Moved to January 13, 2008 because of snow storm.
Mary: A Willing Servant
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: Luke 1:26-56
Optional: Luke 2: 1-20
Memory Verse: " The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.'" Luke 1:35 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Note: recall that "betrothed" means someone is legally married but the wife has not been brought to the husband's house to live. Divorce was the only out.
Six months after Elizabeth became pregnant, the angel Gabriel was sent to Nazareth in Galilee. Prayer: Father, send your angels to our community. Word received: This was My plan. I always have a plan. I use everything, waste nothing and the job is always accomplished. "to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. (vs.27) Word received: I want you to rejoice that I chose Mary. "And having come in, the angel said to her, 'Rejoice, highly favored one, the LORD is with you, blessed are you among women!'" Word received: I want you to rejoice when I visit you with My Holy Spirit.
"But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was." (vs.29) "Troubled" could translate as she was afraid, agitated, didn't understand. Word received: I want you to consider how it would be if I visited you. Ask for My grace to respond to Me. "Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'" Word received: I want you to find favor with Me by receiving My Son into your heart.
Then the angel delivers his surprising message, see vs. 31-33, 35. Notice all the things Gabriel tells Mary about the baby to be born:
a miraculous birth,
a son,
to be named Jesus (Joshua, Yishua in Hebrew, means God saves)
he will be called the Son of the Most High/Son of God
holy ( set apart for God's use & morally holy)
king on David's throne forever
no end to his kingdom.
Mary's answer, "How?" was a natural one, different from the unbelief of Zechariah (vs.18). Gabriel's answer, "And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.'" (vs. 35) Word received: I want to come upon you with the power of My Holy Spirit so that your lives will be fruitful. Then he tells Mary about Elizabeth's miraculous pregnancy, "For with God, nothing is impossible." We discovered a very interesting parallel to verse 35 in Acts 1:8, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..."
Look at Mary's amazing answer, "Then Mary said, 'Behold the maidservant of the LORD! Let it be to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her." (vs. 38) Word received: Join with Mary in praying that My will be done on earth as in heaven. Notice that even though Mary is "highly favored" she is still obedient! Mary's self-offering of herself in obedience to God's word to her is amazing. Her trust in God is huge in spite of the fact that, though officially married, she had not gone to live with her husband, Joseph, and she didn't yet know his response to this news. Word received: Gabriel's answer was sufficient for Mary. I will answer your questions when you ask them. Trust Me. Gabriel's answer seemed to give Mary a sense of peace. Luther once said, "because she believed, she conceived." Elizabeth's response to Mary noted the same thing (vs.45), "Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." Word received: You can see that Mary has put all of her trust in Me. I want you to do the same. And yes, you will be blessed when you do trust Me. "With God, nothing is impossible." The Lord wants us to believe this with all our hearts to the fullest extent. Recall John 15:5, "Without Me you can do nothing."
Mary's visit to her relative, Elizabeth is pretty impressive. She walked from Nazareth to a hill town in Judea and stayed three months. Both women supported each other and confirmed God's message for each other. Pray that God will put you in such a fellowship group! Notice how Elizabeth called the much younger Mary, "the mother of my LORD!" (Recall Luke 1:17d) When we recognize God's work in someone else, we should confirm it to them.
The role of the Holy Spirit in all this is first, his power to cause Mary to conceive as a virgin and empower Elizabeth to become pregnant. Word received: Do you see how My Holy Spirit was involved here? My Holy Spirit has been present and involved since creation. The next outstanding work of the Holy Spirit is in Elizabeth's greeting to Mary. As she was "filled with the Holy Spirit her unborn baby (John) jumped for joy in her womb. Another thing the Holy Spirit did was to fill both women with praise and joy. Word received: Mary opened her mouth and brought forth My praise in a very uncertain time. She cast all her cares on Me and I was able to care for her. I long for you to cast your care on Me, so I can care for each of you. Look at the joy Mary expressed. Mary gave God all the glory.
Reflect on this story and the account of the trip to Bethlehem and the birth in a stable. (Luke 2:1-20) Mary trusted in God but it was not easy to live out. First, there was telling Joseph and waiting for his response. Later there was the trip to Bethlehem and the birth in a stable, away from family and then there was the nighttime flight to Egypt. God will always see you through when you trust in him. When God picks us to do something, then we are the right ones and he wants to build us up and carry us through as we obey him.
In the birth story in Luke 2, after the visit of the shepherds and their story of the angel's message, "Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart." Word received: I want you to ponder these things in your heart.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 14
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. God spoke to Mary through the angel Gabriel. It is a fact that Jesus was formed in Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Mary trusted and believed God. God wants us to believe and trust Him just like Mary.
3. God wants us to ask Jesus to live in our hearts and to ask for the power of His Holy spirit so we can bear fruit for God.
4. Mary rejoiced when she experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. God wants us to praise God when we are used by the Holy Spirit.
5.God took care of Mary, and God will take care of us too, if we trust Him.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 13 December 9, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 13 December 9, 2007
Joseph Listens to the Holy Spirit
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7; Isaiah 7:14
Optional: Matthew 1:1; 1:15-16
Memory Verse: "…an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'" Matthew 1:20b-21 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Start with Matthew 1:18-19. Mary was betrothed to Joseph. That was legally binding and could only be broken by divorce even though they were not yet living together. The man used this time to prepare a place for his wife and then came with great ceremony to bring her to his house for a wedding feast. Mary was a virgin but not an "unwed mother". In that society young women were expected to be virgins until their husbands brought them home. Word received: Joseph was indeed a righteous man. This is why I chose him to be an earthly father to My Son. Joseph was not only righteous, he was kind and wanted to protect Mary but he planned to divorce her quietly--until God intervened.
As Joseph was deciding what to do God spoke to him by an angel in a dream. Look at the Memory Verse. "…an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'"
Word received: I want My people to listen to Me, to harken to Me as Joseph did.
Word received: I want My people to let Me come into the center of their marriage decisions and of their marriages.
Word received: I took care of Joseph and Mary and I took care of Jesus. I will take care of you as well if you will receive Me into your hearts.
Word received: I want you to have a heart for My word. Joseph received My word. Listen, listen, My people, I AM speaking to you--who is listening? Pray for listening ears and listening hearts. Are we listening and obeying as Joseph did?
Word received: Joseph was more than just righteous, he was obedient and faithful to Me. I want you to be as obedient and faithful as Joseph.
Note: Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, pronounced Yish-u-a. It means Yah(weh) saves.
"Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn son. And he called his name JESUS". (Matthew 1:24-25) Word received: I want you to be obedient to My word and My Spirit as Joseph was. He believed and he acted.
This birth fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. (I t was a greater fulfillment of a prophecy Isaiah gave for that moment. See Note for other prophecies fulfilled by Jesus birth.) Word received: I want to be Immanuel to you. I want to be with you and in you day by day. I want you to know My presence in your life--actively. I AM Immanuel.
Look back at Matthew 1:18. Word received: My Spirit was there at the beginning with Jesus as he formed in Mary's womb. Just as My Spirit was with Jesus so I also was with each of you. I love you.
Now look at Luke 2:1-7. Look at God's timing and how he arranged the circumstances of Jesus' birth to fulfill prophecy. (In Micah 5:2 it was prophesied that the promised ruler would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David.) That didn't mean it was easy for them. ( The trip was about 80 miles as the crow flies.) Caesar wanted more taxes so Joseph had to go to Bethlehem and he took Mary with him. Notice how Joseph not only obeyed initially but followed through. The date is approximately 6-5 BC. "World" here refers to the Roman Empire. The place was jam-packed so Mary had to give birth in a stable (probably a cave) and laid the baby, the Lamb of God, in a manger. because there "was no room for them in the inn." Is there room in our hearts and lives for Jesus or are we too busy for an unexpected visit? Word received: Look at Joseph and Mary. They both trusted Me when they couldn't understand the earthly event of Jesus' birth. They trusted Me with everything they were and had. I want you to trust Me like that too. Notice that they were consistent as well as obedient. Prayer: Lord, help me be both obedient and consistent in following you.
The genealogy in Matthew 1 is Joseph's line. He was the legal father. (Probably Mary was also in the same lineage.) Luke has a somewhat different list. Princess Diana could trace her connections to royalty by 8 different lines! The Matthew list emphasizes that Jesus was of King David's line and also a descendent of Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob and Judah). Luke traces the family line back to Adam to show that Jesus was a savior of the Gentiles too.
Now look at the names that are given to Jesus in this lesson. Jesus (Yishua), Emmanuel, of the lineage of King David, and in Luke 2:11, Savior, Messiah(Christ) and LORD.
NOTE: Some other prophecies about Jesus and his birth.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 13
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.Joseph trusted and believed God when He told Joseph that Mary's baby was from the Holy Spirit. He obeyed God at once.
2.God wants us to trust and believe Him when He tells us the truth and the wants us to act on it.
3.God wants to be in every part of our lives, especially the day to day things. He wants us to LISTEN to Him and receive Him into our hearts. He loves you!
4. God wants us to trust Him even when we don't understand what He is doing, like Joseph and Mary did.
Some prophesies about Jesus and his birth
PROPHESY SUBJECT FULLFILMENT
Genesis 3:15 seed of woman will bruise Galatians 4:4
Satan's head
Genesis 12:3 descendent of Abraham to Matthew 1:1
bless all peoples
Genesis 17:19 descendent of Isaac Luke 3:34
Numbers 24:17 a star & scepter out of Jacob Matthew 1:2
Genesis 49:10 scepter in tribe of Judah Luke 3: 33
Isaiah 9:7 heir to David's throne Luke 1:32
Micah 5:2 Bethlehem birthplace Luke 2:4-7
?(Daniel 9:24f time of birth Luke 2:1-2)
Isaiah 7:14 virgin birth Luke i:26-31
Jeremiah 31:15 slaughter of the innocents Matthew 2:16-18
Hosea 11:1 flight to Egypt Matthew 2:14-15
Joseph Listens to the Holy Spirit
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7; Isaiah 7:14
Optional: Matthew 1:1; 1:15-16
Memory Verse: "…an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'" Matthew 1:20b-21 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Start with Matthew 1:18-19. Mary was betrothed to Joseph. That was legally binding and could only be broken by divorce even though they were not yet living together. The man used this time to prepare a place for his wife and then came with great ceremony to bring her to his house for a wedding feast. Mary was a virgin but not an "unwed mother". In that society young women were expected to be virgins until their husbands brought them home. Word received: Joseph was indeed a righteous man. This is why I chose him to be an earthly father to My Son. Joseph was not only righteous, he was kind and wanted to protect Mary but he planned to divorce her quietly--until God intervened.
As Joseph was deciding what to do God spoke to him by an angel in a dream. Look at the Memory Verse. "…an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'"
Word received: I want My people to listen to Me, to harken to Me as Joseph did.
Word received: I want My people to let Me come into the center of their marriage decisions and of their marriages.
Word received: I took care of Joseph and Mary and I took care of Jesus. I will take care of you as well if you will receive Me into your hearts.
Word received: I want you to have a heart for My word. Joseph received My word. Listen, listen, My people, I AM speaking to you--who is listening? Pray for listening ears and listening hearts. Are we listening and obeying as Joseph did?
Word received: Joseph was more than just righteous, he was obedient and faithful to Me. I want you to be as obedient and faithful as Joseph.
Note: Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, pronounced Yish-u-a. It means Yah(weh) saves.
"Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn son. And he called his name JESUS". (Matthew 1:24-25) Word received: I want you to be obedient to My word and My Spirit as Joseph was. He believed and he acted.
This birth fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. (I t was a greater fulfillment of a prophecy Isaiah gave for that moment. See Note for other prophecies fulfilled by Jesus birth.) Word received: I want to be Immanuel to you. I want to be with you and in you day by day. I want you to know My presence in your life--actively. I AM Immanuel.
Look back at Matthew 1:18. Word received: My Spirit was there at the beginning with Jesus as he formed in Mary's womb. Just as My Spirit was with Jesus so I also was with each of you. I love you.
Now look at Luke 2:1-7. Look at God's timing and how he arranged the circumstances of Jesus' birth to fulfill prophecy. (In Micah 5:2 it was prophesied that the promised ruler would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David.) That didn't mean it was easy for them. ( The trip was about 80 miles as the crow flies.) Caesar wanted more taxes so Joseph had to go to Bethlehem and he took Mary with him. Notice how Joseph not only obeyed initially but followed through. The date is approximately 6-5 BC. "World" here refers to the Roman Empire. The place was jam-packed so Mary had to give birth in a stable (probably a cave) and laid the baby, the Lamb of God, in a manger. because there "was no room for them in the inn." Is there room in our hearts and lives for Jesus or are we too busy for an unexpected visit? Word received: Look at Joseph and Mary. They both trusted Me when they couldn't understand the earthly event of Jesus' birth. They trusted Me with everything they were and had. I want you to trust Me like that too. Notice that they were consistent as well as obedient. Prayer: Lord, help me be both obedient and consistent in following you.
