Teacher BIBLE STUDY
To understand today’s story, it is important to know that Abram, a
descendant of Noah’s son Shem (Gen. 11:10-26), came from a family who
were pagans. Unlike Noah, they worshiped other gods. (See Josh. 24:2.)
God communicated with Abram, who became the next person to take a
very prominent role in God’s plan of human redemption.
In Genesis 12, God spoke to Abram, calling him to leave behind his family
and his lands to go to a place God would show him. God promised to make
Abram into a great nation and to make his name great. By faith, Abram
obeyed.
Genesis 15 starts with God’s promising a great reward to Abram. Notice
Abram’s response: “What can You give me, since I am childless?” That’s
when God made a great promise to Abram: Your offspring will be as
numerous as the stars.
God also promised to give Abram land, and God gave specific instructions
to Abram for confirming the covenant. In Abram’s time, when a covenant
was made between two people, the animals would be split and both parties
would walk through them as if to say, “If I do not hold up my end of the
covenant, may I be like these dead animals.” What is different about this
covenant? Only the smoking fire pot and flaming torch passed through,
symbolizing that God alone would be responsible for upholding the
covenant.
Years passed and Abram still had no children. God was serious about the
covenant. In fact, He changed Abram’s name, which means “The Father Is
Exalted,” to Abraham, which means “Father of a Multitude.”
Show kids how Jesus fulfilled God’s promise to Abraham. Jesus would
bless all people by causing them to turn away from their sins. (See
Acts 3:25-26.)
Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide
1
Unit 2 • Session 1
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
Preschool BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW
Session Title: God’s Covenant with Abraham
Bible Passage: Genesis 12:2-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-9
Big Picture Question: Why did God choose Abraham? God chose
Abraham to be part of His plan.
Key Passage: Genesis 17:7
Unit Christ Connection: Jesus is the true Son of promise whom God
provided as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Small Group Opening
(15–20 minutes)
Large Group Bible Study
(10–15 minutes)
Small Group Activities
(20–25 minutes)
Snack and Transition
(20 minutes)
2
God’s Covenant with People
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
The BIBLE STORY
God’s Covenant with Abraham
Genesis 12:2-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-9
Abram and his wife Sarai lived very long ago. They were rich. They lived
near their relatives and friends. One day, something very unusual happened
to Abram. God spoke to him! God chose Abram out of all the people in the
world and made a covenant—very special promises—with him. We can
read them in the Bible.
God told Abram to move to a place he had never been. There, Abram
would have many descendants. That meant Abram would have many
children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He would have so
many descendants that they would become a whole nation of people. They
would have land to live on, and everyone would know who Abram was.
Abram obeyed God. He did what God told him to do, but he did not have
any children.
Another time, God spoke to Abram. God promised Abram a great reward.
Abram said to God, “Whom will I give that reward to when I die? I have no
children. Whatever I have will belong to one of my servants.”
God took Abram outside and showed him the sky. “Look at the sky and
count the stars, if you can. That is how many descendants you will have
someday.” Abram was getting to be an old man, but Abram believed it
would happen because God said it would.
God also said, “I will give you this land, too.”
“How will I know that I will have this land?” asked Abram.
So God made a special ceremony. He told Abram to bring a 3-year-old
cow, female goat, and ram, and also a turtledove and a young pigeon.
Abram arranged them as God told him to. Then Abram went to sleep, and
God spoke to him as he was sleeping. God told Abram things that would
happen to his descendants for many years in the future.
God said to Abram, “Your descendants will live in a land that does
not belong to them; they will be slaves for 400 years. But I will judge
the nation they serve, and afterward they will leave that land with many
possessions. After that, they will come back to this land.”
Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide
3
Unit 2 • Session 1
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming
torch appeared and passed between the animals Abram had brought. On
that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram. God said, “I give this land
to your descendants.”
When Abram was 99 years old, God came and talked with him again.
God said, “I am changing your name to Abraham. You will be the father of
many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They will become
many nations. Some of them will be kings. I will give them the land where
you are living, and I will be their God. My promises will last forever.”
Christ Connection: God chose Abraham to be the father of the nation
in which Jesus would be born. In this way, Abraham would bless all
nations, as God had promised. God also saw Abraham’s faith in God’s
promises and counted it as righteousness. It is our faith in Jesus’ perfect
righteousness that brings salvation to God’s people.
4
God’s Covenant with People
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
Small Group OPENING
Session Title: God’s Covenant with Abraham
Bible Passage: Genesis 12:2-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-9
Big Picture Question: Why did God choose Abraham? God chose
Abraham to be part of His plan.
Key Passage: Genesis 17:7
Unit Christ Connection: Jesus is the true Son of promise whom God
provided as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
• Prepare: Play
“Promises” in the
background.
• Set an offering
basket near the
door.
