Children's Church Lesson
February 28th
Go and Do
Judges 4, 5
(All resources are from DiscipleLand- Disciples for Life 2019)
Bible Memory Verse for February
1 John 4:11
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
February Virtue: Forgiving
I choose to love when others hurt me. I am NOT...hateful or angry and I don't stay mad, gossip, or try to get even!
Psalm 25:11
Lord, be true to your name.
Forgive my sin, even though it is great.
Spark Interest: Bold and Timid
Divide your class into two groups. Explain that half the class will be bold and confident. The other half will be timid and scared. Give them each a scenario to act out.
Have the bold side do the action and then the timid side. After each set of actions, discuss the difference between bold and timid behavior.
Have them be bold or timid for the following actions:
•Picking up wood for a campfire
•Walking to school
•Laughing
•Jumping over a log
•Petting a dog
•Shaking hands with someone
•Climbing a tree
Allow groups to switch roles as they play. Explain that God wants each one of us to be bold in Him.
Explore Scripture
Judges 4,5
Open your Bible to Judges 4, 5. Today we are going to hear about a woman who had a bold faith in God.
When God’s people obeyed Him, they were strong. When they disobeyed Him, they were weak. For a long time, God’s people did not obey Him. They grew weaker. The Canaanites who lived nearby grew stronger. Sisera was a mean Canaanite ruler. He made God’s people serve him. He acted like a bully.
Sisera was not only a bully—he had many soldiers and iron chariots to make people do what he said. His 900 chariots were powerful and fast. No one wanted to fight Sisera because of his chariots. Today armies use tanks and jets to fight wars, but back then chariots were big and dangerous.
(Show an illustration or picture of a chariot. Tell kids to imagine a big parking lot (like a mall or their church) filled with chariots instead of cars.)
God told a lady ruler in Israel, Deborah, to talk to the head of Israel’s army. So Deborah called for Barak, and he came to where she rested under a palm tree. There, she told him that God wanted him to fight the Canaanites.
Barak was afraid. He said that he would fight them only if Deborah came with him. Deborah was bold and agreed to go with the army. Deborah and Barak went, fought the Canaanites, and won. (Have children cheer.)
When the battle was over, Deborah and Barak sang a song that told everyone about what God did for Israel. To tell you the words of the song, I’ll need your help. Every time I point to you, you should say, “Bless the Lord,” in a really loud voice. That way everyone will know that God gave Israel the victory. (Practice pointing to the children and having them say, “Bless the Lord.”)
The leaders of Israel and ten thousand soldiers went to fight the Canaanites. Point to the children. Barak led the soldiers, and Deborah rode with him. The soldiers did not all have shields and swords, but they went to fight anyway. (Point to the children.) The Canaanite army came out to meet Israel. Barak’s soldiers were on the mountainside. Sisera’s soldiers and chariots were in the valley below. (Point to the children.) Barak was afraid. Then God caused rain, a strong rain, to fall. It fell in the valley, and water rushed down the mountainside. It filled the valley so the 900 chariots got stuck in the mud. (Point to the children.)
Deborah told Barak to go and fight Sisera’s army. Barak was not afraid anymore. His soldiers ran down the mountainside. They fought the Canaanites. They beat the Canaanites. Israel was free! (Point to the children.) God gave Israel the victory! (Point to the children.)
Deborah believed in God, told Barak what God wanted them to do, and boldly went with the army. Because of Deborah, Israel was freed from its enemies for a long time, but not forever. Only Jesus had the courage to do something that would make us free forever—He died on the cross for us. We should be bold in our faith like Deborah, and thank Jesus for being bold enough to free us from the bad things we do.
Inspire Action: Lion Masks
(Supplies: paper plates, yarn, hole punch, brown yarn)
Cut eye holes into one paper plate per child. Print the words to Proverbs 28:1b on the “inside” of the mask. Let children decorate the mask to look like a lion's face. Cut 2” strips of yarn and glue them along the edge to make a mane. As they work, talk about how lions are fearless, strong, careful, caring, and alert. Explain that as God’s people we should act like lions. Punch holes on each side of the mask and tie yarn to hold the mask. Practice saying the verse together while children wear their lion’s masks.
Closing Words
Dear Heavenly Father; Thank You for boldly dying on the cross for me. Forgive us for the times we get scared instead of trusting You more. Please, help us walk in Your boldness. Amen.
