Children of the Bible
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: 2 Chronicles 33:1-3
1. MANASSEH was twelve years old when he became king. He reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
2. He did things that the Lord said is wrong. King MANASSEH did the terrible things same as other nations did -- those nations that the Lord had forced out when Israel entered their land.
3. His father, King HEZEKIAH, already destroyed those high places where people worshipped false god idols. But MANASSEH built those idol places again. Also, he built altars for the false god named BAAL, and he made idols for the false god named ASHERAH. And he worshiped all the stars of the sky and he served them.
EPISTLE LESSON: 2nd CORINTHIANS 5:17-21
17. If anyone believes in Christ, that person becomes new. The old life is finished. That person lives anew.
18. All this is from God. Through Christ God made peace between us and himself. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with HIM.
19. I mean that God was in Christ making peace between the world and HIMSELF. God didn't blame the people with their sins. And HE gave us the words of peace to tell people.
20. Now God sent us. God calls people through us. We speak for Christ while we ask you to make peace with God.
21. Christ had no sin. But God made Jesus suffer for all sins. God did that for us, then in Christ we can become correct with God.
GOSPEL LESSON: Luke 15:1-7
1. Now all the tax collectors and sinners came near to hear Jesus.
2. And the Jewish writers and Law teachers complained about this and said, "This man accepts sinners and eats with them."
3. Now, Jesus spoke this comparison story to them:
4. "Let us use this idea. One man has one hundred sheep, and one sheep becomes lost. That man will leave the ninety nine sheep out in the fields alone, and he will go and search for the one sheep until he finds it.
5. And happens he finds the sheep, he will put the sheep on his shoulders with happiness.
6. The man comes home and invites his friends and neighbors and says, 'Be-happy with me, because I found my lost sheep.'
7. And I tell you, more happiness is in heaven about one sinner that is sorry, than for ninety nine righteous people not feeling any sorrow.
We continue our study about three boy kings of Israel.
One week ago we studied about Joash.
He seemed to start fine, but he ended badly.
Now, 100 years later, Israel has their 2nd boy king: Manasseh
[Invent a name sign for Manasseh.
Don't use "M-king," because that is the sign for "Messiah."]
Remember that this happens during the time that Israel is divided,
North and South -- two separate kingdoms.
The southern kingdom had the name JUDAH.
The kings in the south all are descended from King David.
A few were good, but most were lousy.
The kings in the north were all bad.
Some had a false face for religion,
but none really honored God.
The north had kings in many different families,
because many became king by killing the previous king.
Yes... assassination.
Manasseh --
He is king in the south.
He is in David's family tree.
Manasseh's father, named King Hezekiah,*
he was one of the BEST kings that Southern Israel had.
*Hezekiah's story: 2 Kings 18-20
And Manasseh was one of the WORST kings.
Father Hezekiah loved the Lord.
He cleaned and improved the temple.
He removed all the idols and altars for false gods.
He destroyed all the temples for false gods.
But his son Manasseh...?
Here is his story:
One week ago we studied about Joash.
He seemed to start fine, but he ended badly.
Now, 100 years later, Israel has their 2nd boy king: Manasseh
[Invent a name sign for Manasseh.
Don't use "M-king," because that is the sign for "Messiah."]
Remember that this happens during the time that Israel is divided,
North and South -- two separate kingdoms.
The southern kingdom had the name JUDAH.
The kings in the south all are descended from King David.
A few were good, but most were lousy.
The kings in the north were all bad.
Some had a false face for religion,
but none really honored God.
The north had kings in many different families,
because many became king by killing the previous king.
Yes... assassination.
Manasseh --
He is king in the south.
He is in David's family tree.
Manasseh's father, named King Hezekiah,*
he was one of the BEST kings that Southern Israel had.
*Hezekiah's story: 2 Kings 18-20
And Manasseh was one of the WORST kings.
Father Hezekiah loved the Lord.
He cleaned and improved the temple.
He removed all the idols and altars for false gods.
He destroyed all the temples for false gods.
But his son Manasseh...?
Here is his story:
1. Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
2. He did things that the LORD said is wrong. King MANASSEH did the terrible things same as other nations did -- those nations that the LORD had forced out when Israel entered their land.
3. His father, King HEZEKIAH, already destroyed those high places where people worshipped false god idols. But Manasseh built those idol places again. Also he built altars for the false god named BAAL, and he made idols for the false god named ASHERAH. And he worshiped all the stars of the sky and he served them.
4. The LORD said about His Temple, “That is the place in Jerusalem that you will worship ME forever.” But King Manasseh built altars for false gods in the Temple of the LORD.
5. The king built altars for worshiping stars in the two outside areas of the Temple of the LORD.
6. He burned his children in offering to false gods in the Valley named BEN HINNOM. He did evil magic and WITCHCRAFT. And predicted the future in OMENS and dreams. He got advice from FORTUNE-TELLERS and people trying to communicate with the spirits of dead people. The king did many things that LORD said is wrong. That made the LORD angry.
10. The LORD spoke to the King and his people, but they did not listen.
11. So the LORD sent armies from ASSYRIA for punishing JUDAH. The army captured the king. They put hooks in him. They put chains on his hands, and they took him to BABYLON.
12. Manasseh suffered, and he begged the LORD his God for help. He humbled himself to the God of his fathers.
13. The LORD heard his prayer and felt pity for him. So the LORD let him go back to Jerusalem and his kingdom. Then MANASSEH knew that the LORD is the true God.
