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Posted BIBLE EXPLORATION...ARMOR OF GOD Submitted by Pastor Will Heyward of Smyrna Presbyterian Church. Go to Will's church home page at http://www.district7.org/ and click on WoRM for pictures. Workshops included in this Lesson Set: TEMPLE...the Sword of the Spirit and the Helmet of Salvation - make large bible timeline. VIDEO...Shoes to make you ready to proclaim the Gospel of Peace - Rhythms of Peace Video. COMPUTER...Shield of Faith - Actual Reality, The Church's Story. DRAMA...the Belt of Truth and the Breastplate of Righteousness - act out scenarios. Bible theme "Put on the whole Armor of God", from Ephesians 6:10-20 BIBLE MEMORY VERSE: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his Power. Put on the whole armor of God.” (Eph. 6:10-13a) ---------------------------- WORKSHOP...TEMPLE CENTER LEARNING OUTCOMES: The explorers will be able to find their way around the Bible and will be better equipped to use it! MATERIALS: 1. Children or Youth Bibles 2. Long roll of paper (say, 3ft wide and 10 feet long) 3. Paints, pens, markers, etc. 4. Material to make a crown of thorns PLAN: · Welcome explorers and go over memory verse. · Discuss the “Sword of the Spirit” · Make Giant Bible Timeline on paper. o Brainstorm all the Bible Stories explorers can remember o Draw the stories or draw something to symbolize each story on a piece of paper o Add stories to their proper place on the timeline · Give out Bibles and weave a crown of thorns (see directions at end) · End in prayer. Ask God for humility and courage. ADAPTATIONS: Use appropriate age Bibles for children or youth. A BIBLE TIMELINE AND OUTLINE: The Bible is a collection of books (the word Bible means book). Most of them were originally stories that were handed down orally. Still, despite being written at different times by different people in different situations, the Bible tells a coherent story. In this outline, the Bible has a beginning, an extended story, and an ending. The main points one may want to emphasize, by writng the following on the timeline, include: 1. CREATION AND FALL – God creates a world. The world rebels. 2. PROMISES TO ABRAHAM – God begins to create a people, a faithful minority. God promises several things to Abraham: land, descendants, the covenant, and the concept that all nations will be blessed through him. The rest of the Bible grows out of these promises. Added to them are the exodus and the ten commandments, the promises to David that he will always have a king on the throne. This led to the hope of a Messiah. The years of kings in Israel and Judah also led to the rise of the prophets who called the people to return to God and fueled the hope for a Messiah who would come. Jesus finally, and fully, fulfilled the promises to Abraham (and the messianic hope of David.) This is why Paul talks of how we can become heirs to the promises of Abraham through faith in Christ. The Church, then, is now the new creation, the new people of God that God began to create when he called Abraham and Sarah. IN SHORT: The story ofthe Bible can be outlines as follows...God creates a world...The world rebels...God creates a people who will be faithful to their creator...God calls Abraham and Sarah and makes promises to them...The rest of the Bible is how these promises are...Fulfilled by God in the promised land and the covenant...The covenant is broken and the visible signs of the covenant are all lost...The Temple is destroyed...The people are taken away from the promised land... No son of David is King. The Old Testament ends with the prophets calling for a Messiah (an anointed one, that is, one who is chosen by God to save the people)...The promises to Abraham are finally and completely fulfilled in Christ... Christ comes..The Messiah comes to save God’s people...The church is born...We can become children of Abraham by faith in Christ...God will bring the world to an ending...The revelation of John completes the story...Just as God set the stage on which the drama of the human life is played out, God will one day bring everything to a completion. All the stories of the Bible can be placed on this outline. The driving force behind all the Biblical stories is GOD FULFILLING ALL THE PROMISES MADE BY GOD. PREPARE A LARGE OUTLINE FOLLOWING THE ABOVE OUTLINE 1.Discuss the passage from Ephesians and the Bible as the “Sword of the Spirit.” We need to understand the Bible in order to use it. You will be looking at the “big picture.” 