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LEISURE IN A CHANGING SOCIETY:

BIBLE CONTENTS

OLD TESTAMENT

PLEASE USE ONLY GOOD NEWS BIBLE

KEY WORD: JEWISH BELIEF THAT LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES HAVE A PLCE

IN A PERSON’S LIFE

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8

- Everything that happens at a time God chooses

- He set time for birth and death
- The time for planting and pulling
- The time for killing and healing
- The time for tearing down and building
- The time for sorrow and joy
- The time for mourning and dancing
- For making love and not making love
- For kissing and not kissing
- For finding and losing
- For saving and throwing away
- For tearing and mending
- For silence and for talking
- For love and for hate
- For war and for peace

APPLICATION

 WITH REFERENCE TO THE ABOVE PASSAGE, SHOW WHY A PERSON NEEDS

BOTH WORK AND LEISURE IN HIS LIFE
- Life is made of the opposite and both must be respected.
- The world needs work to develop but leisure to recreate
- Work with no play makes a tired and boring person.
- Work with no leisure makes a community difficult to develop
- Work with no leisure leaves little time to praise and enjoy God.
KEY WORDS: KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY

DEUTERONOMY 5: 12-15

- Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy

- I the lord your God has commanded you.
- You have six days in which to do your work.
- But the seventh day is the day of rest and dedicated to me.
- On that day no one is to work
- Neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your
country
- Your slaves must rest just as you do
- Remember that your God rescued you by my great power and strength.
- That is why I command you to observe the Sabbath.

THE LORD OUR SHEPHARD

KEY WORDS: TRUSTING IN THE LORD LEADS TO PEACEFUL RELAXTION

TODAY

PSALM 23

- The lord is shepherd

- I have everything I need.
- He lets me rest in fields of green grass.
- He leads me to quite pools of fresh water.
- He gives me new strength.
- He guides me in the right path.
- Even if I go through the deepest valley of death.
- I will not be afraid , Lord, for you are with me
- You prepare a banquet for me in the sight of my foes.
- You welcome me as a honoured guest and fill my cup to the brim
- Your goodness and love will be with me all my life.
- Your house will be my home as long as I live.

APPLICATION

 USING IDEAS FROM THE ABOVE PASSAGE, SHOW WITH FOUR PRACTICAL
EXAMPLES HOW A ZAMBIAN PUPIL CAN RELAX DURING HIS/HER STAY IN
SCHOOL
 - Trust in the lord and avoid anxiety.
- Be more concerned with the kingdom than with food, drinks and clothes.
- Appreciate the gifts God has put at our disposal-do not be envious of others
- Live in the present moment e. g stop imagining an unnatural everlasting life/life building castles
in the air.
- Remember the gift of everlasting life God wants to give his followers. e.g a pupil should share
this gift with other pupils other than joining bad groups.

BIBLE CONTENTS
NEW TESTAMENT

PLEASE USE ONLY GOOD NEWS BIBLE

KEY WORDS: JESUS HAD TIME FOR WORK, PRAYER, RELAXATION,

CELEBRATING AND REFLECTION

MATTHEW 15: 31 (WORK)

- The people were amazed as they saw the dumb speaking

- The crippled made whole, the lame walking
- The blind seeing and they praised the Lord of Israel.

LUKE 6:12 (PRAYER)

- At that time JESUS went up a hill to pray.

- And he spent the whole night there praying to God

LUKE 4:16 (PRAYER)

- Then Jesus went to Nazareth where he had been brought up and it was on Sabbath.
- He went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the scripture.

LUKE 5:29 (CELEBRATING)

- Then levy had a big feast in his house for Jesus.

- Among the guest were a large number of tax collectors and other people.

LUKE 21:1-2 (REFLECTING)

- Jesus looked around and saw a rich man dropping gifts in the temple treasury.
- And he saw a very poor widow dropping in two little copper coins.
MARK 6:31 (RELAXATION)

- Let us go by ourselves to some place where we will be alone and you can rest for a while.

LUKE 10: 38 (RELAXATION)

- As Jesus and his disciples went on their way he came to village where a woman named Martha
welcomed him in her house.

APPLICATION

 GIVE FOUR WAYS IN WHICH A CHRISTIAN WORKER TODAY CAN BE

HINDERED FROM PRAYER, REFLECTION, CELEBRATION AND RELAXATION.
- The company that demands its workers to work on Saturday and Sundays. This hinders them
from prayer.
- A worker who engages himself in many activities which generates money to feed the family,
thus no time for relaxation.
- High cost of living causes one no to celebrates their birthdays and wedding anniversaries.
- People are worried about what they will eat such that they fail to reflect on life.

