Joseph and Potiphar Sunday School Lesson
Joseph and Potiphar Sunday School Lesson For Kids:
BOTTOM LINE:
God takes care of us in good times and bad.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn to stick with God when things go wrong at school.
KEY PASSAGE:
Genesis 39. Joseph in Potiphar's house.
MEMORY VERSE:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
SUMMARY:
Sometimes we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. But God takes care of us even in those rocky, hard places.
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Thank you for always being there for us, in the good times and the bad.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
MEMORY VERSE
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
“But put God’s kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all those things will also be given to you.” - Matthew 6:33 (NIrV)
LARGE GROUP:
Have the kids read the verse together. Read it normally, then in a whisper, then really, really loudly!
SMALL GROUP:
Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to today’s story.
SKIT
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
ITEM NEEDED:
A backpack
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
2M
CHARACTERS:
Greg
Roderick
Greg enters.
GREG: Dear Diary, today was the first day of sixth grade. For the last five years, I was in elementary school, and until just last fall, I thought I’d still be in the safety of that school this year. But then the school district decided to change things around. Instead of enjoying a year as the big kid on campus in an elementary school, I would move up to middle school. Ever since they announced it, my brother has done everything he can to prepare me.
Roderick enters.
RODERICK: You’re gonna get it, Greg. You’re going to walk into that school, and they’re going to eat you alive.
GREG: It’s not fair that I don’t get a year to be the big kid. I gave five long years to that school. I knew all the ins and outs. And now, I get to be the little kid in a jungle.
RODERICK: The first day, the big kids choose one kid to pick on for the entire year. They like little wimps like you. They’ll do all kinds of things to you! Wedgies, noogies, wet willies.
GREG: It’s been like this all year. Stories about wedgies and noogies and wet willies. And something called a swirly.
RODERICK: Va-woosh!
GREG: I didn’t know what to think. I was so scared of going to school, I couldn’t sleep. So I started praying. I prayed that no matter what happened, God would look out for me. I knew God would not let me go into this school year alone, and I made sure he knew I was counting on him.
RODERICK: One year, they hooked the flag pole clip to this kid’s underpants, and they ran him up to the top of the pole. Worst wedgie ever!
GREG: But you know what? School was nothing like Roderick said. It was awesome. Sure, there were a few bullies, but God kept me safe. He helped me make friends, and he stayed with me all day. It was great. And as for Roderick?
RODERICK: Mom, please don’t make me go back tomorrow. They gave me a swirlie.
GREG: Don’t sweat it, big bro. You don’t have to go back to school alone. God will be with you.
RODERICK: Really?
GREG: Trust me, I know!
OBJECT LESSON
ITEMS NEEDED:
A backpack
Textbooks
Bring one of the kids on stage. Have him put on the backpack.
Do you remember your Kindergarten backpack? The backpack itself was bigger than you were but it didn’t weigh very much. You probably just had a folder in it or maybe a small binder. There wasn’t a lot to bring back and forth to school each day, but having a backpack got you into the habit of being responsible for your belongings.
Then you get to first grade. You get your first real schoolbooks, and you have to carry those books home to do homework.
Add a textbook to the backpack.
You keep getting older, you carry more books home.
Add some more books.
And even more books!
Add some more books.
Makes you miss the easy days of Kindergarten, doesn’t it?
School is hard. Between schoolwork and the struggle to fit in and make friends, it can really put you between a rock and a hard place. But no matter how rough things may get ,God is always there. God loves you, and he won’t leave you to face those problems alone.
When school gets tough, grab on to God. Ask God to carry you through, and he will. God is faithful in good times and bad, and we can always count on him.
LARGE GROUP GAME
SHAKE IT OFF
ITEMS NEEDED:
A backpack, ten ping pong balls
INSTRUCTIONS:
Put all the ping pong balls in the backpack. Zip it up part way, but leave an opening.
Have one player put on the backpack. The player has 60 seconds to shake all the ping pong balls out of the backpack. They can shake, shimmy, jump, and rock, but they may not use their hands to touch the backpack. If they empty the backpack in 60 seconds or less, they win a prize.
VARIATION:
Reduce the number of ping pong balls for younger kids.
WHAT’S THE POINT?
School can put you in a bind and weigh you down, but God is always there.
LARGE GROUP LESSON
BOTTOM LINE:
God takes care of us in good times and bad.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn to stick with God when things go wrong at school.
KEY PASSAGE:
Genesis 39. Joseph in Potiphar's house.
INTRO
Okay, show of hands, who here is excited to be headed back to school?
Who here is NOT excited about going back to school?
Whether you love it or loathe it, school is a wonderful place for kids. It’s where you learn to read, write, to think critically. It’s where you learn about science and math and history and poetry. In school you discover things you are good at and maybe a few things you are not. In school you make new friends, explore new ideas, and begin to dream about who you will be in the future.
