OLDER KIDS BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW

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1 Sunday, June 8, 2014 Kidzone 2nd- 4th Grade Small Group TEACHER BIBLE STUDY Esther Saved Her People Esther 1 10 Let s set the scene for the story of how Esther saved her people. The Babylonian captivity had ended while Cyrus was king. Some of God s people now referred to as Jews (people from Judah) traveled back to Judah to rebuild the temple, the city, and their lives. Others, however, stayed in Persia where life among the pagans was relatively comfortable. The king of Persia was now Ahasuerus (uh haz yoo EHR uhs), also known by his Greek name, Xerxes (ZUHRK seez). Esther was a young Jewish girl who became queen of Persia by winning a beauty contest of sorts. The former queen had defied the king and was promptly replaced. Esther had been an orphan, so her cousin Mordecai adopted her. Mordecai kept in touch with Esther while she lived in the palace. One day, the king gave Haman the Agagite a very important position in the kingdom. The king even commanded the people to bow down to Haman. But Mordecai refused. Haman was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites. The nations of Israel and Amalek did not get along. Haman was angry, but instead of just punishing Mordecai, he planned to kill all the Jews in the kingdom. In today s Bible story, Mordecai turned to Esther for help. After all, she was in a position of power, and the Jews were her people. The stakes were high, but Esther approached the king and explained her people s plight. Review the details in Esther 7. The king ordered Haman to be killed on the very gallows Haman constructed for killing Mordecai. Note how Esther described Haman: The adversary and enemy is this evil Haman (Esth. 7:6). We too have an adversary the Devil. He prowls around like a lion, seeking people to devour. (1 Pet. 5:8) He loves nothing more than to destroy believers and hinder the work of God. Satan thought he had succeeded when Jesus died on the cross, but God raised Jesus from the dead and defeated Satan once and for all. (See Heb. 2:14-15.) OLDER KIDS BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW Session Title: Esther Saved Her People Bible Passage: Esther 1 10 Big Picture Question: How does God use people? God uses ordinary people to carry out His plan. Key Passage: Zechariah 9:9 Unit Christ Connection: God saved His people who were in physical captivity as He would one day send Jesus to save and restore His people who are in spiritual captivity. Unit 21 Session 6 Older Elementary 1

2 Sunday, June 8, 2014 Kidzone 2nd- 4th Grade Small Group Welcome time Activity page (5 minutes) Session starter (10 minutes) Key passage activity (5 minutes) Small Group Time Bible story review (10 minutes) Activity choice (10 minutes) Journal (5 minutes) Prayer (5 minutes) THE BIBLE STORY Esther Saved Her People Esther 1 10 King Ahasuerus (uh haz yoo EHR uhs) was the king of Persia. Many years earlier, when Cyrus was king, he sent some of God s people back to Judah to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. So some of God s people went to Judah, but some of them stayed in Persia. God s people were called Jews because they were from Judah. The king of Persia needed a queen. He chose Esther to be queen. Esther was very beautiful. She was a Jew and had been raised by her cousin Mordecai (MAWR duh kigh). Esther didn t tell the king that she was a Jew. One day, Mordecai heard that Haman, a very important leader who worked for the king, was planning to kill all the Jews. Haman didn t like the Jews. Mordecai was upset! He was a Jew; he didn t want all the people he loved to be killed. Mordecai and all the Jews cried. Esther didn t know what was wrong. She sent a messenger to ask Mordecai why all the Jews were upset. Mordecai told Esther about Haman s evil plan. You have to do something! Mordecai said. You re the queen. Ask the king to stop Haman. Ask him to save the Jewish people. Esther sent a message back to Mordecai. No one can approach the king unless the king calls for that person first, Esther said. The punishment is death unless the king holds out his scepter; then you may live. Mordecai encouraged Esther to think about it. You re a Jew, he said. If you don t stop Haman, he will kill you too. Maybe this is why you are the queen. Maybe God put Esther in the palace to save her people! Esther asked Mordecai to gather the Jewish people and to fast. They would not eat or drink for three days. They would pray to God for help. Then Esther would go to the king. She was willing to die to save the Jews. Mordecai, Esther, and the Jewish people fasted for three days. On the third day, Esther went to the king. The king was sitting on his throne. He saw Esther and held out his golden scepter. Unit 21 Session 6 Older Elementary 2

