God is Almighty (November 20 in KidQuest)

This week in KidQuest, we are going to fast forward a little to the life of Samuel. Samuel is an amazing figure in the Old Testament from his birth all the way to his death! This year we are going to spend some time looking at his life in KidQuest and discover how god used him.


God is mighty to save, mighty to heal, and mighty to love! Hannah called God the “Lord Almighty.” This was the first time this name for God was used in Scripture, though it was used many times afterward. “Lord Almighty” is translated Jehovah Tsaba, which means “Lord of Hosts.” The mood of this word in the Hebrew language describes a person who would go first or “before” into battle and fight for you—someone who is mighty and you would want to follow. It is interesting that this name—Lord of Hosts—first appears when Hannah cries out to God during her vow to dedicate her unborn child back to Him.

At the time of her prayer, Hannah had no idea God would answer her anguished cries and not only give her the child she prayed for, but also give her a child who would eventually lead Israel into a new era in which godly leaders modeled obedience to God for the people. Her son’s name was Samuel. It was Samuel who would anoint David, God’s choice for a king, the lineage from whom Jesus Christ would someday ascend.

In this way, God was not only mighty to answer Hannah’s prayers and give her a child, but also mighty to accomplish His purposes as a Sovereign ruler who went before His people into new life. Here, God’s plan for Israel’s future redemption met with Hannah’s anguished and righteous cry for a son.

So in this pivotal moment of Israel’s history, between the time of the judges and the monarchy, God granted Hannah’s request and brought forth the next step in His plan for His people—in which Samuel led the people as an obedient servant of God. God was mighty to use Samuel to usher in a new era for His people, and did so by answering the prayer of a barren woman of faith.

June 26 in KidQuest and FirstLook

KIDQUEST

In Acts 3, we hear about how God used Peter to heal the crippled beggar. Peter healed the man at the gate called Beautiful, which encompassed the outer wall of the temple precinct. After the man was healed, “He jumped to his feet and began to walk … with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” (Acts 3:8–9)

The temple in 1st century Jerusalem was divided into sections. Social status determined how far into the temple one could go. Solomon’s portico was known as the Court of the Gentiles. It was a section of the temple that most anyone was welcome in. It was the only section that the crippled man had ever been allowed to visit. A Jewish historian named Josephus described warning signs that plastered the walls of the Gentile court. One of these read, “No foreigner is to go beyond the balustrade and the plaza of the temple zone. Whoever is caught doing so will have himself to blame for his death, which will follow.”

The crippled man may not have been able to read the inscription, but he probably knew he was not allowed past Solomon’s portico. He risked his life by entering the temple, but he also knew God’s power had changed everything in his life.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter emulated the work of his Savior by healing the lame. With God’s power, Peter restored this man’s dignity, his body, and his soul—just as Jesus had done during His earthly ministry. God gave the beggar a position of dignity as a child of God.

Just for fun, gather your family together this week, take a blanket, and find a gate or a fence to sit by. While you are there, have your children close their eyes and imagine how it would feel to sit in a place for a long time and not be able to move. Tell them you are going to read about a man in The Big God Story who could not move his legs and had to sit by a gate and beg. Read the biblical account of Peter healing the crippled beggar in Acts 3:1–10.

After you have finished reading, ask your children what kind of healing this man needed. Then discuss together what the man did once he was healed. Now have them get up and walk around. Ask them, “How do you think you would feel if you were walking now for the first time?” “Where is the first place you would go?” and “What would your response be to God?”

Share with your children that what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story, and they will hear more about how God’s power changes everything at church this week.

FIRSTLOOK

After many years of praying for a child, Hannah vowed to give the son she was blessed with into the service of the Lord. Hannah kept her promise, for when Samuel was a young child (some scholars speculate him to be around three or four years old) his parents brought him to the temple of the Lord in Shiloh. They offered a sacrifice and gave him to minister to God under the guidance of the priest, Eli. Here Samuel would learn the ways of worship and acts of service within the temple. Samuel
faithfully served the Lord and “continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men” (1 Samuel 2:26).

In this period of the judges, the Word from the Lord (a spoken message to the people through a prophet) was rare, nor were many people experiencing visions from the Lord. When God began to call Samuel by name, he got up from his bed and ran to Eli, thinking it was the priest who called him. Finally, Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling to Samuel and directed the child as to how he should respond. When the Lord came and stood there, again calling as He had the other times, Samuel responded by saying, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).