The genealogy in Matthew 1 is Joseph's line. He was the legal father. (Probably Mary was also in the same lineage.) Luke has a somewhat different list. Princess Diana could trace her connections to royalty by 8 different lines! The Matthew list emphasizes that Jesus was of King David's line and also a descendent of Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob and Judah). Luke traces the family line back to Adam to show that Jesus was a savior of the Gentiles too.
Now look at the names that are given to Jesus in this lesson. Jesus (Yishua), Emmanuel, of the lineage of King David, and in Luke 2:11, Savior, Messiah(Christ) and LORD.
NOTE: Some other prophecies about Jesus and his birth.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 13
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.Joseph trusted and believed God when He told Joseph that Mary's baby was from the Holy Spirit. He obeyed God at once.
2.God wants us to trust and believe Him when He tells us the truth and the wants us to act on it.
3.God wants to be in every part of our lives, especially the day to day things. He wants us to LISTEN to Him and receive Him into our hearts. He loves you!
4. God wants us to trust Him even when we don't understand what He is doing, like Joseph and Mary did.
Some prophesies about Jesus and his birth
PROPHESY SUBJECT FULLFILMENT
Genesis 3:15 seed of woman will bruise Galatians 4:4
Satan's head
Genesis 12:3 descendent of Abraham to Matthew 1:1
bless all peoples
Genesis 17:19 descendent of Isaac Luke 3:34
Numbers 24:17 a star & scepter out of Jacob Matthew 1:2
Genesis 49:10 scepter in tribe of Judah Luke 3: 33
Isaiah 9:7 heir to David's throne Luke 1:32
Micah 5:2 Bethlehem birthplace Luke 2:4-7
?(Daniel 9:24f time of birth Luke 2:1-2)
Isaiah 7:14 virgin birth Luke i:26-31
Jeremiah 31:15 slaughter of the innocents Matthew 2:16-18
Hosea 11:1 flight to Egypt Matthew 2:14-15
Monday, November 19, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 12 December 2, 2007
Full of the Spirit, John the Baptist Prepares us for the Coming of Jesus
Get Ready--Get Ready!!!
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: John 1:1-9, 15-28 and Matthew 3:1-12
Memory Verse: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3) (Pre-K to grade 3)
John's birth and whole life were a calling from God. "He will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb"...and would "go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah…and make ready for the Lord a people prepared." An angel had spoken to his father about his son's birth and calling which included the fulfillment of prophecy in Malachi 4:5 "Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse." In Matthew 11:14 Jesus said "And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear." John also fulfilled Isaiah 40:3. All of God's past dealings with his people were coming to a climax in John and Jesus.
God called John into the wilderness to preach. He was dressed like a prophet of old. He was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah given 750 years before: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Word received: You live in a wilderness, it is a wilderness of lies and deceit that your culture is telling. I want you to make a straight path through that wilderness to me. I want you to help make a highway for me.
"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 3:1-2) A word received: John pointed to my kingdom. You are to do the same. It is not a kingdom of men, it is the kingdom of heaven. John faithfully points to Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our job also is to bear witness to Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. "For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight."'" (Matthew 3:3) A word received: You in your time and your generation are called to do what John did -- prepare the way for me.
John's message was first of all to "Repent", which means not only to turn away from sin but to return to their God and the covenant Israel had made with God. "Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins." (Matthew 3:5-6) A word received: I want my people to come forward in repentance, confessing their sins. You speak of the people of the Hill [Hamilton Hill in Schenectady] confessing their sins; I want my people at Christ Church to do that as well.
NOTE: Another passage about repentance in Isaiah is in 30:15. "In returning and rest you shall be saved in quietness and in trust shall be your strength, and you would not". The context is God talking to his rebellious, stubborn people. "Returning" means return to God but "rest" is interesting. It means to come down, be broken (as a horse is broken). As in (come down off your high horse and be obedient to your master).
Lots of the common people came out to John, confessing their sins but John had a stern message of warning for the religious leaders of his people. "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, 'Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?'" (Matthew 3:7) A word received: Who is speaking plainly to the church leaders in your day about the wrath that is to come? John told the leaders to bear fruit that fits repentance and don't count on saying to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our Father." (Remember the saying, "God has no grandsons!) A word received: What excuses are you giving for the lack of fruit in your life? Look at the fruit of my Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I want these to be evident in your life.
What kind of fruit is "in keeping with repentance"?
Are we ready to hear John's message in our day? It is pretty easy to see the faults and sins of others. What uncomfortable truth might Jesus be saying to us? Pray for ears to hear and a heart to respond to what the Spirit is saying to the churches in our generation! Word received: Are you ready? Are you ready to hear the words of My prophet John? If you are truly ready, then you will act on the words of John when I call you to act.
Now look at John 1:1. Word received: That is My Son Jesus who I am talking about. I speak about him first because he is first. John pointed to Jesus. I want all things and all men to point to Jesus. That is what their testimony should be: to point to Jesus. Read verses 6-9 &15-28. "He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me." Word received: John was willing to be used by Me to point to My Son. Are you willing to be used by Me? Word received: John humbled himself before men. I want you to humble yourselves before men. John answers all the questions about "Who are you?" of the priests and Levites from Jerusalem. He answers NO to all their questions, even the question about Elijah, but Jesus saw it differently (Matthew 11:14) John's answer to "Who are you?" is to quote the verse from Isaiah. (Memory Verse) Look at all the things John has to say about Jesus: vs.15, 27,29 "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world., vs.32 "I saw the Spirit descend on him like a dove and remain on him.", Verse 33, "He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." Word received: It is through My Spirit that John is able to witness about My Son. John was meek in Spirit, but strong in body and soul.
John was under the discipline of the Holy Spirit. Word received: What kind of discipline are you willing to live under? John lived under the discipline of these words: "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:76-79)
Now go back and read the Memory Verse again. Word received: Get ready! Are you prepared? I want to prepare you to meet My Son Jesus. Are you ready?
In times of God's visitation he brings both salvation and judgment. See Matthew 3:12. "His winnowing fork is in his hand and he will clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. Word received: Pray for the day of My threshing. Pray that none of the wheat will be lost with the chaff. Pray for My little ones who are being led astray by lies. Pray for My will to be done.
NOTE: later, after John was put in prison by King Herod, he sent word to Jesus, "Are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another?" We don't know exactly what John expected, but he was beginning to doubt. Jesus sent word through John's disciples about all the signs and wonders he was doing that the prophets spoke about. (Luke 7: 18-23) "Go tell John what you have seen and heard." Part of the problem was that John was sitting alone in prison, isolated from what was going on. We need to note this. When we isolate ourselves from the body of believers we are much more vulnerable to doubt. We need the body of believers and we need to do what John did--take his doubts to Jesus.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 12
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones
1.God's WORD, the Bible, often tells about people and events that will come in the future. Those who do this are called prophets. Isaiah and other prophets told about Jesus and John the Baptist hundreds of years before they came.
2. John pointed to God's promised Messiah, Jesus. God wants us to point to Jesus and help make a way for people to come to know him. One way we can help make a way for Jesus is to follow him ourselves and to point to him.
3. John told people to get ready for Jesus and his kingdom. God wants us to get ready to receive and celebrate Jesus' coming the first time as a baby at Christmas and to receive him NOW as our King and Savior. (We call this time of preparation ADVENT which means "coming". What are you doing to get ready?)
4. John talked about repenting and being baptized. What does repent mean? If you are going down the wrong path in the woods, repent would mean going back (returning) to where the path divided and going the other way.
(For people who have not received Jesus in their hearts, it means asking Jesus into their hearts and going in his direction instead of their own way. Baptism is to seal that choice.
For people who have received Jesus it means to daily compare the way we have acted and thought with what Jesus tells us to do and think. If we have failed (sinned) we need to daily repent, tell Jesus we are sorry, ask his forgiveness, ask him for his Holy Spirit to help us choose his way the next time. The sooner we repent, the sooner we will get back on the right path.)
Get Ready--Get Ready!!!
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: John 1:1-9, 15-28 and Matthew 3:1-12
Memory Verse: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3) (Pre-K to grade 3)
John's birth and whole life were a calling from God. "He will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb"...and would "go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah…and make ready for the Lord a people prepared." An angel had spoken to his father about his son's birth and calling which included the fulfillment of prophecy in Malachi 4:5 "Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse." In Matthew 11:14 Jesus said "And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear." John also fulfilled Isaiah 40:3. All of God's past dealings with his people were coming to a climax in John and Jesus.
God called John into the wilderness to preach. He was dressed like a prophet of old. He was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah given 750 years before: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Word received: You live in a wilderness, it is a wilderness of lies and deceit that your culture is telling. I want you to make a straight path through that wilderness to me. I want you to help make a highway for me.
"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 3:1-2) A word received: John pointed to my kingdom. You are to do the same. It is not a kingdom of men, it is the kingdom of heaven. John faithfully points to Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our job also is to bear witness to Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. "For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight."'" (Matthew 3:3) A word received: You in your time and your generation are called to do what John did -- prepare the way for me.
John's message was first of all to "Repent", which means not only to turn away from sin but to return to their God and the covenant Israel had made with God. "Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins." (Matthew 3:5-6) A word received: I want my people to come forward in repentance, confessing their sins. You speak of the people of the Hill [Hamilton Hill in Schenectady] confessing their sins; I want my people at Christ Church to do that as well.
NOTE: Another passage about repentance in Isaiah is in 30:15. "In returning and rest you shall be saved in quietness and in trust shall be your strength, and you would not". The context is God talking to his rebellious, stubborn people. "Returning" means return to God but "rest" is interesting. It means to come down, be broken (as a horse is broken). As in (come down off your high horse and be obedient to your master).
Lots of the common people came out to John, confessing their sins but John had a stern message of warning for the religious leaders of his people. "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, 'Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?'" (Matthew 3:7) A word received: Who is speaking plainly to the church leaders in your day about the wrath that is to come? John told the leaders to bear fruit that fits repentance and don't count on saying to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our Father." (Remember the saying, "God has no grandsons!) A word received: What excuses are you giving for the lack of fruit in your life? Look at the fruit of my Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I want these to be evident in your life.
What kind of fruit is "in keeping with repentance"?
Are we ready to hear John's message in our day? It is pretty easy to see the faults and sins of others. What uncomfortable truth might Jesus be saying to us? Pray for ears to hear and a heart to respond to what the Spirit is saying to the churches in our generation! Word received: Are you ready? Are you ready to hear the words of My prophet John? If you are truly ready, then you will act on the words of John when I call you to act.
Now look at John 1:1. Word received: That is My Son Jesus who I am talking about. I speak about him first because he is first. John pointed to Jesus. I want all things and all men to point to Jesus. That is what their testimony should be: to point to Jesus. Read verses 6-9 &15-28. "He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me." Word received: John was willing to be used by Me to point to My Son. Are you willing to be used by Me? Word received: John humbled himself before men. I want you to humble yourselves before men. John answers all the questions about "Who are you?" of the priests and Levites from Jerusalem. He answers NO to all their questions, even the question about Elijah, but Jesus saw it differently (Matthew 11:14) John's answer to "Who are you?" is to quote the verse from Isaiah. (Memory Verse) Look at all the things John has to say about Jesus: vs.15, 27,29 "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world., vs.32 "I saw the Spirit descend on him like a dove and remain on him.", Verse 33, "He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." Word received: It is through My Spirit that John is able to witness about My Son. John was meek in Spirit, but strong in body and soul.
John was under the discipline of the Holy Spirit. Word received: What kind of discipline are you willing to live under? John lived under the discipline of these words: "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:76-79)
Now go back and read the Memory Verse again. Word received: Get ready! Are you prepared? I want to prepare you to meet My Son Jesus. Are you ready?
In times of God's visitation he brings both salvation and judgment. See Matthew 3:12. "His winnowing fork is in his hand and he will clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. Word received: Pray for the day of My threshing. Pray that none of the wheat will be lost with the chaff. Pray for My little ones who are being led astray by lies. Pray for My will to be done.
