Ministering to children to be SET APART by the truth of God's Word to live for Him - John 17:17.
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1-6 Graders Lesson Plans
The lessons on this page are from
the Believe In Jesus Teacher Guide.
The ideal usage is to teach each lesson in the sequence
it is numbered to build precept upon precept.
However, you may teach the lesson
as a stand-alone if desired.
Click here to read the section on
how to use the lessons effectively.
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Believe In Jesus
Teacher Guide
Believe In Jesus
Puzzle BLAST! Level 1
Believe In Jesus
Puzzle BLAST! Level 2
Believe In Jesus
Puzzle BLAST! Level 3
Lessons from the Believe In Jesus Teacher Guide
Believe In Jesus curriculum is an exciting Bible-based curriculum on salvation which is summed up as: You must believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God. It is written to help saved children understand and be assured of their salvation, and to encourage them into a living relationship with God. More>>>
Lesson
Bible Story
Using the Lessons Effectively
The lessons are divided into 2 sections with an outline at the beginning.
LESSON OUTLINE
At the beginning of each lesson, an outline is provided for the teacher. It consists of the lesson number and name, the Bible text for the entire Word lesson, the Word seed verse and Word truth message.
Word Lesson Bible Text
Each lesson is based on single to multiple Bible passages. Regardless of the age group being taught, you must read the all the Bible text in preparation. For this curriculum to be an effective tool in transforming the lives of children, there is the need for you as the teacher to study the Bible text with the help of the Holy Spirit. As you do this, trust that God will grant you an understanding of the Bible passages and make His Word come alive on the inside of you to minister to the children. You can only give what you have.
Word Seed
The Word seed is a Bible verse on the Word truth to plant in the heart of the children through memorization. Different Bible versions are used for clarity to make it easy for the children to understand the Scripture. Be sure to teach the Word Seed word-perfect to the children.
Word Truth
Each lesson focuses on a Word truth which is a personalized message. It sums up what you are teaching the children to receive and act upon from God’s Word about the lesson. Since the lesson revolves around it, repeatedly emphasizing the Word truth will help the children articulate and remember the lesson.
SECTION 1: WORD LESSON
This section comprises of the an introductory starter question, Word story, Word story questions and Word connection.
Starter Question
This is a reciprocal introduction of the lesson. The starter question is open-ended to facilitate a bit of sharing to intrigue the children. The question is usually personalized except in an instance where the answer may put the children in a negative light.
Word Story
Most of the Word story Bible text are usually stories, but sometimes, non-story Bible passages are incorporated. The Word story is adapted from the Easy To Read Version Bible and modified to allow for smooth comprehension of the Word truth.
In teaching the children the Word story, make it as relatable as possible. You may ask questions during the narration, for example: when God sent an angel to tell Joseph that Mary would give birth to the Son of God, how do you think Joseph felt? If possible, try to get them to do some role playing of the Bible characters as well. Incorporate as many varieties of interactive activities as possible to captivate them without distracting from the message you are teaching.
Word Story Questions
These are questions on the Word story. The answers are just guides. Allow the children to answer the questions in their own words. The questions serve as feedback for you to know what the children comprehended from the Word story. In addition, it serves as a foundation to the Word connection you will be teaching.
Word Connection
The Word connection explains and connects the Word truth based on the Word story to the children. It is a personal application of God’s Word to spur them to act on what they have learned. Spend some time to prepare with the help of the Holy Spirit so that you exemplify and relate this teaching as much as possible to the children in your class.
SECTION 2: SET APART TIME
This is a time to get the children to be quiet before God to individually reflect, receive and respond to Him on the Word lesson you have taught them. The amount of quiet time you devote to this depends on the ages and attention span of the children you are teaching. Urge them to close their eyes to help them avoid distraction. Afterwards, you may invite them to share with the class what they had received from God. Be prepared that it might take a while for the children to get use to this exercise. See this as a learning process for you and the children. Remember that the Holy Spirit is available to help you and them.
Word Story
Have the children reflect on the Word Story. Then give them some quiet time to receive from God by asking Him to show them in their hearts from the Word story something about Himself and themselves. Round up this time by telling them to thank God and pray for His help in doing what He has shown to them.
Word Connection
Get the children reflect on how the Word connection applies to them. Set apart some quiet time for the children to receive from God by asking Him to speak to their hearts on how they can live for Him based on what they have learned from His Word. Conclude by having them thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to them.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 1—God Loves You
The birth of Jesus
Word Lesson Bible Text
Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:8-20.
Word Seed
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life—John 3:16 (NIV).
Word Truth
God loves you and He sent Jesus to save you from your sins to live for Him.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
What are some of the things you would do for someone you love?
Word Story
This is lesson 1 on God loves you in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that God loves you and He sent Jesus to save you from your sins to live for Him.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about what God did for you because He loves you. This is through the birth of Jesus whom God sent to save people from their sins.
This is how the birth of Jesus happened. His mother Mary was engaged to marry Joseph. But before they married, he learned that she was expecting a baby. (She was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit.) Joseph was a good man. He did not want to cause her public disgrace, so he planned to break his engagement to her secretly.
But after Joseph thought about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to accept Mary to be your wife. The baby inside her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son. You will name Him Jesus. Give Him that name because He will save His people from their sins.”
All this happened to make clear the full meaning of what the Lord said through the prophet: “The virgin will be pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will name Him Immanuel.” (Immanuel means “God with us.”)
When Joseph woke up, he did what the Lord’s angel told him to do. He married Mary. After Mary gave birth to the baby, Joseph named Him Jesus.
That night, some shepherds were out in the fields near Bethlehem watching their sheep. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord was shining around them. The shepherds were very afraid. The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid. I have some very good news for you—news that will make everyone happy. Today your Savior was born in David’s town. He is the Messiah, the Lord. This is how you will know Him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box.”
Then a huge army of angels from heaven joined the first angel, and they were all praising God, saying, “Praise God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please Him.”
The angels left the shepherds and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this great event the Lord has told us about.” So they went running and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the feeding box. When they saw the baby, they told what the angels said about this child. The shepherds went back to their sheep, praising God and thanking Him for everything they had seen and heard. It was just as the angel had told them.
Word Story Questions
1. What happened to Mary? She became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. What did Joseph decide to do about it? To break off their engagement quietly.
3. What did the angel tell him to do with Mary? To take her as his wife.
4. What did the angel tell him about the baby? That the baby was from the Holy Spirit and to name Him Jesus.
5. Why was Joseph to name the baby: Jesus? Because He would save people from their sins.
6. What good news did the angel tell the shepherds? That the Savior was born.
7. What did the shepherds do? They went to Bethlehem to see baby Jesus.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 1 on God loves you in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn how the Word story about the birth of Jesus whom God sent to save people from their sins connects to the Word truth that God loves you and He sent Jesus to save you from your sins to live for Him.
The angel told Joseph that Mary was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit and that Jesus was to be born to save people from their sins to live for God.
So why do people need to be saved from their sins? Why can’t people live for God?
To answer these questions, in later lessons, you will learn that everyone is a sinner and sin leads death: which is dying, separation from God and being unable to live for Him. However, God does not want anyone to continue in sin. That is why God said through His prophet about a virgin giving birth to a son whose name will mean ‘God with us’; He was talking about His own Son, Jesus. This shows how much God loves people to be willing to give His only Son to save them from their sins for them to live for Him.
God loves you and He wants you to know Him and live for Him. But you are a sinner and your sins separated you from God. You cannot know and live for Him by yourself. The only way to be saved from your sins to live for God is through Jesus. So, the birth of Jesus showed how much God loves you because Jesus was born to save everyone, including you, from their sins for them to live for Him.
The Word seed says: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life—John 3:16 (NIV). Because God loves you, He willing gave His one and only Son Jesus to save you from your sins to live for Him. Jesus is the only one who can take away your sins for you to live for God.
To perish means to be destroyed forever and this is what your sins do by separating you from God, so you are unable to live for Him. But God wants you to have eternal life, which is to know Him and His Son Jesus, and live for Him. However, having this eternal life does not just happen to you, it is only for you if you believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
In the next lesson you will learn about how God made you special like Himself to live for Him.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: Mary was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit and the baby, Jesus, she was carrying was born to save people from their sins to live for God. And this is the good news to you and everyone.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: You cannot know God and live for Him by yourself. The only way to God is through Jesus. This shows how much God loves you to sent Jesus for you to save you from your sins to live for Him.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 2—God Made You
Creation
Word Lesson Bible Text
Genesis 1:1—2:3, 7.
