This week we are learning about God calling Moses. Moses sees a bush that is on fire but is not burning. Could you imagine this? I think of all the forest fires out West. Could you imagine those fires burning fierce but nothing being burned up, nothing being destroyed? That's how amazing our God is: He can consume without destroying.
But even seeing this amazing thing Moses wasn't sure he wanted to do what God was asking. And he had real reasons to not want to. He had lived with the Pharaoh; he was royalty himself raised by the Pharaoh's daughter. He knew the laws of the land; he knew the power of the Pharaoh. He also knew that he had killed an Egyptian and aligned himself with the Israelites in doing so. He was a wanted man and God wanted him to march into the court of Pharaoh and demand that Pharaoh release the people of Israel, the people which the Pharaoh used to increase his riches and his domain. It sounded like a crazy plan to Moses; it was a crazy plan.
Christ calls us to obey Him in the face of many obstacles and many times what He asks is crazy. He tells us to love our enemies; to go the extra mile with no expectation of anything in return. His way is not our way. Our kids experience this on a daily basis. They have to make choices about whether to obey mom or dad, whether to share their toys, whether to be kind to their sibling, whether to lie when in trouble. It isn't always easy and doesn't always make sense to do the right thing. Moses, standing at the burning bush arguing with God, is a reminder that God not only loves us and has a plan for us (why else would he allow Moses to argue back) but He wants us to succeed and is willing to help us. He gave Moses help and He will help us and our kids to obey Him.
This lesson ties in directly with our memory verse: I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me. Philippians 4:13. Spend some time with your kids reciting the verse and talking about real life situations they face and how Jesus can help them obey.
In Your Class
Play a game of "Mother May I?" Each child gets a turn to ask you (or another child) if they can do an specific activity such as run, jump, close their eyes, clap, stomp, turn around, sit, etc. the only rule is they have to ask by saying, "Mother may I?" Then you or the child leading can tell them "yes" or "no". They must obey whatever the leader says.
After playing the game talk with the children about how God has given us rules to live by. Have the kids see if they can name some of those rules: be kind, don't shove, share, listen, etc. God gave us those rules so that we could have a good place to live and He knows if we obey Him it will be a better place to live. And just like in our game we all had to ask the leader if we could do something and we had to obey if the leader said "yes" or if the leader said "no", we have to obey God too.
OR
Teach the children the song Head and Shoulders, Knees & Toes. To teach them though do not tell them what you are going to do. Explain that they are have to do whatever you tell them to do and when they are done they will have learned something new. Start by having the kids say "knees and toes". Then have them say "knees and toes" while touching their knees and toes. Then have them say "head and shoulders". Again have them repeat it touching their head and shoulders. Then have them do all four, "head and shoulders, knees and toes". Then have them fall down. Then have them get back up. And fall down again. Now explain that by obeying everything you told them to do they are now ready to sing the song.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes. Knees and toes.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes. Knees and toes.
We all fall down!
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