the earth is the lords

8/8/2019 The Earth is the Lords

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Activity StepsBegin By asking the participants to share their responses to the ollowing questions:

» In what ways is water the basis or all lie?

» How do we as humans sometimes show a lack o respect or water?

Allow or several responses beore continuing.

share the following key points:

» Water is the cradle and source o lie, and one o the most potent bearers o cultural and

religious meanings. Lie, in all its orms, is impossible without water. Water is a precondition

or lie—a given, a git.

The Earthis the Lord’s

in this act ivity, the participants explore what theScriptures say about water.

t i m E r E q u i r E d 3 0 t O 4 0 m i n u t E s

i n t E n d E d F O r G r A d E s 9 - 1 2

» fve sheets o newsprint

» markers, one or each participant, plus one extra

» a roll o masking tape

» Bibles, one or each participant

» index cards, eight or each participant

» three or our rolls o clear tape

Note: Using multiple sheets o newsprint, create a large mural on one o the walls in your meeting space. On

the top o the mural, write the ollowing: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

Materials

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» Water is viewed by many aiths and cultures as a sacred element symbolizing lie. To Chris-

tians, baptism with water symbolizes the cleansing o sins and the git o eternal lie in

Christ.

» The theme o water is integral to the telling o our story o aith. Water can symbolize many

things or Christians: God’s care and concern, God’s provision, God’s Word, God’s salva-

tion. Though there is no mystical or magical power in water, it stands as a symbol or these

things.

» In the Scriptures, we hear time and time again about the importance o water.

DiviDe the large group into small groups o our or fve. Distribute a Bible, eight index

cards, and a marker to each participant. Now ask the small groups to conduct a Bible search

to fnd Scripture verses that reer to water. Point out that there are over 700 uses o the word

“water” in the Bible, so they should not have too difcult a time locating a ew. I you like, you can

designate certain books o the Bible or each small group to explore.

Tell the small groups that as their members fnd relevant Scripture passages, they should note them

in large print on their index cards, one passage to each card. Then on the backs o the cards, they

should oer brie summaries o the verses. Each group member should to try to come up with our

(no more) dierent Scripture passages so that each small group has between 16 and 20 dierent

passages when all the members are done. The group members may want to share their passage

cites aloud as they write them down so the other members are aware o the cites that have already

been listed. Share the ollowing examples with the participants to get them going:

» In Genesis 1:20, we read o the frst mention o lie, and this lie comes rom water.

» In Isaiah 43:19, the hopes o the prophets were expressed through the promise that rivers

will spring up in the desert.

» In Revelations 22:1, it is revealed that in a new heaven and a new earth there will be a “river

o the water o lie, as clear as crystal.”

invite the small groups to report their fndings to the large group by mentioning the

Scripture passages they ound and providing a quick summary o each. As they do so, ask them

to tape their index cards onto the mural you have created on the wall, with the Scripture citations

acing out.

now ask the small groups to take some time to discuss what they have learned about

the scarcity and sanctity o water. As they share, they should note each learning on an index card.

Tell the groups to come up with no more than three learnings or each group member.

invite the small groups to report back to the large group their learnings as noted on

their index cards. As they do so, ask them to tape the cards onto the mural.

while they are still in their small groups, ask that each participant take his or her fnal index

card and write a prayer that ocuses on the issue o water. It can be a prayer o thanksgiving or

the water we have, a prayer or those who do not have water, a prayer or sae water, and so orth.

The prayer does not have to be lengthy or ancy; simple and heartelt is fne.

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concluDe the activity by gathering the prayer cards and then inviting the participants to pray

with you. Use a ew o the prayers noted on the cards.

Copyright © 2008 by World Vision Resources, Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716

[email protected] . All rights reserved.8



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About World VisionworlD vision is a Christian relie, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to helping

children and their amilies break ree rom poverty. Our work is motivated by our aith in Jesus Christ. We

see a world where each child experiences “ullness o lie” as described in John 10:10. And we know this can

be achieved only by addressing the problems o poverty and injustice in a holistic way. That’s how World

Vision is unique: We bring nearly sixty years o experience in three key areas needed to help children and

amilies thrive: emergency relie, long-term development, and advocacy. And we bring all o our skills across

many areas o expertise to each community we work in, enabling us to care or children’s physical, social,

emotional, and spiritual well-being.

worlD vision resources educates Christians about global poverty, inspires them to social justice,

and equips them with innovative resources to make a dierence in the world. By developing biblically-based

materials or educators and ministry leaders on the causes and consequences o global poverty, World Vision

Resources supports the organizational mandate to move the church in the United States to more ully embraceits biblical responsibility to serve the poor.

For more information about

our resources, contact:

World Vision Resources

www.worldvision.org

[email protected]

the earth is the lords

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