As kids leave, ask them about how God changed Jacob!

Connect Time (15 minutes): Five minutes after the service begins, split kids into groups and begin their activity. Large Group (30 minutes): Begin 20 minutes after the service starts. Model what it looks like to be engaged in large group. Small Group (15 minutes): Keep kids in small groups until parents arrive. If you all have extra time at the end, you can review the video and songs together.

During Large Group, make sure you’re an active participant along with kids! Be energetic, respond to the presenter and interact with the lesson. In addition, make sure you’re helping the presenter engage the room by sitting next to kids who need redirection, or separating those who can’t focus while sitting together.

Today’s story is another amazing example of how God meets us in tangible, real ways. Jacob wrestled with God, and it changed him for the rest of his life!

October 22-23, 2016

Genesis 32:22-32; Jeremiah 29:13 When you meet God, you change.

Jacob wrestles with God.

GOAL: Connect Time is all about engaging kids in an activity that allows them to connect with each other right away while simultaneously piquing their curiosity for Large Group and preparing their minds for what they’re going to hear.

HUMAN ALPHABET*Prepare to use the AV keynote for this activity.

● Keep kids in a large group and go to an open area where there’s a screen. Tell kids to spread out all over the room.

● Click to play music on the keynote and yell a command, like “Skip!” Kids then have to skip around the room, anywhere they want.

● After 20-30 seconds, click to stop the music and show a letter on the keynote. Yell the letter out loud.

● Kids then have to find a partner as quickly as possible and form that “letter” using their bodies on the floor. (Have two volunteers demonstrate for kids. For example, if it’s a “T” they should both lay down and make part of the letter “T”)

● Once kids have all tried to make the letter as best they can, yell another command like “Walk backwards!” and let them get up and walk backwards around the room. Click to play the music again until you want to stop and do the next letter (The keynote has 26 out-of-order letters.)

● Kids should try to find a new partner every time. ● Here’s suggestions to have kids do in between letters: skip, walk backwards, hop,

walk sideways, scoot on your bottom, crawl, crab walk, walk on your knees, hop on one foot, walk slow, walk fast, etc.

TALK ABOUT IT● How did you change during the game?● What animal would you most want to change into?

Before you go to Large Group, you can ask kids how their week went. You can also remind kids of the expectations for Large Group behavior: (1) be kind, (2) listen when somebody speaks, and (3) follow the leader’s instructions.

Goal: Kids will (1) understand why Jacob wrestled with God, (2) recognize that when we meet God, we change, and (3) identify one way that God wants to change us.

Why? Jacob’s story shows us that we all go through difficult times, but God will always meet us, change us and prepare us for what lies ahead!

Tip: Using facepaint can be messy, even if it’s a crayon! So make sure to remind kids not to itch or smear their faces/hands.

REVIEW THE STORY● Hold the bean bag and tell kids that they’ll each get a chance to answer a question,

but ONLY if they raise their hand and catch the bean bag first. ● Once they answer a question, you’re going to “change them” by drawing a simple

picture on their face (or hand) using a face paint crayon! (Let them choose a picture from the face painting picture key. Each picture is very simple and should only take a few seconds.) After they’re done, let kids toss the bean bag to the next kid after you ask another question (Make sure kids throw gently!)

● Start out with the story questions, and then, if you have more kids, move onto the sillier questions!

○ Why was Jacob going on a trip home? (To see his brother Esau.) ○ What did Jacob do on his trip to see Esau? (He stayed behind while the rest

of his family went ahead/made camp by a river.)○ Why did Jacob disobey God and stay behind? (He was afraid/worried.)○ Who did Jacob call out to at night? (God.)○ Who appeared to Jacob? (God, looking like a man.)○ What did God and Jacob do then? (Wrestled all night.)○ What did Jacob ask God for? (A blessing.)○ What did God change Jacob’s name to? (Israel.)○ How do you think Jacob felt BEFORE he wrestled God? (Afraid, nervous,

unsure, worried, etc.)(Question can be repeated.)○ How do you think Jacob felt AFTER he wrestled God? (Brave, trusted in God,

peaceful, happy, etc.) (Question can be repeated.)○ What happened after Jacob was changed? (He decided to face Esau, and

Esau welcomed him with open arms!)(Continued on next page.)

*If you have kids who still need to answer a question, ask these:● Would you rather change into a bird or a fish?● If you could have any color hair, what would you change it to?● Would you rather change into a cactus or a flower?● If you could be any age, what it be?● Would you rather change into a polar bear or an octopus?● If you could change into any animal, what it would be?● If you could change into another person for a day, who would it be?

Extra time? Do a coloring page. Then play some more thumb wrestling! Have kids pair up and thumb wrestle, and then have the winners play each other for each round, until 1 kid is the ultimate champion!

Think of a personal, real-life example to share with kids today: What’s one way God has changed you? Or, what’s one way you WANT God to change you?

