God s Spirit for All. Focus on Acts 10: n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 May 6, 2018 Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 10:44 48 Ps John 5:1 6 John 15:9 17 God s Spirit for All Goal for the Session Third- and fourth-graders will discern, through the story of Peter and Cornelius, how the Holy Spirit works in ways we do not expect. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Acts 10:44 48 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, A. Katherine Grieb As our passage begins, Peter has just given testimony concerning Jesus healing ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. Peter summarizes: To this all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name (v. 43). The word everyone apparently functions as a dramatic cue for the Holy Spirit to fall upon Cornelius and upon his companions, fulfilling the prophecies Peter has just mentioned and demonstrating beyond a doubt that these Gentile believers in Jesus have also received forgiveness of sins in his name. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Noel Leo Erskine The intervention of the Spirit in Peter s meditation indicates that God in the Spirit often goes before to plead the case of those on the margins, those who are excluded. In Peter s case the Spirit interrupts his meditation and orders him to engage strangers at his door. Peter is presented with another opportunity to learn something new concerning the divine persistence on behalf of persons in need. It is interesting that an apostle as devout as Peter has something fresh to learn about the divine character. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Jeffrey D. Peterson-Davis While Peter and Cornelius have central roles in this narrative, it is not a story about them. Rather, it is a story about the Holy Spirit and how the Spirit s purposes are accomplished in spite of the boundaries constructed by humans. The witness of the text is that neither Peter nor Cornelius was able to cross the boundaries on their own. But the outpouring of the Holy Spirit empowered each of them to move from their segregated places. The Holy Spirit broke the barriers and propelled the witness of the resurrection beyond the boundaries of Jerusalem and Galilee. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Barbara K. Lundblad The Holy Spirit can be disruptive. Church historian Rosemary Radford Ruether says that the church must be organized to do two things: to pass on the tradition from one generation to another and to be open to the winds of the Holy Spirit by which the tradition comes alive in each generation. Sometimes the Holy Spirit has a hard time getting through our stubborn desire to stay the way we are. Where is the Holy Spirit trying to break through traditions that have become rock hard? How do we continue to pass on the traditions from one generation to another while also being open to the Spirit that brings the tradition alive? 1

2 God s Spirit for All FOCUS SCRIPTURE Acts 10:44 48 Focus on Your Teaching Third- and fourth-graders have both given and received acts of kindness. Perhaps they understand that exceptions to rules might be made in order to be kind. They will have experienced being allowed to do something that was previously forbidden to them. Parents and other adults often give explanations for their rules and, as children become more aware of the world around them, these caregivers urge them to be both brave and cautious. Children this age also are beginning to sense how learning new information can help change their minds about something. Holy God, thank you for the generosity and freedom of your Spirit. Amen. YOU WILL NEED white cloth white batterypowered Christ candle gold streamers or ribbons Singing the Feast, ; CD player Color Pack 20, 21, 31, 34 copies of Resource Sheet 1 For Responding option 1: copies of Resource Sheet 2, pencils, markers, newsprint option 2: large, flat bedsheet; balloons n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Greet each learner by name. Invite learners to arrange the white cloth in the center of your meeting space, arranging the Christ candle and gold ribbons or streamers on top of it. Gather the group and light the Christ candle. Remind them that the church celebrates Easter for seven Sundays. Invite them to greet one another with a handshake, saying Happy Easter! Join together in singing Hallelujah (Color Pack 31; track 9 on Singing the Feast, ). Pray: Risen Jesus, be our light today as we learn more about being your followers. Amen. Invite children to tell stories of times they were sure something was bad, but then something happened to change their minds. Offer a story from your own experience. 2

3 God s Spirit for All If you would like more background about purity laws, see Leviticus Read also Paul s comments on freedom in Christ: Romans 14: EXPLORING Tell learners that today s Bible story tells about two people who changed their minds. One was a Roman soldier named Cornelius; one was Jesus disciple Peter. Show Color Pack 20, explaining that this is what a Roman soldier might have looked like in the days of the early church. Ask: P If you were one of Jesus first followers, would you be afraid of this person? Why or why not? Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 (Choral Reading: Peter and Cornelius). Form two groups, having them stand on opposite sides of your meeting space as they perform the choral reading. Gather the group and show Color Pack 21, inviting learners to tell about Peter s vision on the rooftop. Explain that, from the time of Moses, there were laws about what Jewish people could and could not eat. If they ate anything the law said was unclean, they had to go to the priest for special rituals to become clean again. These rules about food set the Jews apart from other nations as God s holy people. Cornelius was not Jewish, and he would have served food that Peter was not allowed to eat. A Jew who took these laws seriously would not even go into a house with such food. Discuss the story, referring to Resource Sheet 1 as is helpful. Ask: P How did Cornelius know to send for Peter? P What made Peter willing to go to the home of Cornelius? P What did Cornelius and his friends learn? How were they surprised? P What did Peter learn? How was he surprised? P What happened to make Cornelius and Peter change their minds? Wrap up Exploring by reading aloud Acts 10:44 48, from the Contemporary English Version: 44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit took control of everyone who was listening. 45 Some Jewish followers of the Lord had come with Peter, and they were surprised that the Holy Spirit had been given to Gentiles. 46 Now they were hearing Gentiles speaking unknown languages and praising God. Peter said, 47 These Gentiles have been given the Holy Spirit, just as we have! I am certain that no one would dare stop us from baptizing them. 48 Peter ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and they asked him to stay on for a few days. Discuss: P In what ways was God s Spirit at work in this story? P What did the Spirit teach Peter and Cornelius? P What might Christians today learn from this story? 3

