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Sunday School Lesson – “In the Beginning | The Creation Story” Genesis 1:1-27

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VERSE DISCOVERY: Genesis 1:1-27 (KJV, Public Domain)

Taking in the world view as a whole, we will see that all that is before us has a starting point. Every person we see began at the time of conception. Every leader had a first step that led to their position. Every nation had the birth of its people coming together as unified persons. Every plant started with a seed. And every building with a first brick being laid.

Creation has its origin as well. And it does not start with a cosmic bang. The wisdom, intelligence, plan, and sovereignty of God, thought through, designed, and put together all of the creation story.

How it All Started

Genesis 1:1, 2 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

“In the beginning” is not only the lesson/series title but also the biblical designation of when everything that follows these words actually occurred.

From the start, we are told about the start, and how it all began with “God.” (visit “God the Main Character” and “This Was God’s Doing | God is the Creator of All” found on site for further reading)

God, Himself, has no origin, as Isaiah verifies. Still, He is responsible for the origination of all: “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding” (40:28).

From His eternal nature and wisdom, all the creation story below starts with God for He “created the heaven and the earth” (see also Job 26:7). All the history of all the beginnings has its foundations laid by our Heavenly Father: “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands” (Hebrews 1:10; see also Deuteronomy 10:14).

The whole scope of every part of creation is attributed to God alone (Genesis 2:4; Psalms 102:25; Isaiah 44:24; Revelation 14:7). Everything our eyes can see and not see, is in existence because the breath of God spoke it here; because He fashioned it: “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6), and by faith, it is to be believed: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3).

Nothing was anything before God created it: “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?” He asked Job, “declare, if thou hast understanding” (38:4). “Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?  Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;” (Job 38:5,6; I suggest reading Job 38 entirely).

Even the “earth” itself was “without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep” (see also Jeremiah 4:23). “He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding” (Jeremiah 51:15).

After the complete declaration of verse 1, accrediting God alone as Creator of all, the complexities and intricacies of all that it entails begin to come to life, starting with the state of the earth itself.

Originally called into creation, there was nothing there. But out of this nothingness, something beautiful would form from the formless. That without content and composure would be permeated with the purpose of God’s design.

As of yet, it lay empty in its state without the specifics of creation, but God was getting ready to change it into something more: “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

Psalm 104:30 says, “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.” God as One, shows every part of Himself (Father, Son, and Spirit) being present at the time of creation (see also John 1:1-3).

The same “Spirit,” with a capital S, found throughout the Bible as the promised Comforter (John 14:6), the “Spirit of truth” (John 14:7), the One who filled believing men and women, and in Paul’s prayer for strength in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16), is the same Spirit at work at creation in the beginning.

Day #1

Genesis 1:3-5 “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

“And God said.” Each day of the six days of creation began with these three words. By God’s design and by His word, the voice of God broke through the nothingness, took authority over the creation story, and spoke His divine will for each day.

And for day one, the command was, “Let there be light.” One of my favorite games to play as a child was focused on light: “Spotlight Tag.” It was played at night when it became dark enough outside. It was a game somewhat like hide-and-seek except the finding and tagging was done with flashlights. When the children hid, they could only be found when the person that was “it” shone a light on them, saying, “Spotlight on ________ (whoever it was).”

Light is pivotal when one wants to illuminate something.

On day one, light was created and entered the world. Although not noted by a specific source as the flashlight was at this point, it still came with the purpose of adding illumination and delineation from the present darkness where none existed before.

And the light was considered “good” by God. Now there was a defining separation. Light and darkness could not cohabitate, rather they are given their own special designations with God calling the light “Day” and the darkness He called “Night.”

 Day #2

Genesis 1:6-8 “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”

On day two the heavens were created, referred to as “firmament,” or as we know it, the sky. In verse two, we see there was no distinction between the waters that were upon the earth, no space between the waters that were above or below (v. 7), The firmament provided this space of separation. It set boundaries and these boundaries were called “Heaven” (v.8). There is now a visible sky with clouds floating upon the waves of the atmosphere. The Bible tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalm 19:1).

Day #3

Genesis 1:9-13 “And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.”

Day three was particularly active in that we see more form come to that which was formless. We see God’s design begin to come alive more vividly as the putting together of different aspects of creation takes on more definition and purpose.

Now the waters under the heavens are called to move into more defined spaces, gathering into “Seas.” And out of these Seas, “dry land” was called forth and recognized as “Earth.”

Although we refer to the whole planet as Earth, in the beginning, it was the designation of the ground beneath the feet.

If you find yourself in the privileged position to stand on the shore of any massive body of water where the land and seas meet, take a moment while looking out at the vastness of it all and appreciate the fact that this is here because the voice of God commanded it to be (see also Psalm 95:3-5).

“And so it was” reminds us that whatever God speaks must happen and obey as He commands.

Then, the earth was called to bring “forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth.”

Every imaginable and unimaginable plant, tree, herb, and seed was called into existence. The apple you eat today was originally called to inhabit the earth by the voice of God.

When they were called into existence, all types, be they perennials, annuals, weeds, fruit, or what have you, they came forth and followed the marching orders of God and took up residence and established roots of fruitfulness upon the once barren dry land.

