Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (1 minute)

Hello, everyone! I am glad you are here for the last lesson of our Superbook adventure, “Teach Us to Pray.” Jesus sent out His followers to spread God’s love and peace. Now it is time to thank Jesus, sent by God to bring us the Good News of hope and salvation! Now, let’s stand together and sing The Salvation Poem!

Play Video 7: (Song) The Salvation Poem (2.5 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 today is, “Jesus sends us out in His name.”

Who saw the Bible story video last time we met? In the Bible story, when Jesus sent His followers out in pairs, He gave them specific instructions to NOT take three things with them; name them. Money, a (traveler’s) bag, an extra pair of sandals.

What did Jesus instruct the disciples to do in any town that welcomed them? Eat whatever they offered. 

Jesus told His followers that when they entered a home, they should bless it with something. Do you remember what? Peace. 

Jesus said that He was sending them out as sheep among what? Wolves.

Today, Jesus sends us out in His name, like He sent His followers out in the video. Some people will accept the Good News we bring; others will not. It is important to pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare and soften the hearts of people and lead us to those who are ready to listen and receive God’s love.

Let’s say our SuperTruth together once more. “Jesus sends us out in His name.” 

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.

*Caution: Be sure to preview this video, as certain scenes may be too intense for some children. You may also want to ask parents to preview the video before showing it to their children. If most or all children watched the Bible story video in a previous lesson, omit it here and go straight to the SuperVerse. 

Let’s watch a short version of the video about Jesus, His disciples, and how He instructed them to pray. If you’ve already seen it, listen and watch carefully as Jesus’ disciples return after being sent out. They rejoice that demons obey them. What does Jesus tell them to rejoice in that is even more important?                

Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (11 Minutes)

Superbook takes Chris, Joy and Gizmo to meet Jesus, who teaches the disciples how to pray with power and take authority over demons. He also teaches them the Lord’s Prayer.

Condensed Bible Story

Play Video 10C: SuperVerse Graphic

Graphic loops 1.5 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat the verse.

10C SuperVerse Graphic

SuperVerse (2 minutes)

Our SuperVerse today is Luke 10:2:

What is the harvest in this verse? People, souls.

The field is the world full of people who need to hear the Gospel and be brought into the kingdom of God. Jesus tells us to pray for more workers to share the Good News and to make disciples.

It is also important for people to be ready to care for new believers who come into God’s kingdom. This is God’s harvest and He commands us to obey and go where He sends us.         

Let’s say the SuperVerse together. Luke 10:2:

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

Introduce Signposts Video (1 minute)

Let’s watch the Signposts video to learn some of the many ways in which Jesus fulfills the Lord’s Prayer.    

Play Video 6: Signposts Video (5 minutes)

Signposts Video

Prayer and Send-Off (2 minutes)

Let’s pray before we move to Small Group. Dear God, Jesus came to Earth to do Your will and to bring glory to Your name. All authority has been given to Him in heaven and on Earth. Now, He sends us out by His authority and by His name to share the Good News and to make disciples. Help us to go in Your power to do all we are called to do. We also pray that You will send more workers into Your field. By the authority and power of Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

In Small Group today, you are going to play a fun game as workers in God’s field that is ready to be harvested! Let’s go find out our work assignments now!  

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

The More the Better! It’s harvest time in God’s fields.

If using scrap paper, have the children help crumple all the sheets into paper balls. Scatter the cotton balls or paper balls in the middle of the room between the containers. Do not place any balls within 5 feet of each container. See illustration.   

In Large Group, you were asked to listen carefully as Jesus’ disciples returned after being sent out. They rejoiced that demons obeyed them. Jesus tells them to rejoice in something else instead; what was it? That their names are written or registered in heaven.

Saving the lost is what is most important to God—so important that He sent His only Son Jesus to Earth to die for our sins so we might be saved. Jesus says in Luke 15:7 that heaven rejoices over one lost sinner who repents and turns to God. God’s fields are full of people who need to be part of God’s kingdom. He sends us into His fields to work, and He also tells us to pray for more workers so that no one is lost!        

