God Created Me

TEXT: Psalm 139:1-5; Matthew 5:14-16

OBJECTIVE

The students will know that each one of them is special to God and that He knows all about them. They will be able to explain that God has a plan for each of them.

BIBLE LESSON OUTLINE

Introduction: Bring to class a number of things which make light: a candle, a flash for a camera, a flashlight, etc. Ask your students what these objects have in common. Then tell them that their memory verse for this week tells about another kind of light.

1. Jesus says that we must let our "lights" shine. This means that we should live so that other people will be led to glorify God.
2. The Lord knows all about our actions. He knows what we say and even what we are thinking.
3. He wants our lives to show what the power of God can do in a person's life.

Climax: God's purpose in creating us was that we should be lights in the world.

Conclusion: We should be sure that we live in such a way that our friends can see the advantages of serving God.

Response: The students should be able to relate that the Lord knows all about them and explain that He wants them to live for Him in order to be an example to others.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

From the moment of conception, each person is a unique creation of God. The Psalmist says, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; . . . Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, . . . when as yet there were none of them" (Psalm 139:14-16). Of Jeremiah God said, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou earnest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee" (Jeremiah 1:5). And when God identified Himself with mankind in the person of Jesus Christ, He did so not only as an adult but also as a child and even as an unborn infant in the womb of Mary.

Psalm 127:3 states: "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." Certainly each child is known of God and is a unique treasure unto Him. Because each is a special creation of God we can say with the Psalmist, "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; . . . Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise" (Psalm 100:3-4).

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

• Have each child trace his own hand on a sheet of paper. Then have him cut out the hand and put his name on it. Use the hands to decorate an area on which you have put the title, GOD CREATED _______.
• Make a "Me" chart for each child (see Patterns). Have them finish each statement and then draw a picture of themselves in the picture frame.
• Adapt the Bulletin Board idea given under Unit Material using silhouettes of the children in your class. Hold them up one at a time and let your group guess who is shown in the picture. As they tell what made them recognize each person, use this as a basis for talking about how God made each one of us different and special.
• Play the "Everybody Is Special" game with your students. Cut out the various heads and legs (see Patterns). Attach each piece to light cardboard and glue a bit of flannel or felt to the back. Attach the shirt picture to an 8½'' x 11" cardboard. Glue a piece of flannel or felt above and below the shirt as indicated. Allow the students to pick out the head and legs which they like best, and place them on the flannel to form a complete figure. Talk about how each person is unique, asking the students to tell something about themselves that makes them special.

Special Instructions for Unit 25:

Give each child the name tag for his creation mobile and have him write his name on the line.

Give each child his Mighty Me creation assignment.

QUESTIONS

1. Think of someone you would like to be like. What is special about that person?
2. Talk about some things that you can do that are different or special? Examples: paint pictures, play an instrument, or play baseball.
3. How does it make you feel to know that you are special to God? (There is no one else exactly like you.)
4. What are some of the special things about you that God knows?
5. What things can you do or say about which God doesn't know?
6. In what way can a person be a "light" to shine for Jesus?
7. What can you do to show praise to God?
8. Why should God have a plan for our lives? How can we know what His plan is?

PRE-SCHOOL SUGGESTIONS

• Give each child a copy of the "I'm One of God's Special Creations" chart (see Patterns) and let them draw a picture of themselves as one of God's most important creations.
• Give each child a copy of the Picture Letter (see Patterns). Let them "read" the letter with your help, apply appropriate stickers in marked places, and sign their name. Perhaps a real mailbox could be placed in your department where the children could "mail" their letter. As an alternative, draw a large mailbox (see Patterns) on construction paper, making it from a double thickness and cutting around the front end on the top sheet so the mailbox can be opened. (Be sure the two sheets are stapled or taped together so when the children put their letters into the mailbox the letters do not fall through.)
• Do the following finger play with your students to make them aware of the various abilities God gave them, pointing to each body part as it is mentioned, and performing the actions indicated.
    God gave me two bright eyes;
    My eyes can see.
    God gave me one small nose;
    My nose can smell.
    God gave me one pretty mouth;
    My mouth can talk.
    God gave me two little ears;
    My ears can hear.
    God gave me two arms;
    My arms can reach up high.
    God gave me two small hands;
    My hands can clap and clap.
    God gave me ten short fingers;
    My fingers can wiggle back and forth.
    God gave me two strong legs;
    My legs can run.
    God gave me two little feet;
    My feet can jump so high.
    I am happy God made me (point to smile).

REVIEW IDEAS‍

Make the theme of your review ways we are alike and ways we are different. For instance, show a birthday cake. We all have birthdays, but they are on different days. If you have twins in your department, let them come up and tell ways they are different even though they look alike. Show several toys, and call two students forward to illustrate that one likes to play with trucks and another with dolls. Call up other students to point out that some people have blond hair and others black; some have blue eyes and some have brown. Show paper ice-cream cones, one pink and one brown, and let them raise their hands to show which they like best. Conclude by passing out two kinds of cookies, letting them choose the kind they want (make sure you have plenty of both!).

Put on a "Talented and Gifted" show for your review, using all the children. Begin by having different children come forward to sing a song, do a helpful task for you, smile, etc. When they finish, give them a sticker that says "I'm special" or a Smiley Face sticker. At the end, do a department activity such as singing a song, saying the Lord's Prayer, or reciting the memory verse together. Then give stickers to all the rest of the children, emphasizing that each one of us is special to God and has special things we can do for God.

Using the song "The Butterfly Song (If I Were a Butterfly)" show large picture flashcards as you sing about each animal (see Patterns). Stress the last verse where it talks about "me."

SUPPORT MATERIAL

• See Support Material for Lessons 2d and 15d
• God Made Only One Me — by Gail Robinson, Concordia
• You Are Special to Jesus — by Annetta Dellinger, Concordia
• God's Plan for Me — by Judy Hull Moore, Moody Press
• Each One Specially — by Carol Greene
• Little Ones — activity workbook by Lynn Heitritter