Newsletter 58.
Newsletter 58 from Maurice Sweetsur
Contents.
T.T. 40 - Made in the image of God.
Story - Honouring your parents.
O.L. 67 - The writing on the wall.
O.L. 68 - Using the Mobius loop to teach Memory verses.
Quiz - Who am I?
Church Funnies.
Teaching tip 40 - Made in the Image of God.
We are all made in the image of God (Genesis 1.26). This means that we are God-type creatures. When God looks on us, He sees someone like Himself! Thus, we are like God in many ways, and unlike the animals in many ways.
1. 'God is spirit' (John 4.24), so, unlike the animals, we have an eternal (everlasting), immortal (indestructible) spirit. We can be filled with God's Holy Spirit, and pray to God directly.
2. 'God is love' (1 John 4.8), so we can love and worship God, love other people, and know His love. Animals cannot do this.
3. 'God is good' (Psalm 34.8). God is holy and perfect - He never does anything that is wrong - and He commands us to be holy and perfect too (Matthew 5.48). Unlike animals, God has given every person a 'little voice' inside them called a conscience. And this tells us what is right and wrong, warning us when we are about to do something wrong, and making us feel bad if we actually go ahead and do it.
We are different from the animals in many other ways, too.
1. We can talk with other people (as well as with God). Animals signal warnings, aggression or friendship to each other by the sounds they make, by the way they stand or move, by facial expressions, and by odour. However, animals can't speak (or write!) a true language.
2. We can choose what we want to do as a result of thinking about situations and making rational decisions. Animals do things by instinct (Jude v. 10).
3. We cam comfort others in their sorrows and laugh with others in their joys. One animal may help another, but they do not run first-aid clinics or hospitals!
4. We can cook our meals using fire (or electricity). Animals are scared of fire.
5. We can cultivate the fields, planting and reaping crops.
6. We can invent complex things like computer games, musical instruments, paintings, mathematics and aircraft, and use clocks to measure time. Animals can make nests and burrows, but this is the limit of their creativity.
Story - Honouring your parents.
The fifth Commandment instructs us to honour our parents. That means respecting them, treating them well, and never speaking nastily to them or about them. If we do this then God promises that "things will go well for us."
There was once a young man who, from the time he was just a young boy, had his heart set on joining the Navy. His plan was to join the Navy at the earliest opportunity and, he thought, if he worked hard he might even become a ship's Captain one day and be in Command of his own boat.
As soon as he was old enough this young man signed up to join the Navy, and was looking forward to setting out to sea. Just before he was due to set out, his mother came to him saying that she thought he was making a mistake in joining the Navy, she just didn't feel 'right' about it, and asked him to reconsider.
What would you have done in that young man's situation? I think most of us would have said something like "This is my life. I am old enough to make my own decisions, and this is really what I want to do." But this young man went to the Navel authorities and explained that he couldn't dishonour his mother's wishes by joining the Navy.
That young man never went to sea, and he never became Captain of his own boat. But he did become the Commanding Officer of the whole Navy! In fact, he became President of his country. His name? - George Washington.
Would George Washington have still become the first American President if he had disregarded his mother's wishes? We will never know for sure, but I doubt it. And as he kept God's Commandment to honour his parents, he proved God's promise that "all would go well for him."
Object Lesson 67 - The writing on the wall.
Here is an object lesson that you can use when teaching about the famous 'writing on the wall' in Daniel, Chapter 5.
Write out the words (Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin) with a white crayon on white cardboard or paper. Get a volunteer to gradually paint over the cardboard with food colouring. The words will then ‘magically’ appear in white as the food colouring adheres to the cardboard, but not the crayon.
n.b. This is also an interesting way of teaching Memory verses.
Object Lesson 68 - Using the Mobius loop to teach Memory verses.
In Newsletter 47, I invited anyone who had a good use for the Mobius loop to share it with me. Consequently Kathy Hitzfelder emailed me to say that she used them to teach Memory verses - Take a paper strip (about 100 cm. long is ideal) and join the two ends together, making a half twist as you do so. You are then able to write out your Memory verse on the paper. Thus, it will be about 200 cm. long, but because of the Mobius effect will still be able to be read in one continuous straight line.
