Week 4 ” God is in control
God Is Sovereign
Supplies
Obtain and Prepare Before Class
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Paper cup
Small bag of M&Ms®
Wide mouth bottle
Water
Matches or lighter
Strip of paper about 2 inches wide and
6-8 inches long.
Nickels or pennies (a couple of
handfuls)
Spatula
Sixteen ounce plastic bottle with cap
Water
Balloons
Drinking straw
Tape
Index card
Jar or drinking glass
Provided in the Kit
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Lab glasses
Lab coat
Three balloons
String
Bible Point
God is in control.
Bible Verse:
I know that You can do all
things, and that no thought
or purpose of Yours can be
restrained. Job 42:2 (Amp)
Bible Passage
Psalm 18
I Samuel 19
Overview
When we say that God is
sovereign, we mean that he
has control over the entire
universe. He has absolute
authority. When we realize
that God is in control, it
frees us to trust Him and
the fact that He has the
right to plan our lives. It
frees us from worries.
God is in control ” Week 4
PP
Dr. Beaker
PP
Balloon in a Bottle
Supplies
ƒ Lab Glasses
ƒ Lab Coat
ƒ Small bag of M&Ms®
Supplies
ƒ Wide-mouth bottle
ƒ Balloon
ƒ Water
ƒ Matches or lighter
ƒ Several strips of 2x6 paper
(M&Ms are seen flying through the air.
Have someone in a hidden place throwing
the M&Ms. Dr. Beaker appears looking
harried and worn out.)
Fill the balloon with water until the
balloon is the size of a tennis ball. Tie the
balloon securely. Make sure that the
bottle is clean without any sticky residue
inside it. Also, make sure that the balloon
is bigger than the mouth of the bottle.
Stop it! Erlenmeyer and Dynamo. Stop
it, I say. (M&Ms stop flying about.)
Thank you. I have asked those two to
stop having M&Ms wars in the lab. But,
they just don’t listen very well. If an
M&Ms were to get in the wrong place, it
could mean disaster. Just think what it
would do to a highly sensitive experiment.
Just think what it could mean to a piece of
equipment. Why, my scientist friend at
NASA told me that the astronauts had to
stop taking M&Ms into space because
they would let them float about. The
M&Ms were getting lodged in the
consoles, which could have caused some
major problems.
Smear some water around the mouth of
the bottle. Set the strip of paper on fire.
This works easier if you have another
adult help you do this. Quickly put the
burning strip into the bottle. Cover the
mouth of the bottle with the balloon. The
balloon will start shaking and will be
pulled into the bottle. If you are using a
plastic bottle, the side of the bottle may
collapse a bit, making a loud noise when
the balloon falls in.
Did you think it was possible to get the
balloon into the bottle? Often, things
seem impossible to us. However, we
need to remember that God is always in
control. And with God, all things are
possible.
All of these problems make me think of
my experiment. I am exploring the
characteristic of sovereign.
PP
Lab Demonstration
My best scientific definition of sovereign:
Sovereign means to have complete control
of something.
Upside Down Water
Supplies
ƒ Water
ƒ Index card
ƒ Jar or drinking glass
Ha! I definitely do not have control of my
lab. (Another M&M flies through the air,
hitting Dr. Beaker if possible)
Erlenmeyer and Dynamo, that is enough.
It is time for me to take control of this lab!
Fill the jar with the water. Cover the
opening with the index card. Hold the
(Dr. Beaker goes marching off in a huff.)
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Week 4 ” God is in control
card in place and turn the card and jar
upside down.
Does it seem possible that the card is
not falling off?
You could be really brave and hold it over
someone's head. Be careful! Sometimes
water will start leaking out between the
jar and index card.
This experiment again demonstrates
that some things seem impossible. Who
would guess that you could turn a jar of
water upside down and the water
wouldn’t fall out? But with God in
control, we know that anything is
possible.
We often want to be in control of
everything so we know what to expect.
However, life is not like that. But,
when things happen that we are not
expecting, God knows about them. He
is in control and He will be with you
through the unexpected things in your
life.
Newspaper Rips
Supplies
ƒ Two pages of news paper
I need two volunteers for this
experiment. (Choose two kids.)
