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    • Optional Memory Verse: 

    Today's Theme:

     

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    Today's Story:

    		Paul returns to the Promised Land
    Acts 20 - 24  
    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 wants us to obey Him even if others try to stop us.
    • Materials Needed:
    		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 last 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

     

     

    • Action Game:  People obstacle course.
    		Have the kids make a road with their bodies:
    		Have them sit in 2 rows facing each other.
    		Each child should be about a chair width apart from the persons sitting on each side of him.  
    If you don't have enough kids for them to make 2 rows, add extra chairs, pillows or other items in between the kids to extend the length of the road.
    Each child should have a partner directly opposite him.
    The space between the rows should be wide enough for about 2 children to walk through.
    Each child is partners with the child facing him/her.
    Tell the kids that they are a road. 
    But there was a bad storm and the road is very hard to follow because there are some trees in the way, etc.
    Direct the first set of partners to pretend they are fallen trees and have them use their bodies to block the road.
    Direct the next set of kids to make a V with their legs so their feet are touching. They represent a place where the road is under water.
    Have the next set of partners hold hands to be a tunnel, but the tunnel is partly collapsed (they should still leave  enough space for the kids to be able to crawl under them).
    Have the next set of kids represent big cracks in the road by placing their legs across the road and next to each other that the other kids have to step between. 
    Continue until all but the last 2 kids are some kind of obstacle in the road. Let them:
    		Curl up and act like rocks in the road,
    Use their arms to be downed power lines,
    Repeat any of the above as needed.
    The last 2 partners have to travel the obstacle course to the other side.
    		They have to crawl under the collapsed tunnel,
    Step through the cracks in the road,
    Slosh or wade through the water in the road,
    Go around the rocks and power lines,
    Crawl under or climb over the downed trees.
    When they get to the other side they become obstacles in the road. 
    		They will play the role that the next set of partners abandons to walk the road. 
    Continue until every set of partners walks the road.

     

    • Closing Discussion:

    • Close in Prayer: 