NOTE: later, after John was put in prison by King Herod, he sent word to Jesus, "Are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another?" We don't know exactly what John expected, but he was beginning to doubt. Jesus sent word through John's disciples about all the signs and wonders he was doing that the prophets spoke about. (Luke 7: 18-23) "Go tell John what you have seen and heard." Part of the problem was that John was sitting alone in prison, isolated from what was going on. We need to note this. When we isolate ourselves from the body of believers we are much more vulnerable to doubt. We need the body of believers and we need to do what John did--take his doubts to Jesus.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 12
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones
1.God's WORD, the Bible, often tells about people and events that will come in the future. Those who do this are called prophets. Isaiah and other prophets told about Jesus and John the Baptist hundreds of years before they came.
2. John pointed to God's promised Messiah, Jesus. God wants us to point to Jesus and help make a way for people to come to know him. One way we can help make a way for Jesus is to follow him ourselves and to point to him.
3. John told people to get ready for Jesus and his kingdom. God wants us to get ready to receive and celebrate Jesus' coming the first time as a baby at Christmas and to receive him NOW as our King and Savior. (We call this time of preparation ADVENT which means "coming". What are you doing to get ready?)
4. John talked about repenting and being baptized. What does repent mean? If you are going down the wrong path in the woods, repent would mean going back (returning) to where the path divided and going the other way.
(For people who have not received Jesus in their hearts, it means asking Jesus into their hearts and going in his direction instead of their own way. Baptism is to seal that choice.
For people who have received Jesus it means to daily compare the way we have acted and thought with what Jesus tells us to do and think. If we have failed (sinned) we need to daily repent, tell Jesus we are sorry, ask his forgiveness, ask him for his Holy Spirit to help us choose his way the next time. The sooner we repent, the sooner we will get back on the right path.)
Sunday, November 11, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 11 November 18, 2007
Jesus Teaches and Lives Out the Fruit of the Spirit
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: Matthew 18:1-4, 21-22; John 13:3-17; Luke 23:34
Optional: Acts 7:58-60
Memory Verse: "Have this mind in you, which is yours in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5
Read the Memory Verse. Jesus is not only our Savior, teacher and Lord (master), he is also our model/pattern. When he washed his disciples' feet he said, "I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. " In John 13:34 Jesus says, "a new commandment I give to you, that you should love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Rabbis in the time of Jesus expected their disciples to live with them and not only learn what their teacher taught but also model their lives on his. Jesus called his disciples (as distinguished from other hearers and followers) to "FOLLOW ME". Jesus calls us to be his disciples, to follow him, to learn from him, to follow his example and, even more, to abide/remain IN him and to be filled with his Spirit.
In this lesson we are looking at examples of the fruit of the Spirit in Jesus. In Matthew 18:1-4, Jesus' disciples are having a discussion about who is greatest in the Kingdom of God (Heaven); We know from other references that they were jockeying for the highest places in Jesus' Kingdom, even the night before he died! James and John even got their mother involved! Jesus turns things upside down by putting a little child in their midst and telling them that unless they turned/repented/were converted and became like a little child they would never even get into the Kingdom. [It was not "childish" behavior Jesus meant but like the relationship of a little child with its father. Jesus modeled that relationship also.] What do you think this involves? "Then Jesus called a little child to him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:2-3) A word received: I said, "Assuredly," and I meant it. It is a sure thing that unless you are converted as that little child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. ("Converted" here means to turn quite around, to turn self about).
We are all so anxious to be first. Word received: Do you know what it takes to be first? I had to be willing to die for all the sins of the world. I want you to love others as I did. Prayer: Lord, help me to see what Jesus had to go through to be first. Lord, show me how to humble myself and become as a child, trusting you with everything. "At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (Matthew 18:1) A word received: I want you to take your attention off yourself and turn it to me. I had to learn to put my father's will before my own. I want you to do the same. (See Hebrews 5:8) "Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered…"
The Philippians passage in the Memory Verse, points to Jesus' humility, love and obedience to his heavenly Father. Prayer: Jesus, I want to have your mind about things. "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4) A word received: I humbled myself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. How far are you willing to humble yourself?
"Then Peter came to him and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22) A word received: I want you to pray for my Holy Spirit to reveal to you the many times you have sinned against others. Then you will begin to know how often you need to forgive others. What does the Lord's prayer say about this? Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive a sin against him -- thinking that he is being very generous to say 7 times. (Seven was considered the number of completeness.) But Jesus says, "70 times 7", (a Rabbinic phrase for "without limit") and tells the parable of the unforgiving servant.
Look at the example Jesus actually set when he was in the agony of the cross. (Luke 23:34) As they were crucifying him, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Word received: I want you to show mercy and forgive others when they hurt you. That is what I did. The most powerful example of forgiveness in the early church is Stephen who let go of his hurt and pain by forgiving those who were stoning him to death! (Acts 7:59-60) Word received: Give the hurt and pain to Me when others hurt you. I AM the only one who can heal you.
Another example of Jesus modeling the fruit of the Spirit is joy (John 15:11) "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."
Also an example of Jesus teaching as well as modeling love is in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Also, "If you keep my commandments [obedience], you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love."
Jesus set the example for serving others with humility and love as he washes his disciples' feet. Word received: What I want you to do is to care for others the way that I cared for all. As you do that I will care for you.
Peace is a fruit that Jesus had in himself and offers it to his disciples. (See John 14:27 and16:33) "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you." "I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." The peace of Jesus is not fragile and it does not depend on circumstances. He wants to give us his peace.
Jesus sets an example for us of faithfulness and self-control as he daily chooses to say and do only what the Father show him -- even to the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross.
Jesus wants to give us HIS SPIRIT so that we will have the desire and the power to follow his example. "Apart from Me you can do nothing. " (John 15:5)
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 11
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.Jesus is the best example we have. God wants us to receive him into our hearts, to follow him and act like him.
2. God wants us to serve and care for others the way Jesus did. As we do that Jesus will care for us. He wants us to think of others before ourselves.
3. God wants us to forgive others when they hurt us. That is what Jesus did. Then Jesus wants us to give the hurt to him so he can heal us.
4. God wants us to become more and more like Jesus as we grow up.
5. Which fruit of the Spirit do you find hardest? Ask Jesus to send His Holy Spirit to help you when it is difficult.
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: Matthew 18:1-4, 21-22; John 13:3-17; Luke 23:34
Optional: Acts 7:58-60
Memory Verse: "Have this mind in you, which is yours in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5
Read the Memory Verse. Jesus is not only our Savior, teacher and Lord (master), he is also our model/pattern. When he washed his disciples' feet he said, "I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. " In John 13:34 Jesus says, "a new commandment I give to you, that you should love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Rabbis in the time of Jesus expected their disciples to live with them and not only learn what their teacher taught but also model their lives on his. Jesus called his disciples (as distinguished from other hearers and followers) to "FOLLOW ME". Jesus calls us to be his disciples, to follow him, to learn from him, to follow his example and, even more, to abide/remain IN him and to be filled with his Spirit.
In this lesson we are looking at examples of the fruit of the Spirit in Jesus. In Matthew 18:1-4, Jesus' disciples are having a discussion about who is greatest in the Kingdom of God (Heaven); We know from other references that they were jockeying for the highest places in Jesus' Kingdom, even the night before he died! James and John even got their mother involved! Jesus turns things upside down by putting a little child in their midst and telling them that unless they turned/repented/were converted and became like a little child they would never even get into the Kingdom. [It was not "childish" behavior Jesus meant but like the relationship of a little child with its father. Jesus modeled that relationship also.] What do you think this involves? "Then Jesus called a little child to him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:2-3) A word received: I said, "Assuredly," and I meant it. It is a sure thing that unless you are converted as that little child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. ("Converted" here means to turn quite around, to turn self about).
We are all so anxious to be first. Word received: Do you know what it takes to be first? I had to be willing to die for all the sins of the world. I want you to love others as I did. Prayer: Lord, help me to see what Jesus had to go through to be first. Lord, show me how to humble myself and become as a child, trusting you with everything. "At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (Matthew 18:1) A word received: I want you to take your attention off yourself and turn it to me. I had to learn to put my father's will before my own. I want you to do the same. (See Hebrews 5:8) "Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered…"
The Philippians passage in the Memory Verse, points to Jesus' humility, love and obedience to his heavenly Father. Prayer: Jesus, I want to have your mind about things. "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4) A word received: I humbled myself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. How far are you willing to humble yourself?
"Then Peter came to him and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22) A word received: I want you to pray for my Holy Spirit to reveal to you the many times you have sinned against others. Then you will begin to know how often you need to forgive others. What does the Lord's prayer say about this? Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive a sin against him -- thinking that he is being very generous to say 7 times. (Seven was considered the number of completeness.) But Jesus says, "70 times 7", (a Rabbinic phrase for "without limit") and tells the parable of the unforgiving servant.
Look at the example Jesus actually set when he was in the agony of the cross. (Luke 23:34) As they were crucifying him, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Word received: I want you to show mercy and forgive others when they hurt you. That is what I did. The most powerful example of forgiveness in the early church is Stephen who let go of his hurt and pain by forgiving those who were stoning him to death! (Acts 7:59-60) Word received: Give the hurt and pain to Me when others hurt you. I AM the only one who can heal you.
Another example of Jesus modeling the fruit of the Spirit is joy (John 15:11) "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."
Also an example of Jesus teaching as well as modeling love is in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Also, "If you keep my commandments [obedience], you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love."
Jesus set the example for serving others with humility and love as he washes his disciples' feet. Word received: What I want you to do is to care for others the way that I cared for all. As you do that I will care for you.
Peace is a fruit that Jesus had in himself and offers it to his disciples. (See John 14:27 and16:33) "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you." "I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." The peace of Jesus is not fragile and it does not depend on circumstances. He wants to give us his peace.
Jesus sets an example for us of faithfulness and self-control as he daily chooses to say and do only what the Father show him -- even to the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross.
Jesus wants to give us HIS SPIRIT so that we will have the desire and the power to follow his example. "Apart from Me you can do nothing. " (John 15:5)
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 11
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.Jesus is the best example we have. God wants us to receive him into our hearts, to follow him and act like him.
2. God wants us to serve and care for others the way Jesus did. As we do that Jesus will care for us. He wants us to think of others before ourselves.
3. God wants us to forgive others when they hurt us. That is what Jesus did. Then Jesus wants us to give the hurt to him so he can heal us.
4. God wants us to become more and more like Jesus as we grow up.
5. Which fruit of the Spirit do you find hardest? Ask Jesus to send His Holy Spirit to help you when it is difficult.
Friday, November 2, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 10 November 11, 2007
David displays the Fruit of the Spirit
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: 1 Samuel 24
Memory Verse: "You have heard it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:43-45 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Background David had been anointed as future king by Samuel. After David the Shepherd boy had killed Goliath, King Saul added him to his household and David sometimes played music for Saul when Saul was in a bad mood. David was also a warrior for Saul, but soon Saul began to be very jealous of David because people were singing songs like, "Saul has killed his thousands and David has killed his ten thousands". Saul began to try to kill David. Finally David's close friend Jonathan, Saul's son, made a covenant with David and helped him escape. David hid out in the wilderness near Engedi (see map) which had lots of caves and sheep were often pastured there. Part of it is real desert.
David is now living in the wilderness and keeps moving around. He had about 600 men with him who were also hiding there. (1 Samuel 25:26, 31) King Saul comes after David with 3,000 picked soldiers! Clearly the purpose of this show of power is to make David and his men fearful and give up. This is just one of the times Saul hunted David. Not only was he jealous but he feared that his son would not inherit the throne.
Saul picks a cave that David and his men were hiding in (very far back) to go to the toilet. David's men tell him, now's your chance to kill Saul. God has given him into your power. David does not kill Saul, but quietly cuts off a piece of Saul's royal robe without Saul noticing anything. David immediately feels he has done wrong to do this because Saul is God's anointed king. "Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe." (1 Samuel 24:5) A word received: I want you to respond as David did when he was troubled by what he did: he confessed his sin and repented.
David also forbad his men to attack and kill Saul. Saul leaves without knowing what had happened. "He [David] said to his men, 'The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.'" (1 Samuel 24:6) A word received: I want you to have the same respect for my anointed servants that David had. I want you to honor them. In David's time kings and priests were anointed with oil, representing the Holy Spirit. David knew all the bad things that Saul was doing but he honored and respected the office Saul held (king) and God having set him apart. Who are "God's anointed" today? (priests, bishops).
