Summary of Citywide Children’s Meeting
Regarding Lessons on God’s Calling in the Old Testament
Feb. 12, 2023
God’s-Calling-OT-Adam-Eve-FINAL
- REVISED AIM: To show the children that God created man in His image, and gave man the highest place among His creation so He could have a relationship with man.
- For this lesson, we want to go beyond the previous weeks, where we emphasized that man is different from animals. Focus is that God wants a relationship with us. God was walking in the garden with Adam, not with dogs and cats.
- God made us with a mind, emotion and will, so we can think like Him, feel like Him, and choose like Him. By obeying Him (fourth application), we are doing what God wants.
- Man is God’s masterpiece. There’s a relationship. God was pleased to come into the garden. Adam was able to understand and talk to God. God entrusted Adam with His creation. God spent time with Adam.
- God wanted man to know Him and be friends with Him. He wants to be your friend.
- Don’t focus or show any pictures of Adam and Eve and their attempt to cover nakedness. This may become a distraction to children. Rather, emphasize context that they had sinned. So they sewed leaves to cover themselves. Something very bad happened.
- This is not in the lesson, but we can emphasize God’s relationship with man. When Adam and Eve hid after they sinned, God called to man and asked, “Where are you?” God came to call them.
- Beware of making the lesson too spiritual.
- No need to cover points 2 and 3 in application because those don’t relate to the new aim.
Feb. 19, 2023
God’s-Calling-OT-Abel
- Focus on the storytelling. We don’t need to spend that much time sermonizing the children with the applications. Rather, just tell them the story.
- In this lesson, we see that God’s calling continues. He called the parents. He called the children. But Cain did not listen.
- By following the parents, Abel was following God’s way.
- Following God’s ways includes telling the truth and confessing our wrongdoings, not lying, and not hiding or blaming others when we do something wrong.
- God had warned Cain, but he didn’t repent. Instead, he became angry and acted on it.
- Adam’s reaction was to hide. Cain’s reaction was to get angry. Sometimes we get defensive and blame other people.
- We discussed whether we need to mention that the blood was needed for forgiveness. Probably no need to get into details. If the children ask, we can mention that this was God’s way. Sacrifice of an animal was needed for the forgiveness of sins.
- Be angry but do not sin. As someone put it, anger is one letter away from danger.
Feb. 26, 2023
God’s-Calling-OT-Enosh
- This lesson has a short story. Our main focus is that the children can tell God everything, whether it’s joyful or sad. Focus again on the idea of having a relationship/friendship with God.
- We can tell the facts that after Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s commandment, that same day, they were cut off from the tree of life and from the presence of God.
- Sometime after Abel was killed and after Cain was driven out from God’s presence, Adam and Eve had another son named Seth. Then when Seth grew up, he had a son whom he named Enosh, which means “frail, mortal man”. This name Enosh shows us that by that time Seth and his family realized that man was a weak and frail creature that would one day die.
- Some children may be more thoughtful and ask, who did Cain marry? We should be prepared to answer in a simple way and then direct them back to the main point of the lesson. We can simply say that we do not know because God didn’t tell us. The Bible only tells us what we need to know and things that relate to us.
- Enosh was the first man that called upon the name of the Lord.
- Since the children are young and may not yet be regenerated, our presentation of “calling on the Lord” should not be according to an adult’s understanding of calling on the Lord’s name to contact Him in our spirit. Rather, this lesson should be at their level of encouraging them to pray using the Lord’s name in a simple, prayerful way. There are some practical examples in the lesson itself – such as being afraid of the dark, or being stressed about school. It’s okay for them to tell their parents, and it’s also good for them to pray with their parents about such things.
- We can tell the Lord our joys too. We can change some of the examples about happiness so that it doesn’t have to relate to reaching a goal or getting a new thing. We can be happy just to spend time with our family.
Mar. 5, 2023
God’s-Calling-OT-Enoch
- God wants a relationship/friendship with man. Enoch was close with God, and God enjoyed him so much that God took him. Enoch didn’t die.
- Ask the kids, who do you know the most? You know that person well because you spend a lot of time with them.
- We can get to know the Lord in various ways. For example, the more you learn the verses in the Bible and the more you talk to the Lord, the more you get to know Him.
- We should be ready for the Lord’s return. We want Him to be happy with us too.
The first application is important – in the midst of the evil age, we can be those who follow God. Many people didn’t follow God, but Enoch did follow God. We don’t have to cover all the other applications.
Mar. 12, 2023
God’s-Calling-OT-Noah-1-of-2
- We are covering Noah in two lessons over two weeks.
- There is a lot of story to tell for Noah, and we can speak the facts to the children including the dimensions of the ark, how long it took Noah to build it, and that he followed instructions from God. Many people have heard about this story, but to get the details correct, you must read the Bible.
- It might be helpful to show pictures. Try to find accurate pictures, NOT the puffy ark with animal heads sticking out.
- Like Enoch, Noah also did not go along with the ungodliness that was all around.
- Note that many erroneously think that there were only one pair of each kind of animal. But there were 7 pairs (14) of each of the clean animals.
Mar. 19, 2023
God’s-Calling-OT-Noah-2-of-2
- Review the first part of the story briefly for those who were not present.
- Continue the facts about the story of Noah.
- God always remembers us and cares for us.
- Regarding Noah’s sons and daughters-in-law, we don’t know if they had a close relationship with God directly, but they followed Noah into the ark and were also saved.
- Rainbow – tell them the meaning and the reminder of God’s faithfulness and love.