Contents.
Teaching tips from Maurice Sweetsur (
mnmsweetsur@xtra.co.nz ).
To view all my teaching resources, go to
www.mauricesweetsur.blogspot.com To access Object lessons, go to
www.objectlessons.blogspot.comTo access Stories, skits and puppet plays go to
www.christianstoriesandplays.blogspot.comTo access all my material on major teaching themes, check out the 'Special Blog' sites below :-
1. Creation.
www.ms-creation.blogspot.com 2. Christmas.
www.ms-christmas.blogspot.com 3. Easter.
www.ms-easter.blogspot.com 4. The Bible.
www.ms-bible.blogspot.com5. Prayer.
www.ms-prayer.blogspot.com 6. Hearing from God.
www.ms-hearing.blogspot.com 7. The Ten Commandments.
www.ms-tencommandments.blogspot.com 8. John 3.16.
www.ms-john316.blogspot.com 9. Teaching Memory verses.
www.ms-memoryverses.blogspot.com 10. Gospel Illusions.
www.ms-gospelillusions.blogspot.com 11. Object Lessons (using natural laws).
www.ms-objectlessons.blogspot.com 12. Lessons involving balloons.
www.ms-balloons.blogspot.com 13. Lessons involving fire.
www.ms-firelessons.blogspot.comTo access my site for children go to
www.funatkidzone.blogspot.comTo request my monthly free Newsletters as they are published, send me an email.
Maurice Sweetsur
mnmsweetsur@xtra.co.nz Contents.
Title.
52. Getting to know your children.
51. The road of life.
50. The Church.
49. What children need to understand about God.
48. The twelve days of Christmas.
47. Big bang or big mess?
46. The day of rest.
45. Dead to the world.
44. Using Christian songs to teach Biblical truths (Part 2).
44. Using Christian songs to teach Biblical truths.
43. Our amazing earth.
42. Commitment to Christ - Two analogies.
41. Symbols of Christmas.
40. Made in the image of God.
39. Why Christians praise God.
38. The progressive revelation of God.
37. Children are special.
36. Steps to forgiving others.
35. Presenting puppet skits and plays.
34. Religion or Christianity.
33. Our lives are on loan from God.
32. Peer pressure.
31. Teaching children to P.R.A.Y.
30.Teaching Bible stories as real history.
29. Memory verses on cardboard discs.
28. Assurance of salvation.
27. New Life in Christ.
26. Head belief or heart belief?
25. The Ten Commandments.
24. Knowing Jesus or knowing about Jesus?
23. The Good Samaritan.Teaching John 3.16.Overcoming discipline problems - by making your lessons fun and exciting.1. Getting children to pray in public.2. How we should pray (A lesson from blind Bartimaeus).3. Ideas for teaching the David and Goliath story.4. Ideas on teaching about Creation.5. Developing good habits.A. Teaching children how to make right choices.B. Teaching children to be generous givers.6. Use of Balloon modelling in Children's ministry.7. Use of Ventriloquism to teach class rules.8. Leading children to Christ.9. Noah's ark and the flood.10. Use of storytelling.11. What is love?12. The Lord's prayer.13, Teaching Memory verses.14. What's in a name?15. Telling the C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S. story.16. How God speaks to us.What do children believe?17. Ideas for teaching about Zacchaeus.18. Jesus Understands (Easter).19. Teaching Bible stories in context.Creation or Evolution. Does it really matter what we believe?20. Creation and Evolution.21. The lost sheep.22. The lost son.
Teaching tip 52.
T.T. 52 - Getting to know your children.
I always count it a great privilege to be able to share the Christian faith with precious children. I am mindful, however, that a long time after they have forgotten most of what I have said, they will remember me. They will remember what I was like. Did I care for them? Was our time together a 'fun' time? Was I interested in their lives? Did I really get to know them? Was I their friend, confidant and advisor? Or, was I "just another teacher"?
I am sure that we all agree that it is important to try and form relationships with the children that we teach. If you teach Sunday school or Kids church, it may be possible to spend time with your children after or before your lessons, and thus get to know them better. It may even be possible to meet with some of your children outside of a 'church' setting.
