Children's Teacher: October- December 2021

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation

Children’s Teacher is a teacher’s quarterly for children 11 and under. 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: Aug 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781681678849

Book preview

Lesson 1 for Week of October 3, 2021

PRAISE AND REJOICE

UNIFYING TOPIC

Make a Joyful Noise

LESSON SECTIONS

I. Make a Joyful Noise (Psalm 100:1–2)

II. We Are God’s Creation (Psalm 100:3)

III. Come into His Presence with Praise (Psalm 100:4–5)

KEY VERSE

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. (Psalm 100:1, NRSV)

BIBLICAL EMPHASES

1.Psalm 100 says that any joyful noise of praise to God is worship.

2.Praise is given to God because God is just, righteous, merciful, and peaceful.

3.Psalm 100 emphasizes that people belong to God.

UNIFYING PRINCIPLE

Life provides us with many opportunities to praise and find delight in people and things. How do we decide what has more value and is more worthy of our praise? Psalm 100 highlights that God is the object of the earth’s praise and joy.

LESSON EMPHASES

•To understand why and how all creation praises God

•To find opportunities and ways to praise God for His many blessings and characteristics

Target Emphases

PRESCHOOLERS: Preschoolers are learning how to celebrate and praise God.

YOUNGER CHILDREN: Younger children are learning of the benefits of praising God.

OLDER CHILDREN: Older children are learning what it means to belong to God and how to live in response to being created as God’s children.

Materials Needed to Teach

For further reference, see today’s lesson from Boyd’s Commentary, New National Baptist Hymnal, 21st Century Edition.

Need more teacher helps?

Visit rhboyd.com.

Suggested Teaching Plan

GROWING WITH JESUS

MATERIALS NEEDED: music player; markers; musical instruments or noise makers, like party horns, tambourines, etc.

GETTING STARTED: Have music playing as the children walk in. Greet the students as they enter the classroom. Ask each one to name one thing they are thankful for today. Begin the class with a prayer.

A GREAT BEGINNING Repeat all of the things students said they were thankful for. Ask: Who should we thank for these things you named? When they have answered God, ask: how can we praise and thank God for all of our blessings? Give students the instruments and noise makers and allow them a few minutes to play with the instruments.

AN IMPORTANT LESSON: Read the lesson story and Scripture passage out loud to students. Explain why we are called to praise God with a joyful noise and to celebrate all God has done for us. Emphasize that God has created us and we are His people.

KEEPING IT GOING: Help the students complete the activities in their student books. You may also want to help them memorize the key verse by repeating it several times. You may make hand movements to help them remember the verse. Encourage them to shout out the verse each day this week to remind themselves to praise God with a joyful noise.

JUST FOR YOU: Pray that your students will understand the importance of praising God.

YOUNG LEARNERS

MATERIALS NEEDED: music player, markers, small pieces of paper for each student

GETTING STARTED: Have music playing as the children walk in. As students enter the classroom, give them a small piece of paper. Ask them to write down one thing they are thankful for. Help those who may need help writing.

JUMP START: Have the students stand up one at time and read what they have written on their slip of paper. After each one names what they are thankful for, have them make their interpretation of what a joyful noise is. Remind them that we should thank God for all of our blessings with a joyful noise.

THE LESSON STORY: Read the story in today’s lesson and discuss more reasons why we celebrate and praise God. As a class, read Psalm 100 out loud. After you’ve read the story and Scripture, put on a praise song and allow students to praise God.

TAKING IT HOME: Help students memorize the Key Verse and recite it several times. Encourage them to share the verse with those in their home and repeat it every day this week. Ask if there are any prayer requests and dismiss the class in prayer.

ENERGY TO EDUCATE: Pray that students learn how to worship God in their own way.

CREATE INTEREST: Ask the students how they can praise God in ways other than with worship music.

ADVENTURERS WITH JESUS

MATERIALS NEEDED: music player, markers, video recorder on phone or other device, journals for each student

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Have music playing as the children walk in. As students enter the classroom, give them a small piece of paper. Have them write down something that they are thankful for. Invite volunteers to share what they’ve written.

‘NET CHECK: Discuss and complete the activity from www.rhboyd.com. Bring extra copies to class for those who don’t have one. Check and discuss the answers together.

INTRODUCTION: Pose the question to students for discussion: Why do you think we praise God? Then ask: What are ways we can praise God? Put on praise music and allow students to think about their journal entries and give them time to praise God.

TODAY’S LESSON STORY: Ask several volunteers to read sections of today’s lesson story and Psalm 100 aloud. Discuss the Scripture verses. Emphasize the key verse and verse 3. Ask students to share how it feels to know they are God’s creation. Then ask them how they should respond to being God’s creations.

LESSON REVIEW AND CLOSING: Allow students time to ask any questions they may have. Then challenge students to memorize Psalm 100 and create a praise song based on what they’ve learned about God today. If time allows, have students record their praise songs and post to your church’s social media pages with the permission of students’ parents or guardians. Close the class in prayer.

— Lesson Overview —

Introduction

The Psalm we look at today, Psalm 100, is one that calls God’s people to worship Him. It outlines reasons why people should make a joyful and powerful noise to thank and acknowledge God. This psalm—while first sang or recited among ancient Israel–– still rings powerful today for many congregations and believers. It is a reminder of God’s amazing power and a call for us to respond with great joy.

Your young students have more than likely watched and participated in worship in some capacity. Yet they may not fully understand why worship is so important for the growth of Christian faith and the relationship that we have with God. Help your students understand that we don’t just worship for fun and that worship isn’t something we do because we have to. Be vigilant in demonstrating to your students that worship is an opportunity, a privilege. Also help your students understand how worship is a lifestyle, not simply something we do on Sunday mornings.

I. Make a Joyful Noise (Psalm 100:1–2)

Psalm 100 begins with a definitive command: The people are to shout and praise God. A joyful noise invokes thoughts of bands, music, shouts, cheers—like one might hear at a pep rally at a school, a concert, party, or even sporting event. However this noise is not directed toward winning a game or enjoying a certain song. This loud noise is based on the goodness of God. It is a celebration of who He is. Explain to your students that we don’t just know God exists, we celebrate it because He is alive and active.

The second verse of the psalm goes on to encourage the people to worship God. It is a way of drawing close to God through thinking about God’s goodness and celebrating with audible sound just how good God has been. Notice here that we are given the opportunity to know that singing is an acceptable form of worship. In fact, we are invited to sing our praise in the presence of God. This implies that through the act of worship, we can boldly enter in the presence of God.

Help your students understand the gravity of that seemingly simple invitation. The Creator of the world, the King of kings and the One greater than all rulers on earth gives us an open invitation to worship Him. As His children, we are considered to be worthy of His presence. Help your students become excited to worship God and enter His presence.

II. We Are God’s Creation (Psalm 100:3)

After commanding the people to celebrate with noise, the psalmist gives details as to why people should celebrate. He explains that God is actually our creator. God has made each of us, and we have not done this ourselves; in fact, we’ve had no part of our own creation. We are a result of God’s goodness. That’s one of the reasons why we were created. We should return the praise to God. We have been chosen to be God’s people, developed from God’s hands.

The Scripture verses in this section return us to our origins and remind us of God’s purpose for creation. It reminds us that we belong to God. We were made by God. We are a part of God’s family. We are God’s people. Use this verse to show your students how personal and intimate worship is supposed to be. As we will see in coming lessons, worship is an expression of the unique character that God has given us through His image.