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Leader Guide

Teaching


Discipleship Challenge materials:

Make a copy of the Ark Image in color or black and white.
If you don’t have an actual basket, make a copy of the Basket image in color or black and white. 

Optional: Print the GizmoNote, one per child to take home after class.     

Discipleship Challenge:
Make copies of The Birth of Moses I AM Wheel on cardstock—one per child, plus extras.
Make one model craft to show the class as an example.

Saved and Sealed! Discuss how Jesus gives us salvation.

That was an amazing video, showing how God can use anything and anyone to accomplish His purpose. Today’s SuperVerse tells us that Moses’ family obeyed God rather than Pharaoh and hid the baby for three months. Imagine being Moses’ family and putting Moses in the basket; there was nothing else to do but fully trust God to keep their baby safe.

Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “I am safe in God’s care.”

In the game we just played, you added strips to the basket. This represented what Moses’ mother did when she waterproofed the basket so it would float in the river.

Hold up the basket or the Basket Image. The basket represents something very important about God’s care and safety. The Hebrew word used for Moses’ basket is only used two times in the Bible—just two! Can anyone guess the only other time this same word is used? Here is a hint: this large object floated on the water with many animals in it. Noah’s ark! Hold up the Ark Image.

The Hebrew word for Moses’ basket is the same word used for “ark,” the huge boat that Noah built to keep animals and people safe in the Flood. God designed Noah’s ark, so it would not tip over and sink, and Noah built it according to God’s plan. The ark rescued Noah and his family while the world was being punished for its sins.

Can you think of a person who rescues us from being punished for our sins? Jesus.

How did Jesus save us from our sins? By dying on the cross.

The only way to enter the ark was through one door. Jesus calls Himself the Gate or the Door; He is the only way to enter into a relationship with God and to receive salvation, safe from God’s judgment. (See John 10:9.)

Hold up the bike helmet. What is the purpose of this? To keep your head safe, to protect you. Now, what if I rode my bike and just hung the helmet on the handlebars—would it protect me if I fell? No!

How can it protect me? You need to put the helmet on.

Put the helmet on if you are comfortable doing so. You may have a helmet, but it does no good until you choose to put it on.

When the apostle Paul described the armor of God, what did he call the helmet? The helmet of salvation.

It is the same today. God provided a way for salvation; we must simply choose to accept God’s plan by putting our trust in Jesus. Jesus is the only way to God; He is the only way to be saved. God loved Moses so much that He provided a basket to keep him safe. God loved Noah so much that He designed an ark to save him. God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to earth to die for us, to forgive our sins, and to save us!

Moses’ basket was sealed with a substance called bitumen that was used with tar or pitch. This made it waterproof, helping to keep him safe and dry inside as the basket floated in the river. This same substance was used to seal Noah’s ark inside and out. (See Genesis 6:14.) You may be surprised to know that we are sealed, too!

Ephesians 1:13 says that when we trust in Jesus, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. He keeps and protects us until the day He takes us to heaven to live with Him there forever! We all face storms and trials in life, just like Moses and Noah did—yet God will protect us as we trust in Him.

Jesus promises in Matthew 7:24–25 (NLT):

24 “Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.”

Conclusion: God provides everything we need as we face storms and trials in life. Let’s move to our Discipleship Challenge now and learn more about this.


Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give each child a copy of The Birth of Moses I AM Wheel, scissors, and a pencil. Have children cut out and assemble the pieces, then put their names on the back. Display the model you made before class and assist the children as necessary to complete their crafts.

For these three lessons, we will learn seven “I AM” statements that Jesus made about Himself. God told Moses that He is “I AM.” Jesus also said this several times to reveal who He is.

Use the model craft to illustrate what you say. This is called an “I Am” Wheel. As you turn the bottom wheel, it reveals seven “I Am” statements that Jesus made to show us who He is. He meets every single need we can ever have in life! Knowing who Jesus is helps us grow in our faith and share Him with others.

Use your Bible to look up each verse on your wheel, write what Jesus said on the blank line, and draw a simple picture of what He said. Then, read these statements each day to remember them. Let’s do one as an example. What is the verse reference for #5 on your wheel? John 10:11.

Have a child look up John 10:11 (NLT) and read it aloud:

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep.”

What is the name Jesus calls Himself? The Good Shepherd.

OK, write that in the blank. What could you draw for this name? A sheep, a shepherd’s staff, a shepherd.

Allow time for children to write and draw. The challenge for Lesson 1 is to complete #1 and #2 on your wheels. As you read and meditate on the verses, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what Jesus is saying about Himself and what this means to you. For those of you who are up for a bonus challenge, you can try to learn either verse! We will discuss the statements next time.