YEA Lesson Library

Objectives

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

1. Explain why Jacob was so surprised to hear that Joseph was alive.

2. Tell that Joseph wanted his family in Egypt so he could take care of them.

3. State that there is nowhere you can go that God cannot watch over you.

Topics & Themes

Egypt
Famine
God’s Love
God’s Presence
God’s Protection
God’s Provision
Goshen
Jacob
Joseph
Pharaoh

Materials Needed

Bible, YEA students' and teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stars, music player and cassette orCD, newsprint pad, marker pen, construction paper, crayons or markers, stickers

Preparation

Kids in today's world are overexposed to violence from video games, the media, and even their own homes. Many of them suffer an acute sense and fear of abandonment. There is a lot of evil in our world: sexual abuse, sex trafficking, drive-by shootings - it’s no wonder kids are scared.

Children need to be reassured that the God of creation, the God who formed them is watching over them. He is aware of everything that happens to them, and is using those things to bring them to a saving knowledge of Him (Romans 8:28). Not everything that happens to us is good, but God is in control. His eyes are ever searching for those who will trust Him, and He gives them strength to face difficult times (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Before you come to class, make a newspaper front page by using a sheet of the newsprint pad. Put the newspaper title at the top - "The Good News Herald," "The Good News Tribune" or some such title. Underneath in large block letters write the following headline: Joseph Is Still Alive! If you would like, write a short article under the headline including the following information: Joseph found in Egypt, holding important position, helping famine victims, food available, come at once! Roll the newspaper and secure with a rubber band.

How to Teach This Lesson

Where Do You Go? - Begin the lesson by asking the children to name some places they go. Write these on a chalkboard or newsprint pad. The list should include places like school, a friend's house, the playground, church, etc. Encourage the children to come up with their own places. Ask: Is there anywhere you can go where God will not see you? Does He see you when you are hiding? Does He see you when you are lost?

Bring Him To Me - When his brothers came to buy food the second time, Joseph revealed his identity to them. They were shocked because they had sold him to be a slave. They had even told their father that he was dead. But God knew where Joseph was all the time (Psalm 34:15). Joseph had missed his family. Now he wanted to help them. He had plenty of food in his barns. He promised to make sure they had enough to eat.

Good News - Joseph sent his brothers back to their father with good news - Joseph was still alive! (Unroll “newspaper” and show the children the headline.) Not only that, Joseph was a ruler in Egypt. He had been placed in charge of giving out food that had been stored. He had a very important job to do. During the famine, Joseph was responsible for saving the lives of many people by selling them food to eat. He had even saved the lives of his own family.

He’s Alive? - Jacob couldn’t believe his ears when his sons told him that Joseph was still alive. But when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent, he knew it must be true. The disappearance of Joseph had made Jacob very sad. Now his heart was filled with joy, just as the father in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:24).

Strength for the Journey - Jacob and his family were going to Egypt. It was a long journey, and Jacob was an old man. There was a famine in the land, but Joseph had sent food for their trip. When they got to Beersheba, Jacob offered sacrifices to God and prayed. Surely the Lord would watch over them and give them strength. God watched over and protected them and took them safely to Egypt. Pharaoh gave them the land of Goshen where they could settle.

Keeping The Promise - God had promised Abraham that He would make a great nation out of his family. This promise was passed on to Abraham's son Isaac and then to Jacob. Jacob was the father of 12 sons. God was blessing him. Now his favorite son, Joseph, was a ruler in Egypt. God was keeping the promise that He had made. Jacob's children and grandchildren would be a great nation.

No Matter Where I Go? -Think of all the times that God was watching over Joseph - when his brothers threw him in the pit, when they sold him to be a slave, when Potiphar’s wife lied about him, when he was in prison. God saw him everywhere. Ask: Is there anywhere you can go where God cannot see you? His eyes are watching, both now and forevermore. And, He is always there to help, protect and provide for you.

Review Questions

1 . What was the good news that they had for their father?

2. What did Joseph tell his brothers to bring back to Egypt with them?

3. How were the people in Egypt different from Jacob?

4. What did Jacob do when they got to Beersheba?

5. Is there anywhere you can go that God cannot see you?

Teacher-Directed Activity

Give each child a piece of off-white construction paper. Have them fold the paper in half, making a card. On the outside of the card tell them to write, "GOOD NEWS!" (This can be written on a chalkboard or newsprint pad for the children to copy.) On the inside, tell the children to write their own message of good news (Jesus Loves You, I Love You, Jesus is Alive, God Is Watching, etc.) The card can be decorated with heart or smiley face stickers. They can be given to someone who needs encouragement.

