SCRIPTURES Lesson Lifesaver Activity: Scripture Specs Help Me See My Way to Heaven glasses

How Do We See Our Way Back to Heaven?

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

LESSON LIFESAVER Activity
Scripture Specs Help Me See My Way to Heaven glasses

OBJECTIVE:  Help children read their scriptures through these Scripture Specs. Tell them that the scriptures help us see our way back to heaven. Here we learn about Jesus, the Son of God who came to earth to teach us how to live and be happy.

TO MAKE:
1. Print the activity (sized for children and teens/adults).
2. Create a pair of glasses—Scriptures Specs—that they can put on to read the scriptures. Cut out the book-eye pieces and place colored cellophane there or leave it open. Punch holes on the sides and tie a string to it to tie around the child’s head.

 

ACTIVITY:

SCRIPTURE SPECS Help Me See My Way to Heaven scripture reading glasses. Children can peer with one eye through the Old Testament window and the other through the New Testament window.

As children/teens/adults wear the specs, read John 5:39*. Explain that “testify” means to tell. By reading the scriptures we learn about Jesus and His father who is our Heavenly Father. We are all God’s spirit children. We are children of God.

God created us and sent us to earth to learn how to live God’s plan of happiness. This way we can return to heaven again someday. Let’s peer through these glasses to see how to get there. As we read the scriptures we can learn ways to be happy to be like Jesus.

Tell children that the Bible helps us SEE OUR WAY BACK TO HEAVEN.
     BOOK #1 The Old Testament tells of the beginning, the creation, about Adam and Eve, our first parents. It tells of the people who lived before Jesus came to earth. God’s prophets taught about Jesus coming to be our Savior.
     BOOK #2 The New Testament tells of the birth of Jesus and His growth (Luke 2:52). It tells about Him starting His mission, choosing His 12 disciples (Apostles), and teaching His gospel showing us how to be happy and how to live to get back to heaven. He blessed and healed the sick and performed many miracles.
     Then, He went to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed for all of us and suffered for our sins. After, He was taken to where he died on the cross and was resurrected so that we might live again someday. He visited His disciples and showed them the nail prints in His hands that He died for us. He told us that He would send the Holy Ghost to guide us to find happiness and our way back to heaven.

Explain the two books.

The OLD TESTAMENT teaches us about God’s creations and the people who lived on the earth before Jesus came. It tells of prophets who were called by God to tell others that Jesus was coming to be our Savior.

The NEW TESTAMENT tells us of Jesus’ birth and as He grew how He taught us how to be happy. It tells of Jesus as a boy. It tells of Jesus starting His mission and calling His disciples (the 12 Apostles). They wrote about His teachings and His healing of the sick.
     This book tells how Jesus’ Atonement, how He went to the Garden of Gethsemane and suffered for our sins and prayed for all of us to be forgiven if we repent. He suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross, dying for us. He was resurrected which made it possible for all of us to live again someday. 

THOUGHT TREAT:  Open-Book Scripture wafer cookies. Display two cookies (e.g. wafers or graham cracker pieces) next to each other glued together in the center with frosting. Open the scriptures and the cookie (in “V” shape), saying that this book should be opened each day to read about Jesus and His commandments (show a picture of Jesus).

DISCUSSION POINTS (Scriptures, Jesus Christ)

• God gave us the scriptures to help us understand what He and His Son Jesus Christ want us to do so we can return to live with Them again someday.

• We are taught how God created this beautiful world for us to live on and placed prophets on the earth to help guide us. He gave us commandments to live by.

• We read about Jesus’ birth and His mission. He taught us by example how to love others. He taught us how to repent. We learn that He loved us so much that He suffered for our sins. He died for us and was resurrected so that we might live again.

• The scriptures give us great examples of real people who loved God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. We can seek these examples in the scriptures and try to be like them.

BIBLE SCRIPTURES TO UNDERLINE:

Matthew 22:29
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”

*John 5:39
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

Luke 24:45
“Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.”

1 Corinthians 15:3
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.”

James 1:5
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
DOWNLOAD James 1:5 scripture poster/card set (HERE, shown below)

John 2:22
“They believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.”

Deuteronomy 6:7
“And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children.”

Joshua 1:8
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therin day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Isaiah 34:16
“Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read.”

More Activities on Reading the Scriptures

Sing “Search, Ponder, and Pray”
DOWNLOAD and print song visuals for this song (HERE or below) COMING SOON

IDEAS TO PRESENT THIS SONG:
1. Share scripture stories with children and testify to them of the truthfulness of each and how your testimony of each came to be. Children are taught by the Spirit and this song testifies to this.
2. Give children a chance to share their own scripture stories and testimonies.

LYRICS & MUSIC FOR THE SONG
“SEARCH, PONDER, AND PRAY”

Lyrics

1. I love to read the holy scriptures,

   And, ev’ry time I do,

   I feel the Spirit start to grow within my heart-

   A testimony that they’re true.

   [Chorus]

   Search, ponder, and pray

   Are the things that I must do.

   The Spirit will guide, and, deep inside,

   I’ll know the scriptures are true.

2. So, prayerfully I’ll read the scriptures

   Each day my whole life through.

   I’ll come to understand.

   I’ll heed the Lord’s command

   And live as he would have me do.