In New Zealand and Australia some primary schools are still open for Christian teachers to go in once a week to teach Biblical truths. This is very rewarding, as the majority of the children we teach children would not otherwise have any opportunity to hear about the Christian faith. In some of these schools it is possible to spend a short time with the children before or after the half-hour lesson. In most cases it is not. Thus, we are confined to getting to know the children during our allocated teaching slot. This is not always easy but it is worth the effort because, if you know "where the children are at", you will be able to adapt your lessons to be more in line with their needs and Biblical understanding.
I will share some ways that I have used in these settings to at least get to know what the children believe, and what their concerns, hopes and interests are.
1. Get the children to ask questions.
We spend a lot of time teaching children what we think they should know. But do we spend any time teaching them what they really want to know? The only way to find this out is to encourage them to ask questions. I find, however, that many children are reluctant to ask questions in front of their classmates. Therefore, on occasion, I will give all the class a blank sheet of paper each and ask them to write down any questions they have, explaining that I will answer them all the following week. This gives me time to consider my answers and, if necessary, check them out with the Bible. It is very rare for a child not to ask a question, and very often they ask multiple questions.
It may sound "impossible" to be able to answer all the questions in 30 minutes the following week. But I have found that many of the questions are the same or very similar (e.g. Who made God?). And for children, a short, uncomplicated, answer usually satisfies. I have shared some of the questions that I have been asked in Newsletters 9, 76 and 77.
Sometimes children want to know about you, and ask questions like "Why do you believe in God?", "Why are you our Bible teacher?" and "How long have you known the Lord?" These give you an ideal opportunity to share your testimony if you consider it appropriate to do so.
2. Use of a Christian survey.
If you wish to know what your children believe regarding God, Jesus, the Bible, etc., the best way is to ask them! And a simple (anonymous) survey is ideal for this.
About 15 years ago I started to teach "Bible" to children in state primary schools, with the vast majority of them coming from non-Christian homes. I wondered what influence we "Bible in school" teachers were having on the children. Were their beliefs falling in line with the Bible, or were the children still being largely influenced by their parents and guardians ?
Between 1998 and 2000, I chose six classes from four different schools in South Auckland for my survey. Thus a total of about 180 children participated. They were all in the age range 10 to 13, and all had previously attended weekly Bible classes for at least two years.
Results of my survey are shown below. I consider it to be a fair indication of children's beliefs in this area of Auckland, although there is always the possibility that some of the answers were made to "please teacher" rather than expressing what they really believed. For comparison, results of a survey - asking exactly the same questions - conducted among about 400 adults in the same area as two of the schools, and therefore probably including some of the children's parents, are shown. For further comparison, results of a similar survey of over 2,000 adults made between 1985 and 1990 in Ayrshire, Scotland are also included.
Results.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmChildren --Adults N.Z. -Adults Scotland
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm(%) ............(%) ................(%)
1. What would encourage more
people to go to church?
Closer friendships ...........................................................26 ..............14 ...................3
Livelier services /
More relevant preaching ..............23 ..............15 .................30
More participation ..........................................................19 ................5 ...................7
More social activity .........................................................12 ..............18 ................10
Other Ans. ........................................................................12 ..............13 ...................1
Don't know .........................................................................8 ...............35 ................49
2. Do you believe in God ?
Yes .....................................................................................79 ..............82 .................82
Not sure ............................................................................21 ...............11 .................11
No ........................................................................................0 ................7 ....................7
3. Who is Jesus, according to
your belief ?
Son of God ........................................................................70 ...............58 .................58
A good man ........................................................................9 ................22 .................20
Other Ans. ..........................................................................8 .................7 ....................7
Don't know ........................................................................13 ...............13 .................15
4. Why did Jesus come to earth ?
To die for our sins ----------------------------------74 ---------42 ----------42
To teach us ------------------------------------------9 ---------15 ----------15
To save the world -----------------------------------9----------13 ----------13
Other Ans. ------------------------------------------8 ---------30 ----------30
5. In your opinion, how does a person
become a Christian?
