Leader Guide
Game
- Whiteboard and marker; or chalkboard and chalk
- Twelve large non-transparent plastic, foam, or paper cups; large disposable cups are ideal
- Coins, enough to fill two cups
- Clear tape
- Two poster boards
- Permanent marker
- Four small bouncy balls
- Sixth grade helpers or other volunteers to retrieve and return balls
Inside two cups, write “God’s Promises” with the marker. Fill the cups to the top with coins. Place tape across the top of the cups to keep the coins inside when the cup is turned upside down.
Using the marker, write “EARTH” in large letters on one side of both poster boards.
Place the poster boards, “EARTH” side down, near one end of the room. Leave several feet of space between them.
Place one “Promise Cup” and five empty cups upside down on each poster board, nearer to the middle than the edges. Leave several inches of space between the cups.
Today’s SuperTruth says: “I can trust God’s promises.” You are going to play a game about God’s promises. You will roll the balls to try and knock the cups off of the poster board. The first team to do this wins! We will discuss the game and how it relates to God’s promises when you finish!
Divide the children into two teams. Each team will form a line at the opposite end of the room, about 10–12 feet from the cups.
The first player for each team will roll two balls, one at a time, toward the cups. The goal is to knock the cups off the poster board.
Once the player has rolled the balls, they will quickly walk to the other end.
Sixth grade helpers or other volunteers should gather the two balls and give them to the next player to roll.
Play will continue until all the cups are knocked off the poster boards except the “Promise Cups,” which will not move.
After children realize that it is impossible to knock the Promise Cups over, turn the two cups over, remove the tape, and pour the coins out. Have a child read the writing in the cup.
Hold the two “Promise Cups.” Oh, now we know why you could not move these cups—they contain God’s promises!
Read Psalm 119:89:
Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven.
Who can tell me how this verse is connected to the game we played?
Yes, the cups containing God’s promises stood firm! God’s Word contains His promises. Every promise made thousands of years ago still stands firm today, and those promises will still be standing tomorrow and forever! Eternal means that there is no end!
The verse says that God’s word stands firm, where? In heaven.
Turn over the poster board and hold it up so children can read “EARTH.” That means that even though the promises are given to us on Earth, they are rooted, or their source is in God. They remain in heaven! There is not an event on Earth that can affect His promises to us! They stand firm with God in heaven; unstoppable and immovable!
If time permits, set up the game again, except for the “Promise Cups,” and play to see which team can knock over all of the cups first!
Conclusion: It was easier to complete the game the second time, right? Nothing on Earth stands firm like God’s Promises! Now, let’s find out more about His promises from our Signposts video!