Be Like a Tree Planted by the Water In the Sunshine by Linda L. Linn - HTML preview

“Right,” said Kim and then remarked, “Paul wrote Colossians and both letters to the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 13, he reminds us that all things must be done with love.”

A different girl mentioned, “Yes, and I like the idea of God’s peace ruling in my heart.”

“So do I,” agreed June, “and I like the reminder to sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. We do that at church and sometimes in this group.”

The last girl concluded, “It sounds like doing everything in Jesus name and doing it as best we can for him, is very important.”

“I agree,” Karen replied, “and remember we pray the verses on this page asking God to help us and we live our lives by faith, knowing as I paraphrase Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength. So don’t expect yourselves to do all these things perfectly all the time. The Christian life is a process of reaching for goals like the ones on this page and doing the best we can with Jesus helping us.”

William did a similar lesson on the farm.

And Oralie said, “The end.”

Max stated, “I really like the prayer we read together! Could we read it again?”

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The other boys gave thumbs up and Oralie answered, “Of course.”

When they finished Cory requested, “would you please print a copy of the prayer for me? I’d like to pray it for myself at least once a week to remind me and ask for our Father’s help.”

“The same applies for me, agreed, ditto, likewise,” were the requests from the other four boys. Oralie smiled and nodded.

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g rrrre g e e ea a ad a d d tttth d h h he e e e n n ne n e e ex xx xtttt part of “Choose Your Examples” after he had played the songs mentioned at the beginning of the lesson.

This time William chose some songs about Jesus power. He found some good songs on an album sung by Pat Boone. First William played a medley including “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name,” and “We have Power in the Name of Jesus.” Both of them go with Philippians 2:9-11. The second song of the medley contains the words “every knee will bow.” When the songs were finished, he asked Jose to read Philippians 2:9-11.

Jose read it, “God has given Jesus, a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and in earth and under the earth. And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. These are some of my favorite verses.”

William nodded played a song with words that say one day everyone will say, “Jesus is Lord.” He had some boys read and comment on some other verses that went with the song.

One boy read Romans 10:9, “If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. This verse tells what I did when I accepted Jesus as my Savior.”

“Same here,” another boy said, “1 Corinthians 8:6 says, But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we are in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we are by him. To me this means there’s only one Father and one Lord Jesus of everything.”

“I think so too,” remarked Luis, “In John 20:28, when Thomas saw that Jesus had really risen from the dead, he said to him, ‘ My Lord and my God.’ And I’ll bet he was wishing he hadn’t doubted when the rest told him that Jesus was alive.”

“I agree,” said William and then he played “I’m a Child of the King.” They found some verses to go with the song, after he explained that God is the King.

“I really like this verse,” Hugo shared, “John 1:12, to all who did receive him and believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. It proves to me that I’m a child of the King.”

A boy said, “Yes, and Galatians 3:26 is another good proof verse, For you are all the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus.”

 

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“Yes it is,” and then Pedro figured out, “In 2 Corinthians 6:18 God, the King, must be speaking. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.

The last boy read, “Romans 8:16, The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God. Since God’s Spirit lives in us believers, he tells us we are God’s children.”

William commended, “Great job, boys. I like the way you read with good expression and made good comments. We have just enough time to listen to the songs again before you leave today.”

The girls on the ranch enjoyed a similar lesson with Karen.

When he finished reading this lesson, Greg said, “The end.

Daniel observed, “This lesson has some very encouraging verses

to share with a new believer who might not be sure of his salvation or of who Jesus really is.”

“Right,” agreed Kevin, “it’s almost like two short lessons, and we could use the scriptures for either or both cases.”

Max reflected, “I’m going to memorize some of these verses, and the Holy Spirit will help me remember them when they are needed.

“Good idea,” Levi concurred. “Plus for the ones we don’t memorize we could write the references and verses on one of those blank pages at the end of our New Testaments.”

“Definitely,” stated Cory. “And I really like those good songs. Could we listen to them again right now?”

They did listen and sang along with the parts they knew.

F F F Fo o o orrrr a a a a c cc ch h h ha a a an n n ng g g ge e e o e o o offff p p p pa a a ac cc ce e e and place, Oralie read the next part of e

“Choose Your Examples” to the boys as they ate breakfast on a weekend morning.

Karen sent an email to William on the farm. Since we’ve mostly finished with our studies of the first three Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, how would it be to start studying parts of John since it is so different from the other three?

When she checked her email the next day, William had already replied, I think it’s a good idea. We can send ideas to each other as we go along, like we have been doing so far.

So Karen worked on, and finished her first lesson plan and sent a copy to him. Then she taught John 1:1-34 to her girls’ Bible study groups.

First she explained, “Girls, we’re going to study some of the verses in the Gospel of John, so please find the first chapter in that book. Notice that much of this chapter is in black letters. Jesus doesn’t say anything until verse 38, which is after the part we’ll study today. The apostle John is the author. In John 20:30,31 John said, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you might have life through his name. All of us here today believe and we have

 

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life now, which we live for Jesus, and we will have eternal life with him. Now read John 1:1-5 aloud with me.”

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and

the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and nothing was made without him. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Karen continued, “In an earlier lesson we discussed why ‘Word’ is capitalized here and verse 14 explains it clearly, And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Most commentators agree that the Word is Jesus, God’s Son, and therefore everything was created through him. Now that I’ve explained what I think the first three verses and 14 mean, who’d like to tell us what you think verses 4 and 5 mean?”

Lisa admitted, “Those verses are hard to explain, but I think Jesus as the Word, had life in him, and his life here on earth gave light to the people on earth. To me darkness can mean sin causing blindness to the truth, so it couldn’t grasp what the light was.”

“I think so too, Lisa,” then Karen asked, “who’d like to read verses 6-8?”

Nan raised her hand and then read, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for a witness to bear witness of the Light, so all men might believe through him. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.”

Karen said, “Thank you, Nan, now who’ll give a summary of those verses?”

Hanna tried, “God sent John the Baptist to tell about the Light, so all people could believe. Since Light is capitalized, I assume it means Jesus in these verses. The author makes it clear that John was not the Light, but he was a person who would inform others about the Light.”

“Good job, Hanna,” and then Karen asked for a volunteer to read next, and someone to tell what the verses mean.

Emma read verses 9-11, “That was the true Light, which lights every man who comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own did not receive him.”

Christi stated, “I think those verses mean that Jesus was the true Light, and he gives light to all people. He came into the world that first Christmas, but the world didn’t know him even though he had made it himself, and it didn’t receive him.”

“I agree, Christi,” responded Karen and then she chose another reader and commentator.

Liz read verses 12,13, “ But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe

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on his name, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Ellie proposed, “The first word in verse 12 is very important because it tells us some people did receive him, and he gave them power to become his sons born of God.”

“For sure,” replied Karen, “and thank God, we’re all in that number! Now please read verses 19-34 silently, and then I’ll tell you my summary of those verses.”

When they were finished Karen summarized, “John was an honest witness and stated he was not the Messiah, but was sent to make his way straight. He said how much greater the Messiah was than he was, because he existed before John, who was actually born six months before Jesus was. Jesus existed from eternity, but not in human form. The Holy Spirit descended from heaven and rested on Jesus like a dove. This was a sign given to John to know Jesus was the Son of God. I especially like verses 16-18, so Stella, would you read them aloud for us?”

Stella read John 1:16-18. “And from the fullness (of the Word), we have received grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom, or embrace, of the Father has declared him, or made him known.” Then Stella added, “This was an interesting lesson. Thank you, Karen, for teaching us.”

The rest nodded and added their thanks before leaving. Karen was very pleased. It was a joy to know they understood and appreciated the Bible studies.”

Oralie said, “I like the way this lesson ended.”

Cory commented, “The last paragraph you just read is a good reminder to us to thank our teachers for the lessons they teach. And I thank you, Mom, for reading these lessons to us boys.”

The other boys added their thanks and Kevin went on, “I liked the way Karen went to the end of John to include why the book was written, because it was a good reminder for me.”

“I agree,” and Levi continued, “I’m glad John the Baptist was honest about who he was and who Jesus was.”

“Ditto,” said Daniel, “and that he did the job God sent him to do.”

Max stated, “I liked the way Stella thanked Karen for the lesson.”

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g tttto g o olllld o d d tttth d h he h e e e b b bo b o oy o yy ys ss s, “I’m going to read the next part of ‘Choose Your Examples.’ It’s a short lesson, but a good idea.”

William and Karen continued their lessons about parts of the Gospel of John. This time they studied John chapter 3, and William had them find verses they thought would be good to memorize so they could use them to tell others the Good News.

 

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One boy suggested, “I think verses 3-14 would be too hard for most kids our ages to understand.”

“True,” Gary went on, “But I think verses 16-18 would be good ones because Jesus said, For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. The one who believes on him is not condemned, but the one who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

“I agree,” stated another of the boys, “besides, those verses are more familiar. Some kids our ages have probably heard at least the first one before.”

Evan continued, “Yes, and I like what John the Baptist said in verses 23-36, but they wouldn’t mean as much to other kids, except for verses 35 and 36. I’ll read them. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. He who believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe on the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Sam noticed, “The verses Evan and Gary chose are good ones and since the other ones wouldn’t work for kids our ages, it looks like we’re finished with chapter three. Could we look in chapter four and see if there are some more we could memorize from it?”

“Of course,” agreed William. “Take time to read it now and see what you can find.”

Carlos commented, “This is a very good story, and I think if we’d summarize it and memorize verses 41,42, as a way to end the story, it would be meaningful because those verses say, And many more believed because of Jesus own word, and they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of what you said. But we know that this is indeed the Christ the Savior of the world.’ Then we could ask them if they would like to believe in Jesus.”

“I definitely agree with all you boys!” William declared. “I think you did a very good job today, and your homework is to memorize those verses and make a summary of the story in chapter four. At our next meeting you can practice sharing the Good News with a partner who isn’t in your family.”

Greg had finished reading so he said, “The end.”

Max remarked, “The idea in this lesson would work especially well for Tim and me since we are still in eighth grade. Next year we’ll get to use The Life Book like the rest of the kids in high school.”

“Good idea, Max,” stated Kevin, “and the idea is also good for us because we can show kids those verses right in the little books.”

Cory continued, “I agree. William must have taught this lesson before The Life Book was available.”

 

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“Plus,” added Levi, “It would be a good idea for all of us to review or memorize the verses we don’t know and practice with each other so we are ready if we are in a place where we wouldn't use the little book.”

Daniel applauded, “You guys are full of good ideas! Let’s get busy

and then practice with each other.”

O O O Orrrra a a alllliiiie e e rrrre e e e em m m ma a a arrrrk kk ke e e ed d d d, “I’m glad you always bring your Bibles, notebooks and a pen. There are lots of things to write as I read the next part of ‘Choose Your Examples’ to you today.”

Karen and William had their groups look up verses about Jesus as the Son of God, beginning with some in the Gospel of John.

Karen started with John 1:1-4 and 14, which they all read aloud together. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men. … The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Karen explained, “These are important verses, and we have studied them before. As you learned in prior lessons, the Word means the same as Jesus, and he is the only begotten of the Father, which means he is the Son of God. Today I’d like you to look up the scripture I hand to you. Practice it silently and write a comment to share when it’s your turn as we go clockwise around this circle. All of you can follow along as the verses are read, since all of these are in the Gospel of John chapter five.”

She gave them time to follow her directions and then Nan read, “In John 5:17b, Jesus said, ‘ My Father works up to now, and I work.’ He said this to answer the Jews who’d spoken against him healing someone on the Sabbath Day.”

“Yes,” a girl agreed, “since Jesus called God his Father, it means the same as saying Jesus is God’s Son.”

Liz continued, “Right, just like it says in verse 18, Therefore the Jews sought even more to kill him, because he had not only broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”

“Plus,” another girl said, “in verse 19, Jesus said, “ truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do, … the Son does likewise.”

Ellie went on, “True, and verse 20 continues by saying, For the Father loves the Son and shows him all things that he does himself, and he will show the Son greater works than these, so that you may marvel.” Then she said, “The marvelous things Jesus did were to help people to believe in him, but many of them didn’t believe.”

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“For sure,” Lisa concurred, “and that was sad, but Jesus did them anyway, like in verse 21, For as the Father raises up the dead, and restores life to them, the Son also does to the ones he will.”

Another girl nodded and read verse 22, “For the Father does not judge any man, but has committed all judgment to the Son.”

Then Stella stated, I really like verse 23, because Jesus made it so clear what people should do. It says, All men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. Whoever doesn’t honor the Son also does not honor the Father who sent him.”

“Exactly,” agreed a girl and she added, “verse 24 tells the result of verse 23, because it says, Truly I say to you, he who hears my word, and believes on him who sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death unto life.”

“I like that verse,” Christi stated, “The next two verses go together. I’ll read John 5:25,26, Truly I say to you the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live. For as the Father has life in himself, so also he has given to the Son to have life in himself. I’m glad Jesus made it so clear here.”

