Prepare for Songs and Psalms
A Song to Learn During TGP Unit 16
Practice this hymn with your children, and talk about what it means.
281 | “Take My Life and Let It Be,” Frances Ridley Havergal, H. A. César Malan, Lowell Mason
From The Sing! Hymnal: “This hymn of Frances Ridley Havergal is so extremely helpful to us because it does not merely say we want to follow, or obey, or surrender but breaks down this idea into each of the most challenging categories—our hands and feet and where we go, our voice and lips and every word we speak, our silver and gold and every priority we have with money, our will and heart and what we will do in our future, and finally our affections—the things and the people we love.”
Responsive Reading: Psalm 146
Read the Psalm together. Practice saying it responsively. Try memorizing one or more verses.
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Talk About the Songs and Psalms
Choose a verse from a song or psalm. Read it together and discuss these questions using the “Swedish method.”
- What do you notice about these words? What do you like? What is surprising?
- Is there anything you don’t understand? Is there anything you wonder about?
- What do these words tell you about God? What do they tell you about yourself?
- Talk to God together about what you’ve discussed. Praise Him, thank Him, and ask for His help.
Prepare for Children’s Worship
Use this guide to prepare your children for their time learning in the classroom on Sunday morning (and for the Old and New Testament readings).
Unit 16 Memory Verse | 1 Corinthians 10:31 — “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
Unit 16 Big Picture Q&A | How can we glorify God? We can glorify God by loving Him and obeying Him.
Bible Story | “Daniel’s Prophecies,” Daniel 7–12. Read this story to your children from the Bible or from a storybook Bible. Prompt your children to describe the characters and events of the passage.
Christ Connection | Daniel’s visions pointed to the truth that God is more powerful than all earthly kingdoms. Jesus, the Son of Man, rules over the kings of the earth, and His kingdom will never end. One day, all who trust in Him will be with God forever.
Introduction to the Story
Prophecy passages are often some of the most difficult passages in all of Scripture to understand. As verses are filled with mysterious visions and future descriptions, we might be challenged to determine what the symbols represent and how we should think about them in relation to the past, present, and future. And while specific interpretations for prophecies can be disputed, the point of prophecy in Scripture is clear—God is in absolute control of everything—past, present, and future.
Daniel’s prophecies, in particular, are interesting because they contain such detailed descriptions of the rise and fall of earthly kingdoms. Strange apocalyptic visions are mixed with real-world historical prophecies to form a complex understanding of God’s power over the present and His plan for the future. God uses prophecy literature to remind us that even though we don’t know the future, He does.
These chapters in Daniel remind us that God is completely sovereign over the affairs and government of men. Daniel sees visions that represent great kingdoms of the world. All of them pale in comparison, however, to the greatness of the kingdom that God will establish and that the Son of Man will rule over. God’s reign is not temporary or limited. Daniel reminds us that we can trust God—who controls all of history—with whatever may be happening in our own lives.
Additionally, Daniel 10 points to the reality of spiritual warfare. An angel revealed that Daniel’s prayer had been heard, but that a delay had happened in the spiritual realm. If we are honest, most of us live without a thought about the spiritual battles happening around us. The delay of the angel showed that the battle in the spiritual realm was intense and real. And while the battle may rage, even the most powerful forces of the spiritual world offer no real opposition to the will and power of God. Even when answers seem distant or delayed, God is working in ways we may never be able to comprehend to bring about His good plan.
Encourage kids to remember the Ancient of Days, who is ruling over every part of their lives for His glory and the good of His people. Point them to the King of kings whose kingdom will never end.
Prepare for Pulpit Ministry
This Week’s Text | Isaiah 25:6–9
Some Context for Adults | From the Bible Project: “A series of poems … tell a tale of two cities, starting off by describing the ‘lofty city’ that’s exalted itself over God and has become corrupt and unjust. It’s a poetic archetype of rebellious humanity and is described with language borrowed from Isaiah’s earlier depictions of Jerusalem, Assyria, and Babylon, all blended together. This city is destined for ruin, and it will one day be replaced by the new Jerusalem, where God’s Kingdom reigns over a redeemed humanity from among all nations and there’s no more death or suffering. These chapters are the climax of this entire section, showing how Isaiah’s message pointed far beyond his own day. His was a message for everyone who waits for God to judge violent, oppressive kingdoms and establish his universal Kingdom of justice and healing love.”
COMA Questions
Context, Observation, Meaning, Application
- What is “the curse”? Why was there a curse?
- What do you notice about this passage? Are there any words you don’t know?
- What do you think is the message or story of this passage?
- What do you think God wants you to think or do after reading this passage?
Pray | After you have read and discussed the passage, thank God for His Word and ask Him to apply it to your life. Ask for the specific applications you identified in your discussion.
