Abraham, Sarah and Isaac (Children's Bible Lesson About Patience)

This free Children’s Church lesson plan was first written for children age 5 – 11. It covers the story of Abraham and Sarah as well as the miracle of Isaac. This story highlights the need to trust God and be patient while waiting for his promises to come true.
This material could could also be used as the Bible lesson for children’s Sunday school. Be sure to consider your own ministry context and modify it as needed. Please leave any feedback or suggestions for improvement in the comment box at the bottom of this page.

Bible Story: God gives Abrahan and Sarah a son
Scripture: Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7
Target Age Group: Age 7 – 11 (U.S. 1st – 5th Grade)
Time: 20 Minutes
Learning Context: Children’s Church
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Learning Objectives: After this lesson, the children will demonstrate an understanding of the story of Abraham, Sarah and Isaac by acting out the story in groups.

Items Needed:

• [print_link] this lesson plan
• Bible: Genesis Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7. There is a detailed explanation below to help bring out some of the important parts of the story.
• Optional – Abraham, Sarah and Isaac Booklet (printable PDF download)
• Abraham, Sarah and Isaac Songs (printable PDF download)
• Names of Bible characters on index cards (2 sets)
• Ball

Worship: Use Abraham, Sarah and Isaac Songs (extra print out) to lead the children to sing before the Bible lesson. You can also browse our suggested kids worship music.
Teaching Plan: Abraham, Sarah and Isaac
Welcome Activity
Welcome activities are things to have out for the children to do as they are arriving for class. These activities will get them engaged as soon as they arrive and will help the transition from their parents.
Bible Memory – Have cards with different Bible Characters on them (2 sets) available for the children to play the Memory Game with them.
Worship: Abraham, Sarah and Isaac Songs or suggested kids worship music.
Bible Lesson Introduction
Pass the Patience Please! – Put the children in a circle. Give the ball to one of the children. They must not pass the ball until you tell them to. Try waiting different amounts of time so that they have to listen to you in order to pass it. This will really try their patience! They will want to pass the ball quickly—but they have to be patient!
Bible Lesson
Have the children open their Bibles to Genesis 18:1-15. To help them find it, use the following questions. Answers are in italics.

• What part of the Bible is Genesis in? The Old Testament
• What book of the Old Testament is Genesis? #1

Have the children take turns reading parts of Genesis 18:1-15 (NIRV) aloud to the rest of the class.

1 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the large trees of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent. It was the hottest time of the day.
2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. He quickly left the entrance to his tent to meet them. He bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, “My lord, if you are pleased with me, don’t pass me by. 4 Let a little water be brought. All of you can wash your feet and rest under this tree.
5 “Let me get you something to eat to give you strength. Then you can go on your way. I want to do this for you now that you have come to me.”
“All right,” they answered. “Go ahead and do it.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick!” he said. “Get about half a bushel of fine flour. Mix it and bake some bread.”
7 Then he ran to the herd. He picked out a choice, tender calf. He gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 Then he brought some butter and milk and the calf that had been prepared. He served them to the three men.
While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.
“Over there, in the tent,” he said.
10 Then the Lord said, “You can be sure that I will return to you about this time next year. Your wife Sarah will have a son.”
Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old. Sarah was too old to have a baby. 12 So she laughed to herself. She thought, “I’m worn out, and my husband is old. Can I really know the joy of having a baby?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Will I really have a baby, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for me? I will return to you at the appointed time next year. Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah was afraid. So she lied and said, “I didn’t laugh.”
But the Lord said, “Yes, you did.”
(NIRV)

Have the children take turns reading parts of Genesis 21:1-7 (NIRV) aloud to the rest of the class.

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1 The Lord was gracious to Sarah, just as he had said he would be. He did for Sarah what he had promised to do. 2 Sarah became pregnant. She had a son by Abraham when he was old. He was born at the exact time God had promised him.
3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah had by him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. He did it exactly as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 Sarah said, “God has given laughter to me. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”
7 She continued, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? But I’ve had a son by him when he is old.”

Discuss Bible Lesson
Genesis 18:1-15 Discussion:

• God comes and visits Abraham with 2 other visitors. Talk with your neighbor about what would your reaction be if God came and visited you. Have the children share their reactions with the rest of the class.
• Talk with your neighbor about how you think Abraham new that one of the visitors was God and who you think the other 2 visitors were with Him. Have the children share their reactions with the rest of the class.
• What did God promise Abraham? He and Sarah would have a son
• What was Sarah’s reaction? She laughed
• What would you do if you were 90 years old and God told you that you were going to have a son?

Genesis 21:1-7 Discussion:

• God did just as He promised.
• Sarah gave birth to Isaac.
• They had to wait a very long time for what they wanted. When do you have to wait for something?
• What is the longest that you have waited for something that you really, really wanted?
• Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years old when they finally received what they had wanted.

Bible Lesson Activities
Use the following activities to reinforce the learning goals. If time is short, move on to the evaluation portion of the lesson plan.
Activity: Wait and Go (a.k.a. Red Light Green Light)
“During our Bible Story today, we learned that Abraham and Sarah had to wait a long time to have a baby. Does anyone remember how old Abraham was when Isaac was born? (allow for responses) What about Sarah, how old was she? (allow for responses) Abraham had to wait until he was 100 years old and Sarah had to wait until she was 90 years old to have a baby. Do any of you know someone who is 100 years old? (allow for responses)
Abraham and Sarah had to wait. Have you ever had to wait for something? (allow for responses) Sometimes it’s tough to wait when we really want something. Today we are going to practice waiting. We are going to play a game called, “Wait and Go”. Has anyone ever played “Red Light Green Light”? (allow for responses) This is the same game.”
Activity: Bible Verse Memorization
“But God said, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed, and you shall call his name Isaac.” Genesis 17:19 (Amplified Bible)
Have the children do the following hand motions along with repeating the words after you, to help them learn the Bible Verse:
But God: point to the celing
said: make a motion with your hand as though words were coming out of your mouth
Sarah, your wife: smile sweetly
shall bear you a son indeed: act like you are rocking a baby
and you shall call his name Isaac: act like you are talking on the phone
Genesis 17: hole up ten fingers and then seven fingers
19: hold up ten fingers and then nine fingers
Do this a few times with the children. Make it fun for them to do the motions and say the words. Involving them in active learning is essential for memorization.
Activity: Round Robin Ball Throw

• Have the children stand in a circle
• Give one child the ball
• The child with the ball needs to say the first word of the Bible Verse
• The ball gets passed to the next person who says the next word of the Bible Verse
• The ball keeps getting passed until the Bible Verse is over
• Do this a few times to help the children remember it

Evaluation:
Split the children into groups.  Have each group act out the story for the class.

Need More Help? Then compare this lesson with another lesson plan about Abraham or browse all our free Children’s Church materials.