Bible Discovery Zone Lesson Plans

Transcription

1 Bible Discovery Zone Lesson Plans Ministry of Paul Memory Verse: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NKJV) Learning Centers Overview: Holy Word Cinema: Students will view the Nest DVD Ministry of Paul and answer the review questions. Computer Bible Lab: Explore the story of Paul s ministry via the Life of Paul CD. Discovery Destination #1: Students will experience the story of Paul and Silas in prison from within the jail cell, earthquake included! Discovery Destination #2: Students will play Wheel of Faith to learn important verses from the letters written by the Apostle Paul. Bible Background Paul and his missionary team stayed in Philippi for awhile. One day as they walked to the place by the river to meet for prayer, a slave girl started to follow them. As the team walked along what are some thoughts they may have had as this girl followed them? (Perhaps this young lady wanted to hear about Jesus and God put her in their path so they could share the Good News with her) As they walked to the river the girl began to shout, These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved. She followed Paul and Silas around for many days. This slave girl was not a believer and did not have the Holy Spirit living inside her heart. She had an evil spirit living inside her. The evil spirit enabled this slave girl to predict the future. Her owners made a lot of money from this slave girl because many people paid them to have her tell them their future. 1 P a g e

2 Knowing this about the slave girl, was there anything wrong with the message she was giving? (No) The Holy Spirit gives insight into situations that seem to be normal. Let s read Acts 16:18. The Holy Spirit enabled Paul to realize that it was time to put a stop to what the slave girl was doing. Try to imagine what it would be like to be in Philippi sharing the Good News with others. A person who is known as the town s fortune teller is following you around as a shouting billboard telling others that you are servants of the Most High God. Was the shouting causing people to want to listen to the message Paul had to share or was the shouting causing people to focus on the fortune teller? We don t know exactly what was taking place we can only tell from the Scripture that the Holy Spirit enabled Paul to see that this girl wasn t a messenger from the Most High God but was a servant of Satan. The Holy Spirit empowered Paul to command the evil spirit controlling the slave girl to leave and in Jesus Name the evil spirit obeyed and left the girl. The Holy Spirit enabled Paul to stop this slave girl from being used by the evil spirit to distract others from coming to Jesus and being saved. The slave girl had been set free and was no longer controlled by this evil spirit. This was a good thing but her owners were not very happy with what Paul did. Her owners made lots of money from this slave girl. Now that she was not able to be a fortune teller they weren t going to be able to make money. This made them very angry with Paul and Silas. Enraged they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place and brought them before the rulers of the city. They told the authorities, These men are causing trouble for our city because they are Jews, and are telling others about things which we Romans are not able to accept or follow. The leaders tore off Paul and Silas robes and commanded that that they be beaten. The crowd joined in the attack against them and beat them with rods. They hit them with these rods many times and then threw them into prison. The leaders commanded the man in charge of the prison to make sure that they were secure and could not get out. When the jailer received the leaders orders he took Paul and Silas far back into an inner prison that had no outside walls and put their feet into blocks of wood called 2 P a g e

3 stocks. (Show picture of what stocks look like) These stocks were two pieces of wood that would clamp down over the prisoner s legs at the ankles. This type of imprisonment was meant for the most dangerous prisoners. Paul and Silas had not done anything wrong to be treated this way. They were not a danger to anyone except Satan s kingdom of darkness. If they were free to share the Good News people would be rescued from sin and saved to spend eternity with Jesus. Paul and Silas had open sores and blood on their bodies as they sat in their prison cell. If you were Paul and Silas what do you think you would do as you lay there in the dark, cold cell? (They could have cried and said they wanted to go home. The work was too hard and they couldn t take being punished as a criminal for obeying Jesus. They could have been angry and shouted how unfair their treatment was. How could God allow such treatment to happen to His servants?) As humans we have many natural responses to difficulties. We don t always react the way Jesus would in difficult situations. As believers we have power to respond in a very supernatural way that is so different than what most people act like when they are facing difficulties. Believers have the power from the Holy Spirit to respond with faith and courage. Paul and Silas will show us how the Holy Spirit enables believers to respond in a very difficult situation. Let s think of some songs we sing to praise God. What are some songs that Paul and Silas may have sung if they knew the songs we sing? (Hymns-Turn your eyes upon Jesus, I will call upon the Lord, Jesus never fails, A might fortress is our God, To God be the glory, Contemporary-Our God, Our God is an Awesome God, etc) Because both men were filled with the Holy Spirit they chose not to focus on their unfair treatment but focused on God s character. They knew that God was powerful. They knew that their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had suffered far more than they had when He was crucified on the cross. Because they chose to worship and praise God in their difficulties it caused the other prisoners to listen to them as they prayed and sang. The Holy Spirit enabled Paul and Silas to be a witness for Jesus to these prisoners. 3 P a g e

