Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome, everyone! Today, we will watch a new Superbook adventure called “Nehemiah.” Nehemiah served the king of Persia faithfully as his cup-bearer. This was an important job that the king’s life depended on! As Nehemiah faithfully served the king, God called Nehemiah to do an even greater work. When we do the work God calls us to do, He will help us to succeed! Before we find out the job God called Nehemiah to do, let’s watch the video and see what is happening with Chris, Joy and Gizmo today!

Play Video 2: Chris and Joy’s Dilemma(5 minutes)

Chris and Joy's Dilemma

Chris must tutor some rowdy boys—but how can he help them if they keep making fun of him?

SuperTruth and Discussion(2 minutes)

Let’s say today’s SuperTruth together. “I will do the work God calls me to do.”

What was the job the science teacher asked Chris to do? She asked him to tutor two students.

Why did Chris give up after the boys arrived for their tutoring session? They were joking and fooling around. They mocked Chris and called him a nerd. They weren’t serious about learning.

Did you know that God has work for us to do? Yes, He does! When we choose to do God’s work, He will help us succeed!

What is something Chris could have done instead of giving up? He could have talked to the teacher. He could have prayed and asked God to help him.

Yes, when we pray, God can help us by giving us courage, strength and wisdom to accomplish difficult tasks. Let’s watch more of the video to see someone who prayed for God’s help with a very difficult task!

Play Video 3: Bible Story and Resolution(19 minutes)

Bible Story and Resolution

Superbook takes Chris, Joy and Gizmo to meet Nehemiah. He creates a daring plan to rebuild Jerusalem’s ruined walls, even though wicked men mock him—and plot to kill him! The children discover how to find courage to overcome every challenge.

Play Video 10A: SuperVerse Graphic 1

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

SuperVerse Graphic 1

SuperVerse Discussion (1 minute)

Our SuperVerse today is Nehemiah 2:20.

“The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, His servants, will start rebuilding this wall.”

This was Nehemiah’s bold response to Sanballat and Tobiah when they mocked his plan to rebuild the walls. Let’s divide the verse into two parts. I would like everyone on the left to say the first sentence of the verse, and everyone on the right to say the second sentence. If you are in the middle—choose a side! Ready? Go!

Wonderful! Remember—whatever we are called to do, God will help us succeed!

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 want to listen for Your call in our lives and obey Your Word. Help us make ourselves available as Your servants to accomplish Your plans. Remind us to trust You whenever we are unsure or afraid. Thank You for allowing us to participate in Your great works! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Small Group, you’ll be assigned some fun tasks. Let’s see if you can accomplish them!

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 say the SuperTruth together: “I will do the work God calls me to do.”

Was Chris confident he could do what the teacher asked him to do? No, he wasn’t sure he could do the task.

Sometimes we may be asked to do a job we aren’t confident we can do. This is the perfect opportunity to trust God to give us success!

Nehemiah was faithfully serving the king in Persia when God called him to do another job. Nehemiah was not experienced as a builder—yet that didn’t stop him from doing the work God called him to do. Nehemiah obeyed, and God gave him success.

Nehemiah pulled together teams of workers to build the wall. They included priests, Levites, Temple servants, leaders, officials, families, goldsmiths, merchants, and perfume makers. (See Nehemiah 3.) Do they sound like trained construction workers? No.

Many of the people were probably doing those tasks for the very first time. Even so, they worked together to accomplish the task quickly. How many days did it take them? 52 days.

Today, you will be assigned fun tasks to do as teams, representing real 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 diagram) 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.

Conclusion: Great job working together! When we make ourselves available to do God’s work, we must be willing to trust Him to give us success no matter what He calls us to do!

Teaching

Let’s say today’s SuperTruth together: “I will do the work God calls me to do.”

In the video, how did Chris react when the boys mocked him and wouldn’t cooperate with the task he had been given to do? He was frustrated and discouraged.

Was Chris upset when Superbook appeared to take him on an adventure? No, he said it was a perfect time for a trip and wanted Superbook to get him out of there! He had quit and didn’t want to deal with the task any longer.

Nehemiah was Jewish, yet he lived in Persia. That’s because many Jewish people had been forced from their homes when Jerusalem was destroyed. Nehemiah served the king of Persia in an important position. Hold up the cup.

