Sunday 19 September
The Story
Bible Story
Nehemiah and Sanballat
Nehemiah 2:19-20, 4, 6
Use this guide to help your family learn
how God can help us show initiative.
First, watch this video
Then, follow up with the fun activities below!
ACTIVITY: Cupping Up
WHAT YOU NEED:
Lots of plastic cups (Or other stackable object)
What You Do
Start off with three plastic cups each, facing down. Stack two cups on the bottom and one on top to create a three-cup tower (one tower for you, and one for your child). Set the rest of the cups where you can both reach them.
Say, “I’m going to ask you questions from the Bible story. If you get a question right, you get another cup to add to your tower. If you get it wrong, I get another cup. Let’s see who can build the tallest tower! Ready?”
Bible Story Review Questions:
What did Nehemiah do about the broken-down walls? (He gathered the people in the city to rebuild the wall.)
People from neighboring nations weren’t happy about Jerusalem rebuilding the wall. Why?
(Because if the wall was rebuilt, the people living there could defend themselves again.)
What did Nehemiah do when Sanballat and Tobiah laughed and made fun of the people as they worked on the wall? (Nehemiah did not get upset. He kept working.)
When the people heard Sanballat and Tobiah making fun of them, did they stop working or keep going? (They kept going.)
Even when Sanballat made up stories about Nehemiah, did Nehemiah keep going? (Yes, Nehemiah trusted God and kept working.)
Today we learned to “stay focused on what needs to be ______.” (done)
When you’ve finished asking all the questions, count to see who has the most cups! Say, “Building a tower like that takes focus. You did a great job staying focused on what needed to be done!”
Talk about the Bible Story
What are some excuses or distractions that keep us from doing what needs to be done? (Toys, screens, friends, just don’t want do the task)
Which excuses do you think you use the most?
What can happen when you don’t stay focused on what needs to be done?
Parent: Share about a time when
you finished a BIG task. Maybe you completed a big home improvement project or finished a degree. Talk about the distractions along the way, and how you were able to stay focused so you could get the job done.
Prayer
Use this prayer as a guide, either after your discussion or right before bed tonight:
“Dear God, thank You for giving us what we need to stay focused on what needs to be done. Please show us the important work You have for us this week. Help us to be like Nehemiah and finish what we’ve started, instead of getting distracted when things get in the way. We love You, and we ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.”