KEY WORDS: THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THE SABBATH WAS FOR REST

AND WORSHIP AND NOT WORK

MARK 2: 23-28

- Jesus was walking through some corn fields on the Sabbath

- As his disciples walking alone with him, they began to pick the ears of corn.
- Pharisees said to Jesus, look it is against our law for your disciples to do that on the Sabbath.
- Jesus answered, have you ever read about David did that time when he needed something to eat.
- He and his men were hungry.
- So, he went into the house of God and ate the bread offered to God.
- This happened when Abiathar was the high Priest. According to our law only the priest may eat
this bread, but David ate it and gave it to his men.
- Jesus concluded, the Sabbath was made for the good of human beings.
- They were not made for the Sabbath.
- So the sun of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.
KEY WORDS: IT IS ONLY THROUGH TOTAL TRUST IN GOD THAT WE
CAN FIND RELAXATION AND ENJOYMENT DURING OUR
LEISURE MOMENT

MATTHEW 6: 25-34

- Don’t worry about food, drink or clothes for the body.

- Life is worth more than God.
- Look at the birds, they do not sow seeds, gather a harvest and put it in bans.
- Yet your father in heaven takes care of them.
- Aren’t you worth more than birds?
- Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?
- And why worry about clothes?
- Look how the wild flowers grow.
- They do not work or make cloths for themselves.
- But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of
these flowers.
- It is God who clothes the wild grass – grass that is here today and gone tomorrow.
- Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you?
- How little faith you have.
- So do not start worrying, where will my food come from or drink or my clothes?
- Your father in heaven knows that you need all these things.
- Instead, be concerned above everything else with the kingdom of God and with what he requires
of you.
- And he will provide you with all these other things.
- So do not worry about tomorrow, it will have enough worries of its own.
- There is no need to add the troubles each day brings.

APPLICATION

KEY WORD: PEACE AND JOY THAT WE SEEK DURING LEISURE TIME

WILL ONLY BE COMPLETE IN HEAVEN

REVELATION 21:1-4

- Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth

- The first heaven and first earth disappeared.
- The sea vanished.
 - I saw the Holy city, the New Jerusalem coming out of heaven from God.
- Prepare and ready like a bride dresses to meet her husband.
- I heard a voice from the throne.
- Now the God’s home with the human beings.
- He will live with them.
- He will be their God.
- He will wipe away all tears from their eyes.
- There shall be no more tears no more crying no more pain.
- The old things have disappeared.

APPLICATION

 WHAT ADVICE WOULD ONE GIVE TO A CHRISTIAN FRIEND WHO HAS HAD MANY
MISFORTUNES IN LIFE THAT HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF CONSTANT WORRY
- To accept that this life cannot be free of worries.
- Hardships of tears will pass away.
- Only Jesus’ second coming will bring total happiness.
- New Jerusalem will bring it to a deep new peace and relaxation.

EXERCISE

1. Explain how the feast of the unleavened bread gave leisure a religious meaning among the
Hebrews.
2. Show how the festivals of cattle give leisure a religious meaning for Hindus.
3. Give the content of a bible passage from Ecclesiastes which shows the Jewish beliefs that
leisure time activities have a place in a person’s life.
4. With reference to the above passage, show why a person needs both work and
leisure in life
5. List Three natural resources we have in Zambia and state how we can use it in our leisure time.
6. State four ideas that explain briefly what Divali is to a Hindu.
7. Give the content of selected Bible passages from Luke, Mark and Mathew which show how
Jesus took time to pray, work, relax, celebrate and reflect
8. List and describe briefly four holidays in Zambia that give leisure time and relaxation to both
young and old people.
9. State any six teachings of work in Islam.
10. List any six teachings of Karl Marx on work.
11. Give the content of a passage from the Old Testament where Man is urged to put to good use
God’s creation.
12. With reference to the above passage, show how Human kind is misusing God’s creation in
Zambia today.
13. Give six teachings of the Church about work in Zambia today
14. Give six reasons why the Monasteries lost their balance between work and prayer
15. Narrate a parable from Mathew’s gospel which explains that God wants to use work as a
means of developing our talents.
16. Explain in four ways how a girl at St. Therese School can use her talent to help other girls in
school.
17. List six present day leisure activities.
18. List six ways in which churches in Zambia are involved in creative leisure time activities for the
youth.
19. Give the content of the selected bible passage from the Gospels of Luke, Mark and Mathew of
how Jesus took time to pray, works, relax, celebrate and reflect.
20. Give six examples how a person today can use his or her leisure time constructively.
21. Explain briefly how the feast of unleavened bread gave leisure a religious meaning among the
Hebrews.
22. Briefly explain what Ramadan means to a real Muslem.
23. Give the content of a passage from Ecclesiastes which shows Jewish belief that leisure time
activities have a place in a person’s life.
24. With reference to the above passage, show why a person needs both work and leisure in life
 SERVICE IN SOCIETY
BIBLE CONTENT

