Lesson

PPT CUE

Main Point: Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation.

Key Verse:

Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Props: A plastic caterpillar (or picture of a caterpillar). A plastic butterfly (or picture).

Background

Say: One time a rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked Him what one thing he must do to receive eternal life. Maybe you remember the story. The young man was good at keeping the rules, but Jesus told him that the kingdom of God wasn’t just about keeping rules.

Jesus wanted this young man to be His follower, but He also knew that the man had turned his money into an idol. He loved his riches as much or more than he loved God! So Jesus told the man to sell everything and give the money to the poor. Then he would be able to follow Jesus and be part of the kingdom of God. But something surprising happened next. The rich young ruler became very sad and walked away from Jesus. He loved his money so much that he didn’t want to give it up, even to follow the Son of God.

Here’s what Jesus said next to His disciples: “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom! Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for the rich to enter God’s kingdom!” (Luke 18:24-25)

This worried the disciples. “Then who can be saved?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” (Luke 18:26-27)

Today we are going to read a story about another rich man who met up with Jesus. But unlike the rich young ruler, who wanted eternal life but wasn’t willing to change his life, the rich man in today’s story is a beautiful example of what Jesus told his disciples. “Things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

The man in today’s story is named Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector, which meant that most people hated him. He was also very, very small in size, which meant that he probably got lost in a crowd. But Jesus didn’t care about either of these things. Jesus wanted to spend time with Zacchaeus, and Zacchaeus was more than happy to become Jesus’ friend. Look with me at Luke 19:1-10.

Teacher Note: Any children who have sung the Sunday School song, “Zacchaeus,” will be able to tell you Zacchaeus’ distinguishing characteristic—his short stature.

Zacchaeus was a wee little man/And a wee little man was he/He climbed up in that sycamore tree/For the Lord he wanted to see.

But the kids are probably less likely to know other facts about Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector. He was despised and looked upon as the worst of sinners by most people. And finally, he was a completely changed man after spending some time with Jesus.

Although we don’t know what Jesus said to Zacchaeus after arriving at the tax collector’s home, we do see the result of their interaction. Zacchaeus was changed, through and through. Because of his encounter with the Son of God that day, the wee little tax collector became a new creation.

So really, the fact that Zacchaeus was small matters little to the story. The fact that his sinner’s heart repented completely is going to be our focus today.

Zacchaeus Is Curious About Jesus

Say:

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man named Zacchaeus lived there. He was a chief tax collector and was very rich.

Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. But he was a short man. He could not see Jesus because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree. He wanted to see Jesus, who was coming that way. - Luke 19:1-4

Teacher Note: Jesus was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, where the events of Holy Week would soon unfold. Many, many Jews from Galilee were passing through Jericho that day on their way to observe Passover in Jerusalem. Jericho was a gateway into Roman-controlled territory and a major tax collection site, which is likely why Zacchaeus was so wealthy. He had much opportunity to abuse the system that funded the occupying Roman army.

Say: Zacchaeus was a man who worked for the Roman government collecting taxes. A tax is money collected by a government from its citizens. For example, when you buy a book at the bookstore, a certain amount of tax is added to the price of the book. The government then collects the tax money that you pay on the book. Most grown ups pay taxes on the money they earn at work, on the things they buy, on their homes, on their cars. You get the idea.

In Jesus’ time, Israel was under the control of the Roman empire. People in Israel didn’t like this at all. They were not a free nation. They had to obey Roman laws and submit to Roman authority. And because tax collectors worked for the Roman government, they were a constant reminder that Israel was once again under the authority of a foreign government. Every time a citizen had to pay money to a tax collector, they probably thought really bad thoughts about the person taking their money.

That was more than enough to make tax collectors unpopular, don’t you think? But there was something else that made people hate the tax collectors. Many of the tax collectors were also very dishonest, and collected more money than they were supposed to. What do you suppose they did with the extra money they collected? That’s right. They put it in their own pockets and kept it!

So for these reasons tax collectors were not very popular people in their communities. And because Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector—the boss of all the other tax collectors—he was probably especially disliked.

When Jesus traveled through Zacchaeus’ town of Jericho, He was on His way to Jerusalem, where He would celebrate the last supper with His disciples.

So many people followed Jesus wherever He went at this point in His ministry. Everyone wanted to hear Him teach about the kingdom of God. Everyone wanted to see Him heal the sick. And Zacchaeus was no exception. We’re not told why he was so curious about Jesus, but Zacchaeus the tax collector was very eager to see what Jesus was doing.

There was only one problem. Zacchaeus was much smaller than everyone else in the crowd that surrounded Jesus. He tried standing on his tip toes, but that didn’t work. He tried pushing his way to the front of the crowd, but that didn’t work. Maybe he even asked if he could climb up on someone’s shoulders! But who would let the chief tax collector do that?

Finally, Zacchaeus had an idea. He ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up into the biggest tree he could find. It was a sycamore fig tree. Finally, little Zacchaeus the tax collector, could see what Jesus was up to. He had a bird’s-eye view of all the action.