Crazy Balloons
You will give one of the kids a newspaper
facing sideways. Give the other child the
newspaper facing the right direction.
Supplies
ƒ Two-4 feet long pieces of string
ƒ Two balloons
When I say begin, I want you to rip
your newspaper in a straight line.
Ready? Begin.
Blow up both balloons and tie them
closed. Tie one end of the string around
the knot of the balloon. Repeat this with
the other string and balloon. Hang both
balloons from a door post or other area
where they can hang freely, side by side.
Make sure that the balloons are the same
height from the floor.
The child holding the newspaper sideways
should have a hard time keeping the
newspaper tearing in a straight path.
Who can help me with this experiment?
(Choose a volunteer.) I want you to
stand in front of the balloons. When I
say go, I want you to blow in between
them. Ready? Go.
The balloons should move together. You
might want to try this a couple of times
with different kids.
Did you expect the balloons to move
together when ________ blew in
between them? Or did you think that
they would blow apart? Do you ever
have unexpected things happen to you?
When we try to take control of our
lives, we are like the newspaper that
tore crooked. However, when we
acknowledge that God is in control and
trust Him with our lives, He makes our
paths straight just like the newspaper
that tore straight.
Lab
Experiments
PP
Experiment 1 - Tower Building
Supplies
ƒ Nickels or pennies (a couple of
handfuls)
ƒ Spatula
3
God is in control ” Week 4
string. We head the right direction, not
out of control.
Let the kids see how high they can make a
coin tower without the tower tumbling
down. They can also make a tower and
then see if they can move the bottom coin
out of the bottom of the tower without
making the coins tumble down. Using a
spatula will often work best.
PP
Psalm 18
I Samuel 19
Sometimes the world seems like the
tower, leaning precariously and
dangerously one way or the other.
Perhaps, it seems like all around us
things are going bad. However, we
need to remember that no matter what
happens, God is in control.
The Lord protected David.
Supplies
ƒ None
PP
Experiment 2 - Balloon Launch
Supplies
ƒ Balloons
ƒ Drinking straw
ƒ Tape
ƒ String
PP
Cut about 10 feet of string. Tie one end to
a chair. String the straw onto the string.
Tie the other end of the string to another
chair, making the string taut between the
two chairs.
I love you, O Lord, my strength. The
Lord is my rock, my fortress and my
deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom
I take refuge. He is my shield and the
horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I
call to the Lord, who is worthy of
praise, and I am saved from my
enemies. (1-3)
Therefore I will praise you among the
nations, O Lord; I will sing praises to
your name. He gives his king great
victories; he shows unfailing kindness
to his anointed, to David and his
descendants forever. (49-50)
David wrote this psalm as he reflected
back on how the Lord had protected
him.
Have the kids blow up the balloons and let
them go.
Did you have control of your balloon?
What happened to your balloon?
Bible Story
PP
Now, have them blow up their balloons
again and one by one tape them to the
straw and let them go.
What happened? Which way were the
balloons under better control? Why
were they more controlled?
After David had killed Goliath, King
Saul had him come live with him. He
enjoyed having David available to play
the harp. King Saul also sent David out
with the army. However, something
happened that turned King Saul
against David.
One day, when King Saul and David
were returning from battle, the women
came out to welcome them home. They
were dancing, playing tambourines and
singing. It was the song that got to
King Saul. The women were singing
When we do not rely on God, we are like
the balloons out of control, flying
everywhere in the room. When we rely
on Him, we are like the balloon on the
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Week 4 ” God is in control
went sailing. It went right over David’s
head and landed behind him. Jonathan
and David told each other good-bye.
They knew that David must leave and
go hide somewhere far away.
“King Saul has killed his thousands but
David has killed his ten thousands.”
Ten thousand is a whole lot more than a
thousand. King Saul got very jealous.
These women were singing praises to
David that were higher than the praises
they were singing to the king.
PP
From that moment on, King Saul had it
out for David. It did not matter that
David was King Saul’s son, Jonathan’s
best friend. It didn’t matter that David
had married King Saul’s daughter,
Michal. All King Saul knew was that
everything David did succeeded and he
wanted to get rid of him. He was
jealous of David.