OLD TESTAMENT

PLEASE USE ONLY GOOD NEWS BIBLE

KEY WORDS: GIVE THE CONTENT FROM THE BOOK OF PSALM THAT SHOWS
THAT THE GREATEST AUTHORITY FOR THE JESUS WAS THE
LORD GOD

PSALM 136: 1-26

- Give thanks to the lord, because he is good, his love is eternal

- Give thanks to the greatest of all God, his love is eternal.
- Give thanks to the mightiest of all Lords.
- He alone performs miracles.
- By this wisdom he made the heavens.
- He built the earth on the deep waters.
- He made the sun and moon.
- The sun to rule over the day.
- The moon and the start to rule over the night.
- He killed the first born sons of the Egyptians
- He led the people of Israel out of Egypt.
- With his strong hand, his powerful arm.
- He divided the red sea.
- He led his people through it.
- But he drowned the king of Egypt and his army.
- He led them through the desert.
- He killed the powerful kings.
- Sihon king of the Amorites.
- And Og, king of Bashan.
- He gave their land to his people.
- He gave them to Israel his servant.
- He did not forget us when we were defeated.
- He freed us from our enemies.
- He gives food to every living creature.
- Give thanks to the Lord of heaven, his love is eternal.
KEY WORDS: GIVE THE CONTENT FROM EXODUS WHICH SHOWS THE
STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS OF MOSES AS A LEADER

EXODUS 2:11-16

- Moses saw his people oppresses with work

- He saw an Egyptian kill a Hebrew one of Moses, own people.
- In turn, he secretly killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
- The next day he asked a guilty Hebrew who was fighting.
- He said to the one was in the wrong.
- “Why are you beating up a follow Hebrew?
- The man answered, who made you our ruler judge?
- “Are you going to kill me just as you killed that Egyptian? “
- Moses was afraid and said to himself.
- People have found out what I have done.
- When the king heard about what had happened, he tried to have Moses killed
- But Moses fled and went to live in the land of Midian.

KEY WORDS: GIVE THE CONTENT FROM EZEKIEL WERE GOD SPOKE
AGAINST THE BAD LEADERSHIP OF THE ISRAELITE.

EZEKIEL 34: 1-11

- The Lord spoke to Ezekiel

- Denounce the ruler of Israel
- Prophesy to them and tell them what i, the sovereign Lord, say to them.
- You are doomed you shepherds of Israel
- You take care of yourselves, but never tend the sheep.
- You drink the milk, wear clothes made from wool and kill and eat the finest sheep.
- But you never tend the sheep.
- You have not taken care of the week ones.
- Healed those that are sick, bandage those that are hurt.
- Brought back those that wandered off looked for those that lost.
- Instead you treated them cruel.
- The sheep were eaten by animals because they had no shepherd.
- They wandered over the high hills and the mountains.
- They were scattered over the face of the earth and no one looked for them or tired to find them.
- I shall take your sheep away from you and never again let you be their shepherd.
 - I will rescue my sheep from you and not let you eat them.
- I shall look after them myself.

BIBLE CONTENTS

NEW TESTAMENT

PLEASE USE ONLY GOOD NEWS BIBLE

KEY WORDS: GIVE THE CONTENT FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN PRESENTING
JESUS’ ROLE OF PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS
FULFILLING THE PROPHESY OF EZEKIEL.

JOHN 10:11-16

- Jesus said, I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for my sheep.
- A hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep runs away when the sheep are
attacked by a wolf that scatters them
- The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep.
- Am the good shepherd.
- As the father knows me and I know the father.
- And I am willing to die for them.
- There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in the sheepfold.
- I must bring them too, they will listen to my voice and they will become one flock with one
shepherd.

KEY WORDS: GIVE THE CONTENT OF THE PASSAGE FROM THE LETTER TO

THE COLOSSIANS WERE PAUL SHOW HOW HE IS HAPPY TO BE

CHRIST’S SERVANTS

COLOSSIANS 1:24-29

- I am now happy rejoicing in my suffering for your sake

- And in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body,
the Church.
- I became its servant according to God’s commandment that was given was given to me for you.
- To make the word of God fully known.
- The mystery that has been hidden via the ages and generations.
- But have now been revealed to these saints.
 - To them God choose to reveal how great among gentiles are the riches of the glory of his
mystery.
- Which is Christ in you the hope of glory
- It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone in all wisdom.
- So that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
- To get it done, I toil and struggle using the mighty strength which Christ supplies and which is
at work with me.

