Adventurers with Jesus Online Activities 3 rd Quarter 2015 Lesson 1 Multiple Choice Underline the word that makes each sentence true. 1. God specifically wanted the people in Israel to help the (rich, poor, children). 2. In the year of (famine, Sabbath, Jubilee), the land that was leased would return to its original owners. 3. The Israelites cared more about living (on the edge, comfortably, for God) than helping the poor. 4. God allowed (Assyria, Rome, Egypt) to capture Israel because they did not repent. 5. Instead of buying stuff for ourselves that we don t need, we should concentrate on (laughing, hugging, giving). Net Check: The Greatest Commandments During Jesus ministry, the Jewish leaders asked Jesus what the greatest commandment of all the Law was. The Jewish leaders, like the Pharisees and Sadducees, did not like Jesus. They wanted Jesus to give an answer that would make Him lose followers. But Jesus did not choose a law about rituals or sacrifices. Jesus told them that love is greater than any other part of the Law. So when the Pharisee asked him to name the greatest commandment, Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matt. 22:37 40, NRSV). Jesus quoted these commands from Deuteronomy 6:4 5 and Leviticus 19:18, which are found in the Old Testament. No matter what we do for God, nothing is as important as loving Him and loving other people. In fact, if we love God and each other perfectly, then we also fulfill every other part of the Law. That is why these laws are the greatest.
Lesson 2 Fill in the Blanks Fill in the blanks using the words below: good, prophets, Israelites, everyone, revelation 1. God called the prophet Micah to speak to the about their wickedness. 2. Micah described the Israelite leaders as people who hate the and love the evil (Mic. 3:2, NRSV). 3. Micah said that the prophets would be without vision and without, meaning that God would not give them a special message to give to the people (Mic. 3:6, NRSV). 4. The false and corrupt leaders ignored Micah s warnings. 5. God disciplines who disobeys. Net Check: Israel s Corrupt Leaders The Israelite rulers were supposed to represent God s justice, love, and mercy. These rulers should have done the right thing, no matter what the situation was. Sadly, the Israelite leaders weren t urging the people to follow God s ways. In fact, they weren t obeying God themselves. The judges were in charge of serving justice. They were responsible for making sure the lawbreakers in society were punished. Instead, the judges were taking bribes. The prophets did not obey God either. They gave people good prophecies if they received something nice in return. They should have prophesied based on what God had to say, but they got caught up in greed. Israel s leaders were acting like corrupt businessmen instead of obeying God. The leaders and the rest of Israel did not repent from their wrong behavior, so God disciplined His people.
Lesson 3 Matching Match the first half of the sentence with the correct second half of the sentence. Column A Column B 1. Micah described God s anger as a. bless them. 2. If the Israelites obeyed, God would b. a lawsuit against the Israelites. 3. If the Israelites disobeyed, God would c. respect. 4. God wanted His people to d. punish them. 5. God wants us to treat others with kindness and e. do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with Him. Net Check: Micah Micah was a prophet in Judah in the eighth century. Micah came from a small town named Moresheth, which was outside of Jerusalem, the nation s capital. He is known for his deep concern for the poor and oppressed, which is one of the main themes throughout his writing. Another theme is his condemnation of the corrupt leaders who did not enforce God s laws. Because of the leaders crooked ways, the rich became richer and the poor became poorer. Micah passionately spoke against the sins of the Israelite community in hopes that the people would repent and turn to God. (Daniel J. Simundson, The Book of Micah in The New Interpreter s Bible, Vol. VII [Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996], 533 534).
Lesson 4 True or False Write the letter T if the statement is true or the letter F if the statement is false. 1. Micah said only the Israelite leaders were upright. 2. The Israelites worshiped false gods. 3. God s people repented, so He did not punish them. 4. Even though the Israelites didn t obey God, the Assyrians did. 5. God forgives those who repent. Net Check: Assyrians The Israelites did not believe that the Assyrians would capture them. After all, the Assyrians were a pagan nation: they did not know God or obey His ways. The Israelites did not understand how God could use a wicked nation to carry out His will. But God disciplines all who disobey, and He forgives all who repent. God called Jonah to speak to the Assyrians in Nineveh. He told them to repent or they would be overthrown. Then the people in Nineveh repented and fasted so that God would not bring destruction upon them. Because they repented, God did not bring harm to them. In the same way, the Israelites had the opportunity to repent, but they did not. This is why God allowed another nation to capture them.
