Celebrate With Joseph

W

EEK

5

Celebrate With Joseph

BIBLE POINT

God gives us a family.

SCRIPTURE

Joseph settles his family in Egypt. (Genesis 45:16—47:27)

BIBLE VERSE

“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26).

BIBLE BASIS

Up to this point, you’ve read about Joseph’s success in Egypt—his rise to fame and power. Yet it’s interesting to note that his heart seems to be with his family. Reread the previous passages, and count how many times you notice Joseph weeping over his mended relationship with his family. Joseph didn’t just forgive his brothers, he gave them a new life. The people living in Canaan, where Joseph’s family lived, suffered from the same famine that gripped Egypt. Joseph knew the famine would last five more years, and he also knew that he could provide for his family. In fact, Joseph told his brothers to leave their personal belongings behind, because Pharaoh promised them “the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.” He directed his brothers to Goshen, an area of about 900 square miles that was some of the finest land in Egypt. Jacob’s sons could live there as shepherds, enjoy Pharaoh’s good graces, and be closer to Joseph. In Egypt, the Israelites thrived! “There they acquired property, and they were fruitful, and their population grew rapidly” (Genesis 47:27). God is fervent about his desire for a relationship with us. After all, that’s why he sent Jesus! And when we begin a relationship with God, we become his children—children who are promised an eternal home with a family of believers. God wants to give us the best! An enormous “perk” of the Christian walk is that we join God’s family, so we don’t have to be alone. Use today’s activities to remind kids that they can celebrate being part of God’s family.

HANDS-ON WORSHIP

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YOU’LL NEED

• Bible • Hands-On Worship Sing & Play Music CD • Hands-On Worship Sing & Play Music Video DVD • CD player • DVD player • “God Sightings” poster • tape • markers (1 per Crew) • 3x5 cards (1 per Crew) • offering basket • chair

EASY PREP

Gather in Crews. If you have more than four children, form Crews of two or more children. Keep the Crews as consistent as possible week to week. Designate an older child as the Crew Leader in each Crew. Relationships will strengthen as the junior leaders get to know their Crew members, everyone will learn names, and all children will be able to share in discussion times. (See the introduction to this Leader Guide for more details.) Get ready for God Sightings. Each week, children will report their God Sightings to their Crew. Each Crew Leader will write the God Sightings on a 3x5 card and tape the card to the “God Sightings” poster. As the weeks progress, you may need to add another sheet of poster board to hold more God Sightings cards. (See the introduction to this Leader Guide for more details.)

BONUS IDEA: YOU’LL NEED • buckets of water (1 for every 8 children) • large, car-wash sponges (1 for every 4 children)

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WEEK 5: CELEBRATE WITH JOSEPH

SING & PLAY WELCOME

Play the Hands-On Worship Sing & Play Music CD or DVD in the background to create a welcoming atmosphere. As children arrive, have them gather with their Crews. If guests arrive, help them join Crews. Crew members can introduce themselves to each other and tell about their week. When you’re ready to begin, greet kids warmly. Say: We’re going to learn about Joseph today. But before we do, let’s sing a song of praise to our mighty, saving God. Through Jesus, God saved us so we can live forever with him! TRACK

8

Lead kids in singing “Mighty to Save.”

BIBLE VERSE AND SONG Say: I love our one true God—who’s mighty to save! God’s so good to his children. Today we’re going to learn that God gives us a family. (“Thank you, God!”) Lead kids in punching their fists in the air when they shout the response words. We’ll learn how Joseph helped his family come to live in Egypt. Hold up a Bible. Today’s Bible verse is from Galatians 3:26: “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Not only do we have our family on earth but we’re also part of God’s family! Teach Crew members these actions to help them remember the Bible verse. Have everyone spread their arms wide for “For you are all” and then raise their arms high for “children of God.” Have kids make prayer hands for “through faith in Christ Jesus.” Say: We’re all children of God when we believe in Jesus! Let’s celebrate by singing a song by that very name! Have children form a circle, and then have Crew Leaders and adults form a circle around them. At the end of the song, everyone will experience a huge group hug. TRACK

2

Lead everyone in singing “Children of God.”

