The Apostle Paul- The Great Escape

Transcription

1 The Apostle Paul- The Great Escape In this lesson, Paul begins to preach that Jesus is the son of God. However, his life is now in more danger than ever. Children learn that God can change a person s life and He is there to protect and lead the way. TOPICS Apostles, Courage, Paul, Protection AS KIDS ARRIVE (10 minutes) Ask the following questions: 1. What do you normally use a basket for? 2. What would you put into your basket? 3. Have you ever seen a basket large enough to carry a man? (Some may think of the basket under a hot air balloon.) BIBLE VERSE (5 minutes) "For with God nothing will be impossible." Luke 1:37 NKJV Explain to the children that with God, nothing is impossible. When we belong to Him, we do not need to be afraid of anything. However, God also wants us to be careful and not do dangerous things. BIBLE STORY (15 minutes) Gather the children around you for story time. After the introduction, read the below children's version of the story about Paul's brave escape. As an option, you can read the story directly from the Bible. Introduction: Who remembers our story last week about Saul on the road to Damascus? Do you remember what happened? Yes, he met Jesus in a blinding light. He was blind for three days until he met Ananias. After that, he believed in Jesus and followed Him. Saul, also known as the Apostle Paul, wanted to tell everyone about Jesus. But this made some of the Jews very upset. Instead of helping them destroy the Christians, Paul was now helping even more people believe in Jesus. These Jews became quite angry, in fact, they wanted to kill Paul. Let s read our story to find out what happened. Paul's Brave Escape (Story) page 2 (Option) Read Acts 9:19-27 Discussion Questions: 1. After Paul was saved, he didn t sit around doing nothing. What did he do? (He told others that Jesus was the Son of God.) 2. Did everyone who listened to Paul start to follow Jesus? (No.) 3. Some of the Jews who heard Paul got mad. What did they want to do to Paul? (Kill him.) 4. Why do you think some of the Jews got angry when they heard Paul saying good things about Jesus? (They saw Paul as a traitor. Instead of helping them like he did before his conversion, now he was working against them. For this reason also they had a hard time believing that what Paul said was true.) 5. God gave Paul's friends an idea to save him. What was it? (To lower him through an opening in the city wall in a basket.) 6. Would being lowered in a basket be fun or scary? Why? 7. How can God help us when we are afraid?. FUN TIME (10 minutes) Into the Basket (Game) page 3 ALTERNATE FUN TIME (20 minutes) Paul in a Basket (Craft) page 4 PRAYER/SNACK (10 minutes) CLOSING ACTIVITY (5-10 minutes) Paul Escapes in a Basket (Coloring Page) page 5

2 PAUL'S BRAVE ESCAPE The Apostle Paul- The Great Escape The story of when Paul's friends helped him escape from Damascus by lowering him in a basket through an opening in the city wall. (Acts 9:19-27) Friendship, Paul, Protection, Witnessing Approximately 10 minutes "Jesus is alive, and He is the Son of God," Paul said in a loud voice to the people. "Jesus, the one you put to death, has risen, and I have seen Him." After Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was blind for three days. But then he met a man named Ananias, who helped him regain his sight. Immediately after that Paul believed and was baptized. Before he was an enemy of those who followed Jesus, but now he knew the truth. He was a follower too, and he had to tell others about this wonderful news. "Jesus is alive! He is the Son of the living God!" Paul continued to tell the people. After hearing Paul, many of the Jewish people in the city also believed; however, some still did not. In fact, they became angry and bitter. They said to each other, "Isn't this man Saul, the one who is supposed to be helping us hunt down these so called believers, and make them suffer for following Jesus? Instead of arresting them, he is helping them by making even more people follow Jesus. We must stop him, now!" But Paul continued to share his story, and tell people that Jesus is alive, and He is the Son of God. He did his best to outsmart the unbelieving Jews, and stay out of their way. But after many days, they decided to capture Paul and put him to death. They searched high and low. They even kept a close watch of the city gates, so if Paul tried to leave the city, they could capture him. Paul and his friends knew what was going on. Somehow, they needed to help Paul get out of Damascus. Staying in the city just would not be safe. But the gate was guarded, and there was a high wall all around the city. How could they get Paul out to safety? Suddenly, God gave them an idea. "We can lower you down through an opening in the wall in a basket," they told Paul. "In a basket? Won't that be a little dangerous?" asked Paul. "Yes, it is very dangerous, but God will help us. It's the only way," they pleaded. "If you stay here, surely you will be killed!" So Paul agreed. Late that night, Paul and his friends found a basket large enough for him to get inside. They tied long ropes to each handle, and carefully lowered him down to the ground. It took a while, and it was pretty scary, but Paul made it down safely. He left the city that night, and went straight to Jerusalem to be with the believers who lived there. Paul thought to himself, "Hopefully, I will be safe in Jerusalem."

