Sunday, October 11, 2015

Love the Lord Your God Deuteronomy 5:1-21; 6:4-6 Deuteronomy 6:5-6 God gave Israel commandments. God’s commandments instructed people to love God and love each other. We are commanded to love God and love each other, too. Torah Service After completing this lesson, students will be able to: … Recognize the meaning of Torah by comparing the teachings of the Torah to the teachings they have heard. … Recognize God’s commandments by creating illustrations of the Bible text. … Demonstrate an understanding of service as an act of love by creating a skit.

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October 11, 2015

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th)

Activities a la Carte Activities

Supplies

Into the Story 5 min. … Activity Sheet #2-5.A

Commandment or Not? What’s a commandment?

Bible Nuts and Bolts Torah

5 min. … A Bible

… Whiteboard or large sheet of paper … Marker

Living a life of love.

Learning the Story Love the Lord Your God Create a comic strip of the story.

15 min. … Activity Sheet #2-5.B … White copy paper … Markers or crayons

Living the Story Loving God, Loving Others

15 min. … Nothing

Share how we love others.

Additional Activities Love the Lord Your God…

10 min. … Activity Sheet #2-5.C

Learn the Key Verse with hand motions!

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October 11, 2015

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th)

Activities a la Carte Activities

Supplies

With All Your Heart

10 min. … Waxed paper

… Crayons … Pencil sharpener or crayon sharpener … Iron … Towels … Scissors … Single-hole punch … Ribbon or string

Make a heart sun catcher.

Student Bible Book: Love the Lord Your God

10 min. … Each student’s binder

… Copies of Activity Sheet #2-5.D … A three-hole punch … Pens … Markers and/or crayons … A sample page (See below)

Students continue their own Bible story book!

Closing Prayer

5 min.

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3

October 11, 2015

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th)

Background for Teachers Story Connections Last week, your students explored the story of Moses and the burning bush. This week’s story is a continuation of the story of Moses, after the Israelites have escaped slavery in Egypt. In this story, God continues to speak to the Israelites through Moses, teaching them how to live by loving God and loving each other.

Story Summary: Love the Lord Your God The text in Deuteronomy 5:1-21 is a restatement of the Ten Commandments as found in Exodus 20. God speaks through Moses to the Israelites, reminding them of the covenant that God created with them. They are then instructed to love the Lord their God and to love and respect their neighbors. The second portion of the story, found in Deuteronomy 6, gives the Israelites a great and important commandment: they are to love God with all of their heart, soul, and strength. These commandments are repeated again and again throughout Scripture, particularly in the New Testament. In Matthew 22:36-38, Jesus reminds us that loving God is the greatest commandment. Then, in verse 38, Jesus reminds us that the second greatest commandment is to love others. The commandments that your students will explore in this lesson form the foundation for all of God’s other commandments.

Bible Nuts and Bolts: Torah The different books of the Bible can be classified in different sections. The first five books of the Bible (Genesis through Deuteronomy) are known in the Hebrew tradition as the Torah. The word “Torah” means “instruction” or “teaching.” The stories and commandments in these first five books provide teaching for the people of God. Specifically, the books of the Torah give God’s people guidelines on how to live lives of love.

Story Themes

God gave Israel commandments. In today’s text, God gives Israel ten commandments. Commandments can be defined as direct instructions or commands. In most of the commandments, the people are told “you shall…” or “you shall not….” God is doing more than just giving the Israelites rules. Instead, God is telling them how they should live their lives, by loving and respecting God and each other. God’s commandments instructed people to love God and to love each other. Many people hear the Ten Commandments and understand them as ten important rules we should follow. However, the Ten Commandments are more than just ten big rules. The Commandments give us guidelines on how to live. We are asked to respect God by not worshipping anyone other than our God, and by only using God’s name in affirming and helpful ways. We are asked to respect other people by being kind to them, honoring them, and respecting their lives and property. God has made a covenant to love and respect us, and we respond to this covenant by returning the love and respect to our Creator. We are commanded to love God and love each other, too. The commandments that God gives the Israelites in Deuteronomy are still relevant to us today. In the New Testament, we are told that the greatest commandment is to love God, and the second greatest is to love our neighbor. As Christians, we continue to live out these commandments through our words and actions.

