Teacher`s Guide Lessons 1

Transcription

Teacher’s Guide
Lessons 1 - 66
© 2006 Awana Clubs International
Awana Clubs International
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be reproduced or translated without written permission from the publisher.
Awana is a Registered Trademark of Awana Clubs International
Dear Awana leader,
Congratulations on your decision to join more than 200,000 Awana leaders worldwide who are reaching
boys and girls with the gospel of Christ and training them to know, love, and serve Him. Over the
years, we have developed several Council Time resources to help make your Council Time more
effective. What you now have in your hands is another valuable Council Time resource which Awana
Clubs International is proud to present to you.
The Awana TruthSeekers program is a collaboration between Awana Clubs International and New Tribes
Missions. The content of the 4-year program is largely based on a chronological Bible curriculum
developed by Trevor McIlwain called Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ. The contents of the Firm
Foundations material have been adapted for young children and reformatted as part of the Awana club
program for third graders to sixth graders.
However, you can take advantage of the chronological teaching without running the full Awana
TruthSeekers program in your church. The first two years of the program have been combined into
one volume which functions as part of the Awana TruthSeekers curriculum and also as a Council Time
resource. Instructions on how to use this volume as a Council Time resource will be given in Part Four
of this book. However, should you desire to run the Awana TruthSeekers program in your church, we
strongly encourage you to seek additional information about the program from the Awana
representative(s) servicing your area who will be more than happy to assist you.
It is our prayer that through your ministry many boys and girls will come to the knowledge of the Savior.
We are privileged to partner with you in getting the gospel out to boys and girls all over the world.
Sincerely in Christ,
Awana Clubs International
Please note:
This 66-lesson book contains more than sufficient material to cover two club years. However, for your
convenience, we have devised, from these lessons, three different, shorter lesson plans from which
you may choose. Each plan includes what we consider essential information arranged in the order
which not only retains the integrity of the chronological teaching but also captures the main points
necessary for children to fully understand the message of the gospel. You will find these optional
lesson plans in Part 4 on page 183.
Awana TruthSeekers Lessons
were adapted from
Children’s Edition, Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ
New Tribes Mission
The chronological teaching in the Awana Cards and the “Teacher’s Lesson Helps” in the Awana
TruthSeekers Teacher’s Guide are adapted from the Children’s Edition, Firm Foundations: Creation to
Christ lessons (Books 2 and 3).
The teaching principles found in the “Guidelines for the Teacher” and How to “Prepare Your Lessons”
sections of the Teacher’s Guide are adapted from Book 1 of Children’s Edition, Firm Foundations:
Creation to Christ.
When looking for the clearest, most simple, and yet most comprehensive method of teaching the
Word of God to prepare people for the gospel and to teach them God’s way of salvation, Trevor
McIlwain found the answer throughout the Word of God. Children’s Edition, Firm Foundations:
Creation to Christ was adapted from the Building on Firm Foundations Series written by Trevor
McIlwain. Praying for the Lord’s guidance, the team of writers for these books developed teaching
principles that laid firm foundations for saving faith by teaching a chronological overview of the Bible
story, beginning in Genesis and ending with the ascension of Christ.
Contents
Part 1
Understanding the Council Time Lessons . . . . . . . . 5
Foundations for the Gospel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Doctrinal Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Part 2
How to Use These Lessons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Guidelines for the Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
How to Lead a Child to Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
How to Prepare Your Lessons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Part 3
Teacher’s Lesson Helps – Lessons 1-66 . . . . . . . . . 32
Part 4
Optional Council Time Lesson Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
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TruthSeekers Teacher’s Guide - Lessons 1-66
Teacher’s Guide
Part 1
Understanding the
Council Time
Lessons
5
Understanding
the Council
Time Lessons
Foundations for the Gospel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Doctrinal Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The person and character of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
God communicates with man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
God is everywhere all the time; He knows everything . . . . . . . . . .
God is all-powerful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
God is holy and righteous. He demands death as the payment
for sin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
God is loving, merciful, and gracious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
God is faithful; He always does what He says; He never changes.
Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Satan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jesus Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Foundations for
t h
e
G
o
s p
e
l
The Awana Cards are adapted from the chronological teaching lessons of the
Children’s Edition, Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ lessons. It is important
that you, the teacher, know the biblical foundations (bases) upon which we build
our Awana lessons upon.
God has ordained
Christ and His
gospel as the only
basis for the faith
of guilty sinners.
God has ordained Christ and His gospel as the only basis for the faith of guilty
sinners.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto
you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also
ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye
have believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2
In the construction of any building, the foundation — not the roof, is the first part
of the building to be prepared. Without a good foundation, the building will have
difficulty standing or may even fall. This is also true of God’s Word. He did not
begin with the gospel. Rather, He began laying a proper foundation for the
gospel. If we do not give a foundation on which to base the teaching of the
gospel message, our clubbers could be making false, empty professions of
faith. Or, as new Christians, clubbers could have doubts or uncertainties about
what they believe. This can especially be a problem when difficulties arise and
others question their faith. Without a strong, biblical foundation of what one
believes, it is easy, because of fear or pressure, to go back to old beliefs,
customs, and traditions.
The Bible alone is
God’s written revelation to the world.
The Bible alone is God’s written revelation to the world. This is the foundational
truth of Christianity. Many false religions are gaining converts because liberal
and modern writers, who claim to be Christians, teach that truth is not limited to
the Hebrew-Christian Scriptures. They say truth is also found in the writings of
other world religions. The animistic tribal people’s claims to truth are based on
folklore and revelations from the spirits. The Christian teacher’s responsibility is
to clearly establish, with the help of the Holy Spirit, through teaching the
Scriptures, that God’s revelation of truth for all people is found in the Bible.
Therefore, if the tribes and nations of the world are to know the truth and the
blessings of God, they too must look to the Bible as the only genuine and
complete divine revelation. This revelation of God began with the Old Testament and was completed with the New Testament revelation in and through
Israel’s Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. “God, who at sundry times and in divers
manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by
whom also he made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2). Everything that we need for “life
and godliness” is in the Bible.
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God has shown us
how to build on the
foundation of His
Word.
There is only one true foundation for understanding all of life — here on earth
and for all eternity — and that is His Word.
God is the builder of all things. “For every house is builded by some man; but he
that built all things is God” (Hebrews 3:4). His Word reveals to us all that we
need to know, and He has chosen to do it by a progressive, historical revelation
of Himself. When our Lord Jesus Christ wanted to open the eyes of His disciples on the road to Emmaus, he said, “fools, and slow of heart to believe all
that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things,
and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he
expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke
24:25-27). Beginning in Genesis, these Scriptures of “Moses and all the prophets” are God’s firm foundation for the gospel.
Little by little, through His true historical account, God has revealed Himself to us
— His sovereignty, His creation, man’s need for a Savior, and God’s provision
of a Savior in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Just as we learn about a person by watching what he does, so also we learn
about God by learning what He has done. He has revealed to us His character
and attributes through the historical incidents that He has had recorded for us in
Scripture.
These lessons lay a
firm foundation of
God’s truth.
These lessons build a foundation of truth from God’s Word, with special
emphasis on:
• God — His character and attributes
• Man — His relationship to his creator, God, and his need for a Savior
• Jesus Christ — God the Son, and the Only Savior of all who trust in Him
The Bible is God’s
story.
First of all, we establish that the Bible is God’s Word. It is not a book about God,
nor is it a book of stories about Bible characters. The Bible is God’s story. He is
the author, the main character, and the one we must focus on as we teach.
Therefore, we will not teach the story of “Noah and the Ark.” Rather, we will teach
the story of how “God saved Noah and all in the Ark.”
From the story of Cain and Abel, we will not teach the children to “be kind to their
brothers and sisters.” Instead, we will teach them that God made a way for man
to approach Him by faith. Abel believed God, and brought a blood sacrifice.
God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, because Abel came to God by faith. Cain
rebelled against God, and came his own way. God refused Cain.
We will not teach the story of “Joseph.” We will teach the story of how “God
sustained Joseph and brought all Israel down to Egypt.”
By teaching this way, we will emphasize that the Bible is God’s story, the most
important book by the most important One we can ever know! Is it our good
storytelling that will draw the children to know God? No, it is the power of God’s
Word, taught in the power of the Holy Spirit.
We will teach the
theme of salvation
by grace.
Many themes run through the Bible. These lessons emphasize the theme of
salvation by grace through faith. The good works of the believer are not addressed in this set of lessons. Christ alone is our way of salvation. We cannot
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do anything to save ourselves. For that reason, even in the Old Testament
stories, we do not emphasize the works of believers, such as David and Elijah.
Those stories can be taught later, in the context of the lives of believers and the
works produced by the Holy Spirit.
We begin in Genesis,
with the one eternal
GOD, the Creator.
By beginning in Genesis, children are introduced immediately to God as the allpowerful Creator. Clear teaching from Genesis is the best way to expose the
false teachings of evolution. Where there is a design, there is a designer, and
the Designer of all things is God!
The angels, even Satan and his rebellious followers, are created beings, not
all-powerful or present everywhere like their great Creator. Man is accountable
to his creator, God.
Knowing these truths gives our clubbers a firm foundation and security in a
world of terrible evil. The rock-solid foundation of God’s truth is a shelter of
safety for children.
Cubbers learn the
horrible
consequences of sin.
Man’s sin and the resulting curse show clubbers the reason for suffering and
pain in this world.
Immediately, they are able to see the contrast between the perfect world God
created and the fallen world that resulted from man’s choice to sin.
We cannot protect them from the devastation of sin. However, we can show
them the consequence of sin, which is separation from God.
God promised a
Deliverer.
We show the clubbers that God, in His great mercy, gave a promise, to send a
Deliverer (Genesis 3:15), the son of a virgin, to crush Satan’s power. When
Adam and Eve sinned, God responded by killing animals to clothe them —
likely the first sacrifice for sin. Abel, also, brought a sacrifice, and God accepted
him, because of his faith. Right away, we begin to lay the foundation for the
sacrifice for sin, and salvation by faith through God’s grace.
Many clubbers may be amazed to find that sin is inherited — it is passed down
to all of Adam’s descendants. No one is above it, no one escapes that deadly
inheritance.
God gave promises to
Abraham.
God promised Abraham that He would bless all nations through Abraham.
Abraham believed God, and God counted it to him as righteousness. The
promised Deliverer would be Abraham’s descendant. God gave these same
promises to Isaac and then to Jacob, whom God named Israel. Israel’s family
and his descendants became known as the Israelites, the Jewish people.
Through the nation
of Israel, God gave
His message to the
world.
The Lord created the nation of Israel for Himself, so that He could use it as His
witness and channel of blessing to all mankind (Isaiah 43:1, 10-12, 21). The
Lord’s promises to Abraham, the forefather of the nation of Israel, indicated that
God’s blessings through him and his seed would extend to “… all families of
the earth …” (Genesis 12:1-3). This promise was fulfilled through Christ, the
promised Seed, but also through the Scriptures, entrusted to Israel as the only
written revelation of God to the world. All other nations were left in ignorance,
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without God and without hope, unless they were willing to accept truth and
wisdom which was given through God’s chosen channel, Israel.
God gave the Law to
show man his own
sinfulness.
After mighty plagues and the Passover, God led the Israelites out of Egypt. He
made a way for them to cross through the sea, and He sustained them in the
wilderness, even though they often complained and doubted him.
God brought Israel to Mt. Sinai, and gave them the commandments. These
commandments, God’s Law, came as an agreement, which depended on the
people always obeying God. If they did, God said that He would bless them.
Israel thought that they could obey God, because they didn’t realize how sinful
they really were.
God knew that the Israelites could never obey Him perfectly. Indeed, His Law
revealed their sin. But God still loved them. Even though they disobeyed His
Law, God made a way for Himself to live among them and to make atonement
for their sins. Year after year, the people sacrificed animals to cover their sins.
However, the blood of animals could never fully pay for sins. God was pointing
them toward the promised Deliverer. However, by faith, they had to wait.
He led them through the desert for forty years, and brought them safely into the
Promised Land.
God sent prophets to
warn Israel.
God sent the prophets to warn Israel to repent and to point them to the
promised Deliverer.
Once the people settled in the Promised Land, God sent prophet after prophet
to warn the people to repent of their sins, to acknowledge that they were sinners, to turn away from their self-effort, and to turn toward the one true God who
alone could save them. But again and again, the people turned away from God
and kept on sinning.
Still, God sent the prophets to warn them and to remind them that one day God
would send the promised Deliverer.
These Old Testament truths are the foundation for teaching about the Lord Jesus
Christ.
God sent His Son to
be the Deliverer.
Having taught through these Old Testament stories, how much clearer the picture
becomes when we see that the little baby born in a manger is not the son of
Joseph, a sinner of Adam’s line, but He is Jesus, Son of God, holy and without
sin!
Jesus Christ is God.
What a delight we have to teach the children that this Jesus can calm the winds
and water, because He is God, the one who created the wind and the water!
How wonderful to be able to tell the children that Jesus can bring sight to a blind
man, because Jesus Christ is God, the one who made man’s eyes!
How wonderful to teach them that Jesus Christ can speak and raise Lazarus from
the dead, because He is God, who created everything from nothing!
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Jesus Christ is the
Lamb of God, who
died to take away
our sin.
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, the sacrifice, prophesied from the beginning.
The Old Testament is
the foundation for
the New Testament.
Do you see how much can be gained by carefully teaching from the Old
Testament?
Having established the Old Testament foundations, the New Testament stories
can be taught clearly, building on that firm foundation.
Nothing could be more important than to establish those firm foundations of
Bible truth for the clubbers we teach. Without a firm foundation for the gospel,
the message may be diluted, or confused. As the clubbers grow, they will carry
this confusion with them. They may even pass on a corrupted message to
others.
What is the gospel?
He is the one who finally takes away sins. God, our Creator, the one who loves
us as no other can, is the one who took our place on the cross.
God the Father was totally satisfied with Jesus’ payment for sin. Jesus rose
from the grave to give eternal life to all who believe in Him.
“I declare unto you the gospel … By which also ye are saved … Christ
died for our sins according to the scriptures; … he was buried, and … he
rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
The gospel is an objective, historical message. Jesus Christ died for our sins,
was buried, and rose again on the third day. That really happened. That is the
gospel.
When we trust in Jesus Christ and His gospel, we are putting faith in a person,
and what He did for us 2,000 years ago.
The gospel is not a feeling, and it does not depend upon our works or abilities
or emotions. Jesus Christ has done all that was necessary to save us.
That is the message we must give to our clubbers.
What is salvation?
Salvation is the gift of God’s grace. A clubber must agree with God that he is a
sinner totally unable to save himself. He turns to God by relying completely and
only upon the finished work of Christ on the cross as the payment for sin. God,
by His grace, then gives salvation to him or her.
If a clubber is truly saved, he will know that he is a sinner, unable to save
himself. He will know that Jesus Christ died on the cross as full payment for his
sins and that Christ rose from the dead.
Some clubbers will
be prepared by the
Holy Spirit to receive
the gospel before the
teaching of the gospel begins.
Depending upon what a clubber has learned, he may be ready for salvation at
any point during the time you are teaching. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in
hearts, knowing that each clubber is different, each one differs in his or her
understanding, and each one may have had different amounts of teaching and
other input.
Just as it is wrong to push the gospel on those who have not been prepared by
God, it is equally wrong to withhold the gospel from those who have been
taught by God, who are broken in spirit, and who are hungry for the mercy and
forgiveness of the Savior.
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If you sense that a clubber is ready to put his or her trust in Christ, or is already
saved, you may want to take a few moments with that clubber off to the side of
the group (without embarrassing the clubber!) and talk about his or her understanding of salvation. God is not limited in how He works.
Both saved and
unsaved benefit
from foundational
teaching.
Even though many of the clubbers you teach may already be saved, they will
still benefit from the foundational, chronological teaching of the Bible.
Some clubbers may have made professions of faith, with only the barest of
teaching. These clubbers still need foundational teaching, so they can know
God and become familiar with His Word.
We must be careful
not to confuse works
with grace.
We must be careful not to distort and confuse the clubbers’ understanding of the
gospel by using terms (words) which make them think of what they must DO
rather than of what God has DONE for them through Christ. We should use words
that will direct them to trust in what has been done FOR THEM through Christ,
rather than directing their attention to what must be done IN THEM.
Children, like adults, find that doing something is much easier than simply
believing. We must never confuse the gospel with works. Once a person has
put his faith in what Christ has done for him on the cross, the Holy Spirit lives in
that person. The Holy Spirit teaches the believer and helps the believer to do
the good works that God has appointed for him to do.
Not the “method,”
but the power of
God
Remember, the power is not in the method, but the power is of God and His
Word. These lessons are only a tool. No “method” can bring a clubber to Christ.
Whether a clubber is saved through reading a tract, hearing a teacher or a
parent explain the gospel, or any other way, God’s Word is the power.
God works in mysterious and wonderful ways to seek and save. We can only
look to Him in wonder at what He has done.
As we teach God’s Word, we can rest on His promise:
“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not
thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give
seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out
of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I
please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11
For further explanation for teaching firm foundations for the gospel, see Children’s Edition, Firm
Foundations: Creation to Christ, by Trevor McIlwain with Nancy Everson, New Tribes Mission,
1991.
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Doctrinal Themes
Taught in These Lessons
The person and
character of God.
By the work of the Holy Spirit, the doctrinal themes (biblical truths) taught in
these lessons will:
1. Help the clubbers understand the attributes (character) of God.
2. Show the clubbers they are sinners — condemned and helpless before God,
their holy and righteous Creator and Judge.
3. Generate faith and complete dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ as the
wonderful, all-sufficient Savior. He is the promised deliverer.
Here are the specific doctrinal themes which will be emphasized:
God is greater than all and more powerful than all; He is the highest authority. In other words, God is supreme (highest in position or power) and sovereign (having highest rank, power, or authority). This truth is foundational (the
base on which something rests or stands) to all other doctrines concerning God
and to all spiritual matters.
God’s sovereign position is clearly seen throughout the Bible. He is the authority over all creation: man, angels, and Satan. No one can question what He
does. He is the great Creator, the Alpha (beginning) and Omega (end), working
all things according to His desires.
In a world where false teachings are taught as fact, children must be taught
that God is sovereign! When that one truth is clear, other truths can begin to be
understood.
These lessons show God acting in and through history — always victorious,
always winning against all who fight Him. He is the Creator of all and the eternal
authority over all. He stands supreme and gloriously sovereign as Almighty
God.
God communicates
with man.
The Bible is not just a record of what God said to people in the past. It is also
God’s message to us today.
These lessons emphasize (show the importance of something) that God’s Word
is true. It is a true history and a living message to every person in the whole
world. Children need to know that the Bible is God’s message to them
personally.
God is everywhere all
the time; He knows
everything.
God is omnipresent, which means God is everywhere all the time. God is
omniscient, which means God knows everything.
Your clubbers may be hearing false teaching from someone, so we need to be
very careful as we teach these attributes of God. As noted in the lessons, New
Age and other pantheistic religions teach that God is everything and everything
is God. Be certain to make it clear that there is a difference between the Creator
God and His creation. God is everywhere, but He is not in everything; everything is not God.
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God is all powerful.
God is omnipotent, which means God is all powerful. Children love to hear of
God’s almighty power. If you teach the Word clearly, it is not a problem for most
children to believe miracles.
God is holy and
righteous. He
demands death as
the payment for
sin.
God is the only standard for goodness. Anything less than God’s perfect
righteousness is unacceptable to Him. Anything which disagrees with or is
conflicting to God is sin.
Of all the truths about God, this one is missing the most from today’s “religious”
thinking. Many messages leave out the truth about God’s holiness, man’s
sinfulness, the death penalty for sin, and the blood of Jesus Christ poured out
for sinners.
Though God is love, the message of the Bible is not, “Smile, God loves you”; it
is, “. . . the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). When this message is
clear, then John 3:16 takes on its true meaning. Children, also, must know the
truth, for they are sinners, too. Though at first it may seem cruel to teach the
reality of the penalty of sin, we know that God did not retreat from teaching
children His Word.
People in some countries have no true knowledge of blood sacrifice, though a
distorted type of animal sacrifice is still frequently practiced in many countries.
The Bible is full of talk of substitutionary sacrifice, ending in the one sacrifice that
could bring about remission of sins.
To many people, the death penalty for sin and the truth of a real hell are not a
concern for them. But God has not changed His righteous standard. He will
never allow any man to come to Him unless the complete and righteous demand of His Law is fully paid.
Even though the righteous demands of God’s Law could only be met through
the blood of Jesus Christ, God still accepted sinners who came to Him in faith
during the time before the Cross, because Christ’s death was, even then, a
present reality to God (Revelation 13:8). However, during the Old Testament
times, worshipers had to be reminded that their acceptance by God did not
mean that there was no justice. God demanded the death of the sinner. Animal
blood could only act as a temporary covering for sin. There could be no complete satisfaction for the one making the offering prior to the cross. People were
always made aware of sin. Death, the wages of sin, was constantly being shown
by the death of innocent animals which had to be without blemish as a picture of
God’s unwillingness to accept anything less than a perfect payment for sin.
The first recorded example that we have of an animal sacrifice is the one Abel
brought. God must have told the first family what He required concerning sacrifices. The first time God gave man permission to kill and eat animals was after
the flood. Abel would not have decided by himself to take the life of one of
God’s creatures and give it as a sacrifice to God unless it had been ordered by
God. Abel came by faith. Faith requires a revelation from God as its basis. It is
not by faith when man tries to please God in his own way. Cain tried to approach
God this way and was rejected.
Therefore, God’s requirement of animal sacrifices will be taught many times in
these lessons because it emphasizes God’s holiness and His righteous demands for the death of the sinner as the payment for sin. Animal blood could not
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be a replacement for the death of the sinner, but it was a continual reminder that
nothing less than death could satisfy God’s holy and just demands (Hebrews
10:1-12). The death of Jesus Christ satisfied these demands.
As you teach God’s character and man’s sin, the clubbers will begin to understand the hard reality of the penalty of sin. Do not stop teaching the truth. God
uses truth to change hearts.
God is loving,
merciful, and
gracious.
God’s love is unchanging, pure, and not dependent upon the goodness or
worthiness of those receiving that love. God is love (I John 4:8). These lessons
show that God’s love is not like man’s love, which thinks of itself. Children need to
understand God’s love the way it is presented in His Word, not in an insincere,
human, emotional way.
God’s mercy is explained in these lessons as His making a way for sinners to
escape the punishment they deserve. His grace is described as His kindness
toward undeserving sinners.
God is faithful; He
always does what He
says; He never
changes.
Some “religious” scholars are rewriting the Bible to agree with what they feel is
appropriate for today. We must teach clearly that God does not change; neither
does His Word. These lessons emphasize God’s faithfulness. God keeps His
promises. This fact must be repeated frequently because it is so unlike what
children know of themselves and of others.
Man
Man is a sinner. He needs God and is helpless to save himself.
Man cannot please God by anything he can do. Only the grace of God can save
him.
God has given man everything he has — his life and all the things which keep
his life going. Man’s helplessness in his everyday life is used in the Scripture to
show man’s spiritual helplessness and the need of God’s gracious provision for
deliverance.
Man can come to God only according to God’s will and plan.
Because God is holy and supreme, He alone determines the way man can come
to Him and be saved. It must be done God’s way, through Jesus Christ. “For the
Son of man is come to save that which was lost” (Matthew 18:11). “Jesus saith
unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me” (John 14:6).
Man must have faith in order to please God and be saved.
Satan
Satan fights against God and His will. Satan is a liar and a deceiver. He
hates man.
Satan (originally Lucifer) and his angels were created by God and, therefore,
are dependent on and subject to His authority. They are enemies of God and
man. They can never be satisfied. Satan uses his angels and sinful man to try to
establish his own kingdom and to try to destroy the kingdom of God.
Even though Satan and his demons are not often mentioned in the Old Testament, it is good to remind our clubbers of the continual presence and influence
of these spiritual enemies in the history of the world. We know from the New
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Testament that Satan is the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), so we know he
is always present to tempt and guide men in their opposition to God and His
will.
However, God will always triumph over every attempt of Satan to destroy God’s
plans to bless His people and bring salvation to mankind.
Children need to learn from God’s Word in order to recognize the enemy and to
know the way he works. Children are continually attacked by evil. You may be
amazed at how much they have seen and heard — and how relieved they are to
know the source of evil — and TO KNOW THAT GOD IS STRONGER THAN ALL!
Jesus Christ
(New Testament only)
Jesus Christ is presented in fulfillment of prophecy — fully God and fully man — the only
Savior.
You and the clubbers you teach can enjoy studying about Jesus Christ, the promised
Deliverer!
1. Jesus Christ is God.
2. Jesus Christ is man.
3. Jesus Christ is holy and righteous.
4. Jesus Christ is the only Savior.
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Teacher’s Guide
Part 2
How
to Use These
Lessons
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How to Use
These
Lessons
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Guidelines for the Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is the TruthSeekers Teacher’s Guide? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is the most important truth of all? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Grace, not works! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Adapting the lessons for different age groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Know your clubbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
God has the answers to the real-life needs of children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
He is a personal God whom the Clubbers can know through faith
in Jesus Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What about discipline? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What does the teacher need to teach these lessons? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Be prepared! Keep to the lesson plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When shall I present the gospel? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Make your lessons interesting! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Be patient. Don’t rush these important biblical truths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
There is so much information! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What about new clubbers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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How to Lead a Child to Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Presentation of the gospel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Do your clubbers understand the gospel message? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What must a child understand to be saved? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What must a child do to be saved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Confusing Invitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A child should know: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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How to Prepare Your Lessons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lesson Aims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Visuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Posters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chronological Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chronological Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Let’s Look in the Bible” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Verse Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Let’s Think It Through” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Lessons from God’s Word” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Rewind” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Questions and Answers for “Lessons from God’s Word” . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Guidelines for the
Teacher
What is the Teacher’s
Guide?
Welcome to Awana TruthSeekers, an exciting weekly club program for children
of various ages. The Teacher’s Guide contains instructions to help you teach the
Awana Cards during Council Time.
What is the most
important truth of
all?
Many things may come to mind, but one thing is the most important. In John
17:3, Jesus says, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
Almighty God desires that everyone in the world know Him. These lessons
present God’s story — the one thing we must teach children!
Children need to know God’s truth. They need to have each truth presented as
part of a firm, biblical foundation. The lesson outline follows a clear, chronological, pattern. This will help your clubbers to see the foundation being built and to
remember what they are being taught.
The purpose of these lessons is:
To present to children the nature and character of God and His plan of
salvation through His Son Jesus, as He has progressively revealed these
truths to us through His Word, the Bible.
Grace, not works!
These lessons present salvation by grace. At this time, there is no discussion
of sanctification, the works that God desires to do in and through the believer;
that will come later.
Many of the Bible passages referred to have many examples of how God used
believers to do His good works. But this course emphasizes only those
themes that are foundational to salvation.
You may miss some of your favorite children’s Bible stories in these lessons.
But you will find that what is included here will give a firm foundation for the
salvation provided by Jesus Christ on the cross. Later on your favorite stories
can be understood in the context of God’s grace.
All the clubbers in your club who are believers will also benefit from seeing the
plan of their salvation presented clearly—a salvation dependent upon God’s
mercy and grace and not upon their own good works. God does amazing good
works through those of His children who understand that their salvation and their
Christian walk are of His grace and not of self.
God is the central figure in every lesson. You are not teaching “what Noah did”
but what God did to save Noah. Be careful to keep this God-centered emphasis. Instead of learning to be “performers” and “doers,” the children will be
learning to know their Creator and Savior God, who alone can save them. Then
He will perform through them the good works He created them to do!
Adapting the lessons
for different age
groups
These lessons are especially written for children of reading age. However,
though nonreaders will not understand the written visuals, they will enjoy the
pictures and learn from the skits and oral lessons. The nonreaders will need
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help with the written part of the Awana Cards.
A teacher who knows his clubbers’ needs can use these lessons for many
different age groups. It is important, though, that you stick to the outline! Look
at the “Aims” for each lesson to help you stay with the lesson plan. Decide
how you can best teach these biblical truths to the clubbers. Use words and
examples that are understandable for the age of the clubbers you are teaching.
To make sure the clubbers are understanding what you are teaching, keep
asking them questions so you can hear from them what they think you are
teaching. Do not leave out any of the biblical truths because you do not think the
clubbers can understand them yet. Sometimes children can understand more
than we think they can.
Know your clubbers
Jesus knew and cared about people. When He taught, He was able to speak in
a way that the people understood. He used examples that were clear to the
people listening to Him. Jesus, the master teacher, is our example. Just as He
knew the people He taught, we should also know our clubbers.
It is very important that you allow the Lord to love your clubbers through you. Be
concerned for each clubber. Pray for your clubbers; visit them in their homes.
Learn about their families, friends, school, and the things they like to do. Learn
about their needs. If you do not have a lot of time to spend with clubbers
individually, do what you can, and make certain they know you love them.
Some clubbers may come from homes where the parents have had false
teachings. Be very careful to listen to what each clubber is saying. Don’t expect
them to agree with what you are teaching. Do not condemn them if they present
false doctrine. Just show them that this statement does not agree with the Bible.
Remind them that the Bible is the final authority on all truth. Encourage them to
respect their parents, but to acknowledge the authority of God’s Word. God’s
Word will do the work in their hearts!
Here on earth, you may never see what God has done with His Word in the
lives of the clubbers He has given to you to teach. But you will be rejoicing for
all eternity with each one who heard the truth and believed!
God has the answers
to the real-life needs
of children
Children today face very difficult and serious problems. They are seeking
answers and help — and are looking in the wrong places. We have opportunity
to teach them to know who God is and what He is like and to show them God’s
grace. We have the privilege of showing them that He has made a way for them
to have forgiveness of sins and eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ.
God did not intend children to bear the worries and hurts that come to them
when their parents or family line fight against each other. Nor did God intend for
children to see and hear the ungodliness that is often shown on television and
videos. Some children are watching these programs day after day. For many
children around the world this is all a very real part of their lives. They need
help. They need answers. They need the truth to know what is the cause of the
evil they see all around them.
Their greatest need is a personal relationship to God through His Son and to
know that He, the great Almighty God, is stronger than the Enemy! Most children
listen with relief as they hear the truth from God’s Word. They are relieved to
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know that God knows about the hard things of life and has made a way for us to
overcome Satan, sin, and death.
These lessons present truth in its biblical context. They stress the character and
attributes of God, presenting God at work in the lives of real people down through
history. These lessons show that this is the God who is at work all around us
today. God is eternally holy, all powerful, righteous, and loving; He is a personal
God whom the children can know through faith in Jesus Christ.
He is a personal God
whom the children
can know through
faith in Jesus Christ.
What about
discipline?
We live in a society that allows, and many times encourages, disrespect. Those
attitudes can come to club with your clubbers. Big and small groups of clubbers
can have problems with disrespect.
What should a teacher do when they have clubbers who disrespect them? This is
why it is important that you know your clubbers. You will be able to consider the
following ideas: Is the clubber always disrespectful, or is he just copying some
other clubbers? If he is copying other clubbers, a quick correction at the moment
and a gentle talk with the clubber after the meeting may correct the problem. Be
certain the clubber knows that you care about him.
But if the child is always disrespectful, there may be problems at home. Pray for
that child. If correcting him at the moment, and talking to him after the meeting,
does not help, then it may be helpful to talk with his parents. (Read about using
Awana’s “five-count” and “three-count” method of discipline in the Discipline
section of the TruthSeekers Training Manual.) If you talk with the parents, always
be friendly and do not be surprised if they are not happy to hear what you have to
say. Keep praying. The Word you are teaching is powerful. God is able to show
clubbers their needs and to change their lives. Don’t give up. Always discipline
when needed.
Encourage the clubbers to listen and use their Bibles. Other club leaders should
be sitting with the clubbers while you are teaching the lesson in order to stop the
misbehavior when it happens. These leaders can deal with this by tapping a
shoulder or quietly talking to a misbehaving clubber. If needed, they can sit
between two clubbers. For more helpful ideas on working with discipline problems see the section on discipline in the TruthSeekers Training Manual.
What does the
teacher need to
teach these lessons?
The Bible will be your text. God’s Word is the authority and source for these
lessons. By reading the truths being taught straight from the Bible, the clubbers
will be learning that the Bible is the source of all truth.
We strongly recommend you use the set of maps, charts, visuals, and chronological pictures made available by New Tribes Mission. These visuals were
made to accompany their chronological teaching lessons in Firm Foundations:
Creation to Christ. For those who choose this option, we will list which visual to
use with each lesson and where in the lesson to present it.
The stories on the Awana Cards can be used with puppets, or they can be
acted out as a drama. There are puppet patterns available for you to make your
own puppets.
Be prepared! Keep to
the lesson plan.
Each lesson builds on the foundation laid in previous lessons. Therefore, it is
very important that all of the lessons are taught completely. Do not skip any of
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the lessons. It is necessary that you, as the teacher, understand why you are
using the chronological teaching method. (See Part 1, Foundations for the
Gospel.) The best way to teach these lessons would be to have one teacher or
a team of two teachers teach the whole year.
It is important that teachers begin preparing these lessons several weeks
before the Awana Club year begins. They will want to be familiar with the first
several lessons. Then they will know what the lessons are going to be about
before they begin teaching. As they teach the lessons, they should keep
looking ahead so they can make certain they are following the chronological
teaching plan.
If you are teaching as a team, be sure that both of you are familiar with all the
lesson material. A teaching partner can share in the following: teaching the
“Lessons from God’s Word,” helping present the story, asking the two sets of
questions, helping with visuals, teaching the memory verse, or filling in for each
other if one of you is unable to attend a session. You may want to have some of
the other Awana leaders help teach the memory verse. If you have Awana
leaders help you, you will want to give them the Teacher’s Lesson Helps for that
lesson ahead of time, so they can be prepared.
When shall I
present the gospel?
Present the gospel anytime you find a child who has a heart prepared to
receive the truth!
These lessons build to an exciting presentation of the gospel, carefully laid on a
firm foundation of Old and New Testament truth. But this is not the only appropriate time to share the gospel. Your clubbers may come from many different
backgrounds and may have had different kinds and amounts of teaching. Only
by prayer and dependence upon the Holy Spirit can we know when the
appropriate time is to present the gospel. Some clubbers may be ready far
ahead of the others in the group.
God has given us the job of sharing His saving truth. We are responsible to
deliver it clearly. The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to prepare hearts. When God
has prepared a heart, the truth will take root. The new birth is from God, not us.
What is important is that the clubber understand that he is a sinner, totally unable
to save himself. He must trust only in Jesus Christ who died on the cross to
save him from the penalty of sin, Satan, and death.
As a usual rule, follow the outline and cover each biblical truth. Present the
gospel when there is a clear understanding of who God is, what man’s fallen
condition is, and his need for a savior. Do not miss a God-given opportunity to
share the truth anytime, anywhere, or with anyone. See “How to Lead a Child to
Christ” at the end of this section (“Guidelines for the Teacher”).
Make your lessons
interesting!
We have the greatest story in the world to tell. It is about the One who is greater
and more wonderful than all! We should never have a boring lesson.
Ask your clubbers questions while you teach the lesson. Their participation will
be a great help in keeping their interest.
Use your face, hands, and voice to make your lesson interesting. For example,
when you are teaching about how the sinful people made fun of Noah when he
was building the ark, you could act out the way some children make fun of other
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children who are obedient and follow the rules. This will help children understand what you are trying to teach. Review continually as you teach. Questioning
the children as you go is the best way to know if they are understanding you.
Most of all, know the material you are teaching before you teach it. Pray, study,
and think about what you are studying. Trust God to open the minds and hearts
of your students. What a privilege we have to teach His Word!
Be patient. Don’t
rush these
important biblical
truths.
Some teachers, in their excitement to be good teachers, fill their lessons with
many unnecessary examples. Some interesting examples should be added to
make the lessons interesting and clear. But the examples should never take up
most of the time, so that the biblical truths important to this lesson are left out, or
rushed through.
Take your time in teaching. Be certain you are clearly teaching what the Bible
says. Do not be concerned that you cannot teach everything at once.
The weekly aims for each lesson are made to help teach the clubbers little by
little, step by step, toward the long-term aims. Do not let your clubbers get you
talking about subjects or details which you should not teach yet. Every lesson
should move the clubbers forward yet another step in their understanding of the
complete story in the Bible about the Deliverer or Redeemer and their understanding of doctrinal truth.
There is so much
information!
You may think there is too much information to teach in 15 minutes. Some
lessons will have a lot more information to teach than others. It is very important
that you teach all the information that is included in the Awana Cards. This
information will be highlighted in gray on the “Teacher’s Lesson Helps” page for
that lesson. Be certain you know these truths well so that you can teach them
clearly to the clubbers. However, be prepared to teach all of the information on
the “Teacher’s Lesson Helps” pages. You will be able to answer questions the
clubbers may have that are not included in the Awana Cards. Sometimes there
will be material included in the “Teacher’s Lesson Helps” that are more interesting
to older clubbers.
You may decide to continue the lesson in Sunday School. In most lessons, there
is enough material to teach on the same subject another time. Clubbers who
missed the lesson in TruthSeekers Club would be able to hear the biblical truths
when you review them in Sunday School. You could give the clubber the Awana
Card so that he could learn the verse, fill out the card, and bring it to the next
TruthSeekers Club meeting.
What about new
clubbers?
We are always excited to see new clubbers attend our meetings. But how do
you help that new clubber understand today’s lesson when he has missed all
the previous foundational truths?
A teacher must prayerfully think about what to do in total dependence upon the
guidance of the Holy Spirit. Some things which may help you know what to do
are the number of clubbers in your class, the subject of the day’s lesson, and
how much reviewing would help the other clubbers in the group. You don’t
usually know how much the new clubber knows about the Bible. Reviewing the
previous important biblical truths is usually good for everyone in the group. You
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might want the clubbers to help with the review, using the color pictures as a
visual. How much review you can do will depend on how much time you have.
But if today’s lesson is long and you do not have enough time to review, then try the
following suggestions:
1. Meet with those clubbers individually at another time.
2. Encourage them to attend Sunday school, if you review lessons there.
3. Encourage other children to assist them by reviewing the materials with them.
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How to Lead a Child to
Christ
Presentation of the
gospel
As with all mankind, a child’s greatest need is to hear, understand, and respond
to the pure Word of God. God’s power is shown in His Word. It was through His
Word that the Almighty God brought order out of disorder and confusion, light
out of darkness, and life to a lifeless world. And it is by His Word that the Lord
exposes the wickedness of the human heart, brings life to the dead spirit of
man, delivers (sets free) Satan’s captives, and gives sight to the spiritually blind
(Isaiah 55:10-11; Luke 4:18; John 8:32; I Peter 1:23-25).
We must present the gospel in such a way that unsaved children understand
that they deserve only God’s judgment, that salvation is completely God’s work,
and that sinners are unable to contribute anything (works) towards their own
salvation.
As Christians, it is our responsibility to teach God’s Word in total dependence
upon the Holy Spirit. No amount of human wisdom, skill, or high pressure
evangelistic methods can hasten the work of the Holy Spirit and the conversion
of a soul. It is not our responsibility to determine or try to force the time of the
new birth. We are to faithfully teach what has been committed to us and leave
the work of transformation (conversion) to the Lord.
Do your clubbers
understand the
gospel message?
Do your clubbers have a basic understanding of God and His nature and
character? Cultures and people are different. As already mentioned, some of
your clubbers may come from backgrounds of unclear or false teaching. As a
leader, you should know the culture and religious backgrounds of your clubbers. With this knowledge, and by questioning your clubbers about their
understanding and beliefs about God and His Word, you will be able to know if
they truly understand the gospel. It would be important for a child to know
enough about God’s attributes to know and accept as true:
• He is the One and only true God (God the Father).
Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee,
neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard
with our ears. 2 Samuel 7:22
• He is holy and sinless.
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art
holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. Revelation 15:4
• Because God is the creator/owner of man, He has the right to demand
obedience from man.
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we
ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3
• God is eternal, although it is impossible for us to completely understand
how long everlasting is.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the
earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Psalm 90:2
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Fuller understanding of many biblical truths comes through years of studying the
Scriptures.
Do your clubbers have a basic understanding of sin and their sin nature?
• All have sinned before God.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind,
have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6
• The penalty of sin is death in hell, separation from God forever.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
• There is nothing that we can do that will persuade God to give us eternal
life. Therefore, being good is not the way we get to heaven.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the
Holy Ghost. Titus 3:5
Do your clubbers have a basic understanding of Jesus and what He did on
the cross? A child should believe:
• Jesus is God (Son of God), therefore He has the same attributes as God
the Father.
I and my Father are one. John 10:30
• Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, rose again,
and is in heaven.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was
buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
• Jesus died in our place because of His great love for us.
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.
John 3:16
What must a child
understand to be
saved?
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Not all children will be able to recite all of God’s attributes. So how many of the
above truths about God does a child have to understand to be saved? The
Bible doesn’t say. A child comes to Christ as a result of the conviction of the
Holy Spirit, not a certain amount of knowledge. However, the person presenting
the gospel has a responsibility to help the clubber clearly comprehend the truth.
Therefore, focus on the simple facts recorded in 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul
describes the gospel:
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto
you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also
ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye
have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to
What must a child do
to be saved?
Confusing
Invitations
A Child should know:
the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
If a clubber has a clear understanding of the above truths, then:
• The clubber must trust in Jesus and His death on the cross to pay for his
or her sins and accept God’s free gift of salvation.
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house. Acts 16:31
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12
We distort and confuse the gospel in people’s understanding when we try to
present the gospel using statements which make people think of what they must
DO rather than what God has DONE for them through Christ. We should use
words which direct repentant sinners to trust in what has been done FOR THEM
through Christ, rather than directing their attention to what must be done IN
THEM.
“Accept Jesus into your heart.” “Give your heart to Jesus.” “Give your life to
Jesus.” “Open the door of your heart to the Lord.” “Ask Jesus to wash away your
sins.” “Make your decision for Christ.” “Ask Jesus to give you eternal life.” “Ask
God to save you.” “Will you make Christ the Lord of your life?” “Will you repent of
your sins and be saved?” “Will you confess your sins and ask the Lord to forgive
you?” “Will you surrender your life to Christ?” These modern and commonly used
phrases confuse people’s understanding of the gospel. If people’s thoughts are
directed inward to their own doing, even those who are truly saved will often lack
assurance of salvation. The question will constantly arise within themselves, “Was
I sincere enough? Did I do it correctly? Did I truly receive Christ? Did I really give
my heart to Jesus?”
Make sure children know
The bad news about sin:
• They are sinners.
• The punishment of sin is death.
• The punishment of sin must be paid.
The good news about Jesus:
• Jesus is God.
• Jesus loves us.
• Jesus took our punishment in our place by dying on the
cross.
• Jesus rose again.
What they must do:
• Put their whole trust in what Jesus Christ did on the cross
to pay the punishment for their sins.
27
How to Prepare Your
Lessons
Lesson Aims
Visuals
Chronological Charts
Chronological Maps
28
These lessons are written to be used along with your Bible. The clubbers will
use their Bibles during Council Time and the Awana Cards during Team Time.
This section is to be used to see what biblical truths will be taught in that day’s
lesson. If you looked at all of the “Aims” in the first year’s lessons, you would
see what stories you will be teaching during the club year.
If someone is teaching for you, suggest that he reads the “Aims” of the lessons
before and after the lesson he will teach. This will help him know what has been
taught the week before and what will be taught the next week. It will also help
the teachers not to teach next week’s lesson.
The “Aims” will help you keep your own teaching straight. Remember that you
are building one biblical truth upon another. Don’t leave any holes in the foundations. The Aims will help you check the foundations as you lay them.
We strongly recommend you use the colorful set of maps, charts, visuals, and
chronological pictures made available by New Tribes Mission. These visuals
were made to accompany their chronological teaching lessons in Children’s
Edition, Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ, from which these lessons were
adapted. Or you may purchase the Awana TruthSeekers Teacher’s Guide Visuals
book. The visuals and chronological Bible pictures in this spiral bound book
are only available in black and white. We will list which visual to use with each
lesson and where in the lesson to present it. When the suggested visual is to
be used in the lesson, it will have an arrow ⇒ in front of the name of the visual.
Visuals shown in the lessons are enlarged and printed in the back of the book.
Besides helping the clubbers better understand the biblical truths, these visuals
will help keep their attention.
This chart available through New Tribes Mission is in three sections. It lists many
of the Bible stories and characters you will be teaching during the year. There
will also be some extra lists: lists of judges, kings, and prophets. You will not
mention each of these individually, but it will give the clubbers an idea of how
much time passed during the various events you are teaching in these lessons.
The line of the Deliverer is shown in boxes outlined in red. Note: The genealogies are confusing; avoid getting in a discussion on these. The note to the right
hand of the genealogy is enough. As noted, the genealogy in Luke is Mary’s
and the one in Matthew is Joseph’s. Matthew traces the royal line of David;
Luke probably traces the blood line through another son of David.
The chart is made so that you can teach from Section 1 until you reach the story
of Abraham. Then tape Section 2 to Section 1. Section 3 will not be used during
the first year of lessons.
The three Chronological Maps available from New Tribes Mission include the
locations mentioned in these lessons. You may want to put these on the wall.
Story
“Let’s Look in the
Bible”
Memory Verse Games
The story on the first page of each Awana Card is written to help the clubbers
understand the biblical truths being taught in that day’s lesson. Some stories will
have one or more biblical truths mentioned, and some will just help make
important foundational truths clear.
The stories may vary slightly according to your location and the translation you
are using, so some of these ideas presented may not apply to your clubbers.
However, the biblical truths will not vary; they must be presented as written.
The stories can be done with puppets, as a skit, or told as a story. If you do the
story as a skit, always use an adult for Uncle Peter’s part. The children need an
authority person. (If needed, a lady may read Uncle Peter’s part.) It is important
that this part be read clearly, as many truths are spoken through him.
The memory verses present God’s character and attributes and support the
truths taught in each lesson. Explain the verses. Definitions of difficult or unfamiliar words are given with some verses. Use the definitions to help teach the
meaning of the verses.
Help your clubbers learn the memory verse. Clubbers should always try to
learn to say the verse perfect, without any helps. They may have two helps, if
needed. Most clubbers should learn the verse during this time. Some may
have to continue memorizing the verse when the clubbers break up into their
team groups.
Following are some games you can use to help teach your clubbers the
memory verse.
Note: In most of the memory verse games, the clubbers will need to recite the
verse together several times before playing the game.
Missing word. Write the words of the verse on the chalkboard. Have the
clubbers read it. Erase one word and have them repeat the verse, filling in the
missing word. Then erase another word and repeat until they are saying the
whole verse from memory.
Missing word 2. Write the words of the verse on pieces of paper. Have clubbers hold up the pieces of paper in front of the group. Have all clubbers read it.
Have clubbers take turns pointing out which word to hide. All clubbers recite the
verse each time a word is hidden, filling in the missing words. Clubbers repeat
the verse until they are reciting the whole verse from memory.
Beat the clock. Write two or three words from the verse on pieces of paper.
Example:
All Scripture
is given
by inspiration
of God. . .
2 Timothy 3:16
Divide the clubbers into teams. You may need to divide your teams into smaller
groups. Mix the papers up. Give each member of a team, or group, a paper.
Have the clubbers stand and hold up their papers in the correct order. See how
long it takes. Then give the papers to the next group and see if they can do it
faster. If it is a long verse you may choose to give each group a set of papers
29
with the verse phrases on it. The teams or groups see who can get the verse in
the correct order first.
Start and stop game. After the clubbers have recited the verse several times,
the leader starts reciting the memory verse. The leader stops after a few words
and chooses a clubber to give the next word or phrase. This continues until the
verse is finished. The leader may ask the clubber to recite the rest of the verse.
Puzzle. Before club, the leader writes the verse on a large piece of paper. The
paper is cut into a puzzle, with one word on each puzzle piece. Clubbers put the
puzzle together. This makes a good memory game for holidays. Cut the puzzle
shape into something that would remind the clubbers of the holiday (Christmastree, Easter-cross).
Back-and-forth game. This game can be used with clubber and leader, clubber
and clubber, or with the whole group. Send the words of a verse back and forth.
The leader says the reference to the verse and the first word. The clubbers say
the second word, you say the third word, the clubbers say the fourth word. This
continues until the verse is finished.
Popcorn. After reading the verse through three times, start reciting the verse; but
stop after two or three words. The group pops up and says the next word. Then
the leader says a few more words, and the group pops down while saying the
next word. Continue through the verse several times.
“Let’s Think It
Through”
These questions in the Awana Card are written so that you can talk about some
of the biblical truths in the story or verse. Clubbers will be answering these
questions in their team groups. It may be necessary for the team leaders to
read the questions orally, as some of the clubbers may not be able to read the
questions. Make certain each clubber understands the question and what the
correct answer is. Make this a fun discussion time, not a test.
“Lessons from God’s
Word”
You will be laying a biblical foundation on which the gospel will later be presented. Each lesson builds on previous lessons, so be certain to cover each
point carefully. Be certain to discuss all the biblical truths written in the “Lessons
from God’s Word” section of the Awana Card. In the “Teachers’ Lesson Helps”
the information included in the Awana Card lesson or story will be shaded.
Use your Bible when teaching these lessons. Encourage all clubbers who have
Bibles to bring them to club.
Some lessons contain several examples which may or may not be appropriate
for your clubbers. These examples are for you to use if you think it will help
your clubbers have a better understanding of what you are teaching. If you
choose to use other examples that will be a better help to your clubbers, be
certain they help make the teaching clear and do not contradict the Bible.
When notes, visuals, and Scriptures to be read are on the left section of the
page, they are to be used with the information directly to its right. Notes in either
column are extra material for the teacher to share with the clubbers. However, if
the notes are in italics, the information is for the teacher only.
Read - When you see this picture, it means that this is extra Scripture
which is to be read aloud. These Scriptures, and the Scriptures that go along
30
with the stories, may be read by you, the teacher, or you may want some of the
clubbers to read them aloud. Be certain the clubbers know how to read before
asking them.
Sometimes, a Scripture is written out next to the picture
Read, and part of
the Scripture is in dark letters. This is done to show which part of the verse you
are talking about. Usually, you will find a note, telling you not to discuss the rest
of the verse, as you will want to keep to the subject you are talking about in that
day’s lesson.
“Rewind”
This activity on the last page of the Awana Card helps the clubbers remember
something they have learned from the memory verse or some biblical truths
from the lesson. You, as the teacher, will want to make certain you are discussing the biblical truths that are in each activity. The answers to these activities are
in the “Rewind” section of the “Teacher’s Lesson Helps” for each Awana Card.
Clubbers who can not read will need help with this section.
Questions and
Answers for
“Lessons from God’s
Word”
These questions are asked, along with the “Let’s Think It Through” questions, at
the end of club. The questions are written to help the teacher and the clubber
see if the message of the lesson has been clearly taught. The questions will
also be a review of what was taught before going home. These are not discussion questions. The answers should have been clearly given during the lesson.
You, as the teacher, will want to make certain you have talked about the biblical
truths from which these questions have been taken.
Review
Frequently review Parts 1 and 2 of this manual. Not only will it help you stay with
the lesson plan, but these sections can help you with any concerns or questions that may come up as you teach.
31
Teacher’s Guide
Part 3
Teacher’s Lesson Helps
Lessons 1 - 66
32
TruthSeekers Lessons
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
The Bible is God’s Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
God Alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
God’s Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
The Rebellious Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Something From Nothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
God Created Everything . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
God Created Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
The Garden of Eden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
God Made Eve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Questions, Questions, Questions! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Adam and Eve Disobeyed God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
God’s Promise and Curse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
God’s Provision and Judgement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Cain and Abel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
God Judges the Whole World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
God Remembers Noah After the Flood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
God Calls Abram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Abram Obeys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
God’s Promises to Abram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
God Destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
God Gave Isaac to Abraham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Isaac’s Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
God’s Promise to Jacob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Jacob’s Son Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Israel Goes to Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
The Israelites Become Slaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
God Called Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
God Sent Plagues on Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
God Passed Over Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
God Delivers Israel at the Red Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Questions, Questions, Questions! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
TruthSeekers Lessons Continued
34. Let’s Hear it Again! ........................................................................... 109
35. God Provided for Israel ................................................................... 113
36. God’s Promise to Israel .................................................................. 115
37. The Ten Commandments ................................................................ 117
38. The Tabernacle ................................................................................. 121
39. Israel’s Unbelief ............................................................................... 125
40. Israel in the Promise Land .............................................................. 127
41. God Prepares the Way for the Deliverer ....................................... 129
42. Questions, Questions, Questions! .................................................. 131
43. God’s Plans for John and Jesus .................................................... 133
44. God Sends the Deliverer ................................................................ 135
45. Jesus is Baptized ............................................................................ 137
46. Jesus Rebuked Satan ..................................................................... 139
47. Jesus Begins His Work ................................................................... 141
48. You Must Be Born Again ................................................................. 143
49. Religious Leaders Reject Jesus .................................................... 145
50. Jesus Chooses Twelve Disciples .................................................. 147
51. Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man ........................................ 149
52. Jesus Fed Five Thousand People ................................................ 151
54. It Must Be God’s Way ...................................................................... 155
55. Jesus Was Transfigured .................................................................. 157
56. Jesus is the Door to Eternal Life .................................................... 159
57. Jesus Raised Lazarus from the Dead ............................................ 161
58. The Rich Young Ruler ...................................................................... 163
59. Heaven or Hell? ............................................................................... 165
60. Jesus Was Betrayed ....................................................................... 167
61. Jesus Was Arrested ........................................................................ 169
62. Jesus Was Crucified ........................................................................ 171
63. Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension ............................................... 175
64. The Meaning of Christ’s Death - 1 ................................................... 177
65. The Meaning of Christ’s Death - 2 ................................................... 179
Optional Lesson Plans .......................................................................... 183
34
The Bible Is God’s Word
Story
Aim
This lesson will introduce the Bible to your clubbers.
Our goal is to present the Bible as God’s Word —
true, without error, and effective. It is important that
the clubbers understand where the Bible came
from, its authority, and that there is no other book
like it.
Visuals
You May use the set of maps, charts, visuals,
and chronological pictures made available by
New Tribes Mission, which were made to
accompany their chronological teaching
lessons in Firm Foundations: Creation to
Christ, or you may use the Awana
TruthSeekers Teacher’s Guide Visuals book.
We will list which visual to use with each
lesson and where in the lesson to present it.
Today’s story is written to help clubbers understand the biblical truths being taught in
today’s lesson. Some stories will have one or more biblical truths mentioned, and some will
just help make important foundational truths clear.
The stories may vary slightly according to your location and the translation you are
using, so some of these ideas presented may not apply to your clubbers. However, the
biblical truths will not vary; they must be presented as written.
Since there is no introduction to this story in the Awana Card, you will need to explain
the setting to the clubbers. This story about Jon, his sister, Carol, and their Uncle Peter
will continue each week. In some translations, Uncle Peter moved into a house next
door to Jon and Carol, and in other translations he built his home next door to them.
According to your culture, explain to the clubbers what Uncle Peter’s relationship to Jon
and Carol’s family is and that Uncle Peter has been living somewhere else (city, village,
etc.) for several years. While he was away, he learned about the true God, and he wants
to tell his family (line) about Him too.
• Chronological Picture 1,
“God’s Word Written”
• Chronological Map 1
• Poster 1, “Learning About God”
This poster is in two sections. You will use only the
first section in today’s lesson. You will use this
poster for every lesson. You may cover all the
attributes of God with separate strips of paper and
reveal each one when it is first introduced. (On
each strip of paper mark which attribute is
underneath in small penciled letters.) In this lesson,
only one attribute is stressed, “God communicates with man.” (Other attributes of God are
mentioned in this lesson, but will be introduced
again in later lessons.)
Memory
Verse
Let’s Look in the Bible
2 Timothy
3:16
2 Timothy 3:16 — All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God …
Help your clubbers to find this verse and, if there is
time, every verse that will be read. Take time to
explain the verse using the definitions given with the verse before you help the clubbers
memorize the verse. See the “How to Prepare Your Lessons” section for ideas on how to
teach the verse to your clubbers.
Let’s Think It Through
Answers
1. C 2. Bible
3. B
4. A
5. Us, All People
Lessons from God’s Word
You will be laying a biblical foundation on which the gospel will be presented. Each lesson
builds on previous lessons, so be sure to cover each point carefully.
Be sure and discuss all the biblical truths written in the “Lessons from God’s Word” section of
the Awana Card. In the following teacher’s helps, the information included in the lesson or the
story will be shaded.
Use your Bible when teaching these lessons. Encourage all clubbers who have Bibles to
bring them to club. Since today’s lesson is about the Bible, show them the parts of the Bible
and how it is used.
•
•
•
•
•
Table of Contents
Old Testament
New Testament
Chapters
Verse numbers
35
Be sure the following important truths are explained clearly:
⇒ Poster 1, “Learning About God.” Point to “God
communicates with man.”
Read - 2 Peter 1:20-21.
Read - 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God …”
⇒ Suggested Visual, Chronological Picture 1,
“God’s Word Written.”
This picture shows a prophet writing down the
message given him by God. The prophet is writing
on a scroll — a roll of parchment or leather on
which text was written in ink. In those days, scrolls
were used instead of paper. The scroll could be
rolled up and stored, just like we keep a book on the
shelf. No other book in the world was written this
way — God used people, controlling exactly what
they wrote.
1. The Bible is God’s Word.
• The Bible is the most important book in the whole world because it is the Word of God.
• God is greater than all and more important than all; He is the highest authority.
– Explain authority: the right to decide or judge; a right that gives power; a reliable
source of information.
• God communicates with man.
– Explain communicate: to make thoughts or feelings known to someone. God tells us
what we need to know.
– The Bible is not men’s ideas, but God’s own Word. God is the author of the Bible.
– God used more than 40 men to write down His Words.
– God caused these prophets (someone who speaks or writes messages from God) to
write exactly what He wanted them to write. Sometimes He spoke out loud.
- Sometimes He spoke to them in visions (dreams).
- Sometimes He just put the message directly into their minds.
• The Bible was not written all at once — it took 1,600 years for all of the Bible to be
written down.
– The Bible fits together as one Book, even though God used over 40 men and took
over 1,600 years to write it. The Bible has one author — God!
2. The Bible is God’s message to the world, which He gave through the Jewish
people.
• All but one of the men whom God used to write His Word were Jewish.
• God gave His message through the Jewish people, but His message is for the whole
world.
In Isaiah 45:22 God says, “Look unto me … all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and
there is none else.”
⇒ Chronological Map 1, Mideast, Israel.
On the map show the clubbers where the Jewish
men lived. Point out to them the Mediterranean Sea
and Israel. Compare this to where the clubbers live.
⇒ Give clubbers their “Awana Cards” and have
them look inside at the picture of the scrolls. The
clubbers can look at the picture while you are
talking about it.
3. The Whole Bible has been passed down to us without error.
• Copying the Bible was done very carefully, so no mistakes would be made.
• The original books of the Bible were written in either the Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek
languages. Not all people could read these languages.
• For hundreds of years, only a few people were able to have copies of the Bible.
Through many years, God gave men the ability to translate the Bible into different
languages. The Bible has been translated into more languages than any other book.
God does not change. God’s Word will not change. God made sure no one changed His
Word when they translated it. The Bible truly is the Word of God!
For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89
• Every Word of the Bible is true!
• The Bible is a true history book. Over the years, many pieces of ancient information
Rewind
See memory verse.
Questions and Answers for
“Lessons from God’s Word.”
1. God spoke His Word to men who were called
what? Jewish men or prophets.
2. Where did these men come from? Israel.
3. What is the name of the book that is God’s
Word? The Bible.
4. In today’s lesson, whom does the Bible tell
us about? God.
5. What is the greatest of all books? The Bible.
36
have been found that agree with what is written in the Bible — information such as exact
locations of cities, towns and buildings, how people lived, names, and dates.
4. The Bible is God’s personal message to each of us; it is the most important
message we will ever be given.
• The Bible tells us about God.
• The Bible tells us what God thinks of us and what He sees as our greatest need.
• The Bible tells us how our greatest need was met.
God Alone
Story
Aim
This lesson will begin to help your clubbers
understand the truth of God’s sovereignty by
showing that God existed alone before all things
and He does not need anything or anyone else
in order to exist. You will also briefly introduce
the Trinity. In presenting His sovereignty, you
will be introducing several characteristics and
attributes of God: He is eternal and present
everywhere; He is Spirit; He is a Trinity.
Visuals
• Poster 2, “God Is Greater Than All”
On this poster the statements about man are
read without comment. They are just there
to show God’s greatness.
NOTE: Each of the eight numbered
characteristics of God in this lesson is
represented on the “God Is Greater Than
All” poster. As you present a new
characteristic of God, point to the poster and
read the corresponding characteristic.
This poster is in two sections. You will use
only the first section in today’s lesson. You
will use this poster for every lesson. In this
lesson, three attributes are stressed, “God
had no beginning, and He will never
end — He is eternal,” “God is everywhere all the time; He knows everything”; and “God is greater than all and
more important than all; He is the
highest authority.”
In today’s story, Jon and Carol learned that God is not like us. He is so much greater
than anyone can imagine. We can know a lot about Him by studying His Word, the Bible.
God wants us to know Him. In your first lesson, you said that God is the One who gave
us the Bible. The Bible is a book of true history — history as God caused it to happen.
You will study what He has said about Himself in His Word. Of all the things we can
study, learning about God is the very best! Jeremiah 9:23-24 tells us that knowing God is
the most important thing we can do.
- How great is God?
- How important is He?
- Did He have a beginning?
- Will He have an end?
- Where did He come from?
- What does God need?
Let’s open our Bibles and see how God answers these questions in His Word.
Memory
Verse
Psalm
90:2
Psalm 90:2 — Before the mountains were
brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the
earth and the world, even from everlasting to
everlasting, Thou art God.
Help your clubbers find this verse; read it, and then explain the verse using the
definition, everlasting. It is important that the clubbers understand that only God is
eternal. All else has a beginning. This will help them understand why God, being the
only one there before the beginning, is the only One who can tell us what happened in
the beginning.
There never was a time when God did not exist.
- He did not have a beginning.
- He was not created.
- He has always been alive.
- He has always been and will always be the same.
- There never will be a time when God does not exist.
- God can never die — He is forever!
Answers
1. No
2. No
3. Yes
4. C
5. Yes
In the following teacher’s helps the information included in the lesson or the story will be
shaded.
Read -
Genesis 1:1. Genesis is the
foundation for all the Scriptures, and Genesis
1 is the foundation for Genesis. Do not rush
through Genesis 1 because the basic
revelations of the nature and character of
God are presented in it.
1. God is eternal.
• Everything, but God, has a beginning.
– The first words God wrote for us in the Bible are, “In the beginning…”
(Genesis1:1)
– God gave us these words so that we would know there was a beginning to all
things.
– Everything that we can see and everything that we know about, but can’t see,
had a beginning, except God Himself.
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– Before the beginning, there was: no universe, no earth, no angels, no devil,
no plants, no animals, no people. All these things had beginnings.
• God alone had no beginning; God will have no end; God is eternal.
Read -
Genesis 1:26: “And God said,
‘Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness …’” We are only looking at the words
“us” and “our.” (If possible, have all the
children find this verse.) All three persons are
named in Matthew 28:19. Stick to the subject
here.
2. God is a Trinity of three persons.
• God is forever, eternally one God.
– As we study God’s Word, we will discover that, although there is only one God,
there are three persons who are equally God.
- God the Father (The Father who is God).
- God the Son (The Son who is God).
- God the Holy Spirit (The Holy Spirit who is God).
