Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt Lesson 4

Bible Point God helps us when were

in danger.
Bible Verse
Share each others burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).

Growing Closer to Jesus

Students will n realize that God protects us in many ways,
n discover that God can use us to help others, and
n identify ways the Bible shows Gods protection.

Teacher Enrichment
Bible Basis
n Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt.
This passage describes the execution of Herods brutal backup plan. He had hoped to single out
Matthew the baby born in Bethlehem and kill him, but the Magi didnt return to Jerusalem to report the
2:13-23 babys whereabouts. So Herod ordered the killing of all the boys in Bethlehem who fell within
the age span suggested by the stars first appearance.
Jesus safety was of utmost importance to Joseph. His faith in God made him realize this
childs significance, and he didnt hesitate to obey Gods command to flee to Egypt. It appears
that as soon as he awoke from his dream, he woke Mary so that they could set out.
In verse 15, Matthew once again refers to Old Testament prophecy, suggesting that God would call the Messiah
out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1). This passage from Hosea refers to Gods deliverance of his people, Israel, from Egypt.
But Matthew wanted to prove to the Jews that Jesus was indeed the one theyd been waiting for. Matthew viewed
the salvation that God brought to the people of Israel in freeing them from Egypt as a foreshadowing of the supreme
salvation that would come through Jesus. As Moses went to Egypt to bring his people out of bondage, so Jesus went
to Egypt before freeing people from the bondage of sin.
It appears that Herod died not long after his brutal act in Bethlehem. Herod was dead, but the child he had
tried to kill would live forever! As Joseph and Mary returned to Israel in response to Gods direction, they heard
that Herods son, Archelaus, had taken Herods place. Joseph was apprehensive at the prospect of settling in Judea.
God again spoke to Joseph in a dream and directed the little family to go to Nazareth. Thus, Jesus survived the evil
intentions of wicked kings and grew up in obscurity in a small town in Galilee.

Prayer
Read Psalm 57:1.
How has God been a refuge to you?
Pray: Dear Lord, thank you for providing me with a place of safety in your presence. Help me to demonstrate your
protection to the children as I

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 43

 Lesson 4

Before the Lesson

n Collect the necessary items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab
Supplies listed on the chart.
n Make photocopies of the Hands-On Fun at Home handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your
children.
n Pray for your students and for Gods direction as you teach the lesson.

This Lesson at a Glance

What Children Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies
Attention Sound Off!Connect scary
Grabber sounds with real danger.

Bible Escape to EgyptMake sound Bible

Exploration & effects for Matthew 2:13-23,
Application and discuss people God uses to
protect us.

A Shining StarRead Bibles, newsprint, paper,

Scriptures that explain Gods markers, Shining Star handout
protection, and make a star to (p. 51), scissors
remind them of the many ways
God can help them in danger.

Help!Play a game to experience

a sense of danger and help, and
listen to Galatians 6:2 to learn
about Gods help.

Closing Apt AffirmationsCelebrate

Gods protection of their
classmates.

44 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4

 Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt

Welcome
As kids arrive, ask them how they applied last weeks lesson
to their lives. Ask questions such as, What did you do for your
family as a gift from God? and What did you do to serve others
as a thank you to God for his gifts?
Tell kids that whenever you ring the bell, they are to stop
talking, raise their hands, and focus on you. Explain that its
important to respond to this signal quickly so the class can do as
many fun activities as possible.

n Module Review
Use the casual interaction time at the beginning of class to ask kids the following
module-review questions:
How did you celebrate Jesus birth?
How has God helped you with your worries?
How has knowing that Jesus is Gods greatest gift helped you?
How is your life different as a result of what weve learned in class this
month?

Attention Grabber
n Sound Off!
SUPPLIES: none
Form a semicircle with kids facing away from you. Say:
Were going to have a contest to see who can make the
scariest noise. Lets give each other an example. Enlist
the help of the children to make the sound of a loud siren. To Move from being the principal
player and information giver to
make the contest extra fun, well also be trying to guess
being a guide and facilitator. Active
whos making the scary noises. So I need you all to close
learning takes a lot of pressure off
your eyes. Ill tap each contestant so no one will hear you because the spotlight shifts
who I pick. from you to the students. Become
Walk to the semicircle, and tap a student on the shoulder. Signal that student to a choreographer of sorts! This
follow you to the back of the room and make the scariest noise he or she can think of. doesnt mean that you check out
Some scary noises are of teaching. Now its your job to
a barking dog, guide students to the point of the
lesson: the Bible Point!
a roaring lion or tiger,
thunder,
an explosion,
gunfire, and
a fire alarm.
Then have the student return quietly to the semicircle. After each student makes
a noise, have everyone else try to guess who made the noise and what exactly it was.

