Matthias the Apostle. Lesson At-A-Glance. Gather (10 minutes) Open the Bible (20 minutes)

Transcription

1 Matthias the Apostle Lesson At-A-Glance Scripture Reference Acts 1:15-17, Church Season Easter 7 Gather (10 minutes) Lesson Focus God calls (your name here). Bible Memory Verse Then they prayed and said, Lord, you know everyone s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen. Acts 1:24 Arrival Activity Kids sign up for responsibilities to start the day. Activity Pages, paper, chart paper (optional), markers (optional) Opening Conversation Kids talk about the structures in their lives. Opening Prayer Kids use different names for God to pray. Chart paper, marker Open the Bible (20 minutes) Matthias the Apostle Story Kids cast lots to decide who ll read the story today. Look It Up! Kids look around for Barsabbas, the one who did not get picked. Second s Best? Kids write the next part of Barsabbas s story. Branching Out Kids do the math to figure out how word about Jesus spread., Spark Bible Stickers, Dice Paper, pencils Matthias the Apostle 111

2 Lesson At-A-Glance Activate Faith (10 minutes) The Name Game Kids share nicknames that only some people use. The Gym Class Blues Kids get the blues over being picked last. It s For You! Kids identify their calls.,,, musical guest (optional) Send (5 minutes) Closing Conversation Kids talk about waiting for what s next., Chart paper, marker Closing Prayer Kids pray a waiting prayer. Family Pages Prayer: from Closing Conversation Visit for more Spark content! Watch a short Lesson Prep Video that will prepare you and give you confidence to explore this Bible story with the kids you are leading. You will also find four downloadable resources for this lesson: an Activity Page, a Family Page, and two additional in-class activities. 112 Matthias the Apostle

3 Gather (10 minutes) Arrival Activity If some kids arrive earlier than others and you need a lesson-based activity, make copies of the downloadable Activity Page and set them out for kids to try. Activity Pages Before kids arrive, brainstorm a list of responsibilities that could be given to kids as you begin your time together. These things don t have to be done every week you could come up with new jobs for special occasions. You want at least as many jobs as you have kids, but more than that is okay, too. Here s a list to get you started: - Chair arranger - Attendance taker - Floor sweeper - Leaflet passer-outer - Warm-up comedian - Interpretive dancer - Time keeper - High-five welcomer - Make-sure-everyone-has-a-pencil checker Paper Chart paper (optional) Markers (optional) Assign each kid a responsibility as they arrive. Opening Conversation Who was able to try a Faith on the Go! activity this past week? Tell us what you did. Allow time for sharing. Who can tell me the Bible Memory Verse from last week? If kids remember the BMV, invite them to recite it as a group. Guide kids to help them remember parts they don t. Which job in the opening activity was the best one to have? Could we have done without any of the jobs? Who do you think has the most important job at our church? (Encourage kids to think beyond the obvious the custodian is important to making things happen.) Who has the most powerful position at our church? Who do(es) our pastor(s) report to? Do we have a committee that oversees pastoral staff? What do you think would happen if our pastor made a really bad decision (not that he or she would)? Today we ll hear about a time the disciples had to decide who Judas Iscariot s replacement would be. Why would they need to do that? If you had to guess, did the disciples all have jobs to do? Matthias the Apostle 113

4 Distribute leaflets and ask kids to take a look at the Lesson Focus, the Life Question and the images on the first page. Allow time for discussion. Take a look at Did You Know? on the second page of the leaflet. Is there structure even in the smallest places of our body? What does this tell us about how God works? (Everything is well planned out and has a purpose.) Are there bad structures out there? Give an example. (some things people create governments that oppress people, buildings that fall down) There are good times for structure, and maybe some times when it isn t necessary. Keep in mind that whatever job God calls you to do, it s important, as long as it serves the God who structured the universe in such an amazing order. Opening Prayer On the chart paper, write out some different names for God that are used in the Bible. List at least one name for each kid in the group. This list should help, but feel free to add others that you deem appropriate: Biblical Names of God Advocate 1 John 2:1 Almighty Revelation 1:8 Alpha Revelation 1:8 Amen Revelation 3:14 Angel of the Lord Genesis 16:7 Anointed One Psalm 2:2 Apostle Hebrews 3:1 Author and Perfecter of Our Faith - Hebrews 12:2 Beginning Revelation 21:6 Bishop of Souls 1 Peter 2:25 Branch Zechariah 3:8 Bread of Life John 6:35,48 Bridegroom Matthew 9:15 Carpenter Mark 6:3 Chief Shepherd 1 Peter 5:4 The Christ Matthew 1:16 Comforter Jeremiah 8:18 Consolation of Israel Luke 2:25 Cornerstone Ephesians 2:20 Dayspring Luke 1:78 Day Star 2 Peter 1:19 Deliverer Romans 11:26 Desire of Nations Haggai 2:7 Emmanuel Matthew 1:23 End Revelation 21:6 Everlasting Father Isaiah 9:6 Chart paper Marker 114 Matthias the Apostle

