life point god was with jacob

Unit 2, Session 3

LIFE POINTGod is always

with you.

MISSIONS EMPHASIS

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY

LEADER BIBLE STUDY

LIVE IT OUT

PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS

STUDY THE BIBLE

Family ties were important in biblical times. God had instructed the Israelites not to intermarry with other nations and cultures that did not love Him. God knew human weakness and the tendency to wander away from Him, so He set this boundary of protection for His people.

In order to follow God’s command, Isaac sent Jacob back to Rebekah’s family so he could find a suitable wife from the clan instead of a “Canaanite girl.” By doing this, Isaac would continue the lineage, and ultimately, he would play a part in fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham to be a great nation.

On Jacob’s way to find a wife, he rested in Bethel. Using a stone for a pillow, he fell asleep and dreamed of angels ascending and descending a stairway to heaven. In his dream the Lord stood beside him and assured him that what He (God) had promised Abraham would surely come to pass. God also promised to be with Jacob and to watch over him wherever he went.

When Jacob woke up, he marked the special place with a stone, anointed it with oil, and named it Bethel, which is “house of God.” Jacob was so awestruck by his encounter with God that he claimed the spot was the gate to heaven.

Do you have a special spot where you pray, read your Bible, and spend time with God? If you do not have a place set aside, consider going outdoors or finding a chair in a secluded spot in your house. Set your calendar to alert you at a scheduled time each day to spend time in prayer and Bible reading.

How can you help the boys and girls in your group better understand that God is everywhere and always with them? Encourage them to set aside time each day to pray. Preschoolers can open their Bibles and see pictures or look for words that help them remember the special stories they have learned about God.

GOD WAS WITH JACOB

LEVEL OF BIBLICAL LEARNINGGod loves people and is with them.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCEGenesis 28

WEEKLY VERSEGod is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

UNIT VERSEI am your God. Psalm 50:7

SUGGESTED FOR THE WEEK OFOctober 17

Additional training for Bible Studies for Life: Kids is available at ministrygrid.com/biblestudiesforlife.34 U N I T 2 , S E S S I O N 3

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© 2021 Lifeway

› Pack Items 14, 24, 28: “Weekly Verses,” “Unit 2 Poster and Add-ons” (Session 3), “Movement Cube”

› Teaching Pictures 5, 6, 7

› Music

› Videos

› Bible, people figures (4 men, 2 women), electronic tablet, tape or clothespin

› Place the Bible marker at Joshua 1:9. Download a map or geography app on the tablet.

GOD WAS WITH JACOBSUGGESTED TIME SCHEDULE

TRANSITION/GROUP TIME

BIBLE-LEARNING ACTIVITIES

GROUP TIME

BIBLE STORY

» Meet Jacob’s family. Gather preschoolers. Use prior weeks’ Teaching Pictures and the people figures to review Jacob’s grandparents, Abraham and Sarah, who God told to move to a new land. Recall that Jacob’s parents, Isaac and Rebekah, met because Rebekah gave water to the family’s camels. Mention that Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons and named them Esau and Jacob. » Introduce the Bible story. Tell children that when Jacob grew up, he went on a trip by himself where God gave a message to Jacob in an unusual way. » Tell the Bible story. Open the Bible and tell children that today’s story is found in the very first book of the Bible, Genesis. Tell the story.

GOD WAS WITH JACOB—Based on Genesis 28

Jacob was going on a trip to visit his uncle, Laban. Jacob had walked all day. He was tired. Jacob found a place to stop and rest for the night. He found a smooth stone to use as a pillow.

As Jacob slept, he had a dream. In his dream, Jacob saw a stairway. The stairway reached from earth up to heaven. Jacob saw angels going up and down the stairway. Jacob heard God speak to him.

God said, “I am God. I will give you this land where you are lying. You and your children will have this land.”

Jacob felt afraid when he woke up. He wondered what his dream meant. He knew that God would be with him and help him. He knew that God would help him have food to eat and clothes to wear.

Jacob took the stone that he had used for a pillow and set it in a special place. The stone would help Jacob remember where God had talked to him. Then Jacob thanked God.

» Review the Bible story. Show today’s Teaching Picture. Say the Life Point and choose a child to a�x the add-on to the poster. Toss the cube and focus on the rest, climb, and listen spaces. Recall where Jacob rested, who climbed the stairway, and what God said when Jacob listened. » Look at the land. Open the app and show what the earth looks like from above. Point out deserts, farmland, and oceans. Tell children that God promised to give Jacob the land where he was sleeping. » Learn the Bible verse. Open the Bible to the Weekly Verse and read it. Remark that God promised to be with us wherever we go. » Sing and pray. Sing “God Shows His Goodness” together. Voice a prayer and thank God that He is always with us. » Wrap it up. Show the “God Was with Jacob” video.

Decide when to have group time;

then select learning activities to use before

and/or after group time.

