JUNIOR SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS
YEAR 4
LESSONS 1 – 20
Lesson 1 Elisha and Naaman 2 Kings 5:1–16
Aim: To show the importance of obedience to God.
You will need – Bibles, worksheets, pens/pencils, pictures of ‘important’ people (optional); information about the Leprosy Mission or similar (optional).
Introduction
Ask the children if they have ever seen anyone ‘important’ (royalty, politician, sports star, celebrity, etc.), and listen to their stories or supply one of your own. Explain that the man in today’s story was very important in his country, but he had a problem.
Point 1 An Important Man
Help the children to find 2 Kings 5:1 and read it together (older children could find it for themselves) and ask who he was, and the reason for his problem. Explain that leprosy is a skin disease which can lead to terrible deformity and was at that time incurable. People with leprosy were considered unclean and had to live apart as people were so afraid of catching it (the children may remember stories of Jesus healing lepers).
So Naaman had a very serious problem.
Point 2 A Faithful Girl
Read verses 2, 3 (or ask a volunteer). Explain that Aram and Israel had been at war, and that raiding parties still crossed the border, and this young girl had been captured. Talk together about what it must have been like for her, and the things she might have had to learn to do. Note what she said to her mistress and point out that even in exile the girl had not forgotten God, and how He showed His power through His servant Elisha. Ask the children if they think it would have been difficult for her to speak up, and talk together about this.
Point 3 A Worried King
Read verses 4-7 and ask why the king was worried, and why he thought the King of Aram had sent Naaman to him. Point out that, although the young girl remembered God, the King of Israel seemed to have forgotten all about Him.
Point 4 A Faithful Prophet
Read verses 8-10. Note Elisha’s rebuke to the king and ask what he asked the king to do. Picture together the important chariot and horses arriving outside Elisha’s house. Ask what Elisha did, and what he asked Naaman to do. What do the children think about this?
Point 5 An Angry Soldier
Naaman was furious! Read verses 11 and 12 and discuss why he was so annoyed. Ask what he was expecting to happen.
Point 6 Wise Servants
Read verses 13 and 14. Ask about the advice of the servants and whether the children think it was good advice. Ask what happened when Naaman followed it. Ask the children if they think there was something special about the water in the Jordan river and help them to understand that the cure was due to Naaman’s obedience to God, through Elisha, and nothing at all to do with the water. How do they think Naaman felt now?
Point 7 A New Believer
Read verses 15 and 16. Talk together about Naaman’s return to Elisha and how they think he is feeling now. Read part of verse 15 together as a group: “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.
Point out that Elisha refused a gift as he wanted Naaman to know that it was God Who had healed him and not Elisha, that he was healed by God’s grace and not by any ‘power’ that Elisha might have. It was not something that could be bought. Explain that God wants us to obey Him, not just know about Him, but to do what He says – to trust Him, believe in Him and obey Him in our everyday lives, not in big extravagant gestures, but in the ordinary things we do at home and in school every day. Enlarge on this as you feel appropriate.
Pray with the children, thanking God for His care over each one of us and asking that He would help us to follow and obey Him in our lives every day.
Remember the topics in the Prayer Spot for this week.
Help the children to complete the worksheet.
[If you have time and feel it is appropriate you could show some of the literature from the Leprosy mission, if you have it available.]
Lesson 2 Elisha and the Syrian Host 2 Kings 6:8–23
Aim: To show the mercy of God.
You will need – Bibles, worksheets, pens/pencils.
Introduction
Ask the children about what annoys them and makes them feel cross – listen to their comments for a few minutes, giving an example of your own if you feel it appropriate.
Explain that in today’s lesson the King of Aram was becoming very cross indeed and they’re going to find out why.
[Teachers’ Note: you may wish to explain that Aram (NIV) and Syria (KJV) were different names for the same country to the north of Israel].
Point 1 An Enraged King (verses 8-12)
Help the children to find 2 Kings 6:8. Read verses 8-12 dramatically, while the children follow in their Bibles (or tell the story in your own words if you prefer). Ask a few questions to make sure they have understood, finally asking what it was that so enraged the king.
Ask how the man of God (Elisha) knew all the enemies’ plans, making sure they understand that it was God Who revealed them to him.
Point 2 Surrounded (verses 13-17)
Ask what the children think the king of Aram would want to do, and continue reading/telling the story to the end of verse 17, bringing out the fear of the servant who could only see the enemy army and feel overwhelmed, and then his wonder as his eyes were opened to see the horses and chariots of fire, and realised that the Lord is with them. [You may wish to comment on the relevance of this in our own lives, when sometimes we see only the problem and forget about God, if you feel it appropriate at this point.]
Point 3 Struck Blind (verses 18-20)
Continue the story explaining that just as the servant’s eyes were opened to see the horses and chariots of fire around them, so Elisha prayed that the Aramæans would be struck blind so that they could see nothing at all. Point out how unsuspectingly they followed Elisha as he led them into the trap. Ask how the enemy soldiers would have felt when they realised where they were, and what they would expect to happen to them. Ask a volunteer to read verse 21 to find out what the King of Israel wanted to do, and discuss what the children think about that.
Point 4 An Act Of Mercy (verses 22-23)
Finish the story in your own words, pointing out that not only were they not harmed, but that a feast was prepared for them before they were sent safely back home. Ask the children to comment on this, and to give their reaction to this turn of events. Ask about the result of this act of mercy and point out if necessary that the fighting stopped.
Remind the children that the soldiers had come to capture Elisha and did not deserve his act of kindness.
