Jesus Forgives the Woman Caught in Sin Lesson Aim: To recognize the difference between judging a behavior and judging a person.

Transcription

1 Leader s Guide: Ages Kings & Kingdoms Part 1: The Life of Jesus Unit 2, Lesson 7 Jesus Forgives the Woman Caught in Sin Lesson Aim: To recognize the difference between judging a behavior and judging a person. THE WORSHIP Who God Is: The King Who Serves THE WORD What He Has Done: Jesus forgave the woman and stopped the condemnation. Scripture Focus: Key Verse: John 8:11 Christ Connection: Jeremiah 17:13 THE WAY The Big Question: What is the difference between judging a behavior and judging a person? UNIT 2 FOCUS VERSE Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Luke 9:23-24 Unit 2: The King Who Serves Bible Story What He Has Done Lesson Aim* 7 Jesus Forgives the Woman Caught in Sin, 8 Jesus Answers Nicodemus, John 3: Jesus Talks with the Woman at the Well, John 4:6-30, Jesus Visits Mary and Martha, Luke 10: Jesus Seeks Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1-10 Jesus forgave the woman and stopped the condemnation. Jesus answered Nicodemus questions about being born again. Jesus taught the woman about eternal life and His identity. Jesus encouraged Martha to spend time with Him. Jesus sought Zacchaeus and went to his home. To recognize the difference between judging a behavior and judging a person. To explore what it means to be born again. (Salvation message) To understand how only a relationship with Christ can satisfy our deepest thirst. To gain perspective on the importance of time with Jesus. To see that Jesus pursues and transforms us. LEADER S ENCOURAGEMENT This week, read Hebrews 4:16. Please join us in praying, Thank You, Lord, for the way You draw us to You and teach us. Fill us with Your Spirit that we might teach the students. Amen. Lesson Aims are based on reflecting God s character as we participate in His actions to, for, and in the world. Take Home Elements: The Journal Entry, Action Card, and Family Discussion Card may be sent home to encourage students to reflect on the lesson. The Journal Entry is an in-depth personal study. The Action Card is a visual reminder of the Bible story, God s action, and how we can join into that action. The Family Discussion Card gives parents and guardians a way to engage their students in what they are learning. Leader s Tip: For larger gatherings, teach THE WELCOME, THE WORSHIP, and THE WORD in a large group setting and divide into small groups for discussion with THE WAY. Permission is granted to reproduce these materials. Not for resale. Use is subject to the Terms of Use available at ResourceWell.org. Terms are subject to change without notice. All other rights are reserved. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 7 ~ Ages ~ Page 1 of 6

2 Getting started THE WELCOME Suggestions: Choose a game that focuses on concepts related to the lesson such as judgement, forgiveness, writing, stones, or traps. ACTIVITY OPTION 1: IT S A TRAP! Purpose: To introduce the element of the Pharisees and teachers attempting to trap Jesus with their questions. Supplies: Blindfolds, cups of water or water balloons Prepare: Set up a traps by randomly placing the cups (or water balloons) in a marked section of ground. This game works best if traps are close together and if teams are close together. Directions: 1. Divide students into teams of 4-6 players. 2. Give each team a blindfold. The team chooses one person to wear the blindfold. 3. The blindfolded players stand at one end of the playing area and the teams stand at the other end. 4. On your signal, the blindfolded players must make their way across the playing area to their teams as quickly as possible without hitting a trap. The team members help them by shouting directions. a. If a blindfolded player hits a trap, their team is out. b. Leaders (and other teams) may shout random directions to try to throw off players. 5. The first blindfolded player to make it across the playing area to their team wins. ACTIVITY OPTION 2: STONE TOSS Purpose: To introduce the element of stones in today s story. Supplies: 1 pebble per student, 1 paper plate for every 4-6 players, permanent markers, masking tape Prepare: Draw concentric circles on each paper plate to look like an archery target or dartboard. Directions: 1. Create a tossing line and a target line about 15 feet apart. 2. Divide students into teams of 4-6 players. Teams line up behind the tossing line. 3. For each team, place a paper plate in front of them on the target line. 4. Give each student a pebble. Have students write their initials on the pebble and/or decorate it with permanent markers so they know which pebble is theirs. 5. On your signal, each group has a pebble toss competition. The student who tosses his or her pebble closest to the middle of the paper plate (bullseye) is the winner of that group. 6. In tournament style, have the winners from each group play one another until the final winner is determined. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 7 ~ Ages ~ Page 2 of 6

3 The King who serves THE WORSHIP Note to Leader: The instructions below are suggestions only. Adapt this time of worship to suit your environment, resources, and cultural expression. Encourage students to broaden their view of corporate worship by including a variety of expressions such as group prayer, group praise, silent meditation, singing, listening to music, reading scripture, collecting an offering, drama, dance, visual arts, and/or a physical exploration of nature or neighborhoods. Ideas for Optional Visuals: The Seven Stars of Lent If this lesson is taught during the Lenten season (the 40 days before Easter), we recommend the Seven Stars of Lent activity located at ResourceWell.org under Children - Other Resources. Choose one star for each week of the Lent season. Today, we worship God as the King who serves us and gave His life for us while we were still sinners. He humbly serves us even though we do not deserve it and did not earn it. Read Unit 2 Focus Verse: Luke 9: Sing worship songs that focus on Jesus who humbly serves the ones He came to save. Read Psalm 103:8-12. Invite students to offer sentences of praise to God by completing the following sentence: Lord, we worship You for. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 7 ~ Ages ~ Page 3 of 6