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© 2021 Lifeway

SUGGESTED TIME SCHEDULE

TRANSITION/GROUP TIME

BIBLE-LEARNING ACTIVITIES

GROUP TIME

BIBLE STORY

› Kids Activity Page

› Printables: “Allergy Alert”

› Music

› Bible, pretzel rods, pretzel sticks, processed cheese spread, cra� sticks, paper plates, napkins, hand sanitizer

› Pack Item 33: “Daytime and Nigh�ime Cards”

› Bible, large grocery bag, daytime and nigh�ime items (night-light, toothbrush, lunch box, sunglasses, pajamas, flashlight, ball, etc.)

› Pack Item 14: “Weekly Verses”

› Bible, large smooth stones, newspaper, paintbrushes, paint, paper plates, wipes, smocks

Option: Rather than paint, children can decorate rocks with markers.

› Pack Item 32: “Ladders and Stairs”

› Teaching Picture 7

› Bible, blocks, tape, boxes, scissors

MAKE A LADDER SNACKMark the Bible with the Activity Page at Genesis 28. Post the Allergy Alert.

» Play “Autumn Medley” as children complete the Kids Activity Page. Open the Bible and show the place where we find today’s story. » Mention that when Jacob slept, he dreamed there were angels moving from heaven to earth up and down a stairway. » Lead children to wash or sanitize their hands. Invite children to build a stairway snack. Give each child pretzel rods and sticks, some cheese spread, and a craft stick. Use craft sticks to apply cheese to help the pretzels stay together. Build a ladder-like structure. » Say the Life Point several times as children enjoy a snack. (Nature)

SHOW AND TELL Separate the cards and place them with the other items in the bag.

» Invite a child to remove an item from the bag. Talk about whether the item is typically used during the day or after dark. Ask a child to demonstrate how a few of the items are used. » Comment that when Jacob slept, God talked to him in a dream and promised to be with Jacob everywhere he went. » Open the Bible to today’s verse and remark that God is always with us. » Older preschoolers can sort cards and items into separate piles of nighttime and daytime items. (Dramatic Play)

PAINT STONESCover a table with newspaper. Mark today’s verse in the Bible.

» Squeeze paint onto plates. Guide a child to dip a brush into the paint and decorate a stone. Use wipes for cleanup. » Mention that when Jacob was traveling, he stopped for the night and used a stone as a pillow. Remark that the next morning, Jacob set the stone in a special place to remember the words God told him. » Open a Bible and show a child the page where today’s verse is found. Comment that God loves people and is with them. (Art)

BUILD WITH LADDERS AND STAIRSCut out and attach stairs and ladders to blocks with tape.

» Encourage boys and girls to build stairs with blocks. Add boxes to give structures height. » Suggest boys and girls construct several levels, using the ladders and stairs to connect them. » Point to Jacob in today’s Teaching Picture and recall the Bible story. Tell children that in Jacob’s dream, angels moved up and down the stairway from heaven to earth and back again.

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© 2021 Lifeway

LIFE POINT God is always with you.

› Pack Items 25, 26: “Travel Gameboard,” “Travel Game Cards”

› Printables: “Allergy Alert”

› Bible, 3 shoe box-size plastic tubs, dried black beans, co�on balls, water, transportation toys, basket, 4 game tokens

› Printables: “Unit 2 Missions,” “Neighborhood Rock Project”

› Bible, smooth stones, permanent marker (teacher use), construction paper

› Pack Item 29: “Book: Did You Know?”

› Printables: “God Was with Jacob” Coloring Page

› Bible, crayons, large rock or stone

Closely supervise preschoolers’ interactions with the large rock or stone.

» Open the Bible to Joshua 1:9 and point to today’s verse. Read it and ask a child to repeat it. » Say a brief prayer, thanking God for always being with us. (Blocks)

EXPLORE TRAVELFill one tub half full of dried beans, another with cotton balls, and the third with water. Place vehicles in the basket. Post the Allergy Alert.

» Guide a child to choose a vehicle and place it in the tub that best represents whether it travels on the ground, in the air, or on the water. » Talk about the kinds of vehicles someone would use when taking a trip. Remark that on Jacob’s trip, he walked. One night while he slept, God told Jacob that He would be with him and would always help him. Many years later God helped all of us by sending His Son, Jesus, to earth. Jesus was born into Jacob’s family. » Find today’s verse in the Bible and read it. Remark how wonderful it is to know that God is with you wherever you go. » O�er the travel board game. Say the Life Point several times as preschoolers play. (Games)

ARRANGE ROCKSPrint each word of today’s verse onto a smooth rock. Print the full verse on a large piece of construction paper.

» Open a Bible to today’s verse and read it. Display a copy of the verse. » Guide preschoolers to arrange stones to discover the verse. Read it again. » Show the missions pictures. Talk about ways missionaries help people. » Talk about a project that children can do with their families. Show the project printable and remark that families can help people know that God loves them and is with them. » Send the informational page home with children. (Books)

TALK ABOUT SLEEP » Read the book to the group. Color the page and talk about sleep. » Recall that when Jacob traveled, he slept outdoors. Invite a child to carefully lay his head on the rock pillow and consider how it would feel to sleep like that all night. » Open a Bible to the Unit Verse and read it. Mention that God showed Jacob that He is God.

CLEAN UP » Remind preschoolers as they put things away that God is always with them.

B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 3 s – P R E - K 37


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life point god was with jacob

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