Thankful for the Earth, Stars, Moon, and Sun

TEXT: Genesis 1:1-8,14-19

OBJECTIVE

The students will be able to explain why we should be thankful that God created the universe.

BIBLE LESSON OUTLINE

Introduction: Bring a scenic photo of one of your favorite places—perhaps someplace where you took a vacation at one time. Describe how beautiful the place was. Ask your students to tell you about some of their favorite places and why they like them so well. Develop the discussion by talking about how good it was of God to provide spots like this for us to enjoy.

1. God followed a step-by-step plan in creating the universe and the world. On the first day God created light, and divided it from the darkness.
2. On the second day, God made a firmament in the midst of the waters which divided the waters above from the waters below.
3. On the fourth day (note that day three, the creation of plant life, will be studied next Sunday), God made the sun, moon, and stars, and established that these would be for seasons, days, and years.

Climax: God made a beautiful world for us to enjoy, and the firmament is a testimony to His greatness.

Conclusion: We must remember to express our gratitude to God for the beautiful world He has given us. The endless variety of scenic wonders, and the vastness of space, tell us of God's goodness to each of us.

Response: Your students will be able to describe how God created the firmament — the earth, stars, moon, and sun. They will see the necessity of thanking God for all of these.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Creation account does not take up much space in the Bible but it is clearly presented in the first chapter of Genesis and confirmed in Hebrews 11:3. The Bible clearly and emphatically teaches that our universe and all matter came into existence through the will and the Word of the eternal God. The order of creation is important. There was light before plant life was created because it couldn't exist long in total darkness. There were both light and warmth from the sun, moon, and stars before man was created so that he might be comfortable on the earth on which God placed him. The perfect order of the universe is reason for all men to believe in the God of Creation and to give thanks to Him for His goodness to man.

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

• Have your students cut out stars, moon, sun, and clouds from felt fabric (see Patterns). Give each student a plain square of blue felt to use as a background. Give each of them a globe-shaped pattern of the world (use pattern given under contest ideas in Unit 15) which you have backed with felt fabric. Let them place these objects on the blue background as they tell why they are thankful God created each thing.
• Give each child copies of the daytime and nighttime pictures (see Patterns). Help them compare the pictures to find what is different in each and why (we play during the day and sleep during the night, etc.).
• Using construction paper, start with a black sheet to represent the darkness "in the beginning." Overlay a half sheet of yellow to represent the division of light and darkness. This happened when "God said . . . . " Next, show the children a sheet of dark blue. Overlay this with a piece of lighter blue so only a small strip of the dark blue shows. This represents the firmament (the sky) that God made to divide the waters above from the waters below. This happened because "God said . . . . " To the light blue, add cutouts of the sun, moon, and stars as you speak about the importance of each one (light, heat, time, seasons, etc.). Impress on the children that all this happened because "God said . . . . " There is power in God's word.
• Prepare the "God's Word says . . . " activity for your class (see Patterns). Be careful to center the pages as you reproduce enough copies for each child. On the first page, cut around the heavy solid lines of the clouds, making sure to leave the top of the clouds intact, so they can be lifted to see the pictures underneath. Position the first page so the clouds are over each of the pictures on the second page. Glue the pages together, being careful not to glue the clouds shut. As you and your students read each verse, lift up the cloud to see what that verse is referring to.
• Give each of your students a copy of the "Thank You, God, for the . . . " activity (see Patterns). On each of the blank lines have them write either what the object is (star, sun, moon), when they see it in the sky (day, night), or what it does in the heavens (twinkles, shines, glows, etc.).
• Use Viewmaster scenic reels to illustrate the beauty of God's world.

QUESTIONS

1. How do we know that God created the universe?
2. Why did God give us the sun? Tell some of the ways the sun helps us. Describe what the earth would be like without the sun.
3. Talk about the sun and its effect on the earth—sunrise, sunset, rays in a window—and all the beauty in the way God designed it. What if God had just put a big flashlight up in the sky?
4. If there weren't any night, when would you sleep?
5. What does the moon do for us? (Talk about how the moon controls the ocean, gives direction, etc.).
6. How do we recognize the different seasons? Why do we have summer, fall, winter, and spring?
7. How can we show God that we are thankful for the sun, moon, stars?
8. How do the heavens declare God's righteousness? Who wrote those words?
9. What is your favorite place on earth? Tell what it looks like and why you like it. Do you ever thank God for that special place?

PRE-SCHOOL SUGGESTIONS

• Give each child a star-shaped lacing card and a length of yarn (see Patterns). To prepare the cards, copy the star onto heavy paper and cut it out. Punch holes in the marked places. While the children work on their stars, talk about how easy it was for God to make the stars. He just had to speak the words. We can't make things like God did but it is fun to make copies of them.
• Make a copy of the dot-to-dot sky for each child (see Patterns). The "dots" are made from figures other than dots so the children will have an easier time keeping the symbols separate. As they "discover" each of the creations, talk about why God made it and why we should be thankful.
• Sugar cookies cut into the shapes of stars, moon, and sun will make a big hit at snack time. Decorate them with yellow sprinkles to help them "shine·"
• Make paper-plate puppets for each of your students by putting the right sides of two plates together and stapling around the edges. (Be sure to leave an opening for the hand to fit into.) Color each plate one of these colors: orange (moon), yellow (sun), and blue (sky). Put star stickers on the blue plates. Give one plate to each child. Have them hold up the correct color of plates as you talk about each of the things that God created.
  

REVIEW IDEAS ‍

Construct a cardboard rocket and a foil-covered space helmet. Prepare a cassette tape of quiet "rocket" sounds. As you "journey through space" describe all the wonderful things you are seeing. Express to the children why you are thankful for each thing—the sun for light and heat, the moon for seasons, the stars for guidance, etc. Then "look" toward the earth. Tell how thankful you are that God made the air perfect for mankind—you don't have to wear an oxygen tank on earth. God made the world beautiful to look at and to live in. Again, express your thanks to God for all His creation.

Use enlarged copies of the daytime/nighttime pictures given under IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES. As the children help you to compare the two pictures, talk about how thankful you are for each of the elements that God created.

SUPPORT MATERIAL

The World God Made — Arch Book, Concordia

I am ... the Sun — B. and J. Marxhausen, Concordia

I am ... a Cloud — B. and J. Marxhausen, Concordia

God's Plan for Weather

God's Plan for the Seashore

God's Plan for the Seasons

God's Plan for Air — All of the "God's  Plan" material from the "God in Creation" Series by Judy Hull Moore, Gospel Publishing House

God's World of Colors — Happy Day Book No. 3640, Standard Publishing