JESUS HAS POWER TO FORGIVE SINS PRIMARY 4 LESSON NOTE SECOND TERM CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (CRS) WEEK 3

Unified Schemes of Work

Subject : Christian Religious Studies

Class : Primary Four

Class : Second Term

Week : Week 3

Topic : Jesus has the power to forgive sins

Learning Objectives : By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to

• Explain the meaning of sin.
• Define forgiveness
• Give examples to show that Jesus has power to forgive sins.
• Understand what forgiveness is and why it’s important
• Learn what sins are and some examples of sins
• Identify how Jesus forgave sins in stories from the Bible

Learning Activities :

• Pupils in groups take turn to read the Bible passages.
• Pupils in small groups explain the meaning of sin.
• Pupils in pair tells a story explain Jesus power to forgive sins.

Embedded Core Skills 

• Communication and Collaboration
• Creativity and Imagination
• Critical thinking and problem solving

Audio Visual Resources

• The Holy Bible

• Luke 15:11-32

• Mk 2:1-12

• Jn 8:1-11

• Family picture showing a father welcoming the son.

• Jesus has power to forgive
  sins

Materials:

• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed handouts with examples of sins and definitions of forgiveness
• Bible passages Luke 15:11-32, Mark 2:1-12, and John 8:1-11
• Interactive activity supplies

Content :

What are sins

Sins are actions or thoughts that are considered wrong or immoral by a particular religion or society. All disobedience is sin. When we do something that is considered a sin, it is believed that we have done something that goes against the rules or guidelines set by our religion or society.

Different religions have different ideas about what actions or thoughts are considered sins. For example, in Christianity, some sins include lying, stealing, cheating, and being disrespectful to others. In Islam, some sins include drinking alcohol, gambling, and not praying regularly.

It’s important to remember that people make mistakes, and that everyone has the ability to learn from their mistakes and improve themselves. So if someone has done something that is considered a sin, they can ask for forgiveness and try to do better in the future.

Here are a few examples of things that might be considered sins:

• Telling a lie to avoid getting in trouble
• Taking something that doesn’t belong to you without permission
• Being mean to someone on purpose
• Cheating on a test at school
• Not following the rules of your religion, such as not going to church or mosque when you are supposed to
• Using hurtful language to talk about someone else

What is forgiveness

Forgiveness is the act of letting go of anger, resentment, or negative feelings towards someone who has wronged you. It involves making a conscious decision to release any negative emotions or desire for revenge, and instead choosing to show kindness, compassion, and understanding.

Forgiveness does not necessarily mean forgetting the wrong that was done, nor does it mean excusing or condoning the behavior. Instead, it means acknowledging the wrongdoing and choosing to let go of the negative emotions associated with it, in order to move forward and heal.

Forgiveness can be a powerful tool for personal growth and healing. It can help individuals to release negative emotions that may be holding them back, and can lead to improved relationships with others.

It’s important to remember that forgiveness is a personal choice, and it may take time and effort to fully let go of negative emotions. It’s also important to recognize that forgiveness does not necessarily require reconciliation with the person who wronged you, and it’s okay to set boundaries or take steps to protect yourself if needed

Biblical Teaching on Sins and Forgiveness

In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son, who asks his father for his inheritance early and then goes and wastes all of the money on wild living. When he realizes his mistake and decides to go back home, his father welcomes him with open arms and forgives him, even though he had done something wrong. This story shows that Jesus has the power to forgive sins, just as the father in the story forgave his son.

In Mark 2:1-12, there is a story about a man who is paralyzed and his friends bring him to Jesus for healing. Instead of immediately healing the man’s physical condition, Jesus first forgives his sins. This causes some of the religious leaders to question Jesus, but Jesus tells them that he has the power to forgive sins and then goes on to heal the man’s physical condition as well. This story shows that Jesus has the power to forgive sins and also has the power to heal physical conditions.

In John 8:1-11, there is a story about a woman who is caught in the act of adultery and brought to Jesus by some religious leaders who want to see how he will respond. Instead of condemning the woman, Jesus tells the religious leaders that whoever is without sin should be the first to throw a stone at her. When no one steps forward to do so, Jesus forgives the woman’s sins and tells her to go and sin no more. This story shows that Jesus has the power to forgive sins and also shows his compassion and mercy towards those who have done wrong.

