God Delivers. June 18, Acts 16:16 35 (Paul and Silas in Prison)

Transcription

1 June 18, 2017 God Delivers DATE PONDER POINT Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Acts 16:16 35 (Paul and Silas in Prison) John 14:6 7 THE BIG GOD STORY REMEMBER VERSE Welcome and Worship (10 minutes) The large group room will be divided into three sections. Please help kids find which section they should sit in according to their grade: 1st2nd, 3rd-4th & 5th-6th. The host will be dismissing kids into small groups Toward the end of small group time, we will knock on the door/wall as your 3 minute warning and we will open your door or curtain when it is time to regroup in the large group meeting space. 5th & 6th graders can go directly to Snack Shack after small group time, rather than regrouping in the large group space. Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and engage kids in worship through singing and communion. The Big God Story (20 minutes) & Response Creates space for children to hear God s word and respond to the Holy Spirit in worship response. Small Groups (20 minutes) Kids will build relationships with each other and their leaders, and respond to what they learned in the Big God Story. Bless & Dismiss (5 minutes) Bless kids to send them out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others. SCHEDULE Large Group Small 3 Min Group Warn. Regroup/ Dismiss 5th-6th 1st Service (9:00) 9:00 9:30 9:57 10:00 2nd Service (10:15) 10:15 10:45 11:12 11:15 3rd Service (11:30) 11:30 12:00 12:27 12:30 Host Administrative To Do s: Make sure no group is too large Make sure each group has enough supplies Close curtains and divider wall for small groups at 10:15 Give a 3 minute warning knock to groups Open doors when it s time to dismiss groups Call names for dismissal after blessing 1

2 GOAL: Worship & welcome is all about engaging kids and helping them enter into worship, letting them know that class has begun preparing their minds for what they are going to hear. WELCOME (Host): Stage Lights On VIDEO LOOPS: Welcome Loop, 5 Min Countdown, Welcome Image We are so glad you are here today. Welcome the kids in your own words and finish by saying, Let s all stand and hear God s word and sing our praise to Him OPENING WORSHIP SONG (Worship Leader): Turn out main overhead lights REMEMBER VERSE VIDEO VIDEO 1: (9:00 and 11:30) Shout (10:15) Better Than the Best Thing VIDEO 2: (9:00 and 11:30) Unshakable (10:15) This Is Amazing Grace (Kids may be seated) TIMELINE VIDEO (Storyteller) The Big God Story: Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along as you storytell. Children respond to what the Holy Spirit is teaching them as they reflect on the day s portion of The Big God Story. The Prayer of Release: This allows children and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet their hearts and minds. Before you pray, you might ask the kids to hold out their hands, palms up, in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy Spirit might have for them today. Then encourage the kids to quiet their voices, take a seat, and pray with you. 2

3 The Big God Story: Worship Response: *Storytelling Video is only going to be used during the 9:00 & 11:30 services. The Storyteller will give a brief introduction and after the video will conclude with Worship Response. Storyteller Script for 9:00 and 11:30 We have something really exciting to show you today. We have a storytelling Video today for our Big God Story! Before we look at the Video let's pray together. Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds. Tech: Cue Storytelling Video Storyteller Script for 10:15 RELATE Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds. For the last few weeks, we ve been in the part of The Big God Story that happened after Jesus died and rose again. We ve been hearing about Paul, whom God called to go on a missionary journey. Last week we talked about how Paul was in Antioch with one of the first Christian churches outside of Jerusalem. Because God wants everyone to know Him, He sometimes calls people to leave their homes and travel around the world to tell people about Him. These people are usually called missionaries. But a missionary can also be anyone who tells people about God. Tech: Cue Ancient World Map image. God led Paul to many places while he was on his missionary journeys. In each place, God used Paul to tell other people about Him. Point out places on the map. Today we are going to talk about when Paul and Silas went to a city named Philippi (point to it on the map). Philippi was a rich, beautiful city. Paul and Silas arrived in Philippi and immediately went to the temple to pray. While they were walking there, a girl followed them and made fun of them. Invite kids to turn to Acts 16:16 in their Bibles and follow along. She was a slave girl who earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling (v. 16). A fortune-teller is someone who claims to be able to tell another person s future. Though Paul and Silas could have ignored her, they recognized that she was being controlled by God s enemy, Satan, who was trying to stop Paul and Silas from what they came to do. Paul spoke to her and freed her from the enemy of God! 3