In this game, you are workers in God’s harvest, and you will go into His field to gather the people represented by the paper balls.

Hold up two spoons—one in each hand—and demonstrate how to play as you speak. To gather the harvest, you will use two spoons to scoop up a ball, then place it into just one spoon. Carry it using only one spoon to the container, which represents God’s kingdom. This is important: once a ball is in one spoon, you must carry it to the container only using that spoon; you cannot touch it again with the other spoon. If a ball falls, pick it up again with both spoons and then put it back onto just one spoon. The goal of the game is for each team to place as many balls as possible into their container in just 1 minute. We will then count the balls in each container and record the score. Do you have any questions?       

Divide the children into teams of one, two and three children.

Two teams will play at one time.

Two teams of different sizes will always play each other. That means two teams of three children, two teams of two children, or two teams with only one child will never play against each other.        

Have each team stand to the side of the playing area.

Select a team of one and a team of two to play. Have the scorekeeper write the team names on the board.

Give each player two spoons and have each team stand beside a different container.    

Set the timer for one minute and say “Go” to start the game.

The first players will “go into the fields” to gather the harvest by picking up the balls using only their spoons and put them into their team’s container. 

At the end of 1 minute, count the balls in each container and record the scores.

Spread the balls on the floor and play again with other teams until all teams have played.   

Conclusion: Did you think it was unusual and even unfair to have different size teams play against each other? Children answer. 

We did this for a reason, to illustrate why it is important to pray for God to send more workers into His fields. Let’s take a look at these scores, which size teams collected the most balls? The teams with two or three players. 

If time permits, play another round with everyone in the class working together, and time how long it takes to clear the field. 

Now let’s learn more about the Lord’s Prayer!  

Teaching

Our Perfect Model: Learn how Jesus taught and fulfilled the Lord’s Prayer.

Have a child select the first Signpost card and read it aloud. Tape the card to the wall or prop it up so children can see it. Lead a discussion with the information below. Repeat for the other two Signpost cards. Additional material is included for Grades 4–6 to look up and discuss.        

Signpost 1  Our Heavenly Father

One of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. They had seen Jesus spend time alone with God many times in prayer. Who better to teach about prayer than Jesus! Jesus taught them what is called the Lord’s Prayer. It has become the most well-known of all Christian prayers. Jesus not only taught The Lord’s Prayer, He fulfilled it! Every line of the prayer reminds us of Jesus. Jesus tells us to begin with “Our Father.” The word used for father is “Abba” which can be translated as Daddy.     

On the mountain, God spoke from a cloud; what did He say about Jesus? Jesus was His dearly loved Son and to listen to Him.  

Can anyone remember another time that God said that Jesus was His dearly loved Son? When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. (See Matthew 3:17.) 

Through our relationship with Jesus, we are part of God’s family and He is our heavenly Father. That is why we can say “Our Father,” too! Romans 8:15 says: 

By calling Him Father, we acknowledge that He is near to us, and we can have an intimate relationship with Him. He is not a distant God who is far away and cannot be touched. The Bible says that in Him we live and move and have our being; we are His offspring! (See Acts 17:28 (NKJV).)

Jesus told us to pray “Our Father,” not just “My Father.” Through Jesus, we are all united as a family. He wants us to pray for all people, not only ourselves.  

Next, Jesus said our heavenly Father’s name is to be kept Holy. His name is above all names, and we need to set it apart as special and unique. Jesus also said to pray:

That means we are to pray for Earth to be like heaven. In heaven, there is no sickness or pain—no sadness or death. When God created the earth, He put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and made it perfect. Sin brought evil and all that isn’t God’s will into the world. Jesus tells us to pray for God’s Kingdom to be enlarged by sharing the Good News and to pray for change on the earth.         

Jesus came to do the will of God on Earth. John 6:38 says:

Jesus calls us to be His hands and feet and to do God’s will on the earth. 

