Salvation

OBJECTIVE

In this module we will be using the Creed to highlight important faith concepts. One of the main authors of the Creed was Saint Athanasius, the twentieth Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church. It was written to specifically address any questions about our faith.

In today's lesson we will learn about God as our Saviour and the concept of Salvation. Using the section of the Creed that relates the story of Salvation, the fourth graders will learn how our Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 5 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson of the Holy Trinity. (3 minutes)

Ask the fourth graders: "Have you ever dressed up for a very special occasion? Like a wedding or graduation party? Do you remember having to dress up nicely?"

Allow them time to raise their hands and offer examples. Be sure to give them lots of encouragement for participating.

Now have the fourth graders imagine a really special event. If anyone wants to enter, they have to wear a special garment that the host of the party was passing out beforehand. Now we are all about to enter, when you realize that your nice outfit for the occasion got ruined. You can't enter the party without looking your best. Let's imagine that there is only one way to clean that garment and that is a special stain remover. That special stain remover that washes away our sins is the Precious Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Today we are going to discuss how our Lord Jesus Christ's Blood is the only way to wash away our sins and allow us to enter Heaven.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verse "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 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." John 3:16-17

Feel free to have your class memorize either the first only or both verses depending on your class' abilities

Have the fourth graders read the Creed together in one voice. Before they begin, tell them to keep their eyes and ears open for the word "salvation" and the story of salvation that our Lord lived through for His great love for each of us.

We believe in one God, God the Father the Pantocrator who created heaven and earth, and all things seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created, of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made;

Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became Man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried. And on the third day He rose from the dead, according to the scriptures, ascended to the heavens; He sits at the right hand of his Father, and He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.

Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giver, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.

And in one holy, catholic and apostolic church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the coming age. Amen.

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 20 Minutes

"For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). There are always consequences for our actions.

We sin every day. There is not one person on earth who can live a whole day without making mistakes. That means our punishment should be eternal death because sin is against God Who is eternal.

How can God save us? He cannot undo His laws, because His laws are perfect. But He loves us and does not want to be separated from us by eternal death.

The good news is our Lord already paid the price for our sins God, Who is Just and Merciful, made a plan so that the consequence of sin would be fulfilled without us dying and being separated from Him forever.

In God's great love for us, He took our punishment on Himself The only way to save us from an unlimited sin is for Him to die on our behalf by taking our form and dying for us on the Cross.

Our Savior's Blood was shed, washed away all of our sins and paid the price that is owed, the consequence or penalty for our sins. His death had the power to conquer death forever So that anyone who chooses Christ as their Savior can be saved

God planned this from the very beginning, He is all knowing as we learned. He prepared mankind for His coming as we see in the many signs in the Old Testament, like Passover lamb.

Ask the fourth graders, who remembers the Passover lamb? Give them hints about Moses and the Angel of Death to guide them to the correct answer. Give them lots of encouragement and positive feedback for participating.

The blood of the lamb was spread over the door frame of all the Israelites in Egypt. When the Angel of Death saw the blood of the lamb, he passed over their home. That's where the name Passover comes from.

The blood of the lamb on the wooden door frame represents the Blood of Christ on the cross. Just like the blood of the lamb saved the Isrealites from death, our Lord's Blood saves us all Everything about the Passover lamb represents Christ: the pure, unblemished lamb, no bones to be broken, and finally the bitter herbs that represent God's suffering and the vinegar that they gave our Lord Christ on the cross.

It is only through our Savior's shedding of His Blood that we can be saved. Our Lord Christ's Blood offers salvation eternal to everyone in the whole world from the beginning to the end of all times.

His Salvation is offered freely and to everyone Praise the Lord for His mercy and love for us

And because He first loved us, we also love Him Ask the fourth graders, how can we show our love and thanks for His great and precious gift of salvation? How do we participate in God's precious gift of salvation? Offer lots of encouragement and positive feedback for all of their answers.

The Bible tells us that there are things that we should do to participate in God's salvation:

  • Faith, Baptism and the Holy Mysteries, and Good Works.

To accept this precious gift of salvation, we need to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for us. By having faith in our God, we are telling Him that we want to be in Heaven with Him forever. Baptism, confession, and communion are ways to renew our life with Him and offer our faith to the Lord.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

Remember, that our Lord already paid the price for us to go to Heaven He wants us to be with Him in Heaven. Our Lord is preparing for us and eager for us to be with Him. So why do we have to do good works? Because we should want to Because we love Him too and want to do good things to please Him. We are "created in Christ Jesus for good works," it's who we are and what we are meant for Thank You, God, for always preparing good things for us to do and share in Your love

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

Show the two icons of Resurrection to the fourth graders. Discuss what they see in the icons. Offer lots of encouragement and positive feedback to fuel participation. Guide them to observe the following elements in the icons:

  • Our Savior has conquered death by His death
  • He is stepping out of His tomb by His own power
  • He has broken the chain of Hades and broken the hinges of the coffins
  • He is pulling Adam and Eve with Him out of Hades/out of their tombs
  • How many heroes of faith can be identified surrounding our Savior?
  • From the beginning of creation of humanity to the end, all are offered His salvation

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

The gift of salvation was bought for us with the price of our Savior's Blood What a glorious gift indeed We must do all we can to take care of this precious gift in our hearts. Continue to do good works and renew yourself with confession and communion as much as you can. By doing these things we participate in the gift of salvation that the Lord has bought for us.

ACTIVITY - 5 Minutes

Option One: Bead Cross Necklace

Keep the gift of Salvation close to your heart by wearing the cross as a necklace, that you can make yourself

Supplies: beads, string, glue dot

(materials also available at craft stores like Joanne, Michael, or Hobby Lobby)

  • Step One: Cut a length of string that will go comfortably around the fourth graders neck, make sure to be generous with the length for the cross and knot. Put the first bead in the middle of that string.
  • Step Two: Hold the two ends of the string together and put the second bead through both strings at once.
  • Step Three: Put the third bead on one end and the fourth bead on the other end, these beads should be side-by-side.
  • Step Four: Add the fifth bead with the two ends together again, similar to step two.
  • Step Five: Use a glue dot to adhere the third and fourth beads, from step three, together.
  • Step Six: Tie off the string at the ends to finish the necklace.

Option Two:

Print and distribute the crossword puzzle in the attachments. Have the fourth graders write their memory verse on the back, so they can take it home to practice.

SERVANT RESOURCES

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

During your fourth graders' prayer routines this week, remind them to thank God for the great gift of Salvation. Try to include the Creed in your prayer routines and encourage them to memorize it. Say the Creed on the way to school, before starting homework, and before going to bed. The more we recite the Creed together, it will be easier to memorize and keep the words close to their hearts.

LESSON ATTACHMENTS

Grade 4 Week 2 Attachment (Faith) -2.pdf

Grade 4 Week 2 Discssion (Faith) .pdf