Leader Guide

Leader Introduction

Welcome students as they arrive with their parents.
OPTIONAL: As they arrive, play the song “Patience in Waiting.”

Today’s Bible story reinforces and expands the previous lessons about Abraham and Sarah and the miraculous birth of their son in their old age. Though not always easy, when we patiently wait on God, He will fulfill His promises without fail.

At Quantum Labs, Gears calls everyone together for a special announcement; his submission of an application to the Association of Master Robot Engineers. Gears is positive that he will be instantly accepted; but his confidence turns to disbelief when his application is rejected. Gears learns that he must patiently wait for many years to meet the qualifications. Miss Tina encourages Gears to enjoy his life now and not be in a hurry to grow older. Children learn the importance of patience— to trust and wait without complaining.

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

Optional Opening Game

God promised Abraham that he would have many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, as many as the stars in the sky! Can you count all the stars in the sky? NO! There are too many!

Hold up the balloon. This balloon has many stars on it, doesn’t it. These stars are a symbol of God’s promise to Abraham and also the promises in the Bible that God made to us! That’s exciting and we will talk about that a little later.

Hold up a plate. In this game, you will carry the stars which are a symbol of God’s promises on a plate. Please don’t hurry! If you go too fast, the balloon will roll off so you must be patient!

Demonstrate carrying a balloon on the plate and then drop it into a box. When you make it to the other end, roll the balloon into the box and hand the plate to the next player, who takes the balloon out of the box and travels to the other box.

If a balloon rolls off the plate, you can place it back on and keep going. You cannot use your other hand to keep the balloon on the plate.

Play until each child has taken at least two turns.

Conclusion: What happened if you tried to go too fast? The balloon rolled off the plate.

Yes, it is important to have patience and wait on God and His promises. God is faithful and will always keep His promises.

Video Lesson

Abraham & Sarah

In the video, God makes a promise to Abraham. Even after many years, God was faithful and kept that promise to Abraham. When we wait on God, we will not be disappointed.

Play Video (Bible story)

Bible Story

Teaching Time

Who remembers what the important promise was called that God made to Abraham? A covenant.

Yes, When Abraham was an older man and was seventy-five years old.

Hold up the “star” balloon and walk back and forth as you speak. Do you remember what the stars represent, or are a symbol of? God’s promise to Abraham that the children He would give him would be more than the stars in the sky.

Yes, that’s right, but God didn’t tell Abraham something—He did not say WHEN He would keep His promise. Abraham had to patiently hold on to God’s promises for a long time.

Walk some more. So, how long DID Abraham need to patiently wait?

Place the blocks on the table. Let’s count together the number of years Abraham patiently waited.

Count as high as you can with me because it is a big number!

Slowly count aloud from 1-24 with the children as you stack blocks to build a tower or two if one isn’t stable. Or, allow child volunteers to stack the blocks, one at a time as everyone counts.

Wow, Abraham waited 24 years for God’s promise and then something very exciting happened. After 24 years God appeared to Abraham again, and this time He told Abraham WHEN Sarah would give birth to a son. Stack the last block on the tower.

After one year, Sarah gave birth to a baby boy! Why was this such a big miracle? Abraham and Sarah were very old.

Yes, that’s right, Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 years old! But, nothing is impossible for God to do! Do you know that God gives us promises too? Hold up the Bible.

In the Bible are many, many wonderful promises from God.

Hold up the “star” balloon. Just like Abraham patiently held on to God’s promise, we can hold on to God’s promises too! How do we do that? When we hear God’s Word, it stays in our mind and heart.

Hold up the Heart Bag. Pretend that this is your heart. Let’s read the promises inside, repeat them after me because they are for you too! Open the bag and hold up each heart. Read each promise and have the children repeat it aloud. If time permits, read the Bible verse for each promise.

I am God’s child. (Galatians 3:26)

God never leaves me. (Hebrews 13:5)

God protects me. (Psalm 18:2)

God forgives me. (1 John 1:9)

Jesus saves me. (John 3:16)

God hears and answers my prayers. (1 John 5:14)

Isn’t that exciting! These are just a few of God’s promises, there are too many more to count! Some of God’s promises already happened, some will happen soon, and other promises, we must wait patiently on to come to pass. like Abraham.