Believe in Christ as personal Saviour ----------------40 --------43 -----------19
Believe in God --------------------------------------36 --------20 -----------23
Lead a good life --------------------------------------2 ---------12 -----------24
Other Ans. ------------------------------------------22 --------25 -----------34
6. What do you believe will happen
to you when you die?
Heaven ---------------------------------------------70 --------49 -----------40
Reincarnation ---------------------------------------11 ---------6 -------------5
Afterlife (unspecified) --------------------------------8 --------13 ------------18
Cease to exist ----------------------------------------2 ---------5 ------------14
Other Ans. -------------------------------------------1 ---------0 -------------2
Don't know -------------------------------------------8 --------27 ------------21
7. What qualifies you for heaven ?
Faith in Jesus ---------------------------------------53 --------14 ------------14
Living a good life ------------------------------------16 --------67 ------------67
Church membership ---------------------------------9 ---------0 --------------1
Other Ans. -------------------------------------------6 ---------6 --------------5
Don't know ------------------------------------------16 --------13 ------------13
8. If you could know God personally,
would you be interested?
Already know God personally------------------------ 20 -------35 ------------10
Yes --------------------------------------------------58 -------42 ------------74
No ----------------------------------------------------4 --------2 -------------13
Not sure ---------------------------------------------18 -------21-------------- 5
Conclusions.
1. The answers of the two adult groups were remarkably similar (especially for some of the questions). This probably reflects the fact that the average regular church attendance in New Zealand and Scotland is similar (between 5 and 10 percent). The majority of people still think that "living a good life" is what qualifies you for heaven.
2. For most questions, the answers given by the children were more "Biblical" than those given by their parents and neighbours, the most notable exception being on how a person becomes a Christian.
3. We cannot assume that just because we teach Biblical truths, the children will necessarily come to share our beliefs. Parental and peer pressure are obviously still strong influences.
4. Although the school "Bible" classes are having a positive influence on the beliefs of the children, we could perhaps still do better in explaining what a Christian is, and how we can have a personal relationship with Christ.
Note. Although I have not done so myself, it may be a good idea to conduct a survey when you first start teaching your children, and then do the same survey again a year later, or whenever you finish teaching them. This will be a real test to see how effective you have been in imparting Biblical truths!
3. Throwing their worries on Jesus.
1 Peter 5 v. 7 says "Throw all your worries on him, because he cares for you." I often teach this verse to children alongside the story of David and Goliath (see Newsletter 17).
I then explain that that there are many "giants" or worries that people have in their lives, e.g. another person who is giving them a hard time, a bad habit, or a fear (e.g. of the dark, nightmares, flying, dying, snakes, spiders, dogs etc.). I get the children to write out the names of their giant(s) on a piece of paper. Then, as I lead them in prayer, at the appropriate time, I get them to crumple up their papers (giants) and throw them on Jesus - imagining Him to be standing at the front of the class. I conclude by emphasising that because Jesus now has their giants, they have them no more.
I usually look at the children's (ex) giants afterwards. These are always illuminating. Very few children write a bad habit (or sin) down as their giant. Even if they have had Bible teaching to the contrary, most still consider such things as lying, selfishness, greed, envy, disobedience, etc. as 'normal' behaviour. The most common bad habit that is written down is actually "swearing".
Often children will write down the name of another person as their "giant". Usually this is a sibling, or a class bully. But sometimes it is a parent, or even their class teacher!
However, by far the greatest number of "giants" are fears. Many children list multiple fears, with dogs, snakes, spiders, the dark and nightmares being the most common. Interestingly. many children in a particular class cite the same fears as each other. In one school that I teach at, I know that "fear of dying" will always be a very common "giant". In all other schools, this particular fear hardly ever gets a mention!
4. Writing about themselves.
If you use Bible "Activity sheets" then a good question / activity to include is to get the children to write something special about themselves. I think that their answers often reflect their parental upbringing. Some obviously have a very low self esteem and may write "There is nothing special about me". In contrast others give a long list of their interests and achievements, many stating that "mum" or "dad" say they are "Beautiful" or "Very smart".
