Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome(1 minutes)

Hello, and welcome to everyone! Today, we start a new Superbook adventure about two men of great faith named Joshua and Caleb. This is the same Joshua who had his people march around the walls of a city for 7 days! Who knows the name of that city? Jericho.

Let’s begin the video and see the unique way that God leads His people in the wilderness toward the Promised Land. Then we will see what Chris, Joy and Gizmo are doing.

Play Video 2: Intro to Bible Story (6 minutes)

Chris has a chance to become a starter on his soccer team when he finds some teammates cheat to win. When they ask him to join the scheme, he doesn’t know how to stand up to them.

2 Chris and Joy's Dilemma

SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

What happened to Gizmo while playing goalie? He got stuck in the net.

Why was Chris tempted to go along with his teammates’ plan to hide the soccer gear of the league’s star player? It’s the first game that Chris is a starter, and he is trying to fit in with the other starting players.

What would be so wrong about hiding the player’s gear if they gave it back to him after the game?  He wouldn’t be able to play and his team would probably lose without him. It would be cheating.

The SuperTruth today is: “I will live by faith and not by sight.”

God had done many miracles to lead His people out of captivity in Egypt. Yet the people seemed to constantly complain. What were some of their complaints? They had to stop and start again as God led them; they were constantly walking without knowing their destination. They were hungry and tired of the manna God provided—they wanted meat and the vegetables they had in Egypt.

The Israelites were not living by faith; they could not see ahead to what God had promised. They were focused on the present situation and everything they felt they were missing from the land of Egypt.

When we live by faith, we do not look to the things in the past; we look by faith to God’s plan and follow the path He has for us.

Chris is certainly in a bad spot. Gizmo and Joy are encouraging him to do the right thing, but it is tough not to do what the other players asked. Let’s watch the rest of the video to see what Chris decides to do and how Moses deals with all the Israelites’ grumbling and complaining.

Video 3: Bible Story and Resolution (19 minutes)

Superbook takes Chris, Joy and Gizmo to meet Joshua, Caleb, and 10 other spies sent by Moses to explore the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb are amazed by Canaan’s abundance—yet their good report is undermined by the other spies, who fear giants in the land. The children learn that God blesses faithfulness, while the Israelites are punished for their lack of trust.

10A: Bible Story and Resolution

Play Video 10A: SuperVerse Graphic

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

10A: SuperVerse Graphics

SuperVerse Discussion (1 minute)

Our SuperVerse today is Numbers 14:9:

“The LORD is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”

The girls will say the first sentence and the boys will say the second sentence. Then, everyone will say the scripture reference together: Numbers14:9. On the count of three the girls will begin; 1, 2, 3! The girls and boys say their parts.

Ten of the twelve Israelite spies were too afraid to step out in faith and obey God. Why were they afraid? They saw walled cities and powerful giants.

Which two spies had faith to obey God? Joshua and Caleb.

They refused to be moved by what they saw. They were not living by what their eyes showed them, but by what God told them. When we see by faith that the Lord is with us, we will not live in fear!

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)

Dear God, we have nothing to fear because You are with us wherever we go. Help us to live by faith and not by sight so we can experience all of the blessings You have promised us. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Have you ever wanted to be a spy and go on a secret mission? Well, today your wish has come true! You will be sent out to gather important information. Since this is a secret mission, I am not allowed to give you any more information now; you’ll find out more when you arrive in Small Group.

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.

Teaching

No Fear: Discuss living by faith.

Why did Chris decide not to hide the other player’s equipment? He saw how Joshua and Caleb followed the Lord and did what was right instead of going along with the other ten spies.     

When we follow the Lord and live by faith, sometimes we may be outnumbered by those who don’t. It takes courage not to be afraid and stand up for what is right. 

Our lesson today is about living by faith and not by sight. What does living by faith mean? Read Hebrews 11:1:

Moses, Joshua and Caleb saw by faith that the Promised Land belonged to the Israelites. They simply believed God. Hebrews 11:27 says this about Moses:

The key to living by faith is to keep our eyes fixed on God. Even though He is invisible, we can see Him with our eyes of faith. The other ten spies lived by what their eyes showed them, and they only saw giants. Moses, Joshua and Caleb lived by faith, and they knew that God is bigger than any giants.

Let’s say our SuperTruth: “I will live by faith and not by sight.”  

