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Feast of TabernaclesFestival Youth Instruction 2019
3-6 Lesson Plans
Dear Festival Youth Instructor,
Thank you for volunteering your time and talents to help teach the youth at the Feast of
Tabernacles this year. These lessons were written to guide and help you in your classes this year.
Please note that we understand some of our instructors have been teaching many years and do
not need to rely on the outline of the lesson plans as much as some other individuals who might
be teaching for the first time.
In addition, these lesson plans are not meant to be read word for word like a robot. Please feel
free to put your personality and style into teaching class. You will notice that we have provided
some reproducible sheets and other activities for the kids to take home with them from class.
Some of these activities might work well for you while others may not because of the size of
your classes or you have an idea that would work better for your class. Please feel free to do
that, however, our education team would ask that the classes theme and content would not be
changed.
On another note, we will once again be providing the Festival Youth Booklets for each child who
registers in grades K‐6 this year. These booklets do not have any relation with the Festival Youth
Instruction Classes, so the children do not need to bring their booklets to class. Their booklets
are a gift and the children and parents can work on them together during the Feast of
Tabernacles.
Thank you for all that you do! Have an inspiring Feast of Tabernacles.
The Education Team
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Festival Youth Instruction 2019Lesson 1—Grades 3‐6
Hello fellow teachers! Thank you so much for volunteering to teach our children
during the Feast. The lesson plans are a guide for you to follow, but it does not have to
be read word for word as a script to the kids. We wanted to provide as much
information as we can to help those who may not have many years of experience in
teaching Festival Lessons. Please feel free to interject your style within the lessons,
but please keep to the basic content of the lesson plans.
*Teachers this lesson involves providing pens and small notepad/notebook to each student. If there are too many students to provide for, you may use the craft idea from lesson 2 in the K‐2 lesson plan or you may come up with another idea on your own. In addition, your Festival Coordinator should have a small budget for you to purchase supplies for your classes.
Welcome! Thanks for joining me today!
Ask:Who here likes to receive gifts? Have you received any special Feast gifts? (Allow for discussion)
Ask: How did that make you feel?
Say: Did you know that God likes to give us gifts?Let’s read Matthew 7: 9‐11 to find out about this. (Ask for volunteer.)“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Ask: So what do you think this verse is saying? (Allow for discussion.)
Guide to conclusion: If our parents give us good gifts, then God, our heavenly Father, will give us even greater gifts.
Ask: Do all gifts come in the same form? (Allow for discussion.)
Say: The Bible tells us at the Feast to rejoice, eat, drink and spend our tithe on whatever our heart desires (Deuteronomy 14:26).
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“And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.”These directions God has given us are a great blessing—a gift!
Say: So, some gifts are physical things, but some come in the form of directions. Let’s read about another type of gift God gives us.
Ask for a volunteer to read Mark 10:46‐52.
Say: Let’s read about a man named Bartimaeus and the incredible gift Jesus game him.“Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.’ And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ The blind man said to Him, ‘Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.”
Ask:What gift did Bartimaeus receive from Jesus? (Allow for discussion.)
Say: Right – Bartimaeus received the gift of healing—immediate healing! Let’s read about another story of healing.
Ask for a volunteer to read Mark 2:3‐5, 11‐12.“Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’…”’I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’”
Ask: Can you imagine what it would be like to suddenly be able to walk after being paralyzed? (Allow for discussion.) What an incredible gift!
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Say: Another lesson we can learn from this story is that Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven. God provides forgiveness to us when we repent of our sins! He does not hold them against us. In 1 John 1:9 it states: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In addition, in Isaiah 43:25 God says, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgression for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.”
We all make mistakes and wrong choices sometimes. When we realize our mistake we apologize and ask for forgiveness. However, that does not mean that the person you hurt will forgive you and forget about it. God, however, tells us that if we truly repent, He will not remember our sins. That is a great gift that He gives us indeed!
Ask: Are there gifts that God gives us that we can’t see or touch? (Allow for discussion.)Guide to conclusion: God’s Holy Spirit is a helper to us. It gives us guidance to follow God’s ways and do the right thing. So, for instance, when you find money on the floor at church or at school—you don’t keep it, instead you turn it in. To keep it would be stealing. You know this because God’s Spirit pricks your conscious to do the right thing.
God’s Spirit is here at the Feast. Your family and many others obey God’s instructions to come and observe the Feast of Tabernacles. God has called your parents/grandparents now and has given them His Holy Spirit. Not everyone has the Holy Spirit today. But did you know that in the future God will pour His Spirit out onto the whole earth? Let’s read Joel 2:28:
“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My spirit in those days.”
That is so amazing! God is going to work with more people—the whole earth! Young men and women will actually prophesy—they will do incredible things! God is going to make known the gift of His plan of salvation to everyone on this earth. How exciting that will be! How wonderful is our God who wants to give good gifts to all of us!
