RCCG LOWER JUNIOR ZEAL FOR 2023/2024
AGE 13-19 TEACHER’S MANUAL
SUNDAY 28TH OF APRIL, 2024
LESSON THIRTY FIVE (35)
TOPIC: BENEFITS OF A GRATEFUL HEART
MULTIPLICATION (DIVINE PROVISION)
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Kings 17:7-16
[7]And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. [8]And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, [9]Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. [10]So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. [11]And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. [12]And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. [13]And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. [14]For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. [15]And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. [16]And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
MEMORY VERSE: 1 Kings 17:14 – “For thus saith the LORD God of Israel. The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, weil the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.”
LESSON AIM: To teach the teenagers that God is the Great Provider and they can enjoy His provisions when they have grateful hearts.
CENTRAL TRUTH: Our God is the All-Sufficient God. He can give you anything you want.
INTRODUCTION: Divine provision is a supply that is beyond human understanding-one that would make one say “It can only be God.” Gratitude is acknowledging God’s hand in our lives and as we do this daily, He continues to do more for us. Today, we are looking at how we can use the key of gratitude to unlock the door to divine provision.
STUDY GUIDE
• A RECALL FROM THE BIBLE TEXT
• Elijah was a man of gratitude. (Describe his posture in 1 Kgs 18:42).
• As a result, he received direction to where there was provision made for him
• God provided for Elijah in an unusual place at an unusual time.
• God provided at the right time.
• The provision was made ahead of time.
• Since God was involved, the widow could not say no, despite the fact that she had very little at home.
EXAMPLES OF THOSE WHO GAVE THANKS TO GOD IN THE BIBLE AND RECEIVED DIVINE PROVISION
• Jesus-John 6:5-13
• Hannah-1 Sam 2:1-10
• The widow of Zarephath 1Kings 17:1-16
• Mention more
CLASS ACTIVITY: What were the elements multiplied in these Bible passages?
• Mark 6: 38-44.
• Mark 8: 1-9
• II Kings 4: 42-44
• 2 Kings 4: 1-7
• 1 Kings 17:8-17
LIFE APPLICATION: Imagine being asked to give thanks for what you have not even received. To a lay man, it wouldn’t make sense but to a Spiritually-guided person who knows that God is unfathomable, it would.
DISCUSS: God multiplies whatever you give to Him. Discuss this in the light of our topic today.
CONCLUSION: There is power in gratitude. There is an aura that a grateful person carries that attracts God to them. Try practicing thankfulness on a daily basis and you would see that the benefits outweigh the amount of time spent giving thanks.
TODAY’S LESSON REFLECTION:
• What truth have you learnt in today’s lesson?
• Write down one way in which you are going to apply what you now know.