Today's class began with a review of last week’s lesson, the concluding class of Session 2 of ‘The Bible is God’s Message for Me’ (BGMM) - briefly reviewing subtopics of the major topic of Salvation -- Mercy, Grace, and actually receiving that Grace (when you Come to Jesus).
In addition to this, last week’s class ended with a student question, asking about whether or not they, as Christian believers, would ever need to use military weapons to defend against attacks on them, because of their faith. The brief answer given on October 7th was that in America people have rights to own and possess weapons (unlike many other countries), and that they would not have to use those weapons now, to defend the proclamation and the practice of the Christian faith. However, they were told that they should prepare themselves for the possibility that this would change in the future. No actual examples of Christian persecution and the need for self-defense were mentioned on October 7th.
In the October 14th class, this student’s question was revisited, because of its direct connection to the previous month’s Emphasis Memory Verse, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (HCSB), particularly verse 13 - standing firm, act like a man, being strong. We have explained several times, for the girls in the class, that they should understand “act like a man” to mean “be brave, and be willing to fight for what you believe.” These are character qualities that both the girls and the boys can identify with, but the girls just need to accept that the HCSB translators felt that the way to express this was with the phrase “act like a man.”
In this class, the brief answer from last week was repeated, the connection to 1 Corinthians 16:13 was emphasized, and one example of persecution, that occurred in September 2012 in Nigeria, was mentioned. There, 25 college students who were Christian were killed at their dormitory, while the Muslim college students at that dormitory were not harmed, by terrorists. No other mention, regarding the ongoing wave of terrorism there over the last five months, by the Boko Haram group, was made in class.
In the 5th grade, we limit the amount of information given that is exposing the students to violence. However, since we teach on sin and evil and choosing the Right Path, instead of the one that leads to evil, there are a few occasions when student are exposed to violent behavior, and just how terrible and evil it can become. The limits we adhere to are based on what is developmentally appropriate for preteen children.
After the BGMM review, and the review/discussion on use of weapons for defense against violent persecution of Christians, we covered Lesson 5 from Bible Adventures, "Trouble in Eden" using Scripture texts from Genesis Chapter 3. Then we concluded Lesson 5 by reading and discussing Romans 5:19, about “one man” who sinned (Adam), and “one man” who is our Redeemer (Jesus). Lesson 5 is used as a capstone to the BGMM topics previously presented. It allowed an opportunity for more questions from students on the major topics of Sin and Salvation, particularly from students who were absent for some classes in July and/or September.
The questions and discussion from Lesson 5 covered the lies told by satan to Eve, and the consequences of sin, including how the earth would now produce thorns and weeds, and that hard work would be required to produce crops for food. A major discussion point was about death, and being separated from God instead of walking daily with God in the garden, and having a damaged (sinful) human spirit.
To end the class, Jeremiah 29: 11 was recited, announced as the new Emphasis Verse for October, and the idea of Destiny -- God’s plans for us -- was discussed.
The Memory Verse assigned this week is Jeremlah 29: 11. (This verse is now the new Emphasis Memory Verse -- for the month of October.)
This was the final week for the students to say the previously assigned Emphasis verse, 1 Corinthians 16: 13-14, using the HCSB text, and earn extra Achievement Points.
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