Scripture: Genesis 42-50
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn God has a plan, but sometimes bad things still happen.
- Students will learn God is always there working, even when things don’t make sense to us.
- Students will learn people can change and begin doing what God wants them to do.
- Students will learn God wants us to forgive those who sin against us.
- Students will participate in a service project that provides food for the hungry.
Guiding Question: Why does God want us to forgive others?
Materials: Cooking materials and ingredients needed to make bread of your choice
Procedure: Review how Joseph endured many challenges such as being sold by his brothers into a foreign land and being unjustly sent to prison. Often difficult challenges happen in life and we do not always understand why they happen. However, God uses the difficult times in life to help make our lives beautiful and purposeful so that we can better serve Him. We must remember that people can change and begin following God’s path for their life. We can be there to help and support them but they have to make the choice to do so. God wants us to forgive others even when it is difficult just as God forgives our sins.
Introduce the activity. Remind students that the famine sent the sons to get grain in Egypt. Famines are not common but there are still other reasons people can go hungry. Explain how poverty affects ability to make and get food. Have the students bake or collect bread to deliver to kids in schools or other poverty situations. Work with your congregation for support in contact facilities that are in need of food.
Additional Questions: How can students provide support to those in their congregation?
Supplemental Activity: Have students make different kinds of bread to take to those in your congregation dealing with a difficult time.