Notice that this does not mean David excused Saul's wrong doing but he respects Saul's office and leaves it to God to deal with Saul's wrong doing. In the Old Testament Psalm 94 says, "O God who avenges, shine forth…Pay back to the proud what they deserve….But the Lord has become my fortress, … He will repay them for their sins." Notice that in the Psalms, David and the other writers are asking God to punish those who have wronged them. They do not try to get even themselves! (CS Lewis pointed this out.) In the New Testament, we are told by Jesus and Paul to go one step further, because God is the one who is the Judge. Read Romans 12:17-21 "Vengeance is mine; says the Lord. I will repay" and "if your enemy is hungry, feed him…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Now look at the Memory Verse for what Jesus tells us. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:43-45) PRAYER: Holy Spirit, please help me to hear what Jesus is saying to me. We will need to ask Jesus for the power of the Holy Spirit to do this, because it is the opposite of what the world says and does! Jesus is showing us the better way, to do good instead of evil, by forgiving even 70 times 7 (stop counting). Forgiving does not say that what the person did was OK but it gets the poison of unforgiveness out of us and gives the situation to God. We are to leave it to God, ask God to deal with the ones who treat us in an evil way. This is God's kind of love (agape) that does what is best for the other person but not a warm fuzzy feeling. Word received: Use David as your example of how to treat your enemies. Be wise and the truth will shine forth in My time. Do you remember what happened to King Saul? Did David become King in God's time??
Notice how David forbad his men to attack and kill Saul. Saul leaves without knowing what had happened. "With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way." (1 Samuel 24:7) A word received: I am calling on you to restrain your friends when they contemplate doing evil.
Now look at what David did next. (vs.8f) "Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground." (1 Samuel 24:8) A word received: "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. " (Matthew 5:44) David did this many times; can you count the times you have loved and blessed those who persecute you and spitefully use you? David risks his life to tell and show King Saul that he is not a traitor or wrong doer. He proves to Saul, by waving the piece of Saul's robs, that he could have easily killed him. David says, "I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it." Then David tells Saul that he is asking God to punish Saul but that he would not touch the King. Again in vs.15, David is asking God to deal with the situation. [ An interesting parallel is between what David says, "but my hand shall not be against you."… "may the Lord therefore be judge…and deliver me from your hand" and the three young men facing the fiery furnace. In Daniel 3:17 they refused to worship the King's golden image and told King Nebuchadnezzar "Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace…and out of your hand. (vs.18) But if not, be it known to you, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image." The King threw them into the furnace and God rescued them.]
Then David said, "May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you." (1 Samuel 24:12) A word received: Are you willing to leave judgment in my hands? I want you to let me deal with those who have hurt and abused you. Then Saul repents (for a little while) and declares, in front of his own men, that David has returned good for evil and acknowledges that David will be ding some day. Then he asks David to promise not to kill his family and David does.
Notice that in vs.22 David was wise, not foolish. He didn't trust Saul. He went back to one of his strongholds in the wilderness.
In the next chapter, Abigail keeps David from taking revenge on Nabal. Even David needed to hear "restraining advice" sometimes.
Now look at the fruit of the Spirit in David. Look at how David answered Saul's desire to kill him with kindness and agape love. David was faithful in trusting and obeying God and trusting God for his future. That was also goodness. He had self-control to resist any desires to get even or kill Saul. That also showed David's patience in waiting for God's time. David chose peace over revenge.
NOTE on "sons" in the Memory Verse. Jesus says to love enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." Jesus calls us to follow him and walk (do) as he did. The word "son" in the Bible means not only to be a biological son of someone but to be like someone/something as in "sons of thunder". It also means to have a relationship with them and obey them. A "son" is one who obeys/acknowledges the father's authority and has his character. Colossians 3:6 (in some translations) talks about the "sons of disobedience." Jesus talks about the "sons of this world" in Luke 16:8 and the "sons of light." As Christians we become "sons" (includes women) of God by adoption (Galatians 4:5) which God does by sending the Holy Spirit of His Son, Jesus, into our hearts.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 10
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. When Saul tried to kill David, David did not try to get even or hurt him. That is showing the fruit of the spirit: mercy and kindness, and self-control.
2 Even when David could have killed Saul, he didn't do it because David respected God's anointed one. That doesn't mean that what Saul did was OK, but David trusted God to punish Saul and protect himself.
3 God blessed David because he respected his enemy and returned good for evil.
4 God wants each of us to act like David did , when someone hurts us or makes fun of us. Jesus said to "love your enemies". What does that mean? We don't have to like or trust them but we are to return good for evil, pray for those who are mean to us, forgive them and ask God to deal with them. The Bible says, if your enemy is hungry, feed him!
5. David was not foolish. He kept on hiding from his enemy Saul, who hadn't really changed.
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: 1 Samuel 24
Memory Verse: "You have heard it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:43-45 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Background David had been anointed as future king by Samuel. After David the Shepherd boy had killed Goliath, King Saul added him to his household and David sometimes played music for Saul when Saul was in a bad mood. David was also a warrior for Saul, but soon Saul began to be very jealous of David because people were singing songs like, "Saul has killed his thousands and David has killed his ten thousands". Saul began to try to kill David. Finally David's close friend Jonathan, Saul's son, made a covenant with David and helped him escape. David hid out in the wilderness near Engedi (see map) which had lots of caves and sheep were often pastured there. Part of it is real desert.
David is now living in the wilderness and keeps moving around. He had about 600 men with him who were also hiding there. (1 Samuel 25:26, 31) King Saul comes after David with 3,000 picked soldiers! Clearly the purpose of this show of power is to make David and his men fearful and give up. This is just one of the times Saul hunted David. Not only was he jealous but he feared that his son would not inherit the throne.
Saul picks a cave that David and his men were hiding in (very far back) to go to the toilet. David's men tell him, now's your chance to kill Saul. God has given him into your power. David does not kill Saul, but quietly cuts off a piece of Saul's royal robe without Saul noticing anything. David immediately feels he has done wrong to do this because Saul is God's anointed king. "Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe." (1 Samuel 24:5) A word received: I want you to respond as David did when he was troubled by what he did: he confessed his sin and repented.
David also forbad his men to attack and kill Saul. Saul leaves without knowing what had happened. "He [David] said to his men, 'The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.'" (1 Samuel 24:6) A word received: I want you to have the same respect for my anointed servants that David had. I want you to honor them. In David's time kings and priests were anointed with oil, representing the Holy Spirit. David knew all the bad things that Saul was doing but he honored and respected the office Saul held (king) and God having set him apart. Who are "God's anointed" today? (priests, bishops).
Notice that this does not mean David excused Saul's wrong doing but he respects Saul's office and leaves it to God to deal with Saul's wrong doing. In the Old Testament Psalm 94 says, "O God who avenges, shine forth…Pay back to the proud what they deserve….But the Lord has become my fortress, … He will repay them for their sins." Notice that in the Psalms, David and the other writers are asking God to punish those who have wronged them. They do not try to get even themselves! (CS Lewis pointed this out.) In the New Testament, we are told by Jesus and Paul to go one step further, because God is the one who is the Judge. Read Romans 12:17-21 "Vengeance is mine; says the Lord. I will repay" and "if your enemy is hungry, feed him…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Now look at the Memory Verse for what Jesus tells us. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:43-45) PRAYER: Holy Spirit, please help me to hear what Jesus is saying to me. We will need to ask Jesus for the power of the Holy Spirit to do this, because it is the opposite of what the world says and does! Jesus is showing us the better way, to do good instead of evil, by forgiving even 70 times 7 (stop counting). Forgiving does not say that what the person did was OK but it gets the poison of unforgiveness out of us and gives the situation to God. We are to leave it to God, ask God to deal with the ones who treat us in an evil way. This is God's kind of love (agape) that does what is best for the other person but not a warm fuzzy feeling. Word received: Use David as your example of how to treat your enemies. Be wise and the truth will shine forth in My time. Do you remember what happened to King Saul? Did David become King in God's time??
Notice how David forbad his men to attack and kill Saul. Saul leaves without knowing what had happened. "With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way." (1 Samuel 24:7) A word received: I am calling on you to restrain your friends when they contemplate doing evil.
Now look at what David did next. (vs.8f) "Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground." (1 Samuel 24:8) A word received: "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. " (Matthew 5:44) David did this many times; can you count the times you have loved and blessed those who persecute you and spitefully use you? David risks his life to tell and show King Saul that he is not a traitor or wrong doer. He proves to Saul, by waving the piece of Saul's robs, that he could have easily killed him. David says, "I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it." Then David tells Saul that he is asking God to punish Saul but that he would not touch the King. Again in vs.15, David is asking God to deal with the situation. [ An interesting parallel is between what David says, "but my hand shall not be against you."… "may the Lord therefore be judge…and deliver me from your hand" and the three young men facing the fiery furnace. In Daniel 3:17 they refused to worship the King's golden image and told King Nebuchadnezzar "Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace…and out of your hand. (vs.18) But if not, be it known to you, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image." The King threw them into the furnace and God rescued them.]
Then David said, "May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you." (1 Samuel 24:12) A word received: Are you willing to leave judgment in my hands? I want you to let me deal with those who have hurt and abused you. Then Saul repents (for a little while) and declares, in front of his own men, that David has returned good for evil and acknowledges that David will be ding some day. Then he asks David to promise not to kill his family and David does.
Notice that in vs.22 David was wise, not foolish. He didn't trust Saul. He went back to one of his strongholds in the wilderness.
In the next chapter, Abigail keeps David from taking revenge on Nabal. Even David needed to hear "restraining advice" sometimes.
Now look at the fruit of the Spirit in David. Look at how David answered Saul's desire to kill him with kindness and agape love. David was faithful in trusting and obeying God and trusting God for his future. That was also goodness. He had self-control to resist any desires to get even or kill Saul. That also showed David's patience in waiting for God's time. David chose peace over revenge.
NOTE on "sons" in the Memory Verse. Jesus says to love enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." Jesus calls us to follow him and walk (do) as he did. The word "son" in the Bible means not only to be a biological son of someone but to be like someone/something as in "sons of thunder". It also means to have a relationship with them and obey them. A "son" is one who obeys/acknowledges the father's authority and has his character. Colossians 3:6 (in some translations) talks about the "sons of disobedience." Jesus talks about the "sons of this world" in Luke 16:8 and the "sons of light." As Christians we become "sons" (includes women) of God by adoption (Galatians 4:5) which God does by sending the Holy Spirit of His Son, Jesus, into our hearts.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 10
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. When Saul tried to kill David, David did not try to get even or hurt him. That is showing the fruit of the spirit: mercy and kindness, and self-control.
2 Even when David could have killed Saul, he didn't do it because David respected God's anointed one. That doesn't mean that what Saul did was OK, but David trusted God to punish Saul and protect himself.
3 God blessed David because he respected his enemy and returned good for evil.
4 God wants each of us to act like David did , when someone hurts us or makes fun of us. Jesus said to "love your enemies". What does that mean? We don't have to like or trust them but we are to return good for evil, pray for those who are mean to us, forgive them and ask God to deal with them. The Bible says, if your enemy is hungry, feed him!
5. David was not foolish. He kept on hiding from his enemy Saul, who hadn't really changed.
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 09 November 4, 2007
The Fruit of the Spirit
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: Galatians 5:13-26 and Luke 6:43-45
Optional: John 15:1-17
Memory Verse: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23b
Paul is writing to new Christians about how to walk by the Spirit of God, how to live in and by the Holy Spirit. We receive new life through Jesus and the Holy Spirit but we have to make a daily choice to walk by the Spirit and abide (live, stay put) in Jesus. We remain living in Jesus and let him live in us by doing (obeying) what he tells us. This will produce results (fruit) that glorifies God and points to Jesus. There is no other way. See theme verse for the year. Word received: I want My people to turn to Me for what only I can supply--My Spirit for daily living.
Look at Galatians. God wants us to have freedom in Christ to live as He created us to live, not misusing our freedom to indulge our sinful nature. Word received: When you know and follow Me, you are truly free. God wants us to use the new life and freedom Christ gives to serve one another with agape love. [Agape love is not a feeling but a choice. It is a love that does what is best for the other person. It is the kind of love God the Father and Jesus had when Jesus came to live as one of us and die and rise for us. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 lists what agape love is like.]
Paul says in Galatians (vs.13-14) that the law, the commandments of God are fulfilled in loving with agape love and serving each other. If we do the opposite we can hurt and destroy each other! That is what happens when we don't serve and love one another. Word received: By serving, you are pointing to Me. I want your fruit to always point to Me. Word received: I want what you do to lead others to Me. When you live your lives in the fruit of My Spirit, then others will be drawn to Me.
