What is the Sign?

Exodus 14:19-31 and Exodus 151b - 11 & 20-21

Note to the Teacher

The Israelites faced a HUGE obstacle when they reached the Red Sea, yet they knew God was with them through the fire and cloud that had led them. God delivered them through the sea, and God can deliver us through our obstacles as well. God is with us, even if we can’t feel or see him.

Ice Breaker (5 minutes)

• What is the biggest thing you’ve ever climbed? How did you get over it?
• What would you say if I told you that you were going out to climb a 14,000-foot mountain tomorrow?
• How would your answer change if you knew you were going with a group of professional climbers and they would help you? Why would your answer change, or why not?

Scripture (5 minutes)

Read Exodus 14:19-31.

Discussion (10 minutes)

• How did the Israelites know that God was with them? (Exodus 14:19, 24.)
• What did Moses do with his hands? (Exodus 14:21, 26.)
• Did God really need Moses to raise his arms for the miracle to happen?
• What do you think was God’s purpose behind asking Moses to raise his arms?

Activity – Shadow Puppets (30 minutes)

Make the room dark; turn on one light (a cellphone flashlight would work well) and shine the light on the wall. Have some fun making shadows on the wall – see if students can create the animals using the ideas given in the resources.

Say something like: In the movie “Peter Pan,” Pan loses his shadow and Wendy sews it back on – but can we really lose our shadow? (This might lead to an interesting discussion, but only transparent things don’t have shadows.)

When times get dark, a light source can help us see things that are always with us, and from new angles! Picture moving a flashlight so that your shadow grows and changes shape. Light like than can remind us of God, who always knows our potential. God can illuminate parts of us that we may not even recognize yet. When life gets dark, what do we know of God?

Do you think God is with us all the time? Why or why not?

Say something like: We started by talking about big things we have climbed, and some of you are facing big things in your lives right now. Just as we would feel better knowing a professional climber would help us climb a big mountain, we can feel better knowing that God is with us as we face hard things. God is always with us – just as your shadow is.

Divide the following verses among your students; have them look one or two up. Then invite students to share them with the group. As each verse is shared, have students note the promise from God that can help them know that God is with them in difficult times.

• Matthew 1:23
• Romans 8:38-39
• Isaiah 43:1
• Isaiah 41:10
• Psalm 32:8
• Psalm 50:15
• Hebrews 13:8
• Joshua 1:9
• Matthew 28:20

(feel free to add more!)

How can holding on to these verses help us when we face hard things in our lives?

Close in prayer.

Resources

Ways to make shadow animals.