– We use the word “Trinity” (a group of three) to describe these three persons
who are the one Eternal God. The Trinity is beyond our understanding. We can
only describe what we understand from God’s Word. The amazing fact of the
Trinity is just one of the things that shows us the greatness of God!
3. God needs nothing.
• Because God existed before all things, we know that He didn’t need anything.
God was there alone, before the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the galaxies.
• God does not need the earth nor anything on it. He doesn’t need air to breathe,
food to eat, or water to drink.
• God does not need the sun. He can see perfectly without any light. He does not
need to sleep; He has no need of day or night. God does not need any source of
energy. He never gets tired, thirsty, or hungry. God does not need anything!
Read -
Romans 11:33, 34.
Read - Psalm 147:5: “Great is our
Lord, and of great power: His understanding
is infinite.” Infinite means “without end.”
Read -
Psalm 139:7-12.
Rewind
See memory verse.
“Lessons from God’s Word”
1. Who created God? No one. God was
not created. God has always existed.
2. Who is greater and more important
than anyone else? God.
3. Why can’t we hide from God? God is
everywhere.
4. Why doesn’t God need a body like us?
He is a spirit.
5. How many Gods are there? One.
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4. God knows everything.
• God does not need anyone to teach Him. God knows everything; He has all
knowledge. God knows everything that is happening.
5. God is spirit and has no material body.
• God does not need the earth to live on and the many other things which we
humans need because God does not have a body as we do.
John 4:24 says that “God is Spirit.” God does not have flesh and bones like
humans, animals, birds, fish, or reptiles.
• God is spirit, a Trinity of three persons, all with mind, personality, and will.
6. God is in all places at the same time.
• God and God alone is able to be everywhere all the time. Since God is
everywhere all the time, there is nowhere we can hide from God (Proverbs 15:3).
• God is not “in everything” – that is, everything is not “God.” He is the Creator,
separate from and greater than all His creation. God is higher than all. God is
greater than all He has made.
7. God is greater than all and more important than all; He is the highest
authority.
• God is beyond our understanding. We must admit that there is One who is truly
greater than all and higher than all.
I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me … (Isaiah 45:5).
The way we describe God’s greatness is to say that God is SOVEREIGN. Sovereign
means “ruler, supreme in power, chief … ” The Bible often refers to God as “The
Most High.” That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH,art the
most high over all the earth (Psalm 83:18).
8. God was there before the beginning of everything.
• Only God was there in the beginning. In the Bible God has given us a record of
all beginnings. Only God can tell us exactly what happened.
God’s Angels
Story
Aim
This lesson establishes that God created all the
spirit beings. It will show the clubbers that God,
who is sovereign and holy, is greater than all
created beings and created all things perfect.
Before you teach how God created all the
material things which can be seen (in a future
lesson), you will first teach that God created the
spirit world which generally cannot be seen. It
is best to teach about the spirits and Satan at
this stage because all spirits — that is, all
angels — witnessed the creation of the earth
(Job 38:4-7). You will not be teaching about
Satan in this lesson.
Visuals
• Visual, “God’s Angels”
This poster is in two sections, which
can be taped together or placed side by side
on a wall or board. You will use this poster
for every lesson. You may cover all the
attributes of God with separate strips of
paper and reveal each one when it is first
introduced. (On each strip of paper, mark in
small penciled letters which attribute is
underneath.) In this lesson, use this poster
to review the attributes already introduced,
and, when suggested, introduce “God is
Holy … ” (Do not read the rest of this
attribute.) and “God is all powerful;
nothing is to hard for Him to do.”
Your clubbers will learn the following from today’s story:
- Obey your parents.
- Apologize to your parents when you have disobeyed.
- Biblical truths about spirits (angels) which were created by God.
The first two topics are important, but do not spend too much time discussing them. You
want to give most of your teaching time to the biblical truths mentioned in Aim.
Do not talk about Satan in this lesson. You will discuss Satan in the next lesson.
Memory
Verse
John 1:3 — All things were made by Him, and
without Him was not anything made that was
made.
John
1:3
It is important your clubbers understand God is
greater than the spirits. He lived before them eternally. He is the One who made them.
He gave them life. Be sure to keep on the subject. Don’t explain all the things God made
during this lesson. You will be teaching about God’s other creation in later lessons.
Answers
1. B
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. C
5. No
1. God created all the spirits.
• In the beginning, God created all of the spirits. Before the beginning, none of
them was alive.
– The Bible uses many different words to talk about the spirit beings:
- Spirits
- Angels
- Cherubim
- Seraphim
- The host of the Lord or host of heaven
- Powers
- Rulers in high places
- Stars or morning stars
• God did not give the spirits material bodies when He created them — the spirits
do not have flesh and blood as we do.
• The spirits can move about wherever they want to, since they do not have material
bodies.
• The spirits are not everywhere at the same time like God is. The spirits can only
be in one place at one time.
2. The spirits were created to serve God.
• The spirits were all created by God to love and serve Him.
– In the beginning, all the spirits were God’s angels.
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– The word “angels” means “messengers” or “servants.”
⇒
Suggested Visual, “God’s Angels”
GOD’S ANGELS
Were created to be
GOD’S SERVANTS
• Because God created them, they belonged to Him.
• They were created to do whatever God wanted them to do.
⇒
Suggested Poster 1. Point to the poster,
“Learning About God.” Read, “God is
holy…” (For this lesson you will only read
this part of this attribute.)
Read - Psalm 103:20 says, “Bless
the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in
strength, that do his commandments,
hearkening unto the voice of his word.”
⇒
“Learning About God.” Read, “God is all
powerful. Nothing is too hard for Him to
do .”
3. The spirits were created perfect by God.
• God created all the spirits perfect; not one of them was evil or unkind.
– Everything God does is perfect, because God is holy.
– God is holy — everything He thinks, says, and does is perfect.
– God never has and never will sin.
4. The spirits were created with great wisdom and strength.
• Angels are stronger than we are, and the Bible tells us that God has given them
the ability to do amazing things; but they are not all-powerful like God.
• Angels are very intelligent, but they are not all-knowing like God is. God is wiser
than all the spirits. It is very important to remember that God is greater than all!
5. The spirits cannot be counted.
• God created so many spirits that it would be impossible for us to count them.
Revelation 5:11 says, “… the number of them was ten thousand times ten
thousand, and thousands of thousands …”
– How could God create so many good, strong, wise spirits? He is almighty!
– God can do anything and everything He wants to do!
6. The spirits lived in heaven.
• All the spirits lived in heaven with God in the beginning.
– Where is heaven?
- Heaven is not here on earth!
- Heaven is a real place, mentioned many times in the Bible.
– Heaven is God’s special place where He lives.
- Though God is everywhere, all the time, heaven is God’s home.
Psalm 11:4 says that “the Lord’s throne is in heaven.”
- The Bible tells us that heaven is a wonderful place, far better than any place
we have ever known or could ever imagine.
Rewind
Message: “God made everything that was
made.”
1. Who created the angels? God
2. Do angels have bodies? No
3. God is everywhere, but where does
He live? Heaven
4. What does the word holy mean?
Perfect, without anything bad or evil.
5. Who is holy? God
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The Rebellious Angel
Story
Aim
In this lesson you will want the clubbers to see:
• That God is greater than all and more
important than all.
• The seriousness of rebellion against God.
• God’s sovereignty and holiness in
dealing with Lucifer’s willful rebellion
against Him.
By repetition and by teaching God’s Word,
establish clearly the truth of God’s sovereignty
over all.
Visuals
• Poster 1, “Learning About God.”
In this lesson, use this poster to
review the attributes already introduced, and when introduced again.
• Visual, “To Rebel”
As you teach this lesson, you may find that your clubbers have many questions. You
may even find that many of your clubbers and/or their families live with a constant fear of
ancestors, spirits, magic, and witchcraft. Children need to know the truth. God is the
sovereign Creator; Satan is a created being who lost his position as God’s servant.
Rather than frighten the children, this truth will give them stability and understanding.
Throughout the lesson, talk about God’s greatness and superiority — His sovereignty.
Memory
Verse
I Chronicles
29:11
I Chronicles 29:11 — Thine, O LORD, is the
greatness, and the power, and the glory, and
the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in
the heaven and in the earth is thine …
Explain that “LORD” is another name for God. This verse will remind the clubbers
again that God is stronger and greater than all. God has the victory (wins) over all, even
the spirits that some of our clubbers may be fearful of.
Answers
1. No
2. B
3. Yes
4. C
5. B
Read - Ezekiel 28:15: “Thou wast
perfect in thy ways from the day that thou
wast created, till iniquity [evil, wickedness]
was found in thee.”
Read only the dark part of the verse,
because this is the part we are studying here.
1. Lucifer’s original position before God in heaven.
God didn’t create all the angels exactly the same; some were more beautiful,
intelligent, and wise than others.
• The greatest angel was called Lucifer.
• God gave Lucifer a very important position in heaven.
– Lucifer was given a place of great authority and power over the other angels.
• Lucifer, like all of God’s creation, was created perfect.
2. Lucifer’s rebellion.
Because Lucifer was created by God and given the highest position over all of the
other angels, he should have loved, obeyed, and served God. But after a time, Lucifer
became very proud of his beauty, intelligence, and position.
“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above
the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the
north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”
Isaiah 14:13-14 (Do not discuss the surrounding verses, as they will be very confusing.
They contain biblical truths that are not part of today’s aim.)
• Lucifer wanted to be like “the most High.”
– Lucifer decided that he wanted to take over God’s position as the ruler of all
things. Lucifer rebelled against God’s authority over him.
- Ask them if they know what “rebel” means.
⇒
Suggested Visual: “To Rebel”
TO REBEL
means
to think or act against the
one in authority
TO DISOBEY
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- To rebel is very serious.
• Lucifer rebelled against God. He was the first one to do evil. (Evil is anything that
Read - Isaiah 14:13-14.
When you read these verses, look at what
Lucifer said. He said “I will ascend,” “I will
exalt,” “I will sit,” “I will ascend,” “I will be
like the most High.” Lucifer made a choice in
his mind to rebel against God. God could have
made the angels like puppets who could only
do what He made them do. But He didn’t. God
gave them a choice.
Read - Isaiah 14:13-14 says of Lucifer,
“… thou hast said in thine heart, I will
ascend … I will exalt … I will be like the most
High.”
The dark part of the verse shows that God
knew Lucifer was thinking these thoughts.
Rewind
O
B
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D
Y
J
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K
G
L
O
R
Y
L
O
S
R
F
E
L
O
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V
E A
GS
Y E
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MG
D U
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T P L F
P N B H
O WE R
GB D P
MA S K
I C T O
S
P
V
J
G
A
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M
A
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S
T
Y
1. Who is the greatest authority? God
2. Who wanted to take over God’s position of
ruler over all things? Lucifer
3. What is another name for Lucifer?
Satan or Devil
4. What are the angels who followed Satan
called? Demons
5. What does God do to those who disobey
or rebel against Him? God punishes
them.
42
is different from what God wants or agrees with.)
– “If Lucifer was created perfect, how could he rebel?”
- The Bible does not give a clear answer for this, but it does show many
examples of the fact that God allows choices to be made.
3. Other angels followed Lucifer in his rebellion.
• Many of God’s angels followed Lucifer. He became their leader. They joined
Lucifer in rebelling against God. (Matthew 25:41, 2 Peter 2:4 If a clubber asks you
how you know other angels rebelled against God, you may use these verses to
briefly prove this statement.)
4. God knew what Lucifer and the other spirits were thinking and planning.
• God is everywhere all the time; He knows everything.
• God created all the spirits, and He knew what they were thinking and planning.
– God knew that Lucifer had become proud and wanted to take the place of his
Maker.
– God knew Lucifer’s thoughts and the thoughts of each of the rebellious spirits.
• Nothing can be kept secret from God (Hebrews 4:13).
– Nothing can surprise God.
– He knows everything before it happens.
– He knows what we are going to think before the thought even comes into our
minds.
– God sees everything.
5. God removed Lucifer and his followers from their position as God’s
servants.
• God would not allow Lucifer to take His position. God is holy. He is perfect and
right in everything He thinks and does.
– No one can take God’s place, because God is the only true God.
• God removed Lucifer from his important position of leadership over the angels.
God also removed the other angels who followed Lucifer from their place of
service in heaven. They were no longer God’s servants.
– We now know Lucifer by other names, such as “Satan” and “the devil.”
– Satan’s followers are called demons.
• Satan and his followers, the demons, could no longer live in heaven. In the book
of Job, the Bible tells us that Satan could still come to speak to God in heaven.
Satan and his demons now roam all over the earth (Job 1:7, 2:2).
6. God prepared a terrible place, the Lake of Fire, for Lucifer and his spirit
followers.
• One day in the future, God is going to send Lucifer and his angels to the Lake
of Fire to be punished forever. (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10)
• God will not tolerate disobedience to Him; God always demands punishment for
rebellion against Him.
7. Lucifer and his angels hate God.
• From the time when God removed Lucifer and his angels from heaven until
today, they have been fighting against God and everything He loves and does.
• Lucifer’s name Satan means “enemy, adversary, opponent, or accuser.” Satan is
God’s great enemy. Satan fights against God day and night to try to stop the things
God does. Satan’s demons help Satan in fighting against God.
Something from Nothing
Story
Aim
This lesson will present the true, biblical facts of
creation. You will show that God created
everything and that He created it from nothing.
However, our most important aim is to show
God’s attributes through His creative acts.
NOTE: The doctrine of creation runs throughout
the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.
Even where creation is not stated in words, it is
still an underlying truth — God is sovereign; all
things began in Him (Colossians 1:16-17).
Visuals
You will not be introducing any new attributes
of God in this lesson, but use the poster to
review the attributes of God and point out
these attributes again as you teach them in
this lesson. God’s attributes are shown again
and again throughout the Scriptures.
• Visual, “Earth’s Atmosphere”
Remind the clubbers that God knew how to create. God knows and understands
everything. The Bible tells us that nothing is too hard for God.
Ask your clubbers: Have you ever wondered how everything came into existence?
- Where did the earth come from?
- What was the earth made out of?
- What about the sun, moon, and all the stars?
The Bible tells us that God created everything!
You will study God’s record of creation as He has given it to us in the Book of Genesis.
Memory
Verse
Hebrews 11:3 — Through faith we understand
that the worlds were framed by the Word of
God, so that things which are seen were not
made of things which do appear.
Help your clubbers find this verse, read it, and then explain the verse using the definitions given. Explain to the clubbers that God made the heavens and the earth out of
nothing! Only God can make something out of nothing. Again, nothing is too hard for God!
Hebrews
11:3
Answers
1. B
2. C
3. A
4. Yes
5. No
Note: It is important that the Scriptures
accompanying each bold numbered point in
these lessons also be read while teaching the
lesson. If the children can read, they need to
be encouraged to do some of the reading. But
they may read slowly, and other children may
lose interest when there is a lot of reading. So
in addition to having the children read, you will
find it very helpful to alternate by reading some
of these passages yourself or having some of
your adult helpers read.
⇒
Suggested Poster 1, “Learning About God.”
Read, “God is all powerful. Nothing is too
hard for Him to do.”
–Have your clubbers recite Hebrews 11:3.
Note: It is important that you teach your clubbers the nature and character of God. For
example, you will be teaching that God knew how to create and that God knows
everything. With these foundations, you will later be able to teach that God knows
everything about every person. God knows about our sin. God even knows our
thoughts. If you don’t lay these foundations of truth deeply in the minds of your clubbers
now, you are not going to be able to use them later on. The Holy Spirit will not be able
to use your teaching to bring conviction of sin.
1. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” - Genesis 1:1.
This lesson will cover what God says happened at the very beginning. We have
already learned that God created the spirits which we cannot see. Now we will study
God’s creation of the universe — the things we can see.
• The Bible is divided into 66 books. Genesis is the very first book in the Bible. The
Bible is a true history — it is God’s story of what really happened.
– The word “genesis” means “beginnings” or “origins.”
– All things had a beginning. Nothing/no one (except God) existed before the
beginning.
– “Created” means “to make out of nothing.” Only God can do this. Only God is all
powerful. Nothing is too hard for God.
“Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great
power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.” Jeremiah 32:17
2. The earth when first created - Genesis 1:2.
• The earth had no form or shape; it was completely empty.
• The earth was covered by darkness.
• The earth was covered by water. There was no dry land.
• There was no life anywhere on earth — no people, no animals, no plants.
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3. God was ready to create everything.
• God is all powerful, and He was ready to use His mighty power to create.
– The Bible says that the Spirit of God “moved upon the face of the waters.”
- It was God who started all things moving!
- He is the source, the beginning of all energy.
• God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit all took part in the mighty
act of creation.
– God is one, yet God is three in one, the Almighty God, the Creator of everything.
– We can’t fully understand the Trinity, nor God’s mighty power.
4. The first day: Light created - Genesis 1:3-5.
• Only God could create light by simply speaking!
Discuss: Wouldn’t it be something if we could simply speak and have light appear? But it
doesn’t work that way. No, we are totally dependent on light that was created by God from
the beginning of time. (Help the clubbers to think of many different kinds of lights, such as
flashlights, candles, matches, lanterns, light bulbs, sunshine, moonlight, etc.)
Whenever we see the light of the sun, the moon, or the stars, flip on a light switch, or light a
match or a candle, remember that it was God who in the beginning created light. Only God
could do that because only God is all-powerful and all-knowing. He created light out of nothing.
• The light God made was very good. You will notice that each time God created,
Read - Psalm 18:30 says, “As for
God, His way is perfect. . . .”
Read - Isaiah 6:3 says, “. . . Holy,
holy, holy, is the Lord. . . .”
He said, “it is good.”
– We are not able to make anything perfect. Things we make need repairs or
wear out. But everything God made was perfect because:
- God is perfect. God is faultless. In other words, God is holy. (Write the word
holy so the clubbers can see it.)
• God divided the light from the darkness; this is light only, not the sun.
– He called the light “day” and the dark “night.”
– This was the first day in the beginning of the world.
5. The second day: Firmament created - Genesis 1:6-8.
• On the second day, God created the air and the sky.
– Above this “firmament” or “thin” stretched-out space” that we call the atmosphere,
God placed some of the water from the world He had created.
⇒
Suggested visual: “Earth’s Atmosphere”
Water
Earth
Atmosphere
(air and sky)
Rewind
1. light, night
2. See picture at right.
We will see that this water is very important in a later story.
1. How many books are in the Bible? 66
2. What is the first book of the Bible? Genesis
3. What does the word created mean?
To make something out of thing.
4. When the earth was created, what was it
covered with? Water and darkness
5. What did God create on the first day?
Light. Night and day.
6. What did God create on the second
day? Air and sky. He also divided the
water on the earth — some above the
sky and some covered the earth
7. Could anyone else have created the
earth? No.
44
Note: We are not told exactly in Scripture what God actually did when He placed the water above the
firmament. However, many dependable scientists believe that these waters are not the clouds, but
water which God turned into mist or vapor and placed as a canopy (covering) surrounding the earth,
high above the atmosphere.
It is important to establish that God placed water above the earth, so that when you teach the story of
the flood, it will be simple to explain how God reversed the process and returned to the earth the
water which He had placed above the firmament.
• Again, God just spoke, and the firmament was created.
– Man’s ideas of how the world came to be are changing all the time. But God’s
true written history of creation has not changed, and it never will. As we study the
Bible, we see that God is greater than all, more important than all, and more
powerful than all!
God Created Everything
Story
Aim
This is the second lesson on God’s creation of
the heaven and the earth, followed by a lesson
on God’s creation of man.
Clubbers will continue to see that God created
everything and that He created it from nothing.
However, we also want our clubbers to see the
following attributes of God seen through His
creative acts:
• God’s sovereignty
• God’s holiness
• God’s love
• God’s power
Visuals
In this lesson, use this poster to review the
attributes already introduced, and to introduce
additional attributes when suggested in the
lesson. New attributes: “God is loving …”
and “… God never changes.”
• Chronological
Picture 3,
“Creation”
Note: If your clubbers are being taught evolution in school, then explain that God’s
Word is eternal and unchanging. Yet, over the years, our society has allowed evolutionary theories to be widely published, taught, and accepted as fact. However, much of the
data on which evolutionists once based their theories is now being proven false or
deceitful. Other “data” once viewed as evidence for the theory of evolution is being
proved wrong by new scientific discoveries which confirm instead the FACT of creation. Satan has closed the minds of people to the truth, but God’s Word is powerful to
open their minds. What good news we can share: God, the sovereign Creator, made all
things by His power! His Word, the Bible, is the greatest of all school books and the
basis for all science. We can teach with certainty about the Living God and His
unchanging Word.
Memory
Verse
Genesis 1:1 — In the beginning God created
the heaven and the earth.
Remind your clubbers that all things had a beginning. Genesis means “beginnings.” “Created means
“to make out of nothing.” God made the heaven and the earth out of nothing. Only God
can make something out of nothing. Help your clubbers memorize this verse.
Genesis
1:1
Answers
1. C
2. No
3. No
4. Yes
5. B
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 3,
“Creation”
1
Have you ever seen the damage done by
powerful waves in a storm or by a flood? No
man can control the rivers and oceans! But
nothing is too hard for God. Just imagine:
God gathered all the waters that covered the
whole earth, and He formed the seas and
the dry land just as He decided they should be.
⇒
Suggested poster 1: Point to the poster,
“Learning About God.” Read, “God is loving
…” For this lesson you will only read this part
of the attribute.
In our last lesson, you began to study what the Bible says about God in His mighty acts
of creation.
- You read that God created light just by speaking.
- He created the air and the sky and placed some water above the sky.
Now you will read how God made the land and the seas and filled them with living
creatures.
1. The third day: Dry land, ocean, and all plant life created - Genesis 1:9-13.
• God gathered the waters into seas and made the dry ground appear. Psalm 95:5.
– Only God, who made the waters of the earth, can control them.1
• God made all the plants and trees - Genesis 1:11-13.
– God made the plants to produce seeds which would produce more plants just
like the originals. Each plant produces seeds of its own kind.
– Only God has the knowledge and power to create plant life and keep it going.
– The plants we have today came from those God created in the beginning.
– Why did God make flowers, trees, and plants? Did God need them?
- No! God doesn’t need anything. God made the plants and trees for man,
whom He was going to create next.
- God made the plants to meet our physical needs: To provide food for us to
eat. To give off oxygen for the air we breathe. To provide wood for building.
And to provide many other things we need in order to live.
– God made the plants to show us His love for us:
- He didn’t have to make such a variety of colors, sizes, shapes, flavors, and
fragrances. A few kinds would have met our needs. God made the earth not
just liveable, but truly beautiful. He wanted to remind us everyday of His
45
2
Talk about how God designed the different
flowers, plants, and trees.
Read - Isaiah 44:24 says, “… I am
the Lord that maketh all things; that
stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that
spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.”
Read -
Jeremiah 10:12.
⇒
Suggested Poster 1: Point to the poster,
“Learning About God.” Read, “. . . God never
changes.” For this lesson you will only read
this part of the attribute.
Read -
2. The fourth day: Sun, moon, and stars created - Genesis 1:14-19.
• God spoke, and the sun, moon, and stars came into being.
– Only God has the power to create something so incredibly huge!
We have already seen how the plants God created show that He is the Master
Designer. Now we see that the whole universe shows the work of the Master
Designer!
• God created even the most faraway galaxies and stars — He created everything.
– Distance is no problem for God. God is everywhere. (Jeremiah 23:23-24)
– We cannot imagine how big the universe is or the greatness of God.
– Although God is present everywhere in the universe, He is the Creator; He is
not any of the things He has created. The idea that God is everything, and
everything is God is a lie of Satan. There is one true God, not many
“gods.” The Bible refers to the universe and everything in it as God’s
creation, not as a part of His being.
• God’s great wisdom and knowledge are displayed in the universe He created.
– God wanted us to have an orderly world with dependable days, nights, seasons,
and tides. God never changes, nor do the laws of His creation.
Think:
Has there ever been a day in your life when the sun didn’t rise and set? It may have been
hidden by clouds, but it did just what it always does, day after day. How about the moon?
Did you know that the movement and position of the moon and earth and sun are completely
predictable? This certainly isn’t happening by chance; it was designed that way by God
Himself. Every day God shows us the things He has created.
Psalm 104:19.
• Everything God made on the fourth day was good.
Rewind
Fir st Day
water creatures and birds
Second Day
sun, moon, and stars
Third Day
light
Four th Day
animals
Fifth Day
air and sky (firmament)
Sixth Day
land, sea, plants, and trees
1. What did God do to create the sun,
moon, and stars? God just spoke.
2. Why did God create so many kinds of
flowers, plants and trees? Because He
loved us.
3. Can anyone besides God make a living
creature? No.
4. Who designed everything in the universe?
God.
5. What did God say about everything He
created? He said it was good.
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great love for us.
– God also wanted us to see that He is a God of order — the Master Designer of
everything.2
• Everything God created on this day was good. All the plants were good, lovely —
created perfect. Thorns and weeds did not exist. No fruit was poisonous.
Vegetables and fruit did not get diseases or spoil. Everything was perfect in the
beginning, because God is perfect, and everything He does is perfect.
3. The fifth day: All sea life and birds created - Genesis 1:20-23.
• God made many, many kinds of water creatures and birds with countless,
colorful designs and shapes. (Discuss the varieties of sea life and birds in your area.)
– Why did God create such variety and beauty? He did it to show His love to us.
He did it to show us His great power and understanding.
4. Sixth day: The creation of the animal world - Genesis 1:24-25.
• God created an unbelievable number and variety of animals.
Think of all the different kinds of animals and the amazing things they can do! Polar bears
swim in the icy ocean; panda bears live high in the mountains and eat bamboo; jaguars and
cheetahs can run faster than a man; snakes shed (lose) their skin; ducks can swim in the
water, walk on land, and fly in the air.
• God created each kind of animal with unique characteristic, and each kind of
animal is able to reproduce only other animals like itself.
• Only God has power to create animals. Man has never created an animal. Man
never will be able to create an animal!
• All of the living things that God made on the fifth and sixth days were good.
Everything God made was good. Because God is perfect, everything He made
was perfect.
God Created Man
Story
Aim
This lesson presents God as the sovereign
Creator and owner of man. It also presents
man as God’s unique creation, different from all
of God’s other creation, made in the image of
God. When discussing “The image of God,”
you will be teaching about the mind, emotions,
and will. You will also show your clubbers
God’s original plan for man to be manager over
all the earth.
Visuals
In this lesson, use this poster toreview the
attributes already introduced.
• Visual: “God Created Man in the Image of
God.”
• Chronological Picture 3, “Creation”
From this story you want your clubbers to understand that God did not create the
heavens and earth for Himself. He doesn’t need anything! God, being greater than all,
did all this wonderful work of creation, not only for His glory, but because He is loving
and kind. God had lovingly, carefully, perfectly created everything in preparation for His
final creation: man! Isaiah 45:18 says that God made the earth to be inhabited, that is,
lived in! All man would ever need was waiting and ready.
Memory
Verse
Genesis
1:27
Genesis 1:27 — So God created man in His
own image, in the image of God created He
him; male and female created He them.
Make it clear that, when it says man was created
in God’s image, it was not in the physical image of God. Just what is meant by the
“image of God” will be discussed in “Lessons from God’s Word.”
Answers
1. B
2. C
3. B
4. C
5. Yes
Use this picture at the end of this lesson.
Review what God has created and how God
has given Adam the responsibility to oversee
it.
Suggested Visual:
1
We realize that God has given animals minds,
too. But an animal does not have the same
kind of mind that man has. Animals do not
have the ability to talk with us; they cannot
share our thoughts and make the kind of
decisions we make; they cannot communicate
with us by speech and by writing.
1. God’s plan to create man in the image of God - Genesis 1:26.
• To whom do you think God was speaking when He said, “… Let us make man in
our image …”?
– It was God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit who were talking
together. They were discussing their plan to make man in the image of God.
• God is the highest authority; He is sovereign. God alone decided how all things
would be made, just as He decided how the angels, the sun, moon, stars, the
earth, and all things on the earth were to be made.
– God is greater than all and more important than all, and man was the most
important thing God created on the earth. He created man in his own image.
• What does it mean when God tells us in His Word that the first man was made in
God’s image?
– We know it is not talking about our bodies. God doesn’t have a body of flesh and
bones like we do.
– Instead, God was referring to the part which cannot be seen. The Bible calls
this part of us which cannot be seen our soul and our spirit. Man’s body was
created to be the “house” of this unseen part, the soul and the spirit.
– God planned that the unseen part of man would have a mind, emotions, and
a will, created in the image of God.
GOD CREATED MAN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
With a MIND so man could KNOW GOD
With EMOTIONS so man could LOVE GOD
With a WILL so man could CHOOSE TO OBEY
• Man’s mind — his ability to think:
– Because God has a mind, He planned to make people with a mind which had
the ability to know God.
- God wanted to talk to man, and He wanted man to talk to Him.
– God wanted to be able to communicate with man,1 not only by spoken word,
47
but also by God’s written Word, the Bible.
2
Of course, that doesn’t mean that any man
could ever think and reason exactly as God
thinks and reasons.)
3
People sometimes think that emotions are
bad. But emotions are very necessary and
helpful. God gave us emotions for our good.
4
God could have made the first man, so he
would have had no choice. That is how God
made the sun, the moon, and the stars. God
made them so they have to do the same thing
every day, every month, and every year. But
God didn’t plan to make man like that. Man
was the most important thing God created on
the earth, and because God has a will and
decides what He will do, He wanted man to be
able to make choices too.
– God wanted man to be able to do God’s work here on earth.
– God wanted man to be able to think and reason in the same way God does.2
– Most importantly, God gave man a mind, so man could know God.
• Man’s emotions — his feelings:
– When we talk about our emotions, we are talking about our feelings — joy,
sadness, love, anger, and so on.3
– The Bible shows us that God has emotions: He is very kind and loving, but He
is also angry at what is evil. We can see in God that emotions are good. God
loves, hates, feels sadness, and feels joy.
– Because God has feelings (emotions), He decided that He would also create
man with feelings. God planned to love man, but God also wanted man to be
able to love Him. God gave man emotions, so man could love God.
• Man’s will — his ability to choose:4
– God also has a will; He is able to decide that He will do something or that He
will not do it. Therefore, God decided to make man so that man would be able
to make decisions, too. God planned to make man, so he could choose to love
and obey God.
• God was going to give man a special job in His creation. God gave man a mind,
emotions and a will so that man could do God’s work in just the way God wanted it
to be done. That would make both God and man happy!
3. The creation of Adam - Genesis 1:27, 2:7.
• God created the first man and woman. God created the man first, and then, after
theman was living, God made a wife for the man. (Today, we will only talk about the
man.) God named the man “Adam” which means “man.”
– After God had made every part of man’s body, the man still didn’t have life. His
body was not breathing because the part which was to be in God’s image was
not yet living in his body. It was only after God breathed into man’s nose that he
immediately became a living person who could know, love, and obey God.
• Only God could put life into Adam.
– Neither the sun, moon, earth, birds, animals, fish, God’s angels, any man,
Satan, nor his spirit followers can give life. All things received their life from God
and are unable to give life to anything or anyone else.
Rewind
GOD CREATED MAN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
With a MIND so man could know God
With EMOTIONS so man could love God
With a WILL so man could choose to obey God
1. Whom did God prepare the earth for? Man.
2. Who is the only one who can give life?
God.
3. What part of man was created in the image
of God? Mind, emotions, and the will.
4. Who is the ancestor of all people? Adam.
5. Whom did God intend to look after
His things here on earth? Man, Ad am.
6. Why did God have the authority to
put man in charge of the earth?
Because God created everything.
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4. Adam was the first and only man God created from the ground - Genesis 2:7.
• God only made one man from the ground and one woman from him, and God
told them to have children so all the world would eventually be filled with people.
• Adam is the ancestor of all people in every country, of every nationality — people
of every race and color and language. We all came from this first man.
5. Man placed as manager over the earth - Genesis 1:28-30.
• God put Adam in charge of the earth and everything in it. Man was to look after
God’s things here on the earth and to be the leader over the animals, the birds,
and the fish.
• God owned everything; He could give it to whom He pleased (Psalm 24:1).
• By giving man that responsibility, God gave man a great honor (Psalm 8:3-9).
6. Everything God made was good - Genesis 1:31.
• In the beginning, nothing in the animal world would hurt or harm man. Neither
man nor animal had to kill in order to eat. Thorns, thistles, and weeds didn’t grow
as they do now.
The Garden of Eden
Story
Aim
To present God as the sovereign, loving, wise
Creator and owner of man. To establish that the
penalty for sin is death.
You will want your clubbers to:
• See their need to get to know God.
• See their need to be in submission to God.
• To value God’s care for them and to see that
the penalty for sin is death.
Visuals
attributes already introduced, and to
introduce additional attributes when
suggested in the lesson. New attributes:
“God is faithful; He always does what He
says; He never changes.”
• Poster 3, “The Penalty for Sin Is Death”
⇒
“Learning About God.” Read, “God is faithful;
He always does what He says; He never
changes.”
1
Do you think God rested because He was
tired? He had made millions of stars, the sun,
and the moon. Look at all the things He created
on the earth. Do you think He lay down and
said, “I am tired. I am going to have a good rest
today”? No God doesn’t get tired or sleepy like
we do. He doesn’t have a physical body that
needs rest or sleep. God is spirit. He is always
the same. He is still the same today as He was
when He first made the earth. God will never
change.
2
This explanation is necessary preparation for
the story of the flood and the first rain seen by
men. “By faith Noah, being warned of God of
things not seen as yet …” (Hebrews 11:7)
Ask your clubbers: Have you ever started something and not finished it? (Give your
clubbers an opportunity to name some of their reasons for not finishing what they
started). Why didn’t you finish what you started? Did you change your mind or lose
interest? Did it turn out to be too hard for you to do or a bigger job than you had
thought? God is not like us. He never gives up on what He plans to do. When He starts
something, He always finishes it.
Memory
Verse
Psalm
24:1
Psalm 24:1 — The earth is the Lord’s, and the
fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell
therein.
This verse will show the clubbers from God’s Word
that God is the owner of the whole world and everything in it.
Answers
1. No
2. No
3. Yes
4. C
5. Yes
1. God finished making all He had planned - Genesis 2:1.
• God finished all that He planned to do.
– God never changes His mind about anything that He plans.
– Nothing and no one can keep God from doing all He plans to do.
- No human can stop God.
- Satan cannot stop God.
– God is greater than all. He always does whatever He plans to do. Therefore,
when God promises to do something, we can be absolutely certain that He will do it.
2. God rested from His work of creation on the seventh day - Genesis 2:2-3.
• God finished in six days all He planned to do, so on the seventh day, He rested
(stopped) from His work of creating.1
Isaiah 40:28 says, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the
LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? …”
– God had done everything He had planned to do, and He was very pleased with
everything that He had made.
3. Mist, not rain, watered the earth - Genesis 2:4-6.
• When God first created everything, He did not water the earth by giving rain.
Instead, God watered it by mist which came up from the earth.2
4. God planted a garden - Genesis 2:7-8.
• Because God loved Adam very much, God planted a beautiful garden
especially for Adam. God included in that garden all the vegetables and fruit trees
that Adam needed to keep him healthy, strong, and happy.
5. God put Adam in the garden of Eden - Genesis 2:8.
• When God had the garden ready, He put Adam there.
– God didn’t ask Adam if he wanted to live there.
– Why did God do this? Because God created man, He had the right to put him
where He wanted him and to tell him what to do.
– God is the owner of all things. He has the right to do what He wishes with us
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3
What happened? Why are things so different
now? The Bible tells us exactly what
happened to change everything, and we will
study that part in another lesson.
4
God clearly instructs us, too. He has not left
us to decide for ourselves what is right and
what is wrong. God has given the Bible, so
we can know what pleases and displeases
Him.
5
Being independent means to do our own thing
— to refuse to obey those in authority over us.
⇒
Suggested Poster 3: “The Penalty for Sin
Is Death.” Show this poster as you go through
the explanation of number seven (7).
Rewind
1. promises 2. finished 3. rain
1. What did God do on the seventh day? He
rested from His work of creation.
2. In the beginning, how did God water the
earth? By a mist which came up from
the earth.
3. What two important trees did God plant in
the middle of the garden? The tree of life,
the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil.
4. What tree did God tell Adam not to eat from?
The tree of the knowledge of good and
evil.
5. What is the punishment for disobedience to
God? Death, separation from God.
50
and with all the other things that He has made. He has the right to tell us what to
do.
– God created Adam, so Adam belonged to God.
• God told Adam to take care of the garden, but Adam didn’t need to work hard
because everything was perfect.3 The weeds didn’t grow. Snails, grubs, and
insects did not destroy the fruit or vegetables. Everything was beautiful and perfect!
6. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - Genesis 2:9.
• God planted two very important trees in the middle of the garden: the tree of life
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
• God was Adam’s source of life - Genesis 2:16-17.
– God wanted Adam to have what was good; he was dependent upon God for
everything.
• God told Adam what he must not do and what would happen if he disobeyed.
– Of all the many trees God planted for Adam for food, there was only one tree
that was a “no, no” for Adam to eat from, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
• God knew what was best for Adam. Adam didn’t know anything that was evil or
bad because God had given him everything that was good.4
• Adam could choose to obey or disobey.
– If Adam obeyed God and ate only what God had said was good, he could eat of
the tree of life and live forever.
– But if Adam disobeyed God and ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil, it would be because Adam had decided that he wanted to be
independent of God.5
– From the time Adam ate, he would know both what was good and what was
evil. Instead of God telling him what was good and evil, he would have to
choose for himself.
• If Adam disobeyed God and wanted to be independent of God, then the result
would be death, separation from God.
7. Death is the punishment for disobedience to God - Genesis 2:17.
What did God mean when He warned Adam: If you eat the fruit of this tree, you will die
immediately?
• Separation from God – death of man’s relationship with God.
– Adam would be immediately separated from God, the source of life and all
that is good.
– God warned Adam that, if he disobeyed His command, he would be separated
from God’s love and friendship. Adam would become God’s enemy as Satan
had.
– That part of Adam which was created in God’s image so Adam could know,
love, and obey God would be separated from God if Adam ate the forbidden fruit.
• Separation from the body – death of man’s physical body.
– God didn’t mean that Adam would die physically the same day he ate the fruit.
God meant that on that day, Adam would be cut off from God who was the
source of his life. Because of this, he would also have to die physically some
day.
• Separation forever in the Lake of Fire – death to any enjoyment of God and His blessings.
– Finally, if Adam disobeyed God, then not only would his body die, but he would
also eventually go to the Lake of Fire. This is the same place of terrible
punishment which God prepared for Satan and his spirit followers.
– Adam’s punishment would be forever and ever.
God is sovereign; He had the right to tell Adam what to do. God made Adam and gave
him his life. Adam belonged to God. God told Adam what to do because He is loving.
God Made Eve
Story
Aim
To show that God in His sovereignty, love,
holiness, wisdom, and power provided a wife
for Adam.
You will want your clubbers to see:
• God’s wisdom and love in providing
exactly what we need.
• God values both man and woman
very highly.
• That marriage was ordained by God.
Ask your clubbers: How many of you have ever attended a wedding? Did you know that
God was the One who decided that man and woman should marry?
In Genesis 2 we find part of the wedding service spoken in many cultures even today.
Men and women and marriage and children are very important to God. But some people
don’t know or don’t believe what God says about marriage. They say that marriage is
something to be tried out for a while to see if it will make them happy. Today we are
going to see what the Bible says about marriage.
Memory
Verse
Genesis
2:23
Visuals
attributes already introduced.
“Adam and Eve in the Garden”
Genesis 2:23 — And Adam said, This is now
bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she
shall be called Woman, because she was taken
out of Man.
Explain that only God could create a woman from a man. God knows everything and
can do anything He wants to do. God only made one man from the ground and one
woman from him. No other people were created this way.
Answers
1. No
2. Yes
3. C
4. Yes
5. Yes
Note: Use this picture in point number six only
if you are sure it will not be offensive to your
clubbers or their parents.
1
The KJV words “help meet” means “suitable
helper.”
.
1. God knew that Adam needed a wife to help him and to be his companion.
• God decided that Adam should not live alone - Genesis 2:18.
– God was his Creator and knew what was best for him.
– God didn’t ask Adam what he wanted or thought best.
– God made the decision to make a wife for Adam.
• God loved Adam and wanted him to be complete.
– God knew that Adam wouldn’t continue to be happy if he remained alone.
– Because God loved Adam and wanted the best for him, He decided to make a
wife for him.
• God knows ahead of time just what our needs will be, and He also knows the best
way to meet those needs.
– God didn’t create Adam’s wife at the same moment or in the same way He
created Adam.
– God created her at just the right time and in just the right way to meet Adam’s
needs.
2. God brought all the animals before Adam to be named by him
- Genesis 2:19-20.
• God had placed Adam as master over all the animals, so God also gave Adam
the responsibility of giving them all their names. God brought to Adam every
creature He had made, and Adam named them all.
3. There was no suitable companion for Adam among the animals1
- Genesis 2:20.
• God created man very different from the animals.
– Man was made in God’s image so he could know, love, and obey God.
– The animals could not know, love, and obey God like man could.
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• Adam needed someone to whom he could talk and who could do the same
things that he could do.
– No animal could be a suitable companion for man.
– He needed someone more like himself.
• Man couldn’t do anything to provide himself with a companion and wife.
• Only God could make a wife for Adam. God knew that Adam would need a wife;
God loved man and did not want him to be alone.
4. God created Eve from Adam’s rib - Genesis 2:21-22.
• Only God could do this.
– God knows everything.
– God can do anything He wants to do.
• God made the first woman as a gift for man. God gave a wife to Adam, and God
expected Adam to take good care of her and to love her.
Think:
Even though all the animals must have seemed very interesting (and Adam had seen them all
as he named them), imagine how happy Adam must have been to see this lovely woman whom
God had made for him! She, like Adam, was created by God, but God had not made her from
the dust of the ground as he had made Adam. God had actually made her from part of Adam’s
own body, Adam’s rib. How precious and close she must have been to Adam! And God had
given her a mind and emotions and a will, so she also was able to communicate with God and
with Adam.
2
Think: Because God created everything
perfect, we can only imagine just how special
this woman really was! And God had made
her to be that perfect “suitable helper” that
Adam needed. God had commanded Adam
and Eve to fill the earth and to rule over it. To
Adam, uniting with his wife in marriage must
have seemed very good!
Read - James 1:17 tells us that
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from
above, and cometh down from the Father …”
Rewind
4, 2, 5, 1, 3
1. Who decided Adam needed a wife?
God did.
2. Why did God decide to make a wife for
Adam? Because God loved Adam and did
not think it was good for Adam to be alone.
3. Was it right for God to decide to do this
without asking Adam? Yes. God created
Adam.
4. How did God make the first woman?
God put Adam to sleep. He took out
one of Adam’s ribs.
5. Who told Adam and Eve to marry and to
have children? God, their Creator.
52
5. Marriage was ordained by God - Genesis 2:23-24.
• God made woman for man so they could be married, live together, and have
children. “… Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth …” (Genesis 1:28).
– This was God’s command to Adam.2
• Marriage was God’s perfect plan for Adam and Eve.
– Eve was God’s perfect gift for Adam, perfectly suited to Adam’s needs.
– Everything that God does and says is good because He is perfect. God cannot
think, say, or do anything evil or wrong.
– Marriage is good because God gave marriage to man.
– Children and families are very special to God; it was God’s idea for a husband
and wife to have children.
6. Adam and Eve were unaware that they were naked, and they were totally
unembarrassed - Genesis 2:25.
• Adam and Eve were not embarrassed because they had no evil thoughts.
• Everything they knew was good, and they had nothing to be ashamed of.
7. Life was perfect for Adam and Eve.
• God had given them everything they needed. Everything around them was
beautiful.
– They were able to communicate with God and with each other.
– God had made them rulers over His creation.
– God was right there with them to guide them in every decision.
– Their work wasn’t hard. They were perfectly healthy.
• God’s Word hasn’t changed.
– Thousands of years have passed since Adam and Eve became man and wife,
but God has never changed what He first wrote about marriage.
Questions, Questions, Questions!
Story
Aim
This lesson is a review of what has been taught
over the first nine lessons regarding the Bible,
God, Angels, Satan, and man.
This review is important preparation for Genesis
3, the story of the fall of man, which is covered
in following lessons.
You may make more questions or adapt
questions to the ages of your clubbers.
Explain to your clubbers: As Uncle Peter said in the story, before we learn any more
about the story of Adam and Eve, we are going to review what we have already learned.
The review will cover the Bible, God, angels, Satan, and the first man and woman God
created.
Let’s see how many verses your clubbers have memorized and are able to still recite.
Make a question out of each of the nine verses you have used in the last nine lessons.
Example: Who can recite 2 Timothy 3:16? See the Awana Card for the nine verses.
Visuals
• Chronological Chart
Start at the beginning of the chart and review
what you have learned during the last nine
lessons — pointing out each person on the
chart through Adam and Eve.
• Poster 1, “Learning About God” — Use this
to review Attributes of God.
• Poster 2, “God Is Greater Than All”
As you have taught through Genesis 1 and 2, you have introduced God, Satan, and
man, the three main characters in the whole historical story recorded in the Scriptures.
You are now ready to teach Genesis 3, one of the most important chapters in the whole
Bible. The origins of man’s sinfulness, death, and all earth’s miseries, along with the first
promise of a Savior are revealed in Genesis 3. However, the historical and the doctrinal
foundational truths of Genesis 3 cannot be grasped apart from a basic understanding of
the character of God, Satan, and man. In order to be sure that your clubbers really do
understand, Lesson 10 is a review of the main points already taught about these three
persons. Also included are some questions emphasizing the authority of God’s Word,
the Bible.
Review is extremely important; don’t skip it just to save time. Reviewing will help to
make strong the information in the students’ minds. It will also help you, as a teacher, to
know how well you are communicating and what areas need extra attention as you
continue to teach. No matter how well you may have said it, what is most important is
what your students have learned! And an excellent way to know what has been learned
is to ask questions.
How to ask questions:
1. If you ask a question and the clubbers cannot answer, or they give a wrong answer,
ask the question in a way that they will be able to understand the question better or
give them some clues to help them answer the question. If they cannot answer after
a little help, go ahead and tell them the answer. Do not stay too long on a question if
they cannot answer it. Do not scold or shame them if they do not know the answer.
Make notes of the questions they do not know and be sure you spend time
explaining them before going on to the next lessons.
2. If one or two clubbers are answering most of the questions, you may want to ask
some questions to individual clubbers. Or go around the group, one-by-one, giving
each person the opportunity to answer. Do not ask questions, one-by-one, if some of
your clubbers would be embarrassed or have not attended all the Awana Club
meetings.
3. Some of these questions will have biblical truths in them that not all of your clubbers
may agree on. You may have older clubbers who want to debate these issues. Let
them know that you appreciate their interest, but let them know, too, that the purpose
of the meeting is not debate. Many of these truths have been debated in the past and
will certainly be debated in the future. But the purpose of this meeting is to show
what the Bible says and to learn the Word of God accurately. Whatever you do, be
sure to limit discussion of these debatable truths. Winning an argument will not help
change a mind. Just allow the Holy Spirit to use the truth and be firm but loving and
patient with those who disagree.
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4. Discussion questions are to be used if you have time and choose to use them. These
are helpful if you have clubbers who are a little older. If you use this kind of discussion
question, it is important that you keep the discussion under control. Clubbers should
be given a chance to say their opinion briefly and not be shamed for what they think.
Do not let one or two clubbers do most of the talking, especially when their answers are
wrong. You are trying to make your clubbers compare their own ideas from the past to
what they are learning from the Awana Club lessons. Be patient with them.
If one clubber says of another clubber’s answer, “That’s wrong!” you might reply, “Well, I
am just asking for opinions now. What do you think?”
Review Games
Your clubbers may want to have some competition when answering these questions.
Most children love to compete, and it keeps their attention. One way to compete is to
divide the class into teams and just have points. The team with the most questions
answered correctly wins. This works well with more than two teams, too.
If you decide to make teams and compete, alternate teams with your questions. If one
team can’t answer a question, let the next team have a chance to answer that question.
The question needs to be answered by the clubber who raises his or her hand first.
Then, if he or she is wrong, the other team gets a chance to try to answer. Everyone
must be silent, except the clubber who raises his or her hand first. The order of new
questions remains the same, no matter which team answered the question. For
example, if team A was first asked the question, but had the wrong answer, and team B is
asked the question, the next question will still be asked of team B, and so on.
Note: The discussion questions are not good to use for review games. If you are doing review games,
you may want to go through all the other questions first. Then, after the games, ask the discussion
questions without receiving points for answers.
Discussion Questions
⇒
Suggested Poster: Poster 1, “Learning
About God”
⇒
Suggested Poster: Poster 2, “God Is
Greater Than All”
⇒
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Suggested visual: Chronologica Chart
1. Many people believe that everything came into being by chance. What does the Bible
say? The Bible says God created everything, and that He did it in a very orderly way.
Chance was not part of the creation.
2. Many people believe that man evolved from other things. What does the Bible tell
us in Genesis 1 and 2? The Bible tells us that man was created special and different
from all the rest of creation: man was created in God’s image. God breathed into man
the breath of life; Eve was created from Adam’s rib. No “evolutionary process” is
mentioned or hinted at in the Bible.
3. Give some evidences from things you can see around you and from what you know
about the Bible that show that life was created rather than evolved. Animals, plants,
and man all have complex systems (living things that are hard to understand or
explain) that could not have happened by chance. Cats have kittens; dogs have
puppies — all types of animals have babies after their own kind. The bible is true
history, not a book of theories (guesses). The Bible says God created everything. The
Bible has not changed through the centuries; man’s theories are constantly changing.
4. God has shown us a great deal about Himself by what He has made — every day
we see His creation and should know that One greater than us has done these
things. You have also learned many things about God’s character through what we
have studied so far in His Word. What do you remember about God’s character?
There is not a right or wrong answer here. You are just hearing what they remember.
5. Was Adam the only one who could communicate with God? No, Eve was also
created in God’s image and given a mind and emotions and a will so she could
communicate with God and with Adam.
6. Considering what we have learned about God and man, what do you think about
these statements: “Do your own thing!” “I don’t have to listen to anybody!” and “I can
do whatever I want to with my life, because it belongs to me.”
Adam and Eve Disobeyed God
Story
Aim
In today’s lesson, you are going to show
Satan’s hatred for God and for man and Satan’s
character as a liar, deceiver, accuser, and
murderer.
We will also show man’s choice to willfully
disobey God and the immediate results of that
sin.
You will want your clubbers to:
• See that Satan is God’s enemy and
the clubber’s enemy.
• Recognize some of Satan’s plans.
• Realize the need to know and
believe God’s Word.
• See the terrible results of sin.
Visuals
“The Fall of Man”
Explain to your clubbers that some people think that Satan is just a story or myth,
because they haven’t taken the time to read or study the Bible. But it is important that
the clubbers remember that Satan is God’s enemy and the clubber’s enemy. In today’s
lesson you are going to find out what Uncle Peter was talking about when he said that
Adam chose to disobey God and what happened because of his disobedience.
Memory
Verse
Psalm 119:160 — Thy word is true from the
beginning: and every one of thy righteous
judgments endureth forever.
As you teach today’s lesson, use this verse to
show clubbers that God’s Word is true. God does not change his mind about the
judgments he makes.
Psalm
119:160
Answers
1. B
2. Yes
3. C
4. Yes
5. Yes
“Fig Leaf Coverings”
•
•
•
•
A tree branch with green leaves
Visual, “God and Man”
Visual, “Man Separated from God”
Visual, “God and Man –– Outward
Appearance”
⇒ Visual, “God and Man”
Today you are going to study one of the most important events in all history. This one
event affected everyone who has ever lived! (Be sure to cover each truth
completely.)
1. Life in the Garden of Eden.
• Life in the garden was pleasant for Adam and Eve; everything was perfect. They
had everything they needed.
• They had perfect friendship and fellowship with God and with each other.
man
GOD
– God was their friend; He loved them, and they were very happy.
• What about God’s great enemy, Satan?
1
We know that Satan was aware of this
warning because he falsely repeated it to Eve
(Genesis 3:1).
Read - John 8:44 says that Satan is a
liar and a murderer.
Read - 2 Corinthians 11:14
– Satan knew about God’s warning to Adam concerning the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil.1
– Because Satan hates God, he wanted to destroy the man and woman that God
had made.
– Therefore, Satan planned to deceive Eve. (To deceive means to trick or fool.)
2. Satan used the serpent to disguise himself and deceive Eve - Genesis 3:1.
• This wasn’t just a snake talking to Eve. Satan himself had entered into the snake.
– Satan disguised himself as a snake so he could deceive (trick) Eve.
• Satan is a deceiver. He didn’t allow Eve to know that he was the one talking
through the snake.
– The more you learn from God’s Word, the more you realize how deceitful and
wicked Satan is. He knows that he is lying. His name means “deceiver” or
“accuser.” He wants everyone to go to the place of eternal punishment, the Lake
of Fire.
• Satan can make himself into anything, even an angel of light.
– At this time, Satan chose to come to Eve by coming to her in the form of a
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snake. Up until that time, the animals had not been harmful in any way to Adam
and Eve or to each other, so Eve was not afraid.
2
This section is not intended to frighten the
clubbers, but to help them recognize the
enemy.
Most clubbers will appreciate knowing Satan’s
characteristics — they are daily attacked by
his plans, and it is helpful for them to know
where these evil things originate.
At this time you are not teaching them how to
behave; you are giving them foundational
teaching on the characteristics of Satan and
how he works to deceive people. The clubbers
need to know that this ancient deceiver is still
the same today.
3. Satan still deceives people.2
• Satan is still trying to deceive and destroy people. He doesn’t use a serpent like he
did with Eve, but he uses whatever ways people will accept.
• Many times Satan deceives and tricks people by speaking lies right into their minds.
Explain:
Actually, Satan himself can only be in one place at one time. But, you may remember that many
of the angels followed Satan in his rebellion against God. God removed Satan and his rebellious
followers from their positions of service to God in heaven. These rebellious angels, called
demons, now roam the earth unseen and work with Satan speaking lies in people’s minds
against God and against men.
• Satan does not want anyone to know or to believe God.
– He may put a question into your mind such as, “Why should I believe the Bible?”
– Sometimes Satan uses other people through whom he speaks his lies to us.
• Satan lies to us and tries to trick us, just as he lied to Eve and tricked her.
– He tries to make us feel that we will miss out on something good if we don’t
follow along. He tells us that he knows something better than God or our parents
or our Awana teachers have told us.
– When we have believed Satan’s lies, we find out too late that what looked so
good was really something very evil.
• Satan wants to destroy us.
– What are some of Satan’s lies?
- Anything that tells you to rebel against God, your parents, or your teachers, or
other authorities, that God has placed over you.
- Anything that says it can predict the future, such as horoscopes and Ouija
boards.
- Anything that makes evil seem good or fun or funny.
- Games or music or anything else that brags about evil or tells you to lie, steal,
say bad words, or do anything evil.
- Anything that denies God or the truth of the Bible.
– All these kinds of things are really from Satan.
3
Think: God had said: If you eat the fruit from
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you
will die that same day. God meant that Adam
and Eve would be cut off from God, the One
who gave them life. God said, “You will die.”
Satan said, “You will not die.” Satan was
lying.
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4. Satan tempted and deceived Eve - Genesis 3:1-3.
• Why did Satan ask Eve this question?
– Satan already knew the correct answer. He didn’t care what God had said. He
was testing Eve so he could trick her.
– Satan was trying to make her doubt God’s Word — this is one of Satan’s
favorite tricks.
• Satan had already confused Eve. Her answer was not what God had said.
– God did not say they could not touch the fruit. He had said they must not eat it.
– God’s command was for both Adam and Eve. It seems Adam told Eve what God
had said. Whatever God said to Adam included Eve.
• Now Satan was calling God a liar. Satan himself is really the liar 3- Genesis 3:4-5.
• What was really behind Satan’s lie?
– Satan had rebelled against God’s authority. He sinned when he wanted to take
God’s place. He did not want to obey God anymore.
– Now Satan was suggesting to Eve that she should rebel against God.
- Satan was suggesting that Eve should eat the fruit, so that she could be like
God in knowing what was good and what was evil.
- Satan wanted Eve to believe that she wouldn’t need God to tell her what was
right and what was wrong.
Adam and Eve Disobeyed God (Continued)
Awana Card 11 cont.
⇒
Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 5,
“The Fall of Man”
4
DISPLAY BRANCH
Think: Look at this branch. I broke it from a
tree. Its leaves did not turn completely brown
immediately when I broke the branch off. Even
now, It still has some green in it. But it is dying
because it is no longer joined to the tree from
which it once received life.
The same thing happened to Adam and Eve.
Their bodies didn’t drop dead on the day they
disobeyed God. But they had died to God.
Their bodies would also eventually die.
Read - Isaiah 59:2: “But your
iniquities [sins] have separated between
you and your God, and your sins have hid his
face from you, that he will not hear.”
Note: The part of the verse in dark print is the
part you are to talk about.
⇒ Visual, “Man separated from God” Explain
how this is a picture of how sin separates man
from God.
• Here is the truth:
– God did not make people to live by their own ideas and thoughts. God made
us to be guided by His own Word.
5. Eve ate and also gave the fruit to Adam - Genesis 3:6.
• Satan deceived Eve.
– Eve believed that Satan was telling the truth.
– She believed that she would be wise like God.
• Even though Adam knew that God had said not to eat, he deliberately disobeyed
God’s command.
– Adam turned away from depending on God. He wanted to be independent of God.
– Adam wanted to decide for himself what was good and what was evil. He
didn’t want God to rule over him anymore.
• Did God have the right to rule over Adam?
– Yes, God was his Creator. Everything Adam had came from God.
• Does God have the right to tell us what to do?
– Yes, all that we have comes from God; He gave us life.
6. Adam and Eve’s sin separated them from God - Genesis 3:7-8.
• What did God say would happen to them if they ate of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil? (Genesis 2:17)
– What did God mean by “die”?4
- They didn’t drop dead immediately when they ate the fruit.
- They were still walking around.
- They were making themselves coverings out of leaves.
– Does this mean that God’s Word didn’t come true? Was Satan right after all?
– No! They were separated from God immediately when they ate the fruit.
- God always does what He says; He never changes.
- He doesn’t forget His threats to punish disobedience of His commands.
• Why did their sin separate them from God?
– Because God is holy and righteous, He cannot continue in friendship with those
who disobey His commands.
– God hates everything that is wrong and punishes all disobedience of His
commands by death. Romans 6:23 says, “… the wages of sin is death … ”
– Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they were cut off from their friendship
with God. Their relationship with God was dead.
man
GOD
- They had taken sides with God’s great enemy, Satan, and they, too, were now
the enemies of God.
7. Signs of separation from God.
• These were the signs that Adam and Eve were now separated from God
– First, their attitude toward their bodies changed immediately. Before they
disobeyed God, they were naked, but they felt no embarrassment. Now they
were separated from God and they were no longer of one mind with God.
- Their minds became evil and their attitude toward their bodies changed.
- They were embarrassed by their naked bodies.
– Secondly, Adam and Eve tried to provide their own needs. Before they were
57
separated from God, they looked to God to provide everything they needed. But
now they tried to do things for themselves.
- They clothed themselves with fig leaves.
- They no longer trusted God to give them what they needed.
- Perhaps they thought that if they clothed themselves, God wouldn’t notice that
anything had happened.
- But God does not accept us according to our outward appearance.
⇒
“Fig Leaf Coverings”
⇒
Visual, “God and Man -Outward
Appearance.”
GOD
man
Outward
Appearance
Read - I Samuel 16:7 says, “… man
looketh on the outward appearance, but the
Lord looketh on the heart.”
Think:
Just as Adam and Eve tried to make themselves acceptable to God by putting on clothes,
many people today think they can make themselves acceptable to God by doing things that
make them look good. Here are some examples: doing good deeds, going to church, and
giving to poor people.
5
Think: Do you have friends whom you enjoy
visiting? God loved Adam and Eve, and so He
came at the close of the day to talk with them.
Before they were separated from God, they
loved Him and wanted to talk with Him. But
when God came after they had disobeyed
Him, Adam and Eve hid. Their attitude toward
God had changed. Because of their disobedience to God, they were no longer His friends.
When you deliberately disobey your parents,
do you want to be near them? If two friends
quarrel, will they continue to fish and hunt
together? Will they talk and laugh together like
they did before they quarreled? No! People
who are of different opinions and attitudes or
who have had a disagreement don’t want to be
together.
– Adam and Eve not only tried to cover their nakedness, but, when God came to
visit Adam and Eve, they also tried to hide from Him.5
• Sin — disobedience to God — brings fear and shame and causes people to turn
away from God.
– When God created Adam and Eve, they didn’t fear anything. There was nothing
in the world to fear. God was their friend. No animals would hurt them. Sickness
and death did not exist.
– Disobedience to God is the reason that we have fear in the world today.
- Ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God, there has been terrible fear in the
hearts of men, women, and children.
- Have clubbers think of some things people are afraid of, such as: sickness, death,
money problems, robbers, war, and evil spirits.
- Ask clubbers: Do you think Adam and Eve should have been afraid of God? Would God
really punish them for their disobedience? Or is God like many people who only make
empty threats?
Think:
Have your parents ever threatened to punish you for something and then not done it?
Maybe they forgot, or maybe they were just too busy. But do you think God is like that?
Did God merely threaten Lucifer and the angels when they rebelled? No! God always
does exactly as He has promised to do.
Rewind
1, 2, 1, 2, 1
1. Did Eve know who Satan was when he
talked to her in the garden? No.
2. What did Satan use to disguise himself
when he spoke to Eve? A snake.
3. God said that Adam and Eve would die if
they ate of the fruit of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. Satan said
they would not die. Who spoke the truth?
God did.
4. Does Satan still try to deceive and trick
people? Yes.
5. Satan is very strong. Was it all his fault
that Adam and Eve sinned? No. Adam
and Eve chose to sin. God had made
His instructions clear to them; He had
been very loving to them. He gave
them a will to make choice; they
chose to disobey.
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- Had Adam and Eve been warned of the results of sin?
- Yes! God had clearly warned them.
- The devil did not “make them do it”; they chose to sin.
– Now Adam and Eve had good reason to be afraid of God. Why? Because they
had disobeyed God, their Creator.
- They depended upon God for everything.
- The very breath that they had in their bodies was given by God.
- But Adam had deliberately disobeyed God’s command.
- There must always be punishment for disobedience (sin).
Were Adam and Eve able to hide from God? No! God saw Adam and Eve when they
were trying to hide.
Can anyone hide from God? Is there anywhere we can go where God is not already
there? No! God is everywhere. No one can hide from God. God has heard and seen
everything that we have said and done from the day that we were born.
God’s Curse and Promise
Story
Aim
In today’s lesson you are going to show:
• That God knows everything and will punish
all sin.
• That God would not allow Satan to win over
man to sin forever, but that God would send
a Deliverer who would overcome Satan and
deliver mankind from Satan’s power.
• The horrible, lasting results of sin.
• That man cannot save himself from sin.
This lesson should also help the clubbers to
realize that:
• No one can get away with sin.
• God has made a way to overcome Satan.
• All the problems in the world have come as
a result of sin.
Visuals
•
•
•
•
Poster 5, “Deliverer”
Poster 6, “Mercy”
Poster 7, “Grace”
Poster 2, “Learning About God” — Use this
poster for review when suggested; also to
introduce new attributes, “God is gracious
and merciful.”
Ask your clubbers what they think God thought of Adam and Eve after their disobedience. Remind them of the following:
- God had created them — in His own image and for His glory.
- They belonged to God.
- God loved them.
- God had given them everything they could ever need.
- God had warned Adam and Eve of the results of disobedience.
