Goodness lesson 2. Fruit of the Spirit. Barnabas. Episode 2. Acts 9:26 31

Transcription

1 Goodness lesson 2 Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22 The fruit of the Spirit is... GOODNESS Goodness Choosing to make yourself useful in a way that brings glory to God. Episode 2 Barnabas Acts 9:26 31 MEMORY VERSE In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Titus 2:7 KEY POINT When you are a good example you draw others to Jesus. Lesson 2 page 13

2 Let s Talk EARLY ARRIVAL (before service) Have some upbeat music playing and welcome children warmly. Teachers should take this time to engage the children in conversation. Ask them about their week, school, and home. Begin to establish relationships. BEGIN CLASS (service time) Introduce yourself and your assistants. Before the discussion questions, PRAY that the Lord will bless your time together. RELATE it : : : ask and discuss the following questions 1 Do you ever have a new kid in school that everyone says awful things about? 2 What 3 Let s 4 What 5 Have 6 What do you do when you meet him? Do you treat him badly because of what you heard about him or do you give him a chance? put ourselves in that situation. Let s say that you had been a bully in the past, but then you became a Christian and changed your ways. You are now a nice person and want others to like you, but everyone still knows you as a bully. What would you do? if you go to a new school? You think that now you ll have a chance to start over, but when you get there it turns out that someone warned some kids and now everyone expects to see that same bully you had been in your first school. How would you feel? you ever given someone a chance to be better, even if everyone else turns away? do you think Jesus would do? lesson 2 2 nd 5 th grade page 14

3 CONNECTit CONNECT it : : : SAY We re going to read a story today about a bully who did change drastically! Some people wouldn t believe he had changed at all and were afraid. But Jesus told someone to give him a chance. Let s watch Virtuality and find out who the bully was and who believed in him. WATCH it : : : Go to large group to see the Virtuality DVD, Fruit of the Spirit Series DVD (VOLUME 6, EPISODE 2) lesson 2 2 nd 5 th grade page 15

4 Let s Talk Bible BIBLE STORY : : : Barnabas Acts 9:26 31 BE PREPARED Read the Bible story and study the background information at home. The background information is provided to add insight to your lesson, so some of it might not be appropriate for all age groups. Before you begin the lesson, in your own words, tell the appropriate background information for your class age group. GAME RULES Divide your class into two teams (boys vs. girls or one half of the room against the other). Have the children take out their Bibles (NIV preferred) to follow along as you read the Scriptures, and so that you can help them find the answers. They may share Bibles, if necessary. Assign a captain for each team whose job will be to give the team s final answer. Award 10 points to the first team whose captain raises his or her hand and has the correct answer. Award 50 points for the bonus questions. If needed, give the verse reference locations. BACKGROUND information : : : SAY IT in your own words Paul wasn t always the great evangelist and apostle we know him as; in fact, he was a persecutor of the early Christians. Paul (also called Saul) did everything he could to stop the church from growing. Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison (Acts 8:3). It wasn t that Paul was evil; he loved God and was a devout Jewish Pharisee. He sincerely believed that anyone who believed that Jesus was the Messiah was turning away from God and that s why he was trying to stop them. Paul radically changed one day. He was on his way to Damascus to imprison any believers he could find when a bright light from heaven surrounded him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? Who are you, Lord? Saul asked. I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, he replied (Acts 9:4 5). After meeting Jesus, Paul realized how wrong he had been and completely changed his mission. When he finally arrived in Damascus he wanted to join the Christians, not drag them to jail. The people were afraid to trust him and rightly so. But Jesus had already appeared to a man named Ananias and told him, This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel (Acts 9:15). lesson 2 2 nd 5 th grade page 16

5 Ananias followed Jesus instructions and helped Paul. Paul was baptized and immediately began to preach the Good News. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, Isn t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests? Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 9:21-22). When the Jews realized that Paul had changed sides they tried to kill him. Paul s new friends saved him; they helped him escape by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall (Acts 9:25). Paul left Damascus and returned to Jerusalem to face the same situation. This is where we pick up the story. Let s go to the Bible and find out what happened to Paul and if anyone else was as good to him as Ananias was. READ SCRIPTURE READ IT : : : read from NIV Bible Open your Bibles and follow along as I read Acts 9:26 31 out loud. ASK it : : : award 10 points for correct answer 1 Where did Paul go to join the disciples? Answer: Jerusalem v How did the disciples receive him? Answer: They didn t trust him and were afraid. v Who believed in Paul and came to his aid? Answer: Barnabas v What did Barnabas tell the apostles to convince them that Paul had changed? Answer: He told them how Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus and had changed his life. v Did everyone believe and accept Paul after that? Answer: Yes, he even stayed with them in Jerusalem. v. 28 lesson 2 2 nd 5 th grade page 17

6 6 Paul 7 How 8 How 9 What 10 continued to share the Gospel; who did he debate with? Answer: The Grecian Jews v. 29 did the Grecian Jews receive the news of Jesus from Paul? Answer: Not well, they tried to kill him. v. 29 was Paul spared from this danger? Answer: His Christian brothers snuck him out and sent him to Caesarea and then to Tarsus. v. 30 did Judea, Galilee and Samaria experience for a while after this? Answer: Peace v. 31 Where did the people get their strength and encouragement from? Answer: The Holy Spirit v. 31 CONNECTIT MEMORYVERSE CONNECT it : : : SAY Paul (also called Saul) had a horrible reputation for persecuting believers in Jesus. It s no wonder they didn t trust him and were afraid. They could have thought that Paul was just pretending to be a Christian in order to get them, like a spy would do. But it s important to remember that before accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are all sinners and no one is better than anyone else. When the Holy Spirit fills people s hearts, they change. God has the power to change anyone who accepts Him. We need to give people the benefit of the doubt. That s what Barnabas did. He accepted that Paul was a changed man. People trusted Barnabas so they listened to him. In time they realized that Paul had changed and many came to know Jesus. Everyone is capable of change. People may not believe it at first, but the way you run your life will prove who you really are. How does a person get to know who you are? And how do you respond to someone who says bad things about you? Both questions have the same answer... In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Titus 2:7-8 Your reputation is important, not only because it will give you loyal friends, but lesson 2 2 nd 5 th grade page 18

7 because people will be drawn to Him who lives in you Jesus. KEYPOINT When you are a good example you draw others to Jesus. PRAYER LET S PRAY : : : SAY Dear God, Thank You for saving and changing my life. Help me be a good example in everything I do so that others will want to know You also. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. lesson 2 2 nd 5 th grade page 19

8 Let s Review This Month s Verse GOODNESS THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS... GOODNESS Choosing to make yourself useful in a way that brings glory to God. TODAY S LESSON Bible Story Barnabas Location Acts 9:26 31 Memory Verse In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Titus 2:7 Key Point When you are a good example you draw others to Jesus. TIME FILLERS Ask if anyone would like to play the teacher and review today s lesson with the class. Play games to help children memorize today s Bible memory verse. TAKE HOME SHEETS VIRTUE Quest is the take-home sheet designed for children to do with their parents. The sheet contains information about today s lesson. The goal is to partner with parents to continue and to reiterate the lesson. Be sure to hand all parents a sheet as they pick up their children. lesson 2 page 20