81052___teaching with fighter verses.pdf

Helping children learn and understand Fighter Verses so that they can hide them in their hearts is a vital part of the Sunday School ministry even though the responsibility for teaching the verses lies with the parents.  

I have two goals in mind when reviewing fighter verses with our third graders: 

First, I want to help the students accurately understand at least one of the main truths in the verse. 

Second, I want to help them see the preciousness of that truth.  (Indeed there is an indispensable role of the Holy Spirit to awaken love for the truth; however, students can smell whether or not the truth is really precious to the teacher.) 

I often focus on words or concepts that may be difficult to understand.  Dividing the verse into phrases and asking questions are a couple of my favorite techniques. 

I will use Isaiah 43:25 as an example.  Four volunteers who memorized the verse stood in front of the rest of the class: 

• Volunteer #1 said   I, even I am he 
• Volunteer #2 said  who blots out your transgressions, 
• Volunteer #3 said   for my own sake 
• Volunteer #4 said  and remembers your sins no more. 

 (pointing at #1, I direct questions toward the whole class.):  Who is speaking in this verse? 

Answer: God 

(pointing at #2): What does it mean to blot out something? 

Answer: This generated some ideas and discussion.  Eventually, I gave the example of removing a spill or a stain from a tablecloth by pressing the rag onto the stain.  The stain is “blotted out” of the tablecloth by being transferred onto the rag. 

(again pointing at #2): What is God blotting out? 

Answer: Our transgressions 

(pointing at #3): Why does God blot out our transgressions? 

Answer: For His own sake. 

(not pointing at any of the up front volunteers): How can God blot out our transgressions for His own sake? What is in it for Him? 

Answer: Again this generated some ideas and discussion.  This is a difficult concept. 

(I directed the discussion with another question): What usually happens when someone receives a special gift from another person? 

Answer: The person who received the gift expresses thanks to the giver. 

What should happen when someone has his or her transgressions blotted out by God? 

Discussion: We talked about Jesus mercifully absorbing God’s wrath that otherwise would have been directed at His people.  We talked about God graciously transforming our resentment toward Him into love for Him and exultation.  (“Exultation” is a big word for third graders but it belongs in their vocabulary.)  I then repeated the question: How can God blot out our transgressions for His sake? What is in it for Him? 

Answer: Our exaltation.  God blots out our sins for His own sake for our exultation.  God blotting out our transgressions does not 

depend on us; rather, it depends on God wanting to be glorified in our exultation.