You can find today’s video at crossroadskidsclub.net/weekend.

*Click to play intro music.● Welcome: Hi everybody! Welcome to Kids’ Club. We’re so

glad to have you here! You all did a great job changing into those letters! Let’s do it again, but this time, just make a letter by yourself, out of your own body. Ready? Change into a… “S”!

● (Click to show image of “S” and let kids respond.) ● Ask: So how did you have to change during the game? (Let

kids respond.) Yep, you had to change your bodies into different shapes, so you looked like a letter!

● Ask: Would it have been very fun if you just walked around the whole time, and never had to change into any letters at all? (Let kids respond.) Probably not. It was fun to change!

● Say: We go through all kinds of changes in our lives. Some are little, some are big. Sometimes we change on the outside, like a chameleon! Does anybody know what way a chameleon changes? (Let kids respond.) Yeah, it changes colors! Do you know WHY it changes colors? (Let kids respond.) Hmm, let’s see if you’re right….

● Video: Chameleons● Say: So what’s the real reason they change colors? (Let

kids respond.) Yep, it’s because they get excited or stressed out, not because they’re trying to blend in!

WELCOME AND INTRO

Main Goal: Review Connect Time and introduce the lesson.

Notes:

CHANGES ON THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE

Main Goal: Illustrate the difference between outer and inner changes.

Notes:

INTRO: JACOB

Main Goal: Introduce Jacob and show what led to him wrestling with God!

Notes:

● Say: Let’s watch another video of an animal that also changes colors, but for a different reason!

● Video: Cuttlefish● Say: So why does the cuttlefish change colors and

textures? (Let kids respond.) Yep, to blend in and camouflage itself! Can you believe the amazing creations God has made?

● Say: Now we humans may not be able to change our skin from green to pink, but we can change other things, right? I’m going to call out some things we might change, and you point to it on yourself! Ready?

○ Can we change...our hair? (Let kids respond.) How can we change our hair? (Let kids respond.) Yeah, maybe cut it, or color it!

○ Can we change….our toe nails? (Let kids respond.) How we change those? (Let kids respond.) Yeah, we could paint them, or clip them!

○ Last one. Can we change…our heart? (Let kids respond.) Sure we can!

● Ask: What do you think it means to change our heart? (Let kids respond.) Yeah, it’s a change that happens on the inside, not the outside. It’s when we start to do things in a different way than we did before.

● Say: Today we’re going to learn about a guy who went through a really big change, and his name was Jacob. We’ve talked about Jacob before, and how he tricked his brother Esau into giving him his special blessing. Well after that, Esau was really mad, so Jacob ran away.

● Say: Let’s watch a video and see what happened next. As you watch, try to figure out what happens to make Jacob change!

● Video: God’s Story / Jacob Wrestles with God● Ask: So why did Jacob change? (Let kids respond.) Yep,

he changed because he wrestled with God!● Ask: What was Jacob doing before he changed? (Let kids

respond.) Yes, he was scared and he stayed behind instead of facing his brother! He was afraid to obey God.

● Ask: What did Jacob do after God changed him? (Let kids respond.) That’s right, he was brave and went to see Esau, even though Esau might have wanted to kill him. Jacob wasn’t afraid anymore, because he trusted God!

JACOB IS AFRAID

Main Goal: Understand why Jacob was afraid to obey God and imagine what it would be like in his shoes.

Notes:

JACOB MEETS GOD

Main Goal: Understand how Jacob met God in a real, physical way–through wrestling!

Notes:

● Say: Let’s all imagine what it must have been like for Jacob when God told him to head home. He loaded up his whole family, maybe on camels and caravans, and headed toward his brother Esau.

● Video: Camels ● Say: Let’s all pretend like we’re riding a camel and we’re

really tired from traveling! (Respond along with kids.)● Ask: Does anybody remember why Jacob was afraid on

this trip? (Let kids respond.) Yeah, it’s because he heard that Esau wanted to hurt him because he was so mad.

● Say: Imagine if you were going on a trip, and you knew that once you got there, someone would be really mad at you, and maybe even hurt you! Would that be an easy trip to make? (Let kids respond.) No way! It would be really hard. So Jacob sent all his family ahead, and he stayed behind and made camp by a river.

● Say: Let’s imagine we’re Jacob, and we’re staring up at the night sky, listening to the sounds of the wilderness.

● Video: Night Sky (Play video for several seconds, then resume talking while the video continues to play.)

● Say: While Jacob camped out, looking up at the stars and trying to sleep, he cried out to God and asked him for help. Did God hear him? (Let kids respond.) Yes! God appeared as a man to Jacob. Now, did they talk and have dinner together? (Let kids respond “No!”) Okay, did they play a game together? (Let kids respond “No!”) Then what did they do? (Let kids respond.) Yeah, they wrestled!

