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This web-site is for everyone interested in learning more about the Bible.
This section helps Sunday school teachers find new ways of teaching familiar materials. Our goal is to augment lessons you may already have in your Sunday school curriculum.
This year, BibleWise is making it easier for you to find the stories, characters, or themes you want to share with your Sunday school pupils. Starting last month, we have been collecting all of the archived resources for specific Bible stories, characters, and themes into one place: Swap Shop. We continue to add new material to the existing list, including stories not previously used on BibleWise. All the activities, discussion questions, puzzles and games on our site will be listed under each category.
We’d like your help with this ongoing project. If there is a Bible character or an event not covered by BibleWise, please contact us at biblewise.com.
Teen Time, Living with the Bible, Parenting with the Bible, and Bible Overview will continue with their existing structure. Teaching the Bible is being re-designed to enable you to find what you want to teach as opposed to creating a set curriculum every month. For now, we will run Activities as we have in the past. Check weekly for updates to the Swap Shop section. Our web-spinner has been working on this project for the last seven months. We are looking for a new name for this part of BibleWise. Send your name suggestions to: swapshop@biblewise.com. The winning name will win a BibleWise t-shirt.
The theme for 2009 comes from 2 Tim 2:15 (Good News Translation) “Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth.” In helping students follow through on their spiritual goals for this year, ask them to consider how they can be sure of God’s approval of all they do at home, school, church, scouts, athletic events, and with friends.
For the next few months, we will be studying stories about Bible characters who worked on maintaining God’s approval in their everyday lives. This month, we’ll look at some of the women in the Bible who worked to serve God; Rebekah; Rahab; Ruth; Esther; and Mary and Martha.
Encourage your pupils to review their daily activities to see how much they are willing to discover God’s approval for all they do in sports, relationships, academics, church, etc.
The entire Activities section is divided into Memory Work, Activities, and Discussion Questions. You can go to any of these sections and select what best works for your pupils.
You can now download all three sections for ease in using these materials for teaching. |
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MEMORY WORK |
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Teachers and Parents
It is so important to encourage our little ones as well as ourselves to memorize Bible verses and stories – to become so familiar with the passage or story that its timeless relevance appears to us more and more clearly with every retelling. A major difference was evident between Sunday school pupils required to tell the story versus those who gave nodding recognition to the same story. We can not overlook the significance of memorizing a verse or story.
Consider sharing with your Sunday school pupils and parents ways to help little ones learn the verse and understand the impact of the message on their lives.
- Write out or type this week’s Bible verse on a card and place it on a mirror the child uses each day.
- Place the verse for the week in his/her lunch box.
- Ask the child to recite the verse before or after grace at the dinner meal.
- Practice as a family at dinner, going around the table with each one saying a word until the verse is complete.
- Put the verse to music. Create your own tune for each Bible verse. Create pictures to help remember the verse.
- Write it in a Bible verse notebook as many times as you can.
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Bible Verses
Work with your child and your students to learn each verse. Then, discuss the meaning of the verse and how it can be applied to everyday lives. On Sundays during class, riding in the car, or at dinner, it's fun to share stories of how the children have used the verse in their lives that week.
We provide memorization verses for each week. You can add your own.
March 1
(CEV) Prov. 31:30
Charm can be deceiving, and beauty fades away, but a woman who honors the LORD deserves to be praised.
- What is “charm”?
- How can it be deceptive?
- What does this Bible verse tell us about beauty?
- Why is honoring God important?
March 8
(KJV) Prov 31:10
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
- What is a virtuous woman?
- Why would her value be above the price of rubies?
- Do you know any virtuous women?
- Name three virtuous women from the Old Testament?
March 15
(CEV) Luke 12:7
Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.
- Why are we worth more than sparrows?
- Why shouldn’t we be afraid?
- How well does God know you?
March 22
(Message) Rom. 12:1
Take your everyday, ordinary life–your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life–and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.
- Why should we give God our lives?
- How can we be in service to God?
- What does God require of us?
