Kids (3Rd-6Th) #1-3

LESSON KIDS (3RD-6TH) #1-3

SAMPLE DISPLAY COPY

Narrative Lectionary

Teaching Kids God’s Story KIDS (3RD-6TH) Teacher’s Guide Publisher Gregory Rawn

Editors

Kari Osmek Layout Cynthia Fairman Paulson Nance Keyes Elaine Seekon

Illustrators Writers Amanda Wolfe Ann Schwarz Rev. Tom Pairan Anne Tews Schwab Beth Cox Kara Smith-Laubenstein Kari Osmek Renae Boehmer Rev. Sarah Nye Victoria Hoppes

Graphic Designers Nicholas McDougal Benjamin Borter

All rights reserved. No part of this curriculum may be used or reproduced in any other manner whatsoever without written permission. For information, contact Spirit and Truth Publishing at www.SpiritAndTruthPublishing.com.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Sunday, September 23, 2018

Lesson #1-3 rd th 3 -6 Genesis 39:1-23

Key Verse: But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love. Genesis 39:21a

The Point: God's presence and goodness bring hope and new possibilities.

Making Connections: God’s Promises Bring Hope

Bible Nuts & Bolts: Bible Citations

Spiritual Practice: Worship

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

 Paper bag Set up your students for a false accusation like Joseph.

 Bibles  Large magnifying glass Learning to read Bible citations.  White board or mural paper  Marker

 Activity Sheet #1-3.A  Highlighters Act out some of Joseph’s struggles as a slave.

 Paper  Crayons or pencils Praise God for being with us in difficult times.  Optional: battery-operated tea lights

 Short book on Nelson Mandela or another public figure Compare the life of a modern-day hero with  Optional: Internet-connected device(s) Joseph’s story.

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

 Whiteboard or large sheet of paper  Marker God can use everyone to bless the world.

 Card stock or construction paper  Pens or pencils Create thank you cards for those who bless our  Markers lives.

 Bible Book page (found at end of lesson)  Cardstock or plain paper Optional ongoing activity.  Pens  Markers or crayons  Optional: three-ring binders, hole punch

 None

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

Making Connections The Point As with Noah and Abram, we find another biblical God's presence and goodness bring hope and patriarch in difficult circumstances. The arc of new possibilities. these stories is not the difficulty that these God will be with us even when things are difficult. believers faced, but God’s continued presence and Like Joseph, we have been given the promise and assurance that God is with them in the midst of assurance of God’s continual, loving presence in our these challenges. Through it all, Joseph remained lives. God’s love and favor toward us does not shield faithful to God and God remained faithful to us from difficult situations, just as they did not shield Joseph. Joseph from suffering. However, God’s promise of Emmanuel (Matthew 1:23; 28:20) can give us comfort Story Summary: and hope through the most difficult of Joseph’s Hope circumstances.

In Joseph, we meet a man who is talented, hard working, honest, and no stranger to hard times. Bible Nuts and Bolts: We learn from Joseph how to handle suffering and Bible Citations hardship. The Bible is unlike any other book, and navigating through the books and chapters takes practice. While Potiphar noticed that God’s favor was upon the Bible can certainly be read as an on-going story, Joseph. Because of Joseph’s skill and God’s favor, being able to find and study specific passages requires Potiphar made Joseph his household manager, in knowledge of Bible citations, and understanding of charge of every aspect of his household. The the notation of chapter and verse. writer of Genesis makes it clear that God was responsible for Joseph’s success. However, despite Spiritual Practice: Worship God’s favor and Joseph’s integrity, Joseph God continues to be with God’s people, even in suffered false accusations and imprisonment. difficult and challenging times. As we consider our own lives, we will also see God’s pattern of presence. God’s continual, loving presence was manifest in Reflecting on these moments brings us to worship Joseph’s success with both Potiphar and the and praise God for his unfailing support. Egyptian jailer. Joseph, for his part, did not give in to despair or self-pity, but worked with integrity on the tasks given to him.

Joseph goes through some very trying and difficult times in his life, but he never goes through them alone. God is with Joseph every step of the way, from the bottom of the well, to Potiphar’s house, to his escape from Potiphar’s wife and his imprisonment in the king’s jail. We see in this story that God’s love for Joseph never wavers, no matter his location or station in life. God’s love for us is just as strong and unwavering.

