Lesson 5: Putting God's Word Into Practice
Aim:
* to learn to put God’s words into practice
Materials:
* Pictures of five parables
– The Good Samaritan, The Sower, The Lost Son, The Lost Sheep, The Wise & Foolish Builders
* Bible story – The Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7: 24-27)
* Picture book of the story (The Two Builders, by Margaret Williams)
* children’s worksheet
Materials for object talk
2 paper cups
1 medium size rock
1 small bowl
Cup or two of moist sand
Pitcher of water
1 medium to large casserole dish
Lesson Outline
1. Introduction
2. Object Talk
3. The Wise and Foolish Builders
4. Questions about the parable
5. Relate the story to children’s lives
6. Activities – act out the story, cut and paste pictures, draw pictures
7. Review the aims
8. Prayer
1) Introduction
* Remind the children that Jesus told stories, called parables, to teach people about God how we should live our lives.
So far we have studied four parables:.
The Good Samaritan teaches us to love our neighbour; to be kind to everyone.
The Sower teaches us to listen carefully to God’s word, so we can grow to be good people.
The Lost Son teaches us about God’s forgiving heart and to repent for our mistakes.
The Lost Sheep teaches about God’s love for us
Show the pictures of the four parables. Ask the children to identify them – the name of the parable and what they teach us.
2) Object Talk
This Object Talk will show why it is important to build on a solid foundation to weather life’s storms. That foundation is the Word of God.
Preparation:
Before class, take slightly moisten sand and fill a small bowl. Draw windows and a door on two paper cups.
What you will do during class:
During class, you will put the empty casserole dish on the table so that all the children can see it.
Then you will take the small bowl with the sand in it and tip it upside down inside the casserole dish to make something like a small sand castle. Do not worry if a little crumbles. Place the medium
size rock at the other end of the casserole dish. Then place a paper cup house on both the sand and the rock. You will then pour water over both to show how a house built on a solid foundation can withstand the heavy storms.
What you will say:
Do you believe that anyone could be so foolish that he or she would build a house on top of sand?
(Take one of the paper cups and place it on top of the sand.) Wiser people will build their house on a good foundation. (Take the second cup and place it on top of the rock.) Which house do you think will last, and which one do you think will wash away?
You know the Bible tells us in Matthew 7:24-27 that anyone who hears the words of God and puts them into practice is like a wise man that built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (Take the pitcher of water and pour a little water on the rock.) Jesus then
said “but anyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Take the pitcher of water and pour a little water on the sand and the house will fall.)
3) The Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7: 24-27)
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
4) Questions about the parable
1. How would the wise man feel when his house survived the storm? grateful, happy, proud, relieved
2. How would the foolish man feel when his house is destroyed? – ashamed, afraid, angry
3. How does God feel when we don’t do what He says? sad, frustrated, angry, disappointed
4. Why is it important to put God’s word into practice? Our heart grows, we feel closer to God, we become happier people
5) Relate the story to children’s lives
* What do your parents tell you to do? Do you do what they tell you? Why is it important to not only listen to your parents, but also to do what they say?
Some examples:
– Eat all the food on your plate
– Take your plate away
– Come and eat when you are called
– Eat fruit and vegetables
– make your bed in the morning
– keep your room tidy
– hang up your coat when you come home
– be polite; say please, thank you, excuse me
– wash your hands before eating and after going to the toilet
6) Activities
* Draw a picture to illustrate the parable of the two builders
* Act out the story
* Cut and paste the pictures of the five parables and write their titles
7) Review the Lesson
– What can we learn from this parable?
1. We must not only listen to God’s word, but also put it into practice
2. We must not only listen to parents’ words, but also do what they say
8) Prayer
