1.12
date: Bible Passage: Exodus 12—15
(The Exodus, Part 2)
REMEMBER VERSE
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world
to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Ephesians 1:4
God Will Have Victory
Schedule
Anticipate
5–10 minutes
Celebrate & Respond
Large Group
35–55 minutes
Respond & Bless
Small Group
20–25 minutes
Environment: IDENTITY
This lesson highlights the environment of IDENTITY in how God
gained victory for His people and how we now have victory through
Jesus as His children.
© 2013 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
1.12
Inspire
N OT E S :
I was going through a time when I felt tormented by my own fear and loneliness. I
couldn’t sleep. I isolated myself from people. During that time, God fought for me.
He miraculously changed my mind and my heart. He healed my fears.
No matter what our circumstances may be, no matter what difficult things we
may face, God is with us. We see His deliverance, care, and love in our lives. God
can win the battles we fight inside our own minds, bodies, and emotions.
We’re often enslaved by our own sin, fear, worry, regret, or anger. But we have
good news: God has already won the battle against the consequences of sin.
Through Jesus, we’ve been freed and adopted into God’s family. Because of
Jesus, we’re children of God and will live with Him forever, freed from the pain
and brokenness of this world. As 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to
God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Tori Funkhouser
TruStory Team
© 2013 David C Cook
2
1.12
Equip
Before God won the victory for His people, God formed then into a special
nation—a nation loved by Him, fought for by Him, claimed by Him. By enacting
Passover, God was moving the Israelites from forced manual service under the
Egyptians to commanded spiritual service to the Almighty.
God gave the Israelites special rules for how to be a part of that family. He
instructed them on how to celebrate their deliverance once they sat safely in the
Promised Land—to celebrate Passover … “because of what the Lord did for
me when I came out of Egypt” (Exodus 13:8). God knew the deliverance of His
people from slavery was such a monumental event it would be the foundational
act of the nation.
After the mass exodus, the Israelites’ identity was forever changed. They were
finally a people free to celebrate. They were finally a people free to worship the
Lord. They were finally on their way to the Promised Land, where they would live
together as God’s chosen people. Now, they were free to celebrate Passover
together—year after year—as a way to remember together how God had won
the battle to free them.
© 2013 David C Cook
Environment
of IDENTITY
This environment highlights
who we are in Christ. According
to Ephesians 1, we have been
chosen, adopted, redeemed,
sealed, and given an inheritance
in Christ … all of which we did
nothing to earn. This conviction
allows children to stand firm
against the destructive counter
identities the world will offer.
The 10 Environments guide us
in creating a climate that puts
God on display. Encourage your
families to discover more about
creating the environment of
IDENTITY in their homes by
checking out HomeFront: A
Spiritual Parenting Resource
and Spiritual Parenting by
Michelle Anthony.
3
1.12
Support
In Exodus 15, we can read the songs written by Moses and Miriam (Moses and
Aaron’s sister) celebrating their deliverance from the Egyptians. In Exodus 15:20,
the Bible says that Miriam took a tambourine in her hand and danced with all of
the women and sang songs. In verse 21, she sang, “Sing to the Lord, for he is
highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”
& EVE
ADAM
H
NOA AHAM
ABR C
ISAA B
JACO PH
JOSE S
MOS EUA
JOSH
DAVID O N
SOLOM
400 YEAR S
I can imagine that this celebration at the side of the sea was unlike any
celebration we have ever experienced. God truly showed His power and His love
by winning the battle to free the Israelites from the Egyptians.
TIMELINE
OF WAITI NG
Just as the Israelites celebrated on the banks of the sea, celebrate with your
kids! Lead them into a time of joyful praise to the God who still wins the battle for
His people so we can be free to celebrate.
MARY
JOSEPH
JOHN THE BAPTIS T
J ESUS
CENTU RION
NICO DEM US
PET ER
LAZ AR US
PA UL
YOU &
OU R
© 2013 David C Cook
ME
FUTU
RE W
ITH J
E SUS
4
N OT E S :
Lesson Overview
Experience
Anticipate//
Small Group
Check-In
Celebrate//
Large Group
Time Summary
5–10
min.
Encourages interaction
among kids, leaders, and
parents; engages the kids in
curiosity and anticipation of
the lesson; and creates an
inviting atmosphere.
20–35 Establishes community and
min. tells stories both personal
and biblical in a fun and
engaging way.
1.12
Supplies/Prepare
(Master Supply List at tru.davidccook.com)
Option 1: Packing Up (for Younger Kids)
• Packing List (see tru.davidccook.com)
• pencils
Option 2: Do You Sea What I See?
