Nehemiah Rebuilt The Walls:
The focus of this family time is to use five easy steps to teach your family that Nehemiah led the people to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem to protect them from their enemies. Jesus came to protect us from our greatest enemies, sin and death. He died on the cross and rose from the dead to rescue everyone who trusts in Him.
MEMORY VERSE:
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
2 Corinthians 7:10
Learn the Memory Verse together and say it throughout the week to help your family remember and apply what they have learned.
STEP 1. GATHER!
Use this time to begin Family Worship Night and have fun!
For Fun
Take turns playing with a remote-control car or helicopter. Set up an obstacle course for each family member to guide the car through. Afterward, talk about how the remote gave control to whoever was holding it. While we aren’t perfect with that power, God always is perfect and will work out His good plans no matter what.
To Serve
Volunteer to organize items for a local food pantry. Work together as a family and alongside other volunteers. Remind kids of how God’s people worked together and how their work protected the entire city from enemies. After organizing, pray for the food pantry and those who will receive food from it. Ask God to be with them and show them His love.
STEP 2. WORSHIP!
- Sing and have fun while worshiping then pray. Take a moment here to thank God for your family and your time together!!
STEP 3. BIBLE!
Watch the Bible story video or read Nehemiah 1-7 from the Bible or Watch:
Elementary:
STEP 4. DISCUSSION!
Use these questions and points to have a conversation with your children about the Bible story.
Preschool Discussion:
- Nehemiah (nee huh MIGH uh) lived in Persia and had an important job serving the who? The king.
- One day, some men came from Judah. Nehemiah asked them, “How are God’s people doing?” “The people are in trouble,” they said. “The walls around the city are broken down, and the gates have been burned down.” was Nehemiah sad? Yes!. So the king sent Nehemiah to help the people.
- Nehemiah led the people to rebuild Jerusalem’s what? Wall. and fix the gates in the wall.
- Some men who lived nearby did not like God’s people, and made a plan to do what? Attack them.
- Nehemiah said. “If our enemies attack us, God will fight for us.” Did God’s people kept working? Yes! Some of the men watched for the enemies, and others worked on the wall.
- Before long, the wall was finished! The gates and the walls were fixed, and God’s people were safe.
Christ Connection: Nehemiah helped God’s people fix the walls around their city. The walls protected the people from their enemies. Who protects us from our enemies. Jesus!
Elementary Discussion:
- In October 2019, more than 1,600 Delaware State University students set the Guinness World Record for number of people buzzing at the same time. The record didn’t exist before that day, but Antonio Boyle, Vice President of the university, came up with the idea and organized the students to set the record. The school’s mascot is the Hornets, so you could say the students were just “buzzing” with school spirit!
- You can imagine the thought and work it takes to get such a large group of people to work together. It takes a plan and a leader. When the time came for God’s people to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem, God gave Nehemiah a plan and called him to be the leader for the project.
- The work was hard, and it was made harder by those who tried to stop Nehemiah and the people’s work. Through it all, God was with them. The people worked together to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. The gates and walls were finished in only 52 days!
- The amazing feat was just another reminder of how powerful God is and how much He loves His children. God’s greatest demonstration of power and love is seen in Jesus. God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus to save sinners. On the third day, Jesus rose again and secure eternal life for all who trust in Him. This was God’s plan to rescue people from sin and to be with His people forever.
- Christ Connection: Nehemiah led the people to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem to protect them from their enemies. Jesus came to protect us from our greatest enemies, sin and death. He died on the cross and rose from the dead to rescue everyone who trusts in Him.
Mission Moment
- Missionaries Stephen and Erin Spencer met an older woman named Momma who lived in a Southeast Asian village. The Spencers told Momma about Jesus, and she believed in Him. One day a woman in the village got sick. She had to stay in bed for a long time and her body hurt. The woman’s husband asked Momma to pray. She prayed that God would heal the woman, and God did! The next day, the woman walked out of her house. She believed in God too. Everyone in the village knew how sick the woman had been. Only God could have healed her so quickly! Many people wanted to know more about God, but others were still unsure.Lead children to pray that people in Southeast Asia will come to know God. Pray for Momma and for the Spencers as they tell people about Jesus.
STEP 5. Pray!
- Pray: God, we praise You because You are powerful and loving. Thank You for showing us Your power and love by sending Jesus to save people from sin. Help us to trust in Jesus and receive the salvation that comes from believing in Him. Amen.