Point out that we are completely undeserving of the love and kindness that God lavishes on us (ask the children for examples) and most of all we are undeserving of the wonderful gift of His Son, Who died to take the punishment that we deserve for our sin. Talk about this, and God’s love and mercy as much as you feel is appropriate for your class.
Pray with the children, thanking God for the Bible and the wonderful things we learn from it, and for His love and mercy in sending the Lord Jesus to be our Saviour.
Remember the topics in the Prayer Spot for this week.
Help the children to complete the worksheet.
Lesson 3 Jonah - 1 Jonah 1
Aim: To show we cannot hide from God.
You will need – Bibles, worksheets, pens/pencils, simple map (optional)
Introduction
Play a quick game of ‘opposites’ – give the children a series of quick-fire commands, eg. ‘stand’, ‘sit’, turn right’, turn left’, etc. and the children respond by doing the opposite.
Now ask about jobs and chores the children are responsible for at home and in school, and discuss which ones they enjoy, and which they really do not like doing.
Say that today we’ll learn how God gave the prophet Jonah a special job to do, but instead of obeying God he set off in the opposite direction.
Point 1 Running away (verses 1-3)
Help the children to find the Book of Jonah in their Bibles. Read verses 1-3 (or ask a confident reader). Explain that Nineveh was an important city, probably a long way from where Jonah lived. It was well known to be a wicked city (verse 2) and God asked Jonah to go and preach there, and warn the people about their wickedness. Ask the children to check verse 3, and find put what Jonah did instead. Explain that some scholars believe Tarshish to be the city of Tartessus in SW Spain. Not only was Jonah running away from God, but he was going as far as he could in the opposite direction (show the map if you have one). Suggest to the children that Jonah had forgotten something and help them to see the futility of trying to run away from God.
Point 2 The storm (verses 4-6)
Before reading verses 4-6 ask the children if they know what God did. Read the verses and discuss them together, bringing out the danger, and the panic of the sailors (who must have been well used to storms at sea) and the fact that Jonah seems to have been asleep through it all. Note that the sailors each called to their own god (they probably came from several different parts and worshipped many gods), and the captain asked Jonah to do the same not knowing who Jonah’s God was.
Point 3 Drawing Lots (verses 7-10)
Explain that drawing lots seemed to have been a common custom in the ancient world – experts are not sure what form it took (perhaps they used sticks or marked pebbles). But God, Who was in control of this as He is of every situation, caused the lot to fall on Jonah as the guilty one. Ask the children to read verse 8 all together (perhaps giving them a phrase each) as the sailors urgently question Jonah. Note his reply (verse 9) as he acknowledges the sovereignty of the Lord (the One from Whom he is running away!).
Read verse 10 and talk about the reaction of the sailors and why they were so scared.
Point 4 The Lord Provided (verses 11-16)
Ask confident readers to help you read to the end of verse 16 and by question and answer bring out:
· Jonah’s willingness to die to save the sailors;
· their reluctance to throw him into the sea;
· their plea to the Lord to forgive them for doing so;
· the calm as soon as Jonah hit the sea;
· their sacrifices and vows to the Lord.
(We’re not told that they turned away from the other ‘gods’, but they acknowledged that the God of Israel was powerful and greatly to be feared).
The Lord was in control of the situation (as He always is) – ask a volunteer to read verse 17: “But the Lord provided ……….”
Point out that although Jonah tried to run away from God that the Lord had not forgotten him and was with him every step of the way, teaching him that it is not possible to run away from God.
Suggest that perhaps we do something like that – perhaps not run away physically like Jonah , but we push away thoughts of God; perhaps something we’ve heard in Sunday School or church which makes us feel uncomfortable, or that God is trying to speak to us, but we try to push the thoughts away.
Talk more about this if you feel it is appropriate, and at a level that is relevant to your class.
Pray with the children, thanking God that He never leaves us to ourselves and is longing for each one of us to acknowledge Him and trust in Him.
Remember the topics in the Prayer Spot for this week.
Help the children to complete the worksheet.
Lesson 4 Jonah - 2 Jonah 2
Aim: To show that God hears and answers prayer.
You will need – Bibles, worksheets, pens/pencils; red, orange and green paper circles as ‘traffic lights’ (optional), sheet of paper for list (optional).
Introduction
If you have the space, ask the children to crouch or lie for 2 minutes without moving (time them). While they are still ask them to imagine it is dark (close their eyes), probably smelly (hold their noses), and wet. Two minutes may seem a long time, but remind the children that Jonah was confined for 3 days and 3 nights. Ask them to remind you where he was, and how he got there.
[Teacher’s Note: if the children are sceptical, or think it is just a ‘fairy tale’, there is anecdotal evidence in the 18th and 19th centuries of people being swallowed by fish and surviving (do a web-browser search if you are interested). But remind the children that this is a true story from God’s Word and that God can do amazing things.]
Point 1 Prayer (verse 1)
Help the children to find Jonah chapter 2 and ask them to read the first verse for themselves and tell you what Jonah was doing. Ask what he may have been praying about, and listen to their suggestions. You may want to point out that it is not uncommon for people in desperate and dangerous situations to pray to God even if they are not in the habit of praying.
Say that Jonah’s prayer was different.
Point 2 Prayer of thanksgiving (verses 2-9)
Read the prayer together – verses 2-9 – or share it out among confident readers.
Ask the children if they can tell what the prayer was about and refer them to verse 9a if necessary, explaining that it is a prayer of thanks to God (and not, as we might expect, a prayer of moans and self-pity). Discuss what Jonah is thanking God for, eg. answering his call of distress (verse 2), listening to his cry when he was at the point of death (verse 2), saving his life when he was sure he was going to drown (verses 3-7), and point out how he acknowledged God at the end of verse 6.