Every conceivable produce has ancestor heritage in one form or another that goes back to the time of the beginning, and many reappear through Scripture attached with significant meaning.

Day #4

Genesis 1:14-19 “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”

On day one light was called, here specific “lights” (with an s) are created “in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night.”

The day will come when there will be no longer a need for these specific lights (Rev. 22:5; Is. 60:19), but while they are here, they help us manage the telling of times and seasons (Psalm 104:19).

They not only illuminate the sky in their given tasks, but they give us points of reference in our grand scale of living.

The “two great lights” we refer to as the sun and moon are given the charge to rule over the day and night (compare Psalm 74:16). Worshipping these objects of creation has been a downfall of humanity since the beginning. While we don’t do that, we can be appreciative of these huge visible reminders of God’s handiwork throughout history from the start of it all.

When you feel the warmth of the sun on your face or you view the moon rising in the star-lit sky, you can thank God for what He has done then, and what He can and will do now, and in the times to come.

“He made the stars also.” Scientists may attribute the stars in the sky to an extremely complex process of gas and dust, but in the beginning, we are assured that the significance of their presence high above is because God made them also regardless of their makeup, and He knows each one individually: “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names” (Psalm 147:4).

Using the simple process of His authoritative speech and power over all creation, in the same way He called everything else forth, is the same way the stars arrived in the skies above.

“God set them in the firmament.” God specifically placed them in the right place to perform their jobs perfectly. Careful planning indeed.

In our homes, we place ornaments and knick-knacks in precisely the best location for style and aesthetics, but the carefulness of God’s placement of these lights was for neither style nor aesthetics, they were divinely purposed (compare Jeremiah 31:35).

In Psalm 104:2 we see the psalmist attributing to God as the one “who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain.” Can a man even fathom to catch one star that falls from the sky, let alone stretch out the heavens with galaxy upon galaxy and universe upon universe?  God can.  As a matter of fact, in His wisdom in the beginning all He had to do was speak a word and creation obeyed and came into existence.  All in the sky that looks to be stretched out as a cosmic curtain twinkling above our heads is because God is the one who made it to be so.

Side Note: With such carefulness and attention to detail in the creation of this world, do not think that your life is any less purposed or carefully planned by God’s divine plan as well: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:3,4). I’m so glad He is mindful of us.

Day #5

Genesis 1:20-23 “And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.”

Life appears. Living and moving creatures come forth. The existence of sea life begins to swim and move in the waters. Imagine them taking their places, setting up habitats among the reefs, and going about their business as if they had always been.

Psalm 104:25-26 tells us, “So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.  There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.” “Innumerable” creatures come to life by God’s design.

For every creature dwelling there we know nothing about, God knows the makeup of their design from the inside out. He knows their identity. He knows the places they swim and hide. What seems impossible to explore and uncover all the intricacies of all life that may dwell in the deepest of the waters, God already understands their mysteries and purpose.

On this same day, birds take to the sky. Wings spread and life begins to soar. Dipping and diving below the clouds, they test their created abilities to new heights and just fly. Amazing! (Check out this poem I wrote about a bird and be encouraged by God’s design.)

Oh, the beauty that must have been in the Heavenly Father’s sight as He witnessed all this new life take off and begin to inhabit the places He created.

“It was good.” You know that space in your house that you finally got decluttered and organized, and now you don’t have to cringe when walking by it anymore? In fact, you go out of your way to look at the transformed space it has become, and you think to yourself, how wonderful and good it is.

My friend, God’s good is so much more.

“God blessed them.” God did something He had not done with the previous days of creation. He commanded a blessing over life: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.” Life is of utmost importance to God and protecting life that it continues was in the grand scale of His perfect plan.

Day #6

Genesis 1:24-27 “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

“The living creature.” As the sea life and birds populated the waters and sky, so too did these come forth to inhabit and populate the earth.

Notice there is no discrepancy in the creation story. No parts are left unfinished or wanting. All are in His mind, and all come to fruition in His story.

“And it was so.” The course of the creation story continued to follow the protocol it was given. Every being formed, gained breath, and became everything God designed them to be. As they entered the realm of creatures that are now living, they entered fulfilling divine purpose: “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm…” (Jeremiah 27:5).

“After their kind.” Today, through years of studies by many professionals, we recognize the specific genetic makeup of the various beings that dwell on this earth. Interestingly, and encouraging for the believer, is that we recognize the hand of God in authoring these specific genetic makeups.

Every living creature had the built-in ability to reproduce after its own kind, or its own genetic makeup. From the beginning, it has always been so.

Therefore, there are no needed discussions for evolutionary this and that. What it is, is what it produces. Outside of the interference of man, what it is, is what it will keep producing.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Evolutionary experts will try to take you through billions of years of history to explain the origin of life, civilization, and this world, which they have never known or seen. But “theory” tells them they are right.

Yet, there is a God who has always been and always will be who recorded our earth’s history for us, letting us know that we are a beautiful part of His holy plan.

Here’s the thing, both require some sort of leap of faith. But the walk of faith we have seen played out in the historical, written record of the Bible, along with other non-biblical texts that support its work, in addition to great archeological discoveries doing the same, tells us, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their theories are wrong, and our God is right: “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?…” (Malachi 2:10).

