BIG PICTURE: DISCOVERY BIG IDEA: MISSION POSSIBLE BIG POINT: THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US LIV E A LIFE FOR JESUS. BIG WORD: THIS IS HOW WE KNOW WHAT REAL LOVE IS : JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US. SO WE SHOULD GIVE OUR LIVES FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 1 JOHN 3:16 (NCV) Learning Outcomes At the conclusion of this lesson children will: Understand who the Holy Spirit is and what He is like. Learn about the work that the Holy Spirit does in transforming our lives. Get to know why we need the Holy Spirit in our lives. Scripture References: Matthew 3:11 Matthew 3:16 Matthew 28:19 Mark 14:66-72 John 3:8 John 7:37-39 John 14:15-17 Acts 2:1-20 Romans 8:6 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 James 5:14 DOCUMENT PURPOSE Use this outline to construct a message that works for you and your children s ministry. INTRO Supplies Needed: Calculator Images for 1.3 Big Message from the print material disc. Who is good at math? I need your help with a few math equations. What is 2+2=? That s right, the answer is 4. What about 3+3=? Yes, the answer is 6. Let s try 5+5+5=? 15! Correct. Ok a tough one this time. 10+10+10=30 You are a really smart group of people, let s try a really hard mathematical equation now. 1+1+1=? Show the answer your onscreen calculator gives you. 1+1+1=1 Can this be right? Let s try it again. 1+1+1= 1 What is going on? Is my calculator not working? Wait a moment, I know when this equation would be right. There is a time when
1+1+1 still equals 1. When you add God the Father +Jesus+The Holy Spirit. They are 3 that are equal to 1. There is only one God in all creation, all time, and all places. But this one God exists as three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 (NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Each person is not the same person as the other; yet there are not three Gods, but one. STORYTELLING Supplies Needed: Story pics of Peter (in a TV frame), Fast FWD rewind to events Peter Transformed - Mark 14:66-72, Acts 2:14, Acts 2:1-4 Peter the apostle was know to be a bit of a loud-mouth. As one of Jesus most devoted students, he always had something to say and his huge enthusiasm kept him at the forefront of the action. But at the time of Jesus arrest, we find Peter hiding in the shadows of the courtyard of the High Priest denying his master for fear of the authorities. In a moment of pressure, his courage fails miserably. He becomes fickle and weak; not the kind of leader Jesus prophesied he would be. Yet it is only a short time later that we see Peter preaching to a crowd of thousands, miraculously healing a lame man by the side of the road, facing persecution against an angry mob, writing inspired scripture and teaching boldly in churches. He became one of the key leaders in the early church and went on to fulfil God s purposes for his life. What happened to Peter? What caused such a dramatic transformation? The apostles had just witnessed the greatest miracle of all time. Jesus had been resurrected from the dead. In that dramatic moment, death was defeated, dreams were restored and the mission renewed. You can only imagine the relief and joy of the disciples. But then Jesus announces that He was not staying with them. He was leaving to be with the Father in heaven; His purpose on earth accomplished. The disciples were probably devastated when Jesus left. Their calling was to take His message to the world, but how would they fulfil it without Jesus living amongst them? They assembled in Jerusalem where Jesus had told them to wait. Crowds were also gathering to celebrate Pentecost, an annual feast celebrated by the Jews. Little did they know the surprise they were in for Let s read from Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) and see what happened. When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Just as Jesus said he would do, He sent the Holy Spirit to be with his disciples and those who choose to follow Him. The Holy Spirit can be with us as a counsellor, guide, to give us peace, empower us and to fill us with Christ s love. When we become a Christian, we are granted forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. However, being saved also means that, like Peter, we can experience God s transforming power in our lives. OBJECT LESSON Supplies Needed: Object lesson images from the print material disc. Show Object lesson images from the Print Material Disc. It s hard for us to understand some things about God, but God s word gives us images to help us understand more about Him. Here s what God s word tells us about the Holy Spirit. A Dove Matthew 3:16 (NIV) As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. Here the Holy Spirit is described as coming upon Jesus like a dove. What are some things a dove represents? A dove represents gentleness and peace. The Holy Spirit is gentle and gives us peace. Water John 7:37-39 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not been glorified What does water represent? Water is refreshing and live-giving, the Holy Spirit is described as water in this verse and not just a trickle or a glass but as rivers of living water. The Holy Spirit refreshes us and fills us with His life in ours. Fire Matthew 3:11 (NIV) I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Acts 2:3-4 (NIV) They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of
them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit enabled them. The Holy Spirit is described in these verses as fire. Fire is used to purify, when producing gold, it is melted by fire and the impurities in the metal are brought to the surface, then these impurities can be removed. So we can also think of the work of the Holy Spirit as purifying us, bringing out impurity and removing it from our lives. Wind John 3:8 (NIV) The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. Acts 2:2 (NIV) Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. The wind is invisible, you can t see it but you can feel it and you can see what it does. The Holy Spirit is like that too, He s Invisible and unseen but powerful. Oil James 5:14 (NIV) Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. Anointing with oil is used to represent the gift of the Holy Spirit. Here we see the instruction to anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord so that a person may be healed. The Holy Spirit can heal sickness and disease and being anointed can also mean the Holy Spirit is being deposited in someone to do a special work for the Lord. This powerful symbol reminds us of the Holy Spirit s work in our lives. Seal 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NIV) Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Have you heard of the saying given it their seal of approval? This is where it comes from. Throughout history when a king or an important person was approving a decree or document they would pour a small amount of coloured wax onto the paper and press their ring, usually with their initials on it, to give it their approval. When we receive Jesus as our saviour the Holy Spirit is deposited to in and it s like His seal is upon us. We have assurance that we are saved and we belong to Him. POINTS 1. The Holy Spirit is a person Sometimes the Holy Spirit is called the Holy Ghost or The Spirit of God but the Holy
Spirit is not just an impersonal force, He is a person. In John 14:15-17 we read that Jesus said (NIV) If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him or knows him. But you know him for he lives with you and will be in you. Even though we can t see the Holy Spirit He is with us always; to help us, guide us and empower us. 2. The Holy Spirit transforms our lives When Jesus lived on the earth, He was physically present with the disciples. When He returned to heaven, God didn t leave us alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to come and live within us. In this way, we have the presence of God with us all the time. John 14:16 (NIRV) I will ask the Father. And he will give you another Friend to help you and to be with you forever. When the Holy Spirit lives within us, we can be changed and transformed by His power. When we begin to follow Jesus we begin a journey of learning to live and love like Jesus did, the Holy Spirit helps us live a life for Jesus. The Holy Spirit is with us all the time. Whenever we need to call upon Him for help, He is there. God knows what you are going through at every moment and He wants to help you. No matter what you need, He is the answer. 3. The Holy Spirit is powerful When we think of the wind, we think of its power and the effect that it has on the world. The wind is invisible but powerful, we can t see the Holy Spirit but we can see the Holy Spirit working powerfully in the world. We need to stay plugged into the power of God. Sometimes we try to do everything on our own, but we weren t designed to live our lives like this. God wants us to connect with him everyday and we can do that with the help of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:6 (NLT) If the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace. When we depend upon the Holy Spirit, God allows us to have life and peace.