Prayer & Self-Denial 2017 Children's Ministry Manual

NGA

TREASURES HANDED DOWN

TUKU IHO 2017

PRAYER AND SELF-DENIAL

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY MANUAL Aiding Children To Discover Their Part in God’s Almighty Plan

LETTER FROM

Rachel

Kia ora koutou

People as Treasure: Made in the image of God, all people have value. As followers of Jesus we seek to restore the worth and dignity of people that has been broken and buried by others.

The mandate of the NZ Baptist Missionary Society (NZBMS) is to enable the Baptist Churches of NZ to fulfil the great commission anywhere in the world that God may direct, and we seek to do this through a range of activity including education, development, business, discipleship and resourcing.

Where is your Treasure?: We are called to use the gifts, talents and the financial resources we have to further the Kingdom, and to serve others and God. How are we doing so?

The annual NZBMS Prayer and Self Denial appeal takes a central place for us as the Baptist denomination. It focuses on:

Our receptacle this year is a kete, which has been handmade in Aotearoa. This kete and the larger kono, represent the taonga of weaving handed down through the generations, and is utilised to hold taonga or the things of value and importance to us.

a) Celebrating the stories of transformation and raising awareness of what God is doing through the work and ministry of NZ Baptists.

In the pages of this manual and online, we offer and invite you to use and adapt the resources to suit your context. We encourage you to engage every generation in this appeal and we would love to hear of and see photos of what you’ve done.

b) Raising support - both prayer and financial - for the work and people of NZBMS. Our team (your team!) can only do what we do through prayer and financial generosity. c) An invitation to partner with NZ Baptists serving through NZBMS, with the local churches overseas and with God in His mission to His world.

We pray that the God of mission will use His Church to effect transformation in this world and that He will be glorified in doing so.

On behalf of those serving overseas, sent and commissioned on your behalf, and of those serving here in Aotearoa New Zealand, we thank you for your support, your prayers and your contribution.

The 2017 theme is ‘Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho: treasures handed down’. To us this speaks of both the tangible and intangible treasures that God has handed down to us through the years.

Ngā Mihi Nui

Over the three weeks of Prayer and Self Denial, we focus on three distinct aspects of these treasures:

Rachel Murray

Gospel as Treasure: The greatest treasure we have is the gift of God’s Son and His sacrifice for us on the cross. In the gift of God’s Word we can delve further to understand this treasure and have a responsibility to share the Word and Christ with others.

GENERAL DIRECTOR NZBMS

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LETTER FROM

Karen

It has been great to partner with NZBMS again this year to bring you this material for Self Denial.

They have done a wonderful job of putting the ideas and stories together and graciously allowed us to make some small tweaks.

One of those was to incorporate the “Ponder Point”. We firmly believe we need to be embracing models that are able to engage with 21st century children. So we encourage you to ponder together what God is saying as you engage with the theme of “Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho, treasures handed down”. The handouts for the home are a great way for families to continue pondering together, so please encourage your families to talk further about the stories of God’s taonga during the week.

As ministry partners, we may be separated by an ocean, but we are still partnering together. You might like to look for ways that you can make our mission partners, and the work they are doing, an ongoing focus in your Children’s Ministry. Maybe you could write letters, send parcels or have Skype conversations during the year. Find out what the children of the mission families are doing and encourage your own children to see them as ministry partners – with overseas experience!

Have fun with this material and please feel free to give feedback either to ourselves or directly to NZBMS. Karen Warner TEAM LEADER BAPTIST CHILDREN & FAMILY MINISTRIES

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GENERAL INFORMATION RECEPTACLE: The art of weaving is a taonga, a treasure, which has been handed down through the generations; a beautiful illustration of this year’s theme Ngã Taonga Tuku Iho. This year our receptacle is a kete, which has been handmade in New Zealand.

These kete are so much more than a receptacle, they tell a story of unity and connection to Mãori heritage and identity.

We are very thankful and appreciative of te whãnau o Mihaere (the Mihaere whãnau) for gathering together as a family and producing these kete. In doing so, they reconnected with their own heritage and whakawhãnaungatanga (relationships).

This year, we are truly honoured to be sending members of the Baptist family home with a kete that is a unique, one of a kind design by the Mihaere family specifically for NZBMS. The design itself is meaningful and represents the resourcefulness of Mãori. Traditionally, Mãori made kete from any material available to them. In more modern times hessian fabric was an option; what better way for us to honour God than to simply use what He has placed amongst us in the everyday!

to compromise their security in anyway.

Please do not publish the surnames of our staff, or give specific countries or cities if we have not provided this information in our materials. If you have any questions, please contact us.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIVING: Thank you so much for your gift which helps fund our projects and activities!

If possible, we would really appreciate if you could send us your gifts and donations by the 31st August 2017. This is when we close our financial year.

To send your churches gift by cheque: Please make cheques out to NZBMS and send them to: NZBMS PO Box 12149, Penrose Auckland 1642 To pay by internet banking: Bank Account: 02-0232-0146287-04 Particulars: FSD Code: 2017

TAKE HOME HANDOUT Over the three weeks of this appeal each child will receive a take home handout to remind them of the treasures God has placed around us in the everyday. These handouts are a great way to get the whole family talking about the theme of each week.

