Make Up: November 6th, 2011

Carrie Lucas created a student sheet for her class. We wanted to share it with you for the class make up time. We ask you to read the material and then comment in the section below so we can know that you did the make-up. Thanks.
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Our Lesson

Bible Text:
1 Kings 11:1-13, Amos 1:1; 5:21-24; 8:1-18; Hosea 1:1-9; 4:1-3; Jeremiah 11:18-23; 15:15-21

Lesson Focus:
When the rulers of Israel ignored God’s prophets, Israel was lost.

Big Question:
What would a prophet say to us today?

Key Words:
PROPHET, JUDGEMENT, JUSTICE

High Level View of the Book of 1 KINGS, AMOS, HOSEA, & JEREMIAH:

The once great nation of Israel turned into a land divided, not only physically, but spiritually. God had warned Israel that kings would cause more problems than they solve. Evil kings led the nation deeper into idolatry and destruction.
During this period, there were 2 kingdoms. Israel was the Northern Kingdom & Judah was the Southern Kingdom. We’ll be focusing on the Northern Kingdom. Throughout history, the people of Israel had disobeyed God. They rejected the prophets and didn’t take care of those who were poor and powerless. They were mistreating the poor and worshipping other gods, such as money and power, instead of God. They enjoyed luxury while the poor suffered. Because they rejected God and the prophets and didn’t take care of those who were poor, Israel was abandoned by God and became exiled. During the exile, the Israelites wondered why, since they were God’s chosen people, they felt so abandoned. Remembering the words of God’s prophets, like Amos & Hosea, helped.

The prophets whose voices carry throughout these stories in the bible are the real meat & potatoes of the story, not the kings, for it’s the prophets who call the people of the Northern Kingdom back to faithfulness to the God who still loves them.

Read- Bible Text: 1 Kings 11:1-13
After David died, Solomon (the wisest king in the history of Israel), became King. Solomon was wealthy and wise, but disobeyed God in a number of ways. The kings and leaders of God’s people were to help the people stay faithful to God. Under the influence of his many wives, Solomon began to worship other gods, thereby, leading the people to do the same thing.

Important to note: Solomon was led to idolatry.
We, as Christians, may have strong faith, but we also have areas of weakness. Those areas are usually where temptation strikes. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link—so strengthen & protect yourselves where you are weak.

Opening Prayer LEADER: Lord, you spoke through your prophets of old.
GROUP: Now you speak through us.
LEADER: You call for peace where there is war.
GROUP: Make us instruments of your peace.
LEADER: You call for justice where there is despair.
GROUP: Make us instruments of your justice.
ALL: Amen

Definitions of Key Words

PROPHET: a messenger for God who speaks out about acts of injustice.

JUDGMENT: an accusation about a person’s actions. The prophets pronounced judgment on the king and people because of their poor actions.

JUSTICE: living in relationships of love and caring & upholding the powerless, goes beyond obeying the law.

Prophets

Amos – He was a man of God and spoke with brutal frankness in denouncing sin. He was just a humble Shepard, who God gave a vision of the future to. The vision was that Israel would be conquered by Assyria and the rich would become slaves, themselves. Amos pronounced God’s judgment upon Israel, the northern kingdom, for its complacency, idolatry, and oppression to the poor. He collided with the false religious leaders of his day and was not intimidated by a priest or a king. He continued to speak his message boldly.

Hosea (means “salvation”)- The book of Hosea is a love story – real, tragic and true. God told Hosea to wind a wife (Gomer) and revealed to him ahead of time that she would be unfaithful to him. This book tells of God’s love for his people and the response of His “bride”. A covenant had been made, and God had been faithful. But Israel, like Gomer, was adulterous and unfaithful, turning to false gods. Hosea warned that unless they repented of their sin and turned back to God, they were headed for destruction.

Jeremiah – The basic theme was “repent and turn to God”. Jeremiah was God’s spokesman, but nobody listened. He was rejected by his neighbors, his family, false priests, friends…everyone. He often felt he stood alone as he predicted the destruction of Jerusalem. He predicted that after the destruction of the nation, God would send a new Shepard, the Messiah (JESUS). Jesus would lead them into a new future, a new covenant, and a new day of hope…and he would accomplish this by changing their sinful hearts into hearts of love for God.

Prophets of Today

God sent prophets to warn the people of Israel. The teachings of these prophets in the biblical tradition help us to understand & listen to the voices of present-day prophets. Prophets today provide us with guiding lights. People like Martin Luther King Jr., John Paul II, and others are recent prophets who have spread God’s message of peace, love, and justice.

Baptismal Connection
Today’s lesson focuses on the clause “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth”. Working for justice and peace is central to the call to follow God. Prophets like Amos made it clear that what God wants from His people is for them to work in this world on behalf of those who are in need. Working for peace & justice is one of the most important ways we can share God’s love with the world.

Best/Worst (hi’s / low’s) from your week?


Closing Prayer

LEADER: Lord, you sent your prophets to speak up for the poor.
GROUP: Help us to speak up for the poor.
LEADER: You sent your prophets to speak to government leaders.
GROUP: Help us to guide all world leaders to do what is right.
LEADER: You sent your prophets to remind your people to put you first in their lives.
GROUP: Help us to put you first in our lives.
LEADER: For all you do for us, we thank you.
GROUP: Thank you, Lord
ALL: Amen.