By George Nielsen
In today's class, the final awards segment for Achievement during the Fall Quarter took place -- for the second place student. A Certificate was given to this student, and he will be given a Christian teaching pamphlet as his prize. Remarks congratulating the award recipient were made by George Nielsen.
Today’s class was a combined class, with five 5th graders and eight 6th grade students. George Nielsen had other duties that required him to be out of the classroom during the first ten minutes of class. During that time, after taking attendance and receiving the offerings for each group of students, there was an audio presentation of The Christmas Story, dramatized, reading from Matthew 1 and Luke 2 (King James Version), produced by the Faith Comes by Hearing ministry. We stopped the recording after 6-1/2 minutes, omitting the reading covering the Wise Men presenting gifts to Jesus (which was not part of our lessons). This dramatic reading from Scripture, plus notes written on the whiteboard, and comments made by George Nielsen when he returned to the class, covered the review of the Dec. 16th class and the new material from Lessons 3 and 4. The comments included repeating our Class Motto - “We Serve Jesus” - and comparing it to Mary’s declaration to the angel Gabriel, “I am the Lord’s servant,” and “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the class started an activity.
The Lesson Focus from December 16th was: God had a plan for Mary and Joseph. To them it was unexpected, but “they were both willing to follow God’s plan for them, and bring Jesus to the earth.” (quoted from Bible Adventures. Lesson 2) And -- we can follow God’s plans too. There was a Sunday School that Clicks closing activity to build on that lesson focus; that activity, using the January 2013 blank calendar page, was carried over to today’s class. (Click HERE to link to a copy of this calendar page.) The students completed a plan for spending time reading the Holy Bible and for saying prayers, during the week from Dec. 30th through Jan. 5th. Then, they are required to keep track, during the week, of their following this plan, make notes on the calendar and then returning it to class next week.
After the January 2013 Calendar activity, we started another Sunday School that Clicks activity by discussing the shepherds and the angelic visitation to announce Jesus birth. The angels sang in joyous, glorious celebration of Jesus’ birth. The activity was to watch an example of singing in joyous, glorious celebration, viewing a video of singers performing in what is called a flashmob, at the food court of a shopping mall, singing “The Hallelujah Chorus” from the famous oratorio, Handel’s Messiah. The discussion that followed included brief remarks about the Hallelujah Chorus, and then concentrated on the joyous and exuberant expression by the singers, and the impact of the flashmob/shopping mall venue of the performance. The bottom line of this was that Jesus is the reason for this holiday season, and that we should praise the Lord for this “good news of great joy,” that Jesus our Savior has come. (To see this video, Click HERE. )
Next, more remarks were made, with discussion, about Simeon and Anna, and how they were led and empowered by Holy Spirit. They received the gift of Word of Knowledge, about Jesus, and then prophesied to Mary and Joseph, giving confirmation that the baby Jesus is our Savior. Then, using page four from Bible Adventures, Lesson 4, the “Thank You Note” to God, for sending Jesus to be our Savior was explained. This is a Homework assignment for the 5th grade students, to be returned next week. (Click HERE to link to a copy of this assignment.)
The final teaching point of the class was to introduce and practice the weeekly Memory verse, Luke 2:11 [NIV]. Then the other Memory verses were re-assigned. the students were encouraged to get back-on-track with memorizing verses, and the closing prayer was said.
Luke 2: 11 (NIV) is the weekly Memory Verse:
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
John 1: 1 teaches that Jesus is God, the Son. This is reinforced by John 1:14 (NKJV) - the “Bonus” Memory Verse:
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.
The repetition and reinforcement is directed at using the Word of God as a defense of the foundational doctrine of Jesus as the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary. Homework assigned this week is:
1. Students are to keep track of their Prayer time and Bible reading on the January 2013 Calendar page, and then turn in the page (with notes or check-marks showing what they actually did) on January 6th.
2. Students are to complete and return the “Thank You Note” handout, from bible Adventures, Lesson 4, page 4.
The Memory Verse, assigned as the new verse this week is Luke 2: 11. Isaiah 60: 1. is the Emphasis Memory Verse that is re-assigned and we have decided to continue with this verse for one more week. The “Bonus” verse was introduced last week and reviewed againg today, John 1:14. All of these verses can be said, for Achievement Points credit, at the next class meeting on January 6th.
The Bible Adventures handouts for Lessons 2-3-4, used in the Dec. 16th and 30th classes, can be viewed by clicking on these LINKs:
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