Leader Guide

Leader Introduction

Welcome students as they arrive with their parents.
OPTIONAL: As they arrive, play the song “Be Courageous.”

Today’s Bible story reinforces and expands on the previous lessons about Moses in the wilderness when God spoke to him from a burning bush. God chose Moses to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt so they could freely serve and worship Him again. After many excuses, Moses chose to trust God and courageously went to Pharaoh.

Back at Quantum Labs, Miss Tina is introduced to Valleyview’s first superhero, named Super-Gizmo. Super-Gizmo has a very big mission—actually too big! Miss Tina explains to Gizmo that God doesn’t only give us courage to do big things, but smaller, everyday things too.

Today’s lesson is about courage. Courage is trusting God to help you do something that may seem hard (difficult) or scary, no matter what we face—big or small, old or new.

*Scripture is quoted from the New Living Translation except as noted.

Optional Opening Game

Can anyone remember the name of the shepherd in the wilderness? Moses.

Point to the bush on the wall. In our Bible story, Moses saw a bush but something was very different about this bush. Do you know why it was different? It was on fire but it didn’t burn up.

Make circles with your fingers and hold them up to your eyes.

I need you to look closely at the bush, so let’s put on our binoculars. Make circles with your fingers and hold them up to your eyes.

Is this bush burning—do you see any flames of fire? No!

We need to do something about that! In this game, you will each have a chance to put a flame of fire on the bush so it can burn like the bush Moses saw. Raise your hand if you have played a game called “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” Children respond.

Show a flame. When it is your turn, I will put a ring of tape on the back of a flame.

Then I will place a blindfold on you. Try your best not to peek!

You will carefully walk to the wall and try to place the flame in the bush without looking. Once you have stuck your flame to the wall, you can’t move it! You may then take the blindfold off and look at the bush to see where you put the flame.

Play until all children have taken a turn. Remove the figures and play again if time permits.

Note: If a child misses the bush, gently guide them to stand in front of it and try again.

Conclusion: Wow, look at the bush. The fire is so bright that we don’t need our binoculars to see it! We will find out why the bush was burning and why it was so important in our Bible story a little later.

Object to Go

· How is this different than the one we used in the game we just played? It has eye holes, the eye openings aren’t covered, you can still see with it.

· Where have you seen someone wearing a mask like this? On TV, in a movie, at costume parties.

· Who might wear a mask? A hero or superhero, a villain or bad person.

· What is a mask supposed to do? Hide who you are. Keep who you are a secret.

· In the video we will watch, a robot has a mask on and just became a superhero to help people. Who do you think is the new superhero, Gears, Gizmo, Rig, Widget, Miss Tina, or Dr. DentaBot? Children respond.

· Let’s watch the video to see if anyone guessed correctly!

Leave the question unanswered until it is revealed in the video.

Play Video (Super-Gizmo Begins)

Super-Gizmo Begins

Video Discussion

● What was Gears working on in the garage? Super Gizmo’s car, the Gizmobile.

● What was Gizmo’s superhero name? Super Gizmo

● Super Gizmo said he was the superhero. Do you remember what he said he didn’t have? Fear.

● What did Gears want to be for Super Gizmo? His sidekick or helper.

● Since God gave Super Gizmo courage, what did he think his job was to do? Save the world.

● Miss Tina said God sometimes gives us courage to do big things, but what does God most often give us the courage to do? Small (everyday) things.

● Can you name something that God gave you the courage to do? Children respond.

Super Gizmo said that he was the superhero with no fear. Having no fear is not courage. Courage is trusting God to help you do something even when you are afraid or scared. Whether the job is big or small, God gives us courage to do both.

Video Lesson

Moses and the Burning Bush

In today’s video, God speaks to Moses in a very amazing way! Let’s find out how God spoke to Moses and what job (task) God sent him to do.

Play Video (Bible story)

Moses

Bible Story

Teaching Time

Note: Substitute different ball types and sizes and adjust presentation if desired.

Have children sit at least arm’s length from each other.

Moses was watching his sheep in the wilderness when he saw something very unusual and amazing. Do you remember what he saw? A bush that was on fire but it did not burn up.

Moses had never seen anything like this. NO ONE had ever seen anything like this, even today!

When Moses walked over to the bush to look closer. God called Moses’ name from the bush!

Imagine how Moses felt. First, he sees a bush on fire; then he hears a voice when he was alone with only his sheep! How would you feel? Scared, surprised, shocked, afraid.

God told Moses that he wanted him to go to—the cruel ruler of Egypt. Pharaoh made the Israelites work very hard… too hard! God wanted Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt so they could be live in a new land and had all they needed.