(for Older Kids)
• Red Sea Facts (see tru.davidccook.com)
• tape
• pencils or pens
Traditions
• mementos for your church Traditions
(rocks, marbles, gumballs, etc.)
• Remember Verse cards, slide, and animation
(see tru.davidccook.com)
Connect Question
• Connect Question slide (see tru.davidccook.com)
Connect Activity: Act It Out
• Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com)
The Big God Story
• Bibles (1 per child)
• Timeline slide and animation (see tru.davidccook.com)
• boxing costume (can be purchased at
www.orientaltrading.com) or robe with belt
• images: Egyptian in chariot, walls of water
crashing down in Red Sea
(see tru.davidccook.com)
• sound effects: advancing army, crashing water
(see tru.davidccook.com)
• optional: boxing gloves, video of Moses parting
the Red Sea in The Prince of Egypt movie
N OT E S :
*To make metric conversions, search the Internet for a metric conversion chart or calculator.
© 2013 David C Cook
5
N OT E S :
Lesson Overview
Experience
Time Summary
Respond//
15–20 Creates space for children
min. to respond to the Holy Spirit
in worship and community
as a large group.
Large Group
Respond//
Small Group
Bless//
Small Group
15–20 Discusses truth, reflects
min. on the lesson, engages in
relationships, and creates
a project or a piece of art
individually or together.
5 min.
1.12
Supplies/Prepare
(Master Supply List at tru.davidccook.com)
• instruments (tambourines, maracas, trumpets,
cymbals, etc.)
• optional: “Shackles,” Mary Mary
Reflect: God Will Have Victory
• Bibles (1 per child)
Engage: Red Sea Run
• chairs (at least 20)
• blue sheets or tarps (2)
• medium-sized plastic bins or crates (2)
• various stuffed animals, random household
objects, and/or plastic food (3–10 items per child)
• optional: printable images of sea creatures
(see tru.davidccook.com), tape
Sends the kids out with a
• Bible
sense of peace and blessing • HomeFront Weekly (1 per child; tru.davidccook.com)
so they can be a blessing to • HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource
their families and others.
(1 per family; tru.davidccook.com or
www.HomeFrontMag.com)
N OT E S :
*To make metric conversions, search the Internet for a metric conversion chart or calculator.
© 2013 David C Cook
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ANTICI PATE | C E LE B RATE | R E S P O N D | B LE S S
SMALL Group
1.12
SECTION
Anticipate//
5–10 min.
Small Group Leaders
An energizing time
for parents and kids
to start engaging with
the material that will
be presented in the
lesson.
It is intentionally
designed to spark
curiosity and cultivate
a sense of awe and
wonder about God.
Encourage parents to
participate in this time
with their kids.
In today’s portion of The Big God Story we’ll hear about God’s victory over Pharaoh as He
freed His people. The Israelites hurriedly packed up as much as they could carry and fled
into the desert, where they eventually witnessed a massive miracle at the Red Sea.
Option 1: Packing Up (for Younger Kids)
SUPPLIES
• Packing List (see tru.davidccook.com)
• pencils
SET UP
Print one Packing List for each child.
ENGAGE
Today we’ll hear about a group of people who started a very long journey. Before
we hear today’s portion of The Big God Story, let’s spend some time imagining
we’re taking our own journey. If you had to leave for a very long time, what would
you pack and why?
Give each child a copy of the Packing List and a pencil. Then encourage them to
think through the questions and write down their responses. After a few moments, invite
volunteers to share their lists with the rest of the group.
Option 2: Do You Sea What I See?
(for Older Kids)
SUPPLIES
• Red Sea Facts (see tru.davidccook.com)
• tape
• pencils or pens
SET UP
Print the Red Sea Facts and tape them around the room.
ENGAGE
As kids arrive, give each one a pencil or pen. Invite them to walk around the room and
look at the Red Sea Facts. At each sheet they will read the prompt, guess which answer
best fits the question, and write their answers on the blank sheet.
Once the kids have had time to make their guesses for each sheet, bring them
together and go through the answers. To make this more fun, you might ask the children
to move to specific areas of the room based on the answers they wrote down.
© 2013 David C Cook
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ANTI C I PATE |
CE LE B RATE | R E S P O N D | B LE S S
LARGE Group
1.12
SECTION
Celebrate//
20–35 min.
Host/Storyteller
Kids get to be a part
of the faith community
of God’s family.
They participate in
traditions and share
them with newcomers,
connect through fun
and interaction, and
experience The Big
God Story through
Storytelling.