- Adam and Eve had chosen to disobey God.
Encourage them to listen well as they study God’s response to Adam and Eve’s sin.
Memory
Verse
Hebrews 4:13 — Neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in His sight: but all things
are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him
with whom we have to do.
From this verse you will want your clubbers to see that in God’s Word it tells us that God
sees everything and knows everything we have done.
Hebrews
4:13
answers
1. B
2. No
3. C
4. B
5. No
You might say that this lesson explains the “mess we are in.” We often hear men and
women blaming God for their problems and for the problems of the world around them.
But Genesis 3 states the truth very clearly: man’s own sin is the cause of man’s
problems. Children need to know this truth.
1. God called Adam - Genesis 3:9.
• Because Adam and Eve didn’t come to talk with God, God called out, “Adam,
where are you?”
– Why did God call out to Adam? Didn’t He know where they were hiding? Isn’t He
everywhere? Couldn’t He see them all the time?
- Yes, God could see Adam and Eve where they were hiding. God called Adam
because, although God intended to punish Adam and Eve for their sin, He still
loved them. God was giving them the chance to agree with Him that they
were wrong in believing Satan instead of Him.
• God has not changed; He still calls today even though we cannot hear His voice
like Adam did.
– How does God call to us today?
Example:
Every day, God’s voice is saying to us, “Listen to Me, I am the Creator of all things. I am
the true God. I know everything. I am almighty. Look at all the things I have created for
you. I love you. Look at all of the food I have made for you. I love you. Look at the life I
have given to you. I love you. Listen to Me and seek Me.”
- Every time we see the things God has created, He wants us to think of Him.
- God is not only speaking to us through the things He has made; He is also
calling us through His Word. The Bible is God’s message to each one of us.
2. Adam and Eve tried to hide from God - Genesis 3:10.
• Adam and Eve were afraid of God because they had disobeyed Him. Adam and
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Eve had reason to be afraid. They knew what they had done. They knew what God
had told them would happen if they disobeyed Him.
Read - Acts 17:25 says, “… he giveth
to all life, and breath …”
3. God questioned Adam - Genesis 3:11.
• God questioned Adam and Eve in order to give them a chance to repent, that is,
to change their minds and agree with God that they had done the wrong thing.
– God had the right to question Adam because He created him. They both
belonged to God. He created them to love and obey Him.
- God also gives life to us and all people, therefore, He is our owner.
- Adam and Eve had to answer to God for what they did. Without the Deliverer,
we, too, will all have to answer to Him for everything we have thought and done
during our lives.
4. Adam and Eve tried to pass the blame - Genesis 3:12-13.
• Adam put the blame on Eve, and Eve blamed the snake (serpent). But God already
knew everything that had happened; nothing is hidden from God.
Think:
Have you ever blamed someone else for something you did wrong? Have you ever been
blamed for something that someone else did? We may try to pass the blame onto someone else,
as Adam and Eve tried to do; but God knows everything and will not allow anyone to escape
punishment by blaming someone else.
5. God’s curse on the serpent - Genesis 3:14.
• God cursed the snake because it had been used by Satan.
– God does not tell us what the serpent was like before Satan used it to deceive
Eve, but we know it did not slide on its belly when God first created it.
– But now God said it must slide on its belly and eat dust. God knew it was Satan
who spoke through the serpent to tempt Eve.
– God knows everything that Satan and his evil spirits think and plan to do.
• God will punish Satan and all of his followers for all their evil deeds and their
horrible disobedience to God.
⇒ Display the poster 5, “Deliverer.” (Make
certain the clubbers understand this word.)
1
The introduction of the Deliverer opens up the
possibilities of many comments from your
students. They may ask if Jesus is the
Deliverer, to which the answer would be,
“Yes!”
6. The promised seed of the woman. - Genesis 3:15.
• Once Adam and Eve disobeyed God and followed the advice of Satan, they were
separated from God and controlled by Satan.
– They were no longer the children of God.
– They were Satan’s children.
• Satan had become the ruler of this world.
– At this time, Satan probably thought that he had beaten God and that he would
now have complete control of the world and all people.
– This is what Satan had wanted. But no one can win against God. God is the
Almighty Creator.
• God promised that He would send a Deliverer who would win against (overcome)
Satan and deliver mankind from his power.
– Do you know what a Deliverer is?1
A deliverer is someone who rescues us or saves us — a deliverer sets us free.
– God planned that the promised Deliverer would be the child of a virgin woman.
- A virgin is a woman who has never married or lived as the wife of a man.
Let them know that you are eager to talk
about Jesus Christ, too, and that you will be
glad to talk with any who are interested after
the meeting. For right now, though, you will
just go on with the story from Genesis.
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Note:
Notice that it does not say “their” offspring. The man is not mentioned in this verse.
- When we read of crushing the “head,” this is a picture of crushing the leader
ship or authority of a great power. When the “head” is crushed, the body cannot
live. But the one whose “heel” is crushed lives, even though He has been
wounded.
God’s Promise and Curse (Continued)
Awana Card 12 cont.
⇒
Suggested poster 1: Point to the poster,
“Learning About God.” Read down the
entire poster, except, read only, “God is
loving …”
Read - Psalm 145:8 says, “The LORD
is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to
anger, and of great mercy.”
Explain:
The Deliverer would fight against Satan, and the Deliverer would win. Satan would fight
against the Deliverer and wound Him, but Satan would not be able to win over the
Deliverer. This promised Deliverer would destroy Satan and deliver mankind from
Satan’s power, so man would again be in oneness with God.
• By studying Genesis 1 and 2, we have already learned many things about God!
⇒ After reading all these attributes on the poster, then continue on with:
- Now we also see that God is gracious and merciful.
– Grace and mercy are two wonderful words.
- “Grace” is God’s kindness to undeserving (not worthy) sinners.
- “Mercy” is God’s way for sinners to escape the punishment they deserve!
Explain:
We know from what we have learned about God that He always punishes sin. But in
His great love, God promised to make a special way out by sending a Deliverer so that
man could be saved from the punishment he deserved.
God could have just left Adam and Eve to die and go to everlasting punishment. That is
what they deserved. But God promised a Savior who would deliver them and all
mankind from Satan’s control and bring them back to God.
7. God’s curse on the woman - Genesis 3:16.
• God spoke to Eve and told her that because she had disobeyed Him:
– She and all future mothers would suffer in childbirth.
– Her husband would have authority over her.
8. God’s curse on the man and on the earth - Genesis 3:17-19.
• Adam had foolishly listened to Eve instead of obeying what God had said to him.
– Adam knew what God had said.
– Adam was willing to follow Eve’s suggestion rather than to do what he knew to
be God’s will.
• Because Adam and Eve listened to Satan, they fell into his trap and disobeyed God.
– Therefore, God said that from that time on, the ground would be cursed.
Think:
Before Adam sinned, everything grew without Adam doing any hard work. Weeds
didn’t grow; there were no pests.
But when Adam sinned, God cursed the earth. Many weeds began to grow. This made
Adam’s work difficult.
– The results of sin affected not only Adam and Eve but also the lovely garden
God had given them. In fact, all the bad things in the world exist because of
disobedience to God.
- Satan and his followers disobeyed God and now roam the earth.
- When man disobeyed, his sin affected all of God’s creation.
– Why should man’s sin have affected all creation?
- God had made the earth for man (Isaiah 45:18).
- Because He loved man, God gave man everything he needed.
- God wanted man to live in friendship with Him forever.
- But now man had disobeyed God.
- Man had rejected God’s love for him.
- Part of the results of their disobedience was that man would no longer live in
a perfect world.
– We live in a world that still suffers from that curse.
- People constantly struggle against sickness, pain, weakness, pain in child
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bearing, hard work, difficult weather conditions, animal and insect pests,
weeds, sorrow, grief, and death.
• When God created Adam and Eve, God did not intend for them to die.
– But now Adam and Eve must die because of their disobedience to God.
– The punishment for sin is death.
- Adam’s body must die, just as God had said.
- Because Adam sinned, God told Adam that his body must die and go back
again to the earth.
2
This truth is very important — don’t skip over
it.
9. Adam and Eve are the parents of all people - Genesis 3:20.
• Even though people have different colors of skin, we all originally came from the
same parents, Adam and Eve. Acts 17:26 says that God “made of one blood all
nations of men.” 2
– Eve is the first woman and the mother of every human being.
– Adam is the father of us all.
• Adam was separated from God because he turned away from obeying Him.
– Adam’s sin ruined his perfect relationship with God and also the perfection of
the earth that God had given him to live in.
– Adam’s sin was the start of many sorrows.
- The devil did not “make him do it.”
- Adam and Eve both knew what God had said.
- They knew God loved them.
- But they disobeyed anyway.
- We live with the results of their sin every day.
• Because of Adam’s sin, he would die, and all of his children would also die.
Romans 5:12 says that, “… by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men …”
– All people in every country die because we are all the descendants of Adam.
But God, in the very beginning, promised to send a Deliverer — someone to rescue
man from Satan, sin, and death.
Rewind
GRACE, DELIVERER
1. Why does God have the right to demand
obedience? Because God gave life to
everyone.
2. Whom did God promise to send? God
promised to send a Deliverer.
3. How was the Deliverer to come?
Through the seed of the woman.
4. What did God say that the virgin’s Son
would do? He would overcome Satan
and deliver man from death and
Satan’s power.
5. Why did God promise to send a Deliverer?
Because God loves all people.
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God’s Judgment and Provision
Story
Aim
In today’s lesson you will be talking about
God’s holiness and His grace. Here you will
see the first blood sacrifice for sin and God’s
gracious act of clothing Adam and Eve. God is
establishing the fact of man’s helplessness to
save himself and providing an analogy
(comparison) regarding the coming Deliverer.
You will also show your clubbers:
• That God knows everything and will
punish all sin.
• That only God can make man acceptable in
His sight.
• That the sin of Adam has been passed on to
all men.
Note: This lesson introduces some basic
principles (beliefs) that much of our society has
chosen to change or even totally reject.
First of all, the Word is very clear in stating that
God killed animals in order to make acceptable
coverings for Adam and Eve. Although the
blood of animals could never pay for sin, from
this time until the death of Christ, God accepted
the blood of animals as a type, or picture, of the
punishment that all sin deserves. Romans 6:23
says, “For the wages of sin is death …”
Hebrews 9:22 says, “… without shedding of
blood is no remission.”
Secondly, the Word shows us that man cannot
come to God on man’s terms; man must come
to God in the way that God has provided as His
acceptable way. Adam’s and Eve’s clothing of
leaves was not acceptable to God; neither is
anything that we might do to try to make
ourselves acceptable to God.
Refusal or distortion of these two principles has
given rise to many false religions. How tempted
man is to follow a religion that overlooks the
heavy penalty for sin! How tempted man is to
try to find his own way to take care of his sin
problem! How deceitful sin is! How deceitful
man’s heart is! And how deceitful the enemy is!
Visuals
• Visual, “God and Man”
• Chronological
Picture 6, “Fig Leaf
Coverings”
“Adam and Eve
Driven from the
Garden”
• Visual, “Adam and All of Adam’s
Descendants, and God”
1
Verse 22 is spoken by God the Father, God
the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They were
talking about Adam and Eve.
In today’s story we learned that there is nothing we can do to make ourselves acceptable to God. God will not accept anything that is done according to man’s ideas. God
only accepts whatever is done according to His way.
People today still do many things to try to make themselves acceptable to God; they try
to “cover” for their sins, just as Adam and Eve did.
Example:
Some people think that if they go to church or do a lot of good deeds, it will help make up for the
wrong things they have done. (Clubbers may think of other examples of this kind of “do-ityourself” covering for sin.) God sees right through it, and it is completely unacceptable to Him.
Memory
Verse
Let’s Look in the Word
Romans 5:12 — Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned.
Explain that because Adam disobeyed God and was separated from Him, all people in
this world are born sinners, cut off (separated) from God.
Romans
5:12
Answers
1. Yes
2. No
3. C
4. B
5. Yes
1. God refused the clothing which Adam and Eve had made - Genesis 3:21.
“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed
fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Genesis 3:7).
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 6, “Fig Leaf Coverings”
• Adam and Eve were embarrassed of their naked bodies, so they had made them-
selves clothes from leaves. God refused to accept the clothes which they had made.
• No one can do anything to make himself acceptable to God. God only
accepts whatever is done according to His way. ⇒ Point to Visual, “God and Man.”
2. God killed animals.
• The first death in the world was brought about by sin.
– God killed animals. The animals’ blood was shed. God then took the skins off
the animals.
– Adam and Eve did not do this. God killed the animals, and He took the skins off.
– God was reminding Adam and Eve that disobedience to Him brought death into
the World.
3. God provided clothing for Adam and Eve.
• God provided Adam and Eve clothing made from the skins of the animals which
He had killed, even though they did not deserve it.
• Only God could provide them with clothing which would make them acceptable
to Him.
4. God put Adam and Eve out of the Garden, away from the tree of life Genesis 3:22-23.1
• When God first made Adam and Eve, they didn’t know anything evil or bad.
• But when they disobeyed God their Creator, they were ashamed and afraid. Now
they knew that not everything was good, but some things were evil.
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• Adam and Eve should have trusted God. God knew what was good and what was evil.
– Adam and Eve should have trusted God to tell them instead of finding out for
themselves.
• God had given them every good thing to eat — He had even offered to them the
2
Genesis 3:22 says that the reason God put
them out of the garden was so that they would
not eat of the tree of life and live forever. This
was actually an act of God’s mercy.
God did not want men to physically live
forever as sinners. (Ask clubbers: Can you
imagine what the world would be like if all the
evil men that ever lived were still alive now?)
•
•
•
•
⇒
“Adam and Eve Driven from the Garden”
3
When teaching that man was put out of the
garden, we must make clear that there was no
way back. Through the teaching of God’s
Word, we are laying the foundations for our
clubbers to realize that, if God doesn’t make a
way back to Him, they are destined for eternal
punishment.
chance to eat from the tree of life. But they had chosen to disobey God and to
eat, instead, from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil — the one tree from
which God had forbidden them to eat.
Now, because Adam and Eve had disobeyed God, He would not allow them to
eat of the tree of life.2
Because they were separated from God, they would also have to die physically.
Therefore, God put Adam and Eve, the father and mother of us all, out of the
garden, away from the tree of life.
God doesn’t ask anyone what He should do; He is the supreme One in the whole
universe. We can not trick or deceive God. No one can fight against God and win.
God hates disobedience to His commands and will not allow any disobedient
person to live with Him.
5. God put cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life Genesis 3:24
• At the east of the garden of Eden, God put some of His good angels called
cherubim and a sword of fire which turned every way to make sure that Adam and
Eve could not return and eat the fruit from the tree of life.3
– If they would have tried to go back, the good angels of God would have seen
them, and Adam and Eve would have been killed by the sword of fire.
– There was nothing they could do. When God put them out of the garden, that
was the end. There was absolutely no way they could get back to the tree of life.
• They would now grow old and die.
6. God is the giver of life - Genesis 4:1.
• Eve said this because she knew that God is the giver of all life (Psalm 100:3).
⇒
Suggested Visual: Chronological Chart ––
Point to Cain and Abel
4
Some people like to think that we are “all
God’s children.” That sounds good, doesn’t it!
But that’s not what the Bible says. The Bible
tells us that God created us. But Adam’s sin
put all men into Satan’s family. So we are not
born “God’s children,” but Satan’s children, cut
off from God.
Rewind
See memory verse.
7. Cain and Abel were both born outside the garden - Genesis 4:2.
• Cain and Abel were born outside the garden, away from the tree of life, because
Adam, their father, was outside the garden.
• Cain and Abel were born sinners because their father, Adam, was a sinner. If Adam
had not sinned, they would have been born with the ability to know, love, and obey
God.
• Not only was Adam the father of Cain and Abel, but he was also the father of all
peoples of the world. Therefore, all people in this world are born sinners, cut off
from God with Satan as their father.4
• God is the One who gives life to all people, but we are not born in friendship or
oneness with God.
⇒ Suggested Visual:
1. Can a person make himself acceptable to
God by anything that he does? No.
2. Who is the only one who can make
nankind acceptable to God? God.
3. Why did God kill animals to make clothing
for Adam and Eve? Because God was
reminding Adam and Eve that the
punishment for sin is death.
4. Can anyone trick or deceive God? No.
5. Why were we all born sinners and
separated from God? Because Adam is
also our father.
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ADAM and ALL
Adam’s Descendants
GOD
• Satan has taken God’s place as our spiritual father, which means that we, too,
were born unable to know, love, and obey God. Even though God gives us life,
from birth we are under Satan’s control. We, and all other human beings, were
born sinners, separated from God, with Satan as our father.
Cain and Abel
Story
Aim
In today’s lesson you will see God’s acceptance of Abel, who came to God by faith in the
way that God required, and God’s rejection of
Cain who tried to approach God in his own
w ay.
• That the sin of Adam has been passed on to
all men.
• That man can come to God only according
to God’s will and plan.
• That man must have faith in order to please
God and be saved.
• That God started a new line with Seth to
replace the line of Abel. God was keeping
His promise to send a Deliverer.
Visuals
• Poster 5, “Deliverer”
• Poster 7, “Grace”
• Chronological
Picture 8,
“Cain and Abel
Bring Offerings to
God”
• Chronological
Picture 9, “Cain
kills Abel”
1
The idea of animal sacrifice did not start with
Abel. God doesn’t accept anything which
originates with man. A few of the many
Scriptures which indicate that Abel was
following God’s command to sacrifice are:
Leviticus 1:1-3, Leviticus 3:16, Leviticus 17:11
Surely it was no coincidence that Abel chose
the firstlings of his flock - the best he had - and
the most perfect type of the spotless Son of God
(1 Peter 1:19-20).
In today’s story you heard Carol say that she didn’t listen very well to her mother and
decided to disobey her instructions. Carol and Jon did not believe it mattered if they did
their own thing.
How serious is the sin of disobedience? What if someone refuses to believe God and
chooses to disobey Him? Could you say, “Well, that’s his own business, if he wants to
do that”? Does a person’s sin affect other people? Can we work out some way to take
care of our sins? Can people choose their own way to come to God? Won’t God accept
any sincere attempt we make? (Do not have the children answer these questions.)
In today’s lesson you are going to see the answers God gives to these questions as you
study the story of Adam and Eve’s sons, Cain and Abel.
Memory
Verse
Proverbs 14:12 — There is a way which seemeth
right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways
of death.
Through this verse and today’s lesson, we want the
clubbers to see that man’s ideas of how to please God and be acceptable to Him, are
not God’s ways. His ways, recorded in His Word, are the only acceptable ones to Him.
Proverbs
14:12
Answers
1. Yes
2. C
3. No
4. No
5. No
The story of Cain and Abel is like our society today. Many people are rushing away from
God. While doing so, they are hurting, lying against, stealing from, and killing fellow men
and women. God hates sin. Man is given the choice to believe and obey God. Man is
responsible for his choices. Sin is not God’s fault. Sin cannot be paid for by man’s
earthly efforts. Teach these truths clearly. If you do not teach them, some clubbers may
never hear them. God will honor His Word in their hearts.
1. God told them what they must do when they came to worship Him.
• There was no way that Adam and Eve or Cain and Abel could come to God.
– They were sinners, and God hates sin.
– They were separated from God.
– The punishment for sin is death.
– They could not give anything to God to pay for their sins.
• But God planned a way, so they could come to Him because He loved them.
– It was not man’s way. It was God who decided on this way.
– No one else could make a way for them.
• God must have told Adam and Eve what they had to do if they wanted to come to Him.
– Adam and Eve probably told Cain and Abel what God said they must do if they
wished to come to God.1
– The Bible gives us good reason to believe that God told these things to Adam
and Eve and that Abel and Cain knew, too.
• Here is what God must have told them:
– When they came to Him, they had to bring a sheep, goat, or bull as an offering to
Him.
– They had to kill the animal in such a way that the animal’s blood would flow out.
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• The blood of the animals could not pay for their sin; why then would God tell them
to kill a sheep, goat, or bull?
– Because God wanted them to remember that the punishment for sin is death.
– He wanted them to remember that they could die and go to everlasting punishment unless He saved them.
– If they agreed with God that they were sinners and that only He could save them
from everlasting punishment, then they were to bring a sheep, goat, or bull and
kill it, as God had told them to do.
Think:
God was not being cruel to require the death of a animal. No, the reason the animal had to
die was because of man’s sin. God loves man and wants man to know that the penalty for sin
is death. The animal was a sacrifice — one who died in the place of the sinner.2
2
This is important for children to understand.
Most children are very tender. They must
realize that the reason for the animal’s death
is man’s sin.
⇒
• The Bible clearly says that blood must be shed for sin.
– God promised that if man came by faith, offering to Him the blood of animals,
He would accept them and forgive their sins.
Show Poster 7, “Grace.”
– The blood sacrifice for sin was part of God’s gracious plan to deliver man from
sin and Satan and death.
⇒
“Cain and Abel Bring Offerings to God”
2. Both Cain and Abel came to offer sacrifices to God - Genesis 4:3-5.
• Both Cain and Abel knew that God existed, and both came to offer sacrifices to Him.
Think:
Just knowing that God exists and even offering to God what we think is very good will not make
us acceptable to Him.
3
These two thoughts (in dark print) are very
important. Be certain they are very clear to
your clubbers. You may want to have them
repeat these two thoughts with you.
⇒
Show Poster, “Deliverer.”
3. Abel’s offering was acceptable to God - Genesis 4:4.
• Abel brought one of his sheep as an offering to God.
– It was the firstborn lamb of its mother.
– Abel killed the sheep, so its blood ran out. He offered the sheep, along with the
fat, to God.
- Why did Abel bring this offering to God?3
- Because he agreed with God that he was a sinner.
- And he believed that only God could save him from everlasting
punishment.
• Abel believed the promises God had given his parents while they were still in the
garden of Eden. God had promised that He would send a great Deliverer.
– God promised that the Deliverer would destroy Satan and save man from
Satan’s power.
• Was God pleased with Abel’s offering? Did God accept Abel?
– Yes, He did. God was very happy with Abel’s offering, and He accepted Abel.
Explain:
It is important to understand that the blood of animals could never pay for sin. God did not
accept Abel’s lamb as the payment for his sin. God forgave Abel’s sin and accepted him
because Abel trusted, not in himself, but in God who had promised to send the Deliverer.4
4
It is important in every story that your
clubbers be taught grace. They must come to
realize that man cannot contribute anything to
his salvation.
Make certain that they understand that the
blood of animals could not and did not pay for
sin. Sin must be paid for by human life being
given. Animal blood, or life, is not equal to
human life (Hebrews 10:4-5). Be certain to
make it absolutely clear that God will not
overlook sin. Sin must be totally paid. The
soul that sineth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:4), that
is, be separated forever from God.
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4. Cain’s offering was rejected by God - Genesis 4:5.
• As an offering to God, Cain brought the things which he had grown.
– But God would not accept Cain or his offering. Why not?
- Was it because the things Cain grew and brought to God were not good?
- Was it because God doesn’t like things grown from the ground?
- No, these are not the reasons.
- Did God reject Cain’s offering because Cain was a worse sinner than Abel?
- No, that wasn’t the reason why God would not accept him. Both Cain and
Abel were born sinners.
Cain and Abel (Continued)
Awana Card 14 cont.
• It is important that we are clear in our own minds why God rejected Cain and his
offering, but accepted Abel and his offering.
Explain:
In Hebrews 11, God says that without faith it is impossible to please Him. He also tells us
that Abel was a man of faith; Cain was not.
Then in the book of Romans, God tells us that faith is always based on the Word of God,
[Romans 10:17 says, “… faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”] God
will only accept a person who comes to Him the way God has given in His Word. Any other
way is sin. Abel believed what God had said to do, so God accepted him.
• God rejected Cain and his offering because:
– Cain didn’t come to God admitting he was a sinner.
– Cain came to God in his own way, according to his own ideas, and not in the
way which God had commanded.
5
It is important that we emphasize faith as the
reason for Abel’s offering and unbelief as the
reason for Cain’s actions. If we emphasize
obedience instead of faith, the minds of the
people will be turned to doing rather than
believing. According to Hebrews 11, God
accepted Abel and his offering because Abel
believed God. Faith was the great difference
between Cain and Abel.
The foundational truth of believing God should
be clearly laid so that when we come to the
gospel, the students will know that it is only
through faith that we are accepted by God. But
the balance should also be kept between faith
and works. Because Abel believed God, he
offered a lamb. Because Noah believed God,
he built an ark. Because Abraham believed
God, he went to the place of God’s choice.
6
Someone may ask, “What is God’s way?” Of
course, the answer is Jesus Christ; but some
of your clubbers may need more understanding
before you can present the gospel. You may
want to say, “God has certainly made a way,
and that’s what this Bible study is all about. He
was going to send a Deliverer, just as He
promised. If you would like, I’ll be glad to talk
more with you about this after class.”
We need to be continually sensitive to the Holy
Spirit. The clubber who asks may truly have a
heart prepared to put His trust in Jesus Christ as
his Savior. Or he may just be “thinking out
loud” about what he has heard but have little
understanding or conviction of sin.
God promises us wisdom if we ask Him
(James 1:5), and we can trust Him to give what
He has promised.
7
Think: Many people today are just like Cain;
they refuse to listen to God, and they end up
hurting others.
8
Think: God is the Creator of all people. He
gave Adam life, and He gave life to each one of
us. Even though we are all born into this world,
separated from God, we still belong to Him. God
is concerned about what happens to us, even
though we are sinners.
– Cain did not believe God.
– Cain did not trust in the way which God had told man to come. That is why God
rejected him.5
Think:
Do you remember how God rejected the clothes which Adam and Eve made for
themselves? Why did God refuse to accept the clothing they made? Because God
wanted to show them that they couldn’t make themselves acceptable to God by anything
they could do. It had to be done in God’s way. The animals had to die, and their blood
had to be shed so that Adam and Eve could have clothes that were acceptable to God.
In the same way, God would not accept Cain and Abel unless they trusted in Him and came
to Him in the way He had said. God would only accept them if they brought a animal and
killed it, shedding its blood. Abel believed God and came God’s way, so God accepted him.
Cain came trusting in his own way, so God refused him.
God has not changed; He is still the same today. He does not command us now to sacrifice
animals, but He is still the only One who can make a way for us to come to Him. We must
come God’s way; otherwise, He will reject us as He rejected Cain.6
5. God reasoned with angry Cain - Genesis 4:6-7.
• Even though Cain refused to believe God and deliberately went his own way, God
talked to Cain about his attitude and obedience to God.
– Because of God’s love and mercy, He talked to Cain and tried to get him to
come to God in the right way.
– God wanted Cain to know that he, too, would be accepted if he came as his
brother came, believing God’s Word, offering the blood, and trusting in God
and His promise of the Deliverer.
6. Cain refused to listen to God, and he killed Abel - Genesis 4:8.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 9, “Cain Kills Abel”
• Cain was very angry. He would not listen to God. He was listening to Satan, just as
his mother and father had done in the garden. 1 John 3:12 says that Cain “was of
that wicked one, and slew his brother.”7
7. God’s judgment on Cain - Genesis 4:9.
• Although God asked this question, He already knew that Cain had killed Abel.
– God saw him do it because God is everywhere and knows everything.
• God is the avenger of all sin - Genesis 4:10-15.
– All sin against other people is also sin against God.
– God is the Creator of all people; therefore, punishment is due anyone who says
or does anything harmful to another person.8
67
• The punishment for sin is death — no other payment is acceptable.
– All sin will some day be punished by God, for He is the rightful owner of every
person.
9
We must be careful how we teach
repentance. Many people teach that
repentance means to leave, or promise to
leave, all sin. But this is not correct.
Repentance is a change of mind, a change of
attitude toward God, oneself, and one’s own
sin. Repentance is the sinner acknowledging
before God, “God, You are right. I am wrong.
Everything you commanded is good and
righteous and holy. I have failed. I have no
hope in myself.” That is true repentance.
Be certain to emphasize faith, rather than
following or doing. If we stress obedience, we
will have followers and doers rather than
believers.
God doesn’t ask a sinner to promise to leave
his sin and “never do it again” before He will
save him. God doesn’t strike a deal with the
sinner. He does not say, “You do this, and I
will do that.” God does not require change
before salvation.
Rewind
4, 1
5, 2
3
1. Why did God accept Abel and his offering?
Abel believed and obeyed God. He
brought the kind of offering God had
told them to.
2. Why did God reject Cain and his offering?
Cain did not believe and obey God. He
did not bring the kind of offering God
had told him to.
3. What did Cain do when God didn’t accept
his offering? He was angry, and he killed
Abel.
4. How did God know what Cain had done?
God sees and knows everything.
5. Why did God give Seth to Adam and Eve?
a. God gave Seth to replace Abel.
b. God gave Seth so the Deliverer
would be born through his family
line.
68
• Cain still would not listen to God - Genesis 4:16.
– Cain went away from God, following Satan’s ways.
– Cain would not repent; he refused to change his attitude toward God and
toward his sin.9
8. Cain’s descendants were materialistically minded - Genesis 4:17-24.
• Cain’s descendants followed his example. They lived without thinking about God.
– Instead, they filled their lives with their work and their possessions — the things
they wanted to have.
- They built towns, raised cattle, and made tools and musical instruments.
- There is nothing wrong with these things, but what was wrong was that
they filled their lives with these things and did not care about God.
- They filled their minds and time doing the things they wanted to do. They
had no interest or time for God and the things He wanted them to know.
– They were under the control of Satan.
Think:
See what a terrible effect disobedience to God had already brought into the world! Because
Adam and Eve sinned, all their descendants were born sinners, separated from God and
without oneness of mind with God. Their first son, Cain, murdered their second son, Abel.
Cain turned away from God and would not listen to His words. As a result, Cain’s children
and their children also went their own way instead of God’s way. They lived according to their
own sinful ways because they didn’t know God nor did they seek Him and His truth.
9. God gave Seth to replace Abel - Genesis 4:25.
• God gave Adam and Eve another child in place of Abel who was killed by Cain.
• In the garden, God had promised that He would send a Deliverer who would
overcome Satan.
– This Deliverer would have come through the line of Abel who had trusted in God.
– But Satan guided Cain to kill Abel. Satan tried in every way to hinder God’s
plan to send the Deliverer.
Think:
Did this mean the end of God’s plan and promise to send the Deliverer? No! God always
does what He promises. He doesn’t give up or change because of the things Satan does.
• In place of Abel, God gave Seth to Adam and Eve.
– Seth was also born separated from God, but he trusted in God just as Abel did.
– God planned that the Deliverer would come into the world through the family
line of Seth.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Chart - Point to Seth.
God cares about sinners. God cares about you and me. Nothing can stop His plans.
Abel believed God, and even though Abel was killed, God was keeping His promise to
send a Deliverer for all who, like Abel, believed God.
God Judges the Whole World
Story
Aim
This lesson spans the time from Cain and Abel
to Noah and the flood. It shows God’s
omniscience and anger against sin, but also His
grace and patience in seeking to draw all men
to repentance. God’s sovereignty and
omnipotence are shown in His control over all
creation.
• That God does what He says; He will
punish all sin.
• That God saves those who believe in
Him and come to Him in His way.
• That there is only one way to come to
God.
• That God is the only One who can
save us.
• That God is faithful; He always keeps
His promises.
Explain to your clubbers that nearly every culture has a flood story. This is because
there was a flood. It is a historical fact. But the stories other than the Genesis account
are filled with mythical characters and often very strange details that are far from the
historical record. Why? Because every other story was passed down from generation to
generation by word of mouth. Along the way, the people of these societies, who did not
know about or believe in the true God, twisted, added to, and took from the truth. These
stories only have a small part of what really happened. Satan is also doing his part to
confuse people’s minds about the truth.
But God saw it all and is able to tell us exactly what happened. He spoke to His prophets
the true details of the flood. How good it is for us that we have the Bible. We do not have
to depend upon what other people say for our knowledge of God!
Memory
Verse
Ezekiel
18:32
Ezekiel 18:32 — For I have no pleasure in the
death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God:
wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Visuals
•
•
•
•
Chronological Chart
Poster 7, “Grace”
Poster 16, “One Door”
Picture of Earth’s Atmosphere with water,
sky, and earth
• Chronological Picture 10, “Noah’s Ark”
Answers
1. B
2. No
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. Yes
⇒
Point to the Chronological Chart:
Show the names of the generations of
believers (the line of the Deliverer) from Adam
to Noah: Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan,
Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah,
Lamech, and Noah. From Adam to Noah there
were 10 generations of men who believed God
and continued to look for the coming Deliverer
promised in the Garden of Eden.
The portion of Bible history we will study today
tells about God’s grace to Noah and his three
sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their
families. This story happened 1,500 years or
more after the creation of Adam (Genesis 5)
assuming there were no gaps in time.
1
You are really teaching here from Genesis 6:12, but these verses are very difficult verses to
interpret and could cause unnecessary
discussion in your class. Therefore, it is best to
avoid them.
–Have your clubbers recite Ezekiel 18:32.
These passages from Genesis are for us today so that we may know God’s character:
His hatred of sin, His patience with men and His desire for all to be saved, His swift and
sure judgment, and His gracious care and salvation for all who come to Him by faith.
How important it is for us to teach the Bible stories as God’s truth, not as a myth or
allegory!
In our last lesson we learned about God’s gracious provision of a way for men to come
to Him by faith. You also saw the terrible results of sin, passed down from one generation to another. The story you are about to read is mentioned many times throughout
the Bible, and it is always presented as historical fact. Let’s begin by taking a look at the
chronological chart.
1. The population of the world has increased.
• By the time of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, there was a large population
living on the earth.
• But most of the people were interested only in having what they thought was a
good time.1 They gave no thought as to how they should please God.
2. God the Holy Spirit was striving with the people - Genesis 6:3.
• God saw and hated the sin of these people, but He also loved them and wanted
them to repent.
– God wanted them to change their minds; to admit they were wrong.
– God wanted them to believe in Him.
• God the Holy Spirit was constantly telling them to repent, but they would not.
• God warned them that He would not always continue to tell them His message.
– If they continued to resist Him, He would let them follow Satan, and He would
punish them.
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– God said He would give them 120 years. If they did not repent in 120 years, He
would punish them.
2
Think: Not only were the people of Noah’s
day the descendants of Adam, but all of us,
too, are descendants of Adam. We were all
born sinners, separated from God.
People also sin because they love their sin.
(Refer to today’s story.) No one can blame
anyone else. We cannot blame Adam or God
or Satan. We ourselves have chosen to sin.
3
You are paraphrasing this list of sins
(rewording) Romans 1:29-32.
3. Increased wickedness - Genesis 6:5, 11.
• Most of the people followed the godless ways of Cain.
– They were becoming more and more sinful.
– They refused to believe God’s message and to trust in Him.
• These people were born sinners because they were Adam’s descendants. They
also loved their sin and deliberately refused to agree with God.2
• The people of Noah’s time refused to acknowledge God even though they knew
of His existence.
– The work of the Master Designer (God) was all around them in His creation, but
they were not thankful to God nor did they believe Him.
– God also spoke to them through men called prophets.
– One of Seth’s descendants, Enoch, was one of God’s prophets. Now God was
speaking through Noah. Noah spoke God’s message to the people, but they
refused to repent.
– The people had no reason for their behavior. They were just rebelling against
God. Their minds were focused on material things, their bodies, and the things
they wanted in life.3
- They were proud, self-centered, and boastful.
- They wanted what other people had.
- They argued and fought all the time.
- They were cruel, and many were even murderers.
- They continually tricked, lied, and deceived one another.
- They continually gossiped and said evil things about others behind their
backs.
- They ignored God’s original plan for marriage; men took many wives and
were not faithful to their families.
4. God saw the unbelieving world and its sin - Genesis 6:5, 12.
• God saw all their sin. (Hebrews 4:13)
– They may have hidden their lies, sexual sins, stealing, and murder from others,
but nothing was hidden from God; He saw it all. God always sees everything.
- God knows our thoughts and sees everything that is done in secret.
4
Someone may ask how God could “repent” if
God never changes. You might answer that the
word “repent” in many places in the Old
Testament can mean “feel sorry about” or “be
grieved.”
This interpretation is in keeping with the
principles of understanding the Bible: We must
always look at a passage in the light of the
context, that is, the surrounding verses; and
even more important, in light of what is clearly
known about God. The major truths, or
doctrines, are clearly stated many, many
times. Therefore, a lone instance that seems to
contradict what we have seen in many other
passages should not be taken as a contradiction, but rather as a happening that needs
special understanding or more insight. The
truth does not change. God has made very
clear to us those things that are necessary to
our understanding of Him and His Word. If a
passage is not clear, we can rest in the fact
that with further study, or in the proper context,
God will help us to understand it.
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5. God decided to destroy the world - 6:6-7.4
• The people were so wicked that the Lord said He would destroy them and
everything on the earth that He had made and given to them.
Think:
Do you think God really would destroy all who would not repent and trust in Him? Yes, God
does what He says.
Think back:
Back in the garden, God said to Adam and Eve that, if they ate of the fruit of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil, they would die. They disobeyed, and they died just as God had
said. God made it clear to Cain and Abel that, if they wanted to approach Him and be accepted,
they had to bring an animal and shed its blood. God meant what He said. He rejected Cain
because he came in his own way. Now, in Noah’s time, God said He was going to destroy the
earth and all life in it by sending a great flood. God was going to make it rain, even though it had
never rained before. Does God keep His Word? Were these just threats?
How many times have you threatened to do something when you were angry and then
forgotten it when you “cooled off”? Or how many times have your parents threatened to punish
you and then forgotten to do it? Is God like people? Does He just make threats?
No! God always does what He says.
God Judges the Whole World (Cont.)
Awana Card 15 Cont.
5
That Noah brought blood sacrifices to the Lord
is inferred by:
1) Genesis 8:20 — he sacrificed burnt
offerings
2) Scripture has no other pattern of forgiveness
for sin. Before Jesus Christ, all who
believed brought animal sacrifices as an act
of faith in God’s promise to send a Savior.
Leviticus 17:11 and Hebrews 9:22b clearly
illustrate this principle.
6
If clubbers ask what the ark was like, tell them
we do not know exactly how the ark looked,
but in the Bible God recorded exact measurements that are meaningful to us today. The
measurements that God gave Noah for the ark
were the same length and width and height as
the huge, ocean-going carrier ships built in the
1900s. God created the universe; God set up
the laws that make things float; God had no
problem creating the perfect design for a huge
ship! And, to our knowledge, no ships this large
were built from the time of the ark until the 20th
century!
These are interesting details that remind us of
God’s great knowledge of all things and of the
truth of the Bible.
⇒
Show Poster, “ONE DOOR.”
Note: Be certain to clearly teach the concept of
“one door” and “one ark.” You will refer back to
this later when you teach about Jesus Christ,
who is the “one way” of salvation.
7
The Bible tells us that before the flood, people
lived for hundreds of years. Genesis 5 gives
many examples of this. Scientists have
suggested various theories for these long life
spans, but we do not have a clearly stated
reason in God’s Word; we simply know that
this is true.
Considering that man lived for hundreds of
years, God’s 120-year span of warning was
well within the life span of the average man.
People had no reason to refuse to listen to God
then. (Neither do people today have any
reason.)
6. God was gracious to Noah - Genesis 6:8-10.
• Because of God’s love and mercy, one man and his family were not going to be
destroyed.
• Noah was born a sinner under Satan’s control just like all of Adam’s descendants.
– Noah did not deserve to be saved by God. Noah, too, deserved to be punished.
• But Noah came to God like Abel, Seth, and Enoch, bringing the blood of animals.
– Noah listened to God’s words to him.
– Noah repented, believed, and came to God in the way God told him.5
– Noah trusted God to save him through the coming Deliverer.
• Because of His grace, God forgave and accepted Noah.
(We have talked before about grace — let’s see if we can remember the meaning of this
wonderful word.)
⇒ Show Poster, “Grace.” Go over this definition several times and have the clubbers say it
together.
7. God gave instructions to Noah - Genesis 6:13-21.
• Because the people were so evil and would not change their minds and come to
God, He decided to destroy the whole earth. But what about Noah and his family?
– God told Noah that He was going to send a great flood which would cover the
whole earth.
– God also told Noah to build a large boat, so that all those who trusted in God
could be saved.
- This boat had to be built just as God told Noah. The boat had to be built
according to God’s plan. God gave Noah very good instructions.6
- There is one very important thing we need to remember about the way God
told Noah to build this boat.
- God told Noah to put only one door in the side of the ark.
- There was only one way to get inside
- Every person and every animal that was to be saved from God’s judgment
had to come into the ark by His door.
- There was only one ark in which people could be saved from God’s anger,
and there was only one door to enter the ark.
8. Noah obeyed God - Genesis 6:22.
• Noah believed God. He trusted in and depended on God to save him and his
family from the flood which God said He would send.
– Remember, there had never been rain in the world. Until this time, the world was
watered by mist which rose up from the ground. No one had ever seen rain.
• However, Noah believed that God could not lie when He said He would send a flood.
• Noah believed God, so He obeyed God and built the ark.
9. God told Noah to bring his family, the animals, and the birds into the ark Genesis 7:1-5.
• Noah warned the people of God’s coming judgment.
• The people in Noah’s time did not accept God’s warnings given through Noah.
• God waited patiently for 120 years for them to change their minds, but He would
wait no longer; it was time for God to punish them.7
• Before it started to rain, God told Noah to take his family and the chosen animals
into the finished boat.
• Noah believed that God was going to destroy the whole world.
71
• Noah also believed that he and his family could only be saved by God, so he did
what God said.
• God didn’t save Noah because of his good life. God saved Noah because Noah
agreed with and trusted in God.
10. They all entered by one door - Genesis 7:15-16.
• Noah, his family, and all the chosen animals all went into the ark through the one
door which God had told Noah to make. This was the only way anyone could be
saved from the flood and God’s great anger against sin.
11. God shut them in - Genesis 7:16.
• After they were all inside, God shut the door.
Think:
“… the Lord shut him in.” Sometimes we read right through wonderful things in the Bible
without even realizing what God has said! God Himself shut Noah, as well as his family and all
the animals, inside the place of safety.
• God wasn’t going to allow more time for the other people to change their minds
and believe.
– When God shut the door, it was too late. Even if they cried or pleaded outside
the door, they could not enter the ark.
– Noah could not let them in because God had shut them out. They had no way
to be saved.
• Those inside the boat were safe because God had shut them in.
Rewind
G O
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1. What was the attitude of most of the people
in Noah’s day? They thought only of
pleasing themselves. They were selfish
and violent. They were not interested in
knowing or pleasing God.
2. What did God say He was going to do
because the people would not repent?
God said he would destroy all living
things on earth.
3. Why did God decide to save Noah?
Because Noah agreed with God that he
was a sinner and trusted God to save
him through the coming Deliverer.
4. What did God tell Noah to do?
God told Noah to build an ark.
5. How did those saved from the flood get into
the ark? They all entered by the one and
only door which God had told Noah to
put in the side of the ark.
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Think:
When God put Adam and Eve out of the garden, away from the tree of life, was there any
way for them to get back in? No, none! When God decides it is time to punish the world,
there is no escape from Him.
12. God destroyed all those outside the ark - Genesis 7:17, 23.
• After God had shut the door of the ark, He sent the rain.
– God has control over all the earth, the rain, wind, sun, moon, stars, and every
thing else. He made all these things, and He controls them all.
• There was so much water that it covered the whole world — even the highest
mountains. Where did all the water come from?
– Now, when God’s time to flood the earth had come, God made the water
which He had placed up above the sky fall back onto the ground as rain.
⇒ Suggested picture: Earth’s Atmosphere with Water, Sky, and Earth.
– This was no ordinary rain; this was a deluge! Water also came from under
ground sources (Genesis 8:2). God can do anything. He alone is almighty.
• God made it rain for 40 days and nights until the whole earth was covered.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 10, “Noah’s Ark”
• Only Noah and his family had believed God and entered the ark.
• All the other people had refused to believe, and God destroyed them all.
God is holy and righteous. He is also patient and a God of love, but He is certainly a
God of great anger against sin. Because Noah and his family believed God, He kept
them safe inside the ark.
God Remembers Noah After the Flood
Story
Aim
This lesson completes the story of God’s
salvation of Noah and his family and their
resettlement of the earth after the flood.
You will show your clubbers:
• That God will not allow any attempt to take
over His authority.
• How God caused different language groups
to develop.
• God’s sovereignty in all the affairs of men.
You will also want your clubbers to:
• Understand that God will not approve any
attempt to take over His authority.
• Understand that God is supreme and
sovereign.
• Realize that every part of our history is
rooted in God’s acts and plans.
• See that the Bible presents a factual history
of man.
Explain to your clubbers that even though God’s name may have been “written out” of
many history books, His name can never be erased from the truth! God is the sovereign
controller of the affairs of men. Any attempts to explain flow of history must include our
Creator and sovereign God. In these lessons you are getting to know the God of all
history — the God of the Bible.
Memory
Verse
Isaiah 45:18 — For thus saith the LORD that
created the heavens; God himself that formed
the earth and made it; he hath established it, he
created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
Isaiah
45:18
Answers
1. Yes
2. No
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. Yes
Visuals
• Chronological Picture 11, “Noah’s Sacrifice
and the Rainbow”
• Chronological Picture 12, “The Tower of
Babel”
Explain to your clubbers that many scientists now see that the biblical record of the flood
is the scientific explanation for the great number of fossil remains of animals, such as
dinosaurs and other now-extinct animals.
The great flood is also the cause of many rock and land formations. These were not
formed over millions of years (as some teach) but were formed through the flood. The
more we learn about the Bible, the more we realize that God’s Word is an amazing,
accurate, scientific record.
1. God remembered Noah and all those inside the ark - Genesis 8:1-4, 14-17.
• God safely kept Noah and his family and the animals in the ark.
– God didn’t forget Noah and the others in the ark. He said He would save them,
and He did. He does what He says. God never changes; He never forgets. God
said He would destroy all outside the ark, and He did.
• God stopped the rain. He sent a strong wind to dry up the water, and the dry land
again appeared. God controls the rain and the wind.
2. God gave His commands and promises to Noah - Genesis 9:1-2.
• God gave Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, control over the
animals, birds, and fish just as He had given it to Adam in the beginning.
– The world and everything in it belongs to God. But He gave it to man to take
care of for Him.
Read -
⇒
Psalm 104:6-9.
“Noah’s Sacrifice and the Rainbow”
3. God gave the rainbow as His sign - Genesis 9:12-15.
• The rainbow was given as God’s sign to show that He would never again destroy
the earth by a flood. When you see a rainbow, remember that God gave the
rainbow as a sign that He will never again destroy the world by a flood.
• Many thousands of years have passed since the flood. God has kept His Word.
4. The rebellious, proud attitude of the people - Genesis 11:1-4.
• Many years passed after God saved Noah and his wife, their three sons, and their
sons’ wives from the great flood. Once again, many people lived on the earth.
• Most of the descendants of Noah soon forgot about God’s terrible judgment on the
earth by the flood. They deliberately ignored God.
73
• They did not want to believe the Lord or know Him like Abel, Seth, and Noah.
1
The comments about these people and their
progressive turning away from God are based
on Romans 1:18-32.
2
Think: Satan is clever. He knows our
weaknesses, and he knows what lies people
will accept. Worship has to do with the giving
of our thoughts, our time, our money — even
our lives — to serve the thing or person we
worship.
What are some of the things besides God that
people worship today? (Let the clubbers give
some answers.)
⇒
Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture
12, “The Tower of Babel”
Read - Genesis 1:28 and 9:1-2.
Ask clubbers if they remember what the
command was before reading the Scripture.
3
Do you remember that God said in the
beginning, “… Let us make man in our image
…” (Genesis 1:26)? Now again we see God
the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit — discussing what they were about to
do.
Rewind
2, 5, 6, 4, 3, 1
1. What sign did God give to show He would
never again destroy the earth with a
flood? The rainbow.
2. Did the descendants of Noah worship
God? Only a few believed and
worshiped God.
3. Why did they begin to build the tower of
Babel? So that they would not be
scattered all over the world as God
had commanded.
4. What did God do to stop the building of the
tower? He gave different languages to
different families. They couldn’t
understand each other anymore.
5. What happened when the families couldn’t
talk to each other? The different
families separated from one another
and moved to different places.
74
– They deliberately turned away from what they knew to be the truth about God,
and their minds became more evil and foolish. They made images and
worshiped them.1
– They were under Satan’s control and like Satan in their thinking. Satan was
leading our ancestors to rebel against God.
- They wanted to be great and important.
- They were not interested in knowing, worshiping, or trusting God, or obeying
His Word. They were worshiping false gods and were thinking about
themselves.
- Satan wants people to worship false gods.2
Worship comes from the word “worth.” God, and God alone, is worthy of our adoration
and worship. God is sovereign.
• The people gathered to build the tower of Babel because they did not want to be
scattered over all the earth (Genesis 11:4).
– The builders of Babel (also called Babylon) were not thinking about the true God.
– They were thinking of themselves. These men were full of pride. They wanted to
make a name for themselves instead of praising God’s name.
• God gave a command to Adam and Noah and his descendants.
– God had told Adam and Noah that they were to multiply and to take control of all
animals, birds, and fish in all parts of the world.
– God didn’t want people to live together in one place, doing only as they pleased.
– God knew that if they all stayed together, they would quickly forget about God
and His will. God created man to do His will on the earth.
– God is the Creator and owner of us all, no matter where we live, what color we
are, or what language we speak.
• These people deliberately disobeyed God’s command to Noah and Adam.
– They did not want to be scattered into different parts of the world as God said.
– They gathered in one place, built a city, and began to build a great, tall tower.
5. God saw them - Genesis 11:5.
• God knew the people’s thoughts and plans. No one can keep a secret from God.
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good (Proverbs 15:3).
6. God scattered them - Genesis 11:6-9.3
• The Lord God caused the people to speak different languages.
• Because people could no longer understand one another, they separated into
their different families and moved away.
• Over many years, they moved to other parts of the world.
– This was God’s original plan — that people live all over the earth.
Think:
If we want to know the true beginnings and history of man, we need to look at the Bible. This
passage in Genesis tells us how the different nations and races began, including those of our
ancestors. This is the beginning of history of your family as part of a nationality or language
group. Our ancestors turned away from the truth of God which they knew, and followed the
ideas which Satan and his spirits gave to them.
• There were a few people who continued to worship the true and living God, but
the majority turned away from God.
You may be noticing how what is happening in these true, ancient stories are very
similar to what is happening today –– people are still rebelling against God. God hasn’t
changed either. He knows and cares about what is happening in each individual life.
He still judges sin. And He is still calling people to believe in Him.
God Calls Abram
Story
Aim
Genesis 12 is the beginning of God’s promises
to Abram: that He would make of him a great
nation, and that all families of the earth would
be blessed in him. (The Deliverer would come
through the line of Abram.)
In this lesson you will show your clubbers:
• That God is faithful to carry out His plans
and to fulfill His promises.
• Man’s need to trust and obey God,
regardless of what other men are doing.
This lesson will also help your clubbers:
• To see the unity of the Bible.
• To see that God is not turned aside from His
purposes by the actions of men. But He is
always faithful to carry out what He has
promised to do.
• To look forward to the story of the Deliverer.
Visuals
• Poster 10, “Some of God’s Promises
to Abraham”
You will want your clubbers to know Abram for his faith in God. He is not just an old man
whose life story is in the Bible. He is our “father” in the faith.
Ask your clubbers: “How many of you know the name of your great grandfather? How
many of you know the name of your great-great-grandfather?
Not many of us know the names of our ancestors, but today we are going to talk about a
man who lived about 4,000 years ago and is still remembered today by his descendants.
Memory
Verse
Genesis 12:2 — And I [God] will make of thee
[Abram] a great nation, and I will bless thee, and
make thy name great; and thou shalt be a
blessing.
Explain to the clubbers that even though Abram and Sarai did not have any children,
God promised Abram that he would become the father of a great nation. God also
promised that He would protect and prosper Abram so that he would become an
important man and that, through him, others would also receive great benefit (good) and
help. Help your clubbers memorize this verse.
Genesis
12:2
Answers
1. C
2. B
3. C
4. B
5. C
1
Abram is presented to us as an example of
faith, yet he was also very human — having
many failures and lapses of faith. But we see in
Abram a man who repented of his sin and
always continued on with his walk with God.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Map 1.
Point to Babel.
These lessons do not cover the passages concerning Abram’s sins. The story of Hagar
and Ishmael is not discussed; nor is circumcision. We are presenting only those stories
and details that are foundational for presenting the character of God and His provision
for salvation by faith.1
1. Abram was a descendant of Shem
Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth; Abram was a descendant of Shem.
Abram, the son of Terah, lived close to where the people had begun to build the
great tower of Babel.
• Abram married Sarai, but Abram and Sarai didn’t have any children Genesis 11:27-30.
Note:
In those days, husbands and wives who had no children were looked down upon by society.
Male children were most desirable, so that a man might have heirs to carry on his family name.
⇒
Suggested Visual: Chronological Map 1.
Point to Ur, Haran, and Canaan as you come
to them in the text. (Point out to the clubbers
the countries that occupy these areas today)
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Chart.
Point to Abraham, Sarah, and Lot. Note: Later
on in their story, we will see Abram’s and
Sarai’s names change.
• Terah, Abram’s father, moved from Ur and traveled up to Haran -
Genesis 11:31-32.
– Terah took Abram and Sarai with him.
– Terah also took his grandson, Lot, because Lot’s father had died in Ur.
• Terah planned to go into Canaan, but they only got as far as Haran where Terah
died.
2. God called and commanded Abram - Genesis 12:1.
• God called Abram to leave his own country and go into the land of Canaan.
– God spoke directly to Abram and told him what he was to do; the Bible was not
yet written in Abram’s day.
- God doesn’t speak to us through a voice today.
- God speaks to us through His written word, the Bible.
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Point to Mesopotamia.
2
Does that mean that Abram was not a sinner?
No, Abram also was a descendant of Adam,
so he, too, was a sinner.
•
•
•
•
•
Rewind
1. The Deliverer
2. Abram
3. His descendant will be the Deliverer.
4. Sarai
5. Idols
1. What did God tell Abram to do? God told
him to leave his own country and go to
the place to which God promised to
lead him.
2. How many children did Abram and Sarai
have when God asked them to mov e?
None.
3. What did God promise Abram?
a. Abram’s descendants would become
a great nation.
b. God would protect and prosper
Abram. He would become an
important man, and through him
others would receive good and help.
c. God said he would help those who
helped Abram, but He would bring
evil on anyone who treated Abram
wrongly.
d. God said that all the nations and
tribes in the world would receive
God’s help through one certain
descendant of Abram.
4. Who would this descendant of Abram be?
He would be the Deliverer.
5. What did Abram do when God gave him
the promises? Abram believed God. He
left his own country and went where
God guided him.
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•
- The only way we can know about God and His message for us is through the
words of this book, the Bible.
Where Abram lived in Mesopotamia the people worshiped idols.
– The people did not trust, love, or obey God, their Creator.
– Joshua 24:2 tells us that Abram’s father, Terah, worshiped idols.
Abram believed God.2
– He came to God in the way God had shown.
– He trusted in God and His promises.
God’s plan for Abram could not be carried out where Abram was living among
these people who were worshiping idols.
– Abram must leave his homeland.
– Abram must go to the country to which God promised He would guide him.
– God had the right to tell Abram what to do.
- God is greater than all. God is our owner and our highest authority.
Our ancestors, the descendants of Noah, had deliberately turned away from God
and the truth.
– They worshiped the things which God had created instead of God, their Creator.
– They rebelled against Him by beginning to build the tower of Babel.
Even though the people were very sinful, God did not stop His plan to rescue
mankind from Satan’s power and everlasting punishment.
– No one and nothing can stop God from carrying out His plans.
- Whatever God promises to do, He does. Whatever He starts, He finishes.
- Nothing can keep God from doing His plans and accomplishing His
purposes.
Calling Abram was God’s next step in His plan to deliver men from their bondage
(being a slave) to sin.
– God is still the same today as He was in the days of Abram.
- God is still loving, merciful, and gracious.
- God has not forgotten His plan to save people from everlasting punishment.
- God wants everyone to be saved from Satan’s power and from sin.
3. God’s promises to Abram - Genesis 12:2-3.
• God promised Abram that he would become the father of a great nation.
– God promised Abram and Sarai that they would have many children.
• God promised that He would protect and prosper Abram.
– Abram would be an important man.
– Through Abram, other people would receive good and help (blessing).
⇒ Show Poster 10, “Some of God’s Promises to Abraham.”
We are going to keep a list of some of these special promises God made to Abram, (Whose
names was later changed to “Abraham”), so we can see just how God made these promises
come true.
• God also promised that He would help those who helped Abram, but He would
bring evil on anyone who treated Abram wrongly.
– The end of verse 3 says, “. . . in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
- This is the greatest of all the promises given to Abram, because it is about the
Deliverer.
Do you remember our studying that, in the garden of Eden, God promised He would
send a Deliverer into the world to crush the power of Satan? God now promised that
one of Abram’s descendants would be that Deliverer! All families of the earth would be
blessed through Adam’s descendant. That promise includes you and me and all of the
people in the world.
Abram Obeys
Story
Aim
You will continue with the story of “God’s Call to
Abram.” We will also present Lot’s choice of
what seemed to him the better land — the area
of Sodom and Gomorrah.
In this lesson, you will show your clubbers:
• Man’s need to trust and obey God,
regardless of what other men are
doing.
• That God is not turned aside from His
purposes by the actions of men, but He is
always faithful to carry out what He has
promised to do.
Discuss with your clubbers that it is not always easy to do the right thing. It is not always
easy to do what God wants us to do. God understands how hard it is to do some things
He asks us to do. But God will not ask us to do anything unless he has a good reason.
He wants us to choose to do what He wants, even if we don’t understand why He wants
us to do it. This is what Abram did, and God promised to bless him and all mankind for
obeying Him.
Memory
Verse
Visuals
Malachi 3:6 — For I am the Lord, I change not …
Remind the clubbers that God still does what He
says. No one can stop God from carrying out His
plans. Also, remind them that God is loving, merciful,
and gracious. He never forgot His promise to deliver people from everlasting punishment. God will never change.
• Chronological Picture 14, “Leaving
Haran”
Malachi
3:6
Answers
1. C
2. A
3. Yes
4. A
5. No
Since this is a short lesson, you should have time to review last week’s lesson. This is
especially important if you have clubbers studying this lesson who did not attend last
week. It is important for the clubbers to know Abram for his faith in God and the promises God made to him.
1. Abram believed and obeyed God - Genesis 12:4-5.
• Abram was living in a place where people worshiped idols.
• Abram and Sarai were childless.
• Abram believed God’s promises.
– Abram believed that God would send the Deliverer, and the Deliverer would
be one of his descendants.
– Abram, like Noah, believed God’s Word, and for that reason, he obeyed God.
Remember: As we study the story of Abram, let’s remember that he was a real person in
history, one who is mentioned many times throughout the Old and New Testaments.
Point to Ur, Mari, and Ebla as you mention
them.
⇒
14, “Leaving Haran”
Point to Ur, Haran, and Canaan, showing the
route Abram probably took on his journey.
Note:
Archaeological discoveries at Ur, Mari, Ebla and other ancient sites agree with the
details in the Bible concerning life in Abram’s time, that is, about 2,000 B.C. Recently, many
new details have come to light about travel and trade, marriage and family, and even
common names which are like those written in the Bible.
The city Abram had left earlier, Ur of the Chaldees, was an urban center with houses and
temples similar to those at Babel. The remains of the city of Ur can be seen in the country of
Iraq today.
• Abram believed God and obeyed Him. Abram realized that God was totally worthy
of his trust.
– Abram left his home and traveled living in tents.
– Lot, Abram’s nephew, also went with Abram and Sarai.
- Lot also believed God and trusted in His promises.
– God faithfully guided Abram to Canaan, the land that He had promised to give
to him.
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2. Trouble between Lot’s and Abram’s herdsmen - Genesis 13:5-7.
• Lot, Abram’s nephew, was also rich like his Uncle.
• Because they both had many sheep and cattle, it wasn’t long before trouble
developed between the men taking care of their herds and flocks.
3. Abram’s solution - Genesis 13:8-9.
4. Lot’s Choice - Genesis 13:10-11.
• Lot looked around to make his choice; he chose the grassy plain which he
thought would be best for his animals.
– Even though Lot believed and trusted in God, he wasn’t thinking of what was
the best thing for him and his family and how this move would affect their
knowledge of God or their ability to please Him.
– Lot was probably thinking only of how to make more money.
– Some terrible things happened to Lot because of this choice.
Remember:
Remember Cain’s foolish decision to ignore God? All his descendants were drowned
in the flood. We need to be careful of the choices we make.
Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof
are the ways of death.”
Rewind
Canaan
1. Where did God guide Abram to? Canaan.
2. Who went with Abram and Sarai? Lot.
3. What did God promise Abram?
a. Abram’s descendants would
become a great nation.
b. God would protect and prosper
Abram. He would become an
important man, and through him
others would receive good and help.
c. God said he would help those who
helped Abram, but He would bring
evil on anyone who treated Abram
wrongly.
d. God said that all the nations and
tribes in the world would receive
God’s help through one certain
descendant of Abram.
4. Why did Lot move away from Abram?
Abram and Lot had so many animals
that there was not enough grass or
room for them to live together.
5. Who made the selfish choice? Lot
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Think:
If a person chooses to turn away from learning what God has written for him in the Bible, that
person will regret it forever. What good will it do us to own everything in the world if we die and
are separated from God forever?
No one wants to talk about these things. We are continually encouraged to have more things
and to think less about God. But God calls to us through His Word — He wants us to listen to Him
and to believe Him.
Compare:
Abram trusted God. He stayed up in the rocky hills and mountains and let Lot take what looked
like the best land.
Lot moved down to the plain — where the walking was easier, and the grass was richer for his
animals.
In the eyes of men, it would seem that Abram was the “loser” in this division of the land. But God
knows the truth which we cannot see with our eyes.
• Down on the plains, there were two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah -
Genesis 13:12- 13.
– These cities were evil.
– The people who lived there didn’t want to know about God or what He wanted
them to do.
– They were only thinking of themselves and of the evil things they were doing.
• God knew that the people where Lot chose to live were evil.
– God would have told Lot the people were evil if he would have asked Him.
– Instead, Lot chose what looked the best to him.
– Because Lot made this choice, he took a bad move away from God and into
a terribly dangerous place of great evil.
Lot made a choice based on selfish desires. But Abram obeyed God because he
believed that God would do all He had promised.
God’s Promises to Abram
Story
Aim
You will be showing your clubbers:
• That God credited Abraham’s faith to
him as righteousness.
• God communicates with man, shown
in His promises to Abraham.
Note: You will refer to these promises in
later lessons, so be sure you teach them
now.
• Man’s need to come to God by faith,
shown in Abraham’s response.
Visuals
• Poster 7, “Grace”
to Abraham”
• Visual, “Abraham Believed God”
• Chronological Picture 15, “Abraham, Sarah,
and Their Heavenly Visitors” (Optional)
Ask your clubbers: “Have you ever been given something good that you didn’t deserve?
God gives us many good things we don’t deserve!
Ask your clubbers: “What is the word that we use to describe this special kind of love?”
⇒ Show poster, “Grace.” Have the clubbers read it aloud several times. Remind your clubbers that
“grace” is God’s kindness to undeserving sinners.
Memory
Verse
Genesis 15:6 — And he [Abram] believed in
the Lord; and he [God] counted it to him for
righteousness.
Explain to your clubbers that man must have faith in
God. Abram was a sinner; but because of his trust in God, he was accepted by God as
if he were perfectly right. You will explain this further during the lesson.
