God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
Praise Jesus!
Aquila and Priscilla Help Paul Spread the Good News • Lesson 13 Bible Point
God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
Bible Verse “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
Growing Closer to Jesus Students will n learn how Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos worked together, n work together to read a message about Jesus, and n learn that they’re part of Jesus’ plan to spread the gospel.
Teacher Enrichment Bible Basis
n Aquila and Priscilla help Paul spread the good news.
Acts 18:18-26
Aquila and Priscilla first appear earlier in this chapter, meeting Paul in Corinth. Paul had joined up with them in making tents for a living, because that was their trade as well (Acts 18:1‑3). We don’t know when Aquila and Priscilla became Christians, but when we get to today’s passage, it’s clear that they’re believers who are working together with Paul in spreading the good news of Jesus. Aquila and Priscilla traveled with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus, but then Paul went on alone. When Apollos appeared and began preaching about Jesus, Priscilla and Aquila saw that he was lacking critical knowledge about who Jesus really was. Apollos apparently didn’t know that Jesus had died and risen from the dead— or that God had given the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ followers. So Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside to teach him the full truth about Jesus. Apollos continued his ministry, but now he was equipped with the full message that Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 18:27-28). Priscilla and Aquila did their part in working together with Paul to tell others about Jesus. Other Scriptures used in this lesson are Matthew 5:14-16; 28:18-20; John 3:16; Acts 18:1-4, 27-28; 19:1-5; and Romans 10:13-15.
Prayer • Read Ephesians 4:15-16. • How does this passage add to your understanding of this week’s passage? • How can the children in your class work together to tell others about Jesus? • Pray: God, help me to do my part in telling others about Jesus. And help my class this week as we seek to…
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Lesson 13
Before the Lesson n Collect the necessary items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab Supplies listed on the chart. n Make photocopies of the “Hands-On Fun at Home” handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your students. n Pray for your students and for God’s direction as you teach the lesson.
This Lesson at a Glance Attention Grabber Bible Exploration & Application
What Students Will Do
Classroom Supplies
Convince Me—Be convinced
Snacks, paper, pen
A Day in the Life—Read from “diaries” of Bible characters and from Acts 18–19.
Bibles, “A Day in the Life” handout (p. 144), scissors, pencils, paper
Working Together—Read Romans 10:13-15 and Ecclesiastes 4:9, and work together to find information about Jesus.
Bibles
Jesus’ Plan—Discover that
Bibles, CD player
Many Lights—Read Matthew
Bibles, candles, matches or candle lighter
to walk with their hands on their heads so they can earn a snack.
they’re part of Jesus’ plan, and discuss Matthew 28:18-20.
Closing
5:14-16, and talk about working together to tell others about Jesus.
138 Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Grades 3 & 4
Learning Lab Supplies
Aquila and Priscilla Help Paul Spread the Good News
Welcome As kids arrive, ask them which “Fun at Home” activities they tried. Ask questions such as, “Who did your family greet with your mini welcome mat?” and “How did your family help at church last week?” Tell kids that whenever you sound the groan tube, they are to stop talking, raise their hands, and focus on you. Explain that it’s important to respond to this signal quickly so the class can do as many fun activities as possible. The Bible Point for this lesson is God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
Module Review Use the casual interaction time at the beginning of the class to ask the kids the following module-review questions: • What’s your favorite thing we’ve learned in the past few weeks? Why? • Have you told anyone about Jesus lately? What happened? • How has the Holy Spirit helped you? • How has your worship become more genuine? • How is your life different as a result of what we’ve learned these past five weeks?
Attention Grabber n Convince Me Supplies: snacks, paper, pen Before class, write the following instructions on a piece of paper: “When I leave the room, you must convince all the kids in the class to walk around the room with their hands on their heads. I’ll be gone for about one minute. When I come back, kids should be walking around the room with their hands on their heads. If they are, everyone will get a great snack.” Give the instructions to the first student who arrives. When all the students have arrived, tell them that you’re stepping outside the room for a minute but you’ll be right back. When you return, students should be walking with their hands on their heads. Say: I’m so glad you listened to [name of volunteer] and decided to walk with your hands on your heads. I brought a great snack for you. Distribute the snack, and then ask: • What thoughts went through your mind when [name of volunteer] tried to get you to walk with your hands on your head? (I thought she was crazy; I thought you’d get mad at us for acting up while you were gone.) • Did you believe there would be a reward if you cooperated? Why or why not? (Yes, because I knew we wouldn’t be doing something that silly for no reason; no, I thought it was just a joke.)
