Noah's Ark Sunday School Lesson
Noah's Ark Sunday School Lesson For Kids:
BOTTOM LINE:
Like Noah, Big Heroes obey God.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn the importance of obedience to God.
KEY PASSAGE:
Genesis 6:9-7:5. Noah and the Flood.
MEMORY VERSE:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” - Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
SUMMARY:
God had some instructions for a man named Noah: build an ark, gather animals to live in it, and begin the human race over again. It was a big job for a big hero. And like Noah, big heroes obey God.
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
You have big plans and big tasks for each of us. May we be willing to obey when you speak to us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
MEMORY VERSE
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” - Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
“A huge cloud of witnesses is all around us. So let us throw off everything that stands in our way. Let us throw off any sin that holds on to us so tightly. Let us keep on running the race marked out for us.” - Hebrews 12:1 (NIrV)
LARGE GROUP:
Put the verse on the big screen and read it aloud several times with the kids.
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
BIG HERO EMPLOYMENT AGENCY: OBEDIENCE
ITEMS NEEDED:
Desk
Phone
Chairs
Gloves
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
1M, 2F
CHARACTERS:
Gladys - Secretary
Mr. Jones – Head of the Employment Agency
Cindy – 8 year old girl
Gladys sits behind the desk. Cindy sits off to the side in a waiting area.
The phone rings. Gladys answers.
GLADYS: Big Hero Employment Agency. If you're got a job that needs to be done, we've got just the person for you. No matter how big. No matter how small. Each of our employees is a real hero. So when you need a hero, look no further than Big Hero Employment Agency. Now how can I help you? (looks into phone) Hello? Hello? They hung up.
Mr. Jones enters.
JONES: Gladys, who's our next client?
GLADYS: Cindy.
JONES: Cindy What?
GLADYS: Just Cindy.
JONES: Is there a Cindy here?
CINDY: Yes sir, that's me.
JONES: You're just a little girl.
CINDY: Yes, sir. I'm 8 and 3 quarters years old.
JONES: And you need to hire someone?
CINDY: Yes, sir.
JONES: What kind of an employee are you looking for exactly?
CINDY: I need someone who makes my lunch every day before school.
JONES: You're looking for a cook.
CINDY: Yes, but they also have to take care of the house.
JONES: So a cook and a housekeeper.
CINDY: I'll also need rides to all of my soccer games.
JONES: A cook slash housekeeper slash chauffeur. Got it.
CINDY: And they need to tuck me in at night and love me.
JONES: Hmm. That's going to be difficult. I don't think we can pay someone to love you.
CINDY: Oh, that's the other thing. I can't pay them anything.
JONES: Are you nuts, little girl? There's no one on the planet who's going to do that.
GLADYS: Cooking, cleaning, driving, tucking in. That sounds like a parent to me.
CINDY: Yes, ma'am. I want to hire a new parent.
JONES: You don't have parents?
CINDY: I do have parents. But I want to trade them in for someone else.
JONES: Why?
CINDY: We're not getting along very well these days. My mom and I are continually fighting about how messy my room is. I like it to have that lived in look, but she is bound and determined that I clean it. And my dad is always insisting I go help him outside with the yard work. I hate pulling weeds. Look at these hands. These are not the hands of someone who should have to pull weeds.
JONES: I see. Let's see who we can find for you. Gladys, get me the list of employees that we have available right now.
GLADYS: You don't need a new parent.
CINDY: I don't?
JONES: She doesn't?
CINDY: But I'm tired of all the fighting.
GLADYS: What you need is a little obedience.
CINDY: Obedience?
GLADYS: Here's the way to put an end to the fighting. Next time your mother asks you to clean your room, do it. By obeying her, you'll also honor her – which is what the Bible tells us to do.
CINDY: And I should pull weeds when my dad asks me too?
GLADYS: Yes.
CINDY: But what about these beautiful hands?
GLADYS: You could always wear gloves. (Pulls a pair of gloves from the drawer.) Here, try these.
CINDY: Gee, this is great. Thanks. I guess I'll go try a little obedience.
GLADYS: You'll be glad that you did.
Cindy rushes off.
GLADYS: Isn't that sweet?
JONES: What's so sweet about it? We just lost a customer.
GLADYS: A customer with no money.
JONES: Well, in that case, isn't that sweet?
End.
OBJECT LESSON
ITEMS NEEDED:
Cake mix
Bowl
Large Spoon
Flashlight
Bad cake mix ingredients: such as ketchup, beans, and broccoli
I could really go for a treat about now. Maybe some cake. I don't have any cake, but I do have this cake mix.
Show the cake mix.
Could someone come up and help me make it?
Choose a good reader to read off the directions one by one. As each direction is given, come up with your own improvisation, such as:
Well, I don't have any water, but I do have this ketchup. Hmm, instead of eggs, I think I'll add dry beans. We don't have an oven, but I do have this flashlight. It gives off a little heat, maybe this will work.
Are you guys excited to eat this cake? Why not?