Genesis
15:6
answers
1. No
2. C
3. B
4. B
5. C
Lesson from God’s Word
Point to the area of Canaan.
⇒
Show Poster 10, “Some of God’s
Promises to Abraham.” Point to number 1.
1. God’s promises renewed to Abram - Genesis 13:14-17.
• After Lot left Abram, the Lord spoke to Abram and promised once again to give
him all the land of Canaan and to make of him a great nation.
Think:
Sometime this week, pick up a handful of dirt or sand. Try counting the fine grains.
Imagine how many separate grains would be in one field or a beach full of sand. Now think
of that multiplied by all the grains of sand or dirt in the earth! That’s how many descendants
God said He would give Abram.
• God promised Abram, even before he had one child, that his descendants would
be as many as the stars! - Genesis 15:5-6.
Think:
One night, God took Abram outside of his tent and told him to look up and see if he
could count the stars. If you can, try that this week, too. See how many stars you can
count. And remember, you can only see a few of what are really there. The darker the area
you are in, the more stars you can see. No one can count them all!
– Abram believed God.
– What God had promised would have seemed impossible.
– Abram and Sarai had been married for many years and were now old, but they
had never been able to have a child.
– But Abram trusted in God to give him a child and to send the Deliverer as one of
his descendants.
• Because Abram believed God, God accepted him as if he had no sin.
– But Abram was a sinner, a descendant of Adam, like us. Why should God accept
Abram, a sinner?
– What did God find in Abram that would cause God to credit Abram with
righteousness?
- What is righteousness?
- The root word is right.
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–Have your clubbers recite Genesis 15:6.
⇒
- God treated, or accepted, Abram just as though he were completely
righteous.
– The only reason why God credited righteousness to Abram was because Abram
believed God.
Visual, “Abraham Believed God”
Abraham BELIEVED GOD.
GOD counted it to him for righteousness.
⇒
Promises to Abraham.” Point to Number 2.
Note: This same Deliverer who would come
through the line of Abram, would also be able
to save all mankind from Satan, sin and death.
⇒
Promises to Abraham.” Point to Number 3.
- Abram was a sinner; but because of his trust in God, he was accepted by God
as if he were perfectly right - Romans 4:3.
– Abram knew that he could not save himself from his sins, but he believed that
God was going to send a Deliverer who would be able to save him from Satan,
sin and death. This is how God was going to bless all peoples on the earth.
• God knew all that would happen to Abram’s descendants before they were ever
born - Genesis 15:13-16.
Think:
Do you know what will happen next week, next year, in 10 years’ time? What about in
one or two hundred years’ time? No one knows the answers to these questions except
God. Only God knows all about your future.
Let’s remember these promises and see how God brings them to pass later on.
• God again spoke to Abram when he was 99 years old - Genesis 17:1-5.
Rewind
See memory verse.
1. What did God tell Abram after Lot left him?
a. God told Abram that He would give
him all the land of Canaan.
b. God promised that Abram’s
descendants would number more
than the stars.
c. God said that Abram’s descendants
would go to live in another country
and that they would be ill-treated for
four hundred years, but after that
time, God would bring them back to
the land of Canaan which God had
promised to Abram.
2. What new names did God give to Abram
and Sarai? Abraham and Sarah.
3. Why couldn’t Abraham and Sarah have a
child unless God performed a miracle?
a. Sarah was unable to have a child.
b. They were both too old.
4. Who created the first man and woman and
gives life to every baby? God.
5. Who knows the future of every person?
Only God.
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– God changed Abram’s name to Abraham because God promised he would
become the father of many descendants.
- Abram means “exalted father”; Abraham means “father of a multitude of
children.”
2. God’s promise that Abraham and Sarah would have a son Genesis 17:15-16.
• God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah because, even though she had never
been able to have a child, God promised she would have a son.
– Sarai means “princess,” but Sarah means “mother of nations.”
– She would become the mother of millions of descendants.
• It seemed impossible that Abraham and Sarah would have a son - Genesis 17:17.
Note:
For additional study, you may read Genesis 18:1-15. If you use these verses, you may
also use Chronological Picture 15, “Abraham, Sarah, and Their Heavenly Visitors.”
God’s grace and His knowledge of all things are demonstrated in chapter 18 in His knowledge
of Sarah’s response (verse 12-15).
Explain to older clubbers that, several times in the Bible, God appeared briefly to individuals in
the form of a man. These appearances are called “theophanies.”
– Abraham would be 100 years old.
– Sarah would be 90 years old.
– But the promise did not depend on them and on their abilities. It was God who
made the promise, and He is almighty. Nothing is too hard for God!
Jeremiah 32:17 says, “Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven
and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is
nothing too hard for thee …”
God Destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah
Story
Aim
In today’s lesson, not only you will you see
God’s concern for all men, but also His certain
judgment of sin, shown in the story of Sodom
and Gomorrah.
In this lesson you will show your clubbers:
• That God judges sin.
• The results of wrong choices.
• God’s concern for each person.
This lesson will also help your clubbers:
• To realize that no one “gets away with”
sin.
• To see the seriousness of sin and
rebellion against God.
• To see that the Bible is true.
Visuals
• Chronological Picture 16, “Lot and His
Daughters Escape”
From this story you will want the clubbers to understand that everything we read in the
Bible about God is true, whether we understand it or not. In the story of Sodom and
Gomorrah, you will see the depth of God’s grace and His knowledge of all things. He
demonstrates these attributes of His in many different ways throughout the Bible.
Remind your clubbers that though people can have mercy toward each other, “mercy” is
God’s way for sinners to escape the punishment they deserve!
Memory
Verse
Proverbs 15:9 — The way of the wicked is an
abomination unto the Lord: but He loveth him
that followeth after righteousness.
Many people like to think that a “loving God” would
never punish anyone. And many other people think that God is only to be feared; He
does not love, but can be manipulated to do what man wants. But God is righteous; and
though He certainly is loving, He is also to be feared. God hates and punishes all sin.
Proverbs
15:9
Answers
1. No
2. No
3. No
4. Yes
5. Yes
• Chronological Picture 17, “The
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah”
The portion of Scripture you are studying today is good for us to learn from because of
the kind of sin common in Sodom and Gomorrah. Homosexuality (and every other kind
of sexual sin) is practiced by many in our day, and many excuse their sin as a “chosen
lifestyle.” Godless lifestyles have become popular and socially acceptable. But God has
not changed. God never has and never will accept immoral behavior.1
1. God’s attitude toward Sodom and Gomorrah - Genesis 18:20-21.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Map 1. Point to the probable location of Sodom
and Gomorrah.
• Lot and his family left Abraham because there was not enough room and grass for
1
As a teacher, you may be hesitant to mention
to your clubbers the immoral behavior of the
people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Though it is a
sad story of their way of life, it is a very real
part of the world we live in, too. Children need
to hear the biblical view on matters that are
being presented and promoted to them in
schools and through the worldly media. They
need to know that God sees and punishes sin;
and He is a gracious God, making a way of
escape for those who trust in Him.
Read - Ezekiel 16:49-50. These verses
tell us what the people of Sodom were like.
all their animals to live together. Lot moved down near the two cities of Sodom and
Gomorrah.
• God had been displeased with these evil cities for a long time, even before Lot
moved near them.
– Even though there were many people in the world at that time, God saw
everything that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah did, and He heard every
thing that they said.
– For a long while, the Lord (God) had been patient with the people who lived
there, but now He decided that He could not allow their sinfulness any longer.
– They could not escape the judgment of God.
Think:
Ask clubbers if they remember how God patiently waited for the people to repent in the
days when Noah lived? But the time came when God decided He had given the people
enough time to repent. Not one of those who refused to agree with God escaped His
punishment.
Because God doesn’t immediately punish sin, it may seem like God overlooks sin.
Nevertheless, He will eventually punish all sin. No one can escape from God, our almighty
Creator. He sees and will punish the sin of every person.
– These people were proud, they ate more than they needed, and they didn’t
care about the needs of others.
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2. God’s angels came to Sodom - Genesis 19:1-3.
• Where was Lot?
– Before, when Lot first moved away from Abraham, he was living near the city.
– Now he had moved inside the city and was living with these evil people.
• Who were his visitors, and why did they come?
– They were two of God’s good angels who had not followed Satan.
– God sent them to Sodom for a special purpose. He sent these angels to warn
Lot and his family of what was about to happen.
– God knew that Lot believed Him, even though Lot lived among the people of
Sodom and Gomorrah.
3. The sinfulness of the Sodomites - Genesis 19:4-7.
Think:
What a sickening story. But God has put it here for us to read. Stop and think: are the people of
today any better?
God’s only plan for sex was that it be the special bond between a man and his wife, and the way for
them to have children. But These people didn’t care about God. They only wanted to please
themselves. Their bodies were out of control, just like many people today. Our whole world is
threatened by a horrible disease because men and women have refused God’s plan for their lives.
Lot’s choice of the “best” land appears quite different now, doesn’t it! If God had not sent His angels,
what a horrible end Lot and his two daughters would have faced! But the Bible tells us that Lot
believed God, and God rescued him.
Rewind
4. Lot, his wife, and his daughters rescued out of Sodom - Genesis 19:10-17.
• God did not save Lot and his wife and daughters because they were good.
– Lot was not living an evil life like the people of Sodom, but he, too, was born a
sinner.
– But Lot had agreed with God that he was a sinner and he trusted in God’s mercy.
– Lot believed the promises given to Adam and to his Uncle Abraham about the
coming Deliverer.
• God’s angels led Lot out before the evil cities were destroyed.
• God always saves those who agree with Him and trust in Him.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 16, “Lot and His Daughters Escape”
– Abel agreed with God and trusted in Him, and God accepted Abel.
– Noah agreed with God and trusted in Him, and God saved Noah from the flood.
– Lot agreed with God and trusted in Him, and God delivered him before Sodom
was destroyed.
5. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah - Genesis 19:24-25.
1. How did God know about the evil in Sodom
and Gomorrah? God knows everything.
2. Will God ignore some people’s sin?
No, God will judge every person.
3. Can anyone stop God from punishing
people when He decides they have had
enough time to repent (change their minds)?
No, God is supreme.
4. Why did God send His angels to rescue
Lot and his family? Because Lot agreed
with God that he was a sinner and
trusted in God’s promises to send the
Deliverer.
5. Why did God turn Lot’s wife into a pillar of
salt? Because she disobeyed God’s
command that they must not look back
at the burning cities.
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⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 17, “The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah”
Note: Once Lot was safely outside the city, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. God hates sin.
Just as He destroyed the world by a flood in the time of Noah, now He destroyed these evil people
by fire. In 2 Peter 2:6 God calls the destruction of these cities an example of what is going to happen
to ungodly people.
6. Lot’s wife looked back - Genesis 19:26.
• When the angels took Lot, his wife, and his two daughters out of Sodom, they
told them not to look behind but to run to the mountains. Lot’s wife disobeyed.
• God knew what was in the heart of Lot’s wife.
– Lot’s wife was like Cain; she did not trust in God.
• She was very foolish to ignore God’s warning because, when she looked back,
God turned her into a pillar of salt.
– God doesn’t threaten to punish and then forget. He remembers and keeps His
promises to bless those who trust in Him and to punish those who disobey Him.
Story
over the last 10 lessons. You may make more
questions or adapt questions to the ages of your
clubbers.
Explain to your clubbers: Just like Jon and Carol, we want to review what we have
learned since the last time we had a day of review (quiz). If your clubbers have not
heard of question-and-answer sessions called a quiz, then get them acquainted with this
term. We will start calling these special days of review “Awana Quizzing.”
Before learning more about Abraham and God’s promises to him and his descendants,
we will review what we have learned about Adam and Eve, Noah and His descendants,
and Abraham and his family.
Visuals
Note: If you do this review after the quiz
questions, you can spend more time reviewing
the parts of the lessons the clubbers did not
remember well.
Make a question out of each of the 10 verses we have used in the last 10 lessons.
Example: Who can recite Psalm 119:160? See the Awana Card for the 10 verses.
Clubbers can earn extra points for reciting all the verses on the back of the Awana Card.
Aim
what you have learned so far — pointing out
each person on the chart through Abraham,
Sarah, and Lot.
• Poster 1, “Learning About God” —
Use this to review Attributes of God.
• Chart 1, “God is Greater Than All”
As you have taught Genesis 3 through 19, the lessons have spanned the time from
Adam and Eve, to Noah, to Abraham and Lot, and to Sodom and Gomorrah. These
lessons have presented God’s omniscience and wrath against sinners, but also His
grace and patience in seeking to draw all men to Himself. God’s sovereignty and
omnipotence are shown in His control over all creation.
make strong the information in the students’ minds. Review will also help you, as a
teacher, to know how well you are communicating and what areas need extra attention
as you continue to teach. No matter how well you may have said it, what is most
important is what your students have learned! And an excellent way to know what has
been learned is to ask questions.
1. If you ask a question and the clubbers cannot answer or they give a wrong answer,
give them some clues to help them answer the question. If they cannot answer after a
little help, go ahead and tell them the answer. Do not stay too long on a question if
Make notes of the questions they do not know and be sure you spend time explaining
them before going on to the next lessons.
meetings.
will certainly be debated in the future. But the purpose of this meeting is to show what
the Bible says and to learn the Word of God accurately. Whatever you do, be sure to
limit discussion of these debatable truths. Winning an argument will not help change a
mind. Just allow the Holy Spirit to use the truth and be firm but loving and patient with
those who disagree.
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But do not let one or two clubbers do most of the talking, especially when their answers
are wrong. You are trying to make your clubbers compare their own ideas from the past
to what they are learning from the Awana Club lessons. Be patient with them.
If one clubber says of another clubber’s answer, “That’s wrong!” you might reply, “Well,
we are just asking for opinions now. What do you think?”
Review Games
example, if team A was first asked the question but had the wrong answer, and team B is
asked the question, the next question will still be asked of team B, and so on.
Note: The discussion questions are not good to use for review games. If you are doing
review games, you may want to go through all the other questions first. Then, after the
games, cover the discussion questions without receiving points for answers.
God told Adam that, if they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, they would definitely die, but Satan told Eve they would not. What was Satan
suggesting that God was? A liar.
2. When Adam and Eve realized they were naked, why did they make clothes for
themselves? Because their attitudes toward their bodies changed. They tried to take
care of their own needs instead of asking God to help them.
3. Did God call Adam because God didn’t know where Adam and Eve were? No, God
knew where they were. God wanted them to choose to come to Him and admit their sin.
4. In what way did Adam and Eve become like God after they ate the fruit of the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil? They now knew that there was evil as well as good.
5. Why did God take time to talk to Cain about his bad attitude? Because God loved
Cain and wanted him to agree that he was a sinner and that he should bring the
correct sacrifice.
6. What was the attitude of most of the people in Noah’s day? They thought only of
pleasing themselves. They were selfish and violent. They were not interested in
knowing or pleasing God.
7. What one important thing should we remember about the ark? The ark had only one
door. There was only one way to enter the ark and be saved from the judgment of God.
8. How did the generation of people following the flood know the truth about God?
a. The truth about God the Creator and His judgment by the flood was told from one
generation to the next.
b. The people could see that there was an almighty Creator by the things which God
had made. The sun, moon, stars, and all the things on the earth were proof that God
was their almighty Creator.
9. What did Abram do when God gave him the promises? He believed God. He left his
own country and went where God guided him.
1.
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God Gave Isaac to Abraham
Story
Aim
This lesson shows God’s supreme faithfulness,
grace, and sovereign power by giving Isaac to
Abram and Sarah, then by providing a ram to
die in Isaac’s place.
This lesson will help your clubbers to:
• See God’s claim on their lives because He
owns everyone and everything.
• Show that nothing is too hard for God.
• See that they cannot save themselves, but
God saves those who trust Him.
• See that they can come to God by faith.
In today’s story, it seems Abraham has given
up his ownership and control of his possessions, his life, and the life of his only son. His
trust in God is a childlike rest and freedom from
doubt that allows him to hand everything over
to God. Abraham realized what we all need to
realize: God is supremely faithful. He always
keeps His promises.
Visuals
to Abraham”
• Chronological Picture 18, “Abraham Offers
Isaac”
⇒
Suggested Visual: Chronological Chart.
Point to Isaac.
1
Hebrews 11:19 tells us that Abraham expected
God to raise Isaac from the dead. He knew that
God had promised to give descendants and to
send a deliverer through Isaac. So Abraham’s
actions demonstrate his trust in God to take
care of the present difficult situation and to do
what He promised to do in the future.
You will want your clubbers to remember Abram for his faith in God. Remind them that
this is not just a story about someone in history. Abraham is our “father” in the faith.
However, we want our clubbers to remember that these stories about Abraham are not
about Abraham’s greatness, but the greatness of God and His faithfulness toward
mankind. Today you will show how Abraham’s faith is presented as the right way to act
towards God’s faithfulness.
Memory
Verse
Isaiah
43:11
Isaiah 43:11 — I, even I, am the Lord; and
beside me there is no saviour.
After teaching the lesson today, help your clubbers to
see that Isaac could only be saved by God’s help.
God is the only Savior. He is greater than all.
Answers
1. B
2. C
3. B
4. No
5. No
Have your clubbers recite the memory verse from lesson 19, Genesis 15:6. Abraham
believed God, and God accepted him as though he were righteous.
Today we are going to study the greatest test of Abraham’s faith. But more important
than Abraham’s faith is the faithful God whom he trusted. God is the main character
of this story and of the whole Bible! Be certain your clubbers are listening carefully to
the amazing things God did for Abraham.
1. God fulfilled His promise and gave Abraham and Sarah a son Genesis 21:1-3.
• Even though Abraham and Sarah were too old to have children, God had
promised to give them a son.
– Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90.
– Sarah had laughed when God said she would have a child (Genesis 18:12).
- Sarah had never had a child; she knew it was impossible at her age.
• Nothing is impossible with God; He can do anything He wants to do.
• Many years had passed since God first promised to give Abraham a son, but God
hadn’t forgotten His promise.
– God hadn’t changed His mind.
– Sarah had a son just as God promised. Abraham and Sarah called their son
Isaac.
2. God commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac - Genesis 22:1-2.
Many years passed by, and Isaac grew to be a young man. His father and mother
loved him. Abraham believed that all of God’s promises concerning the coming
Deliverer were to be fulfilled through Isaac and his descendants.
• One day God told Abraham to do a most unexpected and difficult thing.
• God was not cruel; He is always holy and good. God was going to do something
very special in the lives of Abraham and Isaac.
• God was testing Abraham to see if he loved Isaac more than he loved God.1
• What authority did God have to tell Abraham to take Isaac and offer him as a
sacrifice?
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– God gives life to every person and every living thing. God created everything.
– Therefore, God has authority over all people and all things.
2
Think about what was happening! Had God
changed His mind about Isaac and His
promises? How could God’s promises be
fulfilled through Isaac if Abraham killed him?
Had God decided that the Deliverer would not
be one of Isaac’s descendants?
⇒
Promises to Abraham.”
3
Compare: Abraham was different from Adam
and Eve. When they were in the garden, God
told Adam not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, for, if he did, that
day he would die. But when Satan told Eve
they wouldn’t die, Adam and Eve believed
Satan. They doubted the Word of God, and
they disobeyed Him. Adam and Eve did not
believe God, but Abraham did. He believed
that God would keep His Word.
4
Think: Only God could save Noah and his
family from the flood that destroyed everyone
else in the whole world. Only God could save
Lot and his daughters from the fire which
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Only God
could save Isaac from being killed!
Rewind
Secret message: I, even I, am the Lord.
1. How could God give Abraham and Sarah a
son when they were so old? Because
God gives life to all people. God is
omnipotent; He can do anything He
wants to do.
2. What authority did God have to ask
Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice? God
created all things. God is owner of all
things.
3. What is the most important thing we can
do? Trust in God.
4. Who spoke to Abraham and saved Isaac
from death? God did.
5. Why was the ram held in the bush by its
horns? Because God is perfect, He
would only accept an offering if it was
strong and healthy.
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3. Abraham believed God.
• How did Abraham respond?
– Even though Abraham was told to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, he did not doubt or
question God. He accepted what God had said.2
• How could Abraham respond like this?
– He knew and believed God. He knew that God would not lie.
– Abraham knew that God would not give him promises and then change His mind.
• Wasn’t this an impossible thing for a man to do?
– Abraham was just a person like you and me. This test of his faith was terribly
difficult — we might say, impossible. But Abraham had come to realize that God
never fails!
• Because Abraham believed and trusted in God, he immediately made preparations to go to the place where God had promised to lead him3 (Genesis 22:3-5).
4. Isaac questioned and Abraham answered - Genesis 22:6-8.
• Consider Isaac’s situation. He had undoubtedly watched many sacrifices.
– Isaac knew that the penalty for sin is death, and that the only way to come to
God was by faith, offering the blood of a lamb or sheep as a sacrifice in man’s place.
– He did not understand why they had not taken a sheep with them. Abraham had
not told Isaac what God had told him to do.
• Abraham trusted God. Trusting God is the most important thing we can do.
5. Abraham bound Isaac - Genesis 22:9-10.
• There was no escape for Isaac. He was tied up and laid on the altar.
– Abraham had lifted up the knife to kill Isaac.
• God had commanded Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, and there was no
way for Isaac to escape once he was on the altar.4
6. God provided a ram to take Isaac’s place - Genesis 22:10-12.
• God saved Isaac; God told Abraham not to kill his son!
• Isaac couldn’t be saved, however, unless there was another suitable sacrifice to
offer to God.
– Abraham and Isaac didn’t have a suitable sacrifice with them.
– But God provided another offering instead of Isaac.
• God graciously provided a ram, a male sheep, instead of Isaac - Genesis 22:13.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 18. “Abraham Offers Isaac”
• God caused the ram to be caught by its horns in the bush.
– If it had been caught by any other part of its body, it would have injured itself by
struggling and trying to get free.
– If it had been injured, it would not have been an acceptable offering to God.
God would only accept a healthy, strong animal as a sacrifice.
- Because God is perfect, He will only accept whatever is perfect.
• God provided an acceptable sacrifice in place of Isaac. God is faithful. He kept
His promise to Abraham.
– Through Isaac, God would give Abraham many descendants.
• Abraham took Isaac off the altar and put the ram which God had provided on the
altar, so it could be sacrificed instead of Isaac. The ram died instead of Isaac.
7. Abraham trusted God to send the Deliverer - Genesis 22:14-19.
• Abraham called the place where God provided the ram “The Lord will provide.”
• Abraham believed that God would also provide the Deliverer to rescue mankind
from the power of Satan and from the punishment of sin. God keeps His promises.
Isaac’s Sons
Story
Aim
You will be telling your clubbers about two of
Abraham’s grandchildren – Esau, a man who
did not value God’s promises, and Jacob, a
man who valued God’s promises. This lesson
will not cover all the details of Jacob’s and
Esau’s lives; but it will highlight those things
which point the clubbers to the coming
Deliverer.
You will also be showing your clubbers:
• The faithfulness of God to carry out His
promise to bring a Deliverer.
• The foolishness of choosing a worldly
lifestyle.
Visuals
• Optional Chronological Picture 19, “Jacob
Trades Esau His Birthright”
(Genesis 25:29-34)
The Bible and other writings from this time in history mention the rights of inheritance.
These rights are very important, as they usually give to the older son the family leadership, any special privileges, and a greater (double) portion of the father’s accumulated
wealth. Esau was the oldest son by only seconds, but was looking forward to receiving
the inheritance from his father, Isaac. We will learn in our story today how, because of
Esau’s foolish behavior, he didn’t received what he had hoped for.
Memory
Verse
Proverbs 5:21 — For the ways of man are
before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth
all his goings.
Explain to your clubbers that God sees everywhere
man goes and everything he does, all the time. He not only sees what man does, but
He knows why he does the things he does. They can not think or do anything in secret
from Him. God considers (weighs) and judges everything He sees.
Proverbs
5:21
Answers
1. No
2. C
3. No
4. Yes 5. Yes
Today we are going to look at some of the things that happened in the lives of
Abraham’s descendants, as recorded in the Book of Genesis. God kept careful record of
these events that took place nearly 4,000 years ago! Our story begins in Canaan.
⇒
Point to Jacob and Esau.
1. Isaac and Rebekah - Genesis 25:19-20.
• Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, was born in the land where Abraham had lived before the
Lord led him to Canaan.
• Remember, God had spared Isaac’s life by providing a ram to die in Isaac’s
place!
• God had promised Abraham that through Isaac would come many descendants,
including the Deliverer.
2. Esau and Jacob were born - Genesis 25:21-26.
• God had made it possible for Isaac and Rebekah to have children, just as He had
for Abraham and Sarah.
• Now Abraham’s son Isaac had twins.
• Even before they were born, the Lord knew what kind of people Jacob and Esau
would grow up to be.
– God said that from each of them would come a great nation of people.
– God knows all about us even when we are in our mother’s womb.
– Nothing is too hard for God.
3. Esau did not believe or value God’s promises.
• Esau was a skillful hunter; he spent his time tracking and killing wild animals out
in the fields - Genesis 25:27a.
• The promises concerning the Deliverer would have, according to custom, been
passed on to Esau because he was Isaac’s firstborn son.
– The Deliverer from God would then have been one of Esau’s descendants.
- But Esau was not interested in the promises of God.
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- Esau did not trust in God like Abraham, and Isaac did.
- Esau was like Cain.
- He did not see that he was a sinner.
- He did not see that he needed to be accepted by God.
- He wanted to do things his own way.
Hebrews 12:16
4. Jacob lived quietly in his tent and kept sheep and cattle - Genesis 25:27b.
• Jacob believed in the God of Abraham and Isaac.
5. Esau sells his birthright (inheritance) to Jacob - Genesis 25:29-34.
• Esau sells his rights as the firstborn for a bowl of food.
1
Make it clear to your clubbers that Jacob did
not change God’s choice for the blessing.
Jacob was always His choice. However,
Jacob sinned when he deceived his father,
Isaac, into giving him the blessing. God’s
ways are the only right ways for accomplishing His plans. Jacob’s way caused his
brother, Esau, to hate him, and he had to leave
his home and family. Again, we see how
man’s sin often brings sorrow not only to
themselves, but to those around them as well.
6. Jacob is given the blessing of the firstborn - Genesis 27:1-29.
• Jacob wanted to inherit the promises which his father, Isaac, had inherited from
Abraham, so he tricked him into giving him the blessing.1
• However, God had decided, even before Esau and Jacob were born, that Jacob
would receive this blessing - Genesis 25:23.
– The Deliverer would then be one of Jacob’s descendants.
7. Esau loses his blessing - Genesis 27:30-38.
• Esau weeps because he loses his blessing to Jacob.
• Esau was not interested in the promises of the Deliverer, but he did want the
position and the privileges which came with being the firstborn.
8. Jacob returned to the land of Abraham and Rebekah - Genesis 28:10.
• Esau was so angry with Jacob for receiving the inheritance from his father, which
he thought should be his, that he planned to kill him - Genesis 27:41.
• Because of Esau’s plans, Jacob left his father and mother’s home. He began the
long journey back to Mesopotamia, the land from which his grandfather, Abraham,
had come.
Think
Esau went his own way and lived only for the pleasures of this world. These were more
important to him than the things which God wanted to give him and teach him. What about you?
Are you going to be like Cain and Esau and turn away from God’s truth and follow your own
way? Or, are you going to be like Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Isaac who admitted their sin and
trusted in God to provide the Deliverer?
Rewind
See memory verse.
1. Which brother was interested in God’s
promises? Jacob.
2. Which brother went his own way and lived
only for the things of this world? Esau.
3. Who was Esau’s and Jacob’s grandfather?
Abraham.
4. Who was Esau’s and Jacob’s father?
Isaac.
5. Why did Jacob leave home? Because
Esau was angry with him and wanted to
kill him.
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Thoughts for the teacher:
Psalm 146:5 says, “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his
God.” The God of Jacob? When we read the Bible’s complete story of Jacob, we see that Jacob was
not always a man of faith. Yet Jacob the schemer became Jacob the man of faith. He is listed in the
“hall of faith” in Hebrews 11:9, 20-21, and he is the man whom God chose to be the father of the 12
tribes which became the nation Israel.
As we who teach read for ourselves the whole story of Jacob, it may serve to remind us that God’s
ways are not man’s ways. We might never have “chosen” a man like Jacob. In the same way, some
of our clubbers may not be particularly easy to teach; they may be, in fact, very difficult! But we must
remember that God knows the end from the beginning, and He has brought these clubbers to us so
that we can give them His Word.
How do we know? The clubber who seems the least likely to believe may astonish us with his
response to God’s Word. One of the great things about the story of Jacob is that God spoke
personally to Jacob several times and gave His promises to him.
May we be faithful to teach in the power of God’s Spirit. May we love the unlovely and share the Word
with complete faith in the One who can change even the most evil sinner into His own dear child! The
“Jacob” that disrupts our meetings may turn out to be the “father” of a great “tribe” of believers!
God’s Promise to Jacob
Story
Aim
This lesson will be telling the story of Jacob
and his dream, which speaks of God’s plan to
send a Deliverer to reconcile man with God.
You will be showing your clubbers:
• That there is only one way to God and that
He alone provides that way.
• That there is nothing they can do them
selves to make them acceptable to God.
Visuals
• Visual showing God, Man and Good
Works
• Visual showing the “ladder” from God
to Man
to Abraham”
• Chronological Picture 20, “Jacob’s
Dream”
1
It may help your clubbers understand this
picture better if you give them an example of
something in their life which is similar to this
illustration. An example might be: Some houses
are built high off the ground. You cannot reach
them without a ladder. When you leave your
house to go someplace, you remove the ladder
so the animals cannot steal your food. The
ladder is the way into the house. Without the
ladder, there is no way to enter your house.
Ask your clubbers if they have ever forgotten to do something they were told to do or
had promised to do. Ask them, if when they remembered what they had forgotten to do,
if they kept their promise or did what they were told to do like Carol did. It is easy to
delay doing things we remember, but don’t feel like doing, until another time and then
forget again and again. Explain how God keeps every promise; He finishes every plan.
The Bible is an amazing story, because God is completely faithful.
Memory
Verse
Psalm 33:11 — The counsel of the Lord
standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to
all generations.
Psalm
33:11
Explain to your clubbers that nothing or nobody can
change the plans God has made. His plans do not get old or outdated. When God tells
us something is going to happen, no matter how long it takes, we can trust Him that He
will make it happen.
Let’s Think it Through
Answers
1. No
2. Yes
3. No
4. No
5. Yes
Because of the great differences between Esau and Jacob, problems between the two
brothers increased to the point that Esau threatened to kill Jacob. Therefore, Jacob left
his father and mother’s home and began the journey back to Mesopotamia, the land
from which his grandfather, Abraham, had come.
1. Jacob’s dream - Genesis 28:11-12.
• It was a long way from Canaan to Mesopotamia so, on his way, Jacob had to
sleep out in the mountains.
• One night as Jacob slept, God gave him a dream.
– Occasionally during those times, God would speak to people through dreams.
– But now that His Word is completed, He speaks to us through the Bible.
• The ladder that Jacob saw in his dream is a picture of the way in which the
Deliverer bridges the gap between man and God.
– God is the only One who can make a way for us to come to Him.
– Even if a person were to do many, many good works to try to please God, his
efforts would still not bridge the gap caused by sin. (Talk about some of the
“good works” some people think will get them to heaven. Have your clubbers
participate in this discussion.)1
Think:
The following visual reminds us that, in the beginning, Adam and Eve were in oneness
with God. God walked with Adam and Eve. They were friends with God. But when they
disobeyed God, they and all their descendants, including you and me, were separated
from God. The ladder, or the way to God, had been removed. There was no way that
people could come back to God and be in fellowship with Him unless God made a way.
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⇒
Suggested Visual: God, Man and Good
Works
GOD
Good
Works
Man
2
Even though all people have been separated
from God because of Satan’s lies and Adam’s
disobedience to God, God planned to send the
Deliverer who would make it possible for God
and man to be reunited as friends.
⇒
But God promised the Deliverer who would destroy Satan and restore the friendship between
God and man. The Deliverer would be like the ladder which Jacob saw reaching from earth to
Heaven. Through the Deliverer, people would once again be able to be in oneness with God.2
Suggested Visual: “Ladder” from God to
GOD
Man
The
Deliverer
Man
• Jacob was a sinner just like us.
– God graciously showed Jacob that there is only one way to God.
– God was also showing Jacob that blessings could only come from God Himself
and that Jacob must put his trust in God.
– God wanted Jacob, and us, to see that there is nothing we can do ourselves to
make us acceptable to God.
Rewind
See Visual.
1. In Jacob’s time, how did God some times
speak to people? In dreams.
2. What did Jacob see in the dream given to
him by God? He saw a stairway resting
on the earth with its top reaching to
heaven. God’s angels were walking up
and down the ladder, and God stood
above the ladder.
3. What did this dream mean? It meant that
the Deliverer, who would be the
descendant of Jacob, would be like the
ladder connecting the earth to Heaven.
Through the Deliverer, people could be
brought back intooneness with God.
4. God spoke to Joseph in a dream. How
does God speak to people today? God
speaks to people today through His
Word, the Bible.
5. What new name did God give Jacob?
Israel.
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2. God passed on to Jacob the promises He had given to Abraham and Isaac Genesis 28:13-15.
• God was continuing to work out His plan to send the Deliverer.
– Many years had passed since God gave the first promise of the Deliverer in the
garden of Eden.
– God had called Abraham and promised that from his family line would come the
Deliverer.
– Now Abraham had gotten old and had died.
– But God had not forgotten His plan.
• God promised Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, that the coming Deliverer would be
one of his descendants.
• Jacob knew for certain that the promises given to his grandfather, Abraham, and
his father, Isaac, now belonged to him.
• Many years later, Jacob returned to Canaan.
• Jacob had 12 sons.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Map 1. Point to Canaan.
– Look at what God has already done to multiply Abraham’s family!
– Each of these great-grandsons of Abraham was to become a great tribe of
people.
- We still refer to the names of these men as the “twelve tribes of Israel.”
- Israel is the name that God gave to their father, Jacob - Genesis 32:28.
• Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was now Israel.
– Even today, we call the nation of Israel by this man’s name.
– God was already fulfilling His promises to Abraham to make of him a great
nation!
Jacob’s Son Joseph
Story
Aim
This lesson is the first of two lessons that will
present God’s sovereign working in and through
the life of Joseph to bring Israel into Egypt.
God’s faithfulness is highlighted through
Joseph’s trust in Him. God communicated with
Joseph through dreams and brought to fulfillment
all He had promised.
You will show your clubbers:
• That God knows the future of man.
• That God fulfills His promises.
• That Joseph was a man of faith.
• That God carries out His plans, even
through difficult circumstances.
Visuals
•
•
•
•
Chronological Chart
Chronological Map 1
Poster 1, “Learning About God”
Chronological Picture 21, “Joseph Sold into
Slav ery”
Our clubbers need to see that God still works in the lives of men and nations. He has not
changed; and though some people consider this story ancient, it is still true for our
needs today. God still has control over our lives. He knows our future.
Memory
Verse
Lamentations 3:26 — It is good that a man
should both hope and quietly wait for the
salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations
3:26
Explain to your clubbers that sometimes it
may seem that God has forgotten you, or that He doesn’t care about what happens to
you. But God never forgets about us. He cares about us, and He does what He promises. He is not like people who change their minds, forget their promises, or tell lies.
God can be trusted. We must wait patiently for God to do what He promises.
Answers
1. C
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. A
5. Yes
Many years after Jacob had left his father and mother’s home, he returned to Canaan
where he had been born. In all, Jacob had 12 sons.
1. Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son - Genesis 37:1-3.
Note: Not all events and details of Joseph’s
story are being presented in these two lessons
— just those details that define the main
themes and carry the historical framework of
Joseph’s rise to rulership, his relationship with
his brothers, and Israel’s move to Egypt.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Map 1. Point to Joseph.
• When Joseph’s brothers did things which were wrong, Joseph told his father,
Jacob.
2. Joseph’s older brothers hated him - Genesis 37:4.
• Because Joseph was his father’s favorite son, all his older brothers hated him.
Think:
The reason why people get angry and hate one another is that everyone has been born
separated from God and everyone’s heart is evil. Do you have anger, hatred, and other evil
things in your heart and mind sometimes? All of us were born separated from God, and there is
no way we can change ourselves. We do these sinful, evil things because we were born
sinners just like our father, Adam.
⇒
Show Poster 1, “Learning About God.”
Point to “God is everywhere all the time; He
knows everything.”
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture
21, “Joseph sold into Slavery”
Point to Canaan, Midian, and Egypt.
3. Joseph’s dreams - Genesis 37:5-11.
• God knew exactly what was going to happen to Joseph’s family.
– Joseph could not see his future.
– Joseph didn’t know how his dreams would be fulfilled.
– God made it clear that Joseph would become the leader and ruler over the
family.
• The future is all known to God.
4. Joseph was sold into Egypt - Genesis 37:12-14, 18-20, 24, 28.
• Joseph, the one who God had promised would become a leader, was now a
slave in Egypt, separated from his family and his homeland - Genesis 39:1.
5. The Lord was with Joseph - Genesis 39:1-6.
• Even though Joseph was a slave, he was well treated at first.
• The wife of Joseph’s master lied about him - Genesis 39:19.
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6. Joseph was put into prison - Genesis 39:20.
• Joseph still trusted in God, and God took care of him.
– Even though Joseph’s brothers hated him and his master’s wife lied about him,
he still trusted in the only true and living God.
– He knew he was a sinner and could only be forgiven by God’s mercy.
– He trusted in God’s promises just like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
– No one can ever please God unless he believes what God says.
– The greatest thing that we can do is to accept God’s Word as the truth and to
trust in all that He has written in the Bible.
• God did not fail Joseph even when he was in prison - Genesis 39:21-23.
– God took care of Joseph because He had a wonderful plan for Joseph’s life.
– Now that Joseph was in prison, it looked impossible that he would ever become
the leader and ruler of his family, but God never changes.
- God always does everything that He promises.
7. Pharaoh’s dreams - Genesis 41:1-8.
Think:
Although God spoke to people in the past through dreams and was planning to show Pharaoh
through this dream what was about to happen in Egypt, that is not God’s usual way of speaking to
us now. Why not? Does He no longer know what is going to happen? Of course He does! He has
not changed. He still knows everything about the future. Since God doesn’t usually speak to people
today through dreams, how then does He tell us what He wants us to know about the future? He
teaches us the things He wants us to know through His Word, the Bible.
⇒
Point to the Nile River.
• Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, did not know or worship the true and living God.
• The Egyptians worshiped the sun, moon, and stars; animals and creeping
creatures; and the Nile River.
• God planned to fulfill His purposes, using this evil king and his country.
• God is ruler over all people and nations even though they may not know or worship
Him.
– He can use anyone in whatever way He chooses to fulfill His purposes.
– God is greater than all and more powerful than all.
“Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the
majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O
LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all” (1 Chronicles 29:11).
1
Think: Whenever we make something, it
belongs to us; we make the choices about
how our belongings will be used. Ask clubbers
to give example of things that belong to them.
– He is the supreme ruler of everything.
– God is the Creator of all people.1
– God is the giver of life and the One who keeps us alive.
“Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is
power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all”
(1 Chronicles 29:12).
Rewind
Circle the Sun, Nile River, frog, stars,
animals, and moon.
1. How many sons did Jacob have? 12.
2. Who was Jacob’s favorite son? Joseph
3. How did Joseph’s older brothers feel about
their father’s love for Joseph? They were
jealous, and they hated Joseph.
4. What did Joseph dream? Read
Genesis 37:7-9.
5. What did these dreams mean? They meant
that Joseph would be given a position
of authority over all his family.
6. Who took care of Joseph in prison? God.
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- God made us, and we rightfully belong to Him.
- God can do whatever He wants with us.
- Because God is righteous, everything that He ever does to people is right.
• God was going to work through the life of an Egyptian pharaoh and an Israelite
prisoner to do something that would benefit all of His people.
• At this time, Joseph was in prison.
– Even there in prison, Joseph believed that God’s purposes were right for him.
– Though he did not know at the time how God was going to work, Joseph
trusted God and lived by faith, believing that God would do what was best.
Next week we will find out what the king’s dreams meant and what purpose God had in
bringing Joseph to Egypt.
Israel Goes to Egypt
Story
Aim
This lesson is the second of two lessons that
will present God’s sovereign working in and
through the life of Joseph to bring Israel into
Egypt. This lesson will show how God uses
Joseph to preserve (save) the line of the
Deliverer.
• That God fulfills His promises.
• That Joseph was a man of faith.
• That God carries out His plans, even
through difficult circumstances
• That God is in control.
Visuals
• Poster 10, “Some of God’s Promises to
Abraham.”
• Chronological Picture 22, “Joseph’s
Brothers Bow Before Him”
Note: Not all events and details of Joseph’s
story are being presented — just those details
that define the main themes and carry the
historical framework of Joseph’s rise to
rulership, his relationship with his brothers, and
Israel’s move to Egypt.
If you have time, you may like to read more of
the Scriptures or share more details of this
exciting story.
Note: This lesson includes many Scriptures. If
the children can read, they need to be
encouraged to do some of the reading. But
Explain to your clubbers that God not only knows all that happens, but He also understands all that happens, because He is in supreme control over all that happens.
Discuss with the clubbers that we don’t always see why things happen. Sometimes we
see why some things happen sooner than other things. In our story today it seemed like
a long time to Jon and Carol to find out why their father had to leave home to find a job.
But they didn’t have to wait as long as Joseph had to wait in prison before finding out
why God had him there. God has control over all things. He knows what is best for us.
He will take as long as He wants, with whomever he wants, whenever He wants. He can
do this because God is greater than all and more important than all; He is the highest
authority.
Memory
Verse
Proverbs 21:1 — The king’s heart is in the hand
of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it
withersoever He will.
Explain how God makes the rivers of water go
wherever He wants them to go, just like people who dig ditches to make water go to
their gardens. They dig the ditches to go in the direction they want. They are controlling
where the water will go. The water will flow through their ditches, which will then bring
water to their plants. Help clubbers to see that just as God directs the rivers of water, so
He can direct the way of kings. God is greater than all and more important than all; He
is the highest authority.
Proverbs
21:1
Answers
1. C
2. No
3. Yes
4. No
5. No
While preparing for this lesson, read Genesis chapter 40 and chapter 41:1-13.
Before beginning today’s lesson, briefly tell the story of Joseph in prison as recorded in
the above verses. Be sure to talk about the following points: Joseph had interpreted
dreams for a butler and a baker while in prison. The dreams had come true. Joseph had
asked the butler to tell Pharoah that he was still in prison. When the butler got out of
prison, he forgot to talk to Pharoah about Joseph. Where our story starts today, two
years had passed since the butler got out of prison. The butler finally remembered how
Joseph had interpreted his dream in prison; he told Pharoah about Joseph.
1. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams - Genesis 41:14-16, 25-36.
• Joseph, by himself, was unable to interpret the dreams of the king, but he trusted
in the Lord to give him the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams.
• God gave Joseph understanding, so the king would know what was about to
take place in his country.
2. Joseph was given the position second to Pharaoh - Genesis 41:37-44.
• God caused Pharaoh to put Joseph in the position of second-highest ruler in
Egypt, next in power only to Pharaoh himself!
• Even though Joseph had been through difficult experiences, the Lord was still in
control.
– The Lord had not forgotten Joseph.
– The dreams which God had given him as a young man were about to be fulfilled.
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– God always does what He plans.
• When it was time for God to do what He planned, He brought Joseph out of prison
and gave him a high position, just as He had shown Joseph through his dreams
when he was younger.
22, “Joseph’s Brothers Bow Before Him”
Rewind
Egypt
1. Who gave Joseph the understanding of
Pharaoh’s dreams? God did.
2. What did Pharaoh’s dreams mean? God
was making known to the king that
there would be seven years of very
good harvest which would be followed
by seven years of famine.
3. How did God fulfill the dreams which He
had given to Joseph when he was a
youth? The Lord gave Joseph wisdom
to interpret the king’s dreams, so
Joseph would be given the position
next to the king.
4. Why did Jacob take all his family down
to live in Egypt?
a. Because Jacob had heard that
Joseph was down in Egypt.
b . Because there was plenty of food
in Egypt.
c. Because the king invited Jacob to
live in Egypt.
d . Because God had planned for this
to happen.
5. What were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s
descendants called? The children of
Israel, Israelites, or Israel.
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3. Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt for food - Genesis 42:1-3, 6-8.
• Again, God was bringing to pass the things that He had shown young Joseph in
his dreams.
• Joseph’s brothers did bow down before him!
4. Joseph disclosed his true identity - Genesis 43:1-2; 45:3-9.
• Joseph cried when he told his brothers who he was.
• Joseph did not want to have revenge on his brothers. Joseph explained to them
that God was in control of what happened to him and that He had used the
brothers’ horrible actions to work for good.
• God had placed Joseph as ruler over Egypt, so he could provide food for the
Israelites through the time of famine.
• God was providing for Abraham’s descendants and preserving (saving) the line of
the Deliverer.
– God knows everything that is going to happen.
– God works out everything according to His will and plan.
5. Israel went down to Egypt - Genesis 45:25-28; 46:5-7.
• God knows what is going to happen; God always keeps His promises.
– Many years before, God had told Abraham that his descendants would go to
another country.
– Even though many hundreds of years had passed, God did what He had
promised.
– All that God says in His Word will happen just as God has said.
• The very hard things that happened to Joseph turned out to be an important part
of God’s plan.
• Joseph and his brothers and their father, Jacob, were now living in Egypt, just as
God had told Abraham.
• All the descendants of Jacob, or Israel, were now called the children of Israel,
the Israelites, or simply Israel.
Today, God still keeps His promises. God is still doing His plans for good, even during
very difficult times.
Story
Aim
over the last six lessons. You may make more
questions or adapt questions to the ages of your
clubbers.
Visuals
the parts of the lessons the clubbers did not
remember well.
what you have learned so far—pointing out
each person on the chart through Jacob and
Joseph.
to Abraham”
Explain to your clubbers that you are going to have a “quiz” like Jon and Carol had with
their Uncle Peter. You will be quizzing the clubbers over what they have been taught
during the last six lessons about Abraham, Isaac, Esau, Jacob, and Joseph — all
descendants of Adam and Eve and Noah.
Make a question out of each of the six verses we have used in the last six lessons.
Examples: Who can recite Isaiah 43:11? Who’s heart is in the hand of the Lord? Answer
the question and quote the memory verse which answers this question. See the Awana
Card for the six verses. Clubbers can earn bonus points for reciting all the verses on the
back of the Awana Card.
As you have taught through Genesis 21 through 46:7, the lessons have spanned the
time from Abraham, his son Isaac, Isaac’s sons Esau and Jacob, and Jacob’s son
Joseph. These lessons have presented God’s supreme faithfulness, grace, and
sovereign power. Each lesson talked about God’s faithfulness to continue His plan to
send a deliverer. Again, God’s sovereignty and omnipotence are shown in His control
over all creation.
1. If you ask a question which the clubbers cannot answer, or they give a wrong answer,
some questions to individual clubbers or go around the group, one-by-one, giving
meetings.
mind. Just allow the Holy Spirit to use the truth and be firm but loving and patient with
those who disagree.
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are wrong. You are trying to make your clubbers look at their own ideas from the past in
comparison to what they are learning from the Awana Club lessons. Be patient with
them.
Review Games
Most children love to compete and it keeps their attention. One way to compete is to
example, if team A was first asked the question, but had the wrong answer, and team B
is asked the question, the next question will still be asked of team B, and so on.
review games, you may want to go through all the other questions first. Then after the
1. Why was God able to give Abraham and Sarah a son even though he was 100
years old and she was 90?
a. Because God gives life to all people everywhere.
b. God is omnipotent. He can do anything He wants to do.
2. What was the big difference between Esau and Jacob? Esau did not care about
God’s promises given to Abraham concerning the Deliverer. Esau did not admit he
was a sinner and trust in God’s mercy. Esau lived for the present and for all the things
he could get. Jacob admitted that he was a sinner and trusted in God. Jacob believed
and cared about the promises concerning the Deliverer.
3. Why didn’t God forget His promises about the Deliverer given to Adam and Eve in
the garden of Eden and to Abraham? God didn’t forget because God is unchanging,
and He always does what He says.
4. We learned that Joseph went through many hard things. What hard things did he go
through? Sold by his brothers, taken from his father, slavery, and prison.
5. The things that happened to Joseph turned out to be an important part of God’s
plan. What was God’s plan? God’s plan was to make Joseph an important leader in
Egypt, so that he would be in a position to provide food for the Israelites.
6. Whom did God use to put Joseph in a position of leadership? Pharaoh the king of
Egypt.
7. Who is the supreme ruler of everything? God.
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The Israelites Become Slaves
Story
Aim
This lesson, and the one to follow, will show
God’s sovereign, loving care in preserving
Israel in slavery and in raising up Moses to
take them out of slavery
• That God is all-powerful, all-knowing,
and holy.
• Satan’s strong desire to ruin God’s
plan to deliver men from Satan’s bondage.
• That no one can hold back the
purposes of God; He is faithful to complete
them at the time He chooses.
Our story today reminds us that the Bible is true. It is a very accurate history of man. It is
an important message from God that is meant for us to hear today. The stories you are
about to hear are part of our history. And remember that God is the same today as He
was at the time this story took place. God never changes. He is still holy, all-powerful,
and all-knowing. He always does what He says. He is the highest authority — He is the
greatest of all!
Memory
Verse
Isaiah
45:22
Isaiah 45:22 — Look unto me, and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and
there is none else.
Additional Scripture references: Acts 7:17-22.
Answers
Visuals
•
•
•
•
Chronological Map 1
Poster 11, “Israel”
Chronological Chart
Chronological Picture 24, “Baby Moses
Rescued”
• Optional Chronological Picture 23, “Israel’s
Slavery to the Egyptians”
⇒ Show Poster 11: “Israel”
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. C
4. No
5. C
Today we begin to study the second book of the Bible — Exodus. Exodus means going
out. This book records how God took His people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.
1. Israel increased in number and in riches - Exodus 1:6-7.
• Joseph died in Egypt.
– Joseph, his brothers, and their families had continued to live in Egypt after their
father’s death, even though the drought had ended.
– The Israelites did not return to the land which God had promised to give to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• About 350 years passed between the time that Israel came down to live in Egypt
and the time that their story picks up again here in the Book of Exodus.
– Israel had been living in Egypt all that time.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Map 1. Point to Egypt.
• The children of Israel had a good life in Egypt.
– They had very large families.
– They also became very rich.
- They had many cows, goats, and sheep.
- There was plenty of grass for their animals.
– The king was very good to them.
- But things soon changed.
2. The new king’s evil plan - Exodus 1:8-11.
• Who do you think was guiding the new Pharaoh (the king) in his evil plan?
– Satan was; Satan hates God and man.
• Why would Satan want to destroy the nation of Israel?
– Satan knew that God had promised to send the Deliverer who would destroy
Satan and deliver man from his power.
– Satan also knew that God had promised that this Savior would be born
through the nation of Israel.
Read -
Genesis 12:3; 28:14
• Satan did not want anyone to be delivered from his power.
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Point to the name “Moses.”
24, “Baby Moses Rescued”
Read - Acts 7:22.
Read -
Romans 8:28.
3. Moses’ birth and his mother’s plan - Exodus 2:1-4.
• We are going to look now at the way God worked through the life of an Israelite
named Moses.
– His parents trusted God to take care of their baby son.
4. Moses was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter - Exodus 2:5-10.
• God used Moses’ big sister and even Pharaoh’s daughter to protect Moses!
• Then God returned Moses to his own mother to nurse him until he was old
enough to be sent back to Pharaoh’s daughter.
• God planned to use Moses to deliver the Israelites from slavery.
– God knew that Moses would be safer in Pharaoh’s house than anywhere else.
– God knew that Moses would learn many things there that would be important
for him to know for his future work as the leader of his people.
– God is greater than Satan; God is greater than everyone and everything.
- No one and nothing can stop God from doing whatever He plans.
- We can always trust God, even when things look bad to us.
- God cared for His people Israel, even while they were slaves; and He also
cares for us.
Note: You may include these questions with your lesson, or you may use them at the end
to review the lesson. This will give your clubbers experience in reading and searching
the Scriptures for answers.
Let’s Look in the Bible Again.
Have the clubbers open their Bibles to Exodus 2:1-9. Ask them to answer the
following questions by reading the passage from their Bibles when you call on them:
1. When Moses’ mother could not hide him any longer, where did she put him?
Exodus 2:3 – An ark of bulrushes (basket).
2. Who watched Moses to see what would happen? Exodus 2:4 – Moses’ sister.
Rewind
See memory verse.
1. Why did the king of Egypt make the
Israelites slaves? Because they had
become more in number than the
Egyptians, the king was afraid that the
Israelites might join with the
Egyptians’ enemies to fight against
them and take control of Egypt.
2. Who was probably guiding the king in his
evil plans? Satan.
3. Why would Satan wish to destroy the
Israelites? Satan knew that God had
promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
that one of their descendants would be
the Deliverer.
4. Who did God use to protect Moses?
Moses’ big sister and Pharaoh’s
daughter.
5 Why did the Lord allow pharaoh’s daughter
to adopt Moses? Because God planned
to use Moses to deliver the Israelites
from slavery.
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3. Who went down to the river to wash herself and saw the basket? Exodus 2:5 –
Pharaoh’s daughter.
4. Who went to get the basket out of the reeds (tall grass) along the river?
Exodus 2:5 – Pharaoh’s daughter’s maid.
5. What did Pharaoh’s daughter say when she opened the basket? Exodus 2:6 –
“This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
6. What did Moses’ sister offer to do? Exodus 2:7 – Shall I go and get a nurse of the
Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?
7. Whom did Moses’ sister get to nurse baby Moses? Exodus 2:8 – Moses’ mother.
8. What did Pharaoh’s daughter tell Moses’ mother to do? Exodus 2:9 – Take this
child home and nurse him for me, and I will give you wages.
Discuss: Who was really watching over Moses? God.
Why did God want to protect Moses? God wanted to use Moses to
deliver the Israelites from slavery.
Remind clubbers that no one and nothing can stop God from doing what He plans.
God Called Moses
Story
Aim
This lesson will continue to show God’s
sovereign, loving care in preserving Israel in
slavery and in raising up Moses to take them
out of slavery
• That God is all-powerful, all-knowing,
and holy.
• Satan’s strong desire to ruin God’s
plan to deliver men from Satan’s bondage.
• That no one can hold back the
purposes of God; He is faithful to complete
them at the time He chooses.
• That only God can deliver man from
bondage to Satan. Man is helpless to save
himself or to save others.
Through our story and lesson today, we want our clubbers to have an increased awe of
God. We want them to have a better understanding of God’s character. God does not
make last-minute decisions that may work out or may not work out according to how
people react to His plans. God’s plans have been made before the beginning of man. He
does not change his plans and no one else can make Him change them. God’s plans
are perfect.
Memory
Verse
I Samuel 2:2 — There is none holy as the Lord:
for there is none beside thee: neither is there
any rock like our God.
Explain to your clubbers that when the verse says
God is like a rock. It means that God is solid like a rock, it does not move. God is
always the same — He does not change. He is faithful.
1 Samuel
2:2
Visuals
• Chronological Picture 25, “The Burning
Bush”
Note: This lesson covers some large portions
of Scripture. To save time and keep the
children’s interest, the teacher may want to
read the longer passages. Encourage the
children to follow along in their Bibles as you
read. Give them opportunity to read the shorter
passages.
1
Think: Just as the Israelites were held captive
by Pharaoh, so we are born captives of sin.
We cannot deliver ourselves from sin. No
person can deliver us. Only God can deliver
us.
25, “The Burning Bush”
2
In those days, slaves went barefoot. To go
barefoot meant you were under someone’s
authority.
Answers
1. No
2. No
3. C
4. B
5. No
Our society likes to talk about the weaknesses of men and what they are unable to do.
They do not think about God’s power. When God has a plan for someone to do something for Him, He will make them able to do it. The Bible shows us a true picture of God
and of men — men who are weak in themselves, but who, by faith, can be mightily used
by our gracious, almighty, sovereign Creator, God.
God is really the main person in this wonderful true story. He has shown us in His Word
many examples of the human weakness of His chosen servant, Moses. Yet through this
weak person, God worked deliverance for Israel. In the end, God provided salvation for
all mankind through Israel’s promised Deliverer.
1. Moses, when he became a man - Exodus 2:11-22.
• The Israelites were held captive by the evil pharaoh.
– They couldn’t escape.
– Moses tried to help them, but he failed.
– No human being could release his people from the wicked pharaoh.
– Only God could help them.1
2. Moses saw the burning bush - Exodus 3:1-3.
• This bush was an ordinary bush — the unusual thing was that even though it was
burning, it was not being burned up.
– Why wasn’t the bush being destroyed?
- Because God was in the bush!
- God is almighty. Nobody can do the things which God can do.
3. God gave His message to Moses - Exodus 3:4-12.
• Moses didn’t know that God was in the bush until God spoke to him from out of
themiddle of the fire.
• God told Moses to take his shoes off as a sign of respect to God who is perfect
and holy — the great Creator.2
• God chooses whomever He pleases to do His will. When the time comes for God
to fulfill His plans, no one can stop Him.
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• God told Moses that He had chosen him to lead the Israelites out of slavery in
Point to where Mount Sinai is thought to be.
Egypt and to take them back to the land which God had given to Abraham.
• Moses had failed when he had tried to help his people. He knew that he was not
able by his own strength to talk to the king and to deliver Israel from slavery.
• God said He would be with Moses, and He gave Moses a sign.
– He promised Moses that He would bring him back to this mountain, Mount Sinai
or Mount Horeb, where he was standing before the burning bush.
4. “I AM” - Exodus 3:13-18.
• Moses still wasn’t satisfied.
– His own people, the Israelites, had rejected him when he had tried to help them
before. Would they believe him now?
Explain:
During the times written about in the Bible, names had meanings. A person’s name told
something about that person. For example, Moses’ name meant “to draw out of” because
he was taken out of the water when the king’s daughter found him.
But how could God give Himself just one or two names? It was impossible — God is too
great to describe!
What one name could God give to Himself that would tell the Israelites all the things there are
to know about Him? It could not be done. Therefore, God told Moses to tell Israel that “I
AM” had sent him.
This name, “I AM,” includes so much that we cannot understand it completely. It means that
God doesn’t need anything — He has everything in Himself. Do you remember the first
words in the Bible, “In the beginning God …”? God was already there in the beginning.
He had no beginning and can have no end. He created everything. He is the great “I AM”;
He is greater than all.
• Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and even Satan could not hold God’s people when the
Lord, “I AM,” decided to deliver them.
5. God knew what the king would do - Exodus 3:19-20.
• God knew how the king would react. God knows our thoughts, words, and actions
before we ever think, say, or do them.
Rewind
See memory verse.
1. Could Moses deliver the Israelites from
slavery? No
2. Who is the only One who can deliver a
person from Satan’s control? God.
3. Who did God promise to send with Moses
to meet Pharaoh? Aaron, Moses’ brother.
4. Why was the bush which Moses saw not
being burned up, even though it was in
flames? The bush was not burned up
because the Almighty God was in the
bush.
5. What did the Israelites do when Moses told
them what God had said? They believed
God’s Word through Moses. They were
thankful that the Lord had heard their
cries for help.
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6. God gave Aaron to be Moses’ assistant - Exodus 4:13.
• Moses had one more suggestion: He told the Lord to send someone else who
could be a better leader than himself.
• The Lord was angry with Moses for continuing to argue, but He promised to send
Aaron, Moses’ older brother, to help him (Exodus 4:14-17).
7. Moses obeyed the Lord - Exodus 4:18.
• The Lord told Moses that the king and all others who had previously planned to
harm him were now dead (Exodus 4:19-20).
8. The Lord sent Aaron to meet Moses - Exodus 4:27-28.
• The Lord kept His promise to Moses and sent Moses’ older brother, Aaron, to
meet him. Aaron was to go along with Moses and help him as he went to Pharaoh
to demand the release of the Israelites.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Map 1. Point to Aaron.
• Moses and Aaron went back to Egypt. They called together their own people, the
Israelites, and told them what the Lord had said to Moses.
9. Israel believed that the Lord had sent Moses - Exodus 4:29-31.
• The Israelites believed God’s Word given through Moses. They were thankful
that the Lord had heard their cries for deliverance.
God Sent Plagues on Egypt
Story
Aim
This lesson presents God’s sovereignty,
omniscience, and omnipotence in bringing the
plagues on Egypt. Your clubbers will see that
God honors His promises and takes care of
those who believe in Him.
Visuals
• Poster 11, “Israel”
• Chronological Picture 26, “Moses,
Aaron, and the Magicians in Front of
Pharaoh” (Use this picture if you have time
to include Exodus 7:8-13 in your lesson.)
Ask your clubbers if they know what kind of false gods the people of Egypt worshipped.
(Created things, such as the sun, moon, animals, their pharaoh, the Nile River) Ask your
clubbers who the Bible says is the only One we should worship. (God, the Creator)
Memory
Verse
Psalm 106:8 — Nevertheless he saved them for
his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty
power to be known.
The Israelites living in Egypt at this time had not
seen the Lord’s greatness and power. They had only heard about the Lord and what
He had done for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Now the Lord was going to use
this evil Pharaoh to show God’s power and wisdom to these Israelites.
Psalm
106:8
Answers
1. No 2. C
3. No
4. Yes
5. B
Note: This lesson covers some large portions
of Scripture. To save time and keep the
children’s interest, the teacher may want to
read the longer passages. Encourage the
children to follow along in their Bibles as you
read. Give them opportunity to read the shorter
passages.
1
Pharaoh was the title given to all the rulers of
Egypt during this time of history.
⇒
Show Poster, “Israel.”
–Have your clubbers recite Psalm 106:8.
Today’s lesson is a continuation of the story of Moses and the Israelites enslaved in
Egypt. The Israelites were enslaved by a powerful pharaoh. But God was going to make
a way for them to be delivered!
1. Pharaoh refused to obey God’s command given through Moses and Aaron Exodus 5:1-2.
• God used Moses and Aaron to speak to the king of Egypt, but Pharaoh refused to
obey the Lord’s command.1
• Pharaoh did not know the only true, living God and Creator of the whole earth.
• The Egyptians did not worship God; they worshiped the things that God had made.
– They worshiped the Nile River, the largest river in their country.
– They also worshiped the sun, moon, and many different kinds of animals.
– They had many, many gods.
– They also worshiped Pharaoh, their king, as a god.
– Most of the people of the world had chosen not to learn about the true God.
• God had called Abraham and had made him the father of the nation of Israel.
– God did this so that, through Israel, He could preserve the true knowledge of God.
– Through Israel, God planned to make known the truth about Himself to everyone in the world.
– The truth about God is in the Bible, which God gave through the Israelites.
• God would have taught the truth about Himself to the king of Egypt, but Pharaoh
did not want to listen.
2. Through Pharaoh’s rebellion, the Lord purposed to show Israel that He was
their God - Exodus 6:1-8.
3. Through Pharaoh’s rebellion, the Lord planned to show the Egyptians that
He alone is the true, living God - Exodus 7:4-5.
• God also planned to show the Egyptians that
– Only He is the true, living God with power over the whole earth.
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2
Think: The Egyptians were very intelligent,
skilled people: some were writers,
mathematicians, chemists, military and
government leaders, architects, artists,
craftsmen, etc. But they were totally blind in
their view of God. Even though they held
Israel in slavery, the Egyptians themselves
were the ones enslaved—they were enslaved
to Satan.
3
Because of time, we will not read all the
details of what happened. But if you want to
take time later, you will find the story in
Exodus 7:14-10:29. Be certain to say that this
is a true story, as recorded for us in the Bible.
