Day 1
The Two Kingdoms

Bible passages
Creator King and Prince of Darkness
John 18:37–38; Ephesians 6:10–11
Apologetics Content
Absolute truth is true for all people, for all times, for all circumstances.
Veritas verse
Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 
Ephesians 6:10–11
RHYME Time
Of two, only one is true!
lesson Focus
We’re in a battle between two kingdoms—God’s good kingdom that runs on truth and the enemy’s bad kingdom that runs on lies.
Animal pal
Winifred (“Winnie”) the Warhorse
Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It!
Which Side of the Keep?
Teach It!
Part 1: Two Kingdoms Game
Part 2: Puppet Pal—The Battle’s On
Part 3: Guardians of Truth Game
Part 4: Animal Pal Review
Apply It!
Part 1: Veritas Verse
Part 2: Go and Do
Just for Fun Song: “The Kingdom Keepers” 
Preparing for the Lesson
Read John 18:37–38 and Ephesians 6:10–18. 
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. 
For more information on absolute truth and the two kingdoms, visit AnswersVBS.com/keeperfaq. 
Pray.

Devotion 1: The Two Kingdoms
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Psalm 51:6
When Pilate questioned Jesus about the charges the Jews were leveling at him, Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 
Can you hear the cynicism and sarcasm in Pilate’s voice as he asks dismissively, “What is truth?” and hands over Jesus to the Jews for crucifixion (John 18:37–38)?
Throughout the ages, people have echoed Pilate’s question, in sincerity as well as skepticism. In fact, the battle over truth is as ancient as the original sin. Take a look at the lies Satan told himself and those who rebelled with him against their Creator:
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!
You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High’” (Isaiah 14:12–14, emphasis added).
Satan knew the truth—that there is none in heaven like the Creator God—but he exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and in the process became the father of lies (John 8:44). His first temptation of Adam and Eve was a continuation on the theme. He introduced error into God’s words (“Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1) and then blatantly lied about what God had said (“You will not surely die,” Genesis 3:4). 
For the past six thousand years, we’ve been floundering, trying to find our own way and denying that truth comes from God and his infallible Word. Thankfully, God has called his children into his kingdom through the sacrifice of his Son. In his infinite grace, God has given us the armor we need to stand strong in this battle for truth and boldly serve our Creator. 
This week as we examine the pieces of armor God has provided, ask yourself this: Where am I in the battle? Am I asking “what is truth?” along with Pilate, or do I know the difference between truth and error based on God’s Word? 
“Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19).

Introduce It!

Castle Keep/Gargoyle Poster 
Colored Jewel Patterns (4)
Hidden Gargoyle Pattern 
Bible
Medieval costumes for teachers
Mounting putty or tape for posters
Red, yellow, blue and purple cardstock (1 sheet each)
Masking or painter’s tape

 Which Side of the Keep? (10 minutes)
Prep: Prepare your costumes. Cut the Castle Keep/gargoyle Poster in half. Print the Colored Jewel Patterns on four different colored papers (red, yellow, blue, and purple), cut them in half, fold so the jewel is on top, and hide one of each around the room so just a tiny bit is showing. (Share the jewels from the other half with another teaching room.) Print the Hidden Gargoyle Pattern and hide it as well. Bookmark the Scripture passages in your Bible for the whole lesson. Use tape to mark a center line for kids to stand on.
Teacher 1: Huzzah! They answer, “Huzzah!” Welcome to Keepers of the Kingdom. I’m ___, the trainer here at the castle. We’ll be meeting each day in this room called the keep. The keep is the strongest and most protected spot in the castle. It looks like this. Show the Castle Keep Poster. When you’re in the keep, you’re in the safest spot from the enemy’s attacks. Did you know there are all kinds of attacks we can experience in life—even some that are spiritual? Because of that, we need to learn how to be strong in the Lord.
Teacher 2: Good morrow! I’m ___, and I’m excited to open God’s Word and share about some special armor God has given us to wear in these spiritual battles, so let’s get our training started with a game!

Think of fun names for yourselves: Crispin of the Woods, Princess Katherine the Curly-Haired, Lady Betty of Boston, Gwendolyn the Glad, Maid Mary, Albert the Silly, etc.
The Bible is listed just once daily in the supply list but is used throughout, so keep it handy and marked at the correct passages. 
Be familiar with the lesson, but don’t memorize it. 
If working as co-teachers, decide daily which parts of the lesson each of you will be responsible for teaching. Both plan to dress in costumes.
Mounting putty or tape is listed just once daily, but will be used whenever you hang posters. Hang them up as you talk, or just hold them while teaching and hang them after class.

 Teacher 1: In a minute, everyone will move to this middle line. I’m going to give you two opposite choices. You should go to either the right side of the keep or the left side, depending on which choice you like best.
Have them gather on the middle line. Go through the following questions and have them move to the left side of the keep if they prefer the first choice or the right if they prefer the second. Point to the left or right as you say each choice. Have them go back to the middle line after each one.
Would you rather eat a sweet popsicle (left side) or salty potato chips (right side)?
Would you rather walk slowly or run fast?
Would you rather watch a sport or play a sport?
Would you rather own a big animal or a small animal?
Would you rather experience winter or summer?
Would you rather sit in the front of a room or in the back?
Would you rather go to the mountains or the beach?
Teacher 2: Okay, everybody can sit back down. Do so. Now, I have a question for you. Do you think one choice was the right answer and one was the wrong one? For instance, is it right to like going to the mountains more than going to the beach? Take responses. There weren’t any right or wrong answers in the game we just played. The answers were your preferences, or what you like. One isn’t true (right) and the other false (wrong).
Teacher 1: But did you know there are things in life that really are absolutely true or absolutely false? Right or wrong? Truth or error? 
Teacher 2: That’s right. There’s something called absolute truth. That means it’s truth that never changes. It’s true for all people, for all times, for all circumstances.
Teacher 1: Sometimes people wonder how they can know what really is the truth. It’s been a question asked throughout time. Even Jesus was asked about it by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Listen to this: Read John 18:37–38. There are lots of voices out there in the world telling you different things about what’s really true. So how can you tell what’s truth?

Teacher 2: Well, there are sources of truth we can absolutely trust 100% of the time. I’ve hidden four jewels in this room that tell us the source of truth. Without moving, see if you can spot a red jewel first. Have them point to it when they see it. Pick it up and read it. (Or have a volunteer get it and read it). It will say God the Father and have a supporting Bible verse. Do the same with the other jewels—the gold (yellow) for God the Son, blue for God the Holy Spirit, and purple for the Bible.
Teacher 1: God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is the source of perfect truth. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), so every word he says will always be 100% true. You can bank your life on it.
Teacher 2: And because the Bible is God’s Word to us, it’s 100% true too. God and his Word provide truth for all people, throughout all times, and in all circumstances. That’ll never change.
Teacher 1: Now, I have one more thing hidden around the keep to show us the source of lies. You won’t be looking for a beautiful jewel but an ugly gargoyle. Do you know what a gargoyle is? Show the Gargoyle Poster. Without getting up, look for the hidden gargoyle. Do so.
Teacher 2: Pick up the Hidden Gargoyle Pattern and read the source of lies—Satan—and the supporting verse.
Teacher 1: The Bible, our source of truth, calls Satan (the devil, the enemy) a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). In fact, the Bible tells us how God and Satan are in a cosmic battle that’s between two kingdoms. God’s good kingdom is based on truth, and the enemy’s bad kingdom is based on lies. The good news is—God wins the battle!
Teach It!

Good Kingdom/Bad Kingdom Poster 
Day 1 Rhyme Time Poster 
Good Kingdom/Bad Kingdom Game Cards 
Teacher Reference Sheet 
Plastic chalice or cup

 Prep: Cut out the cards and arrange so half of the good kingdom cards (random ones) and half the bad kingdom cards are mixed up in the chalice. Keep the rest organized and ready to use. Cut the Good Kingdom/Bad Kingdom Poster in half and put them up so the cards can go under them.
Part 1: Two Kingdoms Game (10–15 minutes)
Teacher 1: Even though there are two kingdoms, they’re not equal. God is God! He’s in charge. He’s good. He can do anything! Satan, on the other hand, is bad and has limited power. He’s not equal to God. He’s an angel who was created by God and then rebelled against God.
Teacher 2: The enemy can’t be everywhere, seeing and knowing everything like God can. His kingdom includes the fallen angels who rebelled with him against God in the beginning. 
Teacher 1: Let’s see how well you can recognize the differences between the good kingdom and the bad kingdom. 
Divide the kids into two teams. Boys vs. girls is a quick way to do it. Explain that someone from their team will come up and pull a card out of the chalice. Their team has to decide together if they think it belongs to the Good Kingdom or the Bad Kingdom. All the team members (or one representative team member) should either move to the Good Kingdom side of the room or the Bad Kingdom side to show their answer. (Or have teams turn to the right or the left.) Tell them if they are correct, and put the card on the board under the correct kingdom poster. Then, the other team gets a chance to tell what they think the opposite would be that would go in the other section. If they are right, put that card in the correct spot and talk about that particular contrast by reading the accompanying Bible verses on the Teacher Reference Sheet.  
For example, the girls start and pull out the “Promise keeper” card. One or more of them move to the Good Kingdom side of the room, which is correct. They receive a point for this correct answer. The boys then get a chance to tell the opposite. If they say something like “Promise breaker,” they receive a point, and that card is put under the Bad Kingdom poster, directly 
across from the “Promise keeper” card. You then read the accompanying Bible verse(s) and make any brief comments.
It’s then the boys’ turn to draw a card and decide which side of the board it goes on, with the girls getting a chance to say the opposite. Continue going back and forth until time is up. At the end of time, see who has the most points.
Good Kingdom	Bad Kingdom	
Ruler: God (Psalm 47:7–8)	Ruler: Satan (1 John 5:19; John 12:31)	
Kingdom of light (1 John 1:5)	Kingdom of darkness (Ephesians 6:12)	
Always tells the truth (John 14:6; John 7:28)	Tells lies (John 8:44; Acts 5:3)	
For us (Romans 8:31)	Against us (Matthew 13:39)	
Creator/Protector of life (Genesis 1:1)	Destroyer of life (John 10:10)	
Promise keeper (2 Corinthians 1:20; 1 Kings 8:56)	Promise breaker (Ephesians 5:6a)	
Good (Psalm 25:8)	Evil (Matthew 6:13)	
Love (1 John 4:8)	Hate (John 3:20)	
Godly (Colossians 3:12–15)	Ungodly (2 Timothy 3:1–4)	
Omnipresent (Psalm 139:7–10)	Not omnipresent (Job 1:6–7)	
Unlimited power (Jeremiah 32:17)	Limited power (Matthew 4:10)	
The only God (Psalm 86:10)	Not a god (a fallen angelic being), so not God’s equal (Luke 10:18)	

Finish by using the Day 1 Rhyme Time Poster to emphasize that only one of these kingdoms—God’s—is good: Of two, only one is true! Have everyone say that together.
Part 2: Puppet Pal—The Battle’s On (5 minutes or less)
Prep: Tape one script inside the puppet stage and attach the other to a clipboard for reference. Make the mini sword. See the Craft Guide for an example.

Good Kingdom/Bad Kingdom Poster
Day 1 Rhyme Time Poster 
2 copies of Day 1 Puppet Script 
Boy or girl puppet and puppet stage
Clipboard
Mini sword (large craft stick covered in foil)

 Each day, the puppet pal will introduce or teach a portion of the lesson, so try to include it. 
Decide which of you will be the puppet and figure out when you need to leave the previous teaching so you will be in position for the start of the puppet pal time.
If you don’t have a teaching assistant or co-teacher, enlist someone (a troupe leader or other volunteer) ahead of time to work the puppet each day. If you’re alone, have the puppet come up from behind a trunk with the lid flipped up, or just stand and work the puppet. (It’s fine if your lips move. No need to be a ventriloquist.)
You can either use a boy or a girl puppet. It is written as a boy named Christian, but it can be a girl named Christiana. Use a consistent voice for the puppet all week. Speak clearly and exaggerate words and expressions. For instance, draw out certain words for emphasis, or make an exaggerated action for things like groaning, turning its head, or sneezing. Use your free hand to do things with the puppet’s hands or arms. For example, if the puppet is “thinking,” put the puppet’s hand on its chin. When the puppet is talking, make sure the mouth is open. (This is the opposite of what people often do!) In other words, the mouth should be open on most syllables. You don’t have to open it very wide, which will help you move the mouth faster and more naturally. 
Your puppet should come out from behind a window or banner on the set. See Decorating Decisions. When the puppet is entering, hold your arm back and down and have the puppet take three steps up, getting higher each time, until the puppet is visible. When exiting, turn the puppet toward you and take three steps down until out of sight. 
Teacher: Our puppet’s name is Christian (or Christiana). Let’s all call for him (her) together. Do so.
Puppet: Come up waving a mini sword as if pretending to sword fight someone.

The puppet can be dressed in a medieval costume (a cape, a crown, knight gear, etc.) or in a small VBS T-shirt. To make a small T-shirt, print, cut out, and laminate a color copy of the logo and tape it to a baby-sized T-shirt.
You may use a quick musical introduction and exit when it’s time for the puppet to come and go.

