YEA Lesson Library
Favorite Son
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches that attitudes like jealousy, anger, and hatred do not please God. We should love others as we love ourselves.
Scriptures
Genesis 37:1-11
Ecclesiastes 2:26
Luke 10:27
John 3:16
Romans 6:23
1 Corinthians 14:1
2 Corinthians 9:15
Ephesians 2:8
1 Timothy 6:17
Words to Know
SHEPHERD - someone who takes care of sheep
The Lesson
Jacob had twelve sons - Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Gad, Issachar, Joseph, Judah, Levi, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon and Zebulun. But, Joseph was his favorite. The other boys knew how much their father loved Joseph. They were jealous.
When Joseph was a teenager his father gave him a special gift. It was a beautiful new coat. The coat had many different colors. There was blue like the sky. It had green like the grass. It had red and yellow like the flowers. It was a wonderful coat! It was the kind of coat that a king would wear.
None of Joseph's brothers had such a coat. They were shepherds and wore shepherds’ clothes. When they saw Joseph's new coat they got mad. They hated Joseph because their father loved him best.
Joseph began having strange dreams. One night he dreamed he and his brothers were cutting wheat in the field. They tied the wheat in bundles. Joseph's wheat stood up. His brothers' wheat all bowed down to his wheat. Another time he dreamed that the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to him.
Joseph's dreams made his brothers very mad. They said they would never bow down to him. They hated Joseph so much they wanted to kill him! God is not happy when you are jealous and hate.
Daily Devotions
Sunday: John 3:16
Monday: Romans 6:23
Tuesday: 1 Corinthians 14:1
Wednesday: 2 Corinthians 9:15
Thursday: Ephesians 2:8
Friday: Ecclesiastes 2:26a
Saturday: 1 Timothy 6:17
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the children will be able to:
1. Tell how many sons Jacob had.
2. Tell why Joseph's brothers hated him.
3. Describe the gift Jacob gave to Joseph.
Topics & Themes
Attitude
Dream
Envy/Jealousy
Jacob
Joseph
Joseph’s Brothers
Joseph’s Coat
Loving Others
Shepherds
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students' and teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stickers, CD/cassette tape, music player, grocery sacks, fabric scraps, glue, gift box, newsprint pad and markers
Preparation
"Children's feelings are usually very near the surface, and their actions are clues to you of their inner lives. They are in the early stages of learning to handle their feelings and act ‘socialized'. . . . Probably the most important learning a child does during his early preschool years is in the social-emotional area" (Teaching Preschoolers by Ruth Beechick).
Jealousy is a destructive emotion that everyone feels from time to time. Today's lesson about the jealousy of Joseph's brothers demonstrates the danger of allowing this emotion get out of hand. Help the children see how jealousy leads to inappropriate behavior. Lead them to confess their jealous feelings to God and ask Him to take them away.
Before you come to class, draw 12 faces (circles with eyes, nose and mouth, some with beards.) on a newsprint pad. Cut strips and squares of fabric scraps. Cut armholes and a neck hole in paper grocery bags (one for each child) according to the diagram. Follow the directions in the Activity section and make a "Joseph's Coat" to show the children. Place the coat in a gift box.
Review Questions
1. How many sons did Jacob have? (Have the children count the faces if they don't remember.)
2. Why did Jacob give Joseph a special gift?
3. What was the gift?
4. Why were his brothers mad?
5. In Joseph's dream, what bowed down to him?
6. What did Joseph’s brothers want to do when they heard about the dreams?
REACH Activity
Letter: J
Words: Jacob, Joseph, Judah, jealous
Sentence:
JUDAH WAS A JEALOUS BROTHER BECAUSE JACOB’S FAVORITE SON WAS JOSEPH.
Song
“O Be Careful Little Eyes” is on page 39 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead the children in prayer, thanking God for all the things He gives them. Ask God to help them not be jealous and not hate others, because it makes God sad when He sees such actions.
Printable Pages
