Who are you seeking? Seek, Ask, Knock
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: 29-42 (NKJV, see end of lesson), Luke 11: 5-13,
Optional: Psalm 27:8, Proverbs 8:17, Isaiah 55: 5-7, Jeremiah 29:11-13
Memory Verse: "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Luke 11:9 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Look first at John 1. John's calling was to prepare the way for revealing Jesus to Israel as the Messiah. Part of the purpose of the baptism of repentance was to prepare people's hearts to respond to the revelation from God. This was revealed, not something John figured out. In vs. 33, it says that God the Father told him what to look for. God prepared John so that he was watching and waiting for the one God was sending. Word received: I want you to be watchful, just as John was alert and watchful. Part of seeking is watching.
God reveals himself and we only find him as he reveals himself to us. John wouldn't have recognized Jesus unless God had told him (vs.31, 33). But as we see in this lesson, God is seeking us and longs for us to seek him so he can reveal himself to us. Think of Jesus as the Good Shepherd going out looking for lost sheep. Think of God sending Moses to bring his people out of Egypt and God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) sending Jesus into this world to bring salvation to those who received him.
Repentance is the preparation for receiving what Jesus wants to give us. Many of the religious leaders of Jesus' day rejected God's purpose for themselves by refusing the baptism of John (Luke 7:30). As our hearts are set to seek God, he will reveal to us what is really true and where we need to repent (turn around, change). Prayer: Father, grant us eyes to see Jesus and repentance so that we will be able to receive your purpose for us.
Because John was listening to what God was showing him, he recognized Jesus and was able to point others to him. John points to Jesus as the one who existed before he did, as the Lamb of God, as the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and as the Son of God. Word received: Jesus wants our love for him to shine through our lives so that all will know him. Part of loving God is listening to him and for his voice.
"I did not know him, but that he should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing." (John1:31) Word received: I want you to follow my directions as John did so that I will be revealed to people around you. "And John bore witness saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he remained upon him." (John 1:32) Word received: I desire to come on you too and fill your heart with my love. Word received: I want my Spirit to come down on each and everyone of my children just as he did on my son, Jesus. "I did not know him but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'" (John 1:33) Word received:John did not know me at first but the Holy Spirit's coming revealed to him who I AM. I want my people to receive the Holy Spirit so that they can know who I AM. "And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." (John 1:34) Word received: When the Holy Spirit intervenes, you too will be able to testify about me.
Because of John's witness, two disciples followed Jesus and they brought others. Word received: Jesus wants our love for him to shine through our lives so that all will know him. Notice also that Andrew pointed and brought his brother to Jesus and Jesus gave him a new name that shows what God is going to do in his life. God desires to give us new life in him. (But we have to respond and choose him. God will not force us.) (Also notice all the different ways people come to Jesus. There is no "cookie cutter")
Notice also that Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (vs.33). Remember that Jesus said he would ask the Father to send him to be with his disciples. (Jesus' baptism is one of the places where we see the Trinity working.) Jesus, though he was filled with the Spirit from him conception, received an anointing of power from the Holy Spirit for his ministry. We can only do the ministry God calls us to through that same power of the Holy Spirit. We have to ask for it, but first, we need to surrender our lives to Jesus and become God's sons and daughters. (An example of the need to ask is the light switch on the wall. The power is there and available to us, but we have to choose to click the switch to get light, to act.)
What do you seek? Notice what Jesus does with the two disciples of John who have heard John's witness and are following along behind Jesus without saying anything. Jesus knows they are there and "smokes them out" and turns it into a personal encounter. He bluntly asks them, "What do you seek?" That is a question God asks us also. Are we seeking more of God or something that we want or need? God knows what we need before we ask but he wants us to desire him above all good things. Jesus invites the two disciples to "come and see", to spend time with him.
The Bible is full of verses about seeking God. Psalm 27:8 "When you said, 'Seek my face,' my heart said to you, ' your face, LORD,. I will seek.'" Word received: I want you to seek me; make the choice to seek me. God wants us to seek him with all our hearts (and not be double-minded or ambivalent.) The word "seek" implies a goal-oriented search and not just a casual looking without a set purpose. God will find, reveal himself to those who seek him with all their hearts. What is distracting us from our search for God or for more of him?
(Proverbs 8:12) Word received: Ask for my Holy Spirit to help you find me.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your encouragement and your care.
(Read Isaiah 55: 6-7) "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Word received: My heart's desire is for my people to turn from their ways to my way, I long to forgive them. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found..." God's desire for his people is always repentance, turning to him so he can forgive. God has his times of visitation. There are times that God has arranged for his people, a time of availability. They can choose to waste and miss that opportunity. Jesus weeping over Jerusalem's refusal to turn to him is an example. God is righteous and does have times of judgment for sinful and evil ways but he longs for people to take advantage of his offers of forgiveness and new life.
Read Jeremiah 29:11-13. Prayer: Thank you for the plans you have for me. Encourage me to seek you and to follow you. Thank you for your love and patience.
God wants us to completely rely on him. He will listen to us. He loves us and wants his good plans for our lives. But the key for us is to seek him and call on him with all our hearts. We have a choice here. He wants us to find him.
