3-5s
Theme:
God is a rescuing God
Aim:
They trust Him by putting Him first
Intros:
- Lion masks
- Make happy/sad face sticks for
the story
- Safe animals - have pictures of
all sorts of animals. Ask them which ones are 'safe' and which aren't. Put
lions into the 'den' (see below)
Teaching:
Recap -
long time ago, God's people were in a far off land living under a King who
didn't love and trust God.
[have a box
with door cut out and a hole in the top. Place some lion's inside and have
'stone' to roll across the entrance. Also have a cut out of Daniel and the
King]
There was a
new king called Darius. Daniel became very important in Darius' kingdom. In
fact, he became one of the top three leaders in the country.
But the
other leaders became jealous. They didn't like that King Darius thought Daniel
was so brilliant so they made a horrible plan to get rid of Daniel.
Daniel
didn't do anything wrong so they couldn't tell on him to the King. So they
convinced the King to pass a new rule: everyone had to pray to the King, and
only to the king. Anyone who didn't would be thrown into the lion's den. What
do you think? Was that good? [get them to use sticks to answer] No, we should
only pray to God and no-one else.
Daniel knew
this. And as soon as he heard about this new law he went into his room, opened
the window and prayed. All the people who were trying to get him into trouble
were watching him. Ah-hah! They've got him now. Daniel's in big trouble. Is
this good news for Daniel? [use sticks to answer]
And so they
return to the king and tell him, 'Daniel's praying to his God, not to you!'
King Darius
tried to get Daniel out of trouble, but there was nothing he could do. A rule
is a rule after all. And so Daniel is thrown into the lion's den. 'May your God
rescue you.' Darius shouts as he's thrown in. Huge ferocious lions. Daniel
didn't stand a chance, did he?
First thing
the next morning Darius rushes to the den. 'Has your God rescued you, Daniel?'
[listen]
Then a
voice answers!
'My God
sent an angel and he shut the mouths of lions because I have done nothing
wrong!'
The king
was so glad and when Daniel came out there wasn't even a scratch on him.
Well, the
King made sure that all of those who got Daniel into trouble were thrown into
the lion's den instead. And Darius made a new rule - everyone must fear
Daniel's God, because no-one is able to rescue like Him!
And do you
know, our God is a rescuing God. Just as He rescued Daniel so He has rescued us
through His Son Jesus. Jesus came to die on a cross and was put in a cave and a
stone was rolled over the entrance so that we might be rescued. And the next
day an angel was there to say, 'He's alive!'
Pray
Thank you
God for rescuing Daniel.
Thank you
God for rescuing us in Jesus.
Amen
Craft:
- Various lion crafts - masks,
models: do a google image search for ideas
Songs:
- My God is so Big
- Super Saviour
- Jesus is the boss, I can talk to Jesus (from J is for Jesus)
------
5-11s
Theme:
Our God rescues
Aim:
Honour Him and pray to Him and put Him first
Intros:
Application
quiz - have the lion's den in the corner. Would you be prepared to go into the
lion's den if... eg your teacher says you have to draw God; your friend says
you have to steal...
Show lion
video
Teaching:
Recap -
with pictures. Point out the pattern of chapters 6 (rescue, judgement,
judgement, rescue)
[set up
part of the room as the den - have a large 'stone' to roll and some lion masks]
Do you
remember at the end of last week's story we had a new king, Darius the Mede?
[have one dressed as Darius]
He was very
fond of Daniel and made him the third highest ruler in his kingdom. But the
other rulers didn't like this and plotted against Daniel. But Daniel had done
nothing wrong and so they couldn't tell tales on him about anything. So they
had to be a bit more devious. [have one dressed as Daniel]
They passed
a rule with Darius: read v7-8.
What was
wrong with that rule? What would you have done?
Here's what
Daniel did: he went and prayed! Opened his window towards Jerusalem
But his
enemies are watching and know they can tell tales. [silly voice] 'Daniel's been
praying to his God!'
Oh-oh.
Daniel's in real trouble now. Well Darius is worried and tries to do something
but is totally powerless to change this new law.
What do you
think Darius should have done?
So he
throws Daniel into the lion's den shouting, v16.
[Put Daniel
in the den with some children in lion's masks and put the 'stone' over the
entrance]
Darius
spends all night worrying, then at break of day runs to the den and calls out,
'Has your God delivered you.'
Amazingly
Daniel answers - read v22.
So Daniel
was taken out of the den and there wasn't a scratch on him. Instead the trouble
makers were thrown in and that was the end of them!
Darius
makes a new rule - read v26-27.
What do you
think this tells us about God? What did He do? - rescue
What about
Daniel? How is he an example for us? - prayed, put God first, trusted God
How does it
point forward to Jesus? - point out Jesus' innocence, Pilate's uselessness, the
stone rolled, the angel at the tomb, and Jesus' great rescue.
This is
pointing forward to God's great rescue in Jesus. So like Daniel and Jesus, we
should trust God the Father with our lives, putting Him first even if that
means we get into trouble.
Pray
Table
time [they get to
stick a lion in the den for every good answer]
Knowledge
- What was Daniel banned from doing?
- What happened to Daniel because he broke this rule?
- What happened to Daniel in the lion's den?
Understanding
- Why was Daniel prepared to
disobey the King?
- Why did God rescue Daniel?
- What did Darius learn about
God?
Application
- Would you be prepared to be
thrown in a lion's den because you follow God?
- How do you pray?
- How is Jesus' rescue even
better?
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