Application: Zacchaeus was curious about Jesus and wanted to see with his PHYSICAL eyes what all the commotion was about. But God was also working in Zacchaeus’ heart to enable him to see with SPIRITUAL eyes. God wanted the little tax collector to see that Jesus could bring salvation to every single person in that crowd, even a hated outcast like Zacchaeus. God wants us to see Jesus like that, too. When we listen to stories about Jesus and learn about what He said and did, we are like Zacchaeus watching from a distance. But when we truly understand that Jesus is the Son of God who died so that our sins can be forgiven and we can have eternal life, then we are seeing with our spiritual eyes!

Now let’s read on in Luke 19:5-7.

Zacchaeus Is Called By Name

Say:

Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was. He looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay at your house today.” So Zacchaeus came down at once and welcomed Him gladly.

All the people saw this. They began to whisper among themselves. They said, “Jesus has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’ ”

Zacchaeus climbed up into the tree so that he could see the attention that Jesus was getting. Now HE was the center of attention!

Jesus stopped right under the tree where the little tax collector was perched did something really surprising. He called Zacchaeus by name! The two men had never met before, yet Jesus knew everything about Zacchaeus. Because Jesus is God, He knew all there was to know about the man in the tree—his name, his job, even the number of hairs on his head!

Application: Psalm 139:13 says, You created the deepest parts of my being. You put me together inside my mother’s body. God knew everything about you before you were even born, because He is the one who made you! And John 10:3, which tells us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are His dearly loved sheep, says: ...The sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.

Ask: Did Jesus know that Zacchaeus was a sinner? Yes! And Jesus, the Good Shepherd, called out to him anyway. Happily Zacchaeus listened to the Good Shepherd’s voice, and that made all the difference in his life. When we listen to the Shepherd calling us by name and respond to Him, our lives will be changed too!

Say: When Zacchaeus heard Jesus tell him to come down from the tree, what did he do? He came down immediately. There must have been something amazing about Jesus to make the tax collector scramble down from the branches as fast as he could! All throughout the New Testament are stories of people who stopped whatever they were doing to follow Jesus. Ask: Who did we learn about who left everything to follow Jesus? Peter, James and John were the fishermen who left their nets right on the beach to follow Jesus!

How do you think Zacchaeus felt when Jesus said He wanted to stay at the little tax collector’s house? Excited. Nervous. Confused. Zacchaeus was probably feeling all those emotions and more. We aren’t told exactly what he thought. But we are told in Luke 19:7 how the CROWD felt about Jesus going to the home of a tax collector: They began to whisper among themselves. They said, “Jesus has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’ “

Tax collectors like Zacchaeus were especially looked down upon by the Pharisees and rule makers. To them, he was among the worst of sinners. Zacchaeus wouldn’t even have been allowed to be part of the synagogue or to worship with others. But here Jesus was, inviting Himself to a tax collector’s house, acting like He was His friend. So people began to whisper and complain, even though every single person in Jericho that day was a sinner just like Zacchaeus.

Romans 3:23 says, Everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God’s glory. That includes Pharisees. And that includes you and me. We may not be tax collectors, we may not be thieves or murderers, but we are all sinners. And any sin, big or small, separates us from God.

When Jesus says to any sinner “follow Me,” and that sinner decides to follow Him, God forgives their sin and gives them a new life. They are part of the kingdom of God! If only the people in the crowd had opened their eyes to that truth, they would have been rejoicing that Zacchaeus was about to become a whole new person instead of complaining about Jesus’ friendship with a “sinner.”

Let’s continue reading to learn just how different Zacchaeus was after Jesus came to his house! Look at Luke 19:8-10.

Zacchaeus Becomes A New Creation

Say:

But Zacchaeus stood up. He said, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay it back. I will pay back four times the amount I took.”

Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to your house. You are a member of Abraham’s family line. The Son of Man came to look for the lost and save them.”

Wow. This Zacchaeus was behaving very differently than the rich young ruler we talked about at the beginning of the lesson! The rich young ruler did not follow Jesus because he loved money more than he loved Jesus. He like some of the things that Jesus said, but he wasn’t ready to give up everything to be part of the kingdom.

Zacchaeus, though, was completely changed by his encounter with Jesus. Zacchaeus repented of his sins right there, in front of Jesus and the crowd. True repentance means that you “change your mind” and “turn away from sin.” Zacchaeus demonstrated his repentance by saying he would give half his money to the poor and that he would make things right with anyone he had cheated in his job as tax collector. In fact, he wasn’t just going to pay back what he stole from people, he was going to pay back FOUR TIMES what he stole!

Zacchaeus truly became a new man that day. But how is that possible? 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come!

That is what happened to Zacchaeus when he decided to repent and follow Jesus. When the tax collector became part of the kingdom of God, he was changed from the inside out. Before he met Jesus, Zacchaeus was kind of like a caterpillar. Hold up the plastic caterpillar or picture of a caterpillar. Caterpillars are very hungry. They just eat, eat, eat all the time. They are so greedy that if you put one in a jar with a bunch of green leaves, the leaves will disappear before you know it! Zacchaeus was greedy like that, wasn’t he?

But when a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, it is changed completely, from the inside out. Hold up the plastic caterpillar or picture of a caterpillar. Nothing about the butterfly even resembles the creepy, crawly, greedy, munching caterpillar it used to be. It is a totally new creation. When a butterfly flits by on a sunny summer day, it brings joy to all who see it because it is so beautiful!

