US: 800.426.6596 davidccook.com/echoesCanada: 800.263.2664 yourchurchzone.ca

ECHOESAFRICAN-AMERICAN CURRICULUM

For years, Echoes curriculum has been one of the most widely used resources for African-American

churches. Every lesson is easy to use, teacher friendly, strengthens the entire church body with a

shared quarterly theme, and is certain to keep your classes engaged with relevant Scriptural content

that applies to their everyday lives.

Features Include:• Easy-to-use four-step lessons make teaching a snap

• Bible-based lessons encourage application in real-life situations

• Shared quarterly themes, across all age levels, tie the study of God’s Word together

• ISSL lessons offered to suit the needs of your adult classes

• Flexible and affordable to meet any church budget

• Free weekly downloads through EchoesDownloaded.com tie into current news stories

and topics to take your class deeper into the lesson

Special Features Include:• Quarterly Superintendent’s handbook helps leaders unify their Sunday school

• African-American Book Review presented in high school Blueprint

• Highlights in Black History featured quarterly in teacher’s guides for preschool through adult

• Ministry tips and ideas and quick references assist teachers in each lesson

• Appealing African-American artwork and engaging content for students of all ages

US: 800.426.6596 davidccook.com/echoesCanada: 800.263.2664 yourchurchzone.ca

10

01Lesson

Lesson Overview

Faith Calls for PerseveranceThe Boldness—The Book of Hebrews tells us Christians can con-

fidently stand before God and present their petitions to Him. All

God’s children have the privilege of pouring out their hearts to Him,

talking with Him, and receiving personal answers. The Blood—Before Christ’s death, a thick veil separated the Holy Place

from the Most Holy Place, the room in the temple symbolizing God’s presence. If anyone were to go into the Most Holy Place other than the

high priest, it meant certain death. The high priest entered once a year on

the Day of Atonement with sacrificial animal blood on his hands. He was

the only one who could enter, and this was the only way to approach God

to ask for the removal of the people’s sins (Lev. 16:11-17). When Christ hung His head and died on the cross, the temple veil tore

from top to bottom, without any human effort! It was as if God Himself

declared, “My Son Jesus destroyed the dividing wall between Myself and

man.” No more sacrifices are needed to reconcile God to man. Instead we

can come to Him with arms outstretched like a little child, saying, “Thank

You, Daddy.” The Believers—The Book of Hebrews encourages brothers and sisters

in Christ, as much as possible, to gather together to encourage each other

with the promises stated in the Bible. Jesus will return soon. Brothers and

sisters need to constantly pray about ways to love and help each other stay

committed and grow in the Lord. The Ban—The Gospel message is all over television, billboards, and

the Internet, yet many people are still deceived and blinded. “I’ll get into

heaven my way,” they think, by giving money, going to church, trying to

be good—all manmade ways to try to reach heaven. But God is serious;

there is only one way into His presence. The blood of Jesus has paid the

price of our sins.

Suggested Material for As Your Students Arrive:A cross and something opaque to cover it with, such as a towel or a handkerchief

1 Life NeedDiscuss ways that someone’s perseverance was rewarded.2 Bible LearningLearn why we need to persevere in believing what we know to be true about Jesus.

Suggested Material:Adult Teacher’s Resource Kit: Poster and reproducible sheet—Hebrews: A Definition of Faith3 Bible ApplicationDiscuss what we can do so we persevere in our faith.Suggested Material: • Adult Teacher’s Resource Kit: Reproducible worksheet— Persevering Together• Two sheets of newsprint, colored markers, adhesive tape4 Life Response Make a commitment to perse-vere in your faith.

Photo: © Shutterstock

Week of September 2

Lesson Scripture:Hebrews 10:19-31

Lesson Focus: Together we persevere in faith.

Church/Home Theme:God Our Creator Calls Us

Perfect for All Ages

Scope & Sequence

Format

With Echoes, you can select curriculum by a specific age level or customize it to provide one solution for all.

