‘Live Out Loud in MY NEIGHBORHOOD’ Lesson

BIG IDEA: LIVING OUT LOUD IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

AIM: This lesson is part of the ‘Live Out Loud’ teaching series. This lesson provides an overview of the story of Peter and John healing the beggar.

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GAME IDEAS:

1. Foot Boules. (regular/widescreen) You will need one small ball and then several bigger balls per player. Someone kicks the small ball. The challenge is now to try and kick another ball closest to the small ball. The player that does this is the winner.
2. Foot Golf. (regular/widescreen) A bucket is placed lay flat on the floor. Children are given a golf ball to kick towards the bucket. The player that can get their ball into the bucket in the least amount of kicks is the winner.
3. Target Ball. (regular/widescreen) Hula hoops are placed around the room or area with a designated point system. Children must try and kick a ball into one of the hoops. The player that does this and gains the most points is the winner.

BIG VERSE: A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy. But I came to give life—life in all its fullness. John 10:10.

(regular/widescreen)

Download the Bible Cards here.

 

SET the Scene:

You will need to set the scene by reading the passage about how Peter and John help and heal a man begging (Acts 3:1-10).

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. Where were Peter and John headed?
2. Who did they meet on their way?
3. What did they offer this man?
4. How did the man react?

 

SPOT the Simple Meaning:

1. OBJECT LESSON: I CAN LIVE WITH GOD’S POWER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

You will need a battery powered toy or appliance. You will need to be able to remove the battery.

Say:  Did you know that you have the Holy Spirit’s power within you? God is three in one – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us power to do God’s will. There are so many things that we can do as followers of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

As we saw in our story, Peter and John were on their way to the temple to pray when they saw the beggar unable to walk, and healed him. They told the people that it was not their power that healed the man.

And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?

Acts 3:12

Peter knew that he couldn’t have done anything without the power of the Holy Spirit living in him. It wasn’t by his own power that he helped the man, but by the power of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity. We welcome him into our lives when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. He is with us to help us live a life that honors Jesus. He helps us to do God’s will. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior then you have the same Spirit living inside of you. All you have to do is ask him to work through you. When you do, you will begin to see amazing things take place!

You can ask the Holy Spirit to help you live for God in your neighborhood; when you see your friends or people in your community that help others such as your teachers and the local shop keeper. God can give you the power to make a difference in your neighborhood for Him.

 

2. OBJECT LESSON: I CAN LIVE IN GOD’S POWER BY HELPING OTHERS

You will need a Radio that can be tuned in. 

Say: The Bible tells us that we can live by the flesh; our own selves, our desires and our ambitions, or we can live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). When we live by the Spirit he will move through our lives and help to speak to, heal and help many other people. Sometimes we may not know who God wants us to speak to, or where He is leading us. We can pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Holy Spirit will help us to hear and sense what he wants us to do.

I’ve got this radio here. Now, I can try and listen to something, but unless it is tuned in then it is going to sound horrible! [try tuning the radio in, highlighting what you mean]. Now, when I do eventually tune it in it will sound great! A radio needs to tune into the right signal to sound any good.

That’s the same with us and the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is doing so many amazing things throughout the world, and he wants to lead and guide us too (Romans 8:14), just as he led Jesus (Luke 4:1, Mark 1:12). However, if we are not tuned in to him, then we will be of no use at all! Peter and John were tuned in to what the Holy Spirit wanted to do. When they saw the man they knew that they had to help him, so that’s what they did.

Are you tuned in to the Holy Spirit? When was the last time you heard God tell you to do something – or not to do something? He is sending signals (just like the radio does) all the time. Are you ignoring him, not bothering to tune in – or are you ready to hear what he has to say? Are you looking out for opportunities to help people? God can help you make a difference to those in your community if you listen to Him.

