july 7, 2019 god is giving genesis 13 - northside …...what god had given abram. read genesis 13:2....

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July 7, 2019 God is Giving

Abram gives Lot the best land

Genesis 13

DATE PONDER POINT

THE BIG GOD STORY

Welcome and Worship (15 minutes)

Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and engage kids in worship through singing and communion.

The Big God Story (18 minutes)

Creates space for children to hear God’s word and prepare respond to the Holy Spirit in small groups

Small Groups (20 minutes)

Kids will build relationships with each other and their leaders, and respond to what they learned in the Big God Story as well as how to apply it to their lives

Dismiss (4 minutes)

Send kids out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others.

• The large group room will be divided into three sections. Please help kids find which section they should sit in according to their grade: 1st-2nd, 3rd-4th & 5th-6th.

• Toward the end of small group time, A/V Tech will play the 2 minute warning sound followed by a song. During or immediately following the song please regroup in the large group meeting space (not before).

• 5th & 6th graders can go directly to Snack Shack after small group time, rather than regrouping in the large group space.

Host Administrative To Do’s: • Make sure no group is too large • Make sure each group has enough supplies • Close curtains and divider wall for small groups

at 9:00 and 10:15 (and re-open after 9:00) • Cue the tech when to play the 2 minute warning

with song. • Call names for dismissal after blessing

SCHEDULE Large Group

Small Group

2 Min Warn.

Regroup/Dismiss 5th-6th

1st Service (9:00) 9:00 9:33 9:53 10:00

2nd Service (10:15) 10:15 10:48 11:08 11:15

3rd Service (11:30) 11:30 12:03 12:23 12:30

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.

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GOAL: Worship & welcome is all about engaging kids and helping them enter into worship, letting

them know that class has begun preparing their minds for what they are going to hear.

WELCOME (Host):

Stage Lights On VIDEO LOOPS: Welcome Loop, 5 Min Countdown, Welcome Image

We are so glad you are here today. Welcome the kids in your own words then say the following

to the kids: Let’s all stand and sing our praise to Him…

OPENING WORSHIP SONG (Worship Leader):

Turn out main overhead lights

WORSHIP VIDEO 1: Who You Say I Am WORSHIP VIDEO 2: Our God

(Direct kids to get with their groups and circle up with their small group leader before sitting down)

SMALL GROUP CONNECT IMAGE

CONNECT QUESTIONS (Host): 4 MINUTE COUNTDOWN VIDEO

• What is your favorite room in your house?

• Have you ever had extra company over and had to share your room? Your food?

• What would you do with a million dollars?

TIMELINE VIDEO– Abraham and Sarah

(Storyteller)

The Big God Story: Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bi-

ble. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Sto-

ry. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along as you storytell. Children respond to what the

Holy Spirit is teaching them as they reflect on the day’s portion of The Big God Story.

The Prayer of Release: This 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.


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The Big God Story:

Storyteller Script

Today we’re going to learn that God is giving. In the Bible, he gave generously to Abram. Earlier we talked about what it would be like if God gave us each a million dollars!

Open a Bible to Genesis 13. God may not give us a million dollars, but he does give us so much! In the Bible, Abram passed on that giving. Let’s see how. God gave us the Bible, his special book, to show us how giving he is. The Bible helps us get to know God and reflect his heart. Plus, God is here right now, ready to talk to you! Another great gift! Let’s talk with God now.

Pray, praising God for being giving.

What do you miss out on when you try to take the best for yourself? We’ve all had times we’ve had to choose whether to put ourselves first or other people first. If your mom cut a piece of cake in half and one half had a lot more frosting, most of us would take the half with the most frosting and give our brother or sister the other half.

That’s a lot like what happened in the Bible story today. Let’s check it out. First let me explain that Abram and Lot were two relatives in the Bible. Abram was Lot’s uncle. They were living near each other, but they were both really rich and had a lot of animals. God is giving, and he’d given both of them a lot of stuff! But it was getting to be a problem because it was too crowded. Let’s see what their solution was.

Read Genesis 13:8-11. 8 So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not argue with each other. The people taking care of your herds and those taking care of mine shouldn’t argue with one another either. After all, we’re part of the same family.

9 Isn’t the whole land in front of you? Let’s separate. If you

go to the left, I’ll go to the right. If you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” 10

Lot looked around. He saw that the whole Jordan River valley toward the town of Zoar had plenty of water. It was like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

11 So Lot chose the whole Jordan River

valley for himself. Then he started out toward the east. The two men separate.

I wonder why Abram let Lot have the first choice?

We don’t know if Abram was sad that Lot chose the better land. I know sometimes I’m sad to give up what I really want. But God is giving, and we can be giving, too! What we do know is that if Abram felt sad, he didn’t have much time to be sad! You see, as soon as Lot left, God told him something.

Read Genesis 13:14-17.

14 The Lord spoke to Abram after Lot had left him. He said, “Look around from where you

are. Look north and south, east and west. 15

I will give you all the land you see. I will give it


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forever to you and your family who comes after you. 16

I will make them like the dust of the

earth. Can dust be counted? If it can, then your family can be counted. 17

Go! Walk

through the land. See how long and wide it is. I am giving it to you.”

Giving is not a guarantee that we’ll get even more. But God is giving, and a lot of times when

we’re giving like Abram, God gives us even better things. Abram knew God is giving. Listen to

what God had given Abram.

Read Genesis 13:2.

2 Abram had become very rich. He had a lot of livestock and silver and gold.

Not only did God give Abram a lot of money and animals, but before today’s story he’d also

promised that Abram would have a big family and a lot of land.

