Teach Them Jesus with Building Bricks
Crossing the Jordan: Thankfulness
Joshua 3:14-4:24; Psalm 103:2; Luke 22:19 Old Testament PrincipleThankfulness
God's people came to the Jordan River at flood time, when the water was high and rushing. God told the priests to carry the ark into the river. As soon as their feet touched the water, the river stopped and piled up far away, and all Israel walked across on dry ground. Then God told twelve men to carry twelve stones from the middle of the riverbed and set them up as a memorial, so everyone would remember what God had done. Thankfulness means remembering what God has done and thanking Him for it.
Thankfulness is remembering the good things God has done and thanking Him for them. God does great things for His people, so we build reminders and never forget His kindness.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds.”
Psalm 103:2 BSB
Christ Connection · Picture
God gave Israel twelve stones so they would remember how He saved them. Jesus gave His church a memorial too. He took bread, gave thanks and said, "This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19). Every time we take the Lord's Supper, we remember and give thanks for how Jesus saved us.
Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-26
The Big Story · Redemption
God promised Abraham's family a land, and He brought them into it on dry ground. Remembering His kindness helps us trust Him, and the greatest thing God has done – sending Jesus – is something we remember every time we share the Lord's Supper.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- A map of where it happened
- Object lesson: Don't forget!
- Dasch’s Dig Site (bible-times history): Thank-you stones
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Stone stack
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
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Preschool (ages 3–5)
I remember and thank God!
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Stop, river!, Color the stone carrier
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at church
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
God's people came to the Jordan River when it was flooding. When the priests stepped in, the water stopped, and everyone crossed on dry ground. Then twelve men carried twelve stones from the middle of the riverbed and stacked them up so everyone would remember what God had done. We remember the good things God does for us, and we thank Him.
Start here
Do "Don't forget!" Ask, "What's one great thing God has done for you?" Say, "God's people built a memorial so they would never forget. Let's hear why!"
Bible story 6 min
God's people had walked in the desert for forty years. Now they were ready to go into the land God had for them. But first they had to cross a big river.
It was spring, and the river was too full. The water was high and fast. There was no bridge!
God told Joshua, "Have the priests go into the river first. They will carry the ark." The priests walked to the river. Their feet got wet. And the river stopped! The water piled up far away.
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Cross the river 10 min
You’ll need: A tub of building bricks, Baseplates, Minifigures or small brick people
- Pairs build the river crossing from the build guide, with a dry path through the blue river.
- Walk minifigures across the dry ground past the gold ark.
- Then build a memorial of twelve gray stones. For each stone, say one thing to thank God for.
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
Israel reached the Jordan River at harvest time, when it overflows its banks. As soon as the priests carrying the ark stepped into the water, the river stopped and piled up far upstream, and the whole nation crossed on dry ground. God told twelve men to carry twelve stones from the middle of the riverbed, where the priests stood, and set them up at Gilgal as a memorial. Thankfulness means remembering what God has done and thanking Him for it.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 8-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Remember and thank, Stone stack
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at school, with friends
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
Israel reached the Jordan at harvest time, when the river overflows its banks. The moment the priests' feet touched the water, the river stood still, piling up as far upstream as Adam, and the entire nation crossed on dry ground. God commanded twelve men to carry stones from the very spot in the riverbed where the priests stood and set them up at Gilgal, so that future generations and "all the peoples of the earth" would know the LORD's mighty hand. Thankfulness grows from remembering, and Jesus gave His church a memorial of His saving work in the Lord's Supper.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Memorials of God's kindness, My memorial stones
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at church, online and on screens
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons from this story
Same Bible story, a different principle.
More lessons on Thankfulness
The same principle in other Bible stories.
Seeing God's WorldMade in God’s ImageGenesis 1:26-31; Psalm 139:1-18; James 3:9-10God made people in His own image, male and female, different from everything else He made. David praised God because he was "fearfully and wonderfully made." Every person's worth comes from God, so we thank Him for how He made us and treat every person with respect.Old TestamentThankfulness
Heard Far Away: Nehemiah’s Thank-You ChoirsNehemiah 12:27-43; Ezra 3:10-13; Nehemiah 4:3When Jerusalem's wall was finished, Nehemiah gathered singers and musicians from all over Judah for a great celebration of thanks to God. He sent two huge choirs up on top of the wall. One marched one way around the city and one marched the other way, singing and playing, until they met at God's house. That day the people offered sacrifices and rejoiced, because God had given them great joy, and the sound of their rejoicing was heard far away. When God keeps His promises, His people answer with loud, glad thanks.Old TestamentThankfulness
The Ten LepersLuke 17:11-19; Leviticus 13:45-46Ten men with leprosy begged Jesus for mercy, and He healed all ten. Only one came back to thank Him, a Samaritan outsider. Jesus is good to us every day, so we come back to Him with thankful hearts.New TestamentFreeThankfulness
Do This in Remembrance of Me: The Last SupperLuke 22:7-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26On the day of the Passover, Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the meal in a large upper room. That night, Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples. He took the bread, gave thanks, broke it and said, "This is My body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me." Then He took the cup and said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you." The very next day, Jesus died on the cross for us. Christians still remember Him this way, with thankful hearts.New TestamentThankfulness
Sing to the LORD! Miriam’s Song by the SeaExodus 15:1-21; Exodus 14:29-31; Exodus 1:22-2:4When God led Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground and the water closed over Pharaoh's army, His people were safe at last. They saw God's great power, and they believed. Then Moses and all Israel sang a song of thanks to the LORD, and Miriam the prophetess took a tambourine and led all the women in singing and dancing. Their song tells who God is and what He did. God rescues His people, and the right answer to His rescue is a thankful song of praise.Old TestamentThankfulness