Teacher: Hi there, Christian. What’re you doing?
Puppet: Oh, I’m pretending to be King Arthur!
Teacher: Was he the boy who pulled a sword out of a stone?
Puppet: Yes! I read how he grew up and became a great king who fought enemies in England. 
Teacher: I know that story. King Arthur and his knights of the round table lived in a kingdom called Camelot. 
Puppet: Yep! The good kingdom fought against bad kingdoms that wanted to destroy them. King Arthur and his knights were really brave! One knight even killed a dragon! Pretend to stab a roaring dragon.
Teacher: That’s exciting! But you know King Arthur is just a story, right?
Puppet: I know.
Teacher: Did you know in real life there really are two kingdoms—God’s good kingdom and the enemy’s bad kingdom?
Puppet: What do you mean?
Teacher: Well, the Bible tells us how everything used to be all good. There was only one kingdom.
Puppet: What happened?
Teacher: An enemy named Satan tricked the first woman, Eve, and she disobeyed God’s command to not eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The first man, Adam, ate the fruit too. Their disobedience was sin, which messed up the good kingdom on earth. All of creation fell under the curse of sin, including all people after Adam and Eve. Now, we have two kingdoms. The good one is ruled by God, and the bad one is led by the enemy, Satan. Point to the Good Kingdom/Bad Kingdom Poster that you used earlier.
Puppet: And they’re in a battle?
Teacher: Yep. You’re pretending to be King Arthur, but there’s a real battle going on out there. You can’t see it, but it’s really happening.
Puppet: Oh no! Should I be scared? Duck down and hide.
Teacher: Not if you’re on God’s side, because he wins! Nobody can beat our all-powerful God! Satan’s not equal to God. He can’t beat God! 
Puppet: Come back up. Wheew! That’s good to know.
Teacher: And of those two kingdoms, only one is good. Only one is kind. Only one is true! Do you know which one?
Puppet: God’s!
Teacher: Right! God is good and great, and God’s kingdom is great! 
Puppet: And like you said, of the two kingdoms, only one is true—God’s!
Teacher: Hold up the Day 1 Rhyme Time Poster. Yep! Let’s say this together, “Of two, only one is true!” Do so.  
Puppet: Of two, only one is true. I want to remember that! Well, I’ve got to go fight dragons and rescue maidens. Bye for now!
Teacher: Bye, Christian! See you tomorrow.

Part 3: Guardians of Truth Game (10 minutes)

Guardians of Truth Game Board (2 posters)
Guardians of Truth Color Cards, Question Cards, and Teacher Explanations 
Large piece of corrugated cardboard or foam core board and tape 
2 pushpins of different colors for game pieces
Optional: large easel for game board, pack of smaller game boards

 Prep: Make the Guardians of Truth game board by mounting the two posters side-by-side on a large piece of corrugated cardboard or foam core board. For a larger group, put it on a large easel and poke two pushpins in at the start space, or, if you have a small group, gather around it on the floor. 
Print the Question Cards and the Color Cards on white cardstock and cut them apart. Print the Teaching Explanations  and have them ready.
Lead the children in playing a round of Guardians of Truth. Explain that a guardian is a keeper of truth. In this game, they will try to figure out if the statements are truth or if they are errors. Explain that an error is something that goes against God’s commands. Satan tries to get us to fall for tricks, lies, and anything against God’s ways. This game is designed to train their brains to think well so they know God’s Word and are not easily tricked.
How to Play: Divide into two teams. These can stay the same all week or change daily. Quickly decide on team names (Knights vs. Squires, Jesters vs. Jugglers, Kings vs. Queens, etc.) and decide which team goes first. Read a question. Have the team decide together if they think it’s a true statement or an error. If they’re correct, they pick a color card and move to the corresponding color. Follow the directions on the game board. Play then moves to the other team. Go back and forth between the two teams, playing as long as time permits and making sure each team gets the same number of turns. Play all week as an ongoing game that is continued where you left off, or start a fresh round each day.
As an alternative to the large game board, you may have the children play the game in small groups or pairs using smaller game boards (11x17), which are available to purchase (12-0-068, pack of 10).
Allow time each day to play this game, if possible. It’s a fun, quick, and content-rich way to develop a biblical worldview in your kids. It’s important to share the brief explanations to each question (on the Teaching Explanations Sheet) regarding why each statement is true or false.
Part 4: Animal Pal Review

Day 1 Animal Pal Poster
Armor of God Sticker Set (12-0-078)

 Share the day 1 Animal pal poster to summarize the teaching of the day. Pass out the Armor of God sticker sets (available to purchase from AnswersVBS.com), one set (child and armor stickers) per child. This week, children will add armor pieces as they learn about them. For now, have the children put their name on their papers and then return them to you.  
Some knights rode into battle on warhorses like Winifred here. These horses were bred for strength and endurance. Winnie reminds us that we’re in a battle between two kingdoms: God’s good kingdom and the enemy’s evil kingdom. And, although the knights trusted that their horses would carry them faithfully through battle, our trust needs to be in our Creator God, who made us and takes care of us. 
Apply It!

The front page of each day’s student guide is a review of today’s lesson. The back page matches this section in the teacher guide. 

 In the remaining class time, complete one or more of the following ideas. These are also on the back of the Primary Student Guides and can be done at home with a parent or caretaker if you are out of time. If you send them home, motivate the kids to do them because they are full of good stuff! Have the troupe leaders check with the kids tomorrow to see how they did on them, and consider giving contest bonus points to the groups for their hard work.
Supplies for this section are not included in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly. 
Part 1: Veritas Verse

Theme and Day 1 Memory Verse Posters
Optional: Student Guides and supplies

 Today’s Verse: Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:10–11

Gospel opportunity: The gospel will be shared in detail on Day 2. Briefly explain what trusting in Jesus for salvation means. 
Note: The word veritas means “truth is mighty and will prevail” or simply “true, trustworthy.” It was a word used in the Middle Ages and is still used today. Share the meaning with the students so they know that every Bible verse is true, trustworthy, and mighty, and all verses will forever prevail (win, be victorious, prove more powerful than opposing forces). 
Practice the verses a couple times using the Theme Memory Verse Poster and Day 1 Memory Verse Poster as references, then try the challenge.
For display, you may want to put the theme verse poster at the top and add each new memory verse poster under it every day to build the Ephesians passage.
Challenge: Practice getting both physically strong and spiritually strong at the same time. Set a timer for one minute. See how many jumping jacks or other exercises you can do in that minute. At the same time, see if you can say the memory verse at least once without mistakes during that time.
Tomorrow’s Verse: Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14
Say the new verse together several times and try the challenge again. 
Part 2: Go and Do
Can you think of 10 things you can thank God for? Make a list, remembering that every good thing is given to us by God, the ruler of the good kingdom.
How many sit-ups or push-ups can you do in one minute? Time yourself and record how many you do. Do you think you could do more if you practiced every day? Exercise done regularly makes you physically strong. What’s one thing you can do regularly to be strong in the Lord? 
Play a game of opposites with a friend or family member or by yourself. How many kingdom opposites can you think of in one minute? Set a timer and see! (Examples: light, dark; all powerful, limited power.)
Check AnswersVBS.com/keeperkids for more fun information! 
Ask yourself these questions: Which kingdom wins? Which kingdom do I want to be part of? 
Just for Fun Song: The Kingdom Keepers 

“The Kingdom Keepers” song, MP3 download or Simple Songs CD (12-0-141) 
Device to play songs

 Sing to the tune of “The Ants Go Marching.”
The kingdom keepers march for God, hurrah, hurrah
(March in place, lift up hands on “hurrah.”)
The kingdom keepers march for God, hurrah, hurrah 
(March in place, lift up hands on “hurrah.”)
God gave us armor we will wear
(Tap head, tap shoulders, tap waist, tap feet.)
Satan’s kingdom better beware
(Fists up, fighting stance.)
And we all go marching on
(March in place.)
For the Lord—who is strong—and has won
(Point up, flex biceps, lift arms to make a V for victory.)
Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!
(Shout and point up on each word.)
Repeat, adding a fourth Huzzah! at the end.

Day 2
The Belt 

Bible passages
Savior King
Genesis 1–3; Gospels; Ephesians 6:14
Apologetics Content
Build a biblical worldview to stand strong in the truth.
Veritas Verse
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14
RHYME Time
Decide your side!
lesson Focus
Each child of the King needs to fasten on the belt of truth.
Animal pal
Wily the Fox
Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It!
Ready or Not
Teach It!
Part 1: Gospel Presentation
Option 1: Puppet Pal
Option 2: Chronicles of the Kingdom (2 sections)
Part 2: Knight Time—Belt
Part 3: Guardians of Truth Game
Part 4: Animal Pal Review
Apply It!
Part 1: Veritas Verse
Part 2: Go and Do
Just for Fun Song: “I’m in the Lord’s Army”
Preparing for the Lesson
Read Genesis 1–3 and Ephesians 6:10–18.
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. 
For more information on building a biblical worldview, see AnswersVBS.com/keeperfaq. 
Read “Leading a Child to Christ,” found on the inside back cover of this guide.
Pray.

Devotion 2: The Belt
The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. Psalm 119:160
There are no absolutes. Ever heard that one before? Of course, the irony with that statement is that it’s an absolute statement. Those who say that actually mean, “I choose not to accept the absolute truth claims you are making.” 
So, can we know truth? Is there any basis on which we can make absolute moral statements (e.g., “Homosexual behavior is sinful; Jesus is the only way to heaven; there are only two genders”)? 
The only basis for determining truth from error, and right from wrong, comes from embracing the one who is truth. Jesus is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And Jesus reiterates that God is the source of truth when he claimed, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, emphasis added).
When we know Jesus, we know truth. When we believe in Jesus, we believe in truth. Because he is the Creator, he is the one who sets the rules for his creation to follow. And he has given us those rules in his Word. There is no room for wavering because he has confirmed that we can trust his Word to be truth (John 17:17). 
Apart from the standard given in the Bible, there is no way to determine what truth is—everything becomes a matter of personal opinion. And who determines which opinion is correct? 
Examine your heart today. As you teach the children the truth that the Savior King Jesus came to earth as a baby, died on the cross to pay for our sins, and rose from the dead, showing that God had accepted his payment, are you harboring doubts about God or his Word? Can you say with the psalmist, “I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me” (Psalm 119:30)? Have you put on the belt of truth?

Introduce It!

Bible
Medieval costumes for teachers
Mounting putty or tape
Disheveled clothes costume (see Prep)

 Ready or Not (5 minutes)
Prep: Gather the disheveled costume for Teacher 2. It should consist of a pair of pants with the belt stuck through just one loop and dragging on the ground, a crooked T-shirt, one shoe on and one shoe off, a hat falling across your face, and papers in a folder that are messed up.
Teacher 1 welcomes the knights and maidens and asks if anyone remembers what they learned yesterday about the two kingdoms. After chatting about this for a minute, Teacher 2 bursts in wearing the disheveled clothes costume.
Teacher 2: Fare thee well! Has VBS started already? Oh, no, it has! Well, I may be late, but I’m ready to go.
Teacher 1: Um, excuse me, but you really don’t look ready.
Teacher 2: Hesitantly. Really?
Teacher 1: Look at you. Your belt’s practically falling off. Your shirt’s crooked. You only have one shoe on. Your hat’s covering half your face. And your teaching notes are a mess. I’m sorry, but you’re not ready! What’ve you been doing?
Teacher 2: With a whiny, pathetic voice. Well, I was on my way in when I realized I’d left my Bible and notes in the wagon. As I ran back to the wagon, I tripped and lost my shoe, and my papers went flying. I think my horse stepped on them! It was just one thing after another!
Teacher 1: You need to pull yourself together here and be ready.
Teacher 2: Okay. Give me a minute. If doing Part 1, Option 1 below, go behind the puppet stage now and then come out straightened up after the puppet script, commenting that now you are ready. If doing Part 1, Option 2 below, get straightened up right now in front of the kids and say you’re ready, then move on to Part 1, Option 2.
Teacher 1: Boys and girls, as I was starting to say before ___ came in, there are two kingdoms—God’s good kingdom and the enemy’s bad kingdom. If we want to take part in the good kingdom, we need to be ready! ___ wasn’t ready, was he? There are lots of things we can do to be ready, which we’ll talk about in a little bit, but the first and most important step is to make sure you’re a citizen of the good kingdom. Let’s chat more about how you can become part of the good kingdom.
Teach It!
Part 1: Gospel Presentation
There are two options for the gospel presentation. The shorter is a puppet skit only, and the longer is an expanded  gospel presentation that begins with medieval shadow play and then goes into the puppet skit. Choose an option based on your time and the age of the kids. 
O
Gospel Presentation Posters
Day 2 Rhyme Time Poster  
2 copies of Day 2 Puppet Script
Boy or girl puppet and clipboard 
Treasure chest (see Prep)

PTION 1—Puppet Pal (5 minutes)
Prep: Tape one script inside the puppet stage and attach the other to a clipboard for reference. Find or make a treasure chest by spray-painting a copy paper box gold and attaching fake jewels to it. Hinge the lid with duct tape so it opens and loosely closes. Cut apart the gospel presentation posters and put them in the treasure chest in the order they’re used.
Puppet: Come up looking around at the children and saying: Huzzah! Huzzah! (Ha-SAW!) That means hooray! I’m so glad you’re here again today!
Teacher: Christian, yesterday we learned about the first two people. Kids, do you remember their names? Take responses. They were Adam and Eve. To Christian. Who was the enemy that tricked Eve and got them to disobey God’s command and eat the fruit?
Puppet: Um. I forget. Do you all remember who it was? Take responses.