Therefore, in the beginning, this is how it all went down according to the authority of God’s written record, the Holy Bible, which says, “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me…” (Psalm 119:73; emphasis added).

And I assure you, my friend, on that same authority, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

I have only touched on the creation of man here because I have an entire lesson dedicated to that subject, along with the seventh day of rest in part two of the “In the Beginning” Series.

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” Romans 1:20

PDF Printable Sunday School Lesson Pack (With easy to read instructions following the P.E.A.R.L. format on how to conduct each lesson with areas for adding personal notes): Sunday School Lesson – In the Beginning – Part 1 The Creation Story

Suggested Activities:

Lesson Prep Opening Idea: “In the beginning…” As our lesson will state, everything has a beginning except for God who is from “everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2). Therefore, in the beginning of the world and the universe as we know it today, God was already there, orchestrating events and the particulars of the creation story.

Every day of creation began with “And God said.” To demonstrate this as an opening object lesson, set up a row of dominoes in whatever configuration you would like. The first domino is the “beginning” domino, and when it falls over, at its moving, all the other parts of the configuration will move and fall as well.

During the days of the creation story, whenever God, in the beginning, spoke, that part of creation came to pass and fell into its proper place (topple the first domino and watch the effect take place).

Journaling: Tonight, if the skies are clear (or on the next clear night), take a few minutes to stargaze and/or take out your cell phone and photograph the wonders above that you see.  Allow yourself a few minutes to reflect on the greatness of God based on what you have observed.  Jot down what you see or feel on this Blank Journal Page and let the awe of God wash over you as you reacquaint yourself with the majesty of His power and wisdom in the creation story.

Or as Day #3 in the lesson suggests, if you find yourself in the privileged position of standing on the shore of any massive body of water where the land and seas meet, take a moment while looking out into the vastness of it all and appreciate the fact that this is here because the voice of God commanded it to be, and record your thoughts and inspiration (this can be done with any or all days or points of the creation story).

Further Journaling Options:

Adult Journal Page: Adult Journal Page – The Creation Story

Kids Journal Page: Kids Journal Page – The Creation Story

Earth Mobile Craft: Using a hanger, wooden rod, or stick, students can attach the earth printable to remind them of God’s power displayed in the creation story. Color and cut the printable and duplicate the smaller circles until you have seven (one for each day). In the smaller circles, draw pictures or write words describing what occurred during that particular day in the beginning. Note: While we may have to hang a paper earth on something to keep it up, God hangs the real earth on nothing but His power to keep it up (Job 26:7). PDF: The Creation Story Earth Mobile Craft

 

Apple Stamp Picture: Regarding day 3 of the creation story, I wrote in the lesson, “The apple you eat today was originally called to inhabit the earth by the voice of God.” As a reminder that everything was called by God, make an apple stamp picture. Cut apples in half, dip in paint, and allow students to make and decorate apple stamp pictures. Attach or write Genesis 1:11 “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.”

(Something similar can be done with day 4 using star stickers on a page for decorating with the corresponding verse from Genesis 1:16 “He made the stars also.”) As a side note, any day of creation can be pinpointed and punctuated with corresponding pictures and verses.

Memory Verse Game: Using an inflatable globe (or ball as a substitute), teach students the memory verse by having them rehearse the verse every time the ball lands in their hands. Put the ball into play in whatever form you like (ex. Toss it in the air and whoever catches it repeats the memory verse. That one, in turn, can toss it into the air or to another student, then they too must repeat the verse, and so on.)

Another version of this is to play music. As the globe or ball is passed around the circle of students, when the music stops, whoever has the globe or ball is to say the memory verse. What a fun way to remember God created all.

Word Search: The Creation Story Word Search  Answers: The Creation Story Word Search Answers

Crossword: The Creation Story Crossword  Answers: The Creation Story Crossword Answers

Word Scramble: The Creation Story Word Scramble  Answers: The Creation Story Word Scramble Answers

Memory Verse: The Creation Story Memory Verse

How Many Words: The Creation Story How Many Words

Text Free Top Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

Sunday School Lesson – “4 Ways to Use Words Better” James 3:1-12; Isaiah 50:4

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Our words are powerful!  As this lesson shows, they can be used to hurt or to heal; to edify or to tear down.  James wants us to choose life with the words that we speak.

VERSE DISCOVERY: James 3:1-12; Isaiah 50:4 (KJV, Public Domain)

Simon says, “Close your mouth!”  We all know the game.  Whatever Simon tells us to do, we do it lest we fear being counted out.  Oh, if only it were that easy to take command of some of our loose actions in life, such as ones that regard the mouth.  And yet, throughout the Bible, we are commanded to use our speech patterns in healthy and productive ways.  Not to be instruments for destruction and tearing one another down.

There is so much power bound up in the way that we talk.  Proverbs 18:21 tells us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”  Whatever is produced from our lips generates fruit.  Stuff grows, for the good or the bad, from what we say.

James is admonishing us to be mindful of the words that come out of our mouth for with them we can lift someone’s day, or we can emotionally kill them. 

What we say makes a difference in the lives of others.  Our mouths are vessels of influence. 

