Rhonda Blackerby is the Writer of the Primary VBS Lessons

“Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:… the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts.” This theme verse found in Jeremiah 32:17, 18 for Vacation Bible School 2013 warms the heart of those who put their trust in God. Each child of God belongs to the winning side, and triumph over his trouble is assured; there is no doubt God will keep His promises to each of us. This study from the book of Exodus will show how God led Moses through the perils of his life and remained faithful to him in extreme circumstances.

Exodus 1—20 records the amazing events directed by God to 
bring his chosen people, the Israelites, out of Egypt and back to
the Promised Land. There are numerous miracles in the book 
of Exodus and the majority of them are found in these twenty
 chapters. It is widely accepted by Bible scholars that Moses is the author of Exodus. In the wilderness desert, Moses was able to give “his story” while directed by the inspiration of God so that we have this sacred “history” that continues to bless and teach us today. Before you prepare for VBS, make it a priority to sit down with your Bible and read these chapters in continuity.

Primary Activity Pages

The Bible events highlighted in The Mighty God are rich in spiritual lessons for children. In Exodus 13, God gave Moses instructions on commemorating the Passover and one important aspect of that was to teach children. Verse 8 commanded the families of the Israelites to teach their children the meaning of the Passover customs and to tell the great things God did to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. In all the uncertainties of life, parents are blessed to be able to tell their children that God can be depended upon. He loves, calls, saves, guides and cares for His people. Hardships came in the life of Moses and his family. Hardships will come in our lives, too. God does not promise to keep us from all life’s problems; however, this VBS theme clearly teaches God has the power to deliver us in ways we might not expect. This series of lessons will help to perpetuate the remembrance of the great things God has done.

Primary Teacher — page 6

Moses is a great example for all Christian leaders to study and emulate his godly characteristics. God designed Moses for great service. Moses was highly educated
in the ways of the Egyptians. This prepared him to be an ambassador that would be able to stand before the Egyptian king (Pharaoh) on behalf of the Israelites. Moses’ education was put to good use as he was directed by God to record the first five books of the Old Testament.

God’s service is reasonable, and we should know what we do and why we do
 it. Moses had a good understanding of what God wanted him to do. His personal relationship and direct communication with the Lord helped him to successfully accomplish God’s will in his life. His wisdom came after decades of life experiences. He was eighty years old when the Lord spoke to him from the burning bush.

The Mighty God will be helpful as primary students are beginning to understand how God loves, calls, saves, guides and cares for them. If God can lead Moses, God can lead me!

(This article was taken from Primary Teacher Manual.)

Click here for more information about VBS 2013, The Mighty God – God Leads Moses and Me.

The world is rushing by. Days turn to months and months to years. Somewhere in the distance you can hear the sound of a train whistle, long and low, almost like a sad song. The noise of everyday living makes it difficult to hear. A world of people who are overindulged in pleasure and entertainment can barely hear it at all. For those who are waiting on a train, the sound of the whistle brings hope and joy. As a train slowly approaches, small rumbles make one take notice for a moment, but other sounds distract. The increasing noise of the engine and the shaking of the ground are proof the locomotive is on its way. When the huge and powerful train arrives and the loud whistle blows, everyone knows it is time to yield to the force and speed passing by.

This VBS theme is events of Jesus and what He has done for all people. His great love for sinful mankind was demonstrated by His coming to earth and dying in our place, then, rising from the dead to live and intercede for all who will come to Him in repentance and faith. Like many who do not notice the train approaching in the distance, people today are too busy or too blinded by the deception of Satan and the entrapments of sin to hear the approaching warnings. This VBS will teach students that Jesus promised to come back again. We should be ready and watching for that great day! At His coming, all will yield to His power and greatness.

The history of the railroad is one of great hardship followed by great accomplishment and reward. The railroad advanced travel and communication in all parts of the globe. Modern science continued to expand the efficiency and capability of trains. As trains hit peak speeds of over two hundred miles per hour and the rail system became available in most areas of the world, other modes of travel became more popular. Air travel moved forward. Automobiles rolled off assembly lines by the thousands. In the 1950s, 60s and 70s miles of rail were abandoned or ripped up.

Pray this does not happen to the gospel train in your life. Many Christians are guilty of allowing other things to distract them from their first love (Revelation 2:4). Taking a fresh ride on the Sunlight Express will be a great course to remind us of the redeeming work Christ has done in the lives of His children. There are times we need to remember what great things He has done for us. These lessons will also be a valuable tool to teach children that Christ wants to save them and help them live an abundant life.

The Sunlight Express teaches that everything Jesus does for me is because He loves me. The aim of the series is to teach students how to receive Christ as Savior, follow His leadership, trust His care, and believe in His resurrection and return. The five lessons will teach Jesus saves, leads, cares, lives and will return someday. This VBS will be a call to salvation for Primary students who are not yet saved, and it will help those who have already been saved to trust Jesus in their everyday walk of life. John 10:10 plainly teaches that Jesus wants His children to live an abundant life confidently trusting in Him for all things.

(Rhonda Blackerby, writer of the Primary material for VBS 2012, Sunlight Express)