“So am I,” then Emma went on to say, “verse 30 is also pretty clear even though it doesn’t use the word Son. It says, I cannot do anything on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.”

“Good job, girls,” Karen commended them. “The rest of John chapter 5 also contains more verses where Jesus speaks of the Father sending him. Since we’re almost out of time today in this class, you can look up other references you can find in your concordance if you’d like to continue this study on your own. Besides those in John, you can find many more in some of the other books of the Bible. I’ll see you all the next time.”

Oralie said, “This is the end of this section.”

Kevin stated, “I didn’t remember John chapter five having so many verses about Jesus being the Son of God.”

“The same applies for me,” remarked Cory, “this was a good review for me.”

Max observed, “The girls read some very good verses, and they would be good to use to show someone who says he believes the Bible but doesn’t believe that Jesus could be God’s Son.”

“Right,” agreed Daniel, “and since we always carry our New Testaments with us we will know just where to look.”

Levi declared, “We get some very good ideas for us to use by listening to these lessons.”

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g d g d d diiiirrrre e e ec cc ctttte e e ed d d, “Turn the lights on brightly while I read this part of d

the next lesson from ‘Choose Your Examples’ this evening.”

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On the farm, William started a Bible study lesson about Jesus being the light by doing a review of the lesson they had done earlier on John chapter one.

He instructed, “Look back in your notebooks for the lesson we did on John chapter one. Read your notes and underline the verses that talked about Jesus being the light or that used Light as his name. Be ready to tell me the references.”

After he gave them enough time to follow his instructions, Luis noticed, “John 1:4,5a says, in the Word was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness…”

One boy said, “John 1:6-8 is about John the Baptist being sent to tell about Jesus being the Light.”

“Yes,” Hugo went on, “and John 1:9, which is the next verse says, Jesus was the true Light, which lights every man who comes into the world.”

“Good job, boys,” William stated, “there are some other verses in the gospel of John about Jesus being light. First find John 3:19 and listen as I read it. This is the condemnation, that light (Jesus) has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Notice that I added the word ‘Jesus’ there to clarify the verse. Now Jose, will you please read John 8:12?”

Jose nodded, “John 8:12 says, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ That verse goes well with verses 4 and 5 in chapter one.”

“Yes it does,” then William asked, “who wants to read John 9:5?”

A boy raised his hand, “In John 9:5 Jesus said, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Jesus is still in the world by his spirit who lives in believers.”

“Indeed he is,” agreed William and requested, “Pedro would you please read John 12:46?”

“Yes,” replied Pedro, “In John 12:46 Jesus said, I came as a light into the world, so that whoever believes on me should not abide in darkness. This verse means all of us and everyone else who believes in Jesus. I’m so glad he came so we could believe in him.”

The boys all nodded in agreement.

“I agree too,” William stated, “I think all these verses together give us a good picture of Jesus as light. I’ll see you all next time.”

Karen taught a similar lesson on the ranch.

Greg said, “This is the end of this lesson.”

“The scriptures in this lesson remind me of a song,” Kevin commented and looked in the hymnal. “The title is ‘There is Sunshine in my Soul Today,’ and here’s a summary of the first stanza. The sunshine in my soul is brighter than the sun in the sky, because Jesus is the light.”

 

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Cory agreed, “And Ephesians 5:8, tells us how we should live since Jesus is the light in us. For you were sometimes darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so walk as children of light.

Looking over Kevin’s shoulder, Daniel mentioned, “The other stanzas tell of music, springtime, and gladness in my soul.”

Max noticed, “The song goes with both John 8:12 and 9:5 that were read in the lesson. The light of the world is Jesus!”

“Good thinking, Max,” his brother, Levi, congratulated him. “And I really like the chorus of this song.” So he sang it.

“Right, so let’s go play it and sing it together!” Oralie urged.

Of course, they all agreed.

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g rrrre g e e ea a ad a d d tttth d h h he e e e n n ne n e e ex xx xtttt part of “Choose Your Examples” to the boys while they were eating supper to add variety one evening.

William did a Bible study lesson on the farm about Jesus being like the Father, or as Jesus had said something like, “to see him is to see the Father.” William started with some verses in John and added others. He handed a slip of paper to some of the boys with a scripture reference on it.

He instructed, “I’ll give you a few minutes to find, practice and think about the verse or verses. Be ready to read and make a comment if you have one, but also be able to listen to each other.”

Sam was first, “John 8:19b says, if you had known me, you would have known my Father also. Jesus said this to the Pharisees who were already against him even this early in John’s story.”

A boy said, “Right, and the next one was also said to the Jews who were going to stone him because he said in John 10:30, I and my Father are one.”

“Yes,” and Evan remarked, “when Jesus told the Jews plainly who he was, they either wouldn’t believe him or tried to kill him because of what he said. This first verse I’ll read is like the one Sam read, but this time it was said to his disciples. John 14:7,9b,11a, If you had known me, you would have known my Father also, and from now on you know him and have seen him. … he that has seen me has seen the Father. … Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me…”

“I agree,” another boy said, “then in John 17:11b, Jesus prayed asking the Father, that they may be one as we are. He was praying for the disciples.”

Carlos nodded, “A small part of 2 Corinthians 4:4 states, Christ is the image of God. Paul wrote this about people who had been blinded by the god of this world and wouldn’t see who Jesus was.”

“How sad,” commented a different boy who then read, “Colossians 1:15a says, Jesus is the image of the invisible God. This was written to people who believed in Jesus.”

 

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“I like that verse,” then Gary continued, “it took me three times of reading these next verses to find how they fit with the others. It was hidden part way through. Hebrews 1:2-3a says, God has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed to be heir of all things, and by whom also he made the worlds. His son is the brightness of his glory and is the express image of his person, and upholds all things by the word of his power… I think it is this phrase, who is the express image of his person, and if so, it means Jesus is the image of God. So that makes him equal to God.”

William responded, “I think the same thing, Gary. All you boys did a very good job today. These verses all help to prove that Jesus is who he said he was.”

The girls on the ranch had a similar lesson with Karen.

Greg finished reading at almost the same time as the boys finished eating their supper. They he ate his supper while they completed writing comments about the lesson in their notebooks and shared what they had written.

“This lesson goes well with the one about Jesus being the Son of God,” stated Daniel.

Levi agreed, “Right, and I just don’t know how anyone could read the Bible with an open mind and not agree with those lessons.”

“So,” Kevin decided, “I think I’ll put some of these verses with some from the other lesson and see if they would make a sensible presentation to some person who doesn’t believe that Jesus is who he says he is.”

“Good plan,” said Max, “and I hope you will share it with us.”

“Yes, please do, Kevin,” Cory encouraged.

O O O Orrrra a a alllliiiie e e rrrre e e e ea a a ad d d d tttth h he h e e n e n n ne e e ex xx xtttt part of “Choose Your Examples.” First she explained, “The next several lessons in this short book are from happenings near the end of Jesus, life on the earth.”

Karen and William used verses in John 13, to teach about Jesus as a servant. Karen instructed, “Today we will go on with the study of the Gospel of John. Chapters 13-17 took place just before Jesus’ trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. Please find John chapter 13 and we’ll look at some things that happened at The Last Supper. Listen to John 13:4,5, At the supper, Jesus rose, laid aside his garments, girded himself with a towel, poured water into a basin and washed the disciples feet, wiping them with the towel…

She had the girls read verses 6-13 silently so they’d know what came between these two sets of verses and how Peter had responded to Jesus.

Candy mentioned, “Peter seemed to say a lot of things that either got him into trouble or weren’t the right thing, just like I do at times.”

“Right, Candy,” Karen agreed, “and it’s just like the rest of us also do at times. Now let’s read John 13:14-16 together out loud. Since I,

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your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Truly I say to you, the servant is not greater than his lord, neither is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.”

One of the girls wondered, “Do we really need to wash each other’s feet?”

Karen answered, “I think this custom was something that needed to be done in that culture, so it is hard for us to relate it to ourselves. In Jesus time it was the lowliest of servants who had this job, because the feet wearing sandals on dirty streets or paths got very dirty and needed to be washed often. Nobody had washed any feet before this Last Supper, so Jesus did it himself to teach the disciples they needed to be willing to serve each other by doing even the dirtiest and lowest of jobs.”

“Wow!” Sara exclaimed, “I can understand this so much better now. Thank you for explaining it for us.”

“You're very welcome,” replied Karen. “Now John 13:17 should also make more sense to you. If you know these things and do them, you are happy.

Kim reasoned, “Yes it does, because we can know when we do the hardest jobs for someone because Jesus has said to do it, it can give us joy.”

“Exactly,” Karen responded, “and now we’ll skip to John 13:34,35, where Jesus said, “ A new commandment I give you. Love one another as I have loved you. … By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

June mentioned, “Yes, I think if we can show the world that we love our fellow believers they might want to know the same master.”

“Precisely,” stated Karen, “and now listen to these two verses from other books in the New Testament and notice how different Jesus was from other teachers of his time. Luke 22:27, For which one is greater, he who sits at a meal or he who serves? It is he who sits at the meal, but I (Jesus) am among you as he who serves. And Philippians 2:5,7, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, … He made himself have no reputation, and took on the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man.

One of the other girls mentioned, “Jesus was totally different, because he served all his life and gave his life to save us. The other teachers just wanted people to think how great they were.”

“Yes,” Karen agreed, “and that is what this summary of Mark 10:43b-45 says, Whoever of you desires to be great or foremost among you, should be your minister … or your servant. For even the Son of man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. Let’s sing the song that goes with

 

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those verses. It’s called “Servant of All,” and its tune and words might help us remember this lesson.”

The girls nodded their agreement, sang the song, and thanked Karen as they left since the time was up for today.

At the end of this lesson, Oralie said, “That’s all for this one.”

Cory stated, “I’ll have to admit that it’s hard for me to want to be a servant, especially doing dirty jobs. Jesus was so gracious the way he washed their dirty feet. I’ll need to pray that he will help me.”

“Same here,” and then Daniel suggested, “I guess that doing those kinds of things for people would show them we love them.”

“I agree,” and Levi went on, “and I think loving like Jesus did is even harder than being a servant. His love went all the way to his death on the cross.”

Kevin observed, “Yes, these verses would all be good for me to read just before we take communion in our small group.”

“Perfect!” Max declared, “I’ll put a marker in this place of my notebook so I can find some of them the next time.”

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g w g w w wa a as a ss s g g glllla g a ad a d d that it was his turn to read the next part of “Choose d

Your Examples,” because he enjoyed doing it and hearing his boys’ comments afterward.

William started his next lesson by having them all review John 13:34,35 by reading it aloud. Jesus said, “ A new commandment I give to you. Love one another as I have loved you. … By this all men shall know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Jose exclaimed, “This is a really good commandment, but I think it is very hard to do!”

“Right,” agreed William, “but we can do it with Jesus help. Today I'd like us to use the center reference area and our concordances so we can find more verses about loving one another. Take some time right now to write the references you see that go with these two verses in your notebooks. Then look some of them up and keep bookmarks in the places that you wish to share. Write more references from those verses, and so forth. Then you can check the concordance for any that were missed.”

They all worked busily for about 20 minutes and then one boy read, “Leviticus 19:18b, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Another boy said, “Matthew 19:19b, repeats that commandment.”

Luis commented, “Mark 12:31 also repeats the Leviticus commandment, and so does the last part of Luke 10:27.”

A different boy stated, “Ditto for Romans 13:9.”

Hugo agreed, “And the same goes for the last part of Galatians 5:14, which repeats the same commandment. That commandment is repeated six times in the Bible so far as we have found today, so it must be very important!”

 

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“I agree,” and then Pedro read, “John 15:12,13,17 says, This is my commandment, that you love one another, as if have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. … I command that you love one another. And in John 10:11 Jesus said, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. His love for all the people in the world was greater than any other love I’ve ever heard about.”

“Absolutely!” and then Jose shared, “Those verses go with Romans 5:6b,7,8, At the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet possibly for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. To me this says God’s love is just like Jesus also had.”

“Right, Jose,” and then Luis mentioned, “The concordance listed several that go with loving one another, like 1 John 3:11, For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

Another boy agreed and read 1 John 4:7, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one who loves is born of God and knows God.

“Yes,” continued Hugo, “and 1 John 4:21 says, This is the commandment we have from him, that since we love God, we should love our brother also.”

Then Pedro concluded with, “2 John 1:5b states, … we have this commandment from the beginning, that we love one another.”

William complimented them, “Good job, boys. This was a very good and important lesson. It would be a good idea for all of us to read these verses once in a while and then pray for Jesus to help us do what they say to do. Time’s up for today, so I’ll see you next time.”

Karen did a similar lesson with the girls on the ranch.

When Greg finished this part the stated, “I agree with William. This was a very important lesson.”

“Yes,” and then Daniel echoed, “I agree with Jose that loving like Jesus did is very hard to do.”