Reread the fruit of the Spirit (vs.22-23a). Word received: You cannot have the fruit unless you plant a seed that will grow. What are you doing to plant and grow the fruit of My Spirit? I want you to make a list of the seeds that you plant each day. Offer these seeds to Me for My blessing. The seeds are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control.
"I say then: walk in the Spirit" (vs.16). Word received: This is the way to daily cultivate a life in My Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit.
Fruit does not develop overnight. It grows from a seed or on a tree that has been cared for over time. The seeds we sow day by day determine the results--the fruit. Apples and grapes have seeds in them that will produce more of the same if they are cared for.
Notice the contrast between the works of the flesh/sinful human nature (vs.19-21) and the fruit of the Spirit of God working in us. The works of the sinful nature are the result of the choices we make to indulge that sinful nature. The result of daily living/choosing to live according to our sinful nature is that we won't inherit God's Kingdom! However if we have asked Jesus to live in us and fall into sin, and then repent, God will forgive and restore us, but the bad fruit will still have consequences. As Christians we have the power of the Holy Spirit available to us but we have to daily choose to walk in it. We have to daily choose to remain living in Jesus and his Spirit.
Compare the works of sin and the fruits of the Spirit. Are some of them opposites? Word received: Make a choice everyday to walk in My Spirit. There is true freedom. "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (vs.25). Word received: Life is a choice you can make. (Deuteronomy 30:19) I want you to choose life. I want you to walk in My Spirit.
Now look at the John 15:1-17 passage for a different perspective on bearing fruit. Bearing good fruit results from being attached to the true vine -- Jesus. God the Father is the gardener who tends the vine and its branches. When branches do not bear fruit he removes them and he prunes the one that do bear fruit. Wild grapevines or ones that are not pruned have very few and small grapes and lots and lots of showy leaves. Pruning doesn't hurt the vine (though it looks like it) but actually helps it bear more and better fruit.
Jesus says we have to abide/remain living/stay attached to him to bear the fruit we were created to bear. The life comes to the branch through the vine. Jesus says, "Apart from Me you can do nothing." Branches that do not remain attached also wither. Part of the way we stay living in Jesus is to keep/obey what he tells us. That is the way Jesus lives/abided in the Father's love by obeying/doing exactly what the Father told him during his earthly life. (John 8:28-29) "I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him."
Jesus wants us to do/obey what he tells us in order to live in him. "You are my friend if you practice what I command you". (vs.14) This is what God the Father, the one who cares for the Vine and branches wants. He has "appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide" so that God will be glorified. (vs.5)
Now look at Luke 6. Jesus talks about testing fruit, knowing a good 'tree" from a bad one by the fruit/results that come from it. If we want to know if something a person is teaching or doing is good we are told to test the fruit, whether it is good or bad. Jesus did tell us not to judge others but he DID tell us we are to test, to examine what a person does, the fruit of the person's life, whether it is good or bad. As Bishop Dan used to say, We are called to be fruit inspectors. God wants us to discern by his Spirit whether something is good or bad. Word received: You test the tree by testing its fruit. Look at the evidence, look at the deeds. Don't just listen to the words of others. Word received: To test the fruit, you ask Me and I will tell you the truth. We can ask Jesus to help us see clearly whether the fruit of something or someone is good or not.
(Testing: The first test is always whether or not it agrees with Scripture. If it does then we have to have God's help in discerning whether it is from him or not.)
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 09
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1 What are the fruit/fruits of the Spirit of God? Can you get grapes from a thorn bush? What we plant is what grows. If we plant seeds (actions) of temper tantrums or being mean to others, what will grow? Seeds of the fruit of the Spirit always grow good, sweet fruit.
2. Ask the kids what love looks like (God's love(agape)--not feelings)? What does the fruit of kindness look like? etc.
3.What happens to a branch of an apple tree or grape vine that is broken off? Does it grow fruit? In the same way we have to stay attached to Jesus (by talking to him (prayer) and obeying him every day if we want to grow the "fruit of the Spirit" in our lives.
4. God can help us when nobody else can. He will help us to grow the fruit of the Spirit (name it) if we ask for his help, his Holy Spirit, every day. God can also help us to stop planting bad seeds too.
5. Even when we have the Holy Spirit living in us, we still have to choose to listen and obey God each day.
Object lessons: some spoiled fruit and some good fruit. Also consider planting some seeds and watching them grow this year.
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: Galatians 5:13-26 and Luke 6:43-45
Optional: John 15:1-17
Memory Verse: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23b
Paul is writing to new Christians about how to walk by the Spirit of God, how to live in and by the Holy Spirit. We receive new life through Jesus and the Holy Spirit but we have to make a daily choice to walk by the Spirit and abide (live, stay put) in Jesus. We remain living in Jesus and let him live in us by doing (obeying) what he tells us. This will produce results (fruit) that glorifies God and points to Jesus. There is no other way. See theme verse for the year. Word received: I want My people to turn to Me for what only I can supply--My Spirit for daily living.
Look at Galatians. God wants us to have freedom in Christ to live as He created us to live, not misusing our freedom to indulge our sinful nature. Word received: When you know and follow Me, you are truly free. God wants us to use the new life and freedom Christ gives to serve one another with agape love. [Agape love is not a feeling but a choice. It is a love that does what is best for the other person. It is the kind of love God the Father and Jesus had when Jesus came to live as one of us and die and rise for us. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 lists what agape love is like.]
Paul says in Galatians (vs.13-14) that the law, the commandments of God are fulfilled in loving with agape love and serving each other. If we do the opposite we can hurt and destroy each other! That is what happens when we don't serve and love one another. Word received: By serving, you are pointing to Me. I want your fruit to always point to Me. Word received: I want what you do to lead others to Me. When you live your lives in the fruit of My Spirit, then others will be drawn to Me.
Reread the fruit of the Spirit (vs.22-23a). Word received: You cannot have the fruit unless you plant a seed that will grow. What are you doing to plant and grow the fruit of My Spirit? I want you to make a list of the seeds that you plant each day. Offer these seeds to Me for My blessing. The seeds are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control.
"I say then: walk in the Spirit" (vs.16). Word received: This is the way to daily cultivate a life in My Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit.
Fruit does not develop overnight. It grows from a seed or on a tree that has been cared for over time. The seeds we sow day by day determine the results--the fruit. Apples and grapes have seeds in them that will produce more of the same if they are cared for.
Notice the contrast between the works of the flesh/sinful human nature (vs.19-21) and the fruit of the Spirit of God working in us. The works of the sinful nature are the result of the choices we make to indulge that sinful nature. The result of daily living/choosing to live according to our sinful nature is that we won't inherit God's Kingdom! However if we have asked Jesus to live in us and fall into sin, and then repent, God will forgive and restore us, but the bad fruit will still have consequences. As Christians we have the power of the Holy Spirit available to us but we have to daily choose to walk in it. We have to daily choose to remain living in Jesus and his Spirit.
Compare the works of sin and the fruits of the Spirit. Are some of them opposites? Word received: Make a choice everyday to walk in My Spirit. There is true freedom. "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (vs.25). Word received: Life is a choice you can make. (Deuteronomy 30:19) I want you to choose life. I want you to walk in My Spirit.
Now look at the John 15:1-17 passage for a different perspective on bearing fruit. Bearing good fruit results from being attached to the true vine -- Jesus. God the Father is the gardener who tends the vine and its branches. When branches do not bear fruit he removes them and he prunes the one that do bear fruit. Wild grapevines or ones that are not pruned have very few and small grapes and lots and lots of showy leaves. Pruning doesn't hurt the vine (though it looks like it) but actually helps it bear more and better fruit.
Jesus says we have to abide/remain living/stay attached to him to bear the fruit we were created to bear. The life comes to the branch through the vine. Jesus says, "Apart from Me you can do nothing." Branches that do not remain attached also wither. Part of the way we stay living in Jesus is to keep/obey what he tells us. That is the way Jesus lives/abided in the Father's love by obeying/doing exactly what the Father told him during his earthly life. (John 8:28-29) "I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him."
Jesus wants us to do/obey what he tells us in order to live in him. "You are my friend if you practice what I command you". (vs.14) This is what God the Father, the one who cares for the Vine and branches wants. He has "appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide" so that God will be glorified. (vs.5)
Now look at Luke 6. Jesus talks about testing fruit, knowing a good 'tree" from a bad one by the fruit/results that come from it. If we want to know if something a person is teaching or doing is good we are told to test the fruit, whether it is good or bad. Jesus did tell us not to judge others but he DID tell us we are to test, to examine what a person does, the fruit of the person's life, whether it is good or bad. As Bishop Dan used to say, We are called to be fruit inspectors. God wants us to discern by his Spirit whether something is good or bad. Word received: You test the tree by testing its fruit. Look at the evidence, look at the deeds. Don't just listen to the words of others. Word received: To test the fruit, you ask Me and I will tell you the truth. We can ask Jesus to help us see clearly whether the fruit of something or someone is good or not.
(Testing: The first test is always whether or not it agrees with Scripture. If it does then we have to have God's help in discerning whether it is from him or not.)
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 09
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1 What are the fruit/fruits of the Spirit of God? Can you get grapes from a thorn bush? What we plant is what grows. If we plant seeds (actions) of temper tantrums or being mean to others, what will grow? Seeds of the fruit of the Spirit always grow good, sweet fruit.
2. Ask the kids what love looks like (God's love(agape)--not feelings)? What does the fruit of kindness look like? etc.
3.What happens to a branch of an apple tree or grape vine that is broken off? Does it grow fruit? In the same way we have to stay attached to Jesus (by talking to him (prayer) and obeying him every day if we want to grow the "fruit of the Spirit" in our lives.
4. God can help us when nobody else can. He will help us to grow the fruit of the Spirit (name it) if we ask for his help, his Holy Spirit, every day. God can also help us to stop planting bad seeds too.
5. Even when we have the Holy Spirit living in us, we still have to choose to listen and obey God each day.
Object lessons: some spoiled fruit and some good fruit. Also consider planting some seeds and watching them grow this year.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
SCHOOL LESSON 08 October 28, 2007
The Woman at the Well
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: John 4:1-42
Memory Verse: "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. " John 4:23-24 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Historical Background of the Samaritans: 2 Kings 17:1-8, 16-18 and 24-34, 41. The tribes of the N. Kingdom, Israel, repeatedly did evil in God's sight so finally they were carried off into exile by the king of Assyria. The King brought people from several other places to live in the land of the N. Kingdom. They had trouble with lions so the king was told that they didn't "know the law of the god of that land" so he sent a priest of Yahweh from exile to teach them--but they still continued to worship all their own gods as well, "as they do to this day" (17:41). (In those days people thought that every land had its own territorial god. The Jews, at least officially, knew that Yahweh was God of the whole earth.) The transplanted peoples were mixtures of other nations and worshiped other gods along with Yahweh. The Jews of Judah despised them as a mixed people and idol worshipers.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jesus knew that the Pharisees would cause difficulties about the baptisms and he knew that it was not yet his time to die so he went back to Galilee through Samaria (the shortest way). Many Jews took the long way so they would not have to go through Samaria, but Jesus chose to go there. He always went where his Father told him to go.
Word received: There will be times when I ask you to go into a difficult situation. Just as I AM always with My Son, so I will always be with you.
Jesus was wearied from the journey so about noon (6th hour) he stopped to rest by "Jacob's well" while his disciples went off to find food. This shows Jesus' full humanity. He got weary and hungry and thirsty just like we do. Because Jesus said he only does and says what the Father shows him, we have to assume that the Holy Spirit was guiding him to go through Samaria and stopt here. (John 5:19)
The Samaritan woman came to the well at noon. It was very hot then and not the usual time to draw water. This would indicate that she did not have good relationships with the other women. Jesus asked her for a drink, which surprised her since "Jews have no dealings with Samaritans," plus Jewish rabbis avoided speaking to women in public. Notice two things: 1) Jesus asked her for something she could easily do. 2) Word received: I am not bound by the hatred of others. I do not want you to be bound by others' hatred either. (Acts 1:8) Before he ascended Jesus said that after they received the power of the Holy Spirit they were to be his witnesses "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. He had a special concern for the Samaritans, but his priorities were: Jews first, then Samaritans, then the rest of the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5-6).
The woman is puzzled that he is talking to her but Jesus moves the conversation on to "the gift of God" and "living water". (v. 10) "Living water" would refer to running water as in a spring or stream or to a name for something spiritual -- as in John 7 or Jeremiah 2:13. She assumes the natural meaning and wants to know how he could get the living water without a bucket or rope. She is very proud of their connection with Jacob (vs. 12). She is still talking about ordinary water in verse 15.