See p e 5. ag
It’s important to say the Bible Point just as it’s written in each activity. Repeating the Bible Point over and over throughout the lesson will help kids remember it and apply it to their lives.
Don’t actually leave kids unsupervised. Step only outside the room so you can still keep control if needed. It might be a good idea to have another volunteer in the room when you step outside. If you return to the room and students aren’t walking with their hands on their heads, leave for another minute or so.
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Lesson 13
• What convinced you to follow along? (More people started joining in and telling me to do it, too; because someone showed me the note you wrote; because I wanted the snack.) Say: When I left the room, I gave my volunteer a job to do. The volunteer had to convince all of you to walk with your hands on your heads. When Jesus left the earth, he gave his followers a job. They had to convince others to believe in Jesus. Today we’re going to learn how God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
Bible Exploration & Application If you have fewer than eight students, form two or three groups and assign each group more than one diary entry.
If your kids are too lively to learn during an activity, take a break and use up some of that energy. Have kids sing an action song, run a relay race, or do some jumping jacks or stretches. Then return to the lesson. You’ll find that your students will be able to focus much better.
n A Day in the Life Supplies: Bibles, “A Day in the Life” handout (p. 144), scissors, pencils, paper Before class, photocopy the “A Day in the Life” handout. Cut apart the four diary pages. Form no more than four groups. Say: Last week we heard how the apostles chose leaders to help with a need at the church. Today we’ll be learning about how Paul worked with people he met on his travels to tell others about Jesus. I’m going to give each group a diary page that someone in today’s Bible passage might have written. Read your diary page, and look up the Bible passage listed at the bottom. Then decide which character might have written the diary page. Distribute Bibles and pencils, and give each group one of the diary pages. Make paper available. When kids have decided who their characters are, sound the groan tube to regain kids’ attention. Wait for them to respond, and then say: Now think of a way to present your character to the other groups. For example, you could take turns reading from the diary entry, act out the events your character wrote about, or write a diary page for the next day in your character’s life. After about five minutes, sound the groan tube, and wait for kids to respond. Have groups take turns presenting their characters. Applaud each performance. After the last presentation, ask: • How did Priscilla and Aquila help Paul tell others about Jesus? (They told Apollos about Jesus; they stayed in Ephesus to teach while Paul went on to another place.) • Do you think it would be easier to tell others about Jesus if you had Christian friends like Priscilla and Aquila to help you? Explain. (Yes, having a friend would make me feel less scared; no, my relationship with Jesus is personal, and it’s hard for me to talk about it.) Say: Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos all worked together to spread the message about Jesus. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus, just as they did. Let’s have some fun doing that right here in our classroom.
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Aquila and Priscilla Help Paul Spread the Good News
Hands-On Bible Give each student a sheet of writing paper and a pencil. Also provide some basic information on the missionaries your church supports. Make sure kids have their Hands-On Bibles. Have students turn to Acts 23 in their Bibles and complete the “A Tough Job” activity found near there. When kids finish, offer to collect and mail their letters. Then ask: • What else could our class do to help support our church’s missionaries so they don’t think they’re working all alone to tell people about Jesus? (Send a photo of our class; write more letters; send care packages; pray for them.)
n Working Together Supplies: Bibles Say: Jesus wants everyone to believe in him, but people can’t believe in Jesus unless they hear about him. Help kids look up Romans 10:13-15. When everyone has found the passage, ask a volunteer to read it aloud. Take a moment to think about the people in your life who don’t know about Jesus. Pause for kids to think, and then say: Jesus wants us to tell those people about him. Now help kids find Ecclesiastes 4:9. When everyone has found the verse, have a volunteer read it aloud. Then say: Thankfully, we don’t have to work all alone to tell everyone about Jesus. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus. We’re going to have some fun working together as we learn more that we can share about Jesus. Have students form pairs. Give each pair a neon lace. Say: Each person may use only one hand for this activity. Partners must work together to tie together the wrists that you’re not using. So if you’re using your right hands, you’ll work together to tie your left wrists together. Once you’ve accomplished that, you must work together to find John 3:16 in one of your Bibles and read the verse aloud together. After you’ve finished, raise your hands so I can see that you’re done. Give students several minutes to accomplish this. When most pairs are finished, sound the groan tube to regain kids’ attention. Wait for them to respond, and then ask: • What was it like to work together at this task? (It was hard, but we helped each other; it was fun.) • What if you had to tie your own neon lace with only one hand? (It would be too hard; it would be impossible; I couldn’t do it.) • How is that like trying to tell everyone about Jesus all by yourself? (You could never get to everybody in the world; it works better if we help each other.) Say: Without a partner to help you and work together with, none of you might have succeeded at this task. It’s always good to work together. Just as our Bible verse says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9). It’s the same way when we’re telling others about Jesus. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
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Lesson 13
Say: Working together to tell others about Jesus makes it twice as fun. Knowing that your friends love Jesus as much as you do can make you feel less nervous about talking about your faith. Plus, having more people working together means that more people will hear the good news about Jesus. That means the good news can spread that much faster!