Stand beside the Promised Land sign. This sign represents the land of Canaan in the Bible story. God promised the land to His people beginning with Abraham. (See Genesis 12.) This also represents God’s promises to us in the Bible. We want to receive every one of God’s wonderful promises—but many things can stop us if we don’t watch for them. Let’s discuss two that kept the Israelites out of the Promised Land.  

Have two children stand about 10 feet from the Promised Land sign. Unfold Banner #1—DOUBT. Have the children take the banner and carefully hold it between them so the class can see the writing. I would like everyone to shout the word on the banner. DOUBT! 

Have the two volunteer Israelites slowly begin walking together toward the DOUBT banner and stop suddenly in front of it.

These are two Israelites. They are on the edge of the Promised Land. God told them it was time to go and possess the land, so what stopped them? Doubt!

They heard the bad report from the ten spies, then doubt stopped them in their tracks! They didn’t think God would keep His promise to give them the Promised Land. Are they living by faith or by sight? Sight!     

Have the Israelites go back a few steps. Now, these two aren't just any Israelites; they are Joshua and Caleb! Have the children holding the banner grip it tightly and hold it taut, but not enough to tear it. Have “Joshua” and “Caleb” look straight ahead and confidently and forcefully walk through the banner to tear it apart. Have them stand touching the Promised Land sign.    

Did doubt stop Joshua and Caleb? No!

Are they living by sight or faith? Faith!

Exactly; they kept their eyes on God, not the obstacles.

Have two children hold up Banner #2—FEAR. Let’s shout the word on this banner! Fear!

Fear is another thing that kept the Israelites from taking hold of God’s promises. What did they call themselves in comparison to the giants? Grasshoppers.

Does that sound courageous and brave? No.

They were scared that God could not protect them and their children! Were they living by faith or by sight? Sight! 

Have Joshua and Caleb stand a few steps away from the FEAR banner. Joshua and Caleb did not fear what man could do. They knew God had promised them victory, so it did not matter what their eyes saw. Joshua and Caleb told the people what our SuperVerse says. Let’s say it together. Numbers 14:9:

Have Joshua and Caleb walk through the FEAR banner, then take the Promised Land sign off the wall and hold it up together in victory!

This is what happens when we live by faith, not by sight! We don’t let doubt and fear keep us away from God’s promises. When we live by faith, nothing can stop us!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Many years later, after the people finally entered the Promised Land, Joshua told them in Joshua 23:14: 

This is what our Discipleship Challenge is about—placing God’s promises deep in our hearts. When we do that, we can stand on His Word for strength. This is important, especially when we go through problems of any kind.

Display the sample craft. Give each child a Promise Pouch, Heart Promise page, scissors, tape or glue, and crayons or markers to color the pouch if it’s in black and white. Children should write their names on the blank line, assemble Promise Pouch, and cut apart the Heart Promises. Be ready to assist any children as needed.

Please find Heart #1 and read it aloud. James 4:10.

The first part of this challenge is to look up this verse, discover God’s promise, and if possible, discuss the meaning of the verse with your family. Then, try to memorize the verse to put it deep in your heart! Once you have done that, place the heart in the Promise Pouch. For the second part of the challenge, set aside some time each day to read the Bible to discover more promises from God. Some good places to start are the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament or the book of Ephesians in the New Testament. They are filled with God’s promises! If you don’t have a Bible, you can use the free Bible on the Superbook website or in the Superbook Bible App. When you find a promise, write it on Heart #2 and put it into your Promise Pouch. The next time we meet, you will have an opportunity to share the promise you found and any discussion you had with your family. As a bonus challenge, carry the heart promises with you as you memorize the verses, and pray about how to use that promise in your life!

Optional: if time allows, have the class look up and discuss James 4:10: 

Game

I Spy: Scout the land on a secret mission!

How did Moses gather information about the Promised Land? He sent twelve spies to explore the land of Canaan. (See Numbers 13:2.)

Why did Moses choose twelve spies? He chose one leader from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

How long did the spies explore the land? Forty days.

Optional: Read Numbers 13:17–20:

¹⁷ Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country. ¹⁸ See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. ¹⁹ See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? ²⁰ Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.”

Divide the class into two teams. Two spies from each team will play at the same time. (If the class is larger than 16 children, four can play at the same time. Explain that you are Moses and you need each spy team to explore the room and find certain items. Important: for each round, both teams must receive the same card and look for the same types of items. It is a good strategy for each team to work quietly so the other team cannot hear!