2. Have the explorers come up with stories they remember from the Bible 3. Write the name of the story or draw a symbol of it on a piece of paper. (e.g., you might draw a cross to represent Christ) 4. Put the story on the large Bible outline that you have prepared. 5. Discuss how each story fits into the larger picture. 6. Where are we in this outline? (We are in the period of the church) 7. How can we use this sword? (the Bible) Read it regularly and discuss it with friends. Keep a journal along with reading it. Mark favorite parts. It is a tool, if you use it you will become skilled in it. Hand out “Swords of the Spirit,” the Bibles, to the explorers. THE BIBLE IN A NUTSHELL My favorite way to summarize the Bible is in Genesis. After Adam and Eve sin they hide from God. God then asks Adam (which means literally, “humanity” “Where are you?” The Bible is the story of God’s search for us. While we bee-bop along God is seeking us out. God finally finds us through Christ. The Crown of Thorns In Ephesians, Paul associates the helmet of salvation with the sword of the Spirit. If you would like, use a crown of thorns as a possible “helmet of Salvation.” Ask the following questions: 1. Who wore a crown of thorns? 2. Why did the Romans put a crown of thorns on Jesus? (to make fun of him) 3. Why would we want a crown of thorns as a “helmet of salvation” a. Here, you may want to discuss humility b. How does humility protect us? c. Why put humility together with the sword of the Spirit? 4. Don’t get too deep with younger explorers. The crown of thorns can simply: Remind us of Jesus. Remind us that Jesus died for us. Remind us that Jesus loves us. The people who killed Jesus put a crown of thorns on his head to make fun of him. We wear a crown of thorns to honor Jesus. --------------------------- WORKSHOP....VIDEO CENTER LEARNING OUTCOMES: The explorers will be able to identify ways that they can be peacemakers. MATERIALS: Video on Peace or Peacemaking, TV, projector, etc. For example, Rhythms of Peace with Mr. Fredd. By the Mennonite Board of Missions, Harrisonburg, VA. Mennonite Media Production, 1-800-999-3534. Cardboard, scissors, markers, etc. Popcorn and drinks. PLAN: Welcome Explorers. Review memory verse. Introduce Video and watch. o Discuss video o Discuss shoes What protection do your “shoes” need to provide? Patience? Kindness? Wisdom? Make cardboard shoe cut outs o Decide what kind of shoe you need. o Cut out, decorate, and label the shoe with the kind of protection you will need (patience, etc.). RHYTHMS OF PEACE VIDEO This video has four stories on it. It is hosted by Mr. Fredd. The four stories are repeated at the end of the video without Mr. Fredd if you would like to use just the stories and without the narrator. Before watching the video: Discuss the passage from Ephesians 6:10-20 What does gospel mean? (good news) What is the gospel of peace? What do swords, and breastplates, and the other items of war that Paul mentions in this passage have to do with peace? Discuss peace. What is it? Watch the video. Stop after each segment and use some of the discussion questions that come with the video. After the video discuss peace again. What are some things that you might need to make you ready to be a peacemaker? Have cardboard shoes cut out (or have explorers cut out the own kind of shoe they want from the cardboard). Have each explorer decide what they need to walk in to be a peacemaker. Examples include: Patience, wisdom, kindness Write this need on their cut out shoes like it was the brand of shoe they had. Decorate the shoes Tie a string around them so they can be worn around the neck as a symbol for the kind of shoes we need to be peacemakers. ------------------------- WORKSHOP: COMPUTER CENTER LEARNING OUTCOMES: The explorers will see the church as a support when facing life’s temptations. MATERIALS: CD'S: Actual Reality; The Church’s Story Cardboard shields shaped like a church building Cardboard arrows, markers, pens, etc. PLAN: Welcome explorers. Review memory verse. Discuss “Shield of Faith” ...What is Paul referring to? ...What can the shield defend you from? ...Use CD's to come up with ideas for shields and arrows (see attached sheet) ...Decorate shields (see attached sheet) o Cover shield with protections offered by church o Mark arrows with temptations/problems we face in world o Close in