4 God s Spirit for All EASY PREP RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use. 1. Spirit Poems The book of Acts details the wondrous works of God s Spirit. Encourage children to express their wonder through poetry. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (Spirit Poems), and read the instructions together. If your group doesn t have much experience writing poetry, spend a few minutes brainstorming possible words for lines 2, 3, 4, and 5, writing responses on newsprint for children to use as they write. Be sure to write your own poem. Invite each person to read her or his poem aloud, affirming each one. With the children s permission, print the poems in your church newsletter or on its Web site. We Are Dancing in the Love of God of God, of God, We are dancing, we are dancing, ooh, We are dancing, we are dancing, ooh, kwenkhos', kwenkhos', Siyahamba, siyahamba, ooh, Siyahamba, siyahamba, ooh, 2. Sheet Toss What does Peter s vision of the sheet filled with clean and unclean animals say to modern believers? Play a game to help children consider connections between Peter s vision and modern prejudices. Give each child two balloons to inflate and tie off. Have learners stand in a circle, holding the edges of a flat sheet, with the balloons at their feet. Take a few quiet moments to have them think of anything or anyone that someone might call bad or unclean. Invite them to take turns tossing a balloon on the sheet as they name one of these, either aloud or in their hearts. You might begin by saying, People who drink and drive. Keep the sheet moving to hold all the balloons. When all the balloons are on the sheet, say, What God has created is good! Flip all the balloons off the sheet. Discuss: Do you agree that God can use anything or anyone for a good purpose? Why or why not? How can God s Spirit bring change? 3. Community Tag The Spirit worked in amazing ways to break down barriers and include all people in the church. Followers of Jesus today are challenged to let the Spirit work through them to find ways to include everyone. Play a game of Community Tag. One child is it and tags another child. Those two join hands to run and tag others, adding each person who is tagged to the it group. Continue playing until everyone is included in the it group. After playing, talk about ways to invite others to be included in activities at church, at school, and in the neighborhood. CLOSING Gather around the Christ candle, and invite learners to tell what they have learned about the Holy Spirit in this story. Invite them to imagine Cornelius, the people in Conrelius s house, and the disciples singing along as you sing We Are Dancing in the Love of God (Color Pack 34; track 23 on Singing the Feast, ) while waving streamers from the worship cloth. Form a circle to extend a blessing to one another. Begin by placing a hand on the shoulder of the child to your right as you say: (Name), God bless you and fill you with the Spirit. Amen. Say a personal good-bye to each learner by name. 4

5 May 6, 2018 God s Spirit for All Grades 3 4 Resource Sheet 1 Choral Reading: Peter and Cornelius Cornelius was an officer in the Roman army. He was a good man. He prayed to God. One afternoon Cornelius had a vision. God s angel called him by name. Cornelius! Cornelius! Cornelius! Cornelius was scared. What is it, Lord? God has heard your prayers. God knows about your good deeds. Now go find Peter. Peter! Peter! Peter! Peter was in Joppa. He went up to the roof to pray. Peter had a vision, too! A giant sheet came down from the sky. It was filled with things that Jews were not allowed to eat. The voice of the Lord said, Peter, get up and eat! Eat! Eat! Eat! Peter said, No! These things are unclean! The voice of the Lord said, God created all these things. Do not say they are unclean! This happened three times. Then the sheet disappeared. All are clean! All are clean! All are clean! The servants of Cornelius found Peter. They asked him to go to Cornelius. Peter wasn t sure about this. It was not right for a Jew to visit a Gentile, but Peter went. He asked some believers from Joppa to go with him. Find Cornelius! Find Cornelius! Find Cornelius! Cornelius and his friends were waiting for Peter. Peter told them about Jesus. And the Holy Spirit came upon all who were there. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God! Peter could not believe it. God gave Cornelius and his friends the Holy Spirit. Cornelius and his friends were baptized. They became followers of Jesus. One in Christ! One in Christ! One in Christ! 2018 Westminster John Knox Press

6 May 6, 2018 God s Spirit for All Grades 3 4 Resource Sheet 2 Spirit Poems God s Spirit is busy in the stories of the book of Acts. Some teachers even call this book Acts of the Spirit! Try telling about the Spirit in a poem called a cinquain. O Line 1: one-word title for the poem (Spirit) O Line 2: two words that describe the Spirit O Line 3: three action words (verbs) that tell what the Spirit does make these words end with -ing O Line 4: four words that describe your feelings about the Spirit O Line 5: one word that is another name or word for Spirit Spirit Line 1 Line 2 Line 3 Line 4 Line Westminster John Knox Press