• Post the allergy
alert for the snack
ingredients.
• Set out a few
favorite toys such as
puzzles and blocks.
LOW
PREP
• “Find the Big
Dipper” , 1 per kid
• crayons
Welcome and Session Starter (15–20 minutes)
Welcome parents and preschoolers; follow your church’s
security procedures for signing in preschoolers. Offer the
preschooler one or both activities to set the stage for today’s
lesson.
Activity Sheet: Find the Big Dipper
Follow the dots to make the Big Dipper, beginning with the
farthest left dot. Arrows should help. Challenge the boys
and girls to add as many stars (dots) in the sky as they can
count.
Say • You may be able to see this constellation in the sky
at night. Sailors used it to know where they were and
which direction to sail.
The constellation has different names because
people see different pictures when they look at it.
To some, it looks like a dipper with a long handle—
people could dip water out of a barrel and drink it.
People in the Bible thought the Big Dipper looked
like a mama bear with three cubs. (See Job 38:32.)
Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide
5
Unit 2 • Session 1
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
••What were some reasons God made the stars? (to
provide light, to show seasons, to show years) Listen
today for something else God said about stars.
• lightweight
flashlights
• heavyweight
aluminum foil
• masking tape
• black paper
• hole punch
Look at constellations
Before the session, cover the light of the flashlight with foil
and tape it to the barrel of the flashlight. Punch some tiny
holes in the foil. Make two or three of these. Tape black
paper on the underside of a table top. Place the flashlights
under the table and invite preschoolers to take turns lying
under the table and shining the light up at the “black sky.”
Can they see and count stars? Read Genesis 15:5; ask
whether anyone has an idea about what that means.
Say • Who can count the stars? God can!
Transition to Bible study
• bell or countdown
video (optional)
6
Ring the bell, show the countdown video, or clap a pattern
to get everyone’s attention. Tell how you want to move to
the large-group area. You might want to sing “Twinkle,
Twinkle, Little Star” as you go.
God’s Covenant with People
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
Large Group BIBLE STUDY
Session Title: God’s Covenant with Abraham
Bible Passage: Genesis 12:2-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-9
Big Picture Question: Why did God choose Abraham? God chose
Abraham to be part of His plan.
Key Passage: Genesis 17:7
Unit Christ Connection: Jesus is the true Son of promise whom God
provided as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Large Group Bible Study Time (10–15 minutes)
• dark sheet of
construction paper
• shiny star stickers
Introduce the Bible story
Call each child’s name to stick two or three stars on a dark
sheet of paper (night sky).
Say • I chose you to come stick stars on this paper. Our
Bible story today is about someone whom God chose out
of all the people in the world for His plan.
Think back to the story of Adam and Eve. Do you
remember what sin is? Yes! Sin is breaking God’s law.
And what happens when people sin? Sin separates people
from God and each other.
God loves us, and He had a plan so to make us not be
separated from Him any more. He would send His Son,
Jesus, to earth. But Jesus would need a family on earth.
Listen to hear whose family God chose and what that
family had to do with stars.
Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide
7
Unit 2 • Session 1
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
• Bible
• “God’s Covenant
with Abraham”
video
• Big Picture Question
Poster
• Key Passage Poster
• Use the timeline
from the Timeline
Map or Small Group
Visual Pack.
• “I Will Keep”
Tip: Do activities
one of these ways:
• at the same time as
a group
• in small groups that
rotate through each
activity
• set up as
centers, allowing
preschoolers to
browse and choose
8
Watch or tell the Bible story
Tell the Bible story with your Bible open to Genesis 15,
or show the Bible story video “God’s Covenant with
Abraham.”
Talk about the Bible story
Talk about the word covenant in the title of today’s
session. A covenant is an important agreement or promise;
sometimes it is written down so everyone can remember
it. Tell the boys and girls to listen for what God promised
Abraham in a covenant as you read the key passage and
sing “I Will Keep.”
Ask the big picture question and look at the timeline.
Point to the beginning of Unit 2: “God’s Covenant with
People.”
Say • Most Bible stories from now on will be about people
in Abraham’s family and how they blessed the whole
world, just as God promised Abraham.
Why did God choose Abraham? God chose Abraham
to be part of His plan.
Transition to small groups
Describe the activities and how you want to manage them,
such as the limit of how many kids can work on the same
activity at the same time. Sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little
Star” again as you return to small group activities.
God’s Covenant with People
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
Small Group ACTIVITIES
Session Title: God’s Covenant with Abraham
Bible Passage: Genesis 12:2-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-9
Big Picture Question: Why did God choose Abraham? God chose
Abraham to be part of His plan.
Key Passage: Genesis 17:7
Unit Christ Connection: Jesus is the true Son of promise whom God
provided as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Tip: Select activities
you can staff and
which interest your
class.