Reference: Church Donor Number (if known) or Church Name

Thank you!

PLEASE BE SECURITY CONSCIOUS: We do not publish the surnames of our overseas workers, and we are very careful how we explain the places where our staff serve. The reason for our caution is that we do not want to jeopardise any of our work, or put our staff in danger.

Many of our staff are serving in difficult and hostile contexts, and we do not want

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THE GOSPEL IS

WEEK

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THIS WEEK’S VIDEO: Grasping onto the promises of God In this video we walked alongside Peter and Leonora as they described the impact the Gospel has had (and continues to have) on their community. Peter and Leonora live in a town well known for its mission history and background, and yet the majority of the people living in this town still have not heard the Good News. For those who have heard, and believe, there is an amazing hunger to learn more and more from the Word of God. In order for us to know God more intimately and personally, we must also have this same hunger each time we open the Bible.

PONDER

POIN

T: Encourag ing childre n to searc treasures h for in the Gos When we p e l! open the Bible, we expecting really sho the unexp uld alway ected! The golden nu s be re are so m ggets of tr Gospel th any great u th embedde at just ma d through kes you s out the it back an you truly d say “Wo a re amazin w God, This week g!” as we ope n how much up the Bib le and lea God loves rn about us, we enc notice of the way G ourage yo o u d to take wants us News of J to share th esus with e e veryone w Good God loves e come ac it when w ross! e read His story of H Word and is Son bec the ause it ta a quest; a kes us on quest to u ncover wh o He really is.

Perhaps after watching the video, you could ask the children in your ministry to share their thoughts and ideas about why reading the Bible is important.

THIS WEEK’S STORY:

THE WORK OF NZBMS OVERSEAS: We think the Gospel is just too good to keep to ourselves!

Through our different ministries, we are responding to the call in Mark 16:15 to ‘Go out into the world and preach the Good News to everyone’. A great example of this is the work of Peter and Leonora who are located in South Asia. Peter and Leonora are actively involved in their community where they attend home groups, assist at the local theological college, and offer heritage tours to individuals and groups who are interested in the history of their colonial town; a rich history which points to God and His provision. Through these tours, participants are encouraged to explore, understand and pray for the local people, allowing Peter and Leonora to share how God has moved in this town to their new friends. If you ask Peter and Leonora why it is they do what they do, they will confidently tell you, it is to inspire people in their walk with God. You can’t ask for much more than that!

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For God So Loved the World.

This week we look at the birth of Jesus. Sometimes the birth of Jesus gets set aside as a Christmas story that we only pull out in December, but it is so much more than that! It’s the story of God’s plan to save his people, set into motion.

Taken from Luke 1-2.

BIBLE SCAVENGER HUNT

LARGE GROUP IDEAS

What better way to have the children of your ministry delve into the Bible than with a Bible scavenger hunt.

Break the children into groups of 3-5 and have them follow clues based on Bible verses. For younger children a leader may have to help the group by reading Bible verses and suggesting places where the next clue could be leading.

The game starts by giving each team a Bible verse with a word missing from the verse. The missing word will be the clue to the next location and verse.

HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS: (USING A NIRV BIBLE)

1) Galatians 5:22-23 “But the _______ of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, selfcontrol; against such things there is no law.”

(Answer: fruit) 2) John 4:14 “But whoever drinks the ______ I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the ________ I give him will become in him a spring of ______ welling up to eternal life.”

(Answer: water)

Hand out different verses to each group to avoid congestion at the clue sites.

For example: “Then he took a , and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, “Drink from it all of you.” – Matthew 26:27. The children are to read the verse and find the missing word (e.g. cup). They are then to go to the place where they would find a cup (e.g. kitchen) to get their next clue, and so the game continues.

You can have as many or as few clues as you would like depending on how long you would like the game to last.

3) 1 Peter 1:24 “For, all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the _______ of the field; the grass withers and the _______ fall, but the Word of the Lord stands forever.”

(Answer: flowers) 4) Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; My _____ overflows.”

(Answer: cup)

5) Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a ____ to my feet and a light for my path.” (Answer: lamp) 6) Revelation 22:7 “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophesy in this _____.” (Answer: book) 7) Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find, knock and the _____ will be opened for you.”

(Answer: door)

WHY NOT INVITE A LOCAL BMF GROUP TO JOIN YOU IN PRAYER?

The Baptist Missionary Fellowship (BMF) have groups all around the country who meet on a regular basis to pray for our Tranzsend workers and the communities they serve. They would love the opportunity to join your children’s ministry in prayer for our overseas team. If you would like to see if a BMF group meets close to you, contact Carol Shearer at blceshearer@gmail.com

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THE BIRTH OF

JESUS Mary was busy, busy, busy! She was going to be married soon, and there was still so much to do! As she quickly darted around from this place to that, she took a moment to reflect on the man she was about to marry. Her fiancé Joseph was a good man; very supportive. He had a kind heart and always looked out for Mary so that she wouldn’t get into any trouble.