James 3 unpacks the truth of the power of the tongue and how people of faith should be cautious in how they unleash it. 

Using Isaiah 50:4 as a companion Scripture with those found in James 3, this lesson will uncover four ways all of us can strive to use our words better.

 1. Realizing the Weight of Your Words

James 3:1 “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”

At the beginning of this lesson, I believe this is where many of us drop the ball, so to speak, in trying to improve our speech patterns toward others.  Many do not realize the weight of the words they speak and the impact those very words can have on the hearers.  Even if one is not trying to be purposely offensive, they would do well to think before speaking, asking oneself if the words that are about to come out of my mouth, necessary and/or helpful.  This step none can overlook, whether they are leaders or laypeople.  The responsibility of our words is just that, our responsibility.

So, starting with the leaders, James teaches, “Be not many masters.”  When it comes to bearing any title of leadership, often many will focus on prestige and tend to overlook the responsibility that comes with the job.  The Bible warns us, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:48).  There is a higher level of accountability for “masters” or “teachers.”  Those endued with the power to magnify the gospel in such a way must be particularly careful in how they use words.

Words are powerful and need to be measured out carefully.  One of the devices that Jesus’s enemies tried to employ against Him was to catch or trap Him in what He said.  Matthew 22:15 says, “Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.”  One’s words can testify for or against an individual.  “Masters” and those in leadership carry the added weight of accountability for their words for the increased impact they can make.

This office is not to be taken lightly, for James said, “Knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”  At this level, there is a higher standard of living expected for the one who bears the title, and James included himself in this by saying, “we”.  Proverbs 10:11 says, “The mouth of the righteous man is a well of life.”  Those who belong to God and work at sharing His word must especially be careful that what is coming out of them is speaking “life” to the ears of the hearers (more on this later).

James 3:2 “For in many things we offend all.  If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” 

In your mind, raise your hand if you have ever messed up or “offend” another.  One of the easiest ways to “offend” and harm another is through the mouth.  People often speak rashly in the heat of the moment and without carefully considering the impact their words have on another.  These emotional outbursts cause us to come up with phrases like “My mouth ran away with me” and so forth.  On those occasions, the use of the mouth was not employed as a tool for edifying, rather just the opposite.

But the one that can control his speech is considered “a perfect man.”  Since the tongue is often known as “running away” on its own, the one that exercises great restraint over this defiant member is considered “able also to bridle the whole body.”  It is the taming of what some view as being untamable.   He or she who can moderate or put limits on something so difficult to deal with can often show great restraint in other areas of life.  “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth His life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction,” is what we find in Proverbs 13:3a.  If one can keep their mouth under control, they can often hold tight elsewhere, avoiding destructive patterns that would work to tear them down.

In both verses quoted above, we see the weight of words and their impact is the sole responsibility of the one speaking, regardless of their title or not.  What we say out of our mouths carries so much with it and, it would behoove us to use our words wisely, chew on it a bit before we say it, and think critically, if what we are about to say is needful for that particular moment.

2. Learn to Tame the Tongue

James 3:3-4 “Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths,  that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.”

James gives us the best possible illustrations on the power of the tongue by referencing it to two things his readers, as well as modern-day readers, can easily understand.  Through these two examples: one of a horse and another of a ship, James shows that man has, down through the years, discovered ways to bring these powerful objects under control.  For the horse, it is using a “bit” in its mouth and, for a ship, “a very small helm.” 

Both instruments are used for controlling other things.  They both direct the course of which way the operator wants each to go, be it a rider or “the governor.”  Both are great examples of how these large, and strong objects, can be made to comply with the will of the one who is controlling that little, vital piece.  If there are these little things that can move great objects into obeisance at its master’s will, what more of the little tongue?

James 3:5-6 “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”

Just as those little instruments are applied to the horse and ships, the body has a little thing that tries to control it also: “the tongue.” 

First, it “boasteth great things.”  The tongue edifies itself.  It magnifies the capabilities of its owner whether or not they really can do something.  The tongue is swollen with pride.  Have you ever seen an owner walk a little tiny dog with the biggest yipper on it, tugging and tugging the leash?  Or have you walked past a yard to the tune of relentless barking thanks to a peewee-sized dog?  These little ones are tenacious in letting you know who they are.  These pint-sized sweeties have no problem in letting the world know that they are here, and they mean business.

Our tongues often act in the same way.  It is so small, and it has so much to bark about.  Yet, this barking, used in a nonproductive and selfish way, makes a lot of noise, and can lead to great destruction.

Secondly, James taught, “how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  And the tongue is a fire.”  It only takes a small flame to bring on a raging inferno.  I often watch coverage on the news of fires that burn uncontrollably.  They are huge.  They are massive walls of orange-red destruction, eating and devouring everything in its path.  But they never start out that big.  Their origin is relatively small in comparison to the size they have grown to be.

James said, “And the tongue is a fire.”  The tongue can be the source of destruction that wreaks havoc on the things that get in its way.  It can chop and devour until it has consumed some with sorrow and some with despair when wrongly used.  The tongue can lash out and cause irreparable damage to the ears of its hearer if not used properly.

