6th Grade Sunday School

The Purpose of the Messiah Part 2

 

Theme for the year:  “God is my friend”.  Father’s words “Do not be discouraged.  Even though sometimes you feel that there is no God, know that He is always present.  With that feeling you must remember that God is with you”  The Way of Tradition, Vol. 1 p. 2.

 

Warm UP

 

Copy and distribute the following survey to each student:

Name ________________________________     Date ______________________

 

If Survey

 

  1. If you could live in any period of history, when would it be?_________________

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  1. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?________________

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  1. If I gave you $3000, what would you spend it on?________________________

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  1. If you could change anything about yourself, what would you change?_________

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  1. If you could be someone else, who would you be?_________________________

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  1. If you could have any question answered, what would it be?_________________

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Use the above survey to tie in to the idea that the time when the Messiah is on earth is a special time.  It is up to each of us to realize the importance of this time and fulfill our responsibility.

 

Discuss:  What are our responsibilities towards the Messiah? 

What did God want to have happen during Jesus’ life?

What does God want to have happen now?

What can we do?

 

Divine Principle Lesson

 

A.  The Extent of Salvation Available through the Cross and the Purpose of the Second Coming of Christ

1.  Death on the cross was not the mission that God had originally intended for Jesus.

            a. If the people of Israel had followed Jesus:

                        1.Kingdom of Heaven established on earth

                        2. No Jewish-Christian split

                        3. No persecution of Christians

                        4. No Second Coming

 

2.  Jesus accomplished only spiritual salvation

            a. God had to give the life of his only Son to Satan as a ransom to pay the price for the sinful lack of faith of the Israelites and all mankind.

 

Chart

                                    Satan                         God   

 

 


                                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


                                      Jesus                                    Mankind

                                      SS                               SS

                                      PS                            PS     

 

 

b. The world continues to suffer under Satan’s power, and sin persists in people’s bodies.

c. The Messiah has to come again to cleanse original sin.

B.  Two Kinds of Prophecy concerning the Messiah.

            1.  Prophecy about the Messiah building God’s Kingdom on earth Isaiah 9, 11, 60

            2.  Prophecy about the suffering Messiah Isaiah 53

            3.  It is God’s responsibility to send the Messiah, but man’s responsibility to follow Him.

 

C.  John the Baptist and the return of Elijah

 

            1.  The Messiah and Elijah

                        a.  Elijah was to come before Jesus.

                        b.     Mal 4:5,6 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes…”

                        c.  Jesus said that John the Baptist was Elijah Mt. 11:4 “…if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come”.

                        d.  How people viewed Jesus:

                        1.  From humble family

                        2.  Not ascetic

                        3.  Startling proclamations (such as putting himself on an equal footing with God, and telling the people that they had to love him more that anyone else)  Jn. 14:9-11 & Mt. 10:37.

 

            2.  The Mission of John the Baptist

                        a.  John said that he was not Elijah

                        b.  All should follow the Messiah after meeting him

                        c.  In prison, John asked, “are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?”  (Mt 11:33);  he definitely did not follow Jesus.

                        d.  John’s failure to follow Jesus was the main factor that prevented the people of Israel from coming to Jesus.

 

Activity

JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST

(suggestions for two skits)

 

[Note:  Someone may need to be a narrator, or to introduce who is playing what role.]

Characters are:  Narrator, John the Baptist, Priests

 

1)     John the Baptist denies he is Elijah.

(John 1:19-27)

 

John the Baptist (JTB) was baptizing people, saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

 

A group of priests (P) and Levites (sent by the Pharisees) came from Jerusalem and asked him: “Who are you?”

 

JTB:  “I am not the Christ.”

 

Priests:  “What then?  Are you Elijah?”

 

JTB:  “I am not.”

 

Priests:  “Are you the prophet?”

 

JTB:  “No.”

 

Priests:  “Who are you?  Let us have an answer for those who sent us.  What do you say about yourself?”

 

JTB:  “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

 

Priests:  “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”

 

JTB:  “I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know … the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

 

 

 

2)     John the Baptist, held in prison by Herod, sent his disciples to Jesus.

(Matthew 11:2-11)

Characters are Narrator, Jesus, Disciples

 

JTB’s disciples:  “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

 

Jesus: “Go and tell John:  the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.  And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.  … Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. … if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.”

 

Later, Jesus again tells his disciples that John the Baptist is Elijah.

(Matthew 17:10-13)

 

Jesus’ disciples asked him: “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”

 

Jesus:  “Elijah does come, and he is to restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they pleased.  So also the Son of man will suffer at their hands.”

 

Jesus’ disciples discuss among themselves and conclude:  “Oh, John the Baptist is Elijah -- but because he does not follow Jesus, that’s why he is least in the kingdom of heaven!”

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