Lesson Focus “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)
Today’s Bible Lesson: The account of the flood in the Bible is very plain and straightforward. The story is not only told because it is startling or interesting but also because it is an incident in the history of redemption.
After the fall, God gave the world a new beginning, but soon wickedness increased until there remained but one righteous man, Noah. Adam and Eve had yielded to an outward temptation, but now people had yielded to temptation which was within. “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.” (Genesis 6:5). Evil had threatened to destroy everything that was good. God had been long-suffering in His patience with people. Noah had warned his peers for 120 years while he was building the ark, but God’s mercies were refused and so the wicked people had to perish. God was going to separate the righteous from the wicked. He was taking the first step toward a chosen nation.
Who was Noah? He was not a sailor or a carpenter but a farmer, a man of the soil (Genesis 9:20). God did not choose him for his boat-building skills! But in the New Testament Peter tells us this farmer was also a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). And Genesis 6:9 says that he was blameless and the he walked with God. God used Noah for this very reason: he was obedient. Noah never tried to second-guess God’s instructions; he simply did everything just as God commanded as a reflection of his love and faith in the Lord of life.
Bible Story Noah Genesis 6-9
Read from your Bible. Ask students to find it in a Bible too. Those that can read can follow along. Choose the passages you would like to read aloud. Use visuals to help tell the story.
This week we will learn about a man who did obey God. His name was Noah.
God loved the people of the world, but they began loving things and people first, instead of God. God was so upset that He decided to destroy the world. (Genesis 6:5-7) However, He looked down and saw Noah. “The Lord was pleased with Noah.” (Genesis 6:8 NIrV) Noah was a man who loved God. God decided to let Noah and his family live.(Genesis 6:9-13)
God told Noah to build a big boat called an ark. It was almost as big as two football fields put together! (Genesis 6:14-16)
Noah gathered lots of wood and starting building the ark. Many of the people started laughing at him because they thought he was crazy building an ark on dry land. While he was building the ark, “Noah preached the right way to live.” (II Peter 2:5 NIrV) The people had time to choose to follow God while Noah was building the ark. Finally, the ark was finished.
Then, God told Noah to bring two of each animal and put them on the ark. God said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because you have followed Me.” Then God shut the door. And everyone waited.
Suddenly, drop, drop, drippity drop, the rain began to fall. The people probably started knocking on the side of the ark. “Let us in, it’s starting to flood!” they might have screamed. (Genesis 6:17-22) God kept Noah and his family safe. (II Peter 2;5)
God sent the rain nonstop for 40 days and 40 nights (that’s over a month!) It covered the whole earth. (Genesis 7:14-18) Then God sent a wind over the earth. After 280 days, Noah opened the window and sent a black bird, called a raven. The bird flew around, but could not find a place to land, so the bird returned to Noah. Noah sent a white dove next, God told Noah to come out of the ark. (Genesis 8:10-12)
When they opened the ark, the world was beautiful. Everything was pretty and green. The animals must have been so excited to finally get back on land!
When Noah stepped on dry land, he made a special monument, an altar, to God. He thanked God for saving him and his family. (Genesis 8:13-22)
God made a promise with Noah. He told Noah that he would never destroy the world again with a flood. To make sure all people remembered that promise, God made a beautiful rainbow in the sky. It is a sign from God to promise that He will never flood the world again. (Genesis 9:8-17)
Noah obeyed God and built an ark. When the flood waters came, God saved Noah and his family but the flood destroyed everything on the earth. Noah preached to people of his day. But they chose not to follow God. God gives us the rainbow to remind us of His promise.
God made another promise to all of us. He sent His only Son, Jesus, so that we can have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Review Questions 1. What did God think of Noah? (God was pleased with Noah.) 2. What did God tell Noah to do? (Build an ark) 3. What did Noah do? (Noah obeyed God, built an ark, preached) 4. What did God do? (God kept Noah and his family safe during the flood.)
Think about it -- Talk about how God keeps His promises. Talk about how we can keep our promises this week.
Noah preached to the people who made fun of him for building the ark. Talk about the importance of telling others about Jesus.
Bible Challenge Read this passage from your Bible. Ask students to locate it in a Bible too. Help them learn this verse.
