Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (2 minutes)

Welcome back for the last lesson of our Superbook adventure, “Job.” For those who have already seen our story, what are some of the ways God allowed Job to be tested? Lost his fortune, possessions, family, and health.

Yet through all of the testing, Job remained faithful to God and never said anything sinful against Him. Job knew that his Redeemer lived and that God would rescue him. We will learn how Jesus is our Redeemer and what a priceless blessing He is to us today! Now, we are going to praise God for sending His Son, our Redeemer, to save us from our sin and give us a new life! Let’s all stand up and sing The Salvation Poem. As we sing, let’s think about how Jesus loved us so much that He died on the cross to free us from our sins! 

Play Video 7: (Song) The Salvation Poem (3 minutes)

Be sure to preview the song so you can sing along with the children.

The Salvation Poem

SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

Our SuperTruth for today is: “Jesus is my Redeemer.” Let’s say that together. “Jesus is my Redeemer.”

Let’s talk about what “redeemer” means. The Bible says that all have sinned—you, me, everyone. The bad news is that the punishment for sin is death! The really good news is that Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. He died on the cross to set us free from sin. He redeemed us from the power of sin and death. He purchased our freedom by shedding His blood on the cross. And, that’s not all; He rose again so we can have a wonderful, new life serving Him. To thank Jesus for taking our punishment, let’s jump up and shout the SuperTruth! Are you ready? Let’s go! “Jesus is my Redeemer.”

Introduce Condensed Bible Story (1 minute)

If most or all children watched the Bible story video in a previous lesson, omit it here and go straight to the SuperVerse.

If you saw our video in the first lesson, you’ll remember that Chris was having a very bad week—in fact, it was the worst week of his life! He was upset that bad things were happening to him when he was trying to do what was right. Chris wondered if he had done something wrong to cause all of the bad things. That’s when Superbook took Chris, Joy and Gizmo back in time to meet a man named Job. Chris learned that in Job’s situation, God was allowing Job’s faith to be tested. Now, for the children who haven’t seen our Bible story yet, we are going to watch a short version of the video to see the outcome of Job’s test. If you’ve already seen the video, watch for the answers to two bonus questions we will ask in our Small Group time: 1. How did God come to Job and his friends? 2. How many servants returned to Job, bringing bad news?

Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (10 minutes)

Condensed Bible Story

Superbook takes Chris, Joy and Gizmo back in time to meet Job. Satan has received permission from God to test Job by taking away his fortune, family and health. Even so, Job steadfastly trusts God—and is eventually rewarded for his perseverance. The children learn they can overcome any difficulty by trusting God. 

Play Video 10C: SuperVerse Graphic 3 (3 minutes)

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

SuperVerse Graphic 3

SuperVerse (2 minutes)

Our SuperVerse says in Job 19:25:

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last.”

Let’s divide the verse into two parts—the girls will say the first part—your last word will be “lives.” The boys will say the last part of the verse, beginning with the word “and.” Let’s try it now! Children say the verse in two parts.

Do you remember when Job made this statement in the video?

Chris asked Job if he still believed there is a God looking out for him. Job never doubted—he believed that he would one day see God face to face! We also will see Jesus when He returns to Earth again! Jesus redeemed us by His death, but He did not remain in the tomb—He rose again and is alive today! Let’s say our SuperVerse together again. Job 19:25:

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last.”

Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group. Younger children may not be able to memorize the entire SuperVerse. They may simply repeat it several times, while older children may memorize part or all of it. Be sure all children understand its meaning. 

Introduce Signposts Video (1 minute)

Let’s watch our Signposts Video to see how the life of Job pointed to our Redeemer, Jesus!  

Play Video 6: Signposts Video (4.5 minutes)

Signposts Video

Prayer and Send-Off (2 minutes)

Let’s say a prayer before we move to our Small Groups to continue learning about Job and how he pointed to Jesus.

Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to pay the price for our sins and redeem us from the power of death! Help us to live each day with the excitement that we will one day see You face to face! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Today in Small Group, you’ll play a game to return everything Job lost! Let’s go and get started!

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

Let’s find out who can answer our two bonus questions!

1. How did God come to Job and his friends? In a windstorm, whirlwind.

2. How many of Job’s servants returned to him, bringing bad news? Four.

Can you say our SuperTruth from memory? “Jesus is my Redeemer!”

