Boys and Girls Welcome to SUNDAY SCHOOL ONLINE Today we finish our journey through the book of

At the end of the lesson you will find out where we go from here! But first . . . She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: “Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.” Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:26-31 From all of us in the Children’s Ministry:

GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD ! Parents are welcome and even encouraged to teach this lesson to your kids!

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. YOU shall TEACH them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by What an awesome privilege and the way and when you lie down responsibility you have as parents! and when you rise up.” And not only does this benefit Deuteronomy 6:6,7 your kids, but YOU as well! Let’s begin today’s lesson by talking to God in prayer! “. . . My house shall be called a house of Pray and thank prayer for all the God For: nations . . .” Mark 11:17 Calvary Chapel Downey Wisdom, Blessing and Protection for Pastors, Staff and Congregation

RAIN (Don’t for get to thank Him for the rain!) All who are in authority (President, Leaders, Teachers, Police, PARENTS, etc.) “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth.” I Timothy 2:1-4 END THE CORONA VIRUS Pray for people who are sick! Pray that the unsaved will seek after God!

Strong in faith

Grounded in God’s Word and prayer

Provide for them and their family

Healing

Love their persecutors “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

Pray for our missionaries that God would bless, protect, provide, encourage, give strength and bold- nes, and lead many lost people to Christ. Pray for whatever is on your heart. Make your own list. Family members who do not know Jesus! Kids, every Sunday morning in ”Big Church,” Pastor Jeff has all the people in the service read a Psalm together with him before preaching. So let’s do that as well before we get into the lesson. If you have your , you and your parents can read Psalm 67 and see how it applies to today’s lesson. If you don’t have a Bible, you can read the following: Psalm 67 1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine on us— 2 So that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. 3 May the peoples praise You, God; may all the peoples praise You. 4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth. 5 May the peoples praise You, God; may all the peoples praise You. 6 The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. 7 May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear Him. Review From the Previous Lesson on Nehemiah

In case you missed it! AS YOU GO THROUGH THE LESSON, YOU WILL SEE A SERIES OF PICTURES WITH A SCRIPTURE VERSE AND A QUESTION.

FIRST, READ THE VERSE, STUDY THE PICTURE THEN ANSWER THE QUESTION. What did Nehemiah’s enemies do Nehemiah 6:1,2 to lure him away from the city? THANK YOU PARENTS FOR GOING THROUGH THIS WITH YOUR CHILD BEFORE YOU START, PRAY IN CASE THEY HAVE AND ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT QUESTIONS. TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND! Nehemiah

!Walls ! See the wall? It's "knee-high" to help you remember this book called Nehemiah ("Knee-High-Miah"). Nehemiah wasn't really a giant in size. But he did a giant job! He led the Jews in rebuilding the Walls around . ! They had already built a new temple. But the city where the temple was, Jerusalem, wasn't safe. Back then a city was only safe if it had a high wall around it, like a fort. (Have you ever built a fort out of sticks or sand?) Walls around cities kept enemies from coming in. So without a wall, Jerusalem was in trouble! ! God knew that. So He had Nehemiah come from the faraway land called Persia (the Persians captured it from the Babylonians) where most of the Jews had been living in exile. The Persian king let Nehemiah lead another group back home to Jerusalem. ! When they got back home, they started right away to build the wall. Nehemiah was in charge. Even though some enemies were against rebuilding the high wall, it was finished in only 52 days! The city was safe! And the Jews were happy that God brought Nehemiah to build the wall. Book of Key Word: WALLS NEHEMIAH

Nehemiah 5:1-5 Why were the people in Jerusalem so upset? What did the nobles and the :6-8 rulers say to Nehemiah after he chewed them out? Nehemiah was bold and not afraid to confront the nobles. He was Nehemiah 5:9,10 PRAYED UP!!! What was the response of Nehemiah 5:12 the nobles and leaders? Nehemiah 5:15 What did Nehemiah have that the other leaders did not?

Nehemiah 6:1,2 Nehemiah received a message from his enemies, but how did he know it was a trick? Nehemiah 6:3 – What was Nehemiah’s reply? The enemy will lie and make up stories Nehemiah 6:5-7 to disrupt the work of God. And who do you think is behind all this?

