1. The Sun and Moon God’s greater and lesser lights

2. Who made the sun and moon? Genesis 1: 14- 16 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth. “ And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night.

3. What is the sun? The greater light God made is the sun. The Sun is our closest star. This medium size star radiates both heat and light.

4. Why do we need the sun? Plants need sunlight to perform photosynthesis. The sun is also the force that drives the water cycle. Without sunlight, water would not evaporate.

5. What is the moon? The lesser light God made is the moon. It has no light of its own. It reflects the sun’s light.

6. Reflection We only see the Moon because sunlight reflects from its surface to the earth. If we could see our solar system like God does, we’d, see that the half of the Moon facing the Sun is always lit.

7. Heavenly Application Jesus said he was the light of the world (John 8:12) and whoever followed him would never walk in darkness, but would have the light of life. So Jesus is like the sun. In Matthew 5: 14, Jesus said we were the light of the world. 2 Corinthian 3: 18 tells us we reflect the Lord's glory. So Christians are like the moon, reflecting the Son’s glory to the world.

8. Let’s discuss How can we reflect the Son’s glory? How can we share Jesus’ light with the world?

9. Phases The lit side of the moon does not always face the Earth, so the shape of the moon seems to change. These changes are known as the phases of the Moon.

10. New Moon A new moon is when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth, the side of the Moon facing the Earth is dark. http://campuslady.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/ moon-phases-diagram.gif

11. Crescent As the Moon orbits the earth, the moon seems to be growing larger, or waxing. The moon looks like a crescent and waxes until it is half lit and half dark – the first quarter.

12. Full Moon As the Moon continues to revolve around Earth, the side of the Moon facing Earth will become fully lit. This is called a full moon.

13. Third Quarter Soon the Moon seems to be growing thinner or waning. It will become half lit and half dark – the third quarter and eventually return to the new moon phase. This cycle happens about every 29 days or 13 times each year.

14. Try this experiment Put a lamp with no shade in the corner of a darkened room. This will represent the sun. Sit in the opposite corner of the room. Hold a soccer ball, to represent the moon, in your hand, an arm’s length from your body. Hold the soccer ball between your face, representing the earth, and the lamp. Notice how much of the ball is reflecting the lamp’s light. Slowly rotate the ball around your body. You’ll see it go through the same phases as the moon does.

15. Lunar Eclipse A lunar eclipse happens when the earth gets between the sun and the moon. The moon goes dark because light from the sun is blocked by the earth. Get more information from: http://www.mreclipse.com/Special/LEprimer.html

16. A Christian Eclipse A Christian eclipse happens when the earthly things get between the Son and the Christian. The Christian appears to go dark because he no longer reflects Jesus.

17. Sun and Moon Choral Reading Leader 1 Leader 2 Leaders together – Both leaders say the lines in unison All: The audience joins in. The scripture is for reference, do not read it aloud.

18. Psalms 89:11 Leader 1: The heavens are yours, O God, Leader 2: and yours also the earth. Leaders together: You founded the world and all that is in it.

19. Psalms 74: 16-17 Leader 1: The day is yours, Leader 2: and yours also the night; ALL: You established the sun and moon. Leader 1: It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; Leader 2: You made both summer and winter.

20. Jeremiah 31:35 Leader 1: God appoints the sun to shine by day. Leader 2: He decrees the moon and stars to shine by night. Leader 1: He stirs up the sea so that its waves roar. Leaders together: The LORD Almighty is his name!

21. Psalms 104: 19-23 Leader 1: The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. Leader 2: You, O Lord, bring darkness; it becomes night, Leaders together: and all the beasts of the forest prowl. Leader 1: The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. Leader 2: The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Leader 1: Then man goes out to his work, ALL: to his labor until evening.

22. Job 26:9 Leader 1: God covers the face of the full moon, Leader 2: spreading his clouds over it.

23. Psalms 136: 1 & 4 Leader 1: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. ALL: His love endures forever. Leader 2: To him who alone does great wonders, ALL: His love endures forever. Leader 1: Who by his understanding made the heavens, ALL: His love endures forever.

24. Psalms 136: 5-9 Leader 2: Who spread out the earth upon the waters, ALL: His love endures forever. Leader 1: Who made the great lights ALL: His love endures forever.

25. Psalms 136: 5-9 Leader 2: The sun to govern the day, ALL: His love endures forever. Leader 1: The moon and stars to govern the night; ALL: His love endures forever.

26. 1 Corinthians 15: 40 Leader 1: There are heavenly bodies Leader 2: And there are earthly bodies; Leader 1: But the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, Leader 2: And the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.

27. 1 Corinthians 15:41 Leader 1: The sun has one kind of splendor, Leader 2: The moon another and the stars another; Leaders together: And star differs from star in splendor.

28. Psalms 8: 3-4 Leader 1: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, Leader 2: the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, Leader 1: What is man that you are mindful of him, Leader 2: The son of man that you care for him?

29. Revelation 21:3 Leader 1: I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Leader 2: Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

30. Revelation 21:23 Leader 1: The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, Leader 2: For the glory of God gives it light, Leaders together: And the Lamb is its lamp. ALL: Praise the Lord!

31. Play a Rags to Riches game to review this power point. Simply type the following URL into your computer. Save it to favorites to play again and again. Each game will have some different questions. Use the hints if you need them. http://www.quia.com/rr/468607.html Royalty free Christian Drama skits can be found at my Fools for Christ website at http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4p7te/foolsforchrist More power points available free of charge through teacherspayteachers.com Search using “Kathy Applebee” for author.