Can you remember Nehemiah’s job? Nehemiah was a cup-bearer.

What did a cup-bearer do? One of the most important duties was to choose the king’s wine and taste it before the king drank, to make sure it was not poisoned!

Even though Nehemiah was a captive in a foreign land, he was faithful in his service to the king. Because of this, the king trusted Nehemiah, even with his own life!

Optional question for Grades 4–6: Can you think of other people in the Bible who were captives or slaves and were trusted and promoted by leaders or kings? Joseph, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Esther.

No matter how big or small the task, when we faithfully serve God, He will bless us. He may give us a more important job to do when we demonstrate that we can be trusted to finish a task.

Hold up the cup. Nehemiah’s job working for the king was important, yet he was about to trade in the king’s cup for a much bigger job, working for God! Put down the cup then put on the construction hat.

Nehemiah learned about the condition of his people and the walls of Jerusalem. He wept and mourned for his homeland! The distance from the Persian capital, where Nehemiah lived, to Jerusalem was about 900 miles. Today, if you drove that distance in a car, it would take about one very long day. How long do you think it took in Nehemiah’s time?

After a few guesses are given, hold up the monthly calendar and slowly flip the pages as you speak. Let’s see; 1 month, 2 months, 3 months—4 months! It took about 4 long months for Nehemiah to travel to Jerusalem so he could begin to do God’s work!

Nehemiah trusted that God would never leave him and that God would give him success. How could he be sure? When Nehemiah received the news about Jerusalem, he prayed and fasted for days. What does it mean that he fasted? He didn’t eat food for a certain time so he could focus on praying.

Nehemiah spent time in God’s presence and received God’s call to go to Jerusalem. Nehemiah asked God to give him favor with the king, and his prayers were answered! When we see God move in our lives, our faith grows stronger and we can trust God for success!

Before we begin any work for God, what should we do? Seek God, pray, and ask God for favor and success so we may complete His work.

Did everything go smoothly for Nehemiah as he worked for God? No, he faced opposition from people who resented him.

When we do God’s work, He does not promise it will be easy. We are promised that He will go before us, that He will be with us, and that He will never leave us. He also promises us that He will give us peace in the midst of trials and sorrow. (See John 16:33; Deuteronomy 31:6,8.)

Even though Nehemiah faced many challenges, he kept his focus on God and did not give up! Four times Sanballat tried to get Nehemiah to meet him outside the walls of Jerusalem. Sanballat wanted to harm Nehemiah and stop God’s work! Yet all four times, Nehemiah refused to stop the great work of God.

Did Nehemiah succeed in completing God’s work? Yes.

And Nehemiah achieved an even greater success. Read Nehemiah 6:16:

When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.

In everything we do, our goal should be to bring glory to God! Many years after Nehemiah, a man lived on the earth and was mocked as He did God’s work. Can you guess His name? Jesus.

Jesus refused to give up, and He finished God’s work. In John 17:4, Jesus said,

“I brought glory to You here on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do.”

And just before He died on the cross, He said, “It is finished.” (See John 19:30.)

In all that we do for God, our goal is to finish His work and bring glory to Him! Let this prayer and blessing go with us as we do God’s work. Read Hebrews 13:21:

May He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen.

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Display the model craft that you made. Give each child a Faith Wall Pattern, Stones Pattern, pencil, and children’s scissors. Demonstrate how to carefully cut the slits in the wall. Then, have children cut apart the three strips of the Stones Pattern. Show the children how to weave a strip into the Wall Pattern so they can weave their three strips 1–3 from top to bottom. Check that all three Bible verses are visible in the wall and in the right order. Verify the discussion questions are visible on the back of the Wall Pattern. Have children write their name on the line at the bottom of the wall. Assist any children with special needs.

Nehemiah repaired all of the holes and gaps in the wall. It was solid and could now stand against any enemy’s attack. As followers of Christ, we want to build a rock solid faith in God with Jesus Christ as the foundation. We must not have any holes or gaps in our faith to leave us unprotected! When we do this, our faith can stand against any temptation, trial or attack! We build on our foundation by learning and applying God’s truth. When we do this, our “wall of faith” grows and becomes even stronger. For each lesson, your challenge will be to read a Bible verse in the wall and fill in the blanks to complete the verse. Then, discuss the questions on the back. Have children turn over their finished crafts to see the questions.