Possibly a better way of making up your Mobius strip is to print out your verse on six lines (e.g. printed longwise on A4 paper). Cut the lines into strips, and then paste strip 4 onto the back of strip1, strip 5 onto the back of strip 2, and strip 6 onto the back of strip 3. Join strip 1 to strip 2, and strip 2 to strip 3. Finally, join the beginning of strip 1 to the end of strip 3, remembering your half twist. (This is actually a lot easier than it actually sounds!)
Kathy has sent me an attachment of a picture puzzle she uses for teaching John 3.16 in the above way. This is shown above.
Contents.
T.T. 40 - Made in the image of God.
Story - Honouring your parents.
O.L. 67 - The writing on the wall.
O.L. 68 - Using the Mobius loop to teach Memory verses.
Quiz - Who am I?
Church Funnies.
Teaching tip 40 - Made in the Image of God.
We are all made in the image of God (Genesis 1.26). This means that we are God-type creatures. When God looks on us, He sees someone like Himself! Thus, we are like God in many ways, and unlike the animals in many ways.
1. 'God is spirit' (John 4.24), so, unlike the animals, we have an eternal (everlasting), immortal (indestructible) spirit. We can be filled with God's Holy Spirit, and pray to God directly.
2. 'God is love' (1 John 4.8), so we can love and worship God, love other people, and know His love. Animals cannot do this.
3. 'God is good' (Psalm 34.8). God is holy and perfect - He never does anything that is wrong - and He commands us to be holy and perfect too (Matthew 5.48). Unlike animals, God has given every person a 'little voice' inside them called a conscience. And this tells us what is right and wrong, warning us when we are about to do something wrong, and making us feel bad if we actually go ahead and do it.
We are different from the animals in many other ways, too.
1. We can talk with other people (as well as with God). Animals signal warnings, aggression or friendship to each other by the sounds they make, by the way they stand or move, by facial expressions, and by odour. However, animals can't speak (or write!) a true language.
2. We can choose what we want to do as a result of thinking about situations and making rational decisions. Animals do things by instinct (Jude v. 10).
3. We cam comfort others in their sorrows and laugh with others in their joys. One animal may help another, but they do not run first-aid clinics or hospitals!
4. We can cook our meals using fire (or electricity). Animals are scared of fire.
5. We can cultivate the fields, planting and reaping crops.
6. We can invent complex things like computer games, musical instruments, paintings, mathematics and aircraft, and use clocks to measure time. Animals can make nests and burrows, but this is the limit of their creativity.
Story - Honouring your parents.
The fifth Commandment instructs us to honour our parents. That means respecting them, treating them well, and never speaking nastily to them or about them. If we do this then God promises that "things will go well for us."
There was once a young man who, from the time he was just a young boy, had his heart set on joining the Navy. His plan was to join the Navy at the earliest opportunity and, he thought, if he worked hard he might even become a ship's Captain one day and be in Command of his own boat.
As soon as he was old enough this young man signed up to join the Navy, and was looking forward to setting out to sea. Just before he was due to set out, his mother came to him saying that she thought he was making a mistake in joining the Navy, she just didn't feel 'right' about it, and asked him to reconsider.
What would you have done in that young man's situation? I think most of us would have said something like "This is my life. I am old enough to make my own decisions, and this is really what I want to do." But this young man went to the Navel authorities and explained that he couldn't dishonour his mother's wishes by joining the Navy.
That young man never went to sea, and he never became Captain of his own boat. But he did become the Commanding Officer of the whole Navy! In fact, he became President of his country. His name? - George Washington.
Would George Washington have still become the first American President if he had disregarded his mother's wishes? We will never know for sure, but I doubt it. And as he kept God's Commandment to honour his parents, he proved God's promise that "all would go well for him."
Object Lesson 67 - The writing on the wall.
Here is an object lesson that you can use when teaching about the famous 'writing on the wall' in Daniel, Chapter 5.
Write out the words (Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin) with a white crayon on white cardboard or paper. Get a volunteer to gradually paint over the cardboard with food colouring. The words will then ‘magically’ appear in white as the food colouring adheres to the cardboard, but not the crayon.
n.b. This is also an interesting way of teaching Memory verses.
Object Lesson 68 - Using the Mobius loop to teach Memory verses.
