Praise for God s Creation

Transcription

1 Session 2 Praise for God s Creation Psalm 8 Main Idea Thank God for the creation! Something to Remember How majestic is your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:1 Background for Teachers Read several times this song about God s majesty and humanity s relationship with God and the rest of creation. Think about ways that you embrace the majesty of God. This psalm points to the greatness of God and the distance between God and creation (specifically, between God and human beings [v. 4]). Two words often used to describe the relationship between God and the created world are immanence and transcendence. Immanence refers to the way you see God in the closeness of the world around you the nearness of God. Transcendence refers to how God is beyond the limits of comprehension and ordinary experience. In this time in your life, does God seem far removed or closer than your next breath? When have you revered the greatness of God? What does this feeling do to you? The psalmist addresses two relationships in these verses: the relationship between God and humanity and the relationship between humanity and the created world. First, the poet writes that humans (you) have been made a little lower than God. How does this understanding affect the way you see yourself? The relationship between humanity and the rest of creation is addressed in verse 6. The psalmist says that humans (you) have been given dominion over the works of God s hands and that God has put all things under their feet (v. 6). The word dominion is controversial. Some Bible students believe the use of this word suggests that we can do anything we want with the earth. What imagery does such a term suggest for you? In what ways do you feel responsible for caring for creation? Tweens are becoming more responsible for taking care of things. They may have home chores to do or help with. They may take care of a pet. They may have the opportunity to plant and take care of a garden or potted plants. It is beneficial to help them see these activities as part of the life of faith. Too few tweens are reminded that they are beautiful and unique creations of God. While we cannot completely counter other messages these tweens receive, we can help to instill in each of them the belief that she or he is created by, loved by, and claimed by God. Question 6. How do you love God? By respecting what God has created... 13

2 Welcome Greet the tweens. If it is your practice, take attendance and collect an offering. Session 2 Assemble Index cards, pencils New Song Leader s Guide New Song CD, disc 1 CD player Bible Study Bibles Digging Deeper (optional) Option 1 Bibles Bible dictionaries Option 2 Bibles Newsprint, markers Claim Choose one or more activities: Gaze at Stars Copies of Resource Sheet 6 (p. 18) Scissors Large straight pins Craft sticks Tape Light source Clay Creations Clay or play dough Tweens Issue Copies of Resource Sheet 7 (p. 19) Tweens Challenge Copies of Resource Sheet 8 (p. 20) Depart Self-adhesive notes Pens New Song Leader s Guide New Song CD, disc 1 CD player Assemble: God Calls Us Together Give each person an index card and a pencil. Have the tweens complete the sentence I m the only one who... with something unusual about themselves and write that phrase on the card. Collect the cards, shuffle the deck, and redistribute the cards. Have the tallest person begin by reading aloud what s written on his or her card. The group should try to guess the writer s identity. Continue until all the cards have been read. Ask: What new things did you learn about one another? Remind the tweens that the Bible says that God thinks highly of everyone (Psalm 8), that God knows the number of hairs on each person s head (Matthew 10:30), and that each person is called by name (Isaiah 43:1). Ask them how they feel about God s knowing them so intimately. Ask: Do you think God cares about your future? What signs do we have that God is involved in our lives? Play the song Come, Now is the Time to Worship (New Song CD, disc 1, track 2) as the tweens join in singing. Opening Prayer O great Creator, we thank you for all of earth s precious wonders. We ask you to help us care for all of creation with the same love that you care for us. In Christ our Lord. Amen. Bible Study: We Hear God s Word Explain that the story for this session comes from the book of Psalms. Tell the tweens that, even before Jesus lived, God s people used the psalms in worship. Open your Bible to the book of Psalms, and explain that it is still an important book for Christian people. Distribute Bibles and have the tweens find Psalm 8. Explain that you will read the odd-numbered verses and they will read the evennumbered verses. Read the psalm together. Ask the tweens questions such as the following to further their thinking about Psalm 8: 14