James described it as “a world of iniquity.”  Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”  A lot of running off at the mouth gives many opportunities for sin to rear its ugly head.  When the tongue is let loose, it lashes about without regard for hurt, feelings, or the devastation it leaves behind.  Like a whirling tornado, it ravishes, spinning around and around in sinfulness, wiping out all in its path.

Without restraint, all it knows how to do is upheaval.  Without being restrained, the tongue “defileth the whole body.”  Jesus taught, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh,” (Luke 6:45).  With that, we see that whatever comes out of the mouth, gives evidence to what already resides in the heart or the “body.” 

James 3:7-8 “For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:  But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

Man, through the blessed ingenuity that God has given him, has developed ways to tame just about everything.  Yes, our lesson focuses on the taming of animals and birds, right down to the taming of serpents.  But, when we think about it, man has been able to take control of or tame many more things.  Since the Bible days, man has even found ways to harness energy through many means, including using the sun’s power.  Man has developed many ways to use the power of nature, such as wind and water, to harness their energies to benefit humanity.

Though he has been able to do so many feats (think of all the inventions through the years), the Bible says, “the tongue can no man tame.” It speaks to the “unruly evil” that it truly is.  It testifies to the power that it holds in its little self.  It is liken as being “full of deadly poison.”  Its work can destroy to the point of no return.  No wonder James’s warning is so strong and so severe.  Christians must learn how to put reins on this evil and stop its destructive ways.

Taming the tongue begins with not only monitoring one’s mouth but the things in the heart.  For the mouth cannot speak what the heart is not feeling.  Proverbs commands us, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (4:23).  The word “keep” can be used in the same sense as “guard” or “monitor.”  When the heart is kept and dealt with rightly, so too will the words which flow from it.

One day, each one of us will give an account for everything that proceeds from our mouths (Matthew 12:36-37).  As God’s children, we must not be reckless in the use of our words.  Taming the tongue means working hard to make sure your mouth is as a “well of life” (Proverbs 10:11) and that the words we speak be words of grace and helpful to the hearers thereof (Colossians 4:6; see also Ephesians 4:29).

3. Speak to Give Life

James 3:9-10 “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.  Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

In the beginning, God spoke His most beautiful words of creation: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26).  Verse 27 goes on to say, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”  These words professed the climax of His creation.  These words speak volumes of the love relationship that God wanted to have with man who was made “in his own image,” or as today’s lesson says, “after the similitude of God.” 

“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.”  The conundrum of man is that we love the Lord and seek to bless Him, but sometimes our attitude toward His creation, our fellow man, can cause us to have disgruntled feelings that may turn to cursing.  “These things ought not so to be,” James said.  That is not the way we are to behave toward one another.

1 John 4:20 says it like this, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”  Love for God and hate toward man equals “blessing” and “cursing.” Those two cannot, and should not, exist together.  They are incompatible roommates.  They are not a good fit to dwell in the same domain with each other.

James 3:11-12 “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?  Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”

To further illustrate this puzzling aspect of man to try and bless and curse from the same vessel, James points out things in nature that cannot happen, that are incompatible.  First, he uses “water” to demonstrate.  Can a water fountain bring sweet water and bitter from the same place?  Can a fountain have both salt water and fresh water?  The answer is an obvious no.  The same is true for looking for olives on the fig tree or figs on a vine where grapes would be.  It does not happen.

Nature is not confused about what it is to produce.  A fig tree is designed by God to bear fig fruit.  The same is true for olives and such.  If nature knows what it should produce, so should the Christians to whom James is writing.  They are to not act out of character to the way that God designed them.

In dealing with our speech toward others, we must be mindful of building up rather than tearing down.  Proverbs 15:4 reminds us that, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life…” Think about that for a minute.  The words that we speak about and to one another can bring healing to a hurting soul.  That is powerful!  Our speech goes beyond just saying words; they exhibit and send forth “life.”

Who are we raising to “life” with a timely and sincere word?  Are people enriched for the good when they sit down to have a chat with us or do they walk away feeling extra heavy and burdened down?  These things make a difference.  Not only do they make a difference to the one whom we are conversing with, but they also speak for us how closely we are walking in tune with our Savior and how He dealt with individuals daily.  On that note, on to our fourth point in this lesson.

4. Mimic the Speech of Jesus

Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”

If one seems to come short of all other attempts to use productive and positive speech patterns, all you have to do is look at Jesus and see what He did and how He communicated to those He came into contact with.

If one is going to learn how to use the tongue healthily, the best example is that of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus had all the right words at the right time.  He knew how to speak compassion when it was needed most.  He knew how to speak conviction in truth without berating another.  And Jesus knew how to speak life.

Jumping out of the New Testament and going back to the old, there we see the prophesied Servant, whom we know to be the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in Isaiah 50:4, He talks about the words He uses and the way He uses them to speak.  There He says, “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…” 

It amazes me how many people think they have something to offer and are quick to verbalize those very thoughts and ideas.  Never do we see Jesus in the Bible using words in a frivolous or lackadaisical manner.  We have already expressed the preciousness of words and how they are used, and Jesus, just as His Father, knew the value of words and used them as such.

