Teaching

Did you like the Signposts Video that we saw today?

Who can name a few of the comparisons between Moses and Jesus?

Let’s play a matching game to explore our lesson.

Divide the class into two teams. The first player on Team 1 walks to the cards and removes one “Moses” card and one “Jesus” card, then reveals the backs of both cards to the class. Ask both teams if they think that the “Moses” card relates to the “Jesus” card. If the cards are deemed a match, both cards are removed from play and Team 1 gets a point. If they do not match, both cards are put back into their original places and no point is scored. Next, a player from Team 2 chooses two cards, etc. Continue the game, alternating between teams, until all cards are matched. For Grades 4–6, use the material below to discuss each match, as time permits. The Discipleship Challenge for all grades is at the end of this activity.

HEBREW DESCENT: Moses was born a Hebrew but was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter as Egyptian royalty. Moses willingly chose to return to his own people and fulfill God’s will for him. Read Hebrews 11:24–26:

It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.

Jesus left the splendor of heaven to be born a Hebrew baby and fulfill God’s plan of salvation. Read Philippians 2:6–8:

Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 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, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

GOD’S LAW: God wrote His law on stone tablets and gave them to Moses for the people. Read John 1:17:

For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

The law showed us how helpless we were to fulfill it. God showed His love by sending Jesus to fulfill the law for us! Read Matthew 5:17: Jesus said,

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”

MIRACLES: Moses performed miracles by the power of God while leading the Israelites to the Promised Land. Read Exodus 34:10:

The Lord replied, “Listen, I am making a covenant with you in the presence of all your people. I will perform miracles that have never been performed anywhere in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people around you will see the power of the Lord—the awesome power I will display for you.”

Jesus performed many miracles that proved He was sent by God and was God’s Son. Read Acts 10:38:

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

ESCAPED EVIL KINGS: Moses’ mother hid him from Pharaoh’s soldiers. Read Hebrews 11:23a:

It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born.

Joseph was warned by God to flee for safety with Mary and Jesus, because King Herod wanted to kill the baby. Read Matthew 2:13b:

An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the Child and His mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”

SHEPHERD: Moses was a shepherd in the wilderness for 40 years when God appeared to him and called him to lead God’s people. Read Exodus 3:1–3:

One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. He watches over God’s people, who are called His sheep. Read John 10:11: Jesus said,

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep.”

BREAD: God provided bread from heaven— manna - to feed Moses and the Israelites.

Read Exodus 16:4 nkjv:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you.”

Jesus came to feed our spiritual bodies with the bread of life. Read John 6:35:

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”

FORGIVENESS: Moses prayed that God would forgive the Israelite people when they disobeyed God. Moses did not want God to destroy the people for their disobedience. Read Exodus 34:9: 

And he said, “O Lord, if it is true that I have found favor with You, then please travel with us. Yes, this is a stubborn and rebellious people, but please forgive our iniquity and our sins. Claim us as Your own special possession.”

The world’s disobedience and sin must be judged by God. We are helpless to save ourselves. God knew this and sent His Son to save us. Read 1 John 4:10:

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

GOD'S PRESENCE: Moses spoke with God regularly in a tent in the wilderness, where he received instruction to lead the people. Read Exodus 33:10–11:

When the people saw the cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, they would stand and bow down in front of their own tents. Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.

Jesus came from heaven and returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of God. He made a way for us to boldly enter into God’s presence! Read Ephesians 3:12: 

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

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Hand out the Ten Commandments Minibooks from last week, and give the patterns to any children who did not receive them previously.

How many of you have learned all Ten Commandments?

What is the theme of the first four commandments? Loving God.

Who can say them without looking? Allow individuals to try to recite them; then have the class say them together out loud, using the Poster or Minibooks as needed.

What is the theme of the last six commandments? Loving others.

Who can say them without looking? Allow individuals to try to recite them, then say them out loud together. Keep working on learning the Ten Commandments—not just saying them, but obeying them every day! The Ten Commandments are important even today, regardless of what the world tells us! Read Joshua 22:5:

“But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, obey His commands, hold firmly to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.”

We must try, with the Holy Spirit’s help, to be obedient to God’s law. But the reality is that we will fail! Read Romans 3:23: 

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

The Good News is this: God had a plan. He sent His Son Jesus to live a perfect life on Earth to fulfill the law and set us free! Is there anyone who would like to be set free today? All you need to do is ask Jesus to forgive your sins and be your Savior and Lord. Remember, there is no sin too big for Jesus to forgive!

Have children bow their heads and close their eyes. Lead them in a prayer of repentance for their sins, asking Jesus to come into their hearts and to be Lord of their lives. Have the children take home their Minibooks as a reminder to continue memorizing the Ten Commandments.