Here’s a Bible story you can use for your Independence Day lesson.
Have two children be team leaders and take turns picking their teams. At this point, you can have a relay race or play another game with two teams.
Ask the children who were picked this question. When you were picked for team leader A’s team or team leader B’s team, were you on their team or were the leaders on your team?
Joshua 5:13-14(ICB) Joshua was near Jericho. He looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. The man had a sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and asked, “Are you a friend or an enemy?” The man answered, “I am neither one. I have come as the commander of the Lord’s army.” Then Joshua bowed facedown on the ground. He asked, “Does my master have a command for me, his servant?”
Tell the story (a condensed version) about how Joshua and the children of Israel were commanded to take the promised land in your own words. You can find the story in Joshua 1-5. Joshua obeyed God and sent spies to the city of Jericho. Then Israel marched across the Jordan river on dry ground.
Israel was God’s nation, and they were doing what God wanted, yet the night before the battle, an angel appeared and said he wasn’t on Joshua’s side. He was on God’s side. That meant if Joshua followed God and was on God’s side, he would all right. But if he didn’t follow God, it wouldn’t matter if God had been for Israel in the past.
We’re celebrating the birthday of our nation. The United States of America started as a nation under God. Most of the founding fathers served God.
Even though our nation has been founded on God, that doesn’t mean God is for the United States. God will bless the United States as our country does right and follows after Him.
No nation can claim that God is on our side. As a nation, we should be on God’s side.
But that’s true of people as well. Just because you are a Christian and go to church doesn’t mean God is on your side. But if you are on God’s side, He will fight for you and bless you. Here’s how to be on God’s side.
Joshua 1:7-9(ICB) Be strong and brave. Be sure to obey all the teachings my servant Moses gave you. If you follow them exactly, you will be successful in everything you do. Always remember what is written in the Book of the Teachings. Study it day and night. Then you will be sure to obey everything that is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything. Remember that I commanded you to be strong and brave. So don’t be afraid. The Lord your God will be with you everywhere you go.”
Be strong and brave. Sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing. Other kids will make fun of you. Bullies pick on you. Sometimes even teachers, celebrities, and politicians tell you that what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right. But if you want to do the right and be on God’s side, be brave and do the right thing anyway.
Obey God. It’s sometimes easier to do what we want than to do what God wants. But if we want to be on God’s side, we will obey Him.
Learn what God’s Word says. What other people say isn’t as important as what God says. His Word, the Bible, is truth. To be on God’s side, learn what it says.
Remember God is with you. When you’re on God’s side, you don’t have to be afraid because God is always with you. He will never leave you.
I want to be on God’s side.