ONE ANOTHER WEEK 2: ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER SEPTEMBER 24, At a Glance Paul and Barnabas Encouraged Others Acts 14

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1 ONE ANOTHER WEEK 2: ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 At a Glance Paul and Barnabas Encouraged Others Acts 14 Main Idea: God wants everyone to get along and encourage one another. Memory Verse: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV Younger Children Option: Encourage one another. Hebrews 10:25, NIV Teacher Devotional It has been said, A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success. We all need encouragement. Biblical community is crucial for a number of reasons, but not the least that it gives us an opportunity to encourage one another in a way that keeps each other believing what we know to be true about God. All human beings are inclined to forget what we know to be true about the nature and character of God. We know the gospel, but we forget to apply gospel truths to our lives. That s why we need to be in a small group based in biblical community. It provides us the opportunity to be encouraged and to encourage others. It keeps us grounded in truth rather than believing the lies our culture, the enemy, and our flesh tell us. He s a god! She s heavenly! Rock, movie, and sports heroes are often considered divine by their admirers. Though most of those fans do not really think their idols are gods or goddesses, some fans come dangerously close to practicing idolatry. Paul and Barnabas experienced something similar in their missionary work. The men continued going to synagogues to preach about Jesus. Many Jews and Gentiles were saved as the two men performed signs and miracles in Iconium. Opposition intensified, so they decided to move on to Lycaonia. The Jews from Antioch and Iconium came and quickly turned the people against them, and the people even stoned Paul. Paul survived, but he and Barnabas left the next day. They traced their way back through the cities where they had made converts, encouraging them and appointing leaders for the churches. Eventually, they returned home to Antioch to report all that God had done on their journey. They were not gods, but they sure were heroes! Week 2 - Page 17

2 Large Group Introduce the Story Option for PreK: Work Together Invite kids to find a partner or work in groups. Guide each child to place one hand behind his or her back and one hand on the table. Ask questions and lead the kids to work together to show the correct number of fingers to display the answer. Each partner will use one hand, and partners will add together the number of shown fingers to reach the correct answer. How many letters are in the word cat? (3) How many days are in a week? (7) How many toes do you have? (10) How many words are in this sentence: God wants people to work together? (6) Thank kids for working together to show their answers. Share that today s Bible story is about two men who worked together to tell people about Jesus. Option for Older Kids: Secret Agent Names Supplies: Two gift bags or buckets, self-adhesive name badges, markers, index cards Prep: Write one word per card: Red, Purple, Black, Blue, Ninja, Lightning, Granite, and Puma Direct each person to draw one card from each bag to determine his or her code name for today s investigation (such as Purple Lightning, Black Puma, or Blue Ninja). Guide kids to make self-adhesive badges with their code names. Place the cards back in their respective bags and then draw one card from either bag. Instruct each agent with that word in his or her codename to do a silly action, such as yodel, pose like a superhero, or shoot a pretend basketball. Repeat several times. Explain that an agent is someone who acts on behalf of another. In today s Bible story, Paul and Barnabas were agents who worked together to carry out God s mission. Tell kids to remember their agent code names for use in activities later in today s lesson. Week 2 - Page 18

3 Review the Main Idea with kids by asking them to repeat it after you and giving each other high fives: God wants everyone to get along and encourage one another. Tell the Bible Story Supplies: Teaching Picture 2 Ask kids to partner up and say their first names at the same time, then have a seat. Explain that today s Bible story is about two men named Paul and Barnabas. Open your Bible to Acts 14 and invite kids to do the same. Jesus Example Paul and Barnabas worked as a team. As they visited cities and spoke about Jesus in the synagogues (Jewish worship places), many people believed the good news. Others insulted Paul and Barnabas and tried to hurt them. When this happened, the two friends would move to a different place and continue to speak bravely about Jesus. They shared the good news about Jesus everywhere they went. In the town of Lystra, Paul and Barnabas met a man who had never walked. Paul saw that the man had faith in God. Stand up! Paul said loudly. The man jumped up and began to walk around. Excited people in the crowd said, The gods have come down to us as people! The people thought Paul and Barnabas were gods! The people called them Zeus and Hermes and tried to worship the men. Paul and Barnabas stopped them. They shouted, Why are you doing this? We are men like you! We want to tell you good news so that you will turn from worthless gods and worship the God who made everything! Some people who had heard Paul preach in other towns arrived on the scene. These enemies convinced the crowd that Paul was really evil. They threw stones at Paul to kill him, but with help from their friends, Paul and Barnabas escaped to a safer place. After some time passed, Paul and Barnabas returned to the towns they first visited. They encouraged their Christian friends to be faithful to God, even in times of trouble. Week 2 - Page 19