KEY WORDS: GIVE THE CONTENT OF JOHN’S GOSPEL, WHICH SHOWS HOW
JESUS DEMONSTRATED HIS USE OF AUTHORITY AS SERVICE.

JOHN 13:1-15

- It was now the day before the Passover festival, Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to
leave this world and go to the father
- He had always loved those who were his own, and he loved go them to the very end.
- Jesus and his disciples were at supper.
- The devil had already put in the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, he thought of
betraying Jesus.
- Jesus knew that the father had given him complete power; he knew that he had come from God
and that he was going to God.
- So he rose from the table, took off his garment and tied the towel around his waist.
- Then he poured the water in the basin and began to wash the feet of his disciples and dry them
with a towel his waist.
- He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “are you going to wash my feet Lord?’
- Jesus answered, “you do not understand what I am doing how but you will understand later”.
- Peter declared, “Never at any time will you wash my feet”. But my hands and head too, Peter
said.
- Jesus told him, “those who have had a bath are completely clean and do not need to wash
themselves, except their feet.
- All of you are clean except one, for Jesus knew his betrayer. That is why he said all you are
clean.
- After Jesus had washed them, he puts his outer garment back on and returned to his place at
table.
- Do you understand what I have done to you? He answered.
- You call me teacher and Lord, and it is right to do so, because that is what I am.
- I your teacher and Lord has just washed your feet, you, then should wash one another’s feet.
KEY WORDS: GIVE THE CONTENT OF A PASSAGE FROM THE GOSPEL OF
MARK WHICH SHOWS THAT THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORITY
IS SERVICE

MARK: 10: 32-45

- Jesus and his disciples were now on the road going up to Jerusalem.
- Jesus was going ahead of the disciples, who were filled with alarm, the people who followed
behind were afraid.
- Once again Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and spoke of the things that were going to
happen to him.
- “Listen” he told them, “We are going to Jerusalem where the son of man will be handed over to
the chief priest and the teachers of the law.
- They will condemn him to death and then hand him to the gentles, who will mock him, spit on
him and kill him. But three days later he will rise to life.
- Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus.
- “Teacher”, they said, “there is something we want your to do for us”.
- “What is it.? Jesus asked them.
- They answered, “When you sit on your glorious kingdom, we want you to let us sit with you,
one at your right and one at your left.
- Jesus said to them, “you don’t know what you are asking for.”
- Can you drink the cup of suffering that I must drink?
- Can you be baptized in the away I must be baptized?
- “We can”, they answered.
- Jesus replied I have no right to grant you this; God will give these places to those he prepared
them for.
- The other disciples became angry with James and John.
- Jesus told them that rulers of the heathens have complete power and authority over their
subjects.
- If you want to be great, be the servant of the rest.
- It you want to be the first, to be the slave of all.
- I have not come to be served but to serve and to give my life to redeem people.
APPLICATION

 SHOW HOW A SCHOOL TEACHER CAN PUT JESUS’S TEACHING ABOVE INTO
PRACTICE.
- A teacher can prepare his students for responsible freedom
- A teacher can prepare his students for life.
- A teacher can prepare help his/her students deepen their knowledge of God.
- A teacher can use hi/her wisdom and knowledge with the students.
- A teacher can safeguard the weaker students from being exploited.
- A teacher can preserve the school rules.

KEY WORDS: APPOINTED TO SERVE

EPHESIANS 4:11-13

- God appointed people to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and others teachers.
- He did this to prepare all God’s people for the work of Christian service.
- In order to build up the body of Christ
- And so we shall come to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge of the son of God.
- We shall become of Christ full stature.
EXERCISE
1. List the four major themes of the Koran and two main sources of authority.
2. Mention six aspects of the joint family in Hinduism
3. Give the content from the book of prophet Ezekiel where he denounces the rulers of Israel.
4. How can Zambian leaders avoid being like the bad shepherds?
5. Briefly give six spontaneous reactions of the trained leader when he/ she is faced with
a New situation.
6. Briefly explain how authority was used in the past among the Bemba.
7. Give the content of the passage from the Gospel of John which describes Jesus as the good
Shepherd.
8. Show with four examples how a politician can make a bad leader in Zambia today