FAITH ROOTS SCHOOL OF THE BIBLE
INTERNATIONAL VERSION
THE NEW TESTAMENT
Master Lesson Book
by
Willie George
Copyright 1990 by Willie George Ministries. All rights reserved.
Printed in the U.S.A.
WARNING:
Unauthorized reproduction of this book or its contents is prohibited by
Federal law and is subject to criminal prosecution.
Willie George is sent from God to the children of the world. Armed with a keen ability to communicate with children, Willie George travels extensively throughout North America preaching to kids. His Faith Roots Curriculum, found in over 20,000 churches worldwide, produces amazing results in the classroom.
Willie and his ministry team continue to produce the highly successful Adventures In Dry Gulch. This exciting television program, seen in over 1,000 U.S. cities as well as several foreign countries, brings Bible truth to children through puppets, drama, music, and illustrated sermons. Each year hundreds of thousands of children experience the love of God through the various outreaches of Willie George Ministries.
"Jesus has a dynamic children's ministry," explained Willie, "and it's important for today's children to know Him in a meaningful way."
To find out more about Willie George Ministries, or if you would like information about other products we offer, call or write:
Willie George Ministries
PO Box 770, Tulsa, OK 74101 U.S.A.
(918) 234 5656
During the past few years, teachers and children's workers in twenty thousand classrooms around the world have found this curriculum to be effective. Our Bible lessons have been translated into many different languages and cultures, but the results are always the same. Faith Roots works because it proclaims the Word of God not man's opinion. Signs and wonders confirm the teaching, because it's the same Gospel that Jesus preached 2000 years ago.
Our international curriculum is designed to supply you with one year's worth of teaching materials for your classroom. For your convenience, the lesson outline and all supplementary lessons are combined into one notebook. Our supplemental lessons are written in such a way that they can be adapted to any culture, though you may have to make some changes in specific instances. We've done our best to make these lessons the best they can be.
Our material does not teach itself. The Bible lessons are not written in a word for word fashion. You will have to teach them from your heart in your own words. We are working to stimulate your creativity. The raw materials are here, so dig in and put them together for a powerful presentation of God's Word.
I believe that your children will receive a precious revelation of Jesus as you minister these words of life. May the Holy Spirit flow through you in wisdom, creativity, and patience in your labor of love with the Father's lambs.
For the souls of boys and girls,
Willie George
HOW TO USE THIS MATERIAL
READ THIS: In order to get the full benefit of these lessons, it is necessary for you to read the following instructions.
SCRIPTURE TO STUDY: Earlier in the week, read and meditate the specific scripture for each lesson. Let the Word sink down into your spirit so that when you teach the lesson you are ministering the Word from your heart. Do not feel you must read the scripture background to your class it is for you.
CENTRAL TRUTH: It is better to teach children basic principles than to insist on them learning details. In every segment of the class stories, Bible lesson, music, memory verse, etc. keep in mind the central truth. For example, in the first lesson it will be better for the children to learn the principle that Jesus is the living Word of God than it is for them to know the custom of marriage in Bible days.
MEMORY VERSE: There are many ways to present the memory verse, so do not get in a rut. Get the kids excited about the memory verse by being enthusiastic yourself. You will notice that our memory verses are coordinated closely with the central truth. In many cases, we have listed for the memory verse only a portion of the scripture passage. It is better for all the class to know "by Jesus' stripes we were healed," out of I Peter 2:24, than for a few to quote the entire verse, word for word. For the children to memorize the verse, they need to say it about 10 12 times. The following are a few methods of teaching the memory verse to get you started:
(1) Take It Away In the Take It Away method the verse is printed on a medium (chalkboard, felt board, pieces of paper, etc.) from which words can be removed one at a time. Have the children say the verse several times, and then have them bow their heads and close their eyes. Remove a word and have the children look up and guess which word was taken away. When they guess the correct word, have all the children say the verse again. Continue this process until all the words have been removed.
`Add A Word Just the opposite of Take It Away. You add the words of the verse one at a time, having the children say as much as is revealed each time. Once the verse is complete, have them say it several times.
(3) Scrambles All of the words are put on a board of some sort (chalk or felt) or on pieces of paper, but in the wrong order. The children must put them in the correct order and then say the verse. Having a contest between teams, or against time, adds excitement to this method.
(4) Riddles A picture can be used for each word in the verse or a question, which, when answered reveals a word of the verse.
(5) Songs Put the verse to song or rhythm.
(6) Puzzles Write the verse on a large piece of heavy paper, and cut it into several odd shaped pieces. This can be used along with any of the first 3 methods.
(7) Seek And Find Write each word on a separate piece of paper, and hide them. Have one or two kids find the words, and put them in the proper order. For added excitement, make two sets of words, and have a race between teams, or have a race against time.
PUPPET SKITS: Puppets are one of the most effective ways of teaching the Gospel to children. Not only do they hear the message being presented to them, but they also see it acted out, which increases their learning ability. These skits were designed so only one or two people would be needed to work the puppets. There are never more than two characters up at a time. Those who work the puppets should let their voices adapt to the different characters and moods of the skit. A puppet's actions should also be over dramatized for greater effect. Puppets and puppet stages can be very simple or very elaborate. Use what you have. These skits can also be used as a drama presentation with live actors as an alternative to the puppets for an occasional change of pace. Practice with your puppets and be creative!
OBJECT LESSONS: These object lessons give simple pictures of spiritual laws that will reveal truths to children. Do not just read these lessons to your class. Study them, and know the content. Before you present any of these lessons, practice them at home to make sure you get the desired effects from your materials. Prepare!
STORIES: Storytelling is one of the greatest vehicles available in presenting the Gospel. To get the most from your presentation, know the story. Do not memorize it, but be familiar enough with it to tell it from the heart in your own words. When these stories become real to you, they will be made real to the children. Let your actions and voice tones adapt to the characters and moods of the story. Since all these stories are set in a cowboy atmosphere, dressing up like a cowboy will produce an added effect in your storytelling. Do not be embarrassed to make animal sounds or talk like a child. The children will love it!
OUTLINES: Each Bible lesson has been outlined so you may use it as a reference while you teach. It is not meant to be read to the class as a story. The main points tell the heart of the story. You can add or delete details as you wish.
Familiarize yourself with the Bible story setting. Make sure you understand the basic principles you are teaching. Word the things you teach so that children will be able to understand. Think as a child while you teach. Do not get too complicated. Kids readily receive spiritual truth when it is presented with simplicity.
The lesson outlines make room for your individual personality to shine through in each story.
Express ideas the way you express yourself best. Do not feel confined to the exact wording of each outline.
Do not get bogged down in details. Knowing the name of each disciple is not nearly as important as knowing that faith can make you whole. Teach the details, but concentrate on the principles.
Keep in mind the attention spans of the children you are teaching. The Bible lesson presentation should last from eight to fifteen minutes depending on the age group and length of the lesson. A good rule to follow for attention spans is one minute per year of age. For example, a 10 year old has approximately a 10 minute attention span, a 6 year old a six minute attention span, etc. This is just a general rule, however, as attention spans will vary with things such as room temperature, time of year, how exciting the lesson is, etc.
Grouping is also important. As a rule, children should not be grouped together when there is more than a three year age difference. Some circumstances, however, make that impossible (i.e. lack of teachers, space, etc.) God's grace is sufficient for any situation! This material is ideally suited for first through sixth grades (6 12 years of age).
SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: Each lesson includes a confession you can lead the children in. Saying and singing what we are in Christ and our benefits in Him will help the children develop spiritually. Proverbs 12:14 says, "A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth." Take a few minutes to let the children exercise the inward man.
VISUAL AIDS: Use visuals! Kids remember more of what they see than what they hear. Reinforce the words you speak with things they can see. Flannelgraph characters for these lessons are supplied in Covenant Characters. Each character and scene is numbered for quick reference. You will have to cut them out and color or paint them. They are flocked on the back for use on a flannel board. A piece of flannel is supplied and instructions for making a flannel board can be found on page xvii. You will find a sufficient number of men, women, children, and other things to present every story. Build your own scenes as the story progresses using as many characters as you feel are necessary. Do not limit yourself to flannelgraph characters as the single method of presentation be versatile. Occasionally, dress like a Bible character. Have kids act out parts. Be imaginative!
APPLYING THE WORD: You can gain valuable insight into the challenges your students face as they answer these questions and apply the lesson to their lives. It may be a new experience for some children to answer a question in class that does not have a right or wrong answer. You can help by setting the example and telling a true situation from your own life. As the children sense it is safe to talk about their feelings and experiences, they will open up more and more. Keep all stories short—a minute or less is good. Do not laugh at a child who is being serious. If a child's story seems out of place, help apply it to the lesson. In the child's mind it applies somehow. Help make that connection. If a child's story seems made up and outlandish, smile and ask "Is that a true story?" He will probably grin back and shrug. Sometimes singing the chorus of a song between the stories will help the momentum. (The spiritual exercise songs would be good to use at this time.)
REVIEW GAMES: You will find playing these games will add incentive for your students to listen closely to every lesson! Making children give an account of what you have taught them will make your class more effective and challenging. Always pick one child to answer each question. Do not allow the children to respond until you select them. To make your contest fair, allow only one answer per person. Do not allow a bright pupil to answer all the questions. If one team cannot answer the question, give the other team a chance. If you run out of questions before the game ends, you can make up more questions, or have the children recite the memory verse. To add more excitement, treat the winners with candy or small prizes. The following games can be used with any of the lessons.
PIN THE WORD ON THE DEVIL
Supplies: Poster (included with this curriculum), swords (included), 3 pins or thumtacks, blindfold. Complete instructions are on the sheet with the "swords."
BALLOON BURST
Supplies: 24 small balloons, tape (or thumbtacks), bulletin board or chalkboard, 2 pins
Make a balloon scoreboard using the chalkboard or bulletin board. Divide it into two sections, one side for each team. Arrange balloons into 4 rows of 3 balloons each. Choose two teams and select a helper from each team. Ask a question, and pick a child to answer it. If the answer is correct, have that team's helper pop a balloon with the pin. The side to pop all its balloons first, wins.
TIC TA C TOE
Supplies: Chalkboard and chalk, or large tablet and marker Draw a tic sac toe board on the chalkboard. Choose an "X" team and an "O" team, and select a helper from each team. Ask a question, and pick a child to answer it. If the answer is correct, have the helper make his team's "X" or "O" mark on the tic sac toe board. Continue until all questions are asked.
CHRISTIAN CONCENTRATION
Supplies: Forty eight 3"x 5" cards, marker, tape, board (bulletin board, cardboard, etc.)
Writing the numbers as large as possible, number 24 of the cards from 1 to 24. Letter the remaining cards, making two sets from A to L. Arrange the Concentration Board as follows: lay the lettered cards face up in 4 rows of 6 cards each, mixing them up so that pairs are not right next to each other. Tape them into position. Place a numbered card over each alphabet card, keeping the numbers in order. Tape these into position.
Choose two teams and select a helper from each team. Ask a question, and pick a child to answer it. If the answer is correct, the child who answered the question gets a chance to try to make a match. He calls out two numbers between 1 and 24. The helper from his team lifts the numbered cards, revealing the lettered cards below. If the two cards match, the numbered card is removed and his team gets a point. (Or, as a variation, he gets a prize such as a piece of candy.) If the lettered cards don't match, cover them again with the top cards. Continue until all matches are made.
HANG THE DEVIL
Supplies: Chalkboard and chalk, or large tablet and marker. Draw two hangman's gallows, one on the left side of the board, and one on the right. Then pick a word from the lesson to use as the mystery word. In the middle of the page, draw a blank for each letter of the mystery word. (For example, "Joseph" has 6 letters, so you would draw 6 blanks.)
Choose two teams. Ask a question, and pick a child to answer it. If the answer is correct, let that child guess a letter that might be in the mystery word. If he guesses correctly, write the letter in the blanks, showing every time it appears. Then draw a noose on his team's gallows. Next ask a question of the other team. Continue as above, drawing the devil's head, body, right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, right hand, and left hand, on their team's gallows when someone guesses a correct letter. (Remember: children must answer review questions correctly to earn a chance to guess a letter.) Whichever team hangs the devil first wins. If they guess the word before you run out of questions, choose another word and continue playing.
CROSS THE LINE
Supplies: Tape or string to mark finish line
Choose two teams and a runner for each team. Ask a question, and pick a child to answer it. If the answer is correct, the runner for that team gets to take two giant steps (baby steps if space is limited) toward the finish line. The team whose runner crosses the finish line first, wins.
BIBLE BASKETBALL
Supplies: Large piece of posterboard, marker for drawing
Draw the outline of a basketball court on a piece of posterboard, then draw the free-throw area and a basket on each side. Divide the class into two teams. The first player on the first team comes to the front of the room and "takes a shot" at the first question. If he or she gets it right, the team gets two points and the first player on team two gets "the ball" and gets to "take a shot." If the player cannot answer the question, he "misses the shot." No points are awarded, and the "ball" is given to the next player on the other team. He or she gets to "shoot." If he can answer the question, he gets two points, and the "ball" goes to the other team. The game continues until all questions are answered.
POP QUIZ
Supplies: 20 small balloons, tape (or thumbtacks), bulletin board or chalkboard, 2 pins, scoreboard
Write each of the questions on a small piece of paper and insert into a balloon. Now blow up the balloon with the question inside. Make a balloon board by attaching the balloons to the chalkboard or bulletin board. Divide the class into two teams. The first player comes forward, picks a balloon, and pops it. He or she then reads the question. If they can answer it themselves, their team gets 5 points. If they do not know the answer, they can pick someone on their team to answer it, in which case the team gets 3 points. If their team member answers incorrectly, the question goes to team two. If team two answers it correctly, they get 1 point. Then team two sends their first player forward. He or she picks a balloon and pops it, reads the question, etc. Play continues until all questions are read, and the team with the most points is declared a winner.
LOCK AND KEY
Supplies: construction paper, scissors
Cut 20 locks and 20 keys out of construction paper. Write the questions on the locks and the answers on the keys. Put 10 locks and their keys in a set for team one and the other 10 locks and keys in a set for team two. Put these in two stacks at the front of the room. Have someone who can read well stand near each stack, in case someone needs help. Divide the class into two teams, and have them line up relay race style. Players will run to the front of the room and try to match an answer with a question. As soon as he or she makes a correct match, they run back to their team and tag the next person who runs forward to make a second match. The game continues until one team completes all matches and is declared the winner.
If time permits, you can swap the sets of locks and keys, so team one has the set that team two just matched, etc., and play round two!
Variation: Let the first two players make as many matches as they can in one minute. When time is up, both players return to their teams, and the next two players come up. They also have one minute to make as many matches as possible. The first team to match all locks and keys wins.
HOT SHOT
Supplies: A package of rubberbands; a wastebasket, bucket, or other container; scoreboard
Divide the class into two teams. The first player comes forward and answers a question. If the answer is correct, let that child shoot a rubberband at the wastebasket. If the answer is incorrect, ask the question of the other team. Keep score, giving 3 points for every correct answer and 1 point for every rubberband that enters the basket.
BODY BUILDING
Supplies: Chalkboard and chalk, or large tablet and marker
Draw a line dividing the chalkboard into two even sides. Divide the children into two teams. Ask a question of the first child on team one. If the answer is correct, let that child draw a head on his team's side of the chalkboard. If the answer is not correct, ask the question of the first player on team two. If he gets it right, he gets to draw a head on his team's side of the chalkboard. Continue the game, asking questions, and letting the child who answers correctly draw the neck, the body, right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, right hand, and left hand, on their team's chalkboard. The teacher can add to the fun by saying things like, "Poor guy! He has a head, but he needs a neck in the worst way. Somebody please get this next question!" If time permits, you can add a shirt, pants, shoes, hat, tie, etc. Whichever team completes their drawing first wins.
COLORING PICTURE: A master coloring picture is provided for each lesson, and is coordinated with the lesson for the day. Copies can be made to correspond with the number of children in each class.
CLASS SCHEDULE: Think about attention spans as you plan your class schedule. Below are two sample schedules:
Activity 2nd Grade Class* 5th Grade Class**
Singing, Offering, 10 minutes 10 minutes
Announcements
Bible Lesson 8 minutes 8 minutes
Spiritual Exercises 5 minutes 5 minutes
Memory Verse 5 minutes 5 minutes
Puppet Skit 5 minutes 5 minutes
Supplementary 8 minutes 8 minutes
Lesson
Application Question 5 minutes 5 minutes
Review Game 6 minutes 7 minutes
Coloring Page 8 minutes 5 minutes
________________________________________________
Total 60 minutes 60 minutes
* Approximate age: (7 8 year olds)
**Approximate age: (10 11 year olds)
Faith Roots is designed to work most effectively with the Master Teacher Method of instruction. This plan specifies that teachers combine the smaller cubicle type classes to form larger groups with two to three teachers per twenty five pupils.
The benefits of such a program are many and the institution of the plan is relatively simple. Each class is headed by a Master Teacher (who is experienced and capable) and assisted by one or two others. The Master Teacher assigns lesson parts and oversees the class schedule.
Since the Master Teacher is the most capable, he should teach the Bible lesson and allot the supplementary lesson to an assistant. A third teacher could be responsible for singing and opening exercises. If three teachers each prepare two hours for each class, the children will get the benefit of six hours of study. In the small class with one teacher, children do not get the variety of teacher personality and the benefit of as much preparation time.
Few teachers can do everything well, and the Master Teacher Method is excellent in allowing teachers to specialize in puppets, flannelgraph, music, or object lessons.
In the Master Teacher's class, distractions are handled by assistants while the teacher remains undisturbed. Children who need counsel can easily be dealt with by the person not teaching at the moment.
