Jesus Ascends to Heaven Mark 16:15-20; Acts 1:9-11

Spring 2017 ~ Beginners Lesson #1 Memory Verse Jesus Ascends to Heaven Mark 16:15-20; Acts 1:9-11.He was taken up into a cloud while they were watching. --Acts 1:9 (NLT) God will send His Spirit to help us. In today s story, Jesus is speaking to His disciples: He said to them, "Go everywhere in the world. Tell the good news to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who does not believe will be judged guilty. Jesus went on to say that those who believe will be able to do miraculous things, including: Being able to drive out spirits that are not Godly, they will be able to speak many languages that they had not known before and they will be able to heal those who are sick that they will get well. When the Lord Jesus finished speaking to them, he was taken up into heaven. He sat down at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere. The Lord worked with them. And he backed up his word by the signs that went with it. Acts: After Jesus said this, he was taken up to heaven. They watched until a cloud hid him from their sight. While he was going up, they kept on looking at the sky. Suddenly two men dressed in white clothing stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. But he will come back in the same way you saw him go." Talk About It Talk with your child and ask him what he thinks Heaven is like. Remind him that there are no wrong answers, since none of us have been there yet. Use your five senses to imagine what kind of place it might be like. What do you think it would look like? How would it smell? What sounds would you hear there? What kinds of food do you think would be there to taste? How do you think it would feel to be there? Then ask your child if he wants to go to Heaven one day. Remind your child that this is our goal. When we live a life that is faithful to God and His Son, then it will please God and we will get to go there someday. Jesus promised that He would come back again. One day, Jesus will appear in the clouds to take us home with Him. It is exciting to think about what that day might be like. Talk about it. 1

Spring 2017 ~ Beginners Lesson #2 Pentecost Acts 1:4-5; 2:1-12 Memory Verse All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. --Acts 2:4 (NIRV) God sent His Holy Spirit to guide us. Acts 1 One day Jesus was eating with the disciples. He told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said: "My Father has made you a promise that I told you about before. John baptized people with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 2 ~ The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost When the day of Pentecost came, the disciples were all together in one place. Suddenly a noise came from heaven. It sounded like a strong wind blowing and the noise filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw something that looked like flames of fire. The flames were separated and they stood over each person that was there. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in different languages, ones they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this. There were some very religious Jewish people staying in Jerusalem who were from every country in the world. When they heard the noise, a crowd came and gathered together. Everyone was surprised, because they heard the disciples speaking in their own languages. They were amazed by this. They asked, "Aren't all these people from Galilee? Why, then, do we each hear them speaking in our own native language? We are from different places: Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Capadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the areas of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, Crete, and Arabia. But we hear these men speaking about God's wonders in our own languages!" The people were amazed! Talk About It Talk with your child about the Holy Spirit. The Apostles in the story received it in a very special way. Share with your child how/when they or you had the gift of the Holy Spirit activated in you. Who was the Apostle that came to give you that special blessing? The Holy Spirit is so special because it stays in our hearts and it helps us as we try to make good choices in our lives. Remind your child that we have to try and listen to our hearts and pray to God and ask for His help as we do our best to use our Holy Spirit and make good choices each day. Talk about it. 2

Spring 2017 ~ Beginners Lesson #3 Elijah 1 Kings 17:1-16; 2 Kings 2:9-11 Memory Work God will meet all your needs. --Philippians 4:19 (NIRV) God will give us everything we need. 1 Kings 17 ~ Elijah Is Fed by Ravens Elijah was from Tishbe in the land of Gilead. He said to Ahab, "I serve the Lord. He is the God of Israel. You can be sure that He lives. And you can be just as sure that there won't be any dew or rain on the whole land. There won't be any during the next few years. It won't come until I say so." Then a message from the Lord came to Elijah. It said, "Leave this place. Go east and hide in the Kerith Valley. It is east of the Jordan River. You will drink water from the brook. I have ordered some ravens to feed you there." So Elijah did what the Lord had told him to do. He went to the Kerith Valley. It was east of the Jordan River. He stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning. They also brought him bread and meat in the evening. He drank water from the brook. Elijah Visits a Widow at Zarephath Some time later the brook dried up. It hadn't rained in the land for quite a while. A message came to Elijah from the Lord. He said, "Go right away to Zarephath in the territory of Sidon. Stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." So Elijah went to Zarephath. He came to the town gate. A widow was there gathering sticks. He called out to her. He asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar? I need a drink." She went to get the water. Then he called out to her, "Please bring me a piece of bread too." "I don't have any bread," she replied. "And that's just as sure as the Lord your God is alive. All I have is a small amount of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I'm gathering a few sticks to take home. I'll make one last meal for myself and my son. We'll eat it. After that, we'll die." Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home. Do what you have said. But first make a little bread for me. Make it out of what you have. Bring it to me. Then make some for yourself and your son. "The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, 'The jar of flour will not be used up. The jug will always have oil in it. You will have flour and oil until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.' " She went away and did what Elijah had told her to do. So Elijah had food every day. There was also food for the woman and her family. The jar of flour wasn't used up. The jug always had oil in it. That's what the Lord had said would happen. He had spoken that message through Elijah. 3

