Christian
Churches of God
No.
CB82
Lesson:
21-Day Sanctification Period
(Edition 2.0 20060401-20060401-20070419)
Jesus Christ
cleansed this Temple at Jerusalem prior to the Passover as a warning and a sign
to us, that we too have to cleanse the Temple to be worthy to take the bread
and wine of the Lord’s Supper.
Christian Churches of God
E-mail: secretary@ccg.org
(Copyright ã 2006, 2007 Christian
Churches of God, ed. Wade Cox)
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Lesson:
21-Day Sanctification Period
Goal:
The goal is to review the meaning and implication of the 21-day Sanctification period of the First month.
Objectives:
1.
Children will be able to understand the meaning of
the 21-day Sanctification period.
2.
Children will understand what the key events are
during the 21 days: New Moon of the 1st, fast of the 7th, lamb set
aside on the 10th, Lord’s Supper on the dark of the 14th,
Christ’s crucifixion on the daylight of the 14th, Unleavened Bread
15th-21st of the First month, Wave Sheaf offered on the
first day of the week during Unleavened bread.
3.
Children will understand that God’s Calendar starts
with the First month.
4.
Children will understand that Christ was the first
sacrifice of the 3 harvests of God.
Resources:
Moses and the Exodus (No. CB16)
Satan’s
Days of Worship (No. CB23)
The Living Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary
Relevant Scriptures:
Exodus 12; Leviticus 23:10-14; Psalm 147:5; John 13:1-5; Matthew 26:26-30; Deuteronomy 6:4; Malachi 2:10; Ephesians 4:6; John 17:3; 1Peter 1:19; John 1:29-30; Mark 15:33.
Memory Verses:
Exodus 12:33-50
Format:
Open with prayer.
Ask the children what they think starts God’s Calendar.
Activities:
Lessons and activities associated with the 21-day Sanctification period will be incorporated into both the individual and group calendars. More information is offered at the end of the lesson on the possible outings.
Children will pick a number from 1-21 from a hat. A child describes what happens on that day of God’s sacred calendar and places the number (and if there is a corresponding picture) on the calendar. Children continue to take turns selecting numbers until all 21 days are completed.
Each child will receive a box, similar in size to a shoe box, to create what they might imagine an Israelite house in the time of the first Passover might look like. Children can work together to create the altar where the animals were sacrificed, place “blood” on the door houses, etc.
Placemats can be made from tag board or construction paper. Children can draw freehand or trace stencils. Having some placemats prepared prior to the lesson will allow the younger ones to just colour the placemat. Once completed and thoroughly dry the placemats can be covered in clear plastic adhesive paper. Signs can also be made for the walls and rooms.
Using the questions in the lesson, devise questions that relate to the 21 days of sanctification. Divide the children into two groups. Allow the children to race to the question table and race back to their teams. The teams discuss the question and give their response. Play continues till all questions are answered.
Close with prayer
Lesson:
Children’s questions are in bold. Questions can be reviewed point by point, or done in segments that correspond to the day of the month. Summary activities could include questions being made into a jeopardy game, etc.
Think about who is in charge of everything.
Q1. What day is the beginning of God’s calendar?
A. 1st Abib.
Q2. Are New Moons Sabbath Days?
A. Yes.
Q3. Are the New Moons always the First day of that month?
A. Yes.
Q4. Does anyone know what Sanctification means?
A. To sanctify means, “to make holy”, so during this 21-day period we continually look at our past and present behaviour and try to put sin out of our thoughts and actions. It is a very special time for baptized members to focus on their calling, baptism and commitment to the One True God. It is referred to as the period of “cleansing the Temple”. Currently, we are the Temple if we are a baptized member.
Q5. Does everyone on the planet know of God’s Plan? Does everyone on the planet obey God now?
A. No.
Q6. Do we have a responsibility to try to make everyone aware of God’s Plan?
A. Yes.
Q7. Does that mean just telling them about God’s Plan or is there a time that adult baptized members are to fast and pray for their families, friends, the people of the planet and even the fallen Host?
A. See Ezekiel 45:17-20.
Q8. On what day do we fast during the
First month?
A. On the 7th day of the 1st month. Just as the Sabbath is a day of rest and rejuvenation with God, so too with the Fast for the Simple and Erroneous do we figuratively “lay down our lives for our brothers” in fasting and prayer to bring all into the knowledge of God so He can be all and all (see Ezek. 45:17-20).
Q9. Does God know everything?
