The Biblical Path of Life

Category: Year One Quarter Two

  • Lesson 4 (Lesson 17): Genesis 37 – 50: Joseph

    Key Verse

    “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

    As you read the verse Romans 6:23, help your students understand this key verse as they complete the opening worksheet.  Make sure your students understand the key verse and the importance of recognizing the greatest gift God ever gave – His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sins.

    Summary:  In this lesson we will remember the familiar Bible events of Jacob and one of his sons, Joseph.

    Joseph was the 11th son born to Jacob.  He was a godly young man in spite of adverse circumstances in his life.  God used him to save his family from starvation during a time of famine throughout the lands.

    Today we will recognize God’s blessings upon Joseph’s life – for although he endured many problems (his brothers hated him; sold into slavery; falsely imprisoned; forgotten; etc.) he remained faithful to God.  And God blessed Joseph’s life.  Joseph was the last major person in the book of Genesis.

    In the Old Testament, Joseph is one of the people we compare to a picture of Christ.  In the past few weeks, we have seen where God promised to send One who would deliver a sinful people from their sins.  The first was when man sinned in the Garden (Gen. 3:15).  Then we saw where God promised Abraham that all people would be blessed through his descendants (Gen. 22:18).  We even saw a picture of what God would do – lay down the life of His Son.  This week, we see once again the promise of a mighty deliverer that would come (Gen. 28:14).  And better yet, we see a picture of a mighty deliverer in Jacob’s son, Joseph.  When Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, they meant it for evil – Genesis 50:20:  “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”  God sent His Son, Jesus to save the world from their sin.  He was the greatest gift ever given.  But sinful man crucified him (evil against Him), and God took what man intended to be evil and delivered us from our sins by Jesus’ death.  Just as Joseph recognized when he was placed in a position to save the world from starvation, Jesus came to save the world from “the wages of sin … death” and instead give us the “gift of God … eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Notice the faithfulness of Joseph, and the blessings of God upon him.

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 17 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 17 – 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:  (See picture below). We made a foam book with pages inside that we wrote (or drew) ways to “Honor God” (much like Joseph did in his life). Another time we took a picture of Joseph’s coat and used foam stickers to “color” it, or tissue paper glued to make it many colors.

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural. Today, have them think of the greatest gift they can remember.  Have them recognize that as great as that gift was, Jesus is the greatest gift of all.  Have them think of ways they can, and should, tell others about the greatest gift ever, Jesus.  Help them decorate a picture of a gift box telling that Jesus is God’s gift to us.  Remind them that just as Joseph saved from starvation, Jesus came to save mankind from their sin.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.

    Lesson 17

     

  • Lesson 3 (Lesson 16): Genesis 25 – 36: Jacob

    Key Verse

    “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” Revelation 21:7

    Help your children understand the key verse as you help them complete the opening worksheet.  Today we will learn the change that took place in Jacob’s life as he learned to trust God, inheriting the promise of Abraham.  Make sure they understand the key verse and the importance placing one’s trust in God.  God always keeps His promises.

    Summary:  In this lesson we look at the life of Jacob, the 3rd major person in the book of Genesis..  He and Esau were twins.  Jacob was the younger twin born to Isaac.  God knew before Jacob was even born what kind of a man he would become; for he chose to walk with God.  Because God had told Rebekah that Jacob would rule over Esau, she encouraged him to trick his father out of the family blessing, preempting God’s plan.  This caused contention, hatred, and grief from his brother for many years.  Jacob had to flee for his life to another land.  On the way, Jacob had a dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder into heaven.  God spoke to him and gave him the promise of Abraham.  Jacob obeyed his parents and chose a wife from his mother’s family.  But, Jacob was then tricked by Laban, his mother’s brother, who gave him the wrong daughter, Leah, in marriage.  Jacob had to work 14 years to gain the woman he loved, Rachel, Leah’s sister.

    When God told Jacob to return to his homeland, he obeyed.  On the way, he wrestled with an angel of the Lord all night.  It was the pre-incarnate Christ.  During that struggle, Jacob was renamed Israel (which means prince of God).   God blessed Jacob with 12 sons and 1 daughter.  These sons became the 12 tribes of the nation Israel.

    In the past two lessons, we saw where God promised to send One who would deliver a sinful people from their sins.  The first was when man sinned in the Garden (Genesis 3:15).  Last week, we learned that God had promised Abraham that all people would be blessed through his descendants (Genesis 22:18).  We even saw a picture (when Abraham offered Isaac) of what God would do – lay down the life of His Son, Jesus.  In this lesson, we see once again the promise of a mighty Deliverer that would come (Genesis 28:14).  Remember God’s promise was fulfilled when He sent His Son, Jesus, to save the world from their sin. Jesus was the greatest gift ever given.