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)
What are some ways we can obey God to show we love Him? Ask students to stand in a circle, students repeat words of John 14:15 in clockwise order around the circle. When you clap your hands, students repeat words in counterclockwise order. Continue, with students reversing the order in which they are repeating the verse each time you clap your hands.
Rainbow Art Supplies: Small containers for colored water Four colors of liquid water color Coffee filters – 1 per student Newspapers or table cloths to cover tables
Pour water into containers, filling about ½ way. Put drops of liquid water color into containers – making sure the water is saturated with color. Cover tables.
Lead the activity: Students fold coffee filters in half and then in half again. Each student takes a turn to dip a corner or section of the filter into a container of color, holding it for just a few seconds….you don’t want wet, soggy filters!) Repeat process several more times, allowing the colors to mix. Students open filters and set aside to dry.
You can use eye droppers instead of dipping.
Games Game 1: Two-by-Two Relay Bible Focus: Genesis 6:9—9:17
Materials Bibles, index cards, marker
Lead the Game Noah showed his love for God by obeying Him and building the ark. The animals even obeyed by getting on board! Let’s play a game about the animals getting on board the ark.
What kinds of animals came on the ark with Noah? Write each animal students suggest on a separate index card. (You may also prepare cards ahead of time.) Mix order of cards and place in a stack.
The animals came onto the ark in pairs. Students line up in pairs. (If you have an uneven number of students, form one or more trios.)
Each pair of students takes a card and quickly decides an action to imitate the animal on their card (arms down in front of face like the trunk of an elephant, hopping for a rabbit or frog, etc.).
At your signal, each pair links arms and moves across the playing area in the manner chosen. When they get to the other side of the playing area, pair stands up and makes the noise of their animal and then returns to line in the same manner.
If you have time, shuffle the cards and play again so that each student gets a chance to imitate more than one kind of animal. Students change partners for each round of the game.
Discussion Questions 1. What animal would you most like to be? Why? 2. What animal did you have the most fun acting like? 3. Noah obeyed God by building an ark. What are some ways a kid your age can obey God?
Game 2: Slow-Motion Relay Bible Focus: Genesis 6-9 Materials Bibles, masking tape, two chairs, children’s music CD and player
Preparation Set up a relay course: Make a starting line with masking tape on one side of the room and place two chairs (or other objects) on the other side of the room for students to move around during race.
Lead the Game Divide class into two equal groups. Each group lines up behind masking tape line for a relay race. At your signal, first person in each line walks quickly to the other side of the room, around a chair and back to tag the next person in line.
Periodically, play a song from the CD. While music is playing, students must turn around and walk backwards in slow motion.
First team to finish relay chooses one person to answer the following question: When is a time kids your age need to trust in God’s power?How did Noah display His trust in God’s power?
Repeat game as time permits. Option For variety, change ways students move across the room while the music is playing (walk, hop, crawl, tiptoe, etc.).
Science Experiment Experiment 1: Soap Rainbows Here's how to make soap rainbows with your hands! First get your hands good and soapy over the sink. Then place your palms together. Pull your hands slowly apart. Make sure that your thumbs and index fingers don't lose contact with each other. Check out the cool swirling colors!
Experiment 2: Homemade Bubble Solution and Bubble Wands Equipment: Corn Syrup, water, liquid dishwashing detergent, pipe cleaners. Safety: Don't spill it on the rug or furniture. How to do the experiment: Fill bucket ½ full of water. Add approximately ½ cup corn syrup and 2 cups of soap. Mix with hands. Exact proportions are not crucial. Experiment. Make pipe cleaner frames of different shapes and dip in solution. DO THIS OUTSIDE!!!
Closing: Pray: Dear God, thank you for loving me and taking care of me. Thank you for sending Jesus to be my Savior. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Blessing:May God, who is all around you, Beginning at the bottom of the circle, slowly pour his love upon you.make a large circle with your hands. Finish by bringing your hands down and wiggling the fingers to resemble rain.) And Jesus, his life a sacrifice,Slowly make a large sign of the cross. Then walk right there beside you.move your hands out to the sides. And may God’s Holy Spirit, Cross your hands over the heart. the one who lives inside you, keep you strong, Move to a “strong man” position. Then comfort, lead and guide you!cross your arms with the hands on corresponding upper arms to communicate comfort. Bring one hand forward with “lead” and the other with “guide” to complete the blessing.)