And Nehemiah knew the source of his strength: “ . . . The joy of the LORD is your strength!” (:10) Nehemiah 6:14 What does Nehemiah always do when facing a challenge? This Weeks Memory Verse:

Psalm 107:8 “Oh that man would praise the Lord for His wonderful works to the children of men.” Memory Verse:

Psalm 107:8 “Oh that man” . . . You and me! Memory Verse:

Psalm 107:8 “Would praise the Lord” . . . Honor Him through word and song! Memory Verse:

Psalm 107:8 “For His goodness” . . . “For His being kind and loving and His provision and protection” Memory Verse:

Psalm 107:8 “And for His wonderful works” For all he has done Memory Verse:

Psalm 107:8 “To the children of men” . . . To the people of the earth! Psalm 107:8 “Oh that man would praise the Lord for His wonderful works to the children of men.” This Week’s Lesson: Nehemiah – Pt 5 “”The Leader With a Thankful Heart” Lesson Scriptures: Nehemiah 6:15,16; 7:1-6; 8:1-18; 11:1,2; 12:27-43 Chapter 6 Whenever you start a project that seems overwhelming at first, remember Nehemiah . . . Take one day at a time covered with PRAYER ! WHAT A MIRACLE! Nehemiah 6:15 The wall was built in only how many days? Kids, GOD is still in the “Miracle-Making” business today . . . Learn from Nehemiah that ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is impossible with GOD! Nehemiah 6:15 Can you imagine how encouraging it was for the Israelites to see what GOD did? Who else was amazed that the work Nehemiah 6:16 had been completed so fast? The people knew exactly why they were able to build it so fast! And what did Nehemiah 6:16 state, that not only did Israel’s enemies recognize that the work was accomplished with the help of the GOD of Israel . . . But because of that, the enemy lost their confidence! They knew they would be stupid to try to go up against Nehemiah and his GOD!

Nehemiah 7:1 :1. Besides the Gatekeepers, who else did Nehemiah appoint? Now you can see why we pray for “all those is authority” every week! “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:1-4 They believed God was the one true God, And they had a holy reverence toward Him! Can others say that about YOU? Boys and girls, take a minute right now to pray for our leaders, that they would be like Nehemiah’s brother and would be faithful and that they would fear GOD! How did Nehemiah decide Nehemiah 7:3,4 who would guard the gates? Nehemiah 7:5,6 God told Nehemiah to make a list of the nobles who returned from . Ask your parents what a genealogy is. Now that the walls were rebuilt, Nehemiah still wanted to see how he can be a blessing to the PEOPLE OF GOD and the CITY OF GOD. He noticed that the population was low and there were many abandoned houses.

Nehemiah wanted Jerusalem to grow and prosper. But before that could happen he must first know who he had already. Just as when he toured the broken down walls in 2:11-16, he needed to know the problem well. So, he took a census and looked at the registry first written by in Ezra 2:1-70. Renewing The Covenant

Who did the people ask to read, and Nehemiah 8:1 what was it they wanted him to read? Side Notes: The is one of the books of “History” in the . It is placed right before the .

The Book of Ezra and the Book of Nehemiah were originally a single work. The Masoretic tradition regarded the books of Ezra and Nehemiah as one book and referred to it as the Book of Ezra. Nehemiah 8:2,3 How long did Ezra stand and read the Law of Moses? Can you remember the last time you stood from early morning to midday just listening to the Bible being read? Isn’t it a shame that many people, including kids, would stand for hours at a concert, but would never do that at church to listen to God’s Word being read! For one thing, the people in Nehemiah’s day did not have a local Bible bookstore where they could go and purchase a Bible, so they either had to have had someone in their family who had memorized the Law and history books, or would have to go to a temple to have it read. But today, you have the privilege of having one or more in your home where you and your family can read it anytime! Nehemiah 8:5,6 And all this took place even before the “preaching!” Nehemiah 8:7 What did the Levites do while the Law was being read? Side Notes: In Jewish tradition, a Levite is a member of the Israelite Tribe of Levi, descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah.

The work of the Levites was to assist the priests, the descendants of Aaron, as they served at the house of the LORD. They also took care of the courtyards and side rooms, helped perform the ceremonies of purification, and served in many other ways in the house of God.

The Levites were selected to serve GOD in the Holy Temple. Most served in peripheral roles, playing music, opening and closing the gates, and standing guard. They were also teachers of The Law. Nehemiah 8:8 Kids, your Sunday School teacher does the same! They study hard to help you understand what the Bible is saying and its meaning. Please stop right now and take a minute to pray for all the Sunday School teachers as we continue to study, prepare, and pray for YOU! Kids, do you treat the Bible with great reverence, knowing it is the very WORD OF GOD? Nehemiah 8:9 What were the people doing as they listened? Nehemiah 8:10 Nehemiah 8:15 What were the people told to do? Who were the ones who made booths? When was the last time Nehemiah 8:16,17 this had been done in Israel? So you can see that with the new walls, the new temple, the new city, it was almost like starting over for the Jews in Jerusalem! How many days did Ezra Nehemiah 8:18 read the Law to the people? Kids, take a lesson from the Israelites . . . Read the Bible EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK! Some kids only read their Bibles once a week while at church! IS THAT YOU?