Joseph was also a descendant of King David. Mary still couldn’t believe it! She was marrying a descendant of King David!

‘I’m a lucky lady’, Mary thought to herself smiling.

To make things even better, Mary had heard that her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant with a son; a gift from the Lord.

Elizabeth had always wanted a child, but it was looking less and less likely in Elizabeth’s old age. And now here she was, a few months away from giving birth. How exciting! Mary couldn’t help but smile, the Lord was definitely looking after her family.

Mary went back to ticking things off her to do list, she was determined that this would be a productive day; there was no time for distractions today, Mary was on a mission to get things done!

And then it happened- the distraction of all distractions. The distraction that would change eternity forever.

Mary forcefully blinked her eyes, not once, not twice, but three times, trying to shake the image that she was seeing. But no matter what she did, it was clear that standing in front of her was an angel. Surely she must be hallucinating! Why would there be an angel in her living room? A mouse she could understand, a bird- maybe, but an angel? “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you,” beamed the angel whose name was Gabriel.

Mary’s heart began to beat a little faster. ‘Who is this? And why is he greeting me in this really strange way?’ Mary thought to herself.

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“Do not be afraid Mary,” the angel said, “God has a surprise for you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and his name will be Jesus. He will be Great, and will be called the Son of the Most High.

The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end”.

Overcome with surprise and confusion, Mary nearly fell over; she couldn’t believe what she was hearing! Was this angel being serious? “But how?”

Mary asked Gabriel, “I am not married yet.”

Gabriel, could see that Mary was puzzled and quickly replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will hover over you. Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God. Nothing is impossible with God”.

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Mary slowly began to nod her head to herself as she started to grasp what Gabriel was explaining to her. “Yes, I see it all now; I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say.”

Immediately the angel Gabriel left her, and Mary found herself alone once again. Mary lay down on her bed and remembered all that the angel had said to her. If she understood correctly, she was going to give birth to a baby boy… with the help of the Holy Spirit… And her son will be known as the Son of Man? This was crazy!

It was definitely crazy, but it was also very obviously God’s plan. The prophet Isaiah had predicted this would happen many many years before. When Mary had read the Scriptures, she no idea Isaiah was talking about her! “Look!”,

the prophet Isaiah had written, “The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’.”

hurried along with Joseph and prepared a place for baby Jesus to be born. Once the baby had been born, Mary wrapped him up in cloths and placed him in the feeding trough. Mary was in awe of her beautiful baby son. She thought back to the day Gabriel had visited in her house.

It felt so long ago!

And so as it was written, and as the angel had declared, Mary was pregnant with Jesus.

Time passed, and the baby continued to grow bigger and bigger. Finally, the time came when Mary was ready to give birth. Joseph and Mary were away from their home town of Nazareth and had to quickly find somewhere to stay.

They knocked on the door of the inn, but there was no room. They knocked on another door; still no room! All the places in this little town of Bethlehem were full! ‘Now what are we going to do?’, Mary thought, ‘I need to give birth to this baby somewhere!’

Mary looked at her peaceful little boy asleep in the feeding trough. This little boy was special.

This little boy was the new born king of a kingdom that will never end. This little boy was the Son of God; a Saviour for all mankind. This little boy was a gift from God, handed down to the world He so loved.

Mary took a deep breath. As she looked at her little boy she knew, this Prince of Peace had just changed the world as she knew it, forever.

Out of the corner of her eye Mary spotted an empty stable, where the animals stayed. She

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SMALL GROUP IDEAS QUESTIONS FOR THE CHILDREN: Choose a few questions from below to discuss with your group.

1) Why is the birth of Jesus an important event in history?

God came to Earth.

Saviour of mankind- Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins so that those who believe will spend eternal life with God in heaven.

Scripture fulfilled.

To bring light to a dark world.

2) How has God helped you through something that you thought was impossible? Have you told others about it?

3) God shared His plan of sending Jesus to earth through Isaiah and many other prophets a long time before Jesus was born. Why is it important to know what was written about Jesus in the Old Testament?

Displays the sovereignty of God- always in control.

To be able to identify the true Jesus, rather than false gods.

To understand God had a plan to save us from the beginning.

Can be confident when sharing with others.

4) I wonder why God, the King of Kings, would allow Himself to be born amongst the animals rather than in a palace?

Came to serve- Humble birth The least shall come first.

Shows that God can relate to those who do not have much material wealth. He understands their needs and wants.

Shows that God is approachable and accessible.

5) Why is it important to share the story of the birth of Jesus with others?

God provided a way back to Him through His Son. People are lost and need a Saviour.

John 3:16 – God loved the world that He gave His only Son. Mark 16:15- Go into the world and preach the Good News to everyone.

IDEAS FOR PRAYER: This week, the focus has been on the Gospel. In the video we saw how Peter and Leonora live in a community who are hungry for the Word of God. We also saw the impact the Gospel has made in the lives of some of the local believers. As you gather together as a group to pray, below are a few suggestions to direct your prayers: •• Pray that the true words of the Bible will be life changing for our friends both here in New Zealand and overseas.

•• Pray that the Lord will provide opportunities for the NZBMS team to share the Gospel message to those in need.