Place the hearts inside the bag and seal it closed, then turn it upside down. When God’s promises are in your heart, they are safe forever as you patiently wait and trust in Him. (Save bag to use during Verse To Go section.)

Object to Go

Hold up the costume beard or the image. Lead a discussion with the comments and questions below:

● Who is the man in this picture from the Bible story? Abraham.

● What do you see on his cheeks and face? A beard.

● Raise your hand if you know someone who has a beard. Children respond.

● Was Abraham young or old? Old.

● Abraham has a white beard in the video. What other color beard might an older man have? Gray, brown, silver, etc.

● In the next video, one of the robots glues a gray beard on his face. Who do you think it is? Doodad, Grip, Gears, or Gizmo? Children guess.

● Let’s watch the video to see who guessed correctly and why he did it!

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

Play Video (Gears Grows Up)

Gears Grows Up

After the video, ask the following discussion questions:

● Raise your hand if you guessed Gears had a gray beard. Children respond.

● Why did Gears want to be old? So he could be in the engineers club (organization).

● What did Miss Tina tell Gears about wanting to be older? Not to be in a hurry to grow up. Enjoy the fun things he can do now.

● Where were Miss Tina and the other bots going that Gears wanted to go too? To the playground.

Gears was happy he could still go to the playground with the others. It is difficult to be patient watching what an older friend, brother or sister can do. But, as Miss Tina said, don’t rush it, enjoy all that you can do at your age now. Growing older will come quickly enough!

Verse to GO!

Romans 12:12 (CEV)

Stand facing the children and lead them in repeating phrases and imitating the motions.

I’d like you to shout “Let’s Go!” if you are ready to say the first part of today’s memory verse. Children respond.

Let’s say it together with the motions we learned the last time.

Let your hope … Look up and raise both arms toward heaven.

Make you glad… Smile and clap hands.

Repeat slowly a few more times.

Please listen to the second part of the verse. “Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying.”

Let’s try it with some motions.

Be patient… stand upright.

in time of trouble… put hands over cheeks and open mouth.

and never stop praying… fold hands in prayer and look toward heaven.

It isn’t always easy to be patient, especially when we are scared, worried or excited! But in those times, we need to try your best to trust God and believe He hears and will answer your prayer.

Remember the Holy Spirit grows patience in you. He will help you when you ask.

Note: Preschool children may not be able to memorize the entire verse. They may simply repeat it with you. Be sure all children understand its meaning.

Prayer Time

Close the lesson in a simple prayer to encourage the children to trust God at all times.

For example: Dear Jesus, thank You for hearing our prayers. Help us to always trust You and wait on You, even when it is hard. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Music Time

Patience in Waiting

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

Create your own motions or use the suggested motions as seen in the Quantum Karaoke “Patience in Waiting” under Resources.

Play the video song “Patience in Waiting”

Encourage the children to sing with Miss Tina and the robots during the chorus and imitate playing the piano with Miss Tina during the verses.

Patience in Waiting

Sing the chorus together:

Patience in waiting God is working,

Patience in waiting,

God is turning to you, and He’s heard your cry.

Optional motions for the last line: (turning) children spin around one time.

(Heard) Cup ears with hands

(Cry) place hands on both sides of mouth as if to shout.

Singing Activity

Singing Activity

Lead the children in singing a song to the familiar tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” but change the words for each verse as described in Lesson 1

Take-Home Coloring Page

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

● What is Gizmo pretending to be in the picture? A pirate.

● Why couldn’t Gears take his beard off? It was glued to his face.

● What name did Gizmo call Gears when he couldn’t remove his beard? Captain Greybeard.

● What is something you are happy you can do because you are not older? Children answer.

● In today’s memory verse, what should we do when we have trouble with something? Be patient and pray.

Having patience and waiting on God is always the best choice. God is pleased when we choose to trust Him instead of being unhappy and complaining.

Game

Game

Play the Optional Opening Game “Patience, Patience” at the beginning of this lesson.

Play the game “Sarah Says” from Lesson 1. 

Play the game “Starry Night” from Lesson 2. 

Play the game “Star Search” from Lesson 3. 

Play the game “Drawing Attention” from Lesson 4.