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6   

Luke 11:1 (CEV):  

John 1:12:

Philippians 2:9:

Signpost 2  All We Need in Christ    

Jesus tells us to pray for our daily bread. Does this just mean bread that we eat? No.

Bread means everything that we need spiritually, physically and emotionally—including healing, salvation, peace, love, joy. Just as we would come and ask a loving earthly father for something, we can come to our heavenly Father without fear, knowing He will not turn us away. We have all that we need through Christ. Jesus is our Daily Bread and calls Himself the Living Bread who gives life to the world. (See John 6:33,35.)

Next, He tells us that He will forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors. What does this mean? Children answer. 

Debts are sins, so we must forgive those who sin against us if we want to be forgiven. Jesus paid the price for our sins, and He tells us to forgive as He has forgiven us. Jesus gave us the ultimate model of forgiveness by praying and asking God to forgive those who crucified Him. 

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6

Philippians 4:19:

Ephesians 1:3:

John 6:33,35:

Ephesians 4:32:

Signpost 3  Victorious in Christ

Jesus then said to pray,

Does God tempt us? No! 

The Bible tells us that God cannot be tempted and He never tempts us! (See James 1:13.) 

So what does Jesus mean when He tells us to pray this? Tempt in this verse means to test. We are to pray that God does not allow us to be put to the test. Jesus was tested by the devil in the wilderness. He passed this test by doing what? By prayer and quoting God’s Word.

Jesus told Peter that Satan would test him; yet, He had prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail. (See Luke 22:32.) Jesus also told Peter, James and John to watch and pray in the Garden of Gethsemane so they would not give in to temptation. (See Matthew 26:41.)  In the video, Jesus prayed for His disciples to be kept from the evil one.

Read John 17:15:

There is power and authority in Jesus’ name today, the same as when the disciples went forth into God’s harvest to heal, deliver, and to share the Gospel. Through Jesus, we have the victory over evil and the devil. We are called to enlarge God’s kingdom on Earth! We do this all not for our own glory but for His!     

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6 

1 Corinthians 10:13:

Psalm 37:39–40:

James 1:13:

Romans 8:37: 

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give The Lord’s Prayer Page and materials to each child who missed Lessons 1 and 2, so they may assemble it at home. Hold up the sample craft.

Who was able to do the challenge from our last lesson?

Would you like to share how it felt to pray for God to forgive others; even those who have hurt you and sinned against you?  

Did you learn the second section of the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6:11–12? Can anyone say it from memory now?

Give the bookmark to a volunteer to read section 3, Matthew 6:13.

For this lesson, your challenge is to pray that verse each day, and if possible, memorize it. Then add it to the first two sections you are memorizing, Matthew 6:9–12. You can use your bookmark for this, or read it in your Bible or the Superbook Bible App. Think about what you are saying as you pray and don’t rush through it. 

The second part of this challenge is to pray this verse in your own words. Ask God to protect and strengthen you and help you be victorious through any test or trial that may come. Pray that He would protect you from evil and provide a way out of any temptation. Ask Him to help you walk in step with the Holy Spirit. Pray that you will choose what is good and pleasing to God instead of selfish or evil thoughts and actions. Then humbly thank and praise God for who He is and all He has given you. 

Continue to learn the Lord’s Prayer and use it as a pattern for all of your prayers. Would anyone like to say all three sections—the whole prayer—from memory right now? Children answer. 

Note: The Lord’s Prayer that appears on the bookmark is from the NKJV of the book of Matthew. You may teach the Bible book and version that your church prefers. 

SuperVerse

Superbook Workers: Memorize the SuperVerse with a group activity.

Let’s say the SuperVerse together. Luke 10:2: 

How great is God’s harvest? There are billions of people in the world today. 

Note: As of this writing, the world population is over seven billion people. It would be interesting to give a current world population figure to the children. Search a reliable source on the internet for an accurate number. 

