Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Hello, everyone and welcome back! Today is the second lesson of our Superbook adventure, “Solomon’s Temple.” Solomon was the son of a very well-known king in the Bible. Do you remember who? King David.

God did not allow King David to build a Temple for Him, yet David played an important part in helping Solomon build it. David wanted to build a place to keep the Ark of the Covenant—a special box that held the Ten Commandments. The Temple would also be a holy place to worship God. Right now, in this place, we have the privilege of worshiping and honoring God together as we sing [song]!  

Play Video: (Song) Endless Adventure (3 minutes)

Preview the song so you can help the children sing along with the music.

Endless Adventure Music Video

SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

Last time, we learned that God’s ways are … what? Above our ways.

Today’s SuperTruth is: “I will do my part in God’s plan.” Think about it: You have a part in God’s plan! It doesn’t matter whether you are in first grade or sixth grade. You could be in elementary school, high school, or an adult—you all are part of God’s plan.

Sometimes your part will be different from anyone else’s; and sometimes, everyone’s part will be the same. It all depends on what is needed to accomplish God’s plan. David and Solomon each had different parts but worked for the same purpose.  

The priests had an important part in the Temple dedication. For those who weren’t here last time, we’ll watch a short version of the video now. If you have already seen it, watch closely to see what the priests did as the Ark of the Covenant was carried into the Temple.

Introduce Condensed Bible Story (1 minute)

If all children watched the Bible story video in the previous lesson, you may skip it here and go straight to the Bible Background Video.

Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (12 minutes)

Condensed Bible Story

Superbook takes Chris, Joy and Gizmo to meet young Solomon, who will soon become Israel’s king. His father, King David, has designed and gathered materials for the Temple. David isn’t allowed by God to build it, so he gives Solomon instructions on how to do it. The children learn that being part of God’s plan is best of all.

Discussion (2 minutes)

Bathsheba, David’s wife, reminded King David of a vow he had made before the Lord. What was the vow? That Solomon would become king and sit on the throne.  

Adonijah was King David’s oldest surviving son, so he thought he should be king. When King David learned that Adonijah declared himself king, he ordered that Solomon be taken immediately to Gihon Springs on David’s mule. This would show everyone that David wanted Solomon to be king. At the springs, Solomon was officially made king by Nathan the prophet and Zadok the priest. What did the priest do with a flask of oil? He poured oil over Solomon’s head to anoint him king.   

Nathan the prophet, Zadok the priest, and Bathsheba, King David’s wife, all played important parts in God’s plan to make Solomon king. It was important for them to take action and do what was right when David was not physically able to do it.   

Introduce Bible Background Video (1 minute)

In today’s Bible Background video we’ll learn more about Solomon and the building of the Temple. When Gizmo asks a question, wait for him to give some possible answers, then call out the one you think is right!

Play Video 5: Bible Background (9 minutes)

Bible Background

Play Video 10B: SuperVerse Graphic

SuperVerse Graphic 2

Graphic loops 2.5 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat the verse.

SuperVerse Discussion (1 minute)

The SuperVerse today is 1 Corinthians 3:8:

The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.

Let’s say the SuperVerse together. 1 Corinthians 3:8:

The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.

Who will be rewarded for hard work: the one who plants or the one who waters? Both.

Each person has a part to play. Both parts are needed and equally important. Whether a part is small or large, you will be rewarded for your obedience in God’s plan. To complete God’s work, individuals need to work together in unity to accomplish the same goal.

Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group. If younger children are not able to memorize the entire verse, be sure they understand its meaning.

Prayer and Send-Off (1 minute)

Heavenly Father, thank You for making us part of Your master plan. Help us to always say yes to any part You ask us to do; whether big or small. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.   

In Small Group today, you will each be given important roles to play in a game plan. The only way your team can succeed is if you do your part!

Teachers take children to Small Group classes for Grades 1–3 and 4–6. If the combined group is small, all children may stay together for Small Group time.

Game

In Large Group, you were asked to notice what the priests did as the Ark of God was carried into the Temple. Can someone tell me the answer? They blew the horns or ram’s horns.

They did their part in the dedication of the Temple. Let’s say the SuperTruth together. “I will do my part in God’s plan.”  

