This Sunday school lesson will identify God’s holiness as His most prevalent attribute. Children will learn that all of God’s additional attributes exist through and because of His holiness.
by Leah Pittsigner
TOPICS
Holiness, Knowing God, Love, Mercy, Sin
AS KIDS ARRIVE (10 minutes)
Prepare index cards with the following verses on one side and the corresponding questions on the other side (Do not include the answers). As children arrive, ask them to select a card, look up the verse, and write the answer to the question on the back of the card. Tell the children to keep the cards, as each scripture will be discussed in the lesson.
Deuteronomy 32:4 - What makes God holy? (He is perfect.)
Leviticus 20:8 – How can we be holy? (By obeying God.)
Psalm 34:9 – How can we be holy? (By fearing God.)
Psalm 111:9 – What does God’s holiness provide? (Redemption and salvation through Jesus.)
Isaiah 5:16 – How will God’s holiness be proved? (Through his righteous actions, e.g. justice.)
OPENING PRAYER AND PRAISE (5 minutes)
Further info? Click here
MEMORY WORK (12 minutes)
"He is the Rock, his ways are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he." Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV
Ask the class to read the verse out loud with you. Then sing it together as a class to the music of “Amazing Grace” (repeating the last two measures of music to sing the scripture reference). Have the children sing with you at least two more times.
SCRIPTURE READING AND DISCUSSION (15 minutes)
Introduction:
Today we will learn what the Bible says about God’s holiness. Have your index cards ready from the beginning of class, and we will discuss your answers with each scripture.
Read Deuteronomy 32:4
Explain that God’s perfection is what makes Him holy, and ask for additional input from any children who answered the index card. Say, “God is fair and without sin even when we don’t understand His will. We can trust that His decisions are always the best decisions.”
Read Leviticus 20:8 and Psalm 34:9
Ask the children with the corresponding index cards to read the passage(s) and share their answers. Draw the conclusion that obedience and respectful fear of God makes us set apart like Him.
Read Psalm 111:9
Say, “God has proven His holiness to us by sending Jesus to die for our sins. If He wasn’t holy, then there would have been no reason for His sinless, perfect Son to die for us.” Ask for children’s answers to the scripture.
Read Isaiah 5:16
Ask the children with the corresponding index cards to read the passage and share their answers. Emphasize that God’s holiness is proved through all His other attributes (e.g. justice), so that is how we know being holy is His primary feature.
CLASS EXERCISE (15 minutes)
"God is Holy" Mosaic (Craft) Click here
ALTERNATE CLASS EXERCISE (5-10 minutes)
A Perfect Day (Activity) Click here
APPLICATION (5 minutes)
Comment, “God’s holiness makes Him loving, kind, merciful, just, and wise. While we can’t fully understand everything about His nature, we can accept that everything He does is motivated by His holiness.” Ask the following question:
How would our lives be different if God wasn’t holy?
Close the class in prayer and ask the Lord to increase the children’s desire to know more about Him.
NEXT WEEK
Come back next week to learn about the love God has for us.
CLOSING PRAYER (2 minutes)
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TAKE HOME PAGE
Give one copy to each child at the end of the class to take home. Click here for NIV or KJV [PDF]