God is in charge of His harvest, and He is responsible to send workers into His fields. Just as a business interviews and picks the right people for a job, the Holy Spirit chooses, anoints and enables people to go into different areas of the world. All of us are called to share the Gospel with others. Some are chosen to be missionaries in other nations. Others are called to minister to inner-city areas or to rural areas in their own state or across the country. And, just as important, workers are needed to bring the Good News to our own communities, schools, neighborhoods, and even our own homes! All of these represent God’s fields that are ripe for the harvest. There is much to be done. That’s why Jesus tells us to pray for workers to go into the fields!  

Divide the class into teams of 2–4 children, depending on the class size. Place the pile of cards face down in the center of the room and then spread them out. Have the teams spread out in the room with enough space to build the verse on the floor.

The cards represent a field and each of you is being sent out as workers into the harvest to gather the cards with the SuperVerse written on them. You will work as teams. Teams will send one player at a time to find a card needed to build the SuperVerse. That player will return and then another will be sent. Each team will build the verse in the proper order on the floor with the Bible verse reference card, Luke:10:2, at the end. The first team to do this and shout the SuperVerse together wins.  

If time permits, erase the SuperVerse from the board and play again.  

Note: If some children cannot memorize the entire SuperVerse, be sure they understand its meaning.

Prayer

Harvest Prayers: Communicate with God.

Have children sit in a circle. 

This course is called “Teach Us to Pray.” In today’s SuperVerse, what does Jesus specifically tell us to pray? That God will send more workers into His fields. 

In our prayer time today, we will go around the circle. Everyone will have an opportunity to pray aloud a sentence or two, asking God to send workers to share the Good News or the Gospel. You may pray specifically and ask God to send workers into a certain place, like your school, city or neighborhood. If you do not want to pray a sentence, that is okay; just say “Yes, Lord,” and we will move to the next person. Start the prayer time by praying aloud yourself, and then ask a child next to you to pray, go around the circle, and then close in prayer.            

Dear God, You are in charge of this great harvest of people. The Bible tells us that You do not want anyone to die without knowing You. You desire for all to repent and come to know Jesus so they can have eternal life with Him. (See 2 Peter 3:9.) So, for this great purpose, we pray that You would send workers out in Your fields. Holy Spirit, prepare our own hearts to hear and obey God’s call to go where He sends us. In Jesus’ saving name we pray, Amen!   

Review Game

Step and Toss: Play a true and false game to review the Bible lesson.

This is the final lesson about how to pray, so we are going to play a review game.  

Step back and forth on the floor signs and then toss a sock ball as you describe the game.

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 tossing your sock ball into the correct container.

I will ask the same question to a player for each team. You will answer by standing on either the True or the False sign. When both players are standing on their sign choice, I will reveal the answer. Players score one point for a correct answer. Then, players have two chances to toss their socks into the container of the correct answer. So, if the correct answer is True, you score a point for tossing each sock into the container with the True sign. That means, even if you didn’t stand on the correct sign, you can still score points! Be careful, each sock tossed in the wrong container will penalize your team one point. Let’s play!

The team with the most points, after all the children have taken a turn, wins. 

Optional: when the answer is “false,” ask teams for the true answer and award a bonus point if it’s correct. You may also ask additional bonus questions related to the original one.      

Match Game

All Kinds: Play a game to learn more about prayer that pleases God.

In the SuperVerse, Jesus told us to pray for God to send workers into His harvest. We can pray in confidence knowing that this is God’s will because of Jesus’ specific instructions. In addition to the Lord’s Prayer, the Bible gives us other instructions on prayers that are pleasing to God. In this game, you will match different ways that we can pray in harmony with God’s will.

Divide the children into two teams; they do not need to be even. Have teams sit together so everyone can see the cards on display. A different player gets two guesses on each team’s turn. The player will choose a card number, and the leader will flip that card up along its taped edge to reveal the different ways that we can pray in harmony with God’s will. The same player will then select a second card number to try to match the first card. If the two cards match, the leader carefully peels the cards from the board and gives them to the team. If time permits, read the associated verse and discuss the practical application. If the cards don’t match, they are flipped back down again. Whether the cards match or not, play continues with the other team taking a turn. Play until all pairs are removed from the board. The team with the most pairs wins. 