n Jesus’ Plan
Bible Insight Matthew 28:19-20 contains specific instructions for Christians, including go, make disciples, baptize, and teach. While Jesus’ main command is to “make disciples,” to ignore go as part of the great commission is to ignore a vital part of sharing the news about Jesus.
Supplies: Bibles, CD player Say: We know about Jesus today because Jesus’ first track 13 followers worked together to tell others about him. Jesus has always planned to spread his message through his followers. Let’s listen to an imaginary story about what the angels in heaven might have thought of Jesus’ plan. Play “Jesus’ Plan” (track 13) on the CD. Then have kids read Matthew 28:18-20 and discuss the following questions with a partner. Pause after you ask each question. Ask: • How do you think Jesus felt leaving his message with just a few followers? (He knew God would help them; he must have really trusted his disciples.) • A few disciples couldn’t get the message about Jesus to everyone in the world; how do you think the message got around the world? (People told others; they traveled around; they wrote letters; at Pentecost 3,000 people from all over believed in Jesus, and they spread the news in their own countries.) • There are still a lot of people in the world who haven’t heard about Jesus; how can we get the message about Jesus to everyone? (We can tell the people we know; by sending missionaries to other parts of the world; by using radio, TV, and the Internet.) • What can you do this week to tell others about Jesus? (Invite a friend to church; tell a friend about what Jesus means to me.) Sound the groan tube to regain kids’ attention, and then invite them to share the responses they discussed with their partners. Say: Jesus is counting on us to spread the news about him all around the world. That was a big job for a handful of disciples, but they passed the news on to others who passed it on again. We can do the same thing today. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus. The Bible tells us how.
Closing n Many Lights Supplies: Bibles, candles, matches or candle lighter Form a circle, and have kids look up Matthew 5:14-16. When everyone has found the passage, ask a volunteer to read it aloud. Say: We are God’s light in this world. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus, in our words and through our actions. As I hand you a candle, say one way you can let your light shine for Jesus. 142 Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Grades 3 & 4
Aquila and Priscilla Help Paul Spread the Good News
Give each student an unlit candle. After everyone has shared his or her idea, light your own candle. Turn off the overhead lights, and then use your candle to light the candle of the student standing on your right. As you light the candle, say: [Name of student], you are God’s light. Shine for Jesus. Have kids pass the affirmation around the circle as they light each other’s candles. After all the candles are lit, say: We are God’s light. Together we shine brighter than we do alone. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus. Extinguish the candles, and put them out of reach.
If your students like to sing, close by singing “This Little Light of Mine.” Make sure you have plenty of adult supervision during this activity, and never leave kids unattended when using candles.
Growing closer to Jesus extends beyond the classroom. Photocopy the “Hands-On Fun at Home” handout (at the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home with your kids. Encourage kids and parents to use the handout to spark meaningful discussion on this week’s topic.
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I made some new friends recently. We seem to have a lot in common—we all like to make tents. I’ve been spending a lot of time with these friends, and they recently accompanied me on a trip to Syria and Ephesus. I just left them in Ephesus, and I think I can count on them to keep spreading the message about Jesus. I’ll be eager to meet with them when I return.
Read Acts 18:1-4, 18-23.
Today we arrived in Ephesus. Our friend Paul invited us to go with him to tell people in other places about Jesus. It sounded exciting, so here we are. We met a man named Apollos at the synagogue this morning. He was very excited about Jesus, but he knew only about John’s baptism. We took him back to the place we were staying and told him everything we’d learned from Paul. Now he knows much more, and I think he’ll do a good job of spreading the message about Jesus to many people.
