JOSEPH #2
Objectives:
- Students should be able to tell the dreams of the butler, baker, and Pharoah.
- Students should know the story of Joseph’s forgiving his brothers.
- Students should know how the people of Israel came to live in Egypt.
Possible Lesson Plan:
- Open with prayer.
- Review the story of Joseph from last week.
- Scripture Reference: Genesis 39-45. There’s too much here, but ever single chapter is important. Have each student read a chapter silently and report on it to the class.
- Learning Game: Try the “Egg Carton Shake” – Take an empty egg carton. In each pocket write the name of an object from the story of Joseph:
grape colored yarn cow ears
basket signet ring scarf coin
caravan sheaf sun cup
Place a small button or coin in the egg carton. Each student in turn shakes the egg carton and has to tell the story of the object where the button landed. If he lands on a story already told, shake again!
- Discussion: Joseph had many things happen to him that were unfair. Can you name some of the times? How did Joseph act in each situation? Have you ever been treated unfairly? Do you try to get revenge or do you forgive as Joseph did? God turned something that was intended for evil toward Joseph into something that was good. Has God ever taken something that was intended for evil against you and made something good out of it? Joseph always worked hard and did his best to honor God. As a result, God blessed Joseph. How can you honor God?
- Begin now on the Jesse trees themselves, since we don’t need two Joseph “ornaments”. Take a dowel or broomstick about 3 feet long for each student. Insert in a brick for a base. Cut a piece of felt to cover the base of the brick (to keep from scratching furniture) and paint or stencil the words “Jesse Tree” on the side of the brick in gold. Drill holes at 4-inch intervals in the large dowel for six 3/16-inch dowels 24, 20, 16, 12, 8, and 4 inches long (smallest on top), each hole at a 60-degree angle to the previous. Each small dowel should be drilled with a tiny hole every 2 inches for an “ornament”. Glue dowels in place and spray the whole tree gold. Another option would be to have each student collect a fallen tree branch that resembles a small tree, again spray gold, and insert in brick.
- Close with prayer. Have each student think of someone he needs to forgive and pray for God’s help in forgiving.