Spiritual Practice: Service How do we live out God’s commandments to love God and to love other people? This week, your class will explore the answer to this question by thinking about how we can show our love for others through acts of service. During the “Living the Story” activity, your class will illustrate ways people can love others through lives of service.

Any passage of Scripture has innumerable themes and lessons for the student. However, a single lesson cannot cover everything. The following themes are the focus of this lesson.

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Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th) • October 11, 2015

Lesson Plan Into the Story (10 minutes) Commandment or Not? What’s a commandment? You will need: … Activity Sheet #2-5.A. During class: 1. Say: Welcome back! Last week, we heard about Moses and how God asked him to free the Israelites from Egypt. In today’s story, the Israelites are out of Egypt and traveling to the Promised Land. While they are on their journey, God gives them some commandments. 2. What is a commandment? Do you know? [Accept all answers.] A commandment is like an instruction. What are some instructions that people give you? [Accept all answers.] 3. Hold up a copy of Activity Sheet #2-5.A for the class to see. There are many commandments in the Bible. I’m going to read some commandments off of this sheet of paper. After I read a commandment, your job is to figure out if it’s a commandment in the Bible. Let’s see how many we can guess correctly! 4. Read the commandments one by one on the Activity Sheet. In between reading commandments, give students a chance to guess if a commandment is from the Bible. Once students guess, reveal the answer and move on to the next one. 5. In today’s story, we are going to hear about some of the commandments that God gives. We can find these commandments in the Bible.

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October 11, 2015

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th)

Bible Nuts and Bolts Torah (5 minutes) Living a life of love. You will need: … A Bible … Whiteboard or large sheet of paper … Marker During class: 1. I’m sure that all of you go to school. When you go to school, what are some of the things you learn? Let’s make a list. 2. Invite students to share some of the things they learn about while they are at school. Write these ideas down on the whiteboard or sheet of paper. 3. Wow. We learn a lot! What are some of the tools we use to learn these things? [Answers will vary, but may include: books, computers, talks, worksheets, etc.] Write these ideas in a new list on the whiteboard or paper. 4. There are many things tools that teach us the things we learn in school. We have teachers who help us learn. We have books to read or papers that show us new things. All of these things teach us. 5. Show students the Bible. Can we learn things from the Bible? [Yes!] 6. Open the Bible to today’s story. Today’s story comes from the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is in a part of the Bible called the Torah. The word “Torah” means “teaching.” What are some things that the Bible might teach us? [Accept all answers.] 7. The Torah is a tool that teaches people. The Bible teaches us many things about how to live our lives, and many of these teachings come from the Torah. Most importantly, the Torah teaches us how to live lives of love. We learn in the Torah how to love God and love other people. 8. Let’s hear the story and find out what commandments will teach us these things!

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October 11, 2015

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th)

Learning the Story (15 minutes) Love the Lord Your God Make a comic strip of the story.

You will need: … Activity Sheet #2-5.B … White copy paper … Crayons or markers Before class: 1. Make a copy of Activity Sheet #2-5.B for each student. During class: 1. Hand each student a sheet of white copy paper. Invite them to fold the paper into eighths and number each section 1 through 8. Hand each student some crayons or markers. 2. Read the story off of Activity Sheet #2-5.B. At the end of each section, pause and allow students to color an image that illustrates that portion of the story in the appropriate numbered section. 3. After concluding the activity, use the following questions to discuss the story: 1. What were some of the commandments that God gave the Israelites? [Answers will vary, but may include: only worship God, honor your parents, don’t steal, don’t hurt people, etc.] 2. Why do you think God gave the Israelites these commandments? [Answers will vary, but may include: to remind them to love God, to remind them to love other people, to remind them to be kind, etc.] 3. Even though God gave these commandments to the Israelites a long time ago, do you think God still wants us to follow them? [Yes!] 4. These commandments were given to God’s people a long time ago. At the start of the story, Moses reminds the people that even though God gave these commandments to their ancestors, they should still remember and follow them. God asks us to follow these commandments, too. These commandments help us live lives of love: they help us love God and love each other.