This plan is excellent for introducing new teachers in children's ministry. Newcomers are often overcome in having to learn all teaching skills immediately; but not so in the Master Teacher Method. The new teacher can step into teaching gradually and observe more experienced workers each week.
The Master Teacher is always developing new personnel by teaching them by precept and by example. He can always evaluate the progress of his assistants and knows when they are capable of taking more responsibility.
The problem of a teacher's absence is minor in the Master Teacher Method. Should the Master Teacher be absent, an assistant who is familiar with the operation of the class can cover the situation. Should an assistant be gone, the Master Teacher can bring in a parent to help in discipline and order.
Because your Faith Roots curriculum is full of variety, it makes sense to get the most from the material by having more than one person involved in teaching each class. You may find that the Master Teacher Plan will bring new life into your Sunday School. It originated with the Lord Jesus as He taught the twelve disciples by precept and example. They learned how to minister by watching Jesus, helping, and hearing His instruction. With their help, the Master was able to instruct multitudes.
Remember these benefits of the Master Teacher Method:
Built in teacher training program
Variety in classroom
Counselors on hand in class
More teacher preparation per class
Ease in covering teacher absenteeism
Teacher specialization
Distractions dealt with by helpers
Teacher evaluation
After you have cut the figures out and colored or painted them, they can be conveniently stored in an expanding envelope file. Put numbers 1 10 in the first pocket, 11 20 in the second, etc. The figures you need for each lesson will be neatly kept and easy to find.
You can make your own flannelgraph by wrapping a piece of damp flannel around a board. Tack it into position on the back. While it is still wet, color the sky and ground with watercolor markers. This will give you a soft, even tone. If you want more distinct lines, let the flannel dry before using the markers.
For a quick change of scenes, draw another scene on a piece of flannel a little longer than your Flannelgraph board. Attach the new scene along the top of the board, tacking it on the back, so the tacks do not show. Flip it back until ready for a scene change.
Angel Gabriel, angel
Mary (young), Martha
Joseph, Nicodemus, Ananias
Donkey
Manger
Baby Jesus
Flock of sheep
Camel
Shepherds, Servents
Group of Angels
Star, bright light
City
Three Wise Men
King Herod, King Agrippa
Soldier, jailer
Satan
Boy Jesus
Priests, scribes and Pharisees
John the Baptist
Crowd, guest, andry mote, rulers
Jesus (facing left)
Jesus (facing right)
Dove
Waves
Waves
Tree
Pots
Crippled Man, Lazarus
Crippled Man (healed), native men
Well
Woman at well, Sapphira, girl with demon
Boat
Jesus (facing forward)
Peter (facing left)
Peter (facing right)
Net full of fish
Judas, Elymus
Andrew, Phillip
James
John
Disciples, leaders of church
Jairus, Ananias
Jairus’ Daughter
Women with the issue of blood, Mary (older)
Maniac
Maniac Delivered
Pigs
Boy, John Mark
Loaves and Fishes in basket
Blind man
Blind Man healed
Transfigured Jesus
Richman, Felix
Flames
Dog
Children
Rich Young Ruler, Saul, Paul (facing Left)
Saul, Paul (facing right)
Mary, Rhonda
Lazarus, Barnabus
Large Stone
Cup
Bread
Money Bag
High Priest
Soldier, Julius
Captain, Cornelius, soldier
Pilate, Sergius Paulus, Festus
Crucifixion
Stephan, Silas
Ethiopian eunuch
Chariot
Paul in Stocks
Silas in stocks
Snake
Scripture to Study: Matthew 1:18 25; Luke 1:26 38; John 1:1 14
Central Truth: Jesus of Nazareth is the Word of God
Memory Verse: John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us..."
Supplementary Lesson: Puppet Skit—"The World's Greatest Mother"
Visual Aids: Angel Gabriel (1), Mary (2), Joseph (3)
To the Teacher:
The important idea to remember here is that Jesus did not begin to exist when Mary conceived. He is the eternal Word of God who took on human form. Mary gave a body to the Second Person of the Godhead. As you teach, be sure to stress the fact that Jesus pre existed with God as the Word.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
God's Word came to live in a human body.
Jesus came to show me what God is like.
I will let God's Word live in my heart.
His Word lives in my mind.
His Word has control over my body.
Because Jesus became the Son of Man, I can be a son of God.
Jesus is my Lord.
PUPPET SKIT
CHARACTERS: Host, Mary
HOST: Today we are honoring a very special mother. In fact, she is the most important mother who ever lived. Give a warm welcome to Mary.
MARY: Thank you. You are a very gracious group.
HOST: Mary, God had a very special place for you, did He not?
MARY: Yes, but every single one of us is special to God. I was blessed to be the mother of God's Son, but these children are just as important to God.
HOST: God does have something very special for all of us. Mary, could you tell us how we can have God's plan in our lives?
MARY: Well, let me think, oh, yes. I believe that we must keep ourselves pure if we are going to have God's best.
HOST: The Bible says that you were a pure young woman — a virgin. What does being pure really mean?
MARY: Being pure is keeping your mouth from saying wicked and hateful words, being obedient, and keeping your thoughts on God.
HOST: Mary, unfortunately, many of us have done things that are wrong. Does that mean that we are not pure?
MARY: Oh, no. Thank God for His mercy and forgiveness. Every single person has sinned and done something that is not pure. Only my Son, Jesus, has lived a perfect life; but, because He is our Sacrifice, our sin can be washed away. Even wicked people can be made pure when they accept God's mercy through Jesus.
HOST: Did you ever have to spank Jesus when He was little?
MARY: Of course not! He never threw a fit or lost His temper. He never fought with the other children. He was a perfect son.
HOST: Did He play like all the other children?
MARY: Oh, yes. He played and enjoyed things children like to do. He was a bit unusual in one area, though.
HOST: What did He do that was strange?
MARY: He spent every minute He could, after He was able to read, in the synagogue reading the Old Testament.
HOST: He had a strong desire to learn about God?
MARY: Oh, yes. He was asking questions I could not answer before He was twelve.
HOST: He must have been special.
MARY: He was very special. He was different from the very start. I will never forget how that big angel, Gabriel, came into my room to tell me about the Son of God.
HOST: Was this the visit you had from Gabriel before Jesus was born?
MARY: Yes, this was before I was even expecting a child. The angel told me I was going to have a baby—God's baby.
HOST: What was your reaction?
MARY: I was surprised, but I did not question it. I knew that God is able to do anything.
HOST: God can do anything?
MARY: Anything!
HOST: Heal a sick body?
MARY: Easily!
HOST: Open a blind eye?
MARY: Certainly!
HOST: Raise the dead?
MARY: Kid's stuff. God is limitless in power. He wanted me to have His Son, so I believed it.
HOST: That is important.
MARY: What?
HOST: It is important to believe God no matter how big the problem is.
MARY: You cannot have God's special plan for your life if you do not believe.
HOST: I believe in the Word of God.
MARY: I am a believer—not a doubter.
HOST: I am a believer—not a doubter. These kids need to say that, too. (Repeat two or three times.)
MARY: So long, believers. I am going back to visit my Son—forever!
Applying the Word:
Angels are special messengers sent from God. Sometimes they help people. Sometimes they bring people news. (Teacher: Tell a story of someone who has seen an angel. This can be a story from the Bible or possibly a story of someone you know personally.) Do you know of anyone who has seen an angel? What happened? Tell the class the story.
Note: Children are always fascinated by angelic beings. Hearing these stories will build their faith in the angelic protection God gives His children.
Questions for Review Game:
1. The angel Gabriel gave Mary a special message. What was it?
2. What was special about the baby Mary was to have?
3. How could Mary have a baby when she wasn't married yet?
4. Was Jesus alive even before He was a baby inside Mary?
5. Why would Mary's baby be born without the curse of sin or death?
6. What was Joseph's reaction when Mary told him she was expecting a child?
7. What convinced Joseph to continue with his plans to marry Mary?
8. What kind of child would Jesus have been if Joseph had actually been Jesus' father?
9. What are some other names for Jesus mentioned in the Bible?
10. How do you think you would react if an angel visited you?
Scripture to Study: Luke 2:1 21
Central Truth: Jesus was born into the earth as a man and laid aside His godly powers.
Memory Verse: John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Supplementary Lesson: Object Lesson—"The Lamb of God"
Visual Aids: Mary (2), Joseph (3), donkey (4), manger (5), baby Jesus (6), flock of sheep (7), shepherds (9), group of angels (10), star (11), city (12)
To the Teacher:
Emphasize the fact that the Word of God became a man in the fullest sense. He entered the earth in a human body in the same way all men are born. He was not born under the curse of death, because He was not the offspring of man, yet He was a perfect human being with a perfect body. The lambs offered in Old Testament times were required to be spotless and without any defect. How perfectly Jesus fit this pattern. Death had no authority over Him. He was as Adam before the fall. Had He not become our substitute, He could have lived forever because the effects of Adam's sin had no place in Him.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Jesus is the Living Word of God. He always was.
God created all things by Him. Jesus is God's gift to me.
He became a man so He could be my sacrifice.
Thank God for His precious gift—Jesus.
OBJECT LESSON
Scripture Reference: Hebrews 9:22, " without shedding of blood is no remission."
Materials Needed: Red food coloring, clear Karo syrup, newspaper, white spray paint, small plastic bag, masking tape, knife, trash can.
To Prepare: Mix red food coloring with small amount (about 1/4 cup) of Karo syrup in a small plastic bag to form a blood like substance. Tie the bag shut. Crush several pages of newspaper into balls and unfold them to give a wrinkled appearance to the paper. Wrap newspaper around bag of syrup. Using tape and newspaper, begin to form a lamb placing the bag of syrup in the abdomen. After you have finished the lamb, hang it in the air with wire and spray it with white paint.
Lesson:
In Old Testament times, men were required by God to offer sacrifices for their sins. When God led Moses and the children of Israel out of Egypt, He told them to offer a lamb as a sacrifice. (Hold the lamb in your arms.) The lamb had to be healthy and could have no spots or blemishes. It had to be one of the best lambs in the flock.
The people were to slay the lamb and its blood had to be brushed over the door posts of their homes. Late at night, the angel of death came throughout the land of Egypt and every house that was without the lamb's blood on its door post was visited by death. The oldest child in each family died.
The children of Israel did not have such tragedy. When the death angel saw the blood of the lamb on the door posts, he could not go inside. So, the lamb's blood saved the children of Israel.
Sin is an awful thing. It keeps men from God. When men do wrong and sin against God, they cut themselves off from God's blessings. From the very beginning, God has always worked to forgive men of sin. He has always looked for ways to bless men—not to hurt them. Sin has a price. It is the price of blood. The only way for a man's sins to be cleansed is for innocent blood to be shed.
When Adam sinned, he sold the whole human race to Satan, the god of this world. Satan wanted to own men so that he could hurt and destroy them. Only the price of blood was enough to pay for redemption for you and me.
God showed people that the sacrifice of a lamb would cover their sins for a year. Every year another sacrifice had to be offered. The sins of the people were not taken away, they were only covered.
Then one day another Lamb came to this earth. Like all the other lambs before Him, He had no spot or blemish. He was perfect, for He had no sin. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to the Jordan River, he called Him the Lamb of God. Jesus came to be our sacrifice for sin.
When Jesus hung on the cross, He was as a lamb being offered. (Plunge the knife into the lamb's abdomen and allow the "blood" to drip into the trash can.) He gave up His precious blood so that we could be free from all our sin. His blood does not cover our sins, it washes them away. When we are cleansed of sin by asking Jesus to live in our hearts, it is as though we had never sinned.
The blood of Jesus cleanses hearts so wonderfully that there is no trace of sin left. Thank God for His Lamb. (If you prefer not to use the blood in this object lesson, consider using a stuffed animal lamb or a paper lamb.)
Applying the Word:
Jesus wasn't born in a hospital. He wasn't even born in a house. He was born in a stable where animals were kept. Yet He was King of the Universe. Most kings are born in a palace. Being born in a stable would not be good enough for them. It would be too humbling.
Have you ever had to do something that was humbling to you? Was it hard? Tell us the story.
Questions for Review Game:
1. Why was it so important for Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem?
2. What was another name for Bethlehem?
3. Both Mary and Joseph were descendants of a famous king. Who was he?
4. When the couple entered Bethlehem, where were they forced to stay? Why?
5. What does the name "Jesus" mean?
6. After Jesus was born, His mother wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and placed Him in an unusual place for a baby. Where was it that He was placed?
7. Who surprised the shepherds in a nearby field?
8. What was the message the angels had for the shepherds?
9. What did the shepherds do when they found the baby Jesus?
10. The angels and the shepherds rejoiced because God came to earth as a baby. Why is it important for us to praise God?
Scripture to Study: Matthew 2:1 11
Central Truth: God's wisdom is available to us by His Word and His Spirit.
Memory Verse: Proverbs 3:6, "Trust in the Lord with all shine heart; and lean not unto shine own understanding."
Supplementary Lesson: Story—"I Am No Fool"
Visual Aids: Mary (2), Joseph (3), baby Jesus (6), camel (8), star (11), wise men (13), King Herod (14)
To the Teacher:
The real truth to get across in this lesson is that true wisdom honors God. If children are taught to honor God in worship, in learning, and in giving, a flow of wisdom will spring forth from their hearts. Although these "Magi" were outside the commonwealth of Israel, they still had some revelation of the plan of God. At different times, Gentiles were anointed as prophets and priests showing that God's plan has always been to include all men.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I am a wise child.
I seek the Lord.
I am guided by the Holy Spirit and by God's Word.
I am wise because I praise God.
I am wise because I give to God.
I am wise because I seek God.
STORY
One day Gospel Bill was riding a train from Dry Gulch to South Pass. As he sat down in the railroad car, the man across the aisle looked up and spoke to Bill. "Good day, sir," said the man.
"Hello," replied Bill. "It is a good day. Where are you going?"
"My destination is a small town called South Pass," said the man.
"Good," said Gospel Bill. "That is where I'm going. We can visit on the way."
"Indeed we shall," said the man. Gospel Bill wanted to visit with the gentleman so that he could tell him about Jesus. Although the man seemed to be a very polite and scholarly man, Bill knew that he still needed to hear about Jesus. All men, wise or ignorant, need a Saviour.
After visiting for a few minutes, Gospel Bill began to tell the gentleman about the Lord. Bill told him how Jesus came to redeem men from sin. The gentleman was very polite, but he had no time for Bill's message.
"Sir," said the man. "I do not believe in sin, God, or Jesus. All are merely superstitious outgrowths of an uneducated society."
"Are you telling me that you do not even believe in God?" asked Bill.
"Exactly," he said. "God was created in the minds of men out of a need to believe in something."
"Well, what do you believe in?" asked Gospel Bill.
"I believe in science," said the man. "I do not believe in anything I cannot prove or see. I have never seen God. If He is real, why does He not show Himself to us? If I see Him, then I shall believe, but not until then."
“You're a pretty smart fellow to be so ignorant," said Bill. "The Bible says that the fool says in his heart there is no God. I guess you would be classified as a fool."
"You are a simple minded barbarian!" shouted the man. "How dare you insult me. I am a man of letters. I have studied in the world's finest universities and I quite certainly am no fool!"
"Well," replied Bill, "I am a simple enough man to believe the Bible and I trust in God's wisdom before I trust in my own mind. And I have the proof that God is real."
"You have proof? What possible proof could you have?" asked the man.
"I have seen God change the hardest of men into kind, considerate Christians. I have seen many an outlaw receive Christ and turn into a whole new man," said Gospel Bill.
"That is just because of will power," said the man. "Men can change their personalities by themselves."
Suddenly a gun shot rang through the car. "BANG!" Bill looked up to see a masked man at the head of the car. He had two pistols pointed at the passengers and as he began to shout orders, the train came to a stop.
"All right, ladies and gentlemen," said the outlaw, "throw down your guns if you have any and get out your money. My friends and I are robbing this train!"
"Oh, dear! What shall we do?" said the gentleman to Bill.
"I am going to pray and trust God," said Bill.
"A lot of good that will do in this situation," said the gentleman.
"Be quiet back there!" yelled the outlaw to the gentleman. Then the bandit slowly walked down the aisle collecting money, jewels, and valuables from the passengers.
Gospel Bill bowed his head and began to pray. He asked the Lord for wisdom, saying,
"Father, Your Word says if any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. Well, I need to know what to do in this situation. Thank You for speaking to me, in Jesus' Name."
As the outlaw came closer to his seat, Bill began to hear the voice of the Lord speaking to his spirit. "Charlie McCullough. Say this name out loud—Charlie McCullough. His hide out is at Brush Creek."
Bill did not understand at all why the Lord told him to say a man's name during the middle of a robbery. But through years of obeying God, even when it did not make sense, Bill had learned that it is best to do what God says.
"Charlie McCullough!" shouted Gospel Bill. "Charlie McCullough!"
"What?" asked the outlaw. "How did you know my name?"
"God not only knows your name," said Gospel Bill, "but He also knows where your hideout is over on Brush Creek."
The outlaw was shocked that he could be recognized even with a disguise. He dropped the hat with all the money still in it and ran to the door of the train. "Come on, boys!" he yelled. "Give the people back their money. We must get out of here! They know who we are and where we hide out!"
The whole gang disappeared and the passengers grabbed up their possessions. The gentleman who had not believed in God turned to Gospel Bill. "You obviously knew this McCullough person before."
"No," said Bill. "I have never met the man in my life. Besides, I would not have been able to recognize him with the mask on even if I had known him."
"Then how could you possibly know his name and where his hide out was?" asked the man.
"The Lord told me, because I trusted in Him when trouble came," explained Bill.
"Coincidence. Just a coincidence," said the man.
