01-96 2c Text 42046 Urban Ministries PDF Supplied 062013 Page 5 1 PRIMARY STREET TEACHING PLAN 1 SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 GOD FILLS OUR NEEDS WEEKLY THEME: GOD CREATES BASED ON: Psalm 104:5 9, 24 30, NIV KEY VERSE: Psalm 104:24, NIV LESSON OBJECTIVES: Knowledge: Primaries will cite that God has created everything around them. Attitude: Primaries will want to take care of God s precious creations. Action: Primaries will draw pictures of God s creation. DEAR TEACHER This lesson teaches students that our awesome God created an awesome world. From the leaves on trees to the fish in the sea, God met all of our needs with His wonderful Creation. SUPPLY LIST SECTION Focus Activity Review MATERIALS Pictures of animals and their habitats, Teaching Success Kit Paper, colored pencils I. OPEN THE LESSON Focus Activity Have the primaries play a matching game. Use magazine clippings or Internet pictures of different animals and their habitats. Students should match up the animals and their dwelling places. Alternatively, you can use the memory game in the Teaching Success Kit. II. PRESENT THE SCRIPTURES A. Life Application Story (Distribute the student folders.) Before reading, ask the students to name some things they noticed outside while on their way to church. After their responses, explain that God created everything we see and everything we need. Tell them they will read about a young boy who learned about God s creation by visiting a museum. During reading, ask the students if they know about any animals that are extinct. After the story, tell the students that we are to be good stewards over the earth that God gave us. We should appreciate all the things God has created and take care of them. We should recycle and try to keep our earth clean. B. Bible Story God Fills Our Needs The Bible Story in the student folders is designed for primary students to read. The Scripture Scene is provided as a visual aid. Be sure to study the information on this Bible passage in the white pages of the Teacher Guide. 5 UMI_PRI_T_913_Merged.indd 5
01-96 2c Text 42046 Urban Ministries PDF Supplied 062013 Page 6 PRIMARY STREET TEACHING PLAN 1 SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 God, You set up the foundation of earth so it cannot ever be moved. You clothed the earth with water and it was high above the mountains. But You commanded the water to flee, and it went away at Your loud voice. It went over the mountains and into the valleys. It ended up exactly where You wanted it to be. You have done so many things, Lord! You have made them with Your wise mind. You created all creatures. The sea is big and wide, with many animals in it. There are big and small animals. Ships go back and forth over the sea, and You created the leviathan (huge sea creatures) to roam there, too. Everything depends on You for food. They take what You give and are happy with many good things. When they cannot see You, they are afraid. They die because You take away their breath. Your Spirit creates them and the earth is renewed. III. EXPLORE THE MEANING A. Review Allow primaries to be nature artists. Take a quick trip outside with paper and colored pencils. Ask the students to find something that God created. Once they find something, either have them draw outside, or go back indoors and have them draw those items exactly the way they saw them in nature. After they draw their pictures, have everyone come inside to color or decorate the picture they drew. Display the art pieces on a wall or on a banner that says God s Wonderful Creation. B. Memory Verse How great are your works, LORD, how [great] your thoughts (Psalm 92:5, NIV). Have the students stand and do this movement while reciting the Memory Verse: How great (clap hands together once, then lift hands up and out) are your works (clap hands together once and then extend arms forward) how great (clap hands together once, then lift hands up and out) your thoughts (clap hands together once, then bring pointer fingers to the temples of the head); end by saying Psalm 92:5. Repeat for memorization. IV. NEXT STEPS FOR APPLICATION A. Be Smart Created by God The students will complete the word search by finding the names of some of the animals created by God. Words: alligator, camel, eagle, elephant, rabbit, tiger, and whale. E H B N Q M S W R A L L I G A T O R G B E O C S I F A L C M P F D G J B E K A D H L E X B R Z C J S A R N I W B U A Y V N U T W H A L E P M T G B. Good Attitude Where is It? The students are to draw a line connecting the picture of the African blackwood tree to the correct continent. Answer: Africa. C. Worship Time Sing a familiar song like He s Got the Whole World in His Hands with the class. Close with a prayer of thanksgiving for all the wonderful things God has created. D. Craft Kingdom Craft Kingdom provides directions to make a craft that reinforces the lesson. Play the Sing- Along CD as students work. 6 UMI_PRI_T_913_Merged.indd 6
