YEA Lesson Library

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Tell the events at Simon’s house and Jesus’ response.

2. Explain why Jesus forgave the woman and why God forgives us.

3. State that repentance, humbleness, and the willingness to change are significant to God.

4. Relate the stories of the students, the brothers, and Luke 7 to their own lives.

5. Demonstrate the right and wrong attitudes, and parental or godly reactions, in a role-playing activity.

Topics & Themes

Attitude
Footwashing
Forgiveness
God’s Love
God’s Will
Humility
Jesus, His Ministry
Loving God
Obedience
Parable
Pharisee/Tax Collector
Pharisees
Repentance
Sin
Tax Collector

Materials Needed

Bible, YEA Students’ and Teacher’s books, attendance and memory verse charts, stars, songbook, CD, CD player, newspaper clippings of crime stories, dry erase board and markers

Preparation

Be familiar with all accounts of Christ’s anointing with perfume found in Luke 7:36-50, Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, and John 12:1-8. Scholars do not agree whether this was the same event or if they were separate events. Students may read these accounts and be confused with the variance in details. Preteens will accept the explanation that we don’t know whether this was one or two events. Also be familiar with the parable in Luke 18:9-14. The students will be enacting this parable as a springboard into their own situations.

Cut out several newspaper stories about people convicted of crimes relevant to the students. The students may have strong feelings about the guilt or innocence of these people. Use these articles to produce an interesting discussion.

List the following people’s transgressions on the board (keep in mind students’ maturity): Saul (disobeyed Samuel’s instructions), Adam and Eve (ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil), Abram (did not tell the whole truth about Sarai), Peter (denied he knew Christ—lied), and add others if you wish. Use these people in the role-playing activity to show their attitudes about their transgressions of God’s Law.

How to Teach This Lesson

After opening with prayer, follow the lesson plan.

On Trial - Start discussing people in the news or famous people who have recently been on trial. Talk about their attitudes. Expect students to have strong feelings about the guilt or innocence of a particular person. Let them state these feelings, but caution them to be careful of passing judgment based on TV or their like or dislike of the person.

Discuss daily occurrences with siblings. If they feel a little brother or sister gets away with too much, don’t be critical. Ask: Do your parents ever show leniency towards you when you don’t de- serve it? You might ask questions to see whether the sibling really is “getting away with murder.” If the student seem very convinced, suggest that he/ she calmly discusses it with his/her parents.

Forgiveness vs. Consequences - Talk about the two students and the project discussed in the Student’s book. Ensure that your students under- stand the difference between forgiveness and consequences. Just because the teacher forgave them doesn’t mean they won’t have to make up the project. They may do badly on the next test because they don’t understand the material. Even worse, they might get an “F” for their grade.

Bring the discussion back to forgiveness of big things and little things. Discuss Luke 7. Ask them if they ever see their friends shunning other students at school. Discuss why Jesus didn’t reject the sinful woman. Talk about attitudes, including David’s, Saul’s, and the one portrayed in Luke 18.

Talk about how the forgive-ness of sins shows God’s love for us. Tie this in with their parents showing love and forgiveness—even when they deserve to be grounded. Ask: How does that love make you want to behave differently?

Once students show a good grasp of what is being said, have them act out these situations: students at school, siblings at home, Pharisees and tax collectors, the list of people on the board, and Luke 7. Taking the role of someone with an unrepentant attitude emphasizes how repulsive it is to those who care. It’s good for students to see how repentant attitudes make a world of difference to God. To be put in a position of authority where punishment is de- served and mercy is shown, is also good for them.

Make sure the kids don’t conclude that all sins are the same. Emphasize that the consequences are usually equal to the sin.

Review Questions

1. What happened at Simon’s house? What was Jesus’ response? Why?

2. Why did Jesus forgive the woman? Why does God forgive us?

3. What kind of attitude is very important to God when you’ve behaved
inappropriately?

4. Have you learned anything in this lesson that you’ve seen in your own life? Are you willing to share it with us?

5. Why does God’s forgiveness help us to behave better the next time?

Teacher-Directed Activity

Have the children role-play as many of the following situations as time allows:

1. The two students and teacher at school (from story in Students’ book).

2. The two brothers and parents (from the Students’ book).

3. Luke 18.

4. Abram’s half-truth about Sarai being his sister.

5. Have students design their own situation (possibly from their Students’ book Activity).

REACH Activity

Word Study: Agapao
In Luke 7:47 Jesus says that Mary “loved much.” The Greek word for “loved much” is “agapao.” It means to love, and indicates a direction of the will and finding one’s joy in something. It is used of God’s love towards man and man towards God. Thus agapao shows that Mary’s actions of love towards Jesus were not merely an emotion, but an act of her will which gave her joy. Agapao is similar to the Greek word agape.