“Without a doubt,” agreed Kevin, “And Jesus said it in more than one place so it is very important.”

Levi added, “There were many other verses telling us to love one another, and even that is hard for me to do.”

“Same here,” admitted Max. “So I’m glad William reminded us that we can do it with Jesus to help us.”

“Absolutely!” Cory exclaimed. “So that’s why I need to do what he suggested, and pray asking for Jesus’ help, after reading these verses over once in a while.”

Greg agreed and added, “I found a cross reference for Matthew 19:19b in Matthew 22:36-39. A lawyer asked Jesus, What is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, You shall love

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the Lord your God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. It was a good reminder for me to love God with even more fervor than we do ourselves or our neighbor.”

O O O Orrrra a a alllliiiie e e c e cc ca a alllllllle a e e ed d d tttto d o o tttth o h h he e e e boys, “Come listen as I read the next part of ‘Choose Your Examples.’ It’s a good one.”

Karen began a Bible Study with the girls on the ranch by reading John 14:6 as they followed along. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except by me.”

Liz commented, “I remember you saying that verse when we were talking about some of the names of Jesus in John 1 where it says he is the Word.”

“Right,” replied Karen, “in this case the words aren't used as his name, so they aren't capitalized. Jesus said those words to answer the question Thomas asked in verse 5. Before that Jesus had been encouraging them. Let’s read John 14:1-3, together. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Fathers’ house are many rooms. It it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, so that you also may be where I am.”

Stella remembered, “The disciples were always sad when Jesus told them he would have to suffer and die, so those words should have reassured them.”

“Yes,” agreed Karen, “but many of the things he said just caused them to have more questions, like the one Thomas asked. Now read verses 7 and 8 to yourselves and find the next request.

Lisa stated, “Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father even though Jesus had just said they had seen the Father just by seeing Jesus.”

“Right,” Karen continued, “so Jesus patiently explained it again to him and told him to believe. Next, in verses 12-14 Jesus gave them a very precious promise. Who’d like to read it?

Christi raised her hand and read, “ Truly I say to you, he who believes on me shall also do the works that I do, … and whatever you shall ask in my name, I will do it so the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.”

Nan mentioned, “We got to see that happen when Sara and Candy prayed for Liz and Jesus healed her hand and wrist!”

“Definitely,” Karen concurred, “and it was so wonderful. Then in verses 16 and 17a, Jesus gave them another promise. Who’d like to read it?”

 

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Emma volunteered, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, so he may abide with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth.”

Hanna observed, “That verse has two other names for the Holy Spirit, and we have him too.”

“Indeed,” Karen nodded, “and that’s why this is such a precious promise for us. There’s more about this promise in verse 26.”

Ellie volunteered to read it. “ The Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, shall teach you all things, and remind you of whatever I have said to you. Wow, this verse adds a lot to the promise!”

“Yes it does,” agreed Karen, “and the other important thing in this chapter is in verses 15 and 21. Let’s read them together in closing. If you love me, keep my commandments. He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. He who loves me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will show myself to him.”

“The end of this section,” finished Oralie.

Kevin mentioned, “Jesus said a lot in chapter 14, most of this chapter is in red letters.”

“He sure did,” agreed Levi, “and he made a lot of promises in this chapter also.”

Cory added, “Yes, and I especially like the promise in verse 27, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, not as the world gives … Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.”

“I like it also,” stated Daniel. “I also like the verses in this chapter about the Holy Spirit.”

Max declared, “Same here, and I really like his name, Comforter.”

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g rrrre g e e ea a ad a d d tttth d h h he e e e n n ne n e e ex xx xtttt part of “Choose your Example” to the boys in his family on the farm.

William began a Bible study on John 15, “As we learned earlier, John 13 -17 happened just before Jesus trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. Let’s start by reading John 15:1-8 aloud together. I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes clean so it can bear more fruit. You are now clean through the word I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me and I in him will bring forth much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and is withered. Men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. My Father is glorified if you bear much fruit, proving to be my disciples.

 

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“You boys remember working in the vineyard here on the farm and have seen the branches pruned or some of them cut off, so this part is very clear to you. And all of you realize that the only way a branch can stay alive and bear fruit is if it stays on the vine. Jesus disciples had also seen the same process, so this was a very clear illustration for them also.”

All the boys nodded in understanding.

William continued, “John 15:9-11 explain how to abide in Jesus. who’d like to read it?”

One of the boys volunteered, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Continue in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have spoken these things to you so my joy might remain in you and your joy might be full.”

Sam commented, “Those verses make it clear how to abide in Jesus, and I like the promise of joy that goes with it.”

“So do I,” William agreed, “read verses 12-14 aloud with me to see if it’s easy to do. This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.”

“No way is that easy!” another boy exclaimed, and the others nodded in agreement.

“I agree,” and William also nodded, “but we can do it with the help Jesus gives to us. Skip down to verses 18-20. Who’d like to read these to us?”

Carlos read them, “ If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world it would love you as its own. It hates you because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Remember the word I said to you, the servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have obeyed my saying, they will obey yours also.”

Gary observed, “This isn’t easy for us either, but these verses are good to remember when others make fun of us or make our lives difficult because of what we believe and share with them.”

Again the boys and William nodded, and he said, “In verses 21-25, Jesus explained that the unbelief and hatred of the people fulfilled the prophecy ‘they hated me without a cause,’ as it says in parts of Psalms 38:19 and 69:4.”

Evan remarked, “I guess there have always been people who were persecuted by others for what they believed, like the Old Testament prophets, Jesus himself, and his followers in the New Testament. We can’t expect it to be any better today.”

 

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“For sure,” William concurred, “and we can count it a privilege just like Jesus’ followers did. Chapter 15 closes with verses 26,27. Let’s read them together. But when the comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, who is the Spirit of truth, who comes from the Father, he shall testify of me, and you also shall testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.”

When the boys left, they thanked William for another good lesson, and Karen also taught this lesson to the girls on the ranch.

When Greg finished reading he instructed, Look up and read Matthew 5:10-12. Then he had three boys read a different verse.

Max read verse 10, “ Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Then Levi read verse 11, “ You are blessed when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.”

And last Kevin read verse 12, “ Rejoice and be very glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For they also persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

“Those verses go very well with the part of this lesson about being persecuted,” remarked Cory.

Daniel added, “Yes they do. This lesson contained some very

hard things for us to do. But we already knew it wouldn’t be easy.”

O O O Orrrra a a alllliiiie e e w e w w wo o o on n nd n d de d e e errrre e e ed d d, “How would it be to go sit in the back yard while I d

read the next part of ‘Choose Your Examples’ this evening?”

This idea brought cheers as the boys hurried to get their Bibles, pens, and notebooks and join her outside.

Karen and William did a Bible study in John 16. Karen began, “In the first six verses of John 16, Jesus continued to explain things to his disciples about his departure and how the world would treat them. In verse 7 he said, Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you, but if I depart, I will send him to you. Verse 8 tells what the Comforter would do. Who’d like to read it?”

One of the girls volunteered, “ And when he comes he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.

“Thank you,” then Karen went on, “That verse and 9-11 tell what he will do in the world. Then verses 13,14 tell what he will do in believers. Read them aloud with me. …When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatever he shall hear is what he shall speak. And he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you.”

One girl commented, “I remember hearing in some of the other teaching times that the Holy Spirit helps us to understand God’s word as we read it.”

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“Yes,” June continued, “and we’ve learned in these classes that he can also speak to us or to others, through somebody in a word of knowledge or wisdom.”

Candy remembered, “Plus, there’s a verse where Jesus says to not worry about what you’ll say in certain situations, because the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say.”

“Right,” another girl agreed, “Luke 12:12 is a verse like that.”

Karen commended them, “Good comments, girls. Next read verses 16-32, and notice how well Jesus understood his disciples.”

When they were finished, Karen instructed, “Now look at verse 33. I want you to listen to it as if Jesus is speaking to you personally. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.”

Sara prayed, “Thank you, Jesus for this precious promise. It’s especially good for us girls who are going to leave the ranch soon.”

“I agree, Lord, “Kim went on, “we know the world is not as nice as this wonderful ranch, so we will have hope in this promise.”

A different girl added, “Jesus, your peace and knowing that you have overcome the world will be a great comfort.”

“Definitely,” the other girl stated, “we thank you for all we’ve learned from our parents here on the ranch and from Karen.”

Karen concluded, “Plus I thank you, Jesus, that these girls are such good learners that they are prepared to go live for you in the world and tell others about the Good News also. We all pray in Jesus precious name.”

And they all said, “Amen.”

Oralie stated, “We’ve heard that those girls are definitely doing a good job ‘out in the world’ and Jesus is helping them. In fact you all know that the Kim in this lesson is now living right here on this farm as Gary’s wife and they are raising four foster boys.”

“Right,” agreed Cory, “and I heard that Sara and Candy are foster mothers on the ranch now also. Our Evan is Candy’s husband. June is working on an equine therapy ranch to help people with various problems, and so is our Sam. Both of them remained single.

Kevin went on, “All those people are doing a good job of living for Jesus, along with Jose who is now on the ranch, married to Lisa and they already have four girls assigned to them. Hugo married Ellie from the ranch and they are living here on the farm with four foster boys to raise.”

“Right,” and Daniel added, “Pedro and Luis will soon be chaplains, and I haven’t heard about the others from the ranch and the farm, but I would imagine they are doing well also,” he reasoned.

“I agree,” and then Levi commented, “I think this lesson was a very helpful one about the Holy Spirit.”

 

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“Same here,” and Max added, “I’m grateful we have the Holy Spirit living in us and we have all of Jesus’ promises.”

IIIItttt w w wa w a a as ss s ttttiiiim m me m e e e ffffo o o orrrr a a a an n n evening Bible study, so Greg read the next part n

of “Choose Your Examples” as soon as the boys were seated with their Bibles, pens, and notebooks. First he had them read John 17 to themselves, because William had his class read it that way.

William had the boys look up and read all of John 17 silently. Then he said, “This was a prayer Jesus prayed to his Father shortly before he died on the cross. Let’s read verse 3 together. This is life eternal that men might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

One boy commented, “I like that definition of eternal life.”

“So do I,” Sam agreed, “and I like the next verse where Jesus says, ‘ I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work you gave me to do.’ It reminds me how important it is to finish our work.”

William nodded, “Same here, and the middle part of the prayer is where Jesus prays for his disciples. Next, let’s look closely at verses 20-24 and also find cross references to go with them, since they relate more to us.”

The boys took turns reading verses and commenting.

Evan read John 17:20,21, “I don't pray for these alone, but for those also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. This is a good way believers can prove that Jesus was sent to the world by the Father.”

Another boy read a cross reference in Romans 12:5, “ So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another, and Galatians 3:28b, … you are all one in Christ Jesus. I think this means that believers are in unity.

“I agree,” and then Carlos read, John 17:22,23, The glory you gave me, I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them as you have loved me.

Gary noted, “verse 22 goes well with John 1:14, The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. In heaven we’ll get to see Jesus face to face just like his disciples did.”

A different boy stated, “Yes, and Jesus asked for that in John 17:24, Father, I desire that those you have given to me be with me where I am, so they may behold my glory which you gave me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

The last boy read 1 John 3:2, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that

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when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. This is another promise that it will happen, just like Jesus said it would.”

William applauded them, “Those are good verses and comments. When your vacation starts next week it would be a good idea to read John 13-17 again. It will help you as you observe Resurrection Day this year. Also read the rest of the Gospel of John, because it tells the rest of the story of Jesus’ time on earth. Focus especially on John 20 and 21. Thank Jesus for all he did and went through to pay for our sins and provide our salvation. I think it will help you to rejoice more on the day we celebrate his resurrection.”

After he finished reading, Greg reminded, “This lesson was first done very close to Easter / Resurrection Day, but it is a good lesson for any time of the year.”

“I agree,” stated Levi, it helped me see how much he loved his disciples and the rest of those who would believe in him.”

“Exactly,” agreed Cory, “and I remember that Jesus is in heaven right now interceding for us and since he knows everything, then he knows just what to pray for each of us.”

Max declared, “What a good encouraging thought to remember everyday while we are at school!”

“Yes it is,” and Kevin went on, “I like verse 24, because Jesus said he wants believers to be where he is.”

And Daniel concluded, “And when that happens, we will get to see Jesus and we will be like him.”

O O O Orrrra a a alllliiiie e e e e e e ex xx xp p plllla p a aiiiin a n ne n e e ed d d d,,,, IIII g g g ge e e etttt tttto o o o read the next segment of ‘Choose Your Examples,’ because it’s a Bible study done by two women.

When Ruth told her dad, William about her studies with Maria, he asked her to type them up and give their permission so he could use them in the book, “Choose Your Examples.”

Ruth and Maria planned to find prophecies fulfilled about Jesus so they could discuss them at lunch the week before Passover. On Mercy Valley Ranch and Farm, Karen and William did similar lessons with their Bible Study students.

