Catechism Companion: Teacher’s Guide (Year 2€¦ · Catechism Companion: Teacher’s Guide (Year...

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Catechism Companion: Teacher’s Guide (Year 2- Winter)

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God’s people had gotten so far away from God’s leadership that they had forgotten about

God’s law. Finally, though, a good king arose among the people. Josiah was young, but his wisdom was blessed by God. As the temple was being remodeled, a treasure was found. A scroll of the Torah was discovered. Perhaps it had been hidden away for safe-keeping during

the time of a less-faithful king. King Josiah, however, was eager to hear the Lord’s words and to share the message with the whole community. Reading these commandments of God, he led the people in repenting of their sins and reforming their ways of worshipping. Josiah, of all the

kings of Judah, was one who understood that God’s law must have a direct influence on God’s people’s actions!

First Hour:

1. Into the Story 2. Learning the Story 3. Living the Story 4. Any of the optional Extending the Learning Activities

Second Hour:

1. Distribute & Read Student Book Page 23.

2. Distribute page 24 upside down, if possible, or give direction to flip the page over at the same time. Have a stopwatch or clock handy for timing!

Get ready. There’s a challenge for you on this next page. Are you ready? Go!

Give students a few seconds to read through their instructions before beginning to time them. Stop the group after 60 seconds. Were they able to name all of the Ten Commandments? If not, give clues to help them complete those that they are still missing.


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3. Activity Idea: What Would It Be Like If…

Over the past several weeks we’ve been studying these commandments. Now I want you to think for a minute about what the world would be like if everyone really followed these commandments all of the time. How would our world be different? [Answers will vary but may include such things as: If no one stole, we wouldn’t have to have locks on our lockers, etc.]

Listen to students’ answers. As each answer is given, set up a domino (on its edge) on the classroom table. For each domino that you add, make sure that they are in line with one another and spaced so that if one is knocked down it will trigger the whole line to fall in succession. Encourage students to continue their line of thinking until you have a long chain of dominos across your table.

If we were to keep God’s law, our world would be a much different place, wouldn’t it? But what happens when God’s law is broken. What happens when people do steal, and lie, and kill, and break all of these commandments? Is any of this (point to the line of dominos) possible?

When even one commandment is broken, it all comes crashing down. Push the first domino over so that it falls into the next one and sends the whole chain cascading down.

When Josiah read the book of God’s law, he realized that the people were wrong. Things were about to collapse for God’s people because they had neglected God’s law. So Josiah took some bold action. He did some destruction of his own.

Ask your class to read (or skim) the part of the story that comes immediately after our reading for this morning- 2 Kings 23:4-20. What do you notice about Josiah’s actions after he heard God’s word?

Josiah was bold in taking action. He knew that God’s law must have a direct influence on God’s people’s actions!


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4. Distribute Student Book Page 25.

So as we wrap up our study of the Ten Commandments, this is the question that I have for you today. What things do you think God might be calling you to build up in your life. What are some things that you might start doing that you think would bring honor to God and help you keep God’s law? Encourage students to write or sketch a reminder of these things on the images of the blocks that are stacked up.

Now, like there was for Josiah, there might be things in our lives that when we hear God’s word we realize need to be torn down. What are some things that after you’ve studied these Ten Commandments might need to be taken out of your life? Encourage students to write or sketch a reminder of these things on the images of the blocks that are scattered as if having fallen.

Encourage conversation among your class. Be willing to share a few insights that you have had during this unit of study as well!


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Isaiah spoke God’s message of comfort to those who were in exile. It was a message of hope

during a dark and dreary time. We too can find ourselves in dark and dreary times. We have just finished studying the Ten Commandments. If this was all that we knew about God, we

might think that all hope was lost. If God’s love for us depended on us keeping these commandments, we would be without hope. But thankfully God’s love for us does not depend

on our ability to keep God’s commands. God does not leave us exiled in our sin. Instead, God comes to us with the promise of a savior. Today, as Christians reading these words from

Isaiah, we hear in them a promise for us. We hear in these words the good news that our comfort is coming. “Prepare the way!” we cry. Jesus is coming! This is what the second article

of the Apostles’ Creed is all about. First Hour:


Second Hour:


The words we read from Isaiah this morning were words of hope. These words gave assurance to the people that God would help them. Though the people were far from home and the situation seemed hopeless, God’s word promised that God was still at work and was about to do something new! I imagine that the people in exile must have felt a sense of relief, hope, and joy to hear this word from God.