Today I want you to think about all the wonderful gifts that God has given you. In this journal I want you to write down some of the things that God has blessed you with in your life. It is good to think about and keep track of the many blessings God gives us. Try to write a little every day and express what you are thankful for in your life.
Pass out notepad/notebook and pens.Feel free to personalize your journal so you know it is yours.
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(Remind them to write their names somewhere on it.)
*Material Needed — 1 notepad/notebook and pen per student.*Optional – Markers, stickers, etc. to help them decorate their journals.
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Festival Youth Instruction 2019
Lesson 2—3‐6
*Optional items needed for lesson—see bottom
Hello fellow teachers! Thank you so much for volunteering to teach our children
during the Feast. The lesson plans are a guide for you to follow, but it does not have to
be read word for word as a script to the kids. We wanted to provide as much
information as we can to help those who may not have many years of experience in
teaching Festival Lessons. Please feel free to interject your style within the lessons,
but please keep to the basic content of the lesson plans.
Say: Welcome Back! I hope you are having a wonderful Feast! What kinds of things have
you gotten to do since the Feast started? (Allow for discussion)
It sounds like things have been going well and God has provided you with some
wonderful activities and memories for this Feast!
Ask: Does anyone remember what our last class was about? (Wait for answers and
discussion)
In the last class we discussed how God’s way of life provides us with many, many
blessings. In fact, we called them gifts of God.
Ask: Does anyone remember some of the gifts God gives or provides for us? (Example
answers: healing, food, good weather, beautiful nature and animals, the knowledge of
his truth and plan for mankind). Yes, those are all gifts from God! He loves us all and
wants you and to be a part of His family forever!
Ask: Can anyone give me an example of something that is not very nice in the world or
at school or even in the animal world that happens? (Allow for discussion) That is right.
Sometimes people lie or are mean to us. People steal from one another. People get
cancer and are sick. There are poisonous animals such as snakes! Today’s people, nature
and animals are not perfect. But in the future, during the Millennium, God is going to
correct this.
Let’s read Isaiah 11:9 and Habakkuk 2:14. Isaiah 11:9 states:
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“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of
the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
Ask: What do you think it means when the Bible says that they shall not hurt or destroy
in My holy mountain? Allow for discussion among the kids. You might want to discuss
that in the Millennium the whole world will be changed.
Say: When Christ comes back to this Earth and sets up God’s Kingdom the world will be
ruled with righteousness. There will not be ungodly rulers or people who want to be
mean to others. God will not allow this! God’s way is full of love and goodness, not acts
of selfishness! God will use people like you and me to guide and teach those people who
have never known His way the right way to live! In Isaiah 30:20‐21 it states: “...Yet your
teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your
teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,”
whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.”
Say: So people will be taught how to treat one another with kindness and love. But in
the Millennium it won’t only be people’s habits and attitudes being changed but also
the very nature of the animals will change! Let’s read Isaiah 11:6‐8: “The wolf also shall
dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the
young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the
bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw
like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall
put his hand in the viper’s den.”
In today’s world would you be able to lead a big African lion or go for a walk with him?
No way. It would hurt you. But in the Millennium you will be able to do this! The
animal’s violent nature will be changed. God is even going to change what a lion or
other violent animals will eat. Notice in Isaiah 65:25: “The lion shall eat straw like an
ox!” Whoa! Isn’t that exciting? We won’t have to be afraid of being eaten by a lion!
Ask: What are some wild animals that you would like to be able to play with in the
Millennium? (Allow time for discussion)
Ask: Did you know that it won’t be just the animal’s natures being changed but also the
Earth’s plants and ecosystems will be changed! Man has not taken good care of the
earth, as God intended. We have created agricultural challenges due to poor farming
techniques, created deserts where forests used to grow, and have polluted many of our
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streams, rivers and oceans with various chemicals, plastics and garbage being released
into our water sources. The earth is a gift that God has given us and we have not
properly taken care of it. However, in the future God is going to restore this damaged
Earth. We are told this in Isaiah 35:1: “The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad
for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom
abundantly and rejoice.” Also, in Isaiah 35:6‐7: “...For waters shall burst forth in the
wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and
the thirsty land springs of water.”
No longer will we have wastelands or deserts where very few plants or animals can live.
Instead, God will make the soil, plants and animals thrive! There will be no more famine
anywhere in the world! In fact, in Micah 5:4 we are told: “But everyone shall sit under
his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of
the LORD of hosts has spoken.” In addition, let’s read Joel 3:18: “And it will come to
pass in that day that the mountains shall drip with new wine, the hills shall flow with
milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water; a fountain shall flow
from the house of the LORD.” So it would seem that everyone will have space to live
and to plant vineyards and gardens and enjoy the fruit of their labor!