First Ruth and Maria read Acts 3:18, God showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ would suffer, and it was fulfilled.

Ruth admitted, “This was a hard Bible study for me, because I don’t like to think about the horrible things people did to Jesus.”

“I agree,” and Maria nodded. “But since we're both reading through the Bible, we’re interested to see how the prophecies in the Old Testament were fulfilled. Now I’m even more grateful to Jesus.

“Definitely,” stated Ruth, “so am I. The first thing I found was that God, who created everything and everyone, chose one man, Abraham, then one nation, Israel, and rescued them from slavery in Egypt, as we’ve already read in Genesis and Exodus.”

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“Right, and Acts 13:16-39 has a very good summary including what you just said, along with more of their history.” Then Maria continued, “Deuteronomy 7:8a says, God did it because he loved them and would keep the oath he had sworn to their fathers. This is not a prophecy, but it is very important history.”

Ruth went on, “Yes, and the book of Joshua, the history of how God overthrew the nations in Canaan, and gave their land to Israel as their inheritance, is also important.”

“Correct,” Maria acknowledged, “and then they had judges until they asked for a king. Saul was king for 40 years, then God chose David, who would do what God desired him to do.”

Ruth added, “Indeed, and David was chosen by God to receive this promise in 2 Samuel 7:12,14a, When your days are fulfilled and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you … and I will establish his kingdom… I will be his father, and he shall be my son. This is why the genealogy of Jesus goes back through David and ultimately to God himself.”

“Exactly!” declared Maria. “We already went through a lot of prophecies that were fulfilled for Jesus at his birth when we talked before Christmas. So I’ll skip over to Malachi 4:5, which says, Behold I, the Lord, will send you Elijah, the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”

Ruth went on from there, “Yes, and Isaiah 40:3, was quoted in Luke 3:4 as being fulfilled by John the Baptist, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Then Jesus clearly said in Matthew 11:11-14 that John the Baptist was Elijah who was to come. And in Matthew 17:12,13 he said, I say to you that Elijah already came and they did not know him, but have done to him what they liked. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer by them. Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them about John the Baptist.”

Maria observed, “Those verses make it very clear. Then Acts 13:27 says, … the people and their rulers in Jerusalem did not know who Jesus was, nor did they know the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, but they fulfilled them by condemning Jesus.”

“Absolutely!” exclaimed Ruth. “Here are some of the prophecies in Isaiah 53:3-7a,9,12b that were fulfilled, He (Jesus) was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief … Surely he has borne our sorrows, … he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth, … he was brought as a lamb to

 

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the slaughter … he made his grave with the rich in his death … He was numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sin of many …”

“Wow!” declared Maria, “Right there are many of the things that happened to Jesus during the Passover week. Isaiah 50:6 adds, I gave my back to those who smite, … I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”

Ruth added, “Exodus 12:46 said to not break a bone of the lamb they killed for the Passover, and in John 19:36 it was fulfilled, because they didn’t break any of Jesus bones.”

“Right,” said Maria, “then there are several more that were fulfilled from Psalm 22:1a,7,8,14-16,18, My God, my God, why have your forsaken me? All that see me laugh me to scorn … they shake the head saying, he trusted in the LORD, let him deliver him. … I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint, … my strength is dried up … and my tongue cleaves to my jaws, … they pierced my hands and my feet. … They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. All of that and more happened to Jesus in Matthew 27.”

Ruth observed, “It’s no wonder the disciples had so much grief when they saw these things happen to their leader, especially when they expected him to become the king.”

“Precisely,” Maria stated, “We know the end of the story, but they didn’t. Let’s talk about the prophecies fulfilled for his resurrection next week.”

Ruth nodded, “Yes, let’s do. I’m so glad we know how the story ended, and we are not grieving like they did.”

“The end,” said Oralie when she finished.

Cory remarked at the end of reading, “This was a very good collection of Old Testament scriptures that were fulfilled by what the people did to Jesus during the Passover.”

“Yes,” agreed Daniel, “I’ve heard that verses like these can be good to use with the Jews, who only believe in the Old Testament.”

Levi went on, “Definitely, and they can help other people who believe that the Bible is true, but have not understood the Good News.”

“I’m also glad that we didn’t have to grieve like the disciples did,” Max remarked.

Kevin nodded. “For sure. They must have had two very sad days before he was raised from the dead and appeared to them.”

O O O Orrrra a a alllliiiie e e rrrre e e e em m m ma a a arrrrk kk ke e e ed d d d, “The same two women continued their Bible study in this next segment of ‘Choose Your Examples,” as you will see when I read it.”

Ruth and Maria were talking as they ate lunch the Monday after Resurrection Day.

 

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Maria observed, “It seemed very strange to celebrate Jesus resurrection on Saturday instead of Sunday.”

“I agree,” Ruth nodded, “but we’ll get used to it. I liked reading and looking for prophecies about Jesus resurrection this week better than what we did last week!”

“Same here,” and Maria noted, “I liked the way Jesus told the disciples about what would happen in Matthew 20:17-19, As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem and I will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and they shall condemn me to death and deliver me to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify, and the third day I shall rise again.”

“Indeed,” remarked Ruth, “it was like a prophecy, and then it was fulfilled shortly thereafter.”

“Exactly,” said Maria, “and even during his arrest, Jesus mentioned two times, in Matthew 26:54 and 56, that the things that were happening, were the way the scriptures were being fulfilled.”

“Yes,” Ruth commented, “as I was reading Luke 24, I noticed in verses 7and 8, the angels reminded the women who had come to the tomb that Jesus had told them what was going to happen while they were still in Galilee, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ Then the women remembered and believed.”

“Yes, but,” Maria continued, “the disciples didn’t believe the women’s report, especially the two going to Emmaus. They had basically given up and were going home. Jesus graciously went to them and in verse 27 he explained how Moses and all the prophets had written scriptures about things that would happen to him.”

Ruth went on, “Right, and when he appeared to the disciples that same evening he reminded them in verse 44, These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me.”

Maria noticed, “Jesus mentioned the psalms there and I found Psalm 16:10b The LORD will not let his Holy One see decay.”

“Perfect,” stated Ruth, and I found verse 47 in Acts 13, that fulfills Isaiah 49:6b, I will give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”

Maria continued, “Then in Romans 1:1b-4 Paul said, the gospel of God was promised before by God’s prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was of the seed of David according to the flesh. He was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

“Oh,” Ruth declared, “what a great verse to prove the resurrection

to people!”

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“Yes it is,” then Maria prayed, “thank you Jesus for being willing to come and rescue the people you created.”

Ruth added, “Yes, we praise and worship you, Jesus!”

When she finished reading, Oralie noted, “This is the end of this part, and I agree, it was a much happier topic than the other one.”

“It sure was,” and then Daniel commented, “I found some cross- references that might go with the Matthew 20:17-19 scripture. Would you guys look them up and read them?

They nodded and Cory was first. “Earlier in Matthew 16:21, it says, … Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”

“Right,” agreed Max, “and in just the next chapter, 17:22,23, it says, And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said to them, the Son of and shall be betrayed into the hands of men. They shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceedingly sorry.”

Levi continued, “Luke 9;22, says, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain and be raised the third day.”

Kevin concluded, “Mark 8:31 says almost the same thing, so I won’t read it aloud, but what is interesting to me is that the disciples remembered all the bad parts but completely missed that he would be raised again the third day. Maybe they didn’t know what that phrase meant. We’re blessed that we have the whole book that explains what happened and therefore we know what Jesus meant.”

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g rrrre g e e ea a ad a d d tttth d h h he e e e n n ne n e e ex xx xtttt p p p pa a a arrrrtttt of “Choose Your Examples.” It’s a new one, written just for the short book.

During their next classes, William and Karen reminded their students, “Remember part one of this book is only a beginning of how you can keep learning about Jesus and his example for us to follow. Here are just a few verses to help you keep going. Then you can find some more on your own. In fact, these next scriptures might help to convince you that Jesus is the best example for you to choose. Find them and follow along.”

John 13:15, Jesus said, I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

Romans 8:29, … God predestined us to conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

1 John 3:1-3, Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know him. Beloved, we are now the sons of God and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when Jesus shall appear, we shall be

 

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like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

1 Peter 2:21b,22,23,… Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow in his steps. He did not sin, neither was guile (slyness) found in his mouth. When Jesus was reviled, he did not revile again, and when he suffered, he did not threaten…

“Most importantly, Jesus is not just a story, he’s reality! His life on earth really happened. He existed before and after his life on earth, and of course he is alive now, interceding for us in Heaven. And he will return to earth to take believers to be with him, and he and will be alive for eternity as King of kings and Lord of lords.

“The songs mentioned next have good lyrics to read or sing about Jesus. ‘Sing Me a Song About Jesus,’ says to sing about his love, grace, and victory over death and that he is coming to take us to heaven. ‘It’s Not Just a Story,’ says the world needs to hear about Jesus and know how he can save them. “Tell Me the Story of Jesus,” goes with Acts 8:35,… he began at the same scripture and preached to him Jesus. The lyrics tell his story from birth, through his life, then on the cross and buried, and then was raised to life again.

“I also like the song, ‘I Will Sing the Wondrous Story,’ because I believe in Him and all he did for us while he was on earth. ‘Tell Me the Old Old Story,’ goes with 1 John 4:19, We love him, because he first loved us. And ‘Oh How I Love Jesus,’ goes with 1 Peter 1:8, Whom having not seen, you love, and though you do not see him now, yet since you believe, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory…

“Look in a hymnal or on the web for more songs about Jesus. Many of them are as good as hearing a sermon.”

At the end Greg observed, “This section didn’t have comments from boys so I’m glad I’ll get to hear your comments, boys.”

Max said, “I think John 13:15 goes very well with the lesson and with the title of the short book.”

“I agree,” stated Kevin, “And I especially like verse two of 1 John chapter 3 because it states that we will be like Jesus when he returns.”

“So do I, because it is a precious promise,” and then Cory added, “Plus verse three goes on to tell us to purify ourselves like Jesus is pure.”

“Right,” and Daniel mentioned, “1 Peter 2:21b,22,23 is not a happy scripture, but it does tell us beforehand to expect to suffer some things like Jesus did, and to follow his example.”

“You’re right,” agreed Levi, “and 1 Peter 1:8 is happier because it reminds me I can love Jesus now and rejoice.”

Greg responded, “Thank you for your comments, boys. Now how about doing what William suggested right now, using your hymnals to find some more songs about Jesus?”

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They got busy right away and Levi found “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee.” He said, “I like this one because it says just thinking about Jesus can fill us with sweetness and longing to see his face. He gives us hope and joy because of his love.”

“I like that one also,” and then Daniel followed with “What a Wonderful Savior!” He stated, “This hymn has four verses that are like a person’s testimony about how Jesus made atonement so we are redeemed by Jesus blood. He cleansed our hearts from all sin and rules in there now. He gives us power to win. It has the words of the title at the end of every line and two more times in the refrain.”

Kevin agreed, “It’s a good hymn and ‘Fairest Lord Jesus” is another good one. It reminds me of Psalm 148, because it tells all the things in creation to praise the LORD, their creator. The last stanza of the hymn is a great way to praise Jesus. Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise adoration, now and forever more be yours!”

“Perfect!” Cory exclaimed. “I found ‘How sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.’ It is a good one to sing or read when a believer has had a hard day to remind him that Jesus can heal wounds and bring calm. The fourth stanza tells who Jesus is and praises him as my shepherd, brother, friend, prophet, priest, king, Lord, my life, my way, my end.”

Max nodded and shared, “I found the chorus, ‘His Name Is Wonderful.’ It tells that Jesus is Lord, the mighty king, Master, the rock of ages, Almighty God, and he deserves worship and love. I’d like to suggest that we use some of the songs in this lesson and some that we have just found, for our ministry times in the park after we practice them enough. I like the way we can use our guitars in our ministry times.”

Oralie smiled at all of them and complimented, “Those are great songs you guys, and Max, I agree with your suggestion.”

 

P P P Pa a a arrrrtttt T T Tw T w wo w o o o o o o offff,,,, ““““C C Ch C h h ho o o oo o o os ss se e e e Y Y Yo Y o ou o u u urrrr E E E Ex xx xa a a am m m mp p p plllle e es e ss s,,,,””””

T T T Th h h he e e e ffffo o o ollllllllo o o ow w w wiiiin n ng n g g g s ss sc cc ce e e en n n ne e e es ss s in Part Two of, “Choose Your Examples,” were not copied from other books in the Sunshine series but are new scenes, using Karen and the ranch girls, and William and the farm boys, with comments and questions by those and other people, so they could be like the scenes about Jesus life and his work.

Greg was ready to read the next section of “Choose Your Examples.” His boys were there with Bibles, notebooks, and pens, and they were ready to listen.