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 45

 Lesson 4
If you have a large class, choose
only five to eight kids to make
scary noises to avoid repetition.
Bible Insight
Around 7 to 4 B.C., Herod
was suffering from an illness
that would eventually kill
him. He was nearly 70 years
old when he ordered the
killing of all male children in
Bethlehem under the age
of 2.
46 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4
When all students have had a turn making a noise, have students form a circle and vote
on which noises were the scariest.
Say: Some noises we all recognize as sounds of danger, such as sirens.
Other noises might be scary only to us because of our particular situation.
For example, the sound of wood cracking when were standing on a ladder
would be scary.
Ask: Whats one scary noise that you hope you never hear? (The smoke
alarm in my house; a gun in my school; my dad yelling at me.)
Hold up the bell, and say: In the days before sirens, people used bells to
warn others of danger. Im going to give each of you a turn to ring the bell
and share an example of when youve heard something that scared you.
First Ill tell about a scary sound I once heard.
Ring the bell, and share a scary sound from your past experience. It might be an
ambulance siren when someone in your family was late getting home or a large dog
barking at you.
Then pass the bell to the student on your right. Have that person ring the bell and
tell about a time when he or she heard something scary. Some examples might be
hearing someone getting yelled at or hearing strange noises in the night.
After everyone has shared, say: Today were going to discover how God helps
us when were in danger. God sometimes protects us from danger by giving
us warnings. After the wise men found Jesus and worshipped him, they
received a warning from God to avoid Herod and go home another way. The
wise men paid attention to that warning. Today well learn how Joseph also
received a warning from God and escaped a dangerous situation.
Bible Exploration & Application
n Escape to Egypt
SUPPLIES: Bible
Have several students hold the garland. Give
another five students two cedar hearts each. The
remaining students can give the verbal sound effects.
Say: Youre all going to help me tell Josephs
story by creating sound effects to make it really
come alive! Ill give you the cue words and the matching sound effects. Lets
practice. When you hear me say angel, those of you holding the garland
can rustle it to symbolize the sound of angels passing by. (Pause to practice.)
Whenever I say go, flee, or went, those of you with the cedar hearts
can clap them together quickly to sound like running footsteps. (Pause to
practice.)
The rest of you will make the verbal sound effects. When you hear me
say Herod, boo and hiss. (Pause to practice.) When I say child, say Waa!
(Pause to practice.)
Rehearse the cues and sounds again in random order.
Open your Bible to Matthew 2, and show kids the chapter. Say: Ill read aloud
this story from Matthew 2:13-23, pausing at the appropriate places for you
to respond to the cues.
 Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt

After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to
Joseph in a dream. Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother, the
angel said. Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to
search for the child to kill him.
That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother,
and they stayed there until Herods death. This fulfilled what the Lord had
spoken through the prophet: I called my Son out of Egypt.
Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted
him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were
2 years old and under, based on the wise mens report of the stars first
appearance. Herods brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through
the prophet Jeremiah:
A cry was heard in Ramah
weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph
in Egypt. Get up! the angel said. Take the child and his mother back to the As you lead discussions with your
land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead. So class, ask open-ended questions.
Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. Rather than rephrasing questions
But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herods son Archelaus, as statements and asking children
to agree, wait for kids to answer on
he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for
their own. Respect what students
the region of Galilee. So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth.
say, and let the kids teach you.
This fulfilled what the prophets had said: He will be called a Nazarene. Youll be surprised how much they
Put the garland and the cedar hearts back in the Learning Lab for future use. know!
Ask: What do you think Josephs reaction was when the angel told him
of the danger to his family? (He was probably scared; he was glad the angel told
him what to do.)
How hard do you think it was for Joseph to trust God in this situation?
Explain. (He might have thought it was just a dream so it wasnt important; it was
easy to trust God because of the angel.)
Who did God use to protect Jesus? (Joseph; the angel.)
Who does God use to protect you? (Angels; parents; teachers.)
Can God use you to protect someone else? How? (Yes, I can warn a friend
who is doing something dangerous; yes, I can protect my little sister by holding her
hand when we cross the street.)
Say: God helps us when were in danger. He gave Jesus parents to
take care of him and to protect him. God does the same for ushe gave us
parents and other caring adults to help protect us. Lets discover another
way God helps us when were in danger.

n A Shining Star
SUPPLIES: Bibles, newsprint, markers, paper, Shining Star handout (p. 51), scissors
Before class, write these references on a large sheet of newsprint:
Psalm 91:11; Romans 8:26; Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 4:6-7; and
1 Thessalonians 5:11. Make a photocopy of the Shining Star handout
for each student.

