God Speaks to Us: Ways Through Which God Speaks to Us, Purpose of God Speaking to Us, and How God Spoke to Jacob | Primary 4 (Basic 4) First Term Week 1 Christian Religious Studies

GOD SPEAKS TO US: WAYS THROUGH WHICH GOD SPEAKS TO US, PURPOSE OF GOD SPEAKING TO US AND HOW HOW SPOKE TO JACOB 

CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (CRS)

PRIMARY 4 – FIRST TERM – WEEK 1

THEME – NATIONAL RELIGIOUS STUDIES 

PREVIOUS LESSON – 

TOPIC – GOD SPEAKS TO US

LEARNING AREA 

1. Introduction

2. Ways Through Which God Speaks to Us

3. Purpose of God Speaking to Us

4. How God Spoke to Jacob

5. Weekly Assessment: Test Questions and Answers/Assignment

5. Summary

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Explain what it means for God to speak to people.

2. Mention ways through which God speaks to people.

3. State reasons why God speaks to people.

4. Explain how God spoke to Jacob.

5. State lessons learned from God’s communication with Jacob.

ENTRY BEHAVIOUR

Pupils have previously learned that God created human beings and cares for them.

This lesson builds on that knowledge by teaching pupils how God communicates with people and why they should listen and respond to Him.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The teacher will teach the lesson with the aid of:

1. Bible

2. Pictures of people praying

3. Bible story charts

4. Flashcards

5. Relevant Bible passages

METHOD OF TEACHING

Choose a suitable and appropriate methods for the lessons.

Note – Irrespective of choosing methods of teaching, always introduce an activities that will arouse pupil’s interest or lead them to the lessons. 

REFERENCE MATERIALS

1. Scheme of Work

2. 9 – Years Basic Education Curriculum

3. Course Book

4. All Relevant Material

5. Online Information

CONTENT OF THE LESSON

INTRODUCTION

People communicate with one another by speaking, writing, using signs and other means. In the same way, God communicates with people to guide, teach, warn and encourage them.

God can speak to people in different ways. In the Bible, God communicated with many people, including Jacob, to guide them and reveal His plans.

In this lesson, pupils will learn about the ways through which God speaks to us, the purposes of God’s communication with us, and how God spoke to Jacob.

LESSON 1 – MEANING OF GOD SPEAK TO US

God speaking to us means God communicating His message, guidance, instructions, or warnings to us.

WAYS THROUGH WHICH GOD SPEAKS TO US

God communicates with people in different ways. Some of the ways through which God speaks to us include:

1. Through the Bible: God speaks to us through His written Word and teaches us how to live.

2. Through Prayer: God can guide and answer us as we pray and listen to Him.

3. Through His Servants: God can use pastors, teachers and other people to deliver His message.

4. Through Dreams and Visions: In the Bible, God sometimes spoke to people through dreams and visions.

5. Through the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit guides, teaches and reminds believers of God’s ways.

6. Through Nature and Creation: God’s creation shows His power, wisdom and greatness.

LESSON 2 – PURPOSE OF GOD SPEAKING TO US

God speaks to us for different reasons. He speaks to:

1. Guide us in making good decisions.

2. Teach us His ways and commandments.

3. Warn us against doing wrong.

4. Correct us when we go astray.

5. Encourage us when we are afraid or discouraged.

6. Reveal His plans and promises to us.

7. Help us obey His will and live according to His instructions.

LESSON 3 – HOW GOD SPOKE TO JACOB

God spoke to Jacob when Jacob was travelling to Haran. At night, Jacob slept with a stone under his head. While sleeping, he had a dream.

In the dream, Jacob saw a ladder reaching from the earth to heaven, with angels going up and down on it. The Lord appeared to Jacob and spoke to him.

God promised Jacob that He would give him the land, bless him and his descendants, and be with him wherever he went. God also promised to protect him and bring him back safely.

Jacob woke up and realised that God had spoken to him. He was amazed and recognised that God was present in that place.

Bible Reference: Genesis 28:10–22.

WEEKLY ASSESSMENT: TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS/ASSIGNMENT 

A. Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does it mean for God to speak to us?