But there’s a reason why some people don’t care for school. School is hard! It’s stressful, and it’s frustrating. The work is stressful, both in class and at home. Teachers can put a lot of pressure on you, as can parents. And then there are your classmates. Everyone wants to fit in and belong, and we all struggle to be accepted.
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books capture these struggles very well. Through the diaries, we see the ups and downs of going to school from a kid’s eye view. We see Greg struggling to become more grown up. We see him struggling to fit in and make new friends while hanging on to his old friends. We see Greg’s struggles to please his family and be his own person.
Growing up is hard, and school can be very hard. But I have good news for you this morning. No matter how hard things are in school, you are never alone. Even on the worst days, when nothing makes sense and no one wants to sit with you during lunch, God is always with you.
Over the next few weeks we’re going to follow the story of a godly kid named Joseph. God had chosen Joseph for a special purpose, but Joseph went through quite a few struggles on the way to becoming who God wanted him to be. In fact as our story begins today, Joseph is a slave.
READ GENESIS 39
MAIN POINT
Joseph was not born a slave. He was one of twelve sons of Jacob, and his own brothers sold him into slavery. They were jealous of the way Joseph’s father favored him, and they were tired of hearing about the dreams Joseph had - dreams that they would one day bow to him!
God was with Joseph when he went into slavery, and as Joseph worked for his master, he found favor with him. Potiphar saw that Joseph was trustworthy, and he put him in charge of his whole household. But just as things looked to be going well, Joseph suffered another injustice. Potiphar’s wife accused him of something he did not do, and Joseph went from slave to prisoner.
Joseph was frustrated, tired, and sad, but he was not defeated. Joseph still had faith in God. He knew God was with him, and even in prison, he kept his faith. That’s a great reminder for us as a new school year begins. Whatever happens in school, God is always with us.
DRIVE IT HOME
Compared to Joseph, we have things pretty easy. It can be hard work, and it can be stressful, but it’s only for a few hours each day. When the school bell rings, we can go home and escape from the stress - at least partly - until the next day.
Even so, school brings a lot of challenges while we are there. Every day we are bombarded with new information and new lessons on a variety of subjects. We have to remember the things we are taught, and we have to do homework in each subject. We have to keep up with the work and do well on our tests to please our teachers and our parents.
We have to do all this while struggling to learn who we are and what our talents are. We also have to deal with the day-to-day struggle to make friends, keep friends, and fit in with others. We have to do battle with peer pressure, with kids who want us to do the wrong thing. Just like Potiphar’s wife, they tempt us to break the rules so that we can fit in.
Some kids have added pressure from home. That pressure can come from parents who push them to achieve more and do their best. It can come when parents are having struggles financially. It can be especially hard when your parents’ problems have them on the verge of separating.
I hope and pray none of you face these types of pressures, but I know that even if you do, you are not alone. God is there. He’s with you in the classroom and at home. He’s with you when you are surrounded by friends, and when you feel all alone.
God loves you, and he knows the hurt inside. He knows what has you feeling pressure, at school and at home, and he wants to help. All you have to do is pray, and God will be there.
God never left Joseph’s side. From slavery to prison, God was there. God is with you everywhere you go as well. When life gets hard and the pressure is high, remember the story of Joseph. Talk to Jesus and he will be there for you.
CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
Thank you for always being there for us, in the good times and the bad.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)
ICEBREAKER
What kind of backpack do you have for this school year?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY
Matthew 6:33
Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to today’s story.
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY
Have each of the kids write something they like on a card. Collect the cards and shuffle them. Hand a card out to each kid. Let the kids get up and move around and see if they can find the person their card belongs to.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read Genesis 39
Who was Joseph?
What responsibilities did Potiphar give Joseph?
Why did Joseph end up in jail?
Where was God when Joseph was going through all these trials?
Where is God when we are facing troubles at school?
SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
Thank you for a new school year. Help us remember you when times get tough, and be there for us when we need you most.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3RD-5TH)
ICEBREAKER
What kind of backpack do you have for school this year?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY
Matthew 6:33
Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to today’s story.
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY
Have each of the kids write something they like on a card. Collect the cards and shuffle them. Hand a card out to each kid. Let the kids get up and move around and see if they can find the person their card belongs to.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read Genesis 39
What responsibilities did Potiphar give Joseph?
Why did Joseph end up in jail?
Where was God when Joseph was going through all these trials?
What are some of the trials kids face in school?
How do we know that God is there when we are stuck between a rock and a hard place?
SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
Thank you for a new school year. Help us remember you when times get tough, and be there for us when we need you most.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
For your convenience, you can also download the entire PDF version of this Joseph and Potiphar Children's Ministry Lesson (just click the link).
Here's a video from Saddleback kids that you might find helpful to go along with your Sunday School Lesson on Joseph and Potiphar.
Take a look at the links below for other ideas for teaching a Joseph and Potiphar Sunday School Lesson:
621. Joseph and Potiphar's wife - a Sunday School lesson
Potiphar's House - Clover Sites
Sunday School Lesson 125 Joseph is Falsely Accused