NATURAL DISASTERS

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER'S MANUAL

LESSON: FORTY(40)

DATE: SUNDAY JUNE 2ND 2024

TOPIC: NATURAL DISASTERS

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN

1. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I'll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

OPENING PRAYER
Almighty Father, please by your mercy, avert all manners of natural disaster from our land in the name of Jesus.

MEMORY VERSE: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places". – Matthew 24:7

BIBLE PASSAGE: MATTHEW 24:6-8

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.


INTRODUCTION
Natural disasters challenge the Christian belief that God is good. The enormous loss of lives and properties resulting from pandemics, earthquakes, floods, etc, is terrible and tragic. Our grief and even our anger are human, but no one grieves more than the Lord himself (Heb. 4:15). Christ is moved by the afflictions we suffer and even weeps over our pains (Jn. 11:35). Could the God who loves us also be the one to destroy us? How do we reconcile the mercy of God in Christ with His permission for natural disasters?

TEXT REVIEW: MATTHEW 24:6-8
The teacher should mention five (5) things that would mark the beginning of sorrow according to the bible passage.
i. …………………
ii. …………………
iii. …………………
iv. …………………
v. …………………

LESSON OUTLINES
1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION
2. WHY GOD ALLOWS IT

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The teacher should first ask each question indicated below and, allow the students to respond before providing the answers as indicated below:

Question 1:
What do you understand by natural disasters?

Answers:
i. Natural disasters are catastrophic events with atmospheric, geographical, or hydrological origins.

ii. It is a major adverse events resulting from natural process of the Earth;

Question 2: Mention some forms of natural disasters you are aware of.

Answers:
Firestorm, dust storms, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, and other geological processes.

Question 3:
What are the effects of natural disasters?

Answers:
i. loss of lives or damaged properties.

ii. Economic damages in its wake, the severity of which depends on the affected population's resilience or the infrastructure available (Luke 21:11).

Question 4:
How do natural disasters occur?

Answer:
i. God created the whole universe and the laws of nature (Genesis 1:1). Most natural disasters are a result of these laws at work. For instance, hurricanes, typhoons, and tornadoes are the results of divergence weather patterns colliding.

ii. Earthquakes are the result of the earth's plates structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.

Question 5a: Are there difference between Natural disasters and God's use of natural force to prove His supremacy?

Answer:
Yes. Natural disaster differ from God's use of natural forces.

Question 5b:
What are the differences?

Answers:
i. As recorded in the Bible Natural disasters kill and maim indiscriminately, God's act of judgement recorded in the Bible were selected (Genesis 19:29-30).