March 29
(GNT) Micah 6:8
What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.
- Do you do what God requires of you, why or why not?
- What is just?
- How can you show constant love?
- What has God required of you?
April 6
(KJV) Isa 60:1
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
- Why do we need to rise?
- What is this “light?”
- How do you know that the glory of the Lord is risen upon you?
Translations used:
CEV Contemporary English Version
GNT Good News Translation
TAB The Amplified Bible
KJV King James Version |
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ACTIVITIES |
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Bible Overview begins our study of the Maccabees.
Teen Time’s Hot Topic discusses Cheating – What's the Real Price?
Kids Korner offers puzzles, games, and stories about some of the women in the Bible who worked to serve God
Parenting with the Bible discusses the true meaning of the Easter season in More than Chocolate Bunnies. |
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Exercise: Interviews or Playing the Part
Wear a name tag or dress up as one of the following six women: Rebekah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther, Mary or Martha.
Read the Bible account of the individual you will be portraying so that you are familiar with the woman’s history.
It is your classmates’ responsibility to figure out who you are by asking questions about your life. As a class you may want to prepare your questions.
Some examples include:
Rebekah:
- Why did you volunteer to give all Abraham’s servant’s camels water?
- How many camels did the servant bring? Why?
- What did the servant give you?
- Were you excited about marrying someone you had never seen?
- How did your family feel about you leaving?
- What gifts did you receive?
- Who did you marry?
Rahab:
- Where did you live?
- Why did you hide the spies?
- What was your reward?
- What did you tell the people looking for the spies?
- Why were you protected when the walls of Jericho came down?
- What sign did you put in the window to stay safe?
- Did the Israelites keep their promise?
- What did you win?
Ruth:
- Where are you from?
- Why did you leave Moab?
- Why didn’t you want to leave your mother-in-law?
- What did you do in Boaz’ fields?
- What did Boaz do to insure he could marry you?
- What was the name of your son?
- Who is your son’s famous grandfather?
Esther:
- How did you become queen?
- What happened to Queen Vashti?
- Were you nervous about becoming queen?
- What awful thing did Hamon plan?
- Were you frightened to defend your uncle Mordecai?
- Why did you invite Hamon for dinner?
- What happened?
Mary and Martha:
( get two people to play the sisters – be as realistic as possible)
- What did Martha want Mary to do?
- Why did Mary refuse?
- Why didn’t Martha do the same thing Mary did?
- Do you ever get so wrapped up in the preparations for an event that you miss the event?
- What was Jesus teaching Mary? Martha?
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Exercise: Women of the Bible
Make a list of at least 20 women in the Bible and what they are known for.
Example: Hagar - Abraham’s servant and mother of his son, Ishmael. |
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Exercise: Describe how Rebekah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther, Mary and Martha pleased God. |
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS |
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Rebekah
Read Genesis 24; A Wife for Isaac; How Abraham Found A Wife for Isaac.
- Retell this wonderful story.
- What is unusual about this story?
- How old is Isaac?
- Why isn’t he getting a wife on his own?
- Why did his dad wait so long to find him a bride?
- How would you feel if you were the servant?
- What do you think of arranged marriages?
- Why was it so important to find Isaac a wife from Abraham's homeland?
- How would you feel if your parents decided whom you were going to marry?
- Does that happen anywhere in the world today?
- So maybe you’re not thinking about marriage, but what if your parents selected your date for the prom?
- What was the servant's prayer? (Gen 24:11-14)
- Are we that specific when we pray?
- What did the servant ask God to do?
- What sign indicated that Rebekah was the one?
- Does Isaac like Rebekah?
- One would think it would take a long time for someone not only to offer him water but to be willing to serve 10 camels as well. In the book, Running with the Giants, author John C. Maxwell calculates how many jars of water it would take to water 10 camels. "Each camel could drink 20 gallons of water."
- "10 camels at 20 gallons each = 200 gallons
200 gallons drawn with a 5-gallon jar = 40 trips
40 trips at (a conservative) 3 minutes each = 2 hours
What seemed like a simple act of kindness would require 2 hours of work.
