Church School: Laughter 10/4/09

This week in Church School we are exploring the story of Abraham and Sarah. God has promised to Abraham and Sarah that they will have descendants that number more than the stars, even though they currently have no children. God promises that Sarah will have a child, and she laughs at the very idea because she is so old. Yet God keeps promises. Many months later when Abraham and Sarah's child is born, Sarah names him Isaac, which in Hebrew means laughter. 

What I love about working with Bible stories with children is that because at different ages children are at different stages, we get to look at the same Bible story in many ways. We as adults might look at the story of Abraham and Sarah and consider how God is able to make impossible things possible. How many things might we think are impossible for us, so much so we might laugh? In this story we see a glimpse of might God can turn our cynical laughter into laughter of joy. 

For many younger children however, it might not seem so strange that an older woman would give birth to a child. Very young children are still learning about patterns, so everything can seem possible to them! In the younger classes this week, we will be thinking about how God gives us surprises and God gives us laughter. We will be talking about what it means to be patient and how good God's surprises can be!

For older children this week, we will be looking at how we know ourselves to be descendants of Abraham and Sarah. All of us are the stars of descendants that Abraham and Sarah had difficulty imagining.  

It will be a fun week with many surprises, many gifts, and much laughter.

Discussion Questions for Families

(Young Children) Abraham and Sarah are promised that they would be parents of a great nation, more than all the stars in the sky! Have you looked at the stars at night? 

God gave Abraham and Sarah a gift as a surprise. What does it feel like to receive a surprise? To give a surprise?

Is there something in your life that once seemed impossible, that God helped happen?

This Week:

3's and Under: Lambs!

Pre-K-4th grade: Abraham and Sarah Children's Bible #14 "God's Promise" and #16 "Special Visitors"