Read Acts 18:18-21, 24-28.
It’s kind of hard to get used to living in Corinth. I don’t know anyone, and I miss all my friends in Rome. But we’ve met a friend named Paul who seems very nice. We’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately, talking about Jesus and making more tents to sell. Paul must really trust us, because he’s taking us to Ephesus with him. He’s going to leave us there to tell people about Jesus while he goes on to several other cities. I hope we can do a good job.
Today I learned something I never knew before! All this time, I’ve been teaching people to repent and be baptized. Today I learned that people can be baptized in the name of Jesus, our Lord. I’m really glad I met those people from Corinth in the synagogue. They helped me do an even better job of telling people about Jesus.
Read Acts 18:24–19:5.
Read Acts 18:1-3, 18-28.
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Permission to photocopy this handout from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum®, Grades 3 & 4, granted for local church use. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com
Lesson 13
God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
Design a T-shirt that tells people about Jesus. First draw the design on paper. Then use permanent markers or fabric paint to create the design on the shirt. Insert cardboard between the layers so the colors don’t soak through. You might want to make matching shirts for other members of your family.
Read Matthew 13:44, and then make this treasure treat for your family. Find an object such as a 50-cent piece (nothing smaller, for safety reasons) to represent the treasure. Have an adult help you make a cake using a cake mix. Stir the object into the cake batter before you bake it. When the cake has cooled, spread chocolate frosting on top of the cake. Use a fork to draw lines in the frosting to look like a plowed field. Mix a couple drops of green food coloring with coconut and sprinkle it on top of your “field” to make a “crop.” Read the verse to your family. Then give each person a fork and “dig” for the buried treasure. (Don’t eat the cake before the treasure is found and removed!) When the treasure is found, talk about why God’s kingdom is a treasure.
Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. Why is it best to work together? Read Mark 2:1-5. Four people worked together to bring their friend to Jesus. List three things you and your friends can do to tell others about God.
Just like Paul, Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos, we can work together to tell others about Jesus. • Who can your family tell about Jesus? • How can your family members work together to tell those people about Jesus?
Permission to photocopy this handout from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum®, Grades 3 & 4, granted for local church use. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com
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Aquila and Priscilla Help Paul Spread the Good News • Lesson 13 Bible Point
God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
Bible Verse “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
Growing Closer to Jesus Students will n learn how Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos worked together, n work together to read a message about Jesus, and n learn that they’re part of Jesus’ plan to spread the gospel.
Teacher Enrichment Bible Basis
n Aquila and Priscilla help Paul spread the good news.
Acts 18:18-26
Aquila and Priscilla first appear earlier in this chapter, meeting Paul in Corinth. Paul had joined up with them in making tents for a living, because that was their trade as well (Acts 18:1‑3). We don’t know when Aquila and Priscilla became Christians, but when we get to today’s passage, it’s clear that they’re believers who are working together with Paul in spreading the good news of Jesus. Aquila and Priscilla traveled with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus, but then Paul went on alone. When Apollos appeared and began preaching about Jesus, Priscilla and Aquila saw that he was lacking critical knowledge about who Jesus really was. Apollos apparently didn’t know that Jesus had died and risen from the dead— or that God had given the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ followers. So Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside to teach him the full truth about Jesus. Apollos continued his ministry, but now he was equipped with the full message that Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 18:27-28). Priscilla and Aquila did their part in working together with Paul to tell others about Jesus. Other Scriptures used in this lesson are Matthew 5:14-16; 28:18-20; John 3:16; Acts 18:1-4, 27-28; 19:1-5; and Romans 10:13-15.
Prayer • Read Ephesians 4:15-16. • How does this passage add to your understanding of this week’s passage? • How can the children in your class work together to tell others about Jesus? • Pray: God, help me to do my part in telling others about Jesus. And help my class this week as we seek to…
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Lesson 13
Before the Lesson n Collect the necessary items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab Supplies listed on the chart. n Make photocopies of the “Hands-On Fun at Home” handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your students. n Pray for your students and for God’s direction as you teach the lesson.
This Lesson at a Glance Attention Grabber Bible Exploration & Application
What Students Will Do
Classroom Supplies
Convince Me—Be convinced
Snacks, paper, pen
A Day in the Life—Read from “diaries” of Bible characters and from Acts 18–19.
