Introduction: The King and the Kin-dom

Welcome, Theobotics Engineers! Our robot, Theo, is ready for the first set of quests. We're going to dig deep into the part of The Lord's prayer Jesus taught us: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

When Jesus prayed this, it was a dangerous prayer. He lived in a world ruled by powerful kings and emperors who built kingdoms based on fear and control. The most famous example from the Old Testament was Pharaoh, a king who enslaved God's people to build his own empire.

Jesus' idea of a kingdom was completely different. It was so different that we're going to use a special word for it: Kin-dom.

The word Kin-dom reminds us that God's kingdom is like a big, loving family. It’s not about power and pyramids with a king at the top; it's about relationships, community, and taking care of our "kin"—our brothers and sisters. It’s a kingdom built on love, not fear.

In these five quests, you will program Theo to explore the difference between a worldly kingdom, like Pharaoh's, and God's heavenly Kin-dom. Theobot will learn what it means to choose freedom over fear, courage over comfort, and service over power, all so we can help build God's Kin-dom right here, right now.

First, though, let's meet our robot!

Meet Theo. Theo is a robot called the Finch Robot 2.0. Take some time to get to know Theo and what Theo can do.

  • Visit Theo’s website (https://www.birdbraintechnologies.com/products/finch-robot-2-0/)
  • Check out a couple of ways to program Theo
    • https://learn.birdbraintechnologies.com/finch/program/

For this week, we’ll mostly use BirdBlox and Snap, but if you’d like to check out Python for programming Theo, feel free! Theo can drive, turn, play sounds, light up lights on its beak or tail, light up lights on its circuit board, sense its distance from nearby objects, and sense acceleration. There’s a lot Theo can do.

We're also going to make videos of Theo doing the things we program him to do, and so some of you will be in charge of set design, construction, decoration, and coloring. Some of you will be involved in writing a script for Theo to act out as he carries out our quests.

Day 1: Whose Kingdom Is This? (Power vs. Freedom)

Theo booted up, her memory banks filled with stories of ancient Egypt. She read about Pharaoh, a mighty king who built a huge kingdom with towering pyramids. But this kingdom was built on fear and oppression. (Exodus 1:8–14). Pharaoh forced the Hebrews to be his slaves. They weren't free.

Then, Theo processed the words of Jesus: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me... He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners..." (Luke 4:18–19). Theobot realized there were two very different kinds of kingdoms. One traps you, and one sets you free.

Key Question: What is the difference between God’s intended kin-dom and an earthly kingdom?

Challenge 1: Theobot in Pharaoh's Kingdom

Let's program Theobot to act like she is a slave in Pharaoh's kingdom of fear.

  1. Create a small, confined space for Theobot using books or blocks. This is her "prison."
  2. Program Theobot to move back and forth in a short, repetitive pattern inside the space. She is doing forced labor.
  3. Set Theobot's lights to a dark or intimidating color, like red or a dim orange. This represents fear and control.
  4. Have Theobot make a low, sad, or tired sound.
  5. Use the print block to display the word "FEAR" on her LED screen.

Challenge 2: Theobot Enters the Kin-dom

Now, let's show the freedom Jesus brings.

  1. Make a Jesus costume for Theo to dress up in.
  2. Have Theo, dressed as Jesus, smash down a wall of the "prison".
  3. Program Theo to move out of the space where she was trapped.
  4. Make her move in a joyful, wandering path. She can spin, zig-zag, and explore. Get creative! She is free!
  5. Change her lights to bright, happy colors. Make them cycle like a rainbow!
  6. Have her play a cheerful, musical sound.
  7. Use the print block to display the word "FREE" on her LED screen. Theobot is experiencing the freedom of God's Kin-dom.

Day 2: Courage in the Kin-dom (Loyalty to Pharaoh or God?)

Theo continued her studies. In Pharaoh's kingdom, everyone had to obey the king's commands, even when they were cruel and wrong. But Theo discovered a story about two brave women, the midwives Shiphrah and Puah (Exodus 1:15–21). Pharaoh ordered them to do something terrible, but they refused. They chose to obey God rather than a human king.

Theobot learned that living in God's Kin-dom sometimes takes courage. It means standing up for what is right, even when you are afraid. As the apostles later said, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

Key Question: When is it right to say “no” to wrong?

Challenge 1: Pharaoh's Command

Let's create a situation where Theo receives a wrong command.

  1. Place a "helpless" object on the table, something like a Solo cup might be a good choice.
  2. Program Theo to approach the object, detect it with her ultrasonic distance sensor, and push it off the table. This represents Pharaoh's cruel command. Make her lights transition from green, to yellow, then orange, then red as she gets closer to the object, to show this is a bad action.

Challenge 2: An Act of Courage

The midwives said "no" to Pharaoh. Now Theobot will, too.

  1. Reset the scene with the "helpless" object on the table.
  2. This time, program Theobot to approach the object, but instead of pushing it, she must stop. She should use her ultrasonic distance sensor to "know" when she is close.
  3. Have Theobot shake her "head" by turning left a little, then right a little, several times. She is saying "No."
  4. Program Theobot to turn around and move away from the object. She has refused the wrong command.
  5. Change her lights to a strong, steady color, like blue or white. This represents the peace and strength that comes from doing the right thing.
  6. Use the print block to display "NO" on her LED screen. Theobot has shown courage and loyalty to the Kin-dom of God.

