THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary LESSON GUIDE: Lesson 21 83 rebuilding the walls Bible Basis: Ezra 7:1, 7, 10 11; Nehemiah 1:2 6, 11; 4:4 6, 13 23; 8:1 12 Key Verse: Don t be afraid of your enemies. Remember the Lord. He is great and powerful. Nehemiah 4:14 NIrV Bible Point: Nehemiah was sure of God s power. God is on my side. Resource: The Story for Children, Chapter 21: Rebuilding the Walls Step 1: Come Together Stuff You Need: whiteboard or easel pad and markers, Optical Illusion Activity Sheet Optional: Optical Illusion PowerPoint slide and projection equipment If you re not using the Optical Illusion PowerPoint slide, draw lines like those on the Optical Illusion page where everyone can see them. While the arrow lines vary, the main lines should be the same length. (With a small class, you can just display the printed page.) As children gather, ask which line they think is the longest one. Then ask, or How sure are you about that? Reveal that the lines are all the same length. The direction of the arrow lines make us think the main lines are different lengths. Talk about: Tell me some things you are sure of. Then tell me some things you re not sure of. What makes you sure of some things and not sure about other things? Say, In the Bible story today, we ll meet Nehemiah and we ll find out what he was sure of. Step 2: Hear the STORY Stuff You Need: copies of The Story for Children, Bibles, The Story Elementary Trading Card 21 Tell the story from The Story for Children, Chapter 21. You can also have children find Nehemiah 1 and mark it in their Bibles. Either you or a child in your class can read the Scripture passages listed throughout the story. Nehemiah Is Sure As you tell the story, you ll pause as indicated and ask the same pair of questions each time: Do you think?
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary LESSON GUIDE: Lesson 21 84 Nehemiah had a job that not many people had. He was the drink-tester for the king of Persia. But Nehemiah s heart was far away in Jerusalem. He wanted to go to Jerusalem and help rebuild the city. First he had to ask the king s permission to go. Do you think the king will give permission? Pause for responses. Pause for responses. Nehemiah was sure that going to Jerusalem was the right thing to do, and the king agreed. When Nehemiah got to Jerusalem, he found everything was a big mess! The people were having a hard time. The wall around the city was still broken down, and the gates had been burned. Other people who lived in the area were making fun of God s people. No one seemed to be in charge. Not much was getting done. Do you think Nehemiah is going to give up and go home to Persia? Nehemiah was sure he could help! He was going to get busy doing something about these problems. But first, he stopped to pray. Read Nehemiah 1:5 6a. Do you think Nehemiah can get everybody to work? Nehemiah was sure they could get the job done if everyone worked together. Nehemiah got everybody organized to get to work. Everybody had a job to do, and they followed Nehemiah s leadership. The people worked with all their hearts and built up the wall until it was half as high as they wanted it to be. But the problems were still there. Other people living in that area still wanted God s people to stop building the wall. They still did everything they could to cause problems and get in the way. Do you think Nehemiah has a plan to solve this problem? Nehemiah was sure God wanted them to build that wall. He assigned the families to work on the wall, but he told them to keep their swords and spears close to them. Read Nehemiah 4:14. Do you think the people were encouraged by this? Nehemiah was sure. Read Nehemiah 4:16 17. Do you think the wall will get built all the way up?
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary LESSON GUIDE: Lesson 21 85 Nehemiah was sure. At long last, the wall was finished, and it was time for celebration. Jerusalem, God s holy city, finally had a wall to protect it. And to celebrate, the people gathered to worship. Ezra, the priest, stood before all the people and read from the law of God from sunrise until lunch time. Everyone listened carefully, and when he was finished, they bowed down and worshiped the Lord. Do you think Nehemiah is happy about this? Nehemiah was sure that this was the right thing to do. He said to the people, This day is set apart to honor the Lord your God. Don t be sad. The joy of the Lord makes you strong. Then all the people went off to eat and drink and celebrate. Do you think Nehemiah got the job done? Nehemiah was sure of God s power. He knew no matter what the enemies tried to do, God was still more powerful. God was on the side of his people, and he s on your side, too! After you have told the Bible story, give each child a copy of The Story Elementary Trading Card 21. Ask children to look at the picture and tell you about how Nehemiah was sure of God s power. As a class, read the key verse from the back of the card or from the Bible. Ask: Why do you think Nehemiah was so sure of God s power? How did Nehemiah handle the things that happened that could have made him not so sure? Say, The next time you feel alone, remember that God is on your side. Collect the cards for now. You ll send them home with the children later. Step 3: Explore More Choose from these activity options to help your class explore the lesson further. Option 1: Shape Art Stuff You Need: Shape Templates Activity Sheet, safety scissors, glue, markers, construction paper Optional: poster board Give an activity sheet to each child. Say, Our story was about God s people building a new wall around the city of Jerusalem. Let s make a picture of what happened in the story by using only certain shapes. You can have children work individually on construction paper or cooperatively on a
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary LESSON GUIDE: Lesson 21 86 poster board. Cut out the template shapes and have children use these as guides to make as many shapes as they want. Then arrange the shapes to make a picture of people building the wall. As children work, ask: How does Nehemiah s example help you in your life? Why can you be sure that God is on your side? Say, Nehemiah was sure of God s power and knew God was on the side of his people. God is on your side, too! Option 2: Yes, I m Sure Song Say, Nehemiah was sure of God s power. We can also be sure of God s power and that he is always on our side. Write a song about how God is on our side. Allow children to work together to write a song about God being on our side. Children may find it easier to write a verse to the tune of one they already know. Option 3: God is on His Side Stuff You Need: God is on His Side Activity Sheet, crayons Give an activity sheet to each child. Talk to the group about how it feels to know that there is someone always supporting you. Say, Do you think that Nehemiah felt this same way? Color this picture of Nehemiah. Option 4: Nehemiah Building Walls Stuff You Need: small boxes (depending on how big you want your bricks, milk cartons and shoe boxes work well), glue, paintbrushes, yellow, gray, or beige washable paint, sand Optional: tarp 1. Cover box with glue. You can use a paintbrush or let kids use their hands to help spread glue over the entire surface. 2. Coat heavily with sand. 3. Gently shake off the excess. 4. Let dry. 5. When dry, paint over the sand. 6. Let dry. Step 4: Going Home Pray together thanking God for always being on our side. Make sure each child takes home a copy of The Story Elementary Trading Card 21, Activity Sheet(s)/Crafts, and the Parents Page.