    • Telling the Story: 
    		In our game we pretended that there were things like trees and rocks in our way. 
    But what was really in the way?
    		People.
    People were in our way. 
    Well, today we're learning about times when people get in our way when we try to obey Jesus.
    Sometimes they will try really hard to stop us from obeying Jesus.
    But Jesus wants us to obey Him even if others try to stop us.
    In today's story we're learning about a time when people tried to stop Paul from obeying Jesus.
    There are 2 different groups of people who try to stop Paul from following Jesus.
    Listen carefully to find out what 2 groups of people try to stop Paul.
    And listen to find out how each group tries to stop him.
    		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 represent the Mediterranean Sea.
    We've been learning that Paul left the Promised land and traveled all over and taught people about Jesus.
    		Place the Paul figure on the floor in front of you.
    Paul had traveled all over these far away places for a long time.
    		Walk Paul back and forth in front of you.
    But finally Paul knew it was time for him to go back to the Promised Land.
    He knew that Jesus wanted him to go back to the temple.
    		Place the temple in the Promised Land next to the Dead Sea.
    He told his friends that he was going back to visit the temple in the Promised Land.
    		Place 2 or 3 Fisher Price or similar type figures in front of Paul facing him.
    But his friends did not want him to go back there.
    They knew that the priests at the temple would be very angry with Paul for telling people about Jesus.
    		Place a priest figure and 2 Fisher Price or similar type figures in front of the temple.
    "Oh No!" they pleaded.  Don't go back there!  
    But Paul knew that Jesus wanted him to go back to the Promised land. He told his friends, "I will obey God even if they tie me up and put me in jail. I am even ready to die for Jesus."
    Paul was determined to obey Jesus even though his friends tried to stop him.
    Jesus wants us to obey Him, too, even if others try to stop us.
    So Paul and one of his friends got in a boat and sailed back to the Promised Land.
    		Place Paul and another figure in the toy boat and sail it back to the edge of the Promised land mat.
    When they got to the Promised Land they met some friends who lived in a town here near the sea
    		Add a few blocks to represent a town.
    Add 2 or 3 Fisher Price or similar type figures to represent Paul's friends.
    They were very excited to see Paul.
    It had been a long, long time since they had last seen him.
    One day while they were staying here a prophet came to see Paul.  
    		Place prophet figure on the mat next to Paul
    The prophet did something really strange.
    He reached over and took Paul's belt right off of him!
    		Untie Paul's belt.
    Then he took Paul's belt and tied up his own hands and feet with it!
    I need one of you to help me by being the prophet's hands.
    		Direct a child to hold the prophet figure between his 2 pointer fingers.
    We'll pretend that ____________' fingers are the prophet's hands.
    		Tie the string from Paul's belt around the child's 2 fingers.
    Then the prophet told Paul, "The man who owns this belt will be tied up like just like this and put in jail when he goes to the temple."
    		Untie child's fingers and return the tie belt to the Paul figure.
    When Paul's friends heard that, they tried very hard to stop him from going to the temple. 
    They begged him not to go.
    But Paul said,  "Don't make a such a fuss!  I am ready to be tied up for Jesus! I am even ready to die for Him!"  
    No one could talk Paul out of going to the temple. 
    Jesus wants us to obey Him, too, even if others try to stop us.
    So Paul and his friend went to the temple.  
    		Walk Paul and the other figure to the temple.
    Paul went into the temple to worship God.
    But his friend was not Jewish so he was not allowed inside the temple. 
    		Walk the Paul figure into the temple.
    Keep the other figure outside.
    But some of the Jews who had seen Paul's friend were sure that Paul had brought his non-Jewish friend into the temple.
    And they were sure that he was telling the Jews who believed in Jesus to stop obeying the Jewish laws.
    They became very angry with Paul.
    They dragged him out of the temple.
    		Walk the priest and another figure into the temple and have them bring Paul out.
    Then they tied him up.
    		Wrap some string around Paul.
    They tried to kill Paul but some soldiers stopped them and  put him in jail to keep him safe from them.
    		Place Lego jail on mat and put Paul in it.
    The priests and the Jewish  leaders wanted to stop Paul from  telling people about Jesus by killing him.
    Bt now that he was in jail they couldn't hurt him.
    And everyone who was in jail was expected to tell the important leaders what he did wrong so the leaders could decide whether to keep him in jail or not.
    So now just because Paul was in jail he was able to tell important leaders all about Jesus.
    He would never have had a chance to meet and tell the important leaders about Jesus if he hadn't been in jail.
    Who tried to stop Paul from obeying Jesus?
    		His friends 
    The priests and Jewish leaders 
    How did the priests and the Jewish leaders try to stop Paul from telling others about Jesus?
    		By tying him up and trying to kill him. 
    How did God keep Paul safe from the people who wanted to kill him?
    		By having soldiers put him in jail.
    What was good about Paul going to Jail?
    		He told important leaders all about Jesus
    How did Paul's friends try to stop him from obeying Jesus?
    		By trying to talk him out of going back to the temple
    Sometimes friends try to stop us from obeying Jesus.
    Can you think of ways that your friends might try to stop you from obeying Jesus?
    		They might try to get us to do something that we know is wrong. 
    		Excluding someone, sneaking, etc.)
    Discuss kids other ideas.
    Trying to keep us from doing what's right,
    		Making fun of us when we speak up for what's right, etc. 
    Not wanting us to obey Jesus if that means they can't be with us for awhile because they will miss us - not wanting to share us with others.
    Discuss kids other ideas.
    Jesus wants us to obey Him even if others try to stop us.
    Asking God to help us to do what's right when others would try to stop us.
    And to not do wrong when others want us to.

     

    • Snack:  Licorice Lace Handcuffs
    		The kids string licorice laces with cheerios or fruit loops,
    Then tie them into handcuffs.

     

    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
    Bible Story mat
    Toy boat (big enough to fit the Paul figure)
    Blocks or Lego's 
    4 or 5 Fisher Price or similar type men figures,
    bulletin board paper or other large sheet of paper,
    crayons or markers,
    old seed catalogues,
    child scissors,
    glue or glue sticks.
    foreign king figure (
    angel figure (or an angel cookie cutter)
    Snack:  
    		Option 1: Ship rations
    		Dried fruit and nuts for the kids to make a  mix (similar to what sailors might take on a boat)
    Slim jims or other dried meat strips that sailors might eat on a boat.
    Option 2: Angel sugar cookies for the kids to decorate.
    		Angel shaped sugar cookies
    Icing and sprinkles  (an angel gives Paul a message in next week's story).
     

     

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

    Home Sower 50      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 49    Home Sower 49   Lesson 51  

    Home Sower 51    Lesson 52    Home Sower 52 

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