Teacher: Yes, it was Satan in the form of a serpent. Satan is the enemy who rules the bad kingdom. Take Poster 2: Bad kingdom out of the treasure chest and hold it up or put it up. Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, we’re all born into that bad kingdom—we all disobey God’s commands, which is called sin.
Puppet: So you mean everyone’s going to be stuck in the bad kingdom forever?
Teacher: Nope! God had a great plan to rescue us. He sent Jesus, the leader of the good kingdom. Hold up/put up Poster 1: good kingdom.  Jesus is God’s one and only Son. He was in heaven with God, but he chose to come down from that beautiful and perfect place to rescue us so we can be part of the good kingdom.
Puppet: Let’s give Jesus the loudest claps we can to thank him! Do so.

For those who prefer not to show images of Jesus, we have included alternative pictures for you to print from the Resource USB or AnswersVBS.com/keeperresources.

 Teacher: He actually came to earth as a baby. That’s what we celebrate at Christmas! Hold up/put up Poster 3: Baby Jesus.
Puppet: I love Christmas! I help my mom set up our nativity scene, which has baby Jesus.
Teacher: I love Christmastime too! But Jesus didn’t stay a baby in a manger. He grew up and lived a perfect life. We all sin, but Jesus never did. He’s the only one who never did anything wrong.
Puppet: Wow! 
Teacher: But then, when he was a grown man, he allowed some men from the bad kingdom to put him to death. They nailed him to a cross, which hurt a lot. Hold up/put up poster 4: Jesus on the Cross.
Puppet: Why would he let them to do that? Jesus is stronger than the bad kingdom and all its people!
Teacher: Because Jesus loves each of us, even when we’re in the bad kingdom fighting against him. And he knew we could never make it to God’s perfect heaven on our own because of our sin. God is holy, which means he’s without sin. And he can’t let sinners into heaven. Jesus gave his life in place of ours, taking the punishment for sin, so our sin could be forgiven.
Puppet: Jesus must really love these boys and girls.
Teacher: He does! And the cool thing is that he didn’t stay dead!
Puppet: What? That’s impossible! Once you’re dead, you’re dead.
Teacher: Not for Jesus! Because he’s God, he can do anything, including coming back to life.
Puppet: So the men from the bad kingdom couldn’t keep him dead? 
Teacher: Right! Neither Satan nor death could defeat Jesus! Jesus is alive and living in heaven. Hold up/put up poster 5: empty Tomb. He made the way for us to be able to get to heaven someday, and he offers us the gift of eternal life with him, which we need to receive.
Puppet: So boys and girls aren’t automatically part of the good kingdom?
Teacher: Nope. Remember that we’re all born into the bad kingdom because of sin. But does anyone know how to become a member of God’s kingdom? Take answers. Let’s learn what God teaches in his Word, the Bible. First, ADMIT. Hold up/put up poster 6: admit. 
Puppet: Let’s say that together. Do so. 
Teacher: Admit you’re a sinner. This is called repenting. Repenting is sort of like turning your back on sin. We repent when we say we’re sorry for our sins and turn from them. Can you think of a time you sinned? Take responses.
Puppet: I had to say sorry for yelling at my sister this morning. That was a sin to get angry and say mean things, right?

Teacher: Yep, sin is disobeying God and his Word. God says we’re to be kind (Ephesians 4:32). Have you ever been unkind to someone? God says we’re always to tell the truth (Ephesians 4:25). Have you ever told a lie? God says we’re to obey our parents (Ephesians 6:1). Have you ever disobeyed your parents? If you agree that you’ve ever sinned, even once, then admit that to God. Tell him you’re sorry and want to repent.
Puppet: What else does the Bible say about how to become part of the good kingdom?
Teacher: Second is to BELIEVE. Hold up/put up poster 7: bELIEVE. 
Puppet: Let’s raise our hands and shout that together. Do so.
Teacher: Believe that Jesus really did come to earth for you. He lived a perfect life and never sinned. Then he died and rose from the dead, all because he loves you. The Bible tells us that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life—life with God in his good kingdom (John 3:16).
Puppet: That’s what I want—to be in God’s good kingdom!
Teacher: Third is to FOREVER RECEIVE. Hold up/put up poster 8: fOREVER RECEIVE. 
Puppet: Let’s look at our neighbor and say that to them. Do so. 
Teacher: If you admit you’re a sinner, repent of (turn from) your sins, and believe Jesus died and rose from the dead, then you can forever receive him. That means you want to be part of his forever kingdom and follow him. Sometimes this isn’t easy. In fact, it can be hard at times. But the good news is you’ll want to obey God’s commands now instead of your own or the enemy’s. Even though you won’t follow perfectly, God will give his Holy Spirit to help you.
Show the Day 2 Rhyme Time Poster. So it comes down to needing to decide your side. Let’s say that together. Do so. You’re either in the bad kingdom or the good kingdom.
If you want to talk with someone more about this, you may follow ___, and they’ll help you. Otherwise, you can stay with me, and you’ll learn how to be ready each day to live for God’s kingdom. Remember that your troupe leaders or any of us here are happy to talk to you anytime this week about this important decision to become a child of God and a part of his good kingdom.  
Let’s say goodbye to Christian! Do so.
Children who are interested leave for salvation counseling in a safe, not isolated, spot. Everyone else moves on to Part 2: Knight Time—Belt.

Gospel Presentation Posters 
Day 2 Rhyme Time Poster
Silhouette Patterns
2 copies of Day 2 Puppet Script 
Boy or girl puppet and clipboard 
Treasure chest (see Prep)
Overhead transparencies
Optional: overhead projector or craft sticks
2 flashlights
Fruit gummies or baggies of fruit, 1 per child

 OPTION 2—Chronicles of the Kingdom (15 minutes)
Prep: There are two sections of Option 2. For Section 1, find or make a treasure chest by spray-painting a copy paper box gold and attaching fake jewels to it. Hinge the lid with duct tape so it opens and loosely closes. Print the Silhouette Patterns on overhead transparencies. Cut them out along the square perimeters. (You may want to attach them to craft sticks if using the flashlight method of presentation listed in Section 1 below.) Put them in the treasure chest in order, along with your Bible, flashlight, and fruit gummies or baggies of fruit. Bookmark your Bible to Genesis 1. For Section 2, tape one script inside the puppet stage and attach the other to a clipboard for reference. Cut apart the Gospel Presentation Posters and put them in the treasure chest in order.
Teacher 1 and Teacher 2 work together to tell this account. Teacher 1 relays the narrative in a dramatic voice and manner while Teacher 2 pulls the appropriate pattern out of the treasure chest, then either puts it on an overhead projector or shines a flashlight behind it so it reflects on the wall. 
SECTION 1—Silhouettes
Teacher 1: Okay, in a minute, we’re going to try some shadow play, a popular medieval pastime. I’ll be sharing a bit from the beginning of the Bible (open your Bible to Genesis). First, ___ is going to pass out fruit gummies (or baggies of fruit). Do so, making sure nobody is allergic. Before you eat this snack, however, you need to listen carefully for a 
special clue word, which is fruit, just like your snack. When you hear the word fruit, that will be the signal to open your bag and eat.

You may want to tell them they shouldn’t talk or touch their fruit bag until you say. If they do, you will take it away.

 At this point, dim the lights and turn on the flashlight (“torch”). Dramatically tell the following, using this script that can be placed in your Bible. Shine the light on it to see.
Teacher 1: In the beginning, thousands of years ago (about 6,000!), there lived the very first man and woman.
Teacher 2: Shine the light behind the Adam and Eve transparencies to create a shadow effect on the wall, or put them on the overhead projector.
Teacher 1: They lived in a beautiful place called the garden of Eden, created by the perfect Creator King. Along with Adam and Eve lived all the different kinds of animals, such as cats and bears.
Teacher 2: And even dinosaurs! Shine the light behind the dinosaur transparency.
Teacher 1: Yep! There were also lovely flowers and bushes and trees in this beautiful paradise. 
Teacher 2: Shine the light behind the flower transparency.
Teacher 1: God, the Creator King, who is good and only does good, said everything was very good. It was a perfect kingdom.
But then, something bad happened to destroy this happy place. An enemy came into the kingdom. 
Teacher 2: Help me tell of the enemy’s approach. Let’s start slowly chanting, and we’ll get faster and faster. Start slowly chanting “Da-dum, da-dum, da-dum, da-dum.” Gradually get louder and faster, as if the enemy is getting closer and closer. (This should be reminiscent of the music for the shark attack in the movie Jaws.)
Teacher 1: This enemy was created by God and lived in heaven. He was perfect and beautiful at first. But then the enemy started thinking he was great stuff—even better than God—and he sinned (Ezekiel 28:15–17; Isaiah 14:12–15).
Teacher 2: Shine the light behind the skull and crossbones transparency.
Teacher 1: God threw him out of heaven, along with a third of the angels who turned against God (Revelation 12:4). This enemy, called Satan, hated the Creator King and everything the King had made.
He knew God had created Adam and Eve to live happily ever after. But, as you might imagine, the enemy didn’t want that to happen. He wanted them to die and forever be with him in the terrible place God had prepared for him. So he took on the form of a serpent and went to the garden of Eden, where he devised a wicked trick.
Teacher 2: Shine the light on the serpent transparency.
Teacher 1: It was the first trick ever.
Teacher 2: And it was a dirty, rotten one.
Teacher 1: Satan found out about a special rule God had concerning a tree.
Teacher 2: And this wasn’t just any apple or oak or maple tree. Shine the light on the tree transparency.
Teacher 1: Nope. It was called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and God told Adam (who would have told Eve) that he could eat from every tree in the garden except that one. God warned him that if he ate from that tree, the punishment would be death.
Satan disguised himself as a serpent and found Eve. He said to her, “Did God really say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’”
The woman replied to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit . . .”
Teacher 2: Did I just hear the word fruit?

Teacher 1: Pause while they open their bags. Then start that sentence again. They should know to eat without talking—just listening. The woman replied to the serpent: Read Genesis 3:3.  
Teacher 2: Shine the light on the fruit transparency.
Teacher 1: But the enemy told her she wouldn’t die, and she believed his lie. His trick worked, and she took a piece of fruit and ate it!
Teacher 2: Oh, noooooo!
Teacher 1: I know. And then Eve gave some to Adam. The enemy had tricked Eve. But Adam knew better, and he still chose to disobey the Creator King by eating the fruit too. God held Adam responsible for that, just like God holds us responsible when we know the right thing to do but choose to disobey.
Well, that really messed things up. Now Adam and Eve had to deal with two kingdoms—God’s good kingdom and the enemy’s bad kingdom.
Teacher 2: Shine the light on the words Good and Bad.
Teacher 1: And from that day on, a battle began to rage between the two kingdoms.
Teacher 2: Make a couple shooting noises.
Teacher 1: Time out! Time out! It’s not that kind of battle. It’s not a battle we can necessarily see or hear. 
Teacher 2: Make a couple more shooting noises, then say, “Oh.”
Teacher 1: It’s a very real battle, though. It’s an invisible, spiritual battle between God and his perfect kingdom and the enemy and his wicked kingdom. And all people throughout all time, including all of us, are involved in this battle.
Teacher 2: Even me?
Teacher 1: Even you. 
Teacher 2: Even these nice kids?
Teacher 1: Even these nice kids. We’ve seen lots of make-believe battles, right? Can you think of any battles in movies or books that have the good side against the bad side? Take answers.
Teacher 2: Well, those are just make-believe battles.
Teacher 1: That’s true. But long ago in that garden, the true battle began. That battle is not make-believe. It’s not pretend. It’s real. On that day, Adam disobeyed God’s command, and that’s called sin.
Teacher 2: Shine the light on the word sin. 
Teacher 1: And because Adam disobeyed God and sinned, the earth is no longer a perfect paradise. God placed a curse on his creation, so now men have to do work that’s sometimes not pleasant, and ladies have pain when having babies, and plants have thorns, and people are sometimes mean, and sad things happen (Genesis 3). 
Teacher 2: And God told Adam and Eve they’d have to leave the garden forever so they wouldn’t eat from the tree of life and live forever in their sinful state. It’s so sad! And I don’t like sad endings. Leave to get behind the puppet stage.
Teacher 1: Well, the good news is, it’s not a sad ending! If that’s where it ended, it would be. But it isn’t! God thought of everything, and he had a plan for the good kingdom to win. Let’s check in with Christian to hear more! 
SECTION 2—Puppet Pal
Teacher: Christian! Christian!
Puppet: Come up. Good morrow, all! 

