The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: tabernacle

  • Lesson 4 (Lesson 43): Psalms 73-89: Book 3

    Key Verse

    “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?”    Psalm 77:13

     

    Read the Key Verse with your class.  Ask your students if they like to go to church.  According to our memory verse, attending church is important to God.  That is how we know the way to live a life pleasing to God.  Help them understand the word sanctuary:  a sacred place dedicated to the things of God.  The church today is a place where we gather to focus upon the things of God and to learn of the things of God.  There is no one (or any thing) greater to place our focus and attention upon than God, our God.

    Summary Today we continue with the second of the Personal Books, Psalms.  Remember that the Psalms is broken up into 5 books.  We will look at book three of the Psalms (chapters 73-89) today, comparing them to the book of Leviticus.  If you remember, the main theme of Leviticus was the tabernacle.  That was the tent set up to hold the things of God and where man was to go to meet God.

    When the tabernacle was completed, God spoke to Moses from the tabernacle instead of Mount Sinai.  Once the people were free from the land of bondage, they needed to know how to live.  There was great emphasis placed on the importance of being a sanctified people – set apart from the world and the things of the world.  The people were to learn how to live as a people wholly given to God, in every aspect of their lives.  Leviticus showed the ability to have fellowship with God when man came to Him as a sanctified people.  (Because He is a Holy God and we are a sinful people.)

    The first eleven Psalms of the third book of the Psalms were written by Asaph (he was one of the Levites David appointed to minister before the Ark of the Covenant with songs in I Chronicles 16:4-5.)  We see him at one point as he struggled with jealousy over the prosperous wicked, until he went to the “sanctuary of God” – then he understood.

    We also reemphasize the importance of learning from history (again), and what happens to those who forsake God.  Through this book of the Psalms, we will learn the importance of God’s house, and the importance of serving Him.  It ends with a praise encouraging us to make God’s faithfulness known to “all generations.”

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

    Emphasis:  We are to learn the importance of not desiring the things of this world, but placing our focus (our heart’s desires) upon the things of God.  The one place we can go to achieve this purpose, is the church (the sanctuary – that place dedicated to the things of God).

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 43 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 43 – 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).  For today’s lesson I took a coloring of a church building.  I cut out the windows and doors.  The students were able to glue different colored pieces of small tissue paper to the back to make the windows look stained glass or just colorful.  They then took time to color the church building.  We are to encourage them to understand that the church building is a special place because it is the place God’s people go to meet together to place our attention on God and the things of God.

     

    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.

     

  • Lesson 2 (Lesson 28): Joshua 12-24: Possessing the Land

    Key Verse

    “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” Proverbs 4:26

     

    Read the Key Verse with your class.  Help them understand the word “ponder” means “to think about.”  They should think about where they go and what they do.  We need to be sure we only go the places God would approve of.  When we walk with God, He will bless us.  That is why it is important to “ponder the path of thy feet.”  Today, we see instances when God’s people choose to allow God to establish their ways.

    Summary:  Joshua opens with a listing and remembering of the lands and kingdoms conquered.  God tells Joshua how the land is to be divided.  The land is distributed and the people finally occupy the land (13-24), making it the land of Israel.  The people set up the tabernacle in the city of Shiloh (18).

    We also see a great conflict today, one that could have caused a civil war among God’s people.  We have a great example of a potentially divisive matter being handled in a godly manner, an example we all should heed today.

    We close today with a mighty challenge from Joshua:  choose this day who you will serve.  Joshua constantly reminded the people about God and what God had done for them.  He encouraged them to make a commitment, just as God’s people need to do today.  We must decide, each individual person, who we will serve.  In Joshua, we see God’s people choose to serve God.

    Until Joshua and his leading of God’s people into Canaan, they were a nation without a land.  At the close of Joshua, they are now a nation with a land mass.

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

    Emphasis:  We must choose for ourselves to obey and serve God.  We will then see God bless and establish us as His people.

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 28 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 28 – 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).  For today’s lesson we took an oval foam sheet to make a hanging verse.  We put a foam sticker of a Bible times’ house, a cross and some heart stickers (you can choose different ones) and then we glued today’s key verse to it.  The idea is to remember that each house must choose to serve the Lord.

     

    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.

  • Lesson 7 (Lesson 20): Leviticus 1-20: The Way to God

    Key Verse

     “And he (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”  I John 2:2

    Read today’s memory verse with your class.  Propitiation is a word most children have never heard before.  Help them understand with the following:  Propitiation means an abbreviated definition is the means of putting away sin and establishing righteousness – not by man’s ability to appease God with any of his offerings (for man is unable to offer anything to placate God), . . . Jesus is presented as the righteous One; . . . reconciling us to God, allowing us to be acceptable for fellowship with God (see also Romans 3:25.)  The propitiation of Christ is very personal “the propitiation for our sins”.

    By Jesus’ death, He cleansed us from sin rather than covering it for a time – as in the Old Testament sacrificial system.  God provided his son, Jesus, as the righteous One (I John 2:1).  So, Jesus is the propitiation, made for the whole world (all who would believe), which supplies the method of deliverance from our sin, reconciling us to God, and making us acceptable for fellowship with God. Our students need to know that we are all sinners and God cannot look on sin.  Only Jesus can take that sin away (that propitiation).  Today’s lesson will help us somewhat understand the Old Testament sacrificial system.  Then we can better understand the sacrifice of Jesus.

    Summary:  Once the tabernacle was completed, God spoke to Moses from the tabernacle instead of Mount Sinai.  Now that they were free from the land of bondage, the people needed to know how to live as a sanctified people. God instituted the Offerings (ch. 1-7), the Priesthood (ch. 8-10, 12-22), and a Clean Lifestyle (ch. 11-20.)  They must understand the foundation of a relationship with God on the basis of the propitiation (appeasement from God’s wrath) from a blood sacrifice.  Leviticus shows the ability to have fellowship with God when we come to Him as a sanctified people.  (Because He is a Holy God and we are a sinful people.)  Through these many things, the people were to learn how to live as a people wholly given to God, in every aspect of their lives.

    In the book of Leviticus, “sweet savour” is mentioned 16 times in reference to the offerings God requires of them.  Compare this to what God says in Ephesians 5:2: “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”  Notice that Jesus’ death was a “sweetsmelling savour” to God – once and for all.

    Emphasis:  To understand that the book of Leviticus shows us the importance of the blood sacrifice needed before we could be reconciled to God, enabling us to have a relationship with him.  Leviticus helps us understand why in the New Testament; Jesus had to give His life as the one time only, perfect sacrifice.

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 20 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 20 – 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 took a small bag and filled it with potpourri.  We then tied the verse Ephesians 5:2 to the bag.  This was a “sweet smelling” bag to remind us of the “sweet-smelling savor” we learned about in class.  It is to help us remember the importance of living a life pleasing to God after the gift Jesus gave of His life for me.

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural. Today, help them realize just how real sin is.  It is even real in their lives.  Have them think of an area they need to recognize as sin in their life that is not pleasing God (they do not have to share, just acknowledge to themselves).  Help them commit to work on living a clean life before God.  A lot of times, the sin on the inside shows up on the outside (how they dress, hairstyles, makeup, language, etc.).  Have each of them draw a cross on the shape of a heart that has their name on it.  Encourage them to remember that God knows their heart and it is their job to keep Jesus first there.

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