My Journey in Life

Lesson 5 - The Divine Principle

Aim1. To learn what the Divine Principle is and its three parts 2. To understand that restoring mistakes takes a long time

Key WordsRevelation, Divine Principle, Ideal, Fall, Restoration,

Materials* a copy of the Divine Principle and the Bible* Visual aids showing the ideal, fall and restoration* Story - The Gossip (also “Yettle’s Feather’s” by Joan Rothenberg)* wooden blocks, paper, scissors, sellotape, shoelaces

Lesson Outline1. The Bible and the Divine Principle. Explain why we need a new message from God2. Three parts of the Principle; ideal, fall & restoration3. Restoring mistakes - discussion, story, activity4. Worksheet5. Conclusion6. Prayer

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1) The Bible & the Divine Principle

* What is the Bible and what is the Divine Principle? Show the children the Bible and the Divine Principle. Ask them what they know about them.

The Bible is a book teaching God’s word and a history of God’s chosen people. It has two parts. The first is called the Old Testament, starting with the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. There are stories of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, etc.

The second part is called the New Testament and tells stories about Jesus life and how the church started after he died.

But what is the Divine Principle? This is a new book teaching God’s word. It is a revelation from God, given to Sun Myung Moon. Revelation means it is given directly by God,

* Why do we need a new book?The Bible doesn’t explain everything about God. There are many things Jesus did not say. It is time for a clearer understanding. We live in a world that is very different from the world Jesus lived in.

Because Christians don’t agree about what is written in the Bible, many different churches have developed. The Divine Principle will help churches to come together with the same understanding. It will help bring the whole world together as one family.

2) Three Parts of the PrincipleThe Divine Principle is divided into three parts: God’s ideal, the Fall and the History of Restoration

God’s idealThe first part explains what God is like and why He created the world. He wanted to see a world of true love, happiness and peace, in which all people can feel God’s love for each other and to build one family under God.

The FallThis tells the story of Adam and Eve’s disobedience and separation from God’s love and how the world became a world of suffering and evil. Instead of learning God’s love, they developed a selfish love from the archangel Lucifer. This was passed onto their children and to all their descendants.

History of RestorationThe is the story of God’s work in history to restore His ideal. Restore means to put things back the way they were in the beginning. It has taken a long, long time for this to happen. He chose people such as Noah, Abraham, Moses and Joshua to teach people God’s way. But the people didn’t want to listen.

For example, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. They could have reached Canaan in 40 days, but because they complained about how hard their life was and turned against Moses, it took 40 years instead. The Israelites were chosen by God to receive Jesus, as the Messiah. He was the restored Adam, the one who came to build God’s kingdom. But the people didn’t understand who Jesus was and he was crucified.

Because of this it has taken 2,000 years before a new Messiah could be chosen. This is Father. He must now finish what Jesus started. Today we are close to building the ideal God wanted in the beginning, a world of happiness, peace and true love - one big family under God. But once again the people must listen, otherwise it will take longer.

3) Restoring Mistakes

a) Discussion* Talk about restoring mistakes and how much time and effort it takes. - cleaning paint off clothes, because you were careless- piecing together a broken vase or toy- cleaning up a broken glass of water from the floor- fixing a puncture on a bicycle- trying to remember what you said when you told a lie and repeat exactly the same details- healing a broken arm- searching for a lost jacket, because you didn’t put it in the right place

b) Story* Read the story of “The Gossip,” to illustrate how difficult it is to restore the mistake of spreading

bad words about others.

c) Activities* Make a tower from wooden blocks. Time how long it takes to build. Then destroy it. Can you

rebuild it exactly as it was in the same time.* Tear paper into a few pieces. Can you stick them together again without any gaps. * Take a shoelace and make some knots. How long did it take? How long does it take to untie one

knot?

4) Complete worksheet* Write the text1) GOD’S IDEAL - God wants to see a world of happiness, peace and true love2) THE FALL - Adam and Eve were separated from God’s love.3) HISTORY OF RESTORATION - God has worked through chosen people to restore His ideal

* Draw a picture of the restored world - to show happiness, peace and true love

5) Conclusion* Ask each child what they could learn from today’s lesson. Refer to the lesson aims.

1. To learn what the Divine Principle is and its three partsIt is a new book teaching God’s word. It is a revelation from God, given to Sun Myung Moon.It is divided into God’s Ideal, The Fall and the History of Restoration.

2. To understand that restoring mistakes takes a long time Creating something takes time and effort. A mistake can take one moment, but to restore the mistake takes much longer time and much more effort than it took in the first place. That’s why we should follow God’s way. Then we make less mistakes.

6) End with a prayer

Revelation

Divine Principle

God’s Ideal

The Fall

Restoration

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AbrahamOffering

Moses10 Commandments

JesusThe Gospels

Sun Myung MoonDivine Principle

Divine Principle

The Divine Principle has three parts: Godʼs Ideal, The Fall and the History of Restoration

1) God’s Ideal

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2) The Fall

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3) History of Restoration

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The Restored World

The Gossip

THERE WAS ONCE, in a small village, a man who was a terrible gossip! He always had stories to tell about his neighbors. Even if he didn't know someone, he still had something to say about them.

Well, the New Year was coming, and the man decided to make a fresh start. He went to the Rabbi.

"Rabbi," he said, "I feel bad about the gossip and the rumors I've spread. I really want to make amends. Please tell me what to do to atone."

The Rabbi thought for a minute, and then he said, "I'll tell you what you must do in order to put right the damage you've done. But you must follow my directions exactly ... no questions! Do you understand?"

"I promise, Rabbi. I promise I'll do just what you say."

"Good," said the Rabbi. "Now, go to the market and buy a fresh chicken. Then bring it here to me as fast as you can. But mind," warned the Rabbi, "that you pluck it absolutely clean. Not a single feather must remain."

Well, the man could not imagine what the Rabbi wanted with a chicken, but he'd promised not to ask questions, so off he went as fast as his legs could carry him. He got to the market, purchased the best chicken he could find, and started running back to the Rabbi's house, plucking off the feathers as he ran. Furiously he plucked until, when he got to the Rabbi's door, not a single feather was left.

Out of breath, the man handed the chicken over to the Rabbi, who turned it over and over until he was satisfied. Then he turned to the man and said, "Now bring me all the feathers."

"But Rabbi," gasped the man, "how could I do such a thing?! The wind must have carried those feathers so far, I could never find them all!"

"That's true," said the Rabbi. "And that's how it is with gossip. One rumor can fly to many corners, and how could you retrieve it? Better not to speak gossip in the first place!"

And he sent the man home to apologize to his neighbors, and to repent.

Discussion

Discuss how it feels when someone spreads a story about you. How does everyone respond when you try to find out "who said that?" It almost seems that a rumor, once started, has a life of its own.