Jesus redeemed us by rescuing us from sin and death. Job certainly needed to be rescued from his situation. He was in agony and dealing with grief from the loss of his family and fortune. Yet even in the midst of his suffering, Job declared that he knew his Redeemer lived and he would see Him one day! God returned all that Job had lost, and more. Let’s play a game today where we will return what Job lost. 

Divide the class into two teams; they do not need to be equal. One team stands behind one of the starting lines while the other team stands behind the line on the opposite side of the pillowcase/rectangle. Give each team 11 sheets of one color paper per team. If your class is large, give each team 22 sheets of one color paper per team. Have the team members crumple the papers into tight balls, then place them in the box, can or bag by their team’s starting line.

The pillow case or rectangle in the middle represents Job’s land. The paper balls represent Job’s possessions. At the beginning of the book of Job, Job 1:3, the Bible says Job had many camels, oxen, donkeys, and sheep—totaling 11,000 animals. After he lost everything, the Bible tells us, in Job 42:12, that God gave him twice as many camels, oxen, donkeys, and sheep. How many animals would that be, altogether? 22,000 animals.

If we used one ball for each animal, we might be playing all week! So let’s say that each ball represents 1,000 animals. We will give each team 11 balls to represent Job’s animals. Each team must return all 11 balls to Job by tossing or rolling the balls so they land and stay on the pillowcase, which represents Job’s land. The first team to get all of their balls onto Job’s land wins! However, the ultimate goal is for both teams to get all of their balls on Job’s land—symbolizing 22,000 animals!

One player on each team plays at a time. Teams play simultaneously and continuously. Each team’s player will toss—underhand, overhand, rolling, standing, or sitting—one paper ball toward the pillowcase, then the next player takes a turn, and so on. Each team should not wait for the other team at any time. Part of the fun is that balls may be knocked off the pillowcase by the other team during play.

When all of a team’s balls have been tossed, a player must quickly gather any of the team balls that are not on the pillow case, then bring them to the team to throw again. Play until all balls are finally on Job’s “land.” Play another round as time permits.

Conclusion: That was really exciting! In the last chapter and paragraph of the book of Job, we read that Job was indeed rescued, restored, and blessed with even more than what he had in the first part of his life! The Bible said Job lived 140 more years after God blessed him—long enough to see four generations of children. Job knew that God, his Redeemer, lived, even when his life was at its darkest point. Now, let’s learn more about how Job’s life serves as a Signpost to Jesus! 

Teaching

Read a Signpost from a sign on the wall or from the board and discuss each one, using the information below. Additional material is included for Grades 4–6 to look up and discuss.

Today, we are going to discuss the Signposts we saw in our video of how events in Job’s life point to Jesus.    

Signpost 1. Removed!

Job was blameless and upright before God. Satan was given permission from God to test Job’s faith. Satan believed that Job served God only because God had given him prosperity and protection. Suddenly, Job’s family, wealth, and even his health were taken away by Satan. Yet, Job did not waver in his faith and obedience to God. Instead, Job chose to worship and praise God!

This is a Signpost to Jesus. Jesus willingly gave up all the glorious riches He had in heaven so that He could come to Earth and save us. He came as a human baby, and he was tempted and tested by Satan, too—yet He remained faithful and obedient to God and never sinned.    

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6 TO DISCUSS

Job 1:8–12:

⁸ Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” ⁹ Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. ¹⁰ You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! ¹¹ But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” ¹² “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord's presence.

Philippians 2:6–8:

⁶Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. ⁷ Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, ⁸ He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Signpost 2. True Faith!

How was Job able to praise and worship God even though he experienced so much pain and suffering? Job’s faith wasn’t based on his circumstances or possessions—it was based on a person—God. This is true faith that lasts! Job didn’t focus on his circumstances; he focused on seeing his Redeemer face to face one day! Job believed that one day his suffering would be over, and he would be rescued and restored forever by God. 

Jesus remained faithful to God even though He endured rejection, suffering, and even death. Job’s declaration about his Redeemer was a Signpost to our Redeemer, Jesus. Many years later in the New Testament, John the Baptist’s father said that God had redeemed His people by sending His Son, the mighty Savior, Jesus! When we place our trust in Jesus alone, we have true faith that will last. We will also see Jesus, face to face one day. He is our Redeemer, who rescues us from sin and death!     

