Dear Parents,

We hope the following summary of the Sunday School lesson will help you in discussing the lesson with your children and working through this booklet together.

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE:

Nehemiah 1:2-2:10

BIBLE STORY SUMMARY:

Nehemiah met with some men who came from Jerusalem with news that the walls to the city had been broken down, and the gates burned so that they had no protection from the people around them. Nehemiah was very sad so he mourned and fasted, and prayed about what to do. When he prayed he remembered God’s promises and Israel’s unfaithfulness.

At great risk to himself, he let the needs of his people be known to the king, and the king grant-ed his wish to go to Jerusalem to repair the walls, and provide for his journey and materials for the work.

LESSON FOCUS:

We need to be sad for the things that make God sad.

When God calls us to do something for Him, He also provides the things to make

it happen.

We are a part of God’s plan—He does His work through people.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT GOD:

God loves His people and wants to provide for htem.

God does His work through people; He does not usually do things directly Himself.

RESPONSE:

It is easy to be indifferent to the suffering of our world and those around us. We need to see the world with God’s perspective and then live our lives accordingly. When prompt-ed by the Holy Spirit, we need to let our live for God show through the attitude and ac-tions of our heart.

Copyright 2009

Berean Baptist Church

309 E County Road 42

Burnsville, Minnesota 55306

952.432.7168

Obey God’s Call

This Week’s Memory Verse:

I spread out my hands to You;

My soul thirsts for You like a parched land.

Psalm 143:6

January 27, 2013

Ezra & Nehemiah

Nehemiah’s Heart Is Broken For Jerusalem

Nehemiah was eager to hear news about Jerusalem from his vis-itors. What was the news? Choose three of six.

____ The wall was broken. ____ A celebration was planned.

____ The gates were burned. ____ A bumper crop was harvested.

____ The people did not obey God. ____ More people were moving to Jerusalem.

Read

Nehemiah 1:2-7

Monday—Sad News For Nehemiah

Nehemiah responded to the news: “When I heard these things, I

_______________ down and _______________________.”

What are some things that make God sad, even today?

List two.

1. ____________________________________

2. ____________________________________

Do these things make you feel sad too?

Yes

No

How long did Nehemiah cry over this news?

A. A few minutes

B. A couple of hours

C. For some days

D. A month

Saturday—This Week’s Puzzle

L R J N L P C E T T U W V I P

V L T F E D R L T Y I S R R I

Y U A U G H T Y V Q Z F A K H

I J P W B L E G L B U Y H J O

T E S T W Z V M V O E L G M V

G F M J E F Q X I D T A B D V

V U X M C U P B E A R E R O X

Q E F L H S P Q A Z H M O G Z

S E T A G D Z I I J L G K S Y

U H K M A K X L B Z Q L E U X

P I Y S I F G E V C P I N Y I

O A O U O W Q B K S J F D I J

A Q D C N F I U Q M G L B K U

W R X L O U I H E Y I G Q U D

T M M W O F V E V H H B K W U

BROKEN CUPBEARER GATES GOD

NEHEMIAH PRAYED SAD WALL

Do you think God could have fixed the broken wall and built

the gates without Nehemiah’s help?

____ Yes ____ No ____ Not sure

Recite

Read your verse

three times!

Friday—God Calls Us to Listen and to Action

Nehemiah trusted God to take care of him and listen to his concerns. He knew that

God could solve the problem. Yet God also called Nehemiah to get involved.

What did Nehemiah do to prepare?

He prayed and asked God for guidance

He gave careful thought about what would be needed to fix the wall

and gates

He asked the king for help

He set out to get the work started

When we pray, we know God is listening. Many times, God answers prayers by getting us involved in the solution!

Are you listening to God to hear what He wants you to do?

Are you watching for things that make God sad?

Do you look for ways to get involved and help others?

Are you ready to help when God calls?

After Nehemiah heard the news about Jerusalem, what did

he do right away?

Wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes

Prayed to God

Packed up and went to Jerusalem

Gathered a crowd of people to protest

Read

Nehemiah 1:5-11

Tuesday—An Important First Step

What did Nehemiah pray about?

A. Forgiveness for the Israelites

B. Guidance on what he should do

C. Kindness from the king to give Nehemiah what he needed to help the Israelites

D. All of the above

Do you pray about things day and night? Circle.

Yes No Sometimes

During this time, Nehemiah prayed:

_____ Only on the feast of the Unleavened Bread

_____ Day and night

_____ Once in awhile

_____ On special holidays

When you feel sad or troubled about anything, God wants to hear about it right away! Write a sentence prayer and tell Him what makes you feel sad.

Dear God:

________________________________________________________________________________________________

What was he responsible for?

Polishing the king’s cups to keep them sparkling

Carrying the king’s drinking cup for him wherever he went

Testing the king’s food and beverages for poison

Nehemiah had an interesting job as a

__________________________ .

One day Nehemiah brought the king his wine. What did the king notice?

“Why does your (face, clothes) look so (joyful, sad) when you are not ill? This

can be nothing but (happiness, sadness) of the (heart, mind).”

Read

Nehemiah 1:11-2:3

Wednesday—Nehemiah and King Artazerxes

Circle how Nehemiah felt as the king spoke:

Practice saying this week’s memory verse. Can you do it without peeking?

The king asked Nehemiah what he wanted. Before Nehemiah

spoke, what did he do?

“ I ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ to the God of heaven.”

Who was with the king as he listened to Nehemiah?

The governors

The queen

The royal dog

The builders

Draw a line from Nehemiah to the request he made of the king:

Read

Nehemiah 2:1-10

Thursday—Nehemiah Makes His Request

“Send me to the city of my fathers so I may rebuild

it.”

“May I have an army to protect me?”

“May I have letters to the governors for safe trav-

els?”

“May I have timber from the king’s forest for the

city gates and to rebuild the wall?”

“may I have your royal ring?”

Did the king grand the request to Nehemiah? Circle.

Yes No Not sure

Is there a request you want to ask God?

Dear God, Please hear my request: ___________________________. Thank you for listening to my prayer. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.