● Video: God’s Story Clip / Jacob Wrestles God ● Say: Now, raise your hand if it seems a little strange that

God wrestled with Jacob. (Let kids respond.) Yeah, it’s a strange way to meet someone!

● Ask: Why do you think God chose to meet Jacob that way? Why didn’t he just sit down and talk with him instead? (Let kids speculate. It’s okay if they’re not sure or have crazy answers!)

● Say: The thing is, sometimes, it’s hard to change. And God knew that Jacob needed something really powerful to help him not be afraid anymore. So God got up close and personal, and they wrestled all night long, until the sun came back up!

● Video: Sunrise

● Ask: Do you think God could have beaten Jacob right away if we wanted to? (Let kids respond.) Of course He could! God is more powerful than anyone!

● Ask: God chose to make himself weaker, so that Jacob had a chance to try and beat him. But in the end, God showed him that the only way to get the blessing was to let God take over. And that’s when God gave him his new name, Israel.

● Say: Let’s all look to our right, and say, “Jacob.” (Let kids respond.) Now let’s turn our faces all the way to the left, and say, “Israel.” (Let kids respond. Do this a few times.)

● Say: After that, Jacob was a completely different person! Instead of being afraid, he trusted that God would take care of him no matter what.

● Ask: Have you guys ever gone through a hard time, when you were afraid, or worried about something? (Let kids respond.) Yeah, that happens to all of us. Let’s read our verse for this month and see what God wants us to do when we experience hard things, like Jacob did.

● Slide: Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

● Ask: So when we are going through something that makes us sad, angry or afraid, what does God want us to do? (Let kids respond.) Yep, he wants us look for him! He wants us to talk to him, and ask him for help. He wants to meet us, just like he met Jacob.

● Ask: If we ask God for help, will he automatically change everything in our life to be perfect? (Let kids respond.) Nope, but he will change US, so that we can trust him.

● Say: Right now we’re going to take a minute and spend some time with God. First, everybody think of one way that you want God to change you. Maybe you need help being kinder to your sibling or grownups. Maybe you’re scared to do something, and you want to be brave instead. Whatever it is, get it in your head right now. (Give kids 10 seconds.)

● Say: Now if you can, spread out a little and get some space around you. (Let kids respond.) As this video plays, ask God to change you in a specific way. Pray to him silently, and maybe just listen and see if he speaks to you.

● Video: Nature Timelapse

JACOB LETS GOD TAKE OVER

Main Goal: Understand how Jacob ultimately submitted to God, and changed because of it.

Notes:

RESPONSE TIME

Main Goal: Let kids actively respond to the Holy Spirit.

Notes:

● Pray: God, we can’t change on our own. We need you to change us. Help us to seek you and find you. Amen.

● Say: Everybody stand up, and let’s meet God through worship!

● Music Video: Dance Laugh Love● Music Video: Who I Am

Dismiss kids to small groups.

PRAYER AND WORSHIP

Main Goal: Close the lesson with prayer and worship.

Notes:

Tell me about Jacob.How did God change Jacob?

1. Connect Time Letter Slides/KC logo song slides (For the Connect Time game, we need 26 slides, each with a different letter of the alphabet. The letters should be all out of order (ex: a, r, q, z, etc) and should be in large font. In between each letter slide, there should be a KC logo slide with music, identical to AV need #2 on this list. Let me know if you have questions.)

2. Song slide: for when kids enter the room (All that You Need instrumental; mp3 only; can be downloaded on website)3. Slide: “S” (make the letter S in very large font)4. Video: Chameleons (0:00-0:55; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp9W-_W8rCM) 5. Video: Cuttlefish: (0:00-0:36; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgDE2DOICuc) 6. Video: God’s Story / Jacob Wrestles with God (link not yet available)7. Video: Camels (0:30-0:45; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi-KfBHXlLk; overlay with this music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY5qE36_TtA) 8. Video: Night Sky (start at 1:40; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8n50DGRnXQ; overlay with this noise:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiAmAcaDQrM) 9. Video: God’s Story Clip / Jacob Wrestles God (link and start/stop time not yet available)

10. Video: Sunrise (0:39-1:02; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek6dfnTWNHM) 11. Slide: Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.12. Video: Nature Timelapse (0:00-1:00;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk6_hdRtJOE) 13. Music Video: Dance Laugh Love (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3kJ_HOjC1A&feature=youtu.be) 14. Music Video: Who I Am (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKTFrW2jXuA)

Per group: Bible, markers, 1 bean bag, 1 face paint crayon (Dickblick.com: Craft Dab Jumbo Crayon Face Paint; item # 00206-1003; http://www.dickblick.com/items/00206-1003/), 1 face paint picture key -reused (BW, cardstock, Page 12)

Per kid: Coloring page

No supplies needed

Per Group: Bible