Lesson 6 – Everyday People
Series: The Faith Hall of Fame
LESSON OVERVIEW
Key Point: God uses ordinary, everyday people.
Bible Story: Gideon is chosen for great things.
Hebrew 11:32-40
Challenge Verse: Jeremiah 29:11—“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)
ITEMS NEEDED
Each class needs the following:
Signs that say The Angel of the Lord and Gideon.
Give back the “Jesus looks like…” coloring pages.
1 small mirror for each class
1 small brown paper sack in the bottom of which the mirror will fit.
1 piece of white paper for each child in class.
A pair a scissors for each student.
2 ping pong balls per class
A Geode “Rock” to give to each child. These can be ordered from
Memory Verse Card for Jeremiah 29:11—size 3 3/4″ x 2 5/8″
BEFORE CLASS
● Set out items for the opening activity.
● Pray for each student by name.
AS STUDENTS ARRIVE
● Greet each student by name as they enter.
● Give each student an attendance sticker for the attendance chart, and feel free to add guest names to the chart. This will give them a sense of belonging.
● Get to know any guests and help them fill out a guest form.
● Be sure to smile—Your smile and attitude sets the atmosphere as students enter.
OPENING ACTIVITY
Make a Snowflake
As children enter, give each of them a white piece of paper. Instruct them to take the bottom corner and fold it diagonally across the opposite side of the paper and to clip off the 2 ½ inch strip at the top. This will leave a 8 ½ x 8 ½ square piece of paper. Fold this in half two times. Then fold it, corner-to-corner, to make a triangle. From this point you can begin cutting out small areas (triangles, circles, etc.) from the edge of the paper or you can continue folding it smaller before cutting.
Discussion
SAY: Did you know that no two snowflakes are alike? Every one of them is unique and special. Each is one-of-a-kind—just like you. Did you know that no one else has fingerprints just like you? No one ever has and no one ever will. Your prints are one-of-a-kind. You are one-of-a-kind and you are very special.
SAY: Only God could do something so amazing!
Everybody SAY: God Rocks!
Ask your kids—What are some things that are important to God?
Ask your kids—What do you think is the most important thing to God?
Illustration—God’s Greatest Treasure
SAY: Today you get to find out. When you look in this bag, you will see God’s greatest treasure.
Put a small mirror inside a bag. Tell the kids that when they look inside they are going to see God’s greatest treasure, but since they are going to look in one-at-a-time, they can’t tell anyone what they see. For younger children, after they look inside whisper in their ear, “You are God’s greatest treasure.” Do this just to be sure that no one goes away thinking that God’s greatest treasure is a mirror. Let each student have a turn looking in the bag.
SAY: God made you special and He loves you and has great plans for your lives. Today we’re going to learn about a fellow who didn’t feel very special, but God had great things in store for him too.
BIBLE LESSON
Control Tool
Anytime you say, “By faith” students should shout back, “I Can Live for Jesus!”
SAY: The last few weeks I have said “By faith,” and you have said, “Live for Jesus, but today I want you to say “I can live for Jesus!”
Leader: By faith—Kids: I Can Live for Jesus!
Read Judges 6:11-24 from your Bible
Tell the kids that every time they hear the word “you” to raise their left hand. Every time they hear the word “us” to raise their right hand. Practice with them a few times.
Choose 2 volunteers—Give one the Angel of the Lord sign and the other the Gideon sign.
Ask your kids—What is the first thing the Angel of the Lord said to Gideon? (“The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Have your “Angel of the Lord” volunteer repeat this after you.)
Ask your kids—How would you feel if God said that to you?
Ask your kids—What was Gideon’s response?
SAY: Gideon answered with “us” statements. It’s as if he looked over his shoulder to see who else the Lord was talking to, as if his thought was, “Surely he’s not talking to me.” Just think about how many times he says “us.” But God isn’t talking about “us,” He’s talking about “you, Gideon.” Look at God’s response in verse 14: “Go in the strength you have…”
SAY: Now Gideon catches on and he realizes that God is specifically calling him.
Ask your kids—Now what is Gideon’s response? (He makes excuses. See verse 15.)
