Leader Guide

Teaching

Write the SuperVerse on the board: Proverbs 9:10: 

Make one copy of the START HERE: MEET JESUS sign and KNOW GOD sign on cardstock. 

Optional: Print the GizmoNote, one per child to take home after class. 

  

Discipleship Challenge:

Make a sample craft to display in class. 

Make a copy of the Planetarium Challenge Card on cardstock, one for each child plus extras.  

It’s recommended that an adult precut the Gizmo compartment slot before class.     

Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “True wisdom begins with knowing God.” 

There is no shortage of knowledge and wisdom in the world today, especially with the internet. We can consume information, knowledge, and opinions from the time we wake up until we go to bed—and even in bed! People can fill themselves with knowledge on any topic, yet still be empty of true wisdom. 

In Paul’s journeys, he interacted with and defended his faith to many wise people, including philosophers and government and religious leaders. Paul grew up as a well-educated Jewish Pharisee, filled with the world’s knowledge and an expert in Jewish Law. But after coming face to face with Jesus, he realized that his worldly and religious wisdom was nothing compared to the true wisdom of God in Christ. (See Philippians 3:4–8.)

Hold up the game board. Let’s say you have played this game many times. You have gotten really good at it and are about to play against someone who has never played before. Where will you begin? On START, on the space/square labeled START. 

Where will the first-time player begin? On START, the same place/square. 

You mean that the expert must begin at the same square as the beginner? Yes! 

You are correct; the creator of this game made the rule that everyone must begin at the START space. This rule is for everyone—no exceptions.  

It is no different with true wisdom. If you desire true wisdom, according to God’s rules, there is a START space and it is labeled KNOW JESUS. Hold up the START HERE: MEET JESUS sign so the children can read it, then place it on the floor in front of you.      

It doesn’t matter how educated or famous people are. It doesn’t make a difference how young or old they are, the journey for true wisdom begins here. Step onto the START HERE: MEET JESUS sign and remain on it as you continue to talk.   

Today, if you have met Jesus and love Him, you are already off to a good start! 

Hold up the KNOW GOD sign, place it on the floor several feet ahead of you, then step on it. Sadly, many people just think they can know God without coming to Jesus Christ first. They are skipping the most important step—the START—where they meet Jesus! 

Jesus reveals God to us, so we can’t know God until we know Jesus. He told His disciples in John 14:9: 

“Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” 

Before Paul became a Christian, he thought he knew God. He thought he was doing God’s will by hunting down and hurting Christians. But once Paul met Jesus, he realized he had been completely wrong. Paul found out that he was totally in the wrong place spiritually! 

Take a dramatic step back to stand on the START HERE: MEET JESUS sign.   

Jesus gave Paul a fresh revelation of God and His plan for salvation and true wisdom. 

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:24:  

Wow, what a revelation! To truly know God, we must know Him through His Son, Jesus Christ!      

Step forward to the KNOW GOD sign. For those who think they can know God without knowing Jesus Christ, they are mistaken, just like Paul before he met Jesus. They must take a step to know Jesus Christ first.  

Pick up the START HERE: MEET JESUS sign and place it on top of the KNOW GOD sign, then step on both signs together. Paul said that Jesus Christ is the power and wisdom of God! If we want true wisdom, God grants it through Christ! 

Jesus said in John 14:6: 

There is no way around it, true wisdom begins with knowing God, and knowing God begins with knowing Jesus Christ! Once we have accepted Christ, we truly can know God and His heart for us, and we can begin our journey with true wisdom.    

Now, it’s time for our Discipleship Challenge.  

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application 

Give each child a Planetarium Challenge Card, pencil, and children’s scissors. Provide tape or glue sticks. 

Have each child cut the challenge card on the dashed line. 

Children will then carefully cut out the earth, sun and moon, Gizmo, and the compartment door. Assist children as necessary.

If the slot has not been cut out in Gizmo’s compartment area, punch a hole or two with the pencil lead to start the cut on the dashed line and then children can use their scissors to cut out the entire slot. Caution children to not cut beyond the dashed line.   

Demonstrate how to fold the flap on the compartment door and then glue it in the appropriate location under Gizmo’s compartment. 

Have children place the earth, moon and sun about halfway into the slot.   

Children can then write their names on the back of the card. 

In the video, Qbit and Gizmo projected images in the planetarium to show how all things exist because of God. One of the things they displayed was the galaxy with the stars and planets.  

That is what your challenge card is about. In Gizmo’s compartment, you will find three numbered objects. What is the first one? Earth.     

Earth and everything in it exist because of God. We have been learning how God actively participates in His creation. Without His ongoing involvement, we would cease to exist. 

We also learned that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. So, let’s talk about how we can practically apply this in our daily lives. 

What is the verse written on Planet Earth? Proverbs 1:7. 

Optional: Read Proverbs 1:7:

To fear the Lord does not mean to tremble and shake and hide under the bed. In this verse, Solomon, the wisest man in the world, tells us that true wisdom begins with fearing the Lord—respecting and honoring Him, desiring His ways, doing what He loves, and not doing what He hates. 

Hold up Planet Earth. For Challenge #1, you will:

1. Read Proverbs 1:7 each day and, if possible, memorize it.  

2. The second part of this challenge is to pray for true wisdom and knowledge. Ask God to show you any way that you are not listening to His wisdom or doing anything that may offend Him. Tell Him you’re sorry, receive His forgiveness, and ask Him for the strength to follow His ways instead of your own. 

As you accept this challenge, glue or tape the Planet Earth onto the Planetarium Challenge Card.