Now look at Luke 11. Jesus is teaching his disciples here and they had just asked him to teach them to pray as they saw him doing. God's character, seen here, is that of a loving Father who desires the best for his children. The startling word in the parable (in Greek) is "importunity" meaning "impudence". It is also translated boldness and persistence. Jesus and the Father want us to come to them with boldness and persistence because God is a loving Father who wants to give us good gifts, especially his Holy Spirit. Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Word received: Don't be afraid to seek and ask me for what you need. I want you to ask, I want you to seek. I want a relationship with each and every one of you.
In verse 10 there is a promise. Word received: This is a promise you can stand on -- the truth of my word. God promises to hear our prayers and reward those who seek him. It is NOT, however, God as a celestial Santa Claus. He is a loving Father who would not give a snake or a stone to his child, even if the child asked for one. "Daddy, can I have a rattlesnake as a pet?" Also we are not to try to manipulate God into doing our will as people do with pagan gods or spirits of evil. (Example: the smallpox god in India or the occult.)
Jesus is addressing his disciples here. Oswald Chambers comments that Jesus is talking to God's sons and daughters, those who have surrendered their lives to him. Jesus says elsewhere, "whatever you ask 'in my name'…", which is shorthand for -- according to his will. As we receive the Holy Spirit and are led by him, we will more and more know what God wants and, if we don't, to ask for his good and perfect will to be done. Jesus was always determined to seek and do the will of his father in Heaven.
John 1:32-42 (New King James Version)
32And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he remained upon him. 33I did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."
35Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36And looking at Jesus as he walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"
37The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"
They said to him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and remained with him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).
40One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.
Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 04
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 loves us and is seeking us, because He wants a relationship with us. He wants to send His Holy Spirit to each one of His children and fill our hearts with His love.
2. God wants us to seek Him. He is faithful, and will always answer us.
3. God wants us to ask Him questions. He wants to answer us. He wants us to listen to Him with our hearts. Part of loving God is listening to Him and for His voice.
4. Whenever we seek the Lord, ask for His help, and then follow through and knock; the Lord will always answer. Our God is faithful. Ask for God's Holy Spirit to help you come near to Him. Invite Him to come into your heart.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 03 September 23, 2007
Who is 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: John 14:15-31; Genesis 1:1-3; Romans 8:1-2,9-11; Acts 2:1-4
Optional: Acts 2:15-16,36-39
Memory Verse: "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me." John 15:26 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Who is the Holy Spirit? The most basic answer to this question is that the Holy Spirit is God himself. He is personal. The Holy Spirit is not just an impersonal force or power. He is part of the Trinity -- the "one God in three persons" as the creed says -- and always has been. He is the Spirit of the Father and He is the Spirit of Jesus. To use a human analogy, we could say the Trinity works as a team.
The Holy Spirit was there at the creation of the universe. (Genesis 1:1-3) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) A word received: There is a beginning for you; there never was a time when I was not. I was there at the beginning creating the heavens and the earth and I was there at your beginning creating you. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2) A word received: Before I came into your life there was a void and there was great darkness. Now there is light. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. (Genesis 1:3) A word received: I came into your life so that you would have light to see and light to know the way to the Father. Invite me into the remaining dark places in your life so that my light may shine clearly through your life.
The Holy Spirit was always active in to Old Testament but he was given only to special people for special tasks. For example: to Moses, to Joshua, and to David to govern his people, to Gideon to rescue his people, to artists and musicians like Bezalel (Exodus 31:3-5), to the Psalm writers, to prophets and teachers like Isaiah, Amos, and Samuel. But God promised that someday he would pour out his Spirit on all his people (Joel 2:28-29). In Ezekiel 36:26-27 he promised "I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit in you," and in Jeremiah 31:33 that he would give his people a new covenant, different from the first that would be internal rather than just external, "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts."
The last night before Jesus died on the cross he told his disciples more about the Holy Spirit. In both John 14 and 15 Jesus talks about asking the Father to send the Holy Spirit to them.
"When the Counselor" [Greek: paraclete -- intercessor, counselor, advocate, strengthener] "comes, whom I will send to you..." (John 15:26a) A word received: This is comfort that I want you to have. "from the Father," (John 15:26b) A word received: The Father and I both want you to receive the Holy Spirit. "the Spirit of truth" (John 15:26c) A word received: Truth drives out falsehood, receive my Spirit so that you will know the truth and be set free. The Holy Spirit brings insight and gives us a "new way to look at life." "who goes out from the Father," (John 15:26d) A word received: The Father and I are one and we both desire you to receive the Holy Spirit. "he will testify about me." (John 15:26e) A word received: The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father so that you can know me in your hearts. I want to dwell in your heart by my Spirit and in your mind by my word.
Look at John 14:16 "And I will pray the Father and he will give you another counselor [like the first one, Jesus] to be with you forever. I will not leave you desolate, I will come to you." A word received: I came to be with you. [When Jesus' visible presence was no longer there] I want to teach you, so you will need to take time and listen. Don't be afraid to listen, and don't be afraid to hear me. As Jesus said, you will not be left as orphans, so you are not alone. I AM here. [The Holy Spirit is always present. We need to let him in.]
