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.
Before class, print and cut apart the 9 God’s Great Story signs.
Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good. His faithful love continues forever.
Psalm 107:1
When you are overwhelmed with the needs of your families and your own personal needs, it is easy to forget that you have a lot to be thankful for. Take a moment to thank God for the blessings in your life. Reflect on the work He has done in you and through you. What has He done to strengthen your faith? How has He used your life to touch the lives of others? How has He blessed you in unexpected ways? You have so much to be thankful for!
When God acts in our lives, He makes us part of His story. Today you will help your children connect individual stories from the Bible to create 1 big story. As you prepare to teach this lesson, think about the history of God and your part in His epic story. God has a plan for your life. Know that He will continue to guide you throughout your journey with Him.
Encourage families to ask their children to tell them God’s great story.
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. Give the God’s Great Story signs to 9 children as they enter the teaching space. This is a downloadable file with this lesson. Tell them to put their signs down in front of them when they sit. Tell the children not to touch the signs until you call them to the front of the class.
In a moment, we will read God’s great story. Before we read the story, I will teach you some actions you will need to know.
Whenever I say, “God,” point to the sky with your hand.
As you give this instruction, point to the sky with your hand. Do the same with each of the other actions.
Created and Made—Cup your hands as though an imaginary ball is between them. Rotate the imaginary ball in your hands.
Sin—Frown.
Jesus and Saviour—Stretch your arms out from your sides until your arms are parallel to the ground.
Promise—Use your hand to make the shape of a rainbow above your head.
Practice the motions for each word at least 3 times before beginning the teaching part of the lesson. If children struggle with a motion, repeat the motion for that word until most of the children can do it correctly.
Remember these action words because you will do the motions as I read the story.
I will now tell you God’s great story. This is a true and very wonderful story. If I gave you a sign when you came today, please come stand with me.
The children with the signs will form a long line across the front of your teaching space, facing the rest of the class. Have the children hold their signs up in front of them.
Put the children in this order to begin the lesson: God \ Adam and Eve \ The Promise \ Noah \ Abraham \ Moses \ David \ Holy Spirit \ Me
The only child who will move is the one holding THE PROMISE sign. You will help this child move along the line as needed. Be sure the child is holding the sign so the students see the side that shows THE PROMISE.
Remember to do the motions we practiced when you hear one of our action words.
The action words are underlined in the story to help you remember to do the actions with the children.
Optional: If possible, show The Action Bible images as you read the following Bible stories.
Read the Bible verses in this lesson directly from your Bible. Stand behind the child holding the GOD sign.
God created everything—including people. He wanted people to love Him. Because He loved them, God allowed people to choose to love Him or not.
Stand behind the child holding the ADAM and EVE sign.
God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman. They lived with Him in a perfect garden. They did not listen to God, and they sinned. Instead of living forever with God, Adam, Eve, and everyone else who would be born after them would die.
Stand behind the child holding THE PROMISE sign.
Even though Adam and Eve could not live in the garden with God, He gave them an amazing promise. God said that He would send a Saviour. That Saviour would save people from their sins and give everyone a chance to know and be with God.
Stand behind the child holding the NOAH sign.
As more people filled the earth, the world became more sinful. A man named Noah chose to follow God. God told Noah to build a big boat. God told Noah to take animals of every kind with him and his family on the boat. Then, God flooded the whole earth. Noah and his family survived the flood because they listened to God.
Move the child holding THE PROMISE to stand after NOAH. Stand behind the child holding THE PROMISE sign.
God created the first rainbow as a promise that He would never again flood the whole earth and destroy all living things. God’s bigger promise of the Saviour was still to come.
Stand behind the child holding the ABRAHAM sign.
Many years later, a man named Abraham loved and followed God. God made him the father of a great nation of God’s special people. The nation was called Israel.
I will make you into a great nation. And I will bless you.I will make your name great. You will be a blessing to others.
Genesis 12:2
Move the child holding THE PROMISE to stand after ABRAHAM. Stand behind the child holding THE PROMISE sign.
The people of Israel were special to God. God told Abraham the promised Saviour would come from that nation.
All nations on earth will be blessed because of your children. All these things will happen because you have obeyed me.
Genesis 22:18
Stand behind the child holding the MOSES sign.
The people of Israel moved to Egypt, where they became slaves. Many years later, God told Moses to lead His people out of slavery and into a land of their own.
Move the child holding THE PROMISE to stand after MOSES. Stand behind the child holding THE PROMISE sign.
Moses led the people to a Promised Land where they would live. This is where God’s promised Saviour would be born.
Stand behind the child holding the DAVID sign.