"Well," said Bill, "you may call it that, but I know what really happened. God's wisdom saved us a lot of trouble."
Applying the Word:
The Holy Spirit used these wise men to bless the baby Jesus and His family. Has the Holy Spirit ever told you to give something to someone to bless them? What did you do? What happened next?
Questions for Review Game:
1. Where did the wise men come from?
2. What were the wise men called?
3. What were the signs of the zodiac originally meant to proclaim?
4. How did the Holy Spirit use these wise men?
5. What did the wise men tell King Herod?
6. What did King Herod want the wise men to do?
7. About how old was baby Jesus when the wise men arrived to worship him?
8. What kind of gifts did the wise men bring?
9. Why did not the wise men return to King Herod?
10. What must you learn to do in order to prosper?
Scripture to Study: Ezekiel 28:12 19; Matthew 2:12 23
Central Truth: Satan uses men to carry out his plans of destruction.
Memory Verse: 1 John 3:8, "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."
Supplementary Lesson: Game—"Pin The Word On The Devil"
Visual Aids: Angel (1), Mary (2), Joseph (3), donkey (4), baby Jesus (6), King Herod (14), soldier (15), Satan (16)
To the Teacher:
Explain to the children that our real enemy is the devil and his wicked spirits. Men are mere tools in their hands to do wickedness. By yielding to sin, men actually become tools in the hands of the enemy of God. To live in sin is to be an ally of Satan. Teach your class that we can destroy Satan's work in our own lives by living by the Word of God.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Satan is defeated. Jesus took away his keys. Now I have authority over sin, poverty, and disease. God's plan for me will be done. All my life I will serve His Son. I will always keep Jesus Number One. This makes life rewarding and fun.
Applying the Word:
Has anyone ever tried to be mean to you and ruin your plans, but you prayed, and God made everything turn out right in the end? That's what happened here. The devil tried to kill Jesus, but God warned Joseph in a dream to take his family to Egypt. Then God sent the wise men to pay for the trip. God really took care of everything!
Tell us what happened to your plans and how things turned out in the end.
Questions for Review Game:
1. Who is the real source of all trouble?
2. Why did God cast Satan down to the earth?
3. What caused Satan to become the god of this world?
4. How did God plan to destroy Satan's power?
5. Who was Jesus' father?
6. What did Satan want to do to baby Jesus?
7. What man did Satan get to cooperate with his plans to kill baby Jesus?
8. What would have happened if Jesus had been killed before the cross?
9. What did King Herod order to be done in Bethlehem?
10. How did Joseph and Mary know to flee to Egypt?
Scripture to Study: Luke 2:40 52
Central Truth: We can overcome sin.
Memory Verse: Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you."
Supplementary Lesson: Puppet Skit—"Sin Is Not My Boss!"
Visual Aids: Mary (2), Joseph (3), donkey (4), city (12), boy Jesus (17), priests, scribes and Pharisees (18)
To the Teacher:
The reason that Jesus came was to give men the ability to live as He lived—a master over sin, disease, and poverty. Of course, we know that all have sinned, but we can learn to resist sin and overcome it when we fall. For more background in this area, study Romans 6 and 1 John 1 and 2.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Sin shall not have dominion over me. I am an overcomer through Christ Jesus. Jesus set me free from the power of sin. If I do sin and confess my sin to Jesus, He is faithful to forgive me and make me clean. Thank You, Jesus, for Your love.
PUPPET SKIT
CHARACTERS: Host, Joseph
HOST Have you ever wondered what Jesus was like when He was a boy? Well, we are going to find out today because we have the most famous step father ever, right here in our class. Give a warm welcome to Joseph, the carpenter.
JOSEPH: Thank you, thank you.
HOST What an honor! We have heard about you, and we are thrilled to meet you.
JOSEPH: It is a privilege for me to be here. I like kids. I had a whole house full of them.
HOST You did? There were more besides Jesus?
JOSEPH: Oh, yes. Let me see, there were the girls, and Jude, and James.
HOST Wow! That was quite a crew. Tell us about Jesus. What kind of boy was He?
JOSEPH: He was a wonderful son. I could not have asked for a better boy. He never disobeyed me—not even one time.
HOST You never once gave Him a spanking?
JOSEPH: I did not need to. He always did right. Yes, sir, that boy prayed every day and I can still remember how much He loved for me to read to Him from the scriptures.
HOST Jesus had a real love for the Word of God, did He not?
JOSEPH: That is for sure. That was His secret of always doing right—He always thought on God's Word.
HOST When did He begin to act this way?
JOSEPH: When He was really young. Let me see. Before He was twelve, His mother and I sat Him down and told Him how special He was.
HOST What did you tell Him?
JOSEPH: We told Him that He was not my son, but that He was the Son of God. We told Him how the angel came to us before He was even born and said that He would be called Jesus and that He would save His people from their sins.
HOST: Did Jesus do miracles when He was young?
JOSEPH: No. He did not do any miracles until He was thirty and filled with the Holy Spirit.
HOST: Did He have any magical powers?
JOSEPH: Not at all. Jesus did not do magic. All His powers to heal and do miracles came from the Holy Spirit.
HOST: Then He was a lot like any other boy?
JOSEPH: He was just like any other boy except that He never sinned.
HOST: Do you think any other child could ever be like Jesus?
JOSEPH: Well, we can all be like Him because He can live in our hearts; but no other person can live without sinning at least once. Jesus never sinned even once. Sin was not His boss.
HOST: Some people do not try to keep from sinning. They feel like they cannot help but do wrong.
JOSEPH: Oh, wait a minute. That is exactly why Jesus came. He was born to my wife, Mary, grew up, was crucified, and rose again so that we could be masters over sin.
HOST. Can we say "no" to sin?
JOSEPH: Of course. The Bible says in Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you." We are free from it, if we have Jesus living inside us. Sin is not our boss.
HOST: What about sins we have already done?
JOSEPH: Jesus took care of that, too. The Bible says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
HOST: If I confess my sin, God will forgive it?
JOSEPH: That is right. He will forgive every single time.
HOST: How can I remember all this?
JOSEPH: Just keep your mind on God's Word. It says, "Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee." Thinking on God's Word keeps you from sin.
HOST: I am going to do it! Before you go, I want to ask you a question.
JOSEPH: Go ahead and ask.
HOST: Who taught you all these scriptures?
JOSEPH: Who do you think? My step son taught me these and a lot more.
Applying the Word:
Jesus was the only person who never sinned. All of the rest of us have. Can you think of a time when you did something that you knew was wrong? How did you feel? Did you confess your sin to Jesus?
Did you know that sin does not need to be the boss over us once we make Jesus our Lord? Not only will Jesus forgive you if you ask Him to, but He will help you to resist sin and to not make the same mistake over and over again.
Questions for Review Game:
1. How does God become our Father?
2. How did Jesus learn about His Father God?
3. What book is filled with scriptures about the Messiah?
4. What happens when we learn the scriptures?
5. How old was Jesus when he traveled to Jerusalem for the first time?
6. What was the name of the feast they were observing?
7. What was the Passover celebrating?
8. On the way home, Jesus turned up missing. Where was He found?
9. Why were the rabbis astonished at Jesus' teaching?
10. What did Jesus tell His parents when they demanded an explanation?
Scripture to Study: Matthew 3:1 17; John 1:29
Central Truth: Jesus redeemed men from sin.
Memory Verse: John 1:29, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."
Supplementary Lesson: Story—"The Toy Soldier"
Visual Aids: John the Baptist (19), crowd (20), Jesus (21), dove (23), waves (24, 25)
To the Teacher:
Explain what it means to receive Jesus and the importance of being baptized. Emphasize that Jesus of Nazareth was the only sacrifice for sin, and although Jesus commanded us to be baptized, water baptism is only the outward sign of an inward change.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Jesus was my Sacrifice. He came to earth as a Lamb. He offered Himself to pay for my sin. He washed me in His blood and I am cleansed from all sin. My heart is as pure as His.
STORY
Gospel Bill was teaching a group of boys about Jesus outside the candy store. They all listened intently as Bill told them how Jesus came to die for our sins. "Jesus came to redeem us," explained Bill. "He did just that when He died on the cross."
"What does 'redeem' mean?" asked one of the boys.
"Redeem means to buy back," said Bill. "God bought us back from the devil. I will explain it to you with something that happened to me when I was a boy." Every eye was on Gospel Bill as he told the following story:
"It all began when I was ten years old," said Bill. "My father gave me an old knife and I learned how to carve. One day I found a piece of wood and started carving. I carved a toy soldier out of it."
"I like toy soldiers," said a boy.
"I painted him and fixed him really nice." said Bill. "He was my favorite toy because I had made him myself."
"Did you play with him a lot?" asked a boy.
"Every day," said Bill. "I played with that toy soldier more than all my other toys combined. Then, I decided to take him to school."
"I know every boy in school wanted that soldier," said a boy.
"Let me tell you what happened," Bill continued. "I put my soldier in a sack. When school opened, I had to put my sack on a shelf. While no one was looking, a boy named Stanley opened the sack and stole my soldier."
"No one stopped him?" asked one of the boys who was listening to Gospel Bill.
"No one knew he had my soldier," said Bill. "He hid it in his coat and took it home."
"Were you sad?" asked another boy.
"I cried because my toy soldier was lost," said Bill. "I looked all over the school grounds until dark trying to find him. I even asked all the kids in school if they had seen it. It was no use."
"Did you make another one?" asked one of the boys.
"No," replied Gospel Bill. "I just could not stand to make another one. One day when I was at school early, I saw Stanley coming down the road with my soldier."
"Did you punch him in the nose?" asked a boy.
"No," said Bill. "I would have gotten in trouble if I did that. Besides, that would
have been wrong. I went to Stanley and asked him for my soldier."
"Did he give him back?" asked the boys.
"He would not give me the soldier," said Bill. "He had carved his initials into my soldier and told me that he had made the toy himself."
"That was a lie!" yelled one of the boys.
"Yes, Stanley lied and stole," said Bill. "He finally agreed to sell me the soldier— the one I made with my own hands. He wanted five dollars for the soldier."
"Five dollars!" said one of the boys. "That is more money than my father makes in a whole week."
"That was more money than my father made, too," said Bill. "But I made up my mind that nothing was too much to pay for my soldier."
"Did you have the money?" asked the boys.
"No," said Gospel Bill. "I did not have any money, but I got a job milking cows for ten cents a day. It took me ten weeks to earn that five dollars, but I did it. So, I went to Stanley's house and asked him for my soldier."
"And you were really happy, were you not?" the boys said.
"I was glad to get my toy soldier back, but he was a mess," said Bill. "He had mud all over him and half his paint was gone. I took him home and washed him off. Then I carefully painted him like new."
"That serves Stanley right!" said one of the boys.
"That is not the end of the story," said Bill. "Two days later, Stanley's father brought him to my house. When he saw how much money Stanley had, he asked how he had gotten it. His father found out the whole truth and made him give me back all my money."
"That is a great story," said one of the boys. They all agreed that it was a lot like the story of Jesus.
"God made us and the devil stole us away," said one boy.
"And the devil treated us really badly. He caused me to serve sin and wickedness," said another.
"But God gave the best that He had, Jesus, to buy us back," said Bill. "Then God got Jesus back just like I got my money back, because after three days and nights in the grave, Jesus rose again."
"I think I understand what redeem means," said one boy.
"Me, too," said all the others. "We will never forget this story as long as we live."
Applying the Word:
Have you been baptized in water since you believed in Jesus and accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour? How old were you when you were baptized? Where were you baptized? Do you know what it means to be baptized?
Questions for Review Game:
1. For what purpose was John the Baptist sent?
2. What does "repent" mean?
3. What message did John the Baptist preach?
4. What did the Lord tell John he would see?
5. What did John call Jesus when he saw Him?
6. Why did Jesus come to John?
7. What would Jesus' baptism be a sign of?
8. When Jesus was baptized, what did John see?
9. What did the voice from Heaven say?
10. Why should we be baptized?
Scripture to Study: Matthew 4:1 11; Hebrews 4:15
Central Truth: Resist temptation with God's Word.
Memory Verse: James 4:7b, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Supplementary Lesson: Object Lesson—"The Sword Of The Spirit"
Visual Aids: Satan (16), Jesus (22), tree (26)
To the Teacher:
God's will for us is to avoid temptation. But when it does come, His will is for us to overcome it. Temptation does not build faith, as faith comes only by hearing the Word of God. God's plan is for us to use our faith in temptation and thereby our faith is strengthened. If temptation built faith, then sinners would be full of faith.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
God's Word is a sword in my mouth. I will use it to overcome temptation. I submit myself to God and I resist the devil. I resist fear, I resist poverty, I resist sin. I resist sickness and disease. I resist disobedience. I overcome the world by God's Word.
OBJECT LESSON
Scripture Reference: Hebrews 4:12, "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword..."
Materials Needed: Four apples, machete or a large knife. (Check local Army Surplus stores for machete.)
To Prepare: Practice cutting apples in half in mid air with a machete. Use a tennis ball for practice. If you do not want to strike them in mid air, use a table with a chopping board for your demonstration.
Lesson:
The Word of God tells us that we are in a war. We are not fighting against men; but we fight against the powers of darkness and their thoughts. Did you know that the devil is responsible for the wicked thoughts that enter men? We must be on guard not to receive his suggestions.
We cannot find the devil with our eyes or hands, no matter how hard we search. He is a spirit and he lives in the spirit world. In order to destroy his work, we will have to use weapons that work in the spirit world. God has a weapon for us that the devil is very frightened of. This weapon can defeat Satan every single time. In Hebrews 4:12 the Bible declares that the Word of God is like a sword. In Ephesians the Bible tells us that to speak the Word of God is to use the Sword of the Spirit. We have a weapon to use! It is a spiritual sword! (Pick up the machete.)
Did you know that when you speak the Word aloud to the devil in times of temptation, a sword goes out from your mouth? You cannot see it or touch it, but it is real. By speaking God's Word, a sword swings from your lips and goes to war against the work of Satan. (Swing machete.)
Now, let us compare these apples to the temptations that come against us. Fear is a temptation from Satan. Fear whispers in our ears, "Someone is in your closet. Someone will get you if you turn out the lights." (Hold apple to your ear while whispering.) "You are going to have an accident. You are going to fail your tests at school." Fear is always trying to make children feel afraid.
Thank God, you have a weapon. The Bible tells us that God has not given us the spirit of fear. It says, "Fear thou not for I am with thee." When you speak these scriptures out loud to fear, the Sword of the Spirit goes to work. It cuts the temptation in pieces. (Cut apple in half.)
There is another common temptation that believers face. Children face it all the time. It is the temptation of disobedience. (Hold up a new apple to your ear.) Disobedience whispers, "You do not have to do what your mom said. She cannot see you now. Do not clean up your room go out and play." Disobedience must be fought with a spiritual weapon.
The Sword of the Spirit is again our answer. "Disobedience," you say, "the Bible says that I should honor my father and mother." The sword flashes from your mouth and begins to chop away at the thought. (Cut the apple in two.)
The temptation of hatred comes to children as well as adults. It whispers to us urging us to be mean to those around us. "Your sister just broke your new toy plane! Call her an ugly name and hit her!" says hatred. (Use apple.)
What will you do? Even when you do not feel like using the sword of the Spirit, you must. Speak the Word of God over yourself saying, "This is Jesus' commandment, that we love one another. So, I let love flow through me, and not hatred." (Cut the apple in half.) Once again, the sword destroys the temptation.
Even when sickness comes, we can use the sword of the Spirit. (Put apple to your ear.) "You are sick" whispers sickness. "You have got a sore throat or chicken pox or leukemia or measles." Thank God for the sword of the Spirit, the spoken Word of God!
"Sickness and disease, the Word of God says that Jesus Himself took my infirmities and bore my sicknesses. By Jesus' stripes I was healed." The more you speak the Word, the more the sword works. It will cut the problem in pieces if you continue to use your sword. (Cut apple.)
Unfortunately, many folks do not use their swords. They allow the thoughts and temptations of Satan to remain. God does not want us to put up with them so He gave us His sword. Let us go to work on the temptations of life. Let us swing the sword of the Spirit by speaking God's Word!
Applying the Word:
Have you ever really wanted to do something that you knew was wrong? Maybe you kept trying not to do it, but you kept thinking about it? You were being tempted by the devil. What happened? Did you do the thing that you knew was wrong? If so, what happened after you did it?
If you didn't do the thing that you knew was wrong, tell the class how you were able to resist the temptation. What did you say and do?
Questions for Review Game:
1. How long was Jesus alone in the wilderness?
2. Does God tempt men?
3. Why did Jesus allow Himself to be tempted?
4. Do temptations build faith? If not, what does?
5. What was the first temptation Jesus faced?
6. What was the second temptation Jesus faced?
7. What was the third temptation Jesus faced?
8. How did Satan have the authority to give the earth to Jesus?
9. How did Jesus resist the devil?
10. What is our ammunition to use against the devil?
Scripture to Study: John 2:1 11; Acts 10:38
Central Truth: God provides for those who trust Him.
Memory Verse: Mark 9:23, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."
Supplementary Lesson: Object Lesson—"Water Into Wine"
Visual Aids: Mary (2), servants (9), guests (20), Jesus (22), pots (27)
To the Teacher:
This lesson is an excellent illustration of how man's co operation with God results in miracle provision. Simple faith is all that God expects of His children in providing their needs. Faith does not consider the negative factors in a problem, but looks to God and sees the answer before it happens.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I believe God's Word.
He is my provider.
I will always have plenty because God is my source.
I will praise Him always because He supplies my need in good times or in bad.
OBJECT LESSON
Scripture Reference: Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power..."