Bibles, “A Day in the Life” handout (p. 144), scissors, pencils, paper
Working Together—Read Romans 10:13-15 and Ecclesiastes 4:9, and work together to find information about Jesus.
Bibles
Jesus’ Plan—Discover that
Bibles, CD player
Many Lights—Read Matthew
Bibles, candles, matches or candle lighter
to walk with their hands on their heads so they can earn a snack.
they’re part of Jesus’ plan, and discuss Matthew 28:18-20.
Closing
5:14-16, and talk about working together to tell others about Jesus.
138 Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Grades 3 & 4
Learning Lab Supplies
Aquila and Priscilla Help Paul Spread the Good News
Welcome As kids arrive, ask them which “Fun at Home” activities they tried. Ask questions such as, “Who did your family greet with your mini welcome mat?” and “How did your family help at church last week?” Tell kids that whenever you sound the groan tube, they are to stop talking, raise their hands, and focus on you. Explain that it’s important to respond to this signal quickly so the class can do as many fun activities as possible. The Bible Point for this lesson is God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
Module Review Use the casual interaction time at the beginning of the class to ask the kids the following module-review questions: • What’s your favorite thing we’ve learned in the past few weeks? Why? • Have you told anyone about Jesus lately? What happened? • How has the Holy Spirit helped you? • How has your worship become more genuine? • How is your life different as a result of what we’ve learned these past five weeks?
Attention Grabber n Convince Me Supplies: snacks, paper, pen Before class, write the following instructions on a piece of paper: “When I leave the room, you must convince all the kids in the class to walk around the room with their hands on their heads. I’ll be gone for about one minute. When I come back, kids should be walking around the room with their hands on their heads. If they are, everyone will get a great snack.” Give the instructions to the first student who arrives. When all the students have arrived, tell them that you’re stepping outside the room for a minute but you’ll be right back. When you return, students should be walking with their hands on their heads. Say: I’m so glad you listened to [name of volunteer] and decided to walk with your hands on your heads. I brought a great snack for you. Distribute the snack, and then ask: • What thoughts went through your mind when [name of volunteer] tried to get you to walk with your hands on your head? (I thought she was crazy; I thought you’d get mad at us for acting up while you were gone.) • Did you believe there would be a reward if you cooperated? Why or why not? (Yes, because I knew we wouldn’t be doing something that silly for no reason; no, I thought it was just a joke.)
See p e 5. ag
It’s important to say the Bible Point just as it’s written in each activity. Repeating the Bible Point over and over throughout the lesson will help kids remember it and apply it to their lives.
Don’t actually leave kids unsupervised. Step only outside the room so you can still keep control if needed. It might be a good idea to have another volunteer in the room when you step outside. If you return to the room and students aren’t walking with their hands on their heads, leave for another minute or so.
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• What convinced you to follow along? (More people started joining in and telling me to do it, too; because someone showed me the note you wrote; because I wanted the snack.) Say: When I left the room, I gave my volunteer a job to do. The volunteer had to convince all of you to walk with your hands on your heads. When Jesus left the earth, he gave his followers a job. They had to convince others to believe in Jesus. Today we’re going to learn how God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
Bible Exploration & Application If you have fewer than eight students, form two or three groups and assign each group more than one diary entry.
If your kids are too lively to learn during an activity, take a break and use up some of that energy. Have kids sing an action song, run a relay race, or do some jumping jacks or stretches. Then return to the lesson. You’ll find that your students will be able to focus much better.
n A Day in the Life Supplies: Bibles, “A Day in the Life” handout (p. 144), scissors, pencils, paper Before class, photocopy the “A Day in the Life” handout. Cut apart the four diary pages. Form no more than four groups. Say: Last week we heard how the apostles chose leaders to help with a need at the church. Today we’ll be learning about how Paul worked with people he met on his travels to tell others about Jesus. I’m going to give each group a diary page that someone in today’s Bible passage might have written. Read your diary page, and look up the Bible passage listed at the bottom. Then decide which character might have written the diary page. Distribute Bibles and pencils, and give each group one of the diary pages. Make paper available. When kids have decided who their characters are, sound the groan tube to regain kids’ attention. Wait for them to respond, and then say: Now think of a way to present your character to the other groups. For example, you could take turns reading from the diary entry, act out the events your character wrote about, or write a diary page for the next day in your character’s life. After about five minutes, sound the groan tube, and wait for kids to respond. Have groups take turns presenting their characters. Applaud each performance. After the last presentation, ask: • How did Priscilla and Aquila help Paul tell others about Jesus? (They told Apollos about Jesus; they stayed in Ephesus to teach while Paul went on to another place.) • Do you think it would be easier to tell others about Jesus if you had Christian friends like Priscilla and Aquila to help you? Explain. (Yes, having a friend would make me feel less scared; no, my relationship with Jesus is personal, and it’s hard for me to talk about it.) Say: Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos all worked together to spread the message about Jesus. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus, just as they did. Let’s have some fun doing that right here in our classroom.