4 This might have been good for the girl, but it was bad for her owners. She could not make any more money for them as a fortune-teller. This made her owners mad, so they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities (v. 19). They accused Paul and Silas of throwing [the] city into an uproar by [supporting] customs unlawful for [the] Romans to accept or practice (vv ). The authorities ordered Paul and Silas to be beaten and thrown into jail! The jail was underground and very dark. Tech: Cue Roman Jail image. Everyone was kept in the same room. And Paul and Silas were put in stocks so that they could not move. Tech: Cue Stocks image. It may have been pretty scary in that jail. How would you feel if you were in jail? Scared? Nervous? Paul and Silas might have felt some of that too. But do you know what they did? From inside the dark prison, they sang praises to God! Paul and Silas loved God so much that even in the worst situation imaginable, they praised Him. Tech: Turn the lights down. Sing a short praise song with your kids. As they were singing, something amazing happened. The Bible says, Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone s chains came loose (v. 26). Wow! This earthquake was huge! God is in control of everything. And He used an earthquake to free His missionaries from jail. This was great for Paul and Silas, but what about the jailer? It was his job to keep them all locked up, and now all of the prisoners were free. He would have gotten in big trouble if they had escaped! The Bible says that when the jailer saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped (v. 27). But Paul and Silas hadn t run away. They stayed at the prison and shouted, Don t harm yourself! We are all here! (v. 28). When the jailer heard them shouting, he called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas and asked, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (vv ). God used this situation to bring the jailer to Him. Of course, Paul and Silas had the answer to his question. They said, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved you and your household (v. 31). The jailer washed Paul s and Silas wounds. Finally, Paul and Silas went to the jailer s house, and they celebrated together. Though some hard things happened, God, the Deliverer, was there. The word deliver is a really cool word. In this situation, the word deliverer is not like a mailman delivering a package; it refers to freeing someone. God delivered the slave girl from her bondage to God s enemy. God delivered Paul and Silas from prison. God delivered the jailer from a life separated from Him. God did all of this because He is good, He loves us, and He wants everyone to know Him. God still delivers us today. Tell a story of a time when God delivered you from something (e.g., a hard situation in your life, your sin, your fear, your sadness). He still has power over everything even earthquakes! He still loves us so much that He wants to deliver us from situations that make us afraid or sad. He still longs to be close to us to deliver us from separation from Him. God wants our bondage of sin or fear replaced with the joy and peace of knowing Him. Storyteller continues into Worship Response In the account of Paul and Silas at Philippi, we saw God deliver many people. He delivered the 4

5 slave girl from the enemy of God and from bondage to her owners. He delivered Paul and Silas from prison. He delivered the jailer and his family. The word deliver means to save, rescue, free, or redeem. God saves us from a life separated from Him. He rescues us from sadness. He frees us from fear. He redeems us from our sin. God is so amazing! Let s continue to think about How Awesome God is as we transition into Small group time. I will close us out in prayer. ( Pray for the kids) 9:00 & 11:30 - -please remind kids response is also a time they can give offering or take communion if they have made Jesus their savior and been baptized. 10:15 --please remind kids response is also a time they can give offering (communion will be offered during small group time) IMAGE: Worship Response - Deliver: To save, rescue, free or redeem MUSIC: Spotify Response playlist - play very softly 9:00 10:15 11:30 1st-2nd Yellow - Rm 105 B 1st-2nd Yellow - Rm 105 B 1st-2nd Yellow - Rm 105 B 1st-2nd Red - Rm 101 1st-2nd Red - Rm 101 3rd-6th Teal - Rm 118 3rd-4th Purple - Rm 104 B 1st-2nd Pink - Rm 105 F 3rd-4th Green - Rm 102 3rd-4th Purple - Rm 104 B 5th-6th Teal - Rm 118 3rd-4th Green - Rm 102 5th-6th Orange - Rm 112 3rd-4th Gray - Rm 104 F 5th-6th Teal - Rm 118 5th-6th Orange - Rm 112 5th-6th Blue - Rm 103 5th-6th Navy - Rm 110 IMAGE: It s time for small groups Turn main overhead lights on Dismiss for small groups At the end of small groups... Tech cue: 2 minute warning with exit song, using ceiling speakers, at the host s prompting Turn speakers back to wall speakers for blessing, closing song and dismissal. 5