A. Yes. (1Jn. 3:20) and He is the only one who does know everything (Ps. 147:5; Isa. 46:10; Mat. 24:36).
Q10. Did God pick out which “lamb” or spiritual being would lay down his life prior to the foundation of the world?
A. The lamb that was sacrificed on the night of Passover was an example of how Jesus Christ would come and be our sacrificial lamb (Jn. 1:29-30; 1Pet. 1:19). He would become the perfect sacrifice (Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10-14; 1Pet. 3:18) and grant us reconciliation or bring us back in our relationship with God the Father. This was Christ’s first visit to Earth as a man and he came to fulfil the role of our High Priest.
Q11. Did God ask Israel to pick out their lambs for the Passover sacrifice prior to the 14th?
A. Yes. On the 10th day of the First month the lamb was selected and set aside to be the Passover Lamb (Ex. 12:3). Israel was instructed that the lamb should be a perfect male lamb of the first year (Ex. 12:5).
Q12. Which day were these lambs set aside from the rest of the flock?
A. On the 10th day. The same number as the total of 7 Churches, 2 Witnesses, and Messiah (Ex. 12:3).
Q13. What happens when someone is baptized?
A. Spiritually they die to their old sinful nature by going completely under water. Once they come out of the water hands are laid upon them and they receive the Holy Spirit.
Q14. Who knows what the Lord’s Supper
is?
A. It is the time when the adult baptised members of the Church take part in the yearly foot washing service and partake of the bread and wine (symbolising or representing the body and blood of Christ).
Q15. Is it for children or un-baptized people?
A. No. It is only for baptised adults since it is the time we renew or restate our baptismal covenant, or promise with God.
Q16. What day is the Lord’s Supper?
A. It is the same answer as 7+7. The first 7th day of the First month looked at the elect praying and fasting for man and the fallen Host who do not understand God’s Plan. On the 14th day, the elect, the baptized members, focus on looking over their past behaviour of the year and renewing their baptismal covenant with God.
Q17. What is the first part of the Lord’s Supper service?
A. This includes foot washing (Jn. 13:1-5). It is what would have happened many years ago when people walked in sandals to their friend’s house. Before they really went into the person’s house a servant washed the traveller’s feet, so the dirt/sin was not tracked into the friend’s house. It was also a sign that you allowed someone else to help wash and clean you. Likewise at the foot washing service it is an act of service to wash someone else’s feet. Once we are clean then we can enter the house and take partake in the meal.
Q18. On Christ’s last night on Earth, what new symbols did he introduce for the baptized members of the Church?
A. Eating the bread and drinking the wine that represented the body and blood of Christ (Mat. 26:26-30; Mk. 14:22-26; Lk. 22:15-20; Jn. 6:53-58). This is referred to as the Lord’s Supper. It is a service that only the baptized adults attend. It is one of the sacraments of the Church.
The three things necessary for Eternal life are: 1) Believe and know there is One True God (Deut. 6:4; Mal. 2:10; Eph. 4:6). 2) Faith in Christ Jesus through the knowledge of the One True God (Jn. 17:3). 3) Obey and participate in Passover and keep all the Commandments. It is through obeying God and keeping His Commandments that we retain or keep the Holy Spirit within us, which is necessary for eternal life.
Q19. What is the first Feast period of God’s year?
A. Passover.
Q20. Why do we come?
A. Because God tells us to (see Ex. 12:14-20; 13:6-7; 23:15; 2Kgs. 23:21); so we can learn to fear and worship Him more correctly.
Q21. What does Passover picture?
A. The salvation of the nation of Israel and the entire planet. God showed us that by taking Israel out of Egypt, He was taking us out of sin. In the future God will take everyone out of sin.
Q22. Who does the lamb picture or represent?
A. God picked out the “lamb” or spiritual being that would lay down his life prior to the foundation of the world. The lamb that was sacrificed on the night of Passover was an example of how Jesus Christ would come and be our sacrificial lamb (Jn. 1:29-30; 1Pet. 1:19). He would become the perfect sacrifice (Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10-14; 1Pet. 3:18) and grant us reconciliation, or allow us to have a relationship again with God the Father. This was Christ’s first visit to Earth as a man and he came to fulfill the role of our High Priest.
Q23. What time was Christ put on the
stake in 30 CE?
A. Same time as the morning sacrifices, that is: the Third Hour of the day or 9:00 a.m. See Mark 15:25: And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
Q24. When was there darkness on the land
the day Christ was crucified?
