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
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.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE: The teacher should inform the students of the outcome of the Quarterly Review Exercise and encourage them.

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.

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.
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 (Hebrews 4:15). Christ is moved by the afflictions we suffer and even weeps over our pains (John. 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?

LESSON AIM: To study the description of natural disasters and why God allows it.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES

Through this lesson, students should be able to:
a. Describe natural disasters.
b. Explain why God allows it.

TEACHING PLAN

To attain the above-stated objectives:

a. The Assistant Teacher should mention the topic, guide the students to read the Bible passage, guide the students to recite the memory verse then take the lesson introduction, mark attendance and assignment.
b. The students should participate in the class activities and discussions, and do the assignment.
c. The teacher should explain the two lesson outline, summarize the lesson and then conclude, evaluate, and give an assignment.

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. …………………………………………….

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

1. 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, geological, or hydrological origins.
ii. It is a major adverse event resulting from the natural processes of the Earth
Question 2: Mention some forms of natural disasters you are aware of.
Answers: firestorms, 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- 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 tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding.
ii. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.
Question 5a: Are there differences between natural disasters and God’s use of natural force to prove His supremacy?
Answer: Yes. Natural disasters 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 acts of judgement recorded in the Bible were selective (Genesis 19:29-30).
ii. Natural disasters usually strike with little or no warning. On the other hand, God gave warnings to the wicked before using natural forces against them (Genesis 6:13; Matthew 24:38-39).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Students should recall instances of natural disasters they are aware of.

2. WHY GOD ALLOWS IT

It is distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peace and stability.
However, generally, God allows natural disasters so as:
i. To serve as a warning for unbelievers. Disasters are warnings, and unbelievers often turn to God for the first time when they face a tornado or an earthquake (Revelation 11:13).
ii. To remind us that even nature was affected by sin. Natural disasters remind us that nature, while beautiful, is broken and cursed (Genesis 3:17-18).
iii. To establish God’s supremacy over man. Some disasters give no warning even with all the science and technology a country can afford to put in place (Psalm 115:3).
iv. To indicate the beginning of the last days. They are signs of the end times (Matthew 24:3, 7).
v. To allow cause and effect to operate independently. Some natural disasters are a result of man’s abuse and damage to the natural environment (Ecclesiastes 7:29).
vi. To allow believers to demonstrate God’s love to humanity by helping, ministering, counselling, praying, and leading people to the saving faith in Christ (Acts 11:28-30; Galatians 6:10).
vii. To establish God’s judgement upon the wicked (Genesis 18:20; 19:24-25).

CONCLUSION: God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).

QUESTIONS:
* Describe the term ‘natural disaster’
* Why does God allow ‘natural disasters’?

EVALUATION:
i. Describe natural disasters?
ii. Why does God allow it?

CLOSING PRAYER: Students should pray that there would be no incidence of natural disasters in the remaining part of this year.

ASSIGNMENT: Identify five ways the church can help those affected by natural disasters. (2×5=10 marks)