SolomonWise Peacemaker

Transcription

1 Lesson SolomonWise Peacemaker Bible Verse Let us therefore make evens effort to do what leads to peace. Romans 14:19 Bible Story Reference 1 Kings 3:4-28 Teacher s Devotional People certainly talk about peace a great deal! Christmas cards announce Peace on earth Rock stars join together to sing, Give peace a chance Newspa pers announce one peace conference after another. Yet from the international level to the personal level, peace seems to elude us. We feel helpless to effect peace in the world; and our personal lives often reflect worry, tension and stress. Still, genuine peace is within our grasp even in times of friction, even when out ward circumstances or inner attitudes are filled with turmoil, even when we are unable to see any possible way that our conflicts can be resolved. Jesus is our source of lasting peace (see Ephesians 2:14). A living relationship with Him brings true peace, a peace that goes far beyond the mere absence of strife, a peace that brings more than a cease-fire from open hostility. His peace comes to us and can flow through us in the middle of life s worries and tensions, His calming pres ence helps us to see our situations in a new light and respond to them n new ways.

2 1 Kings 3:428 Bible Story Center Peace poster from Poster Pack, 4 cup (2 oz.) play dough for each student, Tell the Story Follow along with me as we use our dough to tell about today s story What something kids your age might argue about? Today we ll find out how someone stopped a big argument in a very wise way! 1. Make a crown from your dough. King David had grown to be a very old man, He knew he was going to die soon. So he declared that his son Solomon should be king in his place. Solomon became the new king. He loved God and wanted to be a good king. One day after Solomon had gone to a special place to worship God, he stayed there for the night. As Solomon lay sleeping, God came to him in a dream, He said, Ask for whatever you want Me to give you. Solomon could have asked for more money. He could have asked for power. He could have asked for all of his ene macs to disappear! 2 Make a W for wisdoim But instead Solomon told God Lord God, You have made me king. But I am like a little child I don t know how to do this great work You have given me to do. I need wisdom to rule Your people and to know what is right and wrong How else can I do this great work 2 God was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom nstead of money or power or something else God said, I w N do what ou have asked will give you visdom You wl be wbci than anyurw vhe ever lived or will hvei Besides that, I in give you riches and honor and if you always obey me a long life! Solomon woke up WOW! What a wonderful promise from God! Solomon didn t know it, but he would soon have a chance o depend on God s wisdom

3 3. Make a baby from your dough. Soon after Solomon returned home to Jerusalem, two women came to see him. They were having a TERRIBLE argument, and they wanted HIM to settle it! The first woman told Solomon, We live in the same house. We both had babies at the same time. And last night, this other woman rolled over in her sleep and SMOTHERED her baby. Then she came and took MY baby and put her dead baby in my baby s place! That s not TRUE! the other woman interrupted. It s true that we live in the same house and that we both had babies at about the same time. But I did NOT roll over on my son or take HER son! The women argued and argued in front of the king, both insisting, The living baby is MINE! 4. Make five ropes Use the ropes to spell out the word Peace. Solomon must have thanked God for His promise to gwe him wisdom! He said, Both of you say this baby belongs to you. I have a solution. He called a servant. Bring me a sword, King Solomon said. I will cut the baby in two. Half goes to each of you! One woman said, FINE! That s fair. NEITHER of us will have the baby! But the woman who was the REAL mother said, Please, my king! Give the other woman the baby! Don t kill him! Give the baby to the woman who doesn t want the baby killed. She is his mother, Solomon ordered. Everyone in Israel heard about Solomon s decision. The king wasn t really going to hurt the baby because he knew that his plan would prove who the real mother was, The REAL mother wouldn t let such a thing happen to her child! God had given him great wisdom, and as a result, Solomon made peace in a very wise way Focus on the Fruit What did Solomon ask God to give him? Why? cwisdom. Because he had a big job to do and knew he couldn t do it without God s wisdom.) How did Solomon show God s wisdom? (Gave a wise test to settle a big argument. Made peace between the two women.) God promises to give us wisdom, too Our Bible tells us that if we ask God for wisdom and trust Him, He will help us be wise in any situation (see James 1:5). Show the Peace poster. That s one way He helps us be peacemakers. like Solomon! We can ask Him to help us be wise and live in peace as we grow the fruit of His Holy Spirit