4 Together, the two men sailed back to their home church in Antioch to report what God had done. BASED ON ACTS 14 Display the Teaching Picture and guide kids to describe the scene. Invite kids to share how they believe Paul and Barnabas encouraged one another. Week 2 - Page 20

5 Apply the Bible Story Option for PreK and Younger Kids: Supplies: Stations, supplies for Stations: pencils; two large pieces of paper; yellow, green, and blue sticky notes; masking tape; permanent markers Option: Pair older kids with the younger kids to complete the stations. For small groups of kids, you may rotate through the stations together. Form three groups of kids. Assign a station to each group. Instruct kids to work together to complete the questions or task at their station. When all groups complete their first station, instruct groups to move to another station. Kids can travel in any order between the stations. Continue until groups complete the questions or tasks at the three stations. Discuss the answers at each station. Option for Older Kids: Thumbs Up! Supplies: Older Activity Pages, washable ink pad, baby wipes, fine-tipped markers, painter s tape, permanent marker Talk about how kids can work visibly or behind the scenes to cooperate with others. Allow kids to ink their thumbs, put a print on Leave a Print (Older Activity Pages), and use the print to draw a picture that shows a way to cooperate with others this week. Invite kids to describe what they drew. Review the Main Idea with kids by asking them to repeat it while giving each other high fives: God wants everyone to get along and encourage one another. Week 2 - Page 21

6 Small Group Time (Dismiss to Groups) Apply the Main Idea Option for PreK: ABC Marble Races Supplies: Blocks (Legos, wooden, or interlocking), knife, swim noodle, two marbles, yardstick or measuring tape Prep: Cut the swim noodle in half vertically so the middle portion is exposed. Option: If you don t have a pool noodle, you can use paper towel tubes. If you are worried about the size of the marble, you may use bouncy balls instead. For Younger Kids: Make a list of cards with the different names on each card, one for each alphabet letter. Display these ideas for kids to choose from when their teams win and need to share a name. Form two teams of kids. Give each team half of a swim noodle, a marble, and blocks. Invite each team to work together to build a tower with the blocks. Guide teams to set the swim noodle on the top of the block tower as a ramp. Lead one child from each team to place a marble at the top of her swim noodle and roll the marble down the noodle. Measure which marble traveled the furthest distance on the floor. Guide kids to name people they can cooperate with as they roll the marbles. Lead the first child to name someone whose name starts with the letter A. Lead the next child to name someone who starts with the letter B, and so forth through each letter of the alphabet. Kids may use descriptive adjectives for more challenging letters, such as Quick Sam or Understanding Becca. Kids also may use other nouns, such as brother, neighbor, or teacher. Say: God wants everyone to get along and encourage one another. Option for Younger and Older Kids: Operation Cooperation Supplies: Paper, pencils, two foam cups, 1-inch pom-poms or cotton balls, painter s tape, timer or smartphone timer Prep: Tape the cups to a wall, about 3 feet above floor level. Tape a start line on the floor about 4 feet from the wall. Guide kids to find out what Paul had to say about teamwork in Philippians 2:1-3. Ask: What kind of attitude should you have in order to cooperate with others? What goal do you think Paul had in mind when he wrote these words? Form two teams. Give each team a piece of paper and pencil. Week 2 - Page 22