Optional Scripture Discussion:

For each match, read the verse on the list. Briefly discuss the verse and the practical application to prayer.     

Maze Activity

Sent out! Choose the correct paths to reach people for God’s kingdom.

Give each child a copy of the maze and a pencil. Lead a discussion using the Bible passage and questions below as the children complete the activity. 

Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “Jesus sends us out in His name.”

In this maze, there are many people who need to hear about Jesus or to experience God’s love. You are being sent out now to share your faith and God’s love with them. However, before you can do this, you need to find the correct path to each one. 

Jesus was talking to His disciples about God’s harvest in John 4:35–36: 

1.  What do you think Jesus meant when He said to wake up and look around? Sometimes we get so busy and focused on ourselves that we miss opportunities to share.

Sometimes we may look only at the outside and decide by how others look or act if they are ready to receive. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to lead us and not go by our own judgment. Only God can see someone’s heart. 

2.  What do you think it means for the fields to be ripe? People are ready to hear and receive the Gospel.

3.  What do you think the wages are in this passage? We have joy, the reward of participating in God’s work, knowing that someone is part of God’s Kingdom and now has eternal life. 

4.  Who do you think the planter and harvester are? The planter is someone who initially shares the Gospel—plants the seed of God’s Word. The harvester is one who actually leads them to become a follower or believer in Jesus. 

Conclusion: God has many roles available in His harvest—from serving others and living a godly life, to sharing the Gospel, to leading someone in prayer to receive Jesus as his/her Savior. Let us pray each day for the Holy Spirit to open our spiritual eyes and show us opportunities to share His love. When we do this, we will experience joy here and forever in heaven.        

Bible Activity

Let’s say the SuperTruth together. “Jesus sends us out in His name.” 

What does Jesus send us out to do? God’s work, His will, to share the Good News, to serve and show others God’s love, to build His Kingdom. 

The verses you will look up are about sharing the Gospel and building God’s Kingdom. 

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

Write the scripture references, one at a time, on the board for children to look up, read, and find the answers to fill in the blanks. Assist children as necessary and help children not familiar with the Bible or pair them with a more experienced child. Have children raise their hands when they have found the answer.

1. Matthew 9:37: The harvest is great, but the _____ are few. (Workers) 

He said to His disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.” 

2. John 4:35: Jesus told His disciples that the fields were already _____ for harvest. (Ripe) 

“You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.” 

3. Matthew 28:19: The Great Commission tells us to go make _____ of all nations. (Disciples) 

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations  baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” 

4. Luke 10:1: Jesus chose seventy-two disciples and sent them ahead in _____. (Pairs) 

The Lord now chose seventy-two  other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places He planned to visit. 

5. Matthew 24:14: The Good News about the _____ will be preached throughout the whole world. (Kingdom) And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations  will hear it; and then the end will come. 

6. Acts 1:8: We will receive power from the Holy Spirit to be His _____. (Witnesses) 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 

7. 1 Peter 3:15: If someone asks about our hope as believers, always be ready to ______ it. (Explain) Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 

8. 1 Corinthians 3:7: When we plant or water God’s Word, it is God who makes the seed _____. 

(Grow) It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

9. Luke 10:16: Anyone who rejects us and our message is really rejecting _____. (Jesus) 

Then He said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting Me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting Me. And anyone who rejects Me is rejecting God, who sent Me.” 

10. Psalm 96:3: We must _____ His glorious deeds among the nations. (Publish) 

Publish His glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does. 

Conclusion: God has given us the privilege and opportunity to work in His fields to bring others into His Kingdom. It could be in our own homes, neighborhoods, schools, or cities; or, it could be on the mission field in a different country. Wherever God sends us, we must be willing to go!