Application: Meeting Jesus changed Zacchaeus into a completely new person. And Jesus wants everyone to believe in Him so they can be new creations, too! Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins. When we believe that, repent, and follow Him—just like Zacchaeus did—Jesus will change our lives and make us new and beautiful!

Key Verse:

Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Main Point: Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation.

PPT CUE

PPT CUE

© 2007 

BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. 

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. All rights reserved worldwide.

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

Lesson

PPT TITLE

Main Point: Jesus wants us to do for others as He has done for us.

Key Verse:

I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you. - John 13:14-15

Props: A shallow bucket/basin; towel; water; an adult volunteer who is willing for you to wash their feet; a bicycle

Atmosphere: Set up a low table in the front of the room. Use many candles, and teach this with low lighting to get the effect of nighttime.

Background/Review

Say: We have been learning so many things about Jesus. Last week we learned that Jesus wants us to remember Him. He left us a “picture” – communion. When we take communion, we are to remember Jesus and all that He’s done for us. Today we’re going to see what Jesus did during the last few hours before He went to the cross. Remember, Jesus is God and He knows everything! He knew He would lay down His life very soon.

Jesus Washes The Disciples’ Feet (John 13:1-17)

Say: Here we are at the Last Supper on the night before Jesus knew that He was going to die. He was about to be betrayed by Judas, one of His own disciples. Soon, Jesus would be beaten, made fun of, and nailed to a cross. Even though Jesus knew all these things, His disciples did not understand that He was going to die and then rise again. It’s interesting to see what Jesus did for His disciples on His very last night with them.

Teacher: You may demonstrate this. Say: Jesus got up from the meal. He wrapped a towel around His waist. He poured water into a large bowl. Then He began to wash His disciples’ feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. In those days, foot washing was needed in every home. The streets were dusty and dirty. Roads even had garbage and waste from the animals that traveled up and down the same streets. People in those days wore sandals without socks, and their feet could become very dirty.

The dinner-time custom was to lean back around the table at the evening meal. It’s hard to enjoy a meal when there is a very bad smell, isn’t it? Usually, the lowest servant in the household was expected to wash the feet of guests. Having your guests’ feet washed was a way to show honor to your guests.

Since the last supper was held in a private home, with just Jesus and His disciples, we can easily see why there were no servants there.

(Jesus) came to Simon Peter. “Lord,” Peter said to Him, “Are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You don’t realize now what I am doing. But later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter. “You will never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you can’t share life with Me.”
“Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet! Wash my hands and my head too!”
Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs to wash only his feet. The rest of his body is clean. And you are clean. But not all of you are.” - John 13:6-10

Ask: Who do you think Jesus is talking about here when He says that not all of you are “clean”? Judas.

What do you think Jesus was trying to teach us by washing His disciples’ feet? Jesus wants us to serve others; wants us to think of others. Say: Jesus was showing His disciples how much He loved them (John 13:1), and that they should serve others (John 13:14).

“Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You are right. That is what I am. I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you.

“What I’m about to tell you is true. A servant is not more important than his master. And a messenger is not more important than the one who sends him. Now you know these things. So you will be blessed if you do them. - John 13:12b-17

Application: One of the things Jesus was teaching was that we should serve others. If Jesus, who is Lord of all, would choose to lower Himself to do the job of the least important servant by washing His friends’ feet, then we should always be willing to serve others. Jesus said to follow His example. Foot washing was very common in Bible times, but not very common today. Ask: What is something you might do to serve another person today? Listen for answers.

Cleansing Of Sin (John 13:8-11)

Say: One of the many wonderful things about each Bible story is that the Lord is usually teaching us more than one thing. The Bible is so rich! Every time you read it, God can show you more about Himself and your relationship to Him.

Another thing we can learn from Jesus washing His disciples’ feet is that we all need daily cleansing through forgiveness to have fellowship with the Lord.

Unwashed feet is a picture of a believer trying to walk with the Lord, study the Word, pray, or serve Him while that person has known sin in his life. By this, I mean that the person knows he is committing a sin over and over, but is unwilling to try to stop doing that sin. An example might be that a boy always speaks disrespectfully to his mother. The boy knows that the Bible says, “All of you must have respect for your mother and father.” (Leviticus 19:3) But the boy ignores God’s command, and talks to his mother in a mean and sassy way. Symbolically speaking, that boy has filthy feet! How can the boy walk with Jesus, who is perfect and pure, when the boy’s feet are covered in dirt? Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15) By ignoring Jesus’ commands, by keeping sin in his life, the boy is showing that his relationship with Jesus is not valuable to him. Just the opposite, if the boy hears that the Bible commands him to respect his mom, so he goes to Jesus and asks for forgiveness and the grace to stop talking back to his mom, he is showing Jesus that he loves Him and wants to obey Him.

Say: Would you like to learn two Greek words today? It’s fun to know words from another language. The New Testament was written in Greek. And there are two words used for the word “wash” in these verses.

Show the words: NIPTW (pronounced nip-toe) and LOUW (pronounced lu-oh)

There is niptw, which was used for washing only a part of the body, such as the hands, face, and feet. You would use this word for washing your hands before dinner.