Materials Needed: Clay pot, red food coloring, heavy duty insulation tape (silver color), pitcher of water.
To Prepare: Tape the small bottle of red food coloring onto the bottom of the clay pot in an upright position.
Lesson:
Shortly after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, He went to a wedding in Cana of Galilee. There was a great feast, and the people had been drinking wine (or grape juice). Before the feast was over, the servers ran out of wine. (Turn your clay pot upside down, not allowing children to see the bottle inside.)
Men will always have shortages. Without God's provision, men could not have a guarantee of always having plenty. It is good to know that God has an abundance. He is never out of any good thing.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, knew that He could help, so she brought the servers to Jesus and told them to do whatever He commanded.
Surprisingly, Jesus told the men to fill large containers with water. After they had done this, He instructed them to serve this to the governor of the wedding feast. (During this time as you are talking, casually unscrew the bottle lid with one hand. To avoid drawing attention to the hand in the jar, make wild gesture with the other hand.)
When the servers obeyed Jesus, something wonderful happened. A great change took place. (Pour the pitcher of clear water into the clay pot.) God's miracle power can change things. The water became wine. (Pour the red water in the clay pot back into the pitcher.) The power of God changes things.
The power that Jesus had to do miracles came from the Holy Spirit. He did not have this power all His life. He received power to do miracles when He was filled with the Holy Spirit in the Jordan River. The Spirit came upon Him in the form of a dove.
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, God's power is in us to change things. We can change ordinary problems into victories for Jesus with the Holy Spirit's power.
Applying the Word:
When you or your family urgently needed something, have you ever prayed and asked God to help you, and then seen Him provide for you? Maybe someone brought you some food, or someone gave you some clothing you needed. Tell us what happened.
Questions for Review Game:
1. Where did Jesus perform His first miracle?
2. What was it Jesus told the servants to do when the wine ran out?
3. What happened to the water that the servants filled the pots with?
4. Where did Jesus' miracle power come from?
5. Do you think this power is also available to us today?
6. What was the governor's reaction to the new wine?
7. What does this lesson show us about God's provision?
8. Did this miracle of provision automatically happen?
9. What force do we release when we praise God before the answer comes?
10. Do you think this miracle would have happened even if the servants were speaking unbelief or had not obeyed Jesus?
Scripture to Study: John 3:1 21; Colossians 1:12 14
Central Truth: Believers belong to a new kingdom.
Memory Verse: John 3:3, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Supplementary Lesson: Puppet Skit—"I Am Not The Man I Used To Be"
Visual Aids: Nicodemus (3), Jesus (21)
To the Teacher:
This lesson illustrates the fact that there are two families or kingdoms of men on the earth. Men without Christ belong to the Kingdom of Darkness and those who have received Him belong to the Kingdom of God. Men need a new birth in spirit, not because of their conduct, but because of what they are. The sin nature makes a man a criminal and it must be changed for a man to please God.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Jesus is my Lord. I belong to Him.
I belong to the Kingdom of Light.
God loved me so much that He sent Jesus to die for my sins.
I have everlasting life because of what Jesus did for me.
PUPPET SKIT
CHARACTERS: Host, Nicodemus
HOST: We are very happy to have an important lawyer with us today. He lived in Israel at the time of Jesus and is the first man to ever hear about being born again. Everyone welcome Nicodemus.
(Nicodemus enters.)
NICODEMUS: Thank you. Thank you very much.
HOST: Well, Nicodemus, you were acquainted with Jesus and heard Him teach.
NICODEMUS: Yes, that is right. I heard Him on many occasions. I was with Him one night when I heard Him say the most famous scripture in the Bible, John 3:16.
HOST: I wonder if any of these kids know that verse?
(If so, allow one child to quote it.)
NICODEMUS: That is right! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
HOST: You heard Jesus say that?
NICODEMUS: I sure did. I did not know that it would be a scripture then. I really did not understand many of the things Jesus talked about.
HOST What did you think when the Lord talked about being born again?
NICODEMUS: That was one of the things I did not understand at first.
HOST Why did you not understand?
NICODEMUS: Well, you see, we Jews knew that God had promised to send the Messiah, His Son. We thought that He would be a King and have armies and take over the earth.
HOST Jesus is a King and someday He will rule over all the earth.
NICODEMUS: That is right, but His first job was to come and die on the cross for our sin. I did not know this though, until after He rose from the dead.
HOST: So, you heard about the Kingdom of God, but you thought it would be a kingdom with soldiers and armies.
NICODEMUS: At first, that is exactly what I thought. Later, I found out that God's kingdom is in the hearts of men.
HOST: Is everybody in the Kingdom of God?
NICODEMUS: Definitely not! Some people are in the Kingdom of Darkness.
HOST: The Kingdom of Darkness?
NICODEMUS: Yes, that is the kingdom that people are in until they are born into God's kingdom. Satan is the king of darkness.
HOST: Can anyone escape the kingdom of darkness?
NICODEMUS: We can escape the kingdom of darkness by being born again.
HOST: Nicodemus, just exactly what does it mean to be born again? We cannot become little babies again, can we?
NICODEMUS: That is exactly what I said when Jesus told me I had to be born again. Every person is a spirit who lives in a body.
HOST: I have a spirit?
NICODEMUS: You are a spirit and you live in a house—your body.
HOST: My body is a house for my spirit?
NICODEMUS: Right. Now when you are born again, your spirit is made brand new.
HOST: But I still have the same body.
NICODEMUS: Yes, and you still have the same soul.
HOST: So, it is the person way down on the inside of me who is made new?
NICODEMUS: That is right. You were made a new creature when you accepted Jesus. Your spirit was washed with the Blood of Jesus and the life of God entered into it. Now your spirit is as pure as the spirit of Jesus.
HOST: Are you sure?
NICODEMUS: I am positive. God gives only good and perfect gifts. The righteousness He gave to your spirit is perfect. You are perfectly clean in the sight of God.
HOST: But I have sinned since I became a Christian.
NICODEMUS: Did you ask for forgiveness? Did you confess your sin?
HOST: I certainly did.
NICODEMUS: Well, God forgave you.
HOST: Do you mean that I do not have to do anything to make God pleased with me?
NICODEMUS: You have the same trouble many of my friends had. You think that you can only be pure by doing something good.
HOST: I feel right after I have done a good deed.
NICODEMUS: Well, you should do good deeds; but you cannot earn your salvation. It is a gift.
HOST: Do you mean that I am just as saved when I am not always doing good works as when I am?
NICODEMUS: You are saved because you accepted God's only sacrifice for sin, the Lord Jesus.
HOST: I believe I am getting the picture.
NICODEMUS: Good. God's gifts are wonderful and we should learn more about what He has given us.
Applying the Word: Jesus said that when a person accepts Him as Lord, a change happens within them that is so great, it is like being born all over again. Do you remember how you felt when you got born again? Did you change? What changed? (Teacher: Depending on the ages of your children, they may need some help in talking about their feelings. You might ask: Were you happier, not guilty anymore, more peaceful, less worried? Did you have a song in your heart all the time? Etc.)
Questions for Review Game:
1. What are the two kingdoms or families of men on the earth?
2. Why do men need a new birth in their spirits?
3. How did most Jews believe the Messiah would deliver His people?
4. Jesus told Nicodemus how to enter into the Kingdom of God. What did He say?
6. What is the New Birth?
6. Which people make up the Kingdom of God?
7. What happens to our sins when we receive Jesus as Lord?
8. Could Old Testament saints be born again?
9. Can you earn salvation?
10. What are the two things we must do to be born again?
Scripture to Study: Luke 5:17 25; Acts 10:38
Central Truth: Bold faith receives what Jesus purchased for us.
Memory Verse: Matthew 8:17, "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."
Supplementary Lesson: Game—"Pin The Word On The Devil"
Visual Aids: Crowd (9, 20), Pharisees and scribes (18), Jesus (22), crippled man (28), crippled man healed (29)
To the Teacher:
What a contrast there is between the attitudes of people in Jesus' time and those of people today. The Pharisees questioned Jesus' power to forgive sins but had no quarrel against the healing. Today, almost any group accepts the fact that God, through Jesus, forgives sins; but many question the power of healing. Healing is included in the redemptive package Jesus obtained for us. Let us go get it—even if we have to raise the roof!
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Healing belongs to me.
Jesus took my sicknesses and diseases.
With His stripes I am healed.
I believe God's Word is true.
I will not accept what Satan would use to steal my joy.
I am making plans for health and blessings.
Healing belongs to me.
Applying the Word:
The men in this story used their faith to help their friend. Have you ever done this? Maybe you brought a friend to church, or maybe you prayed for them for something they needed. Tell us what happened.
Questions for Review Game:
1. Why does God want to heal the sick?
2. Who is it that makes people crippled?
3. Why could the men carrying the crippled man not enter the house?
4. What did the men do when they could not get into the house with their crippled friend?
5. Do you think Jesus approved of them tearing the tiles off the roof?
6. What did the men expect to happen if they could get their friend to Jesus?
7. What happened to the crippled man?
8. What else did Jesus do for the man, besides healing him?
9. Why were the Scribes and Pharisees angry at Jesus?
10. What does this lesson show us about healing?
Scripture to Study: John 4:1 41
Central Truth: The Holy Spirit is like living water.
Memory Verse: John 7:38, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
Supplementary Lesson: Story—"Gospel Bill And The Indians"
Visual Aids: Crowd (9, 20), city (12), Jesus (22), well (30), woman at well (31)
To the Teacher:
At the new birth, the Holy Spirit indwells men. There is a well of water, eternal life, that the believer can draw from for refreshment in times of darkness. There is an even greater supply of living water for those who receive the Holy Spirit. We should partake of both—enjoying the blessings of the well and the river.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Jesus is my Lord.
I believe in my heart that He was raised from the dead.
My spirit is full of God's life.
When I asked Jesus into my heart, I drank "living water."
STORY
Gospel Bill was excited as he rode toward Dry Gulch. It was almost dark and church would begin in a few minutes. The whole town was being stirred by a great revival meeting. Many of the saloon keepers had been saved as well as a number of drunks and gamblers. Bill rode up to the church and tied his horse to the hitching post. He went inside the church just in time for the singing. Oh, how the people loved to sing and worship God. Bill could always be heard above all the others when it came time to praise God.
Pastor Martin stood up to introduce the guest speaker, Reverend Abe Mulkey. Gospel Bill was always ready to listen to this man preach because there was something unusual about him.
Reverend Mulkey told the people how he had been filled with the Holy Spirit. Gospel Bill did not understand a lot about the Holy Spirit. Even his pastor did not seem to know much about the Holy Spirit. Bill knew a lot about God and Jesus, but he had never heard anyone preach about the Holy Ghost. "Father," Bill prayed silently, "I would sure like to hear Preacher Mulkey tell me about the Holy Ghost."
The preacher began to speak. He told the people, "Every Christian ought to be filled with the Holy Spirit!" Bill listened closely as the man of God read from the Book of Acts. "The Word of God says in Acts 2:4, 'And they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.' "
"I sure hope he explains that," whispered a man sitting next to Bill.
"When a man gets saved," roared the preacher, "he gets a brand new heart!" The people agreed with the preacher. "But there is more," continued Reverend Mulkey. "You need the Holy Spirit's power. You can be filled with the Holy Ghost and talk in tongues!"
"Talk in tongues? What is that?" asked the man next to Bill.
"Shhh! Listen and the preacher will explain," said Gospel Bill.
"Speaking in tongues is the sign that a believer is filled with the Holy Ghost," declared the preacher. "The Lord's disciples were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in languages they did not understand."
"I do not believe that!" shouted a man at the front of the church. "That speaking in tongues business is just a bunch of nonsense!" Bill was shocked that anyone would say such a thing.
"I used to say that myself," said the preacher, "but I got filled with the Holy Spirit and He has made a great difference in me."
"How?" said the man who by this time was standing near the pulpit.
"I have a greater boldness to tell people about Jesus!" declared the preacher.
"Well, I am not getting any Holy Ghost or tongues!" yelled the man and he walked angrily out of the church.
Suddenly, Gospel Bill stood to his feet and shouted to the preacher.
"Preacher," he yelled, "I want what you have been talking about. You show me what to do and I will get the Holy Spirit and talk in tongues!"
"Come up here, cowboy," said the preacher. Gospel Bill rushed to the pulpit and stood in front of Reverend Mulkey. The preacher laid his hands on Bill's head, and as they both prayed, Bill heard the strangest words coming from his heart. The words sounded like another language.
"Do you hear those words, cowboy?" asked the preacher.
"Yes, sir," said Bill.
"Then speak them," he instructed. Bill began to talk with the funniest words he had ever said. He did not understand one word that came from his mouth, but he knew in his heart that this was from God.
"Hey," shouted an old man on the back row, "I know what he is saying. That man is saying wonderful things about God—in my language—German!" The people were amazed. Gospel Bill kept on speaking in tongues and his spirit felt as if it would explode. The whole church began to praise God and many of the people began to speak in strange languages.
After the service was over and all the people left, Bill went to see the preacher. "What happened to me?" asked Bill.
"You received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues," said the preacher.
"But I didn't understand a word I said," said Bill.
"You are not supposed to," said Reverend Mulkey. "The Bible says in I Corinthians 14:14, 'For if I pray in an unknown language, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.' Your mind does not know what you are saying."
"Who am I talking to?" asked Bill.
"You are speaking to God," said the preacher.
"Will it ever happen again?" asked Bill.
"Well, that is up to you," said the preacher. "You can speak in tongues whenever you wish."
"Well then," said Bill. "I am going to do it all the time!"
"It will not hurt you," said Reverend Mulkey as he shook hands with Bill. Bill jumped on his horse and raced toward the ranch. It was a clear night and the moon was full. Bill's heart was full of joy as he spoke in tongues.
Suddenly, Bill's horse came to a stop. KONK! Bill fell from his horse. He had been clubbed by an Indian with a tomahawk and was unconscious.
The next morning Bill awoke to find himself in real trouble. His hands were tied with rawhide bands and he was lying helplessly on the floor of an Indian tent. As he tried to loosen his hands, a tall Indian with a painted face stepped into the tent.
"Do not try to free yourself," said the warrior, "You are my prisoner. Enjoy your day because tonight, when the sun hides itself, you will die!"
"Die?" shouted Bill. "What have I done? I was not on Indian land when you clubbed me last night."
"Tonight Chief Crazy Feathers will offer you as a sacrifice to heal our people," explained the Indian.
"You are going to kill me so the people can be healed?" asked Bill.
"The medicine man says the only way to drive sickness from the Indians is to kill a white man with the sacred spear," explained the Indian. With that, he left Gospel Bill alone in the tent to face death.
"Lord," cried Bill, "I need help!" As Bill prayed, once again the strange words began to rise up from his spirit. He began to speak in tongues as fast as he could.
Bill could hear the excitement outside the tent as the Indians prepared for their sacrificial ceremony. Fear tried to grip Bill's mind, but the more he prayed in tongues, the more calm he became.
Hours passed and Gospel Bill could tell by the fading shadows that sunset was only a few minutes away. Normally he would have been afraid, but he knew deep down inside that God was going to do something special.
Two Indians entered the tent and picked up Gospel Bill. They dragged him out into the center of a large circle of Indians. Many of them were very sick and Bill could see that they expected to be healed by the powers of the medicine man.
The medicine man, dressed in a long buffalo robe, began to dance and sprinkle powder into the fire. He chanted and sang and kept pointing to Gospel Bill.
"Lord," said Bill, "You had better tell me what to do before these Indians try to barbecue me." Bill suddenly knew what to do. He began to talk in tongues as loud as he could. The medicine man stopped his dance and every eye in the circle was fixed on Gospel Bill.
Suddenly, the chief stood out from among the crowd and walked over to Bill. He looked at the cowboy with amazement as Bill continued to speak in tongues. The chief called for the tall Indian who had entered Bill's tent earlier in the day. This one was the only Indian in the village who could speak English, so he told Bill what the chief wanted to say.
The tall Indian looked at Bill and said, "The chief wants to know how you know our language."
"I do not know your language," said Bill.
"I heard you tell the people that one man has already died to heal them. I heard you with my own ears." Then Bill realized that as he was speaking in tongues he had been using the language of these Indians. "Tell us about this man," ordered the Indian.
Bill's hands were cut loose and he began to preach to the Indians about Jesus. They listened closely as the tall Indian explained Gospel Bill's preaching to them.
"For God so loved the world He gave His only, begotten Son," preached Bill, "that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus Christ died on a cross for you.
"Jesus Christ came to suffer all the bad things of life so we could be redeemed from them," preached Bill. "You can get rid of your sin, sickness, and guilt when you believe on Him."
When Bill finished his message, he began to pray for the sick Indians. One by one, the Indians began to regain their strength and all were healed as Bill prayed. The chief was so excited he began to dance and the village was filled with joy.
Gospel Bill spent two more weeks with the Indians teaching them how to receive Jesus and
the Holy Spirit. The chief made him an honorary member of the tribe and even gave Bill an Indian name—Fire Tongue. "When this man talks, his words burn like fire," said the chief.
Gospel Bill knew that being filled with the Holy Spirit had saved his life.
Applying the Word:
When you were born again, you received a well of living water, which is the life of God that enters those who receive Jesus. By receiving the Holy Spirit, you receive a river of God's life in your spirit. This river can give you times of refreshment when you are tired and discouraged.
Many people pray or sing in other tongues when they need refreshing.
Have you ever experienced this refreshing? Tell us what happened.
