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.
No, we announce God’s wisdom. His wisdom is a mystery that has been hidden. But before time began, God planned that his wisdom would bring us heavenly glory.
1 Corinthians 2:7
In God’s infinite knowledge and understanding of His creation, He made a plan for us. In His goodness, He made a plan to restore our relationship with Him. As this verse reminds us, God’s wisdom is a mystery. When we spend too much time thinking about the details of His plan and His mercy, we fail to realize there are some things only God knows, and that is okay.
Do you seek God’s wisdom for your life? God not only has a plan for humanity, He also has a plan for you. When you seek His wisdom, ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Ask Him to help you to do what is right and good. Ask Him for help to understand the things you do not, but know that God alone possesses infinite wisdom. Praise God for His wisdom and His plan for your life!
Encourage families to think of the wisest person they know and talk about what makes that person wise. If possible, ask that families pray for God to give them wisdom when they need it.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Greet the children as they come to class. Invite them to sit in 2 teams.
Today, we will talk about wisdom. Wisdom is more than just knowing a lot of information about different things. The wisdom of people is different than the wisdom of God. Our wisdom comes from the things we learn and experience. When we use this to explain something that happens or to solve a problem, we become wise.
Let’s do something fun to show us what happens when we rely on our own wisdom. I will give you a situation. Both teams will discuss what they think will happen next. Then, 1 member from each team will tell me what your team thinks will happen.
In this situation, you needed to know what was going on at Carlota’s home to understand why she was so sad. God would have known this, but we did not.
Our human wisdom often fails because we do not see and know everything. But God knows everything that is happening all the time. He knows what is in the heart and mind of every person on earth. His wisdom is amazing! Let’s learn more about God’s wisdom.
Have the children sit in a circle in the middle of the teaching space.
Today we will talk about God’s wisdom. Because God created all things on earth and in heaven, including us, God knows and understands everything in creation. God’s wisdom also comes from His goodness. The Bible tells us the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom.
If possible, read these verses directly from your Bible.
The words we speak to those who have grown in the faith are wise. Our words are different from the wisdom of this world. Our words are different from those of the rulers of this world. These rulers are becoming less and less powerful. No, we announce God’s wisdom. His wisdom is a mystery that has been hidden. But before time began, God planned that his wisdom would bring us heavenly glory.
1 Corinthians 2:6–7
Do people know everything? Why do you think this?
Allow 1–2 children to respond.
We learned in our first activity that we do not know everything. Human wisdom is not perfect. When we expect our own wisdom to lead and guide us, there are many things we cannot do. God’s wisdom is perfect. He knows and sees everything.
God had a plan for us from the very beginning! God still has a plan for us. No one knows God’s plan except God Himself. He shows us His plan over time, but we can only see what has happened in the past and what is happening now.
Today, we will hear a true story from the Bible. This might seem like a lot of little stories when we read the Bible, especially since 1 part happens at the beginning of the Bible and the last part happens at the end of the Bible. However, as you listen to today’s story, I want you to listen for the idea that connects all of the stories together: God’s plan to bring us back into a right relationship with Him. I will need 2 volunteers to help me with our story.
Choose 1 boy and 1 girl to come stand with you. The boy will pretend to be Adam and the girl will pretend to be Eve. Then, place the 2 branches or twigs in the middle of the circle.
You probably remember in God’s perfect garden there lived a man and a woman. God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden with 1 rule. They could not eat from 1 of the many trees in the garden—the tree of knowledge.
Stand by one of the branches and ask the girl pretending to be Eve to join you at the “tree of knowledge.”
When the serpent came and tempted Eve, she ate fruit from the tree. Then she told Adam to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge, and he did! This was the first sin. It was at this point in time we broke our relationship with God.
Ask the girl to pretend to eat a piece of fruit. Then have her invite the boy pretending to be Adam over to the tree. Ask him to pretend to eat the fruit.
There was another special tree in the garden. It was the tree of life. Those who ate from it would live forever. Because Adam and Eve broke their relationship with God, they were forced out of the garden and away from the tree of life.
Ask “Adam” and “Eve” to join the other children in the circle. Thank them for their participation.
God, in His wisdom, knew we would need a Saviour to restore our relationship with Him and He made a plan. This Saviour could not be an ordinary man. In fact, it had to be a son of both God and man, because only He could take away the sins of the world.
What do we call the Saviour God sent?