Welcome and Traditions
REMEMBER VERSE
This week’s Remember Verse comes from the environment of IDENTITY, which says “I
belong to God, and He loves me!” The environment changes every four weeks.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the
world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Ephesians 1:4
Connect
Question
What’s your favorite story in which the “good guy” wins in the end?
Activity: Act It Out
SUPPLIES
• Connect Activity slide (see tru.davidccook.com)
Hoppin’ High Fives
A Community Tradition
Have the children hop on one
foot and give as many high fives
as they can to other children
before putting their other foot
down for balance. Each time
they give someone a high five,
they should say, “High five,
[child’s name]!”
© 2013 David C Cook
ENGAGE
As the children introduce themselves to new friends, invite them to briefly share their
favorite story in which the good guy wins in the end and then act out that crucial scene.
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ANTI C I PATE |
CE LE B RATE | R E S P O N D | B LE S S
1.12
N OT E S :
The Big God Story
Leader Tip
Before sharing this part of The Big God Story, tell your kids they’re about to hear a true
story that’s recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to Exodus 12, and invite children to
follow along in their own Bibles as you storytell.
Ponder Point: God Will Have Victory
Storytelling Technique: Images, Creative Monologue
Bible Passage: Exodus 12—15
SUPPLIES
• Bibles (1 per child)
• Timeline slide and animation (see tru.davidccook.com)
• boxing costume (can be purchased at www.orientaltrading.com) or robe with belt
• images: Egyptian army chasing Israelites, walls of water crashing down
(see tru.davidccook.com)
• sound effects: advancing army, crashing water (see tru.davidccook.com)
• optional: boxing gloves, video of Moses parting the Red Sea in The Prince of Egypt
movie
PREPARE AHEAD
For today’s lesson you will begin the Storytelling time by acting like you’re a boxer. If
possible, wear a boxer costume or a robe with a belt tied around your waist and some hightop sneakers. If you have boxing gloves available, put those on your hands.
ENGAGE
Storyteller walks onstage, in character, dressed as a boxer and punching and weaving
around as if in a boxing ring. As this happens, the Storyteller talks to himself as if he’s
the announcer—introducing himself and giving a play-by-play of his boxing moves. For
example: “In the right corner, weighing in at 175 pounds, hailing from Los Angeles, the best
boxer in the world! He gives a left swing and hits his opponent square in the jaw! He ducks,
just barely missing the blow. He takes one more swing, and boom! His opponent is down!
He has won! He is victorious!”
Storyteller then becomes aware of the audience and stops abruptly, wiping sweat from
his brow.
© 2013 David C Cook
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ANTI C I PATE |
CE LE B RATE | R E S P O N D | B LE S S
1.12
The Big God Story
N OT E S :
Phew! I didn’t see you there. Sorry about that. I sometimes pretend I’m a world
renowned boxer, and (pretending to throw punches again) I’m undefeated! Nobody
can beat me! In every battle, I’m victorious. But, anyway … (taking off boxing gloves)
that reminds me of a story …
As we heard last week, the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians—for 400 years!
But God promised to set them free, and He proved He alone was God by sending 10
plagues on the Egyptians: frogs, gnats, flies, hail, boils and other icky stuff. Today’s
part of The Big God Story starts right after Pharaoh let the Israelites go. Pharaoh’s
firstborn son died in the final plague. Pharaoh was heartbroken, angry, and fed up.
Let’s turn in our Bibles to Exodus 12:31. Pharaoh said, “Up! Leave … Go, worship
the Lord as you have requested” (v. 31). So they up and went!
God began to lead Moses and the Israelites into the desert. Not much time
passed before Pharaoh changed his mind and said (dramatize this section by acting
exasperated), “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their
services!” (Exodus 14:5). So Pharaoh prepared his chariots (show image of Egyptian
in chariot) and called his army, and together they chased after the Israelites.
Meanwhile, God led the people through the wilderness. Exodus 13:21 (invite kids
to follow along in their Bibles) says, “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of
cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.”
I’m not exactly sure what a pillar of cloud or fire looks like, but I bet it was pretty
spectacular! God led the Israelites to camp between two mountains, in front of a
big sea. God warned Moses, “[Pharaoh] will pursue them. But I will gain glory for
myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the
Lord” (Exodus 14:4).
Imagine the Israelites standing with their families, friends, animals, and
possessions—trapped at the edge of a sea! Then, imagine the Israelites looking
up into the distance, seeing thousands of soldiers heading their way! The Israelites
got scared and began to panic, and they wondered if they made the right choice
in following Moses. They thought anything—even slavery—was better than death.
