Space Ninjas vs Pirate Squirrels title graphic Space

“Space Ninjas vs. Pirate Squirrels” title graphic “Space Ninjas vs. Pirate Squirrels” intro video

(Place the Wig of Walamazoo on your head. ) Hello kids and welcome to our very last week of “Space Ninjas vs. Pirate Squirrels. ” So sad—isn’t it? (Kids respond. ) I’ll give a point to the team that looks the saddest. (Kids look incredibly sad. Toss a point to the saddest looking team. ) Wow—you kids look really torn up about it! But do not worry and do not fret, because the battle continues—it’s not over just yet! We’ve got one more amazing battle today that will help us learn about the most amazing judge that Israel ever had. Before we find out who it is, though, I think we should go over how our battle is going to work.

On this side of the room (point to one side) we have the Space Ninjas. Let me hear it from you! (Space Ninjas cheer. Toss some points. ) And on this side we have the Pirate Squirrels. Let me hear you cheer! (Pirate Squirrels cheer. Toss some points. ) The object of the competition is to be the team with the most points at the end of the hour. Each one of these (hold up ball or other object representing points) is worth one point. Your team will be collecting them throughout the lesson. There are three ways that you can earn points: Team Energy, Team Participation, and Team Competitions

Team Points graphic At the end of the hour, we’ll count up the points. Whichever team has the most will win the coveted “Wig of Walamazoo!” (Take wig off and hold it up. Set it aside. ) Are you ready for today’s story? (Kids reply. ) “The Big Bible Story” graphic Last week we heard how (flex muscles) super-strong Samson failed to help the Israelites break free from enemy control. Can anyone shout who the enemy nation was? (Take answer. Award point. ) You got it—the Philistines!

After Samson died, the Israelites kept on worshipping false gods and because of that, God continued letting the Philistines rule over them. But then something happened. God sent one last judge—the greatest of all the judges—to help Israel follow Him and break free from the Philistines. The judge was named Samuel. Do you want to know what Samuel did to help them? (Kids reply. Toss a point. ) Do you reeeaally want to know what Samuel did to help them? (Kids reply. Toss more points. ) Good! Then turn in your Bible to 1 Samuel 7: 3.

1 Samuel 7: 3 The first team to find it will get points. (Have the kid who found it read the verse aloud or read it aloud yourself) “The Big Bible Story” graphic So that’s exactly what Israel did—they put away their false gods and served the Lord only. But they didn’t stop there. Let me show you what else they did. I’ll give a point to the first person who can find the pitcher of water while remaining where you are at and point it out to me. (Give points to the first team to point out the pitcher of water. Retrieve the pitcher and bring it back to the teaching area. )

All the people gathered together at a place called Mizpah. And as Samuel prayed for Israel’s forgiveness, the people got water from a well and poured it out for God to see. (Pour the water into the empty plastic bin in the middle of the teaching area. ) This was their way of showing God that they were pouring their hearts out to Him and asking Him to wash away their sins. Things were about to get a little scary, though. When the Philistines heard that the Israelites were all together, they came up with a plan to attack them.

When word of the coming attack reached the Israelites, they got totally freaked out. Show me your best freak out face. (Toss points. ) Listen to what they did. (Read 1 Samuel 7: 8 from your Bible. ) “They said to Samuel, ‘Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God to help us. Keep praying that he’ll save us from the powerful hand of the Philistines. ’” As Samuel called out to God for help, the Philistine army rushed forward to attack.

Stand up with me and run in place like you’re the Philistine army and yell, “Attack!” (Kids run in place with you and yell “attack. ” Toss points. ) “Battle at Mizpah” illustration Before they could attack, though, something incredible happened! (Stop running. ) God sent a monstrous thunderstorm that stopped the Philistines in their tracks. (Use wooden spoon or hammer to strike metal trash can lid or metal sheet. )

The exploding thunder threw the Philistines into a panic. So they turned around and ran away from Mizpah. Run in place the other direction and yell, “Retreat!” (Run in place with kids. Toss points. ) But as fast as the Philistines were, the Israelites were faster. They chased the Philistines down and destroyed their entire army. I’ll give points to the team that does the best death scene. (Toss points. ) (Sit or kneel. ) Samuel did what Samson never could—he led the Israelites back to God and out of the hands of the Philistines.