Lesson #3-1 (3rd-6th)  September 23, 2018

Set up your students for a false accusation like Joseph

You will need:  Paper bag

Before class: 1. Decide on what object you will pretend is in the paper bag. 2. Open the paper bag and then fold or crumple the top so it appears at first glance to be full. 3. Set the bag in the middle of the classroom where all students can see it, but do not let any student touch it.

During class: 1. Good morning, it is good to see all of you! I am really excited to share something with you this morning. Let me just get it; I put it right over here. Make a big deal of opening up and pretending to dump the contents of the bag on the table in front of the students. Look shocked and angry when you notice the bag was empty. Wait a second. It is not there! I brought a ______to class for us to share, but now it is gone! 2. Accuse all of the students of taking the missing object(s). Why did you steal it? I know you took it. I am going to go get (the pastor, the police, etc.) and get you all thrown in jail! 3. Pause, and then say: Do you want to know a secret? Nothing is actually missing. But how did you feel when I accused you of something that you did not really do? [Nervous, angry, scared, confused.] In today’s story we will meet Joseph, and he was falsely accused of something, too.

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

Learning to read Bible citations.

You will need:  Bibles  Large magnifying glass  White board or mural paper  Marker

During class: 1. All of our stories come from God’s word, the Bible. In most Bibles, there are special numbers that help us to find parts of the stories that we want to find. But how do we know what these numbers mean and how they work? Take out magnifying glass. We are going to solve this mystery together! 2. The numbers in the Bible are called “citations”. Let’s all say that together. [Citations.] 3. Hand out NRSV Bibles. Let’s open these Bibles and do some detective work. They are a little different than the ones that we usually use. Make a big deal of going around to student’s Bibles and exclaiming, “Oh, there are some!” and “You have some too!” and “Look here! This is what we are looking for!” 4. Your Bibles are FULL of citations! Let’s look for them together. Open your Bible up to any page and look for a title, or name of the book that you are in. Help students find the title, and invite some to read them out loud. Next, look on your page for a big number. That number is the chapter. Help students find a chapter number. Finally, a small number is the verse number. Do you see a small number? 5. When we study the Bible, we use these numbers to make sure that we are all on the same part and reading the same story. Close these Bibles again, and we will try it. Write the following on the white board or mural paper as you speak: 6. First, let’s find the book of Genesis. Write “Genesis” on the board or mural paper. That is where our stories of Noah and Abram and even Joseph come from. 7. Then, let’s page through this book until we find the big number 39. Write “39” on the board. That means we are reading in chapter 39.

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

8. Finally, let’s find verse 21 together. Write “21” on the board or mural paper. Twenty- one is the number of the verse that we are looking for. It is the little number. 9. Now we should all be in the same place. Let’s read our key verse together: But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love. 10. We have cracked our Bible code! Good job, everyone.

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

Act out some of Joseph’s struggles as a slave.

You will need:  Activity Sheet #1-3.A  Highlighters

Before class: 1. Make copies of Activity Sheet #1-3.A for each student. 2. Prepare the classroom space so there is an acting space for five students and, if your class has more than five students, a place for the “audience” to sit and watch.

During class: 1. Hand out copies of the skit to the students and give highlighters to the five actors. Have the actors highlight their parts. 2. Invite the actor portraying Joseph to stand in the middle of the acting space with the other actors off stage nearby. Encourage the actors to read their parts with feeling and enthusiasm. 3. After the skit is concluded, ask the following questions: a. How do you think Joseph felt when his brothers sold him as a slave? [Angry, scared, betrayed, lonely.] b. What kind of things do you think Joseph did while he was in Potiphar’s house? [He took care of Potiphar’s meals, got food collected from Potiphar’s fields, took care of Potiphar’s animals.] c. Why was Joseph so successful in the things he did? [God blessed him and made him successful.] d. Potiphar’s wife wanted him to do something wrong. How did Joseph respond? [He told her he would not betray Potiphar’s trust or sin against God, and then he ran away.] e. How do you think Joseph felt about being put in prison for something he did not do? [He probably was mad, frustrated, depressed.] f. How did Joseph know that God was with him even when he was a slave and a prisoner? [Everything Joseph did was successful. God made good things happen for Joseph in these bad situations.]