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October 11, 2015

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th)

5. Send home a copy of Activity Sheet #2-5.B for each student along with their comic strip.

Living the Story (15 minutes) Loving God, Loving Others Sharing how we love others. You will need: … Nothing During class: 1. Divide the class into pairs. 2. In today’s story, we heard God instruct us to love other people. One way that we love other people is by serving them. 3. What are some ways in which we might serve people? [Accept all answers.] 4. There are many ways that we can serve people. With your partner, think of one special way that you might follow God’s commandments and love another person through service. Create a skit that describes your idea! 5. Encourage pairs to create skits. Give students about 7-10 minutes to work. If needed, help partners think about how they can love others through service. 6. After time is up, invite the large group to come together. Invite partners to share their skits. 7. Great job, everyone! We all can love others by living lives of service.

Additional Activities Love the Lord Your God… (10 minutes) Learn a Key Verse with hand motions! You will need: … A Bible … Copies of Activity Sheet #2-5.C

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8

October 11, 2015

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th)

Before class: 1. Make a copy of Activity Sheet #2-5.C for each student. 2. Practice the hand motions. You can view videos of each hand motion by using an ASL dictionary (such as the one at http://www.handspeak.com/word/) During class: 1. Open a Bible to Deuteronomy 6:5. Read the verse to the class. 2. This verse is one of the commandments that God gives the Israelites. We hear this commandment in many different places of the Bible. Jesus even talks about this commandment in the New Testament! Let’s learn this Bible verse by heart, using hand motions. 3. Hand each student a copy of Activity Sheet #2-5.C. Go through the verse picture by picture, learning the hand motions together. This may be easiest if you show the students the hand motions first, and then have them repeat the words and motions back to you. 4. After learning the verse, say it a few times together with the hand motions. 5. Great job! Take these sheets home and continue to practice the verse. Soon you will know this commandment by heart!

With All Your Heart (15 minutes) Make a heart sun catcher You will need: … Waxed paper … Crayons … Pencil sharpener, crayon sharpener, or grater (several per class) … Iron … Towels … Scissors … Single-hole punch … Ribbon or string Note: Ÿ Practice care with using an iron during class. Before beginning this activity, instruct students to stay away from the iron unless you say otherwise. You may also wish to set up the iron on a different table to keep students away from the hot surface.

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9

October 11, 2015

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th)

During class: 1. In today’s story, we are commanded to love God with our whole heart. Let’s make a reminder of this commandment. 2. Give each student a sheet of waxed paper cut to 12” in length. Invite them to fold the paper in half, and then open it back up. 3. Using the pencil sharpener, crayon sharpener, or grater, shave the wax off of different colored crayons onto the waxed paper. If you opt to use pencil sharpeners, secure small, handheld ones that can be used solely for this purpose. Don’t forget to tear the paper off the crayons, if needed! 4. Refold the paper in half over the crayon shavings. 5. Place a towel on the table to protect your surface. One at a time, place each student’s folded waxed paper on top of the towel. Place a second towel on top of the waxed paper. Place the iron on a medium heat setting and press the iron on the towel until all of the crayons inside the paper are melted. 6. Set the waxed paper to the side to harden. 7. Once hardened, cut the waxed paper into the shape of a heart. Use a single-hole punch to punch a hole in the top of the heart, and thread through ribbon or string to create a hanging.