God is faithful. What he promised centuries before, he did after Jesus' resurrection. Jesus told them to wait. Yes, they would be his witnesses but they were to wait -- for the power from on high, the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, as the disciples, 120 of them, waited in the upper room with one heart and mind, God fulfilled his promise with great power with tongues of fire and like a mighty wind. [Both wind and fire are symbols of the Holy Spirit.]
A word received: I came just as I said I would come. Trust me! The result of the infilling of the Holy Spirit is that Peter is able to share the Good News and proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah -- without fear! -- and the people heard. Many repented and were saved. A word received: When you receive me you receive my power.
Look at Romans 8:1-2, 9-11. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2) A word received: We receive freedom!! from sin and death! What a gift! -- and the Spirit will live in us. He will convict us of sin so that we may be set free. He will draw us to Jesus. "He will testify of me." (John 15:16) The Holy Spirit wants to set us free from fear. He is the Spirit of Jesus. Prayer: Lord, keep you sunlight in me. Help me to continue to release all my fears and worries to you. Give us your peace, the please that passes understanding, that the world cannot give.
Another important thing to know about the Holy Spirit is that he is the Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8:15) who makes us God's children. Pray that all of us will desire to be adopted by God. That is the desire of God's heart for us.
Jesus told his disciples that he was going to the Father. He told them many times that he only did what the Father showed him -- he was obedient. We too are called to go to the Father through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. We too are called to that same obedience and trust.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 03
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. The Holy Spirit is God Himself. He is a person (no just an impersonal power.) He is the Spirit of God the Father and the Spirit of Jesus. He has always been present and always will be.
2. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit are ONE God and they work together as a team. (We don't have to understand this, just believe what God tells us.)
3. God wants us to receive His Holy Spirit so he can have a special relationship with each person, so that we can know Jesus and God the Father in our hearts. We are not alone. The "I AM", (Spirit, Jesus, Father) is here to be with you.
4. We can't see the Holy Spirit, but He is still there. It's like the wind; you can feel the wind and see what the wind does but can't see the wind itself. The Holy Spirit wants to give us His power to follow Jesus.
5. Each person can ask to receive the Holy Spirit. He wants to live in your heart and guide and strengthen you. He is the Spirit of Truth who will teach us what is true.
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 14:15-31; Genesis 1:1-3; Romans 8:1-2,9-11; Acts 2:1-4
Optional: Acts 2:15-16,36-39
Memory Verse: "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me." John 15:26 (Pre-K to grade 3)
Who is the Holy Spirit? The most basic answer to this question is that the Holy Spirit is God himself. He is personal. The Holy Spirit is not just an impersonal force or power. He is part of the Trinity -- the "one God in three persons" as the creed says -- and always has been. He is the Spirit of the Father and He is the Spirit of Jesus. To use a human analogy, we could say the Trinity works as a team.
The Holy Spirit was there at the creation of the universe. (Genesis 1:1-3) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) A word received: There is a beginning for you; there never was a time when I was not. I was there at the beginning creating the heavens and the earth and I was there at your beginning creating you. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2) A word received: Before I came into your life there was a void and there was great darkness. Now there is light. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. (Genesis 1:3) A word received: I came into your life so that you would have light to see and light to know the way to the Father. Invite me into the remaining dark places in your life so that my light may shine clearly through your life.
The Holy Spirit was always active in to Old Testament but he was given only to special people for special tasks. For example: to Moses, to Joshua, and to David to govern his people, to Gideon to rescue his people, to artists and musicians like Bezalel (Exodus 31:3-5), to the Psalm writers, to prophets and teachers like Isaiah, Amos, and Samuel. But God promised that someday he would pour out his Spirit on all his people (Joel 2:28-29). In Ezekiel 36:26-27 he promised "I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit in you," and in Jeremiah 31:33 that he would give his people a new covenant, different from the first that would be internal rather than just external, "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts."
The last night before Jesus died on the cross he told his disciples more about the Holy Spirit. In both John 14 and 15 Jesus talks about asking the Father to send the Holy Spirit to them.
"When the Counselor" [Greek: paraclete -- intercessor, counselor, advocate, strengthener] "comes, whom I will send to you..." (John 15:26a) A word received: This is comfort that I want you to have. "from the Father," (John 15:26b) A word received: The Father and I both want you to receive the Holy Spirit. "the Spirit of truth" (John 15:26c) A word received: Truth drives out falsehood, receive my Spirit so that you will know the truth and be set free. The Holy Spirit brings insight and gives us a "new way to look at life." "who goes out from the Father," (John 15:26d) A word received: The Father and I are one and we both desire you to receive the Holy Spirit. "he will testify about me." (John 15:26e) A word received: The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father so that you can know me in your hearts. I want to dwell in your heart by my Spirit and in your mind by my word.
Look at John 14:16 "And I will pray the Father and he will give you another counselor [like the first one, Jesus] to be with you forever. I will not leave you desolate, I will come to you." A word received: I came to be with you. [When Jesus' visible presence was no longer there] I want to teach you, so you will need to take time and listen. Don't be afraid to listen, and don't be afraid to hear me. As Jesus said, you will not be left as orphans, so you are not alone. I AM here. [The Holy Spirit is always present. We need to let him in.]
