The Bronze Snake

The Bronze Snake

Main Point: God told His people to look at the bronze snake and be healed.

Opening:

OPTION 1: Grateful or grumbling Guide boys and girls to sit in a circle. SAY • I am going to announce a scenario. If the situation would make you unhappy, cross your arms and say, “Grumble, grumble, grumble.” If it would make you happy, stand and shout, “Hurray!” Call out several scenarios.

For example:

• A heavy snowstorm cancels school for a week.

Your teacher gives you a surprise test.

• Your dad asks you to take out the trash.

• You have to share your room with your little sister.

SAY • In today’s Bible story, the Israelites forgot all the wonderful things God had done for them, and they complained. Do you think God was happy to hear them complain? Listen to today’s Bible story to find out what happened.

Background:

God’s special people are in the wilderness/ dessert for 40 years. The began to complain about the dessert, running out of water, and food. The even said they would rather be back in Egypt. Egypt was the place that God rescued them from slavery. God told Moses and Arron that they would not enter the promised land with the rest of the people.

Lesson:

Read and have the children act it out.

Watch The Gospel Project video

1. God is angry that His people are complaining.

Why would God be angry His people are complaining?

Why do we complain?

?

Humans have a heart problem.

2. God sends fiery serpents to bite His people as an act of judgment.

God was punishing the people for what they did wrong. What did they do?

Do you think its fair God sent snakes to bite the people?

Do we deserve punishment for the sins we commit?

3. God provides the cure for the fiery snakes poisonous bite.

What did the people have to do so they could live?

Who do we look to so our sins can be forgiven?

Look of faith

Review:

Hand out coloring page.

1. What did the Israelites complain about in the wilderness? (They had no water, )

2. What did God tell Moses to do to the rock? (speak to it, )

3. What did Moses do to the rock? (He hit it with his staff, )

4. How did God punish Moses? (God did not allow Moses to enter the promised land, )

5. Which king refused to allow the Israelites to travel through his land? (the king of Edom, )

6. Why did God send poisonous snakes to the Israelites? (They sinned by complaining against Him, )

7. What did God tell Moses to put on a pole? (a bronze snake, )

8. How were the Israelites saved? (Anyone bitten by a snake would look at the bronze serpent and live, )

Children's Message

Use chap stick to explain the healing power of faith in Jesus.

Living in Colorado it’s important that I carry chap stick. You see my lips get really dry and sore sometimes and I have to use chap stick to heal them. I’m grateful that this chap stick has the power to heal my broken and sore lips. Today, we will hear about God’s healing power.

Israel rebelled against God = 40 wandering in the wilderness.

Israel complains + Heart problem

God gets angry and judges Israel by sending poisonous snakes that killed many people.

The people repent and ask Moses to pray for God to forgive the people.

God provides a cure for their sickness, the snakes were poisonous.

Make a snake on a pole

Tell the people to look at it

All people have a heart problem. Our hearts are sick and broken. We need God’s healing power to fix our sick hearts. John would write in the NT, that Just as the snake was raised up in the wilderness, Christ was raised up on the cross for us. So, we look at Christ on the cross and believe God’s promise that who ever believes will saved.