Word Seed
I praise You because You made me in an amazing and wonderful way.
What You have done is wonderful—Psalm 139:14 (NCV).
Word Truth
God made you special like Himself to live for Him.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
Why do you think God made you the way you are?
Word Story
Note to Teacher: Even though the emphasis of this lesson is on the uniqueness of the creation of man in God’s own image, this Word story is a critical theological foundation for every child to have to counteract the theory of evolution. Take the time to stress the importance of the truth that God created ALL things and that all living creatures were created to reproduce according to their own kind.
This is lesson 2 on God made you in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that God made you special like Himself to live for Him.
To know why God made you the way you are, you need to know what God had in mind when He created the world especially the first people.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about the creation of the heaven and all the things on the earth by God speaking them into being but made humans in a different way and to be like Himself.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. At first, the earth was completely empty. There was nothing on the earth. Darkness covered the ocean, and God’s Spirit moved over the water.
On the first day, God said, “Let there be light!” And it happened. He saw the light, and He knew that it was good. Then He separated the light from the darkness. God named the light “day,” and the darkness “night.”
On the second day, God said, “Let there be a space to separate the water into two parts!” And it happened. So God made the space and separated the water. Some of the water was above it, and some of the water was below it. God named that space “sky.”
On the third day, God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered together so that the dry land will appear.” And it happened. God named the dry land “earth,” and He named the water that was gathered together “seas.” Then God said, “Let the earth grow grass, plants that make grain, and fruit trees.” And it happened. So God made the grass, plants and fruit trees. And God saw that this was good.
On the fourth day, God said, “Let there be lights in the sky. These lights will separate the days from the nights. They will be used for signs to show the days and years.” And it happened. So God made the sun to shine during the day and the moon and stars to shine during the night. And God saw that this was good.
On the fifth day, God said, “Let the water be filled with many living things, and let there be birds to fly in the air over the earth.” And it happened. God saw that this was good. God blessed all the living things in the sea and the birds on land, and told them to have many babies.
On the sixth day, God said, “Let the earth produce many kinds of living things. And let all these animals produce more animals like themselves.” And it happened. So God made many different kinds of animals, large animals and small crawling animals of every kind. And God saw that this was good.
Then God said, “Now let’s make humans who will be like Us.” God took dust from the ground and made a man. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose, and the man became a living thing. So God made humans to be like Himself. God blessed them and said to them, “Have many children. Fill the earth and take control of it. Rule over the fish, the birds and every living thing that moves on the earth.” God looked at everything He had made. And He saw that everything was very good.
So the earth, the sky, and everything in them were finished. God finished the work He was doing, so on the seventh day He rested from His work. God blessed the seventh day and made it a holy day.
Word Story Questions
1. In how many days did God make the heavens and the earth? 6 days.
2. What did God make on each of those days? Day 1—light/day; day 2—sky; day 3—dry land, seas, grass, plants and fruit trees; day 4—sun, moon and stars; day 5—fish and birds; day 6—animals and man.
3. Up until making man, how did God see the things He made? Good.
4. After making man, how did God now see the things He made? Very good.
5. What did God do to make everything except for man? He spoke them into being.
6. How did God make man? God formed him from the dust in the ground and breathed into man His own breath of life to become a living being like Himself.
7. What did God bless man to do? To fill the earth by having children and take control of it by ruling over other living things.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 2 on God made you in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn how the Word story on the creation of the heaven and all the things on the earth by God speaking them into being but made humans in a different way and to be like Himself connects to the Word truth that God made you special like Himself to live for Him.
For six days, God made the heavens and earth with every living thing on the earth. When God made the fish, birds and land animals, He spoke: “Let there be…” And whatever God spoke, appeared. But when it came to making people, God wanted us to be like Him. He made man from the dust in the ground and breath His own breath of life into man to become a living being like God. And what God wanted for man was to live for Him, so God blessed man to fill the earth and take control of it.
Everything God made before making man, He looked and saw that it was good. But after making man, God looked and saw that everything was VERY good. That is because God made people including you to be special because He made them like Himself to live for Him.
That is why king David wrote the Word seed which says: I praise You because You made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What You have done is wonderful—Psalm 139:14 (NCV). The amazing and wonderful way that God made you is that He made you to be YOU! God did not make a mistake in making you the way that you are. Know that God made you special like Himself to live for Him. To live for God is to do things in His own way.
Unfortunately, because of your sins, you are unable to live for God and do things His way by yourself. This is why you may feel that you are not special or may think that there is something wrong with you: such as, you are not tall enough, smart enough, popular enough, etc. Sometimes, it may be because of what other people say to you. Or it may be because you wish you are different by being from another family or race or country.
However, know that God made you special like Himself to live for Him. And the good news is that God loves you and He sent Jesus to save you from your sins to live for Him.
In the next lesson, you will learn about how sin started when Adam disobeyed God, so you and
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: For six days, God made the heavens and earth with every living thing on the earth. When God made the fish, birds and land animals, He spoke: “Let there be…” And whatever God spoke, appeared. But when it came to making humans, God wanted us to be like Him. He made man from the dust in the ground and breath His own breath of life into the man to become a living being like Himself. And God blessed the man to fill the earth and take control of it.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: When God made you to be you, He did not make a mistake in making you the way that you are. Know that God made you to be special like Himself to live for Him.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 3—How Sin Started
Adam and Eve disobeyed God
Word Lesson Bible Text
Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-24, 1 John 3:4, Proverbs 20:17, Ephesians 4:25, 28, 29, James 4:2-3.
Word Seed
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world.
Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone—Romans 5:12 (NLT).
Word Truth
Sin started when Adam disobeyed God, so you and everyone became sinners.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
What makes someone a sinner?
Word Story
This is lesson 3 on how sin started in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that sin started when Adam disobeyed God, so you and everyone became sinners.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command to them and the result of that is what makes someone a sinner.
After God created man, He put the man, Adam, in the Garden of Eden to work the soil and take care of the garden. God gave him this command: “You may eat from any tree in the garden. But you must not eat from the tree that gives knowledge about good and evil. If you eat fruit from that tree, on that day you will certainly die!”
Sometime later, the devil in form of a snake spoke to the woman, Eve, and asked, “Woman, did God really tell you that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?”
Eve answered the snake, “No, we can eat fruit from the trees in the garden. But there is one tree we must not eat from. God told us, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch that tree, or you will die.’”
But the snake lied to Eve, “You will not die. God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree you will learn about good and evil, and then you will be like God!”
Eve could see that the tree was beautiful and the fruit looked so good to eat. She also liked the idea that it would make her wise. So she took some of the fruit from the tree and ate it. Adam was there with her, so she gave him some of the fruit, and he ate it.
Then it was as if their eyes opened, and they saw things differently. They saw that they were naked. So they got some fig leaves, sewed them together, and wore them for clothes. During the cool part of the day, Adam and Eve heard God, and they hid among the trees in the garden.
When God asked Adam why he disobeyed Him and ate the fruit, Adam blamed Eve. And Eve blamed the snake. So God declared punishment on the snake, Eve and Adam for disobeying Him by eating the fruit. God used animal skins and made some clothes for Adam and Eve. Then God forced them out of the Garden of Eden to work the ground they were made from. And God put Cherub angels and a sword of fire at the entrance to the garden to protect it.
Word Story Questions
1. What did God command Adam not to do? Not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
2. What did God say would happen to Adam if he disobeyed? That he would die.
3. What did the snake say to Eve about God’s command? That she would not die but be like God knowing good and evil.
4. What did Eve do? She ate the fruit and gave to Adam who also ate it.
5. What happened to Adam and Eve? Their eyes were opened and they hid from God.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 3 on how sin started in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command to them connects to the Word truth that sin started when Adam disobeyed God, so you and everyone became sinners.
When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, He wanted them to live for Him by taking care of the garden and He told to eat from any tree. To make sure that they continued to live for Him, He commanded them not to eat the fruits from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or else they would die. The death, God warned them against, was to be separated from Him, no longer able to live for Him and die physically (until then, nobody and nothing died). When they listened to the devil and disobeyed God by eating the fruit, they did die. They were separated from God which was why they hid from Him. They were no longer able to live for God after He declared punishment on them and sent them out of the garden. And, of course, much later they died physically.
Sin is not just doing what is wrong, sin is disobeying God. That is why God’s Word says: Everyone who sins breaks God’s law, because sin is the same as breaking God’s law—1 John 3:4 (CEV). When God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from the tree, it was a law that He gave them. By disobeying God’s law (or command), they sinned. The result of that sin was death: being separated from God and no longer unable to live for Him.