Remember last week how we knocked down those dominos as we talked about how everything falls apart when people sin and don’t follow God’s law? Imagine that we were left in that hopeless state. Now let’s read together the second article of the Apostles’ Creed. While we do, pay attention to


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how it feels to read these words knowing what a mess sin can make of our lives.

Ask students to read this aloud together the second article of the Apostles’ Creed and its meaning.

We talked about the exiles feeling relief, hope, even joy at Isaiah’s words. What sorts of feelings or impressions to do you get reading these words about Jesus? Record student answers on a board or sheet of large paper.

Jesus is our word of good news! In the middle of dark times, Jesus is the word of hope that brings us joy!

2. Activity Idea: Words of Hope

This is the time of year for holiday decorations. But today we have the opportunity to make a decoration not only for the happy, peppy holiday season, but for the dark times in our lives too. We’re going to use those words that you came up with to make neon signs that will glow when they are shown under black light.

Decide if you would like your class to work in groups to make signs for your classroom or if each student will make individual signs to take home.

Encourage your students to choose a word from the list that they made earlier in the lesson. NOTE: Shorter words will be easier for this project. Consider words like: hope or joy. As an alternative, you could simply have your class use the name Jesus.

Follow the directions from a site such as this one for creating your neon signs: http://chemistry.about.com/od/glowinthedarkprojects/a/fake-neon-sign.htm

Take a picture of the completed sign(s) so that students can attach a copy to Student Book Page 26.

http://chemistry.about.com/od/glowinthedarkprojects/a/fake-neon-sign.htm

http://chemistry.about.com/od/glowinthedarkprojects/a/fake-neon-sign.htm


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The return of the exiles is the fulfillment of one of God’s promises. Though the people’s

unfaithfulness resulted in exile, God promised not to leave them there. God was faithful to that promise. The birth of Jesus is another fulfillment of God’s promises. God promised not to leave us in our sin forever… and God was faithful to that promise! As we study the second

article of the Apostles’ Creed we do so giving thanks for the fulfillment of the promise to send the savior! Even as we thank God for sending Jesus, we confess the sin that crucified the Son

of God. We both mourn and rejoice. First Hour:


Second Hour:


2. Activity Idea: The Price is Right

Search online for a video clip of the television game show “The Price is Right.” Watch a minute or two of the show.

On the show “The Price is Right” contestants have to guess the price of an item as closely as they can without going over in price. I have a few items here so I thought we’d play our own version of this game.

You might choose to play this up by asking one member of your class to be an announcer and choosing three others to be contestants. The rest of the class can be the audience, cheering and calling out advice.


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Show a variety of items one at a time, having contestants guess on their price. You can choose any items that you have readily available and that you know the current price. Items might include things like a loaf of bread, a pack of markers, a pair of shoes, etc.

After you have done these items, make the last item that you hold up be a piece of paper on which is written the word “Redemption.” In the same style you have been asking contestants to name the price, ask contestants to name the price.

Okay, so that last one was a bit of a trick question wasn’t it. There is no amount of money that can buy our redemption. But the price of our redemption is outlined in the meaning to the second article of the Apostles’ Creed.

Read together the meaning to the second article of the Apostles’ Creed.

So what is the price of our redemption? [Jesus’ holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death.]

When the exiles returned home and the temple was rebuilt, there was rejoicing that they were home. There was also too, though, mourning. Those who remembered the original temple and the way things were before exile mourned for how much they had lost. We talked last week about the joy that Jesus’ coming gives us. But as we turn to think about the cost of our redemption, it is also right for us to grieve. The cost of our redemption was Jesus’ own life. Later on this winter we’ll talk more about confessing our sin and how it was for the redemption of our sins that Jesus died. But for this morning, it’s enough to know that Jesus paid this price willingly for love of us.


Give students time to design their Emoji. Start a discussion with students about their designs and the meaning behind each one.


