Tower of Babel Sunday School Lesson
The Tower of Babel Sunday School Lesson for Kids:
BOTTOM LINE:
God wants us to stick to his plans, not our own.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn that our plans will fail when we leave God out.
KEY PASSAGE:
Genesis 11:1-9, The Tower of Babel
MEMORY VERSE:
“If the Lord doesn’t build a house, the work of the builders is useless.” Psalm 127:1a (NIrV)
SUMMARY:
Before starting construction of a building, you have to get permission to build. If you just start building anywhere you want, you’ll probably run into a lot of trouble. Once, the people of earth thought that nothing could stop them from being like God. They started to build a tower to heaven to prove it, but they soon discovered that God was more powerful than their plans.
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Help us to seek your will and follow your plans.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
MEMORY VERSE
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1a (NIV)
“If the Lord doesn’t build a house, the work of the builders is useless.” Psalm 127:1a (NIrV)
LARGE GROUP:
Divide the room into girls and boys. Have the boys read the verse aloud, and then have the girls read it aloud. Who can read the loudest?
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
DO YOU HAVE A PERMIT?
ITEMS NEEDED:
A hardhat and construction uniform for Rusty
A serious businesswomen’s outfit for Tenille
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
1 M, 1 F
CHARACTERS:
Rusty - A construction foreman
Tenille - A serious business woman
Rusty enters and takes center stage.
RUSTY: Hey guys, my name is Rusty! I’m your construction foreman, and for the next eight weeks, we’re going to be doing a construction project right here! And you guys are gonna help me. We’re going to learn about everything it takes to erect a building, from blueprints to scheduling to materials, all the things it takes to build it right. And as we learn about each and every part of the job, we’re also going to learn how God is at work in us, building faith in the hearts of people who love Jesus. But first things first. Before you can build anything, you have to have a permit. A permit is a document that says you have permission to build. You can’t build anything without permission from the proper authorities, and if you try to do anything without the Lord, well—
Tenille enters.
TENILLE: Excuse me, sir, I noticed you are performing a skit.
RUSTY: Who me? Yes, ma’am. I was just doing a skit about—
TENILLE: Do you have a permit?
RUSTY: A what?
TENILLE: A permit, sir. Do you have a permit to perform a skit here?
RUSTY: Who’s asking?
TENILLE: Tenille Woods, chief compliance officer for the American Association of Comedy. I need to see your skit permit, please.
RUSTY: There’s a permit for this?
TENILLE: Yes, sir. Article 7, Section 16, Paragraph 13B states that all skits performed within the confines of this state must be properly permitted or otherwise all actors and associated theatrical staff will be subject to heavy fines as provided under Article 14, Section 9, Paragraphs 12A through 14C.
RUSTY: Heavy fines?
TENILLE: May I see your permit, sir?
RUSTY: When you say heavy fines, are we talking hundreds? Thousands?
TENILLE: You don’t have a permit, do you, sir?
RUSTY: Well, I—
TENILLE: Do you know what the fine is for conducting a skit without a permit in this state?
RUSTY: Of course I—
TENILLE: Sir, you’re going to have to come with me.
RUSTY: But I—
TENILLE: You should have taken a lesson from the people who built the Tower of Babel.
RUSTY: That’s what I was—
TENILLE: They tried to build a tower to Heaven without God’s permission, and God thwarted their plans just like the American Association of Comedy thwarted yours.
RUSTY: You know for a lady who represents the American Association of Comedy, you’re not very funny.
Tenille drags Rusty off stage.
TENILLE: Come along, sir. I hope you have cash because we do not accept checks.
RUSTY: Help me!!
OBJECT LESSON
ITEMS NEEDED:
A driver’s license
Did you know that adults have to ask permission to do things? It’s true. You see this driver’s license? This is more than a certificate that says I took a driving course. This license is a permission slip. It’s a symbol that says I have permission from the state we live in to drive a car. If you drive without one of these, you can get into a heap of trouble. Why? Because every state requires drivers to meet certain qualifications before they can have permission to drive.
God has given us the freedom to make our own choices, whether we will follow His ways or follow our own. He shows us over and over that those who are wise will follow God’s plans. He also gave us the Bible with stories like the Tower of Babel that teach us that if God is not involved in our plans, our plans will fail.
God is bigger than our own personal plans, and He has big and exciting plans for your life. Ask God to show you His plans, and ask for His blessing. Your plans will not fail if you go with God!
LARGE GROUP GAME
DRILL SERGEANT SIMON SAYS
ITEMS NEEDED:
None
INSTRUCTIONS:
This is a fast-paced version of Simon Says, where the commands come fast and furious. Pick an adult leader with military (or auctioneer) experience, and have them put 8 kids through their paces in rapid-fire. See who can last the longest.
VARIATION:
Slow things down a bit if you have all younger kids.
WHAT’S THE POINT?
God wants us to follow His lead, doing what He says and not go out and do things on our own.
LARGE GROUP LESSON
BOTTOM LINE:
God wants us to stick to his plans, not our own.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn that our plans will fail when we leave God out.