Teacher: Hey, Christian, have you ever heard of Jesus?
Puppet: Of course! He’s the leader of the good kingdom. 
Teacher: Take poster 1: good kingdom out of the treasure chest and hold it up/put it up. Yes, Jesus is God’s one and only Son, and the one who came to earth to rescue us so we can be part of the good kingdom.
Puppet: Wow! Let’s give Jesus a super loud clap to thank him! Do so.

For those who prefer not to show images of Jesus, we have included alternative pictures for you to print from the Resource USB or AnswersVBS.com/keeperresources.

 Teacher: He actually came to earth as a baby. That’s what we celebrate at Christmas! Take poster 3: baby Jesus out of the treasure chest and hold it up/put it up.
Puppet: I love Christmas! I help my mom set up our nativity scene, which has baby Jesus.
Teacher: I love Christmastime too! But Jesus didn’t stay a baby in a manger. He grew up and lived a perfect life. We all sin, but Jesus never did. He’s the only one who never did anything wrong.
Puppet: That’s amazing! 
Teacher: But then, when he was a grown man, he allowed some men from the bad kingdom to put him to death. Hold up/put up Poster 2: bad kingdom. They nailed him to a cross, which hurt a lot. Hold up/put up Poster 4: Jesus on the Cross.
Puppet: Why would he let them do that? Jesus is stronger than the bad kingdom and all its people!
Teacher: Because Jesus loves each of us, even when we’re in the bad kingdom fighting against him. And he knew we could never make it to God’s perfect heaven on our own because of our sin. God is holy, which means he’s without sin. And he can’t let sinners into heaven. Jesus gave his life in place of ours, taking the punishment for sin, so our sin could be forgiven.
Puppet: Jesus must really love these boys and girls.
Teacher: He does! And the cool thing is that he didn’t stay dead!
Puppet: What? That’s impossible! Once you’re dead, you’re dead.
Teacher: Not for Jesus! Because he’s God, he can do anything, including coming back to life.
Puppet: So the men from the bad kingdom couldn’t keep him dead? 
Teacher: Right! Neither Satan nor death could defeat Jesus! Jesus is alive and living in heaven. Hold up/put up poster 5: empty Tomb. He made the way for us to be able to get to heaven someday, and he offers us the gift of eternal life with him, which we need to receive.
Puppet: So boys and girls aren’t automatically part of the good kingdom?
Teacher: Nope. Remember that we’re all born into the bad kingdom because of sin. But does anyone know how to become a member of God’s kingdom? Take answers. Let’s learn what God teaches in his Word, the Bible. First, ADMIT. Hold up/put up poster 6: aDMIT. 
Puppet: Let’s say that together. Do so. 
Teacher: Admit you’re a sinner. This is called repenting. Repenting is sort of like turning your back on sin. We repent when we say we’re sorry for our sins and turn from them.  Can you think of a time you sinned? Take responses.
Puppet: I had to say sorry for yelling at my sister this morning. That was a sin to get angry and say mean things, right?
Teacher: Yes, sin is disobeying God and his Word. God says we’re to be kind (Ephesians 4:32). Have you ever been unkind to someone? God says we’re always to tell the truth (Ephesians 4:25). Have you ever told a lie? God says we’re to obey our parents (Ephesians 6:1). Have you ever disobeyed your parents? If you agree that you’ve ever sinned, even once, then admit that to God. Tell him you’re sorry and want to repent.

Puppet: What else does the Bible say about how to become part of the good kingdom?
Teacher: Second is to BELIEVE. Hold up/put up poster 7: bELIEVE. 
Puppet: Let’s raise our hands and shout that together. Do so.
Teacher: Believe that Jesus really did come to earth for you. He lived a perfect life and never sinned. Then he died and rose from the dead, all because he loves you. The Bible tells us that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life—life with God in his good kingdom (John 3:16).
Puppet: That’s what I want—to be in God’s good kingdom!
Teacher: Third is to FOREVER RECEIVE. Hold up/put up poster 8: fOREVER RECEIVE. 
Puppet: Let’s look at our neighbor and say that to them. Do so. 
Teacher: If you admit you’re a sinner, repent of (turn from) your sins, and believe Jesus died and rose from the dead, then you can forever receive him. That means you want to be part of his forever kingdom and follow him. Sometimes this isn’t easy. In fact, it can be hard at times. But the good news is you’ll want to obey God’s commands now instead of your own or the enemy’s, and even though you won’t follow perfectly, God will give you his Holy Spirit to help you.
Show the Day 2 Rhyme Time Poster. So it comes down to needing to decide your side. Let’s say that together. Do so. You’re either in the bad kingdom or the good kingdom.
If you want to talk with someone more about this, you may follow _____, and they’ll help you. Otherwise, you can stay with me, and you’ll learn how to be ready each day to live for God’s kingdom. Remember that your troupe leaders or any of us here are happy to talk to you anytime this week about this important decision to become a child of God and a part of his good kingdom. 
Let’s say goodbye to Christian! Do so.
Children who are interested leave for salvation counseling in a safe, not isolated, spot. Everyone else moves on to Part 2: Knight Time—Belt.
Part 2: Knight Time—Belt (5–10 minutes)

Knight Posters
Armor Pieces Poster (belts) 
Armor demo pieces (see Prep)
Oversized pair of pants and a belt

 Prep: Prepare the armor demo pieces (described below) so they’re ready for the week. Cut out the pieces from the Armor Pieces Poster and laminate if possible.
Optional: Each day, hold up or put on the “armor” pieces using either yourself or a child volunteer to demonstrate. You can use something simple such as foil to fashion pieces of the armor, or buy play sets of armor, or use something to symbolize the armor, such as a football player’s uniform (belt for belt of truth, chest pads for breastplate of righteousness, cleats for shoes of peace, face mask for shield of faith, helmet for helmet of salvation, and playbook or football for sword of the Spirit). Another option is to have the kids put on imaginary pieces of armor as you demonstrate.
Teacher 1: Okay, so we just talked about the first step in being ready for spiritual battles—being part of God’s kingdom.
Teacher 2: Right! The first step is becoming a child of the King (a Christian), like we just talked about. I’ve taken that first step, and I’m so thankful! You may want to tell them a little more about when you became a Christian.
Teacher 1: Once we become a Christian, we need to get serious about obeying the Lord and choosing to live for him. We need to be ready for the battle between the two kingdoms because the enemy doesn’t like it when people leave his kingdom for God’s. 
Teacher 2: The Bible tells us one way to get ready for these battles is to put on the armor of God. This armor is spiritual armor, so we can’t see it like we can see a knight’s armor.
Teacher 1: We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us put on the spiritual armor daily. The more we put on the armor, the more we’ll win battles against the bad kingdom. 

Teacher 2: So let’s hear about the first piece of the armor of God—the belt. During medieval times, knights wore a belt around their clothing to keep their clothes up. The belt was also the place to hold their swords. 
Over a regular pair of shorts/pants, put on an oversized pair of pants. The pants should be so big they won’t stay up on their own and fall off. Next, put a belt around the pants and tighten it so the pants stay up. 
Teacher 1: God tells us to wear a spiritual belt called the belt of truth. Read Ephesians 6:10-11, 14a. The belt of truth is the piece of the armor that keeps your belief in Scripture held up strong and sure. Attach the belt pieces to the Knight Posters or ask a boy and a girl to come up and attach them. The belt of truth reminds you the Bible is true—every single word of it. Just like a knight couldn’t function if his belt had missing pieces or if he didn’t have a belt, we can’t function if we have doubts about parts or all of God’s Word. Are you going to have an unshakable faith in God’s Word, or are you going to doubt it? Let’s say, “Trust the truth!” together. Do so. 
Teacher 2: Remember that the bad kingdom is based on lies, so Satan and the people in his kingdom will throw doubts and lies at you about God and his Word. But God can’t lie, so his book can’t lie either. It’s the absolute truth (John 17:17b). We can always trust it to tell us the truth. Even if we have questions about things in the Bible, we can know there are answers. 
Teacher 1: Putting on the belt of truth also means you choose to be a person who’s known for telling the truth. Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), and his kingdom runs on lies. But God’s kingdom runs on truth. When you become part of God’s kingdom, the Holy Spirit gives you a desire to tell the truth. Ask him to help you to tell the truth, even when it’s hard. Share an example of when you or a believer you know told the truth, or have kids share examples. Who do you know who has a reputation for being honest? 
Teacher 2: Let’s say, “Tell the truth!” together. Do so. Now let’s say, “Trust the truth! Tell the truth!” together. Do so.
Part 3: Guardians of Truth Game (10 minutes)

Day 1 Guardians of Truth supplies

 Remind the children that the enemy and his kingdom mixes truth with error. They must train their brains to be strong in the battle for truth so they don’t get tricked by these errors. This game will help them wear the belt of truth!
See directions under Day 1 for how to play.
Part 4: Animal Pal Review

Day 2 Animal Pal Poster
Armor of God Sticker Sets

 Share the day 2 Animal pal poster to summarize the teaching of the day. Pass out the Armor of God sticker sets to each child and have them put the belt on the child (either boy or girl or both) as you discuss the animal pal. 
During the medieval ages, foxes were often hunted for sport. But they could be tricky and sometimes escaped. This is Wily the fox. To be “wily” means to be tricky. Who tricked Eve into eating the fruit? Satan, right. Wily reminds us to put on the belt of truth so we aren’t tricked by lies. God is the source of truth, and we find his truth in the Bible.
Apply It!
In the remaining class time, complete one or more of the following ideas. These are also on the back of the Primary Student Guides and can be done at home with a parent or caretaker if you are out of time. If you send them home, motivate the kids to do them because they are full of good stuff! Have the troupe leaders check with the kids tomorrow to see how they did on them, and consider giving contest bonus points to the groups for their hard work.
Supplies for this section are not included in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly. 

Part 1: Veritas Verse

Day 2 Memory Verse Poster
Optional: Student Guides and supplies

 Today’s Verse: Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14
Practice the verse a couple times using the Day 2 Memory Verse Poster as a reference, then try the following challenge.
Challenge: See how many times you can say the whole verse correctly in the time it takes you to put on a real belt.
Tomorrow’s Verse: And, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15
Try the challenge again, this time with tomorrow’s verse.
Part 2: Go and Do
Go on a treasure hunt through your house to find the one book that is completely true. Hint: One name for it is God’s Word! How many can you find?
Search your home for belts. What kind of belts did you find (e.g., dressy, practical, large, or simple belts)? Which belt fits you best? Put it on and remind yourself that God’s Word is true from cover to cover.
Tell someone what God’s Word means to you. 
Check AnswersVBS.com/keeperkids for more fun information!
Ask yourself these questions: Do I have an unshakable trust in the Bible? (Pray and ask God to help you to!) Do I want to be known as a person of truth?
Just for Fun Song: “I’m in the Lord’s Army” (medieval style and traditional style)
Explain the terms in the song and how a knight would have done these things.
medieval style—Verse

“I’m in the Lord’s Army” song, MP3 download or Simple Songs CD (12-0-141) 
Device to play songs

 I may never march to the castle keep (March in place.)
Ride in the tournament 
(Ride a horse, holding a spear in one hand.)
Shoot at the battlement 
(Shoot an arrow from a bow.)
I may never sword fight the enemy (Swing a sword.)
But I’m in the Lord’s army 
(Point to yourself and then to God.)
Yes, Sir 
(Cross your arm over your chest in a knight’s salute.)
chorus
I’m in the Lord’s army 
(Point to yourself and then to God.)
Yes, Sir  (Give a knight’s salute.)
I’m in the Lord’s army 
(Point to yourself and then to God.)
Yes, Sir  (Give a knight’s salute.)
Repeat verse.

traditional style—Verse
I may never march in the infantry 
(March in place.)
Ride in the cavalry 
	(Ride a horse.)
Shoot the artillery 
(Clap and shoot right hand forward.)
I may never zoom o’er the enemy 
(Put arms out to fly.)
But I’m in the Lord’s army
Yes, Sir 
(Salute.)
chorus
I’m in the Lord’s army—Yes, Sir  (Salute.)
I’m in the Lord’s army—Yes, Sir  (Salute.)
Repeat verse.

Day 3
The Breastplate and Shoes

Bible passages
King Josiah
2 Kings 22–23; Ephesians 6:15
Apologetics Content
Put on what’s right (Jesus’ righteousness), then do right.
Veritas verse
And, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15
RHYME Time
Do right in God’s sight!
lesson Focus
Put on the breastplate of righteousness and the shoes of peace.
Animal pal
Grimwald the Dragon
Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It!
Puppet Pal—Breastplate
Teach It!
Part 1: King Josiah
Part 2: Knight Time—Shoes
Part 3: Guardians of Truth Game
Part 4: Animal Pal Review
Apply It!
Part 1: Veritas Verse
Part 2: Go and Do
Just for Fun Song: “The Kingdom Keepers”
Preparing for the Lesson
Read 2 Kings 22–23 and Ephesians 6:10–18.
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. 
For more information on the breastplate and shoes, check AnswersVBS.com/keeperfaq.
Pray.