REACH Activity

Materials needed: tempera paint, paint brushes, package of colorful construction paper, string, glue, tape, Kids Classics Collection songbook and/or CDs, Bible, YEA book, Bible notebook, black permanent marker, watercolor paints, 11 x 17 drawing paper, card stock, pencils, markers, colored pencils, crayons, scissors, ruler, index cards, CEM Hymnal, Bible dictionary, concordance, access to encyclopedia or the Internet, Bible encyclopedia, Bible map or Bible atlas, dictionary, heavy card stock, ribbon, stickers

Bible notebook: A spiral bound notebook will be used as a Bible notebook. This is a good place to write and keep all of the writing activities.

1. Have you ever been unsure or afraid to go somewhere, as Susan was in the YEA lesson? How did you solve your problem? Write about it in your Bible notebook.

2. Do you like to visit or go to new places? If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why? Locate the place on a map. Look up this place in an encyclopedia and write about it in your Bible notebook. Design a travel poster that includes the information you found. Share the poster with your Sabbath School class or family.

3. Where is the most exciting place you have ever visited? In your Bible notebook write all about the place and what you liked most about it.

4. Write about a time when God took care of you.

5. Sing: “God Will Take Care of You” on page 69 of the CEM Hymnal and “My God is So Big” on page 14 of Kids Classics Collection.

6. God spoke to Jacob when he made a sacrifice at Beersheba. He told Jacob that He would take care of him wherever he went. God will take care of you, too. Write a prayer thanking God for taking care of you and your family.

7. Interview people you know are Christians. Ask them about how God has provided for them when they experienced trouble in their lives.

8. Joseph wanted his brothers to bring back his father, Jacob, to live in Egypt. If Joseph had sent a note to Jacob convincing him to move, what do you think he would have written in the note? Discuss this with your Sabbath School class or family.

9. How old was Jacob when he moved to Egypt? Use a Bible and concordance to find the answer.

10. Jacob and his sons stopped in Beersheba on their way to Egypt. Where is Beersheba? What does the name mean? Use a Bible and other Bible references to find the answers. Write the information in your Bible notebook.

11. Joseph’s father stopped in Goshen. The King told Joseph that his family could have the best part of the land. Where is Goshen? Use a Bible and other Bible references to locate this city. Write the information in your Bible notebook.

12. Draw the events of YEA Lesson 6: a) Joseph sending his brothers home to get Jacob, b) the brothers telling the news to Jacob, c) moving to Egypt, d) Joseph reunited with Jacob, e) Pharaoh giving Joseph’s family the land of Goshen. When the events are drawn, one event on each piece of paper, glue the pictures to heavy card stock. Tape the card stock together. Then accordion-fold the pages so drawings are displayed. Retell events using the drawings.

13. Make sock puppets to retell this YEA lesson. Invite family and friends.

Note: Making a simple sock puppet: To make your puppet, first find a plain white sock. Put your fingers in the toes and your thumb in the heel. When you close your hand, you close the mouth of the puppet. Measure the sock from the heel to the toe and make a large oval out of black construction paper to fit the area. Make a slightly smaller oval out of red construction paper for the inside of the mouth. Glue the two ovals together then glue them onto the sock between the heel and toe. Using a permanent marker, draw eyes and a nose. Sew or glue yarn hair on the sock.

14. Make a bookmark. Write the memory verse on it. Decorate with stickers, ribbon, etc.

15. Trace the outline of a suitcase with a handle, on brown or white card stock. Decorate the suitcase with different colors and sizes of plain stickers. Write part of the memory verse on four or five of the stickers. The stickers should be placed randomly as if they were travel stickers. Carry the suitcase and practice the verse until memorized.

16. Make a card in the shape of a car from construction paper. Write the memory verse on the outside. Write a personal note of encouragement to someone on the inside. Send it to that person.

17. Have you ever moved? What if you had to move tomorrow? What would you have to trust God for? Write about these ideas in your Bible notebook. 


18. Memory work activity for book: To help with the memorization of Psalm 23, give each student 13 4 x 6 cards. On one side of the card the student should write one phrase of each verse. For instance, one card will have: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The next card would have: He makes me lie down in green pastures. The third card would be: He leads me beside still waters. Continue with each phrase of the psalm. On the other side of the card the student should draw a picture that will help them remember that phrase. Since the students will be expected to recite Psalm 23, the cards should be made after YEA Lesson 1. After each of the subsequent lessons, the student should practice the psalm until memorized. Provide a reward for their hard work!

Song

"My God is So Big" is on page 14 of Kids Classics Collection.

Closing Prayer

Lead the children in prayer. Have each child add to the prayer by thanking God for watching them when they are - at school, at home, scared, sick, traveling, etc.