Children's Teacher: July- September 2023

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corp.

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. It follows the International Uniform Sunday School Lesson Outline from the National Council of Churches.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Jul 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886350807

Book preview

This Quarter, Your Children Will Study...

The summer quarter explores the broad sweep of biblical teaching about the nature of God’s reign, beginning with Old Testament declarations of God’s righteous power. Both Old and New Testaments depict God as king over all the earth (see Psalm 47:2). Among Israel’s prophets, only Daniel references God’s Kingdom. The second unit considers New Testament Epistle texts that elaborate on the theme of Jesus as King and what it means for believers to participate in God’s eternal reign. The phrase Kingdom of God takes on new significance in Jesus’ teaching, which is the focus of Unit III.

UNIT 1— GOD’S MESSENGERS DESCRIBE GOD’S POWER

Unit 1, God’s Messengers Describe God’s Power, presents four sessions on Jesus’ Kingdom–teachings as found in the Gospel of Matthew. The first session recounts how Jesus’ powerful acts of deliverance are evidence of God’s Kingdom in our midst. The next three sessions explore Jesus’ parables of the Kingdom in Matthew 13—the urgency of understanding its message, the enemy who undermines Kingdom work, the unseen growth of the Kingdom, the precious joy of finding the Kingdom, and the universal judgment at the end of the age.

Unit Points of Emphasis: __________________________________________________________

UNIT 2—GOD’S AUTHORITY WILL NEVER END

Unit II, God’s Authority Will Never End, presents four sessions from the New Testament Epistles about the implications of life under God’s authority. The first session explores the fruit of life according to the law of love. The second session contrasts a life of religious rule with the righteousness, peace, and joy to be found in God’s economy. The third session reminds us that the power of God is at work in us. The unit concludes with praise for Christ, the exalted Ruler.

Unit Points of Emphasis: __________________________________________________________

UNIT 3—LOVE FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Unit 3, Love from the Inside Out, draws on the Gospels of Luke and John. In Lesson 1, Jesus contrasts the practice of empty acts of piety with performing the justice and love of God. Lesson 2 asks the question of what sort of activities truly honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. Turning to the Gospel of John, Lesson 3 examines Jesus’ teaching that the Sabbath ought to be a day of healing. Lesson 4 raises the question of who is qualified to pass judgment on those who stumble in their attempts to keep the commandments.

Unit Points of Emphasis: __________________________________________________________

SEEKING GOD’S GUIDANCE

Suggested Opening Exercises

1. Usual Signal for Beginning

2. Prayer (Closing with the Lord’s Prayer)

3. Singing (Songs to be selected)

4. Scripture Reading: Acts 1:1–8

Director: The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

School: Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Director: whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

School: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

Director: For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

School: When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Director: And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

All: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Recitation in Concert: Acts 1:9–12

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.

Closing Work

1. Singing

2. Opening Sentences: Acts 2:1–4

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

3. Dismissal with Prayer

Lesson 1 for Week of July 2, 2023

PRAISE GOD!

Background Passage: Zechariah 9:9–17

Lesson Passage: Zechariah 9:9–13, 16–17

UNIFYING TOPIC

A Humble King

LESSON SECTIONS

KEY VERSE

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9, NRSV)

BIBLICAL EMPHASES

1. To learn about Zechariah’s conviction that God is Lord of all the earth.

2. To identify with the people whom God rescues.

3. To praise God for all the ways God cares for us.

UNIFYING PRINCIPLE

People are frustrated and discouraged under oppressive rule. What can put an end to corrupt leadership? Zechariah 9 envisions a day when God brings down all earthly powers and initiates an eternal reign of peace.

LESSON EMPHASES

• Children enjoy singing songs of praise.

• Children are familiar with stories of rescue and redemption.

• Children are thankful for caregivers who provide for them.

Target Emphases

PRESCHOOLERS: Young children can name things for which they are thankful.

YOUNGER CHILDREN: Young children understand the concept of rescuing.

OLDER CHILDREN: Some children are acquainted with authority and their job to disciple and provide.