5 Faithful and True Witness Revelation 3:14 First Fruits 1 Corinthians 15:23 Foundation Isaiah 28:16 Fountain Zechariah 13:1 Friend of Sinners Matthew 11:19 Gate for the Sheep John 10:7 Gift of God 2 Corinthians 9:15 God John 1:1 Glory of God Isaiah 60:1 Good Shepherd John 10:11 Governor Matthew 2:6 Great Shepherd Hebrews 13:20 Guide Psalm 48:14 Head of the Church Colossians 1:18 High Priest Hebrews 3:1 Holy One of Israel Isaiah 41:14 Horn of Salvation Luke 1:69 I Am Exodus 3:14 Jehovah Psalm 83:18 Jesus Matthew 1:21 King of Israel Matthew 27:42 King of Kings 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16 Lamb of God John 1:29 Last Adam 1 Corinthians 15:45 Life John 11:25 Light of the World John 8:12; John 9:5 Lion of the Tribe of Judah Revelation 5:5 Lord of Lords 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16 Master Matthew 23:8 Mediator 1 Timothy 2:5 Messiah John 1:41 Mighty God Isaiah 9:6 Morning Star Revelation 22:16 Nazarene Matthew 2:23 Omega Revelation 1:8 Passover Lamb 1 Corinthians 5:7 Physician Matthew 9:12 Potentate 1 Timothy 6:15 Priest Hebrews 4:15 Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6 Prophet Acts 3:22 Propitiation I John 2:2 Purifier Malachi 3:3 Rabbi John 1:49 Ransom 1 Timothy 2:6 Matthias the Apostle 115

6 Redeemer Isaiah 41:14 Refiner Malachi 3:2 Refuge Isaiah 25:4 Resurrection John 11:25 Righteousness - Jeremiah 23:6 Rock Deuteronomy 32:4 Root of David Revelation 22:16 Rose of Sharon Song of Solomon 2:1 Ruler of God s Creation Revelation 3:14 Sacrifice Ephesians 5:2 Savior 2 Samuel 22:47; Luke 1:47 Second Adam 1 Corinthians 15:47 Seed of Abraham Galatians 3:16 Seed of David 2 Timothy 2:8 Seed of the Woman Genesis 3:15 Servant Isaiah 42:1 Shepherd 1 Peter 2:25 Shiloh Genesis 49:10 Son of David Matthew 15:22 Son of God Luke 1:35 Son of Man Matthew 18:11 Son of Mary Mark 6:3 Son of the Most High Luke 1:32 Stone Isaiah 28:16 Sun of Righteousness Malachi 4:2 Teacher Matthew 26:18 Truth John 14:6 Way John 14:6 Wonderful Counselor Isaiah 9:6 Word John 1:1 Vine John 15:1 For the opening prayer, we ll go around the room, and everyone can add a short prayer, using one of these names for God. Every time one gets used, I ll cross it off the board. Once the group has finished, you all say, Amen. 116 Matthias the Apostle

