Joshua 3 & 4

Lesson Aim

To acknowledge God’s help and support.

Hook 1: Two pieces of blue cloth

Two or four people pretend to be the priests entering the River Jordan, carrying a cardboard box on two poles to represent the ark. As the first ‘priest’ places a foot on the blue cloth two other people (one at either side) should pull the pieces of cloth apart to represent the waters parting. The priests remain standing in the gap while others cross the river.

Hook 2: Stones

Have 12 large stones which different children can collect up and stack into a pile, to illustrate how the Israelites built a pile of stones after crossing the River Jordan.

Warning : Do not ask the children to carry the stones on their shoulders like the Israelites did. You might demonstrate this but do not invite accidents to happen with children.

Hook 3: Post-it notes

If parents are present, give each child a post-it note to take to their parents and have the parents write down something which they would give thanks to God for. When the notes are returned display them on a board. Then pray, thanking God for some of the things mentioned on the notes.

The post-it notes could be pre-cut into the shape of stones so that a ‘pile of stones’ is created.

Hook 4: Questions

How could we cross a large river? What if we had no bridge and no boats? This is the problem facing God’s people in our story today.

Application

Explain that the pile of stones was to remember God’s help and support when crossing the River Jordan. In the same way we should remember God’s help to us today in our daily lives, and thank God for his help.