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6 TO DISCUSS 

Job 19:25–27:

²⁵ “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last. ²⁶ And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! ²⁷ I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”

Colossians 1:13:

For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.

Signpost 3. Always Present!

Through Job’s time of testing, he never stopped praying and worshiping God. Job never lost faith—in fact, his faith grew by seeing God and hearing His voice! Job did not understand all of the testing he was going through, yet he knew God was present with him.

This is a Signpost to Jesus, who is always with us. When Jesus returned to heaven following His resurrection, He sent the Holy Spirit to His followers to help them and be with them always. We may not always understand our circumstances, yet we can be sure that Jesus is always with us and will help us! Because Jesus suffered and was tempted, He knows the hardships and temptations we will face. When we trust in Jesus through difficult times, our faith is strengthened as we experience His presence and help.

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6 TO DISCUSS 

Job 1:20–22:

²⁰Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship.²¹ He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lordhas taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” ²² In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

Luke 1:67–70a:

⁶⁷ Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: ⁶⁸ “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people. ⁶⁹ He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of His servant David, ⁷⁰ just as He promised.

Signpost 4. Restored!

God restored everything that Satan had taken from Job; his family, possessions, and health. In fact, God doubled all that Job had before his test! Job loved and trusted in God more than the blessings God had given him. His faith was based on God alone.

Jesus was obedient to God, even in death! Jesus received back all that He willingly gave up when He came to Earth—and even more! The Bible says that Jesus now sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. He was given the name above all names, and someday everyone will bow down to Him as Lord! We can declare today what Job did: “I know my Redeemer lives!” 

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6 TO DISCUSS  

Job 42:10:

When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!

Philippians 2:9–11:

⁹Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

In our lessons about Job, we have been discussing how God gives His children many blessings. Sometimes we may forget to take the time to appreciate all of our blessings and thank God for them.

Our Discipleship Challenge is to think of a new blessing every day, write it on one of the My Blessings slips, put it in our baskets, and then take time to praise and thank God for that special blessing. Now, who would like to share one of the blessings you have already written down for our Discipleship Challenge? Allow time for children to share.

Display the sample you made and give a Blessing Basket Pattern and a My Blessings Pattern to any children who missed the previous lessons. 

SuperVerse

Our SuperVerse for today is Job 19:25:

"But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last.

Have the children face the board and spread out so they have room to do the motions. Begin by saying the verse slowly together, teaching them the accompanying motions. Repeat it several times, going faster with each repetition.

“But as for me, -- Point to self.

I know that -- Point to head/mind.

my Redeemer lives, -- Point to Jesus in heaven.

and He will stand -- Take a high step forward and stand at attention with arms at sides.

upon the earth at last.” --  Make a large round globe with both arms.

In this verse, Job was declaring what he knew deep inside his heart, even in the midst of his suffering. It didn’t matter what others believed or what his present situation looked like; Job’s faith was not shaken. Even Job’s wife tried to convince Job to blame God, but he would not! Job held onto the knowledge that God is alive, and he would see his Redeemer standing upon Earth one day!         

Great job everyone—remember this verse, our Redeemer lives and we will see Him with our own eyes one day, too!

Note: If younger children are not able to memorize the entire SuperVerse, simply have them repeat it several times and be sure they understand its meaning. 

Prayer

Sit in a circle with the children.

Job knew his Redeemer lives, and we know our Redeemer is alive today. Who is our Redeemer? Jesus.

Yes, He redeemed us by taking the punishment for our sin. Now He sits up in heaven at the right hand of God the Father and hears every prayer we pray. And someday, we will see Him face to face!

Close your eyes and think about that for a moment—we will all see Jesus with our own eyes! Let’s go around the circle and each thank Jesus for something He has done for you. You can use your own words to say a short prayer, or you may just say something like, “Thank You for dying for me,” or “Thank You for redeeming me,” or simply, “Thank You, Jesus.” I’ll start, then we’ll go around the circle, and I’ll close.

Set the example with a sentence prayer, allow time for all children to participate, then close.

Dear Jesus, we are so thankful that You willingly died on the cross to pay the punishment for our sins, then rose again. You redeemed us, You give us hope, and You give us new life! Let us live each day for You. Please help us share the good news with others—that You are their Redeemer, too! In Your name we pray, Amen.

