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    • Optional Memory Verse: 

    Today's Theme:

     

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    Today's Story:

    		Paul is shipwrecked
    Acts 27  
    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
     
    God is our protector.
    • Materials Needed:
    		Paul figure 
    Bible Story mat
    Toy boat (big enough to fit Paul and several other figures)
    Foreign king figure (use the Pharaoh figure from previous lessons),
    Priest figure,
    Bulletin board paper or other large sheet of paper,
    Crayons or markers,
    Old seed catalogues,
    Child scissors,
    Glue or glue sticks.
    Lego's 
    Angel figure (or an angel cookie cutter)

     

    • Introductory Craft: Story props
    		Have some of  the kids make a paper island for today's story from the following items:
    		a piece of bulletin board paper or a large paper grocery bag, cut apart,
    scissors,
    garden catalogues,
    crayons,
    glue.
    Have some kids make a jail from Lego's to be used later in the story.

     

    • Action Game: Crossing the Stormy Sea 
    		Make a sea crossing from one side of the room to the other:
    		Make a single line of masking tape zigzag across the room, but
    Leave gaps to represent places where "the wind and the waves" are hitting the 'boat'.
    		Vary the length of the gaps from short, to long enough to make it a challenge for a child to jump across.
    Object of the game:
    		Kids pretend they are crossing the sea in a boat.
    They have to walk single file on the line of tape (like walking a tight rope) without stepping off the tape.
    When they come to a place where the wind and the waves have knocked their boat (a gap in the tape),  they have to jump across and try to land on the tape. 
    If they miss they have to go back to the beginning.

     

    • Closing Discussion:

    • Close in Prayer: 

    • Telling the Story: 
    		Today we're learning that God is our protector.
    We played a game where we tried to cross a stormy sea.
    We're going to hear a story about a time when Paul tried to cross a stormy sea in a boat.
    But something terrible happened to him while he was trying to cross the sea.
    Listen carefully to find out what terrible thing happened to him.
    But even though something terrible happened to Paul, God protected him.
    Listen to find out how God protected him.
    Last week we learned that Paul went back to the Promised Land.
    		Lay out the Promised Land mat.
    But when he visited the temple, he was put in jail for telling people about Jesus.
    		Place Lego jail next to the Mediterranean Sea and put Paul figure in it.
    The jail where Paul was staying was right next to the Mediterranean Sea.
    		Point to the Mediterranean Sea.
    Today's story takes place in the Mediterranean Sea.
    So we're going to flip the mat over and pretend that this side is the Mediterranean Sea.
    		Set Paul and the jail aside.
    Flip the mat over.
    Set the jail with Paul in just off the edge of the mat next to the Sea.
    The people who put Paul in jail forgot about him.
    He was in jail in the Promised land for 2 years.
    Finally he said, "I want to see the king!"
    Well the king who ruled the Promised Land lived far away on the other side of the sea.
    		Place the king figure on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea.
    So Paul was put on a boat that was headed across the sea to where the king lived.
    		Place a boat on the edge of the mat and put Paul and 3 or 4 Fisher Price or similar type figures on it.
    The boat started out to cross the sea.
    		Sail the boat part way across the sea.
    But half way across a terrible storm came up.
    The boat was tossed all over the ocean.
    Let's jiggle the mat together gently to make waves.
    Later we'll jiggle the mat hard to make big waves.
    But for right now I want you to make gentle waves while I tell the story.
    The storm lasted for days and days.
    The boat was pushed one way. Then it was pushed  another way.
    		Move the boat around.
    The men in the boat couldn't see the sun in the day time.
    They couldn't see the stars at night.
    They were very afraid.
    They threw some of the ship's supplies overboard to make the boat lighter.
    They ate nothing for 14 days.
    They were sure that they were all going to die.
    But one night God sent an angel to talk to Paul.
    		Hold an angel figure in front of Paul.
    The angel told Paul that the boat was going to crash near an island.
    But that every single person on the boat was going to be safe.
    Not one person would drown.
    		Remove the angel figure.
    So Paul told everyone on the boat what the angel had told him.
    He told them that God was going to take care of them even though the boat was going to crash.
    Paul convinced them all to eat some food so they would be strong enough to swim to shore.
    Then he got some bread,  thanked God for it, and gave some to each of them. 
    Now I need you to help make the waves.
    And when I get to the part about the crash I need you to jiggle the mat and make the boat tip over.
    Let's put the island that you made right here.
    		Place the island on the sea.
    The wind pushed the boat closer and closer to the island.
    Suddenly the boat crashed into a sandbank and got stuck.
    		Direct the kids to make the boat tip over.
    The waves hit the boat so hard that it broke into pieces.
    The captain ordered all the people on the boat to jump over board.
    So Paul and every person on the boat jumped into the stormy sea.
    Some swam to the island. 
    Others floated on broken boards from the ship. 
    But every single person made it safely to the island just as the angel had said they would.
    		Direct some of the kids to "swim" the figures to the island.
    The people who lived on the island made a fire to warm them and gave them some food to eat.
    What terrible thing happened to Paul?
    		He was in a shipwreck.
    What do you think it would be like to be on a ship when it wrecked?
    		Discuss kids answers
    Did Paul seem scared?
    		Discuss kids answers
    Why wasn't Paul scared?
    		Because God sent an angel to tell him he would be safe.
    How did God protect Paul?
    		By sending the angel to tell him he would be safe even though the boat was going to crash.
    By having them crash near an island so they would have a safe place to get to.
    By having people on the island help them.
    Can you tell us about a time that God protected you or your family?
    Thanking God that He protects us all the time.  
    Ask Him to help us trust him to take care of us all the time. 

