsicle stick Paint Newspaper to protect work space

Game:Lamp or projector

Activity Page:A copy for each child

Creative Play:None

*Denotes item available in optional kit from RiversEC.com