Toddler (18-36 months)

Preschool (3 years-Pre-Kindergarten)

Early Elementary (Kindergarten-1st Grade)

Elementary (2nd-3rd Grade)

Upper Elementary (4th-5th Grade)

Toddler through Early Elementary – 2 Year Cycle

Elementary through High School – 3 Year Cycle

Adult Comprehensive Bible Study – 6 Year Cycle

Adult Understanding the Bible – 8 Year Cycle

To view the complete Scope & Sequence visit www.DavidCCook.com/Echoes

Family-friendly

Classroom model

Printed curriculum

Additional online resources available

Middle School (6th-8th Grade)

High School (9th-12th Grade)

Adult – Comprehensive Bible Study (ISSL)

Adult – Understanding the Bible

(book-by-book study)

5early elementary | lesson 1

1

Jesus Knows All about Nathanael

Theme for UniT 13: We are Important to JesusUniT memory Verse: John 13:34

Life Need (5 miNutes) Play a game to see what the children know about one another and discuss their experiences with getting to know people

Materials: None

BiBLe LearNiNg (10–15 miNutes) Tell the story of Jesus knowing about Nathanael sitting under a fig tree

Review with questions and an activity

Materials: Bible; Folding Bible poster “Jesus Knows All about Nathanael” Teaching Aid; Storytime for Lesson 1

BiBLe appLicatioN (10 miNutes) Review the memory verse with a poem

Make booklets of faces about feelings

Materials: Early Elementary Make-It/Take-It Lesson 1, stapler, crayons

Life respoNse (10 miNutes) Tell a story about David teasing Maya and what he learns from Pop Pop about teasing

Write a list of good and bad things children do and pray about them

Play a guessing game

Materials: Storytime for Lesson 1; Storytime Parent Page

1

1

This symbol means extra preparation or supplies are needed.

lesson

2

3

4

Understanding Your Studentsyour elementary-age children usually are not interested in what we can teach them until they feel that we are interested in getting to know them and care for them. By demonstrating that your students are important enough for you to get to know, they will more easily learn from the Bible lesson that you teach. today you will help your children learn to appreciate that God is always there for them. He knows all about them, and He loves them.

BiBle BasisJesus, God’s son, sees nathanael under the fig tree (John 1:43-49).

BiBle TrUThJesus knows all about us.

memory Verse“as I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34

lesson aimthat your students will be glad that Jesus knows all about them.

early elementary | lesson 16

Understanding the BibleIt is possible that Philip had received testimony from Andrew and Peter concerning Jesus’ messiahship, and the invitation Jesus gave Philip to become one of His followers empowered him to respond. This Philip of Bethsaida is not to be confused with Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:8-9), who taught and baptized the eunuch of Ethiopia and who had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 8).

Convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, Philip immediately set out to find his good friend Nathanael (or Bartholomew) and informed him that he had found the Messiah promised by Moses and the prophets. Philip identified Him as the son of Joseph from Nazareth.

Nathanael responded to Philip’s confession with contempt. Being from the nearby village of Cana, he was well acquainted with Nazareth. Perhaps he knew that the Old Testament doesn’t even mention the town. Philip, who was wise enough not to argue, just invited his friend to come and see for himself.

As Nathanael approached, Jesus looked into his heart and complimented him as being a genuine Israelite, not only by birth, but one who truly feared God and tried to live according to His Word without deceit (see Ps. 32:2; Isa. 53:9). Nathanael was surprised and wondered how anyone could arrive at such an opinion

concerning him, never having met him before. Jesus revealed His omniscience. He was aware of

Nathanael when this man sat under a fig tree, perhaps in prayer and meditation.

When the Old Testament writers wanted to paint a picture of the ideal Israelite, they said “every man [would sit] under his [own] vine and under his fig tree” from all the way to the farthest north city to the farthest south—which is another way of saying “from [the city of] Dan even to Beersheba” (see 1 Kings 4:25). See how this idea is repeated in 2 Kings 18:31; Isaiah 36:16; Micah 4:4; and Zechariah 3:10. And, interestingly, that is just where we meet Nathanael for the first time (“under the fig tree,” John 1:48).

Had Nathanael been reading in the Hebrew Scriptures about that crooked, scheming trickster—Jacob? Jacob had been renamed Israel. And Jacob had seen “the angels of God ascending and descending” upon the ladder (in Gen. 28:12). Was Jesus indicating to Nathanael (in John 1:47): You’re the ideal Israelite sitting under your fig tree reading Scripture and without any of the trickery (“guile,” 1:47) found in your forefather, Jacob?

Nathanael joined Philip in confessing Jesus to be the Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah—the Son of Man or Jesus Himself.