4
Each of the plagues pointed to one of the false
gods of the Egyptians: for example, their frog
god, their sun god, and their storm god. God
was showing the Egyptians that He is the only
true God.
Rewind
3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 6
1. How did God plan to use the wicked
pharaoh? God planned to use this
proud king to show everyone that the
God of Israel is the only true, living
God, and He is almighty.
2. How did the Lord show His power? The
Lord sent great and terrible plagues
on the Egyptians.
3. Had the Israelites seen God’s greatness
and power before? No. They had only
heard about it.
4. What happened to Pharaoh every time he
refused to let the Israelites go? He became
more hard-hearted and proud of
himself.
5. Did the Israelites deserve to be protected by
God? No, they, too, were sinners and
deserved God’s judgment.
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– The gods whom they trusted and worshiped were unable to protect them from
the true God—the God of Israel.2
• Pharaoh was determined to fight against God. Therefore, God planned to use
this evil king to display His mighty power and terrible judgment on all who rebel
against Him.
• No one who fights against God can win or escape punishment.
4. The Lord sent nine plagues on Egypt .3
• Because the king of Egypt refused to release the Israelites, the Lord began to
show His great power.
– First, the Lord turned the water in the Nile River (and all the streams, lakes, and
canals) into blood.
– Next, He sent plagues of frogs, lice (gnats), and flies.
– Then God caused the Egyptians’ horses, cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys to
become sick.
– Next, the Lord caused all the Egyptians to have terrible boils.
– This was followed by a terrible hailstorm, a plague of locusts, and three days of
thick darkness in all the places where the Egyptians were living.
• Pharaoh and the Egyptian people could not save themselves from these terrible
plagues sent by the Lord. Neither could their false gods save them.4
• If God had not been merciful and loving to the Israelites, they, too, would have
suffered the plagues.
• But He protected the Israelites, so that none of these terrible things would happen
to any of them, even though they were living nearby in the same country.
– The Lord protected the Israelites even though they were sinful and didn’t
deserved His care.
– He protected them because of His love, mercy, and grace.
– Another reason God protected the Israelites was that God had not forgotten
His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
– God also protected Israel from the plagues, so that the king of Egypt would
realize that the God of Israel was the only true, living God in the whole earth.
• With each of the plagues, Pharaoh responded the same way:
– Each time the Lord sent a plague on Egypt, Pharaoh called for Moses and
asked him to remove the plague.
– Pharaoh said that he would then let Israel go.
– When Pharaoh said that he would allow the Israelites to go free, the Lord
removed the plague.
– But as soon as the Lord removed the plague, Pharaoh hardened his heart and
would not let the Israelites leave Egypt.
– Every time Pharaoh did this, he became more hard-hearted and proud of
himself.
God Passed Over Israel
Story
Aim
This lesson presents God’s holiness, grace,
and mercy in His deliverance of Israel through
the Passover.
• God’s sovereignty, faithfulness, and
omnipotence.
• The seriousness of sin.
• That the penalty for sin is death.
• That God honors His promises and
takes care of those who believe in Him.
• That they are helpless to save
themselves from God’s judgment.
• That God provides a way of escape
for those who trust in Him.
• The meaning of the Passover.
Visuals
• Chronological Picture 27, “Passover Blood
Applied to the Doorposts”
Discuss with your clubbers how people today are continually being encouraged to be the
“greatest” and to “do it your way.” The ruler of this world (Satan) teaches children and
adults to put self first and not to allow God or anyone to tell them what to do. In today’s
story your clubbers will see how Pharaoh trusted in his own power and the power of his
false gods, but he learned too late that he was not the greatest, nor could he do it his
way.
Memory
Verse
Nahum 1:7 — The Lord is good, a strong hold
in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that
trust in him.
Discuss with your clubbers God’s goodness, love,
and mercy towards those who trust in Him.
Nahum
1:7
Answers
1. Yes
2. No
3. No
4. No
5. No
Today you will be telling the story of the Passover. You will want to teach carefully the
details of the Passover which are presented in this lesson so you can use them in
presenting the gospel.
• Chronological Picture 28, “Pharaoh and His
Dead Son”
1. The Lord’s judgment on the Egyptians - Exodus 11:1, 4-7.
Although the Lord had already sent nine terrible plagues on the rebellious Egyptians,
Pharaoh still refused to obey the Lord and let the Israelites go free. God knew all the
time that Pharaoh would be stubborn and would refuse to release the Israelites. God
had told Moses that this would happen.
• This evil king, Pharaoh, could not stop God from delivering the descendants of
Abraham.
• The Lord knew that, after this last plague, Pharaoh would release the Israelites.
2. The Lord’s instructions to Moses.
• God told Moses how the Israelites must prepare for the final and most terrible
plague of all.
1
God had promised to take Abraham’s
descendants back to the land which He had
given to them. It was now God’s chosen time to
do this.
Think:
The Israelites were also sinners and deserved to die for their sins. They would have
suffered through this last terrible judgment if it had not been for the Lord’s mercy and grace.
God remembered His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.1
• This is what the Lord told Moses that the Israelites must do in order to save their
firstborn children from death.
1. They must choose a lamb without blemish - Exodus 12:1-5.
2
Remember: Do you remember the ram that
was to be offered instead of Isaac? It was
caught by the horns in a thorny bush. Why was
it caught by the horns? God is perfect, and
everything that He says and does is perfect. He
would never accept as an offering an animal
that was sick or hurt.
- The head of each home had to choose a lamb or goat. The lamb or goat had
to be perfect.2
2. They must kill the lamb and catch its blood in a basin - Exodus 12:6.
- The lamb was to be kept until the 14 day of the month.
- They were to kill the animal in the evening of that day.
- The lamb’s blood, on which its life depended, must be allowed to flow out.
This was to remind the Israelites that the punishment for sin is death.
103
Remember:
Until Adam and Eve sinned, there was no death in the world. But when Adam and Eve
were separated from God because of their disobedience, God said that their bodies must
also die. All of Adam and Eve’s descendants were born sinners, separated from God. That
is why all people must also die physically, including you and me.3
3
When the Israelites killed the lambs and the
blood flowed out, the people were reminded
that the punishment for sin is death. Just as the
ram died instead of Isaac, the perfect lambs
which were chosen and killed by the Israelites
died instead of their firstborn children.
3. They must place the blood on both of the doorposts and above the door
- Exodus 12:7.
- God told the Israelites to catch the blood in a basin. Then they were to take a
small branch of a certain bush and dip it into the blood.
- With this branch, they were to put the blood on the doorposts and over the door
of the house where they were going to be eating the lamb that night.
- It was the blood of the lamb on the doorpost that would save the firstborn from
God’s judgment.
27, “Passover Blood Applied to the Doorposts”
4
The Israelites were to stay inside their houses
on which they had placed the blood. It was
just as if they were to hide behind the death
and blood of the lamb which God said they
must kill in place of the firstborn.
4. They must stay inside the house on which they had placed the blood Exodus 12:22.4
5. They must not break any of the lamb’s bones - Exodus 12:46.
- These were the instructions of Israel. They had to do everything exactly as the
Lord had told Moses.
Remember:
God has always been the same. People cannot save themselves in their own way. Do you
remember that He refused to accept the clothing that Adam and Eve made or themselves in
the garden of Eden? God also refused the offering that Cain brought because it was not
according to His instructions. God told Noah to make the ark exactly as He had instructed
him. In the same way, everything had to be done by the Israelites exactly as God had
instructed Moses.
3. The Lord’s promise to the Israelites - Exodus 12:12-14.
• God promised the Israelites that when He saw the blood on their houses, He
would not allow the plague to enter and kill their firstborn.
5
Think: You can imagine the great fear of God
that swept through the Israelites! They knew
God meant what He said. They believed and
obeyed the Lord.
Rewind
Missing: bowl in man’s hand, blood on the
doorpost, branch used to put blood on
doorpost, and lamb on the ground.
1. What was the last judgment which God
sent on the Egyptians? God sent a
plague which killed the firstborn in
every Egyptian family and the firstborn
of all their livestock.
2. What would have happened if the Israelites
had not done everything exactly as God
had instructed? Their firstborn children
would also have been killed.
3. Who is the only one who can tell us how to
come to God and be accepted by Him?
God.
4. What happened in the Egyptian homes?
God killed the firstborn of every family.
5. What happened to the Israelites? All of
their children were safe. None of them
died.
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4. Israel’s faith and obedience - Exodus 12:28.5
5. All the Egyptians’ firstborn died - Exodus 12:29-30.
• Every firstborn Egyptian child and the firstborn of all the Egyptian’s livestock died.
• The Lord passed through Egypt just as He said He would.
– When God decides to punish sin, there is no way for man to escape on his own.
• Because the Israelites had put the blood on their houses in obedience to the Lord,
not one of their firstborn children or livestock died.
– God said He would destroy the firstborn in the Egyptian homes, and He did.
– God said He would pass over every house where He saw the blood, and he did.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 28, “Pharaoh and His Dead Son”
Had Pharaoh been warned? Yes! All of the other nine plagues that the Lord had promised to
send had come.
6. Pharaoh told the Israelites to go - Exodus 12:31-36.
• Pharaoh called Moses that very night and told him to take the Israelites out of
Egypt.
• Pharaoh thought he could fight against God, but no one can fight against the
Lord and win. Do you remember God’s promises to Abraham?
⇒ Show poster 10, “Some of God’s Promises to Abraham.”
• Four hundred years had passed, and now the Egyptians were actually giving gold
and silver to their slaves, the Israelites. And the Egyptians were telling them to
leave at once! God never forgets His promises. The Lord had delivered His people
just as He had promised He would.
God Delivers Israel at the Red Sea
Story
Aim
This lesson presents God’s power, faithfulness,
grace, and mercy as shown in His provision
for His often unfaithful people, Israel. It shows
the inability of the Israelites to deliver
themselves.
• God’s sovereignty and omnipotence.
• That man can be saved only according to God’s will and plan.
• God’s faithfulness to carry out His
promises.
• That God performs miracles: what
seems impossible to man is possible
to God.
Explain to your clubbers that some people do not believe in miracles. Some of today’s
educators are trying to “write out” of history the miraculous deeds of God which He has
so clearly recorded in the Bible. Even some who call themselves Christian educators are
deceiving themselves and others by giving natural reasons for miraculous happenings.
Some men totally deny the truth of Bible happenings, calling them just stories or myths.
In order to fully accept a miracle as true, a man must believe that God is who He says
He is. If God is the sovereign Creator of the universe, then the miracles of the Bible are
in no way beyond His power to achieve. It is not just the miracles themselves that men
are rejecting; they are really rejecting God. When we believe that the Bible is God’s true
Word, we accept what God says about Himself. He is the sovereign Creator, the allpowerful, all-knowing, one-and-only God.
Memory
Verse
Visuals
• Poster 11, “Israel”
• Chronological Picture 29, “The
Crossing of the Red Sea”
Psalm 46:10 — Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be
exalted in the earth.
Explain that God can be trusted, no matter what
happens. He is greater than all, and He loves us. God will be given praise, because He
is greater than all. No one can win against Him.
Psalm
46:10
Answers
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. C
4. No
5. B
The Bible records many, many miracles. Miracles are part of true history. Miracles show
us the greatness of God and teach us more about His great power and His great love for
His creation. Today we are going to read about some of the miracles God did for the
Israelites. Remember these stories are historical fact.
Point to the area of the northern end of the Red
Sea.
⇒
Show Poster 11, “Israel.”
1. God led the Israelites by a cloud - Exodus 13:17-18, 21.
• God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and He began to lead them
back to the land that He had promised to their forefather, Abraham.
– The number of Israelites had grown greatly.
- When the Israelites first went to Egypt, there were only 70 of them.
- Now, 430 years later, there were probably about two and a half million
Israelites.
• God directed them where He wanted them to go by a pillar of cloud during the
day and a pillar of fire at night.
– God kept the pillar before them at all times — they could see it day and night.
– They would have gotten lost, and eventually would have died in the desert if
the Lord had not directed them. He loved them, so He took care of them.
• God was protecting the Israelites, so that the great Deliverer would be born into
the world.
– The Israelites are the descendants of Abraham.
– The Lord had promised Abraham that one of his descendants would be the
Savior of the world.
• God was also protecting Israel because He was giving His Word to them to give
to the world. The words that we have been reading were given first to Israel.
105
2. Pharaoh decided to recapture Israel - Exodus 14:5-7.
• Pharaoh was guided by Satan.
• He was not going to give up and let the Israelites go. He planned to bring them back.
3. The Israelites were afraid, and they blamed Moses - Exodus 14:10-14.
• Even though the Israelites had seen all the great and mighty things the Lord had
done in Egypt, they still did not trust in the Lord
• Moses, however, trusted in the Lord and told the Israelites to believe God.
• Even though the Israelites sinned and didn’t trust in the Lord, He was merciful and
planned to deliver them.
– The Israelites could not deliver themselves.
– The sea was in front of them, and their enemies were behind them.
Remember:
When God put Adam and Eve out of the garden, away from Him, there was no way back
into the garden, and they could not make things right between themselves and God. Only
God could provide a way, so they could be accepted once again by Him. It was God who
provided a way for Abel to be accepted by God. Only God could save Noah and his family
from the flood. When Isaac was bound and placed on the altar and his father had the knife
raised above him, only God could save him. The parents of the firstborn children of Israel
could not have saved their children from death if God had not provided a way. And, Israel
could not escape from the Egyptians unless God made a way for them.1
1
It is the same with us. We cannot make a
way to escape God’s anger against sin. We
cannot make things right between us and God
by the things we do. Only God can save us
from everlasting punishment.
29, “The Crossing of the Red Sea.”
4. God opened the sea - Exodus 14:15-16.
• God created the sea, so He has complete control over it.
Remember:
In the beginning, the whole earth was covered with water. Remember how the Lord
caused the water to move back so there was dry ground? The Lord, who in the beginning
caused the water to move back, had not changed. He commanded this sea to move back so His
people could walk on dry land to the other side. God could do this, for He has control over the
whole earth.
• It was not difficult for God to open the sea, so the Israelites could walk through to
the other side.
Rewind
Message: Be still and know that I am God.
1. How did God show the Israelites where to
go? God led them by a cloud during
the day, and by a pillar of fire by night.
2. What did the Israelites do when they saw
Pharaoh’s armies coming behind them?
They blamed Moses and said he should
have left them in Egypt.
3. Was there any way the Israelites could
save themselves? No.
4. What should the Israelites have done?
They should have called on the Lord
and trusted Him to rescue them.
5. Why wasn’t it difficult for God to open up the
sea?
a. Because God created the sea.
b . Because God is almighty. Nothing
is too hard for Him.
106
5. Israel was led by God through the sea - Exodus 14:19-25.
• The Lord did not forsake His people.
– He promised to lead them safely out of Egypt and into the land He had
promised to Abraham.
– The Lord led the Israelites into the path which He had made through the sea.
– The Lord moved the cloud that was leading Israel and placed it between them
and the Egyptians.
- Behind the Israelites, the cloud was bright and shining like the sun.
- It gave light so the Israelites could see where they were going.
- Ahead of the Egyptians, however, the cloud was black.
- There was only darkness in front of them.
• The Egyptians still continued to follow because the Lord planned to destroy them.
6. God drowned the Egyptian armies in the sea - Exodus 14:26-29.
• The Egyptian armies were drowned by God in the sea. No one can fight against
God and win.
• The Lord protected all the Israelites - Exodus 14:30.
– Not one of them was drowned, and the Egyptians did not catch any of them.
– The Lord saved them because of His love for them and because He had
promised to save them.
• When Israel saw the great things which the Lord did, they believed in Him Exodus 14:31.
Story
Aim
Today’s lesson will be a review of what has
been taught during the last five lessons. You
may make more questions or adapt questions
to the ages of your clubbers.
Visuals
over the parts of the lessons the clubbers did
not remember well.
what you have learned so far — pointing out
each person on the chart through Moses and
Aaron.
to Abraham”
Today there will not be a story. This will be a day of review. You may use the questions
to have an Awana Quiz with the clubbers. These questions cover only the last five
lessons. However, you may want to use all the previous review questions and review the
whole year’s lessons.
Let’s see how many verses your clubbers have memorized and are still able to recite.
Make a question out of each of the five verses we have used in the last five lessons.
Examples: Who can recite Isaiah 45:22? Whom do we look unto to be saved? Answer
Card for the five verses. Clubbers can earn bonus points for reciting all the verses on the
You have been teaching from the second book of the Bible, Exodus. You have been
learning about how God took His people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. These lessons
have shown God’s sovereign, loving care in preserving Israel in slavery and in raising up
Moses to deliver them. The lessons also presented God’s sovereignty, power, omniscience, and omnipotence in bringing the plagues on Egypt. It shows His holiness,
grace, and mercy in His deliverance of Israel through the Passover. You learned that the
Israelites could not save themselves; only God could deliver them.
1. If you ask a question which the clubbers cannot answer or they give a wrong answer,
meetings.
3. Some of these questions will have biblical truths in them that not all your clubbers
mind. Just allow the Holy Spirit to use the truth and be firm, but loving, and patient
with those who disagree.
4. Discussion questions may be used if you have time and choose to use them. These
107
are wrong. You are trying to make your clubbers look at their own ideas from the past in
comparison to what they are learning from the Awana Club lessons. Be patient with
them.
Review Games
1
Note: Make sure your clubbers understand
that this is not “The five steps to salvation”
today. They must understand it is the blood
which saved the firstborn of Israel — and
even this had to be done exactly as God had
instructed.
108
1. Why did God decide to save the Israelites from slavery?
a. Because God saw their suffering and heard their cries.
b. Because God loved them and planned to reveal His love and mercy to them.
c. Because God had promised Abraham that He would make Abraham’s
descendants into a great nation and that, through these descendants, the Deliverer
would come into the world.
2. What does the name of God, “I AM,” mean? It means that God doesn’t need anything
or anyone. He was there before the beginning of all things. Because He is the Creator
of all things, everything is under His power, and He is totally independent of all things.
3. Why didn’t the plagues also come on the Israelites?
a. Because of God’s love and grace.
b. Because God had not forgotten His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He
would make their descendants into a great nation and He would be their God.
c. So that the king of Egypt would realize that the God of Israel was the only true and
living God in the whole earth.
4. What did God tell the Israelites to do so their firstborn children would not die?1
a. They must choose a lamb without blemish.
b. They must kill the lamb and catch its blood in a basin.
c. They must place the blood on both doorposts and above the door.
d. They must stay inside the house on which they had placed the blood.
e. They must not break any of the lamb’s bones.
5. Why did God protect Israel?
a. Because He is loving and merciful.
b. Because one of Israels descendants was to be the great Deliverer of sinners.
c. Because of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
d. Because He was giving His Word to Israel to give to the world.
Let’s Hear it Again!
Story
Aim
This lesson will be reviewing some of the
important truths taught in the last 33 lessons.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Bible is God’s Word.
God is the only true God.
God is holy and righteous.
God created everything.
Sin and separation from God.
The Deliverer.
Substitute payment for sin.
TruthSeekers stories are written to help clubbers understand the biblical truths being
taught in “Lesson’s from God’s Word.” Some stories will have one or more biblical truths
mentioned, and some will just help make important foundational truths clear.
The stories may vary slightly according to your location and the translation you are
using, so some of these ideas presented may not apply to your clubbers. However, the
biblical truths will not vary; they must be presented as written.
Today’s story is a review over some of the previous year’s material. If your first year of
TruthSeekers club started at the beginning of the school year, this lesson will be taught
at the beginning of the next school year. Your clubbers would have had a “school
break” of several weeks or months. Therefore, we feel it is important that the clubbers
review some of the important truths taught over the last 33 lessons.
Memory
Verse
Visuals
We strongly recommend you use the set of
maps, charts, visuals, and chronological
pictures made available by New Tribes
Mission. These visuals were made to
accompany the chronological teaching lessons
in their Children’s Edition, Firm Foundations:
Creation to Christ, from which these lessons
were adapted. For those who choose this
option, we will list which visual to use with
each lesson and where in the lesson to present
it.
Use this poster to review the attributes of
God.
Reminder: If the notes are in italics, the
information is for the teachers only.
Note: If you would like to see more references
and information on the biblical truths we are
reviewing today, then look for the “note” which
tells you where to find the information in the
“Teacher’s Lesson Helps” of the Year 1
Teacher’s Guide. For example: Note: See
Awana Lesson 3 and 4 for more information.
If you have time, you may want to use some of
the visuals suggested in these lessons.
Read – 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God …”
Isaiah
45:22
Isaiah 45:22 – Look unto me, and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and
there is none else.
Help your clubbers find this verse. Explain the verse
and help them memorize it. See the “How to Prepare Your Lessons” section for ideas
on how to teach the verse to your clubbers.
Answers
1. No
2. No
3. B
4. C
5. C
You will be laying a biblical foundation on which the gospel will be presented. Each
lesson builds on previous lessons, so be sure to cover each point carefully.
Be sure and discuss all the biblical truths written in the “Lessons from God’s Word”
section of the Awana Card. In the following teacher’s helps, the information included in
the lesson or the story will be shaded. Use your Bible when teaching these lessons.
Encourage all clubbers who have Bibles to bring them to club.
Today’s lesson will be a review of the last 33 lessons. You, as the teacher, will know
how much time you need to spend on review with your clubbers. It is important that the
clubbers have a clear understanding of the following before continuing with these
lessons: God; Satan; Adam and Eve and sin; and man’s condition before God —
separated, physical death, eternal punishment, payment for sin, the promised Deliverer, and the need for a blood sacrifice for sin. You may want to spend extra time
reviewing the lessons with some of your clubbers who do not have a clear understanding of the above truths. You will choose your own questions for the end of this lesson.
1. The Bible is God’s Word.
• The Bible is the most important book in the whole world because it is the Word of
God. Every word of the Bible is true!
• The Bible is God’s personal message to each of us; it is the most important
message we will ever be given.
• The Bible tells us about God.
• The Bible tells us what God thinks of us and what He sees as our greatest need.
• The Bible tells us how our greatest need was met.
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– Have your clubbers recite Isaiah 45:22
⇒ Poster 1, “Learning About God.” Review
each of God’s attributes.
Note: See Awana Lessons 3 and 4.
Note: See Awana Lessons 5 and 6.
Note: See Awana Lesson 7.
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2. God is the only true God. He is holy and righteous.
• God alone had no beginning; God will have no end; God is eternal.
• God is a Trinity of three persons.
– God the Father (The Father who is God).
– God the Son (The Son who is God).
– God the Holy Spirit (The Holy Spirit who is God).
• God knows everything, is in all places at the same time, is greater than all, and
more important than all; He is the highest authority.
3. God created everything.
• God created all the spirits (angels). The spirits were all created by God to worship
and serve Him. All the spirits lived in heaven with God in the beginning.
– The greatest angel was called Lucifer. Lucifer was given a place of great
authority and power over the other angels.
– Lucifer decided that he wanted to take over God’s position as the ruler of all
things. Lucifer rebelled against God’s authority over him.
- Many of God’s angels followed Lucifer. He became their leader. They joined
Lucifer in rebelling against God.
- Lucifer and his followers, called demons, could no longer live in heaven.
They were no longer God’s servants.
– Lucifer, also called Satan, is God’s great enemy. From the time when God
removed him and his angels from heaven until today, they have been fighting
day and night against God and everything He loves and does.
– To rebel is very serious. One day in the future, God is going to send Satan and
his angels to the lake of fire to be punished forever (Matthew 25:41, Revelation
20:10).
- God will not tolerate disobedience to Him; God always demands punishment
for rebellion against Him.
• God created the heavens and the earth.
• God created man. God created Adam.
– Because God loved Adam very much, God planted a beautiful garden
especially for Adam. God included in that garden all the vegetables and fruit
trees that Adam needed to keep him healthy, strong, and happy.
- God planted two very important trees in the middle of the garden: the tree of
life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
- Of all the many trees God planted for Adam for food, there was only one tree
that was a “no, no” for Adam to eat from, the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil.
- If Adam obeyed God and ate only what God had said was good, he could eat
of the tree of life and live forever.
- God warned Adam that, if he disobeyed His command, he would die (Genesis
2:17). God meant that on that day, Adam would be cut off from God, who was
the source of his life. Because of this, he would also have to die physically
some day. At the time he disobeyed, he would be separated from God’s
presence and friendship. Adam would become God’s enemy as Satan had.
- Finally, if Adam disobeyed God, then not only would his body die, but he would
also eventually go to the lake of fire. This is the same place of terrible
punishment which God prepared for Satan and his spirit followers.
- Adam’s punishment would be forever and ever.
• God created Eve from Adam’s rib.
– Life in the garden was pleasant for Adam and Eve; everything was perfect.
They had everything they needed.
– They had perfect friendship and fellowship with God and with each other.
Let’s Hear it Again! (Cont.)
Awana Card 34 Continued
4. Adam and Eve disobeyed God
• Satan knew about God’s warning to Adam concerning the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil.
– Because Satan hates God, he wanted to destroy the man and woman that God
had made. Satan does not want anyone to know or to believe God.
• Satan tempted and deceived Eve.
– Satan was suggesting that Eve should eat the fruit from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, so that she could be like God in knowing what was
good and what was evil.
– She believed that Satan was telling the truth. Eve believed that she would be
wise like God.
• Eve ate and also gave the fruit to Adam.
• Even though Adam knew that God had said not to eat the fruit from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, he deliberately disobeyed God’s command.
5. Adam and Eve’s sin separated them from God.
• Adam and Eve were separated from God immediately when they ate the fruit.
– Because God is holy and righteous, He cannot continue in friendship with
those who disobey His commands.
– Because Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God, they were cut off from their
friendship with God. Their relationship with God was dead.
– God hates everything that is wrong and punishes all disobedience of His
commands by death. Romans 6:23 says, “… the wages of sin is death … ”
• Once Adam and Eve disobeyed God and followed the advice of Satan, they were
separated from God and under Satan’s influence.
– They were no longer the children of God.
• Even though people have different colors of skin, we all originally came from the
same parents, Adam and Eve. Acts 17:26 says that God “made of one blood all
nations of men.”
– Because of Adam’s sin, he would die, and all of his children would also die.
Romans 5:12 says, “… by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and
so death passed upon all men …”
• Satan had become the ruler of this world.
– At this time, Satan probably thought that he had beaten God and that he would
now have complete control of the world and all people.
– This is what Satan had wanted. But no one can win against God. God is the
Almighty Creator.
1
A deliverer is someone who rescues us or
saves us — a deliverer sets us free.
6. God, in His great love, promised that He would send a Deliverer1 who would
win against (overcome) Satan and who would deliver mankind from Satan’s
control and bring mankind back to God.
• God is gracious and merciful.
– “Grace” is God’s kindness to undeserving (not worthy) sinners.
– “Mercy” is God’s way for sinners to escape the punishment they deserve!
7. God put Adam and Eve out of the Garden, away from the tree of life –
Genesis 3:22-23.
• Because Adam and Eve were separated from God, they would also have to die
physically. Therefore, God put Adam and Eve, the father and mother of us all, out
of the garden, away from the tree of life.
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8. Cain and Abel were both born outside the garden – Genesis 4:2.
• Cain and Abel were born sinners, because their father, Adam, was a sinner.
• Not only was Adam the father of Cain and Abel, but he was also the father of all
peoples of the world. Therefore, all people in this world are born sinners, cut off
from God.
– Because of Adam’s sin, we were born unable to know, love, and obey God.
Even though God gives us life, from birth we are under Satan’s influence. We,
and all other human beings, were born sinners, separated from God.
9. God planned a way so people could come to Him because He loved them.
It was not people’s way. It was God who decided on this way.
• The punishment (payment) for sin is death. There is nothing people could do for
God or give to God to pay the price (debt) for their sins.
• However, God allowed people to use a substitute until an acceptable payment
was found.
– God’s plan was that when people came to Him, they had to bring an animal as
an offering to Him.
- The animal was a sacrifice –– one that died in the place of a sinner.
- They had to kill the animal in a way that the animal’s blood would flow out.
- When they sacrificed an animal, He wanted them to remember that they
could die and go to everlasting punishment unless He saved them.
– The blood of the animals could not pay for the people’s sin.
- But if, while offering the blood of animals, a person agreed with God that he
was a sinner and that only God could save him from everlasting punishment,
God would accept him and forgive (cover) his sins.
- The blood sacrifice for sin was part of God’s gracious plan to deliver man
kind from sin and Satan and death.
• God is the Creator of all people. He gave Adam life, and He gave life to each one
of us. Even though we are all born into this world, separated from God, we still
belong to Him. God is concerned about what happens to us, even though we are
sinners.
Note: See Awana Lessons 22-25.
Note: See Awana Lessons 29-32.
Rewind
1. God
2. Bible
3. Heaven
4. Adam and Eve
5. Death
6. Deliverer
7. Sacrifice
8. Satan
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God’s home
One that died in the
place of another
Holy and righteous
Punishment for man’s sin
God’s story
God’s great enemy
Parents of all mankind
He will destroy Satan.
10. God promised that if people came by faith, offering to Him the blood of
animals, He would accept them and forgive their sins.
• God forgave Abel’s sin and accepted him because Abel obeyed and trusted, not
in himself, but in God who had promised to send the Deliverer.
• Noah believed, and came to God in the way God told him.
• Abraham believed and obeyed God.
– God had promised Abraham that one of his descendants would be the Savior
(Deliverer) of the world.
• Joseph trusted in God’s promises just like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Moses, an Israelite, believed and obeyed the Lord.
– God told Moses that He had chosen him to lead the Israelites out of slavery in
Egypt and take them back to the land which God had given to Abraham.
– God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and He began to lead them
back to the land that He had promised to their forefather, Abraham.
- God didn’t deliver the Israelites from slavery because they were without sin or
deserved His care. He protected them because of His love, mercy, and
grace.
- When Israel saw the great things which the Lord did, they believed in Him Exodus 14:31.
- Through Israel, God planned to make known the truth about Himself to every
one in the world.
God Provided for Israel
Story
Aim
This lesson will be reviewing some of the
miracles God performed while delivering the
Israelites from slavery in Egypt and on their
journey to Canaan, the land He promised them.
Today’s story will include some review of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt. You may
have some clubbers like Jon and Carol who believe they know a lot about the Bible.
Encourage these clubbers, along with other clubbers with less knowledge, to listen
carefully to what is being taught. There are always new things to learn from God’s
Word.
Clubbers will also learn:
•
•
•
•
•
Man
Man
Man
God
God
Visuals
Abraham”
“Passover Blood
Applied to the
Doorposts” (Optional
for review)
“Pharaoh and His
Dead Son” (Optional for
• Chronological Picture
30, “Manna in the
31, “Moses Strikes
Note: It is important that the Scriptures
accompanying each bold numbered point in
these lessons also be read while teaching the
lesson. If the children can read, they need to
be encouraged to do some of the reading. But
1
Memory
Verse
is helpless to save himself.
deserves nothing from God.
needs God.
is all-powerful.
is loving, merciful, and gracious.
You will find the story in Exodus 7:14-10:29.
You may want to refer back to lessons 30 and
31 for details if you have had an extended
break between those lessons and this one. Be
certain to remind your clubbers that this is a
true story, as recorded for us in the Bible.
Isaiah 41:10 – Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will
strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will
uphold thee with the right hand of my
righteousness.
Isaiah
41:10
Answers
1. B
2. C
3. B
4. A
5. C
You, as the teacher, will know how much time you need to spend on the review of the
Israelites deliverance from slavery in Egypt. If you have not had a long break in lessons
between the last set of 33 lessons and this lesson, you will not need as much review.
However, it is important that the clubbers understand who the Israelites are (Abraham’s
descendants) and God’s promises to them.
Note: Ask clubbers if they can remember God’s promises to Abraham before showing the visual,
“Some of God’s Promises to Abraham.”
The lessons about the Israelites delivery from slavery and their journey to their promised land have
involved many miracles by God. God’s miracles can be explained only by knowing who God is. He is
the Creator, the all-powerful God. Nothing is too hard for Him. He knows everything. He sometimes
does things outside His physical laws just to show us how great and powerful He really is. We don’t
know how He performs miracles; we just need to believe who He is!
1. God chose Moses to deliver the Israelites from slavery – Exodus 3:10.
• God told Moses He had chosen him to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt
and to take them back to the land which God had given to Abraham.
– God chooses whomever He pleases to do His will. When the time comes for
God to fulfill His plans, no one can stop Him.
• Moses obeyed God (Exodus 4:18-20).
• The Israelites believed God’s Word given through Moses (Exodus 4:29-31).
– God told Moses to tell the Israelites He had seen their suffering and had sent
Moses to deliver them from it (Exodus 3:13-18).
2. Pharaoh refused to obey God’s command given through Moses and Aaron –
Exodus 5:1-2.
Pharaoh and the Egyptian people did not worship God; they worshiped the things
God had made. The Egyptians also worshiped Pharaoh, their king, as a god.
3. Through Pharaoh’s rebellion, the LORD God showed Israel that He was their
God and showed the Egyptians that He alone was the true and living God –
Exodus 6:1-8; 7:4-5.
4. The LORD God sent nine plagues on Egypt.1
• Because the king of Egypt refused to release the Israelites, God began to show
His great power.
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• Pharaoh and the Egyptian people could not save themselves from these terrible
plagues sent by the LORD. Neither could their false gods.
• God protected the Israelites so that none of these terrible plagues happened to
any of them.
– The LORD didn’t protect the Israelites because they were without sin or because
they deserved His care.
- He protected them because of His love, mercy, and grace.
- He protected them because God had not forgotten His promises to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
- He protected them from the plagues so that the King of Egypt would realize
that the God of Israel was the only true and living God in the whole earth.
5. The LORD’S final judgment on the Egyptians – Exodus 11:1, 4-7.
• The LORD knew that, after this final plague, Pharaoh would let the Israelites go.
6. Pharaoh told the Israelites to go – Exodus 12:31-36.
• Four hundred years had passed, and now the Egyptians were actually giving gold
and silver to their slaves, the Israelites. And the Egyptians were telling them to
leave at once! God never forgets His promises. The LORD had delivered His
people just as He had promised He would.
2
Exodus 13:17-18 tells us that God was
looking out for the Israelites. He led them into
the Sinai desert where there were no enemies,
but there was also very little food. Only God
could save the Israelites. Through these
stories, we want to see that “… Salvation is of
the LORD” (Jonah 2:9).
Rewind
C F
H J
L
A
F
B
D G M I
A G O N G O O D N E
S S
N A
M E
A B
I
O W O K
P Y
A R
C D W D F
P T
E A
A U R S
V A
D W O P
O E
N B
A K
D T
A G W O S L
S I
C W N E
P I
L
L
C O E P
A B
W E
E T
U I
A R V T
R U S T
E R J
C R Y E
S D S F
L
G H S I
E S
1. What did Pharaoh and the Egyptians
worship? Things God had made
2. Who protected the Israelites and
brought them safely through the Red
Sea? God
3. What did God want to show the
Egyptians through Pharaoh’s
rebellion? That He alone is the true and
living God.
4. Why did the Israelites complain?
They were hungry and thirsty.
5. Instead of complaining, what should
the Israelites have done? They
should have trusted in the LORD to
give them food and water.
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7. God delivered Israel at the Red Sea.
• God led the Israelites by a cloud (Exodus 13:21-22).
• Pharaoh decided to recapture Israel (Exodus 14:5-7).
• The Israelites were afraid, and they blamed Moses (Exodus 14:10-14).
– Moses trusted in the LORD and told the Israelites to believe that God would
protect them.
• God opened the sea for the Israelites to walk through on dry land (Exodus 14:1516, 21-30).
• Israel saw the great things which the LORD did; they believed in Him
(Exodus 14:31).
8. Israel complained; they were hungry – Exodus 16:1-3.
• Even though the LORD had delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians by opening
the Red Sea and leading them safely through, they still continued to doubt Him
when things were difficult.2
– Instead of complaining, they should have trusted in the LORD to give them food.
9. God gave them food – Exodus 16:11-14, 35.
• The Israelites didn’t deserve anything from the LORD, but in His grace, He gave
them food. ⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 30, “Manna in the Wilderness”
• God wanted the Israelites to know that He alone could help them. God helps the
helpless; He delivers those who have no way of escape.
10. Israel complains again – Exodus 17:1-4.
• Although the Israelites were thankful for the LORD’S provision of food, they soon
forgot about His great power and began to complain again. They were thirsty.
11. God provided them with water – Exodus 17:5-6.
• God told Moses what to do.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 31, “Moses Strikes the Rock for Water”
• God faithfully protected the Israelites and provided all they needed even though
they didn’t deserve anything from God. These are miracles — God’s miracles.
– They show us His faithfulness to keep His promises.
– They show us His great love for His people.
– They show us His mighty power over all creation.
God’s Promise to Israel
Story
Aim
This lesson prepares the clubbers for the
presentation of the Ten Commandments. It is
important that the clubbers understand God’s
righteousness and holiness along with His
terrible wrath and judgment against all sin.
In today’s story we learned that the Ten Commandments are a set of ten rules or laws
that God gave the Israelites to help them understand what sin is. Help them to understand that though some sins may hurt them or others more than other sins, all sins
deserve God’s judgment and punishment.
Memory
Verse
Visuals
James 2:10 – For whosoever shall keep the
whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is
guilty of all.
Help your clubbers find this verse; read it, and then
explain the verse using the definitions given. Explain to your clubbers that God tells us
that to be accepted by him, we must keep all ten of the commandments — every one of
them! If we disobey just one command — only once — it is the same as disobeying all
of them. If we are not perfect, God cannot accept us into His holy presence.
32, “God’s Holy
Mountain”
Clubbers will also see:
• Man cannot keep the Law.
• Man cannot be saved by anything he
does.
• Man deserves death and eternal
punishment because he cannot keep
God’s Law.
Answers
1. C
• Visual, “God and Man – Keeping God’s
Commandments”
⇒
Point to the area of the Sinai Peninsula and the
possible location of Mount Sinai.
James
2:10
2. B
3. C
4. No one
5. Yes
We must not think that all of our clubbers understand the words “holy” and “righteous.”
They may have heard these words in religious ceremonies without knowing that God is
not only pure and sinless, He is also a God of wrath who hates and punishes all sin.
As we teach this lesson, we can know that God’s Word is powerful to break through
man’s false ideas and Satan’s deception. Our clubbers, like the people of Israel, need
to know that sinners cannot stand in the presence of a holy, righteous God.
1. God brought Israel to Mount Sinai – Exodus 19:1-4.
• Mount Sinai (also called Mount Horeb) was the place where Moses saw the
burning bush. At that time, the LORD had promised Moses that He would bring
him and the Israelites back to this mountain.
– God is trustworthy – Exodus 3:12.
- He protected Moses, delivered Israel out of slavery, and brought them to
Mount Sinai, just as He had promised.
• The Israelites didn’t decide when they would travel or where they would go —
God decided for them.
– God wanted them to accept Him as their ruler, protector, and the one who
provided everything they needed.
2. The LORD’S promise to Israel – Exodus 19:5-6.
• The LORD told Moses His message for Israel. God planned to make an
agreement with Israel.
– The LORD promised to bless the Israelites if they obeyed Him perfectly.
- If they did everything He told them, then He would accept them and give them
all the good things they needed.
3. Israel’s promise to the LORD – Exodus 19:7-8.
• Israel promised to obey the LORD in everything.
– It seems they had forgotten how they had doubted God at the Red Sea when
the Egyptian armies were behind them.
– It also seems they had forgotten how they had complained when they didn’t
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have food or water.
– They were self-confident — they believed in themselves.
- They thought that they could obey God well enough so that He would give
them everything they needed.
- They didn’t yet understand that they were full of sin and that they could
not please God by anything they did themselves.
• They didn’t understand that because of their sin, under this agreement, God
would no longer be able to bless them or give them the good things which they
needed.
– The Israelites would learn that if they didn’t keep the whole agreement, then
they would be cursed and punished by God.
• The LORD knew that in a very short time the nation of Israel would disobey Him,
and under the agreement of the Law, He would have to punish them for their sins.
– Why then did the LORD make an agreement with the Israelites when He knew
that they were not able to keep the agreement?
- The LORD did it because He wanted to show them that they were sinners
and were unable to please Him.
- He also wanted them to know that they could not become His friends or earn
His acceptance and gifts by the things they did.
• When the Israelites gave up and trusted in God, then He was willing to save them
from everlasting punishment.
– This is God’s way with all people. God will only deliver those who agree with
Him that they are sinners under the control of Satan, sin, and death.
⇒
32, “God’s Holy Mountain”
Rewind
Memory Verse
4. The preparation for the LORD’S presence on the mountain – Exodus 19:9-13.
• God told the Israelites to set a boundary around the mountain.
– This is because God is absolutely holy and man is sinful.
- God will not accept anyone or anything that is not perfect. He puts all sinners
away from Himself.
– If an Israelite or animal even touched the mountain when God came down on it,
they were to be killed.
- The punishment for all sin is death.
5. God spoke from Mount Sinai to Israel – Exodus 19:16-20; 20:1-2
• The LORD planned to show His great glory, power, and holiness before Israel so
they would realize that He is an almighty, holy God who hates sin and will not
accept those who disobey His Word.
• God gave His Law so all people would know how sinful they are and that it is
impossible for anyone to make himself acceptable to God by the things he does.
⇒ Visual, “God and Man - Keeping God’s Commandments”
1. Who decided where the Israelites
would go? God
2. What was God’s promise to Israel?
He would bless them if they
obeyed Him perfectly.
3. What did Israel promise God? They
promised to obey God in everything.
4. What didn’t the Israelites understand
yet? They didn’t understand that
they were full of sin and that they
could not please God.
5. What is the punishment for all sin? Death
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GOD
man
Outward
Appearances
Good
Works
Trying to Keep God’s
Commandments
It is impossible for anyone to keep God’s commandments perfectly because we were all born
sinners, separated from God. Romans 3:10-12
• God also gave His Law (Ten Commandments) so all people would trust only in
His mercy to save them from His punishment for sin.
The Ten Commandments
Story
Aim
The study of the Ten Commandments is done
to bring conviction of sin and to help clubbers
see their need for a Savior.
• God’s sovereignty, holiness, and
righteousness.
• People are not able to keep the Law.
• Only God in His mercy can make a
way for people to be saved.
• Obeying the Ten Commandments is
not the way to be saved.
• They have broken God’s laws and are
deserving of death.
• They cannot save themselves by ltheir own
good works.
Help clubbers to understand that people may have different ideas of what they think sin
is. What is sin to one clubber may not be considered sin to another clubber. That is why
God decides what sin is. God does not let us decide what sin is. Sin deserves death.
God gave us the Ten Commandments so that we can see our sin, admit we are
sinners, and see that we cannot keep God’s Law and save ourselves from sin and
thedeath we deserve.
Memory
Verse
Romans
3:20
Romans 3:20 – Therefore by the deeds of the
law there shall no flesh be justified in his
sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Help your clubbers find this verse. Read it and
explain that this verse tells us that the truths we have learned in today’s story are from
God. God wants us to admit that we have done things that He hates, that we are unable
to obey His commands perfectly, and that we cannot save ourselves.
Answers
Visuals
1. B
• Visuals, “Good Works, False and True”
Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, “For there is not a just
man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth
not.”
Read – Isaiah 45:5 says, “I am the
LORD, and there is
none else, there is no God
beside me …”
1
Help your clubbers to clearly understand that to
agree that God is truly God means to listen to,
obey, honor, and worship Him, and Him alone,
all the time. However, no person has always
put God first in everything. Have clubbers think
of things people put before God — money, food,
toys, books, clothes, land, pride, etc. These
can become as gods to man.
2
Deuteronomy 8:17-20 is good scripture for
those who think they are “self-made.”
Read – Isaiah 42:8: “I am the LORD:
that is my name: and my glory will I not give to
another, neither my praise to graven images.”
2. B
3. A 4. C
5. C
The Israelites, like us, were born sinners, not able to please God. It is amazing that, as
sinful as we are, we still think we are able to obey God.
Israel was sure they could keep their part of God’s agreement (or covenant) with them.
Some people are the same today. They think that if they just do the best they can to
keep the Ten Commandments, God will see them as good enough to be accepted by
Him.
Today we will look at each of the Ten Commandments.
1. The first commandment – Exodus 20:3.
• In the first commandment, God said He and only He should be everyone’s God.
– This means people should worship only Him. Only God is worthy of our praise.
- People must give God the highest place in their thoughts and give Him praise
and thanks for everything.1
– God will not allow anyone or anything to share His place as God.
- Whatever is honored or loved, feared or served, delighted in or depended on,
more than God, that (whatever it is) can be as a god to us.
- If a person puts anyone else in God’s place, that is rebellion and sin.
Think:
Today, many people are putting themselves in God’s place. They think people make
everything happen. They think they can control their own future. They do not think about
God in their lives.2
This is much like the sin of Satan and his followers when they rebelled against God. God
removed them forever from their positions of service before God in Heaven. Satan and all
his followers will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire.
2. The second commandment – Exodus 20:4-6.
• God wanted the Israelites to remember that He is greater than all things He has
created (Romans 1:18-23). God is sovereign; He is the highest authority.
– No man-made idol is worthy of worship.
– People cannot think that God’s power, authority, or glory belongs to anyone
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else.
⇒
Poster 1, “Learning About God.” Review
each of God’s attributes.
Romans 1:18-23
Think:
God is spirit, He does not have a material body. No one knows what God looks like, so God said
that we should never try to make anything which we think looks like Him. The only way we can
know what God is like is to let Him teach us through His book, the Bible. Anything different from
what the Bible says is a lie of Satan.
• All who worship man-made things that they think represent God have broken this
command of God and are condemned.
3. The third commandment – Exodus 20:7.
• God told the Israelites that they must always respect Him and never speak or use
His name in a careless way.
Think:
To insult another person is bad, but how much more terrible it is when we have shown
disrespect for God or misused His Name. Using God’s name when expressing anger or
frustration would also be breaking this command.
• All who do not give God the respect He deserves are condemned.
3
Some clubbers may believe strongly in the
importance of the Sabbath and try making an
issue of it. Try to avoid making the Sabbath
question become an argument or the main
subject. However, make it very clear to them
that even if they do keep the Sabbath, but fail
to obey perfectly all of the other nine
commandments, every moment of their lives,
keeping the Sabbath will be useless in the
sight of God (James 2:9-11).
Later, clubbers will learn what Colossians
2:14, 16-17 tells us: the commandments were
only a shadow of what was to come. They
have been completely carried out and all their
requirements met in the person of Jesus
Christ (the Deliverer).
4. The fourth commandment – Exodus 20:8-11.
• God told the Israelites to keep the seventh day as a special day of rest in honor of
Him.3 The One who created all things in six days.
Remember:
Do you remember what God did on the seventh day, the day after He finished creating the
world? God rested because He had finished everything He had planned to make.
• While Israel was resting every seventh day, God wanted them to remember that
He alone is the Creator of all the earth and everything in it.
Think:
God gives life to all things. He gives the rain and the sunshine on the earth so everything will
grow. He alone is the Creator, owner, and provider of all things. Satan is in control of most of the
people in this world, but the world still belongs to God.
Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that
dwell therein.”
5. The fifth commandment – Exodus 20:12.
• God said that children must honor (respect) and obey their parents.
– None of us have obeyed our parents completely.
- Ignoring parents when they talk to you, talking back, arguing with them,
disobeying them, crying to get your way, pouting, refusing to talk to them,
criticizing them, and hitting them are all ways of being disrespectful.
• Remember, even if we disobey in just one of God’s commandments, God will still
condemn us.
6. The sixth commandment – Exodus 20:13.
• God told the Israelites that to murder someone is a sin.
– As Creator, God gives life to every person.
– No person has the right to take another person’s life unless God says so in His
Word.
• God also says that, if a person wishes to kill someone, he is already a murderer
and is condemned by God.
Read – Hebrew 4:13 says, “Neither
is there any creature that is not manifest in
his sight: but all things are naked and opened
unto the eyes of him with whom we have to
do.”
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Matthew 5:21-22 says, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That
whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment …”
– God judges us, not just by what we do, but by what we want to do.
- The things we want to do in our minds — our real reasons for what we do —
are called our motives. God knows our motives because God knows our
The Ten Commandments (Continued)
thoughts and intentions.
7. The seventh commandment – Exodus 20:14.
• God’s says it is sin to have any sexual relationship with anyone except one’s own
wife or husband.
• Because God looks at the heart — people’s inner thoughts and intentions — He
knows when someone has sinful thoughts.
Matthew 5:27-28 says, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her
hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
• When men and women look at someone, to whom they are not married, with the
desire to have sex, then they have broken this law. To be holy means one must
be pure in mind as well as pure in actions.
Acts 17:25 says, “… seeing he giveth to all
life, and breath, and all things”
8. The eighth commandment – Exodus 20:15.
• God said the Israelites must never take anything belonging to someone else.
– God is the one who gives each person the right to own and keep his own
property.
• If a person takes something which belongs to someone else, then he has sinned
against God.
Think:
Borrowing something without returning it is stealing. Even if a thief gives back the thing he stole
or pays for the thing which he stole, that will still not satisfy God for the sin of stealing.
9. The ninth commandment – Exodus 20:16.
• God said the Israelites must always tell the truth about everything.
– God never lies, and He commands us not to lie.
Read – John 8:44 says, “Ye are of
your father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and abode not in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a
lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and
the father of it.”
Titus 1:2 says, “… which God, that cannot lie …”
Think:
Satan is the greatest liar. He lied to Adam and Eve in the garden. He lied to our forefathers and
is still telling lies to people all over the world. Satan is the father of all those who keep telling lies.
Some people do wrong things and then lie to cover up what they have done. Some people lie
about other people. Some people start rumors and make up stories.
Some people will lie even when they are brought to court. Many people have escaped
punishment here on earth, because they have lied without anyone knowing.
However, we can’t hide lies from God. God knows everything and will punish all sin. God
always speaks the truth, and He knows the truth about everyone and everything.
Some people think “little lies” are not sin. There are no such things as “little lies.” A lie is a lie.
God hates lying and all lying is sinful according to His Law.
10. The tenth commandment – Exodus 20:17.
• God told the Israelites that they must not covet, that is, want what belongs to other
people.
– Man must not envy other people’s things, their abilities, how they look, or
whatever they have.
Think:
Many people are greedy and jealous of what other people have. They are never satisfied with
what they have. In their minds, they are angry because they don’t have what someone else
has.
Some people think that wanting more and better things or having what someone else has is the
way everyone thinks. They don’t care that they are really coveting. But God has commanded
us not to covet. Coveting is sin.
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Read – Romans 7:7 says, “… Nay, I
had not known sin, but by the law …”
Read – Romans 3:19 says, “Now we
know that what things soever the law saith, it
saith to them who are under the law: that
every mouth may be stopped, and all the
world may become guilty before God.”
11. Conclusion.
• These are the Ten Commandments which God gave to the Israelites.
• God’s commandments are the same for all people, everywhere.
– Now people knew what the LORD considered to be sin.
• God knew that people could not keep this list of rules perfectly. However, He had a
reason for giving them these commandments.
– The Law silences those who say they are good enough to be accepted by God.
– The ten laws are to make people come to know that they are sinners.
- No one who looks honestly at these commandments, God’s Law, should still
think they are without sin.
Remember:
In the beginning man, not knowing about evil, had been God’s friend. But when Adam and
Eve disobeyed God’s instructions, God broke their friendship and became their judge. It was
similar to God calling them to court. No one could defend them. No one could help them. God,
the perfect judge spoke. People were guilty of breaking God’s Law.
–
Have your clubbers recite Romans 3:20
which says, “Therefore by the deeds of the
law there shall no flesh be justified in his
sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
4
Note: Ask clubbers for more ways people
may think they are being good enough for
God’s acceptance.
⇒
Visuals, “Good Works, False and True”
• After studying the Ten Commandments, most people will admit they are sinners.
• However, many will think that they can make themselves right before God.
– These are some of the things which some people think will make them
acceptable to God.4
- Keeping the Ten Commandments
- Going to church
- Praying
- Being baptized
- Giving to the poor
- Being nice to their neighbors
• The idea that a person’s good can outweigh his bad, and therefore earn God’s
acceptance, is not written in the Bible.
GOOD
WORKS
5
To help your clubbers understand this point,
take 11 short pieces of string and tie them end
to end making 10 knots. On the last knot hook
an object representing a person. Stretch out
this string with the object in front of the
clubbers. Ask them how many knots you
would have to untie — and how many times
— to make the object drop. They should see
that the first string you untie, anywhere on the
line, you have broken it and the object falls.
Rewind
FAL S E
• The Bible tells us that, even if a person was able to do many good works and even
if he obeyed God’s commandments most of the time, but failed to obey just one
time, that person would still have broken the whole Law and would be guilty of
sin.5
1. 7, 2. 5, 3. 9, 4. 8, 5. 3, 6. 10
7. 1, 8. 4, 9. 6, 10. 2
TRUE
GOOD
WORKS
1. What does the first commandment
say? There is only one God.
2. What does the second commandment
say? We should not worship idols.
3. Whom does God tell to honor and
obey parents? Children
4. What is it called when someone
borrows something without asking
and never returns it? Stealing, sin
5. Who decides what sin is? God
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SINS
SINS
God wants people to do good things, but He wants them to understand that these good
things cannot make them acceptable to God and restore their broken relationship with
Him. Our goodness falls short of God’s holiness. God wanted people to see that to be
accepted by Him and saved from Satan, sin, and death they would have to come
another way. The Bible says that only God in His mercy can make a way for people to
be saved from their sin and made acceptable to God.
The Tabernacle
Story
Aim
This lesson presents the basic plan of the
tabernacle. Included are only those things which
will point the clubber to understanding the
Gospel when it is presented.
Clubbers will also learn:
• The purpose of the tabernacle.
• That God made a way for sinners to
come to Him for mercy.
• Man can only come to God according
to God’s will and plan.
• The necessity of mediators between
God and the Israelites.
Ask clubbers if they can tell you what mercy is. Show them the poster, “Mercy,” and
have them read it. Ask them who needs it? If they do not answer correctly, then explain
that everyone needs mercy.
Memory
Verse
Let’s Look in God’s Word
Hebrews 9:22 – … and without shedding of
blood is no remission.
Hebrews
9:22
Help your clubbers find this verse. Read it and
explain that this verse tells us that there will not be
any forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood.
Answers
Visuals
• Poster 6, “Mercy”
• Chronological
Picture 35, “The
Components
• Chronological
Picture 34, “The
• Chronological
Picture 36, “The
1
Remember: The Lord had agreed with Israel
that, if they obeyed His laws, He would be with
them, protect them, and give them all that they
needed. But, if they disobeyed His laws, then
the punishment was death.
The Lord knew that the Israelites were sinners
and would not always be able to obey His
commands. God knew that they would disobey
Him and that, unless they had some way of
escape, He would have to punish all of them.
1. B 2. A
3. No 4. C
5. A
The tabernacle is a beautiful picture of our merciful God. Here He is living among His
sinful people, making a way for them to come to Him to find the mercy and grace they
needed. The tabernacle stood in full view of all. Mercy was available to all who would
come by faith. As we teach the story of God’s tabernacle, God’s Spirit will be preparing
clubbers to receive the greatest message of all — the finished work of Jesus Christ!
1. Moses was once again called by God up into the mountain –
Exodus 24:12-18.
• Moses and his assistant, Joshua, went up into the mountain to meet God.
• The Lord God did not want the Israelites to forget His commandments, so He
planned to write His commandments on two pieces of stone.
– God wanted Moses to teach the Israelites His commandments.1
– The two stones would be a permanent record of God’s commandments.
• The Lord explained to Moses other rules and customs He was commanding the
Israelites to follow.
2. God commanded Moses to build the tabernacle – Exodus 25:1-9.
• God told them to build a special place where He would live with them — a
tabernacle.
– God loved the Israelites; He did not want to destroy them.
- The people would learn how to come near their holy God without being
destroyed.
• Everything in this place had to be built exactly as the Lord told Moses.
– Because the Israelites were walking back to the land from which their
forefathers had come, the tabernacle had to be moveable.
- Therefore, the Lord told them to build most of the tabernacle with materials
made from animal skins and goat hair.
Remember:
Do you remember that the Egyptians gave many valuable things to the Israelites the night
they left Egypt? Now, in order to build the tabernacle, God wanted those who were willing, to
donate some of those valuables to Moses.
35, “The Components of the Tabernacle”
3. God told Moses that the tabernacle must have two rooms.
• The first room was called the holy place or the separate place.
– This room was entered from the outside.
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2
This did not mean God would no longer be
everywhere. Even when He came to live in
the tabernacle, God would continue to be
everywhere.
⇒
Show Poster 6, “Mercy.” Have the
clubbers read it again.
3
Remember: Do you remember when we last
heard about cherubim? God put cherubim
outside the garden of Eden so that Adam and
Eve would not be able to return to the tree of
life. The cherubim outside of the garden of
Eden were real live cherubim, but these which
Moses was told to make were just made of
gold.
⇒
34, “The Tabernacle”
Show the rooms and their curtains in Picture
35, and then show the position of these rooms
inside the fence in Picture 34.
⇒
36, “The Sin Offering”
Read – Leviticus 1:1-5
4
As the man killed the animal sacrifice, he was
admitting that it was his sin that caused the
death of the animal. The innocent animal was
dying in place of the sinner — as a substitute.
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– It was a room set apart by God to be used only for Him.
– It was only to be used by God’s chosen priests when they were serving God.
• The second room, the most holy place or holy of holies, was even more
important. God’s presence would be in this inner room.
– This room was set apart just for God except for once a year when the high
priest was allowed to enter.
- God is holy, perfect, righteous — set apart from sinners.
– This was the special room in the tabernacle where God promised to live in the
center of the Israelites’ camp.2
• The two-roomed tabernacle was covered with dyed animal skins and a final
covering of animal hides to form the roof of the tent (Exodus 26:14).
4. The ark and the mercy seat – Exodus 25:10-22.
• God told Moses to make a wooden box covered with gold called the ark of the
covenant. It was to be put inside the most holy place where God was to live.
• Moses was to make a lid of pure gold called the mercy seat and place it on top of
the ark of the covenant.
– The mercy seat was a very important part of the tabernacle.
- This was the place where God promised to live with the sinful Israelites and
show them mercy.
– The LORD told Moses that he was to make two gold cherubim, one at each end
of the mercy seat.3
- The cherubim were to be facing each other, looking down, with their wings
stretched out toward one another over the mercy seat.
– On this mercy seat God would meet with Moses and give him instructions for
the Israelites.
• The LORD told Moses to place the two tablets of stone, with the Ten
Commandments written on them, inside the ark of the covenant, under the mercy
seat.
5. The Veil – Exodus 26:31-33.
• God told Moses that he was to hang a beautiful curtain (veil) as a divider between
the two rooms.
• This curtain was to remind the Israelites that, because of sin, they were separated
from God who is holy and righteous.
6. The brazen altar – Exodus 27:1-2.
• God also told Moses to make a fence of cloth curtains held upright between many
posts. This fence was to be placed around the two-roomed tabernacle.
• Just inside the entrance of the curtain fence, they were to place an altar which
God said was to be made of wood covered with brass. Brazen means made of
brass.
• When a person wanted to approach (come near) God and enjoy His blessings,
he had to first bring a burnt offering to the LORD. He was to bring it to the brazen
altar, just inside the gate.
– God allowed sheep, goats, bulls, and birds as sacrifices.
- The animals were to be perfect males.
- The animals’ blood had to be shed.
– He was to place his hand on the animal’s head and then kill it.
- By doing this, he was admitting that he was a sinner and deserved to die.4
- He was also acknowledging that this animal was to die in his place as a
sacrifice instead of himself. It was as if the man’s sin and guilt was being
moved from the man onto the animal.
The Tabernacle (continued)
Read - Leviticus 17:11 says, “For the
life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have
given it to you upon the altar to make an
atonement for your souls: for it is the blood
that maketh an atonement for the soul.”
5
Remember: Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, and all the other righteous men before
the Israelites had to come to God this way.
6
Your clubbers may have a difficult time
understanding these truths. We are teaching
them that God demands full payment for sin.
But we are also saying that God forgave the
sins of the believing Israelites who came to
Him according to the way He told them. This
may seem contradicting to them.
We are teaching here the doctrine of
atonement. During the Old Testament, the
sinner who came in God’s way was fully
forgiven and released from the judgment for his
sins. But God did this only because He
intended on taking care of that sin righteously
and completely through the sacrificial blood
and death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the
Cross. When the Lord Jesus died, God laid on
Him the sins of the Old Testament believers,
which because of His patience, love, and
mercy, He had left unpunished (Romans 3:25,
Hebrews 9:15).
Do not feel the need to jump ahead and explain
how this seeming contradiction was dealt with
at the cross. But be alert to talk with and share
the Gospel with those who realize their
sinfulness and helplessness to save
themselves from God’s judgment.
- He was asking God to accept the animal’s death instead of his.
- Because the animal now carried the man’s sin, it had to die.
- Death is the penalty for sin.
Note: The sacrifice was a picture of what was necessary for man’s sin to be forgiven.
“… and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). God wanted man to
remember that the only way to acceptance was to believe that He is a righteous God who
can save them.
• God provides the Israelites with a Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:34).
– The Day of Atonement offering was repeated each year. It was to be a
constant reminder of man’s need to have his sin covered so that a holy God
could not see them.
– If the Israelites came to God in the way He had told them, God promised to
hold off the judgment they deserved and forgive their sins for the past year.
• In offering the animal sacrifice, the people were showing that they had faith (were
trusting) in God; it showed they believed Him.5
– The Bible says that God accepted the animal’s sacrifice for the sinner.
- When God saw the death of the animal, he was satisfied that the requirement
of death for sin had been met — there had been a death payment for sin. God
would honor the man’s trust in Him and credit him with righteousness, just as
he had Abraham. “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as
righteousness” (Romans 4:3).
- Because that righteousness was coming from God, it fully provided man with
the perfection needed to live in God’s presence and receive His blessings.6
• Did the blood of animals pay for their sins?
– No! The blood of animals could not pay for their sins (Hebrews 10:1-4).
- The punishment for sin is death and that includes the separation of the sinner
from God forever. Sin must be paid in full.
– The blood of animals was only a temporary covering; it did not remove the sindebt.
7. Aaron and his sons were made priests – Exodus 28:1.
• The LORD appointed Aaron to be the high priest. His sons were also to be priests.
– The priests daily offered burnt offering to the LORD on the brazen altar
(Exodus 29:38).
• Only Aaron, the high priest, was allowed to go into the inner room, the most holy
place where God was.
– Aaron, and each man who would later serve as the high priest, could only go
into the most holy place once each year, on the Day of Atonement, which
means the “day of covering.”
- The only way the high priest could enter was to come with the blood of an
animal which had been sacrificed.
- If anyone else had gone behind the curtain and entered the inner room, he
would have been killed.
– Each year, when the high priest entered the most holy place, he sprinkled the
blood of the sacrificed animal on the mercy seat under the cherubim.
- God, in His mercy, was holding off for another year the punishment the high
priest and the Israelites deserved.
• God chose the priests to be mediators between the nation of Israel and a holy
God.
– This was to remind the Israelites that a mediator was necessary for them to
approach God.
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Rewind
2
1
3
F
T A B E R N A C L
I
T
H
M
E
D
I
A
T
4
O
M E R C Y
8. The tabernacle was finished and erected, and God came to live in it as His
house – Exodus 39:42-43; 40:17, 34-38.
• The Israelites built the tabernacle for the Lord and set it up exactly as God had
instructed Moses.
– If they had not made it exactly as God told them, God would not have come to
live with them.
• Because Moses and the Israelites did everything the way God instructed them,
God came to live in the center of the Israelites’ camp in the most holy place of the
tabernacle.
