INVESTIGATING DEUTERONOMY 19-34 JOSHUA JUDGES 1-5 GOD S WORD... AT SCHOOL 2ND GRADE BIBLE CURRICULUM UNIT 2
INVESTIGATING DEUTERONOMY 19-34 JOSHUA JUDGES 1-5 GOD S WORD... AT SCHOOL IGWAS2U2 2ND GRADE BIBLE CURRICULUM UNIT 2
SUNDAY SCHOOL CURRICULUM FOR YOUNG ELEMENTARY CHILDREN All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ) Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007 Copyright 2013 by One Story Ministries Printed in the United States of America 750 S. Pear Orchard Road Ridgeland, MS 39157 601-519-8423 www.onestoryministries.org info@onestoryministries.org
DEDICATED TO THE STUDENTS OF CHRIST COVENANT SCHOOL
USING THIS TEACHER S GUIDE OVERVIEW Investigating God s Word...At School is a Bible curriculum designed for Christian schools, grades 1st-5th. Each unit provides material for 9 weeks, divided into four lessons each week. More specifically, each lesson is designed to be taught over two days, in 30-40 minute teaching blocks. This Bible curriculum also includes Scripture memory. DISTINCTIVES This Bible curriculum is unique in the following ways: (1) It teaches the entirety of God s Word, from Genesis to Revelation, over the course of five years. (2) It teaches the students how to study God s Word for themselves. (3) It includes daily quizzes in order to help the students build their Bible knowledge. (4) It teaches the students a Word of the Week each lesson to build their vocabularies. (5) Each lesson puts the texts of Scripture in historical context, teaching the children that the Bible is real history. (6) It trains the students to apply God s Word to their lives. (7) It systematically inculcates a Biblical worldview, training children to think Biblically. (8) It gives the students tools to defend their faith in Christ. COMPONENTS DAY ONE Each 2-day lesson begins with a lesson overview to give you the big picture of the Scripture being studied. It also includes a brief preparation section and a teaching encouragement to help get you started. Introduction. Each Day One starts with an introduction to the lesson. Younger children will be asked a question to provoke their thinking. Older children will be taught a Psalm or Proverb of the day to call them to study. Quiz Time. Next, the students are quizzed in order to train them to remember what they have learned. These quizzes will often cover what they learned the day before, but sometimes will cover material elsewhere in God s Word that they should already know. Major knowledge areas like the Ten Commandments, Days of Creation, etc., may be quizzed more often. It is recommended that your children write out the answers to the quiz and keep them in a Bible study journal. W.O.W! The W.OW! is the Word of the Week. Each lesson will introduce the students to a vital Biblical vocabulary word. These words are either found in the Scripture text itself, or they are important theological words that the children need to learn. The W.O.W! often provides the theme for the entire lesson. Historical Context. Each lesson, the Scripture text is placed in historical context by use of a timeline. It is essential that the children learn how the story of redemptive history fits together. Bible stories must not be viewed as detached scenes they are to be shown as a part of a much bigger picture. The timeline is a useful tool toward that end. Bible Investigation. The Bible Investigation time is the heart and soul of each day s lesson. It plunges the student directly into God s Word, not simply a paraphrase of a Bible story. All Scripture texts included in he curriculum are from the English Standard Version (ESV). The Bible reading is taken in short sections, separated by times of discussion, questions, and application points. This format allows ample opportunities to stop, think about and discuss what is being read. P6 // SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIY 2
Scripture Memory. At the end of each Day One of the two-day lesson, the students will be taught a Scripture memory verse. These memory texts will be connected to what was studied that day. And, since you will cover two lessons each week, the students will be memorizing two passages a week twice as much as most memory programs. COMPONENTS DAY TWO Day Two components include several Day One components, and add two very exciting sections to the study. Quiz Time. Day Two begins with a quiz. These quizzes are most often an intensive review of Day One material. Again, it is recommended that your children write out the answers to the quiz and keep them in a Bible study journal. Historical Context. As you prepare to read the Scripture, you will again have the opportunity to put it in historical context for the students. The timeline will visually demonstrate where you are in God s Word. Bible Investigation. Again, this is the heart and soul of each day s Bible time. Your students will learn how to study God s Word for themselves, as they read, answer questions, discuss, and apply the Bible to their lives. Worldview Builder. This component is found only in Day Two of each lesson. It has been created because of the need for our children to develop Christian