Classroom TipsHere are some ways to help you begin to show your children they are important to get to know.

Give attention to the children. Get down on their level. listen to them and respond to what they tell you. let them know through word and action that they are important to you.

let the children know that you care about their needs and concerns. tell them that even though you are just getting to know them, Jesus knows all about them, and He loves them and can help them too.

take personal comfort in Jesus who knows all about us because He made us, He goes with us, and He knows what we think, need, and feel.

Worship Activities Partners may choose whether to hop or skip to

the worship area. We each like to do things in different ways!

sing a song from the DisKit CD found in this quarter’s Creative teaching aids packet.

ask your class for prayer requests. after praying for specific needs, you might close with a prayer such as this: Thank you, God, for making each of us different and for loving us just the same. Thank you for knowing just what we need and for answering our prayers in the very best way. in Jesus’ name. amen.

7early elementary | lesson 1

1

This activity will prepare your students for the Bible story about Nathanael meeting Jesus, who knew all about him.

How well do you think you know your Sunday school friends? (Allow a brief discussion of this question.) There probably are things you know and things you don’t know. Let’s play a game to find out what you know.

Ask one student a question such as: Do you have a sister? or What is your favorite color? Have the student whisper his answer to you and see if the rest of the class can guess the answer. Try to vary

the questions between easier and harder ones so that the children will know some of the answers.Additional questions might be: Do you have a bike? What is your favorite toy? What is your favorite

ice cream? When is your birthday? Where do you live? What grade are you in? What is your favorite subject in school? Continue until all of the children have had a turn.

You know some things about the people in our class. Let’s talk more about knowing about people.How do you get to know people? (Some might say that they ask questions like they just did. Some might

talk about watching what people do. Friends and family might help the children get to know others.)Who knows you? (Children may say parents, brothers, sisters, other family members, friends, neighbors,

teachers, God, and so on.)Who do you think knows all about you? (Let the children think and talk. Encourage children to name who

knows them best. The rest of the Bible lesson will teach them who really knows all about them.)There is someone who knows all about us. In today’s Bible story, a man named Nathanael meets

someone who knows all about him.

Life Need 5 minutes

objective: that your students will discuss their experiences with getting to know people.

1

Before ClassBe near the door to give a personal greeting to each child. Tell me about your week. i can’t be with you during the week, but i’m glad to see you each sunday! Have the children write their names on the attendance Chart found in your Creative teaching aids packet. they may color in a square, draw a happy face, or place a small sticker to mark their attendance. those who brought offerings may place them in an offering container. then lead your students to the first activity of the day.

Getting Startedthese activities will help your students begin to recognize that they know some things about people, but only God knows everything.

name Tags: Put out small papers and markers. ask children to make their own name tags. Jesus knows our names, but some in our class might not know and remember everyone’s name.

art: make a mural of people. Pictures may be cut from old take-home papers, catalogs,

or magazines. Jesus knows all about everyone. invisible ink: this project comes from the top half

of the first Invisible Ink page in the center section ot make-It/take-It. show kids how to rub the side of the pencil over the picture to make the invisible ink appear.

attendance Chart

early elementary | lesson 18

Before class, fold the poster “Jesus Knows All about Nathanael” Teaching Aid on the broken line. Let children know the Bible story is from John 1:43-49.

BiBle sToryGod sent His Son, Jesus, to help people know about His love. Jesus selected some men to follow Him and learn from Him. These men would learn to teach others about God’s love. They would be called Jesus’ disciples. A disciple is a person who learns from someone else. Jesus’ disciples would learn from Him.

Jesus had already picked three disciples, and He was going to choose more. There was a man named Philip. Jesus wanted Philip to be one of His disciples. As Jesus was going to Galilee, He said to Philip, “Follow me.” Philip immediately went with Jesus and became a disciple.

Philip was so excited about being picked by Jesus that he went to tell his friend Nathanael.

Philip found Nathanael sitting under a fig tree. (Show Teaching Aid 2, half scene.) Philip said, “Nathanael, I just talked with Jesus. He is the Son of God. He is the one that God’s Word tells us about. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, just as the Scriptures say, and He is here right now!”

Nathanael laughed and said, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”

Philip was still excited. He pointed to Jesus. “Come and see,” Philip said.

Philip and Nathanael went to Jesus. (Show Teaching Aid 2, full side.)