A. From noon to 3.00 p.m.
Mark 15:33: And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Q25. What time did Christ die?
A. At the same time as the afternoon sacrifices (3:00 p.m.). Christ died on a Wednesday afternoon. When the first Passover lamb was killed in 30 CE Christ died on the stake. At 3:00 p.m. on the 14th of Abib we also have a service as a memorial to Christ’s sacrifice and death.
Q26. When was Christ put in the grave?
A. Before dark on the day he was killed or crucified (Wednesday).
Q27. How many days and nights was Christ in the grave?
A. He was in the grave three days and three nights just like the Sign of Jonah tells us. See the paper Who is Jesus? (No. CB2). Christ rose from the dead late on the weekly Sabbath. He ascended, or went into Heaven at 9.00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Jesus Christ was accepted as the perfect sacrifice. Every year during the Feast of Unleavened Bread we keep the Wave Sheaf Offering at 9.00 a.m. on Sunday, in memory of this event (Lev. 23:10-14).
Q28. Years ago when the Israelites killed the lamb for the sacrifice meal, what were they told to do?
A. Through the Angel of Yahovah, Moses told the Israelites how to keep the Passover. The Israelites were told if their families were too small to eat the entire lamb, they should share it with another family (Ex. 12:4). During late afternoon of the 14th of Abib the Israelites started killing the lambs for Passover (Ex.12:6). They were instructed to collect some of the blood and make a mark on each side of the door and above the door of the house where they were eating the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:7). The people were to stay within the house where they ate the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:7-13). The blood on the doorposts was put there as a sign that the house and all the people inside would be passed over when the death plague hit Egypt that night (Ex. 12:13).
Q29. What were the Israelites told to eat with the lamb?
A. They were told to roast the lamb whole and eat it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread (Ex. 12:8, 9). None of lamb was to remain till the morning; anything that was left was to be burnt in the fire (Ex. 12:10).
Q30. Years ago, what happened on the night the Israelites ate the roasted lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs?
A. The night of the 15th at about midnight the Lord struck the first-born of Egypt. There was not a house where someone was not dead of man or beast (Ex. 12:29).
Q31. Which day did the Israelites leave Egypt?
A. With the death of the first-born Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt and worship God as they were instructed.
Q32. Why is it called the Night to be Much Remembered?
A. Because we are always to remember how God brought us out of Egypt/slavery.
Q33. What does the Night to be Much Remembered picture?
A. We are told to keep this night as a memorial forever (Ex. 12:24) to remember we were slaves and that God brought us out of Egypt. At dark on the 15th of the First month we have the Night of Watching. This is the night the Destroyer went through the land of Egypt (Ex. 12:12, 29-30). It is very important that we are gathered with those who believe like us and have a meal with lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread. It is night for prayers and study; it is a very important night because the children ask, "What does this rite mean?" (Ex. 12:26). Then the people there explain the meaning of the night and its symbols for all to hear and to learn to fear God (Deut. 4:10; 10:12,20; 14:23; 17:19; 31:12,13).
Q34. What is the numerical date of the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread?
A. The 15th of Abib is an annual Holy Day and we are commanded to assemble together (Ex. 12:16). The 15th is also the beginning of the days of Unleavened Bread.
Q35. Why do we not eat leavened bread during the Days of Unleavened Bread?
A. God tells
us to put all leaven out of our houses before we go away to keep the Passover
(Ex. 12:15). So we need to remove all things like self-raising flour, yeast,
baking powder/soda and bread from our cupboards, ovens and refrigerators etc.
We should clean our toasters and cupboards and places where these things were
stored, cooked and eaten. This is a physical exercise and we should not be so
busy doing this that we forget the real reason for the Passover and Days of
Unleavened Bread. At Passover, leaven pictures sin growing within us.
Q36. Does unleavened bread represent sin at Passover?
A. We don’t eat bread, or cakes, and biscuits, because they contain leaven or yeast. Leaven is a substance the makes things rise. Once leaven is put into something else it makes itself a part of the whole thing. Just like if we sin, and do not repent and change, the sin grows within us and we sin more and more.
Q37. How many days of Unleavened Bread are there?
A. We are told to eat unleavened bread for seven days (Ex. 12:17-20). Therefore we don’t eat bread, or cakes, and biscuits, because they contain leaven or yeast. What does the number seven (7) represent?
Q38. What things can you think of that have seven or multiples of seven?
A. Any answer that involves seven is correct as we are just trying to get the children to see somehow God uses numbers and patterns in His Plan.