7 Open the Bible (20 minutes) Matthias the Apostle Story Help kids look up Acts 1:15-17 (on page 1203 in the Spark Bible) and Acts 1:21-26 (on page 1204 in the Spark Bible). Today we are going to cast lots to see who gets to read each of the verses in today s story. Assign each kid in the group a number. Make sure you have enough dice so that with any roll, any kid s number might come up. For example, if you have 14 kids in the group, you ll need at least 3 dice to have the possibility of rolling a 14. For every verse of the text, roll the die and call out the number. If you roll a number above the number of kids (a 16 in a group of 14), then you read that verse. Try to keep the activity moving quickly. Once finished, ask, Spark Bible Stickers Dice How does it feel to rely on chance to decide this? Good? Nerve-wracking? Random or silly? Were you hoping for your number to be rolled, dreading it? The way the disciples picked Matthias seems like it was left to chance, sort of like picture of the bingo tumbler on the front of the leaflet. But was it? With what we just did, are some numbers more likely to come up than others? (Yes, numbers with more possible combinations like 7 are more likely than, say, 1, which is impossible if you re using more than one die.) How are some callings in our lives more likely than others? (If we re better qualified for a certain job, or have connections with people in that field, it increases our chances of being picked.) Does that rule out any other possible callings? (No, anything is possible, but sometimes God picks the most obvious conclusion.) So why did they end up casting lots? Isn t gambling bad? What about the soldiers that gambled for Jesus clothes? Work with the group to memorize Acts 1:24 (found on the back of the leaflet or on page 1204 in the Spark Bible). You can use the dice from this activity to help roll the die (or dice) and whichever number comes up is the word kids must shout out when reading the verse together. (If you roll a seven, for example, the word would be you. ) Once the group has memorized the verse, encourage kids to put I Memorized It stickers in their Bibles. We re reminded by this story that God knows everyone s hearts. Maybe the disciples in today s story trusted God to work with either of the two candidates (so they were okay with either pick). Sometimes, being picked isn t as big of an honor as working for God, no matter what you re called to do! Matthias the Apostle 117

8 Look It Up! Today is a great day to use Look It Up! on the third page of the leaflet as a bridge between the Bible story and the other activities. Turn with the group to Acts 15:22 on page 1223 in the Spark Bible, and read about Judas Barsabbas. This activity introduces a question about identity kids should ask. It isn t I don t know, but Does it matter? Kids may want to know if these two Barsabbases are the same person, but that isn t as important as the realization that God uses all sorts of people with different names, stations, and identities. You may also explain that bar means son of, so Barsabbas means son of Sabbas. Second s Best?? Distribute paper and pencils. Ask kids to write a story about what Barsabbas did after he came in second. Encourage kids to be creative about what Barsabbas did and how he felt after Matthias was chosen. Allow time for kids to share their stories. So was Barsabbas s life over just because things didn t work out the way he might have expected? When we aren t picked for something, how do we move on? Paper Why do you think the Bible mentions that Barsabbas had three names? It s possible that the Bible talks about Barsabbas s names because his identity is an important part of the story. Maybe he was a complicated guy, or maybe the disciples just felt like they didn t know who he was. In any case, did God know Barsabbas s heart? Can you find a verse from today s story that backs that up? How about reality or competition TV shows? Can you think of someone who didn t finish first on TV, but went on to greater success in other areas than the person they lost to? In the end, maybe places don t matter. What matters is that God names us, calls us by name, and uses us in the world! Branching Out Have each kid turn to Branching Out on the third page of the leaflet. Review the names of the disciples. Are there any kids don t recognize? What else do they observe? Next, have kids figure out how many people each disciple would have to tell to get the number up to 120 people. You can add to the activity by guiding their thinking to a place where they think of different combinations. For example, if each person that heard told one person, how many rounds would it take? Is there a way to get it up to 120 evenly, where each disciple and the people who follow all tell the same number of people every time? 118 Matthias the Apostle

9 If this task wasn t evenly divided if Philip told 110 people, John told 10, and nobody else did anything would the news still spread? (Yes, but it would be a lot harder for Philip.) Is telling the story of Jesus always telling? What are other ways that we can get people interested in what Jesus has done without simply telling them? Even though the disciples were structured and (seemingly) organized, the way the gospel spreads isn t always organized. It happens in all sorts of different ways. God calls us to spread the gospel in messy ways, accidental ways, intricately planned ways, and even exciting ways! Activate Faith (10 minutes) The Name Game Ask kids to find The Name Game on the second page of the leaflet. Ask each kid to write down a nickname (or two) that is only used by a few people. For example: Andrew s Dad may call him Drew, his sister may call him MacBean, and his grandma may call him Sweetie. Collect the leaflets from the kids. Read off a nickname and see if the rest of the group can guess who the name refers to. Is the nickname you picked special for you? Do you ever get embarrassed by a name that s used for you? How can names touch our emotions? Can anyone share the reason they have the name they do? Are you named after someone? Did your name have special meaning for your parents? If you could pick a new name, what would it be? Again, Barsabbas in today s story has three names! But, through Jesus, the names of the other disciples would soon become well-known as well. Some of them even got new names from Jesus! Do you think God knows you by name? How does God keep track of all the different Susans or Muhammads in the world? Remember, God knows our hearts, and that s good news. Even if we changed our names, God would still call us to God s work. Not because of the face we put on for the world, but for who God made us to be! Matthias the Apostle 119