 

3. OBJECT LESSON: I CAN LIVE IN GOD’S POWER WHEN I STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN

You will need to make a road safety sign or stick and use the powerpoint images to discuss what it means to stop, look and listen, we added the extra action: to pray.

Say: Peter and John were able to help the beggar because they were willing to stop. Even though they were on their way to pray in the temple, they stopped. Sometimes all we need to do to make a difference in our neighborhood is to stop, look and listen. It means being available and being willing to be interrupted. Do you recognize this? (Show a Stop sign traffic wardens use when helping children or others cross the road).

This stick is used to remind us to stop, look and listen when we cross a road. It keeps us and others safe. We can do the same thing. Throughout our day we can remember to stop, look, listen and pray. Is God speaking to us? Is there someone the Holy Spirit is saying we need to speak to? Is the Spirit telling us to do something we’ve never done before? Don’t be afraid to stop and listen. Imagine if Peter and John had simply kept on walking. It would have been so sad for the beggar. Yet when they listened to the Spirit and obeyed his call, they saw amazing things take place!

Why not try doing it today? Throughout your day remember to stop, look, listen and pray.

Stop. Stop focussing on other things and focus on God.

Look. Is there anyone that God wants me to speak to or do something for?

Listen. What is God saying?

Pray. Don’t do it alone – act on what God says.

Are there people living in your neighborhood that you walk past every day? Maybe you see them and haven’t thought to talk to them. Maybe there are kids in your neighborhood that God wants you to speak to or to share the gospel with. Simply tune into Him and ask Him, “Jesus, who do you want me to help today?”

 

SEARCH the Scriptures:

How does the Bible say that the Holy Spirit will help us?

Have a number of different frisbees or balloons or sheets of paper with each of these different statements on them. The children must decide whether they are in the Bible or not.

He will give us gifts: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.

He will make sure there are no problems in life. [UNTRUE]

He will help us to bear good fruit: Galatians 6:22-23.

He will make everyone like us. [UNTRUE]

He will be our comforter: John 14:26.

He will help us to hate others. [UNTRUE]

He will help us know and live by the truth: John 16:13.

He will lead us the wrong way in life. [UNTRUE]

He will pray on our behalf: Romans 8:26-28

 

Say: The Holy Spirit will help us to do so much more than we can think or imagine, we just have to be willing to let him.

 

SENSE How You Feel:

To help children think about how they would have felt to have been Peter as they stopped, looked and listened have children play a fun game (one of your choosing) and half way through interrupt them and explain that someone needs some help. Is there anyone that is willing to do something to help? If anyone is willing, allow them to get involved with helping whilst the others carry on.

When the game and helping is finished ask the children these questions:

1. Why did/didn’t you help?
2. How did it feel to have been interrupted in what you were doing?
3. How did it feel to help someone? (to the person/people that helped)
4. Do you think it is worth being interrupted when you get to help someone?

Remind the children that God wants us to be open to interruptions. He wants us to be available to others.

1. Fill in or color the activity booklet for 5-7s and (UK version) and 8-11s and (UK version).
2. Sensory: Have a set of toys out on the table for children that involve towns or townspeople such as Happyland or have costumes of different community helpers that children can try on and act with.
3. Mould: your neighborhood using clay or playdough.
4. Build: your nieghborhood using Lego or building blocks.
5. Create the scene of Peter, John and the man that could not walk using the character and Temple Gate templates provided. Simply attach the characters to popsicle (lollipop) sticks and cut through the Temple Gate scene to slip them through.

 

SEEK God:

Take some time to allow the children to listen to God. What is He calling them to do? Is there someone that He wants them to speak to? Someone he wants them to do something for? You may want to ask them this direct question:

Is God asking you to speak, encourage or help someone in your neighborhood today?

To help them respond simply put on the ‘This is Living Now’ acoustic version or ‘Holy Spirit’ by Bethel (see Pinterest Board) and give the children space to hear from God. You may want to ask the children afterwards if they felt God say anything to them.