4 While the prisoners who were in prison for actually committing a crime were listening to the prayers and praises of Paul and Silas, they felt the ground begin to shake. They didn t have trains that rumbled by the prison there in Philippi so it must have been a little strange for them to feel the earth begin to tremble. The tremble turned into a great earthquake and the whole prison began to shake. All the doors were opened and the chains fell off each and every prisoner. The jailer had fallen asleep but the shaking ground and noises of opening doors must have awakened him. As he rubbed his eyes and looked and saw every door opened, fear struck his heart. His job was to make sure the prisoners were securely locked into prison. If one prisoner escaped he would be killed. When he saw the doors open he knew his life was over so he drew his sword and was ready to take his own life when Paul cried out with a loud voice, Do not harm yourself, we are all here! The jailer asked for a torch so that he could see and when he ran into Paul and Silas prison and saw that they were still there, he trembled and fell down before them. He brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? God s power had brought a mighty earthquake to shake this Philippian prison. The Holy Spirit caused this jailer to see and recognize that he needed to be saved. The Holy Spirit enabled Paul and Silas to know how to answer this man. They said, Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household. Paul and Silas spoke God s words to this jailer and all that lived in his house. The jailer believed in Jesus. This same jailer who had been rough with Paul and Silas earlier by throwing them into jail and locking their feet in stocks now wanted to do something kind for these men who had shared the Good News. He washed their wounds from where they had been beaten with rods. God s power saved this man and changed his life. Now he wanted to be baptized. This was an exciting night! Not only did the jailer get saved, but everyone in his family did too. They were all baptized and went back to his house and had a meal and they all rejoiced that God had brought them the Good News through Paul and Silas. 4 P a g e

5 Taken from Paul & Silas in Prison by Kelly Henderson, Holy Word Cinema Memory Verse: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NKJV) Preparation 1. Review Bible Background notes and read scripture passages mentioned to familiarize yourself with this month s Bible story. 2. Pray for the children and for your teaching of the lesson. Materials List: DVD Player Projector DVD: Ministry of Paul Watch movie and have students answer on screen review questions in Special features section. If students aren t sure of an answer, make sure you show them Bible passage screen shots to study up for the correct answer. Close session by teaching this month s Memory Verse and closing prayer. Computer Bible Lab Memory Verse: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NKJV) Teacher preparation: Review the Bible background information and read the Scripture passages for this month s Bible story. Then preview the software used in the Computer Bible Lab this month so you are familiar with it and able to assist students to maneuver through the programs. Software and Supplies Needed: Life of Paul CD Computer/Projector/Screen Amazing Grace: My Chains Are Gone video loaded on teacher s computer Baptismal bowl with water 5 P a g e

6 Software Lesson ~ Life of Paul CD by Neil MacQueen Pictured: the menu to the Life of Paul CD 1. WELCOME STUDENTS & INTRODUCE CONCEPTS Ask: How many of you have gone on a trip before? Where did you go? What s the farthest away from home that you ve ever been? What s the most exciting thing that you ve ever done on your trip? Today we re going to explore the life of Paul and some of the adventures that he had going on missionary trips for Jesus. Paul made several trips to share the good news about Jesus Christ and to plant new churches in the towns that we went to. The stories of these adventures are recorded in the book of Acts. (Help students find the book of Acts in Bibles provided.) 6 P a g e