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John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, was another child born by God’s miraculous and gracious action. John was one who grew up preaching and pointing to Jesus as God’s son. But even

back at the time of John’s birth, his dad’s song points to what God is about to do- Redemption! Both Zechariah’s song and Luther’s explanation of the second article of the Apostles’ Creed point out that as a result of God’s gift of redemption, we are free to serve

God in holiness and righteousness all our days!

First Hour:


Second Hour:


We talked a lot last week about the cost of our redemption. Today it’s time for us to take a look at the purpose of it. Would someone please read again for us Luke 1:67-75?

Stop right there! Read those last couple of verses (v. 74-75) again please.

Okay, let’s read the last part of the meaning to the second article of the Apostles’ Creed again. Let’s start with the part where it says, “All this he has done that I may…”

Both those verses from Zechariah’s song and the meaning of the second article of the creed are saying the same thing, aren’t


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they? There is a purpose for our redemption! Having been redeemed, we are free to serve in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.

2. Activity Idea: Serving All Our Days

So we are redeemed and free to serve God. But how does God want us to serve? Any ideas?

God has given each of you individual gifts and talents. God has given you passions and abilities that are unique to you. Today I want you to think a little bit about the passions, talents, and interests that God has given you.

Distribute Student Book Page 30. There is a long list of statements on this page. Some of these statements might be true about you. You might have others to add to them. Take a minute and read through these to yourself. Circle or highlight any that are true of you.

Give students time to read through and mark their list.

Is there anyone that you have seen doing any of these things that you particularly admire? Where have you seen them serving in these ways? Encourage youth to think about times they have seen these skills/interests/talents being used both in church and also in the community as ways of serving God.

What ideas do you have about how you might use your gifts to serve God in our church and in the community?

Consider how you as a leader might nurture some connections between these talented youth and mentors in the congregation who could help them use their gifts in service. Then go to work on making these connections happen!


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The beginning of Mark’s Gospel introduces us to the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Immediately after giving us the announcement that this story about Jesus is good news,

Mark’s Gospel takes us back to the prophet Isaiah and to the image of a voice in the wilderness crying out “Prepare the way of the Lord.” When Mark returns to the story, it is

John that we hear about… out in the wilderness, baptizing. Baptism is one of the two sacraments Luther writes about in the Small Catechism. Just as Jesus’ baptism starts Jesus’ ministry, Baptism is also often the start of our faith story. It is certainly the promise of God

that is really good news for us!

First Hour:


Second Hour:


2. Activity Idea: Water and Word

Preparation: Choose a large space (outdoors, if you are in a warm climate, or a protected indoor space, if available.) At one end of your space, tape a masking tape starting line. Round up a number of different kinds of water squirting toys, a tape measure, and a world map.

Gather your class at the starting line.


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This morning, we’re going to have a contest. Let’s see who can shoot water the farthest. Give students turns one at a time to shoot their water toy. A piece of masking tape with each students’ name on it can be placed at the farthest point the water reaches. [NOTE: A water free alternative of this activity could be to use a blue foam or “Splash” ball without any water.]

Once a winner is declared, make a point of measuring the distance from the starting line to this farthest splash.

Wow! You got that water to go so far! But you know what? That’s nothing compared to how far the water of our baptisms go. Those splashes of water that were put on your head when you were baptized are still going! Take out the world map. Let’s add some more marks. Each of you take another piece of masking tape and write your name on it. Where is the farthest from this place that you have ever been? Ask students to put the tape with their names as labels on the map.

When you were baptized, it wasn’t just water alone that was put on your head. Water itself can only reach so far. Water dries up. But when you were baptized, water was used along with the promise of God. God’s word is that you are a child of God and that there is nowhere that you will ever go that will take you outside of God’s presence. There is no distance that you can go that will take you outside of God’s grace and the promise of life in Christ that was given to you in your baptism. The promise of God that started at your baptism will travel on as far as you do. It will go with you forever!

3. Activity Idea: Faith Stories

NOTE: If you are spreading this lesson out over the course of two weeks, you may choose to use this activity during the second of your two class periods.

Distribute Student Book Page 32.

