ATTITUDES THAT JESUS TAUGHT

 

memory verse for this unit

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27b-28, NIV*).

objectives of this unit

This unit will help the children:• To learn that when we trust in God, he will help us with our worries• To understand that Jesus teaches us to love our enemies• To learn to have mercy on others and to not judge them unfairly for their wrongdoings• To understand that if we follow the teachings of Jesus, we too can be wise.

the reason we teach this unit

Through the lessons of this unit, our children will learn that our attitudes and conduct must reflect what Jesus taught us. The teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount are a challenge for every Christian. The message is radical and very different from what children have heard in a non-Christian world. Ideas presented in cartoons, at school, by friends and even by adults, are often against our Christian beliefs. Pre-adolescent children need to have a clear idea of what Christ expects of every Christian. The Sermon on the Mount exalts the attitudes and actions that the Christian should live. Our children need to learn that trust in God is not compatible with worry. The Sermon on the Mount will also teach us that the followers of Jesus Christ are to love their enemies. Christ gave us an example of love by the way he dealt with those who opposed him. This is already a great challenge, because we know that it is difficult to love those who do not love us. Jesus Christ warns us of the danger of being judgmental of others. We’ll learn that as we judge others, so shall we be judged. We need to build our lives on the basis of what Jesus taught us. These lessons allow us to practice Jesus’ teachings in a safe environment. We’ll see that following Jesus Christ will not always be easy, and that there are times when Christians suffer for what they believe, but in the process our lives will be strengthened and we can better honor God. Jesus loves us and gave his life for us. Christians obey God because we love him.

* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™