In order to get the boys in his home ready for a Bible study lesson about Joseph, William asked them to read the story about him in Genesis chapters 37,39,45,47, and 50. The next day he asked each one to write a summary of a certain portion, which they would read

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the third day and he and the boys could make comments or ask questions whenever the reader got to the end of a sentence.

Carlos prefaced his reading with a comment. “This whole story was like an adventure mystery. I couldn’t even begin to guess what might happen next! Here’s my summary of Genesis 37:14-28,36, Jacob sent Joseph, his favorite son, to check on his brothers and the flocks. His brothers conspired against him because of his dreams. First they were going to kill him but then decided to sell him to some merchants who took Joseph to Egypt where he was sold to the captain of the guard. But in Genesis 39:2-5a it says, And the LORD was with Joseph … and made all that he did prosper… He was made the overseer of his masters house, and the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.”

Evan commented, “Jacob’s family did not sound like a very nice one, because of favoritism, disgust, and wanting to get even. But the LORD made the bad things work out well for Joseph.”

Carlos nodded and went on reading, “But then came Genesis 39:7-23. Here’s a summary, The master’s wife tried to get Joseph to go to bed with her, but each time he said no, and finally she grabbed his garment to try to make him do it, but he got out of it and fled. Later, she lied to her husband saying that he came in to go to bed with her, but she shouted and he left his garment and ran away. Joseph’s master put him in prison. But even in prison, the LORD was with him and prospered all he did there.”

Gary exclaimed, “I sure would not want a wife like her! She was unfaithful and a liar on top of it. But Joseph remained pure and was true to his employer even though prison was the result.”

“Right,” agreed Sam, “she reminds me of that horrible woman described in Proverbs 7:10-23. Dad, I’m glad you have taught us how important it is to stay pure and away from women like her.”

“Same here,” Evan said, “and now it’s time for my summary of Genesis chapters 40 and 41, through verse 52. In prison, Joseph interpreted dreams of a baker and a butler and it happened as he had interpreted. Then Pharaoh had a dream but none of his magicians and wise men could interpret it. The butler finally remembered about Joseph and told Pharaoh.

“So Pharaoh sent for him and Joseph said to him, ‘God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.’ After the dream was told, Joseph interpreted it, ‘What God is about to do, he showed to Pharaoh. Behold there will be seven years of great plenty in Egypt, and after them there shall be seven years of famine, and the plenty shall be forgotten…’ Then Joseph advised, ‘Let Pharaoh … appoint officers over the land and take in one fifth of the food and store it in the cities. … Then they can use the stored up food during the famine…’

“Pharaoh chose Joseph to be second in command to him and do all he had said to do. He also gave him fine clothes, a gold chain to

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wear, a chariot, and a wife. Joseph was now thirty years old and he went and gathered the food during the years of plenty. During this time he also had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.”

“I think Pharaoh was smart to choose Joseph to carry out his own suggestion,” Carlos remarked and then added, “Finally Joseph’s life was much happier for him.”

“I think so too,” agreed Gary. “This is my summary of Genesis 41:53-45:27 When the famine came, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold food to the people of Egypt and to other countries who came to buy it. Jacob sent ten of his sons from Canaan to buy food in Egypt. Joseph recognized them, but they did not know him. He found out from them that his father and younger brother were alive, and he sold food to them.”

Gary interrupted his reading to explain, “I left out of my summary, all the things Joseph did that involved his brothers. That part sure did add a lot more mystery to the story. My opinion is that he was testing them to see if they were telling the truth.”

Then he continued reading, “When they came back the next time, Joseph sent all the others out of the room and made himself known to his brothers. ‘I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. Now therefore do not be grieved nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God did send me before you to preserve life.’ He went on to say there would be five more years of famine, so they were to bring his father and come live in the land of Goshen and he would take care of them all. Pharaoh heard of it and agreed, sending provision and wagons to bring them to Egypt. When Jacob heard that Joseph was alive and had sent for him, his spirit was revived.”

Sam remarked, “That would have been a happy ending to the story, but there is more. Here’s my summary of Genesis 47:1-12. When they arrived in Egypt, Joseph presented five of his brothers to Pharaoh and they requested to dwell in the land of Goshen. He agreed and said they would also care for his cattle. Joseph brought Jacob to Pharaoh, who asked how old he was. Jacob told him and then blessed Pharaoh. So Joseph placed his father and his brethren in the best of the land of Egypt and there he nourished all of that household. The rest of chapters 47-49 are about some of their time in Egypt.

“Then in Genesis 50, Jacob, died and was mourned for 40 days and then Pharaoh’s servants, … and Joseph and his brothers went to bury Jacob in the land of Canaan. When they returned to Egypt his brothers talked to Joseph in verses 16b-21, Your father did command before he died, so shall you say to Joseph, ‘Forgive, I pray you now the trespass of your brothers and their sin, for they did evil to you.’ And now we pray you, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father… His brothers fell down before his face and said they were his servants. Joseph told them, Do not fear… As for you, you

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thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, … to save much people alive. Now therefore do not fear, I will nourish you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

Gary declared, “To me, that is the most amazing part of the whole story, because the brothers really apologized and Joseph repeated his forgiveness. He didn’t hold a grudge or try to get revenge. I hope I can always be pure like he was and able to forgive others.”

William was very pleased with their summaries and the comments they made, therefore, he told them so.

When he finished reading Greg said, “This is the end of this long section.”

Max commented, “The story about Joseph is a long one, and I agree that it is like an adventure mystery.”

“For sure,” and Levi added, “and it seemed like bad things just kept happening to Joseph.”

“True,” continued Daniel, “and when I read that whole story in the Bible, I didn't notice any places where it mentioned how he reacted when bad things did happen to him. I guess it wasn’t an important part of the story.”

Kevin added, “But it did say that The LORD made all he did prosper. So he must have just kept doing what he needed to for each situation.”

“That was a good quality he had,” and Cory went on to say, “I would like to have that quality along with the way he forgave his brothers for what they had done.”

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g w g w w wa a as a ss s rrrre e e ea a a ad d dy d yy y tttto o o rrrre o e e ea a a ad d d d the next part of “Choose Your Examples.” As soon as they had helped with the clean-up after supper and had finished their other chores, they all met in the living room and he started.

William began this lesson saying, I’m going to introduce Joshua to you today. We’ll use various references. Joshua’s life spans several books in the Old Testament. As a young man, he was a servant to Moses as it says in Exodus 33:11b, Moses servant, Joshua, … a young man, stayed in the tabernacle. I’ll hand out some summaries or verses and you will read yours when it’s your turn as we go clockwise around the circle. You guys can comment or ask questions as we go.

Pedro read this summary of Numbers 13:17-14:5, “Moses sent a group of twelve men went to see Canaan and the people in it. Ten of the group brought an evil report, saying that the land was good but they were sure that they could not win against the giants in the land. The people cried and complained and wanted to go back to Egypt.” And then Pedro remarked, “Those people complained a lot. I hope I can remember to be thankful instead.”

 

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One of the boys agreed and went on, “Numbers 14: 6-9 says, But Joshua and Caleb, who had gone with the group tore their clothes and said, The land … is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD, neither fear the people of the land, … for the LORD is with us, so do not fear them. Those two had faith that God would help them.”

Jose declared, “It would take great faith and courage to stand against ten of your peers! Then he read this summary of Numbers 14:10-38, “Moses prayed for the LORD to forgive the people and he did pardon them, but their punishment would be for them to wander in the wilderness for forty years until all those above twenty years old had died, except for Joshua and Caleb.” Then he reasoned, “I guess the LORD can pardon, but some people might still have to suffer the consequences for their sins.”

Another boy nodded seriously and said, “Here’s a summary of Numbers 27:15-23. Before Moses died, he asked the LORD to set another man over the people. The LORD said to take Joshua, … a man in whom is the spirit, … set him before Eleazar the priest and before the congregation and to lay his hands on him and give him a charge, as the LORD had commanded.” Then the boy noticed, “This had to be many years later and the LORD knew Joshua would be a good leader to take Moses’ place.”

“I agree,” and Luis added, “I remember that in the Bible says somewhere that God knows all about us. Now I’ll read this summary of Joshua 1:1-9, The LORD spoke to Joshua, telling him to go over the Jordan with the people of Israel to take possession of the land the LORD had promised their fathers. God would be with him and not fail or forsake him, and repeated three times for Joshua to be strong and courageous and to observe and do all the law said to do. And I know that when something is repeated in the Bible, it means it’s important.”

A different boy read this summary of chapters one through eleven in the book of Joshua, “The LORD led Joshua and showed the people that he was with Joshua as he was with Moses. Joshua obeyed all God said to do. The LORD did many miracles and helped in the conquest of the land. I think the most important part of this summary is that Joshua obeyed God.”

Hugo stated, “Yes and therefore, because he obeyed God, and God helped in the conquest of the land, Joshua 11:23 says, So Joshua took the whole land according to all that the LORD said to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.”

One other boy finished this lesson by saying, “After many more years, near the end of the book of Joshua when he was getting very old, Joshua said in 24:15, … choose this day whom you will serve, … but as for me and my house we will serve the LORD. I think Joshua

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lived a long, busy life of serving the LORD and that he was going to continue doing it.”

Greg said, “That is the end of this excellent lesson.”

“I learned a lot about Joshua that I didn’t know before hearing this lesson,” declared Kevin.

The boys nodded their agreement and Max went on, “I like the way Joshua started serving the LORD as a young man and continued it all through his life.”

“Definitely,” Levi went on, “plus he was bold enough to take a stand with Caleb against their peers, even though they didn’t change their minds.”

Daniel admitted, “I wonder if I could have done what he did. He

and Caleb lived on and both went into the promised land. In fact, Joshua was God’s chosen leader.”

“Exactly,” agreed Cory, “I think his whole life was full of an ongoing decision to serve and obey God. Furthermore God was always with Joshua just as he had promised those three times.”

O O O Orrrra a a alllliiiie e e w e w w wa a a as ss s h h h ha a a ap p pp p p py p yy y that she got to read the next part of “Choose Your Examples” to her boys. It was about two of her favorite Bible characters.

Karen started a lesson one day by saying, “Ruth is a good example of qualities that we might want to choose to put into our lives. I’ll hand out some summaries I made of parts of the book. Take time to read them and write a comment or question to go with the one you get.

Sara was first. “Here’s a summary of Ruth chapter 1. After moving to Moab from Bethlehem, because of food was very scarce, Naomi’s husband died and her two sons married women of Moab, but later the two sons died also, so Naomi decided to go back to Bethlehem. She told her two daughter’s-in-law to return to their own families. One of them did, but Ruth said in Ruth 1:16-17a,… Do not entreat me to leave you … for wherever you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge, your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die and there I will be buried… To me these two verses show how determined Ruth was and so Naomi let her go with her.”

Candy was next “This is a summary of Ruth 2:1-14. Boaz was a kinsman of Naomi’s husband who had died. Boaz was wealthy. After being in Bethlehem for a while, Ruth asked Naomi if she could go to a field and gather fallen grain. Naomi told her to go. So Ruth went and happened to glean in a field belonging to Boaz. When Boaz came he asked the reapers who the other maiden was. They said she was the one from Moab who had come back with Naomi, and that she had asked permission to glean, and had worked from the morning until now.

 

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“Boaz spoke to Ruth telling her to not go glean in another field but to stay here with his maidens, and to drink the water that was there. He told his young men not to touch her. He also told her to come eat with them at mealtime. She humbly thanked him and he also complimented her for the kindness she had done for Naomi. I think this summary shows that Ruth was industrious, humble and obedient. It also shows how kind, generous and caring Boaz was.”

“I agree,” said Kim and then she read a summary of Ruth 2:17-23. “At the end of the day she took home to Naomi the amount she had gleaned. Naomi was pleased. Ruth continued gleaning through the barley and wheat harvests. I think it must have been hot, exhausting work, but she kept at it. Next is a summary of Ruth 3:1-4:12. Naomi thought of a plan to help Ruth and told Ruth what to do. It must have seemed very strange to Ruth, but she did it. Then Boaz did his part as the kinsman redeemer, which also seems strange to our culture. He bought all that had belonged to Naomi’s husband and sons and it also included Ruth to be his wife in order to continue that family’s inheritance.”

June commented, “This has been an exciting and unusual story, and there is some more of it in these verses of Ruth 4:13-17. So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife, and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception and she bore a son. The women said to Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you without a kinsman (redeemer)… He shall be for you a restorer of your life and will nourish your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, and is better to you than seven sons, has born him. And Naomi took the child and laid it in her bosom and became nurse to it. The women and her neighbors gave it a name saying, There is a son born to Naomi. They called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse who is the father of David. All of those are ancestors of Jesus. I think all the things Ruth did without knowing how things would turn out, are amazing!”

“Same here,” agreed Karen. “I’m glad this story has such a happy ending, and that we can learn so much by just reading about it. It would be easier now for you to read and understand the whole short book in the Bible now that you have read and listened to these summaries. And maybe you will choose some of these good qualities you can add to your lives.”

