Dear Parents, We hope the following summary of the Sunday School lesson will help you in discussing the lesson with your children and working through this booklet together. SCRIPTURE PASSAGE:
Ezra & Nehemiah
Nehemiah 5:1-19; Leviticus 25:35-41 BIBLE STORY SUMMARY: In the middle of rebuilding the wall, some of the poor came to Nehemiah and complained that the rich Jews among them were taking advantage of the poor during a time of famine and hardship. Nehemiah became angry at this injustice, and he talked to the people who were taking advantage of their neighbors. When that didn’t work, he called a meeting of the leaders, and made his case before them. They all agreed to do what was right and to give back to the poor what they had taken and to not take advantage of their countrymen any more. LESSON FOCUS:
We should live to gain God’s favor, not to get all we can get in this life.
When we are looking out for the poor, we are obeying God and pleasing Him.
Caring for others shows God that we love Him.
Nehemiah Defends The Poor
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT GOD:
God is concerned about the poor.
RESPONSE: We need to look beyond ourselves, like Nehemiah, so that we will notice the needy around us and ask God for direction in the role we can play in meeting their needs by sharing our abundance. REVIEW: 1. What did they do when Nehemiah told them what there were doing was wrong? (They agreed to stop, and to give back what they had taken, Nehemiah 5:11) 2. What was Nehemiah doing to help the people? (He was lending money to the poor, he was not charging them taxes, he was paying his own expenses, he was supporting others in leadership—they were eating as his table at his expense, Nehemiah 5:10, 14,15,17,18)
Copyright 2009 Berean Baptist Church 309 E County Road 42 Burnsville, Minnesota 55306 952.432.7168
This Week’s Memory Verse: Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:4
February 17, 2013
Read Leviticus 25:35-37 & 39-41
Monday—Bible Background Leviticus is a book of: A. customs B. Laws C. Poems
Leviticus gave a lot of real life situations and rules about what should happen if these things came up. It was the way that the Jews showed their devotion and obedience to God. “If one of your countrymen becomes poor . . .”
_________________________. Fear ___________________________. You must not ____________________________. Do not make him ___________________________. He and his children __________________________. Do not
Name three things Christians can do to show their devotion to God:
1. _________________________________ 2. _________________________________ 3. _________________________________
Does this blend in or stand out? Draw a line from the behavior to the blender or the people. To show if it is something everyone does, or something we can do to stand out.
Watch bad TV shows
Sit with someone at lunch who doesn’t have many friends
Give your money to someone who needs it
Fight with your brothers and sisters
Be kind to someone who is mean
Disrespect your parents
Obey those in authority
Say kind things
Use disrespectful words
Read Nehemiah 5:14-16
Tuesday—Famine Hits
Friday– Standing Out In The Crowd What does it mean to stand out? __________________________ What did governors usually do to the people?
_______________________________________ _______________________________________ Why did Nehemiah NOT do those things?
________ for _______________ I did ______________ act ____________________ “But out of
Find out what was happening to the Israelites in order for them to survive:
Read Nehemiah 5:1-5
“ We are _______________ our
_________________ , our ______________ and our __________________.” ________________ _____________ to ______________ the ___________ _______________ on our _______________ and _________________.” “We have had to
that.“ What are things that people do around you that are not pleasing to God?
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ How can you stand out in the crowd?
_____________________________ Why should Christians stand out and be different from the world? To honor God with our actions So that no one can find fault in us To show God we love Him. To show everyone we love God.
________________ our _______________ and daughters to _________________.” “We have to
Look back at what the laws said about what the nobles should do if their countrymen became poor. Were they following the rules? Yes No What would you have done if you were in charge?
______________________________________ ______________________________________ Would you have honored God with your actions?
______________________________________ ______________________________________
Read Nehemiah 5:6-8
Wednesday—Nehemiah’s Reaction
Thursday—Amen! Put verse 9 in your own words:
Draw a picture of Nehemiah’s face when he heard what was going on.
Read Nehemiah 5:9-13
_____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ Nehemiah was calling for them to honor God with their actions! List the things he told them to give back:
Why was he so angry?
____________________________________ Did Nehemiah confront the nobles and officials and tell them they were doing wrong? Yes No What did they say?
________________ , because ______________ __________________ find _________________ to __________________.”
_____________________________________ _____________________________________ Did they agree to give it all back? All of it Some of it None of it
What did the whole assembly say?
“They kept
Have you ever been told you were doing something wrong? If you knew you were wrong, you were just like them and had no come back. Did you change ? Yes No A little
Nehemiah stood up for what he knew was right! Tell about a time you did that?
______________________________________ ______________________________________ Was it easy or hard? Easy Hard
No matter what, God wants us to please Him!