Leader Guide

Teaching

Modeling dough
Paper plate (with coated surface), plastic plate, or wax paper sheet
Small, sealable container to hold one lump of modeling dough and one “stick” figure made with modeling dough
Three small pebbles
Three volunteers who are good readers
Bibles or the Superbook Bible App

Discipleship Challenge materials:

Lifeline Bookmark page
Cardstock
String, twine, or yarn—six inches per child
Single-hole punch
Sample craft made in Lesson 1

Make a very basic human “stick” figure with the clay or modeling dough. Allow it to harden on a plate or piece of wax paper for forty-eight hours or a minimum of twenty-four hours. Note: Do not use an unfinished paper plate—the clay or dough may stick to the surface.

Make a second figure and place it in the container.

Place the pebbles in the container and close it.

Assign one scripture each to three readers: Jeremiah 18:12, 2 Corinthians 3:18b, and Philippians 1:6. Have the volunteers look up and be ready to read the verses when prompted.

Discipleship Challenge materials for children who missed Lesson 1.

Make copies of the Lifeline Bookmark page. See Lesson 1 for details.

Hands on: Demonstrate submitting our lives to God.

Let’s say our SuperTruth together. “I want God to transform me.”

To transform means to make a complete or dramatic change in form, appearance, or character. The people of Judah had strayed far from God. There was little difference between them and the ungodly nations surrounding Jerusalem. They no longer represented God, their Creator. God had had enough; He could not ignore their disobedience and rebellion. He sent Jeremiah to call them to repent and escape God’s judgment and punishment. God spoke through Jeremiah, saying in Jeremiah 4:3–4:

³“Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! … ⁴O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the LORD, or My anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.”

The people’s hearts were hard. Ephesians 4:18 describes a hard heart this way:

Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against Him.

God wanted them to open their hard hearts so He could work with them again. To illustrate the people’s condition, God sent Jeremiah to a potter’s house to watch him at work.

Remove a lump of modeling dough from the unopened container (not the stick figure). Begin to roughly form a bowl shape, then hold it up, inspect it, and looked displeased. Then, smash it down into a lump and start over again as you speak.

The potter was working on a bowl that didn’t turn out as he had hoped. So, he crushed it into a lump and started over again. How many times do you think you could start over with this modeling dough—maybe one or two times? As many times as you want, an unlimited number.

As long as it remains soft, you can reshape and form it. Does anyone remember today’s SuperVerse? Jeremiah 18:6:

“O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.”

When Jeremiah told the people what God had said, they still refused to obey.

Have a volunteer read Jeremiah 18:12:

But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.”

Hold up the hardened figure. The people’s hearts grew even harder. They refused to put themselves in God’s hands to change them.

Pick up the hardened figure and try to reshape it. It will crumble and break apart.

This figure represents the people of Israel. God could no longer work with their hardened hearts. Today, God has given us all a free will to choose His path or our own. He does not force us to obey Him. For those who refuse to obey God’s Spirit and place their lives in His hands, their hearts will become hard over time.

Hold up the other clay figure that is soft because it has been kept in an air-tight container. This figure represents those who are open to God’s voice and place themselves in His hands. God can mold and shape you as He desires. Move the figure’s arms and legs to show that it can be shaped. When we give our lives to God, we must trust in Him completely to do what is best for us. We should not resist or rebel against His plan and purpose for us. Isaiah 45:9 says:

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’”

Place one pebble in the mouth area, one in an arm and one in a leg.

As hard as we try to obey God, we will still miss the mark and sin. These pebbles represent this. Let’s say this pebble in the head represents unkind or disrespectful words. The pebble in the hand or arm represents disobedient actions. The pebble in the leg represents choosing to go our own way instead of following God’s Spirit. When we come to God and ask for forgiveness, He will remove our sins. Remove the pebbles, reshape the figure so it is not marred, and hold it up.

Can you see where the pebbles or sins were? No.

As long as our hearts remain soft toward God’s Spirit, He is faithful to remove the imperfections and will continue to shape us according to His good pleasure!

God created each of you in this room with a specific purpose. As we follow His Spirit and live according to His Word and will, we will become more and more like Jesus. That should be the goal for all followers of Christ!

Have a volunteer read 2 Corinthians 3:18b:

And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.

As we grow and mature, we must remain in His hands. We are a work in progress which will never end!

Have a volunteer read Philippians 1:6:

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Now let’s learn in our Discipleship Challenge about putting ourselves in God’s hands as we trust the good plans He has for us!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give any child who missed Lesson 1 a Life Ring Bookmark page and a six-inch length of string, twine, or yarn. Show children the sample craft made in Lesson 1 and have them assemble the craft at home.

Hold up the sample craft.

Last time, your challenge was to learn the first part of Jeremiah 29:11 that is on the Life Ring. Who can close their eyes and say it?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD.

As we discussed in our last lesson, God extends His lifeline of hope to us; what is our part? Grab it!

God will not force us to put our trust and hope in Him; it is our choice. Did anyone face a difficult situation and give it to the Lord instead of worrying? Children respond.

This lesson’s challenge is to memorize the second part of the verse:

“They are plans for good and not for disaster.”

Then, put the two parts together. Does anyone want to try it now?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster.”

We may look at our problems and think they’re absolutely huge—but God sees the big picture! He will give us strength and wisdom to deal with every situation when we trust in Him. And someday He will take us to live in heaven, where there are no problems at all! So remember to take hold of your lifeline and trust God instead of worrying. Next time, I’ll ask if you were able to put that into practice!