Overall, these stories show that Jesus has the power to forgive sins and that he is loving and compassionate towards those who have made mistakes

Evaluation

1. What is forgiveness? a) holding onto negative emotions towards someone who has wronged you b) choosing to release negative emotions and move forward with kindness and understanding c) forgetting about the wrong that was done to you
2. What are sins? a) actions or thoughts that are considered wrong or immoral by a particular religion or society b) actions or thoughts that are always good and positive c) actions or thoughts that only some people consider wrong or immoral
3. In the story of the prodigal son, what did the father do when his son returned home? a) he punished him for wasting his inheritance b) he forgave him and welcomed him back with open arms c) he told him he was no longer welcome in his home
4. In Mark 2:1-12, what did Jesus do first before healing the paralyzed man’s physical condition? a) he forgave the man’s sins b) he ignored the man’s condition and walked away c) he scolded the man for not having enough faith
5. In John 8:1-11, who wanted to see how Jesus would respond to the woman caught in adultery? a) a group of her friends b) some religious leaders c) a crowd of strangers
6. What is the purpose of forgiveness? a) to forget about the wrong that was done to you b) to release negative emotions and move forward with kindness and understanding c) to seek revenge against the person who wronged you
7. What does it mean to set boundaries when forgiving someone? a) to ignore the person and cut off all communication b) to be open and welcoming to the person, no matter what they did c) to protect yourself and set limits on how you interact with the person
8. Which of the following is not an example of a sin? a) lying b) cheating c) helping a friend in need
9. What did Jesus say to the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11? a) “you are a terrible person and should be punished” b) “I forgive you, go and sin no more” c) “I have no power to forgive you”
10. What can forgiveness lead to? a) improved relationships with others b) holding onto negative emotions c) seeking revenge against the person who wronged you

Homework

1. Forgiveness is the act of letting go of ___________ towards someone who has wronged you.
2. Sins are actions or thoughts that are considered wrong or immoral by a particular religion or ___________.
3. In Luke 15:11-32, the father forgave his son for wasting his inheritance and welcomed him back with open ___________.
4. In Mark 2:1-12, before healing the paralyzed man’s physical condition, Jesus first forgave his ___________.
5. In John 8:1-11, Jesus told the religious leaders that whoever is without ___________ should be the first to throw a stone at the woman caught in adultery.
6. Forgiveness does not necessarily mean forgetting the wrong that was done, nor does it mean excusing or ___________ the behavior.
7. Setting boundaries is an important part of forgiveness and involves protecting yourself and setting limits on how you ___________ with the person who wronged you.
8. Some sins in Christianity include lying, stealing, cheating, and being disrespectful to ___________.
9. Forgiveness can lead to improved relationships with others and can help individuals release negative emotions that may be holding them ___________.
10. Forgiveness is a personal choice, and it may take time and effort to fully let go of negative ___________ associated with a particular situation.

Lesson Presentation

Revision (5 minutes) :

Revise the last topic which was RIGHT ATTITUDE TO GOD’S REVELATION 

Introduction (10 minutes):

• Start by asking students if they’ve ever had to apologize or forgive someone before.
• Introduce the concepts of sins and forgiveness.
• Ask students if they know what sins are, and have a discussion about what types of actions might be considered sins in different religions or societies.
• Explain that forgiveness means letting go of negative emotions and choosing to move forward with kindness and understanding.

Activity (20 minutes):

• Provide the students with printed handouts with examples of sins and definitions of forgiveness.
• Divide the class into groups and give each group an example of a sin from the handouts.
• Have each group act out a scenario where someone committed the sin and then have them discuss how they could forgive the person who committed the sin.
• Encourage the students to think about how forgiveness could help improve their relationships with others.

Bible Stories (20 minutes):

• Read the stories of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the paralyzed man (Mark 2:1-12), and the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) from the Bible.
• Discuss with the students how Jesus forgave sins in each of these stories and what lessons they can learn from them.
• Ask the students how they can apply these lessons in their own lives.

Conclusion (10 minutes):

• Review the concepts of sins and forgiveness with the students.
• Remind them that forgiveness is a personal choice, but it can lead to improved relationships with others and can help individuals release negative emotions that may be holding them back.
• Encourage them to think about how they can practice forgiveness in their own lives.

Assessment:

• Assess the students’ understanding of the concepts of sins and forgiveness through their participation in the activity and their answers to questions throughout the lesson.

Weekly Assessment /Test

1. What are sins?
2. What is forgiveness?
3. Can forgiveness help improve relationships with others?
4. What is an example of a sin in Christianity?
5. What did the father do in the story of the prodigal son when his son returned home?
6. In John 8:1-11, who wanted to see how Jesus would respond to the woman caught in adultery?
7. What did Jesus do before healing the paralyzed man’s physical condition in Mark 2:1-12?
8. What is the purpose of setting boundaries when forgiving someone?
9. Is forgiveness a personal choice?
10. Can forgiveness lead to releasing negative emotions that may be holding someone back?