01-96 2c Text 42046 Urban Ministries PDF Supplied 062013 Page 7 SEPTEMBER 1 BIBLE STUDY GUIDE 1 God Creates Bible Background PSALM 104 Printed Text PSALM 104:5 9, 24 30 Devotional Reading MATTHEW 6:25 34 Aim for Change By the end of the lesson, we will: DESCRIBE God s creative power and provision; APPRECIATE the wonder of God s Creation; and PRAISE God for the resources available for us. In Focus When Gale lost her job last year, her joy went with it. At first, she was happy to spend a couple of months with her children. Then she began her job search, expecting to be employed within a month. Thirteen months later, she was staring at a pile of disconnection and collection notices. It seemed that the more she prayed, the worse her situation became. Since she couldn t pay her bills, she decided to take her last five-dollar bill to buy a fast food value meal. Inside the restaurant, she ran into a former coworker who remembered Gale as the Cake Lady. Gale used to share homemade cakes with the employees. The woman explained that her wedding was coming up, and she was considering a $1,200 estimate from a cake designer she didn t know. She offered the job to Gale since she knew her work, then wrote a $600 check for a deposit. At that moment, Gale realized she d been praying for a temporary fix for her problem, and God gave her a permanent solution. She went to her car, retrieved a folder full of cake order forms, and handed some to the woman to pass out at work. Gale praised God on the way home for giving her the talent to make the money she needed. God has already given us everything we need. In today s lesson, we will praise God for resources available to us. Keep in Mind O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches (Psalm 104:24). 7 UMI_PRI_T_913_Merged.indd 7
01-96 2c Text 42046 Urban Ministries PDF Supplied 062013 Page 8 September 1, 2013 Bible Study Guide 1 Focal Verses KJV Psalm 104:5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. 6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. 8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. 9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. 25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. 26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. 27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. 30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. The People, Places, and Times The Book of Psalms. Tehillim, the Hebrew name for the book of Psalms, means praises. The book is made up of 150 chapters, each one written as a lyrical piece to be sung to musical instruments. The Jewish church used it as a hymnbook in the temple. Seventy-three of the psalms are credited to David, making him the most prolific psalmist. Other composers include Asaph, Ethan the Ezrahite, Herman the Ezrahite, Moses, Solomon, and the Sons of Korah. Psalms is broken up into five divisions. Psalm 104, our lesson text, is taken from the fourth division. It is not clear who wrote Psalm 104, but some scholars believe David is its author. David. David s life was so rich that it s no wonder he wrote most of the psalms. He was Jesse s youngest son, he was a shepherd, he was anointed as king of Israel, and he defeated the giant Goliath with a stone and slingshot (see 1 Samuel 17). And all of this was before his adulthood! Though he had many triumphs, David had just as many trials, and his range of emotions is captured in the psalms. He wrote Psalm 3 when his son Absalom rebelled against him. Psalm 51 was one of confession, written after his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband. He wrote Psalm 142 while hiding from Saul in a cave. David was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, and he died at 70 years old. Background It is possible that the Israelites were in captivity during the time Psalm 104 was written. Most people held against their will focus on the things they do not have freedom, security, and happiness. While in bondage, captives complain, cry out to God, and shake their fists in anger. However, because some scholars attribute this psalm to David, the purpose would be different, for David lived long before the Israelites went into captivity. If David was indeed the author, he did just the opposite of raising his fists in anger when faced with difficult situations. In Psalm 104, he gave an account of the things that he knew could not be taken from him. He focused his attention on God s creation, emphasizing that it is God 8 UMI_PRI_T_913_Merged.indd 8
