BELIEVE
WELCOME TO WEEK 2
Do you obey your parents 100% of the time? Do you want to obey your parents all the time? It’s good to trust your parents and know that they want what is best for you. When we trust our parents it makes it easier to obey them. We can feel the same way about God. When we trust that God wants what is best for us, it is easier to obey Him, even when we don’t understand. This week we will see a woman who does just that; trusts and obeys!
BIBLE STORY
Demonstrate volume by filling smaller containers from one large pitcher filled with water.
Which pitcher has more space in it, this one large pitcher or the smaller cups? Of course the larger pitcher has more space because I was able to fill several small cups from this one pitcher. But eventually the water in this larger pitcher will come to an end and I won’t have any more left to pour. This week we will hear a story about oil that did not stop pouring! When the woman thought for sure the oil would be finished, it kept coming just as God had said! How amazing! This woman trusted what God told her and then she obeyed. We are also called to obey God and also our parents. When we obey we are able to see the goodness of God. Let’s read in our story to see what help the woman in the story needed and received.
Let’s read the Bible story for the week: II Kings 4:1-7
What fit the widows husband do for a living previously? ( he was a prophet)
What was wrong with the widow? (Her husband was dead and his collectors are coming after her for their money)
What did Elisha tell her to do? (Borrow oil jars from neighbors and friends then fill them with oil)
When she filled the last jar in her home with oil, what happened to the oil? (It stopped flowing)
What did Elisha tell her to do with the oil? (go sell the jars of oil to pay off the debt)
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
Activity
The widow listened and obeyed God through the voice of Elijah, and we are called to obey our dad, mom and God too! When we practice obeying our Dad and mom, we can be ready to obey God when He calls us. Let’s practice obeying right now. Print and cut out the list of commands, place them in a bowl to pull out and then have your child obey them. Praise their obedience and extra praise if they obey immediately. Reinforce how it is important to obey your parents just as we are to obey God.
Do 3 jumping jacks
Run to the door and back
Close your eyes
Find 3 books
Bring your favorite color crayon
Take 1 bite of your least favorite vegetable
Take a bite of your favorite fruit
Give someone in the room a hug or high 5
Tell your favorite memory verse
Try to do the splits
Materials: printed command sheet, scissors, small bowl
Alternate
Have a large vase or non-transparent container filled with small pom-poms or cotton balls. Have your child gather as many cups or plastic cups/containers as they can within a time limit of 1 minute. Retell the story of Elisha and the widow. While telling the story have your child pull out a pom-pom or cotton ball to place in each cup or container. The widow had faith that Elisha was giving her a word from God. She trusted God and obeyed what she was asked to do, and witnessed a miracle. God used something small to answer her big problem and prayer. We can have faith in God too!
Materials: large vase, many small cups/containers
Independent activity:
Complete the following activity sheet
Materials: printed activity sheet, pencil, crayons
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Complete this spin wheel of the widow pouring oil into her jars.
Materials: handprint, construction paper, scissors, brad fastener
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
FOLLOW-UP
How did the widow show faith in God?
Was her husband a believer in God?
Did her husbands faith help her have faith as well?
In what way did the widow physically demonstrate her faith?
Did Elisha solve her problem by fixing the problem for her or handing her thee money she needed?
How does this story help us continue to demonstrate our faith with actions and not just words?
How do faith and obedience go hand in hand?
Practical Application at Home
Paul prayed for his new friends with new faith. He knew that it can be hard to keep the faith and not become discouraged. We can help others, whether their faith is new or old, by continuing to pray for them. We can pray they stay encouraged and strong in their faith. We can ask for God to help us as well. We can live a life that demonstrates our faith in God by dedicating our lives and choices to Him daily. In Colossians 1:10 Paul prays the believers are filled with God’s Spirit so they may live lives worthy of the Lord. Their lives would then be a demonstration of the presence of God’s Spirit because they would live in a way that pleases God in every way, they would do good works and grow in the knowledge of God.
We can think of ways our lives are a demonstration of God’s Spirit in us by how we live our lives. Complete the following handout and write ways to please God in every way, do good works, and grow in knowledge of God.
Additional Resources
Outings to Reinforce Lesson
Enjoy the cool weather and take a nature walk. Observe the things God created and how they work together in His plan. What part do each of us play in God’s plan for us?