January 29, 2017

OT 05 Noah's Ark Part 1

Reference: Genesis 6-7

Story Summary:
   The people on the earth were very sinful. All of their thoughts were about evil all the time. Because of this, the Lord God was sad that he made man. He said that he was going to destroy all that lived on the earth with a flood.
   But Noah was a righteous man, not because he was perfect, but because he had faith in God. God told Noah to build an ark so that he could survive the flood. God promised to keep Noah and his family safe in the ark through the entire flood. Noah had faith and did what God told him to do.
   God also told Noah to take two of each animal on the ark with him. God made the animals come to Noah and he put them on the ark. Then, God shut Noah and the animals in.
   God sent rain upon the earth for 40 days and nights. Water came up from the ground and covered the entire earth for 150 days. Only Noah, his family, and the animals were left alive after the flood.

Big Idea and Motions: God hates sin, but he saves sinners.
God - point up
Hates - fold your arms and frown
Sin - two thumbs down
Saves - do the baseball “safe” sign
Sinners - point to yourself with both thumbs

Verse / Motions: Acts 16:31, ESV - And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
They said - make your hands talk like a puppet
Believe - pretend to hold a rope in front of you with two hands (the ASL sign for “trust/believe”)
Jesus - form a cross with your forearms
You - point to another person
Saved - do the baseball “safe” sign
Household - form a “roof” over your head with your arms

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Why was God sad that he made people? // They were so sinful and evil
What did God decide to do because they were sinful? // Destroy all things on earth
Who did God say was the only righteous man? Why was he righteous? // Noah, because he had faith
How was God going to destroy the earth? // With a great flood
What did God tell Noah to do? // Build an ark (a great big boat)
What did God tell Noah to take on the ark with him? // Two of each animal
What other people were on the ark with Noah? // His wife, his three sons and their wives
How long did it rain? // 40 days and nights
God hates sin, but he also loves rescuing… who? // Sinners
Who did God send to rescue us from sin? // His only Son, Jesus

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/SHu9Da
Resources - http://goo.gl/OcbAid

January 22, 2017

OT 04 Cain and Abel

Reference: Genesis 4:1-11

Story Summary:
   Adam and Eve had two sons: Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer, who grew plants to eat. Abel was a shepherd, who took care of sheep. One day, the two of them decided to bring an offering to God. Cain took some of his plants, while Abel brought the fattest parts of one of his sheep.
   God was pleased with Abel's offering, but not with Cain's. The BIble tells us God was pleased with Abel because he had faith, while Cain did not.
   Cain was angry and sad about what happened. The Lord God told Cain, "Sin is waiting at your door to grab you, but you must rule over it."
   Cain didn't listen to God. He took his brother, Abel, out into a field. There, he attacked his brother. Cain thought that no one had seen. But God sees everything.
   As a punishment for his crime, God cursed Cain. Cain was forced to wander the earth. No longer with the plants of the ground grow for him.

Big Idea and Motions: Without faith, it’s impossible to please God. Be angry, and do not sin.
Faith - pretend to grasp a rope in front of you with two hands
Impossible - wave your arms back and forth while shaking your head
Please - fold your hands and look up
God - point up
Angry - frown and hold up your fists
Do not - wag your finger “no”
Sin - two thumbs down

Verses / Motions: Hebrews 11:6, ESV - And without faith it is impossible to please him; Psalm 4:4, ESV - Be angry, and do not sin;
Without - shake your head “no” and wave your arms back and forth
Faith - pretend to grasp a rope in front of you with two hands
Please - smile and point to your cheeks
Him - point up
Angry - frown and hold up your fists
Do not - one hand on hip, wag the index finger of your other hand
Sin - two thumbs down

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who were the two sons of Adam and Eve? // Cain and Abel
What job did Cain do? // Grew plants for food
What job did Abel do? // Take care of animals for food
What offering did Abel give to God? // Some of the best meat from his sheep
What offering did Cain give to God? // Some of his plants
Why was God pleased with Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s? // Abel had faith, Cain didn’t
How did Cain feel when God wasn’t pleased with his offering? // Angry and sad
What did God say to Cain? // Sin is waiting to grab you; you must defeat it
What did Cain do because he was angry? // Attacked his brother, Abel
What curses did God give to Cain? // He had to wander the earth, plants wouldn’t grow for him.

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/pCzZ1y
Resources - http://goo.gl/X5Dykf

January 15, 2017

OT 03 The Fall of Man

Reference: Genesis 3

Story Summary:
   After making Adam and Eve, God placed them into a garden: the garden of Eden. In the garden were two special trees: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
   He told them they could eat from any tree in the garden except for the one in the middle of the garden: the Tree of the Knowledge of the Good and Evil. If they ate from that tree, they would die, God said.
   One day, the devil, in the form of a serpent, came to Eve. The serpent tempted Eve to eat from the forbidden tree. After looking at the fruit of the tree, Eve decided to believe the serpent instead of what God had said. She ate the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then, she gave some to her husband, Adam.
   Because they had done evil, God cursed Adam, Eve, and the serpent. The serpent was cursed to crawl on his belly and eventually be defeated by a child of Eve. Eve was cursed with great pain during childbirth. Adam was cursed with hard work. And both of them were cursed with death; they would one day die.

