Lesson 17

The Godhead

Introduction

In this lesson, students will study paragraphs 1.1–1.7 of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document. This lesson also contains a doctrinal mastery cumulative review activity that will help students become more familiar with the doctrinal mastery scripture passages they have already studied this year.

Note: You could teach the following doctrinal mastery activities in a single class session or over two separate class sessions, sharing time with a regular sequential scripture lesson.

Suggestions for Teaching

Using the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document

The Doctrinal Mastery Core Document is used extensively in doctrinal mastery lessons. Make sure you and your students are familiar with this document, the key statements of doctrine, and the doctrinal mastery scripture passages found therein. Feel free to invite students to mark and annotate their copy of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document.

Understanding the Doctrine (30 minutes)

Prior to class, prepare the handouts on each member of the Godhead that will be used in this lesson. You will need at least one copy of each handout for every group of students. Place the handouts for each member of the Godhead in an envelope or in a pile at the front of the class. Label each envelope or pile with the corresponding name of the member of the Godhead. You will have a total of three envelopes or piles.

Begin the lesson by inviting students to turn to doctrinal topic 1, “The Godhead,” in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document. Invite students to silently read paragraph 1.1, looking for distinguishable characteristics about each member of the Godhead. After sufficient time, invite students to share what they found.

• Although God the Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost are separate personages, how are They also one?

Divide the class into small groups. Invite one student from each group to retrieve a handout from one of the envelopes or piles and to return to his or her group. (Students can begin with any envelope or pile they want.) Invite each group to follow the instructions on the handout. When they have finished with the first handout, invite them to retrieve a second handout from one of the other envelopes and to continue until they have worked through all three handouts. (Some groups may finish before the others. Consider inviting the groups that finish early to read and discuss some of the related references listed for this doctrinal mastery topic in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document.)

God the Father

Read paragraph 1.2 in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, and then discuss as a group the following questions:

• Which of the attributes of God the Father listed in paragraph 1.2 means the most to you? Why?

Read Moses 1:39 and discuss the following question:

• What does this passage teach you about the character of God?

Continue your discussion of paragraph 1.2 of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document by answering the following questions:

• How does knowing that God is the Father of your spirit influence the way you see yourself?

• When have you felt God’s love in your life? How did that strengthen your love for Him?

© 2018 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Jesus Christ

Read paragraphs 1.3–1.5 in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, and then discuss as a group the following questions:

• What name is often used in the Old Testament for Jesus Christ?

• How does knowing that Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth influence how you feel about Him and His creations?

• What about the Savior’s life and example impresses you the most?

• How does it make you feel to know that Jesus Christ will return to the earth in power and glory and reign on earth during the Millennium?

• What specific teaching of the Savior brings you hope or comfort or courage?

© 2018 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Holy Ghost

Read paragraphs 1.6–1.7 in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, and then discuss as a group the following questions:

• How is the Holy Ghost different from the other members of the Godhead?

• What are some of the various names for the Holy Ghost?

• What does the Holy Ghost do for us?

• When is a time that you have felt the Holy Ghost in your life?

© 2018 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

After all the groups have had sufficient time to complete the learning exercise, invite a few students to share with the class what they learned or were reminded of as they studied each member of the Godhead. You may want to invite students to ask questions they may have about the Godhead. Consider bearing your testimony of the members of the Godhead.

Doctrinal Mastery Cumulative Review (10 minutes)

Helping students remember doctrinal mastery scripture passages

One of the main objectives of Doctrinal Mastery is knowing how the key statements of doctrine are taught in doctrinal mastery scripture passages and being able to remember and locate those passages. The review activities are designed to help you accomplish this objective. It is important that these activities are done in class. You may also want to incorporate other ways for students to be able to remember and locate the passages.

Give each student a piece of paper. Invite students to write on one side of the paper the reference Proverbs 3:5–6 and on the other side of the paper the reference Isaiah 5:20.

Give students a few minutes to review both of these scripture passages and their associated key statements of doctrine (refer students to their copies of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document to locate the key statements of doctrine if necessary).

After sufficient time, explain that you will read a portion of one of the scripture passages or the key statements of doctrine and students will display the side of the paper with the correct scripture reference. Repeat this activity several times until students become better at recognizing the words of the passages and key statements of doctrine and are able to connect them with the correct reference.