Some years ago, one little nine year old girl chose to answer this question with a drawing. Her picture was of a girl, a woman and a man. However the man appeared to be holding what looked like a gun. I asked the girl about this, and our conversation then proceeded along the following lines.
"I am the girl, the woman is my mother and the man is my dad."
"Is your dad holding a gun?"
"Yes, he got out a gun and said that he was going to shoot me and my mum."
"What happened?"
"My mum's boyfriend fought with my dad and took the gun off him."
"What happened after that?"
"My dad was sent to prison, but when he got out we all (including her mum's boyfriend) had to move house so my dad couldn't find us."
"What do you think of your dad now?"
"I hate him and fear him. I will never forgive him for what he did."
"Jesus said that we should forgive each other."
"Yes, I know. But what my dad did was so bad I will never be able to forgive him!"
There may be some children in your classes that have gone through traumatic experiences. You may not be aware of who they are, but at least you can share God's love with them. You can tell them that there is a God in heaven who knows and cares about them. And no matter what situation they may be in, He will never stop loving them and is well able to bring them through to victory.
Teaching tip 51.
Teaching tip 51 - The road of life.
Preparation.
Take a piece of cardboard and draw the "road of life" on it (Unfortunately I was not able to upload this image from my computer. Email me if you would like a copy -
mnmsweetsur@xtra.co.nz ). Show it to your class.
Presentation.
"I call this my "Road of life". Everyone is on a journey through life and, as you can see, this road has three lanes.
The left hand lane (marked Good) is travelled by the good people. Those who try hard to be good and kind to others. They try to avoid doing anything wrong and would never deliberately hurt anyone. They probably believe in God, and may well go to church every week.
The centre lane (marked Middle) is travelled by most people. They do a few good deeds, but usually only towards their family and friends. They don't do anything really bad, but will sometimes act selfishly, tell a few lies and cheat others if they think it will benefit themselves.
The right hand lane (marked Bad) is travelled by criminals, those who set out to hurt or rob others.
But do you notice? All three groups of travellers are heading in the same direction - towards Death and Destruction! Because of the selfish nature we are all born with, we are all heading for an eternity without God. But God doesn't want us to go that way. He wants us all to spend eternity with Him in heaven. And, as you can see, He has provided a way for us to get there through His Son, Jesus. Jesus says "I am the way." You will also note that God has provided signs along the way to help us find our way to Jesus, and then to heaven. Some of God's signs may include His wonderful creative acts that are all around us, an unexpected act of kindness by someone towards us, or a word of direction or encouragement from a Christian parent or friend.
Do you notice something interesting about this road of life? The exit to heaven is on the right. Next to the "Bad " lane! Many people think that those travelling on the "Good" lane are the most likely to get to heaven. That is not true. It is just as easy for a "Bad lane" traveller to come to Jesus as it is for a "Good lane" traveller. In fact, some times it is easier for those on the "Bad" lane. This is because those on the "Good" lane are sometimes too proud to come to Jesus. They think that God will accept them because of their good deeds. But they are mistaken. Nobody can be good enough. Conversely, those on the "Bad" lane are often aware of their sins and realise that they nees Jesus to forgive them.
So, no matter which lane you are travelling along, remember that the only way to heaven is through Jesus."
Teaching tip 50.
Teaching tip 50 - The Church.
It never ceases to surprise me that, even among children that regularly attend church, there is a general lack of knowledge as to what the church actually is. Many have little idea of why they go to church (other than their parents take them), how the church started, or what it's function in society is. But don't take my word for it! If you teach Sunday school, ask your children 1. Why they come to church? and 2. What does the church do? I think you may be surprised by their answers (or lack of them!).
When teaching on the function of the church, I always begin with it's origin and early development as described in "Acts". I then ensure that the children realise that the church is not a building. Rather it is made up of PEOPLE - who have all put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. I then ask the two questions mentioned above. Here is how I answer them.
Why go to church?
1. God tells us to (See Hebrews10.25).
It is a question of obedience. If Jesus is Lord of your life, that means that you are obedient to him. You can hardly say "Jesus, you are my Lord, but I am not going to do what you tell me!" Of course not. You would be contradicting yourself. If that was your attitude, then Jesus wouldn't really be Lord of your life.
