An adventure in God s Word for your Family Scripture Adventures Acts of the Apostles KJV Version Part 1: Peter Leads Christ s Church www.scriptureadventures.com www.scriptureadventures.com Sample pages from Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com Sample page 1
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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 1: PETER LEADS THE CHURCH 1. Who Wrote the Book of Acts? 2. Jesus Ascension Into Heaven, Acts 1 3. Testimonies of the Living Christ 4. A New Apostle is Called, Acts 1 5. The Day of Pentecost, Acts 2 6. Testifying to the World, Acts 2 7. Memorize This! Acts 2:17, 21 8. Converting Thousands, Acts 2 9. The Jerusalem Journal 10. Memorize This! Acts 2:38 11. Peter and John Heal a Lame Man, Acts 3 12. Peter and John Arrested, Acts 4 13. The Church Members Have All Things in Common, Acts 4-5 14. Power of the Apostles, Acts 5 15. Peter and John Arrested and Escape, file Acts 5 16. Reviewing Peter s Ministry, Acts 1-5 17. Apostles Call Men to Assist Them, Acts 6 18. Stephen s Ministry, Acts 6-7 19. Stephen s Faith, Acts 7 20. Simon Wishes to Buy the Power of God, Acts 8 21. Philip Baptizes a Eunuch, Acts 8 GameSample 34. Peter s Ministry 22. Peter Heals the Sick and Raises the Dead, Acts 9 23. Cornelius Vision, Acts 10 24. Peter s Vision, Acts 10 25. Peter Teaches the Gospel to the Gentiles, Acts 10 26. Gentiles Receive the Gospel, Acts 10-11 27. Peter s Miraculous Escape, Acts 12 28. In Your Own Words: Peter s Escape 29. Peter Writes Letters to the Church Members, 1 Peter 30. Christ Suffered For Our Sins, 1 Peter 3 31. Peter s Second Letter, 2 Peter 32. Memorize This! 2 Peter 1:5-7 33. Timeline of Peter s Ministry Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 12
WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF ACTS? The book of Acts is the second part of the book written by Luke, probably between 61-63 A.D. It records the establishment of the church in the days after Christ s resurrection and some of the major missionary activities of the Apostles. Luke was born of Gentile (non-jewish) parents and became a physician. He was a messenger of Christ and a fellow-traveler with Paul (Acts 16, 20). Luke was with Paul during his second imprisonment in Rome. The book of Acts is a continuation of the story in the book of Luke and discusses the growth of the early church, especially among the Gentiles (non-jews). He shows us how the Apostles fulfilled Christ s prophecy in Acts 1:8 that says that they would be a witness of him both in Jerusalem and many other places. Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8 IMPORTANT EVENTS RECORDED IN ACTS: Jesus ascension into heaven Choosing a new Apostle to take Judas place The gift of the Holy Ghost given to the Apostles The work of Peter and John in Jerusalem The ministry of Stephen and Philip The conversion and work of Paul Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 13
JESUS ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN ACTS 1 After Jesus resurrection, he appeared to many people. He taught his Apostles more about how to set up and lead his church. The book of Acts says that Jesus was seen of them forty days, and [spoke] of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). The Apostles were in Jerusalem with Jesus. It was time for him to leave them, but he promised that he would send the Holy Ghost to guide them. Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence, he said. Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). Why did the Apostles need the gift of the Holy Ghost? They needed power to become witnesses of Christ and his gospel. Jesus said they would take the gospel message throughout Judea, Samaria, and all the earth! Can you imagine how the Apostles must have felt? Do you know what happened next? Read the following verses from Acts 1 and underline what happened to Jesus: ACTS 1 THE ASCENSION 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. What happened to Jesus? What did the two angels promise? What does the word steadfastly mean in verse 10? Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 14
TESTIMONIES OF THE LIVING CHRIST Why were the 40 days between the resurrection of Christ and his ascension into heaven so important? Because it changed the Apostles. They had been followers of Christ, and full of faith, but after his resurrection, they were now witnesses of his divine mission and his resurrection. In this part of Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles, you will be reading how the Apostles, and those called to help them, began to share their powerful testimonies of Christ with the world. The church grew, slowly at first, but it was filled with the Spirit and power of God. PETER: Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs...this Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses (Acts 2). JOHN: That which... we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled... the Word of life (1 John 1:1). PAUL: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures...he was buried, and he rose again the third day according to the scriptures...after that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once...he was seen of James...then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me.... (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Scripture Adventures: Acts of the Apostles 2009 www.scriptureadventures.com, Page 15