Questions for Review Game:
1. Why was the woman at the well surprised that Jesus would even speak to her?
2. What kind of water did Jesus speak of?
3. What did Jesus say when the Samaritan woman told Him she had no husband?
4. How did Jesus know this?
5. Why did the woman run back into the city?
6. What is "living water"?
7. Who is the only one who can give you "living water"?
8. What are the two things you must do to be saved?
9. How do we receive a well of water?
10. How do we receive rivers of living water?
Scripture to Study: Luke 5:1 11; Matthew 10:1 10
Central Truth: Jesus is still calling fishers of men.
Memory Verse: Matthew 4:19, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Supplementary Lesson: Puppet Skit—"The Man Who Fished For Men"
Visual Aids: Crowd (9,18, 20), waves (24, 25), boat (32), Jesus (33), Peter (34), disciples (37, 41), net full of fish (36), Andrew (38), James (39), John (40)
To the Teacher:
God is still looking for men and women, boys and girls, who will become fishers of men. The time to encourage evangelism is during youth. Christian children should be bold to share their faith with friends. They can begin to realize the importance of winning the lost early in life and will overcome fears of witnessing by being open in talking about the things of God.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I will follow Jesus.
I will listen to His Word.
I will heed the Spirit's call and obey what I have heard.
I have a job to do while I am here on earth.
I am telling folks the story that gives to them New Birth.
PUPPET SKIT
CHARACTERS: Host, Peter
HOST There were twelve very special men who helped Jesus in His ministry. They were called disciples and today we have one of the twelve in our class. Let us have a rousing welcome for Peter.
PETER: Hello, hello. I am very pleased to be here with you. I love children very much.
HOST Peter, we are really glad you could be with us today. We have heard many wonderful stories about you. You were quite a man!
PETER: I was very blessed to have been one of the Lord's disciples.
HOST Just exactly what is a disciple?
PETER: A disciple is a person who follows the teachings of another man. I was a disciple of Jesus because He asked me to follow Him and I learned almost all I know about God from Him.
HOST You did not know anything about God before you met Jesus?
PETER: Oh, yes. I knew some things about God before I met Jesus. I knew that God made all things and I knew that He hated sin. I knew that God could do miracles and wanted people to worship Him.
HOST What did you learn from Jesus?
PETER: Jesus showed me how God could be my Father. Before, I always thought that God was too busy to care about me, but Jesus showed me how much God loves me.
HOST Do you know how many people live on the earth today?
PETER: About 6 billion?
HOST That is right. Do you believe that God knows all 6 billion in this world and cares for them all?
PETER: He certainly does. God knows how many hairs are on each person's head. He wants to bless us all.
HOST. Does God ever put sickness and disease on people? Does He bless us with bad things?
PETER: God does not have any sickness or disease in Heaven. He does not have any bad and He does not want us to have bad things either. We are redeemed from the curse.
HOST How do you know that God does not cause accidents, or make people sick?
PETER: I watched Jesus very closely. In the three years I followed Him, I never saw Him make one person sick. He never once brought any evil on any man.
HOST He never hurt anyone?
PETER: No one! Not a soul! And if Jesus would not do it then, He will not do it now. Jesus has not changed. The Bible says the He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
HOST He still heals?
PETER: Yes!
HOST He still blesses?
PETER: Absolutely!
HOST You really must have learned a lot from Jesus.
PETER: The most important thing that Jesus did was to show me what God was really like.
HOST What is God really like?
PETER: I used to think that He was always mad at me for my sins. I did not think He would ever answer a prayer.
HOST Jesus got His prayers answered every time!
PETER: He taught me how to pray, too. I got results just like He did.
HOST. You did have many miracles in your ministry.
PETER: I did, because I listened to Jesus.
HOST. Well, it is too bad we do not have Jesus here to teach us.
PETER: Wait a minute! You have got something that will teach you to pray and get answers.
HOST I do? What?
PETER: The Word of God! It tells us how to pray to the Father in Jesus' Name and how to receive answers by faith. Everything that Jesus would tell you if He was here is in the Bible. And besides, the Holy Spirit will help you to understand God's Word.
HOST Do you mean to say that I could learn as much from the Holy Spirit and the Bible as I could if Jesus were here?
PETER: That is right! If you do not listen to the Bible, you would not have listened to Jesus.
HOST I am going to listen to the Bible. I am going to do just what it says.
PETER: Praise God! Hallelujah! Glory to God! Thank You, Jesus! (Excited)
HOST What are you so excited about?
PETER: You are going to get answers to your prayers just like Jesus and me. You are a disciple.
HOST I think I will get excited, too. I like being a disciple of Jesus.
Applying the Word:
Have you ever sensed the Holy Spirit telling you to tell someone about Jesus? How did you feel? What did you do?
Questions for Review Game:
1. Why did Jesus preach from a boat?
2. What does the word "gospel" mean?
3. How did Jesus reward Simon for the use of his boat?
4. What happened when the disciples lowered their net?
5. What is another name for "apostle"?
6. Can you name the twelve disciples?
7. What did Jesus give the disciples authority to do?
8. What is a simple definition of "preaching the gospel"?
9. Who should pray for the sick, take authority over the devil, and preach the gospel today?
10. Why does the world need to hear the gospel?
Scripture to Study: Mark 4:1 33
Central Truth: Faith works like a seed.
Memory Verse: Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
Supplementary Lesson: Object Lesson—"The Eyes Of Faith"
Visual Aids: Disciples (34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41), Jesus (33)
To the Teacher:
The patience exercised by a farmer who plants crops is an excellent illustration of how to believe God. When we pray in faith, a seed is planted. The fruit may not be evident immediately, but when we consider our prayers as already answered, the manifestation will come as surely as a crop comes from seeds.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I am a whiz when it comes to prayer.
I know how to get results.
When I pray, I plant a seed of faith.
Even when I cannot see the answer, my faith is hard at work.
It brings my desire to me.
Faith is a seed.
I will get my desire because I plant faith seeds.
OBJECT LESSON
Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 4:18, "While we look not at the things which are seen..."
Materials Needed: Surgical clothes, large marbles, surgical instruments, operating table, sheets, and a co operative patient
To Prepare: Before class, select a child for an "eye transplant" and instruct him on how to answer your questions.
Lesson:
Teacher: The Bible tells us that we walk by faith and not by sight. That means that we must learn to look at things the way God sees them. When a problem comes our way, we often look at it and worry instead of seeing the answer. God has an answer for every problem!
We must learn to look at circumstances with the eyes of faith. Faith sees the answer—not the problem. Let me see, I need a helper. (Call on your patient.)
I have some questions for you. (To patient) "Let us suppose that your body breaks out with chicken pox. You have little sores all over your skin. You know that God is a healer, so you pray. When are you healed?"
(Patient's answer has been rehearsed before time.)
Patient: Not until all the sores go away.
Teacher: But the Bible says that you were healed by Jesus' stripes.
Patient: I will believe I am healed when I see it.
Teacher: Let us suppose that you need a new coat. You know that God provides good things for His children, so you pray and ask for one. When does God give you the coat?
Patient: When I can see it and put it on.
Teacher: You have a problem. You do not know how to see with the eyes of faith.
Patient: "How can I see with the eyes of faith if I do not have any?"
Teacher: Jesus, the Great Physician, gives us an eye transplant with His Word. He can show us how to see the answers to problems before they come.
(Now, lay the patient on the table and prepare for a mock surgery. If you wish, at this time explain to the class that this is only a mock surgery and there is no real cutting taking place.)
(Put on your doctor's clothes as you talk.) My patient does not know how to see with the eyes of faith. When we meditate on God's Word, our faith eyes are opened. We see that people of faith in the Bible always saw what they desired before they actually
received it.
Joshua had the children of Israel shout for victory while the walls were still standing. Abraham thanked God for a son before he received Isaac. An angel called Gideon a man of bravery and courage when he was hiding and frightened.
When trouble comes, we must pray and see ourselves with the answer before it comes. That is the way the eyes of faith work! (During this instruction, perform your eye transplant using the marbles as the eyes of faith.)
The eyes of faith see the answer before our natural eyes see it. Let us wake up our patient and demonstrate how to use the eyes of faith.
(To patient) "You have new eyes, eyes of faith. Let us see if you can use them. Suppose that your body is covered with chicken pox and you pray for healing. When are you healed?"
Patient: "By faith I see my healing already done because Jesus took my infirmities and bore my sicknesses. With the eyes of faith I can see my healing before the spots go away."
Teacher: Do you mean that you can see your answer while the sickness is still in your body?
Patient: "Yes, I see it with the eyes of faith."
Teacher: Let us suppose that you ask God for a new coat. When does He give it to you?
Patient: "With the eyes of faith, I see God giving me the coat as soon as I pray in Jesus' Name."
Teacher: So, you are not waiting until you get the coat before you thank God for it?
Patient: "No, I see my coat with the eyes of faith before I see it with my natural eyes. I am going to thank God for it before it comes."
Teacher: Now, do you understand? The eyes of faith see the answer before it comes. You get eyes of faith from the Great Physician, Jesus, when you listen to what His Word says instead of listening to problems.
Applying the Word:
Have you ever planted a "faith seed" in your heart? Your faith was hard at work, even when you couldn't see your answer right away. Did your prayer get answered? Tell us what happened.
Questions for Review Game:
1. What is the name for the special stories Jesus told?
2. What do we use to get God's blessings?
3. In what four types of ground was the seed planted in our story?
4. What happened to the seed that was planted in rocky ground?
5. What happened to the seed that was planted by the road?
6. What happened to the seed that was planted in the weeds?
7. What did Jesus say God's Word is like?
8. What is the "good ground" Jesus was speaking of?
9. What does it mean to "water" your faith seed?
10. What is developed in our lives when we pray and learn not to be anxious before the answer comes?
Scripture to Study: Mark 5:21 24; 36 43
Central Truth: Jesus gives good things. Satan brings bad things.
Memory Verse: John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
Supplementary Lesson: Story—"He Is Just Sleeping"
Visual Aids: Crowd (9,18, 20), Jairus (42), Jairus' daughter (43),Jesus (33)
To the Teacher:
No doubt there were many people in Israel whose children died prematurely, but Jesus did not raise them all. He was able to do this mighty work because Jairus believed. Faith opens the door for the miraculous power of God to move. The point to emphasize in this lesson is the fact that Jairus never acted in fear or worry.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I am a faith child. I believe God.
The enemy cannot steal from me.
Satan has no authority in my life.
He cannot steal my health or finances. He cannot destroy my happiness.
He cannot kill my body. I belong to God.
I will live the abundant life that Jesus gives.
STORY
One morning as Gospel Bill was brushing his horse in the stable, he heard a voice from down the street calling his name.
"Gospel Bill!" cried the voice. "Has anyone seen Gospel Bill?" Quickly, Bill stepped out of the barn to see who had called for him.
"Here I am," said Bill as he saw Mr. Yates, the owner of the T Fork Ranch. "Do you want me?" asked Bill.
"Yeah, come quick," said Mr. Yates motioning to Bill with his hand. "My boy got bit by a rattlesnake and the doctor is out of town. You have got to come and pray!"
"Let me saddle Old Blue and I will be right out," said Bill rushing back into the barn. Bill quickly saddled his horse, and after he checked his saddle bag for his Bible, he climbed onto Old Blue and rode out of town.
It was twelve long miles to the T Fork Ranch and the road was not smooth at all. Over hills and through gulleys, Bill raced with the ranch owner. Bill knew how serious a snakebite could be—especially if the poison had not been extracted immediately after the bite.
"How did it happen?" yelled Bill to Mr. Yates as they raced down the road.
"Oh, the little fellow was out playing by some old fence posts and stuck his hand under a board. He got bit right on the hand by a big old snake," explained the father. "The little fellow passed out and must have been laying on the ground for a long time before we found him."
Just as the man finished the story, Bill looked ahead to see a ranch helper from the T Fork Ranch. He was not running his horse, but walking it.
"Here I am," said Bill to the cowboy. "Let us go see that boy!"
"It will not do much good now," said the cowboy. "That boy died about thirty minutes ago. I am sorry, Mr. Yates. We did all we could."
"Now, Mr. Yates," said Gospel Bill, "you came to get me because you know I know how to pray. Just because things look bad does not mean I cannot still pray for that boy." Mr. Yates did not say anything.
"I know you have prayed for lots of things," said the cowboy to Bill, "but this boy is dead. I saw him go."
Bill turned to Mr. Yates, acting as though he did not hear a word the cowboy said. "Do not be afraid, Mr. Yates. All things are possible to the man who believes."
"We are going to pray for my boy!" shouted the father. Bill and Mr. Yates left the doubting cowboy in a cloud of dust as they raced toward the T Ford Ranch.
When Bill and the father rode up to the house, they could hear the crying of the cooks and maids. All the cowboys were gathered around the porch with saddened faces. Bill jumped off his horse and pulled his Bible from the saddle bag.
"I do not know why you are so sad," said Bill. "The little fellow is just sleeping." The cowboys began to laugh at Bill and made fun of him as he walked into the house to see the little boy.
"Crazy Bill," laughed one cowboy. "He has read the Bible so much that he has gone crazy.
"Yeah," said another, "he thinks he can do anything that Jesus did." They all began to laugh and joke about Gospel Bill.
When Bill entered the room where the little boy lay on the bed, he asked everyone to leave the house except the boy's father and mother. Bill began to read to them from the Bible.
"Now this scripture here says that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. That is talking about the devil. But the same scripture says that Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly," said Bill.
The father and mother watched closely as Bill walked over to the bed and grabbed the little boy's hand. "You have got no right, Mr. Devil, to steal this little boy's life!" said Bill with authority. "Little fellow, wake up! You get out of bed in Jesus' Name!"
Suddenly, the boy's eyes began to blink. He opened them wide and began to breathe once more. As Bill pulled him up, the boy looked at his mother and said, "I am hungry. I want some beans and corn bread." His mother was so joyful she could not move.
"Well, you heard him," said Bill. "Make the little fellow some food." Then Bill turned to the little boy as he walked out of the room. "Now do not play around wood piles again," said Bill.
When Bill walked past the cowboys toward his horse, one of them began to make fun of him.
"Well, that did not last long, did it?" he said. "You came out here and got Mr. Yates hoping his boy would come back to life and let him down!"
Before Bill could answer the cowboy, a young voice called to him from a bedroom window.
"Thanks for praying for me," said the little boy. When the unbelieving cowboy heard the boy's voice, he fainted. Bill tipped his hat to the others and climbed up on Old Blue for the ride home.
The entire ranch gave glory to God for what was done and folks learned not to make fun of Gospel Bill's prayers.
Applying the Word:
Jairus' daughter was very sick, and he was afraid she would die. He asked Jesus for help. Jesus told him to believe and not be afraid. Jairus didn't say any words of doubt and unbelief, and Jesus was able to do a miracle for his family.
Is there something you are afraid of or worried about today? What is it?
Let's agree together to ask Jesus to help each of us, and that we will remember to believe, not be afraid, and not say any words of doubt. This way Jesus can use His miracle power for us and our families.
Questions for Review Game:
1. Why did Jairus come to Jesus?
2. Why do you suppose Jesus went with Jairus?
3. What happened to the girl before they got to her?
4. Who is author of sickness and death?
5. Whom did they find upon arriving at the house, and what were they doing?
6. What did Jesus say in faith that caused the people to laugh?
7. Why do you think Jesus took Peter, James, John, and the girl's parents into the room and closed the door?
8. What happened when Jesus took the little girl's hand and told her to get up?
9. What can we speak boldly when the enemy comes to steal from us?
10. What did Jesus have the girl do to prove that she was really raised from the dead?
Scripture to Study: Mark 5:25 34; Acts 10:38
Central Truth: Acting on God's Word brings healing.
Memory Verse: Mark 5:34, "Thy faith hath made thee whole."
Supplementary Lesson: Puppet Skit—"Faith Can Make You Well"
Visual Aids: Crowd (9,18, 20), Jesus (22), Woman with the issue of blood (44)
To the Teacher:
What an excellent example of persistent, unyielding faith getting results. The lady must have known something about the tangible healing power of Jesus and believed she would receive by touching the promises of God. The blue tassle on the hem of a Jew's garment represented the sky and the boundless abilities of God. By speaking her faith, the woman put herself into a position to receive healing when she acted on what she believed.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I believe that Jesus took my sicknesses and diseases. His healing power belongs to me. I receive it into my body by faith. I believe God's promises and I accept His Word. Himself took my infirmities and bore my sicknessess.
PUPPET SKIT
CHARACTERS: Host, Woman (the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5)
HOST: There are many wonderful stories in the New Testament about healing and miracles. The people that Jesus healed used their faith to get their healings. One of the most dramatic cases of faith and healing in the Bible is found in the fifth chapter of Mark.
(Woman enters and interrupts.)
WOMAN: The fifth chapter of Mark? Did I hear you say the fifth chapter of Mark"?
HOST: Yes, I was going to tell a story from the fifth chapter of Mark's Gospel.
WOMAN: That is where my story is!
HOST: Your story is in the fifth chapter of Mark?
WOMAN: It certainly is. I am the woman who had an issue of blood.
HOST: Wow! I was going to tell your story today. What a surprise! You are actually here in our class!
WOMAN: Let me tell you my own story.
HOST: That would be great! Start at the very beginning. How did you get the sickness?
WOMAN: The devil put it on me. I was minding my own business, when one day I began to feel weak and noticed I was bleeding. For twelve years I bled very slowly and suffered with that awful plague.
HOST: You were sick for twelve years?
WOMAN: Yes, I went to every doctor in the city looking for help. I tried every cure, but nothing worked. The doctors really wanted to help, but they could do nothing.
HOST: You probably spent a lot of money on doctor bills.
WOMAN: Yes, I spent all the money I had! Before my sickness, I had a great deal of money. But after twelve years, I had spent all that I had.
HOST: Did your disease ever get better?
WOMAN: No, it grew worse. I felt more pain and got weaker and weaker as time went on.