worldviews. Developing a Christian worldview is the task of learning to look at everything in life through the lens of Scripture. It is being trained by the Holy Spirit and the Bible to think Biblically for the glory of God. particular pillar on the board, the students will be asked to list things about that truth that they learned in the lesson. Defend the Faith. A necessary component of a Bible curriculum is training our children how to defend the Christian faith. It is not good enough to give them Bible knowledge they must learn how to answer questions about what they believe and why they believe it. To that end, this section will present the students with a question that they will have to answer. You will also teach them the right answer after they have a chance to share their thoughts. This will begin the training of answering the skeptics and their attacks on Christianity. Scripture Memory. The day s lesson ends with a review of the Scripture memory passage. You may use any method to help the students put it to memory. AND FINALLY... Teaching God s Word is unlike any other subject that you teach in school. It is the only book that is inspired by God! It is the only text that truly changes lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit. So teach it with great passion and excitement, as well as great care. When you teach the Bible you are giving your students the greatest treasure they can ever possess! The Worldview Builder section helps the students to connect what they are studying to a pillar of a Christian worldview. The four main pillars that are used in this study are: Creation, Providence, Rationality, and the Fear of God. After putting the SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // P7
LESSON SEQUENCE USING THIS TEACHER S GUIDE LESSON 1 LESSON 2 LESSON 3 LESSON 4 LESSON 5 LESSON 6 LESSON 7 LESSON 8 LESSON 9 LESSON 10 LESSON 11 LESSON 12 LESSON 13 LESSON 14 LESSON 15 LESSON 16 LESSON 17 LESSON 18 Deuteronomy 19-28 Deuteronomy 29-34 Joshua 1 Joshua 2 Joshua 3-4 Joshua 5-6 Joshua 7 Joshua 8 Joshua 9:1-10:15 Joshua 10:16-11:23 Joshua 12-15 Joshua 16-19 Joshua 20-21 Joshua 22 Joshua 23-24 Judges 1:1-2:10 Judges 2:11-3:31 Judges 4-5 6 9 21 33 44 55 67 79 91 103 115 127 139 151 163 175 187 199 211
LESSON 1 // DEUTERONOMY 19-28 OVERVIEW Deuteronomy 19-26 continues the reiteration of God s Law through Moses to the Israelites. These laws and regulations are primarily an elaboration of commandments five through ten. In Deuteronomy 19, God instructs Israel to set up cities of refuge for those who have committed murder, as well as rules for how many witnesses were needed to accuse someone of a crime. Deuteronomy 20 details how Israel is to go to war, and how it will be the LORD who defeats Israel s enemies. Deuteronomy 21 gives rules about unsolved murders, marrying a captive woman, the rights of the firstborn, and how to deal with rebellious sons. Deuteronomy 22-25 presents various laws on uncleanness, purity, and marriage and family issues. Deuteronomy 26 is a reminder about the firstfruits and tithes belonging to the LORD. In Deuteronomy 27, Moses is instructed to build an altar in the Promised Land that will have the Law of God inscribed on it. God also gives Moses a pattern for giving the people warnings about God s covenant curses. Deuteronomy 28 lists both the blessings for obedience as well as the curses for disobedience. If the people would obey all of God s commands, they would be blessed; disobedience will bring the curses of the LORD! PREPARATION Briefly read over and meditate on Deuteronomy 19-28 this week. TEACHING ENCOURAGEMENT While all of this reading of God s Law may be tedious and repetitive, keep reminding yourself (and your children) of why it is so essential! We need to be regularly slapped in the face with the awesomeness of God s holiness and the extent of His perfections. We must also be hit with our utter inability to obey all of God s commands. Then, the only place we can end up in our thinking is that we deserve only the curses of God! This Biblical worldview flies in the face of our sinful hearts that regularly cry out for seemingly deserved blessings. Your children need to be taught the bad news of God s displeasure before they can fully enjoy and comprehend what blessings God has for them in Christ alone! LESSON SCHEDULE Day One INTRODUCTION Can you be divided? 2 3 mins. QUIZ TIME Ten Commandments 3 5 mins. W.O.W! All 3 5 mins. HISTORICAL CONTEXT Timeline 2 3 mins. BIBLE INVESTIGATION Deuteronomy 19-26 12 15 mins. SCRIPTURE MEMORY James 2:10 3 5 mins. Day Two QUIZ TIME Deuteronomy 3 5 mins. HISTORICAL CONTEXT Timeline 3 5 mins. BIBLE INVESTIGATION Deuteronomy 27-28 12 15 mins. WORLDVIEW BUILDER Fear of God 5 mins. DEFEND THE FAITH Perfection 5 mins. SCRIPTURE MEMORY James 2:10 3 5 mins. SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1 // P9