HANDS-ON WORSHIP

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BIRTHDAYS AND GOD SIGHTINGS Say: You wonderful children of God sing so beautifully! We’re all children of God, and we want to celebrate that. We also want to celebrate some birthday people! Ask all children who have birthdays this upcoming week to come to the front. Let everyone take time to shake hands with them and say “Happy birthday! Glad you were born!” Say: We were all born to praise God who loves us so much. Let’s sing a song and use all that we are—our hands, feet, and voices—to praise God who loves all of his children so much!

Read a few of the God Sightings from the poster, and then hold up the offering basket. Say: You can be God Sightings to others through your offerings, too. The money you bring in will help others know how much our one true God loves them! Remind children about the outreach project the offering will go to at the end of the quarter, and collect the offering. Say: We can be God Sightings to everyone we meet. We want everyone to know how much our one true God loves us! Let’s sing a song of praise and thanksgiving to God!

TRACK

Have the birthday people lead everyone in singing.

TRACK

4

Lead kids in singing “All That I Am” (Psalm 103:1).

Say: You’re God Sightings to me! When you sing praises to God, you show me how much God loves me! Bring out the “God Sightings” poster, 3x5 cards, tape, and markers. Say: Each week, we’ve been looking for God Sightings—ways we see God loves us and is with us—all around us. God Sightings are evidence of the one true God all around us every day! Give a 3x5 card and marker to each Crew Leader. Ask kids to sit in a circle with their Crew and share God Sightings such as a seeing a tree with beautiful leaves or hearing praise music on the car radio. Allow time for Crews to share and for Crew Leaders to write on their Crew’s card. Have kids or Crew Leaders tape the cards to the “God Sightings” poster for everyone to see.

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WEEK 5: CELEBRATE WITH JOSEPH

1

Lead kids in singing “One True God.”

After the song, say: What an awesome song! We’ve been learning so much about our one true God. The Bible tells us that God was with Joseph all his life—through the good and the bad. Today we’ll learn how God helped Joseph bring his family from Canaan to Egypt. God gives us a family. (“Thank you, God!”)

BIBLE EXPERIENCE REUNITED

Sit on a chair and have everyone gather around you. Say: The famine—the shortage of food—wasn’t just in Egypt, it was everywhere! Joseph’s family back in Canaan heard that there was food that had been saved up in Egypt. So Joseph’s brothers decided to go to Egypt. When Joseph’s brothers got there, they saw Joseph but didn’t recognize him! Joseph decided to tell his brothers who he was. At first his brothers were worried. They remembered how they sold Joseph to be a slave. But now Joseph had all this power. Joseph told his brothers, “Don’t worry. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to save your lives.” Then Joseph wanted them to go get his dad! He wanted his whole family to live with him in Egypt! And that’s not all. When Pharaoh, the king, heard about Joseph’s family, he wanted to give them a good place to live. Pharaoh said Joseph’s brothers didn’t even need to pack because he’d give them the best of Egypt when they got there. “Just bring your wives and kids,” he said. Wow! Then Pharaoh told Joseph to load the brothers up with all kinds of good stuff. Pharaoh even gave them 20 donkeys, loaded down with things. Ask all Crew Leaders to get down on their hands and knees and be donkeys. Ask kids to pretend to load up the donkeys with “goods” while you keep talking. Pharaoh gave Joseph’s brothers new clothes. Then he gave them the finest stuff that was made in Egypt, plus all the food and supplies they’d need for the trip back to Canaan! Let the kids pat the donkeys now that they’re loaded up with “goods” and then have a quick race. On “go,” have the donkeys race on hands and knees from one side of the room to the other. Have kids cheer them on! As Joseph’s brothers left, he told them: “Don’t argue on the way back.”

