INTERMEDIATE LEVEL 1 – Lesson 19 for Teachers

LESSON 19: READ AND RESPOND

THEME: The Father’s Love

VOCABULARY: identity. expect, disappoint,  pressure, impress, unconditionally, earn, gradually

STORY: There is a girl. She is 16 years old. Her name is Becca. Becca lives at home with her mom. She struggles a lot with her identity. She is a beautiful girl, but sometimes she feels like she is not good enough. Her mom expects her to do a lot every day. She feels like she needs to be a perfect daughter, student, and friend. Every day Becca wakes up feeling like she cannot continue trying so hard. Becca is a good student. She does all of her work. She is on her school’s soccer team. She practices soccer four days each week. Becca loves to play soccer but she is struggling with keeping up with her studies. When Becca gets home after school, all she wants to do is sleep. She is just so tired of trying to be the best at everything. She feels like if she is not the best at everything, she will disappoint her mom. Every day she feels more and more pressure. What she doesn’t realize is that she does not have to be perfect. Her mom will love her no matter what. Even more important than that is the love of God the Father. Romans 5:8 says,But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Although Becca feels like she has to be perfect to please her mom, she does not have to be perfect to please her Father in Heaven. God loves us no matter what. We don’t have to try to impress Him. He will be there with us and will love us unconditionally. 1 John 3:1 says, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” Understanding the love of the Father is difficult, but we don’t have to earn God’s love for us. Becca is gradually learning that she does not have to be perfect to be loved. 

STORY WITH QUESTIONS: There is a girl. (Is there a girl or a boy?) She is 16 years old. (How old is she?) Her name is Becca. (What is her name?) Becca lives at home with her mom. (Where does she live?) She struggles a lot with her identity. (What does she struggle with?) She is a beautiful girl, but sometimes she feels like she is not good enough. (How does she feel?) Her mom expects her to do a lot every day. (What does her mom expect?)  She feels like she needs to be a perfect daughter, student, and friend. (What does she feel like she has to be?) Every day Becca wakes up feeling like she cannot continue trying so hard. (Can she continue this way?) Becca is a good student. She does all of her work. She is on her school’s soccer team. (What team is she on?) She practices soccer four days each week. (How many days does Becca practice each week?) Becca loves to play soccer but she is struggling with keeping up with her studies. (What is she struggling with?) When Becca gets home after school, all she wants to do is sleep. (What does she want to do when she gets home?) She is just so tired of trying to be the best at everything. (Why is Becca tired?) She feels like if she is not the best at everything, she will disappoint her mom. (Who does she feel she will disappoint?) Every day she feels more and more pressure. What she doesn’t realize is that she does not have to be perfect. (Does she need to be perfect?) Her mom will love her no matter what. Even more important than that is the love of God the Father. (Do we have to be perfect to receive God’s love?) Romans 5:8 says,But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Who loves us no matter what?) Although Becca feels like she has to be perfect to please her mom, she does not have to be perfect to please her Father in Heaven. (Do we have to be perfect for God?) God loves us no matter what. We don’t have to try to impress Him. (Do we need to impress the Lord?) He will be there with us and will love us unconditionally. (Who loves us unconditionally?) 1 John 3:1 says, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” Understanding the love of the Father is difficult, but we don’t have to earn God’s love for us. Becca is gradually learning that she does not have to be perfect to be loved. (Do we need to be perfect to receive love?) 

ACTIVITIES

  1. Review the Vocabulary Words .
  2. Listen to Audio 1  as you read the story.
  3. Listen to Audio 2 – Story with Questions as you read the story and answer the questions.
  4. Discuss the main theme: 
    1. Do we need to be perfect to receive love?
    2. What is the lie we often believe? (We have to impress people to receive love)
    3. Who loves us unconditionally? (God) 
    4. Have you ever felt unloved? By who, and why? 
    5. Even when you don’t feel loved by others you are ALWAYS loved by the Lord.
  5. End the class with prayer.