Each team will search for the items on the card and write down the things they find that match the description. The teams get only 30 seconds (increase to a minute for younger children) to “spy” and locate the items. Each team may list as many additional items that fit the descriptions as possible for possible extra points. Once the time ends, stop the game and have the teams read their answers, pointing to and identifying as necessary the specific item/person they chose. If the teams chose the same item/person—those items cancel each other and no points are scored. For each item that is unique and accurate, the team scores one point. Record the scores for each team. After all teams have played, the team with the most points wins.

Conclusion: How did it feel to be a spy on an important mission for Moses?

Would you have wanted to be one of the actual spies that Moses sent; why or why not? Here’s a fun fact! Joshua was one of the original spies sent out by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. Later, Joshua sent his own secret spies to explore the city of Jericho to gather information before he attacked!

SuperVerse

Superbook Pop up: Memorize the SuperVerse with a group activity.

The SuperVerse is what Joshua and Caleb told the Israelites when the people believed the bad report of the ten spies instead of believing God. The people were so full of fear that they wanted to choose a new leader and travel back to Egypt, where they had been slaves! Joshua and Caleb wanted the people to see by faith, not by sight!       

Let’s all read the SuperVerse together from the board. Numbers 14:9: 

Divide children into two equal groups. Have each group sit on chairs (or on the floor) side-by-side, facing the other team. Start by saying the SuperVerse together aloud.

Explain that the first player on each team will stand and shout the first word of the SuperVerse at the same time, then quickly sit down. The second player on each team will then quickly stand and shout the second word at the same time, and so on. Both teams should finish at the same moment, then everyone shouts the reference: Numbers 14:9. The next player in each group then begins the verse over again. Repeat as often as time allows, trying to go faster with each round. Children may look at the board as necessary. Once the teams know the verse, erase it from the board and continue. If children cannot stand, have them raise their hands as they shout their words.

Prayer

Intercession Prayers: Communicate with God.

It’s sad to think that the Israelites believed the ten spies instead of Joshua and Caleb. The people were so busy thinking about giants in the land that they didn’t think about how God was with them. Can you believe they wanted to go back to Egypt, where they had been slaves?

God became angry and wanted to disown and destroy the people because of their unbelief. Moses stood between God and the people and pleaded on their behalf. This type of prayer is called intercession. Moses was interceding for the people. And in Numbers 14:20, God told Moses:

This was a true act of humility and sacrifice by Moses. Like God, he was tired of the people’s unbelief, whining and rebellion. Yet he chose to intercede for them and save their lives. In our prayer time today, you will have the opportunity to intercede for others.

Do you know anyone living in fear or doubt? Are they ready to give up and quit because they are discouraged and afraid? Maybe they have never heard about Jesus, or perhaps they have wandered away from God. Please stand up and close your eyes. Imagine yourself standing between God and the people you are interceding for. Pray silently, asking God to speak to their hearts and give them new hope and faith. Ask God to show them His love and mercy. Allow time for children to pray silently, then close in prayer. 

Dear loving and merciful God, thank You for hearing our prayers today. We praise You for moving in the lives of those we are interceding for today. We ask that the Holy Spirit would remind us to continue to pray daily for them. Help us speak words of encouragement and faith to these people so they will come to know Your love, Your salvation, and Your promises. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.             

Soccer Game

I Think I’ll Pass: Work together as a team to pass the balls.

It is important to work together as a team to accomplish a goal in a game. This is also true for a school project, or if you play an instrument in the band or orchestra, or when you’re doing something with your family. 

When the Israelites were in the wilderness, they had to be ready to move whenever God moved the cloud or the pillar of fire. When the trumpets blew, all the Israelites worked as a team to take down their tents, pack up the Tabernacle, and gather all of their supplies. They had to move quickly!

Joy and Chris were working together as a team playing soccer. How did they pass the ball back and forth to each other? They kicked it.

We are going to play a game now to work together as a team like Chris and Joy to kick the ball to one another.   

This is a large group game. Divide the children into two equal groups. Have the groups stand in two lines, across from and facing each other. Children should stand at arm’s length from the players on either side.

I will place the ball near the player at one end of the line, and that player will kick it along the floor to the player across. Keep doing this until the ball reaches the last player, who will kick it to me to stop the clock. We will record the time and play again to try to do it faster each time. Are you ready to play? Oh, wait a minute; let’s make this a little more interesting. We will play with two balls instead of one. We will start a ball at each end of the line to travel to the opposite end at the same time.

Important: instruct the players to stop the ball with a foot first before they aim and kick it to the next player. Record the time on the board and play again to try to beat it.       

Conclusion: Nice teamwork everyone! Put your hands out sideways and clap each other’s hands! Great job!