HOST: Then you heard about Jesus.
WOMAN: Yes, I heard many wonderful stories about a man from Nazareth who was healing all kinds of diseases. At first, I thought He must have been a magician or a doctor.
HOST: The healing power of God is not magic. It is real.
WOMAN: I heard that some said Jesus was the Son of God. I believed it, because no man had ever healed so many people and taught so many wonderful things about God.
HOST: What did you decide to do?
WOMAN: I had heard that some kind of healing power went into people when Jesus touched them.
HOST: Did this power even go into those who touched Him accidentally?
WOMAN: Oh, no. You see, this healing power went from Him into those who had faith for healing.
HOST: Oh, I see. So you wanted Jesus to touch you so you could be healed.
WOMAN: No, I decided that instead of asking Jesus to touch me, I would touch Him. I believed in my heart and said with my mouth, "When I touch His clothes, I shall be well."
HOST: Then you found Jesus.
WOMAN: Yes, but it was hard. He was in the middle of a large crowd of people. I had to push and shove my way to Him.
HOST: What happened when you touched Him?
WOMAN: I felt something like electricity shoot through my body. Instantly, I knew I was healed!
HOST: What did the Lord do?
WOMAN: As soon as I touched His robe, He knew it. He knew that God's power had gone out of Him to heal someone. Finally, I told Him what I had done.
HOST: And the Lord was very glad for you, was He not?
WOMAN: He surely was. He did not say a word about my being sneaky. He wanted me to be well.
HOST: Really, nobody sneaks up on God.
WOMAN: That is right. We should boldly ask Him for what we want.
HOST: Some people pray and do not ever get answers.
WOMAN: I expect that is because they did not do what I did.
HOST: What did you do that helped you get healed?
WOMAN: I said, "When I touch His clothes, I shall be whole!" I believed I would be healed when I touched Him so I said it.
HOST: Are you one of these people who believes that our words can bring healing?
WOMAN: I sure am. When I put God's Word into my mouth something good always happens.
HOST: I am glad you interrupted me.
WOMAN: Thank you for letting me tell my story.
Applying the Word:
Faith came into this woman's heart, and she knew just what she had to do to get her healing. Have you ever felt faith come into your heart that powerfully? Did you know just what you needed to do to get your answer? Tell us your story.
Questions for Review Game:
1. Who is the author of sickness?
2. How and why did the woman spend all her money?
3. How does faith come?
4. What happened when she heard about Jesus?
5. Why was the woman forced to live alone?
6. What did the woman say about Jesus?
7. What was the blue tassel on the hem of His garment symbolic of?
8. What happened when she touched the hem of His garment?
9. What did Jesus tell her when she fell down to worship Him?
10. What happens when we speak God's Word?
Scripture to Study: Mark 5:1 20
Central Truth: Jesus and His Word breaks Satan's bonds.
Memory Verse: John 8:32, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Supplementary Lesson: Object Lesson—"The Prisoner Of Sin"
Visual Aids: Jesus (21), disciples (34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41), maniac (45), maniac delivered (46), pigs (47)
To the Teacher:
Jesus is in the business of setting men free from all kinds of bondage. Satan's powers are helpless against the truth of God's Word. By filling ourselves with truth, we escape bondage. This maniac did not know that he could be free until he heard the truth. We are free only as we receive truth, and the more we receive, the more free we become.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Jesus is the Truth.
His words cannot lie.
He reveals His Word to me by the Holy Spirit.
I know God's Word. God's Word makes me free.
OBJECT LESSON
Scripture Reference: Romans 6:18, "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."
Materials Needed: Blindfold, handcuffs (ropes will do), prisoner's serial number on cardboard hanging from neck, scissors
To Prepare: Blindfold and bind your prisoner and bring him into class.
Lesson:
There is an evil ruler in the world who forces people to do terrible things. This evil king has never been kind, not even once. He beats, abuses, and tortures all who live in his kingdom. The people are not always free to do as they choose—they are bound up.
This evil ruler puts blindfolds on the minds of all his subjects. His kingdom rightfully deserves the title "kingdom of darkness." If his people could see where they were going, they would quit following him.
At one time or another, we all belonged to his terrible kingdom. We were led into trouble and hurt. (Lead your prisoner into a wall.) We were pushed into worry, hate, and fear. (Push your prisoner gently.)
If it had not been for the Lord Jesus who came to set us free, we would forever be in that awful kingdom, serving sin. Sin is the ruler of that kingdom. Even the devil himself is a prisoner to sin. Sin controls the devil and he cannot stop his wickedness.
Thank God, we can be set free from the awful kingdom of darkness. When we hear the gospel and how Jesus died for our sin, we can get a glimpse of the truth. (Pull the blindfold down just enough for the prisoner to barely see.) We can see that we have been tricked and deceived. Then, we have a choice to be set free or to remain the prisoner of sin.
Sadly enough, some folks see just a little light and hear that Jesus died on the cross for them, yet they choose to remain in sin as prisoners. The blindfold remains and the bonds are not broken.
Then there are others who see the truth and decide to ask Jesus into their hearts. When they choose Jesus, the blindfold is removed (take it off) and the bonds of sin are broken. (Remove handcuffs or cut off the ropes. Break the serial number and stomp it.)
Choosing Jesus means that you belong to a whole new kingdom, the kingdom of light. You do not have to follow sin anymore. Do we in this country have to obey the laws of another country? No! In the same way, we live according to the laws of the kingdom of light and we are free from the laws of sin.
Even after you have moved into the kingdom of light, you will have to be on the look out for the blindfold of darkness. Temptation will try to get you to put on the blindfold once again, but you can stop it.
Doing wrong and practicing sin allows the devil to slip the blindfold over our eyes. But when we confess our sins, the blindfold is removed and we can enjoy the light.
Why do people in sin openly make fun of God and laugh about Jesus? It is because they have blindfolds on. Only a spiritually blind man would follow sin and Satan into Hell. Thank God, we can see where we are going because Jesus took our blindfolds off.
Applying the Word:
Two lessons ago we talked about things we were afraid of or worried about. We agreed together to ask Jesus to help us. We promised to remember to believe, not be afraid, and not say any words of doubt.
What has happened since then? Does anyone have a praise report about how Jesus set him free from fear or worry?
Questions for Review Game:
1. What was unusual about the man in Gadara?
2. Where did this man live?
3. Whom did the maniac recognize Jesus to be when he first saw Him?
4. How did the maniac know who Jesus was?
5. Was Jesus afraid of the crazy man?
6. What did Jesus say to the devils in the man?
7. When the devils entered the pigs, what did the pigs do?
8. How was the man after the devils left him?
9. How did the people in that region react to this experience?
10. Who gives us authority to stop the works of Satan today?
Scripture to Study: Luke 4:16 31; Mark 6:1 6
Central Truth: God's power cannot work for us if we do not believe.
Memory Verse: Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him."
Supplementary Lesson: Story—"The Town That Would Not Believe"
Visual Aids: Crowd (9,18, 20), Jesus (22), city (12)
To the Teacher:
What a sad story we see here as Jesus is limited in blessing others because of unbelief. Faith in God is prerequisite to receiving. Because they had been so familiar with Jesus while He was growing up, the people of Nazareth would not receive His ministry and He could not help them. Faith moves God while unbelief ties His hands.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I am a believer and not a doubter.
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead.
I receive by faith all that God has for me.
I will not limit God's blessing on me by refusing to believe.
I believe God.
STORY
Gospel Bill was eating lunch one day at the Sagebrush Cafe when he overheard two cowboys talking at the next table. Bill could not help but be curious about what the men were saying.
"I have never heard of such an awful thing," said one man. "The whole town will probably be killed." It sounded like trouble to Bill. He wondered what the man was talking about.
"I do not think Doctor Miller will be able to help much," said the other cowboy. "When folks get cholera, there is not much even a good doctor can do. It is awful, a whole town being sick at once."
Finally, Bill turned to the men and asked them, "What town are you talking about?"
"You have not heard?" said the cowboy. "The whole town of Dripping Springs has got the sickness—cholera!"
Bill was stunned. Dripping Springs was where he had grown up. He knew almost everyone in town. He had relatives there. Bill knew he had to do something. As soon as he finished lunch, he went to the general store for supplies. It was about a three day ride to Dripping Springs, and he wanted to have plenty of food for the trip.
In a few hours, Bill was well on his way to his old hometown. It had been a few years since he had been there. As he rode in the hot sun, he began to recall his boyhood days in Dripping Springs.
"People probably will not recognize me," thought Bill. He had changed a great deal since leaving home. "You know," thought Bill, "I do not think I ever prayed for a single person the whole time I lived in Dripping Springs. I did not know too much about God's Word when I lived there. I did not know anything at all about God's healing power."
After three hard days of riding, Bill rode into the half deserted town of Dripping Springs. Every business was closed. Not a person walked the streets. Bill could hear only the faint cries of the sick as they lay in their houses.
Bill rode to his uncle's house and tied Old Blue to a post in the yard. He walked to the door and yelled, "Anybody here? Is there anybody at home? It's me—Bill."
"Bill," whispered a voice from the bedroom. "Is that you? Don't come near me, you will get the sickness." Bill ignored his uncle's words and went into the bedroom. There, in the bed, was Bill's Uncle Lester. His face was pale and his eyes were red. The sickness had caused him to look terrible.
"Get out of here, Bill," asked Uncle Lester. "I do not want you getting sick for no reason. Now go on and leave me. I will be dead in a few hours and..."
"Stop it!" said Bill. "You do not have to die! I came here to help."
"What can you do, son?" asked Uncle Lester. "Even a good doctor cannot help us now."
"I can pray for you to be healed," said Bill. "There is a scripture right here in this Bible and it says that the prayer of faith will save the sick."
"That is real good," said Uncle Lester. "I am real proud you have gone to reading the Good Book, but you cannot do us any good. It is time for us to go. The Good Lord knows what He is doing."
"God is not doing this," said Bill. "God does not put awful sickness on people. He wants you well!"
"Now, son," said Uncle Lester, "I have been around a long time and I have never seen anybody get healed of anything. God does not do those things anymore."
Bill tried desperately to teach the old man how to believe God, but it was useless. Uncle Lester believed that God had sent the plague to Dripping Springs for some strange reason. Bill made his uncle as comfortable as possible and said good bye.
"There has got to be someone in this town who will believe me," said Bill. He rode his horse from house to house looking for people to help. Bill went to every house in Dripping Springs, carrying his Bible, and telling each person about God's healing power.
At the end of seven days, Bill had yet to find a single person who would believe the Bible. Every sick person he found refused to believe that God would heal them.
On his way out of the city, Bill heard the crying of a little girl. He followed the cries to an alley where a little shack leaned against the back of a store. Quickly, Bill ran to the door and found a little girl in her bed. She was sick with the same disease that had killed her whole family and there was no one left to care for her.
Bill made a clean bed for the girl and gave her water to drink. He made a bowl of soup and fed her slowly as she stopped crying. When the little girl was finished, Bill went to his horse for his Bible.
He began to read to the girl about God's healing power and taught her how Jesus healed the sick. "The Bible tells us," explained Bill, "that these signs shall follow them that believe: they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover."
"But our preacher told us that this plague was God's punishment on us because we had a saloon in our town," said the little girl. "He said that we were being punished by God."
"Nonsense," said Bill. "God does not exactly favor saloons, but He would not destroy a whole town for one saloon. Besides, God cannot put sickness on you if He does not have any."
"Do you mean that God would like me to be well?" asked the little girl.
"Why sure," said Bill. "He would have healed anybody and everybody in this whole town. Trouble is, not a single soul would believe it."
"Well, I believe He would heal me," said the girl.
"Hallelujah!" screamed Bill. "I have finally got someone to believe!" Bill laid his hands on the girl's head and prayed. Instantly, the disease left the little girl's body.
A few days later Bill and the little girl arrived safely back in Dry Gulch. A man from Dripping Springs who escaped the plague ran to meet them with great surprise. "I saw that little girl in Dripping Springs last week and she was sick with cholera. How did she get well?"
"I got healed when Gospel Bill prayed for me," said the little girl. Then the man looked angrily at Bill. "I had family and friends in that town. You did not pray for them like you did this girl—why?"
"I sure wanted to," said Bill. "I went to every house and told them about God's healing power. But they would not believe me. I could not pray for folks who do not believe."
Applying the Word:
Have you ever told someone about being born again or being healed, and you knew they didn't believe you? How did you feel? What happened?
Unbelief stops the flow of God's blessings. Remember to always believe God's Word. All His promises are true, but they will not happen for you if you don't believe them!
Questions for Review Game:
1. What was the name of Jesus' hometown?
2. Did the people of Nazareth believe Jesus was the Son of God?
3. Did Jesus do any miracles as a boy?
4. When did Jesus receive the power to do miracles?
5. What were the people of Nazareth amazed at when they heard Him speak?
6. Did the people of Nazareth have stronger faith because of Jesus growing up among them'?
7. How did the people react to Jesus' proclamation that He was sent from God to set people free?
8. How did Jesus escape the angry mob?
9. Did Jesus heal all the people who were sick in Nazareth?
10. What stops the flow of God's blessings in our lives?
Scripture to Study: John 6:1 13; Mark 6:30 45
Central Truth: God provides for His children in the midst of lack.
Memory Verse: Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Supplementary Lesson: Game—"Pin The Word On The Devil"
Visual Aids: Crowd (9,18, 20), Jesus (22), disciples (34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41), boy (48), loaves and fishes in basket (49)
To the Teacher:
God has promised to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. These people received such miraculous provision because the circumstances demanded it and because they put spiritual things ahead of earthly things. Divine provision can come through many channels but this story is here to show us that God will resort to multiplying food if necessary to feed His people.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
God supplies all my needs.
He takes good care of me.
I will look to Him in the time of need.
In the midst of famine, God will feed the righteous.
I am righteous because Jesus is my Lord.
I have an abundant supply of all that is good.
Applying the Word:
The boy in our story saw how many hungry people there were. He knew he only had a small lunch. Still, he gave what he had to Jesus. When he gave it, Jesus did a miracle, and the boy's small lunch was more than enough to bless all those hungry people.
Have you ever wanted to do something for Jesus, but all you had was something little, or you didn't think it was good enough? Would you like to sing Him a song? Draw Him a picture, or tell Him a story? When you give Him your best, He'll take it, make it bigger, and bless a lot of people with your gift.
What would you like to give to Jesus?
Questions for Review Game:
1. Why did Jesus go regularly to private places?
2. Where did the power behind Jesus' ministry come from?
3. After a day of teaching the multitude, what did the disciples realize?
4. Why did the people forget about earthly food?
5. What did the little boy's lunch have in it?
6. How did Jesus tell His disciples to organize the people to be fed?
7. Was it easy for the disciples to believe they could feed five thousand people with only five barley loaves and two fishes?
8. What did Jesus do before tearing the food into pieces?
9. Was there enough food to go around?
10. What does this story show us about putting God first?
Scripture to Study: Mark 4:35 41; Psalms 8:5 9
Central Truth: The believer has scriptural authority over destructive storms.
Memory Verse: Psalm 8:6, "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands."
Supplementary Lesson: Story—"Gospel Bill Tames A Tornado"
Visual Aids: Waves (24, 25), boat (32), Jesus (33), disciples (34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
To the Teacher:
Tornadoes, hurricanes, and violent storms are mislabeled as "acts of God." While He did create the elements and does occasionally direct their courses, God is not behind violent storms. They are manifestations of the Prince of the Power of the Air, the devil. Through Jesus' Name, the believer can exercise authority over such storms if they threaten his life or property.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I will not be afraid of storms.
My Father God does not send storms to kill His people.
God is my Protector.
His salvation keeps me in peace.
I will be as a hiding place in the storm.
The angels of God shall keep me from evil.
STORY
It was a hot afternoon as Gospel Bill was repairing his fence in the north pasture. He rode slowly down the fence line looking for broken wire, not noticing the storm clouds behind him. Bill felt the air grow cool and turned to see the sky growing dark.
"Hey!" yelled Bill at the wind that blew his hat away. "I was not expecting that." Bill jumped off his horse to get his hat. He ran quickly through the sagebrush and snatched up his hat just in time to see a tornado cloud in the distance.
Gospel Bill grabbed the reins to his horse and jumped into the saddle. He was going to get out of the path of the storm. Spurring his horse, he raced across the pasture hoping to get as far as possible from the storm.
No matter how fast he rode, Bill could not seem to get away from the black cloud. It was a dreadful looking cloud, boiling and turning and coming closer to Bill.
Suddenly there came from the black cloud a twisting funnel. It looked like a huge spinning tail and swung down to the ground. Dirt and brush exploded into the air as the tornado touched the ground. It ripped apart everything in its path. Then, in an instant, it changed directions and began to move away from Bill.
Bill rode the other way until he was safely away from the tornado. He stopped his horse on a small hill and turned to watch the storm. He thought how good it was that there were no people or houses in the tornado's path. "There is not even any cattle in this end of the pasture, thank the Lord," said Bill to himself.
Something caught his eye as he looked in the distance.
"Oh no!" shouted Bill. He saw a covered wagon in a gully, right in the path of the tornado! Quick as lightening, Bill and his horse rode toward the wagon. It seemed to be unable to move.
As Bill came closer to the wagon, he could better see what had happened. There was a settler and his family around the wagon. It had a broken wheel and they were all trying to lift the wagon.
"Get out of here," yelled Bill as he rode up to the wagon. He jumped off his horse and threw a boy and a girl into the saddle.
"What are you doing?" asked the settler.
"Do you not see that tornado?" asked Bill.
"Tornado?" asked the man. "I just thought there was a hail storm coming." The man had not been able to see the twister because of the deep gully he had been traveling in. The approaching funnel was just coming into view.