6 GOAL: Kids build relationships with each other and their leader as they respond to what they heard in the Big God Story. DELIVER US CARDS SUPPLIES: Deliver Cards, one set per child Pens and pencils ENGAGE Today we re going to reach out to God and ask Him to deliver us from situations that make us afraid or sad. We can also ask Him to save us from sin and to deliver us from separation from Him. We have prayer cards here that say: God, Save Me, God, Rescue Me, God, Redeem Me, and God, Free Me. Which one sticks out to you? If you re like the jailer and want to know how to be saved, take the card that says God, Save Me. If you re in a situation that s too hard for you and you don t know what to do, take the card that says God, Rescue Me. If you re in a situation where you feel like you have sin that you want to give over to God, take the card that says God, Redeem Me. If you re struggling to be free from negative thoughts, take the card that says God, Free Me. Give the kids time to talk with God about how He might want to deliver them from loneliness, sadness, physical pain, family problems, etc. After they have prayed, encourage them to take prayer cards and write or draw about what they need from God. Ask leaders to help young readers choose their prayer cards and pray for and talk with the kids. Encourage the kids to tape their cards to the wall. After kids place their cards on the wall, if time allows have kids get out their bibles and discuss the following questions as a small group. Why were Paul and Silas put in jail? Acts 16:18 19 What did Paul and Silas do while they were in jail? Acts 16:25 What does the word deliver mean? Psalm 34:17; 107:6 How did God deliver Paul and Silas? Acts 16:26 28, How does God deliver us from hard situations in our lives? Psalm 56:13; 2 Timothy 4:18 6

7 GOAL: Kids build relationships with each other and their leader as they respond to what they heard in the Big God Story. SHAKE IT OFF Children will talk with God about areas where they need His Help and celebrate Him as the Deliverer. SUPPLIES: Thin rope (one piece per child and leader) Plain paper Pens RELATE Invite the children to join you in a circle on the floor. When God delivered Paul and Silas, He sent an earthquake to save them. He shook off their chains! God can set us free from fear, sadness, sin, anger, pain, loneliness, and many other things. Take your section of rope and wrap it around yourself. What do you want to say to God today? Do you want to talk to Him about something you re worried about? Do you want to ask Him to help you or someone you know? Maybe you want to thank Him for being our Deliverer. God loves hearing us talk to Him! Shake your arms and body so the rope falls off of you. Give each child a section of rope. Invite kids to spread out around the room so they can quietly talk with God. Set out paper and pencils or pens. Share that the paper is for anyone who would rather journal her prayer. Encourage the kids to tie knots in their ropes as they pray about each thing that they want to talk to God about. After a few minutes, have the kids stand and wrap the ropes gently around their shoulders or arms. (They shouldn t tie the rope.) Thank God for being our Deliverer, and ask Him to help set the children and their loved ones free. You may also invite kids to pray if they wish. Shake your arms and body and invite kids to do the same. As the ropes fall off, invite the kids to throw them in the plastic grey or black bin as a way of declaring they re free. Please remember to offer communion during your small group time for those kids who have made Jesus the savior of their life and been baptized into Him. Jailbreak Supplies: Bowl; tasks for the class to perform. In this game, children will perform hard tasks to Break free their teammates. Choose two kids to be Paul and Silas, have them be in jail (the corner of the room) the rest of the class will have to work together to try and free their classmates. As they choose from the basket they must complete the task together. After the team completes two tasks correctly, yell Jailbreak and Paul and Silas are free. Choose two other prisoners, and continue to play the game as time allows. 7

