During the lesson, the information for you to know is written in regular type, and what we suggest speaking or reading aloud to children is in bold. All resources for this lesson, including the Teacher Guide, Student Page, Family Connection Card, and other resources can be downloaded in a ZIP file by clicking on the following link:
In some lessons you will find "resource articles." These are articles written by experts from around the world to help equip you for your work with children and adolescents. Share them with parents or guardians if you consider it appropriate.
If your class meets inside, gather enough leaves, twigs, branches, and bark for groups of 4–5 children to create small tree pictures. If you have cardboard or paper and glue or tape available, gather those as well. Keep the sticks for the end of the lesson. Separate the different materials into small piles at the front of the space.
But I will bless anyone who trusts in me. I will do good things for the person who depends on me. They will be like a tree planted near water. It sends out its roots beside a stream. It is not afraid when heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It does not worry when there is no rain. It always bears fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7–8
Have you ever seen a tree or plant wither up on a hot day? Chances are that this plant either did not have deep roots or it was far away from a water source. Either way, plants cannot survive very well if they do not have both good roots and water. Our faith can be like a tree with deep roots planted near a stream that will not dry up and wither away!
Do you know just how much God cares for you? He loves you so much that He tells you to depend on Him. When you place your faith in God and trust Him to care for you, you will be like the tree in these verses! Place your trust in God and watch Him care for you when things are difficult. Feel how healthy He makes your spirit. Rejoice as you experience the life-giving water only He can provide!
Encourage families to take a walk to observe trees. Ask them to discuss how important roots are to trees, even though they usually cannot be seen.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Welcome the students as they enter and ask them to form 2 lines on opposite sides of the space. Have the lines face each other.
It is so nice to have you all here today. Raise your hand if you like to climb trees. A lot of children like to climb trees. You can climb large trees because they are usually strong!
You formed 2 lines when you came to class. Both lines should walk toward each other. When the 2 lines meet, pair up with the person across from you. Then you and your partner will join with the pair to the right of you to create a group of 4. You will work in these groups today to do Tree Art!
First, each team member will gather 2–3 items from 1 of the piles of materials at the front of the class. For example, 1 person will gather a few leaves and another will pick up a couple of branches. Your team will need leaves, twigs, branches, bark, and other materials to create a tree.
Once you gather the materials, use the items to create a picture of a tree on the ground. The tree will not stand up—it will be flat like a picture. You will have about 7 minutes, so gather materials quickly and safely, and then get started on your Tree Art! Remember to walk when you move around our space. Let’s make Tree Art!
Optional Supplies: Give each pair or group of students a piece of cardboard or paper and some glue or tape to create the tree.
After 7 minutes, ask the children to stop working on their trees and stand with their hands behind their backs. Tell them they will walk around and look at everyone’s Tree Art. Ask them to keep their hands together behind them as a reminder to not to touch anyone’s Tree Art. Lead the children in walking around the space. Give them 1–2 minutes to walk around. Then they should sit by their group’s Tree Art for the lesson.
You are all so good at Tree Art! I see some amazing trees! As I walked around our space, I saw many pretty trees. But most of your trees were missing an important thing that helps trees to grow. Roots! Roots are very important even though you do not see them when you look at a tree. That is probably why you did not make roots in your Tree Art.
Allow 2–3 children to respond.
There are many ways that roots help the tree. Roots help the tree by taking up water from the ground to help the tree grow. Just like you, trees get thirsty. A tree must have water or it cannot grow. It will eventually die if it does not have water. Roots help the tree stand tall and strong. When you climb a tree, the roots are what keeps it from falling over.
Ask the children to stand up and move away from their Tree Art to an open area where all of the children can form 1 big circle.
In the Bible, God compares people to trees. A comparison shows the ways that 2 things are alike. Listen to these verses in Jeremiah that talk about people who trust in Him being like trees. After you listen to these verses in the Bible, tell me why you think God says people who depend on Him and trust Him are like trees.
Read these verses directly from your Bible.
But I will bless anyone who trusts in me. I will do good things for the person who depends on me. They will be like a tree planted near water. It sends out its roots beside a stream. It is not afraid when heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It does not worry when there is no rain. It always bears fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7–8
Allow 2–3 children to respond. Read the verses again if no one responds.