Say: But the blessings of God in the future coming Millennium don’t stop there! God is
going to do something special for all people everywhere on this earth! Let’s read in Joel
2:28: “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, Your
young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I
will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
Today, not everyone in the world has God’s Holy Spirit. Most people do not know God’s
truth like we do. Right now when a person understands God’s law, repents of their sins,
accepts Jesus as their savior and gets baptized, they receive the Holy Spirit from God.
Many of your parents and grandparents have the Holy Spirit. Even though you don’t
have His Holy Spirit right now, you will have the opportunity as an adult to repent,
accept Christ and be baptized just like your parents. However, even though you don’t
have God’s Spirit in you, His Spirit is guiding you in your life. His Spirit is what pricks your
conscious when you do something wrong, it helps you to change your bad habits and
make right decisions!
In the future, God will make His Holy Spirit available to the whole world! All people will
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learn of His ways and the Holy Spirit will inspire all mankind to follow God. God is giving
mankind a new way of life that they have never had before! God is going to make all
things new. In fact, His Holy Spirit is compared to a river of living water which is going to
flow from the throne of God! Let’s read Revelation 22:1‐3: “And he showed me a pure
river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the
Lamb.” So today, we have rivers and streams that are very muddy or cloudy—water that
you would not want to swim in or drink from. Let’s compare these two jars of water.
(Teachers you could have two clear plastic cups and in one put water with
soil/mud/grasses or dirt in and in the other just plain clear water. This will help you to
demonstrate and compare the waters today compared to the clear, crystal water that
God is going to provide for us in the future). Let’s continue to read starting in
Revelation 22:2: “In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the
tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more
curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve
Him.”
We can also find the same type of description in Ezekiel 47:1: “Then he brought me
back to the door of the temple and there was water, flowing from under the threshold
of the temple toward the east.” Ezekiel 47:7: “When I returned, there, along the bank
of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. Then he said to me: ‘This
water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley and enters the sea.
When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing
that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of
fish, because these waters go there, for they will be healed, and everything will live
wherever the river goes.’” Ezekiel 47:12: “Along the bank of the river, on this side and
that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their
fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the
sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
God’s Holy Spirit is compared to a clear crystal river that gives life and It gives an
everlasting life. Just as, during the Millennium, a pure river will flow from God’s throne
to heal the sea, so God’s Holy Spirit will flow to all people. This is His greatest gift that
He can give to all of us. God loves all the people on the earth and He does not want
anyone to perish. In fact, God wants all of us to be in His family, living with Him forever
in His Kingdom! That is the best gift anyone could receive!
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I hope that you will never forget the wonderful gifts that God gives to each and every
one of us. Always remember, that God’s biggest gift to you is His Holy Spirit and the
opportunity to live with Him forever!
*Items needed: one God’s Survival Kit per student
Note: You can either build these ahead of time and hand them out or allow the
students to build them and explain each component as you go along.
Kit Items
Printed copy of God’s Survival Kit (at the end of the lesson)
Bag to put items in
Band‐Aids
Flashlight or LED candle or Glowsticks
Eraser
Post‐It notes
Tissue
Hershey’s Hugs
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Spiritual Survival Kit
Bandage: God is our healer. “For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord”
(Jeremiah 30:17).
Light: We are to be a light to the world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and
glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Post-It-Notes: to remind you to list your blessings each day. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
Tissue: to remind you to keep your life free from sin. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Eraser: to remind you that every day you can start over with no mistakes. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not
consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness”
(Lamentations 3:22-23).
Hugs: to remind you that God loves you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Spiritual Survival Kit
Bandage: God is our healer. “For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord”
(Jeremiah 30:17).
Light: We are to be a light to the world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and
glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Post-It-Notes: to remind you to list your blessings each day. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
Tissue: to remind you to keep your life free from sin. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Eraser: to remind you that every day you can start over with no mistakes. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not
consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness”
(Lamentations 3:22-23).
Hugs: to remind you that God loves you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Spiritual Survival Kit
Bandage: God is our healer. “For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord”
(Jeremiah 30:17).
Light: We are to be a light to the world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and
glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Post-It-Notes: to remind you to list your blessings each day. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
Tissue: to remind you to keep your life free from sin. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Eraser: to remind you that every day you can start over with no mistakes. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not
consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness”
(Lamentations 3:22-23).
Hugs: to remind you that God loves you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Spiritual Survival Kit
Bandage: God is our healer. “For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord”
(Jeremiah 30:17).
Light: We are to be a light to the world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and
glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Post-It-Notes: to remind you to list your blessings each day. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
Tissue: to remind you to keep your life free from sin. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Eraser: to remind you that every day you can start over with no mistakes. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not
consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness”
(Lamentations 3:22-23).
Hugs: to remind you that God loves you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).