Story # 21 & 22

LESSON 21: Rebuilding the Walls

Timeless Truth: God keeps his covenant with those who love him.

Bible Basis:   Ezra 7:1, 7, 10-11; Nehemiah 1:2-6, 11, 4:4-6, 13-23, 8:1-12

Key Verse:     Don’t be afraid of your enemies. Remember the Lord. He is great and powerful (Nehemiah 4:14).

Get the Point:

Preschool: Nehemiah was sure of God’s power. God is on my side.

Elementary: Nehemiah was sure of God’s power. God is on my side.

Middle School: When God’s people work together for what God wants, they can accomplish amazing things quickly.

High School: When God’s people work together for what God wants, they can accomplish amazing things quickly.

Table Talk

Preschool/Elementary

• When the walls around Jerusalem were completed, the people celebrated. Ezra, the priest, read God’s law to them from sunrise to noon (Nehemiah 8:3). Why do you think he did that?

• Do you think the people got bored?

• What’s the longest you’ve ever been in church? What did you do?

• What’s the longest that you’ve listened to somebody talk about God? What do you remember most?

• After Ezra spoke, the people went away and celebrated with great joy, because they now understood God’s word. Why did they react this way?

• Do you react the same way when you hear God’s Word? Why?

Note: Young readers will enjoy “Get Ready” in the Jesus Storybook Bible on page 170.

Middle/High School

• Rebuilding the wall was a monumental task. God’s people got help from a powerful king and were pestered by nearby rulers. To protect his people and still get the work done, Nehemiah told the workers to carry supplies in one hand and a sword in the other. What does that tell you about the working conditions?

• Does God want you to be helpful, on one hand, and ready for battle with the other? How could you do that in your daily life?

• In the beginning of this chapter of The Story, God’s people are making some decisions that go against God’s law. Why don’t they learn?

• Are there areas of your life where you need constant reminders to follow God’s standards?

• Is reminding people through godly role models or writing a new thing or has it been the way God worked with his people for a long time?

• How did Ezra help the Jewish people get back on track with God? Do you think knowing God’s Word better would help you, too?

• How does it feel to know that you’ve just read through the Old Testament? Do something to celebrate.

Living Faith

Nehemiah was brilliant in getting all of God’s people to work together in rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall. By working together, they completed the project in 52 days! Before that, the Jews had languished in their attempts to protect and rebuild Jerusalem. King Cyrus first allowed God’s people to return to Jerusalem in 560 B.C. Then the second temple was completed in 516 B.C., but for 70 years the city was vulnerable to attack. In fact, many of the surrounding rulers made sure to keep the Israelites weak. But when Nehemiah showed up in 445 B.C., it took just less than two months to secure the walls and give God’s people a safe place to live. In all it took 115 years for God’s people to rebuild and fortify Jerusalem.

            Have your family pretend to be raiders on Jerusalem by playing a classic “breakout” video game.  You can go to www.silvergames.com/game/break-it/ or go to Google and search for “Breakout games.” See which family member is best at breaking down the walls. Let everybody take a couple of turns and then give a prize to who scores the highest.

Extra Mile

When Nehemiah learned that God’s people were having a hard time and that people were making fun of them, he wept. He didn’t want God’s people to suffer. He wanted them to be safe and protected.

Sit down with your family and brainstorm ideas on what you could do to make God’s people safer in your area. Maybe there’s a project at your church that needs to get done. You could:

• Help build a walkway at church.

• Paint or mark the handicap spaces more clearly.

• Put up signs to better direct people to classrooms or the sanctuary.

• Volunteer to help care for babies in the nursery.

• Shovel snow off the sidewalk in winter.

            There are tons of other ideas. Concentrate on ideas that will keep God’s people safe, and then ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to make these ideas a reality. You may need to include another family from church or the whole congregation. Dream big. Nehemiah did, and God helped him accomplish his goal extremely fast.

LESSON 22: The Birth of the King

Timeless Truth: Jesus coming to earth is God’s plan to save mankind.

Bible Basis:   John 1:1–18; Luke 1:26–55; Matthew 1:19-24; Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 2:1-3; Luke 2:41-51

Key Verse:     “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

Get the Point:

Preschool: God sent a Savior for the world. I can believe Jesus is my Savior.

Elementary: God sent a Savior for the world. I can believe Jesus is my Savior.

Middle School: God had to become like us to save us. Jesus is 100 percent man and 100 percent God.

High School: God had to become like us to save us. Jesus is 100 percent man and 100 percent God.

Table Talk

Preschool/Elementary

• God used angels a lot in this chapter of The Story to bring his message to people. Angels spoke to Mary, explained things to Joseph and proclaimed Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. What would you say if an angel appeared to you?

• If you saw an angel, you’d probably be scared. That’s why the angels always say, “Do not be afraid.” After you stopped being scared, what question would you want to ask an angel?

• Why do you think the angels appeared to shepherds instead of powerful, rich people?

• A couple of times in this chapter it says, “Mary kept these things like a secret treasure in her heart.” What do you think that means?

• Parents share with your children “secret treasures in your heart” about them.

• Not a lot is recorded about Jesus’ growing up years. Do you think Jesus was a good kid? Why do you think that?

Note: Young readers will enjoy hearing “The Light of the Whole World” in the Jesus Storybook Bible on page 184.

Middle/High School

• Mary was probably a teenager when an angel appeared to her and said, “the holy one that is born will be called the Son of God.” She immediately believed and prayed to God. React to these parts of her prayer:

            - She said she was unimportant, but now will be called blessed.

- She said God scatters the proud.

- She said God sends the rich away empty.

- She said God has been kind to his people, like he said he would long ago.

• John writes that life was in Jesus and “that life was the light for all people.” What do you think that means?

• Is God’s light for all people? If so, why don’t all people know Jesus as Savior?

• When Jesus was 12, he ditched his parents and hung out at the temple. Did he seem sorry for his actions?

• Do you think Jesus did anything wrong by not telling his parents that he was hanging back in Jerusalem?

• Why did Jesus have so much wisdom when it came to the Scriptures?

Living Faith

Any time is the perfect time to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth. You don’t have to wait until Christmas. If Jesus hadn’t come to earth, there would be no forgiveness of sins.

            Gather your family and watch the 4:08 YouTube video of the Go Fish song “Christmas With a Capital C-2008.”

Society is trying to push out the miracle of Christ’s birth from the holidays. But like the song says, “Jesus came down to take the punishment for me. He did it for you, too, so maybe you can see why it’s called Christmas.”

            Fight the trend of taking Christ out of Christmas by putting Christ in everyday. Think of somebody you know who could use a dose of cheer. As a family pick out a present that costs less than $10. Wrap it and give it to them. Let them know that Jesus has given you so much that you want to give a little away, too. Jesus’ love can’t be contained! And when Christmas comes around this year, make sure that everybody around you knows that Jesus loves them.

Extra Mile

Jesus’ birth is one of the most highly talked about historical events. Watch this surprising 2:18 video on YouTube about Christ’s birth: “Christmas Upside-down (HD).”

            The video begins with a person who doubts the miracle of Jesus’ birth. But once Jesus changes his heart and gives him hope, the same text is read upside down. The truth is Jesus turns our lives upside down. Instead of being selfish, we become selfless. Instead of wanting earthly treasures, we lay up treasures in heaven. After watching the video, have family members talk about one difference that Jesus has made in their lives.