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 16 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 16 – 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!

    One idea for today’s lesson:  (See picture below). Take a piece of black construction paper, some wooden popsicle sticks, peel and stick stars, a sticker of a Bible times man, a sticker of a rock and some angels, some cotton balls and glue.  Glue the wooden popsicle sticks to the paper making a ladder.  Fluff the cotton balls and glue them around the top to make a sky.  Put the rock sticker on the bottom with the Bible time’s man (as if he is using the rock as a pillow). Stick the angels on the ladder (as if ascending and descending on the ladder).  Fill the night sky with the stickers of stars.  Glue a print out of Genesis 28:15 on it.

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.  Encourage them to write a promise God made in His Word, the Bible.  Remind them that God always keeps His promises.    Add these to your mural, as a reminder that God always keeps His promises.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.

  • Lesson 2 (Lesson 15): Genesis 12 – 24: Abraham and Isaac

    Key Verse

    “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” James 2:23

    Read today’s key verse with your class.  Help them understand with the following:  imputed means counted; to put to his account, either in his favor or what he must be answerable.  Righteousness means that righteousness which has regard to God and the divine law; especially internally where the heart is right with God; piety toward God, and hence righteousness; i.e.:  to regard as evidence of piety, hence the righteousness which is in or through faith in Christ.

    Summary:  Abraham believed the promise God made in Genesis 3:15 (God would send one to deliver mankind from their sins).  It is proven in his faithfulness to obey God’s call upon his life.  He was faithful to leave his home and walk the land God promised would belong to his descendants (even though at this point he and Sarah were old and without any children).  Abraham believed God would give him a son, just like He promised.  Even when the promise was fulfilled and he had his son, Isaac, Abraham was faithful to obey God when God asked Abraham to give him back.  And because of his righteousness (faith that Jesus would come), he was called the Friend of God.

    This lesson helps us to understand that “righteousness” before God is when we have faith in Jesus:  see II Corinthians 5:21:  “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 15 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 15 – 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!

    For today’s lesson, we took a 5×7 foam sheet and put a sticker of a Bible looking man on the bottom.  The children then put a whole bunch of stickers of stars on the top. We placed the verse James 2:23 on the bottom to remind them that because Abraham believed God (and acted upon that belief), he was called the friend of God.

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.  Today, have them consider Abraham.  Are they willing to change the course of their life to follow God, just like Abraham did?  Have them write (on a puzzle piece or construction paper) ways we can live a righteous life before God.  Add these to your mural, as a reminder to please God with our lives.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.

     

  • Lesson 1 (Lesson 14): Genesis 1 – 11: 4 Main Events: Creation, Fall, Flood, Babel

    Key Verse

    “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

    After reading today’s Key Verse with your class, help them understand by explaining that because we are humans, we cannot understand the things of God.  We must learn to trust Him with all of our heart.

    The events in today’s lesson are mainly things we cannot really understand.  That is why we must rely upon God and not our own understanding (see today’s Key Verse.)  God created everything out of nothing.  That is amazing if you think about it.  Who can understand how that is possible?  God gave mankind everything they would ever need inside the garden.  He only asked one thing – don’t eat of the fruit of one particular tree in the garden (Genesis 2:15-17.)  But that is exactly what Adam and Eve did.  They disobeyed God and ate of that one fruit.  They didn’t trust God’s Word, but leaned on their own understanding.  When Eve saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and that it was a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit and ate it (Genesis 3:6.)   She tried to understand.  She didn’t trust God’s Words.  By the time you get to Genesis chapter 6 mankind had become exceedingly wicked.  So wicked, God wanted to destroy all of His creation.  “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8.  God spared Noah and his family.  But by chapter 11 of Genesis, the people had once again decided to choose what they wanted over what God told them to do.  God had told the people to go and to fill the earth, but they came together and built a city and a tower to the heavens – to make a name for themselves.  Once again, God intervened in man’s affairs.

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 14 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 14 – 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!

    For today’s lesson, we had stickers (and cut outs from magazines) of things God created and let the children stick (or glue) them on some construction paper.  We also had the verse Genesis 1:1 printed out for them to glue to the paper.  The idea is to have them understand that God created the world, animals, people, plants, flowers, etc.

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.  Today, have them choose an area in their lives in which they have not yet trusted God.  Have them write at least one way they can begin to trust God in that area.  Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.