LIFE POINT: Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. LEADER BIBLE STUDY

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1 THE ASCENSION LIFE POINT: Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. LEADER BIBLE STUDY HOLY SPIRIT LEVEL OF BIBLICAL LEARNING The Holy Spirit is a special helper. BIBLE PASSAGE Acts 1:4-11 WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26 UNIT VERSE For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37 It was an impressive sight to watch as the enormous rocket carrying the Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off the pad in Cape Canaveral. Folks watching could easily see the huge brilliant flame and hear the roar of the mighty rocket engines. Hundreds of spectators stood gazing into the sky long after the shuttle disappeared into the darkness. It was as if they couldn t believe what they had just witnessed. Maybe that s how Jesus disciples felt. Though He promised that they would soon be baptized with the Holy Spirit, apparently, they still did not get it. They thought He was about to restore Israel s kingdom. Jesus replied with an important principle. It was not for them to know God s timetable because He still had work for them to do. They would be His witnesses starting in Jerusalem and going much further beyond the general area of Jerusalem, where they were standing. Note this was not a command but a statement of fact. The Spirit compelled them to share the gospel with all peoples in all places. Jesus soon ascended out of their sight. The disciples stood amazed. Two men dressed in white appeared and asked why they were still standing there. Jesus would someday return, but they needed to get busy. What truths would the Holy Spirit teach the disciples and how would He empower them? Jesus laid a strategy for missions in Acts 1:8. How does your church implement that strategy in your community? NOTE: Downloadable versions of items identified as CD are available in the Music and Print Extras Bundle. Items identified as DVD are available in the Digital Video Bundle. Additional training for Bible Studies for Life: Kids available at ministrygrid.com/web/biblestudiesforlife. SUGGESTED DATE: week of April Unit 2, SeSSion 5

2 PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS TOUCH AND GO 1. Call attention to the letter signs on the floor. Explain that kids will move from letter to letter in order of the beginning letters of the first five books of the New Testament and will say the name of the book at each letter. (For example; step from M to L to J to A while saying, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts. ) Let the kids use the Table of Contents in their Bibles if necessary. Kids who know the first five books may just move to the letters as they name the books. After kids have done the activity once or twice, begin adding more books to their list of books to name the various letters. 2. Remind the kids that the Bible stories for Unit 2 are all found in the Gospels and the New Testament book of History. 3. Option: The Ascension Coloring Pages (CD). INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY PROMISE? PROMISE! 1. Form two teams. Instruct the kids on each team to hook elbows so they can move from one place to another as a group. Point out that there are two colors of letters around the room. Assign one color to each group. At your signal, each group will move with their arms locked and gather their letters from around the room. Explain that a different child in the line must pick up each letter. When a letter is picked up, the kids must pass it to the end of the line and back to the child who picked it up. 2. Give a signal for the teams to begin. When a team has found all their letters, tell them to unscramble the letters to form a word. If a group needs help, tell them that the word begins with P. Give other clues as needed. 3. When groups have completed their words, ask what they think the word might have to do with today s Bible story. Tell the kids that today they will learn that Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. Sheets of paper, a marker, and tape Print each of the following letters on a separate sheet of paper and spread them out and tape them to the floor: A, C, E, G, H, J, L, M, P, R, T. (CD) Option: Place the papers in a Giant Game Floor Mat ( ) DVD Pack Item 23: Promise? Promise! Place the letters around the room with some letters easy to spot and some a little harder to find. Show The Ascension: Introduction video. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 1s t & 2n d GRADE 59

3 STUDY THE BIBLE SING Lead the kids to sing Jesus Is Alive! (track 4). TELL THE BIBLE STORY Set the stage. Ask the kids to sit on the floor and pretend they are outside on the ground as they think about how the disciples felt as they listened to Jesus teach them. Pack Items and 17: Unit 2 Banner, Jesus Is Alive!, Luke 1:37, Unit 2 Questions, and Flower Pot Toss Teaching Picture 9 CD DVD Two clothespins Options: Bring blankets or towels for kids to sit on as they pretend they are outdoors. If possible, make plans to tell the Bible story outdoors. Show the Teaching Picture. Encourage the kids to listen and discover something Jesus promised His followers. Open your Bible to Acts 1 and tell the Bible story in your own words. Tell the Bible Story: The Ascension Jesus showed Himself to many people during the 40 days after His resurrection. He spoke with many people and told them about the kingdom of God. While He was there, Jesus told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem to wait for what God promised. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was going to come. It was an important promise. The believers asked Jesus, Are you going to give the kingdom back to Israel now? Jesus answered, You don t need to know the time for what God has planned. But you will receive the Holy Spirit s power. Tell people about Me in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and all over the world. After Jesus said this, He was taken up into the sky and disappeared into a cloud. The men were left standing there looking into heaven. Suddenly, two men dressed in white clothes were standing with the believers! The two men said, Why are you looking up into the heavens? This very same Jesus who has gone up into heaven will come again in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven. REVIEW THE STORY BASED ON ACTS 1:4-11 Use Bibles. Guide the kids to find Acts 1:9 in their Bibles. Direct them to place their index fingers on what happened to Jesus as the crowd watched. 60 Unit 2, SeSSion 5