Object Lesson

Do you remember when Job was put to the test? Well, we are going to take a simple test today, but it won’t be nearly as hard as Job’s! 

One at a time, write the following problems on the board and discuss: 

1. 5+5 _____10. What math symbol should be between 5 and 10? Equal sign, =. 

2. 1 minute = ____ seconds. Who knows the answer to this question? 60.

3. 1 pound = ____ ounces. What would the answer be—12? No, 16 ounces.

Great—you passed the test!

Now, I will write something else on the board for you to think about. Don’t give me an answer yet! Write on the board: God ____ Satan. 

Have you ever heard someone say God and Satan are equal?

Let’s take a look at a few facts to determine whether that is true.

1.  Satan is not a god. He was one of the angels God created at the very beginning. Satan desired to be equal with God. In Isaiah 14:14, Satan said:

“I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.”

He wanted to be like God, Himself! Because of this, Satan was thrown out of heaven.  

2.  Satan’s power and ability are limited by God. He is not all-powerful like God is. In our story, Satan had to ask for God’s permission to test Job both times. He did not have the power or authority to do it without God’s permission. Even when God said yes, He limited how far Satan could test Job. Satan did not have the power or authority to take Job’s life!

3.  Satan told God he was patrolling Earth—going back and forth, watching. Satan cannot be everywhere at the same time. God can be everywhere all at once! He is omnipresent, which means He can be present everywhere at all times. Isn’t it wonderful to know that if I need God’s help at my house, He can be there with me—and at the same time, He can still help you at your house, and help people in other neighborhoods, and countries, and all around the world!

Have you ever heard the story about Adam and Eve? God told them they could eat any of the fruit in the Garden of Eden except from one tree. Satan appeared in the form of a serpent. Do you remember what he asked Eve? Read Genesis 3:1:

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LordGod had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

Why did Satan ask that question?  

Satan was trying to plant doubt in Eve’s mind, asking: “Did God really say that? Are you sure?” Satan still does that today! He tries to plant doubts in people’s minds, asking: “Did God really say that? Are you sure?” Hold up the Bible. We have this wonderful book. What is it called? The Bible, the Scriptures, God’s Word.

One name for the Bible is the Word of God. God speaks to us through His Word, which we should read and study every day. Then we can say with certainty, “Yes! God really HAS said that. We can trust His Word.” 

It’s interesting to notice that Satan waited until Eve was alone to question her about what God said. Satan likes to divide and separate people, keeping them away from other believers so he can more easily attack them. When we go to church and spend time with other Christians, we have more protection from an enemy who likes to shoot arrows of doubt and fear. In our story, it’s sad that no one stood with Job—not even his friends or his wife! Even so, Job stayed true to his faith in God. 

A huge difference between Jesus and Satan is what they came into the world to do. Let’s read what Jesus said. Read John 10:10:

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Satan wants to trick people out of the good things God wants them to have. Satan wants to rob people of a satisfying life. He tries to steal their hope and joy by making them feel guilty and ashamed and worthless. Now think about Jesus, who came to die for us—to pay the price for our sins, to give us salvation, hope, and everlasting joy. Who would you rather serve? Jesus!

Jesus described another huge difference between Himself and Satan. In John 8:44, Jesus said the devil hates the truth, and he is the father of lies. Let’s read how Jesus described Himself: 

Read John 14:6:

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me."

If you ever feel worthless and alone and ashamed, ask yourself: who wants me to feel this way—Satan or Jesus? Raise your hand if you think Jesus wants you to feel worthless and alone and ashamed. Children may raise hands. Now, raise your hand if you think Satan likes it when you feel that way. Children raise hands. Satan is happy when Christians give up and quit. Not Jesus! He sees us when we are down, then reaches out His hand to lift us up! Think about His hands for a moment. What is on Jesus’ hands? Nail prints! He willingly stretched out His arms on the cross to pay the price for our sins. He forgives us and loves us and wants to be with us always. He is our Redeemer, who came into the world to destroy the power of sin and death. He defeated Satan’s evil plan. Satan cannot stop Jesus from standing on Earth again. Someday we will see our Redeemer with our own eyes—just as Job described! 

Point to the board. Now, let me ask you the answer to the last problem on the board—would you put an equal sign here? No!

