God s Unfolding Story. Arrival

New Testament Unit 9: Jesus Began the Church Lesson 4: The People in the Church Shared about Jesus God s Unfolding Story Suggested Bible Story: 1. God created everything. Schedule: The People in the Arrival Church Shared About 2. People disobeyed God. Centers 25 minutes Jesus (Acts 8:4-6; 26-40) Clean-up Time 5 minutes Bible Phrase: Philip told 3. God chose a special people. Bible Story Time 15 minutes Craft Time 10 minutes about Jesus. (Acts 8:35) 4. God sent Jesus to help us. Snack Time 10 minutes Bible Truth: I can tell Game Time/Dismissal others about Jesus. 5. Jesus began the Church. Hour A 6. Jesus is preparing heaven for us. Unfolding God s Story for Teachers This is the last lesson in our unit on Jesus Began the Church, but just as the title suggest it is only the beginning. Our remaining New Testament stories will be about the church as it continued to grow. The early church leaders were focused and intent on the mission of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. They refused to allow the persecutions and the scatterings of believers to squelch their passion. They were bold and courageous as they left the chains of Judaism and launched forth the freedom movement of Christianity. One of those leaders was Philip. We are introduced to Philip in chapter 6 of Acts where He was chosen to be one of the seven to serve in the distribution to the widows. A qualification for this position was to be a man full of faith and wisdom. So we conclude Philip was that kind of man. We might also assume he represented the Hellenistic Jewish Christian community since it was those widows that were being left out of the distribution. Philip s gifts were not just limited to administration. Like Stephen, he was also a strong evangelist. Philip was one of the first to launch out to Samaria and proclaim Christ. When the people of Samaria heard his words and witnessed the miraculous signs God demonstrated through Philip, many believed and were baptized. From Acts 8:26-40 we also learn that Philip was obedient. In this second adventure of Philip we get no hint that he hesitated after the angel asked him to go to the desert, even though there was no other instruction. As a result of his obedience, Philip was able to witness to a royal official of the Queen of Ethiopia. The man was a eunuch. He had come from worshipping in Jerusalem so we believe he was God-fearing. Sadly though, because he was a eunuch he would never be able to participate fully in the worship of God with the Jews. He could not enter the congregation of Israel. The man understood Philip s interpretation of the Holy Scriptures and believed that Jesus, God s Son, the Messiah had come. His faith in Christ allowed him to be apart of the congregation of the new Israel of God. After Philip explained the Good News of Christ the eunuch wanted to be baptized. Philip was probably delighted to do so. Then just after that moment, Philip was transported away. Really only a little more is revealed about Philip in the scriptures. We read he continued preaching and we learn from Acts 21, he later made his home in Caesarea. Even though, only a few paragraphs are dedicated to Philip, we see he was truly one of the heroes of evangelism. We learn he was passionate, courageous, full of faith and wisdom, filled with the Spirit and obedient to the Spirit s leadership. May we desire that the same be said about each of us. Lesson Plan Arrival Greet children at eye level and express how happy you are to see them. Be sure each child has a name tag and the security measures of your church are followed. Label all coats and personal belongings. Strongly encourage children who have brought items from home, such as toys and books, to place them on a shelf while they are working with other materials. Assure children their items will be safe and they can take them home at the end of the session. Help each child make a choice where he or she would like to begin his or her Center Time. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT09 Lesson 4 Hour A Page 1

Block Center: Build with Blocks Wooden blocks Transportation toys What to Do: Provide a small carpet if possible. Blocks are best located in a corner of the room away from the traffic flow. Link to the Bible Story: As children build, listen for opportunities to share the Bible Phrase or tell a part of the Bible story. Home Living Center: Role Play Small rocking chair, sink and stove unit and small table and chairs; plastic dishes, child pots and pans, plastic food items; and doll items such as doll bed, baby doll, doll bag, blanket, clothes, bottles and diapers. What to Do: Home living items will encourage children to role play home activities such as cooking, cleaning and caring for the baby. Link to the Bible Story: As children play, look for opportunities to engage in conversation about the Bible story, Bible Phrase or Bible truth. Center Time Art Center: Paint with Sand White construction paper Small plastic bag of sand, paper plates for holding sand White glue What to Do: Print today s Bible Phrase on each paper. Pour sand onto paper plates. Invite children to use the glue bottles to make a design on their paper. Remind children that thin lines of glue are better than large clumps of glue. Demonstrate to children how to take a small amount of sand and sprinkle it over the glue, then hold their paper over the plate of sand and gently shake off the any excess. Link to the Bible Story: Share with children that in our Bible story today, an angel told a man named Philip to go to a certain road. Express those roads were often covered with sand or dirt. Continue that while on that road, Philip met a man who was a royal official to the Queen and Philip told him about Jesus. Bible Learning Center: Connect the Dots Copies of Activity Page Connect the Dots (Reproducible) Crayons or washable markers What to Do: Invite children to follow the numbers and connect the dots to finish the Bible story picture. Link to the Bible Story: Read the Bible Phrase. As children work, read the Bible Phrase and express to children that just as Philip told someone about Jesus we can tell others about Jesus. Puzzle Center: Work Puzzles Offer a variety of non-fantasy wooden or cardboard puzzles for children to work. What to Do: Encourage children to finish a puzzle before leaving the center. Give guidance rather than doing the puzzle for the child. Link to the Bible Story: As children work, look for opportunities in conversation to say the Bible Phrase or briefly tell the Bible story. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT09 Lesson 4 Hour A Page 2

