Friday, May 30, 2014

Lesson - Sinning Willfully


VERSES:   Numbers 15:32-41

MEMORY VERSE:   Numbers 15:40   "That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God."

BOOK TO REMEMBER:   Review the first five books of the New Testament-"Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts."

PRAYER:   May we always strive to love God with our whole heart, never sinning on purpose. Let us be pure and holy.

SPECIAL SONG:   How Do Christians Worship God? (see May - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #5 on this blog.)

VISUAL AID:   Large bundle of sticks (see Activity below)

LESSON POINTS:
  • We remember from last week that the Israelites chose NOT to go into the Promised Land, even with God's help, to take the land from the Canaanites and the Amalekites. As their punishment, the people had to wander in the wilderness for forty years.  During this time, a man was found picking up sticks on the sabbath day. Let's think...is this what the people were supposed to do on the sabbath day? NO! What was the only thing they had to do on the sabbath day? That's right! Rest! They were not supposed to do anything, but rest. NO working at all, and yet they found a man picking up sticks! God had told the people many different times not to do any work on the sabbath.
  • The people who found him, took him to Moses and Aaron and all the people. They put him in a separate place to wait because God had not told them what should be done to him. The LORD told Moses that the man should be put to death by throwing stones at him until he died. God wanted His people to trust and obey Him, to take His command seriously, and to be holy as He was holy. 
  • God says what He means and means what He says...even today! Let us stay close to God's Word and read it every day. The way we know what pleases God is by reading His Word and obeying Him. . 
"Older Student" Tips: 
  • Over the past few weeks we have studied many lessons in the Bible. Can we think of any examples of God saying what He means and meaning what He says? (Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the wicked people in Noah's time, etc.)
ACTIVITY:    "The Man Who Picked Up Sticks"
Materials needed:  small thin sticks, 3" x 4" scrap of paper (any color), twine, crayons or markers, scissors, hole punch.
  1. Let the student choose 7 or 8 small sticks.
  2. Cut 7" of twine.
  3. Unroll the twine into small pieces.
  4. Pass one piece of twine to each child.
  5. Hand out scrap of paper.
  6. Have student punch a hole in paper on edge.
  7. Write "The Man Who Picked Up Sticks" and "Numbers 15:32-41" on the scrap of paper.
  8. Take one piece of twine and tie once around sticks.
  9. Insert end of twine in hole in paper.
  10. Tie well.