Level 6, Chapter 1: "God Gives Us the Law ... - Diocese of Baker

Roman Catholic Diocese of BakerLevel 6, Chapter 1: "God Gives Us the Law"Lesson Introduction Duration: 1 ½ hours Primary Aim: God’s Law is our path to happiness here on earth and in heavenCREATIONGOD’S LAWJESUS’ LAWCONSCIENCE God created to share his Goodness Creation is good and orderly We can know there is a God Divine & Natural Law (Ten Commandments) applies to all people Following God’s Law we find true happiness Ten Commandments plus New Law: love of God and neighbor Disobeying is a failure to love God and neighbor Ability to know good and evil Choosing and doing the goodMaterials: Bibles, evaluations, pencils, balls of string, Ten Commandment Handout, Rosaries,Music Issue, and Prayer handout.Key Words (Vocabulary):Ten Commandments: the laws given to us by God for happiness.Decalogue: the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God.Beatitude: the state of being happy.Conscience: our ability to know and judge what is right or wrong.Lesson Plan1. Opening Prayer and Scripture (6:30-6:35 PM)Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, We thank and praise you for the wonders of your creation. As wegather together for our first night of faith formation, we ask for the abundant presence of your HolySpirit now and throughout the school year. Assist us tonight to gain a fuller understanding of youand what you ask of us by helping us obtain greater knowledge of your laws. Help us to always walkin your ways, to be obedient to you through the help of well formed consciences. We ask thisthrough Christ our Lord. Amen."Catholic Prayer: "Our Father" (with emphasis on "And lead us not into temptation . . .")Scripture Reading: John 10:7-15Faith and Life Series, Lesson Plan Guide 1

Roman Catholic Diocese of Baker3. "Creation" (7:05-7:10 PM)Key Message Points We can know that God exists from the world around us. There is a certain order in whichthings happen (e.g., gravity, seasons). All creation testifies to the glory of God. (Ask forexamples. E.g., the complexity and order of the human eye or a tree.) God made man for a purpose: heaven. To get to heaven, we must do good and avoid evil. We are designed for this; it is written inour hearts. Humans everywhere believe there is a certain way we ought to act. Because of the effects of the Fall (Original Sin), we are prone to sin. Adam and Eve chose todisobey God. We are affected by their Original Sin. However, we have free will. We can choose good or evil. To be truly free, we must choose to do good. Being free from sin, we are guilt-free---freefrom what burdens us and holds us back.4. "God's Laws" (7:10-7:15 PM)Key Message Points In order to live in relationship, we must fulfill certain responsibilities. Can you be best friends with someone who is always lying to you or steals fromyou? God gave us the Ten Commandments or Decalogue ("ten words") so that we can livein relationship with God and one another He did not need to do this, as his Law was already written upon our hearts. Because of Original Sin, humans have a hard time recognizing the true good,so, in his love and mercy, God revealed his Laws to us. God wanted his people to know what was right and wrong and what wastruly good and truly bad for them because he loves us God wants a faithful people so we can share in his happy life The Ten Commandments (read Exodus 19:5---20:16 or use the "Ten CommandmentHandout" and discuss) The first three commandments teach us how to love God; the last seven how to loveour neighbor. We are not simply to be obedient to God's Laws; rather, we should want to keepthem to show our love for God; we should want to hear and obey his words. Jesus taught that the foundation of all law is love: to love God above all things, withone's whole mind and heart and soul, and to love one's neighbor as oneself. In keeping these commandments, we are made free. free from sin, free to follow God, and free to recognize and follow our Savior.5. "Conscience" (7:15-7:25 PM)Key Message Points God has given each person the ability to judge if something is right or wrong. This ability is called conscience and every person is born with a conscience. God gives us a conscience so that we could live according to his law. A conscience has to be taught---and taught correctly. We call this forming a conscience.Faith and Life Series, Lesson Plan Guide 3

Roman Catholic Diocese of Baker God has given us the means to form our conscience correctly. God has revealed truths about himself and given us the Ten Commandments. To live according to the will of God we must follow and obey the commandments. If we disregard or break God's law we sin. God has given us reasons why we should want to follow the Law. God is the giver and author of that Law, and since he is our Creator he knows whatis best for us. Obeying God's Law is necessary for our eternal salvation. How could we live withGod forever if we choose to reject his life and his friendship by serous sin? An even greater reason to obey God is that we know his great love for us. Whatbetter way do we have of showing our love for God than by doing what he asks ofus?6. Evaluation (7:25-7:30 PM)Fill in the blank answer key…1) Every person has the law in their heart to do good and avoid evil.2) We have free will so that we can love and obey God.3) Our conscience is the ability to judge if an action is right or wrong.4) Jesus said that all of the commandments can be summed up in this: Love God above allthings with our whole mind and heart and soul, and love our neighbor as oneself.5) God's laws known as the Ten Commandments are also called the Decalogue.6) Write one or more petitions to pray during our Intercessory Prayers. For . . .__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. . . We pray to the Lord.Conclusion: prayer in the Church(7:30-8:00 pm) Exposition Hymn: “Father I adore you” Intercessory Prayers Divine Mercy Chaplet Hymn: “Sanctuary” Benediction Divine Praises Hymn: "Give Me Jesus"Faith and Life Series, Lesson Plan Guide 4