"I enjoy going to church regularly, but even if I didn't, I would still go - because Jesus is my Lord, and I have to be obedient to him. Most of you children probably come to church or Sunday school because your parents bring you, or send you along. But when you are older, you will have to decide for yourselves. But if you are serious about living for Jesus, then regular church attendance should be a priority."
2. To meet together as a family / team.
Everyone who has put their trust in Jesus is now part of God's special family. And families meet together, and do things together. It would be a very strange family indeed if the members hardly ever saw each other, or never did things together, like sharing a meal!
Another way of looking at this is to realise that now we are all part of God's team to help bring about His Kingdom on earth.
"Suppose I were to tell you that I was a soccer player. You might reply, "You are, which team do you play for? Manchester United? Real Madrid?" If I replied "I don't actually play for a team", you would say "Oh, come on teacher, you can't be a soccer player and not play for a team." And you would be quite right. In the same way, you can't really be a true Christian and not be part of a local team, or church."
Imagine many coals burning brightly together. Suddenly one of the individual coals falls away from the fire. What will happen to it? Answer. It will burn less and less brightly until eventually it goes out and becomes cold. That is a typical 'picture' of the individual Christian who comes away from the Church and tries to live for Jesus on his own. He will grow cold, and probably give up his faith altogether. We all need the help, support and encouragement of other church members. In the Bible, there is no such thing as an "Individual Christian".
3. To help find God's plan for your life.
God has a special plan for each one of you which is far more wonderful than any plans you may have for yourselves. By going to church, you will meet people who will help you discover what God wants you to do with your life.
4. To help you on your way to heaven.
God wants us all to live with him in heaven. However, our journey to heaven can be a long and dangerous one. We have enemies who don't want us to get to heaven, but by going regularly to church, we can find out how to beat them.
What does the church do?
1. Worship God.
The word 'Worship' is derived from the word 'Worth'. God is indeed worthy of all we can give him. Without God, we would have nothing. In fact we wouldn't even be alive. Everything we have comes from Him. Christians realise this and meet together to give back to God a little of what He has already given us. This might include thanks, praise, love, money, etc.
2. To continue the work of Jesus.
A. Telling others about Jesus.
Jesus wants EVERYONE to know about Him, and what He did for us all on the cross. And He has chosen His church (every believer) to spread this GOOD NEWS throughout the whole earth. It is exciting to be part of this because Jesus promised that when every group of people have heard this GOOD NEWS, then He will return to earth and set up His Kingdom.
B. Demonstrating God's love.
It is no good telling people that God loves them if, at the same time, we don't demonstrate His love by helping others in whatever ways we can.
Jesus loves everyone, but when He was here on earth, He was particularly concerned for the poor, the sick, the weak, the oppressed and the elderly. As part of His church, we should likewise be especially concerned for these groups.
Although the church is not perfect, and has made mistakes, generally, over the last 2,000 years, it has been effective in demonstrating God's love to the world. Much of what is good in society today has been started by the church. Examples include many early schools, universities, hospitals, and organizations such as the scouts, guides, boys and girls' brigades.
It has also been the church that were first to speak out against evils in society such as slavery, child labour and racism.
The church is not only concerned with what is happening in it's own neighbourhood or even country. It also has a good record of sending resources (including people and money) to help the needy in "poor" countries. You may have heard of agencies such as World Vision and Tear Fund which are involved in this.
As someone once said "The church is the only organization which exists for the benefit of it's non members."
Note. You may wish to conclude by giving a few examples of what your church is doing to reach others for Jesus and help meet their needs.
T.T. 49 - What children need to understand about God.
T.T. 49 - What children need to understand about God.
Before starting to teach a new class of children, it is a good idea to ask yourself "At the end of the year, what do I want these children to really understand about God?"
If we each wrote down a list of what we thought was really important for our children to understand about God, it would obviously depend upon the age of the children, their backgrounds and their previous 'Bible' teaching. However, our list of what we wanted them to learn would probably include such things as teaching them to recite John 3.16, the Lord's prayer, the Ten Commandments, and even the Books of the Bible. We would probably also want our children to be thoroughly familiar with some of the best known Bible stories, such as Easter, Christmas, David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion's den, etc. And this is all good - as long as it is not an end in itself!