– The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
– The Israelites could now come to God in the way that He had taught them.
Summary:
– God had a purpose for having the Israelites build a tabernacle.
1. It provided a way for God to live among them (Exodus 25:8).
2. It provided a way for God to show His glory (Exodus 40:34-35).
3. It was a reminder of the separation of a holy God from a sinful people.
4. Because it was the place for sacrificial worship, it provided a way for sinful
people to come before a holy God
1. Why did God have the Israelites build the
tabernacle? So He could live am on g
them.
2. How many rooms did the tabernacle have?
Two rooms — the holy place and the
most holy place
3. Who was allowed to go into the tabernacle?
The priests
4. What did the priests do?
a. Offered daily sacrifices to God
b . Mediated between man and God
5. What did the high priest do once a year?
He made a sacrifice in the most holy
place for his and the Israelites sins
over the past year.
6. What is mercy? God’s way for sinners to
escape the punishment they deserve
for their sins
124
– While performing this sacrificial worship, the Israelites were reminded of who
God is, as well as learning new things about Him.
1. God is holy; He cannot be approached without a mediator.
2. God cares for His people and dwells with them.
3. Blood is important in the worship of a holy God. Without blood it is impossible
to approach God.
Note: God doesn’t ask us to bring animal sacrifices to Him today, but that was the way
He made for the Israelites to come to Him. Through the promised Deliverer, God
was going to make a better way to take care of sins.
Israel’s Unbelief
Story
Aim
This lesson reminds the clubbers that man is a
sinner; he needs God and is helpless to save
himself; he must come to God by faith. The
story of the bronze snake will later be used
when presenting the gospel.
This lesson will also help clubbers:
• See some results of sin.
• See God’s mercy and grace.
• See how important it is to listen to
God and believe Him.
In today’s story, we can see that the Israelites aren’t the only people who had a problem
with sin. We, too, think too much about ourselves, complain, and forget to be thankful
for what is done for us. We sometimes treat God the same way Jon treated His mother.
God wants us to recognize those actions as sin. He wants us to admit our sin and
believe Him when He says He is the only one who can save us from our sin. We can try
and try as hard as we can to please God, but we cannot please Him or be accepted by
Him in our own way.
Memory
Verse
Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is
impossible to please him: for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Help your clubbers find this verse. Read it and explain that this verse tells us that having
faith in God is the only way we can please God and be accepted by Him.
Hebrews
11:6
Visuals
38, “Manna in
the Wilderness”
37, “The Serpent on
Answers
1. B
2. C
3. B
4. God
5. B
God lifted up the cloud from Mount Sinai where He had given the Israelites His Ten
Commandments and the instructions for the tabernacle. The Israelites followed the
cloud when it moved, and the LORD led them right to the edge of the land (Canaan)
which He had promised to give to them.
1. The Israelites spy on the promised land – Numbers 13:1-3.
• The people who lived in the land of Canaan were very wicked and worshiped
idols. God planned to destroy them and give their land to the Israelites.
Think:
We need to remember God’s character when thinking about His judgment. He is holy and
righteous and judges all sin. But He is also loving, merciful, and gracious. What God planned to
do to the Canaanites was right and just, because God is righteous and just.
Point to Kadesh-Barnea.
⇒
Suggest Visual: 38, “Joshua and Caleb”
• When the Israelites arrived at the border of the land which God had promised to
Abraham and his descendants, the LORD told Moses to choose one man from
each of the twelve tribes. They would spy out the land before the Israelites
entered it.
– Earlier, God told Moses to organize the Israelites by their twelve tribes.
• Moses obeyed the LORD and sent the twelve men to look at the land and the
people who were living there.
2. The spies report back to Moses and the Israelites – Numbers 13:25-33.
• Ten of the spies did not believe God.
– The land was owned by strong people, and some of them were huge.
– These spies didn’t believe God was strong enough to defeat the people of
Canaan and give the Israelites the land.
• Caleb and Joshua believed God.
– They remembered the mighty things God had already done. They believed
God would force out the people of Canaan and give the land to the Israelites
just as He had promised.
125
1
Remember: Satan told Eve that she would not
die if she ate the fruit of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. Satan called God
a liar, and Eve believed him. Cain also did not
believe God, and he came to God in his own
way. God rejected him and his offering. When
Noah told the people that a great flood was
going to be sent by God, they refused to
believe God. They would not enter the ark,
and they were all destroyed. The Egyptians
also did not believe that the God of Israel was
the almighty and only true God. They trusted
in their idols to deliver them. But God
destroyed their land, killed their firstborn, and
drowned their armies in the sea.
2
Remember: When God decides to punish
sinners, there is no place where they can hide
from Him. In the days of Noah, was there any
place where the people could escape
judgment after God shut the door of the ark and
sent the flood? Could the people of Sodom and
Gomorrah escape the judgment of God when
He sent fire on them? Did Lot’s wife escape
God’s judgment when she disobeyed the Lord
and looked back? When God decides that it is
the time to punish people, there is no place
where they can go to escape.
⇒
37, “The Serpent on the Pole”
Rewind
See memory verse.
1. What were the people in Canaan like?
They were wicked and worshiped
idols. Some were big and strong.
2. Who believed God would help them take
the land of Canaan? Caleb and Joshua
3. Who would not go into the promised land?
All Israelites twenty years old and older
– except Caleb and Joshua
4. Why did God send the poisonous snakes?
a. Because the Israelites complained
b . Because they didn’t trust God
5. What did the Israelites who were bitten by
a snake have to do to live? They had to
have faith in God and believe what
He said was true. Then they had to
look up at the bronze snake God had
Moses put on a pole.
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3. The Israelites did not believe God – Numbers 14:1-4, 26-38.
• God had promised to give them the land, but they refused to believe Him.1
• The LORD heard everything the Israelites said. He knew they did not believe Him.
• God will punish everyone who refuses to believe Him.
• God did not think the Israelites deserved to go into the land He had promised
them. God told the Israelites that all who were twenty years old and older who did
not believe God would die in the wilderness — during forty years of wandering.
– Caleb and Joshua believed God, therefore, they would enter the promised
land.
4. The Israelites complained again – Numbers 20:1-5.
• While the people wandered in the wilderness, they blamed Moses and Aaron, his
brother, because they didn’t have any water.
5. God tells Moses how to give the Israelites water – Numbers 20:7-12.
• God commands Moses to speak to the rock. He was not to strike the rock this
time.
• Moses disobeyed the LORD and struck the rock instead of speaking to it.
– Moses and Aaron were tired of the Israelites complaining. They did not trust and
depend on the LORD in this situation as they had when other problems came up.
• Because Moses and Aaron disobeyed God, they would not be allowed to enter the
promised land.
6. Israel complains again — God sends poisonous snakes – Numbers 21:4-7.
• The LORD punished the Israelites because of their sin. Many of them died.
• The Israelites could not escape the poisonous snakes sent by the LORD.2
• The Israelites admitted they had sinned. They realized that only the LORD could
save them from death, so they asked Moses to ask the LORD for His help. Moses
was the mediator between the Israelites and God.
7. The bronze serpent – Numbers 21:8-9.
• Because the LORD is merciful, He decided to forgive and save the Israelites.
– They didn’t deserve God’s help, but He saves all those who trust in Him.
• The LORD told Moses what he must do and what the Israelites must do if they
were to be saved from death. Moses was to put a bronze snake on a pole.
– Moses had to do what God said, and the people had to look at the serpent just
as God had instructed Moses. It had to be done God’s way.
Discuss:
What did the LORD say they had to do in order to be healed from the snake bites? They just had
to look at the bronze snake. Did the snake on the pole have power in it to heal them? No! The
power of God healed every Israelite who showed he or she trusted God by looking at the snake
on the pole.
Do you think some did look, but the LORD did not heal them? No! God always keeps His
promises. All who looked were immediately healed by the LORD. God can be trusted to do
everything He says.
Think:
Do you think people would have been healed if they had prayed but not looked? No! What if
they did not look at the bronze snake but offered God a gift instead? Would they have been
healed? No! They had to look at the bronze snake, just as the LORD said.
• God wants us, like the Israelites, to believe Him.
Israel in the Promised Land
Story
Aim
This lesson spans the time from Joshua through
the judges and the kings of Israel. You will not
be going into any detail except for a brief look at
David, his plan for the temple, and the
completion of the temple under Solomon.
This lesson will also:
• Show the terrible sin of the Israelites and
their godless neighbors.
• Show God’s faithfulness to keep His
promises to undeserving people.
• Introduce David as part of the line of the
Deliverer.
• Show that God sent prophets to give His
message of repentance to men because He
loves them and wants them to be saved.
• Show the horrible consequences of refusing
to listen to God and continuing in sin and
rebellion against Him.
Many stories in the Old Testament are not
mentioned in these lessons. We are only
presenting the basic foundation on which the
gospel can be built. Some have said there is a
“scarlet thread” running through the Bible. Along
this “thread” is the story of the eternal Lord and
Savior who promised to make a way for fallen
man to be delivered from sin, Satan, and eternal
punishment.
Visuals
• Chronological
Picture 40, “Idol
Worship”
43, Solomon’s
Temple”
• Poster 12, “Prophets”
1
When people worship anything other than the
true and living God spoken about in the Bible,
they are really worshiping Satan. Satan
disguises himself. He hides behind idols and
other things which people worship, just as he
disguised himself by using the snake when he
tempted Eve.
Read – Isaiah 41:8-10
After finishing the story, help your clubbers to think of examples of idols, those things or
people that are worshiped in their culture and the cultures around them.
Memory
Verse
2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.
God is not slow in keeping His promises. God’s time is not the same as our time.
Because of His love for us He does not want anyone to die and be separated from Him
forever. He is giving mankind time to repent. However, God does not change His mind.
People who do not believe God and repent in His time will suffer God’s judgment.
2 Peter
3:9
Answers
1. B
2. C
3. B
4. A
5. C
The Israelites had wandered around in the wilderness for forty years, because they
refused to believe God would give them the promised land. Moses and Aaron died
before Israel entered the promised land, just as God had said they would. All the adult
generation had died; this was God’s punishment for their unbelief. Their children were
now adults. The LORD was now ready to take these young adult Israelites into Canaan.
1. Joshua led Israel into Canaan – Joshua 1:1-3; 11:23; Judges 2:7-15.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Map 1. Point to Canaan.
• Joshua, who took Moses’ place, led the Israelites into Canaan, and the LORD God
gave them the land that He had promised to Abraham and his descendants.
• After Joshua and the generation who had seen the LORD’S miracles in the
wilderness had died, the Israelites forgot the LORD.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 40, “Idol Worship”
– Instead of trusting God in the promised land, they worshiped the false gods and
copied the evil ways of the nations around who did not know God or His Word.
– Satan had deceived these people into thinking that they were worshiping real
and living gods.1
• The LORD punished Israel because they forgot Him and worshiped idols.
– God allowed surrounding nations that hated Israel to defeat them and make
them their servants, just as God had warned.
2. The time of the Judges – Judges 2:16-19.
• When Israel repented, that is, agreed with God about their sin and called to the
LORD for help, He chose a man or woman to lead and deliver them from their
enemies. These people were called judges.
• Again and again, the Israelites forgot the LORD.
– The LORD allowed them to be conquered over and over by their enemies.
• Even though the Israelites were disobedient to God and He had to punish them,
He still loved them.
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2
Many kings ruled over Israel after Solomon
died. After Solomon died, the nation of Israel
argued over who should be king, and they
divided into two kingdoms. The ten northern
tribes were called Israel, and the two southern
tribes were called Judah.
We have covered many years of Israel’s
history —
From Joshua to David was about 400 years.
From David through all of the kings was about
400 more years.
43, “Solomon’s Temple”
⇒
Show Posterl: “Prophets”
3
Repent means “a change of mind” — to agree
with God about our own sin.
4
Satan is still the same today. He speaks
through people who may tell you that God’s
Word is not true. Or they may say that God
will not punish sin — no one goes to hell.
5
For your own reference, stories of this time
in history are found in the books of Ezra and
Nehemiah.
Rewind
God is not slow in keeping His promise.
1. Why did the Israelites wander around in the
wilderness until the adults died? They
refused to believe that God would give
them the promised land.
2. Why did God let the Israelites be captured
by other nations? Because they forgot
God and worshiped idols
3. God promised that the Deliverer would
come from which king’s family? King
David
4. Who did God send to preach to the
Israelites and warn them of judgment?
Prophets
5. What new name did the Israelites get? Jews
6. Who conquered the Jews and made them
pay taxes? Romans
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3. The time of the Kings – 1 Samuel 8:4-7.
• Of all the nations of the world, Israel had the best of the rulers. They had God,
Himself, as their ruler and king.
• Israel rejected God and asked for a king like the nations around them.
• God gave Israel what they wanted; many kings ruled over them.
– A few of these kings believed God and trusted in Him, but most of them did not.
4. David was the greatest and best-known king of Israel – 2 Samuel 5:4; 7:12-16.
• Unlike many of the other kings who ruled over Israel, David truly believed in the
LORD and wanted to obey Him in everything.
• King David was also one of God’s prophets, inspired by God to record Scripture.
• David wanted to build a permanent place where the people could come to
worship the LORD and offer their sacrifices. However, it was his son, Solomon, who
had the temple built when he became king, after David died.2
• God gave David the same promise He had given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
– The LORD promised David that the Deliverer would come from his family.
5. God sent prophets to preach to the Israelites and warn them of Judgment.
• God loved the Israelites and wanted them to be saved.
• The prophets (messengers) told the people that the LORD said they must repent,3
destroy their idols, and trust only in Him or He would punish them.
• Most of the people hated the prophets’ messages and refused to obey. They
persecuted (mistreated and hurt) and killed God’s messengers.
• Besides the prophets of God, there were also false prophets who told lies to Israel.
They told the people everything would be all right and that God would not punish
them.4
• Many people went to the temple to worship the LORD, to perform all the
ceremonies, and to offer sacrifices, but they did not obey God in their everyday
living.
6. God’s judgment on Israel and Judah – 2 Kings 17:1-8; 25:1-12.
• The people would not believe God’s Word, so He punished them.
• After many years, the people of Judah repented and asked the LORD to take them
back to their own land. The Israelites who returned to their land were given
another name; they were called Jews. To this day they are still called Jews.5
• Back in their land, they came and brought sacrifices to God, but most of them did
not believe they were sinners who needed God’s mercy.
• God allowed the Jews to be conquered again — by the Greeks, then the Romans.
• The Romans ruled over the Jews and made them pay taxes. They killed many
Jews with the sword, spear, or by crucifixion (death by nailing or binding someone
to a cross).
– The Romans worshiped many false gods and Caesar (the Roman emperor).
– The Romans allowed the Jews to worship the LORD in their temple in
Jerusalem. The Jews built meeting houses, called synagogues, where they
could read and teach the Old Testament Scriptures. Many times their teachings
were not correct.
• A small number of Jews believed God’s Word as given through the prophets.
Israel’s unbelief and rejection of God’s promises made God very sad. However,
God never changed His plans or forgot His promises about the Deliverer. He was
getting ready to show His grace and mercy — not just to Israel — but to the whole
world!
God Prepares the Way for the Deliverer
Story
Aim
This lesson announces the birth of John and the
birth of Jesus. God’s fulfillment of prophecy
shows He is faithful and unchangeable. His
sovereignty, holiness, and omnipotence are
shown in His giving John and in His sending
Jesus Christ, the promised Deliverer.
This lesson will also:
• Show that Jesus is God the Son.
• Show that Jesus is the Son of God.
• Show that Jesus is the promised
Deliverer.
• Show that nothing is too hard for God.
In today’s story, we learn who the Deliverer is. Help clubbers to understand that many
people today still refuse to learn about God and the Deliverer, God the Son. Just as in
the time of the Israelites, there are people today who are being taught things that are
not true about God and His Word, the Bible.
Memory
Verse
Luke 1:37 – Because nothing shall be
impossible with God.
Luke
1:37
Help your clubbers to understand that because God
is all-powerful, He can do whatever He wants to,
even if it is impossible for mankind to do.
Answers
1. C
Visuals
• Chronological
Picture 50,
“Zacharias
in the Temple”
• Chronological
Picture 51, “Gabriel
Appears to Mary”
• Poster 14, “Jesus Christ is God”
• Poster 8, “Adam, sinner”
1
God made the Greek language common to
many parts of the world. He linked distant cities
with Roman roads. He dispersed His people to
many different countries where they built
synagogues and taught from His Word.
50, “Zacharias in the Temple”
2
In those days, the Jewish people looked down
on couples who weren’t able to have children.
Now Zacharias and Elizabeth were going to
have a son in their old age!
Read – Malachi 3:1
2. B
3. C
4. B
5. A
The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is one of the central truths of our faith. However, many
teachers in recent years reject it because if they believe in the fact of the virgin birth, it
requires that they must believe God is holy and all powerful. We desire to teach God’s
truth. God talks clearly about His holiness from Genesis to Revelation. None of Adam’s
sinful descendants could be our Savior. Only the holy Son of the holy God could die in
our place.
We have been building a foundation of truth through the Old Testament. Now we will
present this wonderful Deliverer, Jesus Christ, the Son of God — God the Son.
1. The prophet Malachi reminded the Jews that God’s promised Deliverer
would come to save them – Malachi 3:1.
• He also told the Jews that before the Deliverer came, God would send another
prophet.
– This prophet’s work would be to prepare the way for the coming Deliverer/
Savior.
• After Malachi, four hundred years passed during which God did not speak
through any prophet.
– However, God was still at work during this time which is often called “the silent
years.”1 Quietly, unnoticed by most men, God was preparing to fulfill His great
promises to send a Savior for the whole world.
2. God promised that Zacharias and Elizabeth would have a son – Luke 1:5-14.
• Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, were Jews who trusted in God and were
waiting for His promised Deliverer.
– They offered sacrifices at the temple, just as God had commanded Moses.
• Because they trusted in God and came to Him the way He had told them, God
accepted them just as He had accepted Abel and all others who had trusted in
Him from the beginning of the world.
• Though they were old and did not have any children,2 God promised Zacharias
that Elizabeth would have a son; they were to name him John.
3. John’s work was to prepare the way for the Deliverer – Luke 1:15-17, 24-25.
• Four hundred years before John was born, God told Malachi to write these
prophecies about God’s messenger, John!
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3
Explain: It was impossible for a virgin to have
a child. However, with God all things are
possible. God can do anything! God created
the first man, Adam, out of the dust of the
ground, and God gives life to every person. It
was not difficult for God to give His child to
Mary without the baby having a human father.
⇒
51, “Gabriel Appears to Mary”
4
You may have clubbers who have been
taught that Mary was sinless. Do not make an
issue of their beliefs. Simply tell them that
Mary herself called God her Savior (Luke
1:47). This shows that she, too, needed the
Lord to save her from her sins. The Bible says
that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23).
⇒
Show poster, “Jesus Christ is God”
Note: Do not read “Jesus Christ is the only
Savior” at this time.
5
The angel told Mary that because the
Deliverer would be a descendant of David the
King, He was to be king over Israel forever.
God was going to do what He had promised
King David long ago.
Rewind
1
3
J
6
D
G O D
H
2
N
7
T H E
R
L
I
N
I
V
I
T
E
R
Y
E
R
4
M
5
J
F A T H E R
S
R
Y
U
S
1. Who did God choose to prepare the way
for the Deliverer? John
2. Who did God choose to be the mother of
the Deliverer? Mary
3. What was special about the Deliverer?
He was both God and man.
4. What was the Deliverer’s name? Jesus
5. Who was Jesus’ Father? God
6. Why wasn’t Jesus born with sin like
everyone else? Because He was born
without a human father, Jesus was the
perfect Son of God, holy and sinless.
130
– God knew all about Zacharias’ son even before Elizabeth became pregnant.
Everything is known by God before it happens. God knew all about us, too,
before our parents knew we would be born!
• John would be the prophet who would prepare the people to receive the coming
Deliverer. He would go ahead of the Deliverer to prepare the way for Him.
– The angel called the coming Deliverer “the Lord.”
- The coming Deliverer, the Savior of men, was to be God Himself!
4. God promised Mary a son – Luke 1:26-31.
It was now God’s time to fulfill His promises regarding the Deliverer.
• God sent an angel to tell a virgin named Mary that God had chosen her to be the
mother of the Deliverer (Isaiah 7:14).3
• Mary was just an ordinary young woman who, although she was a sinner,
believed God would send the Deliverer.4
– God chose Mary to be the mother of the Deliverer because God does whatever
He wants to do. God is sovereign — He is the highest authority (Psalm 115:3).
• Mary’s son was to be the promised Deliverer — someone who rescues or saves.
– His name was to be Jesus, which means Savior, or deliverer. God had
never forgotten His promise to send the Deliverer. God loved the whole world,
and He wanted sinners to be delivered from the punishment they deserve.
5. Mary’s son would be both man and the Son of God – Luke 1:32.
• The angel Gabriel also told Mary some amazing things about her future son.
– Mary’s son was not only to be truly her son, but He would also be the Son of the
Highest, that is the Son of God. He was to be King forever.5
• Jesus was His name as a man — His human name.
Explain:
When we started studying the Bible together, we learned about the Trinity. We learned that,
although there is only one God, God is three persons who are equal in every way. These three
are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
God is Spirit and doesn’t have a human body. The Savior, however, had to be a human being
just as we are — except that He had to be sinless. So that God’s plan about the Deliverer could
be fulfilled, God the Son had to be born as a human being.
God chose Mary to be the mother of the Deliverer. The Deliverer, who was God the Son, had to
come down from Heaven to be born on the earth as the child of Mary to receive His human
body. Mary’s son would be both God and man in one body. This son, Jesus, would be fully God
and fully man.
• As the Son of God, Jesus had many titles (names). Six hundred years earlier, God
had announced these things to His prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 9:6).
6. Jesus, the Deliverer, would not have a human father – Luke 1:34-35, 37.
• Mary could not understand how she could have a child who wouldn’t have a
human father.
– The angel said that God the Holy Spirit would perform this miracle.
• Because Jesus would be born without a human father, He would be born sinless.
• No descendant of Adam is holy and righteous.
– Every person in the world inherited Adam’s sin.
– We are all sinners because the sin of Adam was passed down to us (Romans
5:12, 19). ⇒ Show poster, “Adam, sinner”
• Jesus’ Father was God.
– God is perfect and holy, without sin.
– Jesus did not inherit Adam’s sinfulness!
– Jesus was the perfect Son of God, holy and sinless!
7. Mary trusted in the Lord and accepted that it was God’s will for her to be the
mother of the Deliverer – Luke 1:38.
Story
Aim
been taught during the last eight lessons. You
may make more questions or adapt questions to
the ages of your clubbers.
to have an Awana Quiz with the clubbers. These questions cover only the last eight
lessons.
Make a question out of each of the eight verses we have used in the last eight lessons.
Examples: Who can recite Isaiah 45:22? To whom do we look to be saved? Answer
Card for the eight verses. Clubbers can earn bonus points for reciting all the verses on
the back of the Awana Card.
In the past eight lessons we have reviewed the historical facts of the Israelites delivery
from slavery and their journey to their promised land, as recorded in the Bible. We
heard of God’s power, faithfulness, grace, love, and mercy as shown in His provision for
His often unfaithful people, Israel. We saw how the Ten Commandments were given to
bring conviction of sin. It was to show mankind that they are unable to save themselves
by their own good works and to see their need for a Savior. We studied about the
Tabernacle where we learned the necessity of mediators between God and mankind.
We also learned that man can only come to God according to God’s will and plan.
Through these lessons we have learned that people are sinners; they need God and
are helpless to save themselves; they must come to God by faith. Lastly, we learned that
the promised Deliverer, the Savior of mankind, would be God Himself!
Review is extremely important; don’t skip it just to save time. Reviewing will help
clubbers to better retain the information. Review will also help you, as a teacher, to
know how well you are communicating and what areas need extra attention as you
continue to teach. No matter how well you may have said it, what is most important is
what your clubbers have learned! An excellent way to know what has been learned is to
ask questions.
1. If you ask a question the clubbers cannot answer or if they give a wrong answer,
ask the question in a way that will help them understand the question better or give
some clues to help them answer the question. If they still cannot answer, go ahead
and tell them the answer. Do not stay too long on a question they cannot answer. Do
not scold or shame them if they do not know the answer. Make notes of the questions
they do not know and be sure you spend time explaining them before going on to the
next lessons.
some questions to individual clubbers. Or, go around the group, one-by-one, giving
each person the opportunity to answer. Do not ask questions one by one, if some of
meetings.
them know that you appreciate their interest, but that the purpose of the meeting is
not debate. Many of these truths have been debated in the past and will certainly be
debated in the future; the purpose of this meeting is to show what the Bible says and
to learn the Word of God accurately. Whatever you do, be sure to limit discussion of
these debatable truths. Winning an argument will not help change a mind. Just allow
131
the Holy Spirit to use the truth and be firm, but loving and patient with those who
disagree.
4. Discussion questions can be used if you have time and so choose. These are
helpful if you have clubbers who are a little older. However, it is important to keep the
discussion under control. Clubbers should be given a chance to say their opinions
briefly and should not be shamed for what they think. But do not let one or two
clubbers do most of the talking, especially if their answers are wrong. Encourage
your clubbers to look at their past ideas and compare them to what they are learning
from the Awana TruthSeekers lessons. Be patient with them.
If one clubber says of another clubber’s answer, “That’s wrong!” you might reply,
“Well, we are just asking for opinions now. What do you think?”
Review Games
divide the clubbers into teams and just have points. The team with the most questions
answered correctly wins. This also works well with more than two teams.
If you decide to make teams and compete, alternate giving questions to each team. If
one team cannot answer a question, let the next team have a chance to answer that
question. The question needs to be answered by the clubber who raises his or her hand
first. Then, if he or she is wrong, the other team gets a chance to try to answer. Everyone
game, cover the discussion questions without receiving points for answers.
Rewind
3, 8, 5, 7, 1, 4, 6, 2
132
1. Why did God decide to save the Israelites from slavery?
a.Because God saw their suffering and heard their cries.
b.Because God loved them and planned to reveal His love and mercy to them.
c. Because God had promised Abraham that He would make Abraham’s descendants into a great nation and that, through these descendants, the Deliverer would
come into the world.
2. What does it mean when we say that those who don’t keep every law will be cursed
and punished by God? It means everlasting separation from God and punishment in
the lake of fire which God prepared for Satan,his angels, and sinners.
3. Why does Satan lead people to worship idols and other things?
a.Because Satan hates God and doesn’t want anyone to worship God.
b.Because Satan hates all people and doesn’t want them to trust in God and be
delivered from death.
c. Because Satan uses many things to disguise himself and to deceive people.
4. Why did the Deliverer have to be born of a virgin? So there is no doubt that the
Deliverer is God’s son — born without sin.
5. Was Jesus to be more than just a man? Yes, Jesus was to be God the Son whom
God had planned should come down from Heaven to be born as a human baby.
Jesus was to be God and man.
6. Why did the Savior have to be born of the line of David? Because God had promised
David that the Deliverer would be one of his descendants.
God’s Plans for John and Jesus
Story
Aim
Through Zacharias’ prophecy, we are told that
his son, John, would prepare the way for the
Deliverer. Also through this prophecy, we learn
something about the Deliverer, Jesus Christ:
• He would be the One through whom
God would fulfill His promise to Abraham.
• He would be God Himself.
• He would explain how men could be saved.
• He alone would be the Savior for the whole
world; there would be only one Savior for all
men.
Jesus is announced as God’s Anointed One —
Prophet, Priest, and King.
Visuals
Abraham”
• Prophecy Chart
Note: We are going to use this chart to record
the fulfillment of some of these things which
God said would happen to the Deliverer.
The best way to show this chart is to keep the
prophecies covered until they are taught in the
lessons. You will have to write the Scripture
reference given for the fulfilled prophecy on the
right.
1
Ask your clubbers if they can remember other
promises God made and fulfilled.
Here are a few:
- His warnings to Adam and Eve
- His warnings to the people in Noah’s day
- His promises to Abraham to give him
descendants
- His promises to Joseph through dreams that
Joseph would be a ruler
- His promise to Moses to bring the Israelites out
of Egypt and to bring them back to Mount Sinai
- His promise to the Israelites to preserve them
through the final plague if they carried out His
instructions concerning the Passover
- His promise to bring the Israelites back to the
promised land
- His warnings to Israel and Judah that they
would be taken captive if they did not repent of
their sins.
Read – Isaiah 43:11 says, “I, even I,
am the LORD, and beside me there is no
Savior.”
Some clubbers, like many other people, might think that it is “prideful” to say that Jesus
Christ is the only way to God. They like to think there are many ways and it doesn’t
matter as long as you are “religious.” If they can’t understand, don’t argue with them.
Just tell them we will talk more about this in later lessons.
Memory
Verse
Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a child is born, unto us
a son is given: and the government shall be
upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty
God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Tell clubbers these many names given to the Promised Deliverer, Jesus Christ, was
prophesied 700 years before Jesus was born.
Isaiah
9:6
Answers
1. C
2. B
3. C
4. C
5. A
When God makes a promise, He will fulfill it; no matter how difficult; no matter how
impossible it may seem. Even if it takes thousands of years to bring it to pass, God will
fulfill every promise He makes. Today’s lesson will show how God is fulfilling His
promise concerning the birth of John. Through Zacharias’ prophecy, we are told that
his son would prepare the way for the Deliverer.
1. John was born – Luke 1:57.
• God did what He had promised Zacharias.
– Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, had a son, and they named him John, just as
the angel had instructed.1
2. Zacharias believed that God’s promises concerning the Deliverer would
soon be fulfilled – Luke 1:67-79.
• Zacharias knew that, very soon, God’s promised Savior was coming to deliver
mankind from Satan, sin, and death.
– Zacharias believed the promises which God had given to the prophets.
Think:
Every one of us needs to be delivered from Satan, from the sinful things that control our lives,
and from death and separation from God. That is why God planned to send the Savior into the
world.
⇒ Poster 10, “Some of God’s Promises to Abraham.” Point to this promise on the poster.
Abraham was the father of the nation of Israel. Do you remember that God had promised him
that one of his descendants would be the Savior? Genesis 12:3 says, “ … and in thee shall all
families of the earth be blessed.” Even though thousands of years had passed since God made
that promise to Abraham, God had not forgotten. God always does exactly what He says.
3. John was to prepare Israel to believe in the Deliverer – Luke 1:76.
• God the Holy Spirit gave this message to Zacharias, and Zacharias believed
Him.
• John was going to be the final prophet who would announce to Israel that the
Savior would soon come to them.
– The Deliverer, the Savior, for whom John was to prepare the way, was the Lord
God Himself.
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2
Remember: Who delivered Noah and his
family from the flood? Who delivered Isaac
from death and provided a ram to die in his
place? Who delivered Lot from the destruction
of Sodom and Gomorrah? Who delivered
Joseph from prison in Egypt? Who saved the
Israelites from Pharaoh’s army at the Red
Sea? Who delivered the Israelites from death
by providing them with water and food in the
desert? The Lord alone is the great Deliverer.
Note: Reviews like this are important.
Clubbers need to keep in mind the continuity
of Biblical themes — they need to be
reminded that God does not change. He is still
the same God today as He was in the Old
Testament and always will be.
- No ordinary man could deliver us from Satan, sin, and death.
- The Lord is the great Deliverer of all who trust in Him.
- There is no other Savior but the Lord.2
• Zacharias said that when the Savior came, He would show His people how their
sins could be forgiven (Luke 1:77).
– God cannot and will not forgive sins unless the full price for sin is paid.
• The Deliverer would come like the sun rising in the morning.
Think:
How would you feel if you went for a walk in the woods and got lost? When the sun went down,
you would not only be lost, but you wouldn’t even be able to see where you were. You would
be very eager for the sun to rise in the morning so you could find your way back.
In a similar way, Adam and Eve’s sin put all of us into darkness. They had been very safe in the
garden of Eden because they depended on God for everything and He gave them all they
needed. But when they sinned, their sin separated them from God. They were cast out of the
garden. We could say they were in the dark — in constant danger of Satan’s attack.
All of their children and all of their descendants, including you and me, were born in the
darkness of sin. But God was making a way out of that darkness!
• Zacharias said that the Deliverer would come into this world to be the light to all
3
Think: How many suns give light to this
earth? Only one. The same sun gives light all
over the world. How many Deliverers did God
promise to send into the world? Only one.
⇒
Suggested Visual: Prophecy Chart. Show
only the title.
Rewind
people.
– The Deliverer would come just as the sun rises after a dark night and gives light
to all people everywhere.3
– God did not promise to send different Deliverers, one for us and another for
people in other parts of the world.
- God only promised one Deliverer who would make it possible for us to come
to God.
• John lived in the desert until it was God’s time for him to begin giving God’s
message to Israel to prepare them to trust in the coming Deliverer (Luke 1:80).
– John believed God. He trusted God to save him from everlasting punishment.
4. God fulfilled His promises concerning Jesus, the Deliverer – Matthew 1:1-2.
• Jesus, the coming Deliverer, was to be a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
and David.
• For hundreds of years, God had given His prophets messages about this coming
Savior.
• God planned everything that would happen to the Savior even before He came
into the world.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Prophecy Chart. Uncover the first prophecy, “Will be David’s descendant.”
Read the prophecy Scripture, Isaiah 9:7, on the left, and the fulfillment Scripture, Matthew 1:1, on the
right.
Priest, King, Prophet
1. Who did God choose to prepare the way
for the Deliverer? John
2. Who gave John’s father, Zacharias, the
message about John and the Deliverer?
The Holy Spirit
3. Who would give light to people everywhere? The Deliverer, Jesus Christ
4. What does “Christ” mean?
a. Messiah
b . Anointed One
5. What three special duties or high offices
was Jesus, the Deliverer, set apart by God
to do?
a. God’s prophet
b . God’s High Priest
c. Ki ng
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• Jesus was also to be called the Christ.
– “Christ” means “Messiah.”
– “Christ” also means “Anointed One” — one set apart by God for special duties.
• Jesus was God’s Anointed One, set apart for three special duties or high offices.
– He was to be God’s Prophet, Priest, and King.
- As God’s Prophet, Jesus was going to be sent into the world to tell God’s way
for all people to be delivered from Satan, sin, and everlasting punishment.
- God was also sending Jesus to be the final, great High Priest.
Remember that the high priest took the blood of animals into the inner room of the temple
once a year so the sins of the people could be forgiven.
- Jesus was to become the ruling King, the descendant of King David.
Only Jesus was promised by God to be the Christ, the Anointed One. No one else can
rightfully claim this position. Jesus Christ was promised by God to be the only Deliverer
of all sinners. God always keeps His promises.
God Sends the Deliverer
Story
Aim
This lesson presents the birth of Jesus Christ,
especially making clear the fulfillment of
prophecy and the deity of Christ — the Son of
God and God the Son.
Be certain to take the time to show the
prophecies and their fulfillment and to
emphasize that Jesus is the Son of God, the
only sinless man. All others are descendants of
Adam and therefore are sinners. Jesus alone is
holy and sinless.
Visuals
53, “An Angel
Speaks
to
Joseph”
The Israelites, now called Jews, had been waiting a long time to see the Deliverer
come to rescue them from Satan, sin, and everlasting punishment. God did not want
them to miss His arrival, so He gave them many prophecies to help them identify Him.
Memory
Verse
Matthew
1:23
Matthew 1:23 – Behold, a virgin shall be with
child, and shall bring forth a son, and they
shall call his name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted is, God with us.
This means that the child, Jesus, would be God Himself, come to earth to be born as a
child and to live with people here in this world.
Answers
1. A 2. C
3. B 4. C
5. B
54, “Jesus is Born”
57, “The Wise Men”
58, “The Flight to
Egypt”
• Chronological Maps 2 and 3
Use these maps to point out the places
mentioned in this lesson.
• Prophecy Chart
• Poster 8, “Adam, sinner”
• Poster 13, “GOD, Holy”
⇒
53, “An Angel Speaks to Joseph”
⇒ Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover the
second prophecy, “Born of a Virgin.” Read
the prophecy Scripture, Isaiah 7:14, on the left,
and the fulfillment Scripture, Matthew 1:18-25,
on the right.
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ, often called the “Christmas Story,” may be known
to many people around us. The beloved scene of the little baby in the manger is all
some people really know of this event.
We are presenting more than a story of a sweet baby in a manger; we are also presenting the coming of the Lord Himself, the mighty God, the promised Deliverer, the Savior
of sinners! It is not the story of the baby Jesus, but the man Jesus and what He did for
mankind by offering forgiveness and eternal life to all who will believe. Today, however,
we will learn about how the Deliverer came to earth.
1. Joseph’s problem – Matthew 1:18-19.
• Mary, who was to be Jesus’s mother, had already been promised to be married to
a man called Joseph.
• Now Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant, and he knew that he was
not the father of this baby.
– According to Jewish law, Joseph could have made a public announcement,
and Mary could have been killed for being pregnant with a child that was not
his.
– But Joseph loved Mary, so he decided to break off their engagement quietly.
2. God’s angel explained the truth to Joseph – Matthew 1:20-25.
• God wanted Joseph to take Mary as his wife so the Deliverer would have a good
earthly father.
– Joseph was a man who trusted God, so God sent his angel to tell Joseph the
truth about Mary.
- Mary had not been with a man.
- The baby within her had been given by God the Holy Spirit.
- The baby was the Son of God who had come down from Heaven to become
a human being so He could be the Deliverer of sinners.
- The prophets had said that the promised Savior would be born of a virgin.
• Because Jesus would be God as well as man, He was to have many names.
– One of His names was to be Emmanuel, meaning “God with us.”
- God Himself was coming to earth as a little baby!
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1
Many of the cults do not believe that Jesus is
God. Do not allow yourself to get into an
argument with a clubber. Simply say that this
is what the Bible teaches and we will limit the
discussion now to what is written in God’s
Word.
54, “Jesus is Born”
⇒
Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover the third
prophecy, “Born in Bethlehem.” Read the
prophecy Scripture, Micah 5:2, on the left, and
the fulfillment Scripture, Matthew 2:1, on the
right.
– Jesus Christ is God the Son — one of the three persons of the Trinity.1
- God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, are eternal.
• Joseph believed God and took Mary home as his wife.
3. Jesus is born in Bethlehem – Matthew 2:1.
• Jesus was born in Bethlehem just as the prophets of God had said many years
earlier.
– The Eternal God had come in a human body to live with men.
⇒ Show Poster 14, “Jesus Christ is God.”
⇒
4. King Herod and the wise men – Matthew 2:2-15.
• The wise men came through Jerusalem looking for the one who was born “King
of the Jews.” They wanted to worship Him.2
• Herod was afraid he would lose his position as king when this baby grew up.
– He pretended that he wanted to worship the child also, so he asked the wise
men to report back to him when they found him.
• The wise men followed the star to where Jesus lived. They worshiped Him.
• God directed Joseph to take Jesus to Egypt, where He would be safe from
Herod’s evil plan to destroy Him. God knew what Herod was planning to do.
– Neither Herod nor any other power in Heaven or earth could stop God from
carrying out His plan to save people from their sins.
Rewind
5. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned to Nazareth – Matthew 2:19-23.
• When Herod was dead, the Lord sent one of His angels to tell Joseph to take Mary
and Jesus out of Egypt back into the land of Israel.
– God’s words given through His prophets were fulfilled — the Deliverer lived in
the town of Nazareth.
2
Think: Was it right for these wise men to
worship Jesus? God had written in the Law
which He gave to Moses that only God should
be worshipped. Yes, Jesus is God, so it was
right for them to worship Him. Jesus is both
God and man.
57, “The Wise Men”
58, “The Flight to Egypt”
Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover the fourth
prophecy, “Flee into Egypt.” Read the
prophecy Scripture, Hosea 11:1, on the left,
and the fulfillment Scripture, Matthew 2:14, on
the right.
6. Jesus, a boy in Nazareth – Luke 2:40.
• Jesus grew from a baby into a strong boy.
– His Father, God, protected and guided Him in everything that He thought, said,
and did.
– He obeyed every command of God.
- He never sinned. He was not born a sinner.
- He was not separated from God, as all of the descendants of Adam are.
⇒ Show Posters 8 and 13, “Adam, sinner,” and “GOD, Holy.”
1. Who had given Mary the baby within her?
God the Holy Spirit
2. Who was Jesus earthly father? Joseph
3. Where was Jesus born? Bethlehem
4. Why did Jesus never sin?
a. He was not a descendant of Adam.
b . He was God.
5. What names have we used for the
Deliverer in today’s lesson?
a. Jesus Christ
b . Emmanuel
c. God the Son
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7. Jesus grew into a man – Luke 2:52.
• Even though Jesus was God, He was also a real human being. He grew up in a
human body.
• Jesus was born into this world as a man, in a human body, so He could be the
Deliverer, the Savior, for human beings!
• Jesus grew to be a wise man. God was pleased with Him, and people liked Him.
⇒ Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover the fifth prophecy, “Some of His characteristics.” Read
the prophecy Scripture, Isaiah 11:2, on the left, and the fulfillment Scripture, Luke 2:52, on
the right.
• Jesus’ character as a man was the character of God:
–
–
–
–
–
He was sinless and holy; He was completely righteous.
He always kept His word.
He was faithful in everything He did.
His knowledge was perfect.
He was merciful and gracious, completely loving and kind.
God’s prophet, Isaiah, said that the Deliverer would be wise and have great knowledge
because He would be in oneness with God the Holy Spirit. This prophecy given by God
was completely and wonderfully fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God keeps His promises!
Jesus is Baptized
Story
Aim
Through the ministry of John the Baptist, we are
shown the need for an attitude of repentance.
The Jewish leaders were examples of those
who were proud and unrepentant.
You will also teach:
• Explanation of repentance — a change of
attitude toward God and toward one’s sin.
• Explanation of John’s baptism — a baptism
of repentance.
• That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, as
spoken by God Himself.
Visuals
60, “John the Baptist
Tells the People that
Jesus is the Lamb of
God”
• Visual, “God and Man - Parents’ Faith and
Church”
• Visual, “Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees”
⇒
Chronological Map 3, Point to the area of
Judaea.
1
Some people say that if you put your faith in
God, then He has to give you money and all the
things you want. But God does not promise that
a person will become rich if he believes Him
and obeys His Word. Many of God’s greatest
prophets and other people who believed were
very poor. Later, you will see that even Jesus,
God’s Son, was a very poor man when He
was here in the world.
2
These are the same things which God wants
every one of us to understand about ourselves
and to agree with.
⇒
Chronological Map 3, Point to the Jordon
River.
3
Baptism will not make us acceptable to God.
Baptism on the outside will not wash away our
sins before the eyes of God. Being baptized
cannot pay for our sins. The payment for sin is
death. Baptism is just a sign to show to others
that a person agrees with God’s message and
that he is trusting only in God to save him.
⇒
Show visual, “Scribes, Pharisees,
Sadducees .”
Help your clubbers understand that people cannot come up with any other way to be
accepted by God than to believe in God. Have clubbers think of ways, other than the
ones mentioned in today’s story, that people might think they can be accepted by God.
Memory
Verse
John 1:29 – The next day John seeth Jesus
coming unto him, and saith, Behold the
Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of
the world.
John
1:29
Jesus was the Lamb who was given and sent by God. In a later lesson, we will see
exactly what John meant when he called Jesus the Lamb of God.
Answers
1. A 2. C 3. A 4. C
5. B
This lesson explains repentance as a change in attitude or thinking toward God, about
ourselves, and about sin. Today, most people in our culture think only about themselves
and forget about God and what He says about sin.
This lesson should also connect together many of the Old Testament truths they have
heard about the sacrifice and the coming Deliverer.
1. John was God’s messenger to Israel – Matthew 3:1-4.
• John was God’s prophet, but he was poor. He just ate the things he found in the
wilderness, and his clothing was that of a very poor man.1
• It was now time for John, who had been chosen by God to be the prophet to
prepare the Jews to receive the Deliverer, to begin teaching the people.
• John taught the people that they must repent.
– Repentance does not save a person. John knew that they needed to change
their thinking about God, about themselves, and about sin.
– They needed to agree with God:2
- That He is the only true God, the Creator.
- That they were born with sin and continued to sin against God by disobeying
His laws and that they were unable to make themselves acceptable to Him.
- That all sin is against God and that God hates sin and will always punish it by
separating the sinner from Himself in the everlasting fire.
2. Many People believed God’s message through John – Matthew 3:5-6.
• Many of the Jews believed God’s Word which John preached to them and went
to him to be baptized.
– When a person is baptized, it is a sign to everyone that the person agrees
with God that he deserves death for his sins, but he trusts in the Deliverer to
save him.3
3. John’s words to the proud and unrepentant – Matthew 3:7-9.
• Most of the leaders of the temple were proud. Let’s take a look at these leaders
and consider what the Bible tells us about their attitudes.
– Scribes copied and took care of the scrolls, the writings of Moses and the
prophets, in the temple. Many scribes were very proud because they knew
137
4
When we talk about being proud of ourselves,
we are talking about an attitude that says, “I
think my way is best, no matter what God
s ay s . ”
Pride means selfishness and boasting. Many
people think that they are always right. Even
when they know they are wrong, they don’t
like to admit it. They want everyone to think
they are so good when they really are sinful,
like everyone else.
If we do not agree with what God says in His
Word, or think, “This doesn’t apply to me,” we
are probably thinking that way because we
are proud!
•
•
5
Some people think that they are accepted by
God because their parents believe in God.
Some may think that because they were
raised in a church and have gone through all of
the church ceremonies, God will accept them.
No one is accepted by God because of his
parents or by going to church. God judges
everyone individually. Each person must put
his own faith in God.
•
•
more about God’s Word than anyone else. They didn’t know that it was more
important to God that they believe His Word and obey it.
– Pharisees were Jewish religious leaders who made their own rules and added
to God’s law. They did not think that they were sinners like other people. They
were proud and thought that they were good enough to be accepted by God
because of all the things that they were doing.
– Sadducees were Jewish leaders also. However, they did not believe many
things which God had written in His Word.
Many of these religious leaders refused to admit that they were sinners — they
would not repent and agree with God.
Because the Pharisees and Sadducees were so proud, John’s words to them
were very strong.4
– God judges people who are proud and who will not agree with Him, but He
promises to help and deliver those who agree that they are sinners and who
admit that only He can help them.
- If they had really believed what John said about them, their actions would
have changed.
Many Jews thought that God would accept them because they were the
descendants of Abraham.
John told the Pharisees and Sadducees not to be proud nor to trust in the fact that
they were Abraham’s children.5
⇒
Show Visual, “God and Man - Parents’
Faith and Church”
man
GOD
Parents’
Faith
Church
Rewind
J
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W
S
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S
1. What is repentance? To change one’s
thinking about God, about themselves,
and about sin
2. Who must repent? All sinners
3. Where did Jesus get His power to do God’s
work here on earth? God the Holy Spirit
4. What did God call Jesus? His Son
5. What did John call Jesus when he saw him
coming toward him? The Lamb of God
138
4. John Baptized Jesus – Matthew 3:13-16.
• Although Jesus came to be baptized, it was not because He was a sinner and
needed to repent like all the others who were baptized.
• Jesus came to be baptized to show that John’s message was true.
• Jesus was Almighty God, but when He became a man, He chose to depend on
God the Holy Spirit for power to do God’s work here on earth.
5. What God said about Jesus – Matthew 3:17.
• God the Father called Jesus His Son.
– Jesus was a man, but He was also God the Son who had come down from
heaven.
⇒ Poster 14, “Jesus Christ is God”
• God was totally satisfied with Jesus; He was completely holy and righteous,
perfect in God’s sight.
6. Jesus, the Lamb of God – John 1:29.
When John saw Jesus, he said that Jesus was the Lamb who was given and sent by
God. John did not know who the Deliverer would be, but when he saw the sign from
God, he was sure that Jesus was the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 60, “John the Baptist Tells the People that Jesus is
the Lamb of God”
Jesus Rebuked Satan
Story
Aim
Through the story of Jesus’ temptation by Satan
in the wilderness, this lesson presents Jesus as
the sinless Son of God who fully obeyed God
and resisted Satan. It also presents Jesus as
God the Son who will one day cast Satan and
his demons into the lake of fire.
Ask clubbers if they have ever been tempted to do something wrong before. Make
certain they understand what temptation is. Temptation may mean someone has their
own desire to do something wrong or forbidden, or it may be someone else trying to get
a person to do something wrong or forbidden. Today we are going to see how, as a
man, Jesus was tempted, too.
Your clubbers will also learn:
Memory
Verse
• That Satan is a liar and deceiver.
• That Jesus Christ is God; therefore, Jesus is
stronger than Satan.
• That Jesus Christ as a man faced Satan’s
temptation but never gave in.
Matthew 4:4 – But He answered and said, “It
is written, Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceedeth out of the
mouth of God.”
Matthew
4:4
• That it is important to know God’s Word.
Help clubbers to understand that food is not the only important thing in our lives. We
need God’s Word to show us the truth and the way to everlasting life.
Visuals
61, “Jesus in the
Desert”
Answers
1. B
2. C
3. B
4. A
5. C
• Visual, “God’s Power Over Satan”
Ezekiel 28:15; Isaiah 14:12-14; John 8:44.
61, “Jesus in the Desert”
⇒
Show Poster 14, “Jesus Christ is God”
John 8:28-29; Hebrews 10:7
1
We will die without food. But what good will it
be if we have healthy bodies but die without
God and suffer everlasting punishment? We
need to hear and believe God’s Word so that
we will be able to live forever with God.
We want our clubbers to know that Satan is a real enemy who holds men, women, and
children captive. He is a liar and deceiver who twists the words of God. We also want
our clubbers to know that Jesus is the only one who can set people free from Satan’s
power. We want them to see that Jesus defeated the enemy by correctly using God’s
Word!
1. Satan tempted Jesus – Matthew 4:1.
• God created Lucifer (now known as Satan) perfect.
– But Satan made a choice to rebel against God in the very beginning.
– Since then, Satan, also called the Devil, has been continually evil.
• Satan tempted Adam to rebel against God.
• Now Satan was trying to tempt Jesus to rebel against God.
– Satan wanted to bring Jesus under his control. If Jesus sinned, He
would not be able to be our Deliverer.
2. The first temptation – Matthew 4:2-4.
• Although Jesus is God, He was also a real man.
– He became hungry just as we do.
• Satan was trying to make Jesus prove that He was the Son of God.
– Satan asked Jesus to do something which God the Father had not told Him to
do.
– Jesus came down to earth from heaven to do only what His Father wanted
Him to do.
• Jesus was the Son of God; He could have turned the stones into bread, but Jesus
would not obey Satan.
• Jesus answered Satan by quoting the Bible, God’s Word.
– We need food to stay alive, but God says that there is something more
important than food.1
3. The second temptation – Matthew 4:5-7.
• Satan was quoting parts of Psalm 91.
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Read – John 8:44
2
Down through the ages, God has proven
Himself completely faithful. We, too, can trust
Him completely. We should depend on the Lord
to do everything that He has written in the
Bible.
3
In the beginning, Satan tried to take God’s
position as the ruler of the whole universe.
Satan failed, but many angels followed him.
Then Satan took control of the human race so
that they would worship and serve him. Satan
knew that Jesus was God’s Son, so Satan
tried to take God’s place by asking Jesus to
worship him.
4
You may have heard stories that tell about the
struggle between the often called “forces” of
good and evil. Often this struggle is told as if
there were two equal forces battling one
another. However, God is not a “force”; He is
a spirit. God’s Word tells us that God is
supreme; He is the Creator. Since Jesus is
God the Son, He is the supreme owner and
Creator of all things. When He came to earth,
He was God in a human body. God is greater
than Satan in every way!
– Satan knows the words of God in the Bible, but he uses them in the wrong way.
– Satan was not quoting God’s Word correctly — Satan’s way of tricking people.
- He tricked Eve in the Garden of Eden — now he was trying it on Jesus.
• Satan is a liar and a deceiver.
• Satan told Jesus to throw Himself down from the temple to test God who had
promised to take care of His Son.
– Jesus did not have to test His Father to see if He would take care of Him. He
trusted God to keep His Word.2
- Again, Jesus answered Satan’s temptation by quoting the Bible.
4. The third temptation – Matthew 4:8-10.
• Satan could offer Jesus control over this world because, when Adam rebelled
against God and followed Satan, Satan became the god of this world.
– Satan had gained influence over the minds of the people of the world so he
could lead them to do the evil things he had planned.
• Satan tried to get Jesus to worship him.3
– Satan still wants to take over God’s position as supreme ruler.
• Jesus defeated Satan by telling him what God really says in the Bible. Jesus did
not change God’s words as Satan did.
– Jesus did not obey Satan as Adam did in the garden of Eden.
- Jesus knew, loved, and obeyed God, His Father.
5. Jesus is God.
• Jesus, the Creator God is far greater than Satan, a created being.4
– In the beginning, He created Satan as Lucifer, an important and beautiful angel
who should have served God.
– Jesus will one day throw Satan into the lake of fire which God prepared for
him and all his followers.
• The battle between good and evil is not an equal one.
– In His physical body, Jesus suffered, just as we do. But He never sinned. Satan
could not make Jesus sin. Satan is strong, but he could never win over Almighty
God.
⇒
Suggested Visual: “God’s Power Over
Satan”
GOD
Rewind
See memory verse
Satan
1. Why did Satan tempt Jesus?
a. Because Satan wanted Jesus to sin so
that Jesus wouldn’t be able to deliver
us.
b. Because Satan wanted Jesus to be
under his control.
c. Because Satan wants to take the
position of God.
2. Who deceived Eve? Satan
3. How did Jesus answer Satan’s temptations?
He quoted God’s Word, the Bible.
4. Who did Jesus obey? God, His Father
5. Who is the only one who has totally obeyed
God and resisted the Devil? Jesus
140
6. Satan left Jesus for a short time – Matthew 4:11.
• Satan knew he was defeated, so he left Jesus for a while.
– He tempted Jesus with every temptation people have ever faced
(Hebrews 4:15).
- But Jesus did not do anything Satan said to do; He always did what pleased
God, His Father (John 8:29).
• God sent angels to take care of Jesus after Satan had left Him.
Jesus is the only one who has ever totally obeyed God and resisted the Devil. He is the
only one who can deliver us from sin, Satan, and death.
Jesus Begins His Work
Story
Aim
This lesson shows Jesus Christ as God who
came to earth –• With authority to speak and interpret God’s
Word.
Remind your clubbers that the religious leaders during this time had made many of
their own rules. Satan had blinded the minds of these leaders. The Jewish people
were suffering under their commands. Most of the people had forgotten or never heard
about the promised Deliverer God was going to send. That is why the teaching of
Jesus was so exciting to the people.
• With power to deliver mankind from Satan,
sin, and death.
Memory
Verse
• To heal with love and compassion.
John 1:17 – For the law was given by
Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ.
John
1:17
Remind your clubbers that the law demands perfect obedience but grace is God’s
kindness to undeserving sinners.
Visuals
62, “Jesus Teaching
in the Synagogue”
1. A
Answers
2. C
3. C
4. B
5. C
Mark 6:14-29
1
Remember: Why was Abel accepted by God?
Was it because Abel wasn’t a sinner? No, it
was because Abel believed God’s Word and
trusted in Him.
When the Lord God told Noah to build the ark
because God was going to destroy the earth,
Noah believed God, and the Lord saved him
and his family.
God told Abraham to leave his own country and
to go to a country that the Lord promised to
show him. Abraham believed the Lord, and
the Lord led him to the land of Canaan.
Moses trusted in the Lord and told the
Israelites to put blood on the doorposts of their
houses. The Lord protected them from the Angel
of Death.
Joshua and Caleb believed that God would
give the land of Canaan to them even though
there were giants in the land. They were the
only two of that generation of Israelites who
entered the promised land.
If we want to be accepted by God, we must
believe Him and trust in what He has told us in
the Bible.
While Jesus was in the desert, John the Baptist continued to teach God’s message to
prepare the people to trust in Jesus the Deliverer. Some of the people changed their
minds about themselves and their sin. Others, like the Pharisees, trusted in themselves
and thought that they were good enough for God. King Herod, who was living a very
sinful life, did not like some of the things which John said, so he put John in prison and
later killed him. Before he was killed, John had finished his work of preparing the way
for the Lord Jesus.
1. Jesus’ message – Mark 1:14-15.
• When Jesus was thirty years old, he began to teach the people:
– To change their attitude.
– To agree with God that they were helpless sinners.
– To believe the gospel (“good news”) that He had come to tell them.
– God’s rule (Kingdom of God) on earth was soon to begin.
- Satan had become the ruler of this world when Adam disobeyed God and
followed Satan.
- All of us, when we were born into this world, were born under the control of
Satan (in Satan’s kingdom) (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2).
- Because God is loving, merciful, and gracious to sinners, He sent Jesus, the
Savior, into the world to overcome Satan.
• God’s good news to each one of us is: by believing God and trusting in the
Savior, we can escape Satan’s control and come into friendship with God.
- If we don’t believe God, we cannot please Him, and we will not be accepted
by Him. Hebrews 11:6 says that “without faith it is impossible to please Him.” 1
2. Jesus called men to assist Him in His work – Mark 1:16-20.
• Jesus began to call people to follow Him.
– He was going to teach them.
– He was going to send them out to tell others the message of God’s good news.
– When He said that He would make them fishers of men, Jesus was talking
about teaching them to bring people to God by telling them the good news!
141
⇒
62, “Jesus Teaching in the Synagogue”
⇒
Chronological Map 3. Point to
Capernaum.
2
Remember the scribes who copied the Old
Testament Scriptures? They were also
teachers of God’s Word. But most of them did
not really have faith in God and believe His
Word. They were proud, trusting in their own
good works and their own knowledge of His
Word to save them. Therefore, they did not
really know God; they did not clearly
understand His Word, so they could only tell
people what they thought God’s Word meant.
Luke 11:24-26
READ – Revelation 20:10
3
Compassion is tender-hearted concern for
other’s problems, and a desire to help.
Rewind
1, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 1, 2
1. What was the message that Jesus taught
called? The gospel or good news.
2. What was this gospel or good news? By
believing God and trusting in the
Savior, we can escape Satan’s control
and come into friendship with God.
3. Why did Jesus ask men to help Him?
He wanted to teach them so He could
send them out to tell others the good
news, too.
4. Why did Jesus teach differently than the
scribes? Because Jesus is God; He knew
His Father. He clearly understood God’s
Word. The Scribes taught what they
thought the Scriptures meant.
5. Why did Jesus cast out the demons and
heal the sick people? Because He had
compassion and love for them.
142
3. Jesus taught with authority – Mark 1:21-22.
• The Jews met in meeting houses called synagogues in towns throughout Israel
and even in the surrounding countries.
– In the synagogues, the writings of Moses and the prophets were read and
taught to the people.
– The Jews living outside of Jerusalem went to the temple there only for
important feasts, as God had instructed them through Moses.
• The people who heard Jesus speak were surprised by the authority He showed in
explaining the meaning of God’s Word.
– Jesus taught very differently from the way the scribes taught.2
– Jesus is God; He knew His Father, and He clearly understood God’s Word.
- He told the people exactly what God was saying to them through the writings
of Moses and the prophets.
4. Jesus cast out evil spirits – Mark 1:23-28.
• Unclean (or evil) spirits, called demons, are angels who long ago rebelled
against God and followed Satan.
– They like to live in and control people who do not believe in God.
– Satan and the demons know that Jesus is the holy God, their Creator.
– Demons know that someday they will be thrown into the lake of fire.
• Jesus commanded the demon to be quiet and sent him away.
– Jesus did not want demons to be the ones to tell people about Him.
– Jesus Himself would tell the people God’s truth and show them His power by
the miracles He did.
• Again, the people were seeing that Jesus had great power and authority.
5. Jesus healed many sick people, and He cast out demons – Mark 1:29-34.
• Jesus is God; all things are under His power.
• Jesus felt love and compassion3 for these sick and demon-possessed people.
• Jesus knew that all of these sad things are in the world because of man’s sin and
the rule of Satan.
6. Jesus healed a leper – Mark 1:40-42.
• This man knew he could not heal himself of this terrible skin disease. He also
knew that none of the people could help heal him.
• However, the man who had leprosy believed Jesus could help him even though
no one else could. He came to Jesus asking for His mercy and His help.
• Lepers were outcasts during this time, and no one would even come near them.
– However, Jesus touched this man and healed him because He loved him.
People are similar to this leper.
–
–
–
–
–
Because of our sins, we are “unclean” in the eyes of God.
There is nothing we can do by ourselves to remove the guilt and penalty of sin.
No one else can truly help us.
We may feel rejected, just like the leper.
We may feel that if anyone knew what we are truly like inside, they would never want
us.
– We may think that God looks at us that way, too.
However, God knows everything about us and still wants to be our Savior. He not only
cares about us and is willing to help us, but He alone has the power to save us.
You Must Be Born Again
Story
Aim
This lesson tells about Jesus’ conversation with
Nicodemus concerning the new birth – in order
to be saved, a person must be born again. We
will tell about the work of the Holy Spirit through
the Word of God.
Jesus is shown as the only way for people to
be saved. He is the way of salvation for all
people everywhere. There is nothing they can
do to save themselves.
Visuals
•
Chronological Picture
Help your clubbers to understand that no one, not even preachers, evangelists, or any
religious leaders of today, can make themselves acceptable to God. God will not
accept anything we do. All of us are sinners, deserving death, but God is gracious. He
sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the Deliverer of those who believe in Him.
Memory
Verse
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world,
John
3:16
that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
Because God does not want anybody to go with Satan to everlasting punishment, God
sent His only Son, Jesus, into the world to save them.
Answers
1. B
63, “Nicodemus’
Night Visit”
• Visual, “Two Types of People”
63, “Nicodemus’ Night Visit”
1
When God created Adam and Eve, He made
them in His own image. God made them so
they could know, love, and obey Him. They
were His friends. But, when they sinned, they
died to God. They were separated from Him.
They were no longer in in fellowship with God.
They were no longer His friends.
They still had minds, but, because of their sin,
they were unable to know God and understand
His words. Neither were they able to love or
obey Him. Therefore, they were no longer able
to please God. Their minds, and wills were
now under the influence of Satan.
All people born into the world since that time
have been born unable to know, understand,
love, or obey God. No person born into this
world can please God. Every person in every
place, no matter what nationality, color, or
language, has been born under Satan’s
authority.
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. C
Remind your clubbers that the Jews, and especially the Pharisees, were very proud that
they were the descendants of Abraham. They thought that they were in God’s family
because they were Abraham’s children. The Pharisees did not realize that every person
born into this world has been born under Satan’s rule (into Satan’s kingdom).
We will be reading one of the best known and most loved parts of Scripture.
1. Nicodemus came to Jesus – John 3:1-2.
• Nicodemus was certain that Jesus had been sent by God.
• He knew that the great miracles which Jesus had done could only be done by the
power of God.
– Most of the other Pharisees hated Jesus and were saying that He did His
miracles by the power of Satan.
• Nicodemus came to speak to Jesus at night probably so that other Jewish
leaders would not see him.
2. The new birth – John 3:3-7.
• Jesus told Nicodemus that the only way a person can escape Satan’s power and
rule and be able to know, love, and obey God is to be born again.
– Jesus was telling Nicodemus, a Jewish leader, that he must receive a new
mind and life which would be able to know and understand God, as Adam and
Eve could when God created them.1
- We, too, must be made new so that we can love and obey God.
• Nicodemus was very surprised when Jesus said that a person must be born
again before he can understand or come under the rule of God (enter God’s
kingdom). He probably thought his first birth as a descendant of Abraham would
put him in God’s family (kingdom).
• Nicodemus thought that Jesus meant that people’s bodies have to be born a
second time as a baby.