If you only ate “physical” fo o d once a week, you would not grow physically!

If you only ate “spiritual” fo o d once a week, you would not grow spiritually!! If it helps you, you may even want to ask your parents to help set up your own Bible reading plan. The following pages shows some fun examples of what you can do! Feel free to grab a sheet of paper and a pencil and make your own charts!

What were the people casting lots for? :1,2

Nehemiah 12:27 Can you imagine what this must :31 have looked like and the encouragement it gave the people! This celebration must have also made their enemies lose their Nehemiah 12:38 confidence even more!

This celebration brought Nehemiah 12:43 the people more than just joy, but what kind of joy?

Great job, kids! (and mom and dad) Remember, “The joy of the LORD is your strength!” (8:10)

And just as Nehemiah did to accomplish a great work for the LORD: Pray and Stay in the Book! STEADY ON . . . STAND FIRM . . . FINISH STRONG! Takeaways from Nehemiah’s Book: 1. Be kids who PRAY! 2. Be kids who WORSHIP! 3. Be kids who WITNESS! 4. Be kids who STUDY! 5. Be kids of FAITH! 6. Be kids of JUSTICE! 7. Be ki d s of PERSEVERANCE! 8. Be ki d s of INTEGRITY! 9. Be kids of COMPASSION! BE KIDS WHO LOVE GOD!

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU ADD TO THIS LIST? Kids, your assignment for next week is to read Judges 13:1-16:3. We will get back to our final two lessons in the book of Judges where we left off before Easter! We finished the story of Gideon and will now study the life of SAMSON! *Just a reminder: These basic practices will help you grow closer to Christ, love Him more, and help you share His love with others:

1. Read God’s Word (the Bible) daily – this is how He speaks to you. As you learn more about Him and obey His Word, you will become more like Him. 2. Pray daily – “Teach us to pray,” the disciples asked Jesus, and He taught them the simple prayer in Luke 11:1-4. Prayer is simply talking with God. 3. Share your faith – once you have experienced new life in Christ, you will want to share His love and forgiveness with others. 4. Attend a Bible-believing church – this will help you grow in your new life in Christ, as you learn from the teaching of God’s Word, and be encouraged together with other believers. PLEASE LET US KNOW If you have questions or concerns, please call 1-562-803-5631 or email us at [email protected]

We’re here to help you understand the love that Jesus is offering you for free, no matter who or where you are.

Lesson 5 THE LEADER WITH A THANKFUL HEART Nehemiah 6:15,16; 7:1-6; 8:1-18; 11:1,2; 12:27-43

Memory Verse: Psalm 107:8 "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men."

Review Question: When Sanballat could not trick Nehemiah into coming to Ono for a meeting, he hired a man to trick Nehemiah into hiding in the T______. (6:10)

1. How long did it take Nehemiah and the people to complete the wall? _____ days (Nehemiah 6:15) 2. When Nehemiah's enemies heard the wall completed, they knew it had been completed with help of Israel's G______. (Nehemiah 6:16) 3. This was a time for real celebration. God had done much for the Jewish people. The people praised God and thanked Him for all that He did. You and I have no problem asking God for things, but what are some things you can thank Him for? a. ______b. ______c. ______d. ______e. ______4. When the people saw what God had done, not only did they talk about Him, but they wanted to learn more about God. So they built a wooden platform and had E____ the P______read them the book of the L____. (Nehemiah 8:2-4)

5. When the people heard God's Word being read, they cried because they knew they were convicted of their sins. Then Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites told the people not to mourn, "for the J____ of the Lord is your S______."(Nehemiah 8:10)

6.At the dedication of the new wall, leaders of the people along with musicians and singers marched in two groups around the top of the wall in different directions praising and thanking God for all He had done.

Psalm 107:8 "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men." MATCH THE BIBLE VERSE TO THE ANIMAL BY DRAWING A LINE FROM ONE TO THE OTHER

Exodus 14:23

Deuteronomy 14:8

Jeremiah 50:8

I Samuel 6:14

Luke 2:24

Exodus 7:18

I Kings 21:23

Leviticus 11:6

Luke 18:25 Kids, you can print out this page, cut on the dotted line, and color the rose in your mom’s favorite color, then give it to her for a Mother’s Day card from you!

You can even write a message on it! She will love it!