Lesson 5 Multiple Choice Underline the word that makes each sentence true. 1. Isaiah 59:15 reads, Truth is lacking, and whoever turns from evil is despoiled. The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no (justice, love, mercy) (NRSV). 2. According to Isaiah 59:3, the Israelites hands were defiled with (dirt, blood, sin). 3. God put the divine armor on (Himself, Isaiah, the Israelites). 4. (Paul, Isaiah, Peter) said that we also should put on the armor of God. 5. God put on the (buckle, helmet, gloves) of salvation. Net Check: Isaiah Isaiah prophesied during the reign of several kings, including Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Isaiah was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom of Judah and spent most of his time in Jerusalem. Isaiah is known for his prophecies about Jesus the Messiah, the exile in Babylon, and the conquest of Babylon s kingdom. (King Cyrus of Persia overthrew Babylon and then allowed the Jews to return to their homeland.) Salvation is one major theme found in Isaiah. The word salvation is in Isaiah twenty-six times. This book is the longest prophetic work in the Bible and provides more prophecies of Jesus than any other book in the Old Testament.
Lesson 6 Fill in the Blanks Fill in the blanks using the words below: Ezra, Assyria, judges, Artaxerxes, Cyrus 1. God punished the Israelites by allowing the nation of to capture them and take them out of their land. 2. When King of Persia took over all the land, he made the decree that the Jews could return to their land and could rebuild their temple. 3. was a teacher of the Law of Moses. 4. King told Ezra to make sacrifices to God. 5. King Artaxerxes also ordered Ezra to appoint to help the people live justly. Net Check: Ezra During Ezra s time, many Jews were allowed to return from exile to their land. The Israelites were in captivity for many years. King Cyrus of Persia took over Babylon and then decreed that the Jews could return to their own land. When he returned to Jerusalem, Ezra helped lead the people to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. Ezra was described as a scribe skilled in the law of Moses that the LORD the God of Israel had given (Ezra 7:6, NRSV). The book of Ezra shows that God fulfilled His promise to restore His people after their punishment.
Lesson 7 True or False Write the letter T if the statement is true or the letter F if the statement is false. 1. The only thing God wants us to do is go to church. 2. God does not want us to worship Him out of habit or because we feel like we have to. 3. God desires sacrifices more than He cares about justice. 4. We should never act like we are better than other people. 5. How we treat others has nothing to do with our love for God. Net Check: Proverbs When Solomon became king of Israel, God appeared to him in a dream. God told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon did not ask for riches or a long rule; he asked for wisdom. God granted his request and also gave him incredible riches. Solomon was wiser than everyone else in the land, and he spoke three thousand proverbs (1 Kings 4:32, NRSV). Some of these proverbs are recorded in the book of Proverbs. The book of Proverbs includes instructions on how to live practically in a way that will honor God. It emphasizes hard work, treating others well, and obeying God.
Lesson 8 Matching Match the first half of the sentence with the correct second half of the sentence. Column A Column B 1. The Israelites were worshiping a. they would not obey. 2. God said that He would punish the Israelites if b. repent. 3. God will forgive us if we c. live. 4. God wants to teach us how to d. false gods. 5. Anything that we treat as more important than God is an e. idol. Net Check: Israel s Idols Israel continually worshiped idols, starting with their exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land. Moses went up Mount Sinai to speak with God and receive the Ten Commandments. While he was away, the Israelites became restless. Instead of trusting in God, they said to Aaron, Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him (Exod. 32:1, NRSV). Then Aaron created a golden calf and built an altar for it. While in the Promised Land, the Israelites worshiped Baal and other pagan gods. Other nations worshiped many gods, but the Israelites knew that there is only one God. Still, the Israelites wanted to be like other nations, and they often fell to temptation and worshiped pagan gods.
Lesson 9 Multiple Choice Underline the word that makes each sentence true. 1. (Samuel, Malachi, Moses) was a prophet to the Jews who returned to the Promised Land after their many years in exile. 2. In Malachi 3, God said that the (messenger, leader, Lord) of the covenant would come, but the people would not be happy to see him (v. 1, NRSV). 3. Those who did not help the poor, the oppressed, and the (wealthy, widows, Philistines) would be punished. 4. The Lord disciplines those He (hates, loves, likes). 5. The Israelites were robbing God in their tithes and (sacrifices, prayers, offerings). Net Check: Malachi Little is known about this prophet, and the only mention of Malachi is in the first verse: The word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi (Mal. 1:1, NRSV). This book emphasizes justice and urges the people to help those in need, just as the earlier prophets did. The book of Malachi was probably written between 433 and 425 B.C. and is the last book in the Old Testament. This book is known for including a prophecy about John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for the Lord (Mal. 3:1, NRSV).