• Jesus said that every person who comes under God’s rule (into His kingdom)
must be born of water and of the Spirit.
143
2
Baptism cannot make us children of God; it
cannot wash away our sin. Some clubbers
may think or have been previously taught that
it is baptism that saves a person, or that faith
with baptism saves a person. Some passages
of Scripture, taken out of the context of the rest
of the Word, could be interpreted that way.
Encourage your clubbers to read the Word.
Ephesians 5:26, John 15:3, Psalm 119:9, and
Titus 3:5 will also help them to understand the
importance of God’s Word in their lives.
Remember that an unsaved person cannot
understand the Word, but God’s spirit will use
the Word to bring conviction and salvation. Do
not argue with them, but let the Word do its
work. They may not agree with what they are
hearing or reading at first, but just go on with
the lesson, trusting the Holy Spirit to work in
them.
⇒
Show Visual, “Two Types of People”
– The water of which Jesus spoke here is not baptism.2
• We can be given a new life by believing what the Word of God says about
Jesus (1 Peter 1:23).
– When people hear and believe God’s Word, the Holy Spirit changes them so
they:
- Can know God and understand His words.
- Can be able to love Him and live under His rule, or authority.
- Can enter the Kingdom of God.
• Jesus told Nicodemus not to be surprised that he must be born again.
• God says that there are only two types of people in the world:
TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE
BORN ONE TIME
BORN TWO TIMES
Those who have been born only one time
and are still under Satan’s rule (kingdom)
Those who have been born a second time and
are now under God’s rule (kingdom)
• All those who have been born a second time are in God’s family (kingdom).
3. Jesus must be lifted up – John 3:14-16.
• Nicodemus still could not understand how he could be born into God’s family.
• Jesus explained to Nicodemus by reminding him of what happened to his Jewish
ancestors in the wilderness.
⇒
37, “The Serpent on the Pole”
3
Remember: Satan, who is called the old
serpent, guided Adam away from God. When
Adam sinned against God, he died. Now all of
Adam’s descendants are separated from God
and are dying because they are sinners. The
payment for sin is death. The Israelites could
not save themselves from the snakes, and we
cannot save ourselves from death. God
delivered the Israelites, and only God can
deliver us.
Rewind
1. 2, 3
2. 1, 4
1. What are the two types of people?
a. People born one time
b. People born two times
2. In whose kingdom are those who are born
only once? Satan’s kingdom
3. In whose kingdom are those who are born
two times? God’s kingdom
4. Why did God send His Son, Jesus, the
Savior into the world? He doesn’t want
any one to go with Satan to everlasting
destruction.
5. What did Jesus say a sinner has to do to be
delivered from Satan’s power? Believe in
Jesus Christ.
6. What do people who believe in Jesus as
their Savior receive? Everlasting life
144
Remember: The Israelites had sinned against God, so God sent poisonous snakes to bite them,
and the people began to die. When they repented, that is, changed their mind and admitted their
sin, God told Moses to make a brass snake and put it on a pole. God promised that whoever
was bitten and looked at the brass snake would be healed. He kept His promise!
Think: Nicodemus had been trying to obey God’s laws. He hadn’t realized that, in his own
efforts, he was totally unacceptable to God. He needed to do what the Israelites had done and
just put his faith in the Lord.3
• Jesus said there is only one way we can be delivered from Satan, sin, and death
and be born again into God’s kingdom.
– Jesus said that He must be lifted up, just as the brass snake was in the
wilderness, so that whoever trusts in Him will be given eternal life by God.
• Because God doesn’t want any one to go with Satan to everlasting destruction
and separation from Him, God sent His Son, Jesus, the Savior, into the world.
– Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son …”
Ask clubbers: “What did Jesus say a sinner has to do to be delivered from Satan’s power?”
In John 3:16, Jesus said, “that whosever believeth in Him.”
• When a man, women, or child believes God’s words and trusts in Jesus as his
Savior, God gives that person a new life.
4. The way of life and death – John 3:17-20.
• Jesus said that all who believe on Him “should not perish.”
– Those who trust in the Savior will not go to everlasting punishment for their sins.
• Those who believe in Jesus as their Savior will receive “everlasting life.”
• Those who refuse the Savior are condemned and rejected by God right now.
– No one has to wait until he dies to know if he will be accepted or rejected by
God.
• Many people do not agree with God’s Word and trust in Him because they are
proud and think that they are good enough or they love their own sinful ways.
– They do not want to admit they are wrong.
– They do not want God to change them.
Everyone needs to think about which type of person he is. The Bible tells us that God
wants every person to be part of His family. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ.
Religious Leaders Reject Jesus
Story
Aim
This lesson talks about Jesus’ miracles of
physical healing, a sign of His Deity.
It also talks about the fact that many of the
religious leaders rejected Jesus.
Your clubbers will learn:
• Jesus has power to forgive sins.
• Jesus came to save sinners.
• Men are helpless to save themselves.
• God sees through and deals with hypocrisy.
Visuals
65, “Jesus Heals the
Paralytic”
Help clubbers to see how important it is that we study the Bible so that we can know
when someone is not telling us the truth about God or His Word. Tell them how those
who are leading people away from God can usually be known by the fact that they twist,
misuse, ignore, reject, or add to His Word. Remind them of when Satan did that in the
garden to Eve, in the desert with Jesus, and he is still trying to do that to us today. Jesus
defeated Satan by correctly using God’s Word; we need to learn to do the same.
Memory
Verse
John 20:31 – But these are written, that ye
John
20:31
might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of God; and that believing ye might have life
through his name.
God had His words written down so that we would be able to know and believe what
He says about sin, His judgment, and His provision. God’s Word is true!
Answers
1. C
49, “Roman Rule”
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. A
Most of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time did not care about God; they used God’s
Word and His name only as a way to try to get their own followers. Although they acted
religiously, in their “hearts” they did not obey God nor did they believe Him. They
rejected the only one who could save them from their sins.
⇒
Chronological Map 3. Point to Capernaum.
65, “Jesus Heals the Paralytic”
1
Think: This reminds us of the helplessness of
all people. No one is able to deliver himself from
Satan, sin, and death. Good deeds or a good life
cannot save us. We cannot deliver ourselves.
Not even a pastor, Bible teacher, or friend can
deliver us. No religion or church can save us.
Baptism cannot save us.
⇒
2
Show Poster 14, “Jesus Christ is God”
Can a pastor or priest or any other man have
God’s authority to hear and forgive us our sins?
No! Only God Himself can forgive sins
(1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 1:9; 2:1-2).
1. Jesus taught God’s Word – Mark 2:1-2.
• Many people wanted to hear what Jesus was teaching. They came to see Jesus
for different reasons:
– Some were curious.
– Some thought He was going to be the king who would deliver them from the
Romans.
– Some wanted to hear Him because He spoke God’s Word with power.
– Some were jealous of Him and wanted to charge Him with a crime.
– Some hoped He would say or do something they could find fault with.
– Some wanted to be healed.
2. The sick man was brought to Jesus – Mark 2:3-4.
• This man could not do anything to heal himself; he was paralyzed. No doctor or
friend could heal him.1
• These men took their sick friend to the only one who could help him.
– The house was crowded, so they took him up onto the flat roof, broke a hole
through the roof, and let him down on his sleeping mat right in front of Jesus.
3. Jesus forgave the sick man’s sins and healed him – Mark 2:5-12.
• Jesus saw that they truly believed in Him, and He forgave the man’s sins.
• These scribes were right when they said that only God can forgive sins, but they
were wrong when they said that Jesus sinned when forgiving the man’s sins.
– Jesus is God, He had authority to forgive people’s sins.2
– The scribes did not believe that Jesus was God the Son who had come down
from heaven to be the Deliverer. They thought He was just an ordinary man.
145
• Even though these men didn’t say anything, Jesus knew what they were thinking.
• Jesus demonstrated His power as God by completely healing the sick man.
– The people were amazed and praised God. They had never seen anything like
this before.
⇒
49, “Roman Rule”
3
When Jesus called Matthew to follow Him,
Matthew was working for the Romans,
collecting taxes from his own people, the
Jews. Tax collectors were usually hated by
the Jews; they had a reputation for demanding
extra taxes from the people and keeping the
money for themselves.
4
Make sure clubbers understand that Jesus
came so that all mankind could be saved from
Satan, sin, and death. However, His coming
would only benefit those who agreed that they
were sinners, that they could not save
themselves, and that they had need of a
savior.
Matthew 6:2, 5, 16; 23:1-39
Rewind
Jesus came to save sinners.
1. Who rejected Jesus and God’s Word?
a. Scribes and Pharisees
b . Religious leaders
2. Who can forgive sins? God (or Jesus)
3. Why did Jesus forgive the sick man’s sins?
Because the man believed in Jesus
4. Who told Matthew what he should write in
the first book of the New Testament? The
Holy Spirit
5. Who did Jesus come to save? Those who
believe they are helpless sinners
6. Why did the Jewish leaders hate Jesus and
want Him to die?
a. Because Jesus said He was God’s
Son, the promised Deliverer.
b . Because Jesus told them they were
sinners.
c. Because they were jealous of Jesus;
He had many people following Him.
146
4. Jesus called Levi – Mark 2:13-14.
• Jesus called Levi, also named Matthew, to follow Him as one of His disciples or
learners.3
– Matthew immediately followed Jesus who was the Savior whom God had sent
into the world.
– Many years later, the Lord used Matthew to write one of the books of the Bible.
- The Holy Spirit told Matthew what he should write.
- Matthew is the first book of the New Testament. It is full of quotes from the
Old Testament, which was very familiar to the Jewish people.
5. Jesus came to call sinners – Mark 2:15-17.
• The scribes and Pharisees were proud. They believed they were better than
others because they fasted, prayed, and did many things to try to please God.
• The salvation Jesus came to provide would not help the kind of people who think
they are sinless or who think they are good enough for God to accept them.4
• Jesus came to save those who would admit that they are helpless sinners.
6. The Pharisees’ evil plan – Mark 3:1-2.
• The Pharisees and other Jewish leaders rejected the message of God through
John, and they also rejected the teaching of Jesus, the Savior.
• They were constantly watching Jesus, hoping that He would do something
against their rules so they could arrest Him and condemn Him to death.
– Jesus obeyed all of the laws of God, but He refused to follow the rules the
religious leaders had made up and added to God’s Word.
• The Jewish leaders hated Jesus because He claimed to be God’s Son, the
promised Deliverer.
• They also hated Him because Jesus told them that they were sinners.
– Jesus knew that the leaders did not honestly want to worship God.
- They acted religious on the outside, but on the inside they were very selfish
and evil.
- The Bible calls someone who acts like this a hypocrite. If a person tries to
look very religious when he really does not care about God, that is called
hypocrisy.
- Jesus knew people’s thoughts, and He made it clear to the Jewish people that
their leaders were hypocrites.
Think: Some people today are like the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ time. They pretend to be
very religious, but inside they do not truly care about God.
• The Jewish leaders hated Jesus because crowds of people followed Him.
– They were jealous of Jesus.
Today we also have men like this — men who have many people following them, but
who have rejected God. Though their message may seem very religious and interesting, it is not the truth; it is a lie. Some, like the Pharisees, tell people that they will go to
heaven if they do the right things. Others tell people that everyone is going to heaven, or
they say that God is love and we just need to love everyone to get into heaven. These,
too, are lies! God’s Word clearly says that only Jesus can save mankind; people can do
nothing to save themselves.
Jesus Chooses Twelve Disciples
Story
Aim
Today we will see how Jesus’ choice of
disciples shows He chose ordinary men.
We will also see Jesus as Almighty God, who
is able to calm the storm with a word.
Your clubbers will also learn:
• That because Jesus is God, He has power
over all things.
• That Jesus cares about people in hopeless
situations.
• That Jesus knows what people are thinking.
Visuals
66, “Jesus and the
Twelve Disciples”
68, “Jesus Calms the
Storm”
1
Remember: In the beginning when God
created the world (Colossians 1:16), He did it all
just by speaking. Jesus is God. He created all
things by simply commanding them to happen.
In the same way, He commanded this man’s
hand to be healed, and it was completely
healed.
⇒
Chronological Map 3. Point to Jerusalem,
Idumaea, The Jordon River, Tyre and Sidon,
and The Sea of Galilee.
Maybe some of your clubbers know people who hate God or anyone who believes in
God. Some people say they believe in God, but they do not believe Jesus is God. They
think He was just a good man in history. This is one of Satan’s lies, too. He does not
want people to believe that Jesus could be their Savior from sin, Satan, and death.
Memory
Verse
1 John 1:8 – If we say that we have no sin, we
1 John
1:8
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
There is no way we can please God and obey all of
His rules. All have sinned!
Answers
1. C
2. B
3. A
4. B
5. A
Jesus was angry with the Jewish leaders because they had set their minds against the
things which God was trying to teach them. This is what the pharaoh of Egypt did when
God sent Moses to tell him to let the Israelites leave Egypt. Pharaoh set his mind
against God and was determined to do what he wanted to do. God destroyed that evil
man and ruined his country. It is a very dangerous thing for people to set their minds
against God and His message. Someday God will destroy everyone who refuses to
obey Him. No one can fight against God and win.
1. Jesus healed a man’s hand – Mark 3:1-5.
• Jesus completely healed this man’s hand.
– Jesus just spoke, and the man’s hand was healed.1
– No one could do that except God. He is all-powerful.
2. The Pharisees and the Herodians plotted Jesus’ death – Mark 3:6.
• The Herodians were the followers of King Herod.
– They did not want a different king.
– This King Herod was the son of the Herod who tried to kill the Lord Jesus
when He was a baby.
• Jesus had healed a man’s hand, and now these evil men were trying to kill Him!
3. Jesus taught the crowds and healed the sick – Mark 3:7-10.
• Great crowds of people from nearby areas came to hear Jesus teach and to be
healed of their sicknesses.
• Jesus taught the people on the shore of the lake called the Sea of Galilee.
• There were so many people wanting to get near Jesus that He told the disciples
to have a boat ready to take them away if the people began to crowd and crush
them.
• Even those who touched Him, believing that they would be healed, were healed
immediately.
4. The evil spirits knew Jesus – Mark 3:11-12.
• The Jewish leaders didn’t believe that Jesus was the true Son of God, but the
evil spirits knew that He was.
– They had known Him and served Him in heaven before they followed Satan.
147
2
God does not need to show us miracles to
make us believe Him. He expects us to
believe because of what He has written in the
Bible.
66, “Jesus and the Twelve Disciples”
3
Remember: Jesus called Levi (Matthew) from
his tax collecting booth, and Levi followed
Him.
⇒ Chronological Map 3. Point to the Sea of
Galilee.
4
Ask clubbers if they have ever been in a boat
when a storm came up. If they have, ask
them how they felt. Were they afraid?
Rewind
4, 6, 1, 3, 2, 5
1. Why could Jesus heal the sick? Because
He is God.
2. Why did the Herodians want to kill Jesus?
As followers of King Herod, they were
worried that Jesus would take the
king’s place. They did not want a
different king.
3. Who used to serve Jesus in heaven but
now follows Satan? Evil spirits or
demons
4. Who did Jesus choose to help him teach,
heal, and cast out demons? Disciples (12)
5. Which disciple did Jesus know would
someday betray Him? Judas Iscariot
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• Jesus told the evil spirits to be quiet.
– He did not want people to believe on Him because of what the demons said.
– Jesus wanted the people to understand, through His teaching, that they were
sinners and needed Him as their Savior.2
5. Jesus chose the twelve disciples – Mark 3:13-19.
• Jesus had many disciples who followed Him to learn the message of God.
• From Jesus’ large group of followers, He now chose twelve men to become His
special disciples to help Him in His work of teaching, healing, and casting out
demons.3
– Jesus planned to train these men to become His Apostles, or special
representatives.
– Most of the twelve disciples whom Jesus picked were not very educated.
– Neither were they rich men.
– Some of them were fishermen before they began to follow Jesus as His
disciples.
– However, they saw the importance of believing and learning from Jesus Christ,
whom God had sent into the world.
• All of them believed Him, except one — Judas Iscariot.
– Judas said that he agreed with God and truly believed in Jesus, but he spoke
only with his lips.
- He was a hypocrite; his mind did not agree with God.
– He did not truly trust in Jesus to be his Deliverer from the control of Satan, sin,
and death.
• The other eleven disciples did not know that Judas was not a true believer.
• Jesus knew what Judas was thinking.
– Jesus knew that Judas would one day betray Him to His enemies.
6. The Storm – Mark 4:35-37.
• It was evening. Jesus told the crowds to go home. He and His twelve disciples got
into a boat and started for the other side of the lake (the Sea of Galilee).
• A bad storm came up.
– The winds were howling, and huge waves were crashing over the boat so that it
was filling up with water.4
7. The Disciples woke Jesus – Mark 4:38.
• Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat.
– Even though Jesus was God, He was also a real man.
– He got tired and wanted to sleep, just as we do.
• The disciples could not understand how Jesus could continue sleeping and not
be worried, so they woke Him up.
– The disciples should have known that Jesus cared about what happened to
them.
8. Jesus calmed the storm – Mark 4:39-41.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 68, “Jesus Calms the Storm”
• Jesus, being God, created the sea and the wind.
• The storm had to stop when Jesus commanded it to stop, because He is the
maker and rightful owner of all things.
• Jesus asked the disciples why they did not trust Him.
– The disciples had forgotten that God sees everything, at all times, whether
good or bad.
We will be able to learn many things about Jesus from what God had written in His
Jesus Heals a Demon-possessed Man
Story
Aim
This lesson again shows Jesus as Almighty
God who is able to completely make whole a
man who was hopelessly demon possessed.
It also shows that people are not able to free
themselves from Satan and sin.
• That Jesus Christ is stronger than Satan and
can deliver people from Satan’s power.
• That Jesus cares about people in hopeless
situations.
• That Jesus alone can save them.
Visuals
69, “Jesus Heals a
Demon-possessed
M an”
Some of your clubbers may have family members or friends who are deeply involved in
drugs or even talking about suicide. Society has no lasting help or answers for people
like this. The only thing people can do is try to fix each other’s problems. However,
Jesus Christ offers new life and the power to live it in a way that is pleasing to God!
Memory
Verse
John 8:36 – If the Son therefore shall make
John
8:36
you free, ye shall be free indeed.
God is the only one who can free people from
Satan’s power. Once a person is freed by God,
Satan can never take control again.
Answers
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. B
5. A
The disciples had just been through a very frightening experience on the Sea of
Galilee. They had seen Jesus heal diseases and cast out demons, but they had never
seen Him do anything like this. He had commanded the storm to stop and it did! If they
had remembered the Scriptures, they would have known that in the beginning, God
had told the water to move back so there would be dry land on the earth, and He
opened the Red Sea so the Israelites were able to escape from the Egyptians. Jesus
Christ is God the Son. The sea on which Jesus and His disciples were sailing belonged to Jesus. He made all things in the beginning. Jesus created the sea, wind,
lightning, and clouds. He has power over all things.
Now the disciples were going to learn even more about Jesus’ power.
1
We may feel sorry for a person like this and
think it is good that we are not like him, but
every person born into this world is under
Satan’s influence and is just as hopeless and
helpless as this man was. Satan does not often
make people do things that this man did, but
Satan holds all people under his influence until
Jesus sets them free.
Read – John 8:44
1. The demon-possessed man – Mark 5:1-5.
• This man could not free himself from the power and control of these evil spirits.
• People had tried to keep him from getting out and hurting himself, but the
demons in him were so strong that they even broke iron chains.
• The man was living in caves which were used as tombs — that is, burial places.
– He was helpless.
– There was no hope for him.1
• Satan and his demons only want to destroy people.
– Even when it looks like Satan and his demons are treating people good, they
are still only waiting for an opportunity to destroy them.
• Satan and his demons had tormented this man so much that he was continually
doing harm to himself.
Think:
Many people today try to kill themselves. Satan and his demons can put this thought into their
minds. Satan is a liar and a murderer. He hates God, and he hates people.
Satan can make people feel that they can never get out of the problems they are in. Even if
they want to stop acting the way they do, they are made to believe they can’t.
Some people are very much like the man of Gadara — they can no longer live a normal life,
and no one knows how to help them.
Are these truly hopeless problems? Satan would like them and the rest of the world to think so.
149
• Satan will do whatever he can to keep people from believing God’s truth.
Read – John 3:16
2
Think: You may say, “Well, that is okay for
Nicodemus; but what about a man like this
fellow from Gadara or a drug addict today?
Aren’t they hopeless?”
If they are trying to help themselves or if they
are looking to people to help them, the answer
is, “Yes, they are hopeless.”
69, “Jesus Heals a Demon-possessed Man”
3
Do you remember what happened when
Satan came to temp Jesus in the wilderness?
Did Satan win? No! Jesus refused to do
anything His Father had not told Him to do.
Whe is stronger — Satan and His demons, or
Jesus Christ?
Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10
– God wants to give new life — new birth from above, just as Jesus explained to
Nicodemus.2
– People cannot free themselves from the influence of Satan.
- However, Jesus can free them.
2. The demons knew Jesus – Mark 5:6-7.
• The demons knew that Jesus was their Creator, the Son of God.
– The demons feared that Jesus might punish them immediately.
• God is the supreme ruler over Satan and all of the spirits.
– He can do with them whatever pleases Him.
3. Jesus commanded the demons to come out – Mark 5:8-10.
• There are many, many spirits, or demons, in the world.
– Satan is their master.
• The demons knew that they could not stand against Jesus who is God.3
– They knew that one day they would be brought under God’s authority.
4. The demons entered the pigs – Mark 5:11-14.
• Jesus did not send these evil spirits into everlasting punishment at that time.
– He gave them permission to go into the pigs.
– It wasn’t God’s time to finally punish them for their rebellion and sin.
• However, God has set a future time when Satan and all of the evil spirits will be
punished forever in the lake of fire.
5. A freed man – Mark 5:15.
• This man was set free from the control of Satan and his demons by the power of
the Lord Jesus.
– He no longer had to do the things that the demons told him to do.
– He was now under the authority of God.
6. Foolish people – Mark 5:16-17.
• These people were foolish, because they wanted Jesus to leave, rather than
listen to His teaching.
Rewind
Memory verse
1. Who wants to destroy people?
a. Satan
b . Demons or evil spirits
2. Who can free themselves from the influence
of Satan? No one
3. Who can free people from the influence of
Satan? Jesus, God
4. Who is the supreme ruler over Satan and
his demons? God
5. Someday, where will God send Satan, his
demons, and all people who follow him?
To the lake of fire
6. Who completely changed the demonpossessed man? Jesus
150
There are still people like this today who live only for the present time. They refuse to listen to
God’s words because they are more interested in the things of this world. They are not
interested in what will happen to them after death (Luke 12:13-34).
When we die, we cannot take any of our things with us. The things that God teaches us in the
Bible, however, show us the way to receive everlasting life.
7. A man with a message – Mark 5:18-20.
• He had a wonderful true story to tell others.
• He did not keep his experience to himself. He talked about the great things Jesus
did for him to everyone who would listen.
Nothing is too hard for God. He set free the man of Gadara; He can set anyone free.
– Have your clubbers recite John 8:36.
Jesus Fed Five Thousand People
Story
Aim
This lesson shows that life is more than food
and things people possess. Jesus Christ is
shown as the Bread of Life who satisfies our
need for salvation from sin and gives eternal
life.
It also shows that people cannot save
themselves and their need to trust only in the
work of Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Visuals
71, “Jesus Feeds
5,000”
⇒ Chronological Map 3. Point to the Sea of
Galilee
Think: It will not help a person if he follows the
teachings of the Bible in order to receive money
or things. Jesus did not come into the world to
give earthly riches. Believing the Bible and
trusting in Jesus as the Savior will not promise
us better conditions.
1
2
Think: Maybe as many as 1,400 years had
passed since the Israelites left Egypt that first
Passover night. Why were so many Jews still
celebrating the Passover? Were they all true
believers in God, awaiting His Deliverer?
No, they were not. Some did it just because it
was a custom; others celebrated the Passover
because they wanted to obey God’s law
outwardly even though inside they did not truly
care about God and believe Him.
But there were a few who observed the
Passover because God had commanded them
to, and they believed God and trusted that He
was going to send the Deliverer.
Help your clubbers to understand that the food we eat will only help us in this life. All
people, when they die, will live either in heaven with God or in hell with Satan and his
demons. To live in heaven, we must accept the spiritual “food” which the Lord gives us.
Only God can provide it, and that is what He has done in Jesus Christ.
Memory
Verse
John 6:35 – And Jesus said unto them, I am
John
6:35
the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall
never hunger; and he that believeth on me
shall never thirst.
The food that Jesus is talking about here is not food for our bodies to grow; it is food for
our spiritual life. We cannot work for it; we can only receive it by trusting God to give
what is needed.
Answers
1. A
2. C 3. B
4. B
5. C
Today we are going to read about the time when Jesus said He was the Bread of Life.
He used those words because bread was the food that most people ate every day.
They ate others things, too, but they depended on bread for their main source of energy
and food. Jesus knew there was something else people needed even more than food.
The energy we gain from eating food only lasts for a while, and then we are hungry
again. We need eternal life that comes from God, which He tells us about in His Word.
We are all born into Satan’s Kingdom, cut off from eternal life with God. However,
Jesus offered eternal life — life that satisfies completely — to all who trust in Him alone
as their Savior. Today’s lesson will show how God cared about the people’s physical
and spiritual needs.
1. Multitudes followed Jesus – John 6:1-4.
• Ask clubbers if they know why these people were following Jesus around. Do they
think these people saw themselves as sinners?
– The answer is no; they followed Him because they wanted to receive
something from Him.1 They did not care about spiritual things.
• The reason Jesus came was to deliver people from Satan, sin, and everlasting
death — separation from God.
• Ask clubbers if they remember what happened at the Passover many years
before.
Remember:
At the Passover, the Jews remembered the last night that their ancestors spent in Egypt. Do
you remember that the angel of death passed over their houses because each family had killed
a lamb and put the blood on the doorposts of the house? God told them that every year, they
were to kill and eat a lamb in remembrance of His deliverance of their ancestors. The Jewish
people travelled great distances to go to the Passover Feast which was held in Jerusalem
every year (Exodus 12:1-28, Deuteronomy 16:1-8).2
2. Five loaves and two small fish – John 6:5-9.
• Jesus had already decided what He was going to do.
– He asked his disciple, Philip, the question only in order to get Philip’s answer.
- Philip had seen the other miracles which Jesus had done.
151
- Ask clubbers if they can remember some of Jesus’ miracles.3
– Philip should have trusted in Jesus to be able to feed the people.
3
Give clubbers time to answer.
Some examples of Jesus’ miracles already
taught in the lessons:
- Healed the sick: a leper, paralytic, and a
man’s hand.
- Calmed the storm.
- Healed the demon-possessed man of
Gadara.
- Cast out demons.
3. Jesus fed the five thousand – John 6:10-13.
• As Jesus broke the loaves and fish, they multiplied and multiplied.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 71, “Jesus Feeds the 5,000”
Think: Can your whole family and all your relatives make a meal out of one small sandwich?
No! No one except God, who is almighty, could do that.
4. The people’s plan – John 6:14-15.
• The people seemed ready to agree that Jesus must be the Savior whom God had
promised to send into the world.
– However, they still did not see the need for Him to be their Savior from Satan’s
power, sin, and death.
• They just wanted Jesus to be their king so He would heal their sickness, give
them food, and deliver them from the control of the Romans.
4
If a clubber talks about the time Peter walked
on the water, say it was only because Jesus
performed a miracle to make Peter able to do
this. It was Jesus’ power, not Peter’s own
ability.
5
Jesus was telling the people that they must
not only be concerned about their physical
needs; they should also do all they could to
make sure they would live forever with God
when they left this world (Luke 12:15-23).
Jesus was telling them to give thought to
getting everlasting, spiritual food. This spiritual
food is the truth which Jesus was teaching
them.
We will live forever in heaven or in the place
of everlasting punishment, called hell. What
good will a healthy body or riches be to us if,
when we die, we go to Hell (Matthew 25:46)?
Rewind
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1. Why did the people follow Jesus around?
To get something from Him
2. Why did Jesus leave heaven and come to
earth? To deliver people from the power
of Satan, sin, and everlasting death
apart from God
3. What do people need to give their bodies
life on earth? Food
4. What do people need to give them
everlasting life in heaven with God? The
Bread of Life – Jesus Christ as their
Savior
5. Who gave us the Bread of Life? God the
Father
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5. Jesus walked on the water – John 6:16-21.
• Man has been able to do many things, but he cannot walk on water.4
• Jesus created the sea, so it wasn’t difficult for Him to walk on it (Colossians 1:16).
6. The people looked for Jesus – John 6:22-26.
• Jesus knew the minds of these people. He knew the true reason why they were
looking for Him.
7. Jesus, the Bread of Life – John 6:27-35.
• Jesus was not saying it was wrong to work for your food.5
• We cannot do anything to please God or make Him accept us.
– God just requires us to trust only in Jesus as our Savior.
Remember:
What did the people who were bitten by the snakes in the wilderness have to do to be saved
from death? They just had to look at the brass serpent that Moses put on the pole. They could
not do anything to save themselves. This is the kind of trust God wants us to have in the Savior,
Jesus Christ. He alone can deliver us from death and make us acceptable to God.
• The people still did not believe Jesus; they wanted to see another miracle.
• They were just looking at the great things Jesus did, instead of listening to the
truth He was teaching.
– They reminded Jesus of the manna which their ancestors ate in the wilderness
for forty years. They thought Moses, not God, gave the manna.
– They said that if Jesus was truly the Son of God, He should give a sign as great
as Moses had given.
• Jesus told them that it was His Father, not Moses, who gave the manna to their
ancestors so they would not die in the wilderness.
• Now God had given them the true bread from heaven.
– Jesus was speaking of Himself. Jesus is the bread which God gave so the
world would not die and be separated from Him forever.
• But the people were still thinking of food for their bodies.
– They wanted Jesus to keep giving them food, just as He had fed them with the
bread and fish.
God gave the Israelites manna from heaven and water from the rock to save them
from physical death in the wilderness. God sent Jesus from heaven into the world to
save sinners from eternal death.
If a person refuses to eat food, his body will die, and anyone who refuses to trust in
Jesus as his Savior will remain dead to God, separated from Him, forever. Jesus Christ
is the only one who can make us acceptable to God and give us eternal life with Him!
Story
Aim
been taught during the last 10 lessons. You may
make more questions or adapt questions to the
ages of your clubbers.
to have an Awana Quiz with the clubbers. These questions cover only the last 10
lessons.
Examples: Who can recite John 1:29? What did John call Jesus in this verse? Answer
Card for the 10 verses. Clubbers can earn bonus points for reciting all the verses on the
In the past 10 lessons we have been studying from the New Testament part of the Bible.
We learned how John the Baptist prepared the people for the coming of the Deliverer,
Jesus Christ — the One through whom God would fulfill His promise to Abraham. We
learned about the birth of Jesus Christ, especially making clear the fulfillment of
prophecy and the deity of Christ — the Son of God and God the Son. Emphasize the
fact that Jesus is the only sinless man. Through the ministry of John the Baptist, we
were shown the need for an attitude of repentance. The Jewish leaders were examples
of those who are proud and unrepentant; they rejected Jesus. We saw Jesus tempted
by Satan, and how Jesus resisted him and will one day cast Satan and his demons into
the lake of fire. Jesus is shown as the only way for people to be saved. There is nothing
they can do to save themselves. We learned about Jesus’ miracles of physical healing,
another sign of His Deity. Jesus Christ is also shown as the Bread of Life who satisfies
our need for salvation from sin and gives eternal life.
clubbers to better retain the information in their minds. Review will also help you, as a
important is what your students have learned! An excellent way to know what has been
learned is to ask questions.
next lessons.
meetings.
153
disagree.
Review Games
Rewind
7,2,9,10,4,5,8,3,1,6
one team cannot answer a question, let the next team have a chance to answer that
game, cover the discussion questions without receiving points for answers.
1. Who always helped Jesus in everything He did here on the earth? God the Holy
Spirit guided and helped Jesus in everything that He did.
2. What did God the Father say when Jesus was baptized?
a. God the Father said He was completely pleased with Jesus.
b. He called Jesus His Son.
3. Why did Satan tempt Jesus?
a. He wanted Jesus to sin so that He could bring Him under his control.
b. He wanted Jesus to sin so that Jesus would not be able to deliver us from him.
c. He wanted to take the position of God.
4. Why didn’t Jesus turn the stones into bread even though He was hungry?
His Father did not tell Him to. Jesus would only do whatever His Father
commanded Him to do.
5. Does Satan know and use God’s Word? Yes, but Satan twists God’s words around
(changes them) to suit his own purposes.
6. Why didn’t Jesus let the people make Him their king? Because He knew the
minds of the people. They didn’t want Jesus because He could deliverer them
from Satan, sin, and death. They just wanted Him to be their king so He would give
them things and deliver them from the Romans who controlled their country.
154
It Must Be God’s Way!
Story
Aim
This lesson, which presents the hypocrisy of
the Pharisees, shows the ineffectiveness of any
religion without admitting sin and having faith in
God.
It will also show:
• People’s good works cannot save them.
• People cannot hide their sinfulness from God.
• People must come to God by faith, trusting in
Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Visuals
72, “Traditions of the
Pharisees”
Ask clubbers if they think they are better than someone they know who drinks, steals,
lies, etc. Then ask them if they have ever had a bad attitude (thoughts or feelings)
inside, but tried not to let anyone know about it. Explain that all of us have at sometime;
we may be able to fool our parents, but we cannot fool God. He sees everything.
Memory
Verse
Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace are ye saved
Ephesians
2:8-9
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: not of works, lest any man
should boast.
Even though the Law cannot free people from sin, it is still the Law that most people try
to follow. People want to “do” and to “earn” God’s acceptance rather than to receive it
by grace through faith — the only way. Even little children quickly learn to follow
someone’s “rules” without a true change in their minds about themselves, sin, and
God.
• Visual, “God and Man - Good Works and
Following the Rules”
• Visual, “God and Man - Man’s Efforts”
Answers
1. B
2. A 3. No
4. Yes
5. C
Jesus Christ came to set men free — freedom that the Law could not give. The Law
was given to show men their sinfulness. Christ fulfilled the whole Law. God the Holy
Spirit will help believers, giving them freedom and power to do what is right, not
because the law says they have to, but because they joyfully do it as unto the Lord. As
you teach, continually ask God to help you present the message of His grace, that
wonderful, unearned favor He gives to undeserving sinners. We are saved by grace,
and we grow by grace!
1
Most Pharisees wore on their forehead a little
leather box containing Scripture verses. They
had another box attached to their arm by a
leather strap. God had given the Israelites
instructions to bind His laws on their hands and
to put His laws between their eyes as an
example of how important it was to know and
obey His commandments (Deuteronomy 6:8).
However, the Pharisees thought if they truly did
what God said, then everyone would see how
well they obeyed God’s Law. When these
Pharisees gave money for the poor, they made
sure that everyone knew when they put their
money in the money box. They liked to pray in
public so everyone could see them.
The things they were doing — trying to obey
the Law, giving, praying — were not wrong
things to do. It was their attitude (thoughts about
it) that was wrong. They were not believing and
trusting in God to save them from their sins.
They thought what they were doing was good
enough to please God, and they wanted people
to see just how good they were (Matthew 6:2,
5; 23:1-28).
1. The rules of the Pharisees – Mark 7:1-5.
• The Pharisees disapproved of Jesus’ disciples because they did not do the
things which the Pharisees said were necessary for a person to be accepted by
God.1
The Pharisees had added hundreds of laws to the original laws given to Moses by God. No
one was able to keep all these laws, but the Pharisees expected the people to obey them. The
people were condemned if they disobeyed a law, even though the Pharisees were disobeying
the laws themselves. That was one of the reasons God called them hypocrites!
– They were proud of themselves for doing all the things people could see, such
as washing their hands, cups, and tables before they ate.
– But they did not know or care that God saw all the evil in them.
There are people like this today who make a big show of their religion, criticizing people who
are not like them, yet, they themselves are still under Satan’s rule.
2. Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees – Mark 7:6-9.
• Jesus quoted what the prophet Isaiah had spoken about the Jews (Isaiah 29:13).
– They said many good things about God with their lips, but in their “hearts”
(In the BIble, “hearts” means our deepest thoughts, feelings, and beliefs), they
did not love God or believe and obey His Word.
• God did not accept the worship of the Jews who did not mean it with their hearts.
155
• They did not come to God agreeing with Him that they were sinners and trusting
in His promises regarding the Deliverer.
• There are still people who teach their own ideas instead of God’s Word.
Many religions today teach rules that are not found in the Bible. People are taught that if they
follow these rules and do the things these religions teach, they will be accepted by God.
⇒
Show Visual, “God and man - Good
Works and Following the Rules”
man
GOD
Good
Works
Following
the Rules
God says that such teaching is useless. It is very wrong (sinful) to add to or take away anything
from God’s Word.
2
Remember James 2:10, which says that if
we have broken just one of God’s commandments, we are guilty of breaking them all.
3
This Pharisee was like Cain. Cain came to
God in his own way, not God’s way, trusting
in the things which he himself had grown from
the ground. Just as God rejected Cain, God
also rejected this Pharisee.
3. Not what we eat but what we are – Mark 7:14-23.
• The scribes and Pharisees also put great emphasis on not eating certain food.
– They thought this, too, would help them to be accepted by God.
• Jesus made it clear that it is not what we eat that makes us unacceptable to God,
but the sinful things that God sees in our “hearts.”
– Even if we do not do the things Jesus mentions, God says that many evil things,
which He hates, are still in our “hearts”; and therefore, He cannot accept us.2
4. The proud Pharisee – Luke 18:9-12.
• Jesus was telling a parable.
– A parable is a story which teaches us something about God and our
relationship with Him.
• The Pharisee went up to the temple to talk to God.
– He was a proud man. He thought that he was good enough to please God.3
• God says all have sinned and are separated from Him.
– There is nothing anyone can do by his own efforts to reunite himself with God.
– Isaiah 64:6 tells what God thinks of people’s self-righteousness: “… we are all
⇒
Show Visual, “God and man - Man’s
Efforts.”
man
Rewind
Grace
Trusting in what Christ has done to save
me from my sin
Faith
Brag
Saved
Good things I do
“ h ear t”
A free gift I do not deserve from God
Boa st
Rescued from the power of Satan and the punishment
of sin
Works
thoughts, feelings, beliefs
1. Who made up their own laws? Pharisees
2. What does God think of people who add or
take away from His Word? They are
wrong; they are sinning.
3. Eating what foods will keep us from being
accepted by God? None
4. Whose sins did God forgive, the tax
collector or the Pharisee? The tax
collector
5. Why did not God accept the Pharisee? He
would not admit that, as a guilty,
helpless sinner, he needed a Savior.
156
GOD
Good Life
Church
Baptism
Give to Poor
Do not Drink or Smoke
5. The repentant publican (tax collector) – Luke 18:13.
• This man did not try to hide his sinfulness from God.
– Remember how the people hated tax collectors because they stole from them?
• He trusted in the Lord as his Savior.
– God had mercy on him, forgave him, and accepted him.
6. Jesus’ verdict – Luke 18:14.
• The Pharisee would not admit that he was a guilty and helpless sinner who
needed a Savior (God’s mercy), so his sins were not forgiven by God.
There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. It does not matter how important or good
we think we are; God will only accept those who have faith in Jesus Christ as their
Savior.
Jesus Was Transfigured
Story
Aim
• This lesson presents the deity of Christ as
shown in Peter’s confession, the transfiguration, and God’s words from the cloud.
• It also introduces Jesus’ death, which was
soon to occur in fulfillment of prophecy.
Ask your clubbers if they like make-believe stories. Some of them can be fun, but when
we are talking about where we will spend eternity, we need to be sure we know the
truth, not something make-believe. All over the world, people follow beliefs, stories, and
ideas that began not as truth but as lies of Satan, made to draw people away from the
truth of God. However, when we read the Bible, we are reading the truth, given to us by
God Himself, who is eternal and who does not lie.
Memory
Verse
Mark 9:7 – And there was a cloud that over-
Mark
9:7
shadowed them: and a voice came out of the
cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son: hear
Him.
This was God the Father speaking to the three disciples, Peter, James, and John,
when they went up on the mountain with Jesus. God wanted them to know that Jesus
was truly His Son and that they should listen to and obey what He said.
Visuals
75, “The
Transfiguration”
Answers
1. No
2. C
3. B
4. C
5. A
1
Eternity is a reality, both for the believer and
the unbeliever. Daniel 12:2, Matthew 25:46, and
Acts 24:15 speak clearly of this.
Mark 6:14-29
2 KIngs 2:11; Malachi 4:5-6
2
Tell your clubbers, “It is very important who
you believe Jesus was. Do you think that He
was just another good man? Was He just a
good teacher who did some miracles? Was He
just another prophet, as some of the Jews said
He was? Was He a liar, or did He speak the
truth? If anything He said was not true, then He
could not be God the Son, because God is holy
and perfect. If He spoke the truth, then we must
believe Him and trust in what He said.”
3
God does not want you to believe in Jesus just
because a teacher or someone else tells you
what he believes about Jesus. You must have
your own faith in God and in His Word. This is
The amazing historical fact of Jesus’ transfiguration is God’s truth. Moses and Elijah’s
appearance with Christ on the mountain gives us a beautiful look into the fact of eternal
life. These men had long ago passed from earthly life, but they were not truly dead,
because they had believed in God’s provision of a Savior. People have been lied to by
Satan to believe that they will reappear in other forms — animal or human. This idea of
reincarnation is one of Satan’s cruel tricks to fool people into having a false feeling of
hope for eternity. Of course, this is not found in the Bible. The Bible does say that for the
unbeliever there is nothing beyond death besides judgment and hell (Hebrews 9:27).1
1. Who people said Jesus was – Mark 8:27-28.
• Because King Herod had imprisoned and killed John the Baptist, some people
thought Jesus was John come back to life.
• Others thought that Jesus was Elijah — come back down to the earth.
– Elijah was a prophet who had been taken to heaven by God about 850 years
before Jesus came into the world.
• Jesus had clearly presented to the people who He was (John 1:1, 14; 8:58).
– He told the people that He was the Son of God, the Deliverer whom God had
promised from the beginning of the world.
– He had shown them His power by the great miracles He had done.
– However, most of the Jews did not believe in Him.2
2. Who Peter believed Jesus to be – Mark 8:29-30.
• Jesus knew that His disciples would never be accepted by God, His Father, if they
did not believe that He was the Deliverer.
• Peter knew and believed that Jesus was Christ, the promised Deliverer.
• The people had many wrong ideas concerning who Christ (the Messiah) was
and what He was going to do for them.3
– Jesus knew the disciples had much more to learn about Him (as Christ, the
157
very important, because many people have
been deceived by lies that say that Jesus was
just a good man or a good teacher. Because of
the claims He makes directly about Himself
and the claims made about Him by others in
His Word, He cannot be any less than God.
75, “The Transfiguration”
4
Remember: Do you remember the tabernacle
which God told Moses and the Israelites to build
for Him when they were at Mount Sinai in the
wilderness? The outside of this building was
covered with the skins of animals. When the
people looked at it, they saw only the old,
dried-up skins, but inside the inner room,
underneath the skins, was the very bright light
which showed that God was there (Exodus
36:14-19; 40:34-35).
That is a picture of Jesus. He looked like an
ordinary man, but He was also Almighty God
who created the heavens and the earth.
5
Elijah and Moses had been with God for
hundreds of years. When they were alive on
the earth, they had believed God’s Word, and
they had trusted in God and the coming
Deliverer. Because of this, when they left this
world, they were not in hell separated from
God.
God accepted them along with Abel, Seth,
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph,
Moses, Joshua, David, and everyone else
who agreed with God that they were helpless
sinners and trusted in God to send a Savior.
Rewind
Message: People who trust in Jesus the Savior
will go to live with God in heaven when their
bodies die.
1. Who did Peter say Jesus was? Christ, the
Deliverer whom God had sent into the
world
2. What did Jesus tell His disciples was going
to happen to Him? He said He would be
rejected and killed by the Jewish
leaders, but He would rise from the
dead after three days and nights.
3. Did Jesus look like other men? Yes
4. What was different about Jesus than other
men? He was God as well as man.
5. What did God say about Jesus? He said
Jesus was His beloved Son and to listen
to Him.
158
Messiah). They were not yet ready to explain to others all Jesus came to do.
3. Jesus foretold of His death and resurrection – Mark 8:31.
• Jesus knew He must die.
– Jesus knew that Satan would use the Jewish leaders to kill Him because they
did not believe that He was God’s Son, the Deliverer.
– Jesus also knew that, although He would die and be buried, He would come
out of the grave after three days and three nights.
- We do not know our future, but Jesus knew His complete future.
• Hundreds of years earlier, the prophets had foretold many exact details of what
would happen to Jesus.
– He would suffer many things.
– He would be rejected by the Jewish leaders.
– He would be killed.
– He would be raised from the dead.
4. Jesus was transfigured – Mark 9:2-3.
• Jesus had a human body just as we do. He was a real man, but He was also God.
– When people looked at Him, He looked like any other man.
– However, what He did and said showed that He was different.
• This is the only time while Jesus was on earth that His glorified body showed
through His human body. His human body usually hid the “God part” of Jesus.4
• Matthew, one of Jesus’ disciples, says in the book he wrote in the Bible that, up
there on the mountain, Jesus’ face began to shine like the sun (Matthew 17:2).
5. Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus – Mark 9:4.
• Elijah was a Jewish prophet. He did not die like other men (2 Kings 2:11).
• The Bible tells us that Moses died and was buried by God (Deuteronomy 34:5-6).
– Moses’ death happened about 1,400 years before Jesus came to earth.
– Moses left his body when he died, and his body was buried.5
• God now allowed Elijah and Moses to come back to earth to talk to Jesus.
– Heaven is a real place, but it is not in this world.
- Heaven is God’s home.
- Everyone who trusts in Jesus, the Savior whom God sent, will go to live with
God in heaven when their bodies die.
– Luke, a disciple who also wrote about Jesus’ life here on earth, said that there
on the mountain Moses and Elijah talked to Jesus about His death, which was
to take place in Jerusalem (Luke 9:30-31).
- Even though these men left the world many, many years before Jesus came to
earth, they knew that God’s promises about the Deliverer would all happen
exactly in the way in which God had promised.
6. What God the Father said about Jesus – Mark 9:5-8.
• This was God the Father speaking.
• He told the disciples that Jesus was who He said He was, that is, the much loved
Son of God.
– Because Jesus was the Son of God, God told the disciples that they must listen
to Jesus and obey Him.
– There has never been and never will be anyone else like Jesus, the Son of
God.
God does not speak to us by a voice from heaven now. All that He wants to say to us has
been written in the Bible. All of the words of Jesus that God wants us to know and obey
have also been written in the Bible, and God expects us to listen to them and put our
trust in them.
Jesus Is the Door to Eternal Life
Story
Aim
• This lesson presents Jesus Christ as the
only Savior, the only door to God and to
eternal life.
• Jesus, the only Savior is compared to the
ark and its one door. Noah and his family
and all the animals passed through this one
door, the only way they could be saved
from destruction in the flood.
• Some of Satan’s lies are discussed and
shown to be false.
• God’s Word is presented as the source of
truth.
Ask your clubbers if they have heard anyone say something like these statements:
“There are many different ways to God.” “It is up to each person to choose his own way
to God.” “Everyone must depend upon a higher power. It is up to each person how he
seeks and chooses that higher power.” “There are different cultures and different
religions in different countries. God will accept anyone who is sincere in their religion.”
If they have, let them know that all these ideas are Satan’s lies.
Memory
Verse
John 14:6 – Jesus saith unto him, I am the
John
14:6
Visuals
way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
God knew what kind of lies Satan would come up
with for each generation or culture. In today’s memory verse God gives a very clear
answer to these lies. There is only one way to be saved, through His Son, Jesus Christ.
He is the only Deliverer, the only way for us sinners to come to a Holy God.
73, “A Jewish Sheep
Pen”
• Poster 16, “One Door”
• Prophecy Chart
Answers
1. C 2. B 3. A
4. A
5. C
If we had lived in the days when Jesus taught in Israel, we would have known a lot
about sheep. Everyone in Israel knew about sheep — sheep were used for the sacrifices. So even people who lived in towns were familiar with sheep and knew at least a
little about shepherds, too. Jesus talked about sheep and shepherds, because the
people understood what He was talking about.
1. The door of the sheepfold – John 10:7.
Much of the land of Israel is dry, and sometimes the shepherd had difficulty finding
grass for the sheep. Often, the shepherds had to leave their homes and lead their
sheep a long way in search of food. Many times, the shepherds would be so far from
their homes by evening, that they had to sleep out in the fields or mountains with
their sheep. It was dangerous to sleep out in the open, because there were robbers
who would try to steal the sheep, and wild animals which would kill them. So, before
the night came, the shepherds would find a cave where the sheep would be safe, or
they would make places where they could put their sheep for the night. The places
which the shepherds built were usually pens with walls of thornbushes and stones.
“A Jewish Sheep Pen”
Explain: This is a picture of a Jewish sheep pen, called a sheepfold. Pens built like this can still be
found in Israel today.
When night came, the shepherds would put their sheep in this protected area. Then the shepherd
would lie down at the entrance. Anyone who went into the sheepfold had to go past the shepherd.
He was like the door or the gate into the sheep enclosure. There was only one door into the
sheepfold, and that was where the shepherd was lying.
• Jesus meant that He was the way into the place of safety.
– Outside, in this world, are Satan, his evil spirits, sin, and death.
– In a way, they are like the robbers and the wild animals which killed and ate the
sheep.
159
- In John 8:44, Jesus called Satan a liar and a murderer.
- He tries to make people think they are safe with him.
- Satan has been deceiving and destroying people for thousands of years.
2. False saviors – John 10:8.
• Before Jesus was born, other men had come to the Jews, each one saying they
were the Deliverer sent from God.
– Jesus said these people were like the robbers who came at night to steal and
kill sheep.
• Satan uses many tricks to try to make us think that the way he teaches is the right
way to follow.
– The ways of Satan may look good, but the end of all his ways is death —
everlasting separation from God.
• The only way that we can really know what is true is to know what the Bible says.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Proverbs 16:25
Romans 10:17
1
Some people may say to you that what the
Bible teaches is all right for some people, but
there are other religions that also lead people to
God. That is a lie of Satan. Jesus came to be
the Savior of all people, everywhere, no
matter what language they speak or how they
live.
⇒
3. Jesus, the only door – John 10:9-10.
• There is only one door or gate into the sheepfold, the place of safety, security, and
life.
– Jesus, as God and Savior, is the only door to eternal life; there is no other way.
- Just as a shepherd loved and cared for his sheep, the Lord Jesus loves and
cares for all people. He wants to be our Deliverer from Satan, sin, and death.1
Remember:
God told Noah to build the ark, because God was going to punish the whole world. Only
those who came into the ark Noah built were saved from God’s judgment.
- Because Noah and his family trusted in God and His words, they entered by the door and
were saved from the flood.
- This is a picture of the one door to God and everlasting life — Jesus Christ.
Show Poster, “One Door”
• The way to enter the door to everlasting life is to agree with God and His Word
2
One of Satan’s lies is that his way to live is
the best, the most interesting and the most fun.
He gives people just enough pleasure to make
them think that his way is better than the way
offered by Jesus Christ.
What a terrible lie! The Bible makes it very
clear that all who refuse to believe in Jesus
will be separated from God and punished
forever in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).
Rewind
2
1
S
H
J
E
A
T
S
U
A
N
S
P
3
H
E
E
A
5
P
V
E
R
4
D
O
O
R
N
N
1. What did the Israelites use sheep for?
Sacrifices
2. What is like the robbers and wild animals
that tried to steal or eat the sheep? Satan,
his evil spirits, sin, and death
3. How many doors are there to God and to
eternal life? One
4. Who is the only door to God and to eternal
life? Jesus Christ
5. Who is like a shepherd who loves his sheep
so much he would die for them? Jesus
Christ
160
and trust only in Jesus who is the Savior.
– Jesus is the door to God. There is no other way to God.
• Jesus said that He is not like Satan, who only wants to destroy people.2
• Jesus came into the world to give life with God forever to all who believe on Him.
• Jesus said clearly in this passage that He gives us life and gives it in the fullest
way.
– We read in an earlier lesson that the life given by Jesus is life that truly satisfies.
4. Jesus, the Good Shepherd – John 10:11.
• The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Him.
– Jesus had already told His disciples that the leaders of the Jews would not
believe that He was the Savior sent by God.
• Jesus said that He was like a shepherd who loved his sheep so much that he
would die for them.
– Isaiah the prophet said that Jesus would suffer and die for others (Isaiah 53:4-5).
- Every promise God gave about the details of Jesus’ life here on earth came
true.
⇒ Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover the sixth prophecy, “Suffer for others.” Read the
prophecy Scripture, Isaiah 53:4-5, on the left, and the fulfillment Scripture, John 10:11, on the
right.
Just like robbers do not care if the sheep are harmed, false teachers do not care what
happens to the people who follow them. These false teachers make up a way to have
eternal life with God, and it seems good, but they will all end up in spiritual death —
separation from God. We do not need to find our own way to God by searching through
man’s ideas; He made it very clear in His Word that Jesus is the ONLY way to God.
Jesus Raised Lazarus from the Dead
Story
Aim
This lesson presents Jesus Christ as the
resurrection and the life, the Savior who came
to give eternal life to all who believe.
Through the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from
the dead, the clubbers will see:
• Jesus’ compassion and ability to understand
the sorrows of men.
• The attitudes of Mary and Martha who
believed in Jesus.
• The attitudes of the Jewish leaders who
hated Jesus.
• That Jesus is God and has power to give
people life.
• That all people will have to spend eternity
either in heaven or in the lake of fire.
Visuals
Help your clubbers understand that God really cares about each one of us. We know
people die because of the sin they inherited from Adam, but we do not always understand why people die when they do — only God knows, as He has control over life and
death. However, we can trust that He knows what is best for us. He created everyone
and wants everyone to be saved. That is why He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to save us
from Satan, sin, and death (separation from God).
Memory
Verse
John 11:25 – Jesus said unto her, I am the
John
11:25
resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in
me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
Explain that resurrection refers to God’s power to
raise the dead back to life. That is what Jesus did for Lazarus — He raised him from
the dead. This verse tells us that those who believe in Jesus will never die spiritually,
even though their bodies die.
74, “Resurrection of
Lazarus”
1. B
Answers
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. C
People do not like to talk about dying. Sometimes children can be frightened by it;
maybe someone close to them has died recently. However, Jesus talked about it. What
He had to say should change forever our thoughts about life and about death.
⇒
Chronological Map 3. Point to Bethany,
Jerusalem, and to the area east of the Jordan
River.
1
Jesus meant for Martha to understand that He
intended to bring her brother back to life right
away, but she thought that Jesus was referring
to the time at the end of the world when all
people will be brought back to life.
Through His prophets God had taught the Jews
that all people will be raised from the dead. God
gives life to all people, even before they are
born, and when the time comes for everyone to
stand before God and be judged, He will also
raise all who have died (Daniel 12:2).
1. Jesus waited until Lazarus died – John 11:1-6.
• Jesus was on the other side of the Jordan River.
• Even though He was a long way from where Lazarus was in Bethany, Jesus knew
all that was going to happen to Lazarus.
– Jesus is God; there is not anything that He doesn’t know.
– Jesus knew that Lazarus was going to die.
• Jesus had all power available to Him.
– He could have healed Lazarus without even going to where he was.
– Or, Jesus could have gone immediately to Lazarus to heal him.
– Instead, Jesus waited two days.
• Jesus waited; He was going to show His mighty power as the Son of God.
– Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, and was concerned for them, but He
had a good reason for allowing Lazarus to die.
– Through Lazarus’ death, Jesus was going to show His power to give life to
those who believe.
2. Jesus went to raise Lazarus from the dead – John 11:7-16.
• The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant.
• Though Jesus was not concerned, the disciples were worried that the Jewish
leaders would try to kill Jesus again.
3. Jesus is the resurrection and the life – John 11:17-27.
• Martha believed that Jesus had the power to heal her brother.
• She believed that God, His Father, would do whatever Jesus asked Him to do.
– She did not understand what Jesus meant.1
161
•
•
2
If your children are very young, you need not
address this, but the lie of reincarnation is
believed by many, so if you have older
children, you will want to mention the
following:
Some people today believe in reincarnation.
They think that someone who dies comes
back to live on earth again as another person
or as an animal or other creature. This is a lie
of Satan. He wants people to think that they
don’t need to be delivered from their sins. He
wants them to believe that there is no hell and
no judgment. If he can get people to believe
that there is another life for them right here on
earth, then they will think that they do not need
Jesus Christ to save them from God’s
righteous punishment for their sins. Satan is a
deceiver, and the lie of reincarnation is another
of his attempts to keep men away from God
and eternal life.
3
Think: Does God care when you are sick or
when someone dies? Yes, He does care. God
loves you, and He wants you to believe His
words and trust in Jesus as your Savior. He
wants you to be with Him forever and ever.
That is why He sent Jesus into the world to
deliver each of us from our sins, Satan, and
death — separation from God.
74, “Resurrection of Lazarus”
Rewind
Memory Verse
1. Why did Jesus wait to go see Lazarus?
He was going to show His mighty
power as the Son of God.
2. Who gives and takes life? God
3. What did Jesus mean when He said that
those who believe in Him will never die?
Jesus meant that they will never be
separated from God nor punished for
their sins.
4. Why did Jesus cry? Because He was sad
to see the problems sin and death have
caused all people, and He felt the grief
of the people.
5. Who is trying to keep people deceived so
they will not believe in Jesus as their
Savior? Satan
162
•
•
- Lazarus did not have to remain dead until the day of God’s judgment of all
people.
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life …”
– He is the giver of life and therefore has the power to restore life to the dead.
Jesus is the only one who can give life to the dead.
– Only God can give life, for He is the almighty Creator who gave life to everyone
and everything2 (Psalm 24:1).
Jesus said that, although those who trust in Him as their Savior die physically, they
are alive forever with God.
– They are never separated from God and punished for their sins.
– They only leave this world to go to live with God in heaven (John 3:16; 5:24).
Martha was not like most of the people.
– They only followed Jesus because they wanted healing, or food for their bodies,
or political freedom from the Romans. Martha truly believed and trusted in
Jesus as the promised Deliverer who had come from God.
4. Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus – John 11:28-38.
• Jesus knew that He was going to bring Lazarus back to life again, but He cried
because He felt the grief of the people who were sad about Lazarus’ death.
God is deeply grieved for all people because there is sin in the world.
– Because there is sin, there is sickness and death.
– Sin and death came into the world because of Adam’s disobedience to God.
– All people are sinners; we die because we are all the descendants of Adam.3
5. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead – John 11:39-44.
• In the beginning, He, with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, created all
things (Colossians 1:16).
– They created all things just by speaking.
• Now, Jesus stood at the entrance to the tomb and spoke. He commanded
Lazarus to come back to life. Whatever Jesus says always happens!
6. Some believed, and others refused to believe – John 11:45-48.
• Many Jews believed in the Lord Jesus when they saw Him raise Lazarus from the
dead.
• However, the priests and Pharisees were only interested in keeping their position
of power and wealth.
– They were afraid that the people might make Jesus their king.
– These Jewish leaders knew that the Romans, who controlled the Jews, and
their land, would never agree to having Jesus as their king.
– The Romans would be angry and blame the Jewish leaders for allowing the
people to make Jesus their king, and they would replace the Jewish leaders
with Roman leaders.
• Satan was leading these men.
– Satan does not want anyone to believe in Jesus and be saved from his power.
– He is still trying today to keep people deceived so they will not believe in Jesus
as their Savior.
We have God’s Word to show us the truth. If we are ever taught spiritual things that are
not in agreement with God’s Word, we must reject them; they are not the truth! We
should not listen to the lies of Satan and his false teachers.
The Rich Young Ruler
Story
Aim
This lesson shows that we must come to the
Lord as a child does, simply trusting Him. We
have nothing good in ourselves to offer God.
It also shows the danger of much wealth —
God has commanded us to love Him above all
else.
Visuals
76, “Jesus and the
Children”
Help your clubbers to understand that it is not sinful to be rich, but it is sinful to love
riches more than we love God or other people. God reaches out to everyone with love
and understanding. However, there is only one way to get His acceptance and eternal
life — through belief in Jesus Christ as Savior. It can’t be purchased.
Memory
Verse
John 6:29 – Jesus answered and said unto
John
6:29
them, This is the work of God, that ye believe
on Him whom He hath sent.
Explain that the people wanted to know what work
God required of them to get everlasting life. Jesus said that what God requires is that
they must believe in the one whom God sent, who is Jesus Christ, himself.
Answers
• Chronological
Picture
77, “The Rich Young
Ruler”
1. No
2. C 3. B
4. C
5. A
God wants us to put our trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom God sent to deliver
us from the penalty of our sins. When anyone humbles himself and believes God’s
Word like a little child, God saves that person from the control of Satan, sin, and death.
However, we are going to see that having many possessions does not make a person
happy or give them peace with God. These people want to trust their riches to meet
their needs, but it does not bring them eternal life with God. We cannot purchase that!
76, “Jesus and the Children”
1
A little baby just rests in his mother’s arms. He
is not afraid of being dropped. He trusts His
mother to hold him and take care of him. When
you were a baby, you believed what your
parents told you. You didn’t try to come up with
your own reasons why things happened the
way they did. Now you are learning many
things and learning to take care of yourself. Your
parents don’t have to do everything for you
anymore.
2
Jesus said that we must be born again. Just
as it is impossible for anyone to bring about his
own physical birth, so it is impossible for us to
bring about our own spiritual birth (John 1:1213). God alone is able to give us new life; He
alone can save us from the penalty of our sins.
That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into
the world.
“The Rich Young Man”
1. Jesus loved the children – Mark 10:13-16.
• The disciples did not think that Jesus would want to take time to talk with the
children.
• Jesus loves children! He wants them to believe His Word and trust in Him, too.
– All of us are born sinners and are under the power of Satan and death.
– The only way any of us, young or old, can be rescued is by putting our trust in
Jesus as our Savior.
• People who are not willing to come to God and trust in Him like a little child will
not enter heaven.1
– We will always need God!
– God did not design us to live separated from Him. He made people in His
image, to know, love, and obey Him.
- As sinners, we cannot do that. We are separated from God by our sins. We
are naturally independent (“doing our own thing”) and selfish.
– Somehow, we think that if there is any change to take place in our lives, it is
up to us to do all the work.
- That is not the message of the gospel.
- Jesus Christ came to save sinners2 (John 3:16).
– If a person is proud and independent, God cannot help him.
2. The rich young man’s question – Mark 10:17.
• This young man was proud; he thought he could please God and gain entrance
to God’s kingdom by his own goodness and obedience to God’s laws.
163
3
Remember: This young man was like Cain.
Cain thought that by bringing the things which
he had grown to God, he could get God’s favor.
But did God accept Cain because of the things
which he brought? No!
Isaiah 64:6
Hebrews 4:12-13
4
Remember: God did not give His laws to
Israel because He thought that they could obey
them. God gave the Ten Commandments to
show them, and all of us, that we have sinned
and come short of God’s standard of goodness
(Romans 3:19-23).
Rewind
Whom
thah
sent
imH
He
no
believe
homw
hath
eH
on
lebivee
Him
nets
Message: Believe on Him whom He hath sent.
1. What does Jesus think about children?
He loves them!
2. Are children born under the control of Satan?
Yes, everyone is.
