Key Verse
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3
Read the Key Verse with your class. One thing almost every child learns from a very young age is that God loves them. What they may not understand is that God’s love is an everlasting love to those who belong to Him. In the world today, love is a much overused word. We “love” hamburgers, fries, candy bars, football; the list is endless. Today we want to help our students understand “perfect” love – a love that is everlasting. The best example of a perfect love is the love God has for the world in sending His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins (Romans 5:8). Help your students understand the love God has for His people. As we begin our lesson today, help them understand that this is the depth of the love God intended between a man and a woman. Man is not complete, nor is a woman, without the other: Genesis 2:18: “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Today we will look at Solomon’s description of this kind of love.
Summary: Today we finish the Personal Books, concluding with the Song of Solomon. Song of Solomon is a collective love song written by King Solomon as to a young maiden. Within we find the beauty of a perfect love. We will study the Song of Solomon from the basics of a man who loved a woman, and a woman who loved him. Since we are teaching children, we will remind them that just as God loved us and sent His Son, Jesus, we are to love Him with all of our hearts. If our students can learn to love Jesus with all of their hearts, then their hearts will be prepared to one day love a man or a woman. Remember, Christians are the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”). Keep this thought in mind as we study the Song of Solomon, for the Song of Solomon is a picture of the love of Christ for his church, and the love the church should have for Christ, under the guise of a bride and groom.
Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!
Emphasis: To understand “true love” we must turn to God’s Word. Just as Jesus loved us (his bride) so much He gave His life for them, we, too, are to love Him with all of our “heart, soul, mind, and strength” (Mark 12:30). In loving Jesus, our hearts will be prepared to love one another (John 13:34).
Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:
Lesson 51 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1
Lesson 51 – Volume 1 Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet
Ideas for children:
Stickers always work well with children. Often times I watch Wal-Mart or Oriental Trading Company for specials or deals on things I can use for crafts for Sunday School (i.e. foam sheets, Bible Story scene stickers, crowns, stick on jewels, construction paper, etc.). I keep a stash and when I need something, I go search in my stash! Pinterest always has great ideas!
You could have a coloring sheet that goes with the lesson.
One idea for today’s lesson: For today’s lesson you could have your students cut out a very large heart from a red piece of construction paper. They could either use markers to write or draw ways that we can show Jesus that we love Him. (Ideas: read and memorize verses from our Bibles, faithfully go to church, be kind to others, obey Mom and Dad, treat our brothers or sisters kindly, do something nice for someone else, help others, etc.)
Mural idea:
Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.
By now your class should be in a groove as to the direction and areas in which they need to focus and work on to improve their Christian lives. Use this knowledge to help you address specific areas in each lesson that your class can discuss and share as you add new things to your mural. Continue to watch as your class grows in their knowledge of not only God’s Word, but areas in their lives that can be corrected, drawing them closer to the Lord.
Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall. Encourage everyone to participate.