Cake is delicious, but only when you make it following the instructions. Life's a lot like that too. God has great plans for each of us. He desires the best for us. But to get the benefit of that great life, we have to follow God's directions.
The word for that is obedience. The great heroes of the Bible got that way by obeying God. If we obey God like they did, and follow his directions, we can be just like those big heroes.
LARGE GROUP GAME
DIRECTIONS NOT INCLUDED
ITEMS NEEDED:
Poster boards
Markers
INSTRUCTIONS:
Before class, draw on a poster board either a simple scene or an abstract collection of geometric shapes.
Choose four kids to participate. Have three of the kids leave the room. While they are gone, show the other kid (and the audience) your poster board drawing and give them a chance to study it a bit.
Set aside the drawing and bring in the other kids. Have the kid who saw the original picture describe it to the other children. Then have them recreate the picture using their own markers and poster boards. (If possible, affix the boards to a wall, so that the audience can see their creations.) At the end, show the original and vote on who came the closest to recreating it.
VARIATION:
You could also have the one kid looking at the original as they are describing it. Another possibility would be to have an adult explain the original picture.
WHAT’S THE POINT?
It order for things to turn out the way that God intends, we have to follow his instructions. We must obey what he says.
LARGE GROUP LESSON
BOTTOM LINE:
Like Noah, Big Heroes obey God.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn the importance of obedience to God.
KEY PASSAGE:
Genesis 6:9-7:5. Noah and the Flood.
INTRO
How many of you love Spider-Man? How about Batman? Superman? Wolverine? We all have heroes, that we look up to. Some aren't real (like Spider-Man), but some heroes are real. They are people that we admire, look up to, want to be like. People who have done amazing things and possess amazing qualities. Those qualities are what we call virtues. Over the next few months, we're going to look at some of the virtues that great real-life heroes possess.
The first virtue we're going to look at is obedience. Obedience is listening to God and following his directions. Obedience is key. To be a hero for God, you have to obey him. God can use you, but he can't do great and heroic things through you, unless you are listening to him and following his instructions.
Today's Bible story is about a time on earth when there weren't a lot of heroes around. In fact, there weren't a lot of good people, period. Almost everybody on the planet was wicked and disobedient to God. God was saddened by the fact that the people he created did not love and obey him.
But there was still one hero left. A man named Noah.
READ Genesis 6:9-7:5.
MAIN POINT
God had a pretty big task for Noah. Build a huge boat – an ark. Fill it with two of every animal in the world. Live in that ark with your family and the animals while God floods the earth. And what did Noah do when God asked him to do all of these things? He obeyed.
Do you realize what would have happened if Noah had said “no”? Well, for one thing: you wouldn't be here. Neither would I. Neither would your pets or the animals you see at the zoo. Noah and his family were the only people who survived that great flood. It's because of Noah's love for God and obedience that the human race got a second chance.
That's big. That's heroic.
DRIVE IT HOME:
How about you? Will you be a hero like Noah? Don't worry you won't have to build a boat and fill it with animals. God has a different plan and purpose for you than he had for Noah. But like Noah, you can be a hero in your own story if you are willing to listen to God and obey.
Maybe God is wanting you to be kind to a kid at school that no one else seems to like. Or maybe God is telling you to do a better job loving your siblings and honoring your parents. It could be that God is asking you to trust him more to help you through hard times.
Each of us need to take the time to seek God and listen for his voice, to hear what he is telling us. And when he leads us, we should be ready, willing and able to obey. It's what a hero would do.
CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
You have big plans and big tasks for each of us. May we be willing to obey when you speak to us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)
ICEBREAKER
Who is your biggest hero?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY
Hebrews 12:1
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
Play a few quick rounds of Simon Says or Mother May I. Say: to win this game, you have to practice obedience don't you?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read Genesis 6:9-7:5.
How many sons did Noah have?
How many of each animal did God tell Noah to put in the ark?
Why did God instruct Noah to build the ark?
What made Noah a righteous man?
What are some ways that you can obey God this today?
SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
We want to be like the great heroes of the Bible. Help us to listen to your voice and learn to obey you like they did.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3RD-5TH)
ICEBREAKER
Who is your biggest hero?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY
Hebrews 12:1
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
Play a few quick rounds of Simon Says or Mother May I. Say: to win this game, you have to practice obedience don't you?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read Genesis 6:9-7:5.
Why did God decide to send the flood?
What was it about Noah that made him different from the other people on earth?
What were God's instructions for Noah?
Do you think it was difficult for Noah to obey?
What are some ways that you can obey God?
SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
We want to be like the great heroes of the Bible. Help us to listen to your voice and learn to obey you like they did.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
For your convenience, you can also download the entire PDF version of this Noah's Ark 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 Noah's Ark.
Take a look at the links below for other ideas for teaching a Noah's Ark Sunday School Lesson:
Noah And The Ark - Kids Sunday School
Noah and the Ark (Children's Church Lesson) - Ministry-To-Children.com
Genesis Chapter 6: The Story of Noah's Ark - DLTK-Bible
Noah and the Ark Sunday School Lesson - Better Bible Teachers