7 2. BEGIN USING the Life of Paul CD Software (1) START the SOFTWARE in the MAIN Menu go to: Hall of Fame. Click on Life of Paul Exhibit Tell students to click on all photos in the gallery and listen to the narration for each. Click on right at a bottom of screen to continue to next set of photos. There should be four screens of photos total. When students have viewed the whole exhibit, have them return to main menu. (2) CONTINUE in the SOFTWARE using the DISCOVER THE BIBLE section starting at Acts 16:16. Have students scroll down photos at left, (these should look familiar as they will be the same as in Life of Paul Exhibit) Scroll down until students reach Paul and Silas in Prison. Have students begin reading the scripture (Acts 16:16-34) for themselves. Tell them that Green Light turns on voice narration and right hand helps them flip pages. *Once students have finished reading/hearing the Scripture passage pull them together to respond to the following questions. 1. What do you think it was like for Paul and Silas to be thrown into prison? Would it be creepy or scary? Why or why not? 2. Why do you think Paul and Silas began praying and singing hymns while they were sitting in jail? What do you think you would have done if you had been in their shoes? 3. What effect do you think Paul and Silas singing had on the other prisoners? 4. How would you have felt if you had been with Paul and Silas when the earthquake shook the prison? Why? 5. Why do you think the jailer wanted to kill himself when he thought the prisoners had escaped after the earthquake? What was his response when Paul and the others revealed that they were still there? 6. Have students watch music video Amazing Grace: My Chains Are Gone loaded on teacher computer. Project on big screen. Ask: How does this song relates to Paul and Silas? Does the song relate to the jailer too? In what way? How does this song relate to us today? (Jesus breaks chains of fear, drug addiction, anger, resentment, etc.) 7. Paul and Silas used the event to tell the jailer about Jesus. Why do you think he was ready to listen to their story? Have you ever had any opportunities to tell others about Jesus? If so, when? If not, list some times that might come along? 7 P a g e

8 8. The jailer believed in Paul s words and became a Christian. How do we know that? (He was baptized.) Have you ever seen someone baptized? What is baptism all about? (affirm the kids answers and also explain that it is a way we publically give our lives to Jesus and let him wash away our sins) Invite students to put their finger in the baptismal bowl water provided and take a moment to thank God for the freedom Christ gives us. (3) CONTINUE in the SOFTWARE using the BIBLE TIME THEATER: Watch the third video: "Shipwrecked" then ask these questions: What do you think it would have felt like to have been in the ship that Paul was in the video clip during the storm? Would you have been afraid? Why or why not? What do you think gave Paul the confidence that he and the rest of the people on the ship would make it through the storm? (God had saved him time and time again before) Why do you think the other people believed Paul s message after they reached safety on the island of Malta? 8 P a g e

9 4. RETURN to the SOFTWARE to use the FUN & GAMES section a. Pick one these two memory verses from the game b. If you have time, let them play the game of their choice in the Fun & Game section. c. If you have time, play the Bible Quiz show. It will take about 10 minutes and covers Paul's story from the Book of Acts. 5. Conclusion Review the Bible Memory Verse and Close with prayer. Tech Tips 1. Screen Size: Life of Paul, like many older CDs, has a native resolution/display size of 640x480. To make it appear larger on newer computers, you either have to set your Windows Display setting as low (close) to 640x480 as you can, or, try RIGHT clicking the Paul start-up file and select "Run in 640x480 window". See which one looks best on your computer. 2. Check that the Bible Time Theater videos work. If the curtain just opens and closes, go to the program's folder and install qt32 (quicktime). If it asks you if you want it to 'search for other version' always say NO. A detailed outline of the Life of Paul CD can be printed from Copyright, Use and Author Info: Copyright Neil MacQueen, Neil is a Sunday School teacher, Presbyterian minister, and owner of Sunday Software. You are welcome to use these lessons provided this attribution remains with them. 9 P a g e

10 Discovery Destination #1 Memory Verse: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NKJV) Supplies: Jail (pre-set in drama room) 3 high school volunteers to play jailer, Paul and Silas in costume Pita bread and grapes on a platter chains for all students to wear Lesson Outline for Paul's Prison Workshop from Neil MacQueen A Roman Jailer will thrown your students into jail with Paul and Silas. A Drama/Storytelling lesson will ensue. I've done this rotation story and workshop TWICE and it was a lot of fun both times. The key is to go all out with the jail design, and the gruff jailer. Yes, put (swag) chains on the kids. this takes time and let's the jailer accuse them of all sorts of things. The chain serves as a nice takehome reminder too. THE POINT: (1) God helped Paul and Silas spread the good news about Jesus to new places, even places where it was dangerous to talk about Jesus and were unwelcome. We too should be prepared to help others know about Jesus. (2) Paul and Silas message about Jesus was for everyone, even the jailer and prisoners. (3) God did things which helped the message win over people, such as the earthquake and jail experience. 4) We are called to share the Good News, and encourage people to believe in Jesus and be baptized. We can do this by believing ourselves!...and practicing telling the message. 10 P a g e

