Have You Voiced the Choice?

KEY VERSE

Genesis 6:22

STICKY STATEMENT

Use your voice to give others a choice.

LESSON OBJECTIVE

Children will learn through Noah’s example that caring for someone means sharing the plan of salvation.

CHECKLIST1. A PowerPoint is available for this lesson.2. “God’s Story: Noah” https://teachersource.wol.org/videos/oly18/1-2/ (0:00-3:18). (Younger Adaptation – Introduction)3. Enough Gospel tracts for every child.4. Visuals 1-5 (Introduction)

LESSON OVERVIEWDuring Noah’s time on earth, judgment from God was coming through a worldwide flood, and salvation was provided through a large wooden ark. Today, there is no worldwide flood approaching, but each day death and eternity are closer for every man. Noah cared enough to do something about it, by doing what God commanded. In this lesson the children will be challenged to voice the truth about salvation.

Teacher’s Note: For additional information on Noah’s ark, check out the Answers in Genesis website. https://teachersource.wol.org/videos/oly18/1-1/

Younger AdaptationAlthough many churched kids are familiar with the story of Noah, unchurched kids will benefit from seeing “God’s Story: Noah.” It is a good review of the events leading up to and including the story of Noah. Show the video, “God’s Story: Noah” https://teachersource.wol.org/videos/oly18/1-2/ (0:00-3:18). Use this adaptation to replace the other activity using visuals in the Introduction.

Raise your hand if you have been in a flood. How many of you have seen pictures of flooding on TV? We all know that flood waters do a lot of damage to cities and homes. Even the worst floods that have taken place in our lifetime can’t compare with the world wide flood that happened thousands of years ago in Noah’s day. Watch this video closely to find out why God sent this flood and why God chose to spare Noah and his family. [Show video, then continue teaching from the body of the lesson.]

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Teacher’s Checklist: 1. A PowerPoint is available for this lesson.2. “God’s Story: Noah” https://teachersource.wol.org/videos/oly18/1-2/ (0:00-3:18). (Younger

Adaptation – Introduction)3. Enough Gospel tracts for every child.4. Visuals 1-5 (Introduction)

INTRODUCTION

Teacher’s Note: You can choose to replace this introduction with the younger adaptation as described above. Show the video “God’s Story: Noah” https://teachersource.wol.org/videos/oly18/1-2/ (0:00-3:18).

Everywhere we go we see signs designed to tell us something. I am going to show you various signs one at a time. Raise your hand if you know what each sign means. [Show visuals 1-4 one at a time and choose a different child to answer for each sign.]

I’m glad to see that you know your signs! Who can tell me what all of these signs have in common? [Allow children to respond. Answer: They are warning signs.] Yes, exactly! These signs were placed in dangerous areas to warn others about the danger that could happen. The reason those signs are there is because someone cared about the safety of others.

I am going to show you one more warning sign [Show visual 5. Flood warning sign.] What is this warning sign for? [Allow children to respond.] That’s right, those are flood warning signs. Looking at these signs, can someone guess what person from the Bible we are going to learn about today? [Allow children to respond. Answer: Noah.] You’re right, it’s Noah. Now, I know that many of you may be familiar with this story, but I challenge you to listen closely to allow God to teach you at least one new thing that you can apply to your life.

BODY

Turn in your Bibles to Genesis 6. If you ask most people what they know about Noah’s story, they would probably mention Noah’s Ark. However, the story actually begins with God’s warning to everyone living on the earth at this time. Let me read what life was like in Noah’s time. [Read Genesis 6:11.]

About how long do you think God warned the people to repent from their sinful ways? [Allow children to respond.] Genesis 6:3 says that they were warned about God’s coming judgment for 120 years!

Among all the people on earth, Noah and his family were the only ones who loved and obeyed God. Everyone else on earth chose to do what was sinful. Remember, God created every person and loves each one, but He must judge sin. So, let’s read what God told Noah in Genesis 6:17. [Read Genesis 6:17.] He told Noah that the judgment for sin would come through a worldwide flood. This flood was not like any flood we have seen today. It would cover the entire earth and destroy every living thing! Noah cared enough to warn others about God’s coming judgment.

Even if no one listened, God was not about to give up on the human race. He had a plan to save Noah and his family and start over again. Since Noah had never seen an Ark before, God had to give him all the detailed instructions in order for Noah to build it. Some of these details are listed in Genesis 6:14-16.

