OBJECTIVE
To teach kids that Jesus gives us victory in miraculous ways even when we least expect it.
GOD’S WORD
Joshua and the Wall of Jericho – Joshua 6:1-20
MEMORY VERSE
But let us give thanks to God! He gives us the victory because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.
1 Corinthians 15:57
| Praise | Praise You Lord – Planetshakers |
| Heart Prep | See a Victory – Elevation Worship |
| Worship | Our God – Chris Tomlin |
TEACHING SKIT
Storytelling: Building Demolition
A construction FOREMAN is supervising the demolition of an old building. She keeps getting interrupted by people asking her all kinds of things about the process. Someone suggests they can save money by shouting it down, like in the Bible.
| FOREMAN | (Talking into a walkie talkie while looking at the building, somewhere behind the audience.) Alright, back it up, back it up. Hold it! That looks right. Ok, we will begin detonation at my count. Blast off in 3, 2, 1… |
| BYSTANDER | (Suddenly walking up to Reg and talking to her, also staring up at the building) Wow! What’s happening here? |
| FOREMAN | Oh! You startled me! We’re demolishing this building to make way for a new one. Ok? (Into the walkie) Let’s do this guys, in 3, 2, 1… |
| BYSTANDER | Wait! Are you sure you’re demolishing /this/ building? It’s going to be a big mistake if you destroy the building you know. |
| FOREMAN | Sigh. Yes, I’m sure it’s the correct building. Here, look at the project order. |
| BYSTANDER | I see, I see. |
| FOREMAN | Ok? I can do my job now? Let’s set it up again people! Blast off in 3, 2, 1… |
| BYSTANDER | Ohh, you’re going to use explosives. |
| FOREMAN | Grrr. Yes! That’s the only way to demolish buildings down to the ground. |
| BYSTANDER | Because, there’s this story in the Bible that I remember, where a building was destroyed without using any explosives. |
| FOREMAN | Huh? Are you sure? That’s impossible. |
| BYSTANDER | It’s true! No dynamite or anything! |
| FOREMAN | How did they destroy the entire building? |
| BYSTANDER | It wasn’t even just a single building. I think it’s a great wall that covered an entire city. |
| FOREMAN | What?? That’s huge! How did they do it? |
| BYSTANDER | If I recall correctly, they shouted it down. |
| FOREMAN | Can you say that again? |
| BYSTANDER | They shouted and the walls came down. |
| FOREMAN | Now I know you’re just pulling my leg. |
| BYSTANDER | No, it really happened! But they didn’t just shout you know. They did other things? |
| FOREMAN | Like what other things? |
| BYSTANDER | It’s easier if I just show you. Watch this. |
| (Show the video above) | |
| FOREMAN | Oh I see. They had followed a certain set of commands from God, and then the building came down. |
| BYSTANDER | Yes! On the first 6 days, they had to march once around the city silently, and have the priests blow their trumpets. On the seventh day, they had to march around 6 times, still silently. But on the seventh time around, they had to shout as loud as they could, and then the walls fell down, and they were able to enter the city. |
| FOREMAN | That’s very interesting. Maybe I’ll propose that to my boss next time. But today, I have to finish this in time, and I don’t have seven days to march. |
| BYSTANDER | Oh well, that’s too bad, maybe next time. |
| FOREMAN | Do you want to count down with me? Let’s do this! Blast off in 3, 2, 1… Go! |
TEACHING
That was amazing! There’s something about a really big explosion that’s sort of scary and exciting at the same time. Like, did anyone here watch some fireworks over the New Year?
With those manmade fireworks, we know where the lights and the sounds and explosions came from.
But in our story today, an entire city’s walls came down just by some people marching around it and shouting.
And it didn’t come from dynamite, or bombs, or anything like that. It happened because of God.
That is what you call a miracle. Something so incredible, and hard to believe. Something that seems impossible to happen when you look it. With our human eyes and earthly senses that are so used to believing the evidence of what the world around us shows.
ˈmɪrək(ə)l – an extraordinary and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws
From Oxford
But we defy that right now, and say this, our first keypoint:
1 Believe in miracles
Regardless of what the world says, we believe that God can do miracles, far more than we can ever ask or imagine. And we believe that He can do it over and over again. For anything and everything that we can ever need in our lives.
This year, we will start it off by believing that God can do miracles in our lives. If you agree with me, give me a loud AMEN!
Close your eyes right now, and think: where do you need a miracle this year? With no one opening their eyes, raise your hand if you:
- need higher grades in school
- need to have more wisdom so you will understand your subjects
- need to do better in your extracurriculars, like sports or music, or art
- have someone at home who is sick, whom you are praying for to get better
- have someone in your family who is getting older, and needs to get stronger
- want a new baby brother or sister
- have a bully at school, or are having problems with your group of friends
- need to have more money, like you know you want your family to have more financial resources
Put your hands down. You know everyone raised their hands, at one point or another. I was raising my hand as well. Because we all need miracles.
Jesus replied, “Things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
Luke 18:27
God is a good God, and He will give us those miracles. In His timing, in His way, He will grant us what is best for every one of us. He wants us to win.
Which bring us to our second keypoint:
2 Claim the victory
This year in our church, our theme is Victory! We have won! You’re going to hear it over and over again from your parents, hopefully, and from your teachers here in Hope Kids. We have won the victory!
Before the year has even started, this is what we claiming. First, we believe in miracles. And second, we claim the victory.
Now stand up. We’re going to sing a song that will seal what we just learned in our hearts. And we’re going to sing it in a way that will make a loud sound in this room, but will make a bigger sound in heaven. Are you ready to shake the heavens right now? Let’s sing!
(Start the kids off with rhythmic stomping and clapping.)
Teaching slides here.