The second word is louw, which meant to bathe the body. It referred to a thorough washing of the entire body. You would use this word for taking a good long shower.

Jesus used both words in verse 10. We might say it this way: “He who has bathed (louw) his entire body needs only to wash (niptw) his feet.”

In verse 10, Jesus pointed out the difference between being completely bathed and having one’s feet washed by the Lord. When a person understands their helpless, sinful condition and comes to Jesus because He died to take away their sin, which is like the person getting the best, most complete bath ever. Jesus washes them inside out! Their sin is taken away and forgotten (Hebrews 8:12). Forgiveness is theirs (Romans 8:1-2). They will NEVER have to pay the penalty for their sin (John 10:28). But then, as they walk through life, they sin again (1 John 1:6-10). That sin keeps them from living the victorious kingdom life. It keeps them from abiding in Jesus and bearing spiritual fruit. Coming to Jesus, confessing and repenting of our daily sin is like a foot washing. Jesus made it very clear that once we trust in Him, we don’t need another “total bath”, only the “daily cleansing” from the sins that occur as we walk down the dusty, dirty streets of life.

Teacher: Hold the bicycle next to you. Let’s say I really wanted a bicycle, so my parents bought me this bike. Wouldn’t it be silly for me to keep asking for a bicycle? Everyday, I stood next to this bike and said, “Please buy me a bike. I really want a bike.” Of course, that would be ridiculous. I already have this nice bike. The problem is: I am not using it to get places or to have fun! I’m still walking everywhere I go! Now, what would I have to do to use this bike the way I’m supposed to use it? You have to get on it and pedal! Right, I already own the bike. Now I just need to get on it and go!

Everyone who puts his or her trust in Jesus is forgiven of their sin! Jesus has given them forgiveness, just like my parents gave me this bike. Forgiveness is theirs! (Ephesians 1:6-8) They don’t have to beg for forgiveness again, just like I didn’t have to ask for a bike after my parents already gave me one. But we still sin everyday, so what do we do about those sins? The Bible tells us to confess and repent of our sin (Acts 19:18, Revelation 2:5).

We confess - we agree with God that our attitude or action is wrong.

We repent - we change our heart and mind about the sin and go in the opposite direction.

When I confess and repent, I “throw off” that sin that had a grip on me (Hebrews 12:1). Now I can live in victory. By God’s grace, I can do the things that God wants me to do (Ephesians 1:4-14). I will bear wonderful fruit like kindness, goodness, and patience. Those who trust in Jesus already have His forgiveness, but if we don’t confess and repent of our daily sins, we are not letting His forgiveness change our lives. Applying Jesus’ forgiveness to my life by confessing and repenting is like finally getting on my bike and riding it! My life is different; it is better in every way.

All of Jesus’ disciples, except for Judas (who was about to betray Jesus), had trusted and believed in Jesus. They were clean in the sense of a “total bath” of salvation from sin’s penalty. They all, however, needed - and would need throughout their lives on earth - daily cleansing to live the full kingdom life.

When Peter refused to allow the Lord to wash (niptw) his feet, the Lord responded, “If I do not wash (niptw) you, you have no part (fellowship) with Me.” Jesus was not saying that Peter could not trust and believe in God. The issue was whether Peter would live the victorious, kingdom life that Jesus wanted him to live.

Application: The confessing and repenting of your daily sins is the niptw (washing part of yourself) that Jesus said was so very important. You must confess and repent so that you can abide in Jesus, so His grace will fill your life. Be sure to go to Jesus every day for your “foot washing,” so you can live the full kingdom life!

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you. - John 13:14-15

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: Jesus wants us to do for others as He has done for us.

© 2007

BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. Brought to you by KidzLife

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. All rights reserved worldwide.

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

Lesson

PPT TITLE

Main Point: We must depend on God’s grace to turn away from sin.

Key Verse:

(God’s grace) teaches us to say no to godless ways and sinful longings. - Titus 2:12a

Props: Richly colored fabric, gold trim or tassels; 2 balloons and a pin

Background/Review

Say: God had made some amazing promises to a man named Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3). God promised to bless him, and give him many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so on. God promised that the entire world would be blessed through Abraham’s family. Miraculously God gave a son to Abraham and his wife, Sarah, even though they were WAY too old to have a child. Ask: Who can remember the name of their son? Isaac. And who can remember the name of Isaac’s twin boys? Jacob and Esau. Say: Jacob was the younger son, but he received his father’s blessing. Jacob had four wives, but the only wife he really loved was Rachel. All together, Jacob had twelve sons. His two youngest sons were from his beloved wife, Rachel. The older of these two was Joseph and the younger was Benjamin. Back then, the oldest son would often be the father’s favorite child. Even though Joseph wasn’t the oldest of all of Jacob’s sons, he was the oldest son of his favorite wife. So out of all of Jacob’s sons, Joseph was Jacob’s very favorite.

For the next several weeks, we are going to learn about the AMAZING life of Joseph. The story of Joseph is better than any movie you’ve ever seen. It is the TRUE story of God’s incredible plan for Joseph, and the entire world. It is the story of forgiveness and God’s over-flowing grace. It is a story of seeing circumstances the way God sees them instead of the way we see them.