Adam was the first person created by God to live for Him. But sin started when he disobeyed God. This is what the first part of the Word seed means by saying: When Adam sinned, sin entered the world—Romans 5:12 (NLT). Because Adam disobeyed God, sin came into everyone. That means every single person is born with sin in their heart or have a sin-filled heart. And this is what makes everyone a sinner. Therefore, it is not because someone did something wrong or bad that they are a sinner. In the same way, doing something right or good does not make someone to stop being a sinner. It does not matter whether someone does good or bad, they are still a sinner. They are a sinner because they were born a sinner with a sin-filled heart. In the same way, you are a sinner, not because of any wrong thing you did, but because you were born a sinner with a sin-filled heart.
The second part of the Word seed says: Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone—Romans 5:12 (NLT). Unfortunately, death which is separation from God and being unable to live for Him followed the sin. As a result, everyone started doing things their own way and not God’s way. That is why you are not able to do things God’s way by yourself.
In the next lesson, you will learn about how your sins have separated you from God to be unable to live for Him.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: Adam and Eve disobeyed God when they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge. As a result, God declared punishment on Eve and Adam, and He forced them out of the Garden of Eden.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: sin is not just doing what is wrong, sin is actually disobeying God. And sin started when Adam disobeyed God, so you and everyone became sinners. As a result, everyone started doing things their own way and not God’s way. That is why you are not able to do things God’s way by yourself.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 4—Sins Separate
Noah & the flood
Word Lesson Bible Text
Genesis 6:1-14, 22, 7:1-10, 23, Romans 8:5-8.
Word Seed
The payment for sin is death.
But God gives us the free gift of life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord—Romans 6:23 (NCV).
Word Truth
Your sins have separated you from God to be unable to live for Him.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
How would you feel if you got separated from your loved ones without any means of getting back to them?
Word Story
This is lesson 4 on sins separate in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that your sins have separated you from God to be unable to live for Him.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how sins separated people from God. This happened when God destroyed everyone except Noah and his family because the people were doing evil all the time.
After Adam and Eve, the number of people on earth continued to increase. The Lord saw that the people on the earth were very evil. He saw that they thought only about evil things all the time. The Lord was sorry that He had made people on the earth. It made Him very sad in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy all the people I created on the earth. I will destroy every person and every animal and everything that crawls on the earth. And I will destroy all the birds in the air, because I am sorry that I have made them.”
But Noah pleased the Lord because he was the only person who tried to live right. God asked Noah to build an ark and Noah obeyed God. Then the Lord said to Noah, “I have seen that you are a good man, even among the evil people of this time. So gather your family, and all of you go into the boat. Get seven pairs (seven males and seven females) of every kind of clean animal. And get one pair (one male and one female) of every other animal on the earth. Lead all these animals into the boat with you. Get seven pairs (seven males and seven females) of all the birds. This will allow all these animals to continue living on the earth after the other animals are destroyed. Seven days from now, I will send much rain on the earth. It will rain for 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe everything off the face of the earth. I will destroy everything I made.” Noah did everything the Lord told him to do.
He and his wife and his sons and their wives went into the boat to be saved from the flood. All the clean animals, all the other animals on the earth, the birds, and everything that crawls on the earth went into the boat with Noah. Seven days later the flood started. The rain began to fall on the earth. In this way God wiped the earth clean—He destroyed every living thing on the earth—every human, every animal, everything that crawls, and every bird. All that was left was Noah and his family and the animals that were with him in the boat.
Word Story Questions
1. Why was God sorry that He made people? Because they did evil all the time.
2. What did God decide to do? To destroy all the people and animals.
3. Why did Noah please God? Because he tried to live right.
4. What did God ask Noah to do? To build a big boat.
5. Who and what was Noah to bring with him into the boat? His family and some selected animals.
6. How long did it rain for? Forty days and nights.
7. What happened to those outside the boat? They all died.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 4 on sins separate in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that God destroyed everyone except Noah and his family because the people were doing evil all the time connects to the Word truth that your sins have separated you from God to be unable to live for Him.
The people (except Noah who tried to live right) after Adam and Eve continued doing things their own way by having evil thoughts and actions all the time. They were sinners with sin-filled hearts, separated from God and unable to live for Him. So, God destroyed them all in the flood.
God’s Word explains why sins have separated people from Him:
People who live following their sinful selves think only about what they want… If your thinking is controlled by your sinful self, there is spiritual death (that is, being separated from God and unable to live for Him)… Because anyone whose thinking is controlled by their sinful self is against God. They refuse to obey God’s law. And really, they are not able to obey it. Those who are ruled by their sinful selves cannot please God—Romans 8:5-8 (ERV).
The sinful self is the sin-filled heart of the sinner. Just like the people in Noah’s time, you (and everyone) are born sinners with sin-filled hearts that make you do things in your own way and not God’s way so that you cannot please God. Your sins have caused you to be separated from God to be unable to live for Him. That is why the first part of the Word seed says: The payment for sin is death—Romans 6:23 (NCV).
However, there is good news in the second part of the Word seed: But God gives us the free gift of life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord—Romans 6:23 (NCV). Life is the opposite of death. Death is your sins separating you from God so that you are unable to live for Him. On the other hand, life is being saved from your sins to live for God. The free gift of life is found only in Jesus who was sacrificed for your sins. And for you to receive this gift of life that God gives, you need to believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
In the next lesson, you will learn about how Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed Himself to take away your sins.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: God was sorry that He made people because they thought about and did only evil things all the time. So God destroyed all the people on earth in the flood because of their sins except for Noah and his family.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: Know that your sins have separated you from God because a sin-filled heart makes you do things your own way and never God’s way. But the good news is that by believing in Jesus to be saved from your sins, you have life forever in Him, be with God always and able to live for Him.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 5—Lamb Of God
John baptized Jesus
Word Lesson Bible Text
John 1:19-36, Hebrews 9:22, Leviticus 9:1-4,8,15,22, Hebrews 10:1-12.
Word Seed
He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day.
[Jesus] sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself—Hebrews 7:27 (NIV).
Word Truth
Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed Himself to take away your sins.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
What are all the things that a lamb is good for?
Word Story
This is lesson 5 on Lamb of God in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed Himself to take away your sins.
In the Bible, one of the most important thing a lamb was good for was sacrifice for sin. In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how God sent Jesus as the Lamb of God to take away sins.
John the Baptist was going around, telling people to turn to God and baptizing them when they did. So the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, “Who are you?” He told them the truth. Without any hesitation, he said openly and plainly, “I am not the Messiah.” The Messiah is the Savior who would bring people back to God.
They asked John if he was Elijah or the Prophet. And He answered no. Then they said, “Who are you? Tell us about yourself. Give us an answer to tell the people who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John told them the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am the voice of someone shouting in the desert: ‘Make a straight road ready for the Lord.’”
These Jews were sent from the Pharisees. They said to John, “You say you are not the Messiah.
You say you are not Elijah or the Prophet. Then why do you baptize people?”
John answered, “I baptize people with water. But there is Someone here with you that you don’t know. He is the One who is coming later. I am not good enough to be the slave who unties the strings on His sandals.”
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God. He takes away the sins of the world! This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘There is a Man coming after me who is greater than I am, because He was living even before I was born.’ I did not know who He was. But I came baptizing people with water so that Israel could know that He is the Messiah.”
Then John said this for everyone to hear: “I also did not know who the Messiah was. But the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘You will see the Spirit come down and rest on a Man. He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen this happen. I saw the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove and rest on this Man. So this is what I tell people: ‘He is the Son of God.’”
The next day John was there again and had two of his followers with him. He saw Jesus walking by and said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
Word Story Questions
1. Who were the people that John said he was not? Messiah, Elijah and the prophet.
2. Who did he say he was? The voice of the one sent to prepare the way for the Lord.
3. What did John baptize the people with? Water.
4. Who did John say was the Lamb of God? Jesus.
5. What would the Lamb of God do? Take away the sins of the world.
6. How would John recognize the Messiah? The Spirit would rest on Him.
7. What would the Messiah baptize with? The Holy Spirit.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 5 on Lamb of God in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that God sent Jesus as the Lamb of God to take away sins connects to the Word truth that Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed Himself to take away your sins.
John said Jesus was the Lamb of God, the Savior who would take away the sins of the world. Remember sin had separated people from God and no one could live for God. In fact, God’s Word says: Sins cannot be forgiven without a blood sacrifice—Hebrews 9:22 (ERV).
