Teaching

40–40–40: Discuss God’s plan and purpose for Moses and each of us.

I would like someone to say the SuperTruth aloud: “God has a plan and purpose for my life.”

Raise your hand if you believe this SuperTruth applies to you. Children respond.

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for many years. As we saw in the video, they endured long days of backbreaking labor under the cruel Egyptian taskmasters, who kept pushing them to do even more work—and faster! The Hebrew workers were forced to make bricks from mud and straw. Then they carried the dry bricks to a building site. This was no easy task!

Bible scholars say that the bricks used in big Egyptian building projects were much larger and heavier than bricks typically used today. They were over a foot square and more than three inches thick. Imagine carrying those all day, every day, in the hot sun! The people may have wondered if God had forgotten about them, yet God heard every cry! (See Exodus 2:23–25.)

God had a plan to rescue His people, but it would not happen immediately; that is where Moses came in!

Have a volunteer tape the “Baby Moses” plate to the wall. Moses’ life can be divided into three periods of forty years each. Moses was born, and his family hid him for three months. Then Pharaoh’s daughter rescued Moses from what river? The Nile.

Moses’ mother was then hired by Pharaoh’s daughter to raise him until he was old enough to live with the princess. Bible scholars say this could have been for several years. This could give Moses’ family the opportunity to teach him about the Hebrew people and Almighty God. What an important purpose Moses’ family fulfilled in God’s plan!

After this, Moses lived in the princess’s court. Acts 7:22 says:

God was giving Moses an education and the leadership skills to lead God’s people out of Egypt, right in Pharaoh’s house! Have a volunteer tape the “40” plate to the right of the first plate.

When Moses was 40 years old, he saw how cruelly the Egyptian taskmasters were treating the Hebrew slaves. He defended a Hebrew worker and killed an Egyptian who was mistreating him. Moses may have wanted to help his people, but that was not a wise way to do it. He had to flee from Pharaoh and go to the wilderness in Midian where he became a shepherd. (See Acts 7:23–29.)

God was teaching him humility and how to lead people by caring for sheep! What are some things a shepherd might do that would prepare him for leading people? He must provide sheep with protection, care, guidance, food, rest, and water, and find those who wander.

Have a volunteer tape the “80” plate next to the “40” plate. Moses was a shepherd in the wilderness for forty years. So how old was he now? 80.

When he was 80 years old, God called him from the burning bush to go back to Egypt and confront Pharaoh! Moses made many excuses before He finally submitted to God’s purpose and plan for him. But he obeyed—and he led God’s people out of Egypt and through the wilderness for forty years. How old was he then? 120!

Have a volunteer tape the “120” plate next to the “80” plate. Deuteronomy 34:7 says that Moses was 120 years old when he died after leading God’s people to the edge of the Promised Land.

Conclusion: The Israelites were slaves in Egypt. It was not God’s plan and purpose for the Israelites to stay in bondage, making bricks for the Egyptians day after day, year after year. God had a much higher purpose for His people—to worship and serve Him!

God has a higher calling for us; also, He does not want us to be slaves to sin and live without purpose. Ephesians 2:10 says:

Through Christ, we are set free to worship and serve God and to do the good things He created us for. In Christ, we can fulfill our purpose and His plan! Now let’s do our Discipleship Challenge to learn more about the “I AM” statements of Jesus and how they can strengthen our faith as we live for God.

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give any child who missed Lesson 1 an “I AM” Wheel. Show children the sample craft made in Lesson 1 and have them assemble the craft at home. Hold up the sample craft.

Last time, your challenge was to learn the first two “I Am” statements of Jesus. I would like two volunteers to each name one.

1. I am the Bread of Life

2. I am the Light of the World.

Did anyone accept the bonus challenge of memorizing one or both of the verses? If so, would you like to try to say one or both now? Children respond.

#1: John 6:35:  

#2: John 8:12:

What does it mean to you that Jesus is the Bread of Life? Children respond.

And what does it mean to you that Jesus is the Light of the World? Children respond.

As we discussed in our last lesson, knowing these things about Jesus can help us grow spiritually and tell others about Him. It also helps us when we pray, knowing that Jesus can meet every need! For example, we could pray something like, “Dear Jesus, You are the Bread of Life; I trust that You will supply all of my needs today.”

Hold up the sample “I AM” wheel. The next challenge is to look up and learn the #3 and #4 “I AM” statements on your wheels and then fill in the blanks. Now, add these statements to the first two that you learned, and try to say them from memory. If you are up for the bonus challenge of memorizing each verse—even better! We will discuss them when we meet again!