When she finished Oralie said, “I really like this story. Ruth and Boaz were truly honorable people.”

“I like it too,” and Max added, “I would like to be as nice as Boaz.

Daniel tacked on, “Yeah, and it would be nice to be wealthy

enough to be able to do what he did for that family.”

“Correct,” conceded Levi, “I guess it would take both to make it work.”

 

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Cory continued, “Ruth was an amazing person. I’d like to find one as good as she was, because she would make a good wife.”

“I hope you can, Cory!” Kevin declared. “Now that you have finished high school, you get to start thinking about things like that.”

Cory nodded and smiled at Kevin.

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g w g w w we e en e n n ntttt w w w wiiiitttth h h h h h h hiiiis ss s b b bo b o o oy yy ys ss s outside for a fun time in the snow before reading the next part of “Choose Your Examples.”

William had assigned homework in 1 Samuel to the boys in his classes and asked them to make summaries of the verses or chapters he had assigned to each one. They would be ready to read and also make comments or ask questions after the summaries.

The first boy thought, “I’m glad I get to go first. Then I’ll get to listen and take notes on the other ones.” Then he said, Here is my summary of 1 Samuel 1:11-28. Hannah was very sad, because she had not been able to have a child, so she prayed and told the LORD that if he would give her a male child, she would lend him to the LORD as long as he lived. So when her son was born, she gave him the name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. Then when Samuel was weaned she took him to Eli, the priest, in the house of the LORD. She explained to Eli about her prayer and the LORD’s answer.”

Next he made his comments, “I noticed that she had great faith, because she believed Eli when he said to go in peace… and she was no longer sad. Later, she did exactly as she had said she would. I think that would have been a very hard thing for a mother to do.”

“For sure!” Evan exclaimed. “I made a summary of 1 Samuel 2:18-20,26. So Samuel ministered before the LORD and every year his mother made him a coat and brought it to him when they came to offer the yearly sacrifice. One of those times Eli blessed Hannah and her husband, and God gave them three more sons and two daughters. Samuel stayed in the house of the LORD and grew and ministered before the LORD and he was in favor both with the LORD, and also with men.”

Then Evan declared, “God gave them five times as many children as she lent to him. She always made a new coat to bring to her first son every year, and Samuel thrived where he was.”

The next boy read his summary of 1 Samuel 3:1-9, “Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli, and one night, The LORD called Samuel three times. Each time, Samuel ran to Eli, thinking he was the one who had called, because Samuel did not yet know the LORD. The third time Eli told him to answer, Speak, LORD, for you servant hears. I wonder how old Samuel was at that time, and I also wonder how Samuel ministered, but I know I can’t get answers to those questions. I imagine that Samuel was feeling rather frustrated by the third call and it wasn’t from Eli.”

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“I think so too,” Sam agreed, and here’s my summary of 1 Samuel 3:10-21. The fourth time the LORD called and Samuel answered him the way Eli said to. The LORD told Samuel what he was going to do and Samuel didn’t want to tell Eli since it was against him and his house. But he had to, when Eli told him to tell him or else…, so he did. And Samuel grew and the LORD was with him. He was established to be a prophet of the LORD … and the LORD revealed himself to Samuel…”

Sam continued, “I assume that the LORD must have taught and given Samuel wisdom during that time, because I don’t think Eli did, from what I read in the rest of that chapter and the one before. Also, it’s good to know more about the man who has the same name as I do. He is a hero I can look up to and hope to be as good as he was.”

Another boy stated, “My verses were so short that they didn’t need a summary, so I’ll just read them. 1 Samuel 7:15-17, Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh and judged Israel in all those places. His return was to Ramah, for there was his house and there he judged Israel, and there he built an alter unto the LORD. I’m glad Samuel stayed true to the LORD and was a good judge. But I was disappointed that his sons did not live like their father did.”

“Yeah,” responded a fourth boy, “it said that in the first verses of chapter 8 and it’s the reason for what happened in 1 Samuel 8:5-22. Here's my summary, The people asked Samuel to give them a king to judge them, and it displeased him so he prayed and the LORD said, Hearken to the voice of the people, … for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. So do it for them, but protest solemnly to them and show them what the king will do when he reigns over them. So Samuel told the people all the bad things a king would do. But they still wanted one. I can’t imagine why people would choose a king who would do all those horrid things when they could have a loving God to guide and judge them. But the sad story is what happened in the rest of the Old Testament.”

Gary acknowledged, “I think you’re exactly right, and it is very sad. 1 Samuel 9 and 10:1-19a contain an exciting adventure story and here’s my summary. Saul was a tall man and his father sent him to search for his lost donkeys. When they couldn’t find them they went to see Samuel, an honorable man and all he says comes to pass. The LORD had told Samuel about Saul and Samuel kept him there that day and night. In the morning they went to the edge of he city and Samuel anointed Saul with oil and told him the donkeys had been found and he was to go to Gilgal where Samuel presented him as king to the people after he had repeated that they had rejected their God by asking for a king. If only the people had repented and done what they could have instead, the rest of the Old Testament

 

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could have been far different. But maybe not, because the next group might have made the same bad choices.”

“I think you are probably right, Gary,” admitted Carlos. “My summaries are very short. 1 Samuel chapters 11-15 were warnings from Samuel to the people of Israel and to King Saul, but they did not obey. Then in 1 Samuel 16:1-13 the LORD told Samuel to go to Bethlehem and anoint the one the LORD would show to him. He obeyed and anointed David to be the next king when God told him to do it. And much later in 1 Samuel 25:1 Samuel died and all the Israelites gathered together and lamented him, and he was buried… Samuel served the LORD all his days and was always obedient and did what God told him to do. I hope I can be like that too.”

William complimented them, “You guys did an impressive job with your summaries and comments. I enjoyed listening to them.”

“So did I,” stated Greg after he finished the lesson.

Cory mentioned, “Now I understand that story so much better because of their good summaries and comments.”

“Same here,” added Kevin. “I think William did a good job of selecting groups of verses that would tell the story in a shorter way than reading the whole book of first Samuel.”

Daniel commented, “I agreed with those guys who wished the

people had made the right choices. It’s really sad that they didn’t, and as a result so many bad things happened.”

“But it was refreshing to hear that Samuel stayed true to the LORD all through his life,” observed Levi.

Max nodded and went on, “I pray that I will do the same!”

IIIIn n n o n o o orrrrd d de d e e errrr tttto o o o p p p prrrre e ep e p pa p a a arrrre e e e for the next section of Choose Your Examples, Greg put hymnals on the boys’ chairs, open to the chorus mentioned in the lesson.

For Daniel's story, William handed out summaries or verses to each boy and asked them to practice reading it at home with good expression and to add any comments or questions at the end. Then they would be ready to hear the whole story during the next lesson.

On the day of the lesson, William started by singing the chorus of the song, “Dare to Be a Daniel.” Then he explained, “This chorus tells us that Daniel had a firm purpose, and he was not afraid to make it known. In the Bible it says that his purpose was to not eat the king’s meat, and that he continued to pray to God even when a law said not to do it. Who has the summary of the first part of Daniel 1?”

Luis raised his hand, “This summary is of Daniel 1:1-15 and it says that Nebuchadnezzar warred against Jerusalem and took many of the vessels out of the house of God and also some of the best of the young men of Israel and fed them the king’s meat and wine for three years. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s meat and wine in Daniel 1:8a. So Daniel

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suggested to the man over them to prove them for ten days with just vegetables to eat and water to drink. Verse 15 says, At the end of ten days, they looked better than the ones who ate the king’s meat.”

Luis continued, “This part of the chapter goes very well with the chorus you just sang to us. Even though Daniel was a prisoner, God had given him favor with the man who was over them, and he agreed to try Daniel's suggestion. I think God caused these young men to thrive on what they ate.”

“I agree, and this is a neat story,” said another boy. “I have the summary and verses in Daniel 1:17-21, God gave those four young men knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, plus Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the three years they were brought to the king and verses 20,21a say, And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, … he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. I think that because God has all wisdom and everything else, that it was easy for him to make these four excel in those ways.”

“For sure,” and then Jose went on, “Daniel 2:1-19 was very exciting. The king had a dream that troubled him and he told the magicians and others that he could not remember it and they had to tell him the dream and it’s interpretation, or else be killed. Daniel asked the king for more time so he could ask God for help. When God did it, Daniel said the following in Daniel 2:20-23,… Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are his. He changes the times and the seasons, he removes kings and sets up kings, he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who know understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things, he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank you and praise you O God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might and has made known to me what we desired… God not only saved all the lives of the wise men, he showed Daniel what the king had dreamed and also what it meant.”

“Precisely,” William smiled and continued, “Now we’ll skip over to Daniel 6, and the rest of you boys can read and comment on your parts in order. Together they make another exciting story.”

The next boy said “Here is a summary and a verse from Daniel 6:1-9, Darius had taken over the kingdom… and he set presidents and princes over the kingdom. He preferred Daniel above all of them and was going to set him over the whole realm. So the others tried to find fault with Daniel as verse 4 says,… but they could not find … any fault because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. But some of them figured out a way to get Daniel killed by getting King Darius to sign a decree that anyone who prayed to anyone but Darius would be cast into the den of lions. … Wow! They were a devious bunch who must have been very jealous and hateful.”

 

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“Yeah, they were horrid,” agreed Pedro and he went on with Daniel 6:10-16, “This part also goes with the chorus of Dare to Be a Daniel. He had do be very brave and dedicated to God, because it says, Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and got down on his knees before the open window and prayed and gave thanks to God three times a day as he had done before. Those men saw it and went to the king to tell him about Daniel. The king regretted having made that decree and tried to deliver Daniel, but he could not, and he said to him, Your God whom you continually serve, will deliver you. It sounds like even at that time King Darius had faith that Daniel’s God could save him from the lions. Daniel knew God could save him because he had saved the three other young men from the furnace.”

“Exactly,” Hugo agreed and read the summary and verses from Daniel 6:18-22. “Then the king spent the night fasting and with no music being played and was unable to sleep. He rose early in the morning and went to the den to ask Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you continually serve able to deliver you from the lions?” Daniel answered, My God has sent his angel and has shut the lions’ mouths so they have not hurt me, because I was innocent before him and before you also, O king. Daniel knew God had saved him from the lions because of his innocence. I like the kid’s song called, “Here, Kitty Kitty” sung by Buddy Houghtailing, because it goes so well with this part of the story.”

The next boy said, “I think so too, and now I’ll read the part for Daniel 6:23-25, The king was exceeding glad for him and commanded that Daniel be taken out of the den. There was no hurt found on him, because he believed in his God. The king commanded that those men who had accused Daniel, and their families be cast into the lions’ den and the lions quickly made the end of them. Wow! Those people were quickly judged and disposed of in the same way they had planned for Daniel. Then king Darius wrote to all people, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth, Peace be multiplied to you. This letter is continued in the next verses.”

The last boy got to read Daniel 6:26-28, “ I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, and is steadfast forever, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be unto the end. He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, and has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. … So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. This was a great ending to that story! I enjoyed hearing about it again.”

“It certainly was!” William agreed and went on to explain, “In the rest of the book of Daniel, God gave Daniel visions and dreams about future times. Even though Daniel did not understand them, he wrote

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them down and they are prophecies for times in the future. Daniel was a very honorable man all his life. Your homework is to think about which of his qualities would be good to have in your lives.”

Greg had finished reading so he said, “The end.”

“I didn’t notice any place in this story where Daniel did something wrong,” stated Kevin, “so I guess that’s why those mean people tried to have him killed.”

“Yeah,” agreed Daniel. “He was so good that it made their badness look even worse.”

Levi went on, “They flattered the king and he walked right into their trap. And when he realized what he had done, it was too late for him to do anything to save Daniel.”

“But God saved him from the lions!” Cory exclaimed.

Max concluded, “Yes, and I really like what the king wrote afterward. It sounds like he learned his lesson.”

O O O Orrrra a a alllliiiie e e m e m m me e e en n nttttiiiio n o on o n n ne e e ed d d, “I’m glad you boys just finished getting some d

exercise with our dog, Jolly, outside because the next part of ‘Choose Your Examples’ is a long one. It’s taken from a book in the Bible that I don’t think we have read as a family yet.”

For this lesson about two honorable people in the Bible, Karen had written summaries including some verses for the girls to read silently during the first part of the class, and write some comments, including good qualities they could emulate to go with them. Then they would take turns reading the summaries and comments aloud for the rest of the class time.

Kim was first and she read, “In Esther chapter 2, King Ahasuerus was displeased when Queen Vashti would not do what he commanded, so she was to be replaced by the king’s choice of many fair young virgins who had gone through 12 months of purification. Mordecai had brought up Esther, who was his uncle’s daughter, after her father and mother died. She was fair and beautiful. She did everything she was told to do during the time of her purification. Others were taken to the king before Esther was. When it was her turn verse 17 says, the king loved Esther above all the women and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins. So he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then in Esther 2:21-23, Mordecai sat in the kings gate and heard two of the kings chamberlains plotting to kill the king. Mordecai told Esther and she alerted the king in Mordecai’s name. An inquisition was made and both of them were hanged on a tree. The matter was written in the book of the chronicles before the king. This chapter introduced both Esther and Mordecai. I’d like to be obedient like Esther was, and smart and brave enough to warn someone like a king about a plot against him.”