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Girls, I want you to listen closely as I read this verse. I want you to listen for some of the details of how Noah was to build the ark. [Read Genesis 6:14.] Ok, girls who can tell me some details about the ark?

Teacher’s Note: Allow girls to respond. Answers: It should be made of gopher wood, it should have rooms in it, and the inside and outside should be covered with pitch. Explain that pitch was a tar-like substance used to waterproof the Ark.

Boys, listen as I read verse 15 to find out how long, wide, and high God wanted Noah to build the Ark. [Read Genesis 6:15.] Alright boys, who can tell me the size of the Ark?

Teacher’s Note: Allow the boys to respond: 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. Explain that the measurement used in Noah’s day was in cubits. A cubit was the length of an adult’s arm from their elbow to their fingertips. Bible scholars think that this measurement was about 19-20 inches long.

Since we no longer measure in cubits, let me tell you how the size of the Ark would compare to some things you are familiar with. The Ark was about one and a half football fields long. To float the Ark, you would need to line up three Olympic sized swimming pools end to end. If you compared it to the size of the space shuttles, NASA could lay three space shuttles, head to tail, on the deck of the Ark. Wow! That was one humongous boat that God was asking Noah to build! Genesis 6:18 also gives us some other details of the Ark blueprint. The Ark would have one window, one door, and three floors or decks.

Besides the size, God also told Noah what to bring aboard the Ark in verses 18-22. In addition to his family, God instructed Noah to bring two of every kind of animal, and food for them to eat. According to verse 22, Noah did all that God commanded him to do. Not only did Noah care about his family, but he cared about others as well. While he was building the Ark, Noah gave every person a choice to be saved from God’s judgment.

Noah’s story was given in the Old Testament, but he was also referred to in the New Testament in 2 Peter 2:5. [Read 2 Peter 2:5.]

Was Noah called “the master builder of the Ark” in this verse? No, Noah was known as the “preacher of righteousness.” Noah faithfully used his voice to share how others could be right with God. He cared enough about people to speak up and tell them the truth about their sin and God’s righteousness.

APPLICATION

What about you? Do you care enough to say something to your friends, neighbors, family members, or anyone else? God promised that He would never send another worldwide flood to destroy the world; but God’s judgment of sin is still real. Anyone who does not receive God’s Son, Jesus, will go to a place of torment called Hell when they die. Instead of spending eternity in Heaven with God, they will be separated from God. This is terrible news, but you can use your voice to give others a choice.

You can share that there is a way of escape. Tell others that salvation is found in Jesus alone, because He alone paid for the sin of all mankind. [Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.] Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is the reason we can have eternal life by believing in Him. You can use your voice to give others a choice, but how? Just like warning signs are used to help someone, you can give the plan of salvation through a gospel tract. It is an easy way to voice the Gospel and give someone a chance to be saved. Who can you share this with?

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Teacher’s Note: Have children raise their hand and give an example of who they could share the Gospel tract with. If no one answers right away, give a few examples such as neighbor, bus driver, or friend. It is important to emphasize that they have a parent’s permission before approaching a stranger. If there are unsaved children, this could be a great place to share the Gospel.

Great answers! Now, I need someone to come up to help me demonstrate how you can use your voice to give others a choice.

Teacher’s Note: Take the Gospel tract and pretend the person is an unsaved friend. Say something like “Hey [person’s name], can I give you something to read?” After doing so, ask if any children would like to volunteer as someone giving the tract. Once a few children have had a turn, end the lesson by giving everyone a tract to take home. Challenge them to ask their parents about how they can give it to someone. Close in prayer.

PERSONAL TRAINING TIMEGoal of this Personal Training Time

The children will understand that God knows all and sees all. They cannot hide their sins from God, but they should confess them to God.

Discussion Questions

1. Who is someone you will share the gospel tract with this week? (Friends, family, and neighbors. If you have time, practice sharing tracts with each other.)

2. What is a good follow-up question you could ask someone you gave a tract to? (What did you think about it? Have you heard something like that before?)

3. What can you pray to God about before handing out a gospel tract? (Ask for the right words to say. Pray that God will already prepare that person’s heart to receive the Gospel.)

PARENT CONNECTION

Perhaps you think, “My child is too young to really make a difference for God” or “They can’t really tell people about Jesus.” In our lesson today, your child learned why and how to share the good news of Jesus. We shared how Noah cared for the people of his time by preaching righteousness to those who did not know God. Ask your child about the gospel tract they received. Discuss what it means and who they could share it with. We encourage you to read through it yourself!

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