- Maxwell contends extra effort brings extra blessings. Would you be willing to do that much for a stranger? A friend? A member of the family? A boss?
- What extra blessing did Rebekah receive? A husband? Or something even greater? [she was the great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother of Jesus.]
- Who is blessed when we give generously?
- What was special about Rebekah besides being beautiful?
- What qualities did she express?
- Was she looking for approval?
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Rahab
Read Joshua 2; 6:15-27; A Wall Falls Down; The Story of a Scarlet Cord
- During the time of Joshua, Rahab protected two Israelite spies. Where was her house located? (Joshua 2:1, 15)
- Just before the battle of Jericho, who sent "two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho?" (Joshua 2:1)
- Rahab and her family lived in a house on the wall of Jericho. Why were they spared when the city walls fell and the city was destroyed in the time of Joshua? (Joshua 2:1-24)
- Rahab's agreement with the spies was that they save the lives of her father, her mother, her brothers, and her sisters. How and where did Rahab hide the two spies? (Joshua 2:1-24)
- What was flax and how was it used? (Please see a Bible dictionary.)
- How did the two spies escape from Rahab's house in Jericho? (Joshua 2:15)
- Most scholars identify Rachab, mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus, and Rahab as the same person. Please tell the story of Rahab. (Joshua 2:1-24; 6:22-25; Matthew 1:5)
- Rahab is one of four Old Testament women listed in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus. Who are the other three? (Matthew 1:1-16)
- The author of Hebrews notes that Rahab "perished not with them that believed not" when her city was destroyed. What is the name of Rahab's city (Hebrews 11:31; Joshua 2:1-24; 6:22-25).
- Was Rahab Jewish when she hid the two spies?
- Why do you suppose Rahab decided to cooperate with the Hebrew spies? [prepared by Joan K. Snipes]
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Ruth
Read Ruth 1-4; Ruth; How Ruth Gleaned in the Field of Boaz
- The name Ruth means friendship.
- After reading the story of Ruth, what qualities did Ruth express?
- Are these qualities similar to your description of a good friend?
- Would Ruth make a good friend? Why or why not?
- What kind of a family member was Ruth?
- What happened to Ruth?
- What major sacrifice does Ruth make? (gives up her family and training to establish her relationship with God)
- What kind of a helper was she to Naomi?
- Would you have left your homeland to be with someone who is not your mother?
- Can you imagine Ruth being less than happy to serve?
- Why was she willing to follow Naomi?
- What was her reward for her unselfed love?
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Esther
Read Esther: 1-10; Esther Saves the Day; The Beautiful Girl Who Became a Queen; Why a Proud Man Planned to Destroy all the Jews; How Queen Esther Saved the Lives of Her People
- How did Esther become Queen?
- What did Queen Vashti do to upset the King?
- What is a harem?
- How do you think Esther felt when she was asked to be part of the King’s harem?
- Why would that be frightening?
- Would you be surprised if the King selected you for his bride?
- What religion was Esther?
- Why did he select Esther?
- What is Esther’s uncle’s name? [Mordecai]
- What did her uncle ask Esther to do? [Talk with the King about saving her people]
- Why was that so scary? [The Queen could only talk to the King if he called her; otherwise he could kill her]
- How did the King greet her?
- What did Esther ask for? [a banquet]
- Who was invited?
- What did Esther ask the King at dinner?
- How did that affect Haman?
- For whom had Haman prepared the gallows?
- What happened instead?
- What is the name of the annual feast that celebrates the defeat of the Jews' enemies?
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Mary and Martha
Read Luke 10:38-42; Listening; Conversations at Martha’s and Mary’s
- Who were the guests that came to dinner?
- What did Martha want Mary to do?
- What did Mary do?
- Who defended Mary?
- Who was right? Mary or Martha?
- Was Martha unreasonable in her request for help in the kitchen?
- How often do we let work get in the way of what’s really important?
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