Just as Nathanael walked up to Jesus, Jesus said, “Nathanael, you are a good man who loves God. I know you always tell the truth.”

Nathanael was surprised that Jesus knew all about him, even though he had never met Jesus before. Jesus knew Nathanael’s name without asking. Jesus knew that he worshiped God and was honest, yet Nathanael had never been around Jesus. Nathanael was surprised at all that Jesus knew about him. He asked Jesus, “How do You know me?”

Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree. I knew you before Philip called you to come.”

Nathanael said to Jesus, “You are the Son of God.” Nathanael knew that only Jesus, the Son of God, could know these things about him. Then Nathanael happily followed Jesus and became one of His disciples.

Jesus knew all about Nathanael’s life, where he went, and how he felt about things. Jesus knew all about Nathanael before He ever saw him, because Jesus is the Son of God.

Jesus knows all about us, too. He knows where we’ve been and where we’re going. He knows what we think and feel. Jesus knows all about us and loves us.

BiBle sTory reVieW 1. What did Jesus tell Nathanael? (He is a good man who loves God and tells the truth.)

2. Why was Nathanael surprised that Jesus knew about him? (He had never seen or met Jesus.)

Distribute Storytime for Lesson 1 and have students complete the activity on page 4.

Bible Learning 10–15 minutes

objective: that your students will learn that Jesus, God’s son, knew all about nathanael.

2

“Jesus Knows all about nathanael”Teaching aid for lesson 1

storytime, lesson 1, page 4

9early elementary | lesson 1

1memory VerseJesus knew all about Nathanael. He knows all about us.

Help students find the memory verse on page 4 of Storytime. Read the verse together. We have a poem that will help us remember our verse. Let’s practice it.

We run and jump and toss a ball.(Run in place, jump, pretend to throw.)

my friends make me feel glad!(Point to others, smile.)

But sometimes we don’t share at all.(Shake head back and forth.)

We fight, and then we’re sad.(Fold arms, frown.)

“as i have loved you, so you must love one another.”

(Hug self, point to others.)that’s what Jesus said to do.

(Reach arms up, nod.)Jesus helps us love each other—

(Fold hands in prayer.)family, friends, and teachers, too!(Extend arms wide, point to teacher.)

Collect the Storytime papers and put them away until the end of class.

handCrafTDistribute Lesson 1 from Make-It/Take-It. Have your students remove the margins and open the slits. Show how to fold the paper back on the short Line A, then on Line B to make a booklet. As they open the top and the bottom part of each page, they will fold the pages back along the broken lines. The booklet will work better if you staple it after it’s assembled.

Your class may color the eyes and mouths. Show how to change expressions by choosing different eyes to go with different mouths. Have the children find a page that shows how they feel when they are happy.

Can you name some things that make you happy? (Toys, friends, family, Sunday school, Jesus.)

Can you name things that scare you? (Have children name some things then have students find a page that shows how they look when they are afraid.)

What are some things that make you feel angry? (Have children name some things then have students find a page that shows how they look when they are angry.)

Use this book at home to remind you that just like Jesus knew all about Nathanael, He also knows all about you.

3 Bible Application 10 minutes

objective: students will learn that Jesus knows all about them.

make-it/Take-it, lesson 1

early elementary | lesson 110

Read aloud “I Know Something . . .” to your students from pages 2 and 3 of Storytime for Lesson 1. Or read the summary below.

PresenT-day sToryDavid teasingly said to Maya, “I know something you don’t know.”

Maya asked, “Are we having barbecue chicken for supper?”

David said, “You are right!”

David said to Maya, “I know something you don’t know.”

Maya asked, “Is Pop Pop coming today?”

David said, “You are right!”

David said to Maya, “I know something you don’t know.”

Grandpa Williams said to the children, “I knew another boy who used to tease his sister. He grew up to be your daddy.”

“Really?” Maya said. “I didn’t know that.”“One day he teased her until she cried,” Pop Pop

said. “Then he didn’t tease her so much. God helped him talk without teasing. He would say, ‘I know something and I can’t wait to tell you.’ After that they had the best secrets.

David said to Maya, “I know something you don’t know and I can’t wait to tell you. There is fresh peach cobbler in the kitchen. Mom said we can have some.

David and Maya and Pop Pop enjoyed eating peach cobbler together.