 

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“Same here,” agreed a girl. Then she read part of the summary of Esther 3 and 4. “The king promoted Haman to a place above all the princes and commanded that all bow to him. But Mordecai would not bow. This angered Haman and he decided to kill him and all the Jews in the kingdom because Mordecai was a Jew. So he talked the king into writing a command to have them all killed on a certain day and to take their possessions. When Mordecai learned of the command he put on sackcloth with ashes and cried loudly and bitterly. Esther was told about him and she sent a man to find out what and why. Mordecai told the man what had happened and gave him a copy of the decree to show it to Esther and tell her he said to go to the king and make supplication and request for him and for her people. Esther cared enough about her Uncle that she sent someone to find out what was wrong. Caring and doing something to help are good qualities.

June agreed and then read her part. “Esther sent word to him that she could be put to death for going to the king without being called by him. But Mordecai sent back his answer in chapter four verses 13,14. Do not think that you shall escape by being in the king’s house… For if you hold your peace at this time, deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house shall be destroyed, and who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther sent him this answer in verse 16, “ Go and gather together all the Jews in this city and fast for me for three days and nights. My maidens and I will also fast and then I will go to the king, which is not legal, and if I perish, I perish. Then Verse 17 says, So Mordecai went and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. This part shows that the two of them had good communication and cooperated with each other. Plus Esther shows good planning and great courage. I hope I never need to do something like she did, but that I can communicate, cooperate, plan, and be brave.”

“To be honest, I don’t think I could do what she did, but she actually did go through with her plan,” said another girl. And then she read Esther 5:1-3, … on the third day, Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, … and the king sat on his royal throne… When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, … he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the scepter. Then the king said to her, “What do you desire, queen Esther and what is your request? It shall be given to you even to the half of the kingdom. Her answer in verses 7,8, may seem strange to us, because she asked him and Haman to come that day to a banquet she had prepared, and answered the same way at the banquet that day, adding that she would tell him tomorrow. In verses 9-14, Haman was very happy to be the only one asked to go with the king to Esther’s banquet, and he

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told his wife and friends about his promotion also. But when he saw that Mordecai still did not bow he was very angry. His wife and friends suggested that he have a gallows built so he could hang Mordecai on it. I’m amazed about how hatred can so easily turn into murder.

“For sure,” agreed Candy, “and now I’ll read this summary and quotes from Esther 6. The night before the second banquet the king could not sleep and he commanded that the book of records be read to him. One thing they found was about Mordecai telling about the plot to kill the king. The king asked in verse 3, What honor and dignity has been done to Mordecai for this? … His servants … answered that nothing had been done for him. Haman had just come into the court to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared. So, when the king asked who was in the court and found out it was Haman, he was told to enter. The king asked in verse 6, What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor? Now Haman thought in his heart, to whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself? I definitely do not want to be like Haman.

“I don’t either!’ declared a different girl. “Now I’ll read what comes next. So Haman answered the king in verse 8,9, … Let the royal apparel be brought which the king used to wear and the horse that the king rides on and the royal crown, which is set upon his head. And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may dress the man whom the king delights to honor and bring him on horseback through the street of the city and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor. Then the king said to Haman in verse 10, Make haste and take the apparel and the horse, as you have said and do as you have said to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Let nothing fail of all you have spoken. After Haman had done all he had said to Mordecai, Mordecai went back to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and told his wife and friends what had happened. They made him feel worse by telling him that he had begun to fall and would not prevail, but would surely fall before Mordecai. Right then the king’s chamberlains came to get Haman and take him to the banquet that Esther had prepared. I can see that Haman was on a downhill slide to disaster!

Sara agreed and read the summary and verses of Esther 7. “At the banquet, the king again asked what her petition was and promised to give it to her. She answered in verse 3,4, If I have found favor in you sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given to me and my people at my request. For we have been sold, to be destroyed, slain and to perish. If we had been only sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I would have held my tongue… The king asked in verse 5, Who is he and where is he who dared to presume in

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his heart to do this? Esther answered in verse 6, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. The king was very angry and went out into the palace garden. Then Haman stood up to plead for his life and even fell on the bed where Esther was. As soon as the king came back in he was even more angry with Haman for doing that. One of the chamberlains told the king about the gallows Haman had made for Mordecai and the king commanded they hang Haman on that gallows. When that was done the king’s wrath was pacified. All of those things happened so quickly. In just two days he went from being proud and revengeful to dying on the gallows he had built. Esther continued being humble and brave, which are good qualities I would like to have.”

“Ditto for me,” said the last girl. “Here’s a summary of Esther 8-10. Haman’s house was given to Esther the queen and she set Mordecai over the house and told the king what he was to her. The king took the ring that he had taken from Haman and gave it to Mordecai. Then Esther went again to the king and he held out the golden scepter for her. She besought him with tears to reverse what Haman had devised against the Jews. So he had Mordecai write in the king’s name and seal it with his ring that on the day when the enemies would come to destroy them, they were to gather together and stand for their lives to destroy any who would come against them. The Jews destroyed those who hated them, and the Feast of Purim for two days every year was established to remember how their sorrow was turned to joy. Verse 3 of chapter 10 says, Mordecai was next in power to the king … and was great among the Jews seeking the wealth of his people and speaking peace to them. But before that Esther had to be brave again and go to the king without being called. I’m glad he held out the scepter each time and granted her request, and that Mordecai became a powerful man in the kingdom who helped his people. This story had a very good ending.”

“It sure did,” agreed Karen “and I’m so glad God has been faithful to protect his chosen people, the Israelites. Thank you girls for the good job you did of reading and adding your own comments for this lesson today. See you next time.”

Oralie concluded, “This is the end of this lesson.”

“What an exciting and amazing story!” Levi exclaimed. “I'm glad you read it to us, because I don’t think I would have understood it if I had just read it in the Bible.”

Cory agreed, “Yes it did help to have the summaries and verses and comments, and to be able to listen to your good reading, Mom.”

Daniel mentioned, “There were a lot of strange customs in this story. It must have happened a long time ago.”

“I think so too,” and Kevin went on to say, “Haman was so evil that I’m glad he was not allowed to live.”

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Max added, “For certain! It’s great to have good win over evil.”

A A A An n n no o o otttth h he h e e errrr d d d da a a ay yy y G G G Grrrre e e eg g g g read the next part of “Choose Your Examples” to the five boys.

William started this lesson saying, “Today you will meet three other honorable men. I’ll hand out summaries and verses. Please read them and write down any comments and questions, so you can read them also when it is your turn. The first man is Stephen.” After giving them time, he asked Hugo to read his aloud.

Hugo began, “I will be reading from Acts 6:5a,8,10,12,13a,…The apostles were choosing deacons, and as one of the seven, they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the holy Spirit, … And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. The people who argued with him were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. … They stirred up the people, … caught him and brought him to the council, where they brought false witness against him. These verses sound a lot like what the people did to Jesus. I think it was probably some of those same people, and they were probably still upset and angry about Jesus and about what his disciples had been saying and preaching about Jesus resurrection.”

“I imagine you are right about that,” said a boy. “I remember in Acts 4, they put Peter and John into prison overnight and then threatened them the next day. My part is next. Stephen answered those people in Acts 7, which is a very long chapter. In it, Stephen gave the history of the Israelite people from Abraham, including Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, and Solomon. Then he reminded them that they had persecuted the prophets and killed many, including in verse 52b-54, the Just One (Jesus), whom you betrayed and murdered. You have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. They had listened to him up to the point where he pointed out their wrong actions and then they got extremely angry with him. The result is in the next verses.”

Jose read it. “Acts 7:55-60 says, But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city and stoned him… Stephen called upon God and said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. He knelt down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 8:2 states, Devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. Wow! Stephen didn’t get to work very

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long for Jesus. But he asked God to forgive them as he was dying, like Jesus had done at his crucifixion.”

“Good job boys,” William commended. “This was a very sad story, but it showed how Steven was brave and filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus welcomed his spirit into Heaven to be with him. Next you will meet Barnabas. His story starts in Acts 4.”

Another boy read, “Acts 4:36,37 says that, Joses was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles, and it means the son of consolation or comfort. He was a Levite of the country of Cyprus. He sold his land and gave the money to the apostles to help needy believers. In Acts 9:27, Barnabas took Saul … to the apostles and declared to them how Saul had seen and heard the Lord speak to him in the way, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. What Barnabas did there, showed that he was also an encourager and peacemaker, because the other brothers had a hard time believing that Saul could really be a believer now after the way he had persecuted the believers.”

“I don’t think I blame them,” declared Pedro. Then he read, “In Acts 11:19-22, … Persecution caused the brothers and apostles to be scattered to other cities and they preached the word as they went. Verse 21 says, The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord. When the church in Jerusalem heard this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. Verses 23-26 say, When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad and exhorted them all … to cleave to the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. Many people were added to the Lord. Then Barnabas departed to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch… For a whole year they assembled with the church and taught many people… In verses 29,30, the believers there sent relief to the brothers in Judea by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. These verses show that Barnabas was trusted, and he went where he was sent.”

The next boy continued, “Acts 12:25 and chapters 13 and 14, tell about what they did when they had fulfilled their ministry in Jerusalem. They returned to Antioch from Jerusalem and took John Mark with them. The Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Saul, now called Paul, and sent them to work, as he directed, and they took John Mark with them. They ministered together in many places even after John Mark went back to Jerusalem. I like the way they went and did what the Holy Spirit directed them to do.”

“Yes,” said a different boy, “the same happened often in the book of Acts. Here is a summary of chapter 15, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch and were sent to Jerusalem to get an answer for a question. When they had the answer they were sent back to Antioch, where they continued teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, until they went on separate trips. Verse 39b says,

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Barnabas took John Mark with him to Cyprus. I would imagine that Barnabas continued serving Jesus, even though there is not very much written about it.”

William thanked those boys for their good reading and comments, and then explained, “There is not very much written about Timothy the next honorable man, but Luis will read and comment about him.”

Luis read, “In this summary of Acts 15:41-16:1-3a, Paul and Silas went together and when they came to Derbe and Lystra where there was a disciple named Timothy. Verse 2 says he was well reported of by the brothers who were there. So Paul took him with them to help in the ministry. Later, in 1 Timothy 1:2, it says that Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, my own son in the faith, Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. And in 1 Timothy 1:18, Paul said, This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, … that you by the prophesies might war a good warfare. Another time in 2 Timothy 1:2 Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, my dearly beloved son… Many times in other letters Paul wrote to other people and places he called him Timothy our brother. I noticed that he was a disciple and was commendable. Paul considered him as his beloved son in the faith and also called him a brother, which would mean a fellow believer and worker.”

William commended all of them again and reminded them to think of ways they could use their good qualities in their lives.

Greg concluded, “This is the end of a pretty long lesson.”

Daniel remarked, “Yes, it was longer than some of the others, but it was a good one.”

Max commented, “I agree. The one about Stephen was sad, but we learned about his boldness and that he was filled with the Spirit.”

“Right,” said Levi, “and I like the meaning of Barnabas’ name. The things in the verses about him went with his name.”

Kevin continued, “Yes, things like, he sold some land and gave the money to help those who needed it, he encouraged people and helped the leaders to accept Paul, and he gave John Mark a second chance to stay with him in ministry.”

“Positively,” Cory concurred, “Barnabas would be a good example for us, and so Timothy would be also, because he was a believer and fellow worker who was commendable.”

B B B Be e e effffo o orrrre o e e e O O O Orrrra a a alllliiiie e e rrrre e e ea e a a ad d d the next part of “Choose Your Examples,” she d

explained, “This lesson is about three women you might not have heard about before.”

In Karen’s home, as an extra Bible study during their devotions, she handed out some scriptures to be read aloud and then commented on by her girls. She explained, “There are three women in the new testament who have some good qualities we might want to choose for ourselves. First is Tabitha, then Lydia, and last Phoebe.

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Then one of you will read some other scriptures. And last, I’ll read a paragraph I wrote explaining about some bad people or things done in the Bible. Practice these and then write down any comments you would like to make so you will be ready when it’s your turn.

Lisa read, Acts 9:36-42, “ Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and deeds, which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick and died… When they sent for Peter, who was in a nearby city, he came … and all the widows stood by him weeping and showing the coats and garments Dorcas had made while she was with them. Then Peter sent them out, knelt down and prayed and then turning to the body he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. I like the way Tabitha was so faithful in doing good works, that it was well known in the city. When she died, many women mourned, and then many people believed in the Lord when she was raised to life alive again.