Clean-up Time Encourage preschoolers to help at clean-up time. Assign specific tasks for preschoolers to do such as placing all the crayons in the basket, throwing away the trash, gathering all the glue sticks, etc. Guide children to the Bible Story Time area. Bible Story Time Bible Teaching Picture The People in the Church Shared about Jesus (Reproducible) God s Unfolding Story Cube (Reproducible/ Cardstock) Introduction Show the God s Unfolding Story Cube. Point to each symbol and tell God s Unfolding Story. (Refer to page 1.) Encourage children to say the story with you. Comment to boys and girls today s story is from the segment Jesus Began the Church. (Point to that symbol on the cube.) Express the following in your own words: Remind children that the word church can mean both a building and the people in the church. Our story today helps us understand that the people in the church shared with other people about Jesus and His love for them. Listen to hear how a man named Philip shared about Jesus. Bible Story The People in the Church Shared about Jesus (Acts 8: 4-6; 26-40) Philip was a follower of Jesus and was part of a group of believers called the church. Every day, Philip traveled from place to place sharing the good news of Jesus. One day an angel told Philip to go to a certain road. So Philip did what the angel told him to do. As Philip began walking he noticed a chariot up ahead. A chariot is a wagon with two wheels that is pulled by a horse. When Philip got close to the chariot, saw a man reading a scroll. The man was a very important person. He was a royal official for a Queen. Philip ran up to the chariot and asked, Do you understand what you are reading? The man answered, How can I understand if I have no one to explain it to me? The man invited Philip to sit with him in the chariot. Philip began to explain that the words he was reading were about Jesus. Philip told this official of the Queen all about Jesus and how much Jesus loved him. The man understood what Philip was saying about Jesus and that day he became a believer. The man was so happy to learn that Jesus was God s Son. Talk Time 1. Show the teaching picture for today s Bible story. Ask the following: What did Philip do every day? Who did Philip meet on the road? Who did Philip tell the man about? 2. Say today s Bible Phrase together, Philip told about Jesus Acts 8:35. Express to boys and girls that God wants the people in the church to share about Jesus with others. Talk about ways we can tell about Jesus such as: while playing with friend tell them Jesus loves them, make a card for a family member to share about Jesus love, take flowers to someone who is sick and remind them of God s love. 3. Close the Bible Story Time in prayer asking God for opportunities to tell others about Jesus. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT09 Lesson 4 Hour A Page 3

Craft Time Make a Bible Story Scene Copies of Bible Story Scene (1 copy per child) Crayons or washable markers Tape, craft sticks What to Do: Cut apart each Bible story puppet. Invite children to color their puppet and the back ground scene. Give children a craft stick to tape to their puppet. After children color the scene, cut slits where indicated on the paper. Demonstrate to children how to insert the puppet under the slits. Link to Bible Story: As children work, read the Bible Phrase. Review the Bible story of Philip and the royal official. Children can move their puppet along the path as you tell the story. Talk with children about who they might tell about Jesus just like Philip. Snack Time Be sure to wash hands or use hand sanitizer. Say a thank-you prayer to God for the snack. When snack time has ended, encourage preschoolers to help with cleaning up. Game Time/Dismissal Can You? No supplies needed What to Do: Ask children to stand in a circle in the game time area. Call out actions such as: Can you hop on one foot? Can you pat your head? Can you pull your ear? Can you run in place? Can you jump up and down? Can you clap your hands? Can you touch your toes? Can you say our Bible Phrase, Philip told about Jesus? Can you twirl around? Can you sit down? Play the game varying the actions. At the close of the activity, remind boys and girls of today s Bible Phrase, Philip told about Jesus Acts 8:35 and that we can tell about Jesus. Dismiss children as parents arrive. Be sure to follow the security procedures of your church. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT09 Lesson 4 Hour A Page 4

Resources and Supplies Hour A New Testament Unit 9: Jesus Began the Church Lesson 4: The People in the Church Shared about Jesus Standard Art Supplies (Supplies that are generally in the room) Washable markers Crayons Child scissors Playdough and accessories Drawing paper Easel (optional) Glue/glue sticks Tempera paint, 4 colors Tape/masking tape Pencils/colored pencils Hole punch Teacher scissors Stapler/staples Permanent markers Watercolors Paintbrushes Yarn Standard Equipment (Equipment that is generally in the room) Small beanbag for Bible Story Time Assorted wooden/cardboard puzzles Set of wooden blocks Small cars and trucks Doll bed Baby doll (soft plastic) Stove/sink unit Play dishes/pots and pans Small table and chairs Small carpet for block area Play food items Storage shelf for blocks Tables and chairs for art, puzzles, and Bible Learning Center CD player/children s Worship CDs Reproducibles (Included with the lesson plan downloads) Activity Page Connect the Dots (1 copy per child) Bible Story Scene (1 copy per child) Teaching Picture The People in the Church Shared about Jesus (1 copy per class) God s Unfolding Story Cube (Cardstock 1 copy per class) Parent Page (1 copy per child) Additional Art and Bible Learning Materials White construction paper (1 sheet per child) Small bag of sand Paper Plates to contain sand (4) Additional Craft Materials Craft sticks (1 per child) God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT09 Lesson 4 Hour A

1 2 3 Connect The Dots 4 7 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 19 15 14 18 17 16 Activity Page Connect the Dots Instructions: Copy one sheet per child. Invite children to follow the numbers and connect the dots on the Bible story picture. NT09 Lesson 4 Hour A Center Time: Bible Learning Center God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com

Craft Bible Story Scene Instructions: One copy per child. Cut apart Bible story puppet. Children color the scene and puppet. Tape a craft stick to the puppet and cut the slit where indicated on the Bible story scene. Children can insert the puppet and move it along in the scene. NT09 Lesson 4 Hour A Craft Time God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2013 - SundaySchoolZone.com cut cut Phillip told about Jesus. Acts 8:35 cut