Today, you will be assigned fun parts to do as teams. These represent tasks that you might do as you serve God. Are you ready for the challenge? Let’s play!

This game is the most fun if played outdoors, in a gym, or in a large space.

Options for smaller classes or smaller spaces:

• Play only two teams at a time, then hold playoffs, with the winners of each round competing to determine the fastest team.
• Play with only three children per team and eliminate shouting the SuperTruth.
• Teachers and assistants can play if necessary to complete teams.

Divide the class into teams of four children. The teams will line up in rows (see illustration above) with about 6–8 feet between each player. If space permits, have all teams play at the same time. Give a ball to the first player on each team.

Use the board to explain each player’s purpose for each position:

• Player 1 throws the ball to Player 2.
• Player 2 catches the ball and rolls it to Player 3.
• Player 3 catches the ball and bounces it to Player 4.
• Player 4 catches the ball and shouts the SuperTruth.

Everyone rotates positions, with Player 4 carrying the ball to stand where Player 1 was. Continue playing until every member of the team has been in each position. The first team to finish wins. Play additional rounds as time permits.    

Conclusion: You did every job well! God rewards everyone for faithfully doing their part. Now, let’s discuss this more in today’s teaching. 

Teaching

Let’s say the SuperVerse together. 1 Corinthians 3:8:

The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.

How does the first part of the SuperVerse relate to our story about David and Solomon? Each had different parts but the same purpose—to build the Temple.

What was David’s part? He made preparations, gathering and storing supplies. He prayed for and supported Solomon. He received the Temple plans from God and instructed Solomon.

David gathered timber, stones, and various metals for Solomon. He even donated precious stones, silver, gold, marble, and jewels from his personal treasury to be used in God’s house! David also encouraged the other leaders to do their parts and give gifts to help build the Temple. (See 1 Chronicles 29:1–5.)

What was Solomon’s part? He was in charge of the actual building or construction of the Temple according to God’s plan.

Solomon could not build the Temple alone. He gathered thousands of workers—including 3,600 foremen to oversee the work, 80,000 quarry workers to mine and finish the stones, and 70,000 laborers to transport material and do construction. Other workers helped a master craftsman named Huram-abi, who skillfully made all the furnishings of the Temple. (See 2 Chronicles 2:13–18; 1 Kings 5:13–18.)

Each worker played an important part in the construction of the Temple. They all worked for the same purpose and followed the same plan. But imagine what would have happened if each of the 70,000 laborers tried to build the Temple however they wanted! One might say, I’m going to put this stone here in the middle of this hallway, rather than where I was told to put it in that wall over there. And suppose the men working in the quarry each decided to cut the stones whatever size they wanted, rather than cutting the stones to precise measurements so they would fit together in the master plan. What would happen? The Temple would not have been completed properly.

David wanted to build the Temple—after all, it was his idea! However, that was not the part David was given by God. Did David become bitter or jealous? No.

David may have been disappointed, yet he did his part to the best of his ability. David told Solomon that he worked hard to provide all of the materials. (See 1 Chronicles 22:14.)

When God gives us a task, we should do it carefully and cheerfully, and we should not be jealous of others who are given different tasks. Let’s say the SuperTruth. “I will do my part in God’s plan.”

Chose two volunteers. Have Volunteer 1 stand next to you. Have Volunteer 2 bring all four boxes to you. When all four boxes arrive, have Volunteer 1 build a tower four boxes high.

That is a very nice tower! Who should be rewarded for the work—the builder or the box carrier? Children respond.

Both should be rewarded because both volunteers did the part I asked them to do. The second part of the SuperVerse says, “And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.” God does not reward us by comparing our work to other people’s work. He rewards us according to what He asks us to do—period. People may judge one part more important than another’s part; even so, this is not God’s way!

Now, there is one person who did what no other person can do. Can you guess who? Jesus.

No one else could save us from our sin! (See Luke 22:42.) Jesus accepted His part in God’s plan and submitted to God’s will, even though it meant dying a painful death on the cross.

Through Jesus, we are invited by God to participate in His work in this world! He gives everyone a part to play. We must never be afraid to do our part.

Solomon was young and inexperienced, and he could have felt overwhelmed by the massive task of building a magnificent building for God. So David encouraged him to trust God.