For Lesson 1, you will look up 2 Timothy 2:19. If time permits, you may have children look up the verse and fill in the blanks on their patterns. Talk about the discussion questions with your families. Next time we get together, you will have a chance to share your answers.

SuperVerse

Say the SuperVerse together aloud two times and then erase the board.

Nehemiah was not moved or shaken when his enemies said he was a fool to try to rebuild the wall. Even though they mocked him, Nehemiah chose to believe he would succeed with God’s help.

When Chris returned from the Superbook adventure, he decided he could succeed with his task, too. Do you remember what Chris told Gizmo his plan was? “I will do what I can and let God do the rest.”

Yes, like Nehemiah, Chris trusted that God would help him to succeed! In this game, you are going to rebuild the SuperVerse with your bricks. You are going to lay your bricks like the foundation of a building—with the words of the SuperVerse in order, all in a row. Are you ready? Then, let the rebuilding begin!

Grades 1–3:

Divide the class into pairs of two children. Try to pair an older child with a younger child.

Give each pair of children a set of SuperVerse bricks.

Have each pair find a place in the classroom to build their SuperVerse wall.

When you say, “Go,” the pairs race to put their bricks in the correct order.

Grades 4–6:

Shuffle the sets of SuperVerse bricks all together in one pile, then spread them in a loose pile, face-up, near the center of the room.

Have children find someone they don’t know very well to be their partner for this activity. Have each pair find a place where they can build their SuperVerse wall.

When you say “Go,” one child from the pair walks quickly to the pile, chooses a brick, walks quickly back, and lays it down. The other player then walks quickly to the pile, chooses a brick with different words, then puts it into the correct place in the wall. Players alternate until the SuperVerse wall is complete. The first pair to finish wins!

Conclusion: Those are some really strong looking walls you rebuilt! Like Chris, when we face difficult challenges, we must do what we can and trust God to do the rest!

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.

Prayer

Nehemiah mourned and wept when he heard the news about his homeland. Day and night Nehemiah went to the Lord in prayer. He humbly confessed not only his own sins, but also the sins of the people of Israel. (See Nehemiah 1:4–7.) It was because of Israel’s sins that God had allowed the city of Jerusalem to be conquered and destroyed. The people were scattered and became captives of their enemies. Nehemiah mourned and wept for his people because of their sin. His prayers remind us of how we should repent for our sins and pray for our nation and its sins against God. If we will do this, God gives us a promise.

Have children look up 2 Chronicles 7:14–15 and ask one to read it aloud.

¹⁴Then if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. ¹⁵My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

Have you ever prayed for our nation?

Let’s take time to do it right now. We want to ask God to forgive our sins and change people’s hearts so He can heal and restore our land. Have children bow their heads. Say a one-sentence prayer to begin, then go around the circle and allow children to say a short prayer for the nation. If a child is not comfortable thinking of a prayer to say aloud, they may simply say, “God, bless our country.”

After all children have had a chance to pray, close in prayer.

Dear God, thank You that You hear every prayer when we humbly seek You and turn from our sin. We pray for our nation and our leaders today, that they will follow Your ways so that our land might be blessed, healed and restored. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Building Game

All teams should have an equal number of players, with 2 to 8 players per team. If a team has an odd number of players, one player may play twice.

Place all the blocks in a pile in the middle of the floor.

Put the tables about 10 feet from the block pile. Leave a gap between the tables.

Nehemiah organized the people into groups to work together on different sections of the wall. Some served as builders; others served as laborers who carried the stones and other materials to the builders. In the video, what was Joy doing to help? She was mixing mud to make mortar for the stones. She also handed out weapons to the workers.

How did Nehemiah’s workers protect themselves from their enemies as they built the wall?

Read Nehemiah 4:17b–18a:

The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.

Today, each team will work to build a wall with the most blocks in 40 seconds—but you can each only use one hand! Keep your other hand behind your back. Now, listen carefully how you will build the wall. Two players on each team will work at the same time. One will be the builder, and one will be the laborer and carry the blocks, no more than two at a time, to the builder. You will have 40 seconds to build your wall in three columns. You cannot go higher than ten blocks on any column. Have an assistant or volunteer help you build a tower to demonstrate what this looks like.

