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    • Optional Memory Verse: 

    Today's Theme:

     

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    Today's Story:

    		Paul and Silas in jail
    Acts 16  
    Optional Memory verse: 
    		"Be joyful because you have hope.  Be patient when 
    trouble comes. Pray at all times."   Romans 12:12
    International Children's Bible, New Century Version
     
    Jesus fills us with joy, even in hard times.
    • Materials Needed:
    		Promised Land mat,
    Paul figure
    Bible Story mat
    6 Fisher Price or similar type men figures,
    1 Fisher Price or similar type girl figure
    Lego's or blocks,
    cookie sheet or a piece of corrugated cardboard
    		Something solid for the kids to build a block building on so that it can be picked up and moved, (see story prop below).
    Scrap of poster board or cardboard,
    Scissors.

     

    • Save the jail to use in next week's lesson

    Story prop: When the first children arrive have them build a jail to be used during the story from Lego's or blocks.
    		Have them build it on a piece of cardboard or a cookie sheet so that it can be picked up in one piece and brought to the story circle.
    Have them leave an opening for a doorway.
    Have them build it without a roof so that the kids will be able to see inside it as you tell the story.
    Cut a piece of the poster board or cardboard to fit across the doorway to use as a door

     

    • Action Game:  Jail Break
    		Have the kids arrange the chairs in a square shape with an opening at one end for a door.
    		This will be a jail.
    Pick 2 kids to be jailers.
    All the other kids are in jail.
    The jailers stand outside the jail a little ways away from the door.
    When you say, "jail break", the jailed kids all run out the door.
    The jailers have 30 seconds to tag them all.
    Each tagged child has to go back to jail.
    At the end of the thirty seconds give a signal (such as turning the lights on and off).
    Any kids not tagged become the new jailers.
    Repeat adjusting the time if necessary to insure that some kids will not be caught.

     

    • Closing Discussion:

    • Close in Prayer: 