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 47

 Lesson 4
Provide glitter glue so kids can
make their stars really shine!
48 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4
Ask: How did God protect Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in the Bible story
we heard today? (He sent an angel to warn them of danger; he protected Jesus from
being killed with all the other baby boys.)
Say: Lets look in the Bible to discover more about Gods protection. Form
five groups. Distribute Bibles, markers, and paper, and assign one of the Scripture
references to each group. In your group, choose a Reader, a Reporter, and a
Recorder. Everyone else in the group will be an Encourager. The Reader
will read the Scripture aloud to your group. The Encouragers will help the
group stay focused as you discuss this question:
What kind of Gods protection does your verse talk about?
Ill give you about five minutes to read and discuss. Your Recorder will take
notes and record your answer. When I call time, your Reader will read your
Scripture to the class, and your Reporter will share your groups answer.
Circulate among the groups to offer help as needed. For example, you might say
that God offers protection in the form of angels, answered prayer, the Holy Spirit,
faith, and other Christians.
After five minutes, ring the bell to call time. Choose one group to begin. After the
Reporter shares the groups answers, give the Reporter a gold coin. Have the Reporter
flip the coin to one of the other groups, who will report next.
After each group has reported, have kids come together in a circle.
Ask: When do you feel you need Gods protection? (When Im home alone;
when its dark and Im scared; when people are fighting.)
How can the verses we just heard help you when youre afraid? (They
can remind me that Gods angels watch over me; they can remind me not to be afraid
because God is powerful.)
Then say: Lets all read another verse about Gods protection. Have a
volunteer read Psalm 4:8 aloud while others read along silently.
Ask: Who can share a time you might feel like saying this verse? (When
its night; when Im in bed and hear scary sounds.)
Why is God the only one who can really keep us safe? (God is the only one
with enough power to protect us; God knows whats going on all the time.)
Then say: God helps us when were in danger. Not only is he powerful,
he uses lots of different helpers to protect us. Now lets make a reminder of
Gods protection.
Distribute photocopies of the Shining Star handout, markers, and scissors. Say:
On each point of the star, write one of the ways God protects us. Show kids
how to fold on the lines to form a star.
When kids have finished their stars, ring the bell to get their
attention.
Say: This star can remind you that God helps us
when were in danger. When we feel afraid, we can ask
our best friend, Jesus, to give us peace and courage.
Jesus loves each of us and cares about our safety. Lets
thank God for his power and protection.
Pray: Dear Lord, thank you for loving us and sending
your Son, Jesus, for us. Thank you for helping us when were afraid.
Help us remember that your power is greater than anything we
might fear. We love you and praise you for what a great God you
are. In Jesus name, amen.
 Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt

HANDSON BIBLE
Before class, practice the Disappearing Act illusion found near
Matthew 2. Youll need a handkerchief, a quarter, and a salt shaker.
Say: Heres a fun way to tell your friends and family about
Gods protection of Jesus and his family. When you tell them
about their late-night disappearing act, do a disappearing act of your own!
Demonstrate the trick, and do it again to see if kids can figure out how you
did it. Then have children open their Hands-On Bibles to the instructions near
Matthew 2. Encourage them to learn this illusion and try it at home as they tell
others about Gods protection.

n Help!
SUPPLIES: none
Have the kids form a circle. Make sure there are an even number of students in the
circle. If the number is not even, have one of the kids join you as the Caller. If you As you teach third- and fourth-
have a student who is significantly larger or smaller than the rest of the group, this graders, keep in mind the
child would be a good choice to help you, but be careful not to call attention to your following aspects of their
reason. Children need to stand so that their shoulders are almost touching. Let them emotional development:
count off by twos, using the word Boo! for one and Shriek! for two. Their feelings can be hurt easily.
Say: We discovered earlier that were not always afraid of the same They are sensitive to praise and
things that others in our class are. In this game, all the Boos! will be criticism from adults.
feeling a little danger for the same reason, and all the Shrieks! will be They are developing the ability to
feeling a little danger for the same reason. Listen and follow directions empathize with others.
carefully so that each of our friends can experience the help they need.
Instruct everyone in the circle to join hands. Tell them not to move their feet at any
time and to hold tightly to each others hands. Explain that if any one person doesnt
follow your instructions exactly, the whole group will not be successful in playing the
game. Explain that when you yell Boo! all the Boos! should lean forward and all
the Shrieks! should lean back. Then the group should straighten up. When you yell
Shriek! the Shrieks! should lean forward and the Boos! should lean back. The kids
will probably have to practice several times to get this exercise right.
After playing the game, have kids sit in their circle formation.
Ask: What did you have to do to help your friends during this game?
(We had to lean on each other; we had to support each other.)
Say: The Bible tells us how to act when others are in danger. Galatians
6:2 says, Share each others burdens, and in this way obey the law of
Christ.
Ask: How is danger like a trouble or a problem? (When theres a dangerous
situation, youre probably in trouble! When youre in danger, you may have a problem
reaching safety.)
How was helping your friends in the game like helping someone who is
in danger? (When people are in danger they need support; a friend in danger needs
help from other friends.)
Say: God helps us when were in danger. Sometimes he uses friends who