Until Jesus came, God instructed in His law that people sacrifice animals and have the blood covered their sins, so that they could be forgiven and try to live for Him. However, the covering that the blood of animals did to sins was temporary. That meant, every time people sinned, they had to sacrifice animals. This was because when people sacrificed animals, all the blood did was covered their sins; their hearts were still filled with sins and they were unable to live for God.
In Hebrews 10:1-12 (ERV), Paul explains:
The law tells people to offer the same sacrifices every year. Those who come to worship God continue to offer those sacrifices. But the law can never make them perfect (or live for God). If the law could make people perfect (or live for God), those sacrifices would have already stopped. They would already be clean from their sins, and they would not still feel guilty. But that is not what happens. Their sacrifices make them remember their sins every year, because it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Jesus knew that God did not want and was not pleased with animals killed and burned or with sacrifices to take away sin. So, He said, “Here I am, God. I have come to do what you want.” Jesus did the things God wanted Him to do, He became the Lamb of God. Jesus made that sacrifice one time—enough for all time. Unlike the priests who offer the same sacrifices again and again which can never take away sins. Through His death, Jesus offered Himself through only one sacrifice for sins, and that sacrifice is good for all time.
That is what the Word seed means when it says: He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day [Jesus] sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself—Hebrews 7:27 (NIV). Jesus sacrificed Himself as the Lamb of God for yours and everyone’s sins by shedding His blood ONCE. Though the many blood of animals resulted in God forgiving people their sins over and over again, yet their hearts were still filled with sin. However, the blood of Jesus will take away sins completely from your heart. All you need to do is believe in Jesus to save you from your sins to live for God.
With the blood that Jesus shed when He was sacrificed as the Lamb of God, if you believe in Him, your sins are forgiven, your sin-filled heart cleansed from sin so you are no longer a sinner, you are not separated from God anymore, and you are able to live for Him.
In the next lesson, we will learn about how Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: John said Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Savior, who will take away the sins of the world.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: Sin separated you from God and your sins could not be forgiven without a blood sacrifice. With the blood that Jesus shed when He was sacrificed as the Lamb of God, if you believe in Him, your sins are forgiven, your sin-filled heart cleansed from sin so you are no longer a sinner, you are not separated from God anymore, and you are able to live for Him.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 6—Jesus Died
The death of Jesus
Word Lesson Bible Text
Mark 8:31, 15:1-39, 2Corinthians 5:21.
Word Seed
God sent Him to die in our place to take away our sins. We receive forgiveness through faith in the blood of Jesus' death—Romans 3:25 (NCV).
Word Truth
Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
What do you think about Jesus dying on the cross?
Word Story
This is lesson 6 on Jesus died in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that that Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about the death of Jesus on the cross.
Then Jesus began to teach His followers that He must suffer many things. He taught that He would not be accepted by the older Jewish leaders, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law. He said that He must be killed and then rise from death after three days. Just as Jesus predicted, He was arrested. Then the leaders tied Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Governor Pilate. They accused Jesus of many false things.
Every year at the Passover time the governor would free one prisoner—whichever one the people wanted. There was a man named Barabbas who had been put in prison for killing during a riot. The people came to Pilate and asked him to free a prisoner as he always did. Pilate knew that the leaders had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous of Him. But the leaders persuaded the people to ask Pilate to free Barabbas, not Jesus. Pilate wanted to please the people, so he set Barabbas free for them. He told the soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. Then Pilate handed Jesus over to the soldiers to be killed on a cross.
Pilate’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace. They made a crown from thorny branches, and put it on Jesus’ head. Then they began shouting, “Welcome, king of the Jews!” They kept on beating Jesus’ head with a stick and spitting on Him. Then the soldiers bowed down on their knees and pretended to honor Him as a king. After they finished making fun of Him, they led Jesus out of the palace to be killed on a cross.
It was nine o’clock in the morning when the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross. They also nailed two criminals to crosses beside Jesus. People walked by and said bad things to Jesus. The leaders made fun of Jesus. The criminals on the crosses beside Jesus also said bad things to Him.
At noon the whole country became dark. This darkness continued until three o’clock when Jesus cried out loudly, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani.” This means “My God, My God, why have You left Me alone?” Then Jesus cried out loudly and died. When Jesus died, the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces from the top and tore all the way to the bottom.
The army officer who was standing there in front of the cross saw what happened when Jesus died. The officer said, “This man really was the Son of God!”
Word Story Questions
1. What did Jesus say was predicted about Him? That He would suffer, die and rise on the third day.
2. Who arrested Jesus? The religious leaders.
3. Who was He handed over to? Governor Pilate.
4. Who did the leaders and people ask to be freed? Barabbas.
5. What did Pilate tell the solders to do to Jesus? To beat Him with whips and kill Him on the cross.
6. What did the soldiers call Jesus? King of the Jews.
7. How was Jesus killed? He was nailed to the cross.
8. When Jesus was on the cross, what happened in the whole country? There was darkness for 3 hours.
9. What did Jesus cry out before he died? “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani.” Or “My God, My God, why have You left Me alone?”
10. What happened to the temple curtain? It torn into two from top to bottom.
11. What did the officer standing by the cross say about Jesus? That He really was the Son of God.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 6 on Jesus died in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that the death of Jesus on the cross connects to the Word truth that Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins.
Jesus told His disciples that He must suffer many things, be killed and on the third day rise again. Jesus was falsely accused by the leaders, cruelly treated by the soldiers and made fun of by the people before He died on the cross.
Remember, sin leads to death which is separation from God and being unable to live for Him. Jesus the Lamb of God needed to shed His blood so that your sins can be forgiven, and your sin-filled heart cleansed from sins. To shed His blood, Jesus had to be sacrificed or killed. That is why He had to suffer and die on the cross.
The first part of the Word seed says: God sent Him to die in our place to take away our sins...—Romans 3:25 (NCV). The only way to save you from your sins was for Jesus to die on the cross and shed His blood. Without Jesus death, you would have needed to kill animals every time you wanted your sins forgiven by God but yet remained a sinner with a sin-filled heart. Even if you wanted to die for your sins, like Jesus did, your blood would not be pure enough to wash away your sin-filled heart. Nobody else could die to take away another person’s sin because a sinner cannot die for another sinner.
The death that Jesus died on the cross was no ordinary death. There was darkness on the whole earth for 3 hours which was a sign of God’s punishment on Jesus for the sins of the whole world. That is why God’s Word says: For God made Christ [Jesus], who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin—2Corinthians 5:21 (NLT). Only Jesus was sinless to die for your sins. That is why God sent Jesus to die in your place to take away your sins.
Another important thing happened when Jesus was on the cross, God torn the temple curtain into two from top to bottom. The temple curtain represented the separation between God and people due to their sins. The tearing of the curtain showed that since Jesus died to take away our sins for us to have our sins forgiven by God, there will no longer be any separation between God and those who believe in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Therefore, the Word seed continues: We receive forgiveness through faith in the blood of Jesus' death—Romans 3:25 (NCV). Receiving this forgiveness will allow you to come to God with a heart that is cleansed from sins. So, to receive forgiveness from God for your sins, you must believe in Jesus. This means that you need to believe that Jesus died for you on the cross to save you from your sins.
In the next lesson, you will learn about how God raised Jesus from the dead for you to live for Him.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: Jesus told His disciples that He must suffer many things, be killed and on the third day rise again. Jesus was falsely accused by the leaders, cruelly treated by the soldiers and made fun of by the people before He died on the cross.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: Jesus suffered and died on the cross to shed His blood to save you from your sins. Only Jesus was sinless to die for your sins. That is why God sent Jesus to die in your place to take away your sins.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 7—God Raised Jesus
The resurrection of Jesus
Word Lesson Bible Text
Matthew 28:1-10.
Word Seed
So, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the wonderful power of the Father,
we also can live a new life—Romans 6:4 (NCV).
Word Truth
God raised Jesus from the dead for you to live for Him.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
What do you think about Jesus coming back to life after He died on the cross?
Word Story
This is lesson 7 on God raised Jesus in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that God raised Jesus from the dead for you to live for Him.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how God raised Jesus from the dead after three days.
Remember, Jesus had told His followers that He must be killed and then rise from death after three days. On the third day after He died on the cross, the second part of His prediction came true.