Jesus’ baptism marked the start of his public ministry. Baptism is also often the start of our faith stories. What do you know about your baptism? When did it happen? Who was there? How


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did it come about? Take time to write down the answers to these questions that you know now. If you don’t know the answers yourself, call your parents or a baptismal sponsor to help you out!

Distribute Student Book Page 33. Now think about what has happened since your baptism. For some of you, you were maybe baptized as an infant and many years have passed. For others of you, your baptism may have been very recently and not much time has passed at all. Regardless of how long ago you baptism was, I want you to think about what in your life has happened since then. How has your faith changed? What have you learned? Who has helped nurture your faith since that day? What are some things that you are looking forward to in the future? What does it mean to you that God’s promises will still be with you then?

NOTE: If you are using these materials with a student or students who haven’t been baptized yet, encourage them to think about what they would like to have happen on their baptismal day. Who do they want to be there? Is there a special song they would like to sing that day? What preparations are being done to prepare for their baptism? What hopes/questions/desires do they have for how their faith will continue to mature after their baptism?


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When a man was lowered through a roof to receive healing from Jesus, Jesus spoke the words that not only gave this man back the use of his legs, but words that also forgave his sins. Jesus out beside the lake gathered to himself people who were sinners. In baptism, Jesus comes to us as those who are in need of the healing, saving, forgiving gift of life with the word that we are

indeed given this gift!

First Hour:


Second Hour:


2. Activity Idea: God’s Word- Spoken & Done

How many of you have used a smart phone with some sort of voice activation feature? I have Siri (or whatever is true in your case) on my phone. I speak and, sometimes, she comes up with the right directions or information that I’m wanting. If you have time, play around with this and test it out with a few simple commands.

Technology doesn’t always get it right. But, unlike us with our technological devices, when God speaks things really happen.

Distribute Student Book Page 35.


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Take a look at these verses. See if you can figure out what happens when God speaks. You might consider dividing up these passages, assigning one verse to each student or small group of students. Or you may choose to walk through them together as a group.

So what happened in each of these instances? What are these passages saying about God’s word? What do they all have in common? [God speaks and God’s word is actually accomplished!]

The same is true in our baptisms. Let’s read about what Martin Luther says happened when we were baptized. Read with students “What benefits does God give in baptism?” “What is God’s promise” and “How can water do such great things?”

When God speaks, God’s word is accomplished. It happens right there and then. When Jesus spoke God’s word of healing and forgiveness to the man lowered down through that roof, it happened. At your baptism, when that water was poured over your head and God’s promise of forgiveness and life was spoken to you, it happened. The gift is yours! Next week we’ll talk more about what this gift means for your daily life now and every day that is to come!


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The parables we read from Mark’s Gospel this week speak of the kingdom of God in ways that are surprising. The sower sows the seed of God’s word recklessly- even along the path, in the weeds, and on rocky ground- along with the good soil so that there is an abundant harvest. The kingdom of God is like someone who scatters seed and doesn’t know how it grows, but

wakes up to discover that it has. The kingdom of God is like a tiny seed that grows up to be a tenacious shrub. Something seemingly small or inconsequential grows and is multiplied by

the goodness of God to be of great value. Baptism may seem like a small thing. How important can water and a few words be? Very! Baptism is a promise meant to be used every day. Every day we are reminded that we have been buried with Christ and rise with Christ too! Just as a lamp isn’t purchased to be hidden, our baptisms didn’t happen to be forgotten

but to be called upon every day of our life!

First Hour:


Second Hour:


Read “What does Baptism mean for daily living?” from the Small Catechism.

Martin Luther firmly believed that baptism is a gift and a promise that we are to use every day. We can draw strength from our baptism. Early in his life as a monk, Luther struggled with doubts about whether or not he was worthy of God’s forgiveness. It wasn’t until Luther started actually reading God’s word that he recognized that God has given this promise of life in baptism because of Christ and that this gift that is


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meant to be lived joyfully! Every single day we can rely upon the promise of our baptisms as God’s guarantee of forgiveness and grace. So we can repent of our sins boldly knowing that God forgives us and raises us to new life in Christ.