DAY ONE INTRODUCTION Have everyone stand up. All right, I want everyone to look at me. Now, start walking slowly to your left. Stop! Now, walk slowly to your right. Okay, now I want each one of you to walk to the right and to the left at the same time. Make your left side walk to the left and your right side walk to the right. Can you do it? Have everyone sit down. You cannot walk to the right and the left at the same time because you cannot DIVIDE yourself into separate parts. You are ONE person who can only walk ONE way. Keep that in mind as we study today! QUIZ TIME Now, let s move on to QUIZ TIME. Today s questions: What is the Fifth Commandment of the Ten Commandments? What is the Sixth Commandment? What is the Seventh Commandment? What is the Eighth Commandment? What is the Ninth Commandment? What is the Tenth Commandment? Answers: 1. Honor your father and mother. 2. You shall not murder. 3. You shall not commit adultery. 4. You shall not steal. 5. You shall not bear false witness. 6. You shall not covet. Say: These last six commandments focus on how we should love other people. God told Israel to obey all His commands. Obeying these commands demonstrates our love for God and for other people as well. P10 // SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1
W.O.W! Our Word of the Week is one that we all know and it is a very small word too. Our W.O.W! (Word of the Week) is ALL. Write the word on the board. What does the word ALL mean? Allow answers. Is ALL the same as SOME? [No!] Is ALL the same as NONE? [No.] To have ALL of something means to have it completely it means everything! So, if you have finished ALL of your homework, how much more do you have to do? [None of it!] If you have ALL of your friends over for your birthday party, how many are missing? [None!] If you have finished ALL of your supper, how much is left on your plate? [None of it!] Our God is a God of the ALL. He commands His people to love Him with ALL of their hearts not just some! He commands His people to worship Him ALL of the time, not just some of the time. He demands ALL of our heart, mind, soul and strength. Listen closely for the word ALL as God continues to speak to the Israelites through Moses on the plains of Moab. HISTORICAL CONTEXT Point out the following timeline to give the students some historical context. All dates are approximations. This Week s Timeline One Month, 1405 BC Adam & Eve Moses leads the Exodus Death of Moses David 4000+ BC 1500 BC 1400 BC 1000 BC SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1 // P11
BIBLE INVESTIGATION Introduction: We begin our studies this quarter with Moses still speaking to the new generation of Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. The LORD has more of His Law to review with His people. Listen closely as we traverse through more of the Book of Deuteronomy. Let s begin. Read Deuteronomy 19:1-3. 1 When the LORD your God cuts off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, 2 you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess. 3 You shall measure the distances and divide into three parts the area of the land that the LORD your God gives you as a possession, so that any manslayer can flee to them. Discussion: The LORD tells Israel to set up three cities of refuge where people can flee to if they have done something horribly wrong. But what I want you to hear is how it is the LORD who is giving them the Promised Land and He will also destroy all the other nations. God is gracious to His people. Listen to verse 15. Read verse 15. 15 A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. Discussion: This is another important law for Israel. How many witnesses were needed to accuse someone of a crime? [Two or three.] This law prevented just one person making a false accusation. It protected innocent people. This is a good law even for us today! Let s go to Chapter Twenty. Read Deuteronomy 20:1-4. 1 When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 2 And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people 3 and shall say to them, Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, 4 for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory. P12 // SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1
Discussion: Why should Israel not be afraid when they go to war? [Because the LORD is with them.] The LORD will win the victory for His people, so they have no reason to be afraid! Application: When you find yourself in a tough situation, remember that God is always with His people. He defends us from all of our enemies! Summary: In Deuteronomy 21, God gives laws about how to take care of unsolved murders, the rights of the firstborn, and even how to take care of rebellious children. Deuteronomy 22 describes more laws regarding marriage and family life. Chapter Twenty-three includes laws on uncleanness and what excludes people from the community. Deuteronomy 24 and 25 list other laws of God. All of these laws elaborate on the command to love your neighbor as you love yourself! Now, Deuteronomy 26. Read Deuteronomy 26:1-4. 1 When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. 3 And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our fathers to give us. 4 Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. Discussion: Who gave Israel the Promised Land? [God!] In response, what were the people to bring to God? [Some of the firstfruits of their produce.] They were to bring the best of their crops to the LORD as thanks for this wonderful land. They were also to bring a tithe ten percent of all that they had. Application: ALL of what we have belongs to God, doesn t it? So we should offer the best of it for God s service! That s why we offer the best of our money, our time and our talents to God to be used in the work of His Kingdom. Will you? Let s drop down to verse 16. Read verses 16-19. 16 This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have declared today that the LORD is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice. 18 And the LORD SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1 // P13
