Promises

This is the first part of a syllabus designed for 5 to 8-year-olds. In this set of units, the lessons are linked together under the theme of ‘Promises’. This theme covers how God makes promises in a covenantal relationship with his people, the Israelites, and now with all who believe in his Son.

The lessons look at the key promises made to Abraham, and how God keeps his promises in the Old Testament through Abraham's family, and then, later, as the Israelites enter the Promised Land. Abraham is briefly looked at in ‘Introducing the Bible’ (for ages 3-5), but here the lessons focus on the promises. The lessons also look at Jesus and how God made promises in the Old Testament which are fulfilled in Jesus. Children also look at Psalm 145 and learn about God's character and how he is faithful to his promises.

The other two years covered in this 5-8 year age group are ‘Kingship’ and ‘Salvation’.

If your Sunday School has this age group (5-8 years or te first three years of school) together in one class, then the three-year syllabus can be covered cyclically over the three-year period while children are in the class (‘Promises’ one year, ‘Kingship’ the next, ‘Salvation’ the next and then back to ‘Promises’). Each child will cover the three years of the syllabus in a different order depending on when they join the class. If the children are in separate classes for each year of school, then the first year of school can do ‘Promises’, the second year of school ‘Kingship’ and the third year of school ‘Salvation’.

In all three years, there are lessons on God's word, prayer, living God's way, and missionaries.

Order ‘Promises’

Read the ‘Promises’ introduction (PDF).

Syllabus

Unit 1: God's promises and Jesus

1. God keeps his promises	Psalm 146:6 \| Sample this lesson (PDF)
2. Jesus makes a deaf man hear	Mark 7:31-37
3. Jesus makes a blind man see	Luke 18:35-43
4. Jesus heals a leper and a cripple	Luke 5:12-13, 13:10-13
5. Jesus makes a dead man alive	Luke 7:11-15
6. Jesus is God's promised Son	Luke 7:18-23

Unit 2: God's promises and Easter

1. Jesus speaks of his death	Mark 10:32-34
2. Peter and the disciples	Mark 14:27-72
3. Jesus' death	Mark 14:53-65, 15:1-39
4. Jesus' resurrection	Mark 16:1-8

Unit 3: God's promises to Abraham

1. God's promises to Abram	Genesis 11:26-12:9 \| Sample this lesson (PDF)
2. Abram and Lot	Genesis 13:1-18
3. Abraham and Isaac	Genesis 15-21
4. Isaac and Rebecca	Genesis 24
5. God's promises to Abraham—revision	Genesis 12-26

Unit 4: God's promises continue

1. Isaac and Rebecca, Esau and Jacob	Genesis 25:19-28
2. Jacob and Esau—part 1	Genesis 25:27-34
3. Jacob and Esau—part 2	Genesis 27:1-40
4. God's promises to Jacob	Genesis 28:1-5, 10-15
5. Jacob's sons—revision	Genesis 25, 27, 28, 32, 33, 35:23-26

Unit 5: Prayer

1. Pray at all times	1 Thessalonians 5:17 \| Sample this lesson (PDF)
2. Be thankful	1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
3. Praying for others	1 Thessalonians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 1:11

Unit 6: Entering the Promised Land

1. Leaving Egypt	Exodus 1-16
2. The Israelites disobey	Exodus 20:1-6, 23; 24:12-18; 32:1-33:6
3. God stays with his people	Exodus 32:15-19; 33:14; 34:1-40:38
4. The Israelites disobey, again	Numbers 11:4-35; 13:1-14:9, 20-35, Joshua 1
5. Rahab and the spies	Joshua 2
6. Getting across the Jordan	Joshua 3, 4
7. Getting into Jericho	Joshua 6, 21:43-45

Unit 7: God's promises and God's people today

1. Jesus is the ‘Yes’ to God's promises	2 Corinthians 1:19-20 \| Sample this lesson (PDF)
2. Jesus is God's promised king	Isaiah 9:6-7, 49:6, Luke 1:26-33
3. God's people are forgiven by God	John 3:36, 1 John 1:8-2:2
4. God's people live with Jesus as their king	John 3:16, 36, 6:28-29
5. God's people are promised eternal life	1 John 2:25, 5:11-12
6. God's people love	1 John 3:11, 4:7-12, 16, John 13:34-35
7. God's people forgive	Matthew 18:21-35, Colossians 3:13