Prayer. Thank God for gift of church. The Shield of Faith In this center, start by giving the explorers cardboard shields and discuss: What is a shield? Who uses it and why? What is the shield of faith Paul talks about in Ephesians? Discuss ways church can be our shield. What does the church protect us from? Next, turn the explorers loose on the CDroms to explore and find two things: Find protections offered by the church both today and throughout history Make a list of all that you find. Write one or two word selections from your list directly onto your shield in big letters. Find temptations or problems that the church can help protect you from. Make a list. Write selections from this list onto cardboard arrows. Attach arrow to shield. Tape arrows directly to shield (if you do this, make them a different color than the shield so that they can be seen) Or, cut a slit in the shield and stick the point of the arrow into the shield so that the arrow protrudes from the shield. You may want to tape a popsicle stick or something like it to the arrow so that it will stay straight. ACTUAL REALITY (Available at www.sundaysoftware.com) Click on Stuff to Know, the parking meter, the savings sign in the store window, the top t.v. on the left. Saved from what? Listen to the short video, write ideas for arrows. Click on Coming Attractions poster, the door to the right, the wall on the right...exposing temptation...Listen to video, write down ideas for arrows. THE CHURCH'S STORY (Available at 1-800-524-2612, item #096110 Click on topics, click on social issues. Listen to the introduction and choose different time periods to find ways throughout history that the church has offered help and protection. Write down ideas for the shield. -------------------------- WORKSHOP: DRAMA CENTER LEARNING OUTCOMES: The explorers will reexamine how they live their lives and be able to identify and do what is right. MATERIALS: Scenarios of ethical situations for explorers to work out their own ending. Costumes, props, etc. Cardboard breastplates with a belt attacted. Markers, paints, etc. PLAN: Welcome explorers. Review memory verse. Discuss the “Belt of truth” and the “Breastplate of Righteousness” What are truth and righteousness? How do we live “right?” Present scenarios (see below) Act out scenarios Add truths and “righteous acts” to breast plates as you go End in prayer. Ask for God’s guidance and forgiveness. The Belt of Truth and the Breastplate of Righteousness In this center, the emphasis is on ways to respond to God’s gift of Jesus Christ. We cannot earn God’s favor, or prove ourselves worthy of God’s love. We can, though, try to respond to God’s love by living lives that seek to intentionally love and respect others as God loves us. Some scenarios to give the explorers: (they are to come up with their own solutions and act them out) 1.You are at camp and another group of kids raid your cabin while you are gone. They throw everyone’s stuff around and hang toilet paper over the rafters. You have just returned to the cabin and found out. 2. A kid at school, who everyone else makes fun of because he is different, starts hanging around you a lot. Your friends start to make fun of you. 3. You are with a group of friends who start to tell jokes that make fun of others. 4. You are at home and watching T.V. Your brother or sister wants to watch another show and keeps bugging you to change the channel. 5. A kid at school gets mad at you for no reason that you can see and starts pushing you around. No matter what you do, she keeps picking on you. 6. (Older youth) You go to a friend's house with a group of friends and they pass around a joint (or alcohol). Finally the joint (or bottle) comes to you. 7. (Older youth) You are with friends who are bragging about their sexual exploits. Finally attention turns to you and they want to know what you have done. Have the explorers come up with their own scenarios. After you act out each scenario, discuss it: What are different ways you may have resolved the situation? Why is it important to think about how we treat others? What happens when we make mistakes? After each scenario, try to think of one thing to add to your breastplate of righteousness. How does doing what we know is right help to protect us? Exchange Volunteer modified title of post for clarity. This message has been edited. Last edited by: Luanne Payne,

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