3 INTO THE BASKET The Apostle Paul- The Great Escape A game of fast action and agility. Hurry, or you will be out of the game. Paul, Protection MATERIALS: Masking Tape Approximately 10 minutes WHAT YOU WILL DO: Using masking tape; make a square in the middle of the room. This will be the basket. The basket should be large enough for all the children to be able to stand inside. Start by having everyone line up around the outside of the basket. When you say, Into the basket, all the children must jump into the basket. When you say Out of the basket, everyone must jump out. A child is out of the game if he or she does not make it all the way inside or outside the basket on one jump, steps on a line, or falls down. You can go faster and faster to make it harder. Play until you have a winner. Option: Have the children line up around the outside of the basket, and then take three giant steps backwards away from the basket. Then, when you say, Into the basket, everyone must hop on one foot into the basket. The last one to make it inside is out of the game. Then repeat, with one more child out of the game each time. Continue until you have a winner. WHAT YOU WILL SAY: One time the apostle Paul was in great danger. Some of the people wanted to kill him. What made it worse was that he was trapped within the city walls of Damascus. The walls were very high, and he couldn't jump down from them. And there were guards posted at all the gates, so if he tried to go through the gates they could capture him. The only way was to lower Paul down through an opening of the city wall in a basket. (see Acts 9:23-25) This too was very dangerous, and Paul may have been scared. But he had to get in the basket. Like our game here, you must get into the basket to be safe. Next explain to the children the rules of the game.

4 PAUL IN A BASKET The Apostle Paul- The Great Escape A fun craft to help remind us that God can offer protection in unusual ways, like when Paul's friends lowered him from the city wall in a basket. (Acts 9:25) Courage, Paul, Protection MATERIALS: Small plain paper or styrofoam cups Figure of Paul [PDF] page 6 Thin rope or cord Hole punch, Scissors Facial tissues, Markers Approximately 20 minutes PREPARATION: Before class, print out enough figure sheets so you can give each child one figure of Paul. You can use the fully colored figures, or if you have extra time in class, you can have the children color the black and white figures. Cut off pieces of yarn or string about 24 inches long. You will need two pieces for each basket. WHAT YOU WILL DO: Use a small paper cup for a basket. Help the children punch two holes at opposite ends along the top and tie one end of the 24 inch piece of cord through each hole. These will become the ropes used by the disciples to lower the basket over the wall. The craft can also be hung from a wall hanger, or a door knob. The children can decorate their basket with colored markers to make it look like a basket, or whatever design they like. Then, have the children place a crumbled up tissue into the bottom of the basket to hold Paul. (You can use more or less tissue depending on the size of your cup, so Paul can look over the top of the basket.) Finally help the children cut out a Paul figure and place him inside the basket. WHAT YOU WILL SAY: As the children are working on their craft, explain how God can protect us in many different ways. Some of them may be kind of strange, like the time Paul's friends put him in a basket and lowered him through an opening of the city wall in a basket. When we are afraid, we should remember that God is there with us. When we call upon Jesus, He will give us the courage we need. God's hands are like a basket. When we are held by His hands, we do not need to be afraid. "For nothing is impossible for God." Luke 1:37

5 The Apostle Paul- The Great Escape PAUL ESCAPES IN A BASKET Paul's friends help him escape harm by lowering him from the city wall in a basket. (Acts 9:25) Apostles, Courage, Disciples, Friendship, Paul, Protection MATERIALS: Coloring page [PDF] page 7 Crayons or colored markers Approximately 10 minutes

6 Cut out one figure for each child. Kids Sunday School Place, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

7 PAUL ESCAPES IN A BASKET Acts 9:25 Kids Sunday School Place, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ww w.kidssundayschool.com