• Limit the number
who can work an
activity if necessary.
LOW
PREP
• song downloads
or favorite worship
songs on CD
• music player
• “Learn 3-Syllable
Words”
• beanbag
• 6 sheets of
construction paper,
each a different
color
• tape
Small Group Activities Time (20–25 minutes)
During each activity, ask the big picture question; train the
boys and girls to respond together with the answer.
Choose and lead
Say • God chose Abraham to be part of His plan. I will
choose a leader to lead an exercise like patting your
head, touching your toes, or hopping in place.
Play music while the group follows the leader in doing the
movement. After a short while, stop the music and tell the
leader to choose someone else who has not had a turn to
lead. That person will lead in a movement while the music
plays. Continue until everyone has had a turn.
Learn 3-syllable words
Tape each word to a different colored sheet of paper and
place them on the floor. Talk about each word and its
picture. Each child takes a turn throwing the beanbag on
a word. Everyone can help recall the word. This is not a
contest. For young preschoolers, choose only Abraham,
covenant, Genesis. The remaining words are grandchildren
and descendant.
Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide
9
Unit 2 • Session 1
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
When you talk about the words, make comments such as
the following.
••Abraham’s name begins with an “A” sound (like the
name of the big “A” at the beginning of “Abraham”).
••God made a covenant with Abraham. A covenant is a
promise people make to each other or a promise that
a person and God make.
••You can read the story of Abraham in Genesis, the
first book of the Bible.
••If we say “Abraham’s grandchildren,” we mean the
children of Abraham’s children. Abraham had many
great-grandchildren and many, many great-greatgrandchildren.
••Great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents
have descendants. You are a descendant of your
grandparents and parents. Jesus is a descendant of
Abraham and Sarah.
• construction paper
• child-size scissors
• “Geometric Shapes”
10
Play with geometric shapes
Cut the following geometric shapes from different colors
of construction paper: pentagons to use as bases for stars,
and triangles with one side the same length as the sides of
the pentagons (5 triangles for each pentagon; see patterns
of geometric shapes). After children make stars, they can
create their own patterns with the shapes.
Say • Make stars with the geometric shapes. God told
Abraham to count the stars in the sky if he could.
Abraham would have that many descendants.
God’s Covenant with People
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
• masking tape
• toy cars
• blocks
• music such as “I Will
Keep” or “Promises”
• plastic, peopleshaped cookie or
play dough cutters
• shallow pans or
paper plates
• tempera paint
• painting smocks
• paper
• washable markers
• wet wipes or wet
paper towel
Follow directions and move
Tape a masking tape path to the floor for toy cars to
follow. Set up a few blocks as obstacles in the road. Tell
the preschoolers that they are moving to a new place and
that they must follow the planned route. When they arrive
at the destination you set, let the boys and girls make new
plans and routes. You might want to play music softly in the
background as they move.
Say • God told Abraham to move to a new land. God made
promises to Abraham. Abraham did what God told
him to do.
••Why did God choose Abraham? God chose
Abraham to be part of His plan.
Stamp “descendants”
Put two or three colors of tempera paint on plates, each
color on a different plate. Put a couple of “people” cookie
cutters in each paint color. Stamp two people at the top
of the page to represent Abraham and Sarah. Stamp other
people all over the page to represent their grandchildren,
great-grandchildren, and so on. Use painting smocks and
help the preschoolers clean their hands before removing the
smocks.
Say • God promised Abraham would have many, many
descendants. One of the great-great-great-great
grandchildren of Abraham was Jesus!
Preschool Bible Study Leader Guide
11
Unit 2 • Session 1
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
• bell or countdown
video (optional)
• paper cups and
napkins
• hand sanitizer
(optional)
• pretzel sticks
• mini-marshmallows
• allergy alert
• crayons
• journal page
• Bible story coloring
page
12
Snack Time and Transition (20 minutes)
Say • In just a minute, it will be time for the snack. When
you hear the signal, put your supplies away. Then, we
will go to the bathroom and wash hands before the
snack. [If you do not have facilities to wash hands,
use hand sanitizer.]
Choose helpers with clean hands to help set the table.
Distribute cups of water and napkins. Place four pretzel
sticks and three mini-marshmallows on each napkin.
Say • Pretend the marshmallows are stars. Connect the
stars with pretzel sticks to make constellations like
the one on your activity page. Before you eat your
constellation, let’s thank God for the snack.
Pray briefly or ask a volunteer to pray. Do not insist that a
child pray aloud.
Transition
When a child finishes his snack, tell him to throw away
his trash and select a book or puzzle to look at, draw on
his journal page something he thought about during the
Bible story, color the Bible story picture, or work quietly at
something else he chooses.
Welcome parents or the second session teachers.
