Scripture: 2 Kings 13:1-14:22, 2 Chronicles 25
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn God is angry with our sin, but ready to forgive us when we repent.
- Students will learn there are often serious earthly consequences for disobeying God.
- Students will learn God expects us to completely rid our lives of any false gods we may have put in place of Him. He wants us to follow him with our entire hearts, souls and minds.
- Students will learn God can do amazing things. He expects us to trust Him when He makes amazing promises.
Guiding Question: How can we remember to trust that God can do amazing things in the world and in our lives?
Materials: buttermilk (mix 4 tablespoons of powdered buttermilk to warm water to create 1 cup of buttermilk) , colored chalk, cardstock
Procedure: Tell students the stories, focusing especially on the part of the story of Jehoash with Elisha and the arrows. Explain that although Jehoash had been evil, God still loved the people of Israel. When the king humbled himself enough to go ask Elisha for God’s help, Elisha gave him some instructions. The king evidently did not have enough faith in God (or humility, the Bible doesn’t really tell us why he stopped so quickly) to strike the ground five or six times. As a result, the King would not be able to totally defeat his enemies and they would continue to cause trouble for the people of Israel.
Explain that sometimes it is hard to believe God will really take care of us and keep His promises. It is important to remember that God can do amazing things – even today. God wants us to trust Him and pray to Him – even if we think it would take a miracle for God to say “yes” to our prayer. It’s important to believe God still works in amazing ways.
Ask students to share some of the amazing God works in the Bible. Older students may also be able to share stories of how they have seen God answer their prayers in amazing ways. With younger students, you may want to share some amazing things you have seen God do.
Give students a sheet of paper. Tell them that normally when you draw with chalk it gets very dusty and makes a mess. If you dip the tip in buttermilk first though, the result is a creamy, dustless, no-smear drawing – amazing. (Older students may be able to understand the analogy of us adding God to our lives to make our lives richer and fuller.) Have students use the technique to create drawings to remind them God is amazing. Have them title their artwork so they will remember the theme.