Unfortunately 'Knowing' something is not the same as understanding it. I have known children who, for example, could recite the Lord's prayer perfectly, but still having little understanding of what the prayer actually means! Rather, our aim should be to ensure that each child comes to an understanding of what God is really like. And this means explaining to the children what a particular Scripture or Bible story really teaches us about God. The Bible verses and stories are really tools which we can use to bring our children to a deeper understanding of the nature of God.
Here is a list of what I believe children really need to understand about God. You may wish to add to it, but keep it in mind during your teaching sessions.
1. God is always there. Wherever we go, God is always right there with us.
2. God always answers prayers. His answer may be "Yes", "No", or "Wait", but He will always answer us.
3. God always understands. No matter what is happening in our lives, no matter how we feel, God always understands about us.
4. God always forgives. No matter what we may have done, God will always forgive us if we are really sorry.
5. God always loves. We can never stop God loving us, because "He is love."
Teaching tip 48 - The twelve days of Christmas.
The Twelve Days of Christmas.
The popular song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is usually seen as simply a nonsense song for children. However, some have suggested that it is a song of Christian instruction dating to the 16th century religious wars in England, with hidden references to the basic teachings of the Faith. They contend that it was a mnemonic device to teach the catechism to youngsters. The "true love" mentioned in the song is not an earthly suitor, but refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person who is part of the Christian Faith. Each of the "days" represents some aspect of the Christian Faith that was important for children to learn.
Note. The "Twelve days" refer to the days between Christmas day and Epiphany (Three Kings day) on January 6th.
On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
A Partridge in a Pear Tree.
The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25, the first day of Christmas. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34)
On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Two Turtle Doves.
The Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world.
On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Three French Hens.
The Three Theological Virtues: 1) Faith, 2) Hope, and 3) Love (1 Corinthians 13:13)
On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Four Calling Birds.
The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ.
On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Five Gold Rings.
The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch: 1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of humanity's sinful failure and God's response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world.
On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Six Geese A-laying.
The six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1).
On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Seven Swans A-swimming.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)
On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Eight Maids A-milking.
The eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. (Matthew 5:3-10)
On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Nine Ladies Dancing/
The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, 3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness,6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and 9) self-control. (Galatians 5:22)
On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Ten Lords A-leaping/
The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me; 2) Do not make an idol; 3) Do not take God's name in vain; 4) Remember the Sabbath Day; 5) Honor your father and mother; 6) Do not murder; 7) Do not commit adultery; 8) Do not steal; 9) Do not bear false witness; 10) Do not covet. (Exodus 20:1-17)
On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Eleven Pipers Piping/
The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas bar James. (Luke 6:14-16). The list does not include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders and the Romans.
On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Twelve Drummers Drumming/
The twelve points of doctrine in the
Apostles' Creed: 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell [the grave]. 5) On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) the holy catholic Church, 9) the communion of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the resurrection of the body, 12) and life everlasting.
Teaching tip 47 - Big bang or big mess?
Teaching tip 47 - Big bang or big mess?
People who deny the existence of God have therefore to believe that the Universe created itself out of nothing. (To believe that actually requires a lot more faith than I have got!). So how then do atheists explain how the Universe formed? Most use the idea of a 'big bang', even though none of them were there to see what actually happened.
They say that first of all there was absolutely nothing. But then, they claim, all the energy and matter contained in the billions of stars in the universe was somehow there, separated into a single point, which suddenly 'exploded'. This somehow formed lots of hydrogen gas, which spread out and filled the universe. Then the clouds of hydrogen gas started to pull themselves together by gravity. These clouds got hotter and hotter until they each formed a star. Then these stars exploded and formed all the other elements like carbon and oxygen, that made up all the stuff in the universe, including you and me.
But where did the first energy come from? How could it all have been contained in a single point? What made this point explode? And who ever heard of an explosion making order and design? What happens when fireworks explode? You certainly get a bang, but all you have left is a big mess!
