Sunday, 23rd July, 2023: Children's Sunday School Lesson 4.

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH, NIGERIA.

CHILDREN'S SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 4
JULY – DECEMBER, 2023.
SUNDAY, 23RD JULY, 2023.

TOPIC: NEHEMIAH REBUILDS THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM

BIBLE TEXT: Nehemiah 2:1-20;4:1-23; 6:15

MEMORY VERSE:
For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building (1 Corinthians 3:9 NIV).

TARGET:

To help the child understand that Nehemiah and the people of Israel had the courage to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and that God's people should not let difficulties stop them from doing what God wants them to do.


OBJECTIVES:
During and after the lesson, each child will show that he/she understands the lesson by:

1. Praying and asking God to help him/her depend on Him for strength and courage to complete the tasks he/she is given each day.

2. Identifying projects the class can complete to help others learn about God and circumstances that might make it difficult to complete the project.

3. Summarising what Nehemiah and the people did to overcome the difficulties caused by their enemies, Sanballat and Tobiah.


OUTLINE:
1. The Return to Judah – Neh. 2:1-10.
2. The Inspection of the Wall – Neh. 2:11-20.
3. Nehemiah Perseveres in the Work - Nehemiah 4:1-23; 6:15.

INTRODUCTION:
Nehemiah was a cupbearer in the palace of Artaxerxes, king of Persia. One day some men came from Jerusalem to Babylon with the disturbing report that Jerusalem was in bad shape and the city still in ruins. The gates needed to be repaired to prevent a sudden attack on the people.

Nehemiah became very sad. He cried. He went without food and prayed to God for some days to help them in their terrible situation. He remembered that God promised to bring back the people of Judah to their land if they obeyed Him. Nehemiah then asked God to grant him favour in the eyes of the king, as he was planning to make a special request to the king.

READ ALSO>>>Children's Sunday School Lesson 3: Sunday, 16th July, 2023.

LESSON COMMENTARY

1. The Return to Judah - Nehemiah 2:1 -10.
One day, Nehemiah was looking very sad when he brought the king his drink. The king noticed it and asked Nehemiah what was the matter with him. At first, Nehemiah was afraid because in those days it was against the law to appear before the king with a sad face. However, God gave Nehemiah the courage to talk to the king.

Nehemiah explained to the king that he was sad because Jerusalem was in ruins and the gates had been burned down. Rather than being angry, the king listened to what Nehemiah said. He asked Nehemiah what he wanted. Nehemiah begged him to let him go back and rebuild the city of Jerusalem. The king asked how long it would take and Nehemiah told him. The king agreed to let him go. He gave him money, letters of credit, and a military escort. He even promised to let Nehemiah have wood from the royal forest. Nehemiah then set out for Jerusalem.

2. The Inspection of the Wall - Nehemiah 2:11-20.
Soon Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem. After three days Jerusalem, he slipped out late night with a few trustworthy men and one horse to look around the city. He didn't want to draw attention to himself until after he had seen the condition of the city and decided on a plan of work. On looking around, he saw that signs of destruction were everywhere. Everything was broken down but Nehemiah did not give up.

Back in the city Nehemiah called together the people and told them to join him in rebuilding the walls of the city. Everybody wanted to help. As the news of Nehemiah's arrival spread throughout the land, some men were upset by the news. These men were enemies of the people of Israel. Chief among them were Sanballat and Tobiah. They accused Nehemiah of trying to start his own kingdom. But Nehemiah refused to let their teasing stop him from carrying out his project. He told them that they were the servants of God and He would help them rebuild the wall and gates of Jerusalem. He made the enemies understand that they had no part in the project.

READ ALSO>>>Teens Sunday School Unit 1, Study 3: Sunday, 16th July, 2023.

3. Nehemiah Perseveres in the Work - Nehemiah 4:1-23; 6:15.

Nehemiah and the people of Judah have now started rebuilding the wall and gates of Jerusalem. Sanballat and Tobiah were not happy. Sanballat was the governor of Samaria. He and his men gave the Jews a terrible time. They sneered at them, calling them feeble Jews. They mocked and said that the weight of an ordinary fox will break the wall.

When the wall was half its size, the Jews heard that the Samaritans were planning to attack them. Nehemiah quickly posted guards that watched day and night to protect the city. And from that day on, half of the people worked at rebuilding the wall while half did the work of guarding the city. And each worker had a sword by his side.

The enemies of the Jews used many other tricks to make the people stop building but failed. Nehemiah and his people continued to work on the wall. And on the fifty-second day they completed the work in spite of all the threats and problems.

APPLICATION:
Sometimes things in life don't come easily. But God will be our strength. He will help us to do our best until His job is done. God will give us the courage to finish a job we started just as he gave Nehemiah. He will help us overcome obstacles that seem to make it impossible to do a job.

When people make fun of us, God knows where we are. Let us learn to do what is pleasing to Him and then we can trust Him to help us through difficult times.

When we are on the Lord's side, there must be temptations, disappointments, trails, underrating, humiliations, but if we remain faithful to the end God will see us through.

It is important to finish a job even if it becomes hard or other people try to stop us from doing it. If we are doing our best for God, He will help us.

READ ALSO>>>Adults Sunday School Lesson 3: Sunday, 16th July, 2023.

QUESTIONS:
1. Why was Nehemiah sad before the king? He was sad because

(A) He was poor and sick.
(B) His parents had just died.
(C) There was famine in Jerusalem.
(D) Jerusalem was in ruins and the gates had been burned down.

2. What was Nehemiah's reply when their enemies accused Nehemiah of trying to start his own kingdom?

(A) He accused them in return.
(B) He went to war against them.
(C) He told them that they were the servants of God and that He would help them rebuild the wall and gates of Jerusalem, which they had no part in.
(D) Nehemiah stopped the work of rebuilding the temple.

3. What did Nehemiah do on hearing that the Samarians were planning to attack them when the wall was half its size?

(A) Nehemiah ran away from Jerusalem.
(B) Nehemiah attacked the Samaritans.
(C) Nehemiah cried to the Lord
(D) Nehemiah quickly posted guards that watched day and night to protect the city.

4. How many days did it take Nehemiah and the Jews to complete the works of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem?

(A) Fifty-five days
(B) Forty-two days
(C) Ninety days
(D) Fifty- two days.


DAILY BIBLE DOSE
Mon: Time to Rebuild God's Temple - Haggai 2:1-5.
Tues: Destroying God's Temple - 1 Cor 6:12-14.
Wed: You Are God's temple - 1 Cor 6:16 20.
Thurs: Rebuilding a Destroyed Temple - Eph 4:23-32.
Fri: Be a Faithful Builder - Heb 3:4-5.
Sat: Building Yourself - Jude verses 20-22.