LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In Judges 6, the people of Israel had once again wandered away from God and begun worshipping false idols. Because of their disobedience, God allowed the Midianites and their allies to terrorize the Israelites for seven years. These raiders descended in massive numbers each harvest season, stealing crops and livestock and leaving God’s people destitute and hiding in caves. The Israelites were powerless against them. In their desperation, they finally cried out to the Lord, and God answered. In His wisdom, God did not choose a celebrated military commander or a man of wealth and influence. He chose Gideon, a man from the least notable family within the weakest tribe in Israel, quietly threshing wheat in a hidden winepress so the raiders would not find him. An angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and greeted him as a mighty warrior, commissioning him to lead Israel to freedom.
Gideon’s response was filled with self-doubt and disbelief. He could not understand why God would call someone so unremarkable. God’s answer cut straight to the heart of the lesson: it was not about Gideon’s strength or status, but about God’s presence and power working through him. To confirm the call, God accepted Gideon’s offering by sending fire from a rock to consume it entirely. Even so, Gideon asked for further reassurance through two miraculous signs involving a piece of sheep’s wool, called a fleece. On the first morning, the fleece was soaked with dew while the ground around it was completely dry. On the second morning, the fleece was dry while the ground was covered in dew. Through these patient and gracious miracles, God confirmed His call on an ordinary man. The central truth of this passage is that God deliberately chooses ordinary people so that His extraordinary power is clearly on display.
OPENING ACTIVITY 6:00-6:15 | Keep it Dry Activity
Items Needed
- 2 Tubs or Small Swimming Pools
- Washcloths
- Spray Bottles of water
Set out two large plastic tubs on towels. Place several washcloths in each bin. Give child spray bottles of water.
In one tub, lead kids to try to spray water on the cloth without getting the tub wet. In the other tub,
lead preschoolers to try to spray water on the tub without getting the cloth wet.
BIBLE STORY 6:15-6:25
Question 1: Where is this found in the Bible? The book of Judges.
Question 2: Is Judges in the Old Testament or the New Testament? Old Testament.
Object Lesson Setup: Before telling the story, hold up a small piece of felt or fleece fabric. Let every child touch it and pass it around. Then dip it in a small bowl of water and hold it up. Say: This is called fleece. Feel how wet it is. Now feel this dry piece. In our story today, God is going to do something amazing with a piece of fleece just like this. Let’s find out what happened.
Our Bible story today is about a man named Gideon. Can you say Gideon? [Wait for kids to repeat: Gideon]
Gideon lived with a group of people called the Israelites. Can you say Israelites? [Let kids try: Israelites]
The Israelites loved God, but sometimes they forgot about Him, and when they forgot about God, things got really hard. There were some very scary enemies called the Midianites who kept coming and stealing all of their food.
The Israelites were SO scared that they used to hide. Can you hide right now? Put your hands over your face like you are hiding! [Let kids cover their faces]
Good hiding! Now peek through your fingers because here comes the good part! [Wait for kids to peek]
One day, a man named Gideon was hiding too. He was trying to get his grain, kind of like cereal, without the bad guys seeing him. Can you pretend to scoop some cereal into a bowl? [Demonstrate scooping motion, let kids copy]
While Gideon was working, an angel from God came and sat down next to him under a big tree. The angel said to Gideon: The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!
Let me hear you say mighty warrior! [Wait for response: mighty warrior]
But Gideon looked at himself and said: Me? I am too small. My family is not important. I am not good enough. Can you point to yourself and say, I am not good enough? [Let kids respond]
But the angel said: God will be with you, Gideon!
Gideon wanted to make sure this was really from God, so he made a special meal, kind of like a gift for God. He put it on a big rock. The angel touched the rock with his stick and fire shot out and burned up the whole meal! [Make a big whoosh sound with your arms going up]
Everybody make a fire sound with me! Whoooosh! [Kids make the sound]
That fire told Gideon that God was really there, but Gideon still felt a little nervous. Have you ever felt nervous about something?
Gideon prayed to God and said: God, can you please show me one more time that this is really you? I am going to put this piece of fleece outside tonight. Can you make the fleece wet but keep all the ground around it dry?
Hold up the wet piece of fleece. This is what Gideon found in the morning! The fleece was wet and the ground all around it was dry! Pass the fleece around if time allows.
God did it!
But then Gideon asked one more time. He said: God, one more please. This time, make the fleece dry but make the ground wet.
And the next morning, the ground was all wet from the dew and the fleece was perfectly dry.
God showed Gideon two times that He was with him, and do you know what Gideon did? He said YES to God. He trusted God and did what God asked him to do. Gideon was not alone. God was with him!
Let’s say our big truth together. God is with me! Say it with me! [Wait for kids: God is with me]
One more time really loud! [Kids repeat louder]
Theological Questions:
- Why did God choose Gideon even though Gideon did not think he was good enough?