On that third day at dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other woman named Mary went to look at the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Suddenly an angel of the Lord came from the sky, and there was a huge earthquake. The angel went to the tomb and rolled the stone away from the entrance. Then he sat on top of the stone. The angel was shining as bright as lightning. His clothes were as white as snow. The soldiers guarding the tomb were very afraid of the angel. They shook with fear and then fainted.
The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus, the One who was killed on the cross. But He is not here. He has risen from death, as He said He would. Come and see the place where His body was. And go quickly and tell His followers, ‘Jesus has risen from death. He is going into Galilee and will be there before you. You will see Him there.’”
So the women left the tomb quickly. They were afraid, but they were also very happy. They ran to tell Jesus’ followers what happened. Suddenly, Jesus was there in front of them. He said, “Hello!” The women went to Him and, holding on to His feet, worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell My followers to go to Galilee. They will see Me there.”
Word Story Questions
1. What were the names of the two women who went to Jesus tomb? Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary.
2. What happened when the angel appeared? An earthquake.
3. What did the angel do? He rolled the stone away and sat on it.
4. What happened to the soldiers guarding the tomb? They fainted.
5. What did the angel tell the women to do? To tell Jesus followers that Jesus had risen from the dead.
6. As the women left the tomb, who appeared to them? Jesus.
7. What did the women do? Held on Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him.
8. What did Jesus tell the women to do? To go and tell His followers to go to Galilee where they would see Him.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 7 on God raised Jesus in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that God raised Jesus from the dead after three days connects to the Word truth that God raised Jesus from the dead for you to live for Him.
Jesus died on the cross, He was buried and on the third day, God raised Him from the dead. He appeared to the two women and told them to go tell His followers to go to Galilee where He would appear to them as well.
The reason Jesus died was to save you from your sins by shedding His blood so that your sins can be forgiven, and your sin-filled heart can be cleansed from sin. However, remember that God sent Jesus to save you from your sins to live for Him. So, by His death on the cross, Jesus fulfilled His first purpose which was to save you from your sins. For Him to fulfill the second purpose of saving you to live for God, God had to raise Jesus from the dead.
The Word seed says: So, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the wonderful power of the Father, we also can live a new life—Romans 6:4 (NCV). God raised Jesus from the dead for you to have a new life. This is a new life of living for God by doing things His way. Before God raised Jesus from the dead, you could not live for God even if you wanted to. It is the power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead that makes it possible for you to live for Him.
Until God raised Jesus from the dead, you were helpless against living in sin and doing things in your own way according to whatever your sin-filled heart wanted. Now that God has raised Jesus from the dead, you can live for God by obeying Him and doing things His way. However, to actually live for God, you need to believe in Jesus that He died to save you from your sins, and God raised Him from the dead for you to live for God.
In the next lesson, you will learn that you must believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: Jesus died on the cross, He was buried and on the third day, God raised Him from the dead. He appeared to the two women and told them to go tell His followers to go to Galilee where He would appear to them as well.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: It was not enough just to be saved from your sins. God wanted you to be able to live for Him as well. God raised Jesus from the dead for you to have a new life. This is a new life of living for God by doing things His way. Before God raised Jesus from the dead, you could not live for God even if you wanted to. It is the power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead that makes it possible for you to live for Him.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 8—To Be Saved
Paul & Silas in jail
Word Lesson Bible Text
Acts 16:16-34, Romans 10:10.
Word Seed
Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all the people in your house
—Acts 16:31 (NCV).
Word Truth
You must believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
What does it mean to believe in Jesus and be saved from your sins to live for God?
Word Story
This is lesson 8 on to be saved in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that you must believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how Paul and Silas told the jailor and his family to believe in Jesus to be saved from their sins to live for God.
One day Paul and his friends, all followers of Jesus, were going to the place for prayer, and a servant girl who had an evil spirit in her kept following them around. (This evil spirit gave her the power to tell what would happen in the future.) This bothered Paul, so he commanded the evil spirit to come out of her in Jesus’ Name.
When the men who owned the servant girl saw this, they realized that they could no longer use her to make money. So they grabbed Paul and Silas (one of his friends) and dragged them before the Roman officials and lied against them. The officials tore the clothes off both men, ordered that they be beaten with rods and thrown into jail. The jailer put Paul and Silas far inside the jail and bound their feet between large blocks of wood.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. Suddenly there was an earthquake so strong that it shook the foundation of the jail. All the doors of the jail opened, and the chains on all the prisoners fell off. The jailer woke up and saw that the jail doors were open. He thought that the prisoners had already escaped, so he got his sword and was ready to kill himself because he thought the leaders would kill him for letting the prisoners escape. But Paul shouted, “Don’t hurt yourself! We are all here!”
Then the jailer ran inside and, shaking with fear, fell down in front of Paul and Silas. He brought them outside and said, “Men, what must I do to be saved?” They said to him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all who live in your house.”
So Paul and Silas told the good news about Jesus to the jailer and all the people who lived in his house. The jailer and all his people believed in Jesus. All the people were very happy because they now believed in Jesus and were saved.
Word Story Questions
1. Who kept following Paul and his friends? A servant girl with an evil spirit.
2. What did Paul do to her? He commanded the evil spirit to come out of her.
3. What did the girl’s master do to Paul and Silas? They dragged them before the Roman officials.
4. What did the Roman officials do to Paul and Silas? They beat them and put them in jail.
5. What were Paul and Silas doing at midnight? Praying and singing songs to God.
6. Then what happened? There was an earthquake, the jail doors opened and chains fell off the prisoners.
7. Why did the jailer want to kill himself? Because he thought the prisoners had already escaped.
8. What did the jailer ask Paul and Silas? “What must I do to be saved?”
9. What did they reply? “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all who live in your house.”
10. What did Paul and Silas talk to the jailer and the people living in his house about? The good news about Jesus.
11. Why were the jailer and those people happy? Because they believed in Jesus and were saved.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 8 on to be saved in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that Paul and Silas told the jailor and his family to believe in Jesus to be saved from their sins to live for God connects to the Word truth that you must believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
The jailer and his family heard the good news about Jesus. But just hearing the good news about Jesus was not enough. They had to believe in Jesus to be saved from their sins to live for God.
So far, you have learned that: God loves you and sent Jesus for you to save you from your sins to live for Him. This is because you are a sinner, separated by your sins from God and unable to live for Him. So Jesus died to save you from your sins and God raised Jesus from the dead for you to live for Him.
Just knowing those things above will not save you from your sins to live for God. That is why the Word seed says: Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all the people in your house—Acts 16:31 (NCV). Being saved from your sins to live for God does not just happen to you or anyone. Everyone including you must believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
The good news about Jesus is for you to believe in Jesus to be saved your sins to live for God. To believe in Jesus, you need to believe these 4 things:
1. God loves you and sent Jesus for you to save you from your sins to live for Him.
2. You are a sinner, separated by your sins from God and unable to live for Him.
3. Jesus died to save you from your sins and God raised Jesus from the dead for you to live for Him.
4. You must believe in Him to be saved from your sins to live for God.
To believe in Jesus involves two parts of your body—your mouth and heart. What you say with your mouth about Jesus must be based on what you believe in your heart about Him for you to be saved. You must believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God. God’s Word says: We believe in Jesus deep in our hearts… And we openly say that we believe in him, and so we are saved—Romans 10:10 (ERV). This means that you must truly believe in Jesus (the good news about Jesus) in your heart and with your mouth openly say that you do believe in Him, then you will be saved from your sins to live for God.
In the next lesson, you will learn that God’s Word promises that you are saved from your sins to live for Him when you believe in Jesus.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: The jailer and his family heard the message about Jesus. But just hearing the message was not enough. They had to believe in Jesus to be saved from their sins to live for God.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Note to Teacher: Use the set apart time to lead the children in the Believe in Jesus prayer. Do not force nor discourage any child from participating. It is the Holy Spirit who saves. You may read the article on Children And Salvation.
God’s Word says: We believe in Jesus deep in our hearts… And we openly say that we believe in him, and so we are saved—Romans 10:10 (ERV).
If you want to believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God, then say the Believe in Jesus prayer openly to God and truly believe it in your heart.
Believe in Jesus Prayer
Dear God, I believe that You love me and sent Jesus for me to save me from my sins to live for You. I believe that I am a sinner, separated by my sins from You and unable to live for You. I believe that Jesus died to save me from my sins, and You raised Him from the dead for me to live for You. According to Your Word, with all my heart, I say openly that I believe in Jesus to be saved from my sins to live for You. Thank you, God, for saving me from my sins to live for You because I now believe in Jesus. Amen.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 9—God’s Word Promises
Philip & the Ethiopian officer
Word Lesson Bible Text
Acts 8:26-39, 16:31, Romans 8:16, 38-39, John 5:24, 6:47, 10:29, 1John 5:12-13.