4 Fruitful Lives Object Talk Bible Verse Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace. Rornans 14:1 9 Bible with bookmark at Romans 14:19, sher iff s badge; optiona construction paper, marker, scissors, straight pin. Prepare the Activity (Optional: Make badge from construction paper [see sketch] God will help us live in peace with others when we ask Him for help and wisdom to settle Lets find out about a man who had to be very brave to live in peace. 1. Invite a volunteer to wear sheriff s badge. (Optional: Volunteer wears paper badge.) What is the job of someone who wears a badge like this? (Sheriff. Police officer.) How does a sheriff or police offi cer keep the peace? 2. In the 18s a young man named Samuel Morris had a chance to help others live in peace. Samuel was sailing on a ship from the African country of Liberia to America, because he wanted to go to school to learn more about God. The sailors on the ship, however, didn t like Samuel because he was African. One angry sailor even threatened to kill him! One day, that sailor thought oth ers were making fun of him, so he swung his sword to attack them. Samuel jumped in the way, putting his own life in danger, and shouted, Don t kill! The angry sailor surprised everyone by putting down his sword and walking away. Everyone was amazed! After that, whenever there was a fight, Samuel helped to stop it and kept peace by praying for the men. Samuel Morris showed that he was willing to do whatever he could to help people live peacefully together Conclude Read Romans 14:1 aloud, What are some actions we can do to help others live in peace? Invite volunteers to pray, askina God to help them do actions that will help friends and family members live in peace e Additional Information for Older Students Samuel Morris attended Taylor University in America for only one year before he died from injuries he had received as a teenager But during that year Samuel helped many people learn to trust and obey God Many people at Taylor Univer sity decided to become missionarie; because of Samuel s actions arguments.

5 Active Game (enter: Bucket Brigade Bible, large disposable cups, two tennis or Ping-Pong balls. Lead the Game 1. Divide class into two equal teams. Each team forms two parallel lines facing each other. 2. Give each student a cup. Give a tennis or Ping-Pong ball to the student at the end of one line of each team, Students put balls in cups. 3. At your signal, the students roll (for mostly younger students) or toss (for mostly older stu dents) the balls to the students across from them in line. Those students catch balls in cups and roll or toss balls to the next students opposite them. Students continue tossing or rolling the balls in zigzag fashion down the lines (see sketch) and back to the students who began the brigade. When we ask God for wisdom, He helps us know how to settle arguments and live in peace. Let s play a game to learn one important instruction God gives us about making peaces OOQO 4. Student from the first team to finish answers one of the questions below or repeats Romans 14:19. Students repeat game as time allows. Options 1 Ask for a donation of large cups at a local fast-food restaurant or convenience store. 2. If you have fewer than 1 students, play as one team. Time each round, challenging stu dents to beat their time in each succeeding round, 3. Allow teams to have a practice round, rolling or tossng the ball from cup to cup.....e.e. S..,. S S* SS 55* SS SSS#S SSS 55S S9SS9 SS Discussion Questions 1. Ask a volunteer to read Romans 14:19 aloud. What is Gods instruction to us in this verse? ( Make every effort to do what leads to peace. ) What does it mean to make every effort? (To try as hard as you can. To do something to the best of your ability.) 2. What did we make every effort to do in our game? (Catch the ball in our cups. Pass it to the other players.) 3. How can you make every effort to do what leads to peace at home? At school? (Let your brother or sister be first or borrow something when he or she asks. Ask Cod for wis dom about how to treat the person who is bothering you at chool. Be kind to a person b trat yi badly agi ar again Dn t argue flnr tt e