God’s Covenant with People
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
Journal Page
God’s Covenant with People
Key Passage: Genesis 17:7
Session 1: God’s Covenant with Abraham
Genesis 12:2-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-9
Session 2: The Sons of Abraham
Genesis 16:1-16; 17:15-22; 21:1-7
Session 3: God Tested Abraham
Genesis 22:1-19
UNIT 2 • Journal Page
TM
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources.
OK TO PRINT
Why did God choose
Abraham?
God chose Abraham to be
part of His plan.
TM
UNIT 2 • Session 1 • God’s Covenant with Abraham
UNIT
2 • LifeWay
SessionChristian
1 • Preschool
© 2012
Resources.
© 2012 LifeWay
Resources.
OK Christian
TO PRINT
Big
BigPicture
Picture
QUESTION
QUESTION
God’
God’ss Covenant
Covenant with
with People
People
I will keep My
covenant between Me
and you, . . .
to be your God.
Genesis 17:7
UNIT
Passage
(HCSB)
UNIT2 2• Key
• Session
1-3Poster
• Preschool
TM
2012LifeWay
LifeWayChristian
ChristianResources.
Resources.
©©2012
OK TO PRINT
Key
KeyPassage
Passage
POSTER
POSTER HCSB
HCSB
God’
God’ss Covenant
Covenant with
with People
People
And I will establish
my covenant between
me and thee, . . .
to be a God unto
thee.
Genesis 17:7
UNIT 2 • Key Passage Poster (KJV)
TM
TM
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources.
UNIT 2 • Session
1-3 • Preschool
OK TO PRINT
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources.
Key Passage
Key Passage
POSTER
KJV
POSTER KJV
God’s Covenant with People
God’s Covenant with People
Geometric Shapes
Instructions: Cut shapes from cardboard or poster board.
For each pentagon (5 sides), cut 5 triangles.
2 • Session
1 • Geometric
Shapes
UNITUNIT
2 • Session
1 • Preschool
Bible Study
TM
© 2012
LifeWay
Christian
Resources.
© 2012
LifeWay
Christian
Resources.
OK to print
God’ssCovenant
Covenantwith
withPeople
People
God’
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TM
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources.
OK TO PRINT
UNIT 2 • Session 1 • God’s Covenant
with Abraham
God’s Covenant with People
God’s Covenant with Abraham
Genesis 12:2-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-9
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources.
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UNIT 2 • Session 1 • Preschool Activity Pages
Instructions: Follow the arrows and connect the stars to find the Big Dipper constellation.
Find the Big Dipper
God’s Covenant with People
Learn 3-Syllable Words
Instructions: Tape each word to a different colored sheet of paper and lay them on
the floor. Talk about what each word is and what it means. Point out how the picture
relates to the word. Each child takes a turn throwing the beanbag on a word and trying to
remember what it is. This is not a contest. Everyone can help recall the word. For young
preschoolers, choose only three or four words, including covenant, Genesis, Abraham.
co
venant
Note: God made a covenant with
Abraham. A covenant is a promise
people make to each other, or a promise
that a person and God make.
A
br
aha
m
Note: Today’s story is about Abraham.
His name begins with a big “A” which
sounds like the beginning of “Abraham.”
Ge
UNIT
• Session
• Learn 3-Syllable
Words
UNIT
2 •2Session
1 •1Preschool
Bible Study
TM
© 2012
LifeWay
Christian
Resources.
© 2012
LifeWay
Christian
Resources.
OK TO PRINT
nesis
Note: The story of Abraham is found in
Genesis, the first book of the Bible.
God’ssCovenant
Covenantwith
withPeople
People
God’
9
d
g
r
a
nd
child
re
n
e
sc
endan
t
s
Note: Descendants trace back
through parents, grandparents, greatgrandparents and so on. Jesus is a
descendant of Abraham and Sarah.
Note: If we say “Abraham’s grandchildren,”
we mean the children of Abraham’s children.
Abraham had many great-grandchildren
and many, many great-great-grandchildren.
UNIT
• Session
• Learn 3-Syllable
Words
UNIT
2 •2Session
1 •1Preschool
Bible Study
TM
© 2012
LifeWay
Christian
Resources.
© 2012
LifeWay
Christian
Resources.
OK TO PRINT
God’ssCovenant
Covenantwith
withPeople
People
God’
10
Today your child will be
tasting/touching/sniffing
Please notify a teacher
if your child should not
participate in this activity.
Instructions: Print this poster, or laminate it and reuse it throughout the quarter. Use a dry erase marker to fill in the necessary information when bringing food,
animals, things to smell, or nature items that might cause allergic reactions. Display the poster where parents can see it when they arrive with their children.
UNIT11• •Preschool
Allergy Alert
UNIT 1 • Session
Bible Study
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© 2012
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the Beginning
Beginning
InIn the
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© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources