Click below to download the Cornerstone Connections leader’s guide and student lesson. This week’s resources also include two lesson plans and a discussion starter video which offer different ways of looking at the topic. Each lesson plan includes opening activities, scripture passages, discussion questions, and real-life applications.
This adaptation to tag has been played for generations. Have one person be “it” and have them chase another person. Limit your space by identifying boundaries, such as by saying, “You must stay in the youth room.”
Faced with boundaries, and the possibility of the one chasing being faster, the one being chased needs assistance. Objects such as chairs or tables or other barriers might give some assistance. If you have another person in the Youth Sabbath School, have them provide some interference. Be careful that participants don’t get hurt (it shouldn’t be a life-or-death option).
If you have four people in your Youth Sabbath School, have three of them form a triangle by grabbing one person’s elbow with their right hand, and the other person’s elbow with their left hand. One of the three is the one trying to avoid being tagged by “it.” Strategy calls for the triangle of people to spin around so the two partners stay between “it” and the one pursued.
If you have five people in your Youth Sabbath School, have three form the triangle and have the one being chased be “free” to roam while “it” gives chase.
Change roles periodically. If someone is tagged, the roles get reversed.
The showdown in Egypt between Yahweh and Pharaoh must have scared a lot of people. Just as Yahweh had predicted, Pharaoh and the Egyptians begged the Israelites to leave Egypt, and they showered gifts on them to do so (see Exodus 12:31-36).
But after they had left Egypt, much to their fear, the Israelites found themselves pursued by Pharaoh and his army. They got hemmed in at the Red Sea. Talk about fear!
Play “Facing Your Fear” by rolling the dice, actually one die, and see what number end up at the top when it’s finished rolling. That number is the fear from an Old Testament story about when God’s people were threatened by some type of calamity. Put yourself into the story and answer the question: What would you do, and why?
These options can be downloaded on a 1-page guide. It’s available in Word format. If you don’t have the fonts, just download it in PDF format.
Note: The Old Testament examples happened AFTER the story in Exodus, so the story for this week is a first-time experience. We have many examples to draw on to build our faith. The Israelites at the Red Sea were true trailblazers!
As you consider our lesson for today, think about what kind of background you have. Does it make having faith in God easy or hard for you? What about the generation before you in your family? The Israelites spent hundreds of years in Egyptian slavery. God may have delivered them from that in an amazing way, but how could they know for sure that Yahweh would continue to be with them even after they left Egypt? In the same way, how can you trust God today?
This is a short video clip you can show your Youth Sabbath School to illustrate this week’s topic, plus a few follow-up questions to spark discussion afterwards.
Create a video clip that illustrates faith. This important word is often associated with God, but we also recognize it in many other relationships as well. Call it “trust,” and you have the foundation for friendship. Create a video about how faith/trust develops, or how it can be hindered. Remember to create a series of follow-up questions as well.
This is a nearly 7-minute clip that picks up where last week’s segment from The Prince of Egypt leaves off. This time, it’s about crossing the Red Sea. Play it for the participants and then lead them in a discussion with these follow-up questions.
These are more approaches to the same topic featured in the Teacher’s Guide, but just a different way of looking at it. Expect activities to illustrate the topic followed by some questions.
BASED ON EXODUS 14:1-31
Many of the stories in the Bible thrill people of all ages. You probably have some that are your favorites. There may even be one that has a particularly special meaning to you based on what you’re feeling right now or going through at this time in your life.
Toward the end of John’s Gospel, when John is talking about the good news regarding Jesus, he states the purpose of sharing all these stories about Jesus. You can find it in John 20:30-31 (NIV): “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus in the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
That’s pretty straightforward, isn’t it? John wrote these stories about the amazing things Jesus did so we could trust in him as the one God promised would come save us. When we believe, we receive the life God desires for us.