God is faithful. What he promised centuries before, he did after Jesus' resurrection. Jesus told them to wait. Yes, they would be his witnesses but they were to wait -- for the power from on high, the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, as the disciples, 120 of them, waited in the upper room with one heart and mind, God fulfilled his promise with great power with tongues of fire and like a mighty wind. [Both wind and fire are symbols of the Holy Spirit.]
A word received: I came just as I said I would come. Trust me! The result of the infilling of the Holy Spirit is that Peter is able to share the Good News and proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah -- without fear! -- and the people heard. Many repented and were saved. A word received: When you receive me you receive my power.
Look at Romans 8:1-2, 9-11. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2) A word received: We receive freedom!! from sin and death! What a gift! -- and the Spirit will live in us. He will convict us of sin so that we may be set free. He will draw us to Jesus. "He will testify of me." (John 15:16) The Holy Spirit wants to set us free from fear. He is the Spirit of Jesus. Prayer: Lord, keep you sunlight in me. Help me to continue to release all my fears and worries to you. Give us your peace, the please that passes understanding, that the world cannot give.
Another important thing to know about the Holy Spirit is that he is the Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8:15) who makes us God's children. Pray that all of us will desire to be adopted by God. That is the desire of God's heart for us.
Jesus told his disciples that he was going to the Father. He told them many times that he only did what the Father showed him -- he was obedient. We too are called to go to the Father through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. We too are called to that same obedience and trust.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 03
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. The Holy Spirit is God Himself. He is a person (no just an impersonal power.) He is the Spirit of God the Father and the Spirit of Jesus. He has always been present and always will be.
2. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit are ONE God and they work together as a team. (We don't have to understand this, just believe what God tells us.)
3. God wants us to receive His Holy Spirit so he can have a special relationship with each person, so that we can know Jesus and God the Father in our hearts. We are not alone. The "I AM", (Spirit, Jesus, Father) is here to be with you.
4. We can't see the Holy Spirit, but He is still there. It's like the wind; you can feel the wind and see what the wind does but can't see the wind itself. The Holy Spirit wants to give us His power to follow Jesus.
5. Each person can ask to receive the Holy Spirit. He wants to live in your heart and guide and strengthen you. He is the Spirit of Truth who will teach us what is true.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 02 September 16, 2007
"In the beginning" - the Holy Spirit has always been
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: Genesis 1:1-3, Psalm 139:1-14, Psalm 33:6, Joel 2:25-29, Acts 1:4-8
Optional: Mark 1:9-15
Memory Verse: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." (Pre-K to grade 3)
Remember what we learned about God's special name, "I AM". Part of the meaning is that God the Holy Spirit (and the Father and His Word) has always existed and always will. He is "Alpha" and "Omega" (A to Z), the beginning and the end for everything else but He himself has no beginning or end. All times and places are present to Him. He is present NOW! Word received: I was there at the beginning. I AM there now. I will always be.
The great "I AM" is the only God. There is no other! God: Father, Spirit, Word, are ONE God. This is one of the first things God taught His chosen people Israel. (Deut.6:4-6f) Hear O Israel: The LORD* our God is one LORD; and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart and you shall teach them diligently to your children." God warned them against forgetting Who He Is and What He has done when life got easier for them and he warned against beginning to go after the gods/idols of the peoples around them. (Still a problem today!) (God chose a people for His own in order to use them so that all peoples and individuals would have a chance to come to know, love and serve Him.)
Now stop and look at some things God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) wants to teach us from this Genesis passage. " In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". (Genesis 1:1) A word received: I created them, they are mine.
"The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." (Genesis 1:2) A word received: Invite me into all the dry places in your life. Invite me to hover over them.
"Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light." (Genesis 1:3) A word received: I want my light to flood your souls. A word received: I was there in the beginning. I AM here now and I will always be.
See also Psalm 33:6. "By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." Word received: I spoke and they were created. Lord, you are the author and finisher of (the world and) our faith.
The Holy Spirit, as well as God's Word, is referred to many times in the Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible)/ Look at Psalm 139:1-14. Word received: Don't be afraid that I know you better than you know yourself. I made you and I love you. I will show you the way as you follow me. Choose to follow me. Choose to learn from My Spirit. There is no better way to live. Prayer: Lord, you knew me before I was aware of my own life. Help me give my life back into your keeping, to trust your love for me.
"O LORD, you have searched me and known me." (Psalm 139:1) A word received: I want you to invite me to search out all the deep and hidden places in your life. I will bring my light. "You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off." (Psalm 139:2) A word received: I know all about you -- nothing is hidden, and I still love you A word received: Invite me into your thoughts. Invite my cleansing fire into your thoughts.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was given to special leaders, priests and prophets like Moses, David, Isaiah, etc. Through the prophet Joel God promises that someday He will pour out His Spirit on all His people. Read Joel 2:25-29. God's Spirit is with us always when we belong to Him yet we have to ask to receive Him and His Holy Spirit in power.
God has other promises in Joel. "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you." (Joel 2:25-28) "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame." (Joel 2:26)
"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1) A word received: My Holy Spirit is withheld from no one who seeks me and desires me. I AM he who gives without measure and without price.
"Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame." (Joel 2: 28) A word received: I was/am with you when bad things happened, I will repay and restore in my own time by my Spirit. You will be built anew. A word received: This can be now -- Are you willing and open to receive my Spirit? He is waiting. God who created us can recreate us and give us new life through his Spirit.
Now look at Acts 1:4-8 after Jesus' resurrection as he tells his disciples to wait for what he and the Father have promised--the gift of the Holy Spirit with power. Word received: Wait for the Holy Spirit, the father's gift to you. The Holy Spirit gifts you with power to proclaim his truth. A word received: This is what I want -- for you to be my witnesses. Receive my Spirit and share My power with others. I will show you the way. (Acts 1:8)
The coming of Jesus, God's promised and anointed one, is the beginning of the fulfillment of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and of so many of God's promises. Jesus' very birth was by the power of the Holy Spirit and he knew a special relationship with God the Father even when he was 12 and yet the Father had Jesus be obedient to the baptism of John and used that occasion to anoint Jesus with the Holy Spirit for his ministry and announced His approval of Jesus. Read Mark 1: 9-15. Word received: I want My Spirit to descend on you just like He did on Jesus. Word received: Don't be afraid. Ask. I love you too.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 02
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, whose name is "I AM", has always been present and always will be. He holds the beginning and the end of everything in His hands. He holds you in His hands. He loves you and He knows your name.
2. The One God, the only God, is Father, Son(Jesus) and Holy Spirit. So the Holy Spirit has always been there and always will be. He was there at the creation of everything. He was there when you were created.
NOTE for teacher: The One God in Three we call the "Trinity". That's not an explanation but a reminder of what is true. For example, we can see the results of electricity and experience it without understanding it. The One God ( Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit) appears all through the whole Bible.
Share Alexander Duncan's dream.
3. God the Holy Spirit knows all about you and still loves you. God ( Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit) wants to come and live in your heart. Jesus wants you to ask him to come in and to send His Spirit to live in you. Jesus wants you to choose to follow Him and to receive the power of His Spirit to follow Him.
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: Genesis 1:1-3, Psalm 139:1-14, Psalm 33:6, Joel 2:25-29, Acts 1:4-8
Optional: Mark 1:9-15
Memory Verse: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." (Pre-K to grade 3)
Remember what we learned about God's special name, "I AM". Part of the meaning is that God the Holy Spirit (and the Father and His Word) has always existed and always will. He is "Alpha" and "Omega" (A to Z), the beginning and the end for everything else but He himself has no beginning or end. All times and places are present to Him. He is present NOW! Word received: I was there at the beginning. I AM there now. I will always be.
The great "I AM" is the only God. There is no other! God: Father, Spirit, Word, are ONE God. This is one of the first things God taught His chosen people Israel. (Deut.6:4-6f) Hear O Israel: The LORD* our God is one LORD; and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart and you shall teach them diligently to your children." God warned them against forgetting Who He Is and What He has done when life got easier for them and he warned against beginning to go after the gods/idols of the peoples around them. (Still a problem today!) (God chose a people for His own in order to use them so that all peoples and individuals would have a chance to come to know, love and serve Him.)
Now stop and look at some things God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) wants to teach us from this Genesis passage. " In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". (Genesis 1:1) A word received: I created them, they are mine.
"The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." (Genesis 1:2) A word received: Invite me into all the dry places in your life. Invite me to hover over them.
"Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light." (Genesis 1:3) A word received: I want my light to flood your souls. A word received: I was there in the beginning. I AM here now and I will always be.
See also Psalm 33:6. "By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." Word received: I spoke and they were created. Lord, you are the author and finisher of (the world and) our faith.
The Holy Spirit, as well as God's Word, is referred to many times in the Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible)/ Look at Psalm 139:1-14. Word received: Don't be afraid that I know you better than you know yourself. I made you and I love you. I will show you the way as you follow me. Choose to follow me. Choose to learn from My Spirit. There is no better way to live. Prayer: Lord, you knew me before I was aware of my own life. Help me give my life back into your keeping, to trust your love for me.
"O LORD, you have searched me and known me." (Psalm 139:1) A word received: I want you to invite me to search out all the deep and hidden places in your life. I will bring my light. "You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off." (Psalm 139:2) A word received: I know all about you -- nothing is hidden, and I still love you A word received: Invite me into your thoughts. Invite my cleansing fire into your thoughts.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was given to special leaders, priests and prophets like Moses, David, Isaiah, etc. Through the prophet Joel God promises that someday He will pour out His Spirit on all His people. Read Joel 2:25-29. God's Spirit is with us always when we belong to Him yet we have to ask to receive Him and His Holy Spirit in power.
God has other promises in Joel. "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you." (Joel 2:25-28) "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame." (Joel 2:26)
"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1) A word received: My Holy Spirit is withheld from no one who seeks me and desires me. I AM he who gives without measure and without price.
"Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame." (Joel 2: 28) A word received: I was/am with you when bad things happened, I will repay and restore in my own time by my Spirit. You will be built anew. A word received: This can be now -- Are you willing and open to receive my Spirit? He is waiting. God who created us can recreate us and give us new life through his Spirit.