     

    • Snack:  
    		Option 1: Ship rations
    		Let the kids help make a dried fruit and nut 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 cookies
    		Let the kids decorate angel sugar cookies and have their angels repeat the message given to Paul by an angel before eating them.

     

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

    (Suggested daily readings)

     

    • Materials Needed:
    		Paul figure,
    8 or 9 Fisher Price or similar type figures, (kids can make figures from play dough - see the optional craft below)
    Bible Story mat,
    paper island from last week's lesson
    Toy boat (big enough to fit Paul and several other figures),
    Foreign king figure (use the Pharaoh figure from previous lessons),
    Children's Bible,
    juice and cookies for snack to be used during the action game.
    2 Treasure maps leading to snack hidden in the room.
    		Make 2  maps leading to a hiding place in the room.
    		one will lead to the juice,
    the other will lead to cookies
    Cut each map into the same number of pieces (5 or 6 each),
    Put each piece into small envelopes,
    		You should have 2 sets of 5 or 6 envelopes (one set for each map),
    heavy string,
    2 pinch type clothes pins,
    2 plastic jars that roll easily with wide mouths (big enough to stuff one of the envelopes in (and can be easily removed).
    Make 3 letters from 3 pieces of paper each about 3" X 1 1/2" (8 X 4 cm):
    		On one piece write, "Keep loving one another. Think happy thoughts."  Sign it, "From Paul", fold it shut and on the outside write, "To the Philippians".
    On the second write, "Keep trusting in Jesus. Forgive one another. Always do your best work."  Sign it, "From Paul," fold it shut and label the outside "To the Colossians".
    On the third piece write, "I hear good things about you.  Good job!  Make sure you always tell the truth.  Be kind to one another."  Sign it "From Paul", fold it and label the outside, "To the Ephesians"

     

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

    Home Sower 51      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 50    

    Home Sower 50    Lesson 52    Home Sower 52     

    Hit Counter     

    Lessons 1-12    Lessons 13-27     Lessons 28-33    

    Lessons 34-40    Lessons 41-46    Lessons 47-52