- Continued 2 Kings 2:9-11 ~ Elijah is taken up to heaven After they had gone across, Elijah spoke to (his friend) Elisha. He said, "Tell me. What can I do for you before I'm taken away from you?" "Please give me a double share of your spirit," Elisha replied. "You have asked me for something I can't give you," Elijah said. "Only the Lord can give it. But suppose you see me when I'm taken away from you. Then you will receive what you have asked for. If you don't see me, you won't receive it." They kept walking along and talking together. Suddenly a chariot and horses appeared. Fire was all around them. The chariot and horses came between the two men. Then Elijah went up to heaven in a strong wind. Talk About It Talk with your child about how important it is to pray to God before we eat and thank Him for providing everything that we need, including good food to eat. We can also thank God for providing plants and trees that give us the food to eat, and for giving us rain and sunshine to help those plants and trees to grow. Remind your child that when we have faith in God, He will supply all of our needs. Talk about it. 4

Spring 2017 ~ Beginners Lesson #4 Memory Work King Josiah 2 Kings 22:1-2; 23:1-25 (excerpts) Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. --2 Kings 22:2 (NIRV) s Obedience pleases God. 2 Kings 22 - Hilkiah Finds the Scroll of the Law Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 31 years. Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He lived the way King David had lived. Josiah did not stop doing what was right. 2 Kings 23 - Josiah Promises to Follow the Covenant Then the king called together all of the elders (or older leaders) of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the Lord's temple with the people of Judah and Jerusalem and the priests and prophets. All of them went, from the least important of them to the most important. The king read to all who were there the words of the Scroll of the Covenant that had been found in the Lord's temple. The king stood next to his pillar. He agreed to the terms of the covenant in front of the Lord. He promised to follow Him and obey His commands, directions and rules. He promised to obey them with all his heart and with all his soul. So he agreed to the terms of the covenant that were written down in that scroll. Then all of the people committed themselves to the covenant too. Certain things that were in the Lord's temple had been made to honor the god Baal and the goddess Asherah and all of the stars in the sky. The king ordered the high priest Hilkiah to remove those things and Josiah burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields in the Kidron Valley. Then he took the ashes to Bethel. Josiah also removed the priests who served other gods. He destroyed all of the places where other gods were worshipped. He even removed the statues of horses from the entrance to the Lord s temple. There were chariots that had been set apart to honor the sun, and Josiah burned them too. He destroyed the altars that the kings of Judah had set up to worship other gods. He smashed them to pieces and then brought the pieces to the Kidron Valley. Josiah even destroyed places the Solomon had built for worshipping other gods. Josiah did all of these things in all these places because the people had made the Lord very angry because they were worshipping other gods. When he was finished, he went back to Jerusalem. Then Josiah gave an order to all of the people. He said, "Celebrate the Passover Feast to honor the Lord your God. Do what is written in this Scroll of the Covenant." A Passover Feast like that one had not been held for a long time. And there hadn't been any like it during the whole time the kings of Israel and Judah were ruling. King Josiah celebrated the Passover in Jerusalem to honor the Lord. It was in the 18th year of his rule. (Josiah was now 26 years old.) There was no king like Josiah either before him or after him. None of them turned to the Lord as he did. He followed the Lord with all his heart and all his soul. He followed him with all his strength. He did everything the Law of Moses required. 5

Talk About It Talk to your child about the laws that Josiah tried to follow and remind your child that we have laws from God to follow too. These are the Ten Commandments. Remind the children that when we are obedient to God and His commandments, He is very happy. Review the commandments that your child knows. Share with your child that if we Love our neighbor as ourselves all of the time, then we will automatically be following the Ten Commandments. Remind your child that when we are obedient to God and His commandments, it pleases Him. Talk about it. 6

Spring 2017 ~ Beginners Lesson #5 John the Baptist Matthew 3:1-6; Luke 3:2-18 Memory Verse For we are God s masterpiece. --Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) God has a plan for me. Matthew 3 ~ John the Baptist Prepares the Way In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the Desert of Judea. He said, "Turn away from your sins! The kingdom of heaven is near." John is the one the prophet Isaiah had spoken about. He had said, "A messenger is calling out in the desert; prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him." John's clothes were made out of camel's hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all of Judea. They also came from the whole area around the Jordan River. When they admitted they had sinned, John baptized them in the Jordan River. Luke 3 ~ John the Baptist Prepares the Way At that time God's word came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. He went into all the countryside around the Jordan River. There he preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them. John the Baptist was also written about in the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. It says, "A messenger is calling out in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him. Every valley will be filled in. Every mountain and hill will be made level. The crooked roads will become straight. The rough ways will become smooth. And everyone will see God's salvation.' " (Isaiah 40) John spoke to the crowds coming to be baptized by him. He told them that they must do the things that will show that you really have changed their hearts. "Then what should we do?" the crowd asked. John answered, "If you have extra clothes, you should share with those who have none. And if you have extra food, you should do the same." Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" "Don't collect any more than you are required to," John told them. Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" John replied, "Don't force people to give you money. Don't bring false charges against people. Be happy with your pay." The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Christ (if he could be Jesus). John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But One who is more powerful than I am will come. I'm not good enough to untie the straps of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. John said many other things to warn the people. He also preached the good news to them. 7

