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Grace in Action We share with others God’s Blessed by the Presence blessings. 14 The Bible Lesson at a Glance POWER TEXT The Lord accepts the way the Philistines move the ark be- RPO WE IN “But I, by your great love, can come into O T cause they did not know God’s rules. Uzzah, one of the sons P your house; in reverence I bow down of the priests in whose house the ark has stayed, knows very toward your holy temple” (Psalm 5:7). well how to handle the ark. When he touches the ark, it is an act of disobedience and God punishes him. David, upset KEY REFERENCES and afraid because Uzzah has lost his life, leaves the ark in the house of Obed-edom (a Gittite, not an Israelite). During 2 Samuel 6 We praise God the three months that the ark remains there, the Lord blesses 1 Chronicles 15; 16 for His many Obed-edom and all his household. These blessings are so evi- Patriarchs and Prophets, chap. 70, dent that, when David hears of it, he decides to move the ark pp. 705, 706 blessings back to Jerusalem. There is great joy that accompanies the The Bible Story (1994), vol. 4, pp. transfer of the sacred ark when things are done according to 82-85 and for His the instructions of God. student lesson on page 152 of this guide presence in This is a lesson about grace in action. This lesson teaches recognition of God’s awesome power, OUR BELIEFS our lives. shown in and through the ark, and our need to know and No. 3, God the Father respect that power. God’s presence brings blessing and No. 11, Growing in Christ well-being to us and our families today. We choose to re- spond to God’s grace by willingly and wholeheartedly seek- No. 22, Christian Behavior ing His presence and following Him in obedience. OBJECTIVES Teacher Enrichment The students will: “The ark was just a box, physically speaking, and could be Know that God’s presence moved as and where men pleased; the God whom it sym- changes us and brings blessings to bolized could not be manipulated nor pushed around. . . . our families. It is still a temptation for God’s people to suppose that . . . Feel a desire to have God’s pres- his thinking is sure to correspond with their thinking. Such ence in their homes. an attitude is not far removed from blasphemy” (David F. Respond by joyfully seeking for Payne, 1 and 2 Samuel, The Daily Study Bible, Old Testament and respecting God’s presence in [Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1982], p. 1185). The ark, a symbol of the presence of God, had been their families. taken to Kirjath-jearim after its return from the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:1, 2). David had decided that Jerusalem should be the civil as well as religious capital of Israel; therefore, he wanted to move the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 13:1-5). According to the instructions of the Lord, each time the ark was moved, it was to be borne on the shoulders of the sons of Kohath of the tribe of Levi. (See Numbers 4:1-6,15.) Uzzah and Ahio are described as the sons (or descen- dants) of Abinadab (2 Samuel 6:3), in whose house the ark had been for at least two or three generations, long enough that familiarity had bred irreverence. In touching the ark, Uzzah was guilty of presumption. (For more, see The 144 Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, pp. 624-628.)
PPLTG_text_B3_2017r.indd 144 11/3/16 11:35 AM Welcome Welcome students at the door and Ask: What was the most interest- ask about their week. Debrief them ing part of the Bible story for you? on the previous lesson. Then ask What activity did you appreciate students to share a few things they most? Why? have learned from the current lesson Transition into the readiness prior to Sabbath School. activity of your choice. » 14Blessed by the Presence Program notes LESSON SECTION MINUTES ACTIVITIES MATERIALS NEEDED Welcome Ongoing Greet students at the door. Ask about their week. Review previous lesson and segue into this week’s lesson.
Readiness 10-15 A. He’s Like the Wind (p. 146) paper, pencils, crayons or markers, Bibles 1 B. Home Blessings (p. 146) Bibles
Prayer 15-20 (p. 147) songbooks, world map, pushpins, offering plate/basket * and Praise (optional: beautifully decorated box) Bible 15-20 Introducing the Bible Story (p. 148) Bibles Lesson 2 Experiencing the Story (p. 148) Bibles, paper, pencils
Exploring the Bible (p. 149) Bibles, board, marker
Applying 10-15 Scenario (p. 149) 3 the Lesson
Sharing 10-15 God’s Presence and Our Worship (p. 150) Bibles, paper, pencils 4 the Lesson Closing A. Prayer and Closing Comments (p. 150) B. Reminder to Parents (p. 150) * C. Coming Up Next Week (p. 150)
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1READINESS ACTIVITIES Select the activity or activities that are most appropriate for your situation.