Jesus, Christ, or God’s Only Son
God had a plan. He would send His Son to save the world from sin. We know that this took time. Before Jesus could come, many other events had to happen. Many years after Adam and Eve left the perfect garden, God made a promise to a man named Abraham.
Choose a volunteer to be Abraham. Then choose a volunteer to be Sarah and another to be Isaac. Indicated each member of Abraham’s family as you talk about them.
God promised to give Abraham land for his people. He also promised that Abraham would have a son. He and his wife, Sarah, had a son named Isaac! God said Abraham’s family would grow and grow. Listen to the third thing God said about Abraham’s family.
All nations on earth will be blessed because of your children. All these things will happen because you have obeyed me.
Genesis 22:18
What was special about Abraham’s family?
It would bless all nations on earth.
Abraham’s family would bless the whole world! How? Jesus would be born many, many years after Isaac to a member of Abraham’s family. God knew this would happen because it was part of His plan!
Thank the volunteers and ask them to join the other children in the circle.
Optional: If possible, share the images from The Action Bible.
There are many other things that happened before God sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Moses led God’s people out of slavery in Egypt. Joshua led the Israelites to the land God had promised to Abraham. David, a member of Abraham’s family, loved and served God. Then, many years later, Mary and Joseph became part of God’s story.
God sent His Only Son to earth. He sent Him to die on a cross and to take our sins with Him. If Jesus had died and disappeared forever, that would be very sad, and it would seem very normal. Most of us know someone who has died and who has been buried. Because Jesus is God, this is not what happened.
Instead of staying buried, Jesus rose 3 days after He died. After speaking with His disciples and other people, Jesus eventually went up to heaven to be with His Father. This created a way for our relationship with God to be restored! Listen to what the Bible says about Jesus:
Because of what God has done, you belong to Christ Jesus. He has become God’s wisdom for us. He makes us right with God. He makes us holy and sets us free.
1 Corinthians 1:30
Who belongs to Jesus?
People who believe in Him.
How is Jesus God’s wisdom for us?
Allow 2–3 children to respond.
Jesus sets us free from our sin! When we believe in Him, we are able to be in a right relationship with God.
Did you know this is not the end of God’s story? Each day we live, Jesus also lives to serve and love us. Jesus wants us to live the way He did—loving and caring for others, but there will come a day when Jesus returns to earth. Listen to what the Bible says will happen to those who believe in Jesus:
Whoever has ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches. Here is what I will do for anyone who has victory over sin. I will let that person eat from the tree of life in God’s paradise.
Revelation 2:7
The people who have victory over sin are those who believe in Jesus. What does this verse say these people can do?
They can eat from the tree of life in God’s paradise.
Hold up the second branch in the middle of the circle.
This verse tells us we can live forever with God! This would not be like our lives on earth. Instead, it would be a life free of sin, death, and pain. In His wisdom, God made a plan to return us to the perfect paradise He created in the beginning!
Place the branch back on the ground.
God has a plan for you, and He knows what is right and good for your life! The same God who created the universe and made a plan to bring us back from sin into a right relationship with Him also knows the details of your life. That is amazing!
God made a plan for the whole world. God also made a plan for you. This is God’s wisdom.
Before reading the following, decide which side of your teaching space will represent human wisdom and which side will represent God’s wisdom.
Let’s see what you have learned about the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom. In a moment, I will name something that comes from a type of wisdom. If it describes human wisdom, you will move to this side of the space. If it describes God’s wisdom, you will move to the other side of the space.
Read each of the sentences below. Begin each sentence with “What type of wisdom can tell us _____?” Pause to allow the children to move to either side of the space.
Optional: If you are using Student Pages, give the children crayons and allow 2–3 minutes for them to draw their pictures.
People can only understand what they have experienced and what they see, but God knows and understands everything! He is full of goodness and always does what is right. Let’s pray and thank God for His wisdom!
Lead the children in a prayer praising God for His wisdom. You may either use your own words or say the prayer that follows.
Our memory verse today reminds us God is wise because He has always existed and He has seen, does see, and will see everything in all of creation.
If you are using the Memory Verse Poster, show it to the students.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord God. “I am the God who is, and who was, and who will come. I am the Mighty One.”
Revelation 1:8
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End—Look up at the sky. Extend 1 arm out to that side as you say, “Alpha,” and extend the other arm to the other side as you say, “Omega.”
End class by saying this blessing, based on 1 Corinthians 1:30, over the children.
Blessing: May you seek God’s wisdom for your life. May you know and accept Jesus died to restore your relationship with God. May you be set free from your sins.
Lead the children 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.