Day 3: God’s Rescue Plan (Deliverance vs. Domination)

Theobot saw how the Israelites were trapped in Pharaoh's kingdom of domination. They couldn't escape on their own. But God had a rescue plan. He called a man named Moses from a burning bush and said, "I have come down to rescue [my people] from the hand of the Egyptians" (Exodus 3:8).

God's will is not for people to be trapped and dominated. God's will is for deliverance and freedom. Theobot understood that this is what Jesus meant when he prayed, "Thy will be done." It's a prayer for rescue. Jesus is our Moses, leading us out of the things that trap us. As Jesus said, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36).

Key Question: What does real freedom look like in God’s Kin-dom?

Challenge: The Great Escape

Let's program Theobot to act out God's rescue plan.

  1. Create a "maze" or an obstacle course for Theobot. This represents the things that trap us (fear, sadness, unfair rules). Place Theobot at the start.
  2. First, program Theobot to try and get through the maze on her own. She should bump into walls and get stuck. Make her lights flash red and play a frustrated sound when she gets too close to walls. She is trapped.
  3. Now, it's time for God's rescue plan! Your team will act as God's delivering hand. Clear a single, open path through the maze. NOTE FROM JEREMY: I think we should replace this with line following. So the path through the maze is a thick black line with very sharp boundaries. If the maze has gradual curves instead of sharp corners, we should be able to teach the kids proportional feedback for line following here.
  4. Program Theobot to travel down the newly opened path. She should move smoothly and without stopping.
  5. As she travels the path to freedom, make her lights a hopeful green.
  6. When she exits the maze, have her do a victory spin and play a triumphant sound.
  7. Use the print block to display "RESCUED" on her LED screen. Theobot has been set free by God's rescue plan.

Day 4: A New Kind of Leader (Servant vs. Tyrant)

Theobot was learning that the leader of God's Kin-dom was very different from Pharaoh. Pharaoh sat on a throne and gave orders. He shouted, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him...?" (Exodus 5:2). He was a tyrant who cared only about his own power.

Then Theobot read about Jesus. On the night before he died, Jesus, the true king, did something shocking. He knelt down and washed his disciples' feet, a job for the lowest servant (John 13:12–17). He taught them, "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant" (Matthew 20:26).

Theobot's circuits buzzed. In God's Kin-dom, a true leader isn't a boss; a true leader is a servant.

Key Question: What kind of leaders do we follow—and what kind will we be?

Challenge 1: Theobot the Tyrant

Let's program Theobot to act like Pharaoh, a tyrant leader.

  1. Place several smaller objects (like blocks or bottle caps) on the table. These are her "subjects."
  2. Program Theobot to move around the objects in a commanding way. She should circle them, keeping them "in line."
  3. Make her lights a single, harsh color, like a bright, glaring white.
  4. Have her make a loud, bossy, buzzing sound.
  5. Use the print block to display "OBEY ME" on her LED screen.

Challenge 2: Theobot the Servant

Now, Theobot will model the servant leadership of Jesus.

  1. Reset the objects on the table.
  2. Program Theobot to approach one of the objects slowly and gently.
  3. Have Theobot perform an act of service. For example, she could gently nudge the object to a "better" spot (like inside a circle you draw). Or she could "bow" to the object by moving forward and backward slightly. She also has an accelerometer, so you could experiment with getting her beak light to turn green if you manually make her bow.
  4. Change her lights to a warm and gentle color, like yellow or orange.
  5. Have her play a soft, humming sound.
  6. Use the print block to display a heart (<3) or the word "SERVE" on her LED screen. Theobot is showing that true greatness comes from serving others.

Day 5: Living the Kin-dom Now (Heaven on Earth)

Theobot reached the final quest in her journey to explore the Kin-dom. She had seen the difference between Pharaoh's kingdom of fear and Jesus' Kin-dom of love. She saw God's rescue plan when he parted the Red Sea, opening a new way for his people where there was no way before (Exodus 14:21–31).

She finally understood. The Kin-dom of God isn't a place we have to wait for. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). It's here and now! When we choose love, courage, and service, we are bringing a little piece of heaven to earth. We are living out Jesus's prayer: "On earth as it is in heaven." We are walking on the new path God has opened for us.

Key Question: What can we do to bring the Kin-dom to earth?

Final Challenge: The Kin-dom Celebration

Today, Theobot won't just act out a story; she will become a tool for building the Kin-dom. Your challenge is to use Theobot to do something good for others.

Choose one of these two missions:

Mission A: Theobot the Encourager

  1. Think of someone in your group or class who you want to encourage.
  2. Program Theobot to deliver a message of kindness.
  3. Record a message using the sound recorder, like "You are a great friend!" or "God loves you!"
  4. Program Theobot to travel to that person.
  5. When she arrives, have her play the encouraging message, flash her lights in beautiful colors, and display a smiley face :) on her LED screen.

Mission B: Theobot the Gatherer

  1. If you are doing a service project, like making lunches for the hungry or collecting items for a charity, Theobot can help!
  2. Create a "collection zone" on your table.
  3. Program Theobot to help gather items. You can attach a small paper scoop to her front.
  4. Program her to go out, collect a small item (like a piece of paper representing a prayer or a bottle cap representing a donation), and bring it back to the collection zone.
  5. Each time she successfully delivers an item, have her play a positive sound and flash green.

By completing this final challenge, you and Theobot are not just learning about the Kin-dom—you are building it. You are bringing heaven to earth, one act of love at a time.