Joseph’s Dreams (Genesis 37:1-11)

Ask: Now, do you think that Joseph’s brothers noticed that Joseph was their dad’s favorite? Listen for answers. Say: Those brothers certainly knew which one was dad’s favorite, and they didn’t like it one bit! At times, Joseph would tell his father when his brothers weren’t behaving well (Genesis 37:2). And Jacob treated Joseph differently from his other sons.

Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph - a beautiful robe. But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him. - Genesis 37:3-4 NLT

Say: Sadly, Jacob made it very clear that he had a favorite son. When Joseph was a teenager, Jacob had a fancy robe made for him. The Bible says it was a colorful coat. It was the type that was worn by royalty (Gesenius’s Lexicon). In Bible times, dyes for fabric were very expensive. A richly colored robe was a sign of great importance. Teacher: Show your fabric and trim. Explain that the robe may have been made of similar fabric with elaborate trim. Say: Joseph’s brothers were shepherds who took care of dirty sheep all day. None of them had a coat like this. By wearing the coat, they thought Joseph was saying he was better than them. Then something happened that made the brothers even more jealous.

One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”

His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.

Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”

This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant. - Genesis 37:5-11 NLT

Say: These dreams were from God; they predicted the future. The Bible says that God doesn’t do anything without telling His servants the prophets about it (Amos 3:7). The wheat and the stars were actually symbols for people. These dreams were God’s promise to Joseph. God knew that Joseph’s sweet life was about to turn sour. He would be treated terribly by many people for many years. But in the end, things would turn out great for Joseph. God wanted Joseph to remain strong and encouraged during the hard times. By His grace, God gave this vision of the future to Joseph like a big warm hug ahead of time. We’ll learn more about this in a few weeks.

We’re not sure if Joseph bragged about these dreams, or if he told the dreams to his brothers in an innocent way. No matter how Joseph meant it when he talked about the dreams, it made his brothers really angry.

It seems that everything about Joseph made his brothers angry - even things that Joseph had no control over. They held onto their bitterness and they never forgave. Over time, their anger grew and grew. It’s sort of like this. Teacher: take out your balloon. Let’s say this balloon represents the brothers’ anger. Each time they saw something about Joseph that they didn’t like, they became angry. Blow up the balloon a little. They saw Jacob spending time with Joseph. Blow up the balloon a little more. Joseph told their father when they acted badly. Blow up the balloon a little more. Jacob gave Joseph his awesome robe. Blow up the balloon a little more. Joseph told them his first dream. Blow up the balloon a little more. Then Joseph told them his second dream. Blow up the balloon a little more. When anger builds and builds, eventually, what will happen? Quickly POP the balloon with the pin. Eventually, all that anger leads to sin. We’ll see that Joseph’s brothers were about to do something terrible!

Application: Everyone gets angry sometimes. Raise your hand if you have NEVER gotten angry. We can’t even blame Joseph’s brothers for being angry when they were treated unfairly. However, the Bible says, “When you are angry, do not sin.” (Psalm 4:4). But when we are so angry, how in the world can we keep form sinning? Each one of us has a sin nature. Just like Adam and Eve, we choose to sin. On our own, we are powerless over sin (Romans 6:17a). But here is where God’s grace steps in.

One of the amazing things that God’s grace does is it makes us holy. God’s grace gives us the power to say no to sin. Titus 2:12 says that God’s grace “teaches us to say no to godless ways and sinful longings.”

For example, if someone gets something they don’t deserve, it might make you angry. Blow up the balloon a little. You have a choice to hold onto your anger or pray for God to give you the grace to let it go. Let the air out. Someone might be unkind to you and it makes you angry. Blow up the balloon a little. You have a choice to hold onto your anger or ask God to give you the grace to forgive that person (Ephesians 4:31-32). Let the air out. Holding onto anger leads to sin. When we abide with God, He will show us when there is a root of anger or bitterness in our heart. Each time, ask God for the grace to forgive and let go of your anger so you will not sin.

Joseph Sold By His Brothers (Genesis 37:12-36)

One day, all of Joseph’s older brothers were out in the countryside taking care of the family’s sheep. Jacob told Joseph to go check on them, and come back and tell him how they were doing. While Joseph was still a long way off, his brothers saw him coming. Ask: Can anyone guess how they saw him coming? His colorful coat. Say: Most shepherds were poor. They couldn’t afford brightly colored clothing, so their clothes blended into the landscape. But when Joseph came wearing his fancy coat, he really stood out. While he was walking toward them, they came up with an evil plan.

“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another. “Come. Let’s kill him. Let’s throw him into one of these empty wells. Let’s say that a wild animal ate him up. Then we’ll see whether his dreams will come true.”

Reuben (the oldest brother) heard them. He tried to save Joseph from them. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. “Let’s not spill any blood. Throw him into this empty well here in the desert. But don’t harm him yourselves.”