4 LIFE POINT Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. Call attention to the unit banner. Ask how the disciples knew Jesus was alive. Invite the kids to read Luke 1:37 from the display. Ask what the miracle in today s Bible story was and Who made it happen. Remark that going back into heaven was not hard for Jesus! Ask what promise Jesus made to the disciples. (Jesus promised God would send the Holy Spirit.) LEARN THE WEEKLY VERSE Guide the kids to find John 14:26 in their Bibles. Ask what the verse tells people that the Holy Spirit will do. (teach Jesus followers and help them remember all that Jesus taught them) Suggest kids make up hand motions for the second half of the verse. Lead the kids to repeat the verse several times using the motions. EXPLORE THE LIFE POINT AND PRAY Remind the kids that Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit after He was gone. The verse the kids learned told that the Holy Spirit would teach people about Jesus and living for God and would remind people of what Jesus taught. Explain that the Holy Spirit would also be a comforter and would help people know when they have sinned and need God s forgiveness. Show The Ascension: Life Action video. Ask what Skeeter said the ascension was. (when Jesus was carried into heaven 40 days after He was resurrected) Tell the kids you know they could have answered if Skeeter had asked them what Jesus promised before He went up into heaven. Ask what He promised. (that God would send the Holy Spirit) Pray Ask a volunteer to thank God for sending the Holy Spirit after Jesus went back to heaven. Invite other volunteers to thank God for good things that have happened during the week and to ask God to give them the things they truly need. REVIEW Guide the kids to play Flower Pot Toss using the questions for all five sessions. (Tip: Kids will often do better if you ask all the questions for one story at a time.) BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 1s t & 2n d GRADE 61

5 LIVE IT OUT CHOICE 1 Kids Activity Pages Teaching Picture 9 Two-by-five-inch construction paper strips in light colors, markers, magnetic tape, magnets, and white construction paper CHOICE 2 Kids Activity Pages Pack Item 14 and 24: Unit 2 Questions and It s Our Game Markers, pencils, index cards, sticky notes, a gift bag, and two game markers such as buttons or paper clips Option: A numbered cube or a spinner CHOICE 1 Ascension Action Scenes 1. Complete the Kids Activity Page. 2. Show the Teaching Picture for today s Bible story. As kids look at the picture, ask questions to guide a review of today s Bible story. 3. Suggest the kids create an action scene of Jesus ascent into heaven. Distribute 2-by-5-inch construction paper strips and markers. Direct the kids to draw simple pictures of what Jesus might have looked like on the strips. Kids may attach a small length of magnetic tape to the back of each figure. Explain that kids can draw the background for the story on white paper. Some things they might include are a grassy area, sky, clouds, and other people who listened to Jesus. When kids finish the background, they can place the Jesus figure on their drawing, place a magnet underneath the paper, and use it to move the Jesus figure up from the ground to the sky, showing that Jesus ascended into heaven. 4. Encourage the kids to use their action scenes to tell people that before He went to heaven, Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. CHOICE 2 It s Our Game 1. Complete the Kids Activity Page. 2. Explain that kids can make a game to help them remember the Bible stories they have learned this month. Show how the gameboard sections can be assembled in different ways. Let kids decide how they would like to lay out the sections and connect the paths. Guide them to decorate the gameboard. Ask if they will add pictures about this month s Bible stories or if they will use designs to decorate. Ask if they want to put any penalties or bonuses in any of the game squares. (For example, Lose a turn or Move ahead two spaces.) If so, suggest they write on sticky notes and place the notes on pathway squares. Do the same thing for Start and Finish. Point out that now the game can be changed if they like. 3. Suggest that you can ask questions from the Bible stories and teams can move if they answer correctly. If the kids would like to move using numbered cards, ask them to print a number on each index card. Place the cards in a bag. Kids can a pull a card from the bag to see how many spaces they can move. Option: Use a numbered cube or spinner. 4. Form two teams and play. 62 Unit 2, SeSSion 5

6 LIFE POINT Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. CHOICE 3 Sandy Messages 1. Complete the Kids Activity Page. 2. Remind the kids that Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. Ask if they remember what Jesus told His followers to do (tell people everywhere about Him) and where Jesus went when He finished talking. 3. Explain that the kids will make messages and then cover them with colored sand. Print on a large sheet suggestions kids have for short sentences about things they learned today. (Examples would include Jesus went up to heaven; I can tell about Jesus; Jesus promised the Holy Spirit; The Holy Spirit helps us.) Distribute paper. Guide the kids to print their messages first in pencil. Ask the kids to decide which letters of their messages will be a particular color. Explain that they must trace over those letters with glue and then use a craft stick to spread the glue lightly. Next they can sprinkle the desired color of sand on the letters, wait a few seconds, and gently shake the excess off onto a paper plate. Each child can then continue with a different color of sand. Kids may add designs after they complete their messages. 4. Spray the messages with hair spray or another fixative. WRAP UP Missions Emphasis: Review the missions story (CD) or show the video, Happy Work. At the end of the video, ask kids to name ways they saw people working hard (feeding animals, hoeing vegetable patches, washing clothes by hand, or grinding corn). Comment that farm work is almost always hard work, but the work is worth it when it gives missionaries the opportunity to tell Chorti farmers about God! CHOICE 3 Kids Activity Pages A large sheet of paper, a marker, pencils, construction paper, craft sticks, glue, colored sand, a paper plate, and hair spray or spray fixative If you do not have colored sand, you make your own by mixing sand with dry powdered tempera paint. Option: Provide gallonsize plastic bags for transporting messages home. WRAP UP DVD Show The Ascension: Wrap Up video. Lead the kids to repeat both Luke 1:37 and John 14:26. Remind them that Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. Pray, thanking God for keeping His promise to send the Holy Spirit. Remind the kids to give their One Conversation pages to their parents. This week: Ask God s Spirit to show you how to pray for your kids. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 1s t & 2n d GRADE 63