Daniel and the Lions’ Den (Daniel 1-6) Daniel was punished for breaking an unfair law. We all deserve punishment for breaking God’s good law. Every person sins and disobeys God. Just as God sent help to Daniel, God had a plan to send help for all of us, too. Jesus died to take the punishment for sin that all of us deserve.
Monthly Verse: I will not be afraid because the Lord is with me. People can’t do anything to me. PSALM 118:6
Check-in + Worship
8:30 - 9:05
10:30 - 11:05
As kids check in, invite them to join their parents in the Auditorium during worship. Once the worship set ends, wait in the back for kids to join you and lead them back to the Zion Kids area.
Connect
9:05 - 9:15
11:05 - 11:15
Let each kid answer today’s icebreaker question: Would you rather spend a night in a room full of lions or a room full of spiders?
Bible Story
9:15 - 9:30
11:15 - 11:30
Look up Daniel 1-6 and tell the Bible story in your own words.
Key Story Points:
God’s people disobeyed Him; so He let their enemies take them into captivity. They destroyed Jerusalem and carried away many of the Jews to their own country, Babylon.
Daniel was one of the Jews in Babylon. He trusted God and prayed to Him three times a day. God blessed Daniel, and he became a powerful leader in that country.
Some leaders were jealous of Daniel, so they made a new law. People could only pray to King Darius. Whoever disobeyed would be thrown into a lions’ den. Darius agreed.
Daniel still prayed to God and was arrested. Darius was sad; he liked Daniel. He realized he’d been tricked but couldn’t change the law.
Daniel was thrown to the lions. The lions roared and crept up to Daniel. Then an angel arrived! It was God who sent him. The angel shut the lions’ mouths. Daniel spent the night there, unharmed.
At daybreak, Darius went to see if Daniel was alive. “God sent an angel to save me,” Daniel said. The king was thrilled. Daniel was pulled out of the den.
Then King Darius had Daniel’s enemies thrown into the den. King Darius told everyone in his kingdom to honor Daniel’s powerful, living God.
Debrief
9:30 - 9:40
11:30 - 11:40
How did Daniel respond to the new law?
Why do you think Daniel chose to obey God rather than the king? Who did he fear more—the king or God?
What can we learn about God in this story?
How does that connect to the way we live our lives today?
Prayer Time
9:40 - 9:45
11:40 - 11:45
Close your small group time by praying with your kids. This week’s prayer focus is on PRAISE PRAYERS. Ask the kids in your group, “What is one thing you love about God?” (You may need to prompt kids with ideas.) Take time to pray for each of the things that were shared.
Activity
9:40 - 9:45
11:40 - 11:45
Give each child one of the activity sheets. Help them cut out and assemble their crafts by following the directions on the page.
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