Leader Guide

Teaching

Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “God’s plan for Jesus brought salvation to all.”

Now, let’s say our SuperVerse together. Genesis 50:20:

“You tried to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best, so that He could save all these people, as He is now doing.”

What is similar in both the SuperTruth and SuperVerse? Saving all, salvation to all.

The theme in both is God’s plan to save people. That has been His desire ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. The Signposts Video showed us how God’s plan for Joseph’s life pointed to God’s plan of salvation through Jesus. To explore this even more, we will find coins in our grain sack. Why do you think I chose to use coins and a sack? Joseph put his brothers’ money back in their grain sacks as a test.

For each signpost, hold out the “grain sack” and let a different child feel inside the sack—without looking—to find and pull out a coin. As you hold up each coin, discuss the signpost that it stands for.

Coin/Signpost 1: This coin stands for our first signpost. God had a plan for both Joseph and Jesus—to save others. God’s plans for Joseph and Jesus were misunderstood by those around them.

The plan for Joseph was revealed in two dreams, but nobody fully understood what the dreams meant until much later. God would move Joseph to Egypt and use him to save many lives.    

God had a plan for Jesus—to save the people of the world from their sins. Even the disciples did not fully understand Jesus’ mission; but He understood, and He obeyed God by dying on the cross.  

OPTIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR GRADES 4–6

Have students read and discuss Genesis 37:5,8:

One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.

Have students read and discuss John 3:17:

“God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Coin/Signpost 2: This coin stands for our second signpost. Both Joseph and Jesus were dearly loved by their fathers.

OPTIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR GRADES 4–6

Have students read and discuss Genesis 37:3a:

Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age.

Have students read and discuss Matthew 3:17:

 And a voice from heaven said, “This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.”

Coin/Signpost 3: This coin stands for our third signpost. Both Joseph and Jesus were betrayed, falsely accused, and arrested. Both Jesus and Joseph forgave those who betrayed them and treated them unjustly.   

Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold as a slave, falsely accused, and put into prison. He didn’t deserve any of this, yet he chose to forgive his brothers.   

Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of His disciples, for thirty pieces of silver. When Jesus was put on trial, Pontius Pilate, the Roman ruler, said Jesus was innocent—yet he ordered Jesus to be crucified. While Jesus was suffering on the cross, He prayed that God would forgive them.

OPTIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR GRADES 4–6

Have students read and discuss Genesis 40:15:

“For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.”

Have students read and discuss Genesis 50:19,21:

But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

Have students read and discuss Mark 14:10:

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them.

Have students read and discuss Luke 23:4:

Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”

Have students read and discuss Luke 23:34:

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

Coin/Signpost 4: This coin stands for our fourth signpost. Joseph and Jesus both humbled themselves and became servants.

Joseph was sold as a slave in Egypt, yet he was faithful and trustworthy in all he did.

Jesus came to Earth not to be served, but to serve others. Jesus lived His life as an example of how we should live—humbly serving others.

OPTIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR GRADES 4–6

Have students read and discuss Genesis 39:4:

This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned.

Have students read and discuss Matthew 20:28:

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Coin/Signpost 5: This coin stands for our fifth signpost. Joseph and Jesus trusted God and submitted to God’s plan until it was completed. Both were left to die. Joseph was rescued from the pit. Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead by God.

Joseph’s brothers meant to harm him, but Joseph came to understand that all the events in his life were for God’s purpose to save others.

Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins, then rose again so we can serve Him here on Earth and live forever with Him in heaven!  

OPTIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR GRADES 4–6

Have students read and discuss Genesis 50:20:

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

Have students read and discuss 1 Peter 2:24:

He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed.

Conclusion: Now that is Good News for everyone! Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “God’s plan for Jesus brought salvation to all.”

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

It is time for our Discipleship Challenge! Would anyone like to share their challenge results for trusting God and responding in a way that was pleasing to Him?

Give a Trust Necklace Pattern to any children who missed the first two lessons of this module.

We are using these Trust Necklaces to remind ourselves to trust God when we don’t know what to do, or when things seem to be going wrong. Did anyone remember to do that? What happened when you did?

Let’s continue to ask God to show us how to please Him in difficult situations—like Joseph did. Because he followed God’s plan, his life was filled with favor and blessing, and many other lives were blessed, too.