There are lots of sound scientific reasons why the big bang idea is wrong, could not work, and simply did not happen.
It is far easier, in fact, to believe that Almighty God made the sun, the moon, the stars and everything in the universe the way He says He did in the Bible.
"The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands." (Psalm 19.1).
Teaching tip 46. The day of rest.
Teaching Tip 46 - The day of rest.
God created the Universe in six days, and rested on the seventh. This does not mean that God was tired after all His work, and so took a rest, because He does not slumber or sleep (Psalm121.4). The Hebrew word that is usually translated as 'rest' also means 'cease'. So God ceased or rested from His creative work after six days.
God certainly did not need six days to make everything. He could have done it all in an instant on the very first day. So why did He take six days?
The answer is given in Exodus 20. 10 - 11, and is the basis of the Fourth Commandment. God did it this way to show us how we should organise our lives - work for six days, and have a rest or break on the seventh. That is why a week is seven days long, not six or eight. Jesus reminded us that this does not mean that we must never do any work on the seventh day (Sabbath). For example no matter what day of the week it is, it is always a good day to do good to others. Rather, it means that we should make this our general routine, and in so doing we are more likely to stay healthy in both mind and body.
People have sometimes tried other week lengths. For example, in 1793 France decreed three 10-day 'weeks' each month. This didn't work and was abolished by Napoleon in 1806. The former Soviet Union introduced a five-day week in 1929, and then changed it to a six-day week in 1931. Neither of these worked, so the normal seven-day week was restored in 1940.
This is another example of how 'God knows best'. If we follow our Maker's instructions, we won't go far wrong in life.
Teavhing tip 45. Dead to the world.
Teaching Tip 45 - Dead to the world.
A young Christian was once puzzled by the expression "dead to the world", so he asked his pastor what the expression actually meant. In response the pastor told the young man to go to the local cemetery, find a gravestone, and heap praise on the person buried there. He was then to find a second gravestone and heap verbal abuse on that buried person.
The young Christian was obviously surprised at his pastor's instructions, but nevertheless he carried them out. On reporting back the pastor asked "Did you do what I told you?" "Yes" replied the young man. "And what was the response you got to all that praise and verbal abuse?" asked the pastor. "Absolutely nothing at all" replied the young man, still looking very puzzled. "Exactly." said the pastor. "The dead do not respond. Now you know what it is like to be dead to this world!" The young man had learned his lesson.
None of us are completely immune to praise, criticism or abuse, but as Christians that should be our goal. Anyone who is truly "dead to the world" will not be affected by these things, but rather be only concerned with the advancement of God's kingdom.
Teaching tip 44a. Using Christian songs to teach Biblical truths (Part 2).
Teaching tip 44a - Using Christian songs to teach Biblical truths (Part 2).
Last month I shared on how the hymn "There is a green hill far away" could be used to teach fundamental Christian truths. This month, I am sharing on how I use the popular children's chorus "Jesus loves the little children." to teach about God's love for them.
I do this through ventriloquism, and with the aid of my puppet friend George. Children love ventriloquism, and I have discovered that it is much easier than it appears. You don't need to be a professional. Children don't mind if they see your mouth moving a little - they are far more concerned with what your dummy or puppet is actually saying. Thus, if you have good material, you only need to be able to speak in one 'different' voice to be a big hit.
The dialogue I use is expanded from a skit in the booklet "Ventriloquism for little children" by William Andersen.
V. (Ventriloquist). I hope that you are going to behave today, George.
G. (George). I always behave.
V. I am not so sure about that. But I know that you can be good. In fact, I heard that last week you went to Sunday school. Is that true?
G. Yes.
V. Good. Did you enjoy Sunday school?
G. Yes, I did.
V. What did you like best about Sunday school?
G. The songs they sang.
V. What sort of songs did you sing in Sunday school?
G. Sunday school songs, silly!
V. I shouldn't have asked. What was your favourite Sunday school song?
G. Jesus loves the little kids.
V. You mean Jesus loves the little children?
G. That's what I said.
V. Well, that's a good song. Can you sing it?
G. O.K. - - - - - -
V. Well?
G. Well what?
V. Can you sing it for us then?
G. O.K. - - - - - -
V. Well?
G. Well what?
V. Can you sing it for us now?
G. Oh, alright. Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red, brown, yellow , black and green, they're the dumbest kids I've seen.