Word Seed
As the Scripture says, "Anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved."—Romans 10:13 (NCV).
Word Truth
God’s Word promises that you are saved from your sins to live for God when you believe in Jesus.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
How can you be sure that something is true?
Word Story
This is lesson 9 on God’s Word promises in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that God’s Word promises that you are saved from your sins to live for God when you believe in Jesus.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how an official found out that what God says in His Word is true. This happened when Philip explained to the official what God’s Word said and the official believed in Jesus.
An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, a follower of Jesus. The angel said, “Get ready and go south on the road that leads down to Gaza from Jerusalem—the road that goes through the desert.”
So Philip got ready and went. On the road, he saw a man from Ethiopia. He was an important official in the service of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He was sitting in his chariot reading from the book of Isaiah the prophet.
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” So he went toward the chariot, and he heard the man reading from Isaiah the prophet. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
The man answered, “How can I understand? I need someone to explain it to me.” Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him. The part of the Scriptures that he was reading was this: “He was like a sheep being led to the butcher. He was like a lamb that makes no sound as its wool is being cut off. He said nothing. He was shamed, and all His rights were taken away. His life on earth has ended. So there will be no story about His descendants.”
The official said to Philip, “Please, tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is he talking about himself or about someone else?” Philip began to speak. He started with this same Scripture and told the man the good news about Jesus.
While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The official said, “Look, here is water! What is stopping me from being baptized?” Philip answered, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you can.’ The official said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ Then the official ordered the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the official went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the official never saw him again. The official continued on his way home. He was very happy.
Word Story Questions
1. Who spoke to Philip? An angel.
2. Who did Philip see in a chariot? An Ethiopian official.
3. What was the official doing? Reading from the book of Isaiah.
4. What did the Spirit say to Philip? To go near the chariot.
5. What did the official invite Philip to do? To explain the Scriptures to him.
6. Who was prophet Isaiah talking about? Jesus.
7. What did Philip talk to the official about? The good news about Jesus.
8. What did Philip say the official needed to do to be water baptized? To believe with all his heart.
9. What did the official say that he believed? That Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 9 on God’s Word promises in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that Philip explained to the official what God’s Word said and the official believed in Jesus connects to the Word truth that God’s Word promises that you are saved from your sins to live for God when you believe in Jesus.
The Ethiopian official wanted to be baptized in water (which should happen after someone believes in Jesus). Philip told him that he could if he believed with all his heart. The officer said that he believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. The Ethiopian official became saved because he believed in Jesus based on what was written in God’s Word.
When you believe in Jesus through saying the believe in Jesus prayer, you become saved from your sins to live for God. It is because God’s Word promises: Believe in Jesus and you will be saved—Acts 16:31. Therefore, you believe in Jesus, and because God’s Word promises so, you are saved from your sins to live for God.
The Word seed says: As the Scripture says, "Anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved"—Romans 10:13 (NCV). This means God’s Word promises that any person at all who believes in Jesus will be saved from their sins to live for God. So, when God’s Word promises that you are saved from your sins to live for Him by believing in Jesus; then you ARE saved from your sins to live for God BECAUSE you believe in Jesus.
When God say that He will do something (e.g. B) for you if you first do something (e.g. A). You can be sure that if you do A, then God will do B for you just as He promises. God does not change what He says, and He does whatever He promises. The way you feel, or what others say, should not make you doubt that you are saved from your sins to live for God. When you believe in Jesus, you CAN BE SURE that you are saved from your sins to live for God BECAUSE His Word promises it is so.
These are God’s Word that promise that you are saved from your sins to live for God when you believe in Jesus:
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And the Spirit Himself speaks to our spirits and makes us sure that we are God’s children—Romans 8:16 (ERV).
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Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord—Romans 8:38-39 (ERV).
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I assure you, anyone who hears what I say and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life. They will not be judged guilty. They have already left death and have entered into life—John 5:24 (ERV).
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I can assure you that anyone who believes has eternal life—John 6:47 (ERV).
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My Father is the One who gave them to Me, and He is greater than all. No one can steal My sheep out of His hand—John 10:29 (ERV).
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Whoever has the Son has life, but whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write this letter to you who believe in the Son of God. I write so that you will know that you have eternal life now—1John 5:12-13 (ERV).
In the next lesson, you will learn about how you become a believer only by believing in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: The Ethiopian official believed in Jesus and became saved because of what was written in God’s Word.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: when God’s Word says something, then it is a promise that it will happen. God does not change what He says, and He does whatever He promises. The way you feel, or what others say, should not make you doubt that you are saved from your sins to live for God. When you believe in Jesus, you CAN BE SURE that you are saved from your sins to live for God BECAUSE His Word promises it is so.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 10—Believer Through Jesus
Peter & Cornelius
Word Lesson Bible Text
Acts 10:1-2, 11:1-18.
Word Seed
More and more people believed in the Lord [Jesus],
and many men and women were added to the group of believers—Acts 5:14 (ERV).
Word Truth
You become a believer only by believing in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
What does it mean to be a believer?
Word Story
This is lesson 10 on believer through Jesus in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that you become a believer only by believing in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how Cornelius, a non-Jew who did good things, only became a believer after God sent Peter to tell him about how to believe in Jesus.
After Jesus died and God raised Him from the dead, many Jewish men and women believed in Jesus to be saved from their sins to live for God. These ones became known as believers. And Jesus’ 11 followers, also believers, were referred to as apostles.
The apostles and the believers in Judea heard that non-Jewish people had accepted the good news about Jesus too. But when Peter, one of the apostles, came to Jerusalem, some Jewish believers (who thought all believers must be Jewish people who were circumcised and obeyed the Law of Moses) argued with him.
So Peter explained the whole story to them. He said, “I was in the city of Joppa. While I was praying, I had a vision. I saw something coming down from heaven. It looked like a big sheet being lowered to the ground by its four corners. It came down close to me, and I looked inside. I saw all kinds of animals, including wild ones, as well as reptiles and birds—animals that Jewish people do not eat. I heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill anything here and eat it!’
“But I said, ‘I can’t do that, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is not pure or fit to be used for food.’
“But the voice from heaven answered again, ‘God has made these things pure. Don’t say they are unfit to eat!’
“This happened three times. Then the whole thing was taken back into heaven. Suddenly there were three men standing outside the house where I was staying. They had been sent from Caesarea to get me. (At that time, Jewish people did not do anything with non-Jewish people, so Peter did not want to go with the men.) The Spirit told me to go with them without wondering if it was all right. These six brothers here also went with me, and we went to the house of Cornelius.
“Cornelius was a Roman army officer who gave much of his money to help the poor people and always prayed to God. He told us about the angel he had seen standing in his house. The angel said, ‘Send some men to Joppa to get Simon, the one who is also called Peter. He will speak to you, and what he tells you will save you and everyone living in your house.’
“After I began speaking, the Holy Spirit came on them just as He came on us at the beginning on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came on the first believers to give them power to begin their work of telling the world the good news about Jesus. Then I remembered the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘John baptized people in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ God gave these people the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So how could I object to what God wanted to do?”
When the Jewish believers heard this, they stopped arguing. They praised God and said, “So God is also allowing even those who are not Jews to change their hearts so that they can have the life He gives!”
Word Story Questions
1. What did Peter have when he was praying? A vision.
2. What was in the big sheet that he saw? All kinds of animals that Jewish people did not eat.
3. What did the voice tell him to do? To kill any of the animals and eat it.
4. Why did Peter not do what the voice asked? Because he had never eaten anything impure.
5. What did the voice say about the animals? God had made them pure.
6. Who sent for Peter? Cornelius.
7. Who was Cornelius? A Roman officer who gave money to the poor and prayed to God.
8. What did the angel tell Cornelius that Peter would do? That Peter would tell him what would save him and everyone in his house.
9. Who came upon Cornelius and the people as Peter was speaking? The Holy Spirit came upon them.
10. Why were the Jewish believers praising God? Because God was saving people who were not Jewish as well.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 10 on believer through Jesus in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that Cornelius, a non-Jew who did good things, only became a believer after God sent Peter to tell him about how to believe in Jesus connects to the Word truth that you become a believer only by believing in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
A believer is a person who believes in Jesus to be saved from sins to live for God.