"Oh, my," said the man. He fell on his knees and began to cry out. "Oh, God, please do not kill us. Please do not kill us, oh God!" The whole family fell on the ground and began to cry and pray. They all said the same thing.
"Oh, God," pleaded the man, "please do not kill me. I will serve You forever if You will not kill me."
By this time, Bill knew that it was useless to try to move out of the tornado's path. He ordered the man and his family to lie down in the gully and told them to be quiet.
"Dear God," continued the man, "please do not kill me with Your tornado. Please, God."
"I said be quiet!" yelled Bill. Seeing the tornado was only a couple hundred meters away, Bill ran to the top of hill. He knew there was only one thing left to do.
Bill lifted his hand to the sky and began to praise God. Dust and brush filled the air around him as he stood boldly before the twister. It came closer and closer.
The settler looked out from beneath the wagon and listened to Gospel Bill. "I command you to go back up, cloud, " yelled Bill. "I want you to be still in the Name of Jesus!" The man looked with great anxiety, expecting to see Gospel Bill blown into the sky at any second.
Amazingly, the cloud stood still in its place, continuing to twist and turn, but not moving any closer to Gospel Bill. Bill was shouting scripture after scripture into the air.
"Storm!" yelled Bill, "Isaiah 32:2 says that a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover from the tempest. I am that man because I know that you do not come from God."
After a ten minute duel, Gospel Bill and the Word of God won. The tornado lifted itself back into the dark cloud it came from and the wind ceased.
The settler and his family jumped from beneath the wagon and ran to Bill. "I have never seen anything like that before!" said the man. "How did you do that?"
"I did not do it," said Bill. "The Word of God made that storm obey."
"But, I thought storms came from the Almighty," said the man.
"The storms that kill, steal, and destroy are not from God," said Bill. "Have you never read about the time that Jesus stopped a storm?"
"I am going to read my Bible a little more carefully," said the settler. "The Word of God just saved my life."
Applying the Word:
Did you know you could pray for safety in a storm? Have you ever done this before? If so, tell us about the storm, what you prayed, and what happened.
Questions for Review Game:
1. Who did God create to be the ruler of the earth?
2. Who became the god of this world after Adam sinned?
3. Who is the one who causes violent storms that kill and destroy?
4. After Jesus said, "Let us pass over to the other side," what did He do?
5. What was it that frightened His disciples?
6. What happened when Jesus rebuked the storm?
7. Why did the storm have to stop?
8. What should we do if Satan tries to keep us from fulfilling God's plan in our lives?
9. What did Jesus rebuke His disciples for later?
10. Can we dictate daily weather conditions ourselves?
Scripture to Study: John 9:1 41
Central Truth: God does not get glory from sickness.
Memory Verse: Galatians 3:13, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law."
Supplementary Lesson: Object Lesson—"Why Jesus Became A Curse"
Visual Aids: Jesus (22), disciples (34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41), blind man (50), blind man healed (51)
To the Teacher:
There were more than enough blind men in Israel. God did not have to cause this man to be born blind so Jesus could heal him. The works of God were not even begun until Jesus healed him. If God's glory was being revealed in the man through sickness, why did the devil not stir up anger against his blindness? The thought of God making the man sick so Jesus could heal him is absurd. There should be no break between verses 3 and 4 of John 9. Jesus was really saying that the works of God that should be done in the blind man would be done by Him. Up to that point, God had not done anything.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Jesus came to redeem me from the curse of the law.
I have been redeemed from poverty.
I have been redeemed from death.
I have been redeemed from sickness.
I have been redeemed from sin. Jesus paid the price to free me from the bondage of Satan.
OBJECT LESSON
Scripture Reference: Galatians 3:13, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law..." (Deuteronomy 28)
Materials Needed: Three large nails, hammer, construction paper, boards for a cross
To Prepare: Make a cross about 4 feet long and 2 feet wide. Label one sheet of construction paper "poverty," the second "sickness," the third "physical death," and the fourth "spiritual death."
Lesson:
The Bible tells us that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Did you know that if Jesus had not redeemed us, we would be under an awful curse? The curse of the law is horrible and was given as a warning to those people who thought about breaking God's law.
In the book of Deuteronomy, in the 28th chapter, there is a long list of bad things that were to happen to the children of Israel if they forgot God. God does not put terrible things on people but the devil does. Satan, according to Jesus in John 10:10, is the one who steals, kills, and destroys. Satan walks throughout the earth looking for folks to bring harm and hurt to. We should never blame God for the devil's business.
In the Old Testament, God could protect the children of Israel from the curses only if they kept the law of Moses to the letter. Disobedience brought three curses. (Hold up corresponding construction paper as you mention each curse.) Poverty was promised to those who disobeyed God's law. God said that poverty was a curse. Death and being separated from God were mentioned next. The last curse was sickness. God calls sickness a curse—not a blessing!
When God made man and gave the earth to him, there was nothing in it but good. There was no poverty, sickness, or death. Because Adam sinned, evil entered into the world. Sickness came through sin and Satan.
When Jesus came to earth, He kept the law of Moses perfectly. He never sinned. He observed every single commandment and law, never once doing wrong or disobeying God's law, yet He was cursed as He hung on the cross. The curse of the law fell on Jesus!
The first thing Jesus suffered was the curse of sickness and disease for your healing. He took stripes on His body so that we could be healed. (Hammer one nail into the right side of the cross, fastening the construction paper labeled "sickness" to the wood.)
Next, Jesus suffered absolute poverty. He lost every earthly possession He had— even the clothes He wore. Poverty is a curse and Jesus suffered it. (Nail the paper labeled "poverty" to the left side of the cross.)
Death is an awful thing. It is a two fold curse because there are two kinds of death. The death we think of most often is physical death. Physical death happens when a person's spirit leaves the body and the body dies. This happened to Jesus. His
body died.
The next kind of death is even worse. Spiritual death is being separated from God. Jesus was separated from God as He hung on the cross. He cried, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Even God turned away from Jesus when He died on the cross. For three days and nights, Jesus was separated from God. He suffered spiritual death so we could be joined with God in life. (Nail the two kinds of death to the foot of the cross.)
Jesus' feet were placed one on top of the other and nailed to the cross with one nail. This is symbolic of the two fold curse of death He suffered for us.
The curse of the law fell upon Jesus, who did not deserve it at all. Why was He made a curse? He never sinned. He suffered in our place. We should be bold to claim the benefits that Jesus bought for us in His suffering. Poverty, sickness, and death are curses and we are redeemed from them in Christ!
Applying the Word:
Have you ever known anyone to receive a miracle of healing? Maybe they were blind, or crippled, or about to die, and God healed them. Tell us about them. Were they very thankful to God for their healing?
Questions for Review Game:
1. What was the question the disciples had concerning the blind man?
2. What was the answer Jesus gave the disciples?
3. Does God punish us with sickness or disease?
4. Is there sickness in Heaven?
6. What was it Jesus put on the blind man's eyes?
6. After putting the clay on the man's eyes, what did Jesus tell him to do?
7. What happened after the blind man washed his eyes?
8. What was the reaction of the Pharisees to this healing?
9. What did the Pharisees do to the man who had been healed?
10. We know the blind man's natural eyes were opened. What other eyes were opened as well?
Scripture to Study: Matthew 16:13 17:13
Central Truth: Jesus is glorified because He obeyed unto death.
Memory Verse: Matthew 10:32, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."
Supplementary Lesson: Puppet Skit—"I Vote For Jesus"
Visual Aids: Jesus (22), Peter (34), disciples (37, 38, 41), James (39), John (40), transfigured Jesus (52)
To the Teacher:
The Transfiguration was a preview of the glory Jesus would receive if He completed redemption. His sufferings were so hideous that He was able to endure them only by considering what lay beyond them. This is the wisdom of Christianity that separates it from all other religions: The love of God was so great that He Himself suffered to elevate man to his rightful position as companion of God. In other religions, the deities suffer nothing and salvation is attained by behavior.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Jesus was obedient.
He obeyed God in every way.
I am like Jesus for He has made me a new creature.
I am obedient.
I shall see the Glory of God.
PUPPET SKIT
CHARACTERS: Host, Moses
HOST: We are so blessed to have a really famous Bible character in our class. He is known for being the baby in the basket, the man who led God's people out of Egypt, and the prophet who knew God face to face. Let us welcome Moses.
(Moses enters.)
MOSES: Glory to God. Glory to God. Well, well, it is good to be on earth again. I used to live here, you know.
HOST: Yes, I know. You used to be the leader of the Israelites. What a career you had!
MOSES: Yes, God allowed me to do many wonderful things for His glory.
HOST: What were some of the miracles you did?
MOSES: I really was only an instrument for God because His power did all the miracles. Let me see, I had a rod that could turn into a snake.
HOST: Wow, that sounds exciting.
MOSES: It was. I will never forget how my rod twisted and turned on the floor of Pharaoh's palace. I used that rod for just about every miracle God had me do.
HOST: Did you not stretch the rod over the waters of the Red Sea to divide them?
MOSES: Yes, I did. I used that rod to hit a rock and water gushed out from it. But, the funniest thing I ever did with that rod was to make frogs.
HOST: Was that when you were in Egypt and Pharaoh would not let God's people go?
MOSES: Yes, God wanted to help Pharaoh make up his mind to let us go so He made millions of frogs.
HOST: Toy frogs? Plastic frogs?
MOSES: No. God made real frogs, millions of them. Pharaoh had frogs in his shoes, his crown, his cereal bowl, his cup, his bed, and even in his cookie jar. It was hilarious. That was a funny miracle.
HOST: I can think of many other miracles you did with God's help.
MOSES: Yes, I saw my share of wonderful miracles.
HOST: You also wrote the first five books of the Bible.
MOSES: That is right. I wrote down what God told me to write. It was easy. He told me exactly what to say.
HOST: God gave you the Ten Commandments?
MOSES: Yes, I got them when I visited God on top of Mount Sinai.
HOST: Millions of people have been blessed by you, Moses. God used you to do miracles, lead His people out of Egypt, write His law, and many other things. What is the most important thing you ever did for God?
MOSES: The most important thing I ever did for the Lord was done after I died.
HOST: Wait a minute, did I hear you correctly? Did you say that the most important thing you ever did for the Lord was after you died?
MOSES: That is right. It happened over a thousand years after I died.
HOST: This sounds interesting. What did you do?
MOSES: Well, one day while Jesus was here on earth, He took Peter and James and John to the top of a mountain. When He was there, God sent me and Elijah, the prophet, to meet Jesus. I stood by Him to let Him know that I was behind all that He was doing.
HOST: That was a very important job.
MOSES: You are right. Many of the Jews did not believe that Jesus was God's Son and thought that Jesus was against my teachings.
HOST: He was not against you, was He?
MOSES: Of course not. He wanted to show people an even better way to live for God than I could.
HOST: You gave people God's laws and showed them what sin is.
MOSES: Yes, but Jesus came to give men new hearts so that they could keep from sinning. My law could only warn people about sin. Jesus showed people how to overcome sin.
HOST: Then it was important for you to help Jesus.
MOSES: It was very important. I knew He had to die on the cross so I told Him that the whole human race, including myself, was counting on Him to redeem us from sin.
HOST: I am sure that Jesus appreciated you giving Him a boost.
MOSES: Jesus was never discouraged, but I was glad I could cast my vote for Him and let Him know that He was doing the right thing.
HOST: I am casting my vote for Jesus, too. I elect Him as my Lord.
MOSES: I wish Jesus could win every election. Some folks will not let Jesus be Lord, so they vote for sin instead.
HOST: We are here to help boys and girls vote for the right choice, Jesus!
MOSES: Amen!
Applying the Word:
Has God ever given you a dream of what you will be or something you will do when you grow up? Tell us about it.
Questions for Review Game:
1. What was the Transfiguration a preview of?
2. Who did some of the Jews think Jesus was?
3. When Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was, what did they say?
4. Who is it that helps us understand spiritual things?
6. Upon what did Jesus say He would build His Church?
6. Who is the Church made up of?
7. What was Jesus' most important task, and what was the only way it could be accomplished?
8. What happened to Jesus on top of the mountain?
9. Who appeared beside Jesus?
10. What were the reactions of Peter, James, and John to this event?
Scripture to Study: Luke 16:19 31
Central Truth: Selfishness displeases the Lord.
Memory Verse: Matthew 19:19, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Supplementary Lesson: Story—"Praying Luke McGee"
Visual Aids: Rich man (53), flames (54), dog (55), Lazarus (28)
To the Teacher:
The rich man went to Hell because he did not trust in the law of God, which was his only possible way to salvation. This is not a parable. It did actually take place for Jesus said,
"There was a certain rich man," as He began the story. Abraham is not a fictional character, but is real, and Jesus knew by revelation exactly what had happened. The man refused to obey the second greatest commandment of the law and thereby alienated his own soul from salvation.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I believe God's Word.
Hell was not made for me.
I choose Jesus as Lord.
He is my door to Heaven.
I will glorify Jesus while I live.
And I will enjoy His presence forever.
STORY
"Get off my land or I will blow you to pieces!" yelled Luke McGee. "I put a sign up to warn trespassers about coming on my land. Now get out!"
Gospel Bill had never seen such a hateful man. He had not wanted to come to McGee's ranch, but he wanted to help a poor family that lived nearby.
"Please, Mr. McGee," asked Gospel Bill. "Please let me talk to you for just one minute."
"I do not have time to talk with trespassers!" yelled McGee.
"I will be leaving in just a minute," said Bill, "But I have got to ask you one thing. The family that lives to the south of you is in trouble. Their well went dry, and they desperately need water for their cattle. There is not another drop of water on their place."
"That is no fault of mine," said McGee. "I did not ask them to move there."
"They are good, hard working people," pleaded Bill. "I just came to ask you if they could water their cattle out of your lake until they dig a new well."
"No!" stormed Luke McGee. "I need every drop of that lake water for my own herd."
"But you do not have a single cow in the pasture where the lake is. You have got water in eight or ten places," protested Bill. "And besides, they are willing to pay you for the water or work off the debt."
"The answer is no!" yelled the stubborn rancher. "Now I am warning you—get off my land!" McGee raised his rifle and pointed it at Gospel Bill.
"All right," said Bill. "I am leaving. I sure hate to see you treat folks that way. Trouble is, it will hurt you a whole lot more than it will hurt them." Bill turned his horse and rode away from the ranch.
Soon, Gospel Bill rode up to a small shack and got off his horse. A thin man, his wife, and two small children came from the shack. "What did he say?" asked the man.
"He said no," replied Bill. "I did my best to talk him into it, but he just will not let you water your cows at that lake."
"Well, you did all you could," said the man. "I sure do thank you for talking to McGee for me. He told me last month that if I ever came on his land again, he would shoot me for sure!"
"He is that kind of fellow all right," said Bill. "He is a miserable man."
"Miserable?" asked the thin man. "He has got a huge ranch and he owns the bank. How could he be miserable?"
"The amount of money a man has does not make him happy for long," said Bill. "Old McGee is as miserable as can be because he is full of hate. Hating folks is a miserable way to live."
The next day as Gospel Bill rode toward Dry Gulch, he saw a wagon stuck in the sand. He rode to help and was surprised to see that it was Luke McGee. As he came near, he could hear McGee yelling at his horses and beating them with a whip.
"Need some help?" said Gospel Bill as he rode up to McGee.
"No, thanks," said Luke McGee. "I will get out of this myself."
"It would be a lot easier if you would let me help you," said Bill. "I can throw a rope onto your wagon and give your horses a boost."
"Mister," said the man angrily. "You do not hear well. I told you that I do not want your help!" Upon saying that, McGee fumed and began to beat his horses wildly. The tired animals did their best, but the wagon was too heavy to pull out of the sand.
Bill spurred his horse and started to ride away when he heard McGee cry, "My heart! My heart!" Turning quickly, he saw McGee clutch his chest and fall to the ground. Gospel Bill raced back to the wagon and lifted McGee into the back of it.
Bill was relieved to find that McGee was still breathing, but he was unconscious. Bill grabbed his canteen and poured water over McGee's face, but the man did not awaken.
Bill knew that he must get McGee into town, so he tied a rope to the wagon and pulled with his horse. Soon, the wagon pulled loose and Bill jumped into the seat to drive McGee to the doctor.
On the way into town, Bill prayed, "Dear Father, do not let this man die now. He will go to Hell just as sure as can be. Lord, give me one chance to tell him about You. I ask You in Jesus' Name."
The wagon finally arrived in Dry Gulch and Bill carried Luke McGee into the doctor's office. After a couple of hours, McGee opened his eyes and sat up on the bed.
"Oh, please forgive me," cried Luke as he looked at Gospel Bill. "Please, oh, please forgive me. I treated you shamefully and you saved my life in spite of it. Thank you, Bill." Bill was shocked. Could this really be happening?
"What has happened to you?" asked Bill. "I have never heard you say a kind word to anyone."
"Oh, it is real, it is real!" said McGee. "It is a real place and I almost went there!"
"What are you talking about?" asked Gospel Bill.
"I almost went to Hell forever," said McGee, "but you prayed for me and saved my life."
"You were unconscious," said Gospel Bill. "How could you hear what I said?"
"God let me hear you pray and He showed me that awful place while I was lying in the back of the wagon," cried McGee. "I have been hateful ever since I can remember. It started when I was a kid in church.
"You went to church when you were a child?" asked Bill.
"Oh, yes," said McGee. "My parents took me to church, but I never became a Christian. I did not believe that there was a Hell, and one Sunday when the preacher talked about it, I got mad and ran away."
"Well," said Bill, "now you know better. Hell is real because the Bible says so. Thank God you do not have to go there."
