Youth Teacher: October- December 2019

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation

Youth Teacher is a quarterly publication used to help the Sunday school teacher discuss issues pertaining to youth ages 12-17. Sections such as Biblical Emphases give background knowledge of the lesson. All lessons include relevant life concerns and lesson applications to help the teacher relate the Bible to the lives of young people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Sep 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781681675527

Book preview

Lesson 1 for Week of October 6, 2019

BE OBEDIENT

UNIFYING TOPIC:

Obedient Faith

LESSON SECTIONS

I. Moses Commands Obedience to God (Deuteronomy 4:1–8)

II. Follow the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 4:12–13)

KEY VERSE

You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the LORD your God with which I am charging you. (Deuteronomy 4:2, NRSV)

BIBLICAL EMPHASES

1. God told Moses to tell the Hebrew people to always remember and diligently obey God’s precepts.

2. Moses told the people it was important that they not add or take away from God’s commandments.

3. God gave the people the Ten Commandments on stone tablets.

UNIFYING PRINCIPLE

People desire and appreciate faithfulness in all of their relationships. How are we to respond to the faithfulness of others? Deuteronomy 4 and 5 set forth obedience as God’s expectation of Israel in response to God’s faithful deliverance.

LESSON EMPHASES

•To help youth discover why God wanted the Israelites to adhere to the Ten Commandments.

•To teach youth to be obedient and faithful to God’s commands.

Consider Your Students

SEEKERS FOR JESUS: Younger teens are eager to establish their walks with the Lord.

TEEN SCENE: Older teens are able to share their spiritual experiences with others.

Materials Needed to Teach

For further reference, see today’s lesson from Boyd’s Commentary, New National Baptist Hymnal, 21st Century Edition #322, and God’s Promises Bible.

Need more teacher helps?

Visit http://www.rhboydpublishing.com.

Suggestions for Effective Teaching . . .

SEEKERS FOR JESUS

STEP 1: Before class, write each of the Ten Commandments on a separate piece of paper. Then write a handful of popular proverbs or sayings on other strips of paper. Put all the strips in a bag or hat. Begin class with prayer. Tell students to choose one saying and decide if they think it is a Commandment given by God or simply a popular adage.

STEP 2: Intro Activity — Once students have identified the true Ten Commandments, allow students to ask any questions they may have so they understand what each one means. Ask, Do you think we should follow the Ten Commandments today? Why or why not? What is meant by adding to or subtracting from God’s commands? Together, create a skit that demonstrates at least three principles found in the Ten Commandments.

STEP 3: Today’s Word — Ask for a volunteer to read the print passage for today. Ask students to share in their own words what Moses was telling the Israelites in the passage. Ask them how they feel about obeying rules at home, at school, and in various organizations. Ask, Have you every searched for a way to change the rules instead of following them? Why are rules necessary?

STEP 4: Consider This — Ask a volunteer to read and discuss the Consider This Section found in the student books. Explore together how the story relates to today’s lesson.

STEP 5: Closing — Ask for a volunteer to read the Last Thoughts Section. Invite youth to discuss the relevance of the Ten Commandments to their daily lives. In closing, ask students to get into groups of three and lift one another up in prayer, asking God to help them follow the guidelines that are in place for their own protection.

TEEN SCENE

STEP 1: Begin class with prayer. Ask students to recite the Ten Commandments to the best of their ability. As they name them, write them on the board—even if they are unsure as to their accuracy.

STEP 2: Intro Activity — Ask students to turn to Exodus 20:1–17. Have them put the Commandments listed on the board in the order they are given in Exodus. Did they add to any of them in Step 1? Leave any of them out? Then divide the class into groups and have them write how each one might apply today, in 2019, using concrete examples.

STEP 3: Dissect and Digest — Discuss how the Ten Commandments reveal our responsibilities toward God and toward our fellow brothers and sisters. Explain that, even though we live under the New Covenant, our love for Jesus results in behavior that lines up with God’s commands.

STEP 4: Heart of the Matter — Ask for a volunteer to read and discuss the Heart of the Matter section in the student books. Discuss the message behind the story and how it might be relatable to situations in their own lives.

STEP 5: Closing — Review the forth Commandment. Explain that this command comes with the promise of longevity and abundant life. Ask, "What might you want to accomplish for the Lord in the span of your life? How might honoring your parents help you accomplish these desires? What does abundance mean, and how might that look in your life?" Take prayer requests. Close in prayer, invoking the Lord to equip students with an awareness of Him and His activity in their lives. Ask Him to imbue them with the faith and discernment they need to hear and heed His instructions to them.

— Lesson Overview —

Introduction

God gave Moses direct orders to give to the children of Israel as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land. God had chosen this nation as a special people, and He wanted them to follow a set of rules that would help them remain mindful of all He had done for them. Likewise, God wants us to follow the guidelines set forth by Jesus. When we do, our actions reflect the Savior Himself.

I. Moses Commands Obedience to God (Deuteronomy 4:1–8)

Throughout the book of Deuteronomy, God specifically called His people to hear and obey His laws and commands. At this point in their history, the children of Israel had been rescued from the oppressive rule of the Egyptians and had been on a journey toward the Promised Land. God wanted the people with whom He had made a covenant to trust Him by adhering to His directions. He gave Moses orders to deliver His statutes and judgments to the people. They were to pay attention to them; by doing so, they would enjoy full lives and possess the land that had been promised to them.

Moses told the people that they should not add anything to or take anything from the Commandments he was giving them. They were to follow them just as God intended. We are reminded of Proverbs 30:5–6: Every word of God proves true. . . . Do not add to his words, or else he will rebuke you, and you will be found a liar.

Moses reminded the Israelites about what could happen if they turned away from God. They had seen for themselves His anger when certain Israelites strayed from Him and entered into idolatry with the Baal of Peor. In His anger, God had destroyed the idolators who turned their backs on Him. We know from Numbers 25 that He ordered that many of the leaders be killed and sent a plague that took the lives of twenty-four thousand people. However, those who clung to God and continued to obey Him were spared. It seems Moses was reminding the Hebrew people, and us today, that there are consequences to disobeying God, and there are rewards for following Him.

Moses told his charges to follow the instructions from the Lord diligently as they occupied their new home. By following the Law, they would gain wisdom and discernment. They would also remain set apart from other nations, who would note that Israel was a great nation with a mighty God who cared deeply for them. The false gods to whom other people groups bowed were often ruthless, even sadistic; but Israel’s God was personal and loving. There simply was no comparison between Yahweh and any other so-called god. Moses, as though stirred with excitement about this God he knew and loved, asked the people a rhetorical but pertinent question: What other nation is as blessed as we are? Our God is always near, and He helps us whenever we call. Whose god is as just and fair as ours?

Today, we can ask the same questions and arrive at the same answer: Only our God is so loving and just and merciful! By following God’s commands, we can be a light to other nations, and God will be