The Power of the Holy Spirit
(This lesson should follow the lesson of Peter Healing the Lame Man.)
Bible Reference:
Acts 4:1-22 – Peter and John Addressing the Sanhedrin
Bible Verse:
Print out the Bible verse cards and make copies. KJV Pattern or NIV Pattern
Teaching Concept:
Peter and John couldn’t stop talking about Jesus because the Holy Spirit had filled their hearts with God’s love and given them the courage to tell others what they had seen and heard. The Holy Spirit can give you courage to tell others about Jesus.
Opening Activity
Peter and John Stick Puppets
1. Before class, print out the pattern and make copies.
2. In class, have your children color the picture.
3. As your students work, ask them about the picture. How does the Bible verse relate to the picture? What are the people in the picture doing? Why do you think they are running?
2. Fill in the Conversation Bubbles Coloring and Activity Sheet
1. Before class, print out the pattern and make copies.
2. In class, have your children color the picture and try to connect the figures running through the maze to the tower.
3. As your students work, ask them about the picture. How does the Bible verse relate to the picture? What are the people in the picture doing? Why do you think they are running?
The Lesson
Open your Bibles to Acts 4. Last week, we talked about Peter and John healing the lame man in the name of Christ. The people were filled with wonder and amazement when they saw a man who had never walked in his life get up and walk.
Do you think everyone was happy about this? Do you remember who was healing people before this time? He was travelling all over telling them about God and healing the blind, the crippled, and the sick. He had large crowds follow him everywhere. Yes, it was Jesus. Some people weren’t happy at all about what he was doing. The Sadducees (church leaders) were not happy. They didn’t believe Jesus was the promised savior. So they had him killed.
When they heard that Peter and John were healing the sick, preaching the word, and telling people about Jesus coming back to life, do you think they were happy? No, it made them very angry. “They were greatly disturbed” (Acts 4:2 – Show your children in the Bible where they can see the words.
The leaders grabbed Peter and John and threw them in jail. But this didn’t stop the people from believing. Over 5,000 people came to believe that day.
The next day, they brought Peter and John before the leaders. They asked them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” – (Acts 4:7)
Do you think Peter and John were scared? They knew what happened to Jesus. Would you be scared?
No, the Bible says, “they were filled with the Holy Spirit” – (Acts 4:8). Remember, Jesus told them that the Holy Spirit would come and give them power (Acts 1:8). Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly (without fear) answered “By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” (Acts 4:10).
The religious leaders didn’t know what to do. It was obvious that the lame man was healed. But they didn’t want them to keep giving credit to Jesus, so they decided to threaten them and try to scare them into saying no more. They commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus.
But Peter stood up boldly and replied, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)
Discussion
1. Did Peter and John refuse to stop speaking about Jesus?
Not exactly, they said they couldn’t help but speak about Jesus. They knew that Jesus was killed for revealing who he was, yet they knew that it was the most important thing in the world, and they couldn’t stop telling people.
2. Not long before this, Peter denied even knowing Jesus. He denied him three times. What changed in Peter’s life that gave him the courage to stand up for himself?
The Holy Spirit had given them courage, power, and the desire to do what was right. They were overflowing with love, and they had to share it with others. Their hearts had been changed, so obeying God became more important to them than pleasing the Sanhedrin.
3. Have you ever been so excited about something that you just had to tell someone?
That is how Peter and John felt.
4. Can the Holy Spirit give us power to speak up for Jesus?
5. How do we receive this power?
We pray for boldness and for the power of the Holy Spirit to work through us, just as Peter and John did.
Prayer
Dear God, we know that you are the almighty God who has created everything. You have helped your servants in the past, giving them the words to speak. Through the Holy Spirit, you gave Peter and John courage to speak, testifying about Jesus death and resurrection, even when they were warned not to say anything. We ask that you give us the boldness to tell our friends and family about Jesus.
Activities
1. “Can’t Keep It In!” Beanbag Toss
Have children stand in a circle.
- Give one child a beanbag.
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Have everyone say together:
“As for us, we cannot help speaking…”
- The child with the beanbag tosses it to another child and says one thing they know about Jesus:
- “Jesus loves us.”
- “Jesus healed people.”
- “Jesus died on the cross.”
- “Jesus is alive.”
- The next child tosses the beanbag and shares something else.
To make it more active, use two or three beanbags at once.
Object Lesson: “Just like Peter and John couldn’t keep quiet, we can’t keep the good news to ourselves.”
2. Good News Guessing Game
Have your students think of something Jesus did that everyone would want to share. If they cannot think of something, give them some ideas, but don’t share them with the other children. Have them draw a picture that represents what Jesus did.
- Healing the lame man
- Feeding the 5,000
- Calming the storm
- Raising Lazarus from the dead
- Dying on the cross
- Ascending to heaven
- Turned water into wine
- Walked on water
- Miraculous catch of fish
- Healed the blind man
- Healed people with leprosy
- Welcomed children and blessed them
- Washed the disciples’ feet
When all the children are finished, collect the pictures. Show the pictures to the class and see who can guess what the pictures represent. Have the child who guessed correctly tell the class as much as he or she knows about the incident.
3. Popcorn Witnesses
1. Children sit on the floor.
2. Call out: “You have seen and heard something about Jesus!”
3. The children jump up like popcorn and shout one fact about Jesus.
4. After several children respond, everyone sits back down.
5. Repeat until everyone has had a turn.
4. Speak or Stay Silent?
1. Place a line on the floor.
2. Read situations.
3. If it is something they would HAVE to tell someone, they jump across the line.
Examples:
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- You saw a lost puppy.
- Your friend has spinach in his teeth.
- You found a quarter.” Maybe.
- You saw someone get hurt.
- You know Jesus loves people.
- You won the lottery.
- You won a sports game.
- You got a new bike.
4. Ask your student what Peter and John couldn’t keep quiet about. Then connect it to Peter and John: “The disciples knew Jesus was alive. They couldn’t keep that news to themselves.”