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 49

 Lesson 4

also trust Jesus, just as your friends helped you in the game we played.
Sometimes, God uses us to help others, just as you did in the game we
played. We need to be ready to help each other as part of Gods way to
help us when we are in danger.

Closing
n Apt Affirmations
SUPPLIES: none
Say: Galatians 6:2 says, Share each others burdens,
and in this way obey the law of Christ. When we have
burdens, or troubles and problems, we can share
them with others. We can also encourage others. Lets
encourage each other right now by reminding each other
of Gods love and protection.
Form a circle. Take the garland, and turn to the student on your left. Place the
garland gently around the childs neck. Say: God loves [childs name] and protects
[childs name] when he [or she] is in danger. Then have that student turn to the
student on his or her left and repeat the affirmation. The last child should place the
garland around your neck and affirm you. Then return the garland to the Learning Lab.
God helps us when were in danger. This week, whenever you face
danger or feel afraid, remember that God loves you and has given you all
kinds of resources to help you. Close with a prayer thanking God for protecting
If you have extra time, play this
the kids in your class.
fun game.
Place the gold hoop in the
middle of the room, and set the
bell in the center of the gold
Growing closer to Jesus extends
hoop. Choose two volunteers beyond the classroom.
to be the Protectors. Give Photocopy the Hands-On Fun at Home handout (at
one Protector the garland and the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home
the other the rainbow spring. with your kids. Encourage kids and parents to use the
Tell kids that theyll receive a handout to spark meaningful discussion on this weeks
point if they can ring the bell topic.
but that the Protectors will
be trying to keep everyone
from the bell. If kids come near
the bell, the Protectors can
tag them with the garland
or the rainbow spring. Once
someone is tagged, he or
she must sit out of the game
until someone rings the bell.
Whoever manages to ring the
bell may choose a partner to be
the other Protector. At the end
of the game, reward kids who
have been able to ring the bell.

50 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4

 Shining Star
1. Decorate the star with markers. 4. Fold the broken lines back, and unfold after each crease.
2. Cut out the star on the solid lines. 5. You now have a 3-D shining star!
3. Fold the dotted lines up, and unfold after each crease.

Permission to photocopy this handout from Groups Hands-On Bible Curriculum Grades 3 & 4 granted for local church use.
Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com 51
 LESSON 4

God helps us when were in danger.

Share each others burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ
(Galatians 6:2).

Turn out the lights and pass around a flashlight

as you talk about these questions:
Read Psalm 36:5-7.
What made you feel afraid?
__________________________________________________________ What is one way God protects
How can Jesus help you during those times? you from danger?
__________________________________________________________
Read Psalm 56:11.
How can our family members help one another during fearful times?
__________________________________________________________ How does this verse help you
do whats right when others
try to pressure you to do
something dangerous?
As a family, talk about what you should do in
case of fire. Draw a diagram of your house, Read Psalm 37:5.
and mark escape routes from each room.
What are some ways God takes
Select a place in your yard where youll all meet in case of a fire. Practice a home
fire drill, and time how long it takes everyone to get to the meeting place. When care of you?
youre satisfied that everyone knows fire safety at home, have a warm snack of hot
chocolate and graham crackers. While you enjoy the snack, discuss ways that you
can make your home safer.

Joseph had to take

his family and flee to
Brainstorm about a faraway land. Take
everyone you would need to your family and flee
contact in case of an emergency to a nearby park. As
fire department, police, doctor, you walk or drive, talk about all of the ways
relatives, or neighbors, for example. that God is keeping you safe right now.
List all of the names and phone numbers In the park, talk about all the ways you
on a sheet of paper. Tape the paper to the can remember that God has protected your
wall, near the telephone. family in the past. When you return home,
stand beside your front door and thank God
for protecting the people in your house.

Permission to photocopy this handout from Groups Hands-On Bible Curriculum Grades 3 & 4 granted for local church use.
52 Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com