Student Bible Book: Love the Lord Your God (10 minutes) Students continue their own Bible story book! You will need: … A three-ring binder for each student (See Note) … Copies of Activity Sheet #2-5.D on 8.5” x 11” cardstock paper or plain paper … A three-hole punch … Pens … Markers and/or crayons … A sample page (See below) Before class: 1. Create a sample page using the instructions below to demonstrate to students approximately what their page should look like. 2. You may copy the activity sheet onto the cardstock, or just have students write it all themselves. During class: 1. Hand out one piece of cardstock paper and a pen to each student. © 2014-2015 Spirit and Truth Publishing - All Rights Reserved

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October 11, 2015

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th)

2. Show students the sample page you made before class. 3. Today we are going to continue making our own Bible book! 4. If you did not copy the activity sheet onto the cardstock, instruct students to write the name of the story on the top of their page (in portrait orientation) and write the passage underneath the title. 5. What are some of the important things we have learned from this story? [Answers will vary, see story themes for suggested answers] 6. On the bottom of your page, please write one or two important things that you have learned from this story. In the middle of the page, draw a picture from the story or illustrate one of your important things you’ve learned. 7. When students are finished, have them put their names on the back and collect the pages. Three-hole punch the papers and put them in individual binders for each student to be kept at church until the end of the year.

Closing Prayer Before ending class, make a point to come together to pray. Use the following or say your own prayer. Allow any students who would like to include a petition to do so at the appropriate time.

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11

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th) • October 11, 2015

Are These Commandments? Try to guess if each of these commandments is found in the Bible!

Is it in the Bible?

If yes, where is it found?

Love God.

Yes

Deuteronomy 6:5

Don’t seek revenge on people.

Yes

Leviticus 19:18

Ride horses everywhere you go.

No

Say a blessing to God while eating.

Yes

Don’t be kind to other people.

No

Be jealous of everything your neighbor has.

No

Give money to help other people.

Yes

Use God’s name in bad ways.

No

Commandment

Deuteronomy 8:10

Deuteronomy 15:8

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Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th) • October 11, 2015

Love the Lord Your God Deuteronomy 5:1-21; 6:4-6 Panel 1

Line of Story Today we hear a story from the book of Deuteronomy. We have given it the title “Love the Lord Your God.” In this story, we will hear some important commandments that God gave to God’s people.

2

Moses gathered all of God’s people together. He told the people of Israel that they should follow all of the commandments that he was about to give them.

3

Moses reminded them that these commandments were given to their ancestors by God many, many years ago. He told them that these commandments were a covenant that God made with their ancestors, and that they still should follow this covenant today.

4

Moses told the people about these commandments. He told them that we are commanded to love and respect God, and we should only worship God. We should treat God’s name with respect, too.

5

Moses told the people that God also commands us to spend time every week resting and worshipping God. For six days we should work, and on the seventh day we should rest.

6

Moses told the people that God also commands us to love and respect others. We are commanded to honor our parents and treat them with love and respect.

7

God commands us to respect other people by honoring their lives and their property. We shouldn’t hurt or harm them in any way, lie about them, or be jealous of what they have.

8

Moses told God’s people that, most importantly, they should love God with all of their heart, with all of their soul, and with all of their might. We are instructed to remember these commandments and keep them in our hearts all the time. 13 © 2014-2015 Spirit and Truth Publishing - All Rights Reserved

Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th) • October 11, 2015

Key Verse Hand Motions Use these pictures to help you learn Deuteronomy 6:5! Part of Verse

Hand Motion

Love

The Lord

Your God

With all your heart,

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Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th) • October 11, 2015

Key Verse Hand Motions Use these pictures to help you learn Deuteronomy 6:5! Part of Verse

Hand Motion

And with all your soul,

And with all your might.

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Lesson #2-5 (3rd-6th) • October 11, 2015

Love the Lord Your God Deuteronomy 5:1-21; 6:4-6

I learned: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ 16 © 2014-2015 Spirit and Truth Publishing - All Rights Reserved