Jesus’ heart was always, and I do mean always, to do the will of the Father (John 6:38).  In everything, right down to going to the cross, God’s will was His number one priority (Luke 22:42).  With the will of God governing His whole life and ministry, even the words He spoke had to be what “The Lord GOD hath given me.” 

In Isaiah, that which was given is described as “the tongue of the learned”; as one who had been taught by God what to say and how to say it.  You can speak something true, but how the message is delivered can affect how one receives it or not.

In John 12:50, Jesus said, “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”

Jesus never used words in a fly-away fashion.  With everything He spoke, it was either with a purpose, for a purpose, or to fulfill a purpose – or all three in one.

When we think of “with a purpose”, we can think along the lines of healing, miracles, and deliverances.  Jesus, in those instances, spoke with the intent to deliver an individual from some illness, spiritual oppression, or to perform a miracle such as the feeding of the five thousand.

When we think in terms of “for a purpose”, we can think along the lines of the parables He taught.  In those instances, He spoke for His audience to gain a greater understanding of something, particularly Kingdom principles.

And, when we think in terms of Jesus speaking to “fulfill a purpose”, we can easily associate this with prophecies such as the one He spoke from the cross: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).  Those exact words open the Messianic psalm found in Psalm 22:1.

By the way, the verses quoted above in John 12:49, 50 could also be looked at in a fulfilling fashion because they fulfilled our verse of study in Isaiah 50:4 regarding the use of His speech.

Jesus used His words with exactness and preciseness.  Back in Isaiah, we see His words were carefully chosen “that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.”  The right words at the right time, especially for the weary worn, are a special kind of sweetness to a soul that dreadfully needs it.  Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones,” and nobody could do this better than the Lord Jesus Christ.  He said, “…the word that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life,” (John 6:63).

Then, in Isaiah, He goes on to explain, “he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”  It was a daily thing for Jesus to have His ear tuned into the Father’s mouth, to hear what He has to say and express the very words He “learned.” 

In concluding this lesson, this last section may seem overwhelming in learning to speak like Jesus in this manner.  But, if we take everything into consideration and then look at what James taught earlier in his book: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” (James 1:19), following this, may help us to learn to have an ear as the Servant (Jesus), and be able to speak with words of grace (Ephesians 4:29).

Our words are powerful!  As this lesson shows, they can be used to hurt or to heal; to edify or to tear down.  James wants us to choose life with the words that we speak.  He wants us to take the high road and control of what is coming out of our mouths.  If we need help, we can pray the prayer of the psalmist and say, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3).

What we say and how we talk to one another really does matter.  It is all about how we use our words and to learn daily to use them better.

PDF Full Printable Sunday School Lesson Pack (With easy to read instructions following the P.E.A.R.L. format on how to conduct each lesson with areas for adding personal notes and other ideas available.): Sunday School Lesson – 4 Ways to Use Words Better

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Adult Journal Page:  Adult Journal Page – I Am a Lifter 

Adult Journal Page - I Am a Lifter...

Kid’s Journal Page: Kid’s Journal Page – Speak Kindly

Kid's Journal Page - Speak Kindly

Blank Journal Page: These pages, one designed for adults and one for children, can be used to bring out, remember, or write a particular part of the lesson you wish for you and/or your class to focus on.  Click>>Blank Adult and Kid’s Journal Pages to access the journal pages.

Speaking Collage Craft: This craft is perfect if you have old newspaper comics strips laying around.  Just cut them out and glue onto construction paper to make a collage of many different ones together (I prefer the ones with word balloons on them to demonstrate speaking).  In the middle, attach our cut-out picture verse printable for James 3:10 declaring, “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be”  found here.

James 3 10 picture verse-001

Draw the Scene: 4 Ways to Use Words Better Draw the Scene 

4 Ways to Use Words Better Draw the Scene-001

Memory Verse: Four Ways to Use Words Better Memory Verse 

Four Ways to Use Words Better Memory Verse-001

Word Search: Four Ways to Use Words Better Word Search  Answers: Four Ways to Use Words Better Word Search

Crossword: Four Ways to Use Words Better Crossword   Answers: Four Ways to Use Words Better Crossword Answers

Word Scramble: Four Ways to Use Words Better Word Scramble   Answers: Four Ways to Use Words Better Word Scramble Answers

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Sunday School Lesson – “Hosanna to the King!” Mark 11:1-11

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VERSE DISCOVERY: Mark 11:1-11 (KJV, Public Domain)

At one point, before his death, John the Baptist sent men to Jesus and asked, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3).  This questioning was spawned because of the mighty “works of Christ” (Matthew 11:2) that were performed and proclaimed throughout the region.

Not only did the works He performed bear witness of who He was (John 10:25), Jesus often identified Himself with the Deity of heaven; as being one with the Father Himself (see John 10:30; John 1:1; John 14:9).

The hope of the people has been in a state of expectation since the days of old.  They have heard of the prophecies, such as the one Zechariah proclaimed, saying, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass,” (Zechariah 9:9).

They were waiting for this time of celebration that was prophesied hundreds of years before the actual event took place. A time when God’s people would ring out their worship of their one true King. At His coming joy will go before Him for His proposed reign. People will raise their voices with heartfelt praise and adoration of Him who has come to save them.