Read 1 Chronicles 28:19–20:

¹⁹ “Every part of this plan,” David told Solomon, “was given to me in writing from the hand of the LORD.” ²⁰ Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly.” 

This promise is true for us today. God is with us, and He will equip us with all we need to do the task we are assigned. He will see to it that we are successful! Through prayer, reading God’s Word, and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can learn what our part is in God’s plan. We are God’s Temple, and the Holy Spirit lives in us. The Spirit shows us God’s plan and gives us the power to follow it.

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give God’s Temple page to any children who missed Lesson 1.

In our Discipleship Challenge, we are learning about being God’s Temple. When we ask Jesus to be our Savior, He comes to live inside us. We are His Temple, filled with His Spirit. The Holy Spirit will continue to build our Temple for the rest of our lives! As we walk in obedience to Him, our Temple will grow more and more like Christ. We are learning about the items or furnishings of Solomon’s Temple and comparing them to the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in our Temples. All of this is only possible through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.   

In the first challenge, do you remember the two Temple items? The Bronze Altar and the Bronze Sea or basin.

Last time, we talked about the Bronze Altar and the Bronze Sea or basin. The priests used to offer animal sacrifices on the altar to pay the price for the people’s sin. We don’t need to do that because Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins—forever. In the same way, the priests used to wash themselves in the Bronze Sea. Whenever we sin, we can come to Jesus and confess our sins to receive forgiveness and cleansing.   

Today’s challenge is “Jesus lights my Temple,” and we will learn about the Lampstand and the Altar of incense.

The lampstands lit the sanctuary of the Temple, called the Holy Place. The priests had to fill them with oil so they would burn brightly. At home, read John 8:12 and find out how the lampstands represent Jesus’ light.    

The Altar of incense was used in the Temple to burn sweet incense that rose to God. Our prayers rise up to God like sweet incense. At home, read Psalm 141:2 and think about your prayers going up to heaven like a sweet smell.     

Your challenge is to let Jesus’ light shine through you so others can see Him through your words and actions. Another part of this challenge is to offer daily prayers to God according to Psalm 141:2. Next time we meet, you will have an opportunity to share your discussion and experience with this challenge. 

SuperVerse

Let’s read the SuperVerse together from the board. 1 Corinthians 3:8:

In this verse, the Apostle Paul is talking about himself and a man named Apollos; both were preachers of the Gospel. In the SuperVerse, Paul compares their parts in God’s work to gardeners or farmers. What do you think the main reward would be for planting seeds? The seeds would grow into healthy plants or crops.

What is a reward for sharing the Gospel? Seeing people become believers in Jesus and grow in their faith.

There’s nothing more exciting than seeing people come to know Jesus. Paul talked about this when he wrote a letter to the believers in the city of Philippi, where he had established a church.

Read Philippians 4:1:

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.    

The believers were his reward! Paul’s and Apollos’s work was equally important and done for the same purpose—to raise up new believers and to help them grow in Christ.

Now let’s do an activity where we all have a part to learn today’s SuperVerse.

Divide the children into five groups of two or more depending on class size. Assign each group a number (1–5). Try to mix older children with younger children. Give them 2 minutes to try to memorize their section of the SuperVerse. They may come up with hand motions or act out their part of the verse. Keep it simple; it is most important to learn the words of the verse. Bring the groups back together. Have everyone say the reference together, 1 Corinthians 3:8, then have each group say their part of the verse in order while looking at the board.

Optional: have the children turn their backs to the board and try to say the verse without looking.

Conclusion: Great job everyone! What would have happened if one group chose not to do their part? The SuperVerse would not have been completed.

It took all of you working together for the same purpose to accomplish the goal. No part was more important than the other—all were needed!

Younger children may not be able to memorize the entire SuperVerse. Be sure all children understand its meaning.

Prayer

In the Bible story, the workers had different jobs, such as cutting, shaping, carrying, assembling, or cleaning. Each job was important for God’s plan to be completed to His specifications. Everyone worked with the same purpose.    

Let’s pray and ask God to show each of us what our part is in His work. We all have general parts in the work of His kingdom, like sharing the Gospel. Yet, there are also specific tasks He wants us to do at home, church or school. The Holy Spirit lives in us. When we take time to listen, He will tell us what to do and give us the power to obey. Maybe He wants you to sit with someone at lunch who has no friends. Maybe He wants you to pray for someone who is sad or sick. Maybe He wants you to help an elderly neighbor by cutting the grass or taking out the trash each week. There are many different parts to play in God’s plan!

