INTRODUCTION

Joshua Sends Spies to Jericho

Bible Point:

We can have faith that God will do big things in our lives.

Key Verse:

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Big Picture:

Have faith in God’s plans for you.

Joshua Sends Spies to Jericho

Joshua 2:1-24

Sometimes at your age, you might wish you could do more or have the same freedoms as people who are older. You might want more independence or feel ready for things that others say you are too young for.

Underneath all of that, there is something really important going on. We all want our lives to matter. We want to have a purpose. We want to do things that feel meaningful and important.

This week, you will discover something powerful. You do not have to wait until you are older for your life to have value. Through faith, you can trust that God has a purpose for you right now. God can use your life in meaningful ways, even today.

PLANTING THE SEED

When Joshua sent two spies to Jericho to check out the place, they received help from the most unlikely person: a prostitute named Rahab. The spies stayed in Rahab’s house, which was built in the city wall. When the king of Jericho found out they were there, he sent a message to Rahab, telling her to bring out the spies. But Rahab lied to the king (what do you think would have happened to her if she had been caught in her lie?), saying the spies had left. But in reality, she had hidden them on her roof. When the coast was clear, she talked with them. Rahab knew that God had given Jericho to the Israelites. So she made the spies promise to save her and her family when Israel attacked Jericho. The deal was done, and Rahab let the spies down a rope hung from her window (remember she lived in the city wall), and they returned safely to report to Joshua.

Think about it. Rahab wasn’t perfect. She probably broke the law by helping spies escape from Jericho. But she chose to trust God, and God honored her faith. It’s not enough to just say we believe what God says. We have to act on what we say, too!

• In what way does Rahab’s life help you believe that God will do big things in your life too?

• What big things do you hope God does with you this week?

FAMILY FUN

Find several of the same type of small item, such as paper clips, pennies, or other items you have lying around. Go around your neighborhood with an adult family member, playing “Bigger and Better.” Set a time limit ahead of time so you know when the game is over. Until that time, knock on neighbors’ doors and say, “We’re playing ‘Bigger and Better,’ and as part of the game, we’ve come to trade this (show the item you have) for something that’s bigger and better than this.”

You’ll make small trades. The goal is to see how you can turn something small into something bigger or more valuable. Evaluate your prize, and talk together about how this is like what God does with our lives when we give him our trust and he does big things in our lives.

READY, SET, GROW!

• Write a Daily Challenge you want to commit to do this week based on the verses and the things you wrote that you hope God will do through you.