•• Pray for Peter and Leonora as they develop friendships within their community.

•• Pray that the lives of those who hear the Gospel message will be changed for the better.

By sharing the story of Jesus to others we are inviting them into the Heavenly Kingdom.

6) What ‘treasure’ can you take away from this story?

TREASURE BOX ACTIVITY: Materials needed: •• Treasure Box template

(One for each child. Template can be downloaded from resources.nzbms.org.nz

•• Colouring pens/pencils for decorating •• Glue

This week’s activity is to create a Treasure Box, which can be filled with the children’s favourite verses from the Bible. This a great interactive way for children to store and treasure the promises God has made to them through His Word.

Assign some time for the children to reflect on the promises in the Bible that are precious to them, and then allow them to write these down on a piece of paper and put the verses in their treasure box. Encourage them to keep filling up their treasure box at home as they do their daily Bible reading.

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PEOPLE ARE WEEK

two

PONDER POINT

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO:

:

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THIS WEEK’S STORY: THE WORK OF NZBMS OVERSEAS: Our greatest reward comes from serving and walking alongside the people of the communities we work within. Though many of these communities are wounded through neglect, loneliness, and exploitation, we find great joy in the courage, hope and restoration offered to the people of these communities through our Lord Jesus Christ. A brilliant example of a changed, joyous people, are the ladies who work alongside Paul and Sarah (along with other Tranzsend workers) at The Loyal Leather Workshop. The Loyal Leather Workshop is a freedom business which offers employment to women who have been sold, abused and exploited within the sex trade. Through daily devotions and conversations with the women, Paul and Sarah are able to input words of truth and encouragement into the lives of these beloved women of God. The Loyal Leather Workshop, along with our other freedom businesses, are restoring worth and value to the people of South Asia.

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Let My People Go. This week we visit the book of Exodus, where the Israelite community were oppressed and deeply suffering. The key focus of this story is the unbeatable service God provided to His chosen people.

Through this story we learn that God is actively preparing people to act as witnesses of His amazing love and grace, and redemptive power.

Taken from Exodus 1-14.

LARGE GROUP IDEAS

GAME IDEA: TREASURE HUNTERS

DISCUSSION:

Preparation: Before your class arrives, hide some small objects (eg coins or messages) all around your classroom. Make some very obvious, and others less so. Have enough objects that everyone in the class is able to collect a few at least.

When the children arrive, have them write their names on an envelope and have them leave their envelopes on their seats or on the floor.

1) At the end of the game ask the children ‘who won?’ It is very likely that the group will answer that it is the person with the most objects who has won.

RULES OF THE GAME: 1) Each child is to find as many of the hidden objects as they can and to place them in any of the envelopes on the seats or floor (either their own or another child’s).

2) Child 1 should not encourage child 2 to put their objects in child 1’s envelope. All children are to play this game with complete free will.

3) Objects should not be removed from another child’s envelope, only added.

4) Once all the objects are found, count how many are in each envelope.

5) Once the children have counted how many objects are in their envelope, have them announce their number to the class.

Leader’s Note: As the children are playing the game, observe their behaviours- particularly to see who is putting the objects in the envelopes of other children.

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2) The leader should then ask why that would be the case when it was never mentioned that the person with the most objects was the winner.

3) The leader should then explain that the winner was the person who cared enough for their friends that they shared their objects with them.

WOULD YOU CONSIDER HAVING THIS LESSON AS PART OF AN ALL AGE FAMILY SE RVICE?

What better way to ed ucate the children of your ministry about the importance of valuing others than through an all-age family service. Having an intergenerational and intercultural mix of people will be a fantastic opportu nity for your congregation to mix wit h one another and unveil the hidden tre asures of your church!

GOD’S PRECIOUS

PEOPLE

The people of Israel were sore, tired and miserable. The Egyptians were making life hard for them. Ever since the new king had come to power, the people of Israel had been suffering! For 400 years the people struggled as day after day they worked hard, making buildings out of bricks and working in the fields.

The time came when the king of Egypt died. The people of Israel saw this as their opportunity to break free from the back breaking work they had been forced to do under the old king. Together

the Israelites groaned and cried out for help; they didn’t want to be slaves in Egypt any longer.

God heard their cries for help and felt troubled for them. The Israelites were His chosen people.

His precious treasures.

God valued each of His children, so He came up with a plan to rescue the Israelites from their suffering. To help Him with this plan, God had His eye on someone special. This special person was a shepherd named Moses.

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One day, Moses was out in the wilderness looking after some sheep. As the sheep happily played with each other, Moses heard a rustling in the bush behind him. Moses took a step closer and slowly peered over the bush, curious of what could be causing all the rustling.

Was one of his sheep being naughty and hiding in the bush? Slowly, he crept another step closer. Suddenly the bush exploded into a blaze of fire! Moses jumped back and stared in amazement at the bush. ‘What’s going on here?’ Moses thought; the bush was clearly on fire, but it wasn’t burning up!

Moses moved closer to investigate.

“Moses! Moses!” a voice from inside the bush called. Moses jumped with fright! Unsure of how this bush was talking to him he answered, “Yes? I’m right here!”. “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”.