Please close your eyes, sit quietly in God’s presence, and allow Him to speak to your heart. Ask Him to show you the part He has for you. Allow time for children to sit in God’s presence and pray.

Close in prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that there is a part for each one of us in Your grand plan. Please speak to us each day as we open our hearts to Your guidance. Help us to listen and be ready to do our part. In Jesus’ wonderful name we pray, Amen.

Object Lesson

Choose a boy and a girl volunteer to come to the table with you. Give a shovel and seed packet to the girl. Give the watering can to the boy. Have the girl dig a small hole in the soil with the hand shovel. Then have her drop a few seeds in the hole and loosely cover the seed with the soil. Have the boy slowly pour a small amount of water on the soil.

Now, have the volunteers switch roles. The boy digs the soil and plants more seeds and the girl waters.

Good job, gardeners! You each did both parts very well. Now we need to determine which job was more important.

Hold up the shovel. Clap your hands if you think the digger and planter were more important? Children respond.

Hold up the watering can. Clap your hands if you think the one who watered was more important. Children respond.

Allow some children to explain their answers.

The correct answer is that both jobs are equally important. You can’t grow a plant without a seed in the ground, and the plant won’t grow without water. The volunteers may sit down.      

Let’s say our SuperVerse together. 1 Corinthians 3:8:

The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.

As we learned in the SuperVerse activity, Paul compared God’s work with planting seeds. The Apostle Paul and Apollos both were powerful preachers of God’s Word. The men played different parts in sharing the Gospel—like our gardeners had different roles of equal importance.

Paul laid the foundation of the Gospel and Apollos encouraged the people in their faith. Unfortunately, the people became prideful and bragged that they were followers of Paul or followers of Apollos. This was not pleasing to God—or to Paul. He told the people it wasn’t about who did what part; it was about working together to accomplish God’s work. The focus should always be on God—only He can make a seed grow.

What does the seed represent? God’s Word, the Gospel.

God may call us to plant seeds of the Gospel by sharing a testimony or a scripture with someone. Hold up the shovel and seed packet.

Hold up the watering can. He may send someone else to “water” the seed by sharing the Good News or praying with that person to help them grow spiritually.

Hold up seeds, shovel, and watering can. Another time, your part may be to do both!

Have a child in 5^th or 6^th grade read 1 Corinthians 15:58.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Alternate idea: Choose three children to come up front. Give each a plant pot partially filled with soil. Tell the first child to dig a hole in the dirt of Pot #1. Tell the second child to dig a hole and plant a seed in the dirt of Pot #2. Tell the third child to dig a hole, plant a seed, and water the soil in Pot #3. Then ask the class which pot they think a plant will grow in.

Conclusion: Remember, every task is important in God’s plan, and we will be rewarded for doing our part. Let’s say the SuperTruth together. “I will do my part in God’s plan.” 

Drawing Activity

Can someone say today’s SuperTruth from memory? “I will do my part in God’s plan.”

In this activity, you will create murals with two scenes. Point to the board as you read the scenes.

Scene 1

Before his death, King David did his part and made preparations to build the Temple. He had workers cut out stones from the quarry and shape them. He provided gold, silver, iron, and bronze. He also provided so many cedar logs that they couldn’t be counted. All the materials had to be carried and stored for Solomon to use. (See 1 Chronicles 22:2–5,14–15.)

Optional: show image of the preparation of materials from the beginning of the video.  

Scene 2

Solomon did his part and built the Temple following the plans that God gave to David, his father. (See 1 Chronicles 28.)

Optional: show image of the Temple around 16:47 of video.

Divide the class into groups of 3–5 children, mixing boys and girls, older and younger children. Lay out the sections of butcher paper across the tables or on the floor.

If using poster boards, tape two poster boards together side by side for each group.

Give each group crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers.

Instruct the groups to draw a line down the center of their butcher paper to separate the two scenes. If using poster board, use one board for each scene.

Tape the finished murals on the wall. Have groups share their murals with everyone.

