CF Kids - 1st - 3rd Curriculum | Champion Forest | A Church for Northwest Houston

LIFE POINT:

The church sings to praise and thank God.

LEVEL OF BIBLICAL LEARNING:

God wants people to gather to worship Him.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE:

Ezra 2:68–3:13

BIBLE VERSE:

“Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the LORD our maker.” Psalm 95:6

FOR THE WEEK OF:

June 14

LEADER BIBLE STUDY

CONTEXT AND COMMENTARY FOR PERSONAL STUDY AND PREPARATION

(For age-appropriate language, use the Bible story on the following pages.)

In many cities, construction of new buildings is often seen as a nuisance that causes traffic delays and forces cars to navigate through tight rows of orange cones. Yet the same buildings that cause criticism while being built are often celebrated when they are complete. Some even hold ribbon-cutting ceremonies to mark the occasion, proving it is much easier to celebrate the finished product than the process involved.

When the Jewish prisoners of Babylon, held captive for nearly 70 years, returned home to Jerusalem, they immediately began to resurrect the city that had been destroyed. Inspired by God, King Cyrus decreed that the people return to rebuild the temple of “the God of Israel” (Ezra 1:1-3). Many of them were returning to a place they only knew through stories, while a few returned to the home they loved and remembered.

Rebuilding the temple was a massive undertaking, but the Israelites continued to worship throughout the entire process. They worshiped God through sacrifice, generosity, work, remembering what He had done, and through music by singing praises to Him with gratitude in their hearts.

When the foundation of the temple was complete, all the people erupted in praise. They sang, played music, and worshiped God with their voices. Scripture says their combined voices created a sound that could be “heard far away.” As you pray this week, thank God for walking with you through every season of your life. Ask for a heart of worship that can be “heard far away” so that your worship will reflect God’s glory to others.

💡 INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY

Prepare six cards, each with a line from a popular children’s song with one key word missing (for example: “Twinkle, twinkle, little _____” or “You are my _____, my only sunshine”). Invite volunteers to read the line aloud, pausing where the word is missing, while the rest of the group calls out the missing word. After all six cards, ask: “What do all these have in common?” (They are all songs!) Point out that singing is something people do all over the world and that singing can be a way to worship God. Say, “Today we’re going to hear about a group of people who used singing to worship and thank God.”

💬 TELL THE STORY

TELL THE BIBLE STORY

BIBLE STORY: THE PEOPLE SANG

For many years, the people of Israel had lived as captives far from their home in Jerusalem. When God allowed them to return, they came back to find their beloved city and its temple in ruins.

With grateful hearts, the heads of the families gave freewill offerings to help rebuild God’s house. They gave gold and silver and priestly garments according to what they were able. Then the people began the work of rebuilding.

The workers laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple. The priests, dressed in their robes, stood ready with their trumpets, and the Levites with their cymbals. Together they sang praise and thanksgiving to the Lord: “For He is good; His faithful love to Israel endures forever.” All the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s house had been laid.

Many of the older priests and Levites who had seen the first temple wept loudly when they saw the new foundation being laid. Others were shouting joyfully. The people could not tell the difference between the joyful shouting and the weeping, because the people shouted so loudly. The sound was heard far away.

—Based on Ezra 2:68–3:13

REVIEW QUESTIONS

What needed to be rebuilt? (the temple)
What was the temple used for? (to worship God)
What did the people give to help rebuild? (gold, silver, and priestly garments)
In what city was the temple being rebuilt? (Jerusalem)
What did the priests and Levites do when the foundation was complete? (They played trumpets and cymbals and sang praise to God.)
Why couldn’t the people tell if the sound was shouting for joy or crying? (It was so loud they blended together.)
In what book of the Bible can this story be found? (Ezra)

💡

BIBLE LEARNING ACTIVITIES

STATION 1

Set out dress-up costumes (robes, scarves) and simple instruments (tambourines, bells, shakers). Invite kids to dress up like priests and Levites and lead praise together. Remind them that the priests and Levites led the worship when the temple foundation was complete. Say, “The church gathers to sing and worship God together!”

STATION 2

Provide blocks, Legos, or Magna-Tiles. Challenge kids to build a temple foundation. As they build, ask: “What would you feel if you were rebuilding something very important to you?” Say, “The people returned from captivity and worked hard to rebuild God’s temple. The church sings to praise and thank God!”

STATION 3

Help kids make their own shakers using toilet paper rolls. Seal one end with tape, fill with dried beans or rice, then seal the other end and decorate with markers and stickers. Play worship music and let kids use their shakers. Say, “Music is a way we worship God, just like the people who sang when the temple foundation was laid!”

STATION 4

Give each child a small dry-erase board or piece of paper. Invite them to write or draw things they are thankful to God for. Share responses as a group. Say, “The people sang to thank God for bringing them home and allowing them to rebuild. We can thank God too!”

STATION 5

Play “Name That Tune” using the CF Kids Playlist. Hum or clap the rhythm of a worship song and see who can name it first. Then sing the song together. Say, “Singing songs of praise is one important way the church worships God together!”

PRAY

Invite kids to thank God for the gift of music and for their church. Ask God to give each child a heart that wants to praise and thank Him, just like the people who sang when the temple was rebuilt.