A YOU NEED: B YOU NEED: paper Bibles He’s Like the Wind pencils Home Blessings Say: Find some way in which to draw Ask the students to divide into small groups of two or three. crayons OR markers the wind or depict it so that we can Say: God promises to bless our homes when He is invited Bibles see its presence. Be ready to share it to live with us. I would like each group to think of some with the rest of the group. way that their family (or a family they know) is blessed by God’s presence. Then think of a way to represent that Debriefing blessing to the rest of us (acting out, drawing, etc.). Ask: How did you draw the wind? Is it something we can Allow time for each group to present their blessing. see? Then how do we know it’s there? How is this like or unlike God’s presence? Can we see Him? How do we Debriefing know He is there? Say: God’s blessings are apparent in the homes of those Say: One way we know is by the blessings in our lives. who invite God in and show Him reverence. Let’s say to- God’s presence brings blessings to us and to our fami- gether our power text, Psalm 5:7: lies. Let’s say tegether our power text, Psalm 5:7: ”But I, by your great love, can come into your house; ”But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple” in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple” (Psalm 5:7). (Psalm 5:7). We can remember wherever we are that We can remember wherever we are that We praise God for His many blessings and for His We praise God for His many blessings and for His presence in our lives. presence in our lives.
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READINESS ACTIVITIES Fellowship Allow students to report things that they are pleased or troubled about. Acknowledge any birthdays, spe- cial events, or achievements. Give a special, warm Notes greeting to all visitors. Get contact information from the adult who brought them to church. Early in the following week, send a postcard or e-mail letting the visitors know how much you enjoyed having them in your class and that you would like to see them again.
Suggested Songs “When I Look Into Your Holiness” (He Is Our Song, no. 18) “The Worship Song” (He Is Our Song, no. 26) “Blessing and Honor” (He Is Our Song, no. 66)
Mission YOU NEED: Use Adventist Mission for youth world map and adults (go to www.junior pushpins powerpoints.org and click on MISSION) or another mission report available to you. Using a world map, have the students identify and mark with pushpins the location where the mission story is taking place.
Offering YOU NEED: Say: Today’s lesson tells us beautifully decorated about the connection between box (optional) reverence and God’s blessings. One way we re- flect God’s blessings to us is to bring our gifts as offerings. We are privileged to give back to Him in gratitude.
Prayer Say: Reverence to God can be shown in many ways. One of these is by merely remaining silent and allowing time for God to respond to us. As we pray today, we will pause for a minute to allow God to speak to us. After opening a prayer, allow for up to a minute of silence before you offer thanks for God’s goodness. Close with a prayer for the students’ joys and sorrows, for the birthday and other special event cele- brants, as well as for the visitors.
