Choose Whom You Will Serve Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “God had cared for them all the way.”
Joshua was very old now. God’s people lived in their new land. So Joshua called all the people together at a place called Shechem. The leaders came, and the judges, and everyone. Joshua had a message for them from God.
This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said. “Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River.” Long, long before, Abraham’s family lived far away, beyond a big river. They served other gods. Those were pretend gods, not the real God.
The LORD said, “I took your father Abraham from beyond the River.” And God gave Abraham a son, Isaac. God had been with Abraham and his whole family. God had cared for them all the way.
“I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau,” said the LORD. Then Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.
“I sent Moses and Aaron,” said the LORD. “I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and you came to the sea.” The soldiers of Egypt chased them. But God made a path right through the sea. Can you make a path with your two hands?
“You lived in the wilderness many days,” said the LORD. The wilderness is the big, empty desert. God gave them food and water there, day after day. God had cared for them all the way.
Once a king wanted a man named Balaam to curse God’s people. To curse means to say bad words over someone. But God said, “I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still.” Bad words turned into good words!
“You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho,” said the LORD. And God gave them the land.
The LORD said more. “I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you didn’t build. You eat of vineyards and olive groves which you didn’t plant.” Labored means worked hard. Vineyards are gardens full of grapes. Yum! God had cared for them all the way.
Then Joshua asked the people to choose. “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him,” he said. To fear the LORD means to honor him as the great God. “Choose today whom you will serve.”
Then Joshua said, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” His house meant his whole family. Can you point to yourself, and then to your family?
The people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD.” That means they would never leave the LORD. They remembered how God had kept them safe. “We also will serve the LORD; for he is our God.”
Joshua asked them again, to be sure. “No, but we will serve the LORD,” they said. “We will serve the LORD our God, and we will listen to his voice.” Can you put your hand by your ear, like you are listening?
So Joshua made a promise with the people that day. He wrote God’s words in a book. Then he took a great stone. He set it up under a big oak tree. The stone would help the people remember this day.
Then Joshua sent everyone home. Some time later, Joshua died. He was one hundred ten years old. And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua.
God cares for your family too, every step of the way. God had cared for them all the way.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What are some ways God has cared for your family?
- What do you think the people remembered when they saw the big stone?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw the great stone under the big oak tree.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” — Joshua 24:15 (as for me → point to yourself; and my house → make a roof with your hands; we will serve the LORD → point up)
Dear God, thank you for caring for my family all the way. Please help us listen to your voice. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: You Can Choose God
Memory verse: “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” — Joshua 24:15 · WEB
The Bible story
Old Joshua gathers God's people one last time and asks the biggest question of all — whom will you choose to serve? Discover his brave, loving answer.
Talk about it
- Who gathered God's people together in this story? — Joshua
- Where did Joshua gather all the people? — Shechem
- What did Joshua remind the people about? — How God rescued them from Egypt
- How did God's people cross the sea? — On dry ground through the sea
- What kind of home did God give the people? — Towns they did not build
- What big question did Joshua ask everyone? — Whom will you choose to serve?
Where is Jesus in this story?
Joshua told Israel they had to choose between the Lord and other gods (Joshua 24:15). Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters,” and “you cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24), and He also said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16). He loved you first, so you can gladly choose to follow Him.
What God wants to tell us
Every single day, we get to choose who we will love and follow. Joshua showed us that choosing God is the very best choice of all, because God is faithful and never stops loving us. We do not have to be afraid to follow Him, even when others do not. When we choose God, we are choosing the One who chose us first and holds us close forever.
Prayer
Father God, thank You for loving me and choosing me first. Help me to choose You every day, just like brave Joshua did. I want to follow You with all my heart. Please help me to be kind and to trust You, even when it is hard. I love You. Amen.
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