Israel made a home in the Promised Land. David became their king. He loved God, but he still sinned. He was not the promised Saviour, but God made him a great king.
Move the child holding THE PROMISE to stand after DAVID. Stand behind the child holding THE PROMISE sign.
God told David that the Saviour would come from his family. The time for God’s promise to come true was getting closer.
God removed [Saul] and made David their king. Here is God’s witness about him.
“David, son of Jesse, is a man dear to my heart,” he said. “David will do everything I want him to do.” From this man’s family line God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus. This is what he had promised.
Acts 13:22–23
Have the child holding THE PROMISE sign turn it around so that JESUS shows.
God kept His promise! Jesus, God’s Son, was born on earth. Jesus lived without sin. He paid for our sins by dying on the cross. That is not the end of the story, though.
What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be.
1 Corinthians 15:3–4
Move the child holding the JESUS sign between the HOLY SPIRIT and ME. Stand behind the child holding the HOLY SPIRIT sign.
Jesus was raised from the dead. He went back to heaven to be with God, His Father. Jesus did not leave those who love Him alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to live in the hearts of believers and help them follow God’s truth.
Stand behind the child holding the ME sign.
When we love and follow Jesus, we become God’s children. We become part of His story! We will live with Him forever! Our place in God’s story is right here. (Stand behind “ME” and place your hands on his shoulders, if you think the child will be comfortable being touched.) This is amazing!
God chose us to belong to Christ before the world was created. He chose us to be holy and without blame in his eyes. He loved us. So he decided long ago to adopt us. He adopted us as his children with all the rights children have. He did it because of what Jesus Christ has done. It pleased God to do it.
Ephesians 1:4–5
Move the child holding JESUS to stand on the other side of ME.
God sent His Son, Jesus, to help you. If you believe in Jesus, you will live forever with Him in heaven after your body dies.
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.
John 3:16
We are done using the motions with our action words.
This is the order the children should be in: God \ Adam and Eve \ The Promise \ Noah \ Abraham \ Moses \ David \ Holy Spirit \ Me \ Jesus
This is God’s story that we find in the Bible. It is all about Him and His amazing love for us! Let’s clap now to thank God for this amazing, exciting, great true story.
Lead the children in clapping to thank God.
Optional: If you are using Student Pages, have the children colour the pictures on their story maps. They can use the maps as visual storytelling aids.
We will use the signs from our lesson to help us retell God’s story as a class. As I pass by each sign, we will all say what each one shows.
Stand behind each child as the students retell the story. Encourage children to stand and move in ways that help them remember the story. For example, students might choose to place a pretend crown on their heads when they recall the part of the story about David. As you move past each child, take his sign and put it into a pile. Make sure the signs stay in order.
Very good! You remembered the people and ideas in God’s story. Next, I will ask you to help me retell the story. Do not raise your hands. Instead, I will call on children who I can see are listening carefully to what I say.
As you hold up each sign, prompt all of the children to call out what the sign says. Then, for each sign, ask 1 child to tell that part of the story. Choose a different child to tell you about each part of God’s story.
Nice job remembering God’s story! That was a lot to remember! Let’s take a few deep breaths before we move on. Breathe in (breathe in) and out (breathe out).
Repeat 2 more times.
Now that we know God’s story, let’s be part of it.
In a moment, I will ask you to hold up your fingers. Place your hand in front of your heart. You should answer with what you really feel is true for you. Do not look at your friends as we do this activity. This is about you and what you believe about God, so please keep your hands near your heart.
We are all at different places in our journeys with Jesus, so be honest. I will give you a moment to think about your answers.
Hold up 5 fingers if you feel that you know Jesus, you trust Him, and He is in your heart.
Demonstrate by placing 5 outstretched fingers in front of your heart.
Hold up 3 fingers if you feel that you are beginning to know about and learning to trust Jesus.
Demonstrate by placing 3 outstretched fingers in front of your heart.
Hold up 1 finger if you feel that you do not yet know Jesus well enough to trust Him.
Demonstrate by placing 1 outstretched finger in front of your heart. Give the children a minute to put up their fingers.
Whether you showed 1, 3, or 5 fingers, it is okay. As we continue with our lessons and as you continue through life, your relationship with Jesus will grow and change. I will continue to pray for each of you as you learn more about Jesus and what it means to be part of His family. If you do not feel you know Jesus well, you will have more opportunities to hear about God’s story as we learn together in this place.
End class by speaking this blessing, based on Ephesians 1:4–5, over the children.
Blessing: May you know that God chose you before the world was created to be adopted into His family. He sent His Son, Jesus, so you can be part of His forever family. May you know that He loves you very much.
If you have time, share this song with your children to celebrate how great God is!
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.