has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments, 19 and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised. Discussion: Did you hear our Word of the Week? God s people are to follow God s commands with how much of their hearts? [ALL.] How much of their souls? [ALL.] The best part of these verses is that God declares that He POSSESSES His people, Israel. Application: When you become God s in Jesus Christ, you also will be His TREASURED POSSESSION! That should make you want to love Him with ALL of your hearts! Conclusion: We will continue in Deuteronomy 27 next time. How many of your sins did Jesus die for? [ALL of them.] How much of yourselves are you to give to Jesus? [ALL of me.] This is the good news of the gospel that God sent Jesus to save ALL His chosen people, ALL of His treasured possession. Think about that and we ll study more next time. SCRIPTURE MEMORY Read the Scripture Memory verse (James 2:10) together. James 2:10 (ESV) 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. Say: This is such an important verse to remember. It reminds us that God requires us to keep ALL of His law. If we break just one law, we have broken ALL of it, and deserve the curses of God. Have you broken one law? Yes! We all have. Thanks be to God that we have Jesus Christ to save us from the law of sin and death. Jesus brings us blessings we don t deserve! Review the verse a couple of times. Close in prayer. P14 // SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1
DAY TWO QUIZ TIME Let s begin today with QUIZ TIME. Are you ready? Today s questions: What book of the Bible are we studying? Who wrote the Book of Deuteronomy? What does the word Deuteronomy mean? What is happening in the Book of Deuteronomy? Answers: 1. Deuteronomy. 2. Moses. 3. Literally: Second Law. 4. Moses is reading God s law to the people a second time, preparing them to enter the Promised Land. Remember that this new generation needed to be prepared to enter Canaan because their fathers rebelled against God, causing them to die in the desert. Will this new group follow the LORD? Will you? HISTORICAL CONTEXT Point out the following timeline to give the students some historical context. All dates are approximations. This Week s Timeline One Month, 1405 BC Adam & Eve Moses leads the Exodus Death of Moses David 4000+ BC 1500 BC 1400 BC 1000 BC SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1 // P15
BIBLE INVESTIGATION P16 // SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1 Introduction: Moses continues to teach the people the laws of God. Did you know that God s law comes with blessings AND curses? What will happen to the people if they don t keep ALL of God s commands? Are the even able to? Let s read in Deuteronomy 27. Read Deuteronomy 27:1. 1 Now Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep the whole commandment that I command you today. Discussion: Again, how many of the commands were the Israelites to obey? [ALL of them!] There s our W.O.W! Let s continue. Read verses 2-8. 2 And on the day you cross over the Jordan to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and plaster them with plaster. 3 And you shall write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over to enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4 And when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster. 5 And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You shall wield no iron tool on them; 6 you shall build an altar to the LORD your God of uncut stones. And you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God, 7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and shall eat there, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God. 8 And you shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly. Discussion: From the beginning, God s people set up altars to worship God. The stones on this particular altar were very special, weren t they? The law of God was to be written on this altar. Why do you think the law needed to be written on these stones? [So that the Israelites would remember God s Law!] Application: We too need God s Word always in front of our eyes. That s why we have the Bible! The Bible is God s written Word for His people. It always reminds us of who God is and what God requires of us! Let s read on. Read verses 9-10. 9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the LORD your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.