ClosinG aCTiViTiesHow was David teasing Maya by saying, “I know

something you don’t know”? That is a different type of knowing than Jesus knowing all about us. Jesus knows good and bad things we do and think. Let’s write a list of some of those things. Then let’s pray and thank Jesus for knowing all about us and ask Him to help us with the bad things He already knows we do.

On a whiteboard or paper, print two lists. (Good things: help others, obey, talk to friends, play, sleep. Bad things: fight, tease, disobey, refuse to share.)

Now let’s pray about the good and bad things kids sometimes do.

Pray for each item, using this format.Dear Jesus, we know that we can be kind.Jesus, You know that too. We’re sorry, Jesus, that sometimes we fight.Jesus, You know that too.Thank You, Jesus, for knowing all about us.Have students take turns seeing if they can guess

what color a classmate is thinking about. It’s fun to play a game to guess what our friends are thinking, but Jesus always knows what we’re thinking and how we feel.

Be sure each child has their Make-It/Take-It projects Storytime papers, and the quarterly Storytime Parent Page. Explain to parents that this page provides them with the Bible lessons and memory verses being studied this quarter as well as family activities for the quarter.

Say a personal good-bye to each student. Jesus knows all about you. That’s wonderful!

4 Life Response 10 minutes

objective: that your students will list good and bad things Jesus could know about them.

storytime, lesson 1, page 1

storytime, lesson 1, pp. 2-3

storytime Parent Page

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Getting Started LESSONS 1 and 12

3

Pattern for Lesson 1Punch out the apple to use with the basket found on page 31. Make more apples to use during the quarter by tracing the apples onto paper.

5

GOD KNOWS ABOUT NATHANAEL LESSON 1

FOR PARENTS In class today, your child heard that Jesus knew all about Nathanael, even before He met him (John 1:43-49). At home this week, have your child show you how this booklet works. Enjoy playing with the different expressions, emphasizing the fact that Jesus knows how we feel all the time—whether we’re happy, sad, afraid, or angry. Talk about things that make your child feeldifferent ways, such as fights, storms, parties, etc. Review the memory verse together: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34).

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Jesus knows all about me.

6

42

Jesus asked Philip to be His disciple. Philip was so happy that he ran to tell his friend Nathanael

right away. He found his friend sitting under a fig tree.

Philip told him, “I just talked to Jesus! He is the Son of God!”

Nathanael laughed. He did not believe Philip. But Philip said, “Come and see for yourself.”

So the men ran to find Jesus.

Jesus said, “Nathanael, you are one who always tells the truth.”

Nathanael asked, “How do you know all about me?”

Jesus said, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip talked to you.”

Nathanael thought, Only Jesus could know all about me.

Then Nathanael cried out, “Jesus, You are the Son of God.!”

In-Class Worksheet and

Take-Home Paper

Lesson 1

Jesus Knows All about NathanaelBible story based on John 1:43-49

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Jesus Knows NathanaelCircle O a number 1, 2, or 3 beside each

picture to show what happened first, next, and last.

MeMory VerSe:“As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34

Faith in Action

N Discuss how excited Nathanael was when he realized that Jesus knew all about him—even what he was thinking. N Do you believe that Jesus knows all about you? N If you believe Jesus is the Son of God, find ways to

praise Him during the week because He knows all about you.

Copyrighted material; permission required to reproduce.

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EARLY ELEMENTARYEchoes provides children in kindergarten and first grade with a Sunday school experience that opens their hearts and minds to God’s Word and the love of Jesus as they begin to build upon their foundation of faith.

Teacher’s CommentaryEach lesson provides step-by-step instructions to help you prepare and teach, with Bible background, tips for teaching kindergarten and first graders, and a variety of activities to help your students learn and apply the Bible lesson.

One per teacher recommended.

Creative Teaching AidsAn essential resource for presenting the Bible lesson, this packet contains a variety of posters, games, 3D models, and puzzles, as well as an attendance chart, a music CD, and more.

One per class recommended.

StorytimeThis weekly in-class and take-home resource presents the Bible story, student activities, a contemporary story, and suggestions for extending the Bible lesson at home during the week.

One per student recommended.

Make-It Take-ItUsing simple classroom supplies, these crafts help the Bible lessons learned at church to be meaningful throughout the week at home.

One per student recommended.