For more sabbath school lessons, activities, devotionals, resources, and encouragement, visit www.forchristianhomes.com
Below are the memory verses for the coming month. Each lesson will be posted as it is completed.
Below are the memory verses for the coming month. Each lesson will be posted as it is completed.
May
💕 Sabbath, May 2nd - “ . . . for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ”
2 Kings 4:43 - Multiplying the Loaves
💕 Sabbath, May 9th - “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. . .” 2 Kings 22:1a - Small Things
💕 Sabbath, May 16th - “Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29b
💕 Sabbath, May 23rd - “Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.” 2 Chronicles 9:22
💕 Pentecost, May 24th - “And those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel . . .” 2 Chronicles 11:16a
💕 Sabbath, May 30th - “Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.” 2 Chronicles 33:13b
Sabbath, May 2nd
Multiplying of the Loaves
“ . . . for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ” 2 Kings 4:43
Materials needed: small container of crackers, accordion strips of bread
If I asked you who multiplied the loaves of bread, who would you say? Most people have heard of Jesus feeding the multitudes.
the 5000: picking up 12 basketfuls afterward; 5 loaves and 2 fishes; cited in Matthew 14:17, 20; Mark 6:38, 43; Luke 9:13, 17; John 6:9, 13
and the 4000: picking up 7 basketfuls afterwards; 7 loaves and a few small fishes; cited in Matthew 15:34, 37 and Mark 8:5, 8
But before this week’s lesson did you know there was a miracle of the multiplying of the loaves in the Old Testament?
During a famine in the land, a man brought Elisha 20 loaves of barley bread and some fresh ears of grain. One hundred ate and were satisfied. There was food left over, according to the word of the LORD.
So if you had one loaf of bread, how many people do you think you could feed? [Show single drawing of loaf of bread.] It wouldn’t be enough for a huge crowd, would it. But our "not enough" is always "more than enough” when God is involved. [Show accordion-ed loaves of bread.]
Can you give me examples of when God provided exactly what was needed? How about the Israelites’ clothing and shoes not wearing out for 40 years? How about Elisha and the widow’s oil? How about Elijah and the widow of Zarephath having enough flour and oil until the rain came again (3 years later)? Sometimes we worry that we’re not going to have what we need. But we serve the awesome God, the Creator who gave us life. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need. Ask Him to provide.
Sabbath, May 9th
Small Things
Sabbath, May 9th - “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. . .” 2 Kings 22:1a
Materials needed: dry erase board, markers, holey shoes, mended jeans, bubbles, seeds, bottle of water
There are small things in our world that we sometimes dismiss just because they are small. We figure they are not very important. But some things don’t stay small. And as they grow they become a BIG problem. Can you think of examples?
weeds, holes in clothes, cavities in your teeth, komodo dragons, uncontrolled fire, tsunamis/floods, hurricanes, running bamboo, parasites, infections, infestations (termites/wood bees), water leaks
Other things which are small do grow larger and larger - and that’s a good thing. Can you think of examples?
strawberries, watermelon, blueberry bushes, blackberry bushes, businesses, a small act of kindness, an atomic habit (exercising, cleaning something every day, eating healthy, drinking water)
So what do you think about Josiah? He was only eight years old when he began to reign. He was small. Do you think he would grow to be a good king of Judah or a bad king of Judah? His father was Amon and he reigned for two years. Amon did not follow God’s ways, but neither did Amon’s father, Manasseh. Manasseh was infamous for filling the streets of Jerusalem with innocent blood. He reversed his own father’s (Hezekiah) reforms by building pagan altars and even sacrificing his own son! Manasseh was, in fact, so wicked that God allowed him to be taken captive to Babylon with hooks and chains. The Assyrians liked to humiliate conquered kings by putting rings or hooks through their lips or nose. However, Manasseh was humbled and repented. God restored him to ruling in Judah, where he rebuilt walls and strengthened Judah’s military might. Manasseh also destroyed the pagan altars and idols and restored the altar to the LORD. And Manasseh reigned for 55 years - the longest reign of any king of Israel or Judah. So . . . knowing all of this background, what do you think? Was Josiah a good king or a bad king?
Josiah was a very good king. He led one of the greatest religious reforms in Judah’s history, restoring the Temple and finding the Book of the Law. 2 Kings 23:25 says, ”Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses." (NIV)
When something is small, there’s great possibility for good or for bad: like weeds or water or people. What is a weed in my garden (like clover or vetch) is actually planted and desirable in some applications. Similarly, something we associate with being good, drinking water, can actually kill you if you drink too much too quickly (something people rarely do). And every choice you make leads you closer to God’s ways or farther from them. What choice are you going to make today?
