Leader Guide

Teaching

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Three Signpost Cards
Three sheets of card stock or paper
One plastic or paper bowl
Five marbles
Empty paper towel tube
Marker
Table
Whiteboard and markers or chalkboard and chalk
Bibles or the Superbook Bible app
GizmoNote (optional take-home note)

Discipleship Challenge materials:

Cheerful Challenge Coin Page
Giving Bank Page
Cardstock
Model craft
Bible or the Superbook Bible app

Make a copy of the three Signpost Cards on cardstock, in color or black and white.

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

Write JESUS in large letters on the tube.

Write the SuperVerse on the board—Romans 8:32:

Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?

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

Make copies of the Discipleship Challenge materials 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 two Signpost Cards. Additional material is included for Grades 4–6 to look up and discuss.

Signpost 1 In the Beginning

In the first Signpost Card, who is walking and where? (Hint if needed—it happened at the beginning of creation.) God in the Garden of Eden.

From the very beginning, God was and still is the perfect example of how to give.

God gave the gift of life when He breathed life into Adam in the garden. Genesis 2:7 says:

Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

He continued by giving seeds, plants, trees, animals, fish, and birds. All were given to us to sustain and feed us. He continues to sustain us today. Acts 17:25b says:

He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need.

Throughout history, God has CHOSEN to provide gift after gift to us, His creation. You are probably familiar with something on the internet called a GIF (pronounced JIF). A GIF is a short video that loops continuously so you can watch it over and over and over again. God’s giving can be like a GIF; He gives to us over and over again without fail and without end! He never changes; consistently giving every good and perfect gift to us! (See James 1:17.)

Let’s say today’s SuperTruth together: “God first gave to us.”

God chose to give Himself to Adam and Eve in the garden as He walked and talked with them. His desire from the beginning was to share an intimate, deep relationship with us. Sadly, sin came between God and people, yet God did not stop giving. He demonstrated His love for us by giving us His very best gift!

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6

Genesis 1:29–30:

²⁹Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. ³⁰And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.

Hebrews 13:8:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

James 1:17:

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

Signpost 2 The Gift of Love

Have a child turn over Signpost #2. God demonstrated the depth of His love with His best gift.

What is happening in this image? Jesus is being crucified on the cross for us.

Romans 5:8 says:

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

We did nothing to deserve or earn His greatest gift. God did this because He doesn’t just have love—He is love. (See 1 John 4:8.) This gift doesn’t even depend on our love for Him. It is because He loves us. (See 1 John 4:10.)

Let’s say today’s SuperVerse together—Romans 8:32:

Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?

Both God the Father and God’s Son are supreme examples of how to give! God gave us Jesus to restore our relationship with Him, and He continues to give us everything we need.

Every gift of God comes through His Son, Jesus.

Place a bowl on the table. This bowl represents us.

Hold up a marble. This marble represents God’s love.

In this example I will represent God. God demonstrated the extent of His love like this.

Hold the tube marked JESUS over the bowl. Drop a marble through the tube into the bowl.

God’s love came through Jesus. Everything else we receive from our generous God comes to us through Jesus.

Hold up a second marble. Salvation comes through Jesus.

Drop the marble through the tube into the bowl as before.

Hold up the third marble. This marble represents forgiveness.

Drop the marble through the tube into the bowl. Forgiveness comes only through Jesus.

Hold up the fourth marble. This marble represents joy.

Drop the marble through the tube into the bowl. The Bible tells us that joy comes through Jesus. (See John 15:11.)

Hold up the last marble. This marble represents peace.

Drop the marble through the tube into the bowl. The Bible tells us that Jesus gives us peace that the world cannot give us. (See John 14:27.)

These are just a few of God’s riches that we receive through Jesus!

God’s gifts to us begin and continue through Jesus!

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6

1 John 4:7–10:

⁷Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God^{. 8}But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. ¹⁰This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

John 3:16 (NKJV):

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Romans 5:15–17:

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.

Signpost 3 Give as He Gave

Hold the Signpost card up. What is this poor widow doing in the picture? Giving an offering to God, giving two mites, giving all she had.

Jesus took the time to point out this widow to His disciples saying that she gave everything she had. Jesus came to give, not take. He came to serve, not be served. He devoted His life to us all, showing how we should give ourselves to Him and to others. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says:

You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty He could make you rich.

Before Jesus came to Earth, the entire universe was His while he was up in heaven. He was rich! Yet Jesus emptied Himself out to become poor for us. Was He born in a palace? No.

He was born in a stable. In His earthly poverty, He gave all He could possibly give to us—His life!

God does not ask us to do what He has not done Himself. God tells us we can test Him in our giving. He promises to open up the windows of heaven and pour out blessings when we do!

God loves a cheerful giver. He wants us to decide in our hearts how much to give, not because we are pressured or we want to impress other people. (See 2 Corinthians 9:7.) Our giving should freely flow out of thanksgiving for all He has given and continues to give to us! This is not limited to just giving offerings to God. He first loved us so that we would freely give to others and love others as He loves us. (See 1 John 4:7–8, 12.)

God is generous with us—not so we can keep His gifts to ourselves, but so we can give generously. (See 2 Corinthians 9:7–8.)

Salvation is a gift from God through Jesus, who gave His life for us. We can take no credit for it. We didn’t earn it or deserve it. Are we ready to give all to Him?

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6

Mark 12:43–44:

⁴³Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. ⁴⁴For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Malachi 3:10:

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My Temple. If you do,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put Me to the test!”

1 John 4:7–12:

⁷Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. ⁸But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. ¹⁰This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. ¹²No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.

2 Corinthians 9:7–8:

⁷You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” ⁸And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give the Discipleship Challenge materials to each child who missed Lesson 1; see Lesson 1 for details.

Display the model craft of the Giving Bank. Encourage the children to complete their craft at home so they can participate in the Discipleship Challenge.

The second Cheerful Challenge verse was 2 Corinthians 9:8. Was anyone able to learn the verse; and if so, would you like to say it for us now?

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

God doesn’t just give a little tiny bit; He gives generously—so much that we have all we need and more to give to others! The more we give, the more we can experience the joy He receives from giving to us! Raise your hand if you were able to drop coins into your Giving Bank in the first challenge. Children respond.

Would anyone like to share an opportunity you had to give to God or others? Children respond.

Challenge #3 of the Cheerful Challenge is listed on your bookmark and Coin #1. Read and try to learn 2 Corinthians 8:12 and continue to be generous with God and others! Remember, when we cheerfully and eagerly give, no matter what we give, God is pleased and accepts it! It isn’t the amount we give that makes a difference; it’s about our hearts! Continue to pray for opportunities to give, and don’t forget to drop coins into your bank as you store up treasure in heaven!

Optional: read 2 Corinthians 8:12:

Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.

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