Immediately Moses covered his face with the scarf he was wearing because he was afraid.

The Lord knew that Moses was afraid but still continued to speak, “I have certainly seen the suffering of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of misery because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey. The Israelite cry for help has come to me, and I’ve seen for myself how cruelly they’re being treated by the Egyptians. It’s time for you to go back; I’m sending you to Pharaoh to 14

bring my people, the People of Israel, out of Egypt”.

I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled”. Moses was really throwing every excuse he could think of at God now!

Moses couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He remembered the way he saw the Israelites were whipped and beaten when he was a little boy. The Israelites definitely needed a saviour but surely it couldn’t be him! He had left that life now! Egypt wasn’t the place for him anymore; he couldn’t go back there! Now, all his time and energy was to be spent looking after his sheep.

Moses nervously looked down at his dust coated feet and spoke to the blazing fire, “But why me? What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and lead the children out of Egypt?”

Moses was shaking now; God was definitely speaking to the wrong person. There was no way Moses was up for this massive task!

God knew the thoughts that were racing through Moses’ mind. In a reassuring voice He answered, “I will be with you.”

Moses continued to protest, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words.

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The Lord was fed up with all of Moses’ protesting!

In his anger the Lord said “Don’t you have a brother, Aaron? He’s good with words, I know he is. He speaks very well. In fact, at this very moment he’s on his way to meet you. When he sees you, he is going to be glad. Speak to him and tell him what I say. I’ll be right there with you as you speak, and with him as he speaks, teaching you step by step.”

Moses had run out of excuses and had no choice but to agree to the Lord’s commands. He returned the sheep he was looking after to their owner and packed up his bags, before setting off with his brother Aaron to Egypt.

When they had arrived in Egypt, Moses looked around at his fellow people who were being beaten and whipped. “It is exactly the same as when I left this place,” Moses thought, and anger burned within him.

Moses and Aaron marched up to the royal palace and demanded to speak to Pharaoh. Before Pharaoh could utter a word Moses and Aaron declared, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “Let my people go””.

“Is that so?” Pharaoh chuckled as he threw his head back in laughter. “And who is the Lord?

Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.

Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.”

Moses and Aaron, turned and left the court yard. The Lord had told them that Pharaoh would not co-operate. In fact, Pharaoh did the complete opposite of cooperate. Once Moses and Aaron had left he took immediate action and made life even harder for the Israelite people. “Load them down with hard work!” Pharaoh declared to his Egyptian slave-drivers, “Make them sweat!”.

When Moses had heard that Pharaoh was making the Israelites suffer even more than before he pleaded to the Lord, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me?

Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!”

God.” Again and again Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, asking him to let the people of Israel go. And again and again Pharaoh refused them.

The Lord was closely watching and each time Pharaoh refused, the Lord sent a plague to torture the people of Egypt. The plagues caused a great amount of chaos and devastation. All over Egypt there were frogs, flies and gnats, people with infected sores and boils, there was darkness and there was death.

Finally, after the Lord had brought all these horrible things to the people of Egypt, Pharaoh had had enough!

“Get out!”, he ordered Moses, “Leave my people – and take the rest of the Israelites with you!”

Moses couldn’t believe it! They had done it! They were free! With urgency he gathered up all the Israelites and began to lead them towards the land which God had promised them. Speaking to the mass of people gathered around him Moses said, “This is a day to remember forever- the day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today the Lord has brought you out by the power of

The Lord replied, “I am the Lord. You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians.

Say to the people of Israel, “I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgement.

I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your

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His mighty hand.” When he had finished speaking, a loud cheer from the crowd filled the air. They were finally free! By foot they walked and walked. For forty years they walked. As they walked they dreamt about all that would be available to them in the land the Lord had prepared for them.

All along the way the Lord provided for his people. Being the God of miracles that He is, He provided water from rocks, and food from the sky. Not for one moment did the Lord take His eyes off His beloved children.

As the large crowd followed the Lord in a pillar of fire in the dead of night, Moses couldn’t help but smile. They were being guided by a God who loves His people; a God who saw that His people were struggling and came up with a plan to rescue them; a God who provided just what they needed, right when they needed it; a God who had prepared a place just for them. Moses shook his head in amazement; you can’t follow a greater God than that!

SMALL GROUP IDEAS

QUESTIONS FOR THE CHILDREN

6) How would the Israelite people have felt once they had left Egypt?

** Disclaimer: Some of this material may not be suitable for younger children. Please think carefully through the ages of your children before utilising this material.

Rescued by God. Filled with joy.

Excited for the journey ahead.

Thankful.

1) The Israelites were being horribly treated by the Egyptians. Can you think of situations or places today where people are not being treated nicely?

2) Why did God feel troubled when He heard the cries of the people who were suffering? Does He still feel troubled for the people who are suffering today?

The Israelites were His chosen people who He held dear to his heart.

God didn’t intend for people to live in a sinful world.

God is a relational God- He walks alongside us and feels our pain.

Psalm 34:19 “The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to their rescue every time.”

3) What are some common excuses you come up with when you don’t want to do something? Is that helpful to the people around you?

