There is a Redeemer – The book of Ruth

Reading the story of Ruth should be refreshing to the students as well as minister to their felt need for English, as storytelling is a valuable fluency activity. During these nine lessons we will look at several grand and seminal Biblical themes, especially the picture of a “Redeemer” as illustrated by Boaz’ marriage to the foreigner Ruth.

Biblical Themes in the Book of Ruth:
1) God rules what happens in the world. It was God that gave food to the people of Bethlehem, Ruth 1:6. It was God that led Ruth to the field that belonged to Boaz, Ruth 2:3. It was God that gave Ruth and Boaz a son, Ruth 4:12. When bad things happened, God still used them, Ruth 1:21. God can make good things come from bad things.
2) God loves people. He does not only love Jews. He loves people from all other countries also. He does not only love men. He also loves women, Ruth 2:10, 13. Boaz’s love for Ruth is a picture of God’s love for us. Read the *family tree of Jesus in Matthew 1. There are 4 women in it and probably 3 of them were foreign to the Jews.
3) God cares for people. This means that he gives them what they need. God cared for the family of Jesus 1000 years before Jesus came to the earth, (Ruth 4:16). God uses people to care for other people. He used Naomi to care for Ruth and Obed. Those that love Jesus are part of his family. That means that God cares for them as well.

Other points that might touch our students:
1. There were foreigners in Jesus’ family tree, although he was to be the ultimate King of Israel. Japanese may not be able to imagine foreigners in the line of their emperor. (Thanks to Abi for this one.)
2. Ruth’s good relationship with her mother-in-law
3. God’s law about gleaning – providing for the poor. Japan was criticized in the past for fencing off its overseas orchards precisely so that poor people couldn’t glean

This series could not have been written without Wycliffe’s wonderful site easyenglish.com, where you can find very easy translations of most of the books of the Bible as well as Bible study materials. It was written with especially grateful thanks to Gordon Churchyard. All of the bolded text in this series was drawn from his material.

Lesson 1 – Introduction

Lesson 2 – Ruth

Lesson 3 – Levirate Marriage

Lesson 4 – Naomi and Ruth

Lesson 5 – Gleaning

Lesson 6 – Kinsman-Redeemer

Lesson 7 – An arranged marriage

Lesson 8 – Boaz redeems Ruth

Lesson 9 – Ruth in Jesus’ family tree

Names of God

This is a 13-week Bible time series with no accompanying student handout.  Several of the Bible times were written by other Open House teachers.

1. Abba

2. My Provider, Part 1

3. My Provider, Part 2

4. Our Protection

5. Wonderful Counselor

6. Lord of all

7. I AM

8. The Lord God

9. God who sees me

10. God Almighty, Part 1

11. God Almighty, Part 2

12. Redeemer

12. The boy and the boat

13. The Lord of hosts

Beginnings – Gen. 3 (Student Handouts)

These are the weekly handouts that accompany the Bible times in the “Beginnings – Gen. 3 (Teacher’s Notes)” post. They aren’t fancy, but they’re ready to go.

1. The first man

2. The first command

3. The first woman

4. The first question

5. The first shame

6. The first fear

7. The first guilt

8. The first promise

9. The man and the woman

10. The first shedding of blood

Beginnings – Gen. 3 (Teacher’s Notes)

Explore with your students all the “firsts” that appear in Genesis 3. This 10-week series will take you through the grand themes of sin and substitutionary atonement. The accompanying student handouts are in a separate post.

Overview Chart

1. The first man

2. The first command

3. The first woman

4. The first question

5. The first shame

6. The first fear

7. The first guilt

8. The first promise

9. The man and the woman

10. The first shedding of blood

Tidbits about blood

You will surely die

Knowing good and evil

Misc. Notes

Substitution

The 12 Days of Christmas (1999)

I originally wrote the “12 Days of Christmas” Bible times in 1999. The Bible times available in this post complete the series that is posted under “12 Days of Christmas (2007)” for those who would like to use the whole song. I have also included a Bible time that covers only the “5 Golden Rings” (in the 2007 version, these were included with the 4 Calling Birds.)

Just ignore the week numbers that appear in these copies.

Five Golden Rings

Seven Swans = gifts

Eight Maids = Beatitudes

Nine Ladies = Fruit of the Spirit

Ten Lords = Commandments

Eleven Pipers = following Jesus

Twelve Drummers = tribes

Handel’s Messiah – Teacher’s Notes

This 13-week Bible time series was developed to accompany a CD of selections of Handel’s Messiah;  the CD was then our Christmas gift to the students that year.  Using Handel’s Messiah gave us the opportunity to look at some difficult passages with our students, as well as the many passages showing God’s tenderness and love.   There are student handouts for each week, available in a separate post.

Looking back over this series, I do not know how I imagined that the lesson could be completed in 20 minutes!  This series would make an excellent one hour – or even longer – Bible class.

General notes for the teachers

Overview Chart

1. Prepare the way of the Lord

2. A child is born

3. Glory to God

4. Behold thy king

5. Take his yoke

6. With his stripes we are healed

7. How beautiful are the feet

8. Their sound is gone out

9. Thou shalt break them/ Hallelujah

10. I know that my Redeemer liveth

11. Since by man came death

12. The trumpet shall sound

13. Worthy is the Lamb

Handel’s Messiah – Student Handouts

Use the beautiful music of Handel’s Messiah to share spiritual truth with your students. This 13-week Bible Time series has student handouts for each week, containing the lyrics, notes and clip art. The teacher’s notes are in a separate post.

1. Prepare the way of the Lord

2. A child is born

3. Glory to God

4. Behold thy king

5. Take his yoke

6. With his stripes we are healed

7. How beautiful are the feet

8. Their sound is gone out

9. Thou shalt break them/ Hallelujah

10. I know that my Redeemer liveth

11. Since by man came death

12. The trumpet shall sound

13. Worthy is the Lamb

Resurrection – Fact or Fiction?

Did the resurrection of Jesus Christ really happen? This Bible time series explores the clues in the Bible text that strongly suggest that it is an eyewitness account.

1. Jesus is buried

2. Guards at the tomb

3. Women

4. A possible explanation

5. Doubters

6. Forty days

7. Kingdoms

8. Power

9. The Ascension

10. The Christian hope

11. Encouragement

The 12 Days of Christmas (2007)

Was the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” written as a hidden Christian catechism? Or was it simply a child’s memory game? This Bible time series uses this well-known song as a memory game for important truths about the Bible. Enjoy a song that is perfect for the TESOL classroom while planting deep spiritual truths in the hearts of your students – and pray that the Holy Spirit will unite those truths in their hearts with faith in the precious Lord Jesus!

This is a six-week Bible time, covering the first 6 days of Christmas. Day 4 and 5 are handled in one installment. There are two versions of Day 6, a shorter one, and a longer one.

Student songsheet

1. The 12 days of Christmas are church tradition, not in the Bible

2. My true love is God, Jesus is the partridge

3. The turtledoves remind us of the Old and New Testaments

4. The french hens remind us of the Trinity

5. The Calling Birds and the Golden Rings

6a. The Geese a’layin’ – Short version

6b. The Geese a’layin’ – Longer version