An interesting parallel to this is John 7:31-39 where Jesus stands up on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles and proclaims, "If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scriptures have said, 'out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.' Now he said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive." [The theme and symbolism of "living water" occurs several times in scripture -- see the note.]
In verse 10 Jesus talks about knowing the "gift of God" and "who" is talking to her. Our first reaction to "gift" is that it refers to some thing that God gives. Jesus is referring to the "gift of God" as God himself. See John 7:39, "he said this about the Spirit" who is one of the Trinity! She ignores the part about who he is. She does ask for that living water but misunderstands. Read verse 10 again. Word received: Do you know me? Have you asked for my living water? Jesus tells her his "living water" will become a spring in those who receive it (v. 14). Word received: Have you drunk deeply of my living water? Have you asked to drink deeply? Have you opened your mouth, your life to me? Word received: I have living water for everyone to drink. My salvation is for all. (See Isaiah 55:1, "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters: and he who has no money, come, buy and eat.)
Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your eternal life. Thank you that you have made a way for us to be forgiven and reconciled to the Father. Amen.
Jesus awakens a desire in the woman, even though she doesn't understand. Jesus always responds when we seek him.
Then Jesus in a very matter-of-fact way raises a question about her life, "Go call your husband." When she tells him she doesn't have one he again, in a straight forward way, tells her she has had five husbands and is now just living with someone. He isn't accusing, he is just stating the facts and she quickly changes the subject to a religious controversy about where Jews vs. Samaritans worship. [God knows everything about us -- he looks at our hearts not the exterior as people do. (1 Samuel 16:7-9)] Do we change the subject when God confronts us with something that needs to change? Jesus uses everything for his purposes. Jesus tells her you don't know whom you worship but "salvation is of the Jews" and soon the question of Mt. Gerazim vs. Jerusalem will be irrelevant because God the Father wants worshipers to worship him in Spirit and truth. He explains to her that God is a Spiritual being. He is not a wood or stone carving or just an idea like the idols of the Samaritans.
God has made human beings with spirits, souls and bodies. Our spirits are part of us God created to have fellowship with him forever. (Our souls are our minds, emotions, wills, etc that are a lasting part of who we are.) God wants to give us his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, so we can worship him according to who he really is: truth and with our spirits by the power of the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit is truth. Jesus, the word, is truth. God longs to have us receive his Spirit so we can worship him, not just externally but from our hearts.
Are we really thirsting for more of God? Do we ever just go through the outer motions of worship? The Lord longs for us to love and worship him with all our "hearts, minds, souls, and strength." The Holy Spirit wants to help us do that.
Look at the memory verse: "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24) Prayer: Help me do that.
The woman changes the subject again to the idea of a coming Messiah who will provide answers to all these questions. Then Jesus does something astonishing. He tells her straight out who he is -- the Messiah. (Think of all the times he told people not to tell when they raised this question.) Not only does Jesus say he is the Messiah, he says to her, "I AM (he) who is speaking to you." (verse 26) Jesus is saying I am the I AM!!! whether she gets it or not.
Then the woman gets really excited and goes back to the city and tells everyone to "come and see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Messiah?" Many people come out because of what the woman said and invite him to stay. He stays two more days and they come to believe Jesus is the Savior of the world. Isn't it amazing they recognize this when so many of his own people did not.
When they return the disciples are puzzled by Jesus talking to the woman but don't ask about it. Their attention is on getting Jesus to eat but Jesus tells them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." Prayer: Lord help us to desire this food also.
There are two issues here: true worship and evangelism. Jesus points to the harvest of souls being ready, "white for harvest". God cares passionately about people who don't know him. Do we? It is God's harvest and each one of us has a different part to play. Have you ever experienced either taking part in the harvest or being the one who was brought to faith by others? Share
Word received: I AM always watching. There is nothing I do not know or see. My son listens to me and follows me. Are you doing the same?
NOTE: Other symbolic references to water:(for adults and older kids)
(Jeremiah 2:13) "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns--broken cisterns that can hold no water."
(Ezekiel 47:1-12) Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. Then he said to me: "This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine."
(Revelation 21:6) And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2)
(Revelation 22:17) And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 08
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. Jesus wants all people to want the "living water" of his Holy Spirit. He wants to give us himself. Ask for Jesus and his Spirit to come and live in your heart. [Talk about what Jesus is talking about when he talks about "living water".
2. Jesus want to do and say only what his Father in heaven tells him. He wants us to do that too.
3. Jesus wants us to worship him with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength. He looks at our hearts.
4. Jesus wants us to tell people about him so they can receive his new life.
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: John 4:1-42
Memory Verse: "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. " John 4:23-24 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Historical Background of the Samaritans: 2 Kings 17:1-8, 16-18 and 24-34, 41. The tribes of the N. Kingdom, Israel, repeatedly did evil in God's sight so finally they were carried off into exile by the king of Assyria. The King brought people from several other places to live in the land of the N. Kingdom. They had trouble with lions so the king was told that they didn't "know the law of the god of that land" so he sent a priest of Yahweh from exile to teach them--but they still continued to worship all their own gods as well, "as they do to this day" (17:41). (In those days people thought that every land had its own territorial god. The Jews, at least officially, knew that Yahweh was God of the whole earth.) The transplanted peoples were mixtures of other nations and worshiped other gods along with Yahweh. The Jews of Judah despised them as a mixed people and idol worshipers.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jesus knew that the Pharisees would cause difficulties about the baptisms and he knew that it was not yet his time to die so he went back to Galilee through Samaria (the shortest way). Many Jews took the long way so they would not have to go through Samaria, but Jesus chose to go there. He always went where his Father told him to go.
Word received: There will be times when I ask you to go into a difficult situation. Just as I AM always with My Son, so I will always be with you.
Jesus was wearied from the journey so about noon (6th hour) he stopped to rest by "Jacob's well" while his disciples went off to find food. This shows Jesus' full humanity. He got weary and hungry and thirsty just like we do. Because Jesus said he only does and says what the Father shows him, we have to assume that the Holy Spirit was guiding him to go through Samaria and stopt here. (John 5:19)
The Samaritan woman came to the well at noon. It was very hot then and not the usual time to draw water. This would indicate that she did not have good relationships with the other women. Jesus asked her for a drink, which surprised her since "Jews have no dealings with Samaritans," plus Jewish rabbis avoided speaking to women in public. Notice two things: 1) Jesus asked her for something she could easily do. 2) Word received: I am not bound by the hatred of others. I do not want you to be bound by others' hatred either. (Acts 1:8) Before he ascended Jesus said that after they received the power of the Holy Spirit they were to be his witnesses "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. He had a special concern for the Samaritans, but his priorities were: Jews first, then Samaritans, then the rest of the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5-6).
The woman is puzzled that he is talking to her but Jesus moves the conversation on to "the gift of God" and "living water". (v. 10) "Living water" would refer to running water as in a spring or stream or to a name for something spiritual -- as in John 7 or Jeremiah 2:13. She assumes the natural meaning and wants to know how he could get the living water without a bucket or rope. She is very proud of their connection with Jacob (vs. 12). She is still talking about ordinary water in verse 15.
An interesting parallel to this is John 7:31-39 where Jesus stands up on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles and proclaims, "If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scriptures have said, 'out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.' Now he said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive." [The theme and symbolism of "living water" occurs several times in scripture -- see the note.]
In verse 10 Jesus talks about knowing the "gift of God" and "who" is talking to her. Our first reaction to "gift" is that it refers to some thing that God gives. Jesus is referring to the "gift of God" as God himself. See John 7:39, "he said this about the Spirit" who is one of the Trinity! She ignores the part about who he is. She does ask for that living water but misunderstands. Read verse 10 again. Word received: Do you know me? Have you asked for my living water? Jesus tells her his "living water" will become a spring in those who receive it (v. 14). Word received: Have you drunk deeply of my living water? Have you asked to drink deeply? Have you opened your mouth, your life to me? Word received: I have living water for everyone to drink. My salvation is for all. (See Isaiah 55:1, "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters: and he who has no money, come, buy and eat.)Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your eternal life. Thank you that you have made a way for us to be forgiven and reconciled to the Father. Amen.
Jesus awakens a desire in the woman, even though she doesn't understand. Jesus always responds when we seek him.
Then Jesus in a very matter-of-fact way raises a question about her life, "Go call your husband." When she tells him she doesn't have one he again, in a straight forward way, tells her she has had five husbands and is now just living with someone. He isn't accusing, he is just stating the facts and she quickly changes the subject to a religious controversy about where Jews vs. Samaritans worship. [God knows everything about us -- he looks at our hearts not the exterior as people do. (1 Samuel 16:7-9)] Do we change the subject when God confronts us with something that needs to change? Jesus uses everything for his purposes. Jesus tells her you don't know whom you worship but "salvation is of the Jews" and soon the question of Mt. Gerazim vs. Jerusalem will be irrelevant because God the Father wants worshipers to worship him in Spirit and truth. He explains to her that God is a Spiritual being. He is not a wood or stone carving or just an idea like the idols of the Samaritans.
God has made human beings with spirits, souls and bodies. Our spirits are part of us God created to have fellowship with him forever. (Our souls are our minds, emotions, wills, etc that are a lasting part of who we are.) God wants to give us his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, so we can worship him according to who he really is: truth and with our spirits by the power of the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit is truth. Jesus, the word, is truth. God longs to have us receive his Spirit so we can worship him, not just externally but from our hearts.
Are we really thirsting for more of God? Do we ever just go through the outer motions of worship? The Lord longs for us to love and worship him with all our "hearts, minds, souls, and strength." The Holy Spirit wants to help us do that.
Look at the memory verse: "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24) Prayer: Help me do that.
The woman changes the subject again to the idea of a coming Messiah who will provide answers to all these questions. Then Jesus does something astonishing. He tells her straight out who he is -- the Messiah. (Think of all the times he told people not to tell when they raised this question.) Not only does Jesus say he is the Messiah, he says to her, "I AM (he) who is speaking to you." (verse 26) Jesus is saying I am the I AM!!! whether she gets it or not.
Then the woman gets really excited and goes back to the city and tells everyone to "come and see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Messiah?" Many people come out because of what the woman said and invite him to stay. He stays two more days and they come to believe Jesus is the Savior of the world. Isn't it amazing they recognize this when so many of his own people did not.
When they return the disciples are puzzled by Jesus talking to the woman but don't ask about it. Their attention is on getting Jesus to eat but Jesus tells them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." Prayer: Lord help us to desire this food also.
There are two issues here: true worship and evangelism. Jesus points to the harvest of souls being ready, "white for harvest". God cares passionately about people who don't know him. Do we? It is God's harvest and each one of us has a different part to play. Have you ever experienced either taking part in the harvest or being the one who was brought to faith by others? Share
Word received: I AM always watching. There is nothing I do not know or see. My son listens to me and follows me. Are you doing the same?
NOTE: Other symbolic references to water:(for adults and older kids)
(Jeremiah 2:13) "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns--broken cisterns that can hold no water."
(Ezekiel 47:1-12) Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. Then he said to me: "This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine."
(Revelation 21:6) And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2)
(Revelation 22:17) And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 08
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. Jesus wants all people to want the "living water" of his Holy Spirit. He wants to give us himself. Ask for Jesus and his Spirit to come and live in your heart. [Talk about what Jesus is talking about when he talks about "living water".
2. Jesus want to do and say only what his Father in heaven tells him. He wants us to do that too.
3. Jesus wants us to worship him with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength. He looks at our hearts.
4. Jesus wants us to tell people about him so they can receive his new life.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 07 October 21, 2007
Hannah Seeks God and is Blessed
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: 1 Samuel 1
Optional: 1 Samuel 2:11 and 21 for rest of story
Memory Verse: "So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit' says the LORD Almighty." Zechariah 4:6 (Pre-K to grade 3)
How do you see the work of the Holy Spirit of God in this lesson?
Hannah had no children after many years and her co-wife, Penin'nah, used to taunt her about this, especially when the family went up to the tabernacle of God at Shiloh.(vs. 6-8) (Childlessness was considered a disgrace for a wife.) (Polygamy was never a happy situation for the wives. In recent years we hear that the Anglican church in Africa has forbidden it to the clergy, even thought it still is common in their societies.) Word received: "And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb."(1 Samuel 1:6) I want the children and the adults to ask my Holy Spirit to show them where they make other's lives miserable. I want them to repent of this. Bullying is pretty common in many schools.
