Leader Guide
Teaching
- Five small boxes of similar size if possible; boxes must be large enough to tape a half sheet of paper to it
- Prayer Picture
- Faith Letter Pages—3
- Marker
- Tape
- Scissors
- Table
- Bibles or the Superbook Bible App
- The Lord's Prayer Bookmark Page
- Red yarn
- Mustard seeds
- Scissors
- Tape
- Sample craft made in Lesson 1
Cut each page in half—you will need only five images.
Tape a Prayer Picture to one side of each box.
Make one copy each of the three Faith Letter Pages.
Cut each page in half (one letter on each half sheet).
Tape a Faith Letter to the opposite side from the Prayer Picture of each box.
On each Prayer Picture, mark a small number corresponding to the letter on the box as follows: H = 1, T = 2, I = 3, A = 4, F = 5. (Do not mark the letter, only the number.)
Place the boxes underneath the table, from left to right in numerical order 1–5, as viewed from the front. It is important that only the Prayer Picture side is visible until the end.
For the Discipleship Challenge: Make a bookmark for each child who missed Lesson 1 by cutting them apart from the pattern, punching a hole where indicated at the top, and taping three mustard seeds onto the rectangle of each bookmark. Also, give each child a 6-inch strand of red yarn to tie through the hole on the top. See Lesson 1 for details.
Build It! Discuss the relationship between faith and prayer.
In Large Group, you were asked to listen and watch for what the father asks Jesus to help him overcome. What is the answer? His unbelief.
Unbelief and a lack of faith can hinder us from following and obeying God’s will as we should. It also can keep us from enjoying all the good things in God’s Kingdom that we receive through Christ. In our last lesson, we learned about the different parts of the Lord’s Prayer. This was a pattern or model of prayer that Jesus used to teach His disciples how to pray. When we follow Jesus’ model of prayer, our prayers please God and build our faith.
Let’s say our SuperTruth together. “Prayer builds faith.”
Stand in front of Box #1 and place it on the table with the Prayer Picture facing the children. Do this for each box as the presentation unfolds.
The boxes represent prayers. The disciples traveled with Jesus everywhere. Over and over, day after day, they saw Jesus spend time in prayer. Who was He praying to? God; His Father.
Stand in front of Box #2 and place it on top of Box #1.
Jesus often prayed alone early in the morning or at the end of the day after He had traveled, taught, and ministered to people’s needs. Jesus’ prayer time with His Father gave Him strength and direction to do God’s will. Jesus said He spoke only the words God gave Him and He did only what He saw God doing. (See John 5:19, 7:16, 8:28, 12:49.) To see and hear His Father clearly, Jesus needed to remove Himself from the busy-ness of the world and the growing crowds who followed Him everywhere. The demands and temptations of this world can drain us of our strength and distract us from spending time with God. When we get too busy, we can no longer hear and see God clearly. Name some common demands or distractions that we all may face each day. Relationships, entertainment, TV, phones, gadgets, technology, internet, hobbies, jobs, sports, etc.
Keep in mind, not all distractions are bad or evil. Yet we need to strive for balance, so even good things don’t take our time away from God and doing His will in our lives.
Stand in front of Box #3 and place it on top of Box #2.
Prayer helps us focus on God instead of on ourselves and the things of this world. In order for Jesus to do what God wanted Him to do, He had to spend time with His heavenly Father.
If Jesus had to spend time with God, don’t you think we should, too?
If we don’t, we will be influenced by what the world says is right instead of by what God says is right. We need time alone with our Heavenly Father so that He may clearly speak His Word to us, which is like our daily bread.
David talked about the benefits of prayer in the SuperVerse. Let’s say Psalm 138:3 together.
Stand in front of Box #4 and place it on top of Box #3.
Prayer builds faith and strength; it encourages us to press on and not give up! The more we spend time in God’s presence, and the more we understand that God hears and answers our prayers, the stronger our faith becomes. He is our heavenly Father who wants to give us all we need! He is holy and set apart, above everything in the heavens and on Earth. There is none like Him. We are His children, made in His image. He created us and loves us, and He wants to spend time with us.
Stand in front of Box #5 and place it on top of Box #4.
Prayer that builds faith is not just talking to God; it is communicating with Him—sitting and waiting in His presence as He fills us with His love, mercy, wisdom, and power.
We built a tower of prayer, yet, that’s not all. As the prayers added up, something else was built at the same time. Slowly turn the bottom box until the FAITH letters face the children.
On three, let’s stand and shout what we build by prayer: 1, 2, 3! FAITH!
It’s now time for our Discipleship Challenge in which you will learn the Lord’s Prayer and pray according to the pattern of prayer He gave us!
Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application
Give the Lord’s Prayer Bookmark with the mustard seeds taped on it and yarn to each child who missed Lesson 1 so they may assemble it at home.
Hold up the sample craft. Who was able to do the challenge from last lesson and pray according to Jesus’ model for prayer?
What do you think was different; did it change the way you pray?
Did anyone memorize the first two verses of the Lord’s Prayer; if so, would you like to say them aloud now?
Hand the bookmark to a volunteer to read section 2, Matthew 6:11–12.
For this lesson, your challenge is to pray verses 11–12 each day and memorize them, if possible. Then add them to the first section you memorized: Matthew 6:9–10. You can use your bookmark for this. Think about the meaning as you pray and speak from your heart. The second part of this challenge is to pray in your own words using verses 11–12 in section 2 as a model or pattern. Come to your heavenly Father and ask Him for what you need—physical, spiritual or emotional. This is your daily bread. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak God’s truth, which is His Word to your heart each day. Then, confess your sins and ask God to forgive you. Pray for others and ask God to forgive them, especially those who have sinned against you! After you have completed this challenge the first time, add section one of the Lord’s Prayer, verses 9–10, the following days.
The next time we meet, you will have a chance to share your experience with the challenge and say the first two sections of The Lord’s Prayer from memory, if you can.
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.