Trusting God is very important to us, just like roots are very important to a tree. Even though you cannot see them, roots help the tree grow strong. Trusting God is something that happens inside of you and you cannot see it. When you trust God, it gives you roots to help you grow strong in your faith. When I ask you, “What do you need to grow strong?” you say, “Roots!”
The children respond: “Roots!” Repeat this once.
Let’s listen again to see where the tree is planted.
They will be like a tree planted near water. It sends out its roots beside a stream.
Jeremiah 17:8a
The tree is planted near water, beside a stream.
A tree needs water. It sends out its roots to get water. Water helps the tree to stay healthy. If there is no water, the leaves turn brown. If there is no water, the tree will not be strong. Trusting God keeps us healthy! Trusting God is like sending out roots to get water. When I ask you, “What do you need to stay healthy?” you say, “Roots!”
The children respond: “Roots!” Repeat this once.
The children respond: “Roots!”
To trust God means you know He cares about you and loves you very much. It means you believe that whatever God does is good. Listen to this Bible verse.
Turn all your worries over to him. He cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7
This verse says to turn your worries over to God and believe He cares about you. When you pray and give your worries to Him, you are trusting God. When you know God loves you and cares about you, you are trusting God and your roots are growing deeper. When you know God is with you during a dangerous and scary time, you are trusting God and your roots are growing deeper. When you know God is with you in good times and bad times, you are trusting God and your roots are growing deeper. If you want deep roots, what do you do? You trust God! When I ask you, “If you want deep roots, what do you do?” you say, “I trust God!”
Respond with the children: “I trust God!” Repeat this once.
The children respond: “Roots!”
The children respond: “Roots!”
Knowing God cares about you and loves you helps your roots grow deep. Now let’s listen to the first Bible verses again. The second part tells us many good things that come from trusting God and having deep roots. Listen very carefully to the second part of the Bible verses and tell me what good things happen to people who trust God.
But I will bless anyone who trusts in me. I will do good things for the person who depends on me. They will be like a tree planted near water. It sends out its roots beside a stream. It is not afraid when heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It does not worry when there is no rain. It always bears fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7–8
There were 4 good things for people who trust God and have deep roots.
Repeat the last 4 sentences of the verse above if the children do not respond. Answers are: it is not afraid, its leaves are always green, it does not worry, it bears fruit.
Remember God is comparing people who trust God to trees. Here is what the verse means for people. When you trust God:
The children respond: “I trust God!” Repeat this once.
The children respond: Roots!
The children respond: Roots!
God says that when you place your trust in Him and depend on Him, you will be like a tree planted by water. Your roots will go out to the stream. You will grow strong and your faith will be healthy.
Ask the children to return to the Tree Art they made with their groups.
Look at your Tree Art again. Let’s make long, deep roots on the tree. Roots are very long and reach out far. I will give each person in your group a stick so that you can create roots for your tree.
As you add roots on your tree, name 1 way God cares for you. You may use the Bible verses from our lesson for ideas. Or you may choose to say how you have personally experienced God’s care for you. For example, I know God cares for me because He is with me when life is difficult.
Give the children 3 minutes to place the roots on their trees.
Optional: If you are using Student Pages, give the children crayons to draw and colour their pictures. Allow 2–3 minutes for the children to complete their pages.
You want your roots to grow down, down, down so you are strong and healthy. That means you need to remember God loves you and cares about you. You can trust that He cares about you! Our memory verse today reminds us of a few reasons why we can trust God.
Show the Memory Verse poster if you are using it.
What the Lord says is right and true. He is faithful in everything he does.
Psalm 33:4
Clap to the rhythm of the words in the first half of the verse. Demonstrate these motions for the second part of the verse:
Repeat the words, rhythm, and motions with the children 3 times. End class by saying this blessing, based on Jeremiah 17:7–8, over the children.
Blessing: May you trust and depend on God. May you be like a tree planted near water. May you grow your faith to be healthy and strong.
Lead the students in singing this quarter’s song, if possible.
Life on Life ©2020 David C Cook. Reproducible for home or classroom use only. All other uses require written permission from David C Cook [email protected]. All rights reserved.
