Begin by giving each person a long piece of tin foil. Have each person use the tin foil to make an animal sculpture. This story takes place after God had used Moses and Aaron to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. They are led into the wilderness where they would wander for 40 years.
Today's story comes from Exodus 32.
You can find read the story from Exodus 32, or look for it in a story Bible, or use the following summary. Feel free to print off the pictures or pull them up on the screen as you tell the story. If you print them out, then see if you can put them in the right order as you listen to the story.
When Moses was up on the mountain talking to God. He was up there a long time. Days and days.
The Israelites got scared waiting for Moses and his brother Aaron had them bring all there gold and they made an idol. What’s an idol? An idol is something you make and worship. One of God’s Ten Commandments is not to make idols.
But that’s what the people did. They made a calf, a baby cow, out of gold and they worshipped it.
God was very angry about this and He told Moses that He was going to kill all of the people as a punishment. But Moses pleaded with God to forgive the people. Moses reminded God that of God’s promise to bless Abraham’s ancestors so that they would number the stars. God agreed not to kill them.
Then, Moses went down the mountain and destroyed the golden calf. He was so angry by what he saw that he broke the slabs of stone that he had been writing on when he was with God.
To get control of the people, he said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side, come to me!”
How do you think the people should decide if they’re on God’s side or not? Should they flip a coin and let the coin decide? Following God is a decision we all have to make every day. We will not always be good at it, kind of like the Israelites who made and idol when they were afraid.
Only one group from the people of Israel came to Moses and said they were on God’s side. The rest of the people decided not to be on God’s side. That would be like one person deciding they were going to follow God when 11 others didn’t. (Demonstrate the numbers with the remaining coins.)
Do you think it would be hard for that one person to follow God when the 11 others weren’t?
It would be hard, but when we decide to follow God, we decide to follow Him no matter what. Even if our friends or our family or everyone else decides that they don’t want to follow God, we decided that we do. God is the most important thing to us.
When Moses was up on the mountain talking to God. He was up there a long time. Days and days.
The Israelites got scared waiting for Moses and his brother Aaron had them bring all there gold and they made an idol. What’s an idol? An idol is something you make and worship. One of God’s Ten Commandments is not to make idols.
But that’s what the people did. They made a calf, a baby cow, out of gold and they worshipped it.
God was very angry about this and He told Moses that He was going to kill all of the people as a punishment. But Moses pleaded with God to forgive the people. Moses reminded God that of God’s promise to bless Abraham’s ancestors so that they would number the stars. God agreed not to kill them.
Then, Moses went down the mountain and destroyed the golden calf. He was so angry by what he saw that he broke the slabs of stone that he had been writing on when he was with God.
To get control of the people, he said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side, come to me!”
How do you think the people should decide if they’re on God’s side or not? Should they flip a coin and let the coin decide? Following God is a decision we all have to make every day. We will not always be good at it, kind of like the Israelites who made and idol when they were afraid.
Only one group from the people of Israel came to Moses and said they were on God’s side. The rest of the people decided not to be on God’s side. That would be like one person deciding they were going to follow God when 11 others didn’t. (Demonstrate the numbers with the remaining coins.)
Do you think it would be hard for that one person to follow God when the 11 others weren’t?
It would be hard, but when we decide to follow God, we decide to follow Him no matter what. Even if our friends or our family or everyone else decides that they don’t want to follow God, we decided that we do. God is the most important thing to us.
Discussion and Prayer
Look at your sculpture. Can you imagine looking to the sculpture to:
Pray together: God- We know you are always with us and are our biggest cheerleader and biggest comforter. Help us to keep focused on you and how much you love us. Remind us not to make “idols” and put other things before you in our life. Amen
- be with you when you are worried? Or scared like the Israelites were?
- To love you when you are happy?
- To let you know you aren’t alone when you aren’t treated very well and are sad?
- To help you when you have to make a hard decision and are confused?
- To cry you with you when you miss someone?
- To celebrate with you when something good happens?
Pray together: God- We know you are always with us and are our biggest cheerleader and biggest comforter. Help us to keep focused on you and how much you love us. Remind us not to make “idols” and put other things before you in our life. Amen
Activity: Body Prayer
God loves me (hands in prayer)
I love God (hands up toward sky)
God loves the world (hands wide like holding the world)
God help the world (back to prayer)
I love God (hands up toward sky)
God loves the world (hands wide like holding the world)
God help the world (back to prayer)
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