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

g. How do you think Joseph felt about being given special responsibilities by Potiphar and the prison warden? [He felt good about himself. He was grateful to God for blessing him. He felt honored to have special jobs that normally would not be given to people in his situation.] h. How would you feel if the events of Joseph’s life happened to you? [Answers will vary.] i. Have you ever felt or known that God was with you and loved you no matter what? What happened? How did it feel? [Answers will vary.]

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

Praise God for being with us in difficult times.

You will need:  Paper  Crayons or pencils  Optional: battery-operated tea lights

During class: 1. We have heard stories about Noah, Abram, and Joseph. Briefly talk through and review each story with the students. 2. We learned from the story today that God is always with us, even when things get scary. Joseph went through some very scary and hard times. But God was with him the whole time! 3. Sometimes it can be hard to remember that God is with us when we are afraid. But Noah, Abram, and Joseph never lost their faith in God, even when times were difficult. We know that because their stories are written in the Bible for us to read and hear over and over. 4. What if someone wrote your story in the Bible? When in your life has God helped you through a hard time? On your paper, write or draw a picture of a hard time when God was with you. 5. Allow students time to write or draw. 6. It is easy to remember to praise and worship God when things are going well, but it can be more difficult to remember to worship God when we are going through hard or scary times. To help us remember, we are going to use your drawings to tell our own faith stories. 7. We will go around our circle, and you will show your drawing and read or tell your story about a time when God was with you. When you are done, we will all respond by saying, “Thank you, God, for always being with us.” 8. Give everyone a chance to speak, being sensitive to those who do not want to share. 9. Optional: as each person finishes sharing, light a battery-operated tea light and place it in front of them. Close with the following: God, thank you for making our darkest times light. Thank you for being with us always. Help us to share your light with others who are in darkness. Amen.

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

Compare the life of a modern-day hero with Joseph’s story.

You will need:  Short book on Nelson Mandela or another public figure: Who is Nelson Mandela? by Meg Belviso and Pamela D. Pollack; Nelson Mandela (Trailblazers of the Modern World) by Gini Holland; Peaceful Protest: The Life of Nelson Mandela by Yona Zeldis McDonough and Malcah Zeldis  Optional: Internet-connected device(s)

Before class: 1. Select and read one of the books.

During class: 1. Today God is working in our lives even if the situation looks bleak. Let’s learn about a man who faced many difficult times in his life, like Joseph. And like Joseph, he was a prisoner. But God was always with him, taking care of him and turning the bad situations into something good. That man’s name is Nelson Mandela. 2. Read the book or allow students to do an Internet search to learn about Mandela. 3. What are some bad things that Nelson Mandela experienced in his life? What are some good things that he experienced? How was Mandela’s life similar to the story of Joseph? How was it different?

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

God can use everyone to bless the world.

You will need:  Whiteboard or large sheet of paper  Marker

During class: 1. In today’s story, we learned that God blessed Joseph and everything Joseph did to bless everyone. God can use everyone, even people we might not think of as important or successful. Look at Joseph; he was both a slave and a prisoner. But God was with him, and so Joseph was able to do great things. Let’s think about some different jobs and ways that God might use people in those jobs to do great things. 2. Have students brainstorm different jobs or types of people and write the ideas on the whiteboard or paper. Examples may be a prisoner, a banker, a business person, a custodian, a mom, a dad, a teacher, a fast food employee, a brother or sister, a homeless person, someone with disabilities, etc. 3. Go through the list the class brainstormed and ask: How can God bless others through this person? Allow students’ creative answers, asking clarifying questions as necessary. Only correct students if they say something offensive. End the conversation with the question: How can God bless others through you?

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

Create thank you cards for those who bless our lives.

You will need:  Card stock or construction paper  Pens or pencils  Markers

During class: 1. There are so many people who bless our lives! Who has blessed your life? How have they been a blessing? Allow students to share answers. If you did the above activity, Who Can God Use, refer back to that list as well. 2. Sometimes people do not even know that their actions have been a blessing to someone else. We are going to take a few minutes to create some thank you cards for these special people who have blessed our lives. 3. Encourage the students to distribute the completed cards themselves, or collect them to be distributed.

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

Optional ongoing activity.

You will need:  Bible Book page (found at end of lesson)  Cardstock or plain paper  Pens  Markers or crayons  Optional: three-ring binders, hole punch

Before class: 1. Make copies of this week’s Bible Book page on cardstock or copy paper for each student.

During class: 1. Hand out Bible Book pages. 2. What are some of the important things we have learned from today’s story? [Answers will vary.] 3. On the bottom of your page, please write one or two important things that you have learned from the story today. In the middle of the page, draw a picture from the story or illustrate one of the important things you’ve learned. Don’t forget to put your name on the back of the page, please! 4. Optional: Collect and three-hole punch the pages, and put them in individual binders for each student to be kept at church until the end of the year. If you wish, you can investigate other options for binding the Bible books through a local print shop at the end of the year instead of using a three-ring binder.

Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th) September 23, 2018

Ever-present God, You have promised to always be with us. We thank you for your love and care for us. You can take any situation we are in and make something good come from it, like you did for Joseph. Help us to be patient and hopeful when our circumstances seem bad. Help us to remember how much you love us, and give us your peace. Amen.

Activity Sheet #1-3.A Lesson #1-3 (3rd-6th)  September 23, 2018

Act out some of Joseph’s struggles as a slave. Characters:

Joseph Guard (non-speaking)

Potiphar Warden

Potiphar’s wife

Scene: Joseph is alone on stage pretending to dig a hole. All other characters begin off stage.

Joseph: (Stops, wipes sweat off his forehead, and faces the audience.) Let me ask you a question. Do you remember Abram and Sarai, later known as Abraham and Sarah? I’m sure you do! They were an old man with an old wife to whom God promised the blessings of a huge family and lots of land. Well, guess what? Sarah and Abraham did have a child, a son named of Isaac. And Isaac is my grandfather! And all those children that God promised Abram? Well, there are plenty of kids now! I’ve got eleven brothers and one sister. It can be hard being in a big family, especially when everyone is jealous of you. You see my dad, Jacob, has always seen me as his favorite son. That’s great and all, but it makes my brothers pretty mad at me. Dad gave me a special coat and my brothers were jealous. Then, I told them all about these dreams I was having, where my whole family was bowing down to me. That didn’t help. My brothers were so mad at me that they threw me down a well. Did I mention that there are eleven of them, and they’re all bigger than me? Good news though: they didn’t kill me. Bad news: they sold me to slave traders headed to Egypt. So that’s how I got here and became the slave of a guy named Potiphar, an important guy in Egypt. I don’t see how my dreams can come true now!

(Joseph begins to dig again. Potiphar walks over to Joseph.)

Potiphar: Joseph, you’ve been my slave for some time now. I see you are such a smart and hard-working man. I’ve never known a slave as talented as you before.

Joseph: Thank you, sir, but I only have the talents I do because my God has blessed me.

Potiphar: Everything you touch grows and increases and becomes more fabulous! You are so great at everything you do; I’ll make you my household manager. You’ll be in charge of everything – my fields, my herds, my kitchen, my everything! I know everything in my household will be successful because God will bless everything you do. (Potiphar walks Joseph over to the house, then leaves.)

Joseph: (To the audience) All of Potiphar’s predictions came true. God has blessed me and made everything I do become successful. The crops are plentiful, the warehouse is full of food, and dinner parties for the Pharaoh’s court are more exciting than ever. But Potiphar’s wife just won’t leave me alone.

Potiphar’s wife: (Walks over to Joseph and grabs his arm.) Joseph, you are handsome and clever. I want you to kiss me. (She closes her eyes and puckers her lips.)

Act out some of Joseph’s struggles as a slave. Joseph: (Horrified, he pulls away.) Potiphar put me in charge of everything he owns because he trusts me! I could never betray his trust or sin against God! You have to stop asking me this!

Potiphar’s wife: (Putting her hands on his shoulders.) I’ve sent all the servants away; no one will know what we do today. (She closes her eyes and leans forward to kiss Joseph. Joseph escapes and runs off stage.) Wait! Don’t run away! Come back, Joseph! Umm….HELP! (She lays down on the ground and grabs her head as if she’s hurt.) Help, someone help me! That Hebrew slave attacked me!

Potiphar: (Runs to his wife) What are you yelling about, my dear?

Potiphar’s wife: (Faking being in pain.) That slave of yours, Joseph, tried to attack me.

Potiphar: Guard! (Guard runs onstage.) Have my slave Joseph thrown in prison!

(The guard runs offstage after Joseph. Potiphar and his wife walk offstage in the other direction. Joseph runs back on stage, but is caught by the guard. The guard pretends to handcuff Joseph and leads him to jail. He throws Joseph into a pretend jail cell and locks the door. The guard leaves. Joseph sits on the floor hugging his knees.)

Joseph: First a slave and now a prisoner! I thought things were going well, and now this!

Warden: (Coming onstage, acting gruff) Hey, you! (Joseph looks up.) Yeah, you. I have some work for you. (Joseph gets on his hands and knees and starts scrubbing. Warden leaves.)

(Warden returns.)

Warden: (Happily) Hey, this place has never looked so good! We just had an…uh, unfortunate vacancy in prison management. I think you’ll be perfect for the job!

Joseph: Prison management? (Gives fake smile.) Great, I’ll get right on that. (Warden leaves.) (Joseph looks up.) Uh, God? I don’t know what your plan is, and I still don’t know how that dream is going to come true. I’d have to be like Pharaoh, and I don’t see how that would happen. But, at least you’re with me, no matter what happens. So I’ll keep trusting you. (Scene ends.)

Genesis 39:1-23

3rd-6th

Living the Word: Teaching Kids God’s Story Lesson #3-1 Narrative Lectionary, Year 1 (2017-2018) Genesis 39:1-23

Last week, another individual was given a divine command and promise. Like Noah, Abram follows the Lord’s command and becomes a part of God’s saving activity on earth.

This week, Joseph is thrown into great peril as his brothers sell him into slavery. The promise to bless the world through Abram’s family is threatened.

Potiphar noticed that God’s favor was upon Joseph. Because of Joseph’s skill and God’s favor, Potiphar made Joseph his household manager, in charge of God's presence and goodness bring hope and new every aspect of his household. The writer of Genesis possibilities. makes it clear that God was responsible for Joseph’s success. However, despite God’s favor and Joseph’s integrity, Joseph suffered false accusations and imprisonment. We see in this story that God’s love for Joseph never wavers, no matter his location or station in life. God’s love for us is just as strong and unwavering.

God continues to be with God’s people, even in Bible Citations difficult and challenging times. As we consider our The Bible is unlike any other book, and navigating own lives, we will also see God’s pattern of presence. through the books and chapters takes practice. While Reflecting on these moments brings us to worship the Bible can certainly be read as an on-going story, and praise God for his unfailing support. Share with being able to find and study specific passages each other a time that was difficult for you, but requires knowledge of Bible citations, and where God was with you. Thank God for supporting understanding of the notation of chapter and verse. you through challenges.

Joseph’s career in Egypt will ultimately bring about his family’s reunion and salvation. God’s providential plan led them into Egypt and will lead them out

© 2013-2018 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights Reserved @ HOME Lesson #3-1 Genesis 39:1-23 Family Discussions Use the questions below or other questions you think of to discuss today’s Scripture reading (listed above) with your family.  In what way does this text speak to our theme of trusting in God’s promises?  What does this scripture have to do with our lives today?  What part of this scripture is the most interesting to you? Why?

Family Devotions As you hear and study these stories each week, consider what God has to say to you and your family. What is God’s message to us? How should we respond?

Sunday—Read Genesis 39:1-23 Joseph’s hope. Tell each other about a difficult time and how you knew that God was with you. Monday—Read Genesis 41:1-13 Pharaoh’s dream. Pharaoh was frustrated by his dream. Talk about a time you were frustrated. Tuesday—Read Genesis 41:14-45 Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream. Pray that God will bless many people this week. Wednesday—Read Genesis 47:1-12 Jacob and his sons come to Egypt. Look online for examples of modern-day refugees. Pray for their safety. Thursday—Read Exodus 1:8-14 Slavery in Egypt. Pray together for people who are kept in difficult situations by their circumstances. Friday—Read Exodus 3:1-17 Words of liberation from the bush. Go outside and see if any of your shrubbery is speaking. In what ways do you hear God?

Saturday—Read Exodus 5:1-9 Let my people go. Try to sweep your room without a broom. Thank God for giving us the ability to do what God wants us to do.