But there are other books in the Bible, too. And not all of them are about the few years Jesus was on earth. Many of them talk about God’s people, and contain both good and bad examples of choices they made. Fortunately, we’re able to read the entire Bible and access examples of people—positive as well as negative—from both the Old and New Testament. Here are five examples from each:
When Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, he made reference to the children of Israel during their time in the desert—the very thing we’re studying in Youth Sabbath School now. According to Paul, we can learn from the mistakes of God’s people in the past. Here’s what 1 Corinthians 10:11 says in the Good News Translation: “All these things happened to them as examples for others, and they were written down as a warning for us. For we live at a time when the end is about to come.”
Imagine that you were one of the Israelites who had been set free from Egyptian slavery following the tenth plague—when the angel of death killed the firstborn male in each house that didn’t have the blood of the lamb on its doorpost. Listen to what the Bible has to say about this moment in the Israelites’ lives and fill in the story with your own perspective. What are you seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling? Here’s Exodus 14:5-31 (NLT):
Have one person read this with feeling and do their best to make it come alive, or have several people take turns reading it.
5 When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?” they asked. 6 So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and called up his troops. 7 He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with its commander. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance. 9 The Egyptians chased after them with all the forces in Pharaoh’s army—all his horses and chariots, his charioteers, and his troops. The Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel as they were camped beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon.
10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, 11 and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? 12 Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’”
13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! 16 Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. 18 When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!”
19 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. 20 The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night.
21 Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!
23 Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers—chased them into the middle of the sea. 24 But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion. 25 He twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. “Let’s get out of here—away from these Israelites!” the Egyptians shouted. “The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”
26 When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers.” 27 So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea.28 Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.
29 But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. 30 That is how the Lord rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore. 31 When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
We have the Bible to remind us of what God has done in the distant past. But what about in our lives today? Ask the Youth Sabbath School participants to make a record of something God has done in their lives or the life of someone they know. That could mean this past week, the past year, or even the past decade. It could also be a story that happened to one of the participant’s family members and has since been passed down from one generation to the next. Whatever it is, give them art supplies and ask them to record that memory somehow on paper.
If there are participants in your Youth Sabbath School who would be more comfortable creating something via some kind of electronic or digital format, you can have them record their memory or experience that way. You’ll need to provide enough time for this, however, so plan on giving them at least 20-30 minutes or use your time in Sabbath School this week to get them started, then have them return with their finished project next week.
The first step to completing this activity is to identity God’s activity in your life. The second step is to imagine how to capture that in a way that shares it with others and records it for your future reference. The third step is to actually do that. If you, as the Youth Sabbath School leader, complete this activity in advance and show it to your participants as an example at this time, it will give them a better idea of what to expect and you a better idea of how challenging—but also beneficial—it can be.
Once your participants finish their projects, collect them and add them to the Sabbath School’s collection. Make them part of a scrapbook for other future participants in Youth Sabbath School to refer to for years to come. Present it to others at your church and share the stories with them. Let that spark others to share their stories with you, too.
God may have been active in both the Old and New Testament, but he continues to be active today as well! This week let’s try to find more ways to share this good news with others and to remember it ourselves.
To make the most out of every moment we have, we need to focus on the things God has done for us in the past. This includes Bible times as well as today! Sometimes it’s easy to think we’ll never forget the things God has done in our lives, but history shows that people can often forget even the most spectacular of God’s actions. Reminding ourselves of these experiences when we have them and recording or sharing them with others is important. God desires a friendship with us in which both he and we are active!
BASED ON EXODUS 13:21-22; 14:19-20
Wouldn’t it be great if God would just show us where he wanted us to go (or not go)? It would be so easy to follow God. There would never be any second-guessing or confusion on our part, and no silence on God’s part.
But the records we have from the Bible indicate that this is not always the case with him. God wants a relationship with us, not a remote-control manipulation. That means what he wants is to walk with us! And just as babies need help learning how to walk, so God’s people need help along the way with him.
When God freed his people from slavery in Egypt, they had been so accustomed to being told exactly what to do by their taskmasters that they weren’t used to thinking for themselves or having a personal relationship with someone as powerful as God. So God decided to provide them with baby steps that would help them learn how to trust in the amazing, supernatural God who had just his power over all the Egyptians, including Pharaoh!