    Telling the Story: 
    		In our game it was fun to be in jail.
    How would you feel if you were really in jail?
    		Sad, scared, lonely, upset.
    In Bible times there was a terrible rule that if a prisoner escaped from jail, the jailer was killed.
    So the jailers were very careful to make sure that the prisoners could not escape.
    What do you think the jailers would do to make sure that the prisoners couldn't escape?
    		Tie them up, chain them to the wall, etc.
    Today we're going to hear about a time when some people were in jail and had a chance to escape.
    Listen carefully to find out who was in jail and how they got a chance to escape.
    Last week we learned that Paul left the Promised Land and traveled all over telling people about Jesus.
    		Lay out the Promised land mat so the Jordan River is facing the children and you are along the Mediterranean Sea side. 
    Leave some space between you and the mat to build little block towns so you're not placing them in the Mediterranean Sea.
    He traveled to towns and cities all along here:
    		Make little "block towns" off the mat in between you and the Mediterranean Sea.
    One time Paul was traveling with a man named Silas.
    		Place Paul and another man figure next to one of the block towns.
    When Paul and Silas came to this town there was a servant girl who was bothered by an evil spirit.
    		Walk them to another town.
    Place a girl figure there.
    The girl's owners made money from her because she could tell people's fortunes for them.
    		Place 2 men figures next to her.
    But when Paul and Silas arrived in her town she followed them everywhere.
    		Walk Paul and Silas in a circle around the town and have her follow them.
    The evil spirit in her said, "These men are from the Most High God.  They are telling you how you can be saved!"*
    Well, Paul healed her from the evil Spirit.  
    This made her owners furious because they knew that she wouldn't be able to tell people's fortunes anymore. 
    Then they wouldn't be able to make money from her fortune telling.
    So they grabbed Paul and Silas and took them to see the rulers.
    		Place 2 more figures on the mat and have the girl's owners walk Paul and Silas to the rulers.
    The girl's owners got the crowd all riled up so the crowd started shouting at them.
    The rulers tore Paul's and Silas's clothes right off.
    		Lay Paul and Silas face down in front of them.
    They beat them with whips. 
    Then they put them in jail.
    		Add the jail the kids made earlier and put Paul and Silas inside.
    The rulers told the jailer to guard them very carefully.
    		Place a figure next to the jail to be the jailer.
    So he took Paul and Silas all the way into the very back of the jail.
    		Walk the 3 figures to the back of the jail.
    He made them sit next to the wall.
    		Put the Paul and Silas figures against a wall.
    He knew that if they escaped he would be killed.
    "So he pinned down their feet with large blocks of wood".*
    		Place jailer outside the jail next to the door.
    Then the jailer locked the jail door.
    		Place a piece of cardboard in front of the door opening.
    How do you think Paul and Silas felt after being beaten and locked up?
    Would you have felt like crying after being beaten and locked up in jail?
    Well Paul and Silas were not crying.
    They were singing songs and praising God!
    That's because Jesus fills us with joy, even when times are hard.
    Paul and Silas were still singing and praying to God late that night.
    The jailer had fallen asleep.
    		Lay the jailer down in front of the door.
    Suddenly there was an earthquake!
    		Shake the cookie sheet that the jail is on.
    The door of the jail flew right open!
    		Knock the cardboard door over if it hasn't already fallen over.
    And all the prisoners' chains fell off!
    		Move Paul and Silas away from the wall.
    The jailer woke up with a start!
    		Stand jailer up.
    He saw the door of the jail open.
    He was sure that Paul and Silas had escaped.
    So he pulled out his sword and was about to kill himself.
    But Paul saw him and shouted, "Don't kill yourself! We're still here!"
    Well, when the jailer heard that, he ran right inside the jail.
    		Walk the jailer to Paul and Silas
    Why do you think he ran inside?
    		To tie the prisoners back up
    But instead of tying Paul and Silas back up, he brought them outside the jail.
    		Place all 3 figures in front of the jail
    He was trembling in fear and asked them, "What must I do to be saved?"
    Paul and Silas told him to believe in Jesus.
    He did believe in Jesus!
    He took them right away to his house to meet his family so they could learn about Jesus, too!
    		Walk the figures to one of the block houses.
    He washed their wounds where they had been beaten.
    Then he gave them something to eat.
    Paul and Silas told him and his whole family all about Jesus.
    Right then, in the middle of the night, the jailer and his whole family believed in Jesus and were baptized.
    Why were Paul and Silas beaten and put in jail?
    		For healing a girl with an evil spirit.
    Did they do anything wrong?
    		No, so they didn't have any reason to be ashamed.
    What were Paul and Silas doing while they were in jail?
    		Singing and praying.
    If you had been beaten and thrown in jail would you have felt like singing?
    		Discuss kids answers.
    Why do you think Paul and Silas were able to sing instead of cry?
    		Discuss kids answers.
    Because Jesus fills us with joy and not even hard times can take that joy away.
    Jesus fills us with joy, even when times are hard.
    Asking God to fill us with Jesus' joy, even when things are hard.

     

    Snack:  Leftover bonanza

     

    Supplemental Bible Readings:  Also available as a take home paper. 
    Click     The Home Sower  to access it.

    (Suggested daily readings)

     

    • Materials Needed for Next Week:  
    		Paul figure (before class tie a piece of string or yarn around his waist tied with a bow for a belt 
    		Don't knot it because it will have to be removed during the story.
    The string needs to be at least 10" (25 cm) long. 
    Bible Story mat
    Toy boat (big enough to fit Paul and one other figure)
    Temple
    Priest figure,
    Prophet figure,
    another piece of string to tie up Paul with.
    Lego jail from this week's lesson (or have the kids make one from blocks or Lego's at the beginning of class)
    5 or 6 Fisher Price or similar type men figures,
    blocks
    Optional Snack:  
    		long thin licorice laces 
    cheerios or fruit loops

     

    © 2000 Linda Lawler.  
    Permission granted to copy for personal use only.  Not for resale.

    Home Sower 49      Lesson 41    Home Sower 41    Lesson 42    

    Home Sower 42    Lesson 43    Home Sower 43     Lesson 44    

    Home Sower 44   Lesson 45    Home Sower 45    Lesson 46    

    Home Sower 46    Lesson 47    Home Sower 47     Lesson 48    

    Home Sower 48        Lesson 50    Home Sower 50     Lesson 51  

    Home Sower 51  Lesson 52    Home Sower 52      

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