3 Sunday, June 8, 2014 Kidzone 2nd- 4th Grade Small Group Esther walked toward him and touched the tip of the scepter. What is it, Queen Esther? the king asked. What do you want to ask me? I ll give you anything up to half of my kingdom. Esther said, Would you and Haman come to a feast today? I have prepared it. So Haman and the king went to Esther s feast. As they sat after eating, the king said, What do you want, Queen Esther? I ll give you anything up to half of my kingdom. Please come to my feast tomorrow, you and Haman, Esther said. The king agreed. That night Haman went home and had gallows made where he could hang Mordecai. Haman often saw Mordecai sitting outside the palace, and Haman hated him. The next day, Haman and the king went to Esther s feast. As they sat after eating, the king said, What do you want, Queen Esther? I ll give you anything up to half of my kingdom. Esther spoke up, There is a plan to kill me and my people. The king replied, Who is responsible for this plan? This evil enemy Haman! Esther said. The king was angry! He ordered for Haman to be hanged on the gallows Haman had built to kill Mordecai. Haman was hanged, and the king wasn t angry anymore. He made a law to keep the Jewish people safe from their enemies. Christ Connection: God was in control over Haman s evil plan to destroy the Jews. Like Haman, Satan wants to destroy believers. He thought he had won when Jesus died on the cross, but God raised Jesus from the dead and defeated Satan once and for all. SMALL GROUP OPENING Session Title: Esther Saved Her People Bible Passage: Esther 1 10 Big Picture Question: How does God use people? God uses ordinary people to carry out His plan. Key Passage: Zechariah 9:9 Unit Christ Connection: God saved His people who were in physical captivity as He would one day send Jesus to save and restore His people who are in spiritual captivity. Welcome time Bibles Greet each kid as he or she arrives. Use this time to collect the offering, fill out attendance sheets, and help new kids connect to your group. Invite kids to say the key passage from memory. If time allows, invite kids to say previously studied key passages from memory. Allow kids to look up passages in their Bibles to review. Unit 21 Session 6 Older Elementary 3

4 Sunday, June 8, 2014 Kidzone 2nd- 4th Grade Small Group Activity page (5 minutes) Bible Book Review activity page, 1 per kid pencils Help kids review previously studied Bible stories by completing the Bible Book Review activity page. You may invite the group to work together to complete the page. Tell kids to record their answers on the activity page. Say God has used a lot of people in His plan to send Jesus to rescue people from sin. Today we are going to study a story from one of the books listed on your activity page. We are studying the Book of Esther. Session starter (10 minutes) Option 1: Self- portraits chalk long piece of dark paper, 1 per kid Guide kids to draw self- portraits on a sidewalk or long piece of dark paper. Encourage kids to note unique qualities they have on their self- portrait. (Examples: speak another language, play piano, are from a specific country, enjoy helping people, love to share about Jesus) Say Name some people we have studied whom God used in His plan. Great answers! Can God use you in His plan? Look at your self- portrait and think about ways God can use you and your unique qualities in His plan. As we learn about our Bible story today, think about whether or not you are willing for God to use you. Option 2: Hoop defense hula hoops, 1 per team small balls or paper wads Challenge kids to take turns standing inside the hoop. Once inside the hoop, the kid must defend the hoop from the small balls that the other kids are trying to toss inside the hoop. The hoop defender may knock a ball away from the hoop, but once it lands inside the hoop, the ball is counted as one point. Say What does it mean to defend something or someone? Today in our Bible story, a group of people were almost harmed. Listen to discover who risked her life to defend the group of people. Have you ever had to stand up for someone else? What did you do? What did you say? Encourage kids that they can always reach out to an adult for help if they need to. Unit 21 Session 6 Older Elementary 4

5 Sunday, June 8, 2014 Kidzone 2nd- 4th Grade Small Group SMALL GROUP LEADER Session Title: Esther Saved Her People Bible Passage: Esther 1 10 Big Picture Question: How does God use people? God uses ordinary people to carry out His plan. Key Passage: Zechariah 9:9 Unit Christ Connection: God saved His people who were in physical captivity as He would one day send Jesus to save and restore His people who are in spiritual captivity. Key passage activity (5 minutes) Key Passage Poster music unsharpened pencil with eraser top to resemble a scepter Form a circle. As you play the music, kids should pass the scepter around the circle. When you stop the music, the kid holding the scepter should read or quote the key passage. Play several rounds. Lead the entire group to read or quote the key passage. Say What does our key passage tell us? What is it about? Prompt kids to explain who said the key passage to what audience and whom the key passage is about. Bible story review & Bible skills (10 minutes) Bibles, 1 per kid Small Group Visual Pack Option: Retell or review the Bible story using the bolded text of the Bible story script. Invite kids to locate Esther 4 in the Bible. Review Esther 4: Say Why was Esther concerned? What was Mordecai s response? What did Esther ask the people to do and why? What would you have done if you were in Esther s place? How does God use people? God uses ordinary people to carry out His plan. Have you seen God use ordinary people? When? Who defeated Satan once and for all? (Satan wants to destroy believers. He thought he had won when Jesus died on the cross, but God raised Jesus from the dead and defeated Satan once and for all.) Why is this good news for people? If you choose to review with boys and girls how to become a Christian, explain that kids are welcome to speak with you or another teacher if they have questions. Unit 21 Session 6 Older Elementary 5