Reuben said that to save Joseph from them. He was hoping he could take him back to his father. - Genesis 37:19-22

Say: This was the most terrible plan possible! They were so angry and jealous that they wanted to kill their own brother (Psalm 37:8). As Jacob’s oldest son, Reuben would have been held responsible for his brothers’ actions. He wanted to stop his brothers from committing this terrible sin (Genesis 42:22). He was planning to come back and rescue Joseph when his brothers weren’t around. Thankfully, they listened to Reuben. When Joseph arrived, they tore off his beautiful coat and threw him into the dry well. Joseph begged his brothers not to leave him there to die but they did not care (Genesis 42:21).

Now, the plot thickens. As some of the brothers sat down to eat their lunch, they saw some traders (not traitors) coming by. The word trader comes from the word “trade.” Traders were sort of like traveling salesmen. They had items that they would buy, sell, or trade with people as they traveled from one town to another. One of the brothers, named Judah, came up with another idea. He said that instead of leaving Joseph to die in the well, they could sell him as a slave to the traders. That way, they wouldn’t be guilty of actually killing him, and they could make some money at the same time.

Say: We KNOW that murder is wrong. Ask: Is selling someone into slavery wrong? Yes! Say: Of course it’s wrong! Every man, woman, and child is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). One person does not have the right to own another person. Judah’s plan was evil. But sadly, his brothers agreed to do it. Reuben was not part of this scheme. He was probably taking care of the sheep at this time (Genesis 37:29).

The traders from Midian came by. Joseph’s brothers pulled him up out of the well. They sold him to the Ishmaelite traders for eight ounces of silver. Then the traders took him to Egypt.

Later, Reuben came back to the empty well. He saw that Joseph wasn’t there. He was so upset that he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Now what should I do?”

Then they got Joseph’s beautiful robe. They killed a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took it back to their father. They said, “We found this. Take a look at it. See if it’s your son’s robe.”

Jacob recognized it. He said, “It’s my son’s robe! A wild animal has eaten him up. Joseph must have been torn to pieces.” - Genesis 37:28-33

Jacob sobbed and sobbed because he thought that his precious son had been killed. He wore black clothes to show how very sad he was. All of his children tried to make him feel better, but they couldn’t. Jacob said he would be broken-hearted until the day he died. Ask: How do you think the brothers felt when they saw how sad their father was? Listen for answers. Say: The brothers sinned by selling Joseph into slavery. Then they sinned by lying to their father, leading him to believe that Joseph was dead. We have to wonder if Jacob’s sons ever thought about the pain they would cause their father when they made their evil plans (Proverbs 17:25). Sin almost always hurts innocent people. Furthermore, sin hurts the ones who sin. Jacob’s sons would have to live with their guilt for years and years to come. Sin ALWAYS has a price. Sin causes pain, loss, and separation.

Application: We have to remember that sin ALWAYS ruins things. Only God’s grace can break the power of sin (Romans 6:14). When you put your trust in Jesus, God pours out His grace on you. God’s grace sets you FREE from sin (Romans 6:18, 8:1-2).

Joseph Sold To Potiphar (Genesis 37:36)

Say: While Jacob was grieving the loss of his son, God was working out an amazing plan for Joseph.

Meanwhile, the Midianite traders arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard. - Genesis 37:36

If we were to describe the events in Joseph’s life up to this point, it might not sound too good. His brothers hated him, he was almost killed, he was robbed of his most valuable possession, and he was thrown into a well. Then he was sold into slavery and he didn’t know if he would ever see his father again. But this was not the end for Joseph. His adventure was just beginning. Be sure to come back next week to see what happened next!

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

(God’s grace) teaches us to say no to godless ways and sinful longings. - Titus 2:12a

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: We must depend on God’s grace to turn away from sin.

© 2007 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. 

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. All rights reserved worldwide.

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

Lesson

PPT TITLE

Main Point: God’s timing is perfect.

Key Verse:

God makes everything happen at the right time. - Ecclesiastes 3:11a CEV

Props: Cup and bread from last week; two calendars.

Background/Review

Say: Last week, we read about two Egyptian men who were thrown in prison with Joseph. Ask: Who can remember who these men were? The cupbearer and the baker. Say: Right, there was Pharaoh’s official drink taster (Show the cup), and his “top chef” (Show the bread). Joseph was highly respected, even in prison, so Potiphar gave him the job of taking care of these men. Each man had a dream about their own future, but they did not understand what the dreams meant. God told Joseph what the dreams meant, and of course, they came true just as Joseph foretold. The baker was killed, and Pharaoh forgave the cupbearer. Before the cupbearer left prison, Joseph asked him for one favor. Joseph asked him to tell Pharaoh about him so he could be set free. Ask: Did the cupbearer tell Pharaoh about Joseph? No! Say: The cupbearer forgot all about Joseph. But God did not! God never forgets His children.

We pick up our story TWO years later. Teacher: Flip through your two calendars as you talk. Joseph was still in prison, day after day, week after week, month after month. And remember, he had never even done anything wrong.

Pharaoh’s Dreams (Genesis 41:1-13)

Say:

When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream. In his dream, he was standing by the Nile River. Seven cows came up out of the river. They looked healthy and fat. They were eating some of the tall grass that was growing along the river.

After them, seven other cows came up out of the Nile. They looked ugly and skinny. They were standing beside the other cows on the riverbank. The ugly, skinny cows ate up the seven cows that looked healthy and fat. Then Pharaoh woke up.