Not being a Jew did not prevent Cornelius from becoming a believer. Neither did doing a lot of good things make him a believer. Cornelius still needed to believe in Jesus to be saved from his sins to live for God.
Some people think that belonging to a certain race, religion, family or doing good things will help them become believers. While other people think that their race, religion, family or the bad things they do will hinder them from becoming believers. Even going to church regularly does not make anyone a believer. No one can become a believer except they believe in Jesus to be saved from sins to live for God.
That is why the Word seed says: More and more people believed in the Lord [Jesus], and many men and women were added to the group of believers—Acts 5:14 (ERV). It was when those people believed in Jesus to be saved from their sins to live for God, that they became believers.
In the same way, it does not matter who you are or are not, and what you do or do not, you become a believer only by believing in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
Remember, because of Adam’s disobeying God, you were born a sinner with a sin-filled heart and unable to live for God. But God sent Jesus to save you from your sins to live for Him. He is the Lamb of God who was sacrificed to shed His blood on the cross for you to have your sins forgiven and your sin-filled heart cleansed from your sins. On the third day, God’s mighty power raised Jesus from the dead for you to have the same mighty power to live for God. It is when you believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God, that you become a believer. Therefore, you can become a believer only by believing in Jesus to be saved from sins to live for God.
In the next lesson, you will learn about how as a believer, God changes you to live for Him.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: Not being a Jew did not prevent Cornelius from becoming a believer. Neither did doing a lot of good things make him a believer. Cornelius still needed to believe in Jesus to be saved from his sins to live for God.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: It does not matter who you are or are not, and what you do or do not, you become a believer only by believing in Jesus to be saved from your sins to live for God.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 11—God Changes You
Peter healed the lame man
Word Lesson Bible Text
Matthew 26: 69-75, John 21:2-3, 15-17, Acts 4:1-20, 1John 1:9,
Romans 8:1, 28, Colossians 1:14, Jeremiah 31:3, Hebrews 13:5b.
Word Seed
Through [Jesus], all people could change their hearts and lives and have their sins forgiven
—Acts 5:31 (NCV).
Word Truth
As a believer, God changes you to live for Him.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
How has being a believer changed you?
Word Story
This is lesson 11 on God changes you in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that as a believer, God changes you to live for Him.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how God changed Peter so that he became bold to do God’s work and told the leaders that he would obey Him instead of them.
When Jesus was arrested, Peter was in the same yard. Three times, when asked if he knew Jesus, Peter denied knowing Him because he was afraid. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said, “Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will say three times that you don’t know Me.” So Peter went outside and cried bitterly. He stopped following Jesus and went back to fishing. After Jesus died and rose again, He appeared to Peter. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him and Peter replied each time that he did. And those three times, Jesus forgave him and told Peter to serve Him.
Much later, Peter and John, another apostle, healed a lame man. As a result, a large crowd gathered. So Peter and John started telling them the good news about Jesus. While they were speaking to the people, some Jewish leaders came up to them. They were upset because of what Peter and John were teaching the people. The Jewish leaders arrested Peter and John and put them in jail.
The next day the Jewish leaders made Peter and John stand before all the people and questioned them about how they healed the lame man. Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “We want all of you and all the people of Israel to know that this man was made well by the power of Jesus!”
The Jewish leaders understood that Peter and John had no special training or education. But they also saw that they were not afraid to speak. So the leaders were amazed. They also realized that Peter and John had been with Jesus.
The Jewish leaders told Peter and John not to say anything or to teach anything in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “What do you think is right? What would God want? Should we obey you or God? We cannot be quiet. We must tell people about what we have seen and heard.”
Word Story Questions
1. How many times did Peter deny knowing Jesus? Three times.
2. How many times did Jesus ask if Peter loved him? Three times.
3. Who did Peter and John heal? A lame man.
4. Why were the Jewish leaders upset? Because Peter and John were teaching the people about Jesus.
5. What did the Jewish leaders do to Peter and John? They arrested them and put them in jail.
6. Who filled Peter as he answered the Jewish leaders? The Holy Spirit.
7. Whose power did Peter say healed the lame man? Jesus’ power.
8. Why were the Jewish leaders amaze at Peter and John? Because they had no special training or education and were bold to speak.
9. What did the Jewish leaders realize about Peter and John? That they had been with Jesus.
10. What did the Jewish leaders instruct Peter and John not to do? Not to teach anything in the name of Jesus.
11. Did Peter and John agree? No.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 11 on God changes you in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that God changed Peter so that he became bold to do God’s work and tell the leaders that he would obey Him instead of them connects to the Word truth that as a believer, God changes you to live for Him.
After Jesus appeared to him and forgave him for denying Him, Peter was no longer afraid. God changed Peter to live for Him when he became a believer. Peter did not live in guilt or regret about denying Jesus. Instead he became bold in telling the good news about Jesus and living for God.
Like Peter, as a believer, God changes you to live for Him. Before you became a believer, you were a sinner with a sin-filled heart, doing things your own way and unable to live for God.
Through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross when He died for you, your sin-filled heart was cleansed from your sins when you became a believer. Then God changes you to live for Him because you are not controlled by your sinful self anymore. Through the mighty power that God used when He raised Jesus from the dead, you are able to live for God as a believer. God changes you to live for Him by giving you His mighty power to help you choose to do things His way.
Since you had been so used to doing things your own sinful way before you became a believer, you need to learn God’s way of doing things by reading and obeying His Word daily. This is how God changes you to live for Him. As you follow God’s Word, you will change your heart. Even the way you think, and feel will change as well. In turn, you will change your life. Know that this change to your heart and life will not happen instantly. It is a change that occurs little by little as you keep learning and doing things God’s way.
Also, through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross when He died for you, your sins were forgiven when you became a believer. Even though you are learning God’s way of doing things, sometimes, you will still sin or do what is wrong. God does not want your cleansed heart to be filled with sin again, so His word says: But if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. He will make us clean from all the wrong things we have done—1John 1:9 (ERV). So anytime you sin, tell God the sin and ask Him to forgive you; and He will. Also, pray for His help not to do the sin again. God changes you to live for Him by forgiving your sins as you tell them to Him.
As a believer, God changes you to live for Him through all that Jesus did for you. That is why the Word seed says: Through [Jesus], all people could change their hearts and lives and have their sins forgiven—Acts 5:31 (NCV).
Sometimes, you may have wrong feelings that will hinder you from living for God. God changes you to live for Him as you use the Word of God to deal with those wrong feelings:
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Feeling of guilt: So now anyone who is in Christ Jesus is not judged guilty—Romans 8:1 (ERV).
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Feeling of regret: We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him. These are the people God chose, because that was His plan—Romans 8:28 (ERV).
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Feeling of not being forgiven by God: The Son paid the price to make us free. In Him we have forgiveness of our sins—Colossians 1:14 (ERV).
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Feeling of not being loved: From far away, the Lord will appear to His people. The Lord says, “I love you people with a love that continues forever. That is why I have continued showing you kindness—Jeremiah 31:3 (ERV).
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Feeling of being alone: God has said, “I will never leave you; I will never run away from you—Hebrews 13:5b (ERV).”
In the next lesson, you will learn about how as a believer, God makes you a new person on the inside to do good things.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: After Jesus appeared to him and forgave him for denying Him, Peter was no longer afraid. Instead he became bold in telling the good news about Jesus and living for God.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: Through all that Jesus did for you, God changes you to live for Him so you can change your heart and life and have your sins forgiven.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 12—God Makes New
Saul encountered Jesus
Word Lesson Bible Text
Acts 9:1-22, Isaiah 64:6, Ephesians 4:25, 6:18, Colossians 3:23, 4:6,
1Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 6:10, 13:16, James 1:22.
Word Seed
In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things
He had already planned for us to do—Ephesians 2:10 (ERV).
Word Truth
As a believer, God makes you a new person on the inside to do good things.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
What are the good things God wants you to do as a believer?
Word Story
This is lesson 12 on God makes new in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that as a believer, God makes you a new person on the inside to do good things.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how God made Saul a new person on the inside to do good things. After, Saul believed in Jesus, he started telling people about Him.
Before Saul became a believer, he was trying to scare the believers in Jerusalem, even saying he would kill them. He went to the high priest because he wanted the high priest to give him the authority to find believers in Damascus to arrest them.
On his way to Damascus, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shined around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why are you fighting against Me?”
Saul said, “Who are you, Lord?”
The voice answered, “I am Jesus, the one you are fighting against. Get up now and go into the city. Someone there will tell you what you must do.”