Now look at Acts 1:4-8 after Jesus' resurrection as he tells his disciples to wait for what he and the Father have promised--the gift of the Holy Spirit with power. Word received: Wait for the Holy Spirit, the father's gift to you. The Holy Spirit gifts you with power to proclaim his truth. A word received: This is what I want -- for you to be my witnesses. Receive my Spirit and share My power with others. I will show you the way. (Acts 1:8)
The coming of Jesus, God's promised and anointed one, is the beginning of the fulfillment of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and of so many of God's promises. Jesus' very birth was by the power of the Holy Spirit and he knew a special relationship with God the Father even when he was 12 and yet the Father had Jesus be obedient to the baptism of John and used that occasion to anoint Jesus with the Holy Spirit for his ministry and announced His approval of Jesus. Read Mark 1: 9-15. Word received: I want My Spirit to descend on you just like He did on Jesus. Word received: Don't be afraid. Ask. I love you too.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 02
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, whose name is "I AM", has always been present and always will be. He holds the beginning and the end of everything in His hands. He holds you in His hands. He loves you and He knows your name.
2. The One God, the only God, is Father, Son(Jesus) and Holy Spirit. So the Holy Spirit has always been there and always will be. He was there at the creation of everything. He was there when you were created.
NOTE for teacher: The One God in Three we call the "Trinity". That's not an explanation but a reminder of what is true. For example, we can see the results of electricity and experience it without understanding it. The One God ( Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit) appears all through the whole Bible.
Share Alexander Duncan's dream.
3. God the Holy Spirit knows all about you and still loves you. God ( Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit) wants to come and live in your heart. Jesus wants you to ask him to come in and to send His Spirit to live in you. Jesus wants you to choose to follow Him and to receive the power of His Spirit to follow Him.
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 01 September 9, 2007
God's Name: "I AM"
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: Exodus 3:13-15, John 14: 1-17, John 8:56-58
Optional: Exodus 3:1-15
Memory Verse: "I AM the way, the truth, and the Life." John 14:6
This year we are going to study about God the Holy Spirit. He, the Holy Spirit, is ONE God with the Father and the Son, Jesus. (Isaiah 43:3, 10b-11) "For I AM the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…that you may know and believe Me and understand that I AM He. Before Me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after Me. I, I AM the LORD (Yahweh, the I AM) and besides Me there is no savior." There is only one God and He has revealed Himself as the God of Israel and in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This is a very unpopular truth these days but it is true. It is reality.
Before we look at the Holy Spirit, God wants us to know His special name. God loves us. He knows and loves you and you and you and He wants us to know and love him. When we meet someone new we begin by getting to know his/her name and telling our name. God already knows your name. He knew it before you were born. His special name is "I AM".
God has many names that describe who He is and what He does , but He has revealed to us in the Bible His special name. That name is "I AM". The longer version is "I AM who I AM". Review Exodus 3:13-15. "I AM" means that God IS, He exists, and is always present. He created time and is outside of time. The I AM has no beginning, no end and He made everything that is good. (Where evil came from is another story.)
Word received: I was there at the beginning, I AM there now. I will always be.
God's Name has power. His Name invokes His presence and power. That is why people are healed in the Name of Jesus. (Acts 4:10) Psalm 20:1 says, "May the Name of the God of Jacob protect you." Many cultures, especially traditional and tribal ones understand that names have power. One we might understand is "Open in the name of the Law."
God wants us to begin with His name, "I AM".
Word received: I AM. I want the Sunday School to start with that: "I AM." Show them what it means to be "I AM". I AM with you; I AM alive ;I AM Lord; I AM mighty to save; I AM your healer… I AM all that and more.
Word received: You are in My care -- that goes along with being I AM. I want the children to hear that as I was with Abraham as he followed My directions, so I will be with the children (all children by faith) who follow My directions and guidance.
Jesus tried to tell his people , Israel, about who he was and is. Read John 8:56-58. Jesus also calls himself, "I AM". In John 8:24 Jesus says, "You will die in your sins unless you believe that I AM He." Then he uses it to tell more about himself. Look at the Memory Verse.
Word received: I AM the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:5) Look at that, take it apart.
I AM the way. I have promised that My Father will send His Holy Spirit to you it you ask. Ask for My Holy Spirit.
I AM the truth. If you want to know what is true, look at what I have said in Scripture.
I AM the life. I long for My people to have new life in Me. Ask for My Holy Spirit, enter the life of My Spirit. Ask for My new life and receive My Spirit.
Jesus tells us that he is the only way we can get to God the Father and that if we know Jesus we have seen the Father and know him (See John 14:6-7) Jesus and God the Father are One God and they will send the Holy Spirit to us. He is also one with them. We don't have to understand this, we just have to believe it is true because Jesus told us. The Holy Spirit points to Jesus.
Now look at John 14 to see some of the other things Jesus wants his disciples to know. We will take turns reading a verse and the word received and them share what the Lord is saying to us in it.
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1) A word received: I AM the way to peace of heart. Believe in me so that you may have peace.
"In my father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2) A word received: There is room for you.
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:3) A word received: I AM the Good Shepherd. I will lead you to the place I have prepared for you.