2. Activity Idea: Daily Reminders

Luther said that anytime we take a bath or wash our hands or get a cup of water to drink, the sight and feel of that water should remind us of the promise we have received in our baptism. Today we’re going to make some daily reminders. Actually, we don’t need any special thing as a reminder, the water itself does that, but sometimes it’s helpful to have a visual to help train our minds to think about our baptisms every time we take a sip of water.

Give students an opportunity to decorate their own cup/mug/or water bottle with symbols of baptism and the words “Remember your baptism!” If you have the resources, it would be fun to purchase ceramic mugs and paint from a craft supply store. (Some communities may also have places where you can go and paint mugs in a studio or get a take-out tray where paints come free with the purchase of the mugs to be decorated at the church during your class time.) You could also get some inexpensive water bottles and have decorate them with fun colored tape. Don’t have these resources? Consider taking markers to a stack of paper cups in your church kitchen (with appropriate permissions, of course!). Decorate them each so that during the next coffee hour everyone will get a reminder of their baptism! Give the congregation a heads up to ask your students what this is all about!


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In the reading for this week, a woman is healed by believing that touching Jesus would heal

her. When Jarius’ daughter was declared dead, Jesus said, “Do not fear, only believe.” There weren’t complicated preparations made before these miracles happened. Jesus didn’t stop first to administer a lengthy exam to determine whether or not these people were worthy of his gift of healing. There was no checklist of actions that would qualify or disqualify them. The gift

was simply given and it was received with joy! As we turn to study the second of the sacraments, Holy Communion, we hear the word that this is Christ’s body and blood given for you for the forgiveness of sin and the gifts of life and salvation. You didn’t do anything to earn this gift. You didn’t do anything to deserve it. You haven’t done anything to disqualify

yourself. This is simply God’s gift to you. All that’s left is for you to receive it with thanksgiving- believing that Christ himself has made you worthy!

First Hour:


Second Hour:


2. Activity Idea: For You

Read through the Small Catechism section entitled “The Sacrament of Holy Communion.” Martin Luther said that the most important words in the communion liturgy are the words “for you.” Think for a moment about something surprising or kind that someone else did for you. What comes to mind?

It’s like a gift when someone does something so unexpected for us. Today I want you to think about something you might do


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for someone else that is unexpected. Encourage students to brainstorm a list of ideas. If you need suggestions, consider ideas such as these:

o Mix up a batch of no-bake cookies and leave them on the desk of staff, Sunday School teachers, or other helpers in your church.

o Visit a local fast food restaurant and pay for the order of a complete stranger.

o Help shovel snow or do other forms of yard work for a neighbor.

o Do your sibling’s chore.

o Help your parents with something you see they need without being asked.

If possible, make a plan and head out as a group to do a few surprising acts for someone else. When you do, give or leave one of the “For you” notes from Student Book Page 38 for the person you’ve surprised. (Don’t sign the card… let it simply be a gift!)

If you aren’t able to go as a group, have students make a plan for what they will do during the week. You may even choose to have students role play what they will say/do charades-style, having other students guess what surprise they’ve decided to do.

Encourage conversation with your group using these or other conversation starters:

o What do you think the reaction will be (or what was the reaction) of the person that you did this surprise act for?

o In the Gospel story we read this week, people were healed by Jesus’ presence. How might God present in and through your actions to others? Do you think it’s possible that God might work through you to bring healing? How


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so?

o Think about the act of kindness that you did (or will do) for someone else. Now think about the act that Jesus did “for you.” What type of response comes to your mind? Ask students to record their thoughts on Student Book Page 39.


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The disciples, sent out by Jesus, go not by their own authority, but under Jesus’ authority. They teach and heal in Jesus’ name. One of the authorities that Christians are given is to

proclaim the forgiveness of sin in Jesus’ name!

First Hour:


Second Hour:


Read “The Office of the Keys” from the Small Catechism.

When Jesus sent out the disciples, he told them to go and to proclaim the forgiveness of sins. Jesus gave them that power. The followers of Jesus today have the same power. You are asked to go into your daily life and with your words and your actions testify to Jesus’ power to forgive and to heal. What ways can you think of that that you do that on a daily basis or that you’ve seen others do? If students have a hard time getting started thinking about this, point out some of the examples that you’ve seen. Have you witnessed one friend forgive another- maybe even for something as simple as spilling a drink or stepping on a toe in your class? What stories of forgiveness (big or small) can you share that get your class thinking?