You will score one point for each block that is placed in the three columns. If you complete the entire wall of thirty blocks in three columns before time runs out, you score an additional ten points! Nehemiah and his workers faced a lot of challenges. Here is one for you. After 20 seconds, I will shout, “switch!” At that time, the builder becomes the laborer and the laborer becomes the builder! Let’s try it!

Divide the class into two equal teams. Pair up children within each team. Try to pair older and younger children together. If a team has an odd number, one player may play twice. Line up the teams a few feet from the block pile. Start the game and the time. The builders walk to the table and wait for the laborers to bring two blocks to them to start building. The laborers continue to travel back and forth to bring blocks to the builders. After 20 seconds, shout “Switch!” The players then switch roles. After 20 more seconds, shout “Stop!” Count the blocks in the columns and record the scores. Have the builders and laborers return the blocks to the pile, then resume the game with the next pair of players on each team. Continue until all have had a turn. The team with the most points wins.

Review Game

Divide the class into two teams. If teams are unequal, allow a visitor to play twice. Demonstrate the game as you describe it. This is a true and false question game where you will have not one, but two chances to score points for your team! You can score a point by answering the question correctly and also by bouncing the ball on the floor so it lands in the correct container.

I will ask the same question to a player for each team. You will answer by standing on either the True sign or the False sign. That’s right; you don’t even have to speak! When both players are standing on their sign choice, I will reveal the answer. Each player will score one point for a correct answer. Then, both players try to bounce their ball into the container of the correct answer. If you chose the wrong sign to stand on, you can still score a point by bouncing your ball into the correct container. Let’s play!

Read a question from the list to each set of players. The team with the most points after all the children have taken a turn wins.

True/False Question/Answer List

1. The king of Persia told Nehemiah what was happening in Jerusalem. (False—it was Hanani, Nehemiah’s brother; Nehemiah 1:2–3.)
2. When Nehemiah heard the news about Jerusalem, he fasted, prayed, mourned, and wept. (True—Nehemiah 1:4.)
3. 3. Nehemiah was the king’s plate-bearer. (False—he was the cup-bearer; Nehemiah 1:11.)
4. The king asked Nehemiah to go rebuild the Jerusalem wall. (False—Nehemiah asked the king; Nehemiah 2:4–5.)
5. The king wrote letters for Nehemiah instructing the governors to give him safe travel through their territories. (True—Nehemiah 2:7–8.)
6. When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he inspected the wall at night. (True—Nehemiah 2:11–15.)
7. Sanballat and Tobiah offered to help rebuild the wall. (False—they mocked him, were angry, and threatened to attack; Nehemiah 2:19; 4:1,8.)
8. When Nehemiah heard that Jerusalem might be attacked, he placed guards at the wall. (True—Nehemiah 4:12–13.)
9. The laborers held a weapon in one hand and carried their material with the other hand. (True—Nehemiah 4:17.)
10. Sanballat sent messages to Nehemiah trying to trick and harm him. (True—Nehemiah 6:2–4.)
11. The wall took just 352 days to rebuild; a little less than 1 year. (False—it took only 52 days to complete; Nehemiah 6:15.)
12. Ezra stood on a wood platform and read the Book of the Law to the people. (True—Nehemiah 8:1–4.)
13. After Ezra read the Law, the people lifted their hands to the Lord and then bowed down to worship Him. (True—Nehemiah 8:6.)
14. After the law was read, Sanballat told the people to celebrate. (False—Nehemiah did; Nehemiah 8:10.)
15. Nehemiah said that the anger of the Lord is your strength. (False—The joy of the Lord is; Nehemiah 8:10b.)

Conclusion: That was fun, having two chances to score! Nehemiah did the work he was called to do. He never quit, and he trusted God to give him success even when he was mocked and threatened! Will God help us succeed? Step on a True sign.

Yes—it’s true, we can always trust in Him!

Working Activity

Let’s say the SuperTruth together: “I will do the work God calls me to do.”

The Bible verses you will look up are all about serving, laboring or working for the Lord.

Have the children sit down in pairs. Give each pair a Bible. Try to pair an experienced Bible user with a child who isn’t as familiar with the Bible. The experienced Bible user can quickly look up the verse. The other child can be the “messenger.” They will write the answer on a sticky note and stick the note to the board. If both players are experienced Bible users, the players can alternate looking up a verse and being the messenger.