140 Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Grades 3 & 4
Aquila and Priscilla Help Paul Spread the Good News
Hands-On Bible Give each student a sheet of writing paper and a pencil. Also provide some basic information on the missionaries your church supports. Make sure kids have their Hands-On Bibles. Have students turn to Acts 23 in their Bibles and complete the “A Tough Job” activity found near there. When kids finish, offer to collect and mail their letters. Then ask: • What else could our class do to help support our church’s missionaries so they don’t think they’re working all alone to tell people about Jesus? (Send a photo of our class; write more letters; send care packages; pray for them.)
n Working Together Supplies: Bibles Say: Jesus wants everyone to believe in him, but people can’t believe in Jesus unless they hear about him. Help kids look up Romans 10:13-15. When everyone has found the passage, ask a volunteer to read it aloud. Take a moment to think about the people in your life who don’t know about Jesus. Pause for kids to think, and then say: Jesus wants us to tell those people about him. Now help kids find Ecclesiastes 4:9. When everyone has found the verse, have a volunteer read it aloud. Then say: Thankfully, we don’t have to work all alone to tell everyone about Jesus. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus. We’re going to have some fun working together as we learn more that we can share about Jesus. Have students form pairs. Give each pair a neon lace. Say: Each person may use only one hand for this activity. Partners must work together to tie together the wrists that you’re not using. So if you’re using your right hands, you’ll work together to tie your left wrists together. Once you’ve accomplished that, you must work together to find John 3:16 in one of your Bibles and read the verse aloud together. After you’ve finished, raise your hands so I can see that you’re done. Give students several minutes to accomplish this. When most pairs are finished, sound the groan tube to regain kids’ attention. Wait for them to respond, and then ask: • What was it like to work together at this task? (It was hard, but we helped each other; it was fun.) • What if you had to tie your own neon lace with only one hand? (It would be too hard; it would be impossible; I couldn’t do it.) • How is that like trying to tell everyone about Jesus all by yourself? (You could never get to everybody in the world; it works better if we help each other.) Say: Without a partner to help you and work together with, none of you might have succeeded at this task. It’s always good to work together. Just as our Bible verse says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9). It’s the same way when we’re telling others about Jesus. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
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Lesson 13
Say: Working together to tell others about Jesus makes it twice as fun. Knowing that your friends love Jesus as much as you do can make you feel less nervous about talking about your faith. Plus, having more people working together means that more people will hear the good news about Jesus. That means the good news can spread that much faster!
n Jesus’ Plan
Bible Insight Matthew 28:19-20 contains specific instructions for Christians, including go, make disciples, baptize, and teach. While Jesus’ main command is to “make disciples,” to ignore go as part of the great commission is to ignore a vital part of sharing the news about Jesus.
Supplies: Bibles, CD player Say: We know about Jesus today because Jesus’ first track 13 followers worked together to tell others about him. Jesus has always planned to spread his message through his followers. Let’s listen to an imaginary story about what the angels in heaven might have thought of Jesus’ plan. Play “Jesus’ Plan” (track 13) on the CD. Then have kids read Matthew 28:18-20 and discuss the following questions with a partner. Pause after you ask each question. Ask: • How do you think Jesus felt leaving his message with just a few followers? (He knew God would help them; he must have really trusted his disciples.) • A few disciples couldn’t get the message about Jesus to everyone in the world; how do you think the message got around the world? (People told others; they traveled around; they wrote letters; at Pentecost 3,000 people from all over believed in Jesus, and they spread the news in their own countries.) • There are still a lot of people in the world who haven’t heard about Jesus; how can we get the message about Jesus to everyone? (We can tell the people we know; by sending missionaries to other parts of the world; by using radio, TV, and the Internet.) • What can you do this week to tell others about Jesus? (Invite a friend to church; tell a friend about what Jesus means to me.) Sound the groan tube to regain kids’ attention, and then invite them to share the responses they discussed with their partners. Say: Jesus is counting on us to spread the news about him all around the world. That was a big job for a handful of disciples, but they passed the news on to others who passed it on again. We can do the same thing today. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus. The Bible tells us how.