Devotion 3: The Breastplate & Shoes
Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. Psalm 119:142
Tolerance. It’s a word we hear a lot today . . . usually coming from those who are intolerant of any standard of truth (except their own, of course). 
When Josiah became king of the nation of Israel in 640 BC, the people had been practicing “tolerance” for idol worship, child-killing, and all types of sexually immoral behavior for years, neglecting the truth in the book of the law that had been handed down to them.   
King Josiah was twenty-six years old when he first read the words of the Lord. After reading the Scriptures (perhaps part of Deuteronomy), he immediately repented, realizing that he held truth in his hands and hadn’t been obeying it. Josiah also shared the truth of the book of the law with his people and set about making reforms (being intolerant of tolerance) based on what he’d read. He burned the altars to idols, tore down the place where children were sacrificed to false gods, and rid the temple of priests who were leading the people astray. With his newfound knowledge of the truth, Josiah acted righteously, no longer tolerating the views of those opposing the standard given in God’s Word (2 Kings 22–23).
When we make tolerance our standard, we set ourselves up as gods, determining on our own which views and practices are acceptable and which are not. And we find ourselves in a morass of immorality. Are those who tolerate one view any more right than those who tolerate an opposing view? Who determines which actions to tolerate and which to forbid (if any)? 
With the belt of truth firmly buckled around our waist, the question then becomes: What do I do about that truth? Do I obey God’s Word, putting on the breastplate of righteousness? Do I share the truth of God’s Word with others, putting on the shoes of the gospel of peace? King Josiah did both. May the Lord use young Josiah’s example to encourage our hearts in the battle for truth. 
May we say with the psalmist, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name” (Psalm 86:11).

Introduce It!
Puppet Pal—Breastplate (5 minutes or less)

Day 3 Rhyme Time Poster
2 copies of Day 3 Puppet Script
Bible
Medieval costumes for teachers
Mounting putty or tape
Boy or girl puppet and clipboard
Mini foil or ribbon belt 
Mini breastplate

 Prep: Fashion a mini belt out of foil or ribbon and put it on the puppet. Also make a mini breastplate and have it ready to put on. Tape one script inside the puppet stage and attach the other to a clipboard for reference.
Teacher: Good morrow, all! I wonder what Christian’s up to today. Should we call him? Do so.
Puppet: Come up with a belt on, showing it off. How do you like my new belt?
Teacher: I like it. Kids, what do you think of it? Take responses. Hey, Christian, does this have anything to do with the special belt I was telling the kids about yesterday?
Puppet: It sure does! It’s called the belt of . . . the belt of . . . . Have the kids help finish the phrase. Oh, right, the belt of truth.
Teacher: That’s right. If you believe God’s Word—every word of it—and you want to be a person who tells the truth, you’re wearing the belt of truth.
Puppet: Are there any more pieces of the armor of God? I want lots of protection!
Teacher: Yep! The next one’s called the breastplate of righteousness. Read Ephesians 6:14.
Puppet: Beast plate of whatness? That sounds dangerous!
Teacher: Chuckle. No, not beast plate, breastplate of righteousness. Do you hear the word right in righteousness? You can call it the breastplate of right because it reminds you to do right. That means you’ll obey God’s directions and make the right choices God wants you to make, like telling the truth, being kind, and obeying your parents.
Puppet: What’s a real breastplate look like?
Teacher: It’s worn right here to protect your heart. Put the mini breastplate over the puppet’s shoulders and chest/back area. Knights wore them to protect vital organs like their heart and stomach.
Puppet: Good idea! I don’t want my stomach poked with a sword! 
Teacher: Yep. When you obey God and do right, you’re protected from the trouble bad choices can get you into. God doesn’t want his children to think, “What can I get away with?” That doesn’t show much love for God! That’s actually how the enemy wants you to think. In fact, if you feel like you need to hide your actions, you know you’re not wearing the breastplate. God wants you to think, “I love God and want to please him, so what does the Bible tell me to do?”
Puppet: I want to please God and stay out of trouble!
Teacher: That’s good! Then keep asking God every day to help you do right in God’s sight. Hold up the Day 3 Rhyme Time Poster. Let’s say, “Do right in God’s sight!” together. Do so. Reading the Bible every day helps you learn what God wants you to do.
Puppet: Well, speaking of doing right, I hear my mom calling, so I need to do right and obey. Gotta go!
Teacher: See you around, Christian! Kids, while Christian’s leaving, let’s talk about a king in the Bible who desired to do right. 
Teach It!
Part 1: King Josiah (15 minutes)

King Josiah Poster
Day 3 Rhyme Time Poster
King Josiah Script and Script Cards
King Josiah Nametags 
String
Hole punch
Optional: props for King Josiah account (see text)

 Prep: Print two copies of the King Josiah Script for the teachers. Print one copy of the King Josiah script Cards and cut them apart. Gather and organize props if using them. Print the King Josiah nametags and hole punch the top two corners of each nametag, then attach string so kids 
can easily slip them on over their heads. You may want to divide the room into three areas: the right side of the room—the castle with the king’s throne, the left side of the room—the temple, and a little spot in the front middle—the area for Huldah the prophetess. Place the throne (described below) on the right side and the scroll and messy spot (described below) on the left side. Bookmark your Bible to 2 Kings 22.
Optional Props: crowns for those playing King Amon and King Josiah, simple costumes, a throne for King Amon and King Josiah (a chair with material or a plastic tablecloth draped over it), a scroll for the Book of the Law, and a messy area to represent the temple (possibly with papers, clothes, photocopied pictures of idols strewn around).

If you have a small class, skip the crowd and the servant parts. If you have a large class, have a bigger crowd and more servants if you want to have more kids participate. (It’s okay if some want to just sit and watch rather than be in it.)

Tell the kids that together you’re going to act out a Bible account. Have your Bible ready to show. Assign roles and pass out cards and nametags, letting them know before they commit that the main parts require reading. (Some children struggle with reading.) The teacher is the narrator. Explain that they should listen carefully and act out what you’re narrating. Give them verbal prompts as needed, such as, “King Amon, sit down on the throne and give an evil grin!” 
Parts: Narrator (Teacher); wicked King Amon; King Josiah; Shaphan, the king’s secretary; Hilkiah, the high priest; Huldah, the prophetess; crowd (two or more kids); servants (two or more kids)
Narrator: At the time of this Bible account found in 2 Kings (hold up your Bible), about 700 years before Jesus came to earth, there was a nation called Israel. The Israelites were God’s chosen people. Israel was ruled by a wicked king named Amon. Have King Amon sit down on the throne and give an evil grin/laugh.
As a result, the whole nation was not doing right. They were not obeying God’s commands. Have the crowd go near the temple and silently pretend to be arguing and fighting with each other.
The temple, which was called the house of the Lord, was falling apart. The people quit caring about God, so they quit caring about his house. Have the crowd shrug their shoulders at the temple and walk away as if they don’t care about it. Have them sit down.
Then wicked King Amon died. Have King Amon fall off the throne and pretend to die, then return to his seat. 
In 640 BC, Amon’s young son, Josiah, became king. Have Josiah walk up and sit down on the throne. Put a crown on his head if using props.
He was just eight years old when he became king. Can you imagine being a king when you’re eight? Have Josiah hold up eight fingers.
The Bible records that Josiah did right in the sight of the Lord. He didn’t turn aside to the right or the left but stayed on God’s good path. Even though he was only about your age, he made a choice in his mind that he wanted to be a good king and do right by following God. Have Josiah give a thumbs up sign.
Well, some years went by, and King Josiah decided to tackle a big project.
Josiah: Read card 1. Our temple is in bad shape. We need to repair it!
Narrator: King Josiah sent for his secretary, Shaphan. Have Shaphan come to the throne and have Hilkiah stand by the temple. King Josiah told Shaphan to go to the house of the Lord and speak to Hilkiah, the high priest. Shaphan told Hilkiah to give all the offering money to carpenters and builders so they could buy wood and stone to repair the temple. 
Hilkiah did what the king commanded. He gave money to the workers, and they began fixing up the temple. Then Hilkiah made an important discovery! Have Hilkiah pick up the scroll from the temple area, then dance and cheer with joy.
He called for Shaphan to come. Have servants and Shaphan go to Hilkiah at the temple. 
Hilkiah: Read card 2. I’ve found the Book of the Law, God’s Word! Take it and read it! Hand the scroll to Shaphan.

Narrator: This was a real treasure because everyone didn’t have their own copy of God’s Word back then. So Shaphan and the servants took the precious words from God back to King Josiah. Do so.
When they came to the king, Shaphan read to King Josiah from God’s Word. Have Shaphan unroll the scroll and pretend to read it.
When King Josiah heard it, he tore his clothes and wept, showing how terribly upset he was. Have Josiah fall to his knees, pretend to tear his clothes, and cry.
Josiah was upset because he knew that his father and his people had not obeyed God’s commands and done what was right.
Josiah realized that everything they needed to know for life was found in God’s Word, but they hadn’t been reading it. It was a scary and horrible feeling to know God’s Word had just been sitting there, not being used. So Josiah said to Shaphan the secretary: 
Josiah: Read card 3. Go and ask Huldah the prophetess what is to be done.
Narrator: Shaphan and the others hurried off to Huldah the prophetess. Have Huldah come up and Shaphan and the servants go to her. 
Huldah: Read card 4. Those who have not obeyed God’s Word will be very sorry. But as for you, King Josiah, you want to do right and obey God with all your heart. God knows that, and God will not let you see all the trouble that will come on this place. Your life will be peaceful, and the trouble will come after you’ve died.
Narrator: Then King Josiah gathered all the people, both small and great. Have the crowd, servants, and characters come to Josiah. King Josiah told them that he was going to read all the words of the Book of the Law so they could hear it. Have Josiah take the scroll from Shaphan and pretend to read it to the people.
And when he finished, he said:
Josiah: Read card 5. I’m making a promise before the Lord to obey God’s commandments with all my heart and all my soul and to do everything written in this book. Have the crowd cheer.
Narrator: And that’s exactly what King Josiah did. He chose to do right all the days of his life. Hold up the King Josiah poster. He read God’s Word and obeyed God’s commands. Have everyone return to their seats.
So you see how important reading God’s Word is to living right and wearing that breastplate of righteousness. But it’s not just about reading the Bible. We need to show our love for God by obeying what we read. Let’s take a minute and try to think of as many commands as we can from the Bible. Take responses. 
God knows it’s hard for us to obey all these commands. That’s why he’s given his children the Holy Spirit and the armor of God. Putting on the armor of God is all about loving God and showing our love for him through obeying his Word. We’re open to the enemy’s attacks if we don’t obey. Let’s make a commitment right now to ask the Holy Spirit to help us do right in God’s sight. Hold up the Day 3 rhyme time poster and have them repeat the phrase after you.

Knight Posters
Armor Pieces Poster (breastplates and shoes)
Pair of sturdy shoes (may be the same as the armor demo shoes)

 Part 2: Knight Time—Shoes (5 minutes)
Prep: Cut out the breastplates and shoes from the armor pieces poster and laminate if possible.
Teacher 2: Let’s make sure you remember the first two pieces of armor. The first is the belt of ___ (truth). The next is the breastplate of ___ (righteousness). Show the Knight Posters and attach the breastplate pieces from the Armor Pieces Poster or have volunteers attach them.
Now I need you all to take your shoes off and throw them in a pile. After everyone has done so, say:

On the count of three, we’ll race to see who can get their shoes back on and sit silently in less than one minute. One, two, three, go! Do so, then continue.
Teacher 1: If a knight didn’t have any shoes on, or even if he didn’t have the right shoes on, he was in trouble. Can you imagine going into battle without any shoes? Shoes help you stand firm in slippery situations, and they help you move forward quickly and confidently.
Put sturdy shoes on yourself or have a child demonstrate. You may want to tell an example of a time shoes helped you stand firm in a slippery situation or helped you move forward without falling. 
Teacher 2: 
Briefly review the gospel and remind the kids that the armor of God is only for those who are children of the King.