"How can I be sure of that?" asked McGee.
"You can keep out of Hell by trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour," Bill explained.
"That is why Jesus came—to keep men from going to Hell."
"Let us pray, quick!" said McGee. Bill showed Luke McGee from the Word of God exactly how to be saved and the hardened rancher bowed his head and asked Christ into his heart.
A few days passed and Bill was visiting McGee's poor neighbor who was rounding up his cattle to sell. They were both surprised to see Luke McGee riding toward them
followed by a herd of twenty cows.
"Hello," said McGee as he came near. "I thought I would let this fellow have his cows back. It seems they strayed onto my land."
"Those are not my cattle," replied the neighbor. "They are carrying your brand. Besides, my cattle are not that fat."
"Gospel Bill," said McGee, "will you explain to this fellow that I do not want these cows. By the way, the gate is open to the lake. You can water there as long as you like."
Bill was blessed, but his friend was shocked. McGee turned his horse and rode away. "What happened to him?" asked the man. "Is Luke McGee himself?"
"I do not think he is the same man. He had a change of heart," said Bill. "Come on, we had better get this herd to water."
Applying the Word:
Jesus said that you would reap what you sowed. Or in other words, what you do to other people will be done to you. Have you ever known someone who was selfish and treated other people badly. Maybe he wouldn't share his toys, or maybe he would hit other kids. Did anything bad ever happen to this selfish person?
Questions for Review Game:
1. How did the rich man live?
2. How did Lazarus, the beggar, live in comparison to the rich man?
3. What commandment did the rich man break each time he passed by Lazarus?
4. Did the rich man help the beggar?
5. When the rich man died, what happened to him?
6. When Lazarus died, what happened to him?
7. What are some of the differences between Heaven and Hell?
8. What did the rich man beg for Abraham to do?
9. Was Hell intended for men?
10. Does being rich or being poor cause you to go to Heaven?
Scripture to Study: Matthew 19:13 15; Mark 10:13 16
Central Truth: Jesus loves children, and they are important to Him.
Memory Verse: Matthew 19:14, "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Supplementary Lesson: Puppet Skit—"The Very Important Person"
Visual Aids: Crowd (9,18, 20), Jesus (22), disciples (34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41), children (56)
To the Teacher:
Children have always been dear to God, and from the description of Heaven in Revelation, God has kids in mind. Allow the love of the Father to flow through you to your children as you minister this precious lesson. The ideas children have about God are formed by the way adults treat them.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Jesus loves me. Father God loves me. The angels of God are round about me.
I am precious in the eyes of God. I will ever be mindful of Jesus' love for me.
I will walk with my Heavenly Father and please Him all the days of my life.
PUPPET SKIT
CHARACTERS: Host, Boy
HOST Today, we have one of the most important people of the Bible coming to our class. I do not know this person's name, but I have been told that he was very special to Jesus.
(Boy enters.)
BOY: Hello.
HOST Hi, we are waiting for a very important Bible character to visit our class.
BOY: Oh, really?
HOST Yes, have you seen him?
BOY: No, I have not seen any important Bible characters. Do you know his name?
HOST No, I do not know his name but his story is told in Matthew, chapter nineteen. Jesus stopped everything He was doing just to lay hands on this guy.
BOY: Oh, you are probably talking about me.
HOST You? You are not a famous Bible character, are you? What important thing did you do?
BOY: Well, I am not really famous, but I am important! Jesus laid His hands on me and blessed me, even when His disciples tried to send me away. Kids are important to God.
HOST You are right. Now I remember the very story you are talking about. There were many moms and dads who brought their children to Jesus so that He could bless them.
BOY: And the disciples thought it was a big waste of time. They tried to make us leave.
HOST: Then Jesus stopped His disciples and told you to come to Him. He was such a nice man.
BOY: He made me feel so important.
HOST: Kids are very important. Can you tell these kids why they are important?
BOY: Well, first of all, children are people. They are made in the image of God, and He created us all to have fellowship with Him.
HOST: Fellowship is what we have with friends. It is talking and playing and enjoying each other.
BOY: Everybody needs a friend—even God. He wants us kids to be His friends.
HOST: Can children really understand God?
BOY: Of course, they can. It is not hard to know God. In fact, the best time to get to know God is when we are young.
HOST: Did you know that people without God grow hard in their hearts as they get older?
BOY: Yeah, and that is why it is important to know Jesus when you are young. God wants kids to live for Him even before they grow up.
HOST: How can a kid accept Jesus as his Saviour?
BOY: He can do it the same way that grown ups do. First, he must believe in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. Next, he must say with his mouth that Jesus is Lord.
HOST: That is really simple.
BOY: God's plan is simple. We can accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour only by asking in faith.
HOST: Kids, you are special to God.
BOY: Yeah, there is a lot in the Bible about kids. David was just a kid when he killed Goliath.
HOST: Joseph was just a kid when he had special dreams from God.
BOY: Josiah became the King of Israel when he was only eight years old.
HOST: Timothy, the helper of the great apostle Paul, started learning scriptures when he was only a child.
BOY: Kids are special to God. He made Heaven with kids in mind.
HOST: Heaven is a kids' place?
BOY: Oh, yes! There is a beautiful river for swimming called the River of Life. Kids can breathe under the water.
HOST: Well, what about school? Do children get a summer vacation?
BOY: There is no school in Heaven. It never gets dark there, either. Kids can play with friends for years, and their parents do not have to worry. Since there is no evil in Heaven, nothing could possibly harm them.
HOST: Kids playing that hard would probably have to eat lots of vegetables to keep strong.
BOY: Well, the only food we eat is manna and fruit that grows on the trees. They are delicious.
HOST: Heaven sounds wonderful.
BOY: It is! God has made it so beautiful that it is impossible to describe.
HOST: I have learned a lesson today.
BOY: What is that?
HOST: Kids are very special to God. Thank you for being in our class.
BOY: You are welcome. It was my pleasure. Good bye.
(He leaves.)
HOST: That boy helped me to see how special children are. Kids are very important people to Jesus. Hey, I forgot to ask his name.
Applying the Word:
Have you ever had something really important to tell your mother or father, but they were too busy to listen to you right then? How did you feel? Did you know that there is someone who loves you very much who is never too busy to listen? God is never too busy to listen to you.
Questions for Review Game:
1. What did the parents want Jesus to do to their children?
2. What did the disciples think of this idea?
3. What was Jesus' reaction to their requests?
4. Does Jesus always have time for you?
5. Who does God send to protect children?
6. In Old Testament times, how was Joseph used by God as a child?
7. How was Samuel used by God?
8. How was David used by God?
9. Do children need to be saved?
10. Explain how a child can be saved.
Scripture to Study: Luke 18:18 30
Central Truth: Giving to God is rewarding both spiritually and financially.
Memory Verse: Luke 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given unto you."
Supplementary Lesson: Game—"Pin The Word On The Devil"
Visual Aids: Jesus (22), tree (26), disciples (34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41), rich young ruler (57)
To the Teacher:
Many misinterpret what Jesus taught in this story and surmise that God wants His children to be poor. The fact is that Jesus was endeavoring to bless the young ruler with more than he had, through the law of giving. If we learn to give, financial harvest is certain. Giving with proper motives keeps men from trusting riches and turns them toward God.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I know the grace of my Lord Jesus.
He was made poor, so I could be rich.
I trust in God who abundantly supplies all my needs.
Applying the Word:
The Bible says "He who trusts in his riches shall fall" (Proverbs 11:28). Have you ever planned to get some money for a present, or for some work you did, or for something you were selling? Before you got it, you had already figured out how you were going to spend your money. But as it turned out, you didn't get as much as you had planned. How did you feel?
Tell us your story.
(Teacher: Between each story, repeat the fact that it's better to trust God than to trust in money.)
Questions for Review Game:
1. What important question did the rich man have for Jesus?
2. What is eternal life?
3. Why was the young man disappointed with Jesus' answer?
4. What did Jesus tell the rich man to do with his money?
5. Why did this make the rich young ruler sad?
6. Did the rich man obey Jesus?
7. What did Jesus say was easier to do than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God?
8. What was the needle's eye?
9. Was Jesus teaching that men could not have riches?
10. Is God against prosperity?
Scripture to Study: Mark 10:46 52
Central Truth: Healing belongs to us.
Memory Verse: Matthew 21:22, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
Supplementary Lesson: Object Lesson—"Do Not Sign For Sickness"
Visual Aids: City (12), crowd (9,18, 20), Jesus (22), tree (26), disciples (34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41), blind man (50), blind man healed (51 )
To the Teacher:
This lesson clearly demonstrates how important an individual's faith is in receiving from God.
"Thy faith hath made thee whole," was the statement from Jesus to Bartimaeus. The power of God is still available today to those who, in faith, demand what Jesus provided for mankind in redemption. Bartimaeus asked to receive his sight, indicating that he knew that healing belonged to him.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
Healing belongs to me.
Jesus paid for it with His stripes.
When I ask for healing, I receive what belongs to me.
I know God is willing for me to enjoy what Jesus bought for me.
OBJECT LESSON
Scripture Reference: James 4:7, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Materials Needed: Parcel package with these words marked on it: "measles," "chicken pox," "cancer," "colds," "flu," and "sickness." A receipt book similar to what a package delivery clerk would use, gloves
To Prepare: Find a helper with a gruff voice. Have him attempt to deliver a package of sickness to you through the door of your class. The helper should not be seen except for his hands, and they should be gloved.
Lesson:
Teacher: The Word of God tells us that Satan is walking about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He is out delivering packages of trouble to anyone who will take them. Thank God, we do not have to receive what Satan is delivering. We have authority over him in Jesus' Name.
(There should be a knock on the door.)
Voice: Special delivery package for the teacher. I have a fun box just for you. (The devil should attempt to get the teacher to take the package.)
Teacher: I was not expecting any packages.
Voice: Not many people do. This one is a surprise from your dear old Uncle Measles. Just sign here on the dotted line, and it is all yours for free!
Teacher: I will not sign for this. It is marked "sickness." I do not want any of that! Mr. Devil, the Word of God says, "Himself took my infirmities and bare my sicknesses!" (With these words, close the door on the devil, but his package should remain in the room.)
Teacher: I am not going to sign for this package. It is not mine. It does not belong to me. The devil is just like a person who delivers packages. Have you ever received a package? To keep the package, you must first sign for it. The devil wants me to sign for this package of sickness, but I refuse to. The way we sign for Satan's packages is to say the wrong thing with our mouths. If I said, "I am sick. I have the measles," I would be signing for this package. (Pick up the package and throw it out the door.) I am not receiving what the devil is delivering.
(Once again there is a knock at the door. Repeat the same action two times. The teacher will do well in repeating over and over what it means to resist a satanic delivery. At the end of the third refusal, finish the lesson with the following instructions.)
Teacher: The devil is a persistent fellow. He comes with temptation over and over again. So, as often as he comes our way, we must resist him. Remember, when we say the wrong words it is the same as signing for the package. Do not receive measles, mumps, flu, colds, or chicken pox. Do not sign for them!
Applying the Word:
Blind Bartimaeus was thrilled when he heard that Jesus was coming. He reached out with faith and received his healing. Is there any sickness in your body today? Would you like to reach out right now and receive your healing by faith, just like Bartimaeus did? Let us take a moment and do that right now!
Questions for Review Game:
1. Who was Bartimaeus?
2. Why did he wear a bright red cloak
3. Who made Bartimaeus blind?
4. What did Bartimaeus do when he heard that Jesus was coming his way?
5. How did Jesus know Bartimaeus had faith to be healed?
6. What did the people around Bartimaeus say when they heard him yelling?
7. What did Bartimaeus tell Jesus he wanted?
8. What did Jesus tell him that made him whole?
9. Why does healing belong to us?
10. How do we know that God wants us to be free from sickness?
Scripture to Study: Matthew 21:1 16
Central Truth: Jesus is worthy of our adoration and worship.
Memory Verse: Romans 10:9, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in shine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Supplementary Lesson: Story—"A Gift For Percy"
Visual Aids: Donkey (4), flock of sheep (7), camel (8), crowd (9, 20, 56), Pharisees (18), Jesus (22), disciples (34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
To the Teacher:
The Lord deserves our highest praise. Too often, we underestimate the value of simply offering Him our thanks. Jesus taught that children imitating their parents was considered "perfect praise" and received it without hesitation. It is a good thing when boys and girls imitate the godly characteristics of their elders, even when they do not fully understand what they are doing.
Outline:
Spiritual Exercises:
I will magnify the Lord.
For He is worthy to be praised.
Jesus Christ is Lord.
I will sing His praise all the day long.
Praising my Lord Jesus makes my spirit strong.
STORY
Gospel Bill tied his horse to the hitching post and walked toward the doors of the church. As he started to open the door, he heard crying coming from within. Not wanting to disturb the person inside, Bill turned away and sat down beside his horse.
The crying became so loud that Bill could hear it easily from where he sat.
"Oh dear God, please forgive me. Please forgive me. I know I am just a sinner. I will never amount to anything, but please forgive me," cried the voice from inside the church.
The crying lasted for over half an hour. Bill had almost decided to leave when the door opened. It was Percy Miller, the blacksmith.
"Hello, Percy," said Gospel Bill.
"Oh hi, Gospel Bill," said Percy sadly. Bill had expected Percy to be full of joy after praying for so long, but the man looked miserable.
"What is the matter?" asked Bill.
"I am all right," said Percy as he walked down the street to his shop. Bill went inside to pray for the next day's service.
In the Sunday morning service, Pastor Martin preached a message about receiving Jesus as Saviour. It was a stirring sermon, and four people walked the aisle to pray and receive Jesus.
As they walked by, Bill noticed Percy in the group. He wanted to be saved.
Percy got on his knees and began to weep as he prayed. "Oh dear God, please forgive me. Please forgive me. I know I am just a sinner, and I will never amount to anything. Please, God forgive me."
When Percy rose from prayer, he looked very sad. Gospel Bill wondered why Percy had come forward to be saved, since Percy had accepted Christ four years earlier when he first moved to Dry Gulch. Something is wrong with Percy, thought Bill.
The next week, Gospel Bill was riding through Dry Gulch and noticed a large crowd in front of Percy's blacksmith shop. I wonder what all the commotion is about, he thought as he rode into the crowd for a closer look.
"Get my horse next," said one man.
"I was here first," argued another.
As the two men argued, Bill asked them, "Why is there such a crowd at Percy's? He is not usually this busy."
"He is giving away free horse shoes until five o'clock," said one man. "Everybody in town is trying to get in on this!"
"Not me," said Gospel Bill. He looked at Percy's face and saw that he still was not happy. Something is not right, Bill thought.
Late that night, Gospel Bill walked out of his office and got on his horse. He could see that the lights were on at the church. "I did not know there was anything happening at church," he said to himself. "I think I will ride down to see what is going on."
As Gospel Bill tied his horse, he could hear that familiar voice crying, "Oh dear God, please forgive me. I know I am just a sinner, and I will never amount to anything. Please, oh please, Lord, forgive me!"
It was Percy crying and begging God for forgiveness. Bill did not want to disturb Percy even though he knew that something was wrong.
The next day, Gospel Bill was sitting in the barber shop getting a haircut when Jed Stevens walked in with a new suit of clothes. "Look at these clothes, will you," said Jed, smiling. "I do not understand it," he added. "I was just walking down the sidewalk in front of the bank when Percy Miller walked out with a sack of money. He took me and Elmer Smith down to the store and bought us these clothes."
"Well, he is very nice," said the barber.
"He sure is," said Jed. "He spent all his saved up money on me and Elmer." Gospel Bill shook his head. He knew that it was good to give, but Percy was not joyful in his giving. “Why does he think he has to do all these things?” he wondered.
As Bill walked toward Percy's shop, he met a group of boys who each had five lollipops.
"Look, Mister," said one boy. "Percy Miller bought us all this candy." Bill walked on. Percy was not in his shop, but Bill knew exactly where to find him.
When Bill reached the church, he could hear Percy crying at the top of his lungs, "Oh dear God, please forgive me. Please, oh Lord, please forgive me. I am nothing but a sinner and—"
"Shut that up!" yelled Bill as he marched in the door. Percy's eyes were big as saucers as he turned to see Gospel Bill coming down the aisle. Gospel Bill walked straight to Percy and stood him up.
"Percy," said Bill. "You listen to me. I have been watching you for weeks, and you are not doing right."
"But, I have been praying and asking God to forgive me and I—" Percy said.
"Stop!" said Bill. "You are trying to earn your salvation."
"I have got to prove to God that I mean business about being saved," cried Percy. "He just will not hear my prayers. That is why I have been doing good deeds. Someday, I know He will hear me."
"Percy," said Bill, "that is nothing but garbage. God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to be your sacrifice. Jesus died for you, Percy. You do not have to earn salvation. It is a free gift."
"But I have not felt anything," said Percy.
"You cannot tell by your feelings whether or not God hears you," said Bill. "The Bible says that if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and if you call Him Lord, you shall be saved!"
"Even if I do not feel like He is hearing me?" asked Percy.
"Is God a liar?" asked Gospel Bill.
"Of course not!" said Percy.
"Then the Bible must be true. If you do what it says, you will be saved," said Gospel Bill.
"So, I am saved?" asked Percy.
"You are saved," said Bill. "Jesus' sacrifice was enough. You do not have to earn your way to Heaven. And by the way, you are not just an old sinner you are a child of God."
The next week, Bill went to the church to pray. As he came near, he heard that same voice coming from inside. Oh, no, thought Bill, I will just have to have another talk with Percy. Bill opened the door, and to his surprise, Percy was dancing all over the church.
"I am saved! I am saved!" shouted Percy. "I’m