Determination: God gives us what we need to Keep Going

Please contact children@fpcl.org with any questions! 🙂

Link to May 10^th Video Worship Service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmNw0bs3LgY&list=PLWzu5Hp1aUXn-Sxpc8DRASNXmEoteMlBu

STEPS FOR EXPLORING THIS WEEKS’ LESSON – GOD GIVES US WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP GOING

Step 1) Watch the Children’s Sermon Video together:

• Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk_v-WLaWlc&list=PLWzu5Hp1aUXn-Sxpc8DRASNXmEoteMlBu&index=5
• Discuss: Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit so that they would have the tools, strength, and determination to spread the Good News of Jesus with all the world! We can be determined because God gives us what we need.
• At Home Activity – New Strength: Try completing the activity in the children’s sermon for yourself! This is a fun and powerful way to show how with Jesus, we can be transformed into something new, stronger, and more determined to complete the jobs God calls us to do.
  • Supplies: 1) Paper (printer paper works well), 2) tape, 3) a paper towel roll, a toilet paper roll, or something else that is cylinder shaped, 4) books or something to stack on top of the rolled paper (hard flat objects work the best)
  • Directions: 1) Try stacking the books on top of the paper towel roll to witness how strong and sturdy it is! See how many books you can carefully stack on top, 2) test out the plain piece of paper (unrolled) and see how many books you can stack on top of it, 3) roll the paper around the paper towel roll and tape it in place, 4) remove the paper from the paper towel roll and now try to stack as many books as you can on top of it! See how much stronger this same piece of paper is!

STEP 2) Read scripture together:

• Read: The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost – Acts 2:1-8, 12-18, 22-24, 32-39 (NIV) – ¹When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^[a] as the Spirit enabled them. ⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?….. ¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” Peter Addresses the Crowd. ¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy…..²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,^[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him….. ³² God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. ³³ Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand ³⁵ until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ ³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” ³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
• Discuss: Have you ever heard different languages spoken? Can you imagine what it would be like if all of a sudden you could understand and communicate with the person speaking? The coming of the Hold Spirit was an amazing and confusing thing for people in Jesus’ time. But Peter knew why this was happening, he knew it was so the disciples could prophesize (to tell the world about Jesus). Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit because he knew they needed it so they could do the job Jesus’ had called them to do. How does our church tell the world about Jesus? How can you tell the world about Jesus?

STEP 3) Play Perpetual Motion

• Directions: 1) Find a small object like a foam ball or a beanie baby/stuffed animal, 2) gather your entire family and line up in a straight line shoulder to shoulder, 3) give the small object to the first person and have them pass the object to the next person in line BEHIND THERE BACK, 4) Once the first person passes on the object, they must run to the end of the line to continue to train, 5) continue this pattern until you run out of room! Try making it harder by going faster!
• Discuss: This game could have kept going and going and going forever! This is like the Good News that Peter was talking about in our Bible story today. The Good News of the Holy Spirit and Jesus was passed on and on and on and we’re still passing it on to this day! It will never end!

STEP 4) Create some fun Mother’s Day crafts!

• Have fun completing these fun Mother’s Day activities!
• MothersDay
• MothersDayActivityCardInteractiveTalkingandWritingFREE
• MothersDayCouponBookKidsfillinownideas
• MothersDaySimilePoemFREEBIE

STEP 5) Read through the attached “Philippians Verse” Handout and consider what it means to have “strength to do all things”. What is something you needs God’s strength to help you do? Before you answer, think about if this something is something you want to do, or if it’s something God wants you to do.

• Pray: Dear God, thank you for giving us the strength and tools to need to do what you’ve called us to do. You’ll never give us more than we can handle. Amen.

STEP 6) Read through the attached “Parent Cue W2” Handout about Determination and consider sharing a time with your children when you needed determination to complete something big that changed your life. How would your life be different if you hadn’t seen this through?