 So the next piece of armor is shoes. Show the Knight Posters and attach the shoes from the Armor Pieces Poster or have a boy and girl do so. Read Ephesians 6:10–11, 14–15. These shoes help you share the gospel, which is the good news about how Jesus saves us from sin. If you’re a child of the King, you used to be in the bad kingdom, but now you’re at peace with God in his kingdom. You can stand firm in God and his Word. The enemy wants you to doubt God and his Word. Stand firm! Let’s get into a position and stand firm in it as we say, “Stand firm!” Do so. 
Teacher 1: Part of doing right is telling others about Jesus. If you have your gospel shoes on, you can confidently go wherever he leads you and share about the Lord. Take a minute to think of one person who needs to hear the good news of Jesus. Do so. Let’s pray and ask God to help you do this. Do so. 
If time allows, try a quick activity to have them either stand firm or move forward, depending on your commands. When you say, “Stand firm!” they have to freeze immediately and not move or fall over. If they do, they’re out. When you say, “Move forward!” they need to take one big step forward and then freeze. Give the commands fast and see who stays in the longest.
Part 3: Guardians of Truth Game (5 minutes)

Day 1 Guardians of Truth supplies

 You’ll probably only have time for a quick round today, or you may not have time at all. See directions under Day 1 for how to play. (Keep in mind that this game can be played for months afterward on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, or at other times.)
Part 4: Animal Pal Review

Day 3 Animal Pal Poster
Armor of God Sticker Sets

 Share the Day 3 Animal Pal Poster to summarize the teaching of the day. Pass out the Armor of God sticker sets and have the kids add the breastplate and shoes stickers. 
Grimwald is a dragon. There are legends about dragons around the world. It’s likely that those legends are based on encounters with real animals, such as dinosaurs. Some dinosaurs or dragons were covered in scales, which protects them like armor protects us. When we become a child of God by repenting of our sin and believing in Jesus, we can put on the breastplate of righteousness. Jesus helps us to live rightly by obeying his Word. We can also put on shoes that help us stand firm in our faith and help us bravely go and tell others about our faith.
Apply It!
In the remaining class time, complete one or more of the following ideas. These are also on the back of the Primary Student Guides and can be done at home with a parent or caretaker if you are out of time. If you send them home, motivate the kids to do them because they are full of good stuff! Have the troupe leaders check with the kids tomorrow to see how they did on them, and consider giving contest bonus points to the groups for their hard work.
Supplies for this section are not included in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly. 

Gospel opportunity: Briefly review how to become a child of the King.
Part 1: Veritas Verse

Day 3 Memory Verse Poster 
Optional: Student Guides and supplies

 Today’s Verse: And, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15
Practice this verse several times using the Day 3 Memory Verse Poster as a reference, then try the following challenge.
Challenge: Put on a pair of running shoes and jog for one minute while saying your verse. How many times did you say it correctly?
Tomorrow’s Verse: In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16
Try the challenge again using tomorrow’s verse. Then say all the verses in order.
Part 2: Go and Do
One way to do right in God’s sight is to obey your parents with a good attitude (Ephesians 6:1). What have they asked you to do that may be hard for you to obey right away and with a smile? Ask God to help you obey and commit yourself to doing it.
Make your own King Josiah costume (e.g., make a paper crown and decorate it, decorate a paper towel tube as a scepter). Josiah decided to do right in God’s sight as a boy. What right thing can you do today?
Decorate a sign to put near your shoes that says, “Shoes of Peace.” Add today’s memory verse. When you put on your shoes, think about and pray for people who need to hear about Jesus.
Check AnswersVBS.com/keeperkids for more fun information!
Ask yourself these questions: Am I at peace with God? Have I talked about Jesus to anyone lately?
Just for Fun Song: “The Kingdom Keepers “

“The Kingdom Keepers” song, MP3 download or Simple Songs CD (12-0-141) 
Device to play songs

 Sing to the tune of “The Ants Go Marching.”
The kingdom keepers march for God, hurrah, hurrah
(March in place, lift up hands on “hurrah.”)
The kingdom keepers march for God, hurrah, hurrah 
(March in place, lift up hands on “hurrah.”)
God gave us armor we will wear
(Tap head, tap shoulders, tap waist, tap feet.)
Satan’s kingdom better beware
(Fists up, fighting stance.)
And we all go marching on
(March in place.)
For the Lord—who is strong—and has won
(Point up, flex biceps, lift arms to make a V for victory.)
Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!
(Shout and point up on each word.)
Repeat, adding a fourth Huzzah! at the end.

Day 4
The Shield and Helmet 

Bible passages
King Solomon
1 Kings 2–11; Ephesians 6:16–17a
Apologetics Content
Guard against false teachings and temptations.
Veritas Verse
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16
RHYME time
Learn to discern!
lesson Focus
Take the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. These will guard you from the enemy’s attacks.
Animal pal
Byron the Ironclad Beetle
Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It!
Puppet Pal—Shield and Helmet
Teach It!
Part 1: King Solomon
Part 2: Guardians of Truth Game
Part 3: Animal Pal Review
Apply It!
Part 1: Veritas Verse
Part 2: Go and Do
Just for Fun Song: “I’m in the Lord’s Army”
Preparing for the Lesson
Read 1 Kings 2–11 and Ephesians 6:10–18.
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. 
For more information on the shield and helmet, check AnswersVBS.com/keeperfaq.
Pray.

Devotion 4: The Shield & Helmet
Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. Psalm 119:165
Truth is relative. (Are you absolutely sure?) When we get involved with people on a personal level (as we should!), experiences and emotions can cause us to lose sight of the absolute standard as we begin to rationalize and reason away that standard: “They’re so nice, can I really say that what they’re doing is wrong? Maybe it’s okay for them, just not for me.”  
When David passed his kingdom to his son Solomon around 1000 BC, he reminded him of the command the Lord had given “to walk before me in faithfulness with all [your] heart and with all [your] soul” (1 Kings 2:4). Soon after, when the Lord promised to give Solomon whatever he asked for, Solomon asked for wisdom—the ability to think clearly about the truth. And the Lord granted his request, as evidenced by the thousands of proverbs and songs Solomon wrote and the judgments he rendered. Solomon also knew the truth about God’s tangible creation—birds, creeping things, fish, and trees (1 Kings 4:30–34).  
But somewhere along the way, Solomon began to allow his affections and attachments to the women (many women!) in his life to blur the lines between right and wrong, truth and error. Can you hear him begin to rationalize his behavior? “Sure, I know you don’t want me to marry foreign women, Lord, but I can handle it. That command is for others—not for me.” Sadly, as he allowed himself to be influenced by his wives, he built altars for their false gods . . . and eventually joined them in worshipping at the feet of idols. 
The helmet of salvation guards our minds and the way we think while the shield of faith helps us deflect temptations. Solomon neglected both of these vital pieces of armor. Solomon, the one who wrote, “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19), denied the absolute truth and turned away from the one who is truth. 
We must never be satisfied with our current knowledge of the Christian faith, but instead we need to be continually studying God’s Word, so that when the devil lobs his lies in our direction, we can easily deflect them with the shield of faith. And with the helmet of salvation firmly in place, we can guard what we put into our minds. Things we watch on TV, read in books, hear from our friends, and learn from our teachers should all be evaluated against the standard of truth found in the Bible before we allow ourselves to meditate on it and allow it to sink into our souls. May we take refuge in the truth of the Lord and his Word as the psalmist did: “But you are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true.” (Psalm 119:151).

Introduce It!

D-darts Poster
Knight Poster 
Armor Pieces Poster (shields and helmets)
2 copies of Day 4 Puppet Script
Bible
Medieval costumes for teachers
Mounting putty or tape
Boy or girl puppet and clipboard
Mini foil belt and breastplate from yesterday
Mini shield and helmet (see Prep)

 Puppet Pal—Shield and Helmet (5 minutes)
Prep: Tape one script inside the puppet stage and attach the other to a clipboard for reference. Make a mini shield by covering a plastic margarine lid with foil and putting a piece of duct tape on the back for the puppet’s hand to go through so it looks like he’s holding a shield. Make a mini helmet out of foil that will fit on the puppet’s head. Don’t put it on the puppet until it’s called for in the script.
Teacher: Huzzah! Hooray! I’m glad to see all of you today here in the strongest part of the castle, the keep. Do you think we can get Christian to visit again? Take responses, then have the kids call for him.
Puppet: Come up wearing the belt and breastplate from yesterday. Also have a mini shield. Hey, everyone! Look what I’ve got!
Teacher: Well, I see you have your belt on. What’s that belt called, kids? Take responses.
Puppet: It’s my belt of truth. God’s Word is true!
Teacher: And you have your breastplate on. What’s the breastplate called, kids? Take responses.
Puppet: The breastplate of righteousness. When I learn the Bible, it helps me to do right.
Teacher: But now I’m wondering what you’re holding there.
Puppet: That’s the next piece of armor. It’s called the shield of faith.
Teacher: That’s really important to have because it will protect you. You see, knights always carried big shields into battle because the shield protected them from flaming arrows.
Puppet: I’m not going to have real flaming arrows come my way, am I?
Teacher: No, but the enemy sends invisible flaming arrows to try to get you to mess up.
Puppet: I sure don’t want the enemy’s arrows to make me mess up and sin.
Teacher: That’s why you need your shield to block them. And you need another piece of armor too—a helmet. Put the helmet on the puppet’s head and read Ephesians 6:16–17.
Puppet: What does that do?
Teacher: The helmet of salvation reminds us that Jesus saves us from sin, and doesn’t want  us to keep doing the same sins over and over. Now that you have your shield of faith and helmet of salvation, you’re protected from the arrows the enemy will send your way.
Puppet: How does the enemy shoot arrows at us?
Teacher: Well, they aren’t real arrows. But the enemy and the people in his bad kingdom will try to get you to mess up or give up using his D-darts. Show the d-darts poster and briefly explain the terms.
Puppet: Those are some dangerous darts the enemy uses! But I have my shield of faith and helmet of salvation to help me. Block with the shield or duck behind it.
Teacher: That’s right! Add the shields and helmets to the Knight Posters. The armor of God helps protect his children from the enemy’s D-darts. Let’s take a look at how the enemy got a very wise king in the Bible to mess up and sin. I’ll pass out a red flag to each of you, and then we’ll begin.
Puppet: Okay. See you later!

Teach It!
Part 1: King Solomon (10 minutes)

King Solomon Poster
Day 4 Rhyme Time Poster 
King Solomon Script 
Treasure chest
Flags—red construction paper, straws, and tape

 Prep: Cut the red paper into flag shapes and tape one to each straw. Make one flag per child, and put them in the treasure chest. Print copies of the King Solomon Script to tuck in your Bible at 1 Kings 3 or use the script below.
Give each child a red flag from the treasure chest. Have them place their flags on the floor or table in front of them and instruct them not to touch the flags until they hear a time when Solomon was letting his guard down. When prompted by the teacher, they must decide whether to pick up and wave their red flags or leave them down. (It may or may not be more than once.)
Relay the account of Solomon using the following King Solomon Script.

If you have a biblical history timeline (such as The Seven C's of History [00-5-057]), point out on the timeline when Solomon lived (about 1000 BC).
An alternative to the red flags is to have kids do some type of physical movement, such as high five each other if Solomon did well or slap the floor if he let down his guard.

 Teacher 1: Open your Bible. Did you know that the book of 1 Kings tells of a time when God asked a person what he wished for? What would you wish for if you had one wish? Take answers, then continue.
Teacher 2: About a thousand years before Jesus came to earth, God said to a king named Solomon, “Ask what I shall give you.” Guess what he asked for? He asked for a wise, understanding mind so he could judge God’s people well and tell between good and evil (1 Kings 3:9). Red flag yet? See if any wave them.
Teacher 1: Solomon’s request pleased the Lord. God said that because Solomon had asked for this and didn’t ask for long life, riches, or the lives of his enemies, God would give him a wise and understanding heart. God added that he’d also give Solomon what he didn’t ask for: both riches and honor. Red flag yet? See if any wave them.
Teacher 2: Solomon became known as the wisest man ever. He made many wise judgments, and he loved God. He spoke 3,000 wise sayings called proverbs, some of which are recorded in the book of Proverbs. Show your Bible. He also knew about trees and animals, birds, bugs, and fish. And people all over the world came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Red flag yet? See if any wave them.
Teacher 1: Then Solomon took on the project of building a temple to the Lord, which was a place of worship kind of like our churches today. God gave him directions, and he obediently completed it in seven years. Red flag yet? See if any wave them.
Teacher 2: Also, Solomon decided to build his own house, which took thirteen years to finish. During this time, he spent a lot of time gathering riches and caring for his own stuff. Red flag yet? See if any wave them. (This is a possible red flag.)
Teacher 1: He may have been letting down his guard. Also, King Solomon started marrying women he shouldn’t have. We know God intended for a man to have just one wife, as we see with Adam and Eve (Genesis 1). And in the New Testament, God tells us that he wants a Christian to only marry another Christian (2 Corinthians 6:14). But Solomon didn’t listen to God, and he started marrying women who weren’t part of God’s kingdom. Red flag yet? See if any wave them. (This is a major red flag!)
Teacher 2: Solomon was neglecting his shield of faith and helmet of salvation. He was letting his guard down and making bad choices.
Teacher 1: And how about this? Solomon liked these foreign women so much he married lots of them—like 700! Red flag? See if any wave them. (This is another major red flag!)
Teacher 2: He sure didn’t do right in God’s sight! The Bible records that his wives worshipped false gods. There’s only one true God, the Creator King, who is the leader of the good kingdom. False gods are not gods at all but part of the bad kingdom. Solomon even built places to worship the false gods of his wives. Red flag? See if any wave them. (This is another major red flag!)
Teacher 1: God told Solomon that because he’d done this, and hadn’t kept God’s commands, God would take the kingdom away from him and give it to his servant.

