Leader Guide
Teaching
- Severe Weather Sign
- Picnic Shelter Sign
- Two sheets of cardstock
- Whiteboard and markers or chalkboard and chalk
- Bible or device with Superbook Bible App
- GizmoNote (optional take-home note)
Make one copy each of the Picnic Shelter Sign and Severe Weather Sign in color or black and white on cardstock.
Write the SuperVerse on the board. Psalm 46:1:
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Optional: Print the GizmoNote, one per child to take home after class.
That was an exciting video with not one, but three powerful and true Bible stories about how God rescued His people. Let’s read today’s SuperVerse, together from the board. Psalm 46:1:
The word refuge means a place of shelter and safety. There are many different forms of shelters. Hold up the Severe Weather sign. Raise your hand if you have seen a sign similar to this on a public building. Children respond.
The severe weather sign identifies a safe place for people to go when severe weather like a tornado or hurricane is approaching.
Hold up the Picnic Shelter sign. Who knows what this sign represents? A picnic shelter.
Raise your hand if you have been with family and friends under a picnic shelter. Children respond.
A picnic shelter provides protection from the rain and the heat of the sun.
Both types of shelters are used for a short amount of time for a specific purpose. Once the event is over, you leave its protection.
God is our refuge, shelter, and safe place no matter what we may face. The awesome thing is that we can remain under His protection and shelter forever. God is always with us!
In the video, Joy said that she believed God still rescues but He doesn’t always answer the way we think He will. When we face trouble in our lives, we want God to act immediately. However, God may answer differently for a reason.
God could have rescued Daniel BEFORE he was thrown into the lions’ den, but He chose not to. God could have saved the three Hebrew men before they were actually thrown into the furnace, but He waited. Because God rescued all of these men in His timing, the hearts of two kings were changed. After King Darius saw that Daniel was alive, He declared that everyone throughout his kingdom should tremble before the God of Daniel and that He rescues and saves His people.
After King Nebuchadnezzar witnessed the three Hebrew men in the fire with a fourth man who looked like God, He declared that there was no other god that can rescue like this!
On a rescue mission, only God knows what is best to accomplish His purpose and will. He sees not only us in this very moment, but a much bigger picture at the same time—the entire world for all eternity!
In the video we learned that God’s not only rescues those who follow Him, but those who may have turned from Him, as well.
Was Jonah happy about going to the people in Nineveh with God’s message of repentance so that God could rescue them? No, he wanted God to punish them; he ran from God.
God first needed to rescue Jonah before He could rescue the Ninevites! Jonah had a change of heart inside the belly of the great fish and finally decided to obey God. Because he did, the entire city was saved from God’s punishment for their sin.
God is ready and able to help you. He still rescues today. He sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from sin, just as He sent Jonah to save the Ninevites. Colossians 1:13 says:
God doesn’t rescue us once and then abandon us. He stands ready to hear our cry for help anytime and anywhere. We don’t need to make an appointment in advance to talk with Him. We aren’t required to take a number or wait in a long line. We don’t have to be quiet and wait for our turn to talk with Him. He is always ready to hear us and rescue us in times of trouble.
There is nothing too big or small for Him—all we must do is trust in Him!