A. God gives us toys

B. God plays with us

C. God sleeps with us

D. God communicates His message to us

2. Which of these is a way God speaks to us?

A. Through shoes

B. Through clothes

C. Through toys

D. Through the Bible

3. Why does God speak to us?

A. To guide us

B. To confuse us

C. To frighten us

D. To make us unhappy

4. How did God speak to Jacob?

A. Through a dream

B. Through a letter

C. Through a song

D. Through a book

5. What did Jacob see in his dream?

A. A large boat

B. A ladder reaching from earth to heaven

C. A beautiful house

D. A tall tree

B. Fill in the Gaps

6. God speaks to us to ______ us in the right way.

7. The ______ is the Word of God.

8. God can speak to people through dreams and ______.

9. Jacob saw a ______ reaching from earth to heaven.

10. God promised to bless and ______ Jacob.

C. True or False

11. God can speak to us through the Bible.

12. God speaks to us only to punish us.

13. God spoke to Jacob through a dream.

14. Jacob saw angels going up and down the ladder.

15. God promised to be with Jacob.

D. Matching

16. Bible — A. A way God communicated with Jacob

17. Prayer — B. God’s written Word

18. Dream — C. Talking and listening to God

19. Jacob — D. A person God spoke to

20. Holy Spirit — E. Guides and teaches believers

ANSWER KEY

1. D 2. C 3. A 4. A 5. B

6. guide

7. Bible

8. visions

9. ladder

10. protect

11. True

12. False

13. True

14. True

15. True

16. Bible — B. God’s written Word

17. Prayer — C. Talking and listening to God

18. Dream — A. A way God communicated with Jacob

19. Jacob — D. A person God spoke to

20. Holy Spirit — E. Guides and teaches believers

SUMMARY

Pupils learned that God communicates with people in different ways, including through the Bible, prayer, His servants, dreams and visions, and the Holy Spirit. God speaks to guide, teach, warn, correct, encourage and reveal His will to people.

Pupils also learned how God spoke to Jacob through a dream at Bethel. God appeared to Jacob and promised to bless him, be with him and protect him. Jacob learned to trust God’s promises and presence.

PRESENTATION

To deliver the lesson, the teacher adopts the following steps:

Step 1: Introduction

The teacher asks pupils:

• How do people communicate with one another?

• Can God communicate with people?

• Why do you think God speaks to people?

The teacher explains that God communicates with people in different ways to guide and help them.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer the questions and share what they know about how people communicate.

Step 2: Meaning of God Speaking to Us

The teacher explains that God speaking to us means God communicating His message, instructions, warnings, promises or guidance to people.

The teacher explains that God wants people to know His will and follow His ways.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils listen and explain in their own words what it means for God to speak to people.

Step 3: Ways Through Which God Speaks to Us

The teacher explains that God can speak to people through:

• The Bible – God’s written Word teaches and guides us.

• Prayer – As we pray and listen to God, He can guide our hearts and minds.

• God’s servants – God can use pastors, teachers and other people to deliver His message.

• Dreams and visions – God sometimes communicated with people through dreams and visions in the Bible.

• The Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit guides and teaches believers.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils mention the ways through which God speaks to people.

Step 4: Purpose of God Speaking to Us

The teacher explains that God speaks to people to:

• Guide us in making right decisions.

• Teach us His ways.

• Warn us against doing wrong.

• Encourage us when we are afraid or discouraged.

• Correct us when we do wrong.

• Reveal His plans and promises.

• Help us to know and obey His will.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils state reasons why God speaks to people.

Step 5: How God Spoke to Jacob

The teacher tells the Bible story of Jacob’s journey.

The teacher explains that when Jacob was travelling to Haran, he stopped for the night and slept with a stone under his head. He had a dream in which he saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with angels going up and down on it.

The teacher explains that the Lord appeared to Jacob and promised to give him the land, bless him and his descendants, and be with him wherever he went. God also promised to bring him back safely.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils listen to the story and mention what Jacob saw in his dream.

Step 6: Lessons from God’s Communication with Jacob

The teacher explains that Jacob’s experience teaches us to:

• Trust God’s promises.

• Listen when God speaks.

• Obey God’s instructions.

• Have faith in God’s presence and protection.

• Remember that God can guide His people.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils mention lessons they have learned from Jacob’s experience.

Step 7: Group Activity

The teacher divides pupils into four groups:

• Group 1: Mention five ways through which God speaks to people.

• Group 2: Mention five purposes of God speaking to people.

• Group 3: Describe how God spoke to Jacob.

• Group 4: Mention four lessons learned from God’s communication with Jacob.

The teacher guides the groups and allows each group to present its answers.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils discuss, write and present their answers to the class.

Step 8: Lesson Summary and Evaluation

Teacher’s Activities: The teacher reviews the ways through which God speaks to people, the purposes of God’s communication with us, and how God spoke to Jacob. The teacher gives pupils a different set of 20 questions to assess their understanding of the lesson.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer the questions individually or in groups and summarise what they have learned.

CONCLUSION

To conclude the lesson for the week, the teacher revises the entire lesson and links it to the following week’s lesson.

NEXT LESSON

Attitudes to Show When God Speaks: Meaning of Attitude, Appropriate Attitudes When God Speaks to Us, and Reasons God Speaks to Us | Primary 4 (Basic 4) First Term Week 2 Christian Religious Studies

LESSON EVALUATION 

Teacher asks pupils,

1. What does it mean for God to speak to us?

2. Mention five ways through which God speaks to people.

3. State four purposes of God speaking to us.

4. How did God speak to Jacob?

5. Mention three lessons learned from God’s communication with Jacob.