So the Israelites stood there, trapped, watching the Egyptian army getting
closer and closer. (Play sound effect of advancing army.) But Moses said to
them, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the
Lord will bring you today. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still”
(vv. 13–14).
God told Moses, “Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide
the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground” (v. 16). Moses
obeyed, and God sent a strong wind to blow, and blow, and blow on the waters.
© 2013 David C Cook
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ANTI C I PATE |
CE LE B RATE | R E S P O N D | B LE S S
1.12
The Big God Story
N OT E S :
God’s pillar of cloud, as well as an angel of the Lord, stood between the Israelites
and the Egyptian army all night until the path was clear and the Israelites could
walk through the sea on dry ground. (Show optional video clip from The Prince of
Egypt.) The Bible says the Israelites walked through “with a wall of water on their
right and on their left” (v. 22).
When the Egyptians went after the Israelites, God threw the army into chaos
and made the wheels of their chariots get stuck. The Egyptians said, “Let’s get
away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them” (v. 25). And when all of
the Israelites reached the other side of the shore—to safety—God told Moses to
stretch out his hand again, and the walls of water came crashing down! Millions and
millions—maybe even billions and billions—of gallons of water came rushing back
over the pursuing Egyptians. (Play sound effect of crashing water and show image of
walls of water.) The whole army was buried in the sea!
After that, the Bible says “the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him”
(v. 31). Of course they did! God had just done an amazing miracle right before their
eyes! God had saved them from the Egyptians a second time. God had won the
battle. He had fought for and freed His children. He was victorious! The Israelites
were so happy they began to celebrate and praise God by singing, dancing, and
playing instruments.
But God won the biggest victory of all through Jesus. Jesus, God’s Son, came to
earth, died for our sins, and rose again—claiming victory over sin and death! And
when we trust and obey Jesus, we’re adopted into God’s family. We become His
children, and He fights for us even today. Has God won the victory in a battle in your
life? (Share a personal story about a time you saw God have the victory.)
© 2013 David C Cook
11
ANTI C I PATE | C E LE B RATE |
R E S P ON D | B LE S S
LARGE Group
1.12
SECTION
Respond//
15–20 min.
Host/Worship Leader
This time allows kids
to worship through
silence, prayer,
singing, giving,
sharing, thanksgiving,
and other ways.
Make plans for your
worship time, but
prepare yourself and
your team to hold
them loosely if the
Holy Spirit leads the
group in a different
direction.
SUPPLIES
• instruments (tambourines, maracas, trumpets, cymbals, etc.)
• optional: “Shackles,” Mary Mary (available on iTunes or www.amazon.com)
ENGAGE
Tell a story of a time when something really great happened and you celebrated. Tell
how and why you celebrated. Then let the kids know that we are going to celebrate God
together—through song, dance, and with instruments!
After the Israelites were saved from the Egyptians, Moses and Miriam, wrote a
praise song, and they sang to the Lord. We are going to read some of this praise
song. When we do, we’ll cheer and celebrate together with our instruments!
The same God who freed and saved the Israelites has also freed and saved us.
Through Jesus, God won the ultimate battle in our lives: the battle over sin and
death! So let’s celebrate!
Have each child grab an instrument. Ask them to hold the instruments quietly in
anticipation of the celebration. Bring all of the leaders up front to lead the kids into the
celebration and model it for them. Let kids know they will cheer altogether once you have
finished reading each sentence of this song! Optional: Afterward, sing “Shackles” and
allow the kids to dance, sing, and praise God with their instruments.
Read Moses and Miriam’s song in Exodus 15:1–4, 11, 18:
“I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. (Everyone cheers and makes noise
with their instruments.) Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. (Everyone
cheers and makes noise with their instruments.) The Lord is my strength and my
defense; he has become my salvation. (Everyone cheers and makes noise with their
instruments.) He is my God, and I will praise him… (Everyone cheers and makes
noise with their instruments.) The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. (Everyone
cheers and makes noise with their instruments.) Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he
has hurled into the sea. (Everyone cheers and makes noise with their instruments.)
Who among the gods is like you, Lord? (Everyone cheers and makes noise with their
instruments.) Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working
wonders? The Lord reigns for ever and ever.” (Everyone cheers and makes noise with
their instruments.)
© 2013 David C Cook
12
ANTI C I PATE | C E LE B RATE |
R E S P ON D | B LE S S
SMALL Group
1.12
SECTION
Respond//
Small Group Leaders
A time to engage in
relationship, reflect
on the lesson with
spiritual conversation,
and/or create a
meaningful project or
piece of art.