Q39. Who knows what day the Wave Sheaf is?
A. Christ rose from the dead late on the weekly Sabbath. He ascended, or went into Heaven at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. Jesus Christ was accepted as the perfect sacrifice. Every year during the Feast of Unleavened Bread we keep the Wave Sheaf Offering at 9 a.m. on Sunday, in memory of this event (Lev. 23:10-14).
Q40. Must Wave Sheaf always happen
within the seven days of Unleavened Bread?
A. Yes (Lev.
23:4-11).
Q41. What do we start counting from the Wave Sheaf?
A. From the
Wave Sheaf we begin to count the 50 days till Pentecost (Lev. 23:15, 16). We
can do this on a calendar.
Q42. Is Wave Sheaf a Sabbath/Holy Day?
A. Wave Sheaf is not a Holy Day (unless it falls on the 15th or 21st Abib) and after the 9.00 a.m. service we can go home to our temporary dwelling and do our normal activities.
Q43. What is the numerical date of the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread?
A. Hint: 14+7. There are services on each of the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The seventh day of the Feast is also a Holy Day. This is the 21st of the First month or Abib. It is treated like a Sabbath (Ex. 12:15-18; Lev. 23:8, Deut. 16:8).
Q44. If someone is travelling or sick and has to miss the first Passover, is there anything they can do?
A. If a person is unable to take the Passover due to having a baby, travelling, or for some other valid reason, he or she can take the 2nd Passover, which occurs one month after the 1st Passover (Num. 9:6-13). The same pattern of important dates in the First month would be kept in the Second month.
Q45. What holy day does the world try to substitute for Passover?
A. Around the time we keep the Passover we find many other churches are keeping Easter. We will talk more about Easter in another paper where we will learn that it is a pagan festival to the god Ishtar. See the paper Satan's Days of Worship (No. CB23).
Q46. Do you know the name of the debate
that the Church had in the second century regarding Passover?
A. Passover was changed to Easter during the second century when there was a dispute or discussion in the Church over the date of the Lord’s Supper. This came to be known as the Quartodeciman Controversy. However, we do know that not all Christians agreed with this change and some continued to keep the correct date for the Lord’s Supper, as we know it today.
Q47. What does Quartodeciman mean?
A. The fourteenth. Because the Lord’s Supper was on the 14th of the First month.
Q48. What happens on the 7th
day of the First month?
A. We fast for our families, the Church, the planet and fallen Host so that all will understand God’s Plan.
Q49. What happens on the 14th day
of the First month?
A. Baptized members renew their baptismal covenant with God at the Lord’s Supper.
Q50. What happens on the 21st
day of the First month?
A. It is the last Holy Day of Unleavened Bread and it brings the 21-day sanctification process to a close for another year. We are ready to go forward and do the work of God for another year as we keep His Holy Days and learn about His Plan of Salvation as we obey Him.
Summary:
As we can
see the 21-day sanctification period is a very important time in every
Christian’s life. It is also a very important time for all people on the planet
and the fallen Host, though many of those people do not even appreciate the
significance of it all.
Activity: Individual Calendars
Each
child receives a calendar for the first 3 months of the year. The child adds
the important events that happen each day as the time progresses. The child
starts numbering the days from Wave Sheaf to Pentecost to get to the 50th
day of Pentecost.
There is a large First month calendar for the children to work from. As each day is covered the child who drew that number makes a picture or writes the important events of that day on an adhesive label or a piece of paper cut to fit the Calendar boxes and places it on the calendar. Adhesive dots can be used to start the numbering of the days till Pentecost.
Other
Activity ideas:
3-D
projects story boxes: such as giving each child a shoebox to create their house for the
Passover meal. The top of the box comes off so one can look inside the box; a
door can be cut to show the passageway from the outdoors to the indoors. If
multiple children are present a very simple area could be draw as to where the
lambs are killed. Children can put red paint on the sides of doorway. Inside
they can use clay or drawing paper and make the roast lamb, bitter herbs etc.
that were present at the meal. They can use dolls; make paper dolls for people
etc. The shoe box/shadow box can be used to help tell the story of the days
leading up to Passover when the lamb was set aside to when they took their
dough before it was leavened and left Egypt.
Placemats can be made to reflect the
important days and symbols of Passover. Tag board or construction paper can be
used too, as the background format. Children can either free draw or use
stencils and complete the placemats. The placemats can be laminated or covered
with clear contact paper to increase the ease of cleaning.
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