- What does it tell us about God that He was patient with Gideon and answered his questions with signs?
Life Application Questions:
- Have you ever felt like you were not big enough or strong enough to do something? What happened?
- If God asked you to do something really hard, how would it help you to know that God was right there with you?
Closing Prayer:
Lord, thank you for being with us just like you were with Gideon. Help us to remember that we do not have to be big or strong because you are with us, and your power is greater than anything we face. Amen! [Lead kids in saying Amen together]
WORSHIP IN SONG 6:25-6:35
PRAYER 6:35-6:45
Transition kids to the floor for prayer time. Have children sit in a circle or gather together on a rug. Once everyone is settled, lead them in prayer. Encourage each child to pray out loud one at a time as they feel led.
BIBLE STORY GAME 6:45-6:55 | Paper Towel Freeze + Spritz
Items Needed:
- Paper towels (one per child)
- Spray bottles (one per teacher)
- Open floor space
- Music
Give each child a paper towel to place on top of their head. Children walk and move around the room like mighty warriors while balancing their paper towel on their head as the music plays. If a child’s paper towel falls off, they are frozen and must stay in place until a teacher comes over, picks up the paper towel, and places it back on their head and then squirts them with water. Once their towel is returned, they are unfrozen and can rejoin the game. Play as long as time allows.
After the game, bring the kids back together and connect it to the lesson. Say something like: That was a fun game, but did you notice something? When you got frozen, you needed someone else to help you get back in the game. You could not do it by yourself. Gideon was a lot like that. He felt stuck and not good enough, and he needed God to come alongside him and remind him that he was not alone. God did not just watch from far away. He showed up for Gideon, just like your teachers showed up for you in that game. And here is the really good news. God shows up for you too. He is always with you, ready to help when you feel frozen or afraid.
BIBLE CRAFT 6:55-7:10 | Gideon’s Shield of Courage
Items Needed:
- Shield of Courage (one per child)
- Crayons or markers
- Stickers
- Bubbles (Optional)
Children decorate their shield with colors, stickers, and drawings of things that make them feel brave. As children work, leaders can talk with them about what made Gideon brave. It was not his size or his family. It was knowing that God was with him. Children take the shield home as a reminder that they too can be brave because God is with them, just as He was with Gideon.
If time allows, children can use their shields to protect them from falling bubbles.
SNACK TIME AND BIBLE STORY VIDEO 7:10-7:25
Pass out snacks and allow kids time to eat while they watch the Bible story video.
BONUS ACTIVITY | Absorb it or Not
Items Needed:
- A spray bottle with water
- Small samples of different materials such as felt, plastic wrap, a paper towel, a piece of cotton fabric, aluminum foil, and a small piece of sponge
- A tray,
Children take turns spraying each material with the water bottle and observing what happens. Does the water soak in or bead up and roll off?
Ask: Why do you think God chose wool fleece for His miracle? Talk about how wool is naturally very good at absorbing water, which made the miracle even more remarkable because God had to supernaturally override what the wool would normally do on the second night when He kept it dry while everything around it was wet.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Judges 6:1-40 (ESV)
Read the full story here.
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway: God can use me
What I Learned Today
Today we learned about a man named Gideon who did not think he was good enough to do what God was asking him to do. God sent an angel to tell Gideon that He was with him and that His power was greater than anything Gideon was afraid of. God showed Gideon two amazing miracles with a piece of fleece to help him trust and say yes, and Gideon learned that when God is with you, you are always enough.
Questions to Ask Me
Theological Questions:
- Who did God send to talk to Gideon?
(God sent an angel of the Lord to visit Gideon while he was working.) - Why did God choose Gideon even though Gideon’s family was weak and small?
(Because God does not choose people based on how strong or important they are. He chooses people who will trust Him and let His power work through them.) - What did Gideon use to ask God for a sign?
(He used a piece of wool fleece that he laid on the ground outside.) - What miracle did God do with the fleece the first night?
(God made the fleece wet with dew but kept all the ground around it completely dry.) - What miracle did God do with the fleece the second night?
(God made the fleece completely dry while all the ground around it was wet with dew.)
Life Application Questions:
- Have you ever felt like you were not big enough or good enough to do something hard?
(Answers will vary. Encourage your child to share a time they felt this way and affirm that God feels the same way about them as He did about Gideon.) - What is something that makes you feel scared or nervous?
(Answers will vary. Use this as an opportunity to pray together about that specific fear and remind your child that God is with them.) - If God asked you to do something brave, what do you think you would do?
(Answers will vary. Encourage your child by reminding them that Gideon was scared too, but he said yes to God anyway.) - Who is someone in your life that helps you feel brave?
(Answers will vary. Talk about how God sometimes uses people around us, just like He used the angel to encourage Gideon.) - How does it make you feel to know that God is always with you, no matter where you go or what you do?
(Answers will vary. This is a great opportunity to speak truth over your child and remind them that God’s presence is the greatest gift we have.)