bible passage: genesis 25:19–34; 27 (jacob and...

God Is Lord Over All of My Life

ScheduleAnticipate

5–10 minutes

Celebrate & RespondLarge Group

35–55 minutes

Respond & BlessSmall Group

20–25 minutes

Bible Passage: Genesis 25:19–34; 27 (Jacob and Esau)

REMEMBER VERSEThe Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down

in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Psalm 23:1–3

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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: KNOWINGThis lesson highlights the environment of KNOWING in the sovereignty of God for the plans regarding the birth of Jacob and Esau and His plans for us to know Him too.

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© 2013 David C Cook

Tori FunkhouserTruStory Team

InspireThe classic hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” came from a man who understood pain. Horatio Spafford had sent his wife and four daughters ahead of him to England on a family trip. Tragically, their ship collided with another and sank in just minutes. Spafford’s wife survived, but their daughters did not.

Shortly after, Horatio sailed to meet his wife. While floating past the place where his daughters died at sea, he wrote the famous hymn. The first stanza reads:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,When sorrows like sea billows roll;Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,It is well, it is well with my soul.

In the midst of his darkest pain, Spafford acknowledged that he was at peace because of Christ. Though this first stanza addresses his grief, the others focus on Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. The third stanza reads:

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!My sin, not in part, but the whole,Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul!

God is surely the Comforter. But the even more exciting truth is that God is bigger than our situations. He is the Redeemer, the Savior, and the lover of our souls. In the midst of messy circumstances and painful relationships, even if we lose everything, God is still Lord over our lives.

N O T E S :

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EquipGod is Lord over everything and everyone who has ever existed or will ever exist. And He was Lord over Jacob and Esau, the sons of Isaac and Rebekah. In the culture in which Jacob and Esau lived, the birthright and the blessing were special privileges bestowed upon the oldest son. The birthright gave the oldest son the privilege of a double portion of the inheritance as well as the title of priest, judge, and leader of the family.

The blessing, on the other hand, was intangible and spiritual. The patriarch could speak the blessing only once because the words could not be undone. Because Isaac had spoken his blessing over Jacob instead of Esau, he had no blessing left when Esau begged him “Bless me—me too!” (Genesis 27:34)

The Old Testament biblical blessing was a prayer and public declaration intended to bestow upon the older son favored status with God. It was a sign of special favor, which was to result in prosperity and success. Culturally, there was a great deal of importance placed upon blessings and curses in the Bible that modern readers may miss.

Rebekah seemed to understand the importance of the blessing. She said she would take a curse upon herself if Isaac found out her plan to give Jacob the blessing instead of Esau. Jacob may have also understood the spiritual significance of the blessing—more so than Esau, who in despising his birthright (Genesis 25:34) also despised his spiritual heritage.

As the story of Jacob unfolds in the following chapters of Genesis, we see a young man humbled and changed by a powerful personal encounter with God and by circumstances that force him to depend on God. Through it all, God is shaping Jacob into the kind of man He wants Jacob to be.

Environment of KNOWINGWe live in a world that denies absolute truth, and yet God’s Word offers just that. As we create an environment that upholds and displays God’s truth, we give children a foundation based on the knowledge of God, His Word, and a relationship with Him through Christ.

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

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SupportIn Romans 9, Paul adds an interesting perspective to the narrative of Jacob and Esau. In verses 11–16, Paul writes, “Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—[Rebekah] was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ Just as it is written: ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.”

Paul reminds us in these verses that God is sovereign. The situation with Jacob doesn’t make sense; some of us may be furious with Jacob for his deceit and his treachery, and we may wonder why God would allow this imperfect man to benefit from God’s blessings. But Paul reminds us in Romans that God is in control and that God calls whomever He wants to call. God is merciful, and He wants us to desire Him. And let’s face it: We really can’t judge Jacob too harshly. There is a little bit of Jacob in all of us.

As you lead the kids through this lesson, remind them that God is sovereign and good. God is Lord over everything, and He is Lord of our lives—even when situations are hard, when things don’t make sense, and when relationships are hurtful. Offer your children grace as you pray over the difficult situations in their lives. Encourage parents to pray through the trials in their families together with their children.

ADAM & EVE

SUSEJ

OUR FUTURE WITH JESUS

YOU & ME

NOAH

ABRAHAM

ISAACJACOB

MOSESJOSEPH

JOSHUA

SOLOMON

JOHN THE BAPTIST

CENTURIONNICODEMUSPETERLAZARUS

PAUL

JOSEPHMARY

DAVID

TIMELINE

400Y

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OF

WA

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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.

OPTION 1: Pass It Down (for Younger Kids)• small, soft ball

OPTION 2: What Is It? (for Older Kids)• objects with various textures (cotton balls, shells,

rocks, burlap, plastic shopping bags, feathers, etc.)• paper lunch bags (1 per object)• optional: small boxes (1 per object), scissors, and

materials to decorate the boxes; paper (1 sheet per box) and pens, 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: Get in Order• Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com)• optional: upbeat music (suggestion: “Jesus Saves,”

TruWorship Sincerely Yours)

The Big God Story • Bibles (1 per child)• Timeline slide and animation (see tru.davidccook.com)• nametags (4)• marker• chair• faux fur (clothing or piece of fabric)• man’s flannel shirt• slides of words describing God

(see tru.davidccook.com)

Respond//Large Group

15–20min.

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

• quiet worship music (suggestion: “I Am Listening to You,” TruWorship Sincerely Yours)

• response template (see tru.davidccook.com)• pencils or pens

*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//Small Group

15–20min.

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

Reflect: God Is Lord Over All of My Life• Bibles (1 per child)

Create: Sticky Note Praise• Bibles (1 per child)• poster board (1 sheet)• sticky notes (1 pad per 2–3 children)• pens or pencils

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• Psalm 47 Call-and-Response (see tru.davidccook.com)• 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

Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, were very different. They even looked different. Esau was hairy, but Jacob’s skin was smooth. Each of us has unique and sometimes quirky traits we share with our families (even if we’re adopted!). From our senses of humor to our eye color to the types of things we like to do in our free time—there’s no mistaking that we’re a part of our families!

Option 1: Pass It Down (for Younger Kids)SUPPLIES• small, soft ball

ENGAGE(Invite children to join you in forming a circle.) What are some things that people in your family have passed down to you? For example, maybe you’re very good at math like your dad or have green eyes like your grandma. What about you and your family? (Interact with kids’ responses.) We’re going to play a game during which we get to pass a ball around the circle in some unique, quirky ways, just like each of us has unique family characteristics.

Start a game that involves passing a small, soft ball around the circle. During the first round, have each child pass it to the next child any way she chooses. For each round after that, direct your kids to pass around the ball in unusual ways—over the head, behind the back, under the leg, with right hand only, etc. After a couple of rounds, mix it up by allowing kids to pass the ball to anyone in the circle, not just the person next to them. Play as many rounds as you want, changing the directions each time

Option 2: What Is It? (for Older Kids)SUPPLIES• objects with various textures (cotton balls, shells, rocks, burlap, plastic shopping bags,

feathers, etc.)• paper lunch bags (1 per object)• optional: small boxes (1 per object), scissors, and materials to decorate the boxes; paper

(1 sheet per box) and pens, stopwatch or timer

SET UPPut each object in a paper lunch bag and roll the top closed. Optional: Put each object in a small box and cut a hole in the side, big enough for a child’s hand to reach inside. Decorate the box if you wish. Put a sheet of paper and a pen next to each box.

ENGAGEThough Esau and Jacob were twins, they were very different. In order for Jacob to make his father believe he was Esau, he put on goat skins so his father would think he was his hairier son, Esau.

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With this activity, lead the children in feeling various objects and guessing what they are without seeing them. Have the children gather in a circle and pass around the bags. Allow kids to feel inside each bag—but no peeking! Once everyone gets a chance to feel all of the objects, reveal the contents of each bag.

Optional: If you’re using boxes instead of bags, let the kids visit each box and try to determine what’s inside by feeling it. Then let them write their guesses on a sheet of paper. To make this more energetic, give the kids 60 seconds to visit as many objects as possible.

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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 kids 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 KNOWING, which says “God knows me, and I can know Him.” 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.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Psalm 23:1–3

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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N O T E S : QuestionIn your family, are you the oldest, middle, youngest, or only child? What are some good things and some difficult things about being in that place in your family?

Activity: Get in OrderSUPPLIES• Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com)• optional: upbeat music (suggestion: “Jesus Saves,” TruWorship Sincerely Yours; available

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

ENGAGEHave the children move around the room and share their answers to the Connect Question with at least three other people. Then challenge the kids to put themselves in order according to the following categories: number of siblings, where their birthday falls in the year, birth order in their families, etc. Play several rounds, changing the category each time. Optional: Play upbeat music during this time.

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)

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The Big God StoryDuring today’s portion of The Big God Story, the children will learn about Jacob and Esau. 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 Lord Over All of My LifeBible Passage: Genesis 25:19–34; 27 Storytelling Technique: Acting with Props

SUPPLIES• Bibles (1 per child)• Timeline slide and animation (see tru.davidccook.com)• nametags (4)• marker• chair• faux fur (clothing or piece of fabric)• man’s flannel shirt• slides of words describing God (see tru.davidccook.com)

SET UPWrite “Rebekah,” “Isaac,” “Esau,” and “Jacob” on the nametags. Place a chair at the front of the Storytelling space. Set the faux fur and flannel to the side, a few feet from the chair. Cue the slides.

ENGAGEI want to start out today by taking a little survey. If you have a brother or sister, stand up. If you have a good friend, stand up. Now if you’ve ever had a disagreement with

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 25 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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your brother, sister, or friend, keep standing. Wow! Every one of us has something in common with the two brothers in today’s part of The Big God Story. However, what happened between them was a lot more serious than a simple argument. (Have kids sit back down.)

Last week we heard about how God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Abraham knew God well and trusted Him, so Abraham obeyed God. At the last minute God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac and provided a substitute sacrifice. Isaac grew up and married a woman named Rebekah, and she gave birth to twin boys. While she was pregnant, the twins inside her belly wrestled with each other, and Rebekah asked God, “Why is this happening to me?” (Genesis 25:22). God told her it would always be that way—her two sons would always fight with each other, and the older one would serve the younger one.

Genesis 25:24–26 tells us what these twins were like when they were born. (Ask the children to turn to this passage, and read the verses out loud as kids follow along in their Bibles.) Not only did Jacob and Esau look different, but they also acted differently. Esau loved to go outside, hunt, and get dirty. Jacob was happy to stay close to home.

As the son born first, Esau had more privileges, money, and power in the family—this was called a birthright. But the Bible says Esau didn’t care about his birthright as firstborn. In fact, one day, Esau was so hungry he gave Jacob his birthright in return for a bowl of soup!

Esau still had one privilege as the firstborn that was even more important than the birthright—a special blessing from his father. This blessing was different from the kind of blessing you receive at the end of every lesson. This type of blessing was a serious prayer that could only be given one time.

Choose four volunteers to act out the story. Put the appropriate nametag on each volunteer: Rebekah, Isaac, Esau, and Jacob. Explain that the actors will act out what happens, without speaking, using the props when appropriate. Have Isaac sit in the chair with Esau standing near him. Rebekah and Jacob can stand a few feet away.

Now Isaac was very old and had gone blind. One day Rebekah overheard Isaac say to Esau, “Hunt some wild game for me. Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die” (Genesis 27:3–4). (Encourage children to open to this chapter and follow along.)

Now Rebekah wanted Jacob to have the blessing instead of Esau. So she plotted to trick her husband, Isaac, into blessing Jacob instead. While Esau was out hunting,


N O T E S :

The Big God Story

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Rebekah told Jacob, “Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father” (v. 8). Jacob did as his mom asked. Since Esau was a big, hairy man, Rebekah covered Jacob in the goatskins and one of Esau’s shirts to trick Isaac into thinking he was Esau. (Rebekah puts the flannel shirt on Jacob and places the faux fur over his arms.)

Jacob came to his father dressed in the goatskin. Isaac asked, “Who is it?” (v. 18). Jacob replied, “I am Esau your firstborn” (v. 19). Isaac felt his hairy arms to make sure. He also smelled him before asking him one more time, “Are you really my son Esau?” (v. 24). Jacob lied again and said that he was, so Isaac blessed him.

When Esau found out his brother’s trick, he was furious. Esau burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” (v. 34). But Isaac had already given the special blessing, and it could be given only once. (Have your actors return to their seats while the group gives them a round of applause.)

We might wonder why God would let that happen. Remember, God had told Rebekah that the older child would serve the younger one. So God knew all along that Jacob would be given the blessing. God had a plan for Jacob and Esau in His story. When things like this happen in our own lives, things that don’t make sense, we can remember who God is. (Show slides of words describing God.) God is Lord, even when you’re confused, feel alone, and can’t see His plan for your life. He’s always in charge, and He controls everything.

There may be times in our lives when we experience pain. But we can trust God because of all of the things we know to be true about Him. God is always good. When we face hard times we don’t understand, we can pray and ask God to help us trust Him. The better we know God, the easier it becomes to trust Him. We can always know that His plans are best. (Share a story of a time you trusted in God’s control of your life during a hard situation.)


N O T E S :

The Big God Story

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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• quiet worship music (suggestion: “I Am Listening to You,” TruWorship Sincerely Yours;

available at tru.davidccook.com for Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users; or iTunes)• response template (see tru.davidccook.com)• pencils or pens

SET UPPrint a copy of the response template for each child. Also print a copy for yourself and fill it out as an example for the children. Cue the music.

