1. Our Response to God’s Love Prayer: Talking to God

2. INTRODUCTION Show class a tire jack and see if they know what it is. Ask if any of them have ever had to use one. Many people think of prayer like a tire jack or a last resort to be used only in emergencies. Today as we study God’s Word, we’ll find out that prayer is much more than that.

3. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What exactly is prayer?

5. AN ACT OF WORSHIP What do we do in the Sunday worship service? (listen to the Word, sing, pray) Prayer is not just worship in church. It’s always worship. The next 2 passages show why.

7. SPEAKING TO GOD FROM OUR HEARTS. [Speak the Lord’s prayer quickly in a monotone voice.] That’s not prayer. It’s just words. It’s not from the heart.

8.  Hebrews 11:6 & Isaiah 1:15 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

9. SOMETHING ONLY BELIEVERS CAN DO. Summarize story of Elijah and prophets of Baal from 1 Kings 18:20-29 [or read it or have kids act it out]. Throw a pen up to the ceiling hard enough so that it bounces back down. That’s what prayer is like without Jesus. The barrier of sin gets in the way.

10. Prayer is an act of worship in which believers in Jesus speak to God from their hearts.

11. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Brian said, “We have to pray.” Brett said, “We want to pray.” Which comment do you like better? Why? Evaluate: It’s no use teaching your children to pray until they are at least five or six and can understand what they are praying about.

12. STUDYING GOD’S WORD How does God want us to pray?

14. GOD WANTS US TO ASK FOR HELP AND THANK HIM FOR IT If you wanted a new video game what might you do? (ask your parents for one) If they gave it to you, what would you say? (thanks) It’s the same with our heavenly Father.

16. GOD WANTS US TO PRAY FOR ANTHING AND ANYONE Sometimes we may think it will do no good to pray to God, like when a loved one is near death. Does Ephesians 3:20 have anything to say about this? Look it up!

17.  Ephesians 6:18 & 1 Timothy 2:8 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

18. GOD WANTS US TO PRAY ANYWHERE AND AT ANY TIME Where are some places you commonly pray? (church, bed, table, etc.) Where else can you pray? (school, shower, car, etc. ) You can pray anywhere. Also, remember that God’s phone is never off the hook. You can “call him up” at any time day or night.

19.  1 Samuel 1:10,11 10 In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

20.  Matthew 6:9-13 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: ”‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

21. GOD WANTS US TO USE FITTING WORDS (our own or other’s). Sometimes it’s best to speak from the heart. Like a man asking his girlfriend to marry him. Sometimes it’s better to use the words of others like we often do in church for the sake of good order. Take a look at the prayers on page 16 of the catechism.

22.  1 John 3:1 & Ephesians 3:12 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

23. BOLDLY AND CONFIDENTLY You would have trouble asking a stranger for $10, but you probably wouldn’t have any trouble asking your dad. How much more so our heavenly Father!

24. God want us to boldly, confidently and with fitting words ask him for anything anytime, anywhere.

25. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Agree or disagree and why? It’s too bad that the doors of our church are always locked. That makes it harder for people to pray Evaluate: Mary said, “We don’t pray before meals at my house, because we almost never sit down together to eat.”

26. What do you think? Duane, a freshman in high school, asked God to give him a new Lexus SUV before his eighteenth birthday. He felt he was praying boldly. Sarah’s grandma had cancer and the doctor said she would die soon. There was nothing they could do. Sarah prayed, “Lord, if it is your will, please work a miracle and heal my grandma.” Sarah felt she was praying boldly.

27. HYMNOLOGY Look up hymn #408 in Christian Worship (407-413). When was the hymn written? By whom? What truths does the hymn teach about prayer? The hymn is itself a prayer. What blessings are we asking God for as we sing the hymn? [Hint: Look at each of the hymn stanzas.]

28. A.C.T.S.—A SIMPLE WAY TO PRAY Sometimes it can be helpful to use a simple outline to help us remember what things we ought to say in our prayers. The following outline is easy to remember:

31. CLOSING PRAYER Dear Lord, We recognize that we are unworthy to approach you with anything, but the fact that Jesus died and bought us with His blood. Thank you Lord for teaching us how to pray. We rejoice that we can talk to you anywhere at anytime about anything. Lead us to rely on you so much that we worship you regularly with an active prayer life. Help us to remember to pray according to your will and that you will give us all things that are for our good. In your Son’s name we pray, confident that you will hear. Amen.