SAY: But God answers his excuses with more “you” statements:
Ask your kids—What was God’s promise to Gideon toward the end of the story? (“I will be with you.”)
Everybody SAY: “I will be with you.”
SAY: This is the key for the people God used in the Bible and the key for you to live for Christ today—to know that God is with you. You can’t see Him, but you know by faith that He’s always there.
SAY: Gideon was an ordinary guy. He didn’t think there was anything special about him, but God had chosen him and God has great plans for your lives as well. .
Control Tool
Leader: By faith—Kids: I Can Live for Jesus!
CHALLENGE VERSE
Illustration—The Geode
Show your students one of the rocks called Geodes.
Ask your kids—How would you describe this rock? (Take a few answers. Maybe let a couple of students touch it, smell it, hold it, etc.)
SAY: But there’s more to this rock that what you can see on the outside. Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it’s not there. You see, inside this rock, there is some sort of quartz or crystal. It may look dusty and ordinary on the outside, but there something special on the inside.
SAY: Today each of you is going to get to take one of these rocks home with you. Let it be a reminder to you that just like Gideon, a person may look ordinary on the outside but God looks at the heart. And God uses people who trust Him.
Tell your kids to get ready for a Bible drill.
Get ready…Jeremiah 29:11…Go!
Read Jeremiah 29:11 from your Bible
Everybody SAY: “God has plans for me.”
SAY: God has plans for your life. His plan for everyone is for them to give their lives to Him. But God has specific plans for your life as well and part of this plan is for you to live for Him; to stand up for what’s right; to fight for your faith; and to stand firm in what you believe.
Game—Don’t Get Blown
Ask your students to get on their knees around a table or at least to position themselves where they can blow something on top of the table. Divide the table into two halves with a team on each side.
SAY: In a moment I am going to put something on the table. You goal is to work together as a team to blow the object off the other side of the table and not your side. Ready…set…go! (Put a ping pong ball on the table and keep score concerning how many times it gets blown off each side.)
SAY: God doesn’t want you to be blown and pushed around by the ways of the world. People will tempt you to do bad things and you might feel blown a bit this way and then someone else might come along and pressure you to go that way. But God wants you to stand firm for Him.
SAY: Get ready. We’re going to play the game again.
This time instead of putting down a ping-pong ball, put down on the table one of the Geode-Rocks
SAY: No matter how hard you blow, this rock isn’t going to move. It’s solid and God wants your faith and trust in him to be solid and immoveable too. He doesn’t want you to get pushed this way and that and to stray to the left or the right, but to live for Him everyday.
Control Tool
Leader: By faith—Kids: I Can Live for Jesus!
PRAYER TIME & WRAP-UP
Tell your kids to get ready for a Bible drill.
Get ready… Hebrews 11:32-40…Go!
Read Hebrews 11:32-40 from your Bible
NOTE: For younger children, skip verse 37.
SAY: Gideon and the others we have been learning about these past few weeks in Hebrews 11 were everyday, ordinary people. They weren’t perfect. They made mistakes, but their faith is what set them apart and that’s the reason they are listed here in what has been called Faith’s Hall of Fame. It wasn’t always easy for them. They had to fight for their faith, but they kept their eyes on the Lord. God uses people who trust Him, and God has very special plans for your lives also. Just like these heroes of the Bible, you can live by faith and walk with God too.
Control Tool
Leader: By faith—Kids: I Can Live for Jesus!
Ask your students if they have anything they would like to pray for and list their requests below:
List Prayer Requests Here
Be sure to pray specifically for each request above.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
● Give each child a memory verse card to take home and put in their racing refrigerator magnet.
● Be sure to send a Geode home with each student. Tell them that if they want to break it open, to do so with a parent and using safety goggles. If not, just know there’s something special inside and let it be a reminder to them that they are special to the Lord—They are not just ordinary, everyday people—they are people of faith.
EXTRA TIME
Use any extra time to help your students memorize the verse for today or to review the stories and verses from previous weeks. If time allows, play a game to see which side can recall more. You can also make more snowflakes or play the ping-pong ball-blowing game again.
Copyright three-thirty ministries, 2008 ● www.threethirtyministries.org
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