4) God allowed Moses’ brother Aaron to help him. What are some reasons God places people in our lives to help us? Who can you think of in your life that helps you?

5) What can you do to show those people that you value and love them?

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Freed from slavery.

Filled with new hope.

7) Why is it important to share this story with people who are treated badly?

Story of hope God cares for His people God is a rescuer and a comforter God offers protection and healing 8) What ‘treasure’ can you take away from this story?

IDEAS FOR PRAYER This week, the focus has been on the treasures God has placed around us in people. In the video we saw how Sarah and Paul are working hard to restore the broken and damaged treasures of God in South Asia. We also saw the almighty power of God, as He restores dignity and respect to His precious children.

As you gather together as a group to pray, below are a few suggestions to direct your prayers: •• Pray for the work of NZBMS as we work to rescue and restore the broken and hurting children of God. •• Pray for Sarah and Paul and their children, as they whisper God’s love into the lives of those they work with at The Loyal Leather Workshop.

•• Pray the Lord will speak to and comfort, those who do not feel valued, and will reassure them of His love for them.

WHERE IS YOUR WEEK

three

PONDER POINT:

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO:

God Serves us and hers.

Wants us to Serve Ot lents; different gifts and ta God has given us all at th ct fa e Th ! tty special that makes us all pre be to ing th me e same is so no two people are th ent n’t make us all differ did d Go celebrated! But e Th n. pla r ge He had a big just for the fun of it, t en fer dif all d gave us Bible tells us that Go n serve one another ca we talents so that ter 4:10-11). and glorify Him! (1 Pe ponsibility!

That’s a pretty big res Are you taking it seriously?

Pursuing Jesus.

In this video, we journey with Neil and Barb through East Asia where material consumption and the pursuit of earthly treasures are at an all-time high. We learn that this pursuit can only lead to disappointment, emptiness and broken dreams as a result of an endless chase of the latest craze. To fully reap the benefits of God’s amazing plan for our lives, we are to ensure our focus is on Him, not on worldly treasures.

THIS WEEK’S STORY: THE WORK OF NZBMS OVERSEAS: We are truly grateful for our wonderful team of overseas staff. Courageously they have put up their hand and said “Use me God”. In doing so, they have brought an extraordinary range of skills and talents into the NZBMS family; we have historians, farmers, business people, pastors, health professionals, teachers and the list goes on! And the very best part of it is that we can use all of their skills to glorify God! Neil and Barb are using their skills of pastoring and fellowship to minister to the people of East Asia. Through his position in the church, Neil is able to speak God’s Word into the lives of his congregation. He is able to encourage local believers to hold strong to their faith and pursue what is true and just, rather than chase the dream of worldly fame and riches. A dream that so many around them are chasing.

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Glorious Riches.

This week we look at the story of King Solomon. At the heart of this story we see that a strong start to a Christian life doesn’t always guarantee a strong finish.

Throughout the story of Solomon, we see a faithful servant lead astray by wealth, bad relationships and outright disobedience to God. Taken from 1 Kings 1-11

CHANGE CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE Have you heard of Mission Boxe s?

Mission boxes are a gre at way for your children’s ministry to ge t behind the work NZBMS are doing overs eas. Mission boxes are clearly labelled mo ney boxes that are used to collect loose ch ange, and serve as a way to remember and financially contribute towards ou r work. If you would like us to send yo u a mission box, please send an em ail to

info@tranzsend.org.n z

LARGE GROUP IDEAS DEFEND THE TREASURE GAME: Divide the children into 2 teams.

Nominate one person from each team to be the “Defender”.

Each “Defender” will have two piles of treasures to defend- a pile of earthly treasures and a pile of heavenly treasures.

the piles are directly behind them.

Ensure the Defender cannot reach both piles at the same time.

The remaining players of the opposing team are to face the Defender from about a room’s length away.

The game begins with the remaining players walking on their knees to steal the treasures (from either pile), one at a time. Once a player has stolen a treasure they must stand up and run back to their team’s treasure piles where they will leave the stolen treasure and return to their knees to start all over again.

The Defender is to defend their two piles to the best of their ability, while being on their knees also.

Make sure the two piles are on opposite sides of the room and the defender (to begin with) is sitting in the centre of the room so that

To prevent the opposing team from stealing a treasure, the Defender must touch the person from the opposing team. The touched person will then need to drop their

SKIT: STUFF!

(slumps to the ground) But I’m tired… this bag is too heavy!

Props:

Friend 2: What do you have in that thing, anyway?

•• 1x Heavy backpack full of items (for friend 1) •• 1x light backpack (for friend 2) •• Script (can be found at resources.nzbms.org.nz) Characters: •• Friend 1 •• Friend 2 •• Narrator

Friend 1 & Friend 2 walk onto stage wearing their backpacks.

They are in the middle of a hiking trip.

Friend 1: (Breathing heavily, and wiping sweat off forehead) We have been walking for ages! How much further do we have to go?

Friend 1: (clutching onto backpack embarrassed) Just the essentials.

Friend 2 Grabs pack off Friend 1 and starts to look through bag.