He fell asleep again and had a second dream. In that dream, seven heads of grain were growing on one stem. They were healthy and good. After them, seven other heads of grain came up. They were thin and dried up by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up. It had been a dream. - Genesis 41:1-7

Say: As we learned last week, dreams were very important at that time, especially in that part of the world. Pharaoh became worried when he woke up from his dreams. He wanted someone to explain what they meant. So he called for all the magicians and wise men in Egypt, but no one could interpret the dreams. Ask: Who do you think could interpret Pharaoh’s dreams? God - through Joseph. Say: There was one person in Pharaoh’s palace who was living proof that Joseph could interpret dreams correctly.

Finally, the king’s chief cupbearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh. “Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. There was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant. And everything happened just as he had predicted. - Genesis 41:9-13a NLT

So Pharaoh sent for Joseph.

Here is where we start to see just how God had been in control during Joseph’s entire life. It was not by chance that Joseph was taken to Egypt, or sold to Potiphar, or accused by Potiphar’s wife, or thrown in prison where he would meet the cupbearer. It took years, but God worked everything together so that Joseph would meet with Pharaoh this day (Romans 8:28). These events were caused by people’s sin - God did not cause or encourage the sin! But only our completely GOOD God can take things that start out bad and use them for good.

God was waiting for just the right time to release Joseph from prison. God could have thrown the prison door wide open whenever He wanted to. But God had a purpose for Joseph in prison. Sometimes we can’t see everything God is doing. It has been said, “When you can’t see God’s hand, you have to trust His heart.” We may never know all that God was doing with Joseph, but we know that God was growing his faith, and God was waiting for the perfect time to release Joseph. The timing was perfect for Joseph, Pharaoh, and everyone in the land.

Application: It is the same in your life. God loves you, and He is ALWAYS at work in your life for His glory and your good (Jeremiah 29:11). It may take a long, long time for you to see the good that God is doing. But you can trust that God’s timing is perfect!

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams (Genesis 41:14-40)

Say: Finally, Joseph stepped out of the dark, musty-smelling prison. He probably squinted his eyes against the sunlight as he was taken to Pharaoh’s palace, breathing in the fresh air along the way. He was even allowed to shave his unkempt beard and put on new clean clothes before he was taken before Pharaoh. Joseph must have felt like a new man!

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream. No one can tell me what it means. But I’ve heard that when you hear a dream you can explain it.” - Genesis 41:15

Say: Let’s not forget how unusual it was for a Pharaoh to get advice from a slave and prisoner! God had made it clear to Pharaoh that Pharaoh was not all-knowing. Even if some people thought Pharaoh was a god, clearly he is not! Now he needed Joseph’s help.

“I can’t do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh. “But God will give Pharaoh the answer he wants.” - Genesis 41:16

Say: Joseph did not take credit for being able to interpret dreams. He knew that his gift of interpreting dreams came directly from the Lord. Joseph was humble, and he pointed Pharaoh to the all-knowing God. Did you know that God makes a wonderful promise about being humble? God promises to honor those who are humble (Matthew 23:13, James 4:10).

So Pharaoh told his dreams to Joseph. He told him about the seven healthy cows that were eaten up by the seven skinny cows. And Pharaoh told Joseph about the second dream where seven healthy pieces of grain were swallowed up by seven thin, dry pieces of grain.

Joseph told Pharaoh that both dreams had the same meaning. In the first dream, the seven healthy cows were a symbol for the coming seven years. In those years, Egypt would thrive. There would be more than enough of food to eat and water to drink. But the seven ugly, skinny cows were a symbol for the following seven years. In those years, there wouldn’t be enough food to eat. The people would be very hungry, to the point of starving.

The dream of the good grain and shriveled-up grain was just like the first. The seven good pieces of grain stood for the seven years with plenty to eat, and the seven dry pieces of grain stood for the seven years of hunger. The seven years of famine would be so terrible that people wouldn’t even remember the good years when there had been plenty to eat. Joseph explained:

God gave the dream to Pharaoh in two forms. That’s because the matter has been firmly decided by God. And it’s because God will do it soon.” - Genesis 41:29-32

Say: God gave these dreams to Pharaoh so Pharaoh would know what was about to happen. There was a terrible famine coming, but in His grace and mercy, God sent His servant, Joseph, to warn Pharaoh (Amos 3:7). And when God sends a warning, He also sends instructions (Genesis 6:13-21, 1 Kings 17:1-4). God had a plan to provide food during the seven years of famine. Because Joseph abided in (or remained with) God, he could hear God’s plan very clearly.

Joseph told Pharaoh to choose a wise and understanding man, and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt. And Pharaoh should appoint officials under him. During the seven years when there was plenty of food, they should store up one-fifth of the food that was grown. They should put this extra food in big storehouses. Then when the famine hit the land, the Egyptians could use the grain that was stored up. That way, the people would not starve (Proverbs 30:24-25). Isn’t that a wise plan?