Because of that, God gave Israel back all of the land the Philistines had taken from them. And, as long as Samuel was alive, the Philistines were never able to rule over Israel again “Big Bible Story Questions” graphic Now that you’ve heard the story, I think it’s time to see how well you were listening. Are you all ready for the big review battle? Here’s how the battle works. I’m going to ask you all a series of multiple choice questions. If you think you know the answer, turn to your small group leader and tell them. Your leader will then hold up the sign with the most popular answer from your group. Here we go…

Question #1: What was the name of the final judge that God sent to rescue Israel? …Answer Question #2: Which of these did Samuel NOT tell the Israelites to do in order to return to God? …Answer Question #3: When the Israelites poured the water out, what was it supposed to show God? …Answer

Question #4: What did God send to throw the Philistines into panic? …Answer Question #5: What were the Israelites able to do after defeating the Philistines? …Answer “Space Ninjas vs. Pirate Squirrels” title graphic

(At the end of the review battle have the kids place all of their points inside their team’s bucket or bag. Set it aside for later. At some point after the small group time, count up the points for each team and announce a winner. Choose a small group leader or kid from the winning team and place the Wig of Walamazoo on his head) When the Israelites needed forgiveness and help, they called out to God. Actually, they did more than just call out to God. (Use the empty pitcher to scoop out some water. ) Do you remember this? What did the Israelites do in today’s story? (Take answer. )

That’s right—they took water from a deep well and poured it out before God. That was their way of showing God that they were pouring their hearts out to Him. When you pour your heart out, it means you tell God about your deepest thoughts and feelings. Unfortunately, a lot of times when we need forgiveness or help, we don’t call out to God at all. And when we do, we just drip our hearts out to Him. Let me show you what I mean. (Fill eyedropper with water. Walk to one side of teaching area. )

What’s something a kid might need forgiveness for? (Take answer. ) A lot of times we mess up like that, we might just say, “Sorry, God. ” (Say “Sorry, God” quickly as you speed past the plastic bins in the center of the teaching area and drip just one drop of water into the bin. ) Was that pouring your heart out to God? No way—that’s just dripping your heart out. What do you think you could say instead to pour your heart out to God? (Take answers. Be prepared to offer your own. )

Great job! Let’s do another one. What’s a time when a kid might need big time help? (Take answer. ) A lot of times when we need help with something like that, we might just say, “Help me God. ” (Say “Help me, God” quickly as you repeat the process from before. ) Was that pouring your heart out to God? No way! Once again, that was just dripping your heart out. What do you think you could say instead to pour your heart out to God? (Take answers. Again, be prepared to offer your own. )

Not only does God want us to call out to Him forgiveness and help, he wants us to call out with our whole heart. (Pour the water from the pitcher into the plastic bin. ) And in the same way that God heard the Israelites when they called out to Him, we know that He hears us too. How do we know that? It says so in the Bible. Let’s take a look. Psalm 18: 6 (Read verse aloud with kids. ) We’re going to practice that right now. But not only are we going to call out to God, we’re going to practice pouring our heart out to Him. Here’s how:

(Ask the kids to think about something they need forgiveness for or help with. Tell them to take some time to quietly pour their heart out to God about that thing. Tell them that when they are finished, they can approach the plastic bins in the middle of the teaching area, fill the pitcher with water from one bin, and slowly pour it out into the other bin. Remind them that this is a way of showing God that they poured their heart out to Him. When the water is gone from one bin, simply have kids reverse which bin they fill up from and which bin they pour into. )

Close in your own prayer as they finish… “Space Ninjas vs. Pirate Squirrels” title graphic