CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH NIGERIA LESSON 2 SUNDAY 8TH JANUARY 2023

BIBLE TEXT: Luke 2:41-52

MEMORY VERSE:

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Psalm 143:10 (NIV).

Is it your custom to go to church? If yes, then why do you go to church? Do you go to church because your parents demand it or because you want to do God’s will? It is possible for people to be members of a church without knowing the Lord just as it is possible that people can participate in religious feasts without worshipping God in the Spirit and truth. Sometimes children go to church and do not pay attention to the Word of God. Jesus is the ideal Child who is conscious of His relationship with God. At the same time He grows in stature, and obeys His parents, as all children should.

This week we shall see Jesus in church (the Temple). We shall see what He did and then learn from Him.

TARGET:

To help the child understand that Jesus understood His special mission on earth and yet remained obedient to His parents.

During and after the lesson, each child will show that he or she understands the lesson by:

1. Identifying times when he or she does not like to go to church and when he or she does not like to obey his or her parents and saying why it is so.

2. Saying the memory verse while in the mood of prayer.

OUTLINE:

1. Jesus and His Parents Go to Jerusalem – Luke 2:41-45

2. Jesus Talks with the Teachers – verses 46-47

3. Jesus Obeys His Parents- verses 48-52

1. JESUS AND HIS PARENTS GO TO JERUSALEM – Luke 2:41-45

God instituted the Feast of Passover on the eve of the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and commanded them to keep it every year. it was Passover time again and the people of Israel are ready to go to the temple in Jerusalem. This time, Joseph with all the men of the town went to Jerusalem to worship God in the temple. Jesus was now old enough to go to the temple in Jerusalem to worship. He is now twelve years and that is the age Jewish boys are allowed to go to Jerusalem. Many families were going to Jerusalem and so they all went together. It was a long trip that took several days of walking. At last, they reached the beautiful temple.

For many days, many people gathered in the temple to pray and to sing songs of praise to God. They listened to God’s Law being read out loud. They killed the Passover lambs and they all sat down together to eat special foods. Finally, the special days of worship ended. And it was time to go home.

2. JESUS TALKS WITH THE TEACHERS – verses 46-47

Mary and Joseph started going home with others. Mary was walking and talking with the women, and Joseph with the men. They all had travelled for one day before they knew that Jesus was not among them. Mary and Joseph began to look for Him. They searched through the crowd of worshippers going home and there was no trace of Jesus. They decided to go back to Jerusalem and look for Him. They hurried back to Jerusalem and went straight to the temple. For three days they looked for Jesus. Finally, they found Him in the temple. He was sitting with some religious teachers, asking them questions and talking with them about God And everybody was surprised at how much He knew about God’s Law. He could answer all the hard questions better than any other boy of His age.

3. JESUS OBEYS HIS PARENTS – verses 48-52

When Mary and Joseph saw Him, they were amazed and could not say a word. Finally, they asked Him why He treated them like that. Jesus looked at them and asked them whether they did not know He would be in His Father’s house and about His Father’s business. By ‘Father’s business’ He meant God’s work He was zealous to do the work He had come to do. His parents, however, did not understand what He was saying.

Jesus was, however, sorry that His parents had been concerned about Him. He thought they would know He would be in the temple. And being an obedient Son, He got up and went home with them and subjected Himself to them. The Bible tells us that Jesus increased in wisdom. He grew taller and bigger. He found favour with God and also had good relationship with man. CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH NIGERIA LESSON 2 SUNDAY 8TH JANUARY 2023

Jesus gives us a good example. Each time we go to church, we should pay attention to the Word of God. We can ask questions about those things we do not understand. When our teachers ask us questions, we should be willing to answer them. The most important person to meet in church is Jesus. He will forgive our sins and give us the peace of God.

Jesus he wants us to obey our parents like He obeyed His earthly parents. By His example he teaches us that we too must obey our parents and others who take care of us. Even if our parents are not Christians we should obey them unless they ask us to do something that is against God’s word. By being obedient we may be able to make our parents desire to follow God too. Jesus can help us to obey even when it is hard.

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH NIGERIA LESSON 2 SUNDAY 8TH JANUARY 2023

Provide the missing words and complete the sentence from i – iii as used in the application and memory verse in our lesson today.

i. Each time we go to _______, we should _______ to the _______ of God.

ii. Even if our _______ are not _______, we should obey them ________ they ask us to do _______ that is against God’s _______

iii. Teach me to ________ your ________, for you are my _________

1. How many years old was Jesus when He went to the temple in Jerusalem to worship God?

(A) Twelve years old

(B) Ten years old

(C) Three years old

(D) Eleven years old.

2. What did the parents of Jesus discover when they were returning from Jerusalem?

(A) Jesus went to have lunch

(B) Jesus went to have nap

(C) Jesus went to see a friend

(D) Jesus got missing.

3. When the parents of Jesus found Him, what was He doing?

(A) He was discussing God’s Word with the teachers

(B) He was crying

(C) He was having fun

(D) None of the above.

4. The Bible tells us that Jesus increased in wisdom, ________

(A) He grew taller and bigger

(B) He found favour with God and

(C) Also He had good relationship with man

(D)All of the above.

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH NIGERIA LESSON 2 SUNDAY 8TH JANUARY 2023

Monday: Hannah Prayed at the Temple – 1 Sam 1:9-18

Tuesday: The Lord You Seek Shall Come to His Temple – Malachi 3:1

Wednesday: Jesus Found at the Temple – Luke 2:43-49

Thursday: Jesus Clears the Temple Courts – John 2:13-17

Friday: Jesus Promises to Rebuild the Temple – John 2:18-21

Saturday: We Preach Christ Jesus, Not Ourselves – 2 Cor 4:3 -6

Sunday school is a program offered by many churches in which children can learn about the teachings of Jesus and the Christian faith. Sunday school classes are typically held on Sunday mornings during regular church services, and are often divided by age group to allow for age-appropriate teaching and activities. Children’s Sunday school classes may include lessons from the Bible, singing songs, praying, and participating in activities and crafts. The goals of Sunday school are to help children learn about God, develop their moral character, and build a strong foundation for their faith.

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH

The Assemblies of God is a Pentecostal Christian denomination with a global presence. It was founded in 1914 in the United States and has since spread to many countries around the world. The Assemblies of God believes in the Bible as the inspired and authoritative word of God and in the triune nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The denomination emphasizes the experience of the Holy Spirit, including speaking in tongues and divine healing, and holds to a conservative stance on social and moral issues. The Assemblies of God places a strong emphasis on evangelism and mission work, and operates schools, hospitals, and other institutions around the world.