Discussion: Wow! It s official. The Israelites are now fully accepted as God s people. God has given His people His grace and now demands ALL of their obedience. The rest of Deuteronomy 27 details the curses that would come upon the people if they disobey God. Each person who disobeys God will be cursed! Now, let s go to the next chapter. Read Deuteronomy 28:1-8. 1 And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. 3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. 7 The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. 8 The LORD will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. Discussion: How do those blessings sound? Aren t they great? But what did Israel have to do to have the blessings of God? They had to obey ALL of God s commands ALL of the time. Can they do that? Let s read more. Read verses 9-13. 9 The LORD will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. 10 And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. 11 And the LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground, within the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The LORD will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1 // P17
P18 // SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1 Discussion: Again, these are wonderful blessings. God s people will be on the top, not the bottom, if they obey ALL God s law. That s great news! Now listen to the bad news. Read verses 14-20. 14 and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I command you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. 15 But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. 16 Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 19 Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. 20 The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken me. Discussion: That sounds horrible, doesn t it? Disobedience will bring about curses from God. He will punish His people. All of the blessings will go away! Listen to more. Read verses 64-68. 64 And the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. 65 And among these nations you shall find no respite, and there shall be no resting place for the sole of your foot, but the LORD will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyes and a languishing soul. 66 Your life shall hang in doubt before you. Night and day you shall be in dread and have no assurance of your life. 67 In the morning you shall say, If only it were evening! and at evening you shall say, If only it were morning! because of the dread that your heart shall feel, and the sights that your eyes shall see. 68 And the LORD will bring you back in ships to Egypt, a journey that I promised that you should never make again; and there you shall offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer. Conclusion: How awful! So, can you and I obey God ALL of the time with ALL of our hearts? [No.] So do we deserve God s blessings or God s curses? [His curses.] Yes, we deserve only the curses because we cannot obey ALL of God s commands. That s the bad news. The good news is that Jesus obeyed ALL of God s commands and He died for ALL of our sins. If we put our faith in Him we receive ALL of Christ s blessings. That s the real good news!
WORLDVIEW BUILDER Say: It s time to use what we have learned in God s Word this week to build our Christian minds. God has given us minds to think rightly and to believe the TRUTH. Draw the Fear of God pillar on the board. We will be building on our Fear of God pillar today. To fear God is to love Him, honor and worship Him, and obey Him. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom! So, what things did we learn about the FEAR OF GOD in Deuteronomy 19-28? Assist your students to think of the following truths (connect them to the pillar on the board): FEAR OF GOD 1. Fearing God means obeying God s commands. 2. Those who fear God will give God the firstfruits and tithes of his labor. 3. God calls His people to follow ALL His commands. 4. Obeying God will bring His blessings. 5. The curses of God come upon all who disobey His commands. Fearing God is not being afraid of His curses. Instead, it is being in AWE of His great blessings. We serve a God of grace that is so perfectly good to His people! DEFEND THE FAITH Say: Now, it s time to build our defenses up. You and I must always be prepared to defend and protect our faith in Jesus Christ. Just remember what the apostle Peter said: I Peter 3:15 (ESV) 15 Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you Let s get more PREPARED to give answers about the hope we have in Jesus Christ! Let me ask you a question and see how you do SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1 // P19
Q: How can God require perfect obedience from imperfect people? Isn t it unfair for a perfect God to require perfect obedience from imperfect people? There are people out there that believe this is wrong. If humans cannot be perfect, why demand that they be perfect? How would you defend that fact that a perfect God requires perfect obedience? Allow answers. Make sure the children have these elements in their answer: A: As our Creator, God can command us to do anything He pleases. The reason God requires perfect obedience is that He is holy and cannot be in a relationship with unholy people. Yes, our sin keeps us from obeying God s commands perfectly so that s why we need a Savior. Jesus has keep God s law perfectly! He has fulfilled all the law. So sinful people rest on Christ s perfection for salvation! Say: God is not unfair He is perfectly holy. God is just. What is unfair is that He would choose to send us a Savior by His grace and mercy! SCRIPTURE MEMORY Write this lesson s Scripture Memory verse (James 2:10) on the board. James 2:10 (ESV) 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. Use any method to review the verse with your students. Close in prayer. P20 // SECOND GRADE TEACHER S MANUAL // UNIT 2 // LESSON 1