LEADERS HUB
Year 1, Term 3, Week 1: Ideas for Junior Group
Week 1: God Loves his People - And Sends a Rescuer
Lesson Objective:
God wanted his people, Israel to have a relationship with him. He asked Moses to lead them out of slavery so they could worship him freely.
Bible Passage:
Exodus 3:1-21 (Moses and the burning bush)
Memory Verse:
Exodus 3:8- And I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians. I will bring my people out of Egypt into a country where there is good land, rich with milk and honey.
Story Idea: Act it Out!
Before the lesson:
- Set up a pot plant or small tree
- Twine a set of fairy lights through it or cut flame shapes from red/orange/yellow paper and stick it to the tree
- Dress one of the helpers as Moses using robes from the costume cupboard
Tell the story:
- Sit beside the bush and have Moses stand nearby
- Narrate the story and have Moses act along with you:
Narrator:
- Moses was out in the fields, looking after some sheep and goats
- God had a SPECIAL job for Moses and wanted to get his attention
- Moses was walking in the fields and saw a bush that was on fire, but wasn't getting burned
Moses: How strange! (Moves closer to look)
Narrator:
- As Moses walked up to the strange burning bush, God SPOKE to him!! 'MOSES, MOSES!'
- Moses was amazed, but he wanted to listen to God!
Moses: Here I am!
Narrator:
- God had a special job for Moses, because God loved His people
- God's people lived in a place called Egypt and they were in trouble
- God's people were slaves - they had to work VERY hard and were treated VERY poorly
- God wanted to save His people and bring them to a special land that would be just for them
- In the special land, they wouldn't be slaves and life would be much easier
- God said to Moses 'I am God, and I know how much my people are hurting - I want to save them and take them to a SPECIAL LAND, I want you to go and rescue them from the nasty king that is keeping them as slaves'
Moses: Who, me?! I don't think I could do that...
Narrator:
- God said to Moses 'Don't worry, I will be with you the whole time! I want you to help me save my people'
- God is powerful and He loves His people!
- God wanted to save His people and He promised to be with Moses the whole time!
Quiz Questions:
1. What was happening to the bush that was strange? It was on fire but not burning
2. Did God want to get Moses' attention? Yes
3. What special job did God want Moses to help with? Saving his people
4. Does God care about His people? Yes
5. Moses was a bit scared of such a big job, what did God promise to do? To be with Him
Game Idea: Burning Bush
- Have the kids walk around in a circle and the leader (the bush) stand in the middle with their arms by their side
- At some point, the leader waves their arms in the air like flames and gives a direction (eg. jump, hop, crawl, sit etc.) and all of the kids must follow the direction
- Once the kids get the hang of the game, allow them a turn in the centre as the 'bush' controlling everyone's movements
Remind the kids that God used the burning bush to talk to Moses and to ask Him to do a special Job
Game Idea: Bush, Bush, Moses (Duck, Duck, Goose)!
- Have the kids sit in a circle
- One player is up and walks around the circle tapping kids on the head and saying 'bush'
- When they tap someone on the head and say 'Moses' - that person should jump up and chase them around the circle back to their spot
Remind the kids that God chose Moses to help Him rescue His people and God promised to help him
Craft Idea: Burning Bush Craft
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Before the lesson:
- Gather clear plastic cups, red/yellow/orange cellophane and something to create a tree on the side of a cup (eg. paint and brushes, or tissue paper and glue
- Shred the tissue paper into strips
Have the kids:
- Create a tree on the side of their cup
- Stick tissue paper bits in the cup to make flames
Prayer Idea: Circle Prayer!
- Remind the kids that we can talk to God, just like Moses did! If we are unsure or need help, we can ask God to be with us, just like He said he would be with Moses!
- Sit in a circle and allow the kids to pray and ask God to help them to do what God wants or to ask God to be with them when they are unsure
