FAITH QUEST

 

Elijah and the False Prophets of Baal

 

May 23 – June 13, 2004

 

Holywood

 

Scripture:  1 Kings 18:16-46

 

Memory Verse:   “You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other.”  Deuteronomy 4:35 NIV

 

Concepts:      

  1. The Lord is the One true God.
  2. God has ultimate power over the world.
  3. We are called to trust in only God for everything.
  4. God asks us to choose only him and then helps us make that choice.
  5. We are called to worship God.

 

Objectives:   

1.     Children will view the video Elijah.

2.     From the video, the children will cover all five concepts listed above and see how they were part of Elijah and his beliefs.

 

Procedure:                

Welcome and Introductions:

1.     Greet the children and introduce yourself.  Wear your nametag. Make sure the children are wearing nametags. If not, ask the shepherd to supply a temporary badge. Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week that may not know you.

2.     Explain to the children that the purpose of this workshop is to understand that there is only one ultimate God who has power over the entire world, that God will help us to make the choice of believing, and that we are called to worship God. 

 

Scripture/Bible Story:

Read the Bible story. Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses.  You may want to ask the children to read or you may want to read the scripture yourself.  If a child does not want to read that is perfectly fine.  Be creative in giving suggestions for retelling the story in weeks 3-5 when the children are more familiar with the story. You may want to ask them what happened first, second, etc.

 

Application:

1.     Show the video. It’s about 30 minutes long.

 

2.     When the video is over turn the lights on.  Ask the following questions and any others you may have so that the children are engaged in a discussion of the movie and the message it delivers. Try to help the children understand how the story demonstrates in particular that the Lord is the one true God who wants us to believe in and worship only him.

 

o    Who are the prophets of Baal?  false prophets 

o    When does Elijah tell King Ahab the rain will come?  Only when the prophets of Baal are no longer worshipped

o    Why does Elijah not kill Ahab?  God tells him to leave

o    Who or what brings Elijah food while he is in the wilderness?  Birds

o    What does Elijah do when he receives the food?  Thanks God

o    What is Queen Jezebel’s reason for it not raining?  Elijah is still alive

o    Where does God tell Elijah to go when he leaves the wilderness?  To the widow’s house

o    What does he ask the widow for and what does she say and do?  He asks her for water and food, but she tells him she only has enough for herself and her son.  Elijah tells her that if she feeds him first she will have food until the famine is over.  She feeds him first and her oil and flour containers are refilled by God.

o    What does Elijah ask God to do when her son dies?  He asks God to bring him back to life and God does.

o    Where does God tell Elijah to go next?  To return and face Ahab

o    What does Elijah tell Ahab?  Bring the prophets to Mount Carmel.  Ahab accepts.

o    What happens on Mount Carmel?  The prophets fail to get an answer from the God of Baal, but Elijah’s God (the one true God) responds when Elijah asks him too

 

Reflection Time:

At 10:35 a.m. ask the shepherds to pass out the journal pages and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a sticker or some memento to paste on their journal page as a reminder of the story or activity. 

 

Suggested prompts for journal writing:  List one reason why you believe in God.  For grades 1 and 2, you may want to tell them to draw a picture of how they worship God, e.g., praying, helping others.

 

At 10:45 ask the students to close their journals and sit quietly for prayer.

 

Closing:

Prayer: Suggestion for the closing prayer.  Dear God, help me to be strong and to trust in you like Elijah.  Amen.

 

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help clean up popcorn before they leave Holywood.  Wait until after class to pile up the beanbag chairs. The kids tend to throw them. Wipe out popcorn machine thoroughly, do not use water.

 

 

 

 

Teacher preparation in advance:

1.     Read the scripture passages and attend the Faith Quest Leaders Bible Study.

2.     Prepare a closing prayer.

3.     Check out the workshop room before your first Sunday so that you know where everything is located. The bin with popcorn supplies is located in the left closet in Holywood.

4.     PRACTICE OPERATING THE POPCORN MACHINE.

 

Supply List

·        Video will be given to you at the Workshop Leaders’ Bible Study.

·        Journal pages will also be provided at the Bible study or the first Sunday of the rotation.

·        Stickers if you want to put them on the journal pages.

 

References

Lori Houck, Kirk Faith Quest Bible Study Leader

Elijah, 1993, Nest Entertainment Series, ISBN 1-56489-074-0, 6100 Colwell Blvd., Irving, TX 75039