Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group TEACHER BIBLE STUDY Paul s Third Journey Acts 18:18 21:16 Paul traveled from place to place, teaching about Jesus and encouraging the believers. Luke, the writer of Acts, records that a major disturbance arose in Ephesus concerning the Way of the Lord. Ephesus was a large city in Asia Minor. It was a central location for politics, religions, and business. Some men there made their living by making silver shrines for false gods, like the goddess Artemis. If people started to believe what Paul was saying, they could lose their livelihood! The men started a riot. Paul wanted to speak to the people, but the disciples would not let him. They feared for Paul s life. After the uproar was over, Paul left for Macedonia. In Troas, a city in Macedonia, Paul spoke about Jesus late into the night. One young man named Eutychus (YOO tih kuhs) was sitting on a window sill, listening, when he fell asleep. He fell out the window from the third story and died. But Paul through the power of God brought him back to life. Sometime later, Paul decided to go back to Jerusalem. Along the way, a prophet named Agabus came to Paul. He took Paul s belt and tied his own feet and hands. Then he said that the Jews in Jerusalem would bind Paul s hands and feet in the same way. Paul s friends begged him not to go. But Paul was not afraid to be arrested or even to die for the name of Jesus, so Paul kept going toward Jerusalem. Paul told about Jesus even when he was in danger. Paul shared the gospel with people who didn t know Jesus. He told people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus, and he encouraged believers in the church to keep loving Jesus. God changed the people s hearts, and they turned away from their sin. The good news about Jesus is powerful and life- giving. YOUNGER KIDS BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW Session Title: Paul s Third Journey Bible Passage: Acts 18:18 21:16 Big Picture Question: What did Paul tell people to do? Paul told people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus. Key Passage: Romans 1:16 Unit Christ Connection: God chose Paul to be a witness to all he had seen and heard of the risen Christ. Unit 35 Session 5 Younger Elementary 1
Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group Welcome time Activity page (5 minutes) Session starter (10 minutes) Key passage activity (5 minutes) Small Group Time Bible story review (10 minutes) Activity choice (10 minutes) Journal (5 minutes) Prayer (5 minutes) THE BIBLE STORY Paul s Third Journey Acts 18:18 21:16 Paul traveled with his friends Aquila and Priscilla from Corinth to Ephesus (EF uh suhs). Aquila and Priscilla stayed in Ephesus while Paul visited churches throughout Asia. Paul helped the believers in the cities grow stronger in their faith. Paul made his way back to Ephesus. He went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months. He tried to persuade the Jews to believe the truth about Jesus and the kingdom of God. But some of them refused to believe, and they made fun of the Way. Paul left the Jews and went with other Christ- followers to a school. He talked with people there every day for two years. Because of Paul s work, everyone in Asia both Jews and Greeks heard the truth about God. Trouble started in Ephesus. A man named Demetrius (dih MEE trih uhs) made a living by making little silver shrines of the goddess Artemis. When Paul came around preaching about the one true God, Demetrius and the other silversmiths worried that people would stop worshiping gods made by hand. This would be bad for their business! So these men started shouting. Great is Artemis, the goddess of Ephesus! they said. For two hours, they all said the same thing: Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Paul waited for the trouble to stop, and then he left Ephesus. Paul and the men traveling with him went to the city of Troas (TROH az). They met together to eat the Lord s Supper. Paul talked to the group until midnight. As he spoke, a young man named Eutychus (YOO tih kuhs) was sitting in the window. He listened to Paul talking and became very sleepy. When he fell asleep, he fell out the window three stories down to the ground. Eutychus was dead, but Paul went to his side and put his arms around him, and Eutychus came back to life. Paul told the other believers not to worry. He is alive now, Paul said. The believers took Eutychus home alive, and they were greatly comforted. Paul left Troas and traveled back toward Ephesus. He decided not to stop in Ephesus, but he asked the leaders of the church there to meet him in a nearby city. Paul said to them, I am Unit 35 Session 5 Younger Elementary 2
Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group obeying the Spirit and going to Jerusalem. I do not know what will happen to me there, but I know that trouble and jail wait for me. I do not care about my own life. The most important thing is that I finish the work Jesus gave me to do. I want to tell people the good news of God s grace. Paul and the church leaders prayed together, and they cried because they knew they might never see Paul again. Paul sailed toward Jerusalem. Along the way, believers in Syria told him not to go. But Paul kept going. When he was almost to Jerusalem, a prophet named Agabus (AG uh buhs) came to Paul. He took Paul s belt and tied it around his hands and feet. The Holy Spirit tells me that the man who wears this belt will be tied up, just like this. The believers begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but Paul could not be stopped. I am ready to go to jail or even to die! for the name of the Lord Jesus, Paul said. Christ Connection: Paul shared the gospel with people who didn t know Jesus, and he encouraged believers in the church to keep loving Jesus. As people heard the message of salvation, God changed their hearts and they turned away from their sin. The good news about Jesus is powerful and life- giving. SMALL GROUP OPENING Session Title: Paul s Third Journey Bible Passage: Acts 18:18 21:16 Big Picture Question: What did Paul tell people to do? Paul told people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus. Key Passage: Romans 1:16 Unit Christ Connection: God chose Paul to be a witness to all he had seen and heard of the risen Christ. Welcome time: Arriving Activity: When I grow up Guide kids to stand in a circle and take turns acting out what occupation they would like to have when they are adults. Explain that the kid acting out the job should not use words, but only actions. The other kids in the circle should guess what job is being acted out. Say What did Paul do as a job? Paul was a tentmaker, but he was also a missionary. You probably won t have an official job any time soon, but you can tell others about Jesus anytime and anywhere. Today, we will learn about Paul s third missionary journey. Paul told the people something very important on this journey. We ll answer the question, What did Paul tell people to do? Unit 35 Session 5 Younger Elementary 3
Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group Activity page (5 minutes) In a Dangerous Situation activity page, 1 per kid pencils Guide boys and girls to complete the activity page. Say What would you need if you were traveling into a dangerous situation? Did you find all of the necessary items? Session starter (10 minutes) Option 1: What would you take? white paper markers luggage Give each child a sheet of white paper. Guide them to draw one item that they would take with them if they were going on a journey that they knew might be dangerous. Ask them to draw the item without showing it to their friends. Guide kids to drop their drawing into the luggage. Pull out each drawing out, and ask kids to guess who drew each one. Say Paul faced some trouble in our story today, yet he continued to tell others about Jesus, even when it was difficult. Paul also had some instructions for the people. Today we ll find the answer to our big picture question, What did Paul tell people to do? Option 2: Around the world Guide kids to stand in the middle of the room. Give them two options. Allow them to move to one side of the room if they would choose the first option and the opposite side of the room if they would choose the second option. Ask kids to move back to the middle after each set of choices. Samples of choices: Would you rather... go to the beach or the mountains? be on a deserted island or deep in a cave? travel alone or with a friend? climb a mountain or surf? fly in a plane or ride on a train? Say Paul traveled many different places, telling people about Jesus. On his third journey, Paul told people something very important. We ll find out what Paul told people in just a moment. Unit 35 Session 5 Younger Elementary 4
Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group SMALL GROUP LEADER Session Title: Paul s Third Journey Bible Passage: Acts 18:18 21:16 Big Picture Question: What did Paul tell people to do? Paul told people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus. Key Passage: Romans 1:16 Unit Christ Connection: God chose Paul to be a witness to all he had seen and heard of the risen Christ. Key passage activity (5 minutes) Key Passage Slide or Poster dry erase board and markers (optional) Make sure the key passage, Romans 1:16, is visible for each child, either as the printed poster or written on a dry erase board. Read the verse together. Say There is no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed to share the good news about Jesus because it brings salvation to both Jews and Gentiles. Paul was not ashamed, nor was he afraid of the harm that might come as a result of him sharing that good news. Paul told people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus, even when he knew some people wouldn t believe and would be angry with him. Bible story review (10 minutes) Bibles, 1 per kid Small Group Visual Pack Big Picture Question Slide or Poster large sheet of paper markers Option: Use Paul s Third Journey Map to show kids the cities to which Paul traveled. Encourage the kids to find Acts 18 21 in their Bibles. Help as needed. Remind kids that Acts is located after the four Gospels in the Bible and that it is about the history of the early church. Use the small group visual pack to show kids where today s Bible story is on the timeline. Unit 35 Session 5 Younger Elementary 5
Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group Review the Bible story provided using the bolded text, or summarize the story in your own words. Say Paul met Jesus when he was walking on the road to Damascus. After that, the Holy Spirit led Paul to many different places to tell people about Jesus. Not all of these people welcomed Paul, and some even hurt Paul. Even though it was difficult, Paul continued to share the good news of Jesus with all the people. On this journey, Paul went to Corinth, Ephesus, Troas, and Jerusalem. He knew that going to Jerusalem would probably be dangerous for him, but he knew that the Holy Spirit was leading him to go anyway. Show the big picture question slide or poster. Ask kids to read the question and answer aloud. Say What did Paul tell people to do? Paul told people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus. God gave Paul an important work of telling the people these things, and Paul said the most important thing was for him to finish the work Jesus gave him to do. What are some things that are important in your life? Make a list as kids tell you what is important. Remind kids that Paul knew what was really important, and he was willing to do whatever it took to do what God wanted him to do. That is what is most important for us, too. Our most important job is to tell others about Jesus and live a life that pleases Him. Activity choice (10 minutes) Option 1: Turn away Guide kids to stand against one wall of the room. Ask them to begin walking toward the opposite wall. When you say red light, kids should freeze in place. When you say green light, kids should walk quickly in the direction they are facing. When you say turn away, kids should face the opposite direction and begin moving that way. Say What did Paul tell people to do? Paul told people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus. Turning away from sin doesn t mean that we ll never sin again, but it means we want to stop doing things that don t please God. When we turn away from our sin and trust Jesus as our Savior and Lord, then we get to spend eternity with God! Unit 35 Session 5 Younger Elementary 6
Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group Option 2: Not- so- secret message Flower Shapes scissors construction paper markers shallow tub water Prior to the session, print and cut out one flower shape for each kid. Give each kid one of the construction paper flower shapes. Ask him to write a message about Jesus, such as Jesus is alive! Jesus is Lord! or Trust Jesus! on the center of the flower. Help kids fold the petals toward the center. Ask each child to drop his flower into the water with the petals facing upward. Watch as the petals unfold and the message is revealed. Say Telling others about what it means to trust Jesus is not something we want to keep a secret! We want everyone to know that sin is anything that we do or think that doesn t please God. We also want them to know that Jesus paid the punishment for sin so that everyone who trusts in Jesus is forgiven of his sins! This is what Paul told people on his missionary journeys. What did Paul tell people to do? Paul told people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus. Journal and prayer (5 minutes) Journal Page, 1 per kid markers or crayons Bible Story Coloring Page Distribute each child s journal page provided with this session. Guide kids to draw a picture of what it means to turn away from sin. Prompt them by giving examples like a street sign that might say Turn Around or a picture of them sharing a toy with their brother or sister instead of keeping it for themselves. Say When the Holy Spirit works in our lives to show us that we need to trust Jesus, He helps us turn away from our sin. Draw a big heart on your paper. The Holy Spirit changes our heart and helps us become more and more like Jesus. Paul told people about Jesus and helped them understand that they needed to turn away from their sins and follow Him. We need to do the same! If time remains, take prayer requests or allow kids to complete to coloring page provided with this session. Pray that the Holy Spirit will move in the hearts of kids so that they become more like Jesus. Pray that God will help kids to turn from their sins and follow Jesus. Dismiss to parents Make sure to check security tags when dismissing children. Unit 35 Session 5 Younger Elementary 7
UNIT 35 Session 5 Paul s Third Journey 2015 LifeWay OK TO PRINT Paul s Conversion and Ministry
Paul s Third Journey Map Instructions: Print and use as directed in the leader guide. UNIT 35 Session 5 Older Kids Leader Guide 2015 LifeWay OK TO PRINT Paul s Conversion and Ministry
Flower Shapes Instructions: Use the template to cut flowers from construction paper. Guide kids to write a message in the center like Jesus is alive! Drop each flower with petals facing upward into the tub of water and watch the message be revealed. UNIT 35 Session Younger Kids Bible Study 2015 LifeWay OK TO PRINT Paul s Conversion and Ministry