Ellie was next, “Paul, Silas and Timothy went to Philippi and Luke wrote in Acts 16:14,15, A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, heard us and her heart was opened by the Lord so she attended to the things which were spoken by Paul. When she was baptized, and her household, she besought us saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there, and she constrained (or urged) us. Later after being whipped and put in prison and then released, Paul and Silas left the prison. Acts16:40 says, … they entered into the house of Lydia and when they had seen the brothers, they comforted them and departed. Lydia believed in Jesus and was baptized. She was hospitable and wanted to have them stay in her house. She was like a servant.”

Then Christi read Romans 16:1,2,27, “Paul wrote, I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea, that you receive her in the Lord, … and that you assist her in whatever business she may have need, for she has been a helper of many and of myself also. … To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. (Written to the Romans from Corinth, and sent by Phoebe, servant of the church at Cenchrea.) This is like Paul applauding Phoebe for being a servant and helping him and many others. She even carried the letter Paul had written to Rome.

Hanna read Romans 15:3a-7, For even Christ did not please himself… For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, so that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be of the same mind toward one another according to Christ

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Jesus, so that you may with one mind and mouth glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, receive one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. These verses include the good things as examples for us to do. They start out by using Jesus as an example for us.”

“Right,” agreed Karen, “and now here are some men and women to NOT copy. King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, had no good qualities only bad ones. Herod and Herodias did bad things. King Asa began as a good king, but later failed. So don’t give up, instead finish strong and faithful! If you sin like King David did, repent and do better. And remember 1 Corinthians 10:11a says, things, (including bad ones,) happened … as examples and they are written for our admonition… This is a good way to look at the other bad people and things that happened in the Bible. They are things for us to avoid. Now I thank you girls for reading so well with good expression and adding your good comments at the end.”

The girls said she was welcome and added their own thanks.

Hanna stated, “Thank you, Mom, for the good lessons you always teach us. I’m thankful I have all my notebooks so I can review them later and especially after I graduate from here.

“Yes, I thank you too,” agreed Christy, “the lessons really help me to think and learn how to live.”

“I agree and thank you, Mom,” and Lisa added, “without the lessons, I would probably just read over some important things in the Bible and miss how important they are.”

“For sure!” Ellie declared. “Thanks, Mom. It’s good for me to read a small portion of the Bible and then think about it and make comments.”

“I agree,” Karen responded, “you’re all welcome, and it’s my pleasure. I’m glad to know you are all being helped by the lessons! Plus I can see that all of you are becoming honorable young ladies. I think it’s a great idea for you to keep your notebooks so you can review and add new thoughts to them. All of you girls and the rest of the girls on the ranch and all the boys on the farm gave us permission to record and use these lessons in the two short books Mr. William Beckett and I and others have written. All of you are part of the others who helped write the books.

“Their titles are ‘Become Honorable People’ and ‘Choose Your Examples.’ Consequently, you and the rest of the ranch girls, plus the boys on the farm will be given copies of both books as PDF files as a graduation present when you or they graduate from high school. This way you can review all you have learned in these classes and study them again before your nineteenth birthdays and put them in to practice. You can all read the lessons again on your own computers or smart phones if you have one. You could also print them out and put them in a three-ring notebook so you could write more notes on

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them. Then you could take them with you to your new homes where you might not have a computer yet.”

The girls’ replies were, “Hooray! Super! Brilliant! Thank you again!”

After saying it was the end Greg shared, “I was talking to Gary the other day, and he said his dad, who is William, and Karen had given copies of both books to the church with permission to have all the youth group facilitators send emails with the PDF files for both of those books to the seniors in their groups each year. They encouraged them to read the books during their senior year and ask them questions, if they had any, as they read them.

“The same thing goes for all the new believers groups. The PDF files would be given to each family or individual. If anybody did not have a computer or smart phone, they could request and pay for the church to print them a copy of each short book. I think it’s a great way to learn a lot of information in an interesting way.”

His boys all nodded in agreement and thanked him for telling them.

G G G Grrrre e e eg g g e g e e ex xx xp p plllla p a a aiiiin n n ne e e ed d d d, “This next part of the short book is not a lesson, instead it’s song lyrics written for the book, ‘Choose Your Examples.’ I wish I knew the melody for it.

William had asked Ruth to write song lyrics to accompany the short book. The following is what she wrote, with the help of the accounts in the Bible and a rhyming dictionary.

The title is “Be Like Jesus Most of All.”

1. If you could be like some Bible person, who would you choose? Who might be a good example for the life you will live? If you would choose Jesus, there’s simply no way you could lose. Virtues of other noble folks are also constructive.

(The Chorus is to be sung between verses.)

We should aim to be like Jesus, even when we’re alone. Since Jesus is our Lord and God, he is the one we serve. One way we can serve him is to make his Good News known. Jesus, you’re the perfect example. We praise you, as you deserve.

2. We can also choose to be like Joseph, pure and used by God. He could have had them punished, but he forgave his brothers. Because he knew God’s plan, he didn’t even need a prod. God used him to preserve life. He sold food to them and others.

3. We can choose to be like Ruth was, hardworking and humble. She gave up her country’s gods to go worship the true One.

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All the while she was gleaning, she did not even grumble. Boaz wed Ruth. They were Jesus’ ancestors through their son.

4. Or be like Daniel, who steered clear of the king’s meat and wine. He and friends flourished with legumes and water on which to dine. Another king signed a law forbidding prayers to anyone but him. Daniel still prayed to God and from the lions God delivered him.

5. We can be like Esther, who followed Mordecai's advice, “You might have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.”

“Yes, if I perish, I perish. My life I might sacrifice.” She went to the king without his call and showed no cowardice.

When Greg finished reading he stated, “This is the end of the song and of the book. I’d like you boys to find some songs about Jesus or of desiring to be like Jesus and scriptures to go with the chorus of this song.”

Kevin was first, “I found ‘More About Jesus,’ and it goes with 2 Peter 3:18, But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. I especially like stanzas one, two, and three.”

Levi was next, “I like ‘May the Mind of Christ, My Savior.’ It goes well with Philippians 2:5, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus… Stanzas one, four, five, and six are very good.”

Max declared, “The song, ‘I Want to Be Like Jesus,’ is a favorite of mine, and it goes with Ephesians 5:2a, Walk in love, as Christ also loved us… I like stanzas one and two.”

Cory smiled as he said, “I like ‘O to Be Like Thee!’ because it went well with my speech. It goes with 1 John 2:6, He who says he abides in Jesus ought to walk as he walked. Stanzas one and two are good.”

Daniel finished, “I found ‘To Be Like Jesus,’ and its scripture is 1 Corinthians 11:1, Be followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. It’s just a short chorus, but the words are good.”

Oralie complimented them, “Those are excellent songs and scriptures. How would it be for us to practice them and use them in our ministry times with our guitars?”

The boys all cheered and Greg agreed, “I think it’s a brilliant idea my dear wife, and I’m glad you boys chose such good songs!”

Then Greg handed out three-ring notebooks with those two short books printed and installed. He explained, “Since you boys made such good comments and notes in your other notebooks, and started each lesson on a new page, you could cut the pages out of your notebooks and put them in place for each lesson in these three-ring notebooks.”

They all cheered, and that was their next project.

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A A A A n n ne n e ew e w w w b b b be e elllliiiie e e e ev vv ve e e errrrs ss s s ss sm m m ma a allllllll group had just finished working their way a

through the book associated with this novel. Its title is “Be Like a Tree Planted by the Water In the Sunshine.” So the facilitator asked them to share how it had worked for them.

One member remarked, “I like the way our group has done this, because it works really well to receive one booklet or short book at a time.”

“Yeah,” agreed the second one, “it’s not as overwhelming as it would be to get them all at once in one volume.”

The third one observed, “Right, this way we can make prints of the PDF file and put the pages into a three-ring notebook with extra pages for notes we make and comments others make, plus added scriptures we might look up.”

“For sure,” stated the fourth one, “we need the extra pages, because there isn’t room to write all those things on the pages that contain the text of the booklet or short book.”

The fifth one commented, “I liked the suggestion someone made about printing each page one-sided, and then putting the text page on the left with the blank side of the next page on the right in the notebook.”

“Yes, it was brilliant!” The sixth one exclaimed. “This way it puts the notes, comments and extra scriptures all on the page next to the text of the booklet or short book.”

The seventh one went on, “Plus, doing it this way keeps the pages all together in the notebook in the right order.”

The eighth one suggested, “Maybe they could make a printed copy of one volume that would be arranged that way.”

“It would be nice,” acknowledged the ninth one. “I’ve heard that a printed copy is available from a print on demand company with a web site called thebookpatch.com, but I don’t think the authors arranged it that way, because the buyer would be paying double for the printing costs with all those extra blank pages!”

“I agree,” responded the tenth one, “but in a way that’s what I did by getting one-sided copies, except that it’s much cheaper to have them printed at home or church and put them into a three-ring notebook. This way we didn’t have to pay for the professional printing, binding, and cover, with the taxes, shipping and handling on top of that.”

The fourth one, who had spoken before inserted, “I like the sound of your ideas, but I noticed that the lessons are not all the same length and they wouldn’t fit on one page each.”

“Yeah,” agreed the third one, who had also spoken before, “so I just inserted a piece of three-ring notebook paper between the pages, and therefore I had plenty of room for all the extra notes I made. Besides it was much less expensive for me.”

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“Indeed,” the eleventh one tacked on, “and I had fun making my own cover for my notebook. I found a magazine picture of a fruit tree growing by a river, so it went with the title of the book. Then I put it in one of those clear protective covers and taped it to the notebook.”

Number twelve expressed, “It sounds pretty, and most importantly, I like having all of them together in one place so I can go back and review, especially the scriptures often.”

“Absolutely,” inserted the thirteenth one. “I even put markers made from those sticky notes. I bought some in several different colors and have color coded scriptures to memorize, ideas to practice, and interesting comments.”

Number fourteen mentioned, “Neat idea. I’ve heard that the book gives permission to make PDF files of it and give it to people who need the information so they can learn and grow. But the files are not to be sold.”

“Besides that,” added the fifteenth one, “I’m glad the short books by William, Karen, and others, are included in the one volume we now have in our notebooks. They have given us many teachings about how to continue to learn and grow.”

“Plus,” the facilitator’s wife noted, “I like the Idea List, which is kind of like another little booklet with annotations to expand and explain how to do some of them.”

The facilitator applauded and complimented the members of the small group for their positive comments and the way every one of them had been faithful in coming to all the small group meetings.

Then he concluded, “And I’m praying that all of you will continue attending this small group, because there are many more things for us to learn about living for Jesus!”

O O O On n n tttth n h he h e e e ffffa a a arrrrm m m m, Gary had one of the groups of new foster boys on the farm read Psalm 1 together and make comments on it. Their comments come after the verses.

1. Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful.

“Don’t go with the wrong crowd like I used to when I belonged to that gang.”

“Yeah, that was before we came to the farm, and believed in Jesus.”

2. But his delight is in the law of he LORD, and in his law he meditates day and night.

“Verse two tells what to do instead of doing the bad things in verse one.”

3. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in season. Its leaf shall not wither, and whatever it does shall prosper.

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“Exactly correct, because trees need lots of water to keep living. The water to them is like the Bible is to us.” 4. The ungodly are like the chaff, which the wind drives away.

“We’ve seen how the wind blows away the husks and straw here on this farm.”

5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

“For sure, because they have been blown away and are gone.” 6. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

“The whole Psalm is like that lesson Karen taught using Proverbs and Tony Robbins’ idea about getting rid of bad habits.”

Another boy said, “I agree, and verse 3 goes with the song, ‘I Shall Not Be Moved.’ A summary of the lyrics for this song is that Jesus keeps us forever, he never forsakes, and we can depend on his strength as we defend his cause. He enfolds us in his love and upholds us by his grace. He is our friend and we live for his glory and we know his goodness. We stand by his truth and do his commands. And the song keeps repeating this sentence. Just like a tree that’s planted by the water, I shall not be moved.”

Then Gary gave them other references to go well with the verses in Psalm 1, and the boys read them aloud. Verse 1 with Proverbs 4:14,15, Do not enter into the path of the wicked, and do not go in the way of evil men. Avoid it, don’t go near it, turn away from it…

Psalm 26:5, A man prayed, I have hated the congregation of evil doers, and I will not sit with the wicked. Verse 2 with Psalm 119:97, O how I love your law! It is my meditation all day.

Verse 3 with Jeremiah 17:7,8, Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not care when heat comes. But its leaf shall be green, and it will not be troubled in the year of drought, and will not cease from yielding fruit.

Verse 4, with Psalm 9:5 You, (LORD), have rebuked the heathen and you have destroyed the wicked... Verse 5 with Psalm 9:7,8, But the LORD shall endure forever. He has prepared his throne for judgment, and he shall judge the world in righteousness. He shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

Verse 6 with 2Timothy 2:19, … the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows those who are his. Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Thanks to thebookpatch.com for printing this book!

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