V. George!. These children aren't dumb.
G. Sure they are. And they're ugly too.
V. These children aren't ugly, they're beautiful.
G. They're ugly.
V. They're beautiful.
G. They're ugly. Just look at them.
V. I am looking at them.
G. Yes, aren't they ugly!
V. No, they're beautiful. Let me explain something to you. God made all these beautiful children.
G. He did!
V. Yes, He did.
G. There is something I don't understand.
V. What don't you understand?
G. If God made all these beautiful children
V. Yes, He did.
G. Who made the ugly ones?
V. Look George, there are no ugly children. Well, not in this class anyway. In fact, when I look at these children - it is like looking at a beautiful garden of flowers.
G. Yes, look at all the weeds!
V. George, you got the song wrong anyway.
G. I did?
V. Yes. It goes "Red, brown, yellow, black and white." Not "Red, brown, yellow, black and green."
G. Can I sing it again?
V. Alright, have another go.
G. Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red, brown, yellow , black and white. Put them together, and watch them fight!"
V. George, these children don't fight!
G. Sure they do.
V. Look, you still got the song wrong. It goes "They are precious in His sight."
G. What does that mean?
V. Precious means that they are all very special to God. It doesn't matter to God what colour their skin is, whether they are red, brown, yellow, black or white, He loves them all the same.
G. What about the green ones?
V. I don't think there are any green children. But if there were, God would love them just as much.
G. How much does He love them?
V. Well, that's what I come along here each week to teach you. The Bible puts it this way. "God so loved the world"
G. That's everyone.
V. That's right. "That He gave His only Son"
G. Who's that?
V. Can someone please tell George who God's only Son is? - - - - - That's right, it's Jesus, George.
G. Oh, now I remember.
V. "That whoever believes in him"
G. That's so simple.
V. So it is. "Shall not die, but have eternal life."
G. Wow. God loves them heaps.
V. He certainly does. You know George, I think you're getting the picture.
G. Can I sing it again?
V. Alright, but please get it right this time.
G. Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red, brown, yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.
V. Well done. Say goodbye to the children, George.
G. Goodbye to the children George!
T.T. 44 - Using Christian songs to teach Biblical truths.
Teaching tip 44 - Using Christian songs to teach Biblical truths.
Many favourite hymns and popular choruses are rich in Biblical truths. When leading children in singing, it is always good practice to pick out one or two of these truths and explain them to the children - that way the song will be more relevant to them and they should then really know what they are singing about.
This month I am taking a well known hymn and looking at some of the Christian truths it expresses. Next month, I will look at a popular children's chorus.
When I was a young Christian, I remember being struck by the sublime Biblical truths in the well-known hymn "There is a green hill far away" by Cecil Alexander. In particular the third verse illustrates beautifully and succinctly the three reasons why Jesus died.
"He died that we might be forgiven
He died to make us good
That we might go at last to heaven
Saved by His precious blood."
"He died that we might be forgiven." - We have all sinned against God by breaking His Laws and Commandments. Therefore we all need to be forgiven. But on the cross Jesus died in our place. He took the punishment we deserve on Himself so that now we can be forgiven.
"He died to make us good." - Wonderful as it is to be forgiven, that is still not enough. If Jesus died only that we might be forgiven then, because of the selfish nature we are all born with, we would still carry on doing wrong. But God has a much better plan for us than that. He wants to change us on the inside "to make us good." Because Jesus died and rose again, He is able to come into our lives if we ask Him and give us a new God-centred nature. The Bible calls this being "Born again."
"That we might go at last to heaven." - God wants us all to eventually live with Him in heaven. And if you have been forgiven and "born again" then a place has already been reserved for you in heaven.
"Saved by His precious blood." The last line of this verse reminds us of what it cost Jesus to purchase our salvation - The shedding of His own precious blood.