"And where I go you know, and the way you know." (John 14:4) A word received: You know the way because you know me. I want you to know me better so that you will see the way more clearly.
Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?" (John 14:5) A word received: Don't be afraid to ask me questions. My disciples know that they can question me when they don't understand.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) A word received: I have come so that you can know my father as your father. I AM the way to him.
Jesus call to us at the beginning of a new year is to follow him, to walk with him as our Master and friend. Only he knows the way. Let us choose Jesus and the power of his Spirit and the Father's love as we walk into this new year.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 01
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. There is one God, and His name is "I AM". God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit are "I AM". God loves you and wants you to know His name and to know Him.
2. God, the "I AM" has no beginning and no end; He always has been and is here now.
3. God, the "I AM", made everything that is good.
4. Jesus, who is God the "I AM", is the way, the truth and the life. He is the way to the Father. The Father sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit so that we might come to Him. We have a Father in Heaven who is completely good and who loves 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: Exodus 3:13-15, John 14: 1-17, John 8:56-58
Optional: Exodus 3:1-15
Memory Verse: "I AM the way, the truth, and the Life." John 14:6
This year we are going to study about God the Holy Spirit. He, the Holy Spirit, is ONE God with the Father and the Son, Jesus. (Isaiah 43:3, 10b-11) "For I AM the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…that you may know and believe Me and understand that I AM He. Before Me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after Me. I, I AM the LORD (Yahweh, the I AM) and besides Me there is no savior." There is only one God and He has revealed Himself as the God of Israel and in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This is a very unpopular truth these days but it is true. It is reality.
Before we look at the Holy Spirit, God wants us to know His special name. God loves us. He knows and loves you and you and you and He wants us to know and love him. When we meet someone new we begin by getting to know his/her name and telling our name. God already knows your name. He knew it before you were born. His special name is "I AM".
God has many names that describe who He is and what He does , but He has revealed to us in the Bible His special name. That name is "I AM". The longer version is "I AM who I AM". Review Exodus 3:13-15. "I AM" means that God IS, He exists, and is always present. He created time and is outside of time. The I AM has no beginning, no end and He made everything that is good. (Where evil came from is another story.)
Word received: I was there at the beginning, I AM there now. I will always be.
God's Name has power. His Name invokes His presence and power. That is why people are healed in the Name of Jesus. (Acts 4:10) Psalm 20:1 says, "May the Name of the God of Jacob protect you." Many cultures, especially traditional and tribal ones understand that names have power. One we might understand is "Open in the name of the Law."
God wants us to begin with His name, "I AM".
Word received: I AM. I want the Sunday School to start with that: "I AM." Show them what it means to be "I AM". I AM with you; I AM alive ;I AM Lord; I AM mighty to save; I AM your healer… I AM all that and more.
Word received: You are in My care -- that goes along with being I AM. I want the children to hear that as I was with Abraham as he followed My directions, so I will be with the children (all children by faith) who follow My directions and guidance.
Jesus tried to tell his people , Israel, about who he was and is. Read John 8:56-58. Jesus also calls himself, "I AM". In John 8:24 Jesus says, "You will die in your sins unless you believe that I AM He." Then he uses it to tell more about himself. Look at the Memory Verse.
Word received: I AM the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:5) Look at that, take it apart.
I AM the way. I have promised that My Father will send His Holy Spirit to you it you ask. Ask for My Holy Spirit.
I AM the truth. If you want to know what is true, look at what I have said in Scripture.
I AM the life. I long for My people to have new life in Me. Ask for My Holy Spirit, enter the life of My Spirit. Ask for My new life and receive My Spirit.
Jesus tells us that he is the only way we can get to God the Father and that if we know Jesus we have seen the Father and know him (See John 14:6-7) Jesus and God the Father are One God and they will send the Holy Spirit to us. He is also one with them. We don't have to understand this, we just have to believe it is true because Jesus told us. The Holy Spirit points to Jesus.
Now look at John 14 to see some of the other things Jesus wants his disciples to know. We will take turns reading a verse and the word received and them share what the Lord is saying to us in it.
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1) A word received: I AM the way to peace of heart. Believe in me so that you may have peace.
"In my father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2) A word received: There is room for you.
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:3) A word received: I AM the Good Shepherd. I will lead you to the place I have prepared for you.
"And where I go you know, and the way you know." (John 14:4) A word received: You know the way because you know me. I want you to know me better so that you will see the way more clearly.
Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?" (John 14:5) A word received: Don't be afraid to ask me questions. My disciples know that they can question me when they don't understand.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) A word received: I have come so that you can know my father as your father. I AM the way to him.
Jesus call to us at the beginning of a new year is to follow him, to walk with him as our Master and friend. Only he knows the way. Let us choose Jesus and the power of his Spirit and the Father's love as we walk into this new year.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 01
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. There is one God, and His name is "I AM". God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit are "I AM". God loves you and wants you to know His name and to know Him.
2. God, the "I AM" has no beginning and no end; He always has been and is here now.
3. God, the "I AM", made everything that is good.
4. Jesus, who is God the "I AM", is the way, the truth and the life. He is the way to the Father. The Father sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit so that we might come to Him. We have a Father in Heaven who is completely good and who loves us.