Unfortunately, when He came, most were not looking for a Savior from sin, rather one who would free them of the national tyranny of their oppressors. The people at that time were more focused on their present circumstances over their eternal destinies.  This will rob you of seeing Jesus for who He really is every single time.

It was prophesied that this King would be “just.” His rule would be governed by truth. It’s how He lived and how He died; according to God’s truth. He declared in Matthew 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” He pressed on to fulfill truth so that His reign would be marked and identified as being “just.” He would do all that is right according to God’s holy Word.

This King would also be known as “having salvation.” He would bear within Himself the means to save mankind from the ravages of sin and disparity brought on by their fleshly stance in this world. The Bible declares, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23). Therefore, all of mankind needed and still needs a Savior; one who can bring them out of the depths of his/her evil state. Acts 4:12 lets us know, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” This King comes with our “salvation.”

At His entrance, He comes in a state opposite of most royalty and the elite of society. This King is prophesied to come “lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” A humble creature of burden becomes transportation of Him who would bear all of humanities burdens and sins.

I think it important to reiterate here that our King was “lowly.” We sing songs praising that wonderful characteristic of His, but do we really understand how much He humbled Himself to come and do what He did for us? Do we understand that He could have arrived with all the pomp and circumstance of heaven, but He arrived in an animal’s dwelling, with no proper place to lay His head? Do we understand how many times He could have shut the mouth of those who rose against Him and accused Him, but He took it all on Himself as part of His mission; His ministry to save mankind? Do we really understand how much He took off to put on the dregs of humanity? Do we understand? He was “lowly.”

By entering the town on that day in that way, Jesus was letting all the world know that He was that prophesied King.  That yes, if anybody wants to know, He is the One whom they have been looking for.

This is where we find ourselves studying today: Jesus’ triumphal entry. 

 Lesson Summary

Mark 11:1-3 “And when they came night to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.”

Before we arrive at today’s lesson, Matthew 20 tells us that Jesus once again tried to prepare His disciples for the reality of what was soon to take place:

“Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,

And deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again,” (Matthew 20:17-19; see also Mark 10:32:34).

Here, in the above verses, with what I believe was still clueless disciples, Jesus is drawing “nigh to Jerusalem.” The King is about to make His entrance but before doing so He gives His disciples very explicit details to follow to make sure when He comes in there is no mistake to the reign He claims.

As a matter of fact, fulfilling every prophecy that was spoken of Him was so imperative that later He wouldn’t die until He could finally say, “It is finished,” (John 19:30).

God’s prophets such as Zechariah were His spokesmen. They have been used down through Israel’s history to pass onto the people the word of God. To warn, exhort and exalt them to draw closer to Him through their prophecies. When God used a prophet as His mouthpiece, the words that come from them are as valid as if they heard it from His own being, thundering upon the mountains. Since what they spoke was on His behalf, He had to make sure everything: past, present, and future would be fulfilled as it was told to the people down through the years.

They were told exactly how their King would arrive and Jesus was careful to make sure there would be no mistaking who He claimed to be when He arrived in Jerusalem in such a fashion. His arrival mounted on that beast would offer them visual evidence. Any Jew would have known that when they see Him on a “colt the foal of an ass,” as Zechariah stated; or just using the word “colt” as this lesson states, He was claiming His Kingship; He was claiming His Lordship; He was claiming His Messiahship.

With that, the instructions He gives is for them to, “Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.” It is supposed by many Bible students that Jesus had a prearranged agreement with the owners of the animals that He sent them for. With that supposition, He knew (which He could have known because of His Sovereignty if He wanted to) exactly where to send them and how to instruct them on searching out what He already planned. When they arrived and found the ones He said, His command was “loose him, and bring him.” The reason is stated for us, and for the owner’s is in the next verse.

If anyone dared to question what the disciples were doing and what was their intent and purposes of loosing the animal, Jesus gave them a simple reply to relay: “The Lord hath need of him.” He was set aside for the Master’s use. He was needed by Jesus. How privileged was this little guy that would carry the “Lord;” the Savior of the world, on his back. Awesome!

Never had anyone rode him before this day.  Jesus’ specific instructions included that he be one that “never a man sat.”  It amazes me what our Christ can do with the unused; what He can do with the unskilled and rough around the edges. This donkey is not known by name to us, but we know him as part of the Messiah’s royal parade forever in history.  Even more awesome!

Mark 11:4-6 “And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.  And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?  And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.”

“And they went their way, and found the colt… and they loose him.”  They may have not understood everything right away, nor did they fully grasp that Jesus was fully preparing Himself to die that He might reign (though He often tried to get that point across to them), but they didn’t question Him. They didn’t try to dissuade Him from His task; rather they obeyed.

Their obedience is a key component. Let’s put this in full perspective.  They knew the authorities of the day were plotting against Him to seek to take His life. The Triumphal Entry of Jesus is also found in the Book of John chapter 12. In chapter 11 of that same book, before this moment in time, when Jesus was determined to go to Bethany (about 1½ miles outside of Jerusalem) to raise Lazarus from the dead, seeing that He couldn’t be dissuaded, Thomas, one of the disciples, said, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” So, when He instructed them in the matter of the “colt” they are noted as doing what Jesus told them to do despite any fears on misgivings they may have felt at that moment.

