WELCOME TO WEEK 3

Have you ever needed to be brave? Sometimes we need help being brave and having courage. It’s easier to be brave when we know that we have someone big on our side who can protect us. This week we will see 3 boys who are very brave and stand up for what is right, even in the face of great danger.

Daniel 3

BIBLE STORY

Let’s watch this video of a story reading of the book “Hilda Hen’s Scary Night”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J36sLUt9ivE

In this book Hilda Hen is afraid of many things. She is trying to get home and has to be brave to make it across the field to her henhouse. She thinks she sees lots of scary things, did you see what they were? Have you ever had to have courage and do something you thought would be very scary? Were you able to do it? Was it as scary as you thought it would be? Do you think God gives us courage when we need it? This week our story is about 3 Hebrew boys who needed courage to stand up for what was right.

Let’s read or listen to our story in  Daniel 3

What did King Nebuchadnezzar build? (An image made of gold)

What did the king every person should do when the music began to play? (Bow down and worship the golden image)

When the King gave Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego another chance to bow dow, what did they respond? (That their God was able to save them from the furnace but even if he didn’t, they would not serve any other God)

What happened after the boys were thrown into the furnace? (The soldiers died from the heat but the 3 boys walked around inside the furnace with a 4th person)

Who did King Nebuchadnezzar say the 4th person in the furnace looked like? (The son of gods)

After the King had the boys brought out of the furnace what did he decree? (That no one was to speak against the God of Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego or they would be cut into pieces.

BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY

In our story this week, the 3 Hebrew boys were willing to be thrown into the fire instead of bowing down to the idol. They knew that God was bigger and greater than any thing and they only wanted to serve him. They knew God was powerful enough to save them, but even if He didn’t, He was still worthy to be served.

Activity

Play this game of memory matching the cards that are related to this weeks story. As you turn over the cards, ask your child how the picture is related to the story or to retell parts of the story. 

Materials: Printed memory game

Alternative:

Retell the story of the 3 Hebrew boys while using play dough. With play dough make the 3 Hebrew boys, the king, the large statue, and the firepit. Demonstrate how to retell the story, as you retell the story change the statue into the number 7 to represent how much hotter the pit was made. Then change the seven (which represents perfection) into Jesus walking with them in the firepit. Allow your child time to then retell the story using the playdough figures.

Materials: play dough

independent:

Watch the following demonstration video of the 3 Hebrew boys. Complete the demonstration if desired but only with a parent.

Materials: Cardboard, Lighter, alcohol, person template traced on cardboard, shallow bowl

ARTS & CAFTS

CRAFT 1

Print the coloring image, color the picture, and then cut out the picture. To make the fire pit, use a half sheet of black paper and color a brick wall using a white crayon or chalk. Then glue on the cut-out coloring page to the bottom center of the wall. Next, cut out strips of “fire” using red, orange and yellow construction paper or tissue paper. Then glue on the strips of fire to the bottom  of the page in front of Jesus and the three boys.

Materials: printed coloring image, red, orange and yellow construction paper or tissue paper, glue

CRAFT 2

Coloring Page

Materials: Coloring sheet printout, Crayons or Markers

FOLLOW-UP

In our story today we learned about 3 Hebrew boys who all chose to follow God. They had courage to stand up for what they knew was right. God gave them the courage to do the right thing and they were able to stand together. Let’s go on a hunt for things around our house that come in a set of 3. Walk around the house finding anything that is in a group of 3.

Have you ever been afraid of anything?

Have you ever done something that was scary?

Do you think God gave you the courage to do that scary thing?

What are some things God might ask you to have courage to do, for Him?

Practical Application at Home

God asks us to have courage to stand up for him, but He is the one that can give us that courage. Think of some ways you can have courage this week.

-Be kind to someone who has not been kind to you

-Make a friend with someone who doesn’t look like you

-Try your best at something new that might be hard

-Choose not to follow your friends who are not making good choices

-Stick up for someone who is being picked on

-Be friends with someone who no one else is becoming friends with

-Tell someone you forgive them for doing something wrong to you.

-Tell a friend who doesn’t go to your church, about your church and why you like it

Additional Resources

Outings to Reinforce Lesson

Go to a park and spend time in worship and prayer. Ask God to show you ways to trust him and listen to his voice.