The Lord calls us all to our talents for Him. Includes a teaching guide and 2 games.
Needed: Nothing (you might need some supplies depending on which activities you pick for the Talent Time game)
Game: Talent Time
Have students perform a mix of activities to show that everyone has different talents.
Some examples include running a race, seeing who can kick a ball or paper wad the furthest, seeing who can do math problems the fastest, seeing who can answer the most questions about the Bible, seeing who can bust out the best dance moves or sing the best, seeing who can tell the best joke or do the best funny voice
You can run the game as a Decathlon with different stations or as a talent show with volunteers to perform in each category. At the end, you can ask for volunteers to show any talents that you didn’t already name.
Lesson
Ask students, How do people pick their leaders?
What does a leader have to be good at?
If you’re with your friends, who gets to be the leader?
How do we pick our leaders for the country, like the president?
How do we pick our leaders in church?
(Summarize Numbers 16 , using the following story and asking the included questions as you read.)
One day, while Moses and the Israelites were living in the desert after God freed them from slavery in Egypt, four men named Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On started making trouble for Moses and his brother, Aaron. They said, “We are all God’s people. Why does Moses get to be the leader? And why does his brother, Aaron, get to be the priest? Why can’t we be the leaders?”
Do you think the four men should be allowed to be the leaders?
Should anyone have a chance to be the leader if they want to?
When Moses heard the four men saying this, he got down on his hands and knees and prayed. Then, he stood up and said to the four men, “Tomorrow, the Lord will show you who the leaders are supposed to be. You will all get your chance to try to be the priest, and whoever God chooses, that person will be the priest.”
So, the next morning, Aaron and all four of the men and the four men’s followers came to the Tabernacle church. Then, God made it so that the ground started shaking and an earthquake happened. The ground split apart under the four men’s feet and they fell down into the crack. The ground closed back up and the men were smooshed and buried in the crack. Then, God sent fire down from Heaven and burned the four men’s followers. Only Moses and Aaron were left because they were the ones whom God had chosen to be the leaders for the people.
Why do you think God killed those four men who wanted to be the leaders?
The four men were trying to take over being the leader from Moses and Aaron. God had already picked Moses and Aaron to be the leaders.
Remember that God has given us all talents and made us good at different things. He made some people to be good at making things and some people to be good at singing and playing music. He made some people to be good friends toward people and He made some people to be good leaders. You have to do what God has made you good at.
You can’t be the leader if God has made you good at something else. If you want to be the leader, you have to wait to see if God has picked you to be the leader. If God hasn’t picked you to be the leader – if He’s picked you to do something else – then you shouldn’t try to be the leader.
What do you think God has picked you to do? What has He made you good at?
We all have to do our part and use the talents that God gave us. But, let’s say you do think God made you to be a leader. Does that mean that you have to be the main leader?
God might want you to be a leader who helps the main leader.
(Summarize Exodus 18:13-26 .)
One time, Moses was trying to be the leader all by himself. Everyone would bring him their questions and problems. Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, said, “Moses, you can’t keep being the leader all by yourself. You’ll wear yourself out! Choose some other people to help you.”
Jethro gave Moses a plan to make different levels of leaders. Some leaders were leaders over 1,000 people. Some leaders were leaders over 100 people. Some leaders were leaders over 50 people. Some leaders were leaders over ten people. And Moses was the leader of all of them.
The leaders who were leaders over ten, 50, 100, or 1000 people helped Moses as the main leader.
So, even if we think that God wants us to be a leader, we have to think about whether He wants us to be the main leader or a leader over a smaller group who helps the main leader.
There’s nothing wrong with being a leader who helps and there’s nothing wrong with not being a leader at all. God made us all to be good at different things and He wants us all to do our part with the talents He gave us. He doesn’t want us to try to be the leader if He didn’t choose us to be the leader.
Game: Pyramid Race
Students divide into teams to build a human pyramid as quickly possible. Point out that the person on top of the pyramid looks like the leader. But they couldn’t be on top of the pyramid if their other teammates hadn’t helped them. The main leader needs other leaders to help them, just like Moses needed other leaders to help him.
Mix up the teams and play again.
Closing Prayer
Father, You gave us all of us talents and You chose all of us to do different things in life. Help us to know what You want each one of us to do so that we can serve You in the best possible way. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
This lesson is included in my book, Slaves to Conquerors: Children’s Sunday School Lessons for Exodus – Joshua.