4 Jesus forgives the woman THE WORD Presentation Note to Leader: Adapt this segment to your setting (Sunday School class, youth group, multi-age gathering, youth camp, retreat, etc.). In some settings, you may choose to have a student read the scripture aloud, and then have the leader, in his or her own words, briefly communicate the Teaching Points, the Christ Connection, and the Big Question. In other settings, a teacher, pastor, or other experienced speaker may present a lecture or extended message that includes those same elements. Ideas for Optional Visuals: You may choose to include an object lesson, video clip, drama, dance, song, or work of art to illustrate the teaching points. Option 1: Option 2: TEACHING POINTS Consider current culture and influences impacting your students, and adjust the teaching accordingly. Read the suggested scripture and communicate each of the points noted. The leader or a student reads aloud. The Pharisees strictly obeyed the laws God gave to Moses. Many Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses (the laws God gave to Moses) did not believe Jesus was God s Son. They thought He was a law-breaking troublemaker who was stirring up the crowds with His miracles and radical teachings. In Leviticus 20:10 the Law of Moses states, If a man commits adultery with another man s wife with the wife of his neighbor both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death. The Pharisees were treating the woman unlawfully by not also bringing the man who committed adultery with her. They humiliated her by making her stand before the crowd. Throughout Jesus public ministry and in today s story, the Pharisees and teachers often asked difficult questions to entrap Jesus and prove He was breaking the Law of Moses. Breaking these laws would have proven Jesus was neither God s Son nor a teacher approved by God. The Pharisees and teachers set this trap knowing that if Jesus answer that day was to stone the woman, He would be affirming their humiliating treatment of her and He would be breaking the Roman s law requiring Rome s permission before imposing the death penalty. If His answer was to release her, He would be disobeying the Law of Moses. Jesus knew none of the Pharisees or teachers wanted to be the one responsible for starting the stoning. By calling for anyone without sin to be the first to cast a stone, Jesus ensured her safety. His words caused her accusers to think about their own sinfulness and the hypocrisy of condemning others for sinning. His words should cause the same thoughts in us as well. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 7 ~ Ages ~ Page 4 of 6

5 THE WORD Presentation continued Jesus actions showed His divine power to convict the accusers of their own sinful nature, to grant the woman God s forgiveness, and to call her to a new life overcoming the power of sin on her. His actions also show that, as the compassionate and merciful Son of God, our future transformation is more important to Him than our past sins. Jesus can forgive any sin, but His last words show He takes sin very seriously. Jesus acknowledged the woman had sinned, but He Disciples of Christ are to do as Jesus did forgive sin without condemning the sinner. Connecting the Old Testament, the New Testament, and Us CHRIST CONNECTION In the whole story of God, what's the connection between this New Testament story and the Old Testament? When Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger, He was pointing to the Old Testament teaching on what happens to those who reject Him, God s living water. Let s read that teaching. The leader or a student reads Jeremiah 17:13. Some scholars say you will be written in the dust refers to those who will be condemned to death for rejecting God s Son (living water). In contrast, those who accept and believe in Jesus will be written in the book of life. THE BIG QUESTION Introduce and elaborate on this question. Students will answer it in their discussion group. What is the difference between judging a behavior and judging a person? Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 7 ~ Ages ~ Page 5 of 6

6 Forgiving, not condemning THE WAY Discussion GETTING STARTED Display and review the Discussion Group Covenant below: We will include everyone here, treating one another with respect and kindness. We will encourage everyone here to express their thoughts and opposing views. Every student shares his or her best experience or greatest challenge of the past week. READ IT AGAIN Read and Psalm 103:8-12 silently or aloud. Where did the Pharisees make the woman stand? Why did the men go away without stoning the woman they caught in a sin? What two things did Jesus tell the woman after the men left? THE BIG QUESTION Invite students to share their answers. What is the difference between judging a behavior and judging a person? TAKE ACTION Lead students in a discussion using the questions below. When have you felt someone was judging you as a person? What does this story show you about Jesus? The woman s accusers left her unharmed. Then Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you. Go and leave your life of sin. At this point, what might have been her thoughts about Jesus? Ask each student to complete this sentence: God calls us to forgive and not condemn, SO THAT others might. PRAY Share prayer requests and answered prayers. Have students pray with partners, or have the whole group pray together. FINAL FIVE MINUTES When only 5 minutes remain, begin this segment. Give each student Action Card #7 and Journal Entry #7. Take home today s Action Card as a reminder of how we can join in what God is doing. Use the Journal Entry as your personal devotional study. Complete your Journal Entries at home and keep them together in a notebook or in your Bible. Optional: Provide parent or guardian with Family Discussion Card #7. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 7 ~ Ages ~ Page 6 of 6

7 KINGS & KINGDOMS JOURNAL ENTRY #7 WHAT DOES IT MEAN? The Bible never tells us what Jesus wrote on the ground. What do you think He could have been writing? Jesus Forgives the Woman Caught in Sin WHAT DOES IT SAY? Pray!!! Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants you to learn from this passage. The Pharisees and teachers were the religious leaders of Jerusalem the religious center of Israel. How do you think they felt when Jesus challenged them to consider the sin in their own life before condemning the woman of her sin? Which truth in Psalm 103:8-12 is most comforting to you? Now read and Psalm 103:8-12. If you had been the woman in this situation, what might you have felt as you stood in front of the crowd? What would your fears have been? WHAT CAN I DO? Have you ever experienced Jesus forgiveness and heard or felt Him calling you to start over, leaving that behavior in your past? If so, describe that experience below. In your own wording, write the meaning of what Jesus told the woman after her accusers had gone. Is there someone you have been judging or condemning? If so, how can this story help you resist that temptation?

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9 Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Read.