When you or someone you know is driving to a new place or through an area of town you’re not familiar with, are you used to using a GPS, or Global Positioning System, to tell you where to go? Well before a GPS ever existed, the Israelites had their own version of it—a God Positioning System. You can read about it in Exodus 13:21-22 (NLT):
21 The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. 22 And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.
When Moses and the Israelites left Egypt, they weren’t following Moses’ sense of direction. They were following God’s cloud, which led them to Red Sea even though the Pharaoh and his army were on their trail.
With the Egyptians coming up behind them, it almost seems like God led the Israelites into a trap with the Red Sea on one side and a large range of mountains on the other, leaving them with nowhere to go! Why would God have done that?
We can find the answer in Exodus 14:17-18 (NLT). Yahweh told Moses, “My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the LORD/Yahweh!”
And that’s not all. When Pharaoh and his army got close enough to attack the Israelites, God used the cloud (and the angel leading it) to protect his people. Here’s a description from Exodus 14:19-20 (NLT):
19 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. 20 The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night.
That would have been cool to see! Even after God had already demonstrated his power to him in Egypt, the Pharaoh evidently still thought his army could take Yahweh and his people. But his confidence in the timidity of the children of Israel was wrong. Once God’s people people had crossed the Red Sea, he let the waters drown the Egyptians as they were trying to follow them. This meant that not only were Pharaoh and all the soldiers in his army dead, but thanks to the tenth plague in Egypt the Pharaoh’s firstborn son and heir was dead as well. This is the last we hear of the Egyptians harassing the Israelite people, and it all happened because of God’s leading with the cloud.
You can do this activity either by presenting your participants with a handout or by showing it onscreen in your Youth Sabbath School room. It consists for 24 words that are colors. The confusing part is that the color of the word is a different color than the word itself (usually). For instance, the first word is green, but it’s written in the color orange. Ask a participant to read through the full set of 24 colors, saying out loud the color of the word itself rather than what the word says. Time the person and keep track of how long it takes and how many correct words they say.
Then have another participant try it and see if they can beat the time and/or accuracy. Try to give each person in your group a chance to do this. If you have a large group (10+ people), you might have to limit yourself to just one or two participants instead of everyone, or divide into smaller groups and have them do the activity amongst themselves.
God provided the newly-freed Israelites a GPS for how to get from Egypt to the Promised Land. That didn’t mean the way was always easy or without trouble, but it did mean that God was with them the whole time. It almost seems unbelievable that his people would ever doubt God was there or cared for them with that cloud there with them that whole time, doesn’t it? But even they did doubt and disobey, God was still with them. It makes us wonder if there are any obvious indications of God’s leading in our lives that we’re currently missing, taking for granted, or ignoring completely. Thank you for revealing yourself to us, God, and please forgive us when we miss or dismiss you! Thank you for staying with us!
God led his people away from Egypt by sending that cloud to guide them. It led them to the Red Sea, where Pharaoh and his army caught up to them and—seemingly—had them trapped. But God led to them that spot as part of his plan and the process he was using to care for them and build their trust in Him. That cloud was not only present in their lives, but active. In the same way, God is present and active in our lives today.
BASED ON EXODUS 15:1-21
You can find the phrase “Sing a new song to the Lord” several times in the book of Psalms. (For example, see Psalm 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; and 144:9.) The simple meaning of this is that when a person has a new experience, they often need to a song to communicate it.
This can be especially true for young people who have grown up in a family that believes in God. During a person’s teen years, they often feel a need to find God for themselves. What may have worked for them as children—repeating the spiritual ideas and practices of the people around them—often doesn’t work any longer. That is the point when a young person needs a new song.
But before they can find and sing that new song, they need to have a new experience. This explains why many young people who grow up with God are excited when they have the chance to experience something new that is outside of their familiar setting, such as during a short-term mission trip, a weekend retreat, a summer away from home, etc. In these cases, it’s not that God was real for the person before, it’s just that God has become more personal to them now.