33. Our Response to God’s Love The Perfect Prayer - The Lord’s Prayer

34. STUDYING GOD’S WORD How can we sinners call God our Father?

36. We sinners can call God our Father because by faith in Jesus he is our true Father and we are his true children.

37. The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sins against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

38. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Agree or disagree and why? When we ask our heavenly Father for something in prayer, it’s just like asking our earthly father for something?

39. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What does it mean for God’s name to be hallowed?

40.  Exodus 34:5-7 5 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,

41.  Exodus 34:5-7 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

43.  Matthew 5:14,16 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

44. God’s name is hallowed (kept holy) by us when we lives faithful Christian lives according to his Word.

45. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Agree or disagree and why? Do you think that the NIV Bible translation dishonors God’s name by not capitalizing pronouns (like He and His) that refer to him?

46. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What are we asking God to do when we pray “Your kingdom come”?

47.  Luke 17:20,21 20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”

50. When we pray “Thy kingdom come” we are asking God to continue to rule in our hearts by faith and also to rule in other’s hearts by bringing them to faith .

51. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE What do you think? Rudy skipped church because he didn’t feel like going. But he prayed the Lord’s Prayer at home, so he figures God will still strengthen his faith. What’s wrong with Rudy’s thinking?

52. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What are we asking God to do when we pray “Your will be done”?

58. When we pray “Your will be done” we are asking God to empower us by faith to carry out his will rather than the will of the devil.

59. HYMNOLOGY Read through hymn 452 in Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal . How is singing the first stanza of this hymn similar to praying “Your will be done”?

60. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What are we asking God to do when we pray “Give us today our daily bread”?

61.  Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

64. When we pray “Give us today our daily bread” we are asking God to continue providing for all our physical needs and to help us receive his blessings with thanks.

65. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE What do you think? Why didn’t Jesus teach us to pray, “Give me this day my daily bread”?

66. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What are we asking God to do when we pray “Forgive us our sins”?

67.  Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

68.  Psalm 51:2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

69. When we pray “Forgive us our sins” we are asking God to graciously cancel the debt of our sins and to lead us to do the same for others.

70. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Evaluate: “I’ll forgive you, but I can never forget what you’ve done.”

71. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What are we asking God to do when we pray “Lead us not into temptation”?

74.  James 1:14,15 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

76. When we pray “Lead us not into temptation” we are asking God to keep temptations away from us and help us overcome them when we are tempted.

77. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Evaluate: “ I never would have shoplifted that shirt if God hadn’t kept me from having it in the first place.” See James 1:13 for help.

78. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What are we asking God to do when we pray “Deliver us from evil”?

82. When we pray “Forgive us our sins” we are asking God to bring us safely through the many hardships in life to our home in heaven.

83. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Agree or disagree: When we get sick or face other troubles in life, God is punishing us for our sins.

84. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What are we saying when we pray the Doxology?

85.  Numbers 5:22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells and your thigh wastes away.” ”‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”

86.  Matthew 7:7,8 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

87. When we pray the Doxology we are saying that we are certain that God will hear and answer this prayer.

88. CHRISTIAN VOCABULARY Doxology : An expression of praise to God

89. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Hymnology: As the closing prayer for this lesson let’s sing “The Common Doxology,” Hymn334 in Christian Worship.

91. Our Response to God’s Love Stewardship of Money

92. INTRODUCTION: Show the kids a box of offering envelopes & have them explain what they’re all about. After listening to their answers they may have left some things out. By the end of this class you’re going to understand what these offering envelopes are all about. Today we’re going to talk about stewardship of money.”

93. STUDYING GOD’S WORD Where does our money come from?

94.  Psalm 24:1 Of David. A psalm. The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; Pick up some of the kid’s personal items (Bible, notebook, pen) and ask, “Whose is this?” Take some money out of your wallet and ask the same question.

96. Our money is a gracious gift to us from the Lord who is the owner of everything.

97. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Evaluate: “I can do whatever I want with my money. After all, I earned it!”

98. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What does it mean to be a good steward of God’s gift of money?