Was Moses full of courage and excited to do what God asked him to do? No, he was afraid.

No, Moses didn’t think he was the one God should send because it was a very BIG job. How big? Demonstrate holding arms out as wide as you can for the children to imitate.

This wasn’t a small job. Demonstrate a small pinch with index fingers and thumbs of both hands.

It was a really, really, really big job! Demonstrate raising both arms as high as you can and standing on top toes.

To help Moses have courage, God said He would go with him. Then God did a miracle for Moses.

Toss cane on floor. God turned Moses’ staff into a living snake.

Pick up the cane. Then he turned it into a staff again.

God also told Moses that He would do more miracles so people would know God had sent Moses.

Did Moses have the courage to go after all God said He would do? NO!

Moses still thought the job was too big for Him. How big? Demonstrate holding arms out as wide as you can for children to imitate.

This wasn’t a small job. Demonstrate a small pinch with index fingers and thumbs of both hands.

It was a really, really big job! Demonstrate raising both arms as high as you can and standing on top toes.

When Moses still would not go, God said He would send Moses’ brother named Aaron with him to speak for Moses. Did Moses have the courage to go to Pharoah now? YES!

Yes, this time Moses had the courage to obey God.

God was kind and very patient with Moses. He gave Moses all he needed to have the courage to obey. God gave Moses the courage to do a very big thing. Demonstrate raising both arms as high as you can and standing on top toes.

Hold the soccer ball. This is a big ball, isn’t it?

In the other video we watched, Miss Tina explained to Super-Gizmo that God doesn’t only give us courage to do big things. He also gives us courage to do smaller, everyday things too.

Hold up the marble. This is much smaller than the soccer ball, right? Children respond.

Hold up both balls. So, God gives us courage to do big and small things. Put the balls down.

Pick up the baseball. He also gives us the courage to do things that aren’t big and not so small.

Hold all three balls in arms and hands from small to large.

No matter how big, small, or in between, God is with us and He will give us the courage to do what we need to do.

Everyone is different!

Hold up the soccer ball. What may seem big or difficult to you.

Hold up the marble. May seem small or easy to another person.

Hold up the soccer ball. What may seem big to someone else,

Hold up the marble. May seem small to you.

God wants us to trust Him for the courage to do everything— big or small, hard or easy, old or new.

Moses was afraid but he chose to put his trust in God and he obeyed God. That’s exactly what our memory verse says today, so let’s learn it together now.

Verse to GO!

Psalm 56:3 (NLT)

Today’s Bible memory verse is Psalm 56:3. Say the memory verse slowly.

“But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.”  Psalm 56:3

Stand facing the children and help them to repeat phrases and imitate the motions.

But when I am afraid … hold hands with bent fingers up to mouth with big eyes.

I will put my trust… point to self with one index finger.

In You… raise arms upward and point to the sky with both index fingers.

Repeat slowly a few more times.

Whenever we feel afraid or scared, remember that that we can trust in God because He is always with us and He will give us strength.

Prayer Time

Close the lesson in a simple prayer to thank God for His presence in our lives.

For example: Dear God, help me to always trust You to give me courage whenever I am afraid. Thank You for always being with us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Music Time

Be Courageous

The lyrics and chords for this song are found in Resources.

Be Courageous!

Create your own motions for the song, or imitate Miss Tina and the robots movements in the video.

Play the video song and teach the chorus and motions of “Be Courageous” to your students.

My God’s giving me strength, giving me strength to be courageous…. Run in place, raise arms as if lifting barbells or flexing muscles with clenched fists. Dance side to side.

Additional motions:

Do not be afraid… Stand tall and straight with feet together and make a serious, confident, determined face.

because the Lord… Point to the sky with one hand

Is with me everywhere I go… Point to self and march in place.

He’s always so close… Hold arms out as if to hug someone.

I’m never alone… Simultaneously point to self with one hand and to the sky with the other hand.

The children may also want to dance and move to the verses of the song.

Be Courageous

Take-Home Coloring Page

As children color, review today’s lesson using the discussion points below:

Which robot told Miss Tina that God would give her courage at the dentist? Widget.

· Have you ever faced a new challenge that you needed courage to face? Children respond.

· What does it mean to have courage? Children respond.

· Who is with us wherever we go? God.

· Have you ever been scared and prayed to God for courage? Children respond.

Game

Game

Play the Optional Opening Game “Fan the Flames” at the beginning of this lesson.

Play the game “Where’s the Sheep” from Lesson 1 

Play the game “The Shepherd Says” from Lesson 2 

Play the game “Protect the Sheep” from Lesson 3 

Play the game “A Good Shepherd” from Lesson 4