HANDS-ON WORSHIP

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CHILDREN OF GOD Say: All this time, God gave Joseph hope when things were bad. God gave Joseph the special abilities to help Pharaoh and the wisdom to help the people in Egypt have enough food. And then when Joseph wasn’t very wise and did things to scare his brothers, God gave Joseph forgiveness. Isn’t God amazing? God gives us a family. (“Thank you, God!”) God gave Joseph his family again! Sit close to your Crew members and talk about this with them.

ASK: • What do you do to celebrate with your family? After a couple of minutes, ask several children to share with everyone. Say: God gives us a family. (“Thank you, God!”) Joseph was so happy, he wanted to celebrate. Maybe he was so happy that he felt like dancing! Let’s sing and celebrate with a song! TRACK

2

Lead kids in singing “Children of God.”

Say: Let’s head into prayer time and talk more about our families.

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WEEK 5: CELEBRATE WITH JOSEPH

PRAYER PLACE Say: Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s hard to be thankful for our families. But one thing we know for sure: When God gives us a family (“Thank you, God!”), God is at work with us through our families. Let’s see what that might look like. Have everyone form circles of 8 to 10 people. Say: Everyone grab the right hand of someone across from you in the circle. Don’t grab the hand of someone on either side of you. Wait while kids do this. Next, grab the left hand of another person in the circle—not the person on either side of you. Once everyone is connected in the circle, have them help each other untangle. They have to stay holding hands the entire time. Once circles untangle, have them get together with their Crews again.

Say: I’m so thankful that God gives us a family. (“Thank you, God!”) Not only do we have our family on earth but we’re also part of God’s family! You’re God Sightings to me. Thanks for your singing, your laughter, and your insights as we discussed today’s lesson. Remember to keep your eyes open and watch for more God Sightings. A God Sighting might be a family member helping you feel better when you’re sad, or you could be a God Sighting to family members by saying a mealtime prayer with them! We’ll talk about our God Sightings when we meet again next week. I can’t wait to hear how—and where—you see God. Give any other announcements, and then dismiss the children. Play the Hands-On Worship Sing & Play Music CD or DVD in the background while they leave.

ASK: • How did this game remind you of being a family? Say: No matter what our earthly family looks like, we’re all linked together in God’s family. We’re all God’s children. Have everyone join hands in a circle for a prayer. Pray: Dear God, thank you for linking us together. Please hear us as we pray about our families. Hear us as we give thanks or ask for help in working together on earth. Pause for each child to pray around the circle. If a child doesn’t want to pray, he or she can squeeze the next person’s hand. We thank you for giving us families on earth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

HANDS-ON WORSHIP

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BONUS IDEA CONE-HEADS When Joseph reunited with his brothers and his family from Canaan, there must have been many feasts and celebrations! Egyptian art shows rich men and women sitting at feasts and celebrations with a cone on top of their heads. Historians think that this was a perfume cone made of scented fat. As the greasy cones melted in the warm air, they gave off a sweet perfume! Play this game with your children as you talk about family reunion celebrations! 1. Form groups of four and have groups stand in single-file lines. Every two groups will need a bucket of water with two large, car-wash sponges in it. 2. Say: Pharaohs are wealthy, and they love to give elaborate feasts and celebrations. At these parties, Egyptian men and women wear perfumed cones of scented fat on their heads. As the feast goes on, heat melts the fat, which releases a scent over the person wearing it. Sweet! 3. Have everyone pretend the wet sponges are perfumed cones. One at a time, have the first people in line put a wet sponge on their head. (Give the sponge a squeeze so it’s not too drippy.) Have them walk across the room and back—without the sponge falling off. If it does fall off, they can pick it up and put it back on. 4. Continue until everyone gets to walk while wearing a wet sponge. Try again, walking faster and faster each time!

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WEEK 5: CELEBRATE WITH JOSEPH