Talk About It Talk with your child and remind him that God had a plan for John the Baptist. He prepared the people for the coming of the Lord Jesus. He baptized many people before he finally baptized Jesus too. Share with your child the details of the day he was baptized and what a special day it was for your family. Remind your child that God also has a plan for us. We want to remember to pray each day that God can reveal to us what His plan is for our lives. Talk about it. 8

Spring 2017 ~ Beginners Lesson #6 Mary and Martha Luke 10:38-42 Memory Verse "Let us keep looking to Jesus." --Hebrews 12:2 (NIRV) God wants us to spend time with Him. Jesus at the Home of Martha and Mary Jesus and his disciples went on their way. Jesus came to a village where a woman named Martha lived. She welcomed him into her home. Martha had a sister named Mary. Mary sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was busy with all the things that had to be done. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, my sister has left me to do the work by myself. Don't you care? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered. "You are worried and upset about many things. But only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Talk About It Talk with your child about the differences between Mary and Martha. Explain to your child that while it is always wonderful to be found working and serving, it is also very important that we always spend time with God each day. Think together of all the ways we can do that (pray, read our Bibles, singing, spending quiet time thinking/reflecting, etc.). Encourage each other to help one another remember to do some of these things each day, and take time for God. Talk about it. 9

Spring 2017 ~ Beginners Lesson #7 Ruth Ruth 1:1-18 Memory Verse "You are my God, and I will honor you." --Psalm 118: 28 (NIRV) God wants us to be loyal to Him. Ruth Goes to Bethlehem With Naomi There was a time when Israel didn't have kings to rule over them. Instead they had leaders to help them. This is a story about some things that happened during that time. There wasn't enough food in the land of Judah. So a man went to live in the country of Moab for a while. He was from Bethlehem in Judah. His wife and two sons also went with him. The man's name was Elimelech and his wife's name was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went to Moab and lived there. One day, Naomi's husband Elimelech died, so she was left with her two sons. The sons got married to women from Moab. One was named Orpah and the other was named Ruth. Naomi's family lived in Moab for about ten years. Then Mahlon and Kilion also died. So Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband. While Naomi was in Moab, she heard that the Lord had helped his people. He had begun to provide food for them again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to go from Moab back to her home. She left the place where she had been living. Her two daughters-in-law went with her. They started out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. Then Naomi spoke to her two daughters-in-law. "Both of you go back," she said. "Each of you go to your own mother's home. You were kind to your husbands, who have died. You have also been kind to me. So may the Lord be just as kind to you. May he help each of you find a secure place in the home of another husband. May he give you peace and rest." Then she kissed them good-by. They broke down and cried loudly. They said to her, "We'll go back to your people with you." But Naomi said, "Go home, my daughters. Why would you want to come with me? Am I going to have any more sons who could become your husbands? Go home, my daughters. They broke down and sobbed again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by. But Ruth held on to her. "Look," said Naomi. "Your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her." But Ruth replied, "Don't try to make me leave you and go back. Where you go I'll go. Where you stay I'll stay. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God. Where you die I'll die. And there my body will be buried. I won't let anything except death separate you from me. If I do, may the Lord punish me greatly." Naomi realized that Ruth had made up her mind to go with her. So she stopped trying to make her go back and Ruth stayed with her. 10

Talk About It In today s story, Ruth decided to remain loyal to her mother in law, Naomi. They had a very special relationship. Explain to your child that God also wants us to be loyal to Him. Talk together about all the little things we can do each day that show God we are being loyal to Him. When we do such things and remain loyal to God, it makes Him very happy. Talk about it. 11

Spring 2017 ~ Beginners Lesson #8 Bartimaeus Mark 10:46-52 Memory Verse When you look for Me with all your heart, you will find Me. --Jeremiah 29:13 (NIRV) Jesus always has time for us. Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight Jesus and his disciples came to Jericho. They were leaving the city. A large crowd was with them. A blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging. His name was Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus means Son of Timaeus. He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. So he began to shout, Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me! Many people commanded him to stop. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, Son of David! Have mercy on me! Jesus stopped and said, Call for him. So they called out to the blind man, Cheer up! Get up on your feet! Jesus is calling for you. He threw his coat to one side. Then he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked him. The blind man said, Rabbi, I want to be able to see. Go, said Jesus. Your faith has healed you. Right away he could see. And he followed Jesus along the road. Talk About It Talk with your child about what it would be like to be blind, like Bartimaeus was. Have him close his eyes for a few minutes and try to imagine what it would be like if he couldn t see the beautiful blue sky or the faces of the people he loves. Remind your child that he has much to be thankful for. Bartimaeus was so thankful that he could see again. Talk together and share what other things you are thankful for that God has provided for you. Remind your child that Jesus always has time for us and that He wants to hear about our thankfulness for all these things each time we pray. Talk about it. 12