I will say a verse reference and write it on the board. You may start to look it up then. I will then read a fill-in-the-blank question for that verse. The messenger will write your answer on the sticky note, quickly bring it up here, then stick it to the board. You have 30 seconds to do that. Each team scores five points for a correct answer stuck to the board in time. The pair with the most points wins.

Allow spelling errors because of the fast pace of the game. Do as many verses as time allows. Be prepared to help any children with special needs.

1. Colossians 3:23. This verse is in the New Testament. We are to work _____ at whatever we do. (Willingly)

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

2. Proverbs 14:23. This verse is in the Old Testament. Work brings _____. (Profit)

Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!

3. Genesis 2:15. This verse is in the Old Testament. The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and ____ over it. (Watch)

The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

4. Ephesians 4:28. This verse is in the New Testament. Instead of stealing we must labor so we have something to ______. (Give)

If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

5. Galatians 6:9. This verse is in the New Testament. Never get tired of _____ what is good. (Doing)

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

6. Ephesians 6:7. This verse is in the New Testament. Work with _____. (Enthusiasm)

Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

7. 2 Chronicles 15:7. This verse is in the Old Testament. Be strong and courageous because your work will be _____. (Rewarded)

“But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.”

8. 1 Corinthians 3:8. This verse is in the New Testament. We will do different jobs and work together with the same _____. (Purpose)

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.

9. 1 Thessalonians 1:3. This verse is in the New Testament. When they prayed, they thought of their _____ work because of Jesus Christ. (Faithful)

As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

10. Hebrews 6:10. This verse is in the New Testament. God is not _____. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him. (Unjust)

For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

Gates Game

Hanani brought news to Nehemiah that the walls of Jerusalem were torn down and the gates had been destroyed by fire. This left Jerusalem without protection against enemy armies, robbers and thieves, and even wild animals. It was important to restore the walls and the gates. The once proud and strong people of Jerusalem were disgraced before their enemies because the walls were in ruins. The walls represented God’s presence and protection of His people, so it appeared that God was no longer with them!

In Nehemiah 3, ten different gates are listed that Nehemiah assigned people to repair. These gates are sometimes called different names in other Bible versions. In the New Living Translation, the names are:

1. Sheep Gate. 2. Fish Gate. 3. Old Gate. 4. Valley Gate. 5. Dung Gate. 6. Fountain Gate. 7. Water Gate. 8. Horse Gate. 9. East Gate. 10. Inspection Gate.

Besides rebuilding the actual walls, Nehemiah and his workers faced another challenge to replace the doors in the gates that were destroyed. Today, these game boards each represent the city of Jerusalem. You will be Nehemiah’s workers and set up the doors in the gates that are marked on the game boards.

Divide the children into two teams. Demonstrate the game as you explain it. Hold up a Gates Game Board and a domino or block. Every gate on this game board needs two of these “doors.” When it’s your turn, you will walk quickly from the starting line to the pile and get a domino, which represents a door. You will then stand the domino on its edge at one of the gates marked on the game pattern, then go to the end of your team’s line. The next player on your team will take a turn and add the second “door” to that gate to complete it. If a door falls over, it must be “repaired” (or put back in place) by that player! The first team to repair all ten gates wins—which means all 20 doors are standing on your team’s game board.

Conclusion: You sure have what it takes to be gate builders. Imagine the huge task that Nehemiah’s workers faced. Many of them had no building experience. Repairing and setting the doors in the gates was a big challenge. Imagine having to be on guard and ready for a possible attack from the enemy while you worked! Nehemiah carefully organized and inspired his workers to make sure they were ready for every challenge!

Verse Volley

Have children form two lines, facing each other about 10 feet apart and perpendicular to the board. Hand the ball to a child on an end. The child shouts the first word of the SuperVerse and then passes the ball to the child directly across, on the other team. That child catches the ball, shouts the next word of the verse, and passes the ball to the next child on the opposite team. Continue until the entire SuperVerse is completed. Play an additional round starting with a child at a different end and challenge the children to do it faster.

Conclusion: As Chris learned in our video—when we face difficult challenges, we do what we can and trust God to do the rest!