6 Sunday, June 8, 2014 Kidzone 2nd- 4th Grade Small Group God rules. God created and is in charge of everything. (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; Col. 1:16-17) We sinned. Since Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Rom. 3:23; 6:23) God provided. God sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. (John 3:16; Eph. 2:8-9) Jesus gives. Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again so we can be welcomed into God s family. (Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:18) We respond. Believe that Jesus alone saves you. Repent. Tell God that your faith is in Jesus. (Rom. 10:9-10,13) Review the timeline map in the small group visual pack. Invite kids to review previous stories by naming Bible people that God used in His plan and sharing how God used each one. Continue reviewing as time allows. Activity choice (10 minutes) Option 1: Crown toss review game bucket or bowl paper plate with center removed Explain to the boys and girls that you are going to play a review game. If kids answer a question correctly, everyone will have one chance to toss the crown into the bucket. 1. Name the king of Persia. (Ahasuerus, Esther 1:1) 2. Name Esther s cousin. (Mordecai, Esther 2:6-7) 3. The Israelites were called by this name after the exile. (Jews or Jewish people; Esther 2:5-6; 3:6) 4. Who was planning to kill all of the Jews? (Haman, Esther 3:6) 5. What did Mordecai want Esther to do? (He wanted her to ask the king to save the Jewish people, Esther 4:8) 6. What could happen to Esther if the king did not want to see her? (She could be killed, Esther 4:11) 7. What did the king extend to show Esther that she was welcome? (golden scepter, Esther 5:2) 8. What did Esther prepare for the king so she could talk to him about the Jews? (two feasts, Esther 5:4,8) 9. What did the king do to save the Jews? (He made a law to keep them safe, Esther 8:8-11) 10. What happened to Haman? (He was killed, Esther 7:10) Say How does God use people? God uses ordinary people to carry out His plan. Unit 21 Session 6 Older Elementary 6

7 Sunday, June 8, 2014 Kidzone 2nd- 4th Grade Small Group Option 2: Scepter snacks Allergy Alert marshmallows pretzel sticks Guide kids to create a scepter snack using the supplies provided. By sliding a pretzel stick into the marshmallow. Say Where in our story was a scepter important? If the king had not held out his scepter to Esther, she would have been killed. God was in control. The king held out his scepter and God used Esther to rescue His people from Haman. Name a time you had to be courageous or brave. Do you think Esther struggled to overcome her fear and approach the king? What did Esther ask the people to do before she went to the king? She asked the people to fast. The people fasted for three days. Esther saved her people! How does God use people? God uses ordinary people to carry out His plan. Journal and prayer (5 minutes) pencils Bibles Journal Page, 1 per kid Find the Scepters activity page, 1 per kid Encourage kids to think about the following question and write their responses in their journal pages. Say What areas of your life could God use you to encourage, serve, bless, or tell someone about Jesus? Remind kids that God uses people in big ways and little ways. Both are important. Say How does God use people? God uses ordinary people to carry out His plan. Invite kids to share an area of their lives in which they are not sure how God could use them. Close the group in prayer, thanking God for His wisdom and ability to use ordinary people in His plan. As time allows, lead kids to complete the activity page Find the Scepters. Invite kids to share how many scepters they found in the picture. Dismiss to parents Make sure to check security tags when dismissing children. Unit 21 Session 6 Older Elementary 7

8 Unit 21 Session 6 Esther Saved Her People OK TO PRINT The Exiles Returned 2013 Lifeway

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11 UNIT 21 Session 6 Older Kids Activity Pages Instructions: Find the golden scepters hidden in the palace scene. The Exiles Returned

12 Instructions: Name a Bible story from at least five of the books listed. Try to name a story from every book. UNIT 21 Session 6 Older Kids Activity Pages The Exiles Returned 2013 Lifeway

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