Pharaoh thought that the plan was very wise. He thought about whom he should put in charge of the land. Listen carefully to what Pharaoh said next:

So Pharaoh said to (his officials), “The spirit of God is in this man. We can’t find anyone else like him, can we?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “God has made all of this known to you. No one is as wise and understanding as you are. You will be in charge of my palace. All of my people must obey your orders. I will be greater than you only because I’m the one who sits on the throne.” - Genesis 41:38-40

Say: Can you imagine the surprised look on Joseph’s face? Joseph never imagined that Pharaoh would choose him to do such an important job. Next to Pharaoh, Joseph would be the most powerful man in all of Egypt. Just a few hours before, he was a slave and a prisoner who lived in dungeon! God can turn any situation upside-down! Remember God’s promise about humble people? God promises to honor those who are humble. Joseph had lived a humble life, serving Potiphar and serving the men in prison. He was humble before Pharaoh, and now he was being honored. God ALWAYS keeps His promises!

Joseph In Charge Of Egypt (Genesis 41:41-57)

Say: Pharaoh made an official announcement that Joseph was in charge of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh took his ring off his finger. It was the ring he used to stamp all of the official papers. He put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes that were made out of fine linen. He put a gold chain around his neck. He also had him ride in a chariot. Joseph was now next in command after Pharaoh. - Genesis 41:42-43a

A King’s ring was a symbol of his power, and Pharaoh had given his ring to Joseph. Now, Joseph had the power to give orders that all the Egyptians must obey. Pharaoh also gave Joseph fancy robes to wear. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Pharaoh even gave Joseph a wife. Joseph was thirty years old when all of this happened.

For seven years, the land produced tons and tons of food, just as Joseph had said it would. Joseph traveled all over Egypt and made sure the extra grain was being stored. Joseph stored up so much grain that he couldn’t even keep a record of it anymore. It was like grains of sand on the seashore. Joseph was a hard-working, loyal official for Pharaoh (Colossians 3:23-24).

During these good years, God blessed Joseph with two sons. Joseph named his first son Manasseh, which means forget, because the Lord caused Joseph to forget all of his troubles. Joseph named his second son Ephraim, which means fruitful, because God gave Joseph so many blessings in Egypt.

Finally, the seven abundant years in Egypt came to an end. Ask: Was this a surprise to the Lord? No. Say: Because Joseph abided with God, and listened to God, it was not a surprise to Joseph or Pharaoh either. When the Egyptians started getting hungry, they came to Joseph and bought grain. The famine was so severe that other countries also ran out of food. People from every country came to Joseph to buy grain. God is so good! His plan provided plenty of food for everyone who needed it.

Application: There is nothing that can happen in your life that is a surprise to God. When you trust His plan, and obey His voice, He will provide everything you need, even in your most difficult times.

God’s Plan & Promises (Genesis 12:2-3)

Say: God kept His promise to honor anyone who is humble when he put Joseph in charge of Egypt. Let’s look at some other promises that God had made many years before, to Joseph’s great-grandfather, Abraham. Ask: Can anyone remember the promises that God made to Abraham? Listen for answers. Say: Let’s read the first promises God made to Abraham:

PPT VERSE

I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. - Genesis 12:2-3 NIV

Abraham did nothing to deserve these wonderful promises. God gave them by His grace. God promised to make Abraham’s family grow and grow and grow. God would bless Abraham’s family like no family had ever been blessed before. God would bless any person or any country that blessed Abraham’s family. But anyone or any country that was mean to Abraham’s family would be punished. And the most special promise was that all people on the earth would be blessed through Abraham’s family.

As our story unfolds, we’ll see that God kept each of these promises. Today, we can see that God blessed Pharaoh because Pharaoh blessed Jacob, just as God promised He would. Pharaoh became famous and incredibly respected because his land was the only nation that had food while every other nation was starving. Just think how smart Pharaoh must have seemed to all the other nations! Also, Pharaoh ended up with great wealth and property because he followed God’s plan. And the most important blessing for Pharaoh was that God revealed Himself to Pharaoh. God showed Pharaoh that He cares about people and He is the great Rescuer who always has a plan to help us. God showed Pharaoh that He is full of grace, blessing Pharaoh even though Pharaoh did not deserve it.

Say: So, things finally turned around for Joseph. Ask: Do you think it was hard for Joseph to wait in prison for two whole years after the cupbearer promised to help him get out of jail? Say: It may have been hard to wait for God’s timing, but just think about this: If Joseph had been released from prison two years earlier, he would not have been around to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. All the people in Egypt and the surrounding countries would have starved to death! Joseph would have starved to death! It was God’s perfect timing that allowed Pharaoh to meet Joseph when Pharaoh needed help. God’s perfect timing caused Pharaoh to listen to Joseph, to learn about God, and provide food for the nations.

Application: Raise your hand if you are really good at waiting. Sometimes it is really hard to wait. It is hard to wait for your birthday, and for Christmas. It is even harder to wait for rescue when you are in a really difficult situation, like Joseph. But you can ALWAYS trust God’s timing. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord. Be strong and don’t lose hope. Wait for the Lord.” Remember that God’s grace gives you the power to do what He wants you to do (Titus 2:11-12). When you feel like you can’t wait for one more minute, ask God to give you the grace to wait for His perfect timing.

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

God makes everything happen at the right time. - Ecclesiastes 3:11a CEV

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: God’s timing is perfect.

© 2007 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. 

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. All rights reserved worldwide.

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.