King Saul did not just want to send
David out of the kingdom, he wanted to
kill him. One day, David was playing
the harp. King Saul was overcome by
his feelings about David. He picked up
a spear and threw it at David. But God
was protecting David and he was able
to escape. Not long after that King Saul
sent his men to David’s home to
capture him. However, David’s wife
heard about this and helped David
escape. Jonathan came to the place
where David was hiding. He told David
that he would find out if his father,
King Saul, was still set on killing David.
He told him that if he found that King
Saul was still angry that he would shoot
an arrow past where David was hiding.
If he found out that King Saul had
changed his mind about David, he
would shoot the arrow in front of
David. The day came when Jonathan
was supposed to bring the information
to David. What do you think David was
thinking? King Saul had already tried
to kill him several times. Would he give
up and welcome David back? Or
would David have to run for his life?
God had decided that David would be
king. Remember that Samuel had
anointed David as the future king. It
must have looked impossible to David.
Here the King was trying to kill him
and he was going to have to leave the
country and go into hiding. But, God
still had things in control. He had
placed people in the right places to help
David. David’s wife had saved his life.
Jonathan had saved his life. God has
His own timing. Often when we look at
things and think they are impossible,
God is working it all out.
Prayer
PP
Ask the Lord to help the
children depend on Him, knowing that He
is always with them. Also, pray that the
children would keep the Lord in the center
of their lives, knowing that He is the ruler
of the whole universe.
Object Lesson/
Modern Day Story
PP
Supplies
ƒ None
Jim Elliot was known as a man who
wanted to do God’s will above all else.
He went to Ecuador to become a
missionary to the Auca Indians. Do you
remember what a missionary is? A
missionary is someone who goes to
another place to tell other people about
Jesus.
Jonathan pulled out his bow, put an
arrow in it and let it fly. The arrow
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God is in control ” Week 4
While in Ecuador, Jim married
Elisabeth. Together, they had a desire
to reach the Auca Indians, who had
never heard of Jesus. Plans were made
with other missionaries to try and
befriend the Aucas.
They started out by dropping gifts from
an airplane as it would fly over a
village. Finally, they decided to go into
the area where the Aucas lived. Jim
and four other missionaries landed on a
beach. They were able to make some
friendly contacts with some of the
Indians in the first few days.
Then after two days, the five men were
attacked and killed with spears. All the
years of work preparing to be a
missionary and all the time spent
befriending the Indians might have
seemed wasted to some people.
But God is sovereign. Out of this
horrible event, some wonderful things
happened. Life magazine carried the
story in their magazine. Millions of
people read about Jim Elliott and the
other missionaries. They learned of the
missionaries’ love for God and their
desire that others might know Him.
Because of this, many people became
interested in being missionaries.
But the most amazing thing that came
of this was that many of the Indians
later came to know Christ. Jim’s wife,
Elisabeth, took her young daughter and
went to live among the Indians. She
was able to complete the work that her
husband had started. God is in control.
Many people must have looked at this
situation and thought it was hopeless.
But God brings good things from bad.
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Week 4 ” God is in control
Time Stretchers
Craft
Cup-N-Bead Game
Supplies
ƒ Small bathroom cups (Dixie cups)
ƒ Ribbon
ƒ Tape
ƒ Twenty inch ribbon or string
ƒ Large bead
ƒ Scissors
ƒ Markers or other items to decorate
cups
Decorate cups with markers or other
items. Cut a small x in the bottom of the
cup. String the ribbon through the cut and
tie a knot in the ribbon inside the cup. On
the other end of the ribbon, string the bead
and tie a knot to secure it on the ribbon.
Toss the bead into the air, trying to catch
it in the cup.
The bead looks like it is out of control;
however, the ribbon keeps it within reach
of the cup. God works on us the same
way. We often do not seem to land where
He wants us to land. However, He is still
in control, hanging on to us and not letting
us wander far.
