Youth Educational Adventures · Christian Educational Ministries

YEA Lesson Library

YE1G.8

Life Saver

2 min. read

Memory Verse"God, you are the one who saves us." -Isaiah 12:2 (NIrV)

About This Lesson

This lesson teaches that, just as Joseph saved the Egyptians and his family from the famine, Jesus saves us from sin and death.

Scriptures

Genesis 47:1-31
Psalm 3:8
Psalm 68:19
Isaiah 12:2
Acts 2:21
Acts 4:12
Romans 10:13
Ephesians 2:5
2 Timothy 1:9

Words to Know

OVERBOARD - to fall from a boat into the water

STARVING - to die from lack of food

The Lesson

Do you know what “A Life Saver” is? No, not the candy type. “A Life Saver” is something that is used on boats. If a person falls overboard, a ring that will float is thrown out to the person to help him keep his head above the water. That ring is tied to a rope. The person can be pulled back to the boat by the rope. God used Joseph much like the floating ring.

People and animals were starving to death in Egypt. But, Joseph had lots of food stored in barns. The people cried out to Joseph for help. Joseph sold them food from his barns. The food helped keep the people alive.

There were seven years that the land did not grow food. For seven years the people had to buy food from Joseph. After a while their money ran out. What would they do now?

Joseph told the people to bring him their cows and sheep. He traded them food for their animals. After that, people sold Joseph their land for food. Soon Joseph had everyone's land, their animals and money. Joseph gave all of these to the king. Joseph promised to take care of the people.

All of Joseph's family, his brothers, their wives and children, came to live in Egypt. Joseph gave them a place to live in Goshen. He made sure they had food to eat, too. God used Joseph to be “A Life Saver” to the people of Egypt and to his family. And God sent Jesus to save us from our sins. He is our “Life Saver.”

Daily Devotions

Sunday: Psalm 3:8

Monday: Psalm 68:19

Tuesday: Acts 2:21

Wednesday: Acts 4:12

Thursday: Romans 10:13

Friday: Ephesians 2:5

Saturday: 2 Timothy 1:9

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, the children will be able to:

1. Tell that God used Joseph to save the lives of the people of Egypt.

2. Explain that he sold them food in exchange for money, animals, and land.

3. State that Jesus is our Life Saver; He saves us from our sins.

Topics & Themes

Egypt
Famine
Goshen
Jesus, Savior
Joseph
Pharaoh

Materials Needed

Bible, YEA students' and teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stickers, cassette tape or CD and music player, foam ring, red paint or ribbon, rope, yarn, tape, Lifesaver candy, bowls

Preparation

Creativity is thinking, expressing, or putting things together in a new way. As a teacher, it is up to you to use creativity in your lessons. Several different learning activities for teaching the same objective will increase the possibility of learning; one approach might not work but the next one may. Therefore, it is important that each part of the lesson be experienced by the children. The Activity is not a time filler, but another way of reinforcing the aim of the lesson.

Buy a Styrofoam ring (the kind used for making wreaths) and paint four red stripes or glue four pieces of red ribbon around it at intervals (as illustration). Attach a six foot length of rope to the ring.

Cut yarn into 30-inch lengths (one per child). Wrap small pieces of tape on the ends of the yarn to make it easy to thread through the holes of the lifesaver candy.

Review Questions

Ask the following questions and have the children raise their hand if they know the answer. Toss the Life Saver to the child who will answer the question.

1. What is A Life Saver?

2. Why were the people in Egypt starving to death?

3. Who had food?

4. For how many years would the gardens not grow food?

5. What did the people give Joseph to buy food?

6. Who else did Joseph give food to?

7. Who did God send to be our Life Saver?