Teacher 2: And that’s exactly what happened. His kingdom was eventually taken away. Hold up the King Solomon Poster. Solomon’s life started out well, but it didn’t end well because he let his guard down.
Lead a brief discussion about what actions caused Solomon to let his guard down. Possible answers may include when he spent more time building his house than God’s house, when he spent much time and attention gathering riches for himself, and especially, when he loved many foreign women and built high places (altars) for them to worship their false gods. Talk about how he gradually let down his guard, and it eventually caught up to him. 
Teacher 1: Solomon wasn’t careful about his wives and the people he spent time with, and he let his guard down. He’s an example of how Satan can use the people in his kingdom, in this case, the wives of Solomon, to tempt a child of God to sin. If the wisest man let down his guard and was tricked by the enemy, don’t you think you need to be careful? Let’s practice with our red flags for a minute.
Give the kids some modern examples and have them wave their red flags if it would be letting their guard down. Some possible examples include hanging out with friends who love the Lord (good–don’t wave flag), talking bad about a good teacher to your friends (wave red flag), sleeping in and skipping church (red flag), memorizing a Bible verse (good), watching a movie filled with bad words (red flag), watching a show where the kids talk back to their parents and then doing it yourself (red flag), or telling someone something you’ve learned from the Bible (good).
Teacher 2: Solomon reminds us that we must “learn to discern,” or tell right from wrong, so we won’t be tricked by the enemy. Show the day 4 rhyme time poster. Let’s say that together. Do so. We find in the Bible that “bad company ruins good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33; see also Proverbs 22:24–25). What do you think that means? Take answers, then say:
This means that the people we hang out with can lead us away from God. And this doesn’t just mean friends we’re with in person. This can mean people in books, music, movies, video games, and on the internet or TV. The enemy will use these things against the people in the good kingdom.
Teacher 1: You may be surprised to see that many of the people we read about in the Bible started out well but didn’t end well because they didn’t continue to obey God’s Word. You can never let down your guard. You need to turn to Jesus every day! He’s the one who will help you in good times and in hard times. It’s super important to read and study God’s Word and keep asking him to help you do right. Pray for God to help you learn to discern and stand strong.
Part 2: Guardians of Truth Game (5–10 minutes)

Day 1 Guardians of Truth supplies

 See directions under Day 1 for how to play the game.

Day 4 Animal Pal Poster
Armor of God Sticker Sets

 Part 3: Animal Pal Review
Share the Day 4 Animal Pal Poster to summarize the teaching of the day. Pass out the Armor of God sticker sets and have the kids add the shield and helmet as you discuss the animal pal. 
Byron is an ironclad beetle—a diabolical ironclad beetle. Diabolical means “evil.” Despite his name, Byron is actually harmless! In our fallen world, God has given Byron strong coverings to protect him from his enemies. What has God given us as protection? Take responses. Right, his special armor. The shield of faith gives us courage to resist the enemy’s fiery darts and the helmet of salvation guards our minds so we can focus on who God is and what he’s done for us.
Apply It!
In the remaining class time, complete one or more of the following ideas. These are also on the back of the Primary Student Guides and can be done at home with a parent or caretaker if you are out of time. If you send them home, motivate the kids to do them because they are full of good stuff! Have the troupe leaders check with the kids tomorrow to see how they did on them, and consider giving contest bonus points to the groups for their hard work.

Gospel opportunity: Briefly explain what it means to be a member of God’s kingdom. Only children of the King can wear the armor of God.
Supplies for this section are not included in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly. 
Part 1: Veritas Verse

Day 4 Memory Verse Poster
Optional: Student Guides and supplies

 Today’s Verse: In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16
Practice the verse several times using the Day 4 Memory Verse Poster as a reference, then try the following challenge.
Challenge: Get a paper plate (“shield”) and some paper wads (“fiery darts”). Have someone throw paper wads at you while you use your shield. At the same time, say your memory verse.
Tomorrow’s Verse: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit. Ephesians 6:17–18a
Try the challenge again with tomorrow’s verse. Then try saying all the week’s verses learned so far in order.
Part 2: Go and Do
Make a temple building with LEGO bricks, blocks, or cardboard boxes and tubes. Look in 1 Kings 6 for a description of the temple. What precious metal did King Solomon use throughout the temple?
Go on a hat hunt around your house. How many hats can you find? Which hat is the funniest? Which hat would provide the most protection (e.g., large sun hat, bike helmet, sports helmet)? Remember that the helmet of salvation protects your mind from bad influences.
Draw a big heart and write Philippians 4:8 inside it. Ask God to help you use that verse to decide whether to watch or listen to something (or someone!).
Check AnswersVBS.com/keeperkids for more fun information! 
Ask yourself this question: Am I hanging out with anyone or watching or listening to anyone who is leading me away from God? 
Just for Fun Song: I’m in the Lord’s Army (medieval style and traditional style)
Explain the terms in the song and how a knight would have done these things.
MEDIEVAL STYlE—Verse

“I’m in the Lord’s Army” song, MP3 download or Simple Songs CD (12-0-141) 
Device to play songs

 I may never march to the castle keep (March in place.)
Ride in the tournament 
(Ride a horse, holding a spear in one hand.)
Shoot at the battlement 
(Shoot an arrow from a bow.)
I may never sword fight the enemy 
(Swing a sword.)
But I’m in the Lord’s army 
(Point to yourself and then to God.)
Yes, Sir 
(Cross your arm over your chest in a knight’s salute.)
chorus
I’m in the Lord’s army 
(Point to yourself and then to God.)
Yes, Sir  (Give a knight’s salute.)
I’m in the Lord’s army 
(Point to yourself and then to God.)
Yes, Sir  (Give a knight’s salute.)
Repeat verse.

TRAditional style—Verse
I may never march in the infantry 
(March in place.)
Ride in the cavalry (Ride a horse.)
Shoot the artillery 
(Clap and shoot right hand forward.)
I may never zoom o’er the enemy 
(Put arms out to fly.)
But I’m in the Lord’s army—Yes, Sir 
(Salute.)
chorus
I’m in the Lord’s army—Yes, Sir  (Salute.)
I’m in the Lord’s army—Yes, Sir  (Salute.)
Repeat verse.

Day 5
The Sword and Prayer

Bible passages
King of Kings vs. Prince of the Air
Matthew 4:1–11; Ephesians 6:17–18a 
Apologetics Content
Be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in you.
Veritas VERSE
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit. Ephesians 6:17–18a
RHYME TIME
Train your brain!
LESSON FOCUS
Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and pray at all times.
Animal pal
Skye the Peregrine Falcon

Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It!
Puppet Pal—Sword
Teach It!
Part 1: Jesus in the Wilderness
Part 2: Armor of God Skits
Part 3: Guardians of Truth Game
Part 4: Sword Drills
Part 5: Animal Pal Review
Apply It!
Part 1: Veritas Verse
Part 2: Go and Do
Just for Fun Song: “The Kingdom Keepers”
Preparing for the Lesson
Read Matthew 4:1–11 and Ephesians 6:10–18.
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. 
For more information on memorizing the word of God, see AnswersVBS.com/keeperfaq.
Pray.
Devotion 5: The Sword & Prayer
Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. Proverbs 8:1, 6–7
Truth is what you make it. But what if I say that is a false statement? Am I making truth, or are you? You can see that absurdity reigns when we allow truth to be set aside in favor of opinion. 
Satan knows there is an absolute standard of truth, but he delights in obscuring, changing, and denying it. He is the author of the false truth claims we’ve visited this week, and he loves it when Christians—the ones who hold truth in their hands every time they pick up a Bible—fall for his lies. 
He has even been so bold as to lie to the King of kings—the one who banned him from heaven in the first place for his original lies. When he tempted Jesus, he lied in three ways:
1. He denied the truth that Jesus is God (Matthew 4:3). 
2. He wrongly quoted Scripture to serve his own purposes (Matthew 4:6). 
3. He lied about the power and authority he had (Matthew 4:9). 
How many times have we fallen for one of these lies: doubting God, believing someone who twists a passage of Scripture to mean something other than what it does, or craving the things of the world more than Jesus?
When Satan tempted the King of kings in the wilderness, Jesus responded with the truth. Even though he was bone-weary, famished, and thirsty, he didn’t stoop to Satan’s level by falling for any of his lies. Instead, he rebuked and rebuffed the enemy by simply drawing the sword of the Spirit and quoting Scripture that he had already memorized and meditated on, Scripture that was readily available in his mind for him to speak, Scripture that he himself had written. 
In this battle between truth and error, may we continually hunger to know the truth of God’s Word and desire to seek his face in prayer. We know the end of the “story”: God wins the war, and Satan will be forever sentenced to an eternity in fiery hell. But how are we fighting the battles in the meantime? How accurately can you handle the sword of the Spirit? How well does it fit in your hand? How comfortable are you using it to defeat the enemy? How intimately familiar are you with the Word of God? 
May we stand strong in this battle for truth and say, “For my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips” (Proverbs 8:7). 
Introduce It!
Puppet Pal—Sword (5 minutes)

Knight Posters
Armor Pieces Poster (swords) 
Day 5 Rhyme Time Poster 
2 copies of Day 5 Puppet Script 
Bible
Medieval costumes
Mounting putty or tape
Boy or girl puppet and clipboard
Small ball to juggle
Optional: mini jester hat

 Prep: Find a small ball to use as a juggling ball or make one following the directions in the Craft Guide. Tape one script inside the puppet stage and attach the other to a clipboard for reference. Cut out the swords on the armor pieces poster and laminate (if possible). Optional: search the internet for “paper jester hat” and make one in a miniature size.
Teacher: Welcome, knights and maidens, to our last day in the keep. Should we check in on Christian one last time?
Puppet: Come up with a jester hat and a juggling ball. Mutter to yourself: I just can’t do it!
Teacher: What’s wrong, Christian? You’re wearing such a fun jester’s hat, but you don’t seem very happy. 
Puppet: I’m frustrated! Jesters make people laugh and entertain them with juggling. I want to be a juggler sooo much, but I just can’t get the hang of it.
Teacher: Let me see you try.
Puppet: Throw the ball up and miss catching it. Sigh a big sigh, then say dejectedly: See? I’m terrible! How can I juggle and catch three balls if I can’t even throw and catch one?
Teacher: Juggling’s a challenging skill to learn. Have you been practicing a lot?
Puppet: Well, no. But I sure do wish I was good at it.
Teacher: How do you expect to get good if you aren’t putting any effort into it?
Puppet: I don’t know. I just hope I will.
Teacher: Let me give you some advice, Christian. It doesn’t work that way. You aren’t going to get better until you get serious about practicing. The effort you put into it will make a big difference in how good you’ll be at juggling.
Puppet: Do you really think so?
Teacher: I know so. For example, what if a doctor didn’t study and practice his skills? Would you want him doing brain surgery on you? Pretend to do a surgical cut by the puppet’s head.
Puppet: No way! I wouldn’t want him anywhere near my brain!
Teacher: What about a pilot who hadn’t practiced flying and landing a plane? Would you want to take a trip with him?
Puppet: No way! I’d have my mom drive me instead!
Teacher: Did you know that knights in medieval times had things they had to practice too?
Puppet: Really? What?
Teacher: Sword practice! And the swords back then were heavy. They had to practice with them to get strong enough to swing them around to defend themselves and attack enemies. What do you think would happen if knights didn’t practice with their swords?
Puppet: They’d probably get sliced by an enemy knight! Pretend to get cut and slump down as though dead or injured.
Teacher: Yes. They wouldn’t last long as knights if they didn’t practice. 
Puppet: Yikes! I better go and practice my juggling!
Teacher: That’s a good idea! But before you go, let me tell you something else you need to practice—something very important.

Puppet: What? The piano?
Teacher: No. It’s the next piece of the armor of God. Just like the knights used swords, the last piece of our spiritual armor is a sword.
Puppet: Oh, I’ve seen sword fighting in movies. Pretend to sword fight in the air.
Teacher: Our invisible sword is called the sword of the Spirit. Read Ephesians 6:14–17. Show the Knight Posters and attach the swords or have a boy and girl do so. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God, which is the Bible. A knight’s sword wouldn’t do him any good if he never used it during a battle, would it? Well, the Bible won’t be the help it should be if we aren’t learning it and practicing how to use it.
Puppet: What do you mean? How can we learn and use God’s Word?
Teacher: You know, sometimes God’s children leave the Bible just laying around. Kids, if you have a Bible somewhere in your house, shout, “Sword of the Spirit!” Take responses. Does that Bible ever sit there and not get opened for days and days? Pause. Every day, you’ve got to be hearing, memorizing, and using the Bible. You’ve got to train your brain with the Bible. Hold up the day 5 rhyme time poster. Let’s say, “Train your brain!” together. Do so.
Puppet: Wow! That’s a lot to remember—to wear all the armor of God and train my brain.
Teacher: That’s why God tells us to put on the armor, then pray. He’ll help his kingdom keepers use the armor to fight against sin and obey him.
Puppet: Whew! I’m glad God will help. Well, I’m going to try to train my brain by memorizing my Bible verses! Then I can practice juggling. Bye for now!
Teacher: Goodbye, Christian! Now, let’s listen to a great example of how Jesus used the sword of the Spirit against the attacks of Satan.
Teach It!
Part 1: Jesus in the Wilderness (5 minutes)

Jesus in the Wilderness Poster
Day 5 Rhyme Time Poster
Optional: DVD clip of Jesus in the Wilderness and DVD player
Gold foil-wrapped candies, 1 per child
Treasure chest

 Prep: Set up the DVD if using one. Put the gold foil-wrapped candies in the treasure chest.
Teacher 2: The challenge for each of you is to see if you can count how many times Jesus uses the sword of the Spirit in this account. I’ll be giving out a golden treat from the treasure chest to those who guess the right number at the end (without giving it away to anyone else), so listen carefully. Here we go!
Either share Matthew 4:1–11 from the Bible or a children’s picture Bible or show a video clip of this scene from a Christian video. (Make sure it has “It is written” three times in it.) Use the Jesus in the Wilderness Poster as needed. When done, have the kids put up the number of fingers that corresponds to how many times Jesus used the sword of the Spirit (three). Mention that he often said, “It is written . . . ” That shows us that Jesus relied on God’s Word! When he lived on earth, he was 100% man and 100% God at the same time. Jesus gave us an example of saying no to temptation using the sword of the Spirit, God’s Word. Pass out the foil-wrapped candies for them to eat as long as they are listening quietly. 
Teacher 1: You might be asking, “Okay, how do I really do that? I don’t know where to begin with getting to know the Bible.” Does anybody have any ideas? Take responses. You need to train your brain! Hold up the day 5 rhyme time poster again. Let’s say that together. Do so. Here are some ways to train your brain in God’s Word:
Commit to God that you’re going to read or have somebody read to you at least a little bit from the Bible every day. Choose a book and start reading, little by little!
Write down or talk about a command, a promise, something you learned, or something that stood out to you from your reading.
Pray and ask God to help you love him and his Word more each day. 