N OT E S :
15–20 min.
Reflect: God Will Have Victory
By parting the Red Sea, God saved His people and won the battle against the
Egyptians. After God won the battle with the Egyptians for the Israelites, God’s
people celebrated! (Encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the suggested
passages.)
Questions for Younger Kids
Read Exodus 14:5–9 to the kids while they follow along in their Bibles, or ask a few
volunteers to read the verses.
• How do you think the Israelites felt when they saw Pharaoh’s army coming?
• What would you have done in that situation?
• How did the Israelites celebrate after God rescued them? (Exodus 15:1)
• What do you think it means to completely trust in the Lord?
Questions for Older Kids
• How did the Israelites celebrate after God rescued them? (Exodus 15:1)
• What do you think it means to completely trust in the Lord?
• How does hearing about God’s victory at the Red Sea make you feel about Him?
• When has God won a battle in your life?
• Is there a battle in your life that you need God to win?
Engage: Red Sea Run
SUPPLIES
• chairs (at least 20)
• blue sheets or tarps (2)
• medium-sized plastic bins or crates (2)
• various stuffed animals, random household objects, and/or plastic food
(3-10 items per child)
• optional: printable images of sea creatures (see tru.davidccook.com), tape
Resource Tip
“Science Experiments” activities are
available for this lesson. Premium,
Unlimited, and Combo users may
access this resource at
tru.davidccook.com.
SET UP
Line up two rows of chairs parallel to one another, creating a tunnel of chairs with the
backs facing inward, and place a blue sheet or tarp on top. Repeat this process on the
other side of the room, creating another tunnel with a blue sheet on top. Divide the
stuffed animals, plastic food, and household objects evenly between the two bins or
crates, and place each bin at the beginning of one of the tunnels. Optional: Print and cut
out photos of sea creatures and attach them to the inside of the chair tunnel.
ENGAGE
Welcome the children to the activity area and divide them into two teams.
© 2013 David C Cook
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R E S P ON D | B LE S S
1.12
N OT E S :
When Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go, they gathered their things and quickly
left. They didn’t have a minute to spare! As you might remember, it didn’t take long
before Pharaoh changed his mind. He gathered his armies and set out to catch
the Israelites. Right before the Israelites could be captured, God told Moses to
hold his staff over the Red Sea. The waters parted, allowing the Israelites to walk
across on dry ground!
Today we’re going to pretend that we’re the Israelites. Each of these “tunnels”
represents the Red Sea, parted in two, allowing the Israelites to cross safely.
You’re going to race the opposing team to see which team can cross safely first.
But don’t forget: The Israelites weren’t empty-handed; they had all of their animals
and belongings too!
Have each team line up at the beginning of a tunnel. Explain that each child will have
to carry as many items as possible through the tunnel. After that child exits the tunnel, the
next child can go. The first team to move all of its people and items through the tunnel
wins the game.
© 2013 David C Cook
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ANTI C I PATE | C E LE B RATE | R E S P O N D |
B LE S S
SMALL Group
1.12
SECTION
Bless//
5 min.
Small Group Leaders
As you bless your kids, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others.
Encourage them to freely share the joy and love they have received from God.
A blessing can
be a prayer of
commission, a portion
of Scripture, or words
of encouragement or
guidance.
Blessings can be
offered in order to
ask God’s Spirit to
overflow from the
child’s life to bless
others or prayed over
a child for the purpose
of declaring God’s
protection, joy, or
wisdom.
Open a Bible and read Psalm 98:1, 4–9a:
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand
and his holy arm have worked salvation for him … Shout for joy to the Lord, all
the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the
harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the
ram’s horn—shout for joy before the Lord, the King. Let the sea resound, and
everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let
the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for he comes
to judge the earth.
May you know, deep in your heart, that you are God’s child. May you have
confidence that He will fight for you.
Finally, have the children repeat this blessing over one another: “[Child’s name], may
you always be aware of God’s victory in your life.”
HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the
HomeFront Weekly for next week’s lesson! This
preteaching tool for parents encourages families to
spend time in God’s Word together before children
arrive at church.
HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource:
This magazine gives families ideas for creating fun,
spiritually forming times in their homes—setting aside a
sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday
lives! As the new issue becomes available each month, you
may choose to print them for families or encourage them
to visit www.HomeFrontMag.com to subscribe to have the
magazine sent directly to their inbox. HomeFront is also
available as an app for your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.
© 2013 David C Cook
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