7 Recruit an agent communicator to record teammates answers. Set the timer for two minutes and announce a category. Choose categories, such as ways to cooperate with others: at home at school at church when there is a big job to do when others are not cooperating with you Prompt teammates to brainstorm actions that fit the category. When time expires, call for each team to read its list. Award one piece of gear (pom-pom) for each reasonable answer. At your signal, teams will stand behind the tape line and attempt to toss their pieces of gear (pom-poms) into home base (cup). Score 50 points for each successful toss. Retrieve the pieces of gear and play the next round in the same way. Close by complimenting teammates for working together well, and providing encouragement to one another. Review Option for PreK and Younger Kids Lead partners to sit and face each other. (These can be partners from earlier or newly formed partners.) Ask review questions, leading partners who know the answer to stand. Allow the first set of partners who stand to answer the question. Option: Reuse the cups and pom-poms from Operation Cooperation for kids to score points for correct answers. Review Questions 1. How did people react when Paul and Barnabas preached about Jesus? (Some believed, but some tried to harm them.) 2. Who were Paul and Barnabas mistaken for in Lystra? Why? (Two false gods because a man who could not walk was healed.) 3. What did Paul and Barnabas do when people tried to worship them? (Paul and Barnabas stopped the people and used the situation as an opportunity to teach them about God.) 4. In what ways did Paul and Barnabas cooperate with one another? (Answers will vary.) 5. Do you think people serve God better alone or as a team? Why? (Answers will vary.) Week 2 - Page 23

8 Option for Older Kids Supplies: Painter s tape, permanent marker Call for two agents by code name from the earlier activity. (Optional: You may also just choose two kids.) Direct them to stand just outside the door. Quietly invite kids to suggest a word relating to today s Bible story. Write it on a strip of painter s tape and hide the tape in your room. Call for agents to return. The others will direct them to the tape by beeping, with their volume indicating how close or far away the agents are. Note that the first agent to find the tape should tell how the word relates to today s Bible story. Repeat the activity as time allows. Learn the Memory Verse Memory Verse: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV Younger Children Option: Encourage one another. Hebrews 10:25, NIV Option for PreK Supplies: Marker board, marker, index cards Prep: Write one or two words per card of the memory verses, with all the words from Hebrews 10:24 and/or verse 25 written on cards (Hebrews 10:24-25). Option for Younger Kids: Use as few or as many word cards as you would like. You can begin with the phrase Encourage one another, and include the reference. Adapt the activity to the ability of your kids. If you want to use a lot of the cards, consider numbering the cards (on the side with the words) to make the activity easier. Open your Bible to Hebrews 10: Read aloud the verses. Scatter the prepared memory verse cards face down randomly on the floor. Explain that kids will take turns turning over the cards in order. Lead the first child to turn over one card. If the card is the first phrase of the verse, he or she will leave the card turned up and attempt to find the second phrase. If the next card is not the second phrase, then the child should turn over all of the cards so that the phrases are hidden again. Instruct kids to not help each other during play. Play until kids turn over all of the cards in the correct order. Week 2 - Page 24

9 Scatter the cards facedown again and play a second round. This time, allow kids to work together to turn over the cards in the correct order. Discuss how much easier it is when people work together and cooperate. Lead kids to say the verse together. Explain that everyone can work together and tell other people about Jesus. Option for All Kids Supplies: Marker and marker board (or construction paper) Prep: Write the words to Hebrews 10:24-25 on the marker board for reference as needed. Open your Bible to Hebrews 10:24-25 and read the verses aloud. Lead kids to read the verse in unison, substituting an electronic beep sound for every word containing the letter a. Repeat. Continue beeping, but add a buzz sound for every word containing b. Continue alphabetically, substituting sounds until kids omit all words. Conceal the verses and challenge kids to say the verses unprompted. Emphasize the importance of working together to tell others about Jesus. Invite volunteers to pray that kids would be bold and actively work together to tell their friends about Jesus. Pray Invite volunteers to pray and ask God to help kids work together to tell others about Jesus. Activity/Take Home Sheets Use the remaining group time to complete the activity sheets for this week s lesson ( 02_ActivityPage_Younger and 02_ActivityPage_Older ). If you run out of time, send the sheets home for kids to review during the week. Note: You will have already completed one activity found on the Older Activity Page. Week 2 - Page 25

10 Week 2 - Page LifeWay

11 Mystery Word Can you find the mystery word? FIRST, solve the clues and SECOND, write the letters underneath the correct numbers on the grid. The first letter of the holiday when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. and The first letter of the month before November. The first letter of the food that is usually round and is covered with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. and The letter that is used twice in the name of the color of grass. The last letter of the number after three. The first letter of the alphabet. The last letter of the animal that says: "Meow." Can you use the mystery word in this sentence? God wants people to with others. IMAGE CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM Now, write the name of a friend whom you can with to do what God says and tell other people about Jesus LifeWay NAME Week 2 - Page 27

12 Use the evidence guide below to examine how Paul and Barnabas (possibly aided by anonymous accomplices) cooperated to transport the good news about Jesus. Name(s) or descriptions of suspects: Last seen at: Acts 14:3-7 Suspected of: Supporting evidence: * * * * * * * Name(s) or descriptions of suspects: Last seen at: Acts 14:11-15,18-20 Suspected of: Supporting evidence: * * * * * * * Name(s) or descriptions of suspects: Last seen at: Acts 14:21-23 Suspected of: Supporting evidence: LEAVE A PRINT Leave a THUMBPRINT here. Then use your print in a drawing of a one-of-a-kind way you can cooperate with others during the next seven days. IMAGE CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM * * * * * * * Name(s) or descriptions of suspects: Last seen at: Acts 14:26-27 Suspected of: Supporting evidence: Week 2 - Page LifeWay

13 Set up three work stations around the room. Gather the supplies for each station: Station 1: Kids Activity Pages, pencils Station 2: large piece of paper; yellow, green, blue sticky notes On the large piece of paper print the following sentence, leaving room for kids to add their colored sticky notes: Station 3: large piece of paper, masking tape, permanent markers At the top of the large piece of paper write Willingly. Directions Station Station Station Write your name on a... Write another person s name on a... Write a job on a... Work as a group to complete the Mystery Word on the Kids Activity Page. Attach sticky notes to the large paper in the correct order and then read the sentence. Leave your sticky notes attached to the paper. Talk about other words or synonyms for willingly. Write the answers on the tape and stick them to the paper. 11 STATIONS Bible Studies For Life Grades 1 3 & 4 6 Leader Pack, Summer 2017 Printed in the USA 2017 LifeWay Instructions: Cut apart the cards and use with Unit 2, Session 3 (younger). Week 2 - Page 29

14 family devotionals Week #2: Encourage One Another ACTIVITY: Large piece of paper per child Markers or crayons Have someone read Acts 14: While reading imagine in your head what Paul and Barnabas journey looked like and draw a map. Mark each location and draw the routes they took. Feel free to draw what you think the land looked like. After reading and as kids are still drawing, talk about how many places they went and why you think Paul and Barnabas felt they needed to do this. What was driving them? Read Matthew 28:19-20 Note: Check the back of your Bibles and see if you have a map of this journey. It may be called Paul s Missionary Journeys. You can also Google it! FOCUS: STEP IT UP: (if you are able to make more time in your week) God wants everyone to get along and encourage one another. One sheet of paper per family member. Markers and tape. Tape a piece of paper on each person s back. Walk around and write encouragements to each other. What do you like about that person? What makes them special? What do you want them to know? How do you feel about them? Feel free to write many things! When everyone feels they are done. Take the papers off and give everyone a chance to read (or read to them) what their family said about them. Pray: Dear God, Help us to remember to encourage others. Thank you for this family that loves each other. May we never forget the kind things we read and heard today. AMEN. GO DEEPER: (have older kids or are just ready for more?) Week 2 - Page 30 Read Acts 14:8-15. First, try to imagine this. Paul tells someone to get up and walk and they do or I should say they CAN! God used Paul to heal this person. Describe what this must have been like. Why did the people start worshipping Paul and Barnabas? Do we still do that today at times? We can misplace our praise on someone who is just human like us. For example we read a story about an athlete that has gotten in trouble and are surprised that someone we look up to has messed up! Although this is disappointing and what they did was wrong we need to remember they are only human. Only God is perfect, only God is worthy of our worship, only God never messes up.