Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (1 minute)

Hello, everyone! We have a new Superbook video for you today called “Esther—For Such a Time as This.” It is the amazing story of a young woman God put in the right place at the right time to save His people. We will visit ancient Persia, where an evil plot is brewing—and we will also see what Chris, Joy and Gizmo are doing today!

Play Video 2: Chris and Joy’s Dilemma (4 minutes)

Chris and Joy's Dilemma

Joy is afraid she’ll be kicked out of her school club if she invites a new girl who is different to join the group.

SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

Why do you think the president of the girls’ club did not want Joy to recommend the new girl to be a member?

Why was Joy in a difficult situation?

Today’s SuperTruth says: “God gives me courage to do the right thing.” Courage means boldness and confidence. Let’s say our SuperTruth together boldly, knowing that God is for us and our courage comes from Him! “God gives me courage to do the right thing.”

What do you think Joy will choose to do?

Let’s watch the rest of our video and see what happens!

Play Video 3: Bible Story and Resolution (18 minutes)

Bible Story and Resolution

Superbook whisks Chris, Joy and Gizmo back to ancient Persia, where a wicked man named Haman is plotting to kill the Jews. The children meet Queen Esther, who must decide whether to risk her life by going to the king and revealing that she is Jewish—or do nothing while her people are destroyed. The children learn that God will always help them stand up for what is right.

Play Video 10A: SuperVerse Graphic 1 (3 minutes)

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

SuperVerse Graphic 1

SuperVerse Discussion (1 minute)

Let’s say our SuperVerse together. Philippians 4:13 (nkjv):

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The source of our courage is God’s strength. We can do very little in our own strength, but we can do all things through Christ, who gives us God’s mighty power! When we place our faith in Jesus, we can put fear behind us and do what is right because He is with us and fills us with His strength.

Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group.

Prayer and Send-Off (1 minute)

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for using people like Esther to accomplish great things for You. Help us trust in You so we can be filled with courage to do the right thing—no matter what the cost! In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Now it’s time for Small Group, where you will play a relay game to build your courage!

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

If possible, play this game in a large classroom, a gym, or outside. Have a sixth grade helper or another volunteer play the “bully,” who will try to tag children as they do the relay race. If the classroom is small, you may simply play the game as a relay race without the “bully.”

Divide the class into teams of about five children. You may adjust the number of teams and the number of children on each team to suit your class size; however, if a team has more than seven children, not everyone may have a chance to play. Be sure each team has its own box containing a set of the eight paper blocks. Have all teams line up behind the start line across from their own team’s box.

How did Joy show courage in the video?

How did Esther show courage?

Where did Esther get the courage to do the right thing? From God.

Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “God gives me courage to do the right thing.”

Today we are going to play a relay game. Each box contains folded paper blocks that spell a secret word 7 letters long—but one of the paper blocks is blank! Each team must retrieve each letter block needed to spell the secret word. To do this, each team will send one player at a time to run to your team’s own box and get one folded block of paper without opening it. Run back to your team, open the block, and the next player runs to the box while the rest of the team tries to put the letters together to spell the secret word. The first team to get all seven letters and figure out the secret word wins the relay race.  

Optional: If you have a small classroom, you may omit this part of the game.

That doesn’t sound hard, does it? The only problem is that you will have to have to face a “bully” to run this relay. As you run toward your box, the bully will try to tag you. If you are tagged, you must stand “frozen” until another player from any team taps you on the hand to free you. But if you make it to your box and get a paper block, you can’t be tagged on the way back to your team. You can, however, help “free” any tagged player on any team. If you see someone who has been tagged but you’re tempted just to keep running as fast as you can, remember what Mordecai told Esther. He said that if she didn’t save her people, she herself may not escape the coming trouble. So, if you free someone who has been tagged by the bully, you will get a bravery point for your team—and the team with the most points wins the bravery challenge!

Start the game. Be prepared to help any children with special needs. If the “bully” is tagging too many children, have him or her hop on one foot. The first team to get all seven letters and unscramble the secret word courage wins the relay, while the team with the most points is declared the bravest.

Teaching

Our SuperTruth today says: “God gives me courage to do the right thing.” But exactly how does He give us courage?

Imagine that it’s a very dark night and your father tells you to go outside and get something for him. Now just for the sake of our lesson, let’s just pretend that you’re extremely afraid of the dark. How do you feel about obeying your dad? You want to obey, but you are scared to go outside in the dark.

Now let’s imagine that your father says that he will come with you. How do you feel now? It’s much easier to obey.

Yes, you still have to do what you were afraid to do before, but now you know that you will not be alone. You have strength and courage because your father is with you. Well, God is our Father in heaven, and He loves us dearly. When He asks us to do something, He is with us, and He gives us strength, courage and boldness to do the right thing!

