The short video clip for this lesson features Karl, the
Kidologist, doing a short object lesson featuring two shoes — a cowboy boot and a soldier’s boot — who discuss the Show this short teaching video to the kids or train a leader to do the talk “live.”


Watch as a cowboy boot and a soldier's boot discuss the need to train at “boot camp” for spiritual battle!
Featured Verses: 1 Corinthians 16:13; James 5:8; Psalm 119:101; Psalm 119:105; Psalm 56:13
THE POINT: When a soldier goes to boot camp, it is TOUGH TRAINING, but it is necessary to prepare them for the missions that they will be sent on. Joseph has been through some tough training of his own, but it has prepared him for the mission that God has been preparing him for. Today we’ll finally find out what that is!

The Hero’s Triumph
The biggest and most successful movies feature a hero we can cheer for. If you pay close attention to these epic movies, you’ll begin to notice a pattern to them. The hero doesn’t just show up and “save the day.” There is usually a journey that the hero must go on before they are ready to be the hero we long for in the story. While each story is different, there are some aspects of this journey that appear in almost every hero story.

What a journey Joseph has been on! bHe has passed from the Hero’s Calling through the Hero’s Plight, Test, and Trial – to Hope and now is experiencing the most exciting stage of most blockbuster movies and animated films: The Hero’s Triumph! All that hard work, all that character refinement that happens during the trials and tests is what makes the Triumph rewarding! The Hero’s Triumph wouldn’t be worth celebrating without the trails and tests. It’s the fact that a hero passes through those hard times that gives us reason to cheer!
And as we’ll see in the next few weeks, it will get even better. But for now, let’s focus on his Triumph!
Review of the Stages in the Hero’s Journey and introduce this week’s:

• The Hero’s Calling – Some event or person that calls them to some higher purpose for their life.
• The Hero’s Plight – Before our hero can save the day, they always have a setback. It can be a villain, but often it is something within them that holds them back that they need to overcome.
• The Hero’s Test – Next, our hero usually must face some kind of test to determine whether he or she is worthy of being the hero we hope they will be. They must decide if they will be honorable and noble, or if they will cheat or lie or take a short-cut. We cheer when they make the right decision. It makes them worthy of rooting for.
• The Hero’s Trial – After our hero passes the test, there is always a trial that causes them to second-guess whether they made the right choice. They have a chance to cheat up, turn around, or quit. If they are to be a hero, they must pass the trial.
• The Hero’s Hope – Finally, things start to look up for the hero. They meet a mentor, or find a map, or make some friends who join them – something happens that shows them that they are on the right path. There may still be a battle ahead, but they know they will win if they press on!
• The Hero’s Triumph – We jump out of our seats and cheer when the hero finally wins! Evil is defeated and the hero saves the day. The victory is sweet because of the tests and trials the hero has been through. Without the hard times, the victory wouldn’t be as enjoyable. It is because of the difficulty that we celebrate the triumph

Why is the Hero’s Triumph so exciting? Because God offers us the same!
READ: Galatians 6:9 (Below)

0. Notice that Joseph gave the glory to God, even when he interpreted the dreams. When Pharoah said that he heard Joseph could give the meaning of dreams, he answered, “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Verse 16) He pointed others to God. God shines brighter in the darkness and others see God more when they are in a hard place.
   When people are scared, or hurt or struggling, WE HAVE WHAT THEY NEED: Jesus. What are some of the things people need?
   • Money? • Peace?
   • Purpose? • Help?
   • Friends?
   • Forgiveness? • Etc.
   Jesus can provide those things. People often aren’t interested in God or Jesus until they have a need. Then, and only then, will they turn to us, who know God, and ask us for help. Then, we have an opportunity to point them to the answer: God!
   Remember when Joseph was a slave? What did he do? He had a good attitude and worked hard and rose to be the head of Potiphar’s house. Then, when he was a prisoner – falsely accused – he again had a good attitude and worked hard, and what happened? He rose to be in charge of the entire prison.

READ: Matthew 25:21 (Below)

Joseph lived out this verse! He showed God that whatever he was given – a slave position or a prisoner position, he would do his best. God saw that and elevated him to being in charge of an entire country!

A FUN ACTIVITY! A Pyramid’s Secret
PREPARATION: You’ll needs a table and some paper/plastic cups. (Speed Stacks cups work great if you have access to those.)
Build a pyramid on a table in your house with whatever materials you might find. Cups or blocks or even Legos. Do you know what determines the size and height of a pyramid? Many people might think it is the number of bricks/cups you have. True to an extent. Others might say how much money or help you have. I suppose that might play a part of it. But the real secret is this: the size of the foundation.
THE POINT: The height and size of the pyramid is determined by the size of the base. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, how many workers you have, how long you work, or any other factor. It is only the size of the base that determines how high a pyramid can go. Why does this matter? When you are a kid, you are laying the foundation of your life. The more you learn, the more you walk with God, the more Scripture you memorize, the more you pray, go to church, trust God and obey, the wider and stronger your foundation gets so that God can build UP the rest of your life. It’s important NOW, while you are young, to be building the widest, strongest foundation you can. Take this time seriously to make your foundation as wide and strong as possible. It might not look big or tall or stand out, but if your base is getting wider and wider... God will have something He can really build upon in the years ahead!
READ: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (Below)

YOU ARE ON A HERO’S JOURNEY! We want to skip to the Hero’s Triumph, but it doesn’t work that way. I don’t know what stage you are in. You might just be at the Calling stage. You might be facing a Plight, or Trial, or Test! You might have gone through something this year and are seeing signs of Hope. Maybe you have gone through some tough times and are experiencing Triumph. If so, that’s great. But all Hero’s will go through this whole process over and over.

That’s why we need to always keep our focus on God – because no matter where we are, He is with us and will help us get to the next place on our Journey!
READ: Ephesians 5:15-17  (Below)

If you are catching up, here is the link to NEXT WEEK. (If not linked, it's not live yet.)

ATTENTION: If you enjoy these online lessons, please DROP PASTOR KARL a quick note - it will make his day!