Today, I’m posting a way for you to teach the Bible story for the lesson, Ready to Serve Christ. At the end of this week, I’ll start posting object lessons to use with this lesson.
Focus Point: God wants us to be Ready to Live For Christ, Expecting God to move and Determined to share the Gospel.
Goal: Children will learn to look for opportunities to serve God with boldness.
Focus Verse: Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13
Bible Story: Disciples who were Ready, Expecting & Determined
Acts 3:1 – 4:30
Today’s Bible Story uses word interaction. The children say something whenever you say certain words during the story. Rehearse these words with the children several times before telling the story.
Peter and John: Say men of courage are ready.
Preach or heal: Say I’m expecting God to move.
Saved: Say Praise the Lord
Council: Stand up & say We are determined and we’re not backing down.
After the day of Pentecost, two of the disciples, Peter and John (men of courage are ready) were so excited that they went around preaching (I’m expecting God to move) to everyone about Jesus. One day as they were going into the temple, Peter and John (men of courage are ready) saw a lame beggar. He asked Peter and John (men of courage are ready) for some money. Peter and John (men of courage are ready) immediately began preaching (I’m expecting God to move). They told him that they had something better than silver and gold. They had the name of Jesus. They commanded him to rise and walk. The beggar immediately was healed (I’m expecting God to move) and began jumping and leaping and praising God.
When everyone saw the healing (I’m expecting God to move) of the beggar, they surrounded Peter and John (men of courage are ready). Peter and John (men of courage are ready) preached (I’m expecting God to move) to the crowd about Jesus and about how they could be saved. About 5000 people were saved (Praise the Lord). But as Peter and John (men of courage are ready) were preaching, (I’m expecting God to move) the council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) of religious leaders had Peter and John (men of courage are ready) arrested. The council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) had the disciples jailed until morning.
The next day, the council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) brought Peter and John (men of courage are ready) to trial. The council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) demanded to know by what authority Peter and John (men of courage are ready) were preaching (I’m expecting God to move) and healing (I’m expecting God to move) people. Peter immediately got up and said that the lame beggar was healed (I’m expecting God to move) in the name of Jesus, and they were preaching (I’m expecting God to move) about Jesus so that people could be saved (Praise the Lord).
The council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) was amazed at the disciple’s boldness. They also realized that the lame beggar really was healed (I’m expecting God to move). But they did not want Peter and John (men of courage are ready) to preach (I’m expecting God to move) about Jesus because they didn’t want people to follow Jesus instead of them. So the council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) came up with a plan. They ordered the disciples to stop talking about Jesus, and they would let Peter and John (men of courage are ready) go.
Peter and John (men of courage are ready) said “We will obey God rather than man.” They told the council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) that they would not back down but would continue to talk about Jesus so that people would be saved (Praise the Lord). They immediately went out to preach (I’m expecting God to move) about Jesus, and they prayed for courage to do what God wanted them to do.