Following His orders did indeed get them questioned by others, but they once again followed the path of obedience and “they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded.” 

Mark 11:7 “And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.”

I don’t know about you, but I have ridden a horse bareback before. The experience was not pleasant, to say the least. Here, the disciples provide comfort for the Lord as He mounts the beast set aside for His use. In lieu of a saddle, they pad the back of the beast with “their garments.”

We often hear people use expressions of love and service to another by saying things like, “I will give them the clothes off my back.” Jesus’ disciples didn’t talk about it, they did it. They literally gave Him the “clothes” off their backs to comfort the ride of the King. Oh, how much this must have meant to the Lord who would soon come before angry faces and hearts filled with hatred.  But, at this moment, He gets to feel and experience support from those closest to Him.

Mark 11:8-10 “And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.  And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.  Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.”

Can we picture this scene really quick? As Jesus was entering in Jerusalem on that colt, word had to have rapidly spread for not just the disciples were celebrating the King, “many” and “others” joined in. Matthew 21:8 referred to them as “multitudes.”

Did they recognize the symbolism? Did they associate His entrance as the long-awaited promised One; of He that was prophesied of? We are working under the assumption that those questions can be answered with a very real, “Yes!”

Again, His reign to free men from sin instead of tyranny may not be what they had imagined at the time, but they understood who He claimed to be by how He rode into Jerusalem, fulfilling prophecy. Therefore, they willingly and with great rejoicing (as was also prophesied) wanted to be a part of the celebration. The King was coming and they “spread their garments in the way” and “cut down branches off the trees” to cover the path He would travel. What a small service for such a great King!

They honored Him with their “Hosanna” shout. They rallied and proclaimed the praises of Him who would save them, for that’s the meaning behind the word “Hosanna;” to “save now.”

“Hosanna” was the shout of triumph. In Him, they saw a victorious King. In Him, they had an expectancy of deliverance. In Him they rejoiced, proclaiming that He is the one who would fulfill the promise of “the kingdom of our father David,” (see 2 Samuel 7:12-14).

So, they rejoiced and shouted that He was, “Blessed.”  His “kingdom” is “blessed.” He is the one that “cometh in the name of the Lord!” They were getting their praise on as we say it today! The King has arrived! The King has come! “Blessed is he!”

In Matthew 21:10 it says of that day that “all the city was moved.”  Often when Jesus performed miracles crowds would gather around Him to witness the power of God at work through Him. Here, there is no miracle performed; rather prophecy, long-awaited prophecy being fulfilled. Emotions were running high and people gathered and were excited to see it coming to pass right before their eyes; right in their time of living. When was the last time you were so stirred up about Jesus?  They had a reason to be shaken with excitement saying, “Hosanna in the highest!”

Mark 11:11 “And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.”

An anti-climactic end to such a triumphal entry?  Oh, no!  After identifying Himself as King by riding in the way that He did, Jesus “entered… into the temple,” and soon some things were going to change!  It was about to get real up in that place, as some would say.

If you would read further past our lesson, Mark 11:15-17 shows us the second cleansing of the temple Jesus performed (this is also support by Matthew 21:12-13).  There He turned over tables and proclaimed, “Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves,” (Mark 11:17).

This King wasn’t playing with His ministry!  He was triumphant at the beginning, middle and end of His parade, and He still commands the victory as He is cleaning out His Father’s house.  Only the true King, with true authority, can command and operate the way He does.

Conclusion

Jesus is He that was to come; the King to reign for all eternity.  Let us shout his praises: “Hosanna in the highest!”  There’s no need to look for another.  He’s the One!

Lesson PDF: Sunday School Lesson – Hosanna to the King

Suggested Activities:

Adult Journal Page: Adult Journal Page – Hosanna to the King

Kid’s Journal Page: Kid’s Journal Page – Hosanna to the King

Draw the Scene: Hosanna to the King Draw the Scene

(Use the PDF link above for accurate printing) Want to jazz up this memory verse?  Try printing on cardstock and using glue with glitter to fill in the words, colored chalk, paints and more.  You’re only limited by your imagination.  Enjoy!

HOSANNA PALM LEAF CRAFT: Hosanna Palm Leaf for Palm Sunday (Use this PDF link for accurate printing)  Have students decorate and color their free palm leaf (printing on cardstock is best) and tape or glue to a craft stick (makes a great church fan 🙂 ) or dowel rod or twigs from outside for a natural element so they too can wave them before the Lord with rejoicing.  I wanted mine to be colorful, not just all green.  Jazz it up! After all, it is a celebration.  Enjoy!

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Hosanna Palm Leaf for Palm Sunday-001

 

Leaf Lace Up Craft:   Use PDF: Mark 11 9 Leaf Lace Up Craft to put together this simple, yet fun activity.  Print out on cardstock and use a hole punch to put holes around the free leaf template.  Use any materials you have laying around for lacing: yarn, string, pipe cleaners, etc.  I used crumbled up party streamers.  Go figure!  Enjoy! (Similar project shown below)

My Project 320-001

Mark 11 9 Leaf Lace Up Craft-001

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