Today's class began with a special awards segment in honor of the Fall Quarter Achievement Points winner and the other students that were recognized for achievement. Certificates, a prize for the winner, and Christian teaching literature were all distributed to those awardees that were present, and remarks congratulating the award recipients and remarks for the entire class were made by George Nielsen. The recognition also included serving donuts at the end of the class period.
Then there was a brief review of the last week’s lesson regarding Abraham, Lot and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham interceded (the so-called “Bargaining” session with God), and although the cities were destroyed, the four that were righteous (because of their faith in God) were rescued and escaped the destruction.
Today we began Lesson 1 for the Winter quarter, from Bible Adventures, titled “The Prophets’ Promise.” This is the first of four lessons in the Christmastime unit - “Jesus - His Birth”. The lesson was introduced by playing two Christmas songs, ‘Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,’ performed by a choir, and ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,’ a contemporary version performed by the group Sugarland.
In 5th grade we teach The Bible is God’s Message for Me (“BGMM”) in addition to Bible Adventures, and have already taught on the major topics of God, Man, Sin, and Salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. Because BGMM lessons give a big-picture presentation of Scripture, it was decided that a presentation of a big-picture timeline for the prophecies of the birth of Jesus, and then His birth and ministry, would be given as part of the introduction to this lesson. The timeline that was given in class covered a longer period, in greater detail, as compared to the timeline shown in the Bible Adventures cover wrap. Next week, that timeline will be distributed as part of the review and the continuation of this lesson.
Instead of just beginning with the year 1,000 BC, as is done in Bible Adventures, I began with Adam and Eve. I explained how the calendar we use was developed hundreds of years ago, at the direction of Pope Gregory. The basis for enumerating the years was the analysis done by the Pope and his researchers, using the year of the birth of Jesus as the starting point -- this became year 1 in the period of time referred to as “A.D.” which stands for “in the Year of Our Lord.” All of the years prior to the birth of Jesus are the time period called “BC” which stands for “Before Christ.” It was explained that historians now generally all agree that Pope Gregory’s calculation of the year that Jesus was born was incorrect, and that He was actually born a few years earlier than year A.D. 1. I explained that there are differing views on the precise difference between Jesus’ actual birth year and A.D. 1, but that it was at least two years (or more). Bible Adventures, on the other hand, has specified that its view is that Jesus was born in 5 BC. I will point this out when the cover wrap paper is given to students, next week.
I explained that now was year A.D. 2012, the calendar is set-up so that A.D. 1 was when Jesus was born, but that date and the earlier dates I listed were approximate. The two landmark dates I covered were the creation of Adam and Eve, about 4,000 BC (or earlier), and Abraham, the patriarch (“Hero of the Faith”) who was studied last month, was living in Ur of the Chaldees about 2,100 BC, I also explained that there is another calendar in use, the Rabbinic Jewish Calendar. Now is the year 5773 on that calendar, and it is intended to show all the years of time, since Adam and Eve. That calendar is used in Israel. Not all rabbis agree with the calculations in that calendar, but it is the accepted calendar in Israel. Other rabbis have made various changes to their calendars, some going up to a current year of 6014.
The consensus from all of the timelines/calendars is that the human race was created more than 6,000 years ago, and that Jesus was born more than 2,000 years ago.
I plan to continue with this lesson next week, teaching the Old Testament portion of the lesson at that time, with more detail than what is provided in Bible Adventures. The lesson content is described below.
The Bible Adventures lesson has a very brief treatment of three prophecies, from Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6, that are promises about a coming Messiah. The lesson then has one sentence, saying that many years later, Jesus did arrive. The lesson then moves to John, Chapter 8, keying in on a confrontation Jesus had with Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. An overview of the conflict was mentioned in a few sentences, then the key texts for the conclusion of the lesson were given, John 8:56-58. Jesus declared “Before Abraham was, I AM.” Next, the lesson concludes by bringing the Memory Verse into the lesson. Students are to read and then discuss John 1: 1, and discuss the meaning of this verse, its relationship to Jesus’ “I AM” declaration in John 8:58, and that John 1: 1 teaches that Jesus is God, the Son. His coming to earth is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the coming Messiah.
The New Testament part of the lesson, introducing John 8: 56-58, was covered in the December 2nd class, and this material will also be repeated next week. I also plan to introduce a Bonus Memory verse next week, which also relates to the lesson; that verse will be John 1: 14 ---
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. [NKJV]
The December 2nd class ended with practice of the Memory Verse assigned this week, John 1: 1.
The Memory Verse for this week is John 1: 1, and Isaiah 60: 1. is the Emphasis Memory Verse that is re-assigned for the first two weeks of the month of December.
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