No, absolutely not! Satan is NOT equal to God! Write “>" between the words Satan and God. This is the symbol for “greater than.” God is the one and only true God. He is the Supreme God of heaven and Earth. He stands alone, high above everyone and everything! He is far greater than Satan, far greater than any person, and far greater than any other power in the universe. God has no equal! 

SuperVerse Game

Let’s say the SuperVerse together. Job 19:25:

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last.”

Great! That will help you play our next game.

Divide the class into groups of 2 or 3. Pair younger children who are weak readers with older children. Have each group sit on the floor in different sections of the room so they are as far apart from each other as possible. Give each group a pair of children’s scissors and a SuperVerse Cards pattern; have them cut apart the cards, scramble them, then give them to you. Shuffle all the groups’ cards together, then pass out eight cards to each group, along with a sheet of construction paper.

Give them about 30 seconds to build as much of the SuperVerse as possible from the cards they have, placing them in order on their sheet of construction paper. These cards are “safe” and cannot be taken by any other group. Extra cards should be spread out on the floor, words facing up.   

Groups then send out one player at a time to hunt for a card to help complete their SuperVerse. At least one player per group must stay with their cards. The “hunter” can only pick up one card and take it back to the team, then the next player from that group goes on the hunt. As cards are brought back, players put them in order on the construction paper. If a hunter brings a card that is not needed, it must be placed on the floor with that team’s other extra cards for another team to find. The first team to complete their verse and raise their hands wins! The game should continue until all teams have successfully built their SuperVerse.

Word Game

Divide the class into pairs of children. Be sure to pair children who are weak readers or have special needs with children who can help them. Give a Scramble Sheet and a pencil to each pair. Let them work for about 5 minutes, as you move around to give hints to the groups as necessary. Go over the sheets with the groups and discuss the events briefly that pertain to each item.

In this activity each group will work together to solve the scrambled words for the answer to clue or question—then you will write the correct answer in the blanks.

Answer Key for teacher, only

1. Redeemer
2. Trouble, trials, suffering
3. Courage and help
4. Forsake
5. Blameless
6. Whirlwind
7. Protection and prosperity

Conclusion: Have you ever been told you were a good un-scrambler?

Well, you certainly are—good work! God is with us no matter what we are going through!

Job Says Game

Job needed to be careful about whose advice he followed! Who gave him unwise or foolish advice? His wife, his three friends. 

Yes, Job was surrounded by people who did not understand the test he was given. They wanted Job to blame God or blame himself! Neither counsel was wise. It is very important for us to decide whether advice is good or not before we follow it. Wise counsel will always line up with God’s Word!  

Explain that this game is played similar to “Simon Says.” Wise advice begins with “Job says,” but foolish advice or counsel does not. Children should only act on the wise counsel from Job. When children act on unwise instruction—not begun with “Job says”—they must sit out for two instructions before returning to the game.

Have children stand in rows, with enough room to do the motions. Say and model the instructions below—even the ones that do not begin with “Job says.” You do not need to do them in order; you may repeat one twice in a row for fun, or go back and forth between two instructions several times to keep children guessing. You may also add instructions of your own to enhance the game.

1. Job says don’t look at evil things.  Cover eyes with hands.
2. Job says cover your ears to block foolish advice.  Put hands over ears.
3. Cover your ears when you sneeze.  Put hands over ears.
4. Make an angry face.  Exaggerated facial expression.
5. Job says to pray.  Put hands together with fingers interlocked, close eyes.
6. Be angry and bitter when things go wrong.  Clench fists and shake them.
7. Job says raise your arms in worship.  Put both arms up toward sky.
8. Stomp your feet in disobedience.  Stomp both feet.
9. Sit down and give up.  Sit down on floor.
10. Job says kneel in prayer.  Kneel down and place hands together in prayer.
11. Refuse to listen to wisdom.  Fold hands over chest with defiant look.
12. Job says praise the name of God.  Jump up and down with hands in air.
13. Look sad and tired all the time.  Make sad face, head down, droop shoulders.
14. Job says to follow God everywhere.  Walk happily in place.

Conclusion: Good job choosing the wise counsel! We need to be very careful who we choose to listen to and follow. Job chose to listen to God. The good news for us is that we are not left alone to make these choices. Jesus sent us a Helper to guide us in making wise choices—does anyone know who that Helper is? Holy Spirit.

Yes, when we ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, God’s Spirit lives inside us and helps us decide what is foolish and what is wise!