Go and Do
Judges 4, 5
(All resources are from DiscipleLand- Disciples for Life 2019)
Bible Memory Verse for February
1 John 4:11
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
February Virtue: Forgiving
I choose to love when others hurt me. I am NOT...hateful or angry and I don't stay mad, gossip, or try to get even!
Psalm 25:11
Lord, be true to your name.
Forgive my sin, even though it is great.
Spark Interest: Bold and Timid
Divide your class into two groups. Explain that half the class will be bold and confident. The other half will be timid and scared. Give them each a scenario to act out.
Have the bold side do the action and then the timid side. After each set of actions, discuss the difference between bold and timid behavior.
Have them be bold or timid for the following actions:
•Picking up wood for a campfire
•Walking to school
•Laughing
•Jumping over a log
•Petting a dog
•Shaking hands with someone
•Climbing a tree
Allow groups to switch roles as they play. Explain that God wants each one of us to be bold in Him.
Explore Scripture
Judges 4,5
Open your Bible to Judges 4, 5. Today we are going to hear about a woman who had a bold faith in God.
When God’s people obeyed Him, they were strong. When they disobeyed Him, they were weak. For a long time, God’s people did not obey Him. They grew weaker. The Canaanites who lived nearby grew stronger. Sisera was a mean Canaanite ruler. He made God’s people serve him. He acted like a bully.
Sisera was not only a bully—he had many soldiers and iron chariots to make people do what he said. His 900 chariots were powerful and fast. No one wanted to fight Sisera because of his chariots. Today armies use tanks and jets to fight wars, but back then chariots were big and dangerous.
(Show an illustration or picture of a chariot. Tell kids to imagine a big parking lot (like a mall or their church) filled with chariots instead of cars.)
God told a lady ruler in Israel, Deborah, to talk to the head of Israel’s army. So Deborah called for Barak, and he came to where she rested under a palm tree. There, she told him that God wanted him to fight the Canaanites.
Barak was afraid. He said that he would fight them only if Deborah came with him. Deborah was bold and agreed to go with the army. Deborah and Barak went, fought the Canaanites, and won. (Have children cheer.)
When the battle was over, Deborah and Barak sang a song that told everyone about what God did for Israel. To tell you the words of the song, I’ll need your help. Every time I point to you, you should say, “Bless the Lord,” in a really loud voice. That way everyone will know that God gave Israel the victory. (Practice pointing to the children and having them say, “Bless the Lord.”)
The leaders of Israel and ten thousand soldiers went to fight the Canaanites. Point to the children. Barak led the soldiers, and Deborah rode with him. The soldiers did not all have shields and swords, but they went to fight anyway. (Point to the children.) The Canaanite army came out to meet Israel. Barak’s soldiers were on the mountainside. Sisera’s soldiers and chariots were in the valley below. (Point to the children.) Barak was afraid. Then God caused rain, a strong rain, to fall. It fell in the valley, and water rushed down the mountainside. It filled the valley so the 900 chariots got stuck in the mud. (Point to the children.)
Deborah told Barak to go and fight Sisera’s army. Barak was not afraid anymore. His soldiers ran down the mountainside. They fought the Canaanites. They beat the Canaanites. Israel was free! (Point to the children.) God gave Israel the victory! (Point to the children.)
Deborah believed in God, told Barak what God wanted them to do, and boldly went with the army. Because of Deborah, Israel was freed from its enemies for a long time, but not forever. Only Jesus had the courage to do something that would make us free forever—He died on the cross for us. We should be bold in our faith like Deborah, and thank Jesus for being bold enough to free us from the bad things we do.
Inspire Action: Lion Masks
(Supplies: paper plates, yarn, hole punch, brown yarn)
Cut eye holes into one paper plate per child. Print the words to Proverbs 28:1b on the “inside” of the mask. Let children decorate the mask to look like a lion's face. Cut 2” strips of yarn and glue them along the edge to make a mane. As they work, talk about how lions are fearless, strong, careful, caring, and alert. Explain that as God’s people we should act like lions. Punch holes on each side of the mask and tie yarn to hold the mask. Practice saying the verse together while children wear their lion’s masks.
Closing Words
Dear Heavenly Father; Thank You for boldly dying on the cross for me. Forgive us for the times we get scared instead of trusting You more. Please, help us walk in Your boldness. Amen.
