The Gates of Jerusalem · Lesson 11
The Gates of Jerusalem: Back to the Sheep Gate
Nehemiah 4:1-6; Nehemiah 6:15-16; Nehemiah 3:32; Jeremiah 31:38-40; 1 Peter 2:4-5; Philippians 1:6 Old Testament PrinciplePerseverance
When God's people rebuilt the wall, their enemies laughed. "Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?" But the people prayed and kept building. In just 52 days, the wall was finished! Even the enemies knew God had done it. The walk around the wall ended right back at the Sheep Gate, where it began. God brings burnt stones back to life. Jesus makes us living stones, and He never gives up on us. So we don't give up either.
God finishes what He starts, so we keep going. We persevere with God, because He never gives up on us.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it
- RestorationJesus makes it new (this lesson)
Memory verse
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:6 BSB
Christ Connection · Picture
The New Testament doesn't talk about Nehemiah's wall, so the burnt stones are a picture to help us remember. But the New Testament does say what God is building now. Jesus is "the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God's sight," and everyone who comes to Him is "like living stones, … being built into a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:4-5). God takes broken, burned-up lives and makes them new, and "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" (Philippians 1:6).
1 Peter 2:4-5; Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 2:19-22
The Big Story · Restoration
God rebuilt Jerusalem from burned rubble, and through Jesus, the living stone, He is building a people out of broken lives into His forever home, and He will finish what He started.
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 50-minute class plan and prep checklist
- Object lesson: Would you build with this?
- Theo’s Workshop (build challenge): The fox test
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Fifty-two days
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
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Preschool (ages 3–5)
God helps me keep going!
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Build it again, The finished wall
- 6 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, with friends
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
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Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
When God's people built the wall, their enemies laughed. "Can they bring these burnt stones back to life?" But the people prayed and kept building. In 52 days, the wall was finished! Even the enemies knew God had done it. Our walk around the wall ended back at the Sheep Gate. Jesus makes us living stones. He never gives up on us, so we keep going too.
Start here
Ask, "Has anyone ever laughed at you when you were trying something hard?" Let kids share. Say, "Today the builders got laughed at. Let's see what they did."
Bible story 6 min
God's people were building Jerusalem's wall. Two men named Sanballat and Tobiah got angry. They made fun of the builders.
Sanballat laughed. "Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?"
Tobiah joked, "If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!"
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Finish the wall! 8 min
You’ll need: Building blocks or small empty boxes (about 20 per group), A stuffed animal (the "fox")
- Teams race to build a low staggered wall. A "Tobiah" walks around laughing and holding the fox, but builders keep going and shout, "We don't give up!" When the walls are done, set the fox on top. Cheer, "It stands!"
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
When God's people rebuilt Jerusalem's wall, Sanballat and Tobiah mocked them. "Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?" But Nehemiah prayed, and the people kept building, working and guarding at the same time. In just 52 days the wall was finished, and even the enemies realized God had done it. Our walk around the wall ends back at the Sheep Gate. The enemy's joke turned out to be God's plan. Jesus makes us living stones, and He finishes what He starts. So we keep going with Him.
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: Burnt stones, living stones, Finish the Wall of Jerusalem
- 6 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, in sports and games, 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
Sanballat mocked the builders, "Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?" His word means to revive or make alive, and he meant it as a joke. But Nehemiah prayed, the people kept building and guarding, and the wall was completed in 52 days, so that even the enemies "realized that this task had been accomplished by our God." The walk around the wall ends where it began, at the Sheep Gate. The joke turns out to be the gospel. Jesus, the living stone rejected by men, makes broken people into living stones. Perseverance isn't gritting your teeth. It's keeping going with the God who finishes what He starts.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Out of the ashes, My wall
- 6 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: with friends, online and on screens, at school
- 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 Perseverance
The same principle in other Bible stories.
With NatureThe Parable of the SowerMatthew 13:1-23; Luke 8:4-15; Mark 4:26-29Jesus told about a farmer who scattered seed on four kinds of ground. Only the good soil grew a big crop. God's Word is the seed, and when we hear it, hold on to it and keep going, God makes it grow in us.New TestamentPerseverance
With Building BricksCounting the Cost: The Tower BuilderLuke 14:25-33; Matthew 10:37; John 19:30; Hebrews 12:1-2; Philippians 1:6Huge crowds were following Jesus, and He turned and told them what following Him really means – loving Him most of all and carrying their cross. Then He told a story. "Which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and count the cost to see if he has enough to finish it?" If he only laid the foundation, everyone would laugh – "This man couldn't finish what he started!" Following Jesus is worth everything, so we count the cost and keep going. And Jesus Himself counted the cost of saving us and finished the job on the cross.New TestamentPerseverance
In the BeginningJoseph Goes to EgyptGenesis 37:1-36; Genesis 39:1-23Joseph's brothers sold him and he was thrown in prison, but the LORD was with Joseph every step of the way.Old TestamentPerseverance
Blind BartimaeusMark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43Blind Bartimaeus kept shouting for Jesus even when the crowd told him to be quiet. Jesus stopped, called him over and asked, "What do you want Me to do for you?" Jesus healed him, and Bartimaeus followed Jesus. Jesus hears us, so we keep coming to Him and never give up.New TestamentPerseverance
The Church BeginsShipwrecked!Acts 27:1-44; Jonah 1:4-5Paul was on a ship to Rome when a terrible storm raged for 14 days. Everyone lost hope, but God sent an angel to promise Paul that every person would live. Paul kept trusting God and encouraged everyone, and all 276 people made it safely to shore.New TestamentPerseverance