Lesson Focus: We Are Beloved by God and He ALWAYS Hears Our Prayers

Daniel 9:20-27

“Beloved by God”

Scripture: Daniel 9:20-27

Memory Verse: “…O Daniel, man greatly beloved…..Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard…”

Daniel 10:11a - 12

Lesson Focus: We are beloved by God and He ALWAYS hears our prayers.

Activities and Craft: Coloring Picture; Work sheet

Craft for 1st & 2nd: “I am greatly loved” necklace

Introduction: Game: “What do you love the most?”

Ask the kids: What do you love the most?

1. Pizza or hamburgers?
2. Candy or fruit?
3. School or playing outside?
4. Shopping or bowling?
5. Watching a sport or playing a sport?
6. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo or Denver Zoo?
7. Broccoli or Asparagus?

Now ask the kids: Who loves you the most?

1. Your teacher or your parents?
2. Your grandparents or your cousin?
3. Your teacher at church or the grocery clerk?
4. God?

Today we will talk about how much God loves you. We will see in the life of Daniel; during a very confusing time for him, how much he is loved by God.

Bible Study:

Review: Daniel has been having visions and prophecies of the future. He is confused and disturbed by what he has seen. He does not understand. We saw last week that he wants to know when the 70 years of Babylonian captivity will be over. He is ready to go home to Jerusalem. Daniel is an old man now and has been in Babylon since he was a teenager.

Daniel 9:20-21:

√ Who was Daniel praying for? (for the his sins and the sins of his people)

√ Who came to Daniel? (the angel Gabriel)

√ What do you know about Gabriel?

1. He is an angel
2. He was sent by God to explain Daniels Visions (8:16 & 9:21)
3. Gabriel flew “swiftly” to get to Daniel
4. He was sent to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:19)
5. He was sent to Mary to tell of the virgin birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26)

√ Why did Gabriel come to Daniel?

1. (He informed Daniel and talked with Daniel

and he came to give Daniel understanding.) God knew that Daniel was greatly confused by these visions. Daniel did not understand what they meant so God sent the angel Gabriel to help Daniel with his understanding. Gabriel tells Daniel that he will tell him what is in the “Scripture of Truth.” Gabriel explains to Daniel the end times and the coming Kingdom that will last forever. Gabriel talks about the years that are still ahead before evil is done away with. Daniel just wanted to know when the end of his people’s captivity would be and God told him so much more. Many of the years and events of Daniel 8-12 are hard to understand – but God is telling Daniel that He is in control. God sees what is going to happen way beyond Daniels years on earth.

1. Gabriel was sent to tell Daniel that since he began praying…his words were heard by God. (Daniel 10:12) Prayer is communicating with God and God always listens. Gabriel came because of Daniels words. Prayer is very important in our lives. Maybe an angel will not be sent to us – but God hears and listens!

1. Gabriel was sent to tell Daniel that he was “greatly beloved.”

√ What does that mean?

√ What does the word “greatly” mean?

Can you imagine – God sends His angel Gabriel to tell Daniel that he was “greatly beloved.” As a matter of fact, Gabriel will tell Daniel this truth two more times (Daniel 10:11; 10:19.) God makes it Gabriel’s mission to convey to Daniel how much he is loved.

“At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved…” Daniel 9:23

”O, Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you and stand upright, for I have not been sent to you.” Daniel 10:11

“O, man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” Daniel 10:19

√ Do you think that God was trying to make sure that Daniel knew that He was loved by God? How do you think this made Daniel feel when the angel said it three times? In the middle of Daniels confusion and sadness over these visions – God sends a special messenger to make sure that Daniel understood how much God loved Him. This tells me so much about the heart of God. God sends Gabriel and many of His angels on special missions. But a mission just to let someone know how much they are loved by God is amazing.

√ Would you love to hear God say those words (“greatly loved”) to you? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

God did say those words to all of us! You are greatly loved by God.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His GREAT LOVEwith which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:4-8

This is the only time that the apostle Paul used this phrase “Great Love.” And this “great love” is not from the voice of an angel – but from the person of Jesus. Jesus is how God shows His “great love” for us. I don’t think that we understand how much God loves us.

√ Do you believe God loves you?

√ Do you believe God loves you with a great love?

√ How does that make you feel?

√ Do you think that God only loves you when you are good?

We are going to spend the rest of our time together looking at God’s great love for us;

You are greatly loved by God!

1. God’s love sent Jesus for our sins:
2. Ephesians 2:4-8
3. God has a great love for us
4. God loved us even before we believed
5. God makes us alive through Jesus
6. God’s gift of grace is to believe in Jesus for salvation
7. John 3:16
8. God’s love is for the whole world and everyone in it
9. God’s freely gave Jesus for our sins
10. Whoever believes can have eternal life
11. Romans 5:8
12. God demonstrates His love through Jesus
13. While we were sinners Christ died for us

Illustration: Put a chair in front of you. Tell the kids that you are going to demonstrate how to sit in this chair. Be overly dramatic and show the kids the proper way to sit in a chair. When you are finished, tell the kids that in the same way that you demonstrated how to sit in a chair – God demonstrates how much He loves us by sending Jesus. God’s demonstration is Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.

1. God’s love is forever:
2. Romans 8:35-39
3. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ
4. Ephesians 3:19
5. The love of Christ passes knowledge – it is too much to understand
6. Jeremiah 31:3
7. God’s love is an everlasting love
8. 1 John 4:19
9. God loves us first – now we can love Him back

1. We are to abide in God’s love:
2. John 15:9
3. We are to abide in Jesus’ love for us.

√ What does it mean to “abide”. (to live) Just like you live in your home we are to live and rest and think about the love that God’s loves us with. It’s like taking a long “bubble bath.” You just need to soak up the love of God and let it wash over you.

Conclusion: So as a child of the God of the Universe that loves you “greatly” how should

you live?

1. God’s love for me should help me trust Him
2. God’s love will never leave me.
3. God loves me and has everything and all of history in His control.
4. God’s love for me should mean more to me than any words of unkindness that I get from others.

God took the time to send the angel Gabriel on a great mission to tell Daniel he was “greatly loved.” How much more amazing is the mission of Jesus Christ to show us His great love by paying the price for our sins!

You are greatly loved by God!

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