Leader Guide
Teaching
- Bible or the Superbook Bible App
- Scepter Pattern
- Scissors for children
- Glue, scissors or tape
Copy the Scepter Pattern, one per child, plus extras. You may copy it in color or black and white.
Make a sample of the craft to be used in the teaching segment and then display it as a model for children as they make their craft.
Print all three parts to the craft. Each child will need one staff (a full sheet of paper), one finial (orb), and one card (these print two to a sheet).
- Give each student a finial, card, and a staff sheet.
- Turn the staff sheet over, and using a pencil to roll around, roll towards graphic. When complete the graphic should be showing on all sides of the tube.
- Tape the sheet together once rolled, and the pencil should fall out of the tube.
- Cut out the finial and fold in half and then tape the opposite side of the fold closed.
- Tape the finial atop the staff.
- Students also cut out the card.
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!