Friend 2: You packed half the world in here!

Friend 1: (Defensive) What? No I didn’t! I need all that stuff!

Friend 2: (Laughing hard) You packed three combs, five pairs of socks, I don’t know how many sets of batteries, your best shoes, one of your brother’s shirts, CD’s, headphones ... is there anything left in your bedroom that you didn’t bring?

Friend 1: Yes! Heaps of stuff! Like my bed.. And my... (thinking hard)

Friend 2: (Laughing) Are you joking? We only started walking five minutes ago. I thought you liked hiking.

Friend 2: Well I think it’s time we got rid of a few more things. You don’t need all this stuff! (Starts dumping things out)

Friend 1: (Moaning) I do like hiking.

Friend 1: (Shouting) Hey! What are

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treasure and return to the start line and begin again.

The game must be continuouspeople must not stop and wait when approaching the treasure piles.

The game is over when the opposing team are able to steal all of the treasures. The first team to do this is the winner.

After Game Discussion: 1) Was it difficult to defend both the earthly treasures and the Heavenly treasures at the same time?

2) What would happen to your heavenly treasures if you only guarded your earthly treasures?

you doing? (Grabs backpack) Friend 2: Are you crazy? We’re only camping for one night! And it’s already starting to get dark.

Friend 1: (Still shouting) No! These are my prized possessions. They’re my life!

Friend 2: Pretty sad life.

Friend 1: (Shocked look on face) Friend 2: What I mean is, we came out here to go hiking so that we can get away from all this stuff.

(Points at the stuff all over the ground) If we wanted to play music and dress up in fancy clothes, we should have just stayed home.

Friend 1: (Sits and thinks) You know what? (Jumps to her feet) You’re right. (Packs up the backpack and zips it closed) You’re absolutely right! (Throws the backpack away) We don’t need any of that stuff.

Let’s go!

Friend 2: Awesome. Let’s go!

Narrator walks onto centre stage, and both actors stand alongside the narrator.

Narrator: It’s pretty easy to collect a lot of ‘stuff’, isn’t it?

The problem is, Jesus didn’t tell us to collect stuff. He didn’t say, “Go therefore into all the world and collect as much stuff as you can.”

That would be crazy!

What he actually said in Mark 16:15 was: “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation.”

Friend 1: Stuff can weigh us downespecially when you are collecting

and carrying more than you need!

It’s a bit like me trying to hike with my heavy backpack full of things I didn’t need!

playing with them. But like we discovered in the story, it isn’t physical things that make us happy.

Narrator: We can spend our whole lives trying to get the latest toy or the yummiest food, but as soon as we have it though, we just want something else.

Narrator: We must be cautious that our stuff doesn’t get in the way of our relationship with God. If we spend all our time looking for new toys to have or new games to play, we might forget to spend time with Jesus. Never forget that you can pray to him anywhere at any time because He is always with you!

Friend 2: Now, it’s not a bad thing to have stuff. If we have a lot of toys, we can share them with our friends and have a lot of fun

THE RICHES OF KING

SOLOMON Solomon was on top of the world! He was the new king; the new ruler of Israel!

As Solomon rode through the city on his father’s royal mule, he was astounded by all the noise and celebration that was going on around him. “Long live King Solomon!” was being shouted with such joy from the crowds that it caused the ground to shake.

The words of the crowd echoed through Solomon’s thoughts, ‘Long live King Solomon! Long live King Solomon!’ Solomon smiled, he quite liked the sound of that!

Solomon was taken into his father’s bedroom where he saw his father, old in age, wrapped up in blankets to keep him warm. It was odd for Solomon to see his father like this. This was the great King David! The one who had defeated the giant Goliath with a sling and a stone! The one who conquered cities and captured Jerusalem!

Solomon greeted his father with a kiss and then remained near the edge of the bed, waiting for even just one word to emerge from his father’s lips.

Following in his father’s footsteps as the king was going to be a huge task, and Solomon wanted his father to share with him the secrets of ruling the kingdom. After a short while his father began to speak, “I am going where everyone on earth must someday go- but you be strong; show what you’re

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made of! Do what God tells you.

Walk in the paths He shows you.”

Solomon nodded his head in agreement, because he knew the message his father was sharing was very important. Unaware of Solomon’s nodding, his father continued, “Keep the commands written by Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. If you do this then the Lord will keep His promise to me when He said “If your sons stay true to me with their heart and soul, you’ll always have a successor on Israel’s throne””. Solomon felt the weight on his shoulders get heavier and heavier. Not only was he now responsible for all Israel, now the future of his descendants was in his hands too! Solomon laughed at himself; it was the price you had to pay for being king!

After thanking his father for his wise words, Solomon went to take his rightful place on the royal throne. Solomon relished his position as king. Through his high position he made friends with people from all different nations and married the daughter of

the king of Egypt. Even though Solomon was a very important man, he still loved and served the Lord, just like his father David did.

The people of Israel watched as Solomon honoured God with his whole heart.