11 SUMMARY OF THIS WORKSHOP: 1. Kids arrive and are chained. Paul and Silas start singing. While kids are being chained, the Soldier/Jailer tells them this story: In the town of Philippi: Paul and Silas were beaten thrown into prison. They were accused of teaching strange ideas about a man who was crucified and then resurrected, and they say he is God and we must worship only him. 2. Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns and the prisoners were listening. Kids are invited to join in singing. "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" copyright 2006 by John Newton, Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio. Amazing grace How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now I'm found Was blind, but now I see 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed My chains are gone I've been set free My God, my Savior has ransomed me And like a flood His mercy reigns Unending love, amazing grace The Lord has promised good to me His word my hope secures He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home [2x] My chains are gone 11 P a g e

12 I've been set free My God, my Savior has ransomed me And like a flood His mercy reigns Unending love, amazing grace 3. After a while an earthquake shook the prison, doors were opened and chains fell off the prisoners. The Jailer awoke and went to check the prisoners. Seeing the door open and thinking they had escaped he thought to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him we are all here. (Our jailer shook the outer walls of the jail and shouted. It was very surprising and convincing.) The jailer rushed in and said what must I do to be a follower of Jesus and be saved. Paul said believe in Jesus and you and your whole family can be his followers. 4. The jailer washed their wounds and was baptized and gave them food. (Paul and Silas celebrate communion with the children and jailer). The jailer leaves and then comes back and tells Paul: "The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace." (This should happen at end of lesson time.) Kids get unchained and Paul and Silas head back to Lydias house. TEACHING in the JAIL: Whoever is Paul has to know the story and have plenty of questions to ask the kids. The younger kids may try to say "this isn't real" and in fact one very young boy said it because he was afraid it was! Our soldier was very convincing. He and Paul banter/spar/argue about WHY Christians must be put in jail. He tries to keep Paul from singing. The soldier is quite gruff about Paul's "love" message. Occasionally Paul or Silas ask the kids to respond to the jailer. Just before the earthquake and baptisms we had some pita bread and grapes. Paul and Silas kept talking to the kids about the place where THEY worship. What is it like? One kid talked about singing organ music and Paul said "what's an organ?" The kids had a fun time in the chains as well. The younger ones wanted OUT of the chains. Paul warned them not to take them off lest the guard see. Paul asked them what it was like to be a Christian where THEY lived. He was quite astounded that they worship in safety. Of course, he hadn't heard of the USA was. He asked them how they spread the good news in THEIR country. Their responses helped create new discussion possibilities. Paul and Silas had to be on their toes!!! 12 P a g e

13 Remind students that there are many Christians around the world who today are in chains, arrested and sitting in jail because they are Christians. (Iran, Syria, Iraq, Sudan) Here s one example of a Christian who was imprisoned for her faith. Jailed Sudanese Christian Woman Chained to Bed During Birth of Daughter Sudanese Christian, Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, who was sentenced to death for apostacy for leaving Islam, has given birth to a baby girl. The baby girl, named Maya, was born inside the prison clinic. Meriam was not taken to a hospital and delivered the baby in prison. Meriam will be allowed to nurse her daughter for two years before her sentence of 100 lashes and death by hanging is carried out. There s more Meriam Yehya Ibrahim was chained to her bed during the delivery of her daughter. National Turk reported (rough translation), via Religion of Peace: New details on the Sudan sentenced to death a Christian: According to her husband Mariam Ibrahim Yahya has her daughter chained in prison brought into the world. Two years they must take care of the child then it is in danger of the gallows. The case of Mariam Ibrahim Yahya triggers beyond the borders of Sudan out of dismay, employs human as politicians. A court in Khartoum condemned the heavily pregnant women to death because they do not want to live in the Muslim faith. Shortly after the verdict, the young woman brought earlier in the week in prison to a daughter now her husband has told for the first time details of the birth. As Daniel Wani the British Telegraph reported Ishak was indeed moved to the infirmary of the prison but also spent the birth process itself in chains. She was chained to the feet, Wani said. He had his wife and newborn also more than a day after birth may not visit, Wani said. Only on Wednesday he had finally gain access to the cell : The baby is beautiful, you say Maya The mother is okay, you did not look too battered.... For the time of the visit, the chains were then removed. A court in the capital Ishak was convicted in mid-may for renouncing the Islamic faith to death by hanging. The young woman who already has a 20 -month-old son, was also sentenced to a hundred lashes for adultery. His son lives with his mother, according to wadis and the few -day-old infant in the prison cell. [The good news is that because of international pressure, Meriam was finally freed from prison and allowed to move to the United States.] Ask: How do you think Meriam felt to be arrested and sentenced to death just because she was a Christian? How would you feel if you had been in her shoes? What would you do? What are some 13 P a g e