During the rest of his life, Manasseh tried to fix that trouble that he previously caused.
But he did not succeed.
He removed the idols.
But he let the altars and temples for the idols remain.
He told people that they can only worship the Lord
in those temples.
The people said, "Yes", but their hearts still worshiped idols.
Later history remembers Manasseh, how?
The trouble that he caused for Israel.
Not his failed efforts for fixing that trouble.
But he did not succeed.
He removed the idols.
But he let the altars and temples for the idols remain.
He told people that they can only worship the Lord
in those temples.
The people said, "Yes", but their hearts still worshiped idols.
Later history remembers Manasseh, how?
The trouble that he caused for Israel.
Not his failed efforts for fixing that trouble.
What can we learn from Manasseh's life?
[Here you may invite people to offer their ideas.]
#1.
God offers His mercy to all.
His love is big enough for ANY sinner.
If we met young Manasseh, we maybe want to label him as "hopeless."
He is stubborn in his evil ways, and God can't forgive someone that bad.
That is not true.
ANYONE can change,
with God's help.
God had mercy for Manasseh.
God saved his life,
and put Manasseh in a situation
that helped him see the truth about himself.
that helped him see that he needed God.
While suffering in prison, Manasseh understood that
the stars can't help him.
his idols can't save him.
He finally remembered the lessons his father taught him,
and he cried out to God for mercy.
Manasseh truly did repent.
And God truly did forgive him,
same as God truly did forgive you,
and me.
[Here you may invite people to offer their ideas.]
#1.
God offers His mercy to all.
His love is big enough for ANY sinner.
If we met young Manasseh, we maybe want to label him as "hopeless."
He is stubborn in his evil ways, and God can't forgive someone that bad.
That is not true.
ANYONE can change,
with God's help.
God had mercy for Manasseh.
God saved his life,
and put Manasseh in a situation
that helped him see the truth about himself.
that helped him see that he needed God.
While suffering in prison, Manasseh understood that
the stars can't help him.
his idols can't save him.
He finally remembered the lessons his father taught him,
and he cried out to God for mercy.
Manasseh truly did repent.
And God truly did forgive him,
same as God truly did forgive you,
and me.
#2.
Manasseh's story teaches us many important lessons about parents and their children.
Manasseh's father taught him God's word.
And his father lived as a good example for his son.
Manasseh rebelled against his father and against God.
He was a teen.
That is a dangerous age for getting power and authority.
He knew everything.
He truly knew better than his father.
But when hard times hit,
Manasseh began to understand that he is not really smart,
and not really wise.
Manasseh remembered his father's teaching
and he came back to God.
Manasseh's story teaches us many important lessons about parents and their children.
Manasseh's father taught him God's word.
And his father lived as a good example for his son.
Manasseh rebelled against his father and against God.
He was a teen.
That is a dangerous age for getting power and authority.
He knew everything.
He truly knew better than his father.
But when hard times hit,
Manasseh began to understand that he is not really smart,
and not really wise.
Manasseh remembered his father's teaching
and he came back to God.
#3.
CONSEQUENCES
God forgave Manasseh.
But that forgiveness didn't remove the problems that Manasseh previously caused -- the consequences.
Manasseh's sin affected many other people terribly.
And Manasseh couldn't erase that.
That is a great warning for all of us.
The things that we do will affect other people.
The things that we say can help them, or hurt them.
And sometimes when we do wrong,
we must live with the consequences.
Other people that we hurt must also live with the consequences,
no matter that God forgives us.
CONSEQUENCES
God forgave Manasseh.
But that forgiveness didn't remove the problems that Manasseh previously caused -- the consequences.
Manasseh's sin affected many other people terribly.
And Manasseh couldn't erase that.
That is a great warning for all of us.
The things that we do will affect other people.
The things that we say can help them, or hurt them.
And sometimes when we do wrong,
we must live with the consequences.
Other people that we hurt must also live with the consequences,
no matter that God forgives us.
#4.
We must pray for leaders over nations.
-- our national leaders, yes.
But we must also prayer for leaders who inspire evil actions.
Remember Manasseh.
He was really evil.
But God successfully touched him, and changed him for good.
Pray for our nation's leaders,
that God will give us brave good leaders,
and we pray that God will convert wicked leaders.
We pray for leaders over nations,
and also we pray for people in those nations.
We see in that story about Manasseh
that people quickly copy the sins of their leaders,
but people don't easily copy the good character of their leaders.
Manasseh himself didn't copy his good father.
And then after Manasseh changed and did good,
the continued following Manasseh's previous evil ways.
So we pray that God will touch both leaders and people,
so all will repent and look to Him.
Amen
We must pray for leaders over nations.
-- our national leaders, yes.
But we must also prayer for leaders who inspire evil actions.
Remember Manasseh.
He was really evil.
But God successfully touched him, and changed him for good.
Pray for our nation's leaders,
that God will give us brave good leaders,
and we pray that God will convert wicked leaders.
We pray for leaders over nations,
and also we pray for people in those nations.
We see in that story about Manasseh
that people quickly copy the sins of their leaders,
but people don't easily copy the good character of their leaders.
Manasseh himself didn't copy his good father.
And then after Manasseh changed and did good,
the continued following Manasseh's previous evil ways.
So we pray that God will touch both leaders and people,
so all will repent and look to Him.
Amen