The text doesn't say but perhaps this was the first time in all the years she had gone to Shiloh that Hannah went and prayed to God at the door of the tabernacle of the LORD where the priest, Eli was sitting. Hannah is pouring out her grief, pain and bitterness to God silently but her lips moved. (It was the custom to pray out loud rather than silently.) "And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish." (1 Samuel 1:10) A word received: I will not turn you away if you come to me in bitterness and anguish. I love you and want to send my Comforter to you. Pray for my comfort, my Holy Spirit, to come into you. God already knows the hurt and pain that people endure and He wants you, or one you pray for, to come to Him so that He can comfort you/them. Bitterness is corrosive and God longs to deal with it. Word received: Hannah was grieved and she sought Me. I want you to seek Me in every circumstance. I will always hear and respond.
The priest, Eli, jumps to conclusions and rebukes Hannah for being drunk.
"So Eli said to her, 'How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!'" (1Samuel 1:14) A word received: Do not rush to judgment as Eli did. Take time and ask the Lord to show you if you have rushed to judgment about anyone.
After Hannah explains, Eli responds to her true situation with a blessing and prayer for her. "Then Eli answered and said, 'Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of him.'" (1 Samuel 1:17) A word received: This is what I want from you: that you would bless others as Eli did Hannah. I hear your blessings that are guided by my Holy Spirit.
Then Hannah was able to release her burden to the LORD. (See vs 17-18) Word received: Lay it down. Lay down your burdens of grief, anger, hurt or whatever it may be before Me. I AM the only one who can help.
When she was praying, Hannah offered and made a vow to the LORD, that if He gave her a son, she would give him back to the LORD all his life ( and he would be a Nazarite, i.e. not cutting his hair or shaving.) After Eli blessed her and prayed for her, she trusted in God with her whole heart and was comforted. Two New Testament verses point us the same way. Philippians 4:6-7 says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." See also 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you." God knows our needs before we ask abut He wants us to come to Him and ask.
The LORD heard Hannah and saw her heart. He blessed her with a son (vs.20). The name Samuel has two parts: "el" means God and the rest of the name sounds like "heard by God" in Hebrew. God takes vows made to him very seriously (see Ecclesiastes 5:4). Hannah kept her vows to the LORD. Word received: Hannah remained faithful. She gave Me her most precious gift. I gave My most precious gift in Jesus. I gave My Son to you because I love you and want a relationship with you.
Hannah's obedience in her gift of her first born son to the LORD goes beyond the understanding of most mothers/parents! Hannah continued to care for Samuel and pray for him after she gave him back to the LORD. She waited until she felt he was ready -- after he was weaned, probably 3-4 years old. After that she saw him once a year! Hannah's sacrificial love reminds us of God the Father's great love and gift of us in Jesus.
PRAYER: LORD, thank you for those people who put you first in all circumatances. May they be an example to all.
The LORD's anointing was on the child, Samuel, and God raised him up as a great prophet and ruler (Judge) in Israel. The nation was blessed by Samuel. God also blessed Hannah with more children, (see 2 Samuel 2:21) with three more sons and two daughters. As a friend of ours told us, "You can't out give God."
Other barren women whom God blessed with miracle sons were: Elizabeth (Luke 1:13), Sarah (Genesis 12: 16-19), Samson's mother (Judges 13:2-3), Rebecca (Genesis 25:21-26), and Rachel (Genesis 29), and of course the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:31& 37). " "For with God nothing will be impossible."
Hannah returned God's gift to Him. God has blessed us with new life in Him. Jesus commented about the Roman coin that was stamped with Caesar's image and said, "Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and unto Go what belongs to God." We are stamped with God's image. Genesis 1: 27 says "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Are we surrendering back to God our lives? We have the choice. We were created to worship and follow the LORD but God leaves the choice up to us.
Word received for teachers: I long for My people to cry out to Me.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 07
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. Jesus wants us to stop if we are being mean to someone.
2. Jesus wants us to treat others the way we want to be treated.
3. Jesus wants to comfort us when we are having a hard time.
4. Jesus wants us to seek him when we are feeling hurt, sad or in difficulty and ask for his comfort.
5. God wants us to bless and pray for others as Eli did.
6. Our Father God gave us his dear Son, Jesus, because he loved us.
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: 1 Samuel 1
Optional: 1 Samuel 2:11 and 21 for rest of story
Memory Verse: "So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit' says the LORD Almighty." Zechariah 4:6 (Pre-K to grade 3)
How do you see the work of the Holy Spirit of God in this lesson?
Hannah had no children after many years and her co-wife, Penin'nah, used to taunt her about this, especially when the family went up to the tabernacle of God at Shiloh.(vs. 6-8) (Childlessness was considered a disgrace for a wife.) (Polygamy was never a happy situation for the wives. In recent years we hear that the Anglican church in Africa has forbidden it to the clergy, even thought it still is common in their societies.) Word received: "And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb."(1 Samuel 1:6) I want the children and the adults to ask my Holy Spirit to show them where they make other's lives miserable. I want them to repent of this. Bullying is pretty common in many schools.
The text doesn't say but perhaps this was the first time in all the years she had gone to Shiloh that Hannah went and prayed to God at the door of the tabernacle of the LORD where the priest, Eli was sitting. Hannah is pouring out her grief, pain and bitterness to God silently but her lips moved. (It was the custom to pray out loud rather than silently.) "And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish." (1 Samuel 1:10) A word received: I will not turn you away if you come to me in bitterness and anguish. I love you and want to send my Comforter to you. Pray for my comfort, my Holy Spirit, to come into you. God already knows the hurt and pain that people endure and He wants you, or one you pray for, to come to Him so that He can comfort you/them. Bitterness is corrosive and God longs to deal with it. Word received: Hannah was grieved and she sought Me. I want you to seek Me in every circumstance. I will always hear and respond.
The priest, Eli, jumps to conclusions and rebukes Hannah for being drunk.
"So Eli said to her, 'How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!'" (1Samuel 1:14) A word received: Do not rush to judgment as Eli did. Take time and ask the Lord to show you if you have rushed to judgment about anyone.
After Hannah explains, Eli responds to her true situation with a blessing and prayer for her. "Then Eli answered and said, 'Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of him.'" (1 Samuel 1:17) A word received: This is what I want from you: that you would bless others as Eli did Hannah. I hear your blessings that are guided by my Holy Spirit.
Then Hannah was able to release her burden to the LORD. (See vs 17-18) Word received: Lay it down. Lay down your burdens of grief, anger, hurt or whatever it may be before Me. I AM the only one who can help.
When she was praying, Hannah offered and made a vow to the LORD, that if He gave her a son, she would give him back to the LORD all his life ( and he would be a Nazarite, i.e. not cutting his hair or shaving.) After Eli blessed her and prayed for her, she trusted in God with her whole heart and was comforted. Two New Testament verses point us the same way. Philippians 4:6-7 says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." See also 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you." God knows our needs before we ask abut He wants us to come to Him and ask.
The LORD heard Hannah and saw her heart. He blessed her with a son (vs.20). The name Samuel has two parts: "el" means God and the rest of the name sounds like "heard by God" in Hebrew. God takes vows made to him very seriously (see Ecclesiastes 5:4). Hannah kept her vows to the LORD. Word received: Hannah remained faithful. She gave Me her most precious gift. I gave My most precious gift in Jesus. I gave My Son to you because I love you and want a relationship with you.
Hannah's obedience in her gift of her first born son to the LORD goes beyond the understanding of most mothers/parents! Hannah continued to care for Samuel and pray for him after she gave him back to the LORD. She waited until she felt he was ready -- after he was weaned, probably 3-4 years old. After that she saw him once a year! Hannah's sacrificial love reminds us of God the Father's great love and gift of us in Jesus.
PRAYER: LORD, thank you for those people who put you first in all circumatances. May they be an example to all.
The LORD's anointing was on the child, Samuel, and God raised him up as a great prophet and ruler (Judge) in Israel. The nation was blessed by Samuel. God also blessed Hannah with more children, (see 2 Samuel 2:21) with three more sons and two daughters. As a friend of ours told us, "You can't out give God."
Other barren women whom God blessed with miracle sons were: Elizabeth (Luke 1:13), Sarah (Genesis 12: 16-19), Samson's mother (Judges 13:2-3), Rebecca (Genesis 25:21-26), and Rachel (Genesis 29), and of course the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:31& 37). " "For with God nothing will be impossible."
Hannah returned God's gift to Him. God has blessed us with new life in Him. Jesus commented about the Roman coin that was stamped with Caesar's image and said, "Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and unto Go what belongs to God." We are stamped with God's image. Genesis 1: 27 says "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Are we surrendering back to God our lives? We have the choice. We were created to worship and follow the LORD but God leaves the choice up to us.
Word received for teachers: I long for My people to cry out to Me.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 07
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. Jesus wants us to stop if we are being mean to someone.
2. Jesus wants us to treat others the way we want to be treated.
3. Jesus wants to comfort us when we are having a hard time.
4. Jesus wants us to seek him when we are feeling hurt, sad or in difficulty and ask for his comfort.
5. God wants us to bless and pray for others as Eli did.
6. Our Father God gave us his dear Son, Jesus, because he loved us.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 06 October 14, 2007
Who are you seeking?
Nicodemus seeks Jesus
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: John 3: 1-21
Memory Verse: "Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.'" John 3:5 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Nicodemus was a Pharisee (a group who tried to keep the whole of the law of Moses) and a member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling council). He was impressed by the signs/miracles Jesus had done and was convinced that God sent Jesus -- but he was afraid, so he comes by night. What we can sometimes hide from men we cannot hide from God. God knows our thoughts even before we speak them. Word received: Even the darkness is light to Me. (Psalm 139:12).
Jesus gets right to the point and says (vs.3)"I tell you the truth, unless a man (person) is born again (born from above) he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Word received: So you see that I want even the rulers to know Me. Some Christians are offended by the term "born again" but in fact it comes straight from Jesus. Word received: Purity of heart comes from new birth in Me. Purity of heart brings clarity of sight. ("Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)
Nicodemus objects "How can this happen?" because he is thinking of physical birth. Jesus repeats what he said and expands on it. (read vs.4-6) Word received: I want you to be born of water and the Spirit. That Spirit is the Holy Spirit. God's Kingdom is a spiritual Kingdom that we humans can neither see nor enter until we are born from above. (i.e. have a spiritual birth). "Do not marvel…" (vs.7) Word received: Many marvel and are offended when I say, "You must be born again." They reject that and live in the flesh. (Flesh is our natural, sinful human nature here. Other times it refers to our physical bodies.) "The wind blows…" (vs.8) Word received: You don't have to explain yourself to those who are still in the flesh. You cannot explain it, but you can
invite them to receive My Spirit. (This is also a good description of the Holy Spirit.)
Nicodemus again asks, "How can these things be?" (vs.9) Word received: Many are asking that question these days; do you have an answer for them?
How do we become born of water and the Spirit of God?
Peter answers that question in Acts 2. In Acts 2:21 he quotes the Old Testament prophet Joel, "Whosoever calls on the name of the LORD (the I AM) shall be saved. Then in Acts 2:38, he says, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
See also in John 3:16 which refers to Jesus death on the cross. "Whosoever believes in /has faith in him (Jesus) may have eternal life."
This is the narrow gate that leads to life. (Matthew 7:14). Again Jesus said, "I AM the door" (John 10:7). If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." There is only one way to new life and spiritual birth but once inside there is immense freedom and room. Psalm 119:96 says, "Your commandment is exceedingly broad." and "in my father's house are many rooms".
Why did God do it this way? Look at John 3:16. It was/is because God loved the creatures (us) he had made so much that he sent his Son to live and die as one of us and for us so that we might have eternal life with him.
Notice what it says in verse 18. God did not send Jesus to condemn the world (people) but to save it. That had to happen because as sinful human beings we are already separated from God, lost and under God's judgment until we believe/trust/have faith in Jesus. God's purpose is to rescue us from sin and death. Sin can be defined as making bad choices, rebelling against God and his laws, choosing our own ways instead of God's way, missing the mark or putting ourselves at the center of our lives.
Jesus seems to show surprise that Nicodemus didn't know these things (vs.10-11). Word received: I have many faithful witnesses in this generation and their testimony is not received. Nicodemus doesn't yet have the basics down pat. "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?"