KEY PASSAGE:
Genesis 11:1-9, The Tower of Babel
INTRO:
Construction sites are amazing places. They are exciting, action-packed work areas filled with giant, noise machines from bulldozers to giant cranes. It’s always exciting when we see the ground cleared and construction work begin on something in our neighborhood. What’s going to go in that space? Will it be a new office building? A new store? A new restaurant? Could it be something fun like an amusement center or a movie theater? Or will it be another shopping center with a coffee shop and a nail salon?
Every new construction site brings with it the hopes and dreams of someone who wants to do something new in the community. But before anyone can build anything, they have to make one important step – they have to ask permission! No building, not a bank, a church, a mall, or even a stadium, can start construction until the local building department says they have permission. Even if you own the land upon which you plan to build, the local government wants to review all your plans, know who is going to be working on the job, and make sure you are following all local and state laws before you can stick the first shovel in the ground.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Kind of like childhood. Kids are always having to ask permission. Can I play video games? Can I go outside? Can I keep the frog I found in the backyard as a pet? Hard as it is to believe, even adults have to ask permission. We need permission to build buildings, to drive, to get married, to do many things, and if we fail to get the proper licenses and permits, we can end up in big trouble.
Our first scripture in this new construction series is about a building project, the first of its kind in recorded history. There were no zoning authorities or building codes in this ancient time, but the people of the city of Babel still failed to ask permission to build their tower to the skies. They soon learned a valuable lesson: if God does not sign off on our plans, our plans are doomed to fail.
READ GENESIS 11:1-9
MAIN POINT:
The people wanted to be in control; they wanted to be like God. They banded together to make a tower which was nothing more than a monument to themselves. God knew if they did this, they would forget Him and forget how much they depended on Him.
The people thought they could do anything on their own, but God was bigger than their plans. One minute, they’re working in harmony, hammering away on the tower. The next minute, they’re struggling to understand each other. One person is speaking English. Another is speaking Russian. Another is speaking Greek. It wasn’t those exact languages, of course, but you get the idea. They could no longer communicate with one another, and they were forced to abandon the tower.
God has amazing plans for your life, and He wants you to follow His ways. If we are wise, we will surrender to God, and we will build where God tells us.
DRIVE IT HOME:
I know many of you have probably said to your parents at one time or another, "When I grow up, I will do whatever I want!" If you believe this, I have bad news. Whatever it is you want to do with your life, you will have to ask someone somewhere for permission. You have to have a permit to build. You need a license to drive. You need a license to fly. You need a title to even own a car or a plane. If you want to be a doctor, you need a license. If you want to be a pharmacist, you need a license. Even professional wrestlers have to be licensed, not just in one place but in every state where they wrestle, whether they work for the WWE or not.
No matter how old you get, no matter how much money you make, no matter how powerful you become, everyone is answerable to someone. Even our government officials are subject to laws that say what they can and can’t do. If they break the law, they lose their job, and they go to jail. And even if they don’t lose their job, they can always be voted out by the people who elected them.
You have to serve someone. You have to follow someone’s plan. You have to have permission. When it comes to our daily life, God wants to be our authority. God wants us to remember all the things he did for us. God made us. He made our world. He sacrificed His only Son so that we could have eternal life. What more reason do we need to follow our Creator?
You may think you have it all figured out. You may think you don’t need anyone to tell you what to do. Many people have thought the same thing, and they were bitterly disappointed when their plans came to ruin. Rather than repeat the mistakes of the people of Babel, commit your life to God now. Ask God before you make any decision, and be careful to follow His ways. God will always steer you in the right path, and the plans He has are bigger and grander than any you could ever imagine.
If you’re going to build, don’t do it on your own. Build with God, and He will build you up in faith!
CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Help us to seek your will and follow your plans.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)
ICEBREAKER:
What is one thing you must always ask permission to do in your house?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:
Psalm 127:1a (NIrV)
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 game of Mother May I?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Read Genesis 11:1-9
How many languages did the world have before this story began?
What did the people decide to do?
What did God do to stop their construction?
Why do we need to have permission to do certain things?
Why is it always important to have God’s permission?
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Forgive us when we do things on our own. Help us to trust in you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3RD-5TH)
ICEBREAKER:
What is one thing you must always ask permission to do in your house?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:
Psalm 127:1a (NIrV)
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 game of Mother May I?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Read Genesis 11:1-9
Why did the people want to build a tower?
Why do you think God opposed their construction project?
How did the many languages cause the people to abandon the tower?
Why is it always important to have God’s permission?
How can we seek God’s permission?
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Forgive us when we do things on our own. Help us to trust in you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
For your convenience, you can also download the entire PDF version of this The Tower of Babel 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 the Tower of Babel.
Take a look at the links below for other ideas for teaching a Tower of Babel Sunday School Lesson:
Free Sunday School Curriculum: In The Beginning - Tower Of Babel
The Tower of Babel Bible Lesson Plan - DLTK-Bible
Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) Sunday School Lesson
Tower of Babel Bible Lesson for Kids - Ministry-to-Children.com