108. Why was Jesus upset with the servant who hid his talent? Because he wasn’t faithful in using it as God wanted him to. God gives us money and he wants us to use it.

109. Being a good steward means faithfully using the money God has given us in the way he wants it to be used.

110. CHRISTIAN VOCABULARY Steward: A caretaker or manager Stewardship: Managing the blessings our God has graciously given to us.

111. STUDYING GOD’S WORD Why do we want to honor God by being good stewards?

113. Ever clean your room when you didn’t want to? There was probably a scowl on your face. Maybe you even threw some things around your room. You were doing it just because you had to or your parents would punish you. God doesn’t want us to give because we fear punishment.

115. If you fell through the ice and a man came in an airboat to pull you out you’d be pretty grateful. You would be sure to thank him. God has rescued us from the fires of hell. One way we thank him is by being good stewards of the money he loans to us.

116.  1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. Some toys that you have may have a reaction when you put them in water such as changing color. When we are exposed to the love of God it produces a reaction in us. We change. We begin to show love in return.

117. We want to honor God with good stewardship to say thanks for his incredible love.

118. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Evaluate: John gives $20 a week at church because he knows this is enough to keep the pastor off his back.

119. STUDYING GOD’S WORD How does God want us to use the money he has given us?

120.  Proverbs 3:9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops ; If a friend of yours offered you some cake and then took a huge slice for himself leaving you only a little corner with no frosting, how would that make you feel?

121.  1 Timothy 5:8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

122. What kinds of things do your parents buy to care for the family? (food, clothing, medicine, rent, car payment, insurance, etc.) God gives us money to provide these needs.

123.  Ephesians 4:28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need .

124. Talk about our synod’s charitable organizations: Good Samaritan Society and Committee on Relief.

126. Name some of the blessings God gives us through the government (freedom, protection, fire, police, good roads, schools, etc)

128. God wants us to use the money he has given us to support the work of his church (offerings), take care of personal needs (family), help those who are in need (poor), support the government (taxes), and for fun and rest (recreation ).

129. CHRISTIAN VOCABULARY Firstfruits: The first and best portions of the blessings God gives to us.

130. RECEIVING (God’s gives us money) SHIPPING (We distribute God’s money) Offerings Food, clothing, car, etc. Charity Taxes Recreation A CHRISTIAN DISTRIBUTION CENTER

131. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What else does God tell us about the offerings we bring to him in church?

135. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What promise does God make to faithful stewards?

136. Use care when applying these passages. The point is not that good stewardship earns blessings from God. Whatever we receive from him is a gift of grace. However, these passages do address the temptation to think that if we give generous blessings to the Lord that means we will have less for ourselves. Now the Lord promises to still take care of all our needs and give us a generous abundance of blessings.

138. Putting just a little seed into the field will insure a small harvest. But the farmer who puts out a lot of seed can expect a big harvest. In the same way God promises to bless Christian giving. It will benefit not only others but also the one who gives it.

139.  Malachi 3:8-12 8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will

141. Again, God promises to bless faithful Christian stewardship. No one should ever say, “I can’t give a generous offering, because then I won’t have enough for myself.” God promises to care for all our needs and in grace bless our faithful stewardship.

142. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Agree or disagree and why: The average member in the WELS gives 3% of his income for the work of the church. This is very poor because in the Old Testament God commanded his people to give a tithe.

143. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Evaluate: Mr. Smith always gave whatever was left in his billfold on Sunday morning as an offering. He thinks this is God-pleasing because, like the widow who gave all she had, he is putting all he has into the plate.

144. Evaluate: John thinks he shouldn’t spend any money on recreation because that would be wasting God’s gift of money?

145. PUTTING THE LESSON INTO PRACTICE: OFFERING ENVELOPES Give the kids each their own box of envelopes. Explain that the envelopes serve as a good reminder to bring a first-fruits offering to the Lord. Encourage them to talk to their parents about their offerings and to put the envelopes to use.

146. CLOSING PRAYER: HYMN 485 - We Give Thee But Thine Own

147. Our Response to God’s Love Respecting Authority: The Fourth Commandment

148. INTRODUCTION Students complain about their teachers. Children complain about their parents. Citizens complain about the president. Why do you think this is? (Most don’t like authority, having to do what others tell them). Can you name some things that those in authority make us do that we sometimes don’t like

149. (teachers—homework; parents—clean room; president—pay taxes). Today we’re going to learn that rather than complaining about these people, we should thank God for them.

150. THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT Honor your father and mother, that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we do not dishonor or anger our parents or others in authority, but honor, serve and obey them, and give them love and respect.

151. STUDYING GOD’S WORD How does God emphasize the importance of this commandment?

153. A SPECIAL PROMISE Billy Joel: “Only the good die young.” Not true. Many rebellious children and adults have died or hurt themselves because they didn’t respect and listen to authority. God emphasizes the importance of this commandment by adding the promise of a long, safe, healthy life.

154. God emphasizes the importance of this commandment by adding a special promise to it.

155. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Agree or disagree and why? A good boy or girl is guaranteed a long healthy life.

156. STUDYING GOD’S WORD Who are God’s representatives in authority over me?

157.  Exodus 20:12 “ Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. PARENTS What does this passage have to say about what God intended a family to be? (Mom, dad and the kids)

159. SPIRITUAL LEADERS Can you give some examples of spiritual leaders? (Pastors, teachers, staff ministers, Sunday school teachers, synod president, professors, etc.)

160.  Romans 13:1,6,7 1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.

161.  Romans 13:1,6,7 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

162. GOVERNMENT LEADERS Give some examples. (President, congressmen, senators, governors, legislators, police officers, fire fighters, soldiers, etc.)

163. God has placed parents, spiritual leaders, and government officials in authority.

164. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Agree or disagree and why? The Russian government rejects the Bible, so it was not established by God.

165. STUDYING GOD’S WORD What good blessings does God channel to me through these authorities?

166.  Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

167. INSTRUCTION IN THE WORD How do we come to believe in Jesus? What would our situation be if we had no one to teach us the Word of God?

168.  Hosea 4:1-3 1 Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. 2 There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

169.  Hosea 4:1-3 3 Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.

170. LAW AND ORDER What would happen to us without an army? Without lawmakers? Without the FBI? Without police? Etc.

172. LIFE TRAINING Who taught you how to tie your shoes? Eat with a spoon? Ride a bike? Cross the street? Most importantly, who first taught you about your Savior Jesus?

173. Through these authorities God channels to us many blessings for both body and soul.

174. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Evaluate: Mary said that the best blessing God has given her in the church is the friendship of some really wonderful people.

175. STUDYING GOD’S WORD How does God want me to show respect to these authorities?

176.  Ruth 1:15-18 15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

177.  Ruth 1:15-18 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

181. SERVE, HONOR, OBEY Samuel faithfully served Eli the priest. Notice how eager he was to get up out of his bed and serve Eli when he thought Eli was calling him.

182.  1 Samuel 24:1-7 1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. 3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to

183.  1 Samuel 24:1-7 relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

184.  1 Samuel 24:1-7 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD .”

185.  1 Samuel 24:1-7 7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

186. SERVE, HONOR, OBEY David honored Saul even though Saul was trying to kill him because Saul was still God’s representative/leader in Israel. What does this say about people who mock our president, make fun of his policies and disobey the governments laws?

187. God wants me to honor, serve and obey all those in authority over me.

188. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Agree or disagree and why? Mr. Smith thinks the speed limit is way too slow, so whenever there are no police around he goes 10 miles an hour over it.

189. STUDYING GOD’S WORD When is the only time I may disobey those in authority?

191. Only when they tell me to do something contrary to God’s Word and will.

192. GOD’S WORD IN MY LIFE Agree or disagree and why? After we are adults and move away from home we no longer need to honor our parents. See Proverbs 23:22 for help. Discussion: When is it okay to go to war?

193. HYMNOLOGY: The Ten Commandments Are the Law (285, 5)

194. CLOSING PRAYER Dear Lord, Thank you for giving responsible people authority over me. Help me to respect my parents, teachers and the government, even though a part of me likes to resist and do things my own way. Jesus, my Savior, thank you for perfectly obeying those in authority for all the times I have not.

195. CLOSING PRAYER Thank you for being punished for my sins. Help me to remember your promise of blessings in my life when I live in obedience to those you have put in authority over me. In your name we pray. Amen.