This was the day Samuel was initiated by the Lord as a prophet to Israel. God was withSamuel as he grew up, and the Lord continued to reveal Himself to Samuel through His Word. Samuel faithfully brought God’s Word to the people as His prophet and as the last judge of Israel, all the days of his life.

This week, Just for fun, play a “name game” with your family. Have your children stand in a different room than you. Call their names, but in a fun way (for instance, use a funny voice, a silly nickname, or sing). When your children come running to where you are, give them a hug and then send them back to the other room. Continue to call them into your room in different ways a few more times.

Tell your children that you’re now going to read them a story about a little boy named Samuel who heard God calling to him (read 1 Samuel 3:8–10). When you finish reading, explain to your children that God wants to talk to them, too! Tell them it may not sound exactly like a human voice, like Samuel heard, but God will speak in different ways. Talk about the ways God will speak to them: the Bible, prayer, His Holy Spirit.

Explain to your children that what they just heard is true and a part of The Big God Story. Remind them they’ll learn more about how God wants us to know His voice while they’re at church this week. Then pray and thank God that He speaks to us and wants us to know Him.

July 3 in KidQuest and FirstLook

KidQuest
Before he became an apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul (who was “Saul” before his conversion) was a Pharisee, a scholar of the Jewish law, and the leader of the persecution of the church. He was convinced he was doing the will of God. From what we know of Paul’s character, he probably would have died before he rejected his Judaism. God must have already been working on Paul’s heart before the miraculous vision in Damascus.

Most of what we know about Paul’s conversion can be found in Acts 9, 22, and 26. Acts 9 details his encounter with Jesus on the road, his experience with Ananias, his baptism, and his inclusion in the body of believers. Acts 22 and 26 record Paul’s explanation of his conversion before a crowd and before King Agrippa.

Paul’s defense before King Agrippa included the following statements: “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth,” and “I was not disobedient to the vision …. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God.”

Paul’s conscience was probably affected by both his observation of Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts 4, and his gradual realization that the law would not save him. Many of Paul’s writings in the New Testament declare his previous frustrations with the law, and his free gift of salvation in Christ. After Jesus came to Paul, he was sold. Jesus was God. Gradually, then all-at-once, Jesus changed everything in Paul’s life. And once Paul was filled with the Spirit, he dedicated the rest of his days to proclaiming that Jesus was the Son of God.

Just for fun, take a short walk with your children. After your walk, find a quiet spot and read the biblical account of Paul’s conversion in Acts 9:1–18 to your children.

When you have finished reading, ask your children what they think Paul must have felt like when he suddenly heard from God and found himself blind. Ask them if they feel like they have ever heard from God. (Remind them that it’s okay if they have not heard from Him.)

Share with your children that what they just heard is part of The Big God Story, and they will learn more about it at church this week. Close your time by thanking God for His Son, Jesus, who changes everything!

FIRSTLOOK

The Israelites lived in the Promised Land for more than 400 years before God appointed Samuel as their priest, prophet, and judge. Each time the Israelites began to “do what was right in their own eyes,” another nation would engage them in battle and enslave them. The Israelites would cry out to God, repent, and turn from false gods and idols and return to the one, true God.

During a battle with the Philistines, the Israelites decided to take the ark of the covenant with them, hoping it would bring victory for their army. But God did not grant them victory. Instead, the Philistines captured the ark and the Israelites went into mourning. Samuel spoke to the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines” (1 Samuel 7:3).

Israel obeyed and returned to the Lord, and He gave them victory over the Philistines. Samuel set a large stone in the ground and named it Ebenezer, which means “stone of help,” declaring, “Thus far has the Lord helped us” (v. 12).

God’s desire is for people to be in relationship with Him and know Him. Each time the Israelites fell away, He intervened and was their help—their Redeemer. This is not only true for the people of Israel so many years ago; it is also true of us today. When we find ourselves in need of help—a Redeemer— we cry out to God. He intervenes. It is not only because of His holiness and mercy that God
redeems, it is also out of His desire to be known by those He loves.

This week, Just for fun, take your children outside to gather some rocks before you read the account of Samuel calling the Israelites to return to God (1 Samuel 7:3–13). After you’ve finished reading, explain that Samuel set up a rock to remind the Israelites that God had been their helper. Encourage
your children to think of times that God has helped them. Build a pile of rocks, with each stone representing a time your children have received the Lord’s help.

Share with your children that what they just heard is true and a part of The Big God Story. Remind them they’ll learn more about how God is their helper while they’re at church this week. Gather together to pray and thank the Lord that you can always depend on Him to be your help in times of trouble