The men traveling with Saul heard the voice, but they saw no one. Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but he could not see. So the men with him held his hand and led him into Damascus. For three days, Saul could not see; he did not eat or drink.
There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. In a vision the Lord told him to look for Saul and pray for him.
But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about the many bad things he did to the believers in Jerusalem. Now he has come here to Damascus to arrest the believers.”
But the Lord Jesus said to Ananias, “Go! I have chosen Saul for an important work. I want him to tell other nations, their rulers, and the people of Israel about Me.”
So Ananias left and went to the house of Judas. He laid his hands on Saul. Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell off Saul’s eyes. He was able to see! Then he got up and was baptized. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus. Soon he began to go to the synagogues and tell people about Jesus. He told the people, “Jesus is the Son of God!” All the people who heard Saul were amazed. They said, “This is the same man who was in Jerusalem trying to destroy the people who believe in Jesus! And that’s why he has come here—to arrest the believers.”
But Saul became more and more powerful in proving that Jesus is the Savior. His proofs were so strong that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not argue with him.
Word Story Questions
1. What was Saul trying to do to the believers? To scare and kill them.
2. What was Saul going to Damascus to do? To find and arrest believers.
3. What appeared to Saul on the way to Damascus? A bright light from heaven shone around him and a voice spoke to him.
4. Who was speaking to Saul? Jesus.
5. What happened to Saul when he got up from the ground? He was blind.
6. What happened to Saul for 3 days? He was blind and did not eat nor drink.
7. Who did the Lord send to Saul to pray for him? Ananias.
8. What did Jesus say He had chosen Saul for? To tell people all over about Him.
9. What happened when Ananias laid hands on Saul? He was able to see.
10. What did Saul start doing? Going to the synagogues and telling people about Jesus.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 12 on God makes new in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that Saul believed in Jesus and started telling people about Him connects to the Word truth that as a believer, God makes you a new person on the inside to do good things.
Saul was doing bad things by taking believers prisoners and even wanted to get them killed. Then Jesus appeared to him and he became blind. When Jesus told Ananias to go and lay hands on him, He said that He had chosen Saul for an important work of telling people everywhere about Him. When Saul became a believer, God made him a new person on the inside and he started doing the work Jesus said he would do by telling people around him about Him.
Before you became a believer, you were doing things in your own sinful ways and unable to live for God the way He wanted. God’s Word says: All of us are dirty with sin. All the right things we have done are like filthy pieces of cloth—Isaiah 64:6 (NCV). Because you were a sinner, all the good things you did never pleased God.
The Word seed says: In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things He had already planned for us to do—Ephesians 2:10 (ERV).
Now, as a believer (this is what it means to be in Christ Jesus), you are no longer a sinner and you can live for God the way He wants. God makes you a new person on the inside so you can live for Him. You can now do good things that God wants you to do which pleases Him because you are a believer. As a believer, God has already planned the way you should live for Him including all those good things He wants you to do.
To know those good things that God has planned for you to do, you need to read His Word and pray to Him to show you. As you read His Word and ask Him, you will learn the good things God wants you to do. However, you need to actually do those good things as well. Also, pray to God to help you do them and He will.
These are some of the good things in God’s Word that He want you to do as a believer:
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Obey God's Word: Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. James 1:22 (ERV)
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Pray for others: Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people. Ephesians 6:18 (ERV)
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Say kind words: When you talk, you should always be kind and wise. Then you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should. Colossians 4:6 (ERV)
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Help with chores: God is fair, and He will remember all the work you have done. He will remember that you showed your love to Him by helping His people and that you continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10 (ERV)
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Work hard: In all the work you are given, do the best you can. Work as though you are working for the Lord, not any earthly master. Colossians 3:23 (ERV)
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Speak the truth: So you must stop telling lies. “You must always speak the truth to each other,” because we all belong to each other in the same body. Ephesians 4:25 (ERV)
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Share with others: And don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with others, because sacrifices like these are very pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16 (ERV)
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Give a smile (Encourage others): So encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing. 1Thessalonians 5:11 (ERV)
In the next lesson, you will learn about how, as a believer, God is always with you.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: Saul was doing bad things by taking believers prisoners and even wanted to get them killed. Then Jesus appeared to him and he became blind. When Jesus told Ananias to go and lay hands on him, He said that He had chosen Saul for an important work of telling people everywhere about Him. When Saul became a believer, God made him a new person on the inside and he started telling people around him about Jesus.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: As a believer, God makes you a new person on the inside to do good things. God has already planned the way you should live for Him including all those good things He wants you to do. To know those good things that God has planned for you to do, you need to read His Word and pray to Him to show you.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.
This lesson is from the Believe In Jesus Curriculum
Click here on how to use the lesson plan effectively.
Lesson 13—God With You
Peter escaped from jail
Word Lesson Bible Text
Acts 12:1-11, Romans 8:38-39.
Word Seed
The Lord has promised that He will not leave us or desert us—Hebrews 13:5 (CEV)
Word Truth
As a believer, God is always with you.
Word Lesson
Starter Question
What situation have you found yourself in trouble?
Word Story
This is lesson 13 on God with you in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. The Word truth is that as a believer, God is always with you.
In this first part of the lesson, you will learn the Word story about how God was with Peter and helped him when he was in trouble. God sent an angel to free Peter from jail.
As the believers increased, King Herod began to do harm to some of the believers. He ordered James, one of the apostles and the brother of John, to be killed with a sword. Herod saw that many of the Jews liked this, so he decided to arrest Peter too. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. He arrested Peter and put him in jail, where he was guarded by a group of 16 soldiers. Herod planned to bring Peter before the people, but he wanted to wait until after the Passover festival. So Peter was kept in jail, but the believers were constantly praying to God for him.
One night, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two of the soldiers. More soldiers were guarding the door. Herod was planning to bring Peter out before the people the next day. Suddenly an angel of the Lord was standing there, and the room was filled with light. The angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him up. The angel said, “Hurry, get up!” The chains fell off Peter’s hands. The angel said, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” Peter did as he was told. Then the angel said, “Put on your coat and follow me.”
So the angel went out and Peter followed. He did not know if the angel was really doing this. He thought he might be seeing a vision. Peter and the angel went past the first guard and the second guard. Then they came to the iron gate that separated them from the city. The gate opened for them by itself. After they went through the gate and walked about a block, the angel suddenly left.
Peter realized then what had happened. He thought, “Now I know that the Lord really sent His angel to me. He rescued me from Herod and from everything those Jews thought would happen to me.”
Word Story Questions
1. What did Herod do to Peter? Had him arrested and put in jail.
2. How many guards were guarding Peter in jail? 16 guards.
3. What were the believers doing for Peter? Praying to God for him.
4. Who appeared to Peter in jail? An angel.
5. What happened to Peter’s chains? They fell off his hand.
6. What did the angel do for Peter? He led him out of the jail.
7. What happened to the gate? It opened by itself.
8. Who did Peter say sent the angel to him? The Lord.
Word Connection
This continues lesson 13 on God with you in the Believe In Jesus curriculum. In this second part of the lesson, you will learn about how the Word story that God sent an angel to free Peter from jail connects to the Word truth that as a believer, God is always with you.
Herod wanted to kill Peter because he was a believer. But God was with him and sent an angel to rescue him.
The Word seed says: The Lord has promised that He will not leave us or desert us—Hebrews 13:5 (CEV). As a believer, you can be sure that God is always with you. God promises to remain with you and never abandon no matter what.
Whether you are happy or sad, God is always with you. Whether you are alone and afraid or with friends and bold, God is always with you. When you are at home, at school, at church, at the park or anywhere, God is always with you. Everywhere and every time, God is always with you.
God’s Word says: Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord—Romans 8:38-39 (ERV).
Being a believer does not mean you will not have problems. Even in those problems, God is still with you and He has not left you. Sometimes, when you do not feel that God is with you, even then, He is with you. When you live for God by reading your Bible, praying, singing praises, attending church or serving others, it makes God being with you more real to you.
Set Apart Time
Word Story
Reflect: Though Herod wanted to kill Peter because he was a believer, yet God was with him and sent an angel to rescue him.
Receive: Ask God to show you in your heart from the Word story something about Himself and yourself.
Respond: Thank God and pray to Him about what He has shown you.
Word Connection
Reflect: As a believer, you can be sure that God is always with you. God promises to remain with you and never abandon no matter what.
Receive: Ask God to speak to your heart on how you can live for Him based on what you have learned from His Word.
Respond: Thank God and ask for His help in doing what He has spoken to you.