In Newsletter 47, I invited anyone who had a good use for the Mobius loop to share it with me. Consequently Kathy Hitzfelder emailed me to say that she used them to teach Memory verses - Take a paper strip (about 100 cm. long is ideal) and join the two ends together, making a half twist as you do so. You are then able to write out your Memory verse on the paper. Thus, it will be about 200 cm. long, but because of the Mobius effect will still be able to be read in one continuous straight line.
Possibly a better way of making up your Mobius strip is to print out your verse on six lines (e.g. printed longwise on A4 paper). Cut the lines into strips, and then paste strip 4 onto the back of strip1, strip 5 onto the back of strip 2, and strip 6 onto the back of strip 3. Join strip 1 to strip 2, and strip 2 to strip 3. Finally, join the beginning of strip 1 to the end of strip 3, remembering your half twist. (This is actually a lot easier than it actually sounds!)
Kathy has sent me an attachment of a picture puzzle she uses for teaching John 3.16 in the above way. This is shown above.
Rebus notes: The hand reaching down from the cloud is the oldest known visual symbol of God - He's reaching down to us from heaven. The needle and thread are for sewing - "so". The face is male, so "he". That's a grave minus r. What does a snake say? what does an owl say? Notice the leaves are plural. The dress shows a hem - "him". A shell - "shall". A knot - "not". 1/2 - "have". The clock, showing time is crossed out, meaning not time but eternity - "eternal" or "everlasting".
Quiz - Who am I?
I find these quick quizzes are very useful as a 'fill in' if I have a few minutes to spare at the end of a lesson. I choose a well known Bible character, and give the children clues as to their identity - starting with hard ones, and gradually getting easier. If a child thinks they know the identity of the Bible character, they can have a guess. If they are right, they win the quiz (and perhaps a small prize). If they are wrong, they are eliminated. i.e. they cannot make another guess.
Here are a few examples that I have used, but I am sure that you can make up many more similar quizzes of your own.
Quiz A.
1. I was present when Jesus died.
2. Jesus spoke to me from the cross.
3. Jesus told his disciple John to look after me.
4. Jesus once told me that he must be about his Father's business.
5. I was present when Jesus was born.
6. I was married to Joseph.
(Ans. Mary).
Quiz B.
1.I had lots of brothers and sisters.
2. One brother was named James. Another was named Jude.
3. I lived part of my life in Egypt.
4. My cousin used to baptise people in the river Jordan.
5. I, myself, was baptised by my cousin.
6. I died when I was about 33 years old.
7. I never did anything wrong.
8. I rose from the dead, and am still alive today.
(Ans. Jesus).
Quiz C.
1. I had three sons.
2. I lived until I was 950 years old.
3. I was the only good man God could find on the earth.
4. God told me and my family to multiply and fill the earth.
5. I spent just over a year on board a boat.
6. God told me to build an ark.
(Ans. Noah).
Quiz D.
1. I was a builder of cities.
2. One of my brothers was named Seth.
3. I murdered one of my other brothers.
4. His name was Abel.
5. My mother's name was Eve.
6. My father's name was Adam.
(Ans. Cain).
Church Funnies.
(taken from Mikey's Funnies - http://www.mikeysFunnies.com/sub/ )
A little child in church for the first time watched as the ushers passed the offering plates. When they neared the pew where he sat, the youngster piped up so that everyone could hear: "Don't pay for me Daddy, I'm under five."
=========================================
A little girl became restless as the preacher's sermon dragged on and on. Finally, she leaned over to her mother and whispered, "Mommy, if we give him the money now, will he let us go?"
=========================================
After the christening of his baby brother in church, little Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, "That priest said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys!"
=========================================
Pastor Dave Charlton tells us, "After a worship service at First Baptist Church in Newcastle, Kentucky, a mother with a fidgety seven-year old boy told me how she finally got her son to sit still and be quiet. About halfway through the sermon, she leaned over and whispered, 'If you don't be quiet, Pastor Charlton is going to lose his place and will have to start his sermon all over again!' It worked."
=========================================
A little girl was sitting on her grandfather's lap as he read her a bedtime story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek, then his again. Finally she spoke up, "Grandpa, did God make you?""Yes, sweetheart," he answered, "God made me a long time ago.""Oh," she paused, "Grandpa, did God make me too?""Yes, indeed, honey," he said, "God made you just a little while ago."Feeling their respective faces again, she observed, "God's getting better at it, isn't he?"