Tossing Game

100 Percent Chance of Rain: Play a game about God’s miraculous provision.

In the video, what are some things that the Israelites complained about? Stopping and starting again, walking and wandering in the desert, almost starving and having to eat manna instead of the meat and foods they had in Egypt.

God was teaching His people to live by faith and not by sight. He wanted them to learn to trust and rely on Him every day for what they needed.   

Place the two umbrellas—opened and upside-down—on two different sides of the room. Divide the class into two teams and have each team stand in a circle about 8–10 feet away from their team’s umbrella. Give each child a small cup filled with the popcorn.

Who can guess what an umbrella might have to do with the game we are about to play? Children answer.

The answer is found in Exodus 16:4: 

This popcorn represents manna. You are all going to throw your manna into your team’s umbrella—but you can only throw one piece at a time! The team that collects the most manna in their umbrella is the winner. On your mark, get set, GO!

OPTIONAL DISCUSSION FOR GRADES 4–6

Manna in Hebrew actually means, “What is it?” Each morning, God sent manna from the sky. Manna lay on the grass like dew and the Israelites gathered it for their families. God had specific rules for the gathering of the manna. The Israelites were only to gather enough for their family’s needs for that day and could not save any for the next day, or it would spoil! Why do you think God made this rule? To teach them to trust Him daily.

The only exception to God’s rule was that they could not gather manna on the Sabbath. That’s because the Sabbath, or the seventh day of the week, was to be kept holy, according to one of the Ten Commandments. Instead of gathering manna on the Sabbath, the people were to gather twice as much on the sixth day and keep the extra manna overnight. The manna for the seventh day was not spoiled! God provided manna and meat to eat for 40 years in the wilderness! God wanted the Israelites to rely on Him for their needs. (See Exodus 16:4.)

Let’s list a few things on the board that God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness.

Write the children’s answers on the board:

• Manna and quail to eat.
• Water to drink.
• A cloud to guide them and protect them from the sun during the day.
• A pillar of fire to direct them and keep them warm during the night.
• Moses as their leader.
• The Ten Commandments to guide their thoughts and actions.

Conclusion: The next time it rains and you get your umbrella, remember the manna that God provided, and remember that He will provide for you, too! Let’s say our SuperTruth together again: “I will live by faith and not by sight.”

Coloring Activity

Scout the Land: Color a page to find items in the Promised Land.

Give each child a copy of the Spy Report Page. Also give the children crayons, washable markers, or colored pencils. Children may share colors, if necessary. Have children put their names on the back of the page.

Today, you each worked on a spy mission with a partner to explore the room for objects. You have proved yourself worthy of another mission; however, this time, you will work alone. There are hidden objects in the Promised Land. To fulfill your mission, you must color the picture using the key at the bottom of the page to reveal hidden items. I wish all of you success—and remember, watch out for giants in the land!  

Lead a discussion using the questions and answers below as the children complete the activity. 

Have you ever gone exploring in a park or in the woods; if so, what interesting things did you find? Children answer.

How do you think it would feel to be a spy in a totally different land or enemy territory? Terrifying, exciting. It would make me nervous. 

What are some things you might pray about before a real mission? Safety, not to  be fearful; success, ability, direction. 

What would be the right thing to do after a successful mission for God? Thank Him for going with you and preparing the way. Thank Him for giving you success, guidance, wisdom, and protection.   

Conclusion: Take your pictures home as a reminder that when we live by faith we will discover the things that God has placed all around us to bless our lives.  

Drawing Activity

Map It Out: Children explore the church and draw a layout.

Moses sent the 12 spies to explore the land of Canaan and gather information.

Read Numbers 13:17–20:

Your mission today is to explore the church and create a map of it. You are not required to bring back samples like Joshua and Caleb; and it is doubtful you will encounter any giants or enemy soldiers in chariots. However, you may come upon classes and activities as you explore, so try to be as quiet as possible! Teams will make their own map key for items like windows, doors, hallways, and rooms. Be as realistic or creative as you want. There will be leaders stationed around the church to assist you. Please do not go into rooms where the doors are shut and do not go outside. 

Divide the class into teams of 2–3 children. Make sure any visitors are placed with a child who is familiar with the church. Make sure each team has a watch or phone to keep track of time. Set a time for children to return to the classroom. When children return, allow a few minutes for them to finalize their maps and then share their maps with the class. Discuss how it is wise to gather information and plan, yet, we also need to live by faith and not by sight, trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide and protect us.