Lesson on Loyalty - Abraham's Big Test

Abraham's Big Test (Genesis 22:1-19)

Isaac grew up to be a fine boy. Abraham was very thankful to God that He gave him a son whom he really loves. One day, God spoke to Abraham and said "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

The next day, Abraham, Isaac and two other servants went on a journey. They brought with them enough wood for the burnt offering. They walked 3 days and when they were near Moriah, only Abraham and Isaac continued onto Mount Moriah.

Isaac brought the wood for the burnt offering on his shoulders while Abraham carried the knife and fire. Probably wondering, Isaac asked "The fire and the wood are here,but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

Abraham only replied "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." When they reached the place, Abraham built an altar, laid the wood on it, bound Isaac and laid him on the altar.

Abraham was about to strike Isaac with the knife when he heard the voice of the angel of the Lord call his name "Abraham! Abraham! Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

Then Abraham saw a ram caught in the thicket and he sacrificed that ram instead of his beloved son, Isaac.  God again spoke to Abraham "because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you..."  How happy Abraham must have been when he, his son and his two servants went back home.

KIDS DISCUSSION
1. If God (your mom or your dad) asks you to do something difficult, would you do it? Why?
2. What did God tell Abraham to do in our story? Was it easy or difficult?
3. How did Abraham respond? Did he follow God? Was it easy? What do you think Abraham felt?
4. What is loyalty? (complete devotion/faithfulness/staying by someone no matter how difficult things are) How did Abraham show his loyalty to God in the story?
5. How can you be loyal to God?

6. How did God reward Abraham's loyalty? 

MEMORY VERSE: James 2:23
"Abraham believed God ....and he was called God's friend."

KIDS' ACTIVITY
Abraham Sacrifices Isaac coloring page.
Memory Verse Puzzle. You can print this puzzle, color it yourself and cut along the lines. You can alternatively glue a cardboard at the back of the cut pieces to make them more sturdy. Make 2-3 sets depending on the number of students. Then play a game by letting 2 or 3 groups race each other in building the puzzle.
Dramatize the story of Abraham Sacrifices Isaac. Find in this page a sample Abaraham Sacrifices Isaac drama script. You may have to scroll down to find the script.
Word Search Puzzle. You can try this word search puzzle for the big kids.

Lessons on Love and Loyalty

Once upon a time, long, long ago, there was a man who had a wife and two sons. There was a famine in the land where he lived, so he said to his wife and sons, "We will journey down to another country where the crops have not failed. There shall we find plenty to eat, and there will we make our home."

So the family moved to the strange land where they prospered and were happy. In time, the boys grew to young manhood and married young women of the new land where they dwelt. Then sorrow entered their homes, as sorrow comes sooner or later to every home. The father and the two sons died, and the mother and her two daughters-in-law were left alone.

The mother, whose name was Naomi, said, "I am going back to the land where I lived in former days, back to the people of my girlhood." The young women said, "We shall go with you also." "No," replied Naomi, "you must not do that. Go back to your homes, there you shall be cared for, and may the Lord deal gently with you."

The names of these two daughters-in-law were Ruth and Orpah. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye.  But Ruth spoke up and said:

"Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

Great words are these, words of love and loyalty.

(This Bible story is found in Ruth Chapter 1.)

MEMORY VERSE:  Exodus 20: 12
Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

KIDS CRAFT:  Dog Paper Craft
Dogs are known to show love and loyalty to their owners.  How do dogs show their love and loyalty?  What can we learn from dogs?   This puppy dog is a simple cut and paste paper craft that is fun for young children to make.  It makes a great project for preschool and kindergarten kids.  See complete instruction here.