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary ACTIVITY SHEET: Lesson 21 optical illusion
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary ACTIVITY SHEET: Lesson 21 shape templates
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary ACTIVITY SHEET: Lesson 21 GOD IS ON HIS SIDE Look at Nehemiah. He looks strong and confident. God is on his side. Color this picture. Add words that God might say to Nehemiah to show support. Name
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary SKIT: Lesson 21 1 Sidekick [Beth enters followed by Scooter. Scooter holds a clipboard and a sign with yarn to hang around Beth s neck that says: Scooter s Super Sidekick.] Hi, Beth! This is your lucky day! Oh, hey, Scooter! It is? Why? [looks at clipboard] After reviewing all the data, I have decided to make you my sidekick. [For extra humor, Scooter may stand side-by-side with Beth and gently kick the back of her nearest knee with his foot when he says the word sidekick. ] Oh, wow! That s nice of you, but No buts about it. The position is yours. [hangs a sign around Beth s neck that says: Scooter s Super Sidekick.] And I get a sign, too. Only the best for you, Beth! So why did you suddenly decide that you need a sidekick? Well, all cool people have a sidekick: Batman had Robin; Shaggy had Scooby-Doo; and I have you! Well, that s really nice of you, but I m not sure you need a sidekick, especially one that wears a sign. I just think it s a good idea to ALWAYS have someone on my side. I see what you mean, but you DO always have someone on your side. I do? Who? God is always on your side, and he is the ultimate sidekick. God can t be a sidekick. He s the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE! I m more like his sidekick.
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary SKIT: Lesson 21 2 Good point. But how cool to always have the most powerful person of all on your side. That IS cool. [ponders then starts to remove the sign from around Beth s neck] I hope you won t be offended, but I think I ve changed my mind about making you my sidekick. [relieved] I m not offended at all. I have God on my side, so I don t need a sidekick. [Beth and Scooter begin walking off stage.] I think you re right. I wonder how much cooler Batman would have been with God as his sidekick! Oh, boy. [Both exit.]
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary PARENTS PAGE: Lesson 21 41 Rebuilding the Walls Timeless Truth: God keeps his covenant with those who love him. Bible Basis: Ezra 7:1, 7, 10 11; Nehemiah 1:2 6, 11; 4:4 6, 13 23; 8:1 12 Key Verse: Don t be afraid of your enemies. Remember the Lord. He is great and powerful. Nehemiah 4:14 NIrV Resource: The Story for Children, Chapter 21: Rebuilding the Walls Parent Tips Read the key point from the Sunday school class your child(ren) attended. Use the Table Talk questions to start a discussion around the dinner table during the week. The Living Faith activity takes your family to a Web site to play a classic wall breaker video game. The Extra Mile encourages your family to do something to make God s people safer. Get the Point Nehemiah was sure of God s power. God is on my side. Table Talk When the walls around Jerusalem were completed, the people celebrated. Ezra, the priest, read God s law to them from sunrise to noon (Nehemiah 8:3). Why do you think he did that? Do you think the people got bored? What s the longest you ve ever been in church? What did you do? What s the longest that you ve listened to somebody talk about God? What do you remember most? After Ezra spoke, the people went away and celebrated with great joy, because they now understood God s Word. Why did they react this way? Do you react the same way when you hear God s Word? Why? Living Faith Nehemiah was brilliant in getting all of God s people to work together in rebuilding Jerusalem s wall. By working together, they completed the project in 52 days! Before that, the Jews had languished in their attempts to protect and rebuild Jerusalem. King Cyrus first allowed God s people to return to Jerusalem in 560 B.C. Then the second temple was completed in 516 B.C., but for 70 years the city was vulnerable to attack. In fact, many of the surrounding rulers made sure to keep the Israelites
THE STORY FOR CHILDREN: Early Elementary PARENTS PAGE: Lesson 21 42 weak. But when Nehemiah showed up in 445 B.C., it took just less than two months to secure the walls and give God s people a safe place to live. In all, it took 115 years for God s people to rebuild and fortify Jerusalem. Have your family pretend to be raiders on Jerusalem by playing a classic wall breaker video game. You can go to www.silvergames.com/game/break-it/ or go to Google and search for breakout games. See which family member is best at breaking down the walls. Let everybody take a couple of turns and then give a prize to whomever scores the highest. Extra Mile When Nehemiah learned that God s people were having a hard time and that people were making fun of them, he wept. He didn t want God s people to suffer. He wanted them to be safe and protected. Sit down with your family and brainstorm ideas on what you could do to make God s people safer in your area. Maybe there s a project at your church that needs to get done. You could: Help build a walkway at church. Paint or mark the handicap spaces more clearly. Put up signs to better direct people to classrooms or the sanctuary. Volunteer to help care for babies in the nursery. Shovel snow off the sidewalk in winter. There are tons of other ideas. Concentrate on ideas that will keep God s people safe, and then ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to make these ideas a reality. You may need to include another family from church or the whole congregation. Dream big. Nehemiah did, and God helped him accomplish his goal extremely fast.
N E H EM I A H