6 Art (enter: Peace Mobile Large sheet of paper, markers, construc tion paper, hole punch, tape, magazines, newspaper flyers, scissors, glue sticks, yarn or curling ribbon. 1. What are some of the ways the Bible tells us to treat other people? (Share. Be loving and kind. Be fair. For give them, Help them. Tell the truth) List ideas on large sheet of paper. When we treat others in these ways, we can be peacemakers. 2, Give each student a sheet of colored construction paper and a marker. Students fold papers lengthwise in thirds and on the mid dle third of papers print Peacemaker or another phrase about peace. Keeping the papers folded, students punch four holes along the bottom of the folded papers, below their writ ing, and punch two holes above their writing. Students unfold papers and tape the two long edges together to create a triangular shape. 3. Students look through magazines and newspaper flyers to find words or letters of words from peacemaker list. Students cut out no more than eight construction-paper shapes and glue words to shapes. (Stu dents may also write words on shapes.) Students punch a hole in the top of each shape and tie a length of yarn (or curling ribbon) between each shape and the triangular base Students hang an equal number of shapes from each side to balance the mobile and tie one long length of yarn to the holes at the top of the mobile to hang it up. Options 1. If you have mostly younger students, prefold papers. 2. Students draw a picture of the peacemaking action on the back of each shape before attaching shapes to mobile 3. Bnng decorating materials (stickers, qitter glue, etc. for stuaents to use on mobiles, Discussion Questions 1. When have you been a peacemaker or settled an argument while playing with friends? With your family? Tell students an age-appropriate example about God giving you wisdom to be a peacemaker. 2. What is your favorite way to be a peacemaker? QO o When we are trying to live in peace with others or settle arguments, it good to know we can ask God for wisdom! Lets make a mobile to remember some of the wise ways God s Word tells us to act, so we can be peacemakers. / PecernGkej 3. What is onc of the hardest times for you to remember to be a peacemaker

7 Worship Center Bible Verse Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace. Romans 14:1 9 Bible, God s Kids Grow cassette/cd or music video and player, Peacemaker word chart (p. 481 in this book), large sheet of paper on which you have printed Romans 14:19, masking tape. Sing to God Play Peacemaker, encouraging students to sing along with the music, What does it mean to be a peacemaker? (To help people live in peace with each other.) What are some ways you can live in peace? (Tell the truth Be kind even when feeling angry.) Hear and Say God s Word Display paper on which you have printed Romans 14:19. Have a volunteer read the verse aloud. What are some of the actions we can do which lead to peace? (Be kind. Let others be first. Be considerate. Forgive others. Pray to God for wisdom.) List students ideas on Bible-verse paper. Lead students in saying verse, each time adding one of the ways sug gested to the end of the verse, (For example, Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace by being kind. ) Pray to God Lead students in prayer, students repeating each phrase of this prayer after you: Dear God, please give us wisdom to live in peace with others. End prayer by thanking God that He promises in the Bible to give us wisdom when we ask for it. Options 1. During the verse activity, ask an older student to read James 3:1 7,18 aloud as a description of the kind of wisdom God gives us to help us live in peace togethcr How does being (considerate) help us make peace? 2 As part of the prayer activity ask an oldcr student to read James 1 5 aloud What prom ise does God make in this verse? 3. Sing Just Ask Him and/or Fruit of the Spirit (p 475 and. or p. 459 in this book) with students. 1 39

8 Bible Verse Coloring Center Crayons or markers, a copy of page 1 21 or page 1 22 from Bible Verse Coloring Pages #2 for each student. Read Romans 14:19. Who in this picture is obeying Romans 14:19? How? What are some other things we can do to help others get along and have peace? Stu dents color picture. Option Students glue completed pictures onto large sheets of construction paper and then draw conversation balloons for the people in the picture. Students write (or dictate) what they think the people are saying. Service Project Center needed for Absentee Cards (p. 23 from The Big Book of Service Projects). FOR: Students complete Absentee Cards activity as directed in The Big Book of Service Projects. Why do you think it is important to let people who are absent know that we miss them? What can you tell people who weren t here today about what we learned about living in peace with others? Discipleship Activity Center Discussion Cards for Ephesians 4:29 5:1 (pp from The Biq Book of Christ,an Growth), materials needed for Mark the Spot or Family Talk (p 22 or p 42 from The Big Book of Christian Growth). OLDER chldr Today we re going to talk about Ephesians 4:29 5:1 and play a game to dis cover ways of living in peace with others, Students complete activity as dwected in The Bin Book of Christian Growth 14