8 GOAL: Bless kids to send them out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others. CLOSING REMARKS/ANNOUNCEMENTS (Host): Wall Speakers On VIDEO LOOP: Thanks, glad you were here. BLESSING (HOST): RELATE Encourage the kids to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. Then open a Bible and read Psalm 91:1 2: Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. May you find rest and refuge in God Almighty. May He be your Deliverer and your safe place. CLOSING WORSHIP SONG (Worship Leader): VIDEO 3: (9:00 and 11:30) The Lord Our God (10:15) Good, Good Father DISMISSAL (HOST): Call names of kids as parent come to pick up and welcome kids who are being dropped off. Encourage parents to enter the room and encourage kids and parents to exit out the middle door (103) 8

9 The law firm conference room was still. Although it sat 20 people comfortably, it felt crowded with only the firm s founding partner, business manager, and human resources director waiting for me. When I sat down, the founding partner said curtly, We are terminating your contract. Please leave your keys and clear out your office today. It was January 30, My mind raced. I took this position after 25 years of leading a private law practice. Because God had taken my family and me through a lot in the past few years, I believed that this position was the financial and emotional answer I needed. But it ended after only four months. I thought of the call I needed to make to my emotionally battered wife, who hadn t signed on for this 30 years earlier when we married after an eight-month courtship. I prayed, What now, God? Many times, God takes the messes of life and reorders them to bring about freedom. January 30, 2004, was one of those times. Although I was rejected at the firm, I had no idea how God would use this experience. My new practice turned out to be more successful and prosperous than my position at the firm. But this was not the most amazing thing. The most amazing thing was that God had taken me and my family out of a devastating financial and emotional situation and delivered us into a life full of prosperity and hope. Rick Lund Mariners Church When Paul and Silas visited Philippi on their second missionary journey, they encountered a slave girl who followed Paul and the rest of [them], shouting, These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved (Acts 16:17). Her words might sound positive, because she was calling them servants of the Most High God, but the people in Philippi worshipped many gods, including Apollo, Zeus, and Artemis. To these people, many different gods were most supreme. Because of this, the girl s words might have been a distraction and a nuisance, not a positive proclamation. In Mark 5:7, the man possessed by demons spoke the same title to Jesus. He said, What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In both cases, the demons knew Jesus identity. And in both cases, people were delivered from their bondage in Jesus name. Also in both cases, the exorcisms caused civil unrest. In the account of Mark 5, the people were afraid, and they begged Jesus to leave their region (Mark 5:17). In Acts 16, they were indignant and brought Paul and Silas to the Roman officials on charges of throwing [the] city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for [the] Romans to accept or practice (vv ). But God was faithful to His suffering servants by delivering them from jail and using the situation 9

10 to bring salvation to the jailer and his family. God provided for the missionaries He had sent to do His work. And the first missionaries knew God as their Deliverer. In this part of The Big God Story, Paul and Silas were doing God s work and encountered trouble because of it. Sometimes you might feel that God s call to minister is harder work and more trouble than you had bargained for. Maybe you feel discouraged, beaten down, or confused about why it feels so hard. Spend some time reading Psalm 91 and getting to know God as your refuge, your strength, and your Deliverer. Let the words seep into the damaged, tired, and broken places in your soul. Ask God to strengthen you with His tender love, to cover you with his feathers (v. 4). In the same way that God delivered Paul and Silas from prison, God wants to deliver you from the discouragement and pain in your troubled soul. He wants to use your community to be His hands and feet, to wash your wounds with their support and love. This week, pray God will be near to you in miraculous ways as you allow Him to be your refuge. Then pray He will use you to help the children in your ministry this week know that God is their Deliverer. 10