The Office of the Keys means that when you tell someone that they are forgiven in Jesus’ name, it really happens in that


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moment. Jesus has given us the power to declare forgiveness!

But what happens if you are going about your life, doing the best that you can to testify to Jesus’ gift of forgiveness through your words and actions and someone doesn’t believe you, or makes fun of you, or even worse- hurts you- because of your faith? That was a reality for people in Jesus’ day. (Just look at what happened to John the Baptist in the ending portion of our Gospel reading!) It can also happen today. Thankfully, there aren’t too many places in the world right now where you will be beheaded for your faith, but you may be teased. You may be left out. People may say hurtful things. What then? Jesus’ instructions: shake it off!

2. Activity Idea: Keys and Dust

Before class, purchase a small sand bottle key chain for each student (available inexpensively from craft & hobby stores and catalogues). Also purchase or gather some sand/dirt. (This could be colorful craft sand or even simply some dirt you grab from your yard before class.)

Think again about what Martin Luther writes about “The Office of the Keys.” How would you put that in your own words? Ask students to record their answers on Student Book page 41.

As a reminder of the power to declare forgiveness that has been given to you, today we’re going to make key chains. But these aren’t just any key chains. These key chains will contain words of forgiveness. They’ll also contain some sand (or dirt) as the reminder that if you encounter hardship to shake it off!

Ask students to tear a small piece off the corner of Student Book Page 40. In this corner of paper, have them recopy their definition of the Office of the Keys, to write the word Forgive, or to include a Bible verse such as part of today’s Gospel or a favorite Psalm about forgiveness on their paper. They can choose to write anything that reminds them of the gift of forgiveness and the call to go and share the good news with others!


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Once these paper notes are prepared, have them roll the papers and put them in the bottle key chains. Show students how the sand/dirt can be added into the bottle around the paper.

Seal the keychain tops with glue so that no sand/dirt spills when these key chains are in use!

3. Another Activity Idea: Shake It Off

If you have a particularly musical class, encourage them to re-write words to the popular song “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift. Their version should include what they’ve learned in today’s lesson.

Record your students performing their version of the song. Share it via social media (according to your church’s social media use policy) and/or play it for your congregation before or after the next worship service!


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What happens when we find ourselves outside of God’s will for our lives? What happens

when we realize that we have sinned? Even Peter found himself not in line with what Jesus was up to. When we realize that we have strayed from God, we are to confess our sin so that

we can receive again the word of forgiveness. Martin Luther in the Small Catechism gives some practical advice for how we can go about doing this.

First Hour:


Second Hour:


2. Activity Idea: Confession and Absolution

If your congregation regularly uses a confession and absolution, use this occasion as an opportunity to take a look at the words that are used in confession publically during worship. If your church uses different words each week, grab a few weeks’ bulletins or slide print-offs so that you can compare them. What do they have in common? Ask students to pay attention to where the confession and absolution happens during the worship service. Why do you think confession and absolution happens at this part of the worship service? What meaning is there to when it takes place?

Read “Confession” from the Small Catechism. How is private confession different from what takes place in worship on Sunday morning? How does it sound similar?


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Lead a conversation with your youth using these or your own conversation starters:

o Have you ever felt really bad or guilty for something that you did so much so that you couldn’t feel better until you confessed what you had done to someone? If so, who did you tell? What made you choose that person?

o Sometimes when someone feels really guilty about something, they will go to their pastor to confess. But remember what we learned about the Office of the Keys last week. We all have the power to declare forgiveness. So you may choose to share a confession with your pastor, but you also might tell a trust friend, teacher, or parent and that person can declare God’s forgiveness to you as well. In fact, you might be the person that hears a friend’s confession. What would you say if a friend came and confessed something to you?

o One of the cool things about what Jesus did is that we also can confess our sins directly to God, knowing that God hears our prayers of confession and promises to forgive us. After reading this section of the Small Catechism, what ideas do you have for what a prayer of confession might sound like? Students may be invited to record their thoughts on Student Book Page 43.

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