Big Idea and Motions: When Adam and Eve sinned, all people were cursed.
Adam - pretend to itch your beard
Eve - pretend to brush your long hair
Sinned - two thumbs down
All people - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Cursed - punch your palm

Verse / Motions: 1 Corinthians 15:22, ESV - For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Adam - droop your body and look sad
All - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Die - cross your arms in an X over your chest, bow your head and close your eyes
Christ - form a cross with your forearms
All - same as before
Made alive - thrust your hands in the air and jump up

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Where did God put the man and woman? // In the garden of Eden
What two special trees were in the garden of Eden? // Tree of Life, Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
What trees could Adam and Eve eat from? // Any tree except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
What did God say would happen if they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? // They would die
Who told Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? // The serpent/devil
Who ate the fruit first? Who ate it second? // Eve, then Adam.
When Adam and Eve sinned, what did they realize and what did they do? // They were naked; made leaf clothes
When Adam and Eve heard God coming, what did they do? // Hide
What curses did Eve receive for sinning? // Pain at childbirth, will argue with her husband
What curses did Adam receive for sinning? // Work will be hard, all will die
What curses did the serpent receive? // Crawl on belly, God will send a savior to defeat the devil.

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/B1ZB9g
Resources - http://goo.gl/uFqDng

January 8, 2017

OT 02 God Creates Man

Reference: Genesis 2

Story Summary:
     God created everything that exists just by speaking. But when he made human beings, he did something special.
     He took the dust of the ground and formed it into the shape of a man. Then he breathed the breath of life onto the dust-man and he became a living being. His name was Adam.
     God took Adam and placed him in the beautiful Garden of Eden. He could eat the fruit of it’s trees. His job was to care for the garden.
     God said that it was not good for Adam to be alone. He brought all the animals to Adam, to see if one of them would be a helper fit for him. When they came, Adam named them all. But not one was fit to be Adam’s helper.
     So God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. God took one of Adam’s ribs and closed up his side. He formed the rib into a woman and brought her to Adam. Adam was excited to have a helper made especially for him. He later gave her the name “Eve.”

Big Idea and Motions: God created human beings in his likeness.
God - point up
Created - pretend to mold playdough with your hands
Human beings - point to yourself with two thumbs
Likeness - point up with one hand and point to yourself with the other.

Verse / Motions: Genesis 1:27, ESV - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God - point up
Created - pretend to mold playdough with your hands
Man - flex your muscles
Image - pretend to do a painting with a brush
Male - point to a boy in the room
Female - point to a girl in the room

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
What was the name of the man God made? // Adam
How did God make Adam? // Formed him from the dust of the ground
How did God bring Adam to life? // Breathed on him
Where did God place Adam? What was his job? // In the Garden of Eden; he took care of the garden
What did God say was “not good?” // Adam was alone.
What did God bring to Adam so he could find a helper? // All the animals
What did Adam do with all the animals? // Give them names
What was the name of the woman God made? // Eve
What did God use to create Eve? // One of Adam’s ribs
What is the big difference between animals and people? // People are made in God’s image

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/ELSFy6
Resources - http://goo.gl/qdoRZ3

January 1, 2017

OT 01 God Creates the Universe

Reference: Genesis 1

Story Summary:
   In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. He created it all in six days and made it all appear simply by speaking.
   On the first day, God created the light. He called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” On the second day, God separated the water on the earth, putting some in the sky and the rest on the earth. The water above the earth was called the “sky” and the water below, the “sea.”
   On the third day, God made land appear and filled it with all kinds of plants. On the fourth day, God created lights for the day and night: the sun, moon, and stars.
   On the fifth day, God created birds to fill the skies and fish to fill the seas. On the sixth day, God created animals to fill the land. He also created people, which we’ll read more about in our next lesson.
   After looking at all he made, God said that it was very good. And on the seventh day, he rested, not because he needed a break, but because he was finished with his work and wanted to teach us to rest, too.

Big Idea and Motions: God spoke and created everything in six days and it was good.
God - point up
Spoke - make your hand talk like a puppet
Created - pretend to mold something with your hands
Everything - gesture your arms in wide circles
Six - hold up six fingers
Good - two thumbs up

Verse / Motions: Genesis 1:1, ESV - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Beginning - place your palms together, then open them like a book
God - point up
Created - pretend to mold some playdough
Heavens - point up and jump
Earth - reach down and smack the floor

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who was around before everything was created? // God
What did God create on day 1? // The heavens, the earth, day, and night
What did God create on day 2? // He separated the sky and sea
What did God create on day 3? // Land and plants
What did God create on day 4? // The sun, moon, and stars
What did God create on day 5? // Birds and fish
What did God create on day 6? // Land animals and people
What did God do on day 7? // He rested
How did God create all these things? // He spoke and they happened
Why did God rest? Because he was tired? // He rested because he was done

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/NtC1Ie
Resources - http://goo.gl/MWHgNm