The Story @ Home Narrative Lectionary, Year 2

Love the Lord Your God This week, your child explored the story of Moses and the burning bush. This week’s story is a continuation of the story of Moses. In this story, God continues to speak to the Israelites through Moses, teaching them how to live by loving God and loving each other. Story Summary: Love the Lord Your God The text in Deuteronomy 5:1-21 is a restatement of the Ten Commandments, as found in Exodus 20. God speaks through Moses to the Israelites, reminding them of the covenant that God created with them. They are then instructed to love the Lord their God and to love and respect their neighbors. The second portion of the story, found in Deuteronomy 6, gives the Israelites a great and important commandment: they are to love God with all of their heart, soul, and strength. These commandments are repeated again and again throughout Scripture, particularly in the New Testament. In Matthew 22:36-38, Jesus reminds us that loving God is the greatest commandment. Then, in verse 38, Jesus reminds us that the second greatest commandment is to love others. The Ten Commandments form the foundation for all of God’s other commandments. Bible Nuts and Bolts: Torah The different books of the Bible can be classified in different sections. The first five books of the Bible (Genesis through Deuteronomy) are known in the Hebrew tradition as the Torah. The word “Torah” means “instruction” or “teaching.” The stories and commandments in these first five books provide teaching for the people of God. Specifically, the books of the Torah give God’s people guidelines on how to live lives of love.

Story Themes God gave Israel commandments. In today’s text, God gives Israel ten commandments. Commandments can be defined as direct instructions or commands. In most of the commandments, the people are told “you shall…” or “you shall not….” God is doing more than just giving the Israelites rules. Instead, God is telling them how they should live their lives, by loving and respecting God and each other. God’s commandments instructed people to love God and to love each other. Many people hear the Ten Commandments and understand them as ten important rules we should follow. However, the Ten Commandments are more than just ten big rules. The Commandments ask us to respect God by not worshipping anyone other than our God, and by only using God’s name in affirming and helpful ways. We are asked to respect other people by being kind to them, honoring them, and respecting their lives and property. We are commanded to love God and love each other, too. The commandments that God gives the Israelites in Deuteronomy are still relevant to us today. In the New Testament, we are told that the greatest commandment is to love God, and the second greatest is to love our neighbor. As Christians, we continue to live out these commandments through our words and actions. Spiritual Practice: Service How do we live out God’s commandments to love God and to love other people? This week, your child explored the answer to this question by thinking about how we can show our love for others through acts of service. During the “Living the Story” activity, your child illustrated ways people can love others through lives of service.

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LIVING THE WORD

t i y Tr @ HOME Today your child continued their journey through the Bible and through the story of Moses. Last week, your child heard the story of Moses and the Burning Bush in Exodus 1:8-14 and 3:1-10. In today’s story, your child heard about God’s commandments to the Israelite people, given through Moses while they journeyed to the Promised Land. Next week’s story, found in Ruth 1:1-17, focuses on Naomi and Ruth and the journey they take together to a new home.

As you hear and study these stories each week, consider what God has to say to you and your family. Help your children to imagine what it would have been like to be the people contained in the stories. What is God’s message to them – and to us? Pick a time each day to gather together and read the following stories from an age-appropriate Bible. Engage in a few activities that help you better understand how we can follow God’s commandments to love God and love each other.

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Exodus 32:1-14

1 Kings 17:8-16

Daniel 6:1-28

Luke 10:25-37

John 6:1-14

John 12:1-8

Draw what you think the golden calf looked like. Why do you think God asks us to worship only God, and nothing else?

Find a recipe and bake a loaf of bread (or another bakery treat) together. As you bake, talk about ways you can show kindness to guests, just like the widow in the story.

Daniel was faithful to God even when King Darius decreed that everyone worship someone else. Is it easy or hard to be faithful to God? Pray and ask God to give you the strength to be faithful, no matter what.

Write a kind note or make a “get well soon” card for someone who is hurt or sick. As you make the card, pray for them. If you are able to do so, deliver the card to the person.

Saturday

Acts 2:45-47; 4:32-37 The little boy in the Grab a chair, a large As a community, the early believers story served others basin or tub, a loved each other by by sharing his bread pitcher of water, and fish with every- and a towel. Take sharing things with one another. Make one. Collect some turns “anointing” a list of some of the canned goods from each other’s feet. things that your your home to share As you do so, talk family (community) with a food bank or about how Mary showed love for shares. collection. Jesus by anointing his feet.

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