FAITH CHALLENGE

Living Faithfully in the Promised Land

Listen, Israel—Lesson 1

Scripture:          Deuteronomy 6: 4-9

 

Memory Verse:  “Listen, Israel!  The LORD our God is the only true God!  So love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.”  Deuteronomy 6:4-5             

Concepts:

Objectives:

 

Gathering Time/Introduction: (Coach)

1.      The Coach leads the opening routine: snack, fellowship, Prayer Wall activity, and Prayer Chain.  Name tags are available.

2.      The Coach reviews the timeline.  Remind the class that during the summer in Faith Challenge we study some lesser-known parts of the Bible.  The current unit goes back to early in the Old Testament and will come from the timeline section titled “God Chooses a People.”

3.      Introduce the Guide who leads the workshop lesson.

Workshop Lesson Procedure: (Guide takes over from here)

Scripture/Application

1.      Distribute “What do you know about Deuteronomy?”  Ask students to answer what they can, but they are not expected to know all the answers yet. 

2.      Allow students several minutes to answer the questions and then review it.  As you provide the correct answers for each question, use this as an opportunity to provide the following background information on the book of Deuteronomy.  

                        Answer 1:  Deuteronomy is the 5th book of the Old Testament and is part of the “Pentateuch” relating to “penta” meaning five.

                        Answer 2:  Deuteronomy has stories of the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land.  The final story in Deuteronomy is the death of Moses just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land and contains a retelling of leaving Egypt, wandering in the wilderness, God’s faithfulness and God’s instructions to the Israelites. 

                        Answer 3:  The word “Deuteronomy” means “copy” and is considered a copy or retelling of God’s laws that were given to Moses.  

                        Answer 4:  Although much of Deuteronomy contains the words and instructions of Moses, it was actually written by many different authors years after the events took place. 

Answer 5:  True As mentioned above, Deuteronomy is one of the five books of Moses and Jews call these the Torah—or God’s instructions.  Scripture from the Torah are read at Jewish services of worship.  The memory verses for our lesson (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) have a special name to Jews, the shema.  This is the Hebrew word for “listen” which is the first word of verse 4. 

Answer 6:  Ask students to find Deuteronomy 6:4-9 in their Bibles to check the answer to this question.  Point out that Deuteronomy gives specific instructions for all of these except to carry God’s word in our pocket.  As further background, explain to the class that many Jews take these instructions literally and wear an arm band and/or a head band with these words written in them.  Many Jews also post these words on the door frame of their house and this is called a mezuzah (which means doorpost in Hebrew).  A picture of a mezuzah is the timeline picture for this unit.  See end of lesson.   

Answer 7:  After reading the verses, it should be obvious that the third answer “both a. and b.” is correct. 

Answer 8:  Ask students to look up Matthew 22:34-40 to see that Jesus also said these words.  So, the correct answer is “both Jesus and Moses” said these words. 

3.      Ask students to repeat the specific instructions given in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 while you write them on flip chart paper or the dry erase board.  Accept all answers that are correct:  love God with your heart, mind, and soul, memorize these words, teach them to your children, wear them on your wrists and foreheads, put them on your doorposts, talk about them often. 

4.      Tell the class that for today, the lesson will focus on the instruction to “teach God’s word to your children”.  Tell the class that they will be teaching the words of the shema to the younger children at the Kirk. 

5.      Spend a few minutes brainstorming ideas about how a memory verse could be taught to younger children.  Encourage students to think creatively and to consider the age of the children in the room.  Write ideas on flip chart paper or the dry erase board.  Some ideas include:

·        Write phrases or single words of the verse on pieces of paper and hand them out to class members.  Ask students with the pieces of paper to stand up in the right order.  This can be repeated several times with different students receiving different phrases or words. 

·        Make a rebus (using pictures rather than written words to illustrate the verse) and ask the younger class to repeat the verse using the pictures as a guide.

·        Sing

·        Make a rap or put the shema to some type of rhythm that would help younger children learn it. 

·        Act out like charades or use a combination of words, pictures and charades

·        Write the verse on a large piece of paper and then cut it into five or more pieces for the younger children to put together as a puzzle.  This could be modified with just single words written on pieces of paper for older students to put in the correct order.  

·        Choose more than one method in case the first one doesn’t seem to “work” with the class the middle school students are visiting. 

6.      Ask the students to divide into pairs.  Three is acceptable if there is an odd number.  Ask each pair to randomly choose the classroom number of a younger Kirk Sunday school class.  (See guide preparation in advance for details).

7.      Allow the pairs at least 10 minutes preparing to teach the shema to the children in their assigned classroom using some of the ideas above, or others. 

8.      When the pairs are prepared, send them off to their assigned classroom. Ask shepherds to go in the general direction of the classrooms to help students if needed.  Shepherds may accompany a group into the classroom if desired.  Remind the middle schoolers they are teachers—this is not a performance—but rather they are going to the classrooms to teach what they know to younger children.  Remind them to spend enough time so that most youngsters know the memory verse.  Instruct Faith Challenge students when to return.  

9.      When all students have returned, ask each group to briefly share their experience.  

 

Wrap-up:

1.      End by asking the class to recite the shema with you.

2.      Ask students to tidy up.

Closing (Coach):

1.      The Coach conducts the closing prayer time.

2.      Close/lock the door and turn off the lights.

Guide preparation in advance:

1.      Set up the room with chairs before your first Sunday.  Tables are optional.  If tables are not used, have clip boards available for writing. 

2.      Make 20-25 copies of “What do you know about Deuteronomy?”

3.      Obtain two or more maps of the church.  These are available on the visitors table in the narthex or in the church office.

4.      Make a copy of the attached Sunday school room list with the ages of the children in each room.  Cut this into strips with one room/class on each strip. 

Supply List

·        Bibles

·        Flipchart paper

·        Colored paper, marker, pencils, for teaching the Bible verse

·        Map of church, roster of Sunday school classes

 

References

·        Writers’ Bible study materials titled “Listen, Israel” prepared by Susan Mazzara

·        Web sites http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04761b.htm, http://www.jewfaq.org/signs.htm#Mezuzah

                                                                                                           

Shema

                                                Sterling Silver Mezuza Case

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you know about Deuteronomy?


 
1. Deuteronomy is the ____________ book of the Old Testament. 
            Fourth

            Fourteenth

            Fifth

            Twenty-third


2. Deuteronomy has stories about the Israelites:
            Before they entered the Promised Land

            After the Exile

            During the time of Joshua

            After King David ruled


3. The ____________________ are found in Deuteronomy. 
            Ten Commandments

            Golden Rule

            Jesus’ words

            Retelling of God’s laws


4.  Deuteronomy was written by:
            Moses

            Many different writers

            Jesus

            Paul

5. The words of Deuteronomy are important to modern-day Jews.
            True

            False

 

6. In Deuteronomy, we are instructed to do all of the following except:
            Memorize God’s words

            Wear God’s words on our forehead

            Carry God’s word in our pocket

            Teach God’s word to our children


7. In Deuteronomy we are told to:
            Love God

            Memorize scripture

            Both a. and b.

            Neither a. or b.

 

8.  “Love the LORD with all your heart, mind and soul” are words of:

            Moses

            Jesus

            Neither Jesus nor Moses

            Both Jesus and Moses