ENGAGE(Pass out the response template.) On this paper, take a couple of minutes to write or draw what comes to mind in the first box. What is hard, or painful, or sad in your life right now? If nothing is difficult, what is one thing you’re grateful for this week? My response looks like this (show your response).

After you’ve written or drawn in the first box, take a few minutes and pray about the things you drew. Do you need forgiveness? Perhaps you need God to heal a hurt or sadness in your life or free you from a fear. Or you may simply want to give thanks to God today. If you’re giving God thanks, write a word of praise. Write or draw what you want God to do in your life or your response of praise in the second box. My response looks like this (show your response).

When the kids finish working on their responses, gather them into smaller groups of three or four and start the music. Invite the kids to share with each other what they wrote or drew on their response templates and what they need prayer for. Allow the kids to pray for each other, or bring a leader alongside each group and pray for the kids in that group. Note: Some of the kids’ situations might be too sensitive to share in a small group. Station leaders around the room to pray for the kids one-on-one, and encourage the kids to pray with their leaders also.

After the kids finish praying, remind them that God has a plan for their lives and desires to heal their painful situations. That healing might not happen right away, but even if it takes time, God is still good. He loves us and is able to heal us. Give kids a blessing of hope before releasing them to small groups. You might read Philippians 4:12–13, 19–20 or the Remember Verse, or use the blessing found at the end of the lesson.

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 Lord Over All of My LifeThough Jacob tricked Isaac into blessing him instead of Esau, God is still God. And God had a plan for Jacob and Esau in His story. In the same way, God is Lord in our lives too, and He has a plan for us in His story. (Encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the suggested passages.)

Questions for Younger Kids• What do you think God meant when He said while Rebekah was still pregnant

that “the older will serve the younger”? (Genesis 25:23)• Why was the blessing so important? (Genesis 27:28–29)• What is a blessing?• Why did Isaac bless Jacob instead of Esau? (Genesis 27:19–24)• Did Esau want the blessing? (Genesis 27:34)

Questions for Older Kids• What was so special about being the firstborn son?• What is a blessing?• Why was the blessing so important? (Genesis 27:28–29)• What did God tell Rebekah while she was still pregnant? What do you think His

words mean? (Genesis 25:22–23)• How do we know that the promise God made to Abraham also applied to Isaac?

(Genesis 26:3–5)• One of the promises God made to Abraham was that through his descendants,

the whole world would be blessed. Which one of Abraham’s descendants was that referring to? How do you and I benefit from this blessing?

Engage: Sticky Note PraiseSUPPLIES• Bibles (1 per child)• poster board (1 sheet)• sticky notes (1 pad per 2–3 children)• pens or pencils

ENGAGEHave the children sit in a circle and place the poster board in the middle. Give each child several sticky notes. Then tell them they have a few minutes to brainstorm characteristics of God—things they know about Him. They can list things that God has the power to do, words that describe God, things God did in Scripture, etc. The children can use their Bibles and their imaginations. They should write each word or phrase on a separate sticky note and place it on the poster board as quickly as possible.


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 : After a few minutes, have the kids look at the poster board and count how many sticky notes they added. Take some time to read all the notes on the board, even the duplicates.

Pause for a moment or two and allow everyone to soak in the truth of who God is from all the things mentioned. Encourage your kids to share what it means to them that God is God over all in their lives.

How have you seen some of these things about God displayed in your own life? What sticky note about God might be most helpful to remember this week? How can you trust God with everything in your life?

If possible, keep the poster board and display it at next week’s REMEMBER & CELEBRATE lesson.

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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.

SUPPLIES• Bible• Psalm 47 Call-and-Response (see tru.davidccook.com)

SET UPPrint a copy of the Psalm 47 Call-and-Response for each child.

ENGAGEAs 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’ve 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.

Today your children will have the opportunity to participate in the time of blessing by reading lines of response after the leader. Pass out the papers, and encourage the children to follow along so they know when it’s their turn to say a line.

Open a Bible and lead the kids in the following call-and-response reading of Psalm 47:

Leader: Clap your hands, all you nations;Children: Shout to God with cries of joy.

Leader: For the Lord Most High is awesome,Children: The great King over all the earth.

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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Leader: He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. Children: He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.

Leader: God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.Children: Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

Leader: For God is the King of all the earth; Children: Sing to him a psalm of praise.

Leader: God reigns over the nations; Children: God is seated on his holy throne.

Leader: The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, Children: For the kings of the earth belong to God;

Everyone together: [God] is greatly exalted.

Close your time by blessing the kids. Encourage them 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.

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 25:19–34; 27 (jacob and...

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