If God isn’t real to you at this time, welcome to Youth Sabbath School. One of the most important goals we have here is to help make God real and personal for each one of you, no matter what your age or experience might be.
We can actually help each other in this journey! One way to do it is by listening and sharing in each other’s journeys and stories. Sometimes when a person gives a testimony, it can encourage or ignite the faith of someone else. One way to do this is to, as the Psalms put it, “sing a new song.”
Music can be very powerful. The kinds of songs you like to listen to might express emotions you’re feeling or describe experiences that are similar to ones you’ve had in your life. That could easily be why you like them so much!
Our Scripture passage for today includes what people often refer to as the “Song of Moses,” although the Bible indicates both he and the people of Israel sang it together (Exodus 15:1). The thing that had inspired them to sing was watching God deliver them from Pharaoh and his army by allowing them to walk on dry ground through the Red Sea, then destroying their enemies when they tried to follow them. Would you have been able to come up with adequate words to describe that kind of experience? The Israelites used music! Here are the words they sang, as recorded in Exodus 15:1-18 (NLT):
Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord,
for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
my father’s God, and I will exalt him!
3 The Lord is a warrior;
Yahweh is his name!
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and army
he has hurled into the sea.
The finest of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The deep waters gushed over them;
they sank to the bottom like a stone.
6 “Your right hand, O Lord,
is glorious in power.
Your right hand, O Lord,
smashes the enemy.
7 In the greatness of your majesty,
you overthrow those who rise against you.
You unleash your blazing fury;
it consumes them like straw.
8 At the blast of your breath,
the waters piled up!
The surging waters stood straight like a wall;
in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard.
9 “The enemy boasted, ‘I will chase them
and catch up with them.
I will plunder them
and consume them.
I will flash my sword;
my powerful hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
11 “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord—
glorious in holiness,
awesome in splendor,
performing great wonders?
12 You raised your right hand,
and the earth swallowed our enemies.
13 “With your unfailing love you lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your might, you guide them
to your sacred home.
14 The peoples hear and tremble;
anguish grips those who live in Philistia.
15 The leaders of Edom are terrified;
the nobles of Moab tremble.
All who live in Canaan melt away;
16 terror and dread fall upon them.
The power of your arm
makes them lifeless as stone
until your people pass by, O Lord,
until the people you purchased pass by.
17 You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain—
the place, O Lord, reserved for your own dwelling,
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.
18 The Lord will reign forever and ever!”
And that wasn’t all. Miriam and the women joined in by singing, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has thrown both horse and rider into the sea” (Exodus 15:21 NLT).
Ask the participants to take turns sharing a song that is meaningful to them, especially as it relates to their experiences with God. This could take up the entire Youth Sabbath School time and may need to continue at a Friday night gathering or a Sabbath afternoon sharing time.
If you can, it would be a good idea to let the youth know in advance to have a song in mind and be ready to play from their device when they come into Youth Sabbath School.
You can also play the participants’ songs from YouTube. Some good examples include “Sing a New Song” by BJ Putnam, “How He Loves” by David Crowder, and “Whom Shall I Fear/God of Angel Armies” by Chris Tomlin.
Close by having your group sing “Blessed Assurance.” Remind your Youth Sabbath School participants that the book of Revelation makes a reference to God’s people singing the song of Moses and the Lamb (Revelation 15:3).
Music is powerful! It has a strong connection to our emotions, which is an important element of God’s unique creation of us in his image. When we have a new spiritual experience, it often helps to use music to express it. We can also encourage others by sharing our experience with them or appreciating theirs. Whatever we do, we should always remember that singing a new song is an important part of expressing our relationship with God.
Let these spark ideas for ways you can move from talk to action and live out the lesson in a practical way this week. The following applications relate to the corresponding Bible study guide options for this lesson above.
Remembering God’s Actions
This week, sit down and record another memory of something God has done to add to the one you made today. Try to make it something God does for you sometime this week, then be prepared to return with it when you come to Youth Sabbath School next week. If the method you preferred to use is electronic or digital, feel free to share it with others via your social media as well.
