Primary
Lesson 41: Heavenly Father and Jesus Gave Us the Scriptures

“Lesson 41: Heavenly Father and Jesus Gave Us the Scriptures,” Primary 1 (2000), 135–37

“Lesson 41,” Primary 1, 135–37

Lesson 41

Heavenly Father and Jesus Gave Us the Scriptures

Purpose

To help each child understand that the scriptures contain the words of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and that we can learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by studying the scriptures.

Preparation

  1. Prayerfully study Luke 22:19–20; 3 Nephi 18:21; Doctrine and Covenants 59:6; and Moses 7:11. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 10.

  2. Prepare to tell one of your favorite stories from the scriptures, using a picture if possible.

  3. Materials needed:

    1. A set of scriptures (Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price).

    2. A piece of cloth to cover the scriptures or a piece of paper to wrap them in.

    3. Picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 208; 62133); picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere (Gospel Art Picture Kit 316; 62380); picture 1-70, The Last Supper (Gospel Art Picture Kit 225; 62174).

  4. Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Before class, cover the set of scriptures with a piece of cloth or wrap them in paper. Place the covered scriptures on a table or chair where the children can see them. Explain that you have covered something that is important to you and to everyone. Let the children guess what you have covered.

After a few guesses, let the children feel through the cloth or paper. If a child guesses that it is a book or books, tell the children that is correct and uncover the books. Tell the children that these books are called the scriptures. Have the children say the word scriptures a few times.

The scriptures are sacred books

Explain that the scriptures are important books that are different from other books. They are sacred books. Remind the children that something that is sacred helps us think about Heavenly Father and Jesus. Explain that the scriptures tell us about Heavenly Father and Jesus and how much they love us. They tell us what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do so we can be happy.

Show and name each of the four standard works, one at a time. If some of them are combined in one book, point to the side binding where the titles are listed or turn to the title pages of each of the standard works.

Activity

Tell the children that we should take good care of the scriptures and turn the pages carefully. Have the children come to the front of the class one at a time and demonstrate how carefully they can handle the scriptures and turn the pages.

Explain that the scriptures contain stories that are true. These stories help us know what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do. The stories in the scriptures can help us in our lives.

Story

Tell the children one of your favorite stories from the scriptures, using a picture if possible. Emphasize how the things taught in this scripture story help you. Express how much you love to read the stories in the scriptures.

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 57). Remind the children that the scripture stories they learn in Primary are true stories.

Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear,

Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here.

Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,

Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

The scriptures contain the teachings of Jesus

Explain that some of the scriptures were written by men who knew Jesus and lived when he did. They saw Jesus and heard him teach. These men wrote scriptures so that everyone could learn about Jesus and his teachings and know that he was Heavenly Father’s son.

Display picture 1-70, The Last Supper. Let the children tell what they know about the picture. Show the Bible and have the children repeat its name. Open the Bible to Luke 22. Explain that Jesus taught in the Bible that we should take the sacrament to remember him. Jesus took bread and blessed it and gave it to his disciples (helpers). He took a cup and had them drink. Read the part of verse 19 where Jesus said, “This do in remembrance of me.” Point out that these are the words of Jesus.

Display picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere, and remind the children of what is happening in the picture. Show the Book of Mormon and have the children repeat its name. Open the Book of Mormon to 3 Nephi 18. Explain that Jesus taught the people many things. Read the part of verse 21 where Jesus said, “Pray in your families.”

  • What does Jesus tell us to do with our families?

Display picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ. Show the Doctrine and Covenants and have the children repeat its name. Open the Doctrine and Covenants to section 59. Explain that one of the things Jesus taught was that we should love everyone. Read the part of verse 6 where Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor.”

  • What did Jesus say to do?

  • Who is your neighbor?

  • How do you feel when you are kind to others and show love to them?

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, p. 61), using the actions described below:

Jesus said love everyone (spread arms out wide);

Treat them kindly, too (nod head up and down).

When your heart is filled with love (put hands over heart),

Others will love you (hug self).

Display picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus. Let the children tell about the picture. Emphasize that Jesus was baptized and that he wants everyone to be baptized. Show the Pearl of Great Price and have the children repeat its name. Open the Pearl of Great Price to Moses 7 and tell how Jesus taught a man named Enoch to go to the people and baptize them. Read the part of verse 11 where Jesus said, “Baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, … and of the Holy Ghost.”

Hold up the four standard works. Emphasize that Jesus’ teachings are in all of them.

  • What are these books?

  • Whose teachings are found in the scriptures?

  • Why were the scriptures written?

  • How does it make you feel to know that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us and have given us the scriptures?

Testimony

Express your gratitude and love for the scriptures. Bear testimony that the scriptures are Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ words and that by studying the scriptures we can learn what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

  1. Fold pieces of paper in half to make small replicas of the covers of the four standard works, one set for each child. Print the names of the standard works on the covers. Punch a hole in the corner of each cover and use a piece of string or yarn to tie each child’s four scripture covers together.

    On the inside of each cover, print the scripture that was taught during the lesson:

    Bible: Jesus taught us about the sacrament (Luke 22:19).

    Book of Mormon: Jesus taught us to pray in our families (3 Nephi 18:21).

    Doctrine and Covenants: Jesus taught us to love our neighbors (D&C 59:6).

    Pearl of Great Price: Jesus taught us to be baptized (Moses 7:11).

    Give a set of covers to each child to take home. As you do, review the teachings of Jesus discussed in the lesson.

  2. Help the children memorize part of the eighth article of faith: “We believe the Bible to be the word of God” and “we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.”

  3. Obtain pictures of some Book of Mormon stories from the pictures that accompany this manual or from the meetinghouse library. Show each picture and briefly discuss the story it illustrates. Remind the children that the scriptures contain true stories. Have the children sing “Book of Mormon Stories” (Children’s Songbook, p. 118).

  4. Tell the children of a time when the scriptures had special meaning in your life. Explain how the scriptures helped you and how this made you feel.

  5. Find short scriptures that contain the words of Jesus, like the ones in the lesson. Recite each scripture, beginning with the words Jesus said. For example, “Jesus said, ‘Follow me.’” Toss or hand a beanbag or other soft object to a child and have him or her repeat the scripture after you and then toss the beanbag back. Continue tossing the beanbag until each child has had a turn.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

  1. Sing or say the words to “Book of Mormon Stories” (Children’s Songbook, p. 118) while holding up a copy of the Book of Mormon or “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 57) while holding up a Bible.

  2. Briefly tell the story of the ten lepers (see Luke 17:11–19), and then do the following finger activity with the children:

    Ten men were sick (hold up ten fingers);

    Christ healed them one day.

    He simply spoke, and their pain went away (make a waving gesture)!

    Isn’t it strange? And isn’t it odd (put a finger on side of head and look puzzled)

    That only one man (hold up one finger)

    Gave him thanks

    And praised God (raise both arms upward)?

    (Adapted from Jean Shannon in Bible Story Finger Plays and Action Rhymes [Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Co., 1964], p. 27.)

    Show the children where this story is found in the Bible.

  3. Ask the children what their favorite scripture stories are. If you can, show them where these stories are found in the scriptures.