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 01 (Young Children) September 9, 2007
God's Name: "I AM" (Children's version)
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: Exodus 3:13-15, John 14: 1-17, John 8:56-58
Optional: Exodus 3:1-15
Memory Verse: " I AM the way, the truth, and the Life." John 14:6
This year we are going to study about God the Holy Spirit. He, the Holy Spirit, is ONE God with the Father and the Son, Jesus. How many Gods are there?? One.
God loves us. He loves you and you and you and He wants us to know him. When we meet someone new we begin by getting to know their name and telling them our name. God already knows your name. His special name is "I AM".
God has many names that describe who He is and what He does , but He has revealed to us in the Bible His special name. That name is "I AM". The longer version is "I AM who I AM". Tell or read story in Exodus 3:1-15. It means that God is always present. He has no beginning and no end and He made everything that is good.
Word received: I was there at the beginning, I am there now. I will always be.
Jesus tried to tell his people about who he was and is. Read John 8:56-58. Jesus also calls himself, "I AM". Then he uses it to tell more about himself.
Jesus tells us, Word received: I AM the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:5) Look at that, take it apart.
I AM the way. I have promised that My Father will send His Holy Spirit to you it you ask. Ask for My Holy Spirit.
I AM the truth. If you want to know what is true, look at what I have said in Scripture.
I AM the life. I long for My people to have new life in Me. Ask for My Holy Spirit, enter the life of My Spirit. Ask for My new life and receive My Spirit.
Jesus tells us that he is the only way we can get to God the Father and that if we know Jesus we have seen the Father and know him (See John 14:6-7) Jesus and God the Father are One God and they will send the Holy Spirit to us. He is also one with them. We don't have to understand this, we just have to believe it is true because Jesus told us. The Holy Spirit points to Jesus.
God wants us to begin with His name, "I AM".
Word received: I AM. I want the Sunday School to start with that: " I AM." Show them what it means to be " I AM". I AM with you; I AM alive ; I AM Lord; I AM mighty to save; I AM your healer… I AM all that and more.
Word received: You are in My care -- that goes along with being I AM. I want the children to hear that as I was with Abraham as he followed My directions, so I will be with the children (all children by faith) who follow My directions and guidance.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 01
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.There is one God, and His name is " I AM". God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit are " I AM". God loves you and wants you to know His name and to know Him.
2. God, the " I AM" has no beginning and no end; He always has been and is here now.
3. God, the " I AM", made everything that is good.
4. Jesus, who is God the " I AM", is the way, the truth and the life. He is the way to the Father. The Father sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit so that we might come to Him. We have a Father in Heaven who is completely good and who loves 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: Exodus 3:13-15, John 14: 1-17, John 8:56-58
Optional: Exodus 3:1-15
Memory Verse: " I AM the way, the truth, and the Life." John 14:6
This year we are going to study about God the Holy Spirit. He, the Holy Spirit, is ONE God with the Father and the Son, Jesus. How many Gods are there?? One.
God loves us. He loves you and you and you and He wants us to know him. When we meet someone new we begin by getting to know their name and telling them our name. God already knows your name. His special name is "I AM".
God has many names that describe who He is and what He does , but He has revealed to us in the Bible His special name. That name is "I AM". The longer version is "I AM who I AM". Tell or read story in Exodus 3:1-15. It means that God is always present. He has no beginning and no end and He made everything that is good.
Word received: I was there at the beginning, I am there now. I will always be.
Jesus tried to tell his people about who he was and is. Read John 8:56-58. Jesus also calls himself, "I AM". Then he uses it to tell more about himself.
Jesus tells us, Word received: I AM the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:5) Look at that, take it apart.
I AM the way. I have promised that My Father will send His Holy Spirit to you it you ask. Ask for My Holy Spirit.
I AM the truth. If you want to know what is true, look at what I have said in Scripture.
I AM the life. I long for My people to have new life in Me. Ask for My Holy Spirit, enter the life of My Spirit. Ask for My new life and receive My Spirit.
Jesus tells us that he is the only way we can get to God the Father and that if we know Jesus we have seen the Father and know him (See John 14:6-7) Jesus and God the Father are One God and they will send the Holy Spirit to us. He is also one with them. We don't have to understand this, we just have to believe it is true because Jesus told us. The Holy Spirit points to Jesus.
God wants us to begin with His name, "I AM".
Word received: I AM. I want the Sunday School to start with that: " I AM." Show them what it means to be " I AM". I AM with you; I AM alive ; I AM Lord; I AM mighty to save; I AM your healer… I AM all that and more.
Word received: You are in My care -- that goes along with being I AM. I want the children to hear that as I was with Abraham as he followed My directions, so I will be with the children (all children by faith) who follow My directions and guidance.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 01
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.There is one God, and His name is " I AM". God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit are " I AM". God loves you and wants you to know His name and to know Him.
2. God, the " I AM" has no beginning and no end; He always has been and is here now.
3. God, the " I AM", made everything that is good.
4. Jesus, who is God the " I AM", is the way, the truth and the life. He is the way to the Father. The Father sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit so that we might come to Him. We have a Father in Heaven who is completely good and who loves us.
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