14 things we can do for other Christians who are in chains right now for their faith in Christ? (Lead students in closing prayer for the persecuted church) ========================================== How to Build the Jail: Pick a 9x12 corner of a room. Most drop cloths are 9x12. It will hold 3 adults and about 10 kids. Cover two of the four jail walls with brown paper drop cloths. We bought ours at a local Home Improvement center. They come folded and the creases look like mortar lines. You can add painted mortar lines. We trimmed certain parts of the walls with grey duct tape which looks like mortar. Put a canvas on the floor with some straw. Heres how we made the other two walls: We stood our standard long fellowship hall style table (with metal folding legs) on end with the tabletop pointing inward to the cell. See pictures at Hilliard Presbyterian's PAUL PRISON PHOTOS Tables lean back a bit and were more than sturdy. Then we covered the tables with more paper drop cloth. The paper and tables are easy to "shake" for the earthquake too. Suggestion: use thumbtacks to hold paper to wall. Tape will give way week to week. Put a piece of packing tape behind the section of the paper you are pushing the thumbtack through to reinforce paper at tack point. DuctTape prison bars to the paper covering any windows and then cut out paper in-between the tape. The tape acts to reinforce the thin paper bars and looks surprisingly good. How we made our prison door: These are black plastic pipes from the local hardware that we duct-taped together. We DuctTaped the bar door to one of the tables. The black ornamental chain was added for effect. Simple and quick. The kids thought it was neat. The first time we did this workshop we had a real room. We took the door off the hinges and put in a cardboard door with bars and chains. Very effective. 14 P a g e

15 Discovery Destination #2 Memory Verse: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NKJV) Supplies: Wheel of Faith Board Premade puzzle sheets Bibles Introduction: Welcome, the kids and ask them to tell you what the y know about the story of the Apostle Paul. Say: After Paul s conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul became one of the greatest missionaries that the Early Church ever had. He traveled throughout Asia Minor, Greece and Italy telling people about Jesus Christ and starting new churches wherever he went. Not everyone was thrilled with Paul s message. Some tried to stone him. He was even put in jail a couple of times. Still, Paul did not give up because he believed that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. While Paul traveled, he also wrote letters to the churches he started. Many of those letters are included in the Bible, in the New Testament, and they are called epistles which means letters. (Show kids where to locate Paul s l etters in the Bible) Paul s letters include the books of Romans 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon. Ask: How many of you have ever gotten a letter in the mail? Who sent it to you? How did it feel to get mail? How do you think the members of the Early Church felt getting a letter from the Apostle Paul? Today, we are going to play Wheel of Faith and learn some famous quotes from the letters written by the Apostle Paul. Wheel of Faith: Divide the students into at least two teams. Let them take turns at spinning the wheel and guessing letters from the puzzles pre -printed on large sheets of paper. Give clues if kids get stuck on the words. Work through as many puzzles as pos sible as time allows. 1. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NKJV) 2. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8b) 3. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27) 4. God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7b) 5. It is for freedom the Christ has set us free. (Galatians 5:1) 15 P a g e

16 Conclusion: 6. one Lord, one faith, one baptism: one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:5) 7. Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10) 8. He forgave all our sins nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14) 9. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) 10. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand (2 Thessal onians 3:17) 11. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching (2 Timothy 3:16) 12. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. (Titus 2:11) 13. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Philemon 1:3) Ask: If the Apostle Paul were alive today, what do you think we would write to our church here in Scotland, South Dakota? 16 P a g e