Quarter 5: Week 5: Rahab shows her faith in God

Joshua 2

New Testament verses referring to Rahab

Hebrews 11:31

"By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies."

James 2:25, 26  
"And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."

RAHAB HAD A FAITH THAT WORKED!!!
RAHAB HAD A FAITH THAT SHOWED ITSELF IN LIFE!!!

Quarter 5: Week 4: God calls Joshua to be His servant

Joshua 1:1 - 9

EMPHASIZE the fact that Joshua is not the heroes!!
God is and He is going to use Joshua to do His work for His glory!
God is 

LESSON: 
The passage of scripture for this Sunday is one of my favorites.  I am going to share why tonight and Tuesday at the teacher meetings.  Please plan to come to one of them.  
Here is a teacher tip for the lesson:  A great reminder over and over again to be strong and courageous BUT don't forget to remind the kids the reason Joshua was to be strong and courageous was BECAUSE of who God is. 

MEMORY VERSE:  
First of all I want to let you know about a schedule.  A review date was in the schedule but was removed so we could complete Judges and Ruth  in the same quarter.  In removing the review lesson I forgot to adjust the memory verses, which is why the verses are now one week off.  

Here are two ways  you can use my mistake in your lesson.  These are suggestions...
1.  Moses taught it. (Deuteronomy 31:6, 7)
God said it.
Moses taught it to the people.
Moses taught it to Joshua.
Joshua remembered it.

Just as we learned in Deuteronomy 6, God's word needs to be taught to young people.

We need to know who God is and what He has said in His word.  We also need to teach these things to others.

2.  God reminded Joshua.  
How many of your parents or teachers have ever had to repeat something to you.
God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous. (1:6, 7a)
God commanded Joshua to know and do the truth of God's Word. (1:7b, 8)
God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous (1:9)

We need to remember who God is and that is done by studying God's word.

Lesson activities:  

1. Repeat some phrase throughout the entire lesson.  Ask the children if they can repeat it.  For younger children, repeat a motion or shorter phrase and see if they can repeat it.  
2. Refer back to the picture I gave you a couple of weeks ago with Moses on the other side of the river (click HERE). 

Quarter 5: Week 3: God promises to bless or curse

Deuteronomy 11:28

Quarter 5: Week 2: God calls Israel to love through obedience

Deuteronomy 6

This passage of scripture is called the Shema - the Hebrew word for Hear is Shema
It is referred to in almost every Christian parenting book.

"Hear, O Israel:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one..."  Deut. 6:4

One writer wrote the following about Deut 6:7:

They [children] are also to be included as the family studies God's word as it relates to current things that are discussed during breakfast, as the morning paper is being read, or on a walk as the day's events are thought of in the city streets, or in the fields.

Activities and reminders for families to remember to rehearse God's word would be helpful.

Acting out verse 7 could be very helpful
  Practice the memory verse while sitting
  Practice the memory verse while walking in place
  Practice the memory verse while lying down

Here is a really important lesson to remember.  This is what we have been trying to help the kids see from the beginning of this curriculum.

Hear O Israel, the Lord Our God, the Lord is One.
"The Shema begins with a reference point.  An undeniable, non-negotiable understanding that there is one God and He alone is God.  This is the beginning of spiritual formation.  It's the first step of faith.  It is the most foundational truth to pass on to the next generation."   from Shift:  What It Takes to Finally Reach Families Today.

Remind children of this foundational truth.

Quarter 5: Week 1: God requires obedience

Deuteronomy 4

Use the pictures and color to get attention and ask questions.

I colored sections of these two pictures.

The colored sections are used to help tell the story.

1.  The river shows that the people were right not quite in the Promised Land. The problem had been wandering in the dessert for 40 years and were just about to go into the Promised Land.

2.  Moses stood before the people and reminded them of God's faithfulness.

3.  The cities in the distance show that God has provided for the people.

1.  What is the boy in green doing?


2.  What do you think the man in purple is thinking?













There will be copies of these colored sheets in each of your class rooms to use if you want to use them.

Quarter 4: Week 13: Review

Sorry I got these up late...

Think about this as summary for this quarter.

Some review questions:
  What did God provide?
  How did the people complain?
  How did God show His love?

God is the boss. 
  He is the one who has told His people what to do.
  He is the one who has provided His people what they needed.
  
The people complained.
  The people complained about the food God provided.
  The people complained about God's plan.
  The people complained about God's leaders.

God showed mercy to His people because of who He is.


We have a tendency to complain.
This is a problem.
This is sin.

There is an answer.
This answer is not "Be Happy"
The answer to our sin problem is trusting in God and His Plan

The answer is Jesus.
 
"The problem (with moralistic teaching) lies in the fact that such teaching becomes a menace to faith because it makes the ministry of Christ irrelevant by seeming to make God's love dependent on our works."

Quarter 4: Week 12: God blesses Israel through Balaam

Remember these challenges to parents:
Help your child apply these truths in the following ways 
By serving and obeying God in everything he does.

By checking his motives to be sure they are for God’s glory

By remembering that God’s blessing is unchangeable.

BIG IDEA:  Obeying God for the right reasons not selfish ones. 

In this story don't focus on the supernatural aspect of the talking donkey.

God used the talking donkey to get balaam's attention. 

Balaam was open to listen to what God had to say after this dramatic experience.

God's faithfulness demands our faithfulness.

THANK YOU TO THE SUMMER CHILDREN'S MINISTRY TEACHERS!!!

Thank you for serving this quarter.  As it comes to an end in a couple of weeks, I especially want to thank you for your flexibility and hard work.  Sometimes it seems like challenges come together.  I want you to know that I am aware that two things have made this quarter challenging:

1. The construction project and all the classroom moving and reorganizing that many of you had to do.  Also, I know the larger class sizes, especially during 2nd service have not been easy.  BY THE WAY, THE SUNDAY SCHOOL OFFICE HAS BEEN MOVED TO ROOM 200, first room on the left of the chapel hallway.
   
2. The lessons for this quarter on the law were challenging especially considering some you may not have taught or known very well some of the sections of scripture we covered.  I know they were especially challenging for the younger ones.  We will be getting into some of the more familiar stories this fall quarter:  Joshua, Rahad, Samson and Gideon.  Thank you for your work in preparing, teaching and helping in the classrooms.  I specifically want the 2/3 year olds teachers and helpers know that we have had some good conversations with Jadyn about repentance, sacrifice and complaining  THANKS!

Also, as we come to the end I want to STRONGLY ENCOURAGE you to talk to people about serving in the children's ministry.  As we prepare to go into the new building in the fall, not September, we are hoping to split some of the classrooms up into smaller groups.  This means that we will need more teachers. 

This Fall has potential to be exciting.   A new building, a new sports ministry and families getting involved in their children's lives.  Please be in prayer for Andrea, me, the fall teachers already in place, potential teachers and especially the children and families we will be discipling.

Pressing on,
David Rodgers
Acts 20:24

Quarter 4: Week 11: God Offers Israel Healing from Sin

As this lesson is taught, think about the titles for the previous three lessons:  I

Israel rejects God's ________.  

Then this week's lesson is God offers healing. Despite Israel's rejection of God and His plan over and over again, He offers healing to them.  

And people say that God in the Old Testament is all wrath and no love!