3 Praise for God s Creation Psalm 8 Session 2 How do you think the person who wrote this psalm felt about God? About the world? About human beings? What questions do you have after reading the psalm? Digging Deeper (optional ) Option 1 Read Psalm 8. Provide Bible dictionaries for the tweens to do a word study on dominion (v. 6). Discuss these questions: What does it mean to have dominion over the works of God s hands? What is the relationship between God and creation? How does God treat humanity? How does God want humanity to treat God s creation? What is God s intent in setting the order for creation? Option 2 Distribute Bibles and invite tweens to find Psalm 8. Go around the group and allow each tween to read a verse until the psalm is finished. As each person reads a verse, invite him or her to rephrase the verse in more familiar language. Encourage the tweens to use their own words to give their interpretation of what the writer means. As the tweens say the lines aloud, write them on newsprint. Ask the following questions: What does it mean for God to be called sovereign? (Consult a dictionary if necessary.) What do babies and infants have to say that can silence the enemies of God s people? What words do you remember babies saying? What were your first words as a baby? The writer of Psalm 8 looked at the moon and the sun and the stars and wondered why God would care about people. Why do you think that person thought that way? Why do you think God cares about people? The writer of Psalm 8 wrote that God has made people just a little lower than God. What does that mean to you? Why would God make people so important? Claim: We Respond to God s Word Choose one or more activities: Gaze at Stars Give each person a copy of Resource Sheet 6. Have the tweens poke holes in the center of each star (dot) with a pin. Then have the tweens cut out the constellation circles and attach each circle to a craft stick. The tweens may hold the circles up to a source of light to view the constellations. 15

4 Praise for God s Creation Psalm 8 Session 2 Talk with the tweens about the awesomeness of God s creation by asking questions such as these: How does it feel to know that God created pictures in the sky? What do you think about when you look at the stars? How does looking at the stars make you feel about God? If you live near a planetarium, arrange to visit it with the tweens. A star show can be an awesome experience. Clay Creations Provide enough clay or play dough for the participants to create a replica of something they care about. Have them show what they created and explain why and how they care about that creation. Ask: How would you react if someone destroyed the thing you just made? Tweens Issue Read and discuss Resource Sheet 7. If preferred, make multiple copies of Resource Sheet 7 for pairs of tweens to discuss the situation. Following a specified time, convene the group and ask each pair to report its thoughts. Tweens Challenge As a group, decide on a program the tweens can participate in, such as recycling or cleaning the community, that will enable them to care for God s creation. Assign tasks and set preliminary dates for the project. Ask the tweens to note how many instances of society s abuse of creation that they see during the coming week on television shows, in magazines, and in movies. Ask the participants to complete the following three statements on Resource Sheet 8: Personally, I can to be a better caretaker of God s creation. I can to help my family take care of God s creation. I can to help my church take care of God s creation. Remind the tweens to perform one action for each of the above statements during the coming week. Say something like: Do something on your own to take better care of God s creation, do something with your family to help them become better caretakers of God s creation, and do something with our church that enables it to be better caretakers of God s creation. 16

5 Praise for God s Creation Psalm 8 Session 1 Depart: God Sends Us into the World Have the tweens write on self-adhesive notes what they have learned about worship today. Affix these notes to newsprint. Display throughout the quarter; each session will provide an opportunity for this kind of review. Have the tweens listen to the song So Good to Me (New Song CD, disc 1, track 14). Invite the tweens to listen to or sing the song. To help the tweens think back on the session, ask questions such as this one: Pray: What things come to mind about Psalm 8 when you sing this song? God of the night, God of the day, God of the stars, God of the seas, we see the great things in your creation. We see your work all around us. Teach us to look at nature with new eyes and new hearts. Amen. Send Home Constellation circles Clay creations For the Home 2 (Director CD) or it home 17

6 Resource Sheet 6 Session 2, Tweens Note to teacher: Photocopy this resource for each person. Materials: Pins, craft sticks, scissors, tape Directions: Poke holes in the center of each star (dot) with a pin. Then cut out the constellation circles. Attach each circle to a craft stick (to use as a handle) and hold the circles up to a source of light to view the constellations. The Arrow The Swan The Big Dipper The Lion The Little Dipper The Twins 2012, 2014 CMP, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation. Permission to reproduce this page granted to purchasers of this material. 18

7 Resource Sheet 7 Session 2, Tweens Each day Steve and his friends walk home from school. On their way, Steve s friends stop at a local store for snacks and drinks. Steve rarely buys snacks with his friends, because his house is the closest to the school and he prefers to enjoy snacks with his younger brother. He notices that every day the boys throw their trash on the street. This bothers him, but he is afraid he will upset his friends if he says anything. How should Steve handle this situation? What can he do to take care of God s creation? What, if anything, should he say to his friends? 2012, 2014 CMP, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation. Permission to reproduce this page granted to purchasers of this material. 19

8 Resource Sheet 8 Session 2, Tweens Complete the following three statements: Personally, I can to be a better caretaker of God s creation. I can to help my family take care of God s creation. I can to help my church take care of God s creation. During the coming week, perform one action for each of the above statements. In other words, do something on your own to take better care of God s creation, do something with your family to help them become better caretakers of God s creation, and do something with your church that enables it to be better caretakers of God s creation. 2012, 2014 CMP, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation. Permission to reproduce this page granted to purchasers of this material. 20