01-96 2c Text 42046 Urban Ministries PDF Supplied 062013 Page 9 September 1, 2013 Bible Study Guide 1 who creates, sustains, provides, and preserves. With Psalm 104, David affirms that God has provided all our needs through His creation. At-A-Glance 1. God Orders (Psalm 104:5 9) 2. God Works (vv. 24 26) 3. God Provides (vv. 27 30) In Depth 1. God Orders (Psalm 104:5 9) It is said that God is a God of order, and the first portion of our lesson text proves it. To order means to attend to the arrangements of items. The way in which items are arranged is an indication of their size, importance, or when each will be dealt with. David boasted that God is so creative that He hung the earth on its own axis, and no matter how heavy it is or what shock it absorbs, it cannot fall or be moved. Then, God covered it and the waters stood above the mountains. But, because God s greatest creation man could not live in such a place, God reprimanded the waters and they fled to more suitable places, like the valleys. At God s rebuke, a boundary was formed that water could not cross over so that man could live. 2. God Works (vv. 24 26) Throughout the Bible, God endorses work. Work is good. God created so much that verse 24 reads the earth is full of thy riches. God was so productive that He didn t just create the oceans for show, but He filled them with great and small creatures, both swimming and creeping kinds. In time, humans, the crown of creation, created boats and ships to use these waters as passageways for merchants. His work produced work! He also emphasizes the importance of balance. There can t be all work and no play. David mentioned the leviathan, a sea monster of immense size and power, that has no other duty than to play in the vast waters it calls home. 3. God Provides (vv. 27 30) According to Scripture, God s provision is bountiful and seasonable. Verse 27 reads that these wait all upon thee; that thou givest them their meat in due season. The Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible asserts in its discussion of Genesis 1 that God s creation patiently waits for His provision because of the natural instinct He put in it. His creation knows that He is bountiful and open-handed (v. 28), and they gather what He gives and are satisfied. Because they desire no more than what God sees fit for them, they have no need to complain or be dissatisfied. They recognize that if God hides His face from them (i.e., ignores or leaves them to themselves), they will be troubled. They are so dependent upon their Creator that they cannot take their next breath without Him. When, at God s bidding, they give up their existence, others come behind them as God recreates and replenishes. Search the Scriptures 1. Why did God set a bound over the waters (Psalm 104:9)? 2. What happens when God sends forth His Spirit (v. 30)? Discuss the Meaning 1. How does this text illustrate God s creative power and provision? 2. Using the text, identify resources God made available to us through His creation. Lesson in Our Society In a downturned economy, it is easy to focus on what we have lost, things we cannot obtain, and the hopelessness we might feel. In Psalm 104, David chose to focus on God s creation 9 UMI_PRI_T_913_Merged.indd 9
01-96 2c Text 42046 Urban Ministries PDF Supplied 062013 Page 10 September 1, 2013 Bible Study Guide 1 and the riches thereof. We will do well to challenge ourselves to identify resources we can use to produce what we need. Provision is all around us. Make It Happen This week, challenge yourself to focus on what you have rather than on what you do not. Challenge yourself to see God the way David characterizes Him bountiful, attentive, and open-handed. He has not forgotten you or your family. While you wait for Him, make daily gratitude lists and thank Him for what you do have. Then, pray for wisdom to use what you have to get what you need. Follow the Spirit What God wants me to do: Remember Your Thoughts Special insights I have learned: Sources: Blue Letter Bible. BlueLetterBible.org. http://www.blueletterbible.org/ (accessed July 8, 2012). Brueggemann, Walter. The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1984. 15 49. Goldingay, John. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 3: Psalms 90 150. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008. 178 199. Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible. Genesis 1. http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henrycomplete/genesis/1.html (accessed July 25 27, 2012). Mays, James L. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Psalms. Louisville: John Knox Press, 1994. 331 337. Mullins, Nicole C. My Redeemer Lives. http://www.lyricsmode. com/lyrics/n/nicole_c_mullins/my_redeemer_lives.html (accessed December 19, 2012). Smith, William. Smith s Bible Dictionary. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2000. 137, 539 541. VanGemeren, Willem A. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. The Expositor s Bible Commentary, Vol. 5. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1985. 657 664. Word in Life Study Bible (NKJV). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1993. 908 909. Say It Correctly Manifold. MAN-i-fold. Leviathan. le-vi-a-than. Innumerable. in-noo-mer-ab-ul. Daily Bible Readings M: God Knows Our Every Need (Matthew 6:25 34) T: The Greatness of the Creator (Psalm 104:1 4) W: Nourishment for All Creatures (Psalm 104:10 17) T: The Cycle of Days and Seasons (Psalm 104:18 23) F: The Exalted God of Creation (Psalm 97:1 9) S: Praise God, the Creator (Psalm 104:31 35) S: God, Our Creator and Sustainer (Psalm 104:5 9, 24 30) 10 UMI_PRI_T_913_Merged.indd 10