=========================================
A little boy was attending his first wedding. After the service, his cousin asked him, "How many women can a man marry?""Sixteen," the boy responded.His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly: "How do you know that?""Easy," the little boy said. "All you have to do is add it up, like the pastor said: 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer."
=========================================
After a church service on Sunday morning, a young boy suddenly announced to his mother, "Mom, I've decided to become a minister when I grow up.""That's okay with us, but what made you decide that?"Well," said the little boy, "I have to go to church on Sunday anyway, and I figure it'll be more fun to stand up and yell, than to sit and listen."
Quiz - Who am I?
I find these quick quizzes are very useful as a 'fill in' if I have a few minutes to spare at the end of a lesson. I choose a well known Bible character, and give the children clues as to their identity - starting with hard ones, and gradually getting easier. If a child thinks they know the identity of the Bible character, they can have a guess. If they are right, they win the quiz (and perhaps a small prize). If they are wrong, they are eliminated. i.e. they cannot make another guess.
Here are a few examples that I have used, but I am sure that you can make up many more similar quizzes of your own.
Quiz A.
1. I was present when Jesus died.
2. Jesus spoke to me from the cross.
3. Jesus told his disciple John to look after me.
4. Jesus once told me that he must be about his Father's business.
5. I was present when Jesus was born.
6. I was married to Joseph.
(Ans. Mary).
Quiz B.
1.I had lots of brothers and sisters.
2. One brother was named James. Another was named Jude.
3. I lived part of my life in Egypt.
4. My cousin used to baptise people in the river Jordan.
5. I, myself, was baptised by my cousin.
6. I died when I was about 33 years old.
7. I never did anything wrong.
8. I rose from the dead, and am still alive today.
(Ans. Jesus).
Quiz C.
1. I had three sons.
2. I lived until I was 950 years old.
3. I was the only good man God could find on the earth.
4. God told me and my family to multiply and fill the earth.
5. I spent just over a year on board a boat.
6. God told me to build an ark.
(Ans. Noah).
Quiz D.
1. I was a builder of cities.
2. One of my brothers was named Seth.
3. I murdered one of my other brothers.
4. His name was Abel.
5. My mother's name was Eve.
6. My father's name was Adam.
(Ans. Cain).
Church Funnies.
(taken from Mikey's Funnies - http://www.mikeysFunnies.com/sub/ )
A little child in church for the first time watched as the ushers passed the offering plates. When they neared the pew where he sat, the youngster piped up so that everyone could hear: "Don't pay for me Daddy, I'm under five."
=========================================
A little girl became restless as the preacher's sermon dragged on and on. Finally, she leaned over to her mother and whispered, "Mommy, if we give him the money now, will he let us go?"
=========================================
After the christening of his baby brother in church, little Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, "That priest said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys!"
=========================================
Pastor Dave Charlton tells us, "After a worship service at First Baptist Church in Newcastle, Kentucky, a mother with a fidgety seven-year old boy told me how she finally got her son to sit still and be quiet. About halfway through the sermon, she leaned over and whispered, 'If you don't be quiet, Pastor Charlton is going to lose his place and will have to start his sermon all over again!' It worked."
=========================================
A little girl was sitting on her grandfather's lap as he read her a bedtime story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek, then his again. Finally she spoke up, "Grandpa, did God make you?""Yes, sweetheart," he answered, "God made me a long time ago.""Oh," she paused, "Grandpa, did God make me too?""Yes, indeed, honey," he said, "God made you just a little while ago."Feeling their respective faces again, she observed, "God's getting better at it, isn't he?"
=========================================
A little boy was attending his first wedding. After the service, his cousin asked him, "How many women can a man marry?""Sixteen," the boy responded.His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly: "How do you know that?""Easy," the little boy said. "All you have to do is add it up, like the pastor said: 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer."
=========================================
After a church service on Sunday morning, a young boy suddenly announced to his mother, "Mom, I've decided to become a minister when I grow up.""That's okay with us, but what made you decide that?"Well," said the little boy, "I have to go to church on Sunday anyway, and I figure it'll be more fun to stand up and yell, than to sit and listen."
posted by Maurice Sweetsur @ 7:21 PM
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