Lesson 10 Fill in the Blanks Fill in the blanks using the words below: Jesus, pray, comfortable, boldness, walk 1. The disciples prayed for so that they could tell others about Jesus, no matter what it cost them. 2. The Jewish leaders were angry that the disciples were teaching others about. 3. Following Christ is not easy or. 4. God always gives us what we for if we ask for something that is a part of God s plan. 5. Peter said, I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and (Acts 3:6, NRSV). Net Check: Disciples Miracles While Jesus was on earth, He performed many miracles that proved the grace of God. But Jesus told the disciples that they would also perform these miraculous signs: Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father (John 14:12, NRSV). After Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples performed many incredible healings in Jesus name. In Acts 5, we see that the disciples healed the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits. In fact, they had such faith in God that if Peter s shadow fell on the sick, they believed they would be healed. In Acts 9, Peter healed a paralyzed man named Aeneas and raised a woman named Dorcas from the dead. Philip also performed many miracles, including healing the lame and casting out evil spirits (see Acts 8). All of these miraculous signs helped people believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Lesson 11 Matching Match the first half of the sentence with the correct second half of the sentence. Column A Column B 1. Peter told the Jews to repent and be a. the day of Pentecost. 2. The first believers shared their b. Joseph, or Barnabas. 3. One of the generous believers was named c. belongings. 4. The disciples handed out the money to d. baptized. 5. Three thousand people gave their lives to Jesus on e. those in need. Net Check: Early Church Givers In today s lesson, we learned that Barnabas had a generous spirit and gave up his land so that others would not be in need. In Acts 5, a couple also sold their land, but they did not have the same generous spirit that Barnabas had. The couple, Ananias and Sapphira, only gave part of the proceeds from their land to the needy. Ananias and Sapphira were punished, not because they didn t give up all of the money, but because they lied and acted like they gave all of their money to those in need. God wants us to give humbly; He does not want us to show off our good deeds. Barnabas was focused on others and their needs. Ananias and Sapphira, however, were focused on themselves and wanted to look good in front of others. Let us give to others because of our love for God, not for any selfish reasons.
Lesson 12 True or False Write the letter T if the statement is true or the letter F if the statement is false. 1. The disciples performed miracles using their own power. 2. When the disciples were in prison, an angel helped them escape. 3. The disciples cared more about obeying God than making the Jewish leaders happy. 4. One Jewish leader, Gamaliel, said not to do anything to the disciples. 5. The Jewish leaders let the disciples leave without harming them. Net Check: Gamaliel Gamaliel was a Pharisee, or a teacher of the Law, in the first century B.C. Gamaliel was respected by the Jews and the other Jewish leaders. In fact, he was so well-known and admired that the Apostle Paul used his connection to Gamaliel to show that he was formerly a devoted Jew. When a crowd of Jews became violent toward Paul, he addressed them by saying this: I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today (Acts 22:3, NRSV). Paul then explained how Jesus had spoken to him on the road to Damascus, which made Paul into a believer in Christ. Paul s connection to Gamaliel made his account more trustworthy to the Jews.
Lesson 13 Multiple Choice Underline the word that makes each sentence true. 1. The (first believers, deacons, Roman soldiers) were in charge of giving out food to those who were in need. 2. You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not (kept, listened to, memorized) it (Acts 7:53, NRSV). 3. Stephen told the Jewish leaders that they did not truly follow (the commands of the high priest, the Roman law, the Law of Moses). 4. The (spirit, hope, problem) of the Law of Moses is God s love. 5. Stephen was the first (disciple, martyr, convert) of Christianity. Net Check: Early Church Martyrs Stephen was the first martyr of Christianity. This means that he was the first person to die for his belief that Jesus is the Son of God. The Bible does not record the deaths of all of the disciples, but many believe that several other disciples were martyred. According to Acts 12, James, son of Zebedee, was killed by the sword. Andrew and Peter were crucified, but Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he did not feel worthy to die in the same way as Jesus. James, son of Alphaeus, was stoned to death. Today, people are still killed for their belief in Jesus, but our eternal life with Jesus in heaven is worth any suffering on earth.
Answer Sheet Lesson 1 1. poor; 2. Jubliee; 3. comfortably; 4. Assyria; 5. giving Lesson 2 1. Israelites; 2. good; 3. revelation; 4. prophets; 5. everyone Lesson 3 1. b; 2. a; 3. d; 4. e; 5. c Lesson 4 1. False; 2. True; 3. False; 4. False; 5. True Lesson 5 1. justice; 2. blood; 3. Himself; 4. Paul; 5. helmet Lesson 6 1. Assyria; 2. Cyrus; 3. Ezra; 4. Artaxerxes; 5. judges Lesson 7 1. False; 2. True; 3. False; 4. True; 5. False Lesson 8 1. d; 2. a; 3. b; 4. c; 5. e Lesson 9 1. Malachi; 2. messenger; 3. widows; 4. loves; 5. offerings Lesson 10 1. boldness; 2. Jesus; 3. comfortable; 4. pray; 5. walk Lesson 11 1. d; 2. c; 3. b; 4. e; 5. a Lesson 12 1. False; 2. True; 3. True; 4. True; 5. False Lesson 13 1. deacons; 2. kept; 3. the Law of Moses; 4. spirit; 5. martyr