Who remembers Haman in our Superbook video today? In the video, Haman is pronounced “Hah-MAHN.”

He was the most powerful official under King Xerxes, and he convinced the king to sign a decree saying that all the Jewish people should be killed! Mordecai sent a message to Esther saying that she must go to the king to ask him to save the Jewish people. That shouldn’t be too difficult, right? The king had specially handpicked her to be his wife and queen. Surely she could go to the king anytime to ask for help, right?

Optional: read Esther 4:10–11:

Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: "All the king's officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days."

No one could approach the king without his permission. What punishment could Esther get for doing this? Death.

She could die unless the king held out his scepter to her. Hold out the scepter toward the children. Only if the king held out his scepter could Esther approach the throne to make her request. Esther found her courage in God when she understood that the Lord had placed her in that position for such a critically important time. She knew she would not approach the king by herself, and God filled her with the strength and boldness to do what was right. Esther had found so much courage in God that she told Mordecai something amazing.

Read Esther 4:16b:

“Though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”

Hold out the scepter. Do we need to wait in fear for God to hold out His scepter from His throne in heaven before we can come to Him and ask for help?

No!

Optional: read Hebrews 4:14–16:

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Jesus lived on Earth as a human being. He died on the cross for our sins, then miraculously came alive again. God’s only Son is in heaven now, seated at the right hand of the great throne. He knows every problem that we face. He understands our weaknesses, our fears, and our need to receive strength to do what is right. Hold out the scepter toward the children. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He is the way we come to God!

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.”

We do not need a scepter or a special invitation. Throw the scepter aside. God’s throne room is wide open for us because Jesus made a way for us to enter God’s presence! We can have courage to do the right thing because we won’t be turned away when we ask for help!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Now it is time for our Discipleship Challenge and craft. Hand out scissors and a Scepter Pattern with Challenge Card to each child. Have them assemble the scepter and cut out the challenge card. Display the model you made before class and assist the children as necessary to complete their crafts.       

Let’s read the writing on our scepters. I can come boldly to God’s throne. Hebrews 4:16

This scepter reminds us that we have complete access to God’s throne anytime, day or night, for His help in our time of need! Jesus has opened the door to God’s presence for us! Now let’s look at our challenge card.

Read and discuss some of the reasons we enter God’s presence:

1. For strength and courage do the right thing in a difficult situation.

2. To praise, worship and thank God.   

3. For wisdom and understanding to make a choice or decision.

4. For a specific need, for yourself, family, or someone else.

Take the scepter and challenge card home as a reminder to spend time with God. Next time, I’ll give you an opportunity to share what happened when you spent time with Him, and how He answered your prayers! 

SuperVerse

Courage is confidence and boldness that comes from God. It isn’t easy to do the right thing when others around you do the opposite. In our video today, Joy was afraid to recommend Bonnie to the club at first. But then Joy saw how God strengthened Esther to be courageous even when she knew she might die. We can bravely do the right thing when we have Christ’s strength!

Let’s say our SuperVerse together. Philippians 4:13:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Choose ten children to stand side by side in the front of the room. Scramble the ten pieces of paper with the SuperVerse words written on them. Give one to each of the ten children. Starting on the far left—from the class’s perspective, have the ten children create a “wave” by holding up and reading aloud their individual words—which will be out of order—and lowering their papers when done.

Did that sound right to you? No!

Ask the rest of the class to guess which reader should be first, second, third, etc. Rearrange the ten children in that order and have them read their words/phrases again, creating a “wave” with their papers. Ask the rest of the class if the verse is now correct. If not, have the class rearrange the readers again until they can say the words/phrases of the verse in the proper order. Finally, have the entire class follow the “wave” to say the verse together two or three times, going faster each time. 

Prayer

In our video today, Esther risked her life to enter the king’s throne room without being invited first. Do we have to wait for God’s invitation to enter His throne room? No!

We have all done things wrong—called sin. And there can’t be any sin in heaven. But when we ask Jesus to be our Savior and forgive us, He cleanses us from all of our sins. God sees us as perfect because He is looking at us through His perfect Son, Jesus, who died to save us from our sins. This is why we can approach God in complete confidence, without fear.

Read Ephesians 3:12:

Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence.

We have full access to God any time—“24/7”! Isn’t that exciting? God is always ready to give us mercy and grace, and to fill us with strength and courage to do the right thing, even when it is difficult!

Let’s pray silently now, and bring to God any situation where you need His strength and courage to do what is right. Maybe some people you know are pressuring you to do something wrong. Maybe you need courage to do what Joy did and stand up for someone who is different or not liked for some reason. Or maybe you are being tempted to do something that you know would not please the Lord. Jesus understands what you are facing, and He desires to help you. God is waiting to hear your requests, and He is ready to help.

Allow children time to pray, then close in prayer:        

Dear Lord Jesus, we praise You for dying for our sins and forgiving us for everything we have ever done wrong. How amazing to think that You have washed us clean so that we can boldly enter the presence of God. Please give us Your wisdom, courage and strength to do what is right, no matter what the cost. In Your name we pray, Amen.     

Object Lesson

It is important to wait on God’s timing when doing His work. Early in the Bible story, Mordecai told Esther not to tell anyone that she was Jewish. 

Optional: read Esther 2:10 (nkjv):

Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had directed her not to do so.

Perhaps Esther did not understand why Mordecai told her this—but she obeyed Him out of respect because he had adopted and raised her when her parents died. Mordecai was a wise man who loved God. He waited on God’s timing.

After the decree was signed to put all Jewish people to death, Mordecai knew it was time for Esther to reveal that she was Jewish. When Esther told him she could not go see the king, what message did Mordecai send Esther?

Read Esther 4:14b:

“Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Hold up the deflated balloon. Esther did not have enough of her own strength and courage to do what Mordecai had asked. So she asked the Jewish people to fast before God for 3 days.

What does it mean to fast? To give up eating food for a period of time.

Fasting is a way to concentrate on spiritual things—to spend more time and energy on praying and seeking God’s will.

During this 3-day fast, Esther waited upon the Lord. Does that mean she just sat and did nothing? No!

The word wait in Hebrew means to look for something with trust and expectancy.

Read Psalm 27:14 (nkjv):

Wait on the Lord<; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!

As you say the following, pause between each phrase to blow some air into the balloon.

Esther expected to hear from God. As she waited on Him, she was filled with strength, she was filled with understanding, she was filled with purpose, and she was filled with boldness, until she had the courage to go before the king!

Inflate the balloon and hold it closed with your fingers so children can see the word “Courage” written on it. Then gradually deflate it.

God has a great purpose and a wonderful destiny for each of our lives. We may not know why we are in a particular place at a particular time, or what we could possibly do to make a difference—but when we give our lives to Christ and wait for His leading, He will use us for His glory.

Hold up the deflated balloon. Maybe we feel like this sometimes—not knowing what to do or lacking courage to do the right thing. But when we ask for God’s help and wait on Him, this is what happens!

Blow up the balloon until it is full of air and tie it closed. He fills us with His mighty strength, boldness and courage to do the right thing—“for such a time as this!” Let’s boldly shout our SuperTruth together: “God gives me courage to do the right thing.” 

Craft/Game

Do you remember in the video when Joy tried on Queen Esther’s crown?

Have you ever imagined being a king or queen?

Do you remember the amazing story of how Esther became queen?

Optional: read Esther 2:16–17:

Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti.

Now, you are each going to make your own crown to use in this game.

Hand out the patterns and supplies to each child. Have children write their names on their crowns before folding them. Display the model crown you made previously. Have the children follow the directions to assemble their crowns and assist them as necessary.

God had placed Esther in her position as queen so she could do the right thing and save the Jewish people from being killed. Remember the message Mordecai sent to Esther?

Read Esther 4:14:

“If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Let's play a game using our crowns. Here is something fun: the crowns will fly when you throw them properly! We are going to aim our crowns at “The Right Thing”—which is our target area between the wall and the first line. Now, this game isn’t going to be easy, just like doing the right thing isn’t always easy.

Divide the children into two teams and have the teams line up behind the start line. Explain that the first player on each team must place the crown on top of his/her head and balance it while walking to the “throw line.” If a crown falls off, it must be placed back on the head before continuing.

When they reach the “throw line,” players remove their crowns and throw them toward the target area. Players must leave their crowns exactly where they fall—whether it is in the target area or not—and return to their teams. The next players take their turns. The game ends when all players have thrown their crowns. Each team receives one point for every crown that lands in “The Right Thing” target area. A team gets three points if a crown actually lands on “The Right Thing” sign. Have an assistant or a sixth grade helper read the names on the crowns to award points to the proper team. Play another round if time permits.

You did very well! Was it harder to balance the crown or to aim and hit the target area?

Esther had the courage from God to do what was right, even when it was difficult and dangerous for her. When we put our trust in God’s strength and not our own, we can have the courage to do what is right, too! 

Craft/Prayer Activity

Hold up the crown you made for display. What does a crown represent on Earth? 

Crowns are worn by kings or queens to show their royalty, power and authority. Haman did not wear a crown, but he was the most powerful official in the kingdom. He loved all the power that the king had given him.

Optional: read Esther 5:10–11:

Then Haman gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials.

Haman loved the fact that people were required to bow down to him—and he was angry when Mordecai wouldn’t do it.

Optional: read Esther 3:2:

All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.

Does God want us to show off in front of other people and lord it over them?

No, it is important for us to act humbly, as servants of our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ. Haman pursued power and wealth above everything else, and it was suddenly taken away from him. In contrast, Mordecai and Esther made serving God their goal, and then God gave them power and riches! When Haman was hanged, the king gave Mordecai and Esther everything that had belonged to Haman, and Mordecai replaced him as an official to the king.   

The Bible tells us that those who live a righteous life and do God’s work will receive crowns in heaven. But those who receive a crown from God do not keep it for themselves. They place it before Jesus, knowing that everything they accomplished was because God gave them the ability, strength and power.

Read Revelation 4:10b–11:

And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You created what You pleased.”

Who remembers our SuperVerse?

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Everything that we accomplish for God comes from Jesus Christ. The courage to do what is right comes from God. It is only right that we lay our crowns at the throne of Jesus and give Him all the honor and glory for our accomplishments.

Have the children kneel down and place their crowns on their heads. Then have them say the SuperVerse aloud and place their crowns in front of them on the floor. Have the children thank Jesus in their own words for the strength that He gives them to do the right thing and to serve Him. Then close in prayer.

Dear God, thank You for filling us with Your knowledge, strength and courage. You deserve all the glory and honor for any good deeds that we can do. We praise You for being the King of kings and Lord of lords. When we go to heaven someday, we will take the heavenly crowns that You give us and lay them at Your feet in thanksgiving and praise to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.    

Bible Study

Note: It is important to understand that, for medical reasons, children should not skip meals to fast. Some parents may not understand spiritual fasting and may need you or a church leader to explain it to them.

In the story of Esther, the Jewish people fasted when they found out about the king’s decree. Later, Queen Esther declared a fast before she went to the king. So, what is fasting?

Basically, fasting is giving up something enjoyable for a period of time. It can mean giving up a meal or meals. However, people must have food and water to live, so they cannot fast from them for very long. Fasting can also mean not eating a specific kind of food that we really like, such as candy or desserts. People also may give up—or fast from—other things that are important to them or that they personally enjoy, such as watching TV, using the computer, or playing video games.

The reason people fast is so they can spend the time they would have used for these activities to pray, to read God’s Word, and to worship Him.

Our spirits should be in control of our bodies. But often, we “think with our bellies”—meaning that we make decisions based on what our bodies feel or want to do at the moment. The purpose of fasting is to reject what our flesh wants so that our spirit can get back in charge.

Let me make something very clear. Fasting is NOT trying to bribe God or impress Him with our good works to try to get Him to give us something that we want. No, fasting helps us focus on God and express our seriousness in seeking Him.

Read Jeremiah 33:3 (nkjv):

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

If we call upon God, what will He do? He will answer us.

Does that scripture say we must fast in order for Him to answer us? No.

Sometimes when we call upon God, He may be trying to speak to us, but we are so busy or distracted that we can’t hear His answers. Fasting can remove those distractions so that our spiritual ears can hear God’s voice speaking in our hearts more clearly.

As we spend more time with God, we draw closer to Him and our relationship with Him deepens. There are many distractions in our lives, and fasting is a great way to remove these distractions and focus on God! We want to be willing to submit our entire being to Him, to spend time with Him, to listen to Him, and to receive everything that He has for us. When we focus on God, our spirit inside of us gets stronger.

Have children look up the passages and read them aloud. Lead a discussion using the questions below, and add your own questions as well.

1. Esther 4:3

And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes.

• Why were the Jewish people fasting? As a sign of their grief and sadness.
• What else did they do to display their sadness before God and others? Wept, wailed, lay in burlap and ashes.

2. Esther 4:15–16:

¹⁵Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”

• How long did Esther say people should fast? Three days.
• What was the purpose of this fast? For Esther to have God’s favor as she approached the king.
• What was Esther willing to do for her people in going before the king to do the right thing?Die.

3. Matthew 4:1–3,11:

¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. ² For forty days and forty nights He fasted and became very hungry. ³ During that time the devil came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” ¹¹ Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

• How long did Jesus fast?40 days and nights.
• Jesus was hungry and weak physically, but what was strong?His Spirit.
• What did fasting prepare Him for?Satan’s temptations, battle.
• Jesus won the battle—He did not sin. After the devil left Him, who cared for Jesus?God’s angels.

4. Acts 13:1–3:

¹ Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul. ² One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”³ So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

• What were the men doing? Praying, fasting and worshiping.
• Who did the Holy Spirit choose to send out for God’s work?Saul and Barnabas.
• Did the men obey the Holy Spirit?Yes, they laid hands on them and prayed, then sent them out.

Close in prayer: God, You are a holy, awesome God. When we submit and dedicate ourselves to You, You give us strength, favor, wisdom, direction, and courage to do the right thing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.