Children's Teacher: July- September 2021

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation

Children’s Teacher is a teacher’s quarterly for children 11 and under. In addition to the exposition of the printed text, each of the thirteen lessons includes the purpose of the lesson, extensive teaching plans, lesson introduction, background of the lesson, meaningful insights, and related activities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Jun 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781681678368

Book preview

Lesson 1 for Week of July 4, 2021

I’M GRATEFUL

Background Passage: Leviticus 13—14; Luke 5:12–16; 17:11–19

Lesson Passage: Leviticus 13:45–46; Luke 17:11–19

UNIFYING TOPIC

An Attitude of Gratitude

LESSON SECTIONS

I. The Most Dreaded Disease in the Bible (Leviticus 13:45–46)

II. Only One Leper Returned to Say Thanks (Luke 17:11–19)

KEY VERSE

One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God. (Luke 17:15, NRSV)

BIBLICAL EMPHASES

1.In biblical times, those who suffered from leprosy were required to live in isolation.

2.As Jesus traveled to Jerusalem, he met ten lepers who asked Him for healing.

3.Only one man, a Samaritan, returned to thank and praise Jesus.

UNIFYING PRINCIPLE

People often receive mercy but do not acknowledge the one who helped them. Do you show appreciation? Ten lepers, isolated by their skin diseases, were healed; but only one, who was a foreigner, was saved by his faith and offered thanks.

LESSON EMPHASES

•The Bible teaches about diseases and supernatural healing.

•It is good to give thanks to the Lord for His many blessings.

Target Emphases

PRESCHOOLERS: Preschoolers welcome those who are different than they are.

YOUNGER CHILDREN: Younger children tease persons who appear different or act in unusual ways.

OLDER CHILDREN: Older children can learn to pray for those who are sick.

Materials Needed to Teach

For further reference, see today’s lesson from Boyd’s Commentary, New National Baptist Hymnal, 21st Century Edition, #Third Quarter.

Need more teacher helps?

Visit rhboyd.com.

Suggested Teaching Plan

GROWING WITH JESUS

MATERIALS NEEDED: poster with THANK YOU, GOD written on it, sticky notes, pencils

GETTING STARTED: Begin class with prayer. Say, Think about the last time you were sick or injured. What happened? How did you feel? Jot down the students’ descriptions of sickness, e.g., coughing, feeling too tired to play, or itchy cast on a broken wrist. Explain that the Bible teaches us to ask God for healing when we get hurt or are sick, no matter the symptoms or problems.

A GREAT BEGINNING: Ask students how they respond to someone who had been kind to them? Do they say thank you? Offer a hug? In today’s lesson, they will learn how someone responded when Jesus was kind to him.

AN IMPORTANT LESSON: Read the lesson story for today. Explain that the disease of leprosy was terrible, and people avoided being around those infected for fear of catching it. However, when ten lepers saw Jesus coming, they knew He could make them well. Jesus wasn’t afraid of the disease; He took time to listen, and when they obeyed Him, they were healed. The point of the lesson is not that these men were healed, but that only one returned to thank Jesus.

KEEPING IT GOING: Present the poster and give several sticky notes to each child. Help them write a few things they are thankful for. Afterward, allow them to add their sticky notes to the poster board. Dismiss class with prayer.

JUST FOR YOU: Since today is Independence Day, remember to be thankful for your freedoms. Take time to name them one by one.

YOUNG LEARNERS

MATERIALS NEEDED: music player, card stock, stickers, crayons, envelopes, card printed with THANK YOU

GETTING STARTED: Have a familiar children’s song playing as students are seated. Begin the class with prayer. Ask a volunteer to describe his/her best friend. Point out qualities that this person shares with the best friend. Repeat with several more volunteers, emphasizing that we all tend to choose friends who are much like we are. Explain that, in today’s lesson, students will learn about a group of men who were very unlike the rest of the people in their community, but Jesus loved them just as much as He loved everyone else.

JUMP START: Show the card with the word THANK YOU and ask students, "What are you thankful for today? Who are you thankful for? Today, we will read about a man who was truly thankful."

THE LESSON STORY: Read the lesson story for today. Explain that there are many persons on staff at your church who work behind the scenes so everyone can enjoy worship and the comforts of the building. Give each student card stock, stickers, crayons, and envelopes to make a thank you card for someone on the church staff. Afterward, select someone to gather the cards for delivery.

TAKING IT HOME: Make sure the students complete the other activities in their student books. As they gather for prayer, encourage them to take turns briefly voicing their thanks.

ENERGY TO EDUCATE: Be aware that some students may not fully understand how to be thankful because of their needs.