Did You Know?
In Luke 7:36-50, Simon the Pharisee was sure that if Jesus really was who He said He was that He would know the woman was a sinner—and would not allow her to touch His feet. The woman washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed his feet, and poured perfume on them. Jesus highlighted Simon’s lack of respect for Jesus in Luke 7:44-46: Simon didn’t give Jesus water to wash His feet—which was the minimal gesture of hospitality for a guest; the woman wet his feet with her tears. Simon did not offer even a traditional kiss of greeting to Jesus; the woman kissed Jesus’ feet. Simon didn’t provide oil for Jesus’ head; the woman poured perfume on his feet.

Because Simon was so sure of what a good person he was, he didn’t even show basic respect to Jesus as prescribed by the customs of the day. In contrast, the sinful woman went above and beyond showing basic respect; she showed love to Jesus despite what others thought. (Source: NIV Archaeological Study Bible, p. 1682-1683.)

Music Notes: Just As I Am, Without One Plea
This hymn is found on page 98 of the CEM Hymnal. The words were written by Charlotte Elliot.

When Charlotte Elliot was young, she was a popular portrait artist and writer of humorous verse. But at age 30, she contracted a serious illness which left her a bedridden invalid. Naturally, she was despondent about her life change. However, one day the Swiss evangelist, Dr. Caesar Malan, visited her. Upon seeing her attitude and depression, he said, “Charlotte, you must come just as you are—a sinner—to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” This was just the admonition that she needed. Despite her physical problems, which continued until her death at age 82, her entire outlook on life changed. She said, “God sees, God guards, God guides me. His grace surrounds me and His voice continually bids me to be happy and holy in His service—just where I am!” She wrote the words to this hymn and approximately 150 other hymns throughout her lifetime. She is known as one of the finest of all the English hymn writers. (Source: Amazing Grace, Osbeck, K., p. 183.)

Everyone has sins in their lives—sins of unbelief, sins of breaking God’s Law, sins of pride and arrogance. Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Praise God that He made a way for each of us to come to Him, through Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:14).

Journal Jot
It is so easy to look at other people and see things that are wrong in their lives. How easily we can start thinking how much better we are than they! God doesn’t want us to do that. He doesn’t want us to compare ourselves with others. It doesn’t help us grow closer to Him, and it doesn’t help our relationships with others either. You don’t know where another is going and you don’t know where he came from. A more contemporary saying is, “Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes.” And, we have enough sins of our own to keep our minds occupied.

Write a prayer to God asking for His help in not judging other people. You can judge that actions are wrong, but you have no business judging the people. That’s God’s job.

Back to the Bible
There once was a young man from Tarsus named Saul, a Pharisee, (Acts 7:58; Acts 9) who had been persecuting Christians in Jerusalem. He wanted to stop Christianity from spreading throughout Roman lands. He also was at the stoning of Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5). Saul was on the road to Damascus to bring Christians back to Jerusalem for persecution when he had a conversion (changing/transforming) experience. He saw a flashing of light and a voice said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” It was the voice of the Lord! Whenever Saul persecuted a believer in Jesus Christ, he persecuted Jesus, too. Can you imagine how Saul must have felt? Afterward, through a series of events, Saul was baptized and his life was completely turned to Jesus Christ. Instead of persecuting Christians, Saul became a very strong preacher for Jesus Christ. He would take many missionary trips to preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even the Apostles did not believe that a sinner and persecutor of Christs’ followers could be completely changed! Even Saul’s name was changed (Acts 13:9). Saul was a sinner who persecuted Christians and Jesus forgave him. The sinful woman at Simon’s house received forgiveness for her sins, and so can you. Go to Jesus in prayer when you want forgiveness for your sins. Have a repentant heart and an attitude of humility and you will know the loving forgiveness of Jesus Christ, too.

Just Toolin’ Around
1. Use a Bible, concordance, and other Bible reference tools to find what name Saul was given after he started preaching the Gospel.

2. Saul was from Tarsus. Yet he was in Jerusalem before he set out for Damascus. Become familiar with these and other Bible cities by drawing a map and highlighting Tarsus, Jerusalem, and Damascus. Saul preached the Gospel in other cities. Read more about his journeys, and then locate and highlight the names of at least two other cities. Keep the map in your journal for future use.

Stretch It Out
A concrete poem takes the shape of the topic of the poem. For example, the words in a concrete poem about the birth of Jesus could be written so that the words are part of the outline of a stable. Write a concrete poem about Luke 7:36-50. Share your poem with the Sabbath School class.

Questions?
Remember to write any questions that you have in your journal. That way you will remember to ask your parents, teacher, or minister.

Song

“O Be Careful Little Eyes” is on page 39 of the Kids Classics Collection.

Closing Prayer

Ask for a volunteer to lead in prayer asking God to help us see our mistakes so we can ask for His forgiveness.