3. How can children be rescued from Satan?
By putting their trust in Jesus as their
Savior, just like everyone else
4. How did the rich young man think he was
going to get into heaven? By goodness
and obedience to God’s laws
5. What does God judge people for, besides
their outward obedience to His laws? Their
inner thoughts, feelings, and desires
(their hearts)
164
– He thought that by doing good things, he would be good enough to deserve
eternal life. 3
3. Only God is good – Mark 10:18.
• God says that there is not one person on earth who is good and does what is right
in His sight (Romans 3:10-20).
– The rich young man did not realize that God is the only one who is truly good.
– He thought that he was good, and he thought that Jesus was just another good
man like himself.
– However, Jesus wanted the young man to know that no ordinary man is
good.
4. The way of the Law – Mark 10:19-20.
• This young man did not know
– That he was born a sinner under Satan’s control.
– Therefore, he could never perfectly obey God’s laws and so please God.
• This man thought he had kept the Ten Commandments perfectly because he
had obeyed them outwardly, where people could see.
• However, even if he had obeyed the laws of God outwardly, he had not obeyed
them all in his heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
– God judges people on their inner thoughts, feelings, and desires, too.
- If a person plans to take something which belongs to someone else, he has
stolen.
- If a person outwardly obeys someone’s authority but is angry or complaining
in his heart, he has sinned before God.4
• Today someone may think that he is a good person and that he doesn’t deserve to
go to hell.
• However, it is impossible for us to please God by our own efforts because we
are born descendants of Adam and are separated from God.
5. The danger of being rich – Mark 10:21-24.
• Jesus loved this young man even though the man was proud and did not see
himself as a sinner as God saw him.
• Jesus told this rich man to sell everything he had and give the money he made
from the sale to the poor.
– Jesus knew that this young man was greedy and loved his riches more than he
loved God or his poor neighbors.
- He had broken God’s law to love your neighbor as you love yourself.
- He had broken the first commandment of God that says we must love God
with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind (Matthew 22:37-39).
- We must not put anything, or anyone, in the place of God.
• Jesus wanted him to realize that he could not be accepted by God because of the
things he did — for he had broken God’s laws. He was already dead to God and
rejected by Him.
• This rich young man had made his choice; he did not want to do what Jesus said.
– He chose his riches, which he could only enjoy in this life, and he turned away
from life forever with God.
– He was sad because, although he wanted eternal life, he loved his money more
than he loved God or people.
Maybe you are already thinking like this man. Maybe you think that the most important
thing in life is to get rich. When you die, however, you will not be able to take any of your
wealth with you. The important thing to God is not our money and our things, but
Heaven or Hell?
Story
Aim
This lesson presents the story, told by Jesus, of
a rich man and a begger named Lazarus. This
account presents eternal punishment and
separation from God for the unbeliever and
eternal happiness in God’s presence for the
believer.
Ask your clubbers what would make them happy. If someone says they would like to
have enough money to buy whatever they wanted, ask them how long those “things”
would last. (If no one mentions this, then you can mention it.) No one likes to think
about death, but even children must think about their future now — after they die, it is
too late! It is better to make sure of their eternal happiness than gaining “things” for the
present.
Memory
Verse
Matthew
16:26
Matthew 16:26 – For what is a man profited, if
he shall gain the whole world, and lose his
own soul? or what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul?
Remind your clubbers that the soul is the part of us that lives forever. When we die it
either goes to heaven with God, or it is forever separated from God in the lake of fire.
Visuals
79, “The Rich Man
in Hell”
• Visual, Time Line
1
This is not the same Lazarus that Jesus raised
from the dead in a previous lesson.
Answers
1. C 2. A 3. B 4. C 5. A
Jesus had been teaching the Jewish people for about three years now. He knew the
people’s “hearts.” Even two thousand years ago, people were living for themselves,
thinking only of the time they were living in. They did not want to think about what would
happen to them after they died. Today’s story is about a warning from God of an
eternal, unending punishment for all who refuse God’s provision of salvation through
Jesus Christ. It gives us an opportunity to think about our eternal future now.
1. The rich man and Lazarus – Luke 16:19-22.
• When we compare these two men, it would seem that the rich man had it better
than Lazarus, the beggar.1
– The rich man seemed to have everything he needed and more.
– But Lazarus was very sick, he did not have enough food, and the dogs came
and licked his sores.
• The beggar died and was carried by the angels to “Abraham’s bosom.” The rich
man died and was buried.
Think:
2
We have not previously and will not now take
the time to teach the difference between Hades
and the lake of fire. Although Hades, to which
the rich man went, is not the final destination of
the unsaved, those who are there have already
entered into everlasting suffering.
After the Great White Throne Judgment, those
who occupy Hades will be cast into the lake of
fire which was prepared for Satan and his
angels (Revelation 20:10, 12-15).
“The Rich Man in Hell”
- Did the rich man’s wealth keep him from dying?
- Were his riches any help to him after he died?
- Where did Lazarus go when he died?
- He went to the place where Abraham was.
- What happened to the rich man? Where did he go when he left his body?
• When people die, they either go straight to be with God or immediately to the
place of punishment (2 Corinthians 5:8).
– Abraham had been buried before these other men died, but he was still living
with God.
– You will live forever with God in heaven, or you will be forever in the place of fire
and punishment for sin.2
2. The rich man’s cry for help – Luke 16:23-24.
• Jesus knew where Lazarus and the rich man went after they died (Psalm 139:7-8).
– He is God, so He knows where every person is, even after he has died.
165
3
Think: Did Lazarus go to the place of peace,
happiness, and acceptance with God because
he was poor on this earth? Did the rich man go
to the place of punishment because he was
wealthy? Does God reject the rich and accept
the poor? No! That was not the difference
between the two men.
The rich man went to hell, because he did not
agree with God that he was a sinner, and he
did not trust in God and His promises. The rich
man did not take time to think of God or to
believe His Word. He just lived his life on this
earth to enjoy his riches. He lived for himself
and did not care about God.
However, Lazarus was different. Because
Lazarus went to be with Abraham, we know
he must have agreed with God that he was a
sinner. He trusted in God and His promises.
4
If someone asks about “purgatory,” tell him
that the Bible does not mention purgatory.
(Purgatory is man’s false idea of a place
where a person can have another opportunity
after he dies to get things right with God.)
When you point out a false teaching like this,
do not attack the religion that teaches it;
simply state the fact that the particular
teaching does not line up with what the Bible
says.
– Lazarus went a the place of peace, happiness, and acceptance with God.
– The rich man went to the place of fire and everlasting punishment.3
• There is great suffering in hell.
– All who refuse to believe what God says in His Word will go there and suffer.
– God hates sin.
- God is not just threatening about the punishment for sin.
- All sin must be fully paid.
3. Abraham’s answer – Luke 16:25-26.
• Once people die and go to hell, there is no way they can escape or be delivered.4
• They die separated from God by their sin and remain separated from God forever.
4. The rich man remembers his brothers – Luke 16:27-28.
• Even though he was in terrible suffering, the rich man still remembered his
brothers.
• The rich man wanted his relatives warned so they would not have to
experience the same terrible punishment he was experiencing.
5. Abraham’s answer – Luke 16:29.
• Abraham told the rich man that his brothers have the writings of Moses and all the
prophets to learn from.
– No one needs to go to hell. If they listen to God’s Word, He will teach the way to
everlasting life through Jesus Christ.
6. The rich man’s argument and Abraham’s answer – Luke 16:30-31.
• If people refuse to believe God’s written word, they will not believe even if God
sent someone back from the dead to warn them.
– Even though the Jewish leaders saw Jesus raise another Lazarus from the
dead, they still would not believe.
7. Satan, our enemy, has truly deceived people!
• To most people, money, things, and even health seem more important than God.
Let’s look at this time line:
⇒
Visual, Time Line
Eternity
Past
Rewind
JESUS
Rich Man
Lazarus
2,000 Years
Today
Your Life
Eternity
Future
Heaven
S
The line in the middle represents time.
U
Re
lig
io n
s
Money
• You can see that it stretches endlessly in both directions, eternity past and eternity
future.
S
Satan
E
• Around two thousand years have passed since Jesus told the story of the rich man
J
Good
Works
å
1. When people die, where do they go?
a. to be with God in heaven
b . or to everlasting punishment
2. Who decides when we die? God
3. Will anyone be released from the place of
punishment? No. They can never escape.
4. Who deceives people about their future?
Satan, our enemy
5. How long is eternity? Forever
166
and Lazarus.
• Both of these men are still in the same condition as when Jesus told the story:
– Lazarus believed God; he is at peace with God.
– The rich man did not believe God while on earth; he is suffering in hell.
• There is no changing places; their future was decided while they still lived on
earth.
Look where we are on this time line. How long do you think your life will be — 50, 60,
70, 80 years? How long would that be on this chart? Not very far! Think about it, eternity
is a long time — forever. Satan wants us to think we have plenty of time to think.
Choosing to believe or not to believe God’s Word and trust in His provision for your sins
will determine where you spend all eternity. Do not delay making your choice!
Jesus Was Betrayed
Story
Aim
In this lesson, Jesus is shown to be the
Passover Lamb who died to save all mankind.
In the Lord’s Supper, the bread represents His
body, broken for mankind. The cup represents
His blood, shed for the sins of all mankind.
Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is shown as the plot of
Satan, who intended to keep Jesus from
delivering mankind.
The details of Jesus’ life are shown as the
fulfillment of prophecy.
Visuals
81, “The Triumphal
Entry”
The lambs and animals that the Israelites sacrificed were a reminder that the penalty
for sin is death. The Israelites were the ones who had sinned, but the lambs died in
their place. The lamb was a substitute, or a sacrifice, for the person who had sinned.
In the same way, Jesus would be the Passover Lamb for sinners. He would die, taking
the place of sinners.
Memory
Verse
own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name.
Remind the clubbers that Jesus came to save His own people, the Jews, but most of
them did not truly understand that they were sinners needing a Savior. They only
wanted the physical healing and the “things” He could give them.
Answers
1. B
82, “The Lord’s
Supper”
• Prophecy Chart
⇒
Chronological Map 3, Point to Bethany and
Jerusalem.
“The Triumphal Entry”
Read – Zechariah 9:9
John
1:11-12
John 1:11-12 – He came unto his own, and his
2. A 3. C 4. B
5. C
We have seen that the people were very happy to think that they were going to have
deliverance from the Romans. They were devoted to Jesus for what He could give
them as an earthly king. However, only a few saw Him as their Deliverer from Satan,
sin, and death (separation from God).
1. Jesus sent His disciples to get a young donkey for Him to ride – Mark 11:1-6.
• As Jesus and His disciples walked toward Jerusalem, they came to the little town
of Bethany, just outside of the city of Jerusalem.
– Bethany was the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
- Only a short time before, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead.
2. The people welcomed Jesus as the Deliverer – Mark 11:7-10.
• Jesus sat on the young donkey and rode into Jerusalem just as God had said that
He would.
• The crowds welcomed Jesus as the promised Deliverer from God.
– They praised Him as the one whom all the prophets had promised that God
would send to be their king.
– Sadly, most of the people did not trust in Jesus to save them from sin, Satan,
and death.
- They only wanted Jesus to be their king so He would deliver them from the
Romans who ruled their country.
3. The Jewish leader’s plan – Mark 14:1-2.
• The Jewish leaders were determined to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the
crowds.
– Jesus was very popular because of all the great miracles He had done.
4. Judas planned to betray Jesus – Mark 14:10-11.
• Judas was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples.
• He was not concerned about his own sinfulness before God.
167
1
John 12:6 tells us that Judas was a thief. As
keeper of the money bag, he helped himself to
what was in it.
⇒
Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover
“Betrayed by a friend.” Read the prophecy
Scripture, Psalm 41:9, on the left, and the
fulfillment Scripture, Mark 14:10-11, on the
right.
⇒ Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover “Sold
for thirty pieces of silver.” Read the
prophecy Scripture, Zechariah 11:12-13, on
the left, and the fulfillment Scripture, Matthew
26:14-15, on the right.
Exodus 12:21-27
⇒
82, “The Lord’s Supper”
2
When the Jews ate together like this, they
broke pieces of bread from the loaves on the
table, and then they dipped the pieces into a
large bowl in the center of the table. This bowl
usually contained mashed fruit.
Rewind
The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of
the world.
1. What did most people expect Jesus was
going to become? Their earthly king
2. What did the Jewish leaders plan to do?
Kill Jesus
3. Who was guiding Judas to help the Jewish
leaders kill Jesus. Satan
4. Why did Satan want Jesus dead? Because
Jesus was going to deliver sinners
from him and destroy him
5. What reason did Jesus give for why He
was dying? He would be giving His life
in the place of sinners
168
– He did not trust Jesus as the Savior of sinners.
– He followed Jesus for his own personal gain.1
• For just a small amount of money, Judas was willing to sell Jesus to His enemies.
– What God said in His Word came true.
- God said that a friend of Jesus would sell Him to His enemies.
- Judas had been a close companion of Jesus for three years.
• Satan was guiding Judas to betray Jesus.
– Satan hates Jesus because Jesus is God and He speaks the truth.
– Satan thought if he could get the Jewish leaders to kill Jesus, he would ruin
God’s plan to deliver sinners and eventually destroy Satan.
• Judas went to the enemies of Jesus and told them that he was willing to betray
Jesus for money.
– Matthew tells us that the Jewish leaders promised to pay Judas thirty pieces of
silver — the price of a common slave.
– Over five hundred years earlier, God had told His prophet Zechariah that this
was exactly what was going to happen to the Deliverer.
- The Word of God is amazing; not one detail of prophecy goes unfulfilled.
5. Preparation for the Passover – Mark 14:12-16.
• Who remembers what particular event the Jews were remembering when they
ate the Feast of the Passover?
• Jesus knew that the disciples would meet a man carrying a water jar.
– This was an unusual thing to see, because the work of getting and carrying
water was usually the women’s job.
- The Lord knows everything before it happens.
6. Jesus knew His betrayer – Mark 14:17-21.
• Jesus knew, without anyone telling Him, that Judas was going to betray Him.
• Still, Jesus loved him and was very sad to think Judas would do this to Him.
• Jesus said that the one who was going to betray Him was one of his twelve
companions who was sharing the meal with Him.2
– Jesus and the one who was going to betray Him were dipping pieces of bread
into the same dish.
– Even though they were sharing this meal together, very soon afterward, this
companion of Jesus was going to sell Him to His enemies.
• Jesus knew that He had to die, just as God had been telling people through the
prophets of the Old Testament.
– His betrayer, Judas, would be punished forever for his sins of selfishness and
his part in the murder of an innocent man — the Son of God, and, most of all,
because he rejected Jesus Christ.
7. The meaning of the bread and the wine – Mark 14:22-26.
• Jesus broke the bread and then explained that, just as He had broken the bread,
so His body would soon be broken by evil men.
• Jesus said that the drink which He poured out for them was a picture, or
illustration, of His blood which, when He died, would flow out of His body.
• Jesus said that when He died, He would be giving His life in the place of sinners.
Note: Through these words, you are actually giving the gospel. Be sensitive to share further
with any of the students who seem to be prepared to hear the gospel explained more fully.
It is impossible to think of how much Jesus loves us. He had never sinned, yet He was
going to die for all of us sinners. Everyone in the world, past, present, and future, needed
what He was going to do in our place.
Jesus Was Arrested
Story
Aim
This lesson presents Jesus’ arrest, one of His
false trials, and the cruel punishment He suffered
before His crucifixion. In His suffering, He is
shown to be sinless, holy, and uncomplaining
as He willingly takes our punishment.
Visuals
Ask your clubbers if they have ever been accused of something they did not do. Ask
How they felt about it. Then ask them if someone has ever taken the blame for something they did. Ask if anyone else has ever taken the punishment for what they have
done wrong. Ask them to think about this while you read the true story of Jesus’ arrest.
Memory
Verse
Isaiah
53:7
83, “Jesus Praying”
84, “Jesus Arrested”
Isaiah 53:7 – He was oppressed, and he was
afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth: he is
brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he
openeth not his mouth.
Isaiah was comparing Jesus to a lamb that is about to be killed and to a sheep that is
about to have its wool cut off. They do not cry out like some animals.
Answers
85, “Jesus Before
Pilate”
86, “The Soldiers
Mock Jesus”
• Prophecy Chart
83, “Jesus Praying”
84, “Jesus Arrested”
1
People today may not think of it either, but if
they oppose or ignore God’s Word and refuse to
trust Jesus as the Savior sent from God, they
are also being led by Satan.
1. A 2. B 3. C 4. B
5. B
We want our clubbers to clearly understand, that Jesus is God, and He came to earth
to be the Savior of sinners. He knew what was going to happen to Him; He had been
fulfilling prophecies which were written about Him hundreds of years before. He was
doing all this because of God’s love for us; it is God’s will. Jesus came to be our
Deliverer, and He was suffering the punishment that we deserved for our sins.
1. Jesus in Gethsemane – Mark 14:32-42.
• Even though Jesus was God, He was also a man.
– It was very difficult for Him to face the terrible things He knew He had to suffer.
– He knew that in order to be our Savior, He would have to go through more
terrible suffering than anyone has ever been through.
2. Jesus was betrayed and arrested – Mark 14:43-49.
• They probably did not know it, but Judas and all the men who came to arrest
Jesus were being guided by Satan.1
• Jesus knew that everything which had been foretold about Him in the Old
Testament would happen just as God had said.
3. The disciples all ran away – Mark 14:50-52.
• The disciples all ran away and left Jesus, just as He had predicted they would.
– They were afraid, disappointed, and confused.
– They believed that Jesus was the Savior sent from God, but they couldn’t
understand how He could be the Savior if He was going to be killed by His
enemies.
– They did not understand how His death could deliver them.
2
This is one of six false trials suffered by
Jesus. Three of the trials were before the
religious leaders; three were before Roman
officials. All of these trials were illegal because
of the way they were conducted and/or the use
of false witnesses.
4. Jesus was tried by the Jewish leaders – Mark 14:53-65.
• Peter followed at a distance. He was afraid that he, too, might be arrested.
• Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court.2
– Jesus had not done anything wrong.
– Therefore, they could not find any lawful reason to condemn Him.
– They did not have any reason to hate Jesus except that they loved their own
sinful ways and did not want to obey God’s words which Jesus had told them.
169
• When they told lies about Him, Jesus was quiet and would not answer.
3
Do you remember the name God called
Himself when Moses asked Him what he
should tell the people when they asked who
sent him? In Exodus 3:14 God said, “… I AM
THAT I AM … say unto the children of Israel, I
AM hath sent me. …”
The Jewish leaders knew of God’s name, “I
AM.” And they also knew that Jesus was
telling them that He was God.
•
•
•
⇒
“Smitten and spat upon.” Read the
prophecy Scripture, Isaiah 50:6, on the left,
and the fulfillment Scripture, Mark 14:65, on the
right.
⇒
85, “Jesus Before Pilate”
⇒
Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover “Silent
when accused.” Read the prophecy
Scripture, Isaiah 53:7, on the left, and the
fulfillment Scripture, Mark 15:3-5, on the right.
•
– Jesus was trusting in God, His Father, to do what He had planned for Him.
However, when they asked Him if He really was the Christ (meaning the promised
Deliverer) and the Son of God, Jesus answered very plainly that He was.3
– When Jesus came the first time to earth, He came to be the Savior.
The next time Jesus comes to this world, it will be as the almighty Son of God and
judge of all people.
– When He returns to this earth, everyone will see Him sitting alongside His
Father.
– Everyone will see that He is really God, because everyone will see that He is
equal to God, His Father.
When the Jews wanted to show that they were angry or upset, it was their custom
to rip their clothes.
– The high priest was very angry because, by His answer, Jesus had said that He
was equal to God.
Isaiah wrote almost seven hundred years earlier that Jesus would be beaten and
spit upon. Jesus suffered willingly, just as Isaiah had prophesied.
5. Jesus was tried by Pilate – Mark 15:1-5.
• The Jews could not kill anyone unless the Roman rulers gave them permission.
• Caesar, the Roman emperor, had appointed Pilate as the governor of Samaria
and Judaea.
• So, the Jewish leaders took Jesus to Pilate, hoping that he would sentence Jesus
to death, based on the false charges they had prepared.
• Jesus was a descendant of King David and should have been King over the Jews.
• The prophet Isaiah had said that the Savior would be silent when He was falsely
accused.
– Everything God says is always fulfilled in every detail.
6. Barabbas or Jesus? – Mark 15:6-11.
• It was the custom at the Passover that Pilate, the governor, would release one
prisoner for the Jews.
– Pilate knew that Jesus had done nothing wrong.
– He knew that the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus because they were
jealous of His popularity.
– Pilate hoped that the Jews would choose to let Jesus go free rather than
Barabbas, who was a murderer.
Rewind
7. The Jewish leaders wanted Jesus to be crucified – Mark 15:12-14.
• Crucifixion was used by the Romans for the very worst of criminals.
⇒ Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover “Rejected by Jews.” Read the prophecy Scripture, Isaiah 53:3, on
the left, and the fulfillment Scripture, Mark 15:10, on the right.
5, 1, 4, 6, 2, 3
1. Who was leading Judas and the Jewish
leaders to arrest and kill Jesus? Satan
2. What had Jesus done wrong? Nothing
3. What did Jesus say when someone lied
about Him? He didn’t answer.
4. Why did the high priest get angry and tear
his clothes? Because Jesus was saying
He was equal to God.
5. When did the Romans use crucifixion as the
way to kill someone? They used it on
their worst criminals.
170
8. Jesus was whipped and mocked – Mark 15:15-19.
• After the terrible whipping, the soldiers mocked Jesus.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 86, “The Soldiers Mocked Jesus”
– Repeated hits with the whip would have laid open Jesus’ skin, cutting his flesh,
muscle, and nerves. (This often caused a person to faint or die.)
– They dressed Him in a purple robe (the color kings wore during that time).
– They made a crown of twigs which had large, sharp thorns and put the crown
on Jesus’ head, mocking Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Jesus suffered terribly for you and for me — for my sins and for your sins. He did not
complain. Think about it!
Jesus Was Crucified
Story
Aim
This lesson presents the death of Jesus Christ
as the only payment for sin. It also gives the
detailed fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
The fact that Jesus paid for sin by death is
shown by the following points:
• Sin must be paid for.
• Jesus was sinless.
• Jesus was separated from God for our sins.
• Jesus did all that was necessary for our
deliverance from Satan, sin, and death.
Visuals
18, “Abraham Offers
Isaac”
Help your clubbers to understand how hard it was for Jesus to be separated from His
Father while on the Cross. The penalty for sin is death, and the full penalty must be
paid. Sin must be paid by separation from God. That is what we deserve. Jesus had to
be separated from God so we could have our sins forgiven. Jesus took our place!
Memory
Verse
1 Timothy
2:5
1 Timothy 2:5 – For there is one God, and one
mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus.
Explain that a mediator is a person who makes
peace between two sides that cannot come together without help. Jesus Christ is the
mediator. He is holy God who became a man and paid the full price for sinners. Now
people can come to God by faith in Jesus Christ.
the Pole”
60, “John the Baptist
Tells the People that
Jesus is the Lamb of
God”
87, “The Crucifixion”
• Prophecy Chart
• Visual, “God and Man”
• Visual, “God and Man - Jesus Christ”
“The Crucifixion”
Note: Point to the details shown in Chronological Picture 87, “The Crucifixion,” as you teach
through the remainder of this lesson.
“The Serpent on the Pole”
⇒ Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover “His
hands and feet pierced.” Read the prophecy
Scripture, Psalm 22:16, on the left, and the
fulfillment Scripture, Mark 15:24, on the right.
Uncover “His clothing gambled for.” Read
the prophecy Scripture, Psalm 22:18, on the
left, and the fulfillment Scripture, Mark 15:24,
on the right.
1
You are not asking the clubbers to confess
their sins to you. You are suggesting that,
before God, they consider their sins and believe
that Jesus Christ died for those sins for their
benefit. Do not force this; just give them a
moment and allow the Holy Spirit to work as
He desires.
Answers
1. C
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. B
Of all the events of history, the one we are going to study today is the most important.
Nothing else has ever, or will ever, affect the lives of men and women, boys and girls, as
much as this one event. We are going to study now what Jesus did for us so that we
can be fully accepted by God and never go to everlasting punishment.
1. Jesus was crucified – Mark 15:20-28.
• Golgotha was just outside the walls of Jerusalem.
• The drink prepared by the women of Jerusalem was given as an act of mercy to
help deaden the pain of those who were being crucified.
• Nails were pounded through Jesus’ hands and feet into the wooden cross.
• The cross was then placed in an upright position.
Remember:
Do you remember that Jesus told Nicodemus that, as Moses in the wilderness lifted up the
serpent on a pole, that Jesus, the Deliverer, also had to be lifted up so that sinners could be
saved from punishment (John 3:14-15)? Jesus was nailed to the cross and lifted up just as He
said He would be.
• Nearly a thousand years before, God had guided King David to write that the
Deliverer’s hands and feet would be pierced.
• David also said that the Deliverer’s clothes would become the prize in a
gambling game.
• Usually a sign was put above the criminal to indicate what crime he had been
found guilty of committing.
– Jesus had committed no crime, so Pilate said that a sign saying, “THE KING
OF THE JEWS” had to be placed above Jesus’ head (John 19:6).
Think:
Jesus was dying for sins: my sins, your sins, and the sins of the whole world. You and I are the
ones who deserved to be on the cross. He was taking our punishment.
Quietly, before God, think of what your sign would read. What are the sins that you know you
have committed?1
Jesus was taking on Himself all the shame and the full punishment for every one of those sins
171
as well as all the sins that we cannot remember doing. He was paying the full price for us: the
death penalty — for me, for you.
All of us were born separated from God because of Adam’s sin. On the cross, Jesus was taking
on Himself the full punishment deserved by all of Adam’s sinful descendants.
⇒
Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover “Die
with the wicked.” Read the prophecy
Scripture, Isaiah 53:12, on the left, and the
fulfillment Scripture, Mark 15:27, on the right.
⇒
“Mocked and insulted.” Read the prophecy
Scripture, Psalm 22:6-8, on the left, and the
fulfillment Scripture, Mark 15:29-32, on the
right.
• Through Isaiah the prophet, God said that the Deliverer would die in the company
of evil men.
2. Jesus was mocked while He was on the cross – Mark 15:29-32.
• Even though they crucified Him, He planned to rise up again three days later.
– The Jews did not understand that Jesus meant His body ( John 2:18-21).
- They thought He was talking about the temple in Jerusalem.
• King David had written that the Deliverer’s enemies would mock Him and laugh at
His sufferings.
– God knew exactly what was going to happen to His Son long before He came
into the world.
3. Jesus paid for sin by death – Mark 15:34-37.
• This is the event of which God’s prophets spoke and wrote.
– Jesus, the Deliverer, is the one whom they spoke about.
Remember: When we began, we said that the Bible is God’s letter to us.
- This is the heart of the letter.
- This is God’s message to each one of us.
- This is the reason God the Son came to this earth.
4. Here is what God has done so that we can be delivered forever from Satan,
sin, and death.
a. Sin must be paid for.
– God could never forgive us for our sin and accept us, unless the punishment for
our sin was completely paid.
- What is the punishment for sin? Death (Romans 6:23a).
- This means not only physical death, but separation from God in Hell.
– Therefore, the only way Jesus could deliver us was for Him to take our place
before God and be punished for our sins.
b. Jesus was sinless.
⇒
60, “John the Baptist Tells the People That
Jesus is the Lamb of God” (Matthew 3:17).
– Jesus did not have any of His own sins for which He must die.
- Jesus was perfect.
- When Jesus was baptized by John, God the Father said from heaven that
Jesus was His well-beloved Son with whom He was fully pleased.
– Because Jesus was sinless, He was able to offer Himself to God as the offering
for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Remember: From the time that man sinned, God said that whenever a person offered a lamb
or other animals to God, the animal had to be without fault. It must not be sick or injured.
Do you remember the ram God provided to die in place of Isaac? Do you remember which
part of it was caught in the bush? Yes, the ram was caught by its horns. If the ram had been
injured, it would not have been acceptable to God (Genesis 22:13).
God is perfect; therefore, any offering made to Him had to be perfect (Exodus 12:5).
⇒
18, “Abraham Offers Isaac”
– Because Jesus was without fault before God, He was able to offer Himself to
God in our place.
- Just as a ram died in place of Isaac, so Jesus came into the world to take our
place before God and to die instead of us.
c. Jesus was separated from God for our sins – Mark 15:33-35.
– Consider Jesus’ sufferings:
- He had been betrayed by one of His disciples, falsely arrested, falsely
accused, tried without a just cause — rejected by the very people who should
have received Him as their King and Lord.
172
Jesus Was Crucified (continued)
–
Habakkuk 1:13 says, “Thou art of purer eyes
than to behold evil, and canst not look on
iniquity …”
–
Isaiah 53:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 1:29
–
1 Peter 2:24; 3:18
–
- He was cruelly beaten, whipped, and crucified.
- Now He hung there on the cross, exhausted, bleeding, in agony.
But none of these things troubled Him as much as what He was going to
experience to complete the punishment due for our sins.
- Why did Jesus say, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
- It was because God turned His back on Jesus.
God turned away from Jesus and left His dear Son completely alone. Why did
God do this terrible thing to Jesus?
- Jesus always obeyed God and His laws.
- He had never done anything wrong.
- God was punishing Jesus for my sins, for your sins, and for the sins of the
whole world.
During this time on the cross, Jesus was separated from God, His Father, as
the punishment for our sins.
Jesus suffered the complete punishment for our sins so that God could freely
(without cost to us) forgive and accept as His children all those who agree with
God and trust only in Jesus.
Remember:
In the beginning, God told Adam that if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
he would die; Adam would be separated from God, who had given him life. This meant that
Adam’s body would die, and after death, he would be separated from God in the place of
terrible punishment which God prepared for Satan and his angels. Sin must be paid for by
separation from God.
⇒
Visual, “God and Man”
man
GO D
This is why Jesus had to be separated from God. It was the only way He could pay for our
sins.
– The people around the cross misunderstood what Jesus had said (Mark
15:34).
– Jesus died and gave His life for us.
d. Jesus did all that was necessary for our deliverance from Satan, sin, and death.
Read
finished.”
– John 19:30 says, “… It is
– Mark tells us that Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up His spirit, but
Mark doesn’t tell us what Jesus said.
- However, John, another one of Jesus’ disciples, wrote what He said.
Think: What did Jesus mean? Did He mean that He was finished? No, He had said
before that He would rise again after three days. What then was finished?
– The work that He came into the world to do was completely finished.
- Jesus came into the world to deliver sinners from Satan, sin, and death.
– He finished this work by being separated from God and by giving His
blood and His life as the full payment for our sins.
– Jesus paid to God all that was necessary for our sins.
– All those who agree with God and trust in Jesus and His death for
them are forgiven by God of all their sins.
- God gives them the gift of everlasting life.
- There is no longer any need for anyone to be separated from God.
– Jesus Christ did for us what we could not do for ourselves — that is, bring
us to God.
173
⇒
Visual, “God and Man - Jesus Christ”
man
JESUS
CHRIST
GOD
Died
for
Our
Sins
2
Remember: In the garden of Eden, God
promised that He would send a Deliverer
(Genesis 3:15), and God kept His promise.
Jesus finished the work which His Father had
given Him to do for us.
Adam’s sin separated all men from God.
But the death of Jesus Christ on the cross,
brings all those who put their faith in Christ into
fellowship with God forever (Romans 5:12-21).
– The work Jesus did for us by dying on the cross is the only work that God will
ever accept as payment for our sins.
– When we put our trust in what Jesus did for us on the cross, we are brought
into fellowship with God through Jesus Christ.2
5. The veil in the temple was ripped – Mark 15:38.
Remember:
This thick curtain, or veil, hung in front of the inner room in the temple. God had told the Jews to put
this curtain in front of the most holy place so they would never forget that because of sin, they were
shut out of God’s presence. This was the place where the high priest came every year to sprinkle
the blood of animals (Leviticus 16:12-16).
• Who do you think ripped this curtain from the top down to the bottom?
Hebrews 9:1-28; 10:1-18
–
Have your clubbers recite John 3:16.
Rewind
Jesus gave His blood and His life as the full
payment for our sins.
1. Why was Jesus crucified? To die for our
sins and the sins of the whole world.
2. Why did it become dark for three hours
while Jesus was on the cross? It was
God’s sign that Jesus was taking the
punishment for sin by being separated
from God.
3. What did Jesus mean when He said, “It is
finished”? Jesus meant that He had
completed the work given to Him by His
Father which was to take on Himself the
complete punishment for sinners.
4. Why was there no longer a need for animal
sacrifices to be made? Because God was
completely satisfied with the payment
Jesus made to Him for sinners.
5. Why is the way back to God for all mankind
open again? Because Jesus gave His
blood as the complete payment for sin.
174
– God Himself did!
• God did it to show that He was fully satisfied with the payment that Jesus made to
Him for sinners.
– There was no longer a need for animal sacrifices to be made.
– The blood of animals could never pay for sin.
• When Jesus died, God ripped the curtain. He was completely satisfied and
there was no more need to offer the blood of animals.
– The way back to God was open because Jesus gave His blood as the
complete payment for sin.
6. People who saw Jesus die – Mark 15:39-41.
• The centurion was in charge of one hundred soldiers.
• These were women who trusted in God’s Word and had accepted that Jesus was
the promised Savior.
7. Jesus was buried – Mark 15:42-46.
• Even as Jesus was buried, prophecy was being fulfilled.
– Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man.
– Jesus was buried in the burial cave which belonged to Joseph.
⇒ Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover “Buried with the rich.” Read the prophecy Scripture, Isaiah 53:9,
on the left, and the fulfillment Scripture, Mark 15:43-46, on the right.
Remind your clubbers that Jesus did everything that was necessary to pay the full
punishment we deserve for our sins. Tell them that they can say, “Jesus took my
punishment — all of it. I don’t have to take any more punishment for my sins. Jesus took
it all for me. God accepts me because I believe in Jesus who died in my place and paid
the full price for all of my sins. Jesus paid it all. To be accepted by God, I don’t have to
do anything except to trust in Jesus as the one who died for me.”
Be ready to talk with any of your clubbers who would like more explanation, who express a desire to
be saved, or who want to give testimony to their faith in what Jesus has done for them. Do not try to
force their testimony; simply answer their questions and ask them what they believe.
Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension
Story
Aim
This lesson covers the events of the empty
tomb, Jesus’ appearance to His disciples, His
instructions to His followers, His ascension into
Heaven, and His promised return.
Clubbers will also be taught:
• That Jesus Christ died for their sins and that
they can be saved only by believing in Him.
• That Jesus will return, not to save but to
judge unbelievers.
Visuals
88, “The Resurrection”
Help your clubbers to see how important it is to share what they have learned about this
wonderful Jesus who suffered, bled, died, was buried, and rose again for us — this
Jesus who is coming again! Ask your clubbers to think of whom they can share what
they have learned. They may suggest parents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters,
grandparents, friends, neighbors, teachers, storekeepers, etc.
Memory
Verse
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – For I delivered unto
you first of all that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures; and that he
was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
1 Corinthians
15:3-4
This is the gospel message. Remind clubbers that these verses are recorded as
historical fact. Jesus Christ came to earth and died for our sins, was buried, and rose
again!
90, “The Ascension”
Answers
1. B
2. C
3. A 4. B
5. C
• Prophecy Chart
1
A clubber may ask how the time works out to
three days and three nights. You might tell him
that though we will not take the time to study it,
the Jewish way of telling time makes this
statement more understandable. A good Bible
commentary will explain how it is figured out.
2
The Jewish leaders would not allow the
people to work on their Sabbath, which was the
next day. So the women waited until the first
day of the week to come and wrap His body
with the spices.
3
You can still see today in the area of
Jerusalem tombs which date back to the time of
Jesus. Some of these burial caves, cut into the
rock, have a huge, circular rock door set in a
groove so the rock can be rolled across the
entrance, just as described in this passage of
the Bible.
“The Resurrection”
When we began to study the Bible, we talked about the fact that the Bible is a true
history. Of all history, Jesus Christ is the central person. His story is true. We are not
studying about some religious leader; we are studying the true story of God the Son, the
Almighty God who came to earth to be our Savior.
1. The women came to the tomb – Luke 24:1-2.
• Jesus was dead and buried in the tomb for three days and three nights.1
• At the end of this time, on the morning of the first day of the week, some of the
women who had believed in Jesus, and who were there when Jesus was buried,
returned to the burial cave.
• It was the custom of the Jews to put sweet-smelling spices on the bodies of the
dead before they were buried.
• However, Jesus had been buried in a hurry.
– They had not had time to put the spices on His body.2
• These women came early on Sunday morning to put the spices on the body of
Jesus.
– They expected to find His body still in the tomb.
• The women did not know that God had sent His angel to roll the heavy stone
away from the entrance to the grave where the body of Jesus had been buried.3
2. The angel’s message – Luke 24:3-12.
• The body of Jesus was not in the tomb.
• And, to add to their surprise, they were greeted by two angels!
• Jesus had risen from the dead, just as He said He would!
• Jesus is God.
– He came down to earth and became a man to deliver us from Satan, sin, and
death.
– Jesus knew before He left heaven that He must give His life for our deliverance.
175
⇒ Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover “Will
rise again.” Read the prophecy Scripture,
Psalm 16:10, on the left, and the fulfillment
Scripture, Luke 24:6, on the right. Tell your
clubbers that this is the fulfillment of God’s
Word.
Romans 1:1-4; 10:9
4
Jesus did not have any sin of His own, but
He accepted the responsibility of paying the
complete price for our sins. The complete price
for our sins had to be paid if we were to be
accepted by God. Jesus took our place before
God, the Judge, and God punished Jesus
instead of us.
5
If you agree with what God has written in His
Word and trust only in Jesus and His payment
for your sins, then God forgives all of your sin,
and He accepts you and gives you the gift of
everlasting life.
Rewind
1. God wants us to accept His forgiveness of
our sins and eternal life!
2. Satan wants us to reject Jesus’ payment
for us and continue to follow him.
1. What did the women find when they went to
the cave where Jesus was buried? The
stone had been rolled away; Jesus was
gone.
2. What happened to Jesus’ body? God had
raised Him from the dead.
3. What does the resurrection of Jesus show
us? Jesus was the Son of God and the
Deliverer.
4. How can we be forgiven by God and
receive the gift of everlasting life? By
agreeing with God that we are helpless
sinners and trusting only in Jesus who
died as the payment for our sins and
rose from the dead to give us eternal
life
5. Why did Jesus tell His disciples to go into all
the world and preach the Good News? So
all people could hear and believe in
Jesus and His death, burial, and
resurrection for them
176
– He also knew He would rise again and that never again would He die.
• All of Jesus’ followers should have been waiting for Him and expecting Him to rise
from the dead.
• He had told them many times before He died that He would rise on the third day.
3. God is satisfied with Jesus’ payment for our sins.
• We are sure that Jesus is the Son of God and the promised Deliverer because
God raised Him from the dead.
– The Jewish leaders crucified Jesus because He claimed to be the Son of God
and the Deliverer.
– But God raised Jesus from the dead so that everyone would know that Jesus
was who He claimed to be.
• God would not have raised Jesus if He had not been fully satisfied with the
payment which Jesus had made on the cross.4
– God showed us that there is no more to pay by releasing Jesus from death and
raising Him back to life.
• So now that our debt is paid, how can we be delivered from Satan, sin, and
everlasting separation from God?
– We must put our complete trust in the Lord Jesus, believing that He gave His
blood as the full payment for our sins and rose again from the dead to give us
eternal life.5
4. Jesus appeared to some of His followers – Luke 24:13-44.
• Even though Jesus was with them, they did not recognize Him.
• Then Jesus taught them, just as we have been doing, talking about the Old
Testament prophecies about Himself.
• As Jesus began to break the bread, as He had done with them many times
before, they suddenly knew that it was Jesus!
• Later, when the disciples were gathered together, He appeared to them again.
5. Jesus last words to His disciples – Luke 24:45-48.
• This was Jesus’ command, not only to His original disciples, but also to all those
who believe in Him and accept His payment for them.
• This is why we have studied the Bible together — so we can hear, understand,
and believe this wonderful Good News and be able to share it with others.
6. Jesus ascended into heaven – Acts 1:9.
• After Jesus commanded His disciples to take this Good News to every person, He
left them and returned to His Father in heaven.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 90, “The Ascension”
⇒ Show Prophecy Chart. Uncover “Will go back to heaven.” Read the prophecy Scripture,
Psalm 68:18, on the left, and the fulfillment Scripture, Acts 1:9, on the right.
7. Jesus will come again – Acts 1:10-11.
• Two of God’s angels said Jesus is coming back to this earth again!
– When Jesus comes again, He will be the Almighty Judge. All those who have
not repented and trusted in Jesus and His payment for them will be thrown,
along with Satan and all his angels, into the everlasting fire ( Acts 17:30-31).
The disciples went out and told others about Jesus, and many thousands of people
believed their message. Many of these people went out and told still more people! We
have not seen Jesus with our eyes, but we can believe that Jesus came into the world
and that He died for our sins and rose again on the third day. We can know it and
believe it, because God has written it in the Bible. We, too, must decide — do we
believe and accept what God has written, or do we continue to follow Satan into the
everlasting fire?
The Meaning of Christ’s Death - 1
Story
Aim
This lesson presents the meaning of Christ’s
death when looking in light of three Old
Testament passages. It will also show clubbers:
• That mankind is helpless to save itself.
• That salvation is by faith.
• Their need to personally put their trust in the
Lord Jesus Christ and His death as the only
acceptable payment for their sins.
Visuals
6, “The Leaf
Coverings”
The Old Testament is like God’s road sign because many of the things recorded in the
Old Testament pointed forward to the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord
Jesus (we will discuss the resurrection later). In our lesson today we will review some
of these Old Testament events and see how they pointed forward to the Lord Jesus and
His death for us on the cross.
Memory
Verse
Romans 5:8 – But God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans
5:8
Explain that God loved us so much that even though
we are sinners, He gave His own Son’s life to save us from our sin.
7, “Adam and Eve
Driven from the
Garden”
8, “Cain and Abel
Bring Offerings to
God”
10, “Noah’s Ark”
• Visual, “To Be Accepted By God”
• Visual 16, “One Door”
⇒
“The Leaf Coverings”
Answers
1. No
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. C
Many people who have heard the gospel have never seen Christ in the light of the
whole Word of God. They have available to them the answer to their need, but they
have not fully understood their need, for they have not seen that God is holy and
altogether righteous. They see salvation as a free gift, but their focus is on what they get
out of it, rather then on the One who gave it.
This lesson will give you the opportunity to present the death of our Lord Jesus Christ in
light of the Old Testament foundations which were laid by our Lord Himself. Our God
delights in teaching us to know who He is, who we are, and that we are sinners,
separated from Him, in desperate need of a Savior — Jesus Christ — who has already
paid the complete price to restore us to a right relationship with God.
1. God killed animals and made clothes from the skins for Adam and Eve.
• Do you remember what Adam and Eve did when they sinned and realized they
were naked?
– They made coverings of leaves (Genesis 3:7).
• Did God accept the clothing they made?
– No, instead, He Himself killed animals and made clothes for them (Genesis
3:21).
• Because they were unacceptable to God, He sent Adam and Eve out of the
garden; they no longer could fellowship with God.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 7, “Adam and Eve Driven from the Garden”
• But because He loved us, He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to die for us so we
could be made acceptable to Him.
• How then must a person respond to God in order to be accepted by Him?
⇒
Visual, “To Be Accepted By God”
Note: You have been teaching salvation by
God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Do
not complicate it or pollute it with many “steps”
or “things to do.”
TO BE ACCEPTED BY GOD, A PERSON MUST:
Admit that he or she is a sinner.
Put his or her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as his or her Savior, believing
that when Jesus died on the Cross and shed His blood, He made full
payment with His life for our sins.
177
1
Think: There is nothing we can do to make
ourselves acceptable to God. Going to church,
doing good deeds, giving to the poor, — all of
these are things we should do, but none of
these will make us acceptable to God.
⇒
“Cain and Abel Bring Offerings to God”
2
Do you remember what John the Baptist said
about the Lord when John saw Him walking
toward him on the banks of the Jordan river
(John 1:29)?
Rewind
3, 7, 10, 1, 6, 4, 5, 8, 2, 9
1. When Adam and Eve sinned, what did they
make for themselves? Coverings of
leaves
2. What did God think of their coverings? He
did not accept them. He made them
new clothes.
3. What had to die in order for God to make
these coverings? Animals
4. Who had to die to cover our sins to make
us acceptable to God? Jesus
5. How many ways are there to God and
eternal life? One — through faith in
Jesus Christ
6. How must a person respond to God in order
to be accepted by Him?
a. Admit that he is a sinner.
b . Put his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
as his Savior, believing that when
Jesus died on the Cross and shed
His blood, He made full payment
with His life for our sins.
178
• If you put your faith only in Him (not in what you can do), then He will forgive your
sins and accept you as perfectly right before Him.1
• God will accept you, not because you are sinless, but because the Lord Jesus
who died in your place is sinless.
• God put the clothes He made on Adam and Eve.
– In a similar way, God clothes, or covers, all believers with the righteousness of
the Lord Jesus.
2. God accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s – Genesis 4:1-5.
• Whose offering did God accept? Abel’s.
• Why did God reject Cain and the things he brought?
– God rejected Cain because he came to God in his own way, according to his
own ideas, and not in the way God had commanded.
- God had likely made it clear from the beginning that, whenever anyone
came to worship Him, he must bring an animal, kill it, and allow its blood to
run out.
- God said to do this because He knew that one day His own Son would give
His blood to pay for the sins of the world.
• Abel was a sinner too, but he was accepted by God, because he trusted in God
to save him and brought the blood sacrifice God required.
– The lamb that Abel killed and offered to God reminds us of the Lord Jesus.2
– God accepted Abel because he trusted in Him and brought the right offering.
• Jesus was God’s Lamb, sacrificed for the sins of everyone in the whole world.
• God accepted all those who put their faith in the Lord Jesus and His blood that He
shed for their sins.
3. God saved Noah and all in the ark.
• Do you remember reading in the Bible about the way people were living in Noah’s
time, before the flood (Genesis 6:5)?
• Finally, because the people refused to listen to God’s warning given through
Noah, God said He was going to destroy the world by a flood (Genesis 6:7).
• Did God intend to destroy Noah who, like Abel, knew he was a sinner and
trusted in God to send a Deliverer (Genesis 6:8-9, 13-14)?
• How many doors did God tell Noah to make in the ark? One (Genesis 6:16).
⇒ Visual 16, “One Door”
• There was only one way they could enter the ark and be saved from God’s
judgment.
– Before the flood came, the animals and Noah and his family all entered by the
one door, and God shut them in.
– Inside the ark, they were safe from God’s punishment on the sinful world.
– Everyone outside died in the flood because they refused to believe God and
enter the ark by the one door.
⇒ Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture 10, “Noah’s Ark”
• That door reminds us of the Lord Jesus who is the only way to eternal life.
– When anyone believes that Jesus died for his sins and puts his trust only in Him,
God forgives his sins and gives him eternal life.
– Don’t be foolish like the people in Noah’s day who refused to enter the ark and
be saved.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: No man cometh unto
the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
The Meaning of Christ’s Death - 2
Story
Aim
This lesson presents the meaning of Christ’s
death when looking in the light of two more Old
Testament passages. This lesson, too, will
show clubbers:
• That mankind is helpless to save itself.
• That salvation is by faith.
• Their need to personally put their trust in the
Lord Jesus Christ and His death as the only
acceptable payment for their sins.
Visuals
“Passover Blood
Applied to the
Doorposts”
Share your testimony of salvation with your clubbers. It may be something like this: “I
have agreed with God that I am a sinner and have trusted in the Lord Jesus and His
death for me. I know I have eternal life because Jesus paid for all my sin.” Tell them if
they trust only in Jesus and accept His death as the payment for their sin, God will
forgive them, and give them everlasting life, too.
Memory
Verse
Ephesians
1:7
Ephesians 1:7 – In whom we have redemption
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace.
Explain that in this verse redemption is the payment
Christ made for our sins — with His blood — even though we didn’t deserve it.
Answers
1. C
2. A 3. C
4. B
5. B
35, “The
Components
of the Tabernacle”
• Visual, “Jesus — One Sacrifice for Sins”
1
To hasten the death of a crucifixion victim, the
guards would break the leg bones. This made it
impossible for the person to use his legs to push
up to help him breathe.
However, John 19:32-33 says that when the
soldiers came to break the bones of Jesus and
the two men who were crucified with him,
Jesus was already dead. They did not break
his bones.
Do you remember that this was one of the
requirements of the passover lamb? The
Israelites must not break its bones. So Jesus
fulfilled every requirement of the perfect sacrifice
for sin.
⇒
27, “Passover Blood Applied to the Doorposts”
This lesson will continue to give you the opportunity to present the death of our Lord
Jesus Christ in the light of the Old Testament foundations which were laid by our Lord
Himself. Do not rush these lessons. It is important that the clubbers understand the
gospel message fully and clearly.
1. When God saw the blood, He passed over the Israelites’ homes.
• Another story that points forward to the Lord Jesus and His death for sinners is the
passover.
• All the Egyptians lost their firstborn children and animals.
• The Israelites would have lost their firstborn, too, but God made a way for them to
escape.
a. A lamb without blemish – Exodus 12:5.
– God commanded each Israelite family to choose a perfect lamb.
– These perfect lambs of the Israelites remind us of the Lord Jesus:
- He was born without sin; He lived a sinless life.
– Because Jesus was sinless, He could be accepted by God as the payment for
our sin.1
b. The lambs had to die – Exodus 12:6.
– The Israelite family had to keep their lamb until God told them to kill it.
Compare:
The lamb had to die and its blood had to be shed if the firstborn child was to be saved from
death.
In the same way, it was necessary for the Lord Jesus to give His blood as the payment for
our sins.
There was no other way we could be saved from God’s judgment on our sins.
c. The lamb’s blood had to be placed on the top and sides of the door frame –
Exodus 12:7.
– Even though the Israelites killed the lamb and caught its blood in a basin as
God had commanded them, the firstborn child would still have died unless they
did the next thing God commanded them.
– This teaches us that just knowing that we are sinners and that the Lord Jesus
179
2
Compare: The Israelites had to put the blood
of the lamb on the door frames of their houses
to show God they were trusting in the blood to
protect them from the angel of death.
In the same way, we have to trust personally
in the Lord Jesus and His death as the
payment to God for our sins.
died for our sins will not save us from God’s terrible judgment.2
– We must believe that what the Lord Jesus did on the cross was for each of us
as individuals. Jesus died for you and me personally.
- Only in Jesus can we find forgiveness of our sins.
d. None of the Israelites’ firstborn died – Exodus 12:27.
– Did the angel of death kill any firstborn child inside a house where the blood
had been applied? No!
- God always does what he says.
Compare:
God said He would pass over every house where He saw the blood, and He did.
In the same way, you can be absolutely certain that, if you trust in the Lord Jesus and His
death for you, you will never face eternal punishment for your sins (John 3:16).
2. God covered the sins of Israel when the blood was placed on the mercy seat.
⇒
35, “Components of the Tabernacle”
Note: Point to the inner room, The Holy of
Holies. As you continue to teach the lesson,
point to the various details of the tabernacle.
Read – Hebrews 9:7; 10:1-10
Remember:
After God delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians, He led them to Mount Sinai. Here at this
mountain God gave them His commandments. His commandments showed them they were helpless
sinners and deserved to die. However, because God is also loving, merciful, and gracious, He
instructed Moses to have a tabernacle built where He would meet with His people and forgive
their sins.
Once a year the high priest was to go past the thick curtain and enter the inner room of the
tabernacle and sprinkle the blood of a lamb on the mercy seat between the two cherubim.
Year after year, animals were sacrificed and their blood sprinkled on the mercy seat.
But the blood of animals could never pay for sin. These offerings only pointed to the Lord Jesus
who was going to provide the one complete sacrifice for sin by the giving of His own perfect life.
• Do you remember what God did in the temple when Jesus died (Mark 15:37-38)?
3
Give the clubbers time to answer this
question if they can.
Rewind
P R E D E M P T I
A N R I
O N E
– This is the curtain that hung in front of the most holy place.
– Why did God tear the curtain in two?3
– God wanted everyone to know that Jesus had paid the full price for sin.
- There was no longer any need to offer the blood of animals.
Jesus made the full payment for sins — once for all!
⇒ Visual, “Jesus — One Sacrifice for Sins”
F D E A T H W R
Y G V E O B L O O D A U
JESUS CHRIST: One Sacrifice for Sins Forever
M R L D O P V H M G T S
E A I
L D M L O V I
T E T E R N A L L I
Believers
demonstrated their
faith in God
F E
1. What kind of lamb were the Israelites
commanded to use? A perfect lamb
2. How do these lambs remind us of Jesus?
Jesus was perfect. He was sinless.
3. Why isn’t it enough just to know that Jesus
died on the cross for sins? We must also
believe that Jesus died on the cross for
each of us individually.
4. What did the Ten Commandments show the
Israelites? That they were helpless
sinners who deserved to die
5. Why did God tear the curtain in two when
Jesus died? Jesus had made the full
payment for our sins — once for all.
There was no longer any need to offer
the blood of animals.
180
A.D.
B.C.
N G
N C R O S S E L L T R W
Believers
who saw
Jesus’ death
for them
Believers
who look back
to Jesus’ death
for them
• Jesus Christ made the full payment for everyone.
Everyone who believed in the coming Deliverer in the Old Testament times — men like
Abraham, Moses, and David — were fully forgiven because Jesus died for them on the
cross.
Everyone who lived in Jesus’ time and trusted in Him — was also forgiven by God and
accepted by Him.
Since that time, millions of people from countries all over the world have looked back to
what the Lord Jesus did when He died for them, and they have trusted in Him as their
Savior.
Story
Aim
been taught during the last 12 lessons. You may
make more questions or adapt questions to the
ages of your clubbers.
This is the last lesson in this series of lessons
on the biblical foundation of the gospel message.
It should be your goal that every one of your
clubbers has a clear understanding of how to
receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. If
they have a clear understanding of God’s plan
of salvation through Jesus Christ, then they
have no choice but to accept or reject what
Christ has done for them.
Give your clubbers opportunity to ask you
questions. This is too important a time in their
lives to rush them away because of time. If you
need help with knowing how to give guidance
to those clubbers seeking your help, please
refer to the section on “How to Lead a Child to
Christ” on page 25 of your Teacher’s Guide.
You may also wish to review some of these
important truths with any clubber who doesn’t
have a clear understanding of the gospel
message.
to have an Awana Quiz with the clubbers. These questions cover only the last 12
lessons.
Examples: Who can recite Ephesians 2:8-9? What verse tells us salvation is a gift of
God? Answer the question and quote the memory verse which answers this question.
See the Awana Card for the 12 verses. Clubbers can earn bonus points for reciting all
the verses on the back of the Awana Card.
In the past 12 lessons we have continued studying from the New Testament part of the
Bible. In these lessons we learned about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, especially the Pharisees and scribes, and how religion apart from admitting sin and having
faith in God is meaningless — man’s good works or riches cannot save him. We
emphasized the fact that Jesus is God and the only Savior, the only door to God and to
eternal life. We learned how Jesus has compassion and can understand the sorrows
of people. We also learned about the hatred the Jewish leaders had for Jesus and how
they had Him arrested, the false trials, and the cruel punishment He suffered prior to
His crucifixion. In His suffering, He is shown to be sinless, holy, and uncomplaining as
He willingly takes our punishment. We saw Jesus’ death on the cross as the only
payment for sin; Jesus was separated from God for our sins; He did all that was
necessary for our deliverance from Satan, sin, and death. Because God accepted His
payment for our sins, God raised Him from the dead. Jesus went to heaven and will
return again.
clubbers to better retain the information in their minds. Review will also help you, as a
important is what your students have learned! An excellent way to know what has been
learned is to ask questions.
next lessons.
meetings.
181
disagree.
Review Games
one team can’t answer a question, let the next team have a chance to answer that
1. What did Jesus mean when He said that those who believe in Him will never die?
Jesus meant that they will never be separated from God in the fire of everlasting
punishment.
Answers to verse match
on Awana Card
5,8,1, 9, 10, 7, 3, 12, 11, 2, 4, 6
2. Why does Satan want to make people believe in reincarnation?
He wants them to think that they will not have to suffer judgment for their sins nor
eternal separation from God in the lake of fire.
3. Is there another way to God for people in other countries?
No. Jesus is the only Savior for all people everywhere.
4. Jesus was God. Why didn’t He stop the leaders from crucifying Him?
Because He wanted to die for our sins. He was the only one who could do it for us
because He was perfect. Only a perfect human could die in our place. God had to
become man in order to take our place.
5. Where is Jesus now? In heaven.
6. What will Jesus do when He comes back to earth again? He will be the almighty
Judge. All those who have not repented and trusted in Jesus and His payment for
them will be thrown, along with Satan and his angels, into the everlasting fire.
7. Why did Jesus tell His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel?
So all people could hear and believe in Jesus and accept Him as their Savior.
182
Teacher’s Guide
Part 4
Optional
Council Time
Lesson Plans
TruthSeekers Teacher’s Guide - Optional Lessons
183
Please take note:
1. Throughout the book, several references are made to information contained in other components of
the Awana TruthSeekers program (e.g. Storytime. Let’s Think it Through, Rewind, etc.). These references are to be ignored when the lessons are used as a stand-alone Council Time resource.
2. We strongly recommend that you use visuals when teaching these lessons. You may purchase the
Awana TruthSeekers Teacher’s Guide Visuals book, or visual aids are available through New Tribes
Mission. These visuals were made to accompany the chronological teaching lessons in their
children’s edition of Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ from which these lessons were adapted.
Instructions on how and where to use all visuals are found on page 29 of this Teacher’s Guide.
3. The Aim section is designed to give you an idea of what needs to be emphasized in each lesson.
When multiple lessons are to be covered in one week, it is important to keep the objectives of each
lesson in mind.
184
TruthSeekers Teacher’s Guide - Optional Lessons
Chronological Bible Lessons
Creation to Christ in 48 Lessons
Week 1: The Bible is God’s Word (1) and God Alone (2)
Week 2: God’s Angels (3) and The Rebellious Angel (4)
Week 3: Something from Nothing (5) and God Created Everything (6)
Week 4: God Created Man (7)
Week 5: The Garden of Eden (8)
Week 6: God Made Eve (9)
Week 7:
Adam and Eve Disobeyed God (11)
Week 8: God’s Curse and Promise (12)
Week 9: God’s Judgment and Provision (13)
Week 10: Cain and Abel (14)
Week 11: God Judges the Whole World (15)
Week 12: God Remembers Noah after the Flood (16)
Week 13: God Calls Abram (17), and Abram Obeys (18)
Week 14: God’s Promises to Abram (19)
Week 15: God Destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (20)
Week 16: God Gave Isaac to Abraham (22)
Week 17: Isaac’s Sons (23)
Week 18: God’s Promise to Jacob (24)
Week 19: Jacob’s Son Joseph (25), and Israel Goes to Egypt (26)
Week 20: The Israelites Become Slaves (28) and God Called Moses (29)
Week 21: God Sent Plagues on Egypt (30)
Week 22: God Passed Over Israel (31)
Week 23: God Delivers Israel at the Red Sea (32) and God Provided for Israel (35)
TruthSeekers Teacher’s Guide - Optional 48 Lessons Plan
185
Week 24: God’s Promise to Israel (36)
Week 25: The Ten Commandments (37)
Week 26: Tabernacle (38)
Week 27: Israel’s Unbelief (39)
Week 28: Israel in the Promised Land (40)
Week 29: God Prepares the Way for the Deliverer (41)
Week 30: God’s Plans for John and Jesus (43)
Week 31: God Sends the Deliverer (44)
Week 32: Jesus is Baptized (45)
Week 33: Jesus Rebuked Satan (46)
Week 34: Jesus Begins His Work (47)
Week 35: Religious Leaders Reject Jesus (49)
Week 36: You must be Born Again (48)
Week 37: Jesus Chooses 12 Disciples (50)
Week 38: Jesus Heals a Demon-possessed Man (51)
Week 39: Jesus Fed Five Thousand People (52)
Week 40: It Must Be God’s Way! (54)
Week 41: Jesus Was Transfigured (55)
Week 42: Jesus is the Door to Eternal Life (56)
Week 43: Jesus Raised Lazarus from the Dead (57), and The Rich Young Ruler (58)
Week 44: Heaven or Hell? (59)
Week 45: Jesus was Betrayed (60), and Jesus Was Arrested (61)
Week 46: Jesus Was Crucified (62)
Week 47: Jesus Resurrection and Ascension (63)
Week 48: The Meaning of Christ’s Death Part 1 and Part 2 (64 and 65)
186
Week 4: God Created Man (7)
Week 5: The Garden of Eden (8)
Week 6: God Made Eve (9)
Week 7: Adam and Eve Disobeyed God (11)
Week 12: God Remembers Noah After the Flood (16)
Week 13: God Calls Abram (17), and Abram Obeys (18)
Week 14: God’s Promises to Abram (19) and God Destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (20)
Week 15: God Gave Isaac to Abraham (22)
Week 16: Isaac’s Sons (23), and God’s Promise to Jacob (24)
Week 17: Jacob’s Son Joseph (25), and Israel Goes to Egypt (26)
Week 19: God Sent Plagues on Egypt (30) and God Passed Over Israel (31)
187
Week 23: Tabernacle (especially points 1, 2, 7, 8, and summary) (38), and Israel’s Unbelief (39)
Week 24: Israel in the Promised Land (40)
Week 25: God Prepares the Way for the Deliverer (41) and God’s Plans for John and Jesus (43)
Week 27: Jesus is Baptized (45), and Jesus Rebuked Satan (46)
Week 28: Jesus Begins His Work (47), and Religious Leaders Reject Jesus (49)
Week 29: You must be Born Again (48)
Week 30: Jesus Chooses 12 Disciples (50), and Jesus Heals a Demon-possessed Man (51), and
Jesus Fed Five Thousand People (52)
Week 31: It Must Be God’s Way! (54), and Jesus is the Door to Eternal Life (56)
Week 32: Heaven or Hell? (59)
Week 33: Jesus was Betrayed (60), and Jesus Was Arrested (61)
Week 34: Jesus Was Crucified (62)
188
Week 4: God Created Man (7), The Garden of Eden (8), and God Made Eve (9) High points to cover
this week include (7) What it means to be created in the image of God and God’s ownership
of man because He is the creator. (8) The fact that the penalty for sin is death and what
death means. (9) The fact that God created Eve perfectly suited for Adam.
Week 5: Adam and Eve Disobeyed God (11)
Week 10: God Remembers Noah After the Flood (16), God Calls Abram (17), and Abram Obeys (18)
For Lesson 16, the Tower of Babel should only be briefly mentioned to allow time for other
points which are to be covered this week.
Week 11: God’s Promises to Abram(19) and God Destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (20)
Week 12: God Gave Isaac to Abraham(22) with summary of Lessons 23-27, line of Isaac and Jacob/
Israelites
Week 14: God Sent Plagues on Egypt (30) and God Passed Over Israel (31)
Week 18: God Prepares the Way for the Deliverer (41) and God’s Plans for John and Jesus (43)
189
Week 20: Jesus is Baptized (45), Jesus Begins His Work (47), Jesus Chooses 12 Disciples (50), Jesus
Heals a Demon-possessed Man (51), and Jesus Fed Five Thousand People (52) Note: For
Lesson 45, emphasize John calling Jesus the Lamb of God. This lesson is to prove that Jesus is
God through miracles and His authority in teaching.
Week 21: It Must Be God’s Way! (54)
Week 22: Jesus Was Arrested (61) and Jesus Was Crucified (62)
190

Teacher`s Guide Lessons 1

Transcription

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