ADVENTURERS WITH JESUS

MATERIALS NEEDED: music player, paper, pens, poster with THANK YOU JESUS written vertically

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Greet each student. Have a familiar children’s song playing as they are seated. Begin the class with prayer. Give an example of a simple acrostic, e.g. FOOD: French toast, Oranges, Oatmeal, Donuts.

‘NET CHECK: Complete the activity from www.rhboyd.com. Allow time for both digital and Activity sections. Check and discuss the answers together.

INTRODUCTION: Ask the class what comes to mind when they hear the phrase an attitude of gratitude. Say, In today’s lesson, we’ll meet a man with such an attitude.

TODAY’S LESSON STORY: Ask for volunteers to read sections of the lesson story. Expound on the disease of leprosy and the gratitude of the one man. Divide the class into teams. Display the poster with the words THANK YOU JESUS, and allow time for each team to make an acrostic of things they’re thankful for (e.g. Tamales, Having a home, Aunts and uncles, Nail polish, and King Jesus might comprise the word THANK.)

LESSON REVIEW AND CLOSING: Let the students complete the activities in their student books, and review the key verse. After taking prayer requests, close the class in prayer.

— Lesson Overview —

Introduction

In 1 Corinthians 6:19, we read, Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? This is why we are responsible for taking good care of our bodies and our health. Of course, there are many diseases that will attack the human body. Cancer is still a major killer in the world today, yet there is still no real cure for it. The common cold has existed for countless years but is still without an instant cure. Last year the whole world experienced the effects of COVID–19, and many died from it.

Certainly we are all grateful for the advances made in medical science because none of us enjoy being sick. This is why, as the Bible demonstrates, many people sought out Jesus when they were suffering. In today’s lesson we will learn how Jesus healed a group of men who had leprosy—but only one who was healed took the time to express his gratitude. The miracles of the Lord continue today through the prayers of His saints, and we must learn to have an attitude of gratitude. The Word is full of admonitions to give God thanks. We read in Psalm 9:1 these words of David: I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Always remember: few things attract the attention of God like thankfulness!

Remind your students to take time to thank God for His blessings. Children can learn to demonstrate gratitude at any age, but (like us adults) they must often be reminded to do it. In the words of William Arthur Ward, Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

CREATE INTEREST: Ask participants to think of the last special present they received. Did they take time to thank the giver? If so, how?

I. The Most Dreaded Disease in the Bible (Leviticus 13:45–46)

God’s people had been delivered from four hundred years of slavery in Egypt. Now that they were free, Moses had led them to Mount Sinai, where he gave them the Ten Commandments and instructions on how to make them prominent in their daily lives. His desire was that the Israelites would live as faithful children of God. Moses authored the first five books of the Bible, which are known collectively as the Torah. Leviticus, the third of this set of books, includes a great many instructions for holy living and worship. Because there is much repetition, such as long lists of rules and regulations for the priests and the people, this book is seldom read or preached during most worship services, yet its contents are as priceless as that of any other Bible book.

In today’s lesson, we read about God’s instructions regarding those with the disease of leprosy. This was among the most dreaded diseases mentioned in the Bible. The book of Leviticus gave specific instructions for dealing with those with leprosy, which was caused by bacteria and affected the nerves of the body, rendering the afflicted unable to feel pain. Lepers suffered from patches of skin irritations, horrible sores, and even the loss of body parts. All persons with suspicious skin conditions had to show themselves to the priest, who would then declare them clean or unclean. Once a person had been declared unclean, he had to wear torn clothes and keep his hair unkempt. Those with leprosy were quarantined to certain areas, and when approached by anyone they were to announce, Unclean, unclean! to avoid contact with others. This extremely contagious disease resulted in the affected person being cut off until and unless they were healed—but during Bible days there was no known cure for this disease. The afflicted were considered outcasts, forced to live outside the camp.

Once infected, a person might not show any symptoms until years later, but once the disease was obvious, he or she was considered unclean. Imagine the miserable life of a leper, who was not allowed any contact with other human beings. They were not allowed to hug or even have conversations with family or friends. Theirs was a life of isolation and fear. They lived among their fellow lepers, and, since there was no cure, they surely faced constant distress and hopelessness.

Leprosy did not discriminate; it ravaged even those in lofty positions or who had great wealth. For example, in 2 Kings 5:1, we read about Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram—and yet he suffered from leprosy (Ibid.).

Jesus not only came to seek and to save those who were lost, but also to heal the sick. As He traveled, He not only taught about the Father and the Kingdom; He also spent time ministering to those who