VERSES: 2 Timothy 4:1-4
MEMORY VERSE: 2 Timothy 4:2. "Preach the word..."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Philippians. Write 'Philippians' on small strips of paper and hand out to the students to take home and memorize that particular book. We should all strive to hide God's Word in our hearts, meditating on it throughout the day. What will help us? Knowing where the books of the Bible are located inside the book. By encouraging students to memorize the order of the books of the Bible, it can only help knowing where to find God's precious commandments and words of comfort so we can read it for ourselves.
PRAYER: May we treasure each and every verse of the Bible, knowing we gain guidance and comfort through His Word. Let us never be afraid to proclaim God's Truth to our friends and neighbors.
SPECIAL SONG: Acts 8:4 (see June 2015 - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #7 on this blog. If you click on the orange icon by the song, you will hear the tune.)
VISUAL AID: Write "2 Timothy 4:2 - "Preach the Word..." on the white board or chalk board.
LESSON POINTS:
- God has given us a precious book that contains everything He wants us to know and what we should do to please Him. This book also tells us how to get to heaven, the difference in right and wrong, how to be obedient to God, how to live a peaceful life, and how to help others. This book is called the Bible. It is a book containing 66 smaller books that are filled with lessons starting from the beginning of creation. It also tells us what we should do with this book called the Bible. When we turn to the New Testament pages of Second Timothy and look in the fourth chapter and second verse, we find what we should do with this book. What does it say? "Preach the Word..." With boldness and confidence, the Bible student should share what he/she has learned from the scriptures, no matter how trivial it may seem.
- 2 Timothy 4:2 also says that we should be ready and prepared to preach the Word when it is popular or unpopular. We need the Bible to correct, admonish and even scold those who should know what pleases God, but are not doing those pleasing things. We should also build up or exhort others by preaching God's Word.
- Why should God's Word be preached? Because there will be a time when people will not listen to the Bible. They will find men who only preach what they want to hear and not necessarily what God wants them to hear and do. 2 Timothy 4:3 and 4 says they want to have their ears itched with words they want to hear and then they will turn away from God's Word to hear fables or stories. How sad not to read and listen to God's Word, but only want to hear funny or silly stories and ignore God! How that must make God sad and angry! We should learn to read, learn to read well, know what God wants us to do, and teach others what we have learned. The Lord needs many gospel preachers to preach and teach His Word!
- Read Psalm 19:7-10 aloud and write on the board descriptions of God's Word.
- How do we know what He wants us to do and how to do it? We must not only read the Bible, but diligently study the Bible! (2 Timothy 2:15).
- In 2 Timothy 4:1-4, there are four steps to apostasy or falling away from the Truth. Can the students list them? (Not endure sound doctrine, have teachers teach their itching ears, turn away from the Truth, turn to fables.)
Materials Needed: 9"x 12" any color piece of construction paper, 3" x 5" light brown paper, 4" x 4" red paper, 4" x 6" blue paper, 4" x 6" green paper, 3" x 4" yellow paper, 2" x 4" tan paper, 2" x 3" black paper, stapler and staples, crayons, scissors.
- Pass out large any color paper to each student. (I chose brown.)
- Fold edge of paper one-third of the way up.
- Staple side edges of paper to form a pocket. (This is where the objects for the lesson will be kept.)
- Write "WHY WE MUST PREACH THE WORD" and "2 Timothy 4:1-4" at the top of the pocket.
- Set aside.
- Hand out blue paper.
- Write "THERE WILL BE A TIME WHEN PEOPLE WILL NOT LISTEN TO GOD'S WORD."
- Put inside pocket.
- Hand out light brown paper.
- Draw a person from the side view (see picture above.)
- Cut out person.
- Draw lines for his/her clothing, hair, eye, smile.
- Turn person over.
- Draw lines for his/her clothing, hair, eye, frown, and not smiling.
- Put inside pocket.
- Hand out small tan paper.
- Draw an ear on the tan paper.
- Cut out out ear.
- Write "ITCHING EARS" on ear.
- Put inside pocket.
- Hand out black paper.
- Write "BIBLE" on one side of paper.
- May round two corners if desired, to look like more like book.
- Put inside pocket.
- Hand out red paper.
- Draw a VERY large "X" in the middle, using up most of the paper.
- Cut out 'X."
- Put inside pocket.
- Hand out yellow paper.
- Write "MOTHER GOOSE" on one side of yellow paper. (This a book of Mother Goose fables or nursery rhymes.)
- If there is room, draw a goose on the yellow paper under the words "MOTHER GOOSE."
- Put inside pocket.
- Hand out green paper.
- Write "WE MUST PREACH GOD'S WORD!" on the green paper.
- Place blue paper, person, ear, Bible, red X, Mother Goose book, and green paper inside the large pocket.
- Clean up.
- As a whole group, everyone takes their objects out of their paper pockets and lays them on the table in front of them, telling the story as a group. (Numbers may be written on the backs of each object except the person to help in remembering the sequencing.) For example:
- (Bible is placed in front of the student.) "Why must we preach what God tells us in the Bible?"
- (Place blue paper on table.) "God says there will be a time come when people will not listen to God's Word."
- (Place ear on the table.) "God says they will find teachers who will preach what the people want to hear because they have itching ears."
- (Place red 'X' on Bible and the frowning person walking away from the Bible.) "God says they will turn away from the Truth."
- (Place Mother Goose book on table and the happy person looking at the Mother Goose book.) "God says they will turn to fables."
- (Place green paper on table.) "God says, 'We must preach His Word!"
- Place all objects back in pocket. If time permits, tell the story as a group again until runs out.
- The Bible teacher should practice these four steps to apostasy or the falling away from the Truth until it is fluent.