Closing n Many Lights Supplies: Bibles, candles, matches or candle lighter Form a circle, and have kids look up Matthew 5:14-16. When everyone has found the passage, ask a volunteer to read it aloud. Say: We are God’s light in this world. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus, in our words and through our actions. As I hand you a candle, say one way you can let your light shine for Jesus. 142 Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Grades 3 & 4
Aquila and Priscilla Help Paul Spread the Good News
Give each student an unlit candle. After everyone has shared his or her idea, light your own candle. Turn off the overhead lights, and then use your candle to light the candle of the student standing on your right. As you light the candle, say: [Name of student], you are God’s light. Shine for Jesus. Have kids pass the affirmation around the circle as they light each other’s candles. After all the candles are lit, say: We are God’s light. Together we shine brighter than we do alone. God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus. Extinguish the candles, and put them out of reach.
If your students like to sing, close by singing “This Little Light of Mine.” Make sure you have plenty of adult supervision during this activity, and never leave kids unattended when using candles.
Growing closer to Jesus extends beyond the classroom. Photocopy the “Hands-On Fun at Home” handout (at the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home with your kids. Encourage kids and parents to use the handout to spark meaningful discussion on this week’s topic.
Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Grades 3 & 4 143
I made some new friends recently. We seem to have a lot in common—we all like to make tents. I’ve been spending a lot of time with these friends, and they recently accompanied me on a trip to Syria and Ephesus. I just left them in Ephesus, and I think I can count on them to keep spreading the message about Jesus. I’ll be eager to meet with them when I return.
Read Acts 18:1-4, 18-23.
Today we arrived in Ephesus. Our friend Paul invited us to go with him to tell people in other places about Jesus. It sounded exciting, so here we are. We met a man named Apollos at the synagogue this morning. He was very excited about Jesus, but he knew only about John’s baptism. We took him back to the place we were staying and told him everything we’d learned from Paul. Now he knows much more, and I think he’ll do a good job of spreading the message about Jesus to many people.
Read Acts 18:18-21, 24-28.
It’s kind of hard to get used to living in Corinth. I don’t know anyone, and I miss all my friends in Rome. But we’ve met a friend named Paul who seems very nice. We’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately, talking about Jesus and making more tents to sell. Paul must really trust us, because he’s taking us to Ephesus with him. He’s going to leave us there to tell people about Jesus while he goes on to several other cities. I hope we can do a good job.
Today I learned something I never knew before! All this time, I’ve been teaching people to repent and be baptized. Today I learned that people can be baptized in the name of Jesus, our Lord. I’m really glad I met those people from Corinth in the synagogue. They helped me do an even better job of telling people about Jesus.
Read Acts 18:24–19:5.
Read Acts 18:1-3, 18-28.
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Permission to photocopy this handout from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum®, Grades 3 & 4, granted for local church use. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com
Lesson 13
God wants us to work together to tell others about Jesus.
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
Design a T-shirt that tells people about Jesus. First draw the design on paper. Then use permanent markers or fabric paint to create the design on the shirt. Insert cardboard between the layers so the colors don’t soak through. You might want to make matching shirts for other members of your family.
Read Matthew 13:44, and then make this treasure treat for your family. Find an object such as a 50-cent piece (nothing smaller, for safety reasons) to represent the treasure. Have an adult help you make a cake using a cake mix. Stir the object into the cake batter before you bake it. When the cake has cooled, spread chocolate frosting on top of the cake. Use a fork to draw lines in the frosting to look like a plowed field. Mix a couple drops of green food coloring with coconut and sprinkle it on top of your “field” to make a “crop.” Read the verse to your family. Then give each person a fork and “dig” for the buried treasure. (Don’t eat the cake before the treasure is found and removed!) When the treasure is found, talk about why God’s kingdom is a treasure.
Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. Why is it best to work together? Read Mark 2:1-5. Four people worked together to bring their friend to Jesus. List three things you and your friends can do to tell others about God.
Just like Paul, Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos, we can work together to tell others about Jesus. • Who can your family tell about Jesus? • How can your family members work together to tell those people about Jesus?
Permission to photocopy this handout from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum®, Grades 3 & 4, granted for local church use. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com
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