Gospel opportunity: Remind children that the armor of God is only for those who are members of the good kingdom and who follow Jesus. 
Go to church and learn more about God and his Bible. 
Talk to people who love God’s Word and see what they do to study and love it. You may want to share a little about how you study the Bible.
Begin memorizing God’s Word. You can start with your craft from today and memorize the verses you’re taking home. (If your church has AWANA or a Bible memorization program, encourage them to attend that.)
Teacher 2: Whatever you do, do something! Pray about it, make a plan, and commit to keep it. Remember that it’s a daily choice. There will be days you miss, but don’t let that discourage you. Just keep praying about it and getting back to it!

Knight Posters
Armor Pieces Poster
Day 5 Rhyme Time Poster
1 copy of the Armor of God Skits
Armor demo pieces
Appliance box TV screen and comfy chair (see Prep)
Remote control, a math textbook, and a cell phone
Foam or foil darts (see Prep)

 Part 2: Armor of God Skits (10 minutes)
Prep: Print a copy of the Armor of God Skits for Teacher 2. Make a big TV screen by cutting a large rectangular hole (screen) out of one side of a large box and putting a black construction paper border around the hole. Place a supply of darts behind the TV screen. Foam darts from a nerf gun work great. Or make “darts” by wadding foil and attaching yellow, orange, or red curling ribbon to them. Use the armor demo pieces and/or the Knight Posters and Armor Pieces to review the armor. 
Teacher 1: Let’s review all the parts of the armor.
Ask for a volunteer and have him put on or hold up the parts of the armor one at a time (or do so yourself). As you do, see if the kids can remember its name and what it means. Or review each piece using the Knight Posters and Armor pieces.
Belt of truth: Believe God’s Word is 100% true. Trust the truth. Tell the truth.
Breastplate of righteousness: Take on Jesus’ righteousness, and choose daily to obey your King and do right.
Shoes of peace: Be at peace with God and ready to share him with others.
Shield of faith: Keep your guard up against Satan’s fiery darts.
Helmet of salvation: Guard your mind against Satan’s attempts to get you to mess up (sin).
Sword of the Spirit: Train your brain to know and use God’s Word in specific situations.
Now, let’s watch Armor of God—Take One! and see someone who doesn’t know how to use the armor of God to fight the enemy’s fiery darts.
At this point, both teachers will work together for the following skit. Teacher 1 gets behind/inside the cardboard TV screen with the darts, and Teacher 2 sits in a nearby chair (so it’s easy for the darts to hit him) with a remote control, a math textbook, and a cell phone. Teacher 2 gets comfy in the chair, then pretends to turn on the TV set to check out what’s on. Teacher 1 starts talking from inside the TV screen.

Practice ahead of time to make sure the darts hit Teacher 2. If one misses at any point when it’s supposed to hit you, just pick it up and jokingly throw it at yourself!

 Armor of God—Take One!
Teacher 1: Welcome to Headline News! Today’s top story shows that the pandemic is continuing to cause havoc everywhere. Or substitute a current, age-appropriate news story that is causing anxiety. People feel there isn’t anywhere to turn for answers, and fear is at an all-time high. Throw or shoot a dart and hit Teacher 2.
Teacher 2: Act slightly wounded from the dart. Yeah, I feel so scared all the time about everything. Let’s see what else is on today. Pretend to change the channel with the remote.
Teacher 1: Welcome to Paleontologist Planet. Today we’ll be talking about the Archaeopteryx bird. This fascinating creature lived millions of years ago and evolved from dinosaurs. Throw or shoot another dart at Teacher 2.
Teacher 2: Slump down a bit more in the chair. Birds started out as dinosaurs? I didn’t know that. Well, there’s nothing I feel like watching, so maybe I should do my homework.

Pick up the math book and sigh. I’m not good at math. My teacher says I’m way behind. I’m so dumb. I’m just a loser. Teacher 1 throws or shoots another dart. The cell phone rings. Pick up the phone to answer it.
Oh, hi! Act amazed, as if you’re hearing some juicy gossip. No, I didn’t hear that about Jordan. He’s such a jerk! I’m going to tell Chris! Teacher 1 throws or shoots another dart. Act wounded again. 
Well, I guess I better quit wasting time and get back to my math homework. I’m just gonna check the TV one more time before I do. Pretend to change the channel with the remote.
Teacher 1: Today in Washington DC, another march turned dangerous. 
Teacher 2: Oh brother! I can’t stand those people! Teacher 1 throws or shoots another dart. When it hits, slump down and fall on the floor.
Teacher 1: Poke your head out from the TV and talk to the students. Time out! We’re now going to rewind and see take two! This time, watch ___ use the armor of God to fight the fiery darts. Let’s see what a difference it makes when he’s on his guard and using God’s Word.
Armor of God—Take Two!
Teacher 2: First put on the pieces of the armor you’ve been using all week, then sit down.
Teacher 1: Welcome to Headline News! Today’s top story shows that the pandemic is continuing to cause havoc everywhere. People feel there isn’t anywhere to turn for answers, and fear is at an all-time high. Throw or shoot a dart.
Teacher 2: Have your armor in place. Deflect the dart. People may feel like there aren’t answers, but there are! They’re in God’s Word! It’s 100% reliable, and God tells us in 1 Peter to cast all our cares on him because he cares for us. God understands what we’re going through—even the scary stuff! When I get really fearful, it helps so much to think about God and remember he’s in control. Even if something sad or hard happens to me, I need to remember I can trust my loving God. Let’s see what else is on. Pretend to switch channels.
Teacher 1: Welcome to Paleontologist Planet! Today we’ll be talking about the Archaeopteryx bird. This fascinating creature lived millions of years ago and evolved from dinosaurs. Throw or shoot a dart. 
Teacher 2: Deflect the dart. No, that can’t be true! The Bible says in Genesis 1 that God made each animal after its own kind. Birds were made as birds (Genesis 1:21). Dinosaurs were made as dinosaurs a day after birds (Genesis 1:25). They didn’t change from one kind into another kind. And we know the world isn’t millions of years old because we can add up the dates in the Bible and find that it’s just thousands of years old (Genesis 5, 11).
Well, there’s nothing I feel like watching, so maybe I should do my homework.
Pick up the math book. Math isn’t my best subject, but I’ll try my best because God’s Word says that whatever we do, do it heartily, remembering we’re working for the Lord and not for men (Colossians 3:23). And even though sometimes I feel like a loser, I know that’s not true. Psalm 139 says that I’m fearfully and wonderfully made, and Genesis says that all people are made in God’s image. That makes me special. 
The cell phone rings and Teacher 2 picks it up. Hmm, I didn’t hear that about Jordan, but I’m sure there’s an explanation. Let’s not talk about it anymore. Talk to you later, bye. Pretend to hang up.
Look at your watch or the clock. Oh, look at the time! I need to get back to my schoolwork. I’ll find something on TV to listen to while I work. Pretend to change the channel. 

Teacher 1: Today in Washington DC, another march turned dangerous. Throw or shoot a dart. 
Teacher 2: Deflect the dart. Another dangerous gathering. I’m sad but not surprised. The enemy tries to get us angry at each other and divided, sometimes to the point of actually hurting each other. But God doesn’t want us to hate the other people. Instead, because we’re all related and made in his image, we should be treating each other with respect and kindness. Even if we don’t agree, God’s Word tells us that as much as it depends on me, I should live at peace with others, be kind, and not fight.
Teacher 1: Stick your head out from the TV. See what a difference it makes if you use the armor of God? Of course, God isn’t asking us to actually walk around with a shield, helmet, sword, and all that. But you understand that it means we’re to use our spiritual armor when we hear lies on TV or from other people. Satan wants to trick us and get us to doubt God’s Word, like he did with Eve. But God’s children use the truth of God’s Word to fight the enemy! 
Teacher 2: Realize that the battle is really in your mind. The enemy wants to make you believe his lies. So keep your guard up and train your brain with Scripture! Show the Day 5 Rhyme Time Poster. Let’s say, “Train your brain!” together. Do so.
Now discuss the importance of praying, which is simply talking to God. We can pray to God anytime and anywhere, and he hears us. This is an amazing and important gift! Prayer is not considered an official part of the armor of God, but it is a necessary component in the spiritual battle. You may want to share a little about your prayer life and ask them about the challenges or wins in their prayer life. End this segment by praying together for strength in the battle!

Day 1 Guardians of Truth supplies

 Part 3: Guardians of Truth Game (5–10 minutes)
Today is the last round. You may want to make the point totals worth double or more for this last day. Play for as long as time allows, then tally the day’s or the week’s totals and declare the winning team. 
See directions under Day 1 for how to play the game.

Bibles, 1 per child

 Part 4: Sword Drills (5–10 minutes)
If you have extra time today (or any day), practice some sword drills. Pass out Bibles and see who can get to various passages in a designated amount of time, such as one minute.
Part 5: Animal Pal Review

Day 5 Animal Pal Poster
Armor of God Sticker Sets

 Share the Day 5 Animal Pal Poster to summarize today’s teaching. Pass out the Armor of God sticker sets and have kids add the sword. They can take the papers home today. 
Skye is a peregrine falcon. People trained falcons to hunt small animals. Falcons like Skye learn quickly and are eager to obey. She reminds us that we need to be quick to learn the Word of God. We need to train our brains!
Apply It!
In the remaining class time, complete one or more of the following ideas. These are also on the Primary Student Guides and can be done at home with a parent or caretaker if you are out of time.
Supplies for this section are not included in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly.
Part 1: Veritas Verse

Day 5 Memory Verse Poster
Armor demo pieces 
Optional: Student Guides and supplies
Optional: Follow-up Bible study and/or bookmarks

Day 5 Memory Verse Poster
Armor demo pieces 
Optional: Student Guides and supplies
Optional: Follow-up Bible study and/or bookmarks

 Today’s Verse: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit. Ephesians 6:17–18a
Note: You may want to show them the follow-up Bible study or bookmarks that are available if you plan to give these out.
Practice the verses several times, using the Day 5 Memory Verse Poster as a reference, then try the following challenge.
Challenge: Try to say the whole week’s verses in order. You may want to make up motions to symbolize each armor piece to help you remember the order. 
Part 2: Go and Do
Draw a knight’s sword on a piece of sturdy paper and write “Sword of the Spirit” on it, then color and cut it out. Use it as a bookmark in your Bible.
Train your brain to know God’s Word. How many verses from VBS can you say by memory? Pick a Bible verse from the Bible or your card caddy and memorize it!
It’s important to pray. If you’re a child of the King, pray now and thank God for giving you the armor of God. Ask him to remind you to wear it every day!
Check AnswersVBS.com/keeperkids for more fun information.
Ask yourself these questions: How often do I open God’s Word? Do I have a plan?
Just for Fun Song: The Kingdom Keepers 

“The Kingdom Keepers” song, MP3 download or Simple Songs CD (12-0-141) 
Device to play songs

 Sing to the tune of “The Ants Go Marching.”
The kingdom keepers march for God, hurrah, hurrah
(March in place, lift up hands on “hurrah.”)
The kingdom keepers march for God, hurrah, hurrah 
(March in place, lift up hands on “hurrah.”)
God gave us armor we will wear
(Tap head, tap shoulders, tap waist, tap feet.)
Satan’s kingdom better beware
(Fists up, fighting stance.)
And we all go marching on
(March in place.)
For the Lord—who is strong—and has won
(Point up, flex biceps, lift arms to make a V for victory.)
Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!
(Shout and point up on each word.)
Repeat, adding a fourth Huzzah! at the end.