One day as Solomon was sleeping, the Lord appeared to him in a dream. Solomon was amazed by the beauty that radiated from the Lord’s presence. In a gentle whisper the Lord spoke to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you”. Fascinated with the question which had been asked of him Solomon answered, “You showed faithful love to your servant, my father, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on the throne! But I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. I am here in the middle of your chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern the people well and know

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the difference between right and wrong.”

The Lord was delighted with Solomon’s response, and said to him, “Because you have asked for this and haven’t asked for a long life, or riches, or the death of your enemies, I will give you what you have asked for- a wise and mature heart. As a bonus, I will also give you what you didn’t ask for- riches and fame. No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!” Solomon woke up, the afterglow of his dream radiating from his face- what an amazing dream! In an act of worship to God, Solomon jumped out of bed and thanked the Lord.

Solomon was now a very wise and wealthy man, and the people enjoyed being under Solomon’s rule as they always had plenty to eat and drink. Solomon had been blessed with so much wisdom that even the wise men of the east and the wise men of Egypt could not be compared to him! Kings from every nation sent representatives to simply

listen to the wise words Solomon spoke. As people came and visited they brought expensive gifts with them. Some brought silver or gold, others brought clothing and weapons and spices, while others brought animals with them- horses and mules.

Solomon’s wealth continued to grow and grow, just as the Lord had promised. Solomon was the richest man on earth!

During his time as king, Solomon used his riches to build many things, in fact he built everything he desired! He built a magnificent palace where he and his wife lived. He built towns as supply centres where his horses could be kept. He built many ships which sailed the seas trading resources.

Solomon built many things. But most importantly, Solomon built a temple for the Lord; a holy place where God could be worshipped.

The people of Israel were so full of

joy that they now had a permanent place to worship the Lord!

Time passed and Solomon continued to rule as king over his many kingdoms. But slowly Solomon’s heart began to change and his riches began to take over his life. Solomon got so caught up in building new things and increasing his collection of riches, that he began to forget about God and all the good things God had done for him. He acted out against God and married women from all around the world, including places the Lord had clearly said he should not marry women from. These women turned Solomon away from the one true God who had been by his side the whole time. Solomon began to worship false gods and refused to follow the Lord with all his heart. This made the Lord very angry! The Lord wanted Solomon to know the consequences of his actions and so said to Solomon,

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“Since this is the way it is with you, that you have no intention of keeping faith with me and doing what I have commanded, I’m going to rip the kingdom from you and hand it over to someone else.”

Solomon was a mess and his life was crumbling all around him! He had let the Lord down. He had let his father down. He had let his descendants down. And he had let the people of Israel down. All because he took his eyes off the Lord to chase the world’s idea of riches and pleasure.

SMALL GROUP IDEAS QUESTIONS FOR THE CHILDREN 1) In the beginning, Solomon a faithfully worshipped the Lord.

In what ways can we worship God?

4) What can cause people today to turn away from God? What can we do to overcome these things?

Greed.

Selfishness.

Music.

Pride.

Money/ Tithing.

Anger.

Prayer/ Praise & Thanksgiving.

Read the Bible.

Reading the Bible.

Pray everyday.

Witnessing to others.

Worship God in different ways.

Serving others for God’s glory.

Fellowship with others.

Using the talents/ skills God has given us.

2) Because of Solomon’s faithfulness, God rewarded him with wisdom, riches and fame. What skills and talents has the Lord blessed you with?

How are you using those skills and talents to glorify God? 3) Solomon was the wisest man in the world, yet he disobeyed God’s commands. What changed for Solomon from the start of his reign to the end of his reign?

Turned away from God. Worshipped other gods & built shrines.

Married women from nations God specifically said not to.

5) Why would it be helpful to share this story with those who are chasing after fame and riches?

Solomon lived a happier life when his eyes were on God, not money.

God provides what we need when we ask him- we don’t have to try get it on our own.

A strong start to a spiritual life doesn’t mean a strong finish.

The people we have closest to us will affect our spiritual lives.

Life lived away from God is meaningless.

6) What ‘treasure’ can you take away from this story?

Valued his riches more than God.

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IDEAS FOR PRAYER This week the focus has been on pursuing God rather than earthly things. In the video we saw how Neil and Barb are up against the tide of materialism in East Asia.

They are working very hard to speak truth into the lives of the people they come into contact with- sharing with them that Jesus is the greatest treasure we can have! As you gather together as a group to pray, below are a few suggestions to direct your prayers: •• Pray for Neil and Barb in East Asia, that they will be presented with opportunities to share about Jesus to the people they come in contact with.

•• Pray the Lord will remind us to keep focusing on Him instead of the world around us.

•• Pray the Lord will care for those who are sad, lonely and disappointed with the life they are living. Pray the Lord will pour His blessings of love, grace and mercy onto them.

YOUR

people

MIKAYLA

KATE

LEEN

L

GEORGIA

, THOMAS AND

DANIEL

LUKE

O

ITIA ET

AND JETHR

NA

EI

L I LI A

ALEX

MILES

NOAH

MALACHI

THEO

“THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” - MATTHEW 28:19

Contact us: 09 526 8444 | info@nzbms.org.nz | www.nzbms.org.nz | 473 Great South Road, Penrose, Auckland 1061