God gave so much to Abram, and Abram trusted that God is giving. Abram gave generously to

Lot because he knew and loved God, who gives generously. Listen to this verse about what God

has given us.

Read James 1:17.

17 Every good and perfect gift is from God. This kind of gift comes down from the Father

who created the heavenly lights. These lights create shadows that move. But the Father

does not change like these shadows.

Anything you have that’s good is a gift from God! Abram knew that God is giving because God

had given him so many good things and promises. Abram showed God’s giving spirit when he

let Lot choose first. And when we’re grateful for what God has given us, we can give generously

out of our gratitude.

God is giving. He gave Abram money, animals, a big family, and land. But Abram didn’t get

greedy and keep all those blessings to himself; he shared the best of what he had with Lot to

pass on the giving. Let’s do the same this week!

Tell the kids we are going to close the Big God Story by worshipping him. Ask the kids to wait until they are asked to come forward to take communion.

WORSHIP VIDEO 3: Reckless Love

After a time of worshipping have kids come and take communion if they have been baptized, and bring their offering.

Fade out song slowly at Worship Leader’s prompting. (As the song comes to a close Worship Leader tells groups to head to their small group space. Say something like, “Let’s continue responding to what God is teaching us as we dismiss to our small groups. Please follow your small group leader at this time.”)


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IMAGE: It’s time for small groups Turn main overhead lights on Dismiss for small groups—refer to map for small group locations ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the end of small groups… Tech cue: 2 minute warning with exit song, using ceiling speakers, at the host’s prompting Turn speakers back to wall speakers for blessing, closing song and dismissal.


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GOAL: Kids build relationships with each other and their leader as they respond to what they heard

in the Big God Story.

GOD’S GOOD GIFTS SUPPLIES • Paper • Pens

God is giving, and he gives so much to us with a cheerful heart. When we give cheerfully,

without complaining or letting ourselves be jealous, it makes giving a lot of fun. There’s joy

in knowing you’ve done something good for someone else, and we can be part of the way

God gives to others.

Anything you have that’s good is a gift from God! Let’s think about what God has given to

us. Make the longest list you can of things God has given to you. Try to be specific.

For example, don’t just write “clothes.” List what kinds of clothes you have. You can also

include things you can’t buy, like life, health, sunshine, eyesight, the ability to draw, or your

family members. Allow about three minutes for kids to make their lists. Go over the lists together

as a group and encourage the kids to share what they wrote.

Wow! God is giving. He’s given us so much! Let’s thank him by praying. I’ll start the prayer,

and then you can take turns calling out something from your list.

Dear God, thank you for giving us so much! Thank you for giving us… Pause for kids to share

their responses. When responses begin to die down, end the prayer: In Jesus’ name, amen.

Abram knew that God is giving because God had given him so many good things and

promises. Abram showed God’s giving spirit when he let Lot choose first. And when we’re

grateful for what God has given us, we can give generously out of our gratitude. God is

giving, so we’re giving. Circle one thing on your list you can give this week. Giving might

mean giving that thing away or it might mean sharing it with a friend or sibling. If you listed a

talent, it might mean using that talent to make a gift you can give. Remember that true giving

is sacrificial giving: giving up something that’s a little hard to give up.

Allow time for kids to each circle what they can give, and then have them tell a partner what they

plan to do. After everyone has shared with a partner, ask a few kids to tell the whole group.

Sometimes it’s easy to be giving, and other times we don’t want to give up what we have.

But God is giving, so he’ll help us be giving, too. Let’s ask God to help us give with cheerful

hearts. God loves when we’re giving. Let’s try to find ways to share and give to others this

week. I hope I’ll see you all back next week, too, and we can celebrate how God is so giving

again!


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GOAL: Bless kids to send them out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others.

CLOSING REMARKS/ANNOUNCEMENTS (Host):

Wall Speakers On

TRANSITION ACTIVITIES (HOST):

The videos listed below are 12-13 minutes long. Please play as listed below and feel free to stop the video whenever it’s time to start the next service.

After 9:00 service play - Transition Compilation 4

After 10:15 service play - Transition Compilation 3

DISMISSAL (STORYTELLER):

Call names of kids as parent come to pick up and welcome kids who are being dropped off.

Encourage parents to enter the room and encourage kids and parents to exit out the middle door

(103)


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Read: Genesis 13

In This Passage: Abram is Lot’s uncle, and the two live and travel together. But because God has

given them so many animals, they need to split up. Abram lets Lot choose which land he

wants, and Lot chooses the side that looks better. God is giving, and Abram reflected God’s

giving heart by letting Lot have the better land.

Bible Point: God is giving…

Application: …so we’re giving.

Summary Verse: “Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlast-

ing God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the

depths of his understanding” (Isaiah 40:28).

Dig Deeper

You’ll Be Teaching: God is giving. Kids will readily identify with this story, but on a smaller scale.

They’ve likely had instances of breaking a cookie in half or cutting a piece of cake to share

and wanting the bigger piece. Help kids see how Abram gave out of gratitude for all God had

given him and trusted that God would continue to provide. Inspire kids to do the same…even

if it means choosing the smaller half of a yummy dessert.

Think About: What has God given you? When have you been blessed by giving to others?

Dig In to Prayer

Pray that God would give your kids generous hearts that reflect him to the world around them.

Quick Tip

When you talk about giving with kids, some of them will automatically think of giving away things

they don’t want (such as a little brother!). Help kids see God’s generosity in giving away things

he valued and that the recipients valued. Help them see how Abram gave away the better

land, even though he likely wanted it. Encourage kids to reflect God’s generous heart by giv-

ing sacrificially.


july 7, 2019 god is giving genesis 13 - northside …...what god had given abram. read genesis 13:2....

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