Leader Guide

Teaching Time

Nehemiah was a good man who loved God. He served God and a king. Does anyone know what it means to serve others? To help others.

Yes, to serve is to help others with what they need.

Hold up hands and wiggle fingers with the children. God gave us helping hands to serve others.

Hold up the cup. Who served a king by bringing him a cup to drink from? Nehemiah.

Yes, Nehemiah was called a cupbearer. It was an important job.

Nehemiah got some bad news as he served the king. The Jewish people were in exile (lived away from home) and the wall in Jerusalem was destroyed. This made Nehemiah very sad.

Hold up hands together in prayer. Nehemiah prayed and asked God how he could help and serve.

After praying to God and talking with the king, Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem to work together with the Jewish people to rebuild the wall.

Do motions for the children to imitate in bold text as you name ways to serve with our hands.

He served with his hands to break and cut stones for the wall. Make a hammering motion.

Nehemiah and the workers used their hands to hold swords, spears and shields as they worked on the wall to protect them from their enemies. Act out gripping a sword/spear in one hand and a shield over your chest with the other hand.

Because Nehemiah served God with others, the wall was finished in 52 days!

Hold up hands and wiggle fingers with the children. We don’t have a wall around our city that needs to be rebuilt, do we? So, how can we serve others using these helping hands God gave to us?

Put hands together in prayer; have children follow. Like Nehemiah, one of the most important ways to serve others is to pray for them. Prayer is listening to God and talking with Him. Nehemiah asked God for help. We can serve by praying for others, too.

Instead of building a wall or holding a spear and shield, we can use our hands to rake leaves, wash dishes, or carry things for others like bags of groceries.

We can use our hands to encourage others by giving a high five, or to clap and cheer to encourage someone.

We can use our hands to comfort others who are sad and by putting a hand on their shoulder.

Hold hands out to give. And like Nehemiah and Gizmo, we can use our hands to serve by giving. Do you remember how Gizmo served by giving? He gave coats, soup, building.

Conclusion: There are so many ways for us to serve God and others. But it is important not to try to do it all ourselves. Gizmo did not want to ask others for help, and he tried to do too much.

Nehemiah knew he needed to ask for help, and when he did, the wall got built! Never be afraid to ask for help!

Closing prayer: Heavenly Father, we lift the hands you gave to us in prayer and thanksgiving. Thank you for calling us to be Your servants and also giving us special gifts to serve others. In Jesus’ great name we pray, Amen.