THE BASIC REVELATION IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

(For Younger Children)

Lesson Seven: God Created Something Special (Part 1)

Objectives:

Materials:

1. Lessons Two, Three, and Five in this unit.
2. A drinking glass
3. A saucer, the flatter, the better
4. Water
5. Heavy paper
6. Markers, crayolas, etc. [For older children: small radio; plastic or cardboard box as nearly the same size as the radio as possible.]

Review:

1. Recall main points/objectives of Lessons Two and Three
2. Sing songs from Lessons Two and Three,
3. Emphasize that God has to put Himself into some people (whom He has chosen) to make them into His sons that He wants. Now, how can He do this???

Implementation:

1. Discuss how first of all, God would have to create people, wouldn't He? How about putting Himself into some donkeys, for them to be His sons? How would that be? Or how about into some monkeys? What kind of sons would they make for Him? How about into some tigers? What scary and fierce sons He would have then--they would make it look like God was always like that--all fierce and cruel. NO, God created man/mankind/ humans/ people to make into His sons--none of the animals or birds or fish did He intend to make into His sons to be like Him. Why not? Because (He says in the Bible, His word) He created people specially, differently from everything else. He made people "in His image," which means He created them all set up and ready to get made into His sons by putting Himself into them. [With older children, go into the "in His image and likeness" concept to the extent of their comprehension.]
2. Show a drinking glass.
3. Ask what it's for. How about if Suzie here went into the kitchen and brought me a drink of water in her hands, not in a glass? (If circumstances permit, do this very thing-- very effective.) Would I get very much water? Would she make a mess? A glass is much better, isn't it? Then there is some place for the water to be, something to hold the water for me.
4. Apply the drinking glass analogy: Just as the glass holds the water for us, God created man/people to hold Himself, so He could make them His sons. He made/created people all different from the rest of what He created. What if I sent Suzie to get me a drink of water in this saucer? Again, to actually do so is best if circumstances permit. What would happen? Could it do as good a job of delivering me a good drink of water as the glass can? It's the glass that was made on purpose to hold the water and give us a drink, isn't it? Just the same way, God made man/people on purpose to hold Himself--not like the flat saucer that can't hold water very well, but specially for holding Him like the glass was made specially for holding the water. We're not saucers we're glasses!--made just right to hold God in us! [With older children, here can go into tripartite ness of man: perhaps use three concentric circles diagram perhaps use a small radio contrasted with a plastic or cardboard box of the same size (the difference between them is the receiver, the spirit). Tailor this discussion in depth and breadth to their capacity to receive and comprehend--comprehend concepts, not terminology. You will find it helpful in gauging how far to go, if you keep asking them to explain the idea back to you as you go, in their own words, not yours.]

Reinforcement Activities:

1. Sing chorus only of Supplement song "Man Has Been Made As God's Vessel" - Use "bottle" instead of "vessel" for use with young children
2. Sing selected verses of Hymns Junior song about being a cup, glove, etc.- more verses as children's ages increase.
3. Make drinking cups of folded heavy paper; decorate appropriately, perhaps with "I'm God's Cup."

Gospel Suggestion: