An adventure in God s Word for your Family Scripture Adventures Acts of the Apostles KJV Version Part 3: Beyond the New Testament www.scriptureadventures.com www.scriptureadventures.com Sample pages from Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com Sample page 3
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INTRODUCTION 1. Welcome to Acts of the Apostles 2. Finding Your Way Through the New Testament 3. How Did We Get the New Testament? 4. Learn the Books of the New Testament 5. New Testament Bible Map 6. The Roman Empire and the Greek Culture 7. People to Know in the Early Church (Acts to Revelation) 8. Illustration and Map Credits Jesus ascended into heaven, leaving Peter and others to carry on his work. Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 3
WELCOME TO ACTS OF THE APOSTLES You are about to go on a grand adventure through the stories of the most important events that have ever happened on earth! Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles will introduce you to the prophecies about Jesus, his birth, his mortal ministry, death, and resurrection, and the calling of the Twelve Apostles. It will also teach you about the Church in the Middle Ages and the faithful work of the Reformers in making the Bible available for everyone. Did you know that the Lord knows how smart and amazing you are? Even though you are still a kid, you can do great things! In New Testament times, the Lord inspired the Apostle Paul to write a letter to a man named Timothy. Timothy was a very young and pretty inexperienced church leader. Like you, he probably didn t feel like he knew the scriptures as well as he wanted to. But Paul encouraged Timothy. He said, Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul was telling Timothy that he could still be an example of faith and belief even though he was young. Dear Timothy, Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Sincerely, Paul Paul also reminded Timothy about something important: From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15). You can know the scriptures as a child, too! Learning about the doctrines of the gospel in the scriptures will make you wise unto salvation like Timothy was. A TESTAMENT OF CHRIST The New Testament is a testament (something that testifies) of Christ. The prophets from Adam until the time that Christ was born had all looked forward to his coming. They taught about his birth and his mission. The New Testament records how those prophecies were fulfilled during the life and mission of Jesus Christ. As you study the New Testament, you can strengthen your own testimony. Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 4
FINDING YOUR WAY THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT There are 27 books of the New Testament taken from the writings of the Apostles and early Church leaders. The New Testament was originally written in Greek, which was the language of the Roman empire at the time of Christ. Christ and the Apostles spoke a language called Aramaic in their everyday lives, but outside of Palestine, people used Greek to communicate. It was the official language of the Roman empire. When the Apostles wrote, they used Greek, the language of the educated. Here are the books of the New Testament: The New Testament was originally written in Greek, the language of the Roman empire. Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1, 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1, 2 Thessalonians 1, 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1, 2, Peter 1, 2, 3 John Jude Revelation The four Gospels tell the story of Jesus life and ministry. Acts records the work of the Apostles in setting up the church and spreading the Gospel. These are letters (or epistles), written by Paul to members of the Church. These are letters (or epistles), written by other Church leaders to members of the Church. The revelations and visions of the Apostle John. In New Testament times the apostles and Church leaders kept records, giving an official testimony of the ministry of Jesus and the progress and teachings of the Church. Many of the details, like the time and place of the events, are not recorded, but the New Testament writers recorded their faith and testimony of Christ for us. The books of Acts to Revelation are mainly letters, or epistles written to Church members to encourage them and teach them. Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 5
HOW DID WE GET THE NEW TESTAMENT? A RECORD OF CHRIST The Apostles and other early Church leaders recorded their testimonies of Christ. They wrote down what he taught and what they saw Jesus do. These writings are found in the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), or Gospels. Later, Luke made a record of the ministry and teachings of Peter and the Apostles and of Paul s missionary journeys. This became the book of Acts. Most of the rest of the New Testament contains letters that the Church leaders wrote to members of the church to encourage them and strengthen their faith. Over time, all of these writings (called manuscripts) were collected together and preserved. The writings were translated from Greek to Latin and later into other languages. As the manuscripts got old and worn, priests and Church leaders copied the writings by hand to make a new set. MEMORY VERSES Take a minute to look at the list of Memory Verses for Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles. During this course, you will be memorizing these scriptures. Memorizing Bible verses is a great way to put God s Word in your heart. As you memorize and think about each Bible verse, think about what it means to you. Review your Memory Verses several times a week. Talk about them with your family. See if you can get your parents to memorize with you! Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 6
LEARN THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT Practice saying the books of the New Testament in order until you can recite them. 1. RECITE GROUP A: Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans B! 2. RECITE GROUP B: 1, 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 3. RECITE GROUPS A&B TOGETHER. 4. RECITE GROUP C: 1, 2 Thessalonians 1, 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews C! D! 5. RECITE GROUPS A, B, & C TOGETHER. In the New Testament, Jesus showed that children were loved by God. 6. RECITE GROUP D: James 1, 2, Peter 1, 2, 3 John Jude Revelation E! 7. RECITE GROUPS A, B, C, & D TOGETHER. 8. RECITE ALL THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT FOR YOUR FAMILY! Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 7
NEW TESTAMENT BIBLE MAP SYRIA CYPRUS CRETE GALILEE Mediterranean Sea EGPYT JUDEA SAMARIA The land where the Jewish people lived at the time of Christ is sometimes called the Holy Land, Palestine, or Canaan. Some important parts of the Holy Land are Judea (where Jerusalem is located), Samaria (the hill country north of Jerusalem), and Galilee (near the Sea of Galilee where Jesus grew up). Find each of those places on the map above. North of Palestine was a country called Syria. Find it on the map. There is a country in the Middle East today called Syria, but it is much smaller than ancient Syria. Some Jews lived in Syria and its cities were located along important trading routes in the Roman Empire. Jerusalem, the main city at the time of Christ, was in northern Judea. It is still a very important city today. Do you know what country Jerusalem is in today? Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 8
THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE GREEK CULTURE The world of the New Testament was one that was controlled by the Roman Empire and inspired by Greek culture. By the time the early church was getting established, the Romans had controlled Palestine for almost a century. The Jews didn t like someone else controlling their land, but there were benefits, too. Here are some good things about the Roman Empire that benefited the people they controlled: The Romans brought peace and security with safer roads and easier travel. Pirates and bandits were a thing of the past (mostly). This made spreading the news of the gospel easier and safer for the early Christians. Paul and many other Church leaders were able to travel to branches of the Church to train leaders and uplift the Church members. The Greek language was spoken everywhere in the Roman empire, and most educated Jews learned to speak Greek even though it was not their native language. Paul was able to use Greek to speak to people from many places. Many people that Paul taught shared similar (Greek) ideas about life and religion. Because Paul knew about these ideas, he was able to use them as a starting point for sharing the gospel message with them. What do you know about the Roman Empire? In the box below, draw some pictures and write some words that show what you already know about the Romans. Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 9
PEOPLE TO KNOW IN THE EARLY CHURCH (ACTS TO REVELATION) Ananias was a Christian leader who lived in Damascus, Syria. He healed Paul from blindness. The Christians in Damascus later helped Paul escape from the Jews there by lowering him over the wall in a basket by night (Acts 9). A different man called Ananias and his wife selfishly held back money from the Lord (Acts 5). Barnabus was one a faithful man who sold all of his possessions and gave them to the Apostles for the work of the Lord. He was later sent to Antioch to help build the Church there and then became a missionary companion of Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 11). Cornelius was a centurion who loved God and had a vision. He was told to ask Peter to teach him the gospel (Acts 10). Eutychus was a young man who fell from a window while listening to Paul preach in Troas. Paul healed him (Acts 20). Felix was the Roman governor in Caesarea who kept Paul captive after his arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 24). Festus replaced Felix as governor and sent Paul to Rome to stand before Caesar (Acts 25-26). James was an early Church leader and Apostle. He was killed by Herod. John was one of the early Church leaders who helped organize the Church with Peter. He wrote the book of John and Revelation. King Agrippa was a Roman king in Israel. Paul told Agrippa about Jesus Christ and his conversion. Agrippa was impressed with Paul. He said, I know that thou believest...almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian (Acts 26) Luke wrote the book of Luke and Acts. He was a physician and follower of Christ. Matthias became one of the Twelve Apostles after Jesus died (Acts 1). Paul was a Pharisee who hated Jesus disciples. He was converted on the road to Damascus and became a great supporter of Christ and a wonderful missionary. Most of the book of Acts records Paul s missionary journeys and many of the letters in the New Testament were written by him. Peter was one of Jesus Twelve Apostles. After Jesus ascension into heaven, Peter was the head of the Church. Under his direction, the early Church grew rapidly. Philip and others were called to assist the Apostles in spreading the gospel (Acts 8). Romans captured Israel many years before Jesus was born. During the time of Christ, the Romans controlled Israel. Silas was Paul s missionary companion on his second missionary journey. Silas, a missionary companion of Paul, was imprisoned with Paul in Philippi and helped convert the jailor. Simon lived in Samaria. When he heard about the power of Peter and John, he wanted to buy the priesthood (Acts 8). Stephen was a follower of Christ and leader in the early Church. Because of his testimony, he was arrested and sentenced to death by the Jews. As they stoned him, he saw a vision of heaven, with God and Jesus standing at his right hand. Tabitha was a young woman who lived at Joppa. She died and Peter brought her back to life. Timothy was one of Paul s young converts in Lystra (Acts 14), who later became a trusted leader and friend to Paul. Titus was a Greek convert in Antioch and later a bishop. Paul wrote a letter to him describing the office of a bishop. Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 10
ILLUSTRATION AND MAP CREDITS The illustrations and artwork in Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles (unless otherwise noted) are taken from these sources: Maps created and copyrighted by Scripture Adventures 2008. Treasures of the Bible by Henry Davenport Northrop, D.D. published by International Publishing Company, 1894. Standard Bible Story Readers by Lillie A. Faris illustrated by O. A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland published by The Standard Publishing Company, 1925. The Children s Friend: Pictures and Stories of the Life of Jesus by Mrs. Adelaide Bee Evans published by Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1911, 1928. Various Images from Shutterstock Images, used with permission. If you enjoy Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles, please be sure to check our website for other scripture products for children. www.scriptureadventures.com Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 11
UNIT 5: APOSTASY AND REFORMATION 1. What Happened to the Apostles? 2. Persecution of the Early Church Members 3. Let No Man Deceive You 4. Memorize This! 2 Peter 3:17 5. Prophecies of Apostasy 6. Timeline of the Early Church 7. Beginning of the Great Apostasy 8. Medieval Times 9. The Church in the Middle Ages 10. Leaders in the Medieval Church 11. The Latin Bible Memory Verse Challenge 12. The Great Cathedrals of Europe 13. Make Your Own Stained Glass Pictures 14. The Crusades 15. A New Dawn: The Beginning of Reform 16. The First Reformers 17. An Invention to Change the World 18. The Gutenberg Bible 19. Printing Project 20. Noted Reformers Presentation 21. Reformers Report 22. Reformers Wrap-up 23. Led By Inspiration to the New World 24. The World in Columbus Day 25. The Protestant Churches 26. Moving Toward a New Translation of the Bible 27. The King James Version of the Bible 28. Contribution of the Reformers 29. Pilgrims and Puritans 30. Religious Life in Colonial America 31. Memorize This! The Lord s Prayer 32. Memory Verse Review: Units 1-5 33. The Great Awakening in America 34. The Land of the Free 35. Then and Now 36. Memory Verse List: Units 1-6 and Check Off List Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 151
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE APOSTLES? The word apostle was used in the New Testament to describe Jesus original Twelve Disciples: Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. These men had a special mission to lead the Church and spread the gospel. When Judas died, he was replaced by Matthias. The word apostle is also used in the New Testament for other early missionaries and Church leaders such as Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and Timothy. These men worked in building up God s kingdom under the direction of Peter, who led the early Church. DEATHS OF THE APOSTLES As the gospel spread through the Roman Empire, persecution against the people who believed in Jesus increased. Church leaders were thrown in prison (remember the story of Peter and John in prison, the story of Paul and Barnabas in prison, and Paul s long imprisonment in Rome?). James was killed by Herod in 44 A.D., becoming the first of the Twelve Apostles to be killed (Acts 12:1-2). Although the New Testament does not record the deaths of the other Apostles, historical records tell us that Peter was crucified in Rome (64 A.D.), Paul was put to death in 65 A.D., and of all the Twelve Apostles but John were killed for what they believed. The Apostle John was exiled to the island of Patmos for many years, where he received important revelations about the last days. He recorded his vision in the book of Revelation. PERSECUTION OF CHURCH MEMBERS About the time that Peter died in Rome (64 A.D.), the Roman emperor, Nero, began making laws to kill Christians. During his reign, thousands of Christians were killed. Many more lost their jobs, their homes, or their freedom. Believing in Christ was a very dangerous thing to do, and the Christians had to hold their Church meetings secretly. When a huge fire in Rome destroyed a large part of the city (64 A.D.), Nero blamed the Christians for starting the fire! This increased hatred towards the Church members. They suffered greatly, but they were determined to keep their faith strong. Around 93 A.D., The Emperor Domitian began another round of Christian persecution. This continued for more than 200 years until Emperor Constantine (312 A.D.) made Christianity a legal religion and stopped the killing. Nero persecuted the Christians. Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 152
PERSECUTION OF THE EARLY CHURCH MEMBERS Persecution of God s people has happened since Cain killed Abel. Throughout the Old Testament, you can read stories of people rejecting the prophets and their messages. The same thing happened in the early days of Christ s Church. Peter, James, and Paul were all killed during New Testament times. The other Apostles (except John) were also eventually killed. Roman Emperors like Nero and Domitian made it very dangerous to openly be a Christian. Thousands of Christians were killed for their faith. How did the early Church members keep their faith during the time of persecution? They trusted in God s promises. They knew that if they kept the commandments and had faith in Christ, they would live with God again. They knew that what happened to them in this life was not as important as keeping their faith and living with God again. Using your Bible, find some promises that God makes to those that believe in him (you might want to ask a parent or older sibling for help). Make a two minute talk to give to your family about God s promises. Tell your family about the faith of the early Christian Church members. Tell them how the Church members were faithful even though they were persecuted. Use the space below to make notes for your talk. PERSECUTION Christians all over the Roman empire were persecuted. Their religion was called, new and harmful, strange and unlawful, and even hateful by Roman leaders who believed that the people should treat the Roman Emperor like a god. Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 153
LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU Apostasy means turning away from the truth that Jesus taught. During New Testament times, Peter and Paul were constantly warning Church members against apostasy. Paul wrote many letters to the Church members correcting their false ideas about the gospel, warning them to stay true to Christ s message, and telling them not to follow false teachers. Jesus had taught: For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect (Matthew 24:24). Peter reminded the Church members that, There shall be false teachers among you, denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1). He warned the people to beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness (2 Peter 3:17). Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first (2 Thessalonians 2:3). These leaders knew that the gospel would spread and that even though the people would suffer from persecution, the Church would continue to grow. They knew that the real danger for the Church was the people turning away from the true gospel message. What did Peter say about apostasy? What did Paul say about apostasy? What did Jesus say about apostasy? As the Apostles and Church leaders were killed, it became harder and harder for the scattered branches of the Church to remain true to the gospel of Christ. False ideas and errors began to creep in to Church doctrine because people misunderstood or had forgotten the details of the messages Paul and the early missionaries had taught them. Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 154