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2BIBLE LESSON
YOU NEED: YOU NEED: Introducing the Bibles Experiencing the Story Bibles Bible Story Ask the students to take turns reading paper Tell about one way God has blessed you or your family from 2 Samuel 6 (a corollary passage is pencils during the past week. Then ask for several volunteers to tell 1 Chronicles 15 and 16) aloud. Say: Let’s how their families have been blessed recently. After several divide into pairs and write three general principles that have shared, explain that this week’s lesson tells about three can guide our worship. Consider specifically each of the months of special blessings received from God’s presence in following elements of the story: (1) Uzzah’s irreverent one home. act; (2) treatment of the ark by Obed-edom; (3) the way Say: God’s presence brings blessings wherever it is wel- in which David “celebrated before the Lord”; (4) Michal’s come. Let’s repeat our power text, Psalm 5:7: response to David’s worship. ”But I, by your great love, can come into your house; When students have completed their work, call on several in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple” to share their suggestions. (Possible principles: we worship (Psalm 5:7). by knowing and obeying God’s Word; keeping God’s pres- ence “new” in our minds each day helps us worship; when We can remember wherever we are that we worship God, we are all equal; we must each worship We praise God for His many blessings and for His God in the way that God impresses us to.) presence in our lives. Say: What do you think about Uzzah? (He might have thought that he meant well, but he was putting his way of doing things above God’s direct instructions about carrying the ark.) How had God instructed for the ark to be car- ried? Assign the following verses in which students can find the answer: Exodus 25:13-15; Deuteronomy 10:8; Joshua 3:13. (God clearly made arrangements so that the ark could be carried without human hands touching it.) What does this incident say about God’s feelings toward obedience and respect in those who are aware of what God expects of them? Let’s look at Hebrews 12:28 for a clue. (Optional) What do you think about Michal’s response to David’s worshipping? (Explain that David was not being immodest, he was simply taking off his kingly robes that set him apart from the people, and worshiping God with everyone else. For more, see The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p. 627.)
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YOU NEED: Exploring the Bible Bibles Scenario Divide the class into five groups. Write board and marker Give the students the following scenario: the following texts (not words in parentheses) on the board Heli is concerned about her family. They haven’t been and assign one text to each group. Say: Read the text doing well financially, and the family has suffered emo- silently within your group, then produce a short panto- tionally from it too. She thinks that perhaps God could mime to portray the “fruit” of God’s presence described help and that if He were just there with her family, it in your text. When finished, be prepared to perform your would somehow make a difference. She comes to you pantomime for the rest of us. with her concern. 1. Exodus 33:14 (rest) 2. Psalm 21:6 (joy/gladness) Debriefing 3. Psalm 23:5 (food) Ask: What can you say or do to encourage her? Could you 4. Psalm 28:7, 8 (strength) tell her any experiences from your own family? What 5. Psalm 31:20 (safety) from the story of Obed-edom would be of help and en- Ask: How are these fruits also considered blessings? couragement to her? How can you help her explain these According to these texts, how does God’s presence things to her family? Remember the power point: affect our families? How should we respond to His We praise God for His many blessings and for His presence? Let’s say our power text, Psalm 5:7: presence in our lives. ”But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple” (Psalm 5:7).
We can remember wherever we are that We praise God for His many blessings and for His presence in our lives.
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Closing 4SHARING THE LESSON * YOU NEED: God’s Presence and Bibles Prayer and closing comments: Our Worship paper Say: Dear God, thank You for the blessings You Invite students to share if they had a pencils give our families. We ask that You live in our chance to tell someone about how God homes. We want to show honor and respect has blessed them or their families. Ask: What experiences to You as a way of thanking You for all You did you share with a friend about how God has provided give us. Amen. for your needs? How has God blessed your family when you decided to be faithful and obedient to Him? Reminder to parents: Have the students read Ezekiel 34:25-31 aloud. Ask: How Say: Check out the student Bible study guide many different kinds of blessings does God promise to to find Parents’ Pages for your use in family His people when His presence is in their homes? How can worship, or however you wish to use them to you claim the promise that God’s presence in your home spiritually guide your children. You may listen will bring great blessings to your family? What does to the podcast of the lesson online at www. your family need to do to acknowledge those blessings? juniorpowerpoints.org/podcast.php?channel What changes need to be made in order to give God the =1. respect and honor He deserves? How will this affect the way in which you and your family respond to God’s grace Coming up next week: by honoring and serving Him? Say: Jehoshaphat’s choir praises God through Say: Everyone make a list of at least three ways you see singing. We praise God together for He gives God blessing your family and three ways in which your us the victory. family can respond to God with more respect and honor.
Debriefing Ask: Who will share with us what you wrote? You can share your list with your family and talk about it. Let’s repeat once again the power point: We praise God for His many blessings and for His presence in our lives.