Conclusion: You really illustrated the two scenes well! God had a purpose for everything in the Temple. Solomon made sure that everyone’s part was done according to God’s plan. When the Temple was finished, God filled it with His glory and presence!

Game Craft

What was the name of Solomon’s brother in our Bible story today? Adonijah.

Did Adonijah follow God’s plan? No.

Why not? He was the older son and tried to make himself king instead of Solomon.

Yes, it is important for us to know and follow God’s plan. Sometimes the part we want to play may not be God’s will. These bottles represent Solomon and Adonijah. Your part is to crown Solomon king by tossing your crown onto his bottle!

Divide the class into two equal teams. Have each team stand about 4 feet from the bottles (adjust as desired). Teams play at the same time. The first players toss their crowns one time to try to “ring” Solomon’s bottle. The players then quickly retrieve their crowns and move to the back of the line. The game should move at a fast pace. Five points are scored for each Solomon “ringer”; subtract five points for an Adonijah “ringer.” One point is scored if a crown touches the Solomon bottle but does not “ring” it. Play for a certain amount of time or allow players a certain number of turns (tossing one crown per turn). The highest team score wins.

Let’s finish this game by saying the SuperTruth together. “I will do my part in God’s plan.” 

Bible Activity

Let’s say the SuperTruth together. “I will do my part in God’s plan.”

Note that the suggested answers are from the New Living Translation. If children are using different translations, their answers will vary.

This Bible study will help us more fully understand how God looks at the different parts we can all play to accomplish His purpose.

Have the children look up the passage in the Bible and then choose volunteers to read the verses aloud. Lead a discussion with the questions and comments below.

1 Corinthians 12:12–22,26–27

¹² The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. ¹³ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. ¹⁴ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? ¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it. ¹⁹ How strange a body would be if it had only one part! ²⁰ Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. ²¹ The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” ²² In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. ²⁷ All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

1. The body of Christ means all of the believers who form the Church—not just here where we live, but the Church throughout the entire world. In verse 12, the Apostle Paul compares the body of Christ to what? The human body and all of its parts.
2. In verse 13, what—or rather who—do all believers share in common? God’s Spirit.
3. Who has a part in God’s plan? All people, everyone who believes in Christ.
4. In verses 13–14,20, how many parts are there, and how many bodies? One body with many parts.
5. Keeping in mind that Paul is comparing the human body to the church body, what are verses 15–16 saying? That we should value the parts we play in the body. We shouldn’t see others as more important.
6. In verse 17, Paul talks about the importance of each part for the body to function properly. What does this tell us about the church body? We can’t all have or play the same parts, roles, tasks. There are different parts needed to function properly. Not everyone can do the same thing. If everyone did the same thing it wouldn’t function properly and would be odd.
7. In verse 18, God created the human body. He also created the body of Christ. What does this verse say about the different parts of the church? He will call, enable, gift, and place people in specific places and positions in the body of Christ just as with the human body. There are many parts and roles to fill in the church.
8. Verse 19, what would happen if everyone was called to be a pastor in the body? There would be no one to do the other jobs in the church. Not everyone could possibly do the same thing at the same time. There would be a conflict with the styles and the way things should be done.
9. What would happen if everyone was a worship leader and tried to lead music at the same time? There would be confusion and conflict. Not all can be the worship leader. It would not be a pleasing sound or harmonious.
10. In verse 21, the eyes and head are very important to the human body—yet can they do everything that is needed? Are the hands and feet really needed; explain? Yes, as important as the head and eyes are—they cannot move us or lift and hold things for us. They cannot take action. Each part can only do certain jobs and needs the rest of the body to function properly.
11. Raise your hand if you have ever felt like your job or part wasn’t as important as someone else’s. What do verses 21–22 say about that? There are no unimportant jobs. All need to do their parts for the group to function properly. We are all needed.
12. What do verses 26–27 say about our relationship with others in the body of Christ? We are connected through Christ—we are not on our own. We must watch out and care for one another. We need each other to complete the body of Christ so it works properly. We are not to be prideful, selfish or jealous. We are to be genuinely happy for each other, and honor, respect and comfort one another in genuine love.    

Conclusion: God has empowered us with spiritual gifts and abilities to work together, with all doing their parts to accomplish His purpose.