10 The Gym Class Blues If there s someone at your church who can play blues music reasonably well, consider inviting them to join the group for this activity. If you ve found someone like that, you can add the discussion questions at the end to your conversation. Invite kids to find The Gym Class Blues on the second page of the leaflet. Give a brief introduction to the genre of music known as the Blues. Say, The Blues is a genre of music that was born out of spirituals sung by African- Americans in the southern United States. The lyrics are usually about a situation that keeps getting worse and worse. In a traditional, 12-bar blues format, the first two lines of a verse are usually the same you could think of them like the setup for the punch line of a joke, because the third line usually adds a twist on the first two lines or takes them one step further. For example, this song from 1927 tells about a flood in Mississippi and about a man who can t get any news from his girlfriend in Memphis: Musical guest (optional) Backwater rising, Southern peoples can t make no time I said, backwater rising, Southern peoples can t make no time And I can t get no hearing from that Memphis girl of mine. Blind Lemon Jefferson, Rising High Water Blues Invite the kids to write a blues song as instructed in the leaflet. Have the kids share their favorite verses, and if you have musical accompaniment, you could even try singing them together. No talent required! Once the singing is done, ask, How does it feel not to get picked for something? What good might it do to sing about our emotions or express ourselves in some other artistic way? What s another way we can process things when they don t go our way? Even though Barsabbas wasn t picked for the job, he still might have had an important future. How long is too long to sing the blues? When, in your opinion, should we move on and make other plans? Is this a sad story? Why or why not? What s the bigger picture? Remember that Matthias was picked to witness to the resurrection, and not the horrible, depressing end of all things. Resurrection comes in many forms it means that Jesus is always making things new, and hope keeps happening. Maybe Barsabbas knew that! 120 Matthias the Apostle

11 If you have a guest musician ask them, How long have you been a musician? Are your gifts a coincidence, or do you think there are other factors that led to you being a musician? Do you consider your talent to be a gift from God? A calling? Do you think God only calls us to use our gifts for big things, or does it make God happy when we use our gifts in a fun, casual way, too? It s for You! It s time for kids to decide where their gifts lie. Ask kids to think of the strongest gift they have and then a way to apply that gift to the life of your church. For example, if someone names friendliness as their strongest gift, maybe they could serve as a greeter at worship or Sunday school. Have kids write their new job title in the cell phone drawing in It s for You! on the last page of the leaflet. Be sure to encourage kids to get specific with how their talents will take shape in your home church. Is it any good knowing what our calling is if we don t use it? How can we put these job titles to work? What other places can we use these gifts? What would our church look like if everyone donated their time and talents to making it a better church? Where do our callings come from? How do you know when you re meant to do something? Do we have to decide what our calling is right now? Why or why not? What if we change our mind later? Matthias the Apostle 121

12 Send (5 minutes) Closing Conversation Just before today s story, the writer of Acts describes what the disciples are doing just after Jesus ascends into heaven. This is just before they welcome Matthias to their ranks. At this point, they re doing a lot of waiting especially to experience what Jesus promised. Take a quick look at Acts 1: This passage is on page 1203 in the Spark Bible. What are the disciples doing together while they wait for what s next? (praying) When we make big decisions about our callings and our future, how can prayer help us connect to God s ideas? What s something you re waiting for? What kind of prayer can we pray as we wait like the disciples? Chart paper Marker On the board, write suggested phrases for a waiting prayer that the kids can do together. To reinforce the idea of structured leadership, allow for votes from the group to eliminate or change words or phrases. For example, if Jorge doesn t like the phrase, God, you make us newer than snow, he can raise his hand and propose a vote to change it. Invite kids to find Faith on the Go! on the last page of the leaflet. Encourage them to complete the assignment and report back next week. Closing Prayer Pray the prayer from Closing Conversation. Be sure to send a leaflet and a Family Page home with each kid. Family Pages Prayer from Closing Conversation 122 Matthias the Apostle