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, Crayons or Colored Markers, Pencils, Paper

GETTING STARTED: Have a familiar children’s Christian song playing as they are seated. Begin the lesson with prayer.

A GREAT BEGINNING: Share with the students that today’s lesson is about the prophet Zechariah’s vision of God’s plan to restore and care for His people. God’s plan involves the coming of a humble king who will bring God’s Kingdom of peace. Ask the students to describe what a peaceful kingdom might look like. Give each student a sheet of paper and have them draw a picture of the crown they think this king would wear. Have them share their artwork with the class.

AN IMPORTANT LESSON: Read today’s lesson story and Scripture passage for today, taking time to explain each section. Have the students repeat the key verse several times. Tell them how Zechariah is encouraging the people to look forward to a time when God will usher in a new king and how His Kingdom will be filled with His peace and safety. How does this make your students feel? Ask if they look forward to God’s coming Kingdom--if not, why not? If so, what are they most excited about?

KEEPING IT GOING: Make sure the students complete the other activities in their student books. Gather the students and collect prayer requests from each of them (if they have any). After the prayer, dismiss the class.

JUST FOR YOU: Pray that your students will understand how God cares for us all. Take the time to pray for each student individually as you go about your normal week, asking God to give them opportunities to demonstrate His love.

YOUNG LEARNERS

MATERIALS NEEDED: Music Player, Paper, Crayons, Pencils, Colored Markers

GETTING STARTED: Greet the students as they enter the classroom. Have a familiar children’s Christian song playing as they are seated. Begin the lesson with prayer.

JUMP START: Write the word PEACE on the classroom board. Discuss with the students how Zechariah’s vision of peace will affect everyone. In today’s lesson, Zechariah encourages the people with his vision of a world that is free from corruption and one that is filled with God’s peace. What would such a world look like? How will we all benefit from living in such a world? Ask if the students think world peace is possible before Christ returns for a second time. Why or why not?

THE LESSON STORY: Read the lesson story to the students. Explain to the students how the people had been returned to their land, but it was a different place from the prosperous land that they had been taken from. Explain to the students how the cities lay in ruins and there was corruption everywhere. Zechariah brought encouragement to the people when he told of his vision of a world that was filled with God’s peace. Have the students list examples of ways they can demonstrate God’s peace and love this week in their own lives.

TAKING IT HOME: Allow the students time to complete the activities in their student books. Have the students form a circle, take prayer requests from each of them, and close the class in prayer.

ENERGY TO EDUCATE: Take the time to pray each week for your students, especially those who are considering salvation.

ADVENTURERS WITH JESUS

MATERIALS NEEDED: Music Player, Paper, Markers or Colored Pencils, Pens, or Pencils

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Greet the students as they enter the classroom. Have a familiar children’s Christian song playing as they are seated. Begin the lesson with prayer.

’NET CHECK: Complete the activity from www.rhboydpublishing.com. Bring extra copies to class for those who do not have one. Check and discuss answers together.

INTRODUCTION: Ask the students if they understand what it means to be oppressed. Discuss with the students how the people were being treated when they returned from bondage. Their situation seemed worse than when they were in bondage. Now they were living in ruined cities that were filled with corruption and it was very unsafe. Zechariah told the people of a vision that he had where God’s peace and protection would reign forever.

TODAY’S LESSON STORY: Ask for a volunteer to read today’s story. Explain to the students how Zechariah was telling the people that God would bring a new king. This king would be humble, and He would reign over a Kingdom that was filled with peace and the people would not want for anything. Ask the students to imagine such a Kingdom. What does it look like? In what ways can they bring about that Kingdom right now?

LESSON REVIEW: Give the students time to complete the activities in their student books and review the key verse.

CLOSING: After taking prayer requests, close the class in prayer.

— Lesson Overview —

Introduction

Have you ever visited a part of town where you felt less safe? The area may have been filled with broken-down buildings and trash. Even the people might have seemed to have less enthusiasm to be motivated to keep going. The whole atmosphere may have seemed depressed and wilted. That’s how the people of Israel felt when they returned to their