Children’s Teacher: 2nd Quarter 2014

By Jo Ann Grant

Children’s Teacher is a teacher’s quarterly. In addition to the exposition of the printed text, each of the thirteen lessons includes the purpose of the lesson, extensive teaching plans, lesson introduction, background of the lesson, meaningful insights, and related activities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Jan 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781589427921

Book preview

CLEAN HOUSE!

JEREMIAH 7:9-15; MARK 11:15-19

Main Thought: Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. (Mark 11:15, NRSV)

UNIFYING PRINCIPLE

When an activity becomes rote, the original helpful intents and purposes may be lost and replaced by new, harmful intents and purposes. How can a good activity be prevented from evolving into an unintended harmful result? Jesus’ angry action in the temple called attention to the ways in which the priests and worshipers had lost sight of the tradition of God’s dwelling place as a house of prayer for all people.

BIBLICAL EMPHASES:

• Jesus became angry when He saw what people were doing in the temple.

• Jesus overturned the tables and chairs in the temple.

• The scribes and Pharisees began plotting to destroy Jesus.

TARGET EMPHASIS

PRESCHOOLERS: Young children are able to recognize different emotions, such as anger, joy, sadness, and fear.

YOUNGER CHILDREN: Young children may experience different responses when faced with someone’s anger.

OLDER CHILDREN: Some children may be sensitive to rude or disrespectful behavior demonstrated by others.

LESSON OVERVIEW

In Jeremiah 7, the prophet condemns the people of Judah because they were sinning and abusing one another as well as foreigners who lived among them. They commit these sins, and then they worship in the temple, thinking the temple will keep them safe from the wrath of God. Jeremiah warns the people that God is watching all that they do in the temple and He is not pleased.

In Mark 11, as Jesus enters the temple and sees what is happening, He becomes very angry. The people are conducting business and abusing the temple the same as they had done during Jeremiah’s time. When Jesus witnesses all that is occurring, He becomes so angry that He begins to drive out the people who are buying and selling their items in the temple. Some children expect, anticipate, and engage in negative responses to anger. Help them to realize that though Jesus was angry, He did not sin.

Jesus turns over the tables and chairs of the moneychangers. He also refuses to allow people to carry their items through the courts of the temple. Jesus uses some of Jeremiah’s words to condemn the people in the temple by telling them they had made His temple a ‘den of robbers’ (Mark 11:17, NRSV).

After He did all of this, Jesus begins teaching the people. Jesus tells them that it is written in the Scriptures that His temple is a place of prayer for all people. But these people are turning the temple of God into a place for robbers.

Some of the priests and scribes are listening to Jesus. They were watching what He did and how He evicted the people out of the temple. They began plotting to kill Jesus. The scribes and priests were afraid of the power Jesus had over the people.

RESOURCES NEEDED

• New National Baptist Hymnal, 21st Century Edition #501 (NNBH #372)

• God’s Promises Bible

• Boyd’s Commentary for the Sunday School

SUGGESTED TEACHING PLAN FOR GROWING WITH JESUS

Materials Needed:

crayons or colored markers

1. GETTING STARTED: Before class begins, place the supplies on tables where the children will be sitting. Greet the children by name as they arrive. Welcome any new students who are visiting for the first time. Open the class with a prayer.

2. A GREAT BEGINNING: Introduce today’s lesson by asking the students if they know what the word anger means. Simply define the word anger for them. Tell the students that today’s lesson is about how Jesus became angry and cleared the moneychangers out of the temple.

3. AN IMPORTANT LESSON: Read the Scripture passage for today’s lesson. Then read the lesson aloud. Tell the students how Jesus became angry because of the way the people were acting in the temple. Jesus felt that the people were disrespecting and dishonoring His Father with their activities. Discuss how Jesus’ anger did not cause Him to sin even though He punished those who were dishonoring the temple. Help the students understand that Jesus’ anger did not cause Him to abuse anyone. Ask the children if they had ever gotten angry about a situation. Ask the children how they reacted in the situation that had made them angry. Did they yell, scream, or cry? Encourage the students to understand that while everyone experiences anger, they have to look for better ways of handling this