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Student lesson Blessed by the Presence
Do you remember a time your family got frightened and decided to send it back carelessly the things consecrated to some new furniture? Here’s a story about to the Israelites. The Philistines placed God’s service. two families. One had a special piece of the ark on a cart pulled by oxen and Uzzah and his brother walked beside furniture for many years, and the other sent it on its way. Though the oxen were the oxcart that carried the ark. At one had the same piece of furniture for only not guided by any human hand, they point Uzzah reached up to stop the three months. miraculously went straight to the land ark from falling, and instantly dropped of Israel. God was clearly guiding His ark down, dead. Was he just trying to help? here’s a story in the Bible that back to safety. It ended up at the house He knew the ark wasn’t supposed to has frightened people for many of Abinadab for 20 years, bringing bless- be placed on an oxcart, nor handled Tyears. It’s the story of Uzzah, the ings to the family. carelessly, but he did it anyway. If he had man who touched the ark of the cov- Then King David decided to set done what was right in the first place, enant and died on the spot. You may things right by finally getting the ark to none of this would have happened. be tempted to think that Uzzah was Jerusalem, where it could be a blessing King David gave orders for the ark just trying to help! But if you know the for the whole nation. So he sent 30,000 to be placed in the house of Obed- real story, you know that it isn’t about men to move the ark to the tent he Edom. The ark stayed there for three a man who was killed while trying had set up especially for it. months. During that time Obed-Edom’s to take care of God’s things. Rather, The ark had special round rings on entire family was blessed. When David it’s about someone who knew better each corner to be used whenever it was heard about this, he realized that God’s and still chose to do the wrong thing. transported. No one was supposed to presence, when treated with respect God had chosen the tribe of Levi for touch the ark. The priests were to pass a and honor, results in great blessing. the priestly ministry and appointed long rod through the rings on each side, The king wanted that blessing for the them to carry His ark of the covenant and four of them were to carry the ark entire nation. on their shoulders (see Deuteronomy on their shoulders. Abinadab and his Again David decided to try moving 10:8). Instead Uzzah, one of the priests, family knew this—they were priests. But the ark to Jerusalem. But this time he disobeyed the Lord’s command and they didn’t say anything. They treated told the priests to carry it as God had chose to place the ark of the covenant the ark as a common piece of furniture. originally directed. Carefully the priests on a cart pulled by oxen. Instead of doing it God’s way, those placed the rods through the rings and Remember the Philistines? Goliath, moving the ark chose to do it their lifted them to their shoulders. It was their giant fighter, had been slain by own way. They used an oxcart—just this way that they carried the ark to the young shepherd boy David. But the as the Philistines had done—instead Jerusalem, where it was placed in the Philistines had been attacking David’s of priests’ shoulders. The Philistines special tent set up for the worship people long before that. During one of didn’t know how the ark was to be car- of God. Next time you go to church, those battles the Philistines captured ried. However the Levites, the tribe of remember Obed-Edom and choose to the sacred ark of the covenant. priests, had received clear instructions accept God’s presence as a joyful priv- The Philistines thought the ark about how to handle the furniture ilege. Imagine you are in the throne would bring them good luck. When found in the sanctuary. Therefore the room of a loving King who has asked its presence brought trouble, they got priests had no excuse for handling you to come and be with Him!
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PPLTG_text_B3_2017r.indd 152 11/3/16 11:35 AM KEY REFERENCES POWER TEXT POWER POINT 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 15; 16 “But I, by your great love, can come We praise God for His many blessings Patriarchs and Prophets, chap. 70, into your house; in reverence I bow and for His presence in our lives. pp. 705, 706 down toward your holy temple” The Bible Story (1994), vol. 4, pp. (Psalm 5:7). 82-85 Our Beliefs, nos. 3, 11, 22
DO READ LEARN FIND
READ
LISTEN LEARN
REVIEW PRAY
PRAY
READ READ THINK LIST
DISCUSS
DISCUSS
REVIEW PRAY
REVIEW PRAY READ THINK
READ ACT
WRITE THINK
REVIEW REPEAT PRAY PRAY
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