Memory Verse
I know that You can do all things and
that no thought or purpose of Yours
can be restrained. Job 42:2 (Amp)
Cut apart the pieces of paper. Lay them
down on the floor. Let the kids take turns
taking a straw, placing it on top of a paper
and inhaling. Being careful to control
their breathing, they must pick up the
paper and place it in their hand. When all
the pieces are collected, work together to
put the verse in order.
Game
Maze
Supplies
ƒ Masking tape
Make a complicated maze on the floor
with masking tape before the children
arrive.
Let the children take turns trying to figure
out the maze.
Often our lives seem like the maze. It
may seem hard to know which way to go.
But even when we are in the middle of
what may seem like an impossible
situation, God is still in control. He can
see the whole “maze” and knows which
way we need to go. He knows where the
beginning is and where the end is. We
just need to pray and listen closely to
Him. He will always guide us.
Supplies
ƒ Drinking straw for each child
ƒ Copy of verse words (page 10)
7
God is in control ” Week 4
Snack
Marshmallow Towers
Supplies
ƒ Miniature marshmallows
ƒ Paper plates
Give each child a handful of
marshmallows. Let them try to build
towers with the marshmallows on their
plates.
Discuss how the towers toppled as they
were being built and how it was hard to
control the tower of marshmallows.
Compare this to how God is always in
control.
8
Week 4 ” God is in control
Dr. Beaker
M&Ms are seen flying through the air. Have someone in a hidden place
throwing the M&Ms.
Dr. Beaker appears looking harried and worn out.
Stop it! Erlenmeyer and Dynamo. Stop it, I say. (M&Ms stop flying
about.)
Thank you. I have asked those two to stop having M&M wars in the lab.
But, they just don’t listen very well. If an M&M were to get in the wrong
place, it could mean disaster. Just think what it would do to a highly
sensitive experiment. Just think what it could mean to a piece of equipment.
Why, my scientist friend at NASA told me that the astronauts had to stop
taking M&Ms into space because they would let them float about. The
M&Ms were getting lodged in the consoles, which could have caused some
major problems.
All of these problems make me think of my experiment. I am exploring the
characteristic of sovereign.
My best scientific definition of sovereign:
Sovereign means to have complete control of something.
Ha! I definitely do not have control of my lab. (Another M&M flies through
the air, hitting Dr. Beaker if possible)
Erlenmeyer and Dynamo, that is enough. It is time for me to take control of
this lab!
(Dr. Beaker goes marching off in a huff.)
9
God is in control ” Week 4
Memory Verse Cards
I
know
that
you
can
do all
things
and that
no
thought
or purpose
of yours
can
be
restrained
Job 42:22
10
Week 4 ” God is in control
Together Time
God is Sovereign
Bible Point
God is
in control
Bible Verse
I know that You
can do all things,
and that no
thought or
purpose of
Yours can be
restrained..
Job 42:2 (Amp)
Bible
Passage
Psalm 18
I Samuel 19
Discussion
How does it help you feel
to know that God is in
control?
Share with the family a
time when you knew you
were not in control of
something and it made
you feel nervous. How
could you have trusted
God more during that
time?
Family Fun
Play King of the Hill. Have
one member of the family
stand on something soft
(like a stack of pillows).
All members of the
family try to pull the king
off the hill.
When we say that God is sovereign, we mean that he has control
over the entire universe. He has absolute authority. When we
realize that God is in control, it frees us to trust Him and the fact
that He has the right to plan our lives.
11 It frees us from worries.
God is in control ” Week 4
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12
God is…
God is Sovereign
Definition of Sovereign:
Complete Control of
Something
Lab
Demonstration
Lab Time!
Be safe and follow all
instructions.
Dr. Beaker
Lab Time!
Bible Story
Bible Story
“I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is
my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God
is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my
shield and the horn of my salvation, my
stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of
praise, and I am saved from my enemies.”
Psalm 18:1-3
“Therefore I will praise you among the nations,
O Lord; I will sing praises to your name. He
gives his king great victories; He shows
unfailing kindness to His anointed, to David
and his descendants forever.”
Psalm 18:49-50
Kaboom! Lesson 4
1
Bible Story
Bible Story
Jim Elliot
Missionary
to
Ecuador
God is…
Kaboom! Lesson 4
2