Freedom
Commandments
Our journey together this year is exploring God’s Big Story in the Old Testament! In our first unit, we looked at the Beginning stories of God’s Creation in the first part of Genesis. In our second unit, we then explored the second part of Genesis where we learned about some of the first leaders and families in the Bible. Now, we are in the book of Exodus and will be learning about Moses and the Israelites!
It is encouraged that families watch the videos, read the texts, reflect on the summaries, respond to the questions and pray together. However, Club 56 participants can also do this on their own- you might need a journal for journaling some thoughts!
Invocation
Find your Club 56 Candle (or a Candle) that you can light.
Invocation: the act of inviting or welcoming or acknowledging that God is present in our space.
As you light your candle, say this invocation out loud: “I light this candle in the name of God, our Creator; Jesus, our Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our Inspirer. The three in one!”
Connect Video
Get a taste of this week’s theme by watching ONE of these videos!
Commandments Video
Reflection Questions:
- The law is God’s, but the law is not God. What’s the difference?
- How do you feel when you break a law or an important rule? How do you feel when others do the same?
- Do you think we could live like we love God without rules? Why or why not?
Connect is a curriculum from SPARK that is specifically designed for 5th and 6th graders.
Read, Reflect & Respond
Take some time to dig in deep to the Bible!
Need a Bible? Contact Leah M!
Our first reading is about the exodus, check it out!
Read the Text: Exodus 20:1-17
After you read, draw two stone tablets so you remember that this is where the 10 commandments story is.
Reflect on the Summary:
“The Israelites continued their journey through the wilderness after escaping slavery in Egypt. God had provided manna from heaven and water springs from rock, but God had another gift: the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments set an understanding of what it meant to be God’s people. As God’s chosen people, the Israelites were called to bless the world. Living according to the law was part of how God’s blessing was spread.
The Ten Commandments weren’t given to point out how bad humanity is. God is not the vice principal of the universe, waiting to bust us when we stumble. But God had expectations for the Israelites—and God has expectations for us. The commandments are commonsense boundaries that fall into two categories: how we live in relation to God and how we live in relation to each other. Breaking the commandments not only causes disorder within the community, but harms relationships. Jesus reframed these commandments as two categories: love God and love your neighbor. Living within these boundaries frees us to be who God creates and calls us to be.”
Respond to the Questions:
- Was 10 enough? What biggies might you add?
- What would the world be like without rules?
- Commandments given thousands of years ago are still relevant; what does that mean to you?
Remember (Club 56 Binder)
Our Club 56 Binders are for taking notes and helping us remember details in God’s Big Story!
Need a binder? Contact Leah M.
Get out your Club 56 Binder and find the green page with the stone tablets (labeled Commandments). Find the paragraph about why we are using stone tablets to remember this story and read about it!
On the tablets, write important key words, people, events or notes that you want to remember about the first text you read.
Need help? Revisit the texts we explored today or read the paragraph at the bottom of the paper.
Here’s what I wrote in my binder:
- Moses received the 10 commandments from God on Mt. Sinai
- The 10 commandments were written on stone, which in the Bible means people of the time viewed them as permanent.
- These commandments were rules the Israelites (God’s chosen people) were to live by.
Prayer
“Ever Present God,
Thank you for guiding us and giving us rules to follow so that we can better love others and You. Please help us live out Your Word and follow your ways. We love you!
In your name,
Amen”
Benediction
It’s time to blow out or turn off your candle and go on with your day with a blessing.
Benediction: a blessing that sends you out on your day!
As you turn off your candle, bless the people in your home by saying,” May God bless you and keep you, may God’s face shine upon you and may God always go with you and give you peace!”
Quoted texts are revised from:
Connect Leader Guide. Unit 3—Freedom: Commandments. wearesparkhouse.org © 2013 sparkhouse. All rights reserved.
May be reproduced for local use only provided each copy carries this notice.