Into the Lesson
To begin today’s lesson, ask your students to match each U.S. president listed below with his nickname or description. Also ask your students if they can explain the origin of each nickname. This exercise also is found in the student book.
1. John Adams a. Old Hickory
2.Andrew Jackson b. Peanut Farmer
3.W. H. Harrison c. 01′ Tippecanoe
4.Abraham Lincoln d. Comeback Kid
5.James A. Garfield e. His Rotundity
6.Theodore Roosevelt f. Emancipator
7.Harry Truman g. The Gipper
8.Jimmy Carter h. Preacher
9.Ronald Reagan i. Rough Rider
10. Bill Clinton. Haberdasher
Answers: le. Adams was chubby! 2a. Jackson was a strict military disciplinarian. “as hard as hickory”; 3c. Harrison won the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811; 49. Lincoln, The Great Emancipator, authored the Emancipation Proclamation to free slaves; 5h. Before his entrance into politics, this Preacher President was a Disciples of Christ minister; 6i. Roosevelt led the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War; 7j. “Haberdasher Harry” Truman was co-owner of a hat store following World War I; 8b. Carter owned a peanut farm; 9g. Reagan played George Gipp in the film Knute Rockne, All American; 10d. Clinton was defeated following his first term as governor of Arkansas but then came back to win reelection to several more terms.
After you review answers, say, “Today’s lesson includes three titles or descriptions of Jesus found in Revelation 5. Presidents’ nicknames are related to their accomplishments, background, etc. So too Jesus’ titles are related to His accomplishments and background.”
Into the Word
Introduce this section with a brief lecture on Revelation 5:1-5, using both the Lesson Back-ground and the commentary. Focus on the significance of “Lion of … Judah” and “Root of David.”Next, divide your class into small groups. Each group will research the title “Lamb of God.”Distribute the following questions and Scripture passages to each group (or direct their attention to the student book). Suggested answers follow each question, but don’t distribute those.
Ask your small groups to design a worship ser-vice to honor Christ as the Lamb of God. Provide hymnals or chorus books; have each group choose Scriptures to be read and songs to be sung that reflect that theme. Challenge your students to design creative ways to praise the Lamb with skits, poems, responsive readings, etc. Have groups share their results. Choose one, or a combination of two or more, to offer to your church’s leadership for use.