Following God’s Lead
How do you know when or where God is leading you? Reflect on how you have perceived God’s leading in the past. Ask some friends how they can tell when or where God is leading them. Then ask an adult you think has perceived God’s leading before to share with you what has worked for them and what might work for you. Have your friends ask with you, or have them ask other spiritually mature people. Then compare notes with your friends and put into practice the spiritual wisdom you have gleaned.
This Is My Story, This Is My Song
Take the song you used to describe your spiritual experience and listen to it once a day each day this week. On one of those days, share it with another person. On another day, ask someone else to share a song that describes a spiritual experience they have had with you. Be prepared to share another song when you come to Sabbath School next week.
This is a bonus just for the youth leader—a quick tip and an illustration to enhance your youth leadership. You may already know this idea, have learned it through trial and error, or just need a quick reminder.
Adults who have already experienced something a young person may be experiencing for the very first time can sometimes play it down by saying something like, “That’s no big deal. I did that years ago.” Youth leaders need to view an accomplishment from a young person’s perspective—it’s a big deal! Celebrate it with them and treat it like it really is a first-time experience, because for that person, it is. It’s always easy for adults to draw on their experience, but let that go and celebrate the moment!
If Sabbath School is just for us, we will spiritually die. We must share what we’ve been given, and we can do this both locally and globally. Listed below are several options you can put into practice over 3-4 weeks of reaching out.
Jesus told his disciples that they would “be witnesses” when they received power from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Their witnessing would happen right where they were, and would spread out like the rings when you throw a pebble into a pond. Here’s how you can make that happen by taking the words of Jesus and relating them to your Youth Sabbath School outreach and mission.
When you receive power from the Holy Spirit, you will be Christ’s witnesses in:
Jerusalem
Judea
Samaria
To the ends of the world
Your Youth Sabbath School
The church where you attend
The community around your church
The world beyond your community
We in the church should be the first to identify people as children of God and not as objects or slaves to be sold, used, and abused. Today human trafficking exists in the form of sex trafficking, slavery, and forced labor. Here are four options for reaching the four target groups mentioned above and helping to push back against human trafficking. You can choose to follow all four, or maybe start with one the first week of this month and choose to do these or other options over the next 3-4 weeks.
A. Your Youth Sabbath School
Choose a branch of human trafficking (be it labor, sex, slavery, etc.) and have a discussion about it with your participants. Keep in mind that your young people may be sensitive to these topics. This doesn’t mean you should avoid the topic, but you do need to approach it carefully and recognize this is a time of awareness and change. If you want a quick look at 100 things you can do to fight human trafficking today, check out Raleigh Sadler’s Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking, pages 243-254 or see Human Trafficking 101: Stories, Stats, and Solutions by Amy Joy.
B. The Church Where You Attend
Ask for some of the adults in your congregation to join you in doing something about human trafficking. While it’s always possible that someone in your church might be involved in this in some way, hopefully that isn’t the case. You could have a community member who works or volunteers with an organization that fights human trafficking come in and speak and pick up a special offering.
C. The Community Around Your Church
If there are organizations in your community that work towards combatting human trafficking, contact them regarding volunteering opportunities. These opportunities could include helping out with a fundraiser, doing data entry, or doing landscaping for a shelter. If you don’t know how to find organizations like these, just ask the local police department or health and human services. If there is nothing in your community, maybe you or one of your participants could be the spark to start it. There may also be a good chance someone has already started something. It’s usually better to join a movement already in motion than to start something from scratch.
D. The World Beyond Your Community
Many agencies are working to do something about human trafficking, whether it’s at the local level or international level. One such agency is International Justice Mission (IJM). They rescue people who are victims of sex slavery, bonded labor, and other injustices, then provide for their urgent needs (such as safe housing, counseling, medical care, etc.) and work with communities to establish laws against human trafficking. Search International Justice Mission on YouTube if you want to see short videos that tell more of their stories. You can also become a monthly donor and help set people free.