Leader Guide

Small Group

Four small plastic cups
Twelve marbles
Two buckets
Bible or the Superbook Bible App

Place six marbles each in two cups.

*Optional: If desired, you may substitute the Relay Cross Game under Additional Activities.

In Large Group you were asked to listen and watch carefully for who Stephen saw in the sky as he testified before the angry Jewish leaders. Who did Stephen see and what was He doing? Stephen saw Jesus in heaven standing at the right hand of God.

Let’s say the SuperTruth together: “Jesus endured persecution to save me.”

In the video, we watched how Judas betrayed Jesus in the garden. Just before this, Jesus agonized in prayer asking God if it was possible to avoid the suffering and pain He was about to experience during His arrest, crucifixion and death. This was all part of God’s plan to save us. Jesus called this plan a “cup of suffering.” Jesus knew how terrible it would be, yet He willingly agreed to fulfill God’s plan to save us.

By this plan, God poured out His love on us. That is what this game is about!

Divide the class into two teams that stand facing each other with about 4–6 feet between them.

Each team forms a line with their players standing side by side without touching each other.

Place a bucket at the end of both lines, where the last player of each team can reach it.

Hand the first player of each team the cup containing six marbles.

Hand an empty cup to the second player of each team—next to the player with the marbles.

The first player must pour the marbles from the cup into the second player’s empty cup.

The first player then hands the empty cup to the third player.

The second player pours the cup of marbles into the third player’s empty cup and hands the empty cup to the fourth player.

Both teams continue in this fashion until all players have played and the last player pours all the marbles into the bucket.

You are all winners! That’s because God pours His love into our hearts and Jesus poured His life out to save us.

Optional: Repeat the game and have the children do it as fast as possible.

Conclusion: Jesus wasn’t forced to die for us. He willingly chose to fulfill God’s plan.

Optional: Read Romans 5:5–8 (NKJV):

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

In our Signpost Teaching today, we’ll learn more about how Jesus modeled and provided forgiveness to all.