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Leader Guide

Teaching

  • Two Signpost Cards
  • All Clean Label
  • Two sheets of card stock or paper
  • Tape
  • Spray bottle filled with water or container or bottle/pump bottle with dish soap, hand soap, or a safe hand cream
  • Empty bottles or household cleaners for specific purposes (window cleaner, hand soap, laundry detergent, floor cleaner, etc.) Double check that the bottles are empty, lids are tightly closed, or spray nozzles are in the off position. Suggest to tape over the nozzles as an extra safety precaution. Do not allow children to handle the containers. Option: use images from magazines, flyers or print from the internet
  • Poster Board or large piece of cardboard
  • Marker
  • Bibles or the Superbook Bible App
  • GizmoNote (optional take-home note)

Discipleship Challenge materials:

  • Evidence Page

 

Make double-sided copies of the two Signpost Cards on cardstock, in color or black and white, with the image on one side and Card #1 or Card #2 on the back of the images. 

Place the cards in a pile face down, with Card #1 on top.  

Make one copy of the ALL CLEAN Label in color or black and white.  

Tape the label to the bottle or spray bottle full of water.  

Using the marker, write SIN in large letters on the the posterboard.   

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


Make copies of the Discipleship Challenge Evidence Page for children who missed the previous lessons; see Lesson 1 for details.

Have a child select the first Signpost Card and read it aloud. Tape the card to the wall or lean it against the wall on the floor so children can see it. Lead a discussion with the information below. Repeat for the other Signpost Card. Additional material is included for Grades 4–6 to look up and discuss.        


Signpost 1  All in One God                   

What is happening on the first Signpost Card? People are worshiping idols.  


Paul observed that the people in Athens worshiped many different idols. There was a false god or goddess for just about anything you could think of. For example, Poseidon, the god of the sea and Nike, the goddess of victory. The people in Athens even had an altar to the unknown god in case they unknowingly missed one! They did not want to offend one and suffer the consequences! But these people could not possibly have a relationship with any false gods or idols because they are not real!  


Hold up each cleaner. Ask children what the purpose of the cleaner is.  

When all cleaners have been discussed, talk about how expensive it is to buy all of them and how inconvenient it is to safely store them and keep track of how much is in each bottle so you don’t run out! 

 

Do you know what would really be great; if there was one cleaner that could clean everything and replace all of the other cleaners! Hold up the ALL CLEAN bottle. Guess what; our wish has come true! This cleaner cleans it all—yes everything! 


Paul boldly declared the truth to the people of Athens. There was no need for many gods; there was one true God who made the world and everything in it! He is the Lord of heaven and Earth, and He gives life and breath to everything! (See Acts 17:24–27.)     


Isaiah 45:22 says: 


“Let all the world look to Me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other.”


God wants to have a relationship with people and also provide for all of their needs! People didn’t have to pray to one god for one thing and to another god for another thing, because those gods are false. Our God is the All in One God—there is no other! And we can come to Him for every single need in our lives!


Paul told them that not only was it possible for God to be found and known—it is His desire! 


God’s desire today has not changed. He is near to all of us and wants to be found; all we must do is seek Him! He is ready, willing and able to provide for all of our needs—from our daily needs, to salvation! As Paul said in Acts 17:25, 


“He satisfies every need!”  


OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6   

Acts 17:24–27:  


24“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25and human hands can’t serve His needs—for He has no needs. He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need. 26From one man He created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and He determined their boundaries. 27His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him—though He is not far from any one of us.”


Habakkuk 2:18–20: 


18“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation—a god that can’t even talk! 19What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, ‘Wake up and save us!’ To speechless stone images you say, ‘Rise up and teach us!’
Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside. 20But the LORD is in His holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.”


Signpost 2  Jesus, the Solution to Separation

Look closely at this picture of Jesus after He died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead. What do you notice near his hands? The nail marks in His wrists.  


You see, it is true that God wants everyone to know Him and to have a relationship with Him. That is His purpose and has been since the beginning in the Garden of Eden. God would walk and talk in the garden with Adam and Eve; it was His delight to spend time with them. What happened to cut off Adam and Eve’s relationship with God? Adam and Eve disobeyed and sinned, they ate the forbidden fruit. Sin came into the world. 


Place the posterboard in front of your face—SIN side toward the children. 

Sin separated God from Adam and Eve. Just like this sign separates us, the personal relationship with God was blocked. But God did not give up on His creation. Throughout history, He continued to reach out so that He could be known. When the time was right, God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to live as a human in this world. Jesus led a perfect life without sin. He died on the cross so that we could receive forgiveness for our sins and our relationship with God could be restored. 

Remove the posterboard.     


Jesus gave His life to bring us back to God. Through Jesus, we can know our heavenly Father, God! 


OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6 

Romans 5:15–19:


15But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 18Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.


Genesis 3:23–24: 


23So the LORD God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and He sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24After sending them out, the LORD God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And He placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.


Acts 17:30–31: 


30“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now He commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to Him. 31For He has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man He has appointed, and He proved to everyone who this is by raising Him from the dead.”

 

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Hold up an Evidence Page. 

Give each child who missed the previous lessons an Evidence Page.  


Who can remember something that God created in the section of Psalm 148 that you read? Ocean creatures, fire, hail, snow, clouds, wind, weather, mountains, hills, trees, wild animals, livestock, birds, small animals. 


Wow, that’s a lot of things! Who can share some of these things you observed? Children respond.

Would someone like to share a drawing from this challenge? Children respond. 


Hold up an Evidence Page. 

For this challenge you will read the last section of Psalm 148 each day in your Bible. 

Then, you will try to observe as much as possible of God’s creation that is described in the verses you read. Then, you will make a drawing of something you observed that was interesting or special to you on Card #3. In your prayer time, praise God for His creation and His handiwork. Continue to pray for opportunities and boldness to share with others how God is the creator of all we see and to share your hope in Christ.    


When we meet again, you will have a chance to share your observations and drawings for this challenge. And keep praying for opportunities to share your hope in Christ with others!     


Optional: read Psalm 148:11–14: 


11Kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of the earth, 12young men and young women, old men and children. 13Let them all praise the name of the LORD. For His name is very great; His glory towers over the earth and heaven! 14He has made His people strong, honoring His faithful ones—the people of Israel who are close to Him. Praise the LORD!