Word received: Look at Paul's witness in Athens. He used earthly language to point to heavenly realities and few received what he said. (Acts 17)
Look at the various times Jesus says, "I tell you the truth" (vs.3, 5, 11) . Word received: I will always tell you the truth if you ask, but you need to ask. I want you to ask. Word received: Again I am speaking of truth. Those who listen to the truth will be able to see the truth and will know me.
God's invitation to us. Word received: Come to Me; come to Me and receive from Me. I long for you to be filled with My Holy Spirit. Turn to Me so that I may do this in you.
The story ends without telling us how Nicodemus responded but in John 19:39 we read that Nicodemus did come to believe in Jesus and was bold enough to help bury the body of Jesus.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 06
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. Nicodemus was seeking Jesus. Jesus met him right where he was spiritually. Jesus wants to meet you where you are.
2. God the Father want us to seek His Son, Jesus, just as Nicodemus did. John 3:16 tells us WHY God sent Jesus. What does it say?
3. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he needs to be born again (spiritually). We too need to be born again (like Nicodemus).
4. To be born again, we need to ask Jesus to come into our hearts, and tell him we are sorry for the things we have done wrong, be baptized (if we haven't been) and God will give us His Holy Spirit.
5. God is faithful. He will always do what He says. He wants us to come to Him and receive His Spirit.
Nicodemus seeks Jesus
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: John 3: 1-21
Memory Verse: "Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.'" John 3:5 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Nicodemus was a Pharisee (a group who tried to keep the whole of the law of Moses) and a member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling council). He was impressed by the signs/miracles Jesus had done and was convinced that God sent Jesus -- but he was afraid, so he comes by night. What we can sometimes hide from men we cannot hide from God. God knows our thoughts even before we speak them. Word received: Even the darkness is light to Me. (Psalm 139:12).
Jesus gets right to the point and says (vs.3)"I tell you the truth, unless a man (person) is born again (born from above) he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Word received: So you see that I want even the rulers to know Me. Some Christians are offended by the term "born again" but in fact it comes straight from Jesus. Word received: Purity of heart comes from new birth in Me. Purity of heart brings clarity of sight. ("Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)
Nicodemus objects "How can this happen?" because he is thinking of physical birth. Jesus repeats what he said and expands on it. (read vs.4-6) Word received: I want you to be born of water and the Spirit. That Spirit is the Holy Spirit. God's Kingdom is a spiritual Kingdom that we humans can neither see nor enter until we are born from above. (i.e. have a spiritual birth). "Do not marvel…" (vs.7) Word received: Many marvel and are offended when I say, "You must be born again." They reject that and live in the flesh. (Flesh is our natural, sinful human nature here. Other times it refers to our physical bodies.) "The wind blows…" (vs.8) Word received: You don't have to explain yourself to those who are still in the flesh. You cannot explain it, but you can
invite them to receive My Spirit. (This is also a good description of the Holy Spirit.)
Nicodemus again asks, "How can these things be?" (vs.9) Word received: Many are asking that question these days; do you have an answer for them?
How do we become born of water and the Spirit of God?
Peter answers that question in Acts 2. In Acts 2:21 he quotes the Old Testament prophet Joel, "Whosoever calls on the name of the LORD (the I AM) shall be saved. Then in Acts 2:38, he says, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
See also in John 3:16 which refers to Jesus death on the cross. "Whosoever believes in /has faith in him (Jesus) may have eternal life."
This is the narrow gate that leads to life. (Matthew 7:14). Again Jesus said, "I AM the door" (John 10:7). If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." There is only one way to new life and spiritual birth but once inside there is immense freedom and room. Psalm 119:96 says, "Your commandment is exceedingly broad." and "in my father's house are many rooms".
Why did God do it this way? Look at John 3:16. It was/is because God loved the creatures (us) he had made so much that he sent his Son to live and die as one of us and for us so that we might have eternal life with him.
Notice what it says in verse 18. God did not send Jesus to condemn the world (people) but to save it. That had to happen because as sinful human beings we are already separated from God, lost and under God's judgment until we believe/trust/have faith in Jesus. God's purpose is to rescue us from sin and death. Sin can be defined as making bad choices, rebelling against God and his laws, choosing our own ways instead of God's way, missing the mark or putting ourselves at the center of our lives.
Jesus seems to show surprise that Nicodemus didn't know these things (vs.10-11). Word received: I have many faithful witnesses in this generation and their testimony is not received. Nicodemus doesn't yet have the basics down pat. "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?"
Word received: Look at Paul's witness in Athens. He used earthly language to point to heavenly realities and few received what he said. (Acts 17)
Look at the various times Jesus says, "I tell you the truth" (vs.3, 5, 11) . Word received: I will always tell you the truth if you ask, but you need to ask. I want you to ask. Word received: Again I am speaking of truth. Those who listen to the truth will be able to see the truth and will know me.
God's invitation to us. Word received: Come to Me; come to Me and receive from Me. I long for you to be filled with My Holy Spirit. Turn to Me so that I may do this in you.
The story ends without telling us how Nicodemus responded but in John 19:39 we read that Nicodemus did come to believe in Jesus and was bold enough to help bury the body of Jesus.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 06
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. Nicodemus was seeking Jesus. Jesus met him right where he was spiritually. Jesus wants to meet you where you are.
2. God the Father want us to seek His Son, Jesus, just as Nicodemus did. John 3:16 tells us WHY God sent Jesus. What does it say?
3. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he needs to be born again (spiritually). We too need to be born again (like Nicodemus).
4. To be born again, we need to ask Jesus to come into our hearts, and tell him we are sorry for the things we have done wrong, be baptized (if we haven't been) and God will give us His Holy Spirit.
5. God is faithful. He will always do what He says. He wants us to come to Him and receive His Spirit.
Monday, October 1, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 05 October 7, 2007
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: John 14:1-20, Philippians 2:5-11, John 1:1-5, 9-14
Memory Verse: "'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'" Matthew 16: 15-16 (Pre-K to grade 3 )
Let's begin where Jesus' disciples began -- by being with him. They had some idea that he was the Messiah, but had their own ideas about what that meant. Jesus spent a long time with them the night before he was arrested and crucified, to encourage them and help them to know him better. Jesus wants to encourage us too. (See John 14)
Jesus is asking them to trust him and believe in him and not be afraid. He is going on ahead to prepare a place for them--and for us. Word received: Trust Me. I love you more than you can ever imagine. I want only what is best for you. We have Jesus' promise in verses 2-3 (John 14). Word received: You see, I want you to be with Me. I love you that much. Jesus has good plans for us. He is preparing place for all of us. He doesn't want to lose a single one.
Thomas, like us, doesn't understand when Jesus says, "You know the way where I am going." Then Jesus says to them and to us, "I AM the way, the truth and the life: no one comes to the Father, but by me." Jesus, in his death, is going back to God the Father and there is no other way to come to God the Father except through Jesus. There is only one God and only one way to get there and that is through Jesus. To see Jesus is to see God and what he is like. To know Jesus as Savior and friend is to know the Father. Jesus is the visible, touchable image (picture) of the invisible God. Word received: Do you see how I think you can do it now -- believe in Me and you will know the way.
The disciples were unsure of themselves. Word received: The person you need to trust is Me. DO NOT BE AFRAID. TRUST ME. I LOVE YOU. Jesus promised not to leave his disciples alone but to come to them through the Holy Spirit.(John 14:18,16). To have the Holy Spirit is to have Jesus. Invite him into your heart. Jesus told them they were to show their love for him by obeying his commandments. (vs.15)
Now look at Philippians 2:5-11. (Many think this was a hymn of praise in the early church.) Paul is urging the church to think like Jesus, to have Jesus' mind. "Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others." An illustration I heard years ago was as if someone was looking at some ants trying to solve a problem that the person could see an answer to but there was no way he could communicate it to the ants. The only way would have been to become an ant to lead them. God was and is trying to bring back his rebellious, hurting creatures (us) to himself. He sent many messengers, but (Hebrews 1:1-3) finally God spoke to us through his Son, through whom he created all things. He had God's nature and was God, but took our human nature in order to rescue us and deal with our sins.
Notice that Jesus, the Word, the Son, didn't hang onto his divine privileges but emptied himself and took on our human nature, coming as a servant to rescue us. (Jesus is both fully God and fully a man, a human being.) It didn't stop there. He humbled himself still more and in obedience to the Father became obedient to death on the cross. (Remember Jesus agony in the garden as his human flesh struggled to be obedient to the Father's will. Remember the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one God. God knew this would be necessary before the foundation of the world. It was Jesus' human nature that was struggling to obey.) "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself." ( )
Then the lowly descent of Jesus into death turns to resurrection and to God the Father exalting him to a "Name above every name in heaven and on earth and under the earth." Someday, "every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is LORD (I AM) to the glory of God the Father." Word received: This is what I did for YOU -- NOW do you believe that I love you? This is what I AM. I gave everything I am for each one of you.
Now look at John 1:1-4 and 9-14 to discover more about who Jesus is. Jesus is God's Word. He has always been with God because he is God. "All things were made through him" Genesis 1 tells us that God created by speaking his word and things came into existence. Word received: I AM the WORD. I was with God the Father in the beginning. Look at some examples of God creating thing by his word. "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made". (John 1:3)
Then God said, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3)
Then God said, "Let there be a firmament" (Genesis 1:6)
Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered" (Genesis 1:9)
Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass" (Genesis 1:11)
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament" (Genesis 1:14)
Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures" (Genesis 1:20)
Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature" (Genesis 1:24)
Then God said, "Let Us make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26)
A word received: Look around you; what can you see that I did not speak into existence? I want to speak my word into your heart; will you let me come in? (God is all powerful yet he has chosen to give us freedom of choice--even to choose bad and hurtful things--because God wants us to choose to love and obey him and become his children.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) In the beginning ... "God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light." (Genesis 1:1...3) A word received: When I speak there is light to see by. I have always been there speaking my light into being. "He was in the beginning with God." (John 1:2) A word received: I was there as the Word of God at the beginning of all things that you know. Let my word speak into your life and bring light.
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4) "But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it." (Deuteronomy 30:14) "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19a) A word received: Choose life so that my light can shine on your path and you will not stumble. "And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:5) "If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You." (Psalm 139:11-12) A word received: Look at the darkness -- it is light to me. Look at the night -- is day bright to me. Look at the darkness in your heart; my light can shine there as well.
"And the Word became flesh (a human being) and tented among us" and John and the other disciples saw his glory ("as of the only Son from the Father"). A big word for this is "incarnation" that is, God made his Word visible as the human being Jesus.
There is a promise for us in vs 12-13 (John 1) "But to those who received him, (many did not) who believed in his name, he gave the power/right to become children of God; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God." We too, like Nicodemus can be born of God--that is, we can have two births, one physical and one spiritual. That spiritual birth will make us sons and daughters of God who can live with him forever.
Now look at the Memory Verse. Jesus started by asking his disciples what people were saying about who he is. Then he makes it personal and asks, "Who do you say that I am?" That is a question Jesus also asks us. God revealed to Peter the answer. It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that we come to really know who Jesus is. Peter answered, "You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God." Who do YOU say Jesus is? Many in our culture want to dodge the question and say he was just a good man, a great teacher, or one of many ways to get to know God, but that is not what is really true. C.S. Lewis once said that when we listen to all that Jesus said about himself, he was either crazy, evil or who he said he was. Nothing else makes any sense. ( What are some of the things Jesus said about himself that start with "I AM..."? )
Now look at what this answer of Peter's says about God the Father. Word received: The Father is living today. I AM, Jesus, is living today and the Holy Spirit is living today. This is not a dead life. When you believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit you believe in life. Jesus has life in himself. "I AM the resurrection and the life," and he wants to give you and me new life now and a new beginning. Choose life.
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for very little ones:
1.Jesus is God the Father's only Son. He has always been. He was there at creation and is here now too.
2. Jesus is fully God and fully a human being. He became a man just like us so that he could bring us back to God by dying on the cross to take away our sins, because he loves us.
3.Jesus is the way to get to God the Father. They love you and want a relationship with you. Jesus wants you to listen to him and talk to him like a friend.
4. Jesus wants to give us life.. He wants us to choose to love and obey him and become his adopted children. He wants to live in our hearts. You need to invite him in.
5. The Holy Spirit points to Jesus and Jesus and the Father want to give us the Holy Spirit to help us. He is the Helper.
6.Jesus is God's WORD and when we